Return From The Past

“The next months were spent in the clearing, when I wasn’t attending to my duties as the village chief’s daughter, listening to Loki’s version of some of the best known legends. About six months after we met, I began to prepare myself for hearing him say that he wasn’t coming back. To my surprise one day, when I got to what I now thought of as our clearing, he was pacing back and forth, muttering to himself, a furious look on his face. “Good morning, Prince Loki,” I said cautiously, not wanting his temper to be aimed my way. “He took a break from his pacing to look at me. His features softened slightly but the anger was still obvious in his eyes. “Lady Gersemi. My apologies for my behavior.” He smirked. Instead of making him look playful, like it normally did, he looked very dangerous. “You have once again managed to take me by surprise.” “If it would help, I would be more than willing to listen to whatever is bothering you,” I told him, taking a few steps closer. “He looked at me in surprise, as though he wasn’t expecting anyone to want to hear about his problems. I sat on the grass and looked up at him, patiently waiting for him to decide if he wanted to talk. He stared at me as I sat there, neither of us saying anything for a long time. Finally, he resumed his pacing and began talking to himself again. I waited, watching him. Suddenly, he turned to me and asked if he was expecting too much. “My lord?” I asked. “It doesn’t matter what I do,” he replied with a huff. “He will never be happy with me, like he is with my brother.” “Who?” “He dropped to the ground next to me. “My Father,” he said. “I just looked at him, waiting for him to continue. He rubbed one hand across his face and said, “You don’t want to hear the problems of a god.” “But my lord,” I replied, raising my eyebrows just a little, “even a god needs someone to turn to in times of trouble. As I said before, I am more than willing to listen to whatever you wish to discuss, even if it is something that causes you pain.” “The shock on his face was even more evident. “How do you know what I say would not merely be a lie?” he asked. “Because I know true pain when I see it,” I replied. “He studied me again and finally decided to believe me so he started telling me about his home. How everyone there was a warrior, good with weapons and close combat. He was different, had always felt different because he wasn’t as good as the others in his realm with combat. His skills were in magic and illusions. He told me how the only one that didn’t put him down for his lack of fighting skills was his mother. His father was constantly comparing him to his brother and their friends, never seeing him for what he was able to do, only for what he couldn’t. His brother thought he just did tricks, and their friends tolerated him because he was Thor's little brother. It was driving him crazy. There was no one he felt he could talk to, no one who would listen or think he wasn’t just trying to get attention. “By the time he finished, the sun had set and the stars were shining. He was quiet for a few minutes before running a hand through his hair and turning to look at me. “Thank you, dear mortal, for allowing me to burden you with my problems. You truly are a treasure, as your name describes.” “I smiled, a little sadly. His beautiful green eyes were a little too shiny, like he was on the verge of tears. “You are more than welcome, my prince. If you wish, I will continue to be a shoulder for you to lean on and an ear to listen. It would be an honor to help you in this manner.” “He was a little taken aback by my statement but he smiled back at me and thanked me for the offer, saying he would consider it. “It is very late, Lady Gersemi,” he said. “I fear I have kept you from your own family and duties for too long. May I accompany you on your return journey home?” “Of course, my lord,” I replied with a smile. “I would be honored for your escort.” “He helped me to my feet and picked up my weapons to carry them for me. We walked quietly for a few minutes as I showed him the way back to the village. As we reached the edge of the forest he reached over and put his hand on my arm. I stopped and looked at him. “Thank you again for listening,” he said. “I have been considering your offer as we walked and I would very much like to continue our meetings. I hope that not many will be spent upon my family life, but rather on other things that would be enjoyable to us both.” “I nodded and smiled. “I, too, would like to continue our meetings. I have enjoyed them and am grateful that you wish to spend your valuable free time in my realm and in my company.” “He held out his arm for me to take and we continued to the edge of the forest. As we stepped out, Gymir was waiting there. He walked up to us and, after a brief glance at Loki, told me that my parents were getting worried and that he would have come to get me but he didn’t know the way to the clearing where I spent my days. Loki smiled at Gymir and then at me. “If I may,” he began, mischief creeping into his eyes, “I