"Oswald help!" Eivor screamed as the flames danced and burned around her . The ritual had gone wrong .
Moments earlier , Eivor had woken up from dreamland after travelling to the Norse world of Swarvflenheim in her sleep under a certain familiar mistletoe tree in Ravensthorpe as part of a daily nap . The last thing she remembered was her being severely injured by this grey beast in a boss fight who's minions had dragged her body and dumped her in a pit with other bodies . In this world , she was male and married to a woman named Frigg who had died in front of her before waking up in present day Ravensthorpe . With an aching back and a branch of Misetole on her cloak when she woke up she knew she needed to seek answers from Valka about these nightmares .
She sat up stretching her arms and her body ached. In front of her was her husband , Oswald . She had asked him to accompany her to Ravensthorpe for support as she couldn't do this alone; it was too much emotionally . He sat there playing with a branch , patiently waiting for Eivor to wake up . Staying there in case she needed someone to cuddle from the nightmares . He looked up and noticed that she had awoken.
"How was it ? Are you still having nightmares?" He asked gently stroking her hair and her head
"Unfortunately I am . The last thing I remember before waking up was I was the Norse god Odin and my son Baldr had gone missing , so my wife in the dream Frigg went to find him then she got murdered in front of me in a fight and I got thrown in a pit of corpses being left for dead after being injured… then I woke up" she explained sitting up .
Oswald was shocked . Despite his wife having nightmares she stayed calm and he couldn't tell unlike those nights where she woke up next to him in bed with cold sweats screaming and thrashing . And wasn't Odin the same guy who tried to stop Eivor and her brother leaving Ygarsdill in Norway ? That must be the same guy right ? He spoke his confusion and thoughts aloud
"I don't really understand this Norse religion and their gods but one thing I do understand is that Odin - wasn't he the same person who tried to stop you and Sigurd leaving Ygarsdill months earlier?" He inquired, raising a brow in confusion and concern .
Eivor sighed . "Yes, unfortunately . Only this time I seem to have reincarnated myself in to his body and am living his life for some reason in my sleep , I need to find Valka to get some sense on this"
Oswald nodded he understood . Things were making sense now . It was the same Odin . Holding onto her hand as she stood up he asked
"Do you want me to come with you to Valka's or are you fine on your own and want some privacy ? If so I can wait outside" he said respectfully respecting his wife's wishes either way .
"Yes I would like you to come with me . I can't do this on my own. I need support" Eivor replied getting straight to the point.
"That's fine I would be more than happy to," he replied, giving her a small smile to hide his nerves about his wife's nightmares .
"Then let's make our way to Valka's hut then" Eivor said as she clasped her hands onto Oswald's and they made their way over from the tree to the hut.
When they reached Valka's, she was nowhere to be seen . Eivor was about to put the mistletoe branch down on the desk for Valka to check later when she was free until she surprised both Oswald and Eivor who were about to leave by the doorway .
"I see you need my help again" she said looking at Eivor .
"I do." Eivor nodded straight to the point while Oswald watched cautiously and worriedly deep down .
"I've been having visions again Valka, this time I was Odin and Frigg was my wife. We were searching for my son Baldr until Frigg died and I got injured in a fight with a big grey beast and his minions. I then woke up with some mistletoe on my cloak" she said waving the mistletoe in front of Oswald and Valka , Valka mostly .
"Is that so?" Valka replied thoughtfully to Eivor . "You know Odin had the same dream and so did Frigg about dying. Not all dreams predict the future, you know that . It is rather a symbol instead" she replied, speaking words of wisdom and riddles. "Fate can be changed but it is up to you to do that".
Oswald watched on at the two of them in confusion . He didn't understand any of what this was - dreams, visions , gods; it was all an odd concept to him . However he did agree with Valka that dreams didn't predict your future and were just symbols . He could only hope Eivor believed the same thing and wouldn't take this dream to heart and then get stressed over it .
"I know I heard the legend of Odin and about Frigg how she made everyone swear not to hurt Baldr" she replied , breaking Oswald out of his train of thought .
