The iron shod hooves of Thrud's steed thundered across heaven's vault as the Valkyrie searched the land below for her father. Midgard had been besieged by trollwives, fierce hags, wise in magic. No mortal man was safe from these fiends who blinded their victims with unnatural lust and trapped them against their foul, stinking, warty breasts. Housewives and children wept for their bewitched and stolen loved ones.
By Hles Isle a glowing furnace of enchantment drew Thrud to the conflict she was seeking. The thunderer stood on the deck of his wrecked battleship, surrounded by a seething army of the berserk women, the horrible hags brandished iron clubs and shot arrows of fire from their fingers. Thialfi hid beneath his shield which blazed with flame from the onslaught, while Thor swung his hammer through the screaming troll wives. The weapon glowing brightly, the focus of his own magical defence against the barrage of spells that threatened to burn or seduce him. One by one the troll wives fell beneath the thunderer's blows.
Thrud urged her horse down to the beleaguered ship and leapt from the saddle so that the divine beast could ride home to safety as the battlemaid joined the fray. Thrud was almost overcome by the fury of the wild troll wives, it took all her magical skills to defend herself. Lacking magical energy for her offensive she drew her broadsword and swung it in an arc of trollblood. She sung the ancient magical words that Freyja had taught the gods long ago, and wove a web of power against the fiery missiles.
For two hours and more the battle waged, until the last surviving hags took fright and ran. The ship was nearly flooded with a sea of trollwife corpses. Thor and his kin sank to the deck, exhausted pale and shaking from the battle that had drained strength from both muscle and mind.
Eindridi hugged his weary daughter 'So what drove you from the high-seat of Bilskirnir? Surely you weren't worried about us handling a few wild women?'
'No.' Thrud forced a smile, though her expression betrayed concern. 'King Alf of Alfheim requires your services, his daughter has been kidnapped.'
'Bad timing.' Thor groaned 'Who took her?.
'Some giant called Starkard.'
'Jord's tits!' the god swore vehemently, 'He's an evil, cunning bugger and as strong as an ox. All I need now is a month of Thursdays, a lake of beer and a beautiful woman.' Thor emphasised his statement by indicating the foul corpses of the trollwives with disgust, 'and then I might consider taking on Starkard. Otherwise forget it!'
'Liar'. Thrud taunted.
'What?' her father glared at her.
'You won't leave that girl in Utgard and you know it.'
As the evening wore on, and the folk of Thrudvangr struggled to repair the ship with fresh timber and binding spells, Thor wrestled with the desire to head straight home and get the rest he craved after the long weeks of conflict against the troll wives. Some of the other gods had not joined the battle, and Loki had succumbed to the trollwives' charms surprisingly quickly. But Thrud knew him well, and he could not ignore King Alf's pleas.
By midnight the ship flew across the waves, storm driven, direct as an arrow to the shores of Utgard. Thor stood at the helm and spoke to Alf in the King's dreams. The Elf King was torn by greif and through his love the thunderer glimpsed the missing princess of Alfheim, a gentle and lovely maiden, unfit for the wild sports of the giants. Eager to ease the King's pain the As swore to do all he could to see Alf's daughter safely back to Alfheim.
The companions took turns at the steering oar and snatched what sleep they could. After two relentless days at sea they reached the shores of Utgard and a days march brought them to Starkard's hall. Starkard's dwelling was a stout wooden farmhouse, well built, carved and painted as witness to the giant's wealth.
Thor strode up to the main door which was flanked by pillars turned from whole tree trunks, and crafted from mighty planks reinforced with iron bands an inch thick. Thor knocked so fiercely that the timbers shook in their frame. A servant of giant stature opened the door intent on rebuking the visitor for the unseemly din, but paled at the sight of the thundergod and ran to fetch his master. Starkard arrived soon after bearing a nervous frown. No giant had tangled with Thor since Utgardaloki had tested his mettle centuries ago, Starkard had no intention of invoking the giantkiller's wrath.
'Greetings noble Aesir, how can I serve you?' Starkard asked ernestly.
'Where is she?' demanded Thor.
'Who?' the giant asked, he sounded puzzled.
'Alfhild of course, the daughter of the elf king you abducted.'
'Oh yes,' the giant replied, with a nervous smile of understanding 'I suppose I did.'
'Well take me to her' Thor growled, 'if you want to see another dawn.'
'Gladly' agreed Starkard 'she is in my storage loft, follow me I will take you there.'
The giant led the thunderer through the spacious, smoky hall to a grassy courtyard where goats were grazing the cropped lawn. Surrounded by outbuildings and barns, an elaborate structure towered, with wooden steps leading to the highest level. It was a storage house, where precious goods and grains were kept secure, safe and dry. He must have the poor girl chained up in there thought Thor.
They climbed the stairs to room above, 'Here she is.' said Starkard throwing open the loft door wide. Alfhild looked up startled from a storage chest she was inspecting, fine fabrics and jewels lay spread all around her. 'Alfhild, this is Asa Thor, he has come to rescue you.' the giant laughed and strode back down the stairway. Alfhild was slender with a green tint to her skin and a cloud of floating silver hair, the very embodiment of elvishness. She wore a green gown of flowing silk bordered with gold embroidery. Her beauty was enchanting, almost incredible compared to the hideous troll wives Thor had been fighting for weeks, no wonder the giant desired her.
