She first came to the castle on a morning in autumn. I was awakened by a commotion in the hallways. At first I thought I might simply have overslept and everyone was waking up, but when I looked out of the window into the dark of the night it was clear that something strange was going on.

I quickly threw on something more presentable than my nightgown and hurried into the hallway, only to find several servants hurrying down the stairs. I grabbed the shoulder of one of them to catch his attention.

“What’s going on? Why is everyone running around like headless chickens?”

He stopped only for a moment to reply.

“I’m- there’s a forest nymph in the hall, my lady! An actual nymph!”

With that, the servant rushed downstairs again and I hurried after him. Nymphs normally never left the forests they dwelt in, much less venture into castles. Why in God’s name would such a creature come to the castle?

When we arrived in the reception hall, I could see the servant was right. In the middle of the hall, stood the nymph. She was… shorter than you’d expect, though not tiny either, like some of the other forest folk. Her nose was on the large side but her face was rather pretty, with big amber eyes and a few beauty spots here and there. Her hair was longer than I’d ever seen on a person, easily reaching down to her knees. It was curly and had the colour of fall leaves. In several places, it contained small golden beads that held the different strands together. The rich impression her hairstyle left was only enhanced by the rest of the nymphs attire. It was certainly on the old-fashioned side, something my grandmother would already have thought too old for her to wear. But the rich red dress flattered her, as did the heavy golden necklace around her neck and the bejewelled rings on her fingers. A tail poked out from a hole in her dress, long and with a tuft of red hair at the end, ensuring no one could mistake her for a human.

From the corner of my eye I saw my brother and our court chaplain, Dömand, rushing into the room. I took the opportunity to follow behind them and stand next to my brother’s throne to get a better view. There was a tense moment as my brother and the nymph eyed each other. After a while, my brother spoke.

“We don’t often get visits from your kind, mistress of the forest.”

The nymphs lips quirked up into a smile, either happy with the title or amused at the comment.

“I know my visit is… unusual. But I have come with a proposal for you, sir Mannelig.”

My brother nodded, outwardly stoic. But I knew him. He was always interested in any business deal that could give him a leg up  over the other lords.

“Well, you have my ear, mistress.”

The nymph raised her voice slightly, to make her offer loud and clear.

“You see, sir, I have twelve grey horses. They are still young, and have known neither bit nor saddle. I’d be happy to give them to you…”

I groaned inwardly, already knowing how much he’d brag at the next banquet if he got horses like that.

“But in return, I ask that you marry me.”

A wave of whispers erupted throughout the previously quiet audience. Although my brother’s face mostly remained still, I could tell from the slight raising of his eyebrow that he was just as shocked as the rest of them. The nymph, in turn, seemed more and more uncomfortable. She kept a smile on her face, without looking at the crowds, but her tail swung around with nervous energy. After the whispers had died down, my brother spoke again.

“I apologize, mistress, but I have to refuse. If you were a Christian woman, I would have happily accepted your offer. But you are a heathen. Nothing good could come from such a union.”

The change in the nymph was immediate, a stormy expression coming onto her face. She responded, bitterness in her words.

“If I were you, I would not be so quick in turning down such a generous offer, sir.”

The threat in her words was clear and the few whispered conversations that had still been going on in the hall stopped immediately. Dömand opened his mouth to speak, though my brother silenced him with a wave of his hand.

“Mistress, I truly do appreciate your offer, and I do not wish to offend you. But I stand by my decision. A marriage wouldn’t be in anyone’s interest. You are still welcome here as a friend, but there can be nothing more.”

At that reply, the nymph stormed out of the castle. Immediately conversations erupted all across the hall. I took the opportunity to slip away quietly, following the direction the nymph had run off in.

I found her a short while later, sitting near a brook. I’d never been very stealthy and soon the accidental snap of a twig got her attention. Her cheeks were wet, it was clear she’d been crying. She rose and glared at me.

“And what do you want?”

I shook my head, sitting a ways away on a boulder.

