“I know, Samson, but…I-I got tempted. The dahlias smelled heavenly.”

  He sighs, his smile returning. A smile I have loved that smile my whole life. We grew up together, and when I turned thirteen, I was promised to him. As the son of our village’s chief, my father thought he was an excellent match.

  It will be an honor to be by his side. A role I’ve been trained for my whole life.

  “I understand. Now go and make us food, woman. The meeting was long.” He says with a little bass in his voice and before I answer, I hear light footfalls and move in time as Farrah approaches the kitchen. She scowls at Samson, and he raises his hands and backs away. “I was only saying hello to my love.”

  “You better had been. You kids can wait a little more for your wedding.”

  The reminder of our soon wedding brings thrills and I smile. Although me and Samson are set to marry in a few months, our official engagement party where we say our first promises to each other and he takes me home to await the wedding is next week, the day after I turn eighteen.

  Unlike the other realms where they have destined soulmates, here in Midgard we get to choose our soulmates. We get to fall in love and experience everything from our own free will. Which is very well. I wouldn't want to be tied to a creature chosen for me by some being. I have heard the horror stories from other realms.

  Some soulmates eat the other for magic. In the land of the fae, if you consume your soulmate, your power increases exponentially. So, it seems a slippery slope. And knowing the greed of humans, that really wouldn't be the best idea. The Gods are truly wise, in that sense.

  I serve dinner and we sit and eat at the small dinner table with Samson as our guest. After dinner, I finish tidying up and walk Samson out.

  “I can’t wait to tell everyone you are mine.” He grins as we stand near my family’s gate.

  I smile back at him. I know Samson will be a wonderful husband. “Six more days.”

  “Six more days and then you are mine.” His voice takes a darker, deeper tone that unsettles me a bit as his hand brushes my cheek. I am too stunned to move or say anything. Then he does the unthinkable and his lips meet my forehead and I jump back.

  “Samson! You know we have to wait for the engagement.”

  “But you're already mine, Thalia. You’ve always been mine. I have waited for so long.”

  “But rules are rules, and I am not going to break them,” I say through clenched teeth.

  Annoyance flashes in his usually kind face. But it looks like my words reach him because he shakes his head. “I’m sorry, darling. I just got a bit excited.”

  Nodding, we say our goodbyes and I return to the house. I feel his gaze behind me until I get inside.

  When I am sure he has left, I take a bath and wash the day away from me. In the privacy of my room, I pull out my hidden satchel and spread the different flowers and blueberries. I prepare the oils and bowls to mix them in as well as my brushes. My plan is to wake before dawn and be at the top of the mountain by sunup, so I can paint. Hopefully, there will be a beautiful sight to paint. Maybe some fog over the village or a five-colored sun. They are rare, only happening once every few years and randomly, but they are always a sight to see.

  It takes me a few hours before my work is finished, and a restless sleep takes me.

  I barely am able to sleep at all.

  The day is finally here.

  The first day of the rest of my life. The day I finally get to belong to the love of my life. My very best friend.

  Farrah and the other women find me already on my feet when they come to fetch me for my bath at the river per custom on important days. Even though the water is always too cold, hopefully, my excitement outweighs any discomfort I may feel. They cover me with a special robe and don my feet with new shoes.

  When I come out of the house, the village’s young maidens start the song to accompany me to the river. They wear their attire that comprises of pieces of material that cover the breasts, the sacred flower garden, and the derrière. Lining each side, they sprinkle me with sunflower seeds for good luck and fertility. The older women are behind me, with Farrah leading them.

  When we arrive at the river, they undo my robe and I step into the riverbank. I jumped the first time I find out what happens under the water. Tradition says you aren’t supposed to touch your body underwater. What they don’t say is why.

  The fairy who is the mage for the village summons the slippery creatures that surround and lick my body. It’s for good luck and making me desirable to my future husband, supposedly making my natural scent more prominent and alluring. After a few minutes, the mage waves her hands and the creatures scatter. Farrah is there to offer me her hand and helps me out.

  Back at the village, my body is prepared further for my future husband. My puffy, tightly coiled hair is managed into two big cornrows that are adorned with a flower crown. I slip into my white dress and am finally ready.

  My father walks me to the center of the village, in front of the statues of our gods. Where every important thing takes place, and all the sacred rites are performed. The girls smile at me, and everyone is here to show their support.

  Samson is looking as handsome as ever in his long customary tunic as we kneel before the priest.

  “Join hands, children. You are in the presence of our God, Odin, and all his children. The gods saw fit to give us this day to celebrate this engagement.”

  Me and Samson grin, linking our hands.

  “Samson, son of Dario, you have expressed your intention on this young woman. Is that so?”

  “Ye—”

  A loud bang comes from the direction of the village gate making us all turn to see and my heart picks up pace.

  Samson is on his feet, following his father, my father in tow behind them. We watch in horror as a loud growl sends our gatemen flying in all directions. The collective gasp rises as we all gaze upon the beast who has come to our village. He’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

  Samson’s father falls to his knees, but Samson doesn't.

