Daughters of Sol

This is a continuation of the story. Please read the previous chapters or this won't make much sense.

As I exited the room, I saw a large gathering of people—very large. Was this the entire village? Oh my… I closed my eyes and tried to breathe normally.

"Astrid," I told myself. "You can do this. Just

be

an agent of the Divine. They're not even here for you, really. They're here for the Goddess, you're just a part of the whole."

I hoped I looked the part. I used the outfit the Keeper presented to me, Embla had done a great job on my hair and helping me to pick out accessories. I tried to walk over to the center as gracefully as I could.

My foot connected with a brazier on the floor, tripping me and sending burning embers flying. Gasps, followed by a flurry of voices filled my ears. "Oh Goddess, is she alright?" "We need water over here." "Someone help her up!" "The mat is on fire!" "By the light of Lys SOMEONE GET SOME WATER OVER HERE!"

Well, so much for divine agency and all that…

As some men helped me up, the keeper helped calm everyone down. I saw a charred spot on the mat in the floor in front of me. It was all so much, I put my face in my hands and started bawling. Arms came to embrace me, and I heard the familiar voices of Runa and Hagen; my loving siblings. Hagen shushed me and patted my back, and I sank my head into his strong shoulder.

Runa whispered, "Sister, it's okay! Mistakes happen! Don't beat yourself up over it. You're not the Goddess, and nobody expects it of you."

I heard Hagen's voice echo through his chest, "She's right Astrid. Pull yourself together and let's get through with this. We're doing this for Dad, all right?"

My mind snapped back to my senses. "Yes, I'm sorry." I told them. I wiped away the tears, put a big smile on my face and walked over to the Keeper. The commotion had died down, and all eyes were on her as she spoke.

"Kinsmen!" she shouted. I had a feeling this was going to be a long, dramatic speech. "Decades ago, our village, our

world

was consumed by flame." I was right. "The unthinkable had happened: Ragnarok. The world was cold, our people were dying. We were at the gates of Hel. In the guise of a traveller, the Goddess Lys took shelter with us. In our foolishness, I and the other councilwomen scorned her. But through her power and the wisdom of Jarl Eric, our people were saved. We pledged ourselves to her cause, to the Light!"

She pointed to her right, and it looked like a group of people in their late teens or early twenties were acting out a play of some sort. A girl scantily clad in white silk stood on a pile of hay bales with fake wings on her back, looking down on the group. A young man with barely a hint of facial hair played Jarl Eric. He stood, balancing a great battle axe with his right hand (it looked like he was really struggling with it), and attempting to look "majestic". On the floor below him were 5 girls kneeling; each wore heavy brown robes and held a candle.

One by one, the girls stood up and recited one part of a familiar verse. As each spoke their part, they removed the robe to reveal a white silky dress underneath:

We are the Shieldmaidens of Lys.

When the night is dark, may our lamps guide the hearts of men.

When the air is cold, may our fires warm the hearths of our kin.

As the breath of our fathers pass, we will breathe anew.

Through us Daughters of Sol, the world be filled with light.

Wow! These were the same words that popped into my head after I learned that Grandfather—er, my actual father—had died. Runa also recited them, and Mom; but we had

no way

to know any of this by that point. I wondered if Mom had told them what we spoke, and they somehow incorporated this into the play.

The Keeper spoke again. "With those exact words, I and the other councilwomen pledged ourselves to the service of the Goddess Lys. As pennance for our failure, we and our daughters became slaves to the Jarl in service of Lys. This is the contract, wrote upon our bodies and signed by our blood. And so shall we ever be the Daughters of Sol."

A somber look came upon her face, and her voice lowered. "My role as Keeper has been to protect and preserve this knowledge, chosen simply because I was the youngest. The other councilwomen have passed into the Light, and I am the last."

The girls from the ceremony brought their candles over, still burning. One of them passed her candle to the Keeper and re-joined the crowd. I saw tears streaming down the old woman's face. The girls recited another verse, one by one in sequence, blowing the candle out afterward:

With this light, we remember the Farmer. By her hands and her wisdom, the fields grew life anew.

With this light, we remember the Builder. By her arms and her will, the village was rebuilt.

