Look at that two days in a row! I hope you guys like it, let me know what you think!
Okay the library was the highlight of the tour, my Beauty and the Beast moment was beyond perfect. I think I firmly cemented my new friendship with Loki with my love of the library. Thor seemed a bit disappointed that I liked it so much. They practically had to drag me out of there, but I loved everything else so I was glad they did. It was really cool I got see Odin's horse Sleipnir, you know the one with eight legs. Yeah no big deal. I did learn that there is a big difference in being on your high school archery team and being in college and forgetting everything you ever knew about archery. Thor was very eager to see if I was any good, I guess to have something in common. If almost shooting someone is good then I was excellent. Loki thought it was hilarious, Thor looked confused at how someone could be so bad. It was so embarrassing.
The target was way too far away for one thing and the bow they gave me had to have been as tall as I was, but whatever. Thor and Loki stood off to one side while I struggled to load the bow, one trying not to laugh and the other watching intently, I think you can guess which was which. As I drew back the bow I lost my grip on the to-big -bow; so I released the arrow before I meant to, sending it in a direction that was not toward the target. The arrow, instead of harmlessly landing in the dirt, it almost clipped some random guard's ear. Yeah, just wonderful I know. I was ready to move on that's for sure.
The gardens, oh the gardens had every kind of flower imaginable and some I'd never seen before. They were beautiful, I could totally see myself out there with a book. Over all it was amazing and a really good distraction.
I was trying not to think of Tony and this was the perfect way to take my mind off him. The room they gave me was opulent to the first degree, and it was in the same wing as theirs. In fact I was treated as if I was part of the family almost, I had a feeling it had something to do the piece of metal around my wrist. I doubt that any old midguardian would receive such treatment. I just hope Tony is okay.
I figured she would come back after, maybe a week but it's been two months and she-who's-name-will-not-be-spoken never even came back to get her stuff. The private investigators I hired told me Annalise Harrison didn't exist, safe to say I fired them. As much as it pains me to say, the old man was right, she's never coming back. I just can't believe she broke a promise, a pinky promise no less. She must hate me for what I said, that's the only thing could have made her leave. She was happy here, wasn't she? I couldn't bring myself to get rid of her guitar but everything else I chunked, guess I won't get in trouble for it. I moved into a different wing of the mansion so I wouldn't have to see our treehouse out my window. I can't tear it down but I will never step foot in it again. And it doesn't really matter anyway because next month I leave for MIT, so won't I have to see it anyway. The one thing I can't decide on is if I hate her for leaving, the only person who really showed how much they loved me or if I just don't care. Who am I kidding I know that's really just a lie to help me deal; I would give anything to have my sister back. Lisey where are you?
Time ran differently in Asguard, in fact it didn't seem to run at all. It made me wonder how time was passing for Tony on earth. As with my adjustment to Stark Mansion, I had to adjust to living in Asguard. It was nice, I have to admit living such a beautiful place was not terrible. Loki and I became fast friends, bonding over books and pranking Thor. Hey, he deserved it...sometimes.
It was strange, but Loki really liked some of the random 'midguardian' pranks that every kid has pulled at least once. Like the plastic wrap across the doorway trick, man did we have fun with that one with a little bit of magical help. Thor had been driving the two of us crazy with all the preparations for some ridiculous tournament. It was all he could talk about, so Loki and I decided to mess with him a bit. Once I explained the general idea of the trick, Loki went a little overboard and enchanted all of the doorways that Thor walked through to have an invisible 'shield' that would dissolve after he ran into it. It was the funniest thing I've ever seen, especially when he was with someone and they just walked through while Thor smashed into an invisible wall. Although it wasn't very funny when Thor caught us.
"Ha, did you see that Anna, he fell backwards into that pedestal with the flower arrangement on it! You must tell more midguardian tricks, they are wonderful."
