Fragments of your Soul (The Mirror Worlds Book 1)

  “Forgive me, my lord, my lady,” a voice suddenly interrupted them.

  Two brown-clad servants stood in front of them. One was Mardun, but it was the second man who had approached them. He was tall, thin and gray-haired, had dark eyes and a striking aquiline nose. He bowed and said, “I’m sorry to disturb you, my lady. His Highness Prince Byleist sends me. Your presence in the council chamber is desired.”

  After Arvid had said goodbye to Ogur, the gray-haired man led her out of the gardens. To her question, he replied that his name was Hemett and that he was responsible for keeping the council chambers and the surrounding corridors clean and tidy. Unlike Mardun and Desrei, Hemett naturally continued speaking Old Jördisch, but Arvid actually welcomed that fact. After all it was to be expected that the prince would also communicate in this language.

  “Who will be present in the Council?” said Arvid after they had walked for a while, because now some nervousness started to spread in her.

  “The entire royal family, my lady,” said Hemett, “apart from Prince Helblindi and His Majesty King Farbaute, who currently stays in Borkh. There are also two consultants and a scribe present.”

  “Is Borkh a country?”

  “It is, my lady,” answered Hemett. “It lies in the northwest of the Wastes. The relationship between Borkh and Isvirndjellen has been tense for a long time.“

  “Why?”

  “I don’t know anything about that, I’m afraid.”

  “What should I call the prince and his family? Is expected of me that… that I bow or something?”

  “You’re a goddess,” said Hemett, “a slight bow will suffice. All members of the royal family present today are to be addressed with ‘Your Highness’.”

  Arvid nodded. “Will Loke be present?”

  It was hard to overlook that Hemett was confused by the question. He gave her an odd look. “Yes, he will, my lady.”

  They reached another passage. In the middle was a narrow, high door in a deep blue color. Left and right of it high columns rose. Arvid’s heart began to beat faster as Hemett opened the door and invited her to enter.

  A large, oval room with a high ceiling received her, with walls almost entirely covered with black and green striped draperies. In the middle stood a long table made of stone. Around it the giants sat on massive chairs, engaged in a heated conversation that now fell silent. Six pairs of slate-gray giant eyes turned to Arvid. Although she already felt small like an ant, she hastened to bow.

  “The human is here, Byleist,” said a giantess, who was sitting at one head of the table. She sounded unfriendly, almost contemptuous. As Arvid met her gaze, she immediately felt uncomfortable. Although it was difficult for her to guess the age of giants, it was clear that she had to be rather old. Her hair was snow white and like all giants Arvid had seen so far, matted to thin, compact strands. They were gilded with a large number of colored beads and golden glittering rings. Across from her sat a giant who noisily got up from his seat now.

  “Welcome,” he said aloud. “I’m glad to see that you have recovered.” In his eyes there was no hostility, only curiosity. His hair was almost black, also richly decorated and so long that it would have reached down to his knees if it were not gathered in braids. He wore loose, lightly falling trousers in black and a thin robe of a shiny, silky fabric, which bore a pattern of blues and greens.

  “I’m Byleist of Isvirndjellen, Farbaute’s son,” he continued, then he made a sweeping motion toward the old giantess on the other side. “This is Naal, Queen of Isvirndjellen and my mother.”

  Arvid bowed her head in her direction, but quickly looked away when Naal’s hostile gaze met her again.

  “These are Katta and Nesjemir, royal advisors of Isvirndjellen, and Ghelm, my personal adviser and scribe. Loke you already know.”

  Arvid nodded at the three giants one after another, then her eyes fell on Loke, who aptly had taken the shape of a giant, too, and blended in perfectly. Although she had already seen this body twice, there were some significant differences this time. He wore clothes that strongly resembled those of Byleist. The upper part of his hair he wore tied to a thick knot, and small rings and elongated beads of brightly polished metal were shining in it.

  Arvid tore herself away from his sight and turned back to the prince. “It’s an honor for me to be here, Your Highness.”

  Byleist smiled. “Sit down,” he said, pointing to an unusual chair made of dark wood, which looked a little bit like a bar stool and had sprouts like a ladder. After a short hesitation, Arvid followed his invitation. Her nervousness increased. Surrounded by giants, she felt terribly small and weak.

  “I’m sorry we had to let you wait,” Byleist continued, “but there were several urgent matters that tolerated no delay and required our full attention.”

  “What happened?” Arvid asked uncertainly.

  “Some of our caves have collapsed in the earthquake. Down in the city there were numerous victims, and some places have become easily accessible to the deep-dwellers and needed to be secured.”

  With a queasy feeling Arvid thought back to the worm that had stung her.

  “I understand,” Arvid said. “I hope everything is all right again.”

  “No, it’s not!” The queen snapped with hostility. “It will take weeks to repair the damage and to seal the chinks.”

  Byleist threw his mother an annoyed glance. “The situation is under control,” he then said to Arvid. “There is not much danger anymore, but the lives that were lost can’t be returned.”

  Arvid nodded and preferred to stay silent this time.

