Gypsies

by Lalaith Quetzalli

-AU to Nightingale.- Prince Loki died, and his loss brought about a change in fate no one could have ever predicted. As three princesses are left alone, forgotten by the world that was once their home, left to wander through the Realms… until the day comes when they may find some sign and make a new home for themselves. (Crossover with Wonder Woman) Temporary Character Death

1. Doom

And here we are! So... apparently some people liked the last AU... regretfully, there will be no sequels, prequels or anything of the like for that one (unless.. if any one of you would like to take a shot at it, you have my full permission as long as you let me know so I can go read it, and so I can let everyone else know!). What you will find, right here in fact, is another take to the same basic idea: What if Loki had died instead of Tinúviel? Only this one makes things even more complex, as you'll be finding out soon enough. I really, really hope you'll enjoy this!

The fic is a multiple crossover, so while I'll only be marking it as Avengers and X-Men, you must know it'll also handle Wonder Woman and several other fandoms to a lesser degree. The piece is three chapters long and I'll be updating every other week.

The song is this piece is the Complete Version of "The Houses of Healing", also known as Arwen's Song, where Liv Tyler actually sings!

Dreamcast: Sarah Bolger as Tinúviel, Katie McGrath as Helena, Amanda Seyfried as Ylva, Sophia Miles as Amora, Georgie Henley as Meril, Cate Blanchett as Thenidiel, Hugo Weaving as Erynion, Russell Crowe as Thorne.

There will be several different points of view in this fic, but as has been most common in the past, it will begin with Tinúviel/Nightingale's.

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Gypsies

(Alternative Universe to Nightingale)

By: Lalaith Quetzalli

Prince Loki died, and his loss brought about a change in fate no one could have ever predicted. As three princesses are left alone, forgotten by the world that was once their home, left to wander through the Realms… until the day comes when they may find some sign and make a new home for themselves.

Doom

Nothing in life is ever quite as certain as change, not even death.

It began with a funeral, the likes of which had never been seen, and probably would never again be seen in Asgard. It was the funeral of the younger, adopted, prince: Loki Odinson, God of Mischief and Lies, son of Odin Allfather and his wife Frigg, brother of Thor, father of Helena Miriel (and adopted father of Jormungandr, Fenrir and wedded father of Ylva)… my consort and match. For I was Princess Tinúviel of Alfheim and Asgard, the one who'd given up her right to the elven crown out of love for him, for my match…

My beloved prince had been laid to rest in his best clothes, Lady Frigg's and my handmaidens working together to hide the signs of the terrible curse that claimed his life. I had been too overcome by grief to do it myself, and the healers refused to let me do much of anything, afraid any effort might cause me to lose the baby. It was such a miracle that she survived, that we both did, when her father did not…

In his raft, the empty body of my love (and I knew it to be empty, for if his soul had been there I would feel it, but it wasn't, and the other end of our bond remained empty, broken and sore) was surrounded by all kinds of flowers, jewels, trinkets, offerings from not only the Aesir, but also from some across all the realms. He was never the kind to limit himself to one world, something he taught me; we so loved traveling, and meeting new people. There was a reason he gained a variety of titles through the years: Silvertongue, Skytreader, Shadowwalker, among many others. We'd been travelers, ambassadors, an aid to so many, most who would never know. Though those who did, they were there to honor him, to pay his respects to the prince that was no longer among the living, and offer what comfort they could to myself and our daughter, reminding us they were there, would always be there for us.

Those of my people who were present began singing as the raft was finally pushed off the coast to float down towards the edge of the sea, the edge of the world. A funeral song. They sang it in Sindarin, that alone an honor that had been granted to none before him; and though the choice of language meant few understood, the beauty and sadness of the song just couldn't be denied:

"Immen dúath caeda (Shadow lies between us)

Sui tollech gwanna(thach) ommen (As you came, so you shall leave from us)

Boe naid bain gwannathar (All things must pass away)

Boe cuil ban firitha (All life is doomed to fade)"

I took a deep breath before adding my own voice to the song. I did it in Common though. Even if the traditional hymn they were honoring my love with was meant to be sung in elvish, I wanted all our people, including those of Asgard, to know at least some of what being sung. I also took care to keep my eyes away when Ylva (my head handmaiden and bodyguard, as well as one of the strongest Valkyries) gave a step forward and shot the flaming arrow that lit my match's pyre.

"With a sigh, you turn away

With a deepening heart,

No more words to say

You will find that the world has changed forever."

"I amar prestar aen (The world has changed)"

"And the trees are now

Turning from green to gold

And the sun is now fading

I wish I could hold you closer."

The moment came when I just couldn't do it anymore, the huge grief, the pain of the loss, of the broken soul-bond was too great. And then our daughter took care of finishing the song for me. Helena, who'd never ever sung, or even seemed to care for it, did it, for me, and for her father…

"Time and tide will sweep all away"

The elves followed, with the finish of the hymn, right as the remains of the funeral pyre turned into stardust that rose into the sky, and all I could do was drop to my knees, head bowed, letting the curtain of my long hair conceal somewhat my crying face. Helena stood beside me through it all, a hand on my shoulder, offering what comfort she could; she made no sound, though I knew her to be crying as well, I felt her own grief as much as I felt my own, and I knew she did as well.

"Boe naid bain gwannathar (All things must pass away)

Boe cuil ban firitha (All life is doomed to fade)"

xXx

I would never be sure just how long I stayed in that half-stupor. It wasn't that long, and I still did my best to eat, sleep and walk around at least a little, if only for Meril. As much as my soul might cry out for the loss of my match, as much as my heart might hurt, missing its other half; I knew both would be all the worse if I were to lose our unborn child as well. I was all too aware how much of a miracle it was that she'd survived, that we both had, and it was all due to my beloved's sacrifice. A sacrifice I wasn't going to ruin by risking either of our lives. Which was why I stayed in my private apartments, with only Helena for company; though Ylva was never far away, seeing to my every need, and making sure I… we were safe. She was also the one who brought us the dark news…

"What do you mean the stars-forsaken witch hasn't been executed yet?!" Helena demanded, voice cold and hard like I'd never heard before.

Just her announcement of that fact was almost enough to send me back into the thrice-cursed memory: the handmaiden's wing, Amora, that terrible spell, Helena's wail, her call for her father… and suddenly Loki had been there. He'd thrown Amora against the wall so hard she was knocked out, and then he was by my side. I was in so much pain, yet I still knew he was there. At first I could hardly focus on his eyes, could only vaguely hear his voice as he pleaded for me to fight, to stay with him and then… and then those fateful words:

"I'm not giving you up!"

And then I was suddenly very much aware: of him, and of his magic, which he began pouring straight into me. It was like when I'd been pregnant with Helena and she fed on his magic, except more, a hundred times. Amora's curse began feeding on his magic, instead of my baby's, but as the seconds kept passing, eventually that magic was too much for the curse to handle. It broke. I thought that was it, we'd won… how wrong I was…

I realized something was wrong the moment my love fell upon me:

"My love… Fintalëharyon…? Answer me. What's wrong? My match… Answer me!"

It was too late by then. He was gone. In between the trauma of the curse and the fact that literally all of my beloved's magic was inside me I just hadn't realized it yet. Wouldn't realize it until a short while later.

His magic was still with me, I had a feeling it probably would always be. I knew it was the reason why we'd survived, why my innocent baby girl had lived despite Amora's terrible curse, why I wasn't going insane from the torture of the broken soul-bond.

So much we'd suffered (were still suffering), so much had been lost, and to learn that Amora still remained among the living!

The doors slammed open without need for me to so much as touch them. It was Loki's magic, probably. And there they were. In the middle of the Royal Hall. Amora was heavy with chains, half a dozen of Asgard's best warriors all around. There were also Odin Allfather, Queen Frigg, Thor, the Warriors Three, Sif, a number of Elders, and even the head of the Queen's handmaidens (probably because she'd witnessed the whole thing).

"What's the meaning of this?!" The Head of the Council demanded.

"Princess Tinúviel!" Several voices cried out in unison.