"Well there is the-" The beginning of my instructions on short sheeting was abruptly cut short at the sight of a very not happy Thor stomping towards us. I shot Loki a glare when he started snickering, but I had trouble not laughing myself because Thor looked pretty silly. It looked like a flower bomb had gone off on Thor's head, with dirt covering him as well. It must have been an older arrangement because the flowers had just fallen apart, leaving petals all over Thor. He looked absolutely livid, I had seen him in one of his 'moods' before and I wasn't eager to see it again.
"Do you find this amusing?" Please don't answer that Loki.
"Yes, very. Have you enjoyed my little surprises for you?" I should have known better that to think that Loki wouldn't take credit for his handiwork, and all the credit at that. Thor then went on one of his famous rants, and while he wasn't paying attention Loki winked at me and grabbed my hand. Before I could ask him what he was doing, I felt a rush of what can only be described as magic run through my body. And in the blink of an eye we were on the other side of the palace. So cool.
"That was awesome! You're amazing, you know that right?" To my surprise it looked like Loki was...blushing? Did I embarrass him?
"You find my magic...awesome? You are different Anna."
"Good different or bad different?" There was that smile-smirk thing he did.
"Most certainly good different. Anyways, at least Thor is only angry with me." So that's why he took all the credit, to keep me from Thor's wrath. Aww, how sweet.
That was a defining moment in our friendship. I guess for Loki, seeing that I was fine with him being different from most other Asguardians, showed him that he could trust me. We began to spend more time together when I asked him to teach me to read and write Asguardian. When I realized that the majority of the books in the library were in another language I had Loki almost rolling on the floor in laughter when I made that particular discovery. I guess he found my look of shocked confusion that only a handful of books were in English pretty funny. He was a very good tutor, but Loki did not put up with slacking. That was good for me, as I had a tendency to slack off. So we decided, well Loki decided that during the lessons our relationship would be that of teacher and student not friends. That was after the fourth time I suckered him into stopping early.
It had been oh I don't know about four months since I had arrived and I was settling in nicely. I still thought about Tony every day but I had come to the realization that there was nothing I could do. So I comforted myself with the fact that I left him a letter kind of-sort of explaining things and he knows that I love him.
It was a lovely lazy afternoon and I was in the gardens sitting underneath an enormous willow tree reading a children's story book in Asguardian. I was getting better every day but Loki hadn't advanced me to anything heavier than that. I had become used to some of Loki's tricks but his invisibility and magical doubles always threw me. So when I saw him walking towards me from the other side of the garden, I waved and then got up and started towards him. What I was not expecting was a sneaky pair of hands to cover my eyes from behind.
"Gets you every time, Anna." That tricky little...
"Well excuse me if I can't spot a duplicate from the real thing just yet."
"Yet? What makes you think you'll be able to?" Arrogant, pretentious, mischievous prince, and somehow still loveable. I spun around catching him by surprise, and then latched onto his middle in a big bear hug. If Loki is one thing it is not a hugger, I think it's just because he's not all that comfortable with physical contact.
"Anna, let go! I did actually come out here to tell you something." I let him go and sat down against the tree again.
"Well are you going to sit down or are you going to stand there looking foolish? What did you want to tell me Loki?" He scowled at me, (most likely for the looking foolish comment) and sat down next to me.
"I came to tell you that Father has announced a date for Thor's coronation, its sometime next week. You are to come as our honored guest. Mother requests your presence to be fitted for a gown." This is it, the 'movie' is starting and I'm smack dab in the middle of it. I have to decide if I'm going to try and change things or let it play out. I was so lost in thought that I didn't even realize Loki was talking to me. "Anna, are you listening to me?"
"Oh sorry, I was lost in thought. What did you say?" He smirked his signature Loki-smirk at me.
"Little dreamer, always in the clouds aren't you? I was saying that I've thought of the perfect trick for Thor's big day. I'll spare you the details, so no suspicion can be cast upon you." Oh no, he's talking about letting frost giants in the vault. If I try to change things, I could really mess things up, or I could keep him from all the pain. What do I say?! Nothing. I say nothing, I think I've changed things just by being here and being his friend. Things will happen if they are supposed to.
