One year later ….
Eivor sat on a log outside Ravensthorpe, close to the stream. It was a warm sunny day and the leaves were falling all around her.
A feeling of sadness Panged her as she looked towards the stream. Ravensthorpe was all quiet and calm now, but she couldn't forget about the day it wasn't . The day Halfdan came, brazing in and angry .
The day of Oswald's death.
After he had died, Eivor had stumbled back to Ravensthorpe carrying his bloody lifeless body. A funeral then happened . Finnr donated one of his old longships out of guilt. He had sent Eivor a letter apologising along with his longship, wishing her the best .
Oswald got his send off to Valhalla, where he would surely be waiting for Eivor when her time had come.
She didn't want to wait, She wanted him now, she missed him. Every Time she saw Hunwald and Swanburrow milling around the settlement, she would think of Oswald, how if fate wasn't so cruel, they would of been together just like the other young couple.
And also Oswald's laugh, his voice , his presence. The way his lips felt on her as they shared their last kiss, the feel of his blood on her hands as he lay dying.
There's got to be something I can do. Something I can do to bring him back. I have a connection with Odin . If Sigurd is a god and Basim is Loki then perhaps I could do something to change his fate. Eivor thought with a frown.
Valka. I've been to Asgard and Swarvflenheim , perhaps she can find a potion where I can go to the great hall and speak to Odin and see if Oswald is in Valhalla.
Eivor got up, heading back into Ravensthorpe and towards Valka's hut.
"Hello Eivor. What can I do for you?" Valka inquired looking at Eivor who had just entered her hut
"Do you have a potion that can take me to the great hall? I need to speak to Odin" Eivor asked, leaving the part about Oswald out
"I do" Valka nodded. "But why do you want to go to the Great Hall and see the high one so bad, it's not about Oswald is it?"
Eivor hesitated, looking down on the floor sadly .
Valka sighed "Eivor we talked about this. The high one's power is not one to be messed with. It can be dangerous. It takes great skill to handle a power. Your risking death here"
"I know I know. But I just miss him so much, everytime I see Hunwald it makes me think of him . How he should be here with us, how it was my fault that his life was cut short" Eivor trailed off
"I know Eivor, he was a nice man. You loved him a lot. But it will get better in time." Valka squeezed Eivor's shoulder in reassurance
"Then you should understand then, Valka. It feels like my shoulder has been teared apart like I'm missing a piece of my heart, like my souls been ripped apart" Eivor said desperately towards Valka
"There's no convincing you is there. You really are like your Mother with how stubborn you are. Very well then as you wish, I will make you a potion to go to the great hall" Valka sighed giving in to Eivor
"Thank you Valka. You know I would do anything for him, he gave his life to me so why shouldn't I give back my own?" Eivor said with relief to Valka
Valka tutted and rolled her eyes "Love eh."
Minutes later, Eivor had downed the potion and was now laying on a rug at Valka's. She felt her vision blur out as she collapsed and fell asleep.
After travelling through a long cloudy tunnel, she suddenly woke up to a dark room only barely lit with candles . She stood up, and pushed the door open.
"Hello?" She called out
Suddenly appearing in the dimly lit room in front of her was Odin; he was cloaked in a black cloak and robes, with his wooden staff looking towards Eivor.
"Eivor. What brings you to my hall, do you need something?" He asked her
Eivor approached closer to Odin before stopping in front of him . "Two things, I need a favour from you."
Odin frowned at her , eyes furrowing in confusion . "What would you like from me Eivor?"
Eivor took a deep breath before continuing "You're the god of death. For years I have worshipped and admired you and have even done favours for you. All I'm asking for is your power. Just some of it for some time. Just enough so I can bring Oswald back alive"
Odin laughed in disbelief as Eivor turned to face him with a frown "Oswald? Why would you want that grovelling worm back alive? I heard he was a coward, he didn't even die in a fight. The only way he got here was because he got an axe lodged on his chest. Not because he actually belongs here"
"Quiet!" Eivor furiously snapped as her voice dripped in venom "He died defending me . He may not have died in a fight but he is still a hero in every way not a coward. I wouldn't be here if he was still alive. I don't want to be here but I'm desperate. I'll do anything"
"Hmmm" Odin hummed . As it clicked into place . She's the Saxon lover that Oswald died for in that Holmgang between her and Halfdan.
