Striding through the streets of Midgard was like nothing Maryn had ever experienced. She had thought the power of Asgard was strong, but the energy of the humans' planet was so vibrant and alluring she had to fight every second to focus on her purpose for being there.
Wincing at the memory of Thor's anger as she let him go before they landed in the large city where Loki was, Maryn shook off her guilt at lulling him into trusting her, but she needed time to confront Loki alone. She knew that she had to see Loki first, that she had to know if he was truly as cruel and mad as Thor had told her he had been when they fought on the Rainbow Bridge.
The sounds of fighting drew her to an open town square with steps that lead down to an empty paved area. The sight of Loki and another male circling and lunging at each other stopped her in her tracks. It had been so long since she had seen him. He looked much the same, although his hair looked longer under his helmet and his armour was different from what she remembered, he still looked the same. His shoulders were still broad, his body although lean was strong and he moved with all the lithe grace he had before his fall.
However, the longer she watched him and the other male fight, the more her anger welled up and took over. This was the man who had promised to love her into the afterlife, the man who had promised to protect her, and he hadn't even tried to return to her.
Her fury giving her strength, she pushed away the beguiling magic of Earth and started toward Loki and the other figure as loud, obnoxious music started emanating from a flying machine above the square. Another figure, a man in a gold and red metal suit, glided down and threw what looked like a ball of flame into Loki's chest sending him flying back into the steps as the figure landed.
Loki lifted his hands in placation and his helmet and some of his armour disappeared with a spell, no doubt to make him look more harmless; little did the two who had fought him know, but he was anything but harmless.
Maryn smirked as Loki caught sight of her and the gazes of the others were drawn to her by his shocked stare. Pushing back her hood, she unclasped her cloak as she continued forward. The soft fabric fluttered from her shoulders as she walked, disappearing with a flick of her wrist before it even touched the ground. Lifting her chin, Fenrir padding at her side, she saw the disbelief on the faces of the humans, the one in the metal suit even going so far as to remove his mask while the other lowered the red, blue and white shield he carried with its silver star at the centre. The flying machine hovered over them, no doubt ready in case she became hostile.
So distracted by her entrance, they failed to see Loki reach for a weapon. With a cool glare, Maryn flung her hand out toward him, a paralyzing spell slamming into his chest and the knife falling from his hand and spinning away across the brick paving stones as he was flung back against the stairs once more.
The man with the blue helmet and mask emblazoned with a silver 'A' was the first to recover and stepped into her path as she closed the distance between herself and Loki. Fenrir snarled at him, his hackles rising, only to settle down when Maryn laid a hand on his side.
Swallowing hard, the human glanced between her and the giant wolf at her side before he cleared his throat and spoke respectfully, "I wouldn't get too close to him, miss. He's dangerous." His accent was mellow and had a calming effect.
Entranced by the swirl of bright blue power that sat close to his body like a layer of armour, Maryn took a moment to understand his words before she smiled softly causing a light ruddiness to climb his neck and fill his cheeks. "Believe me, sir, I know exactly how dangerous he can be."
"Oh how I've missed you, sweet one," Loki smirked laughing at her glare, the two humans glancing between them suspiciously. "However, it appears you have not missed me overly much, wife."
The rumble of Fenrir's growl punctuated the silence that reigned at his words and Maryn narrowed her eyes at the Dark Prince. "How can I miss a man who would abandon me, my lord?" she snarled and threw another spell at his chest when she saw him move to get up again.
He groaned almost inaudibly before lifting his bright gaze to her again, lust warring with something darker behind his eyes as he watched her.
Ignoring him and the unwelcomed heat that slid through her at his look, Maryn folded her arms over her chest, looking at the humans with her head tilted slightly to the side, "Should we not be leaving?"
