A/N: Hey all! Sorry for leaving it a little longer than usual. Truth be told, I don't really have much of an excuse! Inspiration didn't hit so I sort of had to work this one out rather than letting it come naturally.
Anyway, HUGE thanks to all those who reviewed the last chapter: morbidly-funny, ktmt1120, The Yoshinator, MayFairy, Lexy Summers, Fuchsia Grasshopper, Kat7CA, lostfeather1, DGfleetfox, Angie007, xRDJ603, hidansgirl1234, Smiley-Zombie-Studio, Anon, Bakagirl101 and Tiryn.
Thanks so much! All this support really does mean a lot and keeps me writing!
On that note, I hope you all enjoy this chapter too!
Chapter Seven – Trolls, Angels and Brothers
The day was bright and Herja hoped that this was a sign of things to come.
She had been working all day yesterday so she had not had the opportunity to speak with Loki regarding the books he had left in her room two days ago and, more importantly, the mood he was in with her. Herja could not erase the image of his face, so full of disappointment and anger, when entered Thor's chambers two days ago and she wanted to see his face now to check that it had changed, to check that he was still fond of her. She took the steps up the fifth floor of the palace and lingered outside Loki's door for a moment, her nerves jangling, before knocking twice and waiting patiently.
She heard the click of the handle twisting from the inside the room and a moment later, Loki's face appeared. He seemed surprised to see her.
"Herja." He looked her up and down and frowned slightly. "I was not expecting you. What is it you require of me?"
Herja was stung at his tone. It seemed that he was still upset with her. "Loki, may I come in? I have two things I wish to discuss with you."
He studied her shrewdly for a bit longer before stepping aside and letting her into his room. As soon as she entered, she realised he can't have been out of bed very long. His sheets were askew and the shutters were still shut across the windows. She hovered near his desk, unsure of where she should sit. He pulled his coat off the chair hurriedly and motioned for her to sit. It seemed that even when he was upset with her, Loki couldn't stop himself being a gentleman.
"Thank you." She sat gracefully, wincing slightly as one of her wings caught a little on the backrest. He stood in front of the bed, seemingly more comfortable standing. She looked up at him and wondered when he had become so tall.
"What is it you require of me?" He asked again, his voice forcibly cold and detached.
In that moment, Herja gave up on grace. She couldn't stand his indifference towards her and she was willing to do anything to make him comfortable with her again. Until now, she hadn't realised how big a part of her life he had become. She loved their looks across the table, the way they could both tease Thor mercilessly, the way her stomach felt when he walked into the room...
"Loki, what have I done?" Herja stood quickly, feeling like she needed to reduce the distance between them. She suddenly seized his wrists and shook them slightly. "Please tell me. I want to make it right."
Loki still frowned but he didn't take her hands off him. "You do not know?" He asked quietly.
Herja moved her hands from his wrists to his chest and gripped his dark shirt desperately. "No! I swear it! I would never do anything to wound you! Whatever sin I have committed in your eyes, please know it is unintentional."
Still he said nothing.
"Loki, please...I am sorry for what I have done. I cannot bear to see you so angry with me. Please...please."
"Herja..." Loki shook his head and laughed lightly. "I am not angry with you." She looked up at him, confused.
"What do you mean?"
"You should not pay much heed to my moods." He smiled at her, displaying neat, white teeth.
"That is what Thor said." Herja said, still a little confused.
"Then, perhaps for once, my brother had spoken sense." Loki sighed. "Magic is a wonderful gift but it comes with some low moods that others do not understand."
"Oh." Herja didn't fully believe him; she knew what she saw. Loki had most definitely been hurt by something she had done but seen as he was stood in front of her telling her that he was not upset with her, she would take his word. She threw her arms around him and she felt him tense, surprised by the sudden contact, but soon she felt him hold her back, sliding his arms beneath her brilliant white wings and resting his head against hers.