would like to escort the Lady Gersemi to her home and speak with her parents. It is my fault that she is out so late and I wish to apologize.” “Gymir looked at him, realization dawning on his face. He looked at me and I nodded, trying to hide my smile. “Of course,” he said. “If you will follow me, I will take you directly to them.” “We walked the rest of the way in silence. When we got the longhouse where my adoptive parents were, Gymir went in first to tell them I wasn’t alone. When he came back out, Loki and I went in. Sunhild ran up to me and threw her arms around me in a big hug. “You usually return at sundown, dear,” she said. “We were starting to worry because we have had news of raiders in the nearby areas.” “Ragnvald had been waiting for her to step away so he could give me a hug of his own. Neither of them were slimly built while I was, so they were careful not to crush my smaller frame when they hugged me. “We are very glad that you have returned safely,” he said when he stepped back. “Loki had taken a step away from me and was watching the scene. He didn’t seem impatient or anything like that, just pensive as he watched me with them. “Gymir said you had an escort,” Sunhild said, glancing over my shoulder at him. “Yes, Mother, Father,” I said, a little ashamed that I had been so rude to the God of Mischief. I turned to him and he stepped back to my side, a smile on his face. “I’m afraid I have kept her longer than I intended to,” he said with a small bow to them. “There is a clearing in the forest where we met and have spent the day. We were talking and I’m afraid I lost track of the time. I wished to escort her back so she would not be in danger and to personally apologize for my absentmindedness.” “Ragnvald returned the bow and offered him a drink and a room for the night since he had taken such good care of me. Loki seemed a bit surprised for a moment but then he concealed it and said that while he appreciated the offer he needed to return home himself. “However,” he said, glancing at me, “with your permission I would like to continue to see your daughter in the clearing where we met. I will make sure she is safe, and should we lose track of time again I will escort her personally back here. My intentions are pure and no harm will come to her while she is in my company.” “They looked at me and saw my eyes light up. “Of course, young man,” Ragnvald replied with a smile. “We will feel much better knowing that she is not on her own when she is off in the forest. And perhaps, one day in the future, we will know your name and share a drink together in these halls.” “Loki bowed his head. “I will take my leave then.” He kissed my hand and said, “Until tomorrow, my lady.” He walked to the door of the longhouse and paused. He looked back at my parents and said, with a smirk, “My name is Loki.” He then turned and walked out. “Another six months went by with us meeting in the clearing, sometimes talking, sometimes staring at the sky. Sometimes he would show off some of his magic skills by duplicating himself and seeing how long it took me to find the real him. Other times he would cast an illusion on the clearing so it would look like one of the rooms in the palace in Asgard or one of the many other places he and his brother and friends had gone for battles. This way I could see what they looked like without leaving my own realm. I could usually tell when something was bothering him because when I would get to the clearing he would be pacing back and forth. Those days I would sit on the grass and let him rant about whatever had happened at home. Sometimes, when he was upset, the clearing would get a little bigger as he threw green balls of magic at the trees, causing them to explode. “One day, early in the second year of Loki and me meeting in the clearing, I was surprised to see his brother, Thor, waiting for me instead. “Prince Thor,” I said, some of my surprise showing in my voice. I gave him a curtsey and continued, “I am honored to see you again.” “As am I,” he replied, his broad smile making his blue eyes twinkle. “My brother sends his regrets that he is unable to join you today as was planned. He has spent so much time in this realm recently that our parents have requested he remain with them for some time. He asked me to come and let you know that he had not simply abandoned nor grown tired of your company.” “I thanked him for coming to relay Loki’s message. He then said, “There is another reason for my visit here.” “And what reason is that, my lord?” I asked. “I have begun to notice a change in my brother of late,” he replied. “Since we met you in this clearing, I am able to see when he has been to this realm and when he has not. He seems happier, more carefree, when he returns from his visits here. The days when he is unable to come find him more easily offended. I wished to discover what has given him the peace I’ve seen on his return home.” “Have I truly made such a difference in the God of Mischief’s life?” I asked, flabbergasted at the very idea that any mortal would be able to affect a god in