Worship of the Gods
It is an ironic habit of human beings
to run faster when they have lost their way.
Rollo May, Philosophy
Three: Truth by Contradiction
It was tedious being a religious woman with a philosophy degree. Ellie used to believe the world was built upon disorder and chaos. From war to pestilence, to oppression and inequality; nothing appeared to be resolved. There was a higher power which could only do so much and it was humans who abused their freedom. The philosophers could only comment and question why such a world existed.
As Ellie stared up at the glistening ceiling, she decided it was not strange news that this place was extraterrestrial. It housed a communicative, excelled species. Their superiority came with chaotic similarities to Earth's. So, Ellie could only assume her God existed above even these beings.
Admittedly, a part of Ellie could've jumped for joy that the alien conspiracists had always been right. Her first experience with such people was the university society who attempted to rope her into their bizarre world.
"Wanna hear about the reptilian shape-shifters who control our government?" a slender boy poked at her. He waved a handmade poster which depicted the Conservative Leader, Edward Heath, with green eyes.
Beside her, Jane snorted. "Please." She leaned into Ellie's ear. "These lot believe there's secret government groups who fight them off."
"It's true!" the boy guffawed. "They wear black suits and sunglasses to hide their identities."
These aliens were not governmental conspiracies. They were once the devout the Gods of Midgard. Ellie dwelled on the treatment of of Norse mythology by historians. How stupid human beings were to belittle Norsemen and their religion. The scientific community dehumanised Scandinavian folklore, claiming it to be outdated foolishness. It was philosophers who adored Norse for their creativity and deities.
Now, Ellie was part of the Norse world many could only discuss. She tilted her head up, exposing her throat. A cool breeze swept over the skin and she curled back up to protect herself.
With Asgard came the creatures; the endless, blood-thirsty demons. Ellie held her throat with her hand, her eyes spiking with tears as she dared not close her eyes.
"I look forward to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen," Ellie prayed quietly, her hands came to clasp together. She pressed her lips to her Rosary and tucked it away, safely against her beating heart.
Logically, she in a position of healing. She assessed the damage to her body; the leg, the wrists and head covered in bandages. Ellie felt the bruises up her spine and chest, a crescent moon mark over her beasts from the steering wheel.
Physically, she was fine. Mentally, she was... consumed.
Her hands still felt the squelch of flesh. She clenched her fists, pushing her bitten fingernails against the palm. Inhaling, she pushed and pushed until a sharp pain spread, echoing along the receptors in her wrists. She had been seeing a psychiatrist every few weeks for a while. Self-loathing and a mixture of child-like confusion still clouded her judgement, deep within she feared abandonment again.
Ellie wanted to go home. Not that she felt as peace in her tiny apartment or at work, but it was a place she could retreat.
One person would call out for boss, a terrifying elderly man named Roberts would be phoning non-stop, wondering why she had not turned up for work. At least he missed her... missed her labour.
It had taken her a lot to get that job. Roberts was a cruel man who belittled the philosophical community, but his museum needed a curator. At first, he had been unimpressed by postgraduate, Catholic Philosopher but it was either her or a straggly-haired teenage boy who knew nothing about Aristotle.
Roberts' cruel voice would be echoing on her answer-machine. Perhaps he would swear as he demanded for an answer. He would never receive a phone call back.
Phone call back.
Ellie had no way of contacting anyone and the world around her seemed to just stare in disturbed confusion. Asgardian technology was excelled yet ancient.
Tremors shook her body as grabbed her bedsheet. She pulled the sheets to her face, holding them as she chewed the inside of her cheek aggressively. As she drifted back to sleep, copper flavouring covered her tongue. Ellie was lulled into a blood-indulged world once again.
After several days in the healing sanctuary, Ellie was becoming more relaxed. The stromkarl disturbed her when it flew around the beds, waving to patients with a toothy smile. Ingrid was pleasant to talk to as she didn't care about Asgardian gossip and treated Ellie as mundane as she would anyone else.
Ellie had no other visitors either. She was told that her full recovery would be necessary before an evaluation could be conducted. Ingrid was also updating Ellie on the condition of the Queen.
