A/N: Okay, so I am officially dedicating this little author's note to THC:
*Clears throat*
Dear THC,
Given a few days, by the time this chapter is published, I could have proven that Anna is not a 'Mary-Sue-ish' type at all. If you had given me the benefit of the doubt, you would have seen that in this next chapter, Anna's inhuman ability for archery is due solely to her lineage tying back to Sigyn, a powerful goddess. I didn't want some simpering little female who couldn't defend herself when the time calls for it. But, I digress. In fact, I find that I must thank you, dear THC. You have so acutely reminded me that in life there will always be that one person telling you that you can't, that you're not good enough, that the fruits of your labor are bitter with incompetence. And may I kindly remind you, in turn, dear THC, with all due respect, that not every author gives a flying fart what you have to say. Don't think me unkind, friend, I am merely responding to a rather curt review. I'm counting the minutes until you flame me for this
With all the respect I can send,
P.R.
Chapter Eleven: Changeling
Anna was met with an invitation in the form of a foot-messenger at her door the following morning. Bowing low the young boy, not a day over ten years old, relayed his carefully rehearsed words.
"The Lady Sif and the warriors three, as well as his highness Prince Thor beg your indulgence, Lady Anna." The youth recited, his tawny blonde hair cut short, so it fell in even lines around his skull. "They invite you to join them on a day's ride to the Well of Wyrd."
Standing tall above the bent head of feathery blonde locks, Anna cleared her throat, groggy with the sharp morning air, and spoke tentatively.
"That's-ah- thank you." She said, throat choked with thirst. "Please tell them I… uh, accept."
She had been halfway through devouring her breakfast that dear Gna had fetched for her. The thought of her goblet of cider alone was drying her throat. You see, Anna had every intention of dining with the rest of the Aesir, but the mere thought of looking into Loki's beseeching beryl eyes was enough to bring her to tears. No, instead she elected to have a simple brunch with her handmaid. Gna was at first shy, uneasy at having such a personable mistress, but soon warmed up to the idea with plates of Asgardian delicacies at her fingertips.
Just before the boy could bow even lower to show he had heard her rightly, Anna's eyes widened as a low rumble of thunder seemed to emanate from the child's belly. Clutching his concave middle, the youth's face turned tomato red and his lips stumbled to make a hasty apology. The scent of cooked eggs and freshly sliced, juicy fruit was wafting through her open doors and Anna's heart wrenched as the boy's clear grey eyes gleamed with carefully concealed hunger.
"Please," Anna stood back, gesturing to her little dining table behind her, "Come inside and eat something before you go. You look starving."
"T-they…" The boy stammered pitifully. "They f-f-feed m-me."
"Please come inside," Anna pleaded, watching the rapacious hunger eclipse the child's better judgment, "For my sake?"
Anna had hardly finished her plea when the streak of shock yellow hair had leaped right past her and landed in the seat beside a startled Gna. Smiling, Anna watched Gna's round face take on a pale pallor as the boy piled up his plate a mile high with toasted bread, eggs, cantaloupe, watermelon, pear, peach, and many slices of the shiny golden apples that were always served at every meal here.
"Help yourself." Anna grinned as the boy's eyes wandered over his little feast like a feline before a mountain of catnip.
Pausing, however, the boy seemed to remember himself. "Thank you, kind Lady."
Anna washed down her laughter with that delicious golden apple cider she had been craving. Setting her glass down, she retreated to the bathroom, washed up, brushed her hair dry and poured over her options of attire. Carefully deliberating the necessity for function over fashion, she selected a mid-thigh length, short sleeved emerald green tunic contrived of a material that was more durable than silk, but still felt like water gliding over her skin. Sliding on a pair of black riding tights, she pulled on a pair of black leather boots with silver buckles and tied on a black and silver belt. Standing in the mirror, she seemed a willowy warrior goddess now, sleek and deadly. All she needed was her weaponry.
Stepping out, she watched as the child dropped his egg and toast sandwich onto his plate while Gna also gawked at her. Grinning, Anna felt more comfortable in her skin than she had in weeks.
"Gna," She began, relishing the bold, commanding air of her voice, "Be sure he eats enough before you send him off. I'm going to go down to the stables. I'll be gone most of the day it seems, so don't wait up."
