The Nøkken and the Huntress.

1.) How we met.

It was the dawn of the year 510 in what would eventually be called Norway in the Østmarka region. The remnants of Skadi's kiss was fading away and the blooms of Spring started to appear, animals were out from hibernation and Midgardians were out eager for the hunt of fresh game.

As usual I was lurking at the bottom of a stagnant pond I called my home. I was full of worry thinking of my fraternal twin who just a few weeks before was cast down from Asgard for his treachery. Our father disappointed in him, gave word to me by Gná that I was to no way allow Näcken to accompany me to the ocean hall. The same message was sent out to our brothers and cousins of the sweetwater.

My thoughts were broken when I sensed vibrations run throughout the water. I looked up quickly and could see the outline of a woman. I kicked off from the silt and swam underneath the woman and pulled her out of the pond. I dragged her to an overgrown bank and I knelt beside her as she began to cough and sputter. Her red hair was plastered to her face and green cloak was sprawled out. There was a large scratch that was bleeding from her left cheek and her chest was bleeding from an unseen injury. I begin to look around and saw that there was a large dead wolf a few yards away from us. It must have attacked her as she was hunting.

Realizing she was well enough I began to slowly stand up and back away. I didn't want her to see me and potentially try to harm me. Her coughing began to cease and I quickly scrambled into my pond, as I looked above me under the murk I could see her standing with her hair framing her face. She smiled at...me? Or was it the water? An older man then rushed up to her and put a hand on her bleeding chest. He looked at the water and took his fist to his chest and did a respectful half bow. He knelt and reached out retrieving her bow and few arrows and got back up and turned the woman away as they left.

A few weeks have passed and I was sitting on a half sunken log, patiently watching and waiting for something entertaining to happen. I heard a soft knock on a tree somewhere behind me.
I turned around and saw someone in a large dark green cloak who I assumed is the woman that I saved from drowning.
She lowered the hood and smiled at me but still has a cautious form. I just stared at her, surprised that she wasn't averting her gaze away from my shameful body of wood roots and plants.

Eventually she said to me: "I just came here to say thank you for saving me. After I was attacked I didn't have the energy to get myself out of the water. I'm surprised I didn't sink instantly." Still thrown off by her speaking to me I simply responded in my best Norwegian: "Don't thank me. What is your name."

"It is Eføy. Eføy Folkevenn."

"Folkevenn, I like that. As you already know I am Nøkken." I smiled trying my best not to be creepy. She seemed at ease and made her way towards me on the bank. She knelt an arms reach from me with a calm half smile. The still healing gash on her cheek flexed crookedly as she began to speak.
"I never had the honor to see one of the fair folk. I'm glad you were able to meet on such odd circumstances. I'm not ashamed to admit I am a tad bit nervous to be around you like I said before I've never met something that looks human but is far from it."

I just observed her with curiosity. Here she is a woman, a Midgardian woman at that and she's speaking to me without a fear in the realm just nervousness. Talking to me as if we've known each other since time. This is one of the things I often wished my relatives and other creatures would be more like. Whenever a sibling or cousin would come by they would usually stay for a few minutes and would leave. In that time frame they would barely speak full sentences to me. Usually, they would just respond with a 'yes' or 'splendid' just to name a few things said. But with my twin, whenever he came by to oversee what was going on at the various shrines that honored him he would stay a week or more with me. I would talk to him about what Asgard looks like and about what he does up there.

I snapped out of my phase.
"Don't be nervous the Nix are just like you and me. The only special thing is that we don't age and water breathe. Anyway how is your chest?"

"I'll keep that in mind Nøkken. My chest is alright. It's still sore but the pain is tolerable." A distant yelling could be heard. I could faintly make out "Eføy". The huntress tensed a bit and sighed.

"I apologize that this has to be cut short. My uncle probably wants to check out my injuries. Goodbye."

"Be careful and you're welcome to visit whenever. I enjoy the company." I looked up at her as she stood up.

"I'll try to. Farewell again." She stood up and left through the woods.