Iron Fire

VII

Eira Fisker

A scream echoes through the vast mountains. Brenna left her post and ran east towards the sound.

Brenna came across a small hut where the scream presumably came from.

She entered the hut and saw Eira, a young girl of only fourteen years on the straw bed.

She wailed in pain as her swollen belly protruded under the deer skin blanket.

Brenna lay a hand on her forehead. She was burning up.

The young girl was close to full term with her baby. Brenna peeled the blanket back and saw a thick pool of blood between her thighs.

"I will be right back, young one. Do not worry. I am getting help." Brenna whispered to the young girl as she wailed at the top of her lungs.

"Astrid!" Brenna called out into the night.

Seconds later the familiar red head appeared.

"Eira is in labor. She has a fever. Come, we must help her." Brenna said as she ran to get the kettle and fill it with water from the stream.

She dipped the iron kettle into the rushing water until it was full. Then she heaved the kettle on her shoulder.

The kettle was unbearably heavy, weighing close to thirty pounds. Nevertheless, Brenna carried it to the hut.

The children had heard the screams and came running.

"What is happening?" A small boy said.

"Stay outside. Eira is having her baby." Brenna said as she ripped off a piece of cloth from her dress.

The children dutifully waited outside and she heard the horn from the distance.

The other women had heard Eira's screams and wanted to know if everything was okay.

Brenna grabbed her horn and blew once, signalling everything was fine.

They responded with a single horn blow, signalling they had recieved the message.

Brenna doused the rag into the kettle of water and handed it to Astrid.

Astrid patted Eira's face with it. She was sweating so profusely now. She moaned on pain as another contraction hit her.

Brenna grabbed the goblet beside the table and propped Eira's head up with several pelts. She brought the goblet to her lips and she drank greedily.

Brenna examined Eira's sex and noticed the baby was crowning.

"Push." Brenna said.

The girl screamed as she pushed. Brenna guided the baby as it's head emerged. Eira was allowed a small break to catch her breath.

"Push!" Brenna said again.

Eira pushed with all her might. The baby's shoulders came out and the rest was easy.

Astrid grabbed a clean linen cloth and placed it under Eira's bottom.

Brenna slapped the baby's behind and the baby took it's first breath. Its scream pierced the dark night.

Brenna breathed a sigh of relief as she held the bloody baby. She soaked a rag and cleaned the blood and fluid from the baby.

She then handed the baby to Eira.

"It is a girl." She said.

Astrid covered Eira's body with a thin linen cloth and turned to the door of the hut.

"Children, you can come in now. The birthing is done." She said.

"She is beautiful." Eira said.

"What shall you name her?" Brenna asked.

"Alva." She whispered as tears came to her eyes.

Eira had remembered the story Brenna told her about her mother.

Brenna gasped and hugged Eira close.

Eira gasped and her face contorted in pain. Blood seeped through the linen cloth as she drew her final breath.

"Eira!" Brenna called out.

Eira's lifeless eyes stared at the ceiling.

Brenna handed the baby to Astrid and ushered the children outside.

Brenna stayed beside the bed with Eira's body. Brenna wept for the young child. She was so young. How could Thor take her so soon?

For the first time in eight years, Brenna cried real, genuine tears. She had not let herself cry in so long, all the pent up emotions spilled out of her.

Brenna went beside the girl she considered a younger sister. Astrid was also her sister, but Astrid was one year older than her.

"Eira..." She whispered as she gently closed the girl's eyes.

"I'm so sorry..."

Brenna sobbed again as she went for her friend.

"I will watch over your child until your husband returns. I owe you this, dear sister."

Brenna stayed with the body all night. When the first rays of sunshine began to kiss the Earth, the women came down from their posts.

Brenna told them of Eira and together the women rolled her body into a bear skin pelt. They secured it with leather string and set her on a small fishing boat.

Brenna let tears fall as she lit the pyre aflame. They sailed the body down the river.

"May you enter the kingdom of the gods. Peace be with you, dear, sweet Eira." Brenna said.

They all watched as the pyre floated downstream into an unknown abyss.