Metempsychosis Log Community

"What's that?" came a sweet, lovely little voice from right by his shoulder. Laurel was standing there in a holiday dress of green that offset her red hair beautifully. Her songbook was tucked under her arm.

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He blinks at the small voice as he turns his head to look for the source of it. He smiles at the pretty girl, still trying to fathom that she was likely one of the many born just a week before. "It's... a scrapbook," he says, wondering the best way to explain some of this. "Was waiting under the tree for me for the holiday. Supposed to be some of my old memories that I just don't remember, I guess."

He nods toward her book. "What's that you've got there?"

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She nodded at his explanation slowly, like she was putting together what he said and actually understood it. And then he asked her about her book, and she perked right up.

"My songbook! I got it for Christmas too. Wanna see?" It was a rhetorical question, because of course he'd want to see. And she was climbing on to his lap in, because then they could both see the book.

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And soon, there is a child in his lap, and he can't help but chuckle at that fact as he sets his book to the side. "My name is Sean. What's yours?"

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"I'm Laurel," she said off-handedly. She was far to interested in showing off her book to him. She opened it up and held it so he could see it in the way that children did, like he was blind and wouldn't be able to see it if she didn't hold it high up and in front of his face. "It's got a lot of songs for me to sing. I sing really pretty, like my mommy."

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And right in front of his face it was. "Oop, heh..." He takes the edges of the book and pulls it away from them just a smidge. "Sorry. Little too close." He adjusts just a bit so he can lean back against the wall. "That's a very nice book. Do you have a favorite song or are you still trying to decide?"

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"I like all the songs, but there's one that's my favorite right now." The book drops into her lap abruptly and she flips through the pages. "I like the way this one sounds. Want me to sing it for you?" She leans back and looks up at him with big doe eyes, and the look there said that there was a suspected answer that he was supposed to give.

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He looks down at her with his steel blue eyes wide and sincere. "Of course I do. What kind of person would I be if I didn't?"

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the-all-mother.insanejournal.com

Frigg had been on her way to talk to Baldr when she found him sitting with Apollo's daughter. Se chose to stand back for the moment.

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"You'd be like Julian. A big jerk." It came out as a simple statement of fact. Because Julian was a big jerk. And then she put the book in her lap and took a breath and began to sing. The song was called The Blessing (http://youtu.be/48iUjaHlar8), and Laurel's voice was quite like a little angel's.

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"Well, I don't want to be a big jerk, so I would like it if you sang for me."

As Laurel sings her song, a strange, yet welcome calm seems to run through Sean. And somehow, his anxiety, his stress, depression, and anger feel as though they are distant memories. And yet, they had been there only moments before...

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When she finished, she leaned back against him, looking up at him again with a bright smile. "D'you like it, Sean?"

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For a moment, it's difficult for him to say anything. He almost feels as though he's reached some strange level of zen, and the only true thing he can equate it to is this lovely little girl plopped in his lap. He smiles softly at her. "Laurel, that is the most beautiful song I've ever heard in my entire life." And he means that with all his being.

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Nearby, Carl hesitated. He had a package in his hand.
"Ummm... Hi... and hi, Laurel. Mommy told me this was yours," he said, shyly approaching Baldr.

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Laurel beamed at Sean at his praise. "I like it too. I'll sing it again for you sometime, if you want."

Then she noticed Carl and smiled at him brightly too. "Hi Carl." And then she was practically bouncing on Sean's lap. "Ooh Sean you got another present! Open it! Open it!"

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the-all-mother.insanejournal.com

Frigg remained hidden, tentative to walk in.

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He smiles at Carl, taking the gift from the lad. "Well, thank you, Carl. Come join our little party in the corner. The more, the merrier, and we can see what in the world could possibly be." He readjusts his arm so that he can reach around Laurel and show the box to both kids as he opens it.

He eyes Laurel, and then Carl. "Maybe it's a dinosaur."

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Carl giggled.
"You're funny, Uncle Baldr."

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He shrugs a little with a grin to match, not entirely sure what to do with the 'uncle' or 'Baldr' parts. Not yet, anyway. "I aim to please, Carl."

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"Open it!" Laurel said emphatically.

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Carl wriggled with anticipation.
"Please? Let's see!"

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"Alright, alright... Hold your horses, kiddos," he muses good-naturedly. He finds not a dinosaur, but a scroll tied round with a scarlet ribbon. His brow furrows a bit in confusion as he opens the parchment with words written in silver. The contract gives him goosebumps and a wicked chill up his spine as he takes in the oath.

He clears his throat gently and looks up at the kidlings. "Well, it's not a dinosaur--which, for the record, would be totally awesome...But it looks like someone's made a very important promise to never hurt me. Ever."

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"Who would want to hurt you? You're nice," Carl said.

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Laurel looked at the scroll curiously, then reached out her little hand and touched it with her finger tips. "I think this is better than a dinosaur."

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He grins at both of them, glancing over the decree with a sigh. "Well, I don't remember much of anything about my former self, honestly. But the story goes that someone not very nice took the one thing in the whole world that could hurt me, and did. And now, that one thing has promised never to hurt me again." Of course, he wonders about newer things in this day and age... but that would be another worry for another day.

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His first comment got Carl thinking.
"Can I help? Mommy's been telling me stories," he offered.

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"I like stories," was Laurel's opinion on Carl's offer.

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He's not 100% sure he likes the stories that are about his former self, but better Carl than big, bad whoever. He liked these two. "You know what? Me, too. Have a seat, Carl. Tell me what you know."

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"Can I see your book?" Carl asked, pointing to the scrapbook, "Please?" That's right. Have to remember manners.

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"Sure," he replies, handing over the Big Golden Book of Baldr. "I've only looked at it a little, myself."

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Carl nestled himself more or less into Baldr's lap and opened the book, flipping through the pages. He paused on one with the picture of a man with only one hand.
"That's my dad. Tyr. He looks different there, but that's him. He's super brave. Put his hand in a wolf's mouth so the other gods could tie up the mean wolf. The wolf wasn't happy, and he bit off Dad's hand."

He looked up at Baldr.
"He's your brother. That's why you're my uncle."

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Laurel had barely scooted over to make room for Carl on Sean's lap so they were pressed side by side, and she was looking over his shoulder at the book, her little chin actually resting there. She frowned, looking confused by his story though. "Why would he put his hand in the wolf's mouth?"

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While still attempting to process the information that Carl had given them (he has a brother?), Laurel's question gives him pause and he furrows a brow in thought. "I think I read about that. He did it to show the wolf that the gods were chaining him up to prove his strength, not to protect all of them." He lifts his eyebrows. "That sound right, Carl?"

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