Book 3: 'Arrow Odd'

34.0 THE PROPHECY OF ARROW ODD, Part One

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

THE PROPHECY OF ARROW ODD, Part One (Circa 911 AD)

'It is remarkable what may be accomplished through witchcraft and enchantment.

For on one occasion he (Helgi/Oleg) had made inquiry of the wonder-working magicians

as to the ultimate cause of his death. One magician replied, "Oh Prince, it is from the

steed which you love and on which you ride that you shall meet your death." Oleg then

reflected and determined never to mount this horse or even to look upon it again. So he

gave command that the horse should be properly fed, but never led into his presence.'

Hraes' (Rus') Primary Chronicle

(911 AD) King Odd had been long settled in his kingdom, and he'd had a long life there, and he had two sons with his wife, Queen Silkisif. Asmund, the eldest, was named after Odd's foster-brother, and the youngest was named Holmar after Silkisif's father. They were both very promising young men. One evening, when Oddi and Silkisif went to bed, he slowly told her: "There is one place that I would like to go."

"Where would you like to go?" Silkisif asked.

"I want to go north to Hrafnista," he answered, "and I want to know who now holds the island, because I own it with my family and I have much wealth buried there."

"I think," she said, "you have enough wealth and property here. You have Gardariki and have won all Tmutorokan and can take other goods and countries that you want, and I think you should not worry about one small island in the north."

"Yes," he said, "that may be true, it may be that the island is worth little, but I have the treasures of many victories buried there and I wish to choose the ruler it will have, and you should not discourage me, because I have decided to go. I will only be away for a while." The next day he sailed away in Fair Faxi, with a cargo knar following, and with forty picked and well-armed warriors aboard each, and they sailed up the Nor'Way to Hawknista and entered Giantland. He found the dwarf, Durin, there and had gifts for him.

"Prince Erik left to find aid in Constantinople," Durin explained, "and when he didn't return with his ship, Princess Gunwar thought the Romans must have killed him. She was pregnant with you at the time and she wanted to protect her lands for you."

"I just wanted to thank you for helping her when she was so alone," Oddi said.

"Don't thank me," the dwarf said, dejectedly. "I failed her. I failed Prince Erik, when he rushed back to Gardariki to save you and your mother; I lost the battle against the Huns on the Don Heath. The Hraes' officers wouldn't follow the orders of a dwarf. And I failed Princess Gunwar. She died fighting beside me, when Prince Hlod snuck up on the other side of her and pierced her with his golden lance. And now, I learn that I failed Brother Gregory as well. I should have helped him further, perhaps I could have saved him."

"Still, you beat back Prince Hlod and recovered her body for the Christian burial she so wanted," Oddi said encouragingly. "And the Prince and Duke Roller always speak fondly of you."

"King Roller is a Duke now?"

"Yes. A Duke in Frankia. King Frodi pillaged Norway and set up a puppet king there, Harold Fairhair. Roller fled with me and now he is Duke Rollo of Normandy and is a good Christian now, haunted only by my mother."