Owl in the Bog
Dec. 12th, 2018 10:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
volurofthehearthWith the difficulties of living apart the Nyström women had decided upon a weekly video call session to keep in touch. Once Carita had set it up, Ragna had enforced it and getting out of it was more difficult than avoiding värnplikt. They never had a problem with Runa, however, who was desperately excited for any familiarity she could find. Simply speaking in her mother tongue was an immense relief when so much of her time was spent learning Durant habits and traditions. This time, however, she was particularly excited to speak to her sisters. For once, she had News.
These calls had naturally fallen into an order of eldest to youngest without anyone saying anything. Normally this was fine, but today it was a silent torture for Runa as she eagerly waited her turn. She squirmed through Caita’s shopping woes, Ragna’s latest tale of vindication, Gry’s encounter with bullheaded clients, and now Luna’s most recent lesson in motherhood.
Usually hearing how her sister, panicked, ran to the doctor with her sick son, only to be sent home with medicine would make Runa tired out of sheer sympathy. This time, however, she was too busy trying not to bounce in her seat as she and Carita exchanged advice. “He’s just settled down for a nap now. I’m exhausted…” A long sigh punctuated her story and she set her chin on her hand. “What are you up to, Runa?”
“I met Loki!” she blurted out with all the excitement she’d been restraining. “Not from our world, but from another world. Through the Nexus. Viatorus met him and asked him to meet me- I didn’t know! I had no idea! I thought I was just cooking for a guest! And then Viatorus told me he was here. I came out and Loki introduced himself! Loki! In my living room! I didn’t think it was real at first, but it was!”
“And what did you do?” Gry was leaning forward, face nearly pressed to the camera. Only then did Runa realise the range of expressions on the laptop in front of her.
The youngest Nyström blinked. “I brought him out the cakes I’d made. And tea with honey.”
Somewhere between dismay and horror Gry growled, “You had Loki in your living room, and you fed him cakes?”
Runa blinked at her. “What else was I meant to do?”
“I think what Gry means to say is that Loki is a very dangerous figure,” Carita interrupted swiftly. “If it really was Loki in your home, you were at tremendous risk.”
“Viatorus and Isidor both knew who he was and that he was coming. They both have far more experience hosting gods in person in their own home than we do. They knew exactly what precautions to take,” Runa pointed out. Then with a sigh, she set about smiling again. “Not that they needed to. He was absolutely wonderful! The perfect guest! He was handsome and charming and polite and funny…”
“And he didn’t kidnap you to give you to some giant. That’s a plus,” Luna added drily.
Trying her best to brush off her sisters’ attempts to sabotage her joy, Runa waved a hand. “Oh Viatorus would have stopped him if he tried.”
“Uh huh.”
“It didn’t matter! He was lovely!” Runa persisted. “He told me about Frigga, and complimented my cakes, and let me take a photo with him!”
Carita sighed heavily. “Ragna, could you… Ragna?”
It was only then that the sisters noticed the devilish grin plastered strangely across Ragna’s face.
“You met Loki?” She asked. “The Loki? Without a doubt, the god?”
Runa glanced at her sisters, but answered with a steadfast, “Yes.”
The speakers sputtered with static as Ragna howled with laughter so suddenly and intensely that the other four jumped in their seats. For a woman known affectionately as Ragna the Serious, this was an unnervingly bizarre reaction.
Finally she calmed down and told them with venomous glee, “Fritjof is going to be so jealous!” And then she cackled again.
Realising that she hadn’t even considered her cheeky brother-in-law made Runa’s face flush with embarrassment. Everyone kept so quiet about the private world of their worship that she tended to forget anyone other than her sisters and new family prayed to any gods. Especially Fritjof. People don’t tend to boast about praying first and foremost to the god of liars.
At least it ensured that one sister was delighted by Runa’s news. She hungered for anything to hold over her husband who seemed to be a source of constant torment for her. If he wasn’t also the only one who could make her laugh they would have been the worst pair imaginable.
Clearing her throat again, Ragna tapped the table once, making her camera wobble. “You said you had a photo. Come on. Share it.”
Runa didn’t have to be told twice. She had the photo ready to go, eager to share her little domestic adventure. Clicking send, she sat back, beaming proudly at the image as it popped up in their group chat and blonde hair filled her screen as the four of them leaned closer to examine it.
