Welcome to CHAPTER 45 of the Kinsmen Die podcast, home of fantasy fiction based on Norse mythology that’s written and read by me, Matt Bishop.

In this podcast I read my first novel, Kinsmen Die, one chapter at a time. And, with each episode, when it makes sense, I provide some commentary about the source materials I’ve referenced in the text.

This week, we’re with Loki as he continues his conversation with the Skrymir, the high chief of the Jotunn.

In the previous Loki chapter — episode 42 — we learned that Loki’s nefarious plot is to murder Baldr, the son of Odin. Also recall that Baldr is having weird dreams in which he becomes corpse-like at night and it’s only the rising sun that restores him. The book opened with that event. Also, Frigg is having some visions that suggest Baldr may actually die. Recall, too, that Baldr’s death is impossible thanks to magic Frigg and Odin used when he was born and also thanks to their continued sacrifice — every winter they only eat half of their Yggdrasil fruit. They put their other halves in a bag. We haven’t yet seen what they do with them.

Loki had planned to murder Baldr on Midwinter. The Jotunn had also planned to attack Gladsheim on Midwinter — coordinated strikes. 

But now, the Skrymir said they’re NOT going to attack…but they still want Loki to go ahead with his plan.

And that is where we rejoin them.


So, let’s get to it.

Chapter Forty-Five
Loki
“You’re serious?” Loki asked. Attempting to kill Baldr while Ygg was present, without a distraction—the Skrymir was mad. Even if he succeeded, he’d be dead moments afterward. He was prepared to sacrifice himself, but not until his children were free.
But the Skrymir’s expression remained steady. Implacable. And oddly familiar.
“You are serious.”
“Yes, Loki, I am,” the Skrymir replied evenly. “Our problem is timing. We’re not ready. We need another month before we can get all the warbands positioned and supplied. And despite the problems created by Ama’s attack, we believe that if you go ahead anyway your plan will help buy us that time.”
Loki couldn’t stop shaking his head. A month? He wanted to stand up, to pace, to throw his hands up. He couldn’t wait. It had to be this Midwinter. He’d already set his plan into motion. Ygg would soon discover what Loki had done and then cover that chink in Baldr’s armor. Unlikely though it was, Ygg might even puzzle out who was behind it all.
“We agreed on the first night of Midwinter. This Midwinter. Seven nights from now. The whole idea was to strike at the same time.”
The Skrymir spread his hands. “We’re not attacking in seven nights, Loki. If we did, our own plan would fail. The blow we strike—and I do mean we—must end the war even as it begins.”
Was he hearing this? It was bad enough that Ygg had come back. And now, after he’d planned for dozens of winters, after he passed up several opportunities, the Jotunn now asked him to risk all of it. He laughed. “We? This is not what we agreed, Skrymir. It jeopardizes my goals to further yours.”
The Skrymir raised a hand. “Listen for a moment. We don’t have the supplies in place to maintain any advantage created by a surprise attack. You saw the number of wakened Jotunn out there. There are another nine strongholds just like this one. My predecessors planned for this time by submerging supplies in the lakes alongside the sleepers. The seidr preserving some of those supplies failed—”
“And you didn’t plan for that?”
“Of course we did. But we lost more than expected, along with many fine Jotunn. And the Sons of Muspell were supposed to funnel more weapons and armor, food and clothing to us. Ygg’s return and his scrutiny of the Einherjar stopped all that. If we attack at Midwinter, they’ll roll us right back to the Breach, and then the Thunderer will come knocking.”
“He’ll do that anyway,” Loki said. “If there’s any delay after Baldr’s death, then—”
Then what? Would the plan still work? Originally, it had been about his brutal, impossible strike followed by an all-out Jotunn assault, which would cripple the Aesir and let him safely escape in the confusion. If there was a delay between his strike and the Jotunn attack, what would happen?
He’d always intended Baldr’s murder to be a way to make Ygg feel the pain of loss as deeply, as completely, as he and Angrboda had felt the loss of their own children. Would giving Baldr’s murder time to sink in be a bad thing?
It would mean more time for Ygg’s grief to build—and his rage. And then just as they sent Baldr’s corpse off to the Gjoll’s shores, the Jotunn army would attack. And maybe during that confusion he could attempt the second part of his plan—freeing his children. Much less ideal than doing so as he’d originally planned, but that was no longer an option.
It could work, assuming he escaped after he killed Baldr.
And while the Aesir would certainly be distracted, they’d also have time to pick apart how it happened.
The Jotunn would not attack. So, he’d only have his own wits to rely on. He’d always extracted himself from whatever trouble he got himself into. This was no different—aside from the stakes being literally everything.
Did he have a choice?
He did, but delay was the coward’s path. He was many things, but not that. Never that. And even without the Jotunn attack, he would never have as good a chance as now. 
Seeming to have followed his racing thoughts, the Skrymir said, “I told Vafthrudnir you’d see advantage in changing the plan.”
“Potential advantage,” he said. “Assuming I succeed and their reaction is as we hope, you don’t have a month—maybe a fortnight, at best. Vidar will have backtracked that idiot’s warband long before Midwinter, at which point Ygg will send Thor. A few nights later, Jotunheim will be smoking rubble. Then the Einherjar and the Aesir army will sweep in to kill everyone else. You’re better off attacking during Baldr’s funeral.”
The Skrymir shook his head. “That’s all likely. Eventually. And I’ll consider your proposal—attacking during Baldr’s funeral. But we have planned for it, Loki. We’re counting on it.”
“You’re all right with letting Vidar find the doorway?”
“No, but I also couldn’t stop Ama’s attack—too many of the tribal chiefs supported it. Now they’ll understand why I opposed it, which makes me look better.” The Skrymir sat back. “Besides, Vafthrudnir is with Helveg now. With his help, they should be able to kill Vidar, should he set foot in Utgard.”
Loki ignored the twisting of his guts. That put Vali and Narfi in the baresark’s path. If the Norns had cut an early death for his sons, then so be it. But he would have liked them to experience more of life before rejoining the Ginnungagap.
“When, Skrymir, not if. Vidar will find the doorway. He will step through it. He’s every bit as curious as his father—and he has more to prove.”
“I know your sons are with Helveg, Loki. You asked for them to be placed with the best warband—”
“And the best is most often used for the toughest tasks.” He gave a quick grin. “I know that. They knew the risks and what they’re fighting for, just as those thousands you just showed me know.”
He stared down at his scarred hands, at his spread fingers. They, and he, could be anything he wanted. Too often he’d let himself become a tool—a weapon—wielded by another’s hands. 
Not this time. Nor ever again.
He would pursue this course no matter what doom the Norns had cut for him. He was not a coward.
“If I fall, Sigyn knows where I’ve hidden—”
The Skrymir stood and, again, offered his hand. “I give you my word, Loki. The Vafthrudnir, Beli and I will do everything in our power to free your children and shelter Sigyn, Vali and Narfi, from the wrath of our enemies.”
Loki stood and, again, took the Skrymir’s hand. “It is fitting that I strike the first blow against the Aesir, and that I steal from them their favored son.”

