The Animal Goddess

Goddess of Dreams

"Estrid, are you ready?" Skadi spoke.

"Yes." She huffed as she fixed her braid and pulled down the skirt of her dress. "Do I have to wear this? It is so annoying." Skadi chuckled a bit.

"Yes you do. The villagers have decent homes and they themselves are proper." Skadi mentioned, Estrid groaned as she snatched her staff from Skadi and put it on her back. They walked through the forest and just outside stood a village made of clean, beautiful stone and bits of marble. "This is as far as I'm taking you. There's a family that will take care of you. You'll have an older sister. Enjoy." Skadi started to walk away.

"This is it. This is really it. I'm never going to see you again... am I?" Estrid said in a small voice.

"Yes. This is where we part ways I'm afraid. I hope you do well." And then Skadi disappeared into the forest. Estrid walked towards the village. Children were running around and playing. There were bakers, blacksmiths, boat builders etcetera. A horse soon started to whine as its owner calmed it down. It startled Estrid as she felt a hand on her shoulder, she pushed it off and backed away. There was fear in her eyes, she never has been anywhere near civilisation.

"Oh, sorry child. Did I startle you?" The lady asked, Estrid nodded. Behind the lady was a girl around sixteen holding a few strands of wheat in her hands as she continued to pick a few more. She was like an exact replica of the lady. "Are you Estrid?"

"Y-yes." Estrid's voice was hoarse.

"Well nice to meet you. I'm Else and that is my daughter Asta." Else, the lady, pointed to the girl with wheat in her arms. She walked up to Estrid and smiled. It was calming, warm, safe.

"Hello, you must be Estrid. I've heard about you young warrior goddess." Estrid started to tense up when Asta went to lay a hand on the goddess. Something's not right about her, Estrid thought. Maybe it was just her instincts kicking in, she was new to this.

"Yep, that's... that's me." Estrid said quietly, trying to shuffle away from Asta but it wasn't working. Asta got closer and crouched down in front of Estrid. Her lucious, golden locks fell down perfectly and never covered her face. Her emerald eyes... there was something in those eyes. Despite that they were beyond gorgeous, it seemed as if there was a horrid truth hiding behind those eyes.

"Wow, you're gorgeous. You're beatuiful, chocolate brown hair, green neon eyes, what people said about you isn't true. You're more than just pretty. Let me tell you a secret, I'm a goddess too." Estrid's eyes shot wide open. Maybe that's what it was. That Asta was a goddess, that that's where Estrid's suspicions came from but it seemed like there was way more to her. "I am the goddess of dreams. I make sure everyone is happy in their sleep." Her voice was so dreamy, it was soothing and sounded like honey though her words were sharpened and sounded menacing. How could she be two things at once? It didn't seem possible but it was happening. Estrid just nodded and smiled awkwardly. "Come. I'll show you our home." Asta grabbed Estrid's hand and tighetened her grip. Estrid was shocked, a sweet sixteen year old girl seemed to have a terrifying aura. The house was lovely, Estrid slowly started to warm up to Asta and was getting excited for her bedroom. Asta opened the door to Estrid's bedroom. Her smile dropped straight away at the sight. There was torn blankets and they didn't even look soft, the room smelled of rotten meat and there was loose stones everywhere. "So do you like it?" Asta asked with a smile.

"Um... shouldn't I be in a uh better bedroom. I mean like, I'm a goddess." Estrid mentioned. Asta gave her a confused look.

"No, I remember my mother never speaking of a different bedroom for you. This one is yours." Asta pushed the door closed and pulled Estrid outside. "Okay mother, what do you need us to do?"

"Start cooking dinner. The both of you need to do that." Else finished tending to the growing vegetables and fruits, ready to grab some wheat.

"Alright mother." Asta smiled innocently and grabbed Estrid's hand, leading her into the kitchen. They started to prep the food. Estrid was cutting the vegetables while Asta got the meat ready. "You're really quiet. We were told that you were talkative, seems like that person was wrong."

"What? No I'm... I'm just shy around new people." Estrid stuttered.

"Huh. Nice weapon by the way, I don't find the need to fight. Words are better than fists. That's what I always say."

"Cool." It was silent for the rest of the preparation. Dinner was half way done, all they had to do was wait for the meat to cook then everything would finished.

"So, goddess of animals huh? How is that?" Asta asked.

"Excuse me?" Estrid replied back.

"You know, talking to animals, shapeshifting into them. How's that like?" Asta leaned against the table, elbows propped up on the table and her chin leaning on her hands.

"Uh, it's cool, really cool." Estrid kept quiet, still suspicious of Asta.

"Well I heard that you took down two frost giants yourself. That is just so amazing." Estrid blushed at Asta words. Her alluring smile seemed so nice and sweet but it could have possibly been a trap. Estrid slowly started to smile back at Asta, not forcefully, but subconsciously. She didn't want to smile at her but her subconscious made her. Asta giggled then grabbed the meat, soon plating up. Estrid couldn't stop smiling at her, it was a small, gentle smile. She wanted to stop, she didn't want to get to know her new "sister". She wanted to go back to Skadi. She wanted to go back to Stein.