ELSKER: THE ELSKER SAGA *complete*

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

“Kristia Tostenson, you do not get to give gifts back to me.”

“Ull,” I began. But he stopped me.

“No. You do not get to interrupt either. Now, if you do not want to marry me because you do not like me, or because you have reached the very wise conclusion that a life with me would be far too complicated for you, then I accept that. But if you are giving this back to me,” he held up his ring, “out of some misguided effort to protect me… well, then I will not allow it.”

“You’re not the boss of me,” I muttered through my tears. Ull smiled, pleased I hadn’t lost all humor.

“Which is it? Is my life too much for you, or are you trying to protect me?”

“Um…” His eyes were endless. Of course I wanted to marry him. How could he ever think otherwise? Oh, right. I’d thrown his ring at him and run out of the room. “Trying to protect you,” I mumbled.

“Sweetheart. I need you to listen very carefully.” Ull looked at me like I was a disobedient two-year-old. “It was always my intention to leave Asgard. Even before I met you, I was running away. It is not necessarily the life I would have chosen. Meeting you only solidified my decision. From the moment I saw you, I knew I would give up everything if it meant we could be together. So I am not giving up anything for you.” I choked back a sob as he brushed the tear from my cheek.

“But what I get is so much greater than anything I might lose. Yes, I will miss some of the perks. But what I feel with you is so much more. I have never felt this peace. Never.” He lifted my chin, so I had to look at him. “So, Kristia Tostenson, if I may be so forward as to try to be the boss of you. Do not ever take this off your finger again. Am I understood?” He slid his ring back onto my finger, and my tears started anew. We lay together as I cried myself out, Ull’s strong arms wrapped tightly around me.

“What are we going to do?” I whispered when the worst of the tears were over.

“Well,” Ull drew small circles on my back with his thumb, “We shall live as all humans do. We plan our wedding. We take our honeymoon. We live as husband and wife, have adventures, share love. When we are very old, we sit on the bench in our garden, with our tea. If Ragnarok comes before then, it comes. There is no sense worrying about it. But I cannot imagine a more beautiful way to spend my life.”

“I can’t believe your father doesn’t approve of me.” Years of small town whispers were brought to a head by the scariest god ever.

“It is not that he disapproves of you – you must listen to Thor very carefully. He says exactly what he means. What he said was that Skadi would make a more suitable partner to strengthen the Asgardian race. He does not know you, and he was not judging you. Really,” he confirmed as I opened my mouth to protest. I sure felt judged. “Darling, he does not understand the value you could bring to the realm. He does not know anything about you, your heart, your loyalty, your stubbornness.” He tweaked my nose.

“My visions?” I’d seen myself fighting next to Ull as a goddess. Had Thor’s verdict changed my future?

“No.” Ull’s brow furrowed. “I will not let him use your visions. I cannot lose you. Kristia, it is not important to me to keep my immortality. Please understand that.”

“Well it’s not right to turn your back on your family when they need you the most. And it’s important to me to protect your world. And mine. Just how are we supposed to convince Thor if you won’t let me tell him what I can do?”

“I am not sure that we can.” Ull’s blow was soft. “But let us not think of it any more tonight.” Outside the window, darkness had fallen on Ýdalir.