such a way. “Thor laughed, a rather pleasant sound. “Yes, you have. It has been a long time since I have seen him as calm as he is after his visits with you. I am very glad for our meeting that day in this very clearing so many months ago.” “I am glad to hear that I have been such a help to him,” I said, still reeling from what he had told me. “I have also enjoyed the time we have spent together and am honored that he wishes to spend his time with me.” “I would like to spend more time with you, to learn more of how you have assisted him. Unfortunately, I must return home as I have duties that I cannot escape,” he said, taking my hand and kissing it like Loki did as the Bifrost opened. I curtsied as he stepped into the light and was gone. “I decided to spend the rest of the day in the clearing even though I didn’t have any company. So I laid down on the grass and watched the clouds and the birds, wondering what Loki was doing with his parents. “It took about two weeks before I saw Loki again, waiting impatiently for me in our clearing. He was watching for me this time, so I wasn’t able to sneak up on him. He came up to me as quickly as his bearing would allow, but he was practically running as he met me at the border of the clearing and the forest and reached for my hand. “I am terribly sorry for the unexpected interruption of our time together,” he apologized as he led me to a blanket that was laid out on the grass. “My father was disappointed that I am spending so much time here instead of on Asgard while my mother simply wished to spend some time with me and learn why I have been captivated by this realm of late. It took this long for my mother to convince my father to allow me to resume my visits here.” “He helped me sit on the blanket and I noticed a rather large basket filled with food and a glass decanter filled with either wine or mead, I wasn’t quite sure which. He sat down next to me, noticed my gaze and said, “My mother had it sent, as a token of her appreciation for the time you spend with me.” “That was very kind of her,” I said, my cheeks flushing. I shifted a little on the blanket so I could look at his face better. “Thank you for sending your brother to let me know you were detained. I appreciate it.” “I do hope my oaf of a brother behaved himself,” he replied dryly. “I smiled. “Yes, he did. He even told me that he has noticed a change since you have been coming to visit me.” “Loki raised his eyebrows in confusion. “What kind of change?” he asked, his green eyes narrowing slightly. “A good change.” I replied, letting my smile widen. “He said you are more relaxed on the days you come here and more irritable on the days you are kept away.” “I didn’t realize…” he started to say more but then changed his mind and picked up the decanter. “Would you like some wine?” he asked. “That would be nice,” I said. “He poured two glasses and handed me one. He then asked me to tell him what had happened while he had been away. When I finished, I asked him what he had been up to. He told me that he and his friends had fought a few battles but mainly his time had been spent catching up on some of his training and other duties as a prince. “He cast a few illusions for my entertainment and we ate the food from the basket his mother had sent. We talked for a long time until the sun was well below the horizon and the stars were shining brightly in the sky. He laughed as we both realized how late it was and he helped me stand up. I helped fold the blanket and put the remaining food and the decanter back in the basket. Then he held out his arm for me to take so he could escort me back to the village. “As we were walking, I told him that since it had been a year since we had been meeting in the clearing my parents would, more than likely, ask him to spend that night and the next day with us so they could find out more about him. He chuckled. “Do you think they will approve of our meetings, when they learn who I truly am?” he asked, with a smile. “I’m sure they will not object, as you have given no indication of wishing me ill,” I smiled back at him. “In that case, I think I will accept if they make such a request tonight.” “We got to the village gates and were greeted by Gymir, who smiled when he saw us. He didn’t say anything, but walked in front of us to the longhouse where my parents were. (Even though I was adopted, I had been there so long I thought of them as my parents by this time.) After we went inside, he went back to the front gate, where he was on duty. “My dad stood up from his chair when he saw us and came forward, a huge grin on his face and trying very hard not to burst out laughing. “Again you have lost track of time, young ones?” he asked. My mom just smiled and shook her head at him. Loki bowed his head and chuckled at being called a “young one” since he was older than all of us. “My apologies, Lord Ragnvald,” he said, his green eyes sparkling with mischief and delight. “No matter,” my dad replied. “Perhaps tonight you will stay and share a drink with us.” “I would be glad to,” Loki grinned. “Come, then, and