He grinned at me and for the first time in months, I was frightened of him again. There was something different about Loki... something much more sinister. It was terrifying.
I jumped up and away from him, "You're alive?! No, you can't be. Thor and Odin watched you fall to your death. This is a dream!"
He chuckled and stalked towards me. I walked backwards.
"There is so much more to this universe that is beyond yours or mine understanding, Tynia," he said to me, his voice sounded almost like a growl.
"You're not here," I insisted, "You can't be here..."
I had failed to notice that I had backed up against something and nearly fell backwards but Loki was faster. He grabbed my wrist as fast as lightening and stopped me from falling, but rather he pulled me up and flush against him.
"Careful, darling," he teased, "We wouldn't want the new Lady of the house getting hurt, now would we?"
I was trembling, "H-how did you know that?"
"I see everything," he whispered.
It was then that I noticed what was different, at least one of the many things that was different about him: his eyes were no longer the deep emerald green I had come to know. They were in fact a bright and eerie blue.
"... You're not Loki," I insisted. I tried to push myself away from him but his arms were wrapped around me tightly.
"Am I not?"
"No. If you were, you would have let me go by now. Loki respected my wishes. And your eyes..."
As soon as I had mentioned his eyes, I saw a fleeting glimpse of the Prince I had come to know but it was gone in an instant. This stranger smiled menacingly at me.
"I assure you that I am very much alive and well, Darling. And I have been granted a gift, one more powerful than you could possibly imagine. And with it, I will become the God I was always meant to be!"
I was shaking in his arms... I wanted so desperately to believe that this was not in fact Loki but a cruel, twisted imitation of him. But in my heart I knew that not to be the case. Something dreadful had happened to the Prince and all that was left of him was this... twisted horror of a man.
"But enough talk about that," he smiled at me, "I have missed you, and I intend to make up for the time lost."
He leaned forward to kiss me but I managed to turn my head before he could. It was of no matter to him, however, as he began to work his lips over my neck and under my ear... and my body responded. The way his teeth gently grazed my skin sent fire through to my core and I whimpered. Hearing his evil chuckle at my response, I cursed my body for being so malleable to him. I closed my eyes and gasped when he wrapped his lips over my skin where my neck and shoulder met one another... Finally I opened my eyes and I saw my room fade away to reveal the heavens. Stars glittered around us...
"This IS a dream..." I whispered huskily.
"If it is, then what harm would it be to let it play out?" Loki purred in my ear.
I pushed him away, "No. Loki, stop this at once!"
He grinned at me benevolently then snapped his fingers.
I woke up covered in cold sweat and back in my bed again. I looked all around me for Loki but was met with my empty room. It had been a dream after all. It was far too early for anyone in the house to be awake and daylight was not far away, so I slipped out of bed and began to dress.
As quietly as I could, I ran out of the palace and on to the Rainbow Bridge to the Bifrost. I had never spoken with Heimdall before, in fact I barely knew what he looked like. It was only thanks to the few times he had ever visited the palace (usually in an emergency situation) that I even knew who he was. But at that moment, he was the person I wanted to ask a very alarming question to. Even though the bridge was still undergoing repairs and there was no way on or off Asgard, he stood at the furthest edge of it gazing out into the cosmos. Quietly and nervously, I approached him.
Before I could say anything, his deep, rumbling voice filled the air.
"You did not sleep well, Lady Tynia."
I felt my blood run cold; though it shouldn't have surprised me as the man saw everything, it was unnerving that he knew my name.
"Yes," I cleared my throat, "Twas a nightmare."
"I see everything, but I am not so skilled to see inside of the mind of another." He turned to face me, "So what brings you to my station?"
I had no idea where to begin let alone what I should even be asking; it took me a moment to find my words without sounding completely mad, "... Can you tell me if... Loki is really gone?"
He stared at me, his golden eyes seemed to be searching every crevice of my soul.
"I know that is ridiculous to ask," I rambled, "It's just that-"
"He came to you, didn't he?"
I looked up in shock.
"The Silvertongued Prince is in fact alive, and on Midgard," Heimdall answered and turned back to the vast space behind him.
I ran to his side and stared out with him, "Are you certain?"
"I see everything," he answered me simply.
"What is he doing?"
"I'm not certain you would really like the answer to that."
"Lord Heimdall, in fact I would. You were right, he came to me last night in a dream. Only it wasn't... him. The Loki I knew was kinder and softer, this one was..." I couldn't finish.
He nodded, seeming to understand my confusion, "The wayward Prince has suffered much in his time gone from here. He has become something much more than mischievious at the hands of a ruthless titan. However, I cannot tell who that titan is."
"... What has he done, Heimdall?"
