#aa!artica

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

Asgard Academy

Year 3: Part II

[ Index ]

xxxxxxxxx

“What do you believe your duty as a Lord is going to be?”

Fenrir slightly narrowed his eyes, appalled. He didn’t know, that’s why he asked for this meeting in the first place. “I lack a proper answer, my Lord.”

“That is fine, but you must have some idea, yes? Something you read, or heard, about what people in our position do?”

“Uhm…”

Lady Paulfrid was deeply intrigued by his hesitation. This subject was usually hammered into heirs’ skulls the moment they were able to understand responsibilities and yet, Fenrir had absolutely no clue. It was one thing to be unaware of certain details, but to lack grasp of the subject core… When her daughter talked about the circus Syd made to get Fenrir to come to celebrate the twins' birthday, Lady Paulfrid thought it was due to strict guardians yet…

Something was amiss in the Northern Wolf; she could see it now. Judging by the slight frown in Lord Ulrich’s face, it seemed he had arrived at a similar conclusion, and with that lightning speed calculation of his, a mental list of things that needed review after this meeting was probably underway.

Lord Baldrek was aware his equals were slightly tuned out of their meeting, so he tried to keep Fenrir’s focus on him. “Let us start with the basics. Do you know why there is such a thing as ‘nobles’ and ‘commoners’ in Asgard?”

“Yes,” the boy replied, relieved to finally know what to say. “Noble bloodlines are descendants of the God Warriors of legend. Our coat of arms represent the divine power granted to each warrior during battle, or so they say. Lands and other assets were distributed by the Asgardian Princess of the time as a reward for the warriors’ courage.”

“Good! You got most of it, so well done.”

“Hm? What did I miss, my Lord?”

“The assets were rewards, that much is true, but the lands are responsibilities.”

“Are?”

Lord Ulrich snapped out of his contemplation and intervened. “You have noticed there are families with larger plots of land, yes? Yours being one of them?”

Fenrir nodded, not particularly sure why that was important.

“Every citizen of Asgard is a subject of the Winged Crown, and that is quite the number of people. It would be unfair to expect one person, the Princess, to be able to meet all their needs by herself, yes?”

The boy nodded again.

“So, when the ancient wars were concluded, the God Warriors were rewarded for their courage, and then given a final responsibility: ‘Protect Asgard’,” Lord Ulrich explained, his magenta eyes fixed on Fenrir.

“My Lord, you just said the wars were concluded by that time, so what else was there to protect?”

"Certainly," Lady Paulfrid snapped her fingers and nodded, satisfied to see the young lord was paying attention. “If the wars were over, what ‘Asgard’ was left that needed protection?”

The three Heads of House patiently waited for Fenrir to think about it. After a few minutes of contemplation, he dared to provide an answer. “The people?”

“Very well done, young lord!” Lord Baldrek said with a smile. “The people are Asgard, and as descendants of the God Warriors of legend, it is our duty to protect them. That is why nobles are distributed all over the Principality, instead of centralized in one region. When water is scarce, when bridges collapse, when nature strikes! We are to oversee their wellbeing.”

The corner of Fenrir’s mouth tightened a bit. “Is that not something the local and main governments do already? Would we not be interfering?”

Even Lord Ulrich raised his eyebrows at his quick evaluation. Lady Paulfrid had already decided she liked the boy and wished they had personally met sooner. “Two hands, connected to the same body. Local governments follow procedures to the letter, as they should, but are rarely able to report real-time problems and concerns from the people. The Heads of House assist the Winged Crown with that. Unfortunately, I cannot claim all Heads of House give this duty the same level of priority, but it is our responsibility. Failure to comply has… significant consequences.”

“Our reports are provided quarterly, usually to the Princess herself, unless a more pressing matter requires immediate attention. You are already familiar with Her Majesty, it should not be hard,” Lord Ulrich said with a dismissive hand gesture. “Be thorough. Audiences with Princess Mother Göndul were kept brief, in consideration for her health, but Her Majesty Princess Hilda will want every possible detail, no matter how unimportant it appears to be.”

“She has always been fierce, that one,” Lady Paulfrid sipped from her teacup. “Asgard will go through many more changes now that she is the ruling Princess. We must help her, young lord.”

Fenrir nodded; his chest tight. He was nervous just thinking about it, but also somehow excited to be part of something bigger than himself. “Yes, my Lady, I will do everything I can.”

“Just remember; there is no need to do so alone,” Lord Baldrek pointed out with a gentle smile. “You might be the Northern Wolf, but there are others in the North with the same responsibility, so reach out to them and form strong, lasting bonds.”

“The Howling Hellhound’s heir graduated last year, yes?”

“No, that was the middle child, Ulrich, keep up,” Lady Paulfrid corrected him with a frown, not even aware she missed his title. “Truly, how can you forget? We saw him the other day with his mother!”

“I cannot keep track of all of them, Paulfrid, give me a break! And you said ‘middle child’, so there are three in total?”

“Yes! Utgard (the heir), and his sisters, Vaike and-“

“Lady Vaike?” Fenrir interrupted, and immediately cleared his throat. “Apologies. I do know Lady Vaike; she was at the northern regional entry exam as a volunteer. We also spoke a few times at the Academy.”

“’Spoke’? Is she not-?”

“Ulrich.”

“Fine, fine, fine, fine. Figurative speech, I understand.”

“As I was saying,” Lord Baldrek cut in, and the other two seemed slightly embarrassed he had to do so at all. “Reach out. Not only to other nobles in the north. If you are ever struggling, and feel we might be able to help, please ask.”

“Do not expect me to go to Northern Asgard, though. It is so far from the west-”

Lady Paulfrid didn’t even have to say anything; Lord Ulrich stopped talking on his own, but not without glaring at her. Lord Baldrek let out a quiet chuckle; their dynamic had been like these for years now.

“Form strong, lasting bonds, young lord. That is what truly makes a difference.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir had often thought about that meeting with the Heads of House back in winter, especially after the university admission exams started. Once he was given the title of Lord, the general outline of his life would change, well before that of others around him.

Someone plopped down right next to him, and Fenrir couldn’t help giving him a good scratch on the back. “Hey, Ging!”

The wolf’s ears perked up as he licked the boy's ear. Fenrir stared at him for a while, remembering how much he’d cried during his last day in the mountains, saying goodbye to the only friend he’d ever had, and then see him in Central Asgard a week later. Fenrir knew Ging had a pack, so it was baffling to know the wolf just left it to follow him. He couldn’t help wondering if sticking to a similar path as everyone else would be the right choice, given the circumstances.

Maybe I should consider following his example for once.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Everything was going as planned. Legal requests were in the middle of being processed. All money transfers had been done in low amounts, at random times of the month, for the past three years to avoid raising suspicions. Even the land purchasing had gone well, without hiccups of any kind.

When the time was right, they would all fuck off to their well-deserved early retirement homes and no one would know any better, but until then, it was just a matter of keeping a low profile.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Artica can stay at my house…” Fenrir cleared his throat, making nervous hand gestures. “I-If that is alright with you, of course!”

Reynir and Embla contemplated the suggestion.

“Yeah, that seems reasonable,” her father said, scratching his chin. “The storm’s to hit precisely on the weekend we're not home.”

“It would be best if you weren’t by yourself, sweetheart,” Embla agreed, rubbing her daughter’s shoulder. “It’s not too much trouble, I hope?”

“Not at all!” Fenrir replied at once. “I would also feel better if... I was with her at that time…”

Artica gave him a small smile and hugged him. “I would like that too…”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Would you, uhm…” he started, quickly turning red all over. “Would you like to use this room, or… or mine?”

“Yours?”

Fenrir made nervous hand gestures. “I-If you want!”

Artica nodded. He then skipped the room they usually napped in and went over to a door made of dark wood. The crest of the Northern Wolf hung on it in bright metal, and under that Fenrir’s name in beautiful handwriting (unlikely his own). He gestured for her to enter as he opened the door.

She noticed that, for a noble’s room, it wasn’t particularly over-the-top. The bed was large, and the furniture well made, but nothing as extravagant as what Artica had seen at the Viking Tiger family manor. There was a desk near the sliding window doors, and Ging was looking at them from across the yard. What really caught her eye was a small hand-knitted wolf doll on the nightstand. She immediately picked it up.

“You kept it all this time?”

“Yeah. At first, I wasn’t sure why, but in hindsight, it was because you gave it to me.”

His partner curled her lips in a smile. “Well, technically, Vaito gave them to us after I beat him in tic tac toe.”

“Bah, why are you ruining my poor flirting attempt? You have yours too, I saw it on your bookshelf this morning.”

“Yeah, it’s next to the books you gave me for my birthday…” Artica replied, her chest all warm.

As the day went on, the sky got darker and darker. Fenrir tried his best to cover his bases and by the time the storm broke, they were both tucked in his bed. Curtains had been drawn so she wouldn’t see the lightning, and Fenrir’s biggest, best noise-canceling headphones covered her ears, playing music without lyrics, to prevent her from hearing the thunder.

They cuddled next to each other as they read books to pass time, and even though he fell asleep first, Fenrir’s arm never unwrapped from her waist. After carefully confirming the thunder had ceased, Artica turned the music player off, gathered both of their books, and quietly pushed them to the side. Afraid she would wake him if she moved too much, Artica gingerly kissed his cheek and then rested her head on his chest, ready for a good night’s sleep.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Next morning, she was surprised to find herself alone in bed. Artica stretched widely in the middle of a yawn and was about to take a shower when the door opened, and Fenrir popped in. “Breakfast’s ready!”

They went to the kitchen, where two plates with three waffles each, apple juice, and toast were waiting. She looked around curiously, noting there was no one else around.

The way her eyes fixed on the waffles made him a little nervous. “They’re good, I promise!”

She immediately cut off a piece and ate it. “Mmm! Delicious!”

It was only after returning to his room that she felt comfortable asking. “They were really good! You make’em often?”

“Yeah, every now and then. This is the first time I made so many, though.”

She mentally reviewed a few other instances when she’d noticed Fenrir doing something that wasn’t expected of his status (like washing dishes), and now that Artica had been inside his house a few times, it was starting to make sense why.

“Do you always make your own food? They don’t make servings for you?”

Fenrir raised his eyebrows. “Not exactly… Food is made for XXXX, and if I want some, I must eat with him. Years ago, I decided he could fuck off with that shitty arrangement, so I eat when I want. If there’s leftovers, great, if not, I can manage.”

“...Is it the same for everything else?” Artica asked, aware everyone in that manor seemed to avoid her whenever she came over. It surely couldn’t be like that when she wasn’t around, right?

“Sort of. They do laundry and general housekeeping. I take care of my bedroom, and the one you use, though. Don’t like them touching my things… Is there a reason you ask?”

She suddenly went very still, with an awkward smile. “S-sorry, I’m being nosy, aren’t I? This isn’t my business at all. It just seems like… no one is ever around you here.”

“Well, that’s true,” Fenrir agreed with a slight shrug. “It’s been like that for years; it doesn’t bother me anymore.”

Years? Anymore? These fuckers…!

Artica pulled him into a hug and let out a sigh. "We’re all now with you, whenever you need us."

Fenrir froze in silence, somewhat startled. He was so used to that lifestyle that it never occurred to him that it would, or could, change. He couldn't help hugging back a little tighter.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Rúri, Syd, Karianne, and Fenrir arrived earlier at the music pub and were having a drink as they waited for the last two.

“So~? Are you excited to finally receive your title during your Coming of Age ceremony?” Rúri asked with a smile. “It will be a big day!”

“A little… but mostly worried. Even though it’s less than a month away, I haven’t received any further instructions about it. One would think the logistics need reviewing, yes?”

The other three eyed each other, and then back at Fenrir with a slightly confused expression. “What do you mean? The House needs to officially reach out to the Palace, not the other way around. After all, in your case, it is not mandatory for the title to be awarded on the day you turn eighteen.”

“It’s not, but…” he stopped mid-sentence, the sudden realization dawning on him. He crushed the glass in his hand and, before anyone could stop him, stormed out of the pub. Syd excused himself from the ladies’ presence and followed him outside.

“You need to get that wound cleaned,” he said, offering his handkerchief. Fenrir did not take it.

“I can’t fucking believe these bastards…!”

Syd allowed him a few minutes of silent venting. Then, without prompting, Fenrir spilled it out.

“I was always told the Palace would do everything, so haven’t given it a second thought. And now I’m thinking about all the family assets and such. I can’t touch them until I am given my title, but I see now…”

“That those bastards wanted to give themselves more time to leech off your family’s wealth?”

Fenrir stared at him with a piercing, aggressive gaze. Then, relaxing his stance a bit, closed his eyes. “My parents would be so disappointed…”

“Well, if I may, there is a reason the Academy emphasizes networking, my lord,” he said, cleaning up the blood from his hand. “You never know when an acquaintance might come in handy.”

Fenrir noticed a rather unusual look in his eyes. There was willingness to help, but also to strike back. “Shall we discuss this further…?”

“Yes, we shall, and then, I’d like to contact Valhalla Palace. I believe I was invited for a cup of tea…”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The knocking was becoming unbearable. Who in their right mind was so eager to show up on Friday evening? XXXX opened the door with a sour look on his face and was met with a crowd of youngsters. Noble youngsters. All of them were carrying large packages.

A tall boy with sharp eyes flashed a smile. “Good evening! We have come to congratulate Lord Fenrir on his new title!”

XXXX decided to play the fool. “My lord, what a surprise! Yet there seems to be a misunderstanding. His Coming of Age ceremony, and the rightful title that it will bestow him with, has not occurred.”

“Is that not a surprise, Your Majesty? I was sure we all took part in it!” the boy said out loud, doing a deep bow towards the last person in the crowd. All the other teenagers did the same, clearing her way to the door. The man could not believe his eyes.

“A surprise indeed,” Hilda replied with fake shock. There was a very dangerous smile on her lips. “I do believe I personally bestowed him with his title on the eighth day of the current month, when he turned exactly eighteen years old.”

“W-what?” a clumsy, out-of-etiquette reply came out of his mouth. He covered it immediately, thinking hard about what to do. Two sets of footsteps came from inside of the house towards him. XXXX was horrified to see Fenrir fully dressed in one of his best outfits, with an unmistakable raven wings brooch pinned to his chest. The obnoxious scarred girl was right behind him.

“What an honor, Your Majesty, esteemed lords and ladies, that you would come all this way for me,” he said in a loud voice. His piercing golden gaze was digging into XXXX like a hungry wolf. “I humbly accept your congratulations.”

Hilda came closer. The smile left her lips, and a menacing expression took its place.

“The Winged Crown has been informed of crimes towards the heir of the Northern Wolf. Illegal property acquisitions, unauthorized money transfers, even appropriation of Crown-awarded assets to third parties! Unthinkable actions that will have regrettable consequences for those who committed them. You will be going to trial first, XXXX, son of XXX, and fake guardian to Lord Fenrir for twelve years.”

Man and teenagers alike were speechless. As students, they had only experienced the gentlest of Hilda’s sides, and seeing her now commanded a new level of respect from all of them. Two of Hilda’s Skjaldmö escorts (1) came to take the man away soon after. Fenrir was about to summon XXXX’s staff members when he realized they had all fled the manor the moment Hilda showed up. The Princess of Asgard confirmed that it was already being handled by other members of her escort.

Finally, after tying all other loose ends to prevent any more problems, Fenrir was able to take a deep breath. Hilda assured him his family manor in the mountains had already received a timely visit from the Skjaldmö and would await his return on the morrow. Soon after, she excused herself and left with the rest of the crowd. Fenrir turned to Artica and hugged her, spinning on the spot.

“Would you come with me to the mountains tomorrow?”

“Really?”

“Yes, please, I don’t want to go by myself.”

She nodded and after a quick visit home to gather her things, returned to the Northern Wolf’s city manor. They were only visiting for the weekend, after all, so there was no need to pack much.

Next morning, they took the first train to Northern Asgard, and were surprised to find it was practically empty. As it usually happened whenever she was on longer train rides, Artica fell asleep. Fenrir let her rest her head on his lap, letting his mind wander back to the day he turned eighteen.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Lady Paulfrid, Lord Ulrich, and Lord Baldrek had all gladly accepted the Northern Wolf’s request to take part in the Coming of Age/Title Bestowing ceremony. At Karianne’s insistence, they had also exploited an obscure loophole within etiquette in which heirs were allowed to assist as part of their preparation to assume their titles in the future. Fenrir was not entirely sure how Lord Baldrek had managed to justify the presence of both of his sons, but in the end, he was glad to see all those familiar faces right there with him.

Artica, to his right, was wearing an off-shoulder white-and-green striped blouse with a white skirt that reached just under her knees, a cute handkerchief tied around her neck, and her hair pinned in a high bun. Fenrir had donned one of his best suits; a double-breasted Egyptian blue one with a white cotton shirt, and a subtle wolf-patterned grey tie that matched the color of his hair. Ever since they’d laid eyes on each other, they’d been blushing uncontrollably.

Everyone else was also wearing their best outfit, from hair accessories to shoes. After all, it wasn’t every day that you got to meet with the Princess of Asgard. Ironically, Hilda herself was wearing a simple sky-blue gown with some fine, subtle jewelry, yet managed to outshine them all with presence alone.

She invited them to take a seat as a group of youngsters entered the Throne Room and settled themselves close to the window. The Heads of House eyed each other with intrigued, but eager expressions. Fenrir recognized Mime playing the lyre while Hagen (the heir to the Flaming Stallion) hit a shamanic drum and Freyja started to sing. Behind them, a boy with dark, blue hair was playing the stråkharpa (2) masterfully, even though his eyes were fixed on the girl providing additional vocals to Freyja’s voice.

Towards the middle of the song, the Crown Princess approached Fenrir and offered her hand, inviting him to dance, which caught him terribly off guard. He vaguely knew the steps thanks to visiting the Jólablót festivals in Central Asgard but couldn’t really say he was prepared to dance them with Freyja as a partner.

Hilda started to clap along with the song, which everyone followed, and when they least expected it, Freyja pulled Artica from her seat and right into Fenrir, taking her place. Ready to die of embarrassment, but excited nonetheless, she fell into rhythm without skipping a beat with the biggest smile on her face and Fenrir couldn’t help doing the same. A minute later, the song was over, and after polite appraisal from their audience, the youngsters all bowed before leaving.

Freyja returned with the Black Iron Lance and presented it to her sister. While Fenrir and Hilda each recited their parts of the loyalty oath, they pricked their thumbs with the tip of the lance and pressed them against the small raven wings brooch that she then promptly pinned to his chest.

“Rise now, Fenrir, Lord of the Northern Wolf.”

After a short congratulatory session from everyone, he was led to a smaller room by Hilda, where two cups of black tea and some pastries were waiting for them. She removed the medallion around her neck and took a sip from her cup. “A wonderful ceremony, my Lord. Congratulations once again.”

“Thank you kindly, Your Majesty. I-I did not expect music.”

Hilda’s lips curled into a smile. “Traditionally, there is none… but Freyja came to me with a suggestion for my very first Title Bestowing ceremony and I could not help lending an ear to it. After all, it was a great opportunity for Mime, Hagen, Frodi, and Lyfia to perform together with her. I do hope it was to your liking.”

“Absolutely, it was fabulous. Her Royal Highness has a lovely voice…!” Fenrir replied with a nod. “Hopefully I was not too bad of a dance partner, though. Not really my strength.”

The Princess couldn’t help letting out a loud, hearty, not etiquette-appropriate laugh at his words.

“Pardon me, my Lord, I am not, in any way, ridiculing you. It is just that my dear sister is such an unconventional young girl; she comes up with the most whimsical schemes, dear gods. May they grant her that spark for the rest of her life. People worry she lacks ambition, but I beg to differ. If something were to happen to me, I am certain Freyja would know exactly what to do...”

Fenrir smiled but said nothing, somewhat surprised to see such a different side to the usually serene, composed young woman who ruled the Asgardian Principality. He was taking a bite from a pastry when Hilda spoke again.

“Will you go celebrate after this, my Lord?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. We will have a small dinner. Art- Miss Reynirdóttir will cook baby back pork ribs. I am told they are superb.”

“Ah, yes, your partner!”

He couldn’t hide the awkward smile on his lips. “Y-yes.”

“Now that I graduated, dear Freyja fills me in with the news. Congratulations,” Hilda said with a smile, but then changed to a more serious tone. “Now, let us discuss this business about your former guardians…”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir's mouth was watering, remembering how good the ribs had tasted, when the train started to slow down. He gently woke Artica up and got off the train the moment the doors opened. Breathing in the familiarity, the Lord took her hand and guided her to another, smaller train station, where they hopped into the line that got them all the way into the wilderness.

With the mountains to their backs and the thick winter forests on their left, the road finally showed them the Northern Wolf family manor. Artica noticed that, unlike the Viking Tiger one, this one was built to withstand the elements first, and look fancy second. At the gates, two women who clearly belonged to the Skjaldmö greeted and allowed them to pass, but it was the man sweeping the entrance that really caught Fenrir’s eyes. He was tall, with graying brown hair and a well-kept beard.

Fenrir sprinted to the entrance, not believing his eyes. “Hlífolfr? Is that really you?”

“Young Master!” he replied, startled, catching him in a hug. “I mean, my Lord, how have you grown! I-!”

They stared at each other for a few moments, like if they could still not believe the other was really there. Hlífolfr was the first to break the spell. “A-and who may you be?

“A pleasure! Artica Reynirdóttir."

“She’s my partner.”

“My lady, welcome to the family manor of the Northern Wolf,” Hlífolfr greeted with a bow.

Artica made nervous gestures with her hands, shaking her head. “Oh, no, I’m not a noble, there is no need to address me like that.”

“That’s beside the point. If you are important to my Lord, you deserve all courtesy from me, my lady.”

Her cheeks flushed, but she said no more. Fenrir looked around eagerly. “Is… Is Mildred here?”

At Hlífolfr’s nod, he entered the house in a flash, and a few seconds later, heartwarming laughter echoed through its halls. The man guided Artica to the kitchen, where a woman was enthusiastically embracing the young Lord.

“Artica! This is Mildred! Hlífolfr’s wife! They used to work with my parents!” Fenrir explained, delighted to be in their company again. He let out a short sigh. “How I wished you'd stayed…”

Mildred, a short, middle-aged woman with a stocky build and beautiful deep green eyes, immediately took his hand and raised it to her forehead. She was shaking. “We tried, my Lord. By the gods that we did try! But those… those scheming vipers…!”

“The moment we realized what had happened, Mildred and I started doing the paperwork. We had worked with my Lord and Lady for many years by then, even before the Young Master was born. The values of the Northern Wolf were ingrained in us as much as they had been ingrained in him. Plus, we already had children of our own, all the requirements would be fulfilled without issue. However…”

Hlífolfr paused, letting out a deep, regretful sigh.

“We are not, and would never be, his blood relatives, and that is exactly how XXXX and his brother got custody over him. At the time, Asgardian law valued blood ties above everything else, no matter how distant, and so they neatly swept him away from our reach.”

This was the first time Fenrir had ever heard about this. About how he could’ve grown up with people that truly cared about him. “Did you really… apply to be my guardians?”

“Yes, my Lord!” Mildred replied between sobs. “And when that request was denied, we pleaded to that awful man and his brother, doing our best to be rehired, but they would not allow it. Even befriending the new staff proved impossible, none would give us more than a polite nod! We tried so hard, so hard to stay with you but those two leeches played their cards too well.”

“They dismissed everyone; I remember now… Hired four new people then, and four others when we moved to the central region.”

“Someone from Valhalla Palace contacted us a week ago. Said they saw our names in the old paperwork and briefly explained what would happen to XXXX and his brother in the coming days. Wanted to know if we would be interested, at least until my Lord was settled, in returning to the Northern Wolf.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Fenrir whispered, hugging them again. “Thank you for caring, even after all these years.”

Sensing this was a subject that required a much deeper conversation, but not at this particular time, the woman dried her eyes with one hand. “Have you had breakfast, my Lord? My lady?”

Artica tried to clarify the matter to her too, but just like her husband, Mildred paid her no mind. The Black then rolled her eyes. “We had a snack on the way here.”

“That’s a ‘no’, then.”

A full bowl of steaming porridge with sugar, cinnamon, berries, and nuts was soon after placed before them, and for a moment, they all got a chance to just enjoy the then and there, together.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Mildred volunteered to give Artica a tour of the family manor grounds while Fenrir and Hlífolfr went over a ton of paperwork XXXX had either neglected or altered for his personal benefit. It was not the most exciting part of their reunion, and was starting to show in Fenrir’s unamused face, so the man took the opportunity to change the subject.

“Forgive my curiosity, my Lord. Do you enjoy your time at the Academy?”

Fenrir looked up from the documents, eager to distract himself for a bit. “I do! I’ve met many gentle people, whose kindness will stay with me forever. Some at the Academy, some outside of it.”

“Including my lady?”

“We’re classmates. She’s in the scholarship program. A ‘Black’, as they call them,” he explained. “Because of their uniform, not due to ill intent.”

Hlífolfr seemed genuinely surprised. “Is that so? I do not recall a scholarship program when your Lord Father and Lady Mother attended the Academy. How times change.”

“Really? I got lucky, then. I might have missed meeting her otherwise.”

Hlífolfr said nothing else, a warm smile on his face.

Sunday afternoon eventually rolled in, which meant it was time to return to Central Asgard. Hlífolfr waved goodbye from the platform to his Lord, the young lady, and his wife, as Mildred would be coming to the city manor now that XXXX and his staff were finally out of it.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Results for the university admission exams were now available, and everyone was relieved to know they had achieved a good enough grade to enroll in their preferred options. Sadly, this meant both Syd and Rúri would be studying abroad for a few years, so they would only see them during breaks.

“Well, at least we four can still hang out while going to university, right?” Bud said, looking at Karianne, Artica, and Fenrir.

“Certainly, you can expect to see even more of me then!” his partner answered.

Artica and Fenrir both gave him a silent nod, each for a different reason. It was not until after class and club activities were over, and they were on their way home, that Artica touched the subject again.

“Hey, about what we were discussing earlier with everyone… I’m not going to university right after graduation. I wanted to tell you first.”

Fenrir didn’t seem particularly surprised, but said nothing, so Artica continued.

“I’d like to join Pa’s Hunting Party for a while, at least a year, to save some money for uni and help him and Ma out a bit.”

“Didn’t Bud say as Black Academy graduates, you automatically qualify for a full scholarship at local universities?”

“Yeah, and that’s super helpful! I just… wanna have a back-up, you know? In case anything happens, I’d like to know there’s something I can fall back to if needed. Something I prepared myself.”

He nodded. “I’d still want to help if something happens, but I get what you mean. I also… won’t be going to university immediately.”

Unlike him, Artica was truly shocked by this. “No? Why?”

“I want to return to the mountains and learn more about the region, their needs and struggles. The Heads of House said we exist to protect Asgard, and the people are Asgard. I don’t know how things were when my parents were alive, but I know for sure the people were the least of XXXX's problems (if he even thought about them at all). The Northern Wolf should make up for lost time.”

“Spoken like a true Lord. I’m sure your parents are proud to hear that.”

“Thanks…” Fenrir replied sheepishly, and then started fidgeting with the end of his sleeves. “I know you’ll visit your siblings in the Neighboring Kingdom for a few days after graduation, but I was wondering if… if you’d like to spend a few weeks in the mountains with me? Maybe before you start working with your dad?”

“I’d love that!” Artica replied with a big smile, her eyes wide in anticipation. “We can visit all the places you mentioned last time! Oh, and maybe go hunting? Or just hiking, it’s okay. I’m excited already!”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Paolo and Ritva had been joking around while helping their ladies get ready for the Graduation Masquerade. They were finishing up to go get ready themselves, when Karianne noticed how quiet Artica had been during the make-up session, waiting for her turn. “Is there something on your mind, sweetie?”

The Black gave her a lopsided smile. “All this while, I’ve been trying to figure out how to fix up the scar with make-up, but I don’t think it can be done.”

The Blue got up so suddenly, Paolo stepped back in surprise. “Excuse me? No, no, no. You have it all wrong!”

Artica was pushed down to another seat and the light redirected towards her. “Make-up is not for ‘fixing’, it’s for ‘emphasizing’! Some scar to outshine your bright silver eyes? Not on my watch! Paolo, please bring me my things!”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The great hall had been beautifully decorated with colorful banners, each with the coat of arms of the many nobles graduating that day.

Rúri, Karianne and Artica were in the middle of avid chit chat with some of their classmates when their partners arrived. Judging by Fenrir’s annoyed expression, the twins had likely been teasing him all the way there, so he didn’t really see Artica until they were practically face to face. He raised his eyebrows with a silly smile, reaching out to her.

“You look spectacular!” Fenrir exclaimed. Her off-shoulder midnight blue dress had light-catching details originating from the waist, which matched the color of her eyes. He felt butterflies in his stomach seeing the antler choker glinting around her neck. “Like a dream!”

Artica scoffed, covering her mouth with one hand. Fenrir himself looked every part the noble he was born as, with his deep blue suit and the Northern Wolf embroidered over his heart. The raven wings-shaped brooch that confirmed him as a full Lord was pinned to one of the jacket’s flaps.

“My Lord, but you look so handsome! Surely, you broke a few hearts on your way here!”

A furious blush took over his face. Fenrir turned to greet their other classmates, complimenting their outfits and accessories. In all honesty, everyone looked their very best, and it felt like stepping into one of those elaborate theater plays.

‘Lady Vaike! What a pleasure to see you here tonight,’ he signed, spotting her in conversation with the heir of the Crystal Wyrm; the one who had skipped a whole grade a few years back.

‘Good evening, my Lord. Such a refined look you are sporting tonight!’ she replied, giggling at this embarrassed smile. ‘My brother is looking forward to working with you during the summer.’

‘Oh? Are you sneaking out with someone else while your partner goes on vacation?’ Karianne interrupted with an evil grin.

‘She jests!’ Fenrir immediately clarified. ‘Please disregard her comment, she is teasing me. We mean no disrespect towards your brother.’

There was a mischievous smile on both of their faces. 'Oh? Is that what that is all about?'

At Fenrir's confused, slightly anxious stare, the girl with magenta eyes laughed. 'You may not know, my Lord, but we were together in the Equestrian club. Vaike is also fond of teasing.'

He let out a relieved, tormented sigh. ‘My ladies, you might be the end of me.’

A few minutes later, one of the photographers approached him and politely requested some of his time for the formal portraits. After all, Fenrir was the only one with an actual title, and etiquette demanded he should go first. It did surprise him, though, that the young woman asked if he had a partner with whom he would like to get a portrait and with a stupid smile, he nodded.

The last photograph was of both wearing the half-masks, and at the sight of it, Rúri couldn’t help sighing.

“A lovely portrait! Almost like that old fairytale, yes? The one of the Wolf King and the Great Stag?”

“Oh, I loved that one!” Levina chimed in, making hand gestures as she spoke. “A tale of star-crossed lovers.”

Both Fenrir and Vaike stared at her at once, clearly bewildered.

‘Star-crossed? What in the Nine Realms could you be talking about, Levina?’

“Yes, what are you talking about?” Fenrir echoed.

“Is that not what it is? The Great Stag dies in the end after leaving the Herd to be with the Wolf King. An allegory; abandoning one’s sacred duties for personal interests.”

“What? She absolutely does not die! She is reborn as the Wolf Queen, and lives on as one of the Pack! An allegory to stay true to your own heart!”

“This might be one of those instances with regional variants for the same tale?” Alberich, the heir of the Crystal Wyrm, politely intervened. “My ladies Rúri and Levina are from the western and southern regions, yes? While my Lord and lady are from the North. Perhaps the answer lies in the east?”

They followed his gaze towards the twins and Artica, who were chatting with Hejne, Paolo, and Ritva (formally invited to the masquerade by their respective long-time friends). At his gentle tug, Artica turned to Fenrir with a puzzled look. “No, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that fairytale…?”

“Well,” he said out loud. “Allow me to tell you the true, unaltered version, then.”

Delicious food was had, romantic ballads were waltzed, and less etiquette-approved tunes were played as the night went on. A truly delightful evening that didn’t stop there. After changing to more comfortable outfits, a big group of graduates and their guests continued the celebration in town.

Their time at the Academy was now over, but that only meant a new chapter was about to commence.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Kalervo kept his promise, and during the two weeks Artica was with them, he made sure they all visited as many corners of the Neighboring Kingdom as possible.

Meanwhile, back in the Northern Wolf family manor, Fenrir had been busy reviewing the house from top to bottom. After extensive talks with Hlífolfr and Mildred, he had the awful realization that a lot of things were missing. Family portraits, engraved plaques, and even photo albums. Some had shown up in the storage rooms; mostly those related to his grandparents and those before them. The funny part is that pretty much everything related to his parents had been locked up in the master bedroom, of all places.

Fenrir remembered XXXX saying that, since it would still be years until he became Lord, there was no point in using the master bedroom. Even now, he considered it was a reasonable decision, but now that the condition had been met, it was time to check it out. Hlífolfr gave him the keys so Fenrir could do it himself, and for the first time in more than a decade, the great oak doors of the master bedroom opened with a groan.

They pulled the curtains and opened the windows to let light and air into the room. There were dust covers on all the furniture, but more interesting than that, there were several different objects on top of them. More specifically, family portraits, engraved plaques, and even photo albums. Hlífolfr took it upon himself to carefully check all corners of the room, inside the closets, within the drawers, and even under the bed. To his own surprise, pretty much everything he had flagged as missing was found there.

Of all those items, Fenrir immediately clung to an old, framed photograph of his parents. Lady Ingrid looked regal with her golden hair combed back and two long, thin braids flanking her neck. Her bright green eyes contrasted well with her pink dress. At her side, Lord Ylfingr sat with a slightly awkward, but clearly pleased smile, wearing simple hunting leathers. His eyes and hair like Fenrir’s own, just maybe a shade paler. And between them, fussing, a joyful child. Him. Fenrir’s heart broke a little bit, but in a good way.

It took him a while to finally leave it in his room and help Hlífolfr relocate everything else in the rest of the house. After finishing, they closed the doors to the master bedroom, without locking them. At long last, a Lord had returned to the Northern Wolf, and hopefully, there would never be such a long absence ever again.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The first few days were spent exploring the northern wilderness. Fenrir had been very excited to show her all the hidden spots Ging had shown him years ago. Today, however, they were right around the corner of the family manor. In that quiet grove, there was a stone carving very similar to the Northern Wolf’s family crest; with two wolves and two swords. Small stone plaques with names engraved on them crowded around it.

They brought a small bouquet of Winter Roses and laid them next to the newest of those plaques, set more than ten years ago. Artica fixed her gaze on the names with a solemn expression. Fenrir got on his knees, grabbed a worn-down wooden carving and replaced it with a new, but still oddly shaped one. He noticed her looking at it.

“It’s a charm. To keep bears away.”

“... Bears?”

Fenrir stood there in silence, realizing she had never asked him about it, and clearly hadn’t asked anyone else either. He cleared his throat to quietly explain the specifics of his parents' accident. When he finished, Artica let out a deep sigh, hugged him, and ruffled his hair. No words passed between them, but there was no need.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Chocolate chip cookies,” she answered at once. “I mean, he likes chocolate in general, but that’s like the one thing he’ll gobble up any day.”

Mildred scratched the notepad as she took notes. “And for holidays? Does he like decorations, either putting them up himself or just having them around?”

Artica rubbed her chin, thinking hard. “You’re gonna have to ask him that one. He’s helped my folks put up decorations, but because the city manor was never decorated, I don’t know if Fenrir actually likes it.”

“What?”

Hlífolfr popped into the living room at her words, bewildered. “Did those oafs truly sour out so much?”

She was silent for a moment, and then took a deep breath.

“I’m really sorry. From what I can tell, Fenrir never lacked food, shelter, or clothing, but he was never given any warmth. No pats on the head, no hugs… No holiday enjoyment…”

“That’s preposterous! Every single one required full decoration, especially after he turned two! Holiday dishes, seasonal clothing, the whole thing! My Lord had us all working on it weeks in advance!”

Artica couldn’t help letting out a sad chuckle, imagining everyone working so hard for a child that probably didn’t even understand holidays yet. “It’s clear to me he was deeply loved during those times. I do think Fenrir truly missed them, and you, all those years.”

The man closed his eyes in contemplation, or maybe just to not let a colorful insult out loud (towards XXXX and his brother). Mildred was more visibly upset and proceeded to add something to her notes, underlining a few words aggressively. She pointed at her husband with the pencil in her hand.

“We missed some time, but we did promise. ‘Like our sixth’.”

“‘LIKE OUR SIXTH!” he echoed passionately, and left the room once more, to their guest’s puzzlement.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Two weeks were not enough. Not now that everything that had been dented was finally bending back into shape. They’d hiked around the mountains to their heart’s content, hunted in the nearby forests, wandered around the main Northern cities, and even taken a dip in the chilly, still-thawing waterfall, but…

The final morning arrived. Since there was no need to wake up early, Artica and Fenrir both slept in. They cuddled for a while, unsure when the next time would be.

“It’s gonna be lonely after today…”

“Very, yeah…”

Artica caressed his check. “Hey, uhm. This is gonna sound off, but it has to come out. If, while we’re apart, you find someone else that makes you feel like this… I’ll understand.”

He frowned, a heavy weight suddenly in his chest. “What? No! I don’t want that.”

“Me neither, but if I’m gonna be hunting with Pa for a year, it feels selfish not to say it.”

“I’m a little hurt about this.”

“I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to feel… constrained. You’re gonna grow so much in these upcoming months! Learn a bunch of stuff, meet a lotta new people now that you’re a Lord, and back in the mountains.”

“You too. Roaming around with the Hunting Party, you’ll see every corner of Asgard! Eat unfamiliar food, sleep in a different place every day. More than the Silver-eyed Hawk, you’ll become a fully-fledged Huntress!”

A weak laugh followed a tight hug. At last, they got out of bed, had a hearty breakfast, and traveled all the way back to the northern region’s main train station.

Mildred and her husband gave her some homemade cookies for the trip back home, along with a hug and their best wishes. “May your adventures be rewarding, my lady. We hope to see you back soon.”

Fenrir and Artica then locked into a silent, tight hug, trying to memorize everything about the other's presence before letting go. As the announcement for the departure was being blasted through the speakers, Artica then pulled Fenrir into a kiss, a few tears threatening to run down her cheeks.

“Take care, okay? I know Mildred and Hlífolfr’ll take good care of you, but you gotta do the same. Don’t rush the Lord thing, no one’s expecting you to be at 100% just yet. Ask the other Heads of House for help, if you need to! And… And…”

“I’ll miss you terribly too,” Fenrir replied, wiping the tears from the corner of her eyes. “I’m sure you’ll be perfectly safe by yourself, and with the Hunting Party, but just in case…”

He slipped an oddly shaped wooden charm into her pocket and picked her up in a hug. This time, he kissed her. “Be well, kjæreste. I can't wait to see you again.”

Artica waved enthusiastically as she got on the train. “Be well, kjæreste, and see you soon.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The year was long, and somewhat lonely. They wrote letters whenever they knew it was going to be hard to call but rearranged their schedules to guarantee they saw each other for holidays and birthdays. Otherwise, Artica spent most of her time traveling around Asgard with her father’s Hunting Party, while Fenrir worked diligently to learn and better understand the northern region with the help of Utgard, the heir of the Howling Hellhound.

Utgard was a few years older, but much more mature and solemn. He seemed to speak only when necessary, yet it was always helpful insight for the situation at hand. With Utgard’s help, Fenrir got around several small towns, introducing himself and getting to know the locals. Some seemed surprised there was still such a thing as the Lord of the Northern Wolf, while others disregarded him almost instantly. It was Utgard who suggested focusing on those individuals first. Challenging as it began, it was the wise choice, and gave Fenrir a large amount of learning opportunities. At the very least, he now knew who lived where, and what their concerns were.

Back at the Northern Wolf’s, a few new faces joined the staff to better assist the managing of both family and city manor. Hlífolfr and Mildred’s second daughter and their oldest grandchild were learning the ropes, both curious and excited to finally meet Fenrir. The teenager seemed fascinated with him, constantly following him around, trying to be useful. Fenrir didn’t find it unpleasant, just a little awkward.

Artica did her best to visit, but it was infrequent and difficult to plan. Fenrir sent word whenever he went down to the central region in hopes of at least meeting up with Bud and Karianne. Packages and letters routinely came and went, something always on its way to a new location. It was the expectation of getting one of these, along with successfully coordinated meetups, that kept both working hard during that long year.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

It was just her luck that today was a moonless night, so you couldn’t really see shit unless you walked right on the street. That’s precisely what the traveler was avoiding though, because they’d spot her well before she got to her destination. After a while of clowning around the treeline, she finally reached the side of the manor and was about to climb through a window when sudden rustling made her backpedal at lightspeed.

“Who are you? What do you think you are doing on Lord Fenrir’s property at this time of night?”

The traveler turned around with a puzzled smile. The young man talking to her was certainly new, as she couldn’t recall his face from a previous visit.

“I’m the, uh... Huntress,” she said, hoping that would ring a bell somewhere.

It did not.

“If that is true, you are too early. The game for tomorrow’s event is to be fresh, hunted on the same day as per my Lord’s request. You were to arrive tomorrow.”

That much is true, she thought to herself. “My bad. Always on the move, sometimes schedules shift a tad.”

He let out an annoyed sigh, signaling to follow. Finding this too hilarious, she played along and went after him.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir lazily drifted from the hall to the kitchen, where they were already busy.

“A morning beverage, my Lord?”

“Yes, a hot one, please.”

“Hot chocolate?”

Fenrir, rubbing the sleep off his right eye, nodded. “Mhm, fantastic, thank you.”

“With marshmallows on top, or plain?”

“Marshmallows, yes. I would like that.”

“I would like that too.”

It was exactly there and then, after hearing that phrase, that he realized what was happening. Fenrir immediately sprinted towards the person taking out the milk out of the fridge and held her tight, to the delight of Mildred and her daughter.

“What are you doing here already? I thought you were coming after noon!”

“Surprise! Came last night on the late evening train.”

“What! Why didn’t you come to see me?”

“I was too early. For the hunt, I mean. Very rude of me, making the staff ready a simple room for the night, but no harm done, we got good game for today’s event, my Lord.”

Fenrir, still holding onto her, turned to Mildred. The older woman chuckled. “Vilhelm was not here the last time my lady visited, my Lord. He stuck with protocol.”

