Chapter 2
As the blinding flash of light faded, I took big gulps of air as my ass connected with cold, smooth marble and not the gritty Seattle sidewalk I expected. I took a second to catch the wind that had been knocked out of me, and realized that Surfer had an arm around my waist and I was sitting between his legs where we collapsed. His other arm had wrapped itself around me and his hand gripped my right breast. I extricated myself from his grip by going full Tasmanian Devil, kicking, biting, and clawing at his hands, I delivered an elbow to his groin again, and he released me from his grip hissing in the renewed pain. I elbowed him in the ribs for the boob grab and ended up bruising myself on a piece of his armor, and snapped into a whole new situation realizing that everything had changed around me.
"Do not fucking touch me Point Break!" I screamed scooting away from him on my butt as he cradled his crotch in his hands in pain and took deep breaths as his head rested on the floor, Twilight laughing at the sight of his fallen partner. As I scooted, I realized that we were now in a domed room, there were now four men standing around me, noticing suddenly that the clothes of Twilight and Surfer had changed in front of me somewhere along the way. My eyes may have gone wide when I realized this, and I used the wall I had scooted up against to brace myself as I stood up favoring my injured knee.
Determined not to show any fear, I braced my hands against the wall and prepared to find an opening to run. My bleeding knee screamed in agony as I carefully flexed it, and another pain wrapped itself and my back and stomach again threatening to double me over. I flinched at the pain, and nearly went over onto my knees because of it and groaned. I recognized Thor as he stood up carefully, and started to step toward me as my stomach revolted from the pain and I bent straight forward and nearly vomited what food was in my stomach but managed to hiss at him and edged away with my back to the wall.
The older man in the room stepped forward wearing golden armor and clothes, his one eye taking in my feral and injured form and I pressed myself back against the wall, wide eyed and filled with fear, trying to become one with the textured mass behind me. My arms wrapped around my cramping stomach, and adrenaline from the fight and chase leaving my body made me shake uncontrollably. My breath hissed in and out of my mouth in panic, and I put both of my hands out in front of me like a shield and began weighing options in my head.
"I gave strict instructions she was not to be harmed!" His voice boomed at Twilight and Thor. A darker skinned man in gold armor removed a sword from a pedestal and stood looking off into space as if everyone else in the room did not exist, I edged along the wall to get away from the men and shook.
"Look at her! She is much smaller than the both of you, and yet you had to harm her to get her here? She is fragile of body and vulnerable until she comes to her power!" His one blue eye shone with anger, and he addressed Twilight directly.
"What happened to her Loki!"
"She proved to be a bit more adept at trying to defend herself." Twilight answered him remaining calm as he addressed the old man. I took a deep breath as Thor's eyes shot me a look that sent ice through my veins and I tried to hide behind a pillar as the shaking came on harder and I groaned and sank partially to the ground. Twilight clamped a hand over his mouth to suppress a laugh as Thor limped toward me, the old man turned to face him.
"Thor." The old man said with a hint of warning in his voice as he took a step toward me. I squeezed myself further back behind the pillar and the wall, my muscles straining to not shake in fear and shock. His features softened as he looked at me, almost taking on a kind old grandfather appearance, yet he kept that sense of Regal Pride that hovered around him. A man and woman entered the room, and addressed him while bowing.
"Everything is ready for the arrival of the Illendrial Allfather." The woman said and she stared at me in amazement, her face grimaced when she saw my knee.
"May I bandage that for you Lady?" She asked me, her long dark hair shining in the light her warm voice kind, but my voice became lost in my throat and I pulled my leg back and closer to me. Her brows knitted as I finally let loose, I sank down to my butt and started to cry in frustration of the situation. They had me and I was probably nothing more than a pet to them. I let the sob escape my throat, as fear took over and gave way to sheer terror. Thor looked down obviously feeling some pity for me, the one called Loki snorted and I pulled my knees up to my chest as I stared to rock back and forth.
The old man took another step forward and I stood back up, still crying and afraid but ready to turn feral again should I need to. And who could blame me, they chased me around Seattle, fought with me, Thor groped me, and they had kidnapped me. Now I was cornered and my back was literally to a wall. Small and clever or not, I had no where to go and I began to understand the meaning of the words "fish out of water".
