Shades of Avalon: Rose, Runes, and Ragnarok

By Auburn Red

Email: http: This is the start of what will hopefully be an ongoing series about fairies, including but not limited to The Children of Oberon from Gargoyles . My premise is that the fairies from other movies, literature, and television series are Children of Oberon as well and will be spotlighted with the Gargoyles Children of Oberon and these stories will focus on their relationship with each other and the mortals in their long lives.

Chapter One: The Princess of the Dawn and The Fortress of the Gods

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They are properties of Disney, Greg Weisman (and in the Sleeping Beauty gang's case the fairy tale which they came from). Loki, Balder, Frigga, et al belong to Norse mythology. There is a brief cameo by Sylvanus and Quicksilver and they belong to Sarah Hoyt.

A/N: This is set during the events in Sleeping Beauty before Aurora/Briar Rose turns 16, when she is about seven, a midquel so to speak

There's some sad things known to man

They ain't too much sadder than

The tears of a clown

When there's no one around

From "Tears of a Clown" by Smoky Robinson and the Miracles

France, 14th Cent.-

They say when there is lightening emerging from the Forbidden Mountain the villagers can rest in comfort, because Maleficant, the fairy who lives up there is unhappy and she is usually angry when her plans had been thwarted. Well that day she must have been very unhappy indeed. Lightning resounded from the castle fast and quick never stopping for a moment.

Maleficent fumed in her castle firing lightning at her servents. As they dodged the strikes that smoked their rear ends, she laughed with delight at their screams in pain. She took a thrill out of the torture she gave her goblins, but it wasn't thrilling enough to soothe her anger. Seven years had come and gone and there was no trace of Princess Aurora!

True, the spell that those infernal Seelies, Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather had bestowed upon Aurora to alter hers said that when she pricked her finger on the spindle that she would be woken by love's first kiss. Well, if it happened to her before then, there wouldn't be much chance of her being awakened. Maleficent was going to make sure that Aurora didn't wake up!

Maleficant barely listened to her creature's cries of protest. The truth was they were completely wrong for the job. They were repulsive, hideous, and frightening. Aurora was about seven years old now. One look at them would send her running away in terror and then where would she be? Right where she started from. She could always send her pet raven, Diablo. Maybe as a last resort. She needed someone who could lure the girl, gain her trust, someone who could be swayed themselves. Someone like...then she thought of it!

"I have a temporary new assignment for you boys" she said gleefully. "I'm in the mood for a family reunion"

The goblins howled with delight. The pig-like one hooted. "A family reunion? Oh boy, are we going to play tag football? I'm really good at three legged race"

"Silence" Maleficant thundered. "I will tell you who to find now, go" They didn't wait to be told twice as they ran out of the door avoiding Maleficent's lightening strikes and thundeorus temper!

A young white haired fay relaxed in a meadow his beloved pan pipes in his hand. His audience consisted mostly of animals and birds. Most of them were interested, but a few squirrels listened for only a few seconds wandering and wandered away for a few seconds in disinterest. Hummph, no account for taste, the fay sniffed contemptuously.

The fay was dressed in his customary red tunic with a purple sash up and down his body. His clear blue eyes danced with merriment, and only once every few 2,000 years he joked showed hints of sadness. He went under many names, Hob, Pooka, Robin Goodfellow, Robin Hood for a time, and even during one ill fated incident went by his much hated middle name of Rumplestiltskin. But his favorite name was the one he was born with, Puck. Puck sat up from the meadow dancing around. Maybe later he would go into the village and imitate the minstrels, or kick the barstools from under the village drunks, or swipe the milk from the milkmaid's cow. Yes, it was hard being a trickster but someone had to do it.

A noise caught Puck's interest. It was behind one of the bushes. Puck danced abit hearing someone clumsily following him. He turned around, but there was nothing behind him except a bush that seemed a lot closer than before. He danced away again, and was once again felt with the sensation that he was being followed. This time he swore the bush was following close behind. He tried a few more times and every time the bush followed closely. He had enough! He turned around once again. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the bush following him. He whirled around. "Ha" he said but he didn't get the chance to enjoy himself, because he was overpowered by a swarm of ugly creatures.

Maleficant grinned in rapturous delight as her goons sauntered in her castle carrrying a squirming bag of tarp. The figure incide cursed an impressive array of words in English, Gaelic, and Elvish. "Put me down" the figure commanded. "Put me down"

"You heard him boys" Maleficent said. As the goblins threw the figure down, he gave an audible cry of pain. The demons opened the bag to reveal a furious looking Puck. The Child of Oberon glared at Maleficent through his iron chains.

