THUNDER CHILD
"WHERE IS THE QUEEN!"
The roar of fury echoed from the seat of the great throne down into the deepest vault and up through the halls of learning, from the quiet sectors of research to the sleeping quarters of the stablehands. Not an ear within an hours' walk of the palace was spared the demand from the king of Asgard; there were some who swore it was heard as far off as the Great Bridge itself, causing it to shudder in response. The guards made themselves scarce, seeming to look for the queen—which, in truth, they were—and even those in battle practice wisely took their weapons as far from the darkened eyes of the All-Father as they dared.
Everyone knew, of course, the reason for the daily disruption. One had only to see the statues and tables smoldering in piles of ash, the long uneven slashes in the marble columns, the upturned chairs and torn draperies to know that the lonely infant prince was again on the loose—with no one to control him.
Taking strides that carried him from one end of the palace to the other in scarcely a heartbeat, Odin caught up to the cause of desolation. Rolling with delight on the floor, the future king of Asgard laughed with sheer joy as sparks flew from his plump fingers to the flickering rainbow clouds over his head, and from there gaining momentum to crash loudly into whatever solid object lay in the path. He stopped when he heard the fuming presence of bootheels against the marble floor come to a halt. Pushing himself upright, Thor beamed with cherubic trust at the flaring nostrils and narrow gaze that seemed to breathe threat and malice.
Despite his frustration, Odin softened at the smile that could melt the heart of a frost giant. Bending down to the upraised arms, he shook his head with disapproval.
"You cannot do this, child," he said reprovingly. "If you don't stop this madness, there will be no palace from which you may rule!"
Blinking in pain and hurt, Thor's face fell when he realized his father was not going to sweep him up. He had been alone most of the morning, and by this time he was hungry, bored and lonesome. He lifted his arms once again to his father, hoping for comfort. But Odin was determined that his son would have the inner firmness needed to govern, and refused to ease the harshness of his correction. Tempted though he was by the pleading innocence, he stepped back as he called again for the queen.
Heavy tears the size of small grapes splashed to form small pools of sadness; when the sniffle of regret became an outward sob, Odin realized his mistake too late. In an instant, Thor had risen to unsteady feet and plundered away, whimpering as he searched for the one person who never rejected him.
Despite Odin's quick strides, Thor outdistanced him, his ability to use wind as an ally coming as another surprising skill. He could hear his son's plaintive whine as he swept from one end of the grounds to the other, growing more frustrated with each moment. Always a step behind—and quickly the steps became two, then three—Odin could only bellow out for the guards to give aid in catching the escaping prince. But even the paladins and sentinels knew better than to corner the child when he was in this mood. It hadn't taken them long to learn that when Thor had no desire to be touched by anyone, he could make it a painful lesson not soon forgotten.
Odin stormed into the garden, groaning at the uprooted shrubs, over-ended benches, broken fences and stripped tree bark. As usual, his son's path of destruction was easy to find—but the toddler was now nowhere to be found. Even looking for the tell-tale cloud that often followed his curious wandering was not visible; this time, the prince was obviously upset about something, and if not stopped soon, could leave the palace grounds to cause havoc in the city.
The All-Father stopped to lean against one of the few untouched trees, letting the cool breeze calm his temper. His own father had warned him about wishing for a child with strength and power beyond his own; after all, no male wants his heir to be greater by such a wide margin. But Odin had foreseen a future where the very fabric of the cosmos was in danger, one with enemies whose faces were in shadow but whose power left no doubt as to their intent. More than anyone else, he understood the need for the dynamism hidden in that small frame, a terrible strength that would one day save not only Asgard but all the realms of the great Tree.
Yet it will come to nothing without the one person who could rein him in.
He knew why she often slipped away alone; he understood how his impatience for an heir had betrayed her trust—a pain he regretted, but felt necessary. He had been assured that she would come around in time, and there was no doubt of her love for his son. But even he had not foreseen that she was to be the nexus for Thor's life; without her taking her major role at this stage of his growth, it would be impossible for him to fulfill his destiny…
Odin sighed, closing his eyes. Where are you hiding, my elska, when you are so badly needed?