Loki, however, forced the healers into secrecy about his ailments. Ingrid chose to ignore Ellie whenever she asked of him.
Most of her attention was drawn around the Asgardian medical technology. She watched with morbid curiosity as an orange laser grew skin over the bite mark on her leg. It was still a sore, dark red colour but felt as if an angel had kissed it better.
"You're doing very well," Ingrid said gently, holding Ellie's hand tight as they shuffled across the room. "There we go. Much better than yesterday."
Ellie blinked, begging to take seat. "This would've taken months on Earth."
"Cells are alive." Ingrid explained. "I did learnt that Midgardians treat their bodies like machinery. You must respect the cells' and their little soul in order to mend them properly."
Another limp and grunt. "How long do you think it'll take humans to learn this stuff? How long did it take you?"
Ingrid smiled. "You ask many questions, Ellie." They shared an amused look. "We've had this for thousands of years. Human beings have only just discovered the blood and cell separator."
"And that's not amazing to you?"
"It's medieval to me," Ingrid laughed as if Ellie was the funniest person in the world.
"Wouldn't you want to go to Earth and teach them?"
Ingrid thought about this for several moment, looking off into the room for an answer. Ellie looked in the corner of the room, where a woman sat holding her baby to her breast. "I would love to see if their faces were as wondrous as yours," Ingrid finally said happily and then her face became serious. "I could never though. This is the way of the universe. I can't intervene with the events of it. Do you disagree?"
Ellie met her amused gaze and began laughing. "I do, but I can't be getting into a philosophical debate. I'd rather you drag my corpse back to Earth and leave me with a room of druggie Marxists." Ingrid didn't reply, failing to understand the human's joke. Still, the humorous edge to Ellie's voice made the healer feel relaxed.
As they made their way along the corridor, ambling past the guards and narrow windows, Ellie felt better than she had in days. "Can we go and see Frigga now?" she asked.
Ingrid gave her an unsure look. "You made yourself very weak running through the castle, Ellie. I advise against walking to the royal chambers. Let me get you a wheelchair."
"I can do it," Ellie said, her voice fierce with belief. She went to take another step and faltered, stumbling so Ingrid had to tighten her grip on her. "Maybe you're right."
"As usual." Ingrid fetched a wheelchair and soon the pair were off through the corridors.
Ellie took the time to watch her surroundings in awe. She stretched a hand out, her fingers flexing in the gentle air. The walls were so pristine that Ellie could see her reflection. A black bruise covered the side of her face and a healing scab along her jaw.
Many glanced at her, but with Ingrid's company they could assume she was another Asgardian taking air.
They entered the floor where Frigga was resting.
At the end of a long, narrow hall was Loki Odinson walking towards them. With his back straight and nose held in the air, he looked straight past her and Ingrid. Atop his head adorned a golden crown. It imitated branches circling the crown of his head and two thorns pricked up into horns. The yellow reflected speckles on his haunting cheeks. Grand Oxford-Blue fabric hung on his tunic and cape.
Breathless, Ellie recalled his sharpness on the bridge.
Sitting upright, she blinked quickly and smiled. "Loki! You're okay!" she attempted to rise. "How did you heal so quickly? Loki?"
Loki Odinson stormed past her without a word. Ingrid watched Ellie struggle to get his attention. The words visibly died on her tongue. She fidgeted in her wheelchair and strained to turn around.
Ingrid met the Midgardian's perplexed gaze and shook her head slightly. Do not call for him again.
He was an arm's reach away, with his back straight and head tilted upwards. The tiny branches of his crown buried into his hair. Ellie found it rather fitting. The sleek cape swished like a snake retreating into its hovel.
The prince appeared completely uninjured. These beings heal faster, Ellie thought. "Did I do something wrong?" her voice echoed through the hall.
"You should have rightfully addressed him," Ingrid said. "Royalty and Godliness go hand-in-hand in this kingdom."
Curling her fingers around her Apostle's Creed, Ellie silently slouched back in her chair and thought deeply about her loyalties. The beads were cool to hold and helped to ground her beneath the overwhelming presence of tapestries, paintings and gold pillars.
