Fenris, a Short Tragedy

Trust.

Fenris

It's been 3 months. Every few days, for 3 months, Tyr and the other Aesir bring a new rope to my island. They tie me up and I see if I can break out.

This game was fun at first, but now it's boring. I always break through them.

The island was called Lyngvi...

"What's this one made of?" I asked Tyr while the others tied me up.

"Titanium, platinum, and Kevlar."

"Kevlar, huh?"

"It's... new." As soon as they stepped away, all I had to do was stand up, and the rope snapped and slid off. The other Aesir started to go away as Tyr sat next to me.

"Dad, I miss home."

"I know, Fenris."

"I miss my bed, I have to sleep on the ground here. My fur is dirty and matted... I don't want to play this game anymore."

"...Tomorrow will be the last time you have to, okay?" Tyr looked at me. Since when was he so small? He had dark circles under his eyes, and it looked like he had been crying.

"...Okay."

~—~—~

Tyr

We returned to Lyngvi the next day. Skirnir held Gleipnir, the unbreakable.

Fenris was standing at full height. He was easily the size of a small house.

"What's this one made of?"

"The noise of a cat's footfall, a woman's beard, mountain roots, the sinew's of a bear, a fish's breath, and the spittle of a bird" he narrowed his eyes.

"That's impossible." Gleipnir glowed a valiant blue. The Aesir approached cautiously.

"This is the last one, Fenris." He stepped backwards.

"Wait. This is starting to get a little suspicious."

"Fenris... please?" The words burned my youngest as they escaped my lips. I hated myself. Fenris thought for a second.

"... I'll play this game under one condition. One of you has to put your hand in my mouth, and if I can't break out of this one... I'll... I'll bite your hand off." The entire Island fell silent. Not a single Aesir wanted to lose their hand for this, and they expect Fenris to just take it and suffer? They make me sick

"I'll do it." The other Aesir gasped. Fenris looked down at me. I looked back. Everything we've never said to each other was silently understood. As the other Aesir wrapped Gleipnir around Fenris's giant body, I placed my right hand into his jaws.

. . .

Fenris was bound tighter than he had been with any of the other ropes. He struggled and shifted for a few seconds.

"Dad... I can't get up."

"...I know, sweetness."

A single tear fell down his cheek. I place my other hand onto the side of his snout.

"I... I don't want..."

"It's okay." I cried with him.

Not once did he bare his teeth at me, but as I closed my eyes, they cut through my right hand.

"I'm so sorry, dad."

"I still love you, sweetness."

The end.