The Fate of Two Warriors

Just less than eight years ago I met Rayne, she was training to join the Jarls’ guard while Egor practiced his blacksmithing skills; now Rayne and I are both top soldiers in the Guard and Egor is known as the best blacksmith in town. Their wedding celebration starts tonight; I can already hear Rayne, “Frahala! What if he doesn’t marry me, would that mean Thor denied me his blessing?!” How much she over thinks matches her Fierceness in battle, she is one of the fiercest! As she is preparing Ingrid walks in, suspicious sense he is the Chiefs right hand man. “Leave us to talk alone!” He demands of me. Frustrated, I close the door but I don’t go far in case Rayne needs me. Suddenly I hear her Shout, “ GET OUT OF HERE YOU SCANT HALF-WIT GUILLEDOU!” As I come rushing in, Ingrid angrily leaves, quite hastily too. We agreed to keep the perverted incident to ourselves since he is the Chiefs right hand man, causing a fuss like that doesn’t go so well when you’re a woman in the Jarls’ Guard.

The Celebration continued as planned with a beautiful ceremony; So beautiful I could feel Freyas’ presence during the vows. We feasted greatly for days with the whole town! Hours before the end of the celebration Chief Osberg shows up to advise us that in 12 days we will set sail to Norway for battle; The Christians banned our religion along with trading with those of us who have our beliefs, which is why I believe the Jarl is sending us to Norway, but nobody will ever know the real reasoning for he has no need to explain himself to any of us.

While I am gathering my training gear to prepare for battle I notice that Ingrid is being very secretive about whatever letter he is writing; I creep as close as I can and notice the dates and locations of where our ship is going to be. Ingrid's Dad was a coward, he ran from battle and was banished from the land; to make up for his fathers acts he vowed his life to serve the chief. You would think he would be more humbled.. Nervously I finish gathering my things and head straight to Rayne to tell her what I saw.

I grew up with no family. Egor and Rayne are my closest and only friends; Rayne never knew her father but was very close with her mother until the day bandits raided their hometown, right in front of her they killed her mother in cold blood- That was her ambition to join the guard. As Rayne and I are discussing what I saw Egor comes rushing into the room, “Ingrid swayed me into mailing a letter for him, for a good amount of coin. As I was handing it to the Courier I noticed it was addressed to Norway!” “Ingrid is probably no better than his father, we need to watch our backs from now on.”

Only Six nights left till we set sail for battle, though tonight isn’t so dull and muggy. It is the celebration, Adam of Bremen, we choose men to sacrifice to Odin by hanging, we hope the sacrifices will be enough for Odin to guide us through battle. We Feast greatly which is why I thought it to be strange that the Jarl, Chief Osberg, and Ingrid just slipped off. Probably just discussing Battle tactics in private, the Jarl looks down on us all for the most part.

- Little did we know that Ingrid had swayed Egor to mail another letter for him; we won’t ever know why he didn’t advise us of this second letter. -

Rayne and Egor said their goodbyes as we loaded up onto the Osberg ship, setting sail to battle. We all sat in our place at the ships round table to eat our last meal before battle, and of course discuss our battle tactics. Ingrid is helping prepare everybodies food and drinks which is pretty normal sense he is basically the thrall to the chief. Rayne and I got our drinks last, as I went to take a drink I could smell the rat poison in my drink.. Hmm, I can’t cause a scene… I decided within seconds to knock over mine and Raynes drinks, he was trying to kill us!

After we ate, Rayne and I decided to follow the chief to speak with him privately. “Sir! Ingrid has been sending suspicious mail since you announced this battle! He put rat poison in our drinks in an attempt to kill us, I think we should change course. We cannot risk losing the element of surprise!” I plead with Chief Osberg but of course he doesn’t listen to us, that's his right hand man of course. “Get out of here you two buffoons. Prepare for battle, that is my order. I have had enough of these condemnations!” We continue to prepare for battle as we breathe the thick, salty sea air. ‘Hopefully we are wrong about those letters…’ I keep thinking to myself while I put on my armor and ready my horse and I for battle.

“We are closing in on our target, be ready my drengs for this will be a rough battle! In the Name of Odin and with the blessings of Thor we shall win!” Chief Osberg declared. As we Anchor down Ingrid is nowhere in sight. Then suddenly, Bang! We begin to hear loud crashes along with many arrows hitting the side of the ship, “It's an ambush!” I exclaim as Rayne and I run to protect the ship from any intruders. It was too late, there were already at least ten enemies on board, we rushed to Chief Osberg's side and ready our swords for the fight of our lives! Suddenly we look to the left, two men with arrows ready to end the chief's life, without a second thought Rayne and I both jump in front of him; inevitably saving his life, although, We both took an arrow to the chest. As we lie there, slowly bleeding out, the chief himself comes to our side, “Rayne and Frahala, you were my most brave, fierce, and loyal drengs. I apologize for doubting you and not listening to you. You will be Avenged!” We look at eachother one last time; two best friends, two warriors, we couldn’t have wished for a more adventurous life. “See you in Valhalla” Frahala faintly said to Rayne as she passed away.

It is said that to this day The Osberg ship still lies in Norway, Rayne and Frahala’s bodies, along with their swords and horses, still lie there. Some say their spirits still protect the ship to this day from any thievery.

The End.

Although the Tale is fictional, the Osberg ship is real, it is said to be one of the best preserved ships of that time. In it lies what they think to be two females, their horses, their swords, and some goods.

Vikings were very superstitious, Odin was best known for hanging so in the Viking days they would sacrifice men by hanging in hopes of getting Odin's blessing to succeed in battle.

Adam of Bremen was a huge sacrificial feast that took place every 9 years!

Definitions of old norse words used in “ The Fate of Two Warriors”

Thrall > Slave

Swayed > To give way

Scant > Short / Lacking

Dreng > Warrior

Jarl > Top of Hierarchy

Guilledou > To look for love affairs

Courier > Mail Carrier.