JC: Chapter 50 updated! I've finally made it up to here. I had so many sleepless nights because of this story. I have so many ideas piling up in my head and I just had to write it all down. The idea of the characters here combined with mythology is just too fun for me. Well then, let's get this started.
Reminder: Cagalli is Freya, Shinn is Loki, Athrun is Alexander, and Auel is Tyr.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Seed.
Gundam Seed: Mythical Legends
Phase 50: Love Emerges
They were walking in the forest for two hours now and there was still no sign of the goddess. Freyr and Alexander were very worried about her and they were not planning of giving up the search until she was found. Who knows what might happen to her in such a dangerous forest?
As they came across a giant tree, they heard someone sobbing. Freyr immediately recognized who it was and looked up. There, he saw his blonde sister sitting on a branch. Her back was leaned against the tree as she hugged her legs tight. Her eyes were streaming down with tears.
"Freya…" called Freyr, putting his hand against the tree. "Come down from there."
The goddess slowly looked down and saw Freyr and Alexander. "Brother, please understand me. I do not want to go back to Asgard. I'm staying here to look for Loki." She wiped some tears from her eyes with her finger.
"He is not worth your time. Loki is a traitor and a thief."
"No, he's not! Loki is… Loki is…" She clasped her hands together near her mouth as she trembled.
"Loki stole Heimdall's right eye and almost killed him!" Freyr clenched his fists. "Doesn't Heimdall mean anything to you? He's also your friend! But you believe in Loki more than him!"
"It was not Loki! He is innocent, brother!"
"You are stubborn as usual."
"If Loki is really guilty as you say, then let me find him." Freya jumped down and landed in front of them.
Alexander was quite surprised to see Freya jump from such a high place. He was impressed, nevertheless.
"What do you mean?" Freyr narrowed his gaze at her.
"I will never believe that he is guilty unless I talk to him," she explained sincerely. "So please… I'm begging you to let me stay." She held Freyr's hand and smiled.
"But Freya…"
"Do not worry." Alexander placed his hand on Freyr's shoulder. "I will watch over Freya for you." He assured the god.
Freyr was feeling hesitant. Should he really leave Freya to search for the traitor? But if he does not let her talk to Loki, she will never return to Asgard. Furthermore, he was not sure to leave his sister in the care of a mortal man. It was risky. What if other people will find out about Freya's identity? He thought about the situation and it took him a while to comply with Freya's request.
"All right, Freya, you can stay."
"Thank you, brother!" She lunged forward and hugged her brother. "Thank you…"
"Just promise me one thing…" Freyr gently pushed her away to look at her face. "Promise me that you will come back after you find him."
Freya's eyes softened. "Yes, I promise…" She hugged him again.
When she released him from the hug, Freyr turned to look at Alexander. "You said that you will watch over my sister for me, correct?"
Alexander nodded his head.
"Then I ask you to take very good care of her, mortal." Freyr put on an intimidating look.
"I will give you my word." Alexander placed his fists against his chest. "I will protect her."
Freyr could see how serious Alexander was. Now, he felt assured that his sister was in good hands. He put out his hand to shake with the mortal. "I'm counting on you." He smiled.
"Thank you," replied Alexander as he shook hands with the god.
Alexander and Freya moved out of the forest and back to the wonderful field of flowers. Freyr had already gone back to the realm of the gods, guaranteed that his sister was safe. She ran towards the patch of Violets and sat down. She picked up some flowers and threw them into the air. It was inspiring to see the petals fall down like snow.
"Come and join me, Alexander!" She waved her hand at the mortal.
It seemed like child's play for him to play with flowers. He has not done that in a long time. He felt kind of awkward to join her but he does not want to disappoint the goddess. He approached her, knelt down to her level, and picked up a flower.
"This feels so wonderful." She threw a bunch of violets again into the air while giggling like a little girl. She was having such a great time. She picked up some flowers again and dropped it on Alexander.
"Hey…" Alexander brushed off some petals from his head.
"The flowers look good on you." Freya teased as she sat down beside him.
"Is that a compliment?"
"No, because the flowers make you look a girl." She laughed.
"Oh really…" Alexander shrugged.
