2: The first visit (CH2)

**Chapter two**

 

 

-The first visit-

 

 

My head drooped, hair spilling over my shoulders and blowing in the breeze. My fingers and toes were numb; my breath was coming out around me like clouds of smoke and the chattering of my teeth could probably be heard a mile away. That son of a gun! Why didn't he frickin' help me? And where the heck did he go? People didn't just vanish into thin air . . . . But I guess people imagined things. Was it really possible that I had imagined him? I didn't have a history of mental unstable-ness, but it was definitely possible.

That's when I saw them. Big, huge, ugly . . . beasts. Their skin was a dull gray color and their pupil-less eyes were probably the brightest blood-red color I had ever seen. If I thought I was crazy a second ago, I was definitely mental now. I had gone insane. Off the edge! There was no way—no way!—I had landed in Jotunheim, through the book. That was impossible, totally impossible.

One of them spoke as the group of at least five surrounded me, their bodies easily standing to almost ten feet tall. "Well, well, well, Goblergroan. Looks like we've caught us a pretty mortal girl. Laufey will surely be proud."

A different monster clubbed the first one in the head. "Gibberish, Malkin. I saw 'er first."

"Nuh-uh! You saw me pointin,' didn't ya? Right, Dyfross?"

The one presumed as Dyfross shook his head. "You're both nuggle-heads. Obviously the one who gets 'er is me. I am the one closest to her now!" he explained and moved to grab my arm. I shrieked and flinched from his huge fingers.

All six of them growled, their eyes like angry pools of red. I just sat there, frozen in more ways than one. My mouth was wide open, but my eyes were probably even wider. These things were huge and scary. I shivered to the bone.

"P-p-p-please, d-d-d-don't hurt m-me," I chattered. They tilted their heads, staring at me like I was an animal in an exhibit. "On, sec-c-cond thought," I muttered. "K-k-kill me quick."

"Let's just eat her!" One shouted. The others cheered and advanced towards me, but before I could tell them I tasted horrible stringy, someone else's voice stopped them. "Enough! This mortal girl poses no threat. I shall return to her realm immediately." Snarling in anger, the giants parted and the man from earlier became visible, his arms crossed and his dark hair blowing against the wind. He looked human, but completely at ease. How was he not freezing to death?

At first, I wanted to be angry at him for leaving me in the middle of nowhere, but I decided that getting angry at the person who was currently saving my life probably wasn't a good idea. If I wanted to live, that is.

Ever so gingerly, he picked me up, his angular face remaining impassive. I wanted to say something, but my tongue was frozen solid.

As he held me, I expected to feel warmth from his chest, but he remained freezing. He provided little to no body heat whatsoever. It was like he was just as cold as those Giants. It creeped me out a little, but this man was hopefully saving my life. Whether he was hot or cold was soon forgotten.

"Are you t-t-t-taking m-me home?" I asked. He sighed in an un-amused fashion, his dark eyebrows knitting together tightly. "I presume that is what you wish, do you not?" he replied, his voice smooth as silk. An unfamiliar accent rolled off his tongue. And all I could muster in reply was a vigorous nod. He smiled ruefully.

In the blink of an eye, colors appeared around me. At first, I thought I was going to pass out, but I remained awake. The colors soon started to blend into one another, creating almost something of a rainbow. My eyes widened, and all at once, they disappeared, just as quickly as they had appeared in the first place. And surprisingly, I was standing back in the teachers' lounge in Vivian High. The air was warm and stuffy and I felt myself being laid down on the rock hard couch. I was back to where I started. But . . . how?

Finally, my skin and muscles started to thaw and I could talk again. I bolted upright.

"How did I— " I began to ask aloud. The man looked up at the ceiling and mumbled something inaudible. The rainbow colors returned, appearing like tiny snowflakes in the air. He was leaving.

"Wait! Who are you?" I asked. He looked back at me just before the colors blurred into one another, a smile crossing over his lips.

"Your God," was all he said, before he disappeared into nothing. I stood up and walked to where the man had just been standing, looking up at the ceiling. I seriously needed a doctor.

"Riley Carmen! There you are!" the principal said from behind. On my heel, I spun around and saw Mr. Darkwood and the principal, Mrs. Lenner. Their faces were flushed and bright red for some reason. Taking a quick look at myself, I noticed the inevitable. I was soaking wet.

"Riley, what on earth happened to you?" Mrs. Lenner gasped.

Mr. Darkwood scowled. "I told you not to leave this room! You were to stay here until we came and got you! Why must you feel the need to do the opposite of what everyone tells you to do?!" he asked. The vein in his forehead was popping again. But for once, Mrs. Lenner came to my rescue. "Calm down, Larry, everything is fine. She obviously just . . . . Got wet. I don't know how or why, but that's really not the problem. Riley, your parents are here." Oh, goodie, more yelling and raging, I thought bitterly.

"Riley Jonnie Carmen, what did I tell you about playing hooky?! You knew the consequences, yet you deliberately went out of your way to do it anyway. I am absolutely ashamed of you!" my mom cursed dramatically. It was all I could do to not groan.

"Lily, darling, I can handle this. Riley, come on, you're grounded. Let's go. Mrs. Lenner, I am so very sorry for the trouble. I assure you, this won't be happening again." My dad glared at me. I looked at the ground and rolled my eyes. Man, parents freaked out over everything. It wasn't like I attempted to commit suicide or anything.

"It's no problem, Mr. Carmen. I'm sure your daughter had a reason for what she did, but I'm afraid rules are rules. Suspension for three days is the next punishment in line for her, as well as detention when she returns. Riley, I really do hope to see some better improvement in your behavior when you return. Mr. Darkwood told me that you and your friend Hayley were not being respectful to him earlier this afternoon. Is that true?" Mrs. Lenner asked. Okay, it was time for full on defense mode. "What?! All that man says are lies! He's a liar, you hear me? A liar!" I retorted.

Mr. Darkwood opened his mouth to say something else, but Principal Lenner interrupted him.

"That's enough, Mr. Darkwood. I see no reason that you should be here anyway. Go back to your classroom, please," she commanded. I smiled smugly, getting a glare from my mother. Her look read: I am so going to kill you when we get home.

"Again, I am very sorry for my daughter's lack of respect for adults. I will try to get some sense into her. Thank you, Mrs. Lenner," my father said.

"Really, it's no problem. Please, have a nice day." Ha! Yeah right. If that wasn't a laughing matter, I didn't know what was.

The moment I stepped inside my house, I was sent to my room. I had my phone taken away. I was grounded. My window was nailed shut so I couldn't climb out and I was banished to my bed for the next eternity or so. But honestly, my brain was still reeling from the lecture about respect for elderly people and adults that both my mom and dad decided to give. Why they thought I was going to change just because they said so was beyond me. But there were things more troubling at the moment. One of them involving teleporting people and the other, a frozen wasteland. But in the end, there was no way I could ever possibly explain it. And after some serious though, I convinced myself it never happened. I never almost drowned in a book. I was never rescued by a strange guy who seemed insane. I never met the Frost Giants. It was all just a crazy dream. Nothing more. Besides, even if I had the insane capacity to actually tell someone about what I had seen, or thought I had seen, I would probably just end up in a mental hospital for crazy people.

"Did you like, fall in a puddle or something on your way here? You look like you just swam a mile."

I spun around to face my older brother. He was standing there, leaning against my door frame as if he owned the place. My right eyelid twitched.

"It's nothing. I just took a shower," I answered irritably, flipping through a magazine with angry intension.

But Ricky obviously wasn't finished yet. "In your clothes?!" he exasperated.

"Maybe I forgot they were on?!"

His mouth opened as if he wanted to say something else, but mom called instead.

"Ricky! Come down and do the dishes, please! Now would be nice!"

My lips upturned in a smile and I stopped on a page with some neat jeans on it. "Yeah, Ricky, go do the dishes. Mommy beckons," I muttered without looking up. Before I could see his evil eye, I quickly picked up a sharpie and circled some clothing, looking busy while he fumed.

"Whatever, Riley," he cursed. "You still look like an idiot." I pretended to be offended until he walked downstairs. He might be twenty-two, but he sure acted like a fifteen-year-old boy, still living with his parents and all. I was in high school, what was his excuse?

