24 reviews! Thank you guys so much! I am sorry that this is so late.
Athena's POV
She fell in and out of consciousness. She didn't want Odin to accept their offer, but she had a feeling deep inside her that they would.
Once she was finally awake again, the leader stepped forward and unlocked the shackles from around her wrists, and her arms fell forward, pulling her body onto the floor.
She collapsed on the stone floor with a thud, and she let out a whimper of pain.
She heard a few laughs across the room, before she was hauled up.
The leader watched her with a smile, while everyone else was gathering their things. They were not expecting to come back here.
A large man came and scooped her up into his arms easily, and Athena's head fell backwards, for she did not have the strength to hold it up anymore.
The leader walked towards her and turned her face roughly towards his. "I do hope you make it until our exchange. Though I cannot guarantee that you will make it back to them." He finished with an evil smile.
"It is time to leave this small cave! It is time that we leave Asgard!" the leader was shouting towards the men, who were cheering along with him.
He turned to her. "And she is our ticket off."
They started filing out of the cave, and Athena closed her eyes, feeling weak once more.
Her head was rolling back and forth as the man carried her. She forced her eyes open when she felt a few rays of sun on her face.
She looked up into the sky. The sky was filled with orange and pink, as the sun was setting. It was beautiful.
She lost track of how long they had walked, but the man carrying her suddenly stopped.
Athena opened her eyes, and the man started to push through the men, until he reached the front, where the leader was waiting.
They were on the moor where they took her.
She caught a glance of a small army in the distance, being led by someone on a black horse, with a flowing green cape.
Athena closed her eyes. She didn't want him to see her like this.
The leader looked over at her, and smirked. "Ready to die in front of your lover?"
Loki's POV
He pushed his horse harder when figures emerged from the trees in the distance.
It was them.
As he got closer, he saw that there was a huge man holding a body. Athena.
She was laying limp in his arms, and her head was hanging. Was she already dead?
He saw her head move to the side ever so slightly, and he breathed a sigh of relief. She was alive. Barely.
He slowed as they got closer, recognizing the man that was standing next to the giant who was holding Athena. It was the leader.
The leader held out a hand, signaling that they were close enough.
Loki pulled his horse up, signaling to his small army to do the same.
Odin had chosen not to come along, but Heimdal did. He brought along ten more warriors, but they were outnumbered when he saw how many rouges there were.
He hopped off his horse, Heimdal and the warriors doing the same.
A cart followed behind them more slowly, carrying all the weapons that they had desired.
They even brought along a few horses.
Heimdal came to join Loki's side and he glanced in his direction. "Do not fear, prince. She will be alright."
Loki nodded and walked forward, Heimdal keeping step with him, while the warriors stayed behind.
The leader walked towards them, and they stopped about ten feet from each other.
The leader smiled. "Prince Loki! It is a pleasure to meet you! Oh, and Heimdal! Guardian of the Nine Realms! Also a pleasure."
Loki could detect the sarcasm in his voice, but he ignored it. "We brought what you wanted. Now give her back to us."
His eyes glanced towards Athena's limp form, his chest twisting up inside with fear that it was too late.
"Not just yet, my prince. I must hear from Heimdal that he will give us a passage to another world and leave us alone." He glanced at the gatekeeper.
Heimdal met his gaze evenly. "You have my word."
He clapped his hands together. "Wonderful! Now, I must see the quality of the items we are getting."
Loki gestured the cart forward, growing impatient. He could see that Athena was incredibly pale.
The leader walked to the cart and pulled the material aside, to see all the weapons. They were some of Asgard's finest.
"Amazing!" He yanked the horse's reins out of the man walking beside it and walked it towards his men. He threw the reins into the hands of a younger man.
He nodded to a few men, and they came forward to collect the other horses that they brought along.
Loki had to fight to stay still. He had to do this perfectly, or else they would kill Athena.
"We have given you what we promised, now give us Athena." He said, glancing once more towards her.
The leader smiled and walked to the giant man as he dumped Athena harshly into the leader's arms. Loki heard Athena let out a groan of pain.
He fought to stay calm.
He walked towards them but stopped a few feet away.
"Actually," he smiled. "I think I'll kill her."
Loki stared at him in shock, as he pulled out a knife and held it to Athena's throat. The rouges launched themselves forward, and Heimdal gestured towards the warriors, who then took off towards them.
