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TITLE:
An Emerald Amid the Kingdom of Gold
Complete Summary:
He dreams about it every night—The shimmering emerald standing out amongst the sea of gold. But with the rising plague on his land, he doesn't dwell on it. That was until a sorcerer with the most piercing green eyes was accused to be responsible for it and was sentenced to death. He thinks the sorcerer is innocent. He doesn't know why. No matter what the consequences will be, he will try with everything in his power, to stop the execution.
Slash: ThorXLoki (Thorki), FandralXLoki
=0000=
-CHAPTER ONE-
GREEN ROSE
Here he was again. In this dream. The dream that had been following him for the past days. The one where he was alone in the forest of this majestic land. The very land he will soon rule over once the King, his father, passes down the throne.
Surrounded by the trees with it's golden fruits, even among all that, what catches his eyes was the sole emerald shining through the thick bushes. It reflects the light of the moon, making it all the more noticeable in the darkness of the night. The jewel was beautiful as it sat on its own throne with all its unique glory. He began to move for he was tempted to touch it but his steps were heavy, almost like he was carrying several pounds of sacks on his ankles. He ignored the weight and painstakingly carried on.
The emerald was meters away from him. Despite the fact that he was sweating as he treaded over to the precious stone, with sheer determination he finally came to stand before it. There were thorns on the bushes and there was no other way to get the gem. Without caring about the wounds it will inflict on him, he holds out his hands to reach for it.
But as always, there was a sudden bolt of fire that struck the bushes in a direct force. He stumbled backwards when the fire blazed angrily at him.
He could still see the emerald remaining on its spot, without even a slightest damage to it. The burning bushes seemed to be protecting the jewel with all their thickness and solid power.
He closed his eyes when the poisonous gas attacked him. His lungs were filled with black smoke and he started to cough the ashes out of his system. He stepped backwards and staggered his way to find cover. Leaning on a thick trunk that was wide enough to protect him from the fire, he breathed in as much fresh air as he could. He could taste the dew of the night and it was an extreme relief from the horrible dirt that was clogging his breathing.
The fire slowly died down by itself. As if by magic, it dissipated in the serenity of the night. He straightened up and a fragrant breeze passed by. The scent wasn't recognizable but he could tell it's from a rare kind of flower. And then something black and silky whispers the slightest of touch to his neck; a cold breath following.
He turned abruptly to chase for the movement.
Nothing was there.
As he kept on waiting and concentrating for even the smallest shift in the bushes, his eyes landed back to where the gem was. Where it was supposed to be.
But it was now gone.
xXOOOXx
He feels a longing he couldn't decipher and it was making his heart wrench in pain. Every time he wakes up from that dream, it seems that there was a part of him that's missing. It was strange. It was frustrating. It was…ultimately confusing. Never had he felt so incomplete and hurting. Considering it may even symbolize a weakness in him, he would certainly not admit to himself if ever he were starting to be scared of this strange dream.
It was as if a warning of some sort—a view of the future. He would ask the help of a scholar to interpret it but doing so would force him to tell the whole story of his dream; and sharing that knowledge to another individual makes it all the more real.
He shook his head and brought his palms to rub his face.
"Thor!" The bright face of his brother greeted him as he barged into the room, without knocking and without any caution.
Thor groaned, flopping back to his pillow with a dramatic thud. He tried to grab his pillow to cover his face and the noise his brother was making, but before he could do so, the younger of the two snatched it with an impossible vibrant vigor.
"Ohh..! Brother, Brother, Brother… Have you forgotten about our arranged journey today?" The younger unceremoniously smashed Thor's face with the stolen cushion in an attempt to suffocate him playfully.
"Fa—mmmph! St—mmh—op!" Thor was helplessly growling under the attack of the pillow.
However, with a strong twist of his big body, he tackled out of his brother's half attempt to kill him and caught the younger man's cape. The other man felt the unexpected tug and fell forward instead when he failed to wrench out of the grip.
"Ahh..ckk…!"
