Part 49: INTERLUDE: EGIL

Sif would not have been a woman if she didn’t know about her good looks. She was tall, blond and had a shapely figure yet she had laughed at Egill’s suggestion to put on a dress and let her hair made up by a professional stylist. She was done with the girlish things and embraced her female warrior status. She no longer hated or despised Nilfeheim’s traditions, but embraced them.

A Viking warrior would never succumb to drugs and the frivolous trappings of Pluribus and off world garbage. If she wanted to become the first female representative of her world she would also need to be a guardian much like Gustav Ragnarsson was. During the weeks on Nilfeheim and after their return, she had discovered Eric’s grandfathers writings and the collection of his speeches were available from the Assembly archive. She had begun to read what Erik Gustav had written in his long career as representative and the more she read it the more she respected him.

He had the right ideas and what he tried to accomplish was the right path for her world. She lived with Egill now and no longer with her aunt.

The former hermit of Nilfeheim resided in a big two level apartment atop a medium sized sky scraper. She had learned that the building belonged to a company called Silver Hawk Inc. and was part of the impressive financial empire Erik Gustav Ragnarsson had built. The more she learned about Eric’s grandfather the more she became impressed by him. Here in Egill’s apartment she had a big room for herself with a nice view over parts of Ring Park and the Sphere of Assembly. After the parade and the feeding frenzy of the masses they had come here to take a short break. Egill would go to the Diamond Ball along with his two important friends. Most of the Nilfeheim delegation was still at the Sphere, serving Nilfheim fare to all the curious visitors.

Egill however had suggested that Sif, Elena and little Exa to accompany him to quite likeley the mos tprestigious social affair in the known universe.

Egill had said to her. “Well dress or no dress, you are a girl and you better get started to make yourself ready, we are leaving in an hour.”

She checked herself one last time in the mirror and was pleased. Nilfeheim traditional leathers and fur were preferable over any dress. As she came out with less than a minute minutes to spare, she noticed Elena had chanced too. She wore a red velvet dress, with a deep neckline fine white fur and lace and her midnight black hair shimmered with a luster more precious than obsidian.

Deep within Sif grew a little doubt. Maybe she should have worn a dress after all, but then why would she need to? She had no desire to advertise her body to catch the eye of a man. To her surprise Exa was also there, and Sif had never noticed how much the foreign girl had grown and how pretty she was. Exa too wore a dress.

Egill looked quite regal in his dark blue silver embroidered Nilfeheim leathers. His long white hair washed and combed.

“You know I used to be a Hermit and valued quietness and now I am herding three young women to a ball on the most crowed planet in the Universe.”

As they entered the waiting Volvo Flyer, Exa said. “I can’t wait to see Eric in person.”

The flyer took off and Sif said with ahuff. “He is only a lowly cadet or something, serving at the bottom tier. From what I understand, this Devastator is a big ship. Why would he be at the Diamond Ball, only very important people are invited, he is most likley scrubbing some corridor.”

Elena glared at her for a second and then smiled. “Should make no difference to you anyway if he is there or not. From the tone and choice of words I can tell, he means nothing to you, but means to your ambitions. Without Eric you would have been executed or killed by your own father. I think you forget who saved you.”

Exa tugged at the long crème colored gloves that matched her dress.”He is not a Cadet, he is a Midshipman now.”

“Big difference.” Sif snorted and to Elena she said. “Yes he is but a tool, men are so pathetic.” Deep inside she felt ashamed that she had betrayed him and she had to remind herself that she never really liked him anyway.