AN: Don't own Thor, do own Sora.

Chapter 7

Night had already fallen on Asgard, making cover for Sora to slip through the shadows unnoticed. The cool wind gently pulled at her hair and clothes from the open archways of the palace, beckoning her to the far off mountains that could barely be seen in the distant night. They were a mere silhouette against the midnight blue sky. The threat of being discovered by the guards hung over her like a veil that blocked out the diamond starlight from the skies that lit her way around the dark open-air halls. It quickened her pace, made her focus sharp and her senses keen. She knew she had to strike true to her purpose or else all hopes of her helping Merin and the others were lost.

Sora heard footsteps behind her accompanied by drunken laughter. The voice that was laughing was light like a bell, suggesting it belong to a woman of the court, yet Sora ducked behind a pillar all the same. She eased into the darkness, pressing herself flush against the stone and angling her body so it would not cast its shadow across the floor from the moonlight. Directing her alert gaze towards the voices she spied two lovers stumbling down the hall. They were drunk and gay from the feast in the dining hall, surely trying to find their way back to one of their apartments.

The sight was uncouth to Sora but not too uncommon after a night of food, drink, and merrymaking in the palace. Still the proud council member never partook in such behavior. She had an image and a reputation she liked to maintain. Being caught in scandalous, not to mention drunken, interludes was not the example she wanted to set for her people. This was one of the reasons, or at least that's what she told herself, why Loki and Sora never made their affections towards each other public.

Watching the couple paw at each other and mosey down the way, Sora was going to wait until they slipped by but suddenly a group of guards stopped them demanding to know their identities. Of course they were mostly interested in the woman's, believing that she might be Sora, yet when they heard the woman's name and saw her face they moved on telling the couple to hurry back to their apartments. Vexed and a bit nervous, the couple then veered down a different corridor, their excitement somewhat lessened from before. The guards however began to march Sora's way. Her heartbeat quickened in her chest and she held her breath as the soldiers passed by, the noise of their armor knocking together as they marched made her chest heavy. Knowing that they would not turn around in their pursuit, Sora quietly followed in the darkness behind them. She knew she could not waste anymore time in escaping.

At the end of the hall, the guards turned down a corridor in which Sora stealthily went the opposite way. The silver light from the moon kissed her face from the open arches once more and she hurried down the hall, her silken robes trailing behind her. She soon came to the lowest balcony built in the palace. A little garden was conveniently built six stories below it. If she could manage to get down, she could exit the garden and make for her freedom through the city.

The walls of the castle were steep but bowed out in just a way that would allow her to slide down them relatively unharmed. She had thought of trying to escape through the pipes and waterways, but the currents were strong and it was far too risky. This was her only viable option. Tying her robes out of the way of her legs, Sora climbed over the balcony railing. The wind seemed to pick up as she stared over the edge at the long and steep drop and into the dark garden below. Sora's heart was pounding in her chest and her breath seemed to be caught in her throat. She could hardly believe that she was considering doing this. Sora never had to run like a criminal before nor did she ever think that she would have to. But now, with exile as her only option, she felt as if she were willing to do most anything to escape Loki. The people of both Asgard and Jotunhiem needed her to be an active player in the game. Without her, there would be no political voice in the government to speak against Loki. Sora knew this venture could very well fail, yet she knew she had to try.

Carefully kneeling down, she sat on the wall's edge and hung from her grip on the banister above. She shut her eyes tightly for a moment, sucking in a deep breath. There was a silence before the plunge then she opened her eyes again and let go of the banister, an image of Loki flashed in her mind and then a gut-wrenching falling sensation overtook her as she fell through the air. Her back was inches away from the wall and there was nothing to grab onto but air. Sora was then panicking realizing that she very well could have made the wrong decision. Then, like the grace of the heavens, she finally came to gentle curve of the wall and it caught her, guiding her down to the ground below. She then began to roll down the side of the wall as the arch became greater. It was as if she were tumbling down a hill. This was rough on her body but it was better than feeling only air and wind against her back. Soon she found herself rolling down into tall grass, the blades whipping at her harms and legs. She had made it to the garden alive yet she was still tumbling across the ground from her fall. Her momentum was stopped by a large hedge edging the stone path.

She coughed out for air, the stiff branches cutting into her back. Turning her gaze up to the balcony six stories above her, she stared at it amazedly, grateful that she had survived her decision to jump. She had escaped the palace without notice, making it this far. Not wishing to stay in one place for too long, Sora eased herself up on her feet and waited for her head to stop spinning. The rush she had received from her jump made her head light and her body loose.

Once she gathered her senses, Sora continued her journey through the city with great swiftness. She would not stop at all that night, determined to make it to the mountains by daylight. From there she would travel beyond the Naridian Falls to her secluded summer home. Only when she was there would she feel safe to rest.

Loki looked out at the darkened city, knowing that Sora was somewhere amongst the glittering lights that shone through windows and lined the streets. If she were in the palace the guards would have found her by then. Sora had abandoned him. There was a lingering pain inside of him as he thought about her running away. The deed was hers yet the fault was his. Still, for some reason he felt that she had betrayed him. The confusion of his heart frustrated him to no end and he wished that he could push his feelings aside and do what needed to be done as she obviously seemed able to do.

It angered him that it was so easy for her to leave him behind. Loki was never good at separating his emotions from his actions even though he liked to think that he could, things were personal to him.

His eyes scanned the darkness below him, knowing that he would not find her yet still feeling that he should at the very least try. Her place was not out there fighting against him, it was beside him. Still he knew he was the one who drove her out and in his heart he knew she was not coming back- not of her own will at least. It was not Sora's way.

He wondered if she merely rebelled against him by leaving or if she truly feared him. He was unsure which idea hurt him the most. Regardless, he would somehow divine her whereabouts- he was determined to do so.

AN: Thank you all so much for reading. Next chapter there will be more about Loki and Sora's past history together as was requested :). PLEASE REVIEW! Thanks!