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asgard-segun-elcadejos · 2 years

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Asgard Academy

Year 3: Part II

[ Index ]

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“What do you believe your duty as a Lord is going to be?”

Fenrir slightly narrowed his eyes, appalled. He didn’t know, that’s why he asked for this meeting in the first place. “I lack a proper answer, my Lord.”

“That is fine, but you must have some idea, yes? Something you read, or heard, about what people in our position do?”

“Uhm…”

Lady Paulfrid was deeply intrigued by his hesitation. This subject was usually hammered into heirs’ skulls the moment they were able to understand responsibilities and yet, Fenrir had absolutely no clue. It was one thing to be unaware of certain details, but to lack grasp of the subject core… When her daughter talked about the circus Syd made to get Fenrir to come to celebrate the twins' birthday, Lady Paulfrid thought it was due to strict guardians yet…

Something was amiss in the Northern Wolf; she could see it now. Judging by the slight frown in Lord Ulrich’s face, it seemed he had arrived at a similar conclusion, and with that lightning speed calculation of his, a mental list of things that needed review after this meeting was probably underway.

Lord Baldrek was aware his equals were slightly tuned out of their meeting, so he tried to keep Fenrir’s focus on him. “Let us start with the basics. Do you know why there is such a thing as ‘nobles’ and ‘commoners’ in Asgard?”

“Yes,” the boy replied, relieved to finally know what to say. “Noble bloodlines are descendants of the God Warriors of legend. Our coat of arms represent the divine power granted to each warrior during battle, or so they say. Lands and other assets were distributed by the Asgardian Princess of the time as a reward for the warriors’ courage.”

“Good! You got most of it, so well done.”

“Hm? What did I miss, my Lord?”

“The assets were rewards, that much is true, but the lands are responsibilities.”

“Are?”

Lord Ulrich snapped out of his contemplation and intervened. “You have noticed there are families with larger plots of land, yes? Yours being one of them?”

Fenrir nodded, not particularly sure why that was important.

“Every citizen of Asgard is a subject of the Winged Crown, and that is quite the number of people. It would be unfair to expect one person, the Princess, to be able to meet all their needs by herself, yes?”

The boy nodded again.

“So, when the ancient wars were concluded, the God Warriors were rewarded for their courage, and then given a final responsibility: ‘Protect Asgard’,” Lord Ulrich explained, his magenta eyes fixed on Fenrir.

“My Lord, you just said the wars were concluded by that time, so what else was there to protect?”

"Certainly," Lady Paulfrid snapped her fingers and nodded, satisfied to see the young lord was paying attention. “If the wars were over, what ‘Asgard’ was left that needed protection?”

The three Heads of House patiently waited for Fenrir to think about it. After a few minutes of contemplation, he dared to provide an answer. “The people?”

“Very well done, young lord!” Lord Baldrek said with a smile. “The people are Asgard, and as descendants of the God Warriors of legend, it is our duty to protect them. That is why nobles are distributed all over the Principality, instead of centralized in one region. When water is scarce, when bridges collapse, when nature strikes! We are to oversee their wellbeing.”

The corner of Fenrir’s mouth tightened a bit. “Is that not something the local and main governments do already? Would we not be interfering?”

Even Lord Ulrich raised his eyebrows at his quick evaluation. Lady Paulfrid had already decided she liked the boy and wished they had personally met sooner. “Two hands, connected to the same body. Local governments follow procedures to the letter, as they should, but are rarely able to report real-time problems and concerns from the people. The Heads of House assist the Winged Crown with that. Unfortunately, I cannot claim all Heads of House give this duty the same level of priority, but it is our responsibility. Failure to comply has… significant consequences.”

“Our reports are provided quarterly, usually to the Princess herself, unless a more pressing matter requires immediate attention. You are already familiar with Her Majesty, it should not be hard,” Lord Ulrich said with a dismissive hand gesture. “Be thorough. Audiences with Princess Mother Göndul were kept brief, in consideration for her health, but Her Majesty Princess Hilda will want every possible detail, no matter how unimportant it appears to be.”

“She has always been fierce, that one,” Lady Paulfrid sipped from her teacup. “Asgard will go through many more changes now that she is the ruling Princess. We must help her, young lord.”

Fenrir nodded; his chest tight. He was nervous just thinking about it, but also somehow excited to be part of something bigger than himself. “Yes, my Lady, I will do everything I can.”

“Just remember; there is no need to do so alone,” Lord Baldrek pointed out with a gentle smile. “You might be the Northern Wolf, but there are others in the North with the same responsibility, so reach out to them and form strong, lasting bonds.”

“The Howling Hellhound’s heir graduated last year, yes?”

“No, that was the middle child, Ulrich, keep up,” Lady Paulfrid corrected him with a frown, not even aware she missed his title. “Truly, how can you forget? We saw him the other day with his mother!”

“I cannot keep track of all of them, Paulfrid, give me a break! And you said ‘middle child’, so there are three in total?”

“Yes! Utgard (the heir), and his sisters, Vaike and-“

“Lady Vaike?” Fenrir interrupted, and immediately cleared his throat. “Apologies. I do know Lady Vaike; she was at the northern regional entry exam as a volunteer. We also spoke a few times at the Academy.”

“’Spoke’? Is she not-?”

“Ulrich.”

“Fine, fine, fine, fine. Figurative speech, I understand.”

“As I was saying,” Lord Baldrek cut in, and the other two seemed slightly embarrassed he had to do so at all. “Reach out. Not only to other nobles in the north. If you are ever struggling, and feel we might be able to help, please ask.”

“Do not expect me to go to Northern Asgard, though. It is so far from the west-”

Lady Paulfrid didn’t even have to say anything; Lord Ulrich stopped talking on his own, but not without glaring at her. Lord Baldrek let out a quiet chuckle; their dynamic had been like these for years now.

“Form strong, lasting bonds, young lord. That is what truly makes a difference.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir had often thought about that meeting with the Heads of House back in winter, especially after the university admission exams started. Once he was given the title of Lord, the general outline of his life would change, well before that of others around him.

Someone plopped down right next to him, and Fenrir couldn’t help giving him a good scratch on the back. “Hey, Ging!”

The wolf’s ears perked up as he licked the boy's ear. Fenrir stared at him for a while, remembering how much he’d cried during his last day in the mountains, saying goodbye to the only friend he’d ever had, and then see him in Central Asgard a week later. Fenrir knew Ging had a pack, so it was baffling to know the wolf just left it to follow him. He couldn’t help wondering if sticking to a similar path as everyone else would be the right choice, given the circumstances.

Maybe I should consider following his example for once.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Everything was going as planned. Legal requests were in the middle of being processed. All money transfers had been done in low amounts, at random times of the month, for the past three years to avoid raising suspicions. Even the land purchasing had gone well, without hiccups of any kind.

When the time was right, they would all fuck off to their well-deserved early retirement homes and no one would know any better, but until then, it was just a matter of keeping a low profile.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Artica can stay at my house…” Fenrir cleared his throat, making nervous hand gestures. “I-If that is alright with you, of course!”

Reynir and Embla contemplated the suggestion.

“Yeah, that seems reasonable,” her father said, scratching his chin. “The storm’s to hit precisely on the weekend we're not home.”

“It would be best if you weren’t by yourself, sweetheart,” Embla agreed, rubbing her daughter’s shoulder. “It’s not too much trouble, I hope?”

“Not at all!” Fenrir replied at once. “I would also feel better if... I was with her at that time…”

Artica gave him a small smile and hugged him. “I would like that too…”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Would you, uhm…” he started, quickly turning red all over. “Would you like to use this room, or… or mine?”

“Yours?”

Fenrir made nervous hand gestures. “I-If you want!”

Artica nodded. He then skipped the room they usually napped in and went over to a door made of dark wood. The crest of the Northern Wolf hung on it in bright metal, and under that Fenrir’s name in beautiful handwriting (unlikely his own). He gestured for her to enter as he opened the door.

She noticed that, for a noble’s room, it wasn’t particularly over-the-top. The bed was large, and the furniture well made, but nothing as extravagant as what Artica had seen at the Viking Tiger family manor. There was a desk near the sliding window doors, and Ging was looking at them from across the yard. What really caught her eye was a small hand-knitted wolf doll on the nightstand. She immediately picked it up.

“You kept it all this time?”

“Yeah. At first, I wasn’t sure why, but in hindsight, it was because you gave it to me.”

His partner curled her lips in a smile. “Well, technically, Vaito gave them to us after I beat him in tic tac toe.”

“Bah, why are you ruining my poor flirting attempt? You have yours too, I saw it on your bookshelf this morning.”

“Yeah, it’s next to the books you gave me for my birthday…” Artica replied, her chest all warm.

As the day went on, the sky got darker and darker. Fenrir tried his best to cover his bases and by the time the storm broke, they were both tucked in his bed. Curtains had been drawn so she wouldn’t see the lightning, and Fenrir’s biggest, best noise-canceling headphones covered her ears, playing music without lyrics, to prevent her from hearing the thunder.

They cuddled next to each other as they read books to pass time, and even though he fell asleep first, Fenrir’s arm never unwrapped from her waist. After carefully confirming the thunder had ceased, Artica turned the music player off, gathered both of their books, and quietly pushed them to the side. Afraid she would wake him if she moved too much, Artica gingerly kissed his cheek and then rested her head on his chest, ready for a good night’s sleep.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Next morning, she was surprised to find herself alone in bed. Artica stretched widely in the middle of a yawn and was about to take a shower when the door opened, and Fenrir popped in. “Breakfast’s ready!”

They went to the kitchen, where two plates with three waffles each, apple juice, and toast were waiting. She looked around curiously, noting there was no one else around.

The way her eyes fixed on the waffles made him a little nervous. “They’re good, I promise!”

She immediately cut off a piece and ate it. “Mmm! Delicious!”

It was only after returning to his room that she felt comfortable asking. “They were really good! You make’em often?”

“Yeah, every now and then. This is the first time I made so many, though.”

She mentally reviewed a few other instances when she’d noticed Fenrir doing something that wasn’t expected of his status (like washing dishes), and now that Artica had been inside his house a few times, it was starting to make sense why.

“Do you always make your own food? They don’t make servings for you?”

Fenrir raised his eyebrows. “Not exactly… Food is made for XXXX, and if I want some, I must eat with him. Years ago, I decided he could fuck off with that shitty arrangement, so I eat when I want. If there’s leftovers, great, if not, I can manage.”

“...Is it the same for everything else?” Artica asked, aware everyone in that manor seemed to avoid her whenever she came over. It surely couldn’t be like that when she wasn’t around, right?

“Sort of. They do laundry and general housekeeping. I take care of my bedroom, and the one you use, though. Don’t like them touching my things… Is there a reason you ask?”

