Hela Takes a Holiday

by Rebekah Lewis

  "What is amiss?"

  Björn turned to Hela and smiled as she blinked sleepily up at him. They had joined together twice more before finally giving in to slumber. They hadn't been disturbed, but it had to be near noon by the direction of the sun through the window. "Nothing," he assured her. Still the doubt tugged at him, longing for attention. He pulled the covers aside and started to dress.

  "Must we leave this room?" she asked. "I feel like the best moments of my life have been spent in this bed."

  He wanted to believe her. Part of him did irrevocably, for his heart had been full when he closed his eyes to sleep and again upon waking. And then… What had his mind rebelling against him now of all times? "Aye. If we stay much longer the jesting will last for days."

  Hela groaned behind him and his body responded. He chose to ignore it. The only thing that could be done was to go about his day as usual and the doubts would go away. He wouldn't ruin the days he had left with her by dwelling on misgivings. "Stay here," he said when he finally turned back around. He leaned over and kissed her forehead and she smiled sweetly. How could he ever think bad thoughts about her? Some of the unease was fading, like it had never been there. "I shall find us some more food." They'd eaten all they'd been given in the middle of the night between bouts of lovemaking. Restoring the energy they would immediately use up in the throes of passion.

  Björn spotted the goblet that the nisse had thrown at him on the floor, so he stooped to pick it up and set it on the table. Was it selfish to want Hela to remain with him as his wife even though he'd done everything he could to avoid marriage, including spending several days apart from her to prove she was there to cause harm to his village?

  It wasn't because he loved her. That could come in time, sure. He desired her, but who wouldn't? Did she have some kind of otherworldly hold over him?

  He stepped out into the hall and shut the door. The strange sensation from earlier returned, like someone hovering behind him, but he was alone in the corridor. His neck hairs prickled again as the thoughts consumed him. If you were a Christian man, you would see her for what she is: the Devil. She resides in a land known, to many, as Hel. Of course she wants you to love her. To want her. 'Tis but a game to her.

  And just like that, the feeling that someone had been in the corridor with him faded, yet Björn's mood had darkened considerably.

  Hela had already dressed herself and was braiding her hair when Björn returned with another basket of food. Having gotten used to eating food during her stay, her stomach growled as he placed the basket on the table beside the empty one. Then she raised her gaze to her husband's. Something wasn't right. He'd been so happy before she fell asleep, but his mood when she woke was troubling. He tried to hide it, but it was hard to ignore. Did he not want her anymore? Had she done something wrong?

  It was true that he hadn't wanted a wife, though from what she had grasped from their conversation before she told him the truth about herself, his mother died when he was young and his father had never remarried. He hadn't admitted it outright, but she had determined he must have avoided anything that would lead to heartbreak ever since. She could respect that. Hela feared her own heart would break beyond repair when Loki found a way to make her leave.

  She wanted to stay. Hela's heart beat faster when she looked into Björn's blue eyes as he handed her a piece of bread topped with honey—a favorite treat of his. She was just starting to get to know him, and she really liked him. He was honest, brave, and cared about his people and his village. Her heart could so easily be given to him. But what was clouding his happiness?

  "Have I displeased you in some way?" she asked as she took a bite of bread. The sweet honey tickled her tongue with a burst of flavor, and she licked the sticky residue off her finger. Björn's gaze followed her actions and his pupils dilated. She shivered. "You seem sad today."

  He blinked several times and walked back toward the basket. "Nay. I fear I find myself questioning how we are to stay married if you are to leave me. If your father is so intent on making you return to Hel."

  Her head snapped up and her teeth clacked. "What did you say?"

  Frowning, Björn replied, "When you return to your world and leave mine."

  "You called it Hel." She rose to her feet, still holding on to the remainder of her bread, unconcerned that the honey had dribbled off the side onto her hand. "As in Helheim, my fortress in Niflheim." He backed away as she approached him, and she had to wonder if her fury showed as much as she felt it coursing through her veins. "I do not call it that. I have never wanted to call it that. Yet… Loki calls it that."

