Chapter Text
Chapter 1:
The dance lessons took place in one of the ballrooms.
First, Helena had just asked to observe and take notes. Starting easy…to disappear under the radar for a while. Odin did not seem to be overly interested in what exactly was going on at the banquets and balls, or behind the scenes. Dozens of young ladies were prepared to represent their respective family lines at every single event taking place at the palace – the balls, the audiences, the ceremonies. They had allowed her to watch a public audience once, tucked in safely between Einherjar, with the Allmother's eyes checking on her every few minutes. No questions during a running event, that was the rule.
No disturbance allowed.
Most of the time, she took photos of everything that looked interesting to her. After more than a month, there was still enough of it. Now, she was standing in a row with eight other women, practicing dance steps for the Midwinter celebrations. Lady Hildrún, their teacher, was demonstrating a sequence of steps required for the partner dances. Helena had always been good at dancing, but she felt her gaze wandering off, out through the floor level windows and to the city below. She had a friend at uni - Quinn - who would have loved this - the robes, the hair, the etiquette. So many things were different here, but also, so many were shockingly similar. In her first few weeks, Helena had soaked up all of it. But slowly, she started to think...of the things that were unspoken, undiscussed in the hallways, the things whispered of by the servants.
Asgard, realm eternal, was a golden city with golden secrets.
----
It was evening. Fifth week. While the royal quarters were busy with the evening banquet, she was roaming the palace. While sneaking in on preparation activities, she had caught glimpses of the robes, the helmets. The food. It was incredible. One day, she would convince them to let her come.
She knew the guards by name now. It was a trait that she just couldn't stop – asking people out about their lives. Rolling eyes and distant looks earned regularly.
Two Einherjar guards at each door. Two next to the portal to the lower levels…
…dungeon.
The forbidden part of the palace. At least for her.
Before she had been formally introduced to Odin in the throne room, Thor had warned her of his father. That he was not overly fond of mortals. That it would be hard convincing him. And it had been. On their last call, after the crying, Quinn had said: No one wraps them around their fingers like you do. That was true. It worked on humans usually.
Odin Allfather was thousands of years old and a different species. Training, she had said to herself. See him as training for the real subject.
The subject she didn't dare to think about, yet she found herself walking by that damned door every night.
One of the guards' name was Valgeirr. He had two daughters, a chicken farm and a warm smile. Helena wasn´t quite sure if he found her suspicious, but he liked the Skittles she brought and frequently shared with him.
„My next delivery is tomorrow “, she said, attempting to walk on by while saying it. Or attempting to attempt. A smile. Val answered: „Don't make me look like a fool, human. I promised Aelrik the sour ones. “
Aelrik was the other guard. Allegedly, almost betrothed to one of the Queen's handmaidens, and he was suspicious of her. But not immune to blood sugar spikes.
She should have brought some Red Bull with her. To make them look like real fools.
Helena stopped in front of them. „I've seen some weird looking creatures being brought in today“, she said casually. „Horns and all that stuff.“
The men exchanged a look.
Silence.
Slowly, she pulled the Skittles bag from her pocket. „Looked like freaking monsters, these guys. Are they getting a trial, too?“ She threw some red ones into her mouth, then offered Val the bag. He took some out of it, then said: „That, unfortunately, is not on your level of clearance, little girl. “ His look was soft. Helena grinned. At home, she would've had it easy with him.
„I am a woman“, she answered. Darcy would lose her shit here. Training. „I'm just interested in the politics of it all, remember?“
Val laughed. „For politics, you're talking to the wrong men.“
„We have been ordered not to answer questions regarding the prisoners“, Aerik said sternly and looking her directly in the eye. Shit. Now, carefully.
No disturbances. „Yeah, totally clear. It's just all so exciting, you know?“
„What exactly are you doing with the information you gather here, Midgardian?“, Aelrik asked, or more like snapped. „We were told you write a book about it.“
„Yes, kind of“, she said and plopped another Skittle into her mouth. She felt his gaze following her hand, his eyes lingering on her hair. „Right now, I'm in my hunting and gathering phase. There are no rules on Earth for operations like this – at this scale. We didn't have time to prepare…they basically sent me as a test. If I am successful, they´ll ask if they can send more scientists.“
„And why would they test us? Are they scared?“
„They should“, Val said proudly.
