Chapter 14

As soon as Thor arrived he hurried inside the palace.

He longed to narrate the happenings on Midgard to his friends, to talk with his father again and embrace his mother, and he wanted so badly to collapse on the bed in his chamber. He also wanted to see the beautiful fields of Asgard again, to walk in the gardens with his mother and watch the flowers, to gaze into the midnight sky and count the stars, just as he and Loki used to do in their youth.

Loki.

Thor's throat tightened as he thought of his brother. Every time his brothers name passed through Thor's mind, he always felt that something was wrong.

Thor remembered how Loki always wanted to go outside at midnight to watch the stars, even if they were not allowed to go out after ten. Thor remembered how he and Loki had sneaked past the guards and when they came outside, Loki showed Thor the way to the meadows and pulled him down onto the grass. As they laid there on their backs and gazed upon the sky, Loki always started to tell Thor about the stars. He showed Thor the constellations, and told him all the names of the stars, Loki told him which galaxies they belonged to. And Thor always wondered how a boy so young could know so much.

But that laid in the past, times has changed. The Loki Thor once knew is dead.

Thor admitted he tried everyday to forget about Loki, to deny his very existence. Loki was nothing more than evil, that's for sure. Thor tried to act as if Loki was just another prisoner, any other criminal. But the fact that Loki still was his brother made it impossible for Thor to totally ignore him. And the feeling of that something was wrong didn't make it any easier.

All though, Thor could not deny he was concerned about his brother. He actually wanted to visit him, to make sure everything was okay. But first he wanted to visit his parents and his friends. When Thor entered the golden halls he was greeted by smiling faces, old friends welcomed him back. When he met Sif and the warriors three, there was a lots of hugs and laughs. They exchanged stories and anecdotes over an enormous feast and much mead.

After that, Thor went to see his father. But when he arrived, Thor was greeted by a concerned figure on the throne. Odin looked up and gazed into Thor's eyes. There was a melancholy over the king. Thor stopped walking, he stood now a few meters from his father.

"What concerns you father? Has something happened?" Thor asked. The Allfather sighed but said nothing. Thor frowned. "Where is mother?" Thor asked. Finally Odin managed to speak. "She...She is in the garden. She wanted to be alone for a while" Odin said. "Why? Has something happened to her?" Thor burst out. When no answer came, Thor rushed outside to search for Frigga. He wanted to make sure she was okay, he wanted to speak with her.

Thor walked into the gardens of the palace and hurried to the big oak. He knew that was Frigga's favorite place and he knew she would be there. Of course he was right, Thor knew his mother well. When he reached the oak he saw Frigga's figure sitting on the bench beneath the tree. He hurried to her side. When Thor sat down beside her he realized she was crying.

She was covering her face with her both hands, Soft sobs escaped through her thin, old fingers.

"Ok, let's talk about your situation." The reflection said. Loki frowned.

"What do you mean? What situation?" Loki asked as he walked closer.

"Exactly…" His reflection smirked. Loki's anger began to grow inside him. "What do you mean exactly !? Do you want to scare me? do you think yourself scary huh? Oh! Look how absolutely terrified i am!" Loki said in sarcasm. He was getting sick of it.

He just wanted to be alone. "I am not here to scare you either, silly! I said; I. want. to. talk. Understand?" The reflection said clearly and eye rolled. "okay, talk then. I am listening" Loki said. The reflection took a deep breath before he spoke up.

"Okay. Loki, you have to listen very closely. You suffered from a serious case of delirium earlier, but you seems to in top shape now. I can hardly believe you still suffers from it. But the real question is; why? Why are you free from it?" The reflection exclaimed.

Loki's eyes widened.

"A-Are you telling me i suffered from delirium! Delirium don't just heal by itself! You need medical care to cure a person with such a hard condition!" Loki gasped. The reflection nodded slowly. "Yeah, i know…" He murmured.

Suddenly Loki burst out laughing. "You must be truly daft to think that I would believe you! Why would I? You are not even telling me who you are!" Loki spat. The reflection covered his face in his hands and let out a sigh of annoyance. "I have already told you; you are not ready yet" The other Loki said with a muffled annoyed voice.

That was it, Loki had lost his patience. "ENOUGH! I'm sick of this!" Loki barked. He rose up and walked towards his bed.

"And what are you going to do?" His reflection snorted.