sit beside me as our daughter’s guest,” my dad smiled back. We followed him to the table and I sat next to my mom while Loki sat next to Ragnvald. We stayed there for a while, eating and drinking, before my mom said that she was going to turn in for the night. She then turned to Loki and asked him to spend the night, just like I had told him she would. “He smirked at me and I smiled back. “I would be honored to stay the night, Lady Sunhild,” he told her. “Thank you for the invitation.” “She left to have a room made up for him while I showed him around the village. My parents had a suspicion of who he was but Loki had asked that, should anyone ask, we tell people that he was a visitor from another village. My parents had agreed to his request, so as I showed him around, I told anyone who asked that he was visiting from a far off village. Gymir got off duty and was asked by my mom to let us know that Loki’s room was ready and lead us to it. “When we got there, he looked around the sparsely furnished room and Sunhild said, “I am sorry that it is most likely not what you are used to.” “Loki waved his hand and smiled, “It is quite nice, for such short notice. Thank you.” He looked at me and asked if it would be acceptable for him to walk me to my chambers. Sunhild smiled and nodded, then left to go back to my dad in the longhouse to tell him good night. “We walked rather slowly to my chambers and when we got there he smiled at me. I could see the mischief dancing on his face, as well as in his eyes. “I am looking forward to seeing what your parents will ask me tomorrow,” he told me, taking my hand and kissing it. “I wish you pleasant dreams, my dear mortal.” “I wished him the same thing and went into my room but I waited until he was out of sight to close the doors and go to bed. “The next morning, once I was up and dressed, I opened the door to find him waiting for me, staring out at the rest of the village as people were getting up and going about their morning routines. He turned when he heard the door and smiled at me, offering his arm for me to take. We walked without saying anything to the longhouse for breakfast and took the same seats we had the night before. All through breakfast my parents plied him with questions, which he found ways to answer without giving away too much information. They wanted him to stay with them while they went about their duties and after lunch they let him accompany me on my duties, while having Gymir be their eyes and ears. The longer the day went, the more Loki seemed to enjoy himself and what my parents were doing. When dinner was over, he thanked my parents for the delightful day and said that he would have to leave for home soon. He asked for both Gymir and myself to accompany him part of the way so that Gymir could escort me safely back, to which they agreed and thanked him for indulging them by spending the day at the village. “We got back to the clearing and said our good byes and once he was gone Gymir walked me back to the village. My parents wanted to talk to me about him when I got back. I confirmed what they thought, that they had just been host to the God of Mischief himself. They were a bit concerned until I told them that he had thoroughly enjoyed himself and they didn’t need to worry that he would be upset and cause any problems. “Another year went by, pretty much the same way. We mainly met at the clearing. Sometimes he would need to vent and other times he didn’t. He would tell me about the battles or classes he was part of and I would tell him what little news there was with the village. Sometimes he would walk me home and stay the night and the next day, always pretending to be just another mortal. He seemed to enjoy the ease with which he was accepted by my parents and the villagers. He even came up with a pet name for me: Ulfrid, because I had brought him a peace he hadn’t had in a long time. “One day, a few weeks after I turned nineteen, he and Thor were both in the clearing when I got there. Loki seemed frustrated; they were arguing when I stepped in and greeted them. “I’m sorry Brother, but we have no choice,” Thor told him. “I assume something has come up and you won’t be able to stay today, Prince Loki,” I said with a smile. “I’m sorry to say you are correct,” he said, a sad smile on his face and annoyance in his eyes. “Father insists that Thor and I accompany him to a negotiation between two realms. I do not know how long it will be before I am able to return. I could not leave without letting you know, and I have something I wish to give you; a token of my appreciation and affection for you.” “He beckoned for me to hold out my hand and he placed a small, ornate silver box on my palm. I opened it to find a beautiful ring. There was an oblong shaped amethyst set in a silver band. To either side of the large stone, the band was shaped into myrtle leaves inset with diamonds. I lifted it out of the box to get a closer look and noticed something etched into the inside of the band. It said, “Ulfrid, You have my heart until the end of time. Loki.” I