“Oh, c’mon, he’s been here long enough. How could he not know who she is?”

Mildred shrugged, smiling, and got back to work. Her grandson had made it sound like a grand affair, but it was just dinner for the six of them. They shared mead and anecdotes over the delicious, northern-styled dishes, recounting their adventures for the last year. Artica was overjoyed to hear everything Fenrir had been up to while she was gone and was taken by surprise when Hlífolfr asked her about university.

“Are you excited to go back to Central Asgard, my lady?”

“Yeah, sure! Got almost everything, just need to find a place to stay.”

Fenrir raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“Well, y’know, the original plan was for Bud and me to rent in Central Asgard and be flatmates, but then I decided to take a sabbatical… And Syd's studying in Finland, so the Lord and Lady of the Viking Tiger asked Bud if he’d hold the fort in the city manor while they do their stuff in the Eastern region… The moment I get back, I gotta go searching…”

The conversation moved on, but not in Fenrir’s mind. He sat on it until the night before returning to the central region. She finally finished getting everything in her bag and turned around to find Fenrir standing around awkwardly.

“And if I asked you to be my flatmate?”

He rubbed his neck furiously, staring straight at the room’s wooden floor. Artica raised her eyebrows with a lopsided smile. “But what about the Northern Wolf’s city manor? Who would hold the fort there?”

“We would. I don’t mean the ‘flat’ part, just the ‘mate’ part. You can stay with me, if you like…”

“Oh,” she gasped, putting the pieces together. “I’d like that! If you’d have me…”

They both shared a smile.

“Don’t worry. I’m getting a part-time job.”

“There's no rent to pay.”

“I mean, that’s very generous. It’s just that I need to get money from somewhere; really doubt I’ll get a chance to go hunting with the team during semesters, so I’m still getting one. Also, I’m helping around the house, you can’t stop me.”

Fenrir nodded, reassured that she understood his point. He vaguely eyed her belongings. “Maybe this way I’ll get my favorite hoodie back.”

“Your favorite hoodie?”

“Yeah, someone borrowed it a few years ago and seems determined to keep it.”

“What an asshole! Which hoodie is it?”

“That one right there,” Fenrir said, pointing at her bag.

Artica didn’t even bat an eyelash. “Huh, there seems to be a misunderstanding, my lord. That’s my favorite hoodie.”

“It has ‘F. Y.’ written on the tag!”

"Yeah. 'For You'."

Her shit-eating grin was so smug, Fenrir couldn't help groaning. "Why do you want it, anyway? It's got like four paint stains on one sleeve."

"It means a lot to me; reminds me of that time when I was deeply scared, and you went outta your way to keep me company. I didn’t know it was your favorite, but I’m not sorry for keeping it all this time… Besides, you haven’t been too keen on giving me back my scarf, even though Polar made one just for you."

Fenrir scoffed. “Entirely different situation. I must hold onto it, so you keep coming back.”

Artica walked up to him so suddenly, Fenrir instinctively took a few steps back and bumped into the wall. She smoothly leaned in until their noses touched. “Don’t be silly. I’d keep coming back just to make sure you’re truly happy back in the mountains, and never feel awkward ever again…”

He immediately remembered the previous time she’d said that and couldn’t help choking up a bit. A few minutes passed of them quietly embracing before finally going to bed. Together.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

There was an awkward silence.

“I’m going back to Central Asgard today,” Fenrir said, kneeling in front of him. “You followed me back last time, and I’m not complaining! But now, I’d like you to promise you’ll stay here. At home, with your pack…”

Ging sat before him, looking particularly big and fluffy, but also solemn.

“Return fully to them with the unconditional love you shared with me. Oh, Ging, I love you so much,” he whispered, burying his face in the silver fur like he had done a million times before. A few tears ran down his cheeks. “I’m just so happy I met you. You’ve stuck with me for so long, I don’t know where I’d be if you hadn’t popped out of the forest that day, so many years ago...”

Fenrir clumsily rubbed his face clean with a smile.

“I’ll be okay, I have a pack now too… But I’ll come visit, so don’t worry about feeling lonely! And later, when I graduate, I’ll come back for good, so we can hang out again.”

The wolf gently licked his ear, and then rested his large head on Fenrir’s shoulder. He immediately hugged back.

“Thanks for everything.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

What a nice morning.

The sky was clear, and the breeze was fresh, but everything else seemed to double-down on it. Returning to Central Asgard knowing that the vibe all around him had changed made all the difference in the world. His heart no longer felt heavy in his chest, and hopefully, that would remain so for a long time.

Bud and Karianne came to meet them at the station, loudly celebrating their return, and welcoming the new faces as well. The train ride to their side of town was lively with jokes, and teasing, and overall catching up. When they finally got to the Northern Wolf’s city manor, a hooded young man around their age sat on a bike, waiting.

“Oh, yeah! I told Visa you were returning today. I’m guessing he’s sending his regards. How’s it going?” Bud took the paper bag and fist-bumped him right away.

The delivery guy shrugged, his voice a low grunt. “Same ol’, same ol’. New friends?”

“Ol’ for me, new for you. Wanna hang out a bit while they settle?”

“Nah, Visa already has work for me. Some other time, we can meet properly.”

The young man got on his bike again, silently nodding as a goodbye. A sudden gust blew right over them, and his hood got knocked off. Fenrir barely had time to register a curiously big shadow (tattoo? make-up? scar?) over the left side of his face. He immediately pulled the hood back over his head and went on his way.

Hlífolfr unlocked the gate, opened the door, and waited patiently for everyone else to go inside. The last two were Artica and Fenrir, who seemed suddenly frozen into place.

“Please do come in, my lady,” Mildred invited her. “You are my Lord’s most esteemed guest, for as long as we may have you.”

A little awkwardly, Artica crossed the city manor’s door threshold. The Lord of the Northern Wolf followed right behind her, and it was only then, looking at those familiar, kind faces around him, that Fenrir had a realization.

After so many years, he had finally found the home he’d always longed for.

 XXXXXXXXX

(1) Skjaldmö: Shield-maidens https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shield-maiden

(2) Tail-hair harp: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talharpa

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

Asgard Academy

Year 2: Part I

[ Index ]

xxxxxxxxx

Summer came and went, as seasons do. The six of them met over break, but one returned to the mountains during the last few weeks. The first day of Year 2, he took everyone by surprise, without meaning to.

One year ago, the kid from up north showed up with a slender build, great reflexes, and messy silvery hair. After twelve months of consistently gaining muscle through exercise (in class and in the karate club), another growth spurt over summer break, and a visit to the barbershop, the person who was in Fenrir Ylfingrsson’s seat looked little like what other students remembered of him.

“My, my! Who is this handsome hunk?” asked Karianne out loud, using her hand as a fan.

Fenrir gave her a nervous smile, not really looking into her eyes.

Syd slapped him in the back. “Were you this tall a few weeks back? You’re so much closer to Bud and me now!”

“Not to me, nuh-uh,” his twin replied right away.

“Don’t be stupid, we are the same height.”

It took Fenrir a moment to realize the lack of comment from Artica. She was looking at him with a thoughtful expression. This somehow filled him with immediate dread. “What, do I look weird?”

“Oh, no, sorry! I didn’t mean to stare. You look great, actually! That new hairstyle really suits you!”

Fenrir smiled with a bit of embarrassment. He had his hair trimmed and started combing it back. A rebellious lock wouldn't stay put, though. The sole victim of the one time he tried to trim his own bangs and chickened out after one cut. At the base of his neck, he left another lock of hair intact, curious to see how long it would be in a few months. He suddenly realized his gaze was no longer leveled with hers, and something else. “Oh, you cut your hair too?”

“Hm? No, not really,” Artica replied, touching her braid as if to check it was still there. Before, it reached her lower back, and now it ended a little higher.

“Do not be silly, dear,” Rúri intervened, standing right next to them. “She also had a growth spurt. I must admit I am a little jealous I did not, you have all grown so much taller than me.”

“Nonsense, darling, you are already the perfect height.” Syd scooped her up in a hug and kissed her.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Just like the year before, Freyja of Asgard entered the great hall and everyone gave her a deep bow. However, this time she was actually wearing the Blue uniform and an excited smile on her face, ready to finally be an Academy student. The start of the school year speech was delivered by Sigurd, who gave everyone a warm welcome, and encouraged Year 1 students to take part in the game scheduled after the ceremony.

Karianne eyed the newbies with interest. “You think Her Royal Highness will get hit?”

“Unlikely, my lady, not only because she is Hilda’s sister, but because of the kid that orbits her like an aggressive moon,” intervened the boy who had skipped a grade last year. His bright pink hair contrasted well with his electric green eyes.

The intervention startled the usual six for a second before Syd replied. “My lord, that is the heir to the Flaming Stallion, yes?”

“Indeed. We were classmates until last year.”

The younger twin nodded, watching as the other student who also skipped a grade last year approached the first and whispered something into his ear. They both snickered, laughing quietly at whatever it was they found amusing.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Syd saved them a seat near the center of the benches.

“Great work in the Archery Club’s exhibition! People are already talking about seeing the Hawkling in the tournament next spring.”

Artica gave him an embarrassed smirk. “I just hope they consider me for the sponsorship… Where’s Rúri?”

“Helping store all the Music club equipment away, she will be back shortly.”

“A shame she will miss the Fencing Club’s exhibition match. They seem to have several skilled members,” Karianne commented. Artica didn’t notice the flicker in Syd’s eyes at her words.

‘Skilled members’ was an understatement. The Black’s mind was blown away by the precision and agility displayed in each match (one per weapon). The winner of the foil match (nicknamed Green Knight due to the handkerchief wrapped around their arm) did so at such lightning speed, most didn't see what happened. Only four of the six Fencing Club members removed their helmets, but Green Knight was not among them before leaving to change back into school uniforms.

“Who is that person? Wow!” Artica muttered, still flabbergasted. “That’s some badass skill right there.”

“Very impressive indeed,” Syd agreed with a nod, and for whatever reason, a proud smile. “Oh, and here come our very own skilled members.”

Rúri finally showed up, just in time to see the Karate club prepare for their matches. Cheering loudly is not etiquette-appropriate, so Karianne had to settle with waving heavily towards them to catch Bud’s eye, and then sent a kiss his way.

“Corny,” Ruri whispered, and got a slap on the shoulder for her comment.

Bud was first and dealt his opponent such a punch to the solar plexus that it knocked the wind out of them. They surrendered immediately after.

Artica shook her head, smiling. “Always so rash. He’s so focused on winning he never actually lets any exhibition take place.”

“That is true in more ways than you think, sweetie.”

“I don’t wanna know right now, thanks.”

“Oh? But you might want to know later? Cheeky!” Karianne said and got a slap on the shoulder for her comment.

Fenrir was next, against Asgrim. The Black, taller and heavier than the Blue, smirked menacingly. He forgot, however, that Fenrir had arguably the fastest reflexes among club members and easily dodged his attacks. Asgrim soon realized the trick would be to follow Bud’s example and knock him out in one hit.

The redhead put all his weight behind his punch, right for the solar plexus. Fenrir leaned back and without skipping a beat, connected a well-placed high kick to the side of Asgrim’s head. It took a few moments for the Black to stumble forward and faint. Fenrir eased his fall and carried him over to the side.

“Good job,” Bud said, nodding.

“On not getting hit, right? This guy has one mean energy during matches, I don’t like it.”

The twin didn’t comment, unsure if Fenrir was aware of why Asgrim behaved like that. He pointed to the benches near the middle. “Wave or something. They’re cheering on your win, you know?”

Fenrir turned to see several people waving at him. A girl with copper curls, the boy who frequently had something to say… and the friends he made last year. Fenrir waved back and smiled sheepishly.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Artica couldn’t help feeling a little sad her seat was not next to Fenrir’s this year, but on the bright side, it was now next to Bud’s. They lowkey fist-bumped after taking their seats. Syd and Rúri were on the right, up front again, and Fenrir and Karianne on the last row. The guy from up north already missed his place by the window, wondering where his mind would wander to, now that he was in the middle of the row. To his left, unexpectedly, was Levina Sefidóttir, and to her side, Malik Havasson, both of whom had been in another class last year. After a while of chit chatting freely, Malik raised his voice.

"So, Miss Reynirdóttir, is it true you were bit by a dog?" he asked casually. Too casually.

Artica turned to him, not particularly bothered. "Yes, my lord, a little over a year ago."

"A terrifying experience, I'm sure," he said with solemn contempt, right before making a barking noise or two.

She was bothered now. Not as deeply as whatever happened last year, but cold sweat still went down Artica's spine, with only the slightest of flinches. Her lips were tight in an awkward expression.

"Indeed, my lord," she replied before stiffly turning around.

Malik then noticed there was a warning in Levina's olive eyes, and a threat in Fenrir's amber gaze.

"Please refrain from making that noise again, my lord," he said icily. It was echoed by the advertised murder intent in Karianne's stare.

Malik raised his eyebrows, unwilling to give in, but understanding the etiquette-approved response that was being asked of him. "My apologies, Miss Reynirdóttir, I did not mean to make you uncomfortable. This will not happen again."

She briefly turned around to give him an understanding nod. Later, during lunch, he endured Levina's silent disapproval.

"What? I apologized, and that is that."

"Sometimes I get the feeling you do not understand how to court someone."

"Excuse me? It is crystal clear to me, thank you."

"As clear as a maelstrom, it seems. We are a whole year behind in sympathetic connection to him compared to those other five, and there is no way to catch up quickly. Lucky for us, romance does not prerequisite a sympathetic connection, so we can move forward boldly."

"Yes, so?"

"It is in our best interest to not generate antipathy. You and I are both aware he gets along with her spectacularly. Making her feel uneasy will only backfire on you. Let this morning be a lesson you will not forget."

"What, are you both friends now after the Jólablót activity?"

Levina rolled her eyes. "You are attracted to Fenrir, so focus on making him attracted to you. Do not focus on the wrong thing."

"... I appreciate your advice. I see this is how you have played from the start, yes?"

"Yes."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

What possessed Asgrim, it is still unknown, but the moment after he playfully spanked Artica, she turned around immediately and grabbed him by the tie. Even though he was almost 20 cm taller, her grip got them on the same eye level instantly. In any other situation, this might have been welcomed, but the rage in her eyes gave Asgrim goosebumps of the really bad kind.

“That was unwelcomed, trashy, and disrespectful,” Artica hissed. “If you ever do that again, I’ll deck you in the teeth. Is that understood?”

The redheaded Black was honestly appalled. He’d never heard her speak with such an aggressive tone. The force with which she held onto his tie told him it was not an empty threat.

“Is that understood?” she repeated, and at his nervous nod, let him go. Artica didn’t spare him another glance before walking away, furious.

“I… didn’t think it would bother her?”

Asgrim looked over at Bud, who saw the whole thing. His arms were crossed over his chest, unimpressed. “You thought wrong, and you should apologize. Sooner rather than later, if you hope to avoid any losses.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir hung back at the library’s entrance like a nervous crow. Suddenly aware of what the date was, and what date was quickly approaching, he’d been looking for Artica all over, but after finally finding her, promptly stayed back. Artica was speaking with Asgrim on the bench under the large tree in the southern gardens. They both seemed tense, and awkward, so there was no way in the Nine Realms Fenrir would willingly interrupt.

After a while, they finally parted ways. Fenrir did his best to seem like he was just coming out of the library to meet her. “Hey… You okay?”

“I feel better now,” Artica replied, not without a hint of weariness. “That was not gonna work out so… it’s better to just rip the band aid off, y’know?”

The boy nodded in silence, unsure of what to say, but somehow deeply relieved. It made no sense, though. He wasn’t even part of the conversation, so why did he feel better now?

“Wanna get a milkshake and some pastries?”

Fenrir nodded again with an easy smile, completely forgetting why he’d been looking for her in the first place.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Can I ask you something?”

“Always.”

“Are you dating the guy from up north?”

Artica almost spat her drink, laughing. “I’m not. Why’d you ask that?”

“You two’ve been going out an awful lot lately.”

She nodded in agreement. “Yeah, but they aren’t dates.”

“No?”

“I don’t think he wants to be more than friends.”

He finished his own drink with a suspicious look. “...Do you?”

There was a slight blush on her face. “I dunno. I enjoy Fenrir’s company, and he’s always been kind to me. It’s just that, dating a Blue…”

“What? I’m dating a Blue.”

“Yeah, but like it or not, you’re from a noble bloodline, and I’m not. It’ll be more hoops for me to jump through and it just feels like an enormous pain in the ass…”

Bud had to agree, just going to school and following their requirements was already weary. “Has he ever made you jump through hoops?”

“Not yet. Fenrir’s pretty chill about etiquette, almost like he wants to ditch it himself, but we don’t exist in a vacuum. He is still a noble…”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Embla peered out of the door, somewhat surprised. “Fenrir! Hello!”

“Good morning,” he replied. ��Is Artica home?”

“Oh… No, sweetheart, she’s out on a hunting trip with Reynir. They’ll return tomorrow evening.”

The teenager was visibly disappointed. “Right, I understand.”

“Would you like to come in, or leave her a message?”

“N-no, it’s nothing. I wanted to grab a bite with her, since her birthday is on Wednesday and what not, but if she’s on a hunting trip, she’s already having a good time. Anyway, have a great day!”

Before Embla could even reply, Fenrir had already turned around and returned home. He let out a deep sigh as he took off his jacket to lay on the bed, pulling out a box from one of the pockets and sliding it into the drawer of the night table once again.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“So, uhm, if you guys aren’t busy on Thursday… would you like to have a small dinner at my house?”

“For your birthday, yes?” Karianne asked. “Anything we should bring?”

“Oh, no, if you can spare me a few hours of your time, that is more than enough for me,” Artica said, half-drifting into her stiff formal tone.

“Nonsense,” Rúri said to herself and then raised her voice. “I’ll make you a birthday cake, sweetie, my personal recipe.”

“Uhh~,” Syd cut in. “When she says ‘personal recipe’, you’re in for a treat.”

“Uhm, but-”

“I will get her the fanciest dress,” Karianne said to herself with gleaming eyes. “One visit to the Street Market will do.”

“I will go with you,” the younger twin said immediately.

“Hah! Fools, I got her gift months ago!” Bud declared, victorious.

Artica was making hand gestures. “That’s not necessary, please don’t worry about it.”

Rúri held her right hand. “Dear, let us pamper you, to compensate for last year.”

“Hm? There is nothing for you to compensate for.”

“Yes, there is. Last year your eye was still healing, and a few distasteful things happened, so this year we will compensate.”

“That makes no sense! Bud, help me out!”

“To be honest, I agree,” The older twin looked at her with a sparkle in his eyes. “So, we’re all going, right?”

Three of them confirmed right away. Bud got behind Fenrir, who had his headphones on, and shook him by the shoulders. “What about you? You’re coming too, right?”

Fenrir heard the entire conversation, as he never bothered to push play in his music player, and felt his entire body tense up as all eyes (silver included) were on him. This was the perfect excuse to give Artica the gloves and for it to not seem like an isolated gesture, but he suddenly felt very nervous about giving her that present in front of everyone else.

He cleared his throat and decided to play dumb. “Where?”

“To Artica’s birthday dinner on Thursday, honey, keep up,” Karianne summarized, snapping her fingers. “Get her a nice present.”

“It’s not necessary,” Artica intervened, this time with less fumbling. “I can’t stop any of you from getting me something-”

“Indeed, you cannot,” Syd agreed with a smile.

“-but don’t go overboard with it. I’m a simple person, anything simple will do.”

“But I got you an elephant!”

While Bud was busy teasing her even further, Fenrir quietly made a mental note of what everyone had already said they would get her and decided to look for something else later. Surely, there would be another time to give her the gloves.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Karianne gave her a beautiful, trendy peach-colored coat. Syd a pair of fashionable ankle-high leather boots. Aside from her delicious homemade cake, Rúri also gifted her with a stylish wristwatch. Bud, looking very smug, gave her a new quiver in her favorite color. Last, but not least, Fenrir's gift was a somewhat heavy box wrapped in simple, but colorful paper.

They all waited quietly while she unwrapped the last gift; it was a set of seven books, all new and from the same edition. Artica's eyes lit up at once.

"You don't have to read the mismatched ones from the tiny bookstore anymore… and this one has the final book too," Fenrir explained quietly, painfully aware of everyone's eyes on him.

She pulled the seventh book out and held it like it was made of gold. "I'll finally know how it ends!"

Her smile warmed Fenrir's chest, and he couldn't help smiling back. Syd, Rúri, and Karianne suddenly became aware of what Bud had already known for months.

Everyone crowded next to her and cheered. "Happy birthday, Artica!"

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir suddenly found himself back at the theater where the Asgardian Symphonic Orchestra was playing a selection of European Baroque masterpieces. He didn’t know which ones, but that’s what the pamphlet Levina gave him earlier said. She was completely enthralled by the performances but seemed to glance his way every now and then. During each of them, a group of actors would perform an original, short play inspired by the music. There were no dialogues, so spectators were encouraged to come up with an interpretation as the show progressed.

This had worked wonders for Fenrir, whose mind always wandered freely when listening to music without lyrics. He suppressed a chuckle when he remembered Artica saying she also liked music without lyrics, but when she shared her earphone, it turned out to be techno.

Now that he thought about it, that whole conversation was probably the reason why Levina had invited him to this event. It certainly included music without lyrics, though not in a way he had experienced before. No complaints, though. Fenrir had a fantastic time reimagining old fairy tales with the orchestra as soundtrack.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“This is exasperating,” Karianne hissed, looking at Fenrir and Artica playing a game together at the arcade.

The other three looked at each other knowingly. Syd shrugged, smiling. “Right? I think they would make a very cute couple.”

“Maybe we should help them out a bit,” Rúri suggested with a hand gesture.

Bud slammed his drink on the table harder than he intended. “No! They must do this themselves, don’t intervene.”

“Why are you so defensive about it?” his partner inquired, noting how tense he was.

“For starters, Fenrir needs to learn how to communicate clearly with others by himself, without us humoring him.”

“And Artica?”

“She’s not a child, and this isn't her first time, she can make up her own mind.”

The blonde raised an eyebrow. “Very well, but if they approach me about this, I will encourage it. I think they complement each other well.”

“Agreed,” Karianne and Syd replied at the same time.

“Yeah, yeah, I think so too, but let them work it out themselves.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Regardless of what he said before, Bud realized his expectations had been a tad high. At least, regarding the guy from up north.

“Remember the first time we all went to the arcade, Syd, Artica, you, and me?”

“Yeah, fun day.”

“That’s hanging out. When there’s only two people, so they have a certain privacy, it’s usually a date.”

Fenrir stopped what he was doing and looked at him with a confused expression. “R-really?”

“Yeah. Karianne and I go on dates all the time. That’s why I thought you two were dating.”

“So, those classmates that invited me to hang out, only the two of us…?”

“Not all two-people hang outs are dates, obviously, but I’m pretty sure a few asked you out with that in mind.”

“I- Damn, I didn’t notice at all.”

“There were a few times when you kinda did the same thing with Artica after hanging out with someone else. Why was that?”

Fenrir rubbed his chin, thoughtful. “Uh… When I visited the Street Market with Levina, it all felt highly formal, almost like a chore, even though the place’s brimming with stuff to do. I invited Artica to go because at least she had a place she really wanted to visit, and it ended up being a really fun day overall so… Whenever I was invited to do something that seemed fun, but wasn’t, I asked myself if it would be more fun with her…”

Bud was slightly annoyed by that answer; he knew Fenrir was above average clueless, but now it felt like he was just an idiot. “Have you, by any chance, read The Descendants, by Kaui Hart Hemmings?”

“No, how is that related to the topic at hand?”

“Something you said reminded me of it (1), that’s all,” Bud covered his eyes in an irritated manner, taking a moment to brace himself. “Fenrir, do you like Artica?”

“Yeah, she’s very friendly.”

“No, not like that. Do you have feelings for her?”

Fenrir was caught off guard by his question. “Can you, uh, explain further?”

Bud sighed, now convinced his classmate was truly an idiot. “Do you find yourself thinking about Artica often? Does your heart skip a beat when she calls out your name? Have you gone out of your way to get stuff she might like, so you can surprise her later?”

That last question immediately caught his attention. The deerskin shooting gloves were still sitting in his drawer, waiting to be delivered. He lowered his eyes, now understanding why her going out with Asgrim had bothered him so much. “Yes, yes, and… yes…”

“Now you know, then.”

“What do you do when you realize such a thing?”

“You make a choice. Either pursue it and let those feelings reach that person or keep them and let them rot inside you. Neither option is wrong, it’s a matter of what you want to achieve.”

“And what happens if the feelings reach the other person, but they aren’t accepted?” Fenrir asked, noticing that old, horrible fear he had felt as a child creeping in the shadows.

“You cry a while, maybe vent out to someone else, take a deep breath, and move forward. I’m not gonna lie, Fenrir, rejection sucks hard, but it happens often enough.”

Fenrir felt he was going to cry right there. He knew rejection so well, so intimately, so deeply. The mere thought of someone like Artica, who he highly appreciated, making him feel it again almost broke his heart. “How can I know if she feels the same?”

“You ask her.”

“You’re her best friend; don’t you know already?”

“Even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. Making a move only when you’re sure to succeed is cowardly. You need to put your hand in the fire by your own choice. The same goes for Artica. Your hands will either meet in the middle or be burnt to cinders. In any case, you will have an answer, and can move forward from there.”

“You’re pretty good with words,” Fenrir said with a surprised look on his face. “Thanks for the insight. I’ll think about all this.”

“Good. Look, I know being homeschooled didn’t allow you much interaction with other people your age, so I’m willing to hear you out from time to time.”

“R-really?”

“Yeah, I hope you don’t consider Artica your only friend,” Bud said, clapping Fenrir’s back. “I won’t answer anything that I consider her private business, but that doesn’t mean I can’t help you organize your thoughts.”

“Thanks, I really appreciate it! And I do… consider you a friend as well.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir was laying on his bed in the dark, looking at the ceiling.

How could he be so stupid? Of course those had been dates, it was so clear now that Bud had mentioned it. All to places where they could enjoy themselves, but with enough space for more private interaction. He felt guilty for being so oblivious to his classmates' feelings and intentions. They probably considered him an idiot, and they would be right.

What Artica personally thought about it bothered him the most. Maybe she too thought those were dates? If so, did she enjoy them as such? On the other hand, she might’ve just considered them as hanging out, like he did. Or worse, she went along out of pity, or concern some Blue backlash would go her way if she refused.

Fenrir turned to his side, reaching out for the gray hand-knitted scarf neatly folded on top of his nightstand. It still smelled like her, with that fruity perfume Artica always used. Fenrir never thought his feelings might get ahead of him; the whole thing was embarrassingly new, and he was not sure what to do.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Everything had to be perfect.

After failing to be able to wear one of Syd's suits (curse his chiseled muscles!), Lord Baldrek had one specially made for him. It was in light grays, and Lady Tilda gifted him golden cufflinks with the crest of the Viking Tiger to match. After all, should he decide to take part in their lifestyle more frequently, they would come in handy.

Today wasn't about that, though. Today Bud was attending a dinner at the Celestial Horses city manor to finally meet Lady Aldora, who had been in Belgium for the last eight months. Karianne's younger sister Famke hadn't concluded her exchange program yet, but their mother decided to visit Asgard for a few days to check on her other family members.

Bud looked in the mirror, nervously fumbling with his tie. Only when he felt Karianne's soft hands on his did his tremble diminish.

"I'm a tad nervous."

"Just a tad, darling?"

"Okay, a lot more than a tad."

Her hair was pinned in a high ponytail, letting her gorgeous black curls cascade down her back. Karianne's deep red cocktail dress hugged her body in a very flattering manner, even making her look taller. Or maybe it was just the high heels? Anyway, as usual, she looked lovely from top to bottom. Even their matching helix piercing, two rhombus-shaped jewels of moonstone and eudialyte, appeared to complete a look no one had considered until today.

“What if Lady Aldora doesn’t like me?”

“She is not the one dating you, dear, so there is no need to worry.”

Bud laughed nervously, feeling anything but cheery. “I don’t wanna make you look bad.”

“I cannot recall that happening before, so again, there is no need to worry. You were not this anxious when you met Father.”

“Actually, I was, but Lord Ulrich called me ‘Syd’ eight times in a row before getting it right, so I gladly let him feel all the pressure.”

Karianne closed her eyes, annoyed, after recalling how it went. “That man, I swear…!”

She tapped her wristwatch and took his hand the moment the doors to the dining hall opened for them. Karianne gave the first step and whispered as they walked. “I am proud of you, and proud to be your partner. Not because you are tall, handsome, strong, and from a noble bloodline, but because you are charming, caring, and say the lamest pick-up lines with absolute confidence.”

Bud felt his chest bubbling but couldn’t manage to reply. With a deep bow and a smile, Karianne cleared her throat. “Lord Ulrich and Lady Aldora from the Celestial Horses, may I introduce Bud, son of Sanfridd, from Eastern Asgard?”

It took him by surprise that she did not mention the Viking Tiger, but after seeing Lady Aldora curl her mouth into a small smile, and raise an inquisitive eyebrow, Bud felt much more confident. Certainly, this wasn’t about meeting a Lady, it was about meeting his partner’s mother.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

XXXX eyed the invitation suspiciously, over and over again.

It seemed legitimate; the boy did not have the means to falsify the crest ring of the Viking Tiger to seal the envelope, and in any case, was probably not bright enough to even think about it. On top of that, there were not one, but two invitations. One handed personally to him at school, and another delivered by mail directly to the manor. Both in the same handwriting, both with more or less the same message.

Behind his own back, Fenrir nervously fumbled with the end of his sleeves, going over Syd’s words in his head. Bud and Artica told me what happened last year. I got it all figured out. You do not have to worry about a thing. This is foolproof.

The thing was, Syd had never met XXXX, and didn’t really know the level of scheming viper he was dealing with. It would all boil down to how well Fenrir could keep his cool, and his wits, upon him.

“So, if I understand this correctly, the Viking Tiger’s heir is inviting you to celebrate his birthday at the family manor in Eastern Asgard, is that correct?”

“As stated on the invitation, yes.”

“And this celebration will be over several days, during winter break?”

“Indeed; it seems he was born on December 23rd, so that would explain the timeframe.”

“Why is this arriving now? It is the middle of October.”

“I do not have an answer for that,” Fenrir replied, and it was a half-truth. Syd’s plan was that, by inviting him with such an early notice, XXXX would be less likely to have an excuse to not let Fenrir go.

XXXX turned towards the window, pondering deeply. Relationships with other Houses were terribly delicate matters. Turning down an invitation like this without a legitimate reason would be seen as a faux pas. Making matters worse, the Viking Tiger enjoyed a highly respectable status, and a historic role as the Winged Crown’s left hand that went back for at least seven generations. To top it off, rumor had it that their heir was already in a relationship with the heir of the Guarding Swan, which meant another politically strong House was marginally involved. And to top that off, it was common knowledge the Heads of both Guarding Swan and Celestial Horses had been close for a long time.

He massaged his temples, feeling a slight headache. Taking everything into consideration, the answer was to simply allow the boy to go. The Viking Tiger would not take offense, and he wouldn’t have to deal with him for a whole week. Win-win situation. However, it was precisely because the boy seemed somewhat excited about it that XXXX felt the need to deny him this simple pleasure.

Decisions, decisions.

“Very well. You may attend this event.”

“Really?” Fenrir blurted out despite his own efforts. He did his best to regain composure at once. “I mean, this will prevent me from attending your yearly holiday dinner.”

Nailed it. Nailed it! XXXX didn’t expect him to be considerate towards his stupid, lame-ass dinner, yet voicing it out loud gave Fenrir the upper hand, etiquette-wise. That was usually XXXX’s move, but not today, sucker!

The man appeared to be thinking the exact same thing, as he slightly narrowed one eye in annoyance. XXXX signed the invitation addressed to the city manor without pleasure. “Due to these circumstances, you are excused from attending this year.”

Fenrir politely waited for XXXX to hand him both invitations and then excused himself out of the study. Only after carefully sliding them into the chest pocket of his fur-trimmed jacket and going all the way to the creek in the wilderness behind the family manor did he allow a sound to escape from him. A whistle, strong and loud, that summoned Ging shortly after. Fenrir trapped him in a tight hug and buried his face in Ging’s fur.

“I think I just got a well-deserved, early holiday present!”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Reynir struggled not to choke on his coffee after Embla read the invitation’s content. “You’re invited where?”

“The Viking Tiger family manor,” Embla repeated, somewhat dumbstruck herself. “In Eastern Asgard.”

“You know the one, Pa. With the gigantic courtyards and-”

“Of course I know which one!” he snapped, and immediately softened his tone. “I- I’m very aware, sweetheart. When is this again?”

Bud and Artica eyed each other discreetly. This was not the parent they expected to make a fuss about it. “December, for Bud’s birthday.”

“Phew, there’s still time,” the man let out a distressed sigh. “Alright, you two. Sit. We have a lot to talk about.”

“This has to be the first time we’re gonna get a lecture before fucking something up,” his daughter muttered, but fell silent at Embla’s threatening look.

Reynir ran his fingers through his hair before clearing his throat. “A city manor in Central Asgard is not the same as the family manor, wherever it may be. I need that to be absolutely clear. Everything in a family manor has been tweaked and tinkered with to give the family complete control over all that happens on their grounds. That goes from the staff to the actual buildings and gardens. Everything. I cannot stress this enough. All you say and do will be noted and promptly informed to the masters of the house.”

“Wh-why are you telling us this, Pa?”

“You two’ve never been to a place like that, not even the Academy works on that level. Some previous jobs have gotten me in these family manors once or twice. Keep your guard up; act and speak like everything will be reported back to Princess Hilda herself. Nobles can be capricious, and it worries me more that it’s the Viking Tiger.”

“No need to worry about that, old man, I’m their precious older twin son now, aren’t I? Can’t do shit to me, and I won’t let them do shit to her either.”

“Wrong!” Reynir exclaimed, poking the boy in the chest. “You might be their new ‘young master’, but you’re a stranger to them. The Lord and Lady can say whatever they want, the staff will proceed as they’ve always done, keeping the House’s best interest in mind. If, for whatever reason, they believe you’re a threat to your twin, they will act accordingly.”

Both teenagers looked very apprehensive now. “I-I understand, Pa. I’ll make sure not to do anything stupid that would put the family dignity down.”

“That’s the least of my worries, sweetheart. I-”

Embla poured more coffee into her husband’s cup and then hugged the kids. “This isn’t about family dignity. You two are barely seventeen, and still have a lot of situations to experience, good and bad. The issue here is that one bad experience with a noble tends to have long-term consequences…”

Reynir sipped his coffee with a frown, staring out the window. “I have a bad feeling about you going there by yourselves…”

“I can help with that!” Sannfrid’s husky voice interrupted as he emerged from the living room.

“Sorry, Dad, did we wake you?”

“Nah, I shouldn’t be napping but sometimes I still feel so tired…”

Embla also poured him a cup of coffee and pulled a chair so he could sit down. “Not a problem, Sannfrid. You were saying?”

“Oh, yeah,” he mumbled, pulling something out of his back pocket.

Bud snatched it so fast, the others were barely able to register the broken wax seal. “You got an invitation too?”

“Well, it’s for your birthday, y’know? Your- The Lord and Lady of the Viking Tiger kindly invited me to join the celebration.”

All eyes drifted back to Reynir, who seemed to be rearranging his thoughts at light speed. Even if Sannfrid had never been to a noble family manor before (to Reynir’s knowledge at least), he had some leverage as the man who raised Bud like his own son. That, and he also cared deeply about both kids, so would intervene on their behalf without a second thought. A quick glance at their faces made it clear this was the best compromise they would ever get.

“If you have no issue with going, I’d greatly appreciate a set of familiar eyes watching their backs, old friend.”

“Do you have an issue with me going?” Sannfrid asked Bud, somewhat sheepishly.

“What? No! It’d feel kinda awkward celebrating with a bunch of strangers aside from my friends, but you’ve been there for all my birthdays, Dad. I wouldn’t want you to miss this one either!”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The moment he saw Artica in the locker room, he turned around and started to panic. “No. No, no, no. You give me anxiety and I can’t be anxious before a match.”

Fenrir had intended to mutter that to himself but said it quite loud instead. The smile on her face faltered, and a tiny sting hit her chest. When he turned back to her, he realized Artica was already gone. Bud approached him with a groan, slapping the back of his neck.

“’You give me anxiety?’ Are you fucking stupid?”

“Yes, among other things,” he replied hopelessly.

Bud let out an annoyed sigh. “Ever since our conversation the other day, you get all jumpy around her. That won’t help. Nothing’s changed yet, there’s no reason for you to panic.”

“Everything’s changed and will continue to change. I have every reason to panic!”

The Black let out another sigh and then gently patted Fenrir’s head in what felt like a familial gesture. Fenrir wouldn’t know, this was the first time it had happened to him. 

“Just… breathe, ok? That’s true, but not in the alarming way you think. You should also-“

“Apologize, immediately, I know.”

“Well, not immediately since the match is about to start, but sooner would be better, yes.”

Bud ran his fingers through his own hair. "The first one was too self-centered, the second one too self-confident, and the third one too self-conscious. Sometimes I think it would just be better to date her myself."

Fenrir felt that in his core. There was no world out there in which he could match Bud's charisma. The Black, who had meant it as a light-hearted comment, cleared his throat.

"But it's too late for that now, isn't it? I'm already under someone else's spell, and I don't want out, so you better get your shit together.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

"I was nervous because it was my first match against someone from another school so seeing you reminded me everyone was counting on me to win that day to keep our place at the top, but I don't do well with crowds like that and I just wished they would've put Syd instead, y’know? But what I'm really trying to make crystal clear is that I'm sorry for saying it like that. You don't give me anxiety, I give me anxiety, and I understand you were there to encourage me, and I fucked up, so again I'm really sorry."

Artica stood there in silence for a moment, shocked that Fenrir could compress so many words in a single breath, but then let out a relieved sigh. “I’m- Thanks for saying that. I was a little worried, to be honest… but I get what you’re saying. Living up to other people’s expectations can be weary. You did great, anyway! There was nothing for you to worry about.”

There was a lot for me to worry about, he thought to himself, because I said something stupid again and you felt bad due to it. Fenrir was grateful, though, that this had been resolved easily. He could no longer afford to blurt out every idiotic phrasing that came to mind. There had to be a conscious effort, a conscious willingness, to let his feelings reach out.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

She took a deep breath, trying to stay calmed. Ging walked around her, sniffing her clothes. Artica felt on the verge of falling into the void of panic once again, but this time, she had something to hold onto. Someone.

"How are you feeling?" Fenrir asked.

"I-I think…" the Black tried to say but could not go any further.

She was squeezing his hand hard, but Fenrir paid no mind. "Take your time."

Artica closed her eyes. Even in that creek, sitting between the bushes where no one could see them, she felt embarrassed. How could she not be able to go beyond two words? Fenrir had kindly agreed to help her overcome her uneasiness around dogs, with Ging's assistance, yet she did not feel she was improving at all.

Fenrir patiently waited for her grip to soften, but at the same time, didn’t want to let go himself. Distracted, he didn’t see Ging lick Artica's ear. She immediately inhaled sharply and after a few seconds, fainted. The boy barely managed to catch her before she hit the ground.

“Well, shit. Look at what you did!”

Ging lowered his ears.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

When Artica opened her eyes, she felt awfully confused. It took her a moment to remember what happened before everything went black. Her cheeks flushed when she realized she was lying against a tree trunk, covered with a very familiar fur-trimmed jacket. The silver gaze wandered a bit until it happened upon a pair of golden eyes shyly looking back at her.

Fenrir was sitting against another tree, several meters away. Next to him, Ging was also staring. The boy’s lips were tight. “I’m very sorry, he meant no harm, I swear, it’s just-”

Ging licked the boy’s left ear. Artica immediately touched her own out of reflex.

“The way you smell, it’s very nice…” he mumbled, immediately regretting it. “Ging likes it. He was just curious and-”

The expression on the girl’s face was difficult to interpret. Fenrir swallowed hard. “Would it be okay if we came a little bit closer?”

“We?” she echoed in a slightly uneasy tone.

“You can tell us when to stop.”

To his surprise, Artica allowed them to come quite close, just a few paces from where she was sitting. The girl stared into Ging’s piercing blue eyes. “Why did he lick your ear?”

“Oh, it’s just a thing he does when he…” Fenrir started to explain, realizing exactly at that moment that this was the first time Ging had ever done it to someone else. He’d never shown interest in interacting with anyone beside Fenrir before. “...likes you.”

“... Are you making this up?”

“Why would I? There’s absolutely no way for me to force him to do anything.”

There was a short silence. Artica gripped the jacket firmly, a slight blush on her cheeks. “Thank you. I can’t, for the life of me, approach Ging right now, but your words have given me the courage to try next time.”

Fenrir was so relieved to hear the implication of consent to another time together, even though today had been a massive fuck up, he barely contained himself. Asking Ging for some space with a whistle, he helped Artica stand up and encouraged her to wear the jacket, at least until they were back at the house. Once there, she returned it, and politely thanked him for everything.

The boy looked at her walking away until she was lost in the distance. “Next time…”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

"I… think I do like him," Artica said suddenly.

Bud put his greasy-ass burger down. "Even if he is a Blue?"

"Yeah… I’d be willing to… jump through some hoops."

"Great. When are you gonna tell'im?"

"You really think he’d be interested in me that way…?"

Her best friend almost choked on his drink. If you only knew. Bud found it slightly amusing, considering Artica was usually very perceptive. "Even if he didn’t, you should tell him. The only bad shot is the one you don't take, right?"

She nodded, unsure. In the past, it had not been much of a deal for her to express her interest, but after Thyrna dumped her, she had lost her footing. It’d been painful to realize the person she cared about didn't reciprocate on the same level.

Even now, it still hurt.

 XXXXXXXXX

(1) “That’s how you know you love someone, I guess, when you can’t experience anything without wishing the other person were there to see it, too.” The Descendants (2007).

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

Asgard Academy

Picrew (the one that started this whole AU, haha)

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

Picrew

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

Asgard Academy

Year 2: Part II

[ Index ]

xxxxxxxxx

“Hey, uhm, was it wrong of me to hang out with Artica all those times?”

“Nah, but it was foolish to not think a little harder about how it was perceived.”

“If I had the choice, I would like to go out with Artica every time.”

