Forbidden Love (Rewritten) | Arthur Pendragon

24 • THE LAST DRAGONLORD

The transition from a commoner's life to a princess's life had not been easy. Eowyn was still quite struggling with all the courtly rules and etiquette. Lady Sif, Bearach's wife, had become her governess and was missioned to teach Eowyn every she had to know about the nobility. For instance, she had always believed to have a good posture until Lady Sif taught her how to walk; spine straight, chin a little up, breast a little puffed, and the hands crossed before her. And of course, she must maintain this posture and presence at all times. A princess must radiate elegance but confidence, beauty but authority. However, it was not very easy in gowns longer than her own height which was also enhanced with elevated platform shoes called chopines. According to Lady Sif, it was necessary to know how to walk in these as, whenever she would walk the streets, she was required to wear them to avoid dirtying the hem of her dress too much. However, it was the very first time for Eowyn to try such shoes. As an apprentice, she was required to always be moving quite a lot, so pieces of leather sewn around her feet were enough. Chopines were similar to a whole new world for her and she had, multiple times, almost twisted her ankles. But, after a week of walking around the castle in chopines, it was as if she was born with them. Besides, she did like the feeling of being a little taller.

Lady Sif's teaching helped Eowyn quite a bit when she was presented to the High Council and the court. She did not have to do much except stand still as Bearach introduced her and explained the hows and whys. The Volva's predictions, the crowns beneath the castle, flee from Usad, he told them everything but still kept the prophecy a secret. The less people know, the better it would be.

It had eased Eowyn when seeing no hostility from the High Council and the court. All noticed her resemblance with both Elvira and Arno, and the fact she was in possession of the Hjàlparinn that was believed to be lost was the piece of evidence they needed. Only the rulers or heirs to Usad could possibly be in possession of one of the Four Sacred Protectors of Usad.

Eowyn's new life at the castle consisted mainly of studying. It would be reckless to introduce her to the people yet and give her too many responsibilities. Before that, she was to render her knowledge of Usad acute. So she spent every day in the Great Library studying. History of Usad, geography, legends, politics, war strategy, foreign history, she studied everything. Luckily, half of the subjects were already more or mastered by her. She struggled more when it came to war and would often require Lady Liv's help, or Bearach's when it comes to politics. Ulric, on the other hand, would teach her everything there was to know about Usad's culture, and in a matter of weeks only, Eowyn had already become an expert, which did not fail to impress everyone. After all, Ljosalfars was gifted with great intelligence and surprising memorization skills. The gods, the Nine Realms, the stories, she knew everything and if she wanted more details, she could still seek Heimdall in the Volva Room.

The most difficult study was the Valkyrie training she was also following. As the Princess of Usad, she was thereby the Army General of both the Knights and the Valkyries. As such, she had to know how to wield any type of weapon. Under Lady Eldrid's supervision, she understood the labor and ordeal Arthur had been going through from a young age. Every time a training session would end, Eowyn would feel as if she had been dragged around the city or had pulled a heavy wheelbarrow on her own for kilometers.

But of all the comprehensive courses she was following, her favorite may be the Study of the Norse Arts with Osmond Trygg. He was a member of the High Council despite his young age. He had taken over his father who had retired. He was a great knight, but most of all, a Dokkalfar. Eowyn had met him during her introduction to the court. He was quite the handsome man with a neatly trimmed beard and combed black hair. Eowyn had not known what he was at then, but it became clearer the day after. She had been studying the Ljosalfar Book in the royal gardens. Lady Sif had been teaching her Old Norse and Eowyn could now understand it, though she still struggled. She had begun a chapter on Seidr when she heard a voice.