absently closed the box and placed it in the small bag I had at my waist while I continued looking at the ring. “It’s beautiful!” I said, breathlessly. “A treasure for my treasure,” he said, lifting my head gently with his hand. “The dwarves of Nidavellir assisted me in its creation.” “Thank you,” I was too shocked to say anything else. “After what seemed like forever, but was more likely only about ten minutes, I shook my head and told him, “You have to go. I don’t want you to get into trouble with your father because of me.” He started to shush me, but I kept going. “As his sons, it is important that the two of you learn what he wishes to teach you. I know you will come back as soon as the negotiations are over. Try to pay attention. Sometimes, these things take longer than expected and don’t go the way you plan at first.” “Thor chuckled. He had been standing off to the side, leaning against a tree, giving us all the time we needed. He was smiling to himself. He walked up to me and took my hand. “Fair Gersemi, I will have my brother back to you as quickly as possible, even if I must make use of Mjolnir to do it. I am very glad that he has found you; your companionship has improved his countenance immensely.” He kissed my hand as Loki tried not to roll his eyes at his older brother. “Come, Loki,” he said, “Father is waiting.” “Loki took both of my hands in his. “I will return as quickly as I can,” he said. I smiled at him and nodded my head. He let go of my hands and started to walk away; then he stopped, turned and sprinted the short distance back to where I was standing. I thought he wanted to tell me something else but, instead of talking, he lifted my face and kissed me. It was the first time since we met that he had done that. I kept expecting it to stop but it seemed that time had stopped instead. It was a soft, yet passionate, kiss and when he finally broke away, I stared into his eyes, trying to catch my breath. He smiled at me, turned and walked over to Thor, who called for the Bifrost to be opened. They stepped into the light of the gate and were gone. “I sat down on the grass, looking at the ring he had given me. After several minutes, I slipped it on the ring finger of my left hand. I wasn’t surprised when it fit perfectly. It was like it had been made specifically for me. I laid back on the grass, staring up at the sky, silently wishing him and the negotiations well so that he would come back quickly. “A few hours later, Gymir came to the clearing to get me. A messenger had come saying that there were some other villages that were having a disagreement and a Thing, or assembly, was being held that my parents needed to attend. I quickly got up and went with him back to the village so I could help my mom get ready to go. “They left right after lunch and I was busy for the rest of the day. Gymir stayed close the first few days because he had noticed one of the men in the village, a man named Magni, had been watching me closer with my parents gone than he had before. Magni never made a move, but his staring put both of us on edge. “After about two weeks, we got word that the Thing was ending and my parents would be on their way back. They would arrive around sundown the next day. The rest of that day was spent planning and preparing a celebration for when they got back. I had been going, when I could, to the clearing but I hadn’t been able to spend as much time there as I wanted to since my parents had left. The party started when my parents got back and continued well into the next day. During a break in the festivities, they told me about what had happened at the Thing and why it had taken so long. I just smiled to myself, thinking about what I had told Loki about negotiations taking longer than expected sometimes. “Have you seen him lately?” Sunhild asked. “I shook my head. “He had a Thing to attend as well,” I told her. “He’ll be back when he can.” I then showed them the ring he had given me and read them the inscription. They both smiled. “You are a very lucky young woman,” Ragnvald said, “to have obtained such favor with the God of Mischief.” “Why don’t you go tonight to the clearing?” Sunhild suggested. “Maybe tonight he will return and can share in our celebrations.” “I said okay and, about a half hour before sundown, I headed for the clearing. Gymir was inside the village walls because he was on duty. We both thought that I would be safe with my parents' return and he wanted me to have some alone time with Loki, which I thanked him for. “I was probably one quarter of the way between the village and the edge of the forest when I heard a male voice call my name. I turned, still walking, and was glad I had my weapons with me because the voice belonged to Magni. He wasn’t alone either. There were three other men with him who I recognized as some of his friends. I turned back and kept walking when I saw his four other friends in front of me. I had been wondering where they were. I drew my sword and made sure to keep it between me and them. Magni and the three with him drew closer and he put his