If you've been reading Grandeur, this is completely unrelated! This is the original Gaïa, and that one is the younger take on the Goddess. Not Chris Pratt's biggest fan atm, but I love Peter Quill so whatever. Also, Zynthia will eventually get her own story published (as in, when I can write down a decent chapter of it lol).

ONE.

Gaïa Odinsdottir stared in horror as she knelt on the edge of the broken Bifröst, into the space abyss below. Her dear brother had chosen to die, letting go of the only thing that could have saved him. Her heart hurt, the stinging in her chest making her gasp for air as she cried. She wanted to reach into the universe below and save him — he tried so hard for their father's favor and all he got was a shadow.

Everything had spiraled out of control so quickly. Thor was about to be named and crowned King of Asgard (despite her disagreeing with it), and then there had been an attack by the Jötunns. While Thor had roped her into helping him go to Jotunheim, along with Loki, the Warriors Three and Sif. She knew Thor was going to attack them, but Loki had almost been able to convince Thor to turn around, but his temper got the best of him.

Much to everyone's surprise, the Golden Child of the family was banished to Midgard for his actions, and it was not much long after that Odin fell into Odinsleep, leaving Loki with a frightening revelation of who he was. Gaïa tried her best to comfort Loki, seeing as the throne befell him, but she thought it best to leave him to brood.

Until, of course, the Warriors Three and Sif (or rather just, the Warriors Four) approached the Goddess hoping for her help to betray the throne and go save Thor. She could not really bring herself to go against her brother, knowing what he had done was in Asgard's best interest, but she agreed. She met the woman Thor had fallen for, and admitted that she was not all that bad, but in falling in love with someone else, he was actively betraying an entire planet.

Thor sacrificed himself to save her, after the Destroyer was sent to kill him, thus getting Mjölnir back, being seen as worthy again. Shortly after, they returned back to Asgard, and a fight ensued between the brothers, as Gaïa tried to scream any kind of rationalities at them. She threw in a few punches to both brothers for good measure, but her point still failed to resonate. In trying to stop Loki from destroying the entirety of Jotunheim, Thor destroyed the Bifröst, which ultimately led to Loki letting go — willingly falling to his death.

"Gaïa, sweetheart," It was her mother's voice, soft and soothing, calm and steady, but with that all familiar ache of loss. "It's time."

She had been close to both of her brothers, both in different ways. She was able to duel and battle with Thor and his friends, while she and Loki sat together and read books or practiced spells (he would always be far superior than her with magic). It was hard for her to imagine a life without Loki, as he always helped with her problems, he was so smart and clever; she already missed their banter.

Gaïa nodded silently, standing on wobbly legs — she had been kneeling on the edge of that broken bridge for what seemed like ages. Heimdall watched on without a word, his golden eyes seeing everything, both from the two women and the universe below them.

They rode back to the castle and Gaïa retired to her room almost immediately, ignoring both her father and Thor. She threw herself onto her bed, curling into herself and cried until she produced no more tears, the lights in her room flickering. Her cheeks were red, and her eyes were puffy, it took her several moments to calm her breathing.

It was in those moments she realized that she was furious — with her father for favoring Thor their entire childhood and always loving Loki last, for casting such a large shadow and only allowing Thor to live up to it, leaving her to come up second, and Loki last. For Thor being so brash and idiotic, and dragging them all to Jotunheim, and then getting himself banished and leaving his betrothed behind only to fall for another woman. She was not very happy — she had gotten along with Zynthia Rheys, and she had felt that Thor had betrayed her for allowing himself to fall for another woman. And although she could not entirely blame him — she had always wanted to marry for love — he had broken Zynthia's heart, even if she didn't show it.

After sulking, grief set in, and she felt as if she was simultaneously on fire and sitting in a bath of ice. She did not sleep until the early hours of the following morning, her eyes burning from fatigue. But only nightmares found her.

Gaïa cleaned herself up that morning, enough to be presentable for the public, and started towards the library. She ignored the looks of the guards, the looks of pity for her loss of her brother, but she knew they were glad. Most of them had only seen the madness within, they did not know Loki like she (and her mother) did.

They did not know that Loki never intended for Thor to be banished, he only wanted to delay Thor from becoming King until he learned to be less arrogant. Loki, himself, never intended — or even wanted — to be King. He had dealt with Thor's banishment practically alone, and he dealt with the tragedy and devastation of learning that he was not Odinson, and that the woman who loved him with all her heart wasn't even biologically his mother at all. He was someone he had been taught to hate, he was a Jötunn, something Thor had said he wanted to destroy all those years ago.

And all of a sudden, Gaïa felt sick. She did not want to face her father, or even her brother. She had loved them equally, but the loss of Loki weighed heavy on her shoulders. Surely, there was something she could have done to save him. And she felt horrible.

"Sister,"

Gaïa's tired, bloodshot eyes looked upward at her older brother — who was easily a foot taller than she. She raised a careful eyebrow.

"Father wishes for a memorial feast in Loki's honor."

She scoffed, "He only wishes to drink. And no one will honor him because no one could understand him."

"One cannot understand someone else's madness."

"Madness?" she cried, "You have no idea what has happened since you were banished."

"My friends have made me aware, as did Father." Thor told her.

"You could never understand his pain, how he felt like an outsider in his own family! I cannot even fathom, but by Valhalla, Thor, I offered empathy. I tried to help. I listened! I extended a hand when he felt most alone! In those days when he had become King, he was scared. Loki wanted Father to finally accept him, he never wanted the throne, you brute!" She had resolved into tears, her entire frame shaking and heaving with sobs.

Thor knew his sister never meant to insult him, she was simply overcome with the reality of their loss. He wrapped her up in his arms gently and let her cry. Perhaps he could not entirely understand what had occurred during the time he had been away, as he had not been present during those days. But he felt the loss of his brother too, and he was in mourning.

Then she moved away from him, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "Thor, how could you?"

Thor frowned, knowing exactly what she was talking about. "I did not intend on it."

Gaïa knew she and her family had a lot to overcome, from the grief of Loki's death to Thor's betrayal of an entire planet (because he had fallen in love with someone other than his betrothed).

"You should probably talk to her."

"She wasn't in much of a talking mood, more of just yelling."

Gaïa grinned, raising an eyebrow, "Remind you of someone?"

Thor rolled his eyes.

"Maybe she'll put you in your place. Go talk with her," Gaïa suggested again. "Make amends."

Thor sighed, but nodded. She may have been the youngest sibling, but she seemed to be rational, at least, more-so than Thor. "I shall see you at dinner."

Gaïa nodded, crossing her arms. Thor started away from her, towards the guest room where Zynthia was staying — waiting for her parents to arrive and take her back home. Zynthia was probably the only woman who wouldn't take Thor's shit and that's why Gaïa liked her.

The smile from her face disappeared almost as quickly as it came. The Goddess of Light had no light in her eyes, they were dim and sad. But she continued her way to the library to forget about everything in some old books.