Ingrid continued to push Ellie through the silence until they were at Frigga's door. They rapped thrice on the entrance and were beckoned inside by another healer.
"Your grace," Ingrid approached. "Miss Adamson requested she visit you. I felt it was allowed as I've held her in the healing chamber long enough."
Frigga smiled, closing the leather-bound book. "Of course, Ingrid. Had I been well enough, I would have been to see Ellie myself. But I have had to save my energy for the council meeting later."
"I understand. I shall leave you both, for now." Ingrid left Ellie beside Frigga's bedside and exited the room.
"You look better, your Highness," Ellie said pleasantly. She truly meant it. The Queen's smile was brighter and fuller than it had been. Still, there were bandages over her chest.
"As do you, Ellie," she said. "How are you finding Asgard?"
"Different. I've seen fairies, and talking toads, and a woman give birth to a baby with red eyes." Ellie stared off, recalling the strange memories. "Other than that, the food is divine." Frigga found this amusing, her grin widened.
"You and Volstagg will get along immensely if you to meet," she said idly and brushed the topic away before Ellie could ask who she was talking about. "I'm glad you chose to see me. It must be fate that you did. I was about to send word for you to be taken the Oratio Hall for the council meeting."
"What for?"
"My husband has been in many meetings about you in the last few days. There is something peculiar about you and about how the Alkar worked for you." Frigga became tense, her mind still confused by the situation. "It shouldn't have and there might be a reason that it did. After persuasion, we are going to present you with the Alkar and hopefully find out why."
Ellie's hand became clammy, beginning to dread the thought of seeing Odin again. He was petrifying. Nodding slowly, she looked away from the Queen and picked at the handle of her wheelchair.
"I saw Prince Loki. I thought he was injured. Were they not as bad as I thought? He's been walking around."
Frigga closed her eyes as a smile grew on her face gracefully. She sighed, "my son is healing in the royal sanctuary. He has been unable to leave for several days."
"But he's been strolling around. I swear I saw him!"
The Queen opened her eye and gave her a disturbed look. Ellie swallowed, "I mean, uh, your Highness, how can he be well enough to be up?"
"He is not. Surely by now you have learnt of my sons' reputation. Loki detests being seen as inferior, he becomes an illusion for the gossipers. What you have been witnessing was not my son, just a mirage."
Magic.
In her apartment, Ellie had a dingy Hitachi television set which projected movies and grey static. She remembered seeing her first tv when the nuns wheeled a Brionvega into the playroom one Friday evening. The children had been silenced, mesmerised by the static magic. Still, it baffled Ellie that he could make an image of himself appear; one able to touch and move.
"Can he not speak? Surely, it gives it away if he's just strolling 'round and ignoring everyone."
Frigga laughed lightly, "of course, he can speak. He's exceptionally talented in the arts of magick. Why would you believe he was ignorant?"
Ellie's cheeks became hot. "I, uh, tried to thank him, and he walked straight past. Well, I thought he was going to go through me."
"Oh, no, child. He can hear and see," the Queen said. There was a quietness afterwards. Ellie realised he had been ignoring her and so did Frigga. "He, well, he does enjoy his little tricks. Agitating people with them is his forte."
"I wasn't agitated. I just wanted to say thank you, your Highness."
"He's… aware that the events on Midgard might've shown him as weak or proven an inability of some sort."
"How could he think that? What he did to those creatures was insane. How could anyone see that as weak?"
"As a human, your views of weakness and strength are vastly different. The basis is, all three of us scarcely escaped with our lives."
"But-"
Frigga pleaded, "please, just leave him be, Ellie. When he's ready, he'll accept the praise of myself and his father. For now, he must deal with his inner turmoil." Ellie watched the Queen for a silent moment. The woman avoided her eyes, looking down at the fresh silk sheets and running a finger over the canular in her wrist.
"Okay," Ellie said regretfully.
"My Queen, the Allfather request the presence of-" Ellie and Frigga looked at the door where a royal guard had entered. His eyes fell on the human and he continued, "the presence of her royal majesty and the human."
