Worship of the Gods
Do you think I am an automaton? — a machine without feelings? And can bear to have my morsel of bread snatched from my lips, and my drop of living water dashed from my cup? Do you think, because I am poor, obscure, plain, and little, I am soulless and heartless?
Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre
Chapter Nine: See-Through
I am a shadow. I will dance like one. Ellie wobbled on the wooden pole. She stretched her arm out, angling her sword towards a vacant opponent.
The moons were high above her. They cast shadows around the training hall, and they moved like phantoms when she did. Some were tall and others were short, but Ellie wasn't sure which moon caused which shape. Silence fell over the vast space and only her hammering heart echoed in her ears.
As well as Bil tuts and tongue clicks. "Easy, now," he said precariously.
He followed her movements along the balancing pole. Only a couple of meters above the ground which Ellie was thankful for. She hadn't fallen once that night, but she hadn't reached the end of the pole. A bead of sweat dripped down her forehead as Bil clicked his tongue again and continued to observe. She shot him a glare.
"You're a bit feisty tonight," he shot. "Did you have something spicy at the feast?"
I am a shadow. I will dance like one.
"Hm, silence. You must still be chewing. I'm thankful for your manners."
I am a shadow. I will dance like one.
Her first dinner with company was only a few hours ago and the food sat warmly in her belly. She liked to imagine it was the weight of it which was making her wobble. Not her inability to balance.
In her nose lingered the smell of crisp meat and rich wine. In her mind lingered the testing eyes of Odin and his sons. She clenched her fist around the sword and wobbled as she practised swinging it.
It should be easy to balance. She had ripped the outer dress off and was wearing the white under garment; still a long cotton dress, but lighter and easier to manage.
Bil had caught her in the hallway and offered a distraction from her nervous temperament. The idea of a dream infused with the wandering gaze of Asgardian royalty hardly pushed Ellie to decline her dancing master's offer. However, there was no way, in hell, she would wear the pompous attire of Asgard a moment longer.
With a furrowed brow, she took a step forward. She imagined Bil on the other end of the pole with his weapon outstretched, arching his smirk and sword as if they were truly capering.
I am a shadow. I will dance like one.
Pushing away the thoughts which caused her heart to race, Ellie blinked slowly and tantalisingly. Strapped to her wrist was a piece of her God's love. The beads were gentle; caressing her skin. Soft kisses of their wooden material sent shivers up her arm.
Ellie took another step forward. And another. Another after that one. Bil's voice was distant, far across the physical universe and unable to penetrate the spiritual world Ellie's mind dwelled. She scarcely noticed his sarcastic comments; how much he wanted his bed, his pole back, and his time.
Closing her eyes, Ellie floated in a religious harmony. The air was crystal blue. Clouds of heaven flowed past, sparkling with stars and the eyes of God. It was beautifully warm there. As was the voice, soft and deep all around her. It murmured: "you are a shadow. You will dance like one."
Concentrating, Ellie's lips parted as she exhaled. Her palms were coaxed by the Ethereum. Her mind was for her alone. Except, she wasn't alone. God was at her side.
"You are a shadow. You are dancing like one."
Ellie opened her eyes and looked down at the solid pedestal beneath her feet. Flexing her toes in her sandals, she looked up and met the deep look of her dancing master. He had one finger pressed to his lips and his head tilted to the side. After several moments, he straightened. "Hardly a Dökkálfar, but you're getting there."
As she reached the floor, she grumbled: "hardly a provider of compliments. Moody git."
"Asgardian hearing is a wonderous thing," he shot back.
Ellie ignored him. She wasn't in the mood to go back to bed, she wanted to go somewhere quiet. Somewhere with a world like the one she imagined; full of calmness and solitude. "Where's the Library?"
"There are several libraries."
"One which is quiet."
"Do you know what a library is?"
Rolling her eyes, she crossed her arms and settled her annoyed stare on his pretentious moustache.
"Try the one atop the seventh staircase in the western wing," he said and disappeared from the room.
Ellie carried her dress to the library. Thankfully, she didn't run into any guests, guard or royals. Swishing, the white cotton breezily fluttered around her legs. The cool air was refreshing.
As she walked past each high window, several shadows joined her. The several moons above Asgard were large and small, reflecting the light of a thousand suns.
Ellie reached the library a little later than expected; she had gotten lost and taken the first right instead of left. She stared up at the ceiling in wonder, amazed at the size of everything in Asgard.
