Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

⸻ »» Forged in Trust

𝐁𝐲 E. Morgan Row «« ⸻

➴   ➴

⸻ »» Forged in Trust

𝐷𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑟 & 𝐶𝑜𝑝𝑦𝑟𝑖𝑔𝘩𝑡 «« ⸻

... I do not own God of War. All rights go to the developer and publisher Sony's Santa Monica Studio. This is nothing more than a fanfiction with the inspiration of this beautifully written work. Please do not copy or claim this story as your own. ...

➴   ➴

⸻ »» Forged in Trust

𝐴𝑢𝑡𝘩𝑜𝑟'𝑠 𝑁𝑜𝑡𝑒 «« ⸻

... If you are a new reader, I want to give you a special thanks for taking the time to check out my story, even if it's just out of mere curiosity. If you decide to stick around and read any more of my works, I'd like to officially welcome you to my profile and progress. If you, however, are looking for a more "share for share", "comment for comment", or "like for like", just let me know. Happy reading! ...

➴   ➴

Chapter Text

        Finally. After years of being kept in the confined space that had been specially built for you, it had finally paid off. With enough patience, deliberate and rather forced conversation while studying the witch's magic, you had completely warped a vision before her without her knowledge. It was only a matter of time before she came back though, you knew, and so you revealed the now gaping entrance to your cell before slipping out. Rocky terrain greeted you along with a stale air that you had grown too accustomed to. Softly, but with a newfound determination in your step, you padded along the path and towards the cabin above. Just as expected, nothing stirred as you opened the door with a creak, one that was quick to make you withdraw for only a moment until you realized you were in fact alone. Not even a fire blazed in the hearth. But it seemed like the home was abandoned the further you allowed your body to enter. Cobwebs littered every corner of the room, masking what once were beautiful artifacts of magic or various bottles that carried liquids of mystery. 

        Guilt washed over you at the image of Freya living in such a way, but you had no time to linger, making your way towards the door. But it was blocked, or so you assumed due to the snow that was built up outside. From what the witch had mentioned, after her son was so brutally murdered...the land had been coated in thick white dust and splintered with sharp arrays of ice. It was something she would relive day by day, her words never faltering in carrying the same weight it had the day she trapped you in her home. The day your brother believed you dead...

        Drawing in a steady breath to compose yourself, a window caught your eye on the other end of the room, and with a sense of relief, you hurried towards it. Unsure of when she was going to return, you couldn't help but feel worry as you shoved your shoulder into the glass pane. It wasn't all that difficult to break, seeing as some of the surface was cracked and missing a few shards, which had yet to be swept up from the rickety floorboards. With a grunt and as much strength as you could muster, you managed to fall through the damage, your body hitting the compacted snow hard. Glancing back and quickly gathering yourself to a wobbly stance, you bolted across the vast white field under the moonlight. Had you not been in such a hurry, you would've stopped to drink in the view. It had been far too long since you'd faced nature, and even the little things brought tears to your eyes as your legs carried you on further and further.

        Once you believed to be far enough, fatigue was quick to take over and reveal to you that your body was not cut out for this like it used to be. Slumping forward to sit on a rock, you became aware of how terribly cold it was, your arms doing little to help your petite frame. Though you knew you needed to get a move on until you were at least behind Faye's protective stave, you allowed yourself to take in the tall sparse trees around you. They were taller than you remembered. Then again, you had been in a rather small cell with nothing but a bench and a small table that had never become useful for you. The sky was a deep blue with constellations stretching as far as you could see. It was beautiful. More intense than you ever could've imagined. Magic did little to replicate the true essence of nature, though you wondered if you'd have lost your sanity if you hadn't used it throughout the years. Of course, it was nothing compared to a decade or a century, but three years still felt long enough to miss something that you'd always been so connected to. 

        Once you'd managed to somewhat catch your breath, you started once again on the invisible path that you hoped was still in the direction of home. Home. Your heart hammered at the thought of seeing your family again. Facing the world without them had been a heavy thought on your mind while you were hidden away. Everyday you had sent out a blessing in hopes they were still striving. That they were still working through the challenges of their relationship together. A soft chuckle emitted from you at the thought as you came to a fallen birch, brows knitting as you noted another. And another. Keeping your guard up and lowering your head a little, you continued forward, deciding to put some distance between yourself and the destruction. Whatever had caused that, couldn't be good news. 

        A lump formed in your throat once you came to the first mark of Faye, her handprint still glowing brightly as ever against the white base of the tree. You thought back to when you'd stood by your brother while he cast a flame over her wrapped body. It felt like ages ago, but you could still feel the burden he carried after such a task. You hoped...after some time, he'd learned to embrace the better memories they shared. It was all you had wished of his troubled mind before the three of you had set off to Jötunheim. Your legs halted you in your trek as you felt the warmth of your tears stain cool against your ever so pale cheeks. Had they made it after you had failed them? Had they managed to reach the highest peak in all of the realms? Stomach churning at the thought of a failed mission, you continued on, legs somehow heavier than before. 

        Embers raised to the air in the distance, bright against the dark sky, and you found yourself breaking into a run. A stack of barrels beside a crackling fire filled your vision while immense joy and nerves took over you. But there was sign of life, and that was good enough for you. Two wolves huddled away in the makeshift houses, their eyes peering into you before seeming to not deem you as a threat. They could at least note your true being, and you nodded in acknowledgement before pressing on. There were fresh sled marks in the snow that caused you to suck in a breath. They were here, you knew they were. but why did it suddenly feel so much more difficult to step forward?

        As if to encourage you, one of the wolves patted its tail against the inside of the barrel, panting and letting out a gentle bark. You smiled gratefully in its direction and proceeded up the hill, coming to an eerily recognizable clearing. The cabin looked to be untouched...just as you remembered it. Memories fogged your vision, displaying before you like it was reality. Grass grew in place of fallen snow and you could almost feel the heat from the afternoon sun as you looked upon a large pile of logs. The cabin was in the process of being built, only half of it standing while the other half was left as a gaping hole in the side. Soft voices echoed through the space, but you could not see the figures they belonged to. Still, it was comforting to know they had been here.

        Like watercolor, it blended away into the atmosphere that reflected your current time as you stepped forward.

        Home. Finally. After all this time. You were home. 

        Knowing your brother didn't take too kindly to visitors, you decided it best to knock on the door instead of just barge in. Silence followed, to which caused you to carefully push open the door. A dim light from a single candle stood melting by the doorway, allowing just enough light to tell you no one was home. There were still obvious signs they were at least around, which left you hopeful as you padded forward into the cozy cabin. Some things were just a tad out of place, and some things you didn't recognize like a few random treasures lying around. But besides the few changes, everything was still the same. Even your bed sat untouched, your heart warming at the sentiment. 

        Making your way over with a sigh of content, you plopped down on the edge and fumbled for the blanket. Your cold body was quickly buried under the thick fabric as you wrapped it around your shoulders, inhaling the deep smell of leather and fur. Home. It felt good to relish in something so familiar...so long missed but hardly forgotten. Tired, but unable to sleep from the suspense of seeing your loved ones again, you preoccupied yourself with determining your words for when they did show up. Rolling over the many scenarios that could take place in your mind, you tried not to worry yourself with making it perfect. There was no need to rewind anything to change the outlier. Not this time. You wanted this to be as natural as possible. A moment to savor, not live in. 

        Time was a funny thing to you, and as if it were yesterday, you could still hear Kratos warning you about your ways with harnessing it. It was a gift, but it was also a curse being able to relive past moments. Only some of your magic had been able to follow you to this realm, and some only shattered in how you were able to use them. For years, you had done your best to live without it, especially since you wanted nothing more than to escape the clutches of Freya than play a good memory over and over again. You wanted to make new ones. To see your brother and nephew again. The more time passed, the less you were able to make out from the imagery in those times. Whenever you wanted to look into the past when you and Kratos were just kids for example, it was hardly noticeable. Faces distorted, voices cracked like a broken record. It was rare when you visited those times. But now, as you sat in the safety of your home...you couldn't help but imagine the faces you had met all of those years back. The friends you had made along the way. And the enemies you had faced...

        Before you could take the time to relish in some of those times, the sound of crunching snow could be heard outside and you nearly leapt out of your skin as the door was thrown open.

        "As evenings go, that was entirely too eventful," you would know that voice anywhere, and your small suspicion was confirmed when he was placed on a table by the door, eyes trailing after the next familiar figure that filled the empty space of the room like a looming mountain. "Though I admit...it was a bit like old times there, for a moment," there was a lint of sadness in Mimir's voice as he spoke, seeming to share your sentiment on keeping old memories close. Even if he was just a talking head. The two of you had shared many stories of the past upon meeting, and your insides twisted with excitement at the passing thought of chatting once again. Carrying on, no doubt, far into the night. "The four of us..." he trailed off, blinking his yellow orbs in your direction.

        "Been a while since you've joined us if that's what you mean," the final person walked in, and you couldn't keep the soft gasp that fell from your lips as Kratos and him became instantly locked onto your presence in the room. Axe in hand and bow drawn onto you, the only thing you could do was awkwardly wave as mixed emotions began to cross their features. 

        "Eirene..." your brother's hold on the weapon fell to the ground as he approached you in two long strides, hesitating before reaching out and gripping your shoulders. He searched your gaze, as if reconstructing your face to match with the pictures he had probably buried away within his mind. 

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Choice Selection

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Head

Heart

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Chapter Text

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Back

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Head

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

        "The one and only," you chuckled as Kratos searched your gaze. For what, you couldn't be too sure. There was something different about him though. About the way he held himself before you as you scanned his features with bated breath. You couldn't allow your emotions to get the better of you, even as his amber orbs flickered with...something you had only rarely witnessed. Tears? They didn't fill his eyes completely, but they were visible. 

        "But how...how is that possible?" the boy behind your brother spoke up, his grip on his bow becoming tighter. Confusion washed over his now older features, and you glanced at him for a moment, thinking back to how he looked when you'd last seen him. He wasn't a child anymore, but you feared it would take some getting used to, treating him like the young man he had grown to be. "When Baldur...a-and Freya- you were-"

        "Atreus," Kratos didn't allow his stare to linger from you as he called out his son's name, urging him to pause and take a breather. The boy did so, nodding before setting his bow down and making his way over to you. The attention stirred something inside you, but you weren't about to let your guard down. Your brother had taught you to stay strong, and that was what you were going to do. Even if it had been a long time coming. "Questions will be answered in the morning..." Kratos added, cradling the side of your face in his massive hand. You leaned into it, covering it with your own as you let out a soft sigh. "It is...good to have you home," he murmured, your eyes opening to find relief flooding the depths of his features. 

        "Close your heart to it," you whispered, a lump forming in your throat from the words he would replay over and over again for you while growing up. He let out a grunt, and if you hadn't looked away so quickly, you would have wondered if the tips of his lips had curved. Only slightly. But you didn't dwell on it as you pulled away and allowed him to give his son space to greet you. Your nephew, the boy you had grown so fond of in such a short amount of time, knelt in front of you. His hands trembled as he raised them, and just like old times, you took them in yours, running your thumbs over his knuckles softly. 

        "I can't believe you're here...I'm...was there not anything we could've done?" Atreus' eyes began to water and you leaned forward, shaking your head sternly.

        "Don't you dare go blaming yourself, little one," you squeezed his hands reassuringly as he met your gaze, guilt evident within the bend of his eyebrows and the downcast of his lips. In a whisper, you repeated it to him, "Don't blame yourself..."

        "Aye...while that's good advice...I'm sorry we didn't ever...come lookin' for ya lass," you'd almost forgotten about Mimir as he spoke out with such a softness in his voice. Wanting to keep the mood light, you rubbed the orange fluff on top of your nephew's head and made to get up, padding over to the animated head who looked at you with regret in his eyes. 

        "What matters is that I'm home," though the words weighed heavy on your heart, you were quick to push the emotion away, knowing it wouldn't do your family good to see you crumble in on yourself. Three years wasn't a lifetime. There was no use dwelling on what was when there could be so much more time spent on what is. Now, in the present. It was the best time to live. Mimir frowned, however, casting someone behind you a pained look,

        "Yes but...nothing was stopping us and we just...assumed...with how things went..."

        "I missed you too, Mimir," you allowed yourself to say, your mouth drying at the statement as a sharp stinging filled your eyes. 

        "Come," your brother's voice carried like an anchor tossed in the middle of the room, "We should rest." There was a clinking sound as Atreus acknowledged by starting towards his bed, and you gathered yourself up before facing Kratos. He seemed to wanna say something, but whatever it was going to be, didn't come. Instead, he motioned with a nod of his head towards the bottom of your bed, "Your belongings. I kept them, in case..." Trailing off, he lowered his head, finding another barrier between his words. 

        "Thank you," you offered as he lifted his sharp gaze to you once more. A soft grunt erupted from him, leaving you to your side of the room before his heavy footsteps retreated to his own bed. With a quirk of your mouth, trying to bury the joy that bubbled inside of you, the blanket beckoned you to rest. Glancing towards Mimir, who was quietly eyeing you before closing his eyes, you allowed yourself into a well-deserved slumber.

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Next Chapter

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Chapter Text

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Back

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Heart

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

        Tears welled in your eyes as you stared back into the amber pools before you, surprised to see them glittering with the same emotion that was overriding you. But unlike you, he didn't let them stray, and as your heart stuttered within the cage it was kept in, his thumb swiped to catch any that slipped along your cheek. Even over the course of just a few years, you noticed a change in him. Not just on the surface, though the hairs in his beard had grown more peppered and the lines had creased more over his eyebrows, but something deeper. 

        "Hi, Kratos..." you breathed, pressing your forehead to his in greeting. His fingers wrapped around your neck to steady you, or perhaps it was to relax his own nerves, you couldn't be too certain. Your whole being trembled as the two of you sat in silence for a moment. With wound up nerves finally coming to rest, you raised your gaze to the boy that was standing with his jaw to the floor. When he saw you eyeing him, he smiled softly and made his way over, his father allowing space for him as he set his bow down. 

        "We thought you were...but after Baldur- how did you-" you held up a hand to stop his stammering as his gaze flickered over your own, concern and confusion etched onto his face as he took the hands you held out to him. 

        "Let me explain in the morning, Atreus," voice soft, as it always had been when facing such a fragile child, you repeated what Kratos had done with you. It seemed to calm him as he drew in one heavy breath after the other, closing his eyes as his head rested against your own. "You've gotten so big..." you couldn't help the chuckle that escaped you as he gave you a sheepish grin.

        "Yeah...been awhile..." withdrawing from the embrace, he picked himself up and looked to Kratos for the next course of action. His eyes were still boring into you, giving you a look that made you feel more found than walking into the cabin had made you feel. It wasn't as if he had hated you or anything. But...the two of you had catching up to do, that was for sure. Where had this gentle giant come from? And what had he done with your brother? Had he really missed you that much?