"Fandral! How many times do I have to tell you, waking me so sweetly like that is going to get you a nice, warm welcome?" Thor said sarcastically, catching himself not to shake his head and add more pain to his throbbing brain. "You should be thankful I never aim on your face." He side glanced and snorted.
Fandral rolled off the bed and instantly stood in front of his brother.
"I know you love me and all the things that I do." Fandral said with a big smile on his face.
The man never seemed to have dark moments for he always have that kind of grin plastered on his face every single day. Although he's the kind of prince that is way too rebellious for the King's own good, never did Odin show any dislike on his second son. He's only a year younger than Thor but his behavior reflects the actions of an unruly adolescent. Thor's also not an exception though. The heir to the throne has his moments as well.
"What are we supposed to do today again?" Thor asked, clearly not remembering about the planned trip.
"A climb on the mountains to gather some small, delicate flowers." The younger sang.
Fandral saw the look on his brother's face and felt the automatic rolling of his eyes.
"We're going hunting!" He paused, thinking of what he said. "We're going to investigate what's causing the death of our beasts."
After a moment he commented, "I can't believe you actually thought we're going to pick some flowers."
Thor didn't react to his brother's comment but pondered on the issue their kingdom was currently facing. The situation was still being controlled despite the fact that flock growers were beginning to struggle in protecting their animals from an unknown plague. The beasts have started getting diseases from unfamiliar sources. No matter how many times they've checked for the cause, they still come empty handed.
At first they thought, the wild creatures from the forest were the ones who brought the infection. Hunters were called to bring some of their catches and all of those animals were observed and tested in the Philosopher's Laboratory. Even the most prestigious scholars weren't able to detect anything from them aside from the proof that the poor beasts also land on the same predicament.
Hunting was stopped for the meantime. Because of that, there was a huge loss in market resources for fresh meat. There were also some people who have reached their complaints to the King. But the Royal family's decision was firm. Before this entire rising predicament was solved, no one was allowed to hunt in the forest.
"If you're thinking about Father's words about not going in the forest….again," He sighed exasperatedly, "I will go by myself. And you," He pointed at his older brother. "—will not stop me."
"Have you prepared the horses?" Thor asked without looking at his brother.
Fandral smirked. "Of course. I'll just grab our bag of food from the galley and we're good to go."
Thor stood now and finally turned to face his brother. He tapped the younger man's shoulder and walked towards his personal bathing room, grabbing a towel on the way.
It was still dawn and the skies outside seem reluctant to reveal the coming morning. Clouds hovered the horizon, covering the brightness that was soon to arrive. There were no birds yet cluttering the sky and the purple dim light was the only color dominating what was above.
When Thor got inside the bathing room, it was the only time he felt his surprise about his brother's loud wake up call not rousing other people from sleep. But then again, his younger brother was known for his lithe but snake like movement. –Agile when attacking, but whispering before the launch.
xXOOOOXx
Thor and Fandral decided to tread separate routes. It was for the best despite the unknown danger. If they had gone, both with their heavy footfalls and massive bodies, they would surely be successful in scaring the lingering beasts. They had built up their forms to their strengths and the only disadvantage from that was the obviousness of it. Their speed didn't falter, but their footsteps will not come unheard by keen ears. Thus, having to go individually.
Thor took the West and Fandral the East.
The forest has an immense beauty and mystery in itself.
The green, hulking trees. The thick roots, twisted vines, wild plants.
And the living creatures sheltering themselves within the protection of the woods. That was, until the situation changed.
The beasts themselves were now somehow afraid of the forest. Yes it was ironic the way they cling to the only sanctuary they know. But nowadays they just seemed detached from each other. Like it was a nature against nature kind of war.
…
Fandral had been itinerant around the thick greeneries. There were creatures occasionally roaming around the cluttered earth, but then as soon as they surfaced, they dug themselves in time to hide from strange presences. That didn't alarm him. As much as he understood how small things protected themselves from predators, it was part of their instinct to act accordingly.
However, in the hours he's been wandering about, there were no beasts large enough to be a potential catch that stumbled upon his sight. He made sure to stay focused and alert, nevertheless, the absence of wild screeches and growling mammals was starting to frustrate his hunter's instincts. Not a single hint of huge bodies ticked his attention.
