A/N: Thanks for your reviews so far!
I'm working slowly on this and I don't have much time at the moment. I've applied for a couple of jobs and I'm trying to work out my future residence and income for the next year. It's a little stressful, but I do this in my spare time just to chill, have a bit of me time. I hope you enjoy!
P.S. I don't own any characters, bar Imera. I'm just borrowing them and their situation, much as Marvel did (from the Norse legends). I'm working with a bit of both, so if something doesn't fit Comic-verse or the original legend, feel free to tell me, but chances are I've re-imagined it to suit the story.
Last time: Looking about, she [Imera] made a decision, and walked onward through the grounds, toward the central gardens, hoping for an interval of peace to gather her thoughts enough to heal herself. She pulled at her over-stretched armour straps as she walked, barely focused on her movements. As each piece was loosened it started its decent to the floor, flickering out existence before the collision, vanished to a chamber somewhere far across main palace, the anticipated clangs noticeably absent over her slapping footsteps.
She hadn't lied, she thought to herself. She wasn't too badly injured. Or at least, she'd had worse. A few ribs were cracked, and very bruised. That could be bound and started on the way to healing by even a simple village wise woman, with a salve and some bandages, but she was thankful, her magic would help greatly. She had landed on her neck and back, and slid along at an odd angle, her neck twisted and painful, back scratched and raw. This was more complex, the cuts bound to be plagued with debris, dirt and strand of cloth but not difficult to heal. Infection might be something to watch for and removing the cloth would hurt like anything.
She was more concerned at the pain she felt at the back of her head. It was as if someone had taken a chisel to her skull, a beat of pain with ever beat of her heart. However, the pain was dull and aching, with sharp pricking behind her eyes. No lump was forming under her hair, which was more troubling than one would think. Imera had received more than her fair share of concussions and knew that they were most unpleasant. As of yet, she knew of no way to heal them. It would also slow her healing magic, thus increasing the time for her to heal fully. She blinked double-time, trying to clear her eye sight. It was as if her own fiery magic had decided to give her a private show, dancing colours burned ephemerally. She ignored this, her focus honed in a well-practised manner.
She was so fully wrapped up in noting her every injury and planning her recuperation that Loki's approach was ignored completely. It wasn't until he strode ahead of her and stood a few feet forward in her path that she snapped out of her mental monologue. She drove forward into his shadow; head ducked to make sure of her footing; the top of her head met with his chin, face falling into his chest. They stumbled together, her arms trapped between them while his reached her sides to steady her. An awkward movement, a shifting, not dissimilar to the intimacies of a slow dance, had them righted on their feet, Loki's hands lingering on her longer than perhaps necessary.
They seared her skin, icy fire, magic flickering, following a path that had her gasping with cold, goosebumps prickling outward from the site. She shivered and burned all at once, shaking herself when she caught her own slip. This was nothing new to her, she knew Loki's magic also as she knew her own. It bubbled, surged, hid, grew and played inside him. It recognised people and other magic. It also, as it had shown Imera often, liked to greet all others that it met.
It was easy to forget that one's magic had some elements that were uncontrollable, that your body acted as a meagre channel for the immense potential.
When learning magic, all the books talk of control and managing it, as if it were a burden in any other form than caged and forced. Imera liked to let her magic flow freely as often as possible, acting with it, using instincts that without it she would not have. As a result she came to non-verbal agreement of sorts with her magic that allowed for spells and enchantment previously unknown, with great resources of power. Of course, on occasion, this friendship, as every friendship does, had rough patches. In these times, all of Asgard feared Imera. Bursts of magic of type most mysterious flew from her hands, Imera jumping, startled every time. After the initial shock wore off she would run off fuming, seemingly at herself. However recently she had tried hard to reach truces with her magic. It wasn't easy.
Loki was looking at her, concerned. She had drifted off into her own thoughts, paying no heed to Loki's thoughts or words. Clearly he was expecting an answer, but she hadn't heard the question! She blinked, avoiding his gaze. Pride got the best of her and she resolved not to as for a repeat of the question. Her left hand travelled up her right arm, squeezing at the top, pulling, massaging the sore joint. She was buying time, but she had to answer quickly so as not to raise suspicion. Something that wouldn't agree or disagree, she'd fallen for that too many times before. Vague enough that he would not notice her slip…
"Be assured, you need not worry." This seemed to please Loki and she let herself relax a little, but his eyes told stories his lips would not; stories of childish mischief that she had long been the subject of.
Loki straightened and features sharped slightly, a degree fiercer than before, the glint brighter, more hungry, a hunter ready to pounce on easy prey. "Excellent! Congratulations! I shall tell Father of the impending nuptials and preparations shall begin at once! It will occur after the coronation, I think. Spirits will still be high and the weather will be fine in [Svarteheim]. I expect that you can organise your own gown?"
Imera's eyes had grown wider throughout this speech but she had held her tongue until she could no longer. "What? I, I-I-err, what?"
"Your marriage to Dhjork in payment of a debt I have long owed. He had asked for the hand of the fairest of woman on Asgard and you just accepted, did you not?"