This library was circular, with a tapered ceiling that rose to a point. It must be inside a tower, gold-crested and royal. Every wall was lined shelves and books reaching so high that tall ladders were situated at intervals for readers. Each book was leather-bound and thick, crested with golden lettering and borders. As Ellie ran a finger over one, she discovered that were all clasped with hinges and locks. Some were brass and others were silver depending on their importance.
A rather thick, green one had an emerald in its spine which shimmered in the firelight. There were a number of torches positioned around the wall, endlessly burning so the night-owls could enter whenever.
Beneath her bare feet, the polished wood was inlaid with gold. There were runes and fine line art which Ellie struggled to understand. She frowned and walked over a large image of…
"Serenity," she said, deciphering the rune. "Hm."
At the far side of the room was a bay window. Carved out of wood, the heavy oak seat was strewn with plumped cushions. The dark curtains were pulled back and in the far sky sat a moon. It looked down upon Ellie through the glass. She walked forwards and took the seat, staring up at the sky.
When the glass fogged with her hot breath, she reached for a random book on the bookshelf beside her and plucked it. In this room, there were no guards chattering, no horses whinnying and no guests giggling. She leaned into the pillows and began to read.
Ellie stretched her neck as she finished a chapter about the deer on Asgard known as dain. They were mythical creatures which ate the leaves of the Yggdrasil but also lived in each realm. Even Alfheim, the realm she would save.
As she started reading about the wolves on Asgard, she spotted the crow's nest on the window sill. She was careful not to spook the sleeping mother as she leaned her head against the glass. The Asgardian crow was big with thick, black feathers and round eyes. A gust of wind rustled its feathers.
Up so high, Ellie reminded herself that she was completely alone. In the dead of night, Asgard was a glistening city which thrived even in slumber. The window was cool against her forehead. Yellow lines of the royal tower, the arenas and singing statues cut deep against the sky. Ellie looked closer at how the sides and tops of buildings sparkled like stars, illuminating the real ones which existed beyond. To her right was a large firepit on the edge of the city, not burning red, but orange and releasing irredescent smoke. Ellie felt that she could gaze it for ever.
Asgard's appearance; its people and beings – was like a dream, a thing beside her actual life. She could remember how clear Frigga appeared on the bridge, how serene Loki's voice was slicing through her pain. They didn't belong in a place so mundane.
It seemed to Ellie in that moment, that the Earth was desolated by grit and iron, it was a place of little peace and glory despite her Almighty's prayers of beauty. If anything, Earth seemed to mock her, to mock the material boundaries it placed on its people – the suffering of the poor, the pollution and murder.
Ellie felt as if she'd ascended into a vast splendour and could be lost – lost for eternity and never return to her past life.
Did she want to? Ellie had no family. Her social life had been pitiful after university and she doubted philosopher class-mates cared much for frequent reunions. What did she really have to rush back for? Her research and job – if Roberts hadn't sacked her.
In her dwelling thoughts, Loki Odinson entered the library unheard. The moonlight was strong enough to show her resting outline and scrunched features. He had recently left the feast and was informed by his father that Lord Freyr of Alfheim was making his way to the Kingdom. The news wasn't a shock. However, Loki's appetite for the maiden who'd accompanied him was lost and he decided against his desire and sought to see the Midgardian.
Why? He could not answer.
Ellie rubbed her eyes. It took several moments for her to discover they were tingling with sleepiness and dust. She blinked slowly and went to move when there was a sudden noise and the shuffle of a shoe.
With a shriek, Ellie's head snapped. She curled her fingers around the book and threw it as hard as she could towards the source of the noise. Loki Odinson stood glaring at her with the book in his right hand, having caught it mid-air and with more grace than Ellie contained in her pinky finger.
"Oh, shit," she gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "I-I'm sorry."
"Ah, a book, one of the most fierce-some weapons in the entire universe." Loki's furious gaze watched the human. She meant to harm him. "Pray tell me, Midgardian, why do you insult me further?" he asked.
"I thought you were an intruder or spy, or you were someone coming to hurt me."
"You believe that I am one for voyeuristic activities? That I am one to pounce on a Midgardian like a thief in the night?" Annoyance burned Loki, he took a step forwards, his gaze dark. Satisfaction rippled up his spine as Ellie recoiled against the window. "Speak, Eurelia," he ordered.
"Of course, I don't think you were spying on me. I was, I was scared! I thought you were Bil or Thor–"
"My brother is one for voyeurism, is that your plea?"