There were a few moments of silence and then the two men moved quickly. The flying machine landed and a ramp opened at the back while Loki was ushered to his feet by the humans and made to walk into the machine. Maryn followed, Fenrir a step behind her. The man with the emblazoned mask waited for her to precede him before closing the ramp behind him by pushing a glowing yellow button on the wall.
Inside the machine there were five seats lining both walls with space to walk to the front where a man in a black helmet and a woman with shoulder length, crimson curls sat.
"Who's this?" the woman asked looking both Maryn and Fenrir over.
Glancing at Loki as he was pushed down into one seat and told to strap in by the man in the iron suit, Maryn turned with a tight smile to the others watching her guardedly. "I am Maryn…Loki's wife."
The humans shared a heavy look before the woman nodded, "Great," she drawled sarcastically and turned to the controls before her as the machine left the ground.
Fenrir sat at Maryn's feet when she lowered herself into a seat on the opposite side of the aisle to Loki. She sighed in relief, as the machine climbed higher in the air, the magic of Midgard lessening minutely and her body relaxing slightly, the ache of the pressure in her bones diminishing enough to help her breathe easier.
Her gaze snapped to Loki's when she felt him try to enter her mind. He winced as she forced his consciousness away from her own and turned away from him once more, not trusting her own anger to stay hidden until she could speak to him privately.
"So you and him," the new voice brought Maryn's attention to the man who was wearing the metal suit. At her confused look, he elaborated, "You and him are married?" he nodded to Loki as he spoke and Maryn heard the almost disgusted tone he used when he mentioned marriage.
"That's none of your business, Stark," The other male spoke up, pulling off his helmet and revealing a clean-shaven strong jaw, neat dark blond hair, bright blue eyes, and full lips.
The one called Stark ran a metal clad hand through his dark hair touched with grey at the temples. "I'm just asking a question." He held out a hand to Maryn, "Tony, Tony Stark. You've probably never heard of me but I'm a big deal here on earth. This is Steve Rogers, and the gorgeous but sneaky woman flying this aircraft is Natasha Romanov."
Humans had strange names and mannerisms Maryn noticed. She took his offered hand and shook it, repeating the action with the man he had called Steve Rogers. The neatly trimmed dark goatee around Tony Stark's mouth and his dark eyes made his skin look more golden brown than Maryn had noticed before, and feeling the eyes of all the men in the 'aircraft' on her made her blush.
"We are married, yes," Maryn answered his question.
Nodding he glanced at Loki who was silent and looking at the wall. "What's that like?" he asked abruptly.
"Stark," Steve Rogers warned him making him hold up his hands and take a little step back, indicating that he wouldn't ask any more questions. Shaking his head, Steve turned to lean a hand on a ledge at the front of the plane, Tony doing the same.
All the humans had magic Maryn saw becoming distracted as the men started speaking in hushed voices. Not only was Steve Rogers' a shield of blue light around him, but if she looked closely, there was a centre of golden light that sat over his heart. Tony Stark emanated silver light that seemed to flicker and move too quick for her eyes to follow, giving the impression of continuous motion. The woman, Natasha Romanov, her magic was held close to her, wavering and masking parts of her face at different times, a dark shimmer indicating that there was more but it was hidden well away from everyone. From each of these humans, a single strand of their power reached out and linked them together, the first hint of their bonds to each other forming without their knowledge. More strands came from them, reaching outside of the aircraft and disappearing into the night sky, no doubt they were the links they had with others in their world.
Coming out of the quiet trance she had been in, Maryn realised that while Steve Rogers and Tony Stark were talking together, the night sky outside the aircraft was charged with lightning; Thor was definitely angry. She shivered as lightning cut through the sky and thunder boomed. Glancing at Loki, she saw him tense and knew he feared his brother's anger, even if he refused to admit it.
His reaction was noticed by the others in the plane and Steve Rogers spoke up, "What's the matter, scared of a little lightning?"
Loki leaned forward to glance up through the glass windows set into the roof of the flying machine before answering. "I'm not overly fond of what follows."
