~.I.~
"I'm to stay here then?" the dulled voice of a young girl carried through the great hall. Her words were filled with sorrow and a lack of understanding. "Is that what I'm going to be? Just another relic hidden in Asgard."
"Caris, you are a relic. Not just because of what you are, but who you are. To me," a man explained to her, expressing the same pain Caris felt. The catch in his throat was obvious, though he tried to stay strong for her sake.
"Then why are you leaving me?" Caris was caught between anger and heartbreak, but before she could decide which emotion was prominent, a sob threatened from deep within her chest. The man pulled her into a tight hug, truly not wanting to let go.
"You'll be safe here. Safer than with me," he tried. Caris pulled far away as tears welled in her eyes.
"I don't care! I don't want to be here, I just want to stay with you!" she protested angrily. Her outburst reminded the man of the fact that she was just a was a child who looked to him as a father. A child who, despite her nearly limitless knowledge, couldn't even begin to understand what was happening and why he had to leave her in a strange realm.
"Caris, listen to me-"
"No! You listen to me!" The tears broke free from the rims of Caris's eyes. "I don't have to stay here. We can keep running-"
"Caris…"
"-they won't find us-"
"Caris."
"-we would never stay in one place for too long, you never do anyways-"
"Caris!" The man only raised his voice enough to snap the girl out of her knelt, placing both of his hands on either side of Caris's now red and swollen face. Pity gleamed in his coffee colored eyes as he momentarily broke the stream of tears on her cheek with a thumb. "You'll understand one day, and I hope that understanding doesn't come with resentment. I'm trying to protect you, and this is the most secure solution."
He kissed her forehead gently, whispering something only meant for her ears before pulling away. Tears continued to crawl down her face as she watched the man she thought of as her hero- her family- return to his box and leave her behind. The man turned back with a sad smile before he entered.
"No!" Caris's scream broke the man's heart, but he closed the door behind him. Caris broke into a sprint, but it was too late. The man and his box had vanished, leaving her in a realm full of strangers.
She collapsed into a sobbing heap where the box once stood.
"You were brilliant," his whispered sentiment echoed in Caris's mind. She was unable to stop the tears from turning to sobs. She was unable to stop him.
He was gone.
She was alone. Abandoned. Caris wished desperately that the man would reappear, claiming it was only an elaborate prank. After the mischief was revealed, he would tell her that he would truly never leave her and he would always be there for her.
But he didn't. For this was no prank.
A comforting hand reached her shoulder, causing her to frantically attempt to compose herself. All hope for composure was lost when the hand pulled her into a hug.
"Shh, it's alright," a woman comforted the child.
"Please, do not think of this as a sentencing," an older man behind her spoke. He was the Odin King, the ruler of this realm. It was his queen, Frigga, who came to Caris's side. "You are valuable, there is absolutely no doubt. However, I can assure you, you'll be treated as if you were my own child. You'll not be so cruelly locked in a vault to wither away, as you may think."
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, I didn't mean to seem ungrateful," the child sniffed as she respectfully bowed her head before the king. Her sense of maturity was beginning to return to her as she calmed herself, though a sadness veiled her.
"We do not think you ungrateful, my dear," Frigga shot her husband a glare as she brushed the girl's crimson hair out of her face."Your reaction is most understandable."
"Thank you for your kindness, it's very generous of you. Both of you," Caris looked up at the couple from where she sat.
"You are most welcome in Asgard," Odin smiled softly. He was a grand individual, all in all. He stood tall and had a severe look about him. Battle had hardened the godlike figure and he bore the scars of it both physically and internally. The one eye that was visible told stories that his mouth would never dare utter, and the other was covered by an ornately carved, gold eyepatch. His kingly robes were the same shimmering shade; Caris could imagine armor in their place.
The child straightened and wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks before standing. Frigga watched Caris carefully as if she was injured; her hands not far from the girl as she rose. The royal pair looked at each other, carrying on a silent conversation that ended when the queen nodded.
"Come with me," Frigga took Caris's hand in her own. Immediately, Caris's power activated, tapping into the queen's timeline. She saw a much younger version of the newly joined king and queen smiling before their subjects at what Caris interpreted as their wedding. Odin still had his sight in this vision. There was a flash of two baby boys and they grew very fast before her eyes. They looked very different from one another but they were out of focus. Finally, Caris saw the queen fighting a dark creature to protect a woman, ultimately to her death.
Caris tore her hand from the queen's as if she had touched a hot coal. She tried to make sense of her vision as Frigga's brows drew together, trying to assess what was wrong. Odin wore a knowing look and placed a hand on his wife's shoulder.
"The child has great power, Frigga," he explained.
"I'm sorry, I can't control it," the girl began to cry again. "It only happens once, but I don't want it to happen at all."
"It is alright, do not fret," Frigga's expression softened immediately. Though she was curious, she did not dare push the child any further. She offered her hand once more. "Let us clean you up. Perhaps a warm bath with do you some good. Then I would like to introduce you to someone."
Caris looked at Frigga's hand as if it were a vicious animal, but she accepted it, trying to banish her previous vision. She was relieved when nothing happened at her touch.