"Hello dear relation" Maleficent said wickedly.

"I am only your relation through an accident of birth, my father's" Puck retorted struggling to escape from his iron prison but knowing it was useless. "Now, what do you want" He thought for a moment. "Why do I have this odd premonition that I will be chained in the home of another homicidally violent primadonna someday"

"I do not wish to engage in pleasentries, Puck" Maleficent snarled. "I have an assignment for you one that will prove useful to your...talents. Remember I may be bound by the restrictions against cold iron, but my minions are not! So will you listen to me"

Puck glowered at Maleficent's minions who were all too happy to use him as their latest torture victim. "Apparently, you have my undivided attention."

"I want you to find someone for me" Maleficent said. "Princess Aurora."

Puck nodded remembering the history. "King Stephen's daughter you mean the one you-Oh."

Maleficent rolled her eyes. "I want you to find her and bring her to me, so that I may destroy her before she turns 16. You have a way of attracting children and...lesser beings. I suppose it takes one to know one."

If Puck had been freed from the iron chains, he would have performed some pretty good magick on Maleficent, but he was still bound so he satisfied his revenge by sticking his tongue out at her.

" Sounds interesting" he said " And what makes you think that I would do something like that"

Maleficent smiled. "Because you and I both know what you have been keeping a secret for so long. I know what drove you from our court to seek refuge in Oberon's, one who if I recall does not care that much for you either. Remember I was there too." She leaned over and whispering something in his ear. Puck's eyes widened and his face became pale. The next time he spoke, his voice was without its usual sting and sarcastic bite. In fact it sounded a little mournful. "As I was saying, it sounds like a plan to me" he said huskily. He then cleared his throat and returned to normal. "Alright, but it must be a place of my choosing and I'll send for your Goon Squad to come and get her. You don't come agreed"

Maleficent glowered considering. Even Unseelie were required to follow any requests, or verbal agreements to the letter. Puck could be playing a trick on her, but what choice did she have"Very well, I agree. Now go" After the demons released Puck, he didn't wait to be told twice!

Briar Rose looked out the window. It was a lovely sunny day, just perfect for any girl to run in the woods. She put on her pink knee high dress and tied her hair in braids. She tip toed out of her room and tried to sneak out of the house without either of her three aunts hearing her.

"And where do you think you're going" a soft voice interrrupted her. Rose turned to see a gray haired woman in a forest green dress trying to look stern but not succeeding.

"I just wanted to go for a walk Aunt Fauna" she said widening her blue eyes in the classic innocent child look. Her aunts Flora and Merry Weather were much more stern, but she could always talk her Aunt Fauna into letting her do something she wanted to do.

"Oh all right, you may go" Aunt Fauna said. "But remember"

"-Never speak to strangers" Briar Rose repeated in a monotone.

"That's right" Aunt Fauna said as the girl skipped out of the house waving to her other two aunts on the way out.

"Are you sure it's wise letting her go out by herself" Merryweather asked watching the door shut behind the girl.

Fauna smiled gaily. "Don't worry, there isn't a forest creature who would harm a hair on her head."

"It's not the forest creatures that I'm worried about" Merryweather muttered darkly.

"Don't worry we'll protect her" Flora said.

"Until she turns sixteen" Merryweather said sadly.

Flora nodded. "Yes, well that was the term of the spell"

"-Don't you think I don't know that" Merryweather said sharply. "Do you think I enjoyed giving that spell to King Stephen and Queen Leah! If I had my way, I would have removed it but I couldn't" Merryweather felt her eyes fill. "Maleficent was too strong, she always is."

Fauna gently touched her sister's hand. "Now, now don't talk like that. Love is always stronger, you are giving Aurora a chance to know first love."

Flora nodded determined. "And to know the love of a family."

Merryweather dried her eyes. "Yes, I suppose you're right. No matter then I will make supper."

Fauna grinned. "Just this once, I would like to cook."

Flora rolled her eyes. "We've been through does the cooking, you do the sewing, and I do the cleaning up"

Not to mention the fact that privately neither Flora nor Merryweather trusted Fauna anywhere near a stove. She was sweet, but sometimes so scatterbrained they were afraid that she would burn the house down.

Fauna sighed. "Well all right, but someday I will want to bake and you ...well will just have to let me"

"That will be the day" Merryweather snorted.