The two human males shared a look and Maryn stood, Fenrir lifting his head to watch her as she moved to stand in the middle of the aircraft aisle.
Something heavy landed on top of the craft with a dull thud and Maryn sighed, squaring her shoulders to meet Thor head-on, knowing he was going to be beyond angry, as the humans readied themselves to meet an unknown threat.
Once again fully dressed in his metal suit, Stark pressed a button on the wall of the aircraft, the ramp opening to Steve's shock.
Thor dropped into a crouch on the ramp and stood tall, walking calmly forward to face Stark. As the metal man lifted his hand to fire a weapon, Thor slammed Mjölnir into his chest, throwing him back into Steve as Maryn stepped fluidly out of the way, and both humans fell to the floor of the craft.
"Thor, enough." She tried to calm him.
He glared at her, grabbed Loki by the front of his armour pulling him from his seat and snapping the straps belting him in as he did, and turned, jumping from the aircraft and flying off into the night, Loki in his grasp.
Ignoring the two men getting to their feet, Maryn cast a spell over Fenrir to transport him with her, conjured her cloak around her shoulders, and stepped from the craft as well. Both woman and beast dropped a few feet and then shot forward, following Thor and Loki to an outcropping of jagged rock at the base of which grew a large forest.
Maryn saw Thor land, Loki dropping to the ground with a groan while she landed gracefully close by listening to their conversation.
"Where is the Tesseract?" Thor asked as Loki laughed from where he lay on his back at his brother's feet.
"Oh, I missed you too."
Shoulders tense with pent up anger Thor snapped back, "Do I look to be in a gaming mood?"
Lifting himself painfully from the ground to sit up, Loki looked at his brother, "You should thank me. With the Bifrost gone how much dark energy did the Allfather have to muster to conjure you here; your precious Earth?"
"He didn't have to use dark magic," Maryn spoke, her arms folded over her chest as she leaned one shoulder against Fenrir's side, her cloak disappearing once more with a spell. "He doesn't need dark energy when his good-daughter can call upon her own power."
Loki's intense eyes studied her, "You are different somehow."
Irate at his lack of repentance and answers, Thor strode forward and dragged Loki to his feet, one hand at the side of his neck so that he was looking at him, "I thought you dead."
The emotionless mask Maryn knew so well covered Loki's features at his brother's words, "Did you mourn?"
"We all did," Thor told him and Maryn looked away not wanting to remember those days. "Our father-," Thor began but Loki held up a finger cutting him off.
"Your father." He pushed Thor away, "He did tell you my true parentage, did he not?" he asked as he walked away, past Maryn and further down the rocky incline, a hand to his back as he did.
She saw the pain he was hiding when he weaved a little as he walked, his eyes flashing to look at her before turning away again.
"We were raised together," Thor spoke, his tone deep with feeling, "We played together, we fought together," he followed Loki down the small hill. "Do you remember none of that?"
Stopping, Loki turned to him, his face dark with bitterness, "I remember a shadow. Living in the shade of your greatness. I remember you tossing me into an abyss; I who was and should be king!"
Maryn flinched at his words and turned her face to Fenrir's warm side, the memories of that day, although recalled through the haze of physical pain, stabbed through her at his words.
"You were given a wife, you had the love of a beautiful woman," Thor tried to reason with him.
Loki scoffed, "A mere consolation to dull the pain of having to bow to you."
His words stung more than she thought they would, and Maryn left Fenrir's side, lifting her skirts and walking to the edge of the outcropping to look down over the forest as Thor and Loki still spoke.
"So you take the world I love as recompense for your imagined slights?" Thor challenged the Dark Prince.
With a laugh of derision, Loki grinned at him, "And you're doing a marvellous job with that. The humans slaughter each other in droves while you idly threat. I mean to rule them…and why should I not."
"You think yourself above them."
Loki looked confused at Thor's words, "Well, yes."
