After shooing away Thor and sending Gabrielle to fetch a light dinner, Anara sinks gratefully into the steaming water of the large tub in her quarters. Blissfully alone, she drinks in the silence and the peaceful stillness of the room, letting it calm her still racing mind. Scenes from the battle and its aftermath still flash across her mind's eye, a product not only of the heat of battle, but also of the lingering effects of using the dark side. Anara slips deeper into the giant tub until only her face is above water and her hair floats around her like some multi-tendrilled beast. Concentrating on the feeling of weightlessness, she lets each scene run one last time through her mind without judgment before letting it go forever. Though she will not ever truly forget the details of today's battle, the technique lets her come to grips with it, allowing her to learn from her mistakes and what she saw without dwelling on it or allowing it to consume her. It is a technique Mistress Dina tried also to teach Zaina, but she would not learn.
Without warning, pain lances through Anara's heart, making her gasp. Unable to breathe past the pain, she floats helplessly in the pool-like tub. Suddenly, eerie green light shoots out of Anara's chest, arching tendrils of energy up and around her body. Of its own volition, her body begins to rise above the water. Immobilized, Anara can do nothing – her head, arms and legs dangle as she's held aloft by the green light.
She recognizes the energy as the Force-spell energy commonly used by the Nightsisters and realization comes to her past the pain. She can feel her sister – really feel her as if their link is being re-forged. Understanding now, she yields to the pain, drawing on the living Force to amplify the spell's energy and speed the rebuilding of the link. Pieces of their shared childhood flash before her eyes, and she's soon lost to the memories, unaware of the chaos that quickly surrounds her.
Gabrielle returns to Anara's chambers and peeks her head into the bathing room to let her know she's back with dinner. The sight before her chills her to her core. She sees Anara floating limply several meters above the pool, surrounded by ghostly green light that appears to be coming from the ceiling and piercing Anara's heart.
She fumbles for her Munn Disk and immediately calls for Thor and Odin. Though they tell her to stay away, Gabrielle tiptoes into the bathing chamber and calls her mistress's name. "Anara? M'lady, are you alright?"
She gets no response. Stepping closer to the edge of the pool, she can see Anara's still breathing – barely and retreats to the doorway to await Thor and Odin.
She doesn't have to wait long. Thor and Odin burst through Anara's bedchamber door with Frigga close on their heels. As they all skid to a stop at the edge of the bathing pool, Odin has to restrain Thor from jumping into the pool to try to retrieve Anara.
"Be calm, my son. We don't yet know what sorcery is at work here. She breathes still, and we do not know what harm may come of moving her."
Thor growls in response but finally assents to his father's wishes and paces along the edge of the pool instead, unable to contain his emotions.
Odin turns to Frigga standing stoically at his side. "What do you think, my dear? Is this Loki's work? You know his magic best."
Frigga takes only a moment to consider. "No, this is not one of Loki's tricks, nor is it the spell craft of the Dark Elves," she tells him.
At hearing that Loki is not responsible, Thor stops his pacing and returns to his father's side.
"Father, you saw into her mind; you know somewhat of the world she came from. Could this be something from her world?"
Odin strokes his beard and thinks, closing his remaining eye. He is silent for several minutes as he sorts through what he saw in Anara's mind.
Suddenly his eye flashes open, and he says, "My son, you are wise indeed. If we assume that her sister has found her way to the Nine Realms then this may be her doing."
At this, Thor begins to spin up Mjölnir, intending to throw the hammer into the light holding Anara up. Odin stays him with a hand on his shoulder.
"Thor! You act in haste. Calm yourself and look at what's before you."
Thor stills the hammer and glares at his father. "I see my betrothed wrapped in an evil spell, barely breathing. How can you ask me to be calm?" he roars at Odin.
"Look, Thor, really look at her. Yes, she's wrapped in magic, but the greatest portion of it is coming from her heart. She always said the loss of the link with her twin caused her great pain, and that that pain was centered in her heart. If Daeva is here, it stands to reason that the link would reestablish, would it not?"
Thor nods and asks, "What is it that you saw in her memories that leads you to believe this isn't harmful?"
"I saw the twins working with another, their master, I presume and similar magic surrounded them. They were chanting to raise a protective spell, one to give them strength to endure without the dark side and to hide them from the one who corrupted them. I believe this may be similar magic and do not believe it's harming her."
Thor looks at Odin, anguish clear on his face. "But what if you're wrong?"
Frigga walks to her son and places her hands on his shoulders, turning him to face her.
"You know I do not tell of what I foresee, but I will tell you this, my son. She is not in danger from this. She is being made whole, and if you disrupt the spell, you will likely kill her."
Frigga's words do not ease Thor's anguish at seeing his beloved suspended above the pool, but he stays his hammer and resumes his pacing.
The four watch the scene before them silently as green lines of energy flow around Anara. Eventually the lines begin to recede from her body, and she slowly sinks back towards the pool. Thor sets Mjölnir down and strips off his shirt, wading into the bathing pool to take Anara into his arms as the last of the spell's energy releases her.
Unable to stay the tears that have been threatening, Thor cradles her in his arms and whispers, "Anara, my love, please come back to me."
Anara slowly opens her eyes and says, "I never left you, my love."