Father Rhine

It happened, as Melili entered a tavern by the docks. It was a sea-faring town, where the people were merry, and the beer kept coming.

Melili sat down. Ordered her drink, and then emptied it in one gulp. The men cheered! Having seen nothing like it.

" I could drink you all under the table. " said Melili, feeling a bit smug.

The men accepted her challenge, they all then accepted their loss when they were defeated.

" Wasn't that a bit unfair? " said the man sitting next to her.

" It's not my fault that they can't hold their liquor. "

The man giggled.

" We both know that you had an unfair advantage. "

Melili turned to face the stranger.

" Who are you? "

She then noticed the poodle by his side.

" Nice dog. "

" Rupert of the Rhine, and thanks. "

" Who are you really, Rupert? " said Melili, noticing the ocean in his eyes.

" No one of consequence. " Rupert finished his drink, and told Boy to follow.

Melili was about to stop them, till a pale man came bursting into the tavern.

" It has happened again! "

" What happened? " said Melili, as Comrade was flying above the wreckage.

" It seems fairly simple. " said Comrade; " the ship collided with Lorelei. "

" Lorelei? "

Comrade wanted to elaborate, but Melili then noticed a woman standing atop the peak.

" Who are you? " asked Melili the woman.

" Lorelei. " said the woman, not at all frightened by the flying goat Melili was on.

" The cliff? "

Lorelei nodded.

Melili then introduced herself.

" The queen? "

Melili nodded.

The two of them became friends rather quickly.

Lorelei told of how she loved standing atop the cliff of her namesake, and just watch the endless sea.

" Did you happen to see: how the ship crashed with the cliff? "

Lorelei was quiet.

" Sorry… That was rather rude… "

" Not at all. " Lorelei composed herself; " as it happens… I did see it, and hear it. "

Melili and Comrade looked upon one another.

Hear it?

" It all happened so fast. The sea was calm one moment, and the next: a raging storm. I took cover from the rain. But despite the rain, I could clearly hear the singing. "

" Singing? "

Lorelei nodded.

" My heart then sank, as a ship was sailing straight towards the cliff. " Lorelei paused; " there was nothing I could do, then just watch helplessly, as the ship crashed directly into the cliff side… I can still hear them screaming… "

Melili pulled Lorelei into a hug.

" Don't get any ideas. " said Comrade.

" Who, me??? Never! "

Melili had to admit… Lorelei was quite intoxicating.

But now was neither the time nor place for that sort of thing.

There was a mystery to solve, and Melili was the one to solve it!

The night was spent at Lorelei's house.

Comrade was sleeping outside; he was on guard duty, but he also enjoyed the night sky.

Comrade heard footsteps.

He noticed a hooded figure in the dark.

Comrade was about to investigate, but a melody put him to sleep. Comrade awoke with a start. He looked around and saw the morning sunlight.

The door slammed Melili in the face, as Comrade came bursting inside.

" Are you okay? " he asked.

" No… "

" What happened? "

" I got a face full of door... " said Melili, trying to stop her nose-bleed. Comrade giggled apologetically.

" Good morning. " said Lorelei, putting some freshly baked bread on the table.

" Do you live alone? " asked Melili, enjoying the breakfast.

Lorelei nodded.

" My parents aren't around that much. "

" Are they overseas? "

Lorelei giggled.

" Something like that. "

Melili said no more, her mouth full of buttered bread.

" Where do we begin? " said Melili, ready to investigate the Mystery of the Rhine.

" Last night. "

" Last night? "

" I saw someone last night. "

" Who? "

Comrade grew embarrassed.

" I don't know… I was put under a spell… "

" Hm. "

" It's you again. "

Melili beheld: Rupert of the Rhine, and his poodle: Boy.

(Comrade could sense that there was more to that poodle than met the eye.)

The Christoph-Waltz-looking-gentleman stood before Melili, dressed in regal attire.

" Are you a king? " asked Melili, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

" Of a sort. " said Rupert, smiling; " how goes solving the mystery? "

" What's your dog's name? "

" What does that have to do with it? "

" Humor me. "

Rupert sighed, smiling.

" Boy. "

" What kind of a name is that? "

" What kind of name is Comrade? "

Melili and Comrade both paused.

" I never mentioned his name… "

Rupert smiled mischievously.

" He told me himself. "

" Njo- "

" Help! HELP!! "

Melili rushed to the nearby tavern. There lay a woman, her face in her hands.

" Madam! " Melili rushed to her side; " what has happened? "

" My husband… " said the woman, through her sobbing; " he is dead! "

" The gods have pity... " said Comrade.

