Note from Black Lace Lamb: Just came back from seeing The Avengers... for the fourth time. NO SHAME. I still love every frame of that movie and will probably go see it at least once or twice more, just can't get enough of it! :)
WARNING
This chapter contains violence!
All characters as well as setting is (C) MARVEL
Seren and story is (C) Black Lace Lamb
Chapter VIII: A Moment of Peace
Time passed quickly in Asgard and the sun rose high, Seren rising with it. She had made sure to get some proper rest, since she would be spending the day with the others and joining them in their hunt. Seren rarely saw the sunlight, but on such rare occasions as this, she made sure she was prepared. The handmaids dressed her in her leathery armour and combed her hair; one of them took out a silver box from her trunk.
Seren smiled and opened the rectangular box to reveal the treasure that her grandmother gave her. It was a mask, made of black crystal and silver clasps with special visors that filtered the sunlight to protect her sensitive eyes from the scorching rays. She put it on, sealing it behind her head, so it merely looked like a strip of blackness that fell across her face.
Seren went to the lounge to eat with the others, the first time joining them in breakfast since she had arrived. The gold doors opened and her friends turned to greet her, she grinned and took her place at their table.
Loki took a bite out of a fig and glanced at Seren as she turned to Sif and smiled at her. In the light of day, she looked very different. Her hair was a frail shade of silver and her skin was a matte white and didn't hold the same lustre as it did at night. Of course, these were petty observations and Loki was more looking forward to doing some proper hunting with his brother; if there was one thing that they both enjoyed, it was the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of a good kill.
They finished their meals and took their respective weapons before heading to the stables. The summer sun was high above them but a cool breeze was rustling the leaves, if there was a day that Seren was going to see, it was this one. Some servants were preparing the horses, brushing them and putting on their saddle blankets.
"Do you ride often?" Seren asked the group as a whole.
"If we are going far, as we are today, and sometimes we hunt on horseback if we are pursuing swift game." Said Fandral, dusting off a green and gold blanket and throwing it over his horse.
"In the forest of Aldr, the primary prey is the deer-like Fulveg, they are quick, graceful beasts and make excellent sport." Thor said, putting the saddle on his gleaming white horse and smiling at Seren.
"It has been awhile since we have been there, we try to balance how many we kill." Hogun explained, Seren nodded and reached her horse: a beautiful black mare with a long, flowing mane.
The warriors saddled their horses and started to slowly ride through Asgard, towards the city border where the forest started.
"What will happen to the beasts we kill?" Seren asked. Sif was riding next to her, so she answered.
"Fulveg meat is very good and the hides can be used to make leather, the bones we give to the dogs. We would save the heads for décor, but it doesn't really suit the palace." Seren nodded in agreement, she wasn't one for such gaudy displays of conquest. Even in the military camp where she lived, she preferred tapestries and relics behind glass. Occasionally a commoner or two would look at Seren and tighten their grip on their children, but she ignored this fear and enjoyed seeing so many people enjoying the day as much as she was.
The princes rode at the head of the group, waving at commoners that they passed. Thor turned to Loki and smiled at him
"I am glad that you and Seren have ceased this quarrel." Thor said. "I was concerned the two of you would be coming today with the intention of killing each other off in the woods."
"Alas, my plans have been foiled!" Loki laughed, smiling at his brother. "I have gained nothing from her and have decided to set my sights on other aspirations."
"Such as?"
"Killing more than you." He said with a grin. Thor laughed, shaking off his brother's boast. His green eyes glinted, a flickering flame of competition stirred within him. There was little they did together that Loki didn't consider as a challenge.
Once they were clear of the houses and the busy hub of central Asgard, their horses quickened their hooves as they reached a glorious golden gate. The doors groaned opened for the seven riders and Seren looked out into the woods, her horse shook its head and snorted. The forest of Aldr was thick and lush with magnificent pines, oaks and rushing water, on either side of the woods were vast mountains of quartz that framed the magnificence before them. With a mighty whinny of his mount, Thor led them into the grand forest.
