Fortunately, Thruor showed up, and managed to convince Angrboda and her thugs to go get some good beer.
Hopefully she wouldn’t let them get too drunk. I didn’t go with them, given my legal age, but rather stayed out on the Mall as the sky darkened. Somehow, I didn’t want to go inside.
Well, until my stomach reminded me I hadn’t had dinner yet. I made it about halfway home when the fire giants showed up.
I really wasn’t in the mood. “This time, I’m armed. Also, you don’t need to fight me.”
Oh, I wanted them dead, but all four of them on my own was more than I could handle.
“You’ll…”
“What do you think I’ll do?” Negotiating with them hurt. Well, really? I was stalling. I felt as if I needed a shower, though, just from talking with them, just from these few words. They had made themselves my enemies. “Other than send you back to Muspelheim.” One hand drifted to my sword.
“You can’t take all four of us.” He drew his own weapon.
Mine slide out of the sheath easily. “I don’t have to.” I was bluffing – I really didn’t have known backup nearby.
“As for what you’ll do. We won’t have an outsider as queen. Unless, of course, she proves herself.”
“By, say, kicking your butt?” I shook my head. “I have no intention of being your queen. I have no interest in it. I’ve told Surtur that more than once.”
“By staying alive.”
He moved towards me. “So, I get it. You’ll hound me until I’m either dead or demonstrate that I’m tough enough for fire giant standards? What about the mortals you killed?”
He struck at me. I parried the blow, feeling his strength when the blades met, hearing the scrape of steel on steel.
“What about them?”
“One of them was Angrboda’s. She’s here, furious, and she brought backup.”
“You’re going to count on her to save your butt?”
“No,” came a voice. “She’s going to count on me.”
I turned slightly. It was Freya, flanked by her warriors. “Good timing. Four on one isn’t honorable odds.”
“No, it isn’t.” She smiled. “Unless this is fire giant courtship, I suggest you leave.”
All four of them ran. I was almost disappointed.