What's in a Name?

The Beginning

Oh, hello there, my name is Astrid Ravensbane, I'm the youngest daughter of Hersir Dag and Sigrid Ravensbane. Let me start my journey by telling you a little about my family and myself. (For those that are asking me, "What does Hersir mean?" Well, Hersir, someone who organized and led raids.)

My identical twin sister Frida and I were born on October 31, 1352. The villagers were a little leery of Frida and I, as we were born on the night, where the veil between the ancestors and all of Midgard is at its thinnest, Samhain (Most of you know it as Halloween). We were born with platinum blonde hair and unusual eye color, Frida Ice Blue, while mine Ice Green.

We had 4 wonderful older brothers, Ivan - 10, Ericik would have been 8, sadly he died from the Black Plague a few years before our birth, Ebbe - 4, and Aksel - 2 yrs old when we were born.

We had a normal Medieval Scandinavian childhood. We played with stick swords with tiny shields, bows, slings, axes, whips, and staves with our father and brothers. Father and Ivan taught us how, where, and what time of year to set snares. While Ebbe and Aksel taught us how to help mend the fishing nets.

Frida and I learned from our mother how to keep a home, how to cook, sew, weave, gather and preserve the needed food items for winter time, barter with the traders that came to our village, plus create different gardens. Mother also taught us how to honor the gods and goddesses with the best of our harvests and hunts and also what times of the year to do special rituals.

At the age of 6, we were sent to the local Völva to learn about herbalism, how to treat wounds, and to read and write.

Frida and I used to bring home all sorts of animals to treat and heal to the great annoyance of our family. "What are you two bringing home this time?" asked Ebbe, looking at us through narrowed eyes. "I've got a lone wolf pup" I say as I'm carrying what looks like a 1 week old pup "I saw a dead she wolf near a den and he's the only one that was still alive, there were 2 others, but they were already dead. If you'd like, I can tell you where the dead she wolf is. Her hide is still in good shape if you want it."

"I found 2 ermine kits near Astrid's wolf den. They were just left out in the open," says Frida. "I looked for the other kits and the mother, but I couldn't find them." We have always seemed to know how to help wild animals, and they have never tried to hurt us.

When we turned 7, our brothers gifted Frida and I with matching swords. I loved my sword, but Frida didn't like hers as much. Frida wanted us to stay together at home and work with Mother only. "Frida, I'd rather go learn more from Völva Hlif and fighting skills with our brothers. I'm not like you and just want to stay at home all day," I tell her. "I just want us to stay and work at home," Frida complains. "We won't need to fight. That's what our men folk are here for. I can understand learning more from Völva Hlif and can agree to that." (Frida is 10 minutes older than me, so she thinks she can boss me around. UGH!)

"Frida, I'm going to be a Waelkyrige one day," I tell her. "So I need more fighting skills." Frida looked at me like I had grown a second head. "You want to be a what? Why on Midgard do you want to be a Waelkyrige? I want to be like our mother and take care of my family, while my husband and sons do all of raiding, fighting, and hunting."

"That's fine for you, but I'm not like you," I tell her. "Right now, the only thing we've got in common is the way we look," I say. Frida looked at me as if I had slapped her across the face and tears welling up in her eyes. "Oh Frida," I say softly as I move to hug her. "You know in your heart that I'm the fighter between the two of us. Just like I know you want to stay in the home. Please let's not fight about this."

"I know you're right, Astrid," she replies just as softly with tears in her voice as she hugs me back. "I just don't want to lose you to fighting or raiding."

We agreed to learn more about healing from Völva Hlif, and then Frida would go learn more household skills from our mother. While I learned from our father and brothers about fighting and different styles that they've picked up from raiding. This way, I could protect my twin, mother, and village from danger.

The spring and summer months before our 8th birthday were fun for Frida and I. I had named my wolf pup Ericik after our brother, who had died at the age of 5. Frida named her two ermine Ebbe and Aksel. For a couple of reasons, firstly to annoy our brothers, and second, they ended up being little thieves just like our brothers.

That summer, we helped Völva Hlif with making tinctures, poultices, bandages, and special thread and needles for stitches. We had become minor Völvas, meaning we could and would take care of any minor illnesses, most cuts, and burns that happened in our village. That way Völva Hlif could take care of other villages in the surrounding area, and we were honored to help our village in that position.

In the autumn of 1360, us and Father got really sick. We got sick shortly after some traders came to our village by boat. We all had a rash, fever, chills, and aches and pains throughout our bodies. Frida and Father ended up swelling in their armpits and had trouble breathing. Völva Hlif did everything she could to help us.

She bathed us with lavender or rose water to help with the rash and fever. We drank lots of willow bark tea for pain. While Father and Frida had the four thieves vinegar used on their pustules after they burst. As I got stronger, Frida got weaker. I would help take care of Father and Frida as best as I could so that the rest of our family stayed safe and Völva Hlif could rest.

"Frida, please try to drink the tea," I begged her. "I can't, Astrid," she replies weakly, starting to cough. Once she could breathe again, I noticed blood on her chin. "Oh no," I cried, then ran to get Völva Hlif. "Völva Hlif, Frida is now coughing up blood just like father," I cry as I find her. "I'm so sorry, little one," she says as she helps me back to them and puts me back to my own bed. "You still need to rest, or your fever will come back."

Sadly, my fever did come back that night. It got so high that ice was brought in to try to help cool me down. When I woke up several days later, I looked over to Frida and could hear her breath rattling in her chest. "Frida, please stay with me," I begged, reaching out to hold her to me. "Why are all the lights out?" I ask softly. "The lights are burning brightly Astrid," she replies breathlessly. "Father is gone, Astrid. I'm sorry, but I'm going to join him and Ericik," she says weakly with tears in her voice. "I love you, Astrid," she says as she gets weaker by the moment. "Be brave and strong for me, never give up. Please promise me to always protect our family."

"I love you as well, Frida, your my other half, my twin," I reply while tears fall down my face. "I promise Frida I'll always protect our family." We held each other and cried over the loss of our father, and I kept crying as I felt Frida lose her fight over the Black Plague.

(It would be centuries later that I learned Father and Frida had died from the pneumatic version of the Black Plague and that there was nothing Völva Hlif or I could have done to save them.)

My family lost my father and twin sister just days before our 8th birthday. I also lost my eyesight but seemed to gain powerful gifts in exchange.

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I hope you all enjoy my story. This is my first time trying to write a story. It may start out a little slow, but it will pick up, I promise.