Letters from Bravik

By Destiny Bradfield

Maja,

It has been many moons, how are you fairing in Vastergotland? Modir and Fadir have left on a mission for the village. How do your family fare in the new world? Annika’s wish for your return nearly outweighs my own. She claims nightmares are befalling her and they seem to repeat. In them, Fadir falls in battle, write me soon.

Klaus Moller

—

Klaus,

Vastergotland is vastly different, this is not my home. The people here speak of a foretold tragedy to occur in two weeks’ time. I have begun studying in the local temple and worshiping our gods. Eva is itching to correspond with Astrid about her travels, as she enjoys the stories. Annika’s visions have begun to worry me, and I am praying for your fadir’s safe return. I am sending a gift for dear Annika; I wish it finds her well. I must go, write me again.

Maja Bjur

—

𝓜𝓪𝓳𝓪,

𝓚𝓵𝓪𝓾𝓼 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓶𝓲𝓽 𝓶𝔂 𝔀𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰, 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓭𝓸𝓵𝓵, 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓘 𝔀𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝔀𝓲𝓼𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓭 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓪𝓭. 𝓚𝓵𝓪𝓾𝓼 𝓱𝓪𝓼 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓼𝓾𝓶𝓶𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓭 𝓫𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓬𝓱𝓲𝓮𝓯 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓜𝓸𝓭𝓲𝓻 𝓱𝓪𝓼 𝓬𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝓶𝓮, 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓘’𝓿𝓮 𝔂𝓮𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓼𝓮𝓮 𝓕𝓪𝓭𝓲𝓻. 𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓾𝓷𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝔀𝓱𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓪𝓭𝓾𝓵𝓽𝓼 𝓷𝓮𝓮𝓭 𝓚𝓵𝓪𝓾𝓼, 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓘 𝓹𝓻𝓪𝔂 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓲𝓼 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽. 𝓘 𝔀𝓲𝓼𝓱 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓰𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓱𝓮𝓪𝓵𝓽𝓱,

𝓐𝓷𝓷𝓲𝓴𝓪 𝓜𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓻

—

𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖊𝖘𝖙 𝕸𝖆𝖏𝖆,

𝕿𝖍𝖗𝖊𝖊 𝖒𝖔𝖔𝖓𝖘 𝖕𝖆𝖘𝖙, 𝖒𝖞 𝖇𝖊𝖑𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖉 𝕭𝖏𝖔𝖗𝖓 𝖋𝖊𝖑𝖑 𝖎𝖓 𝖇𝖆𝖙𝖙𝖑𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖆 𝖒𝖊𝖙𝖆𝖑 𝖈𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖗𝖊𝖉 𝖒𝖆𝖓. 𝖂𝖊 𝖜𝖎𝖑𝖑 𝖇𝖊 𝖘𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖍𝖎𝖒 𝖔𝖋𝖋 𝖎𝖓 6 𝖜𝖊𝖊𝖐𝖘’ 𝖙𝖎𝖒𝖊, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕴 𝖇𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖊𝖛𝖊 𝖞𝖔𝖚𝖗 𝖕𝖗𝖊𝖘𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝖜𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖑𝖎𝖋𝖙 𝖒𝖞 𝖉𝖊𝖆𝖗 𝕶𝖑𝖆𝖚𝖘’ 𝖘𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖘. 𝕮𝖔𝖚𝖑𝖉 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖜𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖊 𝖍𝖎𝖒 𝖆 𝖋𝖊𝖜 𝖜𝖔𝖗𝖉𝖘 𝖔𝖋 𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖙?

𝕬𝖘𝖙𝖗𝖎𝖉 𝕸𝖔𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖗

—

My dearest Klaus,

Word of Bjorn’s passing has reached my family. My heart aches at your loss, though he dines at Odin’s tables now. Remember our prayer:

lo ann am faic mi m ’athair,

feuch an sin am faic mi mo m’hàthair agus mo phiuthar agus mo bhràithrean,

feuch am faic mi loidhne mo dhaoine air ais chun toiseach,

feuch an gairm iad mi,

tha iad ag iarraidh orm mo àite a ghabhail am measg iad,

ann an tallachan coisrigte valhalla,

far am bi na gaisgich beò,

gu bràth

Hold strong my love, for you will meet him in the end.

Maja Bjur

—

My dear Maja,

Thank you for your kind words, Modir gave me word of Hiltertooth’s illness, we shall prepare for battle now, as our leader has been weakened greatly. I shall write you whenever I can. Though our correspondences will be shortened.

Klaus Moller

—

Klaus,

Eva’s fiancé has claims of this clan’s plan to take Östergötland by force, at hiltertooth’s request. Please, for her safety, send Annika with your next letter so she may live to fight one day with a true warrior’s skill.

Maja Bjur

—

Maja,

I heed your warning, and I shall try to send my dear sister so that no harm may befall her, however, I cannot do the same for myself as I am of age on this day. I wish to write you again soon, though I may not get the chance. Stay safe, Dearest Maja.

Klaus Moller

—

June 7th, 750

It has been 7 moons since Annika arrived in the messenger boat on the shores. She held my last letter from Klaus in her hands and her face showed more grief than I have ever felt. This country sent a warship towards the island four days ago and the trip only takes 3, I fear for the families there. I pray daily for my cousins’ wellbeing, and I wish for our home to survive. At least Annika has made it out of harm’s way in time. I have asked the Gods for word from Klaus so that I might know that he is okay, though I am not sure they are listening anymore.