After about three minutes of silence, I tossed the magazine aside and pulled out my back-up phone. A girl like me who lost her phone more than her mind definitely needed a back-up. Of course, my parents had no idea.

I checked for any new texts from Hayley and saw none. For a moment, I was a little sad. She had kind of left me in the dark since this morning.

Due to the fact I was still pretty cold and shaky from my last little adventure, I decided to take a shower. Thank the heavenly lord that I had a bathroom and a shower to myself. If I had to share one with Ricky, I would drop dead.

The water was nice and refreshing from my last cold experience. I was still working out the quirks on that one . . . No. I was not going to go there. That never happened. Mind over matter was my only option left.

I cranked the shower off and wrapped a towel around my chest. Droplets of water splattered to the floor as I stepped out of the tub to grab my brush. That's when I jabbed my foot into the edge of the cabinet. A jolt of pain spiked up my foot and I cursed aloud, growling. Another annoying bruise to add to my collection. Great.

My foot throbbed as I limped back towards my bed, plopping down on the mattress. At the moment, I didn't care that my hair was soaking my pillow. I just needed to stop . . . doingthings for a moment. Suddenly, my back-up cell phone buzzed and I jumped, looking around the room. Stupid thing, where'd I put it? I picked up my old wet jeans to see if I tossed them over it, but it wasn't there. A tiny thud made me pause, jeans still in my hands. It sounded like a bug had just dropped from the ceiling. Seriously, universe?

I looked down, expecting to see a little gross beetle or something, and just as I was going through the different plans of attack, I saw the key. The tiny, thumb nail key from earlier. What the heck? I thought I left that thing with those crazy stupid boxes. Strange. But annoyingly, part of me wanted to check it out again. Of course, the other part of me raged. I was three minutes close to dying the last time; who the heck knows what would happen next? I could wander into some . . . some, some desert or something! Or worse, get eaten by hideous monsters. Something told me my parents would frown upon that situation. But I did have an odd affinity for strange and obscure things . . .

"No, I'm not even going to think about that. I'm going to relax, read a book, study, take another shower and enjoy life with my family while on suspension. Nothing else." I dropped the key into the trash to prove my point.

Well . . . maybe that wasn't exactly what happened. In fact, I had quickly gotten dressed, found a hammer to pry the nails from my window and successfully was able to climb down the tree without severely injuring myself any further. And so, after ten minutes of waiting for a dang bus, sitting with a bunch of strangers and paying another one, I was outside my school property trying to break in. That was definitely a first.

Five minutes had officially gone by. I was still standing outside the barred window of the teacher's lounge, trying to muster up a little heat vision or something. A lock pick wasn't going to magically get me through a barred window. But more importantly, who the heck barred school windows anyway? It wasn't like every robber in town is just itching to get inside our lame teachers' lounge.

"Come on, Riley, think of something. Use that illegal brain of yours," I commanded to myself. This was going to be harder than I thought. Well, there was only one thing left to do. Sneak in the front entrance and pray to God that no innocent bystander was in there. It seemed, to me, like a pretty fool-proof plan, unless someone walked down the hall or left their classroom. Crap.

But the inevitable was this: I couldn't just stand there like an idiot forever. So, taking a deep breath and practicing to walk quietly, I snuck around to the front entrance and decided to go in the hard way. The front door.

So far it was so good! The halls were long and empty as usual. Lunch time was going on just about now. The carpeted floors provided nice cushioning so my rubber shoes didn't squeak or slam down on tile. I had pretty much made it all the way to the teachers' lounge without anyone seeing me. That was, until Jared bumped into me. I nearly screamed in surprised. His hazel eyes widened and he let his jaw drop to the floor.

"J-Jared! Oh, hey, buddy! What's up?" I leaned casually on the lockers to look completely at ease and not the least bit suspicious. "How's it goin'?"

He looked confused. "I thought you were suspended, Riley?" he asked.

"Me? Nah, that was just Mr. Darkwood lying again. Have you heard how much he lies? Like, all the time, I found out. We all think it's becoming a problem," I lied.

Jared crossed his arms. "Look. I'm a straight-A student, so don't think I'm stupid. I want fifty."

I gasped. "Fifty?! I thought the price was twenty-five!"

"That was then. This is now. Fifty or I go tell Dr. Darkwood about your surprise visit."

I growled. "Fine," I muttered. Jared smiled. "Nice doin' business with you—"

The sound of a door opening made me jump. I slid into the teacher's lounge easily and listened to see if Jared was going to rat me out. My breaths hitched.

"Hello, Jared. Were you just talking with someone?" I heard Mr. Darkwood ask through the door. Oh God, I silently pleaded he wouldn't rat me out

"Oh, was I? I was just trying to remember my locker combination, sir. Sorry for the bother," Jared covered.

And just like that, I was a free woman. Maybe Jared wasn't so bad after all.

I slipped the cash under the door and continued on my mission. If I was going to travel into a book, I wasn't going to need cash anyway, right? That would just be weird . . . . Right?

Just when my luck seemed to be looking up, I opened the door to find that the closet was empty. The boxes were gone, the key hole was gone; even the light bulb was gone! It was just a quiet, dark chamber filled with nothing but shadows and dismay. I couldn't have imagined it. My clothes were wet! I had the key in my hand! I had seen those Frost Giants with my own eyes! They were real! Was it actually possible that when I fell down those boxes . . . I had passed out and someone had moved me to the couch? That everything I thought had happened was just a dream? There's no way . . . that—that would be impossible!

"No . . . " I whispered. The one interesting thing in my life. My first actual escape . . . . And it was gone; just like that. I was just normal Riley again. A nobody in a school full of more nobodies.

I slumped to my knees and laid back on the dirty carpet, splaying my arms out like a bird. My life suddenly had no meaning. I was a nothing. No, I was worse than a nothing. I was a crazy person for ever believing what I saw. Stupid boxes, stupid key, stupid imagination, and worst of all . . . stupid Riley.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Jared had quietly crept into the room and sat down next to me. I was just too disappointed to notice.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Perfect even. Why do you ask?" I snapped. Jared snorted and pocketed out my crumpled up fifty bucks, placing it carefully on my forehead. "Something tells me you didn't get what you came for," he murmured.

It was my turn to snort. "What gave it away?" I retorted.

"Because you look like someone just came and killed your cat," he mumbled. "I didn't know Riley Carmen could feel disappointment." My throat constricted suddenly, as if I might cry. Why was I acting so touchy? And, could he be any ruder to me?

"Yeah, well, you learn something new every day. Congrats." And just like that, Jared got up and left. He didn't say anything else like a goodbye or a defense or anything. He just left. I heard the door close behind me and I sniffed.

But when I sat back up, fifty dollars fell into my lap. My heart paused for a sec. He had come in to check on me and gave me back my money. Probably thought I was stealing something, but still. For the first time ever, serious gratitude bloomed inside me.

As a half an hour chugged by, I just sat there and turned the key over and over in my hands. It was so small; I could probably swallow it whole if I wanted to. Both of my parents worked during the day, so I could pretty much stay here as long as I liked. It wasn't like anyone came in here anyway. The doorknob had been gathering dust before Mr. Darkwood locked me in there yesterday. Not many kids acted out or anything. Most of them followed the rules and played nice with the rest of the students. I, on the other hand, got along more with myself and Hayley than anyone I could think of. People thought I wasn't pleasant. What the heck did that mean? I'm probably the most pleasantest person they've ever met. I am totally pleasant. I practically radiated pleasantries. Come on. But one thing was for sure; I wasn't a psycho. I didn't just imagine things like that. Besides, I had no idea the word "sagacity" even existed until yesterday, much less know what it meant. Facts couldn't argue with that.

So, on that brief high note, I brushed ginger hair behind my shoulder and stood up, bound and determined. So help me, I was going to make a keyhole.

With new confidence, I sat up and made my way towards the closet. The room was dark, but I couldn't care less. Carefully, I placed a hand on the wall just in case I decided to take another spill today. Those things could happen at any point in time with me.

