Call of the witch (Tom and Zac fanfic)

Learning the runes, talking to Zac

*Soleil*
"Here". Gudrun hands me a small drawstring bag made from rabbit fur. "I made it for you".

Carefully I open it, pulling out a white piece of fabric. It is a rune cloth like the one Gudrun has. I look at her with surprise. "Is this for me ?"

She nod looking very excited. "You need one for Your runes.. you need to make them first though".

Then she starts teaching me about the 24 different runes, all taken from the old Nordic alphabet the futhark. How they are separated in 3 different houses and what the different ones represent.

After almost an hour Gudrun looks at me. "Are you with me so far ?"

"Yeah I think so.. all those choices and paths, it kind of like with us right.. our path, our choices and the things we have to go through to become a vǫlva right ?" I say.

"Actually yes. It is the same for everyone getting the calling. We sacrifice our ordinary lives and the bliss of ignorance so to speak" she says.

"And what do we get ?"

"The calling my dear. seiðr and galdr". Gudrun smiles. "And the connection to the helping spirits and the balance. It doesn't come for free being blessed with a deeper meaning of life. It is our wisdom".

"I still fail to see our prize". I mumble.

"It will come; just you wait. There is so much more to the calling than fighting the hamram". Gudrun tells me, before continuing her lessons.

"Wow". When she is done I look at Gudrun full of admiration. She makes it Sound so easy. I look at the runes and sigh. "How do I ever learn all that in such a short time ?"

Gudrun lets out a small laugh and push a small handwritten book over to me. "Did you really think that is all ? This book explain all the runes much deeper and more detailed. It will take you years to fully understand. Marta and Siri prefers to let me read theirs instead of throwing them themselves".

"But they are.. I mean Marta is older than you, isn't she ?" Her and especially Siri must have had more time to practise". I say confused.

"No she is almost 10 years older than me". Gudrun answers. "But remember my kin, the lantern man, he granted me power to better understand the runes and still I can use a lot of time reading and understanding them".

"Why is that ? I mean when you know them all, then you can just read them right ?" I study the little stones on the table.

Gudrun goes to the pantry and comes back with a burner. Do you remember the three runes I threw for you, how they changed every time I turned a new one ? Each one is connected to the others. If you throw more runes it gets more detailed but also harder to read and easier to misunderstand. I always write down what I asked about and the runes, so I Can go back and see if I read them right". Her eyes shines with passion. "I still learn".

When Gudrun leaves me, telling me to get to know the runes. i start burning them into the little pieces of wood I had made. It reminds me of back in craft class in School were I had used one of these to make a name sign for my father. Life had been so much simpler then. But then I remember, I had been sitting alone making a name sign because my father had just died and I wanted him to have a name sign in heaven so the other angels would know his name. How could I forget ?

I look at the rune I am burning, it kind of look like a golf flag. I remember that one wynn, it represent happiness. It almost look like thurs. I pick up the thurs rune and place it next to Wynn. Happiness and Jötnar. The flag on the thurs is only half raised. It is Tjalfe's rune, a sign of chaos and destruction. I am not naive. I know he is capable of destroying everything around him and that he makes the big storms I see on tv - he kills people. It is just very difficult to see this powerful being and not the loving kin that has become such an important part of my life, especially when he holds me and comforts me.