"It's a ship," said Fandral as they approached the source of the smoke, a small crumpled craft with its nose driven into the dirt.
"What a brilliant assessment. I'm so glad you're here to tell me these things," Loki replied sarcastically before spurring his horse to gallop speedily away from the warrior toward the crash site.
"Wait! Loki! We don't–" Fandral called before realizing it was useless, setting his mount to follow the prince of Asgard.
Loki practically jumped from the saddle, avoiding and leaping over twisted hunks of metallic debris he surmised had once been the wings of the craft, noticing the tops of trees shorn off in the forest in the distance, as he approached the burning ship, exposed wires still sparking. Noticing the hatch jammed part of the way open, he examined the ground below, discovering the vegetation matted down and stained with a substance he swiftly deduced to be blood.
Fandral arrived and dismounted, sprinting after Loki as the God of Mischief followed the trail of red some distance from the remains of the ship until he came upon its source lying motionless on her side among the flowers, one arm stretched over her head, another out to her side. Her shoulder obviously dislocated, a hunk of metal jutting from her body just below her rib cage, her skin sooty and burnt in patches. Lacerations of various severity were evident over her face and body. Her clothing, a skirt decorated with beading and an intricately embroidered chemise, was singed and torn.
"There may be others," Fandral said, turning and dashing back, jumping up to grab hold of the end of the hatch, forcing it down as metal screeched before climbing inside, reappearing a few moments later, "There's no one inside," he called out, apprising Loki before rejoining him.
"Who is she?" Fandral asked as both men stood over her motionless body.
"How would I know?" Loki replied.
"What is she…Centurion…Kree?...Sark, perhaps?" Fandral asked as Loki knelt beside her, moving her hair back from her face, exposing her ear.
"Interdite," Loki said, hardly believing it himself.
"Interdite? Are you certain?" Fandral responded.
"They ceased all contact with the rest of the universe and became recluses over a millennium ago. As potential heirs to the throne, both my brother and I have been educated about every race that has ever been known to exist throughout the universe. Of course I received superior would confuse an Ankaran and an Arcturan. Interdites psionic abilities are 've even proven capable of blocking Heimdall's view of their realm. It would explain why he was unable to see her," Loki explained.
"What is she doing here?"
"The ship appears old. It may have suffered some sort of failure."
"Or she was attacked," Fandral conjectured as the woman coughed, spraying bloody spittle over the grass.
"We have to get her to a healer or she won't live long enough to tell us," Loki said as she groaned.
"I'll summon the corpsmen," Fandral said, stepping away.
"Mati…uzala…sozu…" the woman muttered almost inaudibly.
"Can you hear me?" Loki said to the woman, her eyes opening to slits as she struggled to turn her head to peer up at him.
"Sateefa…zurfu…ezie…" she replied weakly, coughing once more, her breath coming in labored wheezes.
"You don't understand…of course you don't," Loki reasoned, "Loki…" he said, pointing to himself.
"Fa…Farina," Fari, sussing out his meaning, managed to say.
"Farina," Loki repeated, grasping her hand, "Help is coming," he told her, though he was certain she wouldn't comprehend.
"Thank…you…" Farina said haltingly.
"You do understand," said Loki, "Your shoulder…I can fix it. It will be painful, but only for a moment. May I?"
"Please…"
Loki took hold of her arm, straightening it in front of her as he deftly and swiftly twisted it, Fari yelping as the joint popped back into place.
"Is that better?" Loki asked.
"Yes…You are…son of…a king?"
"I am," Loki affirmed before Fari coughed once again, the blood now more copious, "Speak no more. Save your strength," Loki told her, "Where the hell are they?" Loki asked Fandral, irritated, as he turned his head to look over at the warrior a few meters away just as he spotted a skiff sailing swiftly through the sky in the distance.
The skiff hovered above for a moment before the pilot lowered it to the ground nearby, four armored men disembarking, quickly surrounding the injured Interdite woman as Loki released her hand as he began to rise.
"No…stay," Fari said in a desperate voice.
"They'll help you," he told her, "I'm in the way."
"Don't…leave me…"
"I won't be far," Loki reassured the gravely injured, frightened Fari before rising and moving off, rejoining Fandral as the corpsmen administered aid to stabilize the injured woman.
"I'll stay with her. Return to the palace," Loki informed him.
Fandral, appearing somewhat surprised, nodded, making his way back to the two steeds and mounting his before riding forward and taking hold of the reins of Loki's mount.
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"I wasn't certain she would make it. It's a testament to your skill that she survived," Loki extended the rare compliment to Eir, the healer to the royal family and others serving his father who resided in the palace, as the two stood at the foot of the bed in the sterile, unadorned chamber into which Fari had been moved to recover.