        "A-Hem," Mimir called out, raising a brow as you looked over at him, embarrassment flushing over you as you clambered to your feet and made your way over. He scoffed, clearly offended that you had yet to take notice of him, "Three years pass, and not a single hello for your old friend?" Leaning down to get on his level, you rested your chin on the backs of your palms as you tilted your head,

        "Three years pass and you're still the same sensitive man, hm?" With the counter, you had him flabbergasted and he huffed, looking between you and the ones who stood behind you, still more than likely settling into the new reality unfolding around them. It was as if nothing had passed and you chuckled as you tapped the animating head on the nose, fluttering your eyes at him, "Of course I missed you too, mister know-it-all." Melting under your words, he raised his gaze to the ceiling as if to avoid your stare on him and you took that as your sign to face your brother and nephew once more. "Maybe we should get some sleep?" Shrugging your shoulders, you made to stand up, and Atreus took the opportunity to wrap his frail arms around you. 

        "I'm glad you're back, Aunt Eirene," he nuzzled his face into your shoulder before pulling away and padding over silently to his bed. Kratos, who still seemed to be in a trance, finally snapped out of it and walked over to your bed. Bending down, he pulled out a chest from below the frame, dusting it off some before lifting the cover. You came to kneel at his side as he gestured to the contents that were scattered about in the case,

        "I...couldn't bear to part with them...not until I was sure..." A smile tugged at your lips as you picked out a small pair of daggers, the oil-slick glinting as you turned them over in your hands. Humming with what you could only assume was content, Kratos lifted his weight to stand, allowing you to scavenge through a bit before sliding the chest back under the bed.

        "Thank you, brother," you murmured to him as he began towards his bed, returning a gentle nod of his head and a grunt as you curled into a fetal position on your bed. 

        "It's good to have you home, lassie," Mimir's whispered through the cabin as her eyes flitted closed. 

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Next Chapter

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Chapter Text

        You hardly had time to let your dream form before the house around you began to shake, and in an instant, the three of you were sitting up in bed. Alerted and on edge, you threw your blanket off and glanced towards your brother with wide eyes. He was already instructing Atreus to take hold of his bow while his axe flew into his open palm. 

        "Eirene, your daggers!" Kratos called, gesturing to the chest below. With a silent nod, breath caught tightly in your throat, you knelt down and eyed the pair of oil-slick blades that you had carried for as long as you could remember. Gripping the leather-bound handles, you stood to attention while your brother and Atreus started towards the front door. Mimir looked on with a sharp gaze as you quickly staggered into step after them. Wind billowed and spun around a large silhouette, his cloak thrashing about his frame. 

        "WHO ARE YOU?!" Kratos' voice carried within the storm as the figure revealed a large hammer, a light blue hue humming from it's surface. There was a silence as the three of you watched the stranger raise his head, and you could just barely make out the long red beard that cascaded down his chin. 

        "Can I come in?" It was a rhetorical question, you knew, which could only mean one thing to you. Trouble. "I have mead." Holding up a bottle as if to prove he had some sort of offering, none of you said anything in return. And as this man began to step forward, the weight in each gate shaking the Earth, you realized just how large and burly he was. Wider and taller than Kratos. But it didn't stir you, as you had witnessed his many battles in the past. You had convinced yourself long ago that no fight was too much for him, no matter the monster. No matter the god. However, upon your gaze flickering to the left where the very God of War stood, you couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. The stranger's form hovered threateningly close, but he didn't back down. Something you always admired within Kratos. 

        Atreus followed with a worried stare, awaiting his father's orders. But none came, and that caused you to tread as lightly as possible as the four of you piled inside. Finding that there was a lack of space to weasel your way through, you stood closer to the door while your nephew slunk towards the back of the cabin, busying himself with gathering a few cups from the kitchen. Every now and again, you noticed him sending a cautious glance over his shoulder. Soaking in the scene with the hairs on your neck standing on end, you looked between the two men that now sat themselves at the dining table. A loud thud emerged and you swallowed thickly as the man's hammer was placed on the surface before Kratos, who still held his axe at his side. Brows furrowed and nostrils flaring as he refused to fold under pressure, he followed suit. 

        Though they were far from the same, you couldn't help but take note of the similar runes that marked their handles. One didn't need to understand these weapon's origins to know they were related. Forged by the same hands. Your thoughts strayed only briefly to the dwarves you had come to call friends years ago. 

        Catching sight of Mimir at the far end of the cabin as Atreus came back with empty cups, you nudged past your brother to get to him. He paid you no mind as the God of Thunder poured three cups and you settled yourself beside the head. This was none of your business, that much was clear. At least, not that you knew of yet. But you preferred to not get in the middle of whatever this was, instead allowing yourself to keep a watchful eye out for any potential threats...besides the man that was looking down on your brother of course. 

        "Could have told me before I poured..." Thor muttered as he attempted to slide a cup over to Atreus, your brother grunting in disapproval before stopping the advance with an outstretched hand. Keeping his distance much like yourself, your nephew took a step back, his eyes constantly flicking over to his father. You took a moment to study the trespasser, trying to pick your brain for the stories Freya had passed on in her spare time. These gods were different than the ones you had grown up with. Kratos had no difficulty facing them...but the unknown set you on edge. How much more powerful were they here? Despite his strength, you were aware that your brother wasn't getting any younger. But you held onto the faith you had in him. You had to. 

        "Why are you here?" Kratos gritted out, his chest heaving in and out slowly. Collected and controlled. 

        "Just uh...being polite..." the god offered with a twitch of his lips, picking up his cup of mead before setting it down without drinking, "You seem like a calm...and reasonable person..." He paused, dipping his fingers into the liquid before running them along his hammer, "Are you...a calm and reasonable person?" Blood rushing in your ears, you drew in a quiet breath, trying to calm your building nerves. It had been a long time since you had seen your brother lose himself to anger...but this...coming into his home and towering over him like he owned the place...you had your doubts that Kratos wouldn't snap.

        "If the moment calls for calm," he replied, tone grinding like gravel. Thor's deep aqua eyes bore into him, and you couldn't help but catch on to the hint of pain beneath them. Not that it mattered...something your brother had taught you through the years. Someone's inner suffering didn't warrant delivering it to others. 

        "I'd say the moment calls for calm...yeah," the stranger chuckled, leaning forward onto his arm to acknowledge Kratos in closer proximity. A loud knock rapped on the door and Atreus glanced at you before his father, legs shifting uncomfortably beneath him. Kratos nodded towards him and he made for the entrance, seeming to prepare himself for another posing threat. And there stood only a figure you had ever heard stories about. He was thinner than you imagined, but didn't lack the intensity with how high he held himself. With outstretched arms, he summoned two ravens that dissipated into nothing at his wrists.

        "You know who I am," it wasn't a question, but a fact that everyone in the room understood. He started forward, as though he owned the place, and grabbed a stool to sit on amongst the group. "Back before winter set in, there were some...misunderstandings...regrettable ones. But I think we all have a better idea of who we're dealing with," Odin's eye trained on every form that filled the space of the cabin, tilting his head out of curiosity as it landed on you. Shriveling into place and shifting awkwardly, you lowered your head to avoid his stare. You had never been one for facing the enemy head on. That was your brother's area of expertise. Thankfully, he continued, with a more raised voice though that caused you to flinch, "Now. What you did to his boys...self defense." Calmer now, and you couldn't help the shiver that coursed through your body. "Dying is what we Aesir live for. And let's be honest, they were kinda useless." 

        You couldn't help but scrunch up your nose at his words. There was so much you had missed, but it was obvious from the conversation...Kratos had killed Thor's sons. Oh brother...what have you gotten yourself into? Stomach twisting and churning, you eyed Mimir, who only gave you a knowing look. This wasn't going to end well. 

        "But Baldur," your head pricked up at the name and you sucked in a breath. It was a name that had grown stale over time with how many times Freya mentioned him. You couldn't help the frown that set across your features as the man met your gaze, intimidating to say the least as he continued, "He had value. He was my best tracker...my closer." Holding your gaze, you felt no need to look away this time. You had to stand your ground. It was what Kratos had taught you. Don't back down. It was as if predator was peering down prey. Close your heart to it. After a moment of silence, the depths of his soulless being finally shifting back over to your brother, you allowed yourself to breathe. "Yeah, his mind was gone, sure. but he had his uses, and now he's gone. Because of you and that no good sister of yours. You follow me?" So this wasn't just a threat to Kratos. You were also apart of this. Of all days to come back home...it was as if you knew you'd untangled yourself from the clutches of Freya. 

        Odin picked up Thor's cup of mead, taking a sip before setting it down with a very unnecessary amount of force, "You have a debt. You're no fun anymore." Having decided to choose his words carefully, the God of War spoke again,

        "What do you want?" 

        "How about peace?" Gathering himself to his feet, agitation coming over him, he made his way around Kratos, "How does peace strike the esteemed, retired God of War? How about...we just don't kill each other? Stay at home. Kick up your feet. Seek no quarrel with me, and I'll have none with you. Of course it means that that one," he pointed to Atreus, who was now standing behind his father with guarded interest. You glanced towards him, wondering how he could've possibly become part of this too. "That one has to stop his search for Týr." Judging by the grim expression on his father's face, he had no knowledge on this. If only I had been here...your heart sunk as Kratos turned to Atreus, who immediately looked guilty.

        "Yeah..." Thor butt in, following as Atreus made his way closer to you, whether because he sought out some sort of defense or not, you couldn't be sure, "We know what you've been up to. Stop it." Odin circled around the table again to stand directly in front of your nephew, 

        "His old ways are dead. He is dead. Y'understand?" The boy lowered his head, seeming deep in thought about how to reply, but before he could, the man turned to you and slowly knelt down in front of your sitting form, "And you..." Heart practically leaping to your mouth as he stared directly into you. No. Through you...as if you were just another pawn in his little game. "You should've stayed in your cell...don't think I didn't know. But it's okay...because now..." Odin reached out and gripped your chin, causing Kratos to stand abruptly with his axe in hand, "I can make sure you stay exactly where I need you...miss Goddess of Peace." He smirked and waved a dismissive hand towards where your brother stood, "I wouldn't do that."

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Choice Selection

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Peace

War

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Chapter Text

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Back

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Peace

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

        "Just leave my family alone," you jerked your head away from his cold touch, wanting nothing more than to slink away to the corners of the room. He tilted his head and let out a simple ha! before gesturing to Kratos and Atreus,

        "You mean them? No no no no, you mistaken me, my dear. I don't want harm to come to any of you." He scanned your figure and you clenched your hand at your side, wondering if the heat you felt behind your eyes would burn him down where he stood. He didn't seem threatened by you though as he continued, "You and I...we're the same. We both want peace."

        "We are nothing alike," shaking your head, you tried to seek out his weak spot. Somewhere...it had to be swimming behind his eye somewhere...but only darkness stared back and your jaw tightened. How dare this man stand before you and try to poke and prod at your very being. As if you were a wilted flower. 

        "It's simple..." he murmured, picking himself up to his feet, "Lean into your nature and teach your brother...that not everything needs to end in war." His words stung, but you were unsure of why exactly. You suddenly felt...vulnerable as he cast a shadow over you, a mischievous smirk playing on his lips.  

        "You rat!" Mimir spat from where he laid beside you, causing you to jump a bit, "Keep her out of this you slimy little-"

        "Ah, yes. I'll even sweeten the deal...let you keep this prisoner that you stole from me," Odin huffed, as you picked up Mimir with great care so he was at least more level with the man who was speaking to him, "Nice to see you again, you silver-tongued little shit."

        "Why should we believe a word out of you?!" the head growled, "What have your promises ever been worth?" 

        "My old partner in crime..." Odin said through a laugh as Thor mentioned something about Mimir losing weight. If it had been anyone else...a close friend like Brok perhaps, you would've thought it was funny. You may have even let out a little stifle of a laugh while the two began to bicker. But nothing about this conversation had you even close to smiling. 

        "If he tells you snow is white...he's lying," the head noted and you glanced away from the man who still looked onto you with more intrigue than you would've liked. Kratos was still standing to the side, seeming to debate stepping in. You had always had him do the talking. You had always been the one to stand behind him. But this...this was your fight too. For the first time in...what must've been forever, you were facing something together. Something beyond the both of you. 

        "What kind of wisdom is that?" Odin eyed Atreus next, causing the boy to glance nervously at Mimir, "Can't the smartest man alive see past himself? See that...we all want the same thing?" He raised his gaze to you again, humming softly. Your skin crawled under his gaze, but you remained as bold as you could show. Did he see right through you? "So I suggest you work with me if you wanna see the end of this..." he spoke softly, as if you were a delicacy not to be breathed on too heavily or else you would all apart. 

        "Don't listen to him, lass," Mimir huffed as Odin scoffed and turned back to Kratos, "Here's a deal I know you can trust: I'll settle your debt with my ex. Keep Freya...off your back. Keep your boy and sister...safe." A hand reached out to Atreus before his eyes hovered over to you briefly again. Your brother tensed where he stood and he drew in a breath. Had the witch been causing them that much trouble over the years? While she had been buried away in that forsaken cell? "That's really all you want, right? So what do you say?" 

        Seeming to contemplate it for only a moment, Kratos made his way towards him, each step more motivated than the last.

        "No." Your chest constricted as Odin said nothing, making his way over to Thor instead, who awaited his command.

        "Don't take all day." And before you knew it, your brother was launched into the air by the god's hammer, the roof caving in on itself while you cried out to him. But t no avail as his body faded far out of sight, the God of Thunder hot on his heels.

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Next Chapter

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Chapter Text

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Back

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

War

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

        Clenching your daggers at your side, you gathered yourself to your feet, Odin following suit and seeming taken aback by your intensity, "I want nothing to do with the likes of you." He glanced down at the weapons that were practically begging for a touch of blood. It had been years since they had satisfied their thirst, and you could feel it in the way they almost whispered through your fingers. Something flashed behind your eyes as he stared at you, impressed by your stance. But there was no worry behind his expression. No fear representing in that twist of a smile that crept onto his lips.

        "Huh...I expected you to fall more in line with your true nature, my dear. Your title fails to define you. Goddess of Peace," he said with venom linting in his voice. Through your buried rage boiling beneath you, Kratos making his way towards you faded from your line of sight until he was placing a hand on your own, lowering the blade. Your gaze flickered to him as you took a step back from Odin, who was looking onto the scene with simple fascination. "So...pent up you must be...following in your brother's shadow..." he hummed in amusement as your body lunged forward, the oil slick of your weapon seeming to hiss with desire as it was raised in the air. But a strong grip caught you mid swing and you huffed, turning back to shoot daggers into Kratos. He narrowed his gaze to you, but said nothing, as he knew it was enough to settle you.

        Allowing him to remove the daggers from your hands, you watched in defeat as he set them on the table, eyeing Odin once more as he started clapping slowly. "Consider me impressed," he focused back on Kratos, "Now, where was I? Oh yes. I'll even sweeten the deal. Let you keep the prisoner I know you stole from me." He turned and peered down at the head, who you slowly knelt down to grab as he began an onslaught of curses,

        "Why should we believe a word out of you?!" the head growled, matching your mood exactly, "What have your promises ever been worth?" Promises. They were such a heavy thing to you. Something that you believed your brother always tried to keep, but usually failed to deliver. A promise was just a truth someone handed over to someone...a truth that was to come through their actions...and simmered down as a lie if it was broken. You raised your gaze to the man before you, who was letting out a mock pout towards Mimir,

        "Your lies will be the death of you." 

