Divided Chapter 31

Colin hefted Cait higher on his back, “Sweetheart, you've got to loosen yer grip on me neck a bit.”
“Sorry,” came her reply in his ear.
The walk from the city to the shore of the Western sea was much too far for the children to manage. Brenna had Astrid on her hip, Eidra carried a sleeping Brynn on her shoulder, trading on and off with Ingrid. A horse had been provided for Helgi who would also have been left behind. Edie rode with her.
Low clouds obscured the sun, threatening rain, darkening the skies early. The torches in the procession ahead had already been lit. The bier rose above the heads of the people surrounding it, bearing it up. The Allfather had been placed upon a bed of barley in his battle armor, his red cloak wrapped around him, his sword in his hands. Ahead of the bier walked the gooar, carrying a small brazier which contained the fire to light the funeral pyre. It was hung on poles, suspended by long iron chains.
There hung about the whole line a reverent silence. Faint but growing louder came the thundering hiss of wave upon land, upon breakers. He saw Loki turn to Thor and whisper something to him, Thor nodding in response. Soon they began to trek up a short hill. At the crest, they would be looking down at the stone ships and the tent where Raimun had been prepared for his journey with Odin.
Brenna drew even with Colin, smiling up at him.
“Before we set out, Stark took me aside and said, “these are the things we shouldn't show the boys back home,” Colin leaned close, keeping his voice low, “He's worried they'll think yer more barbaric than they already do.”
Brenna put her hand aside of Astrid's head, stroking her hair, “We are no more barbaric in our rituals than the Midgardians with their wars, the crimes they commit against each other, the disrespect they show their elders...”
Colin sighed. Now was not the time for debate, “Let's say we've both had our bouts.”
“Lets.”
“I'd have been after keeping the kiddies at home for this one though.”
Brenna hesitated, “...It....we do not shield our children from the reality of life. It is cruel to hide them away then release them into the world with no worldly experience.”
They were pushing onward up the hill, nearly at the top. He let Cait down to walk a bit, holding her hand.
“It is Raimun's sacrifice which troubles you.”
Colin nodded, “Aye, you might call me weak. I prefer soft-hearted but I'd keep the wee ones well away from that sight. There's a good many things I've seen in me young life that never left me.”
They crested the hill and Colin paused to take in the scene. A few hundred yards distant on the shore of a sheltered cove surrounded by high cliffs were the stone boats he'd come upon a few days before. A steady wind which lent a damp chill to the air had whipped the ocean waters into angry waves. The sides of the large tent some distant from the stone boats flapped furiously, the flames of the torches at the entrance danced indignantly about and the guards at the entrance, when they spied the party, snapped to attention.
Eidra paused as they started down the hill and handed Brynn, who immediately set to whimpering, to Ingrid,
“Mama must go with Papa for a bit,” with a kiss on his forehead, she was quickly off to join Loki and the rest of the family.
More of the procession had caught up with them now. King Freyr and the members of the High Court flowed past him. Colin hadn't had more than a moment, when their contingent had arrived, to study Eldan who had greeted Eidra with not much more than warm cordiality. He could see a marked resemblance her eyes and her smile, a resemblance which extended to Brenna but other than that, Eldan seemed quite stern. He wouldn't even consider considering asking the man about family history. He didn't seem like the chatty type. The next party, however, was another matter altogether. He felt a hand at his shoulder.
“Ah gods, what a tragedy to meet again under such sad circumstances.” Velos muttered.
Colin lifted Cait to his hip and continued down the hill apace with Velos and the contingent from Muspelheim.
“Aye, 'tis. One hopes the feast'll resemble an Irish wake.”
“How so?”
“My people..” Colin looked up ahead at the Alfari, “...my people don't mourn death as much as they celebrate the life of the one who's passed on.” Thems that walk in will like as crawl out in the end if you ken my meaning.”
“It is a lively thing then?”
“Oh yes. You can count on it.”
The people kept filtering into the cove from all over the realms until the hillside was covered all the way down to the edge of the beach. Aesir, Vanir, Fire Jotunn, even the svartalfari, the dark elves, had sent a small band to honor their occasional adversary. And there were the citizens themselves, nobility, servant, merchants, workers, farmers, all there to see the Allfather on his way to Valhalla. Loki had spoke of the large tents they'd erected outside the city walls to accommodate the mourners, now Colin could see why they'd gone to such lengths.
Brenna set Astrid down, “I will be back. Stay with Colin.”
Astrid backed tightly to his legs, nodding. Cait took her hand, “I will watch her Bren.”
