Frosted Dreams (NaNoWriMo2020)

Iwakālua kūmāwalu

Hika shifts the flame from one hand to the other, not sure what to do with it. No, that isn't the reason. She's nervous and she needs something to distract herself. The first person Hika sees as she steps into the warmly lit room is a tall woman with shining golden hair. The woman takes one look at Hika and scowls, tossing her hair over her shoulder. Thor booms from behind Hika.

"Come darling, what's with that expression?"

The woman speaks in a lovely, ringing voice, still staring at Hika. "Her hair."

"What about her hair?"

Hika can feel her hand twitch, wanting to touch her head. Is her hair messy? Jaak leans toward her, whispering in her ear.

"Don't worry. Sif is very vain. She's just upset that your hair is brighter than hers."

"I can pull some of the starlight out of my hair if I need to . . ."

Jaak gives her a minute shake of the head. "Don't. If you do that she'll never stop pushing you around. Just be yourself. Although . . . maybe don't throw any fireballs."

Hika flushes, touching the magic inside herself. "I couldn't do that even if I wanted to. My fire isn't fully back yet. All I have is the icefire."

"Well, don't throw that."

Hika snorts. "I won't. Besides, I think my stars can do a lot more damage than my fire can. At least my normal fire. I'm not sure what this stuff can do."

Jaak frowns slightly. "Speaking of your stars, I have a question for you."

"Later, I think we're starting to attract attention right now."

Jaak glances up to see everyone looking at him, with the exception of Hika herself and the two who came with them. The eight-legged horse is standing close behind Jaak and Hika, so close she can feel his breath on her neck. He noses her and Hika reaches back, turning slightly to stroke his snout.

She lowers her hand after a heartbeat, turning back around just as a woman steps forward. Her hair is a shade or two lighter than Sif's and she has a necklace around her neck that reflects green and purple light. There is another woman standing beside her, identical but for the fact that she doesn't have the necklace and has a golden cuff circling her arm instead.

The first woman is staring at Jaak with a strange expression on her face, something akin to confused joy. She takes another step forward, her face scrunching up like she's trying to figure something out. The first woman reaches out for her twin's arm, but she is shaken off as the woman's hands fly up to her mouth as she stares.

"Jaak?"

"Nice to see you, Aunt Freya."

"Where have you been? Do you have any idea how long it's been since any of us have seen you?"

Hika can see Jaak's wince out of the corner of one of her eyes. "I know how long it has been, Aunt. Over a century. I'm sorry I've been away, but I didn't have a choice."

"Where were you?"

"Russia, in the wilderness."

"Why? Just why, Jaak?"

He shifts on his feet and Hika can see tendrils of frost curling around his fingers. "Because if I didn't, then there is a possibility that my father could hurt you all. If I left, that risk was gone."

Freya's face crumples. "Oh, Jaak. Why did you bring that upon yourself? You should have never thought that you had to handle this alone."

Jaak shrugs, falsely nonchalant. "I was very young and I knew how dangerous my father was becoming. I would have made the same decision if it happened now. Besides, I waited to go until I knew there was no other choice. You can't get mad at me for my decision."

"Jaak, I'm not mad at you. I'm sad that you had to go through that."

Jaak sighs. "Can we talk about something else besides the fact that I've been gone for a century?"

Freya lifts an eyebrow. "Yes, we can. Who's the girl?"

Hika scowls. "Did you really refer to me as 'girl?' Really?"

Freya frowns. "I apologize, I'm not trying to be rude. But who are you?"

"My name is Hi'ilani, I am the daughter of the Hawaiian goddess Hi'iaka."

Freya's gaze narrows. "How did you come to meet Jaak?"

Hika bites her lip, shivering at both the sudden coldness in the goddess' gaze and the memory. "Is something wrong?"

"I was not aware that Hi'iaka had a daughter. She is quite young herself."

"You don't believe me, do you?"

"Especially not with the color of that flame. I think you're Loki and you're tricking Jaak."

Jaak frowns. "Even as insane as my father is, he wouldn't trick me like this."

"I need proof regardless. Speak, Hi'ilani."

Hika lifts her chin, staring the older goddess down. "I was freezing to death in the snow and Jaak saved me."

"Freezing to death? You have fire in your hands."

Hika glares at her. "And I'm a fifteen-year-old goddess! I don't have an infinite supply of fire, it can freeze inside of me, which it did. Then I ran out of starlight so I couldn't use that."

Freya's eyes widen by a fraction. "Starlight?"

"Yes. I only have enough starlight as I can soak up. Would you like a demonstration?"

Hika doesn't wait for Freya to respond, she just pulls all the starlight from her hair and forces it into a massive star, large enough to light the whole room. The assembled gods squint, even Jaak who seemed to already know what was coming. Hika lets the star shine for several heartbeats before she pulls the light back into her hair and the star fades. She cocks an eyebrow in Freya's direction.

"Is that proof enough for you that I speak the truth? Or do I need to tell you how Loki almost slit my throat in Russia?"

Freya rocks back on her heels, stunned. "Yes, I believe you." She pauses. "Did you say he tried to kill you?"

Hika purses her lips and raises her hand to touch a finger to her neck.

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Iwakālua kūmāwalu = twenty-eight, when counting

What do you think of this? Do you approve of Hika's actions here? What do you think of Freya having a twin? What's going to happen next? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading and I'll see you next chapter!

~ Goddess of Fate, signing out