Jtoasn: I'm glad you glad! :D Hope that url works now. :) And I truly hope you'll like next installment!
littlenerd: So glad you decided to keep reading! Hope you'll like! :)


Le next installment, I hope you'll like...I know it's not super-long, but I like to end the chapters at a high note. Hehe...


CHAPTER 2. THE LAW

"Why…Why did he take my daughter?" Lily's voice shivered almost as violently as her body. Even though I was holding her close she couldn't calm her tremors. I had explained to her my suspicion and as I watched her grow more and more pale I regretted telling her at all.

"I do not know. I don't understand…" Maybe my lack of consulting words was the cause of her constant distress. I honestly didn't understand.

"We need to go to Asgard! We need to find Nanna!" Lily's stare was so desperate it sent darts through my heart. I wanted that too, but how?

"We are not allowed to leave Álfheimr, Lily. How do you suggest we do that?" I said calmly. Lily turned her entire body towards me, her eyes displaying a perfect mix of sorrow and anger.

"You will force Heimdal to open the Bifrost and you will not stop calling to him before he does! The All-father has my child! I will not sit here and be a bystander to my daughter's fears! All she knows is the two of us and Álfheimr!" My wife could be very convincing when needed. I smiled with a heavy sigh and embraced her.

"I will do so, my love. For Odin has done a grave mistake in stealing my daughter." I rose and took her hands in mine.

"For Odin does not know the wrath of my wife." With a sigh I kissed her forehead.


"Heimdal! Open the bridge!" My voice boomed across the hills as I directed my call to the heavens. The lightelves scattered, it wasn't often their peace was disturbed by all this noise. Lily stood next to me, for the first time in 50 years dressed in her travel clothes, light pants and a fluffy, white shirt under a light brown leather vest, a homemade gift from Frigg. She had twisted her hair and fastened it in a loose knot hanging over her shoulder. She stood firmly, staring up at the sky. Her face was chiseled in stone. No…Odin would not get away with this.

"Heimdal! If you know what is good for you, you open the bridge now!" I called out again. Silence. Not even a whisper.

"Heimdal." I turned and looked at Lily. Her voice was tender and pained.

"For all the days we spent together, remember the truth. You know me and you know how much I love my family. My daughter was stolen from me. Please! I need to find her and I need to know why!" Her breath caught in her throat and she clutched her hands over her chest.

"Please Heimdal, open the bridge..!" She pleaded. Silence. Then a minute passed. And another. We stood there for what felt like an eternity. But Lily's pleads didn't go unanswered. Just as the heavens opened with a loud rumble she grabbed my hand tightly. The bridge opened completely and we stepped inside, quickly drawn in to the maelstrom.


"Heimdal." Lily breathed gratefully and took about the gatekeepers hands.

"Odin will not like this." Heimdal said in that dark voice of his.

"That is truly an understatement." I said with a sigh. Heimdal's golden eyes scrutinized me coldly. Which made me realize, this was no favor to me, but to Lily.

"Miss Lily, I understand the young child the guards brought back is your daughter?" Heimdal asked curiously.

"Yes, her name is Nanna. Do you know where they took her?" Lily pleaded.

"No, Miss Lily. But I would think you should head straight to Odin's throne chamber. He most likely knows of your presence here already."

"Thank you, Heimdal. Truly." Lily spoke softly and squeezed his hands. For the first time in my life I saw a small smile on the gatekeeper's lips. Lily turned to me and I instantly moved to her side, taking her hand in mine before we started our rushed walked along the glittering bridge.

"It is so strange, being back." Lily breathed and gazed out on the town stretching upwards in front of us. With all its spires, arches and bridges it shone like gold in the setting sun.

"I still don't feel very welcome." I said under my breath. Lily did the one thing that always calmed me, when my emotions ran too high. She took about my waist and stood on her toes and planted a quick kiss on my cheek. With a sigh she stroke down my arm and with that sound my pulse dropped.

"My love, there is only one place you are truly welcome and that is with me. And as long as we are together, no one can harm you."

"Now we just need to get our daughter back and get an explanation out of that old goat." I growled and with a squeeze of my hand Lily nodded solemnly.

We reached the main hall and without hesitation, we entered through the huge archways. My anger rose the closer we got and even though I was sure I was squeezing Lily's hand harder than she could stand, she didn't complain. One glance at her I saw her blackened stare. As black as I was sure mine was.

"Odin!" My voice boomed through the massive, golden room and guards instantly gathered in front of the elevated throne.

"So…it is Odin now. And not father, my son?" Odin's voice sounded frailer than I remembered and when I caught sight of him, he looked older and weathered.

"Where is my daughter!" My anger couldn't be strained now and I let go of Lily's hand, in fear of crushing it. Odin raised a hand slowly to silence me, and to my despair his powers still worked on me.

"All-father, please!" Lily's tender voice sounded clear between the high walls and Odin's eyes softened as he rose to meet hers.

"Please, tell us why you stole our daughter from us! We know it was you, we recognized your guards."

"I never intended to hide that fact." Odin spoke calmly. With a snarl I moved to push passed his guards, but Lily instantly grabbed my arm.

"Loki, no!" She said lowly and pulled me back with a calm stare.

"Whatever reason you had, please tell us!" She pleaded, turning her attention back to Odin, but not letting go of me.

"It is the law." Odin spoke calmly.

"Law? What law?" I huffed in disbelief. Odin turned his stare to me.

"The law of imprisonment." He said. Though his voice was calm it felt like it shattered my insides. I remembered.

"No…!" I breathed and fell to my knees.

"Loki…! Lily breathed in fear and took about my shoulders.

"What does it mean? The law of imprisonment, what is it?" Her voice quivered. My head spun and I grabbed on to her hand, rested on my shoulder. If it was true, we would never see our daughter again. The thought of it made my head spin and my ears hum and all I wanted was to remove Lily from this horrible, painful place.

"The law of imprisonment…" Odin spoke darkly and loudly, the sound piercing me.

"Say that the first child born in imprisonment is to be taken from its parents and given to the All-father to be raised in freedom and to never be returned to its parents. No child of the Gods shall know punishment at birth." His words were like physical pain to me and I could barely register Lily's limp body falling to the ground next to me.


The laws of Odin can sure be a pain...
But why did it take him so long, before he took the firstborn...?