Legendary

This year the yule celebrations were mostly quiet and more devout than usual. Frigga came, as usual, for Mother's Night, the first night of the twelve, the night of the solstice. And for once, there was a brief gap in the clouds and a cessation of the snow that allowed us to actually see the moon and hope to see the return of the sun. The traditional vigil was kept in silence in the Great Hall and I think most everybody was wondering if this was the last time we'd celebrate Yule. All of our celebrations in this third year of Fimbulwinter had the same depressed air to them although the veneration was sincere. Mother's Night then kicked off eleven days of feasting (moderated for the foods that we had available), dancing, and gift giving. A sun wheel was burned in the hope that we would see the sun return (obviously this was going to happen, the sun hadn't gone anywhere as evidenced by the fact that the planets were still in orbit, but the shades of darkness we lived in were extremely depressing). Because all the Nine Realms as well as the halls of the afterworlds were slowed to match the march of time in Valhalla, everybody was celebrating Yule at the same time and we traded off festivities with Folkvangr. It was nice to spend holidays with family. I went to Helheim with a gift for Hela, not wanting her to be forgotten for her kindness even if she wasn't currently there. I spent one of the nights of the season in her halls. And for the first time since I'd been in Valhalla, Odin authorized the Wild Hunt.

The point of this Wild Hunt was less to actually hunt anything or anyone but as a harbinger of great storms which in this case meant change as well as the terrible storms that were blanketing the earth. Normally the valkyries didn't take part in this, but for this one that had so much significance we were allowed to come, and I found myself perched on the back of an immense black horse like the rest of the riders. Where the horses or the great hounds that accompanied us came from, I had no idea. But Odin sounded a horn, and as the Master of the Hunt led us out. The landscape of Midgard whipped by as we galloped, the hooves of the horses not even touching the ground. Modern people had lost their fear of the Hunt, and I could see them taking pictures and watching from inside as we passed. The wind keened as we rode, and anyone unlucky enough to be on the streets as we passed was taken up and set down a distance later, scared but unharmed. It was especially weird to see Odin's eight-legged steed Sleipnar run.

On Christmas Eve, I went to Midgard and, feeling like a creeper, watched the family for a little bit. More time had passed than I was aware, apparently, as I didn't recognize the Waynes who were gathered for the festivities. I sighed and returned to Valhalla.

After that, there were a few smaller festivals, like the one for Thor, but otherwise, it was nose to the grindstone again. It was at this time that Magni was named as a Captain of the Royal Guard. The next time I went to Asgard, I studied him as he led a practice for his unit. He'd really grown up, and was a handsome young man who favored his father in looks but who was, by all accounts, less hot-headed than Thor had been in his youth. He was disciplined and strong. At the end of his lesson, I presented him with the dagger I'd made and that we'd bet on. He seemed thrilled that I'd remembered. Then I smiled and gave him a bigger one.

"We bet on the little dagger, and it's yours because you earned it fair and square. But this one is sized for your hands now." He had much bigger hands than he'd had as a kid and it would have been awkward for him to use the small dagger now. I'd designed the new one especially for him; beautifully figured walnut for the scabbard and hilt, bright-polished metalwork, and intricate knotwork etched into the blade. I'd had a lot of practice since I'd made the little dagger, and this was better, plus I'd used some of Emma's strongest alloy. I set an immense tigers eye cabochon into the pommel for a little manly glitz. Magni studied this unexpected gift closely and his grin nearly split his face. "Well done, Captain."

I smiled indulgently as Magni took off after a bow to me, clutching both daggers. "What did you bet on?" Torunn asked.

"If your brother learned to lead responsibly and well, I'd give him the dagger. It was less a bet and much more of an incentive. He was a little too eager for glory in battle." She looked a little forlorn. I smiled. "Tell you what. You earn a place in your uncle's bodyguard, and I'll make a blade for you," I said, and she eagerly accepted. I'd have to get going on it; I spoke frequently with Loki's guard captain and he kept me up to date on her progress. It wouldn't be long before she was ready. The captain wasn't thrilled to have a woman joining his force, but he was a fair man and when she earned her place, she'd be accepted.

Modi, when I saw him next, was having a temperamental teenage mood. His mind wasn't on the lesson, so I sat him down and we talked. It wasn't easy growing up in his brother's shadow. Magni was well-liked and outgoing, a version of their father, and Modi was more like his mother in temperament, more guarded unless among friends. He had real responsibilities but unlike his brother, no tangible inheritance of rule. "And don't think to warn me of my uncle's misdeeds," he said, sighing. "I've heard it all, and truthfully I don't wish my brother harm. I love him and wish for his success. I just want my own place in the world. Where I'm not just the spare after the heir, or that I'm just here because of a prophecy that names me."

