Thank you for no one being mean or confrontational about my trigger warning.
Takumi stood in the mirror, wiping the last of her tears from her eyes and staring at herself hatefully in the reflection. All the tear streaks that had been ruining her face had been carefully cleaned off, her lips scrubbed until they felt raw and her shame burning hatefully inside of her. It was like a fire, curling into her chest and nearly burning through her skin.
She was in her wedding dress, about ready to walk down the aisle to be bound to that.. monster that was going to be her husband in about five minutes. She wanted to smash her fist into the wall, breaking the beautiful image that stood in front of her eyes. She was utterly disgusted, infuriated that this was even going on. A part of her wished to simply flee the scene before anything began, but she knew better than that.
Sighing, she straightened her posture and stared at her reflection, trying to push down the feeling of revulsion.
Her hair was up in a beautiful bun, the small trinkets of black flowing down her back loosely. The dress itself fit over her breasts, looping upwards towards her neck and curling around her shoulders. It flowed down to her feet, swishing softly each time she moved. The white satin glowed against her tan skin and black hair, and for once in her life, she looked like a Princess.
A true one, not one who was struggling to fit in with the rest of the crowd.
She heard the door open quietly behind her, and then a small gasp. "Takumi..!"
Takumi slowly turned around at the mention of her name, and she saw Kaisa peering into the room with a blush spread across her face and a smile curving at her lips. She slipped into the room and closed the door quietly behind her, another small gasp escaping her lips as she stared Takumi over, her brown eyes washing over her frame with obvious glee.
"Oh..." Kaisa said softly, going to Takumi and pulling her into a gentle embrace. Takumi felt her sister's warm hands on her arms and winced at the sudden physical contact, but when Kaisa pulled back and gave her a gentle smile she couldn't help but smile a little right back. Kaisa shook her head and chuckled, her voice quiet. "You look so beautiful, little sister."
"As do you." Takumi said quietly, and she meant it. Kaisa was wearing a similar dress with a creamy top that was long sleeved, curving up at her neck that was similar to a helm. It was more simple than Takumi's, but just as long and made out of the same material. And Kaisa's brown hair was still straight down her back, but there was a golden pin in it, with the Asgardian symbol engraved into the metal. Her sister, the same sister whom she had grown up with and played with, was standing in front of her and beaming.
Kaisa squeezed her shoulders excitedly. "Can you not believe this?" she asked quietly, her voice rising to a squeal. "To get married, and so soon..!"
"Yes, it is rather soon." Takumi admitted, her voice dull at that statement. She watched Kaisa's face fall, and she suddenly felt guilty. Why ruin Kaisa's special night? She wasn't going to be married to an asshole like she was. Thor was going to be good to her. She tried to fix her mistake by giving her sister a wide smile and an enthusiastic beat to her voice. "The ceremony is supposed to be grand! And Father is coming too, Kaisa. Aren't you excited?"
Kaisa nodded, relief flooding her eyes and her relaxation coming back into her body. "Aye, I am. Father is so proud of you for going through with this, Takumi. Even after the vicious fight you two had about this situation, you have grown up and shown that you can be a Queen."
Takumi nodded and turned her back on Kaisa, her hand slowly reaching up to touch at the necklace around her neck, the stone cold and lifeless against her skin. She almost laughed at the absurdity of Kaisa's words. Her: a Queen. She couldn't even imagine herself being a Queen, sitting around on a throne all day and following her husband blindly. Although she knew that wasn't what true Queens did, she still couldn't see herself in a stuffy castle.
There was no choice, though. And she knew it.
"Go now, sister." Takumi said quietly. She folded her hands in front of her patiently, giving Kaisa a small smile over her shoulder. "I will see you when we walk down the aisle."
Kaisa returned her small smile with a wide one of her own. She nodded, her brown hair floating around her like a hazy brown cloud, her eyes sparkling with joy and excitement. "Of course I will, sister. Good graces."
Takumi didn't look back as Kaisa left the room, the door closing quietly behind her as she walked out. As she heard the wedding bells start to chime, she shut her eyes and let out a loud, shuddering sigh. Her heart felt like it was going to break in half, and she could practically see her freedom slowly inching out the window.
It was time.
The people of Asgard had crowded the entire throne room of the palace, everyone standing around and craning their necks to see the Princes finally become Kings. Everyone was anxious to see the Princesses as well, their arrival was the talk of the kingdom and the royal gossip. It was one of the biggest moments in Asgard, and the people were determined to celebrate it.
Thor and Loki stood by Odin at the top of the steps, dressed in their royal garments and standing quietly with their hands folded in front of them. Loki stared straight out at the crowd, his face emotionless as he stared at the doorway. He knew that the girls would come through any second, their wedding dresses flowing behind them and the Asgardian people gaping in surprise and smiling as the wedding started to take place. Loki knew exactly how this would end: they would be bound to one another, and then they would be allowed to kiss.
Loki felt his chest constrict as he thought about it. He didn't want to do anything of the sort. As he gazed at the huge assembly of people in front of him, he realized that there was no way out. No mischevious tricks would change this, no amount of arguing with Odin would cancel this, nothing except a war could stop this now.
He spotted the King of Vanaheim sitting in the first row, staring at the two of them with a grim smile on his face, patiently waiting for the ceremony to start. Sveigoir, the gracious King and warrior, had thrown this all into motion. And Loki hated him deeply for it.
