A/N: *waves* Hi!
Next chap's up and we learn more about Loki and Fara's past as well as get a glimpse at more sinister things in the present (you'll get that one when you reach the end of the chapter). I know things currently move rather slowly, but that will change soon. Ugh, I love Tony as a character, but I hate writing him. Hope he's not too out of character in this story.
And thanks again for all the new favourites and follows! No new reviews though, am I doing something wrong? Please leave a comment or I might go crazy...please? With cream and a cherry on top?
Okay so don't mind me and enjoy the chapter. Hope you'll like it.
It was a hot day. The sun was burning down onto the city and most people were staying outdoors under shades. The courtiers had gathered in the royal gardens and around the training grounds to watch their crown prince fight with the Warriors Three. Cheering could be heard every time someone seemed to gain the upper hand, the occasional gasps among the cheers coming from the young girls in the audience.
Loki was not there.
He had seen his brother fight enough times to have grown tired of the display. To train for the battle field was one thing. Trying to impress young maidens quite another. Thor relished their admiring gazes. Loki knew that Frigga was secretly planning to marry her eldest off as soon as possible in hopes of keeping her eldest away from trouble and a grin played on his lips at the image of his brother being confronted one day in the future by the jealousy of a wife. After all, the future king of Asgard would have to be a loyal husband too.
The trickster passed hallway after hallway until he reached the library. He still had work to do, unlike certain others. He knew no one would disturb him now.
The great library was rarely used by anyone else than him. Asgardians were warriors and not academics. Some did not even know the place existed. Or they simply didn't care.
But not Loki. To him it had grown to a sort of sanctuary since his childhood days. Scarcely anyone dared to disturb him when he was in there, sunken into his studies. Odin had gathered scriptures from all the nine realms and the resulting collection was kept in hundreds of shelves and along the walls of the room. Of course the only people ever to make use of this treasure were, apart from the very few Vanir living in the realm and occasional visitors, Odin himself and the second-born prince.
The Odd One. The Maker of Mischief.
He knew the names they were calling him when they thought they were undisturbed in their conversations - servants and courtiers alike. The library was one of few places to avoid their mistrusting gazes.
As soon as he opened the door Loki knew he was not alone.
With a flick of his wrist the door closed behind his back soundlessly as his form became invisible. He stepped further into the room, carefully listening. He could hear the faint sound of parchment being turned and he wondered who the person could be that showed an interest in any of the texts.
He passed the rows of shelves when he saw a small figure crouched over one of the wooden desks. Honey brown hair was tied in a long thick braid reaching to the woman's waist. Her slender curves were clad in a gown made of white silk and the sleeves were rolled up to expose two softly glowing forearms. He felt the magic flowing from them like a warm blanket around his mind and it was calling out to him, to his own magic prickling beneath his finger tips.
The younger one of Freyja's two protégées.
His eyes fell to the book she was studying, its pages already yellowed by time. He instantly had to fight a chuckle. The chapter was on telepathic communication. It had been one of his favourite subjects as a child and he had pondered over the paragraphs for weeks until he had understood how it worked. Gradually he had caught up on the technique behind it and with the years it had become easier and easier to connect to other people's minds without them noticing.
He let his disguise fall away and took a step closer. "I thought Freyja's students had more important things to do than spy on people's thoughts."
Her head shot up and she stared at him with wide golden eyes. The look of being caught on her features was priceless.
She bowed her head once she realized who stood in front of her. "My Lord, please excuse me, I did not know you were in here as well. Had I known-" The words stumbled out of her hurried mouth.
Usually he would have responded with sarcasm to anyone babbling so nervously, but he thought her rather entertaining in her blushes. "Considering you were here first it should be I apologizing to you for disturbing your studies, my Lady."
She was surprised at the amused tone of his voice. It was the first time she had heard him speak. Often she had found him absent from feasts and other social gatherings. Days had passed without a trace of him.
Unsure of what to say she lowered her head again to her book. "As it pleases you, my Lord."
He studied her face for a bit, as her eyes flew over the ancient runes once more. Her features were delicate, soft, lacking her sister's exotic aura. Not stunningly beautiful, but still pleasant to the eye.
"So?" He started again. "Should I be concerned about the Vanir beginning to read Aesir minds, because here we don't exactly favour spies very much." A soft chuckle. "Spare yourself the trouble. It is not an easy spell."
She met his eyes again, this time pushing her chin slightly forward in a defying manner. Loki's smirk widened at the sight.
"I already know how the spell works, my Lord. I'm just looking something up for my sister."
He frowned, astonished at her answer. "And what would that be?"
