Life in a Gilded Cage

Chapter 12

Thor's sister slept fitfully in the healing rooms as he watched over her intently. She hadn't received much of a blow, hardly enough to knock her out at all. His mother thought it was a mixture of the traveling from midgard and the shock of her transition to Asgard that was keeping her in the Odin sleep. It was a lot for anyone to take in, that their whole life had been a lie.

Thor had already watched his brother go through this and completely fall apart. Loosing the boy he loved with all his heart slowly, without being able to help him or stop what was happening. He couldn't do the same thing again now, he might have only just discovered his new sister, but he would do anything to help her.

Days passed far too slowly for his liking as he sat watching over her. His mother floated past now and then to check on the progress of the healing and to leave some food for Thor. Between Odin's sickness and the new girl's near death state, their new king wasn't doing oh so well.

The reports from the soldiers about the search for the tesseract lay unread on the table infront of him. The food plates and mugs of mead almost untouched. He dozed in the chair, exhaustion kicking his behind and finally forcing his eyes to close. A few hours of disterbed sleep, fretting over a million things in his dreams.

He had always wanted to be King, but now he actually was, all he wanted was for his father to get better so he could return to rule. Or for his brother to be there to guide him. He couldn't do this alone, he just didn't know anymore.

The young girl awoke slowly, her head pounding. She struggled upright and looked around the room she was standing in. The window opened to a beautiful view of the ageless, timeless golden city. "Oh my dear Odin." She cursed, getting weakly out of bed and staring outside.

Rose pinched herself nothing, no waking up or reaction. A knife on the table, she picked it up and sliced her palm with it. Watching her ruby blood dripping down the blade and her arm. Damn that hurt!

The knife burned as it sliced through her skin, no dream could be so real. Pain in your imagination was never the same as pain in the real world. This place, this new realm however crazy it seemed was real.

All of this was real, Asgard, Thor everything. She swung around and looked at the sleeping form of the sexy thunder god. He was real too and he was sexy as hell. She wouldn't mind getting into his leather pants!

Talking of which she wondered where her pants were, realising that she was dressed only in a slip of a night something she wished to wander around the city in, or infront of that sexy man beast snoozing there.

Crossing quietly to the dresser she discovered leather trousers, leather bodices and under garments. She dressed quickly before he awoke. She was just lacing some thigh high leather boots she had found as the man woke up. She watched as he groaned and felt around for one of the mugs of mead, drowned himself in it moments later. As he placed the cup down again, she coughed. "Hi" she said nervously.

"Lady of Midgard, you are well again!" He beamed embracing her tightly.

The air being crushed from her lungs she struggled weakly. "I won't be well for long if ya keep that up. Oxygen is kinda important to mortals." She grouched.

Thor pulled back blushing, "I am sorry dear sister, I know this is a lot to take in. I am just so pleased to see you looking better once again."

"I am your sister?" She asked shocked.

"Yes my lady, you are Odin's daughter born to a mortal mother." Thor explained.

"Oh great I am a freak demigod weirdo along with a super powered freak." She mumbled.

"No dear sister, you are a daughter of Asgard and you have finally come home to us. The whole kingdom wants to welcome you!" He promised.

Rose looked out the window, "I have dreamed of this place for so long. The way the light gleams on the golden towers. Finally finding somewhere I could belong. But this?! All of this it just sounds so crazy. I want it to be real so very badly, I'm scared I will wake up alone in my room again. And all of this will just be a dream." She looked at the softly bound hand she had harmed earlier.

"This is not a dream, you are home now dear one and this is where you will stay from now on if you so wish it!" He promised.

"Really? You want me to stay here? To be in this place and be a godess?" She asked.

"My beloved sister, it is your destiny to be here. How could I ever want anything else then that?" He asked, tears starting to fall. He pulled her closer, rocking her gently as she cried.

"No one has ever wanted me before, no place has ever felt like home. I have always been alone, unwanted my whole life." She sobbed.

"Well not anymore and never again will a princess of Asgard ever feel unwanted." He vowed, "Now how about I give you a tour of the city? Then we will hold a feast in the honour of our returning family. What is your name child?"

"I'm Rose, Rose Applethorn." She answered shyly, "I'd really like that my lord."

"Please sister, no ceremony between is, I am just Thor your brother." He smiled.

She beamed back at him, "Thank you my dearest brother." The world felt strange on her lips, but oh so very good at the same time. To finally have a family and a place in the world. It was an amazing feeling, one she had waited her whole life for! Dream or not be damned, if this wasn't real then she never wanted to wake up. Finally her life was perfect as her brother led her away to explore her new home.