The story so far: Cephera has been dreaming about Loki these 200 years and he her. Cephera has recently found out that the marks known as magic auroras given to a select chosen few have been disappearing from their bodies. Cephera herself still has hers and has promised to see if she could get Tony to ask a colleague of his about it. Meanwhile Loki and Thor were visiting the holy mountains, home to the Valkyries. Once there loki is gifted with a dreamy image of his mystery woman and nine other woman all adorning angels wings. They are also given a jumbled list of letters that no one seemed to be able to read. The angel who gave him this vision seemed to go into a deep state of paralysis afterward joining the other angels who had fallen.
Note for those who have read my other two fics about Cephera. Cephera does not have the power to absorb other powers and energy. Demos does no exist in this reality so if you're wondering why she never uses the power that is why. This Cephera also as a different attitude to a degree. She's a little more feisty I think. :p
Doctor Loki love: it is taking a more Asgardian history route but I have to make a point to say I am kinda making it up as I go. I had a very specific idea for the angels and wanted to follow my own. I enjoy the already broken Loki starting then the good little prince.
Loki's dreamer: happy you have that feeling already!
Sidney loves fiction: it started off with her getting banged. Lol. Sorry couldn't help but say that. But yes cut right to the chase. Hehe.
Kate skates 24: I am glad you got the chance to review this time around. Not being able to review all the time is ok. :) I completely understand. Thanks for dropping me a line. I try to make every Loki/cephera story different and I hope I succeeded again. I'm am actually working on a non loki/Cephera fic. :p
Also thanks to all those who have favourited me, my stories and a who are following. I love you all. You keep me going!
Chapter 3
Thor appeared on Midgard two weeks later. They turned up no new clues about what was happening and two more angels had fallen in that time frame. There were a total of nine now. Loki was locked up in his room,promised to be granted more freedom if he continued to research and aid in the ongoing problem.
Even Thor's father, Odin, was severely worried about the falling of Valhalla's angels. Thor had come to Midgard to cheek up on his new group of friends. They all congregated in SHIELDs headquarters talking the usual business.
After all talking ceased and their usual everyday social chatter began Tony Stark pulled Thor aside. "Hey big fella. I've been thinking you and I need some manly time. My place drinks...stat." Tony said.
"I am sorry. I must get back to Asgard post haste. I have taken enough time away and there are pressing matters I must attend to." Thor said politely.
"What could be more important then male bonding time!" Tony said mockingly shocked.
"We have had some peculiar occurrences happening regarding the Valkyries and some angels." He said shortening it up.
"The warrior women?" Tony stopped in his tracks. "That's so not a coincidence." He muttered under his breath.
"I'm sorry I do not understand." Thor said looking curiously to the inventor.
"I have a friend who asked me to ask you about the Valkyries." Tony said. "I think it's possible you two have a common problem." Thor pondered his words. "Maybe my friends problem and your problem are one in the same. There is only one way to find out. Drink?" Tony grinned as Thor gave in.
"I will come see this friend of yours but I fear I am unable to partake in drinks. I must get to the bottom of this problem and I fear I am running out of time." Thor followed the inventor to his parked convertible.
Cephera paced the floor. Tony would be home any moment. Or at least he should unless he decided to get drunk or drive thru. She was eager to see what the prince of Asgard had to say. Her nerves were run raw. Her sister had been searching for the other people and had found one more. Also missing her mark. None had returned and Cephera's still had not vanished.
She heard the door open and stopped to look up. In walked Tony with a large pretty blond man. It was her first time seeing Thor. He was dressed in his armour carrying his hammer. Cephera felt her jaw drop. Tony had actually done it and got Thor to come home with him.
Cephera went from earth Cephera to princess Cephera in the blink of an eye. She bowed low to the prince and when she righted herself she addressed him properly. "Your highness." She said smiling kindly.
"Thor this is my friend Cephera." Tony said and took a seat on a bar stool by the breakfast bar.
"My Lady Cephera." Thor said taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. "It's a pleasure. I'm afraid Tony was unable to properly convey your worries to me. I do not mean to sound rude but I am tight on time." Cephera nodded.
