Chapter 3:

Many years had passed since the All-Father and his two sons had come for a day's visit. But ever since that day, the first-meeting has been all Erica could dream about. In her sleep, her mind was constantly filled with images of the two Princes, who were so opposite in nearly every way and yet they were undeniably close.

Gathering her rich purple night robe tightly about her, Erica quietly stepped out into the cool night air, her bare feet padding across the smooth floor of the balcony. Approaching the banister, the young woman braced her hands upon the polished railing and leaned out softly, her head turning up towards the heavens as if she was seeking an answer in the stars.

"Erica?"

Pulled away from her thoughts, she turned at the sound of her name and found her mother Astrid standing underneath the balcony's doorway. Like herself, her mother was clothed in her nightwear; a deep blue robe of silken material cascaded around her slim form, allowing just a peak of the white skirt of the nightgown she wore underneath to be revealed only when she took a step.

"Mother..." Erica replied with a gentle nod of acknowledgement of her head. A hand reached up behind her neck to adjust the long , copper braid that hung down her lower back till it fell over her left shoulder. "You should be in bed..."

Astrid smiled softly before she made her way over to her daughter's side. "A mother knows when her child is troubled.." she replied with an easeful stride. "Though Erica is hardly a child anymore..." she reminded herself.

Indeed she was anything but ever since Erica had come of age almost five years ago.

"You had another dream..." Astrid stated knowingly.

Erica's head turned away to stare back out at the clear, midnight black horizon that was bejeweled with the twinkling of the stars. "Am I becoming that predictable?"

Astrid emitted a quick laugh, "I just know you very well, my daughter."

The two women fell into silence, allowing the night breeze to lightly billow their skirts and hum a faint whistle in their ears.

Erica crossed her arms over her chest for extra warmth, "I don't know why these dreams appear to me..." she spoke, "... it's been the same thing nearly every night ever since I was young..."

"So you've said before..." said Astrid as she looked upon her daughter with understanding eyes, "...and they bother you?"

Erica looked down, her blue-green orbs fixing themselves upon the railing as her brows furrowed with deep thought, "I wouldn't say bother...the...flashbacks I see are harmless...just memories from long ago that have echoed in the back of my mind."

"But?" her mother encouraged.

Erica subtly drew her lower lip into her mouth and bit down, "I didn't see a flashback tonight..." she pressed onward, "...I think I had a vision."

Astrid inhaled a sharp breath, her blue eyes widening ever so slightly, "Tell me about it."

"Well it wasn't very clear..." Erica explained while a frown pulled down on her lips. "...but I was standing in the middle of a bridge." Turning towards the older woman, Erica reached out so that the pads of her fingers touched her mother's forehead, "...here...I'll show you."

Astrid tingled with a strange warmth as her daughter's dream played out across her very eyes.

'The bridge was dimly lit by tiny candles that lined the entire walkway and standing directly at its center was Erica. The young woman turned her head to the left where she spotted a figure cloaked in black positioned at the end facing her; when she looked right, another figure, also shrouded in black, stood motionless on the other side.
 Suddenly, the all candles that led down to the figure on the left side extinguished one by one till the form faded entirely out of sight. The right side of the bridge however, remained lit and the stature that had stayed began moving forward. Step by step, the figure drew near till at last he was within touching distance, and then he lifted his arms and reached for Erica.'

As quickly as the images had appeared, they vanished as Erica drew her hand back to her side.

"What happened next?" Astrid asked breathlessly as she immediately began pondering what she had just seen. "The bridge...the two masked figures..." Astrid listed the details off chronologically in her head until something clicked.

"I don't know...everything fell into shadows after that." Erica replied. Turning her full attention onto her mother, the younger woman studied her intently, "...what do you suppose it means?" she inquired.

Disrupted from her thoughts at the question, Astrid opened her mouth to reply but found that no words could come forth. Not the right ones anyway should her interpretation on the vision prove correct.

Closing her mouth, Astrid gave a soft shake of her auburn head and remained silent.

