"Father, please. This silence is deafening. Can you not tell me what is troubling you? Is it just the obvious?" Eldrid couldn't help but notice the uneasy look upon her Father's face. "I am not made of porcelain. I will not break. You can share what is ailing you so with me."
Her Father stops in his tracks to stare back at his daughter. She looks so much like her mother. She possesses the very elegant confidence that made her mother stand out in court. He now must preserve the only thing he has left of his wife.
He reaches outs and pulls Eldrid into a tight embrace. "My dear, Ellie. It is not fear or dread you see consuming me. I have just been preoccupied as of late. I have been working diligently to keep you safe. I am but exhausted. But after today, we will be at peace." He hugs his daughter with ferocity and kisses the top of her head.
Eldrid steps back to look into her Father's eye. "Whatever do you mean? There's nothing to be done. Selection is at random. We both know this. I have just as much of a chance to be chosen today as any other lady on that list. I have carried this burden for 58 days now. There's no way to change my fate." His face changes from exhaustion to what appears to be shame. "What exactly...what have you been up to?"
"Trust me. I need you to trust me. What happens in the next few moments, you may hate me for, but please understand that it is because of my inability to lose you...I can't lose you, Ellie. I already lost your mother."
A new kind of fear, no...this isn't just fear, but pure panic rises up in her belly. Bile begins to invade the back of her throat causing a coughing fit. What in the Nine Realms is her beloved Father rambling about? What is about to happen? What is that she sees in her Father's eyes, something that hasn't been there before? Eldrid's eyes widen at the realization...desperation.
"Father?" she faintly whispers. Her entire body starts to shake when she tries to pull back from the man, but he steadies her.
"The prince...he desires a virgin queen of noble birth. That's all he wants. That's the only thing he requires. I can...I will make you undesirable. I will spare your life, Eldrid."
Eldrid's eyes widen in trepidation at hearing her father's words. What did he even mean? What was he planning? Her thoughts quickly interrupted at the sound of footprints coming up behind her.
"Lord Edvin." A raspy voice speaks over her head. She wants to turn to see who it is, but her eyes are locked in on her father. Her trembling completely takes her over, making her very bones ache. Struggling, her mind attempts to spare her by pushing the intention of her father's words far from her mind. It's not doing a very good job. Her head is beginning to spin.
"Andsvarr." Elidrid's father gives the man behind her a nod.
Eldrid no longer has any desire to turn around. Andsvarr Helsson. Captain of the Einhejar, the Army of Asgard. A man not known for his courtesy nor discretion. His face is riddled with scars that he proudly wears behind a deranged smirk. His long hair sits on his shoulders always looking slicked with sweat and dirt probably from hours spent on the training grounds. There's no doubt he's an intimidating figure to behold.
However, he has always made Eldrid cringe. The way he stares at all the ladies of court as if he was the devouring mad prince. She's heard the stories of his conquests, and not just the ones in service to the Allfather. She knows too well of the girls made undesirable by use of his station. Those naive women, throwing themselves at his feet. The thought makes her nose twitch in disgust.
What is he doing here? Why is my Father's acting so familiar with him?
"I assume you found my payment satisfactory in regards to our arrangement?"
"Why yes, my Lord. The payment was just what we agreed upon." Andsvarr, grinning wildly at Lord Edvin.
Eldrid's mind still not wanting to lean on her own understanding of the exchange before her, interjects with a question she already knows the answer to, "Father! I demand to know what is going on here? What in the Nine Realms kind of arrangement could you possibly have with Andsvarr Helsson?"
Ignoring his daughter's pleas, he places her hand in that of Andsvarr. He looks at his daughter for a brief moment before straightening up to eye the battle-scarred man before him, "Make this quick. I need to make the necessary amendments for Eldrid before the Selection, or this will be done in vain."
Lord Edvin stops to gently stroke his daughter's face, but she finds no comfort in it. "Ellie, I do this for you. You'll be safe, I promise. Don't fight it. It'll be over soon and we can put all of this devastation behind us." Before she can even respond he turns from her and begins walking down the long corridor of the palace.
"Father!" she screams.
"Father!" He doesn't even stop.
"PAPA! Don't do this! PLEASE!" Like an abandoned child, the tears overwhelm her. Eldrid tries her hardest to run towards the man, but Andsvarr holds her firmly in place, wrapping an arm around her waist. Before she can let out another scream, he slaps his free hand over her mouth grabbing each side of her face. Bending down to her ear, she can smell the mixture of sweat and alcohol radiating off of him. The sense of nausea in her stomach is making her lightheaded.
"I'm your knight in shining armor, my lady. I'm here to make sure that silver tongued freak doesn't make you a notch on his bedpost. You will see the dawn my dear, and that's a true gift isn't it?"
He gives her no time to react before picking her up and backing into the propped open door directly behind them. Inside, it takes Eldrid's eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness, but that moment is short lived when Andsvarr overtakes her mouth with his own. Grabbing her throat, he forces her to open her mouth as he furthers his intrusion. Istinct kicks in and her arms flail against him trying everything to get as far away from him as possible. His laugh an obtrusive reminder that she isn't making progress.
"Get off of me you disgusting fool!" Her screams are a prayer to the gods that someone, anyone will hear her. But she has a feeling this was already considered. This room is probably some forgotten means of storing forgotten things and now it will be the room where she was...forgotten.