"As of two weeks ago the angels mark, also called a magical aurora, given to those who aided angels in some way shape or form began to vanish from the bodies of the blessed." Thor stood straight.
"Two weeks?" He pondered her words a moment. "You will accompany me back to Asgard. We have much to discuss." Cephera's mouth dropped open slightly. The discussion had been made so fast she barley had time to think.
She had expected a little more conversation first. Thor seemed so settled on his demand he had even turned to leave.
"Wait a minute. I can't just leave. At least let me tell my sister." Cephera called after him.
"I'll do it." Tony said. "I'll tell her." Cephera raised an eyebrow at her philandering friend and was concerned her sister Seraphina would not receive him well.
"I'm not sure that's such a good idea..." Cephera bit her lip. Seraphina was going to kill her.
"I'll be charming I promise." Tony put a hand on his chest in an oath.
"That's what I'm afraid of." Cephera looked from Tony to Thor.
"It's settled then." Thor said cheerily. "I thank you friend." He nodded Tony's way before leaving. "If this should lead us to answers I will be in your debt." Tony waved with a grin and Cephera followed and gave Tony one last look before closing the door behind her.
Asgard was an astonishing sight to see. She couldn't help but look around as she rode to the castle with Thor on his horse. "Your the first human to ever be brought here my lady." He told her.
"I feel privileged." She smiled. Thor helped her from his steed as a servant took his horse away just outside the palace entrance. They passed by a large section of garden covered in blossoms. "Your kingdom is beautiful." She commented.
"Thank you." Thor halted them both as they reached their final destination. Cephera peered upon the man sitting on the golden throne. His white hair and golden armour caused her to assume he was Thor's Father. Thor bowed to one knee and Cephera copied him.
"What's this?" Odin said almost in disbelief. "You've brought a human into my kingdom?" His voice was more questioning then angry.
Before Thor could speak Cephera straightened to stand. "All father. My name is Cephera Drogo. I am the adopted daughter to king Yorin Drogo of Mechanova." She introduced herself using her proper title. Odin stood as well.
"I have heard of your father." He said descending the stairs. "His reputation is less then...admirable." Odin sounded apprehensive.
"I am not here on my fathers behalf. I am here because I think we share a common problem regarding Valhalla." Odin ceased his movements. "Thor has filled me in on your dealings with the Valkyries on the way here. The same time you began to receive fallen angels, the Magical Aurora, gifted to those who have helped angels, began to disappear from the bodies of the blessed." She had Odin's full attention now.
"And you have seen this with your own eyes?" He asked somewhat suspicious.
"My sister was one of those blessed. Her's is gone. And so too is the mark on four other women we are friends with."
Odin snapped his head up to look to his son. Thor was now standing slightly behind Cephera. "Have Brunhilda summoned here at once." He told him.
"Yes father." Thor left immediately leaving Cephera alone with the all father.
"How many of them are there?" He asked her.
"Blessed? I don't know. We tried tracking them all down years ago but other things got in the way." Cephera wished she had more answers and yet she prayed the Valkyries would have them for her.
"It will not take long for Brunhilda to arrive." Odin said as if reading her mind. "She is the leader of the Valkyries." Cephera nodded. Odin scratched his beard before gesturing for her to follow him. "Come we will sit and eat while we wait."
She did as she was told. He led her to a large room off the throne room. It was clearly a banquet hall of some kind. A large table currently stood empty. He sat at the head and Cephera chose a seat close by. She felt odd. She had never actually been in the company of other royalty before without her father or sister present.
She munched on fruit placed upon the table. She avoided the cup of wine and opted for water instead. She was a light weight when it came to liquor. "I have heard of the angels blessings but am unaware of its purpose." He said breaking the silence.
"That makes the two of us. After we were blessed she disappeared saying only that we are..." Cephera didn't finish when a strange sound like wings could be heard in the other room. Odin seemed to have a question on his lips but didn't express it.
A women dressed in armour with a long braid of white blond hair entered in a hurry. She gave a soldiers greeting of respect to Odin and then turned her attentions to Cephera. "Thor's summons said you had a girl here with knowledge of our plight."
Cephera stood and introduced herself once more and briefly explained her own situation. Brunhilda listened carefully. Her intense stare turned into one of worry. "What does it all mean?" She said shaking her head. "Your highness, has your other son come up with anything?" Brunhilda asked.
