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She realized her mistake once she entered the hut. She wouldn't be able to carry the lamp and the rest at the same time. She would have to do it in the dark.
He flew off her shoulder and perched at the head of the small bed in the corner of the room. The light from the lamp barely illuminated the unmoving form. She put the lamp down on the floor and walked over to the bed, she looked down at her mother.
Suddenly she seemed small, Mother had always seemed so big, even after she rose to a height higher than hers. After all the months of sickness and pain Mother always seemed bigger than her, but not now, now she was alone, left to take care of the rest.
She looked at him, he looked at her, egging her on.
"Caw"
"I will. I must." she replied.
With a heavy sigh she went to the opposite corner of the room and grabbed the large, heavy fur that had hung in the corner for years. She could see the small bits of dust and dirt fly off of it in the small streams of light. Uncontrollably she brought the pelt to her nose and breathed in. She liked to imagine she could still smell him on it, like a forgotten spring or incense at a long past holiday ritual.
"I still miss you" She says into the pelt. "Now you may be together forever, drinking from the enternal cup. May your trip be safe."
She placed the pelt on the floor next to the bed, he nodded in approval. She put her arms under her mothers upper back and knees and lifted her, she seemed so light and heavy at the same time. Placed her on the fur, he nodded in approval. She wrapped her up in the pelt, no wonder she had saved it, this must have been what she wanted, she thought. He swaked quietly.
Dragging her mother to the hole was less ceremonious. It was dark, she could barely see and the ground was bumpy. He hopped along behind the whole way. Once she got to where she remembered the hole was she picked her mother along with the pelt up and placed her on the wood and kindling. She turned and went back into the hut. He stayed behind keeping watch.
She quickly grabbed the lamp once she was inside and walked back out. Once there she was not quite sure what to do. He flew up on her shoulder again and pressed his forehead to her cheek.
"I love you, may your journey be blessed, I will remember all you taught me. Drink deep of his cup."
With that she threw the lamp onto the wood, kindling, fur and body. It exploded. She stood and watched as it began to burn and felt relief pass over her. She sat next to it, to wait it out until it was done. As the hours passed she began to see through the fire to the mountain ranges behind it, focusing on the future and considering what to do with it. There were so many possiblities, so many more than just a day ago. Just as her mother had told her, with the dark, comes the light.
He had jumped off her shoulders hours ago and settled in for the wait. She looked at him and asked, "Will you follow me where I go?"
His bright look gave her the answer.
"I will call you Muninn, I think."
He cawed, apparently that was correct.
"My name is Briggita." She said as the fire began to go out of focus.
In honor of the light returning after the dark and always seeing the brightness in our lives. Blessed Be.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Valkyrie in the Making - The Preparation
She approached the hut after the long climb down from the cliff. The sun was beginning to set and the door to the hut gaped open, challenging her to enter. He hopped out of the hut into the doorway and looked at her in an impaitent sort of way.
"Not yet, let me dig first."
He made a series of short caws, indicating his frustration with her, cocked his head a few times, turned and disappeared into the darkness of the hut, leaving her to her own folly.
She grabbed the small shovel from the side of the hut, found an open space of ground a few yards behind the structure and began to dig. It was hard work, as the ground had just begun to thaw after the long winter. She sweated as she worked, but refused to take off any of the layers of fur, or wool that she wore. She felt the sweat that was dripping off of her was the despair coming out, cleansing her body of all she had felt for the past four months.
By the time she finished digging she had a two foot deep hole that was long enough to fit a person in. The sun had set and she could barely make out the hand in front of her face, the moon was dark. She felt her way around until she found the pile of firewood and kindling, she grabbed a handful of sage and manged to get it lit with the small piece of flint she kept dangling on her belt. After lighting the lamp that was kept outside the hut she began to fill the hole with wood, leaves and twigs.
Nausea swept over her once she realized she was finished with this step. She stared at the hut considering what had to be done next.
"No way to avoid it anymore." She said aloud, trying to convince herself. She took the lamp and walked to the front of the hut and gazed at the challenging doorway inside.
He cawed loudly from the darkness, daring her to enter.
"Well, I'm not going to let some dirty raven proven he's more courageous than me." She announced loud enough so he could hear. He answered in turn by flying out and landing square on her shoulder. Cawed so loudly in her ear it made her head buzz more than it already was.
"Fine, we will go together." she said and they approached the darkness as one.
"Not yet, let me dig first."
He made a series of short caws, indicating his frustration with her, cocked his head a few times, turned and disappeared into the darkness of the hut, leaving her to her own folly.
She grabbed the small shovel from the side of the hut, found an open space of ground a few yards behind the structure and began to dig. It was hard work, as the ground had just begun to thaw after the long winter. She sweated as she worked, but refused to take off any of the layers of fur, or wool that she wore. She felt the sweat that was dripping off of her was the despair coming out, cleansing her body of all she had felt for the past four months.
By the time she finished digging she had a two foot deep hole that was long enough to fit a person in. The sun had set and she could barely make out the hand in front of her face, the moon was dark. She felt her way around until she found the pile of firewood and kindling, she grabbed a handful of sage and manged to get it lit with the small piece of flint she kept dangling on her belt. After lighting the lamp that was kept outside the hut she began to fill the hole with wood, leaves and twigs.
Nausea swept over her once she realized she was finished with this step. She stared at the hut considering what had to be done next.
"No way to avoid it anymore." She said aloud, trying to convince herself. She took the lamp and walked to the front of the hut and gazed at the challenging doorway inside.
He cawed loudly from the darkness, daring her to enter.
"Well, I'm not going to let some dirty raven proven he's more courageous than me." She announced loud enough so he could hear. He answered in turn by flying out and landing square on her shoulder. Cawed so loudly in her ear it made her head buzz more than it already was.
"Fine, we will go together." she said and they approached the darkness as one.
Valkyrie in the Making - The Guide
She realized how large he was as he swooped down and landed to her right. He cocked his head and looked at her, quzzically.
"This is where I come when I need to clear my head." she replied. He accepted her answer and turned his head to overlook the valley below, feathers blowing every which way. She turned as well, rested her chin on her knees and they both contemplated the thick woods surrounding the tiny wood hut that lay to the side of the valley, next to the tiny stream.
"I'm going to have to go back eventually." she thought to herself, as she heaved a heavy sigh. He turned his head to gaze at her once again. His black eyes looking straight into hers, practically boring through her. He gave a short crow and sprang up into the sky, hovered looking at her and turned to head straight for the tiny hut.
"I guess that's as good a sign as any that I should go now." she said to no one in particular, as she lifted herself up to her full height and began heading towards the hut she used to call home.
"This is where I come when I need to clear my head." she replied. He accepted her answer and turned his head to overlook the valley below, feathers blowing every which way. She turned as well, rested her chin on her knees and they both contemplated the thick woods surrounding the tiny wood hut that lay to the side of the valley, next to the tiny stream.
"I'm going to have to go back eventually." she thought to herself, as she heaved a heavy sigh. He turned his head to gaze at her once again. His black eyes looking straight into hers, practically boring through her. He gave a short crow and sprang up into the sky, hovered looking at her and turned to head straight for the tiny hut.
"I guess that's as good a sign as any that I should go now." she said to no one in particular, as she lifted herself up to her full height and began heading towards the hut she used to call home.
Valkyrie in the Making
She sat at the edge of a craggy cliff, her arms held her knees to her chest. As the wind blew her strawbery blonde hair into her face she thought to herself, "Well, what now?"
As she looked up, she saw the raven descend towards her.
As she looked up, she saw the raven descend towards her.
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