"Perfect timing that you chose to visit, Ellie." Frigga smiled. "Inform my husband that I shall be with him shortly. Also bring a stretcher for Ellie, her leg is still healing-"
"Wait, no," Ellie interrupted. "I can walk." The guard and Queen gave her a look, but she insisted, "really, I can. Ingrid can help me. I don't want to be seen as a burden."
"Ellie, you won't be seen as a burden."
"I will. I know it. Let me walk there."
Frigga sighed, rubbing her forehead with her finger. "Fine, you may walk. Sir, bring Ingrid inside."
Through the high narrow windows of Oratio Hall, the light of the lowering sun covered the floor in orange stripes. The ornate chandelier which hung in the centre of the room glistened with white specks over the walls where long tapestries showed the faces of the Gods of the Nine Realms. Odin stood in front of Freyr's portrait, studying the deep brown of the Gods eyes and his bountiful smile.
"When the child be joining us?" Aelfred asked from the council table, his voice inquisitively scornful. Thor stirred behind him, looking away from the great light shining in the sky, with Loki running a finger over the feather of a quill. The only councillor outside of royal family was Aelfred, who was trusted with the guidance of Anaheim.
"Soon," Frigga said gently, "she left my chamber a while ago. Ingrid is helping her walk."
"She didn't wish to be carried?" he replied impatiently.
Loki and Frigga sensed the unease in the room, settling like an apprehensive blanket. And then the door opened.
Ellie held the bead labelled the Hail Holy Queen to her lips as she entered the Oratio Hall. She prayed to Mother Mary to give her gentle guidance in accepting whatever cruel words Odin or the other councillors had for her.
She inhaled, meeting the face of the King a stern man she didn't know. They immediately looked at her, their gazes sucking the courage out of her.
"Uh," Ellie stumbled. "Uh, hi." Odin gave Freyr's portrait a final, long-sweeping look and approached the table.
Thor was pleasantly welcoming, accosting her the moment he saw her. "Miss Adams, we are grateful you are well enough to join us. I have heard many a tale of how you are coping with Asgardian normalities." His grin widened, worrying Ellie as to what he meant. Probably her screaming at the stromkarl.
"Miss Adams," Odin said, polite and cool. "The Àlkar is the lifeforce of the Light Elves, they are a race of beings who rely upon the spiritual and astronomical presence of the stone." He shared a look with Aelfred and leaned over the table to lift a velvet blanket off of the jewel. It shone in the middle of the room as a blue diamond. Ellie found the information disconcerting, making her feel more uncomfortable and left out as she sat at the edge of the room.
"We understand this confusing for you, Ellie." The human finally noticed Frigga and Loki, sat beside each other. Frigga looked beautiful, elegant and untouched by wounds. She wore a beaded purple dress, with a matching hair piece that looked like a crystal crown.
Loki appeared the same as when she saw him in the corridor. His face was guarded and stony as he pulled his eyes away from the Àlkar and to Ellie's face. She felt a flustered stab in her chest and immediately looked back at Odin.
"What's this got to do with me? I didn't mean to throw it on the road or toss it about. Did I break it?" she suddenly asked.
"You cannot break the sacred stone of Alfheim," Aelfred said. Ellie was taken aback as she looked to the unknown man. "I am Aelfred. I help council the realm of Alfheim on behalf of his Holiness Freyr."
"Oh," Ellie replied feebly. "So, I didn't break it. What's it got to do with me still?"
"The Àlkar was imprisoned on Vanaheim and my wife went to retrieve it." Odin walked and settled behind Frigga, a strangely gentle hand went to her shoulder and she took it with one of her own. "We were to give it to Freyr as an inch of compensation for the loss of his realm. You see, the Light Elves were savagely attacked, their reigning Queen murdered and the Àlkar stolen. With their life source stripped from them and the last remaining members of the royal bloodline destroyed, the Light Elves were scattered."
"Now they rot," Aelfred continued, crossing his hands regally. "The Light Elves continue to die and wither away. Even Freyr slips further from his greatness."
"Ellie," Frigga said, "when you held the Àlkar it responded to you. It exhumed the power it has been forced to repress for so long. Power meant for the Light Elves."
