Scene: Magne POV
"Sister, how could you keep such a bonfire of a woman hidden from me!" I ask as I meet Thrud in the early hours on the way to take a piss.
"Smitten, are you?" Thrud laughts. "I believe Alea will prove herself a woman of many hidden talents - I hadn't considered the ability to satiate my brother among them."
"Smitten?! I would bind her to my bed until the sun engulfed the Earths!" I declare truthfully.
"Easy, Magne! That is no small announcement from my brother, over whom no woman has ever held sway for long!" Thrud smiles thoughtfully, before losing her gleeful expression. "However, her path is still lies ahead. Her light is not to be diminished before it has even been lit."
"You think so little of your own brother - that his company would dissuate her from forging her Destiny?" I jest, but I fear her answer to that question.
"It could influence her agency. Already now she resists the Call. She still refuses to embrace herself. She guards herself against both Fate and Destiny - afraid to look beyond. Strife will force her hand - she will not find that here in Gimlé. Our mission as ever is to make certain that she has the skills to overcome that strife!"
"Your age has wisened you, sister, however much the truth of your words weighs heavily upon me," I sigh heavily. "I shall not hold her back. Then... time will tell, I suppose. And you - how does your returned youth suit you?"
"Gloriously - I feel stronger than ever! I had forgotten the intoxication of strength", Thrud states proudly, flexing her arm before taking on a more solemn demeanor. "It however saddens me, that it will mark the end for me at Evergreen."
"Whatever do you mean, sister? Is your wisdom still not needed there?" I ask. Something weighs heavily on her mind.
"Not as much as my returned strength is needed elsewhere, and I am eager to use it. The fiends of Otherworld bleed into Midgard at an alarming rate. The world needs the warrior more than the sage. Any of Friggs old girls still around?"
"Most of them are spread across Scandinavia already," I say, running through the names in my head. "Sjofn is home these days. Gefion too."
"Lust or Chastity then? I fear for the beds of Evergreen," Thrud laughs. "Leading a place of learning and living for teenagers might prove too much for Gefion, but encouragement might not be what they need either."
"I would not say so. Some say that the youths' experience as knowing Changelings make them wiser Fey than their predecessors. Perhaps letting them expand their ranks would prove a boon to our world and theirs." I explain throughtfully. "The Age of Changelings might become the Age of New Legends."
"One can only hope."
"What of Alea then? Do you know what she will become?" I ask, as my thoughts cannot leave the red maiden for long. But the mystery is equally intriguing.
"Only assumptions and speculations," Thrud scoffs. "With her stubbornness, I fear she may never take that leap though."
"The epithet of 'The First Changeling Hero' has power too," I state as I make ready to return to her warm embrace - possibly for the last time. "I will let you think, while I make use of the short time I may have with her."
"Be careful not to tempt her," Thrud warns.
"I will not overstep my role, but neither will I squander this time, Sister." And with that I leave.
"You're up," she states tiredly. "What time is it?"
"The sun has yet to rise, Firehead," I smile. "I'm returning to bed, if you'll let me."
"I dreamt of you," she yawns. "Ready for round two?"
"Heavens, yes!" I thank Sjofn's presence as I lay down with the red maiden one more time.
"Smitten, are you?" Thrud laughts. "I believe Alea will prove herself a woman of many hidden talents - I hadn't considered the ability to satiate my brother among them."
"Smitten?! I would bind her to my bed until the sun engulfed the Earths!" I declare truthfully.
"Easy, Magne! That is no small announcement from my brother, over whom no woman has ever held sway for long!" Thrud smiles thoughtfully, before losing her gleeful expression. "However, her path is still lies ahead. Her light is not to be diminished before it has even been lit."
"You think so little of your own brother - that his company would dissuate her from forging her Destiny?" I jest, but I fear her answer to that question.
"It could influence her agency. Already now she resists the Call. She still refuses to embrace herself. She guards herself against both Fate and Destiny - afraid to look beyond. Strife will force her hand - she will not find that here in Gimlé. Our mission as ever is to make certain that she has the skills to overcome that strife!"
"Your age has wisened you, sister, however much the truth of your words weighs heavily upon me," I sigh heavily. "I shall not hold her back. Then... time will tell, I suppose. And you - how does your returned youth suit you?"
"Gloriously - I feel stronger than ever! I had forgotten the intoxication of strength", Thrud states proudly, flexing her arm before taking on a more solemn demeanor. "It however saddens me, that it will mark the end for me at Evergreen."
"Whatever do you mean, sister? Is your wisdom still not needed there?" I ask. Something weighs heavily on her mind.
"Not as much as my returned strength is needed elsewhere, and I am eager to use it. The fiends of Otherworld bleed into Midgard at an alarming rate. The world needs the warrior more than the sage. Any of Friggs old girls still around?"
"Most of them are spread across Scandinavia already," I say, running through the names in my head. "Sjofn is home these days. Gefion too."
"Lust or Chastity then? I fear for the beds of Evergreen," Thrud laughs. "Leading a place of learning and living for teenagers might prove too much for Gefion, but encouragement might not be what they need either."
"I would not say so. Some say that the youths' experience as knowing Changelings make them wiser Fey than their predecessors. Perhaps letting them expand their ranks would prove a boon to our world and theirs." I explain throughtfully. "The Age of Changelings might become the Age of New Legends."
"One can only hope."
"What of Alea then? Do you know what she will become?" I ask, as my thoughts cannot leave the red maiden for long. But the mystery is equally intriguing.
"Only assumptions and speculations," Thrud scoffs. "With her stubbornness, I fear she may never take that leap though."
"The epithet of 'The First Changeling Hero' has power too," I state as I make ready to return to her warm embrace - possibly for the last time. "I will let you think, while I make use of the short time I may have with her."
"Be careful not to tempt her," Thrud warns.
"I will not overstep my role, but neither will I squander this time, Sister." And with that I leave.
Certainly my presence would only elevate the red one to new heights - even if Thrud is right about Gimlé being the wrong place to find strife. I must think on this thoroughly. Later. As I return to her tiny frame spread peacefully across my bed, contemplation is the last thing on my mind. Maybe I can roll under her without waking her.
"You're up," she states tiredly. "What time is it?"
"The sun has yet to rise, Firehead," I smile. "I'm returning to bed, if you'll let me."
"I dreamt of you," she yawns. "Ready for round two?"
"Heavens, yes!" I thank Sjofn's presence as I lay down with the red maiden one more time.
Parent Plot
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