"That is, indeed, what I would like to know." I stated, completely serious. "Why is the murderess of my match still breathing?!"

"A proper trial must be conducted…" Another of the Elders began.

"A proper… a proper trial?!" I could have shrieked right then. "That witch is the reason why you no longer have your prince, why I no longer have my consort, and you wish her to have a fair trial?! What fairness has she given any of us?! She's the reason my daughters no longer have a father! That my baby will never know him!"

"I am your doom little princess…" Amora spoke up, voice half-hissed, like a snake.

I will never know how exactly things happened next, how any of it was possible. If Amora had some help among those who were supposed to be loyal to us, or if perhaps she was trickier than we ever gave her credit for. She availed herself of a blade, which she used for blood magic (which was a lot stronger, and a lot darker, than normal magic) to break the chains holding her. The magical whiplash was enough to send the warriors surrounding her flying, even killing one and permanently disabling another. Then she went straight for me.

I may not have been thinking exactly clearly when I decided to crash the so-called trial, but neither was I stupid… or defenseless. I pulled a dagger from the folds of my dress just in time. Amora didn't see it coming, she didn't stop herself in time and ended pretty much throwing herself on my blade. I took advantage of the opportunity to make sure the wound wasn't one she would be coming back from.

"Seems you aren't quite as useless as I thought." She gasped, blood falling from the edge of her mouth and a drop jumping to me as she spoke.

"You already took too much from me." I replied in my coldest voice. "You'll take nothing more."

"Oh, but I'll take a lot more little princess." She cackled.

I always knew Amora to be insane. Who else would use amortentia to try and get into the crown prince's bed and think she'd get away with it? Then again, I was the only one who noticed it in time to stop it…

"I may die this day, little princess, but I'll make sure you have nothing to celebrate." She spat.

I didn't understand. She'd already taken my beloved, what else could she possibly take from me? (Not my baby, I would never give her the chance). And then I noticed the way her blood (on the edge of her mouth, on her nose, dripping from her mouth to the floor and even on the hand in which I still held my blade) began glowing. I tried to step back, to pull away, but I couldn't move, she was already working her magic, and it wouldn't release me until she'd finished her spell (or died, whichever happened first). In the background I could hear voices crying out, but it was too late. Whatever Amora threw at us, we'd have to see it through…

"I might not be able to take your brat from you like I once wished, but that doesn't mean you will be happy." The Enchantress hissed at me. "You dared take from me the life I'd chosen for myself, now I shall do the same, even if it's the last thing I ever do."

When she smirked, her expression, with the blood painting her teeth and her lips and down the edges of her mouth in such a macabre manner; it would have frozen me in place, even if I hadn't been immobilized already.

"Tell me little princess, why are you here?" She asked me.

I didn't answer her, I had no intention to, though truth was even if I had, I wouldn't have known what to say. Her question was simply too odd, there were so many answers I could have given…

"You are not Aesir, you do not belong here." Amora went on. "Loki may have brought you here, but now he's gone, and with him gone, what have you to make you belong? Nothing at all. That shall be your curse." She cackled again. "I shall be your doom."

My eyes widened, as ever so slowly I began too comprehend what it was she intended; all too late to be able to do anything about it.

"I curse you!" She shrieked. "Your anchor is gone and you now belong nowhere. You shall wander, un-tethered, forgotten… with no home, no place to belong. As I will it, so mote it be!"

I sensed the exact moment the magic took hold. I was released, half falling backwards, Ylva just getting there in time to hold me up, with some help from Helena. Amora's magic couldn't touch me directly, thanks to my love's, but I couldn't fail to see the way it not just touched but actually burrowed into everyone else inside the Hall, and beyond…

Amora laid dead in the middle of the room, and no one said a word. As if they were all in a trance. I knew instantly what it meant, and that I needed to move, fast; which wasn't exactly easy, considering I was heavily pregnant (three quarters through the pregnancy) and still in a bit of a stupor after the breaking of my soul-bond.

"Get me out of here!" I snapped at Ylva.

"M… My princess…" She began, hesitant.

I could almost see her fighting against Amora's curse. I understood it then: Fenrir. Amora didn't know about him, so there was a chance her curse wouldn't include him, Ylva's bond to him might be enough to protect her as well… yet I couldn't be sure.

"I need you to get me out of here, now!" I pressed.

"What is happening?" Helena asked, even as she did as I asked. "Nana?!"

"Amora just cursed me, cursed us all." I answered even as I recovered my footing and took the lead (or at least as much as I could) towards my private apartments.

"What kind of curse?" Helena's eyes immediately went to my belly.

"Meril is fine, we both are." I assured her. "It's… we're going to be forgotten."

I was probably being more blunt than entirely necessary, but my mind was going in circles with all the things I needed to do before someone saw me and I was considered an intruder, or worse! We needed to get out of Asgard!

"Forgotten?!" Ylva cried out as she opened the doors to my rooms. "How? Why?"

"I'm not Aesir." I reminded them both. "The only reason I'm even here is because of Loki. I don't know the details, but the curse will basically make everyone forget I was ever Loki's match. It's not actually about him, but about me, about leaving me without a home. Because if no one knows I was married to Loki, then I cannot be here, I won't belong here."

"So we need to get out of here before someone begins asking questions." Helena murmured.

The moment she understood she began moving much faster, pulling out a chest and we both began throwing things in. Clothes, books, everything we thought we might need.

"You think the curse will affect me?" Ylva asked, even as she did her best to help me.

"I don't know." I admitted, as I took a seat for a moment, in between all the motion and the stress I was exhausted. "Your bond with Fenrir might protect you, it might not."

There was also the chance that the curse would work on her and eventually break down as the bond reasserted itself.

"You cannot take the risk." Ylva nodded in understanding. "I'll do my best to make sure no one will come your way and find you. Give you as much time as I can."

"Thank you Ylva." I took a moment to kiss her brow, giving her what blessing I could.

It was probably a good thing Helena was such an accomplished sorceress, she managed to pack all our things, and a good deal of Loki's (just in case) in record time. Then we covered ourselves in a pair of cloaks from the handmaidens she got us (one more layer of protection, in case we were seen), as we made our way to one of the gardens. There, on a nook behind a huge fountain, was the entrance into one of the Hidden Roads leading directly to Alfheim.

It was terrible. We were basically being forced to leave our lives, our home, in secret, like thieves stealing in the middle of the night. Not knowing when, or if we'd ever be able to return. As if losing my match hadn't been bad enough, in that moment I had nothing: not the family I'd married into, not my friends, our home…

"Nana…?" Helena offered her hand to me then.

That was all the reminder I needed. I still had her, and the babe in my womb. I still had my daughters, Loki's daughters… we'd make it work.

xXx

It was raining in Faerûn, the capital of Alfheim, when we arrived. Thenidiel and a couple of servants were waiting for us, immediately leading us to the quarters reserved for visiting royals. Baths had already been arranged for us and a healer would be visiting to make sure we were alright; all that was asked of us was to meet with the Queen in the morning.

Queen Gwaedhiel Tasarinan met us in the morning, a number of the princesses as well as the elders, in the room with us. After the traditional greetings and protocol, we dove right into things:

"I hope everything is to your liking, my lady." The Queen stated solemnly.

"Very much so." I agreed serenely. "You have my undying gratitude, my Queen. Your assistance to me and my daughter has been more than I could have asked for."

"What has happened in Asgard?" The head of the Elders' Council asked. "What could have possibly brought Her Highness to us in such a manner, without proper planning, announcements or even an official escort?"

I realized it then. While they'd been ready for us, they still didn't know why exactly we were there. There was no doubt Thenidiel must know, she was too good a Seer not to; but still, she'd kept most of it to herself, leaving me to decide how to address the situation I found myself in.

"I'm afraid my daughters and I have been made victims of a terrible curse." I revealed. "From Amora Enchantress, blood magic done just before her death." I did not say she'd found death at my hand, the elves would have been scandalized by that. "Essentially, Asgard has forgotten me, the fact that I was ever married to Prince Loki. Her intent, I knew because she told me as much, was to leave me without a family and without a home. So I took what belongings I could and left. I came here hoping to find asylum in Alfheim, a place where I might give birth to my baby and raise both her and Helena in safety."

