Baldr's POV
Ganglöt and Ganglati objected to having to accompany their mistress and Baldr to Angrboða's abode, which turned out to be because she had her home in a high tower at the other end of Hel's castle.
But Hel was resolute, much to their chagrin.
"Why can't you at least install a lift?", Ganglöt complained.
"Or tubes and trains?", added Ganglati.
Hel rolled her eyes. "You already asked me that a month ago. I told you then and I will tell you again, the transport services are still under construction. End of the discussion."
And so the two gave up and resigned themselves to the fact, that they would have to follow the queen the long way to the top of her mother's tower.
Baldr felt bad for the elderly couple.
"I can carry you, when you're too tired", he offered.
Ganglöt giggled in amusement. "My, such a gentleman! But no, thank you. We have always managed just fine in the past. As long as you walk slowly enough for us to keep up, we'll be fine."
The Bright One shrugged. "Alright. But my offer stands."
.
Nanna had insisted on accompanying them.
Partly, because she didn't want to stay behind all by herself, but mostly – she claimed – because someone would have to distract Baldr from the creepy surroundings, if he got scared.
Hel had laughed, but agreed to take her with them.
"You're just spooked by the howling of my dog", she teased.
"Am not!", Nanna huffed.
Either way, the brunette goddess was coming along.
Turned out, the way to Angrboða's home was long indeed.
The group of five walked through dark and fluorescing hallways.
After half an hour of walking, Nanna asked: "Why are the hallways in this castle so big? Could it be, that you have a thing for Gothic architecture?"
Hel, who was walking in front of them, paused.
When she faced Nanna, Baldr was surprised to see a sheepish expression on her face.
"I'm claustrophobic", the Queen of the Dead confessed.
Nanna smiled: "Oh, I see. Don't worry. That's nothing to be embarrassed about. I'm asking, because I've been noticing a trend. Besides, I used to be agoraphobic as a child. I grew out of it, when I came to Asgarðr in Freyja's entourage. I mean, I had to. Asgarðr has so many wide places and streets."
"Freyja's entourage? So you're a Vana?", Ganglati asked. "I wouldn't have guessed! Though, to be fair, I have never seen a Vana before."
Nanna just shrugged in response. "Yeah, most people think all Vanir are blond. Anyway", she turned back to Hel, "thanks for telling me. I appreciate the trust."
Hel gave her a warm half smile, before pointing toward the other end of the hallway. "Let's keep going. I want to be back before lunch. Remember, Hermóðr will arrive around three pm."
Now Nanna was the one to stop dead in her tracks. "What?", she breathed as all colour drained from her face.
Her shock caused Hel to blink in confusion. Then her right eye widened in realisation. "Shit! I forgot to tell you, that your former lover is coming to negotiate your and Baldr's release!" She tore at the blonde parts of her hair and her left side turned skeletal from distress. "Fuck, how could this happen?! I never forget important stuff like-"
"Leave it be", Nanna said tiredly. "At least now I won't be caught off-guard, when he shows up."
"But still! This is horrible! I should have made sure-"
"Hel, stop. Let it go. Everybody makes mistakes. Don't wreck your head over it, okay? I'm not upset. Shocked and a bit bewildered by the news, yeah, but not upset. It'll be alright."
Hel nodded (though her expression remained glum) and turned back to the corridor ahead.
They continued on their not so merry way and crossed the entire castle, until they reached a lone, narrow corridor.
It was eerie: deadly quiet, chilly and filled with thick ground fog. The walls didn't fluoresce and high windows were pointing northwards, so the blue fire from the torches was the only light (Baldr's own glow not included).
Normally Baldr liked the darkness just fine, but this here was just creepy.
So he went ahead and took the hands of Nanna and Hel.
"What's wrong?", Nanna inquired. "I thought you're fine with the dark."
"This is probably different from the darkness he's used to", Hel assumed. "Are you afraid, Baldr?"
"A little", he admitted. "In the rest of the castle, the Gothic architecture looks amazing and there is at least a little more light, because of the black sun and the fluorescing walls. Here it feels more like I'm in a gothic horror novel by Edgard Allan Poe. Or in some ancient city from a Lovecraft story- HOLY COW!"
With that scream, he let go of the women's hands and leaped back at least three metres. He had just nearly bumped into what had to be the scariest statue he had ever seen.
"Frick!", he gasped. "If I wasn't already dead, I'd be having a heart attack right now! What is that thing?"
"It's a gargoyle", Hel answered. "Nothing to be afraid of. The only thing it does is let water run into this drain." She pointed at the small channel in the floor beneath the gargoyle's maw.
Baldr blinked. "Huh. I didn't notice that before."
"Well, you were close to falling into the water", she deadpanned. "Then you would have noticed."
Nanna burst into laughter, Ganglöt and Ganglati were struggling not to giggle.
