The little man, because Ingrid couldn't think to call him anything else, puffed out his chest and cocked one of his bushy eyebrows at her. "Beautiful, isn't it?
"Amazing. How did you do that?"
"None of your business. This way."
"Humph." Ingrid smiled as he glared at her for mocking his favorite noise.
Ingrid would need to bend over to squeeze through the small door. I hope it isn't that short inside, too. She hesitated to follow him until from inside she heard him yell to her.
"Are you coming in or what? I don't mean to invite anyone else in here."
Bending at the waist, she took small, deliberate steps as she crossed the threshold. It was so dark she couldn't see a thing, even with the door still open. There should have been light coming through the window, but darkness covered her eyes like a cloak. There was a smell of freshly turned soil, but it wasn't damp or cold, it was homey and comforting.
"Do you have a torch or a candle or something? I can't see a thing."
"Oh, I forgot about that."
A small air current swirled around her and she guessed that the same motions from outside were necessary again inside. When another pop sounded seconds later, her suspicions were confirmed, and the room materialized in front of her eyes.
17
It was a small, simple room. A round, braided rug in muted greens and browns lay in the center of the floor and a fireplace nestled along one wall with a single rocking chair sitting in front of it. A table with one chair lined the far wall and behind her she turned to see that a short bed lined the wall next to the door. At least that means there shouldn't be anyone else sneaking around.
"It's nice," she said, still mostly bent over. Slipping down to her knees she sat back on her heels while she continued to look around. "So you live here alone?"
"Yes. I like it that way."
"Do you ever get lonely?"
"I don't need to answer your questions." Walking past her, he reached under the little bed and pulled out a blanket. "Here. Now hand it over."
She smirked at him, but dug the gold out of her pocket where she'd stashed it.
"There you are." She took the blanket at the same time as he took the brooch. "Would you be kind enough to turn around so I can get out of these wet clothes so they can dry?"
"What?"
"I want to change. Turn around."
"Change into what?"
"Discussing anything with you is impossible. I will wrap myself in the blanket while my clothes dry before the fire."
"But you will still be human?"
It was Ingrid's turn to be confused. "Of course. Why would you ask that?"
"You said change. I thought maybe you were a changeling and tricked me."
"No, I'm just a regular, human girl. Now please turn around." Before all the other strange beings she'd met recently, she would have thought his concern odd. Now she understood it more than she'd like. He turned around with a few noises that told her how annoyed he felt about such a request.
"Thank you, I'm finished." She laid out her clothes on the hearth in the best way she could, chuckling to herself at how large her things looked in the cramped space.
"I'm going to have something to eat. You said you had your own food, right?" she asked.
"Yes and don't ask for any."
"I'm not. You are grouchy. I wanted to try to be polite, so I didn't eat in front of you, but you wouldn't notice good manners, anyway."
He scowled at her again the way he had outside--like she was planning to steal his secrets. "You turn around now. I need to do something."
"What are you going to do?"
"None of your business. Turn away."
She drew in a big breath and let it out slowly as she contemplated her options. "Fine, but I'm trusting you to behave. I will not tolerate any tricks."
It was hard to tell under all the facial hair, but she thought he smirked.
"Understood."
What have I gotten myself into? I will not tolerate . . . like I could stop him from using magic. What kind of creature uses magic like that? She nibbled on a biscuit and kept her back to him while she thought about what he might be. A slurping sound drew her attention, and she dared a peek over her shoulder. He was sitting at the table with a bowl of soup in front of him. The smell of carrots and potatoes wafted toward her, making her mouth salivate. I almost forgot--he owes me a warm drink!
She turned around and faced him. A little grin raised one corner of her mouth when she saw him hug his bowl a little closer to his body. "You still owe me one part of our deal."
"No, I don't. You can stay here and you have your blanket."
"Yes, but I'm also owed a warm drink."
He glanced at her. "Look away again."
"Why? I know you will use magic; why not let me see you do it?"
"You are annoying." He swished his arm around and another mug appeared on the table with steam rising from it. "Take it and we're finished."
"Thank you." Ingrid sniffed the liquid and it smelled delightful: a tea of some kind with a floral scent and honey. She took a small sip and felt the warmth trickle down through her chest and into her middle. A groan escaped despite herself. "This is delicious." He nodded, and she caught a quick smile before he resumed eating his soup.
After a while of silence, Ingrid risked another try at conversation. "I'm going to take a guess here, but I think you are a dwarf. But I thought dwarves lived in groups, not in cute little magical houses like this. Is this house connected somehow to Svartalfheim?"
He jumped up from his chair, knocking it over and stared at her, confirming she was right in her guess. "You need to be careful with what you say." He lowered his voice before he continued. "It is not always a good idea to speak every thought that comes into your head."
"What's wrong with what I said?"
"Like names, some places have magic associated with calling upon them. You would be better off not to name the realm I'm from again."
"Why do you live alone?"
"Why do you ask so many questions that are none of your business?"
"Human." She pointed a finger at herself.
"Humph." As soon it came out, he looked over at Ingrid and a small chuckle snorted out of his nose. He tried to control it but he couldn't and before either of them realized it they were both laughing.
