I awoke feeling rested, the sun was rising behind soft clouds providing some relief from the bright light. I rolled and stretched, today I was going to explore. After seeing Vili's tattoo's I decided I wanted to get some of my own, I had it all planned out. I got out of bed and walked into the shower, within 5 minutes I managed to get the temperature set right, I stood and watched as I changed my eyes from red to brown. As I showered I lathered myself in body wash, lotions and used a shampoo in my hair, everything here smelt absolutely amazing. After my shower I felt alive and calm, after yesterday Vili and I needed a clean slate, I would make the first contact. If we were to work and live together this needed this dispute to be over so we could move on. After I changed into a pair of white jeans, light blue converse in a blue long sleeve shirt I started braiding my hair and added beads. My hair had finally come to life, it looked almost black but with a hint of dark red through it. I heard noise coming from the kitchen, Vili must have been awake already. I placed my clothes back correctly and headed out.
"Hey Vili, I just wanted to talk about ye... Yesterday..." I said as I walked into the kitchen, I stood shocked as I saw what was before me. Vili sat at the table with Fiona straddling his lap, feeding him food. They both looked at me in shock as I walked out, my eyes met Vili's as his faced dropped. Fiona flew off Vili's lap and dusted her self down.
"By the Gods I'm so sorry my Grace I didn't know you both shared a house." She said quickly.
"OUT!" I yelled, my voice laced in dominance. Fiona flinched and ran from the house, almost in tears. I felt my skin prickle and burn, my chest grew heavy and hot. I crouched on the floor to try and contain my rage.
"Freydis...?" Vili asked as he stood and walked towards me.
"DON'T." I yelled as he neared, if any more anger crossed me this building was going to be burnt to dust. Vili stood by me and placed a hand on my back, what I thought was going to fuel the rage, calmed it. His touch eased my anger as I begun to relax, the power and connection he had with me was destroying me. I stood up and took a breath, Vili pulled me into a strong embrace from behind, his head buried into my neck.
"I can't keep doing this. The more I see you with her the more pain and rage I feel. Why are you hurting me?" I asked Vili as my voice cracked.
"I... I don't mean to. After hearing what you said to my mother I was hurt that you would keep such a thing from me. I... I wanted you to feel the pain but I had taken it too far." Vili said, I pulled myself from his embrace and turned to face him.
"I do not control you, Vili. I think I have known since I saw you in the cave with Fiona, that you are my soul. But I knew what that means for you if you chose to complete it with me. And I did not want that for you." I said as I watched his face for emotion.
"That is not your choice to make." He said. We stared at each other for sometime, my mind flicked back to what I had witnessed this morning. My arm reached back and my hand collided face with a loud slap.
"Hey! What was that for?" He said as he stumbled and held his face, his face full of shock.
"You deserved that you great lumbering fool. Don't do this to me again. If you're going to fuck her, don't do it where I can see or smell it." I warned. I smiled as I saw the red mark on his cheek. Vili walked towards me and placed both hands around my face.
"I only want you, Freya. I lay with Fiona, I make her scream, but its your face I see every time" He said, he let my face go and he walked back into his room to change, grabbing a piece of bacon from the table as he went. Holy shit, I thought to myself, I stood in the same spot for a few moments before coming back to earth from my day dream. I straightened my clothes and decided to leave before I could make anymore stupid decisions. As I walked out into the hallway I saw Kili leaning up against the wall across from my house.
"Fiona came running to me, I had to come see what was going on." He said.
"Its fine, its sorted now." I said as I closed the door behind me.
"Where are you heading too?"
"I want to get a tattoo." I said, Kili's faced perked up.
"You? A tattoo?" He asked, I nodded.
"Well, I'm the man for the job, since you're so kind and didn't kill Fiona I will take you and pay for it. Lets go." Kili said as we walked off toward the elevator.
We begun walking the streets of New York, I was taken back from all of the sights. The stores were massive and the crowds were difficult to navigate.
