Írimë’s stern look made Loki smile proud, it seemed that annoying her had been fun for him.
-I did not want to bother you …
He told her although the girl had persified the opposite.
-My brother Thor is good at spreading rumors so I’ve heard a lot about you …
Írimë looked at him seriously, but after listening to him mention Thor, she thought there was no point in hiding the truth, especially because he would find a way to get back into her head and one day he discovered that she was there against her will.
-My Lord Manwe has thought that to send me in this mission of peace was a good idea and I am not who to disobey him but I am not your friend …
His look was funny, even when the conversation was far from it.
-And tell me Írimë, are you always so obedient?
Loki’s words adopted a sarcastic tone and although Írime was unable to understand his mischief she knew he was mocking.
-If it were, you would not have called me as you called me, but maybe I have disobeyed the commands of my people too long …
And she said this ducking her head as if admitting that really would have made her feel ashamed.
And although this did not happen very often, Loki was deeply moved.
-If you are better than my brother to keep secrets, he will never know that I have always admired you …
His words caused her to raise her head immediately.
-I’ve always thought you’re very brave …
He said showing a kinder smile and she asked almost in a whisper.
-To protect the Jötnar or to confront your brother?
“Both, although I admit that at first I thought that doing one thing or the other was really stupid, over time and seeing that every attack on Jotunheim was a failure, I began to wonder who would be the hero who was capable of humiliating a army of Asgardians led by the great Thor … it started to be very funny and I figured we could get along someday …
Írimë observed him confused, there was something about him that was attractive and enigmatic at the same time. He had that careless way of saying things, as if it were not important if they caused a bad effect and he responded in the same way, he did not flinch at the slightest comment.
-I never thought that hurting your people was fun, I only defended mine, that’s all …
He remarked and she nodded her head
Loki watched her carefully this time, it was possible that he was trying to get into her head, this was what Írimë felt at the insistence of his penetrating gaze, after a few seconds he sighed as if resigned
-They really are not monsters for you …
He said as if he had confirmed something that was obvious but that maybe he refused to believe
-I see monsters in Asgard …
She told him, adopting that careless way of saying things. Loki nodded approvingly.
-My lord is very wise and speaks with the words of the Creator, that is why I have agreed to come to your world, I want to believe fervently that there is a possibility of a truce, that there is a place in Odin’s heart for peace …
And she took a breath before continuing
-But if we do not succeed and the hopes vanish, if there is a war between both worlds …
And she raised her head even more giving her face an expression of majesty
-Then I will not be on Asgard’s side …
Loki nodded again and bowed his head while he was silent, Írimë had to make an effort not to apologize, Loki’s silence caused her a great sadness.
When he returned his gaze to Írimë’s gaze there was a different flash in it, something of that immovable appearance had disappeared, his eyes showed a brighter light.
Írimë did not respond immediately, she observed it again with that strange curiosity. She returned to focus on that new light that emanated from his eyes, made his look charming and maybe a little vulnerable, without it, without that radiant light, anyone could have said that it housed a flash of evil, but Írimë had learned to see beyond .
-I wish we could live in peace …
She said almost like thinking out loud.
- Do you think the Jotnar have the same desire?
She looked at him in silence and then shrugged.
She finally said and he nodded because he knew she would say that.
-Then this mission was doomed from the start.
Írimë shook her head with a gesture. Failure was something she could not deal with, not again and that is why she had learned to live with overwhelming hope that forced her to live even after feeling lifeless.
-The hope is the weapon of the brave, without it they would never dare to fight, because the bravest are the ones who have more fear but face it, do you know how they do it?
She said with tears in her eyes.
-With hope, they cling to it because it is more powerful than hundreds of spears and without that it would not make sense to fight …
She had said that in a heartbreaking tone and Loki had heard it without jokes, without sarcasm because he could see in her words an ancient pain that he could not understand but that he knew was there.
-That is why they triumph … with hope in their hearts they are the owners of the victory …
Loki reclined on the edge of the stone balcony, put one of his arms on it and stared at it, she was truly brave, he thought.
