The Lost Tale

Free to Fly

Asger and I spend the next hours packing the supplies I'll need for my journey- my mind wanders to Ove and Eluf who had left earlier; I wonder if they'll actually be back to help me. "We will do another ritual in a day or so, it will open a passageway to the other worlds." Asger mumbles at me as my mind pulls me in other directions, but I try to shake the thoughts away. With or without help- this is my mission.

It is dark outside and there are cooked squirrels set along a flat stone ready to eat. Asger and I eat- keeping the others to the side for if my friends do return... though with each passing hour I doubt that they will. Sleipnir whinnies, and I take his protest as a sign that he is hungry too. "Alright big fella, let's go get you taken care of."

With a happy snort he follows behind me as I walk from the cave, bow and arrows strung across my back. We walk in the darkness to a flowered field that is several hundred yards from the cave. Sleipnir bolts forward, his hooves like thunder along the ground and I stagger several feet behind him as he grazes. For a mythical war horse, the creature sure acted like a normal beast.

I laugh softly as the horse grazes for a good while, and between bites takes his time to frolic around me playfully. The moon rises in the sky as we chase each other through the clearing- and after another hour I lay in the wildflowers as Sliepnir chews ferociously on the greenery.

Stars twinkle above me and I let out a deep sigh, the tense muscles in my shoulders and back loosening. The flowers are hidden in their night-time cocoons and the breeze blows them in a swirling dance as I feel the thump of Sleipnir coming closer to me before his head hangs over my own and a light snort bursts from his lips.

I reach my fingertips up, brushing his cheeks with a tenderness as he closes his wide charcoal eyes closing at my touch. "Are you ready to go back?" I ask- and with a soft snort he pulls away before I stand to my feet. We stand in the moonlight for several moments, a comfortable silence between us as I brush the dirt and grass from my clothes.

"Hey" a voice calls from the woods behind me- sending me into a jolt as my hands pull my bow and arrow; my aim setting towards it. Ove steps out of the shadows with his hands up at his shoulders; "don't shoot. Asger told me you'd be out here somewhere."

I relax again- and Sleipnir grunts as we both walk towards Ove. "How's Eluf?" My forehead creases with concern as I put my bow and arrow back in place. Eluf feels seriously about the risks he is taking with this, and I don't blame him at all. My eyes scan Ove's face as he lets off a shrug.

"He's gonna help- but he's not happy about it." He runs a hand through his onyx hair, the moonlight bouncing off of it washing his face whiter than normal. "He's back at the cave with Asger- it took a long time to talk him into coming back."

I nod, a frown still hovering on my face as I look to the ground. "I wouldn't have blamed him for not coming back- and I wouldn't have blamed you either." No sooner than I'd finished my sentence Ove wraps me in a hug, his arms snug around my waist as my face burrows into his shoulder.

"I'm helping you with or without Eluf. We are a team." Ove's voice calms me and I take a deep breath as my forehead rests against him. I can hear his heart beating, the steady thump only falters for a double beat every now and then, and I feel my own matching his.

Several moments of silence hang between us as Sleipnir paws the ground, bringing me back to the present as I stand back once again. "Thank you. Through all of this-" my hands gesture to the eight-legged horse behind me and then to the sky, "I don't know how I'm supposed to be responding- or even what I am meant to accomplish. This feels like a fool's errand with high stakes."

Ove blinks at me as I turn to Sleipnir, running my hands over his neck and through his mane. It gives me a small amount of comfort to know that I have Odin's warhorse on my side, along with Ove- whose support sends warmth to my heart.

"Are you ready to go back?" Ove's hand settles on my shoulder and I turn slightly over my shoulder- my pale purple eyes taking in the concerned expression on his face. I bite my lip while I shake my head, I definitely am not ready to go back. Taking my answer he nods, strands of his hair falling into his eyes as his hand returns to his side. "What can I do for you?"

I take a deep breath, and with a slight smile I place my forehead light against Sleipnir's neck. "Well, if it's ok with Sleipnir..." the horse eyes me curiously as I continue, "I'd like for you to go on a ride with me." Sleipnir responds with a small snort before pawing the ground. I take my permission and Ove boosts me onto the horse's back before we lock arms and I pull him on behind me. Once we are seated I tilt my head back slightly, my hair whipping over my shoulder as I look at him, "hold on tight... it's going to be a ride."

His hands wrap around my waist as my fingers interloop into Sleipnir's mane and I lean forward slightly as the horse paws the ground again with impatience. Ove laughs from behind me, the rumble in his stomach shaking me. "Alright buddy, if you're ready to go let's have it!"

Sleipnir whinnies as his legs push to work, and we take off into the night. First we bolt through the trees beyond the flower field, leaving thoughts of the cave behind. The night sky above us sheds small dots of moonlight along the forest floor as Sleipnir sprints to new speeds.

Ove behind me laughs and lets out a howl as we fly through the trees, and I can feel my heart beating faster and faster- the drumming in my ears sounding as the flapping of wings. "Sleipnir let's fly!" My call to the wind is answered as the tree line breaks and the horse pushes straight over the cliff of a ravine- Ove's arms tighten around me as he realizes that the ground beneath us has disappeared.

The sky welcomes us and I throw my cares to the wind as my hair whips into the hair behind me- I can barely hear Ove's expressions of surprise and we bolt into the air- the ravine below falling into a rushing river below. Almost by instinct my fingers release from his mane and the air rushes through my fingers as Sleipnir carries us with his own will.

I don't know how long we stay in the air- but every moment fills me with life. This is the feeling I've chased so long- flying. Ove clings closely to me, though he seems to be enjoying the experience too, he tries to secure himself. Below us we can see animals along the riverside- an owl flies by with a startled hoot as thunder rumbles through the sky.

We get back to the cave by sunrise- the yellow orb slowly creeps above the horizon as we sit atop Sleipnir. Ove breathes deeply as the redness in his cheeks begins to fade. I hop down, Ove behind me as we all go back inside. Asger of course stands inside the rocky arch, a look of disapproval on his face that I ignore as I walk past him; it's time to get some sleep.

Eluf is up, but says nothing to either of us as we make our way to where our furs lay on the cavern floor. I cast a sideways glance at him as I move to sit on my fur; "thank you for coming back." The red-head nods before looking curiously at Ove. No more words are exchanged yet- the tension too heavy on my shoulders as I lay on my side.

I fall asleep without trouble, the warmth of Ove settling to one side and Sleipnir to the other as my chest rises and falls steadily. The journey ahead will be wild, dangerous; but at least with these two on my side; I stand a chance. Dreams of dark worlds flood my sleep and I find myself lost within my own mind as rest takes my body.