Nora fidgeted and rubbed her hands while standing outside Beacon Academy's main doorway gazing down along the wide and long main avenue. She hated waiting. At least Jaune's company helped keeping her somewhat distracted.

"You seem restless today, Nora, more than usual," commented Jaune.

She looked up at him and grinned. "Of course I am! Two of my best friends are returning! I'm about to explode with excitement! You should be excited too, Mister team leader! I wanna see you explode!"

"But I am excited. Pyrrha and Ren have only been gone for a day. Ren and I were away for nearly a week. I'm surprised you managed to survive that long without us," he jested.

"You don't get it. It's not about how long your best friends are gone, but how awesome it is to see them again!" retorted Nora.

Excitement was not the only emotion that was running wild within her; she was worried about how Pyrrha was feeling the day after her latest panic attack. Those heart-wrenching words Pyrrha had told her over the Scroll last night still echoed in Nora's mind. "I… I panicked, Nora. I screamed and froze in fear. I thought I was going to drown, in the rain."

Nora could not stop blaming herself for what had happened to Pyrrha. If I had been with her yesterday, I could have protected her and kept her safe. I could have done something, anything!

She froze as she saw two familiar figures in the distance down along the avenue, a tall, fiery redhead girl clad in unmistakable bronze armor, and a raven-haired boy in a green tunic that she knew all too well. Nora dashed away toward the approaching pair, moving as fast as her short legs allowed. Jaune jogged after her.

Just like she had promised Pyrrha yesterday, Nora kicked herself off the ground and leaped toward her with her arms wide apart. "Pyrrhaaa!" she yelled happily.

"Hey, Nora. Woah! Slow d-ack!" Pyrrha was almost knocked off balance as she only barely managed to catch the flying girl.

Nora threw her arms around Pyrrha's neck, leaving her pink shoes hanging several inches off the ground. "Welcome back! Both of you!" she said, almost yelling into Pyrrha's ear.

"It's… it's good to be back, and to see you again," said Pyrrha, grunting softly from the extra weight hanging onto her. She nevertheless returned Nora's embrace tenderly, much to her delight.

As Nora hung onto her, she and Ren exchanged smiles and silent looks with each other. He did not get the same, excited greeting as Pyrrha did, but she knew he did not need one. She set herself down on the ground again, relieving Pyrrha's back and shoulders.

Jaune caught up with Nora and the others. "Hey, Pyrrha, Ren." As he greeted them both with a smile, he frowned while looking at Pyrrha. "Are you okay, Pyrrha? You look tired."

"Yeah, I'm fine. It was just a bit… difficult to sleep last night because of the rain," replied Pyrrha with a small, yet reassuring smile. "Thank you for asking."

"Yeah, that was some crazy downpour alright. I almost feared the rain was going to tear through the roof and drown us," said Jaune.

Nora noticed that Pyrrha flinched in response to Jaune's words. Oh, right! He doesn't know about Pyrrha's phobia. I gotta do something before he makes things worse. She looked at Ren and silently gestured at him with her eyes. It was a silent language that Ren understood perfectly.

Ren nodded at her before he walked over to the blonde-haired team leader. "Jaune, I'm going to deliver a handwritten report about yesterday's mission. Do you want to accompany me? I can tell you more about the mission along the way. It was an interesting one with plenty of action."

"Oh, sure. But can it wait a bit? I want to talk to Pyrrha about something," replied Jaune.

"What's on your mind, Jaune? Is it something important?" asked Pyrrha curiously.

"Oh, not really. I can save it for later when you feel more rested." Jaune turned to Ren. "I guess I'll go with you then. See you later today, girls."

Nora looked at the two boys as they walked away. She was thankful that Ren had acted quickly to tacitly remove Jaune from the group, and let her talk to Pyrrha in private. She did not blame Jaune for what he said, for he did not know about Pyrrha's aquaphobia.

"Is Ren gonna tell Jaune what happened to you yesterday? About your phobia?" she asked Pyrrha once they were out of hearing range.

Pyrrha shook her head and answered, "No, he's not. Ren promised to keep it a secret and let me tell Jaune myself."

"Then, what about the report?"

"Ren 'forgot' to mention a couple of details regarding my performance when he wrote it. Besides, Ozpin knows about my condition, and that I'm going through therapy."

