Winter of Yggdrasil

Chapter 32

The three months in Jotunheim passed fairly quickly and without excitement. Kenna and Merek stayed in their same rooms as before. They relaxed and went about the village for a few days before getting down to business. Kenna persuaded Merek to speak up and help her.

"You're a peacekeeper." She said. "I know you never wanted to be but you have thousands of years of experience. I need your help." He agreed reluctantly and sat next to her in Farbauti's main meeting room.

Three of Mimir's scholars, Farbauti, and her children were first in. Kenna leaned forward to begin when Farbauti gestured to the last empty seat. They waited for a while before the door slid open. A guard leaned in.

"Forgive me, your Highness. He won't be coming." He closed the door. Farbauti sighed and nodded. Everyone looked at her curiously. She waved it away.

"Nevemind then. Let's begin."

Kenna nodded and pulled out her sheaf of papers. "I think it might be best to consider what we want from each other. As far as treatment, conditions, resources. The standard things. We can get to the real details later." Everyone nodded and settled in their seats, knowing this was going to take a long time.

..........

Kenna stood and stretched, sighing as she cracked her back. Merek put his arm around her shoulder and walked with her back to their rooms. He rubbed her shoulders quickly and then hugged her. "You're doing fine." He murmured.

He turned to go to his room when she grabbed him. "Merek? Will you tell me what's wrong?"

He looked away for a long time before settling his gaze on her, shaking his head. "No. You don't need to worry yourself over it..."

"Is it me? Whatever's happening to me?" He shook his head again and turned back to her with a smile. "It's nothing. Goodnight."

She watched him disappear into the room next to hers. Something was terribly wrong. He never pretended to be alright for her. He usually just told her to leave it alone. But to put on a smile for her... She sighed and went to get ready for bed. Whatever it was, it would come out eventually.

The next day went by just like the last. They settled the basics of the treaty, guidelines, expectations, who would give what and gain what. Farbauti murmured something about marriage alliances making these things just a bit smoother. Helix sighed, unwilling to get into an argument about his failing to marry.

Kenna kept a careful silence. There was no one of Asgard's royal ranks eligible to marry him and Kenna was promised so none of the eligible men honorably adopted by the Jotun royalty could stand for her either. Neither of them wanted such an arrangement anyway. Farbauti didn't pursue it any further. They glanced at each other, rolling their eyes in camaraderie.

She and her uncle had become progressively closer in the time they'd been in each other's company. He was easy to like and she knew he would make a very good king. The people respected him and were relaxed around him. He accepted his handicap and used it to his advantage as best he could. He would be a great help in the diplomatic disagreements that were sure to break out soon.

There was something about him, also, that said he was very determined to protect her. She wasn't sure why but the men in her life seemed to think she needed a lot of protecting. She was just fine; she took after her mother. As long as they knew how to defend themselves, they could manage. But one night sometime in their second month on Jotunheim, she found that she very much wanted his protection. She was running from the one person in her life that she never thought would hurt her.

The session had ended later than usual and everyone had headed in their separate directions. Kenna and Merek were walking quietly, exhausted. A man had walked by, dressed in a cloak similar to the scholars. But something about his presence made them both tense up. The cold temperature of the area became frigid. He barely looked at her but turned his head slowly to gaze steadily at Merek while he passed.