Chapter Six
The training continued over the following weeks, with several more attempted desertions, but overall the group progressed well. Loki for the most part seemed pleased. He often conferred with you regarding certain matters of minor issues and concerns, and you helped whenever possible.
One evening, you sat in your tent, staring at your now far svelter physique. Your hipbones were now clear to see, the layer of fat that usually sat over them long gone from weeks of training and the food of the camp as opposed to the hearty meals cooked in your family's kitchen. It also appeared as though your breasts had dropped a size also, not that any would notice under the armour you were forced to wear. Though you knew you could have stood to lose a little weight before going into the army, you now felt as though you had lose too much, and felt almost masculine looking, and were upset with your new appearance. As you felt your eyes welling up with tears, you found yourself laughing at how ridiculous it was that such a thing would upset you, you never cared too greatly about your looks, until the option for such was taken from you.
Rain pelted the canvas as downpours flooded Asgard, were it not for Thor being off realm, most would have blamed him for the adverse weather. You continued to feel your ribs as you began to unwind the wraps you had binding your breasts in for the day when the could of footfalls caught your attention, the sensation in your gut told you to cover yourself, and mere moments after you put your arms through your tunic, the canvas of the tent door pulled open and a drenched Loki entered, dripping water where he stood. "Your Highness? Is everything alright?" you asked, making sure the tunic was covering your chest and praying to all the Gods that the wrap was still tight enough to flatten out your natural contours.
"Yes, I just have to discuss something with you." He explained, removing his long coat.
"Do you not usually send for me to come to you on such occasions, what with you being the prince, and I; the mere soldier?" You asked curiously, unsure as to why he had just burst into your tent.
"Yes, I just did not want you out in this horrid weather." He explained, causing you to look at him in utter bewilderment, however he did not explain any further.
"Well what is of such urgency that it caused you to come straight to me?"
"Thor is missing." He blurted out. "On Jötunheim, from what information can be gathered, a group of Jötnar attacked his legion, and slaughtered most of them, their bodies have been recovered, but a few are not accounted for, my brother and his three closest friends are among those missing."
"I see. How can I be of assistance?"
"We are to go to Jötunheim in the morn, first thing, the whole army here. We are expected to be ready to go at the Bifrost before noon." He continued.
"Your highness, we will be drenched wet and teleported to a land that is of ice and snow, we will be killed off by the temperatures long before we ever meet a single inhabitant." You noted the issue immediately. The look on Loki's face told you he had not even considered that matter. He swore loudly as he tried to pace.
"This tent is tiny, how do you do anything in here?" he asked looking around.
"It is not meant to hold two people, much less a prince used to far more spacious surroundings." You laughed at his little tangent.
He stopped and stared for a moment before he chuckled. "Yes, I am used to a few nicer commodities I suppose." He then became serious again. "How are we to deal with the water issue?"
"Can your seidr dry that many?"
"Mine alone cannot."
"But…?"
"How are you so able to see what I am thinking Bjórrson, it unsettles me sometimes? My mother could aid in such, she is second only to I in seidr wielding." You raised your eyebrows at the latter part of his statement. "I do not overstate my skills; I have gone up against the most powerful of seidr masters in the Nine Realms and I alone was victorious." He puffed out his chest proudly at the declaration.
"Fair enough, so between you and the Allmother, will you be able to get the men dry at the Bifrost site?"
"I believe so yes."
"And what was the actual reason for your coming here this evening?"
"I do not follow?"
"You came here to discuss something with me, but my observation caused you to get somewhat side tracked, what was the actual purpose of this visit?" You explained.
"Oh yes, I needed to ask you to remain close to me on Jötunheim. Cnut, who I think you recall." You gave him a bemused look as your answer. "And one or two other highly trained Einharjar will join you and I as the main party attempting to find my brother and his friends."
"Why me?" you asked.
"In a time of battle or ambush I will need you close so that your mind can help us survive." He explained as though it the most obvious reasoning in the worlds.
"I am honoured you think so highly of me your highness, but with all due respect, you are assuming my ability to think in a battle situation to be the same as that of in a non threatened circumstance." You argued.
"Well there is only one real way to find out isn't there Ragnar, besides, you are quite the accomplished solider, so long as you can carry the weapon of course." You threw him another bemused look. "So if there is reason to believe you cannot think on your feet, you will be at the very least some bit useful in defending me."
"If you are assuming I would take a blade for you, you assume a great deal."
"Would you not?" he asked, slightly startled.
"Would you for me?" you countered.
"Well I am a prince."
"And I a being, identical to you in every other way bar birthright. Why should you be more important?" you smiled challengingly.
"You would leave me to perish?"
"If you keep annoying me when I am trying to get ready to sleep, especially now that I know I may die tomorrow, I'll point you out to the nearest Jötunn and use that as my ploy to distract them and escape." You smiled jokingly, causing the prince to laugh.
"I really do hope you and I survive this Ragnar, for if we do, I plan to spend much time in your company. Who knows, I might try and join you and your father on one of your splendid hunts, and mock you about having to kill a stag."
"No chance. I will use my hounds to snarl and bark at you and keep you at bay."