Nora looked at Pyrrha's face. Jaune was right, she does look tired. "How are you feeling? I mean, really feeling? Still spooked after what happened yesterday?" asked Nora out of concern as she looked up to her tall friend. She had expected her to still sound melancholic. To her surprise, Pyrrha smiled, albeit timidly.

"I think I'm okay, for now at least. I guess a decent night's sleep helped ease my nerves. Thankfully, I didn't have any nightmares. It helped that I talked to you before going to bed."

Despite Pyrrha's positive answer, Nora balled her fists as a small surge of anger erupted within her. "Bah! I should've been there with you! If I had told Ren earlier, he could've watched over you, kept you away from the rain," she huffed and stomped her feet. She felt Pyrrha put her hand on her shoulder. The softness and warmth instantly calmed her down.

"If anyone should be blamed for what happened, it should be me," said Pyrrha. "I asked you not to tell Ren or Jaune about my phobia. You kept a secret even though you felt uncomfortable about it. I appreciated that, Nora. I chose to sign up for the mission, knowing there was a risk for rain. I could have told Ren myself, but I didn't. Truth be told, I sort of was hoping there would be rain. I thought that exposing myself to my fear would harden me." She paused to sigh. "I was wrong… so very wrong."

Noticing the gloomy look in her face, Nora stepped up and put her arm around Pyrrha's. The simple gesture brought a smile to her face. "So, what are you gonna do today? Need my help with something?" asked Nora.

Pyrrha rubbed her chin and pondered for a few seconds. "I… I'm not sure to be honest. The only thing I know is that I'm going to contact my therapist later today and ask her if she has a time available for me in the near future. I would like to meet and talk to her as soon as possible."

Nora nodded. She knew the therapist had both education and experience to help Pyrrha, but she did so because it was her job. Nora had no education about therapy or psychology, but her reason to help Pyrrha was that she cared deeply for her.

"You wanna… talk about yesterday? I'm no headshrinker, well, unless you count hammering heads with Maggy 'head shrinking,' but I'm always up for listening and talking with you. Free of charge, of course," she said, giggling briefly.

"Thank you, Nora," replied Pyrrha sincerely. "Can we go to the dorm now? I would like to rest for a moment."

Arm to arm, Nora and Pyrrha began to stroll away from the main avenue and into the interior of the academy. Nora was not sure if the silence between them was meant to be comfortable or awkward, but then she realized that if she had to ask, it was more likely the latter, at least from her point of view. She saw Pyrrha's gaze wander aimlessly, rarely fixing upon anything or anyone. She wanted to say something, anything, but could not find the words.

After taking a breath, Pyrrha finally broke the silence. "What… what I experienced in the rain wasn't even close to just fear; it was absolute terror. The rain was so intense it felt like I was walking on the bottom of an ocean," she said in a hushed tone, only wanting Nora to hear her.

Nora saw herself as a very sympathetic person. Together with her vivid imagination, she pictured the sounds and images of the terror that Pyrrha had experienced. Whether her imagination was accurate or not, she felt an unpleasant shiver surge through her from head to toe.

"When I panicked, everything that was me vanished. The only thing that remained within me was my fear." Pyrrha grimaced and shook her head, rubbing her eyes. "I would like to talk more about it, but later. Okay?" she asked, to which Nora nodded. Now was not the best time and place to talk.

A short while later, she and Pyrrha arrived to their dorm. As soon as Pyrrha stepped in, she dropped her bag onto the floor and walked over to her bed, deliberately falling forward onto the soft mattress. "Mhmm, feels good to lie in my bed again. The couch I slept on last night was a bit lumpy." She paused for a short moment as she looked at the clock. "We've got two hours until class, so I think I'll have myself a long nap."

Nora sat down on her own bed, bouncing up and down softly. "I could use one, too! I was up all night reading comic books. Wanna nap… together?" She asked awkwardly, hoping she was not making a fool out of herself. She did not really need a nap, but there was no need for Pyrrha to know that. She tensed up from seeing her raise an eyebrow at her, not knowing if she did so out of surprise, confusion or disapproval.

"Sure, why not," agreed with a smile. She shifted sideways on the bed and gestured for Nora to come join her.

