AN: My lovelies, thank you for your patience. Here is chapter 10, and I hope this one will compensate for those cruel cliff hangers I left you with.
While I wrote this, I listed to Malleus Malleficarum – The Da Vinci Code soundtrack.
The song at the beginning is 'Skyfall' by Adele.
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Marvel.
Chapter 10
This is the end,
Hold your breath and count to ten,
Feel the earth move and then,
Hear my heart burst again.
Skyfall is where we start,
A thousand miles and poles apart,
Where worlds collide and days are dark.
For this is the end,
I've drowned and dreamt this moment,
So overdue I owe them,
Swept away, I'm stolen.
Asgard, two centuries ago.
Rain pounded heavily from the heavens. It fell down, heavy and full of pain. Skies of steel fluttered above Asgard for first time after one millennia, hiding the great cope of universe, shielding the stars and nebula from the desperate looks of Aesir.
That day was the one of mourning.
The palaces, the majestic courts, the grand halls, streets, rivers, lakes and mountains… All fell silent in honor of their fallen prince, brother, son and warrior. It was the morning after Baldr died, mysteriously and quietly. Not in the rage of battle, not followed by a war cry, not from old age or love.
He was murdered. And the enigma wrapped itself around everyone, because none knew who did it.
In the royal chambers sat Odin. He held his old head inside his hands, his wrinkled brow tired, his eyes bloodshot and desperate. Frigga paced in front of him restlessly, shaking as she stomped. Back and forth, back and forth. Her golden dress shimmered and rustled, her golden head bowed down, her white hands clenched together in front of her.
None spoke… until someone walked in. The door burst open as Thor practically ran inside, his hair windblown, hammer inside his tight fist, his face flushed and shining from rain. Frigga stopped pacing, and turned to meet him.
'Father…' he stepped forwards, eager and worried '… we need to speak.'
It seemed Odin didn't hear a word Thor said, nor did he acknowledge his presence, for he continued to stare at the floor.
'Oh my son…' Frigga choked brokenly, as she stepped closer to Thor, and with a gentle motherly hand, she reached and cupped the side of Thor's young face. 'Your father is tired.' She sniffed loudly 'You shall speak tomorrow.'
Ignoring his mother's words, Thor stepped even closer to Odin's throne and fell to his knees. His mighty hammer soon followed, and the room echoed after the impact. The noise woke Odin from his daydream. Not waiting for his permission, Thor spoke.
'Loki is missing.'
Frigga stopped, shock written all over her beautiful face. 'What?'
'I tried to find him. He is not in his chambers, not in the garden, not anywhere.' Thor said, his eyebrows knitted in worry, as he looked at his father pleadingly.
'Father, I beg for your permission…' Thor said '…let me speak to Heimdall. He shall be able to tell where Loki is.'
'No.' Odin gave a short and cold answer.
'Then you speak to Heimdall-' Thor suggested, reaching with his hand.
'No.' The All father repeated, interrupting his eldest son. His tone had a cutting edge to it. Frigga now gazed at her husband as though he struck her across her royal face.
'My king-'
'Father-'
Both Thor and Frigga spoke, begging him, only their voices were cut as Odin growled loudly
'I said no!' And he stood from the throne, restless and angry.
None of them spoke for a long while. Thor stood up, and walked to his mother's side. Frigga clenched her stomach, looking worried beyond words. Leaning onto him, with great tears in her eyes, the high Queen spoke… this time, no one interrupted her, not even the Allfather.
'Odin…' she started slowly '… you lost your youngest son last night. I…' Frigga drew a shuddering breath '…lost my youngest son last night.' Odin just looked at his wife, his fists clenched at his sides, tears streaming from his one good eye.
'Help us find Loki.' She whispered, as tears welled up 'Valhalla! Let us not lose our second son. Let us not lose Loki.' She openly sobbed now. 'Send help, with all haste! Find Loki! Please!'
Odin did not move, Odin did not speak.
