AN: So, look who couldn't resist taking on another full-blown Loja story. I was actually planning on waiting until Thor 2 as of last night, but then an idea hit me and I absolutely HAD to get it out. Hope that's cool with you guys! This is the prologue, so it will be shorter, but this story will be Asgard-based and will be a plot of my own- I have really missed the ability to make these two do what I want them to without the restricting scenes of the movies! Hope you enjoy!

"You are the hole in my head.

You are the space in my bed.

You are the silence in between

what I thought and what I said."

~ 'No Light, No Light" By Florence + The Machine

The city of Agsard stretched out, the golden rooftops and white marble pillars grasping in vain to retain some of the last rays of light of the golden sunset. Everything was cast in a golden glow, a surreal quality draping across the landscape like a heavy cloak. At the shore, waters so blue they were almost purple lapped at the golden sands, sea foam washing up in clumps along the beaches of the Realm Eternal. The beach of Asgard was deserted, save for the presence of a young boy with a head of red curls and a cherub-like face.

He was running along the sands, every now and then stopping to splash through the cool waters that matched the color of his eyes perfectly. A silver bow was slung over his left shoulder, a toy arrow clutched in his right hand. He was very close to the Rainbow Bridge at this point, the legendary connector to the other realms. His clear gaze slipped down the length of it, taking in the smooth and colorful structure before he reached the end of it. The edge of the Bifrost was jagged and broken, a testament to the great battle that had been fought between Prince Thor and his evil brother, Loki.

At the thought of the ex-king, bile rose in the young child's throat. While he was still young, he was the son of a warrior and took pride in knowing at least some of what went on within the secluded palace walls. He was not sure of much when it came to Prince Loki, but Andrew knew for certain that he was supposed to hate the prince.

Then, a flash of energy seemed to come from the end of the Bifrost, something Andrew had not felt in quite some time. As quickly as it had come, the energy faded and Andrew rubbed one foot over the other as he scratched his big toe. Memories of his Aunt Anja flitted through his mind as he took in the structure. She had been quite the sorceress when she had been in Asgard. But then, one day she had all but disappeared. Little Andrew remembered vividly the day that he had woken up to the empty rooms that had once been inhabited by his Aunt. It had been two months last week since she had been gone.

"Andrew!"

At the sound of his name, Andrew stopped in his tracks. When he turned, he saw his mother's blonde head carrying his cousin on her hip. Little Aric was just old enough to hold his head up, taking everything in with emerald green eyes. A dark head of curls bobbed up and down against the fluid silver that made up Selena's dress.

"Andrew, darling, we need to be getting back home. Father did not wish for us to be out past dark."

Andrew tilted his head to the side nodding as he made out what his mother had said over the wind of the shore. As another wave of energy was emitted from the Bifrost, however, he turned back to face the ruins. Something strange was happening and he was intent on finding out what. He could feel something deep in his gut warming his insides and making his heart beat a little faster. He realized it as a stronger form of the feeling he always felt when he was shooting his bow and making it go where he wanted with his magic.

"Andrew," Selena said, a bit sharper now. "It is time to go."

With a final glance at the Bifrost, Andrew turned away from it, senses still pricked for any form of energy. He took his mother's free hand, letting her lead him back towards the streets of Asgard.

The baby in Selena's arms was babbling incoherently, and Andrew couldn't help but notice that the child's emerald gaze was centered at the end of the Bifrost over Selena's shoulder. Andrew felt sorry for his cousin. He had been told that Aric's father had been a warrior that had fallen in battle, and now the young babe did not even know his mother.

"Mother," Andrew said quietly. "Have you heard from Aunt Anja?"

As soon as the words were out of the young boy's mouth, he regretted speaking them. Selena's small jaw tightened, swallowing before she looked down at her son. "No, My Darling," she said quietly. "I haven't."

Andrew pressed his lips together in a fine line, reaching a hand up to let Aric's fingers curl around his index finger. The baby looked down at Andrew briefly before turning his gaze back to The Bifrost.

And then, a wave of energy even more intense than what Andrew had experienced earlier hit him in the back and a bright ray of light overtook the end of the broken Bifrost. With a startled gasp, Selena turned around at the same time that Andrew did. Her own blue eyes were filled with the blue light of energy coming from the end of the great bridge.

And she knew exactly what was happening without anyone telling her. Prince Thor had retrieved his snake of a step-brother… She could only hope that Anja would be with them. Fandral would know what to do… "Andrew," she said. "Go to the palace and find your father."

Andrew, now being asked to perform such a grown-up task, nodded, snapping to attention as he hoisted his silver bow over his shoulders. "Yes, Mother," he said quietly.

Then the child was taking off on winged feet towards the tallest and grandest of the buildings in Asgard.

*o*O*o*

Fandral was pacing back and forth nervously as he took in the map of the palace's security detail. Since his friend and prince, Thor, had left for Midgard it had fallen on him to ensure that the security was air-tight. As he poured over the maps of the city, the warrior-god felt the ground shake beneath his feet. Surely this was not an earthquake.

He glanced outside the tall window to his left, his jaw dropping as he realized that the Bifrost had opened once more. At least, there was something that resembled the energy that had once shot from the glowing gold orb that had been at the end of it.

That meant Thor had returned. There was no other reasoning behind it. In a mad rush, Fandral gathered his scrolls, slipping them back into the shelves of the small office that he had been inhabiting. He had been hoping against hope that the crown prince would find his sister-in-law Anja wherever he had gone to retrieve Loki. Saying a quick prayer to Valhalla, something the warrior-god had not done in quite some time, Fandral swept from the room, going to find the All-father.

*o*O*o*

Andrew was out of breath by the time he made it back to the palace. He swallowed hard, straightening his tunic before he slipped through the side gates that led to the Warrior's Aisle. It was a part of the palace that his father inhabited almost on a daily basis, going there to train and socialize with the other warriors. Andrew always had to be careful not to show the intimidation that the larger warriors often stirred in him.

"Father?" Andrew said quietly as he stepped inside of the hallways, away from the outside arenas. There was no answer and he inched further down the great marble floors. Perhaps his father was in the throne room?

As the young boy got closer to the great hall, a loud disruption caught his attention. In a flash, he slipped between the large double doors. He was soon faced with a wall of legs, men and women alike crowding the great room. He hardly came up to the shortest woman's hip! With a hunter's skill, he slipped to the front of the crowd, taking in the golden hall and the gap that had appeared by the door. It stretched from the door to the throne that King Odin was sitting on. Other Aesir had heard the Bifrost as well, apparently.

He was barely able to make out the All-Father, his single, pale blue eye surveying the great hall. Andrew's eyes lighted on his father's armored form standing to the left of the All-Father. Fandral was running his hands through his hair nervously, occasionally leaning in to speak quietly in the ear of Lady Sif. Andrew furrowed his brow. The normally grim warrior woman seemed worried too…

Then, the large, mahogany doors opened inward with a sounding creak. Andrew was able to make out the sight of Prince Thor… and then his gaze lighted on a silver-eyed, dark haired woman.

In a burst of intuition, Andrew recognized his Aunt Anja… and in that same burst, over-powering happiness spiked through him and he was running towards her, all manners forgotten as he wrapped his arms around her waist in an embrace.

He hardly noticed the hush that fell over the crowd as Prince Loki was ushered through the doors behind Thor and Anja, eyes cast down and a metal gag sealing his lips shut.