Briar Rose walked through the woods occasionally singing a song to herself. The birds and other animals, captivated by her singing, would listen and follow her as they always did. She giggled. The forest animals were her only friends. Rose loved her aunts and the animals deeply, but sometimes she felt lonely without any real friends to talk to or any family besides her aunts. She lived with Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather but no memories of her parents. She wondered what they were like and who they were. The only thing her aunts ever told her was they were good people who loved her very much and not to ask any more questions. They would tell her when the time was right, but it was never right. Briar Rose frowned thinking of that answer, it never helped. Sometimes she had dreams about them like they were a king and queen and she had been stolen by a wicked aunt or nurse who wanted to kill her at birth and somehow her aunts rescued her. Or maybe she was an heiress to a lost fortune and she had some marking that proved that she was a powerful child. (She looked at her body up and down for days after she thought of that one. No markings, so far). Or a fairy who was stolen from Fairyland at birth and will return when the time was right. And many more possibilities that were too crazy even for her. But nothing ever came to light.

Rose continued to walk into the woods until she heard a strange sounds. It sounded like whistling or a flute. Whatever it was, it seemed to move along to the wind. Rose felt like it was calling to her. She moved to the sound of the music. It became closer and closer until she located the source between two trees she pushed the vines away and saw a strange man sitting cross legged near a stream. He had large ears and white hair and wore a red and purple outfit and played an odd flute with three pipes connected together. His back was turned to her, so he may not have been aware of Rose's presence but the tune he played was so hypnotic that Rose hummed along to the music her voice blending in with the pipe's so much they sounded like one. The little man turned around and stopped playing. "Hello little one" he said.

Suddenly, the spell was broken. " Rose remembered her aunt's words about never speaking to strangers. She backed up to run away from him, but her foot got caught in a branch. With a scream she fell to the ground. She screamed more and struggled to get out, but the root held tightly.

"Don't move" the man commanded. "Don't struggle. I'll get you out." The young girl still struggled, but less this time. Puck leaned down and gently pulled the root off the girl's ankle.

"Thank you mister" Rose said. She tried to stand but immediately fell back down.

The man inspected it. "It looks broken" he said.

"Can you mend it" she asked fear filling her voice.

Puck looked around. "If we go to my cottage, I can. I have some things there that can help."

Rose hesitated. She didn't think she would be able to walk to her aunt's place on a broken foot and if the man had tried to harm her he would have done so when she was trapped. "Alright, but I need to get back to my aunt's house. It's the cottage in the glen."

The man nodded as he scooped her up and carried her in his arms. "Yes, I know where that is. I'll take you there as soon as I heal your leg."

"Thank you" the girl said.

"Anytime, by the way my name is Puck."

"My name is Briar Rose."

Puck carried the little girl to his cottage. It was a white German style house with a lovely garden particularly with ash, elder, yew, willow, and oak trees outside. Briar Rose gasped at the mushroom ring around the front of the house and the stream that seemed to come up from nowhere under a small bridge that Puck stepped over. Puck opened the door and the inside of the house proved just as interesting as the outside. The house had wood furniture, tables and chairs one that Puck lay Rose on. The house was covered with papers, books, and other things making a qualified mess but a broom was sweeping the floor by itself with no one moving it. Briar Rose's eyes popped open but even more so when she saw a cauldron being scrubbed by a disembodied dish rag. A pot was cooking something that smelled delicious over an open fire! Portraits hung on the wall with people moving as though they were alive! One had a man and a woman with blue skin. Rose gasped she had never seen people with blue skin before! The man had white hair and a very stern look and the woman had pink hair and a sly expression on her face and both wore red and gold colored armour. Another portrait had a young man who looked exactely like the blue skinned man except he had a more pink complexion and was dressed in an all black robe or at least Rose thought it was a man. When she looked next the picture had a woman with dark hair and wearing a long white dress. Rose blinked again, but it was still a woman. That was odd, Rose swore it was a man before! Rose turned to another portrait on the wall, this one of a man with short white hair and a kind face dressed in brown animal skins and furs on a snowy landscape. Puck took a sad look at the man in the snow and then looked at his visitor. She was pop eyed at all of the magick around her. It was obvious Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather did not reveal their true forms to her if she had never seen magick before.

"What do you think" Puck asked.

"Wow" Rose said. "Are you from Fairyland"

Puck laughed in mock sarcasm. "Let's see, I have big ears, my furniture moves by itself, and portraits have living figures on them, but I'm not from Fairyland" Rose laughed harder. "What do you think"

"Your the first Fairy, I've ever seen" she said. "Who are they" She pointed at the portraits on the wall.

Puck smiled. "Handsome aren't they? Friends and family, I suppose."

