"Zonari, be careful! If you keep this up, you are going to wear yourself out and get hurt!" I grinned disarmingly at the man in front of me, my vision obscured by heat waves rising from the tips of the flames. I pushed outward with my mind, closing my eyes to focus better, and felt the heat rise, warmth wrapping itself around men. Fire surrounded my body, and as my strength began to wane, I knew my friend was right. Pushing myself this far in such a short time could be crippling to my magic. The tension fell from my frame, and I let the flames fall away with a gust of wind. I blinked a few times, and as the energy dissipated, I realized how exhausted my muscles were, how weak I had made myself. I quickly sank to my knees, then my rear, straightened my legs out in front of me, and let myself fall back, sighing in relief. Morsin joined me shortly, standing next to me. Together we looked up at the moons taking their course, stars gleaming around the two round shapes hanging in the sky.
Morsin was specifically helpful during training. One of his gifts was to track the use of magic, he could feel the push and pull of it in the Universe, could feel the push and pull of a warrior's body, how much effort and control one had over a given ability or power. He could, to a degree, sense what a person's powers were or would be, by reading the magic in their body, as well as help them master it. He had been at my side, helping me train, for hours on this particular day.
"Morsin, do you think I will ever be as well-versed at magic as my father?" I asked, knowing his answer before the question was even asked, but needing the boost in confidence.
"Yes, I do Ari." I let a small smile grace my face and shook my head, staring at the sky. "I'm serious. You are much farther along than even I am, though I'm loathe to admit it, and you're substantially younger than me." He said gently, kneeling next to me. His brown hair shone in the moonlight, a beautiful contrast to my own blonde strands, and I purposely ignored him as he continued. "You also have a much wider berth of magic, performing it normally like your mother, even if you do not have the same number of abilities. It does not make you weaker, just different."
"Morsin, regardless of however strong I may be in my own right, my father had twice as many powers at my age. I fear I shall never be as powerful as he is. If I am to ever rule this realm, I must push myself further, I must be able to protect my people." I closed my eyes, trying to bask in the self deprecation, but my chin was jerked to the left as Morsin grabbed it. My eyes shot open, taking in the angry, passionate expression, and I balked at his fierce look.
"Maybe that is true, although your father was not half as in control of his powers as you are in this moment of even your newest one. You can move mountains if you so desire. You are capable of anything. You will be the most powerful woman to ever sit on that throne."
"Father, I am supposed to go to the orphanage today. I know mother is ill, but my duties to our people remain, and I made a promise. Why do you ask this of me today? I am already set to go this next week." I argued earnestly, defiant despite the fact that I was in front of the ruler of the realm. At his determined expression my wings drooped on my back, a scowl covering my features. My currently white feathers were stirred from my recent flight, and my distressed state did nothing to help settle them. Morsin and I were standing in front of my father's throne, having been summoned only moments earlier.
"Because your mother is not well. You know that. Frigga is doing all she can to keep her happy, but she wants to see you. It is just a week earlier, and I am sure that the elders at the orphanage will understand. I will send a guard down there to deliver the news." He motioned at one beside me, and the man bowed, taking leave immediately at the nod my father gave to him, and I sighed, eyes pointed heavenward. "I have spoken with Odin, he and his family missed you as well. I know you missed them. Morsin and Ketyana can go with you."
"Father! That is no-"
"No." He stated firmly, leaning forward in his throne, eyes fierce. "That is final. No more arguments, you will go. Zonari, your mother needs you, and you have a job to do." As his voice softened, his face did as well. I pursed my lips and nodded stiffly, eyes turning downward in both submission and acceptance.
"Sire." I bowed, irritated but respectful. "We will take our leave as soon as I can inform Ketyana. I will see you in a fortnight. Goodbye." I turned and marched out angrily, not waiting for my best friend as I leapt from the ledge, gliding downwards until my wings caught a natural resistance. I used it to shoot upwards, turning to round the building slightly. Gracefully rising through the air, my wings pumped until I had risen to where my own balcony jutted out from the side of the palace. Landing on it gracefully, I pulled my wings back quickly with a groan of discomfort, before storming inside. They had had the thinnest, least resistant coating on them yesterday when they had been struck while sparring, and now they were sore, their pure white sheen dulled. I clenched my hands into fists, shoulders tense.
