The Age Of Odin

Twenty-One

Before dawn we were on the march again. My body had stiffened up during the night, a hundred separate bruises congealing, and I walked with all the grace of a horror-movie mummy, but I did my best to keep pace with the others. They'd come for me, risked their necks. Damned if I was going to slow them down or be any more of a pain in the arse than I'd already been.

Freya saw the ravens first, long before anyone else did. She made us halt without explaining why, until the two birds were visible to all, winging towards us from out of the sunrise.

"Oy-oy," said Cy. "Message from HQ."

"You mean those are Odin's?" I said, recalling the ravens that had been perched on his shoulders at the banquet.

"Huginn and Muninn," said Paddy. "And don't go asking which is which, because all ravens look the bloody same to me."

"And they're, like, carrier ravens? They'll have little slips of paper attached to their legs with Odin's orders on?"

"Not exactly," said Cy. "Wait and see."

The ravens circled above us for a while before descending. One landed on each of Freya's outstretched arms, and bugger me if she didn't greet them with a bow and a "good morning," just as if they were people.

"Huginn, Muninn," she said. "You have flown long and far, and I humbly thank you for your efforts."

The birds went "cawww" and "arrrkk" in turn, and flapped their wings and waggled their beaks, as though acknowledging and returning her courtesy.

Neither of them, I noticed, appeared to have brought any message container with it. I looked at Cy and Paddy. "So what now? She Dr Dolittle or something?"

Paddy just raised his monobrow in a way that said keep watching.

"You who are the All-Father's eyes and ears abroad," Freya said to the ravens, "you who go where he cannot and witness what he cannot and bring back news to him of all that happens, speak to me now in his words. Tell me his wishes."

"Arrkk!" said either Huginn or Muninn, and I thought we were in for a long morning if we were going to stand there until one of those birds actually started talking.

Of course, I ought to have known better by then, because one of them actually did. Both, in fact. They opened their beaks simultaneously, and out came the voice of none other than Odin himself. Odin, in bizarre avian stereo.

"Freya Njorthasdottir," the ravens said, "I see that Gid is among your number. He looks as well as can be expected. You have discharged your duty with your customary diligence."

"I did not do it for praise. To serve the All-Father is its own reward."

"Aye," Thor agreed.

"Nevertheless," said the ravens, "praise is due. I now have another job for you and your men to perform."

"Name it, Odin."

"Originally I dispatched Huginn and Muninn with the sole purpose of making this rendezvous with you and establishing mission status. On their way, however, they observed a disquieting sight. Trolls. Not far from the Asgardian border."

"How many trolls?" Thor enquired eagerly.

"Three. If you turn a few degrees northward from your current bearing, you will encounter them in two, perhaps two and a half hours."

"You wish us to kill them, All-Father?" asked Freya. I could tell the idea appealed.

"In days of yore I would have said yes," said Odin via raven walkie-talkie. "Trolls straying beyond the bounds of Jotunheim is not permissible, and these three look set to do just that. However, times are changing. New strategies are required to meet the growing threat of the true enemy. New allegiances too."

Thor gaped. "You mean…?"

"Yes, my son. I want them taken alive, not destroyed."

"Trolls — captive?"

"Annexed. Press-ganged. Recruited."

"Those brainless, lumbering — "

"— immensely strong, highly suggestible creatures, yes." The ravens stalked sideways up and down Freya's arms, canting their heads. "We discussed this. Several times. Were you not paying attention? If we can control a significant number of trolls, think what a blunt-force defensive unit they could make."

"I remember you suggesting something of the kind, father. I simply didn't — "

"Cousin," said Freya to Thor, butting in, "Odin's wisdom is not to be questioned. If this is what he desires us to do, we do it, difficult as it may seem."

"I'm not scared of difficulty," said Thor. "It's the notion of letting a single troll live, let alone making pets of the things, that I have a problem with."

"Is this a challenge you shrink from, my son?" the ravens asked, with a sly glint in their beady little eyes.

"Never!" declared Thor, and he beat his breast. Actually thumped himself in the sternum with both fists. If there'd been trees around, I wouldn't have been surprised to see him start swinging from them. "You want three trolls trounced and trussed and brought to you, father? Then that is what you shall have."

"Huginn and Muninn will lead you to their location," the ravens said, "and when you have overcome the trolls, transport will be sent to ferry them hither. Good luck, all."

The birds took off from Freya's arms, wheeling up into the firmament.

She turned to us. "You heard the All-Father, men. Is there any among you who would shirk the task Odin has set?"

As one, the soldiers yelled, "No!"

Even me. No idea why. The word just rushed out from my throat. It was as though someone else was speaking through me, much as Odin had spoken through the ravens.

"No!" I said, swept up in the moment, full of inexplicable enthusiasm, and thinking, Trolls — how bad can that be?