Chapter 2: First Encounter
Emma flinches as her long hair is brushed and pulled but lets out no more than a childish ouch. Her grandmother Gabriella apologizes but pulls her again accidently. Emma says nothing this time, already used to her mother´s roughness when it came to do her hair. As clumsy as her grandmother was, she was not nearly as rough as her mother when it was time to make her hair. And as true as it was that Emma always had the cutest hairdos in K-12 (according to all teaches) she would rather have the short hair the boys in her class wore.
"There you go!"- Her grandmother removes the last hair roll. She hands Emma a mirror to admire her work. Her long hair is now curled and up on a pretty hairdo.
"I look like a princess"- She beams confidently. -
"Yes, you do! You have to if you want to go to the royal dance tonight"
Emma takes another bite of her sandwich and plays along. She loves to play pretend with her grandmother. Her grandma always follows the plotline and unlike her mom always engages and makes up her own.
"You will I meet my prince tonight?"- Emma asks and her grandmother gives her a smile.
"You might. You will be the prettiest girl in Asga-"
Emma wakes up to the sun beams gracing her face and warming her bedroom. She walks downstairs to the smell of bacon and is greeted by Gabriella.
"I hope you still like blueberry pancakes"- Emma feels her mouth watering and nods excitedly.
"Are you kidding!? Of course, I do!"-She takes a sit on the table. -"Oh it's been long since I have them. Mom never makes pancakes; she says she is not good at it"
"Yeah she never got the hang of it"
After Gabriella serves her portion, she takes a sit to eat too. She looks at her granddaughter with tenderness and notices how fast she was growing.
"Had a pleasant dream?"- Gabriella asks.
"I did It was from when we used to go the island"- Emma notices her grandma´s eyes spark with joy.
"Oh yes! We did that a lot, when Diana sends you here during summer.
"We used to have picnics and then play pretend right?"- Emma asks between bites. Her grandmother nods. -"I was like a princess right? and you a queen, and we had this festival were everybody wore masks."
"We did our own masks too"
"What?! No way do you still have them?"-
"The dress too."
"What! Grandma you have to show it to me."
"Sure, I can search for them, they must be somewhere in the attic"
"Grandma your imagination was so vivid I swear your made me create fake memories. Did you play pretend with mom and or Aunt Julia"
Emma quickly regrets bringing the subject, he notices her grandmother tense around the coffee mug just like her mother does anytime she asked about her.
"Julia loved it"- Her grandmother answers softly. -"Your mother not much though."
Before the curious teenager could ask more questions Gabriella stood up to grab her keys.
"Hey, I need to run some errands. Would you like to come with me?"
"Eh Sure"
ooo
"My son, what are you doing here"-Loki almost drops his book when he turned to see her mother standing behind him.
"Mother! You scared me!"- If there was someone in the nine realms that could be as sneaky as him it was her mother.
"My apologies son, I was not expecting you here"-Loki closes his eyes and mentally prepares for the lecture. -"What are you doing in the library?"
"Well studying the island history of course"-The prince responds playfully. -"Did you know there was a time where the energy of this island was so strong the elders believe it was a realm of its own?"
"Ah, yes I was aware."-Frigga walks outside the balcony to stand closer to her son. -"But then it was discover, it was the thinness of its veil between worlds that made its energy so raw."
"Exactly"-Loki grins at her mother. He always loves talking to her mother, she didn't mind his ramblings and always listen to them.
Frigga's hand reaches for the boy's face, a nurturing gesture but Loki knew it always came before the lecture. And he had an idea of what it was going to be about.
"Loki. Your hunger for knowledge is something I adore very much about you."-The boy looks at her attentively. -"But The Summer festivities are meant to be celebrated outside to connect with the nature"
"Yeah"
"With people"
"yeah"
Here it comes.
"With your friends"- Loki rolls her eyes and steps aside of his mother's hold.
"They are not my friends"-His son speaks bitterly. -"They are Thor`s friends"
"And Thor is your brother, you should be spending time with him"
"He doesn't want to spend time with me"
"I am sure he does. And I am sure his friends want too."-Frigga tries. -"They just haven't had the chance to get to know you well."