        "If he tells you snow is white...he's lying," Mimir agreed in his own way, to which Odin scoffed at, rolling his eyes.

        "Now what kind of wisdom is that? Come dear, be more reasonable than that," he went to reach a hand up to your face, but you bared your teeth and jerked away from him,

        "More wisdom than you'll ever know." Eyebrows shooting up to his hairline, you were surprised when he let out a bubbly laugh. One that seemed far too real and sent shivers down your spine. "The smartest man can't see past himself...and the Goddess of Peace..." Odin looked at you with a sharp twinkle in his eyes, "Prefers the chaos her brother instilled into her." You held Mimir close to you as he retreated back towards the table, shaking his head as he mused.

        "Here's a deal I know you can trust: I'll settle your debt with my ex. Keep Freya...off your back," Odin began as Kratos' gaze lingered from you back to him, "Keep your boy and sister...safe." You gritted your teeth as you subconsciously tightened your grip on Mimir's horns, to which he softly drew attention to by murmuring your name. Giving him an apologetic look, you set him down and leaned up against one of the posts that held the cabin up, ready to step in if Kratos really agreed to this ridiculous deal. You couldn't help the nervous tumble inside your stomach as the man faced Atreus, placing a hand on his shoulder in what you assumed was supposed to be reassurance. A promise. "That's really all you want, right? So what do you say?" 

        For a moment, as your brother shifted to eye your glistening blades, you believed he was going to accept. To allow defeat and deflate in on himself to protect you and Atreus. But as he gathered himself to his feet again, his steps slow and deliberate, full of purpose, you knew that wasn't the case. Not this time. Triumph filled you as he stated one simple word.

        "No."

        Odin said nothing. A heavy silence hung in the air as he instead made his way towards Thor, who had only seemed to be there for a more threatening display. The chilling words rang in your ears as the man leaned in to give his next command, "Don't take all day." 

        Everything happened far too quickly for you to respond as the hammer was slammed into your brother's jaw, sending him flying and crashing through the roof.

        "KRATOS!" you cried out, but to no avail, for Thor was already hot on his tracks, leaving you and Atreus looking to one another for the next course of action.

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Next Chapter

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Chapter Text

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Path of Peace

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

        You paced the room as time passed on, occasionally glancing at the blades you had placed on the table. As much as you wanted to stand up for your nephew and brother, there was nothing much you could do. Odin had somehow managed to convince Atreus to step outside with him, leaving you to your solitude. Even after you had pressed your ear to the door, their voices had been drained away by the distant rumble of thunder. What would Kratos think if you couldn't even bring yourself to step in? To do everything in your power to drag Atreus back in...How was he going to trust you if you couldn't do your duty as his sister? As his son's protector? 

        "It's no use worryin' over it, lass," Mimir scolded softly as she sat at the bench, burying her face in her hands as he pressed a bit further, "As I told your brother...we need to trust he knows what he's doin'." You nodded, trying to reassure yourself more than reply to him. Wanting to shift the plague of your thoughts, you attempted to offer him a gentle smile,

        "On a lighter note then...we didn't have a chance to catch up, did we?" 

        "Well between us all bein' a little tired and bein' visited by those knuckle-heads...no, we did not," the head allowed you to pick him up and set him before you, fingers combing through your dark locks. After a moment of you not speaking, your eyes still trained on the door, waiting for Atreus' return, Mimir cleared his throat, "So you were with Freya this whole time?" 

        "Yes," you confirmed, glancing back at him and resting the side of your face in the crook of your elbow, letting your other hand graze over one of your daggers. 

        "Did she hurt you at all?" Mimir questioned with a raised brow. You sifted through your memory for a moment before shrugging in response. 

        "No. She was hurting much more than I was...I'm just...glad I was able to keep her company," seeing that the head was pleased with this answer to an extent, you decided to ask a question that had been brewing for some time now, "How much...trouble did she give you guys?"

        "Ah, not much. Surprin'ly. You know Kratos. He's able to hold his own," he offered you a peace of mind and you stayed silent for some time. Though it had been years, not much seemed to have been poked out of line. Just like before, you were still welcomed into this home. Still part of this family. Your heart warmed, thinking back on the adventures all of you shared. From the moment Atreus was born, to the first troll you had all brought down despite the friction between your brother and the small boy...meeting the world serpent and the dwarf brothers that had helped you on your journey without question. 

        "What is it, Eirene?" Mimir tore through her thoughts with concern, causing her to break away from the forming visions of the past. He must have seen the frown that replaced your smile. 

        "We've been through so much together, Mimir..." she reached forward, idly running a thumb over one of his horns. He'd never seemed to mind, even now, after being away from you for a few years. 

        "And we'll continue to do so, lass," he agreed, giving as much of a nod as his head would allow. Tears lined your eyes and you looked away briefly. There was no point in trying to hide your emotions from the smartest man alive, as he had caught onto all of your simple tells within just a few months of knowing you. 

        After a moment of hesitation, you shifted your gaze back to his glowing orbs, "I fear what's to come. What if...what if I'm not strong enough?" He sighed gently,

        "Aye, my dear. Is that what troubles your mind? Seems you and your brother have a lot more in common than you think...recently he's been worryin' too...bout whether or not he's too hard on the people he cares most bout." You can't help but allow a twitch of a smirk grace your features as you shake your head,

        "You should've seen him...back when we were young. You'd be able to see just how far he's come...how much he's grown." The edges of your vision blurred as the past and present began to mold together as one. For a moment, as you could hear the battles cries of Kratos somewhere far away, you almost allowed time to pass slowly and take over you. But before you could face what once was, the door opened to the cabin and you were on your feet in seconds. 

        Atreus, with his head lowered, made his way over to his bed as Odin followed. He eyed you carefully before approaching, a curious expression on his face. Silently wishing Kratos would return...from wherever he may have been...you focused back on Mimir, trying to ignore the looming form at your side. 

        "May I speak with you?" Odin asked, something you had been anticipating since he brought Atreus outside. Grinding your teeth, you searched Mimir for something that could save her from this interaction. 

        "Why don't you just leave the poor girl alone?" He snapped, quick to catch on to your demeanor. Shoulders tensing as a frail hand gripped it, fingers digging into your flesh, Odin made a mock bow to the head,

        "Oh your majesty, we'll be only but a moment." 

        "I outta-"

        "But you cannot, can you?" Odin rolled his eyes, urging you toward the entrance to the hut. Part of you wondered if your nephew would step in...but he looked to be in his own little world, plucking mindlessly at the string of his bow. 

        When you and Odin were outside, he guided you further into the clearing, making sure you were out of earshot from those in the hut. Nervously fiddling with the hem of the ragged dress you wore, you pushed yourself to speak first,

        "You said you sought out peace."

        "Yes yes, exactly. Just like you. You know it's the right way to approach life, do you not?" He nuzzled the front feathers of a raven that was perched on his shoulder as he questioned you, as if it were the simplest thing to consider. Swallowing, and not wanting to cause any quarrel while your brother was nowhere to be seen, you decided to tread lightly,

        "I...understand the concept you believe in. But that's not how it works. Not where I'm from." 

        "All I desire...is the truth. As I told your nephew. Something Kratos will not give me, you see?" His reasoning was flawed, but you made no effort to correct him, instead nodding in acknowledgement before he pressed on, "You could easily get through to him. The God of War. Being the Goddess of Peace, I know you have it in you to bring that to all of the realms. What do you say? I promise it'll all be worth it in the end," he was asking far too much of you, and you felt a bubbling rage streaming beneath your skin. Unbothered by the sudden tick in your jaw, he studied you until you spoke up again. 

        "As much as I want peace...I know the reality of seeking it out...I will not go against my brother. Nor will I encourage Atreus to side with the enemy," you drew in a shaky breath, puffing out your chest with determination as you continued, "Your words carry no real value...I do not believe you will keep your promise. But I can assure you...promise you...hurting my family will not bring you peace." Odin's eye flicked between both of yours, as if wondering if you would crack. After a moment, the cool fog of your breath heavy in the freezing dusk, he turned away from you. And without another word, you watched as he was taken away within the unkindness of his ravens. 

        "Eirene! Thank goodness you're alright. Did that slimy bastard do somethin' to ya?" Mimir bellowed when you had finally found your footing to head back inside, having let the cold get to you too much. Poking around in the fireplace to warm yourself, you shivered, engulfing yourself in your blanket before sitting at the table to join the talking head,

        "He tried to use me as a pawn..." Atreus rummaging around for something caught your attention briefly, and you noticed him shoving arrows into a bag before grabbing his bow. Mimir filled the quiet space before you could question him,

        "O' course he did...why if I ever get my body again-"

        The door to the cabin swung open, alerting the three of you as Kratos sauntered in. Thankfully, he didn't look to be hurt and you let out a sigh of relief as his gaze first fell on you before scanning the rest of the room. 

        "Brotha!" Mimir called out in greeting, clearly just as happy to see him. Your nephew rushed forward, coming to a halt in front of the towering man.

        "I was just about to go look for you," he remained still as Kratos reached out a hand to cradle the side of his head, and your heart fluttered at the rare scene before you. It reminded you of the many times you had noticed him try to come to terms with wanting to comfort his young son. Whether he'd never had the courage to face his softer side, or he simply wasn't sure how to approach him was beyond you. Seeing it now, the exchange as if it was completely normal reassured you. The two of them had grown in your absence, and you couldn't help but wonder what their relationship would look like in the years to come. 

        As the two were checking in on each other, you looked to Mimir before gathering yourself to your feet. Your brother nodded in acknowledgement and grunted before looking back to his son, 

        "What did he want?" It was a question you were dying to hear the answer to. He revealed a gold piece, causing the two of you to knit your brows in confusion,

        "To uh...pay for the roof...and...he invited me to Asgard." You drew in a sharp breath. Was that why he had been so quiet? Kratos took the coin, taking a few slow steps towards the table before setting it down and letting out a huff of air through his nose. 

        "Did he? We couldn't hear anything when you stepped outside," Mimir cut in, sending you a knowing glance that rather unsettled you. Atreus was young, and you were sure Odin knew how easy it was to manipulate a younger mind. If he had promised him something...something he couldn't resist...then there could've been a chance he would eventually explore his options. And in turn, would more than likely face dire consequences. 

        "I-I told him no. Obviously," the boy started, and you tried to allow yourself to believe him. Kratos hummed in response and faced you completely now,

        "Eirene?" Prompting you to speak, you nodded and looked to Mimir briefly before beginning to recite what Odin had offered you. 

        "...but I will not go against you, Kratos. I...promised him nothing good would come of his actions," you lowered your head once you had finished as much as you could recall. After a moment, you spied his leather boots in front of you and you raised your gaze to his. 

        "You did not lose your temper?" As though you were still standing before Odin, you felt the hot rush of blood course through you at the question. Of all the things to ask...did he not trust you to refrain from damaging yourself further? Chewing on the inside of your cheek, you shook your head.

        "No," you knew he worried about you, but you could take care of yourself. You had done so for three years without him. There was nothing he should've been concerned about. Or so you told yourself, just as you often had growing up with him. You were the Goddess of Peace. It would stay that way as long as you controlled yourself. 

        Seeming to take your word for it after a pregnant pause, he turned back to Atreus, speaking to both of you as he stated simply, "Good." However, you wondered deep down if you should have said more...about the way the blood in your veins boiled under the gaze of Odin. Or the tremble in your core from the adrenaline that spiked, like an addiction surfacing after being locked away for so long. But these were things that you would keep to yourself for now. They were not important. 

        "Why were you searching for Týr?" The question hung in the air like lingering threat and you could see your nephew deflate as you turned to face him, frowning at his stature. But he was quick to jump into a defense, 

        "If I told you I was looking for him, you would have said not to." Poor choice of words in your opinion, but you didn't chime in, knowing this was a conversation between father and son. A conversation about secrets and middle grounds. Something you knew was better said than done with Kratos.

        "So you hid the truth?" You were brought back to the days your brother would stand tall before you, just as he did now to Atreus. The times when you feared just what he would do to you. A time where he was ruthless with no mercy. And yet, here you stood...which was more than all of Greece could say. You admired the way Atreus kept steady. Not backing down from the most intense man you had grown to love so much. 

        "I wanted to tell you, I really did but...now that you know, there's something you should see," Atreus made his way to the door, circling and keeping a good distance between him and his father. It had been a long time since you had seen him so tense about something. Odin and Thor had really caused a strain in him. In all of you. Picking up your blades, you padded over to where your nephew stood. Triumph etched his face as you turned to face your brother, who narrowed his gaze at you,

        "No." 

        "Kratos," you started, putting a hand up to stop him from stepping too close to Atreus, who had been attempting to open the door before you also reached out to take his hand. The two of them paused, but your brother's jaw clenched as you raised a brow at him, "We're all a little shook right now...but we shouldn't be at each other's throats. Let's just...see what it is before we say anything we might regret." 

        "Trust me, you'll want to-" Atrues began, causing you to flinch back as Kratos stared down menacingly between the two of you,

        "Trust? You have ​​​​broken my trust." His eyes remained on his son, who seemed to melt under the heat of his father's eyes. You swallowed thickly and took a retreating step back as Atreus tried again,

        "Then let me regain it. Let me show you what I found. Besides. We haven't seen the last of Odin. Or Thor. Like Aunt Eirene said...we're all a bit shook right now. And clearly they can just walk right into our home whenever they feel like it. And blast holes in the ceiling." You had to admit, you were pretty impressed with how he was able to bounce off using someone else's words in his favor. Cautiously, you looked between the two again, expecting Kratos to blow again, but he remained stationary, allowing his son to continue, "There's only one way to get them off our backs...and I think I know how...Sir..." Atreus backed up just enough to brush shoulders with you as he only slightly lowered his head, keeping his eyes trained on his father despite now treading more carefully. 

        Kratos breathed deeply, staying silent for a long moment before marching over to where his chaos blades where hanging, and you wondered what was brewing in his mind. He grabbed them and placed them on his back beside his axe before turning around with a stern nod, "Show us."

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Next Chapter

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Chapter Text

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Path of War

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

        You slammed your back against the door, blocking Odin's path as Atreus fell into line behind him, seeming taken aback by your sudden stance, "He's not going anywhere with you!" Fire burning beneath your skin, the man glanced over his shoulder to the boy before turning his full attention to you once more, scoffing,

        "Very well. I'll speak with you first. Not much you can do to stop me regardless. But perhaps I can gain your trust some more. I would hate to overstep..." 

        "You've overstayed your welcome," you bit back coldly, baring your teeth as he chortled, a sound that ran through you like thorns snagging on veins. 