"You'll have that and more." One of the Elders stated straight out.

"Indeed." The Queen agreed. "As much as is in our power to give."

It didn't occur to me then, how odd it was, for the Elders to speak before the Queen, for them to make a decision. The Queen was the ruler of Alfheim after all, not them. And chances are that even if I had noticed, I'd have done nothing about it. The situation being what it was, I… we needed a refuge, and Alfheim was our best chance at that.

Alfheim refused to forget that I was royalty, even if Asgard probably had by that point. So we stayed in the visiting-royalty apartments.

I was ten months pregnant (Ljósálfar pregnancies usually lasted a full year) when I heard the servants talking… about me. It actually took me a few seconds to understand what was being said, but when I did… pregnancy was making me a tad more emotional than I usually was (and being an Empath I was already plenty emotional, though usually I could control it just fine) and the pain of the broken soul-bond meant that darker emotions took hold more easily. That was pretty much what happened that day.

"What's this I've been hearing about me claiming back my birthright?" I demanded as I made my way into the Royal Hall.

The Queen was there, with the whole Sisterhood, the Council of Elders, the Coven (lead by the Lady Santiel, and with Thenidiel as her second) and even most of the Protectors assigned directly to them all (lead by Erynion).

"It is your right, brennil nin (my lady)." Queen Gwaedhiel. "Your rightful place is on a throne, and not just any throne, but the throne of Alfheim."

"You are the Queen!" I felt almost hysterical, what was wrong with her?

"Only by a twist of Fate." She stated. "It's you that this crown should belong to, you the Ljósálfar have always wanted for a Queen."

"I was a bride, a wife;" I enunciated very carefully. "I'm a mother and a… widow." There was no word in elvish for widow, for there were no widows in Alfheim! "It is well-known that a Queen in Alfheim cannot be married, much less could she be any of the others. I'm ineligible. As ineligible as I was when I first accepted my match's suit, all those years ago…"

I almost didn't hear what one of the Elders said to that… almost.

"He was not her match."

"What…?!" I spun around to face him instantly, staring at him with all the coldness I was capable of (which, with my love's magic still in me, was nothing to scoff at).

"What?" He clearly cared not for my anger. "It's been made clear to us all, Your Highness. Prince Loki, the stars may keep his soul, was not your match."

"Why?" I retorted, barely controlling my emotions. "Because I chose not to fall when he did? Because I loved my daughters, both Helena and Meril enough that I'd rather endure the pain of a broken soul-bond than leave my eldest and take my unborn baby with me into the mists of the Other Side? Who are you to decide whether we were a match or not? What gives you the right to decide I did not love my match enough?!" I waved my hand wildly when he tried to interrupt. "No one. That's who. You do not rule me, or my heart. Loki Odinson was my match, my one and only love. I shall take no other but him to my side; and if I'm ever to wear a crown, it will be none but that which he himself places on my head."

Which meant, essentially, I'd never wear one, or be a Queen.

"I am not your Queen." I added stoically. "And whatever you might choose to believe, Fate never intended for me to be so. If it did, I'd have been the one chosen to be part of the Sisterhood, rather than my own sister, Merilwen, may the Mother of the Stars keep her; and then I'd have died, along with all others who did on the Bloody Night." I began settling then. "I took a place that was never meant for me, because all I wanted was to serve Alfheim, to help our people. And I did, for twenty years! I think I've earned a right to my own life now." I took a deep breath as I made another, rather sudden decision. "Though it's become clear that life will not be had here. So I shall be taking my leave. My Queen, Lord and Ladies…"

I bowed respectfully to the Queen, the Sisterhood, and even took a moment to acknowledge the coven and the Protectors, the Elders I didn't even glance at as I turned around and left the room. In less than two hours Helena and I were packed again and on our way to Jewel Forest. My old home… I could only hope we'd do better there than in Faerûn.

xXx

Meril Alfdis Tinúvieldottir (for, while everyone in Alfheim knew I had been married to Loki, I could not legally give her his name; especially not with the state of things in Asgard) was born two days later, right during Ostara. It was a very stressful few hours, with Helena unspeakably angry against the Ljósálfar royals for daring to want to force me into a position I never wanted, and dismissing her father while doing so; and me so incredibly concerned for my baby girl. I was still almost a full two months from what was supposed to be the end of my pregnancy after all. And Helena had taken almost the full-term!

But thankfully there were very good midwives to be found in Jewel Forest, and Thenidiel herself dropped by briefly to reassure me.

I loved my baby from the moment she was placed in my arms. She was perfect: with her light skin, fiery red-brown hair and her ever-changing eyes (continuously shifting between red, orange and black, like the tiger's eye stone).

We stayed in Jewel Forest for twenty years, and good years they were too. In the house that had once belonged to my mother. It was a good place to grow up, even if some people looked at me oddly, being a widow… it was well-known that few Ljósálfar ever married, and those who did, those who were a match… when one went the other was never far behind. It was why they had no word for widow (or widower) because it wasn't normal for one half to survive the other; and when they did they weren't a match, they didn't truly love their spouse, so they had no need to mourn them, they were essentially single and took no time to make new lives for themselves. Except for me… and my mother. It was odd, to find myself in her place, the reason for the gossip about how I probably didn't love my husband as much as I claimed I did, how we must not have been a match… I said not a word. I knew Helena hated it, and we both did our best to keep Meril from hearing them. I held on, constantly reminding myself of Naneth's quiet strength, praying that she'd somehow know how sorry I was that I ever doubted her, that I had failed to understand how strong she was, and just how much she loved us, choosing to stay with my sister and I, even when the absence of her spouse must have hurt so much…

When Meril first manifested when she turned ten I was absolutely terrified. I had known she'd be gifted, of course, I could even remember one particular vision I had while carrying her (the night I learned I was pregnant with her): it had been her, all grown, in an off-white dress, her feet bare, hair down and a crown of red roses on her head, with fire dancing around her. Her being a fire elemental would have been cause enough for worry, that the Coven might 'insist' on taking her for training; then I discovered she also had the Sight…

It was Helena who told me. While, being noble (even if minor ones) meant we had an estate and from that income enough to keep ourselves well fed and clothed, I still felt the need to use my gift, especially my healing, to help my community. So I'd go out every other day and see to those who needed me. Helena would stay with Meril, watch over her, she loved her little sister very much. Seeing the two of them together… it made me wonder at how it would have been if Loki had been with us, he'd have loved them so much, spoiled them rotten!

So Helena was the first to notice that her little sister was special, not quite like her. Helena was a spellweaver, and she had a particular affinity with wind and water (even if she wasn't quite an elemental); but Meril… Meril was fire, in ways few outside of the Eldojotnar could be, or even understand. And then there were the times when she just seemed to know things, without anyone having to say a thing!

It was the latter that made me nervous, because I knew that if word ever got out the Coven would be after her. Seers, true seers, who could see things, rather than just 'sense' them coming, were rare. In fact, the only current ones were Thenidiel and Haldaraina, and the latter wasn't quite as gifted. Someone with Meril's power, with that way she seemed to just 'know' things sometimes, and the dreams she would have, sometimes of events far into the future… there was no way they'd ever let her go. So we kept her status a secret.

It was the second time I remembered Naneth. She too had had the Sight, thought she'd been more of a Prophetess than an actual Seer. She didn't see things, not really, but sometimes she'd say things, cryptic phrases that not many would understand, until they came true. Like how she predicted that both Merilwen and I would wear crowns, one by Fate and the other by Choice. And so it came to be, that my elder sister was chosen to be a princess, while I chose to be one myself. She'd also predicted my relationship with Loki, not with those words exactly, but enough for me to understand almost as soon as we met.

