Each step caused the ground to rumble and buildings to shake. “Cool!” Archie pointed to a long line of impossibly tall giants stomping through the narrow streets of the city. Moments later they stood on an open balcony high above the streets of Asgard.

“I’m coming,” she called as she climbed from her bed and started to get dressed. Maya’s own raven, Grul, had his head tucked under his wing and was sleeping as soundly as Maya.įreya took one final look at Maya and sighed. Freya’s raven companion sat on a perch at the base of her bed and kept watch while she slept. Folding them neatly on her back again, she mumbled a few more incoherent words and drifted back to sleep. She yawned, stretched, and extended her white wings up into the air. Maya mumbled softly and rolled onto her stomach. “Maya, wake up.” Freya tossed a pillow at her sister. Maya was lying on her side and facing away from her, sleeping soundly. From outside the window came the sound of rumbling thunder as the ground beneath their home started to quake. “You’re missing it!”įreya sat up, remembering what day it was. “C’mon, Gee and Maya,” Archie called through the door. She moaned sleepily and started to doze off again. “Gee, get up!” Archie called, using his pet name for Freya.Īrchie was her best friend and companion, and seemed to always have limitless energy, while Freya was perpetually exhausted. Still on probation for leaving the realm without permission, Freya is forced to work twice as hard as the others as punishment-spending her mornings working in the stables of the Reaping Mares, cleaning and caring for the winged horses, and afternoons in full battle training with the other Valkyries.Īt the end of each day Freya returns to her bed exhausted and craving much-needed rest.īut today she was awakened extra early by loud pounding on her bedroom door.

Servants of Odin, and also known as his Battle-Maidens, the Valkyries work hard to bring the most valiant of the dying soldiers from the human world to Asgard.īut for one Valkyrie there is no reaping of soldiers. High up on a hill, far from Bifröst, the Rainbow Bridge and entrance to Asgard, stood the home of Eir, the head Valkyrie, and her daughters. AS DAWN ROSE PINK IN the sky, the heavy footfalls of visitors arriving in Asgard shook the ground.

Valkyrie by Kate O'Hearn