Chapter 15:

Prying her arrows from the nearby tree trunks, Sora placed them back in their leather quiver and headed inside the cottage. During her days in exile, she wrote letters to the Council, warning them of the dangers they now faced with Loki as their king. She hoped that they were given serious consideration and that Merin would recognize them as her way of giving the Council aid from the outside as she had promised.

Whether they listened to her or not was something else entirely. She could be fighting losing battle and not even know it. Loki had a way of persuading people and who knows whom he had gotten to in the Council. It was true that he was not trusted by most of the citizens in Asgard but if he slipped gold into the waiting hands of the corrupt he would win favor fast.

Sitting down at her desk in front of the window, Sora tore off a bit of parchment from her supplies. Putting her quill to the paper, she began to write out instructions to Merin. Once she finished, she folded it up and set it on the windowsill by the door so she would not forget about it.

Every second evening of the week Sora would climb down the mountain and walk to the edge of the forest where a boy named Nuru would be waiting to pick up her letters and deliver them to Merin from inside the palace. His father worked in the kitchens and was perfectly placed to help Sora. Yet involving the boy in such dangerous plans concerned her. Even though she had refused, Nuru's father, Uxor, had sent the boy to meet her anyway. He reassured her that it was an honor to do this for the realm. Sora saw she could not convince him otherwise and said no more on the subject.

Sora stood at the edge of the wood waiting for Nuru to show up. Once he did, she stepped out from behind the tree she had been hiding behind. The starlight illuminated her form against the murky darkness of the woods behind her allowing the boy to find her.

The boy looked around, his dark eyes searching for intruders before he nodded to let her know it was safe to start crossing the field. Gripping her bow tightly in her hand, Sora made her way through the waist-high grasses towards him.

When she was halfway across, there was a sudden rustling and the field came alive with shouts and the drawing of swords. Sora found herself surrounded by a ring of Asgardian soldiers, their weapons drawn. The commander stepped over to fearful Nuru and put his hand on the boy's slim shoulder.

"Consul Sora, Loki, king of Asgard, requests your presence back at the palace," he called out to her.

Her heart rate spiked at the sight of the armed man holding back the child and for a moment she saw red. Grabbing an arrow from her quiver, she expertly threaded it and stretched the bow in one fluid movement. Her aim was fixed on the commander's head.

"Don't you dare hurt him!" She yelled, her teeth barred in a threatening scowl. The pacifist of Asgard was showing a very different side of herself tonight. She knew it was impossible to fight her way out of this, she was caught. But she would defend the boy to her death if she must.

The commander stiffened at the fierce consul before him. A twinge of fear shot up his spine at the sight of her arrow pointing directly at him. "If you come willingly, I see no reason why there should be bloodshed. Please Consul?" He asked; his hands held out in front of him, trying to ease her anger. To see such violence from her was highly unexpected.

"I have your word on this?" Sora asked, her arrow still fixed on its intended mark.

"I swear it to you," he said, his voice oddly calm as he continued to talk her down. "No harm shall befall anyone tonight. Your presence has simply been requested by our king."

"You speak as if Loki were a benevolent god." She said, her arms muscles beginning to shake under the prolonged tension of the stretched bow. "If he gave you that impression, then I pity you. However, I will come with you, for the boy's sake."

The guard, choosing to ignore all but her last sentence, nodded gratefully. A wave of relief washed over him knowing she was going to let him do his job. "Thank you, Consul."

Sora slowly lowered her bow and put away her arrow. The commander released Nuru, who ran directly to Sora.

"I am sorry!" the boy cried. "They made me show them where you were. I'm sorry…" his voice turned to a whimper as he buried his tear streaked face in his little hands.

Sora drew Nuru near to her and knelt down in front of him. "No Nuru, don't be sorry, everything will be alright," she said, gently wiping away his tears. "You've been very brave little soldier. You did exactly what was asked of you. Come, we'll get you home to your father, alright?"

The boy nodded, too scared to ask any more questions and stuck closely to her side as the soldiers sheathed their weapons and escorted the two to the palace.

The walk through the city was long and met with many questioning stares. Sora kept her head high and her eyes on the soldiers in front of her. She took Nuru's hand in hers and gently bid him to keep his head up as well.

Once they reached the palace, the commander allowed her to see that the boy was safely returned to his father. She gave Uxor an angered glare, her expression reiterating her disapproval at his use of his son. Sora wish she could have words with him on the matter but knew she did not have the time.

As she passed Nuru's hand from hers into his she whispered, "I told you and I told Merin- war and politics is not a game for children. Cherish this boy."

The man said nothing, keeping his eyes to the ground as Sora turned from him and was escorted out of the kitchens.

AN: I would ever so love a review!... Loki might have a few things to say about it if you don't. ;)