‘Perhaps her nurse turned into a bear and carried her away into the forest. Perhaps she was brought up by bears and dragons. Perhaps it was better for her in the end than being a king’s child.’ ‘That was never the story,’ said Modolf. ‘Forget the story,’ said Halla. Halla is the daughter of a king, cast out as a baby into a world of danger and enchantment. She is raised by bears, lives amongst dragons, converses with Valkyries and avoids warmongering heroes. But an encounter with Odin All-Father sets her on a new path as a wanderer through the world, and to a final choice. Is her role in the story already written – as a king’s child, an adopted dragon, or a fearless heroine – or can she travel light?
