Free Giants of the Frost by Kim Wilkins

Steypr?'
    "Steypr was one of my father's horses. I had been granted her when I left court. She was a mighty beast and I was afraid of riding her. I would certainly never let Helgi ride her, but he adored her. He spent hours sitting astride a fallen log by the fence and pretending it was Steypr. I said, 'No, Helgi, you know Steypr is too big and too strong to be ridden by such a little boy.'
    "He sobbed again, so hard that his little body shook in my arms, and wailed, 'But I am big. I am three years old!'
    "I felt so guilty for leaving him alone on the morning of his birthday that I conceded." Loki leaned forward, his hands pressed together between his knees. "You regret this."
    "Oh, yes." Her voice was little more than a whisper, choked by tears. Long seconds passed, and Loki waited with a patient smile.
    "Go on," he said at last. "He fell, didn't he?"
    "I thought it would do no harm if I propped him on Steypr's back, held the reins myself, and led him round in a circle. But Helgi was too excited. He giggled and shouted and squealed, and grabbed her mane and yanked. Steypr reared, the reins pulled from my hands so violently that the flesh tore away with them, and she galloped straight to the fence. Helgi screamed. I called out to him to hold tight. Steypr looked like she would take the jump, but balked. Helgi flew from her back and hit the ground with such a thud… like all the love in the world falling to the bottom of a deep pit." Tears spilled onto her cheeks and she palmed them away.
    "Was he dead?"
    Aud shook her head. "He breathed, but barely. In the scant minutes it took to get him to his bed, he grew purple and swollen and I knew he would die." Her voice broke and she fought to steady it. "I sat by his side and held his hand and sobbed. He was unaware of my presence, already vanishing down that foggy passageway even we cannot understand. Immortality, true immortality, is only for those who take extreme care." She drew a long breath, bringing her lungs once more under her control. "My child was everything to me: he was my spirit, my heart. I could not sit there and do nothing. I knew where the Norns lived, the vendors of fate. This time when I left the house, left his sad limp body behind, I was not afraid of Helgi waking while I was gone. It seemed certain he would never wake again." Aud paused and glanced up at Loki, who gazed at her without speaking. She needed to rein in this tale; it became dangerous to reveal too much detail to her audience. "I journeyed to the World Tree. Helgi's fate was just appearing on Verda's loom. I made a deal with her: in exchange for reweaving Helgi's death into life, she sent me here to Asgard for a thousand years."
    "In punishment?" Loki interjected. "She was angry that you dared to use your association with them for personal gain?"
    Aud nodded. "I don't regret it. I was very lucky to know them. I was lucky to be able to save my son's life. Verda cut me a piece of her thread and handed it to me. It glowed with bright colors. I was told that when I left the World Tree, I could turn west toward Vanaheim and Helgi would die, or east toward my new fate in Asgard and Helgi would live. I made my decision, the thread turned black and I have not seen nor held my son in my arms since that day. He grows up happily in the good care of my family." Aud dropped her head and pressed her palms against each other.
    "And the Norns?" Loki asked.
    "They moved so I wouldn't find them again. They no longer trusted me." She glanced up from the fire to see his face, trying to read his expression. "Has my story amused you?" Loki rose and pulled her to her feet, clasping her hands in his. "I'm not a monster, Aud," he said, "I'm genuinely moved. Look at you, you aren't fit for more work today. Perhaps you should return to Vidar." She was surprised by his generosity. "I… thank you."
    "Vidar doesn't know, does he? About Helgi?"
    "No. He hasn't asked."
    "Perhaps you aren't as close as you think you are," Loki