        "You are quite humorous, miss Eirene. Now, open the door and let's just have a friendly conversation outside," he raised his hands in defense, as if to show he meant no harm. But you knew better. He had already caused your family damage. Damage that couldn't be fixed. Part of you wanted to go back. To reset time and change your approach to how this whole ordeal started. And yet, your desire to draw this man's blood and let it spill at your feet seemed far more thrilling. 

        After a moment of contemplating and sending one last look over to your nephew, you opened the door and followed Odin into the clearing. The two of you stood there, your fingers gripping the handles of your blades ruthlessly. He paid you no mind, clasping his hands in front of him before tilting his head at you. Curiosity skimmed over his features as you seethed before him, not daring to back down from his sharp gaze.

        "How strange..." he began, a practiced tone of charm slithering into his words, "What secrets you must hold...beneath the exterior of who you are." He was only trying to get to you. You weren't about to give in, feeling the rage run like a shiver through your core. "Tell me, Goddess of Peace...do you plan to kill me? Is that it?"

        "If that is what it must take," you hissed, breathing out a cloud of air deeply from your nostrils. He took a step closer, to which you remained still. Was he trying to intimidate you? Did he seriously think that was going to work on you?

        "Fascinating..." he searched your gaze and you lowered your face away from him to study. But as if he owned you, he reached out and gripped your chin between his forefinger and thumb, lifting it harshly to peer at you again, "Do not turn away from me, my dear. Let me...ah...there you are..." You clenched your jaw, attempting to jerk away from him, but to no avail. If it was even possible at this point, he appeared closer, interest sparking behind the unwarranted depths of his eyes. "Now I see...I could use someone with your strength," he hummed and nodded, as if agreeing with himself before letting go of you, allowing you to take a retreating step back.

        "I do not wish to work alongside you," growling, you raised your blades, the oil-slick glint reflecting in your eyes as he peered at you with a newfound determination. 

        "Oh but you haven't even heard my offer yet," he pouted mockingly, "I...can give you all that you desire." Pointing to his chest, as if it weren’t clear enough that he was talking about himself, he took another step towards you, causing you to instinctively slash one of your blades at him. "Okay okay. I promise to give you what you're seeking," he backed off, but only slightly as you glared at him.

        "And what exactly ​​​am I seeking?" This man couldn't see right through you, so why was he pretending to? And his promises, as Mimir had explained, were nothing but lies. He heaved a sigh, shaking his head,

        "Isn't it obvious? To be seen...for the being you are," another step forward as his voice grew softer, "To find peace...within yourself." Eyes widening and dropping your blades only a fraction, you considered his words as they weighed down on you. Did he know? Had he seen the mark in your eyes? What had come over you? After three years...only three years of being kept away...had you really changed so much? "That's it...easy..." Odin cooed. And for a brief moment, whether it was the truth that seemed to strike in his words or the belief that you were finally being seen...you looked to him with tears in your eyes.

        "I cannot betray my brother. The only promise I can make is to keep my family safe..." hair rising on the back of your neck and bile building up in your throat, you shoved past him and into the cabin. 

        "Aunt Eirene! Are you...are you okay?" Atreus came to your side as you slammed your weapons on the table, facing him with a simmering anger inside of you. But you buried it down when his gentle and concerning expression met your far more wild one no doubt. 

        "I..." you blinked and lowered your head, wanting to hide away from the world in the confinements of the shadows that surrounded you, "I'm fine, Atreus." He seemed to hesitate and look you over once more before glancing at the door.

        "I'll...just...stay here, alright? I need to see what Odin wants," he turned to leave but you bolted upright, gripping his upper arm and causing him to face you with a frown, "I promise-"

        "Do not promise me," you bit back, harsher than you would've liked, and you flinched at the sting it left in your heart. Atreus looked as if he had more to say, but you let go of him and shook your head, "And do not trust him..." It was all you could tell him before he gave you a subtle nod of understanding, leaving you alone with Mimir. 

        "Lass? You don't seem like yourself...somethin' Odin say to you?" Sitting yourself at the table and facing the head in front of you, you fumbled for the words to explain. As much as you had grown to trust Mimir, he was not your brother. Kratos was the only one you had ever told...but now...how could you face him? How were you supposed to explain the rapid beating of your heart as you allowed the weight of your blades to guide you. What if he didn't trust you around your nephew anymore? Secrets...something you had in common...you both hated secrets. 

        "He thinks he knows me..." you found yourself whispering, still feeling the dire need to talk about it...even if you couldn't fully go into detail. Mimir frowned and let out a sigh,

        "That he does. Got a creepy way bout him when he's lookin' into your soul. Ah, I'm sorry you had to face that alone." You peered down at your weapons, finding yourself admiring the transparency of the daggers, allowing you to see the liquid that had been collected over time. The blood of your enemies...drowned together...resembling that of oil from the different ones you had slain. They seemed to beckon to you, whispering sweet nothings as you trailed a finger along the edges of them. "Eirene?" Mimir called out to you, and you quickly withdrew your hand and looked to him with blinking eyes. You needed to focus. Why were your thoughts straying so much from you? "Aye...you don't look too good..." 

        Swallowing the lump that formed in your throat, you waved a hand dismissively at him and offered him a smile. One that felt far more forced than usual, "I'm fine you worry wart. So...three years, huh?" 

        Not appearing very convinced by your sudden change in behavior, but doing nothing to push his dwindling concerns, he went along with your shift of topics, "Indeed. A lot can happen in so few years...did uh...Freya ever...y'know..."

        "Freya...kept me from all of you," you furrowed your brows, gripping the hem of the ragged dress you wore. Though you had a full wardrobe now that you were home, you hadn't had the opportunity to change. The idea of wearing armor again excited you though. 

        "She was...hurtin' pretty bad. Caused us some trouble, but thankfully no one was hurt," Mimir stated, casting you a curious look. Perhaps wondering what your stance was on his opinion. Rolling your eyes, you made to get up, making your way over to the chest below your bed, 

        "She hurt me plenty...by keeping me locked up the way she did. My sanity..." Fading off as your eyes caught sight of a familiar plate of metal, you lifted it and raised it to the upper half of your body. 

        "Your sanity what, sister?" Mimir quipped, egging you on as you slipped the chest piece on over your dress. Still fit like a glove. Rummaging around for the matching set, you replied with a shrug,

        "Only knowing the comforts of a small room for three years will do things to you. Your mind...your heart..." Letting out an ah-ha! once you came across the armored skirt, you put that on too before facing an uninterested Mimir. "What do you think?" Spinning around for him to look upon the fit, you grinned and padded over to him. 

        "Looks great, now what were you goin' on about?" He narrowed his gaze at you as you raised a brow, not seeming to gather what he was putting down. What were the two of you talking about again? 

        "Sorry, Mimir. I don't think I was listening...." you said softly, giving him a genuine apologetic look. He opened his mouth to speak, but not before Atreus walked into the cabin, closing the door gently behind him so as to not disturb the building. He eyed the two of you, breath catching in his throat as if he'd forgotten he wasn't alone before making his way towards his bed. 

        "Atreus?" You sat down at the table, patting the empty spot next to you, "Do you wanna talk about it?" He only shook his head, allowing silence to follow like fog between you. Confused, but not wanting to make him uncomfortable, you faced the talking head again, who seemed unnerved about something. 

        "Do you think Kratos is okay?" You voiced quietly, looking off towards the entrance again. 

        "I hope so..." Mimir sighed, glancing at you wearily, "I think all of this just has everyone shook...no telling what comes next." 

        When the last sentence fell from his lips, the cabin was opened up once again, revealing a very tense Kratos. His forehead was creased with heavy lines and you noticed a few minor scratches along his shoulders before they completely disappeared. You found yourself wondering just how bad they had been before he had started to heal. 

        "Father! I was just about to go look for you," your nephew bounded towards Kratos, concern washing over his features. Skeptical of his words, you tuned into the conversation as the two began to check in on one another, your brother reaching forward to steady Atreus. You hadn't noticed him stirring from the edge of his bed before Kratos walked in...had he really been considering going out to find him? But you pushed the thought aside as Kratos questioned his son,

        "What did he want?" Odin. You had almost completely forgotten that he had taken your nephew outside for a chat...it was as if the last hour had only been a dream. Like watercolor spiling before you in a vision. But you remembered what mattered. What Odin had promised you. Did you truly believe his words to be rubbish when he seemed to read you so clearly? You clenched your hand into a fist, angered by the way he had managed to creep under your skin.

        "To pay for the roof," he revealed a simple gold coin, placing it into his father's palm before adding with slight hesitation, "And he...invited me to Asgard..."

        "Ah, was that what you two were talkin' about? Wasn't able to hear once you stepped outside...was sure you wouldn't after Eirene insisted on speakin' with him first," Mimir butt in, seeming to also sound cautious of what Atreus was sharing with the group. Kratos turned to you, as if to confirm the talking head's words and you nodded,

        "He tried to offer me...peace. Told me to turn against you. But I refused." Though you had narrowed it down to what was important for the time being, you still felt a twinge of guilt weigh heavy inside you at also keeping some details to yourself. 

        "A-And I told him no. Obviously," Atreus added on his behalf, causing Kratos to look between the two of you. Setting down the coin on the table, he seemed to accept this and heaved a sigh if relief,

        "Good." A pause, as if he were collecting himself before he began again, his voice rougher this time, "Why were you looking for Týr?" You could already tell the onslaught of defense was coming just by the posture Atreus took on as he pleaded his case,

        "I wanted to tell you. But I knew you wouldn't have let me-"

        "And so you chose to lie instead?" Kratos pivoted to face him, causing the boy to shrink only slightly before picking himself back up,

        "I knew you wouldn't listen. Look...now that you do know...I can show you what I found-"

        "No," his father blocked his way as he made for the door, having created a wide birth around him as a means to avoid his frame. This was a wise decision, though it didn't last long before he was looming over him again, his chest heaving in and out deeply. 

        "Odin already showed us he and Thor can clearly just destroy our home whenever they feel like it," Atreus took a step back to create more space between them, not seeming to like looking so far up at the burly man that stood as tall as a tree. "Trust me you'll wanna-"

        "Trust? You have broken my trust," Kratos snapped, your heart hammering in your chest as you gathered yourself to your feet, coming to stand between the two of them. 

        "Calm down. Both of you," holding up your hands to keep them at a distance, you heaved a sigh and looked down at your nephew, whose eyes widened at your abrupt interruption, "Atreus. You need to understand where your father is coming from..."

        "What?!" He scoffed, "you're taking his side? Why? All I was trying to do was help. You haven't been here for years and you think you know what's best for us? For me?" You flinched back from the coldness of his voice and you lowered your head. 

        "Lad...she didn't mean to upset ya..." Mimir tried, seeming just as disappointed as you were feeling in yourself. Kratos placed a hand on your shoulder, gently steering you to the side as he let out a huff. You watched as he made small strides towards the middle of the room, coming to a halt before removing a familiar pair of blades that had been hanging up. You hadn't noticed then until now, but a range of emotions rose within you as he turned to face Atreus,

        "Show us."

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Next Chapter

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Chapter Text

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Path Between

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

        The three...and a half of you had been trekking through the snow for quite some time now, your brother keeping close to you as Atreus led the way. They both seemed rather tense, and you didn’t blame them. Everything seemed to have happened so fast and none of you had even had the chance to process being together after three years. Glancing towards Kratos, you noted the way his shoulders squared back. You used to wonder if he forced himself to stand so straight, seeing as it just looked so uncomfortable. Perhaps it was due to his build. Whatever the case, you were far from being able to relate to a height and weight like that even, only coming up to his chest more or less. Despite the beauty that you undeniably held, you had always felt slightly insecure around him, feeling your most vulnerable and petite when he could easily cause a passerby to flinch.

        The further your thoughts wandered, the more you believed to be keeping inside. The three years of being away from your brother had been the longest you had gone without an anchor, someone to hold you down in case the worst came. Shivering at the thought of the last time everything fell apart, you thought back to the cell you had been held captive in. Freya hadn’t done you real physical damage…but she had taken away the people you cared most about. You knew how angry she had been when Kratos had refused to kill her…that upon her son actually dying…you felt remorse. But only some. As if he had sensed your mind gearing its way to bad memories, your brother spoke up,

        “We had no idea that Freya had captured you. When she cast the spell on you and you disappeared…she insured us of your death.” You lowered your head and watched the way your feet carried you forward, pulsing beneath the fur boots you wore. Rest couldn’t come any sooner to you. Was that why they hadn’t thought to search? 

        “You took her word for it,” you looked at a hanging raider as you passed, eyeing the peculiar arrow that pierced right through his head. You didn’t recognize them, but were sure it couldn’t be good news. A silence grew between the two of you as Kratos seemed to contemplate how to approach your comment. It had held a dangerous amount of hurt, and you were certain he had picked up on it. Nothing good would come of your buried emotions. He had seen it firsthand and had sworn by it to protect you. The edges of your vision began to blur at the thought and you drew in a shaky breath. Not now. I can’t afford to lose myself in the past. 

        “I should have looked,” came his voice, to which you followed with your gaze. While his back was turned to you, you could still picture the slightly unfurrowed brows. Pain. Both of you felt it. It had been a long time since you had sensed it off of him though. It wasn’t often that he was sorry for something. Forgiveness hung heavy on your tongue, but it never came. As much as you wanted to…there was still closure you sought out. 

        “Don’t worry yourself over it,” you said instead, trying to warm your arms up. This wasn’t how you had wished things upon returning. But time changed things. Heart clenching in your chest uncomfortably, you could see the moments you once had with Atreus. How bubbly the young boy was, so bright and full of potential. While on your travels back in the day, the two of you would go on about the deals of nature…the way it all came together to create something beautiful. He never strayed away like Kratos, opening up to topics like his immense love for animals and people, regardless of who they were. He had learned a lot from his mother, and you were glad to have been around to provide the same sort of warmth compared to his father’s cold demeanor. Still, you knew he was growing. Even moreso now, heat seeped off of him. 

        You considered the relationship you once had with Kratos. The two of you had only ever had very brief moments of understanding. Butting heads had been the core of what the two of you had. The Goddess of Peace…and the God of War. The perfect push and pull dynamic. Now, there was something more vulnerable within him. Was that a good thing? How much would it change with you and him? You feared to think. Change. Unless it was the seasons greeting one another and coloring the world, it was something you didn’t like to distract your thoughts with. It only reminded you of how much you could change. If you let it control you. If you wanted it to control you…

        Your fingers wrapped around your blades, the whisper of the chain that brought them together seeming to call to you. Everything felt…heavy. What if you didn’t end up fitting in with your family anymore? Would they bother to keep you around? And what if you lost yourself? Would Kratos still understand? You were sure he would want Atreus to come first…and if you were around when your emotions came barreling down…would he hesitate in killing you once again? As close as the two of you were…in your own ways…it was a simmering thought that terrified you and often haunted you at night. He had mercy once before. 

        “Eirene, your thoughts wander,” a wave of awareness came over you as Kratos grunted, glancing at you from the corner of his eye. How was he always able to read you so well? Maybe because he’s more of an observer. 

