Ragnarok Unwound: The Awakening

Chapter 3

The name flowed out of Keir's mouth with happiness that Freya had never heard from the girl. She watched in shock as Heimdall wrapped his arms around the girl. What shocked Freya even more was that she returned it, usually she would become rigid and try her hardest to avoid such affections. As the two seperated Freya realized that it must have been Heimdall who showed Keir how to read and make runes, a talent that Keir only exposed to her one day ago. She came to the strange realization that she did not know her pupil as well as she thought. It almost made her sad knowing that Keir was still not comfortable enough to share things with her. Shaking her head slightly, Freya collected herself and addressed the rest of the group. 

"You may go to the dinning hall and enjoy the feast we have prepared for you. Afterwards you will be given room assignments and there you will find everything has been laid out for you, including scheduels. I have stayed to greet you all but tonight I take my leave. For a time you will all report to David, he's the big brutish man in the corner." Freya explained gesturing to the wall of a man that stood by one of the pillars to her far right, making her contempt for him known. He scowled and Freya rolled her eyes. 

"That will only be for a short time. Soon you will meet Skadi, and some of you will learn under her. For now you will  learn from our senior Shield-Maiden, Keir." Freya explained, watching as they all turned to face the girl who had walked to the center of the hall. Though she put on a calm demeanor, Freya could see that Keir was uneasy with all of them staring at her. 

Freya examined them quickly and found something that made her suspicious. The French girl, Allison, stared at Keir in a peculiar manner. She watched as the girl eyed Keir from head to toe, with an interest that can only be compared a cat and a shiny object. A smile toyed on the girl's lips and Freya scowled, suspicious of the girl's thoughts. 

Freya then turned her head to the girl named Tyra. Unlike Keir, the girl had grown to be fairly tall but held no features of a giant. She watched with almost a pained expression, Freya noted. Freya dismissed them all to the hall and turned her attention to Heimdall. 

He smirked at her and gestured to the two giants that were walking away. 

"Did you honestly think I didn't know, Freya? I see everything!" 

"Why? Why show up now? After years of Skadi and I looking for answers, why would you suddenly get involved?" Freya questioned the god. 

"My dear lady, I was always involved! While you placed little Tyra in such a loving home, Keir was not presented with the same opportunity. Who do you think protected her? Taught her? Gave her a light when you all turned your backs? You fools allowed that girl to be tormented while you tried to solve what was going on? You could not simply heed the words of the Norns? Don't get me wrong Freya, I have seen your affection for the girl, taking her under your wing. And I've seen Skadi's attempts to make the child her own, but you have both failed her. And you have failed us all, if you had taught them properly our issues may have been solved long ago." Freya's gaze narrowed and Heimdall turned to the door. 

"Where are you going? And why do you care so much about Keir?" Freya snapped, causing Heimdall to stop. He looked over his shoulder, and for the first time he wasn't smiling. In fact Freya could only describe the look in his eyes as the perfect mix of guilt and sadness. 

"Don't be a fool Freya," Heimdall's tone was harsh. "Keir's future could very well be just like her past and you know that! Given the circumstances of her birth and parentage, she could very well only forward to a life of loneliness and hatred. No child as extraordinary as her should have to live like that." 

Something in that sentence caught Freya's attention. Keir's parentage. It had always been a mystery to her, as well as Tyra's. But Heimdall knew? How? If so, why did the Norns refuse to tell her?