Loki paced the throne room, trying to decide what to do about the mysterious man on the outskirts of the city. Heimdall was standing at the base of the dais, watching his king stride back and forth with a worried look on his face.
"Even though he has a weapon, he does not seem dangerous." Heimdall said, standing tall as Loki flicked his cold gaze onto the gatekeeper.
"But what if he is?" Loki replied, glancing down at his hands to make sure he was still in Odin's form.
Before he had entered the throne room after Sif had retrieved him, Loki had nearly turned back into himself. He didn't know exactly why, but he had a feeling it had something to do with Starlight. The princess had made something strange stir within him and he did not like the feeling at all, since it was distracting him from his magic.
"You have never been one to question something like this so extensively before, Your Highness." Heimdall said, keeping his inquisitive gaze on Loki. "Why are you doing so now?"
Loki turned his back on Heimdall. The gatekeeper saw everything and Loki was unsure whether or not Heimdall knew he wasn't Odin. Yes, Loki could hide himself from Heimdall's all-seeing eyes, but he always wondered if he magic failed at times. Did it still work when Loki was asleep? Could the real Odin ever override Loki's magic and show Heimdall that he was in the dungeon? The trickster shook his head. No, that was impossible.
"I need to stop questioning myself." Loki thought.
"I have learned," Loki said aloud, keeping his back to Heimdall, "That, sometimes, examining my options rather than charging straight in may produce a better result."
"So what have you decided?" Heimdall asked.
Loki took a deep breath. "Send two guards to the man and see if they can apprehend him. Send Sif, as well. Maybe our visitor will refuse to fight a woman, giving us-"
"That won't work." A female voice interrupted.
Loki turned back around to see Starlight sweeping into the room, her maid close behind. The princess wore a purple, shimmering dress that was much too long for her; she had some of the dress bunched in her fist, revealing bare feet, making it look like Starlight had dressed in a hurry.
"Why not?" Loki asked her.
"I know your mysterious visitor, and trust me when I say he will have no problem fighting a woman."
"Let me guess," Loki muttered, "He's from Echo."
Starlight nodded, her lips forming a tight line.
"Then what do you suggest we do, Princess?" Loki asked, using her title mockingly.
Starlight caught the derisive tone, but ignored it. "I'd suggest five soldiers; two to confront him, two to sneak up behind him, and one more to surprise him." Starlight smirked, "You know, just in case the first four die."
"Is that really necessary?" Heimdall asked.
The princess blinked at the gatekeeper, as if just realizing that he was in the room. "Yes," She replied, "This man is a highly trained swordsman; he once brought down twenty men all on his own."
"But he was under the spell then, Hime-sama." Lillian said quietly.
"What spell?" Loki asked, making the maid jump, since she hadn't meant for the god to hear her.
"It's a spell Fox-face put on him. It clouds his judgement and enhances his natural abilities. However, my maid has forgotten that the spell is still there. I tried to get it out of him once, but I failed."
Starlight shifted her eyes to the floor. Her voice had cracked during that last sentence and Loki watched with interest as she fought with a strong emotion trying to break free, most likely anger.
Suddenly, Lillian tensed. "Hime-sama, he senses you; he's on his way to the palace."
Loki turned to Heimdall, who nodded to confirm Lillian's words. Loki wanted to know how Lillian knew the mysterious man's moves, but he decided to leave that question for later. Instead, he turned to Starlight.
"You know him better than I, what do you think should be done?" Loki asked.
Starlight's squinted at Loki inquiringly. "You're asking me what you should do?"
His patience was getting thin, so Loki merely nodded. Starlight looked genuinely taken aback by the request. She turned to Lillian, obviously needing help of her own.
"Master Roki is relying on a fleeting glance in a mirror and your scent to find you, Hime-sama" Lillian said, "He should not be given physical proof that you are alive, or he will go back to Echo and report it. Therefore, I suggest you hide." Lillian faced Loki, "For you, I'd suggest putting the exact number of guards Hime-sama suggested earlier at the door; don't let Master Roki in unless he's in chains."
Loki nodded, giving the orders to Heimdall. The gatekeeper left the room and Loki took his own appearance back. Starlight glanced around the room, eyeing the guards that were still in the room.
"They know I am not Odin." Loki said, knowing what was on her mind.
"Really?"
Loki smirked. "If you really knew everything, Princess, you'd know that Laufey once said that the 'house of Odin is full of traitors.'" He put extra emphasis on the plural of traitors, making sure Starlight heard it.
"Oh, right." Starlight murmured, a thoughtful look on her face. "I'll have to go back and watch the movies again."
