The Holt

Yggdrasil - Asgard

[1] The heat from the first sun rays were approaching from behind the Gislaved mountains, still covered by the morning mist, lighting partially up the planes, and the small, as per Asgardian standards, cascade that landed in the Skjem lake. A thin figure, bending next to the shore blocked the sunlight that seeped through the clouds, and murmured to herself "Just on time" before fixing her eyes on the task at hand. She lifted six heavy wood boxes inside a small Harrow, perfectly adapted to fit a small cargo. After securing the load with a winch rope, she swiftly jumped inside the ship, adjusted her gloves, took the helm of the vasel, and directed it straight to the South-East. It annoyed her how after many years seeing the rainbow bridge and the palace, she still finds them marvelous. If not for Asgardians, she thought, this place could be way more pleasant, delectable… no … more like a “home,” she whispered to herself again. Asgardians, she exhaled at the thought, If those brutes, ruthless, headstrong beings, so consumed by power and the ambitions of ruling everything at their sight were the only problem of Asgard. Well, if she was honest with herself, they were one of the main problems of a list of hundred these days. Of course, there were always some exceptions, like Aegir, she said to herself, Eir, she paused her thoughts, and Tyr. She lifted a hand toward her throat as a way to lose the tight feeling of Tyr's memory. To shake the feeling out, she lifted the helm up and forward, and speeded toward the main market ahead.

The wind removed a small green ribbon she used to secure her long brown hair, “dammit”, she murmured between her teeth at the thought of the nightmare of brushing her hair tonight. She knew she was being overly dramatic this morning, how could she not be? With a poorly rested brain due to a night full of nightmares. It was already a miracle she could sail the Harrow without missing the south, she thought, while rubbing her eyes. Dark-dreams should be nothing at this point, she reflected at the idea and pictured in her mind the vast and absolute abyss below her feet, the wild cold air swirling around her, the sensation of being surrounded by beings she cannot see, only feel close by. It is odd to recall all those thousands of dreams by now, dark-dreams she corrected herself, as the only familiar thing of her whole existence. But not last night, she thought while adjusting the helm of the Harrow slightly toward the palace at the distance. The dream was familiar somehow but wrong, yes, wrong was the best way to describe it. In truth, the void-creatures' sounds were terrifying at the beginning, but then she stopped thinking of them like scary growls from unknown creatures. After a few years, she realized those were not the sounds of growling beasts aiming to feast on her, as she thought at the beginning. How wrong she was. Those were not isolated sounds at all, no. Those were songs, she was sure about it now. Those were muffle songs as if coming deep down the ocean, with the only difference there was no sea surrounding them. No, it was pure darkness, as always. If she was honest with herself, at this point, the complete darkness was not a problem either. She did not need to see things when dreaming. She only needed to feel them, to listen to them. In today’s dreams, she could move easily around those creatures who sang to the sight of her. Perhaps, who sang to her. Well, that is what she preferred to think they did. But last night something definitely was wrong, she could not just yet grasp as to what exactly. 

[2] The sight of the main port, and the imposing Asgardian palace structure getting closer made her shake out her thoughts, and sighed in relief. As the first Mani of the lunar cycle, the port was expected to be crowded. She was not the only person berthing a ship in place this morning, as dozens of other sailors and merchants were removing their cargo to firm land, or arriving from the Augsburg Bridge. Soldiers, guards and already a multitude of people from Asgard and the nine realms were expecting the market to open. And, oh boy, she was already so tired “damn it dark-dreams” she cursed trying to shake out the last feelings of wrongness from this morning. 

Not longer after, she had a fully functional tent already displaying several vials, jars with powder, liquids, or leaves, unearthly blue ointment stored in transparent containers, all sort of roots, tubercles, small sticks, rocks of all colors and shapes, and her always-favorite-cure-for-everything, dark green turmoil twigs arranged in small clusters of dry and fresh options which she, off course, stocked far from hands-reached. After all, Turmoil was not the most well-known healing herb, but the Norms new, it was for sure the most effective in all the nines. That is exactly why she filled her front-table with her most popular potions: without hesitation the best selling “veritaserum” for noddy Asgardian child or cheating partners; “Amortentia” or the cure for broken hearts; “Eryngium” for enhanced performance in battlefields including firm land, water scenarios, or bed-chambers; “Absinthe’ssalvia”, which she surprisingly discovered to be a magnificent armor polisher; “Common Peony” apowerful powder that when mixed with the exact amount of Aquavit liquor, creates a perfect layer of protection for all kinds of surfaces including Asgardian steal, harrow’s wood, leather, ohyes, she thought, especially leather. Not for the added strength on it, but for the unique scents of light pine’ and earth’ that created, and made her want to rub herself on it, she thought.

