Loki watched her from his vantage point in the grand hall in which he projected an image of his father to the throne. Her head was bowed, so the king would never see her smirk, but Loki could. He could see beyond the embers at the ends of her long white hair, and he could almost make out embers glowing in her eyes behind their curtain. She wore brown rags that made her true form a mystery to him and cuffs and chains held her wrists. She was not of Asgard, or any place he knew of, and she had been imprisoned in the cells beside him during his captivity, yet he had never heard of her until now. She had escaped with the other prisoners when the Dark Elves attacked, and it was assumed she intended to kill upon her release, and so she stood before the throne now, to decide her fate.

"Do you know why you are here?"

"I chose to be." She replied, lifting her head now. She had the palest of skin Loki had seen, and he was the palest person he knew. It was lovely on her, and he was interested to know more of her existence but he was making the Olfather speak and he had to assume the Olfather knew what her crime had been.

"Indeed. When you were released from your prison, where did you go?"

"Outside. It was... dangerous." She lowered her head once again, and Loki could see the grin.

"Do you choose to return to your prison?"

She hesitated. Flames flickered to life from the embers of her hair. She lifted her head, squared her shoulders and nodded the affirmative.

"Take her away." The fake-Odin commanded, and she was lead away from the room. Loki followed, invisible to all, and sent the projection on the throne out of the chair, through the castle until it could disappear un-witnessed. He knew each 'safe-spot' well, Loki exerted no effort in imitating Odin's presence any longer.

Loki made a little effort now, creating a second impression of the two guards that flanked the new stranger and one of her as well. The guards continued forward, sure they still carried the weight of her chains in their hands, while she slowed, sure nothing had changed until she saw the impression of herself and the two real guards walk away. Her embers glowed more harshly, the speed of their flickering increasing. She said nothing and looked around for witnesses. There were none and as her image carried on, she was turned to a passage Loki had already travelled through. It led to Odin's chambers, as he had claimed that too for his own.

Loki looked out to Asgard from the balcony as she entered and the guards disintegrated, a green outline following their disappearance. She watched with wide eyes of shock and her hair frantically crackling. He turned after a pause and found her glowering at him with black eyes – the embers had gone from their colour but not from her hair.

"Now that is a clever trick." He began, waiting for a response. She held his gaze darkly.

"Did you enjoy my trick?" he continued, his patience wearing, "Answer me!"

A ring of fire sprang forth from her, level with the ground, and orange flames touched everything in the room before changing to smoke and blending with the air. She was un-singed, but Loki had been shrouded with fire for a moment and steam rose from his shoulders.

"How dare you!" he began, cut short as she was suddenly immaterial, having changed to flames and ashes before his eyes and in a blink re-materialised before him. Her chains and shackles clanked to the ground. She was very close and he stumbled back. She didn't have to say, 'no, how dare you' at all; it was implied.

"What are you?" he growled, reining in the part of him pleasantly surprised by her naked form. She was flawless, pale all but for a triangle of darkness above the line of her legs, and for the pink ovals on her breasts.

"No one knows." She said factually. Her voice was sultry, deep but not masculine. She seemed completely unconcerned by her nakedness.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I am fire, and not."

"Who are you?"

"Solvieg-Zora and you are Loki, and you are believed dead."

He stepped towards his bed and leaned casually on the post, recovering from his earlier surprise.

"And yet here I am."

"In the Olfather's chambers."

"How did you know that?"

"Is he dead?"

"I can't tell you that."

Her jaw clenched and she bowed her head in acceptance.

"You fooled the guards."

"I did, sadly I don't find it difficult."

"Why am I here?"

"In time," He walked closer to her, around her, taking her in as he did, "First answer me this; if you can break apart into little bits of fire, why would you remain bound in chains? Why would you choose prison?"

"Why would I reveal that to you: a man of treason and of tricks."

"Good point."

"Why am I here?"

"You interest me. You are new to me."

"How terribly simple." She smirked at the floor.

"How long have you been imprisoned?"

Her eyes searched the room without seeing the room. She answered in a whisper, "Seven years."

"What did you do?"

She looked up at him wryly, "I'm not as deserving of death as you, Odinson."

"Laufison. Actually."

Her eyes glittered with understanding – literally.

"How do you do that?" he asked, "With your eyes?"

"Can I go to my cell now?"

"Don't you prefer it in here?"

She looked suddenly uncomfortable. She audibly crackled and steam came from her eyes. It took a while before she turned to Loki again,

"You should be dead. You were imprisoned. You got out like the rest of the things in that vault and now you sleep in Odin's bed... It is you who fills the Olfather's throne."

"Bravo." He droned.

"And you were never his son."

"No." He clenched his jaw.

"Why take all of this?"

"It is what some would call my birthright."

"It must be nice, to know where you are from."

He frowned at that. She looked to the view from the balcony.

"Seven years is a long time to go without sunlight." Loki began, "I asked why you would prefer an empty cell to this room."

"I have to pay." She said darkly, her whole being seeming to illuminate ever so slightly.

"If you tell me your crimes I'll tell you mine."

"Are you... lonely, Laufison?" she asked, twisting to face him. From the angle he could see the slender curve of her neck and shoulders, the curve of her back into her backside and the swell of her breasts. He cleared his throat,

"I thought you might be." He said in a low register, "What is victory if you can't share it?"

"How do you know I won't turn against you?"

"That is an excellent point."

Loki suddenly appeared as Odin and called for his guards. Solvieg-Zora didn't struggle as she was taken to a cell and locked away.

It was the first time she had engaged in conversation with someone in so long that a hurricane of emotions made their way through her, turning the view in her cell into an orange and red sandstorm.