Chapter 3.
"Good morning Lady." The woman shaking my shoulder said pleasantly, startling me fully awake and causing me to raise my head to see a pair of warm, brown eyes looking at me. I nearly screamed when I realized I was not alone in the room, and she backed away quickly out of flailing distance as I jerked about and tried to make a break for it. My foot got tangled in the sheet as I tried to leap out of the bed, and I would have gone crashing to the floor if Sif hadn't caught me under the arms. I relaxed openly as Sif laughed at my predicament, the other woman looking sorry for the sudden shock knotted her hands worriedly in front of her.
"You looked like a bird trying to learn now to fly and leave the nest." Sif laughed out, barely able to breathe through the laughter. I wanted to slap at Sif, but she still had a firm grip under my arms and to option of hitting the hard floor below was not attractive.
"I am so sorry Lady," The woman who woke me blurted out nervously. "I did not know I would frighten you so. I would have been kinder in my waking you. I am Aimee." She said bowing to me slightly.
"Hi," I said extricating my foot and standing on the floor. I shook off the last of the previous nights sleep, and Sif let me go and sat down on the couch. "It's fine, I'm just a heavy sleeper."
The woman smiled, and I studied her golden brown hair and the way the highlights shone in the morning sunlight beautifully. She bowed again slightly and began filling the tub with water and different oils quickly, making sure the metal bottom of it was warm before I sat down in it.
"Is anyone here shorter than me? I asked Sif, walking around the huge room nervously. She picked up a book I had been thumbing through the night before after everyone left and she smiled at me amused.
"Stop laughing at my near accident." I threw a pillow from the bed at her, and she blocked it with one hand deftly.
"There may be a child or two, perhaps and infant." She quipped back at me and I sighed, Aimee startled me by trying to pull my shift over my head. I stopped her before she could, and she took her hands away quickly.
"Your bath is ready Lady, may I assist you in washing your hair?" She asked looking slightly hurt and I put my hand out and touched her shoulder gently, trying to calm my own heart before it jumped out of my chest and ran down the halls.
"She is not used to our ways Aimee," Sif said. "You may need to explain yourself before you act until she becomes accustomed to your actions."
Aimee smiled at Sif and I walked behind the screen to remove the shift myself and slowly sank into the warm water. Aimee guided my head back against another cloth draped over the edge of the tub and went to work gently washing my hair before drying it and working another oil in the stringy mess. She then carefully twisted it on top of my head as I relaxed for a bit, allowing the fragrant oils to seep into my skin, and I heard Sif mumble something to herself.
"What?" I asked her, and she raised her voice slightly.
"What is a HAB?" She asked me. Obviously reading part of The Martian.
"It means Habitat; it is a shelter for people visiting other planets to find safety, and breathable air. There is no atmosphere on Mars, so humans can't breathe there."
"Oh, so this book is fantasy?" She asked.
"Yeah, it is made up, but with science going the way it is, humans may actually get to explore that little red planet."
"That would be exciting for the Mortals." She said, "Quite amazing, their sense of curiosity."
"You can say that, maybe it is our turn to reach out and say hello to the universe." I replied smiling as Aimee placed a clean white tunic on a stool along with a pair of black leather pants.
"Why is this mortal alone on the planet?" Sif inquired further.
"The rest of his team thought he was dead, and they had to leave him behind because of a bad storm." I soaped the cloth and began to wash my shoulders and neck as I heard Sif put the book down, and sigh.
"Sounds terribly lonely, to be left alone on a strange world." Aimee said as I washed.
"You can be lonely in a crowded room." I said and I heard Sif agree with a sound in her throat.
"After you meet with the Allfather, Thor and Fandral wish to show you Asgard. A nice ride through the city and woods will be good for all of us" Sif said as I took the bandage off my knee, finding it completely healed without leaving a scar. I figured it had something to do with the ointment that was smeared on it last night and was impressed at their medicines, even the bruises they had applied ointment to were gone.