Ellie was at a loss for words as she struggled to grasp onto what they were trying to say. She looked between each of them in the room and found the same reproachful, confused gaze on all of their faces. "I didn't mean to waste it," she said.
"You didn't waste it, Ellie," Frigga said, standing. "You set it free."
Thor appeared beside her and began pushing the wheelchair forwards. Right beside her, she found him to be the embodiment of a mountain. He emitted a rich odour, like a spice left in the sun. Ellie followed his gaze to the Àlkar.
Odin nodded to his son. "Take hold of it. Let us see if you are either a spy sent to harm my wife and son, or if you are more than you appear." Ellie swallowed nervously. She sensed Thor leaving her side and suddenly felt cold.
"I'm not a spy!" she said, her voice breaking. "Fucking hell. I didn't want to hurt Frigga or Loki. Why am I here? What could I prove by doing this?"
"Ellie!" Frigga scolded the disturbing language. "Do as we say, and this will be over for you."
Odin stood straighter, his gaze cold. "Touch the stone. Or we will use force."
Ellie looked between each person in the room, seeking a gentleness, a soft warmth. There was nothing to soften her tense shell. Momentarily, she clenched her fist and then proceeded to lean over the table.
Her outstretched arm was watched by half a dozen pairs of eyes, making Ellie feel like she was surrounded by hungry sharks ready to indulge in a bleeding corpse.
As her fingers hovered over the green stone, warmth spread through her fingertips. Light shimmered across the skin as the ornament appeared to emit its own power. She pressed her fingers to it, and it began to glow.
It blossomed with light, at first a startling green and then white. Growing and growing, like a circular wave. Ellie's brown eyes reflected the colour, absorbing its beauty like a halo in her iris.
"What's happening?" she breathed. A high-pitched noise, like choir angels emerged from the stone. There became louder and louder, transforming into a scream.
Ripping her hand away, she clutched it to her chest and breathed heavily. Her ears were ringing with a sharp pain. From the screams, she suddenly felt extreme agony and pain. Shakily she exhaled, and tears sprang to her eyes.
Loki stood up, staring at the jewel as if it was about to spring to life to attack them all. "Only a child of-"
"Silence, Loki," Odin interrupted. Ellie looked between them with wide, fearful eyes.
"W-What?" she asked. "What? A child of what?" No one answered, leaving the room full of apprehension. It choked Ellie and she suddenly cried: "tell me! Please? What are you talking about?"
"Enough of this for today," the King continued. "Let this day end. We will continue this another time. For now, I must speak with Aelfred alone and in the confidence of my counsellors."
Frigga exhaled slowly, closing her eyes at his words.
"Thor, fetch the guards and Ingrid."
Ellie waited in silence, staring at the space in front of her. When Ingrid appeared, Odin informed her that Ellie was to be moved to private chambers. She was well enough to finish healing in her own company.
"Wait, please, just tell me what you meant," Ellie pleaded. She looked at Loki, begging him with tears in her eyes. "What were you going to say? Loki, what did you mean?" Loki watched her silently, aware that his father was controlling the situation. His blue eyes snapped to Odin.
"Take her to the chambers. The guard have sent for a handmaiden." Odin looked back to Aelfred, turning away from Ellie. "Sleep well, Ellie Adams."
As the pair left the room, Frigga shared a look with her husband and Aelfred. "There is much to discuss, my love."
"I have sent word to Freyr," he said. "I shall contact the Völva and seek his council. There is less time than we imagined."
Ellie was returned to the healing sanctuary and told to gather anything she wanted. All of her possessions had been taken, by possessions it was just her old clothes. As for the Rosary, it was always strapped to her wrist, so the entire trip seemed pointless.
"Actually," Ellie finally said. "I'll take this." She grabbed the grey blanket from the duvet and bundled it into her arms. Ingrid smiled softly and took her to the third floor, far away from the healers.
It was a long corridor, one side open like a balcony so endless gardens could be seen. Ellie stared at the streams of flowers and trees as they fluttered against the lowering sun, red making them appear blood-stained. In all of the madness, she felt an itch of peace.
