Elise awoke to find herself encased in silk sheets. That wasn't right. She immediately jumped up but found she was in her underwear.
"Nice to see you too sister," said a voice. She turned to see Thor standing there. Just as quickly she ripped the sheets off the bed and used them to cover herself.
"What the hell!" she yelled.
"I'm good, thanks for asking. And how are you?" said Thor with a cheeky grin.
"Give me back my bloody clothes, and give me back my planet as well!" she continued, wrapping the sheet around her tighter.
"Father had your clothes burned, apparently they aren't befitting of a princess of Asgard. And I don't know why he forced you to come here," said Thor. It was nice to see her again. Despite everything that had happened with Loki, and finding out about his dad, she was a nice person. Or at least she could be, he thought.
"Where is my ring?" she asked, looking down at her hand.
"He, um, had that removed too," said Thor, slightly hushed.
"I need clothes now," she said, looking around.
"Father had dresses left here for you," said Thor, pointing to the cupboard.
"Hell no. No dresses. I'm not dressing up as his little princess," Elise cursed under her breath. She hated him without even seeing him. Odin was not her father and she would not do as he asked. Not now, not ever. As far as she was concerned, he had not only abandoned her and her mother, but had also just kidnapped her. Issues stemming from childhood couldn't be erased with a wardrobe of dresses and some nice bed sheets.
"I had a feeling you would say that," said Thor with a cheeky grin, it almost irritated her. Actually, there was no almost about it. He pointed to a chair in the corner of the room. "Consider it a present from me, an apology," he said, moving towards the door. Elise wandered over to the chair, on it sat a tunic, pants and chainmail. It could look quite badass if worn well. Even if it didn't, it was a better option than a dress, because it would still frustrate Odin. She threw it over her head, and though it was slightly loose fitting, it definitely did the job. It was smart of Thor not to give her a blade, she might have thrown it through Odin's heart if she had been given one. With a sigh, she stepped out onto the balcony. Asgard was beautiful. There was no debating that. The city, the horizon, the sky. But it was never somewhere she wanted to live, and even visit.
"I hate this place," whispered Elise.
"Princess, your father requests your presence," said a man's voice and she turned. The man from earlier, Fandral, stood there with three men, well Asgardians, fully dressed in armor. Without even laying a finger on one of them, clearly she had a fearsome reputation. And maybe it was time to play on that.
"No. Instead you are going to take me back to someone who can take me home, because I doubt we can do that from here. Chop chop, I would hate to have to force you to," she threatened, a wicked glare flashing through her eyes. However there was a slight falter in her stance when another four guards rushed in.
"Princess," whispered Fandral, stepping towards her, holding his hands up. She clenched her fist and everyone in the room noticed the shift in the air when she did so. Despite being the one who kidnapped her, Elise quite liked Fandral. He was kind of funny, with his mannerisms. But there was something he needed to stop.
"Do not call me that. I am not one of you, and I never will be. He may be my biological father, but he will always be a stranger to me," yelled Elise. Fandral sighed.
"You never know what might happen if only you give him a chance. Your father is a great king. Do you not realize that he didn't contact you to protect you?" asked Fandral.
"It is not the fact that he didn't contact me that I care about. Hell, I would have been happy never knowing he existed. You'll catch more flies with honey after all. Or at least in most cases," said Elise, the irony not lost on her that she preached the opposite.
"You have two choices whilst you are here. You can accept this for what it is, an olive branch. Or you can make both of your lives difficult, because Odin will not accept insubordination. You may be his daughter, but he is king, and I would be careful if I was you. I have seen him do many a cruel thing, he banished Thor," whispered Fandral, if the guards heard that, it could be called treason.
"Well I guess I did inherit something from him," whispered Elise. "We both have a mean streak. Mine has a tendency to end in physical violence. Let us hope it doesn't come to that," she continued, moving to work away from Fandral. He raised his hands and the guards moved to block her exit. With a smile she stepped towards the window. "It is nice of Asgard to have a similar air composition to Earth," she laughed, giving the soldiers a salute before running towards the window. Fandral raced after her, but by the time he reached her she was off the balcony and falling down to the ground below. He watched as she gently slowed her descent.
"After her," he said to the guards. "But you may need more of you," he added as an afterthought. The guards saluted him before racing out the doors. He looked back down to see the area where she was standing completely empty.
"Well I thought they would never leave," said Elise, sitting on an edge of the balcony.
"Do you realize what your troublesome behavior will cause? Odin will lose his temper with you, and any hope at all you have of getting home will disappear just as quickly as he will lock you in a room. Your brother will tell you to tread carefully with him, and that is the one piece of advice I would actually take from Thor. Please princess," begged Fandral holding out a hand. Elise looked at it.
"I'll make you a deal," she said, shifting in her stance slightly.
"Go on," said Fandral, his hand remaining still.
