Post by Ulf Hednir on Jun 14, 2017 15:51:32 GMT
“A miserable man, and ill-conditioned, sneers at everything:
one thing he knows not, which he ought to know,
that he is not free from faults.”
-The Havamal
I could not deny that my mind was clouded was disappointment-- jeg had signed my contract with the IWF so that jeg may show the world what jeg var capable of… it felt like my momentum had already shattered. I felt as if jeg could battle the Norns; even Odin; perhaps the gods did not take too kindly to my challenge. How could jeg hope to even enter the Heir to the Throne tournament, og vinn?
There was a chill in the air, and the day had seemed gloomy due to the overcast of the grey clouds that rolled into the inlet-- Ulf Hednir, dressed in blue jeans and wearing a Grimfrost jacket, was seated on a bench on the harbor, watching the ships sail out to the open water. The usual happy self he was, was no more; just disappointment… his hands were tucked into the pockets as he sat in a bit of a slouch, seemingly lost within the confines of his own mind; his usual bright blue eyes had a grey hue to them.
This was not my først time experiencing the taste of defeat, but the taste var always bittersøt; jeg could not keep myself from sneering på tanken that jeg was defeated so early-- as a child, jeg went through many undefeated seasons før finally succumbing to defeat… Jeg heard the caw of a raven, and blinked my eyes several times as it had brought my senses back to reality-- the black bird perched itself on the railing in front of me. It cawed several more times, until a voice startled me…
Ulf turned his head over his right shoulder to see an older man walking his way; he had half of his face covered from his cheekbone up, his lips displaying a full grin-- the one visible eye a vivid, bright blue; his hair was white but most of it was hidden under a hat.
Elder:
“Nederlag og tap går ikke hånd i hånd, sønn.” (Defeat and loss do not go hand in hand, son.)
The elder walked around to the other side of the bench, and Ulf slid to one side of the bench; this elderly gentleman continued to stand as if to wait for Ulf Hednir to acknowledge, and welcome him.
Elder:
“Må jeg sitte?” (May I sit?)
Ulf Hednir:
“Vær så snill.” (Please.)
Elder:
“Takk.” (Thank you.)
The elder places his hand on the bench to wipe some of the moisture from the surface before sitting; both of the men look at the raven that is still perched on the railing-- the elder still sporting a grin, while Ulf appears miserable.
Defeat and loss do not go hand in hand… the words that this stranger greeted me with, rather than a simple ‘hello’-- jeg felt a strange presence with him, but en av comfort. Jeg still could not keep myself from sneering at the world that surrounded me, knowing that jeg had failed-- jeg had failed my family-- jeg had failed myself. I could not help but direct a sneer toward this stranger, his first words still haunting me. It was recently that jeg had appeared on TV; perhaps he was looking for his own fame.
Ulf jerks his head toward the elderly man sitting beside him, allowing the silence to remain until Ulf is the one who breaks it.
Ulf Hednir:
“Do you know me?”
Ulf spoke in English this time, rather than Norwegian, which caused the man to let out a light chuckle, but he did not look toward him as he replied to Ulf with mockery evident in his tone.
Elder:
“Do. You. Know me?”
After the words had escaped the lips of the elder, the elder turned his head to look straight at Ulf-- the sneer wiped away, and he was left with a look of shock and confusion. Their eyes are locked momentarily, until shame seemingly takes over Ulf and breaks eye connection with the elder and looks forward to the raven who flaps its wings almost angrily.
Ulf Hednir:
“Jeg gjør ikke.” (I do not.)
Ulf sounded almost in denial. The elder looks forward as well, scoffing at Ulf.
Elder:
“En tåpelig mann tror han vet alt om han står i uventede vanskeligheter; Men han vet ikke hva han skal svare, hvis han blir prøvd.” (A foolish man thinks he knows everything if placed in unexpected difficulty; but he knows not what to answer, if to the test he is put.)
I cannot say that I was surprised to hear him quote the Havamal to me; it negated my own scowl, and jeg smiled to the elder.
Ulf Hednir:
“A man who follows the old ways… vi er growing in numbers, venn.”
Elder:
“Du har ingen anelse.” (You have no idea.)
The elder said with a laugh. He hunched over on the bench, and the raven leaned forward from the railing as far as it could stretch as the two looked to share a bond.
Ulf Hednir:
“Jeg did not expect to be defeated…”
Elder:
“Du har mistet deg før. Men aldri beseiret.” (You have lost before. But never defeated.)
His voice had brought my calm back; but how did he know? I turned my head to face him letting my eyes examine the wardrobe of this stranger, and jeg could not keep myself from wondering why he hid half of his face-- his own eye that jeg could see from where jeg sat was still looking toward the raven. His gaze did not falter.
Elder:
“Det er bare nederlag hvis du godtar det.” (It’s only defeat if you accept it.)
