like ice cracking in the spring, while the body shook with merriment.
» Come, now. I rule the old and infirm, the diseased and palsied, all the slain unchosen by the Valkyries, all whom Freyja abandons outside her hall at Fólkvangr. This form I take is no disguise. Surely you can guess. «
With no little effort, I stifled a shudder. » Hel, « I breathed. The daughter of Loki, ruler of the dead in Niflheim.
The horrible smile yawned again. » Yessss. «
» Why are you in Midgard? «
» I am here because of you … What shall I call you? «
» You can call me … Roy. «
» That is not your true name. «
» Let it suffice for now. What happened to the widow? «
» The woman who wore this skin? She passed on to the Christian lands as she wished. Her soul was not mine to take, only the body. «
» The body isn’t yours to take either. It’s offensive that you should wear it. Release it and then we will talk. «
» Nonsense, « Hel replied. » I cannot walk around in my true form. People never wish to talk to me that way. They scream or gibber or vomit but never talk. However offensive you find me in this old woman’s skin, we can at least converse without you losing your sanity. «
I didn’t insist she drop the widow’s body now, because she might not be exaggerating. But neither did I like to think she would hold on to it. The widow’s family deserved some closure.
» We will talk, then. But you will return this body to the place you found it out of respect for the dead. «
The ice-crackle laugh returned. » What use could the dead possibly have for your respect? Perhaps I will grant you the favor, though. I suppose I could do it by way of thanking you for this sojourn through Midgard. «
» I had nothing to do with it. «
» Are you not he who slew the Norns and crippled Odin? «
» Yes. «
» It was they who kept me trapped in Niflheim. Now I may visit any plane connected to the World Tree, and I have you to thank for it. «
I lowered Moralltach slowly. She didn’t seem intent on attacking me quite yet. » You’ve come all this way just to thank me? «
» No. I’ve come because I’m curious. You wiped out the Norns and many of the Æsir, but I don’t know why. Did you hate them? «
» No. I was led into Asgard through a chain of obligations, and once it became a kill-or-be-killed situation, I survived. That is all. «
» That is all? « Hel looked bemused. » No vendettas? No quest for power or riches? «
» Not for me, no. « The vendetta had been Leif’s. And Gunnar Magnusson’s, but he’d paid for it with his life. As for riches, we couldn’t have cared less. We left Thor’s hammer and belt behind—they were Leif’s to claim, if anyone’s. No telling who had them now. I had taken Odin’s spear, Gungnir, by right of conquest, but it wasn’t as if I was going to sell it on eBay.
» You seek no seat in Asgard, no reward from Niflheim? «
» No. As I said, I was drawn into the conflict but did not seek it out. «
» Yet you have made it easier for me to achieve my goal, « Hel said.
» What would that be? «
» Ragnarok, of course! Now that the Norns are dead, along with Thor and Heimdall and others, true victory is possible for the sons and daughters of Loki. I can start my preparations in earnest. Who is left to oppose us? Midgard and the other planes will be remade as my father sees fit. I tend to think he will burn it all and start over. It is time to marshal my forces, and so I wonder: Would you like to join us? Do you want to be there, at that new beginning? «
I took a step backward as if she’d pushed me, because the question was that repulsive to me. I struggled to keep my face bland and seem thoughtful when I wanted to grimace in disgust, because offending a goddess of the dead is neither wise nor polite. Best to let her down easy. I cleared my throat. » A new beginning, « I said, nodding a bit as if the idea had appeal. » I’ve thought of it sometimes. I’ve
» Come, now. I rule the old and infirm, the diseased and palsied, all the slain unchosen by the Valkyries, all whom Freyja abandons outside her hall at Fólkvangr. This form I take is no disguise. Surely you can guess. «
With no little effort, I stifled a shudder. » Hel, « I breathed. The daughter of Loki, ruler of the dead in Niflheim.
The horrible smile yawned again. » Yessss. «
» Why are you in Midgard? «
» I am here because of you … What shall I call you? «
» You can call me … Roy. «
» That is not your true name. «
» Let it suffice for now. What happened to the widow? «
» The woman who wore this skin? She passed on to the Christian lands as she wished. Her soul was not mine to take, only the body. «
» The body isn’t yours to take either. It’s offensive that you should wear it. Release it and then we will talk. «
» Nonsense, « Hel replied. » I cannot walk around in my true form. People never wish to talk to me that way. They scream or gibber or vomit but never talk. However offensive you find me in this old woman’s skin, we can at least converse without you losing your sanity. «
I didn’t insist she drop the widow’s body now, because she might not be exaggerating. But neither did I like to think she would hold on to it. The widow’s family deserved some closure.
» We will talk, then. But you will return this body to the place you found it out of respect for the dead. «
The ice-crackle laugh returned. » What use could the dead possibly have for your respect? Perhaps I will grant you the favor, though. I suppose I could do it by way of thanking you for this sojourn through Midgard. «
» I had nothing to do with it. «
» Are you not he who slew the Norns and crippled Odin? «
» Yes. «
» It was they who kept me trapped in Niflheim. Now I may visit any plane connected to the World Tree, and I have you to thank for it. «
I lowered Moralltach slowly. She didn’t seem intent on attacking me quite yet. » You’ve come all this way just to thank me? «
» No. I’ve come because I’m curious. You wiped out the Norns and many of the Æsir, but I don’t know why. Did you hate them? «
» No. I was led into Asgard through a chain of obligations, and once it became a kill-or-be-killed situation, I survived. That is all. «
» That is all? « Hel looked bemused. » No vendettas? No quest for power or riches? «
» Not for me, no. « The vendetta had been Leif’s. And Gunnar Magnusson’s, but he’d paid for it with his life. As for riches, we couldn’t have cared less. We left Thor’s hammer and belt behind—they were Leif’s to claim, if anyone’s. No telling who had them now. I had taken Odin’s spear, Gungnir, by right of conquest, but it wasn’t as if I was going to sell it on eBay.
» You seek no seat in Asgard, no reward from Niflheim? «
» No. As I said, I was drawn into the conflict but did not seek it out. «
» Yet you have made it easier for me to achieve my goal, « Hel said.
» What would that be? «
» Ragnarok, of course! Now that the Norns are dead, along with Thor and Heimdall and others, true victory is possible for the sons and daughters of Loki. I can start my preparations in earnest. Who is left to oppose us? Midgard and the other planes will be remade as my father sees fit. I tend to think he will burn it all and start over. It is time to marshal my forces, and so I wonder: Would you like to join us? Do you want to be there, at that new beginning? «
I took a step backward as if she’d pushed me, because the question was that repulsive to me. I struggled to keep my face bland and seem thoughtful when I wanted to grimace in disgust, because offending a goddess of the dead is neither wise nor polite. Best to let her down easy. I cleared my throat. » A new beginning, « I said, nodding a bit as if the idea had appeal. » I’ve thought of it sometimes. I’ve
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