Chapter Text
King Nor of Alfheim crossed the battle field to the Asgardian camp. He sought an audience with the All Father.
“King Nor, to what do I owe this visit?”
“Peace, I wish for an end to this fighting. I am willing to offer you my eldest daughter. Alva is submissive, kind. She would make an excellent bride for your heir. Seeing as my new wife has given birth to a son, she is yours for the taking.”
“I see, we will be in your realm at nightfall. My daughter will make her decision then, if she is unhappy with your daughter, we will press our advantage and take out your forces.” Nor nodded, he expected nothing less than brutality but if it meant that the majority of his people would be safe, he would gladly give Alva up.
The eldest daughter of the High Elven King, Alva had been born for one purpose only, to be married off to the highest bidder. Her virginity was to be intact and her face flawless. She took daily baths in milk and rose water to keep her skin smooth and pale. She was never outside at the heat of the day, only ever early mornings and in the evening. Her father insistent that she was to do exactly as she was told lest she lose her place.
Her long black hair, the delicate tattoos, each item that adorned her body was chosen to please her future spouse. The thin black bands that encircled her left bicep, mocking imitations of the tattoos of warrior queens past.
Battle waged outside the stone halls of the palace. Alva watched from the window as the Asgardian invaders killed their guards. They had been at war for years, and the Asgardians had finally broken through.
“Ala, Ala. Up!” Alva turned to find her younger brother, crying. His mother, her father's third wife having passed out from the sounds of the screams and the view of the blood that soaked their courtyard. Nor had married Stilmyst shortly after his second wife Edrill’s death. Alva didn’t remember the second wife but Stilmyst whom Alva called only the Whore was a massive problem in her life. Stilmyst had been Nor’s mistress while he was married to Edrill, she had become pregnant and Nor couldn’t risk the chance that he would have a bastard son and married her to ensure the lineage.
Cast aside, from that point on, due to Stilmyst’s influence and her new baby son, Alva was no longer the precious princess her father had prized as the only living reminder of his one true love. Alva was a constant reminder of the failure of his lineage.
“Shhh, be quiet Valle. You have to be a brave boy, a very, very brave boy.” Alva stroked his head as she held him in her lap. She choked back a sob as she heard her father screaming for aid. Alva had begged her father to let her train but he had insisted that she study magic. Not even magic that would be helpful in battle, healing magic. She scoffed, she bet he wished he had now. The thundering of the troops of Asgard, entering the halls brought on another bout of tears from Valle.
“Ala. I’m frightened.” Valle starts sucking his thumb and Alva has to stop herself from chiding him.
“I know little brother, but I know father will win.” She gave him a quick kiss on the forehead.
“Alva, open the door!” Alva rushes to open the door for her father who stood flanked by Asgardians. He closed the door, asking for a bit of privacy. “Daughter, A marriage will bring an end to this war.” A treaty bride, that’s what he wanted her to be.
“Please father, don’t make me! You can’t marry me off to one of those barbarians.” Alva’s father was a proud Elven man, his silver hair was tied into a long braid. His armor wet with blood, it covered Alva’s dress as he pulled her into a hug. He pulled away and took in the grey, blood-soaked dress she wore, a fitting way to hand her over.
“I must for the sake of our country. My daughter, you must be strong. For me, for your brother.”
“They must have a baby, marry Valle off.” Alva was begging now, she didn’t want to die at the hands of those people, but marrying one was even worse. The Executioner could do whatever she wanted to and no one would care, no one would be outraged if she died on their wedding night.
“My dear child, my only daughter. If I knew things would be righted I would fight till my last but even General Aenor is dead. ” Alva choked a sob in her father's shoulder. Her father's fiercest general had perished in this battle. If she held off then many more would die as well. “You will marry the crown Princess. She will be a good wife, she will provide for you and you shall be queen of Asgard.”
“I will do as you command father.” Alva pulled away from him, wiping away tears, she would no longer be in line for her own throne, leaving her home to marry this savage. “Can I wear my mother's binding gown?”
“Yes, you can.” Alva gave her father another sad look, her breathing never truly deep enough, for her to calm down.
“I know only a few words of Asgardian.” Her father didn’t answer, moving to his wife to rouse her. Valle cried again, his shrieks echoing off the walls as the door burst open. The Asgardians in full battle regalia, soaked in blood, stood in the open door way. They spoke their strange guttural language, her father spoke it as well. The older one with one eye spoke first.
“Have you agreed to our terms?”
“Yes, she will marry your eldest. If she is harmed…”
The woman cloaked in black beside the man spoke, her mouth a cruel slash of a grin. Her eyes smudged with black war paint, making the green of them more pronounced. “She will be fine. Clear out let me speak to her.”
“Your highness, she does not speak Asgardian very well.”
“I speak your savage language, 2 dialects of it. Do you have a preference, Princess.”
“I’d prefer if we could continue to speak higher. I will be alright.” The woman circled her. Hawklike eyes trailing over her body, they seemed to pierce through her clothing and even her flesh digging down into her very core.