“Alright, that’s a start,” Bud nodded. “Now you just have to tell’er that.”

Fenrir saw him chuckle; no doubt because he suddenly grew very tense. “I’m not very good with… expressing myself. I can’t imagine how you did it.”

Bud displayed a cocky grin. “I wouldn’t compare; we have vastly different personalities.”

Fenrir sighed in agreement.

“I didn’t accept Karianne's advances because she’s physically attractive (she is, but that wasn’t it). K has such a fiery personality and isn't afraid to show it. She’ll argue you into the ground if she believes she’s right. I really like that, especially in a Blue. You people always want to talk it out. Sometimes you have to punch it out.”

Fenrir had a slight frown. “I hope you’re not punching it out with her, though.”

“Not like that…” Bud replied in a whisper. “Anyway, what are you going to do about Artica? You are interested, right? And is that enough for you to want to focus on her for a while or will you move on sooner rather than later?”

“Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?”

Bud chastised himself, aware he let his mouth run a little more than he intended. Artica was his priority here; if Fenrir was not particularly committed, he wouldn’t encourage him any longer. “As we established before, you went on ‘very likely’ dates with a few others, and then with Artica.”

“I already told you I’d choose her over them.”

“For how long?”

“I don’t know. For how long are you gonna date Karianne, huh?” Fenrir spat back, annoyed. “I don’t know jack shit about any of this. It’s already humiliating to learn I’m socially inept, stop making it seem like I do it on purpose.”

The Black raised his eyebrows with a hint of guilt.

“Sorry, I got a little carried away... I want the following to be very clear: don’t engage carelessly without at least contemplating what’ll happen. When someone gives you expectations and fails to meet them, it’s difficult to swallow. Let’s say you start dating someone, and when they’re with you, they call you sweet names, but when they talk to others, you instantly become 'just someone from school'. That would suck, right?”

“A lot, yeah…”

“Alright, so try to think of the right wording for the right situation, in order to be clear. If you ask Artica out with the specific intent of dating her, then say that. ‘Hey, do you wanna go on a date with me?’. That’s much clearer than saying ‘Wanna go to the arcade?’”

Bud packed his stuff in his bag and turned around. “That’s the only thing I would ask of you; always be clear. If at the end of the day, it turns out you don’t like her enough to date, I get it, but make sure to let her know.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“How’s it going?”

“All good, son, just finished packing. Hope I didn’t forget anything.”

“No worries, Dad. Anything you need, just say so. Syd and I will handle it.”

Sannfrid let out a chuckle. “Last year, you avoided his name in every possible way, and now you team up for birthday parties. You’ve come very far, Bud, I’m so proud of you.”

The teenager wrapped his arms around him with a relieved sigh. A little over a year ago, his father had been gravely ill, and it was only the kind offer from his biological parents, that he now knew was Syd’s idea, that helped him get better faster. Bud was grateful for many things, but that was the biggest one.

“Thanks, Dad.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

"Everyone, may I have a moment of your time?"

The staff quieted down and gave the young master their undivided attention.

"As we have discussed, three of our guests this week are not as deeply familiar with etiquette as the others; my older twin brother Bud, the man who raised him Sannfrid, and our mutual friend Artica. I humbly ask you to be patient and understanding with them and help if they seem to be struggling. Regarding the last person I mentioned, there is one more thing…"

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

"Oh, gods, her face!" Hejne whispered and was immediately elbowed in the ribs by his young master.

"What did I say? Pray she did not hear that, or you will help me clean my piano more often!"

Awfully aware of how slow, tedious, and absolutely boring that was, Hejne gave him a mortified nod. He lined up with three other youths and an older man waiting behind their young master. Karianne and Rúri ran to them immediately. Syd gathered his other four guests for introductions.

“Hejne is my gentleman-in-waiting, and for this week, yours too,” he told Bud, then turned to Sannfrid. “Gudvin will assist you, sir, and Hanka will help Artica out.”

Hejne was a lively boy with brown hair and a small birthmark on his right cheek. Gudvin seemed solemn and kind, safe to approach. Hanka, on the other hand, was a dark-haired girl with sharp eyes and a very serious demeanor.

Bud, visibly uncomfortable, cleared his throat. “Is this in any way optional?”

“Not for you three, I am afraid. Things between a city manor and a family manor work very differently. It is better if you have direct assistance to navigate this,” Syd explained. “For you, however, it is.”

Fenrir felt all eyes on him and immediately prayed the ground would swallow him up, but the gods had never answered him before, so it was pointless to hope they would now. “I’m fine by myself, thank you.”

“Oh, alright. We were not sure if you would bring your own gentleperson-in-waiting…”

“Uh, no,” Fenrir replied and diverted his eyes elsewhere. As if the gods decided to compromise, Karianne and Rúri suddenly interrupted, stealing the attention away from him.

“This is Paolo! My gentleman-in-waiting!” Karianne announced in a joyful tone. “Oh, I have missed you, sweetie. I am so glad you could come with Father. Where is Father, though?”

“Lord Ulrich is to arrive on the morrow, my lady, along with Lady Paulfrid,” Paolo answered at once. His complexion was somewhat darker than the average Asgardian, with dark blond hair in waves and darker shades of green in his eyes. He even looked tanned, which was highly uncommon among those living in the Asgardian Principality. The most interesting thing about him was, however, his overall, utterly relaxed demeanor.

Rúri took the hand of the girl next to her and gave her a spin, so her long skirt swirled around her. “Ritva is my lady-in-waiting. Such a sweetheart, I hope you will get along well.”

Ritva’s kind eyes were partially obscured by her platinum blonde hair. As everyone introduced themselves, Artica noticed they all did the same thing when greeting her and couldn’t help letting out a sigh. This was going to be a long visit.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“A pleasure to see you, Sannfrid, thank you greatly for accepting our invitation,” Lord Baldrek said.

“Thank you for hosting me once again, my Lord, it is an honor,” he replied, returning his handshake firmly with a deep bow.

After witnessing this, Bud scouted for the next moment he was available to whisper into his ear. “You've been here before?”

“Twice, yeah. The first time was when they decided to take advantage of the legal reform, so they contacted your legal guardian (me), and the second time was before they reached out to you directly.”

His son raised an eyebrow. Sannfrid did mention meeting his parents beforehand and discussing the whole thing, but not that it was here in the Viking Tiger family manor. It didn’t really matter, yet it now made sense why his father hadn’t been nervous to come all the way here. He even greeted Gudvin with familiarity.

After the never-ending formalities, they were finally shown to their rooms. The twins and their partners were located to the left of the dining hall, while Sannfrid, Fenrir, and Artica had to go right. Their quarters seemed the same; a room so wide it fit an enormous bed, a pair of armchairs around an elegant tea table in front of the fireplace, and a finely carved desk next to the window. The bathroom was equally wide, with both a bathtub and a shower.

“This place’s ridiculous.”

Artica meant it in a good way, but got nothing more than a side-eye from Hanka, who had followed her inside. The lady-in-waiting pointed to the enormous closet and made quick hand gestures.

‘Please use this space for your clothing and shoes. If you require a thicker coat, or better insulated boots, let me know.’

The Black nodded, and got it over within ten minutes, which was just about right considering she hadn’t brought (and didn’t actually own) that many etiquette-appropriate outfits. Artica looked around before sitting on the bed.

‘What are the family manor rules I must not forget? Aside from regular etiquette, I mean.’

‘You may use common areas like the library, tearoom, and courtyards at your leisure. Eating and event areas only at designated times-‘

‘Library?!’ her eyes sparkled at the thought, but Hanka didn’t seem to appreciate her interruption. ‘Sorry, please continue.’

‘Private quarters cannot be entered unless the user explicitly invites you. It is prohibited and has strong consequences.’

Syd suddenly burst in with a smile. “What do you think? Anything else you might want in here?”

Artica looked at Hanka, who rolled her eyes. She was careful enough to sign just out of Syd's field of vision. ‘He is an exception. And no, I do not know if his twin also is.’

The Black nodded again, impressed by how perceptive the other girl was. “Not at all! I��ve never had a space like this all to myself. Feels kinda lonely.”

The young master smirked. "So it is company you want? That can be arranged."

"Shut UP!" Artica immediately replied, her cheeks flushing. "That’s NOT what I meant."

"No? Shame, I already had someone in mind."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir was staring out the library window, deep in thought.

He couldn’t believe what he’d witnessed since they arrived at the Viking Tiger family manor. The absurd number of staff members, unthinkable levels of precisely executed logistics, the general warmth in everyone’s gestures. That was all foreign to him. Neither city or family manors of the Northern Wolf would be able to host these guests or achieve this level of efficiency. Hell, XXXX and his brother kept only four staff members each, two for general duties and two for cooking. A gentleperson-in-waiting for all guests (if they did not bring their own) was out of the question.

The boy frowned. Would it have been different if his parents were alive? Would there be that many people? Could events like these take place back in the mountains? Should he have had a gentleperson-in-waiting all along? It would’ve been nice to have a companion of any sort, at some point. Growing up an only child, and an orphan, under the tutelage of two people who gave exactly zero shits about him had made quite the dent in his… everything.

Fenrir let out a sigh, and then heard some shuffling between nearby shelves. Following the rustle, but not really paying attention to his surroundings, he bumped headfirst into a bookworm he knew too well.

“Hey, good morning,” he greeted, and had to repress a chuckle seeing her carrying three large books with a gazillion pages each.

“‘Morning! You think I can read them all before we leave?”

“Maybe, if you wake up early every day. Why are you awake now, though?”

Artica drifted to a nearby table, left two of the books and grabbed the third. “Oh, uh, I forgot to ask for schedules yesterday, and woke up in a hurry only to find everyone else still asleep. I might have woken Hanka up too, feel kinda bad about that.”

‘I was already awake’ she signed, popping up from between some shelves with two cups of tea on a tray. She left it on the table before leaving. ‘I will come for you when breakfast is ready.’

Taking note that Hanka was keeping a thorough eye on her, and that she was clearly skilled at lip reading, Artica gestured for Fenrir to take a seat. “Gentlepeople-in-waiting are both fascinating and alien to me.”

“That makes two of us.”

She said nothing. The day before, it seemed to her that Fenrir declined Syd’s offer because it made him uncomfortable to be a noble and not know how to interact with people in that role. Apparently, that was the case. “So, why are you awake now?”

I have no idea what is expected of me, and that keeps me on edge. “I also forgot to ask for schedules.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“You really have an indoor swimming pool. This is blowing my mind,” Artica said as they entered. “Wished you’d said so before, though, I didn’t bring a swimsuit.”

“Me neither,” Bud admitted.

“Not a problem, darlings, I did,” Karianne chimed in.

“Wh-? What does that mean?”

“Paolo, be a dear and bring the purple bag, you know the one.”

Her gentleman-in-waiting nodded and left but returned soon after. They both went into the changing room next to the entrance. Karianne’s voice could be heard inside. “Well, what are you waiting for? We do not have all day!”

Artica and Bud exchanged looks while Syd and Rúri smirked. “Finally, she has some other poor souls to use for entertainment.”

“No offense, guys, but she has been pestering us for years. It was about time a replacement showed up.”

Once inside, before anything else, Karianne and Paolo stared at them in almost identical gestures, a hand on their chins.

“Palettes?”

Even though Paolo narrowed his eyes in concentration, it didn’t seem to break his eternally relaxed expression. “Mid-dark tones for him, preferably in the reds so he matches you, my lady. Lighter tones for Miss Reynirdóttir.”

“Lighter? Are you sure? I was thinking maybe some blue to… you know…” Karianne raised her eyebrows, pointing to something that was not there.

“A compromise, then? I believe A13 fulfills both, my lady.”

“Hm, yes, that is a good choice. However, we will start with the other one. Please hand him from B4 to B9, and then from B17 to B20.”

Artica was offered a seat next to Karianne, while Bud was sent into one of the changing room cubicles. He had to try a parade of different swimsuits, all different mixes of black, gray, and splashes of color between purple and orange. After a full thirty minutes, Karianne and Paolo nodded to themselves.

“Very well, please give him B12, the one we selected yesterday.”

“What? You made me try all of those even though you’d already decided on one?”

“Yes, I needed to see you in different styles, for future reference. That hot ass of yours should always be displayed in flattering garments! Now get out, it is Artica’s turn.”

“She saw all of mine, why can’t I see hers?”

“I wanted her seasoned opinion on the other options, now please change and exit, we have work to do.”

With a slight blush on his cheeks, Bud did as she asked and left. Artica was given A13 immediately.

“Wow, you have really nice legs, sweetie. Show them off more often, yes? Now, what do we think of A13, Paolo?”

“Good fit. A two-piece shows your athletic disposition quite well, Miss Reynirdóttir.”

“Th-thanks.”

Karianne tapped her cheek with one finger. “You know, this one fits you very well, so I encourage you to wear it, but may I ask you to try two other swimsuits?”

“For future reference?” she chuckled. “Yeah, that’s okay with me. Thanks for lending me this one! You’re a lifesaver.”

After changing to their own swimsuits, Karianne and Paolo returned to the poolside. The curly-haired girl took a seat in one of the benches. “Ritva, honey, are you not going to join them?”

Ritva uncovered one shoulder. “I did bring a swimsuit, my lady, but I feel unwell. Maybe another time.”

“I understand, come sit next to me so we can enjoy the view together.”

Bud’s head popped up from underwater. “You got us into these; you have to get in too, K!”

“Not today, darling. Pool chlorine is not what I need after washing my hair last night.”

Without another word, the older twin got out of the pool, dripping water everywhere, and picked her up princess-style.

“Unhand me, you beefy oaf! Do not dare to-!”

“Hey, no, wait!” Artica managed to say, getting out of the pool too. “Not like that, put her down.”

Karianne gave her a thankful look, just before the Black suddenly pulled her towards the water edge. She gasped loudly, clinging desperately to Artica and anticipating the cold water, but nothing happened. The Blue opened her eyes again to see Artica smirking teasingly as she pulled her back.

"You said you didn't want to get in the pool today because of your hair, so it would've been unkind to push you in."

"S-so gentlemanly of you, sweetie, thank you."

"Of her only, though," Bud interrupted mischievously as he trapped them in a hug, dropping all three of them into the pool.

After that, Karianne stayed in the pool, but didn’t allow Bud anywhere near her. Instead, she clung to Artica’s back like a reproachful child. Even during the water polo game, she refused to be on the same team. However, before they returned to prepare for lunch, Karianne graciously accepted Bud’s apology and allowed him to carry her all the way back.

“Is it always like this?” Paolo asked, picking up his things from the changing room.

“It is worse, actually,” Rúri replied while gently drying Syd’s hair with a towel.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Lady Paulfrid drank from her goblet. “The Archery Tournament is this spring, yes?”

“Remember that time Crown Prince Adalhar himself took part in it and a seventeen-year-old kid from the eastern region beat him by 2 points? His Royal Highness was furious.”

“It was hilarious,” Lord Ulrich said with a chuckle. “Not that he lost, of course, there is no shame in that. It just happened that His Royal Highness was so utterly convinced he won, he never bothered to check the kid’s total points.”

“Huh, funny you mention that, Father-” Karianne said, and was suddenly stopped by Bud’s knee bumping into hers. He shook his head, as subtle as he could manage. Her eyes drifted to Artica, who had lost all color on her face, her eyes begging Karianne to not say anything else.

“Yes, darling?” her father asked, noticing she suddenly went quiet.

“Ah- I-”

“Did you know, my Lord, that boy is Miss Reynirdóttir’s older brother? And she is as skilled an archer as him,” Rúri suddenly intervened, to the other three’s dismay. “An outstanding shot, surely to win the Tournament this coming spring.”

“Is that so, Miss Reynirdóttir?”

Frozen in her seat, Artica barely managed to reply. “Y-yes, my Lord. That he is my older brother, I mean. I would not dare claim the second part of my lady’s statement.”

“She is being modest,” the blonde nodded. “Why, if you could just see her in action…”

Bud snapped out of his shock. “It did not occur to us to bring her gear, my lady.”

“If we were to procure some, would you accept a humble request of skill display?”

All eyes on her, Artica had no other option than to nod slowly, defeated.

Lady Tilda clapped her hands together in excitement. “Oh, I do not believe we have had an archery display at the family manor in years!”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Why did you tell them?” Artica moaned, collapsing unceremoniously on one of the library chairs.

“Hm? Why would I not? Ever since we arrived, you seemed a bit down, so I figured that doing some archery would help you get through it!”

“Do you know why that is?”

Bud gave Syd a look, and his twin casually asked Hejne, Ritva, and Paolo to use the next hour to their leisure.

“... I cannot claim to be certain.”

“Everyone on this estate has been flinching, muttering, and deviating their gaze every time they speak to me. We met after the bite; I’ve always looked like this to you, but during the sixteen years before that, I didn’t stand out because of my appearance, and that was alright with me. Now I don’t have a choice…” she took a deep breath. “At the Academy and everywhere else I frequently go, people are already used to how I look, so I sometimes forget I even have it but… Not here. If I could, I’d rather not put myself in that position…”

Rúri took her hand. “I apologize, sweetie, I should have asked you first. You are always up to a challenge, so I incorrectly assumed this would be nothing for you to worry about. Would you like me to speak with Lady Tilda?”

“I think it is a little late for that, she already procured the archery equipment.”

“What? It’s only been rwenty minutes!” Bud blurted out.

“Oh, you should really hang out with Mother more often. She wastes no time, ever.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir had hung back and waited for a moment to speak. Lady Paulfrid was the first to notice and turned to him with a warm smile. “Yes, young lord? May we help you?”

“My Ladies, my Lords,” he began, taking a deep breath. “During my Coming of Age ceremony, I will be formally granted the title of Lord. However, I find myself… lacking understanding of the true meaning of this responsibility. May I humbly request you share some of your experience with me?”

He bowed deeply, waiting for their answer. The adults gave each other a look and nodded. Lord Baldrek spoke first. “It would be an honor, young lord. I can only hope to provide useful guidance."

"With pleasure! Her Majesty did send word a few months back; I was wondering when you would come around to ask," Lord Ulrich said teasingly.

Fenrir straightened up with an awkward smile. The truth was he had been too embarrassed to reach out. He only did it now because the three Heads of House were conveniently gathered in the same place. "I- I am-"

"There is no need to answer that, young lord, he is just being an ass," Lady Paulfrid intervened, shaking her head at Lord Ulrich's amused expression. "Thank you for reaching out to us, we are more than honored by your consideration."

Lady Tilda concluded the conversation she was having with Aleks, the head butler, and turned around to address her husband. "I already rearranged the schedule to include both the archery display and this meeting, dear. I will inform the children right away."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“What’s wrong?”

Artica stopped fidgeting with the equipment. “Ah, it’s just… this is a recurve bow. They’re certainly the primary choice for target archery, and the standard for Olympic-level competition, but mine is a compound bow, better fitted for hunting.”

“Oh, the piercing power is greater, I guess?” Fenrir asked, more to himself than to her.

“Yep! That’s right! I mean, recurve bows can also be used for hunting, the specs are just different… and this one’s got no silencer, so it’s gonna be loud. This bow sight we can leave it in the box, not gonna use it. The arrows have rubber vanes, I guess that’s fine. Oh, these shooting gloves are nice! I'd like to have something like these one day. The arm guard is good too, though it’s kinda stiff…” Artica was saying, and suddenly remembered she was not alone. “Sorry, Fenrir, am I boring you with all this? I’m too much of an archery nerd, m’afraid, you guys just never have to put up with it.”

Fenrir was so absorbed by how enthusiastically she talked about it, he barely noticed it had devolved into a monologue. “Not at all! I think it’s cool you have something you’re so passionate about.”

Artica gave him a gentle smile. “Thanks for keeping me company. I’m not nervous anymore.”

He wouldn’t have guessed it based on her ramblings alone. “Just like in the exhibition at the beginning of the school year, this is practice for the tournament too. Even if there’s a lot of strangers, you’ll do great. I know it.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

"May I ask you something personal, my lady?"

"Certainly, my lord, what is it?"

"Syd and Karianne are both dear to you, yes?” he said, looking at them chasing Bud around the courtyard while they waited for Artica to return. “How did you, uhm, note the difference?"

Rúri meditated on his words. "...between romantic and platonic?"

Fenrir nodded sheepishly.

"Ah, this sounds like a serious matter to be discussed over tea, my lord. Follow me."

A while later, they were sitting at a table in a nearby gazebo with jasmine tea and pastries brought by Ritva.

"So," she resumed after taking a sip. "You wonder what is the difference between one and the other. I feel there is no universal answer, but we can discuss whatever is on your mind if that will help you understand it better."

"There is someone," Fenrir began, self-conscious at the flicker of her eyes. "I, uh, appreciate, but I am not sure if it’s one or the other… and cannot make up my mind."

“Well, let us start with the easy part. Why are you friends with this person?”

“They are kind and supportive towards me, we have fun together, and have shown me they have my back.”

“And why do you believe you might want something more?”

The boy lowered his gaze, a faint blush on his cheeks. “...because my heart skips a beat when they call out my name.”

Rúri tightened her lips, trying to disguise how heartwarming she found that answer. “Have you ever shared time alone with this person?”

“Yeah, a bit…”

“Did it feel… like a breath of fresh air? A weight lifting up?”

He nodded, his eyes wide.

“If tomorrow, they came to you and said ‘I do not want to see you again’, how would you react?”

Fenrir closed his eyes, very aware of how that felt like. “I would abide, even if it broke me into pieces.”

Rúri nudged the other cup in his direction. “Drink your tea, dear, and take a deep breath. This is all hypothetical, no need to jump to conclusions.”

They ate a few pastries and finished their tea in silence. Rúri had a nostalgic smile on her lips.

“I often feel Syd and I are in a duet; his piano and my violin, playing a melody no one else knows. It is sweet, and slow, and gentle. I do not know how long we will play it together, but I do know it warms my heart and eases my pains. Maybe this is a difficult metaphor for you to relate to, but that is how our relationship feels to me.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

It’d been a while since everyone split up for the treasure hunt, and the fact they hadn’t bumped into any of the other teams yet only proved how gigantic the Viking Tiger family estate really was. Artica checked the oddly elaborate map Hanka gave her, deep in thought. Fenrir, who was aware Bud “randomly” paired them together, had been unsuccessfully trying to make a move for the past twenty minutes. He found it sadly ironic that his “blurt out” skills only worked with stupid shit, and not actual, meaningful phrases. In the meantime, however, he came up with something to use soon.

“Say… if you had a coat of arms, what do you think it would be?”

“Like, for my family, or a personal one?”

“Oh, uhm, whichever.”

“Hmm… I think a family crest would have a predator. Hunting’s been in Pa’s family for a few generations now.”

“And for you?”

“Personally, I would love a stag!” Artica replied, curling her hands over her head to imitate antlers. “Majestic and strong as fuck, those bast-! Shit.”

It didn’t take Fenrir long to understand. There was a very alert-looking Norwegian Elkhound staring right at them, not with the friendliest body language. Such a breed is known to be wary of strangers, and well, that’s exactly what this dog stumbled upon. Artica was breathing fast, nervous all over.

“No. No, no, no. Animals, dogs, react to your own energy. You gotta stay cool, Artica,” the boy said, his hands on her shoulders. “Nothing’s gonna happen, okay? I promise.”

The dog moved toward them at a steady pace. When she felt its breath on her, Artica kind of stepped away, right into him. Without skipping a beat, Fenrir took her hands and stood very still.

“I promise,” he repeated in a quiet voice. She looked him straight in the eyes, trying her best to tune out her immediate surroundings. Unconsciously, Artica matched his breathing and relaxed a bit. Just a bit.

“Stay cool, that’s it. You got it.”

The dog sniffed them for a while before cocking its head towards a rustle at their left.

“Oh, sh- Heck.”

Hejne caught himself just in time, then whistled. The dog’s ears perked up at once and returned to his side. It did not escape him the guests were holding hands. “I apologize. This dog is witty and knows it can open its kennel door with enough patience. The young master asked us to keep them locked away during your visit.”

“That’s probably because of me, sorry,” Artica said with a sympathetic smile. “A dog bit me last year.”

Hejne's eyes opened wide, briefly looking at the left side of her face. He bowed. “I deeply apologize, Miss Reynirdóttir, I was not aware. It will absolutely not happen again; on that you have my word.”

“Thanks, Hejne, I appreciate it. Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone, right?”

“About what?” Fenrir asked casually, also with a sympathetic smile. He gave her hand a squeeze, not knowing the gesture gave her heart a squeeze too.

The gentleman-in-waiting bowed once more, thankful, and took the dog away. Just before reaching the kennels, he heard Syd’s awfully familiar stepping pattern on the stone.

“Why is that dog outside?”

“If you allow me to skip that question, I can tell you what I saw after I bumped into two of our guests.”

Syd’s mouth curled into a smile. “Oh? I am listening~”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Was he underdressed? Or maybe overdressed? No, there was no such thing as overdressing when meeting a Head of House, certainly not when meeting three at the same time! Fenrir wished this felt normal to some degree, but the truth was that in that manor in Eastern Asgard few things felt familiar. Luckily, one of those was sitting on the bed, looking at him with bright silver eyes.

“I really don’t think there’s anything wrong with that outfit?” Artica said with a hand on her chin. “The cut is etiquette-appropriate, and there’s no need to be fully formal because it’s a private meeting, not a public event.”

“But they are Heads of House! And I will be too when I turn eighteen! I can’t fuck up now (or ever)! They’ll know I’m ill-suited for the title!”

“You’re not ill-suited; you’re not even seventeen yet! Give yourself some credit; not everyone has the guts to speak to three Heads of House at once.”

I don’t have the guts either, but there is no other choice. “I just wished I wasn’t doing it by myself.”

“You’re not,” Artica replied, taking his hand to deposit the locket left on the nightstand. “The person who gave you this said so, right? They’re with you forever, and even if I don’t know much about the burden you carry, I’m here for you too.”

She let her words hang in the air for a moment, trying to decide. Should I tell him now that we’re alone? No, he’s too worried about the meeting. Putting him on the spot right now would be unkind, but if I tell him afterwards and he doesn’t feel the same, the days we have left here will be awkward.

Artica reached towards him. “May I…”?

Fenrir’s heart was pounding so hard, he was sure the Black could hear it too. One of her hands, warm and calloused, was handing him the locket with his parents’ helix piercings, while the other reached out towards him. Fenrir hopelessly wished it was to cup his cheek in a reassuring gesture and maybe a k- No, better not. I don’t even know how to kiss.

Before he realized it, Artica’s hands were on his neck, gently fixing his shirt collar, and then moved down to slightly adjust his tie. She gave Fenrir a tender tap on the chest, noticing how nice his citric cologne smelled. “There. They were a lil’ crooked.”

Internally screaming, Fenrir wished he didn’t have a terribly important meeting in five minutes. He needed at least ten to recover from this. “Thanks! I… sadly must get going.”

Sadly?

There was a faint blush on both of their cheeks. She nodded and followed him, noting how suspicious it was that her four classmates and their three gentlepeople-in-waiting just happened to be chatting in the hallway outside, considering their quarters were in the opposite direction. Hejne led Fenrir away to his meeting, while the other six stared at her expectantly.

“Is everything alright? Did something happen?”

“Something like what?”

Karianne suppressed a frown. “Well, you were…”

“Helping Fenrir get ready, like I said this morning," Artica interrupted, playing dumb for the sheer pleasure of messing with her. Watching Karianne struggle to get answers while keeping her subtlety was honestly hilarious.

"A word?" Bud asked, choosing to be more direct.

"Apologies, brother. Artica and I already have an appointment."

"We do?"

"Yes, you are to help me with piano practice, remember?"

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

They had done this many times before, yet it was still amusing to see how much a change of setting impacted everything. The piano was larger than the Academy’s, and handsomely decorated in gold over forest green. The legs even had carvings that made them look like Viking tiger paws, which was both fearsome and elegant. Hejne brought tea and pastries and arranged them neatly on a table nearby.

Syd started playing at once, clearly in a joyful mood.

“Sounds like your birthday week is going well,” Artica commented, nibbling on a fruit tartlet.

“It is! Everyone was able to come, and I have been having such a great time! I do hope it is the same for you.”

“Oh, absolutely! Lots of firsts this past few days. I've never had papaya before!”

As usual, they talked a bit about Bud, a bit about Syd himself, and even a bit about the Lord and Lady of the Viking Tiger. Hejne chimed in with bits about Paolo and Ritva but found talking about himself too embarrassing and changed the subject several times. During the conversation, Syd's helix piercing caught the light, and she couldn't help asking.

“How did you meet Rúri?”

“Oh, Karianne introduced us a few years back. As you know, they have been friends for ages,” Syd explained, without missing a beat on the piano. "It was during a ball, yes?"

"Sigrblót (1) festival, I believe?" Hejne offered helpfully.

"Oh, right! What a beautiful summer start that was… Anyway, when Karianne told me about her, I was astonished. Plays the violin? Likes jazz music? Enjoys visiting new places? I had not even met her, and I already felt we would get along fantastically, which was obviously the case.”

“Obviously,” she agreed with a nod, sipping some tea.

Syd carefully timed his question with a dramatic section of the song he was playing. “If I may ask, have you found someone who piques your interest? I recall the thing with Asgrim did not go very far.”

Artica lowered her teacup. “No, it didn't… but I guess I’ve found someone, yeah.”

“I am glad to hear that,” he said with a warm smile. “Whoever that person is, I hope they value your attention. You have a caring heart; it should not be invested in fools.”

I am the fool, though, unable to tell if I am the investment they are looking for. "Well, kind of tricky now, y’know? It's hard to say if they’d be okay with their partner getting stared at everywhere they go, not in a flattering way…"

Syd abruptly ended his solo and turned around, all business. "May I make a wild guess as to whom we are discussing? You do not have to acknowledge if I am correct."

Artica gave him a nod. Syd said the right name without batting an eye, cool as a cucumber. She was not cool at all, red as a shrimp. "Oh, no. Is it super obvious?"

"Probably not to him," the twin chuckled as he ate a croissant. "I figured it out recently, and even though I would not claim to know his exact thoughts on the matter, I feel he would not mind the staring. You two hang out quite frequently already."

This unexpected acknowledgement filled her heart with hope. If only…

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“You think Hejne can get me a beer?”

“Pretty sure you’re gonna get plenty of wine during dinner, it would be unwise to mix like that.”

Wearing once more his custom-made suit with the Viking Tiger cufflinks, Bud had combed his hair back in a short ponytail, for once allowing both eyes to be visible. Sannfrid and Artica nodded, impressed with the final look.

“You look fantastic,” his father said as he took a seat near the lit fireplace. “Not a hair outta place. That’s my boy.”

Bud smiled sheepishly. “You guys gonna be alright?”

“Yeah, don’t worry. I’ll keep Sannfrid company while we eat and then I’ll probably go to sleep early. Those paintball matches after the birthday lunch wrecked me.”

“Fill the bathtub and take a nice, long dip. It’ll ease some of the weariness.”

Artica nodded enthusiastically at Sannfrid’s suggestion. She then accompanied Bud over to the door. “Enjoy the evening. You deserve all these good things for your birthday.”

The older twin ruffled her hair with a smile. “We still need to talk about whatever happened yesterday.”

“Yeah, yeah, later. Go and have some high-class fun.”

After having a nice, quiet dinner time with Gudvin and Sannfrid, she finally went back to her quarters only to not find them empty. Karianne was reading a magazine on the bed while Rúri brushed the hair of a displeased Hanka. Ritva offered her a plate with snacks the moment she saw her.

“Wh-?”

The Black didn’t even know what to say. Hanka seemed too annoyed to even sign an explanation.

“Finally!” Karianne exclaimed, slamming the magazine shut. “Get in your pijamas; we are having a girls’ night.”

“Right now?”

“Of course, dear,” Rúri said. “We got everything ready while you were elsewhere.”

“I can tell, yes, but I was gonna fill the bathtub to-“

The girl with the black curls didn’t like that. “No- Hm! Alright, I realize we are taking time you had already planned for something else. I understand that. I have two questions, so if you are willing to answer them, we’ll move along to my quarters, and you can join us after your bath if you want.”

“Uh, sure. What are they?”

“Do you like Fenrir? And if so, did something happen between you two yesterday?”

“Yes, I do, and no, nothing of particular importance happened.”

The other four were honestly not expecting a straightforward answer and just stood still for a moment.

“Oh,” Karianne said, still flabbergasted. “Well, okay then.”

Rúri started to gather the snacks while Hanka straightened the bed. “Put some lavender oil (tall, yellow bottle on the left) in the water, sweetie. It’ll help you relax in no time.”

Artica saw them out, prepared the bathtub, and got in without further delay. It was awfully convenient they didn’t ask about the treasure hunt because boy, that would've been vastly more difficult to discuss.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Thank you for having us,” the guests collectively told their hosts with a deep bow.

“Oh no, thank you for coming all the way here for the boys’ birthday. It was our pleasure!” Lady Tilda said, and all the staff members present bowed after she finished talking.

Lord Baldrek turned towards Fenrir and shook his hand. “Take care, young lord. I do hope we were able to give you helpful insights. If there is anything else we can do for you, please do let us know.”

Lady Paulfid and Lord Ulrich were just behind him, nodding in agreement, but their attention drifted towards another guest quite suddenly.

“We are looking forward to seeing you in the Archery Tournament!”

“Very impressive display you gave us the other day. Who would have thought hitting a red dragon fruit with an arrow would have such an explosive, gory result!" Lord Ulrich said with delight.

She laughed nervously. If Artica had known what a red dragon fruit was before shooting it off Syd's head, she would've suggested a different target.

The Heads of House moved on to someone else, while their heirs said their goodbyes to their gentlepeople-in-waiting.

"Do take care, dear. I know you like biking but twisting your ankle is not worth it," Karianne was telling Paolo, kissing both of his cheeks. "I hope I can meet your partner next time I return home."

"Be well, my lady. I know now I leave you in good company," Paolo replied, shaking Bud's hand. "I truly enjoyed watching you annoy the hell out of each other these past days. You are meant to be."

Artica, Fenrir, and Sannfrid snorted loudly at his words. Rúri was hugging Ritva so tightly, it seemed she would never let go. "Oh, I know our schedules collide in every single way but do feel free to visit the city manor from time to time. I miss you dearly, sweetheart. Be sure to call me once you get home."

"Sometimes it sounds like that's her partner," Syd chuckled. "I do hope Hanka was not too harsh on you. She is rather serious."

"What? No, she was perfect!" said Artica, and then proceeded to mutter under her breath. "(She was the only one who looked me in the face while speaking…)"

"Farewell," a voice she didn't recognize said, and it spooked her a bit to realize it was Hanka herself. The lady-in-waiting noticed and proceeded to pull back some of her dark hair to reveal a cochlear implant. Syd had his back to them, so Hanka proceeded to sign at the speed of light.

'I've had it for a month now but… you whine too much; signing was the better choice.'

'That's fair,' Artica replied with an honest laugh. 'Thanks for your help and farewell.'

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Karianne was looking at all the polaroids taken during the trip with great satisfaction. Her favorite one was of Bud and her, dripping wet, in the middle of a kiss, but close runner-ups were Syd covered in paintball hits, and Rúri in calf-deep fountain water trying to retrieve one of the treasure hunt coins.

The train started to slow down, and a voice announced they were arriving at the Central Asgard station. Karianne was gathering her things when she noticed one last scene that should be immortalized and quietly took a photo of Fenrir and Artica asleep, leaning into each other, before gently letting them know they had arrived.

Embla and Reynir greeted them on site and after saying goodbye to everyone else, helped them get their luggage on the local train to their side of the city. Before Artica walked Fenrir home, her mother invited him over for New Years, if he was available. Knowing XXXX would leave him behind to go on vacation, Fenrir accepted right away.

As he saw them walk away together, Bud thought to himself that something had changed between those two. He didn't know what, or why, but it felt like they were finally walking in the same direction; towards each other.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The whole place was a mess.

One moment, the carnival held for Dísablót (2) was filled with music and laughter, and the next a lightning strike caused the main tent with the acrobats to collapse on itself while everyone screamed. Bud was both glad and ashamed; glad because he was able to grab Karianne’s hand and quickly pull her away from that chaos, and ashamed because he had failed to do just that for Artica. During any other time, it would not be a concern, but during a thunderstorm…

“Hey, are you guys okay?” a familiar voice called out to them. Fenrir emerged from between two stalls.

Bud could not help feeling discouraged. He thought maybe, where he had failed, Fenrir would have succeeded. However, there was no one with him. “Sort of. You?”

“I’m fine. Where are the others?”

The twin looked at Karianne's bleeding forehead and made a choice. I'm sorry. This time, I will not keep my promise.

"Fenrir, there is nothing that scares Artica more than thunder, and this is no simple storm. I hope you understand how important it is that you go find her, because I need to take Karianne to the hospital."

There was both a plea and a threat in his voice; Fenrir did not miss either. "I do, and I will."

They both nodded and parted ways, feeling the icy rain on their heads. It took a while of wandering the area until he found her taking cover under the big tree in the park, crouching and covering her ears.

"Artica! We cannot stay outside, c'mon!" he yelled, but got no reply, reaction, or acknowledgement. Fenrir frowned, now understanding what Bud meant. This was a much deeper fear than dogs. He took Artica's hand, pulled her up, and dragged her along as he ran.

Fenrir slammed open the door to his house. One of XXXX's staff members was nearby, reading the newspaper like he owned the place. "YYYY, prepare a room for our guest, and a few towels, please."

There was an awkward silence. XXXX's staff paid Fenrir little mind, and he did the same. This was the first time in more than a year of knowing of each other's existence that the boy had spoken to him. The man eyed him over the paper, looked at the girl up and down, and grunted.

Even though Fenrir had prepared for resistance, the man went ahead without any further convincing. After a short while, YYYY returned with the towels, and was not impressed when Fenrir pulled Artica along without taking off their dirty boots. He resumed his place reading the newspaper, barely acknowledging the quiet 'thanks' Fenrir whispered.

The boy guided her to the room next to his and let her sit on the bed while he closed the curtains. Since Artica seemed to be in a kind of shutdown, Fenrir did his best to dry her braid a little while pulling off her soaked jacket. Immediately, after wrapping a blanket around her shoulders, he noticed her trembling. It was honestly a pitiful sight; the terrified mouse before him felt like someone’s sick joke of the cheerful and energetic person he had grown to care about. Fenrir somehow got her boots off and gently nudged her to rest her back against the bed’s wooden header.

When a particularly strong thunder roared outside, the Black let out an audible whimper and immediately grabbed onto the closest thing to her, which happened to be him. Artica was breathing so fast, Fenrir feared she was going to faint. With a fist full of his shirt, she started shaking heavily.

Fenrir grabbed the hand on his chest and laid it flat with his own. Then, putting his arm around her, lowered his voice. “It’s alright. I’m here with you. You aren’t alone."

He breathed in and out very slowly. "Match my breathing rhythm; you can do that, right?"

Artica did not answer, her eyes tightly shut. A few tears rolled down her cheeks. Fenrir hugged her closer and gently encouraged her to follow his lead. "Breathe in, breathe out. Evenly. Without rushing. Together, just like that."

This was only achieved once the thunder had ceased. By the time Artica fully realized it, her head was resting against Fenrir's chest. It was soothing, and comforting, in a way she had not felt in a while. Was it alright to wish for this to last a little bit longer? Was it okay to think he did not mind?

His chin was gently resting on the top of her head. Fenrir could feel himself at peace and realized at once why it was. He knew etiquette required him to apologize for his forwardness and whatever, but he didn't want to. Apologize for something that felt nice? Which seemed to be alright with her?

Eventually, they both realized that unless a certain thing was said, they could not remain like that. Slowly, without a word, they pulled apart.

In that silence, their hearts ached, but out loud, neither said why.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

A day had passed, and he was honestly not expecting to see Artica standing outside the gate. She hadn’t ringed the buzzer yet; Fenrir only went to check because Ging had been circling outside his window door for a while. They both suddenly felt all their feelings merge in an incomprehensible hot pile, and a slight blush brightened their cheeks.

“H-hey,” she greeted sheepishly. “I wanted to… uhm…”

Rummaging through her bag, Artica pulled out a paper bag full of homemade chocolate chip cookies. Fenrir’s favorites. “Thank you, for your kindness…”

The boy received the heavy bag, speechless. She fidgeted with the end of her sweater sleeves. “I've always been afraid of thunder and struggle a lot when there's a storm. You didn’t have to welcome me into your home, and keep me company during that episode, so… I really appreciate it.”

Acting against his better judgment, Fenrir walked over and gave her a tight hug. “I'm sorry, I wish I'd known beforehand. You were nervous all afternoon, but I didn't understand why. I’m glad I was helpful, even if just a little.”

She hugged back, just as tightly. “It was more than enough. I made those cookies to thank you, I hope they're alright.”

They let go of each other; yearning for more, but unable to say it out loud. At least, not yet. Artica made a short bow his way. “I’ll return the hoodie you lent me another day. I forgot to bring it.”

“No problem, don’t worry about it,” he said, reaching inside the bag and taking a bite off a cookie. “Oh, these are really good, thanks a lot!”

The girl gave him a smile, her cheeks now bright red. She waved goodbye and returned home. Once back in her room, she pulled out a hoodie from her bag. Artica had promised herself to return it, but in the end gave in to one selfish wish. The smell of Fenrir's citric cologne comforted her, especially after yesterday's events and, at least for now, she wanted to hang onto it.

Fenrir sat outside his room. He gave Ging a hug, borrowing his face in the fur. “It must be true, right? That these feelings echo in her? That it would be okay?”

Ging did not have an answer.

 XXXXXXXXX

(1) First day of Harpa, first month of the Norse calendar (mid-April to mid-May). A day to celebrate the beginning of summer and the victory of light over darkness.

(2) A celebration of new beginnings and preparation of the land for planting (beginning of February).

Source: 

https://www.timenomads.com/the-norse-wheel-of-the-year-viking-calendar-holidays/

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

Asgard Academy

Year 3: Part I

[ Index ]

xxxxxxxxx

"Before we go, let's go in real quick to tell Ma and Pa."

Fenrir immediately blushed but followed her inside without skipping a beat. Embla was reading the newspaper while Reynir eyed the scrambled eggs. "What happened, sweetheart, didya forget something?"

"Yeah, to tell you Fenrir and I are dating now."

Reynir turned off the stove before walking up to Fenrir and offering his hand. He was positively beaming. "A fine young man, no doubt."

