Author's Note: A while ago, a story circulated in the Thor fanfiction archive that has been since taken down. I do not rightly recall the plot, but I remember fragments of a beautiful story that captured my heart. This is my take on a story that is not completely my own. I do not own the preliminary premise of the story, nor do I own the characters from Marvel. The details and writing, however, are my own.
...Bury My Ghost...
His dark hair remained matted against his sickly pale face, stuck in the deep cuts along his nose and cheekbones. Every time he breathed, a sharp discomfort made him cringe. Every single one of his ribs were cracked, if not broken. Punishment in response to his defiance made sure to that. Every remark, retort and sneer he made resulted in either a beating, a broken limb, or, his personal favorite, days without food or water. In those days, he was left in complete solitude.
Shackles kept him in place, so heavy that any remaining strength he had wasn't enough to so much as get them to budge. He was bound to the floor, never to stand, never to move. Motionless and confined. Subjugated to the highest extent.
The putrid stench of blood, vomit and bile had long since faded to nothing. The lacerations along his back never ceased to ooze freely of crimson. He had lost track of how long it'd been since he bathed. The dirt and grime accumulated on his skin personified how he felt.
Dirty. Vile. Powerless.
They wanted to break him. They wanted to see him suffer. They wanted him to pay for all the suffering he'd caused. Quite frankly, he didn't blame them. After all, he had once been a monster. Once caused devastation and destruction to anyone that stood in his path. But that was then...
His screaming had long since passed. Now, with the never ending inflictions and pure agony that were thrust upon him, he never made a sound. He never flinched nor shied away from the pain. In fact, he welcomed it. It assured him that he was indeed alive.
If it weren't for the possibility of ever seeing her again, he would rather be dead. If he did not care so much to keep her safe and alive, he would not be here.
Despite all the wretched deeds his captors put him through, his spirit would never be broken. At least not entirely. Every time he threatened to succumb to darkness, and every time pain consumed him to the point where he knew he couldn't take anymore, his mind drifted to her...
Bright, exuberant blue eyes that sparkled with innocence and beauty. Long, curled golden brown locks that bounced and swayed with every movement she made. The way her mouth pursed and her eyebrows furrowed when she thought pensively. The way she pestered him with questions pertaining to magic. How she genuinely enjoyed his company, and was always willing to do anything to see him smile. Her voice, always lacquered with concern for his well being. Her smile, always so warm that it touched his soul. This was what he remembered of the princess.
Of course, that had been years ago. She was now grown.
It didn't matter what he remembered of young Princess Rosalie. He would never see her again. She would never again be burdened with the repercussions of befriending him.
"It's better this way," he tried to convince himself as a single tear slid down his cheek, the first he'd shed in months.
She's safe. Rose is safe. That's all that matters.
...
Years prior...
"Father, must you be so slow?" Young princess Rosalie called over her shoulder as her horse galloped ahead with such power and speed. Her long, sun kissed brown locks billowed freely behind her, wild and untamed in the wind. As she encouraged her horse to press ahead, Thor chuckled heartily at his young daughter's boisterous confidence, a trait inherited from himself. He indulged his daughter's competitive nature by allowing his stallion to meet her speed, though he was adamant not to surpass her.
After a few moments, as they drew near the edge of Asgard's limits, Thor pulled back on his stallion, and watched in admiration as Rosalie pressed ahead triumphantly. Realizing that her father lingered behind, she slowed her horse to a steady trot.
"It is as if you aren't even trying," she half complained with a prideful smirk when Thor returned to her side. Yet, Thor was not paying attention to his daughter. His face drew into a tormented, pensive look while he stared out into the distance. The outer limits of Asgard, though beautiful, held a darkness that the reigning King could never dare neglect. This danger constantly threatened to emerge and destroy all he held dear.
"Father?" Rosalie questioned while following the King's gaze onto the horizon.
The sound of his daughter's voice singing sweetly in his ears brought Thor out of his sullen thoughts before they threatened to consume him. With an apologetic grin that did not quite touch his eyes, he faced his daughter's inquisitive stare.
"I'm sorry, Rosalie," he apologized, but for what, the young child was not quite certain. "We must return home now. Your mother will be waiting for us."
With some confusion, Rosalie trailed her father as he began taking the path from whence they came. Rosalie was familiar with her father's avoidance of the extravagant realm's limits. Most of Asgard was surrounded by raging waters. However, one stretch of land, where Rosalie and her father found themselves now, exceeded the city. None knew what lay beyond Asgard on this vast expanse of land. It was a mystery that no one wanted to explore. Yet, Rosalie remained curious when her father constantly redirected them away from the stretch of uncharted land. What could possibly warrant such an evasive reaction?
