Chapter 23: Freya – Summary and Analysis
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Freya spends the day learning the backstories of Harald’s cabal members, each delivered from suffering by the king. She reflects on earned loyalty and wonders if she could feel the same. At a feast, she watches the skald Steinunn perform. Steinunn’s song presents a manipulated version of Freya’s actions at Grindill and the battle against the Islunders—omitting her defiance, Tora’s lethal lightning, and the children’s terror. Freya realizes that partial truths can amount to significant lies. The Nordelanders cheer Freya as a hero, a stark contrast to her own people’s fear. The celebration is interrupted when horns announce the arrival of the Skalanders.
Key Events
- The cabal members share how Harald rescued each of them, reinforcing his earned loyalty.
- Freya dresses for the feast, keeping her father’s sword and Gyda’s seax.
- She searches for Bjorn and feels relief when he finally appears.
- Freya decides to watch Steinunn’s skald song, hoping to see good in her own use of Hel’s magic.
- Tora stuffs wool in her ears to avoid the visions, explaining she cannot protect Freya if caught in them.
- Steinunn’s song omits Freya’s defiance, Tora’s lightning killing villagers, and the children’s terror; it makes Freya seem like a willing hero.
- Freya plugs her ears to confirm the omissions, then mouthes to Tora that Steinunn is skipping pieces.
- The Nordelanders celebrate Freya as a protector and hero, contrary to how her own people viewed her.
- Horns blare outside, and Una shrieks that the Skalanders have come for her.
Character Development
- Freya: Her internal conflict deepens as she grapples with Bjorn’s refusal to take her oaths. She acknowledges her frustration but also her unwillingness to accept any man’s control. She shows pragmatic ruthlessness, yet also a desire to see good in her own magic. Her growing trust in Tora, despite Tora’s past attempt to kill her, marks a shift in her judgment of others.
- Tora: The child of Thor displays quiet sadness and regret, touching her scars as if hoping for healing. She acts as Freya’s protector despite their history, hinting at a possible redemption arc.
- Steinunn: The skald uses her magic to manipulate truth, presenting a sanitized narrative that serves Harald’s political interests. This reveals the moral ambiguity of skald magic and the power of selective storytelling.
- Harald’s cabal: Their shared stories of being saved by the king reinforce the theme of earned loyalty, contrasting with forced oaths.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Manipulation of truth: Steinunn’s song demonstrates that partial truths can constitute significant lies. Freya’s realization—“I had always been told that a skald’s song showed only the truth, but now it was clear to me that partial truths could amount to a significant lie”—exposes the subjective nature of official narratives.
- Earned loyalty vs. forced oaths: The cabal’s stories and Harald’s earlier words (“sentiment could not be forced by an oath—that it had to be earned”) contrast with Snorri’s use of magical oaths to control. Freya’s dilemma about Bjorn taking her oaths mirrors this theme.
- Public perception vs. reality: The Nordelanders see Freya as a hero while her own people feared her. The manipulated song creates a veneer of heroism that Freya knows does not match her defiance and the unintended deaths.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is a turning point in Freya’s psychological journey. She directly confronts the lie of “truthful” skald magic and begins to question the narratives imposed on her. The arrival of the Skalanders raises the stakes, promising immediate conflict. Freya’s trust in Tora and her internal debate about using her oaths (via Bjorn) set up critical choices ahead. The chapter also deepens the world’s political landscape, showing how Harald (like Snorri) uses propaganda to shape public opinion.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does Steinunn’s song manipulate the truth, and why does Freya allow herself to watch it?
The song omits Freya’s defiance, Tora’s lightning killing villagers, and the children’s terror—instead portraying Freya as willingly fleeing and fighting alone. Freya watches partly to understand Harald’s intended narrative and partly hoping to see some good in her own use of Hel’s magic, which she dreads.
2. What does Freya’s refusal to accept Bjorn’s control reveal about her character?
She does not desire to be under any man’s control, yet she sees no other way to destroy Snorri without risking Ylva’s life. This reveals her pragmatic nature and her willingness to sacrifice her autonomy only as a last resort, while still valuing her freedom.
3. Why does Tora stuff her ears with wool during Steinunn’s performance?
Tora explains she cannot protect Freya if caught in Steinunn’s visions. This shows Tora’s practical caution and also hints that she has prior experience with skald magic—perhaps negative.