        “Just curious how much further…” you lied, playing it off with a wave of your hand dismissively. Mimir looked at you with a raised brow, but you preoccupied yourself instead with admiring your blades. Your brother hummed in response, and you wondered for a moment if he was going to counter your obvious defense. 

        “Not too far,” Atreus called out as they came to a thick rope, which was blocked by some rubble. A chill ran down your spine as Kratos removed the all-too familiar blades from his back, swinging them by the chain before they sunk deep into a fallen boulder. With much ease, he yanked it to the side, allowing for a clear path. Stepping to the side, he gestured for you to go first and you swallowed the lump in your throat before nodding. It had not only been ages since you had been out and about on even a small adventure, but you had never been the active type. You preferred the comforts of home, cradled in bed with your blankets bundled around you. The most you found yourself doing was gardening, but you hadn’t touched a single weed since Faye had died. After all, she had been very helpful when tending to the crops, and things just weren’t the same without her.

        “Eirene,” Kratos huffed, and you tossed the chain of your own blades over the rope before pushing yourself off the edge. The drop caused your insides to twist momentarily as your body moved stiffly through the air. While the rope was able to carry your weight with no worry, you also lacked the proper weight to give constant momentum. When you had made it to the other side, you were quick to catch yourself, hands greeting the cold ground. Dusting the snow off yourself, you turned just in time to dodge Kratos swinging towards you. He planted his feet with ease and walked over to you, taking you aback as he looked down at you. Had he grown in your absence? “You’ve been awfully quiet…” You had forgotten how much he had loved to state the facts, and you found yourself letting out a soft laugh.

        “Ever the skeptic, brother,” you rested a hand on your hip and adjusted your weight to one side of your frame while you tried to face him with confidence. He said nothing, for he knew well enough how to get you to spill whatever was on your mind. You crossed your arms after a moment and cleared your throat, “It’s hard not to worry right now. That’s all.”

        “One step at a time,” Kratos slunk back into walking behind his son, who was looking between you two with curiosity. Drawing out the breath you’d been holding, you continued after them, keeping your arms wrapped around yourself in an attempt to keep a little warmer. 

        Flakes fell lightly, kissing the pale of your skin before melting away in little crystally tears. You had never felt such a harsh freeze before, your body aching for a change. Even the scenario was far from great. Where once green lush grass stretched with fields of flowers, only white sheets and ice lay in its stead. Everything was more still than you remembered, as though nature had lost its personality and stopped breathing. Save for the brisk breeze that cut through you like shards of ice. It went all the way down to your bones, to which you were sure would burst under such conditions. How did your brother do it all the time? He couldn’t even spare a thick coat to wear over his bare shoulders?

        “Many dead here,” Kratos spoke again, looking down a cliff where there were indeed piles of bodies. The sight sent your stomach lurching and you clenched your daggers close. 

        “We…should keep moving,” Atreus said, mostly to himself as his father lowered himself from the ledge. The boy followed suit, drawing his bow while you stood for a moment, grappling with the mix of thoughts that rolled over in your mind. Before you had much time to think though, an enemy bounded from the earth like a weasel, charging towards your brother. An itch came over you and you debated whether to scratch at it. Would Kratos force you back or would he allow you to open your bottle…just for a moment? 

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Choice Selection

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Peace

War

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Chapter Text

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Back

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Peace

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

        Fingers trembling as you watched your brother effortlessly take down several raiders, you backed away, dropping your blades to the ground with a clatter. The voices brought themselves forward into your mind and you backed up against a tree before lowering yourself slowly. The oil slick of the blades gleamed back at you, tauntingly as the screams of terror rose in the air. You faced the bloodshed, the splatters paving the mirage before you. Everything veiled across your vision as fire ensued before you, licking away the town you had grown to love. Swords blinked in the night as you found yourself in the center of the battle. Bodies left to rot, the very warmth of the spilling blood crawling over your skin. The flames danced in the depths of your eyes as your breathing caught in your throat. This isn't real. This isn't happening. But it had. This was a nightmare that had come to be...

        "Kratos..." your eyes wandered, following the familiar figure as he walked forward with purpose. You had finally found him...but like this? How were you supposed to face him now? As he brought terror to your village. Your legs forced you to move, but you were faced with another enemy. The helmet he wore shimmered and reflected the fear in your eyes as you held your blades tightly. This wasn't you, and yet, everything inside of you was telling you to defend. You had to defend yourself. The blade sunk deep within his core, blood spurting from his mouth as he attempted to slash at you, but the light from his eyes was already gone as he fell to the ground in a heap. Heaving and finding it difficult to draw in breath, your lungs filling with the thick smoke that now carried through the air like a black fog. Your arms felt heavy as they lifted the blades. How could you bring death upon them? You monster...

        Shaking and urging yourself to tread after your brother, the smell of the deceased sinking into your very being, you gagged. How had he been able to do this so easily? Anger bubbled within you, like the lava stewing in the depths of a volcano. Clumsily, you continued, finding your blades cutting through bodies that came onto you. This isn't you. You're better than this. You must be better than this. But despite the crying pleas within you, nothing had ever felt so...no. You mustn't think like this. Goddess of Peace. 

        Your brother, someone you had sought out to kill. To end the suffering of everyone you could. He was knelt down within the familiar building, surrounded by the heat of fire. Knees buckling, you called out to him, tears spilling down your cheeks, buried away like the death that cried out beneath you. He met your gaze, sharp amber melting like gold under the warmth of the blaze. 

        "How could you!?" you ran forward, blades fierce in your grasp as peace attempted to grip at your heart. 

        "EIRENE!" 

        You were screaming, holding both sides of your head as you looked up to find Kratos looked down at you with intense fear. Panic had turned into buckets of sweat drenching over your body as you launched yourself at him, gripping at him and trying to ground everything inside of you. He seemed to hesitate before wrapping his arms around you, heaving almost as deeply as you. The fire was gone, yet you could still feel the flames threatening to burn you alive. You hardly noticed Atreus as he hovered behind the two of you, panting from the fight. The cold washed over you as you wept, becoming a puddle in your brother's arms. Neither of you needed to speak to know what you had seen. Relived. How often had he dreamt it too? Faced what once was. It didn't matter if their ways were changed...their hearts would forever be shattered. 

        "I'm so-sorry- I-I'm so- so sorry-" you sobbed, body trembling as Kratos pulled away, keeping a firm grasp on your shoulders before glancing back at the blades that sat in the white snow. 

        "What did you see?" he questioned, ignoring your apologies. His eyes bore into yours, searching. The intensity you had seen moments before was gone. Over the years, they had softened. His features had grown gentler. Your bottom lip wobbled as you tried to paint it to memory. You wanted to remember him like this. Only like this for as long as you lived. 

        "You..." in a cracked voice, you murmured. A look of recognition came over him as he let out a steady breath, nodding in acknowledgement before letting you go. 

        "Don't apologize," he said, a lint of worry pouring from his words before he gathered himself up, making his way towards her blades. You watched as he reached down to pick them up, placing them beside his own and turning back to you, "I will carry them." Something inside you wanted to protest, but you didn't want to fight. Not after facing such a horrible memory. It had drained you to the core. He was right. You trusted him. 

        "Aunt Eirene...are you...is there anything I can..." your nephew's eyes were wide as he peered down at you with concern. You had never allowed yourself to show this to him. No matter how many breakdowns you had over the years...this was the first time you hadn't been able to control it. What had being away from your brother done to you? 

        "Help her up, lad," Mimir suggested from Kratos' hip. Without hesitation, he offered you a hand and you gratefully took it, wiping away the mess on your face before lowering your gaze. You had never felt so ashamed before. So broken. 

        "Through here," your brother instructed to the two of you, gesturing towards a large crack in the mountain. Atreus tucked himself between first before making his way through. Before you could do the same, Kratos set a hand on your shoulder again, the touch sending a shiver through you, "Your control is slipping." 

        "I know..." you whispered, the words leaving a toxic feeling behind. He let out a puff of breath through his nose and nudged his head to the crack. There was nothing more for him to say, but you were sure it was going to weigh heavy on him. Guilt rose within you as the group came to a wall. Atreus started to ascend first, with you trailing behind, and finally Kratos. Finding grips in the mountain wasn't too challenging, and you were thankful when Mimir began speaking, keeping you from going too deep in thought,

        "I've seen my share of bloodshed...but this is an awful lot for one morning." You couldn't even process a reply before you heard a slicing of metal through the air, followed by the pained yell of your brother below you. Just as you looked down to see what had happened, you saw his body thrown back to the ground, a terrifying sight greeting you. What seemed to be some sort of claw was snagged through Kratos' shoulder, and you found yourself quickly making your way down as the creature began stomping above him. His form was between the centaur's forelegs, his arms grappling with them before he pulled himself up. Relief washed over you some as you noticed the harpoon of sorts was no longer lodged in his skin and your feet touched the ground. Atreus was hot on your heels, pulling his bow the second he was able and aiming for what he could.         

        Antlers stuck out from the woman's head and her torso was the last of her humanly form before it merged with that of a horse. A stalker, as Mimir had called out amongst the fight. Keeping your back pressed to the mountain, you watched with a dry mouth. Kratos still had your blades, there was nothing you would be able to do. Unless-

        An arrow zipped past your head and you ducked to the left, looking back briefly at just how close it had landed. As Atreus and Kratos were preoccupied with her front, his axe swinging through the air while the boy tried to get close enough to slash at her, you did the only thing you could think of to help. You rushed forward, hands meeting the horse's hind before hoisting yourself up, gripping awkwardly onto the woman's torso. She snorted and glanced back at you with fire in her eyes, immediately running from one side of the clearing to the other, lifting her hind legs in an attempt to throw you off. 

        "There's no need to fight!" you called out to her, your vision dizzying fast. Still, you tightened your legs around her frame, doing anything to distract her from your brother and nephew. 

        "She's gonna buck you off!" Atreus warned, though you couldn't even turn to look at him with how fast the world seemed to be spinning. Your jaw clenched tightly as you somewhat used her body as a shield from whatever arrows were being shot towards her. 

        "Eirene! Get off of that thing!" Kratos boomed. Stamping around and waving her body around like an animal, the stalker reared once again, causing you to slide off this time and let out a yelp. She backed up, giving you just mere seconds to dodge and roll out of the way. Seeming to focus on you primarily, angered by your audacity to actually mount her, you rolled off to the side again and again. Fire emerged from her hooves as Kratos slammed his chaos blades down, the stalker stumbling and collapsing to the ground. Urging your fatigued body up, you watched as your brother took the advantage, grabbing her bow and slamming it into her side. "What were you thinking?!" he pivoted to face you, flinching at the anger in his voice. 

        "That was some show!" Mimir heaved, as though he had done most of the fighting, "That just bloody tears it! Fimbulwinter, Freya, the Raiders. Thor and Odin barging in, and now Stalkers preying on our woods...the only thing good that's happened is Eirene coming back..." Kratos ignored him though, shaking his head,

        "You are not fit to be fighting!" Something snapped. You gawked at him, taking a moment to register his words. Your brows furrowed and you stepped up to him, not bothered by the fact that you had to crane your neck to face him,

        "I helped you! You can't always keep me from fighting!"

        "You know what will happen if you lose yourself!" 

        It didn't matter if he was right. You knew he was right. But the rage still coursed through your veins at his words and you bared your teeth in frustration,

        "Then help me! War is upon us! You can't just-"

        "Enough. I will not entertain your desire," he huffed in annoyance, putting up a hand to silence you. You blinked, finding truth emitting from him once again. Desire. Was that what it was? Even just having a screaming match was causing you to brew inside. 

        "You're right..." you muttered, looking away from him, "But I still think...if I could just...I've been without you for three years, Kratos."

        "Don't tell me she turns into a bear too..." Atreus chimed in from the sidelines, and you gave him a confused look. Before you could ask though, your brother spoke again, softer this time,

        "I swore to protect you...but you are not ready to protect yourself." And just like before...you knew he was right.

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Next Chapter

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Chapter Text

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Back

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

War

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

        Baring your teeth, you launched yourself forward, ignoring the ache in your muscles as you began to swing your blades. Perhaps carelessly, but as long as you were meeting meat and bone, you didn't care. One raider fell after the other, and watercolor fell before you as rage pulsed through your veins. You hardly noticed Kratos and Atreus at your side as flashes of blood spilled against the snow...Spilled against ruins and cobbled paths. Blades swinging, piercing through the creatures ruthlessly...piercing through the armored men who cried out at the pain you delivered. Delicious. As chaos blades swished through the air, flames emerging from their tips, you saw the roaring fire that licked away at the buildings. It had been your home...and now as you looked upon it, it was falling apart by the second. Ash fell from the dark sky and embers glittered like the familiar eyes that caught your own. 

        His amber poured like lava as the blaze danced within them. Rage was evident, and you reflected that as your dagger stabbed over and over again. Where was he going with such determination? Despite not having seen him in ages...after chasing him...knowing you had to bring him down...here he was, striding away. Afraid. Gritting your teeth, your battle cry cut through the sound of crackling and shrill screams. They echoed in the depths of your mind, and you were sure...you were no longer dreaming. 

        You pushed through, ignoring the begging in your very core to stop. This wasn't you, but you didn't care. It felt too good to stop. Power surged through you as you faced another man, his crooked smile gleaming in the light. Returning the expression, you caught him off guard by swinging your blade through his side, causing him to collapse to his knees. Heaving through your nose and gently caressing the dagger along his cheek, you watched the fear etch into his features. Fear...you could feel something inside feeding off of it as you forced his chin upwards, his anger meeting your own. He sputtered out blood, laughing menacingly as you seemed to hesitate. Little did he know...you were just soaking in the glory. You had won. There was nothing that was going to bring you down.  

        "Go ahead, Goddess," he growled, and you drew in a breath at the word, "I know what you are. Peace...is that what you call this? No...you're nothing but a monster." Just as the last venomous syllable left his lips, you dug your dagger into the underside of his chin, watching as the light faded from his eyes and his mouth fell open. Crumpling to the ground, you drew the blade back, raising it's enticing gleam to your face. You couldn't help the smile that emerged. The way the crimson ruby dripped, asking for mercy. But it was too late. There was no turning back now.

        Death blanketed the ground around you, seeping into the earth below you. Continuing forward, you came to a hut you knew all too well. You'd shared shelter with the very being that now knelt inside, a corpse spread across his arms. Dead. Heart hammering against your chest, you felt the blades fall from your grasp as he raised his head to look at you. Drenched in blood. He raised his gaze to you and stood, setting his wife's body down before coming out of the building. The ash that fell from the sky rushed towards him, drawn like that of a magnet, painting his skin white.

        "What have you done?" you whispered, lip wobbling as you watched the flames engulf the scene. 

        "EIRENE!" 

        You opened your eyes to see the body beneath you, his gaze lifted to yours once again as your blade rose above you. Blinking, you drew in a shaky breath, noticing the grip that was tight on your wrist. Kratos. His eyes were no longer stark with intensity. His brows were no longer furrowed with an unsettling rage, but contorted instead with concern and worry. His skin...the same ashen white. Carefully, he reached forward, removing the blades from your grasp before setting them aside. 

