"He found me. When he returned to Jötunheim," she started. "He said that he could sense my presence as he was negotiating with our father, Laufey. He told me he pitied me. How I was hidden and despised. I was born of royalty, yet without the characteristics that made our race what it was. I was born like him. Small and weak. I was not a Frost Giant."
"It made him angrier, I think. That our families put so much pride into strength and size. He found me, lurking in a corner, trying to get a glimpse of the man that I would come to know as my brother. He looked at me and whispered that he would make them all suffer for the injustices that they had done to the both of us. And then he took me by the hand, and I followed him. I would've followed him anywhere."
Bucky cleared his throat and interrupted her. "But you know what happened love. You know what he really is now. He destroyed Jötunheim, he betrayed the Frost Giants and his father Odin. He betrayed his brother. He cares for no one but himself. I'm not even sure if he cared about you."
"Well you and I don't know that, but I know one thing. He saved me. He could've destroyed me along with the rest of our race but he didn't. I want to say it's because I reminded him of himself. Lonely and misunderstood. No one took the time to look in my direction until my brother. I hope you can understand that."
Bucky brought her hands up to his lips and kissed her knuckles. His gesture brought chills down her spine. "I do. But I just can't help but think that he brainwashed you. Trust me, I'm the expert in being brainwashed." Minerva lets out a small laugh.
"You're not the same man you were before, Bucky. My brother on the other hand..." she sighed. "I really don't know what to think. On one hand, he was like a savior and on the other, he became my new jailer. I was struck with admiration and afraid of him at the same time. I didn't know what to expect as we were leaving Jötunheim, but he brought me to Asgard and hid me in a cave. He said it was the alternate route out of Asgard, a route that even Heimdall did not know about."
"We didn't have much time together. He told me to wait for him to return. That he would come back for me and that when this was all over, he would bring me out of the darkness and finally show me a world, where he was king and justice was served."
"But he never came back." Her voice was starting to crack so she took a sip of her tea. Bucky looked at her intently, waiting until she was ready to continue. "I was so afraid to disobey him, but days had passed and I was to the point of starvation. So I stepped out of my hiding place."
"The light blinded my eyes, but the warmth flowed through my body and somehow renewed my strength. I don't even remember how I managed to get to the city, but I was determined to survive. When I finally reached the capital, I collapsed out of sheer exhaustion."
"The family that took me in did not question who I was. All they saw was a frightened teenager in desperate need of help. They fed me and took care of my needs while I listened to their conversations."
"The mother and father spoke about how Loki was defeated by Thor and that he was lost. You already know that part. I lost the one person that gave a damn about me. I was devastated. I stayed with the family until I was fully recovered. I thanked them for their hospitality and then trekked back into the mountains."
"I found the cave again. And I walked inside. I walked for hours, welcoming the darkness and waiting for a dead end or a light at the end of a tunnel. At the end, I found Midgard. I found my new home, and I thought I was free. But it was just a thought." She yawned.
Bucky rose to take their cups and placed them in the sink. He walked up to her and held out his left arm. The metal gleamed at her. "C'mon, let's go back to bed. I guess we don't have all night for this. We have an early day tomorrow. You can tell me more after therapy, ok?"
Minerva placed her hand in his and he pulled her up next to him. "Alright, but I'm warning you. I'm afraid to fall asleep. My conversation with Loki wasn't finished."
"I will be right here." He said simply. Confidently. "Always."
