Chapter 6
ASGARD
After that eventful breakfast Loki went in search of his children. He spent a bit of time with each of them, but was having a difficult time finding Talia. Entering a small garden that wasn’t open to the public, a small grey cat made a trilling sound, golden eyes moving towards the tallest of the trees here. He nodded his thanks and hefted himself up into a tree. He found the little elf tucked among the branches. He settled onto his own branch and decided to wait until she was ready.
Talia had been aware of his approach even before he climbed the tree. It was just so difficult to find the will to speak, sometimes. But she knew that he would answer any question, she just had to ask. “Father?”
Loki leaned his head back and tilted his head up. “Yes, little magpie?”
“Is it wrong to be angry?” She winced.
His answer was immediate. “No, not at all.”
She looked down at the hands in her lap. “It feels wrong.”
He narrowed his eyes a bit, unsure if her anger was directed at the people here or something else. He suspected it wasn’t the courtiers that were on her mind. “The feeling is not wrong. But I suppose it depends upon the reason. If it is justified, if the ones you are angry at deserve it, I see nothing wrong with it. Besides, it is what you do with the anger that really matters.”
“…not a very good daughter…” She trailed off after mumbling the words, letting her hair hide her face.
Loki wanted to instantly reassure her she was wrong. But to reassure might be seen as a dismissal of her feelings so he caught himself. Correcting her wouldn’t help anything. “Why do you feel that way?”
Her voice got even quieter, wringing her hands. “I hate them sometimes. They were not like the parentals but I…”
He got it. She was thinking of her biological parents and trying to compare them to El and Melody’s former parents. Sigyn had already told him everything she knew about the pair of elves that had apparently been habitual thieves. “How long have you felt this way?”
She sighed and her shoulders drooped. “Feels like forever.” Then she moved suddenly, climbing down to join him on his branch, snuggling against his chest.
He wrapped his arms around her, cradling her on his lap and letting his fingers move lightly through her hair in the hopes of soothing her. It was sometimes so easy to forget that life had not been kind to any of his children. They all had suffered traumas both great and small. Talia was the quietest, but there was a reason for it. It wasn’t just because of her gentle nature.
Once he felt her relax he asked, “Do they have a tree on Alfheim?” It was an elven tradition in many areas of Alfheim that a tree would be planted in remembrance of a loved one’s death. He hadn’t been certain if the people along the Enosk River carried that tradition.
She shook her head a little. “We never planted one.”
But she didn’t state it wasn’t a tradition she was taught. Loki realized Talia wasn’t the only one who had been mad at their birth parents, if her brother had skipped that tradition. But he heard the quiet longing. “Hmm, I think that is something we should do.”
She blinked in surprise. “What?”
He nodded decisively. “We need to plant three trees, one for each of them.” Then he tilted his head towards her. “Where should we plant them? On Asgard or somewhere else?” He wasn’t limiting it to Asgard. If she wanted those trees on Alfheim or even Vanaheim he would make certain it happened.
Talia nibbled on her bottom lip. “Here. But…”
“But?”
She sighed painfully. “The green man destroyed the garden.” It had been one of her favorites. That one and the one on the other side of their wing with the tree swing. But even the one with the tree swing didn’t feel quite right. She wanted their trees in a good place, but not one where she would normally play with her siblings. “And…um…”
The way she trailed off told Loki she was choosing not to say something insulting about someone who no doubt deserved it. He tapped under her chin softly with a finger. “It is just the two of us here. Do not ever be afraid to speak your mind to me.”
Frowning. “I would not want the disrespectful people around those trees.”
A good point. These were memorial trees. They deserved to be somewhere special. “I think I know just the place.”
He coaxed her out of the tree.
Loki draped an arm around Talia’s shoulders, she holding onto his hand with both of hers. He guided her to the backside of the wing that they thought of as their own. He showed her a gate she hadn’t noticed until he touched it. With a wicked twinkle to his eyes, he led her within.
She gasped, “Apple trees.” Dozens upon dozens of them in all directions.
He gestured with his free arm. “Yes, indeed. This is the orchard that few are permitted to enter. And up there? That is Idunn.”
Talia peered up at the lone apple tree at the top of a small hill. “Idunn?” The tree seemed ordinary at first glance. But then a second look showed that the leaves shimmered a soft gold in the light.