There was silence for a few minutes as though Puck didn't want to continue. "Would you like something to eat" he asked.

The girl nodded, feeling her stomach growling. Delighted, Puck clapped his hands as the stew floated by and a bowl appeared in front of Rose filled with stew. Rose clapped her hands and sipped her stew. "It's good" She said.

He bowed. "Thank you, you know I'm not used to such a receptive audience especially considering some killjoys. Flora used to say 'Puck, why don't you go bother someone else and not make a nuisance of yourself you great ninny!'"

Rose giggled at Puck's accurate impression of her aunts, but she realized something. "You know my aunts" she said.

Puck grinned. "Well yes, we were never very close. Let's just say I used to have quite a bit of fun with them"

"Then did you know my real parents" Rose asked.

Puck froze, he was not prepared for this line of question. "Well, I know about them" he said.

"Well who are they" she asked. "What were they like? Are they dead? Why did they give me away"

"That's more like an interrogation" Puck said. "Your aunts never spoke about them" He realized what a dumb question that was.

"No, but they said that they were good people and they would tell me when the time was right, but they also said things are better left never known" she said.

Puck spoke bitterness tinged in his voice. "Well they are right, some parents are better left hidden."

Rose blinked. "But I still want to know." She said. She didn't want to say anymore, instead she fingered two stones on the table. She looked closely at them, one had an X on it and the other looked like a fish pointing upward. "What are these"

Puck held up the two rocks. "Oh those are runes, people in the Northern countries use them sometimes to speak to people."

"What do these say" she asked.

Puck held up the X . "This one is a Gabo and it stands for union or friendship." Then he held up the fish. "This one is an Othila and it stands for family."

"Did someone give these to you" Rose asked.

Puck nodded. "Yes, they are gifts from an old friend." He looked at the runes and then at the portrait of the man in animal skins again.

Rose yawned loudly and stretched. Puck smiled, The Sleeping Spell worked. Soon, she would be out like a firefly in a child's hand. Her head drooped on to the kitchen table and she was gone in an instant. Puck gently pried the Runes out of her hand and put them on the table. Then he lay the girl on the couch and lay her down.

He looked at the sleeping child fondly, then at the Runes. He felt the usual shame, revulsion, and anger whenever he thought of that day. Unusual emotions for him, but enough to sadden him. He recalled his words to the girl" Some parent's are better left hidden" Maleficant's earlier words rang in his ear. He felt anger at his father and at himself for what he did all those years ago.

"Damn kid got me thinking about stuff I hadn't thought of in a long time" Puck grinned sardonically. He then sank into a chair by the table, runes in hand recalling the gifts that his friend gave to him, and mentally stepped into the past.

Asgard, Norway 3rd Cent.-

The babies weren't normal, even by Third Race standards, but that was expected. The birthing wasn't exactly normal either. On the surface, it appeared to be a typical mare giving birth to foals but two things seperated it from being a typical mare's birth. The first was the mare's low gutteral obviously male cries of pain with each contraction. The other was the ominous clouds forming in the distance and the tempertures dropped to a freezing bitter cold as snow and ice began to fall. If one could determine the mare's mouth to have a human expression, it would be one of delight or of fiendish triumph.

After the last baby was whelped, a change fell over the mare . She reverted back to "her" original form, a male being with shoulder length white hair, large ears, and a sly grin. Three creatures, the fruits of his labor, pun intended, suckled by his side. One was a female child human in appearance, with deep emerald green skin, burning yellow eyes, and long claw like fingers. Another was a black wolf with four long canine teeth hanging from his upper and lower jaws crossing together. The third child, a gold serpent spread and wrap itself around the entire stable. As expected his birth was the most difficult. Loki looked down at his children with delight. Just as his Frost Giant parents, Laiba and Thuely told him. Yes these three children would serve him just fine and he knew what he would call them. The female would be Hel, the wolf would be Fenrisulfur, and the serpent would be Midgard.

The King of the Unseelie would be pleased. Loki was about to gather his children and deliver them to his king for his approval, when he heard an unmistakeable small wail. He looked down between Hel and Fenrisulfur and saw another small fourth child. He was a male fairy like him with white hair and his father's large ears and blue eyes. Giving birth to the Midgard was so difficult that Loki didn't notice him coming out. The little one looked at his father with a sly grin and a private secret. He seemed to laugh a joyful mischievous laugh just like Loki.

"Well, you aren't planned but I'm sure you will prove to be another ally" Loki said to the baby. "Won't you, my son, Puck" The baby laughed in reply.

