PART 3: TREACHERY

"Are you sure it's a good idea for you to be here?" Váli cautiously asked the woman walking with him and his brother.

Brynhildr, walking a step in front of Loki's humanoid sons, flashed a smile at Váli. "See if I care what Odin thinks."

Nari snickered. While not all of Hela's Valkyries liked Loki, even fewer approved of Odin.

The three approached Gladsheimr, Odin's golden palace. Váli caught sight of Fenrir lying in a sunbeam, head resting on his front paws. His brother's amber eyes were open, but other than his left ear twitching briefly, he gave no reaction to the sight of a Valkyrie on Asgard.

The Star Guard took a step back when they caught sight of the wings that marked Brynhildr as a Valkyrie, making the brothers exchange another smile. Hela had control over the army of the dead. If she decided to cause trouble there wouldn't be a whole lot Asgard could do, as Asgard knew, and Brynhildr was her second in command. Brynhildr led the boys to Odin's throne.

Odin had noticed the Valkyrie's arrival and was waiting for them on his throne, perturbed she was audacious enough to waltz into his palace and curious why she had. Sváva, her white wings streaked with icy blue, stood near Asgard's throne but walked to stand between Odin and Brynhildr when the latter entered. Brynhildr was loyal to Hela, while Sváva stood with Odin. The valkyries looked at each other mistrustfully, each deeming the other a traitor.

"Brynhildr," Odin greeted, ignoring the stare-off. "I am surprised to see you in my home. Have you at last realized that it is unwise to serve Hela?"

"No," Brynhildr said bluntly, stormy grey eyes flickering to Odin. "I am here for two other tasks."

"And what tasks has Loki's daughter given you?" Odin asked, glancing at Sváva.

Sváva backed up so she stood beside Odin's dais rather than in front of it.

"Sigrún," Brynhildr said, watching him intently.

"Is that name supposed to mean something to me?" Odin asked.

"She is one of the five valkyries Hela has created," Brynhildr continued.

Odin's expression darkened, as Brynhildr expected. Sigrún was the youngest of the five and her power had yet to bloom, which was why Hela was concerned that she had vanished without a trace. Their search, which so far had taken the better part of a week, had yielded nothing. Like Hela, Brynhildr doubted Sigrún could have run into trouble on Midgard, but she did wonder about Odin.

"First," Brynhildr began, carefully watching Odin's reaction in case he was involved in Sigrún's disappearance. "Sigrún will be the valkyrie who told the Berserkers Dagur Oswaldson still lived. Now that you know that, I expect you'll keep your oath to Loki's children and release their father."

Since Sigrún was missing, Hela hadn't seen the problem in revealing who was behind the Berserker's warning. It might shake something loose from Odin.

Odin frowned, and rather than agree, asked, "And the second?"

Brynhildr let it slide for the moment although she could tell Váli and Nari didn't like the change of subject.

"The second thing my lady wishes me to tell you is that Sigrún is missing."

"Missing?" Odin said, sounding surprised.

Sváva straightened, wings fluttering slightly. She seemed just as surprised. Nothing, in her mind, should be able to challenge a valkyrie. Perhaps, she thought, Hela's valkyries were weaker than Odin's. They were certainly less experienced.

"She's been missing for nearly a week now," Brynhildr nodded once briskly. "Hela was wondering if you knew where she was."

Odin narrowed his eye while Sváva bristled, recognizing the hidden accusation. Sváva growled softly, and Brynhildr's eyes slid over to her former sister.

"I don't know where Sigrún is," Odin told her slowly. "I didn't know she was missing."

Brynhildr glared at him, not bothering to hide her mistrust.

"I will tell Hela as much," Brynhildr finally promised him. "I don't know what you intend to do to Sigrún for interfering on Midgard, but I know you will need to find her first. My sisters – my real sisters – and I are continuing to look for her as well."

Sváva snorted in an unlady like manner at the slur that she wasn't one of Brynhildr's real sisters. She considered that a good thing. While she knew Brynhildr and the other defectors weren't truly responsible for betraying Odin, it was still hard for Sváva to grant the sympathy Odin asked her to. Odin had told them it was Hela's silken words and silver tongue, inherited from her father, which caused so many of the valkyries to defect. They were being deceived and they weren't even aware of it. They deserved pity, not prejudice.

While that was true for Brynhildr and the other defectors, Sváva knew that wasn't the case for Sigrún and her four sisters. Even if Odin managed to free the defectors from Hela's thrall, Sigrún and her sisters would never realize Odin was the true leader. They weren't taught to accept that, as Allfather, Odin was ruler of all the realms – including Niflheim.

"Now that that's settled," Nari broke the leery silence that had captured the throne room. "What about father?"

