Curse of the Valkyries

by Rachel Tsoumbakos

Chapter 14: DAG

  The sun was high as Dag returned to the village. He had slept the night on the cold mountain top and headed off the next day. As he approached, his steps dragged. He was determined to complete his task but Sigrun’s face had not left his thoughts for the entire return journey. Dag had agreed to return with Helgi to the mountain where he had met with Odin. The deed would be done there, in obscurity, away from curious eyes. Helgi would be a sacrifice, just like the goat.

  “Dag!”

  He turned in surprise to meet his sister. “Sigrun, what are you doing here?”

  She paused, a slight frown on her face before she smiled widely. “I live here.” She leaned over and punched his arm. There was no force behind it and it brought a stiff smile to his lips.

  Two of Sigrun’s children trailed behind her and the eldest, Ake, put his arms up towards Dag. Reaching down, he picked the boy up and swung him high in the air. Ake squealed in delight and then wrapped his pudgy arms around Dag’s neck when he stopped.

  Dag looked down at the younger boy, Eindride. He was always quieter, more reserved and Dag wagged his hand at the child. Eindride ducked behind his mother with a shy smile. It made his heart swell. Trying to get a smile out of the boy was near impossible and Dag always felt he had won a victory when he succeeded.

  Today, though, the moment was bittersweet.

  “Where have you been?” Ake asked, tugging on Dag’s beard.

  Dag turned towards his nephew and hugged him a little tighter. “I have been visiting far afoot.” He hoped Sigrun wouldn’t question him further. “And, I am very tired after my long journey.”

  “We always have to have a sleep after we’ve been visiting,” Ake replied and Dag laughed.

  “Yes, that is certainly a very good idea. Perhaps, I need to have a nap now. What do you think, Eindride?” Dag had turned again and was smiling down at the hiding child. Eindride peeked out from behind his mother’s skirts and gave a small nod before scuttling back again.

  “Well, you’ve been told, haven’t you?” Sigrun said with a small chuckle. She ruffled Eindride’s hair before she swooped down and picked the child up. Bringing him upwards, she leaned in and kissed the little boy. The quiet one, the one who looked so much like Helgi.

  Dag felt a pain in his chest like Odin’s spear had pierced him. The boys were so happy right now. Did he really want to ruin that for them? He shook his head. “Best I be off, then,” he replied quickly, turning and leaving before Sigrun could say any more.

  Dag rushed away, his head low, not wanting to see another familiar face.

  He had turned down several streets before he felt calm enough to slow his pace or to lift his head once more. The crowd was thick here and bodies jostled around him. It felt better being in the midst of it all. The jumble of bodies and the cacophony of voices seemed to block out his thoughts.

  Passing through the centre of the town, he turned off a street leading out towards where he lived. The livestock yards ran this way and he could smell the strong odour of pigs and goats.

  “Wait up!”

  Dag closed his eyes and froze at the call. He wished he could move through the town stealthily, without being recognised.

  Especially not by this person. Most of all not by this person. He wasn’t ready yet. He hadn’t quite mustered the strength required.

  Still, he turned, unable to ignore Helgi.

  “I’m so glad I found you!” Helgi said as he caught up. He slapped his hand down on Dag’s shoulder and it felt like the weight of heavy rope binding him. He wanted to collapse under the touch. He didn’t fall, though. Instead, he waited, wondering what Helgi would say next. “I need to thank you for looking into where my old sword is.”

  Dag nodded at Helgi. The weight of the gratitude cut into Dag and he wondered why Helgi had to find him here, why he chose this time to thank him. It almost felt like the gods were conspiring against him. But he had Odin on his side, surely the other gods would not go against the All-Father. This had to be a coincidence. But Dag was not one to believe in such things.

  “I am glad to have helped you, Helgi,” Dag said quietly. Ready to be on his way again, not sure how he felt about everything now. He needed to sit and think on things for a while. It all felt too soon. But Dag felt the cold shiver of fate trickling down his spine. Perhaps Odin was still on his side and maybe the other gods weren’t trying to dissuade him. Dag knew this was his opportunity. That this was his one chance to set the revenge of his father in motion.

