A new chap for you. My final school exams are coming now but I'll try my best to not keep you wait too long. So with further ado:


The leaves were rustling peacefully in the wind, swaying back and forth creating dancing shadows on the ground. A father and his son walked hand in hand below the trees, enjoying the weather. Passing alongside a cave, the child pointed with his finger on it. He wanted to explore and showed his enthusiasm in a radiating smile. The father hesitated. One does never know what lives inside a cave, but he could not deny the puppy-look of his child. The green orbs were lighting up like two little diamonds as he agreed. Eager, the child took the sleeve of his father and pulled him towards the entrance, laughing while it did so. They did not walk in deep, for they couldn't see much without an extra source of light. But it didn't damper the mood of the child anyway. Like a bee it buzzed from one side to the other, picking up snail houses and much to his father discomfort, small animal bones. But they seemed to be there for a long time already and there weren't any traces of a recent use of the cage, so he didn't worry any further.

As it sounded the first time, the father thought it was his imagination. At the second time, he got suspicious and after the third time he couldn't deny it any longer. From inside the cave came a feint sound of metal hitting something. He wanted to pull his son out of the cave immediately, who was due to his childish naïveté deeper inside. Worried he went after him and was engulfed in darkness...


Johanna couldn't believe it, Grumpa was avoiding her.

After he showed up less than normal after her first training with Heimdall, she didn't give it much thought, because she had much to do and was busy at the site. The other workers were now used to her, so she didn't need the old man to verify her presence at the site but the downtime with Thor gave her a much-needed breather. Frederik's words had ignited a small flame of curiosity which only old Ellan could extinguish. As she was on a lookout for him, she truly noticed his absence. Ok, not really an absence but he only ever watched her from afar not hovering around her anymore, like an over-protective mother-hen.

Her first try to catch him was at the stables. He was always helping to prepare the carriage horses. Before she could confront him however a horse went wild. Grimmur went wild. He ran between the boxes, hooves thundering on the earth and as he rounded the corner, heading straight towards her, she thought it would be her end. However, Grimmur stopped a meter in front of her and behaved like a dog from there on. Needless to say, Grumpa was already gone when she continued her search.

Her next try was to catch him while lunch break, but then she realized, she didn't know where he was during that time because she was normally alone or with Sif during that time. So, she left the mess hall early to catch him when the workers came back.

To have a better view she climbed atop a few large boxes and sat down. For a few minutes, she waited alone until the bell for the end of the lunch break sounded. The first worker arrived and there-! There, right behind a quite well build man was Ellan. His eyes were darting left and right, like he was searching for something and then he caught her gaze. The dark green eyes widen for a moment before he turned around to disappear.

Wouldn't Johanna already curious, she would be definitely now and she didn't want to give up. Determined she jumped off the box and waved through the growing mass of worker. As she arrived at the point where she saw him last, she just caught him walking fast around a corner. Johanna picked up the chase and always saw Ellan's retreating backside turning around corners. For an old man he sure had stamina and led her deeper and deeper into the city. The alleys seemed to grow darker and darker and being Grumpa's home-turf she eventually lost him.


Breathing heavy she looked around her. Stones in the floor were missing, dust and dirt was laying around and the back-alley was so narrow, that no sunshine met the floor. Johanna was fed up with Ellan's antics.

"Hey Grumpa, why are you running away? Ellan come out, I just want to talk to you."

Said person did not answer. Huffing loudly, she drew her brows together before switching into a neutral expression. She had lost the old man. I was outrun by an old man, she thought angry at herself. Johanna shook her head, she had other things to worry about. Tomorrow was another day, another chance.

Forcing to silence her own rapid thoughts she turned in the direction from where she came. By the pot they had turned right, so now she had to go left. They didn't turn at the junction with the dark green door, so she just walked straight. With that approach she tried to find her way back, but she stopped as she walked by the same window for a third time.

Kind of beaten she slid down the wall beside the window, swirling up a few flocks of dust. As her breath quieten, she realized how silent everything was. It wasn't the nice silence she had experienced with Thor, it was a drowning silence. No people talking, working, laughing, no chirping birds and no rustling trees.

You walked into a nice mess.

Her breath quickened and her face she tried to keep neutral started crumbling.

Look what you did, you are useless.

Her own heartbeat started to fill the silence, bringing the attention even further to her inner voice. Johanna gripped her arms tightly to blend it out.

When did I begin to depend on happiness? Didn't I swear myself to never rise too high, so I never fall too deep? Why should Ellan's story interest me at all. I'm noisy, no wonder he left.

Her thought began to swirl, creating an abyss of darkness in her own mind. A tear rolled down her cheek. Johanna was frustrated how her own mind, was once more her worst enemy. She had neither paper nor pen to get her feelings out.

