Chapter 2 - Isa
Faye looked up to see what was making noise from the tree line, a hand ready to call Leviathan to her side. In front of her, she was kneeling before the grave of her baby boy. Her sweet, innocent boy. He had only been five, he was too young and that man... that man had killed him.
And out of the forest stumbled a child. They looked lost, very lost. Dressed in what amounted to maybe a sack. With shockingly green hair, Faye knew immediately that this child was not human. Just from that hair. And Leviathan landed in her grasp seeing that. The child got their footing from tripping out of the woods and they looked at their foot and back, having not seen her apparently.
The child was maybe around her son's age. Faye's ears caught an unknown language being mumbled from the being as they rubbed their arms. It was a brisk day and to be so underdressed. Hair a mess too. And the child looked ahead and froze like a deer hearing a twig snap under foot. Eyes wide as they stood ramrod straight.
Their face was... concerning. Faye could not tell the gender of the being, but across their face was a vicious scar down the cheek to jaw. A splattering of freckles across the cheeks and nose, and the most drawing feature to the soft child's face was the eyes. They were like a rainbow shining clear as day.
They made a sound and stiltedly lifted a hand, a greeting in their language it seemed. The eyes smartly were on the axe in her hand. "Who are you?" She demanded. The kid blinked at her and replied something. "I don't speak your tongue." The figure frowned a moment before tapping a finger on their chin.
"Is... this... better?" The words stiltedly came from the lips, the child clearly knew the language but was not learned in speaking it. "Sorry... I learn... it a... I have not... used it." They clearly were trying to string the words properly together. "Do you... Can you... tell me where I am?"
"In my grove," Faye told them, eying them. "Who are you?"
"My name..." They started and stopped. And just didn't say anything, watching her instead. Seemed to see the grave marker. "Ah... sorry." And... bowed at her. "I will... leave then." Faye watched the child look back the way they came and think a moment.
"You are in a valley, the only way out is the way you came in or down stream," Faye provided seeing the child seemed genuine about being lost. "How did you get here?"
"I... was put here."
"And why are you here if you were placed here? Abandoned? You don't seem incapable." Faye looked for a reason why the child would have been left to die to the elements. They didn't seem ill. All limbs, were... mostly coherent but what wasn't could easily be placed down to child like shyness or confusion. Could speak, could hear, could see.
"No... I agreed..." They said looking around a bit, checking for mountains it seemed, which way to go. "That or die." The words absent but spoke of terrible things that made Faye angrier. That they'd throw away a child when she didn't have a choice but to lose hers?! "Sorry to say... that in front of a grave." They bowed to her again. An odd custom, not one of the realms she knew of. Possibly an alfheim custom, or they, like her husband, were not of Midgard or Yggdrasil. "Thank you for telling... how to leave."
Faye spoke up, seeing they were about to leave. "Do you plan to walk around like that?"
"I have been... for three days," they said. "I will... probably be fine." That did not reassure the woman at all.
"Are you a God of some sort?" This seemed to stop them, bring them up short.
"No?" It was answered like a question but more of why she had asked something like that.
So Faye clarified on what obvious sign that this wasn't just a human... to said human. "Your hair."
They tugged some hair and looked at it. "Yes?"
"It's green," Faye pointed out the obvious, not sure why she needed to explain that. "Mortals don't have green hair." They seemed actual confused about that. Faye had travelled many of the realms, she knew that hair color could vary a lot, but the child may be a half light elf maybe. Maybe. But they didn't give off the appearance of one of Freyr's people. She wasn't too well versed in the looks of all Ljósalfar, but green hadn't come up while she was there. "And your eyes are not mortal either, I would say they were close to a Light Elf but... they aren't to them either."
"To the best... of my knowledge. I am human." The child seemed mildly unsure about that but Faye didn't believe they were feigning ignorance either.
Faye looked over them for a moment. And stood, axe in hand. "Come, then, human." She said plainly. "You look cold. Follow." And beckoned a finger at them. The child seemed confused but another curl of the finger and they were. Their bare feet, how that child had their toes still was beyond Faye's understanding, shuffled in the snow.. "My husband just returned from his hunt with several catches. We can spare you a wolf pelt."
The child seemed to sputter at the hospitality. "No, n-no," they said hastily. "I'm fine, really. I... you don't know me and... and it's fine." Faye frowned at the refusal. The child was out abandoned on her lands and clearly cold by how they were shaking, refusing warmth.