Odin looked out of the window to see the storm gather. It wasn't a normal storm by any means. He knew something was wrong, the god felt it in the very marrow of his bones. His light blue eyes narrowed at the coming storm. He recieved news from one of his Valkyres that Loki's progeny was born. That unnerved the god. He thought that after the many things that Loki had done stealing Idun's apples, helping the Frost Giant Thrym steal his son Thor's hammer, and nearly starting a war between humans and elves by stealing the Elve's jewels that Loki had recieved his just punishment. He figured that after following his friend Math the Ancient's advice by turning Loki into a mare that the Trickster god would have learned some humility. Unfortunately, a stallion had his way with him and those children were concieved.

Odin felt uncomfortable about the whole thing, knowing that he had inadvertantely made a bad thing worse. His eldest son, Thor offered to pound Loki and the children into oblivion with his beloved hammer, Mjollnar but Odin refused. He would take care of the children on his own., but something else unsettled him something that he couldn't see. Maybe he should talk to his old friend, Oberon King of Avalon about it.

"Is something wrong, my husband" a warm voice asked behind him. Odin turned to see, his wife Frigga facing him. Her long silver hair trailed to the ground and she wore a long silver gown the color of winter. Odin embraced his wife tightly. "Nothing, my love, I hope that it is nothing."

Loki's children stood next to their father in the frozen blizzard. They were at attention standing in a field for what appeared to be a door, but there was none. Like all fey children, Loki's learned how to walk and speak as soon as they were born. They could also sense the presence of very strong magick, just as they were now in this blank white field. Even Puck who before had been non-stop chatter was now at rapt attention. Loki raised his hand and felt in the air, then he knocked three times at an invisible door. Suddenly, the land seemed to change. A big black door appeared with a metal statue of a winged monster glared at the visitors imperiously. The door opened slightly and a skeletal hand and one eye glowed murderously at the visitor. From behind Loki, Fenrisulfur growled, Midgard hissed, and Hel and Puck's eyes glowed viciously as the brother and sister raised their hands to fight with magick. "Silence" their father commanded hitting them with a savage look. The four siblings shut up rather quickly.

"Were you seen" the creature behind the door demanded, his deep low voice seemed to speak of centuries of long winters and cold spirits.

Loki scoffed. "Do you think that I would be foolish enough to risk coming here if I were seen? Now let us in" The door opened wider and the hand waved Loki and his children into the room.

The Trickster god and his children walked through the dark hallway that was dimly lit by candle. Pairs of eyes seemed to emerge from the walls and followed the small party as they walked down the narrow hall. Hands reached out from the walls to feel the visitor's clothing, but Loki and his progeny paid them no heed as they walked down the hallway to the throneroom.

The throne room was just as dark and just as imposing as the hallway, but it's denizens were more visible. There were all sorts of creatures lounging about and laughing raucously. Some tried to sit as close as possible to the throne to appear to be currying favor with their king. The king was a tall black demon with large yellow eyers and sat on one throne while, the queen a woman with long ankle length dark hair in a topknot and pale skin with a purple gown sat on the other. They were joined by a skeletal man in a long orange robe and hood with horns portruding out of the hood standing next to the king.

Loki was about to speak when a young female with long dark hair and a white dress that left little to the imagination approached the Trickster god. She put her arm around Loki. "Here to see my Uncle or just me" she whispered in a velvety accented voice.

Loki grinned. The Lilith had tremendous power over mortal men and would seduce both mortals and fey to satisfy her voracious urges. Though she was fatal to mortal men and infant children who she sucked the life out of, she was not to fairy men but she still enjoyed the thrill. Loki pulled her closer and whispered in her ear. "First one and then the other."

"Well, I'm not a patient woman" Lilith said.

"Enough" the demon on the throne commanded. "Lilith I am sure that Loki is not here for your...carnal pleasures. Well I'm sure that it is not the only reason" He turned to Loki almost looking through him. The King of the Unseelie was known under many names. Though he was not the spirit that the Israelis and Christians called Lucifer or Satan, they were identical in many respects even helping each other if needed. The King of the Unseelie was known by his Slavic name of Chernabog. By his side his companion, some say lover, Queen Mab also glared at Loki. Loki's children looked nervous and apprehensive at the king and queen.

"State your business, Loki" Chernabog growled.

Loki bowed low. "Your majesy I wish to report that my children are born."

Mab and Chernabog exchanged bored glances. "We know about that" Mab said in her characteristic whispering voice. "Why bring them here after all we know your progeny has been

numerous. Why should they be any different"

Loki bowed lower hoping to lay on the flatttery. "Oh great illustrious King and Queen of the Unseelie, greater than any of Oberon's race, greater than any creatures on land."