“I’ve heard tales of your beauty, I never expected them to be true. You have such fine and delicate features.”
“They call you a monster, yet I only see a woman.” A cold hand wrapped around Alva’s neck.
“I am not a monster.” There was anger in her voice, it made Alva want to scream and cry.
“No, you are obviously not, a monster would be choking their soon to be wife.” She dropped her hand. Alva unconsciously rubbed her neck. “Thank you. Please I don’t want to make this hard. I don’t want any more bloodshed.”
“Neither do I, you are a proud and rich race. I would hate to see a people as beautiful as yours extinct. What is your name?”
“Alva, your highness.” She dropped into a small curtsy.
“Your parents named you ‘elf’—” Hela chuckled coldly. “That’s what Alva means in Asgardian, my that is—”
“It means, blessed in ours.” Alva felt the blush rising, she did not like to be ridiculed. Particularly by a savage Princess, with no respect for culture or tradition.
“Very fitting. The Norns certainly did bless you, your face is evidence of this enough. You will have to learn Asgardian. Or you will be very lonely with only me to talk to.”
“I’ve spent most of my life very lonely.”
“Such is the life of a princess of Alfheim?”
“My life has been planned since I was six, studying magic and law. Marry whoever my father chooses.”
“I want you to know that your general fought well, but she was no match for me. Your father mentioned she was a friend of yours.” Alva blinked back tears, Aenors’ blood stained this woman’s hands. Hands that would go inside her, caress her face and hold their children. “Now, there is a matter of your, how do you say Seidr?”
“Magic?”
“Yes, Magic . Till such a time as you can be trusted you must wear these.” She handed a set of thin silver bracelets to her. “These will dampen your powers, it is a safety precaution.” Alva slipped them on and they shrunk to fit her wrists. She stumbled slightly, her chest tightening, she needed to cry.
“It feels like the world just got dimmer.”
“Once we are bound they will not be necessary.” Alva nodded.
“Thank you, Lady Hela.”
“Now, give me a kiss.” It was an order, harsh and unfeeling. “Come now, little one, kiss me.” Alva kissed her, while it was not unpleasant. Hela’s body was freezing, she assumed it was the armor, but her lips and hands were cold as well. Alva shivered, pulling away her teeth chattering slightly. “Where is your cloak?”
“In my chambers.” Hela huffed.
“Very well, you probably want some of your things anyway.” Hela gripped her arm and dragged her down the hall. “Which one is yours?”
“The door, with the apple tree carved into it.” Hela ripped the door open, and let her eyes roam over Alva’s bedroom.
“This is your bedroom? My, you are a pretty little princess.” The bed was draped in sheer silks, the room made up in light grays and blues. “You will wear this when we are bound.” Hela ran her hand over the dress Alva was to be crowned in.
“I was going to marry you in my mother's dress, it’s the pink--”
“No, this one. With a pretty flower crown on your head and fruit stained lips.” Alva nodded, looking around the room to see if there was something she needed. She no longer felt like fighting.
“Yes, your highness.” Alva removed the dress from the mannequin and folded it into the trunk. She took several pieces of her mother's jewelry. “I’d never realized how few items of emotional significance I had.”
“Do you want him?” Hela held up a small stuffed dragon. Alva snatched him out of her hand.
“Please, don’t touch them.” Hela looked over the other animals that sat on her bed, each hand sewn and made of soft worn material. Alva despite being far beyond the years of wanting to play with toys hugged the dragon to her chest. Hela looked at the other two creatures, a hydra and unicorn.
“I was simply going to place them in the trunk. I don’t judge you for wanting to keep them.” She rested a hand on Alva’s cheek. “They must be important…”
“My mother made them.” Alva ran her hand over the dragon’s wing. “You can put them in the trunk. Thank you ” Hela picked them up gently and placed them in the trunk.
“Did you have something pretty made for your lover to see on your coronation night?” Hela opened the box, on the table. “Oh you did…well now you will wear it for me.” She dropped the lacy contents into the trunk. “No need for much jewelry, I will get you more. Now, let’s get you a cloak and take you home.” Hela opened her closet and pulled one of Alva’s heavier cloaks out. “Here, here we go.” Alva pulled it around herself.
“Is Asgard nice?”
“You will like it, it’s autumn there. The leaves change color.” Hela places her on the horse first. “My father will want to speak with you. I will translate.”
“Thank you, milady.”
“Hela.” Alva nodded, at the correction.
“Hela.” She would not allow herself to cry, she could mourn when she was alone. Surrounded by these strange men, who did not speak her language. She hastily wiped a tear away, Hela made her heart pound in her chest, she felt sick just looking at her. Here in her betrothed’s arms, that felt like ice and smelled like death. Hela’s arm gripped her waist tighter. “Please, you’re hurting me.” Hela didn’t relent.
“I’m not risking you falling off, hold on.” Hela turned to the red haired man, riding next to her.
“Princess, excited about your new prize?”
