"Christine!"

Christine's brilliant blue eyes shot up from the book that she was reading.

"Yes mother?"

"I have been calling you for the past five minutes and you have not come!"

"Oh, forgive me mother! I didn't hear you...I was reading." Christine got up from her hard bed, set down her book and walked over to her mother.

"Well, I don't care what you were doing, you didn't come when I called. Therefore, you can forget about coming down for dinner. You can starve, for all I care." With that, Christine's mother turned her back to her and began making her way to the door. Christine sighed and closed her eyes as her mother slammed the door shut. She was used to going hungry. Whenever she did something even the slightest bit wrong, her family would punish her for it. Christine opened her eyes, walked over to her bed, and pulled the covers up and over her thin body, as a reluctant tear slide down her pale cheek. Sniffing, Christine reached over and picked up the book that she had been reading. It was a book about fantastic tales of other worlds around us that she had stolen from her father's desk. She had seen him reading it many times and had always wondered what was in it. But whenever she asked, he would yell at her for asking, and then question why she wanted to read it. She recalled what had happened only yesterday:

"I just want to read it father!" Christine had cried out. "I am only interested in the beauty of it!"

"Such lies! Who told you what was in this? You are to believe nothing they say!"

"No one told me what was in it and I only want to read it because I enjoy fantasy books!"

Her father scoffed.

"You should get your head out of the clouds and wake up to reality! There is only one world, girl! And you need to live in it!"

"I didn't say anything about there being other worlds father...you're the one who said that." Christine knew that she shouldn't have said this the moment the words had left her lips. Her father got to his feet and made towards her with his fist in the air. Christine had turned and ran as fast as she could out of the room, then out of the great house that she lived in. She ran around to the back of the house, opened a pair of small doors that led to the basement which was hidden by a large rose bush, and quickly bolted down the stairs. Pulling the bush back into place and slamming the doors shut, Christine fell to the ground and inhaled deeply. She hadn't realized that she had been holding her breath as she placed the rose bush back into place and shut the doors.

"CHRISTINE!"

Christine jumped and stared up in horror in the direction of her father's voice that carried through the metal doors.

"WHERE ARE YOU?" Her father's furious voice was so loud, that it seemed as if he was right in front of Christine. She dashed over to a corner of the room where a small door would lead her down a cramped tunnel. Christine turned the handle and then suddenly, she heard her father right outside of the basement doors.

"ANSWER ME!" He declared in a rash tone.

Christine's eyes widened. She darted into the passageway and quietly closed the door behind her, turning to face the hallway lined with doors. She began to walk down the passageway, looking for the door that led to her father's office. When she found it, she stooped down to look through the small hole in the door that aloud her to peer into the office, and saw that her father had not yet returned from his search for her. She rose up, slowly turned the handle of the rusted door, and slipping passed a large bookshelf, walked into the office. She looked around and saw the book that her father had thrown down in his furry, laying face open on the floor; it's pages folded underneath itself. Christine bent down, picked it up and quickly moved back to the bookshelf. She was just about to push passed it, when she heard her father's voice coming from outside of the room.

"I tried to go after her, but she ran from me!"

Christine heard her mother answer her husband in a bored voice.

"Well, send the dogs after her if you must. It is not as if we care where she goes."

"Yes," Her father continued. "but I want to teach her a lesson for talking back to me!"

"Next time she does, just call one of the maids and they'll punish her for you."

Christine had heard enough. She squeezed behind the bookshelf and passed the door. Closing it behind her with the book clasped tightly to her heaving chest, she then ran over to a door that had a large streak of red paint slashed across it. Leaning down and looking through the hole in the wall, Christine jumped back. Clasping her hand over her mouth to stifle her scream. She had just seen the large black dogs that her mother had been talking about sniffing around her room. Her father must have been really angry. She scrambled to her feet and ran over to a small door that lead to her maid Lucille's room. She looked through the hole in the wall and saw that Lucille wasn't there. Christine proceeded to open the door and crawl through the small opening. Pushing the door shut again and standing up, she walked over to Lucille's bed and scooted underneath it.

