Page 25 of Wolf of the Nordic Seas (Valiant Vikings #2)
Sjósongr
Elfi arose early and broke her fast with barley porridge, blackberries, and a steaming cup of chamomile tisane . She’d been unable to sleep, much too excited at the prospect of returning to the waterfall cave on the island of Les Rochers de la Porte and meeting her grandmother Rán. She’d tossed and turned all night, exhilarated by the incredible encounter with the Mélusines, the thrum of her newfound magic, and a desperate longing for Njord. Although she would return to le Chateau Blanc later today, her yearning for him was a physical ache and an empty hollow in the depths of her soul.
Her sjóv?ttir spirit stirred at the sirens’ song coming from the sheltered cove. Elfi raced to the door and waved to the nine billow maiden mermaids waiting for her to join them. “I’ll be right there,” she shouted, her heart hammering as she quickly rinsed the dishes and set them to dry upon the counter. She removed her gown and chemise, laid them on the table beside her sheathed Ljósálfar dagger and the leather satchel containing her necklace and talisman, and dashed out of the cottage.
The rising sun glimmered on the white flecked waves of the secluded inlet, reflecting the glorious colors of the sea in the mermaids’ long locks and shimmering tails. Just as Elfi was about to shift into her own mermaid form and swim out to join them, Himingl?va called to her. “You must wear your necklace. The one with the three tiers of gems.”
Elfi’s magic pulsed in her veins. The bridal gift that Njord gave me — which once belonged to a Persian princess. Perhaps Rán can tell me about the sea spirit essence that both úlvhild and Lugh sensed it contains. “I’ll be just a moment.” She raced back inside, fetched the necklace from her satchel, and fastened the clasp behind her neck. It felt odd to be completely nude, yet wearing a dazzling necklace. As another thrill rippled through her limbs, Elfi rushed out of the cottage, placed her toes in the water, and swam as a mermaid to join the Gallizenae .
“To Les Rochers de la Porte .” Himingl?va flashed a brilliant smile, dove below the surface, and led them toward the realm of Rán.
As they approached the island, Elfi sensed the same mysterious pull that she’d experienced the previous day. Perhaps Rán is calling me , she wondered, as she followed the mermaids up to the surface and rose above the sea.
Just ahead of where she now swam, the deafening waterfall tumbled from the top of a rocky cliff, down over the mouth of the mysterious cave, emptying into the turbulent sea beneath the crashing cascade. Unlike la Grotte des Sirènes— the cave where Elfi had first met the Gallizenae when she arrived on the ?le de Sein— there was no sandy beach or rocky ledge leading into the entrance. The only way to access the cave was through the waterfall and under the sea.
Unnor, who had surfaced next to Elfi, shot her an eager, inviting grin. “Come, follow us through Les Rochers de la Porte —the underwater portal to the realm of Rán.” With a flick of her mauve mermaid tail, she disappeared into the ocean.
Exhilaration flooded Elfi like the enormous wave which had awakened her magic. A delicious thrill of anticipation surged through her, and she dove down into the turquoise depths.
As they swam further into the cave burrowed into the base of the island, Elfi spotted golden coins and sparkling jewels scattered along the sandy bottom beneath the waves, perhaps treasure salvaged from shipwrecks. Or offerings to the sea goddess for safe passage through the treacherous rocks.
Elfi swam with the Gallizenae into the seemingly endless undersea cave, past dozens of brightly colorful fish and forests of green and gold kelp floating in the crystalline water. When the mermaids finally surfaced, Elfi realized they were inside a cavernous chamber surrounded by towering, rough stone walls. Within the cracks and fissures of the hard granite, streaks of opalescent, milky white quartz glimmered amidst metallic ribbons of shimmery silver.
Awed by the majestic aura of the sublime aquatic domain, Elfi’s incredulous gaze fixed upon an enormous rock whose flattened top jutted above the surface of the sea. For there—seated upon the magnificent stone covered with lustrous shells and glittering jewels like an altar or a throne—was her immortal grandmother. The Sea Goddess Rán. In mermaid form, like her nine billow maiden daughters and Elfi herself.
Evoking ocean waves churned by an impending storm, the long locks which cascaded to Rán’s narrow waist portrayed all the colors of a tempestuous sea. Midnight blues, marbled with silver, indigo, lavender, and mauve. Like faceted sapphires from the Far East—or lapis lazuli streaked with gold—her enigmatic eyes sparkled and danced with an exotic glow. Her porcelain skin, tinged with a hint of blue, glimmered like moonstones, opals, or pearls. The iridescent scales of her tailfin shimmered with pale turquoise and aquamarine, with a striking contrast of deep emerald and seafoam green. Atop her regal head sat a silver crown, crafted with dips, peaks, and swirls of the sea. Amidst the trio of Nordic runes inscribed among the scrolls— Laguz, for water; Uruz , for the strength; and Hagalaz , for destruction—sat the same trinity of gems which pulsed with power at the base of Elfi’s neck.
