"Father."
Loki paced swiftly toward Odin.
"Yes, my son?"
"Heimdall found her."
Odin froze. It had been many years since his daughter Leah's disappearance, and they have been searching for her since.
"Fetch me my horse."
They arrived at the Bifrost and dismounted their horses. When they entered the Observatory, Odin demanded, "Where is she?"
"Midgard, My Lord," said Heimdall, his gold eyes shifting for Odin to another realm. Loki couldn't contain his excitement.
"Father," he said quietly, noticing Thor and Frigga arrive upon hearing the news. "May I go?"
Odin considered it. "I trust you as I do Thor. Go, my son, and bring her back in one piece."
Loki grinned. "You can count on me, father."
"Leah, dearie, somebody is here to see you," said a woman as she passed by her.
"Okay Miss Eve, but please don't call me dearie." Leah's voice shook with nervousness. Who would want to see her?
Leah walked across the orphanage hallway to the visiting room. She entered and took a seat and waited.
A moment later she heard approaching footsteps. The door opened and in came Miss Eve, and behind her, a man.
"Leah," said Miss Eve. "This is your visitor. I shall leave you two alone to talk." Leah noticed that Miss Eve blushed when she looked at the man. Leah almost rolled her eyes. Of course, it's just like Miss Eve to have crushes on random men.
Miss Eve closed the door behind her. That left Leah and her visitor alone, sitting across from each other.
"Hello, Leah," said the man. "I am Loki."
Something flashed through Leah's head, but she kept it aside.
"Hello. Are you British?" Leah had an accent too, but it wasn't quite British.
Loki was caught off guard. "Excuse me?"
Leah shook her head. "Never mind. You have an accent, that's all. Who are you?"
"I am Loki."
"Yes, but are you here to adopt me, or do you know my parents, or-"
"Leah," Loki interrupted, "do you remember your parents?"
Leah blinked. "No."
"I know your parents," said Loki, and Leah got curious.
"Really?"
"Yes. They are from another realm."
Leah didn't look surprised. "Yes, I think I know that. And since none of us are technically human or from Earth, can you please tell me-"
"I am your brother."
Now it was Leah's turn to get caught off guard. "You're who? My brother?"
"Yes, I am your brother. You were kidnapped when you were about sixteen months old. Do you know who your captors were?"
Leah shivered, remembering. "I remember them. I last saw them a year ago when they dropped me on this realm. But no, I don't know who they are." Leah paused, doubting. "How so you know I am your sister?"
"Because you look just like our mother," Loki said, smiling. It was true; Leah had long, curly, honey-golden hair and bright blue eyes like Frigga.
"And the scar. You were injured as you were kidnapped." Loki looked along Leah's jawline to where the scar was.
"And... do you have any special abilities?" Loki hesitated on the question.
"Yes, um..." Leah stood up to pick up a piece of paper on a nearby table and started to make an origami bird.
"I can make small objects move and come to life." She blew into the paper bird and threw it up into the air. The little white bird's wings started to flap as it kept itself up. It started to make faint chirping sounds.
Loki reached out and plucked the tiny bird out of the air. It wiggled in his grasp, and he smiled.
"Welcome back, sister."
Thor wanted to strangle his brother and yell, "WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?"
But instead, when Loki and Leah appeared in the bifrost, there was pindrop silence between the six of them: Heimdall, Thor, Leah, Loki, Odin, and Frigga.
Fridge gently walked up to Leah and placed a hand behind Leah's neck.
"Sweetheart, what do you remember?" she asked.
In a quiet voice, Leah said, "I-I'm sorry, I don't-" She hesitated.
"I love you Leah!"
"Lo-kee. Tho-Thowah."
Tears came to Leah's eyes and quietly, she said, "Oh my god- I DO remember."
She hugged Frigga and Frigga hugged her back, and they stayed like that for a long time.
There was a big celebration after that. The whole kingdom rejoiced at the return of their princess.
Leah wore a pure white dress the days of the celebration. Everywhere she went, people greeted her, and she talked cheerfully with them. Her hair was braided and made to look like her mother's. Young children would stick colorful flowers in her hair each time she came by.
Loki stood to the side with Thor, watching.
"Well, you have your wish," said Loki.
Thor looked at him curiously. "And what wish was that?"
"She's cheerful."
That night, Leah was in her room, tired. She was trying to undo her hair when there was a knock at her door.
"Come in."
The door opened and Loki came in. He gently closed the door behind him.
"Hello, Loki. Can you help me, please?"
Loki walked up to Leah and started to help undo her hair. As he was doing it, he said, "You seemed to have fun today."
"Yes," said Leah. The tears started to come. "It wasn't hard to keep all the pain in." She turned around to face him.
"What did they do to you?" Loki asked softly. "Your kidnappers?"
The tears came freely. "They tortured me, Loki. They-they tortured me, so I was scarred not only physically but mentally, too."
She hugged him and sobbed against his chest. Loki hugged her back, comforting her. She cried until she finally fell asleep. When she was asleep, Loki gently laid her on her bed and quietly exited the room.