by Joan Holub
“Our team will include nine competitors plus a tenth alternate, in case someone is injured,” said Odin. “Team members have been carefully selected based on ability, attitude, and academics.”
“Since you’ve all been attending the academy for some weeks now, we are familiar with your athletic abilities,” Ms. Frigg continued. “Many of you are talented athletes, and we had a large list to choose from.”
“However, this competition isn’t just about skiing skill,” said Odin. “It’s also about fostering friendship among the worlds. The team we send must be able to make friends and not cause trouble.”
“That lets Loki out,” someone in the crowd muttered, too quietly for the coprincipals to hear. In Skade’s opinion, they were right about Loki!
“Feelings will be running high in Jotunheim. No world wants to lose, but some will and all must remain gracious in defeat,” Ms. Frigg went on.
In competitions many individuals and/or teams sought to win, Skade knew. On the one hand, that kept everyone’s skills in tip-top shape. On the other hand, it could create jealousy and hard feelings among those who lost.
Angerboda had moved to Skade’s side while Odin and Ms. Frigg were speaking. Now she leaned over to murmur something. “Speaking of losing, you’d better hope that Helrun isn’t part of the competition in Jotunheim. It really defeated you a few years ago, remember?” Since Angerboda was already cautioning her, the girlgiant obviously assumed Skade would make the team. Which was kind of nice. Except her words did cause Skade some concern.
Helrun was a ski run named after the world of Helheim. The run was sometimes misty, sometimes sunny, and always slick with ice. It was steep, narrow, and straight. And therefore terrifying, just like Helheim. Skade had been really tired the day she attempted to ski it a while back, and she had taken her worst spill ever on that difficult run. She’d wound up sliding backward and tumbling the last half of the way down it, head over heels. She’d never tried it again.
Trust Angerboda to cast a dark cloud over things. She knew this girl was just trying to undermine her confidence. (And it was kind of working.) But worse was yet to come.
“And lastly, after judging for ability and attitude, we looked at contenders’ academics,” Odin was saying. “We consulted with teachers to be sure those who are chosen are maintaining high grades in all classes.”
At this, Skade gulped, wondering what Mr. Sturluson had told Odin and Ms. Frigg about her.
Odin cleared his throat importantly. His good eye swept the room. Skade squirmed when it seemed to land on her for just a fraction of a second. Then he looked down at a list in his hand. “The nine competitors representing Asgard Academy will be as follows,” he announced. “Balder, Freya, Honir, Thor, Njord, Yanis, Malfrid, and Angerboda. Plus Ull, who will be captain.” He paused and looked up from his list. “Our alternate will be Skade.”
5 Nightmares
SKADE STOOD IN THE VALHALLATERIA frozen in horror. Alternate? She—the girlgoddess of skiing—was going to Jotunheim, but wasn’t going to get to compete as part of the team? This. Could. Not. Be. Happening!
And yet it had happened. The team had been selected sooner than she’d expected. She hadn’t had time to change Mr. Sturluson’s mind. And now it was too late. A done deal.
All around her, cheers and squeals of excitement rose from those who’d been chosen for the ski team and those lucky students’ friends. At the same time it felt like every pair of eyes in the Valhallateria was on her, as everyone (herself included!) wondered exactly why she’d been overlooked for the main team.
Only a part of her listened to the rest of Odin’s remarks as he spoke about how AA’s team would depart tomorrow, Friday morning, for Jotunheim so as to arrive in time for practice runs with all the other worlds’ teams. And how the competition would officially begin Saturday morning and end by dusk. Another part of her mind was whirling with disbelief and humiliation.
Skade’s three podmates gathered around her. They hugged her and murmured words of comfort and support.
“I can’t believe this,” Freya said, looking stunned. “How could I make the main team when you didn’t, Skade? It’s crazy!”
Skade tried to be a good sport. And she was truly happy for Freya, though she would’ve liked to be on the team with her, of course. “I can totally understand you getting chosen. You get along with everybody,” Skade said. “And part of these ski games is about fostering world friendship. Plus, you’re a great skier, quick and light on your feet, er, skis.”
