A/N: HELLO, HELLO! Due to a commitment I got for tomorrow, I would like to upload this chap before rather than later (again XD) so here you go. This chap is a little shorter but I think the contents will be worth it. I would really like to know what you think about the story so far.

A/N2: The italic words after a line, are spells; just italics, are thoughts;the bold and italic are onomatopeya.

A/N3: BTW! Check out for the little glossary at the end of the Ch to know a little more.

Almost on the opposite side of the submarine, Eydís finished her chores and was helping a companion with her part. The woman was on her early thirties with light-brown hair and a few freckles on her pointy nose. She was taller than Eydís but way shorter than Sif, Eydís thought. She seemed nervous judging by the way she babbled and the way her hands shook when they were about to grab something. The Princess watched and smiled.

– You've got family back on land? – the woman finally asked.

– I do, – pause. – You look nervous. Are you feeling unwell?

– Wh… what? I don't… I… no, no. I'm, I'm… fine.

Eydís raised an eyebrow, the same way her mother and Loki did. The woman sighed in defeat.

– Can you keep a secret? – she asked lowering her voice.

– I can. What troubles you?

– I don't like confined spaces, – her voice all but a whisper.

– Did something happened for you to dislike them?

There was no judgement in her voice. It was rather soothing and therefore, the woman continued.

– Honestly, I don't remember. It's probable but I can't seem to remember.

– Traumatizing experiences can do that. It is a manner of self-defense and there is no shame in that. Worry not. It will come to you when you are ready. In that moment, you will face a choice: whether acknowledge and grow or pretend it never happened and ignore the lesson. If you value any advice I would rather choose the former. It will not be easy but it will be the most enriching.

– Thanks, I will try to remember but, going back to the previous subject. Tell me about your family, – she answered.

– Of course, but first, would you be so kind as to telling me your name?

– Oh! Sorry! I'm Alice Kraft.

– Nice meeting you. My name is Eydís.

They shook hands and giggled.

– Pretty name. Never heard it before.

– It is an old name. My mother chose it but my father agreed so that is the solved mystery of my name, – Eydís laughed lightly and kept going. – I have two brothers. Both of them older than me though… we… used to be four.

The young woman trailed off a bit. For the first time in centuries she spoke about him and it felt weird.

– Four siblings?

Eydís nodded.

– What happened? – Alice stopped fidgeting her fingers, her full attention on the other.

– There was an accident. We all used to be very close. We grew up together, we played together. I am the only girl and the youngest but I never had much trouble to get along with any of them. Rory is the eldest. He is highly physical and an oaf from time to time but there is a nobility in him that he should let out more often. He smiles a lot and he does not lack female admirers so I suppose I can say he is handsome, – Eydís said with a teasing tone. – Then there is Dean. He is more brains than muscle but I can assure you he is far from weak. He can be a mighty rival. He loves the stars and has devoted most of his life to the investigation and observation of the sky. But there are many who dislike him for his attitude. He has been judged all his life and his so called "attitude" is but a shield, a result of their own stubbornness. If they bothered to really get to know him, they would adore Dean. People does not understand that my brother is a kindhearted man who just needs a second chance.

– It sounds like you care a hell lot about them.

– I do. As for our other brother… he was even less physical than Dean but spent his time out with the people instead of hiding away inside our home with the nose stuck in a book. Balloo was a kind soul. He was gentle with everyone and his love for nature was almost legendary. It was a surprise for everyone when he passed away. Someone was playing with a bow and arrow, he stood too close and he paid the price. The worst part is that people believed it was Dean's fault. It is true that my brother enjoys a good prank but he never intended to kill anyone let alone our brother. Dean loved Balloo as deeply as any brother is capable of loving.

– Why did people blamed him?

– He… he gifted the bow and arrows. For many, that was enough.

– That's horrible. I'm truly sorry.

– That was a long time ago. I was very young when it happened, yet, it is a wound that has not healed completely. Sometimes I think that if I feel this way, it is most probable that for the rest of the family the feeling is almost unbearable, – she sighed. – Now, do tell me about you.

Eydís tried to change the subject. The last thing she wanted was to bring back those terrible memories.

– Uhmm… well, I'm the oldest of two sisters. My parents live in a farm in North Dakota. My little sister Debbie married last spring and is expecting her first child. She says she hopes it's a boy. I think that if the baby is a boy, he should be named Samuel not Gavin like she so wants but it is her child, not mine. Anyways, I moved away six years ago to New York. Have been trying to make a living with a cook's salary. Two years ago I joined the army and went to D.C. This is actually my first mission.

– Amazing. Why did you join? – Eydís asked.

– To be honest, I needed the money but I also think that as women we have as much right to defend our home, families and friends, don't you agree? Or, why did you join?

– I like to think I fight for the right thing, – Eydís said satisfied.

Alice felt understood so she smiled as well.

– You know, I hear that the view from the front is astounding, would you mind if I go and try to have a look?

– Of course not Eydís. Go. I'll cover up for you.

– Thank you Alice. You are great, – The Princess said taking her satchel from the counter and leaving the kitchen hurriedly.

