Prisoner

Learning

I thanked the Norns for the millionth time that I was a quick learner. A month has passed since we arrived at Jötunheimr and since I was now officially the new king, I had to learn a lot. I didn't need to learn about diplomacy or politics -I was raised as a prince, after all- but I did need to learn about life in this realm and its people. However, I couldn't say I wasn't enjoying it. I have always enjoyed learning and there were so many things that I wasn't taught in Asgard.

Eigil was the one who taught me everything, and I could tell that we have formed a bond stronger than I had with any of my tutors back in Asgard. He trusted me, and that was a real novelty for me. Nobody has ever trusted me with anything, and Eigil trusted me to be his ruler. It felt really invigorating. He told me about my family apart from Laufey: it seemed my mother was another giant called Fárbauti, and I had two brothers called Helblindi and Býleistr. However, nobody has seen my mother in centuries -in fact, it was Laufey who gave birth to me- and my brothers were killed. Eigil was ashamed to tell me it was Thor who had killed them because he thought that I would get offended. Sure, it wasn't the perfect family situation that my husband had killed my brothers, but I never had a functional family. I was married to and in love with my adoptive brother, after all.

However, I had to admit that my brain required a break. I already knew the history part of Jötunheimr -I knew the history of all realms- but I was discovering the Jotnar version of it. It was very different from Asgard's version, so I needed to concentrate more to make the necessary connections between what I already knew and what I was learning. Fortunately, I have always been able to sneak away from everybody, even Odin's ravens. So when Eigil went to find another book for me, I left the library. I walked down the different corridors, smiling at all the Jotnar I encountered until I reached a back garden. I was shocked to find beautiful green plants there with flowers from all species and colours. I was petrified for a moment, but then I heard the sound of chains nearby. I followed it until I found a big grey and black wolf chained by his four legs and his neck. Its amber eyes looked at me and they were full of sadness.

"Hey, there. Why are you here?" I asked in a soft voice, approaching the wolf slowly.

"Everybody is afraid of me and they keep me here," The wolf answered. I was taken aback by the fact that it could talk, but I still approached him. It was much taller than me even when it was laying on his stomach, but somehow when I reached it, it made itself smaller to the point I was able to caress its neck. I did.

"How is it that you can talk?" I asked while soothing his fur under the chain of his neck.

"I am the son of a Jotun and a goddess. They never told me their names, but that gives me superior strength and the ability to talk," He explained while getting his face closer to my hand.

"I know how that feels. I am recently discovering who my family is," I didn't know why I trusted him, but I felt it like that.

"I know. Everybody is talking about you, even the guards who throw me food. My name is Fenrisúlfr, but you can call me Fenrir if you want, King Loki," I smiled: I was still getting used to the new title.

"Well, Fenrir, you can call me Loki. And I am not afraid of you, so I will release you," I did it when I finished speaking.

"I am so ever grateful. I will protect you until the end of my days, Loki," Fenrir said and licked my face. I laughed.

"You sound just like my husband," I said still laughing.

Unbelievably, he made himself even smaller, so I was able to carry him in my arms. We played for a while together outside but after some minutes I knew it was time to come back to my study session. So I told Fenrir that I needed to head back inside, and he followed me. Every person I met in the halls of the ice palace told me that Fenrir should be chained away, and I got tired of answering that he would be with me from now on. Thus, I asked one of the guards to tell everybody in the palace that I have adopted Fenrir as mine, and he would follow me everywhere. I didn't care what they said, Fenrir wasn't bad. He was just misunderstood, just like me.