There are three things Narvi wishes for. One is a wake for Him, the God Who was never granted an identity. Even when Narvi was killed, it was nothing personal, as though He were not worthy of being the object of any emotion, even hatred; and after His death, Narvi was forgotten by Asatru and Rokkatru alike, merely named as Loki and Sigyn’s son, a footnote to Their story. Baldr was given a splendid funeral; Narvi was given nothing. Narvi wishes for a wake for His own sake—for His own rite of passage. And no, He would not like the pomp and ceremony of Baldr’s funeral; what He wishes for is the kind of wake we give to the lost one we love, as we spend that gut-wrenching first night without our love’s presence, wearing in and out of anguish, weariness and disbelief.

Mourn for Narvi. Not for Sigyn and Loki’s son—that is for another time. Mourn for Narvi Himself, for Who He was and for Who He did not get the chance to become. Of the two Brothers, Narvi was the gentler One, resembling Sigyn and His maternal uncle Helblindi. There was always an underlying sadness in the young God, caused by the undercurrent of sorrow He sensed in His Mother, and by the Aesir’s unaccepting, unrelenting, polite disdain; but He loved sailing and the sea, the tang and sound and sight of it, the relationship of give and take between the sea and those who use it without abusing it. Narvi learned much by observing the currents, the handling of a boat, fishing. He was the Watchful One, the Thoughtful One. Above all, Narvi loved—and loves—His parents and His brother. His strengths, like Sigyn’s, is the strength of the heart. This is what little was given to me about Narvi. May people more gifted than I find out more, so we can mourn and honor Him fittingly.

Mourn for Narvi.

The second thing Narvi wishes for, He repeated again and again, as though to make quite certain I heard it: “Grieve for Vali… grieve for Vali… grieve for Vali…” Vali Himself, however, wants to be left alone, though on the one occasion I was able to ask Him what I should do—since He Vali, wanted nothing to do with humans, yet Narvi was asking a human to grieve for His Brother—Vali’s answer was: “Do what Narvi says…”

Grieve for Vali in a way that will not insult Him: rage for Vali.

The third thing Narvi wishes for, is that Sigyn receive Idunna’s apples. Granuaile was kind enough to do this once. May all those who can journey and are capable of doing this remember Sigyn, and Narvi’s wish. May Sigyn never lack for Idunna’s apples.

I once asked Sigyn to show me the rune that best represented Vali before that day of atrocity. I pulled Othala. I had the immediate feeling Sigyn was showing me what Vali had been deprived of: His birthright. A few days later, I asked Sigyn the same question about Narvi. I pulled Othala.

Mourn for Narvi; rage for Vali. Weep for all the smiles They missed, for all the jokes unsaid, for all the food untasted, for all the missed awakenings and for all lost peaceful sleep; for all the sex and all the love They were deprived of, for all the children They will never have. Grieve for Their lost birthright.

(Artwork by Grace Palmer.)