"You can ask me yourself." Cephera felt a chill run up her spine. She turned her head slightly to see Thor entering with her dream man behind him. Her mouth fell open and her eyes widened, her heart hammering in her chest.
He didn't seem to have seen her yet. He was glowering at Brunhilda. All at once her mind was racing. 'Your other son'...this made this man Loki. Loki who attacked earth. Who enslaved humans and used them to do his biding. The evil and mischievous prince of lies. When his eyes finally fell on her he stopped dead. Both were now staring at one another with their mouths gapping.
Cephera snapped out of it only when she realized everyone was now looking back and forth between them. Not knowing what to do she gave a curt bow and averted her eyes. Of all the men in the universe why did it have to be him.
"Have you anything to offer me in terms of news?" Brunhilda finally said.
"I have not." Loki's voice was stern. Cephera found herself needing to sit down. She sat down hard making the chair move and squeal on the marble floor drawing everyone attention back to her a moment. She made a great effort not to look up.
"Lady Cephera I had my brother bring this." Cephera looked up and without meaning to she looked at Loki again. It took everything she had to tear her eyes away to what Thor was holding. She took it in her hand. "This was something the angel provided to us. We have been unable to decipher it. Do you think your sister could?"
"My sister?" Cephera unrolled the scroll to look at the jumble of letters lined up in a row.
"Perhaps having been blessed once by the angel she would have internal knowledge." Thor ventured.
"I can help with that. I have a mark." She said titling her head.
"You have one?" Brunhilda's voice sounded incredulous. "Why did you not say this before?"
"Mine hasn't gone missing. I didn't think it still being there meant anything special. We haven't found the other Ushers so I may not be the only one with it." Cephera shrugged.
"Ushers?" It was Loki who spoke up. His voice rich and thick. She felt it difficult not to think of how he sounded in her dreams.
"Ushers are what the angels call those who have received the Magical Aurora's." Brunhilda replied. "May I see it." Cephera nodded and turned. Her dress was laced up and covering her shoulder blades.
"You'll have to untie me." Cephera could feel Loki's eyes on her. She willed him to look away but of course he had seen them before. She found herself thinking of the countless times he had taken her on her hands and knees and ran his fingers over her angels mark while thrusting into her.
The thoughts came unbidden to her mind and caused her face to flush. She felt her dress loosen and she held it up in front as her back became exposed. She could hear Brunhilda sigh at the sight.
She knew how it looked. When she first got the chance she had watched it in a mirror. The silver angel wings flittering just under her skin in a magical dance as they winked in and out of existence across her shoulder blades.
"I have never seen one before." She said breathlessly. "It's beautiful."
"I must agree. This a rare sight to see wouldn't you agree brother?" Cephera waited to hear Loki's answer.
"Remarkably so." He said and took a seat directly across from her. She had no choice but to look at him while the Valkyries leader laced her dress back up. He was grinning at her in a very knowing sort of way. She had no doubt he also had dreams. His expression told her so.
She tore her eyes from him again and looked back to the paper. She carefully scrutinized the line. "Get me a writing tool." She demanded suddenly. Her heart skipping excitedly. Loki leaned forward to look at the letters.
She was passed a quill. She stood and hunched over the paper. Everyone was now doing the same to see what she was doing. She made circles around seven different sections. "Their names." She told them. "Look, my name. My sister and the other five belong to the other girls we found. All of us who had or have aurora's."
"She gave us a list of the Ushers." Brunhilda touched a hand to her forehead. "I understand." She said nodding. "I didn't think of it before because I have never actually met one of you before. But Ushers have a connection to Valhalla unlike any other. They have the ability to open a passage into Valhalla. You could open us a door so that we may find out what's been happening." Cephera frowned.
"Would that take a lot of magic?"
"That would take an extreme amount." Loki pipped up.
"Then I cannot do it. I'm human. My body would reject that much channeled energy. It would kill me before I finished." She couldn't look at Loki's face as she spoke. He was distracting enough as it was and she didn't want to see his reaction to her declaration of being of the species he once tried to subjugate and manipulate.