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❛ ᴇᴛᴏɪʟᴇ​​​​​​​​​​. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚   ▎❛ 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄 ❜   ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ sɴᴀᴋᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴀss ꒱


❝ YOU MUST PROTECT HER
BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE ❞

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A L F H E I M

Loki was gone for longer than Eleanora had expected him to be. For someone so concerned about the Star 'escaping,' he was surprisingly willing to leave her alone. Perhaps he trusted his magic chain a bit too much. Still, she was grateful for the reprieve from seeing his annoyingly stupid, beautiful, perfect face. It wasn't fair that someone so good-looking could be such an ass. She wondered if her dream boy had always had such an attitude or if he'd developed it as a result of growing up. (From what she'd seen, it was the latter.)

The tree bark pressed roughly against her back and dug against her spine uncomfortably. The leaves were damp underneath her dress and soaked into the fabric, leaving her chilled even with the fire. Beyond the light provided by the flame, the forest was dark and full of shadows. She shivered a little, unnerved by the movement of the leaves in the trees. Although she had been in the forest hundreds of times, she had never experienced it after the sun had set; it seemed like a much more foreboding place now.

Eleanora couldn't even hear where Loki had gone. The flames flickered in the firepit, making the shadows shift and change around her. The rustling seemed to come from all around her now, not just from the place where the god had vanished. He would play a trick on me, she thought miserably. He'd think it was hilarious to make me think that some large animal was about to eat me, then spring out and scare me.

Steeling herself, the blonde called out in a slightly trembling voice, "Loki? Who's there? Loki, is that you? It's not funny. Loki?"

The sounds grew louder all around her, making her tense at the lack of response. A branch cracked somewhere in front of her. She turned sharply towards the sound, squinting into the darkness.

Her unease was for naught; a burly, four-legged animal trotted out from between two bushes and was hardly a threat at all. While the boar did look menacing with its long front tusks, it wasn't charging at her, so she wasn't nearly as scared of it as she'd expected to be. As it neared, she saw that it looked different from the other wild boars on Alfheim. Instead of a dull brown coat, its bristles were a pure golden color. It seemed to shimmer in the night, like a small sun. No wonder it was drawn to her, she thought. Light-beings could probably sense each other, especially those in distress.

The boar paused before her to sniff at her clothes. Its attention went to the chain around her wrist and Eleanora could have sworn she saw a flicker of anger in its eyes— though not directed at her. One of its tusks gently touched the chain, which disappeared in seconds due to its own magic. She laughed— quietly— with relief and stood shakily, holding onto the tree for support. The boar nudged its head against her to help her climb onto its back. 

✧ ✧ ✧

V A N A H E I M

Night had fallen in Vanaheim as well. Herja stood on the open, rugged plains and surveyed them with an expression of such offence that it would have seemed like they had insulted her personally. The cart drawn by her two goats waited a few feet away, but otherwise the field was empty. Irritated, she lifted her left hand and rubbed the ruby ring on her pointer finger furiously. Her image appeared back on Asgard in front of her two sisters.

"Be careful how much magic you use, sister. It's beginning to show," Heidi said snidely, by way of greeting.

Herja rolled her eyes, lifting each of her aged hands to show them. "One goat and a small enchantment. Hardly extravagant."

"Well, even using the ring will take its toll," Helena warned her. "Better you call on us only in dire need and use your runes to locate the Star yourself."

"I used them and it should be here, but now they're just telling me gibberish," the eldest witch complained.

Heidi shook her head in mock sympathy before she turned away from the mirror in which her sister had appeared. She and Helena went over to one of their many cages and took out a small reptilian creature. The animals around them voiced their protests as if they knew what was going to happen, but the witches ignored them. They put the beast on the table and, without hesitation, stabbed their knives through its middle.

Helena pulled out its innards and ran them through her fingers. Facing the mirror again, she advised, "it is because you must stay where you are, my sister. It is coming to you."

Heidi's hands were stained with blood as she studied the heart of the animal. "Oh, be warned, Herja. Delicacy is needed. Misery has drained it. It's barely shining. Set a trap that ensures its heart is glowing before you cut it out."