The Interdite woman lay unconscious beneath a gold field of energy. Her more superficial injuries, the gashes, cuts, and scrapes that were visible seemed almost to be healing before their eyes.
"Her injuries were severe and extensive. Fortunately her physiology does not differ significantly from Asgardians. It was necessary to revive her at one point. I believed I would be forced to do so again, most likely unsuccessfully, when she stabilized, though she is not yet safe," Eir explained, "I believe she has placed herself in a state of torpor."
"How long will it last?
"There is no way to know."
"Can she hear us?" asked Loki.
"My counsel has always been that it is wise to assume so," Eir replied, "This was all that was found on her person," Eir said, handing Loki a dagger with a bronze hilt, he taking it from her, examining it, "I will return to check on her periodically," Eir told him, turning from Loki and exiting the chamber as Fandral entered.
"How is she?" asked the warrior as he took Eir's place beside Loki.
"Alive. I believe she will remain so, though as usual Eir is hedging her bets. It serves to enhance her reputation," Loki answered.
"Thor sent me to invite you to join us at the tavern. You're the man of the hour," said Fandral as Loki moved to the side of the bed, placing the dagger on a stand beside it.
"I did nothing," Loki uncharacteristically replied in a somber tone, gazing through the sparkling energy field at Fari, "She chose to survive."
"I don't know how she was able to make it out in the condition she was in. There was barely enough room for her to squeeze through the hatch. It would have been difficult even if she'd been uninjured," Fandral stated.
"She's strong," Loki said, reaching through the energy field to rest his hand atop hers.
"That's obvious," Fandral replied, falling silent for a moment as he observed Loki with a curious expression, "The engineers who examined the ship…as you said, it was old…very old…but they believe it may have been sabotaged."
"Sabotaged?" Loki said, turning his attention to Fandral.
"They're not certain yet. They haven't finished their investigation. They'll take it up again tomorrow."
"Did they find anything within it? Something that might explain why she was out there, why she left Interdis?" asked Loki.
"No, nothing…are you sure you won't join us?"
"She kept her part of the bargain. I must keep mine. Next time," Loki said, returning his attention to Fari before Fandral departed, leaving him alone with Fari for the first time.
Moving a cushioned stool from beside the stand to the bed, Loki seated himself, reaching into the energy field and taking Fari's hand.
"Who are you?" he asked aloud, "A warrior…a criminal? One brave enough to do what I–"
"I thought I might find you here," Frigga's voice said, interrupting Loki as he turned his head to view his mother standing just inside the chamber.
"Mother," Loki said, startled at her unexpected appearance, quickly releasing Fari's hand and sliding his from under the energy field.
""You were missed at dinner. Go enjoy the evening with your brother and your friends. I'll watch over her," Frigga offered.
"She couldn't ask for a better nursemaid. It's alright. I'm not in the mood for revels," Loki responded as Frigga joined him at Fari's side.
"To form such an attachment under the circumstances is natural, but not always wise," Frigga counseled, "We know nothing about her. Asgard and Interdis have a history."
"What do you mean?"
"It was long ago, before you or she was born. Your father was a much younger man and king. Mistakes were made…on both sides. Even I am not privy to most of the details. If your father feels it is important that you know, he may choose to share it with you," Frigga explained.
"She was only able to tell me her name. She was beyond speech soon after…I don't know how I know…she was attempting to escape. She was running from something…someone. Her ship was sabotaged."
"It is possible. Nothing is known of her people since they secluded themselves," Frigga replied.
"Regardless of whatever history there may be, as an attempt on her life has been made Father will have no choice but to grant her asylum."
"Your father keeps his own counsel regarding such matters," Frigga said gently, "You must eat something. You've had quite a day. You should rest. You can request to be summoned when she awakens."
"I believe I'll stay a bit longer."
"As you wish. I'll have the kitchens send something for you," Frigga told him.
"Thank you."
"I'm retiring to my chambers but I will be up for some time yet if you wish to join me," Frigga offered, resting a hand on Loki's shoulder before turning from him and exiting the room.
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Loki sat facing the stand by the bed having just finished the meal his mother had sent. He placed the silver cover over the empty plate before him. The food sitting heavily in his gullet, he was beginning to feel fatigued. Fighting back a yawn he considered following his mother's advice to return to his chambers for rest and request to be summoned if there was any change in the Interdite woman's condition.
Standing from the stool he picked up the covered platter upon which the plate rested. As he placed it on the floor by the stand he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye as Fari stirred. Seating himself once more, he reached into the golden field of energy, taking her hand again as her eyes began to flutter before languidly opening.
"Welcome back," Loki said with a grin.
"You…kept…your word," Fari said in a feeble, raspy voice.
"Of course.. I always do."