“ Bienvenue, ma petite fille. At long last, I meet the daughter of my precious Dúva.” Her radiant smile glistened on the walls of the cave and reflected on the rolling waves. “You look very much like your beautiful mother. Your jade green hair is just like hers. And your eyes…” Rán’s voice quavered, and she forced a swallow as if to compose herself. She patted the rock at he r side. “Come, sit with me. I have a gift for you.”
Heart fluttering wildly, Elfi pulled herself up onto the stone and reclined at the base of the aquatic throne.
“I am pleased to see you are wearing my necklace.” Rán’s pearlescent fingers traced the glistening gems, which responded to her touch, throbbing rhythmically like Elfi’s pounding heart. As if glimpsing the unspoken question in her eyes, Rán told Elfi the tale that she was most anxious to hear. “Like my billow maiden daughters, I enjoyed mating with mortal men. That is, of course, before my marriage to Aegir,” she hastily added with a wry smile. “One of my lovers was King Yazid of Persia, a widower with a lovely daughter of fourteen winters named Ziba. I enchanted the gems in this necklace and presented it to Yazid as a gift for her, to ensure safe passage on the sea.” Rán tenderly caressed long strands of Elfi’s ocean jasper hair. “A virulent sickness decimated the city of āstārā, the trading port where they lived in a magnificent castle on the Caspian Sea.” She sighed softly, her voice laced with sorrow. “Yazid and Ziba both perished of the plague. A servant must have sold the necklace, for it disappeared.” Rán flashed an enigmatic smile at Himingl?va. “Until my daughter informed me that you had arrived on the ?le de Sein. Wearing a necklace with three tiers of enchanted blue and green gems, each imbued with sjóv?ttir magic. I knew at once that it was mine.” She caressed the gems with reverent fingertips, and again, they pulsed around Elfi’s throat. “How did you acquire it?”
“My betrothed, Njord ívarrsson—known as the Wolf of the Nordic Seas—spotted it in a Byzantine marketplace in Constantinople, on the shores of the Black Sea. He was inexplicably drawn to it, and knew at once that it was meant for his mate. The siren with the sea goddess eyes.” Elfi searched her grandmother’s exquisite, immortal face, pleased to see approval in her appreciative gaze.
“The perfect name for you, elska minn .” Rán kissed the top of Elfi’s head and hugged her shoulders. “You are indeed a mermaid, with your sjóv?ttir mother’s eyes.” Nostalgia softened her aquiline features. She inhaled deeply and sat up straight, as if there were an important task she had yet to accomplish.
“Now that you have come to the ?le de Sein, your sjósongr magic has been awakened.” Rán gestured to the nine mermaids floating amongst the gentle waves inside the undersea cave. “My daughters have taught you how to wield the song of the sea , to summon the power of the ocean. With le Chant des Sirènes. the Sirens’ Song, you may call forth the Mélusine sea dragons. And now, before you leave this enchanted realm, I shall bestow another gift of sjósongr magic. That you may summon me .”
Rán’s slender fingers flitted over the glittering gems in Elfi’s necklace while she murmured a flowing enchantment. As the goddess imbued each stone with sjósongr magic, the turquoise, emerald, and lapis lazuli gems draped around Elfi’s neck sparkled and shone with a radiant, otherworldly glow. “This necklace—which was once mine and is now yours—will link us together. Like a vardlokkur chant of a volva , the Ránlokkur gift I bestow in this necklace will enable you to summon me. Touch the sea and say my name. And invoke the destructive power of Rán.”
Energy sizzled from the enchanted gems throughout Elfi’s shaking body. Running reverent fingers over the blue green stones, she thanked her grandmother in Old Norse and Norman French. “ Takka tér, Amma . Merci beaucoup, Grandmère. I shall treasure it always .”
Rán kissed Elfi on both cheeks with la bise of farewell . “ Au revoir, chérie . Until we meet again. In the Sn?fellsness sea cave of ísland.”
Elfi’s breath hitched. “Have you foreseen a battle?”
“ We have.” Himingl?va’s mystical voice echoed in the cave and reverberated into Elfi’s bones. The eldest mermaid swam up to Elfi’s side, her silvery hair glinting in a thin shaft of sunlight which filtered through a fissure in the thick rock above. “Much like a Viking volva interprets otherworldly visions through seier magic, we Gallizenae use the sjóv?ttir power of the sea, storms, and tides to foresee the future.” Himingl?va’s sky blue eyes reflected the glimmer of quartz glittering in the granite wall. “There will be a battle where the Ljósálfar Queen guards the Dwarven sword. You must wield your sjósongr magic to aid your mate. For the Wolf of the Nordic Seas to fulfill the prophecy.”
