"And you have allowed this?" Loki stood in utter shock at what King Njall had just told him.
"I have no proof." He argued. "Those that are targeted, they are not of great note in society, a few tavern wenches and cheap labourers, transient and uninteresting, no one cares to greatly for them."
"You are aware these are your children you speak of?" Loki stated in disgust at the king's attitude.
Njall scoffed. "The single act of siring them does not make them my children."
"On the contrary, I have had to study this subject, it very much makes them your children." Loki retorted.
"It is different here on Alfheim, Prince Loki," Njall explained. "When a child is born out of wedlock, the woman can be persecuted for bringing shame on the father's family."
"Perse…What sort of realm would ever persecute a woman for bearing a child? It is natural." Loki stated almost irately, astounded by what he was hearing. "You did nothing to ensure the care of those children, and now you are letting the only legitimate one you have had kill them!"
"I cannot confirm that she has." Njall clarified.
"Oh for Norn's sake Njall, you cannot honestly think she has done anything else with them. Your laws state the most capable child of the king is the future ruler; she has found your filthy little secret and has decided to ensure there is no risk to her claim. How many has she found so far?"
"I…I don't even know how many there are," Njall admitted.
"My maid…"
"The Ljósálfar one, what of her?"
"She came to Asgard and had her taken from her rooms, I want her back."
"Prince Loki, I…"
"IMMEDIATELY!" The prince roared.
"I do not know where she could possibly be, I have no solid proof of what my Renée is even doing, or where she could be doing it." Njall pointed out. "If she is one of my…"
"She is in grave danger," Loki answered. "You have caught my father's attention Njall, and that is not something you should want. As I speak with you, my brother is on the path of your daughter," Njall's eyes widened in terror, "and I can guarantee you, her gender and indeed her title will do her no favours should he find her and see her to be killing innocent beings." Loki growled.
"What is that?" Fandral looked over a ditch, his nose crinkled in disgust. "It smells like death."
"And lime," Volstagg added; his nostrils flaring as he tried to hamper a guess at what it was that was filling the air.
"It is potent." Thor agreed, "But…Norns!" he saw where the stench was originating from. "Is that…?"
"I did not know the Ljósálfar buried their dead." Sif frowned.
Hogun gave her a concerned look. "They do not."
Thor had his horse go as close to the ditch as was possible. "It appears to be a large pit." He dismounted and used Mjölnir to get him over to have a closer look.
"What is it, Thor?" Volstagg asked, seeing his friend stand over the source of the smell.
"What in the Norn's is going on here?" Thor asked himself quietly, looking at the bodies that were half covered in dirt and lime, ranging in ages from his own, to that of a young child.
"'Our', have you taken leave of your senses, my father was Benjamin of Reece Woods, a farm worker, yours is King Njall," you half laughed at the madness of what the Crowned Princess was saying, looking at her to see why she was jesting so.
"How do you not get it you simple wench, the man who raised you is not your father!" she shrieked. You stared wide-eyed. "My father sowed his seed in any that would lie under him, including your filthy whore of a mother, and in return, she spawned you."
"What...No."
"Do not believe me?" She hissed, enjoying seeing the confusion and indeed fear in your eyes. "She was his scullery maid before you were birthed you, she got on her back and allowed him at her like a filthy bitch in heat." She sneered. "Then, she went back home to her pathetic husband, who actually kept her," she laughed cruelly at that, before leaning in. "Then, from what I have been able to find out; his child killed her. That must have been angering, the bastard daughter lives, but his heir, his son dies and brings her with him. I would wager that that crushed him."
You shook as her words went through you, memories of some of the nights your father rambled incoherently, certain phrases and indeed comments you took as drunken garble, started to make sense, as did his treatment of you. "He was not my…"
"Do not tell me that you are sorry to here that, a drunken gambler, ha!" she scoffed. "Better to be the bastard bitch of the king really."
You looked her directly in the eye, "I would have been inclined to agree, until his insane heir apparent decides to have you poisoned, then kidnapped and tied to a table to kill. It gets somewhat less covetable an alternative then."