She suddenly went very still, with an awkward smile. “S-sorry, I’m being nosy, aren’t I? This isn’t my business at all. It just seems like… no one is ever around you here.”

“Well, that’s true,” Fenrir agreed with a slight shrug. “It’s been like that for years; it doesn’t bother me anymore.”

Years? Anymore? These fuckers…!

Artica pulled him into a hug and let out a sigh. "We’re all now with you, whenever you need us."

Fenrir froze in silence, somewhat startled. He was so used to that lifestyle that it never occurred to him that it would, or could, change. He couldn't help hugging back a little tighter.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Rúri, Syd, Karianne, and Fenrir arrived earlier at the music pub and were having a drink as they waited for the last two.

“So~? Are you excited to finally receive your title during your Coming of Age ceremony?” Rúri asked with a smile. “It will be a big day!”

“A little… but mostly worried. Even though it’s less than a month away, I haven’t received any further instructions about it. One would think the logistics need reviewing, yes?”

The other three eyed each other, and then back at Fenrir with a slightly confused expression. “What do you mean? The House needs to officially reach out to the Palace, not the other way around. After all, in your case, it is not mandatory for the title to be awarded on the day you turn eighteen.”

“It’s not, but…” he stopped mid-sentence, the sudden realization dawning on him. He crushed the glass in his hand and, before anyone could stop him, stormed out of the pub. Syd excused himself from the ladies’ presence and followed him outside.

“You need to get that wound cleaned,” he said, offering his handkerchief. Fenrir did not take it.

“I can’t fucking believe these bastards…!”

Syd allowed him a few minutes of silent venting. Then, without prompting, Fenrir spilled it out.

“I was always told the Palace would do everything, so haven’t given it a second thought. And now I’m thinking about all the family assets and such. I can’t touch them until I am given my title, but I see now…”

“That those bastards wanted to give themselves more time to leech off your family’s wealth?”

Fenrir stared at him with a piercing, aggressive gaze. Then, relaxing his stance a bit, closed his eyes. “My parents would be so disappointed…”

“Well, if I may, there is a reason the Academy emphasizes networking, my lord,” he said, cleaning up the blood from his hand. “You never know when an acquaintance might come in handy.”

Fenrir noticed a rather unusual look in his eyes. There was willingness to help, but also to strike back. “Shall we discuss this further…?”

“Yes, we shall, and then, I’d like to contact Valhalla Palace. I believe I was invited for a cup of tea…”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The knocking was becoming unbearable. Who in their right mind was so eager to show up on Friday evening? XXXX opened the door with a sour look on his face and was met with a crowd of youngsters. Noble youngsters. All of them were carrying large packages.

A tall boy with sharp eyes flashed a smile. “Good evening! We have come to congratulate Lord Fenrir on his new title!”

XXXX decided to play the fool. “My lord, what a surprise! Yet there seems to be a misunderstanding. His Coming of Age ceremony, and the rightful title that it will bestow him with, has not occurred.”

“Is that not a surprise, Your Majesty? I was sure we all took part in it!” the boy said out loud, doing a deep bow towards the last person in the crowd. All the other teenagers did the same, clearing her way to the door. The man could not believe his eyes.

“A surprise indeed,” Hilda replied with fake shock. There was a very dangerous smile on her lips. “I do believe I personally bestowed him with his title on the eighth day of the current month, when he turned exactly eighteen years old.”

“W-what?” a clumsy, out-of-etiquette reply came out of his mouth. He covered it immediately, thinking hard about what to do. Two sets of footsteps came from inside of the house towards him. XXXX was horrified to see Fenrir fully dressed in one of his best outfits, with an unmistakable raven wings brooch pinned to his chest. The obnoxious scarred girl was right behind him.

“What an honor, Your Majesty, esteemed lords and ladies, that you would come all this way for me,” he said in a loud voice. His piercing golden gaze was digging into XXXX like a hungry wolf. “I humbly accept your congratulations.”

Hilda came closer. The smile left her lips, and a menacing expression took its place.

“The Winged Crown has been informed of crimes towards the heir of the Northern Wolf. Illegal property acquisitions, unauthorized money transfers, even appropriation of Crown-awarded assets to third parties! Unthinkable actions that will have regrettable consequences for those who committed them. You will be going to trial first, XXXX, son of XXX, and fake guardian to Lord Fenrir for twelve years.”

Man and teenagers alike were speechless. As students, they had only experienced the gentlest of Hilda’s sides, and seeing her now commanded a new level of respect from all of them. Two of Hilda’s Skjaldmö escorts (1) came to take the man away soon after. Fenrir was about to summon XXXX’s staff members when he realized they had all fled the manor the moment Hilda showed up. The Princess of Asgard confirmed that it was already being handled by other members of her escort.

Finally, after tying all other loose ends to prevent any more problems, Fenrir was able to take a deep breath. Hilda assured him his family manor in the mountains had already received a timely visit from the Skjaldmö and would await his return on the morrow. Soon after, she excused herself and left with the rest of the crowd. Fenrir turned to Artica and hugged her, spinning on the spot.

“Would you come with me to the mountains tomorrow?”

“Really?”

“Yes, please, I don’t want to go by myself.”

She nodded and after a quick visit home to gather her things, returned to the Northern Wolf’s city manor. They were only visiting for the weekend, after all, so there was no need to pack much.

Next morning, they took the first train to Northern Asgard, and were surprised to find it was practically empty. As it usually happened whenever she was on longer train rides, Artica fell asleep. Fenrir let her rest her head on his lap, letting his mind wander back to the day he turned eighteen.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Lady Paulfrid, Lord Ulrich, and Lord Baldrek had all gladly accepted the Northern Wolf’s request to take part in the Coming of Age/Title Bestowing ceremony. At Karianne’s insistence, they had also exploited an obscure loophole within etiquette in which heirs were allowed to assist as part of their preparation to assume their titles in the future. Fenrir was not entirely sure how Lord Baldrek had managed to justify the presence of both of his sons, but in the end, he was glad to see all those familiar faces right there with him.

Artica, to his right, was wearing an off-shoulder white-and-green striped blouse with a white skirt that reached just under her knees, a cute handkerchief tied around her neck, and her hair pinned in a high bun. Fenrir had donned one of his best suits; a double-breasted Egyptian blue one with a white cotton shirt, and a subtle wolf-patterned grey tie that matched the color of his hair. Ever since they’d laid eyes on each other, they’d been blushing uncontrollably.

Everyone else was also wearing their best outfit, from hair accessories to shoes. After all, it wasn’t every day that you got to meet with the Princess of Asgard. Ironically, Hilda herself was wearing a simple sky-blue gown with some fine, subtle jewelry, yet managed to outshine them all with presence alone.

She invited them to take a seat as a group of youngsters entered the Throne Room and settled themselves close to the window. The Heads of House eyed each other with intrigued, but eager expressions. Fenrir recognized Mime playing the lyre while Hagen (the heir to the Flaming Stallion) hit a shamanic drum and Freyja started to sing. Behind them, a boy with dark, blue hair was playing the stråkharpa (2) masterfully, even though his eyes were fixed on the girl providing additional vocals to Freyja’s voice.

Towards the middle of the song, the Crown Princess approached Fenrir and offered her hand, inviting him to dance, which caught him terribly off guard. He vaguely knew the steps thanks to visiting the Jólablót festivals in Central Asgard but couldn’t really say he was prepared to dance them with Freyja as a partner.

Hilda started to clap along with the song, which everyone followed, and when they least expected it, Freyja pulled Artica from her seat and right into Fenrir, taking her place. Ready to die of embarrassment, but excited nonetheless, she fell into rhythm without skipping a beat with the biggest smile on her face and Fenrir couldn’t help doing the same. A minute later, the song was over, and after polite appraisal from their audience, the youngsters all bowed before leaving.

Freyja returned with the Black Iron Lance and presented it to her sister. While Fenrir and Hilda each recited their parts of the loyalty oath, they pricked their thumbs with the tip of the lance and pressed them against the small raven wings brooch that she then promptly pinned to his chest.

“Rise now, Fenrir, Lord of the Northern Wolf.”

After a short congratulatory session from everyone, he was led to a smaller room by Hilda, where two cups of black tea and some pastries were waiting for them. She removed the medallion around her neck and took a sip from her cup. “A wonderful ceremony, my Lord. Congratulations once again.”

“Thank you kindly, Your Majesty. I-I did not expect music.”

Hilda’s lips curled into a smile. “Traditionally, there is none… but Freyja came to me with a suggestion for my very first Title Bestowing ceremony and I could not help lending an ear to it. After all, it was a great opportunity for Mime, Hagen, Frodi, and Lyfia to perform together with her. I do hope it was to your liking.”

“Absolutely, it was fabulous. Her Royal Highness has a lovely voice…!” Fenrir replied with a nod. “Hopefully I was not too bad of a dance partner, though. Not really my strength.”

The Princess couldn’t help letting out a loud, hearty, not etiquette-appropriate laugh at his words.

“Pardon me, my Lord, I am not, in any way, ridiculing you. It is just that my dear sister is such an unconventional young girl; she comes up with the most whimsical schemes, dear gods. May they grant her that spark for the rest of her life. People worry she lacks ambition, but I beg to differ. If something were to happen to me, I am certain Freyja would know exactly what to do...”

Fenrir smiled but said nothing, somewhat surprised to see such a different side to the usually serene, composed young woman who ruled the Asgardian Principality. He was taking a bite from a pastry when Hilda spoke again.

“Will you go celebrate after this, my Lord?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. We will have a small dinner. Art- Miss Reynirdóttir will cook baby back pork ribs. I am told they are superb.”

“Ah, yes, your partner!”

He couldn’t hide the awkward smile on his lips. “Y-yes.”

“Now that I graduated, dear Freyja fills me in with the news. Congratulations,” Hilda said with a smile, but then changed to a more serious tone. “Now, let us discuss this business about your former guardians…”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir's mouth was watering, remembering how good the ribs had tasted, when the train started to slow down. He gently woke Artica up and got off the train the moment the doors opened. Breathing in the familiarity, the Lord took her hand and guided her to another, smaller train station, where they hopped into the line that got them all the way into the wilderness.

With the mountains to their backs and the thick winter forests on their left, the road finally showed them the Northern Wolf family manor. Artica noticed that, unlike the Viking Tiger one, this one was built to withstand the elements first, and look fancy second. At the gates, two women who clearly belonged to the Skjaldmö greeted and allowed them to pass, but it was the man sweeping the entrance that really caught Fenrir’s eyes. He was tall, with graying brown hair and a well-kept beard.

Fenrir sprinted to the entrance, not believing his eyes. “Hlífolfr? Is that really you?”

“Young Master!” he replied, startled, catching him in a hug. “I mean, my Lord, how have you grown! I-!”