He nodded. “She grows the apples that grant a long life. And here?” He pointed to an area near the base of the hill that was currently unoccupied. “This is the perfect spot for some new trees. They can be her neighbors without crowding her.”
“And the rude people never come here?”
Loki snorted. “Not a chance those pampered little sirs and madams would come out here.” Then he frowned in thought. There were spells in place to keep this area restricted. Not just wards. An intruder would be in for a nasty surprise if they trespassed here. To say nothing of what Idunn would do. But he’d been surprised before. “But just in case…” He knelt down and rapped his knuckles against the ground several times.
A couple of minutes later, a gopher snake poked his head out of his burrow and slithered forward.
Dipping his head slightly in greeting. “Hello. Do you remember me?”
A dark forked tongue poked out.
Loki lifted an eyebrow. “Does your mother know you speak like that?”
Talia giggled softly.
The snake hissed in response, just as a second snake poked their head out of a neighboring hole. A few hisses back and forth between them commenced.
Loki sighed at Talia and explained, “Brothers.”
She giggled again.
Eventually the arguing stopped and the first snake went back underground.
The remaining snake focused on Loki who asked, “Do you see people here often?”
The second snake curled himself into a circle and hissed softly.
Loki was pleased by what he heard. “Ah, just the caretakers. Perfect. Where is the edge of your burrow? We will be planting a few trees and I would not wish to collapse your home.”
A few minutes later and the snake disappeared while Loki and Talia walked away. She leaned against him again, feeling better. Rognin was right. She’d remember to speak with her parents the next time she started feeling her words slip away.
***
“Like this!” Bragi proclaimed proudly to Melody.
The pair had found a secluded spot near the perimeter wall within the palace grounds to practice. Someplace away from everyone else. A solid orange tabby had followed them, sitting in the grass like a furry sentinel and watching.
Melody watched carefully as Bragi showed her one of the defensive moves he’d been taught. After he repeated it a couple of times, she started to make the same moves.
Sif had been doing a sweep of the grounds and came across them by accident. When she realized what they were doing she’d decided to stay. Watching Melody, she felt her eyebrows rise in surprise. The girl was picking up the maneuver faster than any of the young ones she had seen over the years.
She stiffened when Veilya paused next to her to study them.
Veilya’s presence immediately obtained their attention. Sif was largely dismissed by the children. She wasn’t family. She wasn’t a good friend to their mother or father. They mentally put her in the category of one of the Einherjar.
Melody caught sight of the Vanir Priestess and waved. “Aunt Veilya, come see!”
Sif frowned sharply. Aunt? She would assume that title would belong to Veilya once she married Thor. Why would the children acknowledge her already?
Veilya didn’t even skip a beat at the identifier. She walked up to them so she could watch them go through the series of moves. “Very nicely done,” she praised.
Thor wasn’t quiet in his approach, but then he never was. He’d seen the children at a distance and grown curious. He watched in admiration as Veilya gently corrected stances through the maneuver, softly encouraging them. His blue eyes flicked left and noticed Sif’s expression. “What is wrong, Sif?”
Sif quickly wiped the look off her face. “Nothing…” She was not jealous. She refused to allow herself to go down that path. She may have been shown how unsuitable she was as Queen but that didn’t automatically destroy her attraction to Thor. Clearing her throat, “…just…will she be joining young Bragi for training?”
He knew she meant Melody. “Once they settle in she might.” From the time that Loki had met the children for the first time until today it hadn’t even been a year. A lot of change in a very short amount of time.
She blinked. “Loki has not said?”
Thor had a look on his face and Sif allowed a sharp smile. Of course Loki said nothing about it. But then again there had been a lot to happen in a short amount of time. It had probably slipped his mind to finalize such an important path as soon as possible.
She looked worried suddenly. “Bragi’s warrior path has been finalized, has it not?”
He nodded this time and Sif looked relieved.
Tony all but appeared next to them. His eyes moved from those observing, to those performing. “This is what you do instead of watching tv?”
Thor frowned and crossed his arms. “These lessons are not for entertainment, Man of Iron.”
Sif threw an amused look the thunderer’s way. “They can be.”
After a pause Thor nodded in agreement.
Tony shook his head and griped, “In a perfect world they should be.”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
The inventor huffed, thinking of the waste of life over the years because people couldn’t find a non-violent way to settle conflict. “Once a society gets advanced enough, you would like to hope you wouldn’t have to have fighting or wars anymore.”
Sif’s expression contorted. “A race with no warriors is weak.”
