[I don't know enough about the myths and languages of Celandra to do an adequate job with inventing new myths. So I didn't try. However, for the story below Ferris = Feroze, Thor = Marmdal, Sif = Loi. Change the rest as appropriate.]

Divine Family

After warning of the threat to Sif had been recieved a young and unknown god approached the longhouse of Thor in Asgard. "What seek you in the house of Thor stranger?" the aesir guarding the gate asked. "I come seeking Sif," the young god replied.

"Seek Sif do you!" the guard cried. "Well you shall not see Sif unless it be over my beaten body!"

Pausing for a moment, the stranger replied, "In truth, I do not enjoy a fight. Yet a challenge, if it be not impossible, I will always meet. Should I need to fight you or a hundred more, I will do so that I might see Sif. With what weapons shall we meet?"

Gazing at the unarmed stranger the guard sneered, "Go and bring back whatever you will. I shall wait."

"You mistake me." The stranger slung down the pack from his back and from it drew forth armor like none that any of the aesir who had gathered to watch had seen. Then taking into his hands mace and shield of strange design he turned to the guard. "I am ready."

The stranger god and the aesir guard met with a crash. Then the onlookers cried out. For as the stranger stepped away, the guard fell to the ground.

Calmly, the stranger spoke again, "Now may I see Sif?"

But the guards cried nay, and heaped challenge upon challenge upon the stranger.

As the stranger met the challengers Thor paced his great hall. He was eager to meet the threat to Sif, but none would say from what direction or by what means that threat would come. And so, without a target, he could do naught but pace and worry. But then, hearing the sounds of combat from outside, he directed the women of hall to call if any threat entered and strode out to see what happed.

As he exited Thor saw his men grouped around a trio engaged in combat and was instantly enraged. "What goes here!" he shouted, the thunder in his voice. "With Sif threatened you gather to brawl! Back to your duties! Back!"

Stepping back from his attackers the stranger god addressed Thor, "Sif threatened! Who threatens her?"

"And who be you?" growled Thor, taking Mjolnir into hand as he realized the number of warriors the stranger had defeated. "And why have you injured so many of my men?"

"I am Ferris," the young god replied, "and we have met, though I was much younger then. We are kin you and I, for your wife Sif is my sister." Sweeping the helm off his head, Ferris met Thor's scowl with a ferocious gaze of his own. "Your men challenged me to fight and so I did, but had I known Sif was in danger I would not have. Now, who threatens my sister?"

As Thor looked upon the stranger he saw the resemblance to the wife he held so dear and recognized the boy he had once met in the god before him. "Word has come from the Jotuns, from those with some inkling of honor. The Jotuns seek to hurt me by hurting my bride, but none would say from where or by what means the threat comes. Come. Enter my hall and I shall explain further."

As the two entered the hall, Thor bent and spoke softly to Ferris. "In truth Sif is not here. I pretend that she is and the rest of the folk do not know otherwise save the chief of her handmaids. So Sif planned to draw the threat here. In the meantime she rides with the Valkyries."

"Thank you for your trust," Ferris replied just as softly. "In my travels through the nine world I have learned many things. If your guards miss the threat, perhaps there is something I can do . . ."

That night the house awoke to the sounds of squeals of terror. Aesir grabbed their weapons and rushed to corridor leading to their lord and lady's chamber. There they found Thor and Ferris gazing at a common rat, entrapped by the runes Ferris had drawn on a support pillar.

"A rat?" Thor grumbled. "Is this all your trap has caught?"

"Would a common rat make such a noise Lord Thor? No. That's a goblin, not a rat. Though how we can return it to its normal form I know not."

"Ha! Well, rat or goblin it shall die if Mjolnir strikes it. And I shall strike whatever it be if I see rat when Mjolnir comes to my hand."

Continuing to sqeal piteously, its voice unchanging, the rat became a goblin.

With a gesture Ferris released the runes, and as the aesir laid hands on the goblin Ferris took from him a knife and a small vial. Glancing at the knife he gave it to a guard, but then he uncapped the vial and swore. "Hela!"

Thor looked at the vial, "What is it?"

Ferris carefully recapped the vial. "The knife is nothing. Good svirnir work, but nothing to worry a god. This _potion_, on the other hand. ... It's called Hel's Tears and comes from the far south. It will kill a mortal, and on a common aesir it will leave a wound that will never heal. Even a god it will permanently maim."

Ferris looked at Thor, "Call Sif back. Together we can devise a protection."

"And afterward; will you join me?"

"Join you?"

"On my journy to Jotunheim. There are some giants who should be taught that it's not a good idea to threaten my lady. Brother."

Grin met grin as the two gods looked at each other. "I'd be happy to. Brother."


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