Ylva was still feverish when the sun rose again. She sleept a lot and eat almost nothing.
When she was conscious, she saw Ralf's concerned look above her. Even Loki was there some of the time, although she ignored how much time had passed. Nine days and nine nights.
Loki stayed at the palace during his days, ruling as Odin over Asgard, but every night he transported himself to the little hut near Vernwood. Ralf Akesson didn't object, so Loki sat down next to the sleeping young woman.
The king didn't even know why exactly he was waisting his precious time on her.
Perhaps the stories about Ullr and the Werewolves had triggered his thirst for knowledge. Ylva and Ralf Akesson could not be the only Descendants alive, Loki figured. A lot of them had no idea who and what they were, but apparently Ullr had power over them.
Loki had met the god Ullr when he was a child. He had not many memories of him, only that the young god had already grey hair. Loki also ignored the reason for the god's visit, but apparently he did not get along with Odin. The god had left the palace very quickly, and Odin had been angry for days.
Ullr was still out in the woods, Loki thought, and perhaps there was a way to join forces with the gods. The god of winter and the powerful frost giant could work perfectly together.
It was the last day of Ylva's transition, Loki remembered when he walked down the stairs to his throne. He was done with the business of the day, and the Allfather would rest in his quarters. Or a projection would, while Loki visited his little wolf.
Suddenly, a young girl stood in front of the throne, small and very nervous as she kneeled before him. Loki could never get enough of people kneeling for him, and he decided to smile encouragingly.
"Allfather, forgive me. I do not wish to bother you…" the girl started with her high voice. She had flaming red hair, a lot of freckles and a tooth gap between her front teeth, but she was somehow appealing and sweet.
"You may continue" Loki said, curious of what the girl had to say.
"My friend, Ylva Akesson, dark hair, tanned, big eyes…"
"My personal sevant, yes" Loki interrupted her.
"She has been missing for nine days now. She was ill and then disappeared. I am very worried for her, Allfather, your grace. Has she told you where she has gone? Because if not, I would like to search for her, with your permission of course." Loki was delighted by the girl's nervousness.
"What's your name, little one?" he asked, softening his voice.
"Kari, your grace" she muttered.
"Kari, follow me. I have something to show you" Loki had made a decision. He remembered Ylva talking about her Kari, and if she was truly Ylva's best friend, she would be trustworthy. It was not a high risk to take, since a girl like Kari could be easily silenced.
Kari's eyes widened in curiosity, and she followed the alleged Allfather down the hall. A few guards followed, and Loki dismissed them as soon as they were in front of his chambers.
"Allfather?" the girl asked with a hint of worry in her voice. Loki could not blame her. Odin was an impressive appearance after all, and he rarely even talked to servants. Now, he was inviting a young girl in his private quarters.
"Do not worry, Kari" he said with an encouraging smile. The Allfather rarely smiled, and Loki scolded himself when he saw that he had just achieved the opposite. She was even more afraid.
Once inside, the girl stared attentively at him, and Loki thought it was best not to talk around things any longer.
With a golden glow, he changed into his true form, wearing his formal armor. He just left out the helmet, not wanting to scare her any further.
He probably needed to calm her, since she would believe him to be a violent monster, who had either come back from the dead or killed the Allfather.
Kari gaped at him, looking like she was just about to pass out.
"You are… Loki" she said slowly, as if she had trouble to process what she was seeing in front of her.
"I am indeed. Rest assured that I will not hurt you if you keep the secret to yourself" Loki started to explain, but Kari just interrupted him.
"I knew it! Of course! I knew it the whole time!" she cried out, and she seemed more excited than afraid.
"You did?" Loki raised his thin eyebrows.
She suddenly stopped and caught her breath. "No. No, I didn't, I swear, I didn't know you weren't the Allfather! I just knew Prince Loki wasn't dead!"
Kari grinned widely, as if Loki had just given her the greatest news. Loki was confused about her reaction.
"Well, I didn't know, I hoped it" she was bubbling, and she clapped her hands together with happiness.
"When they said the Prince was dead, I couldn't believe it. You're the trickster god!"
Loki slowly adjusted to Kari's surprising reaction. He was actually relived she wasn't yelling at him, or running away in horror. She was freaking out, but in a completely opposite way of how he believed she would.
"Now you do know, Kari" he said with a genuine smile.
She was still grinning, although he saw she was trying hard to regain her composure.
"I will keep your secret" she said solemnly.
"But what about Ylva?" the red-head added.
"I let Ylva into my secret. She is at home with her father. May I take you to her?" Loki offered, admitting this girl was growing on him.
"Yes, Allfath- I mean Prince Loki. King Loki. Apologies" Kari bubblued, her cheeks growing deeply red.
"You may call me Loki" Loki said with amusement. Then he looked down for a moment, thinking about his next question, one Ylva had already answered him.
"Why are you not afraid of me, Kari? I am Loki, after all. You know what I did, or what people believe I did" he said, curious of her answer.
She took a second to think, and her answer seemed elaborate.