  “I think I may have finally located it,” Dag replied.

  “Really?” Dag watched a grin bloom across Helgi’s face.

  “Yes, how about I show you where it is now?” Dag asked, suddenly eager to get this over and done with.

  “Yes, I would like that,” Helgi replied. “However, I just need to find Sigrun and tell her I am heading out for a while. I don’t want her to worry.”

  “Oh, nonsense,” Dag replied. “It isn’t that far away, we shall be back before she can even be concerned you have been gone.”

  “Of course,” Helgi said and slapped Dag on the shoulder as they turned to leave.

  “How much longer is it?” Helgi asked. Dag was sick of the question since he had been asked it several times by now.

  “Not much longer at all,” Dag replied, quickening his pace. Maybe if Helgi had to hurry to catch up, he would be less inclined to repeat the question.

  “You’ve said that already,” Helgi said, puffing now. “But I can see the sun starting to dip. I don’t think we will make it home before dark.”

  Dag didn’t answer, only nodded curtly once. “We just need to reach the top of the mountain and you can see we are almost there.”

  Helgi was quiet for a while.

  “What is this place called?” Helgi eventually asked. “I don’t think I have ever been here before.”

  “It’s called Fjoturlund,” Dag called over his shoulder. He marched towards a boulder, where he knew the spear which Odin had given him was hidden. Odin’s ravens were fluttering in the tree behind the boulder and Dag eyed them nervously. The All-Father must be watching, he realised and suddenly felt unworthy, like it was a task he was not capable of doing. Then, his hand touched down on the spear and assurance surged up his arm. He stood and turned.

  And plunged the spear deep into Helgi’s heart.

  Chapter 15: SIGRUN

  The last tendrils of sunlight bleed out from the horizon as the sun dipped low. Closing her eyes, Sigrun tried to absorb the last of its heat before the chill of night took over and enveloped them. As she did so, she could hear her children as they splashed in the water. Their shrill squeals also warmed her.

  “Sigrun?”

  She opened her eyes and found Dag standing in front of her. He cast a long shadow over her and she shivered with the sudden coldness.

  “Dag,” she replied, sitting up straighter. Her youngest son, Fell, nuzzled at her breast. He was mostly asleep and Sigrun wiped the milk drool from his chin as she gently repositioned him, tucking her breast away at the same time. Her son was swaddled, so she could easily sit without having to hold him as he was wrapped firmly against her body. “How nice to see you again.” She smiled at him and tapped the space next to her on the ground where she sat cross-legged.

  “No, I’ll stand,” Dag replied. Sigrun wrinkled her brow as she looked up at him. The sun was sheltered by her brother and she couldn’t see Dag’s face completely.

  “Boys, it’s time to get out of the water,” she called out, without taking her eyes off her brother.

  “I have something I need to say to you,” Dag continued as the frenzied final splashes of Sigrun’s children gave way to the thuds of bare feet across the hard-packed earth.

  Sigrun waited for his announcement but he remained silent for the longest time as Dag jostled from one foot to the other, making the sun cut in and out against her face, blinding and chilling her equally with each movement.

  “Well, spit it out,” she ev
entually said, wishing Dag would stand still since she could now feel a headache forming.

  Dag closed his eyes and took a deep breath before saying anything more. “Helgi is dead.”

  Sigrun blinked, not sure of what her brother was saying. “What?” she finally squeaked.

  “Your husband is dead,” Dag replied. He swallowed once more before speaking again, this time the meaning of his words became clear to Sigrun. “I killed him.”

  Sigrun rocked back. One hand was still against Fell’s back, her other hand whipped out and landed behind her, stopping her from falling completely backwards. She heaved deeply, trying to clear the sudden pain inside her chest.

  A moan erupted from deep down inside. It rose slowly, gathering speed and issuing from her mouth in a shriek that made the birds in the closest trees scramble skyward, their wings beating frantically as they tried to escape the terrifying noise. Then, the clap of rushing feet as her son’s galloped over.