"Am I so bad?" he feigned hurt.
"Yes, yes you are."
"You are cruel Ragnar."
"Then we are evenly matched."
"Tomorrow Bjórrson, I shall send a guard before dawn. Oh and there appears to be a length of cloth dangling out from under your tunic." He noted.
Looking down you saw the wrap you had been unwrapping poking out. "Oh yes, I like to bind my ribs at night at present, the training has caused my muscles to ache on occasion, and since I began to do that, I have had little issue." You stated, hoping to have sated his curiosity.
"Makes some sense I suppose." He shrugged. "I shall see you in the morn." He looked at the cascading water before he set out of the tent. "If we are not drowned by then that is." He added before leaving.
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Morning came and an Einharjar woke you from your slumber before the sun had even risen. Tired and unsure of what was to come, you set about preparing for the journey ahead.
Thankfully somewhere within the night, the rain had ceased, and it was a slight bit easier to prepare, though the water laden land made it difficult to walk, your boots sticking to the mud. When you got to the location of Loki's tent, it had already been dismantled, and the prince sat upon his horse, surveying around. "Ragnar, you are well rested I hope." He commented emotionlessly as he looked down at you.
"As well as can be expected I suppose."
"Excellent, grab a horse, we are to go to the palace until the rest of the soldiers are crossing to the Bifrost, then we will join them. I wish to spend the morning learning some more maps so we may be best prepared. Your keen eye is something I require to do this accurately." He explained to counter your confused expression. With a nod, you took the reins of a horse that a soldier had brought for you and mounted quickly, which was difficult as the horse was tall and you were short, effectively you had to jump and pull yourself up to the saddle. You did not fail to see the slight smirk on Loki's lips as you mounted, before it disappeared as you headed to the Golden city.
You seldom entered its long streets, the last time you had been had been over a century ago, it simply did not interest you too greatly. You rather the quiet countryside of Asgard as your father did.
"Do you come to the city often Ragnar?" You wondered if Loki was actually reading your mind.
"No your highness, I have a preference to the country, it is far more to my liking."
"Surely there are aspects to the great city that appeal to you? Taverns, the bustle, even the women." Loki asked.
"There is all that in the countryside too my prince."
"Ah, I am sure there is, but I cannot see how it could measure up to the city."
"Then I would say you have not spent enough time there, I would see it as a far greater pleasure."
"So you will hope to find yourself a country wife, perhaps for a large agricultural homestead to aid you in your breeding of horses and dogs?" He laughed, though you could not find any hint of mockery in his words.
"There would be nothing wrong with that surely?" You found it odd trying to hold such a conversation.
"Would you move to the city were you to find one to your liking here?"
"Would you move to the country for one?" You countered.
"I am afraid protocol and tradition would force her here." Loki smiled.
"And you would bestow such a fate on the poor creature?"
"If I found a woman worth the time to love I would ensure she would never worry about missing it." Loki answered.
"And what would such occupations be I am curious to know, there is no likeness between the two types of life, other than that many ladies of high ranking here seem to resemble farm yard beasts. Would she be forced into their company to remind her of her homestead?"
Loki erupted in laughter startling one or two people who were watching the horses pass by. "Oh Ragnar, you are viciously cruel against the fairer sex. You will get no wife with such an attitude, but I agree, and worse than the appearance of some of those inbred wenches is their personalities. I rather a sow than a few of them, at least the sow does not pretend to be civilised."
"And you call me cruel?" you laughed, knowing full well from personal experience that what the prince was saying was true.
"As was said before, we are evenly matched." Loki commented continuing to head to the palace.
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You looked at the maps and were able to assist Loki in one or two areas, but you had already discussed the vast majority of them with him at length before the decision to go to Jötunheim.
The Allmother entered the room for a few moments to see her son, you left to ensure them some privacy, but not before Loki introduced you to her and with a bow, you said little. On hearing your name she looked at you slightly curiously for a moment before turning to her son to speak of Thor's prospective whereabouts. After their discussions, you rejoined Loki, but not without noticing the queen giving you a peculiar look as she walked out, wishing you luck and safe return as she passed.
After a few hours, the rest of the soldiers had gathered at the Bifrost, and Cnut called upon you both to join them. Mounting the horse in the palace gardens, you took a look around for a few moments.
"Beautiful are they not? My mother takes great pride in their keep." Loki looked around proudly at his mothers masterpieces.
"Aye, they are beyond doubt the most exquisite I have ever seen. I have heard that they boast the most beautiful flora from all the Nine Realms. Is that true?"
"Indeed, it took her well over a millennia to collect and cultivate them all, but they are all here now. Some of them did not adapt as well as others to Asgard's immense heat. Jötunheim blooms do not appreciate the sunlight too greatly, same as some of Midgard's flowers."
"I am led to believe that Midgard has quite the adverse weather conditions for a realm so small. It no doubt set quite the challenge for the Allmother to remedy."
"She enjoys such challenges I can assure you. Like you Ragnar, she likes to try to find a solution to a problem, though obvious in different issues." Loki smiled as he turned his horse toward the Bifrost. "Shall we?" you nodded and followed suit, bracing yourself for whatever lay ahead.