They stared at each other for a few moments, like if they could still not believe the other was really there. Hlífolfr was the first to break the spell. “A-and who may you be?

“A pleasure! Artica Reynirdóttir."

“She’s my partner.”

“My lady, welcome to the family manor of the Northern Wolf,” Hlífolfr greeted with a bow.

Artica made nervous gestures with her hands, shaking her head. “Oh, no, I’m not a noble, there is no need to address me like that.”

“That’s beside the point. If you are important to my Lord, you deserve all courtesy from me, my lady.”

Her cheeks flushed, but she said no more. Fenrir looked around eagerly. “Is… Is Mildred here?”

At Hlífolfr’s nod, he entered the house in a flash, and a few seconds later, heartwarming laughter echoed through its halls. The man guided Artica to the kitchen, where a woman was enthusiastically embracing the young Lord.

“Artica! This is Mildred! Hlífolfr’s wife! They used to work with my parents!” Fenrir explained, delighted to be in their company again. He let out a short sigh. “How I wished you'd stayed…”

Mildred, a short, middle-aged woman with a stocky build and beautiful deep green eyes, immediately took his hand and raised it to her forehead. She was shaking. “We tried, my Lord. By the gods that we did try! But those… those scheming vipers…!”

“The moment we realized what had happened, Mildred and I started doing the paperwork. We had worked with my Lord and Lady for many years by then, even before the Young Master was born. The values of the Northern Wolf were ingrained in us as much as they had been ingrained in him. Plus, we already had children of our own, all the requirements would be fulfilled without issue. However…”

Hlífolfr paused, letting out a deep, regretful sigh.

“We are not, and would never be, his blood relatives, and that is exactly how XXXX and his brother got custody over him. At the time, Asgardian law valued blood ties above everything else, no matter how distant, and so they neatly swept him away from our reach.”

This was the first time Fenrir had ever heard about this. About how he could’ve grown up with people that truly cared about him. “Did you really… apply to be my guardians?”

“Yes, my Lord!” Mildred replied between sobs. “And when that request was denied, we pleaded to that awful man and his brother, doing our best to be rehired, but they would not allow it. Even befriending the new staff proved impossible, none would give us more than a polite nod! We tried so hard, so hard to stay with you but those two leeches played their cards too well.”

“They dismissed everyone; I remember now… Hired four new people then, and four others when we moved to the central region.”

“Someone from Valhalla Palace contacted us a week ago. Said they saw our names in the old paperwork and briefly explained what would happen to XXXX and his brother in the coming days. Wanted to know if we would be interested, at least until my Lord was settled, in returning to the Northern Wolf.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Fenrir whispered, hugging them again. “Thank you for caring, even after all these years.”

Sensing this was a subject that required a much deeper conversation, but not at this particular time, the woman dried her eyes with one hand. “Have you had breakfast, my Lord? My lady?”

Artica tried to clarify the matter to her too, but just like her husband, Mildred paid her no mind. The Black then rolled her eyes. “We had a snack on the way here.”

“That’s a ‘no’, then.”

A full bowl of steaming porridge with sugar, cinnamon, berries, and nuts was soon after placed before them, and for a moment, they all got a chance to just enjoy the then and there, together.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Mildred volunteered to give Artica a tour of the family manor grounds while Fenrir and Hlífolfr went over a ton of paperwork XXXX had either neglected or altered for his personal benefit. It was not the most exciting part of their reunion, and was starting to show in Fenrir’s unamused face, so the man took the opportunity to change the subject.

“Forgive my curiosity, my Lord. Do you enjoy your time at the Academy?”

Fenrir looked up from the documents, eager to distract himself for a bit. “I do! I’ve met many gentle people, whose kindness will stay with me forever. Some at the Academy, some outside of it.”

“Including my lady?”

“We’re classmates. She’s in the scholarship program. A ‘Black’, as they call them,” he explained. “Because of their uniform, not due to ill intent.”

Hlífolfr seemed genuinely surprised. “Is that so? I do not recall a scholarship program when your Lord Father and Lady Mother attended the Academy. How times change.”

“Really? I got lucky, then. I might have missed meeting her otherwise.”

Hlífolfr said nothing else, a warm smile on his face.

Sunday afternoon eventually rolled in, which meant it was time to return to Central Asgard. Hlífolfr waved goodbye from the platform to his Lord, the young lady, and his wife, as Mildred would be coming to the city manor now that XXXX and his staff were finally out of it.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Results for the university admission exams were now available, and everyone was relieved to know they had achieved a good enough grade to enroll in their preferred options. Sadly, this meant both Syd and Rúri would be studying abroad for a few years, so they would only see them during breaks.

“Well, at least we four can still hang out while going to university, right?” Bud said, looking at Karianne, Artica, and Fenrir.

“Certainly, you can expect to see even more of me then!” his partner answered.

Artica and Fenrir both gave him a silent nod, each for a different reason. It was not until after class and club activities were over, and they were on their way home, that Artica touched the subject again.

“Hey, about what we were discussing earlier with everyone… I’m not going to university right after graduation. I wanted to tell you first.”

Fenrir didn’t seem particularly surprised, but said nothing, so Artica continued.

“I’d like to join Pa’s Hunting Party for a while, at least a year, to save some money for uni and help him and Ma out a bit.”

“Didn’t Bud say as Black Academy graduates, you automatically qualify for a full scholarship at local universities?”

“Yeah, and that’s super helpful! I just… wanna have a back-up, you know? In case anything happens, I’d like to know there’s something I can fall back to if needed. Something I prepared myself.”

He nodded. “I’d still want to help if something happens, but I get what you mean. I also… won’t be going to university immediately.”

Unlike him, Artica was truly shocked by this. “No? Why?”

“I want to return to the mountains and learn more about the region, their needs and struggles. The Heads of House said we exist to protect Asgard, and the people are Asgard. I don’t know how things were when my parents were alive, but I know for sure the people were the least of XXXX's problems (if he even thought about them at all). The Northern Wolf should make up for lost time.”

“Spoken like a true Lord. I’m sure your parents are proud to hear that.”

“Thanks…” Fenrir replied sheepishly, and then started fidgeting with the end of his sleeves. “I know you’ll visit your siblings in the Neighboring Kingdom for a few days after graduation, but I was wondering if… if you’d like to spend a few weeks in the mountains with me? Maybe before you start working with your dad?”

“I’d love that!” Artica replied with a big smile, her eyes wide in anticipation. “We can visit all the places you mentioned last time! Oh, and maybe go hunting? Or just hiking, it’s okay. I’m excited already!”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Paolo and Ritva had been joking around while helping their ladies get ready for the Graduation Masquerade. They were finishing up to go get ready themselves, when Karianne noticed how quiet Artica had been during the make-up session, waiting for her turn. “Is there something on your mind, sweetie?”

The Black gave her a lopsided smile. “All this while, I’ve been trying to figure out how to fix up the scar with make-up, but I don’t think it can be done.”

The Blue got up so suddenly, Paolo stepped back in surprise. “Excuse me? No, no, no. You have it all wrong!”

Artica was pushed down to another seat and the light redirected towards her. “Make-up is not for ‘fixing’, it’s for ‘emphasizing’! Some scar to outshine your bright silver eyes? Not on my watch! Paolo, please bring me my things!”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The great hall had been beautifully decorated with colorful banners, each with the coat of arms of the many nobles graduating that day.

Rúri, Karianne and Artica were in the middle of avid chit chat with some of their classmates when their partners arrived. Judging by Fenrir’s annoyed expression, the twins had likely been teasing him all the way there, so he didn’t really see Artica until they were practically face to face. He raised his eyebrows with a silly smile, reaching out to her.

“You look spectacular!” Fenrir exclaimed. Her off-shoulder midnight blue dress had light-catching details originating from the waist, which matched the color of her eyes. He felt butterflies in his stomach seeing the antler choker glinting around her neck. “Like a dream!”

Artica scoffed, covering her mouth with one hand. Fenrir himself looked every part the noble he was born as, with his deep blue suit and the Northern Wolf embroidered over his heart. The raven wings-shaped brooch that confirmed him as a full Lord was pinned to one of the jacket’s flaps.

“My Lord, but you look so handsome! Surely, you broke a few hearts on your way here!”

A furious blush took over his face. Fenrir turned to greet their other classmates, complimenting their outfits and accessories. In all honesty, everyone looked their very best, and it felt like stepping into one of those elaborate theater plays.

‘Lady Vaike! What a pleasure to see you here tonight,’ he signed, spotting her in conversation with the heir of the Crystal Wyrm; the one who had skipped a whole grade a few years back.

‘Good evening, my Lord. Such a refined look you are sporting tonight!’ she replied, giggling at this embarrassed smile. ‘My brother is looking forward to working with you during the summer.’

‘Oh? Are you sneaking out with someone else while your partner goes on vacation?’ Karianne interrupted with an evil grin.

‘She jests!’ Fenrir immediately clarified. ‘Please disregard her comment, she is teasing me. We mean no disrespect towards your brother.’

There was a mischievous smile on both of their faces. 'Oh? Is that what that is all about?'

At Fenrir's confused, slightly anxious stare, the girl with magenta eyes laughed. 'You may not know, my Lord, but we were together in the Equestrian club. Vaike is also fond of teasing.'

He let out a relieved, tormented sigh. ‘My ladies, you might be the end of me.’

A few minutes later, one of the photographers approached him and politely requested some of his time for the formal portraits. After all, Fenrir was the only one with an actual title, and etiquette demanded he should go first. It did surprise him, though, that the young woman asked if he had a partner with whom he would like to get a portrait and with a stupid smile, he nodded.

The last photograph was of both wearing the half-masks, and at the sight of it, Rúri couldn’t help sighing.

“A lovely portrait! Almost like that old fairytale, yes? The one of the Wolf King and the Great Stag?”

“Oh, I loved that one!” Levina chimed in, making hand gestures as she spoke. “A tale of star-crossed lovers.”

Both Fenrir and Vaike stared at her at once, clearly bewildered.

‘Star-crossed? What in the Nine Realms could you be talking about, Levina?’

“Yes, what are you talking about?” Fenrir echoed.

“Is that not what it is? The Great Stag dies in the end after leaving the Herd to be with the Wolf King. An allegory; abandoning one’s sacred duties for personal interests.”

“What? She absolutely does not die! She is reborn as the Wolf Queen, and lives on as one of the Pack! An allegory to stay true to your own heart!”

“This might be one of those instances with regional variants for the same tale?” Alberich, the heir of the Crystal Wyrm, politely intervened. “My ladies Rúri and Levina are from the western and southern regions, yes? While my Lord and lady are from the North. Perhaps the answer lies in the east?”