Embla pinched Fenrir's cheek gently. "Oh, sweetheart, that’s great news to start the day! I need to call your siblings to tell them."

Artica was also beaming, her cheeks flushed. "Alright. We're heading out."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

After getting their new helix piercings (two black surgical stainless-steel hoops) into place, they wandered for a bit until they reached the capital’s central park, which was more akin to a giant garden. Artica found them a nice, secluded spot next to a large pond, which was still in the process of thawing. They were sitting in front of one another, their faces very close. The simple intimacy of that gesture gave Fenrir goosebumps.

"There’re two ways to kiss, I guess,” she said, returning to the conversation they had earlier. “One like last night, just gently…"

He was not entirely listening, thinking precisely of the kiss she gave him before they fell asleep. It had felt so warm… Her lips were pink, bright, and soft. Ignoring they were moving because she was still talking, Fenrir leaned forward and pressed his own on hers. Artica immediately froze, completely flustered. This was not their first kiss, as stated, but definitely the first one Fenrir gave her on the lips.

He pulled away with an embarrassed smile. "Like that?"

She nodded in silence, feeling her chest tightened. His eyes looked particularly bright right now, with the shy blush on his cheeks making it more evident. Artica leaned into him, touching foreheads. Their feelings flutter for a bit, happy to finally do so openly.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The Black was busy putting away materials used during class when she noticed Levina was still in her seat, staring out the window. Even though Malik had insisted on giving her a thorough breakdown of the current situation regarding the Asgardian National Football team, she had barely acknowledged his ramblings, preferring to stay silent. Artica had a vague idea why but decided to leave her undisturbed. Levina was probably not in the mood to deal with her anyway.

“Congratulations on your relationship, Miss Reynirdóttir,” the Blue suddenly said, turning to her.

What a perfectly awkward way to start this terribly awkward conversation.

“Are you angry, my lady?”

"I am discouraged, yes, that all my efforts led nowhere," Levina replied. "Yet I knew the challenges. I knew you were around."

Artica gave her a lopsided smile. "Pardon?"

"Neither of you saw it, it seems, but I did. Mister Sannfridsson did too, I believe. A premonition of deeper affection, if anything."

The Black let out a nervous cough, unsure of what to say. Levina always spoke in an elaborate manner, everything going through Artica’s head sounded silly in comparison.

“True, I didn’t think much of it when I befriended him. Even so, I wouldn’t say your efforts led nowhere, my lady. Feelings are unfixed little bastards, but they make your heart stronger.”

“Stronger? Why would that be?”

Artica took Malik’s seat, staring at the whiteboard. “Well, sometimes we feel attracted to people who have less-than-desirable aspects. Maybe they are self-centered, or lack confidence, or are just physically unattractive. Our heart grows stronger when we can see beyond that and appreciate them as a whole, rather than the sum of the individual aspects.”

“You do know you are implying we learn to ignore negative aspects?”

“Ignoring them doesn’t make your heart stronger. Understanding them does. After you do, the feeling changes. It may go from reproach to sympathy, for example. Besides, you speak as if your actions had no impact, but you helped the kid from up north feel less like an outsider by going to the Street Market, and the theater, and the arcade.”

“No, you are mistaken; he suggested the arcade. I am not particularly proficient at such activities, you see, and found it rather underwhelming.”

The Black nodded. “In any case, your feelings had an impact on him, even if not the desired one.”

“How would he know? I never said them out loud, and there is no point now.”

“A poet (1) once wrote that ‘unsaid sentences do not mean unfelt emotions’. If you choose to state those feelings, I’ve no issue. If you’d rather keep them to yourself, they’re still valid.”

Levina let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose with both annoyance and contemplation. “Either way, that is two Academy years that I will not get back in that sense.”

“Hmm, I don’t know, my lady. I feel like I’m having a premonition right now,” Artica replied, picking up her things. She waved goodbye as she passed the senior at the door.

‘What is the hold up, Levina? Are we not going to the theater?’ Vaike signed, a little concerned.

‘Yes. My apologies. I got held up by an unfixed little bastard. Shall we go?’

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

"Can I ask for a favor?"

"Always."

"Would you consider…" Fenrir began, brushing her bangs away. "...not covering your face this time?"

"I don't… want to embarass-"

He stopped her by joining their foreheads. "We promised, right?"

She closed her eyes. "Yes, to be kinder to ourselves…"

"Then please don't say, or think, you’re embarrassing. You’re not, and I don’t think that, in any way."

"W-will do."

"Thank you," Fenrir leaned close and kissed her right on the scarred cheek. His golden gaze was fixed on hers. "I just really like to see your face brighten up when we go to the hunting gear shop, y’know?"

Later, on their way home, he noticed Artica’s hands were quite cold, trembling slightly even though she was wearing both a sweater and a scarf. Since there was no wind blowing on the train platform, Fenrir took off his fur-trimmed coat and slid it on her shoulders. She turned around with concern, which he immediately dismissed.

“The north gets way colder at this time of year, okay? It’s fine.”

Artica took off her gray hand-knitted scarf and wrapped it around his neck, before wrapping her arms around him as well. “This’ll have to do until the train arrives.”

Fenrir hugged her back with a kiss, and both shamelessly hoped it was delayed.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

"This is my partner, Artica," the boy said, carefully curating his words, tone, and body language. "I would appreciate it if you gave her a warm welcome to the city manor of the Northern Wolf."

XXXX and his four staff members side-eyed each other. Some were mildly surprised; some were deeply annoyed. Eleven uneventful years had passed where no outsider had set foot in their manors without previous, carefully calculated planning.

XXXX had never considered the whiny, sad child under his care to be of interest to someone, much less enter a formal relationship with them. Sure, they'd seen the girl here and there, but considering her appearance, it was difficult to imagine why the boy would want her around.

In any case, she was a small bump in XXXX's overarching plan. As long as she witnessed nothing that would make her complain to other, more dangerous parties, there should be no issues. After all, the boy didn't expect anything from them, so there was nothing to mess up.

Just a few more months to go until their scheme was complete. Largely ignoring her, just like they had largely ignored him for over a decade, would be a walk in the park.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“May I ask something personal, sir?”

“You don’t need to call me ‘sir’, my lady. My own name is more than enough.”

“There is no need for you to use formal language with me either… Sannfrid,” Karianne said, a little nervous. Even though she and Bud had been partners for over a year, being alone with his father had been a rare occurrence.

They managed to squeeze in a small celebration in Rúri’s schedule, between her Coming of Age ceremony and a well-deserved vacation. Karianne came over to help Bud take some of the decorations to the Viking Tiger city manor and found herself drinking coffee with Sannfrid while the older twin changed clothes.

“If it is not too nosy of me, would you tell me how you met Artica’s parents?”

The man scratched his chin. “Huh, what an unusual question…”

Karianne said nothing, sipping her coffee in silence.

“After deciding to adopt, I went to every workshop, read every book, and volunteered for every activity the Adoption Center had to offer. I memorized everything, determined to give this baby boy the best life possible from day 1… but by day 3, I felt miserable.”

Sannfrid stared melancholically into his cup.

“Whenever he was not nursing, he was crying. I think Bud went to sleep out of exhaustion, not actual need. Even I knew that was unhealthy, but I just couldn’t figure it out…! So, on day 3, we went to the park. I was sitting by the lake (he was still wailing in his stroller), thinking if maybe it’d been a mistake; dreading that I’d deluded myself into believing I was actually a good choice for the kid, when I saw a couple walking by. The man had a sleeping baby drooling over his shoulder, just a few months older than my own… I swallowed all my pride, walked up to them and asked ‘How’d you do that?’”

The girl with magenta eyes raised her eyebrows.

“You can imagine the puzzled look on Reynir’s face,” Sannfrid laughed. “Embla didn’t even say anything, she just went over to the stroller and removed a few of the million blankets I wrapped around Bud. He immediately started to calm down. I was stupefied. They later explained this was their third child, so they had it more or less figured out… To answer your question, I met them because I had a baby boy, and I didn’t know how to take care of him.”

“I did not expect that to be the answer. Somehow, I thought you knew each other from before.”

“Not really, no. I’ve seen them around, as we lived in the same part of town, but never really talked to them until that day. And well, after that, we spoke every day! With time, we even took turns babysitting the kids, and the family of two that I had hoped for expanded to seven in the blink of an eye.”

Karianne smiled. “Was it hard to manage them?”

“Bud and Artica? Yeah, absolute gremlins those two. He stole her toys, she gulped down his food, they both got jealous when we picked the other up,” the man sighed. “It was only after they started going to school that they sorta calmed down, and stuck together more… Is there a reason you ask?”

“Ah… When Syd told us about his brother, I could not help wondering what kind of life that boy had lived until now. Sometimes, my mind (and my gaze) would wander towards him, asking myself what his family life was like,” she explained with a hand gesture. “Over the next few months, it became clear that part of it was right there in class with me. Then I had the chance to meet the rest of you and well… I am just grateful.”

Sannfrid put his hand on hers. “I’m grateful too; all I ever wanted was for him to be happy. I think that so far, we’re all helping him do just that.”

When Bud entered the room, both his partner and his father seemed to rub a tear away before facing him with a bright smile.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Last summer was great. For the first time in his life, Fenrir had friends to enjoy it with, and thoroughly invested every second of his break having fun with them. He had hoped this summer would be even better, now that he had somehow managed to get a partner.

They’d done all kinds of things, and visited all kinds of places, both in group and by themselves. They even managed to buy tickets to the concert they were looking forward to! The three hours in line had been definitely worth it.

This, however, was his favorite part of the day: taking a nap.

Fenrir woke up first, and immediately wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth. In front of him, Artica was facing his way, asleep. Her right hand was on his left, and he couldn’t help giving it a soft squeeze. One of her eyes half-opened, shining bright in the dark.

“Hm? Did I oversleep again?” she asked drowsily.

“No, but it’s around the time you wanted to wake up.”

Artica rolled to the left, right into his arms. “A shame, I wouldn’t mind staying like this a little longer…”

He wouldn’t mind staying like this forever. Fenrir hugged her tight, taking in the fruity perfume. After all, since they had started dating, he noticed he slept better during their naps than at night, by himself. For understandable reasons, Artica didn’t spend whole nights with him (yet), but when she did decide to leave late, he knew he would rest better without fail.

He sheepishly wondered if this is how his parents felt when they were dating.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

"What is it?"

"N-nightmare. Can I s-sleep here tonight?"

"No," the man replied at once, his hand on the door handle. "Stop being so needy."

The child wasn't crying, but his eyes were already irritated. "There was a bear… Papa’s and Mam-"

"I don't care. Go back to your room."

He didn't move from the spot, tears now running down his cheeks. "Please."

"Did I fucking stutter, boy? No. I can’t believe they left such a whiny boy behind. Not very good parents at all."

“Not true! They w-were the bestest!” the child cried back, sniffing loudly.

“They either taught you to be strong, or weak. Which is it?”

Confused and hurt, the child returned to his bedroom without another word. That was the last time he ever asked his guardian for any kind of support.

Many years ago, just a month after turning six.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Another endless argument with XXXX regarding some stupid shit that neither truly cared about. Holed up in his room, Fenrir expected it to be one of those nights where he would pretend to be dead and forget everything and everyone, listening to music above the recommended volume level in the dark. It was a miracle, honestly, that he heard the knocking on the glass door.

Artica was outside with an aggravated look on her face. “Is everything okay? Are you okay?”

“What are you doing here?”

“I’d just thought I’d return the books you lent me, but I heard the yelling, I was worried… Are you okay?”

Fenrir didn’t have the strength to pretend. “No, I’m not. I-”

He choked on his words.

“I feel so miserable and powerless, like it’s always raining on me… I miss the mountains, where I could find peace, even if I was unwanted at that house too,” Fenrir was on the verge of tears. “I'm not by myself anymore, so why do I feel so alone?”

Artica put her bag down and embraced him with a caring, gentle hug.  “It’s alright. I’m here with you. You aren’t alone."

They stayed like that for a while. She rubbed his back gently, wishing nothing more than the wisdom to help him. “Would you come with me?”

“Where to?”

“You'll see when we get there. Why don’t you bring your music player? Oh, and a blanket. It’ll be really cold at this time of night.”

Not sure what was going on, but hungry from someone’s attention, Fenrir did as she asked. They left quietly and started a thirty-minute walk into the woods. Artica held his hand the whole time, guiding him through the wilderness he hadn’t explored yet. Before Fenrir realized it, they reached the summit of one of the nearby hills; there was a clearing with a spectacular view of the sky. And what a view, with an electric green flowing gently into the night.

“Beautiful, right?” Artica said, inviting him to sit next to her. “I know they're common enough, but there's something about the Norðrljós (2)…”

Fenrir sat down, staring at the sky. She pulled the blanket out of her bag and covered them both, then huddled close to him. Artica rested her head on his shoulder. “I hope that, at the very least, you find some peace and company here…”

Fenrir leaned his head on hers, feeling a little better. Like a wound which was still open but had stopped bleeding. He took out his music player and offered her an earphone.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Okay, he’d done this before, so it shouldn’t be a problem, right? Still, as the new Karate Captain, Bud could’ve done him a solid and gotten someone else for this. Fenrir eyed the Year 2 student he was supposed to have the exhibition match against.

His name was Mime, from the House of the Singing Eagle, and was in the same two clubs as Syd: Music and Karate. He had pale orange hair and deep red eyes, but despite those harmless looks, Fenrir had noticed it was quite difficult to anticipate his moves. He was not particularly confident in winning this match.

Right now, though, he had other concerns, like the untamable lock of hair on his forehead that never stayed put! It was taking forever for it to grow long enough to be combed back with the rest of his hair, and Fenrir was running out of options to keep it back. That was, until a voice spoke right behind him.

“You really need to get a headband or something,” Artica observed, fiddling with the end of her braid.

“Oh! I thought you were still in the Archery exhibition... Yeah, I should, but it’s no use now.”

“I wrapped up as quickly as I could,” she said, finally pulling something out of it and reaching towards him to pin the lock neatly against the rest of his hair with a bobby pin. “There.”

Their faces were so close, he could feel the warmth of her body. A whistle rang in their ears, indicating the end of the first exhibition match, and this tiny moment of intimacy.

“I’ll get going.”

“No, wait!” Fenrir said, grabbing her hand. “Can I… Can I have a good luck kiss?”

“You don’t need good luck,” Artica replied before leaning in smoothly. “But you can have the kiss anyway.”

Bud gave them a moment before clearing his throat. “Alright, alright, that’s plenty of luck from you. Move along.”

As Artica was walking away, she bumped into someone coming into the changing rooms. It was one of the fencing members; specifically, the one that always wore a green handkerchief on their arm during matches.

“My apologies, my l- Rú-?!”

The older twin had barely turned around when Artica got snatched into the changing room. The door slammed shut loudly.

“You can tell absolutely NO ONE. Is that understood?” the Blue said the moment Artica opened her mouth.

The Black was taken aback. “Wha-? Why not?”

“I do not wish others to know this truth, and that should be enough to do as I ask.”

“But you’re the Green Knight!”

“The what now?”

“The Green Knight!” Artica repeated, pointing at the handkerchief. “The mysterious fencing club member that never removes their headgear during matches!”

“Now you know why. Please.”

The Black nodded, somewhat startled to remember that no matter how long you’ve been friends with someone, there is always a side of them that is unknown to you.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

"Congratulations! You are going to be a father!" Karianne announced, and almost everyone at the table struggled to not spit their drinks.

Bud frowned slightly at the other’s reaction. His partner brought a box from the next room and presented it to him with a smile. After removing the lid, Bud picked up its contents

"Oh, thank the gods it is a kitten," Syd said, still a little pale.

"Of course it is a kitten, dear, what are you even saying," Karianne replied with a dismissive gesture.

"I knew it was; K's been talking about this for weeks. I'm guessing Dad finally confirmed he's not allergic?"

"Certainly, darling. I would never make a move before ensuring his safety and consent."

Rúri, immediately smitten with the creature, extended one finger to rub its tiny head. "Does it have a name?"

Bud and Karianne looked at each other. She spoke first. "It is not my kitten, so I only have a suggestion."

The older twin, perfectly aware she usually gave food-related names to everything, felt the need to ask. "Yes?"

"'Espresso'! As he is small and black."

Her purebred competition horse was called 'Mac n' Cheese Kariannesson the Third', so this was an improvement. Bud nodded. "I’ll take that into consideration, K. Thanks for the little guy. Would you take a pic of us?"

Karianne grabbed her camera and immediately obliged. The resulting polaroid showed him carrying what looked like a black hole, as the kitten showed no recognizable features besides its bright eyes.

Bud stared at the picture and suddenly remembered reading an article about pigments and coatings. "I'm gonna call you Vanta (3)."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“You’re being so mysterious about this gift!” she said, covering her eyes. “Waiting for everyone else to leave and all that.”

Artica heard him open the cardboard cylinder Vaito brought with him to the birthday lunch and then presumably unfurl its contents to set them on the table.

“Okay, you can open your eyes now.”

There were two things in front of her; one was a small, dark purple box, and the other a poster-sized, coat of arms-styled illustration of a massive stag facing forward atop of a rocky hill, with the night sky behind it, and a bright full moon strategically positioned between its antlers. Artica was speechless.

He then opened the box and showed her the content; a thin, silver choker in the shape of antlers.

“Fenrir… this is too much.”

“Too much what, exactly?” he asked, a little startled. “You don’t like them?”

“I do like them. I love’em! But it’s… too much for me…” Artica replied, fidgeting with the corner of the poster. “Anything simple would’ve been fine, I’m a sim-”

“Yeah, I know, you always say that… but I wanted to get stuff that was beyond things you like, something that is meaningful to you. Stags seem to be it, yes? So, a choker, which reflects the majesty of their antlers, and a custom coat of arms, that showcases their strength. Both qualities you share with them, in my humble, unbiased opinion.”

Sheepishly, the Black went to him and hugged him tight. “Thank you. I really do love’em.”

She then turned around and pointed to the poster. “What about the moon, though?”

“What about it?”

“Why? Isn’t heraldry super intentional, with all bits contributing to an overall meaning or reference?”

Fenrir cupped her cheeks with his hands. “It represents your big, beautiful, bright, silver eyes; they are like the full moon on a clear, winter night.”

"Wow, that was a very cool answer. You nobles always know what to say."

He remembered the first time she said that to him and couldn't help smiling. So much had happened since, and yet, Fenrir hoped it was just the beginning. After a few moments of gazing into each other’s eyes, they kissed.

Embla, who was watching TV with Reynir in the living room chuckled lightly. “Woah, he pulled that one off really well.”

“I know, right? Even I felt flattered, and he wasn’t talking about my silver eyes.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Her therapist had been thoroughly impressed during their latest session, when Artica reached out and petted the dog’s head for a bit. It had been a medium-sized one, though, unlike who she was petting now.

"Who would've thought a wolf would help me get over my fear of dogs?" Artica said while scratching Ging's chin.

Fenrir froze on the spot, the color drained from his face. "Wh-what did you just say?"

"Oh, c'mon, did you really think I believed he was a Saarloos Wolfdog?"

He made several non-descriptive hand gestures, but said nothing. Artica let Ging rest his head on her shoulder.

"I've gone hunting with Pa and B since I was a kid. You really thought I couldn't tell?"

"I- Well, you never said anything."

"The day I met him, I told you he looked one-of-a-kind… You casually shrugged it off."

Fenrir nodded vaguely. "I didn't say he was a dog that time, just that it was unlikely there was a dog like him in Central Asgard…"

Artica gave him that one. "In any case, if he really was your pet, you'd be a terrible dog owner."

"What? Why?"

"He has exactly one bowl, and for water only. You don't feed him or walk him."

"Of course I don't, he's a wolf! Ging doesn't need any of that from me."

"My point exactly," Artica replied, victorious.

After a while, they returned to Artica’s house for lunch. As she was sweeping, the Black raised her voice. “Hey, Fenrir?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you really not want to do anything else on your birthday besides the Coming of Age ceremony?”

The Blue, who was washing the dishes, spoke without turning to her. “Uhh, I dunno… Why? Do you have something in mind?”

“No, not really, but I mean, if you want, we can put something together. It doesn’t have to be very elaborate. At what time is the thing at the Palace?”

“Around noon, I think? I have yet to hear more from them.”

“How about a small dinner, then?” Bud interrupted, coming back from taking out the trash. “Artica can do her famous baby back pork ribs.”

Fenrir immediately turned around at the sound of that. “You can?”

She raised her eyebrows, a hint of pink in her cheeks. “If you want, yeah. They’re nothing special, though, so don’t think it’s a super fancy recipe or something.”

“But it’s good.”

“Yeah?”

“Very,” replied Bud with a cocky smile. “Meat falls right off the bone.”

Fenrir’s mouth started watering. He turned to her. “Would… Would you cook that, if we have a small dinner for my birthday?”

Artica didn’t have a reason to decline, but the puppy eyes he gave her would’ve been too powerful to even try. “Yeah, no problem! I’ll get everything going while you are at the Ceremony-”

“What? No, you’re coming too. I didn’t tell you?”

“NO?”

“Traditionally, there must be at least two Heads of House present who agree one is worthy of the title-”

Bud snorted. “And you’ve got three. Piece of cake.”

“No- I mean, I don’t know. A very humble request was extended to the Viking Tiger, Celestial Horses, and Guarding Swan, but I completely understand if they decline.”

Artica gave the twin a look when he snorted again.

“And as the Lord-to-be, I am allowed to bring one or two guests to the Ceremony so I would be really, really happy if you would attend.”

Puppy eyes again. Artica seemed all troubled, and for a moment, Fenrir thought she would just say no, but the concern that came out of her mouth was regarding an entirely different matter.

“Shit, I don’t have anything to wear to an event with the fucking Princess of Asgard!” she muttered, frowning.

Embla, who had been folding clean laundry in the living room, entered the kitchen a few minutes later. “We couldn’t help overhearing. Don’t worry about that, sweetheart. I know just the person to ask.”

As she said that, Reynir handed her the phone, from which a voice was speaking. “Yes, Mother?”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“What are you dressed as?”

They shared a smirk.

“I am the Big Bad Wolf,” Fenrir answered, adjusting the ears on his head.

“And I am the Huntress,” Artica added, turning around to show her bow strapped to her back.

“That is quite clever. You are just missing a Red Riding Hood,” Rúri said with an impressed look on her face.

“Oh, we have one,” the Black said, nudging him to pull back his fur-trimmed coat and show a small hand-knitted doll strapped to his belt.

“Did you four manage to get all the costumes you wanted for the Vetrnaetr carnival (4)?”

“OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!” an imperative voice ordered as Karianne appeared round the corner wearing a deep red dress with elaborated heart patterns on the shoulders and sleeves. The twins were right behind her, arguing about something.

“No. We had them made for the occasion,” Rúri answered, adjusting the cat ears on the bright purple wig. She was blinking more often than usual. “These contact lenses, though, I cannot seem to get used to them.”

Her usually blue eyes now showed electric pink. It was easier to appreciate the Alice in Wonderland theme they were sporting once Syd (March Hare), Bud (Mad Hatter), and Karianne (Queen of Hearts) finally met up with them.

“Onwards, dear subjects, to the sign-up table first, and then the ale stalls!” Karianne indicated to her friends.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“As you know, your graduation ceremony will take place at the end of the school year, during the morning. It will include a speech, and the delivery of your graduation diplomas. Besides your school uniform and the commemorative pin (design is not final), there are no other dress code requirements.”

Their overseer cleared their throat before continuing.

“In the evening, the masquerade will honor and celebrate your achievements in these past three years. Just as the ceremony, it will be held in the Academy’s Great Hall. This event requires formal clothing (those of you considering dresses should keep the length no shorter than your knees). Dinner will be s-“

A hand shot up, preventing her from moving on.

“Yes?”

“Professor, you described it as a ‘masquerade’. Would you please explain further?”

“Ah, it seems I was about to skip that. Thank you, Heimrik. Yes, it is tradition for the graduates to wear a half-mask that covers the upper portion of their faces. Those of you with a family crest, your masks are to represent the sigil in the coat of arms. For the rest of you, you are free to choose a symbol from Asgardian culture and/or wildlife, as long as it does not overlap with one of your classmates’ family crests.”

“Does that mean we have cat privileges?” Bud whispered into his brother’s ear. The younger twin repressed a laugh.

“Please make sure to fill out the survey you were given at the start of today’s meeting by the end of the week, so we can send in the order for the half-masks as soon as possible.”

Once again, Heimrik’s hand shot up. “Professor, are we allowed to invite non-Academy students to the masquerade and, if so, do they require a half-mask as well?”

“Yes, you may invite one person who is not a graduate nor an Academy student, and yes, they do. In your survey, you will find a checkbox option for ‘external guests’. A more generic, but still tasteful mask will be crafted for them.”

The meeting continued with a deep dive on food, decoration, and music, among other topics. Overall, it seemed graduation day was going to be quite the event.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Ever since she won the tournament, Artica’s popularity has understandably increased.

At the Academy, she had been selected as the new Archery Captain, and students felt the need to high-five her frequently, chanting ‘Silver-Eyed Hawk’ whenever they spotted her in the halls. Even as they wandered around the city, people would randomly walk up to them and ask for a few words.

This had boosted Artica’s confidence greatly. Fenrir was happy for her, truly, but couldn’t help feeling annoyed at the frequent interruptions. The Street Market was probably the most tedious of all places, with so many people packed in the same narrow streets. Some even had the gall to flirt with her, even though their helix piercings were clearly visible!

“They only talk to you because of the tournament, you know?” Fenrir said after she politely turned down the most recent of those attempts.

“Excuse me?”

“You know it’s true. Before, they wouldn’t even give you a second glance.”

“What?”

“What! It’s the truth! People have fancies like that!”

“What’s wrong with you?” she asked, visibly irritated.

Even though her hands had curled into fists, Artica just took a deep breath and started walking towards the plaza, where they would meet up with their friends. Fenrir followed her closely, both now exchanging heated words and escalating the matter, to the point where people around them started staring, intrigued by the lover's quarrel.

“I don’t even understand why you’re suddenly bothered by this. Are you jealous?”

“No! And it's not sudden! We can’t have peace and quiet anywhere now! You think I like being stared at all the time?”

Artica stopped dead in her tracks. His words flew right at her like a dagger and landed between her shoulder blades.

Fenrir didn’t even notice; his train of thought was somewhere else. “Obviously not!”

“That’s a lot of shit to say for someone who spends all their fucking time at someone else’s house!” she spat angrily, turning around. “Can’t even have some peace and quiet in my own home!”

That dagger lodged itself in Fenrir’s heart and was the only thing that prevented him from saying anything else.

“Hey, hey, that is enough,” Syd suddenly intervened, pulling Artica’s arm. Neither had noticed they’d reached the plaza, nor that their friends had heard most of their exchange.

“I’m outta here,” Fenrir declared, pulling the hood of his fur-trimmed coat over his head and walking away.

She too departed soon after, politely declining Rúri’s invitation to come with them to a nearby coffee shop.

“I have never heard her like that,” Karianne said, twenty minutes later, sipping her tea. “Arguing, I mean. I have seen her angry, but never arguing.”

“That’s because Artica dislikes arguing,” Bud replied. His black coffee remained untouched. “She’d rather return to the subject later with her head cool but whatever sparked that hit her too close to home, I guess.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Artica collapsed on her bed, covering her face with a pillow. “Obviously, even Fenrir’s fed up with it. I’m the one stuck with this scar for the rest of my life. Why did I think it wasn’t going to be an issue?”

Just a twenty-minute walk away, Fenrir was sitting alone in his room, all curtains closed, and listening to music in the dark at a higher volume than recommended.

“I am jealous; I should've just admitted it. Why can’t I think before I speak like a normal person? And… She’s right, I’m always invading someone else’s home because I don’t have one.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Pa.”

Reynir already knew something was wrong because Artica returned earlier than expected, and immediately went to her room without saying a word. However, this was his third child, and he’d already learned the hard way that it was better to wait for her to come to him, rather than asking questions at the wrong time.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Do you prefer how I looked before the bite?”

“There’s nothing wrong with how you look now. I don’t miss your face without the scar.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “I do.”

You try getting your face bitten the week before joining the single, most pompous academic institution in Asgard, at sixteen! Polar had yelled over the phone when he tried to ease her worries.

Of all the things that hung over his teenage daughter's head, this was the one he disliked the most. There was no easy way to fix it, physically or emotionally, and sometimes the only thing that felt right was holding her in his arms and gently rubbing her back.

"Sweetheart. Whatever happened today will pass, okay? And while it does, we'll be right here with you."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Class was uncomfortable as hell.

This year they ended up all in the same row, which was great, but right now, Syd wished his seat was not exactly between Fenrir and Artica. They weren't hostile or snappy at each other, like Bud and Karianne occasionally were, but it felt just as bad.

It was gloomy, awkward, and quiet; like sitting between two tombstones. During lunch, Fenrir would go elsewhere while Artica ate with the rest in complete silence. After speaking with them individually, it was clear they were not actually angry at each other, but deeply aggravated, and too embarrassed to talk about it.

“Just apologize, if you believe it’s necessary,” Bud had told her.

“Of course it’s necessary! I said something horrible to him! I just… don’t want to argue again.”

“Then don’t. Apologize for what you said, and if he starts to argue, tell’im what you used to tell me. ‘We can’t have a conversation in that tone. Come find me when you’re ready to talk’. It always worked.”

Artica hugged him close, thankful for his support.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“What if I fucked up real bad?”

“I think we both know that is a given in this case,” Syd replied. “However, no matter what you have done, an apology is always the first step to sort matters out.”

“I was talking about other people, you know? About how they’re fair-weather friends because she’s the current tournament winner… but it came out wrong, as usual. After replaying it in my head, I realized it sounded like I was talking about her…”

“Then tell her that. Apologize, and explain yourself. I am sure she is eager to understand, and to resolve this.”

“Thanks for hearing me out,” Fenrir said, bumping Syd’s shoulder with his fist.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry You don't know how lovely you are I had to find you Tell you I need you Tell you I set you apart (5)

The concert was packed, as expected. Everyone was singing along with the band, raising their colorful lights in the air in what looked like a sky full of stars.

Even though they’d bought tickets with seats, none of them were there. Both Artica and Fenrir were walking around, trying to find the other. He replayed his apology in his head over and over, trying to make sure he didn't miss anything. She rearranged her words every few minutes, frequently worrying it was not enough to convey the full extent of how sorry she felt.

Tell me your secrets And ask me your questions Oh, let's go back to the start

Eventually, they found each other. He had the gray scarf wrapped around his neck, while she had the hoodie’s arms around hers. They thought the same thing: ‘If this is it, I should return this, and if it's not, I want them to remember how much they mean to me.’

Nobody said it was easy It's such a shame for us to part Nobody said it was easy No one ever said it would be this hard

The music, the crowd, the lights. Everything suddenly went silent, and only they existed in the world. Those few seconds felt like entire centuries, and without fully realizing it, they ran to embrace each other. Tears ran down their faces as their gazes met.

Artica spoke first. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for getting mad and not paying attention to what you were trying to say."

“I’m sorry because I always blurt things out right away, and can’t take a moment to make it clear,” he replied, holding her tight. “I didn’t mean that about you. I was an asshole.”

“I didn’t mean my words either. I know why your house is not your home, and I’m sorry for being an asshole.”

They joined their foreheads, quietly sobbing in relief.

“You know I don’t mind your scar, right? That time I said it was one of my favorite things about you, I meant that. I still do.”

Artica leaned into his hand as he cupped her left cheek, closing her eyes.

“Thanks for saying that…” she paused, and then opened her eyes again. “We all gladly welcome you in our home, anytime, because now it’s yours too, no matter what happens between us.”

Fenrir let himself shed a few more tears. “Thanks for saying that, and for letting me into your home. It’s the first one I’ve ever had.”

Tell me you love me Come back and haunt me Oh, and I rush to the start

The rest of the concert was exactly what they hoped it would be; a wonderful, enjoyable time with their kjæreste.

 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(1) Tyler Knott Gregson

(2) “Northern Lights” in Icelandic.

(3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vantablack

(4) Vetrnaetr: “Winter nights”. The end of the harvest season (end of October), which meant that it was time to use the meat of the farm animals and start hunting. It’s also a night to reflect and honour ancestors, as well as the goddess Hela. The veil between the worlds is thinner during this night. https://winternightsfestival.com/about-vetrnaetr/

(5) The Scientist, by Coldplay

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

Asgard Academy

Picrew

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

Asgard Academy

General

Context

Character profiles

General tag

AO3

Chapters

Year 1

Part I

Part II

Part III

Part IV

Year 2

Part I

Part II

Part III

Year 3

Part I

Part II

Epilogue

Final Part

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

Asgard Academy

Year 2: Part III

[ Index ]

xxxxxxxxx

Complete, unadulterated perplexity.

That’s what Fenrir felt after following Artica to her house’s tiny backyard and hearing everyone yell ‘Happy birthday!’ at the top of their lungs. Confetti flew here and there while the smell of homemade venison pot roast with gravy filled the air. There was even a small pile of packages on the table. Were those gifts? For him? Now that was unheard of.

“Wh-? You didn't have to. I-”

“It is not about having to, honey, it is about wanting to,” Rúri interrupted, putting a headpiece with wolf ears on him, followed by a silly and colorful conical party hat. Everyone else was wearing bunny ears, including Artica’s parents.

“Thank you. This is my first birthday party in a very long time…”

The food was delicious, the gifts were amazing, and the company was heartwarming. It was perfect from top to bottom, and Fenrir was truly grateful for their kindness. Just after blowing out the candles, Karianne got everyone in position for a picture.

The scene immortalized in a polaroid showed Bud pushing Fenrir’s face into the homemade cake while keeping Artica away with his other hand. In the background, Syd restrained Rúri to prevent her from choking the older twin.

Truly, picture perfect.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Everyone quieted down when the co-captains cleared their throats. The girl spoke first.

“The School Board has made a decision on who will be sponsored for the Archery Tournament.”

Several eyes drifted to the only Black, who was fidgeting with one of her handmade arrows.

“Congratulations are due to Miss Reynirdóttir, who will represent the Academy in the upcoming tournament.”

There was a general agreement and a few congratulatory words, but the other co-captain sensed something was off, and couldn’t help asking. “Is there something on your mind?”

Artica had a helpless smile on her face. “I am deeply honored that the School Board selected me, but…”

The fact that there could be a ‘but’ bewildered everyone in the club.

“I signed up as an independent participant the moment the inscription was open and can no longer modify it.”

The co-captains eyed each other. Was this girl insane? Why in the Nine Realms would she be that rash, when the School Board had already given the date for their announcement? Everyone, including her, had worked hard during the examinations, so how was this possible?

“I am unable to represent the Academy, but there is no shortage of skilled archers in this club. I have no doubt the runner-up is ready for this challenge.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“You declined?”

“Go ahead, say it. P, Pa, and Bud already chewed me out for it yesterday.”

Fenrir looked at her with a confused expression. “I’m in no position to do that, but I don't get it. I thought that is what you were aiming for since the start of the school year.”

“It was, until our visit to the Viking Tiger family manor.”

“Oh?”

“Lady Tilda provided me with top-of-the-line equipment, bow included, and the Academy would do the same… yet it feels awkward. Those aren't my arrows, nor my armguard, and certainly not my bow. I realize it sounds childish, but it's just uncomfortable.”

Fenrir finished the last of his greasy burger and took a sip from his drink. “What did former tournament winner Boreal say?”

“That if he won with an armguard that fell apart mid-shot, a cracked leather chestguard, and a bow as old as balls, I’d be fine,” Artica replied with a laugh.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Sitting on the bench under the large tree in the southern gardens, the air felt heavy with tension. Malik tightened and relaxed his fists several times before finally standing up all of a sudden and facing him. It was better to settle this now, because every passing day, he felt himself falling behind more and more. After all, his latest invitations had been promptly declined.

“My lord, the truth is I find you attractive, and would like to formally ask you on a date.”

Fenrir didn’t move but blinked twice at his words. He smiled curtly. “I cannot say I understand how you find me attractive.”

Malik tightened his lips, sensing the answer already.

“I must refuse, but I thank you for your consideration. You flatter me.”

In many ways, he already knew Fenrir would say that. His curiosity, however, got the better of him. “Is it because of me, or something else?”

“Pardon?”

“Do you refuse because it is me who asks, or is there another reason?”

The golden eyes widened a bit, and there was a tiny hint of blush on Fenrir’s cheeks. “Oh. I, uh, happen to be interested in someone else… Accepting your invitation knowing I would be half-hearted about it would be disrespectful.”

“I understand, my lord. Thank you for your honesty.”

Of course. Bet it was that someone else, no doubt. Malik let out a sigh, feeling somewhat relieved despite it all. He knew he’d been a dick a few times in the past, and worried that would stir Fenrir away from him, yet it seemed it was the same old obstacle he couldn’t overcome that had finally beaten him.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Artica moved the cat toy from left to right, at the expense of an exhausted Thelonious. “I invited him to the music pub.”

Rúri started mixing more enthusiastically. “Oh? Good choice! Sweetie, did you hear that?”

“Hair down, loose skirt, and stockings (height is your choice)!” Karianne yelled from the other room, busy writing down notes for their culinary presentation. “We already discussed this back at the girls’ night. You have this one in the bag.”

The Black smiled as the memory came back to her.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Why did you not tell him yesterday? You were alone in his room, and there was a guarantee of no interruptions.”

“The meeting. Y’know how much he overthinks everything. I was afraid he'd just fixate on that and not discuss whatever it was he needed to ask your parents."

"Very thoughtful of you, but also a waste of such ideal circumstances," Karianne said. She was wrapped like a burrito in a fluffy, green blanket.

Rúri was busy stroking Syd's beautiful white cat, Giada. She purred tenderly on the blonde's lap. "Then why did you not tell him afterwards?"

"Chickened out; don't have an excuse for that."

"If I may," Ritva politely intervened. "Based purely on the last few days, during which I’ve seen you interact, he seems to greatly enjoy your company."

Artica gave her a small smile. "We’re very good friends."

"Yes, that is clear, but when you asked if he was going to finish his chocolate mousse last night, he looked like he was going to melt."

"What? Do tell us more, honey!" Karianne requested, unrolling herself from her blanket. "I have to sit on the other side of the table, I miss all the good stuff!"

"Miss Reynirdóttir gave him these big doe eyes… asking for the rest of his dessert. To be fair, I would’ve given you mine too."

Artica let out an embarrassed, awkward laugh. "Oh… but it was so delicious! I just- and he said it was okay!"

"Of course he said that! What kind of asshole would decline? But considering his sweet tooth…"

Rúri shoved a handful of snacks in her mouth, thoughtful. "I think you should just go ahead, dear. You get along so well, it feels like a natural development… and you are his favorite, after all."

“His what?”

There was an awkward silence. Rúri went suddenly blank, but Karianne was giving her the stare which meant she had to clarify right now. “W-well, is it not the truth? He teams up with you whenever possible, you frequently share food and other items, and usually turns to you for help…”

“That’s non-specific to being romantically interested. That’s just a normal friendship.”

Karianne sat on the bed with her legs crossed, supporting her chin on her hand. “Sweetie, you are close friends with Bud too. Actually, you two are best friends, and it feels entirely different. I am confident my darling and you share at least one brain cell, but with Fenrir? No, it is not the same.”

Artica let out a sigh before gently collapsing over a pillow. “I feel so silly. You’re right. I should’ve just spilled it out and been done with it, regardless of whether I think he’s interested or not.”

“No, no, there is no rush either. Per your hobby, I believe you agree there is such a thing as ‘thrill of the hunt’, yes?”

She laughed, nodding at her words. Rúri passed the snack bowl with a smile. “It is settled, then. There is a Northern Wolf out there. Happy hunting!”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Karianne found him sitting outside one of the greenhouses. “Bud said you would like to speak to me in private?”

“Yes. I hope to not take too much of your time.”

“Do not be silly, honey, it is no trouble. How may I help you?”

Fenrir’s gaze focused on the fountain across the courtyard. “I’m going to hang out with someone I’m interested in, but I have… questions. A different perspective would be helpful.”

The girl with black curls crossed one leg over the other. “In case it gets physical? Or what exactly are we talking about?”

“Yeah… I mean, not that that’s the only thing on my mind!” he quickly clarified. “I just don’t wanna make a fool out of myself, doing something inappropriate. Bud said that, sometimes, something physical happens before you actually say the thing.”

“He is speaking from experience.”

Fenrir said nothing.

“Do you know how to kiss?”

“No.”

“Would you like me to teach you?”

Fenrir knew Karianne was just teasing him, but somehow felt a new need to clarify. “I would rather not, my lady. Should someone hear about it, I see no way to justify it to your partner, or… the person I'm interested in.”

Her magenta eyes fixed on him like a hawk on its next prey. “If I asked who this person is, would you answer me honestly?”

“Would you keep that knowledge between us?”

“Yes.”

“Then yes.”

She laid her hands on her lap in a patient gesture. “Who is it?”

Fenrir was blushing so hard, even the tips of his ears were scarlet. Karianne repressed a squeal of victory when the name she was expecting came right out of his mouth. Hearing him finally say it out loud was so satisfying.

“Well, would you look at that~! And yes, it would be difficult to explain if I gave you practical lessons… so I will try to be as clear as possible with words only.”

"Bud tried and-"

"That fool would not be able to explain the delicate art of kissing if his life depended on it."

Fenrir lowered his gaze. "Maybe I wouldn't understand either way."

"Oh, sweetie, that is not what I mean. You two are too different, just like Artica and I are also different. Kissing is not just about your mouth. It is about intimacy, closing the gap between one heart and another…"

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

They had slowly closed the gap between them with each passing song and were now right next to each other, knees touching lightly. Artica sheepishly side-eyed Fenrir, still in disbelief over how different he looked wearing a sweater over a button shirt instead of his usual hoodies. Fenrir couldn’t believe his luck either; it was uncommon for Artica to wear her hair down, but boy, it looked so good on her...!

They noticed each other’s gaze. Fenrir, trying to remember Karianne's tips, leaned a bit in her direction and for a moment, it seemed to him she was doing the same.

Artica was more than ready for this, her chest tight with anticipation. That was, until the next band started playing. The singer's voice stung her like a poisoned knife, and she immediately turned to the stage.