But the atrium was filled with guests. The welcome ceremony was equal to both worlds. There was music, food, drink, everything was fun. Írime was sitting next to her lady Elbereth, observing those who cheerfully cheered. Everything was fun but Írime did not have fun. She had forgotten how to do it a long time ago. Every time something caused her happiness, she thought of her little Jotun abandoned and all joy vanished. She wondered where he was, if he was, because she could feel him inside her soul and knew that he was not happy, wherever he was suffering and that’s why she could not be content to feel happiness, even when she wanted that with all her soul.
-Don’t let your grief destroy your heart Írime.
Her lady told her in a warm whisper that tore her from her dark thoughts.
-You must keep it whole …
-My lady … can I ask you a question?
Elbereth moved her head affirmatively
- Do you really think there is hope that this mission will succeed?
Elbereth looked at her for a few seconds and then said.
- Do you keep hoping to find your protege again?
Írim felt that her heart was shrinking, hearing about it aloud shocked her
-Because the Írime hope does not live in our thoughts, but in our hearts … do you understand?
The Istari nodded, talking to her radiant lady of the West always gave life back to her soul.
Írimë’s eyes could not stop observing the prince, even when he turned to look at her, because he did it, it was hard for her to look the other way. It was a new feeling and she was not sure she could handle it.
Elbereth smiled when she noticed it and although Írim did not notice this, the lady of the West sighed immensely happy.
Neither of them saw Thor, Odin’s son, approaching until he was standing in front of them.
He said bowing in a gentle bow
-I wanted to give you the welcome personally, it’s a pleasure to have you in Asgard.
And then he looked at Írim¨ who observed him seriously.
-If we are going to talk about truces we should give the example
He said looking at the Istari, she nodded, that cool cold returned to invade her, definitely bring to her memory the Jotnar was giving her that. She tried not to think about it and showed him respect by responding to the reverence but was unable to utter a word because Loki’s voice prevented her from doing so.
-If you allow me brother …
} He said putting aside Thor
-I’ll take the Protector of the Jotnar, I think if I invite her to take a walk and stop you from talking, maybe she do not want to take off your feet off the floor ..
Írime smiled and Thor frowned when he heard it, maybe the joke was not very funny for the great Thor.
Loki extended his hand to Irime and she took it. The moment their hands touched, they both felt something extraordinary. It was like an unexpected outburst, neither of them had been prepared to feel it. But besides that, Írimë realized that his skin was amazingly cold. He tightened his grip on her hand preventing her from releasing her because he had foreseen that the cold would surprise her. He held his hand firmly and a few seconds and then Írime noticed that it was as warm as her own hand.
Outside the great hall they stopped and both looked at each other with curious insistence.
Írime asked and knew that she liked that Loki still held her hand
-You should thank me for saving you …
He said with his eyes on her and the young woman took a while to respond but soon reopened the lucidity
-To begin with I’m not sure that rescuing me was necessary … and I was not going to do what you said …
-What a pity, it would have been fun …
Írime shook her head with a gesture of disapproval
-For you the worst things are fun …
He just smiled. She felt comfortable with her hand in his, the memory of that cold touch returned to her mind, it had not seemed natural to be an Asgardian but she did not mention the subject.
Loki’s eyes across her face in a charming way, with that mischievous smile that drove her crazy and then they fixed on her eyes and crossed them like an incandescent sword.
-I thought you would like to go out a bit, I do not feel comfortable among many people and I did not think you were having fun.
The young Istari nodded in sorrow
-Now I know the perfect place
- Is it okay to get away from the party?
-Well, let’s just say that the one who needed to be rescued was me …
Írime could not help smiling at hearing him and agreed to his invitation by letting himself drive through the palace gardens.
Írimë loved books, she adored libraries because they were the heart of wisdom. She had spent her childhood in those beautiful places and even her soul was thrilled to do so.
The libraries in Alfheim were majestic, the walls were lined with thousands of shelves that seemed infinite. The library of the palace of Asgard was no less majestic.