"I'm going to end this hell once and for all" Loki muttered as he picked up a pillow and pulled off the pillowcase and put it over his head. The other Loki's eyes widened as he realized what Loki was about to do. "No! Stop! I can explain everything! Just don't commit suicide! It won't help!" The reflection shouted. Loki only laid down on the bed in respond. "Okay! you got me. I can tell you whatever you want only if you put that thing off your head, now!" The other Loki yelled in frustration. He got no answer. Finally the other Loki lost his patience. "LOKI! It won't work! you can't die!" Loki's reflection screamed. Then he realized his mistake and covered his mouth with his hands.

Loki slowly took off the pillowcase from his head and sat up. "I beg your pardon?" Loki asked slowly.

The panic began to grow inside the other Loki. "Nothing, i said nothing!" He breathed. "You promised to tell me everything." Loki argued. "Just forget the last thing i said okay!?" His reflection begged in desperation but Loki didn't listen. "What did you mean I can't die?" Loki asked. His eye pierced the other Loki, so he couldn't look away. "I never said that!" His reflection said in an attempt to act innocent. "Yes you did." Loki sighed. "You are hiding something. A truth, about me. Am i right?" He continued.

The other Loki closed his eyes. "Yes…"

After walking a whole day, Eir was exhausted. She couldn't find any way back to Asgard.

Earlier, she had walked into a forest, but after ten minutes she realized he was lost. Now Eir sat down and leaned against a tree near by. She was hungry after a whole day without eating. She needed to find a better place where she could sleep without being attacked by wild animals. But she was too tired to continue her walk.

Instead, Eir just sat there and watched the sunset.

"What are you doing here all alone? It's getting dark soon. Didn't you know that the woods are a dangerous place at night time?" Suddenly a voice said behind her. Eir spun around. Right behind her stood a little elf. "I am lost, i was on my way back to the palace, but I can't find the way home." Eir sighed.

The little elf tilted her head. "I can help you home, but it's not safe to go at night, i suggest you spend the night in my bothy." The elf said. Eir shrugged. Why not? But a little voice in the back of her head warned her. Eir knew she should never trust a stranger. "Who are you?" Eir asked.

"I am Aslog, daughter of Eindride. And you are?" The elf asked. "I am Eir, Daughter of Halvard." Eir said. The elf smiled. "A pleasure to meet you Eir Halvardsdottir. But you better come with me now before it's too late." The elf said and grabbed her hand. Eir stood up and followed the little elf.

After five minutes of walking, Eir and the elf suddenly reached a little house. "Look, we are almost there!" The elf said happily. Eir smiled. "Such an adorable little house" Eir exclaimed. Aslog ruched to open the door for Eir. "My lady." Aslog said and Eir chuckled.

The elf seems to be harmless, i do not think i need to be afraid. Eir thought as she stepped inside.

Eir's eyes sparkled as she gazed around in the house. The walls was made of wood and the floor was covered with a red wall-to-wall carpet, the decor was beautiful, the the wooden chairs were beautifully made. Adorable, Everything was just so adorable! "Would you like me to show your room?" Aslog suggested. Eir looked down on her. "It would be lovely, but i am starving." Eir said. "Oh i see. Would you like some supper?" The elf asked. Eir nodded. "And a nice cup of tea please." Eir added. The elf nodded and rushed into the kitchen.

Eir liked this place, she wanted to stay here. She tried to imagine how it was like to live in such a charming little house like this. It would be like a dream come true. Eir sat there, lost in her thoughts when a little voice called for her from the kitchen. "My lady, the supper is ready!" Aslog shouted. Eir woke up from her thoughts and walked into the kitchen. There she found Aslog putting food on the table.

It smelled good in there, Eir closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of home.

"Take a sit please." Aslog said and patted on the chair next to her. Eir sat down and they began to eat. "Eir, may i ask, how did you get here in the first place? What's your story?" The elf asked.

Eir sighed and began to told her, she told her about Loki and his condition, she told her that she was kidnapped when she was about to tell the Allfather about Loki, she told her about Frigga and the basement, about the torture, and she told her about her escape plan and how her magic affected Frigga, she told her about the shadow with the shining eyes.

When Eir was done, they both just sat there in silence. Finally Aslog managed to say something.

"You must have suffered very much…" Aslog said quietly. Eir nodded. "But he real question is; Who was she? The shadow?" Eir asked. Aslog frowned.

"I do not know for sure, but I have a theory, I think we are dealing with a vengeful spirit." Aslog said bitterly...