I hated myself for showing this much weakness, but I had no other choice at this time, I was trapped and had no clue where I was. I felt a trickle from my nose and instinct made me wipe at it with the back of my hand. I glanced down at it and saw blood on my smeared from knuckles to wrist, and knew it was smeared on my upper lip now. The old man's face hardened suddenly at the sight of the new injury, and I wanted to explain that it was probably caused by the cold dry air but thought better about speaking. He took a measured step toward me, gesturing everyone else in the room back as he took another.
"I am Odin, King of Asgard. You are not a prisoner, nor are you under any threat. Lady Sif means you no harm child, and while you are here, you are under my protection. While I understand you must have many questions, I ask you to save them for the morning You are injured and your wounds must be tended to soon." He approached me, and offered me a cloth that was tucked into his armor, and I shrank back again.
"What is your name child?"
I licked my lips and did not take the offered cloth, my body shaking worse and every bump and bruise from the fight was making itself painfully noticeable. I pressed myself further into the wall, and another tear fell from my face causing some of my mascara to burn my eye. For some stupid reason I almost told him my name was Raven, but some part of me said he would know I was lying, so I licked my lips and my voice normally confident and strong, came out shaky and weak.
"Lilliana Rose Hawthorne." I said in a whisper, and he smiled in a way that made me feel at peace.
"That is a lovely name child. Lilliana Rose Hawthorne, named for the flower of peace, the flower of love, and a strong and steady tree. I can see now, your parents…."
"Are dead." I cut him off without thinking, and immediately felt I should not have said anything at all. I called myself an idiot for giving him that information, and I shook as my back became painful from being pressed so hard against the wall.
His hand remained patiently open to me, and I took the cloth with a shaking hand and darted back to safety, using it to mop the blood off my face and chin. His hand remained open to me and empty, and with the pain in my knee becoming too much, I put my hand into his and gave in. I allowed him to tuck my small, long fingered hand into his elbow. My head swam for a moment as he walked toward a door, and black spots appeared at the edge of my vision as I nearly went over, and I had to take a breath to steady myself before he lead me to the doors of the room. He stopped and looked at me concerned, and squinted his eye at me while I shook for a moment.
"Are you well enough for horse? Or shall I send for other accommodations?" He asked me kindly.
"Never been…. on a horse." I said as my head swam and I stumbled.
"Why are you limping Thor?" the woman named Sif asked him and Twilight answered before Thor could.
"The Little Mouse put up a fight, it was highly amusing." He said in a velvet smooth voice.
"Shut up Loki," Thor grumbled. "I may treat you to the same bruising."
Loki put his hands up and tried too look afraid at the threat. Instead, he managed to convey the idea that he was not afraid to scrap with Thor.
"Both of you should contemplate your actions today, silently." Odin snapped at them as he led me to a large brown horse, and a pretty boy approached us. He put his hands out as I grabbed the saddle to steady myself, and he offered to lift me up onto the animal. I was in no condition to put up much of a fight over my personal no touching rule, and I allowed him to lift me up and guide me into the saddle. I slipped my right leg gingerly over the horse and immediately regretted wearing a short skirt as I had to fight with it to prevent it from riding up and displaying my crotch and in the process, I nearly fell off the horse to the side.
Suddenly, a long green and black leather coat was in front of me, and I stared wide eyed at Loki who was grinning sheepishly at me.
"Put it on, before your modesty is further damaged. We can't have Asgard seeing too much of you." He said and I took the coat from him and slipped my arms into the sleeves, and held the huge thing shut at my stomach.
I looked over, and Sif and Pretty Boy looked shocked at the gesture as Thor rode off ahead of us, Odin waited patiently on his own huge horse and Sif mounted the horse behind me and took the reins into her hands. I was shaking still, but not as bad. My head started to hurt a bit though, and I was starting to feel bone weary.
"I thought you would be more comfortable with me riding with you." She said, and I nodded my agreement. I rubbed my eyes, and let my fingers twist myself into my hair nervously, as my stomach gave another kick of pain to me.