Loki catches where her mother´s gaze was going, he look down the balcony and saw Thor and his friends getting ready to walk around the town.
"Mother don´t"
"Its for your own good."
"Mother please!"
"Thor!"-Frigga calls, Loki moves out of Thor´s view when he and his friends glance up.-"Could you come here a moment?"
The golden first born arrives shortly, His golden hair seemed to shine brighter under the beachy sun and his buffoon face irritated Loki more.
"Yes mother?"- He dashes a grin, laughter still tattering his voice from whatever dumb funny thing he was talking to with his friends.
"Where are you heading?"- Frigga asks.
"I am going downtown with Lady Sif, Faramir, Volhun to meet with Shogun for the festivities"
"Excellent, have fun and take your brother Loki with you"- Loki´s ears heat with embarrassment he felt like a small boy again, needing babysitting.
"Of course, mother come here Loki"
Frigga shots a well-intentioned smile to his younger son. Although to Loki it looked more like I know best look smug. As if his mother's plan would resolve anything.
Loki follow his fool brother outside the royal summer manor. His friends already waiting close to the fountain.
"Friends I am here!"-The prince announced.
"And you brought Loki"- Sif was always so transparent with her dislike towards Loki. The prince supposed she was still angry about the whole cutting hair accident, but to be fair she was growing it out rather nicely.
"Hello"- The prince says shyly. -"Your hair looks good Sif"
"I am going to kill you!"-Loki`s comment was not meant to be sarcastic, but Sif did not find it that way. Thor got between the two of them.
"Sif, friends. Let's forget about the past is the The Midsommar festival! We were all waiting for this! It is our first adventure together! And my first debut as warrior!
"Our"- Volstagg adds. -"Our first debut as warriors"
"Yes ours"-Sif adds
"Yes of course"- Thor laughs. -"The debut of Thor and the warrior three"
Somebody kill me. - Thought Loki
ooo
Emma struggles to balance herself with the grocery bags and her flipflops threatening to break. She should have really bought another pair when her grandmother suggested it at the local store. Emma did not remember the blazing and humid heat of the afternoon beach sun. Her face was sweating away the sunscreen and a few drops have fallen inside her eyes, making it difficult to see where she was going.
"How are you hanging Emma?"-Her grandmother turns to look at her from behind her sunglasses, looking fresh and in good shape.
"I think my eye is going blind"- The teen girl says with a closed eye.
"Remind me to buy you a waterproof sunscreen"-Her grandmother helps the girl with one of the bags. -"You do sweat a lot, your aunt Julia did a lot too when she was your age."
"She did?"-Her grandmother lets out a laugh.
"A lot, she could probably run an hydropower plant with her sweat alone."- The older woman laughs at the memory. -"She always look lovely though"
Emma smile and look at the horizon thoughtfully. Aunt Julia sounded like a cool person. Her eyes fall on the small islet and wonders.
"Did you used to play with Aunt Julia in the islet too?"- Emma asks and notices her grandma come back from thoughts.
"Uh yeah I did"
"We should go back some day this summer."-Emma suggests enthusiastically. -"Without the play pretend of course! I am not a child anymore."
"Oh you are not? You are not the princess of Amora any longer?"-Her grandma teases, Emma laughs.
"No! Well maybe, was that the name of kingdom where we go?"
"No Amora was what we said it was our kingdom, the place where we go was As-"
"Gabriella!"- Emma and her grandmother turned to look at another woman close to her grandma´s age.
"Marlene!"- Gabriella walks to her a greets her.
"Is this your granddaughter?"
"Ah yes, this is my precious Emma"
"Hi"- The younger girl greets awkwardly. Marlene grins as she looks at her.
"She is just like Julia when she was her age"
"I know! Hey did you know what happened with Erika?"
Emma watches as both women start giggling and catching up with each other. Marlene was very loud but Emma liked her huge red hat. She wishes she had one now. She waited a few minutes until she realized they were going to chat for longer than she felt comfortable to wait to standing up, so she decides to softly interrupt.