  Hela set the bread in the empty basket and used the cloth to wipe her hand. It was still sticky, but she didn't care. Not really. Her appetite had left her. To think Loki was letting her have this time for herself when he was doing everything in his power to ruin it. He was behind this. She could feel it. Tears sprang to her eyes, but she blinked them away, refusing to cry. She was stronger than that.

  Björn opened and closed his mouth like he was struggling to make sense of something, then asked, "Does he?"

  "He does," she replied, narrowing her eyes. "Have doubts been whispered in your ear this morning?"

  "No one whispered anything to me." He cocked his head to the side. "Though I kept feeling strange, like someone was near but no one was there."

  "That cheat." She couldn't believe her father. Hela clenched her hands into fists and fought the urge to hit something. Violence had never been in her nature and she didn't intend to change that now.

  "You are saying that was Loki?" Björn scowled, though it didn't seem directed at her. Loki's methods of influencing mortals to take part in his amusements were strong. He often bragged about them.

  "Aye, whispering doubt in your ear. It is what he does." Damn his eyes.

  Björn shook his head. "Doubts do not mean anything. They just are. People have them every day and about small, inconsequential things. It does not necessarily mean someone is forcing them there."

  He had a point, but she knew Loki. He hated losing. She was falling for her Norse warrior and that meant she would get to stay. But if her husband started to mistrust her, to resent her, it would mean she'd be left broken-hearted come day twelve and she'd be home for good. "If you doubt me for any reason, tell me. Ask me your questions. I shall answer them." She grabbed his tunic with both hands. "I want to be here. I would have never stayed this long if I did not. Nor would I have married you if I did not feel there was some connection between us. So, if you doubt me, now is your chance. Walk away from me forever. I shall leave, and Loki will have what he wants."

  Björn's eyes widened. He clenched his jaw, then he exhaled and wrapped her in his arms. Some of her anger dissolved, as a man who didn't want her surely wouldn't act that way. Would he? "I am but a mortal man," he said in a shaky voice. "I was not meant to play these games with a god, a trickster at that. He will win against me at every turn."

  Hela shook her head against his chest. She hated that Loki's meddling had caused him any misgivings. "Not if you have me by your side. Not if you confide in me. I know him better than many of the Æsir. He talks to me because I cannot leave my home—usually." When she stood up straight she was closer to him in height. "Everything I told you is the truth. Well, except for not remembering who I am…that was a lie, obviously, but you understand now why I had to."

  "What do we do?" he whispered, brushing the hair from her cheek and staring at her with intense longing that made her pulse quicken. "How do I get to keep you?"

  Her heart clenched. She wanted to keep him too. "We live these next few days to the fullest and refuse to give into doubt. He cannot win if you stay positive. If you trust me."

  He kissed her, and he tasted like warm honey. There wasn't much speaking after that. Though her body was tender and a little sore from the night before, she worked the laces on his trousers while he pulled up her skirts and before long he was inside her, moving against her with her back agains
t the wall and her legs around his hips. She wanted this man, and if she had to fight against her father to keep him, so be it.

  Chapter 8

  The next four days were uneventful.

  Moments of intense doubt lessened until stopping completely when Björn no longer reacted to them. He and Hela spent their days together, and he showed her around to the village and the farms. She was introduced to everyone, and most of the people of Iskygge were pleased to meet her. He'd noticed some of the women were a little less enthusiastic, the ones who were not yet married. Ragnhild went out of her way to be rude, something he'd told her he would not tolerate any further. She'd avoided them since.

