Book 3: Chimera [Thor]

Chapter 30

Anya sat on the porch in a meditative position, wearing a shall against the light breeze and cool temperature. Thor was hard at work in the shed from the sound of the tools against the purchased wood. The Asgardian became quite the craftsman in the last few years because of this hobby. Some of his smaller pieces sat on shelves inside, one of the larger ones adorning the porch by the door. It was a carving of a brown bear they'd seen on one of their hike's further north. The rest of the woodwork the prince took to the local market in town to sell. Jan cleared off a part of his table for the god to use. When the Asgardian began to receive earnings for his work, it was a bit of a surprise for him. Thor wasn't used to this and Anya couldn't be prouder. Now that they were back, the small local fan base would look forward to new pieces. Along with those that came through town on business or leisure when they stumbled across the market.

Speaking of the couple, their dinner had been lovely. The god brought alcohol, the kind from a Migardian liquor store, while the young woman baked a loaf of bread for the table. Conversation was not lost on any of them. As a group and in pairs. Before dinner, Thor joined Jan in the backyard to chop more wood for their pile. Meanwhile, Anya assisted in the kitchen to help finish dinner and prepare the table.

"So when you told me that the two of you met while on the job, I never realized it was saving the world," Lise commented.

"With the long hours and situations we're up against... things just happened," the young woman said.

"Well, whatever your role is I'm grateful for it. We may not have any issues here that require the involvement of the Avengers, but that means you're doing your job elsewhere. It must be dangerous work."

"It is. But it's worth it." The agent began to pull plates from the cabinets. "The less you know the better. For safety reasons. A lot of work we do is top secret. Need to know bases. Most of our success counts on it. I'll try to answer questions to the best of my ability. Thor too."

"I understand a little about him from the news," Lise said. "He's not exactly from around here."

Anya gave a small laugh. "Far from it."

"I thought his name was Thor because it was a strong, family name. Usually that's the case in this area. I didn't realize that he was the actual god that so many have read about or even worshiped in their life."

"He is the Son of Odin," the young woman confirmed. "An Asgardian. Next in line for the throne, if he'll have it."

Lise's brow cocked. "Prince Thor?" The agent nodded. "Very impressive, Anya." She blushed at the comment, which caused the woman to laugh. "Do we need to address him as such?"

"You'd be the only one on Earth who would. Thor is just fine. Besides, I've found that he really enjoys the simple life when he returns from his duties throughout the realm."

"I can imagine that it's quite a change of pace and a lot less stressful."

"You're not wrong there. But he still loves his responsibilities that come with being a prince. He can tell you more when we sit down to eat. Thor has plenty of stories."

"Good. We have enough alcohol to last the night." The females grinned at one another. "By the way, I never asked you before... Why the island of Senja? What made you choose here?"

With the amount of travel Anya had under her belt, she was certain there were more interesting destinations to choose from. The young woman paused for a moment in thought on the best way to sum up her decision. But she didn't have to think for long.