As the Valkries Watch - brainstorm

As the Valkyries watch…1

The battle was fierce. Rough muscled men battered endlessly upon one another. Shields deflected and inflicted bruising blows. Blood mixed with the dry earth and was quickly churned to mud by shuffling feet. Odin’s daughters watched attentively as the sweating, bloodied men carved into each other with sword, spear and axe. They had seen this type of combat many times. 2

Eir tried to blink away the tears that always accompanied the useless deaths on the battlefield. Trying to take her mind off the morbid seen below she glanced around at her sisters. Prima, Kara and Goll argued over which was the most handsome warrior. Their eyes bright with enthusiasm. Mist and Rota just sat calmly with their hands folded in their laps, patiently waiting. Only Geirdrilful paced in expectation her hand on her sword as if she could draw it and defend her selected combatants. Herja was staring off into space, probably thinking about the types of treats to give the chosen men.3

Suddenly an angry cry went up on the field. The sisters leaned far over the balcony to peer at the commotion. Before their eyes bleeding forms fell and writhed in torment. One man stood surrounded by his enemy. He realized quickly that he had no chance of survival but still he fought valiantly. His arm raised again and again, striking deadly blows. But he was outnumbered and quickly faltered. 4

“That one is mine!” Goll shouted. 5

“Goll always gets the handsomest one” Kara whined to her sisters. And the man was indeed handsome under the blood and grime.6

“Your men are just as handsome” Prima giggled 7

“oooh, look Kara” Goll pointed 100 meters to the left of her chosen man. “The blond bearded man! He is so tall and look! His arms look like tree trunks.”8

Kara nodded, indicating she chose him, the man in question was indeed a big and handsome man. He swung ferociously at his enemies, unaware that a man on horseback was riding up behind him. Prima sighed and continued searching for her own handsome man to champion. Geirdrilful just rolled her eyes and continued her pacing. Those twitter heads thought of nothing but looks, her man needed to be fierce in battle. And she preferred his weapon be the spear. A man that chose a spear would be clever and quick. He would be an able fighter. 9

Eir sat silently weeping with Mist and Rota on either side of her offering silent support. They understood her best. She couldn’t ignore the misery of war and death even though she new she should. Mist and Rota were the only set of twins that Odin had. They were sensitive to Eir’s soft heart because they knew the pain of loss. They felt it every time they were apart. 10

“I chose the man in the fire” Herja said as she pointed to the man being backed into a burning hut. He swung his axe before him in an attempt to kill some of his adversaries but there were too many.11

“We chose those men near the river” Mist murmured12

“The two that fight as one against their foes” Rota added admiringly. The men were indeed fighting together and around one another in such a complex way that the spilled their enemies blood before many of them knew to defend. On the bridge three men raised their spears and took aim.13

A few meters away a man on horse back charged forward bellowing a war cry. His arm raised up high and slashed down on the heads of his opposition. Prima sighed lustfully and pointed as he rode through a group of warriors.14

“Him.” was all she said.15

Eir sniffed as she surveyed the last of the dieing men. One man knelt beside a fallen friend trying to save his life. She pointed her claim as a man further down the field pointed an arrow at her man.16

“YES!” Geirdrilful shouted as she jumped up. “Him.” she pointed to a spearman on a hilltop. As they watched he ran down the hill and threw himself into the fiercest fighting. His spear jabbing eye sockets. Opposite him another spearman stood out ready for conflict. They faced off.17

As the battleground rioted below the Valkyries horses formed in the air. Dewdrops glistened in their manes as they pawed impatiently. The sisters mounted and set out to claim their warriors. 18

Myr - Eir19

The babe was born and named. His father didn’t care for the squalling infant. It was to young to be of use yet. He needed fighting men not pink squirming bundles of piss filled rags. He named it Myr for his child was small like an ant, hopefully if the gods were merciful his son would grow into a fierce warrior. Goorekr muttered a quick prayer to Odin in the hope that the god of battle would strengthen his puny son. 20

Myr’s mother sighed and clutched her babe to her breast. He instantly started to suckle with vigor. Hjor smiled at her son, how strong he was. His little hand grasped the skin on her breast so tightly she thought he might draw blood. He would be a great warrior and protect their lands from marauders. 21