When I took my hand off the wall to pull the key out of my pocket, I made a surprising realization. Oh my God, my hand was covered in paint. Dark red paint, just like the color of the room. Someone, recently, had painted over the walls! No frickin' way. Now, I was even more convinced.

Making my way to the back of the room, I poked the key into the wall generally where the hole had been earlier. I didn't know exactly where it was, but I knew the general area. That was for sure. When I found it, the key slipped right through the slowly drying paint and turned in the lock. For some reason, my heart was pounding. I couldn't recall a time I felt more excited.

Way cool.

With little force, I pulled open the door and yanked out the box that was inside. When I was greeted with a head ache full of words and meanings, I knew I had touched the wrong book, but eventually, found the right one. It was still there. Still in the little wooden box in a hole in the wall. I let out a sigh of relief. Okay, so I wasn't crazy. That was good. I even had myselfworried for a second.

I quickly flipped through the pages until I found the one I wanted. The familiar sensation of stickiness came over me and I started to slowly sink into the liquidly substance as I had before, but this time, I pushed forward instead of pulling backwards. The process was a lot quicker in this instance, I noted. And I wasn't completely terrified as I had been before.

Headfirst, my hands and knees hit the grassy ground with a soft thud and a smile brightened up my face at the view. I seemed to be standing atop a mountain, starring down at a city made of pure gold. Castles and buildings towered over the land like beautiful gold mountains. Just like the picture on the page. I had never felt so amazing in my life. It was so amazing; in fact, I even snapped a picture of it on my back-up cell phone, for kicks. Totally a keeper.

"No . . . frickin' . . . way," I marveled. At that moment, I felt utterly at peace. It wasn't a cold, freezing wasteland as it had been before. I was actually standing on a mountain, staring into the city of Asgard, right where the book told me I'd be. It felt like I had just won the lottery. That was, until a pair of hands grabbed my mouth and waist. I cried out in surprise.

"What kind of maniacal sorcery is this? How did you get through to here? Has Heimdall let you pass?" someone growled.

I struggled and whimpered, unable to even try to escape from the man's iron grip. My eyes widened as I felt myself being squeezed.

"Tyr! You are scaring to poor child! She is obviously lost. Let her be," another man said. This man, who stood in front of me, had a soft look to him, like he couldn't possibly hurt a fly. White blonde hair fell down his shoulders in silky strands and two crystal blue eyes gleamed in the morning light.

The man presumed as "Tyr" spoke up again, under his breath. "Honestly, Balder, you would think even Fenris has good in him," he muttered and dropped me to the grass. I fell like a sack of potatoes.

As I struggled to stand, my eyes widened to saucers. I couldn't believe I was actually standing in front of two Asgardians. I mean, it was unbelievable! I instantly took out my phone and snapped another pic.

"Witch!" Tyr cried. He lunged for my phone and I squealed as he ripped it from my hands. He crushed it like a dead leaf in his strong hands. I was speechless. Balder just laughed a hearty bellow.

"Come, mortal. We shall send you back to your realm immediately," Balder said. He gently placed his hand on my shoulder and started to move me towards the path that led down the mountain side. Okay, I had to admit, losing my backup phone kind of made me sad, because I had taken some freaky awesome pictures, but right now, home was that last place I wanted to go. Minus the place I went last time. So, I guess, home was the second to last place.

"Wait! No! You can't send me back. I—I want to stay here. Please. You don't know how unhappy I am back at my . . . . Realm," I managed to say. Being this close to characters in a book was kind of making me tongue-tied.

Tyr frowned. "You do not belong here. We shall return you back to Midgard at once."

"Lighten up, Tyr. Do you see this girl causing an ounce of harm?" Balder picked me up by the waist and lifted me above his head to prove his point. I winced. These guys could crunch every bone in my body like a tooth pic in five seconds, tops. I didn't want to become road-kill or whatever they called it here.

Tyr was silent, his dark brown eyes untrusting. His silence encouraged Balder to go on. "Flame hair," he addressed me. "What is your title?" My mind went blank. What . . . exactly, was a title? My title? Did I even have a . . . oh. I got it seconds after he had spoken. My name, of course.

"Um, Riley," I answered timidly.

"Um-Riley, it is my pleasure to meet you. Come, we shall take you to the grand tower and send word to our king. He shall determine what is to become of you," he said in a familiar accent much like the man who had rescued me before. I thought about asking Balder about it, but was swung off my feet and carried down the mountain like a plaything instead. I tried not to gawk at the broad sword strapped over Balder's shoulder that appeared to be much wider than my own hand as I was being carried down the mountain side. But it was insanely difficult.

Mostly, I just tried to be calm and not afraid. I silently told myself to relax, asking the worst question I possibly could. What could possibly go wrong?

Author's note: Thank you so much for reading! Hope you're enjoying it so far. Since I'm still new to this and want to become more familiar with everyone, I want guesses on who you think Riley's new mysterious Jotunheim friend(?) is! Let me know! How much about Norse Mythology are you familiar with? 

3: Asgard (CH3)

4: The first feast (CH4)

**Chapter four**

 

 

-The first feast-

 

 

The dress was gorgeous. I never knew I could actually look that beautiful. The dress was a floor length, with flowing white silk and long sleeves that twirled past my wrists. The top was sleeveless and embroidered in golden lace. For a semi flat-chested girl like me, it surprisingly fit my body perfectly. The material was soft and heavenly, like flowing water. When I spun around, the bottom flared out only slightly, making me look like a lily flower. The bright ginger of my hair was a nice touch as well and I was surprised to find myself adoring my light blue eyes. For once.

"Are you ready with your evening wear yet, mortal?" Sif's impatient voice came from behind the door. I glared and rolled my eyes at myself in the mirror, silently asking my reflection if she could believe this chick.

"Yeah, you can come in!" I eventually called in reply. The door opened and surprisingly, a large group of ladies came rushing through, followed by an older woman of extreme beauty. Her dress, I saw, was covered in golden lace and silks. She literally sparkled with every step.

She smiled at my obvious surprise and bowed her head slightly. "Hello, my dear. I do not think we have had the pleasure to meet. I am Frigg, Odin's wife," she said in a sing-song voice. Her face was kind, as well as the twinkle in her deep blue eyes. I immediately liked her.

"Hello, your majesty," I replied bashfully, attempting a curtsy. Now, it seemed, there were so many people in the room; I was starting to feel claustrophobic. But Nanna stepped forward and I was immediately comforted. In a simple white dress with her hair up in a tight braid behind her back, she looked lovely.

"Riley, I would like to introduce you to the royal Goddess of Asgard. In turn, this is Lady Freya, Idunn, Lofn, Nott, Sigyn, Skade, Gerd, Lim, Fulla, Gna, Eir, Var and Gefjon. They are the ladies of Frigg, our queen," Nanna explained, pointing to each goddess in turn. I stared open-mouthed at the gorgeous women. There were so many of them. Some blonde, some brunette and others fair haired. All beautiful.

"Oh! I know we are going to be the best of friends, mortal!" the girl presumed at Freya cried. She beamed at me with pearly white teeth, her blonde hair tied up in an extravagant bow. I gasped as she wrapped her arms around me in a tight embrace. When she pulled away, I noticed the gray cat brushing up against the bottom of her dress. Freya picked it up and cuddled with the creature lovingly.

Frigg stepped forward, two other women standing beside her loyally. Their faces were impassive, but kind looking.

"Please, ladies, let us give the mortal some room to breathe. Come here child. We shall fix you up." I watched as the majority of them left, leaving Frigg, Nanna, Freya and the one identified as Idunn.

"Fix me up?" I asked in fearful curiosity. Freya nodded excitedly, her smile sparkling. "Of course! I would absolutely love to do your hair, if that is fine. It is so fiery!" spoke she. Her cat meowed loudly and leapt onto my bed, circling before lying down. Frigg smiled.

"I guess that would leave me with your make-up, Nanna with your nails and Idunn assisting Freya with your hair. Let us be at work then." I frowned as the Goddesses all got to work around me, sitting me down in a vanity and washing their hands.

"Why are you helping me, my lady?" I asked. It was true. I had no idea why they were helping me. We had only just met and yet they were already acting like my girlfriends.