Herja ended the call with her sisters so she could make her plan of attack. Eyeing the goats next to her, she bent down to their level. She directed the green magic that glowed on her pointer finger at them. The reddish-brown goat turned back into Bernard, while the white goat became a rather unfortunate-looking man. Her lip curled at his ovine features. It was easier to look at Bernard, though he wasn't exactly. . . hospitable in appearance; he was too. . . common for her tastes. With another flash of seiðr, Bernard was converted into, well, Bernarda. All that remained was the cart, which, with another spell, Herja turned into a cozy inn.

They walked into the newly-created building. A fire crackled away merrily in the hearth, the candles were lit and provided a warm glow and it even smelled like dinner was being prepared. Herja faced her two companions and spoke authoritatively: "you are Billy, the innkeeper, I am your wife, and you're our daughter. Now, make everything ready. Our special guest will be here soon."

✧ ✧ ✧

A L F H E I M

Aesir beings did not require as much sleep as, say, a mortal human. This was adjusted due to their longer lifespan. That being said, it wasn't as if they didn't sleep at all. Prolonged periods of fighting, excessive celebrations and extended use of seiðr could all lead to a more regular sleep schedule.

As such, Loki did still need to rest despite his desire to immediately track down the Star before it got further away from him. His snake-spell from earlier and traveling through realms was draining him faster than he had expected. So, even though he was reluctant, he decided that quick rest would be sufficient before he returned to the road.

It wasn't long after his eyes had closed that a whisper entered his mind— faint and distant, but grew stronger with each word spoken: "Loki? Loki. Please protect our sister, Loki."

The god shifted in his bed roll and tried to call on his seiðr to shut out the voices. It had been a long time since he'd heard anything other than his own monologue; his mother had taught him how to block out unwanted intruders and hers had been the last voice in his head. Still, the whispering continued, this time more urgent. "Eleanora is in grave danger. The Gullinbursti came to help her, but now they're heading into a trap. No Star is safe alone in the Nine Realms."

Loki's face scrunched slightly as a sudden image came into his mind— a scene he knew he'd never experienced before, but was appearing in his dreams all the same.

A supernova explosion lit up the night sky, throwing colors of purple and gold across the darkness. A streak of silver shot down from the heavens— a falling star. Its landing was a catastrophic explosion that created a massive crater. Around the edge of the collapse, trees were burned to a crisp and if anyone had been within yards of it, they would have been incinerated just as well.

It didn't take long for an army to show up— soldiers dressed in gold armor carrying spears and shields. (Loki recognized them as the Einherjar even without having to see his father at the head.) Odin stared imperiously down into the crater at the small bundle that lay in the center of it. It seemed amusing, almost, that a baby could require the presence of so much force.

More scenes passed of Odin caring for the young girl as she grew— this was before his sons had been born and another girl that Loki did not recognize, with black hair and equally dark eyes, grew up alongside her. The Star trained methodically to become the perfect soldier. She learned everything that was required of her: any language the king ordered her to, any weapon, any skill, and Frigga taught her how to control her powers. She went off to war younger than most— too young, just barely a teen, and fought— and excelled— next to the dark-haired girl.

The voices returned: "the last to fall, over one thousand years ago, was captured by your father. He trained her to become a flawless weapon. He used her as his means saw fit. When he had conquered the last of the Nine Realms, he let her burn herself out as she was no longer of use to him. He had become afraid of the power she possessed— the power he gave her. He left her to rot on the battlefield, a disgraced soldier instead an honored hero."

Loki stared at the body of the girl before him: she looked exactly like Eleanora, except with red hair rather than blonde. Her face was still, her skin stone-cold. There were other bodies around her of fallen soldiers and Jotuns alike, the Star's just another left for dead.

There was movement behind him that made him turn sharply. Three old woman— so aged they seemed older than time itself— shuffled towards the Star. A fierce protectiveness filled him, a deep-seated longing to be able to do something, to keep these women from hurting the fallen girl. He realized that this was the Stars' emotions for their lost sister: there was no one on the battlefield to protect her, after all.

"Her fate only became worse," the scintillating whispers continued. "The same witches who seek Eleanora now found our sister's remains. They cut her heart from her chest and ate it as they sought eternal life. We want— need— this sister to have a better life. She was sent to you, as you were sent to her. You must protect her by any means possible."