- “Daydreaming this earlier, ah?”, asked a deep male voice approaching from her right. 

- “No kidding” she replied, still smelling the ghost of the earthy Common Peony scent. “Two extra hours of extra sleep is all I need to finish the today”, she added while placing the last jar of flower-honey next to her best sellers items while turning toward him.

- “It's good to see you today, Rei”, said the man smiling at her, a very tall man with short blond hair, impossible gray eyes, and clean face. His skin was slightly dark, as if a bath from the sun had obscured his tone slightly. He had an angular nose, not that large, full lips, and a small hollow at his chin. He was wearing a light brown tunic, encased in a dark thin leather armor in his chest, forearms, and hips from which a sword encased on a dark scabbard was hanging.

- Rei smiled at the sight of Aegir. “Yeah, don't get used to it. Five more days in the market is all you will see me, before I start harvesting again”. She said while moving for a second time the honey jar that did not fully fit on the table, as she wanted.  

- “I thought you already knew your excuses no longer work with me” he said, while stopping her hands from moving the honey’s jar, again. “You are becoming a hermit, Rei”, he looked at her in concern, releasing her hands, “If not harvesting or disappearing from sight for weeks only norms-know-doing-what…”, he added while placing the jar at dispute next to the Veritaserum oint. “The boys are eager to see you, especially one of them”, he blinked one gray eye at her. 

- “Oh, shut up Aegir,” she replied while moving the honey jar one more time, away from the Veritaserum oint, nodding at it in approval of the new location. “You know those blood suckers bureaucrats won't accept excuses if I pay them late. Five days in gold is alI I need to buy some peace.” she paused and looked at his eyes, “perhaps we can celebrate after it?” she smiled back to him.

- “In that case, you are a fool thinking a few gold coins will let them leave you alone,” he said while turning a jar so the label can be seen from the front. “They are heartless beings, Rei, they will make excuses to come back after you. You know that, right?” At her silence he added “I just don't want you to get in trouble.”

- “I can handle myself very well”, she said looking directly at his eyes, with a defiant look, "I know they will not leave me alone, but there is a small chance General Bragi can forget about me for a while if he gets what he wants, and the more sparkling on it, the longest” she smirked back. 

- “I know that look” he interrupted her, while attempting to reach for her hands in vain, “whatever you are planning to do, just stop it. I am sure it will bring you more trouble than worth” he said, this time caughting her left hand between his own. 

- “Oh, I assure you it will be very well worth it”, she said defiantly while extracting her hands from his grasp with a quick move from her wrist. “Besides”, she continued lowering her voice to a whisper and leaning forward, “most of the army will escort the royal family to Alfheim, for attending the new king’s ascension. Everyone will be distracted, or drunk, and you know I can't waste an opportunity like this one.” She looked at his eyes searching for approval. When she found none, she pressed “I’ll meet you at the Geit tabbern, in five days, no less. I will join the boys and dance with that special one?.” At the notice of Aegir’s surprise from her last words. Rei pressed, “I promise you everything will be OK.” 

Aegir sighed in defeat, “I will pray the norms nothing happens to you while I am on watch”, he said turning on his heels and added looking behind his shoulders, straight to her, “please do take care.” Aegir straightened his posture and bowed his head to an old lady approaching the tent. “See you soon,” he said lastly and left. 

Aegir was such a good friend, she thought. He knew her so well, despite Rei's attempts to deceive him. After Tyr’s, she gulped down to ease the bump formed at the memory of his mentor and what could be considered a father, Aegir was the closest to what family might be. Always taking care of her. Staying closed to be sure she eats and drinks plenty when she is consumed on researching a new vial or potion, to the point of forgetting day and night cycles. So many times Aegir wrapped her in soft blankets when she fell asleep at the workshop table. She knew Aegir would never fully understand the reasons why she disappeared, why she had become a shadow within Asgard, never seen, always hidden. In full honesty, she was surprised she let herself be seen by him, if she thinks about it. 

How could she not? Aegir was badly injured when she met him years ago. "Some minor scratches at the armor, and a few burned locks of hair after killing dozens of enemies, a fair price" in Aegir's words. But Rei knew better. After all, she had to work days and nights to nurse him back to health, barely sleeping as she alternated between him and...    

Her thoughts were interrupted by a hand waving in front of her. It took her a second too long to realize it was a customer. She still needed to sell all her merchants if she wanted to get those shiny coins, or at least some of them, as she knew her big prize was the weapons vault, and a celebration after.  

