Four Hundred And Sixty-One / Side One Hundred And Sixty-Two, Ortlinde, Valkyrie of Tyr
“Ortlinde, little sister, sister!” A cheerful voice interrupted Ortlinde from her reverie. Instinctively, she ran a hand through her long, flaming red hair, before looking at the speaker, Siegrune, whose eyes were sparkling with impish mischief.
“Sister, you looked lost in thought. But don’t worry, tis might be hard, but there’s always still alcohol and good food. If the tables run dry in the Halls of Valhalla, then we truly have reached the end.” With her orange eyes and brilliant aqua hair, Siegrune was as energetic as she looked. No, that does not matter now. Not at all.
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“Yes, but…” Ortlinde always found it hard to put her feelings into words. After all, the nine of them were the youngest of the Valkyries, and so felt they had a lot to prove, especially now, since tis were changing so much. Change is a frightening thing, even for us youngest. We know little that is different, but seeing the sorrow on the faces of the elders, sensing their uncertainty that they try to keep hidden from us… “…it isn’t that.”
“Oh, I know what it is, Rose.” Siegrune used a familiar nickna for the other Valkyrie. “She’s worried about the new delivery. I an…”
“No, it is not that I worry…” Ortlinde interjected. “It is just… we should be able to do more. rely delivering a chance of salvation sits poorly with .”
“Aye, I get you.” Siegrune nodded. “But what can we do? The Allfather and our parents have their reasons. Besides, if we do more, then it’ll just lead to the other Pantheons going all out as well, right Rose?”
The petite Valkyrie agreed. “Yes, while I agree it is unfairly stacked against us, in favour of the Ninth Heaven, at least this way we aren’t spending our strength fighting each other when we have a common problem.” Closing her book, she steepled her fingers under her chin and observed Ortlinde, which made her want to look away, but she t her sister’s gaze defiantly. “Perhaps you regret persuading us to take the Fruit of the World Tree, rather than handing it over to the Allfather? If so, you persuaded , and I still agree with your impassioned pleas and worthy logic, so set that regret aside. The Fruit would have been useful to the Allfather, but it would be a known quantity. I agreed there was a need for boldness, if we were to prove ourselves of use to our older sisters and our parents. Even eldest Gerhilde and wisest, most straightlaced Brunnhilde were persuaded. The fact that it may not bear fruit…” she coughed, flushing a little, embarrassed by her inadvertent pun. “…does not invalidate the rits of the gamble. For you are surely right, sister. If things continue as they are, matters will surely continue to decline. Repeating the sa acts again and again, expecting better results, is simply abrogation of logic.”
“I do not see why we have to quarrel, when worlds fall. Surely, with a common enemy…” Ortlinde tried to protest, only for Siegrune to slap her shoulder sympathetically.
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