'Is it fear of retaliation? No love in their household?' Faye didn't know, but she had no ill will, so she insisted. "I offered. Follow." And the child followed behind her, walking in her tracks in the snow. He seemed too lost to have other options, so Faye would try to help the boy enough so he can make a life out there and if not... well... the Norns must have reason for why a child her son's age arrived so close to his death before her. "Why were you forced to be here?"
"I'm to... kill someone. A man." The child admitted freely. Faye froze. That reason had never crossed her mind. "Ahhh, not someone you know. Or your husband... oh... why did I admit that," The child admonished themselves. "Why is lying so hard?" They groaned. Faye looked back and the child shrunk under her gaze.
"Who?"
"I... I actually never got the name," The child said. "Umm... but... I think I know who and... I don't think its your husband... actually... I think I know it's not him. I don't believe he ever got married." The child rambled and seemed to be mostly in their own head. "I probably should have asked... before being dropped here..." And held their face with a groan.
"Knowing who you have to kill would be helpful," Faye commented idly as her mind raced and the boy had seemed honest, so she felt she could possibly even get the answer to the pressing question if she just asked. "Is his name Kratos?"
"Kratos?" The child repeated. "That sounds... Greek." The child said to themselves. "Ah..." They refocused. "No. It's not a guy name Kratos. L-like I said... I think I know who it is. And wait... did he get married... Didn't he have a kid..." The child seemed confused. "I really should have asked!" They groaned again into their hands. "Why did she ask when I hurt so much?"
Faye couldn't keep the chuckle from coming out at the 'innocent' little plight of a child's lack of foresight. "Was it magically binding?"
"I don't know," the child said in a way that Faye believed and also knew they likely also knew it was binding. Faye started walking again. The child followed.
"Why drop you here?" Faye questioned.
"Don't know," and this time Faye believed that. "Guess I have to... you know... be somewhere. Start somewhere."
"And why was a child of six asked to kill someone?" Faye inquired as they were cresting a hill. The child had good stamina. Better than Atreus's, but her son had always been sick. If he wasn't, he'd have likely been like his father.
The young one was silent a moment. "Why not?" They settled on, not innocently or dully. More resigned to their task. "Kids grow up. Six is young enough morals haven't been learned yet." Faye had the strong feeling this was not a six year old, by vocabulary and attitude.
So... Faye didn't keep the charade going. "Are you six?" No issue in just asking.
"No. I'm fifteen." Faye was mildly surprised he didn't lie to her about that one. "I'm just... small." Faye knew why they were abandoned with a near impossible task then. She herself nearly was as well for being so small for a jotun, well... of her clan size. She blended in with the tribes of Midgard and the other realms, so she, in the end, allowed trading to work better. Before those monsters wiped out her race on Midgard.
They were approaching the house. "My husband..." Faye began. "Don't be scared of him. He is still... we are still... hurting from losing our son."
There was silence a moment. "Your son?" Came the question.
"Atreus. The grave... he was... killed a few weeks ago. Kratos is... has taken it badly. And he is already a... imposing man." Faye warned. Mentioning her child hurt a bit but... she could. Kratos, her poor husband, this would be another of his child he lost. He blamed himself, Faye knew he did. For going on his trips to manage his anger. It was her own fault, that man had been... he had been weak but the way he accepted the death blow to get to her son... it only had taken a second. A second she was too slow. A second was all she needed to fail.
Pushed open the door. "Kratos, we have a guest." He was sitting on Atreus's bed, holding one of his toys in his large hands. The bearded man looked up at her, and he hid the pain well. But she was his wife and knew him. Faye saw the pain. And the child stepped in, looking around curiously. Kratos tensed seeing them.
"Who?" He just asked watching the child intently and the child looked at him, cringing back a little. And making themselves look smaller.
Faye gave him a look but his eyes was on a possible danger. "They are not a God, I suspect there is light elf in their blood." He let out a low rumble in the form of an acknowledgement hum. "Follow me, child." They did, keeping close to her to avoid the gaze of Kratos. "What is your name, child?" They never answered.
"Ahh... Mido-... um..." The child said. "Well... I guess not... anymore..." they drew out, mildly distracted by her husband. "I guess my name... doesn't matter anymore."
"What are you?" Kratos asked in his way.