“Nothing. I just… I was wondering if you were alright.”

That wasn’t entirely true. It was generally not a good idea to just let your brother make a forest nymph angry. People who did that often didn’t survive long… But I wasn’t going to offend her more by saying that.

“Would you be alright if a man turned down your marriage proposal just because you weren’t dunked into a pond as a child?”

I cringed inwardly. A fair point… After a few awkward moments, I spoke up again.

“I am not sure what to say to comfort you but… would you like a hug?”

The nymph looked at me for a moment, as if scrutinising my intentions, before she looked away again.

“I… That would be nice.”

I walked over to sit next to her on the log, gently wrapping my arms around her. She returned the gesture a little bit awkwardly, perhaps not used to it. I stroked her back with my hand as she relaxed into me and we remained like that for a while. It was more comfortable than I had expected. She was pleasantly warm. Her hair also smelled rather nice, a bit like… apples? Or maybe a bit of acorn? Hm, but-

I was shaken out of my thoughts by the nymph pulling away, smiling slightly.

“Thank you, I needed that. I’m Andra. I should probably have introduced myself sooner.”

I chuckled.

“It’s no problem. I’m Vänlig. I’m Manneligs sister.”

I hesitated for a moment before continuing.

“If I can ask, why are you interested in marrying him.”

Andra’s face darkened with worry as she leant back on her hands.

“It’s… complicated. Nymphs like me don’t have a soul. Therefore we cannot attain salvation. Day-to-day that isn’t much of an issue. But if we are somehow killed, or when judgment day arrives… we have nothing waiting for us. No heaven, no purgatory, not even hell. Only oblivion. The only way for us to get a soul is to marry a human and become like them. And well,” she glanced back in the direction of the castle, “your brother is handsome enough. I decided I might as well take my chance. I suppose I’ll have to continue searching though…”

I felt my heart seize up in pity. Truth be told, when I first heard her propose the marriage I’d been worried. There were plenty of stories of nymphs and trolls seducing human men to turn them into their slaves. But that wasn’t at all what she seemed to be after. She could be lying of course, but something told me that wasn’t the case.

I looked down at the rich rings on her fingers.

“You are a rich woman, right?”

Andra raised an eyebrow at the question.

“I am. Why?”

I looked back in her eyes, earnest and determined.

“My brother is rather vain. He always wants the best he can get. If you come back for a few days and increase the dowry, and I talk to him in the meantime, he’ll agree eventually. It will just take a bit of time.”

She looked at me with suspicion in her eyes.

“And why would you help me?”

I shrugged.

“You don’t have ill intentions, and the marriage would be good for both you and my brother. It’s simply the best way to resolve this situation.”

That, and I didn’t want to see my brother turned into an animal and hunted down.

Andra thought for a moment, doubt in her eyes. But eventually she nodded.

“Very well, I’ll come back tomorrow morning with another offer.”

We were disturbed by the sound of some birds chirping in the trees. Andra stood up.

“I have to go now, the sun is coming. But… I suppose I’ll see you tomorrow.”

-----

Andra did come the next morning. I’d already woken up by the time of her arrival, anxious to get on with our plan. It didn’t take long for my brother to enter the hall as well, followed closely by the chaplain. He sat on his throne with a slightly displeased scowl on his face.

“I thought my answer had been clear enough yesterday.”

Andra smirked, though she darted a quick look towards me, a hint of nervousness in her eyes.

“I am a persistent woman, sir. I wish to expand the offer I made you yesterday.”

Dömand seemed rather displeased with the idea, but my brother nodded in agreement.

“Very well. Go on if you must.”

“Along with the twelve horses, sir, I offer you a white silk shirt. It was not made by mortal hands, but crafted in the workshops of the dwarves. You will not find anything like it on earth, not even in the palaces of Constantinople.”

My brother remained silent for a moment. I noticed the twinkle in his eyes, this bidding game had hooked him. Still, he shook his head.

