Hello! I am happy to report that this storyteller is back in the writing business. My current focus will be on this story, in addition to "As Time Turns". Sorry for the impromptu hiatus...

I recently had the chance to see Thor in 3D- and can I say it was simply brilliant? The movie combined everything I love: superhero's, science fiction, mythology, fantasy, a ridiculously amazing cast, and character depth. Thor was like taking the best bits of Lord of the Rings, Star Trek 2009, and Iron Man and mushing them in a blender with a bucket load of originality to create a masterpiece!

I was particularly impressed with the character of Loki. Usually, I hate the villain in stories and am happy to see them meet their match (so to speak). But I actually cared about Loki! This guy was honest-to-goodness good guy material, who unfortunately tried to be good be using bad methods. Here was a character with a thirst for peace who made some poor decisions- sound like anyone you know? He was completely human, and relating to him came naturally. I truly believe that Loki is redeemable- after all, he is the mislead hero of the story. (I was super relieved when the bonus scene came on at the end of the movie and I realized he was still alive, I think I would have cried otherwise).

Also, and this is unrelated, but Loki is totally gorgeous...

My OC for this story is calls herself Rhia (pronounced ree-ah). This is the short form for her full name, Rhiannon (pronounced ree-ahn-on). I wanted to choose something that would fit in with the grand, otherworldly names that the Asgardians possess, but would still fit in on Earth.

That's it for now, and let me know what you think of this story idea XD

Enjoy!

A Tricky Catch

Chapter 1

Moving

"The need for change bulldozed a road down the center of my mind." - Maya Angelou

There was something very elemental about the bifrost. The body was broken down into the tiniest fragments of matter and shot across the never ending distance that was the universe, at time-warping speeds. Some had said that during the formation of everything, matter had been created inside the blazing furnace of a billion stars. One might find this very easy to believe during transport, when matter cohesion was destroyed, heat and the fiery explosion of light being the only perceivable sensations. Finally it provided an overwhelming feel of completion- body and mind at equilibrium with the universe, absolute perfection.

Rhia hated the first few moments of arrival. Everything ached- it was as if Thor himself had chosen that moment to slam his renowned hammer against her recently re-molecularized forehead. Pale light sliced through her pupils, and the gravity caused her muscles to protest the strain after but a few minutes of freedom. It was if her existence in the solid world was elementally wrong.

Simply put, traveling by bifrost made Rhia extremely grumpy.

Finally her vision began to clear and she gingerly picked herself up off of the golden floor. She looked around at the bronzy walls for a moment before meeting the piercing gaze of her mother, who as always looked unfazed by their journey. In fact, the notoriously beautiful Goddess of Literature looked exactly like she should, which was stately and serene. Rhia could only detect her underlying annoyance thanks to years of practice, and the unfortunate ability to garner frequent disapproval.

"You get that from your father, you know." The Goddess' voice was light, only hinting at the underlying irritation. "You and he both share similar weaknesses."

Rhia was saved from coming up with a response as the chamber darkened. Looking towards the entrance, she could barely make out the outline of an impressive-sized figure against the blinding light from outside. "Welcome, Helene Aedottir," the voice boomed, before the figure stepped inside the room and Rhia felt her jaw drop.

"No way!" Rhia thought to herself as Odin, High King of Asgard embraced her mother. Rhia knew long ago, before Helene had decided to live on Earth as a minor deity, that her mother and the King had known each other. In fact, Helene's father had served as Odin's second in command during the Great War with Jottenheim. However, the God Ae was long dead, killed in battle, and Rhia felt the King had no obligation to be present for the arrival of his daughter. Rhia and her mother had been to Asgard many times before, and none of their previous visitations had warranted such a greeting.

Odin stepped forwards, turning his gaze towards Rhia. "Welcome back, daughter of Helene." His voice was deep, commanding respect. The girl tore her gaze from the dark patch that covered the King's missing eye, and quickly knelt in a low bow. The King placed a hand on her shoulder, drawing her back up. "My name is Rhia." The girl mumbled, barely able to face the legendary man.

"Rhia." His stare was penetrating, as if he could read the whispers that tread silently through her soul. "What brings you to Asgard?"

It was Helene who answered. "My daughter has turned nineteen just two weeks past. She has spent much time on Midgard, and I feel it is time for her to acknowledge her true heritage. If it is your wish, I was hoping to secure her a spot in your court."

If Rhia hadn't been in the same room with the greatest legend that had ever existed, she would have rolled her eyes. "Meaning ditch the inconvenience," she thought to herself. Recently, the subject had been a common source of argument between the two. She was certain that Helene was tired of acting as a mother. When Helene had taken one of her human protégé's as a consort, she hadn't been expecting to become pregnant. The normally unattached and irresponsible Goddess had been forced to take care of a child for what must have seemed to her to be an eternity. Feeling like her duty as a mother had been fulfilled, Helene had wasted no time or emotion in finding suitable arrangements to remove the girl from her life.