I was silent a moment, considering what he said. "I understand your desire to be recognized for your own merits," I said finally. "It isn't too early to consider what role you want to fill when you're a man. You will be a skilled warrior too, and you're smart; you could rise to become a general in Asgard's army. If that's what you want to do. You could also learn from Loki's experience and carve out a different role for yourself. Identify a need and fill it. And don't forget that we will be facing Ragnarok sooner or later. There might be whole new opportunities that neither of us can anticipate after that is over. My advice to you is to figure out what you're interested in and what you're good at. Then consult with people who have experience or knowledge in those areas, and start to craft your future. You don't have to be relegated to the spare unless you want that or fail to act to earn a different role." Modi considered this, thanked me, and took himself away.

"I worry for Modi," Sif said, stepping out of the shadows. "Thor and I are trying not to repeat the mistakes Odin and Frigga made with Loki, but he's a difficult child in some respects. Magni was easier at that age, eager to prove his manhood on the field and in the bedroom, but Modi... he thinks too much." She smiled slightly.

"Magni is a tough act to follow," I acknowledged. "But at least Modi is thinking about his options, which don't seem to include deposing his brother."

"We can be grateful," Sif agreed. "And we are careful in how we guide him. But he would do well in the Guard and as an advisor to Magni. Modi is quite intelligent, but he has the soul of a warrior."

"Is there some sort of an elite unit to which he could aspire?" I asked, leaning back and frowning. "Earth militaries have special forces that recruit the best in their specialties. Is there something like that that Modi could work toward? Earning a place, then leading it?"

"No," Sif said slowly. "But perhaps it is time for a little specialization."

"Thor could pop by Folkvangr and consult with Steve," I suggested. "Get some ideas about how it could be done. Steve led a specialist unit created especially for him, he'd know what to do. Loki might also have some ideas. I don't think he'd like his nephew to make the same mistakes that he did, and Loki can be quite subtle in his guidance." Certainly my children had benefited from their godfather's trickiness. Sif seemed interested in this and we talked some more before I left.

I dropped by Loki's office at Columbia. He was just getting ready to leave, so we left his offices, not much warmer than the outside. Power generation was a huge concern and everybody had to conserve. The coal and other fossil fuels were long gone, hydro was limited as was geothermal, solar a non-starter in this crisis where the sun was seldom glimpsed. Wind generated most of the energy although small nuclear reactors were coming in to vogue again and were being built as quickly as possible. The best ones updated thorium reactor technology and were much safer and easy to build. The delays were in refining the thorium fuel for use and until more reactors and wind turbines were online, a lot of people were cold. There had been a lot of deaths due to exposure. It was very difficult to get the wind turbines built with the weather so awful, so the abundant wind went largely unharnessed. Logging the national forests wasn't the solution either, for outside of the environmental concerns, the snow was too deep and the ice too treacherous for logging to be done. It was a terrible situation to be in.

Loki was probably the only person on the planet who didn't mind much. He was wearing a cloth coat these days, having given his high tech parka to his secretary to help keep her alive. My swansfeather cape had magic attached to it so I was kind of chilled but not really cold. I had thick, lined mittens and the hood that I'd made with Hela's gift when I was recovering from the valkyrie bond debacle, so I was in pretty good shape. The same could not be said for the few others we saw on the street.

Loki blinked through snow as a snowball caught him in the face. "Asgardian fucker!" an individual yelled, pelting him with more snowballs. "You aliens! This is your fault!" Loki's bodyguards moved to intercept, but we'd drawn interest, and others were heading our way.

"Get out of here!" the guard captain yelled at his boss, and I took Loki by the arm and escorted him away quickly. But others were coming. We ducked into an alley, hiding on the far side of a dumpster that hadn't been serviced in some time, and Loki sent one of his duplicates, appearing to stride quickly through the snow. It diverted the onlookers, who followed it.

We waited to be sure it was calm before emerging from the alley. I gave him my cape, hood, and mittens to wear and went incorporeal, which had advantages and disadvantages, but my outerwear would help deflect attention from Loki. Hopefully.