"Oh your father warned me you wouldn't see rationally. You wouldn't see the gift he's bestowing on you. He's given you to me, to save your life. Now it's time to be grateful to your savior." He continues to laugh while pressing his body into hers until a wall stops them. Grabbing her gown in both hands he use it to lift her up the wall and force her to straddle his waist.
In a grave lapse in judgement, he doesn't secure either of Eldrid's hands. This gives her a spilt second to throw her palm upward against his nose. He grunts in protest dropping her to the floor. Wiping his hand across his nose, he can feel the sticky liquid that's flowing from it. She stares in shock, preparing for the explosion of anger to come next. But he just begins to laugh.
"I love when they make me work for it darling. This is going to be more enjoyable than I thought." He grabs her by the hair and yanks her up off of the floor. The scream cascading out of her mouth is cut short by her head slamming against a nearby wooden surface. Her vision is blurred and the pain steals her focus. Without needing to touch the back of her scalp, she knows there is blood. Suddenly, she feels the front of her dress being forced down before she hears the ripping of fabric.
Eldrid tries her hardest to fall deep into her thoughts. Anything to not think about what is happening to her body right now. This can't be any worse than what the prince would have done. And at this very moment, she wishes she was facing the dawn with her held high for one last time rather than the rest of life with these memories.
Andsvarr lifts and carries Eldrid over to what feels like a desk, slamming her on her back and raising her skirts to her waist. She kicks one good time and makes perfect contact with the man's groin even without being able to aim. Her victory is short lived when he backhands her across the face. Hard. Her teeth clinch together as her cheek's split open.
At this point Eldrid has unwilling come to terms with her fate. Her head is still foggy and her body feels so weak from the fight. Her sobs overwhelm her as she prepares for the worst. She feels his calloused hands run up her thighs coming to a halt at her undergarments. She prepares for the worst, but it doesn't come.
Then she hears the man begin to gurgle. Too scared to open her eyes, she forces her ears to focus.
"What makes you think you can steal from a Prince of Asgard, Captain?"
That voice? Who is..
Eldrid, afraid any movement will bring attention to herself, still refuses to open her eyes to see who is addressing her attacker.
There's a brief silence before Andsvarr finally speaks slowly, annunciating each syllable, "Your Highness, I believe you are...mistaken. We're just having a bit of fun before this morning's activities."
No, no, no, no. Your Highness?
The gurgling sound returns.
"You dare test my resolve, believing I of all cannot spot a lie? Brave you must be to come into this library...my library...with the intentions of making this lady unfit to be mine."
Oh no.
"I'd consider that stealing. And if I'm not mistaken, oh Captain, the gash on her face tells me she isn't quite enjoying this endeavor as much as you."
Eldrid can't move. Although her body is now indiscreetly exposed to not one, but two men including the Prince, she cannot will herself to move. All her energy is being spent on trying to keep the content of her stomach down and her ears turned to the conversation next to her.
"Get out of my sight you filth. If I ever hear of these crimes again, I will have no qualms with taking your lifeless body and presenting it at the feet of the Allfather. Consider this your only warning."
The loud echo of boots across the floor ends with a door slam. Eldrid's breathing pace quickens and only one question is on her mind.
Is he still here?
"If you're meaning Captain Helsson, he is long gone. If you're meaning me, well, I'm afraid I'm still here."
Eldrid begins to protest when she can feel the Prince's hands on the skirts hovering around her waist.
"Shhhh...just a moment, my lady." He pulls her skirts down to her feet. He returns and grabs her hand to pull her down from atop the desk.
Eldrid still cannot make herself open her eyes, but she does wrap her arms around her chest to try and conserve what little modesty she has left.
"Now then, what is your name?"
Finally allowing herself to open her eyes, she remembers the tales surrounding the Mad Prince and stares at the ground. "It's Ellie. No, no I mean Eldrid Edvinssdottir, Your Highness." Every word feels like sand in her mouth.
"Lord Edvin's daughter? Ah I see what's at play her. He too thinks he can deceive me? I believe I need to make a visit to Lord..."
Sensing the venom rising up in his voice, the scared girl cries out, "No! I...I...uh no, please. He's just afraid, my Prince!" Keeping her eyes locked to the ground, Eldrid inhales deeply to steady her words, "Please, he just...we lost my mother just a few years ago. I'm all he has left. He made an unwise decision based purely on emotion. His protection of me knows no bounds, my prince. Please, I beg of you..." Her voice now nothing but a soft whisper.
"That's enough, Lady Eldrid, we'll have none of that. I will take your word that this incident is an isolated lapse in judgement for your father. But for now, I believe we both must be going."
Relief exhales loudly from Eldrid's lungs. On the inhale, she feels the Prince's fingers lightly touch the back of her arm, "And note, you may believe that I let Captain Helsson off easy considering his horrific actions. However, I take his offense as a matter of serious concern. He does not understand the true nature of his punishment, I assure you." His hand brushes up against her cheek making her feel an odd but almost welcoming sensation. Now she understands why he is regarded as the god of mischief.
Without warning she feels his breath up against her cheek, the gentle scent of wood smoke and sage diffusing from his person , "I hope to the gods I never see you again...Ellie."
And with that line, she loses a moment of clarity and snaps her head up only to be met with an empty room. Looking down, she sees that her dress has been mended to seemingly better than it was before. She reaches up to her head, and the spot is just the slightest bit tender, but there is not a single hair out of place.
I believe I was just sparred by the Prince. He...protected me. He must be mad.