The two left the king in his throne room as Frigga showed the girl to her new quarters. The room was extravagant, as was everything Caris saw in Asgard. Everything was made of gold. The buildings, the furniture, and even the cutlery. Ornate bowls sat on almost every hard surface, bountiful with fresh and colorful fruits. Her room only consisted of three walls, the fourth lead to a large balcony overlooking the vast beauty of the realm. The buildings were all monumental structures; each very different from the next to fit its specific function, yet they mimicked the look of the main castle. Beyond the structures, water encased the world. Pools and streams lead to an endless sea that shimmered like gems. Near the horizon, Caris spotted a glowing bridge that glimmered an array of colors without moving. This bridge lead only to an odd sphere.
The Bifrost, Caris remembered the name of the rainbow bridge that connected the nine realms.
The more Caris observed, the more she felt intrigued and out of place. It was obvious Asgard was not only a realm for kings, but it was a realm for gods. She was not royal nor was she godly. Even after she was changed out of her Midgardian clothes following a luxurious bath, it was still plain to see that she didn't belong.
Before, she had no care about her looks. She wore was was comfortable and what was easiest to maneuver in, as she did a lot of running in her travels.
Caris looked at the imposter staring back at her in the large mirror before her. She had donned a dress that glistened with every shade of blue imaginable. It accentuated the blue in her eyes, making her look enchanted. The name of the fabric was impossible to place, but it was the softest, most beautiful material she'd ever come in contact with. Frigga had pulled the girl's long and once untamed crimson hair into neat braids with skill. The mirror held the image of a princess, not the image of Caris.
"Do you feel better?" Frigga stood behind her, tidying her work on Caris's hair. Caris nodded, but couldn't bring her eyes away from her reflection. The queen pushed the braid over the girl's shoulder and made eye contact in the mirror as she hugged her shoulders. "Would you like to meet my sons? Perhaps they could help lend you to better spirits, I know they do for me."
Caris nodded silently again, truly wishing to sulk but not wishing to upset the king and queen. Once again she followed Frigga throughout the castle only a short ways down a hall into a room much like her own. However, in this room, there were two large beds on either side and in the middle, a pair of young boys were on the floor fighting. One boy was on top, seemingly attacking the other. Frigga rushed in with concern painting her face trying to tear the two apart.
"Thor! Loki! What is this nonsense?" Frigga demanded through their screaming, or rather their laughter. The blonde boy that appeared to be the attacker yielded and fell to the ground with a smile. The other boy with black hair giggled next to him as they sat up. Frigga's concern quickly morphed into confusion.
"We were only playing, mother," the blonde boy laughed. "Loki was a Frost Giant and I was the mightiest warrior of Asgard, coming to slay them all. Just like father!"
"Mightiest, hardly," the dark haired boy, Loki, giggled, earning another mock attack.
"Thor, stop it!" Frigga spoke to the blonde boy, and he quickly obeyed. "You both know your father and I do not approve of you playing this way."
The boys stopped laughing.
"Sorry mother," the pair murmured sadly, wishing to continue their game. It was then the boys noticed the strange girl standing awkwardly in their doorway where their mother had left her.
"Who is she?" Thor pointed. Frigga looked and beckoned the girl.
"This is Caris. She's from a faraway land and she's going to stay with us for some time. Caris, these are my sons, Thor and Loki," she explained, speaking to both parties.
"A pleasure," she bowed even though they looked to be about her age, whatever that was, they were royalty. The pair seemed polar opposites. Thor seemed strong for a boy and wore an infectious, glowing smile that was even expressed vividly in his bright blue eyes. His hair was blonde and unkempt as opposed to the Loki's stark black locks that he straightened as she spoke. Loki seemed more withdrawn in comparison to his brother, and mischief glimmered in his green eyes. He was slender and much paler than Thor. Caris's brain tried to find some sliver of similarity between the two of them, but failed.
"Where are you from?" Thor asked, intrigued.
"A faraway land, don't you listen?" Loki responded before Caris could. Thor rolled his eyes as his brother laughed.
"I apologize, they seem to have forgotten their manners," Frigga shook her head and glared at the boys. She began to guide Caris out of the room while the boys were caught in a new conversation of their own. "Perhaps we can return later."
"Wait!" Loki called, noticing their leaving. "Won't you stay with us Caris?"
"I promise we will play something different," Thor interjected. "Or we could show you around the castle! Then you can tell us all about where you came from."
Caris looked to Frigga as if to ask for her permission. The queen simply nodded and exited, smiling at her children accepting their new friend. After a while of watching the brothers bicker and joke with one another, Caris thought that there might be one place she truly felt she belonged in Asgard.
AN: Hi there, thank you so much for reading! This chapter was a short little introduction and part of a project I plan to update every day this next month and beyond.
This story crosses through the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe (Including Fox). Also I do not own any part of Marvel.
That being said, I was unsure how to accurately categorize it, but the bulk of it takes place with the characters of both The Avengers and Age of Ultron, so here it is.
There was a lot of mystery about "the man" in the beginning. Yes, it was the Doctor, but spoiler alert: this was his only cameo. I originally created Caris about 6 years ago and the character at the time was a Doctor Who crossover. I wanted to stay somewhat true to my character and her roots, but from now on this is solely a Marvel fic.
Review if you wish, thanks again, and I hope to see you tomorrow :)