Winter Solstice Winter - Book I in the Viking Blood Saga

After the castle’s entourage arrived, Ada had the guards line them up in two rows. One row of sixty-four women mirrored the fifty-two men on the other side. All dressed in blue wool, Bergendal-crested, servant clothes, Lucia thought they looked more like soldiers. She wondered why her father had not returned with them, but then again, he had mentioned he needed to speak with the Christian Bishop.

  Ada stood at the end of the ghastly silent, inward-facing rows and handed Lucia her cane. “I need a volunteer—one of Queen Maud’s handmaidens or servants to join her in the after life.” She walked down the center with her hands behind her back, looking like a ghoul in search of prey. “Surely, someone must have loved the queen enough to escort her back home.”

  A cough echoed through the room.

  Did no one love my mother? Lucia wondered.

  “Surely one of you could grant the late queen this kindness when she has given so much to you.” Ada turned around at the end of the line and gestured to Queen Maud’s empty throne.

  After a long pause, Astrid, one of the queen’s personal handmaidens, stepped forward. She curtsied.

  Lucia gasped. No, not Astrid! Losing another loved one felt like salt on a raw wound, though she knew that her mother had adored the girl, and the handmaiden would make a great escort. Then, Lucia saw a second young maiden step forward from the line. She did not recognize her. She stood about a foot lower than Astrid.

  “Ragnvei and I have decided to join our beloved Queen Maud in Valhalla.” Astrid adjusted her navy scarf over her dark blond, braided hair.

  “Do you concede, Ragnvei?” Ada asked.

  “Yes—uh, yes I do, Your Excellency,” Ragnvei said, lifting her gaze slightly, shaking her head ‘no’. Her curly ash-brown hair fell, as she grabbed the scarf off of her head and twisted it in her hands.

  Lucia could not fail to recognize the look of fear in Ragnvei’s large blue eyes. Does she, or does she not want to be sacrificed?

  “Princess Lucia, do you accept these two women to escort your mother, the Sun Queen, Maud of the Northlandic Kingdom, to Valhalla?” Ada asked.

  Lucia hesitated. If Ragnvei did not truly want to do this, it could bring on another curse.

  “Your Highness?” Ada pressed in a clipped tone of voice.

  “Yes,” Lucia whispered.

  “What?” Ada shouted.

  “Yes,” Lucia said, louder.

  “Then so be it!” Ada yelled. “You will both join Queen Maud in ushering her spirit to the halls of Valhalla!”

  The group of previously petrified onlookers breathed with unencumbered relief.

  Ada signaled for two guards to approach her. “Take these maidens to the queen’s guest chamber where they will stay until their sacrifice and burial,” Ada said. “Stand watch outside their door, and let no one in.” She turned to the others. “It is a great omen to us all to have two handmaidens usher the queen’s spirit. May all here today be witness to that these young women volunteered of their own choice to be sacrificed and buried with Queen Maud. And may the funeral preparations begin.”

  2

  Burial