Christine had hidden there all day until Lucille had finally come and Christine later on went back to her room. Her father had been so busy looking for the book, that he had forgotten all about letting the dogs punish Christine.

Now laying here in bed, Christine stared down at the little book in her hands. Why had her father been so adamant about allowing her to read it or even look at it? It was only a book about Norse Mythology after all. She knew that her father was in contact with the powerful creatures and people that the book spoke of, but she didn't understand why he didn't want her to know about them. Christine thumbed through the yellowing pages as her eyes scanned over the words, looking for the place where she had left off. Upon finding it, Christine wiggled further down underneath her blankets and read on.

...

"What do you mean they're sending me somewhere?" Christine's eyes were wide and her mouth had fallen open after hearing the shocking news from Lucille.

"I-I don't know Christine! I just overheard your family talking about sending you this place called...Yotin...Yo-teen...ugh! I don't know! I can't remember what it's called!" Lucille seemed to be on the verge of tears.

"Well, that isn't going to help me is it?" Christine snapped. Seeing the hurt look on Lucille's face, Christine's heart sunk. "I'm sorry Lucille...I didn't mean to be harsh...I'm just scared at what they'll do to me and then you, once they're done with me. They know how close we are and they don't approve of me being friends with my maid."

Lucille nodded.

"I understand...but please look out, Christine! Your family are sick people and I wish we could go for help."

"Me too Lucy...me too." Christine sighed. She had prayed for someone to come and save her and Lucille from this horrible place many times. But Christine's father was a very wealthy man who had all of the right connections. No matter who Christine asked for help, they would run and hide. In fear of her father's wrath.

"We'll be okay Lucy..." Christine spoke the words, but she couldn't bring herself to believe them.

"I really hope so Christine." Lucille sniffed. The two girls hugged.

...

Christine and Lucille were able to stay out of trouble for a few weeks. However one day, Christine's family's idea to get rid of her came true.

It was a clouded and rainy day at Christine's house. She and Lucille were hiding up in the attic from Christine's family and were searching around for anything that would appeal to their interest.

"Over here Luce!" Christine called to Lucille, pointing to an ornate candelabra that was sitting on the one of the dusty shelves.

"Ooh, pretty! Come over here and see what I found!"

Christine turned to see Lucille holding up a great Lion skin.

"RAWR!" She snarled from behind the head of the beast. Christine laughed.

"Oh, don't be so childish." She laughed again and yanked the lion skin from Lucille's hands.

"Awww! But I was going to sleep with him tonight..." Lucille pouted in mock disappointment.

"Well, maybe you should -"

"CHRISTINE LOOK OUT!"

Christine turned just in time to see a large man about to strike her. She dove out of the way and he instead hit Lucille, who crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

"LUCILLE!" Christine screamed. "How dare you!" She turned on the man, grabbed the candelabra, and swung it at him as hard as she could. It hit him square in the jaw. He grunted in pain and stumbled back. But soon recovered and dove for Christine. She hit him again and again as he lifted her off of the ground and into the air.

"LET-ME-GO-YOU-BASTARD!" Christine screamed as he slammed her into the wall repeatedly, trying to knock her out.

Soon enough how ever, Christine began to see spots. The man then punched her in the side of her face. "Let...me..." Her words faltered as her vision blackened and she passed out.

...

Christine woke up in a very strange place. She shivered and gasped in a deep breath as she tried to sit up. But a pain in her leg told her that it had been sprung.

"Ahh!" She cried out and gripped her leg. Baring her teeth, Christine pulled up her pants leg just far enough as to where she could see the large bruise that covered her shin. The tears then began to slide down her face as she looked around at her surroundings and realized what her family had done. "They really did it..." Christine bit her lip, trying not to break down completely. The place surrounding her was cold and lonely. Vast plains of slippery ice covered the land, and large pillars of stone towered over her, resembling giant men. Then suddenly, Christine realized that the pillars were in fact men. Tall, blue, and terrifying. Their brilliant red eyes glared down at her in crimson slits as one of the men reached down to grab Christine.