  The beast of a man picks up pace like he has found what he’s looking for. His fierce red eyes land on me and I am stuck in the moment, fear gripping me.

  No. No, no, no. This can’t be.

  My lips part to scream but stop when he grabs Samson by the throat, raising him above the ground like a sack of potatoes.

  “You touched what is mine.” He growls before his mighty sword comes out on the other end of Samson.

  Blood runs down the savage’s arm and I know without confirmation: my love is gone.

  Someone grabs me from behind saying something I can’t hear. I can’t tear my eyes from the horror in front of me. The village men and our soldiers rush the savage, meeting their quick ends.

  “I am here for what’s mine!” He growls so loudly I would think it was the thunder if I didn't see his lips moving

  “Lord Vidar, we don’t kn—” The village’s best archer’s head disconnects with his body and blood gushes from his neck before his body tumbles to the floor.

  “Come, Thalia!” The mage pulls further from the crowd. “No time for this. You must run. He means to end you, child.” She leads me to the other side of the village, away from the screams.

  His roar shakes me to my core, and I stumble.

  “He killed Samson.” My lips tremble as tears fall on their own.

  “I know, child. Come here.” Inside her house she makes quick work of opening a jar filled with something that looks like the color of blueberries mixed with blood.

  “This will hide your natural scent, so he doesn’t find you.” She talks as she rubs me down, but the loud footsteps coming from outside drown her out.

  My gaze never leaves the door, even when the mage pulls me and throws me on the other side of a portal.

  The beastly man kicks the mage’s door in as she tries to close the portal. He growls when he sees me.

  “Run, run!” The mage screams in my direction.

  “No! No!” I cry as the portal closes, and he drives his sword through the mage. The last thing I hear are his parting words.

  “Run fast, little bird.”

  The Wanderer

  Thalia

  Confusion, pain, shock, and another feeling too terrible to entertain grip me all at once, and I tremble like a leaf, feeling cold, shaking my head furiously.

  That didn’t just happen. That didn’t just happen.

  I rock myself as I try to talk my heart rate down.

  It’s not possible.

  Not me. No. It isn’t. It was just a bad daymare. I will wake up tomorrow and I will go to the mountain to paint, and Samson will bring me tulips for my paint like he promised. We will laugh, and I will tell him about this crazy dream.

  When I wake up, everything will be fine.

  I fall asleep in a fetal position, convincing myself that none of this is real.

  Something slithering in the grass next to me wakes me and I jump when I see the origin of the sound. A slithering dog.

  A snag? I didn’t think those existed in Midgard.

  “Gary!” An authoritative female voice booms from behind the bush. It’s hard for me to take in my surroundings as this slithering thing stares at me with its tongue dashing in and out of its mouth like it wants to taste me.

  “Gary!!” The voice is even louder, and the creature backs away and heads where the voice is coming from. I take that chance to look at my surroundings and remember how I got here. All my memories come crashing back and I wince at the emotions they bring. I rise to run but my body is sluggish.

  How long was I lying there?

  “Stop right there!!”

  Ignoring her, I run, but vines circle my feet and I fall face down when she pulls me toward her.

  “Stop! Please let me go! I mean you no harm!” I shriek.

  I am lifted high off the ground, dangling by my feet upside down, coming face to face with the owner of the voice.

  Seems to be human. Elf ears? What is she? And what does she want with me?

  She barely gives me a full assessment, looking utterly bored. “You’re a slave human, are you not?”

  “Um, no. I am jus—”

  “Where are you from?”

  “The village of wondering valleys.” I say quickly.

  “I know no such place here, girl. You’re human, so you aren’t from this realm.” She tells me like it should all be so obvious and I am dumb for not knowing something so simple.

  “Which realm is this?” I feel like a dimwit asking, but I have no room for pride at this moment.

  “The land of the fae. Who brought you here and why?” She sniffs the air around me. “You don’t smell like anything special. Are you here with someone?”

  I shake my head, starting to get dizzy.

  “Do you have a master?”

  I shake my head again.

  “Well, I will give you a roof and food, in exchange you will look after my household while I carry on with my business.”

  I don’t answer.

  I didn’t come here to be anyone’s slave. I didn’t even ask or want to come here. I am returning home and that’s the only thing I want help with.

  “Do you want to try your luck walking on your own, dirty human?”

  Tears slide down into my hair. I know and have no one in this realm.

  Before I have time to consider anything, she turns to leave.

  “Wait! Where are you going?”

  She stops and looks over her shoulder. “You seem to think you can do better in this realm, so I am letting you go. Go and find better. I am giving you three days to find it. If you are not at my doorstep in three days, then I will find another slave.”

  “How will I find you?”

  She scoffs and doesn’t answer. The snag slithers next to her feet and they disappear in the bushes.

  It takes me a few hours to get myself down from the vines and I fall with a thud, but I pick myself up and start walking.

  Memories of what happened swirl in my head, while I wipe away tears, trying to navigate the forest of this unknown realm.

  All because of him.