Thor shook his head. “Weakness that would be exploited.”
Gesturing sharply. “That’s my point. You’ve got here and frost world and…whatever the other ones are called. They’re all advanced. But they’re still political. Still greedy. In a perfect universe, peace would mean we all leave that negative stuff behind.”
Thor shook his head. “A realm cannot be run on wishes and dreams. We must be practical.”
Sigyn had heard the tail end of what Tony said. Her reply was both humorous and serious. “A society can be perfect…but then people become part of it and ruin perfection.” An idea can be perfect. But as soon as imperfect people, with the understanding that no one is perfect, implement the idea perfection is lost.
Thor and Sif both frowned.
Tony chuckled darkly. “Yeah, there is that.”
Deciding to shift away from this strange topic, Thor asked, “Will Melody be joining Bragi in training?”
Sigyn nodded. “She will.” …for now, was left unsaid. She and Loki were both aware that human passions could fade with time. They had already spoken with Tyr. If Melody ever desired to do something else, she would not be required to continue her training.
That is not to say that Aesir children didn’t have the same freedom. But they would need to attend the lessons until the appropriate paperwork was filed and approved. It wasn’t a quick process, no doubt with the hope that the family or the trainers could reinspire the child to continue.
Loki had put his foot down about that practice. None of his children, not even Bragi, would be bullied or guilted into being anything but what they desired. But since Loki’s family were largely traditional neither she nor Loki were going to spell that out to anyone.
***
At the requested time Tyr was permitted to enter the AllFather’s study, the doors closing behind him. A drink was poured for each man and seats were taken. It wasn’t even midday, but sometimes discussions like this were necessary. A more discrete location could have been chosen but there were so many visitors in the palace this was about the only location that was completely secure.
Tyr may be a gruff sort of man when necessary but he was also very patient. He waited and sipped lightly from his glass, knowing that his king would begin when he was ready.
Eventually Odin decided to speak. “I would wish for your thoughts regarding the Master of the Einherjar.”
The General settled himself into his seat. Since the prior Master had retired, a new one needed to be appointed. But a long time ago such a position had been turned into a contest to showcase the most qualified warrior for the position. The Einherjar were the warriors charged with protecting the palace and the royal family. It would stand to reason the Master of the Einherjar would be the best of the best.
He mulled over those most likely to put themselves forward to participate. One didn’t have to be a member of the Einherjar to be granted the title. It helped, but it wasn’t a prerequisite. “There are several potential candidates over a multitude of families. The contests will be well attended.”
Odin nodded. “Good.” The more that were present, the easier it was to accept such a transition.
Tyr decided to volunteer just in case Odin wasn’t aware. “Reed would be among them.”
The old king had known this. He’d puzzled over the pros and cons of such a victory. But he was interested in getting a second opinion. “If he were to win, would the men follow him?”
He frowned and his brow furrowed. “Why would that be in question?”
“He is an elf.”
Tyr stiffened at the thought of that being even considered an acceptable excuse. “He has emigrated. He is now Asgardian.”
Odin pointed out, “He has never fought for Asgard.”
That wasn’t saying a whole lot anymore. Two thousand years ago it would be unheard of for a fully trained warrior to not have fought. After Jötunheim’s defeat the frequency of the need for battle had decreased. “The contests will confirm a warrior’s ability. Vows will follow, to assure loyalty to the realm and to the throne.”
“Not every family feels that way for those not born here.”
Tyr wanted to object to that observation. But reluctantly he admitted, “You are not wrong, sire.” Not that he would refrain from saying, “But to not acknowledge a man who wins the contest for any reason is to set a dishonorable precedent.”
Odin nodded. “Unless it were put into law that only those born of Asgard may enter these contests.”
The General narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. He wasn’t quite sure anymore if Odin wanted his opinion, or if the King was trying to talk him into something he was planning. Asking carefully, “What would Loki think of such a decision?”
The expression on Odin’s face didn’t shift, but he already knew the answer. “He would never forgive it.” In truth he was merely considering the arguments that various society members would present. He wasn’t planning on doing anything to interfere with the contests.
“Reed has Loki’s endorsement.”
Odin had heard that. It was encouraging that if Reed did win it would be a man his youngest could work with. “Will that be enough?”
