A/N: Sorry, totally forgot to upload. Here is the next chap. Enjoy.
A/N2: The italic words are thoughts; the bold and italic are onomatopeya; the (") sign after a line means they are speaking in another language.
This was amazing. For the first time in weeks she could properly bathe. Of course she knew a cleaning spell that had kept her from stinking like most of her companions but it was not the same. She enjoyed the feeling of water soaking her body and the flower fragrance that came from the oils that Sheshkala had poured in the tub. Eydís didn't want to leave but she had to.
An idea came to her mind. Her clothes. The ones she had used all along the journey were not that much of her liking. Besides, they were too warm to wear in this city, which had a more tropical weather thanks to the combination of the water and the volcano. No, that garment wouldn't do any longer. She had a few changes in her satchel and Eydís had an idea of what she wanted to wear.
Smiling, but a little regretfully, she got out of the tub, wrapped herself in a towel and began looking up the dress she wanted. Eydís knew she had seen it in there, somewhere (considering her mother did most of the packing for her).
– Aha! – she said triumphantly.
It was a pretty sheath dress of a thistle color with shiny, silver swirls scattered through the skirt and a connecting line on the waist. The upper part was an illusion kind of neckline, sleeveless and with the light grey transparency over the thistle corset. The fabric was similar to linen so Eydís knew it would be fresh. Still she had thought of a way to make it even fresher. She rummaged her satchel for some scissors and then began working.
The result was an asymetric skirt with the front part being slightly over her knees. The back would have looked like a bride's tail but she had cut it too so that it wouldn't drag. Instead, it hung just over her ankles.
Eydís was satisfied with her clothes so she just brushed her hair and was placing Loki's star back on when she heard it. A loud booming sound coming from the main hall. It was so loud and strong it made everything shake. The Princess ran like a mad woman but when she got there she saw Rourke punching the frail King right in his middle. Kida was obviously Helga's hostage and the second wouldn't let the first get to her father.
– STOP IT! – she screamed.
Instantly, there were several weapons pointing at her.
– Well, well, well. What do we have here? But isn't this the cook. Has the toad turned into a Princess already? Or has Cinderella found her fairy godmother?
Eydís kept her mouth shut, considering all her possibilities and not really understanding what Rourke meant with his words. She could use some magic to help Kida and the King but she wasn't sure of how this weapons worked so she was afraid they would damage her kin before she casted the spell. If force wasn't going to help her, perhaps Loki's way would.
– What? Does a Princess lack the right of concealing her identity? – she said almost in a playful tone.
Eydís crossed her arms and walked confidently to the group of people.
– Princess? – many whispered.
– Did you really think it was an accident that I came? You were leading me exactly where my people needed me to be.
– What? – Helga let it slip.
– We knew about the gem long before you did. We only needed a way in. You guided us, – Eydís sent a malicious look towards Milo.
All weapons were prepared to be fired.
– But, – she stopped her pace to look around with disgust, – we are willing to negotiate. My father instructed that, should you want it, we would allow you to attribute the glory of this finding to yourselves. My King is a magnanimous man. He is prepared to pay generously for this artifact and of course, safe passage for myself.
Rourke looked as if to be considering the offer.
– Name your price, – Eydís encouraged. – Whatever you want, he can multiply it infinitely.
– Kid, no king on Earth is that rich.
The Princess smirked and raised an eyebrow.
– Who said anything about this Earth.
No one understood.
– I come from a different realm. The king I speak of is no other than King Odin, the All-Father and ruler of the Nine Realms of Yggdrasil, – she said with a loud voice, raising her chin.
– There's no such thing, – Helga said.
– For millennia, the same was said about Atlantis and yet, – Eydís uncrossed her arms and showed around with her palms facing upwards, – here we are.
Everyone looked towards each other not sure of what to do. For the meantime, Eydís was simply glad that King Kashekim was being looked after by Dr. Sweet. It worried her deeply that with the hurries, she had left her satchel in the washroom. One of Eir's potions would heal him for sure but she had no time to fetch them right now. She had to figure something else out.
– Say that I believe you kid, – Rourke began saying. – What's the catch?
– There is no catch. You simply deliver me to the surface with the gem and I will call my father. He will instantly come with the payment.
– How will you contact him?
– Hmph. Evidently you know nothing of norse mythology. Most of it is true you know. Our gatekeeper, Heimdall, he sees and hears all. As we speak he is watching and listening to us. When we get to the surface he will simply open the Bifrost to allow my father down here.
Rourke fell silent again.
– Think about it. All this trouble you and your men have already gone through is about to end, – she snapped her fingers, – just like that. You have already found the best buyer in the universe, what else could you possibly ask for?
– NO! YOU CAN'T! YOU CAN'T DO THAT! – Milo screamed. – THIS GEM, THIS CRYSTAL ISN'T JUST A PRETTY THING! IT'S…
– Their lifeforce, – Eydís said with a cold stare and a quiet voice. – We know. It was a waste to leave it in the hands of petty midgardians to begin with. My great-grandfather Búri should have taken it when he had the chance. If it had not been for the bloody flood, Asgard would have already claimed it.