He merely stared at his wife, his lush armor glinting as the fire cracked next to him, warming them as slippery chills followed their every move, cold rain soaking their bones, even though the royal family was inside. After silence passed, Frigga broke from her son, and walked swiftly to her king and her eternal love. Like a beggar woman, she dropped to her knees, and Thor had to look somewhere else, not believing his own mother fell at her knees in front of his father.
Like a viper, Frigga caught Odins hand, and clenched it inside her own. 'Odin. Find. Loki.' she hissed through her teeth, sobs escaping her 'For me.'
Odin gave her a steely glare that matched the sky above them.
'I know he's done it.' Odin snarled angrily, but only loud enough for Frigga to hear him.
'Oh no, no, no-' Frigga shook her head violently, tears slipping 'We don't know that, we don't know that.' She trembled like a branch as Odin broke his hand out of her grasp. 'I beg of you!' she yelled 'By Yggdrasil, Odin! GET LOKI BACK HERE!'
Thor watched in shock as his parents argued, and a lump formed inside his throat, his vision blurring.
Odin straightened up and declared, as if he spoke to a hall filled with people 'The sadness we all feel is great, for a great life has been lost.'
The queen sobbed on the floor, under her husband's feet, unmoving. Thor looked down at his hammer, feeling as though someone poured molten iron inside his throat.
'And we shall all suffer.' Odin declared coldly, through his teeth. 'One way or another.'
Frigga knew what stood behind those words. She knew when he said suffer, he did not mean suffering because of sadness. He meant mental torture, physical pain, pushing the boundaries of one's endurance. Pushing it until it breaks.
And in Odin's words, only one person deserved that kind of scourge and retribution.
The rain pounded more violently, engulfing the Realm Eternal in grey depression. Through thunder and lightning, screams echoed, blowing in the wind. Far, far away, on a distant shore, roars tore. They tore from the very soul of a man chained on a cold rock like an animal.
Accused, punished, left to die.
Loki, indeed, suffered, as the snake wound around the cliff like poison ivy, letting the fiery poison drip from the beasts' bared fangs. Loki screamed. Loki pleaded the sky.
A young man. Such a young man. He, who was born noble. He, who was high royalty. A prince. An heir to the throne. Left to die, like a worthless thief.
Slowly, like a plague, hatred filled that young man, and it was from that day that his mind fell into shadow, and like a hanging drop of insanity, waited for the earthquake that will make it fall down.
Once it fell down, the beast would be unchained and the shadow he felt would be reflected onto the whole of Nine realms.
...
As Loki's tall glorious form engulfed Darcy in the darkest shadow she ever found herself in, she felt life passing in front of her eyes. Uncertainty and excitement caught her, and for a moment she thought if their lips met - everything would be different.
Right now, the world could be ending, meteors could be falling; sea could be drowning the dry desert, Jane and Erik could come banging on her door, yelling to her they have returned. Even SHIELD could come, throwing thousands of questions her way, but she wouldn't care. Not as long as he was there.
Nothing mattered to Darcy at this moment. Nothing but two hungry emerald eyes that made her feel indescribable.
It seemed they held a power worthy of their master.
With just one dark glance, they were capable of changing everything Darcy ever believed in, with just one look. All her knowledge, all her memories, everything she ever believed in, stood for, trusted, needed, loved. It all fell apart, because each passing second, he stole more of her away.
Bit by bit, second by second, hour by hour… Darcy Lewis faded, and was completely and utterly his.
Darcy shuddered, shame filling her as pictures of her deepest desires flew in front of her eyes, like a frightening old film, rolling in a smoky theatre. Limbs knotted, lips pressed, moans, grunts, whitening knuckles, cold sheets… All balled up inside her, fueled by need, triggered by want.
And at this moment, Darcy was afraid her heart would give up, and stop beating altogether, as Loki's tall shadow fell slowly over her, shielding her from the warm light, bathing her in his godly darkness.
