promising replacement all would envy just to see.
“Brothers Brokkr and Sindri assist him, he entreated
and tricked them into helping lest they fear they’d be defeated.
Proved him wrong for free by making golden wire so fine,
each strand was grander than the master, specially combined.
“‘But can you make art greater after making hair so flawless?
You’ve trumped yourselves and not again can match it to take solace.’
“His words stung true and prompted making treasure after treasure,
first Odin’s spear, then Skidbladnir, and Gull next for good measure.
Mjolnir was the last as Brokkr and Sindri caught on,
but so inspired were they, asked only who to gift upon.
“Sif and Thor and Odin clear, but for the boat and boar?
The brothers chose the god who is the furthermost adored.
Fricco helmed the boat for every seaward Aesir battle
and hunted upon Gullinbursti for the rarest jackal.”
“But while Loki might have started off this story crass,
’twas Fricco whose first mount of Gull did land him on his ass!”
Thecrowderuptedintolaughter and loud applause, and I immediately swung low into a deep bow. Gentle ribbing of Freyr was no rare occurrence—he encouraged it—but that was a newly heard retelling, with an ending only I had ever known before.
“Betrayer!” Freyr yelled over the crowd’s enjoyment, quite obviously having enjoyed it himself and in no way actually upset. “I told you that in confidence!”
Freyr’s amiable response made everyone laugh harder.
I dropped down from the table I had ended on to approach him and answered him quietly between us, “You did, but to hear it made you smile more genuinely than I can last remember seeing.”
Freyr’s smile dropped, and for a moment, he looked so mournful, I wondered if I had read him wrong. Then he grasped my wrist with a lurch. “Come,” he ordered, and tugged me after him through the crowd.
We seemed to disappear in the chaos, like camouflaged animals hiding in the brush. Another trick only the god of nature could manage.
Freyr didn’t stop until we were tucked between homes in a narrow alleyway, close-quartered in the shadowed dark. He looked wild as he turned to me, unpredictable while backing me against the building’s surface.
“I-I hope you aren’t actually angry?” I stammered.
“Of course not!” Freyr assured me, despite the glint in his eyes that I couldn’t fully read. “You told the story splendidly.”
The tension dropped from my shoulders, and I allowed myself to relax. “Imight be a little angry, honestly. Much as I enjoyed sharing that new ending, it was nice being the only one who knew it.”
“And Gerdr.” Freyr’s brow pinched immediately—as did mine, I imagined. “That did not need mentioning, I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right. Knowing that doesn’t dwindle any of its specialness.”
There was so much warmth in Freyr, a heat that radiated from him always, felt only too keenly with him so close. “I have—”