"He has assaulted the people of Midgard, stolen an infinity stone, and is currently tearing apart Midgards mighteous heroes."
"Which is why I am going there, now."
I jumped at Thor's booming voice behind me and quickly turned to bow, "Your Highness'!"
The Allfather and Queen Frigga followed behind him. I quickly moved away from Heimdall and joined her Majesty's side.
"Where is he, Heimdall?" Odin demanded.
"Currently being loaded on to one of the Midgardians ships, sir."
"Then that is where I need to be," Thor said, "Can you do it, father?"
"I shall forget you asked that, Thor," Odin answered sharply, "Now prepare yourself, this will not be as smooth as the bifrost."
Thor nodded. Before Odin could start, the Queen came and took his face in her hands, "Be careful, my son. And please remember... he is your brother."
Thor nodded sadly and kissed his mothers cheek. Heimdall stepped away from the edge and Thor took his place.
"In the name of my father Borr, and in the name of his father Buri, I Odin Allfather call upon the power of my bloodline-" (his staff began to emit lightening) "-and all the Magic in the realms! I send you, Thor Odinson, to Midgard!"
He lifted his staff and slammed it into the broken bridge; Thor was surrounded with lightening and with a loud crack and a blinding light, he was gone.
Heimdall quickly stepped back into his place and searched the cosmos, "... He is safe, my King."
Frigga released the breath she had been holding, "And Loki?"
"... Thor has recovered him, but the tesseract is not with him. It is not possible to summon them back from this side, your Majesty."
"Thor knows what needs to be done," Odin answered, "He will recover the tesseract and with it bring himself and Loki back to Asgard. There is nothing more that can be done from us."
He turned to walk back towards the Palace. Frigga stayed behind a moment longer, "Heimdall, should anything happen to either of our sons..."
"I wil inform you immediately, my Queen."
She nodded with relief and turned to follow Odin, but not before turning to me, "Tynia, my dear, come with me please."
I nodded before looking to Heimdall, "Thank you, Lord Heimdall."
"You're welcome, my Lady," he nodded in response. I had turned to follow her Majesty when he called me back, "My Lady, I would avoid the gardens for a time, if I were you."
I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion before quickly catching up with the Queen again, the Allfather walking directly in front of us.
"Are you well, Tynia? You look tired," Queen Frigga asked me kindly as we walked.
"I am well, your Majesty, thank you for your concern. I just had a troublesome dream last night."
She looked at me pointedly, "Is that why you were out here?"
I swallowed the lump in my throat; it was going to be difficult to explain that I was searching for Loki, "... Well, in my dream, Loki came to visit me."
Odin immediately stopped walking and turned to the two of us, "I beg your pardon?"
In that moment, I wasn't sure who I was more afraid of: the twisted version of Loki or of the Allfather himself, "Well, um... he just came to me, and at first I thought he was really there but as soon as I learned it was a dream, he snapped his fingers and I woke up."
Odin stared at me coldly before turning to Her Majesty, "My Queen, please leave us."
I stood there petrified as she continued to walk back towards the palace, leaving me alone with the Allfather.
"Why would Loki come to you?" Odin asked me directly.
"I-I-I don't know why, your Majesty."
"Are you a part of his schemes?"
"No, your Majesty."
"Has he been instructing you to do certain activities that might aid him?"
"No, your Majesty!" I insisted.
"If Thor manages to bring him back here alive, why should I believe that you would not free him and thereby commit treason against Asgard?"
I stood there in complete terror, my life suddenly hanging in the balance. Shaking, I answered, "Your Majesty... Loki rendered me unconscious when he set out to destroy Jotunheim. I wanted to stop him from committing such terrible acts, why would I want to assist him now?"
Odin looked me over and I prayed to Valhalla that my answer proved I was not a threat. Finally, saying nothing, he turned away from me and continued to walk towards the palace. I nearly collapsed on the bridge from relief.
When I returned to my room, Jeong was quick to come to my side.
"My Lady! You did not call for me when you woke!"
"It was far too early, Jeong. I did not want to disturb you," I smiled at her, "I promise I will not do that too often."
She nodded, "Shall I fetch you some breakfast, my Lady?"
The encounter that took place only minutes before left me without any appetite and I shook my head, "No thank you, I am not hungry this morning. But please, go and break your own fast."
"Do you require anything before I go, my Lady?"
"No, not at all. I think I shall try to rest awhile. Please, enjoy."
Jeong smiled, bowed, and left the room. Suddenly feeling tired again from the less than restful night, I laid in my bed and closed my eyes for a while.
Oh Loki Loki Loki... I believe in the fan theory that while he was in possession of the mind stone it did things to him, hence we see him much more sinister here :) please review, your words give me life!
