Rite of passage to Valhalla
Chapter 30: Rite of passage to Valhalla
Lord Blekk and Egil weren’t too pleased when you told them of your adventure on Alfheim while they sipped on their tea you had made from the leaves you had brought with you from the tea village. At first they were very enthusiastic to hear of your findings along the way and Egil had even laughed when you had told them of the ever-present saddle pain. Their eyes had widened when you had told them you had shared a room with the queen and the lady Fulla on the allmother’s request, but when you told them about the hunt and the Ostara feast, they both seemed angry. And then, after you had taken a deep breath, you told them about the recent events that had taken place. You felt bad for not telling them the whole truth, but prince Loki had pretty much ordered you not to mention to anyone that the saddle had been meddled with. You were also told not to mention the fact that you were now prince Loki’s squire nor how you got yourself that position. Prince Loki wanted to tell lord Blekk himself, you supposed and if you were honest with yourself, you weren’t sure whether that was a good idea. Surely, lord Blekk would be even more agitated that you hadn’t told him yourself? Well, it didn’t really matter for prince Loki had made up his mind and you were not to tell anyone. Lord Blekk and Egil were both baffled after hearing of Forni’s death. Egil’s face even turned bone-white and you were sure what he was thinking, that it could have very well been you.
“I can’t believe it.” The poor man muttered and you reached over the table to grab his hand and squeeze it.
“Neither can I.” Tears formed into your eyes as your voice sounded broken. “He was so young. He even told me he wanted to become a healer rather than being a squire.”
“When will the rite of passage take place?” Lord Blekk asked after a moment of silence.
“Tomorrow at sundown.” You muttered. It had been hard to watch as they unloaded the wagon with Forni’s embalmed body. It had only been days, but the smell of rotting flesh was very much present and his skin had turned an unnatural grey. You hardly even recognised the boy you had only known for such a short amount of time. His face was always covered, out of respect for Forni and his family, but also to hide the gruesome way he had come to his end.
“If you wish to attend the rite of passage, you have my permission to go.” Lord Blekk said and you gave him a look of genuine gratitude for allowing you to have this. To watch Forni make the passage to Valhalla.
“I would understand if you want to be alone to mourn him, but… if you wish it… I could accompany you to the river?” Egil said hesitantly and your chest swelled with such affection for the man.
“I would really appreciate that, Egil.” You told him and gave his hand another squeeze to assure him of the honesty in your words.
You were happy with the distraction that the books provided you with. Lord Blekk had assigned you once again to copying duties, but this time it was on the book you had brought with you from Andlang: a collection of records on the growth of the Dökkar Varnir through time. Copying it made it no easier to read, you quickly found out as the book bored you within an hour. Well at least you could busy yourself on copying the book you had, in fact, stolen from Vídbláin, after this horrid one was over. You hadn’t finished that one as it now lay in one of lord Blekk’s bookcases in his apartments. In fact you had refrained from reading all together on the long way back to Asgard. It didn’t feel right, besides, you couldn’t concentrate on anything other than the boy, the cracking noise of his skull and the warm feeling of his blood soaking through your trousers. A shiver ran down your spine and you sighed before dropping your quill. Egil had told you this morning that Forni’s parents, who live in Idavol, had come to the palace to see their son. You could not fathom what they must be feeling. How cruel for a mother and father to watch their son pass over to Valhalla before themselves. It wouldn’t be long now before you would exit the archives with Egil to gather around the river where Forni’s departure would take place. You looked down to watch the black ink slowly dry onto the page, thinking about what gift you would place into Forni’s boat, when the creaking of old doors was heard. You looked up to watch prince Loki descend the stairs in his formal attire. He looked every bit a prince and warrior, with his leather, metal and golden horned helmet.
“Prince Loki.” Lord Blekk said as he bowed before his prince. You too rose from your chair to give the prince a curtsy. “To what do we owe this pleasure?” Lord Blekk continued, sounding anything but pleased for the prince being here.
“Don’t worry yourself, Blekk, I won’t be here for long. I came to collect your help to the rite of passage.” Prince Loki kept his gaze fixed on you while he spoke and you couldn’t help but shift on your feet. He then moved closer and ever-so-slowly he reached for your hand. “Come, girl. It is time.” You tried your hardest not to let the first tears of the day spill as you nodded your head lightly.
