The Lady of Midgard [Book 1]

Chapter 2

"Heimdall, we need to send her back immediately!"

"I can't Your Highness the sword won't turn to open or close the bifrost."

"That is probably why she is even here in the first place."

"Look! The bifrost has now stopped so we have time to work this out."

"The sword is still stuck and we are unable to reopen it."

"I think we should discuss this situation with father." Casting a sideyed glance in your direction.

While the men stood there arguing you slowly got to your feet and backed out of their way towards one of the walls keeping Áedán behind you. The blonde haired man with the red cape nodded at one of the others and turned towards where you were standing, making his way over. Your eyes widened in panic.

"Come with me my lady, I think my father will be able to fix this."

He started walking out of a doorway you hadn't noticed before, turning and gesturing to follow when he realised you still hadn't moved. Hesitant to step outside but realising you had nowhere else to really go you slowly walked towards the doorway. Catching sight of what lay beyond had your mind thinking this was a dream. Or you were dead.

Valaskjalf

It didn't exist. It couldn't exist. This was a place only in myth. You must have dozed off under the tree, it was the only way your mind could explain what you saw. The great golden palace you had only read about in books rising like steps towards the sky towering above a city that lay at its feet. In the distance beyond the palace you spotted mountains that appeared tiny next to the glory of Asgard. A bridge of what looked like glass sparkling with rainbow light stretched off in front of you.

The other two walked past as you were still trying to comprehend what was in front of you. Realising the others were already heading towards the palace, you grabbed Áedán's hand and trailed after them, still staring in awe at what lay before you. The bifrost was longer than it appeared, stopping to pick up Áedán after his whining about his legs being tired finally registered in your brain.

A low rumbling sounded out around you making the ground shake beneath your feet. None of the others stopped so you kept walking after them, noticing they were quickening their steps as you tried to keep up. Tremors could be felt every now and then as you walked, the last one causing you to stumble with its force, almost dropping Áedán as you tried to catch yourself. It was that one that caused them to stop, the man with the red cape turning and looking with a frown at the golden dome behind you.

"Quickly my lady, we need to hasten our steps," he said when he looked at you and noticed how far behind you were.

Rolling your eyes you stopped to adjust Áedán to hold him better wishing they would just slow down a touch. Honestly it was hard trying to keep up with their larger steps when carrying a child but you didn't dare consider putting Áedán down.

Before you even went to take a step forward another tremor occurred causing you to fall to your knees with the force of it. Just as you managed to get back on your feet an explosion blasted out behind you.

Áedán screamed.

'This is it,' you thought, 'if I'm not already dead I'm definitely now'. Squeezing your eyes shut you held onto Áedán tightly waiting for your demise.

Instead of pain or burning, which is what you expected to feel, you felt two hands grab your shoulders, everything spinning as you were enveloped in a strong embrace holding tight as the resulting destruction echoed around you.

A silence filled the gap once it had stopped and you realised someone was holding you, their breath ruffling your hair; Áedán held protectively between you both. How or why or who you didn't know as the others had been so far in front of you...