If Odin knew any of this, he kept it to himself. "Indeed." His smile was gentle, congenial. "You must know that any child of yours is worthy of a seat in the Court of Asgard." A slight wave of his hand, and a figure hurried into the room. "Aegileif will attend to your daughter."

Odin nodded to Rhia as he turned to leave, before motioning to Helene. The Goddess followed him without a second glance back at her forgotten daughter. The last thing Rhia heard was a question, voiced in Helene's quiet soprano, "What can you tell me of the rumor of a coronation?"

And then Rhia was alone. Though she had been in Asgard many times before, the world suddenly seemed alien. Familiar colors and sights were instantly rendered cold and unfriendly, as the last link to familiarity disappeared without a care. A small spark of what Rhia vaguely recognized as panic began to bubble up within her chest.

"Miss, excuse me."

Rhia snapped out of her brooding, concentrating on the voice. Aegileif was a middle aged woman, matronly in appearance with features that instantly installed comfort. Concentrating on the new face returned a bit of perspective to the girl. "It' going to be okay. You're a grown woman, and bored enough to need a bit of a new adventure. This is what you wanted." Rhia shook her head, clearing it from the tendrils of her almost meltdown.

"Oh course it's going to be okay- this is Asgard." Aefileif was grinning, and Rhia realized with embarrassment that she had been thinking aloud. "Now, if you'll bring your luggage, I'll show you where you'll be staying."

The girl looked around the room before locating her lime green suitcase wedged between wall and floor on the far side of the room. She hurried over to pick it up, wondering to herself how it had managed to re-materialize so far away. It had definitely been in her hand when she had left Earth.

"That's a common problem among those who lack experience using the bifrost. With time, you will find the journey will become less difficult." When Rhia shot the woman a sharp look, Aefileif tapped herself on the head, "I am able to read minds. It is my goddess-power."

"Oh." Rhia managed, dragging her heavy suitcase behind her with a large amount of effort. Why had she packed so much? "I don't have one of those- what did you call it?"

"Goddess-power." Aefileif responded. She turned to scrutinize the girl for a moment. "Maybe you don't, but I will reserve judgement on the matter until time has been given significant opportunity to act." The woman turned once again and made her way out of the building.

Rhia raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. She was pretty sure she had zero magical ability, as this was one thing her mother had actually been interested in, had failingly tried to cultivate for years. Maybe if Rhia had possessed a goddess-power her mother wouldn't have been in such a rush to leave her. "Don't think about that!" She mentally scolded herself.

It was a moment and she was outside the gilded dome, and suddenly she couldn't think of anything. The spectacular, inhumane sight was more than enough fodder to distract her harried brain. More colors than she could even imagine assaulted her half-human eyes, and the scale of the world opened before her was immense and indescribable. It was a world of cloud and metal, earth and heaven, a marvel of engineering. Towards the edges of her vision loomed mountains thousands of times higher than any on earth, beyond that lay hidden wonders the likes of which Rhia did not waste time even pretending she was capable of imagining. Moving inward, her eyes trailed over mile after mile of jewel toned city interlaced with the startling green of trees that she felt must have begun growing before the dawn of time to reach such a scale. And in the center, the most awe-inspiring wonder of it all. Rising from the mists of paradise, so far upwards that the top seemed as distant as the stars themselves, stood the Royal Palace of Asgard. It glimmered brighter than the sun itself; built from a stone much grander than diamond and fit for the rulers of the universe.

Rhia could never get used to the full-blown assault on her senses, no matter how often she had seen it. "Beautiful." She whispered, felt her words picked up and blown away by the ever-present honey scented wind. It took her several minutes to compose herself, to break away from the devastating sight for long enough to realize that Aefileif was but a tiny, retreating figure a good distance down the rainbow bridge. The girl yanked on her gaudy suitcase and hurried after the woman, finding herself distracted enough times that when she finally caught up, Aefilief had stopped at the door to the Royal Palace itself.

"This is your new home." Aefilief expressed simply. Rhia just stared at her, uncomprehending the words.

"What- no way!" Rhia exclaimed. As a youngling, she had always lived in the surrounding city, watching the palace from her window and imagining that she would one day live within its crystal interior. Never had she dreamed that this particular wish would one day come true.

Aefilief started, "As a member of the court, it is ideal for you to live in the Palace. However, if this causes you displeasure, I can arrange for lodgings in the city to be readied immediately-"

"No!" Rhia cut her off. At the shocked look on the older woman's face, the girl lowered her tone. "I mean, that won't be necessary." Already, she was struggling up the stairs, almost dislocating her shoulder as she forced the suitcase after her with as much speed as she could muster.

Aefilief waited until the girl had reached the top before breezing past her. "Follow me, then. I will show you to your rooms."