((Authors Note: swearing, violence, fluffy romance hinted. I don't own any characters.))

Ch. 5

When the small ship hit the rocky shores of the island, Clint was startled awake. He'd managed to sleep the last leg of the journey in a blessedly dreamless state, though his neck was stiff from the tight quarters. Tilted his neck to the side and stretching his arms he shook his hands out in front of him, willing the tightness in his joints to dissipate, the brisk morning air stinging his cheeks in a pleasant way as he took in look their surroundings.

' A lonely place to be stranded your entire life', he mused silently to himself.

It reminded the spy of New Zealand, with its regal mountain sides and misty tree lines. He estimated by the size of the island, it had to be a two days walk minimum to make it all the way around given the beach was unobstructed the entire way around.

He followed closely beside Thor as they trudged along the sandy ground, scaling their way towards the path that cut up in to the hill leading towards the estate. As they reached the top he grabbed Thor's arm, halting the other man as his eyes caught sight of something just up ahead. Thor followed direction of archers gaze and could see through the mist covered the grounds of the garden, a large figure of man bowled over, unmoving.

"That the babysitter you mentioned?" Clint asked, voice hushed.

The thunder god merely stared for a heartbeat longer, "That's Hendricks."

Crossing the distance in to the garden Clint only spared the dead man a fleeting glance, the dagger still lodged in his throat. It was clear a scuffle had taken place inside, by the over turned furniture and shallow pools of blood soaking in to the rugs on the den floor. Strips of torn purple fabric, strands of blond hair. Clint knelt down to get a better look at a pair of small petit, bloody foot prints that led in towards the heart of the house, they started out on a straight path but soon became disoriented and sloppy.

Following their direction, he spoke to Thor in a reserved tone.

"If she's alive, we better find her quick. This is to much blood..."

Thor couldn't have agreed more and set off to show Clint the layout of the Estate, both men following the prints.

()()()()()()()()()

Clint hadn't known what to expect, when he finally saw the woman who had been destine from birth to marry what he considered to be a mad man. Intriguing was hardly the word to describe it, and the gripping sensation crushing his chest was the last thing he expected. They found the young woman lying in a large bed, that had been placed on a marble pedestal tall columns made up the four posters and they rose up in to the never ending ceiling.

The bottoms of her feet were stained brown, and her dress was like something out of horror film ripped and torn, hands clutched tightly held near her face knee's pulled up against her stomach. Clint's did a visual assessment, he only felt relief once he saw that her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm. She was alive. Nearing the bed he suddenly stopped realizing it probably wasn't such a hot idea for him to be the one to rouse the sleeping beauty so waited for Thor to make the first move.

Thor laid a tentative hand on her shoulder speaking her name in a kind soft tone.

"Lady Khaleesi… Khaleesi"

Her eyes opened slowly and Clint could feel himself bracing for what came would you do if you woke up with two strange men staring at you?

She screamed, of course.

Thor seemed to anticipate this, and he took a step back hands held up in surrender, showing her he was unarmed. He spoke as calmly as he could.

"Lady Khaleesi it's alright it is I, Thor of Asgard."

She took a second to absorb his words, having sat up in a shot she was half leaning against the headboard, hands held out in self defense. After a moment she seemed to remember him, trusting in his words she dared to lower her hands.

"Thor?…Loki's brother you're his brother?" Her voice was hoarse and ragged sounding. Clint suspected it had to do with the finger shaped bruises decorating her white throat like some macabre jewelry.

Helping her to lean forward Thor took into account any injuries she had. She kept an arm wrapped around her middle, hesitant to allow him to view the source of discomfort. Allowing her some privacy Clint turned his back glancing at her face as he did so to show he understood, her wide eyed nervousness apparent. Such a slender girl, it was hard to imagine she was any older than twenty, white platinum blonde hair falling in soft waves to the small of her back. Lavender eyes casting a curious gaze in his direction despite her state of mind.

Focusing all his attention on a black vein in the white marble floor he heard Thor's voice call out to him, clipped short and carefully measured.

"Clint…"

Turning his head, eyes moving instantly to the girl, he felt a murderous heat flare across his body. Clint was by no means a saintly man. He'd done things he wasn't proud of, things he would never speak of, but this, this was to much. If Hendricks wasn't dead already he would gladly show him the same courtesy, because an arrow through the head wouldn't be justice enough.

Khaleesi sat with her head downcast in shame, the blankets bunched up around her waist arms clutching the thin fabric of her dress against her chest to reveal the injury. The entire midsection was raw with fresh bruising. Deep hues of blackened blue trimmed in faint edgings of yellow. It was no mystery the guard had meant to kill her, it was a miracle he hadn't. He didn't need to ask if she was frightened, that was plain enough for anyone to see.

Being Immortal had its benefits he gathered, as he was glad to see the yellow tint to her flesh, it meant that it was already healing. He knelt down next to the bed examining the bruising further, wanting to ensure there was no internal damage. Thor took this opportunity to excuse himself, he wanted to gather the bodies, clean the mess up before Khaleesi saw it in the cold light of day.