It was her, no doubt about it. Long, dark hair, and big, bright eyes, singing with such spark, the whole venue was hooked. Artica was too stunned to take her eyes off the singer, and for the rest of their performance, didn’t dare move. However, the song cover played by the last band kickstarted some courage back into her, and as they were exiting the pub, she turned to him.

"Hey, Fenrir, the truth is I really li-"

But then she heard it. That melodious laugh that used to be around her all day long. A few paces behind him stood a girl with glass earrings Artica would recognize anywhere. Her eyes darted from the singer to Fenrir several times, her heart broken all over again.

"Yes…?"

The last of her courage disappeared. "I, uh… I like the live music here! Very trendy, right?"

Fenrir gave her a small nod. Even if he didn’t know what she was going to say, he could tell that was not it. "Yeah, the bands that played today were neat."

It was clear something was bothering her, yet he was unable to ease the tension. In silence, they walked to the train station, and when Fenrir passed the gates, Artica did not follow.

He tilted his head. "Is something wrong?"

Artica wanted to nod but shook her head. "I just remembered I need to pick something up from a friend of Ma's."

"I understand," Fenrir said, but his tone hinted otherwise. He shuffled around his bag and pulled out a cat-shaped mint chocolate. Artica's favorite. "Here, for the walk home."

She took the treat, unsure on how to feel about it. "Thanks. I'll see you on Monday."

"Yeah, and…" he gave her a half smile. "Sorry if I… made you uncomfortable."

"What?"

Fenrir was already walking towards the platform and did not look back. She felt a sting in her chest. Now that was great; making him feel it was his fault the night ended with a low note. Artica started her way back home full of self-reproach.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“You almost had it!” Syd encouraged her with a sympathetic smile.

Rúri sipped her tea quietly. “May I ask why this girl…?”

Artica gave them a short explanation, realizing she had never really told them the whole thing.

“Dear, you are stretching yourself thin,” the blonde said after a while. “You want to reach out for Fenrir, but your other hand is still clinging to this girl. If nothing else will come of it, you must let her go.”

The other two stared at her in silence, impressed by her eloquence. Syd rubbed Artica’s arm gently. “She is right. You should move forward, even if you feel the same thing might happen.”

Rúri offered her the fruit tartlet. “No, you must trust it will be different this time. Every time.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

"I think you might be overreacting."

"No, you don't understand. I leaned in as you suggested, but she didn’t turn, or shake her head. She flinched away from me!"

Fenrir covered his face, mortified. Karianne squeezed his hand sympathetically, wishing she had talked to Artica beforehand. "Maybe she just chickened out, you know?"

"Maybe I should just drop it. I would rather let these feelings rot inside me than ruin our friendship."

"Coward."

Fenrir turned to her with a bewildered expression, but Karianne only narrowed her eyes.

"You are the one chickening out! One single negative instance, regardless of the many positive ones, has you like this? Truly, I thought better of you."

He tightened his lips, equal parts annoyed and ashamed. "It’s easy for you to say! You’re outgoing, charming, and popular! I'm not like that. I'm awkward, clueless, and hopeless. I cannot afford to lose the only friends I barely managed to make."

"Who was your first friend?"

"She was! You know that! She asked, explicitly, to be my friend! And I wouldn't have talked to you, or the others, if it wasn't for her."

Karianne let out a deep sigh. She lightly combed his hair with her fingers. "Fenrir, you are overthinking one little thing, and that will get you nowhere. Have you ever considered she might do the same? Fret over what she has said to you, or done in your presence? Worry you might think she is embarrassing?"

"She is not, it irks me when she says that."

The girl with magenta eyes smiled. "Look, let's make a deal. You already tried to approach her once, and it did not go as you expected. Try one more time, and if she explicitly does not feel the same, then that is that. You may continue with your friendship and let those feelings dry inside of you. The point here is that one attempt is not enough. Have some courage and try again."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Vaito stared at the piece of paper, trying to understand the messy handwriting. He gave up almost immediately. ‘I can’t read this. You want Sis to do what?’

The Blue let out a sigh, aware his handwriting was not, and would probably never be, aesthetically pleasing. ‘Remember the banner she made for your first match? Something like that, but smaller.’

‘Hm… Is this aside from the one Bud requested?’

Fuck Bud, Fenrir thought. ‘Yeah, whatever he asked for, that’s got nothing to do with me. I want…’

It took a while for Vaito to write all the details down, but he nonchalantly asked for payment upfront. ‘Sis needs to buy all the materials to start working.’

Fenrir didn’t mind and added a little extra. ‘No word of this to anyone, please. Only your sister and you will know about it.’

‘Why? Is it a surprise?’ Fenrir gave Vaito a look congratulating him for stating the obvious. ‘Of course, full privacy. Promise.’

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Conversation over lunch was lively while they discussed their winter break vacations. The treasure hunt, the paintball fights, the pijama party, the ice skating over the frozen lake, and so much more. It was only when a soft thunk echoed that they suddenly went quiet. Artica had been silently sliding off to the side until she finally bumped into the wall, asleep.

“Oh… She’s been hitting extra practice sessions after school and club activities for several weeks now…” Bud explained quietly. “It seems it’s finally catching up with her.”

“What time is it?”

“13:21.”

“Good, she can still rest until the next class period,” Rúri said, gently nudging her shoulder. “Sweetie, come with me. I know where you will be more comfortable.”

Artica went along groggily, not particularly aware of what was happening. Fenrir tried to go with them, but the blonde raised her hand to stop him. “It is alright, dear. I will just drop her off. You can go get her before class.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

He walked in quietly, trying to make no noise. The Academy was known for covering students' every need, and that included a place to rest if they felt unwell, or simply tired. Fenrir noticed there was only one person there. Gently, he nudged her shoulder.

"Artica," he whispered. "Lunch time is almost over."

She stirred a bit but became fully alert after recognizing his voice. Artica desperately tried to rub the sleepiness out of her eyes. "Thanks for waking me up."

"No problem," Fenrir answered, taking a deep breath. "I have something for you."

She felt a sudden rush but did her best to ignore it. It didn’t help that they were alone, in a dimly lit room. He pulled a box out of his jacket and handed it to her. Artica opened her eyes wide after reading the brand on the lid. It contained a pair of gloves; the pair of tan-colored, three-fingered, deerskin shooting gloves they had seen that time in the Upper Market.

"Are they really for me?"

"Yes, I…" Fenrir gently squeezed her arm, not knowing how to say what he really wanted to say. "I know it’s not about the gear, but I figured it might be more comfortable for you…"

Her heart was aching terribly. Artica ended up hugging him. "Thanks, I love… them. I will treasure these gloves forever."

Just like I treasure you. Her heart ached even more, ashamed those words did not dare leave her.

Fenrir returned the hug with one arm. One phrase, that is all he had to say to free himself from that sting in his chest.

You are dear to me and I'm sorry I'm not brave enough to say it out loud yet.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The two siblings took a deep breath.

“This brings back memories,” the young man said, looking at the competitors doing last-minute checks on their gear.

“Remind me, how old were you at that time?” the woman with cream-colored earmuffs asked. “Seventeen too?”

“Almost eighteen; that year it got delayed a few months.”

“Really? Time flies! You know, it is not fair to the other competitors, but I am hoping the cup will come home once again.”

He had to laugh. “Don’t let him hear you say that, he takes this event too seriously.”

“Yes, but he is also terribly obvious. I am hoping we can…” she was saying, but a sudden push from behind cut her off. As she turned around, an Academy student was already bowing in her direction. The woman could tell it was an Academy student because he followed etiquette without skipping a beat.

“Apologies, my lady,” he said in an eloquent tone. It caught her attention that he was wearing an awfully familiar scarf. “Have I hurt you?”

“Not at all, my lord, all is well,” she answered with a short bow.

“We need to hurry, it’s about to start!”

The student side-eyed the person who called out to him. He gave them a final nod and went off to join a group of loud teenagers in the stands.

The man sighed. “Well, I guess we should head back too.”

“Yes, let us go to our seats. I am sure we will be able to talk after the tournament is over.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Alright. Syd you take this end, please, and I’ll get the other one,” Bud was saying, handing him one pole of the banner he had commissioned from Aalu. There was a small collective gasp as they unfurled it to reveal a stunning illustration of a dark bird with penetrating bright eyes on a light green background. Unlike the banner Aalu made for her brother, this one had no text on it.

“‘Silver-eyed Hawk’, of course,” Levina's voice said nearby. “She will be greatly pleased.”

Fenrir noticed she was right next to Vaike, Vaike's sister, and a graduate he knew by sight but not by name. Their corner was packed with other familiar faces from the Academy as well. Asgrim, Heimrik, and some junior Blacks, seniors who seemed more interested in chatting than the tournament itself, and even teachers enjoying their day off.

Bud noticed a couple waving from the other side of the field, pointing excitedly at the banner.

“Wow, Embla and Reynir got some pretty neat seats! Is it because their daughter is competing?” Fenrir asked, surprised.

“Indeed! Look, they are rather close to the area Father is sitting at!” Karianne added.

Bud side-eyed them with a smile. “Nah. They got those seats because…-”

“There she is!” Rúri interrupted, pointing towards the center of the field, where many other people were getting in line.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Artica eyed the other competitors curiously.

Several were wearing what was basically a uniform; matching gear and clothing with this or that badge. The student selected to represent the Academy, the male co-captain, was no different, a navy blue outfit with the school’s coat of arms on his back, and on his hat. It was a great look.

Artica herself was wearing a white long-sleeved blouse and jeans, both in a tight fit. Her boots reached just under her knees, and were the same worn, black leather as her chestguard and armguard. The quiver Bud gave her for her birthday hung from her belt, and Fenrir’s precious gift was already on her hands. It was not a homogeneous look, with the mismatching bits and pieces, but this was what felt more comfortable to her.

A blond tournament officer with cheerful green eyes took a step forward and reached for the microphone on the podium.

“Welcome to the annual Archery Tournament that seeks to strengthen the bonds between our Kingdom and the Asgardian Principality! We thank Crown Princess Freyja, from the Winged Crown, and Crown Prince Adalhar, from the Illustrious Fox, for joining us today!”

Both royals stood from their privileged seats and waved at the cheering crowd. Teenage Freyja looked rather short next to Adalhar, who was already past his mid-twenties.

“To all the spectators, thank you for your support, and we hope you enjoy today’s magnificent skill display!” the man continued, ecstatic. “To all the competitors, glory is within your reach! May your arrows strike true for victory!”

The crowd cheered again, and it was only then that Artica noticed the large banner on the far side of the field. She recognized those right under it and was flattered to see other familiar faces cheering when her name was mentioned. Even the former Archery Captain was there!

As everyone took their place, Artica did a few stretches.

"Nervous?"

She turned to the blond man with green eyes, smiling. "A bit, a bit, but it's nice to see a familiar face here on the field. And you?"

"I have been a tournament officer for over ten years now, so this is business as usual to me, but I am excited to finally see you in the Asgardian line-up! Do your best. Whether that results in winning the event or not, it is unimportant.”

They waved goodbye to each other as the horn for the first round blasted loudly.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Shit.

Shit. Shit. Shit. SHIT.

How could she miss that moving target? She hunted moving targets for sport, this was fucking ridiculous! Even the crowd gasped in disbelief as her arrow flew off center and hit a tree.

So far, every time an archer missed a shot that would grant them the points to move forward, they were eliminated from the board. The foreign archer that had been keeping up with her didn’t miss and was now ahead. They were the last two.

Shit.

Artica was biting her lower lip, frustrated. With only one shot left, there was no way to gain that point back. Ugh! How could she miss that moving target!

She turned around at the gentle tap on her shoulder. The foreign archer gave her a small nod. “You are skilled, Asgardian. I was hoping for someone like you to show up today.”

“Thank you. You are quite skilled yourself. I guess I will be the first to congratulate you on your victory.”

“No, I have not won anything yet, and I would like it to be more interesting than this. Would you be up for a trick shot?”

The Black raised an eyebrow. There was indeed a clause somewhere in the tournament rules that allowed deviations in shot types, and for some reason, whoever wrote that clause thought it would be entertaining to allow trick shots as well, if the finalists both agreed on it.

She knew a few trick shots; after all, that was really riled crowds up. The thing was, she didn’t know this archer’s trick shots, and that was the key to everything. As they were not required to perform the same trick, the complexity of what they chose to do was what truly defined how many points it was worth. Artica needed at least 2 to win, but she could tell this archer had some ridiculously cool trick in mind, otherwise they wouldn’t have suggested this in the first place.

Nodding to herself, she narrowed her eyes and gave them her best smile. “Let’s do this.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

She eyed the change of plans with curiosity. “Well, what an interesting development. What do you think this trick shot is even about, Crown Prince Adalhar?”

Her foreign counterpart eyed his own pamphlet, an eyebrow raised. “It is interesting indeed, Crown Princess Freyja. You Asgardians are full of surprises, I know that well, so I am eager to wait and see."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The tournament officer looked at the contents of the paper bag, unconvinced. “Are you sure?”

“I have no choice; it has to be that one. Don’t have the equipment for something more elaborate, and if I nail it, it would be like a 5+ point combo, right?”

“If you nail it, yes…”

“You don’t think I can?”

“It is not that. I just wish it had not come to this. Trick shots are, well, tricky! The archer from my Kingdom might have something even more extravagant up their sleeve. I cannot help thinking that after they said you could go first.”

“We’re about to find out. Put the stuff on the tray and on my signal, yeet it into the air.”

The blond man emptied the paper bag. He pushed his glasses up as he sighed. “Ready.”

“On my mark. 1… 2… 3!

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

A thousand eyes widened as the arrow pierced all the items and then lodged itself into the very center of the middle target at the back of the field.

The young man was shaking his sister in disbelief.

“No. Fucking. Way! She nailed it! SHE NAILED THE-!”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“FRUIT. SALAD. SANDWICH!” the foreign archer said, laughing out loud between every word as they twirled the arrow in their hands. It caught a piece of bread, an apple, a peach, a banana, and another piece of bread (in that order) in midair. The fletching prevented the items from sliding off, so everything arrived safely at the target destination.

“This is so ridiculous, I love it!” the archer cackled in delight.

The tournament officer politely asked him to proceed with their own trick shot, but they declined.

“No, thank you. I do not want to make a fool out of myself trying to top this fucking FRUIT SALAD SANDWICH.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“… and finally, the winner of this year’s Archery Tournament is Artica Reynirdóttir, from the Asgardian Principality!” the officer announced with a big smile, giving the participant next to him the metal cup. The locals in the crowd cheered when she held it up for all to see, but a specific corner full of teenagers went wild.

Artica came down the stage, and was surrounded at once by a reporter, two photographers, and Crown Princess Freyja, who wanted to personally congratulate her on that preposterous win. However, after a few minutes, the blond man gently touched her shoulder.

“May I have a final word?”

“Sure, Ka- Officer,” Artica replied, excusing herself and following him into the tent used by the event organizers. She almost dropped the cup in surprise. “What are you guys doing here!”

“Hey, lil’ sis!” Boreal greeted her with a tight hug, lifting her off the ground for a moment. “You’ve grown up so much, you finally made your own Sandwich! Formally graduated from Hawkling to the new Silver-eyed Hawk!”

When he let her go, Polar pinched her cheeks gleefully. “As expected, you snatched that cup right out of foreign hands! We can guard it at home once more!”

The blond man put his hand on his chest, shocked. “Darling! How can you say such a thing!”

“No, no, sweetie, do not give me that look! I know you were cheering for her too!” she said, wagging her finger.

“No point denying it, Kalervo, you’re a man that wears his heart on his sleeve, and it was truly with me,” Artica said with a big smile, squeezing his arm.

“Well, what can I say…”

Boreal then noticed what she was wearing, and quickly grabbed her hand. “Wow! Where’d you get these gloves? They’re amazing!”

His younger sister gave him an awkward smile. “Oh, they were a gift from a classmate.”

“From that one?” Polar asked, peeking out the tent and pointing at the silver-haired boy that bumped into her earlier that day.

“Y-yeah. How’d you know that, P?”

The older sister turned around with a seemingly innocent smile. “Well, he is wearing the hand-knit scarf I made you.”

That was the second time Artica almost dropped her hard-earned cup. Her face turned scarlet.

“I-I-I can explain!” she squealed, realizing it was not entirely true. She knew why he had the scarf, but not why he was wearing it.

The three adults gave her mischievous grins. “No need, lil’ sis. You are at that age, after all.”

“Oh, shut up!”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“My older siblings, Polar and Boreal, and Polar’s husband, Lord Kalervo,” she introduced.

“Delighted to make your acquaintance, my lady, my lords” Syd replied, immediately bowing and kissing Polar’s hand. Karianne, Rúri, and Fenrir also gave them a short bow.

“A fine group of Asgard Academy students, I see,” Boreal said with an approving smile. “Except that one.”

Bud made a mocking gesture while hugging Polar. The other girls and Syd enthusiastically bombarded Kalervo with questions about the Neighboring Kingdom, which he answered at once, delighted in their interest. Artica handed Fenrir her cup and showed her where her and Boreal’s name were engraved, several years apart.

The siblings couldn’t help asking. “Are they dating?”

Bud was not surprised. “Not yet, but I’m pretty sure that’s how it’s gonna turn out.”

“No? They look pretty close to me already,” Polar said, taking note of the boy's body language.

“They’re at that awkward impasse where you sort of know it's mutual but still need to gather the courage to say it out loud. And he’s a challenge by himself."

“You’re going to have to explain that one further, because they look this close,” Boreal made a pinching gesture. “To kissing.”

“Fenrir was homeschooled until he was sixteen and struggles to understand other people’s nuances. He also seems oblivious to his own unintentional nuance.”

“Examples?”

“At the beginning of Year 1, Fenrir asked her if they could talk alone more often. He apparently meant it to avoid people from staring at a Blue and a Black mingling, but I mean, c’mon.”

Neither sibling spoke. Bud rubbed his chin, trying to remember.

“A girl from another class invited him to the Street Market; her intentions were clear. Fenrir went to that, and later that same day, invited Artica to go to the same place a week later. He apparently didn’t perceive either as a date. There was also that time he....”

“So what you’re saying is that he’s an idiot?” Boreal asked with an unimpressed look.

“No! I mean, not that kind of idiot. A little clueless, I guess. Artica seems to have a good grasp of whatever he says, though.”

“And little sis doesn’t want to expect something that might not be there,” Polar replied with a thoughtful expression.

“It is there, they’re just being really stupid about it.”

“She does like him, then?”

“Yeah, a lot.”

“Very well,” she said, and called the younger sister over. “Hey, we are going out for dinner to celebrate your victory! Why not invite your friend to join us? He is the one that comes over often, yes? Mother mentioned him.”

Artica was blushing slightly before approaching but went full scarlet at Polar’s words. She saw Kalervo enthusiastically strike up a conversation with Fenrir from the corner of her eye. “Thank you. I’ll ask him. Just…”

“Yes?”

“If he decides to come… don’t tease him, please. Fenrir’s very self-conscious, if you truly want him to have a good time, then cut him some slack and… try to smooth out any awkwardness.”

They gave her a nod as she returned to Fenrir and Kalervo. The siblings looked at Bud, who gave them a smirk. “See?”

“That was indeed very… thoughtful of her,” Boreal whispered.

Polar looked at her husband and the two teenagers beside him. “He is dear to her; I can see that. In my book, another person looking out for Artica is always welcomed.”

Bud nodded. “You know, back when she still had to wear the eyepatch, a Blue was talking shit about her in front of everyone. Fenrir called him out on it. I don’t think they were friends at the time, and Artica wasn’t even there to witness it, but I could already see there was something connecting them.”

“My heart,” she said with a hand gesture. “Do you think he can take me pinching his cheeks?”

“We already promised," Boreal reminded her with a laugh. "No teasing.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir suddenly stopped just outside the entrance. “Wait! Wait.”

Artica turned around to see him remove the hand-knitted gray scarf and neatly fold it onto her hands. “Here. I went to your house this morning to check if you needed help, and to give this back, because it was really windy, but there was no one home, and then it got chilly in the field so I kinda… Sorry. I should’ve just…”

“Thanks!” was all she said, wrapping it around her neck the second it was in her hands. “So warm! C'mon, let’s go inside.”

The boy remained frozen on the spot.

“Hm? Everything alright?”

“Is it really not a problem for me to be here?” he asked, clearly nervous. “You haven’t seen them in a while, I wouldn’t want to…”

“Not at all, and even if something does come up, I will make it my business to ensure it is not a problem for you,” she replied with a solemn face, but broke into a smile a moment later. “Fenrir, it really isn’t. Today’s a special day and I’m super happy you decided to celebrate with me!”

He looked into her eyes and calmed down a bit. Artica never offered him empty words, only honest ones. It would be disrespectful to second guess her. “Thank you… for inviting me.”

Fenrir followed her to the table. Her parents, siblings, brother-in-law, Sannfrid, and Bud had already taken their seats. The restaurant was a small, cozy place in the south part of the city, and the table was on the terrace, with a fantastic view of the clear night sky.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The conversation had changed subjects so many times, it was starting to seem hopeless to take part in it. Fenrir’s eyes were darting back and forth, trying to keep up, when he noticed Polar was looking at him.

“Everything well, my lord?”

“Yes. I’m good. Please feel free to drop the formal language with me, my lady. I prefer it, to be honest.”

“Oh, I am aware. Mother and Father have told us a great deal about you.”

“They have?” Fenrir echoed nervously.

Her husband turned to him as well, smiling. “Certainly, my lord! One of Artica’s Blue friends at the Academy. You even gave her a hand that time with the dog, is that not so?”

“Yeah… It was a coincidence, though, I’m sure Bud would’ve gotten there before something happened.”

Kalervo smiled again. “You seem like a good lad. Your parents must be very proud!”

Fenrir didn’t reply, as Artica handed him the menu and started discussing the desserts. He couldn’t help laughing at how she insisted on getting the chocolate mousse.

“Little sis, have you decided what you would like for your eighteenth birthday?”

“Please accept our invitation! Come to my Kingdom, and I will make sure you see every corner of it!”

“Kalervo, it would be just after I start Year 3…”

The man sighed. “A few days should not be too bad? At least consider it after you graduate…!”

“And you, young man? What will you do?”

“Just receive the title at the Palace and call it a day, I guess...” Fenrir answered absently.

The awkward silence made him look up from the menu. Both Polar and Kalervo seemed deeply aggravated.

“I am… very sorry to hear that, my lord,” she said in a soft whisper. “I was not aware, my apologies…”

It took Fenrir a moment to understand Polar’s reaction, and it also became clear Artica hadn’t discussed the subject with her family. Syd (possibly Bud), Karianne, and Rúri knew likely because their parents told them about the accident, so he was grateful for Artica's discretion.

“It is what it is, my lady. No need to avoid the simple truth.”

His words made the situation even more awkward. Neither Kalervo or the sisters knew what to reply, and Fenrir himself had nothing else to say. It was the third sibling, who’d been casually eavesdropping, that saved the day.

“What do you mean, ‘wolves in Northern Asgard’? That’s bullshit, Dad.”

Reynir, vaguely aware of what Boreal was doing, cleared his throat. “Right? A fantasy, nothing more.”

Artica immediately noticed the spasm in Fenrir’s right eye as he took an angry sip from his ale. “How many times do I have to teach you this lesson, old man!”

And that was that. The conversation got lively again, and this time, everyone felt comfortable taking part in it.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

A sudden bump shook the table. Artica let out a deep sigh while rubbing her knee before noticing everyone was staring at her. “S-sorry, it caught me off guard.”

A stray dog walked out from under the table sniffing around for scraps. Even though they were all surprised, nobody said anything. Considering the mere sight of a dog used to cause her anxiety attacks, Artica's reaction was very casual.

Polar noticed the subtle, reassuring nod Fenrir gave her. Almost too subtle. It was meant only for her, about something only they shared. The conversation started up once more, and Kalervo took the opportunity to lean into his wife and whisper.

“He is holding her hand,” he said, squeezing hers.

“I know,” Polar whispered back with a big smile on her face. “I can tell.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Artica stood by the tree, annoyed from top to bottom.

Why did this douchebag start again with his note-leaving bullshit to meet after school? She was already planning her polite, dry replies, so she could hurry back home. After all, today was the day, no more excuses. They were all going to the Walpurgisnacht (1) festival and before anything else, she was going to look Fenrir straight in the eye and tell him how she felt. If he declined, then that was that, and if he accepted, it was gonna be a hell of a night!

When she heard shuffling behind her, Artica turned around with exasperation. Fenrir had a minor heart attack after seeing such a scary expression on her face but felt relieved to see it soften right away. He was already nervous; it would not end well if Artica was angry (whether at him or someone else).

“Hey…! I’m glad you could come…!”

She felt her chest tighten. This was not what she thought was going to happen. Why did he leave a note to meet here in the school gardens, of all places? Why not her house, or the place by the creek? And what was he holding behind his back? Artica couldn’t keep her mind from flooding with endless scenarios.

“H-Hey…! What a surprise! I didn’t think the note was from you.”

Fenrir suddenly realized that, unlike him, she had already experienced situations like this. Why wouldn't she, being a normal teenager who could grasp other’s feelings so naturally?

His hands started to shake at the possibility of looking like a fool and wished he’d thought about that beforehand, but he was so tired of thinking everything beforehand. He just wanted to say this one thing on his own terms and hope for the best. Fenrir pulled his hand from behind his back, carefully holding what he brought.

“Artica, I… I wanted to…”

She opened her eyes wide. “Is that… a Winter Rose?”

“Y-yeah, I brought you one from…”

“…the bush under your Lady Mother’s window?” Artica interrupted, with a shaky tone. She could not, would not, believe what was happening. “F-for me?”

“I… brought it because…” Fenrir came closer, right in front of her. He stared at the flower, shuffling words in his head. Because what? You know what, so just say it!

He knew his feelings were true; he’d definitely thought about them, and her, as often as the day allowed. He’d prepared for the worst-case scenario time and time again, considering himself unworthy of a victorious outcome. Fenrir was okay with it, or at least he thought he was, but didn’t want to keep it hidden. Just this once, he felt it needed to be said.

Artica waited in silence, awfully aware of their slight height difference. He looked nervous and mortified, like her, and it was all suddenly clear. The thing she was convinced could not be, truly was.

“Fenrir, could it be that you… like me?” she asked in a high-pitched tone, her heart beating faster every second.

He froze, anxious. This was it. Fenrir took a deep breath and prayed for Ging to give him strength. “I do like you, a lot, and I understand if you do not feel the same way.”

Artica felt like slapping him. “You don’t understand, clearly, because I do feel the same way.”

A deep shade of red took over their faces as they stared at each other in silence. Artica took his hands in hers and gave them a meaningful squeeze.

“Do you truly like the girl who looks like a scar-faced goblin?”

“I really hate that phrase. Your scar is one of my favorite things about you,” Fenrir replied, gently touching it. Self-doubt got to him too, and he avoided her gaze.

“Do you truly like… the awkward kid from up north?”

Artica cupped his cheek in a reassuring gesture and made him look into her silver eyes. There was a sparkle in them he had never seen before.

“I do. I dream of him being happy back in the mountains, not feeling awkward ever again.”

He hugged her tight and whispered. “Would you like to go out with me?”

“I would really like that, yes.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Bud looked terribly disappointed. “I can’t believe you said that.”

“What! Isn’t it the mature thing to say?” he spat back, somewhat annoyed. “One can’t assume other people’s feelings!”

“Fenrir, sweetie, I know this is sort of new for you,” Karianne interrupted. “But it was obvious to everyone you had a crush on each other.”

His heart sank. “What? Truly?”

“Painfully,” Syd agreed. “Sometimes, it felt like a third person was going to have to intervene and explain it to you.”

“So, you just watched us clown around for months without saying anything? Couldn’t spare a little help?” Artica asked, outraged. There was a pale blue rose pinned to her braid.

“Bud did help me out a few times,” Fenrir thought out loud. “I didn’t always see it, though.”

The older twin felt everyone’s gaze on him and refused to acknowledge it. “I didn’t intervene.”

“You better not have, after pestering us to not do it either!” Karianne warned with her finger.

Artica grabbed him by the shoulders. “Clowning around! For months! You knew the whole time!”

He finally looked at her with a cheeky smile. “Like I said, I didn’t intervene… but I did nudge some things along. Like the Dísablót carnival.”

She let him go, her face crimson with realization. Rúri did not fail to notice this. “Oh? And what happened during the carnival, besides the general chaos caused by the thunderstorm?”

Artica covered her face. “Nothing!”

They stared at Fenrir, who could only give them a silly smile as answer.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

They’d been talking for hours; before, during, and after the festival. They laid together on the bed in the room next to Fenrir’s, on top of a million pillows, staring endlessly.

He wasn’t sure when it happened, but he knew it definitely happened. Slowly, he learned to read the expressions of her asymmetrical face, to wait for her cheerful calls, to yearn for the warmth of her touch. He couldn't claim to be as direct as Bud, or as charming as Syd, but somehow, he too learned how to love someone.

She didn’t remember thinking about it before, but she definitely thought about it now. Slowly, she noticed how gently he had always spoken to her (no matter the situation), how attentive he seemed to her voice, how caring was the warmth in his touch. She knew she wasn’t as eye-catching as Karianne, or as endearing as Rúri, but somehow, she relearned how to love someone.

Artica reached for his face with one hand, engulfed by his golden eyes. They almost seemed to shine in the dark. Fenrir grabbed her hand and pressed it gently against his cheek.

“I can’t find a way to describe it… I can only be thankful that somehow, these feelings managed to reach you.”

“I am so glad… that these feelings inside me reached you too. You are so dear to me, so precious, that being liked back is a blessing...”

“I didn’t think I would experience it at all, given… everything… but you‘re precious to me too. My precious best friend, first friend. First love.”

He moved a little closer, and his heart skipped a beat when Artica closed the gap between them. Their noses were almost touching.

“Would it be okay if I gave you a kiss?” she asked, blushing a deeper shade of red than before.

Fenrir gave her a shy smile and closed his eyes when he felt her lips on his. It was not cheeky or provocative, just a gentle kiss, connecting two souls in one gesture. He felt himself blushing too.

"Do you like cuddling?"

Fenrir was taken aback. "I don't… know…"

It suddenly occurred to Artica that, since he hadn't had a partner before, and the people he lived with were distant and cold, his parents were probably the last to cuddle him. Many, many winters ago.

She moved closer. "Cuddling is mostly holding one another close, embracing. Would you like to try it?"

At his nod, Artica gently slid her arm around him, letting him rest his head on her clavicle. "We don't have to sleep like this, just so you know. You can move whenever you want."

Fenrir didn't want to, ever. He realized how starved for touch he'd been for so long, and truly did not want to part from a gentle embrace like that ever again. His own arm wrapped around her and gave a gentle squeeze.

“Kjæreste (2),” Artica said in a sleepy tone.

“Kjæreste,” Fenrir repeated dreamily.

‘Kjæreste’, echoed in their hearts.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

She woke up and looked out the window. It was pitch black. “Oh, shit.”

At some point, she slept face up, and Fenrir curled up next to her. Artica got off the bed and started to gather her things as quietly as possible. He still stirred after sensing the lack of warmth at his side.

“It’s a little late. I’m going home before Ma starts worrying.”

She kissed his cheek, and Fenrir immediately reached for her hand. He got up, still struggling to remember what year it was. “I’ll walk you home.”

“Don’t worry about it, go back to sleep.”

“Are you crazy? I can think of at least five people who would choke me on sight if the day we got together, I let you walk home alone while I slept. Just… gimme a moment.”

Outside of her house they shared one last embrace, and with a sheepish smile, Fenrir kissed her cheek.

“Good night, I’ll see you on Monday.”

“Oh, no, I’d like to see you tomorrow,” Artica whispered, and that’s how it started.

 XXXXXXXXXXXXX

(1) Associated with the god Frey and goddess Freya. Celebration of love, fertility and the coming of Spring.

(2) “Dearest”, in Norwegian.

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

Asgard Academy

Year 1: Part I

[ Index ]

xxxxxxxxxWhat a horrible morning.

The sky was clear, and the breeze was fresh, but everything else ruined it. Being forced to move to Central Asgard was already tough, yet knowing that the vibe at ‘home’, both here and in his previous location, did not improve weighed heavy in his heart.

The boy walked slowly, observing his new environment with contempt. It was so loud, all the time. Cars, people, children, machines, trains. He could even hear a dog barking its head off in the distance. Everything seemed to follow a rhythm he couldn’t understand. Everyone seemed to know what to do and where to do it. Not that he was any different, but he never had a choice, only a schedule.

Today, he was going to the Academy to sort the final paperwork before the start of the school year.

Lost in thought, he realized the barking was now quite close. Just when he was about to turn, something caught his eye. A large, short-haired dog was angrily snarling and barking at a few trash cans, moving left and right to prevent whatever it was harassing from escaping. The boy walked a little closer only to realize there was someone there. The girl seemed to be around his age, with her long hair tied in a braid. Her arms were in front of her face, and every muscle in her body seemed to be trembling.

He tightened his lips, unsure of what to do. This was a complete stranger, and he was new in town. Newcomers usually didn’t do well in situations like these. After a deep sigh, he walked with confidence, almost dominance, toward the dog. The animal noticed him at once, but instead of making him the new target of his aggression, began to take steps back. It finally turned around and left with its tail between its legs. The boy walked back to the trash cans. Without the dog barking, he could actually hear her whimpering.

“Hey, uh… it’s gone now. The dog…” he said, uncomfortable.

She seemed spooked by his voice and lowered her arms immediately. There was a medical patch over her swollen left eye. The girl looked around several times, making sure the dog was really gone. “Wh… Who… are…?”

Out of nowhere, another teenager came running towards them, pushing the boy to the side and crouching in front of her. “Artica! Are you okay? What happened?”

She rubbed her face. “I- A dog came round the corner… I couldn’t… Did you run all the way back looking for me?”

“You can bet your ass I did! Damn it, the one day I have to run an errand and this happens…” he groaned, helping her up. There was something odd about his appearance. Careless, but carefully curated. He finally noticed the boy and narrowed his eyes. “What are you looking at?”

He gave the girl a quick glance before starting to walk away. It was better like this, no need to have some awkward conversation with a stranger.

“W-wait!” she called out from behind the other boy. “Thanks… for helping me out!”

He nodded and went on his way, not giving what just happened another thought. After a while, he finally reached his destination. The Academy’s main building was intimidating by itself, but the whole compound was breathtaking.

Unaware he was being watched, he swallowed hard, and let out a mortified sigh. If only that person had not insisted so much, with such well-intended concern…

“Good morning, Fenrir,” an older girl said with enough grace to make the gods blush. She approached him, her long silvery hair swaying in the gentle breeze.

Fenrir turned around at once. He cleared his throat, feeling very awkward. “Your Royal Highness… Good morning…”

“At school, 'Lady Hilda' is more than enough. Are you ready to start on Monday?”

“Not really, no, but… to repay your kindness, my Lady, I will do my best,” he answered, lowering his eyes.

“Please, think of this as a new adventure. It is marvelous to have you here in Central Asgard.”

Fenrir nodded, not believing himself worthy of her efforts. He was fine back in the mountains. His tutor was an average individual, perfect for the average life outside of town. Going to such a flashy academy in Central Asgard felt unnatural to him, but Princess Hilda had personally insisted on having the son of late Lady Ingrid join this institution. Asgardian nobles should aim for the best education their country can offer, or whatever it was she said to convince his relatives. They didn’t care about him, so any excuse was acceptable to send him away.

“With your leave, I will go check what my schedule is…”

“Certainly, please go ahead,” she replied with a nod. “I hope you have a great day… and do not forget to tuck in your shirt before going inside.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The great hall had been beautifully decorated with colorful banners, each with the heraldry of the many nobles attending the Academy that year. There was also a black one with a special coat of arms, with the Balmung sword, which represented those students who were people of Odin, but not from noble bloodline.

Bud couldn’t help scoffing at the sight of it. “They really do have an ‘everyone else’ banner, I can’t believe Boreal was right.”

“They already gave us different uniforms, I can’t wait to see what other fun distinctions they have,” Artica added with a slightly ticked-off attitude. She tried hard not to care about it, but some aspects of going to the Academy still rubbed her the wrong way.

“I’m sure we’ll find out soon enough,” a redheaded boy said with his arms crossed. “There is some kind of activity scheduled after the ceremony.”

His name was Asgrim, and even though they didn’t know him very well, they’d seen him often at the scholarship study sessions. The three of them took a deep breath when the special guest walked in. Everyone gave her a deep bow as she walked by, while one of her companions cleared his throat.

“Her Royal Highness, Freyja of Asgard.”

The younger princess was still in her third year of junior high school, and would not be attending the Academy just yet, but her sister invited her for introduction purposes. As she took her place near the stage, so did everyone else. The scholarship students were on the left, next to the window, while the nobles filled the rest of the hall. The older princess, soon to be crowned ruler of their country, walked up to the stage and did a short bow.

“Greetings, everyone, and welcome the new school year at Asgard Academy. When I started my studies here two years ago, I noticed many of our traditions seemed out of touch with the world around us, and as the future of Asgard, we must strive to display the best our country can offer. After careful deliberation, changes were made to the junior and senior high school programs…”

There was a small smile on her lips. “That will be duly communicated at the beginning of every term. Even today’s schedule was updated to…”

Bud wasn’t really listening. The gold and green banner right on top of him made his blood boil. And to top it off, he was here too, on the other side of the hall. He’d known beforehand, of course, but having to actually acknowledge it was irritating. Artica, on the other hand, was looking around at all the different banners, wondering who they belonged to. Two noble girls nearby seemed to be doing the same.

“That banner has not been hanged anywhere in a long time,” the one with long, black curly hair said in a low voice. “Not since the…”

“Accident, yes,” a blue-eyed blonde whispered back. “So that heir is here today?”

“Indeed. Judging by the unfamiliar face, it is likely him…”

Artica was not trying to eavesdrop on their conversation but couldn’t help also looking at the student they were staring at. His hair was silver, but the light gave it a blue tone. She side-eyed the boy a few times before nudging Bud with her elbow. “Hey, don’t we know that guy?”

“Who?” he whispered, looking around. “The one with the messy hair?”

“Yeah, he looks familiar somehow…”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“The rules are simple; each of you has ten balls filled with chalk powder. Players marked with someone else’s color are disqualified and need to surrender their balls to whoever marked them. The white uniforms given to you will make it easier to see who has been hit and with what color.”

A hand shot up the moment the man was done talking. “Is there a prize for winning?”

“No, my lord. This activity’s objective is for Year 1 students to have a healthy introductory game, it is not meant as a serious competition.”

“Like hell it isn’t,” Asgrim growled. “The faster you get kicked out, the quicker they’ll start treating you like trash.”

“Are you trash?” Artica asked, looking at her bright green balls.

“Of course not!” he replied with an irritated tone.

“Good, then let’s show those Blues how to play, commoner style,” said Bud with a smirk.

“Wave 1. Ready, go!”

Artica and Bud immediately ran towards a big tree in the corner of the yard. He gave her a push to get her up a branch and then crouched behind the bushes. Artica surveyed the area for a few minutes.

“Alright, I’m taking it off. Can’t aim shit with this stupid patch.”

“Sure, just be careful not to get chalk on your face. It's probably gonna sting.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

In just the first few minutes, several students were taken out. Most of them complained loudly they weren’t here to display themselves in such a tasteless manner and would rather do something else. Hilda paid them no mind. The game was her idea, and what made it truly interesting was to see how those willing to play set up their strategy.

Two scholarship students had set base in a tree on the far side, another was hiding behind the greenhouse. Several nobles had taken refuge next to columns and benches. There was no team that mixed the two groups, which was her main objective, but there would be other opportunities. It also caught her attention that there was one student who was not even hiding, but somehow had not been hit at all.

“Well, now, is that not curious…?”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

After another ten minutes, there were only five students left: three scholarship and two nobles. Up on her branch, Artica carefully aimed towards one of the nobles that had carelessly wandered near their tree. Once ready, Artica stood up and threw one of hers. Her jaw dropped when the noble suddenly turned around and kicked it away in a flash.

“Did you see that? What is up with that guy?”

“I didn’t, sorry, Asgrim’s making a move and I wanna take them both out in one go,” Bud replied, readying two red balls.

Quick as lightning, he aimed and fired, but missed. His targets were pursuing each other around the tree and barely noticed his balls speeding by. A minute later, they ran into the other noble.

“Huh? How come you haven’t been hit?” 

He gave no reply, and effortlessly ducked to evade Asgrim’s throw. At the same time, Bud hit the other noble and Asgrim in the back. A whistle in the distance validated his attack, and they returned to the building. Artica and Bud gave each other a quick look.

“Do we wing it?”

“He’s too quick. Let’s try a pincer and wing it if necessary. I don’t really think he can mind two people at the same time.”

She got down from the branch but did not reposition her eye patch. Bud moved away to nearby bushes. The noble was staring right at their tree with no particular expression. Artica frowned; he had been aware of their location the whole time, yet made no throws. Bud made the signal, and she took her position right behind the tree. They both launched their attacks at the same time, aiming right at the noble. He dodged the red ball and, just like before, gave the green ball a strong kick that sent it flying right where Bud was.

“Shit, he already knows where I moved to,” he whispered.

Bud managed to catch Artica’s eye and made some gestures. She nodded in agreement. At the count of three, they both attacked. Moving quickly and efficiently, shooting without standing around, and hoping for the best. The other student took a step back without even looking at either of them. To her horror, Artica felt a red ball hit her right in the chest. Exactly on the opposite side, Bud received the green ball in his forehead. Another whistle came from the distance.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Bud and Artica were arguing on their way back to the building.

“I can’t believe you missed!”

“I can’t believe you missed! You’re aim is way better than mine!”

They only settled down when they noticed Princess Hilda was waiting for the three of them. Artica clumsily adjusted her eye patch in the right position, while Bud smudged more chalk on her face to hide the clean spot on her forehead.

“Congratulations, Fenrir Ylfingrsson of the House of the Northern Wolf, for remaining unmarked during Wave 1 of this game,” Hilda said with a big smile. “I was not expecting the winner to literally evade all balls and throw none back!"

“I don’t understand the objective of the game,” Fenrir whispered when giving back the ball net.

Bud almost choked when he realized all ten blue balls were still there. Artica was gesturing at it as well, bewildered.

Hilda turned to them. “Bud Sannfridsson and Artica Reynirdóttir, such teamwork! A perfect example of what deep trust on one another can achieve!”

“Thank you for kind words, Lady Hilda,” they both replied with a deep bow.