"Did you know that you smell like a garden in full bloom Lady?" The Pretty Boy asked me extending his hand and making me forget the pain.
"Fandral," he said, as I reached out to take it and nearly fell off the horse.
"Lilliana." I choked out, and he brought my hand up to his lips and kissed it politely.
"A sweeter name has never graced a finer Lady." He said smiling at me, and I resisted the urge to kick him off his horse to see if I could mess up his hair, but pain and common sense took over and I slouched forward.
I looked over at Loki as we began to ride, and gripped the jacket tighter around myself as I saw my backpack dangling off the back of his horse. I wanted to reach out for it, but thought better, he looked at me as if studying me and I looked down at my hands.
"I am many things," he said, "But a misogynist is not one of them, try not to bleed on it Little Mouse." He continued to study me, and I looked back at him, and tightened my lips, and I only formed one word in his direction in the quiet.
"Thanks."
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In the castle, I was escorted to their doctors to get my knee treated, the woman called Sif and Fandral walked with me. They both chatted, and their height and unreal beauty made me feel like a midget with a horrible deformity next to them. Sif stood taller than me, but was slightly shorter than Fandral, but had beautifully arched eyebrows, and Fandral had blonde curly hair that was perfectly cut and styled with a mustache that was perfectly groomed.
Fandral carried my bag, and I returned the coat to Loki who gave it a once over, and then turned arrogantly, looking down at me as he was called to speak with Odin. He gave a sigh as if it were something very distasteful for him, and stalked away. Thor was waiting for us as we arrived at the large, open room, and he opened the heavy doors for us to enter. Fandral handed me my bag, and waved a polite goodbye to us.
While I waited for their doctors to arrive, I dug my mirror out of my bag and stared in horror at my reflection. I was a complete mess, makeup caked and streaked all over my face, blood on my upper lip and chin, my hair messy and tangled. I dug some napkins and bottled water out of my bag quickly, and laid my hairbrush down to comb my hair when I had washed my face. The process of trying only made the whole thing worse, makeup was never meant to be removed with water and McDonald's napkins.
A dark haired woman entered the room and placed a tray holding a bowl of water, a bar of soap, and some cloths on the examination table next to me quietly and I immediately made use of the items. The soap and warm water felt good on my skin and I patted my face dry with an extra cloth. I then washed my hands, carefully scrubbing the grime around my nails and found that the soap removed my nail polish as well. It worried me a bit, because I started to wonder what it did to my skin and grabbed my mirror but only saw smooth and clean skin. Shrugging, I took my brush and carefully ran it through my hair until it was neatly smoothed and the natural waves came out in it as it fell down my back. I remover the clip in streaks of purple that I wore, and set them aside and pulled the hairpins out of the mass and turned it into a cascade of black that fell down my back. The woman removed the tray when I was done, and looked at me like I was a totally different person as she walked away and trough a door.
To be honest, I felt a bit better as I sat there alone in the quiet, but parts of me still felt trapped and nervous.
"Hard to believe there was a girl under that," Sif said, smiling as she and Thor entered the room. "And a rather pretty one too."
She set another tray down next to me filled with cheese, meat, and bread and poured me some fragrant wine into a cup before gesturing toward the food. Thor looked at me and didn't look away as he stood there, his arms relaxed and his eyes kept coming up to my face.
"Thor and I thought you would be hungry, namely because of the fact that you ruined your food by acquainting it with Loki's face earlier." A bemused smile spread across Sif's face, and she giggled at the thought.
"I would have loved to have seen that." She added as an afterthought.
I smiled at them and I heard a grumble behind me as Thor casually leaned against a wall, Sif turned to him and smiled a bit wider at me. I took a piece of the cheese and put it in my mouth and chewed at it picking at the rest of the food and wondering about a fruit that I had never seen before.
"This is good," I said and turned to Thor. "Sorry about the groin, and everything else. I admit that I may have reacted badly there, but I thought you guys were cops and I really didn't want to spend the night in Jail. My job is not really legal, and….really hard to explain." I tore off a piece of the warm bread and stuffed it into my mouth, not realizing how hungry I was as I chewed and swallowed. I sipped as the cup of wine, and as soon as it hit my semi empty stomach, it made me feel a bit dizzy and fuzzy headed.