"Grandma, its it okay if I go home. I am feeling tired already."
"Sure, here take my keys, don't open the door to anyone, I have my own spare"
"Alright!"
Emma says her goodbyes, takes the grocery bags and begins her walk towards her home. Her mother would have force her to wait beside her, she was so happy her grandmother was cool. Emma decides to walk by coast and admire the view. She didn't know she looked like Aunt Julia; she didn't think she did. But to be fair, the only pictures she was seen of Aunt Julia were ones where she was with her mother, and they were older. The teen girl wonder how she was going to look when she was older.
The teen girl notices a makeshift dock a few feet away with a few boats attached to it and a man siting next to it having lunch. Emma walks closer and notices the boat sign.
Boat rent $20
The girl looks at the man close to his grandmother age, and realizes the islet is pretty close.
"Excuse me whats the cost?"- The men looks away from his sandwitch to give her an annoyed look.
"20 the hour"-He rolls his eyes. -"As the sign says"
"And it can take me to the islet, right?"
"Yes it. Will you rent it?"
Emma reaches for her back pocket and realizes she still has a few dollars left. She looks from the boat to the man, to the islet and thinks about it for a moment.
"And well?"- The man asks impatiently, startling Emma. She decides against it, taking in consideration her grandmother promised to take her.
"Eh no thank you!"- She yelps and no so subtly ran away.
When Emma arrives to her house she plops on the couch and thinks to herself this was going to be a great summer. The young girl was craving this familiarity after weeks of chaos and changes. This summer was going to be great and when it was over, she was going to see her friends and tell all about her stay.
Ring Ring
Emma stands up at the sound of the house phone ringing. She ponders for a moment whether she should answer or not but realizes it could be her grandma needing something and decides to do it. She peaks up the phone and before she could speak she hears her mother´s voice.
"Mother I am going to need one of your old contacts to see if we can put Emma in the school in California I told you about"- Emma freezes at her mother´s voice.
"Why would I need to go to a school in California?"- the young girl demands angrily
"Emma?"- She hears her mother worried.-"Where is your grandma?"
"She is outside with a friend!"- The voice in the girl is at verge of sobbing.-"Why would I need to go to California? You said we were not moving!"
"We are not! I just want to see your options"
"Liar!"- The girl accuses. -"Stop lying! How am I going to see dad or my friends if move? I don't want to go!"
"Emma!"
The girl hangs up the phone aggressively. She feels her chest tightening and her room shrinking. Several tears drop from her eyes but she doesn't want to spill them yet. Anger, confusion and sadness take over her. She hears the phone ring again probably her mom trying to reach again. Not wanting to be in that room, in the house or anywhere she rans, she rans outside the house and towards the beach away from anyone.
"What do you mean I cannot to participate?!" – Thor complains to the local in charge of the Berserker Wrestling Tournament. The blonde prince was so sure he was going to be allowed to enter even though she had not come of age.
"I am sorry Prince Thor but minors cannot participate for the wrestling matches."- Loki looked at the dark hair man with pity as he is forced to deal with his brother.
"I am prince of Asgard! I say me and Volstagg are allowed to participate!"- Thor demands, Loki rolls his eyes as he listens to him and his friends complain.
"And you all are still children! Royal blooded or not. I will not have King Odin´s wrath If your pretty boy face gets damage!"
The man´s response makes Thor and everyone save for Loki complain obnoxiously, its not until a big burly guard is called that he forces all the teens to step out of the line and leave.
"Damn it"-Thor kicks a dropped battle as his friends and Loki follow him.-"What is the fun of the festival if I cannot prove to be worthy"
"Lets just forget about it"-Sif reasons. -"In a few years we will be able to participate"
"And what do you suggest doing?"- Frandal asks, Sif shrugs.
"We could go to explore the caves like I have previously suggested"- Loki says, Sif and Frandal turn to look at him.
