This new strategy of writing a little bit every day is going really well so far! My BF's about to get here from England so we'll see if I can keep it up with him distracting me.
The chamber where the summit would take place was much like the council chambers, only larger, and this one had a gallery overlooking it where the retinues and the visitors from the three protectorate realms could observe the proceedings. There was another console powered by Hlidskjalf at the center of the room, with enough seats for all the delegates surrounding it, and the floor could be lowered on one side of the table to accommodate those on the scale of Dvergar and Jotnar. The foreign royalty were all seated when the House of Odin arrived, their guards standing (or hovering, in the case of the little sidhe warrior mages) around the perimeter of the room, and the gallery was slowly filling up.
"It was a wonderful feast, Odin," said Eitri. "'It's a shame that even those of us who were punctual barely got to enjoy it."
Njord let out a loud laugh that set Loki's teeth on edge and made Thor scowl.
"My family and I apologize for the rush," said Odin, ignoring his brother-in-law. "Normally we would have encouraged you all to stay and enjoy a full night of festivities and left business matters for the morning. However, any delay here may rob us of the opportunity to decide Malekith's fate ourselves." He touched the console and brought up the image of Malekith where he was still suspended in seidr netting between two ships just outside Asgard's gravitational field. The writhing, transformed shape was barely recognizable as the leader of the Dokkalfar, and glowing red cracks were starting to appear in his flesh. "The Kurse transformation he underwent in an ill-conceived attempt to destroy Thor is consuming him. It is unlikely he will long survive it. He will die if we do not decide to intervene, and it will be by none of our hands if we find him worthy of execution."
"Then please, enlighten us quickly as to how you came to discover a remnant of the Dokkalfar," said Brigid.
"And how they slipped past all of us for so long," said Mab.
"My son led this operation. He can answer any questions you have." Odin gestured for Thor to take the place he usually occupied at the head of the console. The old Thor would have been all haughtiness and bluster, but this version looked almost surprised to be asked. He shouldn't be, in Loki's opinion. It was a good moment to introduce his skills at diplomacy (which he might actually have) to the other realms; the matter at hand, while urgent and important, was one on which there couldn't be much disagreement, and they were indeed here because of Thor's information and leadership. Before speaking, he looked to either side as though reassuring himself that Odin, Frigga, and Loki were really there in the seats next to him. After such an eventful month, was there still a part of him that feared all of this was a dream and he would wake up one day to find himself alone again?
Over the next quarter-hour, using the console occasionally to illustrate, Thor described how they had found and captured Malekith's ship. Loki had persuaded him, and their parents had agreed, that it would be simpler in general to give the impression that his future knowledge had come from prophetic dreams than actual lived experience. He had inherited that gift from Frigga (even if he had not bothered to develop it much) so it went over well in this company.
Beyond that, Loki was impressed that Thor managed not to fall into his usual habit when describing a battle of reenacting it blow-by-blow with Mjolnir. The idea of Malekith simply dying from his own weapon taking its course must be keeping him sufficiently focused. He chose simpler and blunter words than Loki would have, but he held the attention of the delegates and the gallery and was thorough enough in his explanation that nobody leapt in with a question before he was finished. Overall it fortified Loki's hopes that he and Thor would not become another version of Fulla and Njord when Thor became King.
"The rest of the Dokkalfar await this council's decision on what to do with them from the prison camp on Svartalfheim," Thor concluded, pulling up an image of the camp to hang in the air above them. "Some of them are soldiers, but most are civilians and children. They have not given much trouble to the Einherjar who guard them so far."
He looked to Eitri but left the image playing out. A rather adorable toddler was visible, clutching the leg of whomever had charge of him as they made their way to where the evening rations were being distributed. Now that was laying it on a bit thick. "I believe Nidavellir deserves the first word on what is to be done."
Eitri scowled at the sight of the little boy. "It would appear that Asgard's position is already clear," he grumbled. "Very well. The Dokkalfar stole and corrupted my forefathers' world and killed millions of Dvergar long before they set their sights on any other realms. I would be well within my rights to demand every last drop of their blood in recompense and claim Malekith's head as a centerpiece for my table. However, I will not seek the lives of the children. Do whatever you like with them, as long as Nidavellir doesn't have to foster them."
"What is Alfheim's view of the matter?" said Thor. All eyes turned to Brigid and Mab.
"Malekith must be executed," said Brigid. "As to the rest, we will not object to any executions the other realms deem necessary. Their crimes were too many to name and they wanted to do even worse. However, if you permit any to live, we will insist upon overseeing the immediate cleansing of their seidr."
"Then it can be done," said Loki. He'd thought there must be a way to do it, but that was not an area of magic in which he had a great deal of expertise.
"It will be unpleasant for them. Some may not survive the process, but it is a price worth paying to prevent their diseased magic from corrupting others."
"Is that something my sons and those who fought them on their ship should be concerned about?" said Frigga.
"We can examine them to be certain there was no contamination," said Mab, "but it is less of a risk for the other races. By design, the Alfar are the most susceptible."
