After the situation with the Dark Elves that cost the realm Queen Frigga, Heimdall had the best sorcerers and seidr wielders in all the realms brought to him, the most useful of whom, ironically was Loki, to assist the Guardian to be able to see even the most concealed being, that had been how he had come to see those who wished to take apart Asgard leave the halls and attempt to destroy one of Asgard's greatest assets as she continued to sleep.
The Allfather had been crystal clear in his instruction; watch the Element Wielder, at the first sign of trouble, blow on Gjallarhorn and alert the palace to anything that may arise. What the Allfather did not know, was Loki too had gone to Heimdall on the day that Alexia had eaten the apple, having known that even without her asking, he would remain close to her regardless as she slept. So when the horn sounded a second time, none knew what Heimdall was forewarning, none but Loki.
"What is afoot?" Thor asked as he, the Warrior's, some Einherjar and Diarmaid ran through the great halls of the palace.
"Until we get to the wielder, there is no telling," Diarmaid responded, wishing that he had had Loki's skill of instantaneous travel. "All I know is she has to be in grave danger for the horn to be sounded."
That was all that Thor wished to hear; running on faster to get to his friend, the girl he swore to protect since he realised that she was at risk on Midgard.
The intruder advanced slowly on the bed where Alexia rested. As though sensing that the one in the room with her was no ally, she frowned in her sleep.
"There is nothing you can do or say little one, you were never going to survive long, not with what you are, I am doing you a service, I will make this swift, you will only recall whatever it was you last experienced, no doubt your beloved Dark Prince." The assassin grinned wickedly, taking a blade from her belt and raising it to strike through Alexia's heart. Taking one last deep breath, they began to draw down the knife, fast and with all their power behind it.
Just before the knife came to strike her chest, the assassin was pulled away, with a knife piercing her side, then it was pulled out and pressed through her windpipe. "You think I could not sense you, I may be without the ability to perform magic, but it is as much part of me as my dark heart," Loki growled. "You dare even consider to try and hurt her, then you and all like you will die."
"You will not defeat us." The being spat as she struggled to breathe, her words merely blood spluttered gasps for air.
"I have already gotten you, did I not?" He grinned wickedly, pulling the knife out and again piercing her with it, this time through the heart, just as she had planned to do to Alexia.
He pulled the knife from her and she fell to the ground with a thud, her eyes wide and lifeless in death. He walked over to the table where the remnants of his previous meal still were and took the napkin that he had placed on his lap through it, using it to clean the blade of the knife he had used.
It was then that Thor and the others burst into the room, staring at Loki who seemed utterly calm, then to the lifeless body on the floor, then finally to Alexia, who remained asleep in the bed. "Brother?" Thor looked to Loki somewhat startled.
"There are more, she admitted such before I killed her, we need to find them, her words suggest they are many in number, more than we suspect. Go to Heimdall, see what he sees." Loki stated, turning around and heading for the door, opening it again and nodding to one of the Einherjar, who gave the order for over a dozen more guards to enter the room. Loki ushered the others out and gave another nod to the guard, before closing the door.
"You are leaving her?" Thor asked shocked as Loki made for the main doors of her rooms.
"I have little choice, for that was a bit closer to her than I ever wanted, it cannot occur another time," Loki growled, walking into the hallway, before pausing for a moment. "Diarmaid?"
"I will remain with her," The elf nodded, ceasing his steps and turning to go back inside. "Not that I will be required of course." There was a small smile on his face as he turned back.
"We will ensure it," Thor promised, following after Loki. "Brother, did the Dwarf state how many there was for us to concern ourselves with?"
"She did not say, but I could tell from her manner, there was more than we would think."
"Where are we heading?" Thor asked as Loki increased his pace, each stride of his legs filled with purpose.
"I need you to grant me access to the weapons chamber, I am good with knives, but I need more." Loki did not look at Thor as he spoke.
For a moment, Thor thought he meant the weapons vault in the very pit of the palace, and was going to cease whatever train of thought Loki was on there and then, but he quickly realised he just wished for a sword or some other basic weapon, and took the lead, making sure to get his adoptive brother what he required.
Diarmaid closed the doors to Alexia's bedchamber behind him, he looked to where there was a small pool of blood and drag marks where the Einherjar had removed the body of the dead Dwarf, he looked around, but the guards gave little sign of acknowledging his presence. He walked over to the bed and looked at Alexia, who lay as though blissfully unaware of what was going on around her. "I wonder if you realise that a fate such as predicted in your realms idea of Ragnarok, or the Apocalypse is happening around you. It is times like this we could have done with you, why we need you so greatly this day Midgardian." He sighed. Alexia's nose twitched slightly. "You know full well what is occurring, do you not? In our rush to ensure you a long life, we seem to have shortened it greatly." He shook his head. "I apologise now for what I am about to do Alexia, I am not sure if you will comprehend what it is, but I hope you will at some point."
