Vhalla Quotes

Tell me, Vhalla, what's it like to find out your prince is a coward? Is weak? Is scared? Is wicked? Is - " "Human," she said firmly. ~ Elise Kova

What are you wrapped up in?' Roan whispered. Her anger and frustration had shifted to a sympathy that grated Vhalla.'I'm simply learning where I'm meant to be.' It was the only response because it was the truth. ~ Elise Kova

Either way, consider me your sword, Vhalla Yarl."
"Then consider me your wind. ~ Elise Kova

The prince closed the tent flap behind him and did a short circle around her, assessing Vhalla from head to toe. "Sit." He motioned to a chair. "Or perhaps you'd rather I threw some pillows on the floor?" Vhalla's eyes widened, hearing the meaning between his words. "You look uncomfortable." The prince paused, his eyes reading hers. "I would think you'd be more at ease in a prince's tent. Or is it just my brother's?" "What do you want?" she demanded. "Today, I saw him in you." Baldair squinted his eyes, as if he was trying to imagine Aldrik imposed atop her. "The way you moved, the way you were rushed by the fight. Tell me, is that the only way he's been in you? ~ Elise Kova

I've always loved watching you sleep. Seeing you at peace." He brushed hair lovingly away from her face. "I plan to do it forever."
"Even now?" she whispered, wanting to hear the words between his words.
"Even now," he affirmed. ~ Elise Kova

You just assaulted the crown prince." He glared, but he saw the tell-tale glimmer of mischief in his eyes. "Vhalla, I think that violates the terms of your probation."

"Oh? Tell me what will you do to me?" She did her best to imitate one of his trademark smirks, and she was rewarded by the spark turning to a fire in his eyes.

"I could think of quite a few things to do to you." His voice was gravely and deep, and Vhalla felt a flush rise to her cheeks. ~ Elise Kova

You are a symbol, Vhalla. And, despite what some may have you believe, you have more control over what you symbolize than anyone else. ~ Elise Kova

The prince's strength was often touted as being physical. But Vhalla was beginning to learn that the man known for breaking hearts seemed to have a rather large one of his own. ~ Elise Kova

You foolish idiot," he suddenly rasped, drawing himself to his feet. "You went without orders from your superior. You ignored the call. You could have killed yourself, you dumb girl." Vhalla shrunk back as though he'd slapped her. "And you stopped the storm." He sat heavily on the edge of her bed. Without hesitation, Aldrik reached up and cupped her cheek gently. "You foolish, amazing, astounding woman, you saved us all. ~ Elise Kova

Is it a good idea to ride like this?" Vhalla asked softly, noticing the glances from the soldiers. "I want them to see you with me." He responded so quickly that there couldn't have been any thoughts into his words. "Why?" she breathed. "Because I want them to know that if they lay a hand on you again, they will deal with me directly. ~ Elise Kova

Wait," she paused, "you slept on the couches?" Vhalla rolled onto her side to look up at him. "Of course." His brow furrowed slightly. "Did you think I would creep into your bed as you slept and spend the night lying with you without your permission? ~ Elise Kova

There was something severed and rough about her, something tainted and, yet, at the same time those jagged pieces were the makings of something fearsome. She'd wanted to become someone the Senate would fear, why not shatter the sky? ~ Elise Kova

She didn't make him out to be perfect. Vhalla knew Aldrik was horribly flawed. But so was she. He was prone to anger and she prone to selfishness. But they strove together to be better, for themselves and for each other. ~ Elise Kova

You have to earn it.' Vhalla didn't know what else to say. She had trusted him, to lead her, to teach her, and he broke that trust. It wasn't as though it was something she could simply start again on command. ~ Elise Kova

Larel's voice was sad and sincere. "Aldrik's been through a good deal, much of which he's never even imparted to me. But I've seen the edges of the darkness he shoulders. I don't think he worries for his sanity or his mortality. He doesn't want you to die because he's afraid that it would mean he'd have to live without you. ~ Elise Kova

Would you, Lady Vhalla Yarl, like to someday be the Empress Vhalla Solaris? ~ Elise Kova

Vhalla," he whispered with a voice as dark as midnight. His nose was almost touching hers.
"Aldrik," she breathed faintly, as though it was a prayer. No word had ever tasted sweeter on her tongue. ~ Elise Kova

He pressed his lips to her forehead. "Take care, lest I have to burn the Crossroads to the ground in a rage."
Vhalla laughed softly, very well realizing that it may not entirely be a jest. She grinned up at him playfully. "Take care yourself, lest I have to blow the Crossroads away in a rage. ~ Elise Kova

After that, the Heartbreaker Prince began to have an easier time earning smiles from her. If she did well, he would squeeze her hand. When her eyes finally lifted away from her haphazard movements, she was rewarded with a wink. Slowly, under the prince's hand and earnest encouragement, Vhalla began to enjoy herself. ~ Elise Kova

You wished for time," Aldrik explained. "I heard each utterance when you beseeched time to stop, for mornings not to come. I want you to know I shared your every sentiment. I wanted to give you the promise of my minutes, my hours, my days." His long fingers curled around hers, around the watch. "My future is yours, Vhalla Yarl. ~ Elise Kova

He traded his freedom for mine," she whispered. "He was a reckless fool, and I was a girl pulled along by puppet strings. The fire burned too hot, and we didn't notice until it consumed everything. ~ Elise Kova

