Ragnar had decided to go out, alone, to hunt, to do anything other than think about all the duties that his role, entailed. King...........he was called king. From humble farmer and warrior to the leader of his people. Sometimes he still struggled with the notion; sometimes he did not desire the position. But here he was, Ragnar never realising how lonely the position could make one feel. Yet here, now, he would do his best to forget the weight that sat heavily upon his shoulders and try and take some time to just be himself.

Slowly, quietly, he moved through the trees. He had seen a large, magnificent stag making its way through the undergrowth, some time ago. The beast stopping occasionally to chew on something that it had found; it checking the landscape, before lowering its head to partake of a perhaps succulent patch of grass. If he could kill it, it would mean that he would eat well while he was at the hunting cabin and would still have more than enough meat left to take back to town. But even just getting a shot on the animal, was proving to be quite the task. The stag seeming to know that he was there; to know that the man was following him. The deer moving just out of range, or behind a tree, as Ragnar thought that he had finally got the shot. The king not noticing that the large beast was drawing him further and further into the woods, deeper and deeper into the trees.

Finally, the deer came to a stop. Ragnar taking a breath before bringing up his bow. In a matter of seconds, the stag would be dead, and he would be able to eat. The day already having felt like a long one, the sun now almost at its highest point in the sky. Silently, he pulled back the drawstring, until the end of the arrow brushed the corner of his lip. A sudden noise making the creature bolt; Ragnar cursing as he ran after it. The king deciding that he had come too far to not get his quarry, now. That one way or another, that stag would fall. The Northman quickly making his way through the trees, jumping over fallen branches. His feet, without warning, coming to a halt and feeling as though they had just sunk into the earth, as the deer drew him towards a clearing. The king no longer caring about filling his belly, as his eyes fell on what was at the centre of the break in the trees. His weapon even dropping from his hand, as he stared in wonderment. For there, seemingly resting on its side, was a pale horse, but not just any pale horse, but a winged pale horse. The mount of a Valkyrie. But why it was there, and where its rider was.............

If this was battle, he knew that he would know what to do; but this...........what could ever prepare you for this? After all, the only time that he thought he might see such a thing, was when a chooser of the slain, hopefully came to take him from the battlefield to the hall of the allfather. So, to see it now. To see it when he was alone, safe, far from any kind of battle, meant he didn't know what to think. The scene only getting all the stranger, as the large stag that he had been hunting, made its way over to the resting, winged horse. The deer appearing to look over the horse, before turning its gaze to him. The stag stomping its hoof onto the ground, seemingly annoyed that the king had still not come forward. Ragnar beginning to wonder if this creature had something to do with Eikthyrnir, for it was the Valkyrie that collected the mead that the great stag created from drinking the water from the well of Urðr, and took it to those that dwelled in Valhalla. So, to have a stag with the winged creature, did make some sense. Ragnar finally able to make his legs move; the king slowly making his way into the clearing, the stag moving away as the man drew closer.

Suddenly the horse moved; Ragnar's brows furrowing, as the exquisite creature quickly got to its feet and let out a pained sound, as one of its wings fell limply to its side. The king holding up his hands as the obviously injured animal backed away.

"Hey.........shhhhhhh. Its alright...........I'm not going to hurt you......" Ragnar said, as he continued to inch forward. A broad smile making its way onto his lips, as he managed to carefully place his hand on the glorious creature's muzzle. Its dark eye looking deep into his blue orbs.

"Well, aren't you a beautiful girl.........." The king continued, as his hand made its way up to the winged horse's forehead, and then down to its withers.

"How did this happen to you............? Where is your mistress........?" Ragnar enquired, looking around to see if there was a sign of anything. Any sign of an irate woman, dressed in shimmering armour, ready to strike him down, for touching her mount. Yet there was nothing. No sign of tracks other than his own, and those of the mare and the stag that had brough the king to her. The great deer still off to one side, watching what was going on.

"What do you want me to do...........?" Ragnar asked, as he turned to look at the stag. The creature just staring at him silently, before the Northman placed his attention back on the mare.

"I can't leave you here like this. Will you let me take you to my cabin? I can try and fix your wing.......You will be able to fly again." The big man explained, as he ghosted his palm over the feathered appendage. Pulling his hand back as he felt something wet, upon moving to the underside of the wing; his eyes widening, as he saw that his hand was covered in blood.

"Please............" He added. The beautiful mare nodding its head, allowing the Northman to slip his fingers into her mane, and slowly lead her to the other side of the clearing. The king hoping that he could get to the hunting cabin without having to negotiate all the trees that he had had to come through. Ragnar not wanting to hurt the ethereal creature any more than she was. The stag watching the pair leaving the clearing, before making its way back into the trees.