  Fell awoke instantly. His wail added to Sigrun’s terrible screech. Sigrun heard her son’s cry and tried to comfort him. She rubbed his back and cuddled him close, kissing his small head. As she did so, huge tears splashed down onto his head.

  “Mama?” Ake stood beside her now and Sigrun turned her gaze towards her other children. Eindride stood next to Ake. He held the hand of Hagon and the three boys looked at her with confusion. Eindride had tears in his eyes and Sigrun could see that Hagon also had tears starting to well. Ake held fast, though. He was the eldest and prided himself on being almost old enough to be considered a man. But, his chin trembled and betrayed his true emotion.

  Sigrun snapped her head around, back towards Dag. She forced herself to a standing position even though her legs shook underneath her. Fell was screaming at a deafening level now but Sigrun ignored her youngest son for the moment.

  “You killed my husband?” Sigrun finally said. Her voice was strong, so much stronger than she felt inside. “You killed the father of my children? The father of your own nephews?”

  Her gaze bore into Dag’s and she was glad to see his face redden with shame.

  “It had to be done,” Dag replied. He held his hands out in front and Sigrun wasn’t sure if it to convince her of his sincerity or whether it was to protect himself from her. “Helgi killed our family.”

  “Helgi and I killed our family,” Sigrun reminded him. “Will you kill me too?”

  She staggered slightly before regaining her position. One hand patted gently at Fell’s back. Yet, she felt anything but gentle at the moment. Her stomach roiled and she wondered if she was about to vomit.

  She pointed a finger accusingly at her brother. “I thought we stood together in all this. Instead, you have wounded me twice, brother. You have not only taken my husband from me but you have betrayed my very trust in you. As a result of this, I curse you now, Brother.”

  “The wind shall stop every time you step atop a ship.

  The fastest horse will not carry you, even in the midst of peril.

  And, your sword will wound no one but yourself.”

  “Stop!” Dag covered his ears as Sigrun spoke. He shook his head from side to side, his eyes firmly squeezed shut as if he were trying not to hear the curse as if this would cause him not to be affected by it. However, Sigrun wasn’t done with him yet.

  “Because you wounded me twice, Dag, I shall also return the favour. Not only do I descend a curse of bad luck upon you, but I also bestow on you a great and terrible legacy. From this day forth, I curse you with having to live in the forest you hate so much. You with not being able to eat any other food but carrion. Your life will be a misery. A misery to match my own now that my husband has been slaughtered by you!”

  Chapter 16: FREYA

  She could hear the desperate sobs well before she entered the great hall. Freya could see all of the Valkyries huddled in the middle of the room. In their centre was Sigrun and Freya knew what had happened even before words were spoken.

  Freya gritted her teeth and strode forward, ready for the onslaught of Sigrun’s grief. It was always this way with the Valkyries, they loved too hard and it broke them apart when their human companions died.

  But it was different this time with Sigrun, Freya knew. When she had allowed for Svafa’s rebirth, she had suspected a second chance would bring an even closer connection. Yet, they had needed to risk it. Freya had seen it in the runes, she knew that the offspring of a Valkyrie and a member of the ancient house of Volsung was their own chance at defeat in the end times. Their combined lineage was deemed to be unique, to be special in that it would combine and create fearsome warriors and a new distinct clan of their people, ones who might be able to bring about a destruction not predicted by the fates. Although, to say they had a chance at changing what was already written was not something Freya liked to dwell on for long. After all, it went against everything they believed in. Still, it was their only hope.

  Yet, when she saw Sigrun like this it triggered something deep within, something that cut her to the core. Freya felt guilt at using Sigrun in this way, at causing her the greatest pain there was, the pain of losing a loved one.

  “Sigrun.” Freya said the word softly, hesitantly, as she knelt next to the grieving woman.

  The Valkyrie turned towards the goddess, flinging herself into Freya’s arms and hugging her tight.

  “Why?” Sigrun implored. “Why did he have to die?”

  “It is the way of humans, Sigrun, you know that.”

