Blenda : Sweden's Greatest Heroine
Epilogue
Queen Blenda strolled through her garden admiring all the beautiful flowers that had bloomed in the Vastergotland summer warmth. As she walked from flower to flower, deciding which to cut to adorn her dining tables, she heard the snapping of twigs, and the sound of brush being pushed aside at the edge of her garden where the forest began. Despite the Kingdom of the Geats being at peace with all of its neighbors she instinctively reached down and pulled her dagger out of her belt. She thought of calling out to her husband King Adolphus, who was in the hall, but she decided to wait and see who, or what, was moving in the cover of the forest.
As the brush began to tremble, and then slowly part, Blenda held her knife out in front of her to defend against whatever came through into the garden. Slowly, a black little nose emerged from the greenery sniffing the air for danger. When the nervous little deer poked it's head through the last bush it froze and stared at her. Blenda laughed as the creature, startled by her presence, quickly darted back into the safety of the darkness of the forest.
Blenda was still laughing as she lowered the knife to put it back in it's leather holder. Her amusement ceased, however, the moment someone grabbed a hold of the hand that held the dagger. Blenda could not move very far, for the person held her in an iron grip, but she could turn just enough to see that it was a large old crone who held her in place.
" Do not fear me child. " the old woman said in a coarse voice as she took the dagger from Blenda's hand.
" Who are you ? And what do you want ? ! " Blenda asked.
The wrinkled old woman grinned ever so slightly as she answered.
" My name is Skuldura. I am a Seeress, my dear. " she replied.
Blenda grimaced from the tightness of the woman' s grip.
" You are hurting me ! " she explained with a sense of urgency.
As the old woman released her hold on Blenda's wrist the Queen of the Geats looked deep into the black eyes of the witch who stood before her. In that void she saw nothing. and yet she knew that there was something magical behind those pitch black pupils.
" Did you make the Dagger of Destiny ? " Blenda asked as she rubbed her sore wrist.
" No. It was made by the Dwarves. " she replied without any hint of emotion.
Blenda tried to put a pleasant smile on her face despite the fact that what stood before her should not exist in a Christian world.
" Have you come for the dagger ? " Blenda asked.
Skuldura examined the knife with her dead eyes before placing the weapon into her belt.
" The prophecy has been fulfilled. However, the magic contained within it, made from the blood of your ancestors, is still strong and will be used to bring a future prophecy to fruition. " she explained to Blenda.
The old witch then turned and began to walk away. Confused, Blenda quickly ran after her and grabbed the Seeress by the arm.
" Please tell me why this magical dagger will help another if it was made from the blood of my ancestors ?! " Blenda asked in a pleading tone.
Skuldura turned and faced Blenda.
" Why do you wish to know about someone you will never meet, who will live in a time you will never live to see ? " the witch asked in return.
Blenda thought for a moment.
" You told the first person you gave the Dagger of Destiny to about the future, did you not ? " Blenda asked.
Blended quickly added.
" I, the one you are taking the dagger from, feel that I deserve to know as well about the future as well. " she explained.
Skuldura nodded.
" Fair enough. Approximately five hundred years from now a child will be born who will lead a united Sweden to military glory in what will be known as the Thirty Years' War. This man will be called Gustavus Adolphus, and the sword made from the magical metal in this dagger will help to fulfill that prophecy. " she told the Queen of the Geats.
Blenda frowned, and then quickly a smile formed on her face.
" Adolphus ?! " she whispered under her breath.
The witch said no more. She turned away and walked into a mist that suddenly had appeared at the edge of the forest, and was gone.
After the Seeress had left Blenda heard the witch's voice in her head say one last thing :
" Yes, he will be blood of your blood. A distant descendant, but one who will none the less share the great honor of protecting Sweden from it's enemies. " the voice said.
After the witch was gone Blenda went back to picking flowers. With a smile on her lips, and tears in her eyes she rubbed her belly.
" Did you hear that my little one ? Our descendant will be a great King of Sweden ! " she whispered to her unborn child.
- The End
- Next : The Yule War, ( The Greatest Gift Of All ) © 2017.
- Glenn Bergen, ( Ravensheart ), © Copyright, 2016.
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