Yareah Magazine

Bynhild was the original bad girl of Norse Mythology. She was the daughter of Odin and leader of the Valkyries, who determined the fate of battle and chose the bravest warriors to join them in Valhalla. She was famous for winning contests of strength and her shining armour was said to cause the northern lights to glow as she rode on wolfback among the dead and dying.
However, one day she gave victory to a handsome young king against Odin's wishes and as a punishment, Brynhild was condemned to live as a mortal. Odin pricked her with the thorn of sleep and locked her comatose body in a dark tower surrounded by a ring of fire to await rescue by the man who would be her true love.
In the Volsung Saga it is Sigurd who rode his steed through the flames and battled his way to the top of the tower. After removing her helmet and chain-mail armour he fell in love with Brynhild. Thus awakening, she soon fell in love with him in return. After three nights of passion Sigurd left, promising to return to claim her as his bride. Unfortunately, treachery and magic combined to keep the two lovers apart. On his journey Sigurd was waylaid by a woman named Gudrun who slipped him a potion of forgetfulness and convinced him to marry her instead.
Brynhild was not one to take things lying down (at least not while she was awake). When she learned of Sigurd's betrayal she served up a little treachery of her own and conspired to have him murdered in his sleep. Still, in love to the end, Brynhild threw herself onto Sigurd's funeral pyre and welcomed death at the end. It is said that the two thus journeyed together into the dark regions of Hel.