The air around the mansion was tense over the next few days; Loki had yet to leave his office since returning home after speaking with Ratatoskr. After they returned from the prison he went immediately in there and locked the door behind him the signal for everyone to stay away unless they had a real concern. Yamino did not even enter when he brought food or tea, he merely knocked and put the item down in front of the door, he did not even stay to try and talk to Loki whenever he would take his food inside. Loki did not even allow Mayura inside, which was deeply troubling to everyone since he rarely turned down an opportunity to be with her. Mayura had of course told the members of the household what had happened during their visit so they were aware of why their father was so angry; it was just upsetting to them that he had shut himself away. It was all a waiting game now.

"I'm getting really worried about him, Yamino," said Mayura quietly as she washed a plate in the sink. "I understand that the message was upsetting but it shouldn't make him hide away from us or the world."

Yamino nodded as he dried a dish. "I know, Miss Mayura, we're all concerned about Master Loki's welfare. What Ratatoskr told him was more or less a declaration of war from Odin and should not be taken lightly."

"So is Loki going to have to go back to Asgard after all?" asked Mayura quietly, worried that this meant he would actually leave her this time and she could not follow.

"Not yet," said Yamino putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "This might have been a declaration of war, but neither side is prepared for even a single battle, so we have time before anything happens. Don't worry, Miss Mayura, he's not going to do anything that might put him in a position of losing you or any of us."

Mayura smiled at him and leaned against him as best she could, even before her romantic relationship with Loki, she and Yamino had always been great friends. "Thank you, Yamino," she said as she resumed washing dishes. "Could you do me a favor?"

"Anything," said Yamino happily as he dried a piece of one of his kitchen gadgets.

"Could you please write out the Norse alphabet for me?" she asked as she handed him another plate. "I want to inscribe Loki's wedding ring and I'd like it written in Norse."

Yamino smiled warmly, pleased with her request and it's purpose. "Of course, it would be my pleasure. If you'd like I could find also write some love phrases to help inspire you."

"Thank you, Yamino, but I'd rather come up with something on my own," said Mayura kindly before picking up mug to wash. "And I want it to be a surprise for Loki, so don't mention this to him."

"My lips are sealed," said Yamino happily as he started putting the dry dishes back in the cabinets. "Ecchan, could you go and see if Master Loki's set his tray outside his door again? I'd like to make sure I have all of the dishes done before I start preparing afternoon tea."

The familiar floated down from the chandelier and nodded, ducking out through the kitchen door just as Fenrir entered, part of a breadstick in his mouth. The wolf settled himself behind Mayura and Yamino, gnawing happily on what was left from his lunch as he watched his younger brother and future stepmother wash the lunch dishes. Despite the worry they had for Loki, they were quite content at the moment, glad for the peace.

Loki sighed heavily as he tried to read a book on Norse wars, Odin had always been a fan of the old ways and he was sure this would similar. His anger towards Odin had increased tremendously since hearing the message from Ratatoskr and knowing that Odin had been the one to send him that terrifying dream about Mayura drowning only enraged him further. The King of the Gods had gone too far by involving his family before and now including Mayura was beyond forgivable; his quarrel was with Loki himself not with any member of Loki's family. If he was going to face off with Odin, he was going to have to make sure his family was safe above all else, and out of reach of the King of Gods.

"Master Loki," came Ecchan's voice from outside the door. "Yamino wants to know if you have dishes."

"Hold on a moment, Ecchan," said Loki as he gathered up his lunch dishes. He knew he would have to emerge from his office sooner or later, and thank his family for being so accommodating to his behavior. Especially Yamino and Mayura, between the two of them they had been able to keep the household running without his absence interfering.

He brought his dishes to the door and opened it, allowing Ecchan to float underneath and balance the few dishes on his head. The familiar smiled at him and was about to leave when Loki cleared his throat. "Ecchan," said Loki quietly and the familiar turned around. "How's everyone doing? It seems like things are going well."

