Stolen Stars

Chapter Three

You want a revelation

Some kind of resolution

Tell me what you want me to say

(No Light, No Light – Florence + the Machine)

0o0o0o0o0o0

Rose kept her attention sharp to pick up markers as Thor led her out of the dungeons (what else were they?) and out into Asgard. She had no choice but to leave the TARDIS inside the same corridor Loki was being kept. It was being kept in its own temporary Time Lock, so the green box would be hidden for now. She just needed to find a way to convince the King to let her take Loki and get the hell out of here. Well, she also had to convince Loki that she was still Rose.

One thing at a time, she told herself as Thor escorted her out the last door.

"It is a long walk to the palace," the hulking blonde told her. "I will order horses to be brought to us. Do you know how to ride?"

"Um, yeah. I think I can handle it," Rose told him. He then ordered one of the prison guards to get them two horses.

"How is it you know my brother?" Thor asked as they waited.

"We met for a brief time, many years ago," Rose said. "I was…well, I looked quite different the last time he saw me, so I am not surprised he doesn't recognize me." She was unwilling to give much more information without receiving any in return. "Why is he locked up?" Thor's expression grew dark, and almost sad.

"I am, like you, hesitant to divulge in what is sensitive information in public. But you seem earnest in your interest of the well-being of my brother, Rose Tyler," he murmured, "so I will encourage the All-Father to explain to you the details of Loki's crimes."

What isn't he accused of – That is what the guard said when she asked the same question. She knew Loki to be troublesome, but this was his home planet.

Surely they would expect some pranks every now and again, she thought as two horses, already saddled, were brought to them by a young boy who looked no older than ten.

She was glad for her jeans as she mounted the stallion. The last time she had to ride horseback she was caught in a sundress. The Doctor had fared little better as he was in a kilt at the time. The memory marginally lightened her mood. She grasped the reins and dug her heels into the horse's flanks as she followed Thor into a canter and then into a steady gallop as they reached the main road to the palace. Rose identified it as the soaring golden megastructure in the distance. The horses were uncommonly fast, however, so she marked the journey to take less than an hour.

Rose remembered saving Loki from something as the Bad Wolf all those years ago, but as much as she tried she couldn't remember what from. The experience was and always had been a blur of light and fire. She wasn't even sure if she was in the past or the future of that particular point in Loki's timeline.

At least she knew where the prison was in relation to the palace now, and the Asgardians did not know about her sonic. Rose knew she had to keep as much about her entrance into Asgard a secret. Her escape—and Loki's—depended on it.

The two of them dismounted as they reach the gates. Thor waved to allow the two of them to pass through the doors. Rose couldn't help but gawk at the gleaming gold that shot up and nearly obscured the sky. The grandeur was mind-boggling, and she recognized why Asgard was considered the home of the gods.

She was led down expansive marble hallways and past doors that could have allowed a whole elephant to pass through. Guards and what appeared to be servants bowed and curtsied to Thor as they passed, and some eyed her with curiosity.

Finally they reached what Rose was positive was the main hall and throne room, considering the sheer size and the fact that an impressive gold throne stood at the forefront. An older man, clad in armor like Thor and a metal patch over his right eye, stood in front of the throne talking quietly with a regal looking woman in a long cream-colored gown. He looked up as the two of them approached. His one-eyed gaze rested on Rose for a moment, hardened, and then turned to Thor as they reached the stairs in front of the throne. Thor knelt to one knee in respect, then looked back and gave Rose a small smile as she immediately copied him.

The King and the woman at his side faced the two as they straightened to standing.

"Who is this? I thought you were going to inspect the disturbance Heimdall reported at the prison."

"Father, this is Rose Tyler. She claims to be a Defender of Earth, and she says she knows Loki. I found her being taken away from Loki's cell. He was being restrained by the guards, but there is no danger of him escaping. Apparently she was being threatened by him, but I know not how she came to be there. I thought it best for her to talk to you."

Odin's severe eye landed on her once more.

"Explain yourself. How did you get to Asgard without the Bifrost, and what were you doing in the prison?"

Rose suppressed her ire at his tone, and kept her expression and gaze steady.

