Stolen by the Fiery Selkie King

Narfi and Vali led Maeve out of the fomoire town and they walked along the road until they reached a gate. Men with suits of armor guarded it and wielded large swords that were as tall as them. 

Vali showed them an identification card that he had obtained yesterday confirming he was a werewolf and Narfi showed his stating he was human. The guards nodded at him and then Vali motioned to Maeve, "This is my sister, I will be bringing her to get registered because she doesn't have an ID yet."

The guard nodded and motioned them to follow him. He opened the gates and lead them down a hallway to a reception office. "Mrs Laoise will help you." He said and left. 

The lady wore glasses and had a hunched over back from sitting in her chair all day. She typed on a computer and said, "please state your name." In a nasally voice. 

Maeve thought about it. What was her last name? Technically it would be whoever her parents were, but she had no idea who they were so she just put the same last name as Vali and Narfi. They all went by the name of Lokis mother which was Laufeyson. 

"I'm Maeve Laufeysdotter." She said. Vali looked at her and was surprised by her answer. "Mr Laufeyson, you mean to tell me this forest spirit is your sister?" The woman asked turning to the two boys who claimed to be descended from Laufey too. 

"What's wrong with her being a Laufeysdotter?" Vali asked. "Laufey had many kids." 

The lady raised an eyebrow and wrote Maeve Laufeysdotter on it and said, "I don't care today it's too early." 

The Main Street was bustling with people, all going about doing trade. There were market stalls lining each side. 

Maeve looked around and saw people selling things from blankets and rugs to helmets and swords. Smells of food wafted from stalls full of meat and children had their faces painted colorfully. Men leaned against a temporary bar that had been set up outside of a stall that sold mead and other types of ale. 

Maeve looked into one of the stalls and examined the beautifully crafted jewelry and stained glass artwork that depicted wolves hunting and runes. "These are beautiful!" She said in awe. She had never seen such things before. 

The fomoire lady looked up from a piece she was working on and smiled, "oh go ahead and have a look dear!" 

She looked at the pieces the woman had made and one depicted a tree with a great river of water swirling around its roots. "Wow!" She said, running her fingers along the image, being careful not to cut herself on the grooves. 

"It's Yggdrasil, the great tree that makes up our nine realms." The woman said. "Some say this sea is the fountain that feeds it."

"Can I have this?" She said, not being able to put the beautiful piece down. 

"It's 5000 staters the woman said, "I'm sorry but I can't sell it for less, it took me a long time to make it." 

Maeve was surprised by this. "But our hotel cost us 2000! At this rate, we won't be able to afford anything around here!" 

The woman sighed. "You can rent an apartment for 2000 here, that fomorian hotel takes advantage of travelers and wolves. If you want, I can rent you the attic to my shop. Say, you pay me 5000 for the artwork and the first month will be free." 

Maeve smiled and shook her hand. "It's a deal!" 

Maeve paid the lady out of the money she had in her bag. The funds Sirius had left her just in case wasn't that much, but she still had 5000 left after that and she was sure she could work and earn more. 

Then the lady closed her shop and wrapped up the piece and Maeve followed her into an alleyway. After traveling a ways, the stone wall went inwards in an area , revealing stairs. The woman opened the door with a key and revealed a cheerful little attic bedroom. Maeve went in and sat on the bed and placed the framed artwork on the table next to it. 

"Thank you! It's lovely!" She said. "Oh and what's your name?" 

The woman smiled, "My name is Ériu."

———————-

Maeve lay on the bed for a while, gazing at the stained glass treasure she had bought. Its beauty captivated her; she saw herself in the tree and imagined the water as Lugh.

Though Yggdrasil had once been her prison, that time felt like a distant memory now.

Even knowing Sirius felt like a fading dream she no longer cared about. She realized she hadn't thought of him in days and was surprised by how little it bothered her.

She traced her fingertips along the swirling waves. They twisted like a storm, carrying a greenish hue and shimmered with golden pieces of metal. When light passed through the tree, it cast a prism of colors, creating the effect of a sunrise. It reminded her of this morning. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. She sat up and set the artwork down. 

"Hello who is it?" She called through the door as she opened it.

Ériu was standing there towering over two boys who were pretty upset. 

"Oh Narfi! Vali! I forgot about you guys!" She exclaimed when she saw them. 

Vali crossed his arms. "Maeve! How could you just wander off like that? And you went and got an apartment? Like you didn't think to tell us?!" 

Maeve looked at her feet sheepishly, "sorry! But I got a good deal and Ériu said I can work for her!"

Narfi was content with this, "Hey, that is a good deal! We found a place to live too, it's not too far, so it looks like this town is going to be perfect for us!"

Vali sighed, "I didn't want to live separately, but at least you're doing productive things instead of trying to jump in the ocean.

Maeve smiled, "should we go to the hotel and get our things?" 

The boys nodded and followed her out of the room and then Vali led them out of the werewolf town and they walked past the pier to the hotel. 

At the pier, fishermen were finishing selling for the day and Lugh was chatting with Ronan as he helped him clean out his nets when he saw them walk past. He quit listening to what Ronan was saying as he looked past him at the girl he kept seeing and set the net down. 

"Hey Lugh!" Ronan said once he realized he wasn't listening anymore, "what is it?" He turned the direction of Lugh's line of sight. 

Lugh kept watching her with distant eyes until she turned the corner out of sight. 

"Is that the girl who dries flowers?" He asked. 

Lugh looked back at the work he was doing and sped up a bit as if he hadn't heard. 

"I'd be careful if I were you, she'll steal your coat." He warned. 

Lugh continued working with his net and took a minute to respond, "My coat remains mine; as the guardian I cannot relinquish it. However, I am still drawn to her." 

He finished cleaning his net and gathered it up, ready to head back to his island. He slung his belongings over his shoulder and bid his friend goodbye. "I'll be back tomorrow." He said and stepped onto the wave seeker. 

Lugh sat on the Wave Seeker for a while, watching the direction she had gone. Staying in that hotel was expensive and he knew they had the money, but it made sense that they would be staying elsewhere soon. He hoped that she would lead him to wherever her new place of residence was if he waited patiently. 

Then a few hours later, just as he was beginning to think she would spend another night at the hotel, she returned after checking out and packing her backpack. 

To his delight, she was alone. 

He smiled, waiting to see if she'd glance his way as she often did. Drawing her to the water was beginning to feel like a quest.

She walked past where he was and then she did it, she glanced his way. "Come to me." He whispered in a voice she wouldn't hear. He was wishing. 

He had no powers over the heart like sirens did, but the girl turned his direction as he said it. 

She began hurrying down the pathway to the ocean as if she wouldn't have much time to escape like this and dropped her things as she made her way there before kicking off her shoes and…

Ronan saw her jump in. 

As she did this, he thought to himself, It looks like the guardian of the sea has found a woman, I just hope he makes the right choice.