Loki opened his mouth to question her, but footsteps outside made him stop.
"Hime-sama, go back to your chambers." Lillian said, tugging Starlight towards the door. "Before Master Roki arrives!"
The princess wrenched her arm from the maid's hand. "No way, I want to see this."
She raised her barrier, disappearing from sight.
"But, Hime-sama," Lillian whined, "You're still weak."
"Hush, and find yourself a cloak." Starlight's disembodied voice said.
Lillian brought her palm to her face, shaking her head. One of the guards handed her a black velvet cloak and she donned it, pulling the hood up over her face and standing at the bottom of the throne. When Heimdall's voice called into the room, Loki took Odin's form long enough to let the other guards in. They dropped a brown-haired male onto the stone floor, then Loki dismissed them all but his trusted guards so he could appear as himself. He walked off the dais and stood in front of the chained man at his feet, whom he instantly recognized as the man from Starlight's mirror.
"Stand up." Loki demanded. He was ignored, so he kicked the man in the ribs and repeated his demand, louder and firmer than before.
Roki stood, glaring at Loki out from under the hair that had fallen into his face. Loki gestured to one of the guards and told him to hold the swordsman back using the chains that bound his feet and wrists.
"He looks quite pissed." Starlight's voice said into Loki's ear, followed by a giggle. Loki tried to wave her away, only to hit his hand on the electric barrier. "Careful, Trickster."
Loki ignored the princess and addressed Roki. "What is your name?" Once again, Roki chose silence. Loki growled and grabbed the younger man by the throat. "Answer me!"
"Ro-Roki." The swordsman gasped out.
The trickster dropped the other man back to the ground and started pacing around him. "What is your business in Asgard, Roki?"
"I come seeking a monster." Roki replied, his voice strong again.
Placing himself in front of the swordsman again, Loki smirked. "There are no monsters here." Except for myself, Loki added in his mind, tempted to give Roki frostbite.
Roki laughed bitterly. "You probably haven't noticed it. It likes to take the form of a pretty girl with black hair and blue eyes."
A scoff sounded from the invisible princess. "So I'm an it now, huh?"
The swordsman didn't seem to hear her, so Loki came to the conclusion that Starlight could pick and choose who heard her speak when inside the barrier. Once again, Loki didn't acknowledge her words.
"Your monster is not here." Loki answered. "Your trip has been in vain."
It was Roki's turn to growl, a low sound in the back of his throat that was not nearly as threatening as Loki's was.
"I know she's here. I've seen her and I can smell her. Listen to me," Roki tried to step towards the god, but the guard yanked him back roughly. It barely fazed the swordsman. "the monster is dangerous. It would not hesitate to kill you, especially if you anger it. It'll betray everyone who shows it trust or love. It nearly drowned a girl who was supposed to be it's best friend, and it did kill a girl who stayed by her side through thick and thin. It has no mercy, no soul. If you protect it, you will put your whole kingdom in danger! It needs to come back to my home planet with me so I can dispose of it properly. It-"
The words in Roki's throat faltered, fading away with a strangled cry. He was choking, but on what, Loki couldn't tell. He looked around the room and spotted Lillian coming closer, one arm raised towards the swordsman. The maid used her free hand to pull back the hood of her cloak, revealing her face. Roki's eyes went wide, ecstatic at seeing the water-nymph alive, despite the fact she was currently trying to kill him.
"Lily..." Roki was only able to choke out that one word before Lillian's hand twitched and his words were cut off once more.
"Don't call me that." Lillian cried, "You do not have the right to call me that anymore, you... you... double-crosser!" Her hand twitched again, filling his lungs with more fluid.
"Should I stop her?" Loki whispered to the invisible Starlight.
"No," Starlight said, "I want to see if she'll actually kill him."
Loki had a feeling that if he could see the princess at this moment, he would be looking into eyes of gold.
"Hime-sama is not a monster." Lillian said quietly, "The only monster is you, Master Roki. You claim to have loved Hime-sama, but here you are, more than willing to deliver her to her death" Lillian sniffled, tears forming in her eyes. "Were she not already dead."
After a few more seconds, Lillian's hand formed a fist, cutting off the flow of power. Roki doubled over, violently vomiting water onto the stone floor. Once all the liquid was gone from his lungs, he took in a huge gulp of air.
"You're alive," was the first thing that came out of the brown-haired youth's mouth as soon as he could speak. "But Starlight is not your princess anymore."
"She will always be my princess!" Lillian shouted, "She saved me from a lifetime of abuse and slavery, so no matter who sits on the throne of Echo, Starlight will always be the one I give my loyalty to. Even in death."