  One day I will kill that beast; the one they call Vidar, the god of war.

  I have always been one to believe in the mercy and love of the gods, but clearly, they hate me, binding me to such a monster. My thoughts turn to my family, and I wonder if any of them survived his massacre.

  Deep sadness plagues my heart.

  I am responsible for the death of my entire village. I know it’s what he did to all of them after they hid me.

  Quickening my steps, I try to follow the sun before it disappears. It isn’t a thick forest, so I can walk without fear. As the sun sets, I regret not taking the elven woman up on her offer to labor for her. At least until I find my way home.

  I was being prideful, hoping the portal would open once more and take me back to my realm. And hopefully find not all lost.

  By the time the moon rises, I’m tired, hungry and have no idea know where I am going or where I am. Resting in a small clearing, I realize I am not going to find anything, and my feet refuse to take me any further.

  I don’t know what kind of monsters lurk in the shadows, but my body curls in on itself, intent to rest. As my mind settles, I can’t help hoping something will kill me in my sleep so I don’t have to wake up another day and live with the mountain of guilt. With all the pain.

  I am floating on air and the sun is shining on my face when my eyes flutter open. Something is massaging my body and lulling me back to sleep.

  Wait, I'm moving.

  My eyes fly open, and I look around nervously. A muddy creature with no hands or feet moves soundlessly through the grass.

  I jump, trying to get off it, but muddy tentacles follow me and wrap around my ankle. It makes a sound like boiling porridge and tightens its hold on me as it pulls me in again. I scream and start kicking. But it’s stronger, and quickly I realize where it’s heading: a big mud pool as black as night.

  If we get there, I won’t survive.

  Reaching for a tree branch, I manage to break off a stick, and poke the creature. It makes its strange noise again but I don’t stop. Poking with all my might, I scratch myself, not even caring.

  The creature loosens its grip, revealing underneath it. Many tiny centipede-like legs are moving it, and I stab again and again until it falls in the mud river assimilating with the rest of the pool.

  Not caring that my leg is bleeding, I run, looking back to ensure more mud things don’t follow me. I run for what feels like an hour in the scotching sun before I come to the view of a village. Slowing down, I walk the rest of the way and through the small town gates.

  Strangely, there aren’t any guards at these gates. I notice immediately that I am the odd creature out. I’ve only seen a few fae creatures, but here there are all sorts. Elves, little fairy creatures flying about carrying small loads, strange animals I’ve never seen, and wizards. Their long noses and longer heads the only things that distinguish them from humans.

  My stomach growls when I pass by an open food shop where the line is long. And I immediately catch the eyes of the creatures and know instantly that I don’t belong here nor am I wanted. I’m sure all of them can see I have not a coin to my name.

  At once, I wonder where that creature I met in the forest is. Even if I wanted to ask about her, who do I say I want? A round, light brown lady with pointy ears? Most creatures here have pointy ears.

  Somebody slaps my face hard, and I fall with a thud. Crying out loud as I taste blood in my mouth.

  “You think you can stand here with your dirty self and scare my customers? Get out of here, human scum, before I knife you!” A high-pitched male voice rings in my already ringing ears.

  I don’t get a glimpse of the creature that struck me before I run, barely run. I don’t have much energy anymore.

  As I walk, all the creatures hide their children from me and run away. I look down at my muddy dress and dirty arms and hands. I was set to be engaged to the love of my life yesterday. Now I am in the streets of a foreign realm, and I will probably die from starvation if more creatures don’t claim my body as I languish in the street.

  After the sun goes down, I find a little corner behind one of the shops and tuck in, praying to the goddess Hela for her protection and guidance. Hela is the protector of all women and our guide in life and who I have trusted all my life.

  Hunger and bodily pain refuse to let me sleep peacefully, but sometime in the night when all is quiet, I finally descend in a nightmare-filled sleep. The monster chases me. I barely make it out of his clutches.

  I wake up panting and the sun is already fully out and high in the sky and today is my last day to take the elf up on her ‘offer.’ Tears stain my face.

  The mage sent me here for more suffering. It would have been better to die with my village.

  Hugging my knees, I let the tears fall. For my father. My brother and sister.

  They were so young.

  I shouldn’t have been spared. I didn’t deserve to live.

  I cry for a long time in that corner then wipe my face when tears won’t fall anymore. My body shakes from my grief and hunger. I need to eat something.

  When the shop owners start coming in, I beg for work, for a meal, and a clean bath. But I’m met with doors closed in my face and some owners chasing and kicking me out. By the time the town fills out with creatures doing their business, I have sore ribs, a busted lip, and a cut in my arm on top of being filthy. Heading out of town, I drag my feet to the village houses.

  An elven mother with two of her younglings is scrounging a trash bin. It doesn’t look like they have much themselves, but I decide they are my best bet. Maybe I can join their family and we can all eat in the dirt together.

  “Hi-Hi.” I wave weakly at them, careful not to get too close in case they decide I’m a threat to them and chase the dirty human away.

  The younglings eye me warily and their mother doesn’t give me comfort either.