Loki's Daughter

Chapter 13: The Grimoire of Curses

Loki had scoured over his new collection of books on curses. He was becoming increasingly frustrated with each discourse he picked up; more frustrated and more discouraged. Kuna, on the other hand, enjoyed her new freedoms. The freedom to explore where she wanted, eat when she wanted, sleep when she wanted.

She could even play, something she had always really wanted to do but was always forbidden from doing. The strangest part of all: she didn't have to work. Ever. In fact, Loki actively stopped her from cleaning, tidying, cooking, or any other attempts at non-child-like behavior, and promptly pushed her outside to play.

Loki had even begun to teach her how to read and write. He had spread out a large piece of paper in front of her and taught her how to hold a quill and dip it in ink and write out the Asgardian futhark. She had never been so excited in her whole life. She memorized the whole futhark in just a few minutes. She learned how to write hers and Loki's names and the names of her toys. Loki was a good teacher. Kuna was convinced he knew everything there was to know.

Now, she was able to write whole sentences and read short stories in their storybooks. Loki even made up stories for her to read which were her favorite.

One day, Loki sat in their hammock grumbling at another book, while Kuna swatted at an imaginary beast with a stick. She had learned to be quiet when Loki was reading because he wanted to concentrate on his books, so she kept her stories about slaying imaginary beasts inside her head.

"Arrgh, I've had enough of this!" Loki slammed the book closed.

Kuna jumped, dropping her stick. Her shoulders drooped and her head hung low. She looked up cautiously, afraid she had caused his angry outburst.

"Sorry. I shouldn't yell like that. What do you want to do today, Kuna?" he asked.

"Me?" she asked, shyly.

"Yes, you," he said. "I can't take any more of these bloody books today. So, what do you want to do?"

Kuna had never been asked this question before, so it required much thought. She walked over to the hammock and crawled into it beside Loki. She tapped her finger against her lips in thought.

"Mmm. Will you teach me how to fight monsters?" she asked finally.

"How to fight monsters," Loki repeated.

Kuna nodded, excitedly.

"That's very specific."

Kuna continued nodding.

"All right, come on!" Loki jumped out of the hammock. It flipped over, depositing Kuna on the ground. She hopped up, undisturbed, and ran for their satchel with the silver dagger.

Loki snatched it up. "Nope!" He stopped her at arm's length with a hand on her head.

She giggled, trying to reach for the satchel.

"You're going to learn with this." He gave her the wooden dagger he had bought for her on Tenanci'i.

"Aww," Kuna pouted.

"Stand up straight!" Loki commanded.

Kuna stood as tall as she could. Loki adjusted her feet until she stood about shoulder width. He positioned her left hand on the hilt of the dagger.

"When your other hand, your off hand, is empty, it's going to balance you," he said. "Don't let it fall to your side like a dead fish." Kuna chuckled at this. "Keep it up and always moving. You can use it to punch with, like this," -he showed her a quick jab- "or to block."

Kuna copied his movements. He began to call out actions for her to do, holding the dagger in a downward position in her left hand. When she was able to do this on command, Loki began teaching her movements with the dagger.