"Yes . One difference between Frigg and you is that you noticed the mistletoe . She didn't, '' Valka said .
Oswald frowned . What had a flower got to do with anything ? He shook his head, shaking his thoughts . He was not meant to understand . At the end of a day he was a Christian Saxon . Their gods were different .
Valka continued "We can make use of these flowers . I have set up a small circle of rocks outside my hut with some fires nearby . All you need to do is place the misetole branches on the fire then drink this brew I have made for you . Then everything will make sense".
Eivor nodded . "Then let's do this then".
Oswald followed Eivor outside to where the flowers and the trees were . "Are you sure this is a good idea?" He questioned his wife .
"I have no choice Oswald , I believe in Valka and if it means performing this ritual to get to that then I will do it" she said while she bent down to pick up the flowers .
"Fair enough , do be careful though my love" he said looking at her with concern .
Eivor stood up from picking the flowers . "I will do . I will come back to you I promise". She said looking deep into his eyes .
"Good . I'll wait for you here . Tell me about your adventures in this land when you come back" he said eyes glazed over with emotion at her .
She took his hand and placed it onto hers . "I will now stand back while I set up the fire. You don't want to get burnt do you?" She asked him smiling and then gave him a quick peck on the lips
"Of course not," he said, moving back towards the hut .
"Good" Eivor smiled as she placed the flowers she had collected onto the small fires spread evenly inside the small circle of rocks .
"I'm just making a brew for Eivor, be back in a second" Valka explained to Oswald when he came back into the hut . He nodded as she scurried away with the funny looking liquid outside .
He watched through the door as Eivor took the bowl to her lips and drank it . She closed her eyes ready to meditate and begin the process .
However, very soon it went wrong . The flames went up and circled Eivor dancing around her. "Oswald help!" She screamed .
Oswald darted outside to see his wife screaming as the huge flames were only mere inches away from her . Eivor looked terrified . He had never seen her so terrified in his life, not even when they slept together and she was having nightmares . He could feel the heat of the flames from where he was standing and he wasn't even as close as she was .
"Eivor ! It's ok Stay there! I'll get you out of this !" He yelled back to her panic rising inside of his chest . He knew he had to be quick and time was running out . He went back into the hut and tried to find some water to douse the fire with only to come back with nothing . Damn it.
"Valka help! The flames are getting me ! The rituals are going wrong !" Eivor screamed outside .
Only after this did Valka go outside with the slowest response ever : all she did was look at Eivor with no expression whatsoever . Oswald saw this too .
"Please you're not trying to burn me at stake are you Valka ? Or to kill me ? Do something !" Eivor screamed .
Oswald couldn't bear this any longer , gulping and pushing back his fear and with sweaty hands . He braced himself and ran into the fire . It was hot and he coughed at the smoke . He just about managed to drag Eivor out as she passed out onto his arms from the heat and the smoke inhalation .
"Eivor ? Eivor wake up!" He cried desperately as he tried to shake her awake, tears came out of his eyes . "I can't lose you , I need you" he croaked onto her body sobbing
He turned round fuming to Valka who was still standing there at the scene expressionless . "You could have killed her!" He shouted his blood boiling
Valka didn't seem fazed "It needed to be done . Eivor knows if she can't face that then she won't find the answer she is looking for" she said holding in a smirk before walking back into the hut .
"Damn you Valka , I swear down I swear down !" Oswald yelled before breaking down before he could finish his sentence.
With a cough , Eivor woke up and Oswald looked up in relief as she did .
"Oh I'm so glad that you're alive. I thought I lost you. I thought I lost you because of Valka '' he said with relief throwing his arms over and pulling Eivor into a tight hug .
"Uhhhh ahem" Eivor coughed, clearing her throat . "Don't worry I'm fine" she gave Oswald a weak smile "I'm not going down so easily . Thank you for saving me back there" she smiled gratefully at Oswald eyes glazed over with emotion .
"Of course . I would be mad to leave you there. I can't believe Valka tried to kill you . She did that on purpose she did . That was not the solution, it was an excuse to kill you" he huffed angrily .
