Norse to meet you (Invite)

After scouring through the whole city and using up the whole day trying to find Freya, Skadi almost gave up. It was no use, if she couldn't find out where Freya was, she would be left with no other choice than go and find out her last resort and that is to find a temple dedicated to her pantheon...if there even was one. Push comes to shove...she'd have no other choice than to sleep...well somewhere. She stared straight, not even caring about that matter as she knew she'll be able to figure things out. There was no reason to feel overwhelmed...or actually she wasn't aware of how being overwhelmed felt like. And so Skadi finally decided to go on her separate way from...what was his name again? Chris...Craig? Well, from red haired-kun. If anything, he already went to so much trouble doing what he did and even if she didn't necessary feel it, logically she knew she was already being a burden.

Her steps never faltered as she advanced towards the slums where their last clue had pointed them, any other adventurer whether male or female would think twice going through these slums. But not her, for Skadi never knew the feeling known as fear. She was only well acquainted with two emotions and that would be anger or wrath as a divine goddess and the insurmountable pride that came with it. And yet no one dared to approach her as her graceful movement belied the fact that she wasn't an ordinary girl...or a goddess. She was a huntress and she had her fair share of monsters that she took down when she was still a full fledged goddess. And so she continued walking while her eyes look left to right, surveying her surroundings hoping to catch a glimpse of Freya.

People would be curious as to why Skadi would seek her when in the myths, she has never had any connection to her. Well nothing that made a big impact, at least not enough to have it be written by mortals and be placed in myths. In reality, Skadi rarely got close to anyone. As she embodies ice and preferred to be alone up in the mountains, she never felt that she needed company. On the contrary, the relationship was the other way around, it seemed that the goddess of love was fond of her. It could have been due to the fact that she felt sympathy for Skadi as the ice goddess was a loner. And being the goddess of love, she couldn't really help herself. One would think that was what Freya thought...but no one really knows why the goddess is fond of Skadi.

As she rounded the corner, her footsteps finally slowed as her sharp eyes fell on a slender figure who had another person pinned to a wall. And she stopped walking as she saw what the woman clad in white did to the other woman. Her head tilting to the side, Skadi wondered what had happened. And then the woman walked off as if nothing happened and she was heading towards Skadi's direction. It was unmistakable, now that she had seen the woman up front. There was no denying it that the woman in front of her was indeed her big sister Freya. Without her noticing, Skadi broke into a jog and then she started to run, "Onee-chan!" She collided with the other goddess as Skadi wrapped her arms around the goddess and buried herself in the other goddesses bosom. She wasn't really sure why she called Freya big sister or when it happened. She wasn't sure why because as a frost giant she was considerably old although she looked like a lady fresh in her teens. But as it was, time was meaningless for gods and goddesses for they are immortals. And since Freya projected more of an elderly sister vibe, it turned out this way. She was just happy to know that she finally found her. The question was...why was she here in the slums? And what was she doing earlier?

When she regained her composure, she separated from Freya and looked up at her face. "Onee-chan...I didn't know you were also into women…" she said with a dead pan look.

@Freya

 

Freya's reply made Skadi tilt her head to the side. Contrary to what others thought, although she reacted slowly...and almost unaffectedly to situations, Skadi was actually quite wise. Outside, people may think that she reacts somewhat slow as if she were digesting the new information she had received. But it was only a façade, the truth was, it was the other way around. Skadi's mind worked overtime and processed new information at a faster pace than most people. And because of that, she always appeared calm when making decisions. This faster than average, and that's by god standards, processing of information doesn't come without a flaw however as her memory is left to be something to desired. It took almost five hundred years before she even memorized Freya's name...that story is something for another time. Until finally they both decided she just call her Onee-chan which was fine for both of them.

Back on point, it did make sense that the goddess of Love to express love in different forms...to different beings. So the question she raised earlier wasn't really thought off that much, it was more of a "in the heat of the moment" sort of thing that she blurted it out. 'Hmm…' She thought to herself...her capacity to process things may have been affected when her powers got sealed.

