Chapter 7

For the next couple of days, Sigyn tried to follow the King’s advice. She continued with her daily routines, trips to the library, market, her work at a farmer’s stable, and back home, where she only dared herself to practice highly restrained magic, so the worst thing she broke was a glass on the table.

But it seemed that the more she restrained herself, the harder restraint became. It’s like the magical energy was building, pressing against her skin trying to get out like boiling air. Her fingers were constantly twitching. The urge to explode a mountain or evaporate an ocean was growing. She could definitely not let that happen.

She thought about this problem, leaning against one of the buildings in the city, overlooking the bridge to the Bifrost.

An odd series of clucking sounds pulled her from her contemplations. By her feet was a large rooster, far away from the nearest farm or person.

“Hey there, dude.” She carefully picking up the bird, who was thankfully docile. “You’re a fancy thing, aren’t ya?” she said, inspecting it’s dark green tail feathers. With one hand, she found it’s leg, and the tag around it’s ankle, which all Asgardian farmers put on their animals in case they got lost. “Let’s get you home.”

Asgard was pretty small, so it wasn’t overly difficult to find places, especially the farms which where all nestled between the river and the mountains. It was a pleasant walk among the green fields and speckles of trees. She only got to come out here a couple times a week for her work at the stables.

She knocked on the wooden door of a cozy little chicken farm, and was greeted by a hyper screeching.

“Oh you found him!” the girl took the rooster from Sigyn’s arms. “Hector where have you been!”

“His name’s Hector?”

The girl blew a bit of dark curly hair out of her face. “Yeah, I have this weird obsession with mortal names. Anyway, come in! Great rooster rescuer!”

“Ha, um… alright,” Sigyn carefully stepped into the cottage.

“I am Debryn. Have a seat! I’ll just put him away, and I’ll be right back!”

Sigyn hesitantly sat on the couch, struck numb by the stranger’s bold kindness. She hadn’t met a lot of people like this in her lifetime.

When Debryn bounced back into the room, she offered things to eat and drink. Sigyn, thinking it was rude to refuse, just asked for a glass of water.

“So what be the name of my noble heroin?” Debryn asked, handing over a glass.

“Sigyn.”

“Ooh, pretty, I like it.”

“Thanks… uh… my parents gave it to me.”

“If I'm annoying you, you’re free to leave, I’m not holding you hostage.”

“Oh, no! I’m just not use to… talking with people.” Though Sigyn had been in Asgard for a year, she hadn’t had the best of luck in the realm of friends. Most interactions were brief, or professional. The last time she had had a real friend was a distant memory.

“I’ve never seen you at the Academy,” Debryn said. “Are you homeschooled?”

“Well, no. I’m actually from Midgard.”

Her eyes almost popped out of her skull. “Odin’s beard, that’s so cool! What’s Midgard like?”

Sigyn let out a little laugh. “Well… Midgards such a big place… I don’t even know where to begin.”

“You don’t have to tell me everything all at once. I have to run to the market. If you come with me you can tell me more.”

“That’d be great.”