Kratos x Reader

Seventeen

Angered, Freya frowned.

Harshly, she grabbed you by the throat, squeezing it gently so you would know that she was ready to harm you.

But you did not get nervous. Instead, you let your eyes wander over to the boy.

He was shivering in fear. His eyes were filled with tears and he was holding his bow so tightly the wood was about to snap in two.

Protecting, you lay a hand on his head and rubbed it.

"Go back through the tunnel, Atreus. Your father is waiting for you. I will stay here.", you said, looking Freya dead in the eyes. "My guardian and I still have a thing to settle."

The goddess didn't answer that.

But her mouth twitched as the word guardian crossed your lips. She always had hated this title, especially because you had never been in need of a guardian.

But Odin had given her this task and she had not had a chance to refuse.

Without arguing, Atreus twirled around and wanted to run off. But as he made one quick step, a huge plant emerged from the ground. It danced around in the night, twisted and curled and grabbed him by the angle.

Surprised, Atreus screamed while hitting the ground.

His grip on the bow losende and it slipped out of his hands. Filled with panic and fear, he drew his little knife and tried to stab his way through the plant, but the blade was too tiny and the magic of Freya restored every hole that he stabbed into his chains.

"Let me go! Let me go!", Atreus screamed with tears in his eyes.

The plant tightened around his ankle and with every movement of his it grew bigger, wandering up his little body and trapping him entirely.

"Don't move so much.", you said in a calm voice, still looking at Freya. "She's not allowed to fight. Her powers are only for protection. If you stay calm, she has no reason to protect herself and she won't be able to harm you."

Your words were a bitter advice, but Atreus knew how right they were.

Forcing himself to stay calm, he took a few deep breaths in and stopped moving.

Now he looked like a dead fish in a trap, only daring to gasp for air every now and then. With a scared expression in his eyes, he looked up to you and frowned.

"Please get me out of here.", he begged, close to tears.

You threw a brief gaze over your shoulder and smiled into his direction.

"I promise. Be silent for a moment, will you? My guardian and I need a moment for ourselves.", you whispered, letting your fingers dance.

A small spark appeared between your fingers, creating a golden shimmer that grew inside of your hand.

With a swift movement, you ordered this shimmer to flow over to the boy and settle on his face.

Immediately, his eyes got heavy and his head sunk back. It didn't take more than a second until he was tightly asleep.

As you were sure that he wasn't awake no more, you turned back to Freya and pushed her hand harshly away.

"You're still as soft as ever, (Y/N).", Freya said in a cold voice, eying you. "Using your magic to make him fall asleep. You truly must be concerned about what we talk."

She tilted her head.

You noticed that she had been crying. The dark Make-up around her eyes was smudged.

"Not everything is supposed to be heard by children.", you answered, wiping away her dried tears. "You look terrible. But I can feel that you have not been crying because of Odin. Have you made your piece with being trapped here?"

This time it was her turn to push your hand away.

"Don't act like you still care for me.", she hissed.

"I don't. I really don't anymore. But I still feel responsible for you and your well-being. You were a good friend to me once, you helped me learn and you protected me when nobody else did. I am still thankful for that and will be for a long time still. But no, you're right, I do not have friendship left for you. It's more respect."

Her mouth twisted in a sarcastic manner as Freya let out a sharp breath. She tried not to laugh in amusement but couldn't hold herself back and let out a sound that was more than mockery.

"You speak so lovely, it disgusts me. Is that how you managed to seduce my husband? Was it your golden tongue that was the reason for my misery in this world?", she crossed her arms in front of her chest and grinned.
Confused, you frowned.

"I do not know what you are talking about.", you said, trying to find something in her eyes that was still not corrupted by hate.

But there was nothing.

"Oh really? Strange. The last time I had been by my husbands side, that was before he and you had this... special talk that lasted one hundred years. And after that? I was trapped here. What a coincidence, isn't it?"

Calmly, Freya began to walk around you, eying you from every side and every inch.

You frowned, trying to find a memory that would match the things she said. But your head was blank.

"I have never suggested to him to trap you here.", you insisted. "I don't even remember."

"Of course you don't! It has been more than one hundred years. Your mind is still mortal, human even. You don't remember the curse? Your curse of forgetting? Did you even forget about that?"

Frowning even more, you turned to her to look her in the eyes.

"The- the curse of forgetting? What is that supposed to mean?! Answer me, Freya!"

Amused by the confusion on your face, she laughed. It was an ugly laugh, mocking and hating at the same time.

"Ah, yes, you poor thing. Being blessed with so many gifts, power, healing and even the ability to trick death itself. And yet, your curse is the only thing that keeps you from becoming mightier than Odin himself. What a pity."