"No!" Ellie yelped, her voice shaking. "You might've been part of some training exercise. I saw it in a movie once. I mean, you know. I'm sorry." She moved, pulling her legs off the side so they were facing the prince. Her heart thudding slower than before, she could only chew the inside of her cheek.
Loki watched her for another moment and then he walked forwards and placed the book down near her hand. "You should thank your God that I was not Odin." Ellie shuddered at the thought.
Picking up the book and holding it to her chest she said, "can't help being a bit sensitive. I am human after all."
"No," Loki said, his voice distant. "No, you cannot help being a weakling."
She resisted the urge to throw another book at him. "You must get complimentary lessons from Bil," she muttered. "Are you here to throw remarks? You can just ask me to leave."
"Icy words are my forte."
"Is that why they call you Silver-Tongue?"
Loki raised an eyebrow. He had many names as did his brother, but a slithering part of him was bewitched by the darkness of magic. Not that he would dabble in it, but still, playful fear was exciting. "Is that name shocking for you?" he asked.
Unable to pull her gaze away from him, she recalled the Sister's scolding her for having the tongue of the devil. It was for snapping back. "In Genesis it says that 'Satan with his silver-tongue approached Eve'. It's also mentioned in Psalm 52."
"Who do you think influenced who?"
"Youwere clearly influenced by the Devil," she shot, intimately offended by what he inferred. Clearing her throat, she looked away. "Sorry. Bad memories. They say that 'the words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet they drew swords'."
The prince scoffed. Seeing how the human's face flushed at the idea of the Devil as a real creature was laughable. These Midgardians and their false Gods was real entertainment. "Are you scared of the Devil? Is that why you remember these phrases?"
Ellie shook her head, feeling thin pieces of hair falling loose from her braids. "I'm not scared of Satan because God protects me from him. Having the bible recited when I sinned was normal."
"You sound traumatised." His lips fought a smirk of duping delight. However, Ellie shook her head again and looked up at the wall. "No. My teachers… some of them were so kind to me. They'd sing and sew my Sunday dresses even if I'd scratched them up playing." After one of the superiors had screeched herself hoarse for childish insolence. Loki didn't respond, only observing. "I assume," Ellie coughed. "You don't get your nickname after a human demon."
"Perhaps it is."
He was mocking her. Ellie rolled her eyes. "It's for your incredibly witty ability to trick people."
"Perhaps."
They lapsed into silence as Ellie became increasingly interested in the stone wall at her feet. She sat up and leaned over. Carved into the stone were symbols and signs. With a frown, she discovered every wall was covered in them. Cryptic runes.
Runes crammed into into any available space, with lines reading upwards, downwards, leftwards and rightwards. Ellie tilted her head and ran her fingers over the smooth grooves. Despite being chiselled by an artist of royal decree, they were as messy as the ancient Norse engravings. Full of desire and need to tell a story."Is this Latin?" she asked, suddenly spotting a familiar word.
Loki's gaze was already following Ellie's hands. As he slowly neared, he meditated his reaction to her curiosity. "Very well observed. When the Scandinavian colonies intertwined with the Christian settlements, many runes were displaced with Roman lexicon. The carving is a direct match of the Rök stone on Midgard."
"I think we have a photo of that on display at the Museum."
"We decided to allow Midgardians the honour of keeping the stone. It is instilled with protective runes."
"What does it mean?"
"The Rök stone was created to speak to any onlooker. It is a folksong for travellers. A prophet of war, or a poem to a lost lover, or a farewell to the dead. The magic of Odin was ground into the stone and it will remain for another millennium."
"What will it say for me?" Ellie asked, enthralled by the historical ties Asgard had with Earth.
Loki stepped closer, his eyes like steel. "What do you want to say?"
Thinking about this for a moment, Ellie considered asking for a romantic poem. Even a song would've been her answer. However, Ellie was beginning to catch onto espial of the royal family. "I want it to tell me about war."
Slightly surprised, Loki raised an eyebrow. He couldn't catch the look on the Midgardian's face, but was certain it was hiding true desire. "War?" he repeated. "It says: In memory of Vemoor stand these runes. And Varinn coloured them, the father, in memory of his dead son. I say the prophet to young warriors. I say the second of nine generations lost their lives with the Hreidgoths and die later with guilt."
Bile rose up Ellie's throat. She held a hand to the base of her neck and felt wrought with mourning for the dead soldiers. This was the truth of war.