"Zonari, please." I shook my head at Morsin's voice behind me, my eye eyes closed.
"Go away, Morsin, find Ketyana and come back here for me, please and thank you."
"Zonari, you have to talk to me."
"And I will. Later. Now go." I ordered, turning to face him, impassive. His countenance was one of worry, eyebrows drawn together and lips tight.
"Heimdallr. Hello." I nodded, my thin cape swishing about my legs as I marched towards him, my two best friends following half a pace behind me as I greeted the watcher.
"Hello Princess." He offered me a slight bow, and I motioned for him to rise. I hated when he bowed to me, he was the keeper of the realms, truly, he had such power and knowledge... "Morsin, Ketyana, King Odin is preparing rooms for you two." We stopped in front of him, Ketyana on my left, Morsin on my right.
"Thank you, Heimdallr." The two beside me echoed my sentiments, and he bent his head slightly, an acknowledgement.
"There are three horses waiting for you, my lady."
"Of course, thank you. Send word to Odin, let him know we have arrived, if you could."
"As you wish." He bowed his head again, and I smiled at him kindly, and I nudged Morsin to move around him. As we approached the horses, Ketyana began muttering, nervous.
"What if it gets aggressive and dives off the edge? I mean, there is nothing stopping him."
"Except self-preservation. Calm yourself, Ketyana, you know how to swim." I grinned, hand stroking Jetnim's side, greeting the multi-colored stallion.
"And fly, for that matter." Morsin added, chuckling as he greeted his own horse, which towered above even my own. Morsin was tall, even for a Lyngardian, and he cut an imposing figure.
I spent nearly half my time here, in Asgard, since my mother had become to ill to move, but I hadn't seen my horse in a while. I placed a foot in the stirrup, grabbed the horn of the saddle, and swung myself up onto the stallion. I waited until the other two had mounted their own steeds and turned him around, facing the beautiful, golden towers. "Let's go."
~!~!~!~!~!~
Fifteen Minutes Later, Asgard
"I feel as if I have relayed this to you a countless number of times. While I can cast spells and do as much, my innate ability to change my appearance only goes so far, and I cannot use that power to change my form. Due to the fact that Loki uses normal magic, he can regularly use that to change his physical being, inside and out. I can only change the outside, working to change my organs is too finite a task."
"So you are unable to impregnate a woman, ever?" Ketyana asks, raising an eyebrow.
"If I used normal magic to cast a spell and change my body, I suppose I could." I glance at her, a small smirk growing on my face. "Why, Ketyana... While I do not wish to have a child with you, I have to tell you that I am thoroughly flattered." Her face twisted up, and she laughed through her words as she punched my shoulder.
"You idiot, that is not what I-"
"Zonari!" A large, booming voice reached my ears as Ketyana, Morsin and I were leaving the castle stables after putting the steeds away. I spun, my heavy silver cape swirling around me in a wide movement. My eyes caught a large blond figure rushing forwards, crimson cloak trailing behind as he sped towards me, eyes lit up in excitement, and mouth tilted up in a wide smile.
"Thor!" I greeted, a grin spreading across my face at the sight of my favorite blond prince. I started towards him, only managing a few steps before he swooped down to wrap me up, his thickly muscled arms encompassing my figure. He stood tall again, my feet lifting from the ground a good ways as he was so much taller than myself. I laughed, my own arms tightening around his neck and shoulders. He gripped me to him like he hadn't seen me in years, like he had missed me endlessly, when in reality it had been but a few weeks, and I did not know what to make of that. After a moment, he leaned down, my feet gracing the floor once more, but he didn't remove his arms from around me quite yet. My back bent under his strength, and I let out another laugh as his enthusiasm forced me into a curved shape. I wasn't too incredibly small, but in his embrace I certainly felt it. He held me to him for just a short while longer, swaying gently, before pulling away, and my heart sank with each movement he made in the effort to separate himself from me.
"I was unaware that you would be coming so soon. My father said you were not due to be back for a week's time." His hand remained on my waist, and I smiled up at him.
