Ellie watched as Loki was led away, not daring to move until he was fully out of her sight. She held her wrist to her chest, her heart still beating uncontrollably from what she'd seen. That green light. What had Loki done? Her wrist didn't hurt at all, but she could never be too sure. She felt a presence beside her, drawing her from her frozen state. Thor came to her side, placing his hand on her shoulder. She shivered a little before looking at him, seeing the concern in his eyes.
"I'm okay," she said softly. "Really."
"You are too lenient with him, All Father," The Lady Sif spoke again, though her anger was heavily coated by reverence. Odin sighed.
"Perhaps," he said, turning to the woman. "But when you have young of your own, Lady Sif, you will know the weight I bare."
Her cheeks went bright red and she stepped back, knowing she had no right to speak in that area.
Odin sat back in his chair, clearly drained from the weight of the act he had just performed. He rubbed his brow before looking down at Ellie, trying his best to put on a calm face once again.
"Now that judgement has been passed upon my son, Lady Conner," he said. "I believe I should focus on what you were promised."
Ellie blinked. "I… I wasn't promised anything… not that I can recall anyway."
Odin smiled. "I mean the message my son gave to you on Midgard. That you would be welcome in our home, a guest of my house."
Ellie swallowed, wondering if the offer no longer stood because of something she had said about Loki. She wouldn't have blamed them, given all she'd said which didn't exactly paint Loki to be the best of souls, but the fear of being locked away again began to creep into her heart.
As they pulled him away, he kept his eyes trained on her, never leaving until his neck could bare the strain no longer. And so he allowed his guards to lead him away. Their grip upon his arms was strong, though Loki could sense a hint of softness, given that they had been told they were still handling Asgardian royalty. Weaklings.
He said nothing to them as they lead him through the palace, memories conjuring up at ever corridor where he and his bro- where he and Thor used to play and chase each other. Quiet moments spent in the comfort of a book, protected under a torch's warm glow. He tried to suppress the memories. Remind himself they were nothing but lies.
But could something that actually happened be a lie? Even Loki did not have all the answers.
That was not important now. What mattered was his current situation within Asgard, and how he would be able to see his flower again.
It didn't surprise him that Odin had his quarters moved to the other end of the palace. It was not so astounding a feat, really, enough magic and the whole palace could have been rearranged to the All Father's will. It was exactly how he remembered it, though strangely well kept, he suspected his mother had something to do with that. Shelves upon shelves of books, a glorious four poster bed covered in gold and green cloth, his desk, chairs, a small table, his wardrobe. He looked around the room as his captors unlocked his chains, allowing them to fall freely. Perhaps for his own knowledge alone, Loki snapped his fingers once, hoping to conjure a spell to set his guards on fire. Nothing, not even a tiny spark.
So the All-Father's will was already in affect. His powers had been lowered to the basest level.
"May we fetch you anything, My Lord?" One guard asked, breaking Loki's silence.
How cute, attempting to… what did mortals call it? "Kiss Up" Perhaps? Loki could hear the fear in his voice. Good, at least his guards knew who they were dealing with.
"Leave me," he hissed. They didn't have to be told twice. He felt the magic surround his door as they closed it, locking him within his room… his prison now, with no means of escape.
For the moment, anyway.
He walked about his room for a minute, recalling what he had once believed to be his rightful place in the world. No, no longer. He shook his head. Too much sentiment. He'd allow only enough for those few who truly deserved it. But if this was not… NO! He nearly struck himself for his foolishness. Not now. He'd have plenty of time to dwell. Now, he had to make sure his last- and perhaps final for the time being- use of magic had not gone to waste.
Glancing over his shoulder, if only to make sure his guards had no alternate way of observing him with the door to his room closed, he lifted the palm of his right hand directly below his lips. Flexing his fingers carefully, he breathed into his hand.
"Flos, Regis Filia, Exorior."
Loki watched as tiny threads of green light and smoke curled from his hand, curving themselves delicately around each other as though in an intricate dance. They moved gracefully and before long, every shape, every detail was clear to him.
The tiny figure, made of light and smoke, summoned through the life force they now shared, bore her every likeness. A tiny copy, showing each breath and movement. What little magic he now retained was enough to summon this small form and his final spell had not been in vain. He could watch her now, see her every action when when locked away. Even Odin could not prevent that.
"Even if I must remain in this prison for eons at end," He smiled, watching the form kneel to who he presumed must have been the All-Father. "I will always know of you."
Whatever worries Ellie had originally had at first soon vanished at Odin's words.