“The decision I made yesterday still stands, mistress.”

A brief flash of anger came on her face at the second refusal, though unlike yesterday, she composed herself quickly and put on a pleasant smile again.

“Then I shall come back tomorrow, sir. Good day.”

She turned to leave, but not before shooting me a quick look. I gave her a curt nod in response.

Later that day, as I watched my brother practice his sword-fighting on a dummy in the yard, I spoke up.

“Are you sure it was wise to refuse the nymph?”

He didn’t turn around to look at me as he responded.

“How do you mean?”

“Twelve horses like that and your warriors would be the most impressive knights in the region. And even the king can only afford a few silk shirts. It’s an expensive dowry.”

He hesitated for a moment, taking the time to strike the dummy another time before answering.

“Perhaps. But it’s not unreasonable to ask a high dowry to marry a demon.”

----

This continued for several days. Each morning, before dawn, Andra would appear and up the dowry. A blue cloak with golden roses sewn onto it, never touched by sword or spear. Twelve mills, with millstones of gold and wheels of silver. A sword, studded with diamonds and invincible in battle. A magnificent castle of red stone, with gates of precious metals.

Each morning my brother refused, but I could tell it would not be long before he gave in to the temptation. The dowry was becoming more valuable. Each day I told him how they would make him the finest lord in Sweden, more magnificent even than the king himself, and it was clearly having an effect.

I, however, was becoming less and less amenable to the idea of the two of them marrying.

I met with Andra after each of her visits to discuss our plans, and what had initially been an alliance forged from pity soon turned into friendship.

In some ways Andra fit the descriptions of nymphs in the stories. She could certainly be fickle, quick to laugh and quick to anger. At one point she had gotten mad at me for nearly stepping on a frog that was lazing around near the river, only to burst out in laughter as it jumped into my lap and made me yelp. But despite all that fickleness she was also kind. As the example of the frog showed, she cared a lot for the creatures that lived in the forest. And even if she had gotten mad at me quite a few times, I never got the impression that she wanted to hurt me. I never felt unsafe, even though objectively I should have been scared of someone like Andra. It was easy to trust her.

I also discovered she was incredibly lonely. Forest nymphs lived solitary lives in their woods, only having a few family members far away. Usually they only had the creatures of the woods to keep them company, and they simply didn’t compare to having other intelligent beings around you. It was clear she’d been craving a friend for a long time.

It all made me more and more opposed to the marriage. My brother, god bless him, rarely thought of others. He’d marry Andra for her riches and perhaps to warm his bed, but would otherwise just leave her alone. She deserved better than that. She deserved a man who could cherish her for who she was, not what she could give him. Someone who could chase away that loneliness and make her happy. But I’d promised her I’d help her get married to my brother, and I was not one to go back on my promises.

----

“I think he’s almost there.”

Andra bit her nip nervously. We were sitting at the creek after yet another offer was rejected, and she was clearly nervous, her tail swishing up a storm behind her.

“Are you certain? I only have one more treasure I can offer him. Tomorrow needs to go well.”

I nodded emphatically.

“He’s ready. The dowry has gotten too big for him to ignore it any longer. One more treasure and he won’t be able to resist it, I promise.”

It didn’t seem to reassure her much as she nervously bit her lip. That expression vanished quickly however, as she looked at me again with an appreciative smile.

“I should thank you though. You’ve helped me more than I could have expected. If I wasn’t offering him all my riches, I’d have made you a rich woman already.”

I chuckled.

“You shouldn’t worry about that. It’s what friends are for.”

She nodded, though there was something strange in the way she looked at me as she responded.

“Yes. I’m… very lucky to have a friend like you.”

There was a beat of silence between us before she stood up again.

“I should head home, the birds will start singing soon.”

I acted on impulse, reaching out to grab her hand.

“Wait.”

She turned around again, looking at me with something like… hope? But I hesitated, truth be told I couldn’t even recall what I’d wanted to say to her when I grabbed her hand. The moment passed.