"How sweet." Starlight said, her voice full of emotion.
"Lillian, please.." Roki pleaded, "You know it is capable of mind control. You need to break that spell and see how wrong your words are."
Lillian screamed in rage, slapping Roki across the face so hard that even Loki winced from where he stood, a few feet away.
"There is no spell that makes me speak these words; they are the truth," Lillian brought both her hands up to her chest, placing them over her heart, "coming straight from my heart and soul. I love her and there is nothing you can say to make me change my mind."
Roki lowered his eyes, tears falling down his cheeks. "I see..." He said in a shaking voice. "Then I have no choice but to force away the grip the monster has on your heart."
Quick as lightening, Roki surged forward, catching even the guard who held his chains by surprise- the man let go to prevent the chains from hurting himself. Roki grabbed Lillian and spun her around, throwing his bound wrists around her neck and choking her with the chain. The maid gasped, clawing at the chains frantically and earning a punch from the swordsman, in the face, for doing so.
"I know you're hiding here, Starlight." Roki called out to the air, "Reveal yourself, and I won't have to kill Lily."
"He wouldn't." Starlight breathed. Loki could almost feel how tense the princess obviously was.
The swordsman tightened his grip and the chains cut into Lillian's skin, drawing blood. His eyes were crazed and Starlight realized that, yes, he would kill Lillian if she didn't come out of hiding. Without a second thought, she dropped the barrier and, in one quick motion, drew a dagger from Loki's belt, making the trickster jump slightly. Using her yōkai speed, she appeared in front of Roki. Using her foxfire, she cut the chains that bound his wrists together and yanked the water-nymph out of his grasp.
"You want to see a monster, Roki?" Starlight growled, "I'll show you one."
The princess's skin started fading into blue and her golden irises turned red. Roki watched in horror as raised lines appeared all over Starlight's body.
"You really are a monster." The swordsman hissed. "How did you escape death?"
Starlight chuckled darkly. "A Princess never dies before her time, you know that, Ro-chan..." She grabbed him by the throat. "I don't think you've ever experienced frostbite before. Let's see how you like it."
As the cold seeped into the swordsman's skin, it went numb and he gasped. Just as Starlight had said, he had never experienced frostbite and it wasn't a feeling he was enjoying. He squirmed in his former ruler's grasp, trying to get away, but she had become stronger in the year she had been away.
"Starlight..." Roki's eyes became clear for the briefest second, grief and sorrow replacing hatred. "Please..."
His skin was starting to turn black from the ice. For a millisecond, the princess thought about releasing him, but a pained gasp from Lillian pushed that thought out of Starlight's head. Instead of letting him go, she thrust the dagger she had taken from Loki into the swordsman's stomach, expertly avoiding any major organs. Blood welled out around the blade, painting Starlight's hand red. She finally let go of his neck, letting Roki drop to the floor while he, simultaneously, tried to clutch at his neck and stomach. Starlight knelt next to him, her body trembling in anger.
"Please get Lillian help." Starlight mumbled.
"Get the nymph to the healing room!" Loki told a couple of guards, who instantly obeyed. Once they were gone, Loki went and stood above Starlight. "What are you going to do with him?"
Reluctantly, Starlight yanked the dagger out of the the man under her. A stream of blood followed the knife, splattering over the stone floor. Starlight waved her hand over the wound, staunching the bleeding.
"He needs to go back to Echo." She answered quietly, standing up to face Loki. Her skin was pale again, but her eyes were gold. She wiped the blood off the dagger using her dress sleeve and held it out to Loki.
"Why don't you just kill him?" Loki asked, taking the dagger and putting it back in his belt.
Starlight laughed resentfully. "If I could, I would. But if he dies, a whole army of Souls will come after his body- and also after me. I can't bring something like that into Asgard. So, I will return Roki to Echo and then come back. Will you take care of Lillian for me while I'm gone?"
Now, Starlight glanced up at Loki through her eyelashes. The complete and utter vulnerability in her eyes in that second appalled the trickster, making him step back slightly as his heart clenched. Quickly, Loki composed himself again, putting the mask of indifference back in place.
"Of course." He said in an even voice, avoiding Starlight's eyes, "My plans of conquering Echo may not work well if I lose your trust by letting your chambermaid suffer."
The princess rolled her eyes, but smiled slightly. "Thanks, then, I suppose."
Once the injured swordsman was put into more chains, he was thrown into the dungeon while Starlight got ready for her trip. She packed quickly, planning to leave the next day. After she was done packing, she visited Lillian, who was still in the healing room. She sent the healers away and sat on the bed next to Lillian. The maid had a slightly-bloody bandage wrapped around her neck.