"Thank you, I needed that." It felt good to release some of the tension building up inside of her. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would be sitting having tea and laughing with a dwarf. After the last couple of weeks, however, it seemed almost normal.
"I was kicked out. I never fit in with my kin and made some choices that were deemed unworthy of the realm. So I was sent here."
"I'm sorry. It must get lonely to live all by yourself."
"Not really. I like the peace and quiet. Do you have a big family?"
"No, just my parents and my brother." A twinge of guilt stabbed through her as she thought of Hagen. She looked at the warm fire and tightened the blanket around her shoulders.
"Well, I had plenty more than that. There's never a place to sit by yourself or hear yourself think. Someone's always pushing or shoving and it's a fight to get enough to eat at every meal. I like it here."
"You still have your magic, so that's nice, right? Wait. I thought dwarves couldn't be out in the daytime?"
"That's true. As part of my banishment I was stripped of most of my magic and one of the side effects has been that I don't turn to stone." Snorting, he looked off into the distance, lost in a memory.
"You still have enough magic to hide your house, though. Can you do anything else?"
"Not really, just tricks mostly."
Ingrid nodded. "Having magic would be helpful."
"Why?"
"Have you noticed anything strange lately? Like dragons returning, for example?"
"Yes, I heard one flapping its wings earlier today. What has brought them back?"
"It's a long sto
ry, but it has to do with a protection spell Odin and Freya placed on Midgard that's failing."
"The one that can only be strengthened when the human healer is born?"
"You know about that?"
"All magical beings know about it. We were all here when it was put into place. Dwarves were stuck in their realm unable to do business with Asgard for a long time until a deal was made. No one creates beautiful works of art like a dwarf, and the gods like their beautiful things. If it's failing, then the healer is already born or will be soon. Don't worry--it will be resolved."
"Just watch out for fire-breathing reptiles or slimy trolls or men cloaked in wolf forms until then, right?"
"You've seen all of that?"
"Plus more."
The dwarf stared at her. He didn't move for so long she thought maybe he'd been wrong and had actually turned to stone. Except he still looked alive and not gray. "My name is Plintze."
Ingrid gasped and threw her hands over her mouth. "Why did you tell me that?" she asked from behind her fingers.
"Because you are the healer. You are meant for great things and will not misuse the power you hold."
* * *
Ingrid's shoulders sagged as she let his words sink in. For as long as she could remember, she'd proclaimed to all who would listen that she would do great things and there would be stories told of her; A shieldmaiden worthy of sagas told to generations about how she stormed the battlefield. Using feline style grace, she would twist and turn, leaving a wake of defeated bodies in the mud, avoiding injury, and standing in the center shrieking victory, her hair blowing in the wind.
All the exhaustion of the day flooded her and the weight of responsibility pressed in. The backs of her eyes stung and as hard as she fought it, they filled with tears. Blinking, she took deep breaths until she soaked them back in and her heart rate slowed.
"I don't know how or why I have been born for this. I haven't wanted to believe that it is truly my fate, but I know it must be." Ingrid sighed as Plintze nodded his agreement. "I'm Ingrid. It's nice to meet you, Plintze." Ingrid smiled a genuine smile and held out her hand. Plintze shook it with reverence, his eyes soft and crinkled as he smiled.
"I like your smile. It makes me happy," Ingrid said.
He peered at her sideways. "Humph."
Ingrid laughed, "Thank you."
"For what?"
"Your friendship. I haven't had a good experience making new acquaintances lately, and I'm glad I met you."
"You need to be careful. There are many who will not like that you have been born and will seek to stop you from your destiny. You shouldn't have risked coming here with me. If I were any other dwarf you'd be in a cage waiting for the highest bidder right now."
A feeling of dread skittered down her spine; she knew all too well he was right. "I know. I have a habit of trusting when I shouldn't, but I was right about you." Hesitating, she bit her lip, trying to decide if she should ask him a question that had been bothering her. "Plintze, do you know anything about the Dark Elves?"
His bushy eyebrows drew together covering his eyes. "Why do you ask? Stay away, that's the best thing I can tell you about them."
"I know they are called dark because of the magic they practice, but do you think if they use their abilities to restore the Vanir to equal position with the Aesir that would be a good thing for all the realms?"
"No. Dark magic never has a good purpose, and only someone trying to deceive you would say so. The Dark Elves don't want to make Vanaheim equal to Asgard, they want to make it more powerful. To destroy Asgard would be to destroy all the realms. The Vanir accepted their fate long ago and are a peaceful race. Who have you been talking to?"
"I can't say, or I'm not sure if I should right now, the power of a name and all that. I'm confused though, because the one who told me of how I fit into all this madness is the one who told me the Dark Elves were trying to help. She said that if the spell is bound for eternity, it would create such an imbalance in magic that would destroy all the realms."
Plintze inhaled a deep breath. "The Aesir gods are a temperamental bunch and can be selfish, greedy, and pompous, but they love Midgard. They would do nothing to hurt the humans. The Dark Elf leader is powerful; he is not to be trusted, but he is to be feared. If he believes that you will work on his side, he will keep you safe, but most likely lock you away. If he doesn't get your help, he will destroy you."