Baldr shrugged it off. This was just Hel being Hel.
At that moment, an icy gust of wind came from outside the windows, making them all shiver.
Ganglöt and Ganglati groaned and flexed their joined, making a cracking sound.
"Yeah, a lot of windows still need to be glazed", Hel said. "But this castle is huge, so it takes ages. And none of the glaziers wants to come down here."
"Can't say I blame them", commented Nanna. "This place is the creepiest thing ever! Darkness, blue fires, ground fog, freezing wind that chills you to the bone … only thing missing is the howling of wolves or the cawing of ravens."
At that moment the deepest, most resounding howl Baldr had ever heard came from outside and echoed through the corridor.
"There it is", Nanna noted, while Baldr froze in terror and grabbed one of Hel's arms.
Only a minute after the howling died down, did Baldr finally whisper: "What the here was that?! That wasn't a normal wolf!"
"It wasn't", Hel confirmed. "That was my dog Garmr. But don't worry. He wouldn't harm anyone, unless I command it."
Baldr was almost relieved to see the solemn look in her right eye. No laughing, giggling or even smiling from her, nor from Nanna or the elderly servants.
That didn't make him less embarrassed though.
"Sorry", he mumbled in shame and let go of Hel's arm.
But then he noticed, that Nanna seemed hardly affected. "Wait a minute! Why aren't you scared?"
"I am", she smiled weakly. "It's just not the first time I hear it. I've already heard it several times, back when I had to shovel snow in the garden. It still scares the shit out of me, but it doesn't catch me by surprise anymore. This is what Hel meant earlier, when she teased me about being scared of her dog."
"I'm sorry about that", Hel told them. "But it's okay to be scared. I used to be afraid too, when I was younger. Not of the howling, but of everything else here."
"That's true", Ganglöt piped up. "Back when she was a little girl and had just been given jurisdiction over Niflheimr and Helheimr. The first times we brought her here, she clung to our arms and shook like a leaf. Poor, frightened little thing."
"Does that mean you two have been here longer than her?", Nanna asked the elderly couple.
Ganglati nodded. "Much longer. We're as old as mankind."
"Wow!"
Baldr pondered.
As old as manking, huh? That meant they were among the oldest beings to still exist. Which made him wonder even more what exactly they were. But he would ask them about that later, because for now the five of them had another goal.
Right as he had finished that thought, another, much deeper and darker howl made him shiver and he clung to Hel's arm again.
"Don't be frightened", she tried to soothe him. "That's just Fenrir."
"Just Fenrir?", Nanna exclaimed incredulously. "Are you seriously trying to convince us not to be scared of the Fenriswolf?! I know, he's your brother and all, but don't tell me to not be scared of a wolf the size of Mount Everest!"
"Actually, he's bigger than- okay, I'll stop", Hel chuckled, when the Vana glowered at her. "Anyway, let's keep going. We've been dawdling for too long. And Baldr, please let go of my arm. It's the dead one, if you tug at it too much, you'll rip it off."
He apologised and released her arm.
Hel just shrugged and continued walking.
Ganglati tugged at the sleeve of Baldr's shirt to get his attention.
"I'm surprised you don't mind touching Her Majesty's left arm", the old man remarked.
Baldr caught on. "It's fine", he assured the other. "I don't care about the state of her arm and hand. They're hers. That's all that matters to me."
At those words, Hel whirled around and gawked at him. Her left side was lively and her ghostly white face was flushed pink.
The sight was so adorable, that Baldr blushed a little as well.
In the background Nanna and the elderly servants snickered into their hands. A stern look from Hel silenced them, though.
Eventually, they walked around a corner and Hel stopped in front of a giant door (hand-carved ebony and adorned with weird-looking reliefs, because of course it was).
She knocked thrice and the door opened by itself to reveal … nothing. Just black. But Hel snapped her fingers and a circular staircase appeared in front of them.
A staircase with … glowing stairs?
Okay, that was surreal. And creepy as Niflheimr.
The black light of the stairs was so dim, that Baldr outshone it.
However, the walls absorbed 100% of the light, so the stairs were the only thing visible. Which made it even creepier. Like they were ascending within a big, black void.
Out of instinct Baldr reached for Hel's hand. This time he caught the right one. And as soon as she gripped his own hand firmly, he calmed down considerably. She seemed to have that effect.
Unfortunately, the effect was ruined by what Hel said next: "Mind your steps, Baldr and Nanna. There are no walls. The stairs are wide and rough to prevent slipping, but-"
"What?", Baldr yelped, making everyone wince.
"Uhm … sorry … it's just … so this is no staircase at all? Just stairs? And we could fall off? And then we'd be lost forever?"
"Or hit the far off ground and smash like eggs?", added Nanna.