To Freya's suggestion, Skadi looked up once more to the taller goddess and answered with a dead pan look. "Onee-chan we already did that before...and we both found out that unlike you, I am not interested in having a relationship with the same gender…" Well she wasn't the ice queen for no reason, it was only in her nature to shoot down advances by gods and goddesses alike. The most famous among those gods she shot down was @Loki , it involved snakes and a bit of her dark past. He got what he deserved as far as she's concerned...but that story is something again for another time.

When the goddess led her to a corner and asked her to sit on her lap. As proof that Skadi did not feel awkward or weird being that intimate with Freya, she obediently sat and let herself be patted. As far as physical reactions go, she liked the feeling of being petted by her big sister. Make no mistake though that only Freya had the guile to try it and lived to tell the tale, gods and goddesses were known for their pride after all. "Hmm…" reacted as Freya stopped petting her and asked the reason why she sought her.

"Well...I went to the latest feast in the heavens to ask you something...but you weren't there..." Although her voice faltered, her face neither colored in shyness or reluctance, none of those emotions were seen in her eyes as well. "I heard that you have descended...I was supposed to ask you about it…" She couldn't say it exactly, having few relations with her pantheon meant that she didn't have anyone else she could confide in. It was only Freya that made a fuss about her and true enough, the goddess asked if she came down to ask for advise on love. "Onee-chan...we both know I do not know the feeling of love is...and because of that Njordr and I have become estranged…" Skadi looked at Freya's face, searching and anticipating that the goddess of love might beat her self in the head because of that mishap when her little supposed little sister got married but did not fall in love. "And onee-chan it isn't your fault I did not fall in love with him...or him to me in return. It doesn't mean that you're the goddess of love that you didn't try. If for anything, I'd say that fate...the norns were to blame. Afterall, you did try setting me up with Baldur…"

It was the truth, to placate her and to reason with her for the death of her father, the older norse gods made her an offer. One of her wishes was to marry the norse god of her choosing, Freya being the goddess of love must have set her up to feel something for Baldur, and so Skadi wanted to choose him. But alas, things aren't that easy. The older gods decided to agree to her demand, she can choose the norse god she fancied but she can only choose once. The hitch was that she could only choose them by seeing their feet. Thinking hat Baldur would have the fairest skin, she chose the one with the fairest but it turned out to be Njordr. And because there was no love between them, instead of thawing her heart...it froze it more. "Onee-chan...I came here to ask about this…" With that she stood up and strode forward, her right hand touching her chest, touching and trying to remember the warmth she had felt. Then she slowly turned around to the still sitting goddess, "What is this warmth...this thing that’s in my chest…" She asked nonchalantly, as if her words couldn't be misinterpreted.

 

From the words she's said, some made sense in a way as Freya had already explained some of them to her before. Hatred she was aware of because it was akin to wrath and the emotions produced almost always produce the same results. Love too was explained to her, but then again she only knew it as the longing for someone at all times and thinking about the person all the time. It was different though for the longing she felt for the mountains when she was still married to Njordr. So what is love really? It wasn't jealousy either since according to the information she got about it. Deciding not to dwell on those that she knew, what Freya said next confused her all the more, what she said were impossible as she felt that warmth even before she descended. Meaning as a god who had immortal life, as a god who ate the apples from Idun's tree which gave them their immortality, she couldn't have been sick.

And what was cancer...it was definitely a new word she had encountered. She resisted the urge to take out her notebook and write up the new word she just heard for fear that she would forget it later on. But before she could do that, she heard the goddess admit that with her divine powers sealed, there was no way to tell. Now why didn't she think off that? She forgot to consider that if Freya did descend then her powers will be sealed thus this dilemma they were in right now. Maybe it was precisely that...it's not that she wasn't able to process that information, it's because she forgot about the fact that powers were sealed upon descent. The only reason she had it drilled in her head now is because of the many times she tried using her powers for her to fail.