Long ago, she had learned that stealth was key if she wanted to surprise people like Loki. Therefore, moving quietly and unnoticed had become a second nature to her. Besides, her short height allowed her to hide better if necessary. Thus, infiltrating in the bridge was actually very easy, child's play.

There were two levels in the glass chamber and few places to hide so she conjured an invisibility spell around herself to have a better look. It was so noisy in there, so many people talking at the same time either yelling or repeating orders. The cold and big machines filled almost the whole place. Everything was a monochromatic metal grey, from the stairs to the chairs with very few exceptions. Eydís was intrigued by the machines. In Asgard, the All-Father used to say that magic and science (two different concepts for Midgard), were one in the same. It was a powerful combination as well that allowed them to live the way they did. Still, the Princess had never seen anything like this before, making her curious about the way they worked.

She kept walking through the bridge until she had a perfect view of her objective. Eydís never imagined that the ocean could be like this from the inside. The body of water was almost as mysterious as the sky and it drew the asgardian Princess' attention mightly. Even though it was very dark she could see huge rock formations that towered them. It was obvious to her that those formations had been born at the bottom of this part of the ocean and only kept going upwards. She imagined herself simply out there, alone, in the quiet of the ocean and a smile appeared in her face.

She was daydreaming about this when she heard someone said excitedly:

– We're gonna dig!

That was the exact moment she realized that some of the crew were having a meeting on the second floor. Due to the fact that neither the bigger machines nor the best view were up there, she hadn't even bothered to look what was on the second level. Without letting go of the rail, she half turned and conjured under her breath:

– Unna hlyða.

In a moment, she was able to perfectly listen to the group. She recognized Milo's voice explaining something about a grease trap. A weird imagery appearing in her mind upon the ignorance of the true meaning in Milo's words. She kept listening but out of the corner of her eye, her attention was caught. If she had to guess this looked like ship cemetery. The wreckage of all of the sunken vessels very clear to her trained eyes but it wasn't until the (apparent) man in charge called out for the lights that she was truly able to see the extent of the damage. Very closely after, her still activated listening spell, caught a sound she had never heard before. It was something between the echo of a huge, metallic body and the flippin fins of an animal.

swish

With her interrealmic experience she was sure this meant bad news. Her gut told her so, it had never been wrong this far in her life, and when Milo said something about a "leviathan", that stuck in her mind. She was sure she had heard that name before.

Slosh

A moment later, everyone could hear what she was hearing through the so called "speaker".

SWISH

Eydís knew she had to do something.

SLOSH

Milo was right. The sound was getting louder.

Silence.

– Well whatever it was, it's gone now, – Helga said.

Wrong, Eydís' mind screamed.

– Helmsman, bring us about, tighten our search pattern and slow…

CRASH!

In came the first punch. Eydís' ears almost exploded when the alarms went off so she let go of that spell. The commander was instructing Helga and, in return, she barked orders all around.

CRASH!

That was the second.

Alice! She had to help Alice.

Eydís stood up as best she could and began running to the entrance when…

BAM!

They were caught. She looked back just in time to see Milo falling back until his body found the glass dome.

– MILO! – she called out coming back for him letting go of her invisibility spell.

– Eydís?! What're you doing here?! – he said when she caught up with him.

– Enjoying the view, – she answered sarcastically.

In no time she had put them both on their feet and was trying to get on the bridge again. That's when they saw this leviathan fire a blue light towards them. It was more than obvious that it had pierced them through and now a new alarm was sounding. They were both pushed around by other marines, guided to smaller submarines. Eydís prayed that Alice was fine.

Her heart felt a little relief when she saw her new acquaintance jumping on a sub with a group of people. She on the other hand, got in with Milo and a bunch of other people.

– COME ON! EVERYBODY GRAB A SEAT AND BUCKLE IN! – Helga yelled.

– Lieutenant get us out of here! – Rourke commanded but the woman seemed incapable of making the lever cooperate.

– Lieutenant!

– I'm working on it!

ZAP!

The second ray came through.

– Bragða, – Eydís commanded in a low voice just as Helga was kicking the lever with her foot.

Finally they were able to leave the main submarine.

– Hang on! – Helga said.

The Princess had to do something. She focused and envisioned as many of the pods as she could and she mustered.

– Skjald-bor.

Instantly, a blue veil covered all the pods she could feel, including hers. The endeavour costed more than she imagined. Keeping up so many shields weakened her too quickly. That added to the fact that the foe she tried to keep the pods safe from seemed to have too great a power. It was too much but she endured for what seemed an eternity.

With her inner eye she saw the leviathan aiming, he was aiming for Alice's pod. She had to make a choice and so, every other pod except hers and Alice's were relieved from her protective shield. Eydís focused as much magic as she could on that pod.

The creature aimed.

And fired.

Glossary (considering a site I found which was a dictionary of old norse to english plus a construction of my own. Feel free to ask for the link if you wish):

1. Unna hlyða - Allow to listen

2. Bragða - Move

3. Skjald-bor - Shield wall