Secrets of the Ash Tree

By Siv Maria Ottem

'Secrets of the Ash Tree' is the story about Liv, a young woman who discovers her true nature through the unraveling of hidden secrets. Her adventures begin when she digs up a chest that was buried by her father under the old ash tree in her garden. What she finds inside the chest changes her life forever. Liv discovers one secret after another and is thrown into a world full of dangerous and strange creatures, mighty Norse warriors and perils beyond her belief. What started out as a fairy tale in her fathers journal was to become her legacy, a guide line to survival, and a map to the world she was about to enter. Each day, each mystery, each encounter will ultimately reveal her true destiny and behind the edge of a sword awaits a young god who is willing to share that destiny with her.

can click on this link to watch th book trailer : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewp51s4Jyvo

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Jul 22, 2013
• ISBN: 9781490708805

Siv Maria Ottem

Siv Maria Ottem was raised in the United States and studied Journalism at a local community college in Minnesota. Her strong Norwegian roots and family ties led her to Norway where she has been living now for over 20 years. Working mostly in the travel or health industry, her passion has always been writing. Living in Norway among Trolls has inspired her to write about them and the culture surrounding them. Siv has written several short stories, including Freya’s Tears which will be published in Waymans Open Doors-Monstrous Myths and Legends anthology this fall. Secrets of the Ash Trees is the first book in a three part series called Gods and Fairy Tales. She is currently working hard on her second book in this series, and hopes to have it published soon. Siv now lives with her husband in southern Norway and together they have two grown children. Siv also has two children from previous relationships that are currently living in the United States. For more information please visit her blog: http://sivmaria.blogspot.no

Book preview

Secrets of the

Ash Tree

31762.jpg

Siv Maria Ottem

Order this book online at www.trafford.com

or email [e-mail]

Most Trafford titles are also available at major online book retailers.

© Copyright 2013 Siv Maria Ottem.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

Cover illustrations by Michael Di Gesu’.

ISBN: 978-1-4907-0879-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4907-0881-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4907-0880-5 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013912832

Trafford rev. 07/18/2013

7-Copyright-Trafford_Logo.ai www.trafford.com

North America & international

toll-free: 1 888 232 4444 (USA & Canada)

fax: [phone]

CONTENTS

Preface

Chapter One: Beneath The Tree

Chapter Two: Askeladden

Chapter Three: Happy Birthday

Chapter Four: Jack-In-The-Box

Chapter Five: Freya’s Tears

Chapter Six: Runah

Chapter Seven: Troll Mother

Chapter Eight: Home

Chapter Nine: Just A Fly

Chapter Ten: Fire Blood

Chapter Eleven: The Veil Between Worlds

Chapter Twelve: Freya’s Scroll

Chapter Thirteen: Forseti

Chapter Fourteen: Princess

Chapter Fifteen: Loki

Chapter Sixteen: Ashes

Chapter Seventeen: Home Of The Gods

Chapter Eighteen: Valhalla

Chapter Nineteen: Ashes To Ashes

Chapter Twenty: Flight Of The Wolf

Chapter Twenty-One: Hel’s Garden

Chapter Twenty-Two: Loki’s Journey

Chapter Twenty-Three: The Sun And The Moon

Chapter Twenty-Four: Magic Of The Black Dwarves

Chapter Twenty-Five: Jotunheim

Chapter Twenty-Six: King Of The Frost Giants

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Trapped

Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Useful Gift

Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Midgard Serpent

Chapter Thirty: Destiny

Chapter Thirty-One: Creation

Chapter Thirty-Two: Realm Of The Dead

Chapter Thirty-Three: The Gates Into Hel

Chapter Thirty-Four: Change Of Heart

Chapter Thirty-Five: Weeds In The Garden

Chapter Thirty-Six: Sacrifice

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Lost And Found

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Lights In The Sky

31769.jpg

This book is dedicated to family and the sacrifices

they make for each other out of love.

31771.jpg

PREFACE

I n the realm of gods and fairy tales the mystery of life is an endless path with many secrets to be discovered. Some secrets are like dreams, just waiting in darkness hoping to get into the light.

Gods and fairy tales exist in many forms. This book is based on some of the myths and stories from the Norse mythology taken from the Poetic Edda written by Snorri Sturluson in the thirteenth century.