        "Brother..." the word fell from your lips in a murmur, as you tried to recollect yourself. He sat up and you stumbled back, but his hold on you remained as he searched your gaze. 

        "What did you see?" he dared to ask, and you swallowed thickly. How were you supposed to tell him? The god he once was...haunting your visions...he wasn't the same anymore. You knew that. Yet here you were...trying to...to kill him. "What. Did. You. See," he repeated, low and full of weight. Fear shivered across your skin as you looked at him, shriveling and panicked. His eyes reflected realization as he let out a breath.

        "I'm sorry," he said softly, letting go of his grip on you. Nodding in acknowledgement, but not able to find the words, you brought yourself to your knees, trembling from head to toe. "Eirene," Kratos leaned forward, cradling your face and wiping a tear that must have slipped down your cheek. Hands shaky, you raised one to rest on his wrist as you tried to steady yourself. After three years of not being here with him...you knew you had lost a piece of yourself. Drove yourself to insanity with the belief that you would never see your family again. "You must learn to control it..."

        "I'm a monster..." you grimaced, your eyes shutting tightly as your lungs clenched in your chest. 

        "You are not," Kratos growled, and you felt the stream of tears. How had you become this? What ever happened to the Goddess of Peace? "We will fight this together," he lifted your chin and you looked back at him, your jaw ticking with tension. How could he be so sure? After the pain you had brought to him, how could he say that so...easily? 

        "What...what happened?" Atreus asked from somewhere behind you. Guilt washed over you and you kept yourself from glancing back at him. Kratos didn't break eye contact with you, letting out a huff and letting his gaze flick over your features. What did he see in you, if not a monster? Did he see himself in you? 

        "The past is dangerous to stray in," your brother spoke, directing it more to his son, who sighed in understanding. Gathering himself to his feet, Kratos picked up your blades and put them beside his own, offering you a hand before bringing you to your feet. You felt only slightly lighter than before. "Don't let it overtake you..." he turned towards an open crevice in the mountain, gesturing for Atreus to go first. The boy cast you a worried look, as though you were a kicked puppy, and you wrapped your arms around yourself. "Eirene," your brother made to reach out to you before clenching his fist and dropping it to his side, "Together." 

        Your insides twisted, wanting to shake your head. To hide away in the shadows and never face your family again. They would be better off without you...but you nodded, knowing it would make him feel better. More secure. 

        Squeezing between the tight gap, you couldn't help but hold your breath. Falling back into step with Atreus and Kratos, you looked warily over your hands. They were still trembling. Your blades...he had them on his back now, and as you looked them, you could still hear their whispers. They mocked you now, glinting with the blood of your enemies. 

        "Perhaps I can stay with Eirene for a bit," Mimir suggested to Kratos after some time of them walking through the snow. With a hum of agreement, your brother removed him from his belt and handed him off to you. "You're still pretty shaken up," the head noted quietly. You kept from making eye contact with him, knowing that if you did, you would fall apart. "Aye lass, it'll be alright. Do you wanna talk about it?" 

        "I just..." the words failed to come as you considered the burden you had been carrying since leaving Greece, "I'm a mess."

        "Aren't we all?" Mimir let out a soft chuckle, but the tension remained. He let out a sigh, "If only we had known you were alive." Your vision blurred with water and you let out a shaky breath, chewing on the inside of your cheek. You weren't going to allow yourself to break. Vulnerability...it was like a punch to the stomach knowing it was part of your nature. Why couldn't you just be different? Why weren't you strong? As if he had read your mind, the smartest man alive continued, "You've been through a lot. Just like your brother." 

        You came to a wall and Kratos urged you forward first, seeming the most worried about you. Hooking the head onto your belt, you started up the mountain, blindly feeling for any grooves you could use to pull yourself up. Atreus came after you, with Kratos in tow. "I've seen my share of fights. You...I fell apart seein' you so drawn to it," Mimir said softly to you, "We've all been through a lot in the past few hours. Haven't even had the proper time to celebrate you comin' home." You opened your mouth to speak, but thought better of it. But you listened nonetheless, and carried his words as usual, with great value. Coming to the top, you reached to haul yourself up, but not before hearing a cry of pain from your brother below. With wide eyes, you finished your ascend before looking down to see Atreus already leaping from the wall, bow drawn onto the creature. 

        Kratos had some sort of harpoon shot through his shoulder, the attached rope yanking him to the ground. He was pulled back below by half woman half horse, her forelegs stomping at him. He grappled with her before bringing himself to his feet, tossing her to the side as she fell in a heap. She was quick to collect herself though. You hesitated before moving to climb down, but Mimir called out to you before,

        "No lass! They can handle it. Wait here." You frowned and watched the scene below you, arrows flying about and fire lighting the ground around them. You had seen your brother fight before, but something about seeing the action made you boil inside. Your daggers glittered from where they hung on his back. She wanted to see them in action. But her brother didn't touch them, keeping to his axe and chaos blades. 

        "I have to do something!" you countered, your feet having a mind of their own as they started towards the edge again. Despite Mimir calling after you, they fell on deaf ears as you began to make your way below. But before you could hit the ground, you felt the warmth spread through your hip. Glancing down, your fingers hovering over the sharp animal claw that stuck out of your body, you were lurched back. The pain was excruciating and you felt like you were on fire as you let out a bellowing scream. The sound of thundering hooves could be heard as the creature approached you and the harpoon was yanked from your hip, leaving you breathless.

        "Aunt Eirene!" you heard your nephew calling after you, but stars filled your vision as you gasped for breath. You saw the hovering form of the fire-headed boy, arrows shooting from his bow before he knelt at your side. He was screaming something, but you couldn't make it out. A hand was placed on your hip as you felt the heat course through you. "Hold in there, I got you!" You saw the gentle yellow hue around you, circling around Atreus like a halo of sorts. You felt a cooling around your waist, almost like a numbing sensation that filled you inside. Your breathing stuttered as you attempted to sit up, looking at your nephew who was closing his eyes in concentration. It became clear what he was so focused on when you looked down to see the blood from your wound fade away and the opening closing in on itself. The pain dissipated, leaving only a minor sting instead. 

        "Now where did you learn that?" you asked in awe, as he opened his eyes and looked at you in relief. He helped you up and he let out a pant of a laugh,

        "It's a long story. C'mon. We can finally get moving again..." 

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Next Chapter

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Chapter Text

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Path Between

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

        It wasn't too long until you reached a familiar ruin, and Atreus was leading the way to one of the many cupboards the three of you had come across on you travels. Glancing over at Kratos, knowing he was probably still upset with his son, you gaged his curiosity despite his buried emotions. Allowing him to open up the panels, your gaze scanned over the pictures. Having been close with Faye, you recognized this to be the wolves chasing the sun and moon. It was a strong symbolism, one you thought was very unlike the myths of Greece. But you only knew surface level history and legends. Especially that of Giant culture, and so you found yourself looking on with fascination, wanting to learn as much as you could. Maybe there was something hidden in these prophecies about you...something you could use perhaps to control yourself better. While you highly doubted it, the thought brought you some hope. Something you wished to hold onto regardless if you would find anything or not. 

        "You watching?" Atreus asked, a grin stretching across his lips as he pressed a flat palm to the center of the panel, and your brother lifted Mimir up to see as well as the pictures faded away. Instead, what looked to be a stone door revealed itself and your brows rose, impressed with your nephew's ability to discover interesting things.

        "Well...that's new," the head spoke in awe, storing it away in that vast memory of his.

        "C'mon," the boy ushered, as he slunk into the shimmering yellow void, Kratos calling after him. But to no avail, and the three of you were left looking at one another.

        "Yeah, I don't think he's waitin'," Mimir stated the obvious, causing your brother to heave sigh and trail behind Atreus. Warily, you stepped behind him, finding your feet meeting what looked to be sand. Particles floated about, but didn't flood your vision as you noticed Atreus just ahead of you. He puffed his chest out with pride as the head began again, "What is this lad?"

        "Somewhere only Giants were meant to see. These shrines show their stories to the world., but it turns out the real stories...the secret stories...those are kept here, inside. You remember the story of Skoll and Hati, the Wolf-Giants? Odin captured them because he thinks it'll help him control when Ragnorak starts," the boy began to point to what at first you thought looked to be a sandstorm, until figures were drawn in the air. Your jaw dropped as you took in the imagery, suddenly noticing that it was no longer cold. Where are we? You wondered to yourself as you followed the trail of the story. "But that's not the whole story. See...this shows the Giant setting Skoll and Hati free," Atreus pointed towards where the two wolves were unleashed from their chains.

        "They're free?" Mimir questioned as he scanned the scene with peeked interest, "Is this the past or the future?" It was a valid question, but one you would fail to understand if it were either. Afterall, your knowledge was minimal. But you tried your hardest to keep up as Atreus shrugged his shoulders,

        "Depends...when you're looking at it." 

        "Spoken like a Giant," Mimir praised, and you couldn't help but scrunch up your nose, bewildered by his statement. He really had come a long way. You had missed so much growth from your nephew. But you weren't surprised that he had sought out information of all things. It was natural to be curious about where you came from. You knew that first hand, and you were sure Kratos must've as well, despite his arrangements with finding out the truth. Trying not to dwell on the past and taking in a breath, you perked at Atreus' call to attention again,

        "See? The wolves are safe, somewhere in Vanaheim."

        "Not the first place Odin would look, I suppose..." Mimir commented, humming in acknowledgement. You were unsure of what kind of place that was, though you had explored many realms in the past while adventuring with Kratos and Atreus. You shuddered at the thought of facing elves again. Or ghastly Hel-Walkers. Memories began to plague your mind, remembering the visions you saw just a few years ago...Grinding your teeth, you shoved the thoughts away and looked back to the group.

        "There they are, chasing the sun and moon. Until-look-the moon gets stolen. Somehow," Atreus noted as you watched what he was describing play out amongst the grainy vision. 

        "Atreus..." you couldn't tell if Kratos was losing his patience, but you were sure that must've been the case as he looked on with an unsettled expression. He had come here for answers, not to waste his time on possibilities. 

        "See, Hati's got nothing to chase," Atreus pointed out, not paying any mind to his father as Mimir chimed in,

        "And they say celestial theft is a victimless crime..." 

        "Not totally sure who this is, but someone comes along and rescues the moon...and then the moon blocks out the sun," you could see a figure emerge, wearing a helmet that looked similar to that of a spartan, causing you to shiver. 

        "A total eclipse..." you whispered, finding Mimir's words in sync with your own. You knew that couldn't be good, seeing as from where you were from, it was a sign of divine anger...something you had come to believe as the displeasure of a god. If this was going to cause Ragnorak...

        "But then they chase an arrow, and things go back to normal," you found yourself fiddling with your hands as Atreus spoke. How could he be so sure of any of this? And if there was no specifics...where were any of you supposed to start?

        "What does any of this have to do with-" your brother was cut off as your nephew grumbled,

        "We're coming to that. Look here's Ragnorak. Do you see who's leading the armies against Odin? That's Týr! If he's gonna be around at Ragnorak, that means he's gotta be alive! Right?" He turned to face the three of you and the only thing you managed to do was look to Mimir, who you were sure had to have had something on the subject. However, part of you filled with doubt as you noted the same expression on Kratos' face. 

        "Odin told me he killed Týr, and he trusted me at the time," Mimir looked up at the mess of shimmering rays that were now falling softly around you. Your gaze rose to the thick swirls of clouds behind the scene, reminding you of your father. Even the area felt oddly familiar. Golden and...comfortable. 

        "What if he didn't kill him? What if he's been locked up somewhere all this time?" Atreus spewed out, seeming to try and reason with Kratos. He didn't seem convinced, and you if you knew him as much as you thought you did, you were certain he wouldn't support the concept of running in blindly. What were the chances of actually finding him? Prophecy, you knew was a dangerous thing to follow. It could lead to many problems and ripples that couldn't be avoided. 

        "We are back to 'ifs'. Enough," just as you expected, your brother moved to exit the...space of sorts. You weren't entirely sure what it was if you were being honest with yourself. A hidden room? Was there some sort of wall that would keep you from walking further into it? Upon inspection, it looked to be an endless void of just glittering element and thick fog. Something caught your eye as you peered through it; something that looked to be a looming beast with an open maw, swallowing a small figure before it. But it was gone as soon as you took a step forward to get a better look. Your skin prickled with unease as your brother's voice cut through Atreus once again, "We are going home." 

        "Wait! I have one more thing to show you. It's just out here," the boy started, wanting to prove himself. Hesitating and wondering if your eyes had been playing tricks on you, the door opened and you walked outside. You didn't miss the chill that greeted you. Thankfully, you didn't have to walk too far, though you were aching to be home already and curl up in the comforts of your bed. 

        "What is this?" Mimir was set on top of a rock to get a better view of the marked wall before them. It seemed your nephew had spent a great amount of time on this project. You understood the feeling of wanting to discover new things. But by the looks of it, Kratos didn't seem as amused. Conflicted perhaps. This was his son after all. Who had clearly been keeping things from him for some time. 

        "Everything I found. Well, almost everything," Atreus removed something from his pocket, holding it out to his father, who examined what looked to be a stone of sorts. It failed to hold any answers for you.

        "That's Giant's craftmanship," Mimir revealed in awe, "You've been to Jotunheim again?" His eyes flickered over to Atreus, who seemed unaware of the lingering gaze Kratos had on him, awaiting his response.

        "No, I found it in one of the other shrines."

        "Other shrines. How many have you visited?" just as expected, he took an advanced step towards the boy, who stepped away with caution, shrugging his shoulders lightly and weighing the choice of his next words carefully. 

        "I, well...all of them? All the ones I could still get to in Midgard anyway. I don't know what it is," when his father only followed him with a trained look, he made his way over to the notes before kneeling down in the snow, "But it's important...just like all this. When I was inside one of the shrines, I saw an image of Týr imprisoned, but I couldn't tell where. There are hints inside of the other shrines. They mention...black smoke and the bleeding earth. But...we could never figure out exactly-"

        "We?" Kratos huffed, and you could practically see the steam wafting off of him. Even you shrunk under pressure, though you knew his intensity wasn't being directed at you. He had always had that effect though, even just walking into a room had you bowing his head. Whether it was out of respect or fear, you couldn't always be too sure. 

        "Sindri's...been helping me," Atreus lowered his head slightly, carrying that expression of guilt that you knew all too well," Look, I talked him into it-it wasn't his idea. I just needed someone to watch my back..." Sindri. You smiled despite yourself, thinking back to seeing the dwarven brothers again. It surprised you though to hear that the brother had been helping with such a search. You hadn't ever taken him as someone who bothered with adventuring, instead preferring the comforts of his home. Whatever the case may be, it was evident that Atreus was good at covering for himself. There was something about his structuring of words that made you trust him, but you kept out of it, instead letting your brother handle it. 