"I am sorry for my rudeness." She laughed some more. "It's just that you look like your mother."
"They say sons tend to look like their mothers."
"It is true. My brother, Freyr, has the same eyes and facial features of our mother." She picked up another flower and started plucking its petals off.
"Your brother cares a lot for you."
"He can be very protective sometimes, but I still love him." She sighed as she stared at the sky. "I am thankful to have a brother like him."
Alexander observed her face in the midst of her thinking. The more he looked at her, the more beautiful she becomes in his eyes. He completely adored her beauty, her grace, and her kindness. She was perfect to him. He could not expect less from a great goddess like her. "Freya…"
"Yes?" She turned to him.
The flower that he pulled out was still in his hands. He tucked her behind her ear and placed the flower. "It suits you," he said warmly.
At that moment, Freya's face turned equally red. "Um… Thank you…" she stuttered. She touched the flower and smiled.
For 3 weeks, Freya has become famous in the town, especially by the male population. And due to her friendliness, she has gained a lot of friends. She would usually help Alexander's mother at home and spend time with Alexander during his off-duty. Whenever she walked to the castle where Alexander worked, a lot of boys would offer themselves to escort her, only to be refused by her.
As she finally reached the castle grounds, she saw Alexander talking to two guards near the entrance. She could see that he was very busy at the moment, much to her dismay. She thought of asking him to tour her around the castle but it was impossible right now. She did not want to disturb Alexander so she decided to go back.
At her slight turn, she bumped into a child who seemed to at the age of 6-7 years old. She had a long, wavy, and pink hair, and her eyes were as blue as crystals. She possessed an innocent yet fragile charm. In addition to that, she was also very adorable.
The pink-haired child had fell butt-first to the ground and started sulking. Feeling sorry, Freya knelt down to her level and patted her head. "I am very sorry about that. Please stop crying…"
"I-I… I am l-lost…" The child buried her face in her palms. "I am lost!"
"Lost…? You do not remember where you live?"
The child shook her head rapidly. "I want my sister. Please take me to my sister."
"All right, I will help you find your sister." Freya assured her with a smile. She stood up and offered her hand to the girl. "Let us go."
The child wiped away her tears and took Freya's hand. Somehow, the touch of Freya's hand made her feel at ease and warm. She looked up at Freya as her lips curved into a little smile. "M-my name is La…Lacus… W-hat is your name?" she spoke her words with difficulty. It was common for a child her age.
"Lacus, huh? That is a very fine name. My name, by the way, is Freya."
Freya has made another friend and this time it was a little girl.
As they were about to go, Alexander came out running towards them. "Freya," he called. "What brings you here?"
"Oh nothing…. I was just wandering around town again."
"Is that so? Well, I could tour you around the castle if you like." Just then, he noticed the little pink-haired girl hiding behind Freya. "Freya, who is this?"
"Her name is Lacus and she is lost. I am going to help her find her sister."
"How about searching for her parents as well?" He turned to the little girl. "Do you know where your parents are? You know, your mother and father."
The little girl shook her head. "Lacus does not understand. Lacus wants her sister. Lacus does not have a mother and father!" She clutched onto Freya's dress tightly.
She doesn't have parents? But she is so young. Freya wondered how she was able to cope without any parents. When she was still a wee child, Freya had never experienced the love of parents. Her mother and father had many responsibilities in Asgard. They were two of the highest gods and they were always busy. Only Freyr was there by her side all the time comfort her and make her happy.
"Let us look for my sister." Lacus tugged Freya's dress as she drawn her thumb on her lips.
Freya nodded. Then she looked at Alexander and asked if he wanted to come along.
Since it was his off-duty, Alexander was more than delighted to help Freya find the child's sister. But he just thought of something. The child said that she has no mother and father. If that is the case, she is an orphan. He placed his hand on Freya's shoulder and said, "I know where she lives now."
"Is that true?"
"Yes. Please follow me."
Alexander led them to the Eastern part of the town. Passing through some houses and a church, they finally reached the destination, the Orphanage. "This is where you live, am I correct, Lacus?'