The thoughtfulness in her eyes were gone and replaced by a blank look once Freya mentioned something about her breasts. Although Skadi didn't budge when the goddess tried to reveal her breast, at least she was able to piece together that breast and can...what was that word again? It had something to do with can...candies? Yeah, she forgot about the C word again...and now she doesn't even know what follows after that. "Onee-chan, I think now is not the time for that…" She muttered instead as she knew what Freya had in mind.

"Retrace...my steps…" That brought back a sliver of light on Skadi's eyes. Figuring out what that meant made the gears tick in her mind. Of course, that was the reason why she felt that warmth. Almost hurriedly, Skadi loosened her yukata on the chest area intending to open her clothes. She didn't really know how Freya would react but if ever, it was just for a split second because from the breast pocket of her yukata she removed a small book. A very old one at that. "This...I was reading this…" And she handed the book to Freya.

It was the story of the mermaid that she felt some sort of familiarity with. Both of them were immortal although she was just a mermaid the Skadi was a god. And another similarity is their frozen heart. She wasn't deaf, she's heard it one too many times that she's perfect as the goddess of ice and snow for her heart was frozen as well. That she would never let anyone in. But up to now, she never really understood what "letting anybody else in" meant. This story hit home, and once she finished reading it, she felt that "warmth" for the very first time in her life as a goddess.

@Freya

 

Thaw.

Her heart was starting to thaw...she never thought about that. Not until Freya explicitly told her about it. It was one thing to know it at the back of your head, but in her case, she never even considered it. She was the personification of ice and snow. It didn't make sense for her heart to thaw out. No. It was ridiculous to even think so. But Freya would never lie to her, Skadi knew that her big sister would never do anything to deceive her as much as the goddess loved playing with people's state of affairs. But then again, that's where they differed greatly, Freya was dubbed as the great socializer while Skadi was considered a frigid bitch by many. That's why she calmly waited for the advise that Freya wanted to give her.

The first one appealed to her senses. Since time immemorial, she had been who she was and who knows what these changes could do to her? What if her heart really did thaw out...literally. Would she cease to exist as the goddess of ice and snow? Will she get dethroned and her domain taken from her? Will she lose who she was after all of this time? A lot of questions needed to be answered but she knew that she will only get her answers if she dared to risk it. Freya then expressed her disapproval of that first option. And so she listened carefully to her second advise. Would she really? Freya will help her? Then it worked out well after all. She was about to ask her help since she did not have a place to stay.

When Freya mentioned about the payment, she felt a little bothered for she did not have anything that she could possibly offer as an exchange for all of Freya's generosity. But as one of the gods who kept their word, "I will pay you back in the future!" She said earnestly nodding as the goddess hugged her warmly. Freya didn't have to ask for compensation as even if she hadn't, Skadi already planned to pay her for it. And when they finally pulled apart, the goddess posed her a final question. As if testing her resolve to change and take the leap.

Maybe...maybe she had to take the risk. And with the backing of Freya who had experience in these things, what could go wrong right? "I will try...I will try my best to find out what this is truly about onee-chan!" Without her knowing it, a tear drop had formed at the corner of her eyes, something that never happened a lot. The last time the goddess of ice cried was when her father had died. And after a millenia, her eyes misted and water collected in her eyes as she muttered two simple words, "Thank you…onee-chan" And then she was back in Freya's arms once again.

@Freya

 

It was only when Freya pointed out that Skadi had tears was when she realized it. Looking in amazement as Freya wiped it out of her eyes. Holding up her hands, she took the tall goddesses' hand checked it. Sure enough, it was wet.

No...it can't be...the tears...they didn't crystalize into ice.

Back when her father Thiazi were killed, Skadi did shed a few tears but those turned to ice soon as they appeared in her eyes and fell as small crystalized drops. Was this the consequence of her powers getting sealed? It was common knowledge among the gods that have descended that when their powers were sealed, and when they chose the form that which they would take, they would be more mortal like in certain aspects. Whether this situation was due to that or due to her heart was thawing out...Skadi did not know.

