The-Mixed-Up-Girl: Thank you so much, I'm certainly trying to make this work out good - not to fast, not too slow.. hopefully. :)
lakessler: Yay :D I'm glad I was able to win you to the oc's. Your review certainly made me jump for joy, as I love to hear that my stories are liked even by those who wouldn't normally like them. I hope you like this chapter, as it is setting the pieces on the board. :) I hope to continue to hear from you.
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Katherine Winchester: I'm so glad to hear that :) I love to hear how people love the stories.
CaptainWolfe: Hey, I'm glad to have you onboard. :D I certainly like to do my research, and tend to like to pull everything in that I can within the Marvel universe - and some stuff which I find laughable. Its a bit tricky to weave both of them together, Marvel and Myth, as they differ quite a bit. If I ever miss something regarding the mixing of the myths, please tell me, and I would love to hear it. Again, thank you for your review, follow, favorite - and noticing the other stories. I will try to update those soon. :) Looking forward to hearing from you.
Hannahuff: Love the username :) Thank you so much for your review. The fact that you love it makes me smile so wide that I feel like my face is going to crack. :D Well, hopefully you'll feel that way all the way through.
Alright, sorry for the delay, but the last two chapters had such a turn that I was a bit flustered and didn't write the next chapter soon enough for the update to be the usual amount of time. However, it is here, and I'm happy to be presenting it. Let me know what you all think, as I'm most interested in your opinions and criticism. :D
Also, thank you for the follows and faves, I'm so happy to see you all, even if I don't mention it always.
Happy reading :D
Logan walked through the legal department of Stark Tower, his eyes scanning every face in the room as they looked at him cautiously. He was here for one reason, even though he wasn't quite sure what that reason was – no, that's not true, he knew exactly why he was here. To Find Nell Shiffer, if that was who had saved Elizabeth the night of the Chitauri attack.
"Can I help you?" a woman asked, coming up from his left.
"I"m looking for Nell Shiffer, is she here?" he inquired, glancing slightly at the woman with frizzy curls and a necklace that had the letter 'P' on it – allowing him to deduce from what Lizzie had told him that this was her friend Pat.
The woman nodded, pointing to a door across the room. "Her office is over there, we haven't changed the name on the door yet, that's why it says 'E. Langley'." Pat replied.
Logan nodded, and quickly crossed the distance to the office, not even bothering to knock, instead just strolling in. The office on the other side was empty, but Logan knew that was because this was Elizabeth's office, and as she was upstairs it wasn't likely that she would be returning to it for a while... that being said, he was reminded that he was supposed to pick up some of her stuff. Walking over to the second door, he did the same that he had done with the first, and just walked in.
Nell was leaning back in her chair, her head tipped back to look at the ceiling as her feet crossed over each other on the desk; she was thinking, wondering how exactly she was going to get a new assistant. Elizabeth had been quite apt in the few days that she had been working for her, and although she knew that she wasn't likely to return, it still made her not particularly want a new one. Perhaps, she thought, she could get one of the other people in legal to do Lizzie's job?
"Nell Shiffer." a gruff male voice uttered shortly after she had heard her door open. She looked up, smirking as she saw the mutant.
"Although I was not born with that name, I reply to it." she replied, watching as he shut the door behind him and stalked toward her. Nell took her feet off the desk, straightening in her chair."I take it by your presence that you wanted to know who it was that had warned you, and why it is that I knew what I did." She stated, as if she had read his mind. "Isn't that right, Logan? – or should I call you 'James'?"
"Logan is fine." He replied gruffly. "And yes, that is exactly why I'm here." Logan replied, taking a seat opposite of the raven-haired woman. "How did you know what was going on? Are you a mutant?"
Nell chuckled, her green eyes filled with mirth. "A mutant? No. Close, but no." she replied as she stood from her place and moved around the desk to sit down at the corner. "But I doubt that lying to you would be a very smart idea."
