Luna squashed the feeling of regret growing in her as she say idly on her own.
She had closed and locked the window in her other room upon ensuring that the vine would lead all the way to the ground. Or at least almost all the way.
Loki could jump the rest of the height, it wasn't that far a jump. Even if he did fall, the bush would break his fall.
She allowed a half smile at her own mischief. That, was revenge.
Rolling around on her bed, she wondered whether she had done the right thing. Was she wrong? Should she apologise?
Maybe she should just forget everything. But that would be throwing away a year of careful scheming, hiding, waiting for this opportunity.
Not to mention, someone else was depending on her. She couldn't just give up.
She didn't feel like thinking about him anymore. She didn't feel like thinking about anything, for that matter.
Luna decided she could do with a good distraction. Maybe the library could give her something else she needed.
Twenty minutes later and she was lost in the winding and twisting passages of the palace.
She had forgotten that she only knew her room, the entrance to this place and nowhere else.
She remembered Frigga mentioning a library amongst other places in the palace. Was it a right, a left, then two more rights, or...
Was it the other way around?
She needed help. Looking around, she saw only a blond man she didn't recognise.
He noticed her, and started towards her before she could utter anything.
"Good afternoon. My name is Fandral and I couldn't help wondering what a lovely young lady like you might be doing."
Luna blinked and thought of how to reply. He took her silence as a good sign and continued talking, "So, if you've nothing else, how would you like to take a walk with me somewhere more... private?"
He was interrupted and Luna saved from further interactions by a black haired woman, "Must you flirt with every woman you see, Fandral?"
Fandral rolled his eyes, "I don't flirt with you! So that's one woman."
She turned to Luna, "Hi. I'm Sif. Just ignore him, he flirts with everyone."
"Sorry, are you?"
Sif gave her a blank stare, "Am I?"
Luna blushed, "Are you two... Together?" And gave a twirling motion between the both of them.
Fandral reacted with a "Of course not" at the moment Sif crossed her arms and gasped, "Definitely no. I just find it my duty to save whatever poor maiden who falls into his clutches. What do you need?"
"Need?"
"Since you seem to be lost. Was I mistaken?"
"You're not wrong. May I know where is the library?"
Sif cocked her head curiously, "Why would you go there? So far, I can only think of one person who goes there, and he's not exactly my best friend." Fandral nodded.
"Well," Luna smiled, "Let's just say I need information."
Thor was bored. He had learnt his lesson from past experiences, but he longed for adventure and fast paced action, or at least something to do other than to wait.
He figured that since the chitauri were after Loki, they might as well go to the source of evil to take care of the problem.
Too bad they had absolutely no way of finding the chitauri. Loki probably knew, but was far too distracted to think properly.
He'd been that way since returning from his talk with Luna. He had returned with his hair ruffled and sticks and twigs sticking from his hair.
With a faraway look on his face, he merely stared out the window without a word.
Thor had tried several time to get Loki to talk, but he was always shooed off with a nod or wave.
"Loki, what are you thinking of?" Thor inquired, hoping to get more than a mumbled "Uh... Yeah." which didn't even fit the question he was asking.
In fact, Thor suspected Loki wouldn't remember a word he said if asked later.
Loki shook his head and started pacing the room. Thor poked him and opened his mouth to speak, but was met with a "Shut up."
He signed and sat back down.
And Luna... As far as he knew, Luna had no dealing with the chitauri. And even Heimdall could not see them.
So now, they were just sitting ducks awaiting an attack. Determined to get an answer, he walked to the only room he might get an solution from.
Pacing outside its doors, he cringed. Reading wasn't his strong point, and he avoided books as far as possible.
But having no other choice, he walked in, and saw Luna looking through a whole pile of old records, "Oh. Luna. What...are you doing here?"
She shoved the books aside, "Nothing. It's nothing. Nothing at all."
Thor strode over and picked one up, "What are these? Old records of soldiers that fought with my father against the chitauri? Why would you read these?"
"I...wanted to know a bit more? And well, this seemed like the best...place?"
Thor shrugged, "Whatever you say then. So you have anything useful?"
Luna shook her head, "No. Nothing. Nothing on where to find them, or how to find a way to find them. By the way, do you have any other records, on old soldiers, or people who fought with your father?"
Thor frowned, "What? Why do you want those?"
"Anything?"
Thor shook his head, "You should ask Loki, he'd be more than happy to help you. I haven't been with books for at least a century. Literally."
Luna nodded, "Yeah. Same here."
"One century? You're human, right?"
Luna got flustered, "Oh yeah. I mean...um, I mean it...figuratively, not literally."
Thor was about to question her further when there was a panicked shout from outside, followed by the sound of something breaking and crashing.
The pair shared a look, "Loki." Luna realised before running out.
They dashed down the hallway and turned the corner to Loki's room just in time to see Loki being yanked off the balcony.
Rushing to the balcony, Luna looked out. There were at least three chitauri speeders hovering over the palace grounds.
"If we can follow those cruisers, we can make it to the chitauri base."
"Well, let's go then. How would we get there?"
"Hold on to me." Thor instructed.
Swinging his hammer, he grabbed Luna and took off. Once they landed, Luna put a finger to her lips and creeped forward.
"Not a word. Then we can get there unnoticed. Hopefully."
"How do you know where to go?" Thor whispered.
She grabbed a broom from a nearby closet and used it as a makeshift weapon, "Why wouldn't I?" She clasped a hand to her mouth and her eyes widened.
Thor found something more and more off with Luna with every passing second.
He wanted to question her, feeling the same nagging at the back of his head that Loki had that Luna was definitely hiding something.
Unfortunately, even one hushed whisper might alert the enemy to their presence, and Thor couldn't risk it for his brother.
He would get answers after all this, regardless of whether Luna wanted to speak or not, he assured himself.