They followed his gaze towards the twins and Artica, who were chatting with Hejne, Paolo, and Ritva (formally invited to the masquerade by their respective long-time friends). At his gentle tug, Artica turned to Fenrir with a puzzled look. “No, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that fairytale…?”

“Well,” he said out loud. “Allow me to tell you the true, unaltered version, then.”

Delicious food was had, romantic ballads were waltzed, and less etiquette-approved tunes were played as the night went on. A truly delightful evening that didn’t stop there. After changing to more comfortable outfits, a big group of graduates and their guests continued the celebration in town.

Their time at the Academy was now over, but that only meant a new chapter was about to commence.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Kalervo kept his promise, and during the two weeks Artica was with them, he made sure they all visited as many corners of the Neighboring Kingdom as possible.

Meanwhile, back in the Northern Wolf family manor, Fenrir had been busy reviewing the house from top to bottom. After extensive talks with Hlífolfr and Mildred, he had the awful realization that a lot of things were missing. Family portraits, engraved plaques, and even photo albums. Some had shown up in the storage rooms; mostly those related to his grandparents and those before them. The funny part is that pretty much everything related to his parents had been locked up in the master bedroom, of all places.

Fenrir remembered XXXX saying that, since it would still be years until he became Lord, there was no point in using the master bedroom. Even now, he considered it was a reasonable decision, but now that the condition had been met, it was time to check it out. Hlífolfr gave him the keys so Fenrir could do it himself, and for the first time in more than a decade, the great oak doors of the master bedroom opened with a groan.

They pulled the curtains and opened the windows to let light and air into the room. There were dust covers on all the furniture, but more interesting than that, there were several different objects on top of them. More specifically, family portraits, engraved plaques, and even photo albums. Hlífolfr took it upon himself to carefully check all corners of the room, inside the closets, within the drawers, and even under the bed. To his own surprise, pretty much everything he had flagged as missing was found there.

Of all those items, Fenrir immediately clung to an old, framed photograph of his parents. Lady Ingrid looked regal with her golden hair combed back and two long, thin braids flanking her neck. Her bright green eyes contrasted well with her pink dress. At her side, Lord Ylfingr sat with a slightly awkward, but clearly pleased smile, wearing simple hunting leathers. His eyes and hair like Fenrir’s own, just maybe a shade paler. And between them, fussing, a joyful child. Him. Fenrir’s heart broke a little bit, but in a good way.

It took him a while to finally leave it in his room and help Hlífolfr relocate everything else in the rest of the house. After finishing, they closed the doors to the master bedroom, without locking them. At long last, a Lord had returned to the Northern Wolf, and hopefully, there would never be such a long absence ever again.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The first few days were spent exploring the northern wilderness. Fenrir had been very excited to show her all the hidden spots Ging had shown him years ago. Today, however, they were right around the corner of the family manor. In that quiet grove, there was a stone carving very similar to the Northern Wolf’s family crest; with two wolves and two swords. Small stone plaques with names engraved on them crowded around it.

They brought a small bouquet of Winter Roses and laid them next to the newest of those plaques, set more than ten years ago. Artica fixed her gaze on the names with a solemn expression. Fenrir got on his knees, grabbed a worn-down wooden carving and replaced it with a new, but still oddly shaped one. He noticed her looking at it.

“It’s a charm. To keep bears away.”

“... Bears?”

Fenrir stood there in silence, realizing she had never asked him about it, and clearly hadn’t asked anyone else either. He cleared his throat to quietly explain the specifics of his parents' accident. When he finished, Artica let out a deep sigh, hugged him, and ruffled his hair. No words passed between them, but there was no need.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Chocolate chip cookies,” she answered at once. “I mean, he likes chocolate in general, but that’s like the one thing he’ll gobble up any day.”

Mildred scratched the notepad as she took notes. “And for holidays? Does he like decorations, either putting them up himself or just having them around?”

Artica rubbed her chin, thinking hard. “You’re gonna have to ask him that one. He’s helped my folks put up decorations, but because the city manor was never decorated, I don’t know if Fenrir actually likes it.”

“What?”

Hlífolfr popped into the living room at her words, bewildered. “Did those oafs truly sour out so much?”

She was silent for a moment, and then took a deep breath.

“I’m really sorry. From what I can tell, Fenrir never lacked food, shelter, or clothing, but he was never given any warmth. No pats on the head, no hugs… No holiday enjoyment…”

“That’s preposterous! Every single one required full decoration, especially after he turned two! Holiday dishes, seasonal clothing, the whole thing! My Lord had us all working on it weeks in advance!”

Artica couldn’t help letting out a sad chuckle, imagining everyone working so hard for a child that probably didn’t even understand holidays yet. “It’s clear to me he was deeply loved during those times. I do think Fenrir truly missed them, and you, all those years.”

The man closed his eyes in contemplation, or maybe just to not let a colorful insult out loud (towards XXXX and his brother). Mildred was more visibly upset and proceeded to add something to her notes, underlining a few words aggressively. She pointed at her husband with the pencil in her hand.

“We missed some time, but we did promise. ‘Like our sixth’.”

“‘LIKE OUR SIXTH!” he echoed passionately, and left the room once more, to their guest’s puzzlement.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Two weeks were not enough. Not now that everything that had been dented was finally bending back into shape. They’d hiked around the mountains to their heart’s content, hunted in the nearby forests, wandered around the main Northern cities, and even taken a dip in the chilly, still-thawing waterfall, but…

The final morning arrived. Since there was no need to wake up early, Artica and Fenrir both slept in. They cuddled for a while, unsure when the next time would be.

“It’s gonna be lonely after today…”

“Very, yeah…”

Artica caressed his check. “Hey, uhm. This is gonna sound off, but it has to come out. If, while we’re apart, you find someone else that makes you feel like this… I’ll understand.”

He frowned, a heavy weight suddenly in his chest. “What? No! I don’t want that.”

“Me neither, but if I’m gonna be hunting with Pa for a year, it feels selfish not to say it.”

“I’m a little hurt about this.”

“I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to feel… constrained. You’re gonna grow so much in these upcoming months! Learn a bunch of stuff, meet a lotta new people now that you’re a Lord, and back in the mountains.”

“You too. Roaming around with the Hunting Party, you’ll see every corner of Asgard! Eat unfamiliar food, sleep in a different place every day. More than the Silver-eyed Hawk, you’ll become a fully-fledged Huntress!”

A weak laugh followed a tight hug. At last, they got out of bed, had a hearty breakfast, and traveled all the way back to the northern region’s main train station.

Mildred and her husband gave her some homemade cookies for the trip back home, along with a hug and their best wishes. “May your adventures be rewarding, my lady. We hope to see you back soon.”

Fenrir and Artica then locked into a silent, tight hug, trying to memorize everything about the other's presence before letting go. As the announcement for the departure was being blasted through the speakers, Artica then pulled Fenrir into a kiss, a few tears threatening to run down her cheeks.

“Take care, okay? I know Mildred and Hlífolfr’ll take good care of you, but you gotta do the same. Don’t rush the Lord thing, no one’s expecting you to be at 100% just yet. Ask the other Heads of House for help, if you need to! And… And…”

“I’ll miss you terribly too,” Fenrir replied, wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes. “I’m sure you’ll be perfectly safe by yourself, and with the Hunting Party, but just in case…”

He slipped an oddly shaped wooden charm into her pocket and picked her up in a hug. This time, he kissed her. “Be well, kjæreste. I can't wait to see you again.”

Artica waved enthusiastically as she got on the train. “Be well, kjæreste, and see you soon.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The year was long, and somewhat lonely. They wrote letters whenever they knew it was going to be hard to call but rearranged their schedules to guarantee they saw each other for holidays and birthdays. Otherwise, Artica spent most of her time traveling around Asgard with her father’s Hunting Party, while Fenrir worked diligently to learn and better understand the northern region with the help of Utgard, the heir of the Howling Hellhound.

Utgard was a few years older, but much more mature and solemn. He seemed to speak only when necessary, yet it was always helpful insight for the situation at hand. With Utgard’s help, Fenrir got around several small towns, introducing himself and getting to know the locals. Some seemed surprised there was still such a thing as the Lord of the Northern Wolf, while others disregarded him almost instantly. It was Utgard who suggested focusing on those individuals first. Challenging as it began, it was the wise choice, and gave Fenrir a large amount of learning opportunities. At the very least, he now knew who lived where, and what their concerns were.

Back at the Northern Wolf’s, a few new faces joined the staff to better assist the managing of both family and city manor. Hlífolfr and Mildred’s second daughter and their oldest grandchild were learning the ropes, both curious and excited to finally meet Fenrir. The teenager seemed fascinated with him, constantly following him around, trying to be useful. Fenrir didn’t find it unpleasant, just a little awkward.

Artica did her best to visit, but it was infrequent and difficult to plan. Fenrir sent word whenever he went down to the central region in hopes of at least meeting up with Bud and Karianne. Packages and letters routinely came and went, something always on its way to a new location. It was the expectation of getting one of these, along with successfully coordinated meetups, that kept both working hard during that long year.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

It was just her luck that today was a moonless night, so you couldn’t really see shit unless you walked right on the street. That’s precisely what the traveler was avoiding though, because they’d spot her well before she got to her destination. After a while of clowning around the treeline, she finally reached the side of the manor and was about to climb through a window when sudden rustling made her backpedal at lightspeed.

“Who are you? What do you think you are doing on Lord Fenrir’s property at this time of night?”

The traveler turned around with a puzzled smile. The young man talking to her was certainly new, as she couldn’t recall his face from a previous visit.

“I’m the, uh... Huntress,” she said, hoping that would ring a bell somewhere.

It did not.

“If that is true, you are too early. The game for tomorrow’s event is to be fresh, hunted on the same day as per my Lord’s request. You were to arrive tomorrow.”

That much is true, she thought to herself. “My bad. Always on the move, sometimes schedules shift a tad.”

He let out an annoyed sigh, signaling to follow. Finding this too hilarious, she played along and went after him.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir lazily drifted from the hall to the kitchen, where they were already busy.

“A morning beverage, my Lord?”

“Yes, a hot one, please.”

“Hot chocolate?”

Fenrir, rubbing the sleep off his right eye, nodded. “Mhm, fantastic, thank you.”

“With marshmallows on top, or plain?”

“Marshmallows, yes. I would like that.”

“I would like that too.”

It was exactly there and then, after hearing that phrase, that he realized what was happening. Fenrir immediately sprinted towards the person taking out the milk out of the fridge and held her tight, to the delight of Mildred and her daughter.

“What are you doing here already? I thought you were coming after noon!”

“Surprise! Came last night on the late evening train.”

“What! Why didn’t you come to see me?”

“I was too early. For the hunt, I mean. Very rude of me, making the staff ready a simple room for the night, but no harm done, we got good game for today’s event, my Lord.”