Taking note of her mother's behavior, Erica's chin lifted with certainty, "...You know something, don't you?"

Her mother's blue eyes closed at the surprisingly calm accusation. "I have a theory..." she confessed.

Waiting for the explanation to continue, Erica's reddish brows arched expectantly, "Yes?"

"I don't think you'll understand, darling..." Astrid replied as her eyes swept open so that she could stare right into the face of her lovely daughter.

"Why wouldn't I understand?"

Astrid licked her lips before she casted her eyes downward, "Because your Father and I had yet to tell you..."

Erica's eyes squinted subtly and her lips parted as her features took on a mixed expression of confusion and suspicion, "Tell me what?" she demanded quietly.

Bringing her eyes back up, Astrid's next three words came out rather bluntly, "About the arrangement."

"Arrangement?" The younger woman repeated.

The second her daughter's mouth turned down in a frown , Astrid knew that she would have to tread very carefully about how to inform her daughter of what was to be said next.

"Mother..." Erica began, her voice low with mistrust, "...what have you been hiding from me?"

Seeing no point in keeping the secret from her any longer, Astrid released a heavy sigh before giving a quick toss of her auburn tresses. "When you were four, we received a formal request in regards to the possibility of creating a stronger alliance between our Realms."

Stepping away from the railing, Astrid began to pace back and forth across the balcony floor, her hands clasped tightly in front of her, "The request...was very simple. It asked.." Erica's mother paused for a second to spare a tender glance at her daughter, "... for your hand."

Hearing Erica inhale sharply at the information, Astrid felt herself cringe inwardly, "You should know...I never liked the idea...but your father, being both a friend and ally to him, felt obligated to accept the offer."

"Accept?" Erica repeated, her voice raising as her eyes glistened with outrage, "...You mean I'm intended?"

Ceasing her pacing, Astrid turned and faced her daughter, her blue eyes swirling with motherly sympathy, "Yes." she answered.

Erica felt as if she had been punched in the gut and took a stumbling step back into the railing behind her, "To whom?" the words came out in a whisper of disbelief.

Astrid shook her head, "I'm not sure...The All-Father himself hadn't even decided yet."

Erica raised a halting hand up as she desperately tried to grasp the new information, "Wait...The All-Father? He's the one who made the request?" Erica's jaw went slack, her eyes wide, "...but that would mean..."

Her mother nodded, "You're to be betrothed to one of his sons."

Erica raised a hand up to cover her mouth, "The Princes?" she spoke through her spaced fingers.

Well that would give some explanation to her vision, no doubt.

"And..." Astrid carried on despite the lump of emotions that was forming in the back of her throat, "...come the first day of summer this year...you are to leave Vanaheimr... to go live in Asgard so that the arrangement can finally be sealed, permanently."

Erica found herself catching her breath, "But summer comes in two days!" her daughter protested.

"I know, Erica..."

"When were you going to tell me?!"

Astrid shook her head, "Well it certainly wasn't supposed to be like this..."

A moment of silence passed between the two women who both had their eyes locked on the other one's face.

Drawing in a deep breath, a powerful shudder ran through her body, leaving her hands and mouth quivering. "You were right mother..." Erica stated in a cold tone as she pushed off the railing and swiftly crossed the balcony floor, moving past the auburn haired woman without even sparing a hurtful glance, "I don't understand."

Astrid reached a beseeching hand out at her daughter's retreating form, but within seconds, Erica was no longer in sight.

Lowering her hand back down to her side in defeat, Astrid tried swallowing the lump she still felt but to no prevail.

Walking back over to the balcony railing, Astrid gripped the smooth marble till her knuckles turned white as she stared out at the dark sky without blinking an eye.

"I'm so sorry, my child..." Astrid whispered out loud as a single tear rolled down her fair cheek; it was like she was hoping that Erica could hear the very solemn words herself.

Both her husband and the All-Father had assured her that this arrangement would be for the best...

But how can that be when it means losing her beloved daughter to such a loveless agreement.