Tyr huffed a sigh. “There are still warriors who follow the traditionalist thought and will never see Loki as a warrior because he is a seidmadr.” An annoying aspect of Asgard. “But then most men in the Einherjar are around two thousand or so years old. They all saw what happened on Midgard. Many of them were in the age range to miss the last war with Jotunheim so they developed different opinions about a man’s worth.” Men like Sven and Hrik Tadson who would crawl over broken glass if Loki asked them to. “For them, receiving an endorsement from either prince will be enough.”
The old King nodded and moved to another topic. “Any new developments concerning those that had assisted Aslandre?”
Aslandre had been the Vanir warlord who had attempted to use force to persuade a union between Thor and his daughter. Thanks in no small part to Sigyn, the Vanir was dead. Yet it was a gambit that only could have worked if Aslandre had some inside help.
Tyr scowled at the very thought of the man who had threatened Odin’s life. “The Blades have been watching them very closely. So far, they have made no attempts to contact one another. All communications are being intercepted and monitored. Nothing of interest there.”
A nod. “After the wedding, they will be dealt with.”
“We could throw them in the dungeons now.” A suggestion that would be easy to accomplish.
Odin had thought about it. “We could. But with this many outsiders wandering through the palace, no need to advertise our internal problems.” Sighing. “Thor already doing so was bad enough.” He didn’t object to Thor defending the children, that wasn’t what annoyed him.
Tyr scratched his bearded cheek with the back of a finger. “Have to say in his position I would have done the same damn thing. Although I would have punctuated it with a fist to the face.”
Not looking very impressed. “He should have handled it in a less public space, not in the middle of the Great Hall.”
A shrug, amusement in his eyes. “I suppose, sire, that is why I am a General. I do not have the political savvy for ruling.”
Which came to the main reason he had pulled Tyr aside for a discussion. “The Inter-realm Council has called for a judgement.”
Tyr stiffened in his seat, his tone shifting to grave. “Against Asgard, I assume.”
“I have been summoned so I can assume little else.” Tyr winced. That was not the way to get on Odin’s good side. Presumptuous and arrogant of them to come onto Asgardian soil and order an Aesir King around.
“What will we do, sire?”
Odin’s blue eye flashed with temper, grinding his teeth audibly. “I will listen to what they have to say.”
A frown slowly formed on Tyr’s face, considering the mortals that were present. “This is not just about the human inventor, is it?”
Slowly Odin pulled in a breath. “His presence does not help the argument…but I would think human children living in the palace has tipped the scales beyond what could be ignored.”
Inhaling sharply. “They want to go after the children of Asgard’s Viceroy.”
Waving a hand loosely. “Loki may throw that title around when advantageous but he has yet to officially accept.”
Tyr blinked in surprise. He hadn’t known that. “Why? Oh.” Mentally he answered his own question.
Odin’s expression turned interested. “Do you know?”
The General knew he understood Loki better than Odin. Neither of them mentioned it, but it was a fact they both mentally acknowledged. Tyr paused to decide how to phrase what he suspected. “Maybe he is waiting for Asgard to take a stand.”
“What stand?”
Carefully not looking at his king. “For thousands of years the traditionalist view has ruled. But more than that. Because of that view even being a prince did not protect Loki from their scorn and dismissal.”
Odin’s frown was hidden by his beard. “A view I raised my sons to believe. I am aware.” And he had lived long enough to regret it. It had taken losing almost everything he’d strived for, but regret had found him.
Tyr continued without addressing what Odin had said. “I believe he needs to see through action that change is in the air.”
The grimace was just pronounced enough to be noticeable. “He may well see it if the Inter-realm Council attempts to do what we now both suspect.” Odin stiffened his posture, his voice deepening to command Tyr, “General, discretely notify the Blades. If this meeting ends poorly the council is not leaving Asgard alive.”
Tyr gave him a salute from his position, knowing Odin didn’t expect him to stand on formality right now. “Sire,” he acknowledged. Then asking carefully, “Including Meythew?”
Odin’s gaze turned distant as he considered the question. Most members of the Inter-realm Council had some type of political sway. It was the reason they specifically had been chosen. Meythew was a special case. “A mage and a member of the Guild committee? No need to act and force the Guild to go to war with us.”
“Just Vanaheim.”
Giving Tyr a curious look. “Why do you think only Vanaheim would respond?”
Tyr tossed back to rest of his glass and set it down as he moved in his seat until he was leaning forward. “My spymaster found out some interesting information concerning a few members of the Inter-realm Council.”