"Forgiven. However, I must admit that you are quite brave for such a small being." Thor said, and I thought I detected a hint of him being impressed at the edge of the voice.
"Cops? Jail?" He inquired and Sif raised an eyebrow at me.
"Forgot, you guys are like Game of Thrones, Cops are like Guards, and Jail is like the Dungeon." I explained. I rubbed at my skin as they both nodded their understanding as my skin started crawling again, and the feeling of ants crawling over it returned.
"Game of Thrones?" Sif asked and I sighed.
"Fantasy entertainment we have. Like Harry Potter and Doctor Who." And she nodded again, but still looked lost.
"You are quite fierce from Thor's story, I believe. Perhaps I can help you to polish your skill?"
"Sure," I said as I chewed some of the meat, licking my thumb. "I'm short but I'm scrappy."
Both of them looked at me completely bewildered, and I swallowed the food in my mouth with another sip of wine. A slight fuzziness edged at my brain again, and I decided to quit drinking from the cup.
Drunk me caused way to much trouble.
"Short but tough." I said quickly looking down at the tray. Both of them made sounds confirming they understood, and I pushed the food away feeling satisfied and comfortable for the moment.
"When can I go back to Earth?" I asked, breaking the silence that had become heavy in the room.
"Optimus Prime said that I wasn't a prisoner, and that I was basically a guest here. Patch me up and send me back, because I'm pretty sure whatever you called me, I am not." Thor looked at me, and frowned, Sif looked at me and sighed.
"Don't insult the Allfather, and I am unsure of when you can go back to Midguard." Thor warned and I sighed, and wanted to argue more, but Sif looked at me and put her hand on top of mine.
"Perhaps some rest tonight, and we will see what the Allfather says after you meet with him." I sat silently and sighed for a long moment, turning the whole situation over in my head; I looked down at my knee which had stopped bleeding and was looking as if it was already healing. My hand wandered to my pocket and I thought about the joint in there, this was too much for me now. I was tired, everything ached, and my skin kept crawling. Even with minor injuries, I could fight back but being this tired meant that I would probably mess up and make stupid mistakes landing my self in a deeper world of hurt.
"Play stupid games," I said, "Win stupid prizes."
'What was that Lady?" Thor asked me. And I shrugged and flipped my hair back over my shoulder.
"Nothing….just thinking to myself." And I nearly started crying again, but managed to push that down and away.
The silence was broken by three women entering the room, two of them following a very stern faced older woman. One of the blonde women who entered was carrying a tray filled with jars, and bandages, the other carried another basin basin filled with water and placed on an adjoining table, the younger looking blonde woman removed the tray of food quietly. I swung my legs up in front of me, and the dried blood that began to scab over my knee cracked and oozed a bit painfully causing me to wince.
The two younger women looked at my boots confused as how to get them off and for a few moments I let them struggle with it, until I sighed realizing how elaborate they looked with all the buckles and straps. I gave in and turned my leg to the side, and unzipped the left boot, and the both of them looked slightly relieved at how easy it was to remove my footwear.
"Never seen a zipper before?" I poked at them and the girl carefully removed the boot so not to jerk my leg around too much. The other girl unzipped and removed my other boot as the stern looking woman arranged her tools busily. Sif took the boots and laid them on another table quietly and I had a feeling that that table was going to end up fuller by the end of the exam.
"I am Eir," The stern faced woman said politely while bowing. "I will tend to your wounds, would you please lay back and try to relax?" What was up with the bowing to me? I shrugged and lay down on the table as she looked me over and sighed at the mess I was.
"Do you have any pain internally, that may me more than what you are currently experiencing?" She asked and tapped buttons on the edge of the table.
"No, just a headache." I said as my skeleton appeared above my head and she studied it carefully, my eyes widened at it as I saw my cardiovascular system overlay the bones, and then my organs began to appear one at a time. I was a bit freaked out, but the woman remained calm as she looked.
"Your heart is beating a bit to fast." She said as I looked up.
