I'm sorry in advance if there are some misspellings or grammatical errors as I'm French. Weirdly, I can't seem to write in French as words flow better in English lol
Won't you take this advice I hand
you like a brother ?
Or are you not seeing things too clear ?
Are you too much in love to hear ?
Is it all going in one ear
and out the other ?
Hey There - Sammy Davis Jr.
Their journey lasted two days, much to Loki's annoyance. Thor hadn't stopped croaking the entire trip, the magician had to put a deaf charm on his ears to keep his sanity. Even the night they spent at that dirty inn had been terrible.
Never was the younger prince so happy than when he had the first glimpse of the golden hue of the bridge between Asgard and Olympia. Juping of his steed, he stood on the plain, closing his eyes to enjoy the last moments of peace he would have before the Olympian would arrive.
His brother's hand landing heavily on his shoulder made Loki jump. He had almost forgotten Thor's presence. With a sigh, he canceled his two spells before wincing when he heard the other prince continue his rambling as nothing had happened.
« … first time I see it. It is not as grand as the Bifrost, thought… I would have thought that… » his voice resounded loudly in the quiet valley.
« Would you just shut up already ? » Loki shouted angrily. He just couldn't contain this exasperation anymore.
« Hey, you turned my voice into a frog croak ! The least you can do is to listen to me, don't you think, brother ? » Thor retorted with a smirk. « Now, now, the emissary will soon arrive. I suggest we go to the bridge before he - or she – arrives… »
« You do know it's my mission, right ? » the younger prince asked as he began to follow his elder.
« Oh, please ! It's more of a punishment than a mission. Because you are my brother, it's my honor to help you with it. At least for the first few years… or many just for this year… » the look Loki was sending him made Thor pout. « Oh please, I just want to know if the emissary is a girl ! I promise I won't say anything. I'll be nice ! »
« Remember me why I don't believe you anymore… » the sorcerer rolled his eyes dramatically.
The older prince's only answer was a huff before he began to accelerate his steps, forcing his sibling to almost run so he could keep up the pace. In a matter of minutes, they were finally about to step on the bridge. Even if he had always been used to luxury, Loki's eyes widened when he saw that it was made with the purest gold he had ever seen. He was even more gobsmacked when he realized that, in the gold were laced strikes of lightning, the most perfect fire, and the clearest water. Lightning for Zeus, fire for Hades, and water for Poseidon…
Fear struck him. What if he couldn't walk on it because of the water ? Thor didn't notice his brother's hesitation as he quickly got on the bridge, whistling happily. Squinting his eyes shut, Loki bit the inside of his cheek before putting a shaking foot on the gold. When nothing bad happened, he let out a relieved sigh. He almost laughed at his own stupidity. Of course, the bridge would not inflict him any pain. He was wearing boots after all ! It was the deity who was going to walk through the bridge who was going to hurt him.
« Loki ! Stop daydreaming and come ! The emissary will be there any minute now ! » Thor shouted.
He was at the other edge of the bridge where deep compact clouds blocked his path. They had been placed there by the mighty Zeus himself, the final passage to go to the other realm. Watching at the sun to confirm his sibling's saying, Loki cursed silently before running to join Thor.
From close, the clouds looked like they were made of pure crystals, all the colors of the rainbow dancing together in harmony in what seemed to be a huge fluff of cotton. But the two princes of Asgard didn't have long to contemplate the magical portal as it began clearer and clearer. Soon, a silhouette appeared. The younger prince tightened his fists, his nails digging painfully into his palms. In a matter of seconds, the pain would wash onto his body… But the pain didn't come. The rain deity hadn't brought the feared shower. The sun kept shining bright as the Olympian emissary arrived on the Asgard part of the golden bridge.
Loki stood there, mouth agape as he stared without shame at the beautiful woman before him. Her hair was blue, falling in curly waves down to her feet. Not flashy or dark but so clear it almost looked white with the sun shining on it. The younger prince wanted nothing more than to weave his finger in these silky locks until his eyes fell on her porcelain skin. It seemed to him that she was made in the most fragile china, her blue veins barely visible but forming a complicated pattern under her skin. A thin layer of salty water on her whole skin made her glow beautifully. He was transfixed with her little button nose and her pink pulpy lips which looked like they were made to be kissed. But, what truly stopped his heart was her big eyes in which he could see her pure soul. At this very moment, he realized he could spend an eternity just to look into her deep blue eyes. Loki smiled foolishly at her, completely ignorant of the mocking glare Thor was giving him.
« Hey there... » The Olympian woman said with a small voice. She nervously straightened her short pale blue dress, silver sparkles falling from the fabric as she blushed profusely.
Thor waited a few seconds, giving his sibling time to answer but, as Loki stayed mute, he finally greeted her : « My lady, it is a pleasure to have you here, in Asgard. I am Thor, son of Odin, heir of Asgard and God of Thunder. This is my little brother, Loki. He hasn't received his God-title yet but he is by far the best witch I had the pleasure to meet. »
« I am not a witch ! » the sorcerer gritted through clenched teeth as he came back to reality. Bowing down gracefully, he put on his prince's special smile, the one he reserved to all the politicians of Asgard : « Allow me to greet you in the name of all the Asgardians. It is truly an honor to have you here. And please, ignore my oaf of a brother. »
« Hey ! I did not say anything wrong this time ! Furthermore, you have to admit I was right. The Olympian emissary is a woman... Look how gorgeous she is ! You would make such beautiful babies together. I... » Thor started before stopping, cowering under his sibling's glare.
