The walk to The Gray Pond was not pleasent at all. Amy was burning in anger inside, how dare that annoying woman spoil her so long expected trip? It should have been her the one to hold Loki's arms, the one to talk to him all the time, it was her day with Loki, it was not fair!
Loki wasn't satisfied either, he could sense Amy's disapproval and it hurt him, he wanted to make it her day, her special trip. And always he did what he wanted, right?
"And then he left. Like father always says, the ones who stay are the one who deserve it." Adessa continued telling about... what was it? Well, who cares?
Don't worry Amy, we're almost there.
Hmmf. Was her answer.
I am sorry. He said with a sorrowful look at her and she melted.
It's alright. She smiled shortly at him; he always got her with those eyes.
"It was of an ancient-of-somewhere, Mr. Watfudgheduff, or something."
Amy and Loki stopped and turned to Adessa immediately at hearing the name.
"What name did you just say?" Loki asked very curiously.
...
"Watf...ugue..ff" Said the girl.
"Hmm, that won't do." Said Thor.
Loki and Thor had been looking for the girl's origin since she came to the palace, but hadn't found much. She kept saying she came from a small village called Oliebs, but no one in there knew of her, no relatives, no friends, nothing. She had said a few names but none of the people she knew. The people thought she was crazy, Thor thought she was lying, Loki believed her.
"Think further." Said Thor with no measure of kindness. He gave her a paper and pencil but she only stared at it. She was ashamed shehadn't learned how to read and write yet, it only made her cry more.
"Someone must have sent her, she's a liar."
"Shut up, Thor." Loki said with anger towards his not-brother as he went to hold the sobbing seven year old girl into his arms.
She hugged his neck strongly and sobbed into his shoulder. He ran his hand through her hair and soon she was calm again, her sobs subsided and he laid her in her bed.
"It's ok, don't mind that gross air headed man."
"You...believe me?" She asked with a weak voice.
"I do."
"Thank you." She sniffed again and held his hand, "You're very kind, Sir."
"You wouldn't say that if you knew me, child."
"Watfudgheduff." She said and soon she was surprised she could remember it.
"Wow, that's an odd name, I am not surprised you couldn't remember it."
"Watfudgheduff, Watfudgheduff..." she kept saying so she wouldn't forget it again. It was the only surname she could remember, her mother said it was her father's.
"Sleep now, don't you worry about it anymore." Loki said covering her small body with a blanket. Then he made to leave but she held his hand tightly.
"No...Don't leave..." she pleaded and he couldn't deny her it. He looked around thinking about the weirdness of that situation, a former prisoner, a monster, beside such an angelic girl, a child. He took his seat beside her in bed and waited patiently until she was asleep. She was alone, abandoned by her family, he could relate to that. His mind had a million thoughts running through it but the main one and the one he feared most was 'I will protect you, little one.'
...
"Mr. Watfudgheduff, do you know about him?" Adessa asked.
"I have heard." Loki said without taking his eyes off Amy, she was paralyzed.
They had searched in the whole of Asgard and had not found a clue about this name, even she had thought herself crazy.
"Can you tell me more about him?" Loki was very interested in every detail he could get.
"I don't know about him, I only know he was a citizen of nowhere, father said no one really knows where he was from."
"Was? What happened to him?" Amy asked with her characteristic curiosity and big eyes.
"I don't know that either, but they speak of him as in the past, one can take conclusions."
Loki could go talk to Adessa's father, he certainly had more to tell about it.
"There it is!" Adessa exclaimed joyfully at seeing the pond. "Oh! It's the best season for it! Come; let's take some of its water!"
She ran to the pond side leaving Amy alone with Loki, at last.
"It's him." Amy said.
"I could be."
"We agreed a long ago that there's not a chance someone has that name and isn't even related to the man that may be my father." It was an odd name.
"She doesn't know much about him but her father may do. I plan on talking to him but I believe it can wait a day."
"No! Let's go there!" Amy exclaimed exalted.
"Shhh.." He said placing his hands gently in both sides of her head and then brought her to a hug.
"I don't want to risk your security, her family and ... Odin's are rivals from a long age, they won't be happy to see me and neither will they share any information, I am afraid."
"But..." She could only say into his chest.
"I will talk to Thor and Odin." He said pulling off to look her in the eyes again,
"We will talk to him and we will see what secrets lie in your past, my dear Amelia Watfudgheduff."
She had no doubt he would, Amy believed him, always had and always would. Still in his arms she started feeling a breeze blowing and making her hair wave.
"It's really a wonderful view." she said admiring the Gray Pond. "What's with the water?"
"The founts of Alfheim are full of a rare kind of basalt; it does no harm, only colors the water. There is a huge concentration of this mineral in this pond, more than in all the other around."
"That's so cool! I want to touch it!" Of course she would, Amelia was one to poke everything with a stick, his curious girl.
They hung around the Gray Pond for a long time, at least it felt like it to Amy. Adessa was beside Loki again, touching, flirting...aah she had that feeling burning inside her, she had never felt it before, what was it?
Finally Loki came to sit beside her on the grass.
"Let's take our leave, I can't stand that woman any longer."
Really? I thought you were enjoying it. She thought angrily. Well, she didn't intend for him to hear it but her anger made her lose mind control and he heard it clearly.
"Why did you isolate yourself here?" He asked not letting her know he heard her thoughts.
She didn't have to answer, he could feel it, telepathy with her was always especial, he could feel her feelings and he felt it now, she was jealous.
You don't have to be jealous, Amy. He slid his hand to touch hers, like he never had before. They slowly intertwined their fingers, heat emanating from each hand. Her breath quickened again, like it lately did when she was very close to him.
"I'm not..." She started saying but then his hand was on her face, caressing her cheek softly.
He caressed her hair and her neck, she closed her eyes and let herself sink into the contact, it felt amazing, for both of them. Then he leaned into her and surprised her with his hot breath on her ear.
"You own my heart." Her heartbeat raced, he could hear her panting and it made him mad, he wanted to lie her down in the grass and kiss her soft lips, he wanted to hold her in his arms forever.
Are you out of your mind? He thought only to himself. He couldn't do that, it was Amy! His Amy! He didn't want to scare her so he pulled away gently, and she hugged him, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I ..." She said nervously playing with the buckle on his coat. "I like it when you get this close to me."
He had to break the contact or he wouldn't control himself, he needed to take a safe distance. Kissing her again on top of her head he stood and offered her his hand, she took it and they walked away from the pond, not even bothering with Adessa, there was only the two of them, only each other in their world. They didn't need anything else.
Tension dissipated slowly but the feeling that something was happening remained in both their minds, Loki was worried, and Amy was amazed. He knew what was happening, and he dreaded the thought of hurting her innocent heart, no, it would be perfect, he would make it perfect to her. Or he'd die trying.
The sunset in Alfheim was really stunning, Amy loved Asgard's more, though. They talked and laughed relishing in the easiness of the moment. Both thinking there was no better place to be in all the realms.
