Servant of Jotunheim

Dream

That night I have the most vivid dream. I see my mother just as she was pictured in the book, a young woman full of such life. She is walking through a forest with a boy that is slightly older than herself.

He appears to be happy in her company, but her expression would suggest that she feels quite the opposite.

Azalea: "Naris, may we stop for a moment?" she asks before sitting upon a nearby log.

Naris: "Certainly. Is something amiss?"

Azalea: "Are you truly happy with our courtship?"

Naris: "How could I not be? You will soon be the most beautiful bride the nine realms has ever seen and I will be your devoted husband" he smiles.

Azalea: "But it was our parents that arranged all of this. Do you not wish to marry for love?"

Naris: "I do love you, Azalea, and in time you will learn to feel the same. All I ask of you is that we share a bed after we marry so that I may have a male heir".

Azalea: "I am sorry, but I do not wish to marry you, Naris. My heart belongs to another and I can deny it no longer".

Naris: "Another prince?"

Azalea: "No, he is not".

Naris: "What can he possibly hope to give you that I cannot? I will make you my Queen and give you everything!"

Azalea: "Love cannot be bought, Naris!"

Naris: "So you let him fuck you, is that it!?"

Azalea: "How dare you speak to me this way!?"

Naris: "You are nothing but a whore!" he angrily grabs her wrist.

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My eyes quickly open when I wake up. The King is not here, so I go to freshen up before coming back to look through the book and the picture of my mother once more.

Had what witnessed in my dream been true, a vision perhaps or was it nothing more than a nightmare due to my confusion over recent revelations?

Loki: "I brought you some breakfast" he enters with a silver tray in his hands.

Me: "Thank you" I reply, still staring at her picture.

Loki: "The resemblance between you is quite remarkable".

Me: "With everything that came to light yesterday, I have been so wrapped up in myself that I have completely overlooked the fact that you are still grieving. You must think me selfish".

Loki: "You are far from selfish. I should have told you the truth myself".

Me: "Something is still bothering me".

Loki: "And what is that?"

Me: "How was it that my mother became stranded on Jotunheim? She was far too intelligent a woman to have made such a careless error".

Loki: "I suppose we may never know".

Me: "There may be someone who knows".

Loki: "I know what you are thinking and the answer is no, Valanya" he says sternly.

Me: "My entire family was murdered and I need to know why. He may be the one of the few still alive that knows the truth of what happened. To Hel with the consequences".

Loki: "King Naris, his father and the former King of Alfheim conspired together to kill your family".

Me: "What of the current King of Alfheim?"

Loki: "He is his father's son and Naris was married to his sister so he cannot be trusted".

Me: "My mother would never have known that her entire family had perished. Where is the justice for her, for all of them?"

Loki: "What would you have me do? Invite King Naris to Asgard for dinner?"

Me: "I need time to think about all of this. May I be permitted to visit the library?"

Loki: "Of course. I will ensure you are not disturbed" he sighs.