Both stopped at the same time when crossing the threshold of the enormous enclosure, both felt the need to revere in the silence to such a wonderful place.
It was at that moment when Loki noticed that he was still holding the Istari’s hand, so he released her gently smiling and made him in a gesture that was a real caress, she shuddered again but tried not to show it.
She tried to distract her mind with the image that was rising in front of her eyes and she breathed deep
-I will always love this smell.
She said taking a deep breath.
-It’s the perfume of intelligence …
Loki told her in a whisper and she looked at him smiling.
- I never thought that the Asgardians… …
She said but stopped quickly because she did not want to offend him but he was ahead of her apologies
- That the Asgardians could love culture?
She was about to say something but Loki came back forward
-The majority thinks that it is better to spend time in the arena exercising for battle but there are a few who … prefer to exercise other parts of the body …
She said softly as she came forward and walked watching the enormous walls boarded up with books. Some were only suspended in the air, these especially called her attention.
Those are the magic ones …
Loki said he was following her closely.
Írime observed the group of books that were spinning in a kind of circle suspended above her head, it was wonderful.
The young girl left fascinated and toured the huge room, Loki stood there just to observe her. -She is very beautiful … - he thought. There was a special magic in her that fascinated him, it was delicate and although her appearance was that of someone living in grief, there was an almost childlike vitality in her, at that moment he could see that, there was a girl inside her soul, a little gir that wanted to be happy.
Irime had moved away, distracted by the thousands of shelves, laughing with each step and caressing the backs of books gently and Loki had decided to approach and walk with her. Suddenly that strange cold invaded her again and every vestige of happiness disappeared. Loki noticed and hurried to run to the other side of the library, did not want to overshadow the scene that had pleased him so much.
-Oh! here you will find books about the Nine Realms … to see …
He said sharpening his eyes to the shelves that were more down on the opposite side of the room.
-Here is … Jotunheim Realm of the Frost Giants …
Írimme watched him crouch and then stand up with a huge book in his hands, the cold was gone.
He told her and they both went to a huge golden table in the center of the room, placed the book on it and opened it. The cold returned, but Íirme paid no attention to it because she was hallucinated with the beautiful moving drawings that appeared in the pages, they were images with a life of their own and seemed to be narrating a story.
Írime¨se was dazzled by that. She caressed the letters engraved on the pages with an extraordinary delicacy.
-I do not understand this language …
-It’s very old … it’s no longer used in Asgard …
-I have learned to speak it but not with fluid …
And putting his hand very close to hers he began to read:
- "Beyond the roots of the Yggdrasil the Realm of the Frost Giants rises, it is a cold place and the sun never shines in its skies, there are dark and deep valleys and mountainous peaks where it is always winter.The wind lashes wrathful those shady landscapes.
Írime watched him as he read. His voice was sweet and melodious and had a majestic dignity of a king, the cadence and rhythm that attributed to his words turned them into music.
Loki continued reading without noticing the look dule that Írimë had adopted.
- "The ice covers everything, from the highest mountains, the frozen forests are its greatest beauty …”
The Istari shook her head in a gesture of disagreement when she heard him say, to utter those words whose beauty was only in their way of pronouncing them and not in what they meant.
-It has not always been like this …
- There was a time, a long time, maybe too much, in which the rivers were clear and flowed through fields immensely green and leafy, with mountains of icy peaks and green valleys … there were birds in their skies and fish in their rivers … “
Loki watched her for a moment in silence, as if he had not wanted to interrupt her thoughts.
-I have never seen that Jotunheim …
Írime smiled again with that sweet sadness that began to move the spirit of Loki more and more
-I did and it was beautiful … but no one will remember that here …
Loki frowned in a confused gesture
Írime¨lo looked smiles now
-My age is not something that you can easily understand, like my true nature, we do not count the years as you tell them, we do not even really count them, we do not live like mortals because we are not …
-We live thousands of years but you are immortal …
He said as if that seemed fascinating to him.
-Is not a gift for us, immortality can be very sad when you’ve seen so much …
I have paused that Loki respected.
