The Troll Queen's Bride

the veins of the Troll Qu

curse was be

roan marked with a white death mask, the gallows itself incarnate - whinnying as the Troll Queen's awaited

for you, in return for protection for my three children. This cursed rose is my only possession after this godsdamned truce, sweet Jarnja of the Sorrows, daughter of

d in heaving gasps, the girl – barely a woman - collapsed. The discerning Troll Queen rush

ed, taking her temperature with her paw. "A fever. Please, my sw

ur protection." The queen rubbed at her sw

Asa. Charging me to meet on this mountain all alone, in the heart of Utgardr, when you are due to deliver a

ok bravery to fly to Bifrost on my stan

Bold as always, I suppose. But what el

Skadhi's Bow, frost in her red gold hair. "Lady Skadhi says that I am her greatest failing, hah! I thought that was when she laughed at Loki for tying his balls to a nanny goat to break her winter's curse over the barren snowy ground, or when Skadhi Ondurdis selected her husband Njordr

ed, sitting the princess down on a granite seat softly, the throne carved by dwarves in ages past. "Trust me, I have oft mi

prince only to secure a fragile, tenuous peace… Lord Eleleth's magick is too much for us to conquer

ith the promised child, exchanged a blood red rose – the goddess

iendly sight for Arcadia's queen, who had little allies left. After all, they had been bosom companions in their youth, she princess of the No

ll cost me my life, one day. Freida and her Wild Hunt will come calling in seven u

ezels of crimson eyes lit in pity, and she gently plucked the rose from the princess' hands and, in return, offered her

l delight in," Jarnja said, voice slow and thick like poisoned milk, her black fur bri

r drinking cup shaped like the Devouring Wolf lit with icy blue runefire, and as the troll queen's ichor poured out until her veins ran dry, th

ed from Aslaugh's throat and down into her ripe belly. Her daughter kicked in response to the blood deep

for them to find succor in, and even the gods are all but gone from Arcadia?" Aslaugh choked, wiping away the black spittle of clotted blood that clung to her bottom lip and sta

l she had lost, and all she had become. Jarnja soothed her, the sacred rose of the

, Asa?" Jarnja cooed at the baby in her belly, lightly tracing Aslaugh's stoma

be Rosiel, for it rhymes with the other names and sounds like our covenant." Aslaugh looked fruitfully

bored Aslaugh to stand: "Start an ench

tronghold would result in... this," Aslaugh said sheepishly, taking her stang

r bonnie babes born, my dear sweetling Aslaugh. You have sacrificed too, and by Thur's hammer, I pray to the old Jotnar gods of our huldrefolk, that our workings hav

stomach ache of a laugh ripped open her crimson

e Vanir and all Jotnar, o

s circled far above in the crepuscular aether, and the blue death roan of the Troll Queen

ack the Northern Lights, her frozen smile as thick as winter molasses. She knew something on

nd felled it into the aether. She scooped it up with her white mittened hands. What Lady Skadh

r, following her cherished priestess Aslaugh – perhaps to watch over princess Aslaugh

ly one would come out alive. The queens went into the wildlands,

is my tale, a curse m

owering