Avengers The Captain's Secret Book 2: Waiting for Thor

Part 15: Journey

LESEDI POV

We all stood at the BiFrost Bridge. Heimdall took his place and held twisted the sword. 

Nothing happened.

"What--what is it?" I asked.

He twisted again. Nothing.

"Heimdall?"

"Something is wrong." He swallowed hard. "I think I can bring you back, but I don't think I can send you to there."

"Why? What?"

Heimdall frowned. "Sometimes the powers that be...won't let it be. It seems to me you must make this journey under your own power. I do believe the ancestors are challenging you."

"Did Thor--"

"Now that I recall, yes, he did go on his own power."

I looked at the group. "Well, no time to waste--" I stepped on the pedestal, and kissed Heimdall's cheek. "Wish me luck--" Before I could step down, Heimdall hugged me, and I smiled up at him. He reminded me so much of my father, especially looking worried like that. I wished he didn't.

"Be careful."

"I will." I dropped off the pedestal and smiled. "Well, off to the plains."

We got horses from the stables, and began our journey over the plains of Ida, then to the forest of Asgard, trotting through the thick brush. It was peaceful enough.

"What will we do when we reach the plain on the other side of the side of the forest?" Kelden shook his head. "We will be out in the open."

"We will also be able to see anything coming," Erik said. "That is why we are saving our horses now as we ride through the cover of trees."

"I doubt much will happen," I said. "I've ridden the plains before."

"How about the mountains?" Dalla asked.

"I climbed the northern mountains," I explained. "but not the area we are headed in."

"We won't be far from home going this way," Erik observed. 

"Are we going to stop there?" Dalla asked.

"No," Kelden said. "It's still out of the way." Erik nodded in agreement.

"The Cave of Time lies over the Jotunheim border, on the edge of the Asgardian Mountains," Ingemar informed. "I will guide you through that."

"Is it cold?" Dalla asked.

"No, the cold climate is in northern Jotunheim," Ingemar answered. 

"Do you miss it?" Dalla asked.

"What?" 

"Do you miss Jotunheim, Ingemar?" Dalla asked.

"Sometimes."

"What do you miss?"

"Dalla--"

"It's alright, Kelden," Ingemar chuckled. "The castles and houses can look like jewels against the night sky, glistening in the night, and when the snow swirls, it looks like stars riding on the wind." He sighed. 

"That sounds beautiful--" Dalla smiled.

"But can be brutal," Kelden warned. "It is very cold in Jotunheim. My father told me that one can freeze in minutes in the night--"

"If not dressed properly," I put in.

"You're of Jotun blood, how would you know?"

"Steve was there, and he survived just fine," I said simply.

Erik raised an eyebrow. "You must tell me more about this...Steve who left you--"

"He had battles to fight, a world to protect--"

"And has not come back in five Midgardian years," Ingemar interjected. I gave him a look that could kill, and he rolled his eyes. "but he is rare and much needed there. He spared my life in battle."

That got Erik's attention. "You must tell me more."

I didn't like the look on his face.  He seemed interested but not for the right reasons.

We stopped near the edge of the plains but still under the cover of the forest. We decided to make camp there.

"It is awfully warm here," Dalla said softly as Erik and Kelden made a fire. 

"We are at a crossroads so to speak," Kelden said quickly.

"Once we leave the cover of the forest at dawn, we will be on the border of Jotunheim and Muspelheim," Erik went on.

"The border that separates the frost giants from the fire giants," Dalla breathed, her eyes going wide as she looked at me.

"We will stay on the Jotunheim side of the border," I nodded.

"Should we ride at dawn?" I asked, searching Erik and Kelden's faces for answers.

"Better to see--" 

"For them or us?" I asked. Suddenly all went still looking at me. "We need to think about this. Would it be better to ride in the open at dawn or under the cover of night?"