Odin informed her that he'd taken the liberty of having one of the guest rooms in the Western Wing of the palace- the quarters set aside for guests of honor as well as the farthest location in the palace from Loki's chambers- re-furnished and would from here on out be her living space if she found it acceptable. Ellie doubted that she'd find it "unacceptable." Heck, they could have placed her in the royal dog house and she'd have bet it was akin to five-star hotel.
"I've had your things taken to your quarters," Odin informed her. "If you wish, you may retire for now. I believe that's enough for one day. You are more than welcome to join us for dinner if you'd like."
Ellie didn't feel all that hungry at the moment, but from the way Odin spoke of it, dinner seemed to be ages away. "I'd like that," she said, giving him a smile. Odin nodded.
"Very well then," He rose. Everyone in the room bowed, Ellie followed in suit. "We'll speak more later. Allow yourself this time to settle in, Lady Conner. I welcome you into my home; know that you have the All-Father's protection." With that, he left his throne, the two ravens following behind him.
Ellie's cheeks went bright pink. She'd never regarded herself as someone who deserved something like that. From Odin's voice, she sounded like she was someone important.
She felt she was a lot of things. "Important"….wasn't really one of them. Not a lot, anyway.
"Come," A gentle voice pulled Ellie from her mind and a warm hand placed itself upon her shoulder. Ellie looked up, meeting the eyes of the elegant women from before, the one dressed in silver."I'll show you to your chambers and you can see if it suits you."
Ellie regarded the woman for a moment, looking at her eyes. They were soft, wise, kind…
She had eyes just like...
Ellie bit her tongue, feeling a mist burning behind her eyes. Thor stepped beside the woman, drawing the feeling away slightly.
"You needn't worry," He said. "With Lady Frigga, you are in good hands."
"Frigga," Ellie said softly, the name conjuring a memory. It was a beautiful name… the name of Odin's wife! She WAS Odin's wife, making her Thor's and thus Loki's Mother. Adopted mother perhaps, but from the way she went to him…..
Ellie regained herself, remembering she was in the presence of royalty and bowed. Frigga shook her head, a small smile on her lips.
"Enough bowing for one day," she said. "Come." She began to lead Ellie away. Thor waved to her.
"Rest Well, Lady Ellie," he called. "We'll meet again at Dinner." He turned and walked towards the group of four warriors awaiting him. Ellie took her gaze away, allowing herself to be lead by the Asgardian queen through the palace. It amazed her how easily Frigga navigated the castle. True, she must have lived there for… for longer than Ellie could even dream off, but she didn't seem to hold the slightest hint of fear at getting lost. Ellie allowed herself to relax a little, though her heart was still pounding in her chest from everything that had happened. She looked around her new… home? Could she use that word? Would this grand palace, where some of the most powerful beings in the universe resided… would this place be her home?
Maybe. Not now, at any rate. She didn't have the right to call it that yet.
"It must be overwhelming."
Frigga's words brought her back. "Hmm?" Ellie asked. "Sorry."
"Our palace," Frigga said. "From what I know of Midgard, such architecture is very rare."
"Oh," Ellie said. Well, she had a point, this place was a lot to swallow. "We have some architecture like this," Ellie said. "But I've only read about it and I know it isn's on this scale. You could probably fit the Forbidden City in here easily."
"The what?" Frigga asked.
"The Forbidden City," Ellie said. "It's a huge palace that was built in China a long time ago." She tried to remember the date from her history class but drew a blank.
"And it was forbidden for mortals to enter?" Frigga asked.
"Some," Ellie said. "From what I remember, I think only the Emperor of China and certain officials could go in." She grinned abashedly. "I just remember the buildings more than anything else."
Frigga gave Ellie's hand a little squeeze. "I regret my knowledge of Midgardian history is not as strong or extensive as I would like it to be. Perhaps there is more you could tell me."
"I'm sure you know a lot more than me," Ellie said. "I was just okay at general history. Art History was fine, regular history could… be painful at times."
"You are kind to say that," Frigga said. "But do not sell yourself short, Daughter of Conner."
Ellie wasn't sure how to respond to that. She knew a ton of people who knew a lot more about world history than she did. She was just trying to be honest. But Frigga's kindness was appreciated. A lot, actually.
"Is something wrong?" Frigga asked, taking in Ellie's silence.
"No," Ellie started. "I…yes, I…" She paused, rambling wasn't going to help her anyway. "I'm sorry," she managed to get out, holding a smile. "My mouth sometimes runs away with itself."
Frigga gave her a kind smile and nodded. "My eldest son often does that."
Ellie couldn't suppress the giggle that came out.
Eventually, Frigga lead her to a set of double doors made of gold that bore patterns of flowers and stars. Despite its stature, Lady Frigga seemed to open it with ease as she motioned for Ellie to step inside.