OUTRO
Well, folks, that was CHAPTER 45 of Kinsmen Die. I hope you enjoyed it. 

In this chapter we learned that the reason Loki wants to escape after killing Baldr is to save his three children, the ones he had with his first wife, Angrboda. Loki also agreed to go ahead with his plan because all the pieces are already in motion and he thinks that he’ll still be able to get away with it even if the Jotunn don’t attack on Midwinter.

Loki’s three children are Fenrir, the wolf, who is chained on a distant island across the sea. Hel, who has not really been mentioned yet. She is prominent in my second book. Last is Jorm or as most know him, Jormungandr, the world serpent.

I’m not going into their stories as told in the myths because some of it comes up in later chapters.

I will mention that we’ve seen one-handed Tyr — it was Fenrir who bit off his hand.

It was also the Norns who delivered the prophecy to Odin that these three monstrous children of Loki and Angrboda who would bring “doom” to the Aesir. Loki has alluded to this in his chapters and there’ll be more on this in upcoming episodes.

Next week we’re back with Odin. Until then, if you have the time and inclination, please rate and/or review the podcast — that helps boost the show’s visibility. As does sharing it.

And if you’re so inclined, shoot me an email at mattbishopwrites@gmail.com.

I’d love to hear from you.
  
As always, I’m going to read from both the Bellows and Larrington translations of the Havamal, the sayings of the High One, Odin himself.

Bellows, Verse 45

If another thou hast whom thou hardly wilt trust,
Yet good from him wouldst get,
Thou shalt speak him fair, but falsely think,
And fraud with falsehood requite.

Larrington, Verse 45
If you’ve another, whom you don’t trust, but from whom you want nothing but good, speak fairly to him, but think falsely
and repay treachery with a lie.
 

Thanks for listening.