"Ellie," Ingrid brought her attention away from the nature. "This is Cecelia. She is a handmaiden. She will help make life a little more bearable here."
Cecelia was an Asgardian woman with bronze skin and white hair pinned back into a tight bun. She looked young, near Ellie's age. Unlike Cecelia, Ellie couldn't wipe the disturbed look off her face at the mention of a handmaiden. "A what?"
"I'm your handmaiden, my lady," Cecelia said, her voice soft, as if she hadn't shouted a moment in her life. Ellie asked her again, feeling stupid. "I will clean your room, wash your clothes, help you bathe. I am here to provide a service to you."
"I can clean my own clothes. I just need to know where the washing machine is – or the wash board. I mean, the Nuns used to use those so I'm, sure I can dig up the muscle memory…" Ellie began blabbering, her mind whirring from Odin's treatment of her.
Ingrid must've shot Cecelia a look to ignore what I was saying because the handmaiden became flustered and tried to cover it with a reassuring smile. "Come, you must feel overwhelmed," Cecelia coaxed.
Kindness radiated from the handmaiden. Ellie wanted to cry, she was seconds from bursting into tears. She was emotionally and physically exhausted. Usually she was able to keep her emotions controlled, but that had been impossible.
As Ellie watched Ingrid walk down the corridor and disappear around a corner, Cecelia began pushing the wheelchair. Ellie looked up at the girl with mild curiosity. They must be the same age and yet this girl was doomed to serve the royal household. Forever?
"Celicia?"
The handmaiden didn't slow. Her light blue robes fluttered behind her fast pace. "Yes?"
"What's the scariest monster you've ever seen?"
"The scariest monster? Well, that's a vast question," she said, her voice mirrored the distant thoughts in her mind.
"Monster was probably the wrong word. Nothing is truly monstrous. What's the scariest creature you've ever seen?"
"A crowl," she immediately said. She felt odd explaining this to her, because the fiends of the Nine Realms were the most well-known things in the universe. "It is a creature that lives in the marshlands beyond the capital. It is repulsive and oozing slime across its body. Almost like a fleshy balloon. The stench is abhorrent."
"Crowl. What does it do?"
"What do you mean?"
"It can't just be terrifying creature for no reason. Does it have a purpose?" Ellie asked expectantly. Cecelia shot her a disturbed look. "Of course not," she said. "Monsters have no purpose other than being hunted by the Warriors Three."
They reached a tall door, adorned with white swirls and patterns which illuminated the framework.
"Your chambers, my Lady," Cecelia bowed and opened the door. "I will enter morning and midday to perform my duties unless instructed otherwise. I shall return with supper."
Cecelia pushed Ellie into the centre of the room. She offered to carry Ellie to bed, but the human waved her off in embarrassment. Cecelia left the room as quickly as she had entered, closing the door with a small thud.
Alone in her quarters, Ellie took the time to observe every inch of them. It was a circular room, far smaller than the medical sanctuary. The four-poster bed was larger than the one she had in her dingy London apartment, double at least. With hooked up red curtains on each beam and a hanging canopy, it was quite Tudor.
Ellie hobbled out of the chair and leaned against one of the dark-wood columns. Four-poster beds had been created to help protect sleepers from the draught in their rooms. They were also used to give privacy as servants would sleep nearby; on-call for their employers.
Perhaps they hadn't been created in the 16th Century but inspired by Norse God customs. The bedsheets were silkier than any material on Earth. Ellie itched to climb beneath them and sleep forever.
Her stomach rumbled.
A large trunk was situated at the end of her bed, made of the same wood. It was heavy as she pulled it open. Inside were folded linens. For a stranger, these Asgardians could really issue the royal treatment.
The most Ellie could give to a guest was a Pot Noodle and Tesco Value teabags.
A rich red rug embroidered with artwork lay atop stone flooring. Ellie crouched, running a hand over the body of a black horse. The entire image looked like a battle, with demons being overpowered by… Odin.
The King was truly seen as a saviour. It was much like the glass artwork in cathedrals, only woven into fabric and adorned with a seamstress's devotion to her King.
Is it possible there is more than one God, Heavenly Father? Or is Odin one of your children, just like me?