With this light, we remember the Teacher. By her voice and her knowledge, the flame of our future burns bright.

With this light, we remember the Shieldmaiden. By steel and blood, our lives were saved.

With this light, please remember your Keeper. By my voice and dedication, our history has been preserved.

The Keeper tried to blow out the candle, but instead she just collapsed on the floor in tears. The other girls rushed over to her. One girl took the candle and blew it out unceremoniously for safety. They all hugged her, and the 5th girl ran over to hug her as well. The other girls said something to the 5th girl, she nodded and stood up to address the crowd.

The girl stood with poise, and spoke with a clarity and purpose rivalling the Keeper, herself. She pointed out our mom and beckoned her to come. "Mother, come forth."

Mom walked over slowly to her and turned to face the crowd. "One girl among the surviving children pledged herself to the Jarl, and upon reaching womanhood, he planted the seeds of our future within her. For this act, we honor the Mother."

The girl now knelt down before her, along with the entire crowd of people. Even the girls comforting the Keeper, and the Keeper herself bowed down as well. Not knowing what was going on, I followed suit. I saw a young man deliver a single flower to her and kneel in front of her.

My mom teared up, but managed to address the crowd. "Thank you, all. Please rise." Everyone went back to their normal positions.

As I rose up from the floor, a hand helped me up. It was Embla! She simply smiled and hugged me.

"Before the sun sets on this day," Mom continued, "the Jarl will pass into the realm of Light, a new Champion will be chosen, and the Goddess will speak to us." Everyone clapped, and a few even cheered.

Mom walked behind her as she spoke, to the slab in front of the statue. I could see a person under a white sheet on the slab. "A family who had abandoned the village before Ragnarok returned to challenge us. The family was tainted with darkness and evil. The Goddess warned us about them, and decreed that—for our safety—they must die."

Some members of the audience gasped. I guess these details were not familiar to everyone.

Mom continued, "In the night, while they plotted our destruction, Jarl Eric went out to meet them in battle. His heart was heavy, for he shared the heart of Lys in his desire for peace and harmony. But when he got there, he found them dead by the hand of their own son." The audience clapped and cheered again, which I could see was hard for Mom.

"Please," she held up a hand to quiet them. She swallowed hard and continued, "The boy knew of their evil, and wanted no part in its darkness. But fate was cruel, and he could not escape its grasp. The Goddess granted a reprieve, that he may serve her as long as he could. He was banished from the village." She grasped the sheet, and stripped it off. "Behold the Eksil." The crowd gasped, but was mostly silent. I think they were unsure how to respond.

Dad lay on the table, breathing, but motionless. He had naught but a towel wrapped over his loins, and appeared oblivious to what was happening around him. I could see Mom's gaze looking upon him tenderly, and I could tell that she still loved him.

She struggled, but continued. "He has served the Goddess faithfully, but now his time has come. I—I want you all to know that I loved this man. I was not capable of carrying so great a burden alone; he was my friend and helpmate through it all." Now the tears were forming. "He was a successful businessman, and funnelled vital funds to our village. This temple and most of all we have would not have been possible without him. Cursed he is, and sentenced to death by the Goddess; but let this be a lesson to all: Light triumphs over Darkness, and even an evil heart may repent."

The crowd was dead silent, and Mom was barely holding it together. She motioned quickly for us to come over. "I present to you the offspring of Jarl Eric, and blessed vessels of Lys: Astrid the Seeing, Hagen the Protector, and Runa the Seeker."

The crowd went wild, cheering and clapping for us. I had never heard these names before, and I certaily didn't feel deserving of it. I could tell Hagen and Runa also looked taken off-guard by these titles. I wasn't sure if we were supposed to say anything or what to do, so I just stood, smiled awkwardly at people and nodded my head.

Mom continued, "Before they were even born, these names were given to me. Before Lys granted their keep to me, their purpose was set in stone." She turned around and pointed to a stone box below the statue of Lys.

Just then, a great mountain of a man walked in from the side of the temple with a massive two-handed war hammer. He had long blonde hair, and a thick beard. He must have stood well over 7 feet, and his arms were as thick as the trunk of a small tree. I wasn't sure whether to be excited or afraid. I felt a tap on my shoulder, and heard Embla whisper excitedly to me, "That's my father!"