Fenrir, still holding onto her, turned to Mildred. The older woman chuckled. “Vilhelm was not here the last time my lady visited, my Lord. He stuck with protocol.”

“Oh, c’mon, he’s been here long enough. How could he not know who she is?”

Mildred shrugged, smiling, and got back to work. Her grandson had made it sound like a grand affair, but it was just dinner for the six of them. They shared mead and anecdotes over the delicious, northern-styled dishes, recounting their adventures for the last year. Artica was overjoyed to hear everything Fenrir had been up to while she was gone and was taken by surprise when Hlífolfr asked her about university.

“Are you excited to go back to Central Asgard, my lady?”

“Yeah, sure! Got almost everything, just need to find a place to stay.”

Fenrir raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Well, y’know, the original plan was for Bud and me to rent in Central Asgard and be flatmates, but then I decided to take a sabbatical… And Syd's studying in Finland, so the Lord and Lady of the Viking Tiger asked Bud if he’d hold the fort in the city manor while they do their stuff in the Eastern region… The moment I get back, I gotta go searching…”

The conversation moved on, but not in Fenrir’s mind. He sat on it until the night before returning to the central region. She finally finished getting everything in her bag and turned around to find Fenrir standing around awkwardly.

“And if I asked you to be my flatmate?”

He rubbed his neck furiously, staring straight at the room’s wooden floor. Artica raised her eyebrows with a lopsided smile. “But what about the Northern Wolf’s city manor? Who would hold the fort there?”

“We would. I don’t mean the ‘flat’ part, just the ‘mate’ part. You can stay with me, if you like…”

“Oh,” she gasped, putting the pieces together. “I’d like that! If you’d have me…”

They both shared a smile.

“Don’t worry. I’m getting a part-time job.”

“There's no rent to pay.”

“I mean, that’s very generous. It’s just that I need to get money from somewhere; really doubt I’ll get a chance to go hunting with the team during semesters, so I’m still getting one. Also, I’m helping around the house, you can’t stop me.”

Fenrir nodded, reassured that she understood his point. He vaguely eyed her belongings. “Maybe this way I’ll get my favorite hoodie back.”

“Your favorite hoodie?”

“Yeah, someone borrowed it a few years ago and seems determined to keep it.”

“What an asshole! Which hoodie is it?”

“That one right there,” Fenrir said, pointing at her bag.

Artica didn’t even bat an eyelash. “Huh, there seems to be a misunderstanding, my lord. That’s my favorite hoodie.”

“It has ‘F. Y.’ written on the tag!”

"Yeah. 'For You'."

Her shit-eating grin was so smug, Fenrir couldn't help groaning. "Why do you want it, anyway? It's got like four paint stains on one sleeve."

"It means a lot to me; reminds me of that time when I was deeply scared, and you went outta your way to keep me company. I didn’t know it was your favorite, but I’m not sorry for keeping it all this time… Besides, you haven’t been too keen on giving me back my scarf, even though Polar made one just for you."

Fenrir scoffed. “Entirely different situation. I must hold onto it, so you keep coming back.”

Artica walked up to him so suddenly, Fenrir instinctively took a few steps back and bumped into the wall. She smoothly leaned in until their noses touched. “Don’t be silly. I’d keep coming back just to make sure you’re truly happy back in the mountains, and never feel awkward ever again…”

He immediately remembered the previous time she’d said that and couldn’t help choking up a bit. A few minutes passed of them quietly embracing before finally going to bed. Together.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

There was an awkward silence.

“I’m going back to Central Asgard today,” Fenrir said, kneeling in front of him. “You followed me back last time, and I’m not complaining! But now, I’d like you to promise you’ll stay here. At home, with your pack…”

Ging sat before him, looking particularly big and fluffy, but also solemn.

“Return fully to them with the unconditional love you shared with me. Oh, Ging, I love you so much,” he whispered, burying his face in the silver fur like he had done a million times before. A few tears ran down his cheeks. “I’m just so happy I met you. You’ve stuck with me for so long, I don’t know where I’d be if you hadn’t popped out of the forest that day, so many years ago...”

Fenrir clumsily rubbed his face clean with a smile.

“I’ll be okay, I have a pack now too… But I’ll come visit, so don’t worry about feeling lonely! And later, when I graduate, I’ll come back for good, so we can hang out again.”

The wolf gently licked his ear, and then rested his large head on Fenrir’s shoulder. He immediately hugged back.

“Thanks for everything.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

What a nice morning.

The sky was clear, and the breeze was fresh, but everything else seemed to double-down on it. Returning to Central Asgard knowing that the vibe all around him had changed made all the difference in the world. His heart no longer felt heavy in his chest, and hopefully, that would remain so for a long time.

Bud and Karianne came to meet them at the station, loudly celebrating their return, and welcoming the new faces as well. The train ride to their side of town was lively with jokes, and teasing, and overall catching up. When they finally got to the Northern Wolf’s city manor, a hooded young man around their age sat on a bike, waiting.

“Oh, yeah! I told Visa you were returning today. I’m guessing he’s sending his regards. How’s it going?” Bud took the paper bag and fist-bumped him right away.

The delivery guy shrugged, his voice a low grunt. “Same ol’, same ol’. New friends?”

“Ol’ for me, new for you. Wanna hang out a bit while they settle?”

“Nah, Visa already has work for me. Some other time, we can meet properly.”

The young man got on his bike again, silently nodding as a goodbye. A sudden gust blew right over them, and his hood got knocked off. Fenrir barely had time to register a curiously big shadow (tattoo? make-up? scar?) over the left side of his face. He immediately pulled the hood back over his head and went on his way.

Hlífolfr unlocked the gate, opened the door, and waited patiently for everyone else to go inside. The last two were Artica and Fenrir, who seemed suddenly frozen into place.

“Please do come in, my lady,” Mildred invited her. “You are my Lord’s most esteemed guest, for as long as we may have you.”

A little awkwardly, Artica crossed the city manor’s door threshold. The Lord of the Northern Wolf followed right behind her, and it was only then, looking at those familiar, kind faces around him, that Fenrir had a realization.

After so many years, he had finally found the home he’d always longed for.

XXXXXXXXX

(1) Skjaldmö: Shield-maidens https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shield-maiden

(2) Tail-hair harp: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talharpa

#fic #AAAU #AA!Fenrir #AA!Artica #AU #Hlifolfr #Mildred

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asgard-segun-elcadejos · 2 years

Text

Asgard Academy

Year 2: Part I

[ Index ]

xxxxxxxxx

Summer came and went, as seasons do. The six of them met over break, but one returned to the mountains during the last few weeks. The first day of Year 2, he took everyone by surprise, without meaning to.

One year ago, the kid from up north showed up with a slender build, great reflexes, and messy silvery hair. After twelve months of consistently gaining muscle through exercise (in class and in the karate club), another growth spurt over summer break, and a visit to the barbershop, the person who was in Fenrir Ylfingrsson’s seat looked little like what other students remembered of him.

“My, my! Who is this handsome hunk?” asked Karianne out loud, using her hand as a fan.

Fenrir gave her a nervous smile, not really looking into her eyes.

Syd slapped him in the back. “Were you this tall a few weeks back? You’re so much closer to Bud and me now!”

“Not to me, nuh-uh,” his twin replied right away.

“Don’t be stupid, we are the same height.”

It took Fenrir a moment to realize the lack of comment from Artica. She was looking at him with a thoughtful expression. This somehow filled him with immediate dread. “What, do I look weird?”

“Oh, no, sorry! I didn’t mean to stare. You look great, actually! That new hairstyle really suits you!”

Fenrir smiled with a bit of embarrassment. He had his hair trimmed and started combing it back. A rebellious lock wouldn't stay put, though. The sole victim of the one time he tried to trim his own bangs and chickened out after one cut. At the base of his neck, he left another lock of hair intact, curious to see how long it would be in a few months. He suddenly realized his gaze was no longer leveled with hers, and something else. “Oh, you cut your hair too?”

“Hm? No, not really,” Artica replied, touching her braid as if to check it was still there. Before, it reached her lower back, and now it ended a little higher.

“Do not be silly, dear,” Rúri intervened, standing right next to them. “She also had a growth spurt. I must admit I am a little jealous I did not, you have all grown so much taller than me.”

“Nonsense, darling, you are already the perfect height.” Syd scooped her up in a hug and kissed her.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Just like the year before, Freyja of Asgard entered the great hall and everyone gave her a deep bow. However, this time she was actually wearing the Blue uniform and an excited smile on her face, ready to finally be an Academy student. The start of the school year speech was delivered by Sigurd, who gave everyone a warm welcome, and encouraged Year 1 students to take part in the game scheduled after the ceremony.

Karianne eyed the newbies with interest. “You think Her Royal Highness will get hit?”

“Unlikely, my lady, not only because she is Hilda’s sister, but because of the kid that orbits her like an aggressive moon,” intervened the boy who had skipped a grade last year. His bright pink hair contrasted well with his electric green eyes.

The intervention startled the usual six for a second before Syd replied. “My lord, that is the heir to the Flaming Stallion, yes?”

“Indeed. We were classmates until last year.”

The younger twin nodded, watching as the other student who also skipped a grade last year approached the first and whispered something into his ear. They both snickered, laughing quietly at whatever it was they found amusing.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Syd saved them a seat near the center of the benches.

“Great work in the Archery Club’s exhibition! People are already talking about seeing the Hawkling in the tournament next spring.”

Artica gave him an embarrassed smirk. “I just hope they consider me for the sponsorship… Where’s Rúri?”

“Helping store all the Music club equipment away, she will be back shortly.”

“A shame she will miss the Fencing Club’s exhibition match. They seem to have several skilled members,” Karianne commented. Artica didn’t notice the flicker in Syd’s eyes at her words.

‘Skilled members’ was an understatement. The Black’s mind was blown away by the precision and agility displayed in each match (one per weapon). The winner of the foil match (nicknamed Green Knight due to the handkerchief wrapped around their arm) did so at such lightning speed, most didn't see what happened. Only four of the six Fencing Club members removed their helmets, but Green Knight was not among them before leaving to change back into school uniforms.

“Who is that person? Wow!” Artica muttered, still flabbergasted. “That’s some badass skill right there.”

“Very impressive indeed,” Syd agreed with a nod, and for whatever reason, a proud smile. “Oh, and here come our very own skilled members.”

Rúri finally showed up, just in time to see the Karate club prepare for their matches. Cheering loudly is not etiquette-appropriate, so Karianne had to settle with waving heavily towards them to catch Bud’s eye, and then sent a kiss his way.

“Corny,” Ruri whispered, and got a slap on the shoulder for her comment.

Bud was first and dealt his opponent such a punch to the solar plexus that it knocked the wind out of them. They surrendered immediately after.

