Invitation

by Virodeil

*Caught Is Caught Is Cuddled Series* – A young, curious, intrepid scholar, Loki Odinson seeks to know more and more, especially about the knowledge that is forbidden in Asgard. And there is no knowledge that is currently more forbidden than anything about Jötunheim and the red-eyed, blue-skinned, black-clawed giant monsters that inhabit it. So he asks round, including to them.

12. The Capital City

Invitation
By Rey

12. The Capital City

I never thought, nor expected, nor ever wanted to visit Útgarð, the capital city of these… people. I usually avoid such places, anyway, when I travel and explore in the rest of the Nine and outside of it. Less chance of recognition, that, and also less Asgard-like clamourous noises to contend with.

But now here I am: walking among a croud of schoolchildren on what our tour guide claims as one of the main thoroughfairs of the said capital city, which is astonishingly busy and loud but not unbearably so, and being lifted and boosted up every so often by the respective teachers assigned to us in order to look at particular landmarks – humongous landmarks – better.

I never feel this small. Not since I thankfully left my childhood behind.

But, truth be told, the landmarks here – the murals, paintings and little lights livening up the walls of the gigantic buildings, the familiar and unfamiliar objects displayed on the shop-fronts, squat bushes with purple needles and clustered white seashell shapes for flowers dotting someone's yard, and more – are not so ugly to look at, although the dimensions are of course far larger than I am used to. Elder Lúkra – my minder for this tour – never seeks to treat me as a child, at that, beyond hoisting me up into their arms whenever I crain my neck too much and too far.

Now, I can only hope that I will not be recognised anywhere here, and that I will be able to corner Eðlenstr to demand their promised explanation some time soon.

I have already planned to slip away and either return to Asgard or roam more, once the procession is approaching the palace – the largest but not much grander building round here – crouching on top of a tall hill roughly on the centre of this surprisingly small, surprisingly simple city. However, until then, I am determined to enjoy myself.

Including saying "Yes" as cheerfully as the crowd of schoolchildren when, from the front of the procession, Eðlenstr chirpily asks who wants to have some sweet snow.

Well, a traveller must be able to blend in with the populace, right? Especially when their respective realms do not have good relations with each other? I am simply blending in, yes I am.