Your Hand To Hold

Chapter Eight: Closing the Bifróst

 

            "Thor! I knew you'd return to us." Frigga cried as she ran to her eldest son, embracing him as Thor kept his eyes on us.

   "Eibhlin, step away from him." His voice was dark, his own rage only barely contained as he turned from Frigga, confusion written on her face.

   I went to move towards him only to be crudely yanked back. Loki's hand wrapped about my waist as he pulled me firmly to him, placing Gungnir between his brother and I. "I see its found its way back to you." I felt the warm metal of the spear brush against my hand, the base of it pressing into my thigh as Loki pointed to Mjolnir.

   "Thor, what's going on? Loki-"

   "Why don't you tell her? How you sent The Destroyer to kill our friends, to kill me?"

   Frigga's hand rose to her face. "No..."

   "I did no such thing. Why, it must have been enforcing Father's last command."

   "You're a talented liar, Brother; always have been. Is that how you managed for Eibhlin to fall under your clever spell?"

   "Someone tell me what is going on! Now!"

   "Eibhlin has fallen for nothing; everything she has done has been of her own accord."

   "Yes, I have heard all about her doings and yours; how she went to our friends out of fear of you acting out of hand, how she still protected you and mother despite your schemes."

   "She has been more eel than dove, it would seem; but we all believe in redemption now, don't we, Thor?"

   "There is no redeeming what you have done!"

   Loki chuckled. "It's good to have you back. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to destroy Jotunheim." I felt his hand move from my waist to my belly as he shoved me back and out of the way before firing Gungnir at Thor, sending him through three walls as he turned to run.

   I scrambled to my feet, racing past Frigga as I leapt through the holes left by Thor stopping only when I was peering out into the night at the reflecting pools and garden below. "Thor!" I called, listening over the roar of the wind for his response. "Thor!"

   "Eibhlin, what is happening?"

   I turned, placing my hands on her shoulders. "Mother, stay here; get the Einherjar, tell them that Loki means to usurp both Odin and Thor."

   "What do you-"

   "There is no time to explain now! Do as I ask; please." She nodded at me, touching my face softly as I looked out into the night, watching as a horse and rider began down the bridge toward Himinbjörg. "When you are done alerting the Einherjar, find Heimdall and the warriors; if Thor has returned it means they were all successful, though I do not know how Heimdall managed to unfreeze himself."

   "Unfreeze himse- Eibhlin, stay here; you are not equipped to handle this."

   I shook my head. "I may be the only one who is. Please, do this for me."

   She hesitated for only a moment before she told me to wait there, turning around and heading back towards Odin's room. She returned swiftly, the sword she had used to protect herself within her hands. "Take this. I know not what has happened, nor what Loki has planned, yet I can no longer claim that he is well. Please, bring both my sons back."

   I took the sword, it was heavier than I had expected. "I will try my best. Now go!"

   Frigga lifted the skirts of her dressing gown, and hurried down the corridor, as I stared out once more into the night. She had been right to say I was ill equipped for this moment; I had no delusions of being able to stop Loki alone but I still had to try. If I didn't I would mourn another, though this time there would be no revivals.