"Because, my dear," Frigg began. She started to apply cream to my cheek. "You are our honored guest, as my husband has spoken quite highly of you. We have never met a Traveler before, you see. It has been quite the commotion." A traveler? What on earth was that? Who, exactly, did these people think I was?

"Um—"

"Relax, child, we will not harm you." I only just realized how tense my shoulders actually were. With a shaky sigh, I struggled to listen and relax, though questions kept gnawing at my heart like rats.

Freya chirped up, holding pins in her perfectly pink lips. "Do not worry, mortal, we mind not the work! Quite the opposite, you see. We have not had a mortal in our realm in so long. It is such a nice surprise. I just hope we are not scaring you in any way. It is not our intention at all. Merely sit back, relax and let us make you gorgeous," said she.

I smiled, feeling a bit better. "Thank you; all of you! You have no idea what this means to me. I only wish . . . I could repay you, somehow," I murmured.

"Nonsense, Riley," Idunn spoke for the first time. "You seem to think that you owe us, yet you do not. Believe in gifts, Riley. This is but a gift. Enjoy it."

I thought over what she said and it kind of made sense. Might just be because it was hard to argue with a Goddess, but I thought I started to feel better afterward.

In only fifteen minutes, I was dazzling. My hair was braided loosely and tied up in the back, held together with diamond pins. My eyes sparkled with eye shadow and my lips were a rosy pink-red. A single diamond pendant was draped around my neck, glittering like a thousand stars. If I thought I couldn't ever get more beautiful than before, this was trump.

"Beautiful. But you seem to be missing something . . . " Frigg began, looking around the room. Her eyes fell on a vase of flowers and she plucked one from the collection, tucking it in a strand of my hair. A white rose.

~O~O~O~

We were transported to the great hall in carriages. They were done up in fine velvets and rich colors of gold. Everything seemed decorated and beautiful. As if not a single wicked thing lived or breathed here. Which, of course, was impossible. With every apple, there was a seed, I heard someone say once. Where was the seed here? I wondered. Would it become shown to me soon? I crossed my fingers and hoped not. For once in my life I was actually enjoying myself; I didn't need my bad luck ruining it.

The carriage bounced over stones and pebbles, making me bump in my seat. Nanna, Freya, Frigg and Idunn were with me, either staring out the windows or staring at their hands. I guess none of them really wanted to delve into conversation. Which was okay with me. I didn't mind long silences.

We arrived at the castle in less than ten minutes. It was kind of a short ride. The night sky glittered with stars and a large full moon. Even they appeared to be brighter and bolder here than at home.

I stared in awe at the women and men entering the great hall. Most of which were wearing fine armor and silver, but some wore actual dresses and interesting suits that looked nothing like the ones on Earth. I probably looked like the only freak, walking around with my mouth wide open and such. As we stepped inside the great doors, I even topped my previous surprise with newer, bigger surprise. The palace was frickin' huge! Talk about marble floors and diamond chandeliers. My heart soared.

The abrupt sound of metal hitting the marble floor made the buzzing and conversation in the room ease. An older man stood there, dressed from head to toe in medieval armor. A staff that looked a lot like a spear was in his right hand and I watched everyone in amazement as they kneeled to the ground, staring at their feet. Being a pretty stupid person, naturally, I was probably the last person to bow. My head swished back and forth, watching everyone else in wide-eyed fascination. I eventually kneeled down, but not before I met the eyes of the man who could only be Odin, standing before everyone else like a true God. Light graying red hair covered his left eye and he stood before everyone with an air of superiority and, to my surprise, kindness. My face turned red as I saw he had noticed my confusion. Freya giggled, much to my displeasure.

"Welcome, everyone, to our annual meet of the Gods. It is most a pleasure indeed, to see such strong and determined faces. We are looking well, even in these times of difficulty." He paused to examine the crowd as they murmured in agreement. "It is truly a shame that my son, Thor, could not join us in our night celebration. He is in Jotunheim, courageously fighting back against some of the Jotun armies. We must wish him the best of luck in a safe return."

Many in the crowd nodded and accepted Odin's wishes. I even caught Sif in the crowd, her palm flat against her heart as she murmured something inaudible.

"But better times are forthcoming, greats Gods of Asgard. The Traveler is in our midst, here to accompany us in the battle of all realms. Riley Jonnie Carmen, please stand," Odin ordered. Two things came to mind. First, the question of how he knew my full name. Second, of course, was holy mother of God, he was telling me to stand up. In front of everyone.

Taking every ounce of confidence and courage I had, I stood up and gulped. Everyone's eyes were on me, staring me down as if I were a tasty meal. My heart hammered.

Holy crap, I had no idea what to say. Was I supposed to say anything at all? I was drowning! I thought I was downing in atmosphere! Oh my God, I needed help!

But with a rush of determined force, I masked it all off as best I could and placed a shaking hand over my heart, as everyone had before, and bowed. It seemed to be the right thing to do. I might as well played along.

Odin continued. "She has bravely accepted her challenge and will help us be victorious against the advancing realms. Though war was never in our best hopes, tough times have pushed us to the extremes. With the Traveler amongst our ranks, we shall succeed, and Asgard will live on!"

I stopped breathing. I swear I stopped breathing entirely. Wait . . . What? I'm supposedto save them? But that didn't make any—

"To Asgard!" Odin shouted, raising his spear.

"To Asgard!" everyone else repeated, standing up and applauding.

No.

"Wait! Wait, please!" I tried to say above the cheering and celebrating. Though, it was no use. The music returned and everyone began to talk and rejoice. I was left, standing there like a statue, watching everyone else around me in horror. What had I gotten myself into? In sudden panic, I escorted myself out of the great hall and outside for some fresh air. My head was spinning marry-go-rounds.

What was I going to do? I had to get out of here. I couldn't possibly just jump out into the battle and fight like a God! I was only human! What were they thinking? How come I was some kind of savior to them? This wasn't making any sense. I was doomed.

"Hey, are you okay?" someone asked from behind.

I turned around to face a boy. He looked young—fifteen, maybe? With familiar bark colored hair and eyes. Had I met him before?

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" I replied. I hadn't meant to be sharp; I was just anxious.

The boy laughed, and for a brief moment, I felt better. Part of me actually wanted to laugh along, for some strange reason. Those twinkling eyes . . . where had I seen them?

"My name is Forseti, miss. Sorry for not introducing myself in the first place," he muttered.

"Oh." No bells there. "It's cool. I'm—"

"Riley Jonnie Carmen. I heard."

My face caught fire. I struggled to regain composure. I had probably looked like an idiot out there. Stupid, stupid, stupid . . .

"Oh," I said again, my throat like sandpaper. If I had a stick, I would be hitting myself with it right now. Like before in the tower, I felt at total loss for words, as if my tongue was frozen solid. It was a very alarming sensation I despised wholly.

Struggling for something to comment on other than the weather, I looked around the garden, my eyes suddenly drawn back inside Odin's castle or tower-thing. And there, standing smack down in the middle of a group of angry people and Balder, was the man from before. The man with the extremely sad eyes. The man who had saved me in Jotunheim from the Frost Giants and had returned me home. "Your God," I could still hear him say.

"You," I whispered, my thoughts on Forseti gone. The man's green gaze caught mine from afar, a look of confusion and horror replacing curiosity. I made a small step forward. He was probably over a hundred feet away from me, but he shook his head. Almost immediately, all previous emotions were eradicated from his face and he smiled, putting a finger to his lips. What the hell? Did he just expect me to be quiet about him being in Jotunheim? If he was an Asgardian, what was he doing with the Frost Giants?

By now, the people around him were starting to pick up on his lack of attention and began to look where he was looking. Balder turned . . . I looked away, examining the trees innocently.

"Riley?" asked Forseti. He tilted his head and crinkled his brow. Composure, idiot, composure! my head screamed.

"Um, yes?" I asked. My fake cheerfulness must have been obvious, because Forseti frowned. And all at once, my heart fell and my chest clenched at his frown. Every fiber in my being wanted him to smile again; to make the awful pit in my stomach go away. What was this guy doing to me? It was like I felt happy when he was happy and extremely sad when he was unhappy. This was new.