Ingrid stared into the teacup resting in her lap. "My friend saw a group of Elves talking around a campfire the other night. They said they were looking for someone to take to their leader. They were looking for me, weren't they?"
"Probably. I guarantee that if the Dark Elves know who you are, they won't stop until they find you and everyone around you will be in danger."
"That means I've put you in danger now, too. I'm sorry."
"Ach, don't worry about me. My house is glamoured, and no one knows I'm here." Plintze paced between the fireplace and the table, making growling noises and muttering under his breath.
Wishing he wouldn't have taken me in, I'm sure.
"I don't like it," he blasted out, surprising Ingrid into sitting tall, "but if you want to, you can stay here to hide. No one will find you if you stay in the house." He stood in front of Ingrid with his hands on his hips and a scowl creasing his forehead. Ingrid relaxed and settled back onto her heels again.
"Thank you for that offer. I know it would be a hard thing for you to give up your peace and quiet for me, and I appreciate it with all my heart. But, I have to go home and warn my family. My friends are carrying my brother home right now and I could not live with myself if any harm comes to them because of me." Warmth crept through her heart toward Plintze; he wasn't so gruff after all.
"That's your choice, then." He looked toward the fire and then his dishes still on the table, walking over and putting his chair upright. Ingrid watched as his mustache twitched, tilting her head to the side as a slow smile edged across her face.
"If I wasn't here, what would you do for the rest of the evening?" She had the distinct impression she was keeping him from something, but she couldn't figure out what.
"Nothing. None of your business." He snatched the dishes off the table, set them in the sink, and then came over and grabbed the tea cup from her hands. "Check your clothes."A gruff command, but if she didn't know better he was nervous, like he didn't know what to do with her now.
Raising to her knees, she scooted over to the hearth. Her clothes weren't completely dry, but enough that she could get dressed which would make her feel more comfortable, anyway. She kept having to adjust the blanket to stay covered. Guess this is one time I should be happy I'm short. Looking toward the sink, Plintze had his back turned to her. "Stay turned around and I'll get dressed."
"Humph."
Ingrid giggled under her breath and changed as quickly as she could. Wrapping the blanket back around her shoulders, she stayed next to the fire. On the mantle a box caught her eye, and she rose to her feet, keeping her knees bent so she could take a closer look.
"Don't touch that," Plintze yelled, giving her a start.
"I wasn't going to, I just wanted to look at it. Did you carve it?"
Pushing her to the side, he pulled the box down and sat with it on his lap in the rocker. Ingrid sat on the far edge of the hearth, putting enough space between them to help him relax. "I made it as a boy for my mother to keep her needles."
"How kind of you. I'm sure she loved it." Ingrid could see it better in the firelight. The top had snow-capped mountains and a valley with a river running through it. Each side looked to have a different scene. She could see two: One had a tree with falling leaves and a many-pointed buck standing on a hillside, and the other showed a lake with a large eagle, talons out ready to grab a fish out of the lake. "Do the sides represent the seasons? They are so detailed."
Plintze nodded but didn't look at her, keeping his eyes trained on the dancing flames of the fire. The orange glow flicker
ed in his dark eyes and he looked lost in thought. Ingrid turned her face to the fire as well, letting them share the peace of the warm room and the companionable silence. The logs in the fire burned bright and warm, but as she watched she realized that they didn't turn to ash. There wasn't any smoke rising from them either, only an earthy peat smell. Dipping her head she peered under the mantle and saw that there wasn't a chimney. Ingrid sat back quick and adjusted the blanket around her shoulders when Plintze's voice broke the silence.
"She had never seen the above world, but she always wished she could. I sneaked out at night and wandered around because I wanted to know what it was like so I could describe it to her. One night I met a sprite--temperamental those creatures, never know if they are friend or foe. This one was young and hadn't met a dwarf before and out of curiosity wanted to talk to me. We developed a friendship of sorts. I would tell him about my world below and he would tell me of the world above. My mother was always dropping her needles out of her apron, so I thought I'd make her this box and let her see some of the above world at the same time." Plintze stopped talking and resumed staring into the flames.
Afraid to disrupt the mood that made him willing to talk so much, Ingrid stayed still and quiet. As the room fell into silence, she bounced her knees and her mind wandered to Jorg, Selby, and Hagen. I wonder how far they made it today? I hope they didn't see that dragon. Gasping, she stood up too fast and hit her head on the ceiling. "Ouch." She fell back to the hearth and grabbed at her head with both hands.
Plintze looked at her with a mixture of a scowl and confusion in his eyes. "What was all that?"
"I was thinking about my friends. What if they run into that dragon I saw today? They won't be able to run away because they are pulling my brother. I have to find them and warn them." She wanted to pace, run out the door, do something. Sitting, watching a warm fire, and listening to stories while they were outside heading toward a beast that would eat them had her stomach in knots.
"There's nothing you can do. One way or another they will have to travel through the same area you did, right? What difference would it make if you were with them or not? Also, dragons don't hunt at night. They have terrible vision in the dark."
Ingrid, The Viking Maiden (Viking Maiden Series Book 1) Page 18