Ingrid

Meanwhile in a hidden part of Norway, there lived a young girl. She was at least twenty and her dark eyes shone her intelligence and beauty. She had a river of chocolate brown hair bound in a plaited ponytail. Before her mother's untimely death, her parents had named their only daughter Ingrid for her beauty. As the years passed on, Ingrid remained in the little village with her father, Sebastian. Sebastian was a renowned artist and inventor while his daughter became renowned for her beauty, kindness and wisdom. As she grew, Ingrid was well taught by her father. She developed an inquisitive nature from her father. Through her mother, she had grown a love of reading. She was well-known throughout the village for her love of literature. Though she was well-loved for her kindness, her intelligence and fondness for reading had made her an outcast. The illiterate villagers looked down on reading and considered Ingrid not part of their world. Ingrid paid them no mind. She lived in the world of her books and that was enough for her.

One day, as she had always done, Ingrid had gone out into town to run errands. Despite her love of home, Ingrid grew weary of her small life. As she made her way into town, she stopped by the baker's to buy bread.

"Good morning, Ingrid," the baker greeted.

"Good morning, Herr," Ingrid replied.

"Where are you off to this morning?" the baker asked.

"The bookshop. I just read the most wonderful story about a prince and gods and…" Ingrid piped up excitedly before she was cut off.

"That's nice," the baker said dismissively. "Margot, the lefse! Hurry up!"

Ingrid smiled and simply continued on her way to the bookstore. As she did, she made note of the villagers snickering behind her back. Ingrid saw them, but she didn't care.

I don't care, she thought to herself. I'm glad I'm my own person.

Further downtown, Ingrid came to her favorite place in town, the bookshop.

"Ah, Ingrid!" the bookseller greeted warmly.

"Good morning. Have you got anything new today?" Ingrid asked.

"I think I have just the thing," the bookseller replied with a broad smile before handing her a red book with gilded pages. "I think you'll like this one. It's about a magic prince in disguise."

"It's perfect!" Ingrid gasped happily. "Thank you so much!"

"Enjoy!" the bookseller replied.

Ingrid made her way across town and buried herself in her book. She came to her favorite spot by the fountain and lost herself in her reading. Then, a great shadow loomed over her.

"Hello Ingrid."

Ingrid looked up and the shadow blocking her and saw the hulking figure of Thor. Thor had been a great blacksmith and hunter in the village and was sought after by many ladies in town. Much to Ingrid's annoyance, he always had his eye on her.

"Hello, Thor," Ingrid greeted as she buried herself back in her book.

Much to Ingrid's chagrin, Thor snatched her book and began to study it, turning it upside down. "How do you read this? There's no pictures!"

"Well some people have an imagination," Ingrid replied.

Thor rolled his eyes and tossed the book over his shoulder into a puddle. "Ingrid, it's time you got your head out of those books and paid attention to more important things. Like me."

Ingrid rolled her eyes and she dried off her book, pretending not to hear the dim-witted man.

"The whole town is talking about it," Thor remarked, his face twisting into one of disgust. "It's not right for a woman to read. Soon she'll get ideas, questions, and thinking."

"Thor, you are positively primeval," Ingrid replied with a witty smile.

"Why, thank you," Thor laughed, not noticing her jab at him, "What do you say we go to my shop and take a look at my work? Or you can marvel at my trophies?"

Ingrid felt sick to her stomach being around this boorish man. "Sorry I can't. I have to help my father. Goodbye."

"That old loon! He needs all the help he can get!" piped up Thor's portly and drunken friend Volstagg before Thor joined in.

"Don't talk about my father that way!" Ingrid snapped.

"Yeah, don't talk about her father!" Thor snapped at Volstagg, smacking him on the head.

"My father is a genius!" Ingrid said defensively.

Just as she spoke, a ball of fire emerged from the house across town and Ingrid raced off as Thor and Volstagg roared with laughter.