Artica shook her head, smiling. “Always so rash. He’s so focused on winning he never actually lets any exhibition take place.”

“That is true in more ways than you think, sweetie.”

“I don’t wanna know right now, thanks.”

“Oh? But you might want to know later? Cheeky!” Karianne said and got a slap on the shoulder for her comment.

Fenrir was next, against Asgrim. The Black, taller and heavier than the Blue, smirked menacingly. He forgot, however, that Fenrir had arguably the fastest reflexes among club members and easily dodged his attacks. Asgrim soon realized the trick would be to follow Bud’s example and knock him out in one hit.

The redhead put all his weight behind his punch, right for the solar plexus. Fenrir leaned back and without skipping a beat, connected a well-placed high kick to the side of Asgrim’s head. It took a few moments for the Black to stumble forward and faint. Fenrir eased his fall and carried him over to the side.

“Good job,” Bud said, nodding.

“On not getting hit, right? This guy has one mean energy during matches, I don’t like it.”

The twin didn’t comment, unsure if Fenrir was aware of why Asgrim behaved like that. He pointed to the benches near the middle. “Wave or something. They’re cheering on your win, you know?”

Fenrir turned to see several people waving at him. A girl with copper curls, the boy who frequently had something to say… and the friends he made last year. Fenrir waved back and smiled sheepishly.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Artica couldn’t help feeling a little sad her seat was not next to Fenrir’s this year, but on the bright side, it was now next to Bud’s. They lowkey fist-bumped after taking their seats. Syd and Rúri were on the right, up front again, and Fenrir and Karianne on the last row. The guy from up north already missed his place by the window, wondering where his mind would wander to, now that he was in the middle of the row. To his left, unexpectedly, was Levina Sefidóttir, and to her side, Malik Havasson, both of whom had been in another class last year. After a while of chit chatting freely, Malik raised his voice.

"So, Miss Reynirdóttir, is it true you were bit by a dog?" he asked casually. Too casually.

Artica turned to him, not particularly bothered. "Yes, my lord, a little over a year ago."

"A terrifying experience, I'm sure," he said with solemn contempt, right before making a barking noise or two.

She was bothered now. Not as deeply as whatever happened last year, but cold sweat still went down Artica's spine, with only the slightest of flinches. Her lips were tight in an awkward expression.

"Indeed, my lord," she replied before stiffly turning around.

Malik then noticed there was a warning in Levina's olive eyes, and a threat in Fenrir's amber gaze.

"Please refrain from making that noise again, my lord," he said icily. It was echoed by the advertised murder intent in Karianne's stare.

Malik raised his eyebrows, unwilling to give in, but understanding the etiquette-approved response that was being asked of him. "My apologies, Miss Reynirdóttir, I did not mean to make you uncomfortable. This will not happen again."

She briefly turned around to give him an understanding nod. Later, during lunch, he endured Levina's silent disapproval.

"What? I apologized, and that is that."

"Sometimes I get the feeling you do not understand how to court someone."

"Excuse me? It is crystal clear to me, thank you."

"As clear as a maelstrom, it seems. We are a whole year behind in sympathetic connection to him compared to those other five, and there is no way to catch up quickly. Lucky for us, romance does not prerequisite a sympathetic connection, so we can move forward boldly."

"Yes, so?"

"It is in our best interest to not generate antipathy. You and I are both aware he gets along with her spectacularly. Making her feel uneasy will only backfire on you. Let this morning be a lesson you will not forget."

"What, are you both friends now after the Jólablót activity?"

Levina rolled her eyes. "You are attracted to Fenrir, so focus on making him attracted to you. Do not focus on the wrong thing."

"... I appreciate your advice. I see this is how you have played from the start, yes?"

"Yes."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

What possessed Asgrim, it is still unknown, but the moment after he playfully spanked Artica, she turned around immediately and grabbed him by the tie. Even though he was almost 20 cm taller, her grip got them on the same eye level instantly. In any other situation, this might have been welcomed, but the rage in her eyes gave Asgrim goosebumps of the really bad kind.

“That was unwelcomed, trashy, and disrespectful,” Artica hissed. “If you ever do that again, I’ll deck you in the teeth. Is that understood?”

The redheaded Black was honestly appalled. He’d never heard her speak with such an aggressive tone. The force with which she held onto his tie told him it was not an empty threat.

“Is that understood?” she repeated, and at his nervous nod, let him go. Artica didn’t spare him another glance before walking away, furious.

“I… didn’t think it would bother her?”

Asgrim looked over at Bud, who saw the whole thing. His arms were crossed over his chest, unimpressed. “You thought wrong, and you should apologize. Sooner rather than later, if you hope to avoid any losses.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir hung back at the library’s entrance like a nervous crow. Suddenly aware of what the date was, and what date was quickly approaching, he’d been looking for Artica all over, but after finally finding her, promptly stayed back. Artica was speaking with Asgrim on the bench under the large tree in the southern gardens. They both seemed tense, and awkward, so there was no way in the Nine Realms Fenrir would willingly interrupt.

After a while, they finally parted ways. Fenrir did his best to seem like he was just coming out of the library to meet her. “Hey… You okay?”

“I feel better now,” Artica replied, not without a hint of weariness. “That was not gonna work out so… it’s better to just rip the band aid off, y’know?”

The boy nodded in silence, unsure of what to say, but somehow deeply relieved. It made no sense, though. He wasn’t even part of the conversation, so why did he feel better now?

“Wanna get a milkshake and some pastries?”

Fenrir nodded again with an easy smile, completely forgetting why he’d been looking for her in the first place.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Can I ask you something?”

“Always.”

“Are you dating the guy from up north?”

Artica almost spat her drink, laughing. “I’m not. Why’d you ask that?”

“You two’ve been going out an awful lot lately.”

She nodded in agreement. “Yeah, but they aren’t dates.”

“No?”

“I don’t think he wants to be more than friends.”

He finished his own drink with a suspicious look. “...Do you?”

There was a slight blush on her face. “I dunno. I enjoy Fenrir’s company, and he’s always been kind to me. It’s just that, dating a Blue…”

“What? I’m dating a Blue.”

“Yeah, but like it or not, you’re from a noble bloodline, and I’m not. It’ll be more hoops for me to jump through and it just feels like an enormous pain in the ass…”

Bud had to agree, just going to school and following their requirements was already weary. “Has he ever made you jump through hoops?”

“Not yet. Fenrir’s pretty chill about etiquette, almost like he wants to ditch it himself, but we don’t exist in a vacuum. He is still a noble…”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Embla peered out of the door, somewhat surprised. “Fenrir! Hello!”

“Good morning,” he replied. “Is Artica home?”

“Oh… No, sweetheart, she’s out on a hunting trip with Reynir. They’ll return tomorrow evening.”

The teenager was visibly disappointed. “Right, I understand.”

“Would you like to come in, or leave her a message?”

“N-no, it’s nothing. I wanted to grab a bite with her, since her birthday is on Wednesday and what not, but if she’s on a hunting trip, she’s already having a good time. Anyway, have a great day!”

Before Embla could even reply, Fenrir had already turned around and returned home. He let out a deep sigh as he took off his jacket to lay on the bed, pulling out a box from one of the pockets and sliding it into the drawer of the night table once again.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“So, uhm, if you guys aren’t busy on Thursday… would you like to have a small dinner at my house?”

“For your birthday, yes?” Karianne asked. “Anything we should bring?”

“Oh, no, if you can spare me a few hours of your time, that is more than enough for me,” Artica said, half-drifting into her stiff formal tone.

“Nonsense,” Rúri said to herself and then raised her voice. “I’ll make you a birthday cake, sweetie, my personal recipe.”

“Uhh~,” Syd cut in. “When she says ‘personal recipe’, you’re in for a treat.”

“Uhm, but-”

“I will get her the fanciest dress,” Karianne said to herself with gleaming eyes. “One visit to the Street Market will do.”

“I will go with you,” the younger twin said immediately.

“Hah! Fools, I got her gift months ago!” Bud declared, victorious.

Artica was making hand gestures. “That’s not necessary, please don’t worry about it.”

Rúri held her right hand. “Dear, let us pamper you, to compensate for last year.”

“Hm? There is nothing for you to compensate for.”

“Yes, there is. Last year your eye was still healing, and a few distasteful things happened, so this year we will compensate.”

“That makes no sense! Bud, help me out!”

“To be honest, I agree,” The older twin looked at her with a sparkle in his eyes. “So, we’re all going, right?”

Three of them confirmed right away. Bud got behind Fenrir, who had his headphones on, and shook him by the shoulders. “What about you? You’re coming too, right?”

Fenrir heard the entire conversation, as he never bothered to push play in his music player, and felt his entire body tense up as all eyes (silver included) were on him. This was the perfect excuse to give Artica the gloves and for it to not seem like an isolated gesture, but he suddenly felt very nervous about giving her that present in front of everyone else.

He cleared his throat and decided to play dumb. “Where?”

“To Artica’s birthday dinner on Thursday, honey, keep up,” Karianne summarized, snapping her fingers. “Get her a nice present.”

“It’s not necessary,” Artica intervened, this time with less fumbling. “I can’t stop any of you from getting me something-”

“Indeed, you cannot,” Syd agreed with a smile.

“-but don’t go overboard with it. I’m a simple person, anything simple will do.”

“But I got you an elephant!”

While Bud was busy teasing her even further, Fenrir quietly made a mental note of what everyone had already said they would get her and decided to look for something else later. Surely, there would be another time to give her the gloves.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Karianne gave her a beautiful, trendy peach-colored coat. Syd a pair of fashionable ankle-high leather boots. Aside from her delicious homemade cake, Rúri also gifted her with a stylish wristwatch. Bud, looking very smug, gave her a new quiver in her favorite color. Last, but not least, Fenrir's gift was a somewhat heavy box wrapped in simple, but colorful paper.

They all waited quietly while she unwrapped the last gift; it was a set of seven books, all new and from the same edition. Artica's eyes lit up at once.

"You don't have to read the mismatched ones from the tiny bookstore anymore… and this one has the final book too," Fenrir explained quietly, painfully aware of everyone's eyes on him.

She pulled the seventh book out and held it like it was made of gold. "I'll finally know how it ends!"

Her smile warmed Fenrir's chest, and he couldn't help smiling back. Syd, Rúri, and Karianne suddenly became aware of what Bud had already known for months.

Everyone crowded next to her and cheered. "Happy birthday, Artica!"

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir suddenly found himself back at the theater where the Asgardian Symphonic Orchestra was playing a selection of European Baroque masterpieces. He didn’t know which ones, but that’s what the pamphlet Levina gave him earlier said. She was completely enthralled by the performances but seemed to glance his way every now and then. During each of them, a group of actors would perform an original, short play inspired by the music. There were no dialogues, so spectators were encouraged to come up with an interpretation as the show progressed.