"No, I didn't-I wasn't, I wasn't listening! I'm sorry Loki, I just, y-you…did you imply I was the fairest in Asgard?"
Loki's eyebrows pulled together, the bridge of his nose wrinkling. "No! I, well, I did but-"
"I'm not to be married off to this…Dhjork, am I? You wouldn't deprive Asgard of its fairest maiden would you?" She batted her eyelashes and tilted her heart, a honey-sweet expression on her face. A fleck of dust floated from her eyelash into her eye, ruining the effect when she started squinting, rubbing at her eye and swearing under her breath.
At this, Loki's rich laugh rang out; his head rolled back, the wrinkles shifting to rare laughter lines. It lifted a weight she didn't know was there from Imera's heart to hear that uplifting sound. Loki had been quieter lately, often colour flowing up his strong neck, tainting his pale cheeks during innocent conversation. He hung back from the group, more so than usual; spent long hours in the branches of trees, book in hand and magic swirling round him in irregular patterns. He took meals in his room, though Imera could tell he slept less than usual. He moved a little slower, took hits harder in sparring and ghosts of shadows fell under his eyes.
But when he laughed, genuinely laughed, his faint and distant glow that was ever present, like a star in the night sky, burst forth and he became the sun, burning bright. He lit up his surrounding, gave off a warmth that could melt the iciest of hearts and left one feeling happy and fresh the long day through.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but your mind had wondered, and I thought only to bring you back with a bump." Loki wiped a single tear from his eye, blinking and chuckling, shaking his as if to rid himself of the memory of her confused outburst.
Imera hummed out a reply, distracted by a new twinge across her lower ribs. A hand reached up to jab at the source of discomfort, trying to provoke a response. She couldn't help but put a little extra force on the sensitive spot, heightening the pain. She sighed at the relief that followed the release, the pain lessening, giving the false impression of healing. She was feeling woozy and knew it would be unwise to use a healing spell. Her body was less than perfect, her mind woolly with pain and most likely concussion. She thought to herself that even if she should try, her magic should know well enough that she could not successfully channel it in this state.
Loki moved forward when she reached for her side, her head dipped again. She gave him no indication as to how he could help, so he hovered awkwardly, hands out-reached. He looked smaller, a little ashamed.
"Imera, you have my deepest apologies. I meant you no harm and I deeply regret any injury caused. By all the stars, I am so sorry, I would…Don't laugh! You beastly Halfling, I was worried about you! I thought I'd have to beg your forgiveness, traveling the Nine Realms to gather tokens to prove my worthiness to you!"
"And what makes you think you won't? I should like a bridle embedded with emeralds from Alfheim, an ever-burning torch from Svarteheim, a humming bird from Midgard; are you getting this down?" Imera said, the smile in her voice barely covering the pull of her shuddering breath.
"Imera let me heal you. You are in no state to do it yourself, are too pig-headed to visit the healers and if Mother saw you in this state tomorrow she would punish me most terribly. I might have to dance with the Valkyries. You know, they are so strong that I often think I might snap in their arms!"
She slouched, admitting defeat. "We will to your rooms, then. Perhaps we may take a 'short cut'?" She had let the pain gnaw at her for too long, had not sat down and now unshed tears made her blue eyes shine.
"Oh but of course, we will away without hesitation, anything for you." Smarmy git, she thought. "Your hand, if I may, my Lady?" Loki could be charming if he so wished, but his charm was often employed to cover his pranks and ploys and sometime, as was the case now, used in pleasant banter, a sarcastic twist giving words new meaning.
She knew this script well, and responded as she always did, perfectly on cue.
"I thank you, kind sir." She stretched her hand forward and he grasped it softly. Bowing slightly to press it to his lips, he glanced up into her eyes as locks of his black hair fell around his face, tickling her wrist. In half a blink of an eye, he was upright and bolting onward, pulling her like a dog behind him. They had taken but a few steps before a whooshing in her ears accompanied a well-known pricking all over her body. She felt herself being pulled apart and fading away, piece by aching piece.
A/N: Shout out to Ayy Kaim, the first reviewer! In answer to your review, I know that it's been used a lot, but I'm going for less of a change from the Loki we know and love, more of an explanation FOR the Loki we know and love. Imera is just a made up name, a blend of modern and Norse names. You are utterly correct about the armour, as the dwarves are known for their metal work. However, in original Norse legends, dwarves and black (read: dark) elves are considered one and the same, sharing some qualities with the light elves (most just called Elves) of Alfheim. As most of Snorri Sturluson's (actually his name!) stories of the elves were destroyed or lost, I've had to use artistic licence for a great part. Imera's armour is made by the elves with a combination of magic and their affinity to nature and the elements (including metal in the earth). I'd put that in as I was thinking of doing Imera's back story as another fic, so time in the (very) distant future.
I hope that this chapter has sated your appetite for a while, because I'm slowing up a little. Though this follows Thor very closely, my aim is to not use too many movie scenes. I'm trying to create scenes that explain characters on-screen actions/reactions, fill in the gaps if you will.
Also, because I floated the first chapter to gauge interest in the idea, I'm looking for a beta! Just PM me and I'll get in touch. I've not used a beta before, so you'll have to explain things and be gentle with me!
