A Curse Carved in Bone

That night, Steinnun performs a song about Harald’s return to Nordeland and the battle against the raiding Islunders. Seeing Harald sneak out during the performance, Bjorn follows and sees him meet with Skade in secret. Harald makes Skade promise not to allow any harm to come to Freya. Afterward, Bjorn is talking with Harald in the alley when flaming arrows suddenly fill the sky and crash against the magical barrier protecting Hrafnheim. The fortress is under attack.

Before Steinnun’s song, Freya learns the stories of the Unfated who serve Harald, each one “delivered from the misuse of others by Nordeland’s king” (171). As a result, they’re all extremely loyal to him. Freya contemplates the coming confrontation with Snorri. Though Bjorn refuses to “call her to arms,” she still hopes to face Snorri and defeat him using Hel’s power.

Thanks to Steinnun’s tactical portrayal of Freya saving Nordeland’s children from the Islunders, the audience doesn’t fear Freya as people in Skaland did. Instead, they see her as a hero and protector. Just after the song ends, the attack on Hrafnheim begins.