There was no avoiding it any longer, really. She'd put it off far too long as it was. She'd put it off for years with the cave, then during the begging of the freedom and now... well...

Frigg wasn't sure how to go about remedying things. Odin seemed to have no problems repairing his bonds with Loki, but men would never understand how different things were. This was different. This was so many levels of different. Not only because Frigg had not been able to stop the tragedy of what happened to Sigyn's sons, but... she had never supported her friend's marriage from the beginning. Because she had been too selfish to put aside her personal issues with a man, which had nothing to do with Sigyn at all -or any other woman really, and just be happy for her having found something that so few ever did.

That... That was entirely Frigg's failing. Gift of the future-sight, and yet... nothing she ever saw would have prepared her for this. For all she knew, she always knew that there was far more that she didn't know. ( Such was the curse of wisdom mixed with the arrogance of selfishness. )

It was good to be back. Bragi hadn't joined her, and likely wouldn't for a while, but that was okay. They had spent a few wonderful, much needed months together since the incident. Which was about all Idun now thought of it as. The incident. Not even in caps. Because in the scheme of things, it was in the past. Done and over with.

Idun knew the time would come when she missed him, as she always did, but for now she was content. Mostly. What was actually bringing her down just a bit was the seasonal changes. Idun didn't do as well in the fall and winter months. Which was partly the fault of her aspects, and partly just because she was a lively goddess, and those months seemed to her to be all about decay and death. Nothing bloomed, and the world was so still, the silence was almost oppressive to her.

( One enjoyable thing this time of year marked, however, was her apple duties. )

Jewelry was right out. A pretty scarf seemed too impersonal. A stuffed animal would be perfect- if they were 12 years old.

This whole shopping thing was way too confusing, and Tyr was getting frustrated.

He wasn't even sure this was necessary. But next month would be their six month anniversary, and he'd heard that girls took a great deal of stock in such momentous occasions. Not that he really thought Harmonia would be disappointed if he didn't get her anything. She might actually not even have heard of such traditions. And it was SIX MONTHS, for god's sake. Six months of DATING. They weren't even in a committed relationship. Okay, they were probably in a committed relationship, at least in that he considered her his girlfriend, and he was pretty sure she considered him her boyfriend, but it wasn't like they were hurrying to a church.

( Thing was, Tyr was pretty sure there was about to be a change of status of their relationship. )

It was only June but Frigg was well into designing and planning -and in some cases starting, her Yule gifts. Most everything she did on her own. When she wanted wool, she went and examined the fiber and purchased it on her own. She would clean, card, dye and spin it all herself. No matter the modern conveniences and advances there was something incredibly satisfying in knowing that she had done it all herself. It somehow meant more to know that it was crafted with love from beginning to end. And she never accepted help. Not when it was a gift.

So her handmaidens didn't even offer assistance anymore when their Queen got that determined look in her eye.

Most of the land surrounding Fensalir was marshy and unsuitable for draping the freshly dyed wet roving she had in a basket on each hip over. If a wind caught it and it fell into the marsh... well if it was before the fiber had dried properly to set the dye it could ruin everything she'd done so far. Or worse... ( it would felt. )

Frigg was not doing well. She was fairly certain that Idun was doing worse, but the Norse Queen was beside herself. Bragi was still not found. How many months had it been and there wasn't even a single lead to grab onto. They were all devastated and there wasn't anything she could do to make it right. There were really no words of support or encouragement left in her. She needed to get away for a night. To be someone else and put this mess behind her. Then tomorrow she could come back and look at it with fresh eyes.

Except that when usually when she needed a getaway Bragi was the one to take her on it. He always had the most brilliant ideas and he would find a way to make her smile and laugh. But Bragi was gone, he was not there to make her see the bright light at the end of darkest tunnel. There was no one even holding a match to show her a glimmer hope.

It was with that utter hopelessness that Frigg decided she was the worst Queen in the entire history of Queens because it was impossible for her to stay strong and be the face of her pantheon when so much of her strength was gone. And Odin could only be her crutch for so long. She knew she needed to just roll over and admit defeat. Hera would like that and partially, Frigg didn't care. ( This was why she ended up at a dimly lit, smoky bar in Tijuana. )

Ever since the party that Ninkasi had thrown, Isis had been troubled. The more time that went by, the more troubled she became.

So far she had done almost nothing. Sigyn had asked for help. Isis and Thoth had, for all intents and purposes, hidden behind a veil of diplomacy. Isis wanted to help, but she also knew her uncle was right; sticking her nose in where it didn't need to be would not be good for relations. Yet how could she just sit still, denying aid to both her friend and her Norse counterparts?