"Then you miss the truth of ruling, brother. A throne would suit you ill."
With an angry snarl, Loki pushed past his brother and strode to the top of the hill near where Maryn still stood. "I've seen worlds you've never known about!" He turned to sneer at Thor who followed him, "I have grown, Odinson, in my exile. I have seen the true power of the Tesseract, and when I wield it-."
"Who showed you this power?" Thor's question brought Maryn out of her memories and she turned to watch the two brothers. "Who controls the would-be king?"
"I am a king!" Loki shouted only for the God of Thunder to grab and shake him.
"Not here! You give up the Tesseract, you give up this poisonous dream!" Thor growled out. "…You come home," he added brokenly.
Tears in his eyes at the sadness in his brother's voice, Loki searched Thor's gaze before smirking suddenly, "I don't have it."
Baring his teeth, Thor let him go and stepped back, reaching out a hand to call his hammer to him and then raising the weapon ready to fight.
"You need the Cube to bring me home, but I've sent it off, I know not where." Loki spoke calmly even as Thor pointed Mjölnir at him.
"You listen well, brother, I-," a red and gold streak slammed into Thor, cutting him off, and both fell to the forest floor below.
Loki stilled, his gaze on where Thor had been standing, "I'm listening," he spoke flippantly.
Not wanting to be left alone with him so soon, Maryn turned, her skirts held in one hand, and made to walk back down the incline to where Fenrir waited patiently for her. She gasped and turned, putting her back to the rocks near her as Loki took a step toward her.
"What has happened to you?" he asked, seeming almost confused by the words falling from his lips.
She jerked away from him, flattening her spine to the rocks when he reached out to her, "You have no right to know anything about me, Loki," she hissed out, her chest rising and falling with panicked breaths. "I am no longer your concern."
He stepped closer and the moonlight cut across his face, showing her his eyes clearly. Something had changed. The vivid green she had come to love had been dulled by a strange sheen of blue, and the power she could see swirling around him shared the same look. The touch of his magic was different as well, although the coolness of it was the same, the pull that had been so strong between them had weakened. The instinctual need to be close to him, to share their magic and draw on the link they had forged wasn't as strong as she remembered and she couldn't hold back from asking softly, "Oh my love, what did they do to you?"
Loki shuttered his emotions and glared down at her, "Why do you ask, girl?"
Tentatively, Maryn pushed away from the rocks, "Loki, please…" However, the sense of someone entering her mind made her still. She felt Tora's presence take over her and the Mithrosian woman's conscious slip into her mind. Maryn's body felt detached and it seemed like she was falling, watching what happened next without being able to stop it.
Loki saw Maryn's eyes glow softly, the shadow of Tora's face flickering over her own. Maryn's hand lifted and flattened against the centre of his chest.
"I'm sorry, my lady," Tora's voice whispered in Maryn's mind, "But he will hurt you if your link with him stays."
A blast of energy reverberated through Maryn's arm and into Loki's chest and Maryn blinked, her mind once more her own. She lifted her gaze to Loki's face to see the dark stain of blood on his lips and his skin paler than before, and felt their connection break. Staggering back from him in shock, she felt tears fill her eyes and turned her back on him.
"It's for the best, girl," he snarled coldly.
Pressing a hand hard to her mouth, Maryn wrapped her free arm around her abdomen and forced away a broken sob. Fenrir moved to butt his head against her shoulder, whining low in his throat at her distress.