Ellie looked up at the open window. The frame was curved, fitting the shape of the room well. She peered out. The Kingdom was a sea of gold, interlocked buildings which spread into the horizon. There were pillars of smoke, rising from fireplaces and a bustling noise.
London commotion was toxic and loud. This was gentle; soft against Ellie's ears. Instead of petrol, she smelt fresh bread and rose. Beneath her room was a quant balcony, covered in grass and flowers. Nothing had ever seemed so lovely and fitted in so well against a living city.
Ellie discovered a doorway on the far side of the room, leading to a bathroom. The bath was lone-standing in the middle. It was made of a fossilised wood, the brown hues merged like paint to water. Ellie looked to the ceiling and in the corner, there was a vent which she assumed was a shower of extravagant sort.
"When I go home, I'm taking you with me," she said to the bath, sliding her hand over the smooth side. "You are an actual wet dream."
The sound of footsteps caused Ellie to pull her hand away from the bath. Quickly she returned to the bedroom and watched Cecelia placing a tray on the table near the window. She stood up straight and placed her hands together with a smile.
"Supper, my lady," she said.
Ellie slowly walked up to the tray, sighing in relief as she slumped in her seat. "Thank you." She looked up at the girl awkwardly. "Do you want to sit down?"
Cecelia looked confronted, she looked down quickly. "Begging you're pardon, my lady, but servants are not supposed to sit with guests when they dine."
Feeling dreadful, Ellie swallowed. "Having a servant really isn't normal for me. Please, sit. I won't tell anyone."
"My lady, I must-"
"Please, Cecelia," Ellie insisted, leaning forwards. Her face was twisted, full of need to have an inch of Midgardian normality. Cecelia glanced at the closed chamber door and took a seat. She hesitated, choosing to keep her straight posture.
Ellie picked the bowl of soup, steaming and smelling of vegetables. At the orphanage, they were taught to drink and not use cutlery. When Ellie went to university, she was looked at oddly for not using a spoon. At least here, she could draw upon her childhood.
"This is so good," she said after warmth slipped down her throat. The taste was different, similar to carrot and potato with a hint of foreign spice.
Cecelia said nothing, watching the human with growing confusion. Ellie drank again before placing the bowl down.
"Do you want some?" she asked, holding out a piece of crusty bread. Cecelia bit her lower lip, glancing at it. "I'll end up asking you five more times like I did with taking a seat if you say no again."
"What if I'm not hungry?" she blurted and suddenly turned pink. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to speak out of term. Forgive me."
Ellie burst out laughing, nearly choking on her food. She held a hand to her mouth, continuing to snort. Cecelia was wide eyed for a moment and then began smiling.
"What is so funny, my Lady?" she asked.
"Your face. Bloody hell, you looked so scared. Did you think I was going to lunge at you or something?"
"I've been scolded before for my erratic tongue."
Ellie stopped laughing, it fell into a confused half-smile. "Erratic tongue? Scolding? That's hardly erratic and you've been… punished for it?"
Cecelia nodded. Her face was unemotional, guarded. Ellie realised the girl was afraid of her superiors discovering any flaw in her behaviour.
"What punishment?" Ellie asked, aching to know.
"Mrs Turid has a ladle made of Buloke wood. She uses it on our hands and feet because we are always walking or doing something." Ellie met Cecelia's cold gaze.
"So, it hurts the most and takes longer to heal," Ellie murmured. Despite the luxury of Asgard, there were many traits which borderline medieval Europe.
After a moment, Ellie pushed a piece of bread into Cecelia's hand. They shared a deep look, where Ellie tried to reach the handmaiden's inner core. "You don't need to be scared when you're with me. I won't tell Mrs Turid. We're friends, now."
"Friends? How?"
"We've had more than five minutes of conversation. As a loner who went to a Catholic school and then ran away to study Philosophy, most of my friends are built on five-minute introductions."
Cecelia blinked, her face less guarded. She raised the bread to her lips. "Friends, then," she said and took a bite.
"You can have some soup if you want."
"I don't like soup, my lady."
