FAMILY FIRE

The little hunchback and the girl walked slowly through the gigantic rooms of the rustic and old house. They got lost a few times but managed to find the exit. They took deep breaths when they found themselves outside the house, in the fresh air. A dense and green forest, and tall grass surrounded the house. Squirrels and a few pheasants moved about in this impressive vegetation. Ragnar sat down at the entrance to the house and the girl wandered away for a little while before returning with large berries, apples, blackberries, blueberries, bananas and raspberries. The boy did not wait for an invitation. However, he couldn't help but think that in Kattegat the fields weren't producing as much in one harvest. However, he was starving. The two teenagers ate briskly while observing silently the nature which announced the storm. Everything around them looked taller or the same size as them: the trees were gigantic while several animals were the same size as them.

It was the girl who spoke first:

—       What are you doing here ?

—       It's a long story. I was looking for my friends and got lost. I had some strange encounters and almost ended up sliced ​​in a soup. I must say I would have had good taste all the same, answered the amused boy. But you then, you weren't afraid at all ...

— Why would I be afraid? Because I am a girl?

—       No, it is not that. I just want to compliment you, the boy said, nodding his head.

— You would also congratulate a boy who would have done nothing but defend himself? the girl went on.

—       Of course ! And you didn't just defend yourself, you helped me too, he said with a smirk. So thanks.

The girl shruged, smiling before adding:

“At the same time, I must admit that Igdrar found you to his liking, and she chuckled.

— That's it, very funny! the boy exclaimed, laughing too. So, is that his name Igdrar?

— You speak of…, asked the girl, showing the house of the thumb.

—       Yes I do

— Yes, that was his name, continued the girl.

—       What about you ? What's your story? What's your name ? asked the boy.

— Hmm. If we started asking one question at a time, it should already be good. Don't you think so ? the girl replied sarcastically with her usual mocking smile.

— What's your name then? said the boy, who cleared his throat to hide his little discomfort.

— “Lathgertha,” she replied, smiling. What about you, soup meat?

— "Ragnar," the boy replied with an enchanting smile. But my friends call me the Turtle of the Gods. I think it's obvious, he continued, laughing out loud and glancing at her bump.

Lathgertha also giggled.

They stopped laughing when Ragnar put his hand on her still aching stomach. Lathgertha asked him:

— Do you know where we are?

—No. Where are we? the boy asked in turn.

— Jötunheimar, said the girl raising her eyebrows.

— No… the land of the Giants? and Ragnar laughed at her.

— It's stupid that you don't believe it when you've just killed a giant

— "Maybe they planted those berries and blueberries aboveda mead pit and that's what makes us delirious," he said cheerfully. I was at home in Kattegat, which is supposed to be on Midgard and suddenly I find myself in Jötunheimar? Ha… ha… ha.

— When I meet such idiots sometimes, I understand better why Odin hanged himself for nine nights, pierced by his spear to reach knowledge. Someone here should also offer his eye for a little knowledge and if only that might be enough. It would still be a good start anyway, replied Lathgertha, who remained unperturbed, but no longer smiled.

Ragnar composed himself and raised his hand, saying:

— If you don't mind explaining to me, I think it's never too late to learn.

Lathgertha stared at him for a short moment with an indescribable grimace on her face that mixed disdain with pity, then stood up and began to walk towards the grass surrounding the house. Ragnar followed him. It was then that she replied:

— During the seven days following each new moon, untimely communicating portals between the nine worlds of the Yggdrasil open in different places in each world. It began with the new moon of a Ylir's month in which Odin riding Sleipnir visits more than usual the inhabitants of Midgard. Loki made Heimdall drink and pretended to be him, taking his appearance and stealing his sword. While Heimdall always opened a single portal for Odin to Midgard, Loki opened dozens between the nine worlds. This is how we saw giants in Midgard or Asgard, gods in Helheim and humans or Elves in Jötunheimar. However, the Völva also use this portals to move between the different worlds. The time and the weather are different in Jötunheimar but if I stick to my count of the time since my arrival here, the last full moon was five days ago.

Ragnar seemed captivated by the story of the girl. When she stopped talking, the boy put his hand to his chin for a while as if to think. Then he stared at a point in the distance. There was silence, then the boy wanted to speak, when they heard cries of children calling for help. Ragnar asked Lathgertha if she had heard too. She nodded but couldn't tell where the cries were coming from. They continued to walk slowly while looking around in the grass, when the cries were still heard. The girl turned her head and saw in the distance a well partially hidden by the tall grass. She told Ragnar that the screams must come from the side of the well. They ran towards the hole and when they got there, the well was even bigger than they could see from a distance. They screamed and asked if anyone was there. Children's voices answered them from the deep darkness of the well.

Ragnar and Lathgertha then began to search for a way to bring the children up from this gaping hole. While they were busy looking everywhere for tools or items that could help, Ragnar continuing to ask questions, learned from Lathgertha that she had been in Jötunheimar for almost twelve moons already. She had traveled with two of her sisters and a convoy of merchants riding horses who had all served as game for the giants after they unknowingly passed through one of Loki's portals.

As the boy tied the rope of lianas he had found, to the huge animal skin bottle that Lathgertha had picked up behind the house, to send it to the children at the bottom of the well and to bring them up two by two, they heard in the distance, from behind the giant forest behind the house, sneers, loud chats and heavy footsteps.

The little hunchback turned quickly to the little girl and his frowned eyebrows, asked her:

— What are these noises?

Lathgertha, her gaze lit and slightly wide eyes, replied: "These are the five brothers of Igdrar".

— What? And when did you plan to talk about them? replied the surprised young boy.

— They had gone hunting for three days. They weren't supposed to come back now. Igdrar is the youngest and the smallest of them.