Then it began, before he even knew it. It seemed to happen in slow motion for him. The two Vanir Princesses stepped into the throne room, their white dresses flowing behind them and their hands clasped in front of them. Kaisa looked so pathetically joyous as she walked down the aisle, giving people a soft smile and nodding at them as though she was already Queen. It was disgusting to watch her bask in all the attention, as though she knew entirely what affect she was having on the crowd.
But then Takumi came into the throne room, her head bowed quietly as she walked. There was no pride in the way she walked. There was no expression on her face. Even though her hair had been pulled back in the Asgardian style and her face flawless, there was a clear cloud over her features. A mask that she had wore, one filled with fear and resentment. It was nothing like her sister: who was striding down the aisle and ready to go into Thor's arms. No, instead this girl wanted to get away from Loki as soon as possible.
He wasn't sure if he was satisfied with her fear, or defeated that there truly was no one who wished to spend their life with him.
The two girls stopped in front of them, bowing for a moment as they looked at their husbands-to-be, their hands still clasped in front of them. The preacher began to speak, his voice ringing around the room. For a moment, it seemed as though everyone was holding their breath.
"We are gathered here today..."
Loki stared at their father, Sveigoir, with a cold expression.
"For the good of Asgard and the entirety of the Nine Realms.."
Loki avoided looking at Thor. He couldn't face his brother, whom was probably overjoyed with the wedding. He couldn't bear to see that happiness.
"May the two Vanir Princesses step forwards and clasp their lovers' hands..."
Two soft hands hesitantly slid into his own. They were warm. Almost hot, in fact. Loki turned his attention from her hands to her face. Her downcast eyes avoided him.
"They may be bound together for the rest of their lives.."
Takumi's eyes flitted upwards to look at him. He was nearly stunned at the fierce hatred in her eyes, her lips almost curled in disgust as they held hands. He could almost hear her hissing at him.
Then, there was nothing else but the sound of a loud explosion.
Loki could hear the sounds of screaming people from the back of the room, and before he could react, he could hear the crackling sound of fire spreading. It was as though this was some kind of horrid daydream; one filled with fire and smoke, marring his vision and causing him to cough in pain. Where had Takumi gone? Was she still there?
Thor jostled his shoulder roughly, his voice screaming in his ear. It jolted Loki from his daze.
"Loki! The fire! We must escape at once!" Thor said, his voice loud in Loki's ear. Loki blinked and saw Kaisa plastered to Thor, her mouth open in a gaping shriek as part of the ceiling started to crumble down onto them. He felt something tugging viciously at his sleeve, and he realized it was Takumi, her mouth set in a stubborn line.
"Can you hear, idiot?" Takumi said angrily, her voice rising over the roaring of the fire and the screams of people. "The damned place is on fire!"
Kaisa shook her head rapidly as part of the ceiling crumbled down on them, raining ash onto their heads as though it was raining. "What have you done, Takumi!?" she shrieked, digging her grip into Thor's arm.
"I haven't done anything!" Takumi snapped. She tugged harder on Loki's arm, her mouth pressed in a stubborn grimace. "Snap out of it, Loki! Let's go!"
Loki blinked and felt himself running with the rest of them, trying to fight their way through the smoke and ash, covering their faces and trying to see. Fire had curled it's way up onto the ceiling, the top of the Asgardian palace on fire. Loki could vaguely hear Odin yelling out to the warriors to put out the large fire, but his voice was nearly overwhelmed by the panicking masses of people still trapped inside.
"Father!" Kaisa screamed out, choking on the ash in the air. "Where are you? Father!"
"Who gives a shit where he is?" Takumi snarled, glaring at her sister. "We're going to burn to death if we stay in here!"
Loki coughed painfully, his chest heaving. The air was too hot, much too hot for his body to handle. His feet weren't moving on his own consolation, instead, he was being dragged along. Time was slowed down, his eyes dully scanning the smoggy room for something, anything, to comprehend. He could see Thor in front of him, and Takumi with her strong grip on his arm, and even Kaisa, but nothing else.
"Stop." Loki spat out, his voice hoarse from coughing. "Takumi, stop!"
Takumi stopped, giving him an incredulous look. "What the hell, Loki?"
Loki slowly pointed, his hand weakly going up to point to three figures in front of them. Takumi's mouth dropped open, Thor looked as though he wanted his hammer by his side at once, and Kaisa let out another scream.
Three fire figures stood in front of them, their hair orange and spiraling upwards into the wall and ceiling like wildfire. They had slits for eyes, black and empty. They smiled at the four of them, their mouths black ragged lines. Entirely made of fire, they flickered for a moment and stared at them, grinning. Then one of them spoke, it's voice raspy like dry leaves.
"Give her back!" one of them said, almost angrily. The raspy voice was loud, grating their eardrums. "Give her back!"
They were pulsating, their lights growing brighter as they spoke. "Give her back to us! You have stolen her for long enough!"
"She doesn't belong with you. A stranger in the midst of flesh." one of them snarled, it's mouth a thin line.
"Who do you speak of?" Thor snarled, his eyebrows furrowed together and his voice hoarse from the smoke.
The fire people pointed fluidly at Takumi, their eyes glowing like hot coals and their faces darkened, as though a shadow had passed over them. "Our Queen. Give us what was stolen from us, or ring the bells of war."
Sorry for the lack of updates. School hates me. :/
Well, it seems as though everyone is in a shitty situation. Did you all like the description of the fire people from Muspelheim?
Please review. :)