Asgard
Gabrielle flopped down on her bed, frustrated. Piles of clothes lay on her floor in stacks organized by type and color. In less than an hour she would be going to her real home of Asgard, a place she hadn't been to since she was a year olf. How was she supposed to act, dress, talk? She wished she had a mother or someone to go to about this.
"Hey, Gabrielle. Thor's here!" Kara yelled from dowstairs. Good. Maybe e could help her. Hopefully, he could. There was a knock on her door. She was relieved to find Thor on the other side of the hard wood. He was in a greyish blue shirt and jeans. It was one of the simplest of things to wear but he just made it look heart stopping. Ever since the events at New Years she felt different towards him.
Although, she did appreciate their friendship, lately she wished it was more. The moment his lips first touched hers a few months ago, that was all she ever thought about. The only reason why she didn't admit it to him was because she knew someone like him would never feel anything towards her but companionship. But as long as he was atleast in her life, she was satisfied.
"You called?" Thor asked with a slight smirk on his lips. He was leaning against the door frame. Gabrielle grabbed his arm and jerked him inside.
"Alright. I need you help. How do I act and what do I wear?" Thor wandered over to her pile of dresses. He studied each carefully, then selected three of her more apporpriate things she possesed. He stuffed them in her bad for her.
"There." Thor lifted her bag, looking at her questionably. "This bag is rather heavy. Why did you pack so much if we're only going to be there one day?"
"I didn't. Those are my books."
"Books?" He chuckled. "How many?"
"Three. Possibly four." She said shrugging her shoulders. Thor raised an eyebrow at her.
"Okay. Ten." She admitted laughing a bit. Thor just sighed and shook his head. He extended his hand toward's her and she took it, ready to finally see this place that was her home.
Asgard hadn't really changed since the last time Thor had been there. The waters were still a perfect prestine blue, the sky as cloudless as ever. And the sun still hung onto the horizon, rising into the skyline.
The thing he enjoyed seeing the most was the expression on Gabrielle's face. She looked to be seeing it all for the first time. She didn't move, didn't make a single sound. She just stood there with a childlike expression of pure joy on her face.
Every sight, every sound was completely new to her. But as they reaced te palace, she felt a sudden wave of anxiety. She turned paler than normal and her hands started shaking. Thor turned to face her.
"Don't worry. They are going to love you. My friends and family both." thor said as his signature comforting smile re-emerged. He looked towards the palace, seeing four figures approaching them. His smile widened as he noticed that they were his closest friends; Lady Sif and her warriors three, Hogun, Volstaag, and Fandrall.
Gabrielle wanted to hide under a rock somewhere. The warriors three were all tall and very intimidating in appearance, as if they could rip you in half with their bare hands. As for Lady Sif? Her beauty is what frightened her the most. She was the picture of every other Asgardian woman. Very feminine, perfect figure, and very, very attractive. On Earth, Gabrielle didn't think she stood a chance, but here she might as well be dead.
The ever vain Fundral was the first to even acknowledge her presence.
"And just who is this lovely creature?" He asked, gazing down at her. Thor noticed this and instinctively wrapped his arm around her waist. Gabrielle coud have fainted.
"This is Gabrielle Evony, daughter of goddess Seranade and the angel General Evony." Thor looked at her, his blue eyes almost seeming to pierce into hers. "And my dearest friend."
Gabrielle siled, feeling an overwhelming sense of happiness take over her. They would probably never be anything more in a realm where every girl you see could pass for a model of Earth but at least she knew she would always have a friend.
"Hello. It's really nice to meet yall." She said, her voice light and positive. But instead of the expected greetings back, they all just stared at her with confused expressions. She let her accent slip and she felt like an idiot.
"Her way of saying you all." Thor added, causing the awkward feeling to subside. They alll started to laugh except for Gabrielle. She felt rather hurt at the motion. Was she really that stupid?
"She's just as charming as you said she was!" Volstag laughed, spewing some kind of poultry from his mouth onto the floor. "Tell me dear what would you call this?" He asked pulling another crispy bird leg from his pocket.
"Looks like fried chicken to me." She shrugged. "Even smells like it." Volstag bellowed with laughter once again.
"Wonderfull! Simply wonderful!"Volstag and the rest of the warriors left, leaving only Lady Sif to walk with them.