( cont... )

It was rare this time of year that he was able to sit down and put his feet up on the tasseled hassock in his study. Which was why, as he settled into the cushy plumpness of his red velvet chair, Santa began mentally reviewing his to-do list for today. Did he really have time to enjoy his peppermint hot cocoa, or had he forgotten something that would require his attention?

( The List )

Frigg sighed as she stood outside Bragi and Idun's Hall. Though, right now it might have been called Idun's Hall. Bragi was still missing. There had been no consequential developments in locating him. But a moment later she was shaking her head. No, she shouldn't think like that. Even thinking that the Hall was only Idun's now was suggesting that Bragi would never be found and there was no way his father or brothers were going to stop looking until he was found. The rest of them shouldn't give up either. They owed Bragi that honor.

What had her sighing was not her calling on Idun to check on her. Frigg adored Idun, she would be here even if Bragi wasn't missing. But the Foremost among the Asynia knew that stepping inside the Hall would mean seeing all of Bragi's things, seeing the pained look on Idun's face, and knowing there was nothing she could really to about it. What could she do? Odin had looked everywhere Frigg knew to look with his far more efficient methods. ( Short of following up with Hera, there wasn't much. )

The family meeting was over. He wasn’t really certain if it was for family or for those most likely to be affected by Ragnarok. Then again, almost all those most likely to be affected were in his family. And Freyr. And all of Loki’s family, too. Even Sleipnir was mentioned in the prophecy. Hermod didn’t like thinking about that. Any of it. He was happier when he knew nothing about the stupid thing.

( Odin had left them... )

Forseti spent so much of his time with mortals these days. It was not that they were simpler creatures to deal with, or that he disliked Gods, he simply wanted to help those that suffered. And suffer the mortals did. No matter if he was Justice or not, he could not stop everything. Corruption ran wild on the Mortal plane so much that his head spun and he felt like his head was constantly aching. When he did take a break from working, and from running marathon for the hell of it he liked to go back and visit those that made him smile.

Those that didn't need him so much to solve problems.

( Frigg and Odin were his favorite people to visit. )

OOC note: Posting order is Odin, Frigg, Hermod, Tyr, Bragi, Vidar

He sat with all the appearance of patience, slowly sipping a mug of mead. To anyone passing by, Odin would look as if he hadn't a care in the world. On the inside, however, his mind was racing and he felt just a bit nervous.

( There was every possibility this would not go as well as he hoped. )

Churchill Downs was all a flutter with activity. Which made sense. It was the most exciting two days of the year at the Louisville, Kentucky track. Zeus had been on site since early yesterday. Mostly for networking purposes, as while he had interest in the Oaks -the filly race held on Friday, from a gambling side of things, he had other things on his mind. He had a horse in the Derby.

( It was a very tricky business, racing horses. )

Since hearing of Frigg's dream, Odin had spent nearly every waking moment in Valaskjalf, perched on Hlidskjalf. From his high seat in the silver-thatched hall , he could see everything happening throughout the Nine Worlds. It wasn't hard to know where to look; Odin had long known the location of the cave where his old friend had lain, bound for longer than he cared to remember. Whether he wanted to remember or not mattered little, for Odin knew well the date that everything went sour for the Trickster.

For days and nights he watched the entrance of the cave. When he needed to rest, he sent his ravens out with specific instructions to watch that location and none other. And when the news finally came, it was not unexpected.

( Loki was free. )

Frigg didn't always cook. While it was in her purview as a domestic goddess, she generally left it for Andhrímnir and his attendants and servants. Occasionally, when the mood struck her, she took to the kitchens like a woman on a mission. Which, one could suppose, she was. After all, it was rare she acted without purpose.

The nightmare involving the Trickster was ever at the forefront of her mind, but she trusted that Odin would sort it all out and report back to her. While her husband sometimes kept his knowledge to himself, if he dared to think he was going to keep the timing of Ragnarok to himself he had another thing coming. She would tell him what-for. If Loki was free and on the warpath, she had a right to know. And soon. Even if it wasn't an immediate threat, it was enough of one to send her seeking out her dear ones and hope they were discreetly prepared for the worst.

( Thor was ever ready, she had nothing to worry for with him. )

It was a typical quiet, chilly winter night in Valaskjalf. The fire in the fireplace of the private quarters Frigg shared when her husband was actually in Asgard was nothing but a pile of glowing coals. Even with the drapes pulled, the moonlight reflecting off the snow outside was bright enough to pour into the room from the split between them, giving a slightly ethereal glow to the bodies entangled in the sheets.

Under a mass of blankets and furs, the Foremost Among the Asyniur had a bare arm artfully draped over her husband as she nestled in tight to him. Odin was a notorious wanderer and she relished every moment they had together. Even if it sometimes seemed that the bulk of that time was spent sleeping off exertions.

( Frigg twitched slightly in her sleep. )