“But I’m not the best. And, I mean, Ull is the boygod of snow, so I guess he makes sense as a captain choice. Still, you’re the girlgoddess of skiing! You should have been made captain instead,” said Freya.
“Freya’s right,” Sif agreed. Then she nodded toward a group that included three of the boys on Odin’s list. “Most of the other skier choices make sense, though. Honir’s long legs make him superfast, Njord is nimble, and Thor’s strength gives him great endurance.” Thor happened to look her way just then, and she sent him a cute little wave, no doubt glad he’d been chosen. They were very good friends and almost-crushes.
“Yeah, and Yanis and Malfrid are supersweet, and quick, too. And everybody adores Balder, so they’ll all be good representatives from our world,” said Idun. “Plus Balder’s skin has that cool faint glow. Could be a big help to our team on any slopes that are heavily treed and therefore dark.”
“But Angerboda?” said Freya, holding her palms upward to indicate confusion. “Why choose her?”
“Good question,” said Sif. “Sure, she’s a great skier. But she’s a troublemaker. Odin must know that.”
Idun nodded, as they all glanced across the room at that girlgiant. Angerboda wore a fake-looking smile and was just then sidling up to Odin and Ms. Frigg. Probably to thank them for choosing her.
“Hmm. That girl’s been acting extra nice to teachers lately,” noted Sif. “It’s kind of suspicious, if you ask me.”
“Yeah, it is,” mused Skade. “It’s almost like she knew about this competition before anyone else did. I haven’t been to Jotunheim for a while, but she went for a visit a week ago.”
Idun’s brows flew upward. “You think she somehow heard in advance about the competition from someone there?”
“It would explain why she’s been acting so goody-goody recently,” said Freya.
A flash of anger at Odin overwhelmed Skade for a moment. How could he have fallen for Angerboda’s fakey niceness? She wasn’t nice! And he should have figured that out. After all, he was the smartest guy in all the worlds, except maybe for their school librarian, Mimir. So how could Odin have let himself be tricked into choosing Angerboda for a spot on the team? Skade just didn’t get it.
With her confidence at an all-time low and feeling embarrassed and sad, Skade still knew how to summon up her inner team spirit. So she forced herself to do what she knew was right.
“Excuse me a sec,” she said to her friends. Although she really, really didn’t feel like it, she made herself go over and congratulate each of the other students who’d been selected as team members, besides Freya and her. “I’m so excited and happy to be part of this team. We’re going to do great,” she told them.
Angerboda left Odin and Ms. Frigg and wandered over to the group. After Skade quietly (and with great difficulty) congratulated her, too, Angerboda responded by giving her a big, gloating smile. “Gosh, thanks! And congrats to you for being named alternate.”
Mortified by the snarky girlgiant’s deliberate emphasis on “alternate,” it took all of Skade’s inner strength to simply murmur, “Thanks,” and to walk away.
As she did so, she noticed Loki lurking close by. At the moment he wasn’t looking any happier than she felt. Had he been hoping to be chosen for the team too? Probably. That boygod did not lack confidence. He also liked being the center of attention and didn’t seem to care if it happened as the result of his bad behavior. Of course, this would’ve made him a risky choice
for the team.
A hand touched Skade’s shoulder. It was Balder’s. Offering her a look of sympathy, he said, “Tough luck. I’m really sorry you’re not on the main team.” He yawned. “I’m glad you’re coming to Jotunheim with us, though. Your and Angerboda’s inside knowledge of the slopes will be a big help.”
“We’ll do our best,” she replied, giving him a small smile.
When Balder yawned again, Skade tilted her head and studied him with concern. “You okay? I mean, you’ve been yawning a lot lately. You were doing it in history class today too.” She was almost glad to have something else to worry about besides how upset she felt, even if only for a minute.
“Huh?” Balder said. “Oh, yeah.” He yawned again. “Well, truth is, I haven’t been getting much sleep the past few days. I’ve been having the weirdest dreams. Nightmares, really.” He yawned again super big, just like Mr. Sturluson was famous for doing. Thinking of that teacher reminded Skade of his scolding words earlier that day. Which she didn’t want to think about.
“Nightmares? What kind?” Thor asked, overhearing.