There was no way I would ever allow anyone to take Meril from me (neither of my daughters, in fact), so when Helena approached to me and warned me about the bad dreams that she'd been having, and the whispers she herself had heard, I took them seriously and told her to pack and be ready. A fortnight later, when one woman whose daughter I'd just treated for a bad cough, made a comment about visitors from Faerûn (visitors I hadn't been warned about, despite the fact that Thenidiel always sent a messenger bird ahead when there would be any kind of visit, even if they weren't going to see me directly), I knew that was all the warning we'd be getting. So I took my leave, doing my best not to call any attention upon myself. Rose had apparently had a vision of her own, because by the time I arrived my girls were dressed and our packs were ready.

In the time since our departure from Asgard we'd made our peace with a lot of things. Loki's belongings were in a trunk, and would be remaining in our place there. We'd also be leaving all the things we didn't definitely need. We each had a knapsack that held several changes of clothes, toiletries and the like; there were two additional traveling bags: one that held emergency supplies (like bandages, herbs, medicines and currency) and the other with food. All but the food could be put away in our pocket dimensions, and while Rose was no spellweaver, Helena was willing to keep hers when necessary.

We left Jewel Forest less than an hour later, and just before the 'visitors' made their arrival. We didn't know it at the time, but that was the start of our legend. Even if no one knew how special Meril was, no one could fail to notice that we took off right before the entourage from the capital arrived. Whispers began almost right away about why exactly we left, what we might have to fear and, more importantly, why we had reason to fear at all (no one liked to think that there might be a reason to fear their own royalty…).

Truth was, we didn't exactly have a plan, when we first left Jewel Forest. All I knew was that I needed to stay away from all royalty. It was Helena's idea for us to simply keep moving. Never stay somewhere long enough to call attention upon ourselves. It was Meril's to change our names. I agreed to both. Thus Helena became Tegaladwen, Meril became Beril, and I became Lindaew; each variations of our original names, or the same in a different dialect.

We took to traveling every so often, though we stayed longest in Noirinan, as it was the farthest from Faerûn, and as it was known to be a place for outcasts, and not an official district (there was no princess that represented it in the Sisterhood), the royals took very little interest in it, so we felt, ironically enough, safer there than anywhere else.

Of course, even that was an arrangement that couldn't last forever. I knew that, sooner or later, whether it be due to someone's Sight, a whisper of a rumor, or entirely coincidental, we'd be found. When a huge magic storm left Noirinan so badly off that even with our intervention those in Faerûn took notice and decided to send some help, we knew the time had come. Meril had just celebrated her hundredth birthday, Helena was about two decades older and I in my third century already; though I knew if anyone were to see us, they would have a hard time telling our ages, or which of us was older than who. That made it easier to travel, as we could make up different stories as necessary. Though I knew of at least one more place where we'd need no stories…

That was how, on the day when the group from Faerûn was set to arrive, we left Noirinan and slipped into a Hidden Path to Nidavellir.

xXx

We were received with open arms by King Thorne. The dwarven king had known that something was off in Asgard, but hadn't known what exactly. The last news he'd known he could trust had been those related to the passing of my match; afterwards he'd heard nothing from me, not for good or for ill, and after the first couple tentative inquiries brought nothing but confusion, he decided not to insist. He was happy to see me, delighted to meet both my daughters, and promised we could stay for as long as we wanted.

I knew it wouldn't be forever. It seemed that Amora's curse extended not just to Asgard, but it was in us (in me), I wouldn't find a home. Without Loki I was left to wander, unable to belong anywhere. And yes, we'd stayed in Alfheim a whole century, but when one counted their lifetime in millennia, one century wasn't that long.

In Nidavellir we only stayed for a bit under five decades. Incredible as the Realm was, and as welcome as King Thorne made sure to make us feel, it just wasn't the same. In the end, all three of us were elves (or half elves) and it was next to impossible for us to be comfortable away from the forests, and especially from the stars. It had been said in many a poem, and even some formal chronicles, that elves had the light of the stars in their eyes; that they were the first thing we, as a race laid our eyes on, and thus we sought them, instinctively. They were the axis of our whole history and mythology: the stars, and the Mother that put them there.

Still, our time in Nidavellir was good. It was where Meril learned to fight, both hand to hand, and with knives. I too learned to fight with knives, though mostly throwing them (unlike Meril, who favored direct combat). Some of the dwarven warriors even gave Helena pointers, though they were well aware that her choice of weapon (a thin, delicate-looking chain that could be used either as a whip, a chain or a flexible blade) was one no dwarf had ever learned how to use. Meril and I were gifted each with a set of knives, crafted exclusively for us (they held the special, secret magic of the dwarves which meant they could never be used against us, and would return to us once their purpose had been fulfilled); while Helena herself received a collapsible staff, as eventually some of the dwarves became close enough to her to learn of the vow she'd made in a previous life, where she'd sworn never to kill a souled being again. Being a warrior race, the dwarves didn't fully understand what could make a clearly talented warrior-lady make such a vow, but they respected it, and were all too willing to aid her in protecting herself, even if she wouldn't actually kill her enemies.

It was during our time in Nidavellir that I came to a realization regarding Meril. She was a warrior, through and through. It wasn't only that she was willing to fight head on, something none of us did, as Helena and I were the kind to only fight when absolutely necessary and always preferred to be on the defensive. Meril for her part would rather take her enemy straight on, and not just that, but she wasn't afraid to use trickery when it'd grant her victory; she did not buy into the whole honorable-combat ideology the Aesir seemed to love so much; if she had to cheat to win, she would do so, and happily. And yet, that did not mean she valued life any less than the rest of us did; she did, protection was her prime motivation, it was just that she believed that the best way to protect someone was to make sure their attacker would never be able to come back (which wasn't an unreasonable idea, just not one either her sister or I favored).

When we left Nidavellir we made our way to Vanaheim. That was where things began changing. Either by chance or fate, on our very first day we found the little town we'd arrived to, being attacked by about half a dozen marauders. They weren't exactly a big number, but the village was small, its people farmers, none of them with the slightest idea of how to defend themselves. At first I was at odds, not wanting to call attention upon myself, yet at the same time hating what was happening. And then one of the marauders turned in the direction of the only family who had children… I never knew what it was he intended, exactly, though by Meril's reaction I could tell it must not have been good, at all.

The knife left my daughter's hand before anyone even saw her move, even me. Still, even with the little battle experience I had, I knew we had to move while we still had the advantage of surprise. Thankfully I had my weapons on me, as I'd intended to hunt something for meat in the nearby forest (we had no vanir currency and had noticed from the start the people in the village might not have much to either sell or trade in the first place). The first arrow was on my hand and being fired instantly.

Helena focused only on protecting us, but that was good enough. And even the three of us, with little experience as we had (neither of my daughters had experience in actual combat at all), were enough to take down four of the marauders, the last two surrendering after seeing just what we were capable of (and not once was magic used).

The people loved us. It soon became apparent that it wasn't the first time they'd been attacked, it was the reason why they were so poor. And they hardly got any help. Of course I knew we would not be able to stay after that. A young man had been sent to take a message to next town (a bigger one), so they might send guards to pick up the marauders; we couldn't afford to be identified by them. Even if we weren't criminals, three she-elves fighting, it wasn't exactly normal, and being in Vanaheim, such news would take no time in reaching Asgard. We had no idea what exactly they thought about Helena after the curse had taken hold, but I just wasn't willing to risk it. So we waited until they all were distracted and, taking hold of Meril in between us, Helena and I teleported away, into the woods, from where we made our way to the next village (another small one, where they might not have heard about what had happened).

That was more or less how things went for the next years, decades. We'd stay in small towns; at first we'd do odd jobs here and there, then… it was Helena's idea for us to perform. She and I would play music with whatever instruments were handy (she was especially good at playing the violin, but could also play the harp and the guitar; while my preference was for flutes, but could in a pinch also play the piano and the harp), I refused to sing, it just didn't feel right without my match, but Meril was a good dancer, and that helped. So we traveled around, performing, we'd help around for a few coins where needed too, and when there was some kind of trouble, we stepped in then as well. And we always took our leave afterwards, before anyone could pay enough attention to us to be able to identify us, before we became known well-enough for word of us to get out.