hands up like he didn’t want any trouble. I knew better and refused to put my sword down. “I simply wish to talk, Gersemi,” he said, a creepy look in his eyes. “About what, Magni?” I asked him, never leaving my gaze in one place for too long. “I had a message from the gods today,” he said, stepping closer. “I moved away, making sure to keep my sword between myself and my new companions. “What was the message?” I asked, warily. “I was told that the gods have given you to me, to do with as I will. I was also told to quickly go and claim what was mine before someone else took you from me.” He smirked as he took another step towards me. “I don’t believe the gods would do such a thing,” I told him. “And if they were to tell someone I was theirs, they would not choose you, of all the other men in the village.” “Whether you believe me or not is not important,” he replied. He gave a small nod to his friends and they all moved towards me as one. They tried to surround me but I did pretty well not letting them. I swung my sword, forcing several of them to back away. I was constantly moving towards the forest because I knew that if I could make it there I could get into the tree canopy and they wouldn’t be able to find me. I was too far from the village for the sound to attract the guards so the forest was my only option. “I got about three quarters of the way to the forest when I felt my arms grabbed from behind, forcing me to drop my sword. Magni was laughing as he closed in on me, a crazed look in his eyes. “I will have what is mine,” he kept saying, over and over. “Needless to say, I struggled against what I knew was going to happen next but several of them were holding me down and I weighed much less than even the slimmest one. First Magni, then each of them, forced themselves on me, covering my mouth so I couldn’t scream and holding me down so I couldn’t get loose and escape. When the others were done, Magni decided he wanted another go. When he was on top of me enough that he didn’t need anyone holding me down, he told the others to go back to the village and rejoin the celebration to make sure no one suspected anything. “By this point, I was tired and in pain and wanted nothing more than to get away. Unfortunately, he was much bigger and heavier than his friends and he had me pinned so I could barely move. He put his dagger to my throat and told me to be very, very quiet. Then he raped me again and all I could do was cry silently. “When he was done, I thought he was going to get up and leave, going back to the village to celebrate with his friends. I was very wrong. He decided he didn’t want me telling what he had done, so he started stabbing me with his dagger, covering my mouth with his free hand. He waited until he saw my eyes start to roll up in my head before he got up, laughing, and went to join his friends. “I was too weak from what they had done and from the blood loss to move, so I just laid there, hoping Heimdall was looking my way and could see me from his post as Gatekeeper of Asgard. I tried, weakly, to call him. I know I passed out at some point, coming to when I felt the ground shaking. I heard a voice, I didn’t recognize it at first, calling my name, sounding more panicked each time I didn’t answer. I tried to speak up several times when I heard Thor’s voice. He was right next to me. “Brother!!” he called, his voice sounding almost frightened. “Over here!!” “A few seconds later, I felt Loki’s familiar arms wrapping around me, gently placing my head against his shoulder. “Who did this?” he hissed. I gathered what little strength I had left and told them both what had happened and who was responsible. I could practically feel the mix of emotions coming off Loki in waves: fear at losing me, guilt that he hadn’t been there to protect me, and fury at Magni and his friends. He begged me not to leave him, to hold on and he and Thor would take me to the healers in Asgard and I would be alright. I could hear Thor screaming for Heimdall to open the Bifrost but there was no sound, or wind, or light. No matter how loudly or frantically Thor called, the Bifrost remained closed. “I told him I was sorry I couldn’t stay with him; that I was trying, but I just couldn’t. I was too weak. I asked him to try to not be angry with Heimdall for not opening the gate, or with himself or Thor for not getting back in time to protect me from Magni. I could feel his tears as they fell on my head. He told me he would try to do as I had asked, but that he wasn’t leaving me alone. He was going to make sure that my parents and the whole village knew what Magni and his friends had done and they would pay for it. “Thor came back over and took my hand. “I am so sorry, Loki. Heimdall will not open the gate to us. I do not understand why.” He brushed some of my hair out of my face and apologized to me for not getting back sooner. I told him not to be too hard on himself and to try to be patient with Loki when I was gone. He promised he would as I felt myself slipping away. I heard Loki’s voice telling me he loved me and always would. I