Chapter 89: There Has Been Another Death
(Becky's POV)
It's been many years since Ruby Nordisk (Eret's mother) passed away, and over a decade since we lost Amalie, Eret's sister, to suicide.
But we are about to be in the midst of another tragedy.
It's a late night on New Berk, and Eret's and my three kids, Ruby, Dustin and Eira are all asleep. Eret suddenly sits up in bed, which wakes me up.
"Eret? What is it?"
"Something's wrong."
"What?"
"I don't know. I just know that something's wrong. Come on."
"What about the kids?"
"Ruby's old enough to watch them."
"Good point."
I follow my husband down the steps of our house and out the front door.
I follow him until we reach Eret, Sr.'s house, where he now lives alone.
Eret opens the door, and when we walk in, I have to muster all my strength to not turn away.
Eret, Sr. is face down on the floor, and he's not moving.
"Dad?" Eret asks, kneeling next to his father.
No answer.
"Becky, go get Gothi. And hurry!"
I nod and run as fast as my legs can carry me to Gothi's hut. I burst into her hut, thankfully not disturbing anyone but her.
"Gothi, we need you. It's Eret's father." Gothi only nods and follows me to Eret's father's house.
Eret moves out of the way as Gothi examines Eret, Sr.
My husband leans on me, not knowing if his father, his last surviving immediate family member, will be okay.
We look at Gothi expectantly as she finishes her examination. One shake of her head, and Eret collapses onto his knees, sobbing.
"Eret, I am so, so, sorry." I tell my husband, equally in tears.
"I – I guess losing Amalie was too much for him a-after losing Mum."
There's suddenly a knock at the front door.
Gothi answers the door, letting my adoptive family inside, along with my biological father, Loki.
"Heimdall told me what happened, and I came as soon as I heard." Loki says, kneeling in front of Eret and me. Before I get up, Eret leans on Loki, wanting to be close to a father figure other than his own.
Eret breaks down once again, not believing his last biological family member is gone.
I lean on my sister, Ruffnut, not knowing what else to do.
The funeral is a few days later, and Eret is all but inconsolable.
We, all of us on New Berk, light an arrow and send it off towards Eret, Sr.'s ship.
My husband, my poor, poor, husband, breaks down on his knees, and I follow him, not knowing what else to do.
I just hope that Eret, Sr. is being taken care of in Valhalla, and I say as much to Loki.
"I swear to you, my daughter, that I will look after your family members that have passed."
"Thank you, Daddy."
Loki envelops Eret and me into a hug as we all look on at Eret, Sr.'s funeral pyre.
There's nothing else I can do but help my husband mourn his losses.