Chapter Twenty Five

“Please, please help them!” Hel begged Freya who looked disgustingly at the trio. Feeling for the ugly girl whom she long condemned to death, Freya moved aside as Hel and Set and Bastet inside from the cold.

Freya let out a low hiss grabbing for her spear. “Hel, who have you brought into my home?”

Hel stood up between Set and Bastet, “calm yourself My Lady! These are Protectors of the Sands. They mean you no harm. They seek only a place to sleep and regain their breath. The cold–”

“Don’t make excuses for them! Why is Ra’s dog here with his bitch?”

Bastet hissed, her ears flat against her head. Her claws out and ready for attack. Set just started at the ground in utter defeat. His onyx skin looking more smokey gray than ever. His heart heavy with emotions he was not ready to face.

“My Lady. I am gravely disappointed in you. I thought you, of all people, would not judge by labels,” Hel spoke confidently but inside she was betraying the depths of her person. How dare she speak in this way towards the one and only Freya. She is no more than a monstrous mistake.

Freya, taken aback by the candid tone of Hel, never before heard Hel speak in such a way. Still, she hung to the shaft of her spear; keeping it threateningly ready to plunge.

“Where is your master then, if you will not hear reason?”

“My what?”

“Clearly you are too emotional to hear reason. Why not speak to the Man of the house anyway? You are too–”

Greya thrusted her spear into Hel’s tiny body. Freya’s thumb gently grazing the flesh that dangled form her bones. Up close in Hel’s ear Freya whispered, “I do not know who you think you are talking too. But you have a lot of nerve coming into my home with that tone.”

From knowing Hel all her life, Freya knew the thrusting of her speak would not kill her. But to not have any damage at all, no staggered breathing, no injury to heal from aside from the wound in her side. Freya twisted the spear in hopes to find a weak point in the half dead child. But nothing happened. Letting go of the spear, Freya watched with curiosity as Hel pulled the weapon out of herself with both hands and tossed it to the ground.

The four of them, with one of Freya’s giant cat, sat around the fire in the hearth. Set was covered in furs and nearly in the fire, but his shaking would not stop. Bastet sat in his lap draped with his arms and gently kneading his forearm that lay protectively over her body.

“I see…,” Freya did not take her eyes off the Jackal and cat woman. Their journey thus far has brought these once enemies to her door and now she, Freya, a key player in the unraveling of their world.

“What is your next move? They clearly cannot stay here.”

“We are looking for refuge and then we will seek some answers.”

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“Why?”

“Ra tried to kill them. For his own orders.” Freya who didn’t even blink or seem to pay any mind to the information.

“Why is that my problem?” Freya glared at Bastet. There was tension between the two of them but Hel could not pin point where it was coming from. Bastet was tired, cold, hungry and scared. She poses no threat to Freya. She couldn’t be bothered by the hostility.

Bastet looked up at Set. Her eyes wide with fear and love. She pushed herself gently against his body; purring loudly to help his blood to continue to flow through his body. He simply sat his chin atop her head and gave her soft licks between her ears. His legs still stuck in the metal traps.

“I need a drink, want anything?” Freya stood up and walked over to her counter. She smiled at the memories of Thor and Tyr running around, breaking her glassware and furniture in their child like play. How she, herself, would wrestle Odin and anyone else who dared. Easily making them look like the fools they were.

Bringing back four cups, Freya set them down on the edge, refusing to serve her once enemies but willing to cater to their needs so long as it aligned with her own.

“I know you must think poorly of me,” Bastet’s voice quiet and sounding weak. It made Hel’s heart lurch in sadness for her friend. “But you don’t know what it’s like to have–”

“To have men tell you how to live your life? You aren’t the only one who has dealt with discrimination based on your sex.”

“NBo. To have your whole world turn it’s back against you. And now…Set and myself are barely making it through. We don’t know what to do. Where to turn. If it wasn’t for Hel…”

Bastet’s voice wavered. Set closed his eyes and Bastet reached up and gently headbutted his face. She wrapped her tail around her body while Set held her softly.

Hel looked at them. Watched with curious detail. Soaking in the two lovers. They looked so out of place buried underneath the thick furs and robes. Bastet’s face was swollen and her fur matted with blood. Set was almost unrecognizable. His face looked dead to the world outside. There was no spark of life. Hel’s heart hurt. It reminded her of those statures outside of the pyramids. Strong. Stoic. Made of earthly material. Lifeless. Huge. Her heart started to feel sore and the base of her neck began to burn.

“As touching as this is, I don’t know anything about what you are asking for. And Hel should know that I have no inclination to help,” Freya flicked something out of her cup and took a deep gulp.

“You were always kind of my My Lady. You, Goddess of–”

“Don’t give me that crap. Your quarters are as you left them. Loki or Tyr may have something to help with those chains of yours.”

“He is here?” Hel tired to remain calm and hide her fear from running into Loki.

“They are always near. Tyr, such a momma’s boy.” Freya got up and moved away to her chambers in the back of the hus.

“My quarters are over here…you can rest there for the night until we figure out what to do next,” Hel rose to her feet with wobbly disposition. Set rose to his feet, carrying Bastet and following Hel into her room.

Located off the to the side was a small room. So small, there was no way for Set to truly lay down, so he just sat down with his back against the wall and feet pulled near. Bastet curled up on his shoulder. Set helped cradle Bastet, her tail twitching with irritation.

“It’s funny. But I forgot all about this place,” Hel stared at the stained walls. The small bed of straw on the floor covered in soft furs of the snow white beasts that roam the farthest reaches of the North. Thor and Tyr took out an entire heard and Hel snuck off with the scraps from Freya’s crafting. Hel sat down on the makeshift bed and looked up at the ceiling. Feelings of homesickness seeped into her body. She shuddered. The old pains of her past life returning fast. The fearful uncertainty made her teeth chatter. Hel sat up again.

No.

I am different, I know what I can do. I can help people around me. I can make people see the truth.

And I will make the Gods see the truth.