Hesitation prevented Nora from throwing herself onto Pyrrha's bed with a cheer. She felt she needed clarification on something before she dared to make any move. "Pyrrha, um, can I ask something? Not to ruin the cozy mood for us, but last week you said that you didn't wanna sleep together. Then, two days ago, you asked if I wanna hold you as you went to bed. I'm not saying you're being a hypocrite or anything! I'm just feeling a bit… confused."

Pyrrha looked a bit ashamed. "About what I said before… I don't know what I was really thinking. I still don't. I felt somewhat confused back then, I guess. I regret some of what I said, and more importantly, how I said it."

Nora nodded slowly, but the answer only made her more uncertain. "Soooo, what are you saying?"

"It would be cold of me to not let a friend hug me." Pyrrha's cheeks reddened, and she beamed shyly as she tried to elaborate, "I… I guess what I'm saying is that, I see nothing wrong with the two of us sleeping in the same bed or… cuddling. You know, as a once in a while thing." She spoke a little slower than normal, as if carefully picking the right words in other to avoid mistakes or further confusion. "Are you okay with that?"

"Got it! Coming right over then! Make way for Nora!" Nora strode over and jumped, landing next to Pyrrha on the bed, bouncing a few times before coming still. She then made herself comfortable by straightening herself out close to her.

"Feeling comfortable?" asked Pyrrha.

"Almost!" replied Nora before she carefully asked, "You mentioned cuddling. Does…does that mean I can hold you?" Had things been different, she would already have embraced her by now. She had been given a privilege, and she would not ruin it, again.

Pyrrha was seemingly amused by her uncharacteristic behavior. "Relax, Nora. I'm not a princess made of glass. Hold me if you feel like it. Just, don't 'honk' my breasts, alright?" she said and giggled.

Nora inched herself closer. With a delighted sigh, she rested her head on Pyrrha's shoulder, keeping an arm over her stomach. Wow! Has she always felt this warm and soft?! I've missed it so much! Nora could not stop herself from shivering for a split-second as she felt Pyrrha put her arm around her shoulders.

As they closed their eyes, only a minute of silence passed before Nora broke it. "Ba-thump… ba-thump… ba-thump…," she whispered and repeated a few times.

"What are you doing?" asked Pyrrha with a quizzical frown, keeping her eyelids closed.

"Listening to the sweet music of your heart, of course!"

"There's nothing special it. Everyone has one."

"Maybe, but this one is yours! And that makes it special! Ahh! It's beating faster and stronger now! I can dance to the rhythm! Someone's getting excited!" To her delight, she elicited a brief, yet hearty giggle from Pyrrha.

"Oh, Nora, behave. Listen if you must. It's not like I can turn my heart off. Just do it quietly."

As much as she loved having Pyrrha as a friend to cuddle with, being so close to her in bed was a strong reminder about her burning desire for their friendship to become something more. It was a dream, which she still believed was achievable.

A few days later, Pyrrha was sitting outside Tawny Katz's office for the second time, waiting for the therapist to open the door and ask her to come in. She had been nervous the first time she had come to the clinic, as she had never been to a therapist before. She remembered how relieved she had felt after the session had ended, feeling more confident in how to handle her phobia. Her nervousness now, however, was nothing in comparison.

Her stomach felt so tense it was painful. Every passing minute felt agonizingly slow. She desperately wanted to talk to Tawny right away, needing to ease herself of all the pain and doubt that she had kept bottled ever since her panic attack.

I wish Nora was with me. It would be easier to relax knowing that she is waiting for me outside, ready to comfort and listen to me.

Pyrrha suddenly heard the door handle being turned. The door opened, revealing the familiar, bespectacled, dark orange-haired Faunus woman clad in a business suit.

"Hello again, Pyrrha. It is good to see you." Tawny greeted the teenager with a warm smile.

"Hello. Thank you for seeing me again." Pyrrha smiled back at her and entered the office. She knew the routine by now, and went to sit down on the same couch she had sat on last week. It did not feel as comfortable as last time. Maybe it was because of the tension in her body.

Tawny sat down on a chair in front of her, beginning the session. "Several days have passed since you were last here. Do you still feel good about coming here and talking to me, letting me listen to what burdens you? You are, after all, here on your own free will."

"Yes," answered Pyrrha, nodding, "I feel it helps me, and I want to continue coming here until I feel the past no longer troubles me," she said calmly, her voice laced with determination.