„Yes. Humans are not really experienced with extraterrestrial lifeforms. We just… watched too many movies where aliens try to kill us.“
Well, that only was her, really. A month ago, she had learned about a secret governmental organization building weapons out of alien technology.
„Movies?“, Val asked, confused.
„Yeah. Like, theater? But on a screen." She shook her head slightly. „You really missed something because of the Decree. Skittles, and… all the other things.“ She tilted her head to the side, just a little bit. „I am not one of them, by the way. Humans scared of aliens. I've always found them fascinating. Like, what do aliens eat? Those prisoners seem to be from different species. How do you feed them? What if they bleed acid and eat stone?“
That maybe wasn't that clever.
„So she knows about Kronans already.“ Val laughed.
„No, like, for real. What if a creature eats stone and eats itself right out of its cell and you know nothing about it?“ What if they had a goddamn Xenomorph in there?
„This is why the cells are designed to fit every specialized abili-“ Val began, but Aelrik interrupted him: „No answering questions regarding prisoners.“ He seemed annoyed by now. „Be sure, Midgardian, that we are keeping you safe from any dangers in this dungeon.“
She just had to push it, she couldn't help it. „So you've had prisoners more dangerous than Kronans?“
Val laughed again, while Aelrik rolled his eyes.
„What? I thought they looked very threatening. “ Helena made her eyes go big and round. They always reacted to that. Training.
„I can assure you, there are more dangerous beings in the Nine Realms, girl. “ Val even bent a little bit towards her. Really assuring.
„I know“, she said. „I´ve seen them.“
Both men suddenly looked even more uncomfortable.
She sighed. „Still, aliens are so interesting to me. I want to learn how to… live with the fact that I´m not alone on my little blue ball.“
„What does aliens mean, anyway?“, Aelrik asked, irritated.
„I´ll tell you another day“, Helena replied, and smiled. His eyes darted towards her mouth. „Thank you for talking to me. Most people in the palace flee when I turn up.“ And she gave him her Skittles bag. „Hold on tight, brave men.“ She turned on her heel and walked away, feeling their eyes on her hair that had been braided by Yrsa this morning.
No disturbances.
Training. She walked across the hall next to the gardens and up the stairs to the servants' quarters. A few servants crossed her path and she greeted all of them, getting no response. It all didn't matter. This was training. This was fine. In her room, she documented the conversation with the guards. Kronans. Dangerous creatures. Cells being designed to fit the prisoners´abilities.
You do not count.
This was fine. Unknown territory, but fine. There were real aliens in that dungeon. And worse.
----
She followed Yrsa to a tavern that night. She didn't like the ale, really, but the conversations. Yrsa's youngest sister had become engaged, and one of the ladies-in-waiting to the queen was pregnant. There was the ongoing conflict on Vanaheim, and the Bifrost still closed.
„So“, Yrsa said. „How are you holding up, mortal?“ She said it like a nickname. Not like Odin, who had said it like he usually kept mortals in his stable - where he almost sent her.
„I am fine. It's…still a bit overwhelming“, Helena replied truthfully.
„Those clothes look horrible“, Yrsa commented, eyeing her second-hand denim jacket.
Helena laughed. "Thank you."
„No, you do need to go to the court seamstress. I could borrow you one of my old robes.“
Very nice, but no. „I don't think that would be appropriate.“
„Oh, come on!“ Yrsa smiled and took a sip of her ale.
Helena liked to get dressed, that was not the problem. It was just…the gold and armor of it all. Even the ladies were wearing breastplates over their gowns while on their afternoon stroll through the gardens. „I just…I don't feel like I should mimic being one of you“, she explained. „No matter where I go, they….“
„…look at you like a…what do you call it?“
„Alien.“
„Yes!“ Yrsa laughed. „An alien from a strange world far away. With peculiar jackets.“
Helena looked down on herself. She hadn't been able to bring her entire wardrobe, obviously. And yes, her style maybe was…not Earth's most classy. She was from New York.
Suddenly, Yrsa's eyes widened. „Oh no.“ She touched Helena's hand. „Fandral is looking to us.“ Helena, of course, turned around and stared at him, while Yrsa hissed: „Don't!"
Helena had been formally introduced to the Warriors Three and Lady Sif. They had silently nodded at her, answered some of her questions, ignored most of her questions, and that was it. Most of the time, they were travelling with Thor, only stopping by for short visits to their families.