"What about him?" Odin asked.

Nari rolled his eyes, reminding Odin very strongly of Loki.

"You gave us your oath that once we had the identity of the Valkyrie responsible for revealing Dagur's existence you would release Loki," Nari reminded Odin with surprising patience. "Her name is Sigrún. Release our father."

Odin didn't instantly answer, and Nari didn't like it. Neither did Váli, who uttered a relatively quiet deep-throated growl.

"No."

Nari took a step back at Odin's answer and Brynhildr's wings shifted, rising slightly before folding once more onto her back. Even Sváva frowned, glancing up at her liege.

"No?" Váli repeated. "What in stars does 'no' mean?"

"It means no," Odin repeated. "I will not release Loki from the dungeon."

"Why you lying-" Váli started.

"Váli," Nari hissed.

Váli clamped his jaws shut at his brother's behest, eyes blazing with purple fire. His sharpened canines had grown long enough to reach past his lip and his incisors were now slightly jagged.

"You gave us your word you would release father when we gave you Sigrún's name," Nari reminded Odin, taking a step forward. "Do you now renegade on your oath?"

He spoke just as his father did, in a soothing gentle voice, as if he were reminding Odin he'd accidently left his cloak on the floor instead of leaving his father in his dungeon. It was not accusing. Nothing in it would make Odin's blood heat or convince him he needed to defend himself. Indeed, it was pleasant to listen to as if sheathed in silver. Nari even stood as his father did, with his head held high and shoulders thrown back, fingers laced behind his back.

"I rather doubt that's what you're doing." Nari smiled, looking up at Odin through raven black bangs. "That would make you a nithing."

Even Váli winced at Nari's accusation. This accusation was much more serious than the hint about him kidnapping Sigrún. Oath-breaking and kin-slaying were the two worst crimes that could be committed, especially oath-breaking. To break a sworn oath meant breaking one's word, one's honor. A man without honor was not a man at all. He was a nithing, and nithings did not deserve to draw breath. They had no right to rule over anything, especially not the realms as Allfather.

"Hold your tongue, child," Odin warned in a low, even voice.

"Do you wish me to be silent because my lie insults you, or because the truth stings?" Nari asked in a damningly innocent voice, tilting his head to one side curiously.

Nari was good at pulling off the innocent act because of his youth. Loki would often shapeshift into the form of a child for just that reason.

Váli did not remove his eyes from Odin to glare at his brother, tempting though it was. A nithing was also a coward, and a man accused of being a nithing had the right to challenge the accuser to trial by combat to prove himself. Would Odin take up that trial? His brother was a strong mage for one so young, but to fight Odin? Of course, Váli would help him, which would help even the odds.

"I have not lied," Odin assured Nari, making no motion to accept the challenge. "I gave you my vow that I would release your father once you got my Sigrún's name. I never said when, and you did not force me to give a date."

Nari felt a brief moment of hot anger at Odin's mollifying tone, and then icy despair at his words. Váli finally looked to Nari, but his little brother had his eyes lowered as he recalled the memory. Like all gods, he had a perfect memory and was incapable of forgetting anything. His brother looked at him, expression suddenly distraught. Váli felt his heart sink. Odin wasn't lying.

Brynhildr felt her expression soften at the oversight the boys had made though she tried to hide it. As Loki's sons, they would not accept pity.

Odin gave the boys a gentle smile and spoke in a mollifying tone. "You two are most certainly Loki's sons, but you are still very young. You have done me a favor and I will release your father, once I believe he has served his time for helping Thjazi kidnap Iðunn. Now run along children."

Brynhildr's expression hardened and she felt the frustration ripple through Váli and Nari's auras. No, pity was not a good thing to give those boys. They were children, yes, but they were the immortal heirs of the most powerful mage in the nine realms and Nari could already outclass half of all of Asgard's mages. Odin was just lording over them, as he loved lording over everyone. Yet he wondered why Brynhildr no longer served him.

Brynhildr's wings rustled as the scent of fresh blood reached her, and she felt Váli tense. Nari, mind furiously working to find some way to force Odin to release Loki, didn't notice the presence enter the throne room and sit behind them.

"Really Odin," the intruder spoke in a chiding tone, "aren't you being harsh with them?"

Nari jumped at the voice, feet almost leaving the ground.

"Fenrir!" He practically eeped, recognizing his brother's voice.

Váli glanced over his shoulder, but choked at the sight of Fenrir and Brynhildr felt her dread growing at the thick scent of blood, which Nari had finally noticed.

"Brother, when did you get-" Nari froze in his tracks as he turned, eyes widening at the sight that greeted him, "here."