"She does have sometimes difficulties when using it and causes other people headaches. I thought I would be able to find a solution in here." She hesitated. "Although I did not know before that a spell for it existed at all. The bond between my sister and I was there from our earliest days."
Her honesty baffled him. "Why is she not here herself to look it up then?"
"She wished to see Prince Thor and the warriors fight." A weary sigh escaped her lips. "In Vanaheim there are many stories circulating of Mjolnir's might as well as his wielder's skill on the battle field and she wanted to see if they were true."
"And you?"
He did not miss the twitch at the corners of her lips. "I am afraid I prefer stuffed libraries to watching two grown-up men smash their heads against each other."
For one moment Fara gasped as she realized her words could have insulted him. It was his brother after all fighting on the sand and the son of the Allfather. But then the sound of laughter startled her. He was laughing. Jade green eyes sparkled as they met hers and she was surprised at how bright they were. He looked so relaxed, so careless – what a stark contrast to his aloof demeanor the first time they had been introduced to each other in the throne room.
He captured her eyes again. "So you already know how to communicate through telepathy?"
Again that defying smirk on her lips. In that moment Loki sensed a wave of warmth brush against the corners of his mind – her magic touching his. Of course.
His chest vibrated again in amusement. Impressive.
She jumped when she felt something bumping against her mind and she realized it must be him. But that would be impossible, unless-
Unless I was trained in the art of magic. Jade eyes captured her golden one's and she noticed just how tall he was when he took another step towards her, towering over her by at least one foot. Only then did she notice the waves of energy, the soft glow that seemed to emit from him - magic. His magic, reaching out to its kind, to power akin to itself.
She gasped as the walls of her conscience were slowly covered by his own, enveloping her in layers of heat and energy as the edges melted slowly into each other. It was similar to what she felt when silently talking to Sigyn and yet different at the same time. She was filled with light, her senses sharpening at the new sensation.
It felt so much more potent.
She blinked a few times. But I don't understand. I thought Aesir have no magic inside them.
The Allfather himself is one of the most powerful wielders of magic in all the Nine Realms and I inherited this gift from him.
His eyes were soft, staring right into her. She felt exposed, her every thought open to him, yet she found herself tensing up at the prospect of interrupting the connection. It made her feel whole, like a part of her she had not known was missing had now come back.
Did he feel the same way?
He shook his head in response. It is the first time I meet someone capable of responding to the connection.
Is it supposed to feel so…strong?
I'm not sure. A frown. I think it is dependent upon the participants' experience and competence.
Who would have thought? The Prince of Asgard is trained in magic!
Should I feel insulted or honored? Again he laughed, quieter this time and she felt it buzzing inside her head. No longer able to contain her own laughter she joined his and both secretly took pleasure in how it prickled softly along the blurry edge where both their minds were flowing into each other.
Slowly Fara raised her gaze again and was met by his. So deep. She found herself unable to look away.
"Fara?" Sigyn's calls echoed through the space between the tall shelves and penetrated into the younger Vanir's thoughts until Fara realized that it was her name being called. "Fara, are you still inside here? I need to show you something. You will never guess what just happened to Fandral!"
The girl in question shook her head slightly and took a peak towards the door behind a series of five thick books. She sighed when she saw her golden-haired sister looking for her with a slight frown.
Oh, why now?
A soft chuckle behind her made her turn again to the prince. His hands were clasped behind his back and he shot her an understanding smile. Go, or she won't stop until she finds you.
Reluctantly she nodded. You are right, my Lord.
Loki. His voice inside her head softened for an instant.
"Loki." She repeated, trying out the syllables with her tongue.
"Until next time then, my Lady."
Fara. She sent him a brilliant smile. "Until next time."
She turned around the corner and he listened to her and her sister's voices until they had closed the heavy doors and he was left alone. As the distance grew the mental connection became looser and looser and he no longer sensed her presence. He felt cold, somehow empty and wondered if indeed it was normal they had both felt the melt of their thoughts so intensely. Then again, he had never attempted the connection to someone sensible of magic; maybe it was only a matter of getting used to it.
"Fara." His voice was barely audible even to himself and Loki needed a moment to recall his reasons for coming to the library in the first place.
Humans were truly extraordinary.
This Thor had understood since he'd first landed in New Mexico, but he could not contain his awe the first time he stepped into Stark's lab. Unlike last time where eminent danger had loomed above their heads he had time now to actually familiarize himself with the Avengers and their world. It was a whole new environment compared to Puente Antiguo and his last visit still hadn't shown him everything.
Two days had passed since their arrival and there were no news of Malekith and his kind, something that calmed and vexed Thor at the same time. Silence could mean multiple things and it nagged him not being able to do anything. Whoever knew what Malekith could be planning whilst they were waiting?