What was Fandral the Dashing doing here?
„Do you often see him?“, Helena asked while still observing him. He had started a conversation with a man next to him – his eyes, every now and then, flickering back to them.
„No!“ Yrsa grabbed her hand. „Don't try to get his attention.“
„Why?“ Helena started standing from their table, but Yrsa stopped her by pulling her down. „If he wants something from you, he will make an official request.“
Why would he want something from her? Fandral looked over to them again, an unreadable expression on his face.
Weird.
Helena fixed him, daring him to acknowledge her. She certainly didn't feel comfortable being observed from the shadows like this. And if there was a reason for it, it was the perfect opportunity to interrogate him. After a few minutes, Fandral finished his conversation and strolled over to them.
„Oh gods. He wants something“, Yrsa murmured.
From what Helena had heard, Fandral usually only wanted one thing.
The two women sat up straight and tried to act unbothered. „Remember“, Yrsa whispered. „We at least have to bow our heads.“
„How do I adress him?“, Helena hissed back.
„Lord Fandral. Mighty Fandral. Come up with something.“
He came to a halt in front of them. He wore a dark blue jacket and a white shirt beneath it, his sword hanging from his hip. He was out of duty.
„My ladies.“ A small bow.
„My lord!“ Yrsa stood up and dropped into a curtsy. Helena stayed on her chair, unsure how to react. Fandral's eyes raked over her. Yrsa quickly jumped in: „That is Helena Welling. Of Midgard. She was sent here for her scientific research.“
„I know, thank you“, Fandral said, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He was very handsome, if a little unserious.
„How can we be of service, my lord?“ Yrsa was clearly nervous. Not that Helena felt any different. She just waited for him to clear up his intentions. She noticed that he had not asked for Yrsa's name. Maybe, because she was clearly wearing servants' clothes and therefore not important enough.
That, of course, irritated Helena. Even if it was how things had always been here.
„I was just wondering if I may have a word with our infamous Midgardian“, Fandral said nonchalantly, motioning Yrsa to step aside. Rude.
Yrsa turned to Helena, a question in her eyes. As if to wait for her order.
„Uhm, yes! Of course.“ Helena shot her a look and stood up. „Yrsa, I will meet you in the hallway in a few minutes, okay?“
„Don't bother standing up.“ Fandral pulled Yrsa's chair to him and took place on it. Yrsa, now standing behind his back, waved her hands theaterically and gave her a look: Don't mess this up. Then, she disappeared in the crowd.
Fandral still smiled while he set his jug on the table. „It seems you've made a friend already.“ It sounded pretty arrogant, and Helena was not having any of it. She smiled back, sweetly. „Most people here won't really talk to me.“
He nodded. „We have been taught to be careful of your kind.“
Yes, she had heard about that. „Have you ever been to Midgard?“
„Just once or twice. I was there to retrieve Thor from that desert town last year", Fandral continued. "Your people have taken care of my prince while he was in exile. And he has made…friends among them. So I chose not to regard you with the same mistrust as the King does.”
Very honorable, but he could maybe start with asking for Yrsa's name.
„That…is nice to hear?“, she said slowly. „Listen, I am always in for smalltalk, but clearly, you want something from me.“
He laughed. „Very straightforward, human.“
Helena just shrugged and took a sip of the ale. After five weeks, she really longed for a Coke, full sugar. Or some coffee. Fandral cleared his throat. „I feel like one can be honest with you, Helena Welling. I was ordered to have an eye on you.“
Obviously.
„By Odin, I guess?“
„Among others.“
Thor.
After leaving the throne room that first day, he had put a hand on her shoulder and asked her to be careful. Don't come too close to my father, he had said, his eyes serious. This may be a palace, but it…it are his rules here. He doesn't appreciate disturbances. It seemed her first impression in the throne room had inspired him to acquire a surveillance team. „There's no need to worry“, she said. „You can tell them that I don't plan on disturbing anyone here.“
Fandrals eyes jumped to her hair. „That's good.“
They both drank simultaneously, and she knew that there was more he wanted to say. She gave him time, her eyes wandering around the tavern. She spotted Aelrik, the guard she had talked to today. He was standing at the bar with other Einherjar, playing some sort of crap game. Aelrik without a helmet was a beautiful sight.