“Very well, please head back and change into your regular uniforms while Waves 2 and 3 play out. Ms Reynirdóttir, go to the infirmary after that to clean out your wound. Chalk will not help with healing.”

Artica nodded in a nervous manner. She made a note to never let her guard down around Princess Hilda.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

In the Academy, you would be in the same classroom for most subjects (except those which required special equipment, like sciences, home management, and sports), and the teachers would rotate during the day depending on their subject. His seat was located at the back, next to the window, which was a nice way to distract himself. The rest of the class had introduced themselves and there were only two left.

“My name is Artica Reynirdóttir, and I come from the Eastern region. My hobbies are archery and reading,” the girl with the eyepatch said, sitting to his right.

Fenrir stood up and cleared his throat, not really looking at any of his classmates.

“Fenrir Ylfingrsson, from the North,” and sat back down, providing no further details about himself. He found it hard to believe someone would be actually interested in knowing more.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Good,” was the short reply from the Archery Captain.

Artica let out a quiet sigh. She had already performed seven shots, all successful, surely there was no need for more?

“That should be enough.”

“Actually, may I ask for one more?”

Everyone in the club turned to the entrance, where Princess Hilda and another senior student were observing. The tall young man’s hair fell in delicate brown curls, and his elegant demeanor matched the princess perfectly. “Would that be alright?”

“Of course, my lord,” Artica replied. One more Blue making her jump through hoops was not really a surprise.

Without another word, he threw an orange into the air. Instinctively, she aimed and released her arrow. It went right through the fruit and into the very center of the middle target at the back of the field.

The senior walked over to her. “Well, what a surprise! The Silver-Eyed Hawk’s little sister is now in the Academy.”

There were some whispers from other members of the club. He gave her a short bow. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Reynirdóttir. My name is Siegfried Sigurdsson. Your brother was a senior when I joined the Academy, and well known for his archery skills. Seeing you take your test reminded me of that one trick he liked to do in front of newcomers.”

Artica also bowed. “Boreal was always a show-off, my lord, but he did teach me that trick.”

“Only one person took the test for this club?” Hilda asked with curiosity.

“Yes, my Lady,” the Captain replied. “It seems this year’s juniors have other skill sets.”

The princess nodded at the remark, turning to Artica, who held her breath.

“Great work! Congratulations on passing the test, and…” she lowered her voice to the faintest of whispers. “That little hole in your eyepatch might bypass the depth perception issues, but it will not help with the infection in your wound. I strongly recommend you get a new one and come to an arrangement with Dr. Andreas and the Archery Captain.”

“Y-yes, my Lady,” Artica replied, appalled to have let her guard down in Hilda’s presence. “At once.”

Hilda cleared her throat with a smile. “The Archery Tournament will be held in Central Asgard soon. I do hope at least some of you consider taking part in it.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

One sentence, that was usually all he got, but it stung for days, weeks, years. Fenrir's presence was performative, as he was not expected to do much. Talking was definitely not it. And whenever he tried, he was chastised at once.

Or, if they felt petty, he wasn't, but after everyone was gone, Fenrir got lengthy reminders of how much of a burden he was, how little he was like his parents, how no one expected anything from him. In essence, how little he mattered.

Yes, they were too smart to lay a finger on him, knowing that was evidence for any prying eyes. Words, however, only bruised the soul, and there was no one who cared enough about that boy to check there.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

She greeted him with a smile. “Hi! Welcome to the Arch… Hey, it’s you!”

Fenrir scratched his neck, feeling very awkward. After Hilda noticed a week had gone by and he hadn’t joined a club, she encouraged him to visit all of them and pick the one he found more interesting. Fenrir did not feel like joining any, and only came to this club because it seemed no one was around, but that was clearly not the case. 

“Sorry, I do not know what you are talking about, my lady...”

The girl let her arrow fly, missing the center of the target by a few centimeters. “No? Oh… I had a problem with a dog before the start of the school year, and someone helped me out. I thought it might be you…”

Fenrir tried to recall the details of that weekend. “You were… the girl between the trash cans, my lady?”

There was embarrassment all over her face. “When you say it like that, I sound so lame.”

It made sense to him; that braid and eyepatch combo were difficult to encounter. Fenrir briefly eyed her face. The area surrounding her left eye was not as swollen as that day, but the patch made it difficult to estimate how the healing was going. He could not stop himself from asking. “What happened?”

“I was bit by a dog a few days before we met.”

She aimed again, and missed the target by an entire inch, but Fenrir could tell it was not because the eye patch affected her depth perception. 

It was clear why she had been so shaken back then. However, he realized now how inappropriate it was for him to ask. Fenrir wished he had bit his tongue. Now what? Change the subject? Or would it be better to just leave? Damn, it was easier when there was no one to talk to.

She turned around and stretched out her hand. “My name’s Artica. Thanks again for helping me out that day!”

Fenrir met her handshake out of habit, but her welcoming attitude threw him off. It did not feel mocking, yet still felt unnatural to receive. People always seemed to take advantage of all opportunities to look down on him. “I am Fenrir.”

Artica looked at their hands briefly and slowly withdrew hers. “Shit, I forgot that’s not how these students greet others here.”

He frowned at her words, confused. ‘These students’? ‘Here’? Was she an alien?

Artica seemed to notice, and a few sweat drops ran down her face. “I-I’m sorry, that was probably not appropriate either. I’m… not a noble... I’m still getting used to the etiquette requirements. If you can, please disregard this!”

Fenrir finally caught up with the situation. Of course, she did not greet him with a slight bow, and certainly did not use formal language even though they did not know each other. She even shook his hand, like people did back in the mountains. “Don’t worry about it. I struggle with that myself…”

“Your words are kind, my lord” she replied, her tone was different. Fenrir found it less welcoming and, for whatever reason, felt slightly discouraged.

He cleared his throat, uncomfortable once again. “Anyway, I’ll get going… I still need to join a club…”

“Oh! The Karate club is looking for new members, my lord! Someone with your reflexes will surely be welcomed there.”

“My reflexes?”

“Yeah! I haven’t forgotten you beat Bud and me on the first day. My lord.”

Fenrir smiled slightly as he turned around and waved goodbye. “I’ll consider it, thanks.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Bud had packed up and left a while ago, but Artica was still reviewing her notes, comparing them to the textbook. Biology was not her best subject and struggled to make sense of it. Her diagrams had been erased and remade at least three times, but it seemed a fourth was needed. In the middle of it, someone peered over her shoulder.

“You are missing the individuals that carry the gene but are not affected by it.”

Artica turned around so suddenly, the kid from up north jumped back a bit. A quick look at her notes proved him right, so with a silent nod, she thanked him for his observation. Fenrir sat where Bud had been all afternoon (which was, really close to her). He took out a book and a notepad from his bag.

"Did we have History today, or was it yesterday, my lady?"

The girl side-eyed him, checking to whom he was speaking to and felt uncomfortable at once. It was one thing to talk after school and club activities, when there was no one around, and a very different one to do so in the middle of the study hall, which was currently packed with Blues. A few of the other students were sneaking looks at them already.

She replied in a low voice. "Yes, my lord, yesterday."

"Right, thanks," Fenrir said absently, looking for something in his bag. After a few painfully long minutes, Artica couldn't help silently nudging a pencil his way. The kid from up north looked up and nodded with a thankful expression. Everyone else now was just plainly staring at them, which had Artica biting her lower lip nervously.

“Hey, uh, quick question, why is your uniform black?” Fenrir asked, almost casually. 

The tension was too much for her, so she subtly jerked her head and guided him out of the study hall, to a quiet hallway away from it.

“Bud and I are here on a scholarship, my lord.”

“Is that why you wear different uniforms?” he asked. They were the same, just black instead of navy blue.

“Yes, my lord. You probably noticed we are not the only ones, but there are not many scholarship students. Bud hates it, he feels we are being segregated.”

“Do you?”

“Not at all. I prefer it. I can see who is here through privilege, or through effort," Artica cleared her throat. "My lord."

“You can drop the formal language if you want. I must admit I’m with Sannfridsson on this one, it does seem like the Academy wants the scholarship students to stand out.”

“Do you know what the program requirements are? You need to be a top student during junior high school to be considered for the entrance exam. If you pass, you must remain a top student in the Academy. We are also asked to earn 20% more credits per term by helping on other clubs, apart from the one we belong to.”

“That sounds really tough. Is that what you mean by 'privilege or effort'?”

“Yes, being a Black requires an enormous effort. Three years of continuous hard studying, and still three years to go, plus keeping up with etiquette and other stuff now that we have noble classmates. Being a Blue just requires resources. No offense.”

“None taken,” Fenrir replied absently, thinking how Princess Hilda’s people did all the paperwork, he literally just showed up for the regional exam.  “Do Blues know all of this?”

Artica had to laugh. “Do they care?”

“Fair enough.”

“Why do you care?” she asked. Her tone was less harsh than before and seemed genuinely curious.

“I’m from Northern Asgard and homeschooled up until now. I don’t really know how things work here. I just want to understand.”

Artica was slightly surprised. “Well, now you know why Blues and Blacks talking gets so much staring.”

“Yes, my apologies for back there. I realize now I put you in a tight spot. Is it ok if I still talk to you, though?”

“Uhm, sure,” she replied with an awkward smile. “Since the dog bite, I’m used to people staring.”

Fenrir did a mental facepalm. That was not what he meant, and he certainly did not want her to put up with it just because he still had questions. Yet he was not sure how to say this without messing up again.

“It can be when it’s just the two of us, if that is alright with you.”

Artica raised her eyebrows. She could understand how someone who was homeschooled couldn’t detect nuance behind that sentence but decided to not say anything. For whatever reason, she felt there was no real harm in letting it slip.

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

Asgard Academy

Year 1: Part III

[ Index ]

xxxxxxxxx

In very out-of-character fashion, Fenrir overslept, and was now making his way to the Academy by foot. Near the riverside park, he heard some ringing in the distance, but all the fuss around him made it difficult to focus. So many people were going about their business at this time, he already felt exhausted. Half an hour early; that is all it took to have a nice, quiet trip to school, but not today.

The ringing became louder and louder, and closer, and when Fenrir turned around to find where it was coming from, something flew right past him. It stopped a few meters away.

"’Morning!" Artica exclaimed, resting the weight of her bike on one foot. "Didn’t know you took this path to school.”

Bud, who hadn't noticed Artica stopped, was just coming up to them. “True, never seen you on this route before.” 

Fenrir rubbed his neck, feeling somewhat awkward. When he accepted Artica’s friendship offer, he didn’t really consider that it also meant interacting with those around her more often, and something about this classmate made him feel uneasy. Maybe because he always looked so confident, while Fenrir himself rarely felt that way.

“I usually take the train but overslept today and missed it. Waiting for the next one will make me late for sure.”

“Huh, I didn’t know there was an earlier train… but then again, I don’t feel like waking up earlier,” Bud replied. “Anyway, let’s get going, or we’re gonna be late either way.”

“Alright, hop on,” Artica said, facing her bicycle forward once again.

“Sorry?”

“Hop on! It’ll be faster than walking!”

“Your bike is not fit for that.”

“Yeah, it is! Just step on those metal bars next to the back wheel’s center and hold onto my shoulders. Gimme your bag, I’ll put it in the basket with mine.”

Fenrir did not reply, a slight frown on his face.

“Ok, fine, I’ll put my own bag on, and you can grab onto that. C’mon!”

The kid from up north wasn’t sure what to make of it. It was unadvisable, not to mention contrary to etiquette, as well as unsafe. And yet, he found himself passing over his bag, letting her get some impulse, and then hopping on. A few seconds of unsteadiness later, he was grabbing her bag tightly as she sped up and then maintained Bud’s speed.

“Atta boy!” Artica cheered loudly. “It’s not so bad, right?”

Fenrir, who had been going to school by himself for months, couldn’t help smiling. “Not bad at all.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Artica closed the door and walked over to the bench, waiting patiently as Syd cleaned the piano keys.

“Before anything else, I must ask,” he said, looking her straight in the eye. “Are you dating my brother?”

“Nope,” the girl answered easily, unconcerned.

“Okay, cool. We can move on then.”

“Nope,” she repeated. “We can’t. Why do you ask that?”

Syd was an expert keeping his cool and didn’t even bat an eyelash. “Well, it is crystal clear you are very close. I just wondered how close, that is all.”

Artica scratched her chin, thinking. “Hm, no, that’s not it, is it? You're asking on someone else’s behalf.”

Syd's expertise suddenly imploded as he fumbled nervously at her words. “P-pardon? Where do you get that idea from?”

“Last time, you said you didn’t ‘wish to dig around like that’, and I believe you, so someone else is behind that question.”

In his mind, Syd cursed. He’d observed them for a few months now and was well aware of how both Bud and Artica were always on their guard, hyperattentive even, when interacting with their Blue peers. His question had been too sloppy, and too straight forward. And she picked up on it immediately.

“I’ll take your silence as a ‘yes’,” she went on. “Whoever it is, tell them to have courage, and strike first. He’ll appreciate a bold move.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

"How about the café on the boulevard?"

"Rúri, sweetie, you always have the most fantastic suggestions," Karianne complimented her. "Miss Reynirdóttir, would you care to join us?"

Artica froze on the spot, almost dropping her books, slowly turning around with the expression of a deer about to be devoured by bears. "I beg your pardon, my lady?"

"It would be a great pleasure if you would accompany us for a cup of tea and maybe some pastries," Rúri added.

Even though the thought of it was nerve-wracking, the Black could not think of a way or reason to refuse. It would be unwise, though, to risk these Blues taking offense. She gave them a bow. "It would be my honor, my ladies."

It was a short walk from the Academy to the boulevard; the Blues chit chatted all the way, but Artica did not have the confidence to join. Once inside, a table was prepared immediately in a cozy corner decorated with (fake) tropical-like plants. Everything in the menu looked delicious, and expensive.

Karianne made a hand gesture. "Order whatever you wish, Miss Reynirdóttir, it will be my treat."

"N-no, my lady. You are most kind, yet I must refuse."

"Nonsense. During our school trip, you did not hesitate to back up Mister Sanfridsson and safeguard my wellbeing. It may have been to prevent him from being sanctioned, but I appreciate it all the same. I insist, please order to your heart's desire."

Even though Artica just wanted a regular coffee and a small croissant, both Blues ensured the final order was much grander than that. After a few minutes, a parade of tarts, cookies, cupcakes, and other pastries was delivered. Her coffee was also upgraded to a beautifully decorated cappuccino. Unsure on what to try first, she took one of the tartlets. It tasted like heaven.

After that, it was easier for Artica to join Rúri and Karianne in conversation. She’d been wrong to think of them as pretentious, considering they were just like her; teenagers trying to keep up with their daily struggles.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“What’s up, ‘Silver-Eyed Hawk’?”

There was a short silence. Boreal was flabbergasted. “What did you just call me?”

“You never said they called you that at the Academy,” Artica replied with an audible smirk.

“Of course not, it’s embarrassing! It came out of an idiot’s mouth and the other students from the Archery club kept using it until I graduated. Ugh.”

“Oh, I don’t think it’s embarrassing. A senior’s been calling me 'Hawkling' ever since he figured out I’m your sister. It is catching on with the other Archery club members.”

“UGH! It was Sigurdsson’s little brother, wasn’t it?” he asked, immediately annoyed. “So much alike, those assholes. Don’t talk to him.”

At her laugh, Boreal let out a sigh. The last time they got a call from Asgard, it was their father passing on the horrifying news that Artica was attacked by a dog. He was grateful this time it was just a catching-up session. “How’s school going?”

“Meh, it’s not too bad, I guess. I have exactly zero free time.”

Boreal chuckled. “Yeah, well, you knew what you were signing up for, so you can’t complain. What about your classmates? Seniors?”

“Mostly fine. Some are really nice! And those who aren't… belong to another class, so it’s manageable.”

“Good. Don’t take shit from anyone, though. Give them a piece of your mind, in etiquette-appropriate ways, of course.”

“Boreal,” an annoyed voice chastised him from behind. “Don’t encourage that!”

“C’mon, P! You know how bitchy they can be at the Acad-”

She snatched the phone out of his hands. “Little sis, I’m glad to hear you are doing well. Keep up your good work, but don’t forget to rest, okay? We all know what overworking looks like in the family.”

“Hey!”

“Thanks, I will. What? Oh, sure, Ma, sorry. Polar was just telling me to flip the finger at everyone in the Academy. Take care, P! Here’s Ma.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Bud walked with his hands in his pockets, side-eyeing the person a few paces behind him. Artica asked him to invite a classmate to the arcade after school. The catch was that it could not be someone they were already friends with. Her logic was that they needed more than acquaintances if they hoped to survive at the Academy until graduation, and there was little to argue there.

He, however, decided to cut himself some slack and spoke to the kid from up north. After all, just because Artica had explicitly become Fenrir’s friend, it didn’t mean Bud had and was, therefore, meeting her requirements without too much effort. Bonus points to Fenrir for not saying a word since they left school.

Bud couldn’t help smirking at his own cleverness, until he heard two familiar voices close by. One he always welcomed, the other he did not. Around the corner, in the middle of avid chit chat, were Artica and that guy.

“Oh, hey!” she greeted, and immediately noticed the daggers in Bud’s eyes.

“Good afternoon,” Syd added, also aware of Bud’s gaze.

“A word,” the older twin snapped at Artica, dragging her several meters away.

Fenrir and Syd were left standing outside the arcade. The younger twin politely cleared his throat.

“I do not believe we have had the chance to properly introduce ourselves, my lord. My name is Syd Baldreksson, it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance.”

“The pleasure is mine, my lord,” Fenrir replied with a slight frown. “Fenrir Ylfingrsson.”

While they were busy with introductions, Bud was fully concerned with chewing Artica out for her audacity. “Why did you bring him?!”

“I understand why you are mad-”

“I’m FURIOUS!”

“I understand,” she repeated, almost with a groan. Bud was even more annoyed by how calm she sounded. “Your Dad and I were talking the other day, and-”

“Don’t bring him into this!”

“And I thought that maybe if you would just talk to the guy, you could organize your feelings about the whole thing a little better.”

He couldn’t think of what to reply just yet, so Artica continued.

“It’s just… I understand this is bothersome, but it feels like even you don’t know why, and…”

“... and what?”

“And it’s eating away at both of your hearts,” she finished, her hand on his shoulder. “If you don’t wanna talk to him after today, I promise not to bring it up ever again. Just this once, though, would you acknowledge he exists?”

Bud was so tense, his neck already felt stiff. He let out a deep, annoyed, tired sigh and combed through his hair with one hand. “I- Alright. Just this once! And you owe me, you insolent brat. I want your share of the homemade dessert your Dad brought the other day!”

“I accept that request,” Artica nodded, appalled at how high the price she had to pay.

They returned to the other two. Bud was clearly annoyed, his right eye with a spasm, as he pulled Artica’s long braid. “So, you are joining us today, Baldreksson.”

“My lord,” she added right away, feeling like a chastised child at the pull.

There was a hint of… something in Syd’s eyes after hearing Bud address him directly. “No, please, let’s not trouble ourselves with etiquette for today.”

“What? You could’ve said that 10 minutes ago,” Fenrir interrupted, clearly unamused.

Syd let out a quiet chuckle before apologizing. Artica cleared her throat. “I believe we have all now been introduced to each other?”

The boys nodded. Fenrir scratched his chin in a pondering gesture. “So, you two really are twins.”

“It’s kinda obvious.”

“Yeah, I mean, I do have working eyeballs, thank you. I meant that they are, despite having different surnames. I’ve been meaning to ask you about it, but we haven’t been alone in a while…”

In an almost identical gesture, Syd raised both eyebrows with amusement, while Bud only raised one with suspicion. The spasm in Bud’s eye jumped to Artica’s left one as she grabbed Fenrir by the back of his shirt’s collar. “One of these days, you’re gonna make me kick your ass.”

“That’s not very friendly of you,” he replied as she dragged him inside the arcade.

The twins were left alone for exactly 10 seconds, and during that time, Bud decided to give his brother the benefit of the doubt. For now.

“Well? Let’s go play some games, Baldreksson.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Rúri drank her tea in silence.

Syd had been talking for 40 minutes straight, and it didn’t seem he was going to stop anytime soon, but that was perfectly alright with her. Ever since they started at the Academy, he hadn’t been in the best of spirits, as the one thing he wanted appeared to be so close, and yet remained so distant. Their own attempts had all been rejected instantly, and the only reason why the latest worked was because of Syd's greatest quality: kindness.

He was kind to someone, and unexpectedly, that someone repaid him with interest.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Bud closed the door as quietly as possible. After all, it was quite late already. He left his boots at the entrance and wandered towards the kitchen when a voice called out to him from the living room. “So~ How did it go?”

Artica was on the couch, wrapped on a blanket reading one of the same old books she frequently borrowed from the bookstore in the Lower Market. Bud took off his coat and left it on a chair while taking a seat next to her. “Good. Great, actually! Smoother than I thought.”

“Yeah? Did she take you somewhere fancy?”

“Sorta, first to a café on the boulevard. We talked a lot about nothing in particular, and then we went to the movie.”

Artica wiggled her eyebrows up and down. Bud let out a cackle. “No, too risky. She did lean into me; I just hope it wasn’t because she was falling asleep during the flick. Anyway, then we went to the arcade.”

“The arcade?” she replied, surprised. “She doesn’t strike me as the type.”

“I thought the same. I said it outta habit and was surprised when Karianne immediately said yes. For her first time, she really kicked my ass in the motorcycle simulation!”

“Oh, I bet. Probably the same skills as horseback riding. I’m glad it went well!” Artica said, fist-bumping him. “Just don’t forget about me when you join the Academy’s most popular gang along with her, the Princess and Sigurdsson.”

“I wish. Everyone’s gonna be after me if this becomes serious. Might die unexpectedly.”

“Shame. I’ll make sure you wear your favorite sneakers during your wake.”

“You always knew me best,” Bud nodded with a laugh.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Her curly hair had the color of copper, and her olive-green eyes reminded him of the winter forests. She came closer with a serene smile. They both made a short bow.

“Good morning, my lord. Thank you for humoring me.”

“Good morning, my lady. It is I who is grateful for your invitation,” Fenrir said, moderating his tone in the way that etiquette dictated from him. “I am new to Central Asgard, therefore many corners still remain a mystery to me.”

“Is that so?” the girl asked with a hint of fake surprise. “Shall we go, then?”

He nodded and allowed her to lock her arm with his while walking. The Street Market was exactly what its name suggested; a long succession of stalls that offered all imaginable products, from food to clothing, and beyond. Levina gracefully explained the history of the neighborhood and how it had come to be part of the economic development of the capital.

From time to time, she would point to a certain stall and, after talking to whoever managed it, invite Fenrir to the store behind it to see further inventory. So far, they had browsed equestrian equipment, tailored suits, imported vintage wine, exquisite Asgardian artwork, and jewelry. Even after a few hours, they barely managed to reach the middle of the street. The stalls further down seemed less bright and more populated.

“Oh, look at the time, my lord!” Levina exclaimed, looking at her wristwatch. “Should we get lunch? At the café we passed earlier, perhaps?”

“Of course, my lady, I am at your leisure,” he replied, slightly impressed at how subtle she had been about not moving forward down the street. They shared a plate of roasted lamb and rosemary, along with some other dishes Fenrir tasted out of politeness, not really interested. After a cup of coffee, they finally said goodbye to each other with a bow and a last polite exchange.

Fenrir waited until she was out of sight to let out an exhausted sigh and start walking to his house by following the riverside. He eventually reached the park and even though he wasn’t really looking for anyone, it surprised him to see a familiar face sitting on a bench under the shade of a big tree. Fenrir came closer before realizing it.

“Hey.”

Artica looked up from her book. “Oh, hi! Fancy meeting you here. Running some errands?”

He lowered his eyes, tired. “No, a girl from school invited me to visit the Street Market today.”

“That was nice of her,” she said, aware it was probably more than that, but everyone had to take their shot. She gestured for him to take a seat. “What did you think of all the quirky stands in the Lower Market?”

“We stayed in the Upper Market.”

“Oh, right,” Artica subtly rolled her eyes, and a conversation with her father popped into her mind. “Say, there’s a hunting gear shop in the Upper Market, right? I’ve heard it only sells top-of-the-line items!”

“Uh, probably. I wasn’t paying attention…” Fenrir couldn’t help noticing. “You’ve never been to the Upper Market?”

“N-no, I haven’t. It’s mostly a…” she struggled to find the right words. “An… hm…”

“Area for nobles, I noticed.”

“Commoners stick out too much in the Upper Market, lots of stares…”

Fenrir was looking straight ahead, but from the corner of his eye, noticed her awkwardness. For someone that claimed to no longer be bothered by stares, it was rather obvious they still made her uncomfortable. An idea came to him. “If you are free next weekend, let’s go to the Street Market.”

“Uh...”

“I’ll accompany you to the Upper Market so you can check the hunting gear shop all you want, and then you can show me those quirky stands in the Lower Market you were talking about.”

She rubbed her chin, thoughtful. Was he subtly asking her out? Nah, it sounded like another instance of his clueless wording. Artica disregarded her doubts and gave him a small smile. After all, now that Bud had someone else to hang out with, she didn’t mind doing something different.

“Sure! That sounds great.”

Fenrir nodded and stood up. “Alright. I’ll leave you to your reading then, sorry for interrupting.”

“No worries. See you on Monday!”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Unlike the week before, where etiquette required a certain formality, Fenrir chose a more casual outfit with his favorite fur-trimmed coat. For Artica’s sake, he kept the shoes and other accessories the same to still give off a certain vibe. As he got closer to the park, he noticed she was already waiting for him.

Artica was wearing a slightly oversized white hand-knitted sweater that looked very cozy. She didn’t braid her hair and styled her bangs in a way that covered the left side of her face. To avoid making her feel self-aware, he made no comment about it.

“Hey. Nice sweater.”

“Right? My sister made it for me!” Artica said with a proud smile, doing a half turn. “Looking sharp yourself, I see.”

Fenrir let out a bashful scoff at her comment and started to walk, taking the riverside path. He found it funny that even though they saw each other every day at school, they still had things to talk about on a weekend. It almost felt like the way to the Street Market had shortened compared to the week before, when he went to meet Levina.

At the entrance, he noticed Artica had stopped a few paces back and it took her several minutes before finally joining him. “D-do you think there‘ll be a p-problem if I go?”

“No, and even if something does come up, I will make it my business to ensure it is not a problem for you.”

“Wow, that was a very cool answer. You nobles always know what to say!”

Fenrir side-eyed at her comment. Etiquette was always subtle, controlled, elegant, and calculated; he replied exactly in the way that other Nobles would have expected, but hearing her acknowledge it like that made him feel slightly embarrassed. And it got a little worse, because etiquette still had a few more requirements he had to fulfill if he really wanted to spare her any staring.

“Uhm… I am accompanying you today, which makes me your escort, so…”

He slightly elevated his elbow in her direction. Artica stared at him for a moment before putting the pieces together.

“Oh, r-right,” she locked her arm with his. Fenrir couldn’t help noticing how warm it felt. That was one truly cozy sweater.

“I’m sorry for making you do all this,” she whispered as they passed the first stalls. Artica walked around nervously, even though not a single soul was looking their way.

“I asked you to come with me, don’t worry about it, but if this makes you feel uncomfortable…”

“Not at all!” Artica replied, a little louder than she intended. “T-thank you for your kindness, my lord.”

Fenrir was slightly surprised at how natural that sounded. Whenever she spoke in a formal manner, her tone was stiff and dry, but just now… In any case, they faked interest in a few stalls until they found the one they were looking for. Her grip on his arm tightened with a loud gasp. Artica’s eyes gleamed with excitement as she took everything in. Carefully, he let go of her arm and slightly nudged her to the door of the actual store behind the stall.

Even though she went in right away, he stayed outside a little bit longer. After careful deliberation, he accepted there was no point in buying a fifth handcrafted bone dagger and entered the shop after her. There were at least a dozen items on the counter; hunting pouches, finely decorated quivers, and a wide range of gloves. As he entered, Artica turned to him with a bright blush on her cheeks.

Fenrir cleared his throat. “Have you found what you were looking for, my lady? I see you have carefully reviewed their archery inventory already.”

She gave him a mortified look, but still managed to answer. “Indeed, as my lord father mentioned, only the finest of items are to be found here. These gloves are simply exquisite.”

“Would you like to try them on, my lady?” the man behind the counter offered.

With a subtle tremble, Artica picked up a pair of three-fingered, tan-colored deerskin shooting gloves. She mimicked the motion of releasing an arrow and raised her eyebrows in delight.

The man nodded. “I see you are most knowledgeable on the matter, my lady. These are indeed some of our finest.”

After a few other comments regarding the material and expected longevity of the items, Artica made up a story about discussing it further with her father, thanked the man for his time and finally exited the store. Her excitement had her out of breath. “Did you see those? What a dream…!”

Artica suddenly realized Fenrir was not behind her, but before the goosebumps had spread through her body, she saw him exit the store as well. With a relieved sigh, she took his arm again.

“I take it the store lives up to its reputation?”

“Oh, you have no idea,” she almost squealed. “I know exactly what I will be saving my allowance for, even if it takes me 5 years.”

Fenrir gave her a small smile. They continued well past the spot where Levina had gracefully turned around and found themselves struggling to move among a small crowd. Even though it was no longer necessary, Artica did not let go of Fenrir’s arm and he secretly hoped she would not do so at all.

Visibly more relaxed, Artica guided him through the Lower Market, pointing out the stalls with better prices, greeting a few individuals along the way. People from all over Asgard came to this market to sell their wares, making it an interesting mix of all regions in one place. There was a girl who made sturdy leather boots, while a man next to her offered a large variety of pastries. Further along, a young woman and her many younger siblings sold colorful flowers in bundles.

At some point, they stopped to grab a cup of hot chocolate from a gentle senior lady who gave them homemade cookies for free. By the end of the day, they were carrying two small, knitted wolf dolls Artica won in tic-tac-toe against a young boy she knew. It was already evening when they returned to the riverside park, and she finally let go of Fenrir’s arm. The sudden cold made him feel somewhat lonely.

She gave him a short bow. “Thanks for taking me to the Upper Market today. I really appreciate it!”

“Thanks for showing me around the Lower Market. I really liked that cramped up bookstore with the hanging lanterns. Would it be okay if we went back some other time?”

“Of course, my lord, I am at your leisure,” Artica replied.

It was uncommon for that phrase to be directed towards him, but Fenrir decided etiquette could fuck off for the day. Well, no, not just yet. “Should I accompany you to your home?”

Artica felt a sudden wave of embarrassment. “N-no, that’s alright. I’ve taken enough of your time for one day. It’s a short walk from here so don’t worry about it.”

“Alright.”

“See you on Monday!”

Once back at his house, Fenrir closed the bedroom door and stared at the contents of his bag. He wasn’t sure why he bought a pair of three-fingered, tan-colored deerskin shooting gloves.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Bud was in the middle of a practice match with Sigurdsson when someone came into the gym with a box. Distracted by who it was, Siegfried wiped him out in one move. "Keep your eyes on the prize, Mister Sanfridsson."

"My apologies for interrupting, my lords," Artica made a short bow. "May I have a word with Asgrim?"

Asgrim approached her after Siegfried gave them a nod. "What's up?"

"You're good with mechanical stuff, yes?" she asked, showing him the box's contents.

The red-haired boy eyed the bits and pieces with interest. "I am. What do I get for fixing that?"

"Name your price."

Asgrim gave her a cocky smile. "How about catching a movie this weekend?"

"As a date?"

"Yeah."

"Then I have to pass. I’m already dating someone."

A few heads turned their way at those words, Syd and Fenrir's included. The other Black raised an eyebrow, lowering his voice a bit. "Yeah? From the Academy?"

"Like that would happen,” Artica let out an amused grunt. “No, but you probably know each other, she’s from your side of Central Asgard. Thyrna."

"Ohh! So, it's you she's with! Fancy that. Okay, okay, change of price. Just help me out with your notes for Physics and Literature."

"That’s fair. I'll talk to you tomorrow about this. Thanks a lot!" she said, making another bow before leaving the gym. Syd (and Fenrir) drifted towards Bud as he sat on a bench.

"What?"

"I was not aware she had a partner," his brother commented, acting casual.

"And? It's none of your business."

Syd tightened his lips, unable to find a way to ask more without seeming nosy. Fenrir had a slight frown, and then a sudden realization. "Ohh! Is that why her schedule is so crazy?"

The Black turned to him. "Why do you ask that?"

"Artica showed me her calendar the other day, and in every month, there is one week with nothing, but a 'T' written on it. I know it's not my business, but I just figured… That would also explain why when we went to the arcade, she asked me not to create misunderstandings."

Bud was slightly impressed. The kid from up north was rather perceptive when he wasn't busy inflicting his careless wording upon others. "It’s certainly none of your business… But yes, we Blacks have very tight schedules. Artica does her best to clear at least a week so she can do whatever with her partner."

"How thoughtful, and committed, of her," Syd replied with a nod.

"And exhausting," Fenrir added. The twins raised their eyebrows. "You guys should see that calendar, it's madness."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“So, how do you feel so far?”

“Jaded,” Asgrim replied lazily, cutting his steak in smaller pieces. “These past months feel like eight semesters.”

Sigurd chuckled at his words, while the other three nodded in agreement. “Yeah, but I think you guys are doing a great job. You in particular, I must admit.”

Bud made a casual hand gesture. “Me? Why would that be?”

“Oh, shut up, not all of us can date a Blue… especially not that Blue!” was Heimrik’s reply. This short, green-eyed boy grew up in Sweden, and just recently moved to Asgard to attend the Academy. He had proven to be full of complaints about how uninteresting his new home was, but the other Blacks had learned to tune them out.

“That aside, you have the right idea. Your top priority for the first half of Year 1 should be to make Blue friends. Lady Hilda has helped the scholarship program immensely, but she can't be there for the little things, especially during her last year at the Academy. We must make sure we have others to rely on, besides us Blacks. I’ve seen you two at lunch with those other four, that’s exactly what you need.”

“Who?”

“Baldreksson (though it’s obvious, he is your brother), the lady Rúri, your partner, and the other one, I always forget his name. The Wolfling.”

“The what?” Asgrim said, perking up at once. “Ylfingrsson?”

“Yes, that’s the one.”

Artica looked up from her lunch. “Hm? Why do you call him that?”

“Well, there are wolves in his family crest, yes? I don’t recommend using sobriquets for other students, but I do admit it's a bad habit I picked up from Sigurdsson’s older brother.”

“OH,” she blurted out, louder than intended. "Boreal wasn't exaggerating."

Sigurd raised an eyebrow. "Right, you're his younger sister! Don't tell me, he was super annoyed to learn lord Siegfried gave you a sobriquet."

"Annoyed? Even by phone, I could tell he was fuming!"

"Your brother never did like lord Sigmund much, but I never felt his sobriquets were meant as an insult. He always just seemed to have the perfect one on the tip of his tongue, even for those who have no coat of arms. It’s almost a compliment…"

Sigurd trailed off, and suddenly remembered what he wanted to say. “The point is, get someone who has your back, regardless of the color of their uniform. These three years in the Academy are brutal, at least surround yourselves with people whose company you enjoy. It’ll help immensely.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

It was a fine day to drop out of the face of the Earth. So many positive things had happened to him lately, Fenrir had almost forgotten he had his own personal hell back at the house.

"There will be a dinner on the 23rd with distinguished guests. You will attend but speak only when spoken to. Discussions will be held among adults, after all, and a brat like you has nothing of value to add to the conversation."

"If that is the case, why should I attend in the first place? After all, I was already invited to another dinner on that date," Fenrir replied, almost casually.

XXXX opened his eyes wide. The boy was talking back to him? It had been years since he had last dared to speak his own mind. "Excuse me? This is not a negotiation, boy. You will attend the dinner held in this house."

"I do not wish to."

XXXX shrugged off his comment. "Too bad no one cares about that. It is your duty as the House's heir, and you shall fulfill it, or otherwise tarnish your parents' reputation."

That stung. Fenrir didn't care about himself, but he would rather play into XXXX's schemes than somehow enable others to think ill of late Lord Ylfingr and Lady Ingrid. After all, it was not their fault their son had grown into such a failure. He clenched his jaw.

"Fine, I will attend this dinner of yours, here."

"Of course you will, boy. Make sure to explicitly decline the other invitation. We have no time for misunderstandings."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Uh… What are those?”

“Antlers.”

“Yeah, but why?”

Artica took her seat. “For the Jólablót (1) activity.”

“You have to put your hand in the box at the front of the class and take out a paper,” she explained. “It will tell you what you have to do.”

Fenrir had a slight frown. “So, you are one of the eight reindeers from ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’, by Clement C. Moore?”

“You are oddly well informed,” Bud intervened. “Which one?”

The girl rolled her eyes. “Cupid. ‘Because of archery’, they said. Lack of imagination, in my opinion.”

“You can say that twice,” Karianne agreed, adjusting her own set of antlers.

“Which one are you?”

“Vixen,” Bud and Artica replied before she could. Both Karianne and Fenrir stared in silence.

“It’s the obvious choice,” Artica cleared her throat while Bud nodded in agreement.

The other girl sat on her lap, wrapping her arms around her with a cheeky smile. “Is it now?”

Karianne did a dramatic gesture as a ringing echoed loudly in the halls. "There goes the bell. Will you carry me to the meeting room?"

"Please don't," Bud had laughed out loud at her first comment but seemed put off by the request.

After a moment of contemplation, making sure her grip was good and Karianne's skirt was properly secured, Artica got up carrying the black-haired girl with ease. Karianne waved them goodbye. "It's nice to see at least someone is willing to humor a lady around her."

"Un-fucking-believable," Bud turned around at once. "She shouldn't be spoiling her. Am I right?"

Fenrir's eyes darted quickly between him and the girls. There was an awkward expression on his face. "She's… rather strong, no?"

The twin looked amused. "Has to be, to be a decent archer. Upper body, core and hip muscles all need training to build up both strength and endurance. K is also not particularly heavy."

"Right, makes sense."

"What, you want her to carry you too?"

"Shut up. You're the one who seems jealous she carried your girl away."

Bud frowned. "I'm not jealous, I'm annoyed. K has a bad habit of getting others to play along her silly schemes. Even if they are harmless, she shouldn't abuse other's good will."

"You worry too much," Rúri intervened. She was wearing a very elegant top hat. "But if it helps, I will make sure she does not go overboard."

"I- Thank you, my lady, that is very kind of you."

Fenrir raised an eyebrow. "And what did you get?"

"Snowman. Snowperson, I guess."

A hand went to her shoulders, making her turn around. "A Snowkitty would be cuter."

"Ugh, of course you are a St Nicholas," Bud groaned, looking at his twin.

The kid from up north took out a paper from the box and stared at it, confused. “I don’t get it.”

“Gingerbread cookie goes with Snowperson.”

“Meaning?”

Bud rolled his eyes. “They are in charge of receiving and wrapping gifts. St Nicholas and Reindeers will deliver them next week.”

It still didn’t make much sense to Fenrir, but he went along with it. Rúri and Bud explained the general gist of it, pointing to the other boxes where students could put their already wrapped gifts, or request for them to be wrapped on the spot. He was never particularly good at it, so Fenrir hoped to at least do a decent job. For three days, half the class spent their afternoons checking the boxes and getting down to business.

Among the activity goals was for juniors to interact with their seniors, so it was common enough for people they had barely seen to approach them and have a chat. It was honestly impressive how far some students would go to ensure the receiver did not know who sent the gift, even offering favors to keep it a secret. This was especially true for very popular students, like Lady Hilda, Siegfried Sigurdsson, and even Karianne and Syd. However, as the last two were in the same class, those gifts were redirected to the gift wrappers from 1B and 1C.

Depending on the number of gifts per student, the Academy would provide at least three, so no one was left with either too few, or none at all. People like Siegfried Sigursson, however, didn’t need any buffering.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“If it bothers you, I will not humor her anymore,” Artica said with a nod.

“Thanks,” Bud replied with a relieved smile.

“However, I'd like to offer some advice.”

The twin raised his eyebrows in anticipation.

“Try humoring her yourself more often.”

Bud crossed his arms at once with a frown. “I can’t. How will she learn to be less of an attention-hoarder?”

“Have you considered that she’s not aiming for everyone’s attention, just yours?”

“I- She already knows she has my attention. She is my partner after all.”

“Ok, but how often do you show her that? Cut her some slack, Bud. She is so charming and attractive, a lot of people jump right in at the chance of giving it to her, in hopes of something more, but I'll tell you a secret.”

He tightened his lips. “What secret?”

Artica’s smile was full of amusement. “When you’re not around, she barely engages in that kind of thing.”

Bud felt a slight blush creeping up his face. This was not his first relationship, not by a long shot, but he suddenly felt really stupid about how he’d been dealing with the whole thing. The twin covered his face in embarrassment. “I’ll… keep this in mind.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Artica was fetching the blue package when the girl from 1C called her over.

“Over here, Miss Cupid.”

She groaned. “Any chance you could just call me by my name, my lady?”

Her copper curls shone beautifully, even indoors. “Instructions are instructions, Miss Cupid. No exceptions.”

“I understand, lady Dasher,” Artica nodded with a heavy sigh. “Who’s next?”

“That young lady from 2B,” Levina replied, subtly pointing to a slender girl of long, straight black hair and bright teal eyes. “Would you please deliver this one?”

‘Cupid’ barely raised an eyebrow, already used to doing most of the heavy lifting. Not that this Blue had been unpleasant to her, but they all tended to just send her to do things. In any case, Artica walked up to her and cleared her throat. “My lady, may I have a word?”

There was no reaction, which in itself was weird because in the Academy everyone was always attentive to their surroundings (after all, etiquette did not treat those who disregard others well). She raised her voice a bit and tried again, with the same result. It was only when the Year 2 student tucked her hair behind her ear that Artica understood why.

Levina observed with interest as the Black walked a few paces away and then approached her directly from the front. Once she got her attention, Artica put the package in front of her and made very clear hand gestures as she spoke. “Good afternoon, lady Vaike. May I present gifts and other tokens of appreciation from friends and admirers?”

The girl seemed amused and gestured back, pointing at the antlers on the other girl’s head. ‘That looks very cute on you, little junior. You wear them well.’

Artica smiled, lowering her head. Her hands moved fluidly. “Your words are kind, my lady. Please enjoy your gifts.”

