The Journey to Find Mimir

Chapter Three: Bilì's Best

The moss on the cavern ceiling was glowing brightly by the time I reentered the city. Eddaborg was alive and crawling with dwarves -- off to the forges, walking to school, headed to shops. I had left for Naiin's place very early that morning, so this was my first time in public since my father's death. I was not prepared for the city's reaction.  

I am used to the stares. As a svartalf dwarf standing at a height of 5'3, I have always been one of the tallest dwarves in Nidavellir. The sidewalks part as I walk. Little kids stare wide-eyed. Nidavellir dwarves, the shorter dwarves, often ask me to get items on the top shelf at the grocery store. Add in my excellent taste in fashion and gawks become inevitable.

But today's stares were different. As I made my way home, the sidewalks fell silent. Flickering eyes watched me pass. Dwarves whispered to whomever they were with. I caught snippets of conversations as I walked. 

That's Bilì's boy, Blitzen-- degree in fashion -- is his coat embroidered? -- don't look right at him! -- old classmate, guy who once forgot the difference between iron and steel -- another son of Freya --

One dwarf called: "Hey Blitzen! How is that degree in fashion going to help you now that your dad's gone?" 

I flipped up my coat collar and looked straight ahead, not making eye contact with anyone. Grief had hollowed me out. Now the sharp whispers filled me with shame. 

When I came to Kenning Square, my legs stopped walking. This block of shops was my second home. Bustling crowds of dwarves flitting from store-to-store. Shouts of bartering coming from Galar's secondhand shop. Green shopping bags from the Svartalf Mart scattered throughout the crowd. Ignoring everything, I stared at the center of the square. 

Until two weeks ago, I had never paid much attention to the asphalt making court in the middle of Kenning Square. Now I couldn't look away. The open-air blacksmith forges sat on opposite ends. Chain-link fence bordered the area. My brain screamed, keep moving! but I was frozen to the spot. This is where my father lost the making to Junior Eitri. 

Out of all of his colleagues, he had picked me to help him with the forge fire.

You and I are a team, he said with a smile. We always will be.

I tried to push away the memories of the day, but they came anyway. 

I could see his strong hands crafting the third and final invention -- a golden telescope worthy of Heimdall, the god who watches over us from above. Then, I watched those same hands dropping it into the forge fire. A simple slip of the fingers after a long day of creating. The smallest of mistakes. Who knew it would cost him his life? His reputation? Who knew it would take him away from me?

I turned towards his store. Out of all the buildings that lined the square, my dad's shop was the tallest. The maroon building always looked sharp. From the roof hung a shining sign, proudly proclaiming Bilì's Best in swirling, golden letters. Through the storefront window I could make out the many shelves of my father's inventions. The bottom of the window was lined with dozens of copies of Inventions Today, all featuring my father's smiling face as he cradled his newest creations. 

There was only one blemish on the usually cheery storefront. A hastily written sign hung in the middle of the main window. Although the writing was too small to read from here, I knew TEMPORARILY CLOSED had been written in large, red letters. 

As I stood frozen at the edge of the square, the busy crowd continued to swarm. But something odd was occurring -- no one was touching me. I looked around. A three-foot circle of space surrounded me like a bubble. With a shock, realized that they were purposefully avoiding me. One dwarf accidentally walked into the space, squeaked upon seeing my face and fled in the opposite direction. A mother with two boys pulled them a little closer as they went by. Hurt and shame punched me in the gut. Was I really so untouchable?