She had one year here, and she knew those Asgardians would be the end of her.
„In Midgard…“ Fandral played with his sleeve. „You have been victim to Loki, I have heard.“
Helena froze.
Loki's name was a sensitive topic anywhere in this place. But Fandral had known Loki – he had been…his friend. Or whatever. Perfect source of information.
„I have met him“, she confirmed. „What do you think of that whole situation?“
Fandral leaned back in his chair. „I think, it is good that Loki isn't in the position to act on his free will at the moment. I had to kneel before him when he called himself king last year.“
„But he will never walk free again, right? Odin wanted to execute him, but the queen convinced him to reduce the penalty to eternal confinement. He didn't have an official trial, though. Is that normal here in Asgard?“
„You seem to be very interested in him.“
„Well yes, of course I am. I asked Odin to let me interrogate him, but he not so politely declined. I find that very odd, for a palace with so many rules and laws.“
Fandral sighed. „You were probably told about the events of last year.“
„Yes.“ Helena leaned towards him, her hands on the table. „I just want a clear picture.“
„You should stay away from Loki as far as possible. His main interest in life is to sow discord, and pitch people up against each other. You'd be a welcome victim to him.“
„I already was. He didn't seem so mischievous to me.“
„I can assure you, if he is bored, he certainly is.“ Fandral still played with his sleeve, clearly uncomfortable. There was a bitter undertone to his voice, like there was more to his story. There certainly was.
„Did you know him well?“, she asked him.
„Hm.“ Fandral smirked. „I did. But he only let's you know the parts of him he wants you to know.“ The smirk turned into a sad little smile.
Okay…news. Fandral and Loki had some sort of relationship. It burned her to find out more about it, but she had to be careful not to scare Fandral off. Training, she told herself. „Do you think he deserved to be executed?“
Fandral looked up to her. „How do you even know about that?“
„Well…let's say I accidently eavesdropped.“ Helena smiled and raised her eyebrows. „Don't report that to Odin, please, I'm afraid I'd be imprisoned, too.“
A quiet laugh escaped him. „You really know what you want, mortal.“
No disturbances.
Fandral took a while to think about if he should answer her question. She was not quite sure how far the Loki hate went in the royal quarters. People avoided talking about him, yes, but they all hadn´t known about his true heritage as well. It was a rumor. And as everyone knew that Odin didn't want to talk about it, they did neither.
She wondered if his friends had mourned him.
Or if they had ever been his friends at all.
She rolled her eyes internally and scolded herself. She should not pity him. She had no business trying to analyze his motives, or his relationships. Still, he had murdered people without looking back.
But, if she really wanted the whole picture, she had to.
„For his crimes, it would've been anyone's right to punish him accordingly“, Fandral said. „But, honestly, he will be missed in some situations. His tricks were occasionally entertaining, and the common people respected him…in some kind of way.“
He tried to tell her that he had liked him.
Helena nodded. It fit to what knowledge she had of Loki, as humans depicted him. Very interesting. She wondered what he himself might have to say to that. „From what I've read about him, he always takes from one person while giving to another.“
„Yes, you could say it like that. What was your impression when you met him?“
„He was…let's say, a little deranged. In his exile, he must've been to horrible places.“
„I still hear no hate in your voice, but sympathy.“ Fandral lifted an eyebrow, challenging her. She had to be careful.
„I'm just human. I possess something called empathy“, Helena returned mockingly. „And I'm his number one fan – there is not always a reason behind what he does, but there for sure is drama. Always. And that just fascinates me.“
„Sounds like you're willing to get yourself in trouble.“ Fandral smirked. „Just…do yourself a favor and don't cause any. Is that alright for you?“
No, of course it was not. All that bossing her around was slowly starting to get on her nerves. „Thank you for keeping an eye on me“, she said. Then she stood up, signalling that she was ready to go to Yrsa.
Dismissing him.
Fandral realized that, too, and smiled. „I hope Asgard lives up to your expectations, Helena Welling.“ He raised from his chair. „You have certainly exceeded mine.“
„If you ever feel like spilling more secrets about the palace, feel free to talk to me“, she said and tried a bow – she should have probably curtsied. Shit. Fandral mirrored her, not commenting on that.
She saw Aelrik looking over to them, assessing her from head to toe. With furrowed brows. Helena smiled.
„To your service, mylady.“ Fandral took his cup from the table and walked away.
