Before I begin I just wanted to say that all mention of years and months or someone's age using earth measurements isn't meant to be literal. I understand time is different on Asgard but it's just easier to use earth time units and save everyone (me included) the trouble of figuring out what "three decades" would be like in Asgard. I realized I used a lot of time word last chapter and didn't make this clear so I am now. :)
Nera studied her reflection in the mirror a little glumly. Her mother had picked out this dress and it was the worst kind: a formal dress and therefor uncomfortable but a travelling dress so not particularly pretty. Apparently it was appropriate for her first day in Asgard but Nera was having a hard time appreciating that at the moment. At least the skirt was long. On a whim she spun round in front of the mirror. Her skirts billowed out delightfully. Smiling she did it again with more speed. Behind her Celena giggled and Nera laughed too. Now she was twirling all-round the room laughing like a maniac. Just before she lost control she crash landed on the bed next to Celena and lay there giggling. On the upside her butterflies were gone. On the downside her head hurt from spinning so fast.
She was about to get up when Mother walked in, frowning a little. Not out of bad temper, Nera knew, but from anxiety. Her daughter was being sent to the Asgardian court today and if anything went wrong the blame rested squarely on the person who had raised her. The thought was sobering and instantly Nera felt tired and anxious again.
Her mother forced a smile and said, "Nerdanel are you ready? We're departing in fifteen minutes."
Nera nodded but apparently her word wasn't enough because Mother motioned for her to spin around. Nera obeyed, this time at a slow, collected pace. After a brief inspection she was deemed to be in adequate condition and was sent downstairs to wait by the front door. Before she left Nera slipped a letter from the mantle into her pocket without anyone noticing.
At the front door Nera's butterflies returned. Despite being tutored on mannerisms and etiquette all year she still felt unprepared to join her father, Vanaheim's ambassador, in Asgard. All the usual fears came flooding back. She was going to humiliate father would be sent away from his post in disgrace. The princes would despise her and would start a war with Vanaheim when they came to power because of it. The list went on and on. Celena, who had followed her downstairs, seemed to sense what was troubling her (she always did somehow) and squeezed her hand. She didn't need to say anything to comfort her because everything that needed to be said already had been during talks late at night when they both should have been sleeping. Instead she offered Nera her companionship and reminded her that no matter what happened she would be right by her side. And that was worth more than a million words could have been.
After a few minutes of waiting Nanna, Nera's old nurse and Celena's aunt, came to say goodbye. This was what Nera had been dreading ever since she'd learned she was to leave: the good byes. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach. It didn't help that Nanna was so obviously trying to put a brave face on it and failing horribly. The other servants came and said their farewells too and Nera found herself more and more on the verge of a breakdown. Just when she felt that one more goodbye was going to break her Mother appeared and announced that it was time to go. Grateful and yet infinitely sad at the same time Nera climbed into the carriage next Celena and across from Mother and waved out the window at everyone she had ever been close to until she couldn't see them any longer.
Nera had been planning to watch everything go by on her last ride in Vanaheim. But to do so would rob her of what little composure she had left. So instead she drew the curtains and in the semi darkness she slipped the letter she had taken from her room out of her pocket. It was the letter from her father that had started this entire affair twelve months ago and though she knew every word by heart she still felt compelled to read it again. It went thus,
My dearest Nerdanel,
How have you and your Mother been? I and truly sorry for not writing sooner but Lord Sylern has been making my life extremely difficult to the point that I've hardly had time to sleep and eat. But I assure you that, after work and the necessities of health, my first priority is to be sure of the wellbeing of you and your mother. Of course now that I've said that I have something entirely unrelated to your wellbeing to say and look silly. But I hope you will excuse me for that and listen anyway.
I have been speaking with Odin and we both feel that while alliances and treaties are of enormous help in ensuring peace for years to come it is not quite enough. We think that our children and their children for many generations to come must feel friendly towards one another as well. And so I offered to have you come and stay with me, to get to know the Asgardian children of the court and to learn to know it as a second home. I'm afraid this would mean leaving your Mother behind for which I am very sorry. And I'm also afraid that you would be here for many years, perhaps until you have come of age, with few, if any, visits home. All this is an enormous thing to ask of one so young but I have another reason too.