Hel shook her head. "Neither. You will fall for a while through the darkness, until you enter a magical mist. It will gradually slow down your fall, until you gently land on the ground. Then you wander aimlessly, surrounded by nothing but fog and the wailing of the damned. Of course I'd come to get you out, but by the time I find you, you might have … lost your mind? I'm not sure, it's been only once, that I had to retrieve someone from the Abysses of Despair."
Baldr wasn't sure, if he should laugh or cry.
And judging by her face, neither was Nanna. She was clinging to Ganglöt like a leech.
"Just hang in there a little longer, you two. We just need to get to the top and then we're there", Hel tried to cheer them up. "The stairs don't go on for much longer-"
"Speak for yourself, young lady!", Ganglati reprimanded her. "My legs are killing me!"
"Same", said Ganglöt.
Hel sweatdropped.
.
All of them were relieved, when they finally reached the top of the stairway and came to a big platform.
"There", Baldr said and carefully set Ganglöt and Ganglati onto the floor.
He had carried them on his arms for the rest of the stairs, after they had complained about their legs.
After they adjusted their clothes, the old couple smiled at him broadly.
"Such a gentleman! And so strong!", Ganglöt giggled. "A true shining knight!"
"That's true, I suppose", chuckled Ganglati and gave Baldr a pat on the back. "Thank you, lad. Everyone says how good you are, but few would be so attentive as to gladly help an old couple up the stairs."
The Ás blushed, but waved it off. "It's nothing. I did offer to carry you, if you grew tired, didn't I?"
"Still!", Ganglöt insisted. "You didn't have to do that, but you did it anyway. Don't play down your kindness, young man. It's not as much of a given as it should be."
"I-"
"He has a point there, you know", Nanna spoke up. "You think people would have loved you as much as they did, if kindness was universal?"
To that the Bright One didn't know what to say.
"Is everyone here?", Hel asked. "Ah, yes. Good. Come on. We're almost there."
She strode towards an archway at the other end of the platform, crossed it and disappeared into the green fog behind it.
The two elderly servants followed her, but unlike their mistress stopped to wait for the dead deities.
"Go in", Ganglöt encouraged them.
Nanna shrugged and strode into the mist with a boldness Baldr wished he had right now.
Ganglati followed after her, leaving only Ganglöt and Baldr.
"Shall I hold your hand, Óðinnson?", she offered. "I see you're still shaken."
Gratefully he accepted and she led him into the green mist.
For a while there was nothing visible, except for the path (which had handrails, thank goodness) and the three people in front of them.
"This reminds me of something", Baldr said to Ganglöt. "Remember when you guided me to Hel's audience hall and we had to cross Fallandaforað?"
Ganglöt nodded: "Yes. You clung to my hand, like your life depended on it."
"And you freaking hummed 'Walking in the air', while we crossed the chasm!" Baldr shook his head.
The old lady laughed: "I thought it would be funny!"
"Eh, it was more absurd than funny", he retorted. Then he thought of something. "Oh! How was it for you, Nanna?", he called out.
"I crossed it on my own, tripped twice, scraped my knees and nearly broke my nose", his ex-wife answered flatly.
"'Crossed' isn't the right word. She sprinted across like an Olympic athlete. I've never seen anyone run so fast without being chased by something."
Suddenly Hel burst into laughter. She laughed so hard, that she had to support herself on the handrails.
"Oh my Norns, this is hilarious!", she wheezed. "That image! Hahaha!"
"It wasn't funny!", Nanna snapped. "Why does your threshold need to be an invisible magic bridge over a fucking chasm?!"
Hel shrugged, still snickering: "Sorts out the worst of the worst! The more people fall into the pit, the fewer souls I have to judge personally! So it takes a load of work off me!"
"It scares the everloving crap out of people is what it does!"
"Wait!", threw Baldr in, "Didn't you say that only really bad people trip?"
"I cheated on you, Baldr. No matter the circumstance, adultery is generally considered a punk move", Nanna pointed out.
"Oh. Right. Ah, whatever. You and I have sorted it out and later I'll sort it out with Hermóðr. So let's not talk about that anymore."
"Sounds like a plan."
And that settled that.
From here it was just a short walk until they arrived at another door. It was a normal wooden door carved with magic runes, with ivy creeping around the frame.
"We're here", said Hel. "Behind this door lies my mother's humble abode. I called ahead yesterday, so she-" Before she could finish that sentence, the door opened by itself. It revealed a large circular antechamber filled with rustic furniture and exotic flora. There were several fireplaces, filling the room with warmth and orange light.
Hel and her two servants entered first.
Baldr and Nanna hesitated at first.
Then a woman's voice called out to them. It was placid and similar to Hel's, albeit smoother.
"What holds you back, young Ás? What holds you back, young Vana? Come in, you both!"