"Elic, wait!" One of the men intervened. "Be careful not to touch her with your bare hands!" Elic nodded and reaching behind him, he pulled from his belt, two armored gloves. Christine, meanwhile, had been trying to crawl away in the most efficient way possible with a damaged leg. But within two swift steps, Elic reached down with his gloved hands; she screamed and tried to fight against the large hands that wrapped around her waist.

"No! Let me go! Let-me-go!" Christine screamed and punched his hands. The men all started to chortle in light amusement at her pathetic attempts of escape.

"Take her to Laufey." One of the men said in a deep, rumbling voice. Elic nodded. Turning, he began to run over to a great hall of ice. Tall chairs were built within large gaps in the ice and sitting in them were more of these giant ice men. In the middle, sitting upon a great throne of ice, was the tallest of the giants. Christine figured that this was the one the men had called Laufey.

"What is it that you want Elic?"

Christine shuddered. Laufey's voice was one of the most chilling things that Christine had ever heard. It's sound was guttural, gruff, and Laufey spoke as if they would be the last words that you would ever hear. His cruel eyes flashed as they fell upon Christine.

"A Midgardian?" Laufey paused for a moment. "Kill her."

"N-no!" Christine gasped and began to fight against the giant who had a hold of her. Her mind raced as the giant set her on the ground on her stomach. He let go of her and instead held her down by pressing his foot into her back. "Please! I don't know how I got here! I mean no harm to any of you!" At this, the giants all roared with laughter. Laufey sneered in Christine's direction as the giant who was pressing Christine down to the ground, raised his hand, and a sudden burst of ice formed around his arm and hand. The ice grew until it ended in a sharp point. "Please! I am to believe that my family sent me here! Just let me go! I beg of you!"

"Wait!" Laufey's thickly voice thundered. "If what you say is true...then your death is not meant to come at the hand of us." Laufey turned to his right and gestured at another giant. "Salik! Give her to the beast."

The other giant, who was slightly smaller then Laufey, flinched. Nodding, he rose from his throne, walked over to where the giant had removed his footing upon Christine's back, and snatched Christine up by the back of her shirt. She choke and began scratching the giant's hand, digging her nails into his blue skin as hard as she could. The giant payed Christine no mind what so ever as he hiked up a hill, and over many jagged rocks, until he came to a stop in a small clearing. Still holding Christine, Salik raised his other hand and muttered something that Christine couldn't comprehend over her own gagging. He dropped her to the ground and left, but not before saying in hushed tones.

"Good luck, little one."

Christine was still trying to regain her breath as she clasped her throat. Her fingers running over the thin line that her collar had made.

"W-what?" She choked out as the giant walked away. He paused for a moment but didn't look back. Christine then heard him whisper.

"Run."

"From what?" Christine tried to call, but before she could finish, a large crack had sounded right behind her. Turning, Christine saw a horrifying sight frozen within the ice. It's red eyes had began to move and Christine could see it's muscles bending and coiling as the ice around it seemed to shatter instantaneously. Christine then did as she had been told, and made a run for it. She scrambled over rocks, hills, and through caves. She could hear the great beast bounding after her, but she didn't stop to look around. Christine ran and ran as hard as her hurt leg would allow her to, until she came to a skidding stop at the edge of a cliff. She gasped as she steadied herself in front of the mass gap. Looking behind her, she saw that the beast was nowhere to be seen. Christine calmed her breathing enough as to where she was able to climb gingerly down the cliff and into a small cave in the side of it, near the middle.

Limping over to a small corner in the back of the cave, Christine sat down and pulled her shirt in tighter over her body. She was alone. Her family had finally done what they had threatened to do. Christine leaned her head back against the icy wall, knowing that she would have to enjoy the heat coursing through her body as long as she could. She would have to find some way of survival. But until then, Christine needed sleep. The growling in her belly told her that she would be going hungry for some time now.

"God help me." Christine whispered before getting up to look for burnable objects for a fire.