She didn't want this. She didn't want her connection to Loki to be severed, she didn't want the one chance she had to get closer to him to be taken from her. Anger welled up inside her. No one trusted that she had the strength to keep her heart safe, even as she tried to bring Loki back. Panting as her emotions boiled over, she squeezed her eyes shut. No one thought she could protect herself in this world of anger and thirst for more. Weaving slightly she opened her eyes to see that the magic around her was pulsing with her rage. Distracted by the myriad of colours, she reached out one hand and let what looked like a rope of glowing gold wrap around her wrist and fingers. Lifting her head, she felt it seep into her skin, warming her and strengthening her as it did. Completely enthralled, she didn't feel the ground start to tremble under her feet, the power taking hold and winding around her more quickly with each breath she took. With a small smirk, she turned her hand so that her palm faced a large boulder near her. As the magic left her, she revelled in the feeling, seeing it explode out from her hand, blasting a hole in the rock.
Everything moved slowly then. As the power built within her again, she saw Loki move toward her, his magic like emerald fire consuming his body. He reached out, wrapping his hand around her wrist. With a gasp, Maryn felt the power she had absorbed drain away between one beat of her heart and another. The magic around her dimmed and she concentrated on Loki's moving lips, the sound of his words coming into focus.
"…is wrong?" Noticing that she seemed confused by his question, Loki spoke again, "The ground was shaking. You are pale, Maryn, what is wrong?"
Turning, Maryn saw that the rock she had thought she had destroyed was still intact. "I…I am fine," she lied even as pain seared through her.
Loki didn't look fooled by her lie and stepped a little closer, opening his mouth to speak again.
Maryn interrupted him, grabbing for a topic that was safe to speak to him about without bringing emotion into it. But all she could think of was a discussion they'd had the day they found Fenrir, and despite the emotions that day brought up, she couldn't stop herself from saying the words. "You said once that we could see what is outside of Asgard." She didn't dare look up at him.
"I have seen it and it is darkness," he murmured sounding broken.
Closing her eyes against the emotions his voice brought up, Maryn took a deep breath, "Did they…were you tortured?"
He was silent. Looking up at him, she couldn't read him and didn't know if his silence meant that he had been harmed or that he hadn't.
Suddenly, the pair was interrupted by what sounded like a gong reverberated through the air and they turned to see the trees where Thor and Tony Stark were fighting fall in the wake of a shockwave of air, which originated from the shield Steve Rogers held. Thor stood over him, his hammer in his hand as the other man stood.
Maryn stared in despair at the destroyed forest. Its magic dispersed into the air above the ruined trees and other flora and fauna, its pure light disappearing so quickly it was as if it had never been there. Tugging her wrist from Loki's gentle grip, she stepped off the edge of the outcropping, dropping down to land near the three men who stood silently in a loose circle.
"Are we done here?" Steve Rogers asked.
Maryn glared at them. "Was your anger and fighting worth destroying everything around you?"
Properly ashamed, the men looked around at the forest they had ripped apart.
Turning from them, Maryn raised her hands toward the sky and called on the power singing through her veins. She couldn't stop the males around her from competing to show off their strength and prowess in battle, but she could do this. Crystal blue light burst from her palms, bathing the splintered trunks and ripped leaves around her in its brightness. Slowly, but moving faster and faster, the trees slid back together, restored and finding their rightful berths in the torn up ground. Their roots dug down deep into the rich aromatic soil, and their magic returned, strengthening and making whole what had been destroyed. As her spell came to an end and Maryn looked around her, she felt a large hand press to her spine, holding her up as she slumped in the initial exhaustion the spell had caused. She looked over her shoulder and felt a stab of hurt that it wasn't Loki who steadied her, but rather Thor.
"We should get going," Rogers spoke up, taking the lead as Loki and Fenrir joined them, the latter with Loki's wrist clenched carefully but firmly between his teeth to keep him close.
The group made their way to a clearing not too far from where they had stood, and boarded their craft that was waiting for them there.
"You should not have exerted yourself over something that will be destroyed by the humans in their insatiable thirst for more," Loki spoke quietly to Maryn as she passed him to walk up the aircraft's ramp.
Looking into his eyes with their strange blue sheen, Maryn felt her heart break, "You have no say in what I do anymore, Loki." Turning from him, she walked away without a backward glance.