Logan scoffed, his eyes watching her intently. "No, it wouldn't. I don't like liars." he said, understanding now why Lizzie wondered if she was related to Loki; her movements, her speech patterns, and her overall air made them seem exceedingly similar. In addition to that, her physical appearance was also such as to make it a question. "You aren't here to find any son of yours, are you?"
Nell clucked her tongue, crossing her arms over her chest. "Logan, Logan, its not right to jump to conclusions. As it turns out, I am here to find my son. The particulars, however, aren't exactly true."
"Then what is true?" Logan inquired, leaning forward. "How are you connected to Elizabeth?"
"Other than the fact that she worked for me, I'm not – well, not directly." she stopped, rolling her eyes. "Correction. I'm unofficially connected to her, although I'm sure to be rather officially soon."
"You're speaking in riddles. I prefer it when someone talks to me plainly, and without making me think too much." Logan spat.
Nell's eyebrow rose, her green eyes sparkling. "Well, I'm not in the mood to tell you too much while I'm still being recorded." she confided, standing up and walking back to her desk to get her jacket off the back of her chair. "Why don't we go out for lunch? Its twelve-thirty, and everyone will be taking lunch right about now."
"You can't disable the cameras?" Logan tested, wanting to get her to tell him something by simply throwing out a ridiculous statement. To his surprise, Nell laughed.
"On the contrary, I could – and have already. I'm not interested in losing my job when I just got it, so what is being recorded is not what is happening." she said, picking up her purse. "However, I like having my full faculties when I talk to people. It helps me not to be distracted with illusions."
Logan stood as she walked toward the door, leaving the office. "Now you are going to tell me the truth, right?" He asked as they entered the elevator.
"Well I suppose I could tell you at least a bit of the truth. Don't expect it all, as I'm not particularly interested in having anyone snooping around my life where they don't belong, however they are connected to Elizabeth." she stated, her tone showing how serious she was.
"As long as you tell me what I want to know, we'll have a deal." Logan declared.
Nell waited a few moments, her eyes calculating, examining Logan. Finally, she smiled, her green eyes filling with mirth. "Deal."
"Miss Donovan, might I suggest you going to the main floor?" Jarvis' voice interrupted her from her book.
"Is something going on?" Lizzie inquired, getting up from her chair in the library, putting the book down on the shelf where it had come from and leaving the room just to run into Loki in the hallway. "Do you know what's going on?" she asked him instead.
Loki's eyebrow rose. "Do I look like I'm in two places at once?" he retorted. "I was just in the training room with Rogers, he was called first, and I was just called – I know as much as you do, Elizabeth."
Lizzie rolled her eyes as they entered the elevator. "It was a question, Loki. You don't need to get all pissy over it." she said, looking him over. It was getting a bit ridiculous for her now, but ever since the morning before, she found herself ogling him more than usual – well, as much as she could since he'd been avoiding her. "You've been avoiding me." she voiced her thoughts, listening to his sigh.
"Why don't you just say what you want to say?" he asked her. "Asking me why I haven't told you what I promised to instead of avoiding it like the plague."
"Fine. Why haven't you kept your promise?" She rephrased as they reached the floor, however the doors did not open, and for once Elizabeth thanked Jarvis in her head.
Loki noticed it too. "Open the doors, Jarvis."
"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm going to have to agree with Miss Donovan." the AI said, sounding more human than it should have. "The doors will open when you have come to an agreement."
Lizzie bit her lip, trying to hide her laughter, but Loki only scowled. "Very well. I shall tell you later today, if you wish. Meet me in the library after dinner."
"The library after dinner?" Lizzie repeated, watching him closely for signs that he wasn't going to be there.
"Yes, Elizabeth, I do believe I spoke clearly." he snapped.
She nodded, noticing that he was beginning to fidget as she waited. "I'll meet you there." she finally replied.
Immediately the doors dinged open, and Jarvis' voice could be heard. "Sorry for the delay, sir. I hope it wasn't too much of an inconvenience."
Loki stormed out of the elevator, leaving Lizzie to follow slowly. "Thanks Jarvis." she said to the open air.