Ellie gasped, dunking her bread into it again. It dripped off, still warm and inviting. "Practically sacrilege."
"It reminds me of sick, my lady." Ellie shoved the soup-ridden food into her gob, shooting the handmaiden a disturbed look. "I used to help raise Lady Yngvild's babes. Sick was a large part of my day and I haven't been able to shake the connection, my lady."
Ellie snorted, holding the mental image at sanctuary. "When do you do that? You're only, what, twenty-five?"
"I am one-thousand-five-hundred-and-seventy-two; still fairly young." Cecelia didn't notice Ellie choke.
"Fairly young? What day-cream do you use? Are you Dracula's kid?"
"Who? How old are you? My knowledge of Midgard is shrouded, my lady."
The question took Ellie by surprise, she quickly answered, "Twenty-four."
"You are a newborn! How do you not look like you should be on your mother's breast?" Spluttering, Ellie had to put her bread down.
Were these Gods immortal? If Cecelia was over a thousand years old, then Ellie was craving to know what Odin was. As the King, however, her question would insult him.
"I'm an adult. Where I come from, we're fully grown and begin to wrinkle. I've got them already on my forehead when I'm stressed."
Cecelia ignored the light-hearted sentence. She frowned deeply. "I was unaware that human beings were so fleeting. You do not live for long at all, my lady."
"Some people think we live too long," Ellie joked. "Are you immortal? Like Elves?"
"Elves are not immortal," Cecelia guffawed. "No one is. It's impossible!" Ellie scoffed, continuing to eat her food as the handmaiden spoke. "Our lives are extensive, yes, but you Midgardians… How do you have time to do anything, my lady?"
"We make time. You can reach the other side of the planet in half a day."
Cecelia thought about this for a long time. It gave Ellie a sense of joy teaching someone about a concept which was mundane to her.
The handmaiden finally spoke, "do you wish you lived longer? Your life time is a fleeting moment to ours, if you'll pardon my bluntness, my lady."
Ellie chewed slightly slower. "Yes," she admitted, "there's so many stories to learn and I don't have enough time. I'd like to have my own, y'know? I mean believing in the Heavenly Father tells me that I was born with a purpose."
Cecelia frowned. "Odin is the Allfather, my lady."
"Not to me," Ellie said, overlooking Cecelia's shocked expression. To the handmaiden, it was close to opposing the crown. "Norse Gods are part of a dead religion on Earth. I mean, there are groups of people who pray to Odin and sing Norse songs, but not me. I'm a Catholic, uh, which is someone who believes there's one God. He has a son, Jesus, who was resurrected to give sinners salvation."
"Have you seen him? Does he walk on Midgard like Odin has?"
"No. There are stories sometimes; people who claim to have seen God or Jesus. But I haven't seen either of them. I feel trapped between philosophical truths and my religious ones."
Cecelia seemed taken aback. "How do you know he's real?"
"Sometimes I can sense him. His presence coats me, and I feel like I'm being wrapped in light." When Ellie was seven, she had been spanked by Sister Bethal for speaking during dinner. Unable to walk back to her dormitory, she fell to the floor and prayed to God for the will to stand. Something had come to her that night; something warm and beautiful held her tiny body tight and lifted her up. To her, it was God.
"It pains me to hear you speak of another deity which is not the Allfather," Cecelia said, her voice strained. "If he heard the things you spoke of; the ecclesiastic vestments; the false Gods, you would be hung."
Opposing beliefs wasn't a touchy subject for Ellie. She welcomed cultures and religions far different to her own; they were illuminating. "I suppose if I don't say anything about you sitting with me, then you won't say a word about me."
Rising from the chair, the handmaiden bowed. "Of course, my lady."
References
Crowl – Inspired by Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer (2008), the Crowley Demon is the ugliest thing ever.
Comments:
Burrowingreader – glad you enjoyed the first two chapters and find ellie so appealing to read, that's delightful to hear! x
whoatherebuddy – thank you for reading! will update soon!
deltareads – thank you for finding Ellie humourous! thats good. I'm trying to make her reaction to such an inhumane and different world believable!
please review! it helps me improve and your reading experiences get better!
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