"You are not going back there, I don't trust Valka. You've finished at Swarvflenheim there's no need to go back there!" an unhappy Oswald was yelling to Eivor.
They were in an argument. Eivor had just come back from her third run from Swarvflenheim and had wanted to go back again shortly after a break and waking up. They were now arguing over the campfire in Ravensthorpe, where Eivor had decided to go to think things through and speak to Oswald about it - however Oswald was having none of it after what had happened the last time Eivor had tried to enter Swarvflenheim. Eivor being Eivor didn't listen as usual.
"It's not as simple as you think Oswald! My son Baldr! He has just died in front of me and I can't just leave it like that!" Eivor hysterically cried
Oswald was frustrated. He had never seen Eivor like this before, this wasn't the Eivor that he knew it was like she was slowly losing her marbles. She didn't have a son. What was Valka putting into these potions? Poison? Because whatever in there was corrupting Eivor and she was turning into a madwoman. He could not understand all he knew was that she was in danger and it was upsetting and frustrating him that she couldn't understand or wouldn't understand that.
"You can Eivor! It's a dream, it isn't real, you don't have a son. We don't have a son. Just leave it and come with me. Everything will be fine" he lowered his voice and grabbed her arms pleading - trying his best to shake her to reality.
"No. I can't. I need to go back, I can't just leave it like that. How would you feel if your son was in danger?" she turned round gruffly snapping back at Oswald.
Oswald sighed. He was done. If Eivor just wanted to go back in and die, fine. He was tired of begging and pleading it was no use; he was just wasting his breath. That's what he disliked about Eivor, how strong willed and stubborn she could be sometimes as part of her warrior personality. He just wanted the best for her and if she couldn't see that then fuck it. He was done.
"Eivor... He's not our..." Oswald gritted his teeth shaking his head angrily
"Enough!" she yelled cutting him off making a startled Oswald look up "I don't care what you say or what you do you can't stop me I am going to Valka's and I am going back in there" she shouted angrily
"Fine. I don't care. Do what you like, don't come calling for my help when your trapped again because I know that's going to happen" he seethed back at her before they both stormed off away from each other.
While Eivor was at Valka's hut, Oswald was pacing back and forth in the longhouse at Ravensthorpe taking deep breaths and trying to calm himself down and to understand why Eivor would do this , want to go back to Swarvflenheim to save a mythical god child that wasn't even hers. He sat down on the table, fidgeting and mulling over his thoughts until he was approached by Sigurd.
"Everything alright son?" he asked, plopping himself on the opposite side of the table in front of Oswald.
Oswald looked up and brushed a lock of hair from his face. "No not really" he sighed as he admitted. "I got into an argument with Eivor over going back to Swarvflenheim. When will she just listen? It's for her own good. I swear I don't know how she is these days, she just keeps changing. Valka must be poisoning her or something"
With this, Sigurd let out a chuckle as Oswald frowned back at him."What? What's so funny Sigurd Tell me" he frowned, questioning Eivor's brother.
Sigurd stopped chuckling. "Your comments about Valka. I'm pretty sure she's not poisoning Eivor. It's just that you don't understand Norse mythology and how important it is to us especially. We grew up with tales of these just like how you grew up with tales of your God" he explained back to Oswald who loosened up when he stopped laughing.
"Don't worry, I know my sister, She hasn't gone mad, it's just she cares about these visions a lot, that's all and believes in them. You just got to give her some space and understanding even if you don't agree with it, that's all. Eivor will be fine. You need to relax Oswald" he said reassuring and putting his arm on Oswald's shoulder
"I guess your right, Thanks Sigurd. I will find Eivor once she is done and apologise for what I have said earlier '' Oswald said getting up to leave, ready to find Eivor.
"That's my man!" Sigurd clapped Oswald excitedly on his back as he left to find Eivor.
Oswald headed to Valka's hut nearby only to find that Eivor wasn't with Valka like he had expected her to be.