Heimdal was about to leap towards him, when he smiled. "Not so fast, gatekeeper. Do you really want to risk her life?" He glanced down at her limp form.
Around them, people and metal clashed together loudly, as the battle waged on around them.
A few tried to sneak up on Loki, but Heimdal easily batted them away. "I must fight, my prince. Get Athena!" Heimdal shouted, before joining the fighting bodies.
Loki stared at him in shock, as he forced Athena onto her feet, and wrapped his arm around her chest, and held the knife to her throat.
Athena's eyes were open now, staring at him in fright.
The leader smiled wickedly, as he pushed the blade harder against her throat.
"Wait!" Loki cried out. "Please wait!"
The man paused, but he only smiled wider.
Loki couldn't contain his own smile. He was going to make this man pay. And it was going to be fun.
Athena's POV
Athena stared at Loki in shock as he smiled at them. She knew that look. He was planning something.
The leader's grip on her faltered just a bit. He was not expecting that.
Just then, the man grunted loudly in her ear, and he jolted forward.
Loki was still smiling in front of them. Before his form shimmered and disappeared.
Athena gasped softly.
The man let go of her and she tumbled onto the grass.
When she looked up at the man, she saw Loki standing behind him, with his dagger shoved into his stomach. He was smiling.
Then she knew. The Loki in front of them was an illusion. It was only meant to distract him. It worked.
Athena watched as Loki pushed the dagger deeper and the man screamed. "This is what you get for hurting Athena." He swiftly pulled the dagger out and stepped back.
The man fell to his knees, clutching his stomach, his eyes filled with pain and fear, as Loki stepped around him, facing him once more. "You should've known. I am the God of Mischief. Master of Lies." He smiled at the man stared at him.
"This is what you deserve." Loki plunged the dagger into his chest, twisting savagely, before pulling it out and backed away.
The man's eyes glazed over, before he fell onto his back, not moving.
Athena watched Loki this whole time, watching his beauty, and fearing his savagery. He looked like a dark angel.
Her head flopped backward and her eyes closed.
When the man fell backwards, Loki turned and rushed towards her.
He scooped her up into his arms. "Athena! Athena, wake up." His hand came up to cup his face. "Please, open your eyes…"
Athena forced her eyes open, and she saw his face soften with relief. "Oh Athena."
"Surrender! Your leader is dead!" Heimdal shouted as the men stopped and let out a few shouts of dismay.
A few dropped their weapons quickly. The warriors detained them quickly, as most of the others started to do the same. The ones who didn't were dealt with.
Loki's eyes wandered to her body, and stopped on her bloody arm. He gasped softly, before he pulled his cape off from his shoulders, and he wrapped her arm gently, but tightly with his cape.
"No….. Don't…. ruin your cape." She whispered softly.
"I don't care about the cape. I care about you." He said, his voice tight with emotion.
Athena smiled faintly, and Loki pulled her body closer to his. "You're going to be alright Athena. I promise. You'll be fine."
Athena sighed softly. "No…I won't." Loki was about to protest, but she cut him off. "I know the signs Loki. I'm Healer. I know these things." She sighed again. "Just let me die Loki. This way no one will ever know about us. You can still be with Sigyn. Maybe one day you will actually love her, once I am gone."
Loki shook his head. "No. I will never love her." He smiled. "Besides, I already told everyone that I love you."
Athena gasped and sputtered. "You told them?"
Loki placed his hand on her face and his thumb rubbed her cheek softly. "Of course. I wanted everyone to know just what you mean to me."
Athena smiled slightly. "I love you too."
His eyes brightened at her words.
"Kiss me."
He looked at her, surprised. "What?"
"In case I don't make it." She clarified.
"You won't." Loki insisted.
"Please. Just in case." She pleaded, her eyes drifting to his lips.
His eyes drifted down to her own lips, before he pulled her face towards his.
Athena's eyes drifted close, right before his lips met hers.
She shivered under his touch, and she felt him smile against her lips.
She had missed this.
If she died right now, she would die happy. The happiest she had been in years.
I am so sorry that this is late. School started again, and the teachers love to pile on homework. I think I will have to update on weekends now, instead of during the week. I might be able to post on Wednesday or Thursday, but don't count on it. Expect these updates on the weekend from now on. There are not many chapters left, maybe two. So enjoy! Thank you so much for reading! reviews are appreciated!