The Unknown

Chapter 41: Truth Between Friends

"Ugh," Dahlia grunted in frustration as she sat down on a log and crossed her arms while her brothers sat on the ground laughing as they were playing a game she didn't understand.

"What's wrong?" Jörmungandr asked.

Dahlia unfolded her arms and said, "dad won't let me leave camp. I saw my friends sat on the hill before and I heard from the guards they've been trying to see me but dad won't let me leave. I think he thinks the Order will try to take me again".

"He has reason to be cautious, you did almost die and did end up possessed last time they took you," Fenrir said as he moved a red piece on the board.

"I know but this time I'm prepared. I have my wand, my dagger and my necklace so Hela can track me. My Aesir magic may not be up to full strength but it's getting there. I just need to see them," Jörmungandr smiled and laughed at Fenrir as he took a red piece after moving his white. "what are you playing?"

"Come here," Fenrir said and as she stood, he pulled her onto his lap and she stiffened for a moment but he wrapped his arms around her comfortingly and she leaned back, feeling safe. "This game is called Hnefatafl. It's a game we played as children. Basically, we have two sides, the defending and the attackers. Jora is the defending with twelve white soldiers and a king while I'm the attackers with twenty-four red soldiers. The attackers start off with four groups of six around the perimeter of the board and all the pieces can only make one move".

"Like a rook in chess," Jörmungandr said, hoping that game would be more familiar to his sister.

"Yes. Anyway, I have to take the pieces by making sure the opponent, in this case Jora, is trapped horizontally or vertically between two of my pieces. Jora has to get his king to any of the four corners, while I have to try to get the king along the way before he reaches them. Sound simple?"

Dahlia slowly nodded then reached forward for Fenrir's piece and asked, "so if I move this one, here, I can take Jora's piece?"

Jörmungandr's piece was clearly trapped as Fenrir laughed and Dahlia moved the piece off of the board. Fenrir said, "you play against him, I was losing. So, tell us about these friends?"

"They're the only people who've ever cared about me for me, not about some stupid prophecy I have. They've been by my side through everything, all the incidents, and if it wasn't for Hermione, I honestly think I'd be dead now. Besides, all my stuff is in the castle".

"What stuff?" Jörmungandr asked, "clothes and stuff like that can be replaced".

"It's not just clothes," she sighed, "there's a box in there, Hermione had it when Thor confronted me. It has pictures of my mother in that Hela gave me".

Jörmungandr and Fenrir seemed to share a look for a moment before the wolf said, "you know this game, many may believe it unfair because of the difference in numbers but really, it's a game of pure strategy. It doesn't matter how many soldiers you have as long as you position them right. Now, when it comes to papa, he's the same. It all depends on pure strategy".

"However," Jörmungandr said glancing around at the hundreds of soldiers, "with all these soldiers around it may be difficult to sneak you out".

"What?" Dahlia asked as she smiled, "you'll help me?"

"Of course," Fenrir said as he hugged her tightly for a moment, "a part of being a big brother is to protect you, keep you safe, but it's also to make you happy".

"As long as it doesn't include boys," Jörmungandr added quickly.

"Yeah, no boys," Fenrir quickly agreed and Dahlia laughed thinking about what their reaction would be to Falcon.