Fenrir sat on his haunches a meter inside the doorway. The two Æsir warriors that stood on either of the doorway had taken a step back and there were slithering hisses as they drew their swords from their scabbards. The reason they were drawing their swords wasn't because of Fenrir's appearance. It was because of the blood.

Blood plastered the front of Fenrir's chest, down the front of his forelimbs, and on his front paws. He'd left a trail of red pawprints as he had padded inside the throne room. His muzzle was stained and blood was dripping from his fangs.

Váli's nose twitched at the heady metallic scent, and Nari touched his brother's mind curiously. As he suspected, Váli's sense of smell was sharp enough to identify the blood. Váli responded telepathically, though to thought so only Nari could hear him.

*That's Æsir blood.*

Nari had been afraid of that.

"Fenrir," Nari whispered.

"What?" Fenrir asked, lips pulling back in a mockery smile. "Is it about this?"

He licked one of his forepaws and ran it over his ear, though it did little to deter the damp crimson stains.

"They're still alive if that's what you're wondering," Fenrir assured Nari. "They simply made the mistake of attempting to stop me from entering. At least," Fenrir added thoughtfully. "I think they are. How much blood can an Æsir lose?"

He chuckled to himself. Nari subconsciously cringed back. His feud was with Odin, not the soldiers sworn to do as they were ordered.

"Fenrir," Váli growled softly, sensing Nari's distress.

Fenrir flicked his tail, a low rumble of laughter eliciting from his chest, "touchy."

Váli frowned. He liked brother Fenrir. While Loki had taught Váli had to shapeshift, Fenrir had taught him what it was to be a wolf. They'd hunted together in the forest, the normal wolves of Asgard deferring to their leadership as Alpha. There were times he didn't like Fenrir though.

The Æsir soldiers shifted their stances and Fenrir pricked his ears, sensing they were about to attack. He didn't mind. Æsir blood tasted much better than that of rabbits or deer.

Brynhildr narrowed her eyes. Suddenly she wasn't beside Nari and Váli. Fenrir gave an oof as the valkyrie kicked him in the chest, knocking him back, her movements too fast for him to dodge. He went sliding as the Æsir brought their swords down. One was trying to deliver an overhand blow and the other thrusting. Rather than strike Fenrir, they were now going to connect with Brynhildr.

Brynhildr thrust her palms outward and caught both swords, instantly halting their swings. The Æsir jolted as their attacks were stopped. Váli's breath caught and he and Nari exchanged surprised looks. Odin stood from his throne.

Glancing at the Æsir, Brynhildr released the swords after a second and let the Æsir step back. They did so, holding their swords cautiously. There was no blood on them, and the Valkyrie's palms remained uncut. Weapons of the living weren't sharp enough to harm a Guardian of the dead. Her strength when she'd grabbed the blade had actually crushed them, leaving the blades warped, imprints of her fingers on the metal.

Under other circumstances, Váli would have smiled at the Æsir's shock. This was obviously their first time meeting a Valkyrie. Not only had Brynhildr been fast enough to knock Fenrir out of the path of the Æsir's swords before they had struck, she'd had enough time left to stop the strikes. She'd perceived the attack patterns on both sides and planted herself at the nexus of their strikes.

"Enough," Brynhildr ordered the Æsir, grey eyes flashing between the startled warriors. "There has been enough bloodshed as it is."

They stepped back.

"Why you bird-brained," Fenrir grumbled as he pulled his paws under him and stood.

His voice choked in his throat when Brynhildr turned her steely gaze on him and he silenced, snapping his jaws shut. With a huff, he looked away.

"As I was saying before I was interrupted," Fenrir began speaking again, walking around the Valkyrie as he went deeper into the room, a red trail of paw prints following him. "Aren't you being harsh with them? Our father did help you deal with Thjazi. Now that he is dead he will never harm anyone again."

"Thjazi only became a threat because of Loki's alliance with him," Odin repeated, wondering why they couldn't grasp that simple concept. Váli and Nari were just children so the way they looked up to their father was understandable, but he'd expect more from Fenrir. "The ends do not justify the means."

"No matter how things turn out?" Fenrir challenged, licking some of the Æsir blood from his lips with his tongue. "How very narrow-minded of you."

Odin saw him swallow the Æsir blood he had licked off his lips, a chill settling in his bones. He had known for centuries that he would need to do something about Fenrir sooner or later. He simply hadn't imagined it would be sooner.

"He has committed a crime and will remain in his cell for so long as I see fit," Odin declared, sitting back down in his golden throne. "As I am Allfather, my word is law. And I am no oath-breaker."

He gave a steely one-eyed gaze to Nari, who raised his chin rather than looked perturbed. Odin noticed he was close to Váli's side, unnerved by Fenrir's savagery.