The Einherjar stared at the Light Elf, half concerned at his words; a moment later, he stared intently at her and a silver hue surrounded him before it too surrounded her. The head of the Einherjar took a step forward, but the elf forced him back with his seidr. The guard was going to give the order to attack when there was a loud bang from outside the room in the front of the quarters, followed by gasps of pain and loud crashing noises. Only a few moments later, the door was being forced open with a blood-covered axe. The Einherjar positioned themselves in front of their charge, readying themselves for whatever came, knowing that they were against the odds if the other guards had been so easily killed. As the door opened, two dwarves entered first, and as the Einherjar stood forward to attack, they froze in place, unable to use. The two dwarves chuckled darkly.
"Honestly, never send a dwarf assassin to do a Light Elves work, would you not agree?" Came a voice from behind the dwarves who went forward and slaughtered all the defenceless Einherjar, each falling to the ground as they fell slain.
Diarmaid's eyes widened. "Roan?"
"So perceptive uncle, tell me now, what side do you choose, theirs, or ours?"
"What do you mean 'ours'? The Light Elves are the allies of Asgard, we are on the same side, we have been since the defeat of the Dark Elves near ten millennia ago."
The younger elf sneered at his uncle. "That foul little creature declined me, she thinks herself better than me, and they agreed with her, that she should not have to breed, she is too important to be kept without young. That filthy old fool wants her to carry the blood of his son, he said it already, he agreed to her request solely to placate her for now so he could work on convincing her into carrying his grandchildren, the future ruler of this already too powerful realm, that honour should be Alfheim's, not theirs."
"You foolish boy, you kill for this? This will only convince her further against you."
"You do not get it, she is Midgardian, they do not need to be consenting to carry young. All I need do is breed her now, while she sleeps and keep her in rest until the child is big enough to birth, then kill her." Roan stated as though it the most obvious thing in the world. "And there is none that can stop me."
"The Princes." Diarmaid gasped, both as his body became weak and in horror at what his own kin planned on doing.
"Yes, they are somewhat of an inconvenience, but you and I both know that they can be overpowered, especially since Prince Loki no longer has his seidr." He grinned wickedly. "I must commend you uncle, were it not for you aiding the King in removing it from him, the second prince would have been able to secure their victory, but you have aided in securing their defeat, and your own it would appear."
"I cannot allow this Roan, this is madness. Why did the Dwarf try to kill her if you want her alive?"
"Well, that was annoying, but I needed to convince the dwarves that there is a great bounty for them if they allowed my plan and that ones death was just what was needed," Roan stated disinterestedly, making his way to his uncle, who was now on his knees on the floor, trying to prevent Roan from getting to Alexia.
"This is not the right path Roan, nothing good can come from this."
"I do not care what you think, you clearly favour the Thunderer also, well it matters little now." Roan walked over to Diarmaid and kicked him hard in the face, causing a terrible crunching noise as his nose broke. "Use your magic to fight me." He taunted. "Or are you too weak old man?"
"I am busy using it for something more important at present," Diarmaid stated, gasping for breath, ignoring the pain in his face.
"Whatever spells you are putting on her, I will negate soon enough."
"There is no negating my actions." Diarmaid chuckled. "You are too young to understand."
"I am older than Prince Loki, your beloved favourite pupil, how useless he is now."
"Loki, though dark of heart, had a far greater mind for the whole picture, he knew when and where to place his power," Diarmaid explained. "A gift he got from the Allmother in many ways."
"Well what use is it to him now, he will die from the lack of it if he has not already," Roan growled angrily, kicking him into the side and causing him to fall to the floor.
"Do not do this Roan, please, I beseech you." Diarmaid gasped, his seidr ceased what he had it doing, causing Roan to walk towards the bed, and Alexia, only to feel Diarmaid's seidr pull him back again. "I can't."
"I have had enough of you old man." Roan turned to one of the dwarves and pulled a knife from its belt, "You have wasted enough time already." He stood over his uncle and pulled him up by his hair. "Tell my father I am only sorry I had not the honour of taking his life also." He snarled as he took the knife and pierced Diarmaid with it again and again until he was panting with exertion, Diarmaid's body nothing but a bloody mess as it fell to the floor. Roan kicked him over so the dying elf could see the bed. "Now, as you pass from this life, you can witness me mount her, and know that you witnessed the conception of the most powerful elf to ever exist, too bad you will not live to see it." He turned and looked at Alexia, taking off his battle attire as he did. "She is very peculiar looking, but at least she is not hideous." He shrugged, pulling the blanket down before climbing over her. Roan smiled wickedly as he looked down at Alexia lifting his hand to magic away her clothes. "I am going to take my time with this, seeing as you are not able to stop me, I cannot promise that this will not hurt."
There were many things Roan may have expected to occur at that moment, but Alexia Coulson's eyes opening and looking at him with pure hatred was not one of them.