"Yeah how about no"- Frandal dismisses and before Loki is able to retort.-"How about we sign up for the sword tournament? They don't use real swords and they let our age group participate"
"What a great idea!"- Thor exclaims. -"Lets get going"
The group runs to the east side of the festival but stops in their tracks as soon as they see the long waiting line.
"We could ride the Aslaug Eye"- Sif suggests, pointing at the wooden ferris wheel like structure.
The group of teens waits in the shorter but still long line. Loki zones out of the conversation he was not include and turn his eyes to the other side of island where he could see the emerald, green trees.
"Thor! Thor!"- His attention is back to Hogun who is making his way towards the group. He seems out of breath when he finally catches with them.-"I found someone who save us a spot in the line, we can sign up for sword tournament!"
"Magnificent! Hogun you are the best!"-Thor exclaims and turns to look at his friends and brother. -"Who else will sign up?"
Frandal and Sif confirm while Volstagg declines.
"I prefer wrestling"- Volstagg admits.
"Loki?"- Thor asks
"No"- He simply states.
"Well then is settled, Thor and I will sign up your names"- Hogun explains. -"The rest of you can wait here and ride the game. We still have at least an hour before the tournament begins."
The group nods in agreement.
"Great, everybody has their wood sword tight?"- Hogun asks, Sif and Frandal nod but the blonde winces.
"I left mine at the fountain!"-Thor groans.-"I need to buy one!"
"No way, we will lose our turn"- Hogun argues.-"It has to be one of you guys."
"We have been forming in this line for an hour"- Frandal answers.
"Loki should go."-Sif suggests, the prince turns to look at her angrily.
"What? No! Its almost our turn to ride"-Loki complains, he is suddenly take by the shoulders by his brother.
"Brother please! This is my only chance! You must by me the sword inmediatly"
Loki looks at his brother big pleading eyes.
"But is almost our turn"-Loki mutters.
"Sif, Volstagg and Frandal will wait for you, won`t you?"- Thor turns to look at his friends and they look at each other.
"Sure"- Frandal answers. -"In fact here take some coins and buy me a new shield"
Loki takes the coins and looks at Thor who still waits for his answer.
"Come one brother"-Thor begs. -"Do this for me and then we can explore the caves as I promise"
Loki´s eyes brighten at his words.
"Really?"-Loki asks. -"We will go"
Thor nods.
"Of course!"
"And you will wait for me to come back to ride the game?"- Loki turns to look at Thors friend suspiciously. They nod too. Loki smiles, could this be his time to shine? Was he finally being accept by them?
"Alright!"- Loki agrees and is suddenly lift by Thor
"Thanks Brother you are the best!"-
"Let me down Thor"- Loki orders on my playful tone. His brother laughs and puts him down.
The blonde prince then leaves his friends along with Hogun to sign up for the tournament. Frandal gives some extra coins to Loki before he heads straight to the stand selling swords and shields. The black hair prince can`t help but smile, maybe Thor´s friends were not that bad, maybe they were starting to accept him. Loki could be fun too, just a as fun as Thor, just as funny as anyone! He only needed a chance to prove himself, and the sharing a sit with the other teens on the Auslaug eye could be a great opportunity to start conversation without Thor overshadowing. Then when everybody went to the caves with him, prince Loki could impress them with his map skill, maybe even play a playful prank on Frandal!
Everything was going to be alright
Prince Loki buys the shield and sword and makes his way back to Auslaug Eye. Loki´s gleeful grin drops when he sees Sif, Frandal and Volstagg getting inside one of the cages, getting ready to ride the game. Frandal opens the door and lets two strange girls from the line get inside, Sif shakes her head and gets inside before them. The girls giggle at something Frandals says. Loki stares at them and is Volstagg who looks up and notices Loki, they met eyes, but turns his eyes elsewhere and gets inside the riding, completely ignoring the prince and pretending he wasn't there.
The prince hopes of being accepted tumble down, as well as he tears. He flees and leaves the festival, heading elsewhere to the emerald green of the forest, away from everyone away from everything.
