Life On the Fjords

Homestead

When Jack checked on Jamie again in the morning, he was still asleep. He'd woken Mary up so they could have breakfast but thought it was best to let Jamie rest a little longer. Before he left, Jack fixed the blankets for him so Jamie was warm and snug.

At least they were somewhere Jack knew they were safe now; there were many nights he lied awake in fear the monster would creep past his bedroom and do something to the twins. Jack had been naive enough to believe that they'd all be sleeping better from now on. Right when Jack finished tucking Jamie in, Fafnir hopped on the bed and curled up beside him. Jack smirked; Fafnir must like him, and he bet Jamie would be happy to wake up next to him.

"Jackson?" Agnarr called to him in a hushed voice. "Could I speak with you for a moment?"

"Of course." He stood up at once and followed him outside the room. After he did, Jamie slept for another hour. It was a restless sleep, where he tossed and mumbled occasionally; words such as, "No," and, "Go away," When he finally awoke, he didn't remember his dreams, nor did he feel any more rested. He saw that Fafnir was beside him, but not Mary. He could hear her voice outside in the hall. She must be talking to Iduna because Jamie didn't hear anyone else.

He didn't feel ready to get out of bed, but he had a full bladder that needed his attention and he couldn't hold it for another minute. When he went to relieve himself, Jamie figured it would be a good idea to brush his teeth and wash his face since he was already in the bathroom. He supposed he should tend to his grumbling belly next.

The rug that was draped down the stairway wasn't a feeling that he was used to. He was accustomed to chilly wooden floors that creaked every now and again. Even cold, wet grass felt more familiar and inviting than this.

Mary finished her story with aplomb, "...And while he was still talking, I went flying into the fjord! I was so high up I felt my stomach drop!" Jamie knew what day she was talking about, that perfect day back in June. How did it feel like years ago, when everything was right?

Iduna giggled, "Goodness! I bet that water's cold!"

"It is, but it's so much fun to swim in! One time Monty's parents took us fishing; his dad caught a lot of big fish and then he cooked them for us."

"Well, living on the fjord does sound like an adventure. Here, I thought it was all farmwork." She finished putting away the dried plates.

"Jack did all the work. Sometimes we wouldn't even get to see him to tell him good morning or good night."

"That's because your brother's a hard worker, and he cares about you. He wants to make sure you both have everything you need."

Mary shrugged, not fully taking in the gravity of her words, "Yeah, but I wish he'd play with us some."

Jamie hadn't even made it to the bottom step when the front door opened. Jack was the first to enter, "Is Jamie awake?" He looked and saw him on the stairs, "You two, get dressed." He sounded choked with emotion, trying to contain himself. Both confounded, the twins put on some warm clothes and followed him outside where Agnarr and Elsa were waiting.

Elsa's eyes looked tired like she'd been crying. Agnarr smiled softly, "I have a surprise for you two." The children looked at each other—what did that mean? Together, they all walked down a small path leading them away from the manor, and then they continued to walk until they reached a quaint-looking home within the surrounding wood. It wasn't a far walk at all, but the noise of the city was gone and the Nordheim abode was no longer in view.

"Whose house is this?" Mary asked.

"It's yours." Agnarr answered, causing a jolt of bewilderment in the twins, just as it did Jack and Elsa. "The family that used to live in our house had a slew of servants who lived here. We had our live-in maid, so we didn't need this place... But I always thought, with a little work, it might make a nice wedding gift for my daughter."