To Reclaim The Crown

Chapter Fifteen

Aldith was lead by Fridgerd into a small round hut with a straw roof. The hut was lit by fire as she was stood in the middle. Four other women walked into the hut and bowed at Aldith before walking up to her. One stood in front of her, one to her right and left and behind her. They lifted her arms up so they could begin to undress her. Fridgerd watched as she circled muttered words under her breath. They took off her clothes to reveal her naked self, showing off the scar that had formed from her wound when she tried and failed to save her King. 

"Scars are considered a blessing from Odin to those who fought bravely in battle," Fridgerd Spoke loudly as her fingers brushed against the pink scared skin. 

"It reminds me of a failure," Aldith muttered,

"What happened was written in the fabrics of fate. No mortal could have changed that," Fridgerd explained. Two women helped Aldith into a pair of brown cotton trousers while the other two wrapped her chest in a cotton wrap. The two women who helped her with her trousers began to braid her hair. The other two women used black and white paint to draw designs and runes over her exposed skin. 

"Blood child Aldith. You are to become King of Novas," Fridgerd spoke strongly as the woman continued to paint her. "These runes will guide you to make decisions. They will guide you to be a good King. A just King." Fridgerd continued as she took a silver bowl, similar to the one she had earlier. 

"Drink, It will clear your mind," Fridgerd told her as she handed Aldith the bowl. In the bowl was a thick black liquid that held no smell. Aldith took all of the liquid in one go, the taste that attacked her tongue was not something she enjoyed. But she showed no sign of this in her expressions as she swallowed the liquid. 

The women once again stood to her sides and began muttering the same thing as Fridgerd. Their hands lifted up pointing to the sky and their eyes closed. Suddenly, Aldith's vision began to blur and shake as her head spun. 

"You are about to enter into the realm between here and Asgard. Guidance will be given. Head the words spoken." Fridgerd told her just as Aldith's vision blackened. 

Aldith flung her eyes open and looked around her she stood ankle-deep in water. She could see anything around her apart from the mist that floated around her. "You have a strong future, Blood child." A male voice deeply grumbled from behind her. She spun around to come face to face with a man dress in fine robes. His hands behind his back, braids in his grey hair and bread. A patched covered his right eye. 

"But you will need the right tools for the fight you are faced with." His old voice told her.

"You must travel to the hills of the north and find the tool of light." A female voice spoke softly from her right. Aldith spun her head to see a beautiful female dressed in a pink gown. Her blondish brown hair tied perfectly with jewels. Her smile shone brightly down at her. 

"Keep those around you close, you will need them more than you realise." The woman continued. 

"Good allies are hard to find. Keep them close." The old man told her. Aldith tried to speak but was unable to make her voice work. Suddenly her vision began to fade once again before going completely black. She eyes opened again to find herself back in the room with the four women and Fridgerd. 

"It is time," Fridgerd said she turned and walked to the door of the hut. "Come, Blood child." She instructed her and Aldith followed her instructions. The women walked around her formed a box. Heavy drums and humming vibrated the in the air as they walked through the crowd of people. Aldith walked barefoot over the dirt towards the centre of the crowd where Eyvald stood. 

"Blood Child Aldith!" Eyvald yelled to calm the music. "You must prove your worth as an ally King. You must show you skill in a battle," Eyvlad gestured to a man who also who brown cotton trousers and had runes painted to his scarred skin. 

"How is Aldith meant to fight that beast," Aymer muttered to Eliot. The man stood a foot taller and wider than her. His muscles were larger than any other they had seen before. 

"Let the battle commence!" Eyvald yelled as the drumming began again. But this time accompanying the drums and humming men began to chant words loudly while banging on their bodies. 

Aldith watched the man while standing very still. She studied his movement as he stalked towards her. He then rushed her trying to grab her small body. Aldith easily dodged his movements by jumping to the right. Her knees bent and her hands out at her sides, waiting for his next move. The man swung a punch at her which she ducked up before leading with her own punch to his chest. But it didn't even cause the man to flinch. 

"Oh shit," Aldith muttered and the man grabbed her and flung her to the ground hard. It knocked the wind out of her. She tried to pull in a breath but the pain ripped through her. Aldith rolled over to her side and pushed herself off the ground before readying herself again. She was going to have to go about this with her brain and not her strength. 

She waited for the man to go for a punch and when he did she dodged around it causing the man to stumble forward. The momentum of his punch not landing on something caused him to go unbalanced, allowing Aldith to kick his feet from under him. He fell to the ground with a thud and a groan. She waited for him to stand up again before coming up with a plan. It was going to be a hard fight. But it was a fight that Aldith cannot afford to lose at any cost.