I.

Odin was expecting him. He would be waiting at the entrance of the palace, at the end of the long trail laid of gold. He flew in haste for he was never a patient one. The feel of the wind fluttering through his hair excited him and Asgard could be seen in the distance. With a vigorous chuckle from deep in the belly, he quickened pace as if he were a child again. The great walls of Asgard were, if not intimidating, awe inspiring. Vernen was Asgardian born thus the sight filled him with a nostalgic sense of pride. Soaring above the cliffs, he caught a glimpse of the fields of Battle. He became troubled. Vernen recalled the reason for his journey and grew serious. He turned his face back in the direction of the palace. Even after all those years, he still knew the way.

Vernen had come from Alfheim, Home of the Light Elves. They had accepted him as one of their own so long ago but now, he had to return to Asgard. He never thought that he would. Lowering himself onto the golden trail, Vernen started his way up the walk. Through his fresh uneasiness, he greeted Odin with a smile. He addressed him with a raise of his arm and Odin pulled him in for an embrace.

"Brother!" Odin said.

Odin and Vernen were not truly brothers but had been good friends since birth. The welcome was enough to comfort Vernen and he felt himself relax. The muscles of his shoulders slackened and he felt as a warrior might after shrugging a heavy shield from their back. "Odin, it has been long, has it not? You have shrunk or could it be, the myths exaggerate!" Odin laughed at that, a thunderous sound.

"You only grow more facetious with age! You once were a tight lipped man, your time with the Elves of Alfheim shows!"

Vernen followed his friend toward the palace while relaying the tale of his travels. The palace had not changed. A younger Vernen had once climbed the columns and ran down the great halls swinging wooden swords and a play-axe. There were many stories he could tell about his adventures with Odin and their warrior friends. This brought him thoughts of his wife, Eira, and he furrowed his brow. Odin saw his friend's discomfort and paused before the entrance steps.

"So the greater obstacle is not the journey but the destination. Why, Vernen, did you return after all these years? Why did you request an audience?"

Vernen envied his friend's boldness but it was indeed unsettling. He gave a deep sigh.

"I come to you with a dream that plagues me but first, I must tell you. Before Eira disappeared, she bore me a daughter."

Vernen was not congratulated because Odin saw the look in his friend's eyes. He was silent and Vernen said: "She is not welcome to live in Alfheim any longer. Not since her name was given and the King heard of it."

Vernen turned his eyes to see if anyone was near and then he inclined his head to Odin, "Before Eira disappeared, my daughter was given the name Vigdis."

Odin raised his brow at this. Odin said: "A Goddess of War."

The two watched each other. A silence ensued.

Then out of the foyer and down the stairs came a young boy. He was a sturdy lad with a head of hair the color of gold, same as the trail beneath the men's feet. Vernen raised a brow at the boy he knew to be Odin's son. The son that was called Thor.

Vernen was surprised at the boys great height for he knew the lad was not yet eleven. So the stories had been true, all the talk of Odin's son and his impressive mien.

"Father!" The boy said.

Odin turned to his son as he spoke excitedly but Vernen did not hear. He was looking to the foyer. Another boy, much smaller in size, stood halfway hidden behind the gilded wall. The boy watched Odin and Thor before meeting Vernen's eyes and just like that, he had disappeared.
Vernen kept his eyes to the spot wondering where the other had run off to.

"Father."

Vernen spun around, startled. The little boy now stood behind them in the most adult manner, with his hands set politely behind his back. Both Odin and Thor had turned to face the boy that Odin acknowledged as Loki.

"I had not meant to break the dish, father. I was only curious as to what was drawn along the border."
Loki was much different in looks from his brother Thor. Quite opposite, thought Vernen, as night and day.
Loki was slight with a pallid complexion that was near sickly. As if that were not unfortunate enough, the poor lad had black hair the color of raven feathers! Vernen thought then that the boy was aware he had been sizing him up.
So with that and to avoid the unsettling gaze of the queer boy, Vernen said, "Oh, a dish! That is a trifle matter... When I was just a babe, I broke a table straight in two halves! Whilst supper sat upon it, Ha! Imagine the faces of the startled guests! I believe your father was there."
Both Thor and Loki, who had been looking to each other with animosity in their eyes, broke into grins. Soon the two burst into childish giggles.

