While Blader and Hilda fed and secured the animals after unsaddling and brushing down Fjorsen and Sig, Ivan and their father wiped down the draft horses and the oxen. There was silence among the four Thryms as they all worked, tired from a long day and eager to get inside to a hot, good dinner.

Hilda kept giving Blader pensive looks. Despite her seemingly casual warning to him earlier about their father's anger, the nearing of the confrontation between Blader and Karl Thrym had also made the consequences more real, whatever they ended up being. Blader knew his father would be furious on discovering he had been expelled, but the knowledge that he could become an einherjar to escape the mark of dishonor might calm him.

Finishing up in the barn, the four Thryms trooped up towards the house, the sun growing closer to the horizon. As they entered the house, pulling off their boots, hanging up hats, and setting aside any other gear that didn't belong in the barn, Gunil Thrym came out from the kitchen, looking tired.

"Supper is ready," she said. "Wash up and then come sit down."

It took several minutes for all of them to wash, Ivan and Karl taking the longest to wipe all the dirt and sweat from their arms, necks, and faces. Hilda and Blader were noticeably cleaner from not having been in the fields all day, but still, the exertion from the day's chores was enough for the cool water to feel refreshing on their skin.

As they crowded around the table, the platters of food sending up tantalizing smells, Blader's stomach growled in spite of itself. He hadn't eaten since his lunch break at noon, and despite his anxiety at having his father and brother find out about him getting expelled, he was hungry.

The Thrym family settled themselves down at the table and the food platters began to make the rounds. The silence wasn't the normal one of weariness and the knowledge that a day's worth of hard work was behind them; it was the silence before the storm. Four of them knew what two of them didn't, and those four felt the tension filling them as the plates were loaded with food.

Despite his hunger, Blader found it difficult to swallow the bite of venison he had taken. Ivan, light brown hair still wet, glanced around the table and seemed to sense the anxiety around the same time Karl did.

"So," Karl said, looking at Blader. His dark eyes were solemn. "What happened today, son?"

Blader just wanted the tension gone. He didn't want to beat around the bush. "I got expelled."

Stunned, Karl and Ivan both stared at Blader, and then both looked at Gunil, who nodded gravely. Hilda gulped and Freyja slipped down in her seat, like she wanted to hide. "Expelled?" Karl repeated.

Blader nodded. "But I –"

"What in Surtr's blazes are you saying, boy?" Karl demanded angrily. "You went and got yourself expelled?"

Ivan didn't say anything; he didn't have to for Blader to know he had let him down.

"Principal Sigrif –" Blader started.

"Ivan gave up an education for you!" Karl shouted. "And this is how you honor your brother's sacrifice?"

"I was given –" Blader tried again, feeling frustration well up inside him.

Karl slammed his fist on the table, causing the platters to rattle. "You do not speak, boy! Do you have no respect for your family, for yourself?"

Blader shoved his chair back, stood, and yelled, "Listen! I'm not officially expelled!"

Silence fell across the table as everyone looked at him, hope suddenly sparking in their eyes, if just barely. Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I was given a choice. I can either be expelled, or I can join the einherjar."

"No," Gunil said instantly as Hilda's and Freyja's eyes widened. "I will not allow you to join the High King's –"

Karl held up his hand and Gunil lapsed into silence. "What have you decided, son?" he asked quietly. There was a strange glint in his eyes that Blader couldn't quite describe. It wasn't anger. Could it be...pride?

"I haven't, yet," Blader said, yet in his heart his choice was made. "Sigrif gave me until tomorrow to decide."

The silence was deafening. His mother was clearly upset, Freyja was starting to cry, and Hilda stared at her plate like she'd lost her appetite. Karl looked thoughtful as Ivan watched Blader carefully, his feelings hidden under his calm expression, like normal.

The sudden quiet attention was stifling. The knot in his stomach killed any appetite Blader had. Without another word, he turned and left the kitchen, stalking out of the house.

[----]

The sun's slow slide down towards the horizon cast brilliant reds and oranges spreading out across the sky as Blader strode over the fields towards the creek. The softly rushing water looked cool and refreshing in the slowly fading light as it gurgled pleasantly, seeming to welcome him to its banks.

Sinking down into the damp grass, Blader crossed his legs and sighed, staring into the clear water a couple feet away from him. The water murmured as it ran over some of the rocks protruding up from its bed.

"What do I do?" he asked the creek. "I know what I need to do. I need to join the einherjar. But how do I choose that?"

The einherjar. Once upon a time, they had been undead warriors, but now, under the High King, they were the military of the Nine Worlds. They were both respected and feared. But being an einherjar was dangerous. One of the many reasons was the Reenactment.

The Reenactment was held once a year for all incoming recruits and was known to be deadly and difficult. Out of the hundreds of annual recruits, only those who showed the highest degree of honor were chosen to be einherjar. The rest died within the arena, as those without honor were of no use to society as decreed by Asgard's laws.

The einherjar's job was to keep order and they were held in reserve to protect the Worlds should threats arise. Honor was important to have to serve Asgard, and so the Reenactment was considered essential in weeding out those who would only fail the High King and his desire for peace throughout the Reborn Cosmos.

"Thought you'd be out here."

Ivan's voice sounded from behind Blader and he turned. His brother lowered himself down beside him and glanced over, his expression still hiding his feelings. "So. Sigrif said he'd expel you, did he?"

Blader nodded.

"What did you do?"

"Punched Jorid, knocked him down."

Ivan gave a laugh. "Finally. I've been waiting for you to do that."

Frowning, Blader looked at his brother. "You don't sound so disappointed."

"Should I be?" Ivan challenged, his tone light. "You punched the guy who kept getting you into trouble. I'm proud, Blader."

"I got expelled," Blader reminded him. "You gave up school for me and I failed you."

Ivan was quiet for a moment, looking out at the creek. Picking up a stick from beside him, he twirled it between his fingers, watching its movement absently. "Yes," he said slowly. "I did give up school. And yes, by Mama and Papa's rules, you did fail. In their eyes, you are failing me. But remember, they didn't like it when I dropped out to help Papa, either. Make your decision, Blader. Decide for yourself."

"The einherjar is the only option," Blader said.

Ivan furrowed his brow. "There will be danger."

"When is there not?" Blader pointed out. "At least this way there's a career for me, a path."

"And death," Ivan added, glancing at Blader.

"But this way I don't just sit and let myself get expelled. If I choose the einherjar, it's my choice. It's active. I uphold our honor." He paused. "And I can prevent Thor's Bridge from happening again. I can save lives."

Silence fell as both brothers stared down at the creek, Ivan still playing with his stick. The sun continued to sink, touching the horizon and making the reds and oranges more glorious the closer the sun got to disappearing completely for the night.

"Is that your choice?" Ivan asked finally. "The einherjar?"

Blader didn't answer for a moment. Then he stood and raised his head to view the sunset. "Yes," he said. "I will join the einherjar."

/**/

Blader's made his choice! He will join the einherjar (I'm sure you saw that coming). What do you think so far?

Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed; please leave a vote and a comment!

Skylar Wittenborn