A Fate Inked in Blood

Freya, sometimes called Freya Born-in-Fire, is the protagonist and first-person narrator of the novel. She is a 20-year-old woman who is secretly a child of the goddess Hlin. Because her connection to the gods gives her unique powers, she also fits the pattern of the archetypal hero. Her life is a series of challenges and adventures, and the circumstances of her birth are unusual. Additionally, she is characterized by courage, strength, and honor, and she endures hardship and risks her life for the good of others. Freya doesn’t spend time pitying herself for the bad things that happen to her; instead, she makes the best of her circumstances and achieves her goals. However, Freya is often ruled by her emotions, and although she acknowledges that her bad temper gets her into trouble, she can be rude and petty whenever she experiences guilt or fear. Freya’s character is often revealed by other characters’ interpretations. Bjorn tells her, “I have a great many doubts, […] But the courage of Freya Born-in-Fire is not one of them” (171). Bodil calls Freya a “clever, passionate woman with a good heart—a woman worth following” (253). It’s important that Freya’s own interpretation of her character is supplemented by other characters’ opinions because Freya is unable to see herself objectively, and her narration therefore has an element of unreliability.