"Great," I said rinsing the soap off of myself. "But I don't know anything about horses, I will probably fall off it and break my neck."
I could hear her laugh, and I got annoyed at her. I then threw the wet cloth over the screen, and it landed on the floor with a wet slap.
"Missed." Aimee announced giggling, and I heard Sif laugh on the other side of the screen.
'We will show you Lady Lilliana." She said as I stood up from the tub. Aimee wrapped a dry cloth around my shoulders and I dried myself.
"Lilly." I said, "You can call me Lilly, and please drop the Lady part." I said putting on the pants and tunic and walked around the screen. Aimee wrapped a Black Corset around my waist and chest before I could protest, and laced it up the front. She then unlaced the front of my pants and tucked the tunic in for me before returning to the corset, cinching it tight around me. I put my arms out facing her, and nearly fell over when she gave a hard tug in the thin laces that made me stagger, I braced my bare feet and groaned.
"I may need to breathe." I said to Aimee and Sif laughed at the show as Aimee brought forward a mauve silk coat with a high collar. I put my arms into it, and Aimee laced the front of the coat up, and then went to work on my hair.
She combed it back neatly, allowing a few curls to frame my face in gentle wispy strands, and braided my hair into two braids, finishing by twisting them into an elaborate bun before securing it all at the back of my head with a gold comb shaped like a butterfly. She picked up a hand mirror and showed me her work in the larger mirror in the vanity in front of me. I nearly didn't recognize myself as I looked. The coat flowed behind me as the tail of it went to my knees in a taper, and it hugged my torso in flattering lines and angles. The hairstyle flattered my heart shaped face nicely, making it seem regal but still softened it gently. I removed three pairs of hoops, setting them on the table and leaving in the cartilage piercing and the pair of amethyst button earrings and set the extra jewelry on a tray on the vanity. I turned and put my arms out and Sif smiled nodding as Aimee helped me into a pair of mid calf leather boots, carefully lacing them into place. She then clapped her hands and beamed at her work, I looked at the girl in the mirror more, and deep down I liked what I saw.
"A true Lady, and a vast improvement over the girl who appeared the night before." Sif said as a knock came from the heavy door making me jump slightly and Aimee moved on to make the bed, tucking blankets and sheets in under the mattress.
Is she ready to receive us?" Thor asked as Sif answered the door, and I could see Aimee blush openly and quickly check her hair in the mirror before straightening her dress and apron and went back to making the bed. I giggled to myself at how she acted, like a rabid fan about to meet their favorite rock star.
"She is decent Thor." Sif said and opened the door to allow Fandral and him in. Fandral gaped at me when he saw me, and stopped and admired me before walking forward and taking my hand in his.
"Good morning dear Lady Lilliana," He bent and kissed the back of my hand as he bowed with an arm behind his back. "You are lovely beyond words this morning, and the sun is jealous that you shine brighter than it."
I pulled my hand back trying not to offend him, but still placed some distance between myself and him. Sif rolled her eyes so hard, I thought she could see her own brain. Thor groaned softly as he crossed his arms over his massive chest.
"Is this guy for real?" I asked Sif as I pointed at Fandral, raising an eyebrow and she laughed openly as Thor chuckled low in his chest, Fandral smiled showing me every tooth he could.
"Unfortunately, yes," Sif said and stood up walking to the door. "Fandral is not only a natural flirt, but a very skilled swordsman. Let us not keep the Allfather waiting; I crave the fresh air of our ride today." She opened the heavy door to find Loki standing in the hall with his hand raised to knock and he stepped aside. Sif pushed past him rudely and I was able to gather there was some bad blood between the two.
"Lovely to see you as well Sif." He said in his usual sardonic way, and looked at me studying my clothes.
"Planning on taking her somewhere?" He asked Thor, raising a long finger to accentuate the question.
"Fandral and Sif wish to allow her a tour of Asgard, perhaps it will be good for her after the meeting."
"Something pleasant after a hard truth is revealed." Loki quipped and seemed to think it all over to himself. "Do you mind if I accompany you then?"