"You were always quite the trouble maker, Vernen. Quiet and troublesome. I'm surprised your parents did not banish you long ago!" Odin said with a smile. He reached out and pat his longtime friend on the shoulder. "Come now! Let us go in and we can discuss this issue furthermore."
The brothers who had forgotten their tiff walked ahead of the men. "Perhaps over supper father? I am growing mightily hungry!" Thor said.
The men laughed and Odin reached out to ruffle his son's blonde head.
"As long as Vernen does not break the dining table in two!"
Vernen noted that the younger son had stopped his smiling and was looking off in the direction of the cliffs. He followed his gaze but saw nothing.
"Well," Vernen said looking back to Odin, "You have my word. I am working up an appetite myself." And the group went up the steps and into the palace.

The palace was lit by tall torches that cast shadows along the foyer. The group fell in and out of them as they headed toward the corridor. There were men in uniforms guarding the doors and they stood aside to let Odin pass. The guards were dressed in armor shining silver and gold. They wore headpieces that pointed upward and Vernen thought they were much more intimidating than the guards back in Alfheim. In the distance, there was the booming laughter of men and the stomping of large boots. The men were stamping out the chorus of a song. There were cheers. Odin led them up another set of stairs and Vernen thought he had forgotten how big the palace was. They came to another door. The same song that the men had been stomping out the rhythm to was now being sung in a floor trembling bass. The guards stepped aside and Odin threw open the doors. The men's singing ceased and Vernen saw that they were feasting. Men sat with turkey legs hanging from their teeth and foaming goblets raised in midair. There were rows and rows of tables piled with food. The room was crowded and alive with hanging lamps and the aroma of roasted pig. And oh, how many aromas there were! The smell of baked bread, sweet potatoes, garlic and strong ale wafted up from the tables. Vernen did not realize how hungry he had been until he was in the presence of food. His mouth watered and he pat his belly absent mindedly.

Odin raised his hands and then in a cheerful voice said: "Carry on!"

The men roared and stomped as they continued their song. There was a long dining table that over looked the men and Vernen remembered it as one they had sat at when they were children. Every night, Vernen's parents met with Odin's parents at this table to fest. He saw that this was the reason Odin chose to sup there.

The boys took their seats at the table. Loki waited patiently and Thor spooned lumps of mashed potatoes on to his plate. Odin sat at the end of the table and Vernen took the seat beside him. His stomach growled. Thor sat across from him and smiled, revealing the gap between his two front teeth.

Such a merry boy, he thought. This was not the time and place to address the issue of his daughter. He would have to wait until after dinner. He needed to drink to ease his nerves. Some complained that the drink clouded their minds but it only cleared his. He signaled a servant to pour him some ale.

"Looking at my sons remind me of us…when we were young."

Vernen turned his eyes on the boys. The two were talking animatedly, oblivious to the adults watching them. Their eyes were lit up with excitement as they partook in playful banter. Thor would open his mouth wide and Loki would try to toss a carrot into his brother's mouth. There was obvious admiration in Loki's eyes as little brothers often felt for their older sibling. It seemed the disagreement that had troubled them earlier had never happened. Vernen felt it had been so simple then, when he was a child.

"We had been so careless then, Odin. Ready to take on our fates with our swords and spirits held high." He said.

"It is a pleasure to be in their company, careless children, is it not? It is cause for one to feel young again."
Vernen took a swig of his ale and said in a gruff voice: "I envy them," then remembering himself, he cleared his throat and said, "You have handsome sons. Thor is in your likeness. You can rest easy with the knowledge that they will rule after you."
Odin merely smiled at that before gesturing to the food, "Let us eat. You must be hungry from the long journey." When Vernen looked down at the plates, he saw that there were figures carved into the dish. They told the story of a battle Odin and Vernen himself had fought long ago. He smiled at this and then roared with laughter.