"Very nice of you Loki, you're always keeping me out of trouble. Hey, you know you're my best friend in this world. No matter what, right?" He cocked his head and looked at me strangely for a moment and then smiled not smirked, smiled.
"Best friends...hmm, I like that. No matter what, alright." And I suppose he is my best friend, we just kind of click. We can talk about anything and everything and still have things to talk about or do together. Funny, I never in a million years thought I would say that Loki god of mischief is my best friend, at least not in my own world.
"Well I guess I better go find your mother. I'll see you later." As he helped me up our eyes met and I felt sad that I might not see that bright twinkle in those mischievous green orbs again. I almost gave in to my misgivings and broke my resolve not to say anything as he was walking away.
"Loki wait!" He looked at me curiously.
"Yes Anna?" Not gonna say anything. Just let things play out Anna.
"I-um...just be careful with that prank of yours, okay? I wouldn't want you to get hurt." This time it was that crazy smile-smirk of his.
"Don't worry about me little dreamer, I'll be fine." I smiled back at him.
"If you say so Loki. I'll be going now." I left the garden and headed for the Queens chambers.
After the most awful dress fitting of my life (and only may I add) I left for the library to dig around a bit. I was in the near back when I found a huge book covered in dust, it looked really old and that's saying something considering all the books in here are old. It was comprised of mostly pictures, so I figured I could handle it. It was a book of legends and in the very back there was my bracelet, well a picture of it anyway, and it was identical to the genuine article on my wrist. This must be the vague legend they told me about. The first picture was of a simple village girl with a broom sweeping back and forth. The next was of the same girl on her knees in front of some dwarves. If I remember correctly dwarves are the ones who make all the magical tools and weapons for Asguard. So a random very board girl must have asked the dwarves to make the bracelet for her. Ah, I was right! On the next page it shows some dwarves presenting the bracelet to her. Next picture shows her with the bracelet on riding a horse and brandishing a sword. So she's on an adventure, that must be the purpose of the thing, to change her life. Well it certainly works, my life will never be the same, that's for sure. The next is a picture of her being rescued by a knight. So great, does this mean I'm to become some stupid damsel in distress? I already covered this with Thor, not gonna happen. I turn the page and there she is kissing said knight. Okay, I'm going to fall in love? And on the last page is-oh no! The last page was missing, it had been ripped out! Great how does the legend end? How does it work, what triggers it?
"Ugh, this is hopeless I'll never know how this stupid bracelet works!"
"Nothing is ever hopeless child. Sometimes we are not meant to know how or why."
Because I was so captivated by the book, I didn't hear anyone behind me. Whipping around who should be standing there, Odin King of Asguard. Now I had only met him once, in the throne room with all the pomp and circumstance. He was a busy guy, I get it. I saw him in passing around the palace, but that's about it. So of course my mouth decides now is the best time to detach from my brain.
"Oh-um Mister King Lord Odin Sir, I was just uh-um..."
"Just trying to understand why you are here. Anna, you have been good for Loki; he did not have many friends as a child and he needed you." Wow I was totally not expecting that, I thought he might tell me to stop playing pranks or never pick up a bow again. I may have cracked a window.
"Thank you Sir. I needed Loki too, he is my best friend." Lo and behold the fearsome King Odin smiled at me!
"Anna the girl in the legend asked the dwarves to make a bracelet that would send her somewhere she was genuinely needed. I do not know from where you have come, but I believe you have a purpose in this world." He knows that I'm from a different world! "Your destiny is for you to find alone. I will see you at the coronation, Good day Anna." With that he left to do whatever it is he does all day. Boy, His Kingliness sure gave me a lot to think about. I've got time, that's for sure. Thor's big day is still a week away.