The Ties That Bind Us

6

Isabella's pov
I reach Fenris' little home and I venture in without care. His ears perk up and his head turns to me, it looks as though he smiles at me. I pet him as he lays there and a thought crosses my mind, amongst the many others. "What do you say we go for a ride, Fenris? You can do that, right?" I ask and he tilts his head slightly.

I figure it's worth a shot, though this may very well be the last thing I do. I mean, I wouldn't be mad at that. I hop up on his back and hold onto his fur, gripping it and pulling it a bit. I rode horse back for a short time, so I do have a bit of muscle memory left over from that. He moves to a standing position and I lay against his back.

Mainly for stability, but also because I'm afraid my head will hit the roof of the cave. "Fenris?" I hear, I really can not escape this woman can I? "Hi da-" she stops mid way as she sees me mounted on top of him. "I probably should've asked first, shouldn't I?" I grimace, actually apologetic.

For all she knows, it could look like I'm trying to steal him and run away. Though, based on the connection I've seen them to have, he's too loyal to stay away. "No it's- you're fine. Just make sure to be back before sundown" she states. I'm slightly startled by her tone of voice, it being much softer than our previous interactions.

"Oh... ok" I mutter, she nods once and just turns around to leave. By the time I exit the cave, she's nowhere to be seen. I shrug and pat Fenris' side to urge him forward. I find an open expanse of terrain and get him to go as fast as I can. I giggle as the hair whips past my face, holding onto him for dear life.

I can hear him panting and I slow down a bit so I don't overwork him. As the sun starts getting closer to going down, we start our walk back. From this height, everything feels... magical. I get an unfamiliar sensation in my body, as if something is flowing though my veins.

I look down and see nothing different than every other day. Yet I can internally feel a change of pace. Something inside me is begging to come out. I'm not sure if it's my change in mood or something else. It's been a long time since I felt pure joy, not worrying about my past.

Telling my story seemed to lift a burden off my shoulders, I wasn't even aware of how heavy it truly was. I feel light, like a brand new woman. I hop off Fenris' as he lays back down in his spot and I pet his head. He sighs softly and I smile widely before borderline skipping towards the palace.

Two weeks later...

I've gotten the hang of things around here, I almost feel like part of the family. Key word being 'almost'. Everything has been running smoothly amongst us. I've found my little purpose, someway I can be of use. Apparently I'm a natural at carpentry which surprised everyone, including me.

I only found out after I'd broken something and as if by nature I just—fixed it. I'm definitely not needed much for that, but I think it's pretty cool regardless. The only weird thing I've noticed is Hela's absence. At first, I could hardly turn a corner without seeing her face and now I barely even see her at meals.

I figure she must be busy fulfilling 'Goddess of Death' responsibilities and whatnot. Still, as much as I hate to admit it, I miss her. Our banter was the only consistent part of my day and it may have annoyed me but I always had something to look forward to. Not to mention she was the first person I met here, like a bridge between worlds.

I can't lie, I felt safe in her presence and now that she's gone, things feel off. I've also taken notice to how the others are acting. I typically pay them no mind because my focus was always on Hela. What she was gonna say next and how I would respond. Now that my central point of focus is missing, I've tuned in more to my surroundings.

Something about Odin still doesn't sit right with me but I've brushed it off for now. As far as Frigga, she seems slightly more closed off to me. She's still just as sweet, almost sickly so, but something had shifted. Loki is the same, sarcastic and completely unserious yet overly self-righteous.

Thor on the other hand seems to be the only one who is blissfully unaware to what is going on around him. Not that that's any different than before. Though I'm beginning to think he just doesn't take things as seriously as the others. He's much more laidback and almost naive in terms of his curiosity.

It's a refreshing thing to witness however, so I don't mind it. After dinner I retire to my room only to hear sounds coming from down the hall. Under any other circumstances I would mind my business but I'm desperately trying to sleep. With all the noise coming from whoever it is, I can barely keep my eyes closed.

I slip on some shoes and wrap a robe around my body tightly. Stepping out in the the chilly hall and following the sound. I arrive at a door at the end of the long hallway and I knock softly on it. The noise immediately comes to a halt and I hear nothing else. Just as I'm about to shrug it off and walk away the door opens.

I turn back around to see Hela standing before me. Her appearance slightly disheveled which oddly sets off an alarm in my head. She's always put together, no matter the time of the day, no matter where she's going. So to see her standing before me, hair slightly tousled, and panting; it's a rare sight.

"Oh sorry—am I interrupting... something?" I ask, allowing my eyes to graze over her body. My gaze returns to her face, meeting her own and seeing hesitancy reflecting within. "No I- I'm sorry if I woke you" she stutters, that's the second and only time I've ever heard her voice waver. The first being two weeks ago, the last time I saw her.

"Can I come in?" I ask and she hesitates but nods, stepping aside and letting me enter. I step in, holding the robe closely to my body. As I glance around I see little daggers sticking out the wall. So that's what the noise was. "Sorry" she mumbles, waving her hand and retrieving them. "All good" I reply softly, turning to face her once more.

"So..." she prompts, her breathing having evened out. Her posture is slightly slumped, something I don't think she's aware of. "Where have you been?" I ask bluntly, she looks taken aback by my abrasiveness. "Around" she shrugs, crossing the room to take a seat on the chair. "I'll need a little more than that" I demand, "why?" she asks softly.

"Why? Because you're the one who brought me to this place. Of course I'd look for you out of everyone else. I... I missed you" I admit. She raises her head to meet my gaze and I just shrug. "I know you've been avoiding me" I state before she can lie. "I suppose I can't get out of this then" she replies questioningly, "nope" I answer taking a seat on the bed.