"You dare attempt to get witty with me?" Renée's eyes were filled with anger at your audacity.
"It is a statement of fact, nothing more. Why would someone want to have such blood if their half sister sees it as a reason to kill them?"
"I find myself wondering if you got that mouth from him."
"I probably got it from my time on Asgard, I am, after all, the maid of the Prince Loki." You shrugged slightly. "Wit and sarcasm are all we tend to use in his chambers."
Renée stared at you. "I suppose you take that from your mother."
"What is that?"
"Lying on your back for a royal." She snarked.
Your lip flickered up for a moment, perhaps there was some truth in that, you had lain with him and you were never going to be his, but you loved him, which was something surely. From the sounds of things, your mother had not loved King Njall. "Actually I was referring to how I enjoy spending time joking with the prince and indeed his hand servant, it is somewhat of a fun and jovial atmosphere." You stated calmly, "But thank you for your insightful manner of telling me your interpretation of events, perhaps you got that mindset from the King."
"I could kill you as soon as look at you." Renée's eyes were wide and wild.
"You have been promising to do so since you entered the room, I cannot fathom as to why you are taking so long."
Renée shrieked in fury. "Beg for your life."
"No."
"You are about to die, you should be begging me to spare you." She argued.
"Why, it will do me no favours. You are adamant to kill me; or at least I think you are, for you are taking considerable time to do it." You pointed out. "Perhaps you should get Lord Big Nose to do it, I am sure he would walk over hot coals barefoot for you were you to ask him." You indicated to a now offended looking Lord Ivan. "Is it your crown or your…jewels" you looked at the skirt of her dress as you commented, "That he is after?"
"Are you daring to accuse me of being like you? A filthy whore."
"Well, whores, from what I have been told, tend to be paid for their work, you seem to give it up for nothing." You looked at the lord again. "He is grotesque, honestly, you are to be commended for allowing that bear down on you."
"You little filthy…" Lord Ivan pulled a dagger from his belt and stormed over.
"NO! I want this one." Renee demanded.
"The manner in which she is speaking, my princess," Ivan argued.
"She wants to anger us, she is goading us," Renee stated as though it obvious, before looking at you again. "She is scared, she wants it to end. But that is too good for her I think."
"Princess, if Prince Loki…"
"Do you honestly think the selfish second prince of Asgard is going to worry himself about some filthy little bed warmer?" she laughed shrilly. "No, we let her suffer longer, have her brought to Lord Henricus." Your eyes went wide in terror; Renée gave a delighted snarling grin. "I know you are previously acquainted, though this time, you will not be sold as a slave." She leant down close and gave you a kiss on the cheek before lifting back slightly again. "I think it is time you take up your mother's profession as all whores do. Goodbye, sister." She turned to leave. "Make sure she is dosed before she leaves, we do not want her harming her clients by kicking and screaming," she added as she left the room.
Leaving you to stare as Ivan got a potion to give you from a satchel. As he approached, you thrashed as much as you could, your lips tightly shut. Using his larger weight on you, he pinned you down, before using the hand that was not holding the vial to pinch your nose tightly, causing you to be unable to breath, his other hand had the opened vial ready, knowing you would have to open your mouth sooner or later to breath, whether you wished to or not. You fought the lack of air for as long as you could, but your body screamed for it and as you knew would happen, your body inevitably overrode your will and forced you to open your mouth. Immediately, Lord Ivan shoved in the vial into your mouth upside down, keeping your nose pinched and your mouth shut around it, forcing you to swallow. Within moments, you felt the liquid seem into your blood, making it feel warm and radiating out through your body. You fought him as long as you could, but your limbs refused to work any longer to do your bidding. When he knew it was safe, he removed his weight from you and chuckled as he lifted you up. "I am going to pay to make sure every man in the brothel has a go on you tonight for your lack of manners." He promised. You wished you could cry, but not even that seemed to be under your control at present, so all you could do was pray, to the Norn's, the Gods and even the stars, that you could be saved, knowing it to be highly unlikely as you were put in the cart once more, and covered to make your journey.