  “Still, it’s time we take up the issue of your further continuance,” Byleist said. “All those present here are informed that you’re able to help Isvirndjellen win back a large part of our lost land. Your safety is therefore of great importance. We already discussed various ways to protect your life. We have not yet come to an agreement. Furthermore, Ghelm and Loke found it necessary for you to be involved in the discussion.”

  Arvid looked from Byleist to Loke and back again. “But is my life in danger?” she asked.

  “Asgard knows that you’re here,” said the giant whom Byleist had introduced as Katta. He had conspicuously bushy, dark eyebrows and a rough, deep voice that sounded calm, almost gentle. “It’s still uncertain what they will do, but should they go for a direct attack, we could hardly defend ourselves.”

  “You really think they would do that?” Arvid asked doubtfully. “I thought there is peace between the two countries. Wouldn’t they try it through diplomatic channels?”

  “Yes, certainly,” Byleist agreed. “We expect a messenger, and the demand to deliver you to Asgard. However, once we reject, they will take other measures, and the alternatives are limited.”

  “You could ask for respite,” suggested Arvid.

  Naal laughed out loud. “A great idea,” she said. “I’m sure that this will solve the problem all by itself.”

  “It will take at least a year before we have the right light conditions again,” Loke said now. “If we are unlucky, several years. We can string Odin along, but in the end that won’t change anything.”

  Arvid swallowed. “And you really think that… I’m not safe here? Isn’t Sölunnir a fortress?”

  “Asgard’s fifty most powerful gods were enough to make this fact irrelevant,” Katta said. “We have waged war against them for long enough to know our position. If Jökutnjamargr were still a united country, the situation would probably look different, but although Isvirndjellen and Utstern are friends, Utstern won’t engage in a war because of a human goddess.”

  “And what do you suggest?” said Arvid. “Should I… hide somewhere out there?”

  “The best solution, in my opinion,” said the Queen with a cool smile. “At least she would be out of our hair
then.”

  “There are various suggestions,” said Byleist and again threw an angry glance toward his mother. “One of them was, in fact, to hide you in a secluded area in the countryside, so that only a handful of people know where you are. But that would also have a major disadvantage: Should they happen to find you anyway, you’d be completely unprotected.”

  “But they would have to find her first,” Naal interjected vigorously. “There are many remote places in the mountains that are very hard to reach.”

  “It feels too much like a gamble,” Byleist said. “I don’t like to take chances. Quite apart from that, the mere fact that Asgard’s gods roam our land could pose a threat to our people.”

  Naal made a derisive noise. “You’re talking as if they were pillagers.”

  “Odin would be quite prepared to use force if he thinks someone conceals something from him,” Loke said. “Even if he is wrong. As I mentioned yesterday, I believe that he fears for his life. His fear may drive him to actions which he otherwise wouldn’t take.”

  “Either way, it would be risky to simply hide Arvid somewhere,” Byleist said firmly. “Nesjemir had another suggestion, though.”

  “You know that I’m against it!” Loke said sharply. He sounded so determined that Arvid could not help wondering what role he played in this round.

  “She should still know about it,” said Byleist. “Nesjemir, please explain your proposal.”

  The called party cleared his throat. “One option would be to ask Sifrjejri for asylum for you,” he said. “There you would at least temporarily be safe.”

  “The dear child has no idea where Sifrjejri is,” sighed Naal and slumped in the corner of her chair.

  “Forgive me, Your Highness,” said Nesjemir with bowed head, then he turned back to Arvid. “Sifjejri is one of four countries of Jökutnjamargr. It’s small and far in the north. It’s more or less cut off from the other countries. Its people strictly wish no contact with the outside world.”

  “That doesn’t sound as if they would grant asylum to anyone,” said Arvid.

  “Under normal circumstances, they indeed would never do so. Sifjejri’s leader is indebted to His Majesty King Farbaute, though. He helped them to become independent.”

  “And why would I be safer there than here?”

  “The trip to Sifjejri is long and arduous, even for giants,” said the consultant. “It’s very cold there, and the border is protected by high mountains.”

  “For humans the journey through the mountains can be fatal,” Loke threw in gloomily, “that’s why this solution is out of the question.”

  “We might get to the point it’s the only solution that remains,” said Byleist. “Arvid is small. She could be carried in a litter and would be adequately protected.”

  “It’s out of the question!” Loke repeated firmly and so loudly that Arvid gave him a startled look. “Parts of the path are barely passable even without a litter.”

  “Oh, come on already!” Naal rebuked him roughly. “She may be just a tiny human, but summer isn’t over yet. We would find a way to get her to Sifjejri alive.”

  “Even if!” Loke retorted angrily, leaning far over the table in front of him. “In Sifjejri it’s so cold that her stay would be a never-ending ordeal!”

  The Queen snorted. “How bad can the cold be? This is about preserving her life, not about offering her as much comfort as possible!”

  “What do you know about what the cold feels like for humans?” Loke shouted angrily.

  Arvid’s confusion and unease grew. Loke was a god and had always been irreverent and intemperate, but the way he spoke with Naal seemed outrageous. After all, she was the Queen of Isvirndjellen.