"I picked up a distress call from my ship and followed it here. Loki is an acquaintance," she told him. "His message explained that he was being held hostage. He sounded panicked and I suspected he was being hurt, so I was obliged to answer the call. Now, if you don't mind, I would like an explanation myself. Why is Loki being held? What are his crimes?"

"I do not think you are in a position to—"

"Odin, I think this woman deserves the truth," the woman beside the king murmured, placing a hand on his arm. By this show of familiarity, Rose realized she was the queen.

"Loki is being held for his crimes against your planet," the All-Father stated. "As a proclaimed 'Defender', I am curious as to how you are not aware of this."

"I know he sent a machine to attack his brother. But that was decades ago!"

"Decades?" Thor questioned, obviously confused. "It has been only two years by your realm's reckoning."

"Two? Really?" Rose's interest was piqued, and then her mind began to race. "The journey must have made me cross timestreams, and not just universes…" That had to mean Loki remembered her clearly enough. But how did he know of her death?

"What are you talking about?" Odin barked. Rose blanched. Oops, she had said that aloud. "And how does a Midgardian have access to this kind of technology?"

"Erm, I should probably explain. I am not from the Earth you know, but a parallel one. In another universe. Well, I was born on the Earth in this universe, so I am technically from here," she said hastily. She hesitated before adding sheepishly, "I also time travel?"

The three gods before her simply stared at her for a moment. So much for keeping the details of her arrival secret.

"I know not if you are telling the truth or you are out of your mind," Odin said slowly. "But the knowledge of the magic of time travel has not existed since the time of the Gallifreyans."

"Yeah. Well. About that. I happen to be the wife of a Time Lord. Well, widow of a human Time Lord. Well, metacrisis Time Lord. The Doctor, actually. Maybe you've heard of him?"

Dammit Rose, this is what happens when you spend a lifetime with the Doctor, she chastised herself as Odin shared a look of shock with the queen. You start sounding just like him.

"You are in possession of a TARDIS."

"Yes," she told him grudgingly.

"Where is this TARDIS?" Odin asked. Rose sighed. She should have kept her mouth shut.

"I would rather not say, for the protection of my property, you understand," Rose told him. "I know you are the king of Asgard and everything, but I do not want the location of my ship known by anyone but myself."

"This is unacceptable," the king snapped. Rose's temper flared.

"I'm sorry, but I am not one of your subjects," she told him as her hand clenched into fists. "I came here to find out what Loki is being beaten and caged for, and I have yet to receive a proper answer."

"I can have you locked away for your impudence, woman."

"For what crime? I claim immunity as I arrived under the guise of a peaceful rescue mission. Under the Shadow Proclamation, you will have to contact Earth's authorities if I am to be held for my actions and turn me over to them."

And unless you have deadlocks on your prison, which I know for certain you do not, Rose thought with hidden satisfaction, that's not going to be an issue if you do throw me in a cell.

"Father," Thor interjected before the king could erupt again. "She is one woman, and human. She is not a threat to us now that we know she is here. She was honest about her purpose, and I think she deserves to know that she was tricked."

"Tricked?"

Thor turned to her.

"Loki is being held not only for the attack on me and the town in New Mexico, but for the attempted genocide of Jotunheim, and the near destruction of your great City of New York," he told her solemnly. Rose felt the blood drain from her face.

"What?" Her voice shook and legs felt weak.

"Loki opened the Bifrost completely onto the realm of the Frost Giants," Odin explained, "with full knowledge that it would rip the planet apart. He would have succeeded, if not for Thor's intervention."

"He fell," Thor stated. Rose saw the pain of the memory etched into the honest god's face. "Into the Void. After we thought he was lost, he appeared once again to bring war upon Midgard, killing many innocents in the process. I and a number of other Midgardian warriors were able to stop him. I brought him back here to be tried and sentenced for his actions."

"Loki is not a hostage, Rose Tyler," Odin told her wearily. "He is a murderer, and a traitor to the peace of Yggdrasil. This isn't the first time he has used his laudable powers of manipulation on an escape attempt."

"If you know him at all," the queen said, "you must know he has a way of twisting the truth."

Rose was silent as she attempted to process what she was hearing.

"I…can I just talk to him?"