"Yeah, well seeing this is a bit freaky." I said back and tried to remain still on the table.
I felt a hand on my thigh and my head screamed that it was a bad thing, I jerked backwards and in one fluid motion, I was off the table as fast as a rabbit escaping a fox. From the look on everyone's face, I must have looked insane to them. Sif had her hands up with her palms out and the fight left me as fast as it came on, I suddenly felt embarrassed at scaring all of them with my reaction.
"Sorry," I said swallowing hard, and rubbing my arm. "I really don't like being touched without warning like that."
I moved slowly, climbing back onto the examination table, and I reached up under my skirt to unhook the garter from the stocking, I rolled my stocking down my leg to the knee and repeated it with the other one. One of the younger women moved forward to help, Eir still kept her distance from me though, the image of my body vanishing.
"I am going to have to have you remove your coat as well." Eir said, and I nodded slipping my arms out of the sleeves, wincing at a pain in my shoulder. Sif took it out of my hands as the women eyed my clothes, making me painfully aware of how different I looked from everyone.
"Could you remove the collars around your neck and the belts as well?" She asked then, bewilderment creeping across her stern face, and I looked down at myself. I noticed for the first time that the strap on my corset had torn, and the lining was showing through. I must have been a sight.
"Perhaps we should bring her some different clothes?" One of the girls suggested, and Eir gave her a nod of approval. The girl then measured my foot before leaving the room on her errand.
"I am sort of a sore thumb." I offered and everyone looked at me exasperated.
"I stand out." I explained, rolling my eyes and everyone nodded their understanding.
Eir held out her hand as I unhooked the studded belt and I placed it over her palm, I then added the heaver metal ringed belt, followed by my studded dog collar, and the studded wristlet. She raised her eyebrows at the strange accessories and I removed the padlock and chain from around my neck.
"Midguardians." Thor chuckled and Eir continued to hold her hand out. I gave her a look that asked her what she wanted and she turned away from me and she put the collection of leather and metal on the table with my boots. Sif picked up one of the belts, studied it for a moment, and set it back down.
"I will need to touch you to tend your wound." Eir said, and the girl returned with a long purple dress and a pair of flat shoes. The girl held them up for my approval and I gave her a quick thumbs up. Her smile faded and I sighed knowing that I would have to explain ninety percent of what came out of my mouth.
"She approves," Sif said taking the clothes. Folding the plain corset over her arm and standing by to calm me should the need arise.
"Lay back." Eir said to me and I put my head back down on the table as they all began working quickly.
Eir went to work removing my stocking and cleaned off the dried blood as one of the girls approached cautiously with a lancet and a slide. I eyed her as she came closer and debated yelling something to see if the girl would jump out of her skin.
"I need a drop of your blood Lady." She said and I silently offered her my fingertip, she took her sample and Eir applied topical ointment to my knee that smelled rather nice and tingled a bit as she began wrapping my leg in a bandage.
Sighing, I started feeling bone tired and I began to let my eyes droop slightly. My knee being moved jerked me back awake, and Eir and the girls stood back waiting for me to react. The three of them began applying ointment to my bruises, and one of the girls rolled off my other stocking revealing a gash on my calf that I got a few days ago while drunk.
"It's old." I said, and Sif relaxed. I wondered if she would have gone after Thor if I hadn't said anything.
"I will wait in the hall." Thor said as the three women finished, and Sif helped me off the table so I could wash and change my clothes. I stripped off my old clothes, and tossed them over with the belts and other debris, becoming all too aware that the women in the room were appraising my body. I leaned against the table to hide the tattoo on my hip to avoid questions. Eir handed me a cloth and a basin of warm water and a large cake of soap was brought to me for a quick cloth bath.
"You can take a proper bath in the morning." Sif said as I wet one cloth and soaped it up to wash everything that may be smelly or grimy.
"Cool." I replied calmly, and one of the girls, looking worried dipped her fingers in the water to test the temperature. She pulled her hand back, and was about to state that the water was warm, but I cut her off.
"No," I said shaking my head.
"Cool is what we say when we like something or agree." Everyone nodded their understanding, and I pulled a long shift over my head.