Chernabog held up his hand. "On with it"

Loki nodded. "These are the specific children that my mother and father told me about. The ones who would aid me in"

Chernabog uttered one word as he looked from child to child. "-Ragnarok." A grin spread across the demon king's face as he turned to his companion. The King and Queen of the Unseelie were very pleased indeed.

Oberon listened to Odin's story with rapt interest only to make one comment when he was finished. "You should have pounded them" the King of the Fairie Folk said.

Odin smiled, his eyes twinkled. "I had thought of that myself, I must admit. But my kinder nature has the better of me. Besides his children never did anything. As far as I can tell, they are innocent.

The King of Avalon grimaced. "Sometimes the seemingly innocent are the ones you have to watch out for." He looked over to his own two children, Sylvanus and Quicksilver. Sylvanus seemed to challenge his younger sibling to a magical duel, Sylvanus overpowered the younger with one shot, but fired so much that he knocked the young boy down. "Enough" Oberon demanded his two children. The boys stopped at their father's command. The king then turned ot his friend.

Frigga and Titania, Oberon's wife, were locked in a private conversation originally, but stopped when Oberon spoke. From Frigga's lap, her and Odin's son, Balder gave a small wail. Frigga cooed at him and handed the baby a flute. The god baby held the flute and giggled, playing a few easy notes then going into a soft melody.

"Don't forget what the Nords told you husband" Frigga said.

"What was that" Titania asked.

Odin grimaced. "Just that Loki's children may be responsible for destroying our world."

Oberon and Titania gasped. "And you still want to leave his children alive"

Odin nodded. "Maybe, not definately, according to them the Fate could still turn. You know that as well as I. Besides, I felt the same feeling for his children that I once felt for Loki, left by his giant parents. I took him into my home and raised him as my son. I guess I hoped that there was a part of me that wants him to be the same boy that fought alongside our Thor."

"You are far too trusting" Oberon remarked.

Titania suggested. "Perhaps there is a way to find out what you can specifically do about this destruction if it happens."

Odin nodded. "Perhaps I can go to Mimir's Fountain and it will supply the answer."

"I will go with you my friend" Oberon offered.

Odin agreed. "I would like that."

"Be careful my husband" Frigga said

"And mine" Titania agreed.

Oberon and Odin waved goodbye to their families. Both men kissed their wives. Oberon embraced Quicksilver and then Sylvanus. "I do not want to hear about any trouble between you two" he said crossly.

"You won't Father"Sylvanus said sweetly and when his father wasn't looking gave his kid brother a mischievous grin.

Quicksilver glared at his older brother, but then turned to his father. "Goodbye Father" he said.

Odin picked up Balder who giggled in his father's bear-like embrace. The little white haired god-to-be tugged at Odin's beard. "Goodbye Little One" Odin said quietly.

Thor slapped Odin on the shoulder and Odin returned the farewell. Thor ran his fingers through his long yellow beard, his hammer Mjollnar leaning by his side. "You should let me go with you, Father" Thor said. "I could be great help for you."

Odin shook his head. "No, my son Thor you are needed here."

Thor's voice growled. "I could finish Loki and his family for you."

Odin stayed his son's hand. "Wisdom is needed more than physical strength." Thor looked unhappy with his father's command but acquiesced.

"We must be off" Oberon said. Odin nodded as he mounted Sleipnir, his black eight legged horse. Oberon mounted a grand white horse with golden eyes and shoes, a horse of the Daoine Sidhe. Odin waved his hand and the edge of a rainbow appeared at their feet. This was the Bifrost, the bridge of the gods. The God and the Fairy King rode onto the rainbow bridge and to their destination.

The Bifrost landed right in front of a cave. Odin and Oberon dismounted as the wind blew into the cave almost drawing them in.

"This way" Odin said. Oberon nodded as the two walked into the cave, swords in hand.

The two walked in the dark cave. "Light" Oberon commanded and the cave seemed to shine with an unknown light. The god and Fairy King walked further into the cave.

"Do you hear anything" Odin asked.

Oberon listened. Like all faeries, he was blessed with excellent senses and being the King his senses were stronger than any other. He heard it. "Water." The two of them followed the direction of the sound of water pouring until they came upon what they knew to be Mimir's Fountain.

The fountain was shaped like a gray chalice, and reached up to the entire cave. Water poured from the cave to the ground like a waterfall.

Odin and Oberon looked at the fountain. It was impressive.