"You're welcome, Miss Donovan. I do hope that I was helpful." the AI replied.
"You were." she said, finding Loki looking statue-like in the entrance. "What's going on?" she asked him, peeking around his tall frame to look at what he was looking at.
In the room, she could see Thor, accompanied by four other people she had never seen before. A woman stood next to Thor, her eyes purposefully staying away from Jane, but Lizzie could see the rigidity in her posture. Three other men surrounded Thor: a larger red-headed man with a beard, who made Lizzie smile at his obvious cheer; an Asian-looking man, who seemed to have been the only one to have noticed Loki and her; and a blonde man who reminded her of Errol Flynn. The last, Lizzie had no doubt, was the Fandral she had heard Loki mention more than once.
She made to move forward, but Loki's hand suddenly shot out, keeping her behind him. She poked him, not liking that he was suddenly stopping her from doing what she wanted; he glanced down at her, and for a moment, she thought she saw fear in his eyes. "Loki, what-?"
"Loki!" Thor boomed, and both of them looked over at the golden prince just as he trapped the darker one in a bear hug.
"Thor, let me go." Loki snapped, his eyes still trained on Sif and the Warriors Three. He could see their obvious distaste for him – or rather, he could see Sif's obvious distaste for him, as her hand drifted ever-closer to her weapon. Volstagg too looked dangerous, but not to the same extend as she; the normally happy man had his large arms crossed over his chest, his eyes scanning Loki for any signs that he was going to do something.
Fandral, on the other hand, was what made Loki growl internally. His blue eyes had already singled Elizabeth out, and with a large smile on his face, he began to walk toward her.
"Brother, let me go." Loki repeated, and finally Thor did as requested, and released him.
"I was only wishing to greet you, brother. No need to be so temperamental." Thor replied, but before Loki could say anything, he was already greeting Elizabeth with a similar hug – albeit, a little more gentle – "Lady Elizabeth!"
"Good to see you, Thor." Lizzie replied, trying to hold back a laugh at both Loki's discomfort and Thor's rather obvious display of affection. She wasn't quite sure she had ever seen him act like he did toward her, toward anyone else. He must just like her cooking a great deal. "How was Asgard?" she asked when he pulled away.
He laughed heartily, "It was well when I left it." he replied. "Hopefully it stays that way."
"We all hope that." Lizzie replied, looking over at Loki – who seemed to be caught up in glaring at one of Thor's companions. "Who are your friends?" she asked, Loki's eyes suddenly snapped to her with the expression of 'Are you mad?' on his face.
"Forgive me, you were not here with the other introductions." Thor replied, turning to face his friends but with his arm still slung over her shoulder in a – could she say – protective way? "Friends, this is Lady Elizabeth Donovan of Midgard." he began, and the Warriors Three bowed. Lady Sif, however, scoffed. "Lady Sif, have you issue with Lady Elizabeth?"
She shook her head.
Thor regarded his friend carefully, knowing that Sif didn't like Loki, and therefore probably wouldn't be very friendly to any woman with whom he was attached – even though, his mother said, he didn't know it. "Lady Elizabeth," He started again. "My friends: Volstagg," the large man with a red beard, and a large smile nodded. "Hogun." Lizzie nodded back at the Asian-looking man. "Lady Sif." the Woman – Lizzie thought to steal from Conan Doyle – gave her a curt nod, and Lizzie had the express opportunity to hear Thor mutter something in his native tongue before he continued. "And Fandral." The last smiled widely, and Lizzie thought she heard Loki growl.
"The Dashing?" Lizzie completed, earning a rather boisterous laughter from Thor. Loki turned toward her, but she only smirked. Sif rolled her eyes.
"You have heard of me?" Fandral asked, coming closer to the young woman, noticing Loki stiffen, but he ignored him.
Lizzie chuckled. "Oh yes." she replied, "Your narcissism is well known to me, for I have heard you spoken of often." Inwardly she was having a hard time keeping the smile off her face, and the laughter from coming out of her mouth. It was from Loki that she had heard of Fandral, and right now she couldn't help but find amusement that the egocentric man thought that she meant something else all by the tone of her voice.