"Your the Saxon lover of Oswald's. Very well then. I will lend you my powers for a short time, but I must warn you that there will be side effects. Minor ones include exhaustion , nose bleeds and passing out, major ones will include death. My power isn't really fit for a human to wield. And at the end you owe me a favour as well"
"I'll do anything . Anything to bring him back, just give it to me" Eivor blurted out desperately
Odin chuckled. Admirable the lengths she would go for this Saxon. "Is there anything else if not I will start transferring my powers to you so you can bring him back alive yourself"
"Just one more thing. I want to see him. If he is here. I want to speak to him one last time"
Odin nodded "Follow me"
Eivor followed Odin down a long corridor full of white light. Until there was a lone door at the end , to a bedroom that looked like the one Oswald was sleeping in at Elmenham.
Odin opened the door as Eivor looked in and saw the back of Oswald. He was wearing his green tunic, and his clothes were clean - no bloody wound unlike the last time she saw him on the longship
Oswald's back was turned to Eivor's; he seemed to be busy on the desk scribbling something .
Odin looked to Eivor. "You have five minutes. Make the most of it" before he closed the door behind them.
Upon hearing Odin's voice to Eivor, Oswald turned around .
His jaw dropped in shock "Eivor?" He gasped out
Eivor didn't say anything instead she ran towards him and pulled him in a tight hug he cuddled her back before they pulled back
"Oswald. I can't tell you how happy I am to see you again. I've missed you so much. I tried moving on but I can't . I see your face everywhere wherever I go. I just can't" Eivor sobbed breaking down in tears
"Shhh. It's alright . I'm here now. I got you. I missed you so much too" Oswald stroked her cheeks, kissing her tears away
"I love you. I love you so much" She stroked his cheeks and hair before pulling him in with a hard kiss
They kissed each other as if they never kissed before, tongue and lips eating each other hard , only stopping for a quick breath before continuing .
Eivor pulled back knowing time was running out and that Odin had only given her five minutes and five minutes was short and could go quickly . Time always went faster when she was with Oswald and before they knew it even a kiss could take up five minutes .
"So how did you get here? How did you find me ? Did you fall in battle?" Oswald asked the question that had been weighing on his mind
"No" Eivor replied as she took his hands on hers. "I'm still very much alive. I begged Valka to make a potion for me to come here . You know her and her magic. I made a deal with Odin too"
Oswald frowned in confusion "A deal?"
Eivor nodded "Yes. He agreed to lend me his powers for a short while. Just until I can get you back . We can be together like we always wanted to, Oswald. I can bring you back alive"
Oswald's face fell as he looked at the ground
"What. What is it? What's wrong?" Eivor looked at Oswald in concern, pulling his face up to hers so he would look at her
He gulped. "I was afraid this would happen. That you would find me. Eivor please. Just forget about me. You deserve better than a little weasel like me. I was just a boy in a small chapter of your life. It's easy to forget about me. Just please move on from me"
"What?" Eivor shook her head in disbelief
Oswald sighed looking like he was in great difficulty like he was having a mental war with himself . "I love you Eivor. And I want you to have a happy life and I don't want to be stopping you and holding you from moving forward that's all"
"You're not holding me back. I want you Oswald. I want you so much it hurts . I would do anything to have you back . I would even die for you like you did with me" Eivor replied hurt
"I don't want you to die for me. I know the risks you are going through to bring me back to East Anglia. I want you to live Eivor, for me" he begged her
Eivor shook her head . God why was he making this so hard. The stubborn bastard.
"Please Oswald. Just give me a chance to fix my mistake. Then we can be happy. I won't fuck up again. I can't . I can't lose you ever again"
Oswald was about to answer and argue back when Odin barged in, interrupting them all.