"Where's Mimir" Oberon asked. Odin shrugged his shoulders.

"I was beginning to wonder when you two would arrive" a rich merry voice said. The two god-like beings looked up to see a large white giant with one blue eye. His fur ended like icicles. His teeth were like rocks and his claws were made of ice.

"Odin" Mimir greeted.

"Mimir" Odin returned. "You know why we are here."

Mimir nodded. "Yes, Loki's children have been born and the Nords told you that they will destroy your world." Odin nodded. "You wish to drink from the fountain to find out your fate and what could be done."

"Yes" Odin said.

Mimir picked up a gold goblet and filled it with water. "To drink from the fountain, you will see what you do and do not want to see. Even gods are weak to its visions. You will have to sacrifcie one thing in the end to see. Now are you willing to do so"

"It is as I knew it would be, so yes" Odin said.

Mimir looked to Oberon. "Steady your sword, King of the Fey. You will need it." Oberon held his sword by the hilt ready.

Mimir held the goblet by the palm of his hand and gave it to Odin. The King of the Norse Gods held the goblet by the hilt and looked into it. The water looked clean and pleasent. Odin opened his mouth and swallowed the drink whole.

At first Odin could see nothing, but blackness. He forced his eyes to adjust to the light. Voices and sounds filled his ears but he could not make out what. He felt ill, an unusual sensation for a god, and nauseous. He wondered how humans could stand feeling this way, as he felt weak and struggled to hold his balance. His inner strength forced himself to stay standing. He held onto a stone wall and kept his grip.

Then his vision began to return, at first fuzzy and filled with shapes and colors that he could see but could not make out. The voices began to get clearer and he began to understand words. Then the worlds began to come into focus and he saw everything...

...He stood outside his home in Asgard, but it was not Asgard. At least not normally. Asgard was completely frozen, a barren wasteland covered by three years worth of snow...

... He saw a human race, his beloved Vikings proud warriors who had always honored him and his people, now destroying the altars of the gods, smashing their tributes one by one and even destroying their fellow kinsmen as quickly and dishonorably as they would destroy invaders or those that they have conquered...

... His son, Balder, grown and mature stood in front of a small sharp weapon. The weapon sailed in front of the young god and speared him in the side. With a cry of pain, the young god fell over dead and from far away could hear a familiar laugh of triumph, Loki's laugh...

... Loki's son Midgard wrapped itself around the world devouring everything in his path...

... He saw an army of Giants led by Loki's daughter, Hel the maiden all grown, and ordering them to attack the Valkyries...

... His wife, Frigga stood frozen in ice, never to be alive again...

... He saw himself battling Loki's son, Fenrisulfur and the wolf biting him and himself falling over dead, and his son Thor battling the wolf to the death, both of their's...

...He saw war, death, thousands of voices screaming, and cold bitter cold and through it all could hear Loki's laugh of triumph...

...Darkness...

Odin looked from his friend Oberon to Mimir, his voice angry and terrified. "I see it" he said. "I see all of our deaths." He said even as he returned to the present in front of the fountain, he could still see it. He could see the fountain being smashed and Mimir frozen in the snow. Terrified, he turned to his friend Oberon and in his mind's eye, could see the Fairy King an elderly fairy bereft of power being stabbed by iron and hearing the tones from a far off bell.

"I see the end" He said, his voice rang through the cave. He rose to attack something.

By his friend's side, Oberon turned to Mimir, his voice cold but angry. "Can anything be done to help him"

"One sacrifice must be made" Mimir said. "To know all wisdom and not to see all wisdom, Our Allfather Odin must sacrifice his eye."

"WHAT" Oberon said not believing it and would much rather sacrifice this giant instead!

"I heard him" Odin said lunging his weapons as if firing at invisible enemies. "I can do no good for my gods if I am like this. That much I can see. Just do what he says."

Oberon understood. He held out his sword and stayed his friend with one hand. Though Odin still struggled in Oberon's mighty grasp, he was able to calm down enough to let his friend do his work. "Forgive me, my friend" Oberon said softly and raised his sword. With a swish his sword ran across the god's eye and it was over in a second.

Odin stood by the Fairy King and Giant fountain keeper's side, still and at attention. He smiled and said calmly his one blue eye shining with mixed delight and his other eye shut. "It worked Mimir thank you" he said and looked to where the eye was. The Eye of Odin now dissolved into the water.

Mimir spoke. "That eye will now be powerful to all who wear it, even uncontrollable to some."

"Such is the price of wisdom" Odin agreed.