Afraid, definitely afraid.

He swung the hammer like a massive golf club, and hit the box square on the side. It shattered before us and everyone gasped. Mom gently walked over to it and beckoned for us to follow. What I saw made my heart stop. It was the items from the dream walk.

From the box, she produced a gnarled staff and handed it to Runa. "A staff grown by the Farmer and carved by the Builder, so that you may remember the balance between the needs of the earth and the needs of men. When knowledge and wisdom must be sought, this staff will guide you."

She picked up a weapon made of bone and set with teeth along the edge. "A weapon formed from the teeth of a pack of wolves that attacked our village in our dire winter, and carved from the bones of the man who died killing them all. May this weapon serve as a reminder that we must give all in defense of those who cannot defend themselves."

To me, she presented a silver circlet with a large yellow-orange marbled stone set in the center; the setting looked like the shape of an eye, but had beams radiating out from it. "To you, a circlet. I must confess none of us know what its significance is. It was found in the pack the woman carried with her, and bears the inscription 'See what is unseen. Speak what is unheard.'"

I looked it over and held it up. I had no clue, really. I put it on to try it out, and then the words came to me and as I spoke them, they echoed unnaturally in the temple walls. "My children, this is my Light. I give it to you so it will warm you in times of cold, light your way in times of darkness, purify your spirits in times of wickedness, and strengthen you in times of weakness."

The villagers fell to their knees and started clamoring, "What kind of voice is that?" "The stone glowed, did you see?" "It was surely the voice of the Goddess!" "She is the Goddess!"

"No!" I held up my hands in protest. "Get up!" I ran over and started pulling people up. "Do not worship me, I am no Goddess."

"But she spoke through you!" said someone.

"Yes," I replied. "I hear her voice and speak her words, but they are not mine. I might be the mouth, but you could be a hand, and you could be a foot. We are all parts of the whole."

Some people still looked unsure. I heard Embla behind me call out behind me in a surprisingly loud voice, "It is the truth! We all have our own work to do as we carry Her light." Hearing it from another person—especially a temple worker—seemed to put everyone's mind to rest.

The old Keeper finally took control of the ceremony again. "Never forget these lessons, people. Even as I speak, the story is being written for your children to hear, and your children's children, and for all generations to come." She beckoned me back over to the stone slab where Eksil laid.

"Today, this very hour," she said, building the drama for the people. "the vow is fulfilled. Eksil has served the Goddess faithfully, and now it is time for the Goddess' command to be carried out." She looked back to Mom and said, "It is with a heavy heart we do this, but this promise was sealed in blood." A man brought a simple wooden box to me and opened it; inside was the very ornate looking dagger I saw on the wall of the room earlier.

I shook my head. "Keeper, hear me. The Goddess has spoken to me in my dream journey. There is more to this story that even you don't know. He was corrupted against his will by his parents with the spirit of Fenrir. They gave themselves to Lycanthropy, and planned to murder the villagers; but he protested and stopped them."

"What foolishness is this, girl?" she shouted, bitter anger in her voice.

"It is the truth, Keeper." my Mom stated. "I have seen his transformation with my own eyes; only by my love and the grace of Lys could he be sated."

The Keeper hung her head. "Well, then, Seeress. What happens now? Is he not still tainted? By the very words of Lys, such evil cannot be tolerated. What would she have us do?"

While I hesitated, Hagen spoke up to recount the story. "Hear the words spoken to us straight by this man's own spirit and confirmed by the Goddess. The boy transformed to kill his parents, but lost control. Jarl Eric—our father—came by just at that moment. With no control, the boy attacked and they fought. The boy was mortally wounded, and his humanity returned as he lay on the floor dying."

Runa picked up the story now, "The boy pleaded for his life; he vowed to serve the Goddess all the days of his life. Out of compassion for this act of repentance, Eric pleaded with the Goddess; their life force was joined together. When the Jarl died this link was severed, and so he began to die again."

Now, I felt it was my part to finish, since I would be conducting the ritual. "I have pleaded with the Goddess for one final chance before his life expires. We will try a ritual of purification. If the darkness can be purged, he will live in the light."