"Time's up Eivor" he said unimpressed
"I love you. I will be back for you I promise. I will bring you back" Eivor walked towards Oswald planting one last kiss on his lips .
Oswald grabbed her with his hands , kissing her back deeply once more before pulling back .
"I'll be waiting. Now go Eivor" he said pushing her towards where Odin was
Odin rolled his eyes at the scene in front of him before walking out as Eivor followed
Eivor turned around once more seeing a upset Oswald looking back at her
Soon they were back in the dark room of Odin's office with nothing but dimly lit candles lighting it and a table and chair which belonged to Odin .
"So I will transfer you my power now. This may take a while and may be painful. So be prepared" he informed her
Eivor had hardly any time to answer when Odin slammed his stick on the ground sending shockwaves vibrating through the darkened hall.
Eivor gasped as she felt herself being propelled several meters in the air and grunted in pain as she felt a blue energy surging inside of her
Odin slammed once more, as a blue light of power transferred from himself to Eivor, Eivor had to hold in a scream of pain as the energy continued transferring; it felt like someone was stretching and pulling her bones to the limit.
That's what Valka meant by dangerous , that it could kill me. Even Oswald knew. I can't stop. I got to do this for him. It's my only chance at bringing him back alive.
Just when Eivor felt like her insides were going to burst, Odin slammed the stick once more as she fell to the ground on her knees, panting and coughing
"That was the hard part done. Now you have my powers. With your mind and your right hand you can travel back to any time period you like , although I think you're most likely going to be going to East Anglia to find Oswald. Try it out"
Eivor shakily got up, having just recovered from that exertion. She placed her right hand and arm out sceptically .
"Now breathe and focus. Focus on what happened yesterday before moving further back"
Eivor visualised the events earlier on during the day , Valka, the stream
Very slowly pushing with her mind and her hand the surroundings around them began to blow the candles out first. Then the furniture around the room started flying around, along with Eivor's clothes and hair as a strong wind with the force of a hurricane blew inside
Eivor watched on as Various memories flickered in front of her, Hunwald and Swanburrow moving in, raiding settlements, Randvi asking her out, Sigurd losing his arm, Ceolbert's death, Dag's death, Oswald dying , the longship chase, the nights by the fireplace with him, tending to his arm, Killing Rued, the holmgang, Seahenge, the dinner with Valdis and her family
Then finally she saw Finnr fast asleep inside a longhouse and a chair littered with arrows
This is the day I met Oswald.
She stopped bringing her arm down, also letting go of her mind. Odin was now no longer with her, everything was Norwich. The sight, the smell, the weather. She had reset time back to the day she met Oswald .
She stared down at her hands in disbelief.
I can't believe I made it in one piece without dying. I feel well, I don't feel too sick. Not bad for my first run, now to try and see if he is alive . Hopefully with what I know now I can prevent what happened before from happening again . I can save him.
Eivor smiled, heart beating with anticipation. She was looking forward to meeting Oswald and speaking to him all over again and getting to know him all over again. Every second with him was precious. She didn't mind meeting him all over again . For him she would do it a thousand times over if only to bring him back alive.
Pushing that thought out of the way she banged on the table before calling "Finnr! Wake up!"
Author's Note: And that's it that's the much delayed Epilogue coming out, I had writer's block and actually rewrote and deleted it several times . There were many different ideas on how to end this before this one came out. This is inspired by the Hordyfaylke arc event near the end of game when Eivor goes to Valhalla and for context Soma and Hunwald haven't died yet as this is before Chippenham that's why Eivor doesn't see them in Valhalla only Oswald.
This also links to the start of the sequel "A time paradox" and explains in more detail where Eivor gets her powers from. Now the roles are reversed, Eivor's the hopeless one in this chapter not Oswald! The poor boy has just given up on life towards the end as you can see. Anyway enough waffling , hope you enjoyed and thanks for reading my long story all the way . See you next time !