"They say you are not worthy."
"I-what? Brother, how? I am the best in my group. You saw me take down-"
"That is not what they felt. I'm sorry, Evli, but you will never be Einherjar."
Elvi felt her heart break. Everything she had worked so hard for…lost. The disappointment from her father, her brother. She had meant to prove them all wrong. If she had at least made it, she would have something to show them it had all been worth it.
"But Raum…" She had no words. She would not allow her brother to see her cry.
"I'm sorry."
"There must be something I can do. They must not have seen me properly…I…there has to be something!"
"Elvi, there is nothing. There is no use fighting it, you know as well as I do, the Einherjar's decisions are final. "
The chair creaked under her weight. It was old, something that had been in her mother's home long ago.
"Humla, draw a bath please."
"Elvi, I did not hear you come in. How was-"
"Let's not…" Elvi shot her a pleading glance. The matter was dropped instantly.
"Of course, a bath it is."
Left alone, Elvi bit back a sob. She had been so strong, better even than her brother. How had she failed? She could not see where things had gone wrong. But Raum made it obvious that she would never had what she wanted.
All because she was a woman.
It was just as her father had said.
The tears came then. All her mother worked for was for naught.
Lost in her thoughts, she barely heard someone enter the room.
"Elvi! Have you any word- oh no, Elvi…"
Elvi looked up to see her oldest companion in the doorway. The Lady Sif was everything she had wanted to be. Her ability was renowned and she was taken seriously as a warrior. If the princes saw Sif as a formidable ally, why did the Einherjar see her as unworthy?
"Raum said they did not consider me worthy…"
"That cannot be true. Surely there has been some mistake! I saw you feats today," she quirked an eyebrow. "Even Thor remarked on your thirst for blood." Sif smiled then, her friend was nearly as hard in battles as the God of Thunder. She may have even been more headstrong about it than he was. She would count Elvi as an equal.
"There must be some mistake. I will speak to Volstagg or-"
"It is fine Sif. It was a silly notion anyway. Beyond you, there are no women warriors. I should have followed in my mother's footsteps. Boden and Raum would at least consider me then."
"Your father be damned, Elvi. You are a tremendous fighter." At that instant, a mischievous smile spread across Sif's face, one that Elvi knew well. She was about to find herself in a questionable situation, one that would inevitably involve bloodshed.
"Sif, that is a smile I know well. Whatever you are planning, stop it now."
"Elvi, my dearest friend, have I ever steered you wrong?"
"I can recall at least a dozen times…"
The bath had not proven relaxing, despite Humla's potent herbal mixture. Sif had left with a cryptic message: she was to meet her friend in the palace training grounds in the mid morning the next day. Humla doted on her like a mother, and like a petulant child, Elvi would not speak. And as any good mother would, Humla put Elvi to bed. Elvi could not help but listen to most of Humla's suggestion. The women had filled in as a mother when her own had died. Humla had also been around through most of her childhood, as a close friend to her own mother. The woman knew her through and through.
But the rest was fitful at best. With the weight of Sif's puzzling message, Elvi could barely manage sleep at all. It was because of this that she found herself in the garden as the sun barely dipped into the sky. She stretched and practiced, fighting imaginary enemy after imaginary enemy.
In the house, Humla set out a simple breakfast and Elvi managed a small appetite after some chiding.
"I was afraid you would not eat a single thing. No doubt Sif will land the two of you in the thick of something dangerous by this afternoon. Best to be prepared for it. " Her warm smile helped to calm some of Elvi's nerves.
"And no doubt you are right, Humla. I've a bad feeling about this afternoon."
"The All Father will protect you."
"Sif!" Elvi hissed at her friend, she remained hidden in between a set of large pillars. In courtyard, the two princes sparred. Thor's warm voice resonated. Sif turned to her friend and smiled wide.
"You'll prove yourself to the princes. With Thor's word, the Einherjar could hardly refuse you." Elvi could not help the excited feeling that bubbled in her chest. She would be able to prove her father wrong; she just needed some royal help. Sif had walked back out into the courtyard, joining Thor, Loki and the Warriors Three. Elvi waited a moment longer
Fighting Thor would undoubtedly be difficult. She had seen him fight and with Mjolnir, he was dimensions beyond her own physical strength. As he fought his brother, their difference was more pronounced than ever. Where Thor was strong, his fighting seemed almost random…Loki, on the other hand, was calculated, smooth. He seemed more graceful, but far more vicious. His use of magic… she was astounded by how well it was integrated with his dagger.
Elvi was pulled from her revelry as Sif beckoned her over. A smiled played at her lips.
"Elvi this is Prince Thor." He grabbed her wrist a shook. Elvi was taken aback, most men would have expected a curtsy, not a handshake like an equal."
"Just Thor, we are friends here! Elvi, it is wonderful to finally meet you. Sif has spoken highly of you." It was impossible not to be warmed by his presence; his enthusiasm was infectious.
"Thor, it is an honor to make your acquaintance." The blond prince let out a hearty laugh. The prince behind him barely masked an eye role.
"The honor is all mine. The one sulking in the back is Loki, my brother. He is just upset because I've beaten him again." More laughter, Loki seemed less enthused. "And these are the Warriors Three, Volstagg, Hogun and Fandral." She their hands as well, though Loki eyed her suspiciously. Perhaps he was not so forward thinking as his brother. "Sif says you are quite the fighter."