Thor seemed to turn the question over in his mind as we all stood in a loose circle, and I suddenly got the feeling that there was a great deal of bad blood between everyone and Loki and it would be best if I kept my distance from him. Sensing the tension, I began unconsciously picking at the back of my hand again and quickly stopped when I realized I was doing it.
"Well, we better get going." I said quickly and trying to sound chipper, hoping the tension I was feeling did not show in my voice.
"We don't want to keep anyone waiting on us." I said and Loki stepped to the side in the doorway as I breezed past him to Sif who took my elbow gently and began leading me down the hall.
"What is your scheme brother?" Thor asked Loki as we walked, and I felt better with Thor watching my back, but still worried that a fight was brewing.
"No scheme at all, just wanting to ensure that you cause no further harm to the Little Mouse." He replied and I nearly spun on him to punch him for calling me that, yes I was shorter than everyone, but calling me that was irritating me. Sif tightened her grip on my elbow gently and I decided against it.
"Very well then brother," Thor said, and I hoped his agreeing would cause Loki to decide I was not worth his time and he would let us just go on our own. "You can take the rear and see we are not set upon."
"Have you recovered from your injuries?" Loki asked the back of my head, and I really didn't want to answer him at all, so I continued forward. Sif gave my elbow a little squeeze and I took in a deep breath and let it out, the guy gave me the creeps.
"Yes," I replied, feeling an answer to an innocuous question would not be a problem. "Everything was completely healed this morning when I woke up and there is not even a scar. I definitely want a jar of that stuff to take home with me, I'm a huge clutz."
"Our medicines heal, but not that fast." Sif said, stopping in the hall and looking at me surprised by me revelation. Nervously, I began picking at the back of my hand again and I nearly jumped put of my skin when a guard walked past us quickly.
"No bruises at all?" Thor asked me, and I shook my head no to answer him.
"You were a walking wound last night." Sif said and I looked down at my feet nervously.
"Is this bad?" I asked feeling like a lab rat.
"No, Lady, just an odd occurrence." Fandral said in a pleasant tone and we continued walking, and I had to force myself to stop picking at my hand.
"Interesting." Loki said behind us to no one in particular as we walked on.
XXXXX'XXXXXXXXXXXX
When we arrived in the Throne Room, Odin was already speaking with another man in heavy armor so we stood waited silently for him to finish his meeting with the soldier. A tickle of a sneeze formed in me, and I tried desperately not to let it out. I rubbed my nose as the two men spoke quietly, their heads leaned close together as they looked at a paper. The man in the armor looked directly at me and gave a soft smile and I smiled back nervously, feeling out of place in the huge room with the large, ornate throne.
I looked around the room nervously, and let my eyes look at the ornate decorative columns. The stonework impressive and strangely beautiful, still making me feel tiny in my own body though. Loki steeped up beside me and I saw him looking at me as I studied everything, smirking at me arrogantly in silence.
It was then the sneeze won the battle.
It was a small sneeze, but in the deafening quiet it was louder than a bomb going off. it echoed off the pillars and walls causing everyone in the room to turn and look at me including Odin, who looked at me in open amusement.
"It seems someone here is anxious to get my attention," He said to the man next to him, the man in armor smiled at me and nodded, laughing at my accident.
"Excuse me." I said politely, but the damage was done and I desperately wanted to be someone else in that moment. I then looked down at my feet as if they had become interesting, and nervously tugged and straightened my coat.
"Is this the same Lady Lilliana Rose from last night?" Odin asked me and my head snapped up to see he was not angry with me at all, and there was a look of amazement on his face as he took in the clothes I was wearing.
"Yes sir." I said softly, feeling extremely small again.
'I thought so, and this woman standing before me now is a wondrous improvement from the feral creature brought before me at the Bifrost, if you will allow me to say." He dismissed the other man he was having the meeting with, and the man bowed quickly while tucking a helmet under his arm. As he walked past, he looked at me as if he had never seen a woman before and I blushed. I had never turned heads in a positive way, and this would take some getting used to.
