Another week passed and Tove and Hrollief spent many happy hours together roaming about the castle, reading stories beside the fire, enjoying warm cider and meals together, and getting to know more about each other. Tove spent time with the staff and became more comfortable around them while Hrollief went about his duties, though she would often sit in his study and read while he worked just so they could spend more time together. He would always walk her to her room in the evenings and kiss her goodnight, lingering perhaps longer than he should.

After that week had passed, Hagen sent another carriage up the mountainside, this time with passengers already inside it. Hrollief and Tove went out into the courtyard to greet them, and when the richly-dressed guests exited the cabin Tove ran to greet them, hugging each of her sisters in turn. They were all close to the same height, with Tove on the shorter side, and each had long pale-blonde hair and fair skin, and all but Tove had dark blue eyes like Hagen’s. The tallest looked at her with a disgusted look that greatly reminded Hrollief of king Hagen, while the second tallest regarded Tove with mild amusement and confusion. The third tallest gave her a disapproving look, and the last of her sisters, the sister closest to Tove in height, gazed at her with pure awe. The group exchanged a few pleasantries, with Tove being warm and welcoming, while her sisters were cold and distant. After a few minutes of talking out in the snow, Tove took Hrollief’s arm and they led her family inside to the dining hall. While she seated them and began to talk to them about everything that had happened, Hrollief went down to the kitchens and told the cook to make a large feast for dinner. The cook’s eyes went wide, and she gave him a confused look.

“We have guests.” He told her, leaving her even more bewildered as he went back to the dining hall.

As Hrollief stepped back into the room, a hush fell on the sisters’ conversation. They must have been discussing how Tove was sent here to kill me, he thought, calmly crossing the room to stoke the fire. The hall was quiet as he added wood and prodded the flames, then took his seat at the head of the table. The sisters all eyed him warily, and he stared back at them. After several minutes of silence Tove spoke up.

“Well, I should introduce my sisters to you Hrollief. The eldest, Queen Erica,” Tove gestured to the tallest of the guests, who nodded her head. Hrollief noticed her hair was plaited elegantly, and her golden collar was well-polished and looked almost like it was a part of her skin. “the second eldest, Queen Freya,” the woman next to Erica gave Hrollief a joyful smile, then received a withering look from her sisters sitting beside her. Freya’s collar was also polished, but was more distinguishable as a necklace. “the third eldest, Queen Ingrid,” Tove continued, gesturing towards the next sister in line. Ingrid gave Hrollief a curt nod, then gave her sister one last glare before looking about the room, a look of disgust on her face. “and finally Princess Asfir, the youngest before myself.” The woman sitting next to Tove, on the other side of the table from their sisters, nodded. Her collar looked similar to how Tove’s had looked when she had first arrived. All four of them had varying strengths of darkness wrapped around them, increasing from a thin cloud about the youngest to a dense fog wrapped closely around the eldest. We may not be able to part them all from their demons, but the perhaps we can help the youngest… Hrollief thought, nodding in turn to each sister, and watching them all carefully.

“I am glad to finally meet more of Tove’s family,” Hrollief spoke casually, trying to guess what to expect from King Hagen’s other children. They had obviously followed along with Hagen’s every order, probably without a thought to living their life a different way.

“Well, King Hrollief, what do you believe you may gain from keeping our sister here?” The eldest asked, snapping Hrollief out of his thoughts.

* * *

Oh, if only they could be a little more civil, Tove thought, watching her sister’s reactions as she introduced them. She had been overjoyed to see them all again, it felt like ages since she had last seen them, and so much had happened since then. Her first thought upon seeing them was how to help each of them overcome their demons, to free them as she had been freed. But after telling them only a little about what her life had been like here, they seemed to grow even more distant from her. Now that her mind was clear she wanted to share the feeling with her family, but their minds were so clouded by darkness she was losing hope. Only Asfir seemed open to parting with her demon, and being one of the youngest she had not bonded with her demon like Erica or their father had. Hopefully they will stay long enough for me to work upon her the benefits of parting from her demon, and then perhaps she could stay here with me and Hrollief. As Tove’s thoughts wandered over how best to help her sister, going back and forth on how to go about it, she almost didn’t hear Erica’s question to Hrollief.