"Would that matter if they live out their lives imprisoned?" said Njord. Eitri scoffed.
"It is better to be certain. That seidr corrupted enough elves once that it was nearly the end of Yggdrasil. Would you risk it spreading again?"
Njord lifted his hands in surrender even as his expression showed he thought she was being dramatic. Loki decided that, at a bare minimum, his uncle was going to find ice in his blankets in the guest chambers later.
"Once their seidr is cleansed, I would consider any surviving Dokkalfar to be Alfheim's responsibility," Brigid added, looking away from him.
Thor nodded. "What of Jotunheim?" he asked.
"I cannot speak for my father," said Byleistr, "only myself and what I believe the people of Jotunheim would want. The particular Dokkalfar our grievances are against have been dead for generations. If the survivors you have captured can be cleansed of their dangerous seidr, perhaps they needn't bear the same punishment their kin would deserve."
He met Thor's eyes, and the message was clear. He was going to interpret the verdict for the Dokkalfar as a portent of things to come for Jotunheim. Thor looked like he'd got the message. He turned to their uncle. "And Vanaheim?"
"I have no objections to what I've heard so far. I presume we are all agreed that the soldiers deserve less consideration than the children."
"Less? Then you want to give them any?" said Eitri crossly. "Will you simply let them go free once they can't infect you with their magic? Have you already forgotten that they poisoned my people's world against us? Surely you haven't forgotten that they would have done the same to all of yours!"
"There is a wide gulf between freedom and execution, Eitri," said Frigga.
"If you're concerned about vengeance for what they took from your people, consider that they are fanatics," said Loki. "To execute them now would cut short the centuries they could spend witnessing the loss of all they believed their glorious future would be. What seems like mercy to you will not feel like it to them, and if they ever do see sense, they won't be enemies to our realms anymore and we'll be glad to have spared them."
"I see your point, but that still sounds more like clemency than vengeance," said Eitri. "If their seidr can be cleansed, what of Dvergverden? They made it their Svartalfheim, but it was ultimately the greatest casualty of the war. Can it be restored?"
The question inspired many looks of surprise, except, Loki noted, from Odin, who said, "The corpse of Svartafheim has stood as a warning to aspiring tyrants throughout Yggdrasil and beyond for millennia."
"I suppose being the son of the man who left it in that condition, you'd be immune," said Njord from behind his flagon of mead. The delegates all went very still and there was complete silence from the gallery. Loki shot a glance at his mother. Uncle had already made his point in the banquet hall, had he? Frigga raised her eyes to the ceiling.
"Has Asgard been lax in aiding Vanaheim against marauding ogre clans lately, Brother?" Odin asked, his beard not fully disguising the curling of his lip.
"Despite his rudeness, the point he raises is not without merit," said Brigid. "Svartalfheim is a symbol of Asgard's might from an era of great division."
"An era long past," Mab added with a hint of challenge.
Byleistr raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
"I agree, Father," said Thor in another display of how much he had changed. "Whatever Svartalfheim has represented, a restored Dvergverden would become an even greater symbol to potential allies."
"Perhaps that is true," said Odin grudgingly. "It would be a difficult undertaking."
"If our forebears could build Asgard and yours," Thor gestured to Eitri, "could build Nidavellir, I think such a goal is within our grasp."
Eitri raised his tankard and drained it, then smashed it on the floor with gusto. A servant quickly supplied him with a replacement. Loki kept his expression neutral but would have to congratulate Father later on a game well played. He'd clearly anticipated the proposal to restore Dvergverden and the probability of Njord being difficult, and he'd used both to highlight some of Thor's most appealing qualities as a future king.
"The atmosphere is still toxic to the Dvergar and the seidr is dangerous for the Ljosalfar," said Mab. "The sidhe will help at least until that changes."
"As will Vanaheim," said Njord lazily.
"I do not have the authority to offer it outright, but I would be glad to return home with news that Jotunheim's aid would be accepted as well," said Byleistr. "I expect there is much we could contribute to the reclamation efforts in the polar regions that would be unpleasant for the other races."
"Perhaps another meeting can be arranged to discuss it," said Odin. Byleistr inclined his head.
"It seems to me that we have a ready supply of less voluntary labor for this undertaking as well," said Loki.
"Yes," said Brigid. "The Dokkalfar thought they would be building their civilization upon the ashes of ours. Let them put that industrious spirit to better use."
X
The first few minutes of the summit were by far the most interesting. Once they were all agreed on the fundamental points, it became a matter of hashing out all the details and the cost to each realm. Byleistr couldn't contribute as much to any of this given that the truce was still unchanged and he was here against his father's wishes, but it largely boded well. He got the impression that Nidavellir would be Jotunheim's best ally to pressure Asgard into opening up trade and Vanaheim wouldn't be an obstacle to it. Alfheim didn't seem exactly hostile, per se, but of all the people at the table, the only ones who didn't appear entirely happy to have him at it were Odin, Brigid, and Mab. Odin he could understand, but why the elf and fairy queens? As far as he knew, Alfheim was merely an indifferent outside party to the Aesir-Jotnar war, and they'd fallen on Asgard's side after the truce because Asgard had more to offer them. Perhaps there was more to it.