“Creepy stuff. Take last night, for example. Dreamed I was in Jotunheim, trapped inside a ring of skis that some frost giants had stuck on end in the snow around me like some kind of fence or jail bars,” Balder said. “And another night I dreamed that giants had baked me into a humongous pie. I was getting exhausted swimming in berry juice, but I couldn’t escape. Meanwhile, my giant captors were looking hungrier and hungrier. They were smacking their lips and chanting, ‘Let’s all try…some Balder-berry pie.’ ” With that, Balder gave a huge yawn, stretching his arms overhead.
“Mmm. Pie,” echoed Loki, who had just wandered over. He was always hungry, it seemed, and any discussion that involved food interested him. “So what finally happened? In your pie dream, I mean.”
“Nothing. Right when the giants opened their mouths wide and were about to eat me, I woke up.” Balder shuddered.
Skade did too. Most every frost giant she knew was suspicious of anyone from another world and would gladly do them mischief if given half a chance.
Balder yawned again and then slumped to sit in a chair at a nearby table. His head dropped, and he rested his chin on his fist on the tabletop. “That’s how it always happens in the nightmares I’ve been having. Before I drown or fall into an enormous beehive or something awful like that, I wake up with a jolt. Then I’m tired all the next day,” he added sleepily.
A strange fear for Balder’s well-being prickled the back of Skade’s neck. “Weird coincidence that you’ve been dreaming of frost giants, and then frost giants suddenly show up here at AA this afternoon to invite us to Jotunheim, don’t you think?”
Balder sat up straighter. Thor, Loki, and everyone who had been listening in on their conversation leaned in to hear more. “Yeah, come to think of it, all my bad dreams have to do with giants causing me trouble. What do you think it means?”
“Maybe your dreams are some kind of prophecy?” said Thor. “We should go tell Odin and Ms. Frigg about them and see what they think.” Pulling Balder to stand, the superstrong Thor half-dragged him over to the coprincipals across the room to do just that while Skade, Loki, and some other students followed.
They listened again as Balder described his troubling dreams to both Odin and Ms. Frigg. “You were right to come to us with this news. It’s very worrisome,” Odin said afterward. “As a boygod, you are destined to live forever young. Unless you are purposely killed.”
Ms. Frigg’s hand flew to her cheek and she gasped in horror. “But who or what in the worlds would ever do such a thing? Everyone adores our sweet Balder!” Students who had collected around them nodded in agreement.
“Maybe Balder should be taken off the team,” Loki suggested to Ms. Frigg. “For his own safety, of course. I volunteer myself to take his place,” he added hopefully.
Balder grinned and elbowed him, not taking offense. “You crack me up. Always the jokey Loki!”
However, then Balder’s forehead wrinkled with worry as he turned toward Odin again. “You won’t count me out of the competition because of my nightmares, will you?”
“Nightmares very often do portend injury or trouble of some sort,” said Odin, tapping his chin with a finger and appearing thoughtful.
“But it wouldn’t be fair to take him out of the ski games due to a few nightmares,” insisted Skade. Despite her concern for Balder, she knew how she’d feel if she had a solid spot on the team, then was told she couldn’t participate after all because of some crazy dreams.
Just then Ms. Frigg snapped her fingers. “I have an idea. We’ll simply demand a promise from every dangerous object or being in the nine worlds not to do Balder any harm.”
“Is that possible?” asked Njord. “The games begin the day after tomorrow. How can we send a message out to all harmful things everywhere and get them to swear an oath not to harm Balder in just one day?”
Until that moment Skade hadn’t even noticed that Njord had joined the group. Though she’d been wondering the exact same thing, she’d never admit that to him since she’d begun to dislike him so much.
However, Loki nodded at the boygod in agreement. “Good point.” Then he helpfully began counting off the many possible sources of harm that could do Balder in and that would therefore need to quickly make a promise not to. “Water could drown him. Boulders could fall on him. A bear could eat him. And what about poisonous plants, insects, diseases…?”
“Yikes! Enough,” said Balder, going a little pale.
Skade rolled her eyes. “Yeah, we get the idea, Loki. Thanks a lot.”