He tried to tell himself that it was not just out of boredom that he searched for the Man of Iron's company. Fact was he was not made for keeping quiet and let the enemy make the next step. Malekith the Accursed could be anywhere now.
He had hoped they would be able to find out more once they were here, but there were no new clues, no new signs to lead them to the truth behind the Dark Elves sudden appearance above Earth. But he did not doubt it had been meant as a statement, at least to some extent. They were strong now, and ready for whatever Asgard or her allies could offer, no doubt. Much blood lined the history of the two realms and the Dark Elves were not known to forgive or forget.
Much like Loki, he admitted to himself reluctantly. He would never dare to show his grief, especially to Loki himself, but it hurt to think he was lost to them for good. Something in him desperately tried to find the good left in the dark-haired man, the good that had to be somewhere hidden behind bitterness and a distorted mind.
He had not seen him that morning or the day before. Loki hadn't left his room the entire time and Thor wondered if it had been a wise idea to persuade Tony not to lock the door. He knew Loki's magic had still not returned fully, but he also assumed locking him up again would not help them in gaining his trust or help.
As he stepped through the glass doors he immediately let his eyes roam over the alien surroundings. Tony's working place was full of blueprints and other strange constructions and apparatuses – their function a mystery to the Aesir prince. His host was standing in the centre of the room, crouched over a screen, his hands moving frantically over drawings and signs on the display. Thor's presence did not go unnoticed.
"Morning, Thor." Tony looked up at him. "What can I do for you, Princess?"
Thor's lips curved upwards at the nickname. "Good Morning to you as well, son of Stark."
"Hey, I wondered if you could tell me some things about the Dark Elve's ships? I got into S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files earlier, but apparently they don't know much either." He motioned to the screen and Thor approached to see the pictures of Malekith's fleet. "Someone estimated they were around three thousand feet above ground, so that'd make them around two hundred feet wide and six hundred long. What we have is not enough to either ascertain material or fuel and it's unclear how they're equipped.
He looked at Thor expectantly and the blond warrior thought for a moment. "My people have not faced them for centuries. It was in the days of my grandfather that the war between our peoples was being fought and nothing has been heard from them since. I assume there would be texts concerning their weaponry and ships back in Asgard, but I'm afraid I never belonged to those who made use of the palace library."
"Okay, that's not exactly great but doesn't necessarily need to be a problem. Could Fara perhaps know of those texts?"
"I am not sure." Thor said, a frown appearing above his brows. "But I could swear Loki would have heard of them at least. And as I have already told you I almost certainly know he has met Malekith before, although he never mentioned such a thing."
"How can you be so sure if he never said so himself?"
Thor rubbed his beard with his thumb. "Lately my brother has often seemed slightly…detached from his surroundings. Not for long, never for more than a few moments, but it's like he..." He sighed heavily. "I don't know what happened to him in the time of his absence, but it changed him. Something happened to further twist his mind and thoughts and turn him against his family. He was completely hidden from Heimdall's sight, he didn't want us to know he was alive, but I know he could not have been alone during that time."
"So you think Malekith somehow manipulated him? Wow, this gets really twisted now." Tony said.
"I don't know, but I cannot believe he would have been able to gather the Chitauri under him so fast had he been alone."
"Ah, siblings," Tony sighed dramatically. "So glad I don't have any. Where is your brother by the way? I presume he still can't talk?" That would make things slightly harder.
"I don't think he has left his room today." This earned him a snort from the other man. "And no, he still can't talk. Unfortunately only my father can grant him back his voice."
"Too bad. Not that I missed the insults and know-all comments every five seconds, but It's gonna be difficult to get some real information out of him now." Tony said. "Anyway, I think I'll call S.H.I.E.L.D. soon to let them know we're all here. I hate to say it but it'd be better now to get together with Fury and his team. We're kinda stuck here if nothing happens in the next couple of hours."
The two men engaged longer in conversation, discussing defense mechanisms on Midgard and Asgard. Unknown to them, a third person was listening carefully at their words, a soft smirk on his lips.
It was not a strong spell Loki was using to enhance their words to himself, but he could feel his strength leaving his body with every moment that passed. Still he forced himself to keep it up a moment longer. When he felt his head nearly bursting he finally allowed himself to let go and he made his way back to his room. Silent steps and speedy movements carried him through the deserted hallways. Nobody had noticed he had even left. Good.
He collapsed as soon as the door closed behind him, a loud voice roaring at his weakness inside his head. Laughter, sharp like thunder, vibrated in his skull.
He paid it no attention as his world went black.