        "Black smoke. Bleeding earth. Could the prison be in Muspelheim?" you were surprised when Kratos brushed it aside, instead reevaluating the information. You vaguely remembered the realm, mostly recalling how much sweat coated you upon entering. You wondered if it would beat this terrible cold. Mimir mulled it over before taking note aloud,

        "Unlikely. Odin's got no presence to speak of in primordial realms. But the bleeding earth...sounds like a mine, aye."

        "The realm of the Dwarves, perhaps?" Kratos considered instead.

        "Svartalfheim, that's a good bet," Mimir moved as if to be nodding, "Their mines did belch black smoke. And Odin's had his thumb on the Dwarves for a very long time." 

        "That's it then! Týr's in Svartalfheim somewhere imprisoned in a mine." Atreus beamed, excitement building up quickly at the thought of traveling. As long as you could finally get some rest, you were pretty thrilled as well. "So, what now?" He looked to the three of you as Kratos hooked Mimir back to his belt, letting out a gruff,

        "Home."

        "Oh finally," you couldn't help but sigh, your brother casting a raised brow at you. "What? My legs are killing me." You stated, offended with the look he was giving you. As you started towards the way you had come, you could already feel the coziness of the hut embracing you. 

        "Lad, even if we go looking for Týr...how do you have us gettin' to Svartalfheim?" Mimir quipped, "You know Odin's had all travel between realms locked up tight." This was certainly news to you, and you frowned at the thought of not being able to go some place where there wasn't such a brisk cold.

        "Sindri said he had an idea or two about that," Atreus offered, causing you to chuckle.

        "Can't say I'm surprised," you knew that even if it took them ages to figure out, Brok and Sindri would no doubt be able to figure anything out. 

        "Sindri is full of ideas," Kratos said with thick sarcasm. Ah, so it was getting to him that Atreus had gone behind his back. Along with a dwarf no less who would gag at the sight of even a hair somehow landing in his food. As they continued on, clambering along ledges and sliding down chains, your nephew attempted more conversation,

        "Remember when we fought our first troll out this way?" 

        "I still have nightmares of that day...the stag was the highlight though. Even though...it was beautiful while it lasted," you said with admiration, recalling the enchanted creature with shimmering blue antlers. To this day, you had never seen anything like it. 

        "I remember you lost control..." Kratos recited, causing you to rub your arms, insecurities coursing through you. It was the same words he used towards you, even when, like Atreus, you wanted to lighten the mood. He always had to put a damper on things, didn't he? Atreus sighed and padded close to you, his father now taking the lead. Glancing over at him, you couldn't help but nudge him a bit,

        "Don't take it to heart. He's always been that way. Even with me." 

        "I just want him to see that I'm trying," Atreus explained with animated arms. You nodded and hummed in acknowledgement. It wasn't the first time the two of you had talked about something like this. You were glad he still felt open enough to mention what was on his mind. 

        "From what I noticed, he's at least gotten better?" You phrased it as a question, hoping he'd continue on. He pursed his lips and brought his shoulders to his ears dramatically, seeming defeated,

        "I guess. But he still sees me as a child." 

        "Same here," you chortled, rolling your eyes at the thought, "He's just protective. That's all. He's..." your lips cast downwards as darker images flashed before you, "He's gone through a lot. You shouldn't hold it against him." 

        "Hm..." Atreus seemed faraway in his own head, so you kept from prying, instead focusing on the back of your brother's head. At least you'd all be home soon...

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Next Chapter

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Chapter Text

        "What do you mean she's alive?!" Sindri blurted out as he threw his hands up in the air, glaring at his brother with narrowed eyes. The blue dwarf scoffed and set down the metal he had been hammering, looking him square in the face. How had he brought something like this up so casually? Oh! Hey brother! Just saw Eirene walking about! His fingers were beginning to shake and he found himself attempting to wind down. 

        "You heard me, you little twit! Y'know. The Goddess of Peace? Clean yer ears out," Brok shook his head as if he wasn't the crazy one and continued slamming the metal against metal. Shuffling his feet and trying to adjust his thoughts, Sindri busied himself with organizing his small space. Eirene? Alive? But how was that even possible? Picking up a large pot, he brought it over to the kitchen, debating on what kind of stew to start. Rummaging for carrots and broth first, he set them aside the other various herbs from their garden, lifting a knife up to begin cutting. But his body came to a halt as he found himself deep in thought. It had been what...? Three years? Surely he hadn't seen you of all people. No. Certainly not. That was...impossible. Even Kratos and Atreus had told them you were gone. And yet...

        "HEY! Hello? Are ya in there?" Brok came up behind him, causing him to leap into the air in fright as his brother let out a scoff, "Did ya hear me?" The kitchen blade clattered to the floor and he mentally cursed himself before turning to him.

        "I- No, sorry," Sindri fiddled, reaching to pick it up and toss it in the sink, "W-What did you say?"

        "I said, go an bring em home. They need a place to stay the night. I'll take care a the..." Brok scrunched his nose and looked at the ingredients that were laid out on the counter, "Whatever the Hel yer makin' anyway."

        "You want me to go?" Sindri asked, baffled. He shook his head aggressively, making his way over to the dining table with a newly washed rag, swiping it over the surface multiple times over. It was obvious that he was still in his head, but Brok didn't seem to notice, instead coming over to him and spitting on the table. Spitting! 

        "Ex-CUSE ME!" the brunette huffed and scrubbed that spot too, gagging at the very thought of mucus coated underneath the rag he was holding. With two fingers, he pinched the fabric and brought it over to the sink, a shiver rolling over him as he tossed it carelessly into the wash bin. 

        "What's got ya so worked up?" Brok pulled out a chair and picked at something between his teeth, maneuvering his body to face Sindri more as he muttered and clambered about the room. Plants are watered...books are in place...windows...could use some cleaning...and- "Is this because I said Eirene was still poppin' around?" Spinning on his heel to face him and opened his mouth to speak, Sindri blinked, confused as to how his brother was so...calm about this.

        "YES! Of COURSE! Did you hear yourself when you said it?" Brok scratched his chin and shrugged his shoulders,

        "Ah there must be some sorta explanation. Ain't nothin' to worry 'bout," Grabbing a few bowls and setting them on the table, rolling his eyes at his brother's demeanor, he huffed with irritation.

        "I understand that. But usually it's not a friend that comes back from the dead," Sindri paused his momentum and considered the weight of the word. Dead. Tears glossed over his eyes as he bustled about, "I-I'm sorry. It's been so different without her around." His apology wasn't meant to be due to his behavior, but rather, the words he couldn't bring himself to tell Brok. He swallowed, his chest and throat both clenched tight and making it a strain to draw in breath.

        "Yeah, and now that she's back, you can quit'cher whinin' and get goin'," Brok raised a brow as his brother slammed the last dish down, looking over at him from across the table. Angry at himself, but unsure of how to reprimand who he saw in the mirror every morning...a monster...he shivered and tried to distract himself. There was too much going on in his head and the voices were too loud to focus.  

        "No. No no. This is just a trick, isn't it? Are you messing with me again? If so, i-it's not funny." He pointed a finger at him, trying to see through Brok's expression, which was as blank as it ever was. Letting out a sigh, he got up and made his way over to Sindri, smacking a hand onto his shoulder. He winced and glanced down with disgust at the black that coated his brother's fingers, but prepared himself for whatever he was going to say.

        "I missed her too, ya weasel. It ain't no damn prank. Now...settle yer ass down, will ya?" Tensing, the dwarf watched him walk away, suddenly very aware of the crawling that was occurring under his armor and panic seized him as he rushed up the steps to his room. "Hey! Relax wouldya?" but Brok's words fell silent on his ears as he shut the door and made his way over to the bath, stripping his armor and rubbing at his skin.

        "No no no, get it off get it off!" Dunking himself in the running water, he started scrubbing away at the itching that was seeming to take over his body. "Make it stop..." It was something that had haunted him for ages now...something he knew he couldn't tell his brother. It was worth it...to feel such prickling sensation...like the very dead was trying to scrape through him from inside. But it was a damn pain that he wished he didn't have to deal with. Despite the protective armor he wore, it was like a phantom feeling that occured when he was more worked up than he should be. Drawing in slow and steady breaths, he allowed the warm water to wash it all away, reaching forward for some elements to soak in the tub. Untangling his hair, he dipped the ends in, bringing his head back to rest on the surface before combing his fingers through. Relax...just...relax...

        Allowing his thoughts to simmer, he looked up at the ceiling above him. It was adorned with jewels and floral design, some of his own handy work that he would have beamed at with pride had he not been so bothered. But this was serious. If you were alive, that meant something had gone wrong if you had died. Had you been brought to life again? Were you missing...souls like Brok? He pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a breath. The very thought crushed him to think about. None of it made sense. The last he had heard, you had been killed by Freya...but for what purpose would she have brought you back to life? Had she cast some sort of spell on you? Caused some sort of witchy illusion? 

        He remembered back to the first time he had met you. Reminiscing back to the old days, your times with Faye. You had been so...kind to him. Sharing a laugh as Brok would have and trying to give you advice on how to approach your brother again after splitting ways. You understood the irk a brother could give, but you'd been right that family was meant to be there for each other no matter what. Heart sinking at the thought, he scrubbed soap into his locks and rinsed it out before draining the tub and stepping out. With a towel wrapped around his waist and his hair tossed over either of his shoulders, he sat on the edge of his bed. Surely Brok hadn't really seen you. But if he had...if his words were true...that meant he'd have another friend around. Would things be the same as before? Had you changed at all? 

        "I knew you was stallin'!" Brok stomped over to him, gesturing to the towel Sindri was wearing, "Are ya bout done yet with yer shenanigans?" Looking up at him with furrowed brows, he rolled his eyes and reached for his armor,

        "I was just taking a bath."

        "Yea I know, I could smell ya all the way from downstairs. Now hurry up, don't got all day," he threw his arms up in irritation and left the room, leaving Sindri alone once more with his thoughts. 

        You weren't entirely sure what had persuaded your brother to have a change of heart, but you were glad that he and Atreus were no longer in a squabble. He had seemed to breathe more excitement into the boy, who was now bouncing about like a deer. He was determined to prove his father wrong. Kratos made it clear, however, that if Týr wasn't found, then he would need to give up his search for good. Curiosity filled you at the thought. As dangerous as prophecies were, it was interesting to see the potential and possibilities that would come from them.

        Soon enough, the cabin came into sight and you let out a sigh of content and relief. Maybe a cup of warm tea and your soft animal hides would suffice for the night. You hoped that the worst was behind you and tried not to dwell on what other bad events could spark. After only a day of being out and about, it was already taking a great toll on you. 

        "Kratos!" an all-too familiar voice rang out from a silhouette towards the front of your home, "Over here!" You staggered behind some, knowing it was bound to be a shock for him when he realized you weren't actually dead. Being bombarded with questions was something you were not looking forward to. 

        "Sindri!" Atreus ran up to him, blocking the much shorter man as Kratos and you fell behind. 

        "Why! As I live and breathe. Is that Atreus? It's been so long! How you've grown," Sindri looked him up and down, as if it was the first time he'd seen him in years. Little did he know, he had been ratted out. Awkwardly, Atreus rubbed the back of his neck as your brother let out a grumble. Nervously, obviously unsure of why the tension was so thick, his gaze drifted to you as you let out a little chuckle at the interaction.

        "You are alive..." his jaw dropped as he hobbled his way over, blinking and seeming at a loss for words, "Brok said he'd seen you but...I didn't...how are you? W-What uh...happened? I just can't believe...you're really-"

        "I know, Sindri..." you offered him a smile and you could swear you noted crystally tears behind his eyes as he drew in a heavy breath, "I'll fill you in later."  

        "It's...really good to see you again..." he nodded and pursed his lips, as if keeping his tears at bay. But Atreus must've noticed, for he peered down at the dwarf with a brow raised,

        "Are you...crying, Sin?" Immediately, the dwarf straightened himself and looked to the boy, offended. 

        "I am not! I just got...dust in my eyes!" He waved his hands dismissively at Atreus, muttering something about wanting to wash his eyes out at the thought before clearing his throat, "Well, if you'll follow me...Brok mentioned you needed somewhere safe to spend the night. And I believe your favorite Dwarves can help you out with that!" As he turned his back to the group, you couldn't help but feel anticipation at seeing them again. And the comforts of a home, that no doubt was clean to the brim. You hummed at the thought, knowing you'd be amongst old friends and in a safe space soon. "We're still your favorite Dwarves...right?" Sindri went on as they came to an unfinished archway, his gaze flicking over to your brother, who still had an intense look on his face. You wondered when he was going to bring up the secrets that were kept from him...

        "You're still the only Dwarves we know," Atreus said through a bubbly laugh. It was nice to see him interacting with him again. You cringed upon remembering an instance where he'd gone off on Sindri though...not wanting to hear anymore about him and Brok's drama. Your nephew had quite the temper back then, that was for sure. 

        "I'll take it," Sindri replied, raising his arm up as the rocks formed around a wooden door. You always admired the magic they possessed, something you wondered if you could ever learn. "After you, my friends," he stepped to the side, allowing Kratos to enter first, followed by Atreus. His gaze lingered up to you as a tight-lipped smile spread across his cheeks. "Did I mention how good it is to have you home?" You chuckled at his words and nodded,

        "I must've missed that part...it's good to be back..." With a dramatic bow, he reached his arm out to gesture you through the portal, and as you stepped in, you were relieved to find yourself between the realm of realms. It had always brought you a security that nothing could find you here. No wandering eyes or beasts that wanted to tear you limb by limb. 

        "Where are we going?" Atreus perked as Sindri made his way through, seeming thrilled to remove the knitted hat he'd been wearing to cover his head from the cold. His hair was tied back, as it usually was, and you noted that it was still a bit damp, from what you assumed was from washing it. Keeping close to Kratos, you offered him a nudge, noting the serious expression etched to his features. He grunted at you and kept his eyes forward, but you were in too good of a mood to be bothered by it. After all this time, everything seemed...peaceful. But the Dwarves had never failed to make it feel that way. 

        "The cleanest cabin in all the Nine Realms," as the dwarf led the way, you could hear how proud he sounded about the mention of his home. "And I'd prefer it stay that way. Not looking at anyone in particular...Kratos..." Caught off guard by the abruptness of his comment, you stifled a laugh, covering your mouth so that your brother wouldn't see the smirk playing on your lips. 

        "Hmrph..." he breathed, shaking his head at you. 

        "Oh, just poking fun. Don't take it to heart," but even still, you couldn't contain the laughter that threatened to spill, in very poor attempt. He raised a brow at you,

        "I do not see how that is funny." Opening your mouth to reply, you found Sindri continuing on as well,

        "After that Thor incident, we thought we should make up some rooms. 'Til you can figure out your next moves." Deciding it best not to say much of anything to your brother after all, noting the way his brows knitted together the more the dwarf chattered, your eyes wandered through the unruly growth of the branches that twined all around you, twisting and reaching to places unknown. The path was simple enough to follow, and didn't seem to have anywhere else to go but forward. Even the center of the area, where the curves of the circle met around, looked far too deep to pursue. You swallowed, keeping away from the edges as much as you could, afraid of the consequences of falling. It was hard to tell just how high up you were. 

