Author now declares: I hold no ownership over the quotations taken from Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol which is in public domain, nor do I claim ownership over Thor. This is written for the purpose of fan entertainment only.

Chapter 2
The First of the Three Spirits

Before he knew of what has happened, Odin found himself back in front of his fire. Nothing around him gave any indication that Laufey has been there that evening. The pictures were still on the mantle and the fire was neatly burning.

It was like waking from a dream.

He looked at the half-empty bottle of cherry lying at his side. The idea of laying off the drink came to mind just as the most surprising of things took place; for next Odin knew the clock on the mantel had struck for one o' clock in the morning. Light flashed up in the room upon the instant and Odin felt a hand upon his shoulder.

Blinded for the moment, Odin moved to remove the hand, but a warm, kind... and rather flamboyant (if one may use such a word to describe such a thing) voice called for peace.

"Easy there, my friend." The voice spoke and the light dimmed a little. "I seek you no harm. I assure you I get along with elders just as well as I do with maidens. Though, I presume we cannot hope for a bond quite as intimate..."

As Odin gathered his bearings, he could see a young face smiling up at him. The figure who had glowed that most heavenly glow was a lad, he noticed, and the lad was smiling at him. His attire looked quite like one fit for a prince, yet the armor indicated something less then exactly royal. Still, the lad was quite a charmer, that with those joyous blue eyes and sandy blond hair and the most radiant of smiles painted upon his features.

"Bless my soul..." The lad exclaimed upon coming closer to the mantle. "Now isn't that a lovely maiden!" He pointed at a picture "But oh... no, apparently a maiden no more. Pity. She does look most ravishing in that wedding gown... Say, old man, does she have a sister?"

"Who are you?" Odin asked, and the lad's lips twitted up in a most charming smile.

"Master Fandral the Dashing at your service, kind sir, if I am to go by the name reputation has earned me. But that is a tale for another time, for I take my profession with pride, and business should not mingle about with pleasure."

"Your profession?" Odin inquired.

"But of course, my dear sir!" the man whom called himself Fandral cried. "My job as the keeper to the gates of the Past. Namely, your past from what I came to understand." Odin was left baffled. This dream he was experiencing was quite unreal... "But come! The night is young and there is much to be seen, my friend. Come-come! Walk with me!"

Odin said not a word as the lad took his shoulder and guided them towards the window. The touch felt oddly real for this to be a dream...

"I do hope there are maidens in your past, my friend, or this night might be quite a long one for me. Oh, and a note of warning before we set off: we will be going through walls quite a lot, and I fully expect the others will be taking you on similar journeys, so best become accustomed to the sensation swiftly. We'll start with this wall right here." And he motioned at the window in front of them.

... By Valhalla!

Finding his voice and will of old, Odin voiced his protests with vigor, but the lad merely chuckled at his actions and before the old man was able to properly fight (read that as "attempt to murder"), they passed through the wall, and stood upon an open country road, with fields on either hand. The city had entirely vanished. Not a vestige of it was to be seen. The darkness and the mist surrounding the city had vanished with it, for it was a clear, cold, winter day, with snow upon the ground. A cry of surprise died on Odin's lips as he gazed about him.

"You recognize the place?" The lad... nay... Spirit asked, eying the old man with an amused look on his face.

"Indeed I do... but how did you...?"

"Made a field appear out of seemingly nowhere?" Fandral laughed. "It goes with the trade, I hear, but to be honest, I never bothered to ask."

Odin watched him with suspicious eyes.

"I rather you just go with it and enjoy the ride. Think of this as a dream if it would make you feel better. See me as the result of a molded piece of bread and all this around you as too much cherry drank before bed." Fandral said with a wink and began walking. For a moment, Odin was unsure of what to do. He pinched himself yet could not feel pain. He probably truly was asleep and was soon to wake up. For now, he decided to follow the Spirit's counsel and treat it all as a dream.

For this could be nothing else save a dream.

This lane they were now walking on had long since ceased to exist. War had broken free upon these lands when he had still been young. Out of all he now saw, none still existed. Only memories...

"These -" The Spirit began "- are but shadows of the things that have been. Whomever you shall meet now will take no mind to us, nor should we ever consider they could."

Just as Odin was to question the Spirit upon that last remark two figures on horseback jumped from behind the trees. They were a boy and girl, barely of age and laughing all the way. The figures looked familiar to Odin - strangely familiar indeed...

The two came to a stop after a while, and as they dismounted, Odin finally caught a good glimpse at their faces. The lad was him! Young and joyous and flouring with life, both eyes still intact. Why, he didn't even grow a beard yet! And the girl which was with him... his heart nearly stopped.