His face red with embarrassment, Loki clapped his hands twice. A green fog came surrounding the blond God. In a matter of seconds, neither his brother nor the emissary were able to see him anymore through the magical mist. Then, a tiny frog came jumping out of it before the magic vanished. The Olympian woman gasped as she realized Thor had just been changed into a toad ! A smirk appeared on the magician's face.
« Oh, what have you done ? » The emissary screamed, rushing to take the batrachian who was currently trying to attack Loki.
A torrential rain fell down on them at the very moment tears appeared in her eyes. The younger prince dropped on his knees as pain flooded his body. Only his pride stopped him from crying. It was as if he was melting, freezing, burning, drowning, shrinking and breaking. It was as if a hundred thousands of needles were piercing his skin straight into his bones. The pain of the shifting was nothing compared to that. Tears were beginning to pool in his green eyes.
« Make... it... stop... » Loki pleaded through clenched teeth.
The Olympian woman cocked her head, taking her time to look at the Asgardian prince. The magician thought for a second her eyes showed concern for him but then realization hit him. The way she was holding the frog tightly against her chest proved him how wrong he was. She was worried for his brother, not for him whom she was hurting.
« Please... make... it... stop... » his voice was just a whisper. He knew that it was the only way not to scream in agony.
« What is wrong with you ? » The woman asked, rushing to his side.
The rain had completely drenched both of them and, despite the pain, Loki had to remember not to ogle her when he noticed that the pouring rain had made her dress almost transparent.
« Why did you turn him into a frog ? I thought Asgardians were supposed to be nice and welcoming and... No one warned me you were so... » She rambled, hugging the toad more closely.
The rain was intensifying with her anger. The fact that Thor was trying hard to escape her grip didn't seem to be obvious to her.
« MAKE THE DAMN RAIN STOP ! » The magician finally yelled angrily.
Shocked, she froze, allowing the frog to jump out of her arms. Her blue eyes looked curiously at the prince, the rain decreasing a little.
« Am I not supposed to be here to make it rain ? » The emissary asked, confusion written all over her beautiful face.
A whimper of pain escaped Loki's lips for the first time. Hearing his suffering, she gasped and ran to him. When she finally reached him, the rain had stopped completely. She watched him breathe painfully, his long black hair plastered haphazardly on his face, his leather clothes clinging to his lean body. Truthfully, she hadn't really looked at him when she had crossed the portal. His brother had taken all her attention with his jokes and his clumsiness banter. But now that she took her time to really look at the younger prince, she felt her heart strangely clenched. From his dark hair to his fair complection, mixed with the greenest eyes she had ever seen, he was truly handsome. While his older brother was all muscles, he was slender and more refined. The suffering reflecting in his eyes made her feel self conscious about what she had done. Was it just possible she had been the one who inflicted such pain to him ?
« Are... Are you okay ? » She asked with a soft voice.
Her small hand came to stroke his wet cheek in a mouvement she wanted reassuring but, the moment her skin touched his, he jumped backward, a faint scream escaping his lips. His whole body shaking, he painfully got back to his feet.
« Does it look like I am okay ? » He retorted with a sneer before flicking his wrist, drying his clothes and hair completely.
Loki cursed himself for being so weak. Seriously, what or who in the Nine Realms had decided that the powerful dragons were to be hurt by water ? And why, oh why did her touch felt so hurtful to him ? Could it be possible that...
« What happened ?... One minute, you were fine and the other... » She shyly interrupted his musing.
« You ! You happened ! » Loki snapped, the pain still echoing in his whole self making him particularly irritable. « The Allfather asked for you to come here to bring rain, that is correct, but couldn't you have waited for us to be inside the cottage before doing so ? »
« Hey, I'm going to stop you right there ! You need me to be here, or else all the vegetation and plantation in all Asgard would die ! I have no idea why it never rains in your realm unless one of us, hyades, comes to help you but you better remember you owe me ! Gods, I am starting to understand why Eudora didn't want to come here anymore... Anyhow, yes, I came here to make i train but you are here to help me control my power problem, prince Loki ! » she gritted.
Her anger had once again brought back rain, but this time, the younger prince had had time to prepare and had casted an impervious charm on himself. The rain stopped some inches from him just as if he had an invisible umbrella.
« Your power problem ? » He asked but didn't really let her time to answer. « The cottage you'll be staying at is a couple of miles away. If you want to sleep somewhere warm tonight, I suggest you follow me. If not, suit yourself. » Loki said mockingly, turning his heels quickly.
« Wait ! What about your brother ? » The emissary asked as she tried to match his step to follow him.
« He jumped in my pocket once you stopped suffocating him with your breasts... » He answered with a smug smirk. He enjoyed seeing her blush profusely and nearly laughed at her outraged air.
« I beg your pardon ? I was trying to save the poor thing ! » She exclaimed, rain pouring down harder by the minutes.
« You really need to keep your emotions in check, hyade, or you will be flooding all of Asgard. » The prince retorted, wincing slightly as his spell began to be weaker with the power of the rain. « Oh and, by the way, if you knew what he wants me to do to you, you wouldn't have tried to save the "poor thing", if you get what he suggested. You know... us... making beautiful babies... »
« What kind of a prince are you to be so... crude ? » She asked, clearly disgusted. « Oh, and my name is Dione if you cared enough to know. »
« Well, Dione, if you want, you can ride Thor's stallion. I would apologize to offer you a dripping wet steed but, since you are the one who controls rain... » Loki sneered, pointing at the pure white horse while he quickly dried his steed before he got up on his black stallion.
He didn't even wait for her as he urged his horse toward the cottage. Raindrops were already piercing through his impervious shield. The faster he would have a roof over his head, the better ! He sighed as he thought about the two days of torture he would have to endure with the hyade...
Can't wait to read your thoughts ^_^