The fairy-tale portion of this book is based on the character Askeladden (the ash lad) from a collection of Norwegian folktales and legends by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in the nineteenth century.

Although some of the characters described in this book remain the same, the stories have been changed and are a complete work of fiction. Any resemblance to the living or dead is merely coincidental.

CHAPTER ONE

Beneath the Tree

N ine years ago, Liv walked in to her father’s hospital room. It was different from the rest of the rooms. The other rooms had walls with sad flowers printed on them. Here, the walls were white, clean, and empty. Her father was lost in a bed that he once could have filled, and from under the crisp white sheets came his pale blue hands. Plastic tubes muffled his voice, and she couldn’t understand what he was trying to say, so she went closer. She leaned toward him, held his hand, and listened to his weakened voice.

You will always be my princess. You know that, don’t you?

Yes, Daddy, I know. It was all she could say as she fought back her tears. With his other trembling hand, he handed her the necklace he had always worn.

Liv… You need to know… He caught his breath for just a moment before he continued.

Dig deep at the base of the old ash tree… on the north side… below the rune sign. His breath labored barely above a whisper.

It is your legacy, Liv… Please forgive me. Sadness and love etched into his pale face as he slowly let go of her hand. In his last breath, he whispered, Princess.

Sometimes in the middle of the night, she could still hear those last words. They started as a whisper behind dreams then became demanding and clear, pounding louder and louder until she woke to the sound of her own heart beating. Afraid to open her eyes, she would lie trembling, certain that something hid in the shadows. She sensed whatever it was had to do with the secrets buried under the ash tree. In time, Liv would find comfort in the familiar sounds of the night and fall back asleep into a world of dreams often filled with strange people and creatures. For as long as she could remember, a rather irritating boy who had now grown into a man haunted her dreams. He would chase her through the woods, teaching her to fight and how to survive on her own. At first, these dreams seemed fun; but as she grew older, she tired of such games and would often wake from a night’s sleep totally exhausted.

Now, alone on her twenty-first birthday, Liv stoked a fire and spoke to her father’s urn on the mantle. She had left early from a big surprise party her friends had thrown for her. She warmed herself beside the fire and watched the moon slowly cross the sky, until finally it rested behind the old ash tree.

Picking up his urn, she hugged it closely and said, I’ve tried, Daddy. The rune just isn’t there. Thoughts flooded her mind about this ancient alphabet used in magic and writings. There had to be an answer somewhere in those stories her father had told her. Each rune’s hidden meaning translated into a word or phrase important to the people who used them. The word rune actually meant mystery, secret, or whisper. They represented forces of nature, and each had a story relating to a Norse god.

The birthmark on Liv’s hand led to her interest in the runes, a bright red marking that mirrored the rune Kenaz, which looked like an arrow pointing to the left. It represented the symbol for the control and harnessing of fire. She had asked her father about it once, and he had just laughed and said, You must be protected by the gods.

The stories about Odin had always been one of her favorites. Odin, the Norse high god of the Aesir, hung from the world tree impaled on his own spear for nine days and nights in order to gain the knowledge of runes. When they appeared below him, he reached down and scooped them up, and the runic knowledge gave him power. He later passed on this knowledge to the goddess Freya and the god Heimdall, who guarded the Rainbow Bridge, and it was he who taught the runes to mankind.

Returning her father’s urn, she found the worn-out piece of paper with the rune alphabet on it. One of these symbols should have been visible on the north side of the ash tree, yet whenever she had gone to look, nothing was there. The runes spoke to her as usual. She knew instinctively what they meant, but the more she stared at them, the less sense they made. She could find no hint as to what lay beneath the tree. Putting the piece of paper down and sitting next to the fire, she stirred the ashes and watched the glowing embers as they slowly started to fade away. One tiny spark seemed to dance and sing among the dying ashes and embers. It started to spin and fly upward. The spark grew bright, and the small flame changed into the form of a beautiful woman no bigger than Liv’s hand. It sang in a foreign language Liv somehow understood. As it left the fireplace, she followed it outside and picked up a shovel before heading down a narrow path. She knew at once where they were going.

