Song of the Shieldmaiden by Ashley Hagood

Author:Ashley Hagood [Hagood, Ashley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Arrow Heart Press

Chapter 17

Haldis

Haldis awoke to the sound of voices in the hall. She had been tossing all night, her dreams filled with scenes from Ragnarok, the final war of the gods that would end the world. And as soon as her eyes opened, her hair stood on end. Something was wrong.

The chamber was still dark, so she knew it must be the middle of the night. Who would be out of bed now?

That’s when she noticed two of the room’s beds were empty: Svanhild’s and her mother’s.

Footsteps grew louder as someone approached the hall. As the door of the chamber swung open, a flicker of lamplight filled part of the room. It was just enough light for Haldis to see her mother and older sister shoved into the chamber. The door slammed shut behind them.

“Are you all right?” Haldis whispered. “What happened?”

Though it was too dark to make out the forms of her family around her, Haldis recognized Svanhild’s strong whisper. “Ulrik found us training by the lake.” A bitter laugh escaped her. “No, that’s not right. Andor found us training by the lake, and he brought us back for punishment.”

Haldis’s heart sank. The thought of her mother training Svanhild at night had worried her before, but she prayed to the gods they would never be discovered. Apparently the gods had other plans.

“I am sorry your training has come to an end,” Haldis whispered back. “What did Ulrik do?”

“He hit Mother,” said Svanhild. “And I sensed a threat in his words.”

Brynja shifted on her bed then. “Are you all right, Mother?” Her voice was barely louder than a mouse’s squeak.

“I am fine,” Helga replied. Though she kept her voice down too, her tone was low and strong. “I have been wounded far worse in battles. I barely felt the slap.”

Haldis knew that was a lie, but she appreciated Mother’s strength. As always, Helga was the backbone of their family.

“He stole Hrafnblód,” Svanhild said.

“Let us not focus on what we lost tonight,” said Helga. “Tell your sisters about your plan.”

There was the rustling of straw as Svanhild settled on her pellet. Though the room was almost pitch black, Haldis suspected the outline against the far wall was her sister’s shadow as she sat up to tell this tale.

“I will go to Uppsala to seek our uncle,” Svanhild whispered, her voice quickening in a rush of excitement. “Because he is a raider, he is likely to have more warriors who will join us, and he can help us strategize our attack.”

“What if he is no longer a raider?” Haldis asked.

“And what if he doesn’t want to leave his new wife?” Brynja added.

There was a pause as their older sister considered. Haldis wondered why their mother did not answer. Perhaps allowing Svanhild to tell this story instilled confidence in her. Svanhild would be the one to escape to Uppsala, after all. She needed to own this plan.

Finally Svanhild said, “I still believe he will help us. When Mother and I made our plans tonight, I sensed the gods listening.

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