"Tell me, Gabrielle, do you possess any musical talents?" Lady Sif asked curiously. Gabrielle nodded her head yes.
"I can play any instrument and sing." Sif smiled at her.
"Exactly like your mother. If you don't mind my asking, what do you remember the most about her?"
"I remember her voice mostly. But thats all I do these days." Gabrielle wished she could remember more about both of her parents. SHe didn't understand how she could miss two people so much tat she could barely even remember. Sif's expression turned solumn.
"I'm so sorry. I seemed to have upset you."
"It's fine, Sif. But it was very nice meeting you." Gabrielle said, a smile emerging onto her face. Soon Sif smiled back.
"Lovely eeting you as well." Sif got on her tiptoes and leaned close to Thor. "Hold on to her for dear life." She said, her voice almost inaudible. She walked down to the end of the hall and appeared ot vanish.
What on Earth did she mean by that? Thor looked over to Gabrielle and took her hand. She looked almost terrified. He gave her hand a reasurring squeeze.
"Father is goign to love you. Don't worry." Gabrielle nodded and took a deep breath as they walked to Odin's throne room together.
The throne room was in word magnifiscent. Everything was brilliantly polished and lavisly decorated. Seated on the trone was Odin himslelf. Gabrielle aaimmediatey went down on one knee, bowing in reverance. An almost booming voice filled the room to the brim.
"Rise now Gabrielle Evony, Gaurdian of Asgard." Gabrielle did as he said and faced him. Odin looked at her for a while before simply nodding. "Indeed you are the daughter of Seranade and Jasper for you posses your mother's talents and beauty and from what I have seen, your father's warrior spirit. I have watched you from here but I would like to see it in person. How do you fair with a sword?"
"I do quite well."
"Excellent. How would you like to showcase your abilities in our arena this morning?"
"I'd love to."
"Excellent! Son, lead her to the weapons chamber. I shall see you soon" Gabrielle walked out of the throne room,Thor quickly following. He grabbed her arm and she turned around.
"Do you realize what you have just done?! You've signed you life away to a gladiator fight!"
"I'll be fine."
"You will be killed!" Gabrielle put her hand on the side of his face and he held it there with his own.
"Thor, I am going to live. I'm not going to get hurt. I promise. Now show me to the weapons room." Thor realsed her hand and painted to the last door on the hallway.
"I'll be in the audience. I'll find you when it's over," he said. Thor walked down the hallway and found his companions. Volstag and Fandralwere feasting away on the offered foor and drinking profuse amounts of wine. Hogun just sat there, silent as he usually was. Sif was the only normal behaving one there. Thor sunk down in his seat and put his head on his hand.
"What is the matter?" Sif asked, sitting down beside him.
"I am afraid for her. I only pray that Father stops this madness if the ables turn."
Gabrielle put a sword in her hilt and her father's knives in her pockets. She could do this. Only if Odin had mercy on her. The thunderous applause began to fill the air and se knew she would have to throw aside her weaknesses of the goddess and take on her ganelic warrior inside. She walked out in the dusty arena. The colloseum was filled with every Asgardian citizen.
Odin was seated at the very top row of the place in an almost throne like chair. He was always on a throne of some kind. He deserved to be. He was the All Father. He stood and the crowd fell silent.
"Release the beast!" He bellowed. A soldier opened the iron gate to Gabrielle's right. The ground began to shake under her feet. This was going to be something big. Very big.
And it was.
Thor was outraged at the nerve of his father. He had placed Gabrielle not before some ordinary creature but before the adragon captured from the caves of Avalyne just beyond the Fallen Plains. Gabrielle's wings emerged from her back as pure white as ever before. Silently, she retreaved her daggers and held them to her sides.
The creature stood on its hind legs and let out a bone rattling roar. Odn raised his sceptor and nodded, marking the beginning of the beast thrusted its head downward, his mouth open, spewing redhot fire. Gabrielle instinctivelly hit the ground covering herself with her wings. Soon the heat on her back subsided and the beast cocked it's head to the side. Flames surrounded the area where she crouched. Even the ground itself was scorched, except for one circular area. Gabrielle stood, the ring of fire casting an orange glow on her skin.