Aldrik," she said stubbornly, "I survived the Night of Fire and Wind, an assassination attempt, a fall from the Pass, a run alone through the North." Vhalla took a step away and pulled his hands from her shoulders. "I've killed more people than I have fingers. I'm not the girl you found in the library, and I can protect myself. ~ Elise Kova

To hack away at the oppressive darkness that continued to try to smother her so she could defend a new dawn. ~ Elise Kova

She had thought she knew what war was, but as their empty eyes and too-thin bodies etched themselves onto her soul, Vhalla realized she knew nothing at all. They were all boys and girls playing at war, writing their own songs the bards would sing. But the bards never sang about this. Suddenly the faces of the people she had killed came back to her. We are monsters. ~ Elise Kova

Then I realized I just wanted you around. My days were better when they involved you. I enjoyed your thoughts. It was thrilling to see you discover magic. You had a mad hopefulness about sorcery that I have not felt in almost a decade. I started finding excuses to take you away, not because you needed my teaching but because, because I wanted to see you. I looked forward to our meetings and - like that, Vhalla - your opinion mattered to the crown prince of the Empire. You mattered for who you were, not for your magic and what some dusty texts say Windwalkers may or may not be able to do. ~ Elise Kova

Vhalla blushed and averted her eyes from his handsome face. "It's still a poor choice," she whispered. "It always will be." Aldrik stood. Her breath quickened by his proximity alone. He hooked his fingers under her chin and pulled her face upward gently. "If you want to make the widely accepted appropriate decision, then leave now, have mercy and end this before you entice me further. Because I promise, this will never be easy - for either of us - and I refuse to love you halfway. ~ Elise Kova

Aldrik laughed darkly. "What did you think I was?" he snarled. "Did you think I went to war and read books?" Vhalla took another step back. "You ran head-first into my daily hell. Would it not be more convenient if weapons of death and torture could not talk back?" Vhalla forced herself not to tremble as she looked at him. He glared at her; the orange of the fire reflecting in the black mirrors of his eyes.
With all the bravery she possessed, Vhalla crossed the distance between them; he straightened and looked down at her, imposing. Vhalla swallowed hard and tried to muster her last scrap of confidence. There would be time later to ask him about the real reasons behind the war. For now, they needed to go home.
She grabbed his hand, praying it didn't burst into flames at her touch. It didn't.
"Quit being stupid, Aldrik. Let's go." His features barely softened, but it was more than enough to know she had made herself clear. Whatever this man was, he wasn't a monster. ~ Elise Kova

Vhalla wasn't exactly good at relationships as she preferred to spend more time with books than people. ~ Elise Kova

She longed for the days where her biggest decision was what book to read first. ~ Elise Kova

You're right about it all. I wanted you. The moment I found out what you were, I wanted you like a prize to be captured and put on my shelf. And you, Vhalla, you made it so easy to manipulate you to walk right where I wanted you. You, with your transparent innocence. ~ Elise Kova

We all know the story. We heard it not long after the Night of Fire and Wind. You were the low born library girl turned sorceress who rode with princes. ~ Elise Kova

When was the last time you were in camp? Have you not seen more wings painted than rays of the Solaris sun?" Jax's eyes fell on her watch, and Vhalla instinctually grabbed it. "You were not born to be their leader, you were chosen. And that has far greater weight. ~ Elise Kova

I am going to go into this world, and I don't care if you and your narrow mind cannot be a part of it. ~ Elise Kova

I'm eating breakfast with half the royal family, Golden Guard, and a Western noble, at the siege of Soricium," Vhalla wheezed. "And it feels perfectly normal. ~ Elise Kova

Vhalla was there the moment her prince became her Emperor. He turned back to her helplessly. For the first time in the whole of knowing him, Aldrik looked lost, shell-shocked. She tried to offer him an encouraging smile, but there was only one thing to be done. She had something more important to give him than her smiles. Vhalla dropped to her knee before the Emperor of the realms.
"Long live Solaris. ~ Elise Kova

You bastard." The words were out before she even had time to consider them, but after spoken she hardly regretted them.
"What did you say?" Prince Aldrik snarled.
"You, my prince ," she sneered in kind. "You are a self-centered, egotistical, self-absorbed, narrow-sighted, vain, self-important," she felt her anger finally reach its boiling point, "conceited bastard !" Vhalla cried out. ~ Elise Kova

I want a place you hardly dare to even whisper. I want the bravery to not only read, but to do. I want a man, not a library boy. A man who is tall and witty and knows more about the world than you would ever dare dream. ~ Elise Kova

Vhalla gave the tiniest of smiles when her eyes fell on Fritz, and he risked breaking his wrist with his frantic, not so subtle waving. ~ Elise Kova

They were an equal match with his heartbeat in the back of her mind. His combat prowess flowed through her veins, coupled with the skill Vhalla had gained from months of her own training. They both missed the slack-jaw amazement from the other soldiers. That the Windwalker danced toe-to-toe with one of the greatest sorcerers in the world, that she could best Aldrik as often as he bested her, that the prince seemed to find amusement - even joy - and not frustration at that fact. ~ Elise Kova

I was fine before," Vhalla protested.
"You were boring. You were worse than boring. You were normal and content. I gave you a chance for greatness." He looked at her harshly. ~ Elise Kova

Just like that, the world changed. Aldrik held out both hands before her and helped her to her feet. Vhalla stood, not as a common-born library girl, a soldier, a sorcerer, or a lady, but as an Empress. ~ Elise Kova