This had worked wonders for Fenrir, whose mind always wandered freely when listening to music without lyrics. He suppressed a chuckle when he remembered Artica saying she also liked music without lyrics, but when she shared her earphone, it turned out to be techno.

Now that he thought about it, that whole conversation was probably the reason why Levina had invited him to this event. It certainly included music without lyrics, though not in a way he had experienced before. No complaints, though. Fenrir had a fantastic time reimagining old fairy tales with the orchestra as soundtrack.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“This is exasperating,” Karianne hissed, looking at Fenrir and Artica playing a game together at the arcade.

The other three looked at each other knowingly. Syd shrugged, smiling. “Right? I think they would make a very cute couple.”

“Maybe we should help them out a bit,” Rúri suggested with a hand gesture.

Bud slammed his drink on the table harder than he intended. “No! They must do this themselves, don’t intervene.”

“Why are you so defensive about it?” his partner inquired, noting how tense he was.

“For starters, Fenrir needs to learn how to communicate clearly with others by himself, without us humoring him.”

“And Artica?”

“She’s not a child, and this isn't her first time, she can make up her own mind.”

The blonde raised an eyebrow. “Very well, but if they approach me about this, I will encourage it. I think they complement each other well.”

“Agreed,” Karianne and Syd replied at the same time.

“Yeah, yeah, I think so too, but let them work it out themselves.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Regardless of what he said before, Bud realized his expectations had been a tad high. At least, regarding the guy from up north.

“Remember the first time we all went to the arcade, Syd, Artica, you, and me?”

“Yeah, fun day.”

“That’s hanging out. When there’s only two people, so they have a certain privacy, it’s usually a date.”

Fenrir stopped what he was doing and looked at him with a confused expression. “R-really?”

“Yeah. Karianne and I go on dates all the time. That’s why I thought you two were dating.”

“So, those classmates that invited me to hang out, only the two of us…?”

“Not all two-people hang outs are dates, obviously, but I’m pretty sure a few asked you out with that in mind.”

“I- Damn, I didn’t notice at all.”

“There were a few times when you kinda did the same thing with Artica after hanging out with someone else. Why was that?”

Fenrir rubbed his chin, thoughtful. “Uh… When I visited the Street Market with Levina, it all felt highly formal, almost like a chore, even though the place’s brimming with stuff to do. I invited Artica to go because at least she had a place she really wanted to visit, and it ended up being a really fun day overall so… Whenever I was invited to do something that seemed fun, but wasn’t, I asked myself if it would be more fun with her…”

Bud was slightly annoyed by that answer; he knew Fenrir was above average clueless, but now it felt like he was just an idiot. “Have you, by any chance, read The Descendants, by Kaui Hart Hemmings?”

“No, how is that related to the topic at hand?”

“Something you said reminded me of it (1), that’s all,” Bud covered his eyes in an irritated manner, taking a moment to brace himself. “Fenrir, do you like Artica?”

“Yeah, she’s very friendly.”

“No, not like that. Do you have feelings for her?”

Fenrir was caught off guard by his question. “Can you, uh, explain further?”

Bud sighed, now convinced his classmate was truly an idiot. “Do you find yourself thinking about Artica often? Does your heart skip a beat when she calls out your name? Have you gone out of your way to get stuff she might like, so you can surprise her later?”

That last question immediately caught his attention. The deerskin shooting gloves were still sitting in his drawer, waiting to be delivered. He lowered his eyes, now understanding why her going out with Asgrim had bothered him so much. “Yes, yes, and… yes…”

“Now you know, then.”

“What do you do when you realize such a thing?”

“You make a choice. Either pursue it and let those feelings reach that person or keep them and let them rot inside you. Neither option is wrong, it’s a matter of what you want to achieve.”

“And what happens if the feelings reach the other person, but they aren’t accepted?” Fenrir asked, noticing that old, horrible fear he had felt as a child creeping in the shadows.

“You cry a while, maybe vent out to someone else, take a deep breath, and move forward. I’m not gonna lie, Fenrir, rejection sucks hard, but it happens often enough.”

Fenrir felt he was going to cry right there. He knew rejection so well, so intimately, so deeply. The mere thought of someone like Artica, who he highly appreciated, making him feel it again almost broke his heart. “How can I know if she feels the same?”

“You ask her.”

“You’re her best friend; don’t you know already?”

“Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. Making a move only when you’re sure to succeed is cowardly. You need to put your hand in the fire by your own choice. The same goes for Artica. Your hands will either meet in the middle or be burnt to cinders. In any case, you will have an answer, and can move forward from there.”

“You’re pretty good with words,” Fenrir said with a surprised look on his face. “Thanks for the insight. I’ll think about all this.”

“Good. Look, I know being homeschooled didn’t allow you much interaction with other people your age, so I’m willing to hear you out from time to time.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah, I hope you don’t consider Artica your only friend,” Bud said, clapping Fenrir’s back. “I won’t answer anything that I consider her private business, but that doesn’t mean I can’t help you organize your thoughts.”

“Thanks, I really appreciate it! And I do… consider you a friend as well.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir was laying on his bed in the dark, looking at the ceiling.

How could he be so stupid? Of course those had been dates, it was so clear now that Bud had mentioned it. All to places where they could enjoy themselves, but with enough space for more private interaction. He felt guilty for being so oblivious to his classmates' feelings and intentions. They probably considered him an idiot, and they would be right.

What Artica personally thought about it bothered him the most. Maybe she too thought those were dates? If so, did she enjoy them as such? On the other hand, she might’ve just considered them as hanging out, like he did. Or worse, she went along out of pity, or concern some Blue backlash would go her way if she refused.

Fenrir turned to his side, reaching out for the gray hand-knitted scarf neatly folded on top of his nightstand. It still smelled like her, with that fruity perfume Artica always used. Fenrir never thought his feelings might get ahead of him; the whole thing was embarrassingly new, and he was not sure what to do.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Everything had to be perfect.

After failing to be able to wear one of Syd's suits (curse his chiseled muscles!), Lord Baldrek had one specially made for him. It was in light grays, and Lady Tilda gifted him golden cufflinks with the crest of the Viking Tiger to match. After all, should he decide to take part in their lifestyle more frequently, they would come in handy.

Today wasn't about that, though. Today Bud was attending a dinner at the Celestial Horses city manor to finally meet Lady Aldora, who had been in Belgium for the last eight months. Karianne's younger sister Famke hadn't concluded her exchange program yet, but their mother decided to visit Asgard for a few days to check on her other family members.

Bud looked in the mirror, nervously fumbling with his tie. Only when he felt Karianne's soft hands on his did his tremble diminish.

"I'm a tad nervous."

"Just a tad, darling?"

"Okay, a lot more than a tad."

Her hair was pinned in a high ponytail, letting her gorgeous black curls cascade down her back. Karianne's deep red cocktail dress hugged her body in a very flattering manner, even making her look taller. Or maybe it was just the high heels? Anyway, as usual, she looked lovely from top to bottom. Even their matching helix piercing, two rhombus-shaped jewels of moonstone and eudialyte, appeared to complete a look no one had considered until today.

“What if Lady Aldora doesn’t like me?”

“She is not the one dating you, dear, so there is no need to worry.”

Bud laughed nervously, feeling anything but cheery. “I don’t wanna make you look bad.”

“I cannot recall that happening before, so again, there is no need to worry. You were not this anxious when you met Father.”

“Actually, I was, but Lord Ulrich called me ‘Syd’ eight times in a row before getting it right, so I gladly let him feel all the pressure.”

Karianne closed her eyes, annoyed, after recalling how it went. “That man, I swear…!”

She tapped her wristwatch and took his hand the moment the doors to the dining hall opened for them. Karianne gave the first step and whispered as they walked. “I am proud of you, and proud to be your partner. Not because you are tall, handsome, strong, and from a noble bloodline, but because you are charming, caring, and say the lamest pick-up lines with absolute confidence.”

Bud felt his chest bubbling but couldn’t manage to reply. With a deep bow and a smile, Karianne cleared her throat. “Lord Ulrich and Lady Aldora from the Celestial Horses, may I introduce Bud, son of Sanfridd, from Eastern Asgard?”

It took him by surprise that she did not mention the Viking Tiger, but after seeing Lady Aldora curl her mouth into a small smile, and raise an inquisitive eyebrow, Bud felt much more confident. Certainly, this wasn’t about meeting a Lady, it was about meeting his partner’s mother.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

XXXX eyed the invitation suspiciously, over and over again.

It seemed legitimate; the boy did not have the means to falsify the crest ring of the Viking Tiger to seal the envelope, and in any case, was probably not bright enough to even think about it. On top of that, there were not one, but two invitations. One handed personally to him at school, and another delivered by mail directly to the manor. Both in the same handwriting, both with more or less the same message.

Behind his own back, Fenrir nervously fumbled with the end of his sleeves, going over Syd’s words in his head. Bud and Artica told me what happened last year. I got it all figured out. You do not have to worry about a thing. This is foolproof.

The thing was, Syd had never met XXXX, and didn’t really know the level of scheming viper he was dealing with. It would all boil down to how well Fenrir could keep his cool, and his wits, upon him.

“So, if I understand this correctly, the Viking Tiger’s heir is inviting you to celebrate his birthday at the family manor in Eastern Asgard, is that correct?”

“As stated on the invitation, yes.”

“And this celebration will be over several days, during winter break?”

“Indeed; it seems he was born on December 23rd, so that would explain the timeframe.”

“Why is this arriving now? It is the middle of October.”

“I do not have an answer for that,” Fenrir replied, and it was a half-truth. Syd’s plan was that, by inviting him with such an early notice, XXXX would be less likely to have an excuse to not let Fenrir go.

XXXX turned towards the window, pondering deeply. Relationships with other Houses were terribly delicate matters. Turning down an invitation like this without a legitimate reason would be seen as a faux pas. Making matters worse, the Viking Tiger enjoyed a highly respectable status, and a historic role as the Winged Crown’s left hand that went back for at least seven generations. To top it off, rumor had it that their heir was already in a relationship with the heir of the Guarding Swan, which meant another politically strong House was marginally involved. And to top that off, it was common knowledge the Heads of both Guarding Swan and Celestial Horses had been close for a long time.

He massaged his temples, feeling a slight headache. Taking everything into consideration, the answer was to simply allow the boy to go. The Viking Tiger would not take offense, and he wouldn’t have to deal with him for a whole week. Win-win situation. However, it was precisely because the boy seemed somewhat excited about it that XXXX felt the need to deny him this simple pleasure.

Decisions, decisions.

“Very well. You may attend this event.”

“Really?” Fenrir blurted out despite his own efforts. He did his best to regain composure at once. “I mean, this will prevent me from attending your yearly holiday dinner.”