Odin walked over and sat on his throne motioning for me to step forward as he sat down in it. I looked at Sif and she smiled at me reassuringly, but my feet still felt heavy and glued to the floor. Tentatively, I stepped forward, and stood at the bottom of the steps facing him, and feeling like I was about to get in trouble for doing something bad.
"I do not know how to properly soften the blow that is about to come child, so I will just come out and say it." He began, and looked pained. "You are what is known as the Illendrial, a being of great power who can command the six elements that created the universe, Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Life, and Death."
The world gave a lurch sideways suddenly, and I nearly fell over as I shook my head no. They were so mistaken, I was a nobody with a weird eye color and an even weirder birthmark.
"You feel this power now, do you not? Perhaps as an itch on your skin?" He asked me and I tried my best to not scream. I was silent, and I think I nodded as I could feel my heart sinking into my stomach. My head swam a bit then, and I could barely breathe as he watched my reaction.
"Not me." I said and the ground tilted sideways again, my hands found the floor first, and Thor came forward to help me to stand up.
"Calm yourself child," Odin said, "When you are ready, I shall continue." I shook all over like a leaf, but managed to get my feet back under me. Thor held my arm and hand and I pushed him away gently, I turned in the quiet room and breathed through my mouth.
"Why did no one ever tell me this?" I asked Odin, tears burning at my eyes, "Maybe someone could have sent an Owl, maybe a letter earlier in my life? A visit from one of them would have been helpful!" I shouted, pointing at the people standing around me.
"Owl?" Odin asked suddenly.
"Harry Potter, it is a children's fantasy book, it is not important." I said feeling the need to be angry suddenly. "You have to be wrong about me, I am not who or whatever you think I am. I'm an idiot, and I have no powers. Dry skin maybe, but not a single power."
I gestured with my right hand and everyone had backed away suddenly, because as I made a slashing movement across my body, a flame erupted from my hand that licked at my fingertips growing slowly to engulf my entire hand without even singeing the skin. I looked at it dumbfounded, staring at the blue fire as I shook in fear and dropped to my knees. Two guards came forward with their weapons drawn and I continued to stare at it as my heart pounded in my chest, Thor stopped the men and they backed away from me.
"Make it stop!" I shouted in panic and disbelief. "Please!"
But the flames got stronger as my panic set in, and my heart began pounding in my ears as I gasped for air in the open room.
"Pull it back into yourself, imagine that you are the flame itself, and tell it to return to your core." A voice behind me said quickly. I looked at Loki, and he urged me on. "Concentrate, and focus on your breathing. Don't look at me girl, panic makes it unmanageable, breathe and focus. You control it you foolish girl, it does not control you, now breathe and pull it back."
I focused on the flame and calmed my breathing as told, I watched my hand as the flame started getting weaker, and I slowly focused on the source of it in my hand. I watched cautiously and counted my heartbeats and the flame dimmed to a purple, and then went out completely. Staring at my hand, I shook and a tear fell down my cheek that I couldn't hold back anymore, I looked at Loki and then back down at the floor.
"Good, you clever girl. It is your gift, and you managed it well for your first time." Loki said, and I looked back at him.
"Can I give this gift back?" I asked him. Odin stood and everyone in the room visibly sighed in relief as the guards backed off, my legs splaying further on the floor until I sat there still staring at my hand in disbelief.
"Illendrial." I whispered and looked up at Odin.
"Am I some kind of monster?" I asked him, afraid that he would say yes, but his eye softened as he looked down at me extending his hand to help me up. I wiped the tear away quickly, and took his hand using it to get to my feet.