"Yes," said Ecchan with a small smile. "But we miss you, all of us. Mayura a lot, she's very upset. Fenrir too and Yamino. We want Master Loki back."

Loki smiled at Ecchan and petted the familiar under his chin. "I'll be down soon, don't worry, I know this hasn't been easy for any of you and I'm glad that you aren't angry with me."

"Punyan!" chirped Ecchan. "We miss you! Come down soon." Then the familiar floated off with the dishes, noticeably happier than he had been a few minutes ago.

Loki sighed as he closed the door, he should have known better than to lock himself away from his family but he had been so angry he did not want to accidentally snap at one of them for no reason. He did not get angry often but when he did, it was best if no one was around him; gods were not known for the wrath for nothing and even trickster gods could get incredibly furious. These last few days had not been easy for him either, he missed his family a great deal and while he had only been protecting them, he still wanted to have them around. Yes, today was the day he returned from his seclusion, just as soon as Yamino started to serve afternoon tea.

"He's coming down today!" cried Ecchan as he entered the kitchen, delivering the dishes to Yamino and Mayura.

Mayura grinned widely as she started washing again. "Really? Are you sure, Ecchan?"

Ecchan nodded then spun around happily. "Yes! He said so! He said so!"

"That's a relief," said Yamino with a small smile and Mayura nodded, echoing the serpent's sentiments. "I guess I should start preparing tea soon, any requests for snacks?"

"Those lemon bars!" suggested Mayura as she handed him a cup. "They're Loki's favorite right? I think we should have a small celebration when he comes down."

"Yeah, I agree," said Fenrir as he happily chased his tail, having already finished his breadstick. "I'm so happy Daddy's coming back."

Mayura chuckled as she handed Yamino the last of the dishes. "Fenrir, it's not like he's been on a trip or something."

Fenrir stopped chasing his tail. "I guess you're right, if he had been, he'd have brought me along. Daddy's never been upset for this long, this was the longest time ever."

"You're right, Big Brother," said Yamino as he dried the final dish and put it away. "The only time I saw him even close to being this upset was when Odin started sending assassins after him and even then he acted normally."

"He was pretty angry with me when I snuck into his office that one time," said Mayura quietly as she gazed out the window. "I still wish I could take that back."

"You shouldn't be concerned about that anymore, Miss Mayura," said Yamino gently. "Everything's worked out for the better now, and besides, he wasn't angry at you. Believe us when we say we know what his wrath is really like, and what you saw was incredibly mild."

"I guess you're right," replied Mayura and she smiled. "I guess I had better put my ring back on, now that I'm done washing dishes, don't want to lose it and have Loki thinking I've changed my mind." She reached for the small glass dish she had put her ring in for safekeeping only to find it was missing. "Huh? Where is my ring?"

Just then a larger than average squirrel came running into the kitchen with Spica right behind it with a broom raised over her head, trying desperately to strike the rodent as it ran across the floor. Fenrir started to growl and chased after it, wanting to get it out the house and away from his family, barking loudly as he did. Yamino and Mayura had both scrambled up onto the counters to try and not be run over by any of the people chasing after the squirrel.

"Mayura!" chirped Ecchan from overhead. "Mayura, the squirrel has your ring!"

Mayura looked at the squirrel intently as it ran around the kitchen table, at first she did not see any sign of her ring but then she saw something purple and glittering sticking out of the rodent's mouth. "He's right!" she shrieked, leaping down from the counter. "Get that rodent! He has my ring!" She dove to try and catch it, only to land head first against the leg of a chair.

Just then the back door opened, revealing Narugami dressed in safari garb. "Hey, everyone, I'm here for my break! Is tea ready yet?"

The squirrel took advantage of the opportunity and ran between the god's legs and out into the backyard. Narugami was confused for a moment and watched it run off towards the trees, not seeing that five people were chasing after it headed straight for him. They pushed him out of the door and all landed in a great big heap, the squirrel standing just a few feet away from them, watching what was happening. Mayura hauled herself out from under Yamino and scowled at the squirrel before taking off after it.