Eir wrapped the corset around my waist and I put my arms out so she could start lacing it up my back and involuntarily grunted in pain when she tightened the garment around my sore ribs. Sif picked up my bra and looked at it, raising an eyebrow at me and I grinned back at her.
"That is way more comfortable to wear than a corset, and can you wait before you toss my jacket on the pile, there is stuff in the pockets I want to keep." Sif nodded and complied, complied burying the bra under the pile of clothing to hide it and I quickly went through the pockets while Eir cinched the corset tight around me. I found the joint and the lighter; smiling wickedly to myself I laid them on the table for later use.
'What is that?" Sif asked honestly curious at the items.
"I need to unwind a bit after we leave," Eir pulled the dress over my head and adjusted the wide collar on my shoulders. It reminded me of something out of Lord of the Rings with the long flowing sleeves, and the fine embroidery at the collar. "I don't think they will let me smoke in here."
Eir sighed and laced the dress as I checked my Galaxy to see if it got broken in the fight, I was pleasantly surprised to see it was still working just fine. All four women drew close to see what it was and grinning to myself I opened the music app and clicked Tori Amos. All three of them backed away as Tori began singing Winter.
"That is rather pleasant." We heard behind us, and I tucked the joint and lighter into my hand while turning to see Thor and Loki standing behind us. Loki remained stoic but still looked at me from head to toe. Thor openly looked surprised at me and his jaw hung slightly slack.
"Music from Earth." I said holding up my phone. I turned off the music and shoved it and the two portable chargers that were in an inner jacket pocket into my bag. The joint and lighter disappeared into a hidden pocket on the dress as one of the girls tied my long hair back up out of my face.
"You look lovely Lady." Thor said picking up my bag from the table. "The new clothes become you."
I noticed Loki was rolling his eyes as he lifted the dog collar off the table and returned it, he then wiped his hand on a cloth as if he touched something slimy. He studied me as someone would an ant or another annoying animal.
"Problem Twilight? Still mad about the sandwich?" I poked the bear, yeah, I know not bright. But this asshole needed to be taken down an arrogant peg or two. He ignored me and I poked further, debating if I should use a sharper stick, as my blood began to boil.
"Seriously Jerkface, how did you get the mayonnaise out of your hair because the stuff is really greasy. But then again, you can't really tell with the entire styling product isle at Sephora up there."
Suddenly, another of him was standing next to me, and I yelped in shock as it towered over me. The other him vanished in a fade of green smoke as I watched leaving no trace of the person who was once there.
"I posses a great deal of gifts Little Mouse, now I suggest you mind yourself." He answered coolly.
"Loki." Thor said in a warning tone as my heart jumped and lurched in my chest at a million miles an hour.
"Fuck me gently with a chainsaw." I blurted out and everyone in the room looked at me, including Loki, for clarification.
"I don't want to explain that one." I said and closed my eyes.
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"Are you sure of this?" Loki asked Odin incredulously. "The girl is nothing, a vexing problem at best…."
"I am, and she needs to learn who she is and how to use her gifts. If she ever looses control of them, the consequences could be horrendous for anyone near her." Odin replied cutting Loki off before he could continue his protest, causing him to feel inner ire at the interruption.
He sighed at the task now given to him and pinched the bridge of his nose. First sent to Midguard to fetch the little wretch, now ordered to teach her. All this was becoming far too much and he did not want the honor of having the pest following him about everywhere he went. His cell in the dungeon looking more and more pleasant by the moment.
And taking her as a student, it was something he did not want at all. He would rather have been tasked with teaching a horse to sit than to teach this girl how to use her gifts.
"Can she even learn?" Loki asked, "Because I will not be held responsible for her shortcomings." His calm mask nearly dropped thinking of having the deal with that vulgar, unkempt girl who most likely could barely read or write. He had done wrong in his past, but he would rather be dead or banished than here, especially now with that girl as his charge and student.
He was about to protest more and do something to irritate Odin when a thought crossed his mind, and he internally laughed. The girl may be some use to him after all.
"I believe you may be surprised by her, she is unrefined but is capable of much. Prove yourself wrong, and you may find Lilliana Rose to be an adept student." Odin said, the guard coughing behind him to cover a laugh.