Even with all that planning, some things did get out. They called us Thalill (which was elvish for 'valiant daughters/girls/maids'), those who'd seen us fight; and those who did not, called us Gypsies, for our performances, playing and dancing. More than one person had asked if none of us could sing… they never got an answer.

xXx

After a little over a century living like that in Vanaheim, we got even more fluid. We embraced our new lives as wandering performers (and warrior ladies), moving not just from town to town, but from realm to realm too. Sometimes we'd return to those we'd been before, though we also took time to visit the smaller realms, the ones not many people knew of, as we mapped all the different Hidden Roads (between Helena's knowledge and my own, and Meril's gift we knew a good many of them, yet even then we managed to be surprised as we discovered a few others). We even visited Jotunheim briefly twice (though we always made sure to go nowhere near their capital: Utgard, and Laufey), Muspelheim once (very briefly, the place was awful, even Meril with her dominion over fire didn't quite feel comfortable there). We never did go to Asgard though, I didn't want to risk it.

By either chance or fate, we also managed to miss every single Road to Midgard for many centuries. Until we'd been everywhere else, and could no longer find out peace anywhere. Then, after one very short visit to Alfheim, we happened upon one that lead straight into a forest we'd never been to before. And thus we ended in Midgard.

The world of mortals was a chaotic, complex, incredible wonder I was sure not many would be able to understand, much less appreciate:

"Your Ada did so love this Realm…" I whispered to my girls.

Yes he had. It had actually occurred to me that I might be purposefully avoiding the Roads leading to Midgard, if not consciously, at least instinctively, for the memories of Loki such a trip would carry. Except, while I couldn't help but remember him, the world was so changed from the last time we'd visited that it seemed like a completely different world!

It was in Midgard that we mostly settled; for a value of it, seeing as we kept moving every so often (we stayed anywhere from a fortnight to six months in any given place before moving on). We were still involved in battles every so often, and I had no doubt that more legends were sprouting up regarding us, but I didn't fear them. Asgard cared so little about Midgard, there was very little chance the stories would ever reach them. Also, despite how much humans might have advances in the centuries since my last visit, they still had nowhere near the resources they'd need to be able to track us down, to identify us, and that gave us all a sense of security.

Midgard was also so big, and its places so varied. We got to live in desserts, jungles, beaches, forests, big cities and small villages; it was like jumping between worlds in moments. I loved learning the language and traditions of every place we arrived to, Helena and Meril learned too, though they were more interested in other things, like history, technology, architecture, etc. They were good lives. Even if we were still cursed, still unable to find a place we could call home, even if we were all still missing Loki; we were content, and that was good enough.

We didn't always stay long. We all knew how to fight, and how to survive, so after learning enough of our new realm, and getting used to the rather chaotic way time and life seemed to move among mortals, we sometimes would take off on our own. Helena spent many years in a place called Nepal, in the mountains, learning about a new style of magic, after the head of that particular order, a woman who called herself the Ancient One (and whom Helena confided to me she'd known in a previous life) told her that it would be through the Mystic Order than her path and that of her match would finally cross once again. Helena was delighted, as was I for her, I knew how much she missed her Stephanos. It was also the Ancient One who gave me hope like I'd barely allowed myself to have throughout all the years and decades: I too would be seeing my match again, in life rather than in death. He'd return to me. She couldn't tell me when, or how, just that I was to follow my heart, and it'd happen in due time.

Rose for her part spent a lot of time in Africa, she'd always loved my stories about Egypt (the very same reason I couldn't bear to stay there, the memories of Kontar and Sharifa, and the memory of my own beloved… sometimes they were too much). She also eventually told me about the hidden kingdom in the southern part of Africa: Wakanda, of its royals and their amazing culture, and how she managed to gain their friendship, something not easily achieved.

For my part I liked Europe, found a special kinship in the Romani, tribes who would travel from one place to another regularly, either due to desire or need. I became well acquainted, and was ever considered as an honorary member of a few of them. And when constant traveling became too much I'd stay in London, Paris, Vienna, Rome… cities so beautiful, I loved seeing them change, evolve, through the years and lifetimes.

When war came… I was no novice to war, none of us were, but as I soon discovered (as I know my girls discovered in their own way), if there was one thing Midgardians were adept at, it was doing war. Alfheim hardly saw any way since the Bloody Night, we were a pacifist race by nature (there were ancient stories of a time where we hadn't been, where brother had slayed brother, but back then elves had lived even longer, and eventually they'd learned), dwarves had been very much a warrior race, until the time came when their numbers dwindled so it was decided they could allow such no more, not if they wanted their race to survive the next few generations; dark-elves had been very much a warrior race, cruel and terrible, and for that same reason they were no more; Jotun… many of them were warriors as well, though not all, and their numbers weren't great; the same applied to the Eldjotnar; while Vanir and Aesir… they were both warrior races, though the former well-used to following the latter, and Asgardians were so used to being the strongest wherever they went, whatever war they might end involved in didn't tend to last long. Midgardians… humans, were another matter entirely.

Humans when they waged war, they didn't care for ending things quickly, they didn't care for the innocents, for those who might not know what was going on. A man called Paul Valery had put it very succinctly when describing war as a massacre between people who didn't know each other for the profit of people who did know but did not massacre one another. I inadvertently found myself in the middle of the whole terrible mess while in a small town close to the northern end of Belgium. I arrived a couple of years into the war, seeking to get away from the worst of it; didn't exactly work out when the town was invaded shortly after my arrival, by the kind of people who cared not for the innocents. I did my best to protect them, the women and the children, the elderly, all the non-combatants. Sometimes I'd use my empathy to influence the invaders, make them turn away from the villagers, but it didn't always work. And as the fights just outside the town got worse, my use of the empathy made things harder on me, as I couldn't help but feel all of it: the anger, the despair, the disgust, the horror, the pain… it was driving me crazy.

It got to the point where I made a last, desperate offer to the people. I'd seclude myself and those they were willing to leave with me, put them in a magical sleep, where they'd be safe (no hunger, no pain) and then shield all of us as much as my magic could handle. We wouldn't be coming out until I had reason to believe we'd be safe. They agreed and, to my huge surprise, they delivered all the children to me, as well as at least half of the mothers. The rest of them, as well as the men and the elderly would be staying. They knew that if they all disappeared it would call the wrong kind of attention, and I knew some were afraid that if I tried to shield too many it might not be as effective, and that would endanger the children.

In my last meeting with the leadership of the town I told them about Helena and Meril (who'd been going by Rose since our arrival to Midgard), so they'd trust them if they ever came around, and so they might tell my girls where I was and why. Everything settled I went into the biggest basement, underneath the church and began playing a lullaby on my traversal flute, willing a sleeping spell into it. Once that was settled, I activated the protective runes I'd carved into every wall, door and window into the room, then recited the enchantment and went to sleep myself.

More than a year had passed when we woke up. I was confused, when I first opened my eyes. Around me everyone was beginning to awaken, though the moment I was focused enough I could tell the war hadn't ended, not yet. There was a sense of joy outside our refuge, but the anxiety and nervousness were still present. No, the war wasn't over just yet. Then I opened the door, and got my very first surprise: Rose was standing there.

"Meril!" I smiled in delight, not even noticing when I slipped into elvish. "Lirimaer (lovely one), how have you been?"

"Just fine Nana (Mama)." She purposefully used English, except for the elvish word for mom. "Everything alright here?"

"As well as we can be." I nodded, also speaking English. "I imagine if you're here things must have been explained to you?"

"Enough." Rose nodded. "Food is being readied and I came to lead you all out. There was a fight recently and part of the church collapsed."

"I see…" That made our whole awakening even stranger. "Rose, why are we awake? It's clear to me that the war isn't over yet. The enchantment was meant to last until we were all safe."

"Indeed." Rose nodded serenely. "Though I have to say it's a long story, one you won't believe unless you meet all the people involved. For now, suffice it to say that Veld is safe, and we'll make sure it stays that way."