Slowly and a little reluctantly, she pulled away and he said, "You spoke of two things you wished to address to me. What was the second?"
"Oh!" Herja exclaimed, her happiness restored. "I wanted to thank you for those books. I confess that I was awfully foolish and did not realise what they were at first. That is why I was so confused when you told me you had left them there."
Loki smiled and sat on the bed while Herja resumed her seat in his chair. "You found them illuminating?"
"Very." She responded firmly. "I feel much more knowledgeable about my own abilities now." She thought before announcing, "I am a Seidkona."
He nodded. "Yes you are. And the first in centuries. I am...willing to still aid you in developing your abilities if that is what you desire."
"It is!" She confirmed, a little excited. "I finally feel like I know myself! I have thought for so long that there something I was missing, something I had not discovered about myself but now...now I feel so...full!"
Loki laughed, unable to resist her infectious joy. "So...when would you like to start?"
Herja shrugged before saying, "Now?"
"Now? My, you are keen. Very well, I have no plans this morning. What would you like to learn first? Would you like to continue with moving objects or – "
"No!" Herja exclaimed, remembering her favourite section of the book Loki had given her. "I would like to learn how to create an Aura of Protection."
Loki nodded slowly. "That may be very challenging. I am concerned that you would find it a difficult element to start with."
Herja suddenly felt a little apprehensive. "What does it require me to do?"
Loki took a deep breath and began, "Well, an Aura of Protection creates a force field around yourself and another person. Once it is fully formed, the Aura will absorb any attempts at either yours or the person under your protection's life, though only for so long or until the attack becomes too strong, of course. The most challenging part of practising the Aura is that in order to create it, there must be a bond between yourself and the person...or if you become strong enough persons...and if the bond is not strong enough, the Aura will either never form or it will wither quickly."
"Right." Herja nodded, taking it all in. "But why does that create a problem for me practising it?"
"Well, in order for you to practise it, you must practise with someone you have a strong bond with. And unless you are willing to divulge to Thor the truth concerning your abilities then – "
"I have you."
"Sorry?"
"I have you. Can I not practise with you? Unless of course you would rather not me try with you...in case I injure you in some way?"
"No, no, no. I am not concerned about that. I am merely..." His eyes burned into hers. "You believe us to have a strong bond?"
"Of course!" Herja said, smiling. "Do you not?"
It seemed Loki had no response and stood, an odd expression of nerves and excitement on his face. "Shall we begin?"
Herja took a deep breath, hoping she wasn't about to make herself look foolish, and stood too. "Very well. What do I do?"
Loki recalled as much as he could on the subject and said, "Stand directly in front of me." He placed his hands on her hips and moved her into position. "Now, you have to imagine that we are in grave danger. Can you do that? Imagine that there is a threat to our lives."
Herja closed her eyes and imagined that she and Loki were trapped on another of the Nine Realms. But before she could create a threat of their lives, her mind couldn't help but wonder why it was just those two alone in the first place.
Had we been sent there? Or were we taken? Or was it just a jaunt gone wrong? And if so, why was it only two of us on the jaunt? Were we going as friends? Lovers? Husband and wife?
"Herja? Have you pictured it?"
"Nearly." She lied. Focus, Herja. Now is not the time. Enough of that silly fantasising. A threat. Right. A troll? Yes, a troll! A troll charging towards us...
"Now consider the bond...our bond and focus on how much you want us to survive and how you want to ensure we remain unscathed."
Loki is intriguing and he likes me. I do not want him to become injured. Loki is handsome and well built. I do not want him to become injured. Loki is understanding and a good friend. I do not want him to become injured. The idea of Loki being injured...killed...is awful. Painful. Heart-breaking. I have to protect him, have make sure we live...
A sudden heat began spreading through her body, making her feel powerful, strong, beautiful. Even through the darkness of her closed eyes, she saw a golden glow. Opening her eyes, she saw Loki was looking incredulous as the Aura covered both of them, making them glow gold. Herja couldn't stop herself noticing how ethereal Loki looked, so smooth and striking.
