#paulfrid

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“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…"

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"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.

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“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.”

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“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.”

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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).

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