The thick gloom of the Trondelag valley was heavy with the threat of rain. Frigga could just see the outline of the city beyond the hilltops, the spires glistening proudly in the shimmer of sun and starlight. She managed a smile. Even at this distance, the beauty and radiance of Asgard was impossible to ignore, making the hardest of hearts skip a beat.
But even this could only give her temporary ease from her reverie. It served as yet another reminder that she had failed to give Odin the heir he needed.
Clenching her hands tightly in her lap, she bit back the urge to scream a protest at the universe. She did not blame him for his choice; in fact, she understood it better than most. Her own sister had chided her for not berating him, for instead accepting the infant as part of the family. And why not? she thought with a touch of anger. He was helpless, and so beautiful that no sane person could resist him.
She managed a slight chuckle. Which was now serving to get him in constant trouble, she thought with amusement. There were times when she had considered suggesting that Odin take him to a battle arena and let him loose on the combatants; Thor was destructive enough to ruin the arrogant confidence surrounding many of their stronger youths.
Her humor faded. It was for that very reason that the All-Father should find him a proper mother, one who would best serve his needs as a warrior and king. Though she was not incapable when it came to fighting—she had worked with the Valkyrie maidens as well as the home guard—she never felt that battle was her best ability. She could usually persuade her way out of any situation, and had even done so for Odin more than once, avoiding needless bloodshed and earning the respect of many members of the Nine Realms.
But Odin had made it clear to everyone that his son would be a true warrior king, capable of winning the battles even if he had to do it alone. Frigga had given up trying to reason with him; once his mood had been set, only the logic time could change it.
She could see the same traits in Thor, even now as babe. She shuddered to think of where such power would lead him, should those thoughts continue…
Odin knocked on the entryway to the Athenaeum, one of the few libraries that were foreign to him. The scholars here were not just arcane seekers of knowledge or workers of old magic; they were analysts and examiners of the universe at large, researchers and academists in the deep workings of all aspects of existence. Many Asgardians thought they were odd at best, anti-social weaklings at worst, since most of them would rather cloister away with their studies than to brandish weapons to test their strength. Yet their contribution of power weapons along with swift ground and space crafts were often overlooked, especially by the king of the realm, who by and large forbade the use of advanced weaponry by everyone except the palace sentinels.
This was one of the few times Odin began to doubt his caution in suppressing them in their researching the deep secrets, as they were now likely to be his last hope for his son.
He was startled when the door soundlessly disappeared to reveal a tall, slender woman draped in shimmering silver robes, greeting him with a bow and who could not help but smile with pride at his reaction.
"Apologies, All-Father," she said in a sultry voice. "It is rare that we have un-announced visitors; normally we are able to warn outsiders of what to expect when they come to us. How may we be of service?"
She gestured for him to cross the entrance. Odin straightened himself, clearing his throat to mask his uncharacteristic loss of composure.
"I realize that I should have spoken to your group sooner," he began gruffly. "But my time is short. I find myself… in need of your counsel."
Leading him into the solar, his guide waved her hand over a flickering globe. Within moments, four more scientists appeared as if out of nowhere, gliding across the floor without taking a step, their vestments barely moving as they each bowed their respects. They looked at each other with wonder, then faced Odin with questioning stares.
"I should introduce us," his guide said at last. "Pardon our lack of manners, but as I stated, we do not have guests often. I am Soile, daughter of your chief paladin. The younger man to your far left is Alexius; his specialty is to commune with the Great Tree itself."
Odin was taken aback. "You…can do that?" he said, unable to hide his amazement.
The shy young man nodded with an embarrassed smile, but said nothing.
Odin looked at Soile in fascination. "He has the rare gift to speak to that which has no voice," she answered his puzzlement. "But in return, he is unable to speak aloud to those of us in this world. Nevertheless, he makes himself quite clear when he needs to."