"I'm sorry, I got distracted. I thought I saw someone I knew from my realm. Silly, right?" I joked uncertainly, still feeling a little choked up.

Forseti offered me an understanding smile and it felt like sunlight coming out from behind the clouds.

"Forseti!" someone yelled suddenly. It took me a moment to recognize Nanna's voice.

The boy's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh! That is my mum. I must go. Please feel better, Riley Carmen. You look utterly pale." And with that, he ran off. It clicked seconds after Nanna and him disappeared. Balder was his father. It all made sense just then! I let myself smile. He definitely had his father's contagious laughter, that as for sure. But I couldn't focus on that now. I needed to find that other man and get him to explain himself. Somehow . . .

I rushed back into the great hall and the loud music hit me like a rock. God almighty I felt light headed. The different smells of beer and meat made me swoon. It was so crowded! There couldn't have been that many people there before, were there? My breaths came out in quick and shallow bursts. That's when I felt the cold fingers on my arm, guiding me outside once again. The sky was darkening and I had a hard time concentrating on what was going on. The panic and fear was going to my head.

"Would you like a glass of leachy juice, miss?" A man's voice ripped me from my thoughts and I cringed. He seemed to be yelling so loud . . . I wanted to smack him across the face. But thankfully, I was able to hold my composure and sigh.

"Sure, thanks," I muttered and took the glass from him, bringing it up to my lips. The red liquid was sweet and almost sour at the same time, sliding down my throat in thick gulps. It wasn't unpleasant, but not exactly a delicious drink.

I turned back to the man, unable to remember what the drink was called anymore. He broke into a cheeky grin, his green eyes shining devilishly and dimples mocking me. What the crap? It was him, the man I was looking for. Why hadn't I realized sooner?

"Y-you," I managed to say, though my voice was warped like a drunk. Sleepiness washed over me and my whole body swooned. "Did . . . . . didyoudrugme?" I asked, slurring my words.

"Afraid so, little mortal. But it shan't last long. I cannot have you creating a scene here, of course." His wicked smile was terrifying. I tried to back away, but a loud sound of shattering glass made me stop. I looked down. The grass and my hands were stained a dark red, making me believe there was blood everywhere. But I hadn't felt any pain . . . I just needed to . . . rest.

I collapsed to the ground, my palm stinging as I felt glass and something else being shoved into my hand.

The man leaned down and whispered something in my ear, his breath tickling my cheek. "Smile, my dearest. You are in a happy place. Think not of ill thoughts and smile."

His words were confusing and I struggled to listen, feeling blackness envelope my vision a little too soon . . .

5: Lies and tricks make up the game (CH5)

6: The beginning's end (CH6)

**Chapter Six**

 

 

-The beginning's end-

 

 

Climbing back through the window was definitely a lot harder than before. Especially when my limbs were shaking uncontrollably. His threats repeated on-loop throughout my head over and over. I felt like a broken record player, playing the same one word over again. Loki.

With a soft thud, my foot landed on the other side of my window and I gingerly pushed myself through the glass pane. It hurt like crazy, but I prevailed, bound and determined to sleep this nightmare away. The air, I noticed, was several degrees colder than it had been before I left. As if my own inner chill cooled even the oxygen I breathed.

Sitting down on the bed, I stared at my wrapped up palm. The white wraps seemed to glow in the moonlight and I almost feared what was beneath them. It went without saying that I needed to do damage control, but it didn't make my stomach any less queasy. With shaking fingers, I quickly unraveled the first few wraps, steeling myself for the soon-to-be horrid view. At last, the cloth fell to the ground in a loop of white and I got a good look at the wound. The cut was long, filling the expanse of my palm with an easy diagonal stroke. Thin black thread held both parts of the skin together and I saw with sickening horror that a few of the stitches were broken. Small blots of blood were forming at the raised skin. I tried not to dwell on the memories of Eir sewing up the wound, in case I decided to be sick. How could doctors ever put up with this kind of stuff? Between the blood and the broken bones, I would be fainting nonstop.

The sight was too much to bear, so I sloppily re-wrapped my hand and lay back in bed. When did my life take such a dramatic turn of events? This whole adventure had been a holiday before this evening. It seemed that no matter what I did, the situation always ended up getting warped and misshaped. I wished, for once, I could just relax and enjoy myself. But in retrospect, events could only get worse from here. As bad as this seemed, things could definitely get a heck of a lot worse. For one, I could just as well easily live, as die. All I needed was a fairly ticked off God and I'd be even toastier toast.

Though my limbs protested angrily, I got up and walked to my desk, sinking down onto a wooden chair. My whole body itched to see my parents again, so, to sort of calm my nerves and process my thoughts, I decided to write to them. Again.

Dear Mom and Dad,

This whole adventure turned out way differently than I had previously expected. Then again, I have no idea how I really expected it to be. Rainbows and Unicorns? I'm in a completely different realm! I was so stupid; I don't know what I was thinking. You guys were right, I am still a child. I thought I was mature and old enough to make my own decisions and live on my own, but I'm not. I realize that now. I'm just sorry I couldn't tell you guys sooner. Heck, I don't even know if I'll be able to give you this letter.

If I die here, Mom and Dad, please don't hate me. I was a child, still am, but I'm big enough to realize that now. Tell Ricky to refrain from shaving his head and getting that flaming sword tattoo and . . . tell him I love him, too. That little nut.

I tell you this, because I don't expect to ever return. Please don't lose your heads, because I've lost mine enough for all of us. I really love you guys. I'm sorry I waited for a seriously drastic situation to finally admit that. More than anything, I wish you the best of luck for many days ahead.
Think of me.

-Riley

Deep in thought, I tapped the end of the feather pin to my face. Was this really it? Was this the last thing my parents would ever hear of me? Darn, how come I acted so much like a fool? What did I expect by coming here? Of course I wasn't going to be treated as a princess and cared for like a child. I was smack down in the middle of a war against all. Not only that, but I was lying to the very people who were taking care of me. All thanks to evil Loki. Again, why did I need to be caught in the middle of this? Why didn't he just let me die back in Jotunheim? It would have saved him—and me—from a lot of unneeded stress and irritation if I had just died back there. What an idiot I was for thinking he was my savior. I laughed hoarsely. Humorlessly.

He was more like the devil himself.

A drip of black ink fell down my cheek and onto the page, as if signifying the darkness and sorrow of my situation. But before I could call it a bad omen, it twinkled with moonlight and left me feeling even more confused than ever.

The next morning was similar to the other. Nanna had stopped by, gave me my food, told me to wait for her husband to come and get me and I pretty much just sat on my bed, staring at nothing all afternoon. The concept of time was far beyond me, withering away like my fleeting hope. Now, I found the walls the most interesting thing. The soft color of coral pink gave me a sense of calm. Like flying through a sunrise. I figured if I sat there and didn't leave, I wouldn't need to lie to anyone. Loki wasn't telling me everything, which was something I knew for sure. I wasn't totally stupid. He was a lying cheat who wouldn't tell the truth for all the money in the world. If he thought he was a God because of that, he was certainly insane. But dang. Those eyes could make you believe anything he said.

The coldness in the air was suffocating. Whether it was coming from the outside or the inside of me, I wasn't sure. It seemed silly to think I could emanate coldness from within my heart, but falling through a book wasn't exactly the easiest thing to believe either. Tiredly, my eye lids half closed as I let go of a defeated sigh. Depression sure cut deep.

There was a knock at the door, but I made no move to answer it. I hated seeing Nanna be so nice to me, oblivious of the entire situation. I had been awake for most of my history classes. Loki wasn't an Asgardian God; he was a Frost Giant. A deadly evil one at that, too. Lying to Nanna and Balder was like kicking a helpless puppy and watching it whimper. And it was all thanks to Loki.

"Riley? Hello, it is me . . . Forseti. My mother tells me that you could be in use of some company. May I be allowed entrance?"

Silence. It was deafening. Was it really me he was talking to? Because strangely, I felt very much out of my own body. "Please go away," I longed to say, but my lips wouldn't form the words. They stayed frozen shut, chapped beyond recognition.