000
Emma steps into the islet, tears on her face and arms aching from rowing. The afternoon golden light is reflecting in the water, the palms in the small islet work to protect against the sun, however Emma doesn´t feel far away enough from her mother. Her chest is tightening with anger and her face hurts from trying to hold the tears. She looks at the rocky area with the cave entrance and decides to get inside.
She gets deeper inside until the sun light barely reaches. She finds a spot and sits; she hugs her knees and lets her face hide. And there under the comfort of the darkness she lets it all out, ger anger, her frustration and sadness come out in sobs and cries.
How could her mother do this to me?
How can dad let this happen too?
Did it not matter to them how I felt?
I hate them
Loki reaches the other side of the colt, a mix of tears and sand on his face. How could they do this to him? Thor, his friends, his mother!? Why did his mother not leave him at peace at the library? Why did she forced him to expose himself like that? To Thor´s friend rejection? Why did Thor not defend him? Was he that oblivious? Did he not care? What was wrong with him staying at the palace with him being him? Why did his father not accept him?
The prince fights his tears and walks inside the cave, there is an ancient primitive statue of the goddess, although to the untrain eye it would look like a bunch of rocks, Loki made his research and recognize the style form the early habitants of the island. Now under the comforting shadow of the inside of the cave he feels his emotions come tumbling. He looks at the sword and shield he bought naively and throws them away, hearing them fall somewhere behind him. He breaks crying, letting out all his feelings and anger.
He is caught up in his own emotions to listen the faint sobs echoing in sync with his from inside the cave.
Emma is the first to notice that some of her sobs echoing are not hers. She rises her head and brings her hands down to prob herself up. That's when she notices the sand is not that same.
Its pink.
Emma can´t tell for sure under the dim light of the cave she makes her way back to the main entrance, and as the sunbeams become closer and closer she begins to notice the pink sand.
No way
She reaches the entrance there is monolith that was no there before, she peaks outside and sees forest like trees instead of the palms she saw few minutes ago. Her hear rises in panic and steps back. She gets startle but the crunch under her feet she looks down and finds a wooden sword and a shield. Emma picks up the sword and shield. The objects being much heavier than they look, make Emma clash them against each other by accident. The clash echoes inside the cave.
"Hey! What are you doing with that?!"
Emma panics and turns around to meet a boy his age that was not there when she arrived the islet. The angry looking black hair steps walks towards her.
"I asked you a question! What are you doing h-?"- Loki stops mid-sentence when the strange girl starts running outside with his sword and shield. -"Come back!"
Emma doesn't understand what cames to her, she gets inside fight or flee mode. She goes outside the cave to the coast and is marveled by the pink sand contrasting with the green of the morest and the gold of the skies. The boy catches up with her and makes a hand motions. The girl frozes in disbelief when both the sword and the shield are flown out of her hands and into the boys with him not moving from his spot.
"Magic!"- She blurts out and points at him.-"You used magic!"
"Well of course I use magic"-Loki looks at the strange girl, whos eyes look like they are about to pop out of her sockets.-"We are in Aslaug Island, my Asgardian magic is stonger"
Asgardian
Asgardian
Asgard
"You will be the prettiest girl is Asgard"
It all comes crashing to Emma like a wave sinking a boat. I all makes sense now but its too much take in.
"Where are you from, girl? Why do you act so strange?"- Emma looks at him wide eyed.
"Loki!"-The boy turn around to the voices of people coming their way. The girl takes this a as her cue to run away back inside the cave.
"Loki we have been looking everywhere for you! Where is my sword!"- Thor jogs to him along with his very angry looking friends.-"What were you doing?"
"I was talking to-"´Loki turns to his side just to find the girl gone.-"a girl"
"More like a ghost girl"-Frandal snicker to Sif, and Loki glares at him.
Emma runs inside the cave, her eyes close and her heart threatening to burst out of her, she collides with a body, familiar arms embracing her.
"Emma where were you?!"- Emma opens her eyes to find herself outside the cave again but this time on the islet she arrives in boat. Her grandma is looking at her with worry.
"I was in… Asgard"- Gabriella freezes and looks her granddaughter in horror.