"F-Fly…me."

Break the silence.

"Fly me…to t-the…"

Just keep on.

"Fly me to the moon…a-and let me play among the stars."

With each verse of the song, her voice got steadier and steadier, starting hit the notes. She started to sing songs like Chasing Cars and Human. She even started to sing Friday I'm in Love just to not feel like herself, to not deal with her own emotions.

To find back to her own neutrality, that had saved her many times before.

Eventually, she stopped. The stripe of the sky above her got a reddish tint. Johanna stood up and bushed up the dust on her clothes. Sitting will get her nowhere. A soft tap-tap-tap lead her view to the alley on her right. There was a small shadow. It shrieked, turned around and fell. Cautious, she approached the small pile on the floor.

It was a kid. The hands were above its head in a protective position and it kept on mumbling:

"Don't hurt me. Don't hurt me."

Carefully Johanna placed her hand upon the shoulders of the child which rolled into a tight ball.

"Why should I hurt you? My name is Johanna and you?"

A brown colored eye peeked out between the kid's arm.

"You won't hurt me?"

Johanna nodded. The kid slowly unfolded itself and went to a save distance away from Johanna. It had dark and really long hair up to its waist. A strand on the left looked jagged, like it had been forcefully cut and small scrapes and bruises were across the bare arms and legs. By the form of the face however, Johanna guessed that it was a boy and the wounds on his limbs concerned her.

"Are you alright?"

The kid shuffled from one leg to the other and looked down to the floor.

"I-…I will be."

"Like always?"

The kid's face shot up by surprise.

"You have been bullied, didn't you?"

"Yes."

The small and tense shoulders dropped in defeat.

"Want to talk about it?"

It shook his head.

"Do you know the way out of here? I'm lost. How about I bring you home and you show me the way out?"

"Okey…"

It walked a few steps ahead and motioned her to follow. The steps were lightly wobbly and the kid winced every one in a while. Johanna only looked at it until the next parting of ways. She sped up until she was in front and crouched down.

"I can't look at your walk. Come on my back, I'll carry you."

It looked like it would deny but the kid tensed up and came to her. Up close Johanna noticed, that it was rather tall, up to her stomach if she would've stood upright. Hands with long fingers snaked around her neck and she stood up with the kid on her back.

"So… I never got your name."

"I'm Fay...I am a boy before you ask."

"I did not ask."

The two walked in silence for a bit with Fay motioning with his finger in the right direction.

"E-excuse me? Are you a girl?"

Johanna turned her head in surprise.

"Yes, I am. Why are you asking?"

"You don't wear a dress."

Fey tried to hide his blushing behind Johanna's shoulders but she saw it and gave him a small smile.

"Don't worry, I don't take it personal. I'll help at the Bifröst site, so dresses would only get in my way."

"Really?! You must be strong. I never heard of a woman doing hard work."

"I am not the only one. You have never heard of the lady warrior Sif?"


Johanna and Fay ended up in front of a wooded door in the middle of the city. Before she had the chance to knock, the door was pulled open and she was faced head on with the look of a worried father.

"Fay! There you are. Why weren't you home when I came or left a note? I was worried!"

Said boy got off Johanna's back and jumped into the arms of his father. Minus the hair, the two were lookalike.

"I-It's nothing to worry about. I…fell and Lady Johanna here, helped me to go home."

"Really, really, thank you. Do you want to come in for a moment?"

"No, no thank you. I should head back. People are probably searching for me."

The father repeated his gratitude and just as he closed the door, Fay interrupted.

"Eh…you have a nice voice. You should smile more."

With a deep red face Fay closed the door before Johanna could've said anything. She stood star struck in front of the door. Which was quickly pulled open again by Fay.

"You just have to follow the street down to go back."

And he shut it again. She couldn't stop a small smile from creeping up her face. Children are the most precious and innocent things in the world, not depending were.


Her feet carried her back through the streets. Stars appeared and only a few glowing balls placed every now and then illuminated the way. As she finally arrived at the main gate to the palace, Sif was already waiting for her.

She quickly embraced Johanna.

"Johanna! You can't just disappear like that. I had to go to Heimdall, so he could tell me that you were alright. What happened?"

"It's…it's nothing interesting."

Johanna mustered her best fake smile she could do. Sif saw right through it but lead her wordlessly inside. As she left Johanna in her room she couldn't help it but to worry for the other girl. In the time she knew Johanna she had grown more and more open but now, it felt like she was back at the beginning. Her behavior wasn't rude or anything, just overly polite which gave an underlying don't approach me vibe. Sif would ask her tomorrow.