The moon hid in the shadowed sky, but the darkness fell away as they approached the ash tree. The fire woman turned and then in a brilliant flash changed form and branded herself into the tree. The rune Ansuz glowed in the darkness of the tree’s bark. It was in the shape of a slightly lopsided F and belonged to one of Freya’s runes. Liv remembered that it stood for a revealing message or insight, a signal of inspiration and true vision. Now all that was left was to dig and hopefully find the secrets that her father had left there years ago.

The glowing light from the rune guided her shovel, but the ground was hard, and it was daylight before she uncovered a chest at the bottom of the hole. She climbed down and carefully wiped away the dirt on its surface. Although insignificant in size, the chest was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Even covered in dirt, its golden surface and a single jeweled rune sparkled in the morning sun. She sat staring at it before carefully lifting it out of the dirt and crawling out of the hole. Exhausted and dirty, she carried the small chest back into the house.

She wiped the chest clean and studied the diamond-dusted rune glittering on top. Othala, she whispered. So this is my inheritance—the spiritual aid for my journey—my message of land and birth.

Searching for the latch that would open the chest, curiosity flowed through her very being. She turned the chest over several times and pressed on all the corners. Nothing worked. It remained closed. She sighed, pushing down a rising wave of defeat and frustration. It was obvious to her that the chest was not going to be easily opened and that there was yet another secret waiting to be discovered. It would have to wait until tomorrow. A yawn escaped her tired face as she hid the chest in her father’s old safe. After securely locking it, she climbed the stairs, took a quick shower, and flopped into bed. It didn’t take long before she drifted into the land of dreams.

He waited for her in a field of yellow sunshine. You seem different today, he said as he threw her a suspicious glance. You look like a cat that has swallowed a big fat mouse.

Liv kept the discovery of the chest to herself. Although he was familiar to her, she didn’t trust him. She wasn’t even sure if she liked him. He often appeared in her dreams but never offered comfort. Instead, he teased and provoked her, especially when she was worried or frightened.

Liv shrugged, It was my birthday. That’s all.

I know, he said, taking her by the hand.

The yellow field disappeared, and they stood beside the ash tree. A blanket was spread out beneath the tree; on top was a small cake covered with pink candles. She raised a brow. He’s never done anything nice for me before. What’s he up to?

Chocolate, your favorite, he said as he lit the candles. Now make a wish, but be careful what you wish for, he said, furrowing his brows. She puckered her lips, and before she could answer, he faded away.

The frosty, cold air woke her with a slap in the face, the warmth of her dream disappeared, and his image faded before she could capture it. She slept the whole day and missed the meeting with her uncle. Liv’s only remaining family member, Uncle Per, was her father’s brother. Her father, Espen Ash, had made his money in the fishing industry as a master fisherman who seemed to have the magical ability to trick fish onto his boat. He had left his entire estate to her. The stories he would tell of his fishing trips flashed through her memory. She trembled, almost hearing him come through the door yelling, Liv, do I have a story to tell you! Lovingly, she touched the necklace around her neck. Her eyes widened as she looked down at it.

Quickly, she went to her father’s safe and recovered the chest. Taking off her necklace, she removed the rune from its chain and studied both of them carefully. They were exactly the same size and shape, except one was made of small diamonds and the other from wood. Curious about the markings on the wood rune, she placed it carefully on top of the shiny gems. Mirrored exactly, one fit on top of the other as if it had always belonged there. She hoped something would happen. But the chest remained closed. She pressed her palm on top of both runes. Her hand tingled, and the chest sprang open.

With awe, she gazed inside. Her mind whirled. Nothing made sense, least of all this magic chest lined with a silver-spun feathered cloth. With the lightest touch, she carefully folded back the cloth, and inside lay a tiny box. She sucked in a deep breath and lifted the lid. An exquisite silver necklace encrusted with clusters of moonstones and pearls surrounded a hollowed center. As she closed the box, an old leather notebook with pages edged in gold caught her attention. Liv removed the notebook, and turning the thin paper pages with a slow hand, she read her father’s written words.

My Last Adventures as Askeladden

Before my name, I carried another name in another world. In this world, you know me as Espen Ash, the fisherman. The truth is that I am not of this world but of another.

My name is Askeladden. Some call me Boots and others Ash lad, and if you have heard about me before, then you know that I was given this name from sitting by the fire and poking in the ashes. I have two brothers, Per and Paul, and we all grew up on a farm of humble means over five hundred years ago. Now you must realize that time is of no importance where I come from. As a human, living in this realm, the year is 1992. As I write this on Christmas Eve, my baby daughter lies safe in her cradle, knowing nothing of where she has come from or who she is.