Minutes later we were all joining the celebration going on in the streets. It was snowing, but people were still so happy as they hadn't been for quite a while before we'd gone to sleep. And then Rose introduced me to her new friends: Charlie, Sameer, Chief, Steve Trevor and Diana Prince… who was in fact Diana, daughter of Hippolyta, princess of the Amazons… yeah, hers was one hell of a story.

xXx Meril's POV xXx

I never intended to be a hero. Not at all. I'd have been happy enough being just mama's daughter, a seer and fire elemental. Yet at the same time I wasn't the kind to witness another's misfortune, grief, either in person or through visions, and do nothing about it. It began in Alfheim, when I wasn't quite a century old, when a terrible magic storm caused mayhem and destruction in what was then our home in Noirinan. I was the one to insist to mama and Helena that we should help our neighbors, even if that meant revealing our gifts, even if that meant risking being discovered by those who would wish to use us for their own benefit. The whole thing ended with us having to leave Alfheim once and for all, but I would always believe it was worth it.

I was born Meril Alfdis Tinúvieldottir, the unacknowledged daughter of Loki Odinson (if only because he died before I was ever born, and due to the Enchantress's curse his family no longer remembered Nana, much less me.

It was my choice to learn to fight. On the one hand because both my mother and sister knew how to do it, even if the former didn't like doing it and only did it when she absolutely had to, and the latter had a binding vow that limited her in what she could do. I made the choice, from a fairly young age (for someone who was expected to live at the very least several millennia, unless something went very wrong, a century was certainly young) to not limit myself. I would fight, for those I loved and also for myself; and if I ever had to kill, I would, not because I didn't value life, but because I valued my own, and that of those I cared for enough that I was willing to carry the burden of taking another's when necessary.

That choice pushed me through learning everything I could about fighting while we were in Nidavellir (and I'd be forever proud to be one of less than a handful of 'outsiders' to have been granted the honor of learning and using khuzdul, as well as being gifted with weapons made by the very best among the dwarven weapon-smiths). It was also what motivated me in Vanaheim and even afterwards, as Helena, Mama and myself became the Thalill (or the Gypsies, depending on who you asked, and which part of our lives they knew us for).

I knew I was the only one who really changed her name when getting to Midgard. Helena remained as she was, even if at times she'd use the name of Elaine, for the connection it had in her mind to her past lives and her match: Stephanos. Also, Nana would at times drop the name of Tinúviel and adopt a new one, though they were always names with similar meanings referencing songbirds, and especially nightingales. I took the name of Rose, not just because it sounded more human than Meril (I could have easily claimed the name was from another country, if needed), but it just felt right for some reason I couldn't fully explain.

Africa was a fascinating continent, I greatly enjoyed my time there. First in Egypt… I'd always wanted to go there, to see the place where two of her parents dearest friends: Kontar and Sharifa hailed from. It didn't matter that I myself had never met them, I so loved their story, the way they'd meet and love each other in every lifetime, it was like a dream come true for the everlasting romantic in me.

Then there was Wakanda. I took an oath, to never betray the secrets of that nation and its people, which meant that there was a lot about my time there I would never be able to share with my family. But they understood, and that didn't make me feel any less about my experiences there. I could only hope to return some day, to see how that country might advance and evolve. Already they were so far ahead from the rest of the world, isolated as they chose to be; I could hardly imagine what they might be able to achieve in the coming years! It was certainly something to look forward to.

Even then, when the war began, I just couldn't stay in Wakanda. It wasn't in my nature, to hide away from a fight. Also, I worried about my sister and mother, hadn't seen them in years, and last I'd heard of her, mama had been in northern Europe, where some of the worst of the war was taking place. So with that in mind I thanked my hosts, said goodbye to Wakanda and began my journey to Europe.

In the way I came across a friend of mine. Chief, or at least that's what most called him. I knew his name to be Napi, and that the moniker Chief came from the fact that he'd once been chief of his tribe, in America. He knew my true name, and that I wasn't as human as I pretended to be (then again, neither was he, and I knew that). He told me about his friend: Steve Trevor, and how he was on a mission to hopefully stop the war. While I didn't exactly have a vision, an instinct told me that the right thing to do was to stay with him, with them, and I knew better than to ignore any facet of my foresight, so I stayed.

It was good, meeting Chief's friends. Charlie was a good man, if tormented by his past, Sameer was such an optimist despite the war, Steve… he was my kind of warrior, willing to believe the best, all while still preparing for the worst; and then there was Diana… I could have never imagined someone like Diana to exist in Midgard.

"You're not human." The Amazon princess said to me when it was just the two of us (and Chief, silent in the background) awake in the middle of the night.

"I am not." I agreed easily enough. "And neither are you."

"Why are you here?" Diana wanted to know.

She'd already told her own story, about Ares and her duty to stop him; and while I found the whole thing mightily interesting, and actually believed Ares might exist… wars had existed for a very long time, and I doubted they were all the fault of a so-called god of war!

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." I shrugged.

"You believed me when I told you who I was." Diana pointed out calmly. "No one else has. At times I wonder if even Steve Trevor would believe it, if he hadn't seen Themyscira."

"That, I do not know." I admitted. "As to myself. I was born Meril Alfdis, my mother is an elven princess who was once in line to inherit the throne, yet gave it up out of love for my father. As for him, he was the adopted second son of the King of the Aesir, who styled themselves as gods, much as your own Zeus and his people once did. My father himself was known as God of Lies, Mischief and even Magic. He died weeks before I was born, at the hands of the Enchantress Amora, who wished to kill my mother. He saved her, and through her, me as well, as I was in her womb, and it cost him his life. Afterwards, King Odin made a mistake, the Enchantress wasn't dead quickly enough and she got the chance to curse our mother, and my sister and I with her."

"What kind of curse?" Diana wanted to know.

"My parents weren't from the same world, the only reason she was there at all was him. Without him, she no longer belonged. Amora's curse made it so everyone forgot Mother belonged in Asgard. And it's not just that, it's like… we don't belong anywhere. I haven't had an actual home at any point in my whole life."

"How old are you?" Chief asked, for the very first time.

"Honestly? I don't know." I shrugged a bit, mostly to myself. "Stopped counting a while ago, but it must be at least eight hundred years now."

Neither of them seemed to have any words with which to reply to that, which I had expected. Chief might be a nomad himself, but that was by his own choice; as for Diana, while she was certainly much older than me, she'd always had a home, she probably couldn't imagine not being able to live in her little paradise island (Steve's words for the place!).

"Do not pity me Diana." I couldn't actually read her mind, but there was no need, her thoughts were written clearly across her face. "I may have been dealt a rough hand, but I've done quite well for myself. I'm proud of who I am, and I hope one day my father will be as well."

Getting to No Man's Land… it was terrible. I hated seeing all those people hurt, knowing there was nothing we could do. Yet with Diana along… the Amazon might have been older, but she was certainly far more innocent than I could ever claim to be. She still believed her will alone would be enough to save people, to stop a war… I wasn't sure if I ought to admire or pity her for that. In the end I did neither. Regardless, I probably should have realized that along with an empathy that was probably equivalent to Nana's, Diana also had stubbornness to match any of us. It would probably have made it less of a surprise when the Amazon, with hardly any explanation, decided to climb out of the trenches and march straight across the blackened battlefield, a one-woman army… at least until Steve, Charlie, Sameer, Chief and myself finally pushed past our shock and followed.

It was absolute insanity. I didn't know how to shoot, had never learned, but that was okay, I'd become really good with explosives of all kinds, so I threw those at the enemies, using my gift with fire to make sure both that the ones I threw exploded exactly where and when I wanted, and to prevent those the enemy used against us from harming our side. The best part was that the whole thing was so absolutely insane that no one even noticed what I was doing.

From the moment I stepped into Veld, I knew there was something there, even if I hadn't the slightest idea what. Then I saw the church… I actually got separated from the rest of the group for a short while, dealing with some stragglers who'd been planning on ambushing my new friends; got close enough to deal with them in my own preferred manner. Then, when I finally made it to the center of the town, it was about right at the same time when Diana jumped off the piece of tank the boys were holding over their backs, crashing onto the bell tower. I saw it then, as the church as a whole shuddered briefly, at the same time the tower fell into the rubble (the rest of the structure remaining seemingly untouched) a green spark, so brief I could almost believe I hallucinated it, except I sensed it too!

"Nana!" I cried out reflexively.