Brenna took Colin's hand, squeezed it then picked her way through the crowd to stand beside Fen as the bier was carried into the large stone ship in the center. When the bier was in position, servants started to come forward carrying items. Amphorae, a cask of mead, haunches of venison, a basket of barley, and more, a carved wooden box containing his prized possessions. His hnefatafl board, his quill and ink pot, rings. The procession continued until the pile of wood beneath the bier was heaped with every item imaginable that the dead King would need for his eternity in the afterlife.
“Kind of Egyptian don't you think?”
Colin looked to his right to see Stark standing there, hands on his hips, Simon beside him looking sadder than he should have been considering the fact he'd never met the former King.
“Guess it goes to show you can take it with you after all.”
Stark smiled, “I'm in no hurry to find out. Oh and Fury wants your report on this party as soon as possible.”
“I'll get it to Lily.”
Stark stood on his tiptoes trying to see over the heads of the people before him, “He wants you there. He asked me if you would make a good candidate for bringing the new group through the portal so I told him yes.”
Colin turned to him, “What the fuck..!” caught Cait's stare and lowered his voice, “What the hell did you tell him that for? I don't want to go back to New York and I don't want to use the bleedin' portal!”
Tony clapped him on the back, “It's not up for debate.”
Colin leaned closer yet, “I was given the assignment of liaison. I can't do me job if I'm a world away.”
“Take it easy now. You'll be in New York two days tops...ah geez!” Tony stumbled forward, his hands at the back of his head where Helgi had planted her foot.
“The two of you are downright disrespectful! Arguing at a time like this. Colin, help me down from this nag.”
“Begging yer pardon, Helgi. Here now come over with that leg...”
Simon was beside him at once, steadying the horse when a low blatting sound filled the air. The gooar held raised long horns over the entrance of the tent. Colin lent one arm to Helgi , the other hand taken by Cait as they moved closer to watch the proceedings.
The flaps of the tent were thrown open by the guards. Raimun emerged slowly, a bit unsteady, his face impassive almost as if he were in a trance. Flanking him were two young men lending their support and Colin smiled, fervently hoping Raimun's final hours had been spent as he wished.
They led him between the stones of one of the smaller ships where a smaller simpler wooden bier had been erected. One of the priests approached him and started to chant.
Colin looked at Helgi, “I'm still learning. They're speaking in the ancient tongue, right?”
“Yes, my boy. The gooar is thanking him for following his master to serve him. The gods will welcome him with open arms and he will want for nothing in Valhalla....”
The priest took a sash of red and gold, draping it over Raimun's shoulders, then, handing him a sword, he gestured to one of the guards who had followed them to the edge of the stones.
Colin bent down and picked up Astrid, “Put yer head on my shoulder, darlin'.” He pulled Cait closer to him, turned to see Ingrid had squatted to the ground to gather Brynn and Edie to herself. “Damn me if you like but this is too much for babes.” He thought to himself as the guard drew his sword from his scabbard. He watched Loki and Eidra exchange glances as the guard drew back, shouted more words he couldn't understand and thrust the sword forward through Raimun's chest.
Colin winced, expecting a scream fit to rend the heavens but Raimun uttered no more than a grunt, his eyes widening as if he had finally wakened from his dream. The light in his eyes, however, was short lived as he was borne to the ground, his body giving a weak shudder before it lay still.
“The guards chosen to perform these rituals are taught how to dispatch a person quickly, with little pain so when they wake in the other world, they will not carry the taint of fear or distress with them.” Helgi whispered.
He wasn't so sure Raimun hadn't felt anything though he'd looked heavily drugged. Cait had turned around and was hiding her face at Colin's stomach. The young men, the guard and the priest had lifted Raimun's body and laid it on the bier, setting the sword on his chest and covering him with a shimmering sheet of red and gold silk. The priest then waved to the others to bring the brazier. He took a stick, blackened at the end with pitch and stuck it into the low fire where it sprang to life. Then holding the stick high in the air, and dipping it to the ground, he touched the edges of the bier, the flames catching swiftly to the silk covering.
He stepped from the smaller stone boat and walked to the end of the bier where the Allfather lay. Suddenly, singing erupted from the crowd, spreading up the hill, encircling the boat, drowning out the rushing hiss of the ocean. The priest lit the sheaves at The Allfather's head, walking around the bier to his feet, lighting the barley stalks there. He proceeded to first one side then the other until all about the Allfather was a ring of light brightening the dusk as the singing grew louder. Swords kept a beat against armor, thudding into the ground, then the horns sounded again and Colin began to mouth the words of the song seconds before he realized he could understand the words. He looked at Helgi in the light of the funeral pyre, trying to read her lips as she sang and clutched Astrid to him tightly. He could see that she wasn't speaking old english anymore and yet he could understand the words. He felt suddenly dizzy. He turned to look at Tony but Tony was watching the fire. Simon, on the other hand was staring at him and he was white as milk.

