The Saga of the Viking Queen

I - Birth of a Mannheim Queen

The saga had once begun with the death of the Queen
and after she had given birth to a girl at only fifteen,
but King Olaf needed a son, yet she had bore none,
so the King pondered and decided to keep her unseen.

He kept her in the shadows and raised her as a man,
and as the years progressed, the King built his plan,
from time to time men questioned but with a discretion,
for they realized the King was soon to be an old man.

There would be no more raids, no more voyages to sea,
the King was growing weary, this they could all agree,
yet as his health was straining the new king was training,
so Olaf was proud and sure that the ruse would succeed.

He kept her hair cut short, and taught her the sword,
he showed her courage and how to lead the Viking horde,
she would wrap her breasts the King had his guests,
so Olaf's hope refilled, and soon his health had restored.


II - Fimbulwinter and Her Storm

It was the longest winter and in her twenty-third year
when she attacked a monastery and was pierced by a spear,
the wound needed dressed, so she uncovered her chest,
the men were taken aback and stood staring with austere.

Now there was distress and much unrest inside her men,
but the spear had struck more than her flesh within,
the Queen rose to her feet without accepting their retreat,
she clinched her axe, turned about and flashed a grin.

Charging towards the church with such a newfound haste
that even Jötunheim felt the rumblings of her chase,
slaughtering all who stood, she knew the men understood
the Viking throne was now overtaken by a woman's grace.

After gathering the silver and gold, the men were distraught,
the sea was cruel and would be jealous of what they brought,
but the Queen had set her path and even the sea feared her wrath,
and though she rested home's journey, her slaying was not wrought.


III - Severing the Royalty Line

As the night stormed in, the water covered in fog and mist,
she filled her chalice with the blood of her antagonists
and rose up to make a decree to give praise to the World Tree,
the men had their night meal and continued into the abyss.

The moonless night held no route, yet Thor led their way,
evil was amiss and it seemed her father planned to betray,
a dark goddess had let him know what she revealed apropos,
but she was the Queen and there would be hell to would pay.

The men slowed their rowing as they can upon the icy banks,
they gathered their treasures and gave the gods their thanks,
but Hallbera had other plans, she went to kill one more man,
she crept into the homestead where the proud men drank.

There she found her father, drew her sword, and called him out,
she had unveiled his misleading and disgrace made him a lout,
with her grip tight on the blade, the King had tried to evade,
but the father lay dead, and so the men held no more doubt.


IV - Hel to Pay

It was over the course of the next few nights the men recalled
the Queen's bare breasted charge on the clergymen and their fall,
ruttish churchmen enchanted had taken an unclad sight for granted,
the Queen endured the jests, and laughter bellowed throughout the hall.

A blizzard raged with biting wind upon the roof as they drank mead,
but already the Queen was set on Hel, where these men she would lead,
and though the men may not understand, they would accept her command,
but if she wanted victory, she would need the sea and Njord's speed.

The journey would be treacherous, so a new ship was built to set sail,
and soon their thirst for blood would be taken aloft by Hel's gales,
the men asked Odin's blessing as Váli had Hallbera's heart in obsession,
there was only one action left before the warrior queen could prevail.

To die in battle with honor would send them to Valhalla's golden hall,
but it was the wretched realm of Hel where they were intent to crawl,
so one by one they slit their throats and then faded with their boat
and awoke to the acrid stench of death and Niflheim's frozen squalls.


V – Beneath the Third Root of Yggdrasil

The Queen and her men of fifty strong arose and then prepared for war,
they would mount their siege in the land of dead when they ran ashore,
hunting and slaying all who once died and destroying where they reside,
Hallbera would take to arms as well and seek revenge against this whore.

Upon the bridge Gjallarbrú the giantess Modgud threw rock and shards of ice,
it split the timber of the boat but they could no longer fear for their lives,
yet the ship was now lost to the depths of the Gjöll, a cold river of death,
so the men began to swim towards the rising wall in water piercing like knives.

They reached the Corpse Gate, Nágrind, where they met Garm, watchdog of Hel,
the Queen screamed out a war cry and within his rotted flesh her spear impaled,
she could not slay the beast but allowed her men to pass covered in shroud,
the hall's roof was woven from spines of serpents where the dead were jailed.

A half dying mass stood 'round cold blue flame with a veil of black lace,
Hallbera clenched her throat, tore the cloth away and spat into her face,
but there was to be no victory, the figure stood was Loki, god of trickery,
and already the dark depths of frozen Hel were beckoning her men to embrace.