“Are you sure he wasn’t just a giant pretending to be Loki?” Luna teased.
Ragna frowned and pointed out in all seriousness, “Everyone looks like a giant next to Runa.”
“I believe he’s Loki,” Gry said suddenly, much to everyone’s surprise. She waved a finger at her computer. “Look at him. He looks like he’s up to something. I don’t trust him. You can tell not to trust him just by looking at that face.”
“He just looks like a man to me.” Luna tilted her head to consider the picture from another angle. “Like one of your theatre friends. Or maybe one of Viatorus’ family friends. ”
Having had a minute to calm down, Ragna asked, “What did he want?”
“Viatorus invited him to meet me.” Runa’s mouth pinched as she restrained her smitten little smile. “When he met Loki his first thought was me. I think he just wanted to make sure I didn’t miss such a good opportunity.”
“Bless that sweet boy with some wisdom,” Carita whispered and then sighed. “But Loki, of everyone. Loki?”
“I don’t think he knew any better,” Runa admitted quietly. “But like I said, he’s used to hosting gods. He’s used to the dangers involved. He’s very clever about it.”
Carita tilted her head in muted reproach. “Maybe, but there’s a difference between thinking you might be able to outsmart Loki, and testing it.”
“Loki knows I’m a völva, and I think he’s as respectful of that as I am of him.” Leaning forward she added, “And I think he liked my cakes too much to want to do anything bad.”
“Try not to test that,” Carita pleaded gently.
“She’s been warned as much as she’s going to be warned,” Ragna declared. “Now, tell us what you talked about. Tell us everything.”
No more prompting was needed, and Runa launched into waxing poetic about her divine guest. For a god with such a dreadful reputation his conduct was spectacularly refined. Not at all the devilish trickster they had all expected. While the Nyström women were not entirely convinced (except for Runa), they all had to conclude that nothing overtly terrible had come of this. Yet. And while Runa was to be sharp eyed, she was free to recount the visit untarnished from any cruel scepticism. As for her request that they prayed for Loki, they hesitantly agreed. Although Luna prayed for Loki’s tricks to be easily spotted. Gry prayed for Loki to regret so much as a bad thought towards her sister. Ragna prayed for Loki to impart wisdom and knowledge onto Runa in as painless a way as possible. And Carita… Carita prayed for Loki to be as kind to Runa as she surely was to him. It wasn't exactly what Loki was looking for, but at least he got appropriate attention.
These calls had naturally fallen into an order of eldest to youngest without anyone saying anything. Normally this was fine, but today it was a silent torture for Runa as she eagerly waited her turn. She squirmed through Caita’s shopping woes, Ragna’s latest tale of vindication, Gry’s encounter with bullheaded clients, and now Luna’s most recent lesson in motherhood.
Usually hearing how her sister, panicked, ran to the doctor with her sick son, only to be sent home with medicine would make Runa tired out of sheer sympathy. This time, however, she was too busy trying not to bounce in her seat as she and Carita exchanged advice. “He’s just settled down for a nap now. I’m exhausted…” A long sigh punctuated her story and she set her chin on her hand. “What are you up to, Runa?”
“I met Loki!” she blurted out with all the excitement she’d been restraining. “Not from our world, but from another world. Through the Nexus. Viatorus met him and asked him to meet me- I didn’t know! I had no idea! I thought I was just cooking for a guest! And then Viatorus told me he was here. I came out and Loki introduced himself! Loki! In my living room! I didn’t think it was real at first, but it was!”
“And what did you do?” Gry was leaning forward, face nearly pressed to the camera. Only then did Runa realise the range of expressions on the laptop in front of her.
The youngest Nyström blinked. “I brought him out the cakes I’d made. And tea with honey.”
Somewhere between dismay and horror Gry growled, “You had Loki in your living room, and you fed him cakes?”
Runa blinked at her. “What else was I meant to do?”
“I think what Gry means to say is that Loki is a very dangerous figure,” Carita interrupted swiftly. “If it really was Loki in your home, you were at tremendous risk.”
“Viatorus and Isidor both knew who he was and that he was coming. They both have far more experience hosting gods in person in their own home than we do. They knew exactly what precautions to take,” Runa pointed out. Then with a sigh, she set about smiling again. “Not that they needed to. He was absolutely wonderful! The perfect guest! He was handsome and charming and polite and funny…”
“And he didn’t kidnap you to give you to some giant. That’s a plus,” Luna added drily.