Lacus was stoked. "Yes… This is Lacus' house. This is where Lacus' sister is." She jumped up for joy. "Yay! You have found it!"
At the front yard of the Orphanage was a ground of children playing and fooling around. But there was one child who just sat under a tree while pulling some grass off the ground. She possessed the same facial features as Lacus, only her hair had dark shade of pink and it was long and straight. She was also about Lacus' age and she looked so sad.
Freya and Alexander had a strong feeling that it was Lacus' sister.
"Meer! Meer!" Lacus ran towards the said girl.
The sad pink-haired girl looked up and saw Lacus running towards her with open arms. "Lacus… It is you!" She quickly stood up, ran towards Lacus, and hugged her. "I am so glad you're here."
"Lacus was worried that she will never find this place."
"Lacus is such a fool." Meer carefully pushed her back. She looked at her sternly. "You should stay close to the group next time." She lightly hit Lacus' head.
"Sorry…"
"Your twin sister already got lost. Do not give her hard time, all right?" Freya said, kneeling down to their level. She smiled as she placed her hands on top of their heads. "You two look adorable."
Meer narrowed her gaze. "Lacus, who are these people?"
"Oh, Lacus almost forgot about them. They were the ones who helped Lacus find home. Lacus is thankful to them."
"They helped you?" Meer bowed her head. "Why, thank you so much! My sister must have caused you a lot of trouble."
"You are welcome," Alexander replied. "And your sister was no trouble at all."
"Even so, thank you!"
Alexander and Freya looked at each other and giggled.
Figuring that there was still a lot of time till work, Alexander suggested walking around the Orphanage for a while.
"That would be good. I want to see the other children here." Freya looked and sounded excited.
"Are you fond of children?"
"I used to play with the little gods and goddesses back in Asgard. Our usual playground was the fields where the Yggdrassil Tree stood."
"The tree that connects all the realms."
"You seem to know about it."
"I have heard stories about the Yggdrassil Tree and I think it is great."
Lacus and Meer brought them to the backyard where there were two swings on each side of the tree. The tree was grand and beautiful, and it seemed to have stood there for a thousand years. The twins went to the swings and started playing.
Alexander raked his fingers through his hair and sighed deeply. "It is hard to believe such young and cheerful girls are orphans." He no longer had a father but he was happy that his mother was still there for him.
"The world is not a kind place." Freya cuddled his right arm and leaned her head against his shoulder. "But living without parents does not seem to be an issue to them anymore. They are already contented in having each other."
Trying to hide his blush, Alexander lowered his head and stayed quiet. His heart was picking up the face again. What is this feeling? Why am I feelings this way whenever she…
His thought was cut short by a voice.
"Who gave you permission to be here?" The voice sounded cranky.
Alexander and Freya turned around to see who the person was. It was a guy about their age. He had unruly black hair and ruby eyes. The way he was dressed was a bit messy and he held a broom on right hand and a bucket on the other. It was fairly obvious that he worked at the Orphanage. The guy tapped his foot impatiently and asked them again, "Who gave you permission to be here?"
His voice and those eyes… It can't be… Freya gasped and clamped her mouth. "Is that you…?"
"Huh?" He looked at Freya carefully and realized something about her. His eyes widened in surprised as his jaw dropped open. He pointed straight at her. "Freya!"
"Loki!" She jumped on him and brought him to the ground. She wrapped her arms around his neck and strangled him. "It is really you. I have been looking for you for 3 weeks now! Where were you?"
Alexander was a little surprised with the way she reacted. He did not know Freya could be so aggressive.
"Gaa…Ack!" Loki's lungs were screaming for air. "Let me go, Freya!"
Oh, I am so sorry about that, Loki." She got off of him and helped him stand up.
""So, what are you doing here? Should you not be in Asgard?" He sounded quite cold.
"I came here because I wanted to see you, to talk you about…" Her face darkened as she clasped her hands.
He shrugged. "A goddess like you has no right to see a traitor like me. You might as well go back to Asgard." He spun on his heels.
"But Loki…"
"Go back, Freya!"
"No, I will not go back without you!" She leaned against his back and wrapped her arms around his waist.