"She is, Thor, but your brother would find her a more appropriate match. This one can be quite sly." Loki perked up at this remark and regarded Elvi a little more closely.
"She would?" It was the first time he spoke. His obvious skepticism and raised eyebrows made Elvi narrow her eyes. Sif's smile only widened further. Elvi may be sly but Sif could be downright sneaky. It was suddenly quite clear that this had been the plan the entire time.
"I like this idea. Maybe you'll meet your match, are you tricky, fair Elvi?" Loki laughed haughtily and Elvi felt the heat in her cheeks. But she as not one to back down with mere flattery.
"Why yes, I am." Loki cocked his head slightly, studying her.
"Alright."
As they paired off, Loki continued to regard her curiously.
"I won't be growing a second head, you can stop staring at me like that."
"I should think not, that wouldn't much help you against me anyway." She nearly stuck her tongue out at him. He smiled then, something terribly mischievous.
"You will not win." His matter-of-fact tone seemed at odds with his smile.
"I am not one to lose, Prince Loki." She smiled back and they finally began.
Elvi pulled her sword from its sheath and began to circle. Loki pulled his dagger and squared off. He was surprisingly fast, faster still than Sif or Elvi, and was suddenly upon her, forcing her onto the defensive. As she parried his thrusts and swings, it was all she could do to keep up. Breath hissed from her lips, Loki smiled manically. If she could beat him, Thor could use his sway to win her rightful spot in the Einherjar. If she lost now, she would be everything her father thought of her. She grunted as Loki's dagger glinted off her wrist guard.
"No!" She would not lose.
As they fought harder, other sparring partners turned towards them to watch. Loki was quicker than she had imagined; underestimating him would be her downfall. She heard Sif cheer her on.
"You'll never win against me." He smirked and pressed her again, Elvi felt herself slipping and did the only thing she knew would let her win, something her mother had taught her long ago.
"Elvi, darling, listen to me. I know your father does not approve, but you are strong. You will do what you want and I will trust your decisions. But you are also my daughter, and I will do what I can to protect you. My mother taught me this so I shall pass it down. Use it to protect you in battle, but do not flaunt it. This is not to be public knowledge."
Elvi spoke under her breath and she was gone.
Loki blinked in surprise, a rare condition. She was just gone. Then he felt the sword's tip lightly pressing into his side. He flitted back but the onslaught continued. Without being able to see his enemy, and the barrage of attack that continued had him off-kilter. He found himself unbalanced.
Suddenly the cloudless sky filled his vision. The air left his chest in a rush. And there stood Elvi, winded and smiling.
She reached her hand out to him and he scowled as he stood, refusing the hand.
"Elvi, what! Where did you go?" Sif looked amazed. Elvi felt the flush return to her face.
"Just a bit of trickery for the God of Mischief." Thor laughed heartily and thumped his brother on the back.
"Did not anticipate that, did you dear brother?" Loki smiled in a dignified way, bowed to Elvi and stalked off. "That was impressive… Invisibility? You may be something special, Elvi."
Elvi fell behind as Thor, Sif and the Warriors Three moved on, headed towards wherever they could find a stiff drink and make merry. After a few more rounds of sparring, they wanted a break. She couldn't help but be distracted by the palace. It was always something beautiful to her, so intricate and expansive. The hustle and bustle of the castle was entrancing. The Einherjar guards watched her calmly. Suddenly she was pulled from the walk, between the pillars, a hand covering her mouth.
"How did you manage to beat me?" Elvi blinked back surprise. Loki removed his cool hand and she just blinked up at him. "What magic do you know?"
"It was nothing but a trick, Prince Loki."
"Do not lie to me. You are aware they call me the Prince of Lies?"
"Yes Prince Loki, but…"
"But what, Elvi?" Elvi wanted to lash out, to attack him, but he had leverage. She could almost sense it.
"What do you want?" He seemed taken aback.
"You have magic I have not yet seen… I want to learn." It was Elvi's turn to be surprised.
"I cannot…It is something my mother taught me long ago, something special to my family." Loki's smiled widened in the worst way. Elvi nearly gulped.
"I am aware, shall we say, of some things – things your family would not want known." Elvi balked.
"There is nothing-"
"There are things," His smile was cold, "and they are such that it is undoubtedly in your best interest to teach me." Assisting Loki could potentially land Elvi the proper favor she needed with the Einherjar, regardless of what he said he knew.
"Fine, Prince Loki. I will teach you what I know." He nodded tersely.
"That is in your best interest…show me once more?" Elvi shifted, the tingling of the magic spread from her toes and she was gone. Loki smiled again, this one seemed warmer. He finally released her and she shifted back, running to catch Sif and the others. She glanced back at Loki and he watched her, waving his hand.
"Your plan worked well, father. Your influence swayed the Einherjar's decision. Elvi is without a place."
"Excellent, Raum. Hopefully this will show Elvi the errors of her ways. She will come round to our ideas, she will find a more suitable route for a woman."
His son left him, Boden relaxed back into his chair. His daughter, despite all her effort, would not disgrace his family and become a warrior. She had the skill to be a healer, but she ignored it. She would not insult her mother's memory and become a fighter. He would use his influence to stop her at every turn if that is what it takes.