A/N: This is a reposted chapter. Some edits are
being made to try and adjust for the continuity's
sake and to try and help this story make a little
more sense for when the next installment comes.

Burdens of Purpose
Chapter One: Word of War

Sessrumir was beautiful in its own right. The capital of Vanaheim and the seat of Queen Freyja, the entire city was not nearly as ornate as Odin's. Instead its beauty was simpler, more efficient, and one of nature instead of gold. Lush, green pastures nestled in valleys, rivers ran deep and wide around the city, and the people had been at peace for the last three years. Perhaps Eir's hand had tilted the war in that direction, but neither Freyja nor Odr would say for certain.

For nearly three decades the Vanir had been at war - with one another, with neighboring cities, and even other worlds (less often, but more viciously than the longer wars with their brothers) - the entire realm had become a mess. Odr grew desperate over the years, unable to calm his people. Unable to stamp out the disturbances wherever they rose. Uniting his people in the defense of their home seemed impossible.

Thankfully that time had ended, bringing peace of mind to the ruling family and their flock. Eir, handmaiden of Frigga and emissary to Vanaheim, had been one of many assets in the wars as well as the peace. On the battlefield, her talent for healing magic and protective spells had no equal. She was well-equipped for formulating peace treaties and meeting with vassals of the opposing armies. During the peace, she tended to Freyja, acted as a counselor to all who came looking, and a healer of the sick. It was a role she was more than comfortable filling.

Combat practice left her tired and dripping with sweat. Her leather boots thudded on the gilded tiles as she made her way to the throne room, vigilant Sven at her side. The feline beast's shoulder was as high as her own. Powerful legs and massive paws made him a sturdy mount, as well as a force not to be trifled with in battle. Here, however, the predator seemed as amiable as a kitten. This was his home, where he was in no danger. However, he stiffened as the pair crossed the threshold into the throne room, feeling the tension in his mistress' hand as her fingers gripped his ruff.

The room was as wide as it was tall (roughly seven ropes), walls covered with intricate stone etchings and tapestries. Outside the windows to her right - being the only windows - Eir saw the river bordering the eastern wall of the keep. The frenzied aura that rolled off Odr in waves often didn't bother her, but something had even persistently-calm Freyja unsettled. A headache began to form behind the healer's eyes. Such was part of her gift, she supposed, and a useful talent it was - this being able to pick up on the emotions and ailments of those around her. Still, it had its drawbacks.

"Eir, glad to see our summons reached you quickly," Odr boomed across the room. The corners of his lips were upturned, as though in an attempt to smile. The only impression it gave the comparably young witch was that he had smelled month-old milk.

When she reached the dais, Eir curtsied before lifting her face to the Lord and Lady. "Had anyone but Ari carried it, I would have received it hours earlier." The jab at the favored page did nothing to lighten the mood. A glance at Sven eased a few of her nerves. He was a force not to be tested, an observation that made her feel safe when bad news lingered in the air, yet unsaid. "May I ask why I was called upon?"

Freyja stood, stepping down from her throne towards her emissary and companion for the last two decades. "Frigga summoned you back to Asgard. She did not say why, but Hulda claims it is urgent."

'Hulda?'

Movement to her left pulled Eir's attention away from the beautiful queen of the Vanir. A pale figure stood at the foot of the dais. Her blonde hair had been pulled back tight enough that the woman's face was in danger of splitting. Eir remembered the courier-and-guide. Hulda was a sort of go-between for Vanaheim and Asgard, carrying messages and, on rare occasion, people between the two worlds. The healer nodded once to the woman, then regarded Freyja. "You will be well during my absence?" Her eyes searched the queen's face, not wanting to leave without assurance the people she had spent so much time with would remain at peace. Rather, she didn't wish to leave Vanaheim at all—there was still so much work to do. However, if Frigga called, she was bound to answer. And perhaps she was a bit eager to return home.

A laugh touched Queen Freyja's warm brown eyes, crow's feet deepening just a bit. "We survived well before you, and we will be well after. Regardless, your queen's debt has been settled." A slender hand rested on her companion's shoulder, squeezing gently. "Go home. I am sure Frigga misses you."

The messenger closed with the pair, her watchful presence an aggravating buzzing in Eir's head. "If we may make our leave, now," she pushed. "I am to return posthaste."

Sven rubbed his head against his mistress' shoulder. His throat rumbled with what, coming from a mountain cat, passed for a purr. They had been inseparable soon after her arrival in Vanaheim. Being apart was going to feel like walking without a leg. Eir faced him, taking his enormous head in her hands. "I'll come back. Promises." With a smile, she planted a kiss on his nose.

"Nonsense," Odr chortled. "He is useless to us. Your silly, womanly ways have broken him of his vitality."

Freyja shot him a look over her shoulder, grinning with the knowledge he was trying to be humorous. "He is right, to a degree. Take him. I would imagine Asgard would be a nice change of scenery."

Hulda cleared her throat. Loudly.

"Very well," Eir conceded. "Let us go, then. I have missed my home a great deal."

With that, Freyja hugged her attendant and returned to her seat. Hulda led the pair outside onto the steps on the keep and raised a staff Eir hadn't noticed, the dulled steel tip glowing with a blue light. Each holding onto another - Hulda and Eir by hands, Eir and Sven by hand and ruff - the messenger tapped the butt of her staff on the tile floor. A shaft of light enveloped the three; Eir's stomach contents jostled about as though she had been riding a bilgesnipe.