Loki continued, edging closer as the words dripped off his tongue and crept into Ellie's head. Her ability to absorb truth was startling and he dared say that she was like prey to his empath abilities. "I say thirteenth to the twenty kings buried beneath the young man who would later sacrifice his lineage and was repaid by a wife's sacrifice. To the young men born valiant. They would be crushed by a giant. The young men bore children who…"
"Stop," Ellie begged.
"The inscription is hardly as terrifying as the breath of that seer."
"I can see it in my head. It makes me feel sick."
"You need a stronger stomach. This is your… destiny ultimately."
Ellie glanced at him. "Don't remind me."
"Actually, I found you to inform you that a letter shall arrive at your door tomorrow morning. Lord Freyr of Alfheim is coming to the realm to meet you and speak with my father about the future of the light-elves." Ellie physically paled at the idea. "He shall be in attending with several council members and elvish-folk. They are anxious to meet you," he said, nearly giddy at her worry.
"What am I going to do? I can't meet him, I'm a blubbering idiot with royalty. I mean, you've met me!"
"Sadly."
"I can't just say hi. What do I say? What do I do? Wear—"
"Silence," he snapped. "They will not be here for a number of days. Your handmaiden will be informed by the Queen-Mother of attire, of mannerisms and the itinerary. Please, enough of your babbling."
Ellie slumped back against the window. "My point exactly! Babbling! Look at the size of this city, how many guests are going to turn up? I doubt it's 'several' so don't do me a favour just tell me."
"There are… over two hundred."
"Oh, Lord. Oh, God," she said breathlessly. Holding her head in both hands, she dropped it onto her knees and exhaled heavily. Loki, who was watching in silence, raised an eyebrow again and felt his patience wearing. He pressed a finger to the side of her skull and watched her sit up with a calmer expression.
"Stop doing that," she snapped.
"Your whining boils my brain," he said.
"Your manners hurt mine!"
Loki held a hand out, pulling a testy glare. He flexed his fingers, preparing to make her fall asleep and stay silent for eternity.
"You know, when you're King, I hope you don't bewitch everyone to like you. You already have one enemy," she huffed, crossing her arms and looking at the kingdom. She expected a scoff but was met with silence. When she looked back, Loki was watched the city quietly.
"This will belong to my brother," he said and walked towards Ellie. He pressed a hand to the dark curtain and felt its material. For the first time that evening, he appeared sincere. "What, the curtains will?" Ellie asked. Loki shot her a look of disapproval and dropped his hand from the embroidered cloth. Ellie struggled to hide her childish grin.
"The Kingdom of galaxies and endless stars, of celestial rivers and ethereal cities; all the Aesir touch."
"Does that upset you?"
He shook his head, the most sincere action he'd made all night. "No. He is my brother and he is my King. I don't desire the throne."
"Does Thor?"
Loki's eyes snapped to hers. "He knows he will be King. Of course he wants it."
"Just because you want power doesn't mean you deserve it," she murmured. Loki's eyes burned into hers. She coughed, feeling warm. "Would Thor ever go to Earth and tell them about you all again? You're a memory on my planet." Faint and far, Ellie narrowed her eyes at the tiny speckwhich glistened in the horizon. "It looks like a star. But time in space moves differently. So, what I'm seeing isn't my Earth, it's an Earth that could have exploded by the time its light reaches my eyes. Right?" The words tumbled out in a confused jumble. She hoped Loki could understand a slither of it.
"Perhaps. Midgard is an ever-turning realm," he responded. Yes, he did. "It is your species which is fleeting."
"But it's still home."
"Can you really call it home if you don't exist in their time anymore?"
"Well, I… Of course, I can."
"You were alive a split moment. Barely enough time for a jötunn to take a breath."
Ellie looked down. "Enough time to save a city and race of elves."
Loki met her questioning gaze for a single moment. He was poised to shoot a sarcastic reply and undermine her once more.
There was a swish of Loki's cape and he was gone from her side. She felt cold at the loss, enjoying company despite its bitterness. A bird cried nearby, and a laugh erupted from a room just above the window. Ellie turned away.
"Your testament also claims: 'the tongue of the righteous is as choice silver. The heart of the wicked is worth little'." With that, he had disappeared from the room. Ellie's head snapped to the door, a part of her wanting to see through the walls to capture his elitist cackle.
References:
- The Rök Stone – A famous rune stone discovered in the wall of a church, dating back to the 9thcentury. The inscriptions has been partially encrypted and remains a mystery.
- "These will belong…" "What, the curtains?" – from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
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