Page 87 of Between Broomsticks and Beating Wings
“Let’s do this.”
Guards standing on either side of the double doors pulled them open upon a nod of my head. Kari walked in first, and I followed behind, keeping my distance. I was here for support, but by no means would I claim to have any part in the return of the God of Inspiration and Frenzy.
Even though I stood at a distance behind Kari, I still offered Freyja and Odr a respectful bow. Kari knelt at the base of the dais, but Odr frantically motioned for her to rise. His untamed beard was crusted with dirt, his robe torn in several spots, but hestill wore a smile on his face for the one who had finally located him.
“Rise, rise, Kari Kettlesdotter, and welcome to our home!” Odr said. Freyja was sitting upon her throne while her husband stood next to her, more like a guard or an attendant than her equal. Being her husband didn’t make the god a ruler. Freyja was the Queen of Fólkvangr, and she may have been on to something by not allowing him to be the king. If this past week told me anything, it was that Odr was far too frantic to be a ruler of any hall, let alone a realm.
Kari stood, her hands clasped behind her back like she’d seen Rayna and I do so many times now.
“I should start by thanking you,” Odr said. “I know I look rather…disheveled, but I couldn’t have waited any longer to meet the seeress who was able to see through the light elves’ imprisonment. The prison I was kept in is one known across the nine realms for being impossible to escape, and I had been trapped under the roots of the same tree for over three decades, completely deprived of the arts. And of my wife and children,” Odr tacked on.
“It was my honor to be of service to Freyja. I’m happy to see your return to this great realm. You were missed by your people greatly,” Kari said, lowering her eyes as she spoke.
“An exaggeration, surely,” Odr chuckled. “How were you were able to find me, young seeress?”
“I am a mortal born of Hel’s seidr. It has grown inside me, a morsel to a spark, to a flame. And now, a fire burns within me, strong enough to melt the ice of Helheim. The seidr may have once been the Goddess of Death’s, but it has twisted into something entirely new. And with it, I was able to have a waking vision of your abrupt departure from Asgard. As for seeing through the wards of your imprisonment, it’s not my first timebeing impervious to such barriers. The one imparted on Asgard’s gate also has no effect on me.”
“How intriguing. And, ah, yes, a departure for more pigment. The only kind worth using comes from the elves. Though, I do admit, I got a bit carried away while on my trip to acquire more. I didn’t intend on staying in Alfheim for so long, you see,” Odr confessed, scratching the back of his neck in the way a young mortal man might. “The light elves have an awe-inspiring collection of paintings, and if you noticed, I’m quite the collector myself.”
Freyja rolled her eyes and shifted on her wooden throne.
Odr continued, his features moving excitedly, as if pulled unnaturally by string, “Do you paint? No, of course not. You have the hands of a potter. Not a very good one, at that,” Odr said distastefully, but he quickly moved on as he realized he was insulting the woman who’d saved him, pottery skills aside. “Well, anyway, I was quite overcome by a stunning depiction of their enchanted forest. The painting moves you see, and I simply had to have it. All my art is still. Howboring! When I offered to purchase it, there was no gold or jewels they would accept for such a priceless piece. It was then I decided I would have it anyway.”
Odr stole a quick glance at Freyja before continuing. Even the goddess’ felines looked at Odr like he should have known better.
“I was swiftly imprisoned, and well, you should already know the rest.”
Kari’s eyes lifted to look upon the god. “If you don’t mind me asking, how were you freed?”
“The ruler of Alfheim is my twin brother, Freyr. He was gifted the realm upon the growth of his first tooth,” Freyja said. “Our relationship is quite…tumultuous. He has never been one to favor my husband. We hadn’t spoken in many years, not since I was sent to Asgard to secure peace between the gods. Inexchange for my husband, I agreed to meet him in his realm to mend our broken relationship. He agreed to the terms I sent with my valkyries, and, in turn, I am bound by my word.”
“That is quite graceful of you, Goddess. Odr is lucky to have such a dedicated wife,” Kari said.
“Quite,” Freyja bit. “Now, I believe it’s time for my husband to depart. We have matters of our own to attend to, don’t we, Kari?”
“We do,” Kari said with a swift nod of her head. I couldn't tell if she was nervous or excited, but perhaps she found room within her for both feelings to place their roots.
With that, Odr was dismissed from Freyja’s throne room, and Kari was left standing before the goddess. I found myself holding my breath, though I didn’t understand why. This was good, wasn’t it? Kari was about to be bestowed the honor of becoming Freyja’s newest attendant. So why was my gut heavy with worry for what was to come?
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
EYES AS SILVER AS STARS
Kari
“Kari Kettlesdotter,” Freyja announced to the room devoid of witnesses, “you have completed the task I bestowed upon you, and for that, you shall be rewarded. If you so wish, you may stay here in Fólkvangr, where you will serve as a member of my council. You are young, but I believe with the guidance of the other seeresses, you will truly find greatness one day. You have the choice to return to Midgard or try to seek refuge elsewhere. I’m afraid I simply have no room for you here unless you join me.”
“I would be honored to join you, Goddess,” I said with a dipped chin. My heart pounded in my ears, and I could barely hear my own voice. I hoped I was speaking loudly enough for Freyja to hear.
“I would usually host a ceremony, make a whole fuss over such an occasion, but I have spent a long while away from my husband. I’m sure you can understand why it’s best to induct you sooner rather than later?” Freyja asked, though I didn’t really expect that she was waiting on my response.
“No ceremony is necessary,” I said. “I agree haste is the best course of action, given the circumstances.”
“Well, then, there is one last matter to attend to,” Freyja said, smoothing out her dress. “I have very little use for a mortal on my council. I hope you can understand. Mortals die far too easily, and their lives are but a blink of my eye. I can already see you’ve aged since arriving.”
“Of course,” I said, my heart in my throat. I had to fight a nervous laugh. Had she really thought I'd aged in the matter of a week? How odd it must be to view the life of a human as an insignificant blip in history. I wondered if one day, I would feel the same way.
“The price of immortality for valkyries is the color of their hair. Rune knew this when she took her vows, as did Rayna. They chose it anyway,” Freyja said, her gaze flicking to Rune, who stood behind me as my unwavering support.