"I hate to say it but she's right, Oswald . If I can't face that I won't get the answers I'm looking for she wasn't trying to kill me I just panicked" Eivor said clearing things up while sitting up to face a kneeling Oswald .
"Nonsense. I don't know what this Norse crap is but I am not having you do one of these rituals ever again from Valka . It's a death sentence" he said sternly crossing his arms in front of his wife .
"I'm going back in there to find answers . I'm going to try again. Hopefully this time it will work now that I know how this thing works" Eivor said determinedly, getting up as if the whole nearly dying in the fire thing never happened . How could she just do that ? Get up and move on like she didn't nearly just die ? But then again that was just Eivor and Oswald knew there was no use arguing against his stubborn wife . He knew her long enough not to try .
"Baby no…" he grabbed onto her arm stopping her and blocking her from going to the hut pleading . "What if what if…. You die this time . I don't want that , I can't have that . Once is enough . Please just drop it . Come home with me" he begged her .
"No." Eivor said firmly . "I can't just drop it . I need to do this, it's the only way . I'm going to do it whether you like it or not. Now move". She ordered him sharply fed up of her husbands persistence
"Make me" Oswald replied with determined eyes not budging and blocking the entrance of the hut with his scrawny frame .
Eivor sighed she didn't want to fight with Oswald and deep down she knew he was right that it could go wrong again and that they could lose each other forever over what a silly dream ? But she also knew if she didn't try and find answers she would never get closure on these nightmares. So she needed a distraction to get Oswald past the door .
She leaned in towards Oswald one hand on his hair the other on his waist as she kissed and snogged him hard . While Oswald was busy returning the kiss , Eivor turned around and pushed Oswald out towards the door with her other hand .
"Hey!" he yelled back at her, realising what was going on . However it was too late as The door clicked shut in front of him with the sound of a lock .
"I'm sorry baby," Eivor murmed . "But I have to do this" .
The fire was relit inside Valka's hut away from Oswald who was locked outside . Eivor closed her eyes and let herself be taken back . She could no longer worry about her husband or herself; she now had Odin's problems to worry about instead .
Meanwhile as Eivor was transported back to the other realm, Oswald was allowed back in .
"Where is Eivor and what have you done to her?" Oswald snapped at Valka as soon as he was let back in .
"Relax friend she is fine" Valka replied calmly yet again unfazed by his anger .
"First of all I am not your "friend" you are certainly not Eivor's friend anymore after what you did to her nearly killing her , I am Oswald King of East Anglia and you will address me as my king from now on and bow down to me and apologise for what you have done"
Valka was stunned : she looked back at Oswald at a loss for words . This irritated Oswald more and he was fed up with her disrespectful behaviour . "And when I said bow down I mean now unless you want to be exiled" he spat voice full of venom .
Valka moved, holding her hands up in mock surrender . She was now kneeling down in front of Oswald. "I am sorry my king for what happened this afternoon with your wife Eivor. I take full responsibility for that . I shouldn't have let her play with fire unsupervised. I shall make sure this sort of accident won't happen ever again".
"Good" Oswald nodded satisfied and slightly less angry than before . "You may get up now, Valka"
Valka slowly got up and moved away from Oswald as he walked towards the mattress on the floor close to the tables where the brew was . There was Eivor , in dreamland beautiful as ever snoozing and sorting out her Norse problems . He bent down and pulled up her hand and gave a light kiss . Before moving to her forehead and giving her another kiss on there . He stroked his wife's hair gently as she slept unaware of his movements .
"I understand why you did that and went back and I can't stay mad at you for that" he said gently looking over at his sleeping wife . "At least you gave me a good snog before you did" he chuckled at the last bit remembering how they snogged before he got shoved outside . "I'm ok baby . Don't worry I made sure Valka will never hurt you again" he smiled stroking her cheeks . He loved stroking her and watching her sleep. It calmed him down and helped him relax as he watched over her waiting for her to come back from the next realm.