"I'm sorry, Lillian." Starlight said, stroking the water-nymph's swollen cheek.
Lillian put her hand over Starlight's and sighed. "It's not your fault, Hime-sama. Master Roki is ill," She paused. "Our whole race is."
The two women hugged and Starlight whimpered into Lillian's shoulder, feeling immensely guilty about her friend's injury and the fact that Lillian was right. Their race was in danger, but there was nothing either of them could do about it; not without an army, at least. Starlight let a few tears slip, feeling overwhelmed by everything. Lillian cooed soothing words in the older girl's ears for a few seconds before the princess pulled away, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand.
"What are you going to do with Master Roki?" Lillian asked.
"Kill him..." Starlight muttered, then patted Lillian's cheek reassuringly when the nymph's face turned horrified. "Calm yourself- I'm just joking. He's in the dungeon right now, but I'm leaving tomorrow to return him to Echo."
"What?" Lillian sat up quickly, "You can't do that! They'll know you entered Echo and capture you!"
"It'll be fine, Lillian." Starlight said in an assuring voice. "I'll enter the world far enough away that they won't be able to detect me and I'll use my barrier to disguise myself."
"But Hime-sama, most of the other Souls can sense your barrier, especially since you haven't rested much since you passed out earlier."
Biting her lip, Starlight nodded, knowing Lillian was right.
"But I have to return him, Lillian, or they'll send others after him."
"Could they sense my magic?" Loki asked from the doorway, making the two Souls jump in surprise; neither of them had heard or saw him appear.
"I-," Starlight pondered it for a second. "I don't believe so. Why?"
"Perhaps... I could accompany you to your home world." Loki said hesitantly. "We could use my magic to camouflage ourselves and your kind will not be able to sense you."
Starlight narrowed her eyes at Loki, suspicious. "What's the catch?"
"No, ah... catch?" Loki assured her, slightly unsure about the informal phrase, "I am curious about what a world outside the Nine Realms would be like, that's all."
"Don't you have a kingdom to run?" Starlight asked, still wary.
"Thor is here; I'll let him rule in my place while we are gone."
The princess studied Loki. She didn't trust him, especially since he was willing to give Thor the throne just so the trickster could go to Echo with her. Why, after going through so much trouble just to get the throne, why was he jumping at the opportunity to give it up (even if it was only for a couple days).
"Fine." Starlight said, giving Loki the benefit of the doubt. "Meet me in my rooms first thing in the morning."
Without waiting for his response, Starlight gave Lillian a kiss on the forehead and swept out of the room. On her way by, her hand brushed against Loki's slightly, making the trickster twitch and pull away. Lillian noticed this, but she knew that if she commented on it, Loki would deny it.
So, instead, she said, "Try not to lose yourself in Echo."
Loki squinted at her, confused. "I do not plan on getting lost."
Lillian rolled over in her bed, facing away from Loki. "No-one ever does."
(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)(~)
That evening, the feast for Thor still went on. Starlight attended, but only because Jane had asked her to.
"I feel comfortable around you," Jane had answered when the princess had questioned the scientist as to why she wanted her to go, "And since Darcy ditched me for Fandral the Dashing," Jane mimicked Darcy's voice, making it sound lovestruck, "I'm going to need someone to talk to."
"What about Thor? I'm sure you feel comfortable around your own lover."
Jane shrugged. "Well sure, but he's celebrating with his friends tonight, whom he hasn't seen in three months. Meanwhile, he has barely left my side during those months. I think we can stand a night without being attached at the hip."
The princess smiled and laughed cheerfully. She agreed to go, leaving her room and walking towards the banquet hall with Jane. As they got closer to the room, they could hear joyful talking and laughing. Upon entering, they found Thor seated with Sif and the Warriors Three around him as they all traded stories about what had happened during their separation. 'Odin' sat at the end of the table, looking all the part of a father glad to see his son again. Starlight almost rolled her eyes and the effort he put into this. There had also been a few other important Asgardians invited, making it a very crowded event.
Jane and Starlight chose to just grab drinks and head out to the balcony. They sat on the railing and looked out over Asgard as they talked.
"So what do you know about earth?" Jane asked.
Starlight smiled. "I know it is a lot like my own."
Jane cocked her head at the princess. "A lot like your own planet?"
"Like my own earth."
"But..." Jane looked thoroughly confused and Starlight was enjoying every second of it. "Thor said that Odin told him that you were from a place called Echo, or something."