They parted ways and ‘Cupid’ returned to ‘Dasher’s’ side. Levina had the eraser of her pencil to her lips. “That went well, Miss Cupid. Good work.”

“Only one left. Who is it for, lady Dasher?”

Her green eyes didn’t even flicker, even though she had the list in her hand. “Fenrir Ylfingrsson, from 1A.”

“Oh, I know where that one is. Follow me.”

Levina said nothing and walked right behind her with the last purple package in her hands. As they were not in the same class, the two girls seldom interacted outside of physical education, or requested club activities. This was one of the four Blacks in their year, the only girl and, most notably, the one with the big scar on the left side of her face.

Seeing her from afar, Levina always perceived her as rough, with all the hammering she did for the drama club, but the three afternoons they had spent delivering gifts taught her otherwise. She seemed cheerful and easygoing, even if a little sensitive about her face. Due to all this, Levina had been very curious to work with her from the moment ‘Rudolph’ assigned them together. Well, that, and the other thing.

When they reached the gardens, Artica eyeballed the south side and then pointed to the bench under the tallest tree. “There he goes again, with his afternoon nap.”

Levina repressed a laugh. The Black took the package from her for a moment to write the receiver’s name and paused. “Huh, it wasn’t this heavy a while ago…”

She met 'lady Dasher’s' eyes. Levina said nothing, and at the same time, said it all. Artica raised her eyebrows for a moment and then returned the package to her. “Uh, lady Dasher, would you please deliver this one?”

Levina nodded, still silent, and turned around. Obviously, all her troubles to hide the fact she was sneaking an extra present into the package had gone out the window in an instant, yet she was grateful for the unexpectedly smooth way the Black had handled it. Levina walked over to the boy, acting as calm as she could.

Fenrir was slumped on the bench in a highly undignified manner, not at all reflecting his noble status. She cleared her throat twice, the second time a little louder, until he came back to life. “Good afternoon, lord Fenrir. May I present gifts and other tokens of appreciation from friends and admirers?”

“Friends and what?” he muttered drowsily. However, the moment he saw her face, Fenrir straightened up and smoothed over his clothes, now visibly tense. “My lady! Apologies… I- Uh, how did you find me?”

Levina’s eyes flickered to where Artica had been a minute ago, only to find she was seemingly alone with him in the south side of the gardens. “Why do you ask, my lord?”

Fenrir narrowed his eyes, unwilling to admit there were exactly two people who knew he napped there, and one had found out by accident. The boy let out a sigh. “It matters not. Thank you for delivering these- Wow, this is a little heavy, is it not?”

She gave him a helpless smile, unsure of what to say. “You are most welcomed, my lord. Please enjoy your gifts.”

Levina promptly turned around, her curls shining bright in the pale sun outdoors. She returned to the main building only to hear a small chuckle behind her back. “That went well, lady Dasher. Good work.”

“Thank you for your commitment, Miss Reynirdóttir. It has been a pleasure to deliver presents with you.”

“Oh? No more ‘Miss Cupid’, my lady?”

“The assignment is complete. Instructions no longer apply.”

“The pleasure was mine, lady Sefidóttir. If the Drama club needs my assistance next week, please do let me know,” Artica said with a short bow before turning around and walking out the door.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

There was no one else at the Archery club, which was ideal. He already felt miserable and did not have the strength to be very casual about it.

"About the dinner on the 23rd…" Fenrir said, rubbing his neck. "I can't attend."

Artica lowered her bow. "It's okay. We're aware December 23rd is an awkward date to celebrate a birthday."

He clenched his jaw. "It's not that I don't want to attend. I can't attend."

Whether she picked up on it or not, Fenrir could not say. Artica readied her arrow once again. "Don't worry about it. Maybe some other time."

Fenrir nodded, utterly unhappy. He’d encouraged himself to believe this would be the first Christmas in a long time he would actually enjoy, away from everything that made him lonely and sad, but it had blown up spectacularly in his face. Fenrir cursed the moment he let himself hope for something less depressing.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Winter break had mixed reviews.

Karianne and her father flew down to Belgium to spend the holidays with the other half of their family. Apparently, the weather had been fantastic, despite the time of year. Rúri spent it at Syd's household, as her parents were still attending business meetings abroad.

Bud, Artica, and their families returned to the eastern region, hoping to give Sannfrid a break from medical treatment in a familiar place. Unlike Belgium, however, Eastern Asgard was hit by a blizzard, and it took a few days for trains to resume.

Fenrir spent winter break as usual; doing absolutely nothing besides the mandatory dinner he was forced to attend. There had never been such a thing as decorating, seasonal meals, or gift exchanges with XXXX and his brother around, so during the day he would go hiking to the nearby hills with Ging, and at night, locked himself in his room, listening to music in the dark.

End-of-year holidays hadn't always been like this, but after that fateful day when he was six, nothing was the same ever again.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

It was already dark by the time they got back. Since Fenrir had been miserable all day, Artica invited him to the Lower Market. They didn't really do much, just hang out at the bookstore and play some games with Vaito (who gracefully apologized for flinching at her scar).

They were just outside his house, talking, when the buzzer rang loudly and the gate flung open. An angry voice was screaming seven hundred things at once. Fenrir immediately smashed the button on the intercom and answered at least eight hundred things back. The yelling continued. He was on the verge of just storming inside to have the argument face to face, and possibly throw around some punches too.

This seemed like a recurrent situation, and even though Artica did not want to seem pushy, she grabbed his hand. "Hey, uhm, would you like to have dinner at my house today, like right now?"

"What?"

"Y-yeah, if that is okay."

Fenrir felt terrible every day in that house, with those people, and just the thought of not having to put up with it for one evening felt like a blessing. He couldn't believe someone was offering it to him so freely. "Really?"

"You don't have to come if you don't want to, I just-"

"I would like that…" he answered in the softest of voices.

"I'm leaving!" Fenrir yelled back at the house, not even bothering with the intercom anymore, before allowing Artica to guide him away. Her house, like his, was on the outer part of the city, but Fenrir never imagined it to be just 20 minutes away.  He noticed she was slowing down and got very nervous all of a sudden.

"Hey, thank you. Really. I've never been invited to someone else's house but I… don't know if I should-"

The Black stopped in front of a modest 1-story house with a small backyard. Lights were on inside. She turned to him with a warm smile. “Then please allow me to welcome you into our little home.”

Artica opened the door, took off her boots and invited him to do the same. "Ma, I'm back! I brought someone from school for dinner. That's okay, right?"

"Yeah, no prob- From school?" A slightly alarmed voice replied. There was some shuffling down the hallway. Moments later, an older woman emerged from one room, her hair up in a tight knot.

"Welcome to our humble household, my lord," she said with a slight bow and in the same stiff tone Artica used with other students. "We can only hope our-"

"Ma, it's alright."

Her mother gave her a disapproving look. How could it be alright when someone from that school was coming here? Fenrir cleared his throat and offered his best (nervous) smile.

"My apologies for the late notice, madam, but please don’t stress over it. I grew up in Northern Asgard, close to the wild mountains. I could really use a day where no one has to put up with etiquette."

The woman seemed taken aback by his words but returned his smile. "Yeah? From the mountain range, you say? My husband goes there for work often, shame he ain't here today."

"Is that so?"

"Pa's a hunter, he gets wild game for the local butcher."

Fenrir nodded knowingly. Back in the North, he saw hunters often but was never allowed to talk to them. They guided him to the kitchen and after a few minutes, dinner was served. It was great, all of it. The food, the tiny kitchen, the creaking wooden stool, and the company. Embla, her mother, took a liking to him very quickly. She even let her hair down after a while and told him stories about Artica and her siblings.

“Such a small thing, always clinging to her brother’s arm!”

“Ma! You make me sound like a crybaby!” she interrupted, flustered. Fenrir noticed she was avoiding his gaze.

“You were a crybaby, child, but not anymore, eh? Going to the big Academy with the fancy nobles now…” there was an awkward pause. “No offense, Fenrir.”

“None taken,” he said right away. “If it helps, I think Artica fits there better than me.”

After a long conversation about nothing in particular, it was finally time to wrap up. Embla ruffled his hair before he left the house. Once outside, they noticed snow falling gently from the sky. Artica went back for a moment and returned with a grey scarf. “Here.”

“Thanks, for everything…” he said, lowering his eyes. “I had a great time. Your mother is lovely.”

“I’m glad to hear that, it really seemed like you needed a break from being home.”

“That’s my house, but not my home,” Fenrir replied in a low voice. “And those people… are certainly not gonna make it one soon.”

“Are they your…?”

“My parents passed away a long time ago… during a riding accident…”

An awkward silence tried to settle between them, but Artica did not allow it. "Why do you let them treat you like that? You don't deserve it. No one does."

There were many reasons why he allowed it. Years of verbal abuse corroding his self-confidence. Lack of any other significant interactions to show him what positive ones were like. Fear of being lonelier than he already felt. Fenrir, however, chose to tell her the one that was less complex to explain, but just as important. "I'm afraid they will hurt Ging when I'm not home, among other things."

"You don't deserve to be treated like that," Artica repeated, moving closer and hugging him tightly. “Visit anytime, okay? Ma always makes extra food, even though my siblings aren’t here, and Pa is often away.”

“Isn’t Bud over frequently? I don’t want to be inconvenient…”

“Yeah, he is also welcomed here anytime, but don’t worry about it. I can only hope you see this tiny house as a place where it’s okay to be yourself. Like you were with Ma, like you are with me. Like we are now…”

For the first time in a very long while, Fenrir felt better. Truly. Like a weight was lifted from his shoulders. He hugged back, somewhat sheepishly.

“I would like that…”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

Asgard Academy

Year 1: Part IV

[ Index ]

xxxxxxxxx

The time had finally arrived.

Today, Hilda turned eighteen years old, and her Coming of Age ceremony would also be her Coronation. Valhalla Palace was packed with nobles from all corners of Asgard, and a healthy sprinkle of European Royalty as well. She was clad in ceremonial armor, which resembled the ones worn by the valkyries of legend. Her long, silver hair was styled in a large braid on top, and the rest of her hair pinned to fall in cascade down her back. The warm and heavy grey cloak over her shoulders had her family’s coat of arms on it. All in all, she looked every bit the Royal Viking Princess she was.

Everyone gathered around the altar, with the members of the Royal family carrying out the final acts of the ceremony. Her mother, now Princess Mother Göndul, rested the black metal circlet adorned with raven wings on her eldest daughter's head. She then hit the marble floor with the butt of her lance, the sound ringing loudly in everyone’s ears, and addressed the crowd.

“It is with great joy that I now present the Lance to our foes, Shield to our People, Brightest Star in the Northern Sky. May your wisdom guide us in gentle summers, and your strength protect us during the harshest winters. Rise, Princess Hilda of Asgard.”

Hilda stood while her mother kneeled, making an offering. The circlet on her head was ceremonial, meant for show only. The black iron Lance, however, was the real Royal heirloom. Passed down from Princess to Princess since the age of myths, it had kept its exceedingly sharp edge since the day it was forged, or so it was said.

Hilda's hand trembled as she reached for it, opening her eyes wide when she felt its true weight. Göndul noticed and gave her a smile.

"'Heavy is the arm that wields the Lance'. Be proud to have it, my daughter, but humble enough not to wield it."

The now ruling Princess nodded as her mother gave her a final bow before nudging her to address the crowd. Hilda took a deep breath, drawing courage from her sister's bright smile, and hit the marble floor with the butt of her lance.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Princess Hilda gave her Coronation speech looking like she had just descended from Valhalla itself. Embla, Artica, and Thyrna were in the living room, staring into the tiny TV, the volume at maximum.

“She really goes to the Academy with you?” Thyrna asked, enchanted by Hilda’s voice.

“Not with me, but like me,” Artica replied, with her head on her lap. “She graduates by the end of spring.”

“And her sister should join in autumn,” Embla added. “My, Boreal and you missed their years, but still got to see them at the Academy. Ain’t life funny like that.”

Thyrna gave her an amused smile. “And where’s Bud? Can’t be on a date, everything is closed today.”

“Oh, he’s watching this at his partner’s house.”

“Manor,” Thyrna corrected, not without a hint of mockery.

The phone rang, and Embla reached out to take the call without looking. After a few moments of quiet conversation, she passed it to Artica. “One of your classmates.”

With a puzzled look, she answered. “Hello? Oh, good afternoon, Rúri! How did you get this number? Ah, Bud gave it to you. Yes, we’re watching it too. Huh?”

Thyrna, annoyed that the Academy somehow managed to interrupt even in the current circumstances, raised her eyebrows seeing Artica get up, sit next to the TV and bump her forehead against the screen, squinting. “Bottom left? All I see are smudges. I’m sure that blue one is a noble, just like the other 76 around it… FENRIR? HOW CAN YOU TELL? Oh, of course, your TV is probably gigantic, I forgot.”

“Who’s Fenrir?” her partner asked.

“Another classmate. Quirky noble, that one."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“I can’t believe the ‘thing’ you had to do on Saturday was the fucking CORONATION!” Artica exclaimed, using her hands to emphasize.

“I didn’t wanna go. In an ideal world, I wouldn’t have had to go.”

“Hm? Why is that? I bet anyone at the Academy would have killed to be there!”

Rúri suddenly put her hands on Artica’s shoulders and turned her around with an awkward, polite smile. “Only Heads of House were invited to the Coronation.”

“Oh,” she replied in the faintest of whispers. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it like that at all. I-”

Fenrir lowered his eyes and made a hand gesture. “It’s fine, there was no reason for you to have known that.”

There was an uncomfortable silence that Karianne smashed through like a hammer. “So? Did you flirt with the European Royals?”

“No.”

“Not even a bit?”

“No,” Fenrir repeated, mortified. “Who do you think you’re asking? The Danish Party looked my way and I immediately changed course towards another hallway. That’s how well I did with other guests.”

“Well, Rúri says you looked very elegant, so well done there!” Artica said.

“You didn’t watch it?”

“Sorry, Fenrir, in my small-ass TV, everyone looked the same; like a perfect pixel cluster.”

Heimrik came into the classroom with a rather alarmed look on his face. "Did you guys hear about the newbies?"

He suddenly made a bow towards Fenrir, Rúri, and Karianne, appalled to not have noticed them before speaking. “My lord, my ladies.”

“What newbies?” Bud inquired.

“Two kids from junior highschool that just skipped a whole grade? They’re joining the Academy today!”

“At midyear? Isn’t that a little rushed?”

“They are absurdly smart, apparently! The boy was almost qualified to skip two grades!”

“Ohh sh-, what class are they in?” Artica interrupted, already pale.

“1C,” Heimrik replied at once.

The color returned to her face. Bud also let out a relieved sigh. “Oh, thank the gods. Not with any of us Blacks. They would’ve sent our scholarships to rest in pieces.”

“Can’t believe it, though. I’m here squeezing everything out of my three brain cells, and they were just born super intelligent?”

“You have way more than three brain cells,” Fenrir quietly added.

“I know, it was a- Nevermind,” Artica said with a quiet laugh.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The audacity of this douchebag to not even wave back at her! It had only been a few months since they started going to different schools.

“Really? Can’t even bother to say ‘Hi’ now? Look at you; a little while in the Academy, and you cut your hair, completely change your wardrobe and demeanor. Can’t even watch the Coronation together nowadays! Ridiculous! Or is ‘preposterous’ more etiquette-appropriate?” the girl said in a mocking tone.

The fact the boy made a wide catalog of bewildered expressions at her every word, but did not reply to any of it, made her even more angry. “For fuck’s sake, fine, I’ll get going. Clearly, I’m no longer the kind of company you want to keep. Don’t show your ugly mug around here again, asshole.”

And off she went with a dignified air, barely aware a blonde had approached the boy to ask him what happened and got a highly confused shrug as answer.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

After hearing the end of Thyrna’s rant about Bud, Artica felt like she was simultaneously choking on her burger, suffering a heart attack, and on top of it, experiencing a stroke.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“My lord, I am so sorry!” Artica was saying for the millionth time. “She’s absolutely NOT like that at all! I should’ve told her you’re twins but it somehow felt like something Bud should decide to share, not me, and-”

“Artica, calm down.”

“But you must believe me-!”

“I do! It is fine. I suspected it was something along those lines. Rúri and I rarely have business on that side of the city, so it is natural she confused me with someone else. Do not worry about it!”

This was like asking the sun to freeze over, because Artica was fretting over it like crazy. “Please don’t think ill of her, Thyrna was just amused to see ‘Bud’ after all these months…”

Syd gave her a reassuring smile. “I’d be angry too if I got the ugly twin instead.”

Artica looked like she was going to continue apologizing for another twenty minutes, so he immediately put his hand on her arm and squeezed gently. “I jest! Dear gods, Artica, please let it rest. It was an honest misunderstanding, and I am not worried about it at all, so neither should you. If I ever see her again, I will introduce myself at once, and apologize for not being able to reply on the spot.”

“Wh-”

“The whole time I was thinking it would have been hilarious if Karianne had been there too, so I could not fully focus.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

It was a nice day for Valentine’s.

It meant jack shit to him, but even though winter was still there, the sky was clear, and the breeze was gentle. All those couples going about their business, looking for ways to celebrate, would enjoy nice weather.

Fenrir was returning to his house after a walk and could not help recognizing someone at the riverside park. Laying down on the bench beneath the big tree was Artica, lost in thought.

He walked over out of habit. “Uhm, are you ok?”

His voice seemed to call her back to reality. “Oh, hey, Fenrir. I’m alright, and you?”

“I’m fine,” he replied, taking a seat. “You don’t look alright. Something happened?”

“I got dumped on Valentine’s. How cliché is that?”

Fenrir gave her a lopsided smile and rubbed her shoulder very gently. He had never been dumped, as he had never had a partner, but understood rejection all too well. “That sucks, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It sucks alright, but it’s better she told me instead of just drifting apart in silence.”

He couldn’t help wondering why, and apparently, it showed.

“You can ask, I don’t mind.”

“Why did she dump you?”

“Thyrna wasn’t happy with how much of my life is consumed by the Academy. Said I never had time for her,” Artica let out a deep sigh, playing with the tickets in her hand.

Fenrir frowned. “Don’t you make a circus out of your schedule every month to clear a week to spend with her?”

“Thryna doesn’t feel it is enough, and I don’t have the energy to make the circus bigger, so…”

“Does she understand what being a Black means? Not only in requirements, but in benefits? You’ll graduate with a very desirable curriculum and whatever.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Artica replied with a hand gesture. “When the time came to set priorities straight, Thyrna wasn’t willing to compromise, and I can’t make more time for her. The moment I said that she dumped me.”

There was a short silence. The wind blew a bit, swaying their hair in the breeze. Artica stared at her tickets and an idea came to her. “Hey, isn't your birthday this month?"

“Yeah, it was last week.”

“WHAT? Why didn't you say anything!"

He was baffled by her question, unable to understand why anyone would care, so he just shrugged.

Artica let out a sigh. "As a late birthday gift, wanna go to the fun park? My treat.”

Fenrir side-eyed her, unsure on whether he should accept. This was a rather awkward day to hang out with a friend. However, it was pretty shitty of whats-her-name to dump Artica exactly on this date. He took a deep breath.

“Okay, but I would rather pay my ticket.”

Artica made a hand gesture. “These are already paid for, don’t worry about it. Shall we go?”

At his nod, they both started their way to the fun park in the middle of the city. Artica had her hair unbraided, but pulled back in a ponytail, wearing her favorite hand-knitted sweater with simple make-up and boots. He felt a little embarrassed to be wearing his trusty fur-trimmed jacket and sneakers, somewhat underdressed in comparison.

“Oh, before I forget,” Artica said just as they were getting in line. “Since today is Valentine’s, there’s an understandable expectation that most of the attendees are couples. Whatever the vendors say, just nod and accept the goodies they give you.”

“Huh? You want to pretend to be a couple?” Fenrir asked, now very unsure accepting her invitation was the right choice.

“No, I would never ask you to do that! They’ll be giving away a bunch of treats, and some other things during the day. It’ll be a little awkward if you decline, so just give’em a smile and take them.”

At every new ride, they were offered sweets and corny gifts that started piling up. After lunch, Artica was wearing heart-shaped plastic sunglasses, and two sets of fantasy necklaces, while Fenrir was stuck with a headpiece with purple cat ears, a bunch of bracelets, and a few balloons trailing behind him. That, on top of their pockets (coats and trousers alike) full of chocolates and other candy.

Overall, the experience was quite fun. The tickets Artica bought allowed them to skip the long lines, so they were able to try all the rides without having to wait. This was his first time at a fun park, but Fenrir quickly decided roller coasters were his all-time favorite rides and rode each at least three times in a row.

Artica and Fenrir were having a laugh as they got out of an instant photobooth just outside the park gate. So much, they didn’t even notice the couple staring their way. When Fenrir turned around to throw something away, still wearing the cat ears Artica put on him, he froze on the spot. The color drained from his face, and he felt a sudden chill in his spine.

“Artica!” Karianne exclaimed, embracing her. “Look at you, honey, all dressed up!”

The Black gave her a sheepish smile while hugging back. Bud narrowed his eyes, his expression difficult to interpret. “So, you’re…?”

“A poor replacement for her Valentine’s date,” Fenrir blurted out, unsure on what to say. Was he angry? Or even updated on his friend’s romantic status?

“Oh, shit,” Bud whispered, tearing Artica away from Karianne's embrace. “She dumped you?”

Artica let out a tired sigh. “Yeah, this morning…”

The girl with the black curls hugged her again, their cheeks touching. “No! How dare that ungrateful fool dump you! It is alright, honey, we will mend your broken heart in no time.”

Bud somehow looked both angry and relieved. He also gave Artica a hug. “C’mon, let’s get a burger.”

The girls walked in front, deep in some chit chat that was hard to follow. Bud and Fenrir walked a few paces behind them. The twin clapped his back with a small smile. “Thanks for taking her out today.”

Fenrir had to laugh. “Actually, she took me out, as a late birthday gift. I’m just glad she managed to distract herself.”

“Never liked Thyrna much. She craves attention, and Artica’s the type to provide it.”

“Isn’t that just a match?”

“A low quality one, in this case. None of them had a boundary. Not the healthiest match.”

Fenrir raised an eyebrow, looking at Karianne, which Bud picked up on. “Yeah, K also likes attention, but she has the common sense to reciprocate it. Look at how much she fusses over Artica.”

They stopped in front of a very small corner shop. It only had two tables, and one of them was covered in soot. Karianne seemed delighted, but Artica turned around with a frown. “You brought them to Visa’s greasy ass burgers? Sannfridsson, have some class!”

“What, you like’em!” Bud replied with a shrug. He made his way inside and bumped his fist with the large man behind the counter. "Visa, my man, hit the old girl up with your best. She’s kinda sad today."

Visa was a thirty-something year old individual from Finland, who at some point decided his dream was to open a shop in the small Asgardian Principality. His hair was ash blonde, his eyes were brown, and his left leg a prosthetic. "Big A is sad? Not here! Visa's Special coming right up. And for the two fancy friends?"

"Just regulars for us, thanks!"

Visa's Special was just a regular with two patties instead of one, and greasier than usual, but Artica appreciated his efforts, nonetheless. "Thanks, Visa! Your burgers are the best!"

The man gave her a smile, massaging his stump at the knee. His accent was noticeable, but not difficult to understand. "For best customers!"

To Bud and Artica's surprise, both Karianne and Fenrir wolfed down their burgers without skipping a beat. "You guys were hungry, huh?"

"There aren't burger places in the North," Fenrir explained with a shrug.

"Burgers are not etiquette-appropriate," the other girl said with a mocking gesture.

They stayed quite a while after finishing their orders, listening to Visa explain how he came to Asgard and met some of his top customers. "So Big B came in one Friday with two lil' kids and said-"

"Who's 'Big B'?"

"My brother, Boreal," Artica added quickly, nodding for Visa to continue.

"And said 'brought these two punks to eat best burgers in town… where should I go, Visa?' And it was not funny! But Lil' B still ordered the special so-"

"Who's Lil' B?"

"I'm Lil' B, stop interrupting!" Bud answered in an exasperated tone.

The other boy had the reaction of a dog beaten up with a newspaper. Very aware of how Fenrir was treated back at his house, Artica aggressively nudged Bud's foot under the table. The twin had the good sense of looking apologetic.

"A curious one, yeah?" Visa said to lessen the tension. The silver-haired boy seemed grateful. "So Lil' B ordered the special, and now they come every Friday."

Karianne clapped her hands together. "Well, Mister Visa, count me in the list for frequent customers too, for I shall return!"

"Big A and Lil' B always bring me new customers. Like Lil' T."

Bud almost choked on his drink while Artica let out a sad groan. "Oh, Visa, I'm sorry. I don't know if she'll be coming back here."

"Why not? Once a month, with you, no?"

Artica gave him a short explanation. The Finnish man patted her head gently. "No worries, Big A. You are nice girl; another nice person will soon find you."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“How have you been?” the therapist asked, looking at her over her glasses.

“Mostly fine. I got dumped recently.”

“Ahh, that’s unfortunate… Do you want to share any thoughts on that?”

Artica slouched a bit, and briefly explained how and why her relationship ended. “I thought she’d give in a little. We’d been together for over a year, y’know? Just a little would’ve been fine, but…”

There was a pause, then a sigh, and finally a mortified groan. “I cared more than she did, didn't I?”

“You already had this conversation with yourself, I see,” the therapist nodded. “Rationalizing, I mean.”

“...Yes.” Artica did that frequently. Overthinking, that is. “I haven’t seen any dogs recently, so that’s been a great help.”

Noting the change on subject, the therapist pressed a button on her desk phone. “I’m glad you brought that up, because I have a proposal. There is a therapy dog on site today. If you’re comfortable with the idea, we can bring it in here for a bit.”

Artica immediately thought ‘NO’, yet understood why it was being suggested. Already sweating, she nodded, and the door opened. An absurdly friendly-looking chocolate labrador retriever and its handler entered the room. At her second nod, they both came closer, but barely, because when they were two meters away, Artica suddenly got up, tilting her chair, and flattened herself against the wall.

“Okay, that’s a start,” the therapist said, thanking the handler for their time. “You allowed them in your general space, that’s good! In your personal space… we’ll figure out how to process that.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

There was a man Fenrir had never seen before sweeping outside the small one-story house. He stood a few meters away, staring like an idiot, unsure of what to do. The man looked at him from time to time but would soon get back to his chore without a word.

It had already been a good ten minutes when the man finally cleared his throat. "So, uh, are you going to come in or…?"

Fenrir nodded and followed him inside. He offered the boy a chair and they sat there in silence for another ten minutes. The man was visibly distressed but made an honest attempt to ease the tension.

"My lo-... F-Fenrir. Embla and Artica said etiquette was not necessary with you, but I find it very difficult to do, I'm a simple country man… I apologize for not speaking to you sooner."

The boy blinked twice, letting out a relieved sigh. "N-not at all, sir. I'm… an awkward kid anyway, sorry I made you nervous."

The man gave him a small smile and extended his hand. "You probably guessed, but I'm Reynir, Artica's dad. They told me you might be coming over."

There was no need to guess. His wizened silver eyes made it very clear.

"They told you I'd be coming over today?" Fenrir asked, suddenly trying to recall all his previous visits and if they had somehow given out enough information to predict it.

"What? No, in general," Reynir replied. The boy seemed just as described, with a little overthinking on top. "So, Embla says you're from the northern mountains?"

Fenrir nodded eagerly.

“Nice and quiet up there, unlike the central region.”

He nodded again with a small smile. “Very different. Life is slow, but I really like it.”

A few hours later, when Artica and Embla returned home, they noticed the sound of arguing inside the house. Beyond the door, Reynir and Fenrir were livid, talking over each other in a childish manner.

"As I said, sir, they are still around in the northern forests!"

"Nonsense! I've been there a million times and seen none!"

Embla noticed there were two glasses with beer remnants on the table and had to laugh. "You two finally met."

Both men turned their heads at once.

"Artica, sweetheart, you're an experienced hunter, please explain to your friend that wolves are not part of the northern ecosystem!"

There was a spasm in Fenrir's right eye. "I say this with the utmost respect; your father doesn't know shit about the topic at hand!"

Artica took a seat, flipping through the pages of an ancient notebook. She let out a whistle. "Oh, this must be serious if Pa brought out his old hunting journal."

"EXACTLY! My personal hunting journal! Tell him!"

“Nah, uh,” Artica said, wagging her finger. “If you want me to take a side, both of you have to start from the top and explain to me your reasoning.”

“Fine!” they yelled with a definitive tone.

Embla pulled out some leftovers and started heating them for dinner. Artica felt comforted by the fact that, even though Reynir and Fenrir were ready to argue to death, there was clear enjoyment in their faces.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Rúri was mixing the ingredients eagerly, immersed in the recipe. There were seventeen different items over the kitchen island, and somehow, she seemed to be considering using all of them for the dessert. Only the sound of something heavy letting itself sink on someone else made her raise her eyes.

“THELO! Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry, he is such an attention-hoarder,” she said, immediately going to Artica and picking up the absurdly heavy cat that had collapsed on her lap. There was visible strain in Rúri’s face.

Just by looking at it, it was clear to Artica that this was not a large animal, just a fat one. She looked down at her uniform, now coated with a healthy amount of cat hair. “A-ah! I-It’s nothing. I’m surprised he even came close. Animals don’t seem to like me much…”

The blonde was going to argue, but one quick look at the left side of Artica’s face made her reconsider. She pushed her glasses back up her nose. “Oh, no, no. No need to worry. Thelo is a sweetheart, he would never-”

At her words, the cat immediately swatted at Artica’s hair. To be fair, it was half-hearted, and that simple attempt seemed to leave it exhausted.

“THELONIUS RÚRISSON, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!”

A few moments later, footsteps rang from the nearby hallway, making Artica spring to her feet.

“Mother! Welcome back!” Rúri greeted cheerfully, turning around. “Miss Reynirdóttir, may I introduce Lady Paulfrid, Head of the Guarding Swan?”

“It is an honor to meet your acquaintance, my Lady,” Artica said with a deep bow, suddenly embarrassed about all the cat hair on her clothes. “My name is Artica Reynirdóttir. I am a scholarship student at the Academy, and classmate to lady Rúri.”

Lady Paulfrid, a woman slightly taller than her, with short, light brown hair in a pixie cut and dimples in her smile, was clearly the one who gave her daughter those endearing, deep blue eyes. She was too well bred to flinch, but her gaze did briefly pause on the left side of Artica’s face.

“Welcome to our home, Miss Reynirdóttir. It is our pleasure to have you here. Baking something, darling?”

“Yes, Mother. We are in a leap year, which means Karianne can celebrate on the actual day this time, so I was thinking of making her favorite dessert… but four layers in total.”

“Ah, extra layers for each year she missed, fantasic. Miss Reynirdóttir, please allow me your uniform. We wil get it back in pristine condition while you two make the dessert.”

Artica was spooked by the older woman who suddenly appeared at her side, offering her a bright yellow skirt. She complied without a word, taking a moment to change in a nearby bathroom, deeply thankful. After all, she could try cleaning her trousers, waistcoat and jacket at home, but it had been so long since she had a pet, it was probably better to let them handle it. The white button shirt and tie would be much less of a problem. “Thank you for your kindness, my Lady.”

Lady Paulfrid and the older woman left the kitchen while Rúri took her hand and made her do a turn. “Well, you look great in yellow, sweetie! Though because you are taller than me, the skirt looks somewhat short on you. I hope that is not a problem while we bake this out.”

Her classmate shook her head and put herself at Rúri’s orders, unsure on how to be of use. After a healthy number of attempts from Thelonius, it was clear she could just focus on keeping him off the kitchen counters. For such a fat cat, he was incredibly determined.

“Truly, Thelo, dear. If you invested as much energy doing normal cat things as you do trying to steal this butter…” the blonde said, watching him weakly fight the Black’s grip.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Two weeks ago, Fenrir had the very impressive experience of going to a match between the Asgardian and Norwegian national football teams. The stadium had been full to the brim with fans, their faces painted with their team’s colors. A million voices chanted encouragement, or colorful insults to each other, while waving flags and other themed items. The whole atmosphere was utterly breathtaking.

… but Fenrir wasn’t sure he wanted to experience it again. People were so loud, and the sport itself was so boring. At least to him, because Malik, the student who invited him to the game, lost it every time the Asgardians got the ball. He even lifted Fenrir up in a hug when they scored the goal that gave them a hard-earned victory, 2-1. He was thankful Malik invited him to hang out, it was just not exactly something he would do again soon.

Or so he thought, taking his seat on the bench. Artica sat next to him and handed him a pole. She carefully unrolled the banner she had carried all the way there, tightly holding the other pole between her legs to straighten it. It was an eye-catching orange and had a purple owl stretching its wings wide. At the top, ‘Go get’em, Vaito!’ was written in urban-looking handwriting.

“Woah, that’s pretty cool! Did you make it?”

Artica scoffed, busy pulling out some snacks from her bag. “It would’ve been nice if the gods had given me a teeny tiny bit of artistic ability, but no. This was made from scratch by his sister, Aalu. She mailed it to us for this match! It’s Vaito’s first with the team, but she couldn’t come this weekend.”

Said match was about to take place in Vaito’s school’s soccer field. Most people in the stands were, like them, family, friends, and classmates of the players. Forty people in total, probably. As the players entered the field, a boy suddenly froze when he saw the orange banner in the stands. Artica dropped her snacks at once and started signing. ‘Show them how it’s done, eastern style!’

Vaito’s dark eyes drifted from her to the banner and then rested on Fenrir. They weren’t really friends, just acquaintances who met through Artica, but Vaito still appreciated seeing another familiar face in the crowd.

Not quite as fast as his classmate, Fenrir also encouraged him. ‘Do your best and have fun!’

It was honestly baffling how different this was, even though the sport was the same. Understandably, it was less loud, but there was a kind of electricity in the air. Fenrir’s eyes darted around the field, following the ball’s every move and feeling terribly stressed every time the other team took it.

“I know this isn’t as exciting as the match you saw a few weeks ago, but thanks for coming with me today,” Artica said, offering a beverage can and some crisps.

“Nah, I’m honestly more excited about this one.”

And invested. Damn, so terribly invested. They were losing 2-0, and time was running out. Vaito’s team was mostly students his age, while the other team had several older ones, taller and more experienced. Their captain, a girl with bright teal eyes, was as fast as a viking tiger. However, she seemed to miscalculate a pass and the ball landed right next to Vaito. In what he would later describe as a jolt of panic hitting his brain, he ran with it, kicked it as hard as he could, and then tripped over his own loose shoelaces.

The main referee blew his whistle and raised his neon yellow flag, just as one of his assistants did the same, marking the final score and the end of the match. Fenrir lost his shit the moment he saw Vaito score, immediately picking up Artica from behind in a celebratory hug. He let her go a moment later, awfully embarrassed.

“S-sorry, I got a little carried away."

"Don't sweat it,” She was laughing, not giving it a second thought. “I didn’t know you liked football."

He didn’t, actually, but for whatever reason, this had been a million times more fun than the previous time. Vaito's father, who arrived in the middle of the match and sat behind them, was now parading Aalu's banner all over the stands. The team carried Vaito rockstar-style back to the locker room and it took a while for him to reemerge, now covered in confetti. This was all highly amusing, considering his team had still lost, 2-1.

They were deep in conversation when Fenrir noticed someone looking at them. He immediately straightened up, made a short bow and started signing. 'Lady Vaike! What a pleasant surprise to meet you here.'

Vaike, with her long black hair in a ponytail, bowed too. 'Likewise, my lord. I see you came to cheer on this match's newcomer. Oh, the junior with the antlers! Good afternoon. You did not tell me your name that time we spoke.'

Fenrir raised an eyebrow, but Artica was already full scarlet. She made a bow. 'Good afternoon, my lady. My name is Artica Reynirdóttir.'

Around that time, the captain of the opposite team joined Vaike, who ruffled her hair with a smile. Just by looking at their eyes, it was clear she was Vaike's younger sister. The captain looked at them, then at Vaito, and signed. 'You got lucky, newbie. We'll see how it goes in our next match!'

Vaike pinched her cheek at once, hardly dissimulating her embarrassment. 'Please excuse her, my lord, Miss Reynirdóttir, young man. She is an unruly brat.'

They bid them farewell and returned to the very important task of celebrating Vaito’s fantastic first loss.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Artica let out a deep sigh, finally done with updating her calendar.

"Wow, looks way better now. Less cramped."

"Yeah…" she replied, her lips tight.

Fenrir raised an eyebrow. "You alright? I thought you agreed with her reasoning."

She didn't even look at him, resting her head on her desk. "Just because I agree doesn't mean I instantly stopped caring about her. You know what I mean?"

Fenrir, in fact, did not know what she meant, but unwilling to demonstrate, nodded. "Yeah."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Again.”

Artica let out a hiss. It was well after club activities were over. The Archery Tournament was even rescheduled due to the monetary cost the Coronation had on Central Asgard. Why did she have to stay for extra practice?

“Pardon me, Captain, but I think hitting 27 out of 32 targets is more than enough for today.”

“This is not about if you hit or miss, it is about how you carry yourself in the field.”

“Huh?”

“You aim like a hawk but do so looking like a farm horse.”

The Black turned around at the speed of light. “Excuse me, my lady?!”

Even for a Year 3 Blue, and Archery Captain, that was uncalled for. Artica had noticed that for a few weeks now, she had been correcting her stance, or the position of her elbows. Even in which direction her feet were pointing to. All little things that made no difference, because she was hitting most of her targets anyway.

“Artica,” the Captain said, and this was the very first time the Black had heard her say her name. “You are an Academy student now. You represent it as much as any Blue in this club. If you want to be sponsored by the Academy in the tournament, a countryside demeanor will not do.”

“I am from the countryside!” she blurted out. “There is no shame in that!”

“No, there is not, yet you must consider how it reflects on you. The tournament welcomes everyone, including high-ranking nobles, and that includes royals. I believe you know even Crown Prince Adalhar from the Neighboring Kingdom has competed in it.”

“Oh, yeah, Boreal kicked his ass that time.”

“That is beside the point.”

“What is the point, captain? That I embarrass you? That I would embarrass the Academy?”

“That you are already diligent as an Academy student, and certainly a skilled archer, yet the tiniest details will have others talking. Do not give them the satisfaction of undermining your achievements because you could not bother taking the more formal stances while shooting.”

Artica hissed again, annoyed. The Captain continued. “Your other Black friends already heard this from their instructors and trainers. You all need to step up, and show you are just as capable as any Blue, or even better.”

There was no immediate reply. The Captain turned to the wall where several pictures were hung. “When I joined this club, your brother was already a senior, and his skill was enough to make everyone in the room hold their breath. Blacks struggle in general, but before Lady Hilda came to the Academy, it was worse. Boreal struggled greatly, he might have told you that, but he also understood how to minimize the impact on himself. By his senior year, his technique was flawless, met every standard, and even improved a few details! He made sure there was no gap others could use to undermine him, at least in archery.”

“You hold my brother in high regard, my lady.”

“I do, because I was one of the people who initially looked for those gaps to mess with him. A Black from the countryside? Easy target to pick on and deviate attention from my own lack of commitment. Yet he was relentless, and basically shut me and all others up by smoothing over any of his deficiencies.”

Artica said nothing.

“So that is the point. You still have a long way to go in the Academy, and you will struggle through all of it. Help yourself early on and minimize the impact.”

There was a short silence as Artica let all of that sink in. She was so sure this was going to be some new derogatory Blue tactic, it never occurred to her there was an underlying concern for her struggles. For all their Black struggles.

“Thank you for your words, my lady. I think I understand now.”

“Good. Even after I graduate, I look forward to seeing the Hawkling in the tournament.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The three of them were busy trying to win at Tetris when a red-headed Black made his way to them. "Hey, Reynirdóttir, my condolences."

Artica raised her eyes from the screen with a rather mortified expression. "Oh, you heard already."

"Yeah, that's tough… which is why I wanna know if this time you'd accept my invitation to catch a movie this weekend?"

Bud and Fenrir also raised their gaze, darting between Asgrim and Artica.

"Yeah, okay. I'll pick the day and you pick the movie?"

"Sounds good to me," he said, turning around. "Let's talk after school."

"Alright, see you later," Artica replied, looking at the screen again. "Game over? What were you two doing?!"

They both gave her nervous smiles, too embarrassed to admit the game became irrelevant in an instant.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Fenrir was sitting in one of the gardens, listening to music, when three students from 1C came closer and started to chat. That was nice, right? Others wanting to interact with him? And yet, he couldn't find any real topic to discuss with Levina, or even begin to follow whatever Malik was talking about. It felt like there was some kind of barrier that prevented them from truly connecting.

Awkwardly trying to figure it out, Fenrir was suddenly distracted by someone passing by, her braid swaying gently from side to side. That connection was immediate, and he was already walking towards her.

"Hey, Artica! May I offer some help with that?"

The Black had barely turned to him when half of the books she was carrying were taken away. "Ah! Yeah, okay. Thanks!"

Malik was visibly irritated. "Did you hear that? Not even a hint of formal language!"

"They sit next to each other, apparently," Rae explained. "Not unusual, I guess."

Levina said nothing. Her olive eyes followed them until they entered the library. She took a mental note of this and went about her day as usual.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

He smiled, even though it did not reflect how he felt. For whatever reason, Fenrir was unsatisfied to learn Artica had a good time with Asgrim. Apparently, they even shared the same taste in movies! However, unable to truly pinpoint why it bothered him, Fenrir just pushed it to the back of his mind and did not analyze it any further.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Ta-da!” they exclaimed, using hand gestures to draw attention to their ears.

Finally, after meticulous care and constant check-ups, their helix piercings had healed enough to be approved for piece switching. Now, they each sported a small charm in the shape of two feathers (green and blue) hanging from a golden earring.

“They look fantastic, darlings. You two have great taste, as always,” Karianne said with an approving nod. “I know you have been waiting a long time for this, so feel free to parade them all over the Academy.”

“Why two feathers, though?” Bud inquired, admiring Rúri’s charm with childish curiosity.

“Oh, I am glad you asked! You see…” Syd replied, giving what ended up being a twenty-minute explanation.

They were all listening, yet near the end, Artica noticed an appalled expression on Fenrir’s face. Once the younger twin was done, Fenrir excused himself and left, arguing he didn’t feel well and would like to rest back at his house. Knowing he found anything but rest where he lived, Artica ended up following him, promising the rest she would report back if needed.