- “Are you alright, Rei?” asked a very old woman with a wide smile and puffy blue eyes. After not receiving a response, she added “no handsome man should ever leave you wordless, young lady.” 

Rei blushed at the reprimand and reference to Aegir.

- “It has been a long morning already,” she paused, smiled, and hoping to change the subject, asked “How is the palace, Brunilda?”

- “All is well as it could be,” Brunilda replied in a slightly sad tone. “You know, when you get close to your third millennium, your bones ache like a Jörmungandr’s bite. Not for your dear Erin, of course. That old soul does not stop a day from work and never complains of hip pains.” Brunilda stopped for a second to stare at the jars displayed at the table, and added “whatever potion you are giving Erin for her bones, I want it,” she finished while grabbing the first jar at hand.

Rei smiled at the mention of Erin’s good state, and turned to grab a dry turmoil twig. “

- "Well, this is the secret,” she said, lowering her voice to Brunilda, “take only a small handful of these dried leaves. Let them rest in warm water for at least a couple nights. When the leaves are swollen you remove them, and drink all the water left in one shot. No sweetener, No spices. Especially no liquor on it”, she smirked at her. “The bitter the best,” Rei ended, with amusement at the sight of Brunilda’s eyes going wider in expectation. 

- “But, please tell me. Is something amiss in the Palace?” Pressed Rei, while wrapping-up the Turmoil leaves.

- “Nothing for you to worry sweet darling, just the usual fear,” Brunilda paused. “It is well known by everyone that the All-father has not yet awakened. It is the longest all Asgard remembers. We fear he is sick, and only little life is left” she looked at Rei’s worried eyes. “Over and over history has shown us the worst attack on Asgard happened in the shades of the All-Father’s sleep, when we are more vulnerable without his protection.” She stopped to deposit the Turmoil leaves in her basket. “That is why I have come to see you… besides for your youth’s vials, of course” she shyly smiled. “There is no one, in my almost 3000 years, that has harvested the quality of healing supplies you do. And believe me, sweet Rei, I have seen it all.” She paused to look at her one more time, “I am here to take all you have, in case of any fallen soldier… just in case.”

Rei nodded in understanding, and quickly turned to grab, this time, the fresh green turmoil twigs. Skillfully, she wrapped each twig with thin paper, and added them one by one on Brunilda’s basket while commenting-

- “You should not worry Brunilda. Asgard is not all unprotected. The crowned prince can put up with any attack attempt. And if he is next to Prince Loki… well, there is not a chance Asgard will be in any danger.” Rei stopped to chop out some dried leaves, and continued. “I am not too fond of the Royal family, Brunilda, that is why I don’t visit Erin more often, but I have seen the royals sparring with Lady Sif and the warriors three.” She smiled while recalling the sight of prince Loki, armed with a small wood dagger in his left hand disarming Thor and taking his pride off in the most elegant way she had ever seen before. If the nine realms should fear someone, she thought, that was of Prince Loki, not the hammer of Thor. Aegir could disagree all he wanted, but she knew better. After all, no one knew about her expertise on fighting techniques. None of her friends were familiar with the endless training sessions Tyr had with her since she was a little girl, neither of her years of training with the monks in realms far away from Asgard. 

How could they know? She thought while placing the final stack of Turmoil into the basket.

- “Brunilda, everything will be fine,” Rei said with confidence, “Remember to scrub these leaves with a big rock, until it turns a thick paste. You can use the paste directly over the wounded skin. Do never eat the leaves, or let them enter directly into your system,”

Brunilda shook her head in acknowledgment.

- “Now, if you want to speed up the overall healing abilities" Rei continued, "then use the dry leaves to make a tea of Turmoil leaves, just as I told you to do so for your bones.”

- “Will do, dear Rei.” Brunilda softly said while depositing a stack full of gold coins in Rei's hands, then grabbed her full basket and left, leaving Rei barely capable to voice a thank you in reply.

For a few seconds, Rei stood there, staring at the heavy coins, feeling their weight sink between her hands, just as the sinking feeling from last night’s dreams was still sitting in her stomach. Those feelings of wrongness and sadness she could not yet picture why. Could she not? She thought, recalling the sorrow and weight she felt at the sound of the night creature’s songs. “The songs!” she voiced, as her heart skipped a bit at the realization. It was so evident now! The tunes and sounds the creatures vocalized last night were not the usual, no they were far from the joy she remembered. They were more like a lament, perhaps “a plea for help,” she spoke to herself, while pressing the stack of gold close to her heart.