The others chuckled at the inside joke; Odin could only gaze in wonder at them all.
"The elder facing you is Gilmar. He is our spokesman; no doubt you have seen him before."
Odin nodded. "Forgive my not recognizing you. I've never seen you except in official garments."
Gilmar spread his hands, understanding. "Which makes this visit all the more interesting," he said, his voice more that of a much younger person. "My colleagues Yrian and Pia are dying of curiosity to learn what has brought the king of Asgard into our domain."
Odin paced back and forth briefly, but had never been one to withhold his demands. "I need help with controlling my son," he blurted out at last. "If something is not done, his power will destroy Asgard and, quite possibly, himself."
He was surprised to see that his request did not seem unexpected; in fact, they each gave a thoughtful nod.
"We suspected this day would come," Pia said slowly. "The princes' exploits are not unknown to us. In fact, we thought you would have asked shortly after his arrival."
Yrian agreed. "Considering his mother's tremendous bellipotency, we thought the child would need our help and guidance long before this."
Odin frowned, feeling himself threatened. "Where did you hear…how did you know…"
Soile waved her hand. "Remember, my lord, that Alexius speaks to the Tree itself. There are no secrets that it does not know, and Alexius is very good at asking. "
"But in this case," Yrian continued, "we did not ask but were warned. However, we were not told what to do or how best we could help you."
"Well, you'll have to do better than that," Odin snapped more harshly than he intended. "If you don't, we may be forced to exile him until he reaches maturity. I can't have him destroy the entire realm!"
The scientists looked at each other with mild concern. "Is it not true that the queen can manage him quite well?" Pia asked.
"Well…yes," Odin admitted. "But…"
His voice trailed as his face began to betray his feelings. Gilmar held up his hand before anyone could speak; he knew from the pain in the king's bearing that the situation was far beyond anything a warrior could handle. With a slight wave, he dismissed the others, then turned to Odin and gave a deep bow.
"My lord…we will do our level best to find a solution. "
"Make it soon," Odin growled gratefully, turning on his heel to leave. "I don't know how much longer the palace can hold up as his…play pen."
Frigga didn't realize she had drifted into a restless sleep until the squeal of delight reached her ears from across the meadow. Bounding and falling as fast as thick little legs could bear him, the young master of mayhem was trying to run to her, spending more time on the ground than in the air, venting his frustration with bolts of lightning that landed well away from her.
With an unintentional laugh, Frigga rose and ran to meet him. No sooner had he found his way into her arms than the bright blue eyes cast skyward, willing the clouds away and bringing the sun to beam happily on his most important person. Small hands that had crushed the fingers of grown men, broken the shaft of weapons and snapped the heads of unwanted creatures that found their way into his bed had now grasped and held the queen of Asgard as though she were the most delicate of crystal. Arms that had more than once forced the breath from his father were wrapped around his mothers' neck as he buried his face in her hair and gave brief sobs, wondering why she had gone away without him.
She walked a short way with him, singing softly and promising that she would not do it again. The prince gave a sigh and relaxed; in moments his exploits caught up with him and he was fast asleep. Frigga then willed a window, stepping through it back into the palace, smiling at the relieved faces as she made her way to the upper level chambers, marveling at the carnage one child could do when he was frustrated.
The soft light and calm breeze in this corner of the palace seemed worlds away from the fading chaos of cleanup below. She was not surprised to see Odin waiting for her, impatiently tapping his fingers on his knee as she drifted into the room, his eyes blazing with concern and annoyance. He started to speak, but one lift of an eyebrow warned him not to awaken the child as he recharged himself in her arms. Instead he gave a soft whistle of relief, then rose to meet her with a gentle arm around her waist.
"I see he had no trouble finding you," he whispered hoarsely, admiring the thick sunlit curls ruffled against Frigga's deep red braids. "Maybe it was for the best that he did leave so that as king he would have a palace from which to rule."
