Electrostatic

Velkomin

Velkomin

 "No one is a total fool if he knows when to hold his tongue." - Grettir's Saga

The stench of compost brewed with rotting wood was pungent, my boots coated in sludge as I followed one of Matias's "Roaches" through the Palace gardens. I had learned the girl was named Hilda she could not have been older than eight, an underfed exceptionally dirty child. Hilda was small for her age an orphan she had been left behind when her family fled Asgard.

Hilda silent as a mouse and delicate as a bird had explained how Matias was not as dreadful as he appeared. In his unique way he had given many orphans a home when their Asgardian relatives desperately fled to whatever corner of the universe was convenient. Despite the roaches roles in his business; they had been the fortunate ones. They had a makeshift refuge family and the Merchant Matias played their adoptive father.

"I'm much quieter than the boys! That's why father sends me into the castle grounds they maybe small enough to fit through the vents and sewers but only I can climb in silence!" Hilda puffed out her chest with pride as she explained she was the best roach Matias possessed in his ranks.

"Well he certainly sent me on this important pursuit with the very best." I sent a sweetened smile to the petite red head. Displaying the wide gap in her teeth she did the same.

Baffled, I assumed gaining access to palace would be a herculean effort? One I was trained rigorously for, I endured combat training, acrobatics together with stealth trials. The light elves were persistent for years. I had been prepared for great resistance I was not to be welcomed with open arms, my very voyage here was under cloak and dagger. Odin had ripped open the kingdom in vain because of me I undoubtedly had to fight... someone?

I was under the pretence the wears in the market were stolen with great risk or furious battles with guards. The somber reality was that like an abandoned home the Palace was there for the taking; if you could climb high enough, scale gates or cross moats. Matias' street children revelled at the challenge, seeing the Palace as a giant playground they had carved out holes in the brickwork, torn down narrow gaps in the boarded up windows. And created a scattering of rope ladders that climbed to sickening sky high balconies. Sadly after a brief inspection they only held the weight of a child.

Flashes of memories pulsed through my mind; hands entwined, the feeling of a warm sunset stroll along Jasmine covered arches. Thor's poetic voice telling stories from his childhood, his golden hair glowing in the dying sunlight. Those images a polar opposite to the sight in front of me, Hilda lazily hit the empty iron arches with a stick. Sending a clang ringing, it disturbed the dry dead jasmine roots allowing them to come cascading down like confetti.

"What happened to being the quiet roach?" Raising my eyebrow to the skipping girl.

"Don't worry you only have to be silent when you hear the screams. Father said if you see green run. It means he's coming for you!" For the first time the brave little girl seemed to falter.

"Who? The King? Thor?" Hilda's strawberry lashes blinked a few times before she managed a whisper

"The monster under the castle.."

***

Hilda led me to the observatory wall at least six stories high the curved turret held the east wings sanctuary of the stars.

A pulling feeling in my chest reminded me of time I spent in the arms of Thor gazing through the great glass dome. Interpreting stories of dying stars and far off planets, worlds from Valhall to Kverghjelme. His finger tips softly trailing from my collar bones down past my shoulders. Petal soft kisses planted along my jaw...