After himself, the one who got the most covert glances from the delegates and the people in the gallery was Prince Loki. He didn't have any guesses about that. They didn't look like they feared becoming the victims of some jape, and if they did, surely they'd be even more worried about Mab.
At some point while Njord was describing the abilities of his seidmenn and seidkonur and how they might be useful in restoring a dead planet, Byleistr's eye was caught by a young woman up in the gallery. She was sitting next to the overeager ambassador, who had an arm around her shoulders, and while she was dressed in an Asgardian gown, she wore spectacles like none he'd ever seen before. Was she one of the guests from Midgard?
"If we are settled on everything," said Thor, "we should have Algrim brought in to receive the sentence for the Dokkalfar. Will a seidr net be sufficient protection, Queen Brigid, or would you prefer that we make remote contact?"
"Bring him in," said Brigid. "I wish to observe the contamination for myself."
Odin signaled to two Einherjar, who clapped their fists to their hearts, bowed, and departed. "Please avail yourselves of the refreshments while you wait. I doubt there will be enough time to return to the celebration."
While several side conversations broke out around him and more servants arrived with food, Byleistr stood and approached the gallery, which was only a few feet higher than his head. The ambassador leapt to his feet. "Is there anything I can assist you with, your highness?"
"You could introduce me to your companion," he said, smiling at her.
"Ah, of course. This is Darcy Lewis, apprentice political scholar of Midgard, and one of several personal guests of the princes from Midgard who have been staying at the palace. This is Byleistr Laufeyson, second prince of Jotunheim."
"And how does a Midgardian scholar feel about being in the same room as a prince of the realm that once tried to conquer hers?" said Byleistr.
The ambassador looked mortified but the girl smirked and leaned over the banister with her hands tucked under her chin and her elbows sticking out. Midgard must not prioritize court training much, but that only meant she was more genuine than the rest of the people here (with the possible exception of Prince Thor). "Earth doesn't really remember that invasion—maybe there are legends about it in Scandinavia, but I don't know about those, so I've only heard Asgard's side of the story." She tilted her head, scrutinizing him. "What's yours?"
Anyone this fearless and willing to learn from a child of the man who'd attacked her planet deserved an honest answer, so he gave it. "After the Aesir-Vanir war, some, my father included, had hoped that Asgard would be made to dissolve back into Vanaheim rather than remaining as a separate realm, but there were enough examples of Asgard's might benefiting Yggdrasil that those voices were drowned out. Other realms trusted their new treaties with Odin; they no longer saw Asgard as a threat to them. And even as Odin upheld those treaties for centuries, Father only grew more convinced that an attack from Asgard was imminent, or that Asgard would abandon Jotunheim if Muspelheim renewed their offensive."
Darcy wrinkled her nose. "He thought the son of Bestla Bolthorndottir who also lost both his brothers battling Surtur would pick Muspelheim over Jotunheim?"
Byleistr let out an appreciative chuckle.
"She's done nothing but pore over history books since she got here," said the ambassador proudly. "She's even taught me a few things."
"Very astute," said Byleistr. "It's what my father claims. He's always been paranoid and ambitious, and he expects the same of everyone else."
"And those were Odin's older brothers," said Darcy.
"Precisely. In Father's mind, Surtur did Odin a favor by eliminating the obstacles between him and Asgard's throne. I can't imagine how he accounts for my not having attempted to murder Helblindi all these years. In any case, enough of Jotunheim bought into Father's fearmongering that he had the support he needed to invade Midgard." He mimicked Laufey's voice. "It would be a strategic territory and we would get better use out of it than the primitive mortals." He grimaced. "Asgard's response was swift. The other realms stopped trading with us as it was clear to them that we had attacked a sovereign realm unprovoked, and we were left in a much worse position when Father finally surrendered than we had been before the war."
"Hmm. He can't be a very popular king."
"He maintains a tight grip. You're looking at just about the only Jotun who can speak freely on the matter."
"Monarchies," said Darcy with disdain. "Good luck with that. You know, if your dad had just waited a thousand years and wasn't so power-hungry about it, he could've made a case for Jotun settlements on Earth being mutually beneficial. We're not exactly getting much use out of Antarctica."
Byleistr inclined his head at her. "Well, I hope this conversation has been as enlightening for you as it was for me."
I originally had the main council scene in Thor's PoV, but he didn't have a whole lot to add to the actual dialogue, while Loki was full of strategic observations, including figuring out more about Thor than Thor has himself, which almost choked me up a little. Between Thor running the show and Loki analyzing it, it made a much clearer picture. And meanwhile Byleistr is being just as observant, with another chance for Darcy to shine. I hope you guys are enjoying the inter-realm politics as much as I am.