'Loki-' Darcy started, looking up at him, as she pressed her back to the wall, looking like a scared doe, caught in the headlights, or cornered by a predator.
'I'm not sure if this is a good idea-'
What the hell is wrong with you? You know you want this. Don't let it get away! Her heart screamed.
Yes, Darcy, mother always told you not to play with fire. He got closer than he should, now - tell him to step away. Her irritatingly rational mind chuckled.
Loki's damp hair was slicked back, one lost tress falling over his forehead, like a black feather. He frowned, as he looked at her, their faces only inches away. Breathing deeply, his frozen heart jumping to his throat, Loki said the next words with such urgency, his voice so deep and so raspy, it made the fight between her mind and heart even harder, as she longed to swallow all of his pent up rage and sadness she knew he held inside.
It poisoned him for far too long.
'Woman…' he growled, desire and need evident in his deep tenor '…give me your lips.'
'Wh-' she started shakily, as her glasses felt crooked on the bridge of her prominent nose.
The god of mischief never let her finish. 'I said we are not done yet.' And as if he didn't stand close enough, Loki stepped even closer. 'And I mean it.'
You will be mine…
His large spidery hand slid down, touching the side of Darcy's waist lightly, and then he gripped it, as though sensing the struggle inside her, and attempting to shake away the warnings and fears she felt. Loki's other free hand slid from her upper arm, over her shoulder. His pale thumb touched her delicate collar bone that protruded ever so daintily out of her creamy flesh. Shivers broke all over Darcy as her eyes fluttered for a moment.
The heart was winning.
Loki then moved his palm gently to the back of her neck, holding her like a precious piece of jewelry. Once he had a hold on her, Loki gazed deeply into her eyes and pulling her towards him, instantly covered her lips with his own.
Word could not describe the thirst and hunger that possessed the lips of the god of lies. Famished and needy, they moved feverishly across Darcy's full lips. One second, she was still, and then all her barriers broke down, like a black cloud filled with too much rain. One light that still shined in the back of the dimly lit room trembled under Loki's power. At that moment, Darcy realized, the electricity came not from Loki's rage, but from Loki's passion. Like it was going to burn out. It fluttered angrily, matching Darcy's pulse.
It was a breaking point for the mortal woman, as she kissed Loki back with as much desire, sliding her arms shakily around his neck. Soon, her fingers found his wet hair, and lightly threaded through them, while the god of mischief cradled Darcy's neck in his free hand, the other pressing her curves into his body with a commanding pressure onto her waist. The struggle inside Darcy disappeared like sun behind a cloud, as she moaned her approval. Her hands pulling him in, Darcy stood on her tiptoes as she tried to reach him. Moving his neck lower, Loki drank from Darcy's lips.
The intensity never wavered during their kiss. It only intensified. In one moment of frenzy and heat, Loki grabbed the back of Darcy's thigh in his large hand quite violently, bringing her nearer, possessing her, protecting her, wanting her like he never wanted anyone before.
His lips were ice cold, but felt so perfect to Darcy, as she wanted to drown in his tight embrace.
A light bulb couldn't stand so much flickering and tampering, so it exploded loudly, bathing both of them in an intimate darkness.
Finally, after too long, their kissing broke, but only to be transferred elsewhere. Darcy held onto Loki's black t-shirt, fisting the garment as she felt Loki's magic pulse inside her, feeding her racing heart. She threw her head back, her dark locks falling over his tightened arm that covered her waist. Loki drew his talented lips over her pale neck, and as he felt her bile speeding up, Darcy felt Loki smiling devilishly into her skin. She moaned his name quite loudly, placing her small palms gently over his chest, in attempts to feel his own heart.
Freely, both of them swam in each other's ocean of emotion. They felt no fear, no boundaries. Nothing held them back, and both of them for the first time in their lives felt it. It crawled behind them when they least expected it. It was indescribable, unimaginable, perfect and glorious.
Freedom.