"Everyone is dismissed," Odin ordered. "You," he looked at one of the soldiers who had failed to strike Fenrir. "Get a healer for the wounded."

The man hesitated briefly, unwilling to leave Odin alone with Fenrir, before turning and taking off at a run. At a nod from Odin, his companion when to check on the wounded Star Guard and see what he could do to stabilize them.

"You are dismissed," Odin repeated when Loki's children and the traitorous valkyrie remained.

Váli looked up at Brynhildr, and it was only when she nodded that he dragged Nari from the throne room, Nari's gaze having drifted back to Fenrir. Fenrir followed his younger siblings at a sanguine pace.

Nari quivered when he looked ahead and saw the mauled forms of four Asgardian soldiers. They had deep lacerations and chunks of their flesh had been ripped from their forms. One had lost half his hand. Fenrir's attack had been so quick, they hadn't even had a chance to draw their weapons. He put thoughts of his sibling aside and stepped hurried towards the man trying to stabilize his comrades.

"I can probably heal them," Nari murmured to the man softly, sensing they were all still alive, "allow me."

"You?" The man asked, his voice wary.

"Yes," Nari replied, too used to his wariness to be insulted.

Tendrils of green-gold magic wafted around his fingers as he sat near the closest man and raised a palm over the wound, closing his eyes. He wasn't as good as his mother, but Sigyn had taught him well enough. The deep lacerations on the man's chest, wide enough he could have slipped his fingers in without touching flesh, began to knit together. He started at the muscle and worked outward, mending the skin last.

Exhaustion gripped him as he finished healing the wound. He swayed slightly, but Váli was instantly by his side.

"I'm okay," he told his brother. "I'll just have to be more careful."

It would be difficult. Instead of fully healing every soldier, he could only take the edge off their wounds if he didn't want to run out of lifeforce. He would have to spread himself out. Mother had told him about that.

"It'd be much easier on you if you simply let me kill them," Fenrir offered from behind, "put them out of their misery and all that."

Nari looked over his shoulder at his eldest brother and shook his head firmly, "I'm fine, and how could you say that?"

"Why shouldn't I?" Fenrir asked, rolling his massive shoulders in a shrug. "They're the servants of Odin, and I've never liked him. Now that he's an oath-breaker I'm even less inclined to like him."

"He's not-" the warrior began to say, voice trailing off as Fenrir looked at him – really looked at him.

His voice faltered and fell silently. Fenrir nodded in the direction of his younger brothers and then padded outside without another word, tail flicking contently. No one spoke.

"You are an oath-breaker Odin," Brynhildr spoke from within the throne room, her words resonating with strength as they carried outside to where they were. "You relish lording over others because you gave yourself that title of Allfather after the deaths of your older brothers."

"I had nothing to do with Vili and Vé's death," Odin snapped.

"So you continue to say," Brynhildr agreed. "All I know is that before your brothers died you, as the youngest of Borr's sons, were last in line to the throne. Now that they are dead, you are king. I suggest you enjoy your throne Odin. I'll side with the Norns on this one. They have prophesied that Ragnarök will come and I can only hope it does."

Ragnarök? Váli thought, confused. He'd never heard that word before. What had Brynhildr and Odin been talking about? He strained his hearing as Nari, oblivious to the argument, knelt beside another wounded warrior. Rather than arguing, he heard the sound of massive wingbeats and Brynhildr flew through the doorway a second later, somehow managing not to clip her wings on the doorway. She glanced briefly at Loki's youngest children as she flew outside, vanishing into the sky.

Váli refrained looking over his shoulder towards Odin as he moved to stand beside Nari, pressing his hands on a wound his brother was lessening to help halt the bleeding. A large chunk of flesh had been ripped out of the man's side by Fenrir's strong jaws.

Váli didn't remember Fenrir bring so brutal and Odin was breaking his oath no matter technicalities he claimed. And what was Ragnarök? The Norns were three sisters who could see the future, so Ragnarök was likely something that had yet to happen, but that didn't explain what it was. He remembered seeing Tyr train Asgard's troops harder as if preparation for a war that didn't exist. What was happening to the realm eternal?

Váli didn't like it. As Sigyn ran over with a few others he and Nari were ushered back. He realized something as they stepped back. Everything had begun to change when his father had started to favor the human girl Kata and her Berserkers. It had begun with Lief.

For those who do not know, Ragnarök is the nordic version of Armageddon. It literally translates to "twilight of the gods." 90% of the Asgardians die in an epic battle as the demons of Muspelheim and Ice Giants of Jotunnheim, in addition to Hela and the army of the dead, invade Asgard. Among the casualties, according to the legend, are Odin, Thor, and Loki.