Read Online Fragments of your Soul (The Mirror Worlds Book 1) by E. S. Erbsland - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: E. S. Erbsland
Ads: Link
into the house, closely followed by Arvid.
“On the table,” Falla said.
Even Arvid felt her heart began to pound rapidly. She had waited so long for this day, but now seeing the letter on the table in front of her filled her with a certain uneasiness. It was a nondescript white envelope, which was sealed with red sealing wax.
Thoke took the letter, looked at it and then handed it to Arvid. “It’s for you,” he said simply.
Arvid took the envelope, then turned it in her hands hesitantly. “But I can’t even read it,” she said helplessly, holding the letter out to Thoke again.
A faint smile began to spread on Thoke’s face. “The seal,” he said. “It bears your name. I’m not allowed to break it.”
Arvid tensely looked at the red seal, which bore a number of illegible runes. She took a deep breath, then she broke it and opened the envelope with trembling hands. Inside she found a multi-folded sheet of paper, but as she had already expected the letter had been written in runes she could not read.
“I don’t understand a single word,” she said, and handed the paper to Thoke. After a moment he took it and scanned the text. Falla stepped closer, too, and looked down at the letter. Soon she started to furrow her brow.
“What does it say?” Arvid asked impatiently, but already by Thoke’s look she could tell that it wasn’t what he had expected. He looked puzzled and perhaps a little worried.
“Should I… just read it aloud?” he asked. “Or should I translate it?”
“Isn’t it written in Jördish?”
“Yes, it is,” replied Thoke. “But the formulations are quite odd. I’m not sure if you’ll understand it.”
“No matter. Just read it for me. I’ll understand the most important things.”
Thoke did. He was right about the formulations being complicated and strange, and it was not easy to grasp the contexts. Still, apart from the details, Arvid understood the main message.
First there was a formal-sounding salutation, then a long summary sheet with the day and the time of her arrival and some of the information Gjell had written down, together with a list of so-called fate symbols, which did not seem to make the slightest sense. It was assured that the Council of the Gods had thoroughly studied and discussed Arvid’s arrival and the related circumstances, and stated that she would, as stipulated in the Codex of Asgard, receive the appropriate support. Falla was awarded one hundred and thirty silver coins as compensation, and Arvid was instructed to report to Horalf, son of Gert, on the third day of the first week of the Month of Gray Cold. There she would receive food, a place to sleep and other necessities, in exchange for appropriate work. The letter was signed by Noldir, son of Noldir, on behalf of Asgard.
When Thoke had finished reading, they stood there in silence. Arvid was unsure what to make of it. Although the letter didn’t contain anything bad, it didn’t say anything that would have helped her either.
“What does that mean, Thoke?” Falla said finally. Arvid didn’t quite understand what she was alluding to.
Thoke dropped the letter on the table and sank into a chair. “I don’t know,” he said. “There must be a reason.”
“What’s wrong?” Arvid asked impatiently and sat down also. “What is so extraordinary?”
“The money, dear,” Falla said.
“One hundred and thirty silver coins are an incredible amount of money,” said Thoke. “We could buy food and wood for a quarter year, for all of us.”
“Well, that’s good, right?” Arvid asked uncertainly.
“Yes,” Thoke said, thoughtfully turning the letter in his hands. “But it makes no sense to pay such an exaggerated compensation. And why should you move to a farm, so far out in the countryside? There’s not even a village nearby.”
Slowly, a queasy feeling spread throughout Arvid. Did Thoke just tell her that she was to live in a secluded farm in the countryside, cut off from
“On the table,” Falla said.
Even Arvid felt her heart began to pound rapidly. She had waited so long for this day, but now seeing the letter on the table in front of her filled her with a certain uneasiness. It was a nondescript white envelope, which was sealed with red sealing wax.
Thoke took the letter, looked at it and then handed it to Arvid. “It’s for you,” he said simply.
Arvid took the envelope, then turned it in her hands hesitantly. “But I can’t even read it,” she said helplessly, holding the letter out to Thoke again.
A faint smile began to spread on Thoke’s face. “The seal,” he said. “It bears your name. I’m not allowed to break it.”
Arvid tensely looked at the red seal, which bore a number of illegible runes. She took a deep breath, then she broke it and opened the envelope with trembling hands. Inside she found a multi-folded sheet of paper, but as she had already expected the letter had been written in runes she could not read.
“I don’t understand a single word,” she said, and handed the paper to Thoke. After a moment he took it and scanned the text. Falla stepped closer, too, and looked down at the letter. Soon she started to furrow her brow.
“What does it say?” Arvid asked impatiently, but already by Thoke’s look she could tell that it wasn’t what he had expected. He looked puzzled and perhaps a little worried.
“Should I… just read it aloud?” he asked. “Or should I translate it?”
“Isn’t it written in Jördish?”
“Yes, it is,” replied Thoke. “But the formulations are quite odd. I’m not sure if you’ll understand it.”
“No matter. Just read it for me. I’ll understand the most important things.”
Thoke did. He was right about the formulations being complicated and strange, and it was not easy to grasp the contexts. Still, apart from the details, Arvid understood the main message.
First there was a formal-sounding salutation, then a long summary sheet with the day and the time of her arrival and some of the information Gjell had written down, together with a list of so-called fate symbols, which did not seem to make the slightest sense. It was assured that the Council of the Gods had thoroughly studied and discussed Arvid’s arrival and the related circumstances, and stated that she would, as stipulated in the Codex of Asgard, receive the appropriate support. Falla was awarded one hundred and thirty silver coins as compensation, and Arvid was instructed to report to Horalf, son of Gert, on the third day of the first week of the Month of Gray Cold. There she would receive food, a place to sleep and other necessities, in exchange for appropriate work. The letter was signed by Noldir, son of Noldir, on behalf of Asgard.
When Thoke had finished reading, they stood there in silence. Arvid was unsure what to make of it. Although the letter didn’t contain anything bad, it didn’t say anything that would have helped her either.
“What does that mean, Thoke?” Falla said finally. Arvid didn’t quite understand what she was alluding to.
Thoke dropped the letter on the table and sank into a chair. “I don’t know,” he said. “There must be a reason.”
“What’s wrong?” Arvid asked impatiently and sat down also. “What is so extraordinary?”
“The money, dear,” Falla said.
“One hundred and thirty silver coins are an incredible amount of money,” said Thoke. “We could buy food and wood for a quarter year, for all of us.”
“Well, that’s good, right?” Arvid asked uncertainly.
“Yes,” Thoke said, thoughtfully turning the letter in his hands. “But it makes no sense to pay such an exaggerated compensation. And why should you move to a farm, so far out in the countryside? There’s not even a village nearby.”
Slowly, a queasy feeling spread throughout Arvid. Did Thoke just tell her that she was to live in a secluded farm in the countryside, cut off from
Similar Books