“I- just have a safe journey home.”

She tilted her head to the side, clearly disappointed by something, but nodded.

“You too, Vänlig.”

----

I was nervous the next morning, and not just because of my reservations about the coming marriage. Yesterday I’d been unable to talk to my brother, as he and father Dömand had spent all day in conversation. Even today, they were already present in the throne room before I could come down. I knew Dömand opposed any notion of marriage with a creature like Andra. It was not a good sign.

Andra entered at the usual time. She was clearly nervous, though she didn’t show it on her face as she addressed my brother.

“Sir Mannelig, I’ve come to make my final offer for your hand.”

My brother did not speak, but inclined his head for her to continue. She raised her voice slightly so she could be heard by all.

“Allow me to repeat what I’ve already offered you as dowry. I promise you twelve young stallions, who haven’t been ridden by anyone yet. A silk shirt and a magnificent cloak of the finest material, impossible to equal by human hands. Twelve mills, their machinery made of precious metals. A costly sword equal in prowess to those of Arthur and Charlemagne. And finally a great castle, larger than your own, made of the finest stones and metals. To this I now add that you may take your pick from my hoard of gold and jewels, large enough to fill three mountain caves to the ceiling. I humbly beg you to accept this offer.”

It remained quiet in the hall for a moment, Andra remaining stoic despite her anxiousness. Eventually my brother rose to address her.

“Your words are tempting, and I would have almost accepted your offer. But such mortal pleasures pale in comparison to the wellbeing of my immortal soul. I repeat what I told you on the first day you came. A creature such as yourself, kin to trolls and devils, has no place by my side.”

He sat back down.

“I will not be hearing any more on this. You are not welcome in this castle anymore.”

Andra was stunned into silence for a moment before she fled out of the hall. I followed after her, not even bothering with subtlety this time. I found her near the brook where we first met, sobbing.

As soon as she saw me she threw herself in my arms.

“It’s ruined, Vänlig! It’s ruined!”

I did my best to soothe her, holding her tight and whispering words of comfort. Thankfully it seemed to help, her sobs soon subsiding into sniffles. It was in that quiet moment that I was seized by an impulse, the origin of which I still don’t know.

“I’ll marry you in his place.”

Andra looked up suddenly, incredulity in her eyes.

“What?”

I was almost as surprised as her at the words I’d uttered, yet I couldn’t stop speaking.

“I’ll marry you. He would not have made a good husband for you anyway. You need a human and I’m a human, so why not? And…” I hesitated for a moment, a blush coming onto my cheeks at the words that I was about to say.

“You deserve a spouse who isn’t just interested in your wealth. You deserve someone who’ll make you happy. And… I want to be that person. If you would let me try.”

I felt her hands grip mine as she looked at me. Her eyes were still a little teary but I could see she was trying to fight back a smile.

“I’m- the church doesn’t marry women to each other, right?”

I couldn’t help but grin at the consent implicit in that question.

“Andra, you just admitted to having three mountain caves full of gold. I’m sure there’s plenty of priests willing to marry a pair of young lovers for the right price.”

She started to giggle, and I couldn’t help but join in.

“Is this where I confess that I’m actually centuries old and you leave me for being an old hag.”

“Well, you look gorgeous in your old age, so I wouldn’t worry about it.”

I punctuated the statement by planting a kiss on her nose, leading to a pretty blush spreading across her face as she looked at me.

“So you’re sure you want to do this.”

I squeezed her hands as I looked her in the eyes and nodded.

“Very sure. I’m yours if you’ll have me.”

The only answer I got was a passionate kiss on my lips, and that was enough really.

After a while, I broke away. Evidently it was not to Andra’s liking, given the way she pouted up at me.

“I would love to continue this, but we should leave for now. It won’t be long before my brother sends his knights looking for me.”

Andra barked out a laugh as she took my hand and started leading the way.

“Your betrothed owns a magic sword, a sturdy castle and good horses. They’re hardly a threat!”