"Truthfully, I came to see my mother, according to my father she's been getting worse." His joyous countenance fell into a state of sadness, regret, and sorrow.
"Yes, she has, I was visiting her this morning. I regret to have to tell you that her health is declining, although she's not yet at the point of no return."
"Thank you, Thor." I smiled, burying my own sadness until I could deal with it later.
"I only give you the truth." He grinned, a wolfish, assured thing, meant to charm me into feeling better. It did not make the issues with my mother's health go away, but I was grateful for it, in any case.
"Regardless, it eases my worry, hearing this from someone that lives in the same realm as her on a constant basis."
"You can always trust me to ease your worries, Zonar." His grin softened, hand reaching to rub the bare skin of my arm softly, lovingly. It was yet another effort to comfort me, warming my chest as his eyes echoed the feeling.
"I know." I responded simply. He offered me another smile, careful and caring, before turning to the others, his arm slipping around me.
"Hello, Morsin. It has been quite a while since I last saw you. How have you fared?" Thor greeted the slightly taller man, offering his hand, which Sin slid his own into, clasping his forearm smoothly.
"Well. I can think of nothing of import that has happened recently. Besides Ari acquiring another gift." He grinned at me, wicked and devious, and I looked to the ceiling in mock annoyance.
"Did she? How interesting, what was this new ability?" He asked, looking from my friend back to me with curiosity before glancing back at Morsin.
"Why don't you ask her to show you?" Slowly, the three of them turned to me expectantly and I sighed, faux annoyance. I pulled away from the blond giant, the loss of warmth forcing upon me a pang of loneliness, and I walked to the wall nearest us.
With a playful wave, I took a moment to focus my body and placed one hand against the wall. I pushed against it gently, surrendering my strength to the solidity of the wall. I had to coexist with the wall, occupying the same space, and exist separately. Shoving through would do nothing except hurt me, or hurt the wall, so I had to relax. My hand began to sink into the wall as I forced the molecules of my hand to vibrate exactly opposite to the wall. Slowly, I moved my body forward, my leg slipping through the wall, and the rest of me beginning to follow suit, tension falling from my form so I could pass through the wall. I got more than half of my body through the stone wall before I felt a hand on my wrist, holding me back.
"That's one of the men's bathing rooms." Thor's voice came from beside me, warning. I glanced towards him to find a playful grin spread across his face, almost like it was carved there, failing to reach his hardened eyes. I raised an eyebrow, challenging.
"What exactly is your objection here? Did you want to accompany me? Are you attempting to keep my delicate sensibilities intact? Did you need bathing?" I teased him, a smirk on my face. His grin fell away as he leaned closer, whispering in my ear, deep and damn near improper.
"My objection is one less complicated. I simply don't want you to see these men so exposed." He leaned back a bit, so that I could see his face, and his grin came back, predatory once more and my chest tightened. "If you are so inclined to see a man in the nude that you would push through a wall, you would do well to remember that our rooms are side by side." His words sent a rush of desperate heat through my body, and I wanted, no, needed to push into him. Despite my internal struggle, nerves and anxiousness, I slowly pulled away from the wall, and when my hand was free, I placed it on his hardened stomach.
"Are you under the impression that I do not remember that?" I sidled up closer to him, hand still splayed across his abdomen, moving to just above his waist, the nearest place that was still appropriate. "That I do not know which would be more aesthetically impressive and physically pleasing?"
"You have yet to see what's on that side of the wall, you have no way of knowing which you would be better," He paused, his mouth curling into a heat-filled smirk before he continued, "At pleasing you physically."
"I have seen what lies under here, however, and I can attest to its superiority with such conviction that I do not have to see what's over there." With that, I moved away, around the tall blond, my hand trailing across his abdomen before grasping his arm to turn him back to the other two. They were muttering between themselves, watching us interact, Ketyana appearing extremely displeased. I rolled my eyes in a gesture of frustration at that unsurprising revelation. "Now that we are all aware of my new affinity, may we continue previous conversation?"
"Of course." Morsin hummed, "How have you been, Thor?" The blond cleared his throat quietly, and moved forward ever so slightly, and I could feel the desirable heat of his body against my back.