She had quite the fascinating story to tell… then again, so did I.

xXx

I woke up with a scream trapped in my throat. Eyes wide and unseeing for the first few seconds. Then, as my mind cleared, as did my sight, the first I became aware of was my mother sitting on the edge of the bed I'd been granted for the night.

"What did you see?" She asked me, quiet but tense.

She probably could sense the myriad of emotions fighting inside of me. She knew that whatever I had seen, it couldn't be good (nevermind that we were at war, and that was reason enough for my visions to be bad).

"Annihilation." I answered grimly, a single tear falling down as I remembered all I'd seen the night before: the elderly talking among themselves, the couples dancing to the odd tune of a half-broken piano, the children running around… "Terrible and absolute."

"I shall not allow it." Nana was grimly determined as she announced that. "What must I do?"

In that moment I couldn't help but be reminded just how strong she was. Living on without her match, something that was said to be impossible; she endured absolute torture to her heart and soul solely to remain alive, to stay with us. Even when Amora's curse had taken most of what comfort remained after the loss of her beloved, his family, she still held on. I'd never doubted how much she loved both me and my sister. How could I, when I saw it in her every word, her every breath, every day?

I told her what I'd seen, letting her decide what she could do to prevent it, after warning her of my own plans. There was no doubt that Ludendorff would be connected to the despicable attack. Which meant that if we managed to stop him in time, that might be enough to guarantee Veld's continued survival.

I didn't quite manage to catch up with Chief and the others, and they didn't wait for me. That was quite alright. I knew that Diana would be completely focused on trying to kill who she believed to be Ares, while Steve would do his best to make sure she didn't get herself killed in the attempt. I was more focused on ensuring the town survived.

Except things didn't quite work as I intended. There were more soldiers around than I expected.

"Hey!" One of the soldiers called to me. "What are you doing here?"

I had been so sure I could slip by unnoticed, so sure that my visions would give me enough of an advantage… I hadn't prepared a cover-story, a disguise, nothing at all. They were all shooting at me before I could say a single word and then… then I just reacted. It was something we had discovered while in one of the smaller realms, a black land dangerously close to Muspelheim (it looked like the remains of a devastation caused by a volcano, or dragon-fire, something terrible like that). We'd only been there once, and the creatures had been upon us so fast… Helena barely managed to push Nana behind her, her shield barely holding up (there was no water around for her to manipulate and even the air was little more than noxious fumes). The creatures, goblin-like, were upon me so fast I couldn't even draw my weapons and then… fire. There was fire, around me, on me, in me… It was instinctive, a sort-of automatic defense for a life-or-death situation. Where the fire at my very core raged in my defense without my conscious control.

It was bad, the fire came so fast… there was no warning, all the soldiers around me were ashes before they could do little more than scream. Except for one… he ran, tried to escape the room we were in except, as was made clear later on, the machine we rushed to did not open the door, it activated a weapon… a weapon that shot a missile full of mustard gas, straight to Veld.

The last thing I did before blacking out was pray Nana had a plan of her own…

xXx

The fire was still raging when I woke up. The fire was dancing all around, it didn't so much as touch me though. I didn't feel as drained as I'd have expected, considering what had happened; that did not help me though, because it meant that I'd been unconscious for a while, and that just couldn't be good. At least I knew not all hope was lost. We still had a chance to end the war, of course, some choices still had to be made, decisions that weren't in my hands to make; I could make sure I'd be there to offer my aid when the time came though.

With that in mind I called the fire to end (the last thing I needed was for it to either expand or end up causing some other catastrophe, and then I rushed out. My traveling clothes were more than a little singed, half revealing what I wore underneath, a sleeveless bodysuit that was completely invisible under my normal clothes, pale-gray with red highlights, it was lined with vibranium. A gift from the royal family of Wakanda. The boots I wore were dark-red, dragonskin and a gift from friends I'd made in Nidavellir, same as all the sheathes for my knives.

I ran. Luck was on my side as I found a bike, it wasn't in the best condition, but at least it'd get me to where I needed to go faster than going on foot.

I had a vision on the way to the military base where I knew everything was going down. It broke my heart just a little. The expression on Diana's face the moment she realized that war wouldn't end just with the death of one man. He wasn't the real Ares, of course, and she'd be finding that out soon enough, but still. It was as if she'd lost a huge part of her innocence right then and it pained me, because however older than me the Amazon princess might be, she was a girl in many ways, a child who'd just discovered the real world wasn't just black and white. It was a hard lesson to learn, and the worst part was there was no time to let her digest it, not if we wanted to prevent the kind of death and destruction I'd seen in my vision, which would come to be if that plane wasn't stopped before it got to London!

Things got only more complicated as I finally made it to the base, with fighting and explosions all around. Sameer, Charlie and Chief were blowing up as much of the base as they could, the Germans trying to fight back, Diana had finally begun fighting the real Ares, and Steve had a mission all his own… except, I'd already made up my mind, I wouldn't let him sacrifice himself, give up his life just like that. It wasn't right, not when I could do something about it.

Jumping off a bike and onto a moving plane (and right as it took off too) wasn't the easiest thing I'd ever done, it wasn't the hardest either. The only complication was perhaps when I ended hanging off from the wing for a handful of seconds when I was forced to get out of the way of a falling German soldier fast. Even then, I was strong enough to hold on, and agile enough to pull myself up and into the plane as soon as possible.

I got inside just in time to see another soldier searching for his gun and turning towards where Steve Trevor was taking the controls. I didn't even stop to think about it, which a flick of my wrist one of my knives dropped into my hand, I flipped it around and then stabbed the soldier with it on the back of the neck, he was dead before he even knew I was there. The moment his body dropped, that was when Trevor finally realized he wasn't alone.

"We need to put this plane down." I stated even as Steve looked at me in obvious shock.

"Rose…?" Steve was beyond shocked. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

"We need to put this plane down." I repeated, trying to remain calm. "Now."

"You need to get off this plane while you still can." He replied, tense as he held onto the controls.

"Why?" I retorted, rolling my eyes, I'd officially run out of patience. "So you can go and be stupidly noble and get yourself killed?"

"I'd be saving innocents!" He exclaimed. "All those who will end up dead if this plane reaches its destination as Maru and Ludendorff planned."

"No one said the plane needed to reach its destination. I said I need you to land it."

"What? So we'll sacrifice the people here in Belgium rather than those in England?"

"No one needs to die!"

That certainly made him focus.

"How?" He asked, suspicious.

"I'm not exactly normal." I answered with a shrug, and at his disbelief I added. "Really Steve? You've spent the last week with one who might be the last Greek demigoddess, and it surprises you to discover there just might be others not entirely human walking this world?"

The young (compared to me at least) soldier canted his head to a side and I could almost hear the moment he admitted (if only in his own head) that I was right.

"Can you really do it?" He asked me then seriously, knuckles white as he clenched the controls. "Can you get rid of all this gas without me having to blow the whole plane up?"

I wasn't an empath, not to the degree Mama was anyway, and even then I could practically feel the hope fill him. The idea that maybe he wouldn't have to die in order to do the right thing, to protect those that should be protected. That he could be a hero without dying in the process. I had always hated that idea, that heroes had to die, that they couldn't be happy. It was completely stupid, in my opinion. Just like the idea that a love story had to end in tragedy in order to cause an impact. Really, I knew Mama loved William Shakespeare's works, but if I had ever met the man I'd have told him how stupid the idea that love needed tragedy to be real actually was.

"I can." I forced myself to focus, it was dangerous to get myself lost in memories right then.

Steve did land the plane. It wasn't easy. As there was some kind of implosion and the earth itself rumbled right as we were landing… for a moment I was afraid the whole plane might go up in flames without me having to do a thing about it.

"What now?" Steve asked the moment we came to a full stop.

"Now we get out of this death-trap and then you let me do my thing." I said as I reached the door.

We'd actually made it back fairly close to the base, which would be good; I so didn't want to have to walk long distances in the middle of nowhere when I was going to end quite tired.

"What now?" Steve asked anxiously once we were out of the plane.