He checked for the small duffel bag he brought with him and realized he had ran out of water. His food was still intact, except for two apples that once occupied a space in his sack. He realized it was almost lunchtime by the way the sun peeked through the leaves of the trees with stronger, warmer rays.
Without much consideration about the rustles he will make, he stood up from his position and focused on listening for the nearest source of water. He walked through a thick patch of broken branches and unkempt shrubs when he heard the faint sound of splashing.
A lake… Fandral smiled to himself.
As he began to trace for the sound, he thought about how his brother was fairing at the other side of the forest.
…
A wide opening led the way to the lake. The line of trees stood about five meters apart from each other, appearing like curtains set aside to reveal an exhilarating view.
Fandral finally arrived and thanked the gods it wasn't too far from where he had been staying although the walk had obviously drained the remaining water in his body. He was now eager to refill his leather flagon and was about to fetch some of the clear liquid, only to stop before having the chance to do so.
The water splashed on the other end of the lake. Graceful ripples danced on the surface. There were no sounds that came after but only of the fluid motion marring the bluish liquid.
Someone was bathing, Fandral realized.
Not long after, he saw a pile of green and black clothing neatly folded on top of a chopped trunk. He couldn't tell if they were of male garments or female robes. That was until the palest of forms emerged from the water.
The person's figure was slender and the way the total contrast of dark hair reached the slim shoulders, Fandral immediately concluded the person was a maiden. But that thought stopped short when the 'maiden' now faced his direction. It didn't seem that the other was looking at him but at the location of where the linens sat.
Fandral knew it was wrong. He was already approaching the set of clothes before he even realized what he was doing. He wasn't planning on anything, but there was a glint in his eyes that projected the feeling of peculiar desire. It was the kind of desire that was not disgusting, but something along the lines of wanting to have some kind of connection with the stranger.
An interaction. That was it.
He knew, by the time the most ethereal figure he had ever seen arose from the water, that the person was male. The thought didn't bother him.
The growing anticipation and adoration didn't make him panic.
The man didn't completely get out of the water and began to reach for his clothes while brushing his hair to the side, not really looking. Once he noticed the absence of his clothes, an odd feeling came to his insides.
Someone was watching him.
With the faintest of sound that was impossible to be heard, he lifted his left arm and murmured ancient words to create a sharp dagger with his hand.
At the next moment, there was a clang of ice blade against sword that echoed. The man's eyes easily connected with the smiling gaze of the blonde warrior. He was instantly confused and retreated, causing a dance of waves through the water.
Fandral held the folded linens on his left hand as if he was carrying a tray of food. The smile stayed on his face. Strange as it is, he found something amusing about the other man's reaction.
Was he scared?
Although by his stance, scared wasn't the right word. But more of wary.
The stranger wasn't speaking and Fandral was always the one to break the silence.
"A beauty in the middle of the forest. Bathing alone. And a magic-wielder at that." Fandral's smile widened further. "It is a strange but fortunate chance." He cast down his sword and flawlessly slid it back to its sheath.
"Are you one with no voice to speak with?" The politeness overflowing in his royal language surprised him. He was so used to speaking casually to almost everyone, spare his father and mother that he didn't think he would use it in coaxing the pale stranger into talking with him. With an improper way of saying what he just asked, it might have sounded offending.
"I am most certainly one of the blessed ones who can speak more than one languages."
Fandral almost gasped at the bright jade orbs looking back at him. Earlier, those glistening pools were black. He didn't show his surprise though and instead chuckled.
The magic-wielder gave him a confused look. The beautiful face displaying the slightest of twitches.
"Your spells are what you speak of, are they not? I would love to witness that again…" He paused, moving to offer the clothes he'd been carrying. "Of course, in a less violent approach." His eyes were laughing. The stranger seemed to notice this and softened his own expression.
He slowly moved towards the shore of the lake and reached for his clothes with snowy, lean arms. Fandral caught one of his wrists gently.