"Well, as always. Things remain similarly monotonous, not many things have changed since I saw you last."
"Well that is unfortunate."
"Indeed." Thor's eyes turned to Ketyana, looking her over approvingly and I wanted to growl at the injustice. I had been friends with Ketyana for about half of my life, and as soon as I introduced her to the crown prince of Asgard, she was smitten, but we very rarely spoke of it.
Thor and I had been friends our entire lives, dancing around the fact of our affection by hiding it behind the inescapable lust. We didn't talk about our feelings, of course, but we made it plainly obvious nonetheless. We had acknowledged it, and we made our lust the center point. Because we were both in line for the throne, we could never be together the way we wanted to be. Every time I saw him with another woman it sent my heart tumbling down a sharp incline, furnished with rocks and forgotten swords. The pain was amplified a thousand times when I saw him with Ketyana, and I knew that regardless of our friendship, she would take any chance she had with him.
"Thor." She greeted, a smile playing on her lips.
"Ketyana, it is a pleasure to see you again, I missed you on Zonar's last visit." A unnamable feeling washed through me, tinged with disappointment and sadness. Morsin looked at me, and I nodded minutely. At this, the brunette approached me while I moved away from Thor.
"Are you alright?"
"I am perfectly fine, I just... am not fond of their interactions."
"I know." He said, and left it at that, knowing that apologies would do nothing for either of us. "It is bothersome. Normally, she is so well put together, but when she is in the same vicinity as Thor, she becomes a babbling, needy, approval-
dependent wench." I attempted to suppress a laugh which came out as a choke, before nodding amusedly.
"Very true." I paused, looking at the two, who were inching closer, Ketyana's brown-black hair swept to one side of her neck, exposing her warm, brown skin. "Before they begin, would you like to accompany me to my mother's room for a visit?"
"Of course, lead the way, Princess." I rolled my eyes, turning from the pair, cape spinning about me. "If you were not the crown princess of Lyngard, you two would not have this issue."
"I am aware, Morsin, and your words do not help me whatsoever, seeing as that is something I have no control over." He sighed, looking at me sourly. His lips parted, probably to shed some light on an already lit topic, but he was interrupted by Thor's voice.
"You depart so soon?"
"To see my ailing mother, yes!" I responded without turning, my voice both amused and annoyed.
"I shall accompany you." At this, I did turn, frustrated, walking backwards as I yelled across the growing distance.
"Do not trouble yourself, I will endure alone."
"With me." Morsin whispered, chuckling.
"With Morsin. I shall find you later."
"Of course, Princess. I would like to show Ketyana the training grounds in your absence." I turned back around, huffing.
"That is not all he would show her in my absence." Muttering angrily, I comforted myself with the feeling of Morsin's hand rubbing my shoulder as we went to see my mother.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~
My mother had been incredibly tired, so we left after only a few moments, promising to come back tomorrow when she would be more awake. After kissing her forehead goodbye, we left, grudgingly and slowly tracking down Thor and Ketyana, who were indeed at the training arena. We soon left once again to find some sort of entertainment, Morsin and I leading the four of us, much to Thor's chagrin. He kept trying to gain my attention, which Ketyana was less than pleased about, though I was too annoyed with the both of them and their incessant flirting to care.
"Why must they employ the most attractive people in all of Asgard? Ridiculous." I snapped, attempting to tie my hair up whilst making my way down the endless hallway.
"Everyone here is attractive, Zonari, you spend nearly half of your time here, you should be well aware. We did hail from them, so we had to start somewhere to evolve so well."
"And yet, it remains annoying."
"Well then, Princess, I apologize for this incon-"
"Zonari?" I turned quickly to find a raven haired figure emerging from one of the library doors, and had to look around Thor to get a clear view. When I identified the figure, my mood lifted exponentially.
"Loki!" I yelled, handing Morsin the string in my hands before taking off towards the pale man, shoving through Thor and Ketyana. The other prince simply opened his arms and stayed his ground, preparing himself. As I collided with him, he tilted backwards, his foot sliding back to keep us both upright. His arms wrapped around me tightly, and my feet left the ground. "Loki." I whispered happily, pleased at his appearance.
