Thor: God of Babysitting

Recorded: February 1, 2014
Characters: Ilsa (NPC), Thor
Location: Asgard - Residential Area
Summary: Thor makes contact with the unseen enemy of Asgard.


With the information gleaned from Balder's encounter with Reggar, all of the city's guards are out in full force checking every nook and cranny of Asgard's residential area for signs of this ornate weapon. The citizens may feel their privacy invaded for a while but it is surely for a good cause. The guards move in pairs, checking around landscaping and barging into people's homesteads to search for anything amiss. Random rats are being killed where they're found, for the weapon was last seen in the hands of a husky and unkempt one. "I did not work my way through training just to be a slayer of rats," one guard grumbles as he stops to scrape a rat carcass off of his sword. The sun is setting over the Asgardian sky and it will soon be nightfall.

Nonsense. The militant princes of Asgard have been overseeing the meticulous scouring of the city and, while Balder may excel at the task of investigation, Thor Odinson scowls at the doorway before him. There is no battle. No glory. He is the most powerful rat catcher in the omniverse.

"The right arm of the Allfather would be mobilized for a common rat?" Thor poses, moving forward to lean against the doorway while they digest the information.

"For the weapon it wields, apparently," one of the guards mumbles as he comes shuffling out of the latest house on their list to raid. Every piece of large furniture has been upturned and items strewn about as they searched for their quarry. The mistress of the house looks very indignant from her perch near the front entrance, mentally marking every grievance from this incident that she plans to address with the royal court. "Prince Balder claimed Reggar was using a jewel-encrusted dagger to slay his wife, and that the dagger fled the scene in the grasp of a haggard rodent. I think the land of Asgard shall be free of their like and that dagger will remain unfound."

The guards' quarry is closer than they think, though not in the possession of the beast in question. Four houses down, a long-legged mongrel wanders out into the street and moves quietly for a house further down. It has the stealth of dusk's lengthy shadows on its side, though as it continues to move in the opposite direction of the searching party, a gleam of light shines through the side yards and bounces off of the metal object it has firmly gripped in its maw.

The glimmer of metal steals Thor's attention immediately, though it takes a moment before he registers the implication. "Hold fast, men. Behold." He murmurs, gesturing towards the mongrel with a nod of his head. "You two flank right; I will rush it. Go."

The guards look where Thor indicates, then move down the street in a wide arc. The mongrel glances over its shoulder and when it sees their attention has been gained, it makes a human gesture of narrowing its eyes. The dog ducks into a side yard, scrambling under some bushes next to a two-story homestead.

It seems there is no time to waste. Thor charges forward, skidding to a halt beside the bushes and frowning to himself. "Let us be sensible. Cordon off the area." He orders, nodding to the gruff soldier. "Get four men from the neighboring searches; we cannot let the beast slip by. Not again. I want all beasts and vermin killed or captured. Do not lose sight of your partners. If anyone is reacting unusually, including partners, be vocal and detain them."

"Sir," is all the guards have time to bark before they rush off to hail others in the area. A small crowd is starting to gather nearby of citizens who were already forced out of their homes by the search — The guards push through them to find their allies. Things are quiet near the side yard of the two-story home until leaves begin to rustle close to where Thor stands. Moments later, the mongrel juts the front half of its body out and stares up at the Prince of Asgard. Its eyes are as wide as one would expect of any normal beast and it wags its tail at the sight of the man. The dog also pants rather cheerfully — something it would not be able to do if it still had a certain item in its possession.

Strange. Thor reaches down to unceremoniously snap the delightful tramp's neck then proceeds to investigate the bush from whence it had emerged. "Be wary for signs of recently disturbed earth." He cautions to his men as he shoves the shrub aside.

The guards catch up with their prince and start looking around the side yard. A woman's cry from within the two-story home stops them in their tracks. Lamplight within the lower level is suddenly extinguished and within moments, light is extinguished upstairs as well.

"Ancestors…" Thor curses beneath his breath waving a hand to gather a detachment. "Two of you begin to clear the rooms from the bottom to the top. I will accompany you." He barks, drawing his warhammer as he steps past the doorframe and squints into the darkness.

The Asgardian homestead is cozy on the interior, but the darkness certainly makes it more foreboding. Whimpering comes from the doorway between the sitting room and the kitchen, where a woman is laying on her side with a hand on a wound to her belly. Behind the kitchen is a wooden staircase leading up to the second level.