"You know what," he said, a sickening crunch sounding from outside. "I am coming in. Please forgive me, miss, but you have frightened my parents." The door opened with a loud crack and Forseti stepped inside, his light hair disheveled and almond brown eyes wide. The door knob was crunched in his hand.

I must have had the strangest look on my face because he dropped the golden knob and sat down on the bed next to me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder affectionately. An unfamiliar man was standing in the doorway, a bored look on his face. Forseti glanced back to see where I was looking and flashed a kind smile. Annoyingly, my spirits lifted just a little.

"Oh, my apologies, I did not introduce my friend. Ullr, this is—"

"Riley Jonnie Carmen, the Traveler. I am well aware, Forseti," he injected. "Remind me again why we are present? If the Traveler wanted space, which is very obviously the case, we should not have bothered her. She appears white as death."

Forseti looked completely stunned. "Ullr! How could you say such a thing? I believe what Riley is feeling now is what mortals call: homesickness. Something, I am certain, is very unpleasant for Riley. What I think she needs is a hug. Am I right, Ri?" That comment stung like needles. Hayley was the only one who used to call me "Ri . . ."

"Well, my friend, I am afraid "Ri" looks not to have similar feelings. Do you not see her petty dejection?" Ullr commented evenly.

God, if I wasn't totally depressed and jammed in a hole, I would have socked that kid.

"Well, I would have to perceive—" Forseti continued, but I didn't let him finish.

"Guys!" I growled. "For some apparent reason, I think I might have an opinion on the subject at hand. It's not like we're talking about me, for peat's sake."

Forseti smiled and Ullr sighed, crossing his arms. "See!" Forseti stated. "She is back to her snapping self already! I told you, Ullr, hugs cure everything." For the briefest of moments, I saw a halo over Forseti's brunette head. He grinned at Ullr, flashing beautiful white teeth. His bright were filled with such sincerity, I felt like someone had stuck new batteries in me. The radiance that so obviously surrounded Forseti even made the saddest people, such as me at the moment, smile. Even the corner of Ullr's lips raised a fraction of an inch.

The differences between him and Forseti were plain as day, at that moment. Ullr looked purely like a warrior. His blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail, silver armor adorned his body and a broad sword lay proudly at his back. It was like an image you would see on the front of a medieval knight's book. Forseti on the other hand, was less . . . severe looking, in a blue tunic with a large brown belt and a quiver full of arrows on his back. Though, I couldn't possibly imagine him ever using them.

Before I could say something else, Freya raced into the room, her blonde hair swishing around her back in wild braids.

"Forseti! You must come now!" she cried. Her blue eyes were wide. They were filled with something . . . panic, I thought.

"It is—" Freya was shaking under everyone's intense stare. "Out with it, woman!" I felt like shouting.

"Balder . . . he—he is dead!"

The room went dissonantly silent.

 

7: And then there was pain (CH7)

**Chapter Seven**

 

 

-And then there was pain-

 

 

Freya's words cut deep in my heart. The entire room seemed to light up with an invisible electric force of disbelief and . . . something else. Involuntarily, my chest constricted and clenched with such pain, it winded me of no air. I tried to desperately to ignore it, but its grip remained strong.

Forseti stared blankly at Freya, seemingly unaffected on the outside, but I could feel the turmoil in his chest. "Lovely, dearest Freya," he said, his voice hauntingly cold. "Please refrain from fashioning such a lie. This sick joke is humorless." Forseti's voice was so cold; it hurt to listen to it. My chest clenched in another wave of sheer panic and I snuck a look at Ullr. His stone-like eyes were wide.

Freya must have felt Forseti's pain because she broke down in tears, her legs buckling from under her. The poor blonde girl began to weep at our feet as we stared at her in surprise. It became evident, just then, that Freya wasn't joking. My throat tightened.

"Forseti," I whispered.

He stood up in an abrupt fashion and shoved through my bedroom doors, straight down the hall. Ullr stared at the ground as I got up to chase my friend. I may have been dressed in a nightdress, but at the moment, I didn't care. Balder, he . . . who would kill him? It didn't make any sense. It was impossible . . . right? I could have sworn Gods were immortal, but . . .

The thundering hooves of horses made me stop and I had to pause before passing the road-path, so as to not be smeared to the ground.

"Forseti, wait!" I cried. He was far ahead of me, but even with the distance, I could still feel his anguish. The grass was soft and cold under my feet, making me wish I had worn shoes, but I didn't focus on that right now. Balder was dead . . . he was my friend . . . why'd this happen? Why now?

"Crap!" I tripped on a rock and fell to my knees, smacking them across the smooth earth of a carriage road. They ached, and I struggled to get to my feet again. Come on legs, work!

I heard the carriage pulling down the road, the horses snorting and their hooves pounding at the ground. It matched the speed of my racing heart. But my bruised knees refused to bend. It was infuriating, but actually even more . . . soothing. I was tired. So, so tired.

Unearthly, I was jarred out of my misery as someone pulled me out of the way. My shoulder slammed into the ground away from the road-path and I rolled over, glaring at the man who had rescued me.

"Funny, you keep saving me, yet I keeping wanting to kill you. What the hell's up with that, anyway?" I snapped.

Loki just shrugged, dark tendrils of black hair falling in curls down his cheek as he sat back in the grass. "If I told you now, it would fail to be a surprise, would it not? Be patient, Riley. All things shall be revealed yet, in due time." He got to his feet and bit down on an arrow, shifting before my eyes into a raven and flying away with a burst of speed and fluttering feathers.

Shaking my head, I got to my feet painfully. My knees had been scraped, but mostly, only a blue-ish, purple bruise formed. Thankfully, no blood. I gathered breath and continued my run to where Forseti had been last seen. I didn't know exactly where I was going, but I had a feeling. My feet pounded on the grass. The ache in my legs and the loss of breath was kind of scary. Had it really been that long since I last sprinted?

I shook the thought out of my head and pushed through the achy feeling all over. Forseti needed me, my legs could get care sometime else. Suddenly, the sight of Forseti's shape made me smile, knowing I had finally caught up with him. He was a good couple hundred feet away, but I could see him clear as day. Eir's lean figure came into focus as well. She was bending over and I watched in despair as my friend's shoulders shook with emotion.

"No, no, no," I whispered and paused a couple of feet away from the scene. Balder was lying on the ground and staring up at the sky, a lifeless glassy look in his usually bright and beautiful blue eyes. His tunic was stained crimson with blood. My hands flew to my mouth as I felt shock intertwine in my veins.

Without a second thought, I knelt down next to Forseti and wrapped my arms around him, burying my face into his shoulder. I didn't know what to say. I had never been in a situation like this before. In my years, I had lost pets and stuffed animals, but nothing like this. Who could possibly do such a thing? And why?

"What happened?" I asked Eir. Tears were threatening to come lose, but I kept a firm leash on them for Forseti.

Eir's fallen face turned up to me. Her cheeks were stained with tears.

"He—it was a game. Frigg said . . . we thought . . . " she stopped and wiped her cheeks. Frustration was eating away at me. I would make whoever did this pay. Balder was the kindest person I had met here and his son and wife didn't deserve this kind of pain for their hospitality. Just . . . why?

I tore my eyes away from the body and looked sternly at Eir who was losing her grip of iron. Fresh tears already sparkled in her eyes.

"Eir, please, tell me what happened. I need— "

"No!" Nanna suddenly shrieked, collapsing over her dead husband. She wrapped her arms around the wide expanse of his chest, staining her arms and clothes a bitter scarlet. By now, Forseti had stopped crying. He stared at his father with a look of total loss and shock, tears drying on his cheeks. There was no way I would get answers now, so I looked away, staring down at my hands as they grasped hold of the green grass. The sun was bearing down on my back and it seemed totally out of place. You would think on a day like this, it would rain, and yet, the sun shone and the birds flew by. Everything remained as if nothing happened. It made me sick.