“Wait.” Lord Blekk called before either you or prince Loki had moved. He then walked over to his desk and opened a drawer to get something out of it. When he had closed the drawer once more and had moved to your side, he opened his hand and revealed an amber stone with Yggdrasil engraved into it. You couldn’t believe what you were looking at and the tears you had tried so desperately to keep at bay, streamed down your cheeks in silence. “I thought you might wish to give him this on his final journey.” Lord Blekk whispered and within a second you had closed the distance between the two of you, as you wrapped your arms around him. You couldn’t think of a better gift to Forni. You released lord Blekk and gave his hand a squeeze when you took the amber stone from him.
“Thank you, my lord.” And even though you words had been simple, they carried such emotion that even lord Blekk seemed to be struggling to keep his tears locked away behind his eyes. You felt a hand gently take hold of your own and tug you away from lord Blekk. You didn’t need to look to know who was doing it. Before you very well knew it, prince Loki had managed to get you away from the archives, up the stairs and into the corridors of the palace.
“What did Blekk give you?” Prince Loki eventually asked as you both walked down the corridors to the west and from there to the river.
“Öruggt plastefni.” You whispered and he turned to you with a raised eyebrow. “It’s a stone of amber with Yggdrasil engraved into it. It’s a symbol of safety, good fortune and luck on Vanaheim. It is said that the amber is sap from Yggdrasil itself, hardened throughout the years.” He nodded his head slightly.
“A fitting gift.” He murmured as if he wasn’t really sure what he was supposed to say. You both remained silent for a long while after that. It wasn’t until you had reached the end of the open gallery to some sort of private garden, that prince Loki made you halt in your tracks by grabbing your hand. “Before we go any further, I must tell you… you cannot say a word about the cause of the boy’s death.” You gazed at him in shock.
“Surely, his family was informed?” Prince Loki had the decency to look ashamed.
“The allfather thought it best to keep this quiet, to keep the people from panicking.”
“Panicking?” You asked bitterly. “Has he forgotten that Forni was murdered?!” You screeched and Loki’s face changed from guarded to enraged. He took a step forward and pretty much pinned you against the wall with his form towering over you.
“Careful, now.” He hissed as he brought his face as close to yours as possible. “These walls have eyes and ears and we wouldn’t want the wrong people to hear, now would we?” He didn’t wait for an answer nor were you planning on giving him one. “I told Odin about what happened and I assure you that we will find out who is behind this, but for the good of the people you must remain quiet.” Your nostrils flared as you trembled with anger. His parents had the right to know what had happened to their son! You owed Forni that much at least! “Promise me, you won’t breath a word of this to anyone.” Loki continued. Your chest was heaving while you set your jaw, but eventually you lifted your eyes to meet his with a cold stare.
“You want to let his parents mourn their son on a lie?” You could almost hear him grit his teeth.
“What good would it do? Their son is dead no matter the cause. It won’t bring the boy back if you told his parents the truth.”
“His name is Forni!” You screamed in his face. “Or have you already forgotten?” He flinched at the bitterness of your voice and words.
“Don’t be like this, Svinnr. I’m not the villain here. I too wish it was different, but we can’t risk the people knowing about it.” You slacked back against the wall in defeat while tears began to form in your eyes.
“Is this any way to send Forni off to Valhalla?” You muttered more to yourself than anyone in particular. Prince Loki shifted closer to you if that was even possible, but this time however, his looming form had nothing threatening to it.
“You have to be strong now, darling. We will find whoever is responsible and then we shall avenge him. Together. But for now we need to keep silent to not cause any uproar, do you understand?” When you remained silent, you felt his knuckles brush your cheek softly. “You must tell me that you understand, Svinnr.” He said quietly. You took a long while before you nodded your head.
“I understand.” You said with a broken voice and the knuckles that had brushed your cheek before, now did so again and again, with soft strokes.
“Good.” He muttered, before he dropped his hand and took a step back. “I won’t be able to stand with you on the riverbank for I must take my place with the king and queen.” You nodded your head. You knew he couldn’t stand next to a servant nor that a servant could stand with the royal family. “If you need anything, I want you to tell me and come to me.”
“Yes, my prince.” You muttered and saw prince Loki slightly flinch. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but then he closed it again and gave a firm nod.
