Life's Requiem {Book 1}

Chapter 9: Reverie

It continued like that for a few minutes as they made their way down the streets. Elvish men saluted Thor as the group passed, and the women shyly waved.

Once they arrived at the outdoor market, they saw a row of trade shops, similar to what they were searching for.

"This looks like a promising place." Jennica said, her eyes squinted from the bright sun.

"Let's hope." Thor replied. "We'll just talk to one of them and see what we can discover."

Loki, having kept his silence for a good long while, finally crossed his arms and said, "Leave this to me."

"Isn't that sentence bad luck for you?" Thor mocked, remembering the last time Loki said those words, spiraling them into the series of events they were stuck in now.

Rolling his eyes, Loki marched ahead, although his mood was not ruined by Thor's comment.

They spotted a sign, designating them to where a blacksmith was selling his goods. The man inside the shop looked up as the three outsiders came in, furrowing his brows for a second, taken aback by the fact that Thor of Asgard had walked into his shop with his brother and a foreigner. Strange matters did not happen very often on their humble realm.

"Can I help you with anything?" He asked, straightening his standing position. If Asgardians were here, it was something serious.

Stepping up to the blacksmith, who was behind a dirty, dented counter, Loki said with patience lacking, "We are looking for someone with expertise in metalwork of jewelry to contain magic."

The blacksmith smiled. "You've come to the right place, my friend. The name's Sindri." This elf seemed rough around the edges compared to the elves they passed earlier, with a scruffy, light brown beard and tattered pastel garments covered in dust.

"Are they made here? We are searching for the origins of such a locket."

"Oh yes, of course!" Sindri replied quickly. Almost too quickly. "Some of them take a generous amount of time to make. If you can show me what you speak of, then perhaps I can help you."

Before Loki could stop her, Jennica revealed the locket now sitting in the palm of her hand. Immediately, Sindri's expression changed.

"This is the locket?" The elf chuckled loudly. "Ha, this little trinket is nothing more than a child's toy! Nothing of significance, really. If you would like, I can make you something of greater value that matches your description in return for this locket."

It was easy for Loki to see through the elf's trickery. The mischievous look in Sindri's eyes sparkled with greed as his hands twitched and fidgeted together.

"Only a trinket? Well, we would like to be enlightened on where this trinket came from." Answered Loki, stubbornly. This amateur would not trick the god of lies.

"I do not know the entirety of what they are made for. I believe they are common, though, sustaining small amounts of magic. Nothing more. Although it isn't worth much, it is easy to sell, so I'd be more than willing to accept it as payment for a more suitable necklace for the young lady."

"This is not for sale," Loki snarled, leaning closer to the greasy salesman after pushing Jennica's hand to her chest, "where did it come from? Who makes them?!"

Sindri began to lose his temper. "Fine! I know the blacksmith who used to make them, but he was a criminal, banished! Why is this locket so important to you?! It is worthless junk!" His voice rose to a yell in Loki's motionless and unimpressed face.

Turning to Thor, Loki pleaded with his eyes to threaten the elf, but Thor shook his head. Jennica stood in confusion, both surprised that the blacksmith could act so poorly and Loki could act that composed in the presence of such a character. To rattle Sindri, Loki slammed his hand on the counter and hissed,