  “He could have lived for so many more years,” Sigrun wailed and her sisters gathered closer, pushing her hair out of her eyes and wiping the tears from her face. All of them cried as well. When one Valkyrie felt emotional grief, they all did. “My brother ruined everything!”

  Yes, Dag had destroyed it all. Yet, at some point, Sigrun’s happy world would have been shattered anyway. If it wasn’t at the hand of her brother, it would have been someone else. At least, this time around, Sigrun had children and children that belonged to the Volsung clan. Now, they would stand a chance at victory during Ragnarok. She felt horrible for her callous thoughts while Sigrun was suffering so much and she hugged the woman tighter in order to curb her guilt.

  Freya wished she had the magic required to turn back time. Except, she wouldn’t take Sigrun back to before Helgi died. Instead, she would take her all the way back, to when she was Svafa. Freya wasn’t sure she wanted the responsibility of this cylindric mess any more.

  “Sigrun, Sigrun,” Odin said, having crept up on all of them unexpectedly. Freya watched as the Valkyrie threw herself at the All-Father. Odin hugged her back, his thumb rubbing the small of her back as she howled into his shoulder.

  Part of this was entirely Odin’s fault, Freya suspected. She knew how he felt about Svafa’s rebirth as Sigrun and had likely dabbled in this mess somehow. Considering Sigrun had produced four sons, there were plenty of potential men who could pass on their bloodline now. So, to Odin, the job was done. He had never considered the rebirthing idea a good one, after all.

  Yet, as Freya watched Odin, she could see his obvious sadness. He seemed to be genuinely distraught over Helgi’s passing. Well, not so much over his death, but at Sigrun’s sorrow in relation to it.

  “Calm down, Sigrun,” Odin whispered softly into her ear. “It is only death. Plus, you have many sons that will go on to fight in his honour.”

  While Sigrun had been slowing in her wailing, Odin’s last words renewed her despair and her shoulders bounced up and down as she howled some more.

  “Odin! Be kind,” Freya scolded. “She has lost her husband. Imagine what if would be like for you if I was gone.”

  Odin looked over at her and Freya could see the anguish in his eyes as he helplessly shrugged at her. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Then leave the Valkyries to be, they will help Sigrun get through this, they will shoulder the grief along with her, share it, and help her with this great struggle. Perhaps, you can walk with me awhile?”

&nb
sp; Odin stood quickly, his brow smoothing out and Freya wanted to slap him for his eagerness to leave the situation. Yet, he didn’t make eye contact with her and Freya wondered if that was his guilt displaying itself to her.

  Freya and Odin left the great hall and wandered outside to Freya’s field, Folkvangr. Here, men and women were practising their battle skills. It was noisy and busy with activity but it also meant that they would unlikely be heard, so offered them some sort of privacy as well.

  “What hand did you have in all this?” Freya eventually asked. Odin wouldn’t look at her. Instead, he concentrated on a group of men who were practising their defensive shield skills. “Answer me!” she shrieked.

  Odin turned and looked at her. Freya felt like she should look away lest she came under his spell. “I thought I was doing the right thing. You know how I feel about Svafa being reborn and I thought by ending it now, it might break the cycle, that Sigrun would grow tired of this earthly struggle. But now, looking at her as she grieves, I think I may have done the wrong thing.”

  “May have?” Freya said, her voice raising to a dangerous level. “Perhaps you should have just let them be. Life is not all about suffering, about the end game here in Valhalla. Sometimes the Valkyries are entitled to their own happiness.”

  Odin nodded curtly before turning his gaze back towards the field. He stroked his beard as his ravens came to settle on his shoulders. “I need to make this up to Sigrun,” he eventually said.

  “Yes, you do,” Freya replied.

  Chapter 17: SIGRUN

  The day afterwards seemed to go by like a year would pass normally. Sigrun awoke and fed her children. She tended to them quickly then lay back down in her grief, where she stayed until it was time to feed them again at the end of the day.

  Helgi’s burial was to be held on the morrow but she hoped the day would hurry by so that she could see her lover once more. She wanted to touch his face, to gaze upon him and pretend that this was all just a terrible dream. She needed to see him as much as her body required air to breath.