Fandral – if it was possible – smiled wider. "And from whence has this praise been uttered to your ears?" he inquired.
"Oh, from a very reliable source." Lizzie replied.
Loki froze at her words, knowing that he had been the only one to truly speak of Fandral and the others in her presence – she considered him a reliable source? Foolish girl, she should have known he would have led her astray in some respect. For in all of his hatred toward the four companions of Thor, they were still an honorable lot; although Fandral was a trifle too impolite in his rather forward advances toward the female sex, Loki knew that his heart was in the right place otherwise.
"Oh?" Fandral uttered.
"Yes, Loki has been very good at telling me all about how you deal with women – or rather, how you view women." She stated, her voice lowering to that of a serious tone, losing every husky aspect it had before... and she found that the look of shock on Fandral's face was a bit too amusing. "That being said, I'm not interested in any of your advances. If you wish to flirt, Darcy might be interested, she's talked of you before in a good light. But I'm not, so... keep away, unless you want to wind up in a lot of pain."
Tony choked on his drink, his mind suddenly flashing to the video feed he had watched the day before. "Tony, are you okay?" Pepper asked him as he continued to hack up whiskey.
"I'm fine." Tony replied, putting down his drink. "I'm gonna go get some water."
Pepper nodded, and he left the room. He would never forget Lizzie falling into Loki's chest, with obvious embarrassment; nor would he forget them being tangled up on the kitchen floor, that if anyone had seen them they would have thought something else was going on. He had been watching the pair of them ever since, and right now was noticing Loki's obvious jealousy as the blonde Asgardian got a little too close to Elizabeth – unfortunately, Fandral did not. He chuckled to himself, accidentally sending his body into a coughing fit, and remembered the bet he had made with Darcy. At the rate that things were going, he'd win.
Back in the main room, Loki was fuming at Fandral's sickening smile, yet somewhat proud of Lizzie's response. He was glad to hear that she wouldn't be falling for the swashbuckling Asgardian any time soon, as that would only be bad for her health – and his curiosity, he reasoned. He wouldn't want her to suddenly up and decide she didn't need to tell him anything because she was gallivanting all over Stark Tower with Fandral.
"Well, now that introductions have been made," Thor replied. "I will speak with you later, Lady Elizabeth." taking her hand, he kissed it chastely. "Loki, we have something to discuss." He then stated, dragging Loki away from the room, the darker prince angry that he couldn't push Thor off.
"So, Loki told you about me." Fandral said, pulling Lizzie's gaze away from the backs of the departing princes.
"Yes, he did." she replied. "Though I have to say, you're better looking than he declared you."
Fandral laughed, coming a little too close for comfort. "Naturally!" he exclaimed, earning an eye-roll and snicker from Lizzie. "Although, it is only normal that he should do so. When a man stakes his claim, he typically tends to want to get rid of the competition."
Lizzie's laughter stopped, her brows furrowing. "What?"
"Well, you are his lady, are you not?" Fandral inquired. He had not been as blind as Tony had thought, and had noticed Loki's subtle hints for him to leave the lady alone. Never had Fandral seen Loki be so obvious in his dislike toward him, but as he continued to talk to her, he could practically feel the coldness coming from Loki.
"I – I don't know what you're talking about." Lizzie replied, completely stumped as to what led Fandral to believe such a thing. Loki wasn't interested in her... was he? No. Impossible, she was a mortal who he despised – although his actions seemed to be warming to her...
"Do you not?" Fandral asking, coming a little bit closer. "So you are not his lady?"
"No, I'm not." she replied, trying to figure out where Fandral had come up with that in only ten minutes of time. "Whatever gave you that impression?"
Fandral smiled. "Oh, nothing, I just assumed that when you came in with him that you were in some manner attached." he said, perhaps Thor had been wrong that she felt the same way, and therefore was Loki's lady. One thing was for sure, she had never met a man that was Fandral's equal in her short existence, and would therefore be unaware of just which charms he was using as he wooed her. And woo her he would, he was determined; for if Loki made no claim, then she was available, and perhaps would keep him occupied during his stay on Midgard. "I suppose I was wrong." He said.
