Saint Seiya: The Legend of Seiya

95 - Freia's Deadly Battle

Valhalla Palace received a light blizzard that floated in the air before breaking up on the marble stones of a beautiful balcony where Hilda watched the range of mountains and forests distant on the horizon; behind her, always her counselors Sid and Siegfried, dressed in their Divine Robes and kneeling behind their mistress. An atmosphere of tension between the three of them, as the woman walked from one side of the balcony to the other.

"Excuse me, Miss Hilda." Alberich also appeared among them.

They all looked at the handsome young man, who was also wearing his sacred Divine Robe; aware that the rivalry between them could not be shown in front of Hilda, they all behaved on their knees waiting for the designs of Odin's representative in that land. Hilda's pale eyes reflected the white of the cursed sky of Asgard, and in the distance she saw a black figure looming against the sky and settling in her hand: a great northern crow, which she caressed to ward off the weariness of her flight. The animal cawed lightly and Hilda seemed to lose her breath for a moment before she released it to the freedom of its mysterious flights.

"Fenrir has betrayed us." Hilda communicated to the counselors behind her.

Among the God Warriors behind her there was some commotion and the three looked at each other, with Siegfried punching the ground in front of him and breaking the stone with his enormous strength.

"Not surprising." commented Alberich, drawing the dismayed eyes of everyone there. "Perhaps we were naive that she would fight alongside Asgard, given the tragedy that befell her family so many years ago."

"She is still a daughter of Asgard. That should be bigger than anything!" protested Siegfried.

"The family grief may have been greater than her duty to our land." added Sid.

"By Hel, I can't believe she betrayed Odin like that." the greatest of the God Warriors still disagreed. "We must get her and throw her in the dungeons."

"This is no time to grieve." said Hilda to them. "Our cursed land misses its valiant warriors of old."

"Our land misses any kind of warrior." said Alberich, with a certain venom.

Sid and Siegfried's livid faces immediately stared at him, but Alberich paid them no heed and his eyes remained riveted to the dress of the Valkyrie Hilda ahead of them, who was still looking down at Asgard. He continued, bravely.

"Miss Hilda, we are being attacked by the Sanctuary of Athena and we don't even have enough God Warriors who are loyal to this land we love so much. Perhaps it is time to revoke the arrest and pardon Sigmund, as he could certainly be of great help at this time, once it is now evident that we are being invaded."

"Alberich!" shouted Siegfried, getting to his feet and lunging at the man at the mention of his imprisoned brother's name. Once again Sid seemed slated to try to contain his friend and got up to separate the pair, and once again Alberich escaped death thanks to Hilda's strong voice that made them stop.

"Listen, Alberich, and listen to me very well." her eyes were heavy as if Odin was looking at them through her. "Sigmund's betrayal is as grave as that of Fenrir in her forest. To doubt my authority is to doubt Odin. His prison will not be revoked and we will no longer speak the prisoner's name from here to the end of this battle. Is that clear, Alberich?"

He was standing, removed from Siegfried's wrath, for after all the councilor seemed to insist on bringing that wound that hurt him so much inside before Hilda, the person he most esteemed. Siegfried knew well that Alberich did it on purpose, so that his heart would waver with hatred and disgust. But Alberich finally knelt before Hilda and swore.

"Forgive me, Miss Hilda. I will not repeat this mistake again."

"Very well." she finished. "Siegfried, tell me, where is Hagen?"