...

Months passed Christine by in a cold and lonely spiral. She had remained healthy enough as to where she was able to climb out of the cave and find a new source of shelter.

Unsurprisingly, there wasn't much for Christine to eat or drink in this desolate place. She was able to kill a few strange animals here and there for the time being. But a great deal of her time in that place was spent going hungry. At one point, as Christine was scavenging for food, she slipped on a free shard of ice and her head slammed into a nearby rock. She hit the ground with a thud and didn't wake for some time. When she did wake however, Christine couldn't remember how she had gotten here. Her head felt as if someone was pounding it with a hammer. She stumbled back to her cave without any food to carry.

Christine spent the night moaning and clutching her head. She didn't get much sleep and when she finally drifted off to sleep, she was awoken by something furry rubbing against her nose. She opened her eyes to find a tiny, mouse-like creature sniffing her. Its little nose twitched back and forth as it let her scent fill it's nostrils.

"Hi little guy..." Christine whispered horsely. The tiny creature did not move but only stared into Christine's eyes in a curious fashion. Christine reached out and was delighted to find that the small creature allowed her to stroke it's soft fur. "Well... at least someone here won't try and eat me..."

...

Even though Christine was finally not completely alone, one night it all became too much for her to bare. She was at her weakest and she just couldn't see a way out. So, crawling out of her newly found cave and away from her slowly dieing fire, Christine laid down in the soft snow that had only just fallen the night before and closed her eyes. She opened them for a few minutes and stared up at the gloomy, night sky.

Christine whispered a dreamy lullaby under her breath as she allowed the cold snow to eat away all of the warmth in her body.

"Water flows swiftly as fire takes over...stranger things have happened before..." Christine could almost make out the distinct sound of someone yelling as her breathing began to slow. Her heart thudded against her chest in a feeble attempt to hang onto life. "Don't tell me...I'm...I'm..." Christine's voice faded and she heard the sudden burst of several pairs of feet stomping into the snow.

"OVER THERE! I THINK I SEE A WOMAN! CHECK IF SHE IS ALIVE!" A man's voice boomed. A moment later, Christine felt gloved hands feeling for her throat and wrists.

"SHE IS ALIVE!" A woman's voice called above Christine. "FANDRAL! QUICKLY! I NEED YOU TO CARRY HER!" The next thing that Christine knew, she was being lifted into the air by a pair of strong arms. She slowly opened her frozen eyelids to see who was carrying her and met the eyes of a very good looking blonde man smiling down at her.

"It is very fortunate we found you isn't it, Miss?" He then pulled off his cape and wrapped it gently around Christine's quivering form. "There, this should help." The blonde man that Christine assumed was Fandral, began to run over to three other figures. As they drew nearer, Christine saw that they were all men. One was very tall, wide around the middle, and had a long, gingery beard; he was dressed in brown, red, and silver tinted armor and the upper half of his hair was held back in a bun. The second man, appearing to Christine to be of Asian descent, wore black armor with his dark hair pulled back in a high, stiff ponytail. As for the third man, Christine couldn't help but stare. He was inhumanly tall, with shoulder length blonde hair and shocking blue eyes. Everything about him was enhanced by the magnificent, red cape that hung from his armor clad shoulders.

"Will you let me carry her Fandral?" The third man said in a deep, husky voice. "We must take her back. Who knows how long she has suffered within this foul place."

"Do you think that she has been here very long, Thor?" The woman had walked up behind Fandral as he carefully placed Christine into Thor's outstretched arms.

"Judging by the many scars and wounds that this one has upon her, I would be led to believe that she has indeed been here for quite some time. No, we musn't delay our return any longer. Let us go back."

The woman nodded and Christine was carried away from her 'almost place of death'.

"You are safe now, little one." Thor whispered to Christine. "No further harm shall befall you whilst you are within our protection."

Sucking in a breath, Christine closed her eyes, and for a moment, let a small smile form across her cracked lips. Unless this was all a dream - or she really had died back there in the snow - she was going to be okay.

...