Alexander clenched his fists. He did not know why but he felt strange seeing her so close to Loki.
"Please tell me the truth, Loki. Did you or did you not steal Heimdall's eye?" She shut her eyes close as she waited for him to reply.
Through gritted teeth, Loki answered, "I did not steal it. I could never steal from a friend." He immediately turned to face her and hugged her.
Now Alexander felt a lot worse seeing them.
"Freya, you believe me, right?"
She sighed in relief and hugged him back. "Loki, I have never believed their accusations. I have always had faith in you."
"Thank you, Freya… You're the only goddess that truly understands me."
Later that night, Freya and Loki went back home with Alexander. Freya had asked Alexander if Loki could spend the night with her at his house and he complied without any comments. Though he felt awkward being with Loki, he was still happy for Freya.
Freya and Loki had a long conversation. It was a mix of funny moments, childhood memories, and the current problem in Asgard. Loki was worried that Odin might find out about Freya's whereabouts. As he remembered correctly, Odin had specifically forbid Freya to step into the human realm. He also asked Freya about Freyr, and Freya told him that Freyr let her stay.
"What has gotten into Freyr? He should be here to keep an eye on you." Loki leaned against his fist.
"Freyr has placed his trust on Alexander who had sword to protect me." She turned to Alexander and smiled.
He unintentionally blushed again and Loki noticed it.
"I see…" Loki narrowed his eyes, thinking suspiciously of Alexander. "Freyr trusted a mortal? Typical of him…" He then yawned.
"You look so tired. Maybe you should get some rest."
"Fine then, where's the bed?"
"Just through that door," Alexander pointed out.
Loki glared at him for a moment, giving Alexander some serious chills. "Ah… Thanks…" He walked into the bedroom and closed the door behind him.
"You just have to get use to his attitude," Freya giggled.
"I don't know if I can. Are you sure he is the trickster god? He does not seem…"
"Loki is just not in the mood. Who could blame him? A lot has happened to him so far." She rose from her chair.
At the same time, Alexander stood as well and accidentally stepped on her dress. This has caused her to trip and fell down on top of him. A loud crash was heard and both of them found themselves in an awkward situation.
"What is with the noise?" Loki popped his head out the room and saw no one there. "Hmph… Must be my imagination." He went back in and slept.
On the other hand, Alexander and Freya gazed at each other with eyes wide. Their hearts was beating fast as their cheeks turned as red as an apple. It seemed like time has stopped for them and they felt like they were the only persons in the house. Their eyes softened as they gaze at each other more. Getting into the mood, Alexander slowly entwined his arms around her and pulled her body closer to him. Freya felt the perplexity of his actions and she had a sudden urge. It was nothing they ever experienced before. They felt so safe and warm with each other. It was as if nothing can separate them.
However…
"I am sorry!" Freya pulled herself away and touched her face. She knew she was blushing like crazy but she could not help it. She tried to calm herself down but her heart was unstoppable. This feeling…
"I should be the one to say sorry. I stepped on your—huh?" Alexander saw that the end of her dress was tied to his foot. "When did this happen?"
When Freya saw that as well, she instantly knew who did it. She burst into laughter and untied her dress around his foot. "He did not change one bit."
"What do you mean?"
"Loki is still the trickster god I know."
"You mean to say that Loki did this? But how did he?"
Freya placed her finger on his lip and winked an eye. "That is a secret that we will never know." She removed her finger and laughed again.
"This is my first time to be a victim of a prank." He joined Freya in her laughter. But, in his mind, he still thought of the moment they shared a while ago. Something struck his heart at that time and it was something wonderful.
Unknown to the two, a mysterious figure wearing a cloak and a hood was observing them from the window. The figure teleported itself to the roof of house and stood at the edge. He crossed his arms and smirked. "I have finally found you," he muttered. He removed his hood, revealing his cerulean-blue hair and cobalt eyes. "Freya…"
To be continued…
JC: The two girls there are the ancestors of the present Meer and Lacus. Freya has finally found Loki and he's working at the Orphanage. A stirring moment between Freya and Alexander made me want to write some more. Okay, the next chapter will be the last part of the past. I'll update it soon. Please review and no flaming.