"It is I! You've made plates to relay the Battle we won all those years ago!" He examined it. Pleased, Vernen piled food on to the dish and said: "You're father saved my life that day!" Intrigued, the two boys looked to their father.

"Is it true, father?" Thor asked.
Vernen waved his hand. "Your father would never admit it but I tell you he did! I was eager to die in battle, the foolish youth that I was, but he said I had greater purpose than to die that day!" Odin chuckled at that, finding his friend's account of the day amusing.

"My sons, he speaks the truth but only what his eyes chose to see- There is more to the story!"
The four of them ate and conversed against the background noise of their fellow men. Soon, the two were telling countless tales of past adventures to the boys.
When the men had been thoroughly stuffed, they rose from the table. They stretched and loosened their belts. Odin lowered his voice to say:
"Now for more serious matters. Follow me for I wish to hear why you have sought my company."

The evening was to take a somber turn. Vernen stroked his beard, it was a nervous habit he had.
Thor came to stand beside his father and asked if he could have the platter of pastries but Odin denied him.

"No, son. You have had your fill. Your mother wishes you not to have dessert for just the other night you ate the last of them and left the others wanting. You must learn to be selfless." Vernen would have come to aid Thor and tell Odin that his son was a growing boy that needed plenty to eat but after many years away from Odin, he felt that it was not his place.
Thor's face expressed his disappointment but Odin steered him away. "Go off now. Take Loki to his bed. It is time you two should be getting to sleep. Kiss your mother good night." Thor pouted but kindly wished his father and Vernen a good night.

As the men left the dining hall, Vernen saw that the plate of pastries had disappeared but he said nothing of it. They walked down the hall and Vernen asked of Odin's wife, Frigga. He spoke of her with great respect and admiration but not the way he once had. Vernen recalled a time Odin would burst exclamations of his love for the beautiful Goddess, Frigga. He would smile if ever her name was mentioned, his eyes would alight and one could tell he was thinking of her. The hall echoed with their footsteps and they came to doors, unguarded. Odin opened the doors to a richly furnished apartment. The torches cast a warm glow over the marble floors and animal fur carpets. When the heavy doors had been shut behind them, Vernen knew he would have to face his woes. Odin told him to sit and he was grateful for that. He did as he was told and Odin sat opposite him.

As if no time had passed since they had veered off the subject, Odin said: "A Goddess of War. That is striking but not too surprising. You are the God of agility and that is a powerful title in itself…But a War Goddess not welcomed in a realm where the Goddess of fertility or Goddess of Health reside. That is not too surprising."

Vernen sighed, "The king set his sights upon my daughter after she was given her name. He wished to see her. He believes she will grow to be dangerous. Her eyes are the color of coals but that is the only difference in resemblance to the rest of them. She has white, blonde hair and is fair. Others may think those unfortunate traits but I cannot find fault in my daughter. That, I will admit. I think that she resembles her mother but when the King beheld her, he cried out!" Vernen looked past Odin, recalling the events. "He called her a hideous beast and struck me. He called me foolish but I did not understand. He banished her."
Odin was watching Vernen and he sat very still.

"Do you believe she will grow to be dangerous to the nine realms?"
Vernen did not feel it was so but he feared it. His wife had disappeared. He had come to live in Alfheim for her, he left everything behind for her and she bore him a beautiful daughter. He could see no faults in his daughter's sweet face, no evil in her blessed existence. He could not believe that such a precious child could grow up into something that would endanger the nine realms. That he was capable of producing such evil.
"No but the king thought so. Enough to banish her from Alfheim."

"So why have you not brought her here with you, to Asgard?"
Vernen had been dreading this question. He shifted in his seat and swallowed.
"I have brought her to Asgard but she stays with another." He hoped that Odin would not probe for a reason why. To be sure Odin would not, he continued: "There is another thing I must tell you."