"Do not despair Odin" Oberon said. "I have a feeling it will be returned to you."

"I do as well" Odin agreed lightly but then his tone turned savage the memories from the fountain never far from his mind. "I know now what I must do" His voice took on a savage angry tone."We must return to Asgard." He and Oberon thanked Mimir then mounted their steeds and returned to Odin's palatial home.

The retribution was swift, Odin did not wait long. First he had Frigga swear an oath from each living thing that it would not harm his son Balder. Frigga walked through Norway satisfied that she had such an oath. She sighed knowing that her baby would be safe. Suddenly, her ears perked at a small plant blowing in the breeze. She looked down and saw a mistletoe. It laughed like a small child. Just seeing it made, Frigga's heart move with delight and pity. "It is too bad such a small thing like you would harm my son" Frigga said sorrowfully.

"What makes you think that it would" a friendly elderly voice asked. Frigga turned to see an elderly woman with a kind face speaking to her. "This mistletoe is mine and I have tended it knowing it would never harm a living thing."

"But my orders" Frigga began.

"-Now now my lady" The woman said. "This mistletoe is as innocent as a newborn babe, as your own Balder, could you imagine your Balder causing any sort of trouble"

Frigga didn't respond but shook her head as the woman continued. "I will speak to it, and bring it up to never harm your son. It will understand no hatred. If you bring up a child to understand no hatred, it will feel no hatred."

Frigga looked at the mistletoe, torn. The woman's words made sense to her, it was so little so much like her son, and the woman would understand the proper care for the plant. "Very well, it is to be. This mistletoe shall not be under my condition."

"You are too kind, My Lady Goddess" The woman said. As Frigga walked away beyond the woman's sight, the plant keeper transformed back into Loki. He laughed. "Too kind" he said still keeping the woman's accent. On to phase two, he thought.

While Frigga was taking a vow from every living thing, Odin was inacting his revenge on Loki's children. He ordered Midgard to be thrown around the world to bear it in his coils, then ordered Hel to be cast out to the Underworld. As for Fenrisulfur, he had the wolf chained to his palace so it would do no harm. Loki who was standing in the throneroom watched his children leaving him one by one. "No you can't" He screamed beating on Odin with his fists. "You cannot do this to my children! Hel! Fenris! Midgard! They should be with me"

"It is my command and one you will obey" Odin declared pushing the thin Trickster god off of his body. Loki fell to the floor sobbing at the God of Wisdom's feet. He kept mumbling. "My children" over and over.

Frigga's heart was moved with pity. "Odin, perhaps we should allow him to keep his children."

Odin glared, his eyes fierce. "No, my law is well my law." He then turned to Frigga. "I told you what I saw" he whispered fiercely.

"Yes, I know" she said. "But allow him to keep one child at least or allow one to roam the palace freely so that he can always be with his father."

"And that child could destroy us as well" Odin hissed back.

"Not necessarily" she said. "If he is raised in our palace he can be brought up not to hate our kind or your son. I have sworn a vow from every living thing from the strongest bear to the littlest stone that they would not harm Balder."

"Except for that mistletoe" Odin reminded her.

"Yes" Frigga reminded him. "Because it was small and did not know hate and will be brought up not knowing hate. Perhaps we could do the same for Loki's children."

"But sentence has already been past" Odin said.

"Not on that one" Frigga pointed to Puck, the small white haired boy by his father's side, such a mirror image of his father. The two embraced clinging to each other like they were all they had.

Odin reflected. "Losing this eye does bring proper wisdom" He turned to Loki his voice raised. "Very well, your youngest child Puck shall stay in the palace under our protection, but he will be raised by us."

Loki and Puck looked up at the Allfather's announcement. Loki dried his eyes and stood. "Your words bring great comfort My Lord. I would rather my child be raised in this palace rather than in prison or untouched where I could not at least know he was there. Give me a moment to say goodbye." He said.

Odin waved for them to proceed. Loki pulled his son closer to him and whispered in his ear. "What does this mean, Father" Puck asked his high voice curious.

Loki's voice instantly dropped the bereaved act and was back to it's usual sarcasm. "Don't worry things are working out rather well and I will be by to look in on you from time to time." He turned to the King. "Thank you My Lord, I will take my leave of you." Loki bowed low and disappeared.

France, 14th Cent.-

Puck woke from his reverie. How long had he been out? An hour? Two? Princess Aurora struggled in her sleep. Any minute, The Sleep Spell would wear off and she would be able to run. He had better act fast. Puck shook himself from his memories and stood. He opened the door with his magick and left to meet Maleficent's goons.