"I do not think that wise," Odin said. "First of all, I need to speak with Loki about your presence—"

Torture him for information, you mean? she almost said, remembering the bruises and healing cuts on Loki's haggard face.

"All-Father, please," she pleaded, using humility as a last resort. "Loki was disturbed by my presence. He thought I was there to kill 'im. If you promise to leave him alone, I will tell you everything about how I know your son." Rose swallowed. She needed time to absorb everything she had been told. "But I am tired. My journey has taken me farther than you can imagine."

"Very well. You have my word that I will take no action against Loki until we continue this discussion. We can accommodate you for the night." The king waved a guard to approach. "Please take Lady Rose Tyler to the guest quarters in the east wing."

"I will take her, father," Thor offered. Rose felt a slight appreciation at the sympathetic look he gave her, even though she was not quite sure she could trust any of these people. Thor, at least, took her interest in Loki to heart.

Odin nodded, and Rose let Thor lead her out of the throne room after a short bow in the king's direction.

"I wished to escort you myself to explain to you that Odin will have your room guarded."

"I expected as much." Rose sighed. "Can't have the person who attempted to free your resident genocidal prince running about unsupervised, can you?"

"The information about Loki disturbs you," Thor observed. Rose almost laughed.

"That's an understatement," she muttered.

"I apologize for my brother's actions in his cell room," he said. "I am sure if he knew you were a friend…" He trailed off, uncertain. Rose managed a small smile.

"I would prefer an apology from Loki himself," she told him, not unkindly. The Asgardian hummed in consideration. They walked a while in silence until they reached the end of a quiet corridor.

"You remind me a little of someone I know in Midgard, Rose Tyler," Thor said. "She, too, was loyal to her friends and committed to her quest for truth."

Rose caught something in the thunder god's face. An emotion so familiar it almost shocked her. It was the same expression she would see in the mirror every day after Canary Wharf.

"Thank you," she said in earnest, unable to provide any words of comfort. Perhaps she will ask Thor of the woman he was separated from another time. He simply nodded and reached out to open the door, revealing a lavishly furnished suite. Part of Rose wondered if they had plumbing.

"I will send a servant down to attend to you, should you require anything," he told her. "The guard will be outside your door at all times."

"Of course," she said, pushing down a sigh of annoyance.

"Until tomorrow, Rose Tyler." He gave her a tight smile before he turned and exited, leaving her alone to examine her surroundings.

Rose pushed a hand through her hair. She wasn't lying when she said she was tired. Her mind was spinning from the discussion with the Asgardian royal family and she couldn't shake the image of the madness behind Loki's eyes when he had shoved her against the cell wall.

Even her regenerated body, as much stronger as it was, could not run around much longer. She needed sleep. Rose stripped down to her shirt and panties, and dove under the fur blankets of the huge four-post bed. She hardly had time to admire the luxury, for her dreams dragged her under almost instantly.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Loki lay on his back, staring blankly at the ceiling from his cot. His shoulder throbbed from being slammed into the stone floor earlier that day. The poison acted like a fog across his senses, making his pain worse and his thoughts sluggish. He tried desperately to sort through his tainted memories, trying to make sense of what had happened.

The blonde woman, she wasn't Rose. She did not have Rose's face; that was one memory he held onto like a drowning man.

But that jacket…His breath hitched, and Loki reached up with his uninjured arm to press the heel of his hand against his eye as if to erase the image from his mind. It was pointless, so he simply dropped his arm back by his side and, with a growing nihilism, let himself drift in his own madness.

He was distracted from his semi-trance by a nightmare that sunk into the edge of his vision like a bad film. At first he tried to ignore it, but then a fear that was not his began to snake its tendrils around his heart.

Oh, alright, but this is the last time, Rose, he thought idly, still half-asleep as he allowed a sliver of magic to pass along the bond to soothe the night terrors like he had done so many nights before.

But as soon as Loki realized what he had just done, he bolted upright and nearly fell off of his bed. He saved himself with one hand, and his shoulder protested. The pain was a welcome diversion from his growing sense of dread and the one thing he thought he lost a long time ago.

Hope.

"No," he breathed. "Just a dream."

Just a dream…