Yngvild and the Forest of Dreams

Oddmundr's Fate

I fell asleep holding Jafnadr. I'd asked her to show me what happened to my father Oddmundr. She gave me a vivid dream.

It was winter. There was snow outside and everyone that I could see was dressed in warm thick clothing. I couldn't feel the cold, even though I was in my summer clothes. I couldn't recognise where we were, but it was not typically Skyssian, although it had to be quite far North.
'We're in Trollheim. On the other side of the mainland from Skyss.' Jafnadr said.
I knew it was her because of the voice. She'd joined me in the dream. She looked just like me, except with skin as dark as charcoal and white hair.
'I thought only Trolls lived in Trollheim.'
'Propaganda. There are people here too.'
'Don't trolls eat people?'
'Stories. Trolls are a sort of living rock, people aren't food to them.'
'My mother is known as Trollslayer.'
'Sometimes people and trolls fight. Especially when diplomacy goes wrong, or someone stitches up the trolls for killing a human.'
'So what are we here to see?'
'You wanted to know what happened to your father, Oddmundr.' Jafnadr said. 'Watch!'

We were out in the street, with buildings down both sides. It was twilight, either a not quite day in mid-winter, or near the end of a short day. People were moving about, but purposefully. No-one loiters outside in the depths of winter. A man came towards us, he was clad in furs and wore Jafnadr on his belt.
'There he is.' I said.
'Follow him inside.' Jafnadr said.
We went into the building I'd been standing outside. There was a lobby inside the outside door. Oddmundr closed the outer door before opening the inner one.  Inside it was well lit by a fire and by candles. There were several people waiting.
'Well met!' Oddmundr raised his gloved  hand in greeting to the others.
'Oddmundr! It's a pleasure. We've been looking forward to your arrival.' A tall, fair haired man stepped towards Oddmundr and swept him up in a hug.
'Rojden! One day you're going to kill someone with that hug!' Oddmundr said. 'It must be tough if you're here too.'
'Radulf is worried that a full scale war with the trolls might break out. It seems a troll killed Magnleif.'
'Helga's tits! That's serious. You get the name of the troll?'

'Alfarinn did, I understand she's on her way to Kronstadt with the message.' Rojden said. 

'That's a bare faced lie. Rojden killed Magnleif because he wouldn't join Rojden's faction. Rojden framed a troll because he wants to start the war.' Jafnadr said. 

'Drink?' Rojden offered a horn of steaming mulled beer to Oddmundr that one of his crew had passed to him. 

'Thank you.' Oddmundr took the horn and raised it. 'Your health!'

'Our health, indeed' said Rojden. 

Oddmundr took a deep drink and emptied the horn in one. He brushed his mouth with the back of his glove. 'Interesting mix of spices in that, is it a Trollheim speciality?'

'Not really, it was a poison.' said Jafnadr. 

'Is that what killed him?' I asked.

'No, but it stopped him from being able to defend himself, and me being able to warn him.'  
'So how did he die?'