If this had happened before her descent, she would shrugged it off and closed herself up to avoid such a thing from happening. As far as neutrality and duality goes, Skadi exuded patience as part of her positive facet but the flip side of this is stagnation. Wanting for things to remain as they were wasn't so bad and it worked for her for the past millenia...so why did she have this sudden change of heart? For her to be able to find out, she had to embrace these changes and strike out without fearing for the consequences. Otherwise, she would always be stuck wondering about the what ifs.

Now when the question was posed whether she wanted to know everything or to take it one step at a time. The obvious choice for her was the latter rather than the former. For one, she already had a "small book of emotions", things she noted as she grew curious about them. At the time, she didn't really know why she would do such things but maybe in the back of her mind...she did know that somehow the warmth she felt had something to do with these emotions. It's become really confusing for Skadi especially since she already ruled out earlier that she did not know that these things...this warmth and these emotions weren't connected. And only Freya was able to piece that together for her.

Second reason, if Freya told her each emotion now, she would just consider them as words...maybe take notes about it but not really understand it. No, she had to associate the words with the emotions to be able to remember and know what they were. Besides, if she was bombarded with so much information, she might just very well implode. "I would like the second choice please…" Baby steps, she has to take baby steps if she wanted to really solve this. And so Skadi let Freya lead her to the place which she wanted to get tea. Warm teas weren't really really her cup of...they weren't her favorite, she liked them cold and soothing to the mouth. But not a bother, she can just make the tea the way she liked it.

Unbeknownst to Skadi and to the goddess she sought council from, they weren't that far off from the answer for her question. As locked within her heart, something was already happening.

 

Skadi did not react at all. Not even when Freya was tackled to the ground by the new woman that was introduced to her. It wasn't because she did not concern herself when it came to the other goddess. When the woman reared back, natural instincts kicked in and Skadi readied herself. But upon sensing the fact that there was no ill intent nor malice, she reigned in her control. In fact, if the woman did intend to cause harm on them, she was sure that Freya who was the goddess of war would have been able to take care of her. At the very least Freya wasn't ready, Skadi knew she wouldn't die with just one hit. And so there was no cause for her to be worked up about it. It would take more than that to kill a god. And so Skadi maintained her usual expressionless face, a title befitting an ice goddess.

Then her attention shifted to Skadi who had a hunch that she was going to receive the same treatment. Sure enough, the woman lunged at her but Freya, quick to her toes was able to intercept. It would've been better that way, since Skadi had great reflexes borne out of being a hunter goddess. She was prepared to sidestep anytime the woman followed through. And it would be bad if the newly introduced familia member crashed at the shelf, filled with bottles and memorabilia, behind her. When the scuttle has been over and done with, Skadi once again focused her attention to the drunk lady.

When they were formally introduced, she merely nodded her head. A tiny bit. It was out of habit. As gods, they were used to mortals bowing their heads, supplicating themselves, prostrating at times and gods never returned the favor. Maybe she had to take note more of how mortals greeted each other. Taking Freya's lead, Skadi tried to mimic the way mortals when they met someone new. "Nice to meet you, I am Skadi. I will be in your care from now on…" And so with that she had introduced herself.

So her name was Kuro? Skadi was probably going to forget her name and associate her with something else that was close to her personality that's easy enough to remember. Making her way in front of the counter, she eyed the menu closely and then looked back at Freya. She knew for a fact that these exchanges required Skadi to produce some sort of coin for payment. If she were right and it was like the olden days, gold was used if people weren't into bartering other goods. The truth of the matters was, she was broke, as if to ask Freya for her go signal the goddess did not order as of yet. Instead she moved her way to the closest table she could find and stood beside it. "Onee-chan…" She muttered, directing her words to Freya and even glancing at the other woman. It was her way of asking them if they can sit down.

@Freya