        "Nearly there," Sindri called out through your thoughts as another glowing archway revealed itself. Trailing after the group, you curiously lifted your palm to the light, letting the shine glaze over your fingers. Allowing yourself to step though, you found yourself instantly drawn to the exterior of the building. A thick golden trim and a heavily sloped roof that touched the floor came together at a point before melding into the stump of a tree. Blue-green fuzzy grass grew where it could, giving a fantastic look amongst the roots. "As you can see, we've settled here in the Realm Between Realms. It's nothing much, but it's safe from Fimbulwinter...safe from Odin's eyes." Stepping forward and kneeling down to run a thumb over a bright blue mushroom, you hummed softly,

        "You're too humble, Sindri." A great canopy stretched out above you, creating the very safety you had hoped to feel upon escaping Freya. "The view is stunning..." And you meant it, scanning the wide area in awe.

        "I-If you're into shimmering grey voids that is," the dwarf added pointedly as you came to the edge of the large platform, excitement building inside of you. 

        "It"s so peaceful here..." you murmured, gazing down into the great beyond. 

        "Too peaceful," Kratos came up beside you, letting out a sigh as he followed your staring eyes. Glancing at him, and interested in his thoughts, you nodded in acknowledgement. 

        "Perhaps..."

        "It is not home," he said matter-of-factly. While he was right, you couldn't help but feel like it could be better suited for your needs. Your style. Despite the vast amount of realms you had visited before, the in between was both unsettling and dreamlike, reminding you of the watercolor that often accompanied you through the past. And in a way, that comforted you. "I am worried," you didn't expect him to continue, as he rarely did. His words shocked you though and you turned to him, frowning with concern. It wasn't often he had ever confided in you. After all, what did you know that he didn't believe he could approach better? What could the Goddess of Peace bring to the God of War. Not wanting to startle him, you pursed your lips and awaited him to finish his thought. He drew in a breath, closed his eyes, and let it out slowly. "I have caused him to keep secrets..."

        "Kratos..." you shook your head, wrapping your arms around yourself, realizing silently that it was no longer cold. But comfortable. "He's a growing boy. You can't go blaming yourself for his desire to explore," hesitating, you reached out and rested a hand on his shoulder, to which he tensed under and looked at you from the corner of his eye. You didn't move though, instead letting what you knew best come to surface. "The way of peace is to listen. Listen...with an open heart."

        "I...do not know how to," the lines in his forehead creased, like deep valleys that had been around for ages. 

        "I know..." you retracted your hand and looked off towards the house, where Sindri and Atreus had disappeared to, "But that might be the only way to get through to him." Kratos brought his hands up to look at, something you had seen him do a lot in his time. You knew his actions in Greece haunted him, perhaps more than they haunted you. "I'll help where I can, Kratos." Whether you were reassuring him or yourself, you didn't know, but it must have sounded at least somewhat convincing since he looked to you and gave a stern nod. 

        "Together..." he drawled out gruffly, and the heaviness of the moment caused you to take in a sharp shuddering breath, a gentle smile caressing your features,

        "Together."

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Next Chapter

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

Chapter Text

        Having decided to stay outside while the plan was delivered to Sindri, you kicked your legs off the side of the cliff and peered down, finding large forms in the distance tangled at the trunk of the world tree. It seemed that a dense fog had settled, making the depths looks even further out. It was quite the view, and you were starting to see what your brother meant by too peaceful. The silence was unnerving the longer it went on, becoming a gentle hum that you found yourself very aware of. Everything in your field of vision reminded you of a dream. A distant memory. One that you would revisit often. Like an image of watercolor dunked over and over again in a running stream.

        You'd hardly had any time to process everything that had happened today. You were actually back with your family, welcomed with open arms. Yet, you still found it hard to breathe. Kratos had been so relieved to see you...Atreus had...well he'd certainly become something. Odin had been quite the surprise, interrupting even the small celebration you were hoping to share with them. And your blades...it had felt like such a reunion holding them again. Their gentle whispers caressing you, telling you it was okay to let go...okay to be what you truly were...

        Fatigue settled over you in your position, shoulders slumped forward and eyes slowly drooping. Maybe I should go inside and rest...but your thoughts drifted somewhere unknown as sleep took over anyway.

        "Steady yourself. Feel the pull?" The soft grip on your elbow caused you to readjust and look back at the all-too vivid face. Though you knew this was nowhere near real, you humored the woman and nodded, drawing back the arrow and allowing it to fly. It was closer to the target this time, fairing only a few inches from where it had grazed the tree. But it was better. "You'll get the hang of it in due time," Faye took a step back and made her way over to the tree, tugging out the weapons from the bark. Setting the bow down on a nearby stump, you took in your surroundings, noting the edge where the watercolor spilled like a boundary. A memory that could not be explored further. "What's on your mind, sister of mine?" 

        "Nothing just...glad to spend some more time with you is all," you said truthfully, following the woman into the garden. The women knelt down in the soil, letting her fingers roam over some of the leaves that sprung from the ground. With a soft, aha! she pulled a large carrot up, dusting off the dirt and setting it in a basket behind her. You rested on your haunches beside her, taking in the progress from the vegetables the two of you had been growing. 

        "No need to get sentimental on me, Eirene," Faye let outa breath of a laugh, the sound music to your ears. 

        "It's hard to watch you know," you spoke softly, not wanting to disrupt the moment. She nodded, yanking another two carrots before looking directly at you. Her eyes were usually as sharp as steel, but now they were dull and jagged. Unfamiliar. "You walk with less determination, Faye. Sleep in later. Breathe with more of a stutter," even now as you spoke along with the words you had used so long ago, they still felt dry in your throat. The woman reached forward, placing a hand on your shoulder,

        "You're doing it again, aren't you?" Faye spoke out, her words hanging in the air like a symphony. But it crept along you as you blinked, brows furrowing slightly. Something was off. Never had you heard those words fall from her lips. Had you tapped into a different memory? "Why do you live in the past, Eirene?" She frowned in disapproval, studying your features. Pulling yourself from this...vision wasn't working and you felt yourself glued to the spot. "My husband and son need you now. More than ever. Don't stray," before you could question her, you felt her pressing a cold hand to your forehead. You bolted upright, coming face-to-face with a large scaled beast. 

        You were no longer in the realm between realms. Where was your brother? Atreus and Sindri? There were dark mountains around you, lava spewing from their bellies. Your legs urged you to move, but everything seemed much slower than it should've been. Was this some kind of trick? This wasn't a memory. You had never faced this creature head on before. Had never seen the fire in it's eyes or the open maw, teeth twinkling like tiny little swords. Breath caught in your throat, you tried to retreat, stumbling backwards as it towered over you. The shadow it cast engulfed your fallen figure as you stared in terror. 

        "Leave me alone!" But your cry was swallowed whole by the trembling roar it let out, chomping it's muzzle shut with a deafening SNAP! Light emerged from it's throat, an orange glow against the obsidian of its skin. You could hear the crackling like the breaking of Earth inside its being as it readied itself to spew fire. Bringing your arms up in a poor attempt to shield yourself, knowing your end was inevitable, you shut your eyes tightly and prepared for death. 

        "Eirene! Hey! Ya good?" You jolted as you opened your eyes to see Brok shaking you by the shoulders, giving you a puzzled look, "There ya are. Had me shittin' my drawers with how loud ye was screamin'." 

        "I..." you pressed a hand to the side of your head, seeing that you were no longer by the cliffside, but now on the steps to the house, "I fell asleep?" 

        "Hel if I know. Thought you were havin' a nervous breakdown. C'mon let's getchu inside," he lifted you by the elbow, bringing you to your feet with as much effort as he could muster. Being half your size though at best, he only managed so much. 

        "Thank you, Brok. It's...it's good to see you..." you smiled down at him, but he waved a hand at you with a scoff,

        "Ah, don't go gettin' all blubbery with me." Shaking his head, he threw open the two doors, stomping his way in where Kratos and Atreus were clearly in the middle of something serious. By the flaring of your brother's nostrils, you knew to keep your distance. You wondered if you should mention the...vision of sorts that now plagued your mind. Sometime later perhaps. You could still feel the hot breath of the beast wafting over your skin. The flash of its eyes searing into your soul. You jumped out of your thoughts as Sindri slapped a mop down on the floor in front of you. 

        "Please wipe your feet! There's already so much mud..." he muttered, wiping away at the chunks everyone had allowed in. Embarrassed to be called out, as it hadn't exactly slipped your mind, you kicked off your boots to make it easier. Banging them together and grabbing a stick to get whatever was left from the bottom, you listened to the conversation that was taking place at the entrance of the home. 

        "How'd that get in here?" Brok was circling Atreus with an eyebrow cocked in amusement, "And what the heck is it anyhow?" 

        "That would be my son," Kratos gritted out as Sindri ushered you in. 

        "Y-you can just leave those out there if you're so inclined. Would hate to let any...unwanted guests in..." he gagged, setting the mop in the bucket and disappearing around the corner. Stepping over the wet spot in the doorway, you took in the house around you. Beautiful was an understatement for the structured interior.  It was like entering a place of secrets. Something new to be seen around every corner. The hue of light that seeped through the windows was a whimsical lavender. The ceiling had been bejeweled. An array of books adorned shelves that wrapped around the whole of the expanded open room. You noted a small staircase that led to a balcony upstairs, assuming that was the brothers' rooms. 

        "Well what the heck happened ta him? He's way too tall now. And he looks like...that!" Brok threw his hands up in defeat, pointing at Kratos and shaking a finger, "I blame you." 

        "He's just gotten older ya numbskull. Didn't ya ever have an awkward stage?" Mimir questioned as the dwarf led your brother over to their forging station. Keeping a distance, but still curious as to what they were up to now, you focused back on the group, not wanting your thoughts to linger.

        "Ah, was wonderin' if I'd ever seen them blades again," Brok nudged his head up towards where your daggers were stowed on Kratos' back. He glanced in your direction before removing them and placing them before the blue dwarf. "Thems some powerful things," reaching forward, he eyed you and gestured for you to come over, "I take it yous gonna be wantin' some upgrades?" 

        "No. She cannot handle them right now," your brother spoke up before you did and you rolled your eyes, crossing your arms over your chest. Had you a little more energy built up, you may have spoken up for yourself, but rest was beckoning to you by the second. 

        "Well. Why don't I hold onto em for now?" Brok didn't wait for a reply as he carried them to his table, letting them down with a thunk. Trying to keep the frown from curving on your mouth, you looked warily over to Kratos. Did the two of you not just have a bonding moment outside? He was so quick to shift his demeanor that you hardly had time to process yours. "Now," Brok came around the table, grinning up at you, "How's bout we celebrate you comin' home? I made us some real good slop." 

        "Do not call it that! I might just puke," Sindri bent over from where he stood in the kitchen, placing bowls around the table. Atreus let out a bubbly laugh as he sat down beside his father, and all eyes drifted over to you. Feeling rather on the spot, you nervously fiddled with your dress and cleared your throat, sitting down at the far end. "It is, as Brok said, very...very good to have you back." It looked as though the other dwarf would burst into tears, but he refrained from letting them show. 

        "Aye, things were...not the same without ya lass," Mimir cut in as he was placed on the table facing her. Sindri scrunched up his nose, but said nothing as he dug into his soup. 

        "So...how much did I miss exactly?" You asked around a mouthful of potatoes and broth. Atreus was the first to speak up, throwing his arms up dramatically, 

        "I can turn into a bear!" Your brows shot up to your hairline and your stomach churned at the thought of your nephew having little control over himself. That was to be avoided as much as possible.

        "Well, that one's more recent but-" Mimir noted, allowing his voice to die out as your nephew continued on,

        "A-and dad and I released a bunch of dragons and fought off Valkyries and-"

        "Atreus," Kratos pivoted the conversation with a huff, putting a hand up to slow down his son, "Now that we have a moment...breathe. Start from the beginning." And so Atreus ran over the details once again from the battle, to spreading Faye's ashes, how he'd discovered his new name. You listened, hanging onto every word as small stories began to circle around the table. It was good to be home...

        "This is the room you'll be staying in, miss," Sindri had been guiding everyone to their sleeping arrangements, leaving Kratos and Atreus in private spaces. You let out a yawn, stretching out your arms as you took in the comforting display before you. It had everything you needed and more. Stepping into the doorway, you let out a sigh, eyeing the bed that was calling out to you to sleep. 

        "Thank you, Sindri," in a whisper, you allowed your body to gravitate over to the shelf in the corner. There were many artifacts stored there, and you found yourself wondering if these were from your brother or the dwarf's own travels. "Might you have something to help me sleep?" 

        "Uh, yes of course," he adjusted his frame from one foot to the other before hobbling away. You could hear dishes clinking in the kitchen as he searched for something. The room was clean, not surprisingly. It was as if Sindri was always expecting a visitor, keeping all of the surfaces spotless. It was obvious that everything had its place. Even the books were alphabetized, if you knew your runes properly. Sitting on the edge of the bed, you collected a breath and looked down at your hands. As old as you were, there wasn't a single thing marked on your skin to suggest you were over the age of a hundred. "Here. It's ash flower tea. Should help with any small healings or to calm your mind enough to get some decent rest," Sindri made his way over to you, setting the cup on the table beside the bed. 

        "Ash...flower?" you scrunched up your nose in distaste and lifted the teacup to your lips, taking in the intriguing scent first. It did indeed smell like...what you could only describe as war. It brought faint memories to surface, and not the ones you wished to relive. But there was something else that lingered. Something more metallic, like melted iron with a mix of wet soil. "Are you sure this is safe to drink?" 

        "I-" Sindri hesitated, seeming at a loss for words, "I wouldn't ever try to poison you, if that's what you mean..."

        "I'm just messing with you," taking a sip of the tea, you hummed with delight, "Well...not as bad as I expected. This is very much appreciated." Setting the warm contents down, you turned fully to him now, hands clasped in your lap, "Can I ask you something?"

        "Sure," he shrugged his shoulders, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

        "Why did you help Atreus? I mean...did you not expect Kratos to find out eventually?" 

        "Well I-I-" he swallowed and shook his head, looking down ashamed, "Of course I did. Eventually. I just didn't want him going alone. I tried to tell him to ask his father, obviously." You nodded and looked behind him and out into the hall. Only the sound of Brok hammering away at something echoed through the night. No voices stirred. 

        "You did the right thing. Don't take what my brother says to heart," the tips of your lips curved upwards into a warm smile and the dwarf returned it, offering you a little bow,

        "Very good to hear. Now I'll just...I'll let you rest." 

        "Sindri?" you called out to him as he nearly trampled over the leg of a table on his way out. He spun around to face you, the beats in his beard swaying ever so gently,

        "Yes, Eirene?"

        "It's good to see you again."

        "It's good to see you too..." he hurried out of the room, leaving you alone to your restless form once more.

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺

To Be Continued...

༻✧༺༻✧༺༻✧༺