Loki had managed to slip away to go fetch Thanatos a scotch, but thirty minutes later and after many deviations, he and Eros locked eyes from across the room. They both twisted through the crowd to intercept each other right in the middle of the ballroom.
“I’ve been hoping to run into you for about half an hour now.” Loki had to raise his voice over the sound of the crowd and the swelling orchestra.
“Well, I have been looking for you and Damien, Death and Hypnos, for about an hour to no avail!”
“Oh! Is Hypnos here?” Loki asked.
“No. I haven’t seen him. I was hoping to. I think I upset him earlier today.”
“Oh?”
“But, I did run into Psyche!” Eros gave a sheepish smile.
“Ooh... How’d that go?”
“You know, as usual, awkward, but friendly and supportive, all things considered.”
Loki was beaming a guilty smile. “Well, I ran into Freja. In a doorway.”
“Oh?”
Loki continued, “Above which, hung mistletoe...”
“Ooh... Please tell me you didn’t?”
Loki shook his head. “Kiss a woman? No. Never again. Let alone kiss a woman without her will and consent? Absolutely not...”
Eros folded his arms and tapped his foot at Loki’s evident evasion.
Loki took in a hesitant breath. “However, I did make mention of the mistletoe.”
Eros’s face filled with disapproval. “You didn’t?”
“I did. And then I ran.”
“You ran?” Eros did his best to hide his amusement at the thought. “I have never seen you run.”
“Well, you have never seen Freja angry.”
“Well, that’s true.”
“So, I was wondering, since we are at a ball after all...”
“Yes?” Eros prodded him on.
Loki looked at him from the corner of his eye. “Do you even like to dance? I don’t want you to feel obligated-”
“No! No. I mean, no, I don’t feel obligated, and yes, I like to dance with you.”
“Well then,” Loki offered up his right hand, and as Eros blushed and offered his own hand, the music fell silent to the sound of baying of hounds. Hundreds of hounds.
The musicians of the orchestra were forced to stop mid-song, and all the dancers came to a pause; and, while the baying of the hounds yet rang, all the gods and guests grew pale, for they knew what was coming.
After the blood curdling sound of howling beasts came the trampling of hooves, and a harsh wind ripped through the open balcony doors. The wind tore by, not as whispers or voices, but as the mournful lamentation of lost souls. The cries carried with them wisps of snow and ice.
Damien still stood by the mantle. The fire within had been blown out by the gust, embers spraying across the floor. He watched transfixed as the wailing tempest crescendoed in a spiral to the ceiling, accompanied by the percussion of the steeds and the trumpeting hounds. When the echoes had fully ceased, the assembly of gods and goddesses, fae, giants, and angels cheered with ravenous applause, all except four.
Eros looked up at Loki, who looked as if he’d seen a million ghosts.
“Your blood-brother is here,” Eros noted.
Loki smiled grimly. “You don’t say.”
Damien remained stationary as he tried to deduce what the hell was going on, when Death appeared next to him.
“There you are! You should join me for this.” Death gestured to the vast ballroom, and Damien preceded him into the crowd.
“What is this exactly?” He called over the noise to Death who stalked behind him.
“The Wild Hunt has arrived.”
“And what’s that?”
“Come and see.”
And he saw, and behold, a wild host.
They came in from the grand entrance all together. There was a one-eyed man with a raven upon each shoulder. His tangled white hair stuck out from his fur hood and dark robes. Beside him was a woman dressed to match, with hair just as white. There were men and women of all sizes, clad in fur and holly and bells and blood. They held their weapons high and gave their battle cry, as the crowd embraced them with food and drink. The ravens flew to the chandeliers above.
As Death and his son entered the mass, their way was parted for them, but through the suits and gowns and fur, Damien saw red flaming eyes. The roaring sounds turned to ringing in his ears. His vision was flashing red. Over the ringing, he could hear the hot breath of a hound pacing by the hunters’ feet. He recognized the baying clear as day. His vision narrowed, stretching forward. The people around him metamorphosed into doors, lining a long, white hallway, stained with red light. A giant, charred jackal with flaming eyes zeroed in on him. It had no jowls to cover its gruesome black teeth. The fear rose up in his chest. There was nowhere to run. The hellhound bolted at him. A blaze of fire erupted in his chest, and-
***
Damien vanished before Death’s eyes. Thanatos froze, scanning the crowd for a moment before glancing around the room. Damien hadn’t materialized back to the fireplace. He hadn’t poofed himself to the outer edge of the crowd or to the front where the Wild Hunt was being greeted. He was just gone.
Thanatos transported himself to Loki’s side. “Loki!” He whispered harshly in the giant’s ear.
"Christ! You scared me! Wear a bell!”
Thanatos didn’t have time for this. He said, “Damien. Disappeared. I have to find him. Handle this for me?”
Loki saw Odin up front getting the All-Father treatment. “This? You want me to handle this reception? This is your big speech! What do you want me to say?”
“I don’t care. Figure it out.”
Loki nodded and gulped, “Of course. Go find Damien. I’ve got this. No problem!” Loki gave an unconvincing smile.
Thanatos hardly noticed Loki’s doubt as he disappeared.
Loki looked to Eros for reassurance, but only received wide-eyed worry in return.
“Why do you do these things for him?” Eros asked.
Loki only shrugged, smoothed back his hair, and headed towards the front. He jumped up in front of Odin, who seemed surprised to see him. Loki beamed as he gave Odin a robust forearm shake, as Thanatos would have. “Welcome! Welcome! One and all to the greatest Yule we ever saw!” The trickster called to the crowd, who clapped in response.
Odin, in response, however, crushed Loki’s wrist in his hand and brought him down to level. “Loki, what are you doing?”
This is the reason Loki learned to smile with sharp teeth. To keep pleasant while they beat you down. To always be the joker. To always laugh along with their cruelty. Don’t ever let them see you weak. Don’t forget to smile while you’re thinking fuck you. “Thanatos had an errand to run. He asked me to fill in for him. So, smile and wave, brother of mine.”
Still shaking hands, they turned to smile and wave.
Finally breaking apart, Loki proceeded forward to continue to address the ball. “Lords and ladies, gods and goddesses, as always, during dark midwinter, we join together despite our differences, to share our stories, honor our past, and to dream of a bright and shiny new dawn. Er...” He glanced at Odin, who looked at him with a taunting expectation.
One of Odin’s hellhounds snuck up to Loki. It sniffed his hand and licked it with a dry tongue. He patted it on the head. “Uh...” He cleared his throat. “But, this year is different, because... because, with the return of the sun- It’s not just the dawn of a new year, but a new age! The Age of Aquarius is upon us. The return of Albian! It is a time, not to dream of change, but to effect change. So eat, drink, and be merry, for there’s no better night to do it than on the longest night of the year.” The crowd gave a soft chuckle. “And then tomorrow, awake, arise into a brave new world with the worst fucking hangover you’ve ever had! Happy Yule!”
The crowd raised their glasses in a humored huzzah and drank.
Loki all but wiped the sweat off his brow before retreating, but Odin grappled him by the shoulder and drank to him from a mead horn. “Well played, Loki Laufey. They bought it.”
Loki gave a nervous laugh. “Well, I should really get back to-”
“Come on. I know some people who would kill to see you.”
“I think you meant to say they would kill me if they saw me, and I already exchanged words with Freja tonight. I don’t really need to push my luck.”
“Don’t be a coward, Loki.” He flashed him a wicked smile. “It’s been, as you said... an age! Hohoho!” He gave a boisterous laugh as he escorted a grimacing Loki away.