  In the evenings, Björn and Hela joined the village for the celebration feasts and merriment. Cutting up the Yule log and burning the smaller sections in individual hearths—including the one in the great hall—so far had proven itself to work without much difficulty. However, the grand fire built outdoors for the Yule celebration still would not stay aflame when it should have continued burning, if well-tended, for twelve full days, and the loss of the Yule log in that tradition remained a topic of discontent for many. Snow surrounding the village continued to pile higher and cut them off further from anyone traveling near. Many were worried it would close in on them, but if it hadn't yet, Björn didn't see a reason why it should.

  Loki was making a point. Giving Björn a clear message to remember he was there and had no intentions of allowing Hela to stay behind. Yet he had not shown himself to Björn face to face, which he found worrisome. He expected it would happen, but when and how, he couldn't say. Björn would rather it not happen any time soon, and dreaded the encounter. He'd already underestimated the god by discounting the whispers of doubt as his own overthinking, which made him snort at how it should be the other way around that seemed irregular.

  On the tenth night, Björn had taken Hela for a walk beyond the forest to look out over the fjord where the northern lights danced across the sky. It was the edge of the village, and the snow was falling around them, but they had laid together on his cloak and watched the lights, held each other, and made love under the stars. It was then he realized his heart was lost to her. That, when she left, no other woman would ever compare. He'd quickly shut those thoughts away, for without Hela, he didn't know how he would recover from the heartbreak. His worst nightmare had become an impending reality he couldn't escape from, and the only thing left to do was to cherish the time he had with her.

  The eleventh day was almost over, which meant he had one more day to win her love, or impress her father enough that Loki wouldn't force her to leave. He could do this. In fact, he would say as much when the god arrived to take her from him. At least the nisse had stopped acting up, according to the farmers. Not that he'd seen one of the little creatures again, and hoped he never did. However, he had made sure the cook left porridge out every night. He didn't want any more goblets thrown at his face.

  The sun was starting to set as he made his way toward the farms to collect Hela from assisting Sigrunn with sorting through herbs and learning how mortals healed the sick and injured. He found her curiosity attractive, and while he had missed spending the afternoon with her, he'd helped Halvar repair the roof of his longhouse in the meantime. Now his stomach growled, but he was hungry for more than food. He wanted to taste Hela's sweet lips and feel her arms around him. He'd never believed he'd be so comfortable with another person, having always longed for his solitude when he could find it. Yet, even if they weren't talking and were just together…he was at peace.

  But she will still leave you without a second glance. You will be forgotten long before she returns to Helheim.

  The hairs on Björn's neck and arms prickled and he spun around, but nobody was there. It had been over a day since the last whispered doubt, and each time Björn had frozen with surprise when it happened. Now though, he just wanted the trickster to leave him alone. "Loki, cease these games and speak to me if you have something to say."

  The temperature plummeted, and it started snowing. Björn raised a hand over his eyes to look up at the sky. The gray clouds concealed every bit of blue above, and white flakes tumbled down around him. Was this natural, or Loki's doing? He could see the farm through the trees ahead, but a flash of golden hair disappeared behind a tree. Might as well face confrontation when it presented itself. If he wanted Hela in his life, he couldn't let her father think him too afraid to face him.

  Björn followed him into the forest and tried to determine which way the god had gone. Of course, he had been invisible when putting the doubts in his mind, so he could be anywhere. "Loki?" he called out, starting to lose his nerve and feeling like a fool. "Why hide now when I know you are here?"

  "Because I promised not to interfere." The deep masculine voice came from behind him, and Björn turned and had his first look at the god. Blond hair, black leather tunic, trousers and boots, Loki appeared both average yet intimidating at the same time.

  "Try that answer again. You have interfered at every turn."

  Loki shrugged and then preceded to circle around him, smirking like he knew some grand jest he didn't find worthwhile to share. "I cannot help myself, you see. Trickery is in my blood."

  "And lying to your daughter? I suppose that is in your blood as well." One of the many names Loki had been given in the stories of the old gods was that he was a prince of lies; it was a title that had been given to a figure in the Christian faith as well. That same figure Loki had whispered into Björn's ear and compared to Hela. The Devil.