He stroked her cheek fondly, sensing the reason for her sad countenance. "Pray, do not trouble your heart," he said, turning her chin toward him. "In time, he will have siblings to keep him occupied and the palace will be safer for it."
"In time, he will be an adult," she retorted, failing to keep the bitterness from her tone. "By then it will not matter."
Odin rested his chin on her free shoulder. "I do not think it will be as long as you might fear," he reassured her. He looked at his son, then back to her. Besides, one of these is more than enough, he reminded himself silently. Though I doubt any son of ours will be quite this much of a handful.
Frigga gently folded her bundle onto the soft covers, shading his face from the still bright sky to insure he slept well. She then stepped back with a wistful look of surrender. "Perhaps," she conceded. Turning to the king with a sudden twinkle in her eyes, she gave a sly smile. "After all, we cannot be certain since there is so little time for us to…put it to the test."
"Oh really," Odin replied dryly, his eyes and body suddenly focused on her alone. He reached out, but she daintily eluded his grasp.
"I should see to the correcting of our son's mischief," she sang over her shoulder as she sauntered away. "It will take some time to convince the staff that this behavior will eventually turn in a more useful direction."
Watching her with hunger and admiration as she made her way out with sensual elegance, Odin grinned. My dear queen, you'll be surprised how quickly such matters can be delegated so you will be able to give your time to more important matters…
Alexius sat with long legs folded beneath him, slender arms tightly hugging his chest as his worried gaze shifted from Gilmar to Pia in turn. Their heads had not lifted from the screen which, to normal eyes, seemed only to display cascades of blue and white pools intermingled with flashes of lightning. But they all knew the code, and the two elders were slowly re-reading the message to be certain to understand its true meaning.
At last Pia's head slowly broke from the viewer, which blinked out with the break. Gilmar sighed as he gave Alexius a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"It is as you told us," he said with a slow smile. "But we had to consult about the where, not the what of the answer you gave us."
Alexius tipped his head slightly, eager eyes hoping for a good answer. But Pia shook her head, rubbing her brow thoughtfully. "We will have to be content with the clues we have been given," she said at last, her deep voice touched with irritation. "I suppose it was too much to ask that we be told more than to just 'find a weapon as proper companion fitting the role he is to play'. Do you not think it should have been a touch more vague?"
Gilmar winked at her sarcasm. "Careful, my dear, lest next time we are not told even this much." He paused, his mind trying to analyze the gravity of their task. "We will not be able to do this without help," he conceded. "We must have everyone participate if we are to find this special item before the prince reaches maturity. From what we understand, beyond that point the bonding will not be possible."
Alexius nodded eagerly, then pointed to a particularly dark area of the sky above them. Both elders turned to follow his hand, straining to see the object of his attention. They frowned; it appeared to be an area devoid of even the hint of star life. Pia turned to him questioningly, watching his hand and body movements as he made his thoughts visual.
Gilmar slowly nodded. "You may be right," he admitted. "Soile and her students may be the best detectives for this quest. They know the stars better than anyone in the Nine Realms, and if they cannot find whatever it is we have been told to seek, no one will. We may even need to consult the keepers of the vault, though I hope that will be a last resort."
"But they do have an understanding of lore and weapons that we lack," Gilmar reminded her. "Besides, it will do them good to get out in the open once in a while. Too much time with those relics and they'll soon become one."
Alexius clapped happily, his face beaming. "And of course you will get to work with Soile again," Pia assured him with a wink. "I know that will please both of you."
Gilmar looked at the night sky once more. As the stars of the realms beamed their light and life throughout the cosmos, he began to understand the significance of the newly revealed anomaly. Gaia loves to watch us struggle with her puzzles, he mused, else there would be no cause for us to think and reason. But she also gives small measures of help along the way, and this time it involves her direct offspring. I have the feeling she has something beyond special in mind, and what we discover along the way should make it worth the effort…if, that is, we survive the journey.