“Yes, I hope to bed her soon. But unfortunately the treaty says I must take her to wife first.” Alva blushed she understood, that they where talking about sex by Hela’s lascivious tone alone.
“I would like it if you wouldn’t talk about bedding me.” Hela looked down at her, sharp nails digging into the girls skin.
“Sorry, I offended you, little one. But I can talk about whatever I like, you are my property.” Alva nodded, leaning back against her soon to be wife.
“I apologize, I just don’t want to be considered a whore.”
“Oh, little one. You’re not a whore.” It felt as if there was an unspoken yet. Alva shivered, closing her eyes against the cold. “She wanted to know what Asgard was like.” Hela laughed. “She’s so innocent, but at least she’s pretty. Unlike my brothers betrothed.”
“Aye, The little Jotun, is unfortunate.”
“Well, as you can see I won’t have any issues. I’ll have her under me by nightfall tomorrow.” Hela and the red haired man spoke for sometime. Alva drifted off to sleep lulled by the motion of the horse and the exhaustion of the last few years.
It felt like they had been riding for hours, the horse galloped quickly along the main road of Alfheim. “You’re awake, it would have been better if you remained asleep. This is no sight for such a delicate flower.”
“I can handle it.” The fields of grain were soaked red with blood. Tears streamed down her face.
“I told you it would be too much…” Hela stroked her head, it made her want to scream, the monster stroking her face and shushing her like someone would a wild beast. They arrived at the portal between the realms Hela rearing the horse back and galloping full speed through the opening.
Asgard was beyond anything she’d ever imagined, lush and green. Everything was plated in gold.
She had been deposited in a guest chamber as servants bustled to prepare for the wedding of the crown princess. Hela had promised to return very soon, and that she would be fed shortly.
The room was large, and imposing, Alva jumped as the guard slammed the doors shut behind her. She removed her outer robe and placed it over a chair by the fire. Her bare midriff prickling with goose flesh. Her arms wrapped around herself as she resisted the urge to sink to the floor and scream.
She snuck a glance at herself in the mirror, the bruise around her neck and jaw was darkening. Looking around the dark room, only lit by the large fireplace. A large bed gleamed in the darkness. Large bookcases lined the walls. Swords and trophies hung on the walls.
Alva finally let her loose once she was alone. She couldn’t believe that her father would offer her up like this to the Asgardians. Her scream echoed across her chambers. Metal trinkets clattering on to the floor. Tears ran hot down her face.
Alva sunk into a chair, for the first time in a while she did feel surprisingly calm. If she was going to have to do this, it might not be bad to be the Asgardian queen. Looking up she caught sight of the mural on the ceiling. The Battle for Svartalfheim. This is what those savages fell asleep looking at. Her dark brethren, ugly as they were, slaughtered.
It was a rushed affair, as no one seemed keen on allowing Alva to remain in the palace as a guest. She was to be wifed and deflowered immediately. Hela would bed her and no courtship would be needed. Usually marriages between two women were only for love. But with Hela’s refusal of so many princes, her father's keen eye had thought that presenting his daughter would serve the turn. She felt heat pooling in her stomach as she gazed again upon the portrait of Hela holding Morvens head aloft. Hela certainly was a strong woman, powerful in body and in mind. With all the graces that a queen should have.
“Is she obedient?” The voice of the Allfather outside, she knew he was here to speak to her.
“Very much so, Allfather. I’ve never heard her even raise her voice. She has never defied me.” Her father, how she was beginning to hate the man who raised her.
“Let me in to see her, Hela?”
“Yes, father.” Hela followed him into Alva’s chamber. She crossed to her, reaching out her hands to take hers. “Now we must speak on a subject that makes me uncomfortable to speak with you about. For I do not wish to offend your sweet nature.”
“I don’t believe you could offend me, your Highness.”
“I asked you to address me as Hela. Has anyone ever had you?’
“Excuse me”
“Are you a Virgin? My you’re quite pretty when you blush, I shall like to see that again.”
“Yes, I am untouched. But I know how this works, I have read books.” Alva was indignant, not wanting Hela to think that she was some kind of idiot.
“She is a virgin father. Are you satisfied?”
“You are not lying to me daughter because you are infatuated with some little elf?” Her father stiffened.
“Please-Please, Allfather. I swear I tell the truth.” Alva’s voice was shaky, she hated the sound of Asgardian.
“Very well child, but we will have to have a bedding ceremony.” He left with a flourish. “Come Nor, we’ve a dowry to discuss.”
“Now I know that I must be gentle with you. Not that I mind darling, it will make our joining all the sweeter. I will be the first and last person to bring you pleasure. Are you hungry?”
“I could eat, if you want to.”
“I am not hungry at the moment, but will call for food” She rings a bell and Alva can hear a servant in the hallway begin running to fulfill their Mistress’ wish “I must leave you now for the evening, I am not supposed to see you the evening before.”
“Thank you, Sleep well.”
“And you my sweet.” Hela left Alva standing in her room.