Tawny smiled in pleased manner. "Good to hear." She took out her notepad and clicked her pen, preparing herself to write her notes. "Now then, let us see what today's session will bring us. Has anything happened lately in regard to your aquaphobia?"

The very first thing that came to Pyrrha's mind was her latest, severe panic attack that had almost been the death of her. However, she bitterly swallowed her first impulse and decided to talk about something that had happened before that. "Last week, I had a nightmare. It was my first one in weeks." She recalled how she had abruptly snapped out of the nightmare, waking up confused and sweaty.

"A nightmare?" echoed Tawny. "Interesting. Do you remember what happened in it?"

Pyrrha remained silent for a few seconds as she tried to recall as many details as possible. The images and sounds had been vague and fleeting, yet they had shaken her spirit to the very core. "I was walking by myself… somewhere outdoors. I heard the ground break beneath my feet. I think it was the sound of… ice cracking. I grabbed onto the edge as I fell into the hole. I screamed for help, but I was alone. No one would come and save me. It made me feel so… helpless. I lost my grip… and that's all I can remember."

"Hmmm… alone and helpless? Do you remember if that was what also you felt when you fell through the ice last year?"

As Tawny asked that, Pyrrha became silent for another moment as she realized something. She connected part of the nightmare's symbolism with her drowning accident. "I… I think so. As I plunged into the water, I was shocked at first. But then I thought just a few swim strokes would take me back up to the surface, but I only succeed in slowing my descent. I then realized that I wouldn't be able to reach the surface on my own. Someone needed to save me… but I was all alone beneath the ice." Her bare arms suddenly felt cold. She rubbed them up and down to create some warmth.

Tawny nodded slowly while writing down notes on her notepad. "Okay. We shall talk more about the nightmare later. Besides that, has something else happened?"

Pyrrha hesitated. If I tell her about my panic attack, she might tell Ozpin I must pause my training, maybe forever. I… I don't want that to happen. What do I do? Her hand squeezed the armchair. If I lie or withhold information from her, that can make things even worse and undermine the very purpose why I'm here…



"Yes," she began softly, "something much worse than a nightmare." She took a second to take a deep breath. "Last week, one of my teammates and I were sent to a farm that had been attacked by the Grimm. Just when we had almost killed all of them… it began to rain."

"I remember it raining quite a lot last week. What happened to you?"

Pyrrha lowered her gaze to look at her hands in her lap, noticing how her fingers were idly fiddling. She interlocked them to keep them still. They itched to be released and resume fiddling. "The fear… it overwhelmed me. I couldn't act or think," she whispered.

"Would you say that you felt alone and helpless again?"

"I wasn't really, but I thought I was. My partner had to go so far as to render me unconscious to stop me from panicking. If I had been alone, the Grimm would've killed me."

I trust Ren as a friend and teammate, yet I still felt alone. What does that say about me? Pyrrha rubbed her eyes. She felt tears building up, but managed to hold them back, barely. "Tawny, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course you can."

"Does… does this mean you're going to tell Ozpin that I must quit my training?" Pyrrha asked, her lower lip trembling, fearing what her therapist might say next. Her destiny was in someone else's hands.

Tawny looked sympathetically at her. She seemed to notice the tears in her eyes, and gave her a tissue. "I will not make any decisions just yet. I am always honest to my patients, Pyrrha. That is why I say that it is indeed a bad sign that the rain made you panic. However, I still believe there is hope for you. We cannot just throw in the towel at the first stumble or setback, now can we? This is a process, Pyrrha. It's not going to magically get better with just one session. Together, we shall find out why you panicked and find a way to better handle it in the future."

Pyrrha took the tissue and wiped her eyes with it. It was not much, but she felt that the therapist's words renewed a small amount of hope within her. She clung onto that hope, never wanting it to disappear. Without it, she would only have despair.

Tawny continued and changed the subject, "Your nightmare and panic attack are both interesting matters to discuss. However, I also want to talk to you about something that may or may not be related to your aquaphobia. How are things between you and Nora? The girl who has been helping you?"

Pyrrha blinked and frowned, trying to understand what the older woman was getting at. "N-Nora? I'm sorry, but, why do you ask about her?"

"I have studied the notes I made during last week's session, and come to a possible theory. Pyrrha, you exhibited anxiety when you talked about your drowning incident, just the way you do now. That is perfectly normal for someone who has been traumatized. However, I took notice of how you also exhibited similar anxiety when you talked about your friend. That made me curious."