The horses leapt over fallen logs and rushing streams. The leaves whipped at their faces as they rode through a labyrinth of tall trees and birds took flight around them. Seren followed them at the end of the line, feeling at home amongst the shady canopy and dappled sunlight of the woods. They slowed their pace as Thor led them to a clearing, where a tree with scarlet leaves hung over a stream and a patch of grass.
"Let us make camp, we'll use the tree roots to secure our packs and our horses." Thor said, crossing the stream to the grassy knoll. Volstagg and Hogun removed bulky packs from their horses and hid them in a hole at the base of the red tree. Seren brushed some hair out of her face as she dismounted and led her mare to the water.
"Has it been awhile since you last hunted?" Volstagg asked her as her led his horse to the water as well.
"Longer than I would have liked. Though I have pursued others for the service of Asgard, I haven't hunted game in many years."
"Then let us start! We have a full day together and we must make the most of it." Sif said, taking out a dagger and smiling widely.
The seven friends set off into the dark woods, Seren taking to the trees, climbing up into the canopy and weaving her way through the leafy ocean. The hunters came to a heard of Fulveg, their black coats and gold antlers gleaming in the sunlight. They had a set of four blue eyes that looked in alternate directions, which made them wonderful prey to outwit. Seren grinned and made herself comfortable on the branch of an oak tree, taking out her bow and drawing back an arrow. Her eyes narrowed behind her visor and she released it and a stag groaned in pain.
The seven friends burst out of the woods and surprised the herd, with broad smiles and gleaming blades they started the hunt. Hogun brought his mace down on the skull of one of them, while Fandral sliced at the legs and brought one crashing to the grass. Sif spun through the air, her body arching as she twisted down and stabbed one straight through the heart with perfect precision. Volstagg laughed as one charged at him in defence, so he simply took it by the antlers and swung it around his head with a wide smile. Thor laughed as he leapt on the back of one and steered it straight into a rock, leaping off at the last minute, his scarlet cloak flying in the sun.
Loki smiled as he saw Seren crouched in the tree, he conjured a doppelganger at the trunk. One of the Fulveg saw this and sped at the illusion, it's golden antlers pointed at the tree and the false prince. Loki grinned as the stag charged, when suddenly Seren dropped from the tree and her boots landed squarely on the beast's head, blood spattered the ground. There came a painful bleat and the animal lay still, she cocked her head at Loki with a wide smile. He sighed sarcastically, but threw out a knife and killed a Fulveg without even looking. Seren rolled her eyes and laughed lightly, Loki smirked at her. The others took their prizes, clapping each other on the back and celebrating in the spoils of their hunt. Sif wrapped her arm around Seren and hugged her close as they dragged the dead beasts behind them.
The pile of Fulveg grew higher and higher, the black fur was spatted with blood. The Asgardians were relaxing in the clearing together, they had taken a break and were eating on the grass, enjoying the peace around them. On a cloth was food and drink, Volstagg still sucking the marrow from the bones and Seren was dangling her legs over the edge of a branch, devouring a hunk of bread. The others were having sparring matches on the grass; Loki was leaning up against the tree and watching some passing birds. It was then that something caught his eye.
A red meteor was falling from the sky, heading to the edges of the forest. This was not uncommon for comets and meteors to fall over Asgard, since it was headed for the woods, the patrols didn't think to destroy it. Loki shrugged this off and looked up at the archer, seeing her long legs swing back and forth. Seren felt a strange, ominous tug at her core. Her injured arm started to ache and she threw her hair back with a sigh. Then she saw the meteor.
"Seren?" Thor turned to her as she dropped from the tree and seized her horse, lifting herself up and not taking her eyes off the meteor. Loki straightened up and walked towards her, looking up at her face that was filled with uncertainty, a cold sweat breaking across her temples; he glanced up at the meteor and narrowed his gaze at her. Though he could not see her eyes, he could hear the crack in that shield around her secret.
"What is it?" Hogun asked. The meteor fell just beyond the tree line and a ripple of impact spread through the forest; the horses bucked wildly and whinnied to the summer sky. Sif and Volstagg steadied them and looked up at Seren, she turned and looked at them.
"I-I'll be back in a few minutes, please stay here until I get back." She said. Fandral smiled at her.
"Getting a head start on the next round, are we?" He joked, but Seren's head turned at him and his smile vanished.
