Fire

Chapter Forty One

I was staring in the mirror for several minutes as my skin returns to its normal color and my eyes fade from red back to their emerald green, still shocked about what happened only minutes before. I twist and turn to see if all the blue skin has returned back to its original color. All of the skin within my field of view has returned back to cream. The only thing was still bothering me was a stinging sensation on the back of my neck. After rummaging in a drawer beside the mirror for quite some time, I find a small handheld mirror. Turning around, I move my hair away from my neck and hold the small mirror up so I can see if there is a mark where the sensation was coming from. I gasp and drop the mirror in my hand, thankfully it didn't shatter. On my neck there was a tattoo looking mark made up of runes I have never seen before. I quickly replace my hair over my neck to hide the mark and pick up and put away the small mirror.

After fixing my dress and hair to make myself presentable, I leave the rooms I had woken up in and wander the halls to attempt to find the throne room so I can talk to Frigga. I don't know how long I was roaming the halls, but eventually I got tired of walking around in circles so I gave up and asked a guard to show me the way. After reaching the massive golden double doors, I am announced and I walk into the throne room nervously, but trying my best to hide it.

"Ember, I see that you found everything that was laid out for you, is it to your liking?" Frigga asks, walking towards me.

"I suppose, I mean it is a lot different from what I'm used to but it seems okay," I stumble out as I fidget with the end of my hair. Frigga eyes my fidgeting hands but makes no attempt to question me about it.

"Now, I'm sure you have questions and you have lots of things to learn so-" Frigga pauses, an almost angry look on her face. "Why are you fidgeting with your hair so much?"

"No reason! I just do it when I'm nervous. I mean, I'm in Valhalla, the place that, according to the legends, we go after we die when I'm not dead! Of course I'm nervous."

"No it has something to do with your hair. Something is different about you now than when we spoke earlier," she mutters, almost to herself. Then without warning, she steps behind me and quickly pulls my hair away from my neck. The next things that come out of her mouth I can't understand, but I am assuming they were curses.

"You saw him, didn't you?" She asks. I look down at my feet and do not respond. "Is that what took you so long? You went to visit him in the prisons."

"No! I did not visit him," I snarl. "He came to me, in a weird way. He seemed so real, but in the end he just disappeared without a trace. I mean, he touched me and talked to me. How could he have not been there?" I ask.

"Ahh I see. He manifested to you using his magic. I should have known he would have done that. Since technically he isn't really allowed visitors, I usually do that to him, manifest inside his cell I mean. I taught him that trick, and I can also teach it to you. You seem to be a very quick learner."

"Yeah well, what I'd really like is to go home," I mumble.

"All in due time, my dear. There is no leaving until your body recovers from the poison, and that varies depending on what your healers are doing. But for now let us discuss your father. Come, I have a more comfortable place that we can talk other than this gigantic room," she beckons. I follow her to a small sitting room attached to the throne room that is probably normally used for conversing about war plans and treaties and such based on the décor. She gestures for me to sit on one on the lavish couches. I sit down cautiously, nervous about what all this conversation entailed.

"No need to be nervous child," Frigga says gently as she sits down with me on the couch. "I am here to answer any and all questions you have."

She waits for me to ask a question, and when I do not, she simply sighs.

"Well then. Let's start with that symbol on the back of your neck, yes?" Frigga asks. I nod. "The large rune is Othila Ancestral, which roughly translates to 'child of.' The smaller rune is made up of two different runes. Kaunaz and Isa, fire and ice. Essentially, the tattoo like inscription on the back of your neck mean 'Child of Fire and Ice.'"

"So what he told me is true?"

"Well what did he tell you?"

"That he is truly my father, a Jotun, and my mother is a descendant of the lone survivor of the fire clan. That he placed people in my life to 'protect' me in an attempt to be a part of my life when my mother denied him that right. He's been manipulating my life since I was a child without my knowledge and now all of a sudden I almost die and he's claiming that he made me who I am. He had nothing to do with how I turned out. Nothing," I rant.

"Take a deep breath. He has been worried about you since he was officially told about your existence. You are the only mortal child he has ever had, at least until you take his place. He was worried for your safety, as is normal for a parent. Even one as twisted and misguided as Loki. He was just trying to do what he thought would ensure your survival."

"Yeah well, I bet he didn't see a manic dragon stabbing and then later abducting me and keeping me prisoner for a year," I grumble.

"But, if you look at it from his perspective, it is a reason why he would place those people in your life to protect you. So you would be safe from things such as those."

"Well he failed at that. I'm here so..."

"What does his failed attempts in protecting you have anything to do with you being here?"

"I was poisoned. My body is dying and I'm in Valhalla. I'm pretty sure this is not classified as a job well done," I point out.

"You are not here permanently, unless your body fails to recover-"

She doesn't get to finish what she was saying because my vision blurs and I fall backwards, crying out as pain takes a hold of my body. I am powerless to do anything. And by the look on Frigga's face hovering above me, so is she. I see her look up at the door behind and yell something, but the words do not reach my ears. She then looks down at me and caresses my face gently before I fall into an agonizing sleep.