"Yes, yes you are." Lizzie replied. "We were on the same floor, is all, so when we were called we had to take the same elevator."
"Ah, I see." Fandral replied, beaming.
Lizzie returned the gesture, but her mind was elsewhere.
"What do you want?" Loki snarled as soon as Thor shut the door to his room, unhappy with leaving Elizabeth with Fandral. "You know what Fandral is up to, and you abandon Elizabeth in the room with him! Do you want her to wind up in his bed?"
Thor's eyebrows rose upward, he had never seen Loki so passionate about a woman being abandoned with Fandral – not even Amora, when they were together, and he had been obsessed with her. Perhaps his mother had been right. "She's a brilliant girl. I doubt she'd wind up in such a compromising position." he replied, hearing Loki's huff of annoyance as he turned toward the window and looked out on New York. "Besides, give her a little more credit, Loki – did you not hear her toying with him, and then slapping him verbally?"
"I heard it." Loki replied, although Thor could hear a tinge of pride in his tone. "What do you want from me, Thor?"
The golden prince moved toward the bed, putting the packet his mother had given him for Loki on the mattress.
"Mother told me to give you this, she said you'd need them – whatever 'them' is." he said.
Loki turned at the mention of Frigga, his eyes falling onto the bag. Swiftly he moved toward it, his fingers nimbly undoing the strings. "And how is mothe – the Queen?" he inquired, a dull pang in his chest.
"Mother is well. She is preparing for an attack from the Mad Titan, as is all of Asgard. She wanted to come personally, but Father would not allow it." Thor answered, noticing that Loki had stopped opening the bag, no doubt to hide its contents from him.
"I'm sure the Allfather wouldn't want for her to come here, it is too dangerous." Loki replied, looking up at Thor.
"His thoughts exactly, I think." Thor said. "I would not risk it with Jane, if she were not from Midgard originally."
Loki chuckled. "Is there anything else you wish to discuss with me?" he asked, wanting to open the bag, but refraining due to the fact that he didn't trust Thor completely. He didn't want him around when he took each thing from his mother out of its current place and looked it over completely.
"Simply the fact that she also sends her love, and hopes that you can return to Asgard soon." Thor replied.
Loki nodded, but said nothing. After a few moments, Thor decided to leave his brother, and headed for the door. "One more thing," he said as he stood at the threshold. "We have someone in Asgard who is watching us closely, someone who is not our friend. Heimdall doesn't yet know who it is, as he cannot see – but I can guess, as can you, I think."
"Amora." Loki replied. "She's probably doing the same in Asgard as the mutant Shaw is doing here."
"That's what I thought." Thor replied. "Is there any way we can catch her?"
"No, she can pass through Yggdrasil with ease. Have Heimdall look for her, and keep an eye on her if he can." Loki instructed. "Have him look toward the tree to the best of his ability, she is probably passing through the worlds untouched due to it. Anything else?"
Thor nodded solemnly, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "I think you should know, Sif was able to form an alliance with Jotunheim. If it comes to it, they will fight by our sides." he said, Loki scoffed.
"You honestly think you can control the Frost Giants?" Loki asked rhetorically after a few moments of silence.
"No. But we do not mean to control them." Thor replied. "They are on our side because Helblindi sees the danger of joining the Mad Titan, nothing more."
"There is always more." Loki muttered, turning his gaze back to his bag. "Are you finished now?"
Thor nodded to his brother's back, and with a step, left the room and shut the door.
Loki sighed heavily, his mind taking in all the information which he had been informed of as he withdrew the contents of the bag from Frigga. A small smile tugged its way across his lips, unbidden, as he saw the books that she had sent; he had always loved reading, and she had never forgotten it, sending him something easier to waste away with than the drivel in Stark's library.