“Hey, wait for me!” she said, rushing to get into the same train as him. “You okay?”

Fenrir let out a deep sigh, staring out the window as the train began to move. “It’s nothing. I’ll be fine.”

The walk from the station was done in complete silence. Right outside his house, however, Artica got it out of her system. “Hey, are you okay? I know you said it was nothing but it’s clearly something.”

He pulled a worn-out locket out of his coat. It had Fenrir’s family crest engraved on the top and appeared to be made of some blue-coated metal. Even though Artica expected there to be a portrait of his parents inside, it only contained a pair of small, off-white items.

“I don’t have many things to remember my parents by. A person who loved them dearly gave these to me, even though I was just a child at the time and could’ve lost them easily.”

She couldn’t help eyeing the helix piercings with interest, considering they were made from an uncommon material.

“That person said ‘They loved each other deeply, and you are living proof of it. My Lord and Lady are now with you, forever.’ When Syd started talking about his and Rúri’s pieces, those words came back to me, and I felt… overwhelmed.”

Fenrir’s voice faltered a bit, so he turned away to compose himself. Artica allowed him a moment before gently squeezing his shoulder. After a deep breath, he resumed. “Anyway, it’s really nothing.”

“Alright, as long as that’s really all there is to it…” she replied with a reassuring smile. “I’ve never seen pieces made from antlers! Very stylish.”

He was puzzled for a moment, but then figured she had probably seen many of those when hunting with her family. “Y-yeah. It’s a thing they do on Father’s side…”

“Pa and Ma’s are made of wood,” Artica shared. “Because of their names (1).”

“Oh, that’s very clever!”

“Yeah. They’ve had to remake them a few times, but thankfully materials are accessible… Is that really all you have from your parents, besides the lands and that kind of stuff?”

“No, there are a few other things… Do you wanna see one now?”

At her nod, they went around the manor and to the very back of the property, where a magnificent bush of pale blue winter roses was in full bloom, just under a large window with two leaping wolves in stained glass. “Mother brought it from the family manor and planted it here one time Father was ill for a few months. She firmly believed they could chase evils away, so…”

Artica had barely heard about this rose type from her sister, much less seen one, but was immediately in awe. The bush was full of them and looked well kept. “Wow! They’re gorgeous!”

“Mother planted them just outside the master bedroom, so the breeze would blow in their perfume. I remember one time, when I was little, she opened the windows and-”

There was a dry sound as someone closed a nearby door neither had noticed was ajar. Fenrir tightened his fist and turned around. “C’mon, let’s go somewhere else.”

It ended up being the creek. They sat under a large tree.

“I’m sorry for never inviting you inside, even though I spend so much time at your home. I don’t want them to talk to you,” he said, before clarifying. “Because they might say something rude.”

“Ah… That’s okay, I understand.”

Fenrir suddenly raised his hand to his mouth and whistled. A bush rustled nearby, and Ging popped out of it to drink from the creek. Artica shuddered, flattening herself against the tree trunk. “Wh-why did you call him?”

“I didn’t, he was already there, I just asked him to stay on that side.”

“With a whistle?”

“Yeah, because they're similar to when he-“ and stopped, scratching ‘howls’ out of his mind. “Whines.”

She narrowed her eyes, and raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. It was enough if Ging decided to comply, Artica didn’t need to know the details of how or why, even if his explanation sounded rather silly. “Do you regret moving to the central region? Where Ging has to hide?”

“I miss the mountains greatly, yeah, but I don’t regret having to move here. I’ve learned a lot of new things and met a lot of new people. I even made a friend.”

What he did immediately regret was that phrasing. What was he, eight? How could he blurt out such childish thoughts? Fenrir was so busy reprimanding himself; he didn’t notice Artica had relaxed a bit.

“I’m happy we’re friends. It’s made the Academy much more manageable. I was nervous we might not make any Blue friends until Year 3, like it happened to my brother… But we even met before school started!”

He couldn’t tell her right there, but the feeling was mutual. Fenrir had been pretty sure things wouldn’t be particularly different at the Academy from how they had been his whole life; by himself, with no one else but Ging. And yet, because he ignored his better judgment and approached a girl between some trash cans, things had taken a radically different turn. Considering how much of a blissful coincidence it had been that they were both going to the Academy, he blurted out something that had been in his mind for a while now.

“Why did you want the scholarship? You guys are busy all the time, why would you choose that instead of just regular education at any other high school?”

Artica’s gaze became distant, looking at something that wasn’t there.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“There he is,” Bud pointed towards the bus stop.

“Oh, you guys were waiting for me?” Boreal asked the moment his younger sister launched at him.

He was completely exhausted from school, club activities, and club assistance, yet found it in himself to pick her up in a hug. The girl was smiling, but it diminished when they gazed at each other. Boreal was painfully aware he had heavy bags under his eyes, and probably looked somewhat pale right now. After all, he had little time to eat that day.

His sister asked to be lowered. “B, why do you try so hard? Isn’t it difficult? Aren’t you tired?”

Boreal took the hands of both kids and started walking. “Yes, and yes.”

“Then why do you do it?” Bud asked, frowning.

“You guys are barely eleven, so it might take a while for you to understand how I feel right now,” he replied, and immediately squeezed their hands in his. “Pa sat me down one day and told me I should become a hunter like him, because I’m good at it. At first, I was thrilled. I love to hunt! So obviously doing it as a job would be easy, and fun! But as I got older, I realized I wanted to do other things, that I had other passions.”

“Like drawing!” little Artica exclaimed.

“Yes, like drawing, but hunting requires a lot of time out in the wild, and a lot of focus… there wouldn’t be enough left for drawing, and that made me sad.”

They stopped at a bakery, and he bought doughnuts for all of them. “I was so sad, P noticed, and asked me why. I remember crying on her dress because I didn’t want to disappoint Pa, but I also didn’t want to let go of my passion, so didn’t know what to do. A few days later, one of the times Kalervo came to visit, they sat us all down and told us about the Academy Scholarship. It all sounded ridiculous at first. Me? Going to the fancy Academy with the nobles? Becoming my class’s official nerd? Why would I want that?”

He paused to take a bite from his doughnut. “P had already thought it all out, bless her heart. She said nothing about me crying but sprinkled the conversation with the universities that seek Academy graduates, and stuck the National University of Art and Design, in the Neighboring Kingdom, in there. You see, universities here currently don’t have Art and Design sections, so I wouldn’t have the option at all. A few days later, Pa came into my room and asked me if I wanted to try that. I don’t know if P or Kalervo ever mentioned it to him, but it seemed to me that either way he realized maybe he’d been too vague when discussing my future with me.”

“I don’t understand,” his sister admitted.

Boreal had always appreciated her honesty and gave her a smile. “Maybe, when I graduate, I’ll be tired of drawing and embrace hunting once again, but what if I don’t? I decided to aim for the scholarship because I want to be able to choose.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“We were inspired by Boreal.”

“He lives in the Neighboring Kingdom, right? With your older sister?”

“Yeah, he goes to university there.”

Fenrir made a vague hand gesture. “Huh, I’ve never really thought about what I’m gonna do after the Academy.”

“That’s alright,” Artica said. “We still have some time to figure it out.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The great hall had been beautifully decorated with colorful banners, each with the coat of arms of the many nobles graduating that day. There were delicate peach flower arrangements in every corner, rumored to be in honor of Her Majesty, as these were her favorites. As this was the only activity on the last day of the school year, most students were just arriving. Blacks from all years, however, were asked to help with preparations, and so had been there since early morning.

Bud, Artica, Asgrim, and Heimrik were under the impression this was the Academy’s way of squeezing every minute out of them before the end of term, but were flabbergasted to find out that Hilda had, in fact, organized a special breakfast for all eleven Blacks in the Academy. She took the time to hear their concerns (and complaints), but also to encourage and advise them on their next steps.

Sigurd used the opportunity to thank Hilda for everything she’d done for the Scholarship program and its students. Hilda in turn thanked them all for their efforts, and then proceeded to highlight each of their individual strengths. Overall, it was a humbling experience for everyone.

Fenrir entered the hall, looking around for any familiar face. He found Bud first and had a hard time processing that the person next to him was, indeed, Artica. Her long hair was down, with a braid going around her head, and no bangs obstructing her scar. Unlike in previous months, she was wearing the uniform skirt, with black thigh high stockings underneath. For the first time, Fenrir found himself thinking she looked very-

“CUTE!” Karianne exclaimed, making her do a turn, so the skirt twirled as well. “Mhm, sweetie, this is definitely a look!”

Artica scoffed. Considering the girl with magenta eyes looked cute in everything, she couldn’t help blushing a little. “Your words are kind, my lady.”

“And you are the perfect height for a kiss, unlike others, who are too tall now.”

Bud immediately rolled his eyes at her. Artica grabbed Karianne and got her right beside her partner. “Yeah? I think it’s better with him, because he’ll have to lean into you for a kiss… or pick you up with these big, strong arms of his."

The older twin caught on at once and got awfully close to her. “So, what shall it be? I lean, or I pick you up?”

For all her mastery at teasing, this seemed to catch Karianne terribly off guard, and she was barely able to stutter a word. Bud leaned in and kissed her anyway, then backed away with an insolent smirk on his face. Rúri and Syd politely contained their laughter, which made Karianne turn scarlet, just as everyone was asked to take their place around the hall for the Graduation speech, given by Siegfried Sigurdsson himself. There was a nostalgic feeling in the air, even for those who still had years to go.

Once the ceremony was over and everyone broke into little groups to chit chat, Siegfried casually came up to Fenrir and brought him next to one of the windows, overlooking the gardens.

“Congratulations on your graduation, Your Majesty,” he said at once, giving her a deep bow. “To my lord as well.”

“Thank you, Fenrir,” Hilda replied with a gentle smile. “Tell me, how was your Year 1?”

“Oh, uh… Full of new experiences?” he didn’t intend to make it sound like a question, but it was too late to correct himself.

“Ah, all positive ones, I hope?”

“Y-yes, I would say so, Your Majesty.”

The ruling Princess let out a relieved sigh. “It eases my heart to hear that, truly. I understand it was a big change to move to Central Asgard, and at such a demanding institution as the Academy, yet you seem to have adjusted well. Siegfried tells me you are skilled at karate too. Maybe you should consider being in the exhibition match at the beginning of next school year?”

The tips of Fenrir’s ears turned red. “I believe there are others with much better technique, but if both of you think so, I-I will consider it, Your Majesty.”

“Good. We will see each other soon enough, at your Coming of Age ceremony. Unlike any other current student, you will also officially inherit the title of Lord that day, which is… an unfortunate circumstance at eighteen. If I may offer some advice…”

“Please do, Your Majesty.”

Her purple eyes wandered around the room and settled on a group of Year 1 students having a laugh in the far corner of the hall. “Being a Lord is a heavy responsibility, and none of your peers will truly understand it right now. I encourage you to ask the Heads of the Guarding Swan, the Celestial Horses, and the Viking Tiger for guidance.”

Fenrir nodded, already imagining the awkward conversation with Rúri’s mother and Karianne’s and Syd’s fathers.

“Yet, if you still need further support, please do reach out to the Palace. I will set aside some time to share a cup of tea. After all, I might be one of the few people who… understands.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for all your kindness. I hope to become a Lord you will be proud of.”

“Oh, I have no doubt. You will see it too, soon enough. I must bid you farewell for now, Fenrir, so take care, and enjoy the rest of your time at the Academy.”

He gave them both a deep bow before reuniting with the group on the far corner. Rúri politely offered him several pieces of paper with phone numbers written on them. “So we can keep in contact during summer break.”

Fenrir suddenly realized this was the first summer he would enjoy with someone other than Ging and felt his soul bubbling in excitement. After all, unlike winter break, this would be three whole months, and not even XXXX could hope to fully monopolize all his time. He tightly squeezed the locket in his pocket, wishing hard for it to start already.

“Hey, did you guys hear? There is a Culinary Exhibition happening next week! Should we go and gorge on everything together?”

“Absolutely!” Syd declared happily, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Once back in their side of town, Bud and Artica watched as Fenrir opened the gate with his keys. He put one foot inside and turned around, almost expecting everything to vanish into purple smoke and reveal itself a dream. However, his classmates were still there, waving goodbye.

Artica gave him a warm smile. “See you on Monday!”

 XXXXXXXXX

(1) Embla: Old norse, (speculated) “elm tree”. Reynir: Old norse, “rowan tree”.

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

Ártica Reynirdóttir (AAAU)

Age: 16 (Year 1)

Status: Commoner

Club: Archery

Ártica is the youngest of three siblings and the only one currently living with her parents. Like Syd and Bud, she comes from Eastern Asgard, but moved to the central region when Boreal started at the Academy.

She decided to take the scholarship program after being encouraged by her brother and is determined to complete it without fail. This does not mean Ártica approves of all aspects of it. The class segregation rubs her the wrong way, even though she tries to ignore it.

She was bit by a large dog before the start of her 1st year at her Academy, which causes her mild PTSD symptoms when in proximity of canines.

----

Unlike her original incarnation, who is able to keep her head cool most of the time, AAAU Ártica is harsh when angered, leaving her less gentle side visible to others.

Like her original incarnation, she is deeply afraid of thunder.

**

Picrew

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

Year 1: Part IV

Asgard Academy | Original post

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

Asgard Academy

Year 1: Part II

[ Index ]

xxxxxxxxx

"How did it go today?" the man asked in a husky voice.

Bud let out an angry sigh. "I don't think it's going anywhere, honestly."

"I know it's not easy, son, but it's worth a shot."

"Don't get me wrong. I'm grateful they offered to cover the expenses of your surgery and treatment. We would've definitely struggled to get that money. I just…"

Sannfrid squeezed his hand. "Whatever decision you make, I'm with you. Thanks for at least allowing them a chance, though. How's school, and Artica?"

Bud gave him a tight hug before sitting back down. "School's alright. Very high standards, everyone's a stuck-up, rules are infinite. We're in the same class as that guy."

"Be nice to him, please."

"Artica's doing better. Still has the eyepatch. In the end, it did get infected…" the boy replied, not addressing his remark. "But we can handle it, Dad.”

The man chuckled. “Oh, I know you can. You’re both tough kids. I need to hurry and get better, so I can be there for you properly. I feel kinda bad asking Embla and Reynir for-”

“For what? Your favorite soup?” said another husky male voice at the door. He was carrying two big jars with a steamy liquid inside.

A woman went past him and left a few bags next to his bed. “Nonsense, Sannfrid. It’s nothing. We love having Bud over, just like the old days in the east. They’ll be fine at the Academy. Don’t hurry. Rest and get better.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Hilda was drinking her tea when a tall, blond Year 2 scholarship student entered the study. He gave her a deep bow. "As requested, I informed Mister Sannfridsson about the incident, my Lady."

"Thank you, Sigurd. Did he ask what triggered it?"

"Yes, and also as requested, I told him I did not know. Miss Reynirdóttir herself is not clear on it, so unless someone else saw it, it is likely to stay between your Royal Highness, Dr. Andreas, and me."

The Princess nodded gravely. Some of Sigurd's classmates had thought it hilarious to sneak on the poor junior and make barking noises right behind her. As they were on her eyepatch's blind spot, she did not see them at all, and it triggered a lengthy panic attack that had to be addressed with light medication. Thankfully, the gods had Sigurd nearby and, after witnessing the whole thing, he promptly took her to the infirmary.

Hilda was furious. This was exactly why she had personally revised the Academy's entire structure and made infinite adjustments to anything and everything that would put scholarship students on unequal footing with regular students. No more special privileges beyond the courtesy owed to their station, no excuses to hide behind when skipping the rules, and absolutely no loopholes to escape punishment for inadequate behavior. These students would face the consequences of their douchebaggery soon enough.

Sigurd swallowed nervously, noticing the hand Hilda was holding the teacup with was trembling. There was rage in her purple eyes.

"Is… is there anything else I can do for you, my Lady?"

The Crown Princess immediately relaxed and took the final sip of her tea. "No, Sigurd. Thank you for looking out for the juniors. It will still take us a while to smooth out all the wrinkles."

"It is my pleasure, my Lady. I mentored them last year when they were preparing for the exam. I hope they can fully experience the Academy you have in mind."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The assignment was to be completed in groups of three, and that put them in a pickle. At this point in time, they had failed to become acquaintances with their classmates, and being Blacks, it didn’t seem that would happen as naturally as in junior high school.

“Would you consider…” Artica whispered. “Asking him?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Bud, c’mon. It’s the path of least resistance!”

He crossed his arms with a frown. “I’ll give it every ounce of resistance I have.”

Artica made an exasperated gesture at Bud, who raised an eyebrow. “Why don’t you ask him? You’ve talked before, yes?”

She couldn’t check who he was referring to because another student suddenly popped up next to them. It was a blessing she did it on Artica’s right side, where the eyepatch did not block her eyesight. Otherwise, she would’ve suffered a heart attack. The girl’s blonde hair was cut in perfectly straight edges, making an unintentionally nice frame for her beautiful deep blue eyes. “Greetings!”

Both Blacks flinched but recovered their composure at once. Artica spoke first, in her stiff, formal tone. “Good morning, my lady. May we help you?”

“I hope so, Miss Reynirdóttir,” she replied with a smile. “May I join Mister Sannfridsson and you for this assignment?”

Bud narrowed his eyes in suspicion. It wasn’t really about the girl, but who she always hung out with. He subtly gazed at the other side of the classroom to where that guy sat. However, it took him by surprise to notice it was the girl next to him that was looking back. The one with long, black curls and bright magenta eyes.

“Ce-certainly, my lady, it would be our honor to work together. Right, Bud?”

Only her nudge snapped him out of his thoughts. “Yeah. I mean, yes! Yes, of course, my lady. It would. Gladly.”

Artica side-eyed him with a concerned look but said nothing. The blonde gave them another smile and a short bow. “Splendid! You might not remember my name from the first day, but it is Rúri Paulfriddóttir. It is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance.”

Both Blacks returned her bow, staring as she returned to her seat.

“Well, that was easier than I thought.”

“Suspicious, though.”

“As hell, yeah, but it cuts us some slack, so I won’t dwell on it.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Bud, I need you to switch club assistance with me.”

“You sure? The Arts & Crafts club wants a model for their 10-min pose practices. Kinda boring.”

“I can handle that. Just assist the Equestrian club tomorrow afternoon.”

He gave her a confused expression. “Why do you need me to do that?”

“You don’t even know, do you? I have to do all the work around here. She’s part of that club! A very flashy part, I might add.”

A faint blush crept up Bud’s face as he cleared his throat. “Okay, got it. It'd also be kinda dangerous for you to assist them while still having to use the eyepatch, anyway.”

Artica didn’t reply. She had a cheeky grin on her lips.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

It had been a few days since all Year 1 students got the mandatory helix piercing (on the ear of their choice). Every now and then, someone would mention the piece got stuck on their scarf and they almost ripped it out, or how bothersome it was to use a special pillow if they slept on that side. There were even those who talked about the matching set they already bought and were just waiting for it to fully heal to switch the piece.

No one mentioned, however, the feral reaction the kid from up north had to someone touching the apparently precious locket he always kept with him during the session, and how distant he had been ever since.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

"Well, this is underwhelming," Artica said, reading the bulletin about the trip for Year 1 students.

"Why?" Asgrim asked, taking a bite from his lunch. "I've heard the lake’s a really cool spot this time of year."

"It is! And we know that because we grew up in the eastern region," Bud explained.

"So? Isn't it a nice chance to see everyone back home, then?"

The other two Blacks eyed each other and shrugged, nodding in agreement.

"Maybe we can call Aalu and the gang, and ask them if we could meet up?"

"I'd love that," Bud replied with a smile.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

It was the fifth time it happened. Whenever she put the eraser down on her desk, she would actually drop it in midair, and then a groan would ensue after the realization. Most of the time, Artica could deal with the consequences of having to use an eyepatch, but right here, right now, in the middle of an exam, she felt she was going to cry in frustration.

Almost every other student had finished and gone home. The only ones left were their Geography teacher, the kid from up north, and her. After a few deep breaths, Artica managed to calm down and continue. She did not drop her eraser again, and promptly answered everything she had skipped the first time around. The girl turned it in and met up with Bud, who’d been waiting in the study hall.

It was during the train ride home when Artica realized that, for some reason, there was an extra eraser in her pencil case.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Can I see?” Bud asked, once they were mostly alone in the classroom.

Artica tightened her mouth and nodded, brushing away her bangs. Due to where he was sitting, Fenrir could not see her face, but he could see Bud’s. Apart from a very warm smile, there was no change while examining her.

“I’m really happy for you, it healed so well.”

Fenrir wished he was literally anywhere else. This seemed like a really personal matter, and he felt deeply uncomfortable being around for it. The kid from up north was already thinking of how to slip out of there when Artica turned around.

“Would you like to see too?”

“... Only if you want to show me,” Fenrir replied with a hand gesture. “I understand this is very personal to you.”

“Yes, it is. This dog bite was infected for a while, which delayed the healing. It is closed now,” she explained, as if to make it perfectly clear this was not a childish playground scrape. “Do you still want to see such a face?”

He nodded. Artica then came closer and tucked her bangs behind her ear. She did not fail to notice that, like Bud, Fenrir did not flinch at the sight of her scarred face. He barely raised an eyebrow.

“My apologies that this is the side of my face that you will see from now on while we are in class.”

From just the first look, Fenrir could tell how it had gone down. There were two vertical scars in her eyebrow, where hair would never grow again. The upper fangs had fallen from there into her cheek, pinching it with the fangs and incisors of the lower jaw. The skin under her eye healed unevenly, with some areas raised while others were sunken. It was a miracle the dog had not damaged her eye at all, only the area around it. The scarred tissue gleamed pink against the rest of her skin, proof that the last of the scab had just recently fallen off. Overall, it was not a flattering characteristic.

“You look good.”

She immediately looked puzzled.

“Please bear in mind we met after the accident, I always picture an asymmetrical face when I think of you,” Fenrir rushed to explain, aware the last sentence could have been phrased better. “It did heal well.”

Artica gave him a polite nod. “Thank you for your kind words, my lord.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Tch, fine, we will have to ask the archery club to help on this play,” he said in an irritated tone. “The scar-faced goblin will have to do.”

Bud snapped the pencil in his hand. He was already kissing his scholarship goodbye in exchange for the chance to punch that douchebag into outer space but noticed someone else had taken the lead.

Looking impassive, Fenrir cleared his throat. “That was a rather unbecoming remark, my lord. You are going to request a student’s assistance for the play, and yet believe it appropriate to describe them so poorly? Surely, adjustments need to be done, either to your attitude or…”

‘To your face’, Bud could almost feel him whisper. He might have appeared unfazed to others, but Bud could tell Fenrir was also irritated by the comment. The difference was he was able to articulate it eloquently.

The other student seemed highly uncomfortable and unwilling to stand his ground. “Indeed, my lord. I take those unsuitable words back.”

They gave each other a small nod and went about their ways. Bud promptly decided the awkward kid from up north wasn’t so bad.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Artica checked her watch. It was already five minutes past the time in the note. As she turned to leave, she heard footsteps. A Blue with thick eyebrows approached her. Artica remembered him from a few days ago, in the drama club.

“Kept you waiting, didn’t I, Blackie?”

“What can I do for you, my lord?”

“What you can do is know your place, and refrain from interacting with your betters, Blackie. This will be your only reminder that you are here thanks to the Academy’s hypocrisy, and what it can offer is not for riffraff like you. I hope you were not looking for a suitor either, because with a jagged-up goblin face like that, it will be the last thing you will find here,” he spat, a malicious grin on his lips.

“Is that all, my lord?”

Her lack of reaction was startling. “Wh-… Yes, that is all, Blackie.”

“Very well, good evening,” was all she said, turning around and walking towards the Academy gates.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Bud looked everywhere. It was unlike her to go straight home without a word. It took a while to get to the riverside park, where a lonely silhouette sat against a familiar tree. He approached her slowly; already aware something was wrong. “Artica?”

She turned to him, tears running down her face. Bud immediately crouched to be on the same eye level, and when he tried to wipe the tears away, noticed a heavy layer of make-up on her left cheek. “Hey, hey, what happened? What’s all this?”

Artica sniveled loudly, not even bothering to hide how upset she was. “I wished it never happened; I wish I didn’t have it! I hate it! Why did the gods curse me with his horrible appearance! What did I do?”

“Nothing! You haven’t done anything wrong! And you’re definitely not cursed!” he replied, outraged at her words. “Who put that awful thought in your head…? Was it that bushy-eyebrowed douchebag?”

She did not reply, but there was no need.

“I AM GOING TO RIP HIM A NEW A-…! HE’S GARBAGE! WHY DO YOU LISTEN TO HIM?”

“I get the feeling it’s not only him…” she whimpered, more tears running down her face. “Everyone stares, and laughs, and whispers…”

Bud hugged her tightly. “No, they don’t! Aside from that waste of human meat, I haven’t heard anyone else say anything remotely similar! Actually, you know what? Your friend, the dog guy, was even going to smack him for talking shit the other day!”

Artica rubbed her eyes, smudging the make-up even more. “My friend…? Who…?”

“The kid from up north!” he replied, encouragingly. “I was already going to punch him right up the bracket… but Ylfingrsson went ahead and screwed him over, politely. The cowardly bastard took it back at once.”

“He did?” Her tears had stopped. “Why…? I- Well, I guess it doesn’t matter why.”

“No, it doesn’t. Other people at the Academy realize he’s an idiot, so don’t listen to any of his bullshit. There’s nothing wrong with your face, there’s nothing wrong with the scar either. It’s badass, and fierce, and cool! You are badass, and fierce, and cool!”

Bud helped her up and pulled out his handkerchief to wipe her face. She gave him a small smile. “Thanks. For your words, and for coming to get me.”

“I’ll always come to get you, Artica,” he assured her while smiling back, and then grabbed her hand. “What’s for dinner?”

“I think Ma roasted a duck.”

“Ohh, we better get going then!”

And they hurried back, the make-up set forgotten beside the riverside park tree.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

The doctor had given them encouraging updates about his dad’s treatment, so he was in high spirits. On top of that, after checking the school trip bulletin, it came to his attention that he would sit next to the person he was interested in, both going to and returning from their destination. Honestly, nothing could go wrong that day.

Except when he saw Artica approaching him. At that moment, Bud knew he’d fucked up. “H-hey!”

“G’morning! You’re so early!”

“Y-yeah, wanted to visit Dad before the trip.”

“Oh, right. Good news, I hope?"

"Very, yeah."

"Phew, I'm glad! By the way, did you get’em?”

Bud didn't know what to say and was having a hard time hiding it. He avoided her gaze, his hands sweating. Artica’s expression went from cheerful to disappointed, to irritated very quickly. “Seriously?”

“I-I…”

“One thing. It was just one thing that you offered to do.”

“I know… I’m sorry, I-”

“Just…! Forget it,” she interrupted, turning on her heels and walking into the nearest pharmacy.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

He took his seat right next to her. She was undoing her braid. Then, using the window as a mirror, started to comb her hair in a way that her bangs covered the left side of her face. He waited until she was done to greet her. “Good morning, Miss Reynirdóttir.”

Artica didn’t even turn around, just took a deep breath. “Good morning, my lord.”

“Excited to go back home for a few days?” Syd asked with a charming smile.

She took another deep breath. “My lord, I apologize. Today I feel unwell, and to spare you any inconveniences, I respectfully ask you to let me be during the time we are traveling.”

Syd raised his eyebrows. “Certainly. Please, let me know if there is anything I can do for you.”

Artica nodded, leaning into the window frame and letting out a tired sigh.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Bud was so appalled to have forgotten what he promised Artica, he was unable to truly enjoy the unique experience of sitting next to his person of interest. Even when said person engaged him in meaningless chit chat.

When they reached the scheduled stop, he immediately went to find her. Bud did not fail to notice she had undone her braid during the first leg of the trip and felt even worse. “Hey, do you wanna go over there and ask if…?”

“I already did, and there aren’t any,” was Artica’s dry reply. She was called by a Blue and walked over right away, not giving Bud a second glance.

“What did you do?” a familiar voice asked.

“Why do you ask?”

Fenrir opened his beverage can and chugged down a good portion of it. “Reynirdóttir looks pissed.”

Bud lowered his gaze. “She’s right to be. I promised I’d get something she needed for this trip, but I completely forgot.”

“What was it?”

“It’s none of your business,” Bud replied. He didn’t have an issue with this Blue but wasn't about to get too chummy either.

Fenrir shrugged, finishing what was left of his drink and throwing it in the recycling bin. “Indeed, it isn’t.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

She was one of the first students to get off the train. If the gods willed it, she might find it here, if only-

“Miss Reynirdóttir, may I have a word?”

Artica closed her eyes, slightly annoyed. “My lord, I asked…”

“Yes, while we were traveling. Now that we have reached our destination…”

She mentally cursed her careless wording. “Indeed. What can I do for you, my lord?”

Syd gave her a smile. “Actually, I would like to know what I can do for you. You are looking for something but had no luck. Eastern Asgard is also my home; whatever it is, I can help you find it.”

Artica raised her eyebrows in surprise. There was no reason to doubt his words, he could probably snap his fingers and a family butler would appear out of thin air. “Uhm… I do not wish to trouble you, my lord, with such a minor thing.”

“It is no trouble at all,” Syd replied with a hand gesture. “I just hope that, once obtained, it helps you enjoy the rest of the trip.”

She took a deep breath. Letting a Blue do her a favor was risky business, but for once, she would accept the consequences. “I am looking for… medical eyepatches.”

“Your wound is healed already, yes? Why would you require one now?”

Syd eyed the left side of her face. However, in doing so, also realized she was embarrassed to answer.

“My apologies, Miss Reynirdóttir, that was uncalled for. It is not my business to know, just to help. Would it be alright if I deliver the items by the end of the day?”

“T-that would be terrific, my lord.”

“Consider it done, then. Worry no more and enjoy this trip. You have a lovely smile, it would be a shame to miss it,” he said with a short bow and a warm expression.

“Thank you for your kind words, my lord,” Artica managed to reply as he walked past her to join the Blues waiting for him. Once Syd was out of ear shot, she allowed herself some informal peace.

“Shit, that was so smooth. No wonder everyone fawns over how charming he is.”

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“My lady, no!” Bud yelled, slapping the red sphere out of her hand.

Everyone around them stared, outraged at such a gesture. Bud swallowed hard, trying to stay calm as the piercing magenta gaze was on him. “It’s poison. For pests. Please, wash your hands right away.”

No Blue moved a muscle. The only other Black in the group picked the bright red ball using a pair of branches and, upon release, sent it far away with one kick. Artica seemed unfazed.

“It is poison, my lady, and it will give you a rash if you do not wash it properly. We both humbly ask you to please do so right away.”

There was a tense silence. Karianne Ulrichdóttir looked at her hands. "Thank you, Mister Sanfriddsson, Miss Reynirdóttir, I will do so at once."

Bud let out a relieved sigh when the group moved on, some classmates following Karianne to the closest building. He side-eyed Artica with a helpless smile. “Thanks for backing me up.”

“We still have more than two years to go in the Academy, Bud. If you get expelled for that kind of idiocy, I’ll kill you.”

“Fair enough,” he said, relieved to see Artica was in a better mood.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

What a truly wonderful end for their trip. They hoped to meet more than just Aalu and her younger brother Vaito, but it was comforting, nonetheless.

“How’s it going with the eye?”

Artica touched the medical eyepatch instinctively with a nervous smile. She used Asgardian Sign Language while she spoke. “It’s manageable. I broke an unnecessary amount of stuff when I dropped them midair, but nothing to worry about.”

Vaito was staring right at her when he made a hand gesture.

“Nah, it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Bud leaned on the table, also making gestures as he spoke. “Your Sis told us you’re going to the central region to help your old man out?”

The boy nodded enthusiastically.

Aalu nudged him with her elbow. “You’re also gonna sell your handmade things, right?”

Vaito gave her a half smile, blushing slightly.

“I’m looking forward to seeing you in the Lower Market, man. I’m sure they’ll be amazing,” Bud said encouragingly. “And if you need anything, just let us know.”

“Oh, please, yes. He’s never been there; I worry he’ll get lost.”

Her brother made some annoyed gestures her way, rolling his eyes. Artica made other hand gestures and they both had a laugh about it.

“You, shut up,” Aalu shot back immediately. “You’re the youngest, you don’t understand how much older siblings worry. I’m sure Polar and Boreal had a meltdown when they heard about your accident.”

Artica shrugged, nodding. “Fair enough. We’ll back you up, Vaito, if you ever need it. Bud, we should get going, though. The train is already boarding.”

“I hear ya,” he replied, giving the siblings a tight hug. “Give the others our regards. I don’t think we’ll be able to visit again until summer break.”

“Take care, you two. I hope it heals without issues, Artica.”

Vaito called Artica aside. His hands moved quickly. 'It’s already healed, right? I’m sure it looks fine.'

She swallowed hard, hugging him goodbye. Artica was signing as she walked away with Bud. ‘Take care and see you soon.’

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

She slowly returned from the land of dreams, vaguely aware of her surroundings. However, after remembering she was still on the train, Artica perked up at once. "Ap-pologies, my lord, I dozed off and unintentionally…"

It was right then when she noticed the student she leaned on while asleep was not Syd, but the kid from up north. He slightly tilted his head in her direction.

"Don’t worry about it," Fenrir replied with a relaxed tone. "You seemed tired… Baldreksson asked me to exchange seats so he could sit with the lady Paulfriddóttir. I apologize for the sudden confusion."

She shook her head in an understanding gesture. Artica was determined not to bother him, but her eyes still felt heavy.

"It’s alright if you fall asleep again, no matter in which direction you lean."

As someone who was always on her guard around Blues, Artica found his words unexpectedly kind. Nobles always used language like that, but it sounded genuinely reassuring. Against her will, she dozed off again.

Bud briefly paused his conversation with the girl with magenta eyes to look back. He raised his eyebrows when he saw Artica asleep, slightly leaning on Fenrir’s shoulder while he read a book, seemingly unbothered.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Artica slowly opened the door to the music club as a beautiful melody filled up the room. As she approached the piano, a wave of realization went through her.

"Greetings," Syd said without stopping. "I am glad you decided to come. I have a proposition, if you care to hear it."

She nodded in silence; aware she did not have much choice.

"Could we meet once in a while, and talk about my brother for a bit? Justified as club assistance hours, of course, to make it worth your time. I'll personally vouch for them. Easiest extra credits ever, yes?"

Artica squinted with suspicion. "Is this why you helped me during the school trip, my lord?"

"No, I offered assistance because you seemed to need it, and while we are in this club, you need not use formal language with me. No one will know, you will not get in trouble."

She rubbed her chin, thoughtful. Artica knew this might happen after accepting his help, but it didn't seem too bad. However…

"Why do you wanna talk about Bud with me?"

Syd gave her a sad smile. "You know him best. Even though he is my twin, there is great distance between us. At school, where we could interact a little bit more, Bud chooses to stay away."

"I take it you do not go to the weekly therapy sessions?"

"Indeed, I do not," he admitted. "It is currently not the best time…"

Artica couldn’t help feeling sympathy for the boy. Their family situation was so convoluted, even she didn't know exactly where it stood. "What exactly is it you want to talk about? I don't feel comfortable giving away his personal business."

"Oh no, no, no. I do not wish to dig around like that. I just want to… understand him a little bit better. Any simple thing is fine; his favorite food, music he prefers, books he enjoys…"

She stood in silence for a few seconds. "I understand, and agree to this arrangement…"

"Fantastic!"

"... as long as you do one more thing for me."

"Oh?"

"If I occasionally invite you to hang out with us, would you come?"

Syd could not believe it. Artica continued. "If you truly want to know him better, this is the best way. He will not ask you himself but cannot refuse if I do it instead."

He felt truly touched by the gesture. "Certainly, it would be my greatest joy to join you sometime."

"Great. Just, uh, I don't know what the best way is, you being a Blue and we being Blacks…"

"Why, because of the stares? I care not for such things; I strongly believe Lady Hilda's approach is the right one. We should mingle, not just coexist. You get along with Ylfingrsson, no?"

Artica side-eyed at his comment. Why did people keep telling her that?

"I guess I do."

"That's how it should be. Ask whenever you consider it fit, I will make the time to go."

"Thank you."

"No, thank you, and… would it be alright if I called you by your name when we are here?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Fantastic, feel free to do the same if you like."

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Who is it?”

“Uhm, good day. I am one of Fenrir’s classmates. I brought him the study guides from today’s lessons.”

The voice seemed annoyed and did not say anything else, but a buzzing noise rang next to her, and the gate opened. There was no one there, and no one seemed to be coming anytime soon.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x

“Hey, look alive, boy. Someonel from school brought your homework. Do not think that just because you caught the flu you are going to lay around all day. Go get it!”

Fenrir crawled out of bed, his body aching all over. After rummaging a bit, he pulled on a hoodie, cleaned his nose the best he could, and slowly made his way to the front of the house.

XXXX gave him an angry groan. “No, not there, she is on the terrace, little fool. Can’t have guests standing around.”

For the first time that day, Fenrir’s body kickstarted in one go. “The terrace? Shit!”

“Language!”

He scrambled to get his boots on, practically running. That was the one place he could not have anyone from school going. Fenrir slammed the door open and immediately froze. The girl was paralyzed in place, her hands on her face, and sniffing around her was…

“Ging! C’mere! Please…!” he almost squeaked, freaking out even more after realizing who the classmate was. The canine turned its head and stared thoughtfully for a few seconds before obliging. He licked his hands as soon as they were close enough. Fenrir scratched his ears and asked him to stay as he walked closer to her. Even though she wasn’t crying, her breath was clearly agitated.

He reached out towards her but had no courage to actually touch her. “H-Hey, Artica, it’s ok, Ging won’t- He’s over there, see?”

Artica was sweating as she lowered her shaky hands.

“I-I-I…” she tried to say, but the words didn’t come out. Her chest felt incredibly tight.

Fenrir swallowed hard and, summoning every ounce of will he had, grabbed her hand. It was calloused, but warm. “It’s alright, take your time.”

Her big silvery eyes met his gaze for what felt like centuries. She let out a big, tired sigh. “I’m sorry.”

“What? No, there’s nothing to be sorry about.”

“I’m sorry,” she repeated. Her hands were still trembling, but her breathing seemed to slow down. “I brought you… the study guides.”

He blinked twice, almost missing the meaning of her words. She slowly moved her hand away, which Fenrir found himself wishing against, and pulled something out of her bag. He didn’t even look at it, leaving it on the nearby table.

"Boy!" The same voice from the intercom yelled from inside the house.

He immediately changed his demeanor, now angry and irritated. "What! What do you want! Aren’t I with a guest?”

“You little…!”

“Maybe I should… leave…” Artica said slowly. “I don’t wanna cause you… any more trouble.”

“You are no trouble at all,” he said in a very different tone from the one seconds before.

Fenrir felt gazillion things at the same time; no one had ever come to his house to give him something. Sure, a teacher probably asked her to do it, but she didn’t refuse. He didn’t want her to go but could not think of a reason she might stay. Fenrir was sick, after all, and that was probably not very popular with other people.

"I… Thank you for coming all the way here. Can I- "

"Boy!"

“SHUT IT!” he yelled at the top of his lungs, and right away felt a heavy weight in his gut. He lowered his voice. “Sorry, I… Would you like to go on a walk?”

Now Artica was the one who blinked twice. She nodded in silence, allowing Fenrir to grab her wrist and guided her to the back of the house. It came to her attention there were no other houses nearby, nor a fence around the backyard, which could only mean the whole area was owned by his family. They walked for several minutes until they reached a creek. He sat down and invited her to do the same but as a shadow came up to them, Fenrir immediately got up, gesturing with his hands.

“He won’t hurt you! Please, don’t… don’t scream…”

She was paralyzed in place once again, trembling, but no sound came from her. Artica slowly backed away and found a large rock to sit on. She took a deep breath, then another, and another, wiping the sweat from her brow and whispering. “I’m… still working on it… I’ll… get there… eventually…”

Artica gave him a nervous smile. “I really am sorry about… this…” she gestured towards herself. “It’s already been several months, but I still get… anxious…”

Fenrir felt awful once again and didn’t know what to say. It was crystal clear just being near a canine was a big effort to her. He walked two paces in her direction and stopped when he noticed he was being followed.

“W-What’s his name?” Artica asked very quietly, trying to seem calm. “You called him before…”

“Ging,” he answered, letting the creature circle around him. “His name is Ging.”

The canine was rather large, even for hunting breeds. Like Fenrir’s own hair, his fur appeared grey at first, but the light gave it a blue tint. And to top it all off, Ging had a crescent moon-shaped mark on its forehead. “I’ve never seen a dog like him before, he looks one-of-a-kind…”

Fenrir side-eyed at her comment, trying his best to sound casual. “Yeah, I don’t think there's a dog like him here in Central Asgard…”

“Did he come from the mountains… with you?”

Fenrir tightened his lips. “Yes, but… he can only stay if no one sees him. Please, don’t… don’t tell anyone about him. He’s my… (only friend…)”

She stood up with a sheepish look, and slowly came closer, recalling Bud’s words about Fenrir and the Blue douchebag. “Can I… be your friend too?”

Fenrir stared at her, conflicted.

Friend? His friend? Could he, the boy who loathed himself for not fitting in anywhere, really have one of those? Was it alright for him, who felt on edge all day in his own house, to have an ally outside of it? Would he, lonely and awkward, be a good friend to someone else? A deep, old fear took over his chest.

“Do you really… want that?”

“I would really like that, yes…” she said with a smile. He couldn’t help but feel it was an honest one.

“I would… like that too…” Fenrir replied, before catching a sneeze in the crook of his elbow. "Sorry."

"No! I'm sorry! I forgot you were sick...! Let’s get back so you can rest. Don't worry about the study guide, I'll give you my notes later."

Fenrir didn't know what to say, his mind blown away by this minor act of kindness. This tiny display of interest in his wellbeing. This simple gesture from a friend. They returned to the terrace, where Artica gave XXXX, who was still inside, a short bow. The man hardly acknowledged it. Fenrir coughed a bit while waving her goodbye.

Maybe having to move to the central region would not be so bad.

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

AA!Fenrir: I’m kind of crushing on someone, but I’m worried about telling you who it is, because you’re not going to like it

AA!Bud: Just rip the bandage off.

AA!Fenrir: It’s Artica.

AA!Bud: Put the bandage back on.