It worked; we got to the Asgard embassy without further incident, although I could have poofed into existence quickly to defend him had there been more unpleasantness. Loki shrugged it off as he hung up my cloak and accessories. "Resentment is to be expected," he said matter-of-factly. "Ragnarok is a legend from Asgard, a Norse myth. Nobody really is prepared for the reality of a myth." He escorted me into a small room that was easier to heat and we had cups of precious coffee. I explained what brought me to him, and he considered the issues confronting his nephew. "He is lucky that he has not been brought up with the expectation that he could rule," he stated. "And many have had a hand in diverting him from the path that I was on. I could see him doing several things, for he is gifted. Yet perhaps the suggestion you made that would create a special force from the Asgardian guards would suit him best. Who can tell? It is up to him to decide. It would not accord with Asgardian sense of honor to use what are known here as "black ops" but specialization could be valuable." He thought about that for a bit, then put it aside. "My brother will have to decide that," he said. "Now, tell me how things are in Valhalla."

"Snowy, icy, cold, dark, and filled with people who are pissed at me because we have to scrimmage in all that and train," I said, rolling my eyes. He laughed.

"Mother told me you delicately got things in motion."

"Nothing delicate about it. I was just persistent." I tugged absently on my pendant. "I just wish we knew more about the timing of it all."

Loki smiled. "Your pendant, combined with your induced skills, helps you to see things clearly where others cannot or will not."

I ducked my chin to look at the crystal that he, Thor, and Sif had given me at high school graduation, so long ago. "So what is this, anyway? When I first came to Valhalla, your mom was not pleased to see me with it, but I forgot to follow up on that."

"It is part of the crystal housing that contained the Mind stone that was in the scepter I used when I tried to take over Earth," he said factually. "It fractured when the being known as Vision was created, and Thor took the pieces back to Asgard. The crystal was inert when the Mind stone was placed inside it, but over time, it absorbed faint traces of its power. The piece you have is one that aids force of will. I believe at the time of our gift that this was conflated with concentration, but I believe that force of will is a truer representation of its effect. And now, after so long together, you and it are in tune and can accomplish much. I doubt you even notice you draw on its power any longer." Surprised, I stroked the crystal.

"How many pieces are there?"

"Just five," he said, relaxing.

"No wonder your mother was perturbed."

"Yes, she rather thought it was wasted on you, but she has come to see it differently," Loki said, smiling slightly.

"It's been very useful," I acknowledged, "but I'm not so sure I don't agree with her now that I know. I don't really do great things, and something like this should go with somebody who does."

"I disagree," Loki said immediately. "Your scientific work in life, although the patents are expired and superseded by other work, provided the foundation for lighting technology that is used to this day. It is not a source of heat, but it provides light, which is desperately needed during Fimbulwinter. And your impact in Valhalla is second only to Odin himself. Never before has someone stood up to Odin as you did and got him to change his mind, not even the formidable Emma. More importantly, he has modified his conduct. You have gotten everyone preparing for Ragnarok, whether they thought it necessary or not, and you have provided a confirmation to those of us who felt that the prophesy was not absolute. Thor and I have both been to the Norn. We have hope now where before we had none. So we work and we prepare, and perhaps it will be enough."

His comments and praise made me feel awkward. He mercifully changed the subject and we talked about Torunn and how she was progressing. I was helping her acquire the necessary skill with weapons and fighting techniques while the head of Loki's security was teaching her more about threat assessment and when and how to act. "She's progressing well," Loki said. "I expect that she will be ready to join my detachment by Walpurgis."

"I'm sorry for her because there aren't a lot of ways to use her skills on Asgard," I said. "But at least she has options."

"Midgard is a good place for out-of-water Asgardians to come and reinvent themselves," Loki said wryly. "Perhaps she'll find other interests here as well."

I couldn't stay long; as always, there was work to be done. Especially if Torunn would be taking up her professional responsibilities so soon, I needed to get her sword done. I had in mind a beautiful katana with a black-lacquered sheath and intricate metalwork. Maybe Emma could help with the ornamentation; she was so good with that work. I hopped over to Folkvangr and reported the scene in the city to her as well as my request. She shook her head over the incident and agreed to help with Torunn's sword. We talked about designs; Thor had told her that Torunn was captivated by snow leopards, so we figured out how to use that: an engraving on the blade and ornaments on the hilt. Other metalwork would be in the form of irises (wisdom and valor.)