Reaching in, he pulled out something else which she had sent him: his dagger. Although he could not use magic at the moment, he could still feel it within the artifact, feeling right at home in his grasp as he withdrew it from the sheath. He could remember when he had first received it as a gift from Odin when he was young, and how Frigga had imbued it then, making it his own. He wondered vaguely why she would send this to him, knowing that the Allfather would doubtless have disagreed with him having a weapon. When he held the sheath down, a small slip of paper slid out, and dropped to the floor. Bending down, he picked it up, recognizing Frigga's flowing writing. 'To protect, not to harm.' she had put on the paper, a small note to him, but he knew exactly what it meant.
Placing the dagger back in its sheath, he held the paper in his hands, knowing exactly who it was that she was talking about him protecting, and he vaguely wondered what it was that she saw in his future and Elizabeth's that would cause her to send him this. Putting his hand, once more, into the bag, he withdrew the last item. It was a box, and within it held a ring, one which he used to wear to signify his birthright as the Prince of Asgard; two serpents with emerald eyes, entwined with one another, with one's mouth wide open as if to devour its prey – but the other simply sat there. Loki smiled, putting the ring on his index finger. The ring had also been imbued, and Loki knew it was connected to two other artifacts which Frigga no-doubt had in her possession. He could still remember when they had connected the three, for the express purpose of him knowing when Frigga was in danger, and eventually – as the third artifact would have an owner – to know when his own beloved would be in danger. Two rings, and a locket. A note was with it too which read: 'She will need you.'
Loki's brows immediately furrowed in confusion. Who would need him? Was it Elizabeth whom she spoke of? And how would she be connected to his ring? Surely Frigga knew that to give a mortal something which had such power within it was dangerous, and could possibly kill them – mutant or not. Was there someone else whom Frigga was referring to? And if so, who?
Lizzie began to get a little worried when Loki and Thor did not return within five minutes of leaving, although it was not mere curiosity which drove her to look for them – quite the contrary. It was Fandral. Although she had only heard tidbits from Loki over the past few weeks, she hadn't had a very high opinion of the knight based on what he had said; however, it was quite clear now that Loki had been a trifle biased, as Fandral wasn't half-as-bad as he portrayed... well, maybe not as quarter-as-bad. Lizzie still thought he was an egotistical jackass, enough so that she went to look for Loki. As ashamed as she was to admit it, she actually preferred the company of that particular narcissist to the other. At least one had brains – which brought her mind to Loki.
So immersed in her thoughts was she, that she wasn't paying attention when she rounded the corner to the hallways which led to their rooms, and ran into Thor. A bad thing for a smaller person, as she merely bounced off of Thor's rather large frame, and nearly landed on the ground – had it not, of course, been for Thor's quick battle reflexes catching her.
"Oh, hey, sorry I wasn't looking where I was going." Lizzie said, blushing red.
Thor chuckled. "You seemed deep in thought." he replied simply, making sure she was steady before he let her go. "Did you not enjoy the company of my friends?" He inquired, inwardly blessing his time with his brother which had trained him how to keep a straight face.
"What? – Oh, them, yeah they're great. Haven't really talked to Sif... or Volstagg... or Hogun for that matter. Fandral seems to want to keep talking and doesn't get the idea that I'm not listening." she answered, running her hand through her hair.
"Yes, he tends to do that." Thor said. "Although in Asgard, he hasn't really had that problem with women."
Lizzie scoffed. "Well, I'm not into Don Juans." she said. "Too many options of names to scream in bed that aren't mine." Thor laughed heartily, although she blushed at her own statement. "Not that I would ever take him to bed." she added as a caveat.
"I would never assume you would. I thought you would be safe from him." Thor replied, leaving his expression to his rather large grin. "You sought Loki didn't you?"
"I actually was here to get my i-Pad, I need to get some work done that's in my emails." she lied, not willing to inform the one brother that she truly wanted to find the other – as she hadn't sorted it out, she wasn't sure she was willing to have Thor sort it for her.