Trying her best to brush off her sisters’ attempts to sabotage her joy, Runa waved a hand. “Oh Viatorus would have stopped him if he tried.”
“Uh huh.”
“It didn’t matter! He was lovely!” Runa persisted. “He told me about Frigga, and complimented my cakes, and let me take a photo with him!”
Carita sighed heavily. “Ragna, could you… Ragna?”
It was only then that the sisters noticed the devilish grin plastered strangely across Ragna’s face.
“You met Loki?” She asked. “The Loki? Without a doubt, the god?”
Runa glanced at her sisters, but answered with a steadfast, “Yes.”
The speakers sputtered with static as Ragna howled with laughter so suddenly and intensely that the other four jumped in their seats. For a woman known affectionately as Ragna the Serious, this was an unnervingly bizarre reaction.
Finally she calmed down and told them with venomous glee, “Fritjof is going to be so jealous!” And then she cackled again.
Realising that she hadn’t even considered her cheeky brother-in-law made Runa’s face flush with embarrassment. Everyone kept so quiet about the private world of their worship that she tended to forget anyone other than her sisters and new family prayed to any gods. Especially Fritjof. People don’t tend to boast about praying first and foremost to the god of liars.
At least it ensured that one sister was delighted by Runa’s news. She hungered for anything to hold over her husband who seemed to be a source of constant torment for her. If he wasn’t also the only one who could make her laugh they would have been the worst pair imaginable.
Clearing her throat again, Ragna tapped the table once, making her camera wobble. “You said you had a photo. Come on. Share it.”
Runa didn’t have to be told twice. She had the photo ready to go, eager to share her little domestic adventure. Clicking send, she sat back, beaming proudly at the image as it popped up in their group chat and blonde hair filled her screen as the four of them leaned closer to examine it.
“Are you sure he wasn’t just a giant pretending to be Loki?” Luna teased.
Ragna frowned and pointed out in all seriousness, “Everyone looks like a giant next to Runa.”
“I believe he’s Loki,” Gry said suddenly, much to everyone’s surprise. She waved a finger at her computer. “Look at him. He looks like he’s up to something. I don’t trust him. You can tell not to trust him just by looking at that face.”
“He just looks like a man to me.” Luna tilted her head to consider the picture from another angle. “Like one of your theatre friends. Or maybe one of Viatorus’ family friends. ”
Having had a minute to calm down, Ragna asked, “What did he want?”
“Viatorus invited him to meet me.” Runa’s mouth pinched as she restrained her smitten little smile. “When he met Loki his first thought was me. I think he just wanted to make sure I didn’t miss such a good opportunity.”
“Bless that sweet boy with some wisdom,” Carita whispered and then sighed. “But Loki, of everyone. Loki?”
“I don’t think he knew any better,” Runa admitted quietly. “But like I said, he’s used to hosting gods. He’s used to the dangers involved. He’s very clever about it.”
Carita tilted her head in muted reproach. “Maybe, but there’s a difference between thinking you might be able to outsmart Loki, and testing it.”
“Loki knows I’m a völva, and I think he’s as respectful of that as I am of him.” Leaning forward she added, “And I think he liked my cakes too much to want to do anything bad.”
“Try not to test that,” Carita pleaded gently.
“She’s been warned as much as she’s going to be warned,” Ragna declared. “Now, tell us what you talked about. Tell us everything.”
No more prompting was needed, and Runa launched into waxing poetic about her divine guest. For a god with such a dreadful reputation his conduct was spectacularly refined. Not at all the devilish trickster they had all expected. While the Nyström women were not entirely convinced (except for Runa), they all had to conclude that nothing overtly terrible had come of this. Yet. And while Runa was to be sharp eyed, she was free to recount the visit untarnished from any cruel scepticism. As for her request that they prayed for Loki, they hesitantly agreed. Although Luna prayed for Loki’s tricks to be easily spotted. Gry prayed for Loki to regret so much as a bad thought towards her sister. Ragna prayed for Loki to impart wisdom and knowledge onto Runa in as painless a way as possible. And Carita… Carita prayed for Loki to be as kind to Runa as she surely was to him. It wasn't exactly what Loki was looking for, but at least he got appropriate attention.