"Where is Eivor?" he questioned Valka suspiciously, while scanning the room for clues as to where she would possibly be.
"Eivor has headed to the forest, to prepare to go back to Swarvflenheim. You can find her there" Valka nodded answering Oswald with a straight face
"Alright, and you better make sure she is fine or else I won't be as nice as I was to you last time, Eivor may have forgiven you but I haven't " he gritted back to her before leaving for the forest where Eivor was.
Oswald was walking in the dark green forest and trees on the outskirts of Ravensthorpe when he heard a cry. It was Eivor screaming. The sound of her voice chilled his blood and froze him to the core.
"Valka! Valka! Why have you left me here in the forest with a pack of wolves you know I'm scared of them and with my hands tied too!"
With this, Oswald broke into a run - running blindly in the dark stumbling into bushes and tripping up in the dark he scratched his knee and it stung like hell but he couldn't stop and couldn't give up. Eivor was somewhere in danger and desperately needed help.
"Eivor! Eivor! Where are you? Stay there, I'm coming!" he yelled as panic was rising in his chest.
"Over here! Somebody help free me!" Eivor screamed helplessly as she desperately tried to unbind herself
Oswald finally found the source of the screaming and where Eivor was in the distance was a field and some smoke with a pack of wolves and a woman screaming. He ran towards Eivor not caring that there was a pack of angry wolves surrounding them. And pulled her back seconds before she would have fell face forward into the fire in front of her in fear and panic.
They both fell back panting onto the grass still surrounded by the wolves. Oswald looked up at the sky, mentally thanking God for allowing him to reach Eivor in time and to save her. However it wasn't just over yet the danger. They still had the wolves to deal with.
"What are you doing? Untie me the wolves are getting closer!" Eivor panicked and yelled towards Oswald.
Without hesitation, Oswald got up towards Eivor and unbinded her. She reached into her belt and pulled up her axe and started slashing as Oswald backed away from the wolves and let Eivor do the job.
"Ahhh there's too many of them! Why are there so many wolves!" Eivor panicked as she was surrounded. Oswald could only watch in horror as the wolves regenerated and surrounded Eivor. What madness was this? Was he too going mad as well? He had never seen wolves regenerate in his life ever before, only normal wolves.
The wolves were getting closer to Eivor, their black fur and teeth gnawing and threatening to gnash at her from behind. Oswald got up and breathed trying to calm himself and his sweaty palms. He had only fought twice before. Once with Rued that fateful night at Dunwich and Second at his wedding with Eivor to drive him out when he gatecrashed. He had never killed or fought wolves before.
Gathering all his courage he unsheathed his sword and roared. "Come and face me you bastards!" towards the wolves.
The wolves turned around and howled and charged towards Oswald as he braced himself mentally and mercilessly sliced them. How dare they hurt and scare Eivor away and threaten her. And Valka too, he would sure be having words with the seeress and he wouldn't be so nice this time. He made sure of that. He Killed all the wolves leaving only one. Eivor's childhood wolf, the one who scarred her and bit her leading people to call her the wolf kissed.
"You will not defeat me for I am not a child anymore! Go and never come back!" Eivor shouted at the large black wolf who was the leader of the pack "Leave me alone!" she screamed as she stabbed the wolf multiple times mercilessly with her axe as Oswald watched. Before she collapsed in exhaustion to the ground along with the big wolf who was dead once and for all.
"Eivor! Eivor Are you all right?" Oswald worriedly ran over to his wife who was collapsed on the ground.
She looked up at him with sleepy eyes "It is time Oswald. I have fought my fear. Tell Valka she succeeded" before she slumped over onto his arms.
Oswald sighed and slumped down too. It had been a long night and he was exhausted. He sat there on the grass with her, playing with her hair while she slept peacefully in the next realm thinking what he should do next. He would report back to Valka soon when she woke up, and there would be hell to pay.