Gna nodded, her mouth full of pear, juices dribbling down her oval chin. Practically bounding over to the doors, Anna slipped out into the hall and began her journey across the expansive citadel. Feeling as if each step were light as air, Anna breathed in deeply the crisp mid-morning air as she passed the other bedchambers, dining halls and ballrooms. She wondered if they ever had balls here, and if so, did these burly Asgardian men know how to dance? There was only one man Anna thought lithe and agile enough to dance properly, and he was the last person she desired to see at the moment.
"Damn." Anna gasped, clapping a hand over her mouth.
Speak of the devil, she thought while darting behind a white marble column. Standing there, basking in the rays of the radiant sunlight was Loki. The hall was lined on the left with a balcony railing that stretched as far as Anna could see. Grand marble columns, standing at least fifty feet high, held the ceiling overhead and to her right was only the gleaming gold side of the citadel. Anna wondered how it faded into the architecture, as from far away the castle seemed one great collection of smooth golden organ pipes.
Her heart was beating so rapidly she literally fought to slow it back to normal pace. Peering around the corner, Anna watched him face the unbelievable view the balcony offered. He was wearing an outfit similar to yesterdays attire, casual yet undeniably majestic. With his gravitas graces, impeccable posture and uncanny ability to weave the most agreeable arguments, Loki seemed to exude royalty. From what Anna had already seen of his hulking, over masculine brother Thor, Anna wondered how it was possible they were related.
Turning her attention back to Loki as he stood there, she wondered at his expression. His hands were clasped behind his back as he stood erect. Eyes cast downwards at the city below, his lips were pursed in that permanent pensive state they were always stuck in. Brows lifted slightly, he seemed to be deep in thought, sharp emerald eyes gleaming. It was a wonder, Anna thought, how his eyes could tell you everything he felt, and yet nothing at all. It was an oddity, how his eyes and the slightest shift in his features could betray his vast expanse of emotion, yet he could retain an air of cool detachment simultaneously.
"You make a terrible spy, little one."
His words were so soft, so honey sweet, velvet to her ears that by the time Anna had registered that he had spoken at all he was already facing her with a weary yet humored expression.
Anna felt the heat rising in her face, stepping from the shadows of the columns and into the sunlight with him. It was heaven, bathing in that light as it caressed her skin. She watched Loki as his eyes swept over that skin, the skin of her arms, the sheathed skin of her legs, her reddened face. He seemed to drink her in with a clear longing that caused her to pause beside him.
"I'm sorry," She blurted out, clearing her throat uncomfortably, "I didn't… I didn't want to disturb you."
"And a terrible liar as well." His lips curled into what she was coming to assume was his trademark smirk. "However, don't ever make the mistake of thinking that your company is not appreciated."
Not knowing how to respond, Anna nodded, her insides still jilted from his piercing green stare above her. Before she knew it, his slender white fingers were slipping a stray strand of her hair, a lock she had not successfully tied back in her bun, behind her burning red ear.
"I'm going with Lady Sif and her friends today," Anna broke the tense silence while he cocked a brow at her, "To the… well of… Wy… Wyr…"
"The Well of Wyrd." Loki finished, his gaze hardening, causing Anna's heart to falter.
She wondered if he would forbid her to go. More than that, she wondered if she would protest, if they would argue, escalating to physicality. In fact, the far reaches of her rebellious brain began, perhaps a duel of hands would not be so bad with him. Those dexterous pianist fingers running along her trilling skin-
"I wish you a safe journey, then." Loki replied, his voice casual and dispassionate.
Anna blanched.
"Do you…" She wet her lips with uncertainty. "Do you want to come with me?"
His lips twitched in a ghost of a smirk. "No, thank you, my dear. I have… other plans."
Anna did not know if her inward sigh was from relief… or disappointment. All she could focus on however was how the breeze turned chilly as it passed through him before touching her, the glow of his pale skin in the sunlight haloing all around his profile, the scent of spearmint pervading her senses. Most of all, however, was the stray lock of raven black hair that fell out of place, cleaving to his slender white neck. Without thought, without mind, Anna's traitorous fingers reached up, up, up higher until they grasped it. Feeling the skin of his throat shudder beneath her caressing fingertips, she watched his startled beryl eyes as they watched her warily.
All Anna could process was the inhuman silkiness of his hair as she slid it back into place, inadvertently running her fingertips through his mass of slicked back silken locks. It was like running her hands through strands of water, without the wet. Marveling at it, she allowed her fingers to slide against the hollow of his throat before remembering herself.
"I-I'm sorry." Anna drew her hand back, but felt cool hands possess it in an instant.
Pressing her knuckles to his icy lips, Loki smiled against her skin. "I'm not."