Ellie had figured the whole room would be made of gold, but it still took her breath away. She had never expected her room to be so huge! She could have fit two or three versions of her bedroom back home into it and still had plenty of room. Enough to fill it with several pieces of furniture including a table, a desk, a small love seat and a bookshelf. On the left side of the room were a set of large glass doors that lead to an open balcony.
"Like Jasmine's room," Ellie mused aloud, giggling to herself a little.
"Pardon?" Frigga asked.
"Oh," Ellie grinned. "Just my mouth running away again."
Despite all the gold, Ellie was excited to vibrant colors in the room. The carpet beneath her feet was almost a sherbet orange and several of the flowers on the walls were painted. But the best part was the celling. She figured it must have been enchanted as it reflected the same colors as the sky outside.
"When the sun sets," Frigga told her, "The celling itself turns to night with thousands of stars to sleep under. My sons used to love that."
The large bed in the center of the room was decorated with white and gold bedding, giving it the appearance of a fluffy golden cloud. To her surprise, her book bag and bow and quiver of arrows were already set upon it, waiting for her to return.
"I'll be sure to see that you have some clothes brought in for you," Frigga said. "I was not sure how much you were bringing with you."
"Thank you," Ellie said, turning back to the queen. "I Really… I can't tell you how much I appreciate all this. For a while I thought I won't have anywhere to go… at least not freely."
"I am glad we were able to help you," Frigga said. "One should always have a place to call home."
Ellie turned and looked at her. Seeing the warmth in her face, a genuine, honest warmth, it made Ellie speechless. Frigga wanted her to think of this as her home. She hoped she'd be able to. She nodded her response.
"Is there anything else you might need at the moment?" Frigga asked.
Ellie shook her head. "Not that I can think of. Thank you though."
"Well," Frigga walked over to the young woman. "As the All-Father said, then, you should take this time to rest." She gently put her hands on Ellie's cheeks and placed a kiss on her forehead. "The washroom is the door to your right if you wish to bathe. I'll come for you when its time for supper."
"Thank you," Ellie said. Deep within her, she wanted to throw her arms around this beautiful woman and hug her, cry to her, let out every ounce of sadness and confusion she had in her. But she didn't. It wouldn't be right, she thought. She simply smiled and watched as Frigga left the room, closing the door behind her.
She was alone once again, in her…. in her own room, in the Kingdom of Asgard.
Ellie spent a little bit of time exploring, though "exploring" was somewhat limited to walking around the room several times, sitting on the sofa and chairs, looking in the wardrobe and bathroom and opening the doors to the balcony. The view would have given her a heart attack if she'd not prepared herself for it. All of this new world seemed stretched out before her, a mass of gold and warm colors leading out to an abundant sea of stars. Ellie might have stood there forever if a cold breeze hadn't passed through, coaxing her to go back inside.
She walked back over to the bed and picked up her new bow and quiver of arrows. She held it up in position, trying to remember all she could from her lessons with Clint. It did feel pretty good in her hands, the perfect grip, the right weight. Ellie felt a rising want in her chest to test it out, but seeing how the risk of destroying something probably priceless was too great, she put the feeling aside and sat the bow and quiver down beside her bed. She'd ask Frigga if there was a place where she could practice later.
Her eyes turned back tot he book-bag Tony Stark had given her. It was small, not too small, but upon closer inspection, it looked as though it was packed to bursting. She took a moment to admire the fine quality of the leather and the soft design burned into the edges for detail. This might have been a bag she'd have gotten for herself if she had the money. She wished she could have thanked Tony Stark for excellent taste.
She then opened the bag and for what seemed to be the millionth time that day, her heart stopped. She looked inside, feeling as though she'd just opened a treasure chest. Trembling fingers pulled out the contents.
A small stuffed animal turtle, a little worn from so many years of hugging. Several small bags of candy, her favorite kinds. A pack of paint brushes, the ones she always used whenever she worked on something special and a few tubes of paint. Several hair scrunches as Ellie rarely kept her hair down, especially when painting. A small pack of photos which Ellie didn't dare open as she thought she'd break down if she did. A small, but colorful empty journal. And finally, a small bundle of letters. On the front of the bundle was a card, which read.
"They know you're safe. They wanted to make sure you had a few special memories of home. All the Best. Phil."
Trembling, Ellie put the card aside and unwrapped the bundle of letters. She put several of them to the side opened one of the letters. A picture fell out onto her lap and four faces looked up at her. One, woman entering in to old age, but seemed to be doing so gracefully. Her brown and white hair was pulled back in a pony tail, the lines around her face made her look wise, yet gentle. Next, a tall older man who was a tad on the skinny side. He was wearing a turtleneck and had brown hair with soft brown eyes. The third, a young, but huge wolf-like dog with light brown and grey fur. And finally, her own face.