“Beth stand up.” Gretten had squatted down in front of her but she couldn't hear him. When the singing had started, she had clamped her hands over her ears, too shocked to continue to listen. What she was hearing made no sense. Gretten had called it the language of the ancients and in hearing bits and pieces of it in the time she'd been here she'd only been able to pick up a rudimentary grasp. Now it was as if she'd been speaking it her whole life.
She shook her head as Gretten pulled on her arm, “Not until they stop singing.” she cried. She'd never been so frightened in her whole life, her mind racing to find a reason for such a terrifying  phenomenon. Perhaps it was magic, maybe they'd used a spell so everyone could join in. Like wearing the headphones at the U.N. Building, just choose your language.
“Beth,” Gretten pulled harder, drawing her to her knees, finally to her feet where she buried her face in his shoulder.
“Something's wrong.” she moaned into his ear, “I want to go back to the house.”
“We can't. We're going to the palace afterward for the ritual drinking and the feast.”
“When are they going to stop singing?!”
Gretten looked around at the people watching them, “Soon, now get hold of yourself,” he growled.
Beth stood back from him, staring about. She forced herself to put her hands at her side though the song was driving her mad. She concentrated on deep breaths in and out, in and out until mercifully the crowd fell silent again, the only sound left, the crackling of the pyres, sparks rushing skyward to die in the ink of night.


Brynn gave a shuddering sigh, readjusted himself in Eidra's lap and fell still again. Ingrid had long ago laid Astrid, then Edie, upon one of the beds in the nursery and now sat sewing by candlelight while Cait played at their feet. Every so often, a faint roar would drift up from the huge tents set up outside the city walls, a considerable feat seeing as they were some distant.
When the revelers started to become lively, Loki had suggested Ingrid take the children to the palace. Eidra had insisted upon joining her, taking her leave of Frigga and the King and Queen. Loki had seemed particularly vexed.
“Ingrid is capable of taking care of the children. Stay with us.”
Eidra had refused, however. “Four excited children is three too many for her. Honor the Allfather as much as you see fit then come to me when you are finished.”
Loki had mumbled something about leaving him to suffer then Velos had found him, leading him back to the feast. He had kissed her forehead and followed Velos gamely along, back to the tables.
“I heard the Midgardian they call Stark complaining that the Allfather's passing has delayed his project,” Ingrid cut a piece of thread with her teeth, “Imagine the gall. Should the Allfather return from Valhalla to apologize to him? 'Tis nothing less than I would expect from those off-worlders...”
“You forget Colin and Beth group themselves in with such ilk.”  
Ingrid's face colored as she stabbed the cloth in her lap with the needle, “They have been with us long enough that I think of them as Asgardian. They carry themselves with honor and respect.”
Eidra nodded, “Mmm, I told Colin he should find a fine woman and settle here but it is against their code of conduct,” She rubbed Brynn's back as he began to wiggle about again, “I thought at one time something might be blossoming between Colin and Brenna but I was mistaken.”
They sat quiet for a bit longer as another shout pierced the night and Ingrid cleared her throat, “Now that the Allfather has taken his seat in Valhalla, do you believe the enemies of the realm might see this as a chance to test the King's strength of resolve?”
Eidra shrugged, “Perhaps though I doubt they shall find a chink in his armor wide enough. Our enemies are many and so are our friends.”
“Silas says we should have a care how many Midgardian we allow into Asgard, he believes they are not as forthcoming with their reasons for being here as we have been led to believe.”
Eidra stood with Brynn, carrying him to the bed and laying him beside Astrid where he wiggled about a bit and settled back to sleep. She walked to one of the southern facing windows. Far beyond the city walls, the tops of the white tents fluttered with pennants, the Asgardian standards stamped upon each one. The torchlight lent a warm glow to the horizon. They would be drinking, toasting, singing songs of the Allfather's great achievements until dawn. She would  lay down with the twins, Ingrid with Cait and Edie. Helgi had retreated to the kitchen to visit with Volsa and Artra. Volsa now walked with a cane, she was as active as she had always been though now she was a bit slower at her tasks.
Loud singing was borne to them on the evening breeze. She turned from the window.
“Thor has reassured us he is keeping close watch on the Midgardians. It is all we can do now. They are coming. We cannot back out of the project without raising questions, perhaps breaking down relations with Midgard. We must simply be vigilant in our dealings with them.”
Ingrid had joined her by the window, “There will be new people coming before the next moon. I sense you share our trepidation.”
Eidra gazed at the twins asleep in the bed, Cait curled up before the fireplace with her rag doll.
“I do, Ingrid. I do.”