"Father, why don't we ever go beyond the limits of the city?"
Thor stiffened at the question, but forced himself to school his features and answer his daughter. "It's dangerous," he relented with a frown.
Rosalie's eyes narrowed. No one had ever claimed the territory to be dangerous.
"What's out there?" she asked with unwanted fear straining her voice. Rosalie spared a glance behind her at the vast, dangerous land. It seemed harmless, even beautiful. How could something so majestic be a threat?
Thor sensed the alarm in his daughter's tone, and instantly regretted frightening the young Princess with such a terse response. While his heart melted at the fear evident in Rosalie's eyes, Thor refused to lessen the peril of the land. The reigning King had vowed to himself some time ago that when the time came, when Rosalie finally asked why the kingdom avoided the outer limits of Asgard, he would tell her. That time had come, but Thor still had a hard time finding the right words to say.
"It is said that an evil sorcerer is kept prisoner on that land." Thor allowed this admission to settle before continuing. "The sorcerer is very alluring, manipulative, and powerful. Many believe that if they were to set foot on the land, the sorcerer would be able to persuade them into freeing him."
"Really?" Rose questioned in awe. She did not seem to be frightened, but rather intrigued. "How?"
"With magic, of course," Thor said with a pained grimace. He did not see the way his daughter swallowed deeply, her expression twisted into a look of shame. Rosalie did not rightly understand Asgard's disapproval of magic. To her, magic was a mystery to be discovered, or a puzzle to solve. She wished that others had the same regard for magic as her late Grandmother, Frigga. The former Queen's heart had been pure, and even she revered the capabilities of magic. When Thor caught Rosalie's brooding eyes, he misinterpreted her distress as fear. He hoped that his answer would put an end to the curiosity, but Rosalie was too inquisitive to let the discussion rest.
"Why is he locked away?" she pressed frantically, attempting to ignore the discomfort weighing on her heart. "What did the sorcerer do?"
Thor frowned at Rosalie's enthusiastic response, but vaguely answered the girl's questions. "It's tough to say, darling. I imagine he did many terrible things."
"Such as...?" Rosalie prodded when her father did not continue.
Thor debated revealing details that hinted at the unspeakable truth all of Asgard's history intentionally dismissed. He quickly decided against it, and instead answered the young Princess with his own question.
"What is it that villains desire above all else in the world?"
Rosalie's mouth pressed into a thin line as she considered the question. "Respect?" she guessed with a small shrug.
"Power," Thor corrected, though he was stunned by his daughter's reply. It revealed the wisdom beyond her years. This intelligence came from her mother, no doubt. He certainly could not take credit for her observational reasoning. "But respect is not far off," he amended, wanting to validate Rosalie's perceptive thoughts.
His praise brought a small grin to Rosalie's lips. Reminded again of the conversation at hand, the young Princess looked to Thor expectantly. "The sorcerer tried to take over Asgard?"
"More than once," Thor sighed gravely.
Rosalie narrowed her piercing blue eyes at her father, her intuition identifying a withholding of information. "Have you ever met this sorcerer?"
"No." Thor found that lying was easier than he thought. His expression remained neutral as he watched his daughter process the new information he had given her. Much to his dismay, she did not seem frightened.
"Then how do you know that the stories are true?" she persisted with a pleading look in her eyes.
Thor pulled on his stallion's reigns to bring himself to a complete stop. Rosalie quickly did the same, her interest peaking. Thor had Rosalie's undivided attention. Though his expression was soft and gentle, his intent was strong and fervent. "Legends do not evolve from nothing, Rosalie. Not all legends are accurate, but all legends evolve from truth." He hoped that this was enough to reinforce the reality of the sorcerer's existence. When his daughter's expression settled in solemn understanding, Thor concluded that the message rendered clear. Rosalie did not ask anymore questions regarding the mysterious sorcerer. While the young princess found other things to entertain her mind, Thor could not draw his thoughts away from the man most of the kingdom had long forgotten.
Thor had not forgotten. He couldn't. The day he paid no heed to the ominous sorcerer was the day he endangered his family. The deranged man had to stay in captivity. The existence of peace within the entire realm depended on this. Thor smiled tenderly at his daughter as she invited him in a race home. He accepted her challenge, but was so consumed in his thoughts that he missed the way the young princess shot a mischievous smirk at the forbidden land.
She would not let the story of the sorcerer go for some time.