They'd taken that last year for their family Christmas card before Ellie had headed off for her final year of college. It had kind of been a spur of the moment photo, with her father claiming that while none of them were dressed up, the honesty of the moment made this the best photo that had ever been taken of them.
He was right.
Ellie opened the letter.
"My Dearest Ellie,
I have not been able to say these words to you for so long so I shall say them now. I love you. I love you more than you shall ever now and as each day passes, I love you more and more. And while my heart breaks at the thought of…. Well, know that my love is always there and always with you. As is your father's love for you and of course, Tobey.
I wish I could be writing these letters to you under kinder circumstances. Updating you on our lives at home while you were away at college. But the knowledge Agent Coulson has given me is limited and while I wish I could know all of what you have been through, my beautiful, brave girl, my prayers have been answered. You are safe…"
The letter continued on for pages and pages, but Ellie didn't get that far. Not even beyond the first paragraph when the tears began to fall. Everything, everything of the last two months, her capture, her recovery, the knowledge she'd never be able to return home, a new world… it all came down her cheeks.
She was barely able to push the pictures and letters out of the way as she crawled onto the bed, grabbing her stuffed turtle and hugging it tightly to her chest. She inhaled deeply, it smelled of home. The tears came even stronger. She lay there on the bed, her treasures from home spread out around her and simply wept into the sheets.
It was when he heard a soft, strange noise that Loki summoned his small figure of his flower again. He'd allowed it to vanish for the time keep from wasting power and allow what little magic he had left to regroup and recharge inside of himself. But that sound, something about it drove him to summon his small form of her again.
He wasn't even sure where the sound came from. There was no one else in the room, he knew it hadn't come from outside the door and while, had his powers been stronger, the tiny form of her might have been able to speak, he knew it didn't come from her. He watched as the smoke and lights formed the tiny figure of his flower.
He'd… he'd never seen her this way before.
Of course he'd seen her cry, if only in secret. In the time they'd spent together, she'd mostly kept her tears to herself. He'd seen her upset and distraught over the loss of her freedom and how greatly she missed her home…
But he'd never seen her like this.
Curled up so tightly, she might as well have been a tiny bug in a cocoon and while he could not hear her, he knew she was weeping. Someone must have brought her to the room Thor had promised she would have… but at the knowledge that she had sanctuary, why was she crying? Why wouldn't she stop?
The fingers of his other hand twitched and reached up towards the form, but he stopped himself. Where had he come up with such a foolish thought? Even if they were connected, he couldn't comfort her through-
Comfort?
He stared at her form for the longest time till something inside made him dismiss the small form. It depressed him too much to see her that way. But why? He'd seen her sad before, why should it- He waved the thought away. He'd seen enough upset people today to last him a life time and if he wanted to think of his flower, he'd think of her at her best, the most beautiful he'd ever seen her.
Strange though, for the rest of the night, he could not get the image of her crying out of his head.
When it was time for supper, Frigga came calling on the young girl again. But after three knocks and no response, she began to get nervous. She opened the door and looked in at the scene.
At first, the sight of the girl curled up on the bed startled her. Had she fallen sick? Had the trip through the Bi-Frost been too must for her? But as she came closer, she saw the items laying on the bed, the empty book bag, the pack of letters. She picked up one of the letters, opening it a little to read the first half. Eventually, she stopped, looking down at the girl on the bed. She gave a sad smile and collected the other items around the bed, placing them back into the book bag which she laid beside her bow and arrows. She collected the letters and the photos and placed them on the bed-side table before pulling out a spare blanket from the wardrobe and laying it over the girl's body. She stroked Ellie's hair once before rising to leave. A servant met her at the door, holding a beautiful light blue dress in her hands.
"My Queen?" She asked, "Is she-"
"I believe she needs a little more rest," Frigga said. "I'll have someone send up a tray for her later. I'd actually like to talk to you about finding some more clothes for her."
"Of course, My Queen." The servant bowed.
"Good," Frigga smiled. She looked back into room, casting a look at the girl on the bed. She closed her eyes, praying Valhalla would watch over her tonight.
"Grant her the comfort she needs," Frigga thought, closing the door softly behind her.
N/A: For any Latin majors, I'm gonna take a guess that my Latin is completely wrong so no disrespect to anyone. ^^ And apologies too if my History or mythology is off. I hope you guys are still enjoying this and still sticking with me and that Ellie hasn't at any point become a Mary-Sue. ^^ Please leave comments and feedback! I love you guys! Kudos, Good Karma and Lots of love!