"Should you succeed, I am willing to pardon you of your crimes publicly. Just so long as you do not find any further ways to otherwise irritate me."
Loki stood in the silence contemplating his plan, and somewhat surprised by Odin's words. A pardon would return him to some form of status, and the girl was powerful and possibly easily swayed, manipulated for his use and gain. Perhaps if he accepted the task, she could be convinced over to his side. He showed none of this externally, and took in a breath before bowing to Odin.
"Very well Allfather," Loki said and sighed in feigned annoyance. "I accept your task."
"Do not cause us troubles in the process Loki, you may return to your chambers for the time being. However, I suggest you go and see if she is well, I expect that you will assess me later on her progress." Odin replied and he turned sharply on his heel to leave the presence of the Allfather.
"You may be surprised by her, Heimdall said she is capable of great things."
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Bandaged, semi clean, and somewhat human, I followed the trio down one opulent hall after another. I couldn't help but gape at the pillars and columns as they rose high above me, and each tall archway made me feel downright tiny in comparison. Thor stopped and opened a set of double doors that revealed a suite that made most Million Dollar Condos in Seattle look like walk-in closets. The huge four posted bed against the far wall drew my attention as it was piled high with pillows and the blankets called to me on a deeper more pleasant level.
"Does this room please you lady?" Thor asked me as I studied the fireplace that was big enough to roast an entire cow in, the mantle at least six inches above my head.
"Holy hell yeah." I said and peeked behind a screen to see a large copper bathtub on four clawed feet, toiletries sitting on a table next to it, waiting for use. I looked at the open windows, and saw a private balcony with chaise lounges on it. Standing in the doorway, I took in a deep breath of night blooming jasmine and roses carried on the breeze and nearly let my wall crack a bit in front of them.
"We thought you would like a view of the gardens." Thor added seeing my shoulders tense and I turned around to see them all watching my every move. I then found a perch on one of the window ledges, and fished the joint and lighter out of my pocket. Sitting with my feet dangling, I attempted to spark a flame, and even Loki watched with a bit of interest as I continued my attempt.
"So,' I said finally lighting the joint. "How long until Odin speaks to me, and how much longer until I am allowed to go back home. Not that I am NOT enjoying the hospitality, but I really need to get back. My boss gets mad if I don't show up or answer the phone."
I took a long pull from the joint and held the smoke in my lungs, the shop was right about this blend, it was good and it helped me instantly feel calmer. I let the smoke out and offered it to Sif, and coughed a bit as my head began to swim.
"Unknown," Loki said breaking the awkward silence and Sif took the joint from my hand giving it a tentative smell jerking her head back slightly.
"Marajuana." I said as she raised an eyebrow at me. "We smoke it to relax on Earth, and it is sometimes used as medicine for nervous conditions. Go easy on it if you have never done it before, it can feel overwhelming."
She cautiously took a puff off if it and repeated everything I did. She released the smoke in a coughing fit and tried to hand it off to me as she leaned over. I took it from her and took another pull, I offered it to Thor next, and he waved his hand in a definite no.
"Magic Dance?' I offered it to Loki, and he frowned at me as if I had offered him my pet slug. Sif looked at me calmly, and sat down on the couch and she smiled at the name I called Loki.
"I don't feel any more calm," she said and I shrugged.
"Just a bit hungry." She added.
"Maybe it does not affect you like it does me, but it can make you feel hungry." I said as hopped down from my perch and I dug into my bag for one of the giant sized chocolate bars I had. I pulled out a couple of well battered paperbacks in my digging and noticed that Loki had taken an interest in the books. Finding them, I opened one of them and broke off a piece for Sif and handed it to her.
"Chocolate, you eat it. It is mostly sugar, but it really tastes good."
She took it and experimentally tasted the candy, she looked up surprised at the taste, and offered some to Thor leaning back against the couch.
"It is very good." She said and I gave her the rest of the bar after breaking off a small piece for myself. She put the rest of it in her pouch on her hip and Thor looked at me, concerned about her smoking a bit of the joint.