"I… I did?" I don't want to believe it… but she would have no reason to make up such a claim.

"Correct. From what you have told me, Nora has been helping you a great deal. Is it possible that she has been helping you so much that you have become dependent on her?"

Is being helped too much really a problem?

She had not thought of it that way before. She believed that problems should be carried and solved together with friends and family. After her drowning accident, Pyrrha had done the mistake to try to carry her burden by herself, hiding it from others, believing she alone could solve it over time.

"Are you suggesting I should tell Nora not to help me anymore?" asked Pyrrha.

"Oh, not at all. I think your relation with her is healthy for you. Like you said last week, it is much thanks to her that you came to me. However, it would not be fair to give her all the credit, right? The two of you need to find a balance. She should continue supporting you, but you also need to learn how to mend yourself without her. She cannot, and will not always be by your side." Tawny paused, and then asked, "Pyrrha, do you think you would have been less scared if Nora had been with you when panicked in the rain?"

Pyrrha recalled how upset she had felt after waking up at the guesthouse, listening to the intense rain outside. After having called and talked to Nora, however, a great amount of unease had been lifted off from her, allowing Pyrrha a relatively peaceful night. She still wished Nora could have been with her that night in person. "Yes… I am sure of that," she answered. She was beginning to understand what Tawny was getting at.

Nora had been with her the day when she was dragged into the pool, when she was given a sponge bath, when she showered extensively and visited the swimming pool again in an attempt to make her overcome her fear. It was Nora who had rescued her from Cardin's attack with a water hose. Nora's bright spirit and endless mirth had been there to comfort Pyrrha every time she got scared.

I'm eternally grateful for everything she has done for me. I don't think I could possibly ask for a better friend. If it were not for her patience and care, I would likely be at Mistral with my parents right now, going through therapy at full time.

Something, however, did not make sense to Pyrrha. "But, Tawny, you said I seemed nervous when I talked about Nora. Why would I be like that if she has been nothing but a helpful friend to me?"

"You have the answers within you, Pyrrha. I can only help you find them. It is you who must bring them out. I do, however, have another theory that might help you in your search. I believe your subconscious is fighting a war on two fronts: against your fear of drowning, but also against your feelings towards Nora that are… unresolved. I do not know if it is a fear of Nora, or rather a fear of being without Nora, but there is something about your friend that is making you hesitate, filling you with uncertainty. That allows your aquaphobia to grow stronger. If you want to truly overcome that fear, I think you need to settle whatever differences there are with Nora. Simplify the battle, settle one front, and the other will be a little easier to fight."

"Huh? B-but, Nora and I are good friends. There's nothing bad between us."

Tawny narrowed her eyes behind her glasses. "I never said that there was anything bad between you two. Just that things are unresolved, whatever that might be. Only you know the answer."

Throughout the rest of the session, Pyrrha and Tawny continued talking about the nightmare and panic attack more in detail. Mean while, Pyrrha kept thinking about what she had been told about her friend.

What do I need to resolve with Nora?

Later that day, as Pyrrha returned to the academy, Nora was there to greet her once again with a warm smile and hug. She had wanted to follow Pyrrha to her therapist, to act as her support once again, a shoulder to lean on. It had been tempting to skip class a second time, but Nora had no desire to make it a habit. Even though her intentions had been noble, a teacher had scolded and punished her with extra homework. Next time she would not be able to get off so easily.

As Nora pushed the door open to the dorm, with Pyrrha following close behind, she saw something small, white, and flat lying on the floor just in front of the doorframe. "Hmm? What's this?" Nora crouched down to pick up an envelope. She flipped it around to examine it. To her surprise, her name had been handwritten on the back.

"A letter?" said Pyrrha, as if surprised to one see at all. "Not many write those these days. Someone must have slid it in beneath the door. Are you expecting company?"

Nora shook her head. "Not really." Her face then lit up in excitement. "Oooh! You think I have been randomly selected for a competition?" she wondered, bouncing up and down on her toes.

"I wouldn't think so, Nora. Writing a letter to someone is more personal. Who knows though, it could be from a secret admirer here at the academy," Pyrrha said, chuckling lightly. "Go ahead and open it," she gently encouraged, sounding curious to learn who had written the letter, and why.

