Yngvild and the Forest of Dreams

Washed Away with Blood

Everyone else seemed to have left the temple or had gone to sleep somewhere out of sight and earshot. I walked softly into the temple, the combination of moonlight and the candles burning round Noren made it as bright as day for my eyes. Noren lay still on the bier. Incense from the candles scented the air when I got close enough. The air was still, and the candle flames went straight up, without even a flicker. Only when I laid a hand on Noren's forehead could I tell that he wasn't dead yet, he was burning hot to my touch.
I focused like Jafnadr had showed me. It turned out easier than I'd expected. Noren's geas was powerful, and shone like the Moon when I concentrated enough on being able to see it.
Light shone round his head, neck and chest, like a hauberk protecting him from interference. Only this one wasn't protecting him, it was suffocating him.
I spread my arms over Noren's form and spoke quietly.
'Malfin, my Lady, I pray to you as your champion. I seek guidance and help to free Noren from a geas unjustly laid on him by another.'
I put every ounce of my will into the prayer to Malfin.
'I call on you to intercede with Meniaxter.'

The candles extinguished as one.

I should have realised that Malfin would prefer the dark.

Nothing moved, yet I was aware of someone behind my left shoulder. Turning I found a dark skinned woman with lustrous straight black hair. Her eyes were black, the pupils took the whole colour and sucked my gaze. She smiled at me. I felt a thrill that sent a shiver through me.
I dropped to my knees, and bowed my head.
'Rise Yngvild.' Her voice was smooth and made my body move before I even realised what she'd said.
'I have need of service from you, and Noren.'
'I will do anything in my power, my Lady.'
'Indeed you will. You have my daughter's sword.'
I drew Jafnadr from the scabbard and offered her to Malfin.
'You must use Jafnadr.'
I reversed my grip and rested Jafnadr's blade on my right shoulder.
'Offer Noren to me as a sacrifice.'
I spent a moment looking at Malfin. I wasn't compelled to act like the previous two instructions. It didn't quite make sense, but who was I to argue with a goddess? I remembered the lamb we'd sacrificed for the first night celebration earlier in the summer.
'Malfin, I offer this man to you as a sacrifice, for your continued protection of us, and in honour of your power over the darkness.'
I pulled Noren's chin up with my left hand to expose his throat, and then hooked Jafnadr's tip under the edge of the shining geas and pushed her up and forwards. A great red fountain sprayed from Noren's neck, covering me, Malfin and Noren in hot blood. I could taste it.
The geas flickered, and shimmered as the blood stopped flowing. Slowly it faded and sputtered out. Noren's eyes were unfocussed and glassy.
I let go of Noren and stepped back. The geas was gone.
Looking down the blood ran off the altar into the pink pool. It spiralled where it mixed with the warm clear water from the spring.

Malfin had gone.

So was Noren. I killed him. I dropped the sword and threw myself on his body, grief, guilt and disbelief clashing for my senses. My tears splashed on his face, washing the blood away where they fell.

I needed to clean us both up. I couldn't leave Noren on his own, and I couldn't leave us both covered in his blood. I stripped my clothes off and, except for my linen shift, I threw them aside. I put the shirt in the pool and knelt at it's edge to wash the shirt to use as a cleaning cloth. I did the same with Noren's shirt, working up the hem on both sides until it was under his neck. I raised his arms to get each sleeve free, and then pulled it all over his head. I rinsed it several times in the pool and rang it out. It was far from clean, but the colour was more evenly spread, and it looked less dramatic than it had when he was wearing it. I draped it over a wicker hurdle on the edge of the temple space.
I turned my attention to Noren. There was so much blood on him, and it covered his hair, so I thought it would be easier to wash him in the pool. I started by pulling Noren's arms to get him off the bier. He was heavier than I expected him to be.
Slowly he moved towards me, off the bier. I staggered under the weight when he got more than halfway and gravity pitched us both into the pool.
I was under the water, held down by Noren's body. I needed to breathe, but he held me down.
I pushed frantically to get out from under him. Water splashed as I kicked and pushed to free myself.
My forehead cooled where it was out of the water, but my nose and mouth stayed below the surface.
My lungs started to burn.
Spots floated in front of my eyes.
The bottom of the pool was too smooth, and the sides curved gently up. There was nowhere to get leverage.
I tried rolling in the hope it would dislodge Noren.
The urge to breathe in was strong.
I couldn't resist it any longer.
My strength deserted me.
The warm water filled my nose and mouth.
I coughed, but it only served to let more water pout down my throat.
What happened to heroes are hard to kill?
Everything went black. I deserved this. Maybe in death we could be together again.