"That is a choice you must make, and no one in this room can make it for you." He said to me and placed his other hand over mine as he held it. "You can use your gifts to protect, to destroy, or choose to suppress them and never use them at all. But, you will be hunted because of what you are. Your birth was a legend, a story if you will, to us told on long nights. Until one day Heimdall saw you among all the other beings and brought you to my attention, he saw your powers begin to awaken, and I had to act to bring you here. You may not believe it now, but you are capable of so much, and all you need to do is learn how to wield these powers before you can leave this world. Otherwise, you pose a threat to everyone and everything around you" He released my hand and cupped my chin in his hand, tilting my head up to meet his eye.
"I am sorry that your parents never told you what you were, but all I can only assume that they did not know themselves." Odin sighed, and he gave me a soft squeeze on my cheek as he studied my face. He saw something in my eyes and smiled a warm, fatherly smile at me and looked somewhat sad.
"You have a kindness to you I have not seen in a long time, you are no more terrible than a gentle breeze, however your will is the strongest I have ever seen. You remind me so much of her" He let go of me, and I stood there, and swallowed hard, taking in everything that was said to me.
"Heimdall?" I asked as Odin walked around behind me and I turned to face everyone in the room.
"The Watcher at the Bifrost." He replied, pacing the room as I stood still.
"You were brought here when he opened it." Sif walked close to me and put her arm around my shoulders to support me, but Thor, Loki, and Fandral kept their distance from me as if I were a bomb about to explode. I looked at Odin, and searched his face for any fear at all of me, and I found none at all. Instead I saw a look of curiosity and a cool majesty as he watched me, appraising me again.
"So I am just a thing, and I am hunted because of what I am? WHY?" I punctuated the silence around me with the last question like a bullet.
"Because of what you are capable of." Odin sighed. "You, when you fully understand your gifts will be able to shift time, bend reality, take life, give life, and eventually be able to travel to any time and place you can imagine. You will also be able to create and destroy as you wish. Although, you will need to carefully weigh the consequences and benefits of your actions child, I fear you will be used for sinister means if the desire of any being that so deems it. Your immortality also makes you a target as well, you will need to be able to defend yourself should the need arise."
"Wait? I'm immortal? Like can never die?" I interrupted him, and he looked at me. The way I healed then made sense, and I tensed my shoulders a bit waiting for the next blow to come.
"I am not entirely sure of this," he said calmly. "You were a legend to us until recently."
"Is that why I was kidnapped and brought here? I did not ask for this crap, and I don't want it!" I crossed my arms in front of me and felt a bit of anger building in me as I stood there, and it was a better stance to take instead of closing my fists.
"I brought you here to keep you safe, and so that you could learn to control your gifts." He stated harshly and I wanted badly to flinch, but stood my ground and refused to look away.
"If I am so dangerous, then why not kill me or lock me up so I don't hurt anyone?" I then pressed, and I could sense Fandral and Sif recoil slightly. Thor took in a breath, and placed his huge hand on my shoulder gently.
"Because Lady Lilliana," Odin said and walked toward me as I shrugged the hand off of me. "We do not know what repercussions would occur in the event of your death." I began to protest, but Odin continued cutting me off before I could speak. "Every person in this room is sworn to your protection on my orders, Loki will see to your tutelage so that you understand and can control your powers…."
"Father….Loki?" Are you sure of this?" Thor asked then obviously concerned. "Remember his crimes?"
"He understands the philosophy of magic and powers like hers, he is the only choice available at the moment. And despite my own reservations on this matter, he is the wisest choice thanks to the demonstration he gave this very hour." Loki looked on, slightly smug at Thor, but the final protest from Thor opened my mouth in shock.
Father, Remember New York? The city in Midguard? He could use her in that manner and cause calamity to the Nine Realms again."
"That was you? You brought all those Aliens to Earth? You killed all those people?" I asked glaring at him in anger and his eyes looked down at the floor but he said nothing, he then sighed and looked back at me.
"Dick move man," I said then. "Seriously dick move and that is not a damn compliment. You are a fucking jerk!" Odin then looked at Thor, and Fandral struggled to hide a laugh at my reprimand, Sif merely smiled and shook her head as she took in a deep breath to hide her own amusement.
