His Queen | Book 1

Twenty Two: Fool's Demise

The sun's set over Asgard and in its afternoon glow the gold gleams bright until fire brasiers all over Asgard are lit and galaxies and stars shine in the night sky. So clear and bright and beautiful. The streets are quiet and peaceful tonight in restoration for the royal wedding. Final preparations are completed. And as the Vanir and Aesir celebrate, Sigyn cannot bring herself to feel their joy. As she gazes at the night sky she knows these are not the stars of Vanaheim and longs for home. Instead, the closer the wedding came the more sad she was. Nervous. Scared. She wondered if Thor felt the same?

It meant leaving her home forever to start a new life in another realm. Being forced to marry a man she doesn't love. Be a Princess of another realm she doesn't call home. Be forced to love its people and adapt to its nature and their ways.

Sigyn comes to stand with her sisters by the chamber doors where Einherjar stand guard. Nanna explains that Forseti is still himself, which comes as a collective sigh of relief from the sisters, and Baldur will join them later. "Has this always been happening, Nanna?" asked Gersemi.

Nanna gives them a small shrug of her shoulders. "Nothing to that extent." she explained. "I knew he could always foretell. It was only ever small incidents just before they were about to happen. But this has shaken me. What he said was horrible."

Hnoss hugs her eldest sister and she stifled a sob. "What could it mean?"

"Maybe, when the Seer ventures down for the wedding we can ask her." suggested Sigyn. "Maybe Forseti is the next seer of Vanaheim? The one we have been waiting for."

Nanna's teary eyes meet with Sigyn. "Do you think so?"

"We can only hope to ask."

"If this is true, then this is a great honour, Nanna." Hnoss said.

Queen Frigga strides through the chamber hall doors with a flank of guards and maidens at her back and she gracefully strides over to the Princesses'. There she greets them with a kind smile and an assuring voice. "I have had my healers look at Prince Forseti and you can rest assured that he is absolutely fine." she tells them. Nanna folds in relief and Hnoss is there to hold her upright.

"Oh thank the Norns!" she praised. "How can I thank you?"

"I do believe however that this is a rise to a new power. An awakening, as you explained to me before, Princess Nanna. He has had these episodes before and my experts have confirmed my suspicions." she said. Each of their eyes are on the Queen attentively. "Do not send the boy to bed he is not tired. Instead bring him down to celebrate this awakening. Do believe me when I say I recognise power in my presence. I did raise the Prince Loki."

At his name Sigyn's shoulders tense.

Queen Frigga takes Nanna's hand in one and Sigyn's hand in the other. She smiles at the Princesse's and laughs with pure joy shaking their arms. "Come, feast! Celebrate."

"I will tell my maidens to send for my husband and son." said Nanna.

Queen Frigga waved her off. "I have already done that." she turns to her maidens with a nod and they turn away following her silent command. Nanna smiles in thanks. The Queen moves the sisters from the corner of the chamber to the long table where the servants have already prepared the table with the last feast before the wedding with assortments of wild fruits, cheeses, grapes, bread, meat and jugs of ale and mead. In between are candles and chalices made of gold.

They take their assigned seats at the table.

Odin and Iwaldi and Queen Freya enter the chamber in swift and heavy strides. Behind them are the Princes's Thor, Loki, and Sigvard, Baldur and Forseti, and they join the table. They feast as usual with talk and laughter and exchange of stories. Except for the tension between Sigyn and Loki. Yet everybody else seems to get along as normal without a thought in the world.