"I did it!" She cried as the glow faded away.
"You did." Loki was still incredulous. "I did not think that you would be able to do it so quickly. Normally, bonds have to be exceedingly strong in order to create such a successful first attempt..."
"Well maybe ours is." Herja replied, biting her lip.
Loki flushed and cleared his throat. "Perhaps we should...try that again. It will have to be quicker if you use it during a battle situation."
"Right. Yes, of course."
Herja took up her position in front of Loki and realised that last time, Loki didn't have his arm around her waist. She didn't comment on it, she just placed her hand on his chest and closed her eyes, trying to push Loki's handsome face out of her mind and picture a troll instead.
That evening, Herja arrived a little late at work. Her lesson with Loki had taken up most of the day, meaning she was behind in preparing to go to Valhalla. But while she may have arrived late, for the first time she arrived happy. Spending time with Loki was becoming more and more enjoyable and now she knew that any bad feeling between them had been dissolved, Herja was the happiest she had been in a long time.
When she entered the Servers' Hall, the smaller room adjacent the Valhalla Hall, the atmosphere was buzzing and all of the other valkyrie were gossiping excitedly as Colwen tried to calm them all down.
"Ladies! Ladies please!"
"What is happening?" Herja asked Polina, one of the non-valkyrie serving girls who she had become friends with.
"I am not sure." Polina replied, filling an empty jug of mead. "But there is rumour that Brunnhilde has returned."
Herja's stomach dropped. Brunnhilde was here? Her instinct was to go and find her immediately and try anything to convince her that she could become an Angel of War. The problem was she did not want anyone else to know that she wanted to speak with her. She knew that many of the valkyrie would tease her for thinking something so ridiculous, especially Colwen.
"That is enough of this nonsense!" Colwen cried, standing up on the table. "Whatever you have heard, it is untrue! Now please...carry on with your duties."
The valkyrie all grumbled but obeyed and began seizing the jugs of mead which Polina was still hurriedly filling. As an ordinary girl, she was not permitted to enter the hall of Valhalla itself and had to remain in the Serving Hall. Most of the valkyrie did not pay much heed to the serving girls but Herja had befriended Polina early on in her job. She related to Polina far more than she related to the other valkyrie as most of them were daughters of friends of Odin while the serving girls were all from 'the slums' as Colwen had so beautifully put it.
Herja smiled and Polina who rolled her eyes in the direction of Colwen and the two of them laughed quietly, not wanting to be noticed.
An hour later, Herja was in the very centre of Valhalla Hall, in the midst of the men who were all eating, drinking and laughing loudly. For once, Herja didn't mind so much. Her mind was still filled with the memories of her lesson with Loki. The way he spoke kindly to her, how patient he was, how his hands were always so gentle on her hips...
SMACK.
"Woman! Did you not hear us? More mead!"
Herja wheeled around to see one of the men giving her a dirty-toothed grin. Suddenly, all she could think about was how different her abilities were to her job. Just that morning, she had been practising magic which she had learnt from a prince and now she was reduced to this. A smack on her backside by a man who spent all of his days drinking, eating and harassing the women who spent all of their time serving him.
"I am so sorry. Did you want more mead, sir?" Herja asked, sickly-sweet.
"Of course! Pour it woman! I am famished!"
After glancing around to check no one was looking, Herja slammed the jug down on the table next to him, seized the front of his tunic and pulled him towards her, using her foot on the bench as leverage. The man's eyes widened in shock.
"Woman?" Herja hissed. "Woman? I have been serving you for years and you still do not know my name?"
"Do you know mine?" The man choked bravely.
"I do not need to! Do you know why?" The man shook his head as best as he could. "Because I do not have to ask you for anything. And I do not need to call you because I know where you will be. Always here, always sat down, always drinking, always eating, always shouting, always leering. So why would I need to know your name? Why would I need to seek you out?" She gave him one last glare before releasing his shirt and he gulped in air greedily, his face almost purple. "And until you learn my name, you will have no mead in your tankard."