"Oh wait, before tattoo's lets stop here." Kili said as he pulled me into a store. The smell was strong and sweet, it was delicious.
"What is this place?" I asked as I looked around at the people using laptops and sipping on drinks.
"This, my Grace, is called Starbucks. They are one of the greatest coffee houses in the world." Kili said, practically drooling as he spoke.
"What is coffee?" I asked, a lady behind us looked up at me in disbelief.
"I forgot you all live under a rock, its caffeine, just trust me on this." He said, as we progressed through the line. I took a seat by the window and watched as the people walked by. It was fascinating watching them all, the world had changed so much since I last saw it.
"Here you are." Kili said as he placed a cup in front of me, it had steam coming from the top. I took a sip and the taste was unusal, but good, really good.
"Hmm, this is really good." I said.
"I brought Ivarr and Fiona here, they really loved the coffee. I left and they spent most of the day here together." Kili said as he sipped his coffee and pulled out a mini TV.
"You carry a TV in your pocket?" I asked curiously.
"No no, this is a mobile. Like a mini TV but its used to communicate with other people." He said as he showed me the phone, he brought up a picture of Ivarr and Fiona. The sat happily talking and sipping coffee, I haven't seen Ivarr smile like that in a long time. His eyes were bright and full of... Love?
"They look so happy." I said.
"Hmm, they spent everyday together." Kili said as he put his phone away. I wonder why Ivarr didn't say anything about this, or if Vili knew of their romance.
"So, what did you think of Game of Thrones?" Kili asked as he snapped me from my thoughts.
"It's interesting, TV's are so strange though. The Lanisters are strange and disturbing people though... Where do they live?" I asked as I sipped my coffee, Kili looked at my confused momentarily before his face clicked.
"Ah I forgot, with movies and TV shows, they're all acting. So everything you see didn't really happen. Its like back home at the carnivals when you see the shows, actors." Kili said, I put a hand to my forehead in shame.
"Of course." I murmured, Kili laughed. After we finished our coffees we begun our walk to the tattoo shop once again, upon arriving I was somewhat amazed. The walls were decorated with many different drawings and colours.
"Can I help you?" Asked a lady at the front desk, she had black jewellery all over her face, black and green hair and her earlobes were stretched with some sort of earring. The humans have changed very much.
"Yeah my friend here would like a tattoo." Kili smiled as he ushered me forward.
"Have you got a design or do you want to pick something from the wall?" She asked as she pointed at the wall covered in pictures.
"I want to get Yggdrasil on my back." I said with a smile, she looked at me with a dumb founded look.
"Oh, just wait. I'll grab a picture." Kili said as he opened his phone. After a moment he showed the lady a picture. She nodded as she looked at it.
"Big Kev has a free morning, text it though to the shop and we'll get it started." The lady said with a smile, a few taps of the screen and everything was in ordered.
"Are you not getting one?" I asked Kili as he sat down.
"Nar, not yet. I'm enjoying my life as a clean skin for now." He said as he laid his head against the wall.
"Right this way." The lady said as she lead me behind the desk and towards an odd looking bed. It was black leather with no pillows or blankets.
"You'll need to take your shirt off and lie down." She said as she laid a clear blanket on the bed, I looked around at all of the eyes in the room, surely I don't strip here?
"Just face the back wall then cover yourself with your shirt." The lady said once again before walking back to the desk. I did as she asked, after I stripped I laid down on my stomach and waited.
"So, Yggdrasil hey?" A gruff voice said, I turned my head to see a large man covered in tattoos sit down. He wore an odd hat with strange markings.
"I'm surprised you got the pronunciation right, not many people do." I said.
"I'm right into the Nordic Mythology. Its facilitating." He said as he laid out a stencil on my back.
"Oh you are? What do you know about it?" I asked curiously.