"I am from Echo, but a lot of my people choose to live in other worlds, since our powers allow us to travel freely; my parents chose a world much like yours. It's even called earth. We have the same solar system, the same continents, countries- everything. The only difference is that we don't have superheroes."
"Really?" Jane was amazed, the curious scientist in her already wondering about the chance of going to this world. "Is there even all the same people?"
"Yes, to a certain extent. I've met people in your earth and mine who are exactly the same. But if you're asking if there is another you, there is not." Jane looked crestfallen. "Sorry, but to my earth, you don't exist except as a comic book character."
Jane questioned that, and Starlight explained to the woman what Mirror Souls were exactly. She gave a brief history about how the race started, and then talked about how some Souls made money by taking the stories of one world and passing them off as fiction in another world. Starlight went on to explain the Marvel universe to the scientist, as well. By the end of it, Jane was nearly bouncing with excitement.
"This is so incredible. To think that there is a whole world out there that is almost exactly like mine, but with so many differences. Do you think there are other parallel worlds like our earths?"
"I know there are. History classes in Echo focus on many multiverse theories, most of which we prove by travelling to different worlds."
"Wow. This information has the potential to change so much of my research..." Jane paused. "Can you tell me about Echo, too?"
Starlight nodded, happy to be able to talk to someone who was genuinely interested in her home worlds. "Echo is... so wonderful. It- ow!"
The princess glanced down at her feet, which she had been swinging back and forth and had hit one against the stone pillar behind her. She brought her foot up to examine it, finding a scrape that was bleeding slightly.
"Why aren't you wearing shoes?" Jane asked, an older-sister-like instinct kicking in, which she thought was strange.
"It is because of an Echonian holiday."
The two females turned towards the doors to the dining hall, where the accented male voice had come from. Hogun was standing in the doorway, eyeing Starlight with an unreadable expression, making the princess squirm uncomfortably.
"Am I correct?" Hogun asked. Jane looked at the princess, wondering herself if the warrior was right.
"You are." Starlight confirmed. Her whole body was tense and on alert, searching for signs of a threat in Hogun's words. She kept talking, knowing Jane was curious. "It is the Day of Unity in Echo. On this day, Souls celebrate the time when we finally found a planet to call our own. Men and women wear a purple garment of a natural Echonian fabric and walk around in their bare feet so they can fully appreciate the natural wonders of our planet- and the fact that those natural wonders (both plants and animals alike) haven't chosen to kill us yet. Basically, it's a day where we worship nature."
"And may the Unity last until the Echoes end." Hogun recited, a doubtful smile decorating his usually grim face.
Starlight swallowed. "You are Echonian." She stated. The fact didn't make her relax any, since most Echonians currently wanted her dead.
"Much of my mother's family is, yes."
Hogun glanced back into the party. No-one had noticed that he had slipped away yet. He stepped out further onto the balcony, making Starlight bristle like a cornered cat. Her fox ears appeared and her eyes faded to purple, the result of her body instinctively picking fight over flight. The change made Jane jump back in surprise.
"You fear me." Hogun declared passively.
The princess nodded firmly, not afraid to admit her fear. "Currently, there are thousands of my own kind wishing for my public death; I think I have good reason to fear one who may also be part of that number."
Very calmly, Hogun came closer still. Starlight snarled, warning him to halt. He did, and a thoughtful look crossed his face for a second. Finally, he seemed to have chosen something. He made a fist with his right hand and placed it just under his navel. Then, he offered his left hand, palm turned upwards, to Starlight. He bowed his head, waiting. Jane glanced back and forth between the warrior and the princess, wondering what was going to happen.
Starlight stared at Hogun. She knew exactly what he was offering, but it didn't make her relax any. Yes, he may have Soul blood in him, but he was Vanir before he was a Soul. That meant that he could make it look like he was on her side all he wanted, but at the same time, wasn't bound by Echo's moral laws; he could break any promises he made without any consequences. She glanced behind him, finding Loki and most of the rest of the party staring at them peculiarly. Despite the delay she was making, she sighed, already knowing what she would do.
"You have made a scene, warrior." Starlight said as she clasped Hogun's outstretched palm in both her hands. "I accept your proposal. Now, go back to your party."
Hogun smiled and pulled his hand away. He gave another slight bow of his head and turned to go back into the dining hall. He rejoined his friends, probably being asked what that has been all about.
"What did he just offer?" Jane asked.
Loki was still staring at Starlight, looking displeased at the spectacle he had just witnessed. Starlight winked at the disguised god before turning back towards Jane with a smile.
"He offered me his undying loyalty."