Who: Athelstan and Sonya Blade What: Mourning a friend and partner When: Thursday evening Where: Just outside Torstein Sonya's hut Warnings: Mentions of PTSD Status: closed/narrative
They agreed to meet Thursday evening. Deep down, Athelstan knew there was a chance Torstein might return, but deeper still, he wasn't sure he wanted him to return. His friend had died in battle, the way all Norse men hoped to die; why should he be pulled back from Valhalla just for their sake's. Even so, he'd read Sonya's message on the network, and while he didn't know the woman personally, he'd met her on occasion, heard about her from Torstein. Both of them needed a way to move on.
Several feet away from Sonya's hut, the two of them started building a firepit, a sort of memorial to his friend and her lover. He'd been told that some of Torstein's belongings remained with Sonya, maybe this was why-so they might burn them in a pyre and send to him in Valhalla. More symbolic than anything: they didn't have his body, only the belongings that remained with them. These they set on the pyre, setting them alight. Future or not, he hoped they would reach him in Valhalla, even the Yoda doll-strange as it was, it clearly meant a lot to Sonya.
"We should drink to him." He'd brought two bottles of mead for this. They needed to toast to his life and end in a way he'd appreciate. Sonya nodded and reached for the bottle he gave her. The two of them sat next to eachother, watching the fire.
"Here's to you, Torstein." Athelstan turned, his eyes wide when he realized she was speaking Norse. 'For being from another era, you were the few around who didn't make me feel like a freak."
He could understand. "The same. Yes, you teased me-a lot-but I never felt any genuine mockery from you. You made me feel as one of the other men-one of your own." He looked to the ysadril tattoo on his wrist, the same one with his arm band. Them along with the raven tattoos on his back only fully cemented how much he missed his friends..how far he's come since the Raid.
"I fucking miss you, I loved you." This once more from Sonya."I hope you're having a fun time where you are, because if you come back I'll just kick your ass again."
"I don't think that'd discourage him." He answered, drawing something of small grin from her.
"It was part of his charm." She answered him, taking a swig from the bottle.
He spent the better part of an hour with her, the fire shrinking down as they exchanged stories.