Anara spends much of the rest of the day talking with the Companions about their weapons and fighting styles and listening to stories of their adventures. As evening approaches, she is starting to understand why Loki disappeared several hours before, and finds herself in need of some quiet. Excusing herself, she returns to her room and collapses on the bed. She finds her lack of focus and endurance disheartening. She must not be as recovered from the crash as she thought, for before, she'd spent several days straight engaged in battle and never felt this out of sorts. Or, maybe it's just that she still doesn't have the answers she seeks about where exactly she is and if there's any hope of returning home.
Restless, she pushes herself off the bed and walks out onto the balcony. Several stories above the ground, she has an expansive view of the palace grounds and the city beyond. The pink glow of sunset highlights the hills west of the palace and lights begin to flicker on in the city. It seems like a vibrant place. She makes a note to ask Lady Sif if she'll give her a tour of the city in a few days. Of all of the Companions, she seems the most level-headed and the least likely to talk her head off.
A knock at the door makes Anara start. She chides herself for being so off her guard. "Enter" she says. The door opens to reveal Thor, his arms full of large rolls of paper. He is followed by several servants with trays of food, a small table and two chairs.
"My lady," Thor addresses her, dumping the rolls of paper on the bed. "The Chamberlain asked me to bring you these star charts and seeing as how it's time for the evening meal, and knowing that you probably can't read our language, I thought I'd have dinner brought to you and would stay and explain these to you. If you're willing." Thor smiles at her, his blue eyes twinkling.
Catching herself staring, Anara replies, "Yes, I would like that. You must have read my mind or the Chamberlain did, for I was just thinking about trying to figure out where I am – in the universe at least."
"This is not like me," Anara thinks to herself. "Why am I so flustered?"
As the servants bustle around, arranging the table, lighting a brazier, and turning on lights in the room, Thor joins her on the balcony.
"It's beautiful isn't it?"
"Yes, I was admiring the view when you knocked."
Pointing off into the distance Thor says, "Over there, can you see that round building at the end of that causeway?"
Moving closer to him to see where he's pointing, Anara is struck by a sudden fluttering in her stomach. Squashing the irrational fear that he can somehow hear her heart beating faster, Anara responds, "Yes, though it looks like the causeway is somehow incomplete?"
She looks up at Thor, her eyes meeting his as he looks at her. They both look away at the same time.
"That is the Bifrost. And yes, it was damaged some time ago and is being rebuilt."
She can sense there is much more to that story, but that he's not ready to tell it. Whatever it is, it fills him with sadness. Unlike his brother Loki, Thor does not seem to hide his feelings.
"What is the Bifrost?" Anara asks, hoping to distract Thor from his sad thoughts.
"The Bifrost is a bridge to other realms, or it was. Once it's repaired, it will be so again." Continuing, he says, "Perhaps if we can find your world in that pile of charts, we can send you back home."
Suddenly, Anara finds herself hoping they don't find her home in the charts piled on the bed. The thought of not being here, with Thor, is an unpleasant one. Locking those feelings away for the moment, Anara turns away from the twinkling lights of the city beyond and motions for Thor to follow her inside.
"Then why don't we get started?"
They spend the rest of the night pouring over the star charts, Thor translating the runic language for Anara and illustrating how Asgard is tied to the nine realms it protects. Servants come and go unnoticed, bringing fresh pitchers of water and wine, and clearing away barely-touched plates of food. Before they know it, the first light of dawn brightens the floor of the balcony where Anara is spreading out yet another chart, hope waning that she'll find a familiar system.
She sighs and sits back on her heels. Looking up from the chart, she takes in the chaos of her chambers. Charts lie everywhere: on the bed, draped over the small table, tacked with pieces of cheese to the wall. Anara cringes, realizing the Chamberlain will likely be upset at the grease stains, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. There isn't a single stone of the floor visible beneath sheaves of charts, making Thor's journey to her a comical one as he attempts to step lightly. Reaching her in the last clear space in the room, he offers his hand to her. As he is pulling her up, she slips on a chart and falls into him. Looking up into his eyes, she lets him hold her for a moment before slowly pushing away from him.
Looking at the approaching dawn, she says quietly, "Thank you for helping me with all this." She sweeps her arm past the chaos in her chambers. "I'm sorry for keeping you up all night."
Thor places a hand on her shoulder and turns her back to face him. "It was my pleasure, my lady. I am deeply sorry that we seem to have found no common star systems."
Looking away to hide the tears that have formed unbidden at the thought of never seeing her home on Alderan II or the Jedi Temple on Coruscant again, Anara struggles to gain control over her emotions. Thor reaches out and gently gathers Anara into his arms, holding her as the tears fall silently from her eyes.
"Anara, please don't despair. We will find a way to get you home, and until then, know that you are welcome here."
Anara, drying her eyes, looks up again at Thor, seeing the concern and caring obvious in his eyes. He lowers his head towards hers, and she closes her eyes, letting herself get lost not only in her own emotions, but Thor's as well.
The moment is interrupted by a knock on the door. As if on cue, they move away from each other, acting as if nothing has happened.
"Enter," Anara says.
A soldier in basic armor opens the door. "Good morning, my lady." Upon spying Thor behind her, he bows and adds, "your Highness." In an attempt to cover his confusion at finding Thor in Anara's chambers, he looks around the room, and taking in the charts lying everywhere, manages to continue. "The Master-At-Arms bids me to escort Lady Anara to the training room."
"I can escort Lady Anara." Thor tells the soldier. "Tell Master Roygan we'll be along shortly."
The soldier bows and quickly leaves the room.
"Are you sure you want to do this? You've not slept, and Master Roygan is not one to go easy with his training regimens." Thor picks up a wine glass and drains it.
"If I sleep another night, it will be one too many for a while." Anara replies. "I have spent much too long in bed of late."
Thor, laughing, replies, "Fandral will be disappointed to hear that. He seems to have a fancy for you."
Laughing and bantering back and forth, they exit her chambers and head off to see what master Roygan has in store for Anara.