Saint Seiya: The Legend of Seiya

107 - Dragon of the North

The Valhalla Palace that night was draped with its finest tapestries in the common room; there were even a few bards playing their lutes and harps solemnly as the high aristocracy of Asgard, who normally hid from the cold in their sumptuous houses in the High-Town, gathered in their most elegant and warmest attire for a very important reception inside the Palace.

Among the grown ups, who were enjoying the mead, three boys were running around a set table while laughing.

"Siegfried, Siegfried!"

One of the boys stopped when he heard his older brother call him out in public, causing the other two to also stop playing.

"Behave, the three of you!" said Sigmund sternly to his younger brother and also to the others. "Can't you see you're at an important reception? Stop running around and go sit down."

"I am hungry." protested Siegfried with a grimace.

"It won't help if you keep running around." said Sigmund with his eyes riveted on his younger brother. "And that goes for you two as well."

There was silence among the boys who looked at each other sadly, when the group was interrupted by one of the noble guests with a smile on his face and a golden adornment in his black hair.

"Why, Sigmund, these boys have a lot of energy. Let them spend a little and you'll find yourself having a peaceful night later at home."

"Master Andreas." Sigmund was surprised with the figure that had appeared, after all he was the master healer of Valhalla and not infrequently he needed to be called to attend to the wounds of those mischievous boys. "I understand, but today we will be meeting the Priestess and the Princess of Asgard, they should show some composure."

"All this pomp and scene are for us, grown ups, that lost our will to dream as we did when we were children." said the healer with a certain sweetness and turned to the boys.

Sigmund looked at that man crossing his authority with the children, when he noticed over his shoulder, that one of the greatest warriors in that land approached them. He was dressed in ceremonial clothing and had a huge thick mustache on his face.

"Sigmund, we need you there." he said with some urgency.

He took a deep breath and answered with another question, annoyed.

"Is it about Thor?"

"Come to the antechamber." temporized the stranger.

"You know how I feel about that, Folker, and I'm not one to hide my opinion. Thor should be here as much as we are."

"Please, Sigmund, follow me." said Folker, somewhat crossly.

Sigmund took a deep breath and looked back at Siegfried, who still seemed to be waiting for any outcome from that conversation between the so-called grown ups; the huge warrior knelt before Siegfried and placed his hands on his shoulder.

"Go outside, but come back for dinner. And I don't want to see any speck of dust on that coat of yours, Siegfried." he said, already cleaning a wool out of place.

And so Sigmund left beside Folker for an anteroom where the military minds of that Asgard of many years ago were gathered to decide on the group of warriors that would be part of the protection of the one that would be presented to the high court of Valhalla. Andreas gave the boys a sly smile and also returned to the adults' circle in what appeared to be a subdued party.

"Let's go." said Siegfried to the two, hiding from the eyes of the hall.

The boys followed little Siegfried who, in fact, was the biggest and oldest among the three; on the way out, they noticed the look of a little boy sitting and very well behaved next to his younger sister against the wall of the dining room.