"I will come see Odin. But first I want you to tell me who can get me home. Because I will not go into a situation without a half decent escape plan," she said, moving her hand to be just beside Fandral's. "Do we have a deal?" she asked. Fandral gripped her hand.
"Heimdall can get you through back to Earth, but only if Odin hasn't told him you have to stay here. Loki is the only other option and I am guessing that…" started Fandral.
"Isn't an option," said Elise. She couldn't go to Loki, because then he would know that she was on Asgard, and that could not, and would not end well.
"Very well," said Fandral. "After you milady," he said, pointing towards the door. Elise headed towards it before briefly turning back to face him.
"I'm guessing I won't be allowed a weapon?" asked Elise and Fandral laughed. "Of course not," she muttered walking out the door.
"From what I understand you have no need of a blade," yelled Fandral after her.
"You had better hope I don't need to prove it!" she yelled back.
"Father you should not have brought her here," said Thor, walking past his father.
"You should not have brought your pet here. Your sister is of Asgardian royal blood, and this is her home. She should be here," responded Odin, stopping to stare at his son.
"Her home is Earth."
"Her home is where I decide it to be! She is my daughter!" yelled Odin.
"She is not your possession!" yelled Thor back. "If you are not careful father you will lose her before you have a chance to gain her! Elise Carter is more than just powerful, she is clever and can be ruthless. Do not cross her," warned Thor before walking off. Odin scowled. He ducked around to the front of the entrance hall, where whoever was escorting Elise would bring her through.
"Hey bro," said Elise, raising a hand when she saw him. "Any chance of getting a sword off you? Ginger over here won't budge," she said, pointing towards Fandral who sighed.
"Fair warning," said Thor, grabbing Elise's hand. "Father is not going to let you leave in this current mood. He is frustrated and angered and if you don't tread lightly, you will become a prisoner," he whispered, releasing her hand.
"Warning acknowledged. And ignored. If he wants me to stay here, he will have to fight me for it. I will not back down to someone who is trying to control my life who I have never even met! Thor I appreciate the concern, but I managed fine before Asgard and I will be fine when I leave. Say hello to Jane for me," finished Elise. "Actually," she started again. "Jane has no idea who I am, so maybe don't," she finished.
"Be careful sister. And you may need this. Try not to kill anyone," he handed her a small knife.
"Well it is better than nothing I suppose," she said, shifting it from hand to hand, feeling the weight. It was slightly weird. The style of Asgardian blades, well they weren't exactly normal. Far from it in fact.
"Ready to meet your father?" asked Fandral, putting out his hand to escort her into the room.
"This is something I do on my own," said Elise, taking a deep breath. "And as for my father, he died years ago," she said, pushing the doors to the throne room open. She ignored the occasional guard or person in the room and walked up to the throne. Odin sat still in it, and stared at her whilst she walked across. Elise looked at him and realized something. He was waiting. Waiting for her to bow. "Send me home now," she yelled, her voice booming through the room. Odin scowled.
"That is no way to address your king!" he yelled, his voice matching hers.
"You are no more my king than you are my father!" she yelled back, slowly losing what little control she had maintained. Her fists clenched and a wind picked up. The guards started to reach for their weapons.
"You will obey me!" he yelled before an alarm went off. "My lord," said one of the soldiers running into the room. "We have an issue with the prisons," he said. Odin stood from the throne. "Take my daughter to my wife," he said. "You and I will continue this conversation," he said, moving to stand beside her.
"Like hell we will. I'm going home," scowled Elise.
"You are home finally," responded Odin, before three guards moved across to Elise, two grabbing her arms. They literally dragged her out, but she didn't fight it. Because she was about to meet Odin's wife. A conversation that needed to happen. They threw her in a room before a set of hands helped her stand.
"Forgive my husband's guards, they should be nicer to his own daughter," said a woman, her voice sounded regal.
"So you know who I am?" asked Elise as she looked at the queen. Everything about her screamed elegance, and composure, it screamed queen.
"Yes I do my dear. I've known about you since you were born. My name is Frigga. Now I've asked it of Jane and I will ask it of you," she said. "I need you to do whatever I ask, no questions. Can you do that?" she asked, grabbing ahold of Elise's hand,
"Why are you being so nice to me?" asked Elise. "Your husband cheated on you, with my mum. And I'm…. I'm the…" she stopped as Frigga raised a finger to her lips.
"You did not choose your situation at birth. Besides at that point in time it was a mutual, shall we say, break with both of us. I cannot blame you for my husband's choices. Now I need you to use your powers. Take Jane, put up a wall of solid air, block the feeling of your exact presence. Can you do that?" she asked. Elise nodded. Frigga directed them to behind a row of curtains. "Stay here, that is all I ask. No matter what happens. Swear to me Elise Carter that you will do this," whispered Frigga.
"It is the least I can do," said Elise.
"Block Jane from being able to hear if you can. She should not hear whatever might happen," whispered Frigga and Elise nodded.
"What do you think will happen?" she whispered back.
"I do not know. And that worries me."