“The matter is settled!” Odin announced boldly, sending Ms. Frigg a nod. “We’ll send my ravens out on swift wings to gather all required oaths.” With that, he clapped his hands twice, calling out, “Hugin! Munin! Come!”
His voice hadn’t seemed loud enough to reach beyond the cafeteria walls. But somehow, seconds later, his two large black ravens swooped inside through one of the Valhallateria’s high windows. Flap! Flap! The pair landed to perch on each of Odin’s shoulders.
He began stroking their feathers as he spoke to them. “Hugin and Munin, I command you to fly forth and visit anything in our nine worlds that is capable of causing death or illness. From each such being or object, you must secure a promise to do no harm to the boygod Balder. One oath per species will suffice. For instance, no need to make every thorn swear—a single oath from a single thorn not to prick will do the trick. This feat must be accomplished by daybreak on Saturday before the ski games begin in Jotunheim. Keep in mind that’s the day after tomorrow.”
Normally ravens only flew by day, but Odin’s were magical and would be well able to carry out his bidding in daylight or darkness. The feathered pair nodded in unison, and from their sharp beaks came cries that indicated their understanding of the important assignment they’d been tasked with. Caw! Caw! Rising, they spiraled overhead a few times before flapping out via the same high window they’d entered through moments earlier.
Almost as if their departure had been some sort of signal, a dozen cafeteria ladies known as Valkyries now swarmed out of the kitchen to circulate among the dining tables. Each of them carried a six-foot-wide tray balanced on one hand containing heaping plates of food. The ladies wore gleaming metal helmets, and across their chests were breastplates with rows of loops down the front that held silver spoons and knives and fresh rolled-up napkins. It was dinnertime!
Hungry students scrambled to take seats at the various tables. Before Skade could join her friends at one of them, Odin stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. She turned toward him. The usual black patch covered one of his eyes. But his other eye—a clear, intelligent blue one—was fixed on her.
“I suppose you’re wondering why you aren’t on the main team. I know you must be disappointed,” he remarked.
Startled, Skade gulped and looked away, momentarily unable to find her tongue. But she recovered quickly. “Was it because
of my grade in Norse History? Thing is, I’ve been working on my dancing, and…”
Odin crossed his muscular arms. “I’m sorry, but as it stands now your history grade is below average. Mr. Sturluson felt that your attitude needs work too. I’d have to agree. Ms. Frigg and I saw you arguing with Angerboda on the ski slopes this afternoon. She tried to hug you, yet your first reaction was to pull away.”
Skade sighed. “We don’t get along all that well.” She knew she wasn’t helping her chances (if she actually had any right now) by confirming what Odin had said.
“That’s not the kind of good sportsmanship we hope to model in Jotunheim this weekend,” Odin told her in a gently chiding voice. “Since we decided to send our team out first thing tomorrow morning to allow for ski practice time in Jotunheim, we had to base our nine selections on information available to us today. So I’m afraid those black marks counted against you.” Odin cocked his head at her, his single good eye seeming to see deep inside her thoughts.
Suddenly she found herself blurting out her feelings to him. “I just…It’s so frustrating not to make the main team. Everyone expected me to.”
Odin nodded. “No one doubts that you’re a superb skier. That’s part of the reason you were made alternate, despite the marks against you. We hope you’ll provide advice to your teammates. And inspire confidence.” He turned to go.
“Well, I don’t feel very confident right now,” Skade murmured to herself.
Overhearing her, Odin turned back her way. He regarded her keenly again. “You know, after I lost my eye, many of Asgard’s enemies hoped it would make me weak. That it meant our world might be easily defeated. I could have given up, let them conquer our villages, and proven them right. Instead, I put on a fierce-looking eye patch and spoke to them with bold courage.
“Guess what. Every time I faced down a fear, no matter how big or small, I gained courage and strength. The more confident I acted, the more confident I felt. Half of being confident is simply acting confident,” he said, his blue eye gleaming. “Other worlds believed what they saw. And what they saw in me was a confident leader. And what I see in you is the same. Our ski team needs you. Needs your confidence. Confidence is key. Never forget that. Don’t let us down.”
