Wow, only two reviews in a whole week? Well, I expected you to hate those previous chapters, darlings, so I won't complain about the small number of reviews. Hopefully you'll all enjoy this chapter and the future ones a lot more, since they're written with much more heart than the previous two.

So I won't rant any longer, I'll just remind you to toss me a little review; I feed on them and they're delicious :D

Now enjoy, lovelies~ ;)

P.S. Every Thor/The Avengers/Thor: The Dark World character belongs to the wonderful Marvel. I own nothing, except my OCs :)

Entry #37

"Go... my son..."

oOo

Location: The Royal Palace, Asgard

Date: September 22 / 23, 2013

"Thank you, father."

Holding back the grateful smile he had first intended to offer the elder king, the blond Æsir then turned his azure gaze to Kara. Instantly he was reminded of the reason for which he had avoided gazing upon her for too long, those days; the utterly hollowed gaze in her eyes – no matter what expression she had on her face – offering but a glimpse of the broken soul underneath, made him feel so guilty for being alive... more, it made him feel guilty that Loki had died to save his life.

"Come, Kara..." he called gently.

The one eyed figure did lean forward once the two prepared to depart.

"My son, she cannot leave with you. She must remain in Asgard."

It was all that the male said as of that moment, his dignified posture unbroken. Just as Odin was capable of it, so was Loki able to replicate that cool, composed gaze; still, there would always be wickedness in his spirit. The trickery was nowhere near over – the game was absolutely just beginning. Even though Kara appeared so tired and distraught, he would test her but one more time. The man's words now caused both the Thunder God and the young female to look up at him in bewilderment, the blond Æsir lowering his arm as he had reached for Kara.

"Father... I do not understand. She belongs in Midgard. I brought her here only because she asked to see Asgard one last time."

"You must surely recognize the implications of recent events; the death of Frigga and that of your brother, as well as your exit from the line to the throne. I must take a new wife to bear at least one heir for Asgard, else it will fall at my end, my son."

Understandably, if the whole thing were true, the Allfather would have indeed had no other choice. Asgard would have had to stand in these dark times, even if someone had to make a sacrifice.

"What?"

Even Thor was nearly startled to hear her voice as she breathed out that shocked word. Setting a hand onto her shoulder, he now looked from her stunned expression back to the king.

"Father... why her? She's mortal... why would you not choose one of the women of Asgard? I am certain none would refuse to take the throne at your side."

Just what in all nine realms had come over his father, to claim his own son's woman?

"She is in the possession of skills that would greatly benefit the next generation. Even if she is mortal, inheriting her abilities would potentially offset her humanity and birth offspring stronger than I." he stated.

Yes, it was as heartless as Loki knew that Odin could be; for the good of Asgard, its king would have had no problem with raping Kara and holding her against her will until she gave birth. If she could indeed present Odin with a boy that was worthy of the throne, he would probably have kept her to sire more descendants.

"Father, what you're saying is madness... Kara was my brother's woman!"

He had never known his father could be so ruthless; had his mother's death truly affected him to such an extent? When he frowned and turned to fully face Odin, however, Kara startled him by grasping his arm.

"Don't... just go..." she said, clenching her jaw to keep her composure.

There was no reason to let Thor get into a fight with his father, after he had just gained the freedom he wanted to live with Jane.

"At least you can tell Nick and the others where I am, so they won't worry for me."

"Kara..."

Closing her eyes to try and hold back her tears, the young woman released his arm and instead pushed against his chest, urging him away from the throne.

"Damn it, Thor... just go!" she pleaded. "Before he changes his mind and forces you to stay."

It was with utter reluctance that the blond Æsir ultimately left the throne room, his expression stuck in a bewildered shade. What in Hel's name had just happened there? How could she agree to stay, just like that? He had no answer, but perhaps Jane would understand her better when he told the young scientist of this.

Silence reigned even over the false Allfather for minutes before he stood and set his eyes upon Kara, intoning.

"Come. I will escort you to my chambers, where you will be protected until our wedding."

Nothing followed this but the steps of his feet, although when his countenance was out of the girl's view, Loki did indeed crack a smile. Was it happiness or pure sadism that made his heart soar? Inhaling deeply so as to hold in her tears, the young woman silently followed until they were out of view of the guards.

"Do not expect my love in return, for this shameful betrayal to your son's memory." she spat out, looking up at the back of his head. "Make no mistake... you may be able to take my body, but my heart will always be his."

She had always wanted to believe that Odin wasn't as ruthless and uncaring as Loki had made him out to be in their last conversations. She had always wanted to believe that he did care for both his sons, and that Loki was mistaken about him... but now she could clearly see that everything Loki had said was true. And yet, somehow, she already felt resignation in the face of her situation; life had never been kind to her even when Loki was alive, after all... why would it be any different after his death?

He chose against responding, deathly quiet even as he stepped to the door of his room. Moving it ajar, he now gestured with a sweeping hand for her to enter. Odin would not have offered her consolation or any such thing, though Loki did wish to break the disguise and give her all the comfort she deserved. But he couldn't, he knew that... he needed a way to deal with Heimdall first of all.

OoOoO

The morning light found Kara relaxing in hot water, the fragrance of scented oils and flower extracts all around her. At least the old ape had had enough sense to send Tyra to her; and though Kara had spent most of the night crying whilst Tyra tried in vain to console her, by dawn she had finally settled down enough to let the young maid prepare her bath and a fresh dress. Soon stepping out of the steaming water and allowing the girl to help her dry off, Kara now seated herself in the bedchamber to let Tyra brush her hair.