She had never been called mylady before. Sounded quite nice. Helena imagined herself growing up in a society like this. Surrounded by robes and swords and all that gold. She imagined herself growing up a prince –
No.
She had no business overthinking this.
She was here for the facts, and the facts only. But she couldn't help her empathy – why was everyone acting as if she were overly emotional? Because they saw her as a victim?
A small pain stung in her head, and she suddenly was not in the mood for ale anymore. She walked out of the crowded room to find Yrsa and tell her everything.
----
The next day, Helena visited Val and Aerik again. And the day after that. She was always on her way to something – the dance lessons, the soldiers' training, a counsil meeting. She brought them sour Skittles. She felt Aelrik´s eyes burn on her face, on her back when she was leaving.
Training.
She met them in the tavern once, after their duty. Val came over to her and Yrsa – they seemed to know each other, as all servants of the royal household knew each other loosely – and they talked and drank together.
Helena had mentioned Aelrik and Val to her beforehand, of course. Oh, you must meet them. They are quite enjoyable compared to some of the other brutes. Only the most respectable soldiers get the dungeon portal.
Yrsa herself had warned her about Aelrik, implying something Helena had already suspected, talking to him. He was a womanizer (Yrsa had laughed at the word), even if – according to a friend – skilled and respectful. The betrothal to one of the other handmaidens was a rumor that he, when asked, neither denied nor confirmed. Those things were complicated, Yrsa explained to her later, betrothals of anyone in the palace were not seen as important until publicly announced before the King and Queen and mostly arranged. Before that, none of the two people involved were living an exclusive romantic life.
And he liked Helena's hair.
There was dancing at the tavern, and Helena gave herself a few more nights before she danced with him. She made fast progress in the dance lessons, managing the basic steps and making him laugh by accidently stepping on his feet a few times.
And a few more nights after that, she went with him, after the tavern, and into his bed.
This was also something that she couldn't stop: falling in love a little.
She did not tell Yrsa about it. She still talked to Val and Aelrik at the dungeon entrance almost every day, and while they were on duty, there was no difference in their behavior. He let his eyes roam over her silently, sometimes stopping Val from giving too much information to her, and when they were together off duty, he asked her about Midgard.
„What if I was ordered not to tell you Midgardian secrets?“, she teased him then.
Training.
It was all fine. Although Odin wouldn't probably call what she was doing no disturbance if he knew about it.
Aelrik was not the last Einherjar she took to her bed. Sometimes, when he was on duty, there were others. They all asked her about Midgard, and they all had their hands in her hair. All were just a one-night thing. She wondered if the armor was what attracted her. Or their seriousness. She had never found a way to crack the code when it came to her men and women.
She started working everything off the list Quinn and the team had given her: architecture, language, physics, botanics. She gathered every information she could. She took thousands of pictures. She interviewed everyone who was willing to, recording them. She spent two hours every night writing every single impression down she could remember. She took the dance lessons. She stood in the back of the throne room listening to the small politics and took notes of everything.
Weeks after weeks. Hunting and gathering.
Training.
Because architecture and physics were not Helena Welling's forte. They had agreed to let her come here, but they didn't know anything about her. About what kept her up at night.
Cells. Cells designed to fit their prisoners.
There are more dangerous beings in the Nine Realms, girl.
There is something dangerous about you.
She always left the Einherjars' quarters, never stayed the night. It was fun, really. Aelrik once asked her to.
„I don't think it appropriate to share something that is considered intimate in my realm,“ she said, mocking his elevated way of talking, „if you don't trust me.“ She had just gotten back into her clothes, her hair unbound, his eyes fixed on it.
„Intimate?“, he asked, mocking her back.
„Yeah. Emotional closeness is sacred to me. And I usually love men and women unwilling to give it to me.“
A smile. Aelrik was a meticulous man. He also had an edge to him, like he would lie about anything to save his reputation. „I am walking on a thin line, doing this“, he said. „You know that.“
„Yes.“
„You've never said it, but I know what you are doing.“
„Doing what?“ Training.
No disturbances.
„Coming to Val and me everyday. You are good at this game. But I've heard about you from Yrsa and the others. We know what happened to you in Midgard.“
One more smile. „And what exactly happened to me?”