Nailed it. Nailed it! XXXX didn’t expect him to be considerate towards his stupid, lame-ass dinner, yet voicing it out loud gave Fenrir the upper hand, etiquette-wise. That was usually XXXX’s move, but not today, sucker!

The man appeared to be thinking the exact same thing, as he slightly narrowed one eye in annoyance. XXXX signed the invitation addressed to the city manor without pleasure. “Due to these circumstances, you are excused from attending this year.”

Fenrir politely waited for XXXX to hand him both invitations and then excused himself out of the study. Only after carefully sliding them into the chest pocket of his fur-trimmed jacket and going all the way to the creek in the wilderness behind the family manor did he allow a sound to escape from him. A whistle, strong and loud, that summoned Ging shortly after. Fenrir trapped him in a tight hug and buried his face in Ging’s fur.

“I think I just got a well-deserved, early holiday present!”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Reynir struggled not to choke on his coffee after Embla read the invitation’s content. “You’re invited where?”

“The Viking Tiger family manor,” Embla repeated, somewhat dumbstruck herself. “In Eastern Asgard.”

“You know the one, Pa. With the gigantic courtyards and-”

“Of course I know which one!” he snapped, and immediately softened his tone. “I- I’m very aware, sweetheart. When is this again?”

Bud and Artica eyed each other discreetly. This was not the parent they expected to make a fuss about it. “December, for Bud’s birthday.”

“Phew, there’s still time,” the man let out a distressed sigh. “Alright, you two. Sit. We have a lot to talk about.”

“This has to be the first time we’re gonna get a lecture before fucking something up,” his daughter muttered, but fell silent at Embla’s threatening look.

Reynir ran his fingers through his hair before clearing his throat. “A city manor in Central Asgard is not the same as the family manor, wherever it may be. I need that to be absolutely clear. Everything in a family manor has been tweaked and tinkered with to give the family complete control over all that happens on their grounds. That goes from the staff to the actual buildings and gardens. Everything. I cannot stress this enough. All you say and do will be noted and promptly informed to the masters of the house.”

“Wh-why are you telling us this, Pa?”

“You two’ve never been to a place like that, not even the Academy works on that level. Some previous jobs have gotten me in these family manors once or twice. Keep your guard up; act and speak like everything will be reported back to Princess Hilda herself. Nobles can be capricious, and it worries me more that it’s the Viking Tiger.”

“No need to worry about that, old man, I’m their precious older twin son now, aren’t I? Can’t do shit to me, and I won’t let them do shit to her either.”

“Wrong!” Reynir exclaimed, poking the boy in the chest. “You might be their new ‘young master’, but you’re a stranger to them. The Lord and Lady can say whatever they want, the staff will proceed as they’ve always done, keeping the House’s best interest in mind. If, for whatever reason, they believe you’re a threat to your twin, they will act accordingly.”

Both teenagers looked very apprehensive now. “I-I understand, Pa. I’ll make sure not to do anything stupid that would put the family dignity down.”

“That’s the least of my worries, sweetheart. I-”

Embla poured more coffee into her husband’s cup and then hugged the kids. “This isn’t about family dignity. You two are barely seventeen, and still have a lot of situations to experience, good and bad. The issue here is that one bad experience with a noble tends to have long-term consequences…”

Reynir sipped his coffee with a frown, staring out the window. “I have a bad feeling about you going there by yourselves…”

“I can help with that!” Sannfrid’s husky voice interrupted as he emerged from the living room.

“Sorry, Dad, did we wake you?”

“Nah, I shouldn’t be napping but sometimes I still feel so tired…”

Embla also poured him a cup of coffee and pulled a chair so he could sit down. “Not a problem, Sannfrid. You were saying?”

“Oh, yeah,” he mumbled, pulling something out of his back pocket.

Bud snatched it so fast, the others were barely able to register the broken wax seal. “You got an invitation too?”

“Well, it’s for your birthday, y’know? Your- The Lord and Lady of the Viking Tiger kindly invited me to join the celebration.”

All eyes drifted back to Reynir, who seemed to be rearranging his thoughts at light speed. Even if Sannfrid had never been to a noble family manor before (to Reynir’s knowledge at least), he had some leverage as the man who raised Bud like his own son. That, and he also cared deeply about both kids, so would intervene on their behalf without a second thought. A quick glance at their faces made it clear this was the best compromise they would ever get.

“If you have no issue with going, I’d greatly appreciate a set of familiar eyes watching their backs, old friend.”

“Do you have an issue with me going?” Sannfrid asked Bud, somewhat sheepishly.

“What? No! It’d feel kinda awkward celebrating with a bunch of strangers aside from my friends, but you’ve been there for all my birthdays, Dad. I wouldn’t want you to miss this one either!”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The moment he saw Artica in the locker room, he turned around and started to panic. “No. No, no, no. You give me anxiety and I can’t be anxious before a match.”

Fenrir had intended to mutter that to himself but said it quite loud instead. The smile on her face faltered, and a tiny sting hit her chest. When he turned back to her, he realized Artica was already gone. Bud approached him with a groan, slapping the back of his neck.

“’You give me anxiety?’ Are you fucking stupid?”

“Yes, among other things,” he replied hopelessly.

Bud let out an annoyed sigh. “Ever since our conversation the other day, you get all jumpy around her. That won’t help. Nothing’s changed yet, there’s no reason for you to panic.”

“Everything’s changed and will continue to change. I have every reason to panic!”

The Black let out another sigh and then gently patted Fenrir’s head in what felt like a familial gesture. Fenrir wouldn’t know, this was the first time it had happened to him.

“Just… breathe, ok? That’s true, but not in the alarming way you think. You should also-“

“Apologize, immediately, I know.”

“Well, not immediately since the match is about to start, but sooner would be better, yes.”

Bud ran his fingers through his own hair. "The first one was too self-centered, the second one too self-confident, and the third one too self-conscious. Sometimes I think it would just be better to date her myself."

Fenrir felt that in his core. There was no world out there in which he could match Bud's charisma. The Black, who had meant it as a light-hearted comment, cleared his throat.

"But it's too late for that now, isn't it? I'm already under someone else's spell, and I don't want out, so you better get your shit together.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

"I was nervous because it was my first match against someone from another school so seeing you reminded me everyone was counting on me to win that day to keep our place at the top, but I don't do well with crowds like that and I just wished they would've put Syd instead, y’know? But what I'm really trying to make crystal clear is that I'm sorry for saying it like that. You don't give me anxiety, I give me anxiety, and I understand you were there to encourage me, and I fucked up, so again I'm really sorry."

Artica stood there in silence for a moment, shocked that Fenrir could compress so many words in a single breath, but then let out a relieved sigh. “I’m- Thanks for saying that. I was a little worried, to be honest… but I get what you’re saying. Living up to other people’s expectations can be weary. You did great, anyway! There was nothing for you to worry about.”

There was a lot for me to worry about, he thought to himself, because I said something stupid again and you felt bad due to it. Fenrir was grateful, though, that this had been resolved easily. He could no longer afford to blurt out every idiotic phrasing that came to mind. There had to be a conscious effort, a conscious willingness, to let his feelings reach out.

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She took a deep breath, trying to stay calmed. Ging walked around her, sniffing her clothes. Artica felt on the verge of falling into the void of panic once again, but this time, she had something to hold onto. Someone.

"How are you feeling?" Fenrir asked.

"I-I think…" the Black tried to say but could not go any further.

She was squeezing his hand hard, but Fenrir paid no mind. "Take your time."

Artica closed her eyes. Even in that creek, sitting between the bushes where no one could see them, she felt embarrassed. How could she not be able to go beyond two words? Fenrir had kindly agreed to help her overcome her uneasiness around dogs, with Ging's assistance, yet she did not feel she was improving at all.

Fenrir patiently waited for her grip to soften, but at the same time, didn’t want to let go himself. Distracted, he didn’t see Ging lick Artica's ear. She immediately inhaled sharply and after a few seconds, fainted. The boy barely managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

“Well, shit. Look at what you did!”

Ging lowered his ears.

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When Artica opened her eyes, she felt awfully confused. It took her a moment to remember what happened before everything went black. Her cheeks flushed when she realized she was lying against a tree trunk, covered with a very familiar fur-trimmed jacket. The silver gaze wandered a bit until it happened upon a pair of golden eyes shyly looking back at her.

Fenrir was sitting against another tree, several meters away. Next to him, Ging was also staring. The boy’s lips were tight. “I’m very sorry, he meant no harm, I swear, it’s just-”

Ging licked the boy’s left ear. Artica immediately touched her own out of reflex.

“The way you smell, it’s very nice…” he mumbled, immediately regretting it. “Ging likes it. He was just curious and-”

The expression on the girl’s face was difficult to interpret. Fenrir swallowed hard. “Would it be okay if we came a little bit closer?”

“We?” she echoed in a slightly uneasy tone.

“You can tell us when to stop.”

To his surprise, Artica allowed them to come quite close, just a few paces from where she was sitting. The girl stared into Ging’s piercing blue eyes. “Why did he lick your ear?”

“Oh, it’s just a thing he does when he…” Fenrir started to explain, realizing exactly at that moment that this was the first time Ging had ever done it to someone else. He’d never shown interest in interacting with anyone beside Fenrir before. “...likes you.”

“... Are you making this up?”

“Why would I? There’s absolutely no way for me to force him to do anything.”

There was a short silence. Artica gripped the jacket firmly, a slight blush on her cheeks. “Thank you. I can’t, for the life of me, approach Ging right now, but your words have given me the courage to try next time.”

Fenrir was so relieved to hear the implication of consent to another time together, even though today had been a massive fuck up, he barely contained himself. Asking Ging for some space with a whistle, he helped Artica stand up and encouraged her to wear the jacket, at least until they were back at the house. Once there, she returned it, and politely thanked him for everything.

The boy looked at her walking away until she was lost in the distance. “Next time…”

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"I… think I do like him," Artica said suddenly.

Bud put his greasy-ass burger down. "Even if he is a Blue?"

"Yeah… I’d be willing to… jump through some hoops."

"Great. When are you gonna tell'im?"

"You really think he’d be interested in me that way…?"

Her best friend almost choked on his drink. If you only knew. Bud found it slightly amusing, considering Artica was usually very perceptive. "Even if he didn’t, you should tell him. The only bad shot is the one you don't take, right?"

She nodded, unsure. In the past, it had not been much of a deal for her to express her interest, but after Thyrna dumped her, she had lost her footing. It’d been painful to realize the person she cared about didn't reciprocate on the same level.

Even now, it still hurt.

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(1) “That’s how you know you love someone, I guess, when you can’t experience anything without wishing the other person were there to see it, too.” The Descendants (2007).

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