The girl which rode along with him was Frigga.

"Frigg..." Old man Odin mouthed the name as he saw his younger self play with the love of his life in the snow.

The Spirit's attention was peaked at this. "You know this charming lady, I take it?"

Odin did not speak, could not speak, for words were of no need now. Know her? How could he not? Frigga, the one woman whom had stolen his heart with her recklessness on horseback and generosity, with her grace and kindness, with her passion for justice and love for him. Frigga: with hair of gold and smile brighter than the sun, whose laugh alone echoes clearer than that of silver bells... Frigga - his wife.

The scene which played in front of him was one he could not forget, yet one he had so easily forgotten. This had been the day he had proposed to Frigga, the day she said yes... the day before he set for war. And Frigga, good beautiful Frigga! His lady waited for him to return. She waited years. She stayed true. And when he came back, battered and one eye short, she hugged him and kissed every bit of skin she could catch.

His dear Frigga...

"I see love there." The Spirit commented.

"It was love..." Odin found himself confirming. "Though it has been so long..."

"Long enough to forget?"

"No. Never forget. I couldn't, no matter how hard I try."

"Ah..." The spirit said then, as if he could understand. "This reminds me of a story... Oh, don't be mad, my friend. It is a beautiful story. I heard it from a friend most dear to me and... The look on your face tells me you don't care much. My apologies. But my friend, may I be permitted to be bold enough to point out that while the pain must be great for you to try and forget about such a fair lady -"

"You are in no position to speak to me of pain."

"True, as you say but... When I look at this younger you, I see joy." The Spirit then turned to him as the images around them blurred. "Can you truly not tell me you wish to kill all that joy this woman has given you?"

The images around them then began clear, and Odin saw - what did saw? His past? His life? What can never be again?

The ghost has showed him everything - from their first parting to their wedding, all into their first Christmas together in their own house, which at the time was nothing more but a little cottage at the edge of the city, yet a house Odin was able to call "home" - only because Frigga made it so. The ghost had showed him Frigga pregnant with Thor, had showed him their first Christmas with baby Thor asking his father to play "horsy".

Frigga's laughs never sounded more beautiful...

The Spirit seemed to have heard his very thoughts, for Odin heard him say "Beautiful indeed. Would it not be a shame if such beauty would be forever forgotten? Forever gone? Dead to the world? Dead to you?"

"It is already dead." Odin observed.

The Spirit shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. It appears very alive here."

Fendral showed him Thor grow up, now calling him "daddy" and Frigga "mommy". He showed him how, though they had few, their little family had so much. The spirit showed him that one Christmas when he brought Loki home, how Frigga had taken an instant liking to the dark-haired, green-eyed boy, how she said she understood and that she cared not the child was a Jotun, but she did cursed Laufey for abandoning such a small, precious child. Odin pointed out to her that as a Jotun a child as small as Loki had little chances of surviving till spring, that a predilection towards shape shifting helped him little. Frigga didn't care, for she will treasure the child as her own; will love him and care for him as a mother should. The Spirit showed him the Christmas Loki was old enough to magically decorate the tree and how proud Frigga was of him. The Spirit showed him when they were still playing in the snow together, Thor giving Loki piggy-back-rides and making snow angels in the snow along with Frigga. He saw how they danced and laughed and cried and sang and how everyone was happy. The Spirit showed him his family when they were still a family. The Spirit showed him love.

Odin never knew how lucky he was.

"Your lip is trembling," stated the Ghost. "And what is that upon your cheek?"

Odin muttered, with an unusual catching in his voice, that it was a pimple. The Ghost just smiled, yet his eyes grew melancholy.

He showed him Frigga bundled up in a quilt. Her boys were around her, catching onto evry word of the story she was telling them. And himself - he was seated in a corner, just watching. He remembered being quite tired that year.

"And then" she said. "The little boy asked the baker 'Would you buy my donkey?', but the baker turned them away, for Small One was much too small to be of use to him."

"Everyone is so mean!" Thor complained. "Small One would give it his best for them, if they would only give him a chance."

"They don't know that, Brother." Loki pointed out. "Little One looks small and old to them. They don't know Little One as the boy does."

Frigga chuckled. "Your little brother is wise, Thor. One must never judge another by his skin alone. See what these people have not in Small One and look much deeper." The story went on and Odin felt himself lulled by the warmth of her voice. Oh! how he almost forgot that voice - so calming, so soothing... He saw his children fall asleep, and saw Frigga watch them with happy eyes.

"We should get them in bed." Odin heard his younger self whisper to his wife. She just shook her head.