Loki looked up from his book when he heard crashing and yelling coming from the kitchen that moments ago had been quiet. Quickly he put his book down and darted out of his office, running as quickly as he could downstairs to see what was going on and figure out why his family had picked now to destroy the kitchen. When he entered he saw the back door open and as he moved closer he could see everyone lying in a great heap on the grass, everyone except for Mayura. Scanning the yard, he saw her climbing up a large oak tree, looking farther up he saw what she was chasing after and his blood boiled. The squirrel was none other than Ratatoskr.

Mayura continued to climb after the squirrel, determined to get her ring back if it was the last thing she did, and she came to rest on a large branch. The thief in question was sitting on the other side of the branch, watching her with beady black eyes as if daring her to move closer, and she lunged towards it. Suddenly the squirrel vanished in a wash of colorful light and in its place was a something else but Mayura had no time to inspect the new item, as she had underestimated her lunge and was now tumbling towards the ground. She closed her eyes and braced herself for the impact, waiting for the pain that would hit her any moment now, when she felt herself land against something solid. Peeking through her eyelids, she saw a man's figure looming above her and opening her eyes she saw that it was Loki.

"Loki!" she cried and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him against her, which was when she realized he had caught her bridal style. "You saved me!"

Loki chuckled warmly and kissed her cheek. "I'm glad that you weren't hurt, Mayura." He then gently lowered her out of his arms though even when she was on her feet again, he held her close, having missed her presence tremendously. He then noticed something clutched in Mayura's hand. "What's that?" he asked, pointing to her clenched fist.

Mayura looked down confused and saw that she was holding something, wondering how it got there in the first place as she did not remember grabbing anything. She unfurled her fist and saw a strange looking necklace resting in her palm; the charm that hung off the chain was the image of three black metal snakes intertwined with their tails coming together to form a dagger. She wondered where it came from when she suddenly remembered seeing it just before she fell in the spot where the squirrel had vanished with her ring.

"Oh no," she mumbled as tears clouded her vision, her engagement ring was gone and she had no idea where it was.

"What's wrong, Mayura?" asked Loki, concern etching his face as he looked down at her.

"That stupid squirrel stole my ring," she said with a frown. "And when I went to grab it, it disappeared and left this behind." She held up the necklace and watched curiously as Loki's eyes went wide.

"Master Loki!" shouted Yamino and they both turned to see him and the others running up to them. "Master Loki, it's so good to see you. Miss Mayura, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Yamino," sighed Mayura, still thinking about her lost ring. "What about you? Any injuries?"

Yamino laughed. "Nothing sustained injury except possibly my pride." Then he turned to his father. "That was quick thinking, Master Loki. How'd you know Miss Mayura was going to fall from that tree?"

"I heard the commotion coming from the kitchen and decided to investigate," replied Loki, an arm now wrapped protectively around Mayura's shoulders. "When I arrived, I saw the back door open and then I saw Mayura climbing up to chase Ratatoskr, and knowing her she'd probably fall so I made sure to be there to catch her." He then laughed when he saw Mayura scowling up at him.

"Well, all's well that—Ratatoskr!" cried Yamino when he realized what his father had said, his green eyes going wide. "You mean that squirrel was actually the Messenger of the Gods?! What was he doing here? Why'd he steal Mayura's ring?"

Loki frowned. "I don't know, but I intend to find out. He should have gone back to Asgard after delivering me the message from Odin but he didn't, which can only mean he had another message to deliver."

"Is that why he left this?" asked Mayura holding up the necklace for all to see. "I mean, unless he stole this and left it behind on accident."

"I highly doubt that," sighed Loki as he took the necklace from her. "What upsets me the most is he broke into our house without any of us knowing he was there and brazenly took your ring. Normally he can't enter a god's dwelling without a purpose, which is why I'm sure he was delivering a message, but the nature of this incident is strange."

"Perhaps whomever wanted to give you a message asked him to do these things," suggested Yamino and Loki nodded.