"I believe that we can agree that she has a very strong will, and my choice for her tutelage was good." Odin said calmly, and smiled gently at me. "Lady, I only ask that you not be vulgar in my presence again." He said and I nodded to him.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
In the darkness it stirred, so many millennia in hibernation and waiting.
Stretching tendrils around the dark nothing, it began forming a body, the Illendrial has been born and it is female.
Earth….Asgard.
Finding her in the vastness of the cosmos, The Presence found her still weak and her full potential not yet reached.
"Soon." Its consciousness whispered into the dark.
Black eyes formed, lifeless and barren of remorse, fingers, a mouth.
"When she is ready, I will devour her and claim her power." Its nervous system began to take shape as it saw only one thing… a pair of violet eyes.
The Presence had waited so long, millions of years, and it was time.
Soon.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Loki turned the girl's reaction to finding what she was over in his mind, and was impressed by her cleverness at being able to take his instruction to take control over her powers. He brushed an imaginary fleck of dirt from his green tunic and watched her casually, she was rather attractive but he recognized that beauty and kindness was very fragile armor. She looked somewhat lost behind those violet pools and he could tell that she was going to be easier than he thought to manipulate. She my put up some challenge, but in the end she would eventually give in.
"She took it well." Thor said to him, "But I warn you…."
"Yes, yes." Loki cut Thor off, bored by threats. "If I try to betray anyone by using her, you will kill me."
Thor left him standing alone as he watched and Thor offered his hand to Lilliana. Loki felt irritation at the gesture, but managed not to show it openly. He stepped forward and then clapped his hands together once.
"Perhaps the Little Mouse would like to see her new home sooner rather than later?" Loki said and smiled, trying to use one of his more well known gifts to sway the girl, blinking in confusion at her expression. Anger flashed across her face, and she glared at him defiantly. Her eyes flashed and she walked forward shoving her finger into his face and glaring directly into his eyes.
"My name is Lilliana," She raged at him. "Call me that, or even Lilly, but stop calling me Little Mouse!"
She glared at him and in the back of his head he smiled, he could not manipulate her but he did enjoy irritating her.
"Very well….Lilliana." He replied coolly, deciding that he had pushed her far enough.
She spun on her heel away from him and Sif caught her arm, he could smell Lavender coming from her and a memory of Frigga surfaced nearly taking the wind from him. He pushed the memory away quickly before someone saw the sadness in his eyes, but he noticed Lilliana watching him as Sif spoke. She had seen it, and he arched an eyebrow at her coldly, trying to hide what had happened.
"He is going to keep calling you that now that he knows you hate it." He overheard Sif telling her, "Just let it not bother you."
Fandral approached her from behind and put a hand on he shoulder, offering his other hand, and taking hers gently.
"Perhaps, I can sing you songs of Asgard to cheer you as we ride Lady." And he smiled at her gently, and Sif rolled her eyes again.
"Maybe another time Fandral." Sif replied smiling and Fandral bowed politely to Lilliana. She sat back against a window ledge and put her hands down on her knees.
"Do we have to go? I feel weird enough, and I really feel like a Frankenstein right now." She said and Thor looked at her confused.
"Frankenstein?" Fandral asked and she rolled her eyes.
"A monster, tall, green skin, bolts in the neck. Made in a Science Lab out of spare parts." She explained and Loki frowned at her words, he knew that feeling well.
"It will be good for you to ride with us, don't hide away." Sif urged her and she looked at the rest of them and sighed. Giving in to the people around her.
"All right, but there is one problem though, how do you ride a horse?" Lilliana asked and everyone laughed making her jump a bit as she looked at the group.
"We will show you." Sif said leading her to the gates. "We will let you ride Artemis, she is a gentle pony."
Loki sighed and followed, using his abilities to give himself a riding cloak and a pair of gloves. He noticed a small detail of her then, the small bit of sadness carried in her smile, and he wondered silently if it was the knowledge of what she was that put it there or if it was the weight of her past.
Why would she see herself as a monster?