"Let them stay like this a little while longer." She whispered back. "I want to remember this moment..."

"My dear, you should be resting." Odin heard himself tell her. "The healer asked you not to strain yourself."

"Oh, honestly dearest, you worry too much. And what do healers know. They just tell me 'rest' and demand of me to take medicine which is far too expensive for our pockets. I am fine. And it's Christmas, dear husband. I couldn't let the boys go to bed without their story."

"A rather depressing one, Frigga dear."

"It was not! The children loved it."

"In the story the child lost his dearest friend, my dear. What can our boys learn from that? That they should abandon their companions without a thought?"

"No dear. That life will ask for partings and that we should accept that. And Small One will not be lost to him. He still left the boy with the memories and sometimes that is enough."

Odin remembered then that this was to be their last Christmas together.

A quiet sob escaped his lips and he tried to reach his love, if only this last time. Touch her, smell her, only feel her by his side. He reached out, but his hand grasped air. The moment was gone and Odin how gazed at another him. This one was older and wiser than the one from before, yet behind that lone eye Odin saw the seed of a burning passion for business had taken root, and knew it would be the seed which destroyed the now ill tree which was that of his family. On this Christmas he was very much alone, he noticed. Ah! He remembered that he and Thor had quarreled the day before, yet by the life of him he could not remember over what.

"You are a vain, greedy, cruel boy!"

"And you are an old man and a fool!"

It is strange how the mind works. Strange indeed, for somehow it knew which memories were important enough to preserve. He taught long and hard on this particular memory which displayed itself in front of him. He was alone, he remembered, for Thor was quite as easy to anger and as hard to forgive as Odin himself was. Both were much too proud to admit their wrongs and much too stubborn to ask forgiveness. Thor and Odin were a pair of fools who would never change.

Loki, on the other side, whom always seemed to take after his adoptive mother, changed greatly that year.

The quiet child from before grew even quieter, Odin remembered, but only now came to realize that his son's silence should have been a warning for them all. All the mischief which fallowed, the jokes, the

Loki was probably with him, attempting to make peace between the two family members. Loki had tried really hard to keep them together after Frigga passed away, but those attempts ceased that one Christmas when he was the one to begin a row.

He found out. Someway, Loki had found out about his Jotun heritage. Odin could have easily blame it on the weather when he saw his son show him blue fingers, for it had been colder than usual that year, but in fact, he had no-one to blame but himself. Looking from the outside in, he felt like hurting himself. Why could he not see how distressed his child was? How could he not see the pain this lie was causing his little trickster? Time and again both he and most of the town had accused Loki of being the liar, but his son's lies had never caused such pain.

"You could have told me what I was from the beginning! Why didn't you?"

"You're my son... I wanted only to protect you from the truth..."

"What? Because I... I... I am the monster parents tell their children about at night?"

"No Loki."

"You know, it all makes sense now, why you favored Thor all these years! Because no matter how much you claim to love me, you could never have a Frost Giant as a son to a respectable former general and weapon merchant of Asgard!"

Odin accused him of being a disrespectful whelp and of an unworthy creature of the love he and his mother had showed him. His don left him, and thus they parted. Odin longed to go after his, beg for his forgiveness. But the moment had passed and it was all too late.

"Spirit!" Odin cried "show me no more! Conduct me home. Why do you delight in torturing me?"

"One shadow more!'' exclaimed the Ghost.

"No more!'' Odin pleaded. "No more. I don't wish to see it. Show me no more!''

But the relentless Ghost pinioned him in both his arms, and forced him to observe what happened next.

They were in another scene and place; a room, not very large or handsome, but full of comfort. He saw a familiar figure of black raven-hair and troubled green eyes working about the room. Loki was older and his moves far slower than they had been. Eyes once so bright now seemed tired, but despite this all the lad looked quite contempt. A knock was heard on the door and Odin stood in pure surprise as Loki summoned his magic to let the stranger in. He knew Loki has always been gifted in the magical arts; even as a small child he had showed great potential, but to see him use it so idly was quite another matter. His surprise grew even greater when the one to enter the magically opened door was Thor.

"Merry Christmas, Thor." Loki said in greeting, yet his eyed had not searched out his brother's yet.

"Merry Christmas to you too, Brother."

A sigh. "Thor, I grow tired of contently reminding you that we are not brother."

"I will keep reminding you that I don't care that you are a Jotun, Loki." Thor stated with conviction. The younger of the two merely raised an eyebrow at the blond, silently challenging him to go on. "I mean... I know that was not the issue at first but... Loki, Brother, know that I am sorry. I have changed."