"My thoughts exactly, Yamino," said Loki then he turned to the others. "Who was the first to notice Ratatoskr in the house?"

Spica immediately raised her hand and described with hand gestures the circumstances in which she found him. Loki paying close attention, as he was one of the few that could interpret what she was trying to say, his frown increasing with each passing second.

"So you found him in the sitting room trying to leave through an open window?" asked Loki, wanting to confirm that is indeed what she said and Spica nodded. "And you chased him out with your broom?" Again the giantess nodded. "I have a feeling he planned on doing that, but the fact remains that none of us sensed his presence nor saw him, which concerns me."

Fenrir growled deep in his chest. "I feel stupid for letting him get past me, I should have been paying closer attention."

Loki smiled down at his eldest. "Don't take it too hard, Fenrir, none of us were aware he was in the mansion. Which means powerful magic was shielding him from us until just the right moment and there are very few gods capable of doing such a thing, including myself."

"Hey Loki, can I see that necklace again?" asked Narugami suddenly as he stepped forward and Loki held it up so he could see it. "I thought so, it looks just like the necklace the Norns wear, only this is three snakes instead of just one."

"Then I have a pretty good idea who's behind this," said Loki sternly as he put the necklace in his pocket. "I think it's time we pay the Norns a visit."

The Norns's mansion was on a hill outside of town, now rebuilt after Hel polluted it with potent evil energy. It was larger than Loki's mansion and much more evident that it was occupied by females as it had white gingerbread trim and a lavender roof along with several turrets, the Norns had decided to change up the original design when they rebuilt their home. There was also the addition of a hedge fence with an arched gate surrounding the property, the only way to get in or out.

Loki and the others crossed through the gate, the magical barrier moving around them as they entered and walked up to the house. Narugami took the initiative and opened the door with the key Skuld had given him when he started living with her and her sisters, ushering them all inside before closing it behind them. Verdandi came out of one of the rooms just as Narugami closed the front door, she seemed surprised but not upset to see them all standing there.

"Hello Lord Loki," said Verdandi with a slight bow. "Lord Thor, Mayura, Jormungand, Fenrir. What brings you to the Norns this day?"

"We're here for tea," replied Loki calmly and Verdandi nodded.

"Of course, we were just about to sit down, please follow me to the veranda," said Verdandi and she led the group outside to the veranda where her two sisters and Koutaro were waiting. She was not stupid, she knew Loki and the others were here for more than just a social visit, but she knew better than to insult them with accusations.

Skuld, Urd, and Koutaro were already seated around a small white metal table, apparently having a pleasant chat about nothing in particular when the group came out onto the veranda. When they were aware of their presence, the other three turned to face them, smiling at their friends as if this were a perfectly normal occurrence.

"I see we have more guests for tea," said Urd as she conjured a larger table and more chairs for their unexpected guests. "Please, have a seat."

"Thor!" cried Skuld and she jumped up to greet the god of thunder with a passionate kiss. "I'm so glad you came to have tea with us! It's so good to see you, I missed you!"

Narugami smirked as he wrapped both arms around Skuld's exposed midriff. "At least someone around here appreciates having me around."

Skuld giggled and then they sat down beside each other once Narugami had been untangled from around the goddess's waist, though they still held hands. Koutaro, not to be outdone by the god, leaned over and kissed Urd with a surprisingly tender kiss that shocked the goddess though she did not seem upset by it. Instead she put her head on Koutaro's shoulder and sighed contentedly once the kiss was finished.

Loki pulled out a seat for Mayura and pushed it in for her once she sat down before taking the seat beside her at the round table. Yamino had declined sitting right away and instead assisted Verdandi in serving the tea; Loki had suspected for some time now that his middle son was enamored with the goddess of fate though he was too shy to act on it.

'That will have to be remedied soon,' mused Loki as he watched Verdandi blush when Yamino paid her a small compliment. If his suspicions were accurate, then Verdandi probably returned Yamino's feelings. Before he and Mayura were wed, he would have to see that his son and Verdandi had acknowledged their feelings for each other.