“Come. We can’t be late.” He said with a voice that was devote of any emotion. He didn’t grab for your hand either as he had done so last time, instead he turned his back and stepped out of the open gallery and onto the grassy field with long strides, not even bothering to see if you were following him or not. You were not. You didn’t care that you had no idea where you were or how to get to the river, you needed a moment to yourself. What you were about to do was wrong in every way. You hadn’t known Forni for long, but even so, this kind of betrayal he certainly did not deserve. How could you watch him go and wish him well, while his parents were left to mourn him without ever knowing the truth? Yet, prince Loki’s words made sense. If you were to follow your heart and do right by Forni and his parents, fear would surely break out amongst the people. The person or the people who had done this to him were not found yet and having the realm in uproar over an unresolved murder wasn’t going to help to find them. No, you needed to be strong and lie, even if it broke your heart and your very soul to do so. It was like Loki said. As soon as the ones responsible were found, you would avenge Forni together and then you would be able to sleep once more.
“Svinnr?” You heard a familiar voice call your name softly and when you turned to see who had spoken, you were relieved to find Egil walking over to you. “Thank the Norns! I have been looking all over the palace for you!” He sounded tired and stressed as he took another step closer.
“Prince Loki wanted to take me to the river.” You muttered.
“Yes, lord Blekk told me that as well, but then why are you standing here on your own?”
“I might have upset him. Besides he can’t be seen with me for propriety’s sake.”
“Even so, leaving you here all alone is not right.” You didn’t reply to that. “Come, I’ll take you there and don’t you worry for standing next to me for I care little for propriety’s sake.” You did snort at that. You followed him over the grassy garden to the end and then down a path that carried you all the way to a sandy beach where a crowd had gathered to pay their respects and watch another soul enter Valhalla. The king and queen were already there, standing on top of a rock that watched over all. You spotted prince Loki standing next to his mother, with his golden horned helmet on which made him tower even over the king. You sighed and grabbed Egil’s hand to make a way through the crowd and find a good standing place to watch Forni’s final journey. It took another half hour before the king banged his golden staff onto the stone surface of the rock he was standing on.
“Beloved people of Asgard. We have gathered here tonight in grief for the loss of a young man who was taken from this world to join his ancestors in the halls of Valhalla where he will sit amongst the most glorious of warriors and fiercest of shieldmaidens. Mourn we must the man and rejoice we must for his soul being free. Though his body will decay, his spirit shall linger on in the quiet of the forests and the beatings of our hearts.” The king banged Gungnir on the ground again as a sign for the people to pay their final respects to Forni. You all formed a line, with the parents of Forni at the front. They were the first to step on board of the boat to kiss their son goodbye, whisper words of comfort and leave presents for him to have in the afterlife. By the time it was your turn to step on board of the boat, it had already been filled with little trinkets. The sight of Forni’s lifeless body, dressed in his finest, brought tears to your eyes. He shouldn’t be laying here, cold and alone. He should be making merry with friends at the tavern, reading books on healing techniques in the library and above all, he should be breathing. You couldn’t help a sob escape your throat as you reached for the amber stone with trembling fingers. You felt the boat shift a little in the water as an arm was safely wrapped around your waist. Together with Egil you managed to place the Öruggt plastefni on Forni’s chest, right where his heart was.
“Good fortunes, my friend.” You whispered your final words to him, before Egil guided you out of the boat. There were so many people who had gathered to pay their respect that your heart nearly burst with affection. There was no doubt that Forni had been loved. When the last people had said their goodbyes and had left their presents, prince Loki came forward. He was the last one and then Forni’s boat would be pushed onto the river. Prince Loki stepped into the boat and seemed to be regarding the boy with an almost fascinated look on his face. He then bend over and placed a beautifully crafted dagger onto Forni’s chest, before exciting the boat once more. Once his feet were back on the sandy beach, he seemed to be scanning the crowd until his eyes found your tear-filled ones. You felt frozen in place as he locked gazes with you in such an intense way that your heart began to beat faster. But then, when you felt Egil’s arms come around you and hold you close, prince Loki’s eye contact with you broke and he left to stand with his parents on the high rock. Before another sob broke loose from your throat, the allfather banged Gungnir once again on the rough surface of the rock he was standing on.
“Forni Asgrimsson, I bid you a safe journey to the gates of Valhalla and may your loved ones find solace for the loss they have sustained.” You didn’t even hear Gungnir this time as you watched with an empty feeling how three strong Einherjar and Forni’s father pushed the boat further into the water to let the current take it. You saw a few people, women mostly, lift up their hands to let little glowing orbs softly levitate into the air. Your seidr was begging you to follow their example, but you set your jaw and clenched your fists, not allowing yourself to do what your entire being was itching for. Forni’s boat was slowly moving on the water and before he reached the bent of the river, a flaming arrow was fired and you watched as the entire boat caught flame.
Forni was no more.