A Frozen Heart

Chapter 3: A new reality

"Did you just say that I'm a princess?" I said slowly.

I couldn't believe what my father had just told me as he nodded his head. I knew that there was something different about me, not many people can cause a snow storm in the middle of summer. But a princess, that was completely insane. My mind was working in overdrive, trying to understand what was now my life. I don't know how long I sat there on that tree stump just staring at the ground in front of me. All the stories I had grown up with were real and my father had let himself be completely erased from everything for the love he felt for my mother. Eventually my father reached out to grab my hand to see if I was ok. "What are you thinking about kjære*", he asked lifting my faced gently so that I was looking at him.

There were so many things running through my mind, I didn't know where to start. But there was one thing that was foremost on my mind.

"How was I deemed to be worthy, it all seems so crazy that it would be me. I like to stay to myself; David is the brave one not me," I said as my father smiled at me.

"It's not who is the bravest or the strongest. It's about who can wield the power without losing control. Who will use the powers with a pure heart and not for revenge. Odin likes to be able to deem who is worthy, he did the same thing with Mjolnir. I'm guessing that's why it showed up in New Mexico, Thor did something that made him become unworthy," he laughed running one hand through his dark blonde hair.

"Wait, that Thor in New Mexico? Hang on if Odin is you brother, dose that make Thor my cousin?"

That man that I remembered from the crazy showdown was MY cousin. I could vaguely recall the tall angry looking man with shoulder length blonde hair covered in dirt. He certainly didn't look like what I had imagined Thor to look like. While he was never my favourite character from the Norse myths, that position went to Loki, I had read all the stories about Thor. I had always imagined him to be tall, with presence of bravery around him. Not the dirty and bloody man wearing old blue jeans and a blue T-shirt that was on the news.

"Yes, that was your cousin. He wasn't looking the best at the time, normally he would have come off better in a fight. The only thing I could think of at the time was he was a deemed to be unworthy at some point of time and was cast down to Midgard as I was. But unlike me, he went back. That's why I had to tell you everything, I have had a suspicion for a while that you had inherited my powers but it wasn't until you read the ruin stone that I knew it was true. I didn't want them to come down and take you to Asgard without you knowing the truth. There is so much more to your powers than ice and snow. You just haven't discovered them yet."

I couldn't help but laugh, at what my father had just told me. It seemed that Odin took his role as the All Father way too seriously.

"Odin really like to make judgement on worthiness, doesn't he? I mean what does it say on Mjolnir, whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor. He really has a bit of an ego on him, doesn't he?".

Then the rest of what my father said hit me. All I could see in my mind was Odin dragging me off to Asgard, not letting me a choice in my future. Surely they couldn't do that; it was barbaric even thinking of it. But I guess the stories of the Vikings had to come from somewhere.

"They wouldn't just come down and drag me off to Asgard would they," I asked as I wrapped a lose curl around my fingers. I couldn't imagine how terrifying that would be. "I mean I don't even know how to use my powers, what use could I be to them?"

"There is no way I would let them do that Kimberly; besides they wouldn't just come down and take you. They are Norse Gods but they don't act like Vikings. Odin would probably want to take you to Asgard to train you and then offer you a place in the palace. After all, you are their princess."

I gave my father a small smile, it was just so crazy that I was a princess of a place that should only exist in stories. I could accept everything else; the powers and it doesn't surprise me that my father gave up his powers to be with my mother. I have never seen two people more in love then they were, it was a love that I hoped to find one day. But being a princess, that one was going to take some getting used to.

"Could you teach me how to use my powers? I would like to be fully in control of them if the day ever came that I needed to use them."

The thought of my father training me to use my powers was exciting. I would finally be able to stop my window freezing over when I was upset and not coating my room in a fine layer of snow.

"Of course, I can teach you, as soon as we get home. But right now, we need to head back to the motel, its getting dark and we have a flight to catch early tomorrow morning. It's been a long two weeks travelling over all of Norway and you will need all the sleep you can get if you want to learn how to use your powers as it won't be easy."

He held his hand out to me to help me up so we could start the walk back. The sun was setting over the fjords, creating a soft pink glow on the horizon. It truly looked magical; this was definitely a trip I wasn't going to forget.

*sweetheart, once again sorry if my Norwegian is wrong. Blame google translate.