"This is nice," said Urd as she accepted her cup of tea from Yamino. "We so rarely get visitors, it makes for a pleasant change of pace."

"I agree," said Skuld, taking a slice of cake from the cart Verdandi brought past. "Usually we're over at your home, Lord Loki, we almost never get to entertain here."

"Yes, this is certainly a welcome distraction," said Loki evenly as he took Mayura's hand in his, running his thumb over her knuckles. The goddesses were aware that he had not been out of his office in almost a week, he knew that much, but they were playing it smart and not commenting on it right away. They knew better than to question his actions outright.

Urd stirred in a spoonful of pink sugar into her cup. "We heard you were unwell, Lord Loki, I trust this visit means you're feeling recovered?"

Loki nodded though his focus was on Mayura at the moment, whom seemed more distraught than she had when they left, he could only guess that she must still be feeling guilty about her engagement ring. He squeezed her hand gently, when she looked over at him he smiled at her, which she returned though it seemed forced. 'She's definitely feeling guilty,' thought Loki before speaking to Urd. "I'm feeling somewhat better, Urd, thank you for your concern. Though I'm sorry to say that this visit isn't entirely for pleasure."

The Norn sisters looked at each other briefly, as if concurring that their suspicions had been confirmed. Loki was familiar with how they communicated silently, and this look was not lost on him though he said nothing about it.

"Please, Lord Loki, tell us why you have truly come," said Urd before taking a sip of her tea.

"It's concerning this necklace Mayura found at our home early today," said Loki as he retracted the necklace from his pocket and placed it on the table for everyone to see. He did not mention the fact Narugami had suggested it resembled their necklaces, instead he watched for their reactions, waiting to see if they reached the same conclusion. When he glanced at the goddesses he saw the exact look of recognition he had been hoping for; they knew who owned the necklace.

Koutaro leaned forward and looked at the necklace. "Urd, this appears to be made of the same metal as your necklace, and there's even two amethysts in that one snake's eyes like yours."

"And two emeralds in the one on the other end," said Narugami and Skuld visibly gulped.

Yamino inspected the necklace closer. "There are two topaz stones for the middle snake's eyes. Verdandi, does your necklace have the same stones in it?"

The Norns looked at each for a moment before they each pulled out their respective necklaces and put them on the table below the one Loki had brought. Everyone leaned in to get a better look and saw that each of the snakes was the same; the only difference was the Norns's were separate from each other. Seeing all four necklaces together, Loki knew his suspicions had been correct regarding the owner's identity.

"You know whose necklace this is, don't you?" he asked, looking at the sisters directly.

Solemnly they all three nodded and Urd cleared her throat.

"The necklace belongs to our mother, Hild," she said quietly and there was a general look of understanding between most of the guests at the table, except Koutaro who seemed clueless.

"Excuse me, Urd, but who exactly is your mother?" asked Koutaro, hoping this was not a sore subject for the Norns as none of them seemed overly thrilled with seeing her necklace.

"She's the ruler of the realm Niflheim," said Mayura, surprising everyone. "Which is where the realms of Hel and Niflhel crossover. It's said that she was one of Odin's most fierce Valkyries and their commander before her banishment."

Loki smiled fondly at her; it was quite evident that her study of Norse mythology was paying off. "That's exactly right, Mayura," he said and she grinned. "That's indeed who Hild is, now tell me, do you remember why she was banished from Asgard?"

Mayura was silent for a moment, thinking back to all she had read about Norse mythology. "There was a battle and instead of taking the bravest soldiers to Valhalla like she was supposed to, she brought the soldiers back repeatedly to continue the battle. Odin didn't like that so he banished her."

Loki's grin grew wider, very impressed with her knowledge. "Again, you're right. Hild has an insatiable war lust, which made her an incredible Valkyrie, but after a while she started to grow bored as there weren't as many long, glorious battles as there had been. So she decided to use her powers to continuously bring back soldiers from the dead so they could continue the fight. When Odin found out she was denying him soldiers, he was livid and stripped her of her standing as a Valkyrie before banishing her to Niflheim where she still remains."