Nora bit off a small corner of the envelope and stuck her fingers in, prying it open and taking out the letter. The gaze from her turquoise eyes darted from side to side, steadily working her way down the paper, taking in the handwritten words. The message of the letter was indeed personal, more personal than she wanted.

Her excited smile vanished, and her mouth dropped open. She felt her face growing cold. As she finished reading, she slowly lowered the letter, letting it fall from her hands. Thousands of thoughts raced and screamed in her head as she tried to comprehend what she had just read. A myriad of unhappy memories were violently dredged up.

"What did it say? Who was it from?" asked Pyrrha.

Nora tried to talk, but her mouth felt numb. She turned around and looked up to Pyrrha. Is it just me or… is the room… spinning? "Pyrr… ha," she whispered, taking a slow and unsteady step toward her. "I-" As she took a second step, her eyes rolled behind their lids and her legs buckled, causing her to topple forward. The last thing that went through her head, before her mind went black, was Pyrrha's voice yelling her name.

Pyrrha gasped, reacting quickly to step forward and put her arms around her falling friend. "Nora!" she cried out, noticing how Nora had become limp as a doll.

Carefully, Pyrrha lowered her and laid her down on the floor. "Nora! Wake up!" she yelled, gently shrugging her. To her dismay, the only response she received was silence and stillness. Her face was sickly pale, as if the blood had been drained from it. She experienced the same type of fear she had felt when she thought Nora had drowned in the pool.

She managed to relax a little after checking that Nora was still breathing. Pyrrha glanced at the letter lying on the floor. I shouldn't read it… but I must know what shocked her so badly that she fainted. Pyrrha reached for it and began to read.

My dear Nora

It has been nearly eighteen years since I brought you into this world and cradled you in my arms. It feels like an eternity has passed since I made my life's biggest mistake, to have walked away from you and your father. I cannot even try to imagine all the sadness, anger, and confusion you have felt, and are likely still feeling.

Words alone can never express how sorry and ashamed I am. I am not looking to defend what I did. My failure as a mother can never be undone. However, I want to give you the chance for closure, or perhaps a chance to forgive me.

If you want to meet in person to talk or yell at me, to ask me questions, I will be staying for a week at the Bifrost hotel in Vale City. If you do not want to see me, I perfectly understand why, and will never trouble you again.

Whatever you decide, I want you to know that I love you, Nora, and I am proud to see you having grown up into a young and strong woman following the path of a huntress. I hope you will one day have children of your own, and be a better mother than I ever was.

Your mother, Jorda.

"Oh, Nora…," whispered Pyrrha sadly as she looked at the unconscious form of her friend. Even though she was not the one the letter was addressed to, Pyrrha was still shocked from reading it. Why is your mother suddenly interested in reuniting with you after all these years? Perhaps her conscious finally caught up with her.

She was not sure what she would do if her own mother had abandoned her as a baby, and then wanted to reunite after many years. It did not really matter what she thought. What would Nora think?

Not wanting Nora to rest and recover on the uncomfortable floor, Pyrrha lifted her up and placed her down on her bed instead. She then sat down on the edge. She wanted to be with Nora the moment when she would wake up. Pyrrha found herself staring at her still face. It was as if she was simply sleeping. Pyrrha recalled what Tawny had said earlier.

Where is the supposed hesitation coming from? Why would I be scared of someone so happy and caring as Nora? It doesn't make sense at all. Tawny's theory must be wrong, somehow.

"I'm not sure if you can hear me, but…" said Pyrrha softly as she interlocked her fingers around one of Nora's hands, squeezing it gently, "I want you to know that I'm here for you. I don't want you to go through this alone." She reached out with her other hand and tenderly stroked Nora's cheek. Her facial color was starting to look healthy again.

Pyrrha prepared herself for Nora's awakening, which she expected to be soon.

How will you react to your mother's return? Will you be confused? Sad? Fly into a fit of rage? Will you seek out and meet your mother for the first time, or ignore her? "Whatever you do, I'll be there to help you, just like you have been there for me."

End of chapter 11

Author's note: Are you surprised about Nora's mother returning? How do you think she will take it?

Nora is partially based on the Norse god Thor. The name of Nora's mother, Jorda, is based on Jord, Thor's mother. Jord means earth in modern Swedish and Old Norse.