"Yggdrasil in the Viking world tree, Thor and Loki and brother, Loki being the adopted one. Odin died when he was banished to Earth by Loki and then released Hella, she died when Ragnarok came to Asgard." He said as he mumbled as he got his equipment ready. I laid on the bed stunned, by the Gods where did he learn that? Have the humans truly strayed that far away from the truth?
"Oh, where did you learn that?" I asked curiously.
"Avengers, I never even knew about Norse Gods until then. Its a good movie." He said as he started tattooing my back
"Well, Avengers is far off from the true. Do you mind if I teach you a story?" I asked.
"Go ahead, we'll be here for awhile." He said. I got comfortable, as much as I possibly could and begun my story.
"The lands of men are but one of many worlds, bound together by the world tree, Yggdrasil. The one you are tattooing on me now. At the base of the tree the Norms weave men's fate. Further below the dragon Níðhöggr chews away at its roots, seeking to destroy the tree itself. It was among the bowels of Yggdrasil that Gods created Midgard, the lands of men. Pleased with their creation the Gods created a home of their own, far above our world they constructed the mighty city of Asgard. It was here that all of the Gods would fest and rain until the end of time, with Odin, king above all. Odin is Lord of war and death but also Lord of Knowledge. It is said that Odin once travels to the roots of Yggdrasil to seek the well of wisdom, there he made a deal with Mirmir the Wise. Exchange for one of Odin's eyes, Mirmir granted him a sip from his well. With only one eye Odin sees more than any God or mortal, able to focus on events that are distant and those yet to pass. Every night Odin retires to Valhalla to feast with the brave fallen warriors so that they might fight with him in the final battle against evil. Odin knows what awaits him in that battle, it is his own death at the jaws of the great Fenrir, Loki's son. We pay tribute to Odin in battle but it is Thor, Son of Odin God that is most looked to for strength everyday. He is God of Thunder and lightening, idol of craftsmen and fighter of evil. He is revered far and wide. Legends tell of Thor's battles with Jörmungandr, the world serpent. Thor came too close to the great serpent once and caused a battle that made seas boil and oceans crash. There is also Loki, the trickster God some would say. Loki, the god who can take many shapes. The God who fathered Jörmungandr the Serpent and Fenrir the Wolf to bring kaos. It is he who will bring about the end of the world, Ragnarok. When Ragnarok arrives Loki will bid the giants against the Lords of Asgard. Odin will fall to the great wolf Fenrir, Thor will fall to the Serpent Jörmungandr, evil will prevail and the world will end, to start a new."
I told my story with my eyes closed, a story that I had know for a very long time. I opened my eyes when I had noticed there was no pain, vibration or sound of the tattoo gun. I raised my head and looked around the shop to see everyone listening to my story intently. Kili stood by the desk, watching and listening, even the other people getting tattoos sat up to listen.
"So what happens after that?" Big Kev, my tattooist asked curiously.
"Odin, Thor, Freyja and Loki came together and created what they call the Companions. Five warriors that are destined to protect the mortals and Midgard. Five immortal beings who take the shape of Dragons. Each descended from the Gods. It is said that long ago the world was infested with a plague of dark souls that killed and took mortal bodies as hosts, Loki's scheme to destroy the world. These Companions destroyed them with the help of their Kingdom's warriors and men, they fought and prevailed against Ragnarok. After the battle was won, the Companions gifted the chosen human leaders with a book, filled with guidance on how to prevent the Dark Knights from infesting the world once again. After this, they retreated to their own Realm for a slumber, one that would last generations." I finished, my story had intrigued every being in the tattoo shop. They looked almost amazed, stunned even. Each person in the store slowly going back to work, their faces were twisted as they thought about my story.
"You can tell some great stories my friend. Where did you learn that?" Big Kev asked. I smiled, as much as I wanted to speak the truth knew I could not.
"I've been around a long time and I read a lot of Norse Mythology books." I lied as I smiled, the vibration on my back almost sending me to sleep.