"Don't worry, miss... I'm sure it won't be that bad." the girl smiled at her in the mirror. "The king may be harsh most of the time, but the queen always said he has a kind and tender side to him."

All Kara could do, was offer her an evanescent smile in reply; closing her eyes afterwards she heaved a sigh... oh how she wished that Loki had been there. It wasn't long before clicking footsteps against the stone would reveal Loki's version of Odin, standing just within view. Reticent as he gazed over Kara in all of her beauty, he then shortly broke the silence.

"Meet me outside, once you are done here."

The man then slipped away, leaving the two to speak as they would. Where would he be waiting? Right outside of the castle entrance. Frigga's garden was the most wonderful place in all of Asgard to take her for a walk. Having glared at him in the mirror, the young woman then clenched her fists in anger.

"I'm sure the king has some wonderful surprise planned for you, miss." Tyra smiled, trying her best to comfort Kara.

Ultimately standing, the female now smiled warmly and reached to grasp the young girl's hand.

"Thank you... you're a wonderful girl." she said, reaching to briefly stroke Tyra's cheek. "I'm sure Loki never told you, but he was very fond of you. He spoke very highly of you when I told him that his mother sent you to take care of me."

With the girl blushing and nodding shyly, she now inhaled deeply before finally leaving the chambers; a guard had apparently been expecting her at the door to lead her to the palace entrance although Kara was by now slightly used to the maze-like layout of the castle. The turns did eventually give way to the massive slabs that were the doors of the castle's front point of entry.

It was there that the one waiting gently gestured for the guard to stop, previous to summoning Kara to follow at his side. Maybe this would permit Loki to see if he should ever drop the disguise, or if he could continue to torment her until her death. She belonged to him alone, in the end; that had been the forewarning he had given before taking Kara as his lover. With the guard offering a short bow and departing to return to his duties, the young woman was left to follow Odin.

"If you have need of me, tell me what you wish... if not, then for mercy's sake do not force me to be in your presence longer than needed." she requested, walking one step behind him so as to not need to look upon him.

She had actually liked him when they had first met, despite his harsh demeanor... she had truly believed that they could get along; but after Frigga's death he had seemingly become someone else entirely.

"I wish for you to walk with me. You may abhor me and I can understand why that would be so, even if that sentiment were to last your whole life through. Just know that this is not an act of malice; you will grace the annals of Asgardian history as a heroine who sacrificed in the name of the Æsir, while I will be fine to relegate myself to their darker pages. Until the time comes that you can only be found in those books... I promise that you will experience every luxury in this realm."

He did continue to guide her toward the space that was known as his mother's sanctuary, maintaining the faux visage of the old ruler.

"I care not for any of that!" she spat out. "Do you think that's why I loved your son? If it were so, I would not have come here to see him while you had him in the dungeons. You can keep your jewels and everything else... I have no need of them. As I have no need of my name being remembered for something I will do against my desire."

Silencing herself for a few moments when she felt her voice trembling, in warning of oncoming tears, she then finally spoke again.

"I always wanted to believe that you cared for Loki... but I see now that you do not, if you can so easily take what belonged to him."

"Why you loved my son... why did you love my son?"

It was a simple question spoken in an unassuming tone; it would seem that Odin just wanted to hear the words. Meanwhile, he soon took her to the outer border of the flawlessly organized foliage, at which point he kept moving inward. This answer from her would decide not just his own outlook when it came to love, but her ultimate fate; there would be much torment in her future if she failed him now.

Silence followed his question, the words causing the young woman to come to a halt whilst her mind replayed memories in disarray, some as old as the fateful day when she had first met the Trickster God.

"Because there never was... and there never will be another man like him. You all believed that you knew him, some better than others; but I saw the real Loki... and he was unlike anything anyone knew. What he showed you, were only the various masks he enjoyed putting on. But even you, the one who raised him, didn't know your real son."

Briefly her voice faltered as she battled to subdue the tears gathering in her eyes, but finally she forced herself to continue speaking.

"You never knew how kind he could be... how caring... how devoted... or how fiercely protective he was. You ask why I loved him, but what answer do you expect from me when you knew so little of him? The bond I shared with him isn't something you can put into words... I believed you of all people would know that; did you not share the same kind of bond with your wife? Did you never feel that you couldn't live without her? That she was the very air you breathe? That she was your reason to live and to keep living? Thor, for all his oblivious nature, understood Loki much better than you... even if he understood too late."

A smile twitched upon his wrinkled visage, though he had halted as well. They were hidden well enough that he could get away with this, or so he believed. Pivoting to face her, Odin shone with an ethereal light that soon gave way to reveal the God of Lies. Guilt almost never affected him so much as when he had to hear her suffer. The last time he had anguished so much was at the death of his mother.

"I doubt he ever knew those feelings, dearest... but I do."

Sooo today's replies for my darlings :D

1. americanlatinajapanesegirl - Hehe of course he was going to ask her to stay... or rather, he was going to order her to stay ;)

And again, I'm so sorry for the poor quality in the last two chapters. I tried my best to make them as good as I was able to and I hope it didn't put you off too much.

2. Moriah98 - Oh yes, darling, these next chapters will be all centered on Loki and Kara again. At least until they eventually end up back on Earth and we get to see the others again. But for now we have a few good chapters ahead dedicated only to our lovely couple. I'm not saying anything more, else I might accidentally spoil something ;)

Hope you enjoyed this chapter so far; I promise it only gets better :D

So these are my replies for today. Cheers, lovelies~ ( ˘ ³˘)❤