"While in Niflheim, our mother gained new powers," continued Urd. "She is now able to influence events in Midgard, and causes war among mortals whenever she grows bored in Niflheim. Sometimes she even influences events with the gods in Asgard."

"Which would explain why she's associating herself with Ratatoskr," said Loki grimly and the sisters gasped.

"You mean, Ratatoskr brought this to you?" asked Skuld nervously as she put her own necklace back on.

Loki nodded. "Yes, he left it behind after stealing Mayura's engagement ring from our house. Actually he put Mayura in a situation that might have severely injured her had I not been there, and that I certainly cannot forgive. If your mother is indeed behind this then something is definitely up if she's trying to get my attention; I haven't heard from her in centuries."

"Oh?" asked Mayura, looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "When was the last time you spoke to the Norns' mother?"

"I asked her to take care of Hel when she was sent from Asgard as a small child," said Loki softly and Mayura instantly felt guilty for thinking he had had an affair with Hild. "I didn't want my daughter to grow up alone in that place, so I took her personally to Hild and asked her to raise Hel. I owe her a great deal for that."

"Do you believe she was the one who sent Ratatoskr to your home, Lord Loki?" asked Verdandi as she finished serving the snacks for tea.

"I doubt she would have parted with this necklace willingly, and Ratatoskr isn't someone to steal a powerful goddess's most prized possession," replied Loki sternly. "I think this was also meant for you three as well, why else would she send a necklace that the three of you have matching pieces for?"

"I believe you're right, Lord Loki," said Urd with a slight frown. "Our mother must be sending all of us a message, and I'm sure she intends for us to come and visit her at her fortress in Niflheim."

"And by taking my ring, she probably wants to meet with me as well," said Mayura and the Norns nodded their agreement. "Even if she didn't and took the ring to make sure Loki came, I still want to go and find out what she wants with us."

Loki frowned slightly. "You're probably right, Mayura, and I have to say I'm not too thrilled that Hild's gotten you involved in her little game. But I can see no reason for you not to accompany us to Niflheim, you're capable of handling yourself."

"Master Loki," said Yamino after having remained quiet for a while. "Do you think it's wise to bring Miss Mayura to Niflheim? I don't mean to question your decision, but Ratatoskr did endanger her, how are you sure this isn't a trap?"

"Honestly, I'm not," replied Loki calmly. "But given the fact Ratatoskr did not speak to me and deliver any kind of threat I'm inclined to believe that Hild is merely bored and is looking for us to visit her. Her message matches her usual dramatic tendencies, so we aren't being led into another god's realm."

"I'd like to go as well," said Koutaro, standing up from the table. "I've read enough mythology to know that appearances aren't always as they seem and the last thing I want is for Urd or any of you to be walking into a trap. You're going to need help if things go wrong."

"Which is why I'm going as well," said Narugami, twirling his kendo sword Mjollnir, his powerful hammer in disguise. "No offense, Loki, but you're still not as powerful as you were in Asgard so you're going to need backup in case Hild does something. We'll be in her fortress so she'll be incredibly powerful, even rivaling you."

Loki smirked. "So it's a triple date then, fine. I see nothing wrong with you two accompanying Mayura, the Norns, and myself. Yamino, would you like to come as well and act the part as Verdandi's date?"

Yamino blushed a deep red but he nodded his head regardless and Verdandi's cheeks turned a bright pink color. Now that that was settled, they would have to decide on a time and date to enter Niflheim, particularly when Hild was not expecting them, which meant it could not be today. She was probably thinking that they would be headed straight there given the fact she had stolen something incredibly valuable to Loki, but that would be giving her more of the advantage. This situation had to be handled with delicacy and strategy above all else, Hild was being incredibly thorough in her actions, and this fact concerned Loki greatly. They would have to confront her, and soon.