In an instant she was gone and flying around the creature searching for some kind of weak point. Everything, even this collasal giant, could be killed. And if Gabrielle wanted to live, she would have to take it down.
She noticed something about the beast though. On the back of the skull she saw a caved in section, an identation where the skin looked just thin enough for her to get her sword through. Enough to kill it. She smiled and mumbled something along the lines of 'gotcha' and propelled herself towards the dragon, flying like a rocket.
Somehow the creature understood what she meant. In one last attempt to save itself, it raised it's claw and struc her as hard as it could. Gabrielle was thrown like a rag doll across the colloseum, hitting her head against the stone wall of the arena. She fell face first onto the floor.
Not a sound was made. Not a word was uttered. Thor sat on the edge of his seat. He felt his heart sink as the beast made it's way towards er, ready to devour her. She couldn't be dead. No it was impossible. The thing hovered over her, jaws outstretched when suddenly she sprung to life. Gabrielle lunged forward, digging her daggers into the dragon's eyes. She flung herself onto its head. Gabrielle drew her sword and plunged it into the back of the creature's skull. It staggered around a bit before letting out a final cry as death gripped its scaly heart. Then it fell.
Gabrielle jumped off of the carcus and stood in the middle of the arena. Blood coated her arms and dripped down the sword, making a puddle on the dusty floor below. Her heart slammed against her chest as she fought to catch her breath. Her hair covered her face as she turned and bowed down in front of stod proudly, a grin covering his face.
"Rise, Warrioress!" he said as his voice echoed across the arena. "My people, I give you, Gabrielle Evony, Gaurdian of Asgard!"
The crowd roared with applause. Each one of the were on their feet chanting praises for her. A smile made its way onto her face. Proudly she thrusted her sword into the air and let out a cry of her own. A cry of victory.
Thor weaved his way through the people. He almost broke out into a sprint when he finally caught sight of her. He threw his arms around her, the both of them laughing.
"You did it!" Thor exclaimed, putting his arms to his sides. Sif and Fandrall soon followed with their praises.
"Thank you! But I have a question. Odin said that if I won there would be some kind of party or something. Can I clean up? Dried blood isn't the nicest thing to wear to something like this."
"Of course! I'll walk you to your room." Sif said happily. The girls walked down the hallway, leaving Fandrall and Thor alone.
"So, how did you enjoy the showcase?" Fandrall asked meandering through the halls with his friend.
"She was amazing." Thor said sighing a bit. "She is amazing."
"Smitten much?"
"Fandrall, what else am I supposed to feel? She's strong, brave, beautiful..." Thor stopped walking and put his back against the wall. "Her favorite color is blue. Like the color of the sky. Her favorite season is winter. She loves books and literature and most of all music. she likes eating strawberries in the morning with a poptart and a caramel frappe, extra caramel." Thor could have went on and on for hours about her. He wanted to but he had to stop himself. His father would never allow them to be together.
"I shall see you at the celebration." Fandrall said, walking away. Neverhad he seen him behave in such a way. Maybe he could assist him. Fandrall noticed the throne room door was cracked.
Gabrielle finally had her hair dry, falling into perfect ringlets. She pulled out two bronze colored bobby pins and pulled half of her hair back only leaving a few spirals to frame her face. She dabbed a shimmering white eyeshadow onto her eyelids before coating her lashes with jet black mascara, making them elegantly and perfectly long.
The dress she chose was a powder blue color with a halter tied neck. It waas a bit tight around her bust but from their it flowed out, stopping perfectly above her knees. She put on silver sandals and dabbed on some sweet smelling perfume. There was a light knocking at her door.
"The celebration has begun!" Sif said.
"I'll be down in a minute!" Gabrielle looked at her self one last time. Hopefully it would get his attention.
Thor stood with his friends conversing about anything and everything they could. But he wasn't interested in it. He was staring into the crowd, searching for her, the only one that really mattered. Sif tapped him on the shoulder.
"She wont be down for a few minutes." She said. Fandrall laughed and tore a chucnk of meat of a skewer he was holding. The music seemed to suddenly soften as the entrance door creaked open.
The woman was breathtakingly beautiful. Perhaps one of the most beautiful women Thor had ever seen. Her dress fit her figure perfectly. Her hair fell down in golden spirals. The thing that made her the most beautiful was that she was not just any woman. It was Gabrielle. As soon as their eyes met, his face seemed to light up.