"So have I. Suddenly, I become your enemy with the first fall of snow."

"I am sorry brother... I was a fool and for that you have all right to shun me" Thor paused to swallow. "Brother... I... am truly sorry."

There was a long pause, time in which Odin could see the weals of Loki's mind spinning. He was considering something it seamed... At long last, he appeared to make up his mind for he waved his hand in one graceful manner and Thor suddenly found himself all blue.

"Loki? What have you done?"

"You say you understand. I want to see if that be true."

"Loki, this is not funny."

"Oh, but I find it quite hilarious."

"Loki! I came here to apologies!"

"And I still haven't forgiven you." Loki stated, though mischief could be heard in his voice. "But if you can last a day wearing my skin, I just might consider."

"That is cruel Loki!"

"Oh, so it's all 'Loki' now?"

"Brother! What if lady Jane sees me like this?"

"If she truly fancies you as much as you fancy her, I doubt she'd mind... much."

Thor lunged at his brother, and Loki most easily dodged. But it was all a tease "In light of the Festive Seasons" Loki had said "I will refrain from sliding your through." but Odin found no malice in his tone. Neither did Thor, for as soon as he was down, he was up again, now dead-set on tackling the slender man to the floor. The teasing continued for a while longer but by the end, both brothers ended up mock-wrestling and both laughing at their own silliness.

Odin watched them for what felt like eons. His two boys... all grown-up yet children still... Odin watched as they eventually crashed on the floor, back to back and breathing deeply.

"You are a worthy opponent, Brother." Thor commented. Loki laughed.

Loki nodded. "For a mindless brute you are not too bad yourself."

"Normally, such words ask of me to take offence."

"Then I have done my duty."

Thor's booming laughter was what had fallowed and Odin had noticed Loki failing to surpass some giggles of his own. But after a moment, all was calm again, the two brothers merely sitting on the floor, back to back, the room now in total disarray.

"Thor" Loki started, green eyes now fully taking in the state of the room. "I do believe my employers will sack me for this one."

Thor, now seeing for himself the damage they have caused, was forced to agree. "I am sorry Loki."

A laugh. "Is that all you have to say to me today?"

"Well, what else could I say?"

"Tell me that the sky turned pink! Tell me grandma Sif finally found a poor soul to call a husband. Just don't tell me you are sorry. T'is far too strange a word coming from the likes of you."

Thor laughed and Odin surprised himself when he too let out a chuckle. The mirth was quite despite himself, for seeing his children so made him feel like something in his chest was breaking.

"I saw father today."

Odin gasped, for he saw how the mere mention of him seemed to suck all the happiness of the chamber. The boys were still smiling, yet their heart was not quite there. Thor continued.

"I passed his office window; he stays there till odd hours now, I see, and he had a candle inside, I could scarcely help seeing him. He sat alone. Quite alone in the world, I do believe.''

"His partner lies upon the verge of death, I hear." Loki supplies, and Odin cannot help but cringe. Had the damage been that great?

The look at the pure hatred in Loki's green eyes was all he needed.

"Spirit!'' Odin said in a broken voice, "remove me from this place.''

"I told you: these were shadows of the things that have been,'' said the Ghost. "That they are what they are, do not blame me!''

"Remove me!'' Odin exclaimed, "I cannot bear it any longer!''

He turned upon the Ghost, and seeing that it looked upon him with a face, in which in some strange way there were fragments of all the faces it had shown him, wrestled with it.

"Leave me! Take me back! TAKE ME BACK!''

No sooner had the last word left his mouth that Odin found himself back at his room, as alone as he had been for years. Eyes now blurred by tears, he turned to look at the pictures on the mantle. Joyous faces smiled at him and Odin could not believe what a fool he had been. He picked a picture of his two boys when they were still quite the little dwarfs and no longer could keep the tears from falling. Vision now gone, he let his thumb traced the frame with care, for truly, what more could he do?

Frigga's death did not drive their family apart. He did... and he might not ever get it back again...

Yes, as you can see, depression and me seem to go hand in hand. The reason why I seem to sway such a long way away from the original story is simple: Odin has a family. Though in theory both Scrooge and Odin are the same in this universe, the difference lies that the way they got there was completely different, so I tried to play with that. Also, Dickens is surely turning in his grave by now.

MINI-CONTEST!
Alas, nobody guessed quite right last chapter's question, but fear not, the art will come nonetheless. In the meanwhile, let us try it again. Rules are the same as last time. So, stop, review and win a free-ish picture!

Question of the day: What story is the one Frigga tells the boys and where is it from?