I nodded my head in agreement with his own words; jeg felt a full peace with the loss that jeg had endured-- one mere loss; jeg had not been defeated. Jeg felt foolish; foolish for the anger that jeg felt for having to put up with this loss… loss… was also part of life, og en ting jeg would have to be prepared to deal with.
The elder suddenly stood up, looking in the distance toward the grey clouds that were still rolling into the inlet; the clouds all lit up from a lightning strike inside of the cloud, and the thunder soon followed-- the man smiled, still looking in the distance.
Elder:
“Jeg må gå. Min sønn ser etter meg.” (I must go. My son is looking for me.)
He looked toward me one last time, his own gaze causing me to lose my own focus and jeg looked toward the ground in front of me.
Elder:
“Hak opp, sønn.” (Chin up, son.)
The man walked back around the bench, and the raven flapped its wings, letting out rapid caws before flying away in the same direction as the elderly man. Ulf lifted his head to see the man’s departure-- but he was left with only further confusion, as the elderly man had already vanished, along with no trace of the raven.
My gaze remained on the ground in front of me, and jeg smiled. Nobody would believe me.
“Jeg vil not make any excuses over what happened at Sacrifice-- you saw exactly how it happened: Jeg lost. These things-- they happen…”
I shrugged my shoulders, and although the annoyance was still there for me, I knew that there was no way for me to go forward by looking backward.
“What I cannot let it do is control the rest of my future-- Dre Cutler and I, vi vil meet in the ring again-- possibly sooner than we expect when jeg am certain that du have the same goal on your mind: earning a spot in the Heir to the Throne tournament, and winning the entire thing! After all, you var en runner-up in the tournament last year.
Det… is not what vi are going to go through this week. This week, vi have been placed into a rather odd predicament: the man who defeated me is now going to be… my partner? Jeg can live with that because jeg know-- jeg understand-- just talented my partner is, and jeg know that jeg can count on him to have my back when these guttene step into the ring against us. Jeg know that Dre Cutler is going to have his best interest in mind; just as jeg have my own best interests also in mind-- vi can both agree that in our own best interest, vi must work together to secure our victory… and to score a few more points to be closer to being entered for Heir to the Throne.
This week, vi are combining vår forces to take on The Lost Boys; De tapte guttene. Jeg do not believe that these two are to be mistaken for Peter Pan’s own boys, but to keep all the jokes aside, jeg know that these guttere, these… menn… are not to be trifled with; let us look at the fact alone that they are a team, whereas Dre Cutler and I-- are not… just last week, vi var opponents.
Jeg… jeg er ikke the person who would hold a grudge over myself losing a match-- jeg understand how important this match is, and how important these next couple months are going to be! Vi er on the brink of a new dawn; and jeg have every intent of standing among the frontlines as one of the leaders of this new dawn. In order for me to do this, jeg must focus-- jeg must focus on attaining… victory! Jeg must focus on… my direct opponent…”
I shrugged my shoulders while considering the match that I had for this week.
“Or, in this case: opponents.
But the factor that jeg have presented in this match: the fact that dere er partners, while Dre Cutler and jeg er not; that will only benefit dere in the case that Dre Cutler and jeg cannot put our differences aside-- here it is: jeg already know that jeg can trust you, Dre, and it is my own hope that du know du can trust me. You know that jeg am going to go out to the ring and put everything on the line to ensure that vi er walking out with our arms raised as the winners!
Now, jeg have seen my opponents: jeg have seen what they can do in the ring by researching… and jeg am certain that they, too, have looked into what jeg am capable of; unfortunately, jeg do feel that jeg still have not shown the world everything that jeg am capable of! This is not me making any excuses to Dre Cutler saying that he did not fight me at my best; jeg gave all that jeg had on that night-- jeg vil not make any excuses to The Lost Boys and claim that jeg am not going to give them my all on Sacrifice of this week.
Jeg vil always give everything that jeg have in my body, and my spirit!
There is no hiding the fact that both of you are…”
Jeg hesitated for a moment, trying to pick my words carefully.
“Well, dere er not quite as large as myself, or even Dre Cutler; this week, jeg vil use every bit of my own strength to my advantage-- growing up, jeg ha been struck by people twice my size. Jeg ha showed no fear in stepping face to face with people three times my size! It… did not phase me. Jeg continued to stand against these opponents of mine from the past, and show them that jeg would not allow them to beat me! Jeg understand that just because dere may not match up to us as far as size goes that it has not stopped people of similar stature from reaching the top of the peak, and holding the top title within the company!
Det is exactly why jeg know that jeg cannot underestimate both of you simply because of your size-- when a man larger than I comes along; jeg know that jeg would not allow them to brush me off so easily… det is exactly why jeg vil not brush you off as easily. But to say it quite simply: jeg vil not allow you to beat me. Jeg ha already been beaten once-- one day, jeg vil lose another match--
It vil not be this week.
Skål, venner!”
Well howdy there pardner.