"Zonar." He laughed, swaying me gently, "I missed you so much."
"I missed you as well, Loki." He stilled his swaying and simply held me for a moment longer, my feet dangling a bit away from the ground. It was nearly a mirror image of his brother's embrace, physically, but it was so different at its base.
"Do you want me to put you down now?" The green eyed prince asked, holding me with one arm around my lower back, and rubbing his other hand up and down my spine. This was a comfort very rarely awarded to me, Loki's affection, but I enjoyed it so much.
"In a moment." I whispered back, head nestled into the column of his throat, my arms looped around his neck. After a few seconds more, I heard a sigh from behind me, and I rolled my eyes. "Now would probably be an appropriate time."
"Of course." He chuckled as he lowered me to the ground. He left his arms around me long enough to squeeze me to him once more before releasing me, my arms sliding from his shoulders. His smile was bright, pure, and my chest warmed to see it. There was something so innocent about the trickster god, but he was by no means naïve or oblivious. "Have you seen your mother yet?"
"I did, yes. I arrived hours ago."
"Yet you just now find me? I am almost offended."
"Do not be so ridiculously easy to offend, then, Prince."
"I am not easy to offend, you are just good at being a nuisance." One long finger tapped my nose and I scrunched it up, knocking his hand away.
"Loki." I warned lowly, narrowing my eyes up at him playfully.
"Zonari." He retorted, a grin slipping onto his face, and my heart warmed. My hands reached for his face, looking to hold it, squish it cutely. He darted back, his own hands coming up to grasp my wrists. "Do you wish to play this game?"
"No, I just want to hold your face. You were being so adorable." I pouted, letting my hands fall limp in his grasp. "May I have my hands back?" He rolled his eyes, leaning closer to place a gentle, chaste kiss on the palms of both hands.
"No." He said, still grinning. My eyes narrowed and I relaxed my hands, trying to ascertain the right frequency at which to vibrate the molecules in my body so I could move my hands from his grip. Each time I did it, I moved a little faster. My wrists began to sink through his hands, and I was very quickly made aware that moving through a living, moving thing was very different from moving through an inanimate object.
I blinked, staring at our hands in wonder. "Loki, I need you to hold still."
"What in Odin's name are you doing?"
"I can move through things. I have yet to attempt to move through a living thing." I moved my hands through a little bit more, a shudder running through my body as his hands flexed, moving the molecules in my hands around in a slightly uncomfortable but peculiar way. "Please, do not move. You are still solid, and when you move it moves the molecules in my hand around."
"Does it hurt?" He asked, concerned.
"No, although it feels rather odd, I just have to find the right frequency." I relaxed my hands and wrists again, allowing myself to space out enough for him to move without it hurting, and my wrists began sinking through his hands. After a moment longer, my hands were free, and I laughed, shaking them out with a heavy breath, looking up at him.
"That was a new feeling." He chuckled, rubbing his hands together.
"Yes, it was." I smiled, wringing my hands, as I stared at him.
"Do not worry about it. What do you say we get back to the group?" He offered, offering his arm. I rolled my eyes, a small smile stretching my lips as I placed my hand in the crook of his elbow. As I finally looked back at the group, Ketyana had her eyebrows furrowed, Thor looked less than happy, and Morsin's eyebrows were raised in amusement and curiosity. We made our way back, and I communicated via eye contact with Morsin. Morsin was under the impression that I fancied Loki, which was both highly improbable and preposterous. Loki and I could never happen, he was just too innocent in comparison to the many things I had done. I was quite a bit older than he was, as well, though Lyngardians lived slightly longer.
"Brother, I have not seen you all day." Thor greeted, and Loki smiled despite the slightly hostile tone. Loki and I made our way to the front, Morsin on my right, Loki on my left, and we started off again.
AN: So, this is the introductory chapter to my new Marvel Cinematic Universe story. I'll be posting another chapter or two, detailing part of the reason she landed on Midgard. This is only to give you an idea of what her past looks like, even if only briefly. I really love this character, and I've watched her grow for a long time, and I'm excited to share her story with you guys.