Odin furrowed his brow. "Well, man, speak!"
"I am not to live much longer."
"Nonsense!"
Vernen stroked his beard. "I have been having strange dreams. Strange, telling dreams. I am not to live much longer. Odin, if there were ever a man I could trust..." Vernen shut his eyes, "You have been always a brother to me...I am out of place to ask this of you but I ask this of you as a last request. As a death wish."
Odin's face was unreadable and Vernen did not have it in himself to be courteous any longer. The love for his daughter was stronger than anything else. He had to make sure the girl was in good care for he had no idea when his time would come. His wife had disappeared and he often wondered if it had to do with the birth of Vigdis. He often wondered if he was next. He had no more time for social courtesies. He had to be to the point.

"Odin, take in my daughter. Take in Vigdis. Let her live here in the palace of Asgard under your protection. I have a distant cousin that lives here, her name is Inga. My daughter stays with Inga now until I am to return. Inga is old and widowed, she can serve as caretaker here and only you would have to provide. I only care for my daughter's wellbeing and I fear that others will seek to harm her because of her title. That is why I could not leave my daughter in Alfheim for fear they might kill her." What Vernen did not say was that he could not bring Vigdis to Asgard either, not until he knew that Odin would not harm her. It all depended on whether or not Odin considered her a threat to the nine realms. No matter how much Odin loved Vernen, Odin loved Asgard more. Odin appeared to be thinking hard. He had to make a decision.

"Please, understand my fear. Feel it as if it were your own."
Odin had stood and Vernen thought he had angered his friend. He had come here after all these years, not to visit, but to ask a favor. Only when he was in need of help. He had thrust a terrifying responsibility on to his unknowing friend. But to Vernen's surprise, Odin dropped to his knees and embraced him.
"I feel your fear for she is my child as well. As my sons are your family and we are brothers!"
Vernen felt himself exhale and with a wondrous feeling of relief, he wrapped his arms around Odin and thanked him with the fiercest sense of gratitude he had ever felt.

Vernen was heading to his room, the same room he had slept in as a child. He knew the palace by heart so took his time in walking to his bed. What a pleasant feeling it was, relief. It brought ones breathing easier.
There was the laughter of children behind a door. It was cracked open slightly and Vernen took the opportunity to peek in. There he beheld the platter of pastries. There was but one left. He had to smile. It was Loki who saw Vernen first but the boy said nothing. He only stared. Thor noticed that something was amiss and turned to look at Vernen. Thor's mouth was covered in sugar and jelly, as were his fingers. His eyes widened. He knew he had been caught.
"Be easy, children. For I will not tell. Hand me the platter and I shall return it for you." Thor swallowed the pastry in his mouth and smiled. He thanked Vernen without any doubt the man would do as he said. Loki stood, but not without reluctance, and brought Vernen the platter.
"You are a quick one, you, I say! You are the one that snatched these up, weren't you? For your brother."
Vernen looked to Thor who was dusting off his hands and climbing beneath the comforter.
Loki only nodded, a timid nod as if he was still unsure he trusted Vernen.
"You won't tell father, will you?" Loki said in a small voice. He had raised his brows at Vernen with guilt in his eyes, "He'd be upset with me. I do not wish to displease him." Vernen took the platter and shook his head.
"You have my word, young one. I swear it. Now, get some rest. If you are tired come morn', your father shall suspect trouble!"
Loki nodded and his blue eyes moved over the man's face. "Good night then." Was all he said and Vernen thought the boy queer. He took the platter in hand and shut the door behind him. He wondered if Loki had snuck the pastries in hopes their father would catch Thor or out of kindness to his brother. He could not be sure. Vernen thought then that if the two were caught, it would be Loki to get the scolding. He did not know what brought on the thought, but he was sure of it. He took the platter back to the dining hall and then went to his bed. He took a moment to look around the familiar room. Tomorrow he would return to his daughter and his cousin, Inga. He was grateful in the friendship that he had with Odin. He laid his head back and pulled the covers up to his neck. It was the first night in a year that he had rested well. The first night in a year that he felt any comfort.