"I love gossip, but I don't take rumors for truth. You may or may not have done all those things… how can I judge someone I know nothing about?" Ylva's best friend smiled again, "I heard once the Allfather doesn't just have a nine-legged horse, but also an unicorn"
Loki raised his eyebrows again and his lips curved into a smile.
"What else have you heard?"
She chuckled and wriggled her eyebrows. "That Lady Sif's hear was golden blond once, but that you cut if all off and the dwarfs cast a spell that would make it grow back, but darker. How crazy is that?"
Crazy indeed, Loki thought smugly. Sif didn't talk to him for months after that incident.
"You are smart not to believe everything you hear. Now believe this: I will take Ylva back to court today" he changed into the appearance of a stable boy.
Ylva would be impressed by how fast he had charmed her friend, even after revealing himself to her.
Vernwood was as dark and impressive as the last time Loki had been there. Ralf Akesson was chopping wood in front of cabin, and didn't even look up as the god arrived. Loki cleared his throat and changed into his form.
"Lauffeyson" Ralf said motionless and swiped the sweat from his forehead. "What are you doing here? Ylva is fine now" he said in his deep, raspy voice and Loki intuitively straightened his back.
"She must return to my court" Loki was a king, and a king didn't ask for permission.
"My daughter needs me to teach her. She could be a danger to others or to herself. Go away, trickster. You have done enough"
That was the longest Loki had ever heard Ylva's father talk. Apparently, he was sure of his decision, but Loki would not back away from his favorite new servant just because her father told him to.
"I can teach her" Loki said, referring to his magic, but Ralf Akesson shook his head, putting the axe back on the block.
"Magic? This is not your kind of magic"
"What can you possibly teach her, old man?" Loki was not eager to argue with a simple lumberjack.
"Descendants who have awoken the wolf need to control it"
The way that Ralf Akesson said the words made Loki suspicious. The monotone voice had changed, almost breaking away.
"Father?"
Ylva appeared in the door, dressed in a simple, forest green dress. She looked radiant and healthy, completely different than the last days. Her hazel eyes seemed to glow, and Loki was happy to see that she had made it through this mysterious transition.
"Loki" she nodded her head at Loki, but she was focused on her father.
"What do you mean with ‚control the wolf'? What exactly happens to us? Did it happen to you?" she asked in a sharp voice, and Loki was almost impressed by her harsh tone. She looked like she could grow claws and attack her father in a heartbeat.
"Ylva, I will explain that later. Without the trickster. Go back inside" Ralf Akesson gave a hostile glance at the latter. "He doesn't belong here"
"That is not your decision, father. Loki has told me the truth, something you did not" Ylva said cooly, walking closer to the pile of wood in front of the house.
"Not now, Ylva" Ralf growled, but Loki saw something change in his eyes. Something was happening, and Loki was partly curious to see what it would be.
"Why not? I trust him, but how can I trust you? You can't control the wolf, can you?" the young servant was radiating power from each cell of her body, and every muscle of hers looked tensed, like she was about to jump.
Ralf Akesson was right. This was not Loki's kind of magic.
"Tell me, how did controlling the wolf turn out for Bard Birgerson?" Ylva asked demandingly, stepping forward.
Ralf turned towards her, his hazel eyes darkened in regret.
"It was an accident. I never meant to hurt him" he said with a pleading, soft voice.
"You killed him" Ylva stated, and it wasn't even a question.
"He provoked me. Teased me about your mother, and he didn't stop" the tall man suddenly looked vulnerable, and the girl even more dangerous.
"You are a murderer"
Loki stepped in between Ylva and her father, feeling that Ylva was becoming angrier with every heartbeat.
"I am sorry, Ylva" Ralf whispered and Ylva's eyes flashed yellow. "Don't, Ylva. Come with me, back to the palace" Loki pleaded, his back to her father.
She ignored Loki and stared at her father.
"You can not teach me control, father. You killed a man because you were in love with his wife. You can not even control yourself" Ylva hissed, and the sound made shivers run over Loki's spine.
"Ylva. Calm yourself. Come with me. Kari is waiting for you at the palace" Loki pleaded, his green eyes searching hers. And suddenly, as if someone had cut the strings of a puppet, Ylva snapped out of her anger.
Her eyes stopped glowing, and all the tension seemed to leave her body.
"I am sorry" she said, her eyes filling with tears. "Father, I am so sorry"
Ralf pushed Loki aside and hugged his daughter "Go with him. You need to get away from this woods, and away from me. I am sorry I lied to you. I am sorry for killing that man. I wish I could undo it, but I can't. Just promise me you won't make the same mistakes."
"Goodbye, father" Ylva sobbed, and with that, she took Loki's hand and followed him back to his horse.
"I will come back, I promise" she whispered, and Loki felt sorry for both Akessons. He vowed to himself to bring Ylva back to her father, and to help her deal with her curse.
Thanks for the nice reviews! :)
Kari = Every Loki-fangirl in this situation.
Have a nice day, xoxo & Liebe Grüße