She poured the remains of her jug onto the man's lap, feeling an odd satisfaction as he squirmed uncomfortably. She turned on her heel and marched back to the Serving Hall to fill her jug again, feeling empowered. The only person still filling the jugs was Polina and she shot Herja a rather mischievous smile.
"Hello, Herja."
"Hello, Polina. Are you well?"
"I am thank you. But never mind that, mother said she saw you coming out of Prince Loki's chambers this afternoon!"
Herja couldn't help herself. She laughed and shook her head. "That is not how it sounds, Polina. I shall tell you about it once I am finished working. Do we have more mead?"
"We have more in the store room." Polina said over her shoulder as she made to take the steps down into the basement. "I shall fetch you some. I shan't be a moment."
Herja waited patiently and she had only just begun tapping her nails on the wooden table when she heard the creak of a door. She turned around and said, "My, Polina that was quick – "
She stopped speaking immediately when she saw that it was not Polina who entered the room.
"Do you know who I am?" The woman said, fixing her with a piercing grey stare.
Herja decided that this was not the time for nonchalance. "Yes. You are Brunnhilde, leader of the Angels of War."
Brunnhilde nodded, her dark hair wild. "You are correct." She paused and crossed her muscular arms over her chest and began walking slowing around the deserted Servers' Hall. "I saw you talking to that man."
Herja suddenly felt like her stomach had dropped out of her body. "Oh, forgive me, I – "
"Do you regret what you did?" Brunnhilde cut across her smoothly. Her voice was deep but not masculine. "Be honest, Herja."
Herja started at the use of her name and thought about the question, eventually deciding that she should be honest. "No. I do not."
Brunnhilde studied the young woman and walked closer to her, as though she was giving her an inspection. "Good. Valkyrie should not doubt themselves."
Herja was surprised. She had thought that she was about to receive a scolding from the most prestigious valkyrie there had ever been. But instead, she had been given a congratulations and a piece of advice. But it seemed Brunnhilde was not finished.
"I do not see in you what I see in the other valkyrie who work here. There is something else within you, something that yearns for more." Herja didn't know what to say, so she just nodded. "How do you fair with a weapon, Herja?"
"I am fair." She answered, deciding that she should be truthful. "But I think my strengths lie in areas other than hand to hand combat."
Brunnhilde studied her again. "Are you willing to train? To become stronger than before?" Herja nodded quickly. "Then do. You are a strong woman Herja, but I need that strength to be physical. Unless you are strong and quick, I cannot use you."
"Of course. But, as I said, I think my strengths may be better focussed on a more magical ability – "
"Here you are, Herja – oh!" Polina had returned from the cellar, rolling a large barrel of mead and stopping when she saw Brunnhilde. "I am so sorry to interrupt. Shall I leave...?"
"No, no. No need." Brunnhilde turned to leave. "Think about it Herja. If you are stronger, we can talk again."
By the time she returned to her chambers late that night, Herja had gone past being tired. She was too excited to even consider lying down so she paced next to her bed until she decided that she couldn't wait anymore, pulled the door open and raced up another flight of stairs to the fifth floor and half ran – half tip toed along the corridor until she reached the door she wanted. She knocked and waited before knocking again, louder.
The door was pulled open quickly.
"Herja? Why are you here? At this hour?"
"I am sorry to wake you but I must tell you something and ask a favour of you. I promise it will not take long!"
Thor groaned but stepped aside, letting her into his chambers and glancing down the corridor to check no one had seen them before closing the door behind them. Thor didn't notice that his brother's chamber door was slightly ajar and that, if he had looked carefully, he could have seen a pair of eyes glistening with envy in the shadows.
Ahhh, Loki. You and your mad jealousy. We all love it!
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