"She will be fine," I said, "If someone as small as me can handle it she can, and this stuff is really harmless compared to the other stuff we use to get a buzz."
Thor ate the candy, and he made an expression that he did like it. I picked up the books and put them back in my bag, and put out the joint before wrapping it back up in the baggie with the lighter tossing them both back in the bag. Loki glared at me with an air of disapproving arrogance, and I made it my life's esteem to ignore him. I sat on the bed and sighed, feeling very lonely suddenly in the very occupied room.
I was the only person here who understood most of what I said, and I didn't fit in. I may not have gone out of my way to fit in on Earth, but here, I was a novelty and it was painfully obvious. I began missing Seattle, and my skin itched and crawled. Nervously, I scratched at the back of my left hand and glanced at the ring on my thumb.
Damnit Dad. I thought to myself for a moment. Why the hell am I here and where the hell are you now that I need you?
"Anything the matter?" Thor asked concerned, and I jerked out of my thoughts and I looked at him seeing concern cross his face.
"No," I replied lying a bit for his benefit. "Just tired. It has been a long day for me, and I am not used to beating up two Gods on the streets of Seattle."
Loki sighed and everyone ignored him, from his attitude I could tell that he was used to being ignored and was happy that way. At that moment, with three sets of eyes on me, I would have paid millions to be in his shoes. But I wasn't and I had to deal with being the current center of attention.
"We shall take out leave then." Sif said and began ushering Thor out the door. Loki was the last to leave the room and he was about to latch the door when I asked the question that had been on my mind since arriving here, it made him freeze and he looked at me with gray blue eyes dropping his mask of arrogance for a fraction of a second. The sound shattered the silence like a gunshot despite it only being a whisper.
'Why me?"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Loki walked back to his own chambers alone after leaving the girl, he remembered the question she had whispered as it echoed off the wall of her rooms she had been given to rest in. The sadness in her eyes as she looked at him as he left her alone for the night, and the depth in them he saw for a moment before she turned back to worrying at the back of her hand. And curling up on her side on the bed as he watched her.
"Why me?"
It was a question he had asked himself many times, but never received a satisfactory answer to, he paced a bit around his chamber, looking at the books over stuffing the shelves against one wall, and picked up a small polished stone that glowed with an internal light of violet and admiring it. It was like her eyes, deep pools of twilight with a spark of fire that screamed about how she took in more that she let on. She studied people, and her desire to be left to her own thoughts was evident when she looked at Thor and Sif.
She had the eyes of a tragedy.
He now wondered after seeing the defeat on her face if telling her was the correct course of action. She was powerful, but exactly how powerful was she? Could she be used or manipulated in any way for his benefit or would she fight him every step of the way?
He set the fist sized stone and sat it on a table as he sat down in a heavy, high backed chair. He toyed with the globe with his finger tips and waved his hand casually in the air, making her image appear in front of him. He studied it carefully and saw a small detail glinting from the thumb on her left hand, a silver ring inset with a red stone. It was heavier than the small silver band she wore on her middle finger with a black stone and more masculine than the long silver ring with tendrils of vines that ran the length of her index finger from one knuckle to the other.
A sly smile crossed his face as he realized that he did have a key, the obviously masculine ring must have belonged to her Father. Her dead father, he looked more at the image and looked into the eyes of it as it stared forward like a doll, expressionless.
Odin was still guarded about his purpose for the girl, and it made him close his fist around the stone as he toyed with it. What was the old man going to do with her when she was deemed ready to leave his charge, what plans were in store for her future?
Odin had a new pet relic in his castle now, and it held his curiosity.
He knew that he would have to keep her from Fandral, he would flirt unmercifully with her, and eventually, end up charming the girl. That would be easy, but how did one find their way into manipulating a pretty little creature who kept herself hidden in plain sight?
"Do you like pretty little things Little Mouse?" He asked the image, and it continued to stand silently in front of him.
He leaned forward, leaving the stone on the table, and studied her further in the quiet. Odin would use her as a weapon, but why was he so worried about her safety?
"Now Little Mouse," He said again to the illusion before making it vanish. 'What gifts will Odin promise you to make you his weapon, and how might I prevent that?"