Milo couldn't believe his ears. This was a completely different person from the girl he had got to know along the way. This wasn't his friend, this was a snake. A heartless, venomous, cold, manipulative…
Milo, a voice sounded in his mind, Milo, it is me, Eydís. Please do not shut me out. Listen to me. Please.
This voice was the warm and pleading voice of his real friend. He couldn't believe it. He stared at her wordlessly admiring the complete difference between the Eydís he saw standing in front of him from the one talking to him. How?, he thought.
I shall explain later. For now just listen carefully. We do not have much time.
– Well, do you have any proof of what you are saying?
– For now I have only my word but I ask you again, what is it that you have to lose if you trust me? If what I say is true, you are rich already, if not, what can I do to hurt you? – she said confidently noticing how Rourke had already caught the bait.
It amazed her sometimes what people would do for money and power. Rourke walked to her and extended his hand.
– We have a deal, – he said.
Eydís shook with the same strength as him. A malicious look on her face.
– "Traitor! – Kida screamed to her but Edís didn't even flinch, at least not on the outside.
– There is just one small task at hand then, – Rourke teased leading the younger Princess to the King's side. – Finding the crystal.
– I can tell you where it is, – she said simply without looking at the old man. – If you can be so kind as to allow me the journal?
A trooper took the book from Milo's hands by force.
– NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! NO! – he tried but was restrained.
Eydís read the page. It was evidently a riddle that would have taken her brother Loki a few seconds to decipher. For her it was simply a minute. From where she was standing at the altar of the throne it was a pretty obvious answer.
– There, – she signaled and lead the way into the pond giving back the journal.
– Please, for the last time you gotta listen to me, – Milo tired once again. – You don't have the slightest idea what this power is capable of.
– I do, – Eydís answered simply. – That is exactly why we want it. We are the only ones capable of really develop it to its full potential. This crystal as you call it, can only be wielded by powerful beings. Beings like the All-Father. It was a shame we could not take it away from them ages ago.
As she spoke, she climbed on a platform that was practically hidden due to the water level. The moment she stepped on it the rock began moving downwards. Rourke and Helga followed bringing along Milo and Kida respectively. They found themselves in another cavern, a hidden one.
Eydís began to feel the pounding again. The more they went down, the hotter her pendant burned and the more violently her heart raced. Yet the heat felt right. Far from hurting her, Eydís felt as if it was transforming her into fire itself. It was almost an intoxicating feeling.
Finally, the stone met its goal and they all admired, in different ways, the sight above them. In the middle of the chamber, floating far above them and over a vast pit of water, was a huge, light-blue gem surrounded by many floating, stone faces. It almost looked like the faces were protecting the gem.
– Jackpot! – Rourke said.
Eydís heard Kida sigh deeply.
– The Kings of our past.
Eydís' eyes were pasted to the gem as much as Kida's were glued to the stone faces. Without warning, the oldest fell to her knees and began praying.
– Thatch, tell her to wrap it up, we got a schedule to meet.
Unwillingly, Milo kneeled beside her and placed a hand upon her back.
– Kida, – he said softly. – I'm sorry.
At the same time they rose, Rourke walked to the edge and hit a little rock into the water. Instantly, the blue glow of the gem turned red.
– Come on, lets get this over with, – Helga urged. – I don't like this place.
– Alright, what's next? – Rourke turned to both Milo and Eydís but she seemed lost in contemplation.
Milo began rambling about the characteristics of the crystal or something like that when one of the red rays laid upon her. The light turned back to blue and the Princess felt as if she had been embraced by someone. From that point onwards, she wasn't in charge of her body and she knew it but she didn't care.
No one expected this. When eyes had turned to the young girl, her locket was suspended in mid air, her eyes were pure light and she began walking with purpose to the edge of the water. Neither Kida nor Milo could approach her due to their captors.
– Talk to me Thatch, – Rourke said. – What's happening?
– Look, all it says here is that the crystal is alive, somehow. It… it… I don't know how to explain it. It's their deity, their power source.
– Speak english professor.
– They're a part of it, it's a part of them. I… I'm doing the best I can here.
– Then, if it's a part of them, why is she the one going all zombie-thing.
– I… I don't know.
Eydís turned to see them and spoke with a cavernous voice.
– "All will be well Milo Thatch. Do forgive me Kiki.
Both mentioned people looked astonished but only Milo nodded ever so slightly.
– What did she say? – Rourke asked.
– I don't know. I didn't catch it, – Milo said but Kida remained silent.
Right away, the young one proceeded to look back to the crystal and began walking on the water. No one could give credit to their eyes. When she finally stood exactly underneath the gem the stone faces moved upwards, allowing a perfect view of the deity. The locket felt so hot even though it wasn't even touching the girl. Eydís felt her own body pound so hard as if it were just a cocoon, a vessel and the real her was about to come out. All aces of light found their way to the center of the chamber, they focused on the burning locket. Eydís couldn't take it anymore.
SMASH!
It broke and she felt herself turn into light.