Loki was no fool; he was already aware of his father's. . . tendencies towards those who had served their purpose. He did not follow Odin as blindly as Thor did and was more willing to admit to the king's offences. Besides, he had heard the discontent murmured in the shadows. And, finally, he was the God of Lies: he could tell when something was a falsehood, and this was no illusion, no creation to incur sympathy; it was merely fact.

The only thing that was difficult for him to come to terms with were the emotions he'd felt during the dream. They had been as real and potent as if they were his own: the grief, the fear, the heartbreak. Those feelings challenged everything he had grown up believing about Stars— that they were simply weapons to be used and discarded, unable to feel anything besides complete obedience.

But he had already seen that that wasn't true in Eleanora, hadn't he? She'd been frustrated and angry and sad in the short span of time that he'd known her. If anything, Stars experienced more emotions than Aesir did. His mother's words from long ago echoed in his mind: as you grow up, you will meet others whose views vary from yours. If knowledge is what you seek, keeping an open mind is the key to your education.

Perhaps he had written Stars off too easily and, despite his own claims, had allowed himself to fall victim to his father's narrow-minded views. Loki was best at upending previously made plans to fit them better into his own schemes. He lived for chaos and disorder; fulfilling a quest made by an authority figure was more suitable for his brother, and his father really should have expected him to turn on a dime. There was the small matter of locating where the Star had gotten off to, but that was hardy a concern; he could create a simple tracking spell with his seiðr.

✧ ✧ ✧

V A N A H E I M

Eleanora decided that she would never trust golden sun-boars again. Their journey had started off well enough with the creature ambling at a steady trot, but they were soon racing across the countryside. She couldn't direct it; it had a mind of its own. As much as she tried to urge it to go back to her home, it stayed on a steady path with its own destination in mind. The scenery around them blurred and Eleanora was certain they'd run straight up some steep cliffs that would have been impossible to climb on any other mount. All she could do was cling tightly to its bristles as wind stung her face and made her eyes water.

Then— maybe it had been a tree, or a particularly large rock, or ruins from a once-great Light Elf city— they were plunging straight towards an immoveable obstacle. The girl let out a shriek and she closed her eyes, awaiting what would surely be a deadly impact.

But, it never came.

When she dared to open her eyes again, it was dark all around them. It was the pressing sort of darkness, as if one was in a very small cave or down at the bottom of a deep lake. It was hard to breathe. All she could feel was the sure-footedness of the boar moving underneath her, just as solid as it had always been. Even its coat seemed dimmer in this blackness, like nothing could shine in such an oppressive atmosphere.

It only lasted a second but it felt like hours— even a lifetime. They emerged from the dimness to a nighttime rain storm, but even a thorough soaking was preferred over experiencing whatever. . . that had been again. 

Although she was relieved to be free from her previous surroundings, she now had no idea where they were. It was still too dark to see anything and the sleeting rain didn't help matters. Pushing side some of the wet tendrils of her hair, Eleanora peered into the gloom to try and make out any indiscernible shapes. It seemed like they were on some sort of plains, as the ground around them was very flat and muddy— something that puzzled her since Alfheim was known for its more mountainous regions.

The boar's coat was back to its original shininess, which allowed some light to guide their way. The Norns must have been looking out for them as it wasn't too long before a place to shelter came into view. Perhaps Eleanora should have been more suspicious about a cozy inn in the middle of nowhere, but she had always been an easily-trusting individual (one of the reasons why she had allowed a mysterious, magic boar to help save her.) But, since she didn't know any better, she allowed the boar to carry her to the entrance.

Landing carefully on her feet to avoid hurting her broken ankle further, she leaned most of her weight on the animal as she knocked on the door. A beautiful woman with curly blonde hair answered her call. Her blue eyes were soft with sympathy and her smile was equally kind as she exclaimed, "goodness me, my dear. Come in out of this wretched rain! We have food and drink, a warm bed and plenty of hot water for a bath."

She came forward to put a gentle hand on the girl's back to guide her inside, glaring at the magical beast before she slammed the door in its face. Eleanora didn't notice her aggression, thankful to just be inside where it was dry. The fire blazing in the hearth was already helping her feel better and she stretched her hands towards it to ease the numbness from her stiff fingers. A young woman with shoulder-length red hair appeared and the blonde smiled at the other girl, assuming that she was related to the first woman in some way. The girl did not speak and kept her eyes lowered, as if embarrassed.