He was quiet for a long moment, and Tove could tell this question had sparked his anger. She wanted to reach out her hand to him, but worried it might make her sisters even more angry and distant.

“Your sister, Queen Erica, is free to leave when she wishes. It was her decision not to go back to King Hagen’s lands, and it is her decision to stay here. I have gained a companion, but do not mistake me for one who uses those they love as pawns to gain more power.” Hrollief replied, holding Erica’s glare. Finally, the tension grew too much for Erica, and she looked away.

“I have been told about that incident, and it is the reason we were sent here, to investigate its truth,” she spoke to the wall opposite her. “Whatever you may say, King Hrollief, she is still bound by blood to answer our father’s summons. Is that not so, Tove?” Erica gave Tove a dangerous look, and Tove was starkly reminded of her father. As she began to answer, the cook and the maid, along with a few guards with aprons over their armor, entered the dinning hall with trays of steaming food.

“It was true, Erica, before I renounced that way of life and parted from my demon. Surely Titus told you that as well? You must have noticed that I no longer wear my collar?” Tove spoke, mimicking Erica’s royal tone and helping herself to venison and potatoes. Her sister scowled and waited for the staff to serve her. “Now, must we speak of such things at dinner? There will be plenty of time to discuss matters after we have eaten.” Tove said cheerfully, smiling back at her sisters. As they ate she glanced over at Hrollief. He was hard to read, but she was certain she could see a smile under his beard when he met her gaze.

This dinner was by far the largest and most extravagant Tove had ever eaten in Hrollief’s castle, and she could only guess that the cook had used every skill she had to impress the visitors. They ate freshly caught meat, roasted potatoes, fresh rolls with butter, a vegetable stew, and after everything a delicious dessert of delicate chocolate cake, all washed down with her favorite warm cider. At every course Tove was mindful to compliment the cook, and most of her sisters were mindful to completely ignore the staff. Hrollief complimented the cook as well, and would sometimes ask one of the guards for reports, none of which spoke of bad news.

There was little talk as the party dined. Tove more than once tried to start up a conversation with her sisters, but they gave only curt replies that immediately ended the discussion. Hrollief was stiff and silent, reminding Tove of when she had first arrived.

Finally, the meal ended. As the maid and cook worked to clean up the table (refusing Tove’s offer of help), Hrollief escorted the visitors to a clump of bedrooms far from his own. Tove ushered them all into one room, then turned to speak with Hrollief before going inside herself.

“I will stay down in this hall with my sisters for the time being. I believe there will be many talks and arguments while they stay here. Goodnight my love.” She smiled and turned to enter, but Hrollief caught her hand, which caused the butterflies in her stomach to stir.

“I will leave a few guards posted in the hall, just in case. If you need me, call for me, and I will come. Goodnight Tove.” He leaned in and gave her a swift kiss, then turned and disappeared down the hall. Tove stood in the doorway for a long moment, watching as he vanished into the gloom of the hallway, then remembered her sisters were waiting for her, and disappeared inside the room.

* * *

As Hrollief walked back to his room, he couldn’t help but feel worried about Tove. Her sisters wee dangerous, and he wanted to be there in case they tried to hurt her. Surely they would not harm their own sister? He thought desperately, trying to ease his mind as he walked back to his room. He passed a group of guards on patrol through the halls. He motioned for them to stop, then gave them instructions.

“Stay outside of the visitors’ rooms tonight, if anything strange happens fetch me at once.” They nodded and marched off down the hall, leaving him alone with his thoughts again. Tove looked so calm, she must be sure of her own safety, but I am glad to have those guards in the hall, just in case…

* * *