-Some of our people have decided to give it up
-Give up to immortality, why do something like that?
"For love,” she said in a sigh, “many of my people have felt love for some mortal and once you feel love you become truly eternal, you can not imagine a life if it is not with whom you love … there were those who chose that eternity.
Loki did not respond to that, although he was not able to fully understand her words, he thought they were beautiful.
Írimë looked at the book as if she wanted to change the subject of conversation and an image caught her attention, the magestuosa and radiant figure of that first Asgardian she had met on arriving at Asgard appeared on that page.
-What do you know about him?
She said pointing to the white-shining armorer, Loki took his eyes to the figure and snorted.
-Heimdall, the gatekeeper
- Why is he in this book?
-Heimdall, the son of the nine mothers, is everywhere, he is a voyeur and he does not allow you to keep any secret, he can hear you even if you are standing in the most distant world, and what I say is not figurative …
- Is he seeing us and hearing us now?
Loki smiled with a gesture of satisfaction.
- No, because I do not allow it … in fact … - he said slowly - no one can see or hear us … we are hidden from everyone’s eyes …
The Istari looked at him in silence
-But do not fear … I’m not so evil as to hurt you even if they say the opposite of me.
-I do not believe what they say, I know you’re not evil.
And although Irime said it making reference to her inner power that warned her of an imminent danger, Loki was not dangerous and she knew it, Loki took this as a praise and responded with a gentle bow.
Loki went to the figure of Heimdall.
-Why did you ask about him?
Írime shrugged
First of all, understanding what he does in a book that talks about Jotunheim …
-It is easy to explain, he is the guard of the Bifrost bridge and since this bridge communicates Asgard with Midgard, its other side concludes under the roots of the Yggdrassil near the source of the wisdom, some think that the Frost Giants could use it to cross Asgard and Heimdal must avoid it …
Loki asked her that he had been very attentive to her words, Irime sighed remembering that confusing first encounter but did not tell him the feeling of fear that he had transmitted to her.
-I do not know, when we arrived and he welcomed us he called me in a strange way, he told me Sigyn … do you know what it could mean?
-He did not confuse you with any of his girls, I’m sure he do not have any, he’s not goes out house.
And he laughed again at a joke that only he understood.
"I’m sorry,” he said, clearing his throat. “You’ve already noticed that we’re not friends …”
And he pursed his lips in a funny gesture that indicated he was thinking, Irime thought it was charming.
-I do not think it’s a word, it’s actually a pretty strange guy but … the first part sounds familiar … let me see.
He went to another corner of the great room and looked for some books. Írime stopped feeling the cold that she had been feeling and frowning again she looked at the book and put her hand on its pages, she thought of the Jotnar, she did not want to stop feeling that, she reminded her loved ones, but it did not work this time. At last Loki seemed to find what he was looking for and came up with his book and opened it by putting it on the table, she was still caressing the pages of the other book and suddenly the cold returned, the Istari sighed happily.
-This is a book of very old languages, there are words here that nobody remembers … and you say Sigyn and it reminded me of Sigr … what it meant …
And he searched with his long, delicate fingers in an index of words.
-Here is, yes, it is “victory” Sigr is victory and the end of the word “Yn … I just know that as I hear it reminds me of the friend word, a” female friend “, but I’m sure it is written differently , let me see…
-Here, -said at last- the word is "Vina” but it would be pronounced as “inn”, He could have called you “Friend of Victory” and this may have been a good wish for your mision , it’s quite hopeful …
Irime frowned not so convinced.
-But he told me it just me, he should have said that to Elbereth, not me … and he really wanted that I realizing it …
-From the weird Heimdall everything is possible.
Irime felt an extreme curiosity, something told her that there was more in those words than she imagined and that he was not referring to the msision of her people, it was something that concerned hier personally, maybe hers was a different victory, perhaps her lords had not chosen her because yes, she suddenly felt a terrible need to discover what that meant.
-Tell me more about Heimdal please …
Loki looked at her with a gesture mixed with surprise and disapproval but nodded to her request.
And the young woman smiled.
