Wanted: A Nanny for Two Adorable Children, part 3 (Thor)
“Father, please, you have to get rid of her,” Thor pleaded.
Odin sat on his throne and watched his two grown sons beg him for help. He was glad to see that their previous close bond had been repaired. The fact that they were only united because of a common enemy (the nursemaid) did not bother him. Once she was gone he had hope that they would remain close.
“Father,” Thor whimpered again when Odin did not immediately answer. Next to him Loki looked as close to tears as he could get without completely breaking down. Odin suddenly felt a deep sorrow. He hadn’t realized just how terrified and traumatized his boys were. Frigga’s words of the previous morning sprang to mind. Odin had spent much time pondering them and was beginning to finally see the truth his wife had known all along.
He stood and descended the few steps it took to reach Thor and Loki. He placed one hand to each of their cheeks and gently held their heads so he could look each one in the eyes. “My sons, what has she done that is so terrible?”
Both Thor and Loki’s eyes darted sideways to glance at each other without moving their heads before they broke into simultaneous whining that Odin only caught half of.
“She made us follow her on these so-called ‘outings’-”
“We jumped into a tapestry-”
“-the rooftops with the servants! Not to mention her talking to animals-”
“-had to chase down a unicorn and then recite some long, nonsense word-”
“-where there were dancing penguins and-”
“-constantly making us eat spoonfuls of sugar that-”
“-until we were were floating on the ceiling drinking mead!-”
“-turn all our duties into ridiculous games-”
“-because Sif and the Warriors Three were laughing so hard at us they floated up too-”
“And then I had to snap my fingers and sing to repair the Bifrost!”
Loki was going to be the first to break, Odin could see it coming. Without thinking, trusting only to instinct, he quickly moved to gather Loki into his arms and crush him in an embrace. Loki was so startled and confused that the breakdown was delayed for a moment. Only for a moment though because soon enough he had clutched his own arms tightly around his adoptive father’s neck and hyperventilated into his chest, fogging up the metal breastplate. Never to be left out, Thor rose up and grabbed at both of them until everyone was involved in a tearful three-way hug.
“Please banish her, Father,” Thor begged.
“Forever,” Loki added with a sniffle.
Odin slowly pushed them away from his chest so that he could see both of their faces. He kept his own hands still placed on their shoulders as he smiled gently at them and shook his head. “I cannot banish a woman for simply taking my sons on strange adventures.”
The princes of Asgard were prevented from launching further protests as a messenger came rushing into the throne room. “Allfather, I am sorry to interrupt, but if you wish to attend the meeting on Alfheim, then you must depart now. Also, when you return the weapons keeper and the head of the guardhouse would both like to speak with you.”
Thor and Loki’s faces fell in disappointment at this speech. This time Odin was watching and noticed. He waved the messenger quiet for a moment and looked back to his sons.
“I cannot banish her,” Odin repeated with a smile, “But I can sack her.”
Thor and Loki looked up in surprise, not understanding what their father was trying to tell them.
“You need no nursemaid minding you when you can have me,” Odin laughed. He glanced over the shocked expressions in front of him to the fidgeting messenger at the door. “Send someone else to the meeting in Alfheim and tell everyone that I’m busy and not to be disturbed for the day.”
“But, Father,” Loki protested, “your duties as a king-”
“We can talk with you later,” Thor agreed, “once you are finished-”
“No. My duties as a king do not always have to supersede my duties as a father,” Odin told them sternly before his expression softened. “I have come to realize that I have not spent enough of my time with my two subjects most worthy of it.” Odin beamed and reached behind his throne to pull out a hastily made paper object on a string. “And I have heard that this is a most admirable way to spend some family time together. Come. Let’s go fly a kite.”
He strode purposely towards the door, glancing back to make sure his sons were following. Thor hesitated for a moment and leaned towards Loki.
“What is a kite?”
“I haven’t the faintest idea,” Loki whispered back, “but if Father wants to fly one with us I’m not saying no.”
He ran toward Odin. Thor followed in close pursuit.
***
Mary Poppins stood at the end of the hall watching as her charges hurried after their father. A small smile spread over her face. Her bag was packed and her hat and coat already donned. She held her umbrella in her left hand, unopened and with the bird head of the handle upright near her face.
The little wooden beak opened to address her. “Running after their father like little children. I don’t know why you even took this job. These are the only two that never liked you.”
“It was not me they needed to like,” Mary Poppins replied quietly as she gazed at the retreating figures in contemplation.
“Then who was it?”
“Each other. Themselves.”
The bird had no reply to that wisdom. Instead he focused with mild glee on a new topic.
“You were almost sacked.”
“I am never sacked,” Mary Poppins said firmly.
“Only because you’re sneaking away before they can actually do it,” the little bird almost taunted. “If you stayed around here a little longer they would definitely-”
Mary Poppins quickly dropped her bag and reached out to clamp her fingers over the beak. “Enough of that, please. I think it’s time we were moving on.”
***
Heimdall, all-seeing gatekeeper of Asgard, stood at the end of the Rainbow Bridge next to the repaired Bifrost and looked out upon the realm. High on a shining, turreted tower of the palace three figures stood laughing and grinning as a bright blue diamond of paper flew high in the star-studded sky.
And just beyond in the distance Heimdall’s eyes caught the figure of a woman. Hat firmly on her head, carpet bag in hand and umbrella opened above her she floated gracefully away. In her pocket a new letter of advertisement guided her path.