"Ah, yes." Thor replied, knowing from years of watching Loki that she was probably lying. "Well, before you go, perhaps I can give you something?"
"You want to give me something?" Lizzie repeated as he suddenly seemed to hold a small box. "You... can't give me something, Thor. What would Jane think?"
Thor laughed again. "Its not from me – although I don't think that Jane would mind – it is from my mother." he answered, holding the box out for her to grab.
Tentatively, Lizzie reached out and took the box – which was about the size of of her two palms together. "What is it?" she asked as she examined the runes on the lid.
"I don't know." Thor answered. "My mother gave it to me just as we departed. I have no idea what it contains."
Lizzie nodded, her fingers brushing over the engraving. It was beautiful, in her opinion. "Is that supposed to be Yggdrasil?" she asked him.
Thor looked at the lid, nodding. "Yes, I believe so." he answered, backing down the corridor. "I shall leave you now, as my quest has been completed. Loki is in his room if you still seek him." And with that, he disappeared.
Not knowing just why Loki was still in his room, Lizzie decided to go to her own to discover what it was that the Queen of Asgard had sent her in the mysterious box. Closing the door, she went to her bed, placing it down with reverence before she lifted the lid.
The first thing she saw was a note, which her name was elegantly scrawled on top, and with curiosity, she opened the paper.
'Lady Elizabeth,
Although you and I have never met, I have become aware of your existence and wish to extend my hand in greeting. As you well know, the threat of Thanos to Asgard is quite real, and therefore I am unable to do so in person. However, it has come to my attention that you have earned a place in my son's hearts, and being so it is my wish that we may soon meet.
Do not allow Loki's outward appearance of hatred deceive you, Lady Elizabeth, he once was a quiet, contented boy, who knew how to care for others. I know not what made him do as he has completely, but I know that somewhere underneath the veneer of harsh cruelty, there is something left of my son – you have seen it yourself, have you not? Do not let him hurt you, for he is such that does not realize that he needs others, and I assure you, he will need you before the end. Forgive my riddles, but as a seer, I am unable to tell you more. Just know this: Loki's loyalty, once earned, is something to be cherished. A prankster he may be – as are you, from what I hear – but he is unwavering for those he truly loves.
I am sure that you have been informed of that of our watcher, Heimdall, and his abilities – and his knowledge of your abilities. That being said, I know a bit of your past, and wish to warn you of your future. Do not lose heart, Lady Elizabeth, for although your road will make a few bad turns, believe that it is for the best. As a token of my wish for your safety, I have enclosed an object which will safeguard you in the case of any attack to harm you, from the Mad Titan or otherwise. It is infused with magic, which – given a threat – will protect you as much as it can. I hope that one day we will meet, and until then that you shall be safe.
Until then,
Frigga'
Lizzie stared at the letter, her mouth agape at the Asgardian queen's words, and implications. She didn't know what to think, quite frankly, and that made her more confused than ever. Frigga had, more or less, told her what Thor had a few weeks prior – and what she had assumed herself. Loki's facade was just that – a facade; and that somehow the Fates, or the Norns, or whomever was in charge of destiny, had thrown the pair of them together for some reason which she didn't know. She reread the letter, her mind still spinning.
Finally, knowing that she would not understand everything which was said, she decided to see what exactly Frigga had sent her. Reaching into the box, she withdrew a small pouch, turning it over in her hand, the object came out. It was a round locket, with an image of two snakes entertwined with each other, one green, the other gold as they surrounded an emerald. After finding the latch to be within the green snake's mouth at the edge, she opened the locket – and found another note. She chuckled lightly at Frigga's antics, and wondered if Loki had inherited anything from his mother, other than his magic. This note was simple:
'I hope this gift may serve two purposes at once.'
Moving the note, she saw what Frigga meant. Within the locket, was a clockface, similar to the one which she wore herself.
As she was deciding just what to do with it, there was a soft knock on the door.
well? What do you guys think? Please review, I love to hear from you all, and it certainly makes me move forward - the fact that I got 70 reviews already makes me simply giddy.