Winter of Yggdrasil

Chapter 29

Kenna turned to Rowan. "Well? To the village then, I guess." He nodded. Merek shifted, seeming troubled. Kenna looked at him curiously but he shook his head.

"I'll take a look around the palace. Be careful." He left silently, shoulders hunched over tightly wound arms and clenched fists. Kenna watched him with worried eyes.

"He seems sick." She said. Rowan raised a questioning brow. "He's unusually quiet, even around me. And he's walking strange. I don't know... Something's bothering him. And he's jumpy."

"What do you mean?"

"Before we left, I went into his room to get him. He was facing the door but it was like he couldn't see or hear me. He was holding that cloth he used to wear over his eyes. And he had some kind of amulet around his neck. But I grabbed him to snap him out of it and he nearly screamed. No one sneaks up on Merek, you know? It's strange. And he just put everything away and kept saying he was fine. He's still wearing the amulet though, under his shirt. I'm worried about him."

"Maybe he's remembering his home? After Muspelheim, he seemed to think about his life before Thanos more. Maybe it's troubling him. I can't imagine what it would be like to be the last of your kind."

"But what kind is he the last of? What is The Other? It's like everyone in the universe knows the name but no one knows what they are or where they're from. There's so many things he won't tell us..."

"Are you starting to doubt him?"

"No... Just worry." She shook her head, pushing the thoughts away. "Come on." She let the Aesir form take over one arm. Rowan looked at her questioningly. "I can usually touch you in my Jotun form because of the warm climate we're used to. The frostbite that comes naturally is practically dead in us. But the longer we stay here, the more likely I am to hurt you." He nodded and took her hand as they left the palace. The walk to the town was long and silent. The valley surrounding the capital certainly was dead. Kenna sighed as she looked over it. "It looks so sad, to be honest."

Rowan nodded and gripped her hand tighter as they started coming upon the first few houses. The town was bustling with activity, smiling faces and vendors talking outside their shops. Kenna blended in fairly well. Rowan stood out far more than he would have liked. He kept his head down and let Kenna lead him around as she looked through shops.

She finally mustered up the courage and went up to a curious person her age. The girl smiled hello and she and Kenna grasped arms in greeting. Rowan murmured a shy hello and bowed slightly. Kenna turned to her and introduced them.

"My name is Pama." The girl replied. "Are you Loki's daughter?" Kenna nodded. "What are you doing here? Everybody is talking about it."

"We're here to ease the tension between our realms. And learn more about you all. There's so little we know and it doesn't help to make people more accepting."

"Oh. Why?"

"Why?"

Pama shrugged. "Why try to ease the tension? It's always been this way."

"Yes, and that's not right. Should there not be peace? We've done you all wrong yes, and you us, but it doesn't have to continue."

"What wrong have we done you?"

"The attack on the palace some years ago, for instance."

"That was a small, foolish group. Not the act of the realm. Why all of a sudden? Why change it now?"

Kenna shrugged, not wanting to say they suspected war was brewing with an unknown party. "It's my purpose to bring peace."

"Well, good luck. I hope Skuld looks on in your favor." Pama left, calling after a friend. Kenna sighed.