Errinfjur In Midgard

She ran.

And ran.

The young woman ran for her life.

Literally.

She glanced behind her as she ran down the wooded path.

She could hear the troll. She just could not see it.

Looking ahead, she saw blue through the distant trees.

Sky.

Either the ground dips, or the woods open up, she thought.

She ran on.

Soon, she found herself in a field of grass, as tall as her narrow waist.

She ran further, putting a little distance between herself and the end of the woods.

The young woman spun around to face the woods.

She removed her bow over her head.

She grabbed an arrow from the quiver on her back.

She readied her bow.

She steadied her nerves.

The troll came into view.

She let loose with an arrow and readied another one.

The arrow ricocheted off the troll’s chest.

It grimaced at her.

She fired again. This arrow hit it in the right breast.

The arrow stuck into the troll’s shoulder but drew no blood.

With an angry roar, he pulled the arrow out, and tossed it away.

She readied another arrow shot. As the troll leapt towards her, she fired again.

The arrow stuck into the troll’s left bicep.

Again, no blood.

She dropped her bow and drew her sword.

The troll landed in front of her and knocked her on her back.

She hit the ground, knocking the breath out of her.

Looking at the sky, she saw two arrows fly over her.

The arrows pierced the troll’s left breast.

She saw its black blood run down from the arrow wounds.

She struggled to stay conscious as she saw a bright flash of lightning strike the troll.

The troll screamed.

With the ensuing thunderclap, her world went black

--.

She opened her eyes, blinking, and staring up at the blue sky.

She became aware that she was being watched.

Moving only her eyes, she met the gaze of someone staring down at her.

The eyes were very blue, and unfamiliar.

She saw the face of a man.

No, a lad, she decided.

Moving past his eyes, she saw that he was rather tall, and well-muscled for one who hadn’t had his first beard yet.

He was clad in a helmet and armor like she had never seen before.

He smiled at her.

“She’s awake,” he said. She became aware that someone else was watching her.

She moved her eyes to her left.

She then met the greenest eyes that she’d ever seen.

Eyes that felt to her like they were not merely looking at her.

They seemed to be looking through her.

Into the depths of her soul. She felt a bit of fear at this.

“Is she all right?” she heard the blue-eyed lad say,

She felt the green eyes stop penetrating her soul.

She took in the woman whose eyes had penetrated her so.

She was tall, with broad shoulders,

She was also well muscled, also clad in a helmet and armor like her companion.

She smiled down at her.

“Her name is Baunila,” she said, “She is scared, tired, and a bit sore but otherwise unhurt. And she’s hungry.”

The lad laughed.

“And probably perplexed as to how you know all of that,” he said.

The woman nodded. “That, too. And perplexed as to why you seem to be a man, with such a youthful countenance. And no beard, yet.”

The lad smiled.

“Baunila,” he said, “I am Huggald, and this is my brother-daughter, Errinfjur. I see why they call her ‘Little Bean’.”

Baunila tried to sit up, but merely groaned at the attempt.

“Help her to sit up,” Huggald said.

Huggald and Errinfjur knelt beside her.

Scooping Baunila up by her armpits, they sat her up.

Errinfjur walked behind her and sat down.

Baunila felt Errinfjur’s back against her own.

“Go ahead,” Errinfjur said, “Lean back against me.

The Norse girl leaned back against Errinfjur’s broad back. Huggald sat in the grass next to Baunila.

Reaching into a bag at his side, he pulled out some dried meat and some bread.

--

Freya drove her sleigh, with Errinfjur and Baumila seated behind her.

Baunila turned to see Thor driving his chariot behind them, with Freyr and Huggald seated behind the God of Thunder.

The young Norse girl had believed in her gods, and in elves, but never believed that she would actually , well,, meet them like this!

For a moment, her exhilaration superseded her fear.

Her fear for her home and family.

Errinfjur gently squeezed the Norse girl’s hand .

Baunila shook her head.. Erfrinfjur always seemed to know what was in Baunila’s heart.

Huggald had told her that it was a gift.

A gift that he, Huggald, did not possess.