„They called you to help them. With him. And he enslaved your mind.“
Helenas heart started pounding. „My mind was fighting back then, and is free now. What's the matter with it?“
Aelrik stood up and placed himself directly opposite of her, looking into her eyes. His light brown hair fell onto his forehead, his dark eyes fixing her. „The Allfather declined your request to go into the dungeons. He forbid everyone in the palace to let you in or give you any information on the prisoners.“
„As you remind me, day by day.“ She took a step towards him and lifted her chin – there were his eyes again on the hair. „I wonder if this really has something to do with me or with the fact that everything about a certain person is a sensitive topic here.“
„It is. Asgard almost lost the King and the prince.“
„It lost a prince“, Helena said.
He winced a little bit.
She sighed. „Aelrik. If you've heard about me, you know why they asked me to help them. This is my my job. It is my life's work. I can only take so many photos of the frescos and doorhandles, and visit the dance lessons because my history colleague wants to write her dissertation on it. My work…it will be different.“
He listened to her. That was the thing about Asgardian men – they were so attentive. Like hundreds of years of existence had taken any urgence, any impatience out of them. He listened to her, and he was serious, and the part of her that had fallen in love with him saw that.
„I just need a few minutes“, Helena said. She usually was able to keep her composure, to seem that mixture of curious and challenging. Right now, she started begging. „I would never tell Odin about it. He would never read my work, he simply is not interested in it.“ Aelrik stared at her. „I just…this is why came here. I am an anthropologist. I want to know how this place works. How the royal family works. And... I can't understand it fully if I don't talk to the elephant in the room.“
He lifted a brow askingly. She laughed a little bit, explaining: „The thing you're all not talking about.“
He actually seemed to think about what she said. She had always been drawn to the serious men. Some of the others treated her like a pet. Fandral had been so close to, but she'd proved him wrong. Aelrik did not. Suddenly Helena had a picture in her mind, of Aelrik kneeling in front of Odin, asking for permission for Helena to stay in Asgard after the year had passed.
No. Disturbances.
This was just training.
„He's given me one year“, she told him. „It's been one month already. If I leave and…“ She swallowed, and there was real sorrow creeping up in her chest. „If he never allows me to return, I will regret my whole life to not have talked to him one more time.“
„But…“, Aelrik suddenly seemed tense. „Are you not scared? After the things he's done to you?“
„Why…“ Helena dared not to blink, for she knew what she'd see if she closed her eyes even for the smallest second. „Why would I be scared if the dungeon, as you told me, is the safest place in this palace?“ Her stupid heart still hammered.
„You of all should know, that there are ways to hurt you even with a wall between you.“
I will make you kill them slowly, intimately, in every way you fear it.
„Yes“, she answered quitely. „I know of it.“
Aelrik was silent for a time. Then he said: „You really know how to play this game, Midgardian.“ Helena felt something moving in her chest. He was a good man, and she was getting him in trouble.
„There must be something…wrong with you, to find this an interesting subject for your studies“, Aelrik said.
There it was. There is something dangerous about you.
Helena gave him the smile that had challenged him to pursue her. „Maybe there is.“
„If Heimdall tells anyone about it, we're both in serious trouble“, he said.
„Do you think he will?“
„I am not sure. There are a lot of secrets in the palace, and he rarely has the time to report all of them. But this…he was attacked and deceived by him.“
„Yeah, and Heimdall also helped Thor and the others to get to Jotunheim behind Odin's back.“ Helena lifted her head to the ceiling: „Heimdall, if you are seeing this, I'll get you your Snickers next week!“ She had met Heimdall in the tavern when the Bifrost was closed completely some weeks ago due to the repair going on. He loved the mini Snickers she had offered him.
Aelrik looked like he wanted to laugh, but did not. „There are rules“, he said, careful now. „If I trust you, you are forbidden to tell anyone about it. Not Yrsa, not any other Einherjar.“
„Agreed.“
„You will go when I am on duty with Hjarri Hammerback. If someone finds out that you visited the dungeon, neither I nor Val will take the blame.“
„Wow.“ Helena was suprised. „I did not think you that ambitious.“
„I am not ambitious“, he said, then took a step closer and grabbed her chin, pulling her closer, „I am willing to betray the Einherjar for you.“
Training.
No disturbance.
Helena smiled while he bent her head back. „Well, I'm not worried that anyone would doubt you. As much as I've heard, Hjarri is an idiot.“