VI - Dinner with an Unwelcome Guest

With eight legs and girth and the aid of wind, Sleipner the steed rushed in,
atop was Hermod, once messenger, and once more again returning to once been,
and Hermod called out to the one for whom which had vowed to weep none,
upon dismounting, he raised his sword and demanded Loki to admit his chagrin.

But Loki chuckled and Hel appeared, as Balder still sat the most honorable seat,
the Queen accompanied his side, as did her men, for there would be no retreat,
the Lord of Mischief began twisting words of which were as black as the birds,
but with the aid of Hermod, Hallbera could sense his lies and resisted deceit.

The messenger spoke, Loki did not belong as he should still have been chained,
the Vikings listened to the story, and Loki's once punishment was explained,
under a poison he lay for his crime and there he was to remain until came time
for him to take his place before beasts and giants to have the gods arraigned.

Hermod demanded the release of Hel's new grip or Odin swore to precipitate war,
Loki trembled and whispered cautiously that Hel might agree, as he so implored,
the men vanished and found themselves greeted by a golden hall of warriors seated,
and there appeared the figure of Hallbera knelt before the horde and Viking Lord.


VII - The Eve of Godly Fate

In the midst of Asgard, on the plains of Idavoll, the Queen was escorted,
this Tyr, a just companion, he spoke highly and she allowed herself courted,
the God of War professed intent, and underneath the trees she gave consent,
then with the aid of Frigg came forth the essence of a single life purported.

He allowed her to feast upon a bushel of Idun's apples near the Well of Urth,
and restoring the royalty line, this newly wedded queen, Hallbera, gave birth,
in only a single day the daughter came, and the two spelled the newborn's name,
Ásgun became a woman within a week and so Hallbera returned back to Earth.

Odin recognized her prowess and as Queen of the Valkyrie she was sent down
riding upon a wolf to each battlefield gathering only souls bearing renown,
Tyr had told the distance of coming doom, the new Valkyrie held no gloom,
she was the Queen of Man and War and her progeny was a counsel to the crown.

Back within the halls of Valhalla, Odin related warnings of the lasting storm,
the ever long winter was the final sign of Ragnarök and the ruling power reform,
Thor held his cup to toast for fate and to those who would remain to recreate,
and they continued to dine until the sound of Heimdall blowing the Gjallarhorn.


VIII - All Nine Realms Set Ablaze

Surtur, leader of Muspelheim, assembled his giants of the south with sword ignited,
on the verge of valiance, Hallbera took to arms and led her furies as one united,
the army of gods gathered to Thor's thunder as the red-blazed sky was torn asunder,
and sun and moon were consumed by chasing wolves leaving the Earth benighted.

The spirit of the Einherjar, including the Queen's men, met the Jötuns at Vigrond
storming out from the ship of nails, Naglfar, so the World Serpent had freed his bonds,
from the north on a second ship rode Loki and Hel upon the deadweight back from expel,
Bifröst cracked and broke as Surtur swung his sword of fire filling the vast beyond.

Brandishing his spear, Gungnir, Odin led the charge straight for Fenrir, the wolf brute,
as Thor fought his nemesis, Jörmungand the World Serpent, Heimdall met Loki's pursuit,
Hallbera finally clashed with the goddess of death as husband Tyr beheld Garm's breath,
the four all met their fates after feverish battle and soon the bouts became permute.

Thor held his hammer high after slaying the serpent, and only took nine steps back
before succumbing to its poison and fading, yet Odin focused on Fenrir and attacked,
after an age passed, Odin finally fell, consumed, and so it seemed the gods were doomed,
then Vidar tore off the wolf's jaw as Surtur scorched himself and all into the black.


IX - Runes of War

The Silent God and his vengeful brother being spared, arise to the new throne,
and they return to the former hall of Valhalla to wait, for they are not alone,
the sons of Thor, and Balder and Hod return to Idavoll to consult Hœnir's rod,
here they discuss the recent events of their told fate and the coming unknown.

The dwindling fires of Surtur slowly diminish leaving only Hodmimir's Wood,
and deep within this one forest only Lif and Lifthrasir, two humans, stood,
living only on the morning dew, they rebuild, and remake this Earth in new gild,
two heavens are built to house the dead as four halls keep the souls of good.

And in the new hall Náströnd, Nidhogg will suck the blood of the evil dead,
yet there is no misery in this new era, and only harmony and peace will spread,
and deep within the greatest hall of all, these new gods will sit and recall
the tale of Queen Hallbera, and her child, Ásgun, who now serves in her stead.

Being the daughter of a warrior queen and offspring to the once God of War
she took her place in the hall of Gimli so the children of men could adore,
carving runes into stone of her story, she told the saga of Hallbera's glory,
presiding over the throne of war, she ensured her legend was heard forevermore.