"Nanna, please, we should move him to a more comfortable place to set him to rest. He deserves more than this," Eir murmured. There was a pause. Nanna had gone perfectly still, her face covered in her dead husband's tunic. If I hadn't known any better, I would have thought she was—

"Nanna!" I cried. Tearing my eyes away from Balder, I shook the small woman ferociously. Eir pushed me aside with a little too much Aesir force and I went toppling over as the blonde woman yelled at little Nanna. By that point though, I didn't even bother to get up.

-O-O-O-O-

The ceremony took place less than hour after Balder and Nanna's death. The air was hot and sticky and the whole city of Asgard seemed to gather around to watch the boat that held the burning bodies of my once living friends off to the oblivion. I had heard stories of what happened to the Gods after death. About Hel and her own realm of the dead. It sounded even less than unpleasant to me. Why did this have to happen to Balder and Nanna? Them, of all people? Not that I had anyone else in mind.

My mind went out to Loki. He had been conveniently absent this whole time. Something, I didn't know what, made him suspicious. Wasn't there a story about how Loki had tricked Hod, Balder's blind brother, into shooting him with a mistletoe arrow . . .? Oh my God. The story was happening . . . everything that had happened in the story was happening now . . . but, a girl like me never appeared in a book like this! I had read different stories about this day and yet . . .

Before I could do something kamikaze, like what I would normally be doing, my eyes found Forseti, sitting on the edge of the cliff and staring out into the distance. His back was turned away from the ship that held his parents and his shoulders were hunched. Tightening my hands into fists, I made my way to him, trying to rein in my own sorrow for his sake.

"Hey," I murmured, carefully sitting down next to him. The silence felt like a dead weight sitting on my heart. A dull numbness of ice washed over me, making me feel almost dead inside. Forseti was falling off the edge. There was a thin line between sanity and complete and total destruction of the heart; I could feel it. I was losing him.

"Forseti, please say something. You haven't said anything since . . . " I bit my lip. "Where are you? I'm losing you, I can feel it! Please, you have to let me in. The sadness will eat you alive, I know it will. Forseti look at me. Please." I tried to get him to respond, but he remained impassive, as if he hadn't heard me at all. The sudden feeling of déjà vu washed over me, except in a slightly reversed manor. Forseti had been trying to get me to smile at him for the past few days. And now? I'd just settle for a look or maybe even a frown, or anything! Anything to show he still heard me and felt something. The ice was slowly incasing his heart, making me feel numb all over.

"Forseti, get you're freaking self together! I am not going to watch you die like this. It isn't right," I said. On complete impulse, I smacked him, leaving me with a throbbing hand and an unflinching friend. He didn't even blink or respond to me at all. Anger bubbled in my chest like a boiling pot. Anger at Forseti, anger at Loki, anger at the world and most of all, anger at myself. I had reached the end of my slack. My tolerance went out the window and my walls came crashing down around me. I punched and pushed at Forseti's chest, trying to get him to move or acknowledge my existence. With every punch and hit, I spoke, "Don't . . . lose . . . yourself . . . in your . . . emotions!" Then, without my even realizing it, I was crying. Hard. I wasn't sure if it was because I was sad about losing my friends, or losing myself in the process. I just cried. Hot rage cooled to uncontrolled sorrow and sadness, both mine and Forseti's I was sure.

"Just . . . don't cry," I tried to murmur. Guess I had dropped the ball on that one. Part of me, through all the sadness and irritation, almost hoped Forseti would respond. But he didn't. His face never showed the slightest change in emotion, and his emotions were distant and fleeting every second.

After using every inch of my self-control to rein in the forthcoming waterfall, I looked once more at Forseti, who was staring deeply at the ocean, his eyes dull and broken. I sniffed and kissed the top of his head before I left him alone. Maybe he would feel the slightest bit better tomorrow. But something deep down told me I had lost more than just two friends that afternoon.

Freya and Idunn walked me back home that evening. It was intensely awkward and uncomfortable. I just wanted the horrible nightmare to end. Whatever it would take, I would do it.

Idunn finally broke the silence. "There is rumor that Hermod will be traveling to Niflheim to try and persuade Hel to let Balder and Nanna return. My, I hope he returns with news of good. I have the oddest feeling that Asgard shall crumble under more dismal news," she said to Freya in a whisper. "Even Thor has been absent for almost four weeks as of this day. I hope he is not in the heart of trouble or . . . all. Not that Thor is ever in need of assistance, but it is a little odd that he has not returned of late."

"And what of Loki?" Freya added spitefully. "He was absent at the funeral ceremony. He was absent at the last war meeting. One might ponder if he is off with another woman. Sigyn must be absolutely terrified."

"I feel her pain, but cannot possibly see as to why it is there in the first place. Loki is a mischievous jester who thinks he amiable and comical. I would rather he fall off a cliff and shatter, but he sees not truth, nor speaks of it. It is a wonder he has not dashed away with a Frost Giant maiden already," Idunn scoffed, her eyebrows pinched in distaste.

Freya nodded and let out a snort.

"Selfish worm," she spat.

It seemed they had forgotten my presence entirely. It was all right, though. I didn't feel very much like talking and/or going off about someone who obviously no one liked. Myself included. But as for more pressing thoughts, how could anyone really think that Balder and Nanna could be brought back from the grave? Could that really be done? Could the Aesir Gods seriously just waltz into Niflheim and ask for Balder and Nanna back? It seemed pretty farfetched to me.

Idunn was about to say something else when I cut her off.

"You know what? I think I'm just going to head back to my room. I'm kind of tired," I murmured. It wasn't a total lie. I was tired, but deep down; I just needed to change from my nightdress and take some time for myself.

Freya nodded. "Very well, that sounds acceptable. Just try to awaken in time for Odin's masked wake at dusk. He is holding another gathering to discuss plans of attack with the warriors. The rest of us shall have a night in honor of those we have lost. Attendance is mandatory," she added before I could decline.

I frowned and sighed, not at all in the mood. Freya took the chance to continue. "There is a dress of appropriate adornment in your room currently, so all you need is your person."

"And please refrain from straying from the path ahead," Idunn added.

I tried a smile. "All right. I'll be there. Thanks." They waved as I jogged off in the opposite direction. My room wasn't too far away. I just followed the familiar pebble path and shoved through the golden doors of the entrance, trying not to think of what Forseti was feeling at the moment. The sweet smell of honey and cherry blossoms met my nose and I breathed it in deeply, letting it cloud my mind. It reminded me that I was running from my emotions as well.

As I pushed through my door, the familiar pink colored walls seemed to sparkle in the afternoon sun. I marveled at the sight briefly, but continued to clothe myself in something other than pajamas. Frigg had provided me with enough clothing to last a lifetime.

I was just about to leave again when something stopped me. My window was ajar. The pane had been pushed open, leaving a crack at least the size of a walnut. Both letters to my parents were sitting on the small dresser, out in the open.

Startled shock gripped me hard. I walked over and shoved them back into the drawer. Someone had been in here. Someone recently, too, because it was relatively the same temperature as it was before. The cool air was only just beginning to creep in.

I ran a hand through my hair briskly, sort of panicking. If someone had read those letters . . . my face turned red. I felt like someone had broken into my private diary. I hadn't written any secrets or anything, but I had pretty much poured my feelings into each of those letters.

Frantically, I searched around my room, opening closet doors and checking to see if the person was still hiding in here. I hadn't seen anyone when I ran in, but it was possible that they had got to a hiding place before I rushed in. In a flourish, I yanked open the last closet and squealed as a fly flew in my face, buzzing angrily. Well, not only did someone break into my room and read my private letters, but they let a fly in.

Slamming the door, I walked away from my room and back into the fresh air. I was definitely over-due for a walk. My head was spinning dizzily.

For the first time since I had gotten here, I was finally able to be on my own for a little and recuperate. I'd been surrounded by Gods for the past five days. It wasn't so bad at first, but the tables had turned quite bitterly. In fact, it had gone from bad to utterly destructive. There was a murderer on the loose and it was probably the man who couldn't stay away from me. Or was it the other way around, I wondered? I hoped not.

"Keeping yourself company?"

I whipped around to face, much to my surprise, Odin. His one good eye sparkled with brief amusement.