When she opened her eyes, Eir was in the courtyard of Odinheim, the giant castle that housed the royal family of Asgard. How long had it been since she'd been home? The better part of thirty years, for sure. The scent of the flowers strewn throughout the courtyard brought back many memories of sitting with Frigga, learning to hone her gift and expand her talents. Despite Hulda's thorny presence, Eir eased into the feeling of being home for the first time in far too long. Many of her friends had probably grown without her, changing as the years rolled by. It was a sad thought, that those close to her in her younger days may have forgotten her altogether, but it was something she had accepted before she left.

They reached the throne room, and Frigga greeted her once-and-always handmaiden, beaming with arms outstretched. "Eir! It is so good to see you!" The pair embraced in a tight hug, both laughing with ease.

It diminished the nervousness in Eir's stomach, but not to the point it was gone. She was acutely aware of Odin's eye on them. There was a heavy weight on his mind that worried the healer.

"How have you been, my dear?" Frigga asked, holding her at arms' length. "You've definitely grown during your time away."

Eir smiled faintly, bowing her head. "I have, though that is only good in so many ways, my queen." Which was true. Her barriers were harder to penetrate than before. Healing no longer took such a heavy toll on neither her body nor spirit. She could give life to those that would otherwise be dead. However, her barriers needed constant maintaining. Her empathy had no off switch, leaving her in a constant - normally tolerable - state of physical and emotional flux as everyone within three leagues changed. Most of the time, such changes faded into background noise until Eir decided to focus on one particular point, much as Heimdall was capable of. Sometimes it wasn't so easy.

She shuddered at the thought of granting life back to the would-be dead. They never came back quite the same. The more the threads of life had frayed, the more twisted they were upon breathing again. Once those threads were cut, however, there was no saving them.

"Who is this intimidating fellow?"

Eir turned at the sound of a new voice, furrowing her brow. When her eyes focused on him, her smile widened and she opened her arms. "Thor!" Before her departure, she was often found with Odin's sons, playing tricks with Loki and healing them after they fought over trivialities. They studied together after classes and practiced their individual skills against one another. As they grew, she spent more time with them in study or official ceremonies and less time in leisure. Thor was obviously being groomed for the throne, as was Loki by proxy. And Eir continued to grow as a witch and healer, gaining as much lore and history as she could along the way. She needed to be well versed in many fields if she was to become a Valkyrie, to be so much more than just an attendant to the royal family.

"Aye." He pulled her against him, popping the joints in her back as he lifted her from the ground. "It has been too long, friend. How was Vanaheim?"

She laughed, hugging him back until she was placed back on the floor. "Vanaheim is faring well these days, and I hope it continues to do so while I am away." Fondly, her hand found the side of Sven's neck, scratching the sweet spot just behind his jaw. "This is Sven, a gift from Freyja." The cat snorted and pressed his head against her shoulder. Eir chuckled. "And my most faithful companion for the last couple decades. Sven, this is Queen Frigga, King Odin, and his son Prince Thor." Sven flared his nostrils at each, swishing his tail contentedly.

"He is very handsome. A prized gift indeed." Frigga didn't need to stroke the cat's ego as far as Eir was concerned. It was humorous, though, to see the cat nuzzle the queen, pleased with the praise.

Odin lifted his head, weary of waiting. "I have missed you as well, young witch, but there are more pressing matters at hand than exchanging pleasantries." Frigga returned to her husband's side, Eir and Thor standing at attention. "Heimdall has seen Loki on Midgard. Your duty is to retrieve him so that he may face judgment for his crimes."

Eir remembered Loki well, the younger prince being more quiet and interested in books rather than battle. His love for trickery and wit over heavy-handed force set him apart amongst the other Asgardians, and she had greatly enjoyed his company as a child. In her adulthood, they had grown much closer, and they practiced magic together often. They walked the woods at night, escaped their chambers to hijack a skiff every now and again. He showed her the secrets of Asgard that no one else seemed to even be curious about. That he would commit one crime, let alone multiple, seemed far-fetched.

She peered up with a start. "I received word Loki died last year." She had mourned, even, given their history together.

"He lives." Odin sighed, shifting in his gilded seat. "That is why you were summoned."

The room went still, uncomfortable. "Surely I would celebrate," she started and gestured outward with her hands. "Given word that he has not passed on, but what could he have done that would require my return?"

"Not only what he has done, but what he is planning. Go with Thor to Midgard. Heimdall has seen Loki and the Chitauri, creatures not found in the Nine Realms. The Midgardians have found the Tesseract, and Loki plans to use it to unleash the them upon Earth." He paused, and Eir sorted him out from the rest of the fuzz in her head.

'He is worried,' she observed. 'Angry.' Her headache was beginning to worsen as the king spoke.

"Heimdall suspects there will be much bloodshed. Bring him back with the Tesseract as quickly as possible." He looked directly at Eir, stone-faced as always. "Keep the blood to a minimum. There is no need for war with the humans; the Chitauri are enough of a threat on their own. I will get you as close as I can, but Heimdall tells me they are taking him by airship." His eyes were back on his son. "Find him. Bring him home."

Thor tilted his head down, solemn. "Yes, father."

"As you command, my lord." Eir bowed deeply.

Odin gathered what strength he could and took a deep breath. As he did, Frigga added as a note, "We will take care of your Sven until you return."

This caught Eir's attention. "What? But, my lady, I ne-"

Magic crashed into her like a tidal wave, pushing the air out of her lungs. Weightlessness and surprise mixed into nausea as she panicked. Sven had never left her side for long, and never at all in battle. If this was to get bloody, Eir was going in without a weapon. Sure, her barriers were some of the strongest, but Eir didn't fight with her magic. While she was more than capable of using her hands, Sven tended to be her offense so she could focus on defense. Such was her job, though: prevent bloodshed. Eir waited, trying to calm her stomach before the contents were lost in transport. She would have to make do without him. Fear sprouted in the back of her head. Hopefully war was not as close to the horizon as Heimdall thought.