“And kill the Dokkálfar Blacksmith of Dorestad .” Vehemence laced Elfi’s vengeful voice. She was eager to help Njord slay the Svartálfar who had crafted the spear that killed Dag. Elfi remembered hearing tales of how Sk?rde had also been wounded—and nearly slain—by a Dokkálfar sword forged by the very same Dark Elven blacksmith. . A malevolent blade brandished by the traitorous Raven Warrior who had betrayed Harald Bluetooth and allied with King Lothaire of West Francia. And the despicable Count of Soissons, the bloody bastard who killed Dag and stole Galadir. Yes, Elfi would help Njord fulfill the prophecy to reclaim his father’s sword. And uphold her sacred vow to bury her beloved brother with his own.
“Farewell, Elfi. May the magic of my necklace protect you. And remember, it also provides a direct link between us. With the magic of Ránlokkur, you may summon me. Touch the sea, speak my name, and I shall come. And unleash all the fury of the sea.” Rán swept slender fingers over Elfi’s long green hair, smiled softly, and disappeared into the dark depths of the sea.
“Come, let’s go back to the cottage for a last meal together. You must return to étretat.” With a wave of her hand, Kólga beckoned Elfi to follow the mermaids as they swam toward the exit of the underwater cave.
****
The sweet flavors of steamed scallops, shrimp, oysters, and crab mingled with the herbal taste of rosemary, sage, and thyme on her tongue. While several of the Gallizenae —in human form—washed dishes outside the cottage in the nearby stream, Elfi sat at the table with Kólga, Himingl?va, and Bloeughudda, savoring a cup of chamomile tisane.
“We are more than shape shifting mermaids, sea dragons, and seers.” Kólga’s sapphire eyes sparkled in the sunlight. “The Gallizenae are also gifted guérisseuses. Healers who can cure the incurable.” She sipped from her ceramic cup, a knowing smile spreading across her exquisite face. “Another facet of your sjósongr magic that you will need very soon. When you travel to álfheim to heal a gravely wounded wolf.”
Elfi furrowed her brows, perplexed by Kólga’s vision. álfheim is the realm of the Ljósálfar. Where only those with Light Elven blood or magic may enter. Through the portal in the waterfall cave where Lugh crosses the crystalline bridge. She glanced up at the raven-haired seeress. “I cannot go to álfheim . I do not have Ljósálfar blood, nor do I wield Light Elven magic.”
Bloeughudda flared her nostrils with comic exaggeration, sniffed loudly for dramatic effect, and grinned from ear to ear. “You do indeed carry Ljósálfar blood—within the child who thrives in your womb. The thrice-blessed daughter of the Wolf of the Nordic Seas . Conceived in the waterfall cave.”
A contradictory wave of panic and joy flooded Elfi. I carry Njord’s babe! That is why we felt compelled to mate in the cave of the Mermaid Cove. The Norns had woven the threads of our fate. For me to conceive this child.
“Through her lupine father. she is blessed with the Volsung blood of Odin and the Light Elven blood of the Ljósálfar. And through you—her sjóv?ttir mother—she carries the blood of the Sea Goddess Ràn. Your child shall be known as the thrice-blessed daughter of the Wolf of the Nordic Seas.”
A daughter! I wonder if she will inherit my power to shift into a mermaid. Or Njord’s ability to transform into a wolf. Perhaps both! May the gods whose blood she carries bless my unborn child. Elfi’s mind reeled at the prospect of becoming a mother. And the incredible possibilities of her daughter’s inherited magic.
Remembering Kólga’s foretelling that she would soon go to álfheim , Elfi redirected her attention. “You say that I will soon wield another facet of my magic— to heal a gravely injured wolf. How will I cure him?”
Himingl?va flashed Elfi an affectionate, knowing smile. “Your magic gives you much more than the power to hurl waves and sink ships. To call forth the Mélusines with the Sirens’ Song or summon your sea goddess grandmother.” Her sky blue gaze bore into Elfi’s very soul. “With sjósongr — the song of the sea — you may also wash away darkness and disease. Cleanse the wounded wolf with ocean water. And heal him with the curative essence of the sea.”
“You wield both the ocean’s destructive force and its curative power to heal.” Kólga’s words stirred her sjóv?ttir magic, like an ocean current coursing through her veins.
Bylgja and the other Gallizenae came back into the cottage to say goodbye. She handed Elfi a wrapped parcel with a shy smile. “A few of my barley cakes. With a confiture of buckthorn berries and honey. In case you get hungry on the way home to étretat.”
Elfi rose to her feet and gratefully accepted the delicious offering. “ Merci beaucoup . I love your barley cakes and jam.” She hugged a blushing Bylgja, then turned to kiss the rest of the sjóv?ttir sisters on each cheek with la bise of fond farewell.
She strapped the dragonscale sheath with her úlfblad dagger around her hips. Secured the trollkors talisman behind her neck, smoothing the three tiers of enchanted gems at the base of her throat. Slinging her leather satchel over her shoulder and hugging the barley cakes to her chest, she bid her mermaid mentors goodbye and exited the cozy stone cottage.
With a lump in her throat, tears in her eyes, and the tingle of magic in her veins, Elfi headed west to the wild, windswept coast of la Mer de l’ Ouest.
And into the cave to summon Lugh.