  Were Loki and Lucifer one in the same?

  With a menacing chuckle, Loki paused his circular route and shrugged yet again. "The priest jumped to the same conclusion." When Björn's eyes widened, Loki nodded. "I can see the thoughts forming through your expression and hear thoughts that are strongest. It is how I can manipulate them." He gave a smile that might have been apologetic, but failed. "Aye, other gods exist, the Christian one included. Like all things, change is inevitable. Where one belief ends, another begins. Where one being creates, another destroys. Where one originated, the other found their doom."

  Crossing his arms, Björn shook his head. "I am not following."

  "Your people once believed in nine worlds connected together by the great tree of life, Yggdrasil, did they not? Imagine, if you will, more worlds than the nine. Our pantheon had access to some, but not all." He held his hands up in front of him as if in prayer, yet his palms did not touch. "Realms shift. A door closes, another opens. Where the rotation of this wheel of change began, nobody knows. Not even us. There are stories, but who told the first stories if in the beginning there was nothing? Where did those beings come from?"

  Björn's head was beginning to hurt. "What is this about?"

  Again, Loki shrugged. "You had questions, though unspoken. I answered. However, you were so quick to recall I am the prince of lies. You can take my statements as truth or falsehood. And now, I shall provide another: Hela will return home tomorrow. Truth or lie?"

  Was he asking him or telling him? "I would prefer if she stayed. I—"

  "Love her?" Loki mimicked his stance by crossing his own arms.

  There was no denying it. Björn caught Loki's gaze and held it. "Who would not? She is kind, beautiful, generous." He could list all he admired about her, but they'd be there for days. "With her, I feel like I am a better person. I cannot think of a better way to describe it except that my heart is full."

  Loki laughed. "Can you blame a father for trying? Hela has a duty to her pantheon and all those who believe in us. Nobody sits on the throne of Niflheim in her absence. Souls are left unguarded."

  How was that possible? "You did not leave someone in charge while she was away?" Then he realized the awful truth. Of course he hadn't. He'd been trying to trick Hela into going home the whole time. "Why have you not stayed behind to watch the fortress?" Was this how the god would win this? By using Hela's duty against her? Björn had no idea what could go wrong without someone
in Niflheim keeping watch over the dead, but his father had taught him that when a weakness was exposed in any kingdom, someone would always take advantage of it just because they could.

  "Me?" Loki patted a hand over his chest, asking the question with contemptuous incredulity. "That would be a mistake of the highest order."

  "How so?" Björn sneered, getting angry on Hela's behalf. She hadn't been given a chance. Hadn't really been given any real opportunity to change her path in life. "It is good enough to force your daughter to spend her life there, but you could not handle twelve short days."

  Loki's humor dissolved in an instance. "Watch your tone with me, mortal. Odin assigned that task to her—"

  "Yet you were able to use your power to send her to Midgard, and therefore were able to make the decision to stay in her stead."

  "—and once he figures out she is not there, it will not be good for any of us. She was never supposed to stay this long. If not for you—"

  "What about me?" They were toe to toe now, glaring at each other. Björn would not stand a chance against a god if Loki intended him harm, but he wouldn't back down. He would never show weakness, for if he did, Loki would see him unworthy of Hela. That would not do.

  Thunder boomed in the distance and lightning struck just beyond the trees.

  Loki whirled around, staring upward as another flash of light and crack of thunder assaulted the sky. The clouds were growing darker and the sun had nearly set. How long had they been there? Björn needed to get to Hela before she decided to walk home by herself. Since she lacked her powers, he didn't want to chance her possibly getting hurt. Even she wasn't sure that she couldn't be harmed without them. The lightning was much too close for comfort.

  "Damn!" Loki vanished without further comment. Lightning struck a branch of a tree above where the god had been standing, splitting it in half as a deafening boom shook the ground.