Telling her politely to lie back and relax he explained that he only wanted to check for any broken ribs; gently prodding his fingers against her side she followed his movements with quiet interest. Uttering a whimper when he prodded too deeply, Clint apologized profusely explaining she may have a fractured rib on her right side but nothing to worry about.

He tried to ease the tension in the room, teasing her softly.

"Your small enough to fit in my pocket, but you handled yourself well."

Her eyes grew large at his words but she remain silent, he furrowed his brows at this, not understanding. Rising up from the bed side he turned around pointing towards the doorway to indicate he was going to find Thor and that she could get dressed.

When Clint walked out of the room Khaleesi carefully scooted to the edge of the bed making her way to her wardrobe her hands trembling as she attempted to find a suitable dress. What he had said to her… a curious choice of words. How many times had Emilia spoken those same exact words in a teasing voice. And his hands, she reminisced…O' the touch of his hands, biting her lower lip, cheek turning a fair shade of scarlet. His fingers had been calloused from years of work. What type of work she did not know, and what strange accent! And his clothing! She'd never seen such a style of garments, surely he could not be from Asgard.

Running cool water on her face and hands she attempted to look as presentable as possible, more than happy to have on a clean gown. This one was a shade of delicate pale green, adorned with small pearls and silver clasps adorning the shoulders and a modest neckline. Taking her long tresses she carefully used her fingers to deftly work it in toa thick braid that hung over her shoulder.

With the mess taken care of both men had sat in the den and talked amongst themselves, trying to give the young woman time to gather her thoughts. Clint rubbed a hand along his jaw line, looking out towards the trees.

"She got damn lucky, Thor. If that guy had been impatient or quicker she'd be dead."

The future king of Asgard sighed solemnly.

"Do you see now why I requested your help? You are outside our people, you would not show her the cruelty and judgment that would be bestowed upon her in Asgard. I find myself beyond angry with my brother's foolish choices. He's dealt her a pitiless hand in this game he is playing."

"I think she's tougher then we give her credit for." Clint murmured as he stood from his seat, remembering the way she'd shivered under his touch.

He began throwing a few pieces of wood into the large fire place knowing as the sun set it would only get colder inside the stone house.

When Clint finished lighting the fire he heard Thor rise from his seat, voice more reminiscent of its old booming self.

"Lady Khaleesi! You're looking well; it is quite the ordeal you've endured."

Khaleesi stood in the archway, her hands unsure of their place as she brought them nervously to her sides before giving up altogether and choosing to clasp them behind her back.

"…Loki is not with you."

It was not so much a question as it was a statement, granting Clint to wonder how much of their conversation she had overheard. Thor shook his head

"No, he is not." Good he thought. Don't lie to her.

She sat down on the plush chase lounge her eyes finding Clint's as he kept to his post near the fire.

"I would have answers, Your Grace. Please, leave nothing out."

Clint expected many things to happen once she had heard the entire story of Thor's banishment, and Loki's trickery. She'd remained silent during the extensive story. He kept his distance observing carefully her body language and facial expressions. The only time she lifted her head was when Thor approached the subject of Clint's forced involvement in Loki's schemes, of how the All-Father had granted him the task of acting as her new guardian.

She seemed to accept everything with quiet indifference, a practiced lack of control regarding her life, but he found himself relieved to see she wasn't scared of him not that he could blame her if she was. Especially after how well her last guard had worked out. When Thor explained that Odin had imprisoned Loki and stripped him of his magic as punishment for his crimes she had asked in a hushed voice if this meant she was being set aside. Clint didn't understand what that meant. When Thor nodded silently she rose from her seat and walked briskly out to the gardens and down the narrow pathway towards the beach. Neither man made to follow her.

Clint wait a second or two until he knew she was well out of ear shot.

"What does she mean…set aside?"

The blonde God took a moment to think of how to best explain.

"Because of the nature and dishonor of my brother's crimes it means the marriage will not take place, in fact no marriage will take place."

Barton frowned. "As in... no one will want her because of what Loki did?"

"It is unfair but it is the laws our council set forth many millennia ago. I begged Loki that day in Midgard, pleaded with him to give up his pointless dream and return home with me. That we would figure out some way to fix his misdeeds. I see now he condemned himself and Khaleesi long ago, nothing I was going to say would change that."

An hour later when Khaleesi returned inside, her cheeks flush with color from the cold air. She walked wordlessly to her room giving neither man a second glance, and Clint imagined it was a difficult thing to realize you'd wasted your entire life waiting for someone who was never going to come.

They had since taken inventory of provisions of the Estate, making sure everything was well tended to. Thor explained how things worked in their realm and that Clint need never worry about food or water, the estate was enchanted with magic and therefore cared for itself. Clint had nodded wordlessly having heard this speech already on the boat ride over. With his instructions thoroughly explained, Thor admitted he had to make a speedy departure, it was urgent he return to the Palace and report back to his father. He admitted to the archer that he did not know when he would return again. Something told the blond warrior that Barton would not mind this much at all. His friend seems oddly distracted.