"Please do not shy away from me." The blonde man leaned forward and pressed his lips onto the soft hand. Fandral looked up when the other man controlled himself from snatching his hand back. "I am called Fandral. It would be most gracious of you to tell me of your name."
This time, the blonde prince let go of the hand, albeit reluctantly. The sorcerer must probably be panicking inside his mind for encountering a persistent stranger and in the most unexpected place.
"Loki." -Was all the other said before giving him a look he couldn't quite comprehend.
He realized half of the pale man's body was still immersed in water and the look meant that he needed some privacy to wrap himself with clothes. Fandral straightened up and gestured for Loki to do his bidding before turning away without uttering a word.
Loki… The name itself was uncommon. But the uniqueness of it matches extravagantly with its owner.
"What has brought you here, Your Highness?"
Fandral wasn't able to stop the flinch his body made by the mention of his status. He couldn't help but be surprised for he made sure to wear a commoner's guise.
"I saw the sheath of your sword. They carry the royal markings. It is no doubt a precious belonging in the kingdom's armory." Loki said once Fandral faced him.
"A beauty and a clever one." The blonde prince laughed, shaking his head. "I never thought I'd meet a jewel in the middle of this forsaken forest."
There was that beautiful expression again. One that he was instantly beginning to be fond of. He stood in front of Loki and brushed feather-like touches on the other's cheek. Despite the wary gaze those eyes looked at him, he didn't move away.
He was about to ask where the sorcerer lives and if he will be permitted, he would want to go—but the booming voice of his brother impeded him. He turned sharply to where the calling came from. Surely, his brother wouldn't be able to shout as loud as that? He was practically on the other side of the woodland.
But there came the voice again. And he could tell now that the echoes were responsible for the sound reaching his ears.
He turned back to Loki who seemed to have moved away when he was listening to his brother and was now approaching with his leather flagon plump with water. He gave the pale man a look of uncertainty.
"Do not worry. This water is cleansed for I purified it with magic. I realized you came here to get some water."
"Thank you." Fandral said as he reached for the container.
"If you are to return to this forest, I'll make sure not to touch the water."
"No. There's no need. You have the freedom to bathe in the water, as it is not solely mine. It is for everyone who lives in this land." Fandral smiled.
A smile formed on the sorcerer's lips and the blonde prince almost didn't want to go to his brother; whatever is the reason for his calling.
"A prince to be admired. This kingdom will not perish even with the current plague."
The smile was still there but the eyes turned sad.
Fandral was fast to tilt the sorcerer's head to face him. They looked directly into each other's eyes.
They were strangers mere minutes ago and by the way they exchange those meaningful gazes, there seem to be an understanding—an instant connection.
"Burden not, for I, along with my brother, will not let anything destroy our beloved kingdom."
xXOOOOXx
Thor patiently waited for his brother.
He had shouted at the top of his lungs and hoped that the echoes would carry his voice to where his brother was.
He was kneeling in front of a gigantic lion, lying dead on the ground with a gaping hole in its blood caked chest. From the appearance of the enormous wound, the heart looked to be directly ripped out and crushed. The beast also had dark black spots scattered all over its body.
And there was a green rose placed just beside the head of the lion. It seemed to have been frozen before for there were sparkling liquid that served as its bed.
xXOOOOXx
A/N: Hi guys! I know you still don't know me but I just submitted a story about Thor and Loki in here entitled, "I Will Be the Sky to Your Earth". It still hasn't gained reviews (except for the lovely person who gave me one. 3) and I am hoping this time, this story will be noticed. Ehehehehe….
I am not the type to completely base my stories purely on the original theme and plot of the movie I'm making a fan fiction with. Thus, the reason to why I am submitting another story that will not mainly focus on the Thor movie idea.
I hope you find this interesting. Sorry if I focused on Fandral here on the first chapter. But then again, he's one of the pairings so….yeah. He can't be ignored in here.
Also, I would really appreciate reviews! And comments! Basically, I base my decision to update according to reviews I receive. Yep…because I just feel soooo sad when I post something and people do not find my writing that worth it.
Sorry…self-pitying here. Anyway! If you read this, I still thank YOU.