smiled weakly and told him I loved him too and would hopefully see him again one day. Then everything went black. “The next thing I remember, I was standing next to him, watching him grieve over my dead body. Thor was crying too. One of the Valkyries appeared next to me and told me that I had earned a place in Valhalla because of my fighting Magni and his friends. I thanked her but asked if I could see what Thor and Loki did next. She nodded and I went back to watching them. “When he had no more tears left to cry, Loki stood up, with my body in his arms, and walked slowly towards the village. Thor silently followed him, absently moving Mjolnir from one hand to another, like he was itching to hit something with it. “The village gates opened and they walked in. Silence fell over the whole place. You could have heard a pin drop, it was so quiet. Gymir ran into the longhouse and came out with Ragnvald and Sunhild. Loki stopped, his eyes searching for Magni. “What happened?” Ragnvald demanded, a look of horror on his face. “One of your people, a mortal named Magni, and his friends ambushed your daughter as she was coming to meet me,” Loki said, making sure his voice could be heard by everyone. “They raped her repeatedly and, when he had his fill, the despicable, pathetic excuse for a mortal took her life with his blade.” His green eyes were dancing with anger and pain. “Where is he?” He scanned the crowd again, looking for any movement. “Gymir waved at a few other guards and they moved around the stunned crowd. A few minutes later, they emerged with Magni and his friends. “The ones you seek are here, Loki, God of Mischief,” Gymir said, taking Loki’s lead to tell everyone who he was. “Loki didn’t move; he just stared at them, the fire in his eyes getting brighter. Thor stepped from behind him to confront them. “Why have you done such a dishonorable thing?” he bellowed. “Why would you take from this young woman her very life?” “Magni smirked. He didn’t seem to understand or care about the danger he was in from the two gods. “The Messengers of the gods told me she was mine, to do with as I will and to claim what was mine before she was stolen from me,” he answered calmly. “So you admit the charges are true?” Ragnvald asked in an oddly quiet tone. “She is mine to do with as I will,” he replied. “If possible, the entire village got even quieter. “As you have admitted your guilt and have no remorse, you and those who joined you are now cast out of this village and no longer have its protection. You are outlaws from this moment forth.” Ragnvald was trying not to let the tears in his eyes spill down his cheeks as he gave the verdict. Sunhild was allowing her tears to flow freely. “This was not what Magni or his friends expected or wanted to hear. They knew that, as outlaws, they were living on borrowed time because people would begin to actively hunt them to make them pay for what they had done. Unfortunately, for them, they chose the worst possible thing to do: they charged Loki, who hadn’t moved and was still holding my body. “Loki didn’t get a chance to do anything, if he even planned to. There was a rumble of thunder and eight bolts of lightning came crashing down, striking Magni and his friends, but causing no other damage. Loki looked over at Thor, who was lowering Mjolnir to his side. “Thank you, Brother,” was all he said. Thor nodded at him. “Loki then walked up to my parents and apologized for not being there to protect me. They just smiled sadly at him and told him that they knew he would have been there if he could have, and that I had told them he had been summoned to a Thing. They asked if he and Thor wanted to stay for the funeral. Loki nodded and thanked them for letting them stay. He then asked them where he should place my body. They told him to take me to my room and lay me there until it was time for the funeral. “As he was putting me on my bed, he noticed the ring he had given me on my left hand. He started crying again and I wanted to put my hand on his shoulder but I knew I couldn’t. He gently took the ring off my finger, found the silver box he had given it to me in, and put it in the box. He held the box in his hand and said, “I hope you are right, my dearest mortal, and that we will meet again someday. I hope as well that you will still want this ring I made for you. I will hold onto it until such a day arrives.” He placed a last gentle kiss on my lips and walked out of the room. “The Valkyrie placed her hand on my shoulder and said, “I am sorry, but we can wait no longer. It is time for you to take your place in Valhalla among the honored dead.” “I nodded and turned, letting her lead me towards a light. And that is the end of the dreams.” Holly looked at her mom and Director Fury. “The next thing I remember, I’m staring up at a mobile with dogs and cats on it, spinning above my head, and everything looks really big.” Fury leaned forward to look at her. “Shrinks thought you were making that up?” he asked, incredulously. Holly shrugged. “That’s why I refuse to see any ever again.” She smirked.

Notes