The child flinched at the sound. "Human?" They provided. He just kept watching, waiting. Faye sighed and knew what he wanted. "Boy?" The child, now gender known, tried again. Kratos nodded a short nod.
"Why are you here?"
"Put here," he said to him. "Specifically here... I don't know." Faye got some of the stew they kept on the fire and filled a bowl. And handed it to the child. They seemed a bit startled at it and accepted it. "Thank you... uhh..." Seemed to rack their brain. "Oh...ma'am..." And sipped the stew, eyes lingering on Kratos.
"I found him coming out of the woods. He looked cold so I brought him back with me." The kid just sipped the stew. "What do I call you, child?" Faye asked for the third time.
He was silent a moment. "Just... Iz... works." Faye heard Isa from the shy mumbling.
"Isa..." She repeated. Named after a rune, not too uncommon but also not common either. Stillness, Ice, the renewing of life. "An odd name. Well Isa... like I told you. Kratos has eyes that feel like they'll kill you, but you are safe in here unless you give reason not to be." Isa nodded after a moment and sipped on the stew more. Clearly hungry but had been taught manners. "Now. I said you could have a wolf pelt. Follow." He did and seemed leery of getting closer to Kratos but followed regardless.
"Isa here told me he has to kill someone. A man." Faye told Kratos as she rooted around for her scissors to cut the melt some. "I doubt it is you." Kratos glared at Isa and Faye tapped the side of his head. "It is not you. Do not glare at the boy. There is no way he can kill you." Kratos nodded. The boy even nodded.
"Why?" He asked Isa.
"I was dying... she said to and I get... to see Mom again," he stiltedly explained. "Or I could have... just died but... if not me, someone else. If I fail, I fail..." He shrugged. Rubbing an arm, which Faye was seeing more was a nervous tick and kept his arms up and comfortable. The kid knew how to fight a little.
"This healer... why does she want you to kill someone for her?" Faye asked as she found the scissors and sat down, motioning her to take a seat on the ground.
The boy shrugged. "She says he has to die. If he doesn't, I think some bad people live and they'll probably hurt a lot of people." He was quiet and it was clear he also hadn't put a lot of thought into the act itself. More trying to stay alive and so forth. "But she couldn't do it... since its her son and stuff." He mumbled the last part but the two heard.
Faye looked at Kratos and he her. Isa just shrugged again. "It is... what it is. If I want to see Mom, I'll do it. Maybe. If... I can't... I'll just... still be around... I think." The boy finished the stew and watched her work. Faye shifted to show it more.
"Boy," The sound of her husband's voice filled the house as it did. "Have you killed someone before?"
Isa shook his head. "No. I... well... I've come close. Really... really close." His words faint in remembrance, but not in guilt at all. "It's really lucky that they made it... heat of the moment... nothing like this." He gave a small hopeless laugh and a shrug. "Of course they had it coming... attacking Mom... I wouldn't... have felt too bad about it."
Kratos let out a rumbling hum again. And kept rubbing the wooden toy he probably didn't remember carving for Atreus. Always came back with one or two from his trips, something he used in his own way to apologize to the boy for disappearing so much. They had burnt him with his favorites. And that one was going to be for him from the latest trip, still making them.
The wolf pelt was easy enough to handle with Faye's focus to not think of her son even with another child his age in the house. How this wolf pelt could have been for some new shoes for her baby after he messed them up helping her in the garden. Made the shoes out of the legs of the beast, adding the paw buds to help with traction on the toes. Would make a cloak from the rest. It'd be best since the child looked so cold. Good thing Isa was small, so he'd have a lot of coverage. "You seem to really love your mom," Faye said softly. "To go to these lengths just to see her again."
He shrugged as he watched the cloak being made. "I... was not that good a son. The Midoriyas, we... are crybabies," he huffed. Faye filed that strange name away. "Happy, sad... we cry a lot. Always have, even my great grandparents. And I worried her a lot. So she cries a lot because of me. Constantly fighting... They all saw me as a cripple so... but she hated seeing me hurt." His voice soft. "I don't want her to see me dead."
"And your plans, Boy?" Kratos questioned. The child seemed to have gotten mildly use to the voice to not think it was immediately hostile. Either he was too trusting, or a good read on emotions.
"Get in shape. Find him. Stab him. Go home, I guess." A simple plan, but his task seemed simple.