Maja Bjur

—

𝓙𝓾𝓷𝓮 9, 750

𝓜𝓪𝓳𝓪 𝓼𝓾𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓼𝓽𝓼 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓘 𝔀𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓮, 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓼𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓹𝓸𝓲𝓷𝓽. 𝓜𝔂 𝓜𝓸𝓭𝓲𝓻 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓚𝓵𝓪𝓾𝓼 𝓽𝓻𝓲𝓬𝓴𝓮𝓭 𝓶𝓮 𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓸 𝓪 𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓹 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓼𝓮𝓷𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓪𝔀𝓪𝔂, 𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻𝓮 𝓲𝓼 𝓻𝓾𝓶𝓸𝓻 𝓸𝓯 𝔀𝓪𝓻 𝓸𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓲𝓼𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓭, 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓘 𝓪𝓶 𝓾𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓻𝓽𝓪𝓲𝓷 𝓸𝓯 𝓶𝔂 𝓯𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓵𝔂’𝓼 𝓯𝓪𝓽𝓮. 𝓘 𝓳𝓾𝓼𝓽 𝔀𝓲𝓼𝓱 𝓘 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓷 𝓱𝓸𝓶𝓮.

𝓐𝓷𝓷𝓲𝓴𝓪 𝓜𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓻

—

June 10, 750

Modir and I made a desperate decision along with many other families in the clan. We sent off all of those who would be unable to fight, including Annika. She fought so hard, and she would not go, so we tricked her into thinking that Aunt Yrsa’s young pup, Dvaery,  was hurt from playing on the travel ship. It was cruel but necessary for her survival. I am writing this in our old favorite tree. The battle has raged on for many nights, and I have yet to see the end. An enemy is approaching me not so Maja, if you find this, I am sorry.

Klaus Moller

—

June 12 750

The winds have brought my family hope that the fight is nearing its end and we may return searching for our loved ones. Annika has enrolled in the school for ladies here in Vastergotland and she has begun to integrate within this society. Her speaking still holds an accent from the North though she is understanding the new language. She spends most of her time in her room and at the beach waiting for any sign from the island to the north. My heart aches as I see her scanning the horizons when I go to retrieve her in the evenings. I feel her pain, I have not heard from klaus in many moons. I will ask the gods to give me a sign of his health.

Maja Bjur

—

𝓙𝓾𝓷𝓮 12, 750

𝓜𝓪𝓳𝓪 𝓼𝓪𝔂𝓼 𝓶𝔂 𝔀𝓻𝓲𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓱𝓪𝓼 𝓲𝓶𝓹𝓻𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓭, 𝓫𝓾𝓽 𝓘 𝓷𝓸 𝓵𝓸𝓷𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝔀𝓲𝓼𝓱 𝓽𝓸 𝓵𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮, 𝓪 𝓬𝓸𝔀𝓪𝓻𝓭’𝓼 𝓵𝓲𝓯𝓮. 𝓘 𝔀𝓲𝓼𝓱 𝓽𝓸 𝓫𝓮 𝓱𝓸𝓶𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓭𝓲𝓮 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓶𝔂 𝓬𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓼𝓶𝓮𝓷 𝓲𝓷 𝓫𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓵𝓮. 𝓘𝓽 𝓲𝓼 𝓶𝔂 𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓭𝓪𝔂 𝓽𝓸𝓭𝓪𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱 𝓘 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓽𝓸𝓵𝓭 𝓜𝓪𝓳𝓪. 𝓜𝔂 𝓯𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓵𝔂 𝓶𝓪𝔂 𝓫𝓮 𝓭𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓼𝓸 𝓘 𝓹𝓻𝓪𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓞𝓭𝓲𝓷 𝓼𝓱𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓼 𝓯𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓵𝓵𝔂, 𝓼𝓸 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓘 𝓶𝓪𝔂 𝓫𝓮 𝓻𝓮𝓾𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓶𝔂 𝓯𝓪𝓶𝓲𝓵𝔂.

𝓐𝓷𝓷𝓲𝓴𝓪 𝓜𝓸𝓵𝓵𝓮𝓻

—

June 15, 750

Modir fell today and the gods cried out in fury, as did my own heart. I watched as victory was taken, not by my people, nor Vastergotland’s, but by Odin himself, watching the two chiefs fall, I knew it was over and I could return home. Maja, Annika, I am on my way.

Klaus Moller

—

Dearest Klaus,

I have not heard from you in weeks, we were sent word today that Östergötland fell at Odin’s hand. Your sister has not spoken a word since she arrived in my care. Please send word of your health, or I will return and haul your bloody corpse across the sea to your sister.

Maja Bjur

—

Maja, Annika,

Calm down my dear, the war has been won through the Gods. I will return to retrieve Annika myself in 6 days’ time, I first must prepare a home for the 3 of us to live in. Many things to be done, and I must do them alone now, as my Modir fell in the battle. Everything should be finished soon.

Klaus Moller

—

𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨, 𝐌𝐚𝐣𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐤𝐚 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐊𝐥𝐚𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐢𝐫𝐥𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐯𝐚’𝐬 𝐟𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜é 𝐄𝐥𝐚𝐯𝐮𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐛𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬.

𝐀𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐎𝐝𝐢𝐧’𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝:

Lo there do I see my father,

Lo there do I see my mother and my sister and my brothers,

Lo there do I see the line of my people back to the beginning,

Lo do they call me,

They bid be join my place among them, in the hallowed halls of

Valhalla,

Where the brave shall live,

Forever.