'How did you know I was here?' the girl asked.
'Your father sent me, he is very worried for you. Have you been harmed?'
'No.' she replied.
Thor caught the girl's hands and drew her close. 'And nor will you be, I will protect you. Stay with me tonight so I know you are safe from that rough giant.' Thor embraced Alfhild and kissed her. To his surprise she tore herself from his arms and hit him hard, and stormed out of the loft, leaving Thor staggering more from shock than her blow. He gathered his wits and ran after her 'Alfhild, wait!'
'What?' the girl swung round to face him, her word was spat like a serpent's poison.
'I didn't mean to offend you. I am here to take you back to Alfheim.'
'I am not going.' The girl retorted.
'Sorry?'
'Are you deaf? I am not leaving, and I don't need your help, so leave me alone.' The girl shouted.
'You're in love with Starkard?' Thor asked incredulous.
'Yes! And my interfering father can go to Hel!'
Despite the excellent spread the giant's servants provided at supper that evening, Thor sank into a black mood. Alfhild took great pleasure in taunting the thundergod, by sitting close to Starkard and simpering over him. Later, encouraged by wine, she even sat on the giant's lap and giggled as he opened her gown and caressed her.
Thor glared at his wine cup until the gold reflected the fearsome fire of his eyes, Thrud squeezed his arm in sympathy. The red bruise on his cheek stung more than any battle wound. 'Alf's going to be lucky if he doesn't get her back blackened and smoking.' Thor muttered.
'She is not worth it.' Thrud whispered back.
As the night wore on Alfhild and Starkard drank well and the giant lost his cautious respect of the Aesir as the wine made him bold. The girl whispered in the giants ear and Starkard said mockingly 'Alfhild tells me you desire her Thor, but she isn't interested in you because you lack my great wisdom.'
'Maybe.' Thor replied in a dangerous tone.
Alfhild whispered again. Starkard said 'Alfhild prefers me, because I am handsome and well dressed, while you are attired like a begger in need of a bath.'
'Maybe.' Thor growled.
Alfhild whispered a third time. Starkard said 'Alfhild prefers me, because I am strong by nature, and you are a runt who relies on magic weapons.'
'He's dead.' muttered Thialfi, Thrud kicked him under the table.
'I could kill you with this ox bone if I choose.' said Thor, twirling a fragment from the roast between his fingers.
Alfhild whispered again. Starkard said 'Alfhild prefers me, because I speak the truth, and I don't lie like a fool who lets the wine speak for him.'
Thor rose to his feet, unbuckled the belt of strength and laid his hammer on the trestles. He held up the splinter of bone for inspection, 'One bone and no magic.'
Starkard laughed, for the last time. Thor hurled the bone and struck the giant between the eyes, the impromptu missile hit with such force that it shattered Starkard's skull.
'Time to go!' said Thor as the very air was rent by Alfhild's howls of anguish.
A week later Thor arrived at the court of King Alf with Thiafli at his side. Alf greeted him warmly but was dismayed that his daughter did not accompany the As. 'How did you fare?' the King asked 'Where is my Alfhild?'
'That is a good question.' Thor replied 'We travelled to Starkard's hall but we did not find the gentle maid that Alfheim has lost.'
'Alas she must be dead.' The king wailed.
'But,' Thor continued 'we did find another woman who answered to your daughter's name. A giant's whore and the proud bearer of his bastard child. An ungrateful wretch who gave every resistance to the gods sent to her rescue. We brought her back in case you can help the girl find reason.'
Thrud dragged an outraged and screaming Alfhild into the Elf King's hall by her hair, and flung her to the rushes below Alf's high seat. 'Your daughter, your problem.' she said with considerable satisfaction.
Alf stared in shock at the sullen girl whose eyes were filled with hatred. 'Alfhild?' the king asked gently but the girl merely stared defiantly at her father.
'I have lost her.' The King wept 'Let her go to Midgard and find peace there, if she can.' Alf clasped the thundergod's hand, 'I thank you for you efforts and wish you a speedy journey home.'
At last the three companions returned to Bilskirnir, weary and dusty from travelling. Sif, Loki and Roskva waited to greet them by the great doorway to the hall. Tired as he was Thor picked up his wife in his arms and carried her to bed 'I've missed you.' Thor confided happily. The golden haired sibyl smiled, stroking the fading bruise Thor still sported, 'I know' she said.
(This tale is based on two fragments of myths. The troll wives are mentioned in the Lay of Hardbard (Poetic Edda) and are described as berserk she wolves wielding iron clubs who bewitch mortal men. Thor and Thialfi fight them from their ship which is mentioned nowhere else in the myths.
Alfhild the rebellious princess comes from the King Gautrek's Saga. King Alf sends Thor to rescue his daughter, and the As kills the giant only to discover that the girl preferred the giants attentions to his own. This scenario is the catalyst for a family feud of divine proportions, and Thor's curse on the antihero Starkard (the giants grandson), but that is another story!
Thrud is the beloved daughter of Thor in the Edda, her name also appears in the Eddic list of Valkyries and for the purposes of this tale I have assumed that the two goddesses are one and the same, and that Thrud acts as a messenger between her father and his devotees).