Silently his sisters watched just as they had watch him come into the world. Their bright green eyes hoped he would be a good boy not one of the mean boys that pulled their hair and threw pig shit at them. The babe stopped suckling and looked at Drott and Bera. They smiled shyly at him in return. His eyes drooped and he slept.22

Botbjorn and Tryggr - Mist and Rota23

The boys wrestled in the mud flinging themselves onto one another and squelching mud between their fingers. They shoved and pulled and spun but never seemed to tire. It was hard to tell under the grime but the boys were about 4 years old and were to enter training next week. They were to be warriors and protect their clan. Botbjorn paused and Tryggr instantly checked his own motion. They smiled at one another and dashed into the woods. They had heard Eyvor walking down the path to collect them and they loved to annoy their older sister. Botbjorn knelt behind a bush on one side of the path as Tryggr scrambled up a tree on the other. 24

“Tubbi…Tryggr.. Mama wants you two back to help with the animals” Eyvor looked around suspiciously. She had heard the rascals sloshing about in the mud and was determined to outwit them. 25

“hmmm..” she murmured as she glanced around for tracks. There were mud splats everywhere. A bush wiggled to her right. “AHA!” she shouted as she dashed to the bush and spied one of the boys. He was so covered in mud she wasn’t sure which child he was. 26

“Now where is the other?” she asked him with her hands on her hips. The little devil just smiled at her in a wicked way. Suddenly she knew she had fallen right into their trap and she tried to lurch away. Too late, as the other muddy boy landed on her back with an earsplitting holler. 27

“EEGH!” Eyvor screeched as she tried to buck the little mite off. He slid down her back and managed to get most of his grime onto her body. She spun about furiously. “Tryggr!” She yelled. As the boys began to giggle she turned and stomped away. Nasty little boy the both of them. 28

Behind her Tryggr and Botbjorn slapped hands and, leaving a fair distance between them and their enraged sister, followed her to the house. 29

Valr - Geirdrilful30

Valr swung his spear in a long arc around in front of him, bowed his body back and brought it whistling full circle. Every rotation the tip of the spear moved farther from his hand, increasing his range. He smashed the first melon and directly after one of the spinning pieces. Sweat was pouring off of his face and down his chest and back. It was a hot day but he wanted to perfect his spear slinging. There was a competition in three days and he wanted to win. If he won maybe his father would let him join the scouts. Isibel would be sure to notice if he were a scout and he really wanted her to notice him.31

Two hours later Valr dove into the river to rinse the layers of sweat and dust from his body. It felt good to get clean again even if he would be dirty after finishing his chores at home. 32

As he bathed Valr daydreamed of Isibel. She would impressed by his skill with the spear. At 8 years old he was to be the youngest scout. He had worked so hard. As he sloshed to the bank, his mind full of her soft skin and blond hair, he didn’t realize the sun was already setting.33

Hjalli - Prima34

Hjalli’s dreams were troubled. The last 8 years of his life had been dedicated to the next day. All of his training had led up to this moment. The final test was here. At 12 years old he was finally a man. Ready to fight along side his older brothers.35

The Southern Tribe had been accosting his family since he was to small to remember. They had taken the lives of his mother and three of his older brothers. His father had lost an eye to their bloodlust. 36

Kvigr - Goll37

Kvigr knelt beside his mother as she lay sprawled in the hay and mud. Her face was peaceful and if it hadn’t been for the pool of blood that surrounded her torso he would have thought she was just asleep. The other clan had sprung upon their village without the slightest warning. Many women and children had died but most of the enemy were vanquished. There was much to rebuild and he would miss his mother terribly but that was how life was.38

Ever since he could remember there had been raids. The must always be vigilant his father always said. If not this happened. 39

Eykr - Kara40

“Eykr has been chosen to go as a runner to the other clan” Adakan declared the elders decision. “we must unite with the other clans and drive our foe away so they may never return” There were harumphs of agreement around the room. 41

Sislfi - Herja42

Sislfi felt the tension in the camp. The combined forces of all the western clans had gathered to make an assault on the northern tribes. This was a final push to ride them of the constant alert. They were trying to make their lives and the lives of their families safer, without the constant fear and precautions they had been forced into. Before dawn they would all be strapping on their shields and grabbing their weapons in order to march into the eneimies lands and kill every last one of them. 43