What if Elska actually met her mother? And found out her mother is exactly what she thinks and more! Like a MASSIVE, older more badass version of Elska, able to rip dragons heads off bear handed and solo armies? And what if she’s nothing like Elska expected like her being small, frail and not a warrior at all? How would Elska react to meeting her mother in both scenarios?
That's an interesting thought! We don't know much about Elska's mother except what her father Eindrid has said about her. Here's an excerpt about her from "To Fight the Fog":
“This,” began Eindrid, “is the fog. It never leaves and there is no way around it. When our people go through it, they do not come back.” He looked down at his daughter, face stony and grim. “People like your mother.”
“Mother?” Elska gasped, whirling around to face him. “I had a mother?”
Slow and sullen, Eindrid nodded. “She was fierce and strong,” he said. “Loyal. Stubborn. The finest hunter our village had ever seen. She was back to the forest just a week after your birth. Refused to stay down, refused to be cared for.”
He turned back to the fog. A deep crease carved itself between his ashen brows. “The hunters tell me they were attacked by wolves. Someone was badly wounded, and then the wolves fled into the fog. But your mother was overcome by her longing for vengeance, too stubborn to let them escape. No one could stop her. She disappeared through here,” he pointed to the trail, fading into the whiteness, “and she still has not returned.”
Elska stared at the trail in disbelief. Eindrid had never spoken about her mother before today. She was cared for by the midwives of the village until she refused their milk. Then she was left with her father, and she had been in his care ever since.
“She fell off the world,” Elska said quietly.
Eindrid simply nodded, let out a hum. A long silence passed. Then his daughter turned back to him and asked, “What was her name?”
“Her name was Jorun.” Eindrid kneeled and took a lock of his daughter’s hair between his fingers, admiring it solemnly. “You look very much like her. Long hair of gold and eyes of blue, just the same. You will be big and strong as she was, but I pray you will not be as foolish. The thirst for vengeance is a curse. Never forget that.”
So, we know Jorun shared a lot in common with Elska both physically and mentally. I think Elska would really look up to her and admire her a lot, but once she got to know her, the traits she used to respect would start to frustrate her. Jorun shared a lot of Elska's flaws, particularly the way she rushed into situation without thinking.
Once Elska saw this behavior mirrored back to her, she would recognize it in herself and become frustrated with her mother for it. She wouldn't love Jorun any less, but she wouldn't hold her on a pedestal like she once did either. She would finally see her mother as a person instead of the god-like being she envisioned in her head.
And if Jorun turned out to be small and weak...
Initially Elska would be disappointed. I think eventually she would come around to respect her mother, just not for the reasons she thought she would. Elska would learn that there are more types of strength than physical, and that there is more to admire about a person than just honor and courage.
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