"Y-your majesty?" Serious face palm. Thankfully, he chuckled lightheartedly and sat down on a stone bench that I seriously didn't think was there before Odin had appeared. Needless to say, surprises weren't exactly hard to come by now, knowing I was talking with Odin, the God of all Norse Gods. Basically.

"Quite the spirited mortal, I see. Although, not to sound obscene, but I have not the pleasure to meet one such as yourself in nearly a millennia. Time passes ever-so quickly in Asgard, as you can well imagine."

I laughed lightly and uncomfortably. A small pause commenced and I wondered If I should leave, but Odin patted the seat next to his, kindly offering me to sit with him.

Very carefully, I cherry picked my words. "Is it really safe for you to be outside your . . . tower? I mean, people; Gods could try to—"

He broke me off. "You underestimate my power, child. Though I must say, it is both kind and amusing that you care for my wellbeing. But it is unneeded." He paused and looked over at me, as if searching for something. I looked up to meet his eyes and found myself wondering how he had lost his eye. The spot was well covered by graying red hair, but the mystery of how he had lost it made me wonder. Then again, there were a lot of spears around here . . . I shivered discreetly.

Odin furrowed his bushy brow. "You ponder how I lost my eye." It wasn't a question.

I flushed embarrassingly. "Uh, no—I didn't mean to—"

"It is well. You are only mortal. Natural curiosity for things you do not know is expected. Actually, there is a bit of a story behind it. Would you mind if I bored you with an old tale of mine?" he asked me with a grin.

"N-no! Not at all!" I replied. My voice squeaked.

He smiled, wrinkles creasing under his eye. "Very urbane, I see." He cleared his throat. "It happened years ago, back near the creation of Asgard and the eight other realms. I was sitting upon Lidskjalf, watching over the other realms when I laid my eyes on Mimir. He was of Jotun blood, you see, but he was very wise and not at all as wild as the other Jotuns. Not only that, but he owned a magical well known as the Pool of Wisdom. Because he had drunk out of it, the well had granted him great wisdom and knowledge. Something, in my young age, I wanted more than anything before. That is, until meet I Frigg. But that is another boring tale for another time." He waved his hand and chuckled.

"Mimir's well stirred my curiosity so much, that I decided to find it and inquire him for a drink, so that I could rule my people with all the wisdom and justice it so dearly needed. In that mindset, I traveled to the very edges of Jotunheim, in search for Mimir and his magical well. Three days and three nights of luckless journey commenced. And for a while, I did not believe I would ever find him. But one morning, just as the great sun was dawning over the peaks of Nylkatrods, the tallest mountain in Jotunheim; I saw him. Without any mere hesitation, I greeted him not as a Jotun, but as a friend or a possible ally. When I requested a drink from his magical well, he asked only for a trade in return. He wanted my all-seeing sight, or, in simpler yet possibly harsher terms, my eye." He paused and snickered a throaty laughter.

"Well, as you can piece together presently, I granted his request and gave him my eye, in return for a sip from the Well of Wisdom. From that day forward, I have ruled Asgard, my kingdom and my home, with all the knowledge and wisdom of the Aesir and the Jotuns. Delightfully enchanting, is it not?"

I gulped, unsure if he was joking or not. My nerves were on over-drive.

"It is all right, Riley. You may laugh; it was simply a jest. I can feel your unease. If I am making you uncomfortable in any way, by all means, I can return to my tower and leave you to your thoughts. It is in no means an issue, as I am certain you are going through your own inner hell right now. We keep our existence a secret for a reason, you know," he said.

I gasped. "Oh, no! I didn't mean to seem . . . I'm sorry. I guess you could say I'm a little uncomfortable, but not for the reasons you think. I promise this is okay. I just can't believe I'm actually talking to you. In person. For real. Part of me still believes this is all just one crazy dream and that I'll wake back up in my school's closet still being—"

"Mundane?" Odin suggested. "Ordinary? Without purpose?"

My eyes widened. "Wow, I guess you really are all-knowing. What I'd give to have a sip of eternal wisdom as well."

Odin smiled, placing a hand on my shoulder strongly. "Be not so down, Riley. You blame yourself far too much for comfort. Believe that everything happens for a reason and that fate cannot be tempered with. Some things are inevitable," he murmured wistfully.

I stared at my hands. "I don't believe that," I said without thought. "I believe that anything can change if you need it to. And that nothing is set in stone. You shape your own destiny. Ultimately, I believe that people and events can surprise you." After a pause, I realized what I had said and flushed. Wow, did I really just say that to Odin? Did I really just disagree with him, of all people? He was supposed to know all. What was I doing?

But Odin did not frown or get angry or hurt. He looked utterly peaceful.

"Very well said, Riley. I cannot argue with that, nor shall I try, but I do disagree on one thing. From what I have gathered about you, the Well of Wisdom would suit you ill. You think with your heart and mind and I admire that about you. Sometimes knowing everything does not do anyone any justice."

I let what he said sink in, for once, blissful in a silence. Unlike other silences, this one silence wasn't forced or awkward. It was healthy, as if both of us were deep in our own personal thoughts, immersed in what had just transpired. My eyes suddenly stung and it felt like a rock was stuck in my throat.

"Thank you," I murmured, wiping my cheeks dry of tears. Two times today I had cried. New record.

Odin merely smiled, giving my shoulder a soft squeeze. "You are very welcome. It brings me great pleasure to finally be able to speak with you alone. I would really enjoy getting to know you; the real you. Not that silly brigade I see you carrying around like a mask. It pains me to see people trying to hide their true self just so they do not need to face the burden of looking for their real self. It is the easy way out, but never the batter path. The more you focus on finding your true self, the happier you will truly be. Many have not yet learned that lesson and are still looking for themselves. Like ghosts trying to complete unfinished business. They will never find true happiness." His words hit home, literally. I, embarrassingly, felt my shoulders shake with emotion as I quietly sobbed into my hands. Raw emotion hit me like a rock and I struggled to contain composure.

"I'm sorry; I just . . . "

"Do not apologize. It is very all right. Letting this out of your system early is good. Please, by all means, let go of all ties to sorrow."

And I did. For five minutes, I just cried without reins, letting out every negative emotion like a shattered genie bottle, only without the three wishes. After a few minutes, I felt small sharp claws lightly dig into my shoulder, and I looked up to see a blacked spotted sparrow. Its emerald eyes sparkled with sympathy; as if it understood what I was feeling and actually wanted to comfort me. I smiled sadly at the little thing. Now I really knew this was a dream. Birds didn't just fly down on your shoulder like in Cinderella or something. But then again, I was in Asgard. The bird was probably a person for all I knew.

I looked up at the sky and sniffed, nearly jumping out of my skin when I noticed the sun going down.

"Oh! I have to go!" I stood up and dusted my pants, quickly wiping my cheeks as well. It seemed hard to believe that time had flown so quickly, but apparently, it had.

Odin stood up, too, with a grunt. "Yes," he said. "It appears the time of late is upon us. And I have a meeting to host. It was very much a pleasure meeting you, Riley. I do hope we can speak sometime again, before the battle starts. Though, I am not sure how much time we have left. Until again." He bowed slightly and began to make his way back towards his shinning gold tower. Somehow, I felt lighter now, as if I had lifted a huge weight off my shoulders. It surprised me how happy I felt, after I had cried. Normally, I would just feel really babyish and tired, but now, I actually felt pumped. Somehow, deep down, I knew Forseti would be okay. I knew it with all my heart. Because I couldn't stand to lose anyone else.

"You hear that bird? I'm feeling awesome. Epic even. Actually, maybe a tad bit worried because I'm talking to an animal, but, it's all good, because I'm embracing my craziness," I babbled. And the thing I did next was something I never thought I would do. I scratched its head. Its little green eyes closed and I took a second to just stand there, petting the bird like a dog. Because, hey! Might as well, right? I was still crazy!

"Sincerest apologies, Riley," the bird murmured, its voice smooth as silk, or more rather . . . velvet. I paused. Okay, now my craziness had gone too far. Animals didn't talk.

But before I could say or do anything else, the bird flew off and disappeared into the branches of a tree off in the distance. For a moment, I was surprised into utter silence.

/Author's note: Eh, a little choppy and a bit discombobulated, but I'll work on it. No worries! :D