I want you with me because you are my heir and I need to teach you everything I know. They have a vast library here and with its help I could teach you all the subtleties of politics. I know you've always wanted to know more about what I do and now I have the chance to teach you. I hope this offer appeals to you.
Right now the date of your arrival is set for a year from now to give you time to learn the mannerisms of Asgard but it is subject to change. I've sent your mother a letter on this matter too with all the boring details left in but I thought you might want to hear something as life changing as this directly from me,
Your loving father,
Jormundur
P.S.
I was thinking you could take your handmaid, Celena, along if you like. I find it helps to have just one person from home with you when you're abroad.
Since she had received that letter many preparations and arrangements and had been made and she'd sat through many a long lesson. But she still remembered the pure shock of opening that letter expecting to find a happy account of all her father's doings and instead being told she was to be sent away from home. It would be a lie to say she didn't cry after getting that letter but it would also be a lie to say there weren't moments when she could barely contain herself from excitement. Now the moment had finally arrived she was just as divided as ever.
No one spoke during most of the ride which lasted around an hour. Having to wait so long wasn't good for Nera's nerves but it was certainly necessary. Long ago people had grown fed up with having the Bifrost pick up and drop off everyone anyplace they liked. So they had chosen a few select places where it was permissible and the nearest to Nera's home (which was out in the country) was an hour away.
After far longer than it ought to have taken in Nera's mind the carriage came to a halt and the coachman opened the door to help the ladies out one by one. They appeared to be just outside a rather large village and surrounded by fields of wheat. The field which they were right next to had been cleared and instead of crops it housed a low, long stone building with an impressive walk way up to it. Mother took a deep breath and said, "Well, shall we?"
Feeling small Nera followed her mother up the walk to the large double doors where the coachman (who had accompanied them) knocked. It opened almost immediately and a small man that Nera immediately dubbed "the Keeper" ushered them in excitedly saying, "Oh we've been expecting you! Come right in! You're due to go up in ten minutes!" Mother gave the coachman a few whispered orders and went on in. Nera followed a moment later with Celena behind her.
Nera found herself in a long low room which she supposed was richly furnished. It had couches and carpets though no fireplace and would have been welcoming had she not been feeling very nervous at this point. "Make yourselves at home." the Keeper was saying, "I'll come and fetch you when it's time to go. Give you some time to say your goodbye's you know." He vanished through a side door.
Nera stood in one spot, staring at one spot in the floor and reminded herself that she must not cry; arriving in Asgard with puffy water eyes, a red nose and tear streaks down her face was not a favorable first impression. Mother looked Nera up and down, taking in her daughter's state and said, "My dear you'll be alright won't you?"
Nera nodded and made herself meet Mother's eyes, "Yes of course I will."
"And you'll remember what I've taught you?"
"Yes."
"Then you'll be fine. You're a very likeable person. Everyone there will find you an utter joy to be around." Mother gave her a long hug and a quick kiss on the head. Then she turned to Celena and said, "You'll look after my daughter?"
"Of course ma'am."
"Then between you and Jormundur I can't think where I'd rather have her be save with me."
Nera managed a smile though it took all her willpower. But she was saved the ordeal of coming up with a cheerful response because the coachman chose that moment to enter with her baggage. When he had set everything down safely (which took a while) the Keeper peeked in from the door he had vanished into. Nera supposed he was checking to see if he was interrupting a deeply emotional moment, and seeing that he wasn't, announced, "Well then! If you're all done would you just follow me out into the courtyard." and to the coachman, "You'll need to get the bags out there too, by the way."
The courtyard turned out to be very small but impressive. Just four ancient, and yet very imposing looking walls and a stone floor which had a large carved circle of runes in the center. The keeper positioned Nera in the exact center of the stone ring and Celena beside her. Then he helped the coachman place all the luggage around them. This took a few minutes. Mother gave Nera one last hug and then backed off the ring of carved runes. There was a long minute or two of waiting. Every moment Nera expected to be violently torn from her place of the earth and lifted up into the sky. And yet it never happened. After a few minutes of this the Keeper said tensely, "Get ready." A few moments later the heavens opened up above them and Nera had the oddest experience of being absorbed into a light beam.
Thanks for reading and please review!