  “Not as much as you, that’s for sure,” Naal said with narrowed eyes. “By now you’ve almost become one of these puny creatures yourself. But why does the weakness of these wretched beings interest me? They have to cope with it themselves.”

  “Please!” Byleist called out energetically. “Quarrels won’t get us anywhere.”

  For a moment there was silence, but the atmosphere was so tense that Arvid did not dare to say anything, but silently looked around. Loke and Naal still threw each other angry looks, while Katta and Nesjemir bleakly stared at the table. Ghelm, the old scribbler, who had not uttered a word so far, played with a quill pen, seemingly lost in thought.

  “The last possibility would be forging a band of life,” Byleist finally said in a deliberately calmer tone. “This would be by far the most complicated, but also the safest solution.”

  “And what exactly is that?” said Arvid.

  “A spell of living runes that binds your soul to a partner’s,” said Byleist. “From this point, the death of one also means the death of the other, which makes you part of each other’s family.”

  “A marriage,” Loke summarized impatiently.

  Arvid paused. “A marriage?” she asked in surprise. “What’s the point?”

  “The key point would be to choose the right partner,” Katta said. “It would have to be someone from the bloodline of the royal family. Right now you’re nothing more than a human goddess, but this connection would make you an official part of the royal family of Isvirndjellen. An attack on you would no longer be an attack on a guest, but also a direct attack on the royal family.”

  “The other countries of Jökutnjamargr would in this case be obliged to help us,” Byleist added, “even if there is the risk that Borkh would break the contract because of the past conflicts. However, Utstern’s help would be certain, and perhaps even some of the dwarven houses would support us.”

  “You don’t really want to start a war because of me,” Arvid said, stunned. “It can’t possibly be worth it.”

  “It’s not that,” said Loke. “It would be pure deterrence. Odin is not stupid. He would never risk a war of this extent. He wouldn’t only break a tercentennial peace, but also set the favor of his people at risk. It would clearly be the best course of action.”

  “That’s what you think,” Naal remarked icily.

  “And I,” Katta said after a moment’s hesitation. “Even if there would admittedly be a few problems to solve first. After all, the basic requirement is Arvid’s readiness for such a connection.”

  Arvid hesitated. The idea of having to marry some giant was unsettling. Their size and strange appearance still intimidated her. The thought of possibly having to spend several years in an isolated area of the Ice Wastes, living in constant fear of discovery, was much worse though.

  “It… would only be a sham marriage, right?” she asked finally.

  “Of course everything would have to look correct,” Katta said, “but otherwise, yes, it would be a sham marriage.”

  “And who would I have to get married to?”

  “The question is rather, who would take this disgrace on himself,” said the Queen, eyeing Arvid almost disgustedly. Arvid turned quickly back to Katta. She didn’t understand why Naal hated her so much, since she had not done her any harm at all—on the contrary. Her trade with Loke brought Isvirndjellen and her family a decisive advantage.

  “That’s the main problem,” Katta said with a gentle smile. It seemed as if he would ignore Naal’s remark deliberately. “His Majesty has two unmarried nephews, but both are not too fond of humans. There is also the risk that Utstern and Borkh would consider this a too-distant relationship. The best would be a connection with one of the royal sons.”

  “I think I’ve already made it abundantly clear that I would never permit one of my sons to marry a human woman!” Naal flared up angrily. “It would be a shame for our house.”

  “Which leads us to the next problem,” Byleist sighed. “My mother’s consent is required. Though my brother had already offered to take you for his wife yesterday, we now have no choice but to se
nd a messenger to my father’s nephews. If both refuse, we will have to reconsider the first two options.”

  The discussion was far from complete, but at some point the conversation began to turn in circles. Finally Byleist vigorously asked for silence and declared the council meeting closed.

  The Queen immediately left the room without a word and with an embittered face, closely followed by Loke, who had seemed more thoughtful than irritated over the last hour. Arvid saw him disappear with a certain disappointment. She had hoped to be able to talk to him alone, but obviously it had to wait.

  Hemett wanted to accompany Arvid back to her quarters, but to her amazement Prince Byleist took this task from his hands.

  “Please forgive my mother’s hostile behavior,” he said after they had walked a few steps. “She doesn’t care for humans, to say the least.”

  “I’ve noticed,” sighed Arvid.

  Byleist smiled. He radiated a warm cordiality which Arvid never would have expected from a giant. “She’ll better herself,” he assured her. “In a week or two she might be able to see that it would be better to agree to a marriage.”

  “And your brother would actually marry me?” said Arvid. “Why wasn’t he present at the council meeting?”

  Byleist looked at her, briefly confused, but after a moment, his face brightened. “Oh, you mean my brother Helblindi,” he said. “His presence is currently needed down in the city, but he is already married anyway. I was talking about Loke.”

  “About… Loke?” repeated Arvid. It took a moment until she realized, but then she stopped, thunderstruck. “Loke is your brother?”

  For a moment Byleist seemed surprised, then he suddenly began to laugh loudly and uproariously. “You didn’t know?” he asked, amused. “That’s very much like Loke…”