Chapter II

"Well, Father?" My spitefully curious words echoed throughout the otherwise-silent hall. "Am I your daughter or not?"

Thor still had his head bowed. "No," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "No, you are not my daughter. You are Loki's."

Gasps resounded from the people's mouths. Even the guards dropped their imperious stature to gape. The fact that I was not Thor's daughter actually didn't surprise me too much. After all, I knew that my looks were nothing like Thor's or my late mother's. In fact, it was almost like seeing a male me when I saw Loki. Should I call Loki 'Father' now? I wondered to myself. But why should I be the daughter of a Frost Giant monster?!

Thor stood and came toward me, arms open, but I brushed him aside. Tears brimmed in my eyes, which I furiously blinked away. "No, Thor." His name sounded strange on my lips. "I…will not play this charade." With that, I ran out of the hall. People stared at me, but I had to get out.

I raced into my chamber and slammed the door shut. I pushed a heavy mirror in front of the door so one would come in and find me crying. Tearing off the emerald cloak, I flung myself on my bed and cried until tears could come no more. This was impossible. Could Loki be lying? No, he had done many evil things, and lots of mischief, but he would not lie about something like this. Nor would Thor. I thought about all the good times that Thor and I had together, when I was young and ignorant like a prancing little lamb in the fields.

No! I sat up. No longer was I the lamb. Now, I supposed, I was the panther's daughter that preyed on the real lambs. I was the monster's daughter. The offspring of evil.

A knock on my door made me jerk. "Miett?" Thor's muffled voice came through the heavy wood. "Miett, I'm sorry I never told you." I didn't answer, but he continued. "I just…Well, I thought that, when I found you, you would have a terrible life with someone like Loki as your father. So I adopted…"

"Stole!" I shouted. "You stole me!"

"All right, stole," he replied. A tinge of sadness ran through the deep voice. "But I thought you'd be happier here!"

"I would've been happier if I'd known the truth," I said sullenly. Then I fell silent and did not answer his many calls. Then the Lady Sif's soft voice came to my ears. "Let her be," she told Thor. "She's had a rough day."

"I know, I know," Thor said, and I knew from experience that he was most likely running his fingers through his long, blond hair. "It's just…ahh." His footsteps told me that he was leaving, and either very angry or very sad; maybe both. Lady Sif's steps followed him.

I thought desperately for the next few hours as to what to do. Should I remain acting as Thor's daughter, or should I be as my real father was? Finally, the answer came to me. I should leave to Earth, where I had never been, and find myself. Thor's father, Odin, sent him there until he was more mature. Perhaps I should go, as well.

After packing the few things that I knew I needed, I gathered the fallen cloak off of the floor and pushed the huge mirror away from the door. I crept out of my room and down the hall. Whenever I saw guards, I flattened myself against the wall, in the shadows, and prayed that they wouldn't see me. Eventually, I made it out and got on a horse, galloping toward the rebuilt Bifrost. Heimdall stood there, his mighty sword in his hands. "Heimdall," I said as I leapt off the horse. "I must go to Earth."

"Do you have your father's permission?" he asked, his very deep voice chilling me.

"He's not my father!" I said rebelliously. "I don't need his permission." Heimdall merely nodded, so I assumed that he'd heard already. I brushed by him and waited anxiously. Finally, he turned around.

"You do realize that I must tell the king where you've gone."

"Yes, yes, I know that!" I cried impatiently. Heimdall sheathed his sword into the Bifrost, and soon it was spinning faster and faster. I gripped my new staff tighter and awaited my journey to Earth.

All I remember of going through the Bifrost to the strange planet was that there were many colors, and that I was going very fast. Otherwise, everything was a blur. But after just a few seconds, I landed with a mighty crash on planet Earth. Shakily, I stood, and surveyed my surroundings cautiously. Everything was green and lush, but the sky was dark. Stars shone out like diamonds on black velvet.

I began to walk in some direction; I didn't know where I was going or what I would do when I got there. Since my ankle ached from landing so hard, I used my staff to lean on. My head hurt, as well. As I went along slowly, I pondered many things. Who was my mother? Why was I never told that I was Loki's daughter? Did Loki feel like I did when he found out that he was Laufey's son? So much confusion weaved through my mind. After much walking through trees and brush, I came upon a house. Lights glowed from within, and I could see someone moving inside. I limped up to the house and touched my now-throbbing head.

I knocked on the door, and after a few minutes, a kind-looking, middle-aged woman answered. "Hel—lo?" she asked, clearly puzzled as to my apparel.

"Excuse me, my lady. I am looking for a place to spend the night, and perhaps some sustenance."

"Is this a joke?" she asked, incredulous.

"No, my lady. I…" I gripped my head. My vision swam, and the woman's voice grew distant. I stumbled, and then everything went darker than the midnight sky as I fell to the ground.