Freya stared at the man in shock, before glancing around the room for her beloved cat. With no sign of the creature, and uncertain of what this stranger wanted, she leapt to her feet and grabbed the nearest thing that could be used as a weapon from her desk.
"Who the Hell are you? And what have you done with Loki?" She demanded, trying to keep some distance between them as she brandished a pair of scissors. Her heart was pounding and her headache was getting worse again, but she was incredibly confused and scared. She knew she should call for help, but her phone was buried at the bottom of her bag, and she was unsure if her neighbours would take any notice if she screamed.
"I am Loki of Asgard." He explained, smiling softly at her reaction. He had a gentle expression, and was flexing his fingers, getting used to being in his normal form once more. "And I must thank you for releasing me. As much as I do enjoy being a feline, three months is far too long." He ran a hand through his raven hair to smooth it down, and Freya stared at him in disbelief. Her head was tilted to one side and her eyes were narrowed as she tried to absorb this information. Loki's smile grew, for humans could truly be adorable sometimes.
"What?" She shook her head. "Are you trying to tell me that you have been my… my pet all this time?" Freya could not accept that this was happening. "I must be hallucinating… or dreaming…"
"Freya, trust me, I am as real as you are." He assured the young woman, his voice somewhat calming. He tried to take a step towards her, but she waved the scissors at him and so he remained where he was.
"But…" She whispered to herself. "Asgard is just a myth. You cannot be…" She looked at him properly then, and her eyes widened as she realised she had seen him before. The short black hair, the emerald eyes, the strange clothes… He had been in her office the day she had first translated the inscription! She turned her gaze to the whetstone lying on the desk, and then back to the man in front of her. Could it really be that this was the Loki of Asgard? The trickster and god of mischief and lies? "No… No, it isn't possible…." She shook her head once more, and took another step backwards, wincing as her back hit the kitchen worktop.
"I know it may be difficult to believe" He began, offering her another charming smile. "Especially as my people have not visited Midgard for a thousand years or more, but I am truly Loki Odinson, Prince of Asgard and God of Mischief." He stood proudly as he said this, and Freya almost believed him. If it was true then it would certainly explain a lot, especially as the myths had Loki be a shapeshifter, and the whetstone had been dedicated to him.
"Why are you here?" She asked after a moment, lowering her arm slightly. Her heart had returned to its normal pace now, and the adrenalin was beginning to wear off.
"You don't know?" He laughed as she shook her head. "You summoned me of course." He said nonchalantly, as if this was a daily occurrence. "It has been quite some time since a mortal managed to do so, but here we are." He shrugged, before looking at the pile of notes and artefacts on the desk. Freya regarded him curiously for a moment, then sighed.
"Okay, I believe you for now." She said. "Please tell me that Thor…"
"He's just a cat." Loki said as he picked up the sceptre and turned it in his hands. Freya took a step forwards, concerned about the artefact and Loki smiled before putting it down gently. He then picked up a book and flicked through the pages, shaking his head and muttering as he did so.
"Well that's a relief… I don't think I could cope with more than one God in my flat…." The pair of them smiled. "Are you really telling me that you have been my cat for three months?"
"Yes." He stated, adjusting his long black coat. "It was a strange experience, and one I have no wish to repeat."
"Then I must apologise for your treatment. Had I known…"
"It has taken you a while to realise the truth admittedly." He told her, though he did not seem angry. "But you did give me shelter, rather than leave me out on the streets in the rain." As he said this there was a loud crash of thunder outside, and a flash of panic crossed Freya's face. She truly despised thunderstorms, but then none had been forecast for today. Loki's eyes widened as he saw the bright flash of light outside, and then he turned to her.
"What is it?" She asked, truly concerned.
"Bad news." Loki bit his lip. "You should…" He began, but his advice was cut off by a loud and insistent knocking on the door. Freya started to walk towards it, but Loki shook his head.
"In the name of Odin, I demand that you open this door!" A voice bellowed from the corridor, and Freya felt her heart race again.
"Thor?" She mouthed and Loki nodded. She pointed to her room, having noticed that he was looking a little fearful, and the trickster did not argue. Freya waited for him to close the door before she went to the front door, trying to take some calming breaths as she did so.
"Yes? Can I help you?" She asked, trying not to be scared. The man towered over her, and he looked like he could snap her like a twig. His muscular arms were not covered, whilst he wore armour and a bright red cloak, his long blonde hair worn loose. In his right hand he held a very large hammer, and Freya gulped nervously. She felt more terrified now than she ever had before.
"Where is he?" He demanded as he stared at her.
"Who?" Freya did her best to remain calm, although every ounce of her was wishing to run away.
"Loki!" He yelled, but the trickster thankfully remained hidden.
"I am terribly sorry if my cat has broken or stolen anything. He truly is a mischievous one. If there is anything…" She began her apology speech that she had given countless times to her neighbours over the last few months, but he dd not seem convinced.
"Your cat?" he looked slightly confused, before he spotted the items on her desk. He brushed Freya aside as if she were a fly, and then stormed in, while she felt her blood boil. How dare he barge into her flat like this!
"Excuse me! You cannot…"
"Come on out brother! I know you are here!" he called.
"The only Loki here is my cat. Now leave, before I call the police!" She demanded, but he was ignoring her protests.
"Hiding behind a woman's skirt won't save you!" Thor boomed as he picked up the sceptre and brandished it at her. "Where did you get this?"
"I…" The creaking of a floorboard saved her, but not Loki. In the space of seconds the brute had stormed into the bedroom, grabbed Loki by his arm, and dragged him outside of the flat, still in possession of the sceptre. Not thinking twice, Freya ran after them, knowing that she would get into serious trouble if anything happened to such a priceless artefact. The God of Thunder was quick, and her head was pounding, but the adrenalin running through her body allowed her to sprint down the stairs after them.
"Stop! Please!" She yelled as she reached the main doors to the outside, but the brute was having none of it. Loki was struggling to free himself, but this was having no effect on Thor's grip. Freya had no time to notice the patterning on the communal green behind the building, for she noticed that the pair had stopped in the centre, and Thor was yelling for Heimdall. Taking a deep breath, she raced towards them, and was rewarded for her efforts as her fingers grasped the red cloak. Her victory did not last long however, for the three of them were swallowed by a very bright and colourful light. Her head pounded and she closed her eyes, trying to ignore the feeling of flying. Her hands grew sweaty, and she felt as if some force was trying to push her to the ground. She tried to hold on, but as her fingers slipped, she felt a hand grab her arm.
Within the space of a moment, but what felt like an eternity to Freya, they came to a stop. Her feet hit solid ground, and she felt incredibly dizzy and nauseous. She tried to open her eyes and winced as they were met with dazzling gold. She then tried to take a step forwards but stumbled, unconscious before she hit the floor…
