~Epilogue~
"Time it took us
To where the water was
That's what the water gave me
And time goes quicker
Between the two of us
Oh, my love, don't forsake me
Take what the water gave me"
~ 'What the Water Gave Me' by Florence + The Machine
The sunlight was bright as it reflected off of the sidewalk and roads of New York City. Anja's hair was pulled back away from her face, half of it swept up in a silver clip. Her white gown swept high over her neckline. It was modest and simple: Just the way she liked it.
Her arrowhead had not been seen since she had tossed it into the rubble behind Loki in Stark Tower, but after the events of the past few days, all she really cared about was going home and seeing the family that had given it to her in the first place. Her hands travelled to the silver bow she had slipped over her shoulder that morning, the quiver of ivory arrows
She was standing in the middle of what Steve had told her was Central Park. It was the only place that had large amounts of trees in the city. Steve was standing next to her as they waited on Thor to bring Loki to the site that they would be going home from. Selvig was adding the final touches to a glass compartment that held the Tesseract. Thor was taking it back to Asgard with them, a new relic for the halls of Odin.
"You all set?" Steve said quietly. He was dressed in a brown leather jacket, his older clothes back on in place of the blue Captain America suit.
Anja looked up to him, squinting the sunlight in an attempt to see through the sunlight. "Yes," she said softly. Steve nodded as he placed his hands on his hips. The transport that was bring Thor and Loki here would be here in a matter of minutes.
"So you think he'll be good to you?" Steve said after an awkward silence.
Anja chewed on her lower lip. In truth, she didn't know what would become of her relationship with Loki. Ever since she had spoken with him in his prison he had avoided her gaze.
"I do not know," she said truthfully. "But I do know I will be home."
Steve nodded. "I know you'll be a long way away… But if you ever need anything, just let me know."
She looked up at him, smiling sadly. "Thank you," she said quietly. "You have been nothing but kind to me since I have been here. I appreciate that, Steve Rogers. And I am sorry for whatever damage Loki has done to your realm." Her gaze was unwavering.
Steve raised an eyebrow. "That's just… that's the way I was raised, Anja," he said quietly.
Anja nodded before turning to give him a friendly embrace. He was far larger across the chest than Loki, and she felt like the large arm that came around to return the hug may crush her for a moment before he laid it gently across her smaller frame. "The same can be said for you. Should you ever need me… I will do what I can to aid you."
She pulled away when she felt him nod. A few minutes later, Thor and Loki arrived in an armored vehicle. Anja choked back tears to see the pale man that stepped from the back of the truck. The metal contraption that clung to his face was painful even to look at. How ironic for the silver tongue to be trapped by a metal gag. Dark hair fell over his forehead and into his eyes.
"That's your ride," Steve said after a minute. She nodded, bowing to him slightly before she went to cross the road. Loki's gaze was cast down, his pale skin a sickly yellow in the afternoon sun. Cuts still marred his alabaster flesh.
"Lady Anja," Thor boomed to her as she made it to the pair of them. Loki's emerald gaze only flicked up momentarily at the sound of his brother saying her name, but it was soon back at his feet. "You look well." Thor had just come from wishing Erik Selvig goodbyes. The Tesseract was glowing in his hands. "Are you ready to go see your son?"
Anja gave him a soft smile before she nodded. To her left, Agent Romanoff and Barton were standing together, the seasoned assassins slightly closer to each other than normal. Anja was a bit perplexed as Natasha looked at Loki for a brief second, then leaned in to whisper something in Barton's ear. A sarcastic smile stretched across the mortal man's lips as he stood with his arms crossed over his chest. Anja nodded to the two of them before linking arms with Prince Thor. "Let us return to Asgard," Thor said finally.
"I wish there was something else we could do to help," she whispered. "So much was lost to this realm."
"Aye, but some things were regained, I think you will find," Thor said kindly as he looked out across the way, where a few agents were stationed to oversee their leave-taking. Anja followed his gaze to the back of a dark suited man, short and with a head of brown balding hair. She wasn't able to make out the man's face before she was forced to turn back to the Tesseract. Loki's cold gaze was boring into her as she took hold of Thor's arm in a death grip.
But something was a tad lighter in his emerald gaze, if only slightly. That was the last thing Anja of Vanaheim registered before she was shooting through space at the speed of light. The realm of Midgard melted away, and the bright stars of the cosmos rose up to greet her.
The elation that always accompanied her when flying filled her, and she could not suppress the grin that stretched across her features. She was going home… with both princes. She knew in her heart that Loki was not evil- not truly. His dark magic would lose its potency eventually… and she was willing to wait for him. He was her lover, her husband. She would not abandon him. There was hope for him yet. In her heart, that was what she felt, what she knew to be a truth.
After all, did the flame of a candle not shine brightest in the dark?
AN: And so ends this installment in Anja and Loki's saga. Sorry there was never any Aric, but yall have 'Paradise Lost' to hold you over on the baby feels for the moment. ;) I left a lot of loose ends, I realize, and I did it intentionally. There is a sequel stirring in my mind already … one in which *SLIGHT SPOILER* questions about Anja's powers will answered.
On that note, a lot of people have been PM-ing me in regards to a sequel for this story. I absolutely plan on having a sequel, it's just a matter of how I will go about writing it. There is a poll up on my profile asking my readers what you all would prefer. You can tell me and leave ideas in your reviews if you want, but I am trying to get an idea if it would be better to wait and write their next story after Thor 2 comes out, or if I should just write my own. I am seriously open to ideas on this topic as I can't seem to decide on my own :/
Also, one last note, I have an alternate ending for Lacrimosa that I wrote when I couldn't decide how I wanted to end this fic. It is DARK and kind of explores what would have happened had Anja joined Loki in the very end in the confrontation in Stark Tower. If you guys want me to post that, let me know. It is definitely for my Loja/ Dark Anja lovers… It's called "Breath of Life" after, yup, you guessed it, the song by Florence + The machine. ;P
Thanks so so so very much for the amazing reviews, guys! Especially: May Fairy, Morbidly Funny, Avalon Lady Killer, Lovely Insanity, I-de-Badbad-wolf, and Noukinav018. The support that everyone gave me was so amazing and gave me the will to finish this piece! :)
I apologize for the long AN, but it had to be done!
~Sirius
