His Queen | Book 1

Three: A Night to Bestow

'Some say, the world will end in fire. Flames rising from the depths and leaving nothing but ash and death. Others say it will end in ice. A series of winters freezing over the Nine Realms. It sates itself on the life-blood of fated men, paints red the powers' homes with crimson gore. Black become the sun's beams in the summers that follow, weathers all treacherous. Do you still seek to know? And what? Brothers will fight and kill each other, sisters' children will defile kinship. It is harsh in the world, whoredom rife — an axe age, a sword age — shields are riven — a wind age, a wolf age — before the world goes headlong. No man will have mercy on another...'

Sigyn paced with a heavy leather-bound book in hand. Her eyes scanned the ink stained pages invoked so deeply it was as if she was inside the story, seeing it through her eyes; Ragnarok. The light breeze hailing through the mountain valley creeping its way through open balcony doors, playfully lapping at the ends of her dress.

Sigyn forgot the world around her. The wailing of the wind was nothing but shouts of battle. Metal clashing together, wooden shields splintering, the cawing of crows as they feasted on the dead - The wind became harsh. It blew the pages away with a fierce whip of its kiss, whipping her white hair around her face.

"That wind is freezing!" Nanna exclaims, hugging herself tighter.

Sigyn brushed back her locks of white hair, trying to find the page she was just on.

Forseti runs between her legs with a blade in hand, shouting, "To battle!"

Sigyn drops the book rushing after the nine year old. "Forseti, no!" she shouts, picking up her dress. Nanna turns hearing there commotion and screams in fright. She drops the brush and stumbles over her feet in attempt to grab her son.

"Put down the dagger!"

Forseti laughs launching himself across the bed. Sigyn throws herself after the boy, her fingers snagging his cape and she yanks him down. Forseti shouts as he is forcefully slapped into the bed. Nanna throws herself over the small boy and rips the dagger from his hand. She begins to scold her son.

Sigyn lets out a breath, now disheveled. She makes her way to the vanity while Nanna heavily scolds her son to the brink of tears.

"I was just playing."

"You can't play with a blade, you'll stab yourself or hurt someone!" Nanna's cheeks were red with frustration.

Hnoss and Gersemi emerge from the bathhouse freshly bathed and dressed for the feast tonight. "What's going on?" Hnoss pads into the chamber barefooted.

"Forseti has somehow found a dagger." explained Nanna, putting the blade on top of a shelf.

"He's much like his father in that sense." says Gersemi.

Sigyn laughs, fixing her wavy white hair in the mirror. The twins come to the mirror where they use the blush and lipstick.

"I remember the tales father used to tell us about Asgard." Sigyn says, softly.

Nanna looks at her younger sister through the mirror.

"He used to say the entire palace and even the city was made from gold. And the Bifrost, how he said it was a beautiful rainbow bridge that connects our world, I never believed him, until today. Coming into Asgard makes you feel glorious."

Hnoss pushes for a smile. "Do you feel glorious?"

"Not really." confessed Sigyn. She leaves the vanity for Hnoss and Gersemi to fight over the seat. She admired the city from her chambers in one of the towers in the palace. The city of Asgard. She had heard many a tale of the ruling realm and about its tall golden standing structures, vast mountains, and ocean waters that fell into deep space. It was a sight to bestow and nothing the legends had said prepared her for what it really was. Golden and shining with a setting sun painting the skies gold and pink. Glorious and beautiful.