Burning under his hypnotic green gaze, Anna slid her hand to her side once he reluctantly released it. Bidding him a hasty farewell, Anna could feel his smirk blazing into her back as she strode off, her footsteps heavy as lead.
In the Royal Stables:
"Here's a good beast." Thor declared, swinging a leg over his gallant yellow haired stallion.
"Not half as fast as my swift Hrimfaxi." Sif countered, sitting astride a midnight black mare with a shimmering flank of what looked like glowing white stars across her coat.
Thor snorted, lifting the reins of his majestic sunlit horse. "You cannot be serious, gentle Sif. Skinfaxi will ride your poor steed into the dust."
Anna watched the constant verbal dueling between the two and rolled her eyes good-naturedly. They never seemed to pause in their constant banter, ranging from the grandest display of superiority to the minutest of quarrels. Fandral and Volstagg were still deliberating over their steeds while Hogun came sidling up to Anna with something clasped in his hands behind his back.
"Lady Anna," He began, bowing his head respectively, "I have bid the good dwarves of Asgard's smith to make you a weapon worthy of your great ability: the bow Trigisil."
Revealing his gift, Hogun brandished from behind his back the most glorious looking bow Anna had ever laid eyes on. It was crafted entirely of whispery silver, delicate vines and spearmint leaves carved into the details. Anna could almost smell the mint upon it as Hogun handed it to her gently. For consisting entire of that precious metal, it was light and easily carried as a feather. The matching quiver of silver arrows was slung across her back in seconds and Anna grinned.
"Thank you, so much." She said, nearly in tears. "I'm really not all that great. I surprised myself yesterday. I've never shot a true bull's eye before in my life."
The others, spotting this rare display of generosity from Hogun, stopped their quarrels and were clustered together. Thor and Sif dismounted, sour words of argument fading off their lips as they marveled at the gorgeous piece of art in Anna's hands.
"Sigyn was a master archer," Sif said resolutely, "It would not be surprising if you inherited some of her legendary ability."
"And perhaps your sight, as a goddess, sharpened your skills." Fandral elaborated, his playful baby blue eyes shining.
"Most likely," Anna laughed, "It's a wonder I haven't done something clumsy yet. Must be the whole goddess-factor."
Her newfound friends laughed good naturedly before rushing off to claim their steeds. Anna fingered her bow nervously and walked along the stable stalls. She didn't care for riding horses, or riding planes, or riding roller coasters for that matter. She liked being in control, knowing what was going to happen. Horses were unpredictable, restless and often rebellious. Anna did not care for riding horses one bit.
"Having trouble, my dear?" Volstagg appeared at her side, wild red curls bouncing comically as they walked along the stalls.
"I…" Anna bit her lip as the horse beside her whinnied, frightening her. "I don't care much for riding… horses."
"Ah, well most women are." Volstagg went on genially. "Can't stand anything that might run off on ye. Especially men!"
He laughed boisterously at his own jest, but Anna was too entranced by the sudden sight before her that she felt everything else begin to fade away. In the farthest stall, shining in the sunlight through the windows was a shock white stallion with a midnight black mane and tail. Its eyes were wide and gentle, with a sheer presence of a 'come hither' appearance. Drawn to it, Anna felt herself relaxing rather than shrinking away in fear. Volstagg noted her change in demeanor and his eyes followed her hypnotized gaze.
"Huh," He grunted, hand on his round belly, "Never seen that one before in my life, no I haven't."
But Anna was already running her fingers through the creature's silken black hair, its cool breath soothing upon her face, causing her to giggle. Its saddle was already in place and Anna felt herself fearlessly swinging up into it. Suddenly so very high in the air, her legs tensed as it began to walk of its own accord.
It had no reins.
No bit or bridle.
It was completely free to wander.
And Anna suddenly didn't care.
"Who do we have here?" Thor asked, running his hands over her steed's flank.
Anna suddenly felt a word, really felt it pop into her head like pressure when diving at the bottom of a pool. It were as if all her previous thoughts were gone, leaving only one word, one name.
"Sleipnir." She replied easily, simple as breathing. "Sleipnir."
A/N: I hate to cut this so short, I have more in mind, but I am exhausted from the day so you'll all just have to wait until I finish their little trip to the Well tomorrow. I'm evil, I know ;) Oh, and THC, if you are still reading this, sorry to go off on you, but I really took offense at being accused of Mary-Sueing Anna. Her abilities were always going to be tied back to Sigyn, so no MS'ing intended.