Ring of Gold

In the night when it's stark and still, a mother dried her son’s startled tears. He was caught in a raging storm with the sound of Thor’s hammer pounding in his heart. ‘I dreamt of daddy again. I couldn’t save him this time,’ the saddened boy cried.

‘It was only a dream. Dreams can't hurt you,’ The mother whispered as she stroked her son's hair.

‘Daddy was drowning!’ He cried.

‘I know… I know. You mustn’t be afraid. Daddy will see the Valkyries soon. Eikþyrnir will be waiting for him. He’ll be safe,’ The mother said confidently, hiding her sorrow behind her eyes.

She began telling him a story - the story of the Ring of Gold. There was a young girl, just about the age of twelve and she was quickly becoming a woman. She was terrified of what was to become of her on her journey through Midgard. She begged her mother every night to be a child forever and cried until her sorrow put her to sleep. Her father slept in pain every night in secrecy until it became too much for him to hide.

The very first night of winter, the girl's father awoke from his nightmare abruptly, startling his beloved out of her sleep, ‘My love? What did you see? What happened?’ His wife asked in concern.

‘It wasn't dark! It wasn't melancholy… it was… gold. Gold was all around me, but my eye was caught on a single diamond. It wanted me to reach for it!’

‘Why didn't you take it?

He looked up at his beautiful wife and stroked her cheek with his hand and said, ‘Tonight I will take it and this will no longer be a dream. I will see you and our daughter in gold and I will hold that diamond in my hands, looking down at its beauty forever.’

She looked into her husband's eyes tearfully as she embraced him. She held his hands against her face as she kissed him passionately. When she pulled away, she pressed her forehead against his and said, ‘When you reach Valhalla and hold that diamond… will you cast it's light down on us? Will you hold us in a ring of gold?’

‘Please tell me everything else you want me to do for you… I want to give you everything I can,’ Her husband said weakly.

‘Oh, my love… that's all I ask of you. You give me everything when you look into my eyes. You made me a mother and a woman who is loved.’

She kissed him one last time and laid her head on his chest as his breathing slowed to a complete stop. She cried as her daughter laid next to her deceased father and held his hand, ‘Did he see the gods?’ She asked, trying to be brave and refrain from crying as her lip quivered.

Her mother smiled through her tears, ‘Yes… he saw the gods. The Valkyries have taken him.’

‘But he did not die in battle…’

‘His battle was not like most, but he was fighting one. He fought well and bravely. Although he did not win, he has been rewarded.’

The girl allowed herself to cry as she kissed her father’s cold cheek, ‘I will try to be brave like you, father. I will see you in Valhalla some day,’ she said as she wiped her tears.

The mother and her daughter prepared a funeral pyre and dressed the man in his best armor, placing his battle axe in between his hands. They filled the pyre with flowers, holly, and lavender and placed offerings of peace and protection around him. The mother gave a final farewell speech, ‘As you climb the ladder to Valhalla, may every step strengthen you and give you courage. May the gates open freely to welcome you into your new home. I know you will not forget about this one, for we will be here whenever you choose to speak to us. I will always remember you as the love of my life; the very sunrise in the morning and sunset in the evening,’ ‘I’m proud to be raising your child. She is so much like you in every wonderful way and she is independent. I will miss your embrace and your kisses. I shall see you again, my love. Farewell.’

The girl held her mother’s hand tightly as she tossed a flaming torch on the pyre, setting it ablaze. She watched fearlessly as her father’s body disappeared into the roaring flames.

The young boy calmed down as his mother finished the story and asked if he could see his father. She smiled and held his hand as she led him into the bedroom where his father lay still and silent. ‘Dad?’ The boy asked as he gently climbed into the bed and held his father’s hand.

His father coughed and wheezed as he slowly fluttered his eyes open and looked at his young son, ‘I’m here, my boy. I’m here,’ He smiled weakly.

‘Do you see the Valkyries?’

‘No, but what I see instead is a large boat with shields hung over the sides and a serpent's head at the edge.’

‘But you’ll drown on the boat! I’ve seen it! Don’t go on the boat!’

‘Little one… you need not to worry, for I know how to swim. No storm can crash my boat,’ The father said as he caressed his son’s cheek, rubbing his thumb against it.

‘Where will you go?’ The boy said as he began to cry.

‘I was not meant for Valhalla, but I will go someplace better. A place you will also go to some day and we will be together again. I will not be gone forever. Do you understand?’

The boy shook his head affirmatively as he rubbed his eyes. The mother laid next to her husband and kissed him sweetly, ‘We will be right here,’ she cried.

‘I know,’ The husband smiled tearfully.

He held his family tightly as he took his last breath, awakening on the boat he described to his son. He looked to the shore and saw his wife and son tending to their farm on the coast of Scandinavia. They looked to the sea and waved goodbye with a smile that brought the man peace and confidence. He waved back and cried happily as he told them he loved them. He pulled out his compass as it pointed to the North, revealing Asgard right before him.