Unable to contain herself any longer, Maddie jumped at the first sound of the door she heard. She was unaware whether it was Birger returning from a late night workshop visit, as he did sometimes, or if it was Jörmun.

The girl stepped outside the bedroom, and noticed the door of the man’s room closed; it meant that he was off until morning and it could’ve been only Jörmun that made his way in. She had to catch him before he would disappear for the eons-worth bath he succumbed to every single evening.

“I’ve been looking for you,” she awkwardly started, rushed by the fact that she saw him attempting to make himself unseen once again.

“Need anything?” he briefly peeked over the shoulder.

“The audacity!” Maddie mused internally, scandalised by the nonchalance. “I do actually,” she stood firmly and waited for him to completely turn and give her attention. She shook from head to toes with bubbling fear and anxiety; she was afraid that she’d be dismissed and left without answers, prolonging her inner made-up scenarios regarding his silence.

“Can it wait?”

“No. It waited long enough.”

“I’m still covered in sawdust.”

“Well, it doesn’t seem to be in your mouth. You look perfectly able to have a talk.”

“So, you want a talk? Is that what you need?”

“I need it, yes, but I believe you do as well. So please, let’s sit down somewhere and have a chat,” she let out a small sigh, feeling as if she held it in for a while, given the tightness of her chest.

“All right,” Jörmun eventually agreed and made his way to the sofa. Its bedding was thankfully shielded by a throw; sleeping in sawdust was not his latest desire.

Maddie joined him shortly and allowed herself a moment to collect her thoughts, wondering on how it was best to open the subject. Even with the other at her side, looking at her and expecting for her to talk, she was still afraid of the potential rejection. She didn’t want to live alone with her thoughts any longer.

“I’ve noticed recently that you go for the evening walk alone. Is there a reason for it?”

“It got colder. I thought it’s best for you to remain indoors,” he attempted at deceiving the girl, but from the look in her eyes it didn’t look as if she took the bait.

“That didn’t stop you last winter from dragging myself and Eloise through freezing weather. Be honest with me, Jörmun. What is on your mind?”

And there it was; the question that he anticipated for a while, but hoped that it would never come.

Jörmun looked Maddie in the eye, then stared down at his hands. His fingers were playing with his ring. He noticed how loose it was; he was able to free spin it. Loki had been right; think of letting go of it for long enough and it may listen.

“This has to be very bad, because it takes you forever to speak,” she observed out loud, making the other shift uncomfortably under the pressure. “Whatever it is, I am here to help you. I am sure that even Birger would offer a hand if you asked for it,” she tried to reassure him, feeling guilty about her initial judging thoughts.

“I am concerned of how you will receive the news about the Midwinter Solstice journey I need to take,” he eventually decided to speak the truth. There was no point in running around it.

“What’s about it? Are you worried about the final bits that we have to put together around the Skuldelev? You’ve heard Birger this morning; he’s convinced we will make it even faster than anticipated, thanks to all of us putting a hand in to help him.”

Jörmun shook his head, which made Maddie’s heart sank. It was something else; it must have been whatever he decided to not reveal from the moment they set themselves on this route.

With a heavy gulp, she took one of his hands between her own. “Whatever it is, I’m listening. We made it this far. I will come along anyway. You won’t be alone.”

“You can’t.”

“I’ve already decided, you can’t take that away from me,” she stated firmly and felt the other’s hand growing tense within her grasp. She looked at him and saw him averting his gaze. “You said I would like Asgard. I want to see it to convince myself.”

“I am not headed straight for Asgard, Maddie. I can’t take you along.”

“You don’t have to take me. I can take myself. I don’t need hand holding unless it’s a spell or something I can’t do on my own,” she insisted and watched Jörmun shake his head in denial. “Are you ashamed to be accompanied by a human? Have no fear. I would love to look Odin in the eye and tell him a thing or two,” Maddie added and heard a short snort coming from the other. She wasn’t sure whether it was to mock her for the stupidity of her idea, or if he was simply laughing at her half-baked joke.

“I have never thought you’d bring me shame.”

“Then why are you so keen on myself not accompanying you? Hm?”

“Because you have better things to do. Midgardian things, such as your studies,” Jörmun added while withdrawing his hand from within Maddie’s. He then stood up and walked away, grabbing the towel from the radiator nearby.

“I am good with waiting a bit longer,” she followed the other shortly, stopping only a couple of steps away from him as he paused.

“You should go rest for now.”

“But you still didn’t tell me exactly what’s bothering you,” she pressed on, not being ready to be dismissed; not without a proper answer.

“One thing at a time,” he offered her a brief smile before disappearing into the bathroom.

“One thing at a time,” she repeated in an outraged mutter. “He told me none to begin with!” she eventually gave up standing before the closed door and made her way back to her room. She was not pleased with what she was given to hear. She had more questions than previously, which only fueled the worst of her fake scenarios. It was not going to be the last time Jörmun would hear her questioning. He did the mistake to promise one thing at a time. She’d make sure he will keep it.

---

No matter how hard Maddie tried to have Jörmun hold up to his promise, he kept on slipping between her fingers like a slithering snake. However, she noticed that ever since their late night talk, he at least resumed talking both to her and Birger more often. She was sure that whatever was on his mind was not gone, but surely the discussion took a bit of the weight off his shoulders.

One evening, at the start of December, just when Maddie was preparing herself to bury her nose in a book before bed, a loud knock at the door made her heart jump. Prepared for the worst there could’ve been, she quickly threw a cardigan over her shoulders and opened the bedroom door. She was greeted by the excited looks of Jörmun and Birger, which only confused her further.

“What’s happening?”

“The Northern lights are above the lake!” the man whispered enthusiastically. I took the motor boat out. We can take a quick ride for a better view,” he motioned her to follow, disregarding the fact that she was in her pajamas.

Maddie performed what was possibly the quickest dress up, dragging a pair of loose jeans over her sleeping pants. She then added her coat and followed Jörmun who waited for her by the door.

The pair made their way to Birger who was already in the small motorized boat by the dock next to the workshop.

Maddie cared no longer about the freezing cold nor about the fact that she nearly slipped into the lake on her descent into the boat if it wasn’t for Jörmun’s saving catch; the Northern lights dancing all across the sky stole her attention completely.

She realised that they weren’t the only ones deciding to go out on the lake only when a larger boat crossed by them. Suddenly everyone in the neighbouring villages seemed to be wide awake and willing to see the nature’s spectacle.

“Do you have them in Asgard?” Maddie asked, while her eyes remained glued to the sky.

“Yes. Some say these are the very branches of Yggdrasil making themselves seen.”

“And what do you say?” she eventually looked at Jörmun. He appeared to be the most relaxed he had been in a while; a longing visible in his eyes.

“I believe that whatever it truly is, it brings our realms closer together, and that’s beautiful on its own.”

“I once read that it’s a reflection of the Bifröst,” Birger added, to which Maddie nodded. She did recall seeing it mentioned somewhere as well. She had been reading so many Norse Mythology books in the past year that she was unable to tell where she even picked it up from.

“That’s an interesting look at things,” Jörmun stared at the shifting colourful lights with interest. If only the way back home was really as close as that.