"And if it fails?" the Keeper asked.

A sadness came over me. I really hadn't let myself consider this possibility, but I knew it must be decided. "If it fails, he will die by our hand today."

The Keeper reluctantly nodded in agreement. "Then it shall be." She turned to the audience, "Those of you with children or who are weak of spirit should go to the Great Hall for the remainder of today's activities. There will be stories, food, sweets for the young and mead for the old."

While the audience decided where to go, I conferred with Runa and Hagen. "Runa, please tell me you have the book," I asked her. She nodded in agreement, and I felt myself relax a bit. "Hagen, I must ask you. If anything happens…"

Hagen tapped the weapon in his hand and replied in a jovial voice, "Fear not, Astrid the Seeing. Hagen the Protector will be here to…protect!" I gave him a dirty look, but he continued, "I know how important this is, believe me. If it comes down to it, I can do what must be done. And in any case, it seems like Embla's father is also quite capable of handling the task."

Runa turned to me and said, "Sis, I looked over the ritual… there are some details I did not consider. Don't worry! It's nothing too bad. We just need a third female of relative purity."

Hagen raised an eyebrow, "Why does it have to be female? Could we ask Mom?"

Runa explained, "The text says that 'three women of child-bearing potential' are required. Historically, it says it was because men and older women tend to be more disposed to violence and other extremely negative emotions. From a practical perspective, it probably has something to do with production of Estrogen. My studies of texts from the other councilwomen seem to indicate a strong relationship between women and divine power because a nurturing love is a really strong aspect of Her essence."

"Wow, that's really cool!" I exclaimed. "I never really thought too much about the possible unification of science and spirituality; but I guess that neither could really exist in conflict with the another." I put my finger up, "hold that thought—" I went over to ask Embla if she could join us; of course, she was more than happy to.

We told Hagen to manage security and looked over the ritual. It looked fairly intense, and I was sure it was going to require a considerable amount of energy.

Embla spoke up meekly, "Forgive me Astrid, I am ignorant about such things. But I wonder if it is possible for the Eksil himself to contribute in any way?"

I thought about it, "Yes, I think so. That's a very good point! Thanks for bringing it up." She blushed with the praise. "I think it should be a last resort, but it's something I will keep in mind."

"Sorry to break up this little committee, but are you girls ready?" the Keeper's harsh voice broke in. "Committee" was spoken in a derogatory sense; I think she still harbored some resentment for things not going as she had planned.

"Yes, Keeper, I believe we are." I replied, trying to speak as calmly as possible.

She must have sensed the tension, and said, "Look, I'm sorry. When you spend your whole life making plans for something, it's hard to give that up. I think your actions are commendable; you will make a great leader to these people, and my opinion will be irrelevant very soon."

The last part was inconveniently cryptic, but I decided to focus on the task at hand. Before we began, Mom came up to talk to us.

"Girls, look." she said. "I know this is going to be difficult, but I believe you're making the right choice. If it makes you feel any better, he knew this day would come eventually. All of his natural affairs are in order. Before he lost consciousness he told me to tell you that he was proud of all you've done, and all you will do, and that he's sorry he can't do it himself to spare you from it."

A tear formed in my eyes, "Thanks, Mom." We hugged, and she went back to join the crowd.

The crowd was considerably smaller and mostly consisted of men. It somehow made this easier. I did notice the five girls from the skit were there. I guess they looked old enough to be women of age, but I was still surprised to see them.

The Keeper addressed them again, "Quiet down, everyone! The moment has come. This is your last chance to leave if you don't want to be here. The ritual of purification will now commence." With that, she turned to nod at us and walked off.

My stomach was assaulted by butterflies, but there was no turning back now.

I stood at the head of the slab under the statue, by his feet and facing the audience. Runa and Embla gathered at the sides. We clasped hands to form a triangle over him, and all bowed our heads.

I began, "Lys, Goddess of light and daughter of Sol, I come before you now to plead for the fate of this man, your faithful servant. I attest to his good deeds. He protected and provided for your people, laying down his own life. The Old Gods died long ago, now cleanse their taint from him."