"Hey," she said with a smile. "Never knew Asgard held parties."
"We do." Some slower music started to play and couples began to dance together. Thor offered her his hand.
"Would you like to dance?" Gabrielle hesitated before finally taking it.
"Love to," she replied in the sweetest tone she could. Thor smiled and wrapped his arm around her waist, and she wrapped hers around his neck.
"You know," she began. "In a million years I never thought I'd be dancing here, in Asgard, with Thor, God of Thunder."
"I never thought I would actually dance." Sif watched the two of them with her warriors. They looked so happy together.
"I think out of all the women that have ever held his interest, I think she's gotte something more from him." Sif said to her companions.
"How can you tell?" Volstag asked.
"Look at the way he looks at her. How bright his eyes become when she's with him. See how Gabrielle is smiling? Their expressions say it all." They nodded and watched on.
Gabrielle looked down at the ground. She felt the exact way she did at New Year's, only this time it began to hurt. She knew nothing could ever come from them. Even if Thor wanted to, his father and mother would never approve of thier son being with someone like her. She wasn't a full fledged goddess or angel. She didn't even belong in her own country.
Thor looked down at her. In the years that he had known her, she was the same fifteen year old girl he had befriended all those years ago.
"Brielle," he began, "when did this happen?" Gabrielle looked back up at him, a look of question on her features.
"When did what happen?"
"When did you get so beautiful?" Gabrielle looked down again, a rosy blush spreading across her cheeks. She never answered him. When the song ended, she excused herself and went to her room. What just happened?
Thor entered his father's throne room.
"You sent for me, Father?" he asked. For once, Odin stepped down from his throne and walked towards his son.
"Come, Son. Talk with me." Thor found this request quite unusual. "I have heard thing and I have seen things. You have feelings for Gabrielle, do you not?"
Thor sighed and thought for a moment. He couldn't deny it but if he told him the truth, surely he would be banished. Odin could decipher his answer by his son's silence.
"Tell me, what draws you to her?"
"Everything. Just her presence is..." He tried to finish the sentence but he failed to find the words. Odin turned to face him.
"Son, never have I been more proud of you. You have my blessings to be with Gabrielle."
Gabrielle sat in a rose garden that reminded her of one from her childhood. The night was cool and clear. The sky glistened above her. It was so breathtaking here. A breeze blew the floral scent around her, calming her.
It was at times like this that she missed her mother most. She picked a rose and ran fingers across its feathery soft petals. She closed her eyes and began to sing a lullaby. Her lullaby that her mother wrote for her all those years ago.
Gabrielle heard footsteps entering the garden and she stopped singing immediately. She looked up and seen that it was Thor.
"Are you alright?" he asked. He sat down beside her and she smiled up at him.
"Oh yeah. I'm fine. Just wanted to go outside and look at the sky."
"Your lying. You only sing that song when something's troubling you."
He was right. So many things were on her mind. She couldn't help but sing. She knew she had to get this off of her chest but could she? If she didn't, she felt as if she would explode. However, if she did, she may lose her closest friend. Gabrielle took a deep breath.
"Alright. I'm not like all of those other gorgeous Asgardian women and you friends probably hate me. Your father threw me into a put with a huge dragon thing so he probably hates me, too. And," she stopped and looked down at the ground. "...and for the longest time i've wanted not to be your friend, but instead be something more to you than that." All that she could hear now was the sound of chirping insects and the midnight song birds. "Now I've really messed up because now you hate m-"
But before her lips could finish speaking, they were doing something had pulled her in and now they were kissing. Was this all really happening? Or would she soon wake up alon in her guest room, surrounded by darkness? She pulled away breathless.
"My friends don't hate you. My father does not hate you either. He actually aproves of you for me. And I," Thor tucked a spiralled curl behind her hear and left his hand on the side of her face." am far, far from hating you."
Gabrielle smiled again, unable to contain her emotions and closed her eyes. Nothing on Earth or Asgard or any other world could have made her feel as blissfully happy as this. For once in her life someone wanted her. Someone wanted to be with her. Someone might actually want to love her. For the first time in years, Gabriellefelt truely and fully cared about. And she didn't want things any other way.