I went home, satisfied. There was a lot that I wanted to keep my eye on and that took some managing. I made sure that I was ready for valkyrie training; Serena had taken over as our field leader and we were learning how to use the strategy and tactics she'd been studying with Steve. It meant a lot of practice. I made a point of attending each practice even when I had legitimate other duties and working hard to serve as an example for the valkyries who would rather stay inside where it was warm. I'd had to have words with them at one point and tell them that as new valkyries they'd had it easy, but that we didn't serve for an easy life. It irritated me that they took everything for granted, but then they hadn't been around for the big labor strike. They were starting to tune me out. After discussion with the older valkyries, the ones who had come back from Helheim sat the new ones down and set them straight. They only enjoyed the luxuries of the compound because of what we'd achieved and they were told, very clearly, that they had to earn this with their service. I understood that there might have been some diagrams involved as well. And if they felt that the price was too high, they needed to turn in their cloaks. And a few did, but the ones who remained quit whining and got to work. They were shocked when Odin banished the ones who quit to Helheim, but I just shrugged. "What did you expect? Valhalla is for warriors, the best of the best. The rest don't belong here." Ok, it was harsh, but with Ragnarok staring down at us, there wasn't time for hurt feelings. And it kept everybody focused on our responsibilities and motivated.

Walpurgis came along, and true to her uncle's prediction, Torunn was accepted into his guard. There wasn't a ceremony or anything, so at the end of our last practice before she took up her post, I gave her the sword. Emma couldn't make it; she was working with Tony on some fussy bits of stuff for some thing he was designing. Better her than me; I had enough work from him without having to deal with the detailed stuff. Torunn's eyes got big as I presented her with the katana, a companion tanto, and a couple of small knives that were easy to keep on her person. She loved the snow leopards and actually got a little moist around the eyes. Her parents sighed, regretful that their daughter was leaving home, but also proud of her accomplishments. Thor teased me about the arsenal I'd made for his daughter, and I smiled at him and Sif. "Sif and Loki were outstanding godparents to my children. I'm glad that I have the opportunity to assist yours. All three are special to me, but Torunn is especially dear."

It was a few days after that that Thor announced the creation of specialist forces in the Asgardian guard; there was an aerial combat group and one that sounded quite a lot like the Howling Commandos. Modi was young, but he joined the commandos. It wasn't just a royal appointment; Modi had a lot of skills he could offer, and his new commander recognized this. He also received the gift of sword and dagger for his accomplishment, and Magni was eager to understand the implications of how his brother's unit could be used. He was shaping up to be a fine commander, more innovative than his father.

It was a very hopeful time, since the snow was showing signs of melting, and we were all holding our breath, wondering if we'd finally reached the end of Fimbulwinter. Thrimilcy was celebrated with almost desperation; everyone who could find it within themselves joined to give spring a much-needed boost. Tony and I talked about it and decided to participate together; neither of us had or wanted a different partner. And while the sex was as spectacular as ever, that deep connection we'd had was no more. It was just excellent exercise rather than the bonding of a relationship, and while I missed that feeling, I realized for the first time that I really was ok with the change in our relationship, that we'd actually successfully navigated the treacherous way back to friendship. A deep, sincere, precious and meaningful friendship, but that intimate spark was gone. And I didn't mourn it. I was facing firmly toward the future.

When spring arrived, we had to deal with a lot of flooding and practices were temporarily suspended. The buildings didn't flood much because they'd been built with an eye toward defense--on the tops of hills or rises--but the land had to be drained so crops could be planted. And that was hard work that we weren't used to anymore. Holly had been right; our eyes were having trouble getting used to sunlight again. Not just sunlight, bright sunshine--those who could blow glass were busy making lenses for sunglasses and I created a chemical film to darken them while the other smiths made metal wire frames. They weren't snazzy, but they worked as we got accustomed to bright light again. It cracked me up to see the einherjar working in the fields with their shades. Even Odin helped to drain the fields and get the planting started. You had to admire that kind of leadership. We borrowed a bunch of people from Helheim to help with the planting and the sheep shearing. The sheep were happier than we were that spring was back and gamboled after they were shorn. Getting the wool cleaned and ready for spinning was a priority; we cut way back on our practices and worked well into the night spinning thread for the looms. The looms were set up as we went, and those who weren't spinning worked hard to weave the cloth. When they outpaced the supply of thread, they made sure that the roving was ready for us and did other work. It wasn't just us, though, everybody was working hard, mostly in the fields. And you've never lived until you've seen legendary Viking warriors arguing about the best way to plow a field. They had contests. It wasn't just us, all the Nine Realms were digging out, cleaning up, and getting back on track.

The cocks did not crow.