"I hope we don't run into any Wolverines," Madisyn quivered as she and her friend trudged through the Buckeye forest.
"Don't worry," Alyssa assured her. "If we come across those critters, I'll take care of 'em."
They approached the Nord's house and knocked on the door.
"Who is coming to say hi?" Frea asked as she opened the door. "Why, it's dear Alyssa and Madisyn. Won't you come in with me and have some tea?"
She poured them both a cup of tea, which eased their nerves a bit.
"It is wonderful to see your face, now what brings you here to my place?"
Madisyn was too nervous to speak, so Alyssa explained for her. "As you may have noticed, Loki's back."
The Nord narrowed her eyes and stomped her hand on the table. "I am fully aware that God's in town, when I came to find my hut upside-down!"
The southern human glanced around at the mess of broken bottles and turned over furniture. "Yeah, I can see that. I'm sure you heard of his...demands?"
Frea nodded. "News in Ohio travels fast, that it just so happened to have passed my ear that Loki has said...he would like a girl to wed?"
"That is correct."
"And if he doesn't get a bride by tomorrow, he'll hurt the prince and princesses," Madisyn added, fiddling with her cup. "And I...well..."
Alyssa finished. "Madisyn's thinkin' of being that girl."
Frea looked at the marcher with wide eyes. "Is that so? You wish to go?"
"Yes," she muttered. "No. Maybe? Oh, I don't know!"
"I keep urgin' her not to," Alyssa said, "but she thinks she's the only one who can do it! That's why I brought her here, Frea, so you can talk some sense into her."
"Perhaps I can help lift your spirits up," Frea said, holding out her hand, "but first, I will need your tea-cup."
Madisyn handed Frea her empty cup and the nord studied the tea leaves carefully. "For such a long time, I see, you have been most unhappy." The marcher hung her head. "You are haunted by your fear, the very God that brings you here."
"You can tell all that from her tea-cup?" Alyssa marveled.
"But look!" Frea showed the cup to Madisyn and pointed to a picture of the sun that was made by the leaves. "In your future, I also see great happiness, and this is if you go with the Frost Giant."
"What?!" The southern human grabbed the tea-cup. "How could she possibly be happy with Loki?!"
"He may not be an angel from above, but perhaps all Loki needs is some love."
"Love?! That varmint? Now I know you're makin' this up!"
"You mean..." Madisyn stammered. "He just wants somebody to love him?"
Frea shrugged. "I could be mistaken, but I assure you if this path were taken, no harm will be brought upon you. Yet it could be that Loki is unhappy too."
"I hadn't thought about that."
Alyssa slammed her hand. "Because there's no way in the wide world of Ohio that a God like him could ever...!"
"Do you not remember what you thought of me," Frea interrupted, "when you came crashing through my house? Were not your judgments of me wrong, yours and that of the massive throng?"
"That...that was different! We didn't know you then! But Loki...he's terrible! Do you know what he did to us? What he did to Madisyn? What he's gonna do to the prince and princesses?"