"Do you know where he is?" he didn't really answer but Faye knew that was a firm no. "How will this healer know you got him if he dies before you find him?"
"He won't." Isa seemed absolutely sure about that. That he would not die before he could get to him. Even over years. "Only a few people know how to hurt him here." Faye looked at the child and she was no stupid. Nor was her husband. Something like that, something so sure of his ability to survive. And a limited ways to hurt, not kill, but hurt. The boy was tasked to kill a God. How... cruel.
Kratos's frown deepened but it was more of one of remembrance. He came to the same conclusion as she had. "That path will be a dangerous one, Boy. For you and your mother."
"I know," Isa said plainly as he watched the needle go in and come out. Faye looked at things and it seemed to have come together nicely. And handed it over, showing how to put it on. He did and stood, it covering a lot of him. Swallowing him but it all fit. He bowed in it. "Thank you, Ma'am. For your kindness. Do you need me to do anything so I can repay it?"
Faye gazed at the boy. Polite and understood debts. So she provided him an easy way to make right the exchange. Faye saw it would weigh on the boy with how reserved he was against something as simple as the idea of food given. "Help me with my garden. I have neglected it the last several weeks." Faye stood on those words. And trying not to think of who would normally help her in the garden, walked with him out of the house, and to where her garden was.
The boy was clearly not a gardener but a quick study. He warmed up to her and more freely talked in his soft voice, responding to what she said politely. To Faye's amusement, this child was more polite than any being that she had ever come across in the nine realms. It was dark by the time the garden had been properly maintained and Faye just had the boy stay the night. He slept on some furs on the floor, none of the three looking at the open bed.
And the next morning, to pay for the shelter and food she gave, had him help her with some chores. Kratos was still quiet as he dragged a tree along on his shoulder, a feat her and Atreus were use to of course. But Isa had stopped and stared at the casual feat of immense strength. And instead of fear, Isa seemed to get a nostalgic look in his eyes. Watching how he moved the tree and easily cut it with an axe into smaller bits. Faye found that odd, that he wasn't scared of the feat or at least in awed of it. It lead her forming idea that this boy may be a demigod of some sort. Or one of her people's offspring. Would explain how he survived exposure for three days.
Faye nudged him. "Help him carry the firewood to the pile." He blinked at her before nodding. Walking over and waiting patiently. Kratos glanced at him but kept his work, splitting the wood and he would gather it into his small arms and walk it to the pile. Again and again. Didn't seem to have an end to his stamina but he looked to be wearing down. His actions didn't show it but Faye could tell and Kratos, who had trained warrior children in what little he spoke of his time as a mortal, could tell as well.
Faye finished with her task and the firewood was nearly done. "Isa, do you want food?" He looked at her and touched his stomach for a moment. Before nodding. Kratos just put his axe down and walked in to get his fill. And the meal was simple, the same as their breakfast. Isa just ate slowly and carefully. Thanking her for the hospitality.
"Mister Kratos," His soft voice came out in the silence of them eating. Kratos looked at him. "How are you so strong?" Kratos just grunted and went back to eating. Isa blinked at him before doing the same. "Is it special just to you or is it something I can get to?"
"Me," his voice rumbled out. Isa ahhed and that was that.
"Can you grow taller, Isa?" Faye asked the not six year old.
"Yes," he nodded. "The healer... rebuilt my body. For better or worse," he added the last part under his breath. "I use to... look a bit older, but things had to be changed I guess." He sighed. "Can't exactly get in fights with teenagers and some adults like this..." he motioned at himself. "I'd be a yappy dog they'd kick through a window."
Kratos seemed mildly confused with how his eyes were examining him. "How old are you, Boy?" Kratos outright asked.
"Fifteen." Same answer. He just hummed again.
"You are still off then," Kratos settled on and Isa just looked at him a moment, not refuting it. He was a strange boy regardless. "Come." Kratos said standing, his food done. "I have need of a second pair of hands." And walked out to likely prep bundles of firewood to make it easier on Faye to bring an amount in the house. he was always so thoughtful in his own ways. Isa seemed a bit startled at her husband's request. But ate the rest of his food fast and followed. Bowing to Faye again.
He was a polite child, if with his strange bowing custom. And Kratos was already getting along with him. Faye just went to do more chores as the two males prepped the wood. 'He is not my little Loki, but… it would be nice to have a new face around… to distract us.' Faye mind wandered. 'If only I was better.'