I didn't mind his attitude, I knew he worried about someone taking control of such a weapon, all the innocents that would end up dead if we didn't do things right.

"Now you step back and let me do my part." I instructed evenly. "Things are about to get really hot around here."

I waited for him to do exactly that. He didn't move as far back as I'd have hoped; but I knew he just might once he realized just how hot things would get. So I just took a deep breath, braced myself, and then called on fire with all my strength. I heard Steve's half-drowned cry, and it was no surprise, I knew I could paint a shocking (if not scary) picture before those who'd never seen me use my powers (a friend in Wakanda had once told me I looked like a daughter of the gods, calling on powers beyond the comprehension of mere mortals… I found it very poetic as well as an exaggeration, but still). It began with my aura enveloping me, an aura that turned into flame very fast and if I wasn't careful enough, that flame soon began consuming anything that wasn't myself, clothes included. That was alright, there was a reason why my boots and blade-sheathes were made from dragon-hide, and the vibranium in the bodysuit had been treated to do well even under my hottest fire, so that held on as well. Soon the flames began growing, twisting around me (in a way that Mama had, more than once, describing as the fire 'dancing' around me). Then, when I decided the flames were good enough (and hot enough) I twisted my arms and sent them away from me. It all happened in a matter of seconds.

I made sure that the fire would surround the plane completely, all around and even over it, before I closed my fists, pushing the fire in, so it'd consume the plane and, more importantly, the poison it carried, without letting a single drop of it through. It wasn't easy, I had to keep the fire constant and under complete control; also, the mustard gas didn't burn the same way oxygen or other flammable things did, so I had some trouble keeping the flames at the right potency.

Never before had I needed to use my power in such a way. Even if I first discovered my gift in Alfheim, back then we'd been so careful that no one found out about the things I could do. Mama so terribly afraid that I'd be taken from her. In Nidavellir I'd received some instruction, but we were always so aware of the limits of the training grounds, of how disastrous it'd be if I reached too high and ended up losing control. So no, I'd never before used my power to that degree. Still, I knew it could be done, and I'd do it, because that weapon couldn't be allowed to exist, to hurt innocents, so I wouldn't give up. I'd focus and I'd do it.

The sun was fully risen from behind the distant mountains and trees and on its way up the sky when I was fully sure that there was nothing left of the mustard gas, and little more than scraps of the plane. Then I cut off the fire. I'd been so focused on it that when I first did that I couldn't help but sway, almost falling to my knees, until Steve helped steady me.

"Are you alright?" He asked me, concerned.

"Fine, thirsty as hell, and a bit hungry, but aside from that just fine." I answered honestly.

It was true. Using my fire, keeping it close to me, it consumed the water in me, dehydrating me; also, when working with fire, it used me as fuel as much as it did whatever I was burning (more when there was no other actual fuel available) which was what actually drained me in the end, making me both hungry and tired.

He was actually chuckling, so much I was beginning to wonder if he might be more than a little hysteric… much as I might criticize his willingness to get himself killed saving others, I was aware it couldn't be an easy thing, accepting that one was about to die. It was something that had actually gone through my mind more than a few times, as I tried to imagine what might have been running through Adar's (Papa's) as he chose to give all of him to save Nana (and myself) taking our place, dying for us. It was a rather morbid line of thought, I knew, which was why I'd never told Nana anything about it. But it allowed me, if not to truly understand Steve, at least realize that it might not be an easy thing, what he was going through.

"Steve…? Steve!"

Diana's voice finally pulled us out of our thoughts. Steve let go of me once he was sure I could stay standing, then turned just in time to catch Diana as she threw herself at him. They both ended sprawled on the ground, but neither seemed to really mind.

Steve's friends were looking at him like he was an apparition, and I could only imagine what they might feel. There was no doubt in my head that they'd known what Steve was doing when he got on that plane, what he intended. They probably hadn't expected to ever see him again and yet…

The moment Diana moved aside they were upon Steve, and then I was the one laughing; never mind that at some point at least one of them got the idea that if their friend was alive I must somehow be responsible, and so they threw themselves at me too.

"Where to now?" Sameer asked after a few minutes.

"Veld." I answered immediately.

So much had happened. It had been an insane day, and night as well, and all I wanted in that moment was to see my mother, make sure she was alright.

"Veld… oh Rose…" Diana began.

And she wasn't the only one, Steve looked quite grim himself, though he said nothing.

I wondered if they'd gone to Veld, following her failed first attempt at killing Ludendorff, what they might have seen… I just shook my head and repeated my request. Steve nodded, though I could imagine he was already expecting the worst.

It took several hours, but we finally made it to Veld. There was still a bit of an orange cloud around the city, which didn't surprise me at all. I just jumped off the jeep and readied myself.

"Rose…" Diana began, probably worried about me.

Thankfully, Steve thought to hold her back, right as fire enveloped my arm. I didn't need it to be as big as what I'd done with the plane, as the gas had already had hours to begin to disperse and lose potency. Once I was ready I threw it out, sending the fire to consume the gas, and only the gas (the last thing I needed was to end up destroying what little the people in that town still had). It took longer than the plane, even if the gas was actually less than what had been on the plane, the area was bigger, and I needed to be careful with how I handled things. Eventually though, the work was finished, the gas was fully gone.

I didn't wait for any of the others to say anything, immediately going into the town and hurrying towards the very center, the church. We made it to the street just outside it right on time to watch the translucent shield, with the slightest green-violet tint, fall.

"What the hell was that?!" Sameer and Charlie cried out at the same time.

When the Church's doors opened and people began walking out, all the children rushing out, cheering in happiness for being out again, Diana actually began to cry.

"H-how…?" Steve gasped, voice breaking before he could even finish the question.

Nana came out then. She was looking almost as tired as I felt, but she still stood tall and proud. As she should be, considering she'd managed to save a whole town single-handed.

"My friends." I called, almost giddy with joy and relief. "Meet my mother: Nightingale."

xXx Tinúviel's POV xXx

The war was declared over days later. We stayed in Veld until Rose and I were well-enough to travel. The people probably would have liked for us to stay longer, but it just didn't feel right. One thing I did not expect was when Diana and Steve came to me and asked me to marry them. They'd heard my story, the whole of it, and they wanted the Ancient Vows:

"You do realize this isn't actually legally binding?" I asked Steve.

"We can have a legal marriage once we get back to London." Steve said dismissively. "But this, this is more important to us."

"Why?" I had an idea, but still wanted to hear their answer.

"Because it means that no matter what happens, how good or bad things might get, when this life ends, we'll find each other again, in whatever might come next." Steve answered honestly. "Be it another life in this world, or in the afterlife."

I agreed, of course I did. We had a private and very heart-felt ceremony right there in Veld the day before we finally left the little town. What took us all, even Steven, by surprise, was when Diana followed it with some kind of enchantment where she renounced her immortality.

"Why… why did you do that?" Steve asked, clearly shocked.

"It's like you said." Diana said brightly. "Wake up, have breakfast, read the paper, go to work, get married, have children, grow old… those are the things people do when there's peace, right?"

"Yes…" Steve visibly swallowed, tears on the corners of his eyes. "Yes they are."

I could only imagine what each of them might be feeling. Diana, giving up everything she'd once known, any chance to have her old life back, out of love for Steve. And him, knowing exactly what she was giving up, that she loved him that much, and loving her back just the same. It made me wonder just how much I'd be willing to give up for my own match… I didn't know, not really. But I did know that the one thing I'd never give up on, was the hope that we'd find each other again, some day…

---

So... what do you think? Different enough from the things I've written in the past? The thing with Diana's choice is a nod to what I believe are the original WW comics, where Diana renounces her immortality to stay with her beloved. Eventually another Amazon arrives from Temyscira (not sure if it's her sister or cousin) and Diana passes on the mantle of Wonder Woman officially. I liked that one, and it fit for this particular fic.

Anyone wanna try guessing what comes next? Some of you might be able to guess at least some of it, considering the fandoms listed in the crossover, but I'm sure not everything... I'd love to see what my readers imagine...

In any case, as always, full-sized cover/poster can be found in DA. See ya around!