The woman— Herja, Eleanora soon learned— turned to her and asked, "how do you like your bath? Warm, hot or boil-a-lobster?"

"Either of the last two, honestly," the Star replied. "That rain is frigid."

"I'll get it prepared for you, then," Herja told her cheerfully. "And I'll have my husband take your. . . steed to the stable. Billy?"

The blonde turned to see an older man that she hadn't noticed before. He was standing behind the bar chewing on a dishcloth, which caused her brows furrow at the odd sight. The woman made a scolding noise, causing him to spit it out. Her eyes widened when he leapt onto the counter in a neat jump instead of going around it like anyone else might. When he went outside, she looked at the woman in concern. "Is your husband alright?"

"Oh, don't mind him, dear. He hasn't been right since the war, you know." Eleanora didn't know which war she meant, so she merely made a sound of agreement. Since Herja continued on as if nothing strange had happened, she let it go. "Now, let's get you out of your wet things, shall we?"

✧ ✧ ✧

"Feeling better?" Herja questioned her not long after. Eleanora was soaking in a steaming bathtub near the fireplace.

She tilted her head back to rest it against the metal lip of the tub. "Much. Thank you. The warm water's actually done me a world of good."

The older woman twirled a finger around in the water, as if to test the temperature. Unbeknownst to the blonde, she allowed a small trickle of green magic to flow towards the girl's broken ankle. "You see? The powers of a nice hot bath. And your leg? Any improvement?"

Eleanora closed her eyes as the aches released from her injured joint. "That is extraordinary."

"It's the very least I could do. I'm just glad you're feeling better. You seem happier in yourself, too."

At the mention of happier, the girl touched her head self-consciously. She could see the faint, silvery glow shining from the corner of her eye and her mother's warnings rang in her head. She swallowed nervously, but this woman had shown her nothing but kindness. So, she allowed an honest answer: "I do feel happier. Less troubled."

"Wonderful. Nothing like a nice soak to warm the corners of your heart. There is no reason to be worried, my dear," she added, seeing the girl grow anxious. "The light suits you. I can assure you that you will not come to harm under my roof."

After her bath, Eleanora dressed in a fuzzy bathrobe before Herja guided her to a small but comfortable room on the second floor. "Now, I'm only a simple innkeeper's wife, but I've been told I have healer's hands. I'd be glad to give you a massage."

She knew that the starshine around her head was still sparkling, but the woman had made no move to harm her. Deciding it wouldn't hurt, she wondered, "what's a massage?"

"Never had. . . Well, bless my soul!" Herja exclaimed. "Nothing like a massage to send you off for the finest and deepest night's sleep. Lie on your back, dear. Why not close your eyes? You'll drift off better that way."

The blonde did as suggested, easing against the soft mattress with delight after a day of hard travel. Loki would've had her sleep sitting up, she thought bitterly, but quickly banished the idea from her mind. Although it was disappointing that he wasn't the prince she'd dreamed he'd be, she would likely never see him again and so she shouldn't trouble herself about him. (Even as she told herself this, though, she knew in her heart that she would see him again. He was her destiny, after all. Her glorious purpose.)

As these thoughts circled her mind, she was completely unaware of Herja's movements next to her. The witch carefully tugged at her bathrobe until it was open enough to reveal the skin just above her heart. Then, she bent down, her fingers outstretched towards the obsidian glass blade that she'd hidden under the bed.

Before she could claim her prize, however, there was a loud knock at the door. Cursing, she turned back to the Star with a genial smile on her face. "Relax here, my love. I'll be back just as soon as I've taken care of this customer."

A/n: so in the original Stardust scene, a unicorn comes to save Yvaine from the magic chain. Since unicorns are largely associated with Christian myths (not Norse), this is another change I made to fit the universe. The golden boar is called Gullinbursti, and was made by dwarves as a gift to Freyr. Since Freyr is a Vanir god, I thought that would be why the boar would take Eleanora to Vanaheim instead of staying on Alfheim— it was going home after its travels.

Also— another milestone! This is the most amount of chapters I've ever published for this book, so like I said earlier, Etoile 3.0 is a success! :) We'll see how the next couple of scenes go since I have to change them up from the original Stardust version too, but I have an idea of how they might work so hopefully it won't be too hard.