VIKING STORY

Okay so I have changed a few things. Her personality is a little better and her hair color is now darker. I want her to look like the Greeks. What do you think? Don't be shy!!

Norway Present Day

Hertha

“It’s time to wake up. We have a lot to do. You’re going to be late. WAKE UP!” Hertha grabbed her neck and looked around the darkened room. Nobody was moving. Their bodies remained motionless as a cold air entered the room. “Odd dream.”

“What are you talking about? Go back to sleep. We have a lot to do today, and I want just a bit more sleep, Hertha.”

 “Nei, I can’t sleep not now. I saw something in my dream. I was floating above my body and I was yelling at myself. Only, I didn’t look like myself, I looked different. I sounded different too.”

“Holy Ragnarok! Who cares what you dreamed, gurl? Go back to bed.” snorted Erica.

“Do you think gurls will be included in the Ranarok?”

 “Hell yeah, we will.”

“Good because I think I’m supposed to do something really important.”

“Well, I’m not sure about the important part, but we will all do something. After all the Ragnarok is for warriors who are called by Odin and only he can decide whom he sees fit and he claims lads and gurls.”

“Agreed, we will all have a place in saving our people’s future. My slenderness makes me quicker than most. My visions are something that oracles would die for.”

“Not the visions again.”

          “Yes, I had another one last night. I saw a man in my dream holding a white dress.”

Erica blew a small red hair out of her face. “Might as well get up, I guess.”

“Well, wake me up in a little while, I’m going to see if I have get some sleep.”

“The hell you are! Get your stuff and let’s go grab some food.”

The sun was nearly all the way up in the morning sky. A light glaze of frost was covering the ground. “It’s so pretty here. I will miss the mountains, streams, lakes and even the snow,” declared Hertha. She bent down and pulled up a small twig and stuck it behind her ear.

          “It’s about time you do something with your hair. I’m not sure the twig will help. Maybe if you braid it or something. You hair is too hard and wild,” said Erica. “We should split up, I’ll go this way. You go down by the mountain.”

Before Hertha could make her way down the path a rush of wind came her way once more. 

“Go to the river,” whispered a voice from the wind.

Hertha turned around and looked for the owner of the voice. “Who’s there? Say it again.”

 “Go to the river, and stick your hand in the icy waters until your fingers start to burn,” demanded the voice.

   “How about you show yourself? I don’t know you. If you wish me to go to the river come out.” snorted Hertha.

The wind blew violently forcing Hertha’s braid to unravel and fall below her shoulders like a river of dark liquid spilling over the land. Hertha held her cloak tighter against her body and held her head down. “I’m still here. My command stands the same.”

“I knew your mother quite well. She too had a temper. Did you know your mother was favored by the Gods?”

Hertha fell to the ground and placed her arm proudly in the air. “I have no words. Give me the name of whom I have disrespected and I will go make an offering to make this right.”

The voice was quiet for a few seconds. “Make it right by going to the river and never talk to anyone about this.”

           Hertha raised to her feet and looked around the frozen land. She kissed her small idol and followed in the direction of the voice. As a large boulder started to roll from the mountain above the river Hertha ran behind tree and watched the rock hit the icy water just adjacent to her body. “Go now, you have a clear way in. swim to the bottom of the rock and there you will find it.”

“Find what?”

“Go! You don’t have time for questions.”

Hertha placed her cloak on the ground and mumbled a silent prayer. “Gods save me now.” She rushed down into the icy river. As she was swimming downward, the waters started to harden. “I’m going to die.” She pushed forward until she made it to the rock. By the time she made it, the water was quickly turning back to ice. Near the ground she saw something shiny and shimmering. With her strength fading, she swam deeper until she was on top of the long shiny metal. “It’s a sword.” She grabbed the sword and began her journey to the top of the river. With each movement she could feel her life slipping away. The sword was cutting away at the ice until finally she was near the top. Her body floated to the bank and her eyes closed.

“Now that you have found my gift, we must talk.” The tall man bent down and brushed his long dark cloak against Hertha’s face.

“Hertha, hear me now. Listen not with your trained eyes, or ears but with your heart. You are needed for a great cause. The Ragnarok will soon be upon us, and only the best of feigra manna, will make it to great Valhalla. I need a guardian like yourself. I will give you the gift of life and you will vow to serve us always.”

“Anything you say, Great Thor,” whispered Hertha weakly.

Ares held his cloak together and smiled. “You have been chosen to die a great death for your people, but you will be reborn. You will no longer be just Hertha. You are now be Hertha the Great Valkyrie and this sword will be your protector, it is called ULFBERHT.”

A wave of confusion washed across Hertha’s face as she slowly placed her hand around the sword's uniquely shaped hilt. The sword was longer than her arm with oddly shaped letters running down the fuller. With shaking arms, Hertha tried to hold the sword upwards in the air, but the blade was too heavy to maintain. “I can’t, it’s too heavy.”

 Ares took hold of the sword, and smiled. "Be patient, we are not finished yet.” Ares grabbed Hertha by the face and looked into her eyes. Before her head hit the ground, he was off once again.

The snow started falling once again, covering both Hertha and the sword. The coldest prompted Hertha to open her eyes.  “Thor, give me strength,” demanded Hertha weakly. She grabbed the sword and thrust it into the cold frozen ground. “Nei, I can do this.” She pulled herself up by pressing her weight on top of the hilt. After she made it to her feet she looked around. Her eyes were now focused. She no longer had problems with seeing objects far away from her. She grabbed the sword and flung it in the air. “By the Gods, I can now hold it.”

“What took you so long? I was about to have a search party go out and look for you, sackless gurl.”

“Something happened to me.”

Erica grabbed Hertha by the arm. “Are you okay?”

          “I am fine. Look at what I found.” Hertha pulled the sword out from under her dress.

Erica’s eyes lit up. “I bet we will get good loot for this one. I have heard at least three men talk of needing a new sword.”

Hertha shook her head. “Nei, this is not for them, but it is for me. It is from the Gods.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Thor came to me while I was looking for food.”

“The Mighty Thor?”

Hertha looked at the sword. “He looked different, he had black hair.”

“He had blonde hair,” insisted Erica. “However, they have been known to take on other traits.”

“He commanded the wind,” countered Hertha.

“It could have been any one of them. What will you do with the sword?”

Hertha looked down and smiled. “I’m keeping it.”