Thor's knuckles clench white as he rushes to the woman's side so that he may assess her condition. "We have another wounded!"

The maiden winces sharply as she reaches a bloody hand in Thor's direction. "Help… Ilsa and Farren… My children are upstairs…" Two guards rush over with lanterns and one offers their lamp to Thor before they kneel down to tend to the woman.

"Bring her to the healers. Have two more replace you when you leave. I will retrieve the children." Thor commands, raising the lantern with one arm and readying Mjolnir with the other. He slowly advances towards the stairs, checking each room upon the approach. "I grow weary of this game. Make yourself known and we will fight honorably."

The response to Thor's challenge comes from the top of the stairwell: A young girl's laughter echoes down from the darkness of the top floor. "Spoken like a true son of he who would pass judgement on us all." Ilsa steps out into the light—the eldest child of the house being no more than ten years old. She supports her infant brother with one arm and tips the blade of an ornate dagger close to his swaddled body. Her look of youthful innocence has been completely corrupted by a vicious grin that she angles down at the Thunder God.

The edge of a scowl darkens Thor's features as he studies the girl. "Once more you hide behind the innocent. If you've grievances to air then air them. You need not spill more blood pointlessly."

He does his best to utilize his peripheral vision to try and spy something of use.

"There is much meaning behind the blood I spill, Odinson. Ask your father if memory still serves. Each death causes suffering to him in ways that only I know." Ilsa's hand grips tighter around the handle of the dagger. "Each one draws me closer to bringing justice to your kingdom. I need but a few more of your people's lives, and then you will bear witness to what your father's sin has wrought." Though the darkness makes it hard to see, there is a shelf behind Ilsa lined with linens and other cloth items.

"Ridiculous. Why not simply tell me the message you wish to convey instead of this string of senseless violence?" Thor inquires, considering the linens carefully.

A plan begins to take shape; but, something compels the prince to continue to press for information. "Who even are you? Another vassal of Laufey?"

The girl chuffs at his questions. "Who I am has been lost to the ages, but you will come to know me soon enough, Odinson." She raises her dagger and looks down at the slumbering infant. "When I bring my vengeance upon your realm, YOU SHALL KNOW MY NAME AS YOUR DYING BREATH!"

A controlled gust of wind rushes towards the girl to scythe the blade from her grip and embed it within the wall behind her. Mjolnir was already prepared. Regardless of whether the wind was successful or merely a distraction, Thor surges forward to gather the children, trying to wrestle one beneath each arm.

Ilsa's hand flies back along with the blade that becomes embedded in a wooden plank that makes up part of the upstairs wall. "YOU WILL KNOW ME, ODINSON," is the last fit the child throws before she finds herself arrested by Thor's grasp. Farren stirs from his sleep and makes confused cooing noises while his sister bursts into tears. Neither child seems to have any idea why they are suddenly in the grip of the mighty Thor.

"Fear not, young warriors, for the noble Thor Odinson has arrived to bless you with a game!" Thor declares, gently setting both children down then retrieving the dagger from the wall. "But, I fear I overestimated my endurance. Surely, there is an elder sister present that can ready her sibling for bed and gift the prince with a wedge of cheese?" He inquires, smiling broadly as he tussles Ilsa's hair. A hand raises to calm the soldiers that approach. "Nothing to worry about here, men. T'was not a Jotunn berserker but a fair Asgardian maiden that filled these halls with such a strong bellow!"

Ilsa sucks in her shuddered cries and lets out a timid giggle at Thor's change of subject. She nods a few times and reaches out to take her brother so she can return him to his crib. The downstairs area becomes well-lit once again as the soldiers use their own torches and lanterns to get the lights going. One guard stays at the foot of the steps while the others continue to check the lower level for any additional signs of trouble. "Your orders, sir?"

"I have what we seek and will continue to do so. Ensure the healers prioritize their mother. As soon as she is able, return her. I will stay and protect the children until she is able to relieve me." Thor issues, pausing as he appraises the sentry. "Once the men have returned what they have moved during the search please return to them my compliments. You all performed well tonight." He adds, collapsing into the great chair in the main living quarter. "I pray you can all do so swiftly. It has been a tense eve and I'm sure you can all use the rest with your loved ones."

"Yes, my prince. Thank you!" The guard salutes eagerly, then heads upstairs to finish re-lighting the house. Soon enough, the only people left in the house are Thor, the sleeping infant, and one shy child who quickly but quietly retrieves a block of cheese for her unexpected guest.

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