"Stay. Here." Her voice was deadly, quivering. Loki watched at Seren disappeared into the woods, her wild hair flashing in the light. Everyone looked at each other in confusion.
"What did she see?" Volstagg asked. Sif ran her fingers through the horse's mane, but they were still uneasy.
"Something falling from the sky." Hogun said. Loki looked to the ground and bit his lip in thought, he didn't know Seren well, but he knew that she was fearful of something in those dark woods. Without another thought, he seized his horse and took out a knife.
"We should get ready to leave…" He said quietly, looking at Thor and the others.
"Why brother? We have barely started our hunting!" Thor smiled; Loki glared at him and turned back to the woods, but Seren had vanished. Ants were crawling over the bread she had dropped.
Her eyes were wide behind the visor as she raced through the woods, her horse thundering over the roots and tearing up huge piles of soil in its stride. Seren felt like she was going to be sick, her stomach in knots and her arm was burning under the bandages. Every thought that passed through her was disbelief, the red meteor, her hunter instincts and the searing pain in her arm…
With a tug on the reigns she suddenly stopped her horse with a whinny of pain, there was something very, very wrong in the wind. The air was soaked with the stench of fire, blood and fur. Seren took out her bow and leapt from her horse, hiding against one of the trees. She gulped down the rising lump in her throat and drew an arrow, slowly advancing towards the smell of burning wood.
Seren crouched behind a log, her long white hair spilling over her shoulders as she closed her eyes and took a deep, slow breath. Lifting her head, she looked over at the crater. There was a burnt ring of black earth, encircled with gold and red fire, the remains of a primitive ship. Her dark eyes scanned the edges of the crater, the woods were still, quiet and soundless.
Seren froze, her eyes were wide and her arrow fell to the forest floor. Across the crater, between the trees… a pair of gleaming, malevolent, nightmarish golden eyes were staring at her.
Loki looked around at the others as Fandral and Hogun mounted their horses, they had finished packing but were still sceptical over Seren's sudden disappearance. There was something in the wind that set their nerves on edge, their horses unsteady.
"What say you about this change in events?" Thor asked him, he had mounted his horse and waited next to his brother for Seren's return.
"If this is a joke, then it is in very poor taste." Loki said, his horse shifted beneath him. "The likely outcome of this is it's some form of foreign superstition, a necessary caution she feels compelled to act on." Thor nodded and watched as the others mounted their horses.
"Hopefully, though she did seem terribly frightened." He said quietly. Sif scoffed as she rode over to them.
"Seren? Frightened?"
There came a terrible crash from the forest and Seren came sprinting out of the woods, her horse foaming at the mouth and her face was caked with sweat. She stopped at the sight of her friends and they looked up at her shaking form.
"What did you find?" Thor asked.
"We're leaving! Get on your horses, leave the Fulveg." She said, her voice shaking with terror. Loki's eyes widened at her quivering form.
"Tell us what you saw." Hogun said, holding fast to his wild horse.
"LATER!" Seren screamed, the others stared up at her in shock at her outburst. "There is no time, we've got to move! NOW!"
"ENOUGH!" Thor bellowed. Seren flinched as Thor rode over to her and glared at her. Loki watched as Seren shook under his brother's gaze.
"T-Thor, not now!" His mighty hand lashed out and seized her arm, threatening to break it. Loki felt sick, watching her face contort in pain. The others gazed at Thor and Seren, their jaws dropping.
"This has gone on for FAR TO LONG! You will tell us what you saw, IMMEDIATELY." He snarled. She shook her head and Thor's grip tightened; she cringed and felt tears beneath the visor and blood on her arm.
"Thor…" Loki muttered, riding over to them as Seren winced in pain. "Let go of her." He hissed, his eyes narrowing at Thor's grip. The two brothers glared at each other
Then came a terrible, blood-curdling roar; a roar that rung through all of Asgard and to the furthest reaches of the realm. Colour drained from everyone's faces and they all looked to the woods. Thor's hand fell from her burning arm. A horrifying voice ripped through the air.
"STAR GODDESS!"
All eyes turned to Seren as a tear slipped from under her visor.
"I'm so sorry."
