Loki Passage 9

9.

Loki checked on his child at the island but with the incident, he had also taken an interest of Hel. She was growing fast for her age group and soon had become a lady. Her hair had taken on length to her waist while her flesh was pale with no shade on it. Even her lips were pale but she countered it with her choice of dark shades for her clothing. She always have kept to herself and conversed with the creatures.

“Hel, are you there?” It was the voice of Frigg. The caretaker had been watching her and one of the concerns was the child affinity to speak with the creatures.  Frigg had spoken to Odin but the later ignored the concerns. Hel did not reply but approached the caretaker.

“There you are. I was looking for you.” Frigg spoke up.

“I was over there and with friends.” Hel told the other. “You may not worry so much about me. I am capable of taking care of myself.”

“Are you talking to your…friends?” Frigg looked around but there was no one. “Hel, there are no one here.”

“Oh! There are around but they are not now of this …place.” Hel replied. “They come to me for help. They want to go home.”

Frigg was still looking around. She had seen mythical creatures like faeries and nymphs but never had she seen what was considered as a spirit. She does not believe in ghosts or those who were in the same dimension with her. She then asked Hel to follow her.

“Frigg, may Helga Inga come with us? She need some love too.” Hel asked with her Frigg stopped in her steps. She knew of one named Helga Inga who had died in a fire five years ago. Helga was alone at home when the fire took place. She once appeared in Frigg’s dream but there were no messages given. All Frigg was Helga nodding.

Frigg took Hel back to the house but she was feeling all uneasy then. She called in Odin who appeared soon after when she exerted her request into a command.

“What ails your mind, woman? I was in counsel with the Goblins on the mineral mines.” Odin was enraged to be called by his woman as he placed it then. He had told Balder that ‘no fury more fearsome than a woman scorned’.

“Odin, Frigg was not scorned but in need of comfort for her concern.” Balder smiled. “I knew her too but as a mother.”

“Odin!” The leader was shaken from his slumbering thoughts when Frigg raised her voice. “Hel could communicate with the others. It’s true.”

Odin looked to the young lady and frowned. He had heard Frigg telling him before but he placed it off as gossiping than truth encounters. He had seen the Gods before but they never mentioned of the unseen ones. They once said those who died will be sent to the Underworld or Helheim.

“Is it…” Odin was snapped back by Hel who replied back.

“Helga Inga is with me. She wants to be heard by you.” Hel pointed to Odin. “You are the one who could find her justice. She sought justice for her killing.”

Even before Odin could reply, Hel was telling the tale of how Helga was killed by one named as Beveran. It was Beveran who ravished and then bound the lady before burning down the house. Helen could not escape in time nor shout for her tongue was cut. She soon perished in the fire.

“Blasphemy! I have never heard a taller tale than this.” Odin denied it all. “Beveran is a good friend of mine and hold himself by my side as the warrior. I will disbelieve such a tale.”

“Then asked him on how he acquired the wound on his left thigh.” Hel spoke up. “The one that won’t heal. It won’t heal for the blade Helga used was coated with a potion. She was a healer before and to be one, she needed to know other cures too. She told me all this.”

“Then show me proof.” Odin spoke out hastily and then sat himself on the seat. “I will call for a Council meet and discuss this issue.”

The Council meet had convened and Beveran was presented. He did show his wound but he could not explain his wound. It was the Vizier who solved the riddle.

“It’s mixture of herbs and blood from the gall of the serpent.” Vizier explained the potion. “It’s a cure to eat at the rotted flesh which was why the wound will not heal; it will not close the wound.”

Beveran was banished from the Hall, but the fame of Hel caused her a lot of discomfort. She was further shunned by the others and eventually Odin seek the Vizier advice.

“Hel does not belong to the Hall. She is … She belonged to elsewhere.” The Vizier commented back. “Ask the Gods.”

Odin as per advised. He sought the help of the Gods. The reply was “Helheim’.

“Helheim?” Frigg was upset. “The Gods are mad. That place is not a place for a lady. Not one as young as Hel. She deserved more.”

Frigg may be upset but Hel was banished there by Odin. It was a cold place and gloomy most times. It housed the lost spirits that no other realms will accept. The astonishing part of her banishment was Hel did not feel lost there. The inhabitants of the place worshipped her for her strength and skills in communicating with the other dimensions. She also displayed fair leadership in solving the issues there. Soon she was reveled as their Queen.

Loki could not prevent his child been banished; all three of them but he was glad they are away from the Hall. He was left alone to exact his vengeance on Odin. He walked to the Great Sea and looked to it.

“My second child, it’s me Loki. I have come to say goodbye to you too.” Loki wished his child the best should it be alive. He then walked back to the Hall to await Ragnarok; the day Odin will die.