Mischievous

Chapter Six

        I can't begin to tell you how much I was smiling when I found myself standing in front of what had to be the largest library I'd ever seen. Books were lined in rows on maybe a hundred maybe even more shelves. Sometimes the spines could be seen popping out from their designated position, urging you to come and choose to read it over all the other options. Or they were strewn across the tops where people had decided it was too much effort to put them back where they belonged. Hidden in the maze of novels and textbooks, were tables, perhaps a few chaises in case you wished to spend your day surrounded by words instead of people. After realizing just how little I wanted to socialize, this was the best place I could possibly be.

        My fingertips danced across the titles, desperate to find anything that would keep me occupied. If I stayed here till the ball had already started, Thor wouldn't find me in my chambers. And, in all honesty, would he really continue to search just because his dad said I had to go? I certainly hoped not. Ugh, there were so many things to pick from, perhaps I'd be here a week. Imagine not having to have a conversation with a soul for that long. It might just be a dream come true.

        The mahogany shelves were smooth, though I could find a few places where someone had etched symbols into the wood. They could have been to mark where their favorite books were located, or they could have been part of a much, much more devious plot. It was these books that caught my eyes more than most. These were hidden treasures amidst boring recounts of history and the evolution of different species languages. I didn't care how the way dwarves spoke compared to the dark elves or the frost giants. So, I started piling up all the marked novels in my arms until I'd grabbed five tales of various lengths. It'd be interesting to see how they compared to Neil Gaiman. No one wrote better stories than him.

        I found a nook where I could lay down and snuggle in the fanciest blankets I'd ever touched. One side felt like silk, super smooth, the other like fuzz, which warmed me the second it reached my skin. This was a new form of comfort, one that I would be taking advantage of as long as possible. As I found myself drifting away, I snapped back into focus, grabbing the first book, Midgardian Follies and Other Tales of Idiocy. This was sure to be a winner. A novel detailing all the flaws in other cultures? I'm surprised I hadn't caught Odin himself reading a copy at the feast. Based on the egotistical things I'd seen so far, I was sure they'd all read the book once or twice. Perhaps it was their form of a religious tome. It would explain a lot.

        One of the most flawed creatures created during our time in Asgard is the Midgardian. Made from a piece of ash and elm, they certainly aren't anything special. In fact, even today, they continue to prove their stupidity through unnecessary panic and fear. The only thing they should be even the slightest bit concerned about is their ridiculous desire to destroy those who have the slightest difference from them. Within the past century, they've suffered from two of what they call World Wars, in which millions of Midgardians died.

        Though their technology is primitive compared to ours, it is evidently just as capable of causing mass destruction. Should we be worried about them turning against us? The answer is no. They believe us to be myths. The chances of them figuring out how to get to Asgard much less attack us are slim. We are meant to protect them from the other dangers of the Nine Realms. But that doesn't mean we haven't stood by before. Mainly to collect some stories you can find in this book along with other tales we've jotted down over the past couple of centuries. Hopefully, you can find them just amusing as we did. They sure were a joy to piece together and reminisce over as we chose each one to include. Enjoy.

        "Enjoy?" I mumbled. "That was just the introduction, and they managed to insult me. In fact, they made fun of the entire Earth!"