We Built These Paper Mountains

Chapter One

            The man was tall, tanned from working the fields, and his hands impossibly large as they cradled the small pink bundle.  With him were three boys, one who was still pre-pubescent and the other two -- clearly twins -- were well on their way to becoming men in their own regards.  The guards ushered the four into the throne room, where they all knelt and bowed to the All Father.

            “How are you, dear friend?” Odin greeted.  The four males stood.  “Where is your lovely wife?”

            The man smiled sadly.  “That is why I’m here, All Father,” he explained.  He tilted his arms forward, exposing the filling of the bundle: a squirming baby girl, all rosy cheeks and sparkling blue eyes.  She stuck her tongue out, clenching and unclenching her tiny fists as she took in new sights.

            “Oh!” Frigga couldn’t help but exclaim.  “What a gem! The spitting image of her mother.”

            The youngest boy sniffled and turned into the solace of one of his brother’s arms.  Immediately, Frigga clapped her hands over her mouth, tears flying to her eyes.  “My wife passed giving birth to my daughter,” the man revealed.

            “I’m so sorry,” Odin murmured.  He glanced over at Frigga, struggling to imagine what he’d be like without his queen.  It was heart-wrenching; he could scarcely linger on that thought.  “May she feast Valhalla ever more.”  All three adults bowed their heads at the prayer.  “How can we help you, friend?” Odin asked.

            “I can teach my three boys to work the fields,” the man explained.  “I cannot raise my daughter on my own.”  He shifted his gaze to Frigga.  “She’s showing magical potential.  My queen, my wife was the sorceress.  I can in no way teach my daughter.”  He looked back at Odin.  “All Father, I beg that my daughter enter the protection and tutelage of the House of Odin.”

            Odin glanced over to Frigga before nodding.  “I accept your daughter into the protection of my house.  Once she is of age, she will study magic under Queen Frigga.  She will keep your name, and you can feel free to visit her.  She shall remain your daughter.”  Odin thumped his staff to punctuate the end of his speech.  Frigga flew from her customary spot next to Odin down, first, to the three sons.  She hugged each of them and kissed their foreheads, having known them since they were their sister’s age.  She then kissed the father on both cheeks before holding the baby to her chest.

            “What’s her name?” she asked, feeling her heart swell with affection.

            “Sigyn,” the man replied with a watery smile, caressing the babe’s forehead with one finger.  It was clear her mother had named her.  “Take care, sweet girl,” he murmured as he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.  “Thank you,” he murmured to Frigga.  She nodded.  “Thank you both,” he said, louder so Odin too could hear.

            “Of course,” Odin replied.  “And please, never hesitate to come visit her.  She is not an Odinsdotir.  She remains yours.”

            The man nodded.  “Kiss Sigyn goodbye,” he urged his sons.  “She’s going to stay here, with the All Father.  We’ll come visit soon.”  The baby received kisses and tickles from her three brothers, as well as one final one from her father.  “Be well, my darling Sigyn,” he murmured.

            “Be well, friend,” Odin bid.  “Safe travels.”  With one final bow, the four men left.

            Frigga carried Sigyn up to where Odin sat on the throne.  The baby pouted her lips and then offered a wide toothless smile to the All Father.  “Shall I introduce her to Loki and Thor?” Frigga asked, bouncing Sigyn; motherhood was her natural state.  “I will be sure to make them understand she is not their sister.”

            Odin nodded.  “I’m sure it will serve them well to have a young lady in the house.”  Frigga started down the steps, but turned around before she left the throne room.  “I must stay here,” Odin clarified from his throne.  “Send Thor and Loki my love.”  She nodded with a smile and left.

            As she entered Loki and Thor’s playroom, she made extra sure she didn’t topple over as her sons eagerly hugged her legs.  She shifted the four of them to the center of the room before easing herself to the floor.  Both boys huddled to her, peering down at baby Sigyn.  Utterly overwhelmed with the sudden attraction, she began to fuss as tears filled her eyes.

            “Oh, goodness,” Frigga cooed, turning Sigyn into her chest and gently rocking her.  “She’s just a baby, so she has to meet you one at a time.”  Loki, clearly unsettled by the baby’s tears, backed up.

            Thor leaned forward to look down at Sigyn.  They exchanged wide grins.  Just as she reached up to tug on his blond hair falling towards her, he loudly greeted, “Hi, baby!”

            Alarmed, Sigyn froze and began to tremble.  Frigga grasped Thor’s chin and tilted his head to look at her.  “What kind of ears do babies have?” she asked, her sweet voice contradicting her stern grip.

            “Small baby ears,” Thor answered, his voice already having lowered.

            “So small voices for small ears, okay?” she clarified, running her hand through his hair.  “Big boys need to be careful of big noises.”

            Thor enthusiastically nodded, shifting his attention back to Sigyn.  “Hi, baby!” he greeted again in a shouted whisper.  “What’s your name?” He laughed boisterously as she tugged at his hair and stuffed a fistful into her mouth.

            “Her name is Sigyn,” Frigga smiled, easing Thor’s hair out of Sigyn’s mouth.  “Can you say ‘Sigyn’?”

            “Sigyn!” Thor proudly repeated.  She giggled, kicking her feet and waving her fists.  “Sigyn!” he repeated; he received the same response.  “She knows her name!”

            “She does,” Frigga smiled, rubbing her hand gently over the baby’s belly.  “Can you say her name, Loki?”

            Loki eased forward as Thor returned to their toys.  “Sigyn?” he said tentatively.

            “Very good,” Frigga praised.

            “Sigyn,” he said again, with more confidence this time.  He looked at the small girl curiously.  “Is she a sister?”

            “No,” Frigga answered.  “She’s going to stay with us because she has no mom to teach her magic.”

            Loki’s eyes immediately sparkled with delight.  “Sigyn is magic?”

            Frigga smiled, pleased both her sons had taken to Sigyn so well.  “Not yet.  She’s still a baby.”

            “Still a baby,” Loki repeated in a murmur.  “Can we keep her?” he asked, his delight in the idea evident in his voice.

            “Her dad and brothers will come visit, but she’s staying with us.”  Both boys grinned wildly.

            And Sigyn worked her way into everyone’s hearts.