" Indeed. "

The two of them beheld the carnage.

Another ship had crashed into the Rhine.

There were planks and bodies everywhere.

Melili made a silent prayer to her mother; asking Hel to be merciful towards these poor souls.

" We need to solve this mystery, and quick… enough have died. "

The sobbing wife cradled her dead husband nearby.

" Who do you suspect? "

Melili thought about it.

" Rupert. "

" I don't think so. "

" And why not? "

" I think I know who Rupert of the Rhine truly is. And besides: he is a man. "

" What does his gender have to do with it? "

" What has caused all these ships to crash? "

" According to the locals: a song. "

" A siren song. "

" Siren… it could be… "

" Where were you last night? "

" Last night? " said Lorelei; " I was here. At home. "

Melili just looked at her.

" No you weren't. "

" What do you mean? " said Lorelei, acting hurt; " I was in my room. Asleep. "

Melili sighed. Then rubbed the back of her head.

" I went to your room last night. And you weren't there. "

" Why would you do such a thing? "

Melili's cheek grew red.

" I wanted to cuddle… "

Comrade giggled, Melili hit him.

" I didn't think anything of it… till now. "

Lorelei took a step back.

" Comrade mentioned how a melody had put him to sleep. "

Lorelei looked towards the door, Comrade was blocking her way.

" You're spending a lot of time atop the Rhine. "

" I like looking at the sea. I told you this already. "

Melili just looked at her, having realized the truth.

" Lorelei… why would you do such a thing? Killing all those innocent people. "

Lorelei sat down.

"I can't help it… " Lorelei's voice had taken on a tragic tone; " they were all innocent... "

Melili knelt before her.

" What happened? "

" My father happened. "

" Your father? "

" Father Rhine. He saved my mother from drowning, and from their love: I was born. " Lorelei rubbed her face, the memories flooding back; " My father left, when I was just a child, something about not being able to bear the wolves howling. "

(Lorelei was remembering the story her mother, Skadi, had told her. Father Rhine never saved her mother. Skadi was tricked into marrying him. But the part about not being able to bear the wolves howling, was true enough.)

" Years later; my mother left for the mountains, having had enough of the noise of the harbor and the churning of the sea. " Lorelei paused; " I was left all alone… I have this urge, this need: to stand atop the Rhine and sing… But every time I do- "

" A ship sinks. "

" Will you arrest me? "

Melili contemplated what to do.

" I would prefer it if you didn't. "

Melili smiled.

" Hello, Njord- "

" Father! "

" Father? "

Lorelei jumped into Njord's outstretched arms.

" I didn't know that you had a third child. "

" Skadi wanted to keep her a secret. "

" Hence the isolation? "

Njord's face grew solemn.

" It is the darndest thing, really. "

" What is? "

" The position of the Rhine. The cliff is sandwiched right between mountain and sea. The wolves of the mountain howl loudly, hence why I had to leave. And Skadi can't stand the churning of the sea. " Njord smiled; " I am rather impressed that she lasted for so long, watching over you as you grew. But in the end: she had to leave for the mountains. "

" I could have gone with you! "

" Dear child, " said Njord, lovingly; " you wouldn't have survived under the sea, nor atop the mountains. Which is why you had to stay here, where your mother and I could watch over you from afar. "

" I could have been with my siblings… "

" Freya and Frey like to travel a lot, so that wasn't an option either. "

" She could live with me. " said Melili, a little mischievously.

" You like to have a lot of sex. "

" Guilty as charged. "

(Don't worry: Lorelei was eighteen.)

" So that isn't an option either. "

" Why not take her to Asgard? "

" So she can catch Odin's wandering eye? Not a chance! " Njord's tone had become rougher, like an incoming tidal wave. He had not forgotten how Freya trusted Odin, and how that trust had been betrayed.

" You truly love her? "

Njord looked into Lorelei's eyes; eyes very much like his own.

" I love her more than the sea itself. "

(Which was saying a lot!)

Lorelei could not hold back her tears.

" Father… "

It then dawned on Njord.

" I will take her to Vanaheim! To be with her aunt: Nerthus. "

And that is how that ended.

Lorelei went to Vanaheim, and stayed for a while with her loving and kind aunt: Nerthus. And when she was of age(when she turned twenty-one) she decided to do like her half-siblings, and travel the world.

Melili went on with her adventures.

And Njord?

Well.

Let us just say that Father Rhine never ventured far from the Rhine.

But fret not; for Njord was never alone; he had his poodle, Boy, to keep him company.