I did not really exist as anything but a figment of imagination in a fairy-tale world. My real existence began when I escaped that world with my daughter a fortnight ago. Let me start at the beginning of my last adventures as Askeladden.

The gods must have been angry because for the third day in a row, there had been nothing but howling winds and raging thunderstorms. As usual, I sat by the fire and poked around in the coals while listening to my brothers argue about which one of them was the strongest and best looking.

With these looks, I could capture any pretty young maiden in the land, Per boasted.

Ha, you have the charm of an ox, whereas I could easily charm my way into any pretty young maiden’s heart, Paul replied.

What about you, Askeladden? When are you going to stop hunting trolls and finally settle down with one of your princesses? Per Asked, and then the both of them started to laugh so hard that you could not hear the rain or thunder outside.

The truth was that I was bored. All of my adventures were starting to look the same. The trolls all looked the same, and they all did the same old boring things. Each princess with a pretty face never ended up staying pretty for very long, and they were all equally empty inside. What I needed was a change, a real adventure. But here I was, trapped in the same story every day, fighting the same trolls and rescuing the same princesses…

Liv closed her eyes as they filled with tears, and she put down the journal. As darkness filled a room full of lies, she no longer knew who or what she was. The only thing she was certain of was that her life had changed, and the secrets from beneath the ash tree had only begun to tell its tale. Wondering if she was just dreaming, she opened her father’s journal once again and continued to read.

CHAPTER TWO

Askeladden

T hat night, lying in bed listening to the rain and thunder, I wished that I could just fly on top of a thunderbolt to a place completely different. The last sound I heard before falling asleep was the wind howling outside my window, Askeladden… Askeladden… In my dreams, the most enchanting creature appeared. She was neither human nor beast, and with the grace of a dancer, she twirled around inside the wind. Her voice turned from a howl into the soothing sound of rain, and in that sound, I heard the most beautiful song.

Spell bound is thee, to set me free

Troll hunter you are, I seek you a far

Through wind and rain across the plain

Over mountains blue travel fast, make do

In dreams you sleep, in dreams I weep

Frost giants are here, not trolls I do fear

Rainbows are gone, so hear my song.

The next morning, I awoke with a sense of urgency. Quickly, I packed some provisions in my knapsack and threw on my oil gear to keep me dry in the stormy weather.

Where are you off to now, lad? asked my father, as he came inside carrying wood for the fire.

I am off on another adventure it seems.

My father answered calmly and quick, Then bidding farewell is all I shall do. With these last words, I left the house, excited to embark on a new adventure.

The storm outside had gotten no better; if anything, it was worse. The rain had turned to ice, and it stung as it slapped me in the face. Little did it bother me that I had no idea where I was going; the wind seemed to push me in the right direction. All the while beneath its wailing voice, the same singer from the night before echoed a song in my ears.

This way, that’s right. Let the wind guide your flight, over mountains so blue, through the ice and the rain, through the valleys and plains.

Her voice was soothing and gave me strength as I kept on pushing my way forward. When I reached a small cave at the edge of the woods, I stopped to have some food. Entering the cave, I saw an old woman shivering next to the coals of a dying fire.

Why do you stand there and shiver so, old mother? Would you like me to gather you some wood for your fire so that we may share in its warmth?

Oh yes, dear lad, if you would be so kind. Then pointing to her one leg and a stick, she said, I fear I have become quite crippled in this weather and my leg will no longer carry me.

But where could you be going in such weather that haste would make you travel so?

Oh, never you bother, young lad. I got lost in the storm while searching for food to feed my children. My home should not be too far from here, just at the bottom of the next hill… I think.

I gathered some wood and kindled the fire, and once the old woman had stopped her shivering, we shared my food. After a quiet meal, I offered her a ride home on my back.

Kindness such as yours is not easy to find, young lad. She smiled and continued, I have sat in this cave for over one hundred years waiting for someone to show me kindness and break this spell.

Then I watched as she magically regained her leg and her youth. Your kindness shall be rewarded, she said, and she handed me a strange looking herb with leaves that looked like small flames dancing on the palm of her hand. Eat this and no form of ice, frost, or rain shall hinder you on your journey. I did as she asked and