The Queen Of Winter Book One

I'll Love You Till the End

The air was thick with tension. The team were frantically calling to Anna. Trying to get her to reconsider. Loki was distraught. He struggled against the ice trying to free himself but it was no use. The ice was as strong as concrete as it squeezed against his body.

Callieach's scheme had gone exactly as she had planned. She had been confident that Anna would sacrifice her self in the name of love. "You willingly give up your life, your freedom for this...this God of Lies?" Callieach spat as she waved her hands in the direction of Loki. "Why?" She demanded.

"Because ... because I love him. I'll love him till the end." Anna's voice was quiet and shaky. A few tears fell from her eyes. "I can't live without him in this world. And if it means this is what I have to do to just keep him in this world, to know that he can go on living and being happy ... then I have to do it." Anna looked into Loki's eyes trying to convey all the love and emotions she felt for him in her words. "You are the light in my darkness Lokes."

"Annabelle, please, no! I am not worth it." Loki said as a tear escaped his eye and rolled down his pale cheek.

"You are worth so much more Loki." Anna gave him a small smile.

"Now isn't this just heartbreaking." Callieach mocked them. "And that Loki of Asgard is your eternal punishment. You will have to live with that knowledge. You had something many will never have and can only dream about. Something you will never have again. True love. You will have to go on knowing she gave up everything just so you could live." Callieach cackled. "Love is such a weakness."

"You have to prove to me they will be safe. I won't go anywhere until you free all of them from this ice." Anna turned her Attention to Callieach. With a wave of her hand the ice began to melt away from Loki, Tony and Njord and they all returned to their normal selves.

"We will take our leave." Callieach ordered. Anna walked over to Callieach and curtsied.

"My Queen" The words stuck in Anna's throat. "Might I be allowed a moment to say goodbye?" Anna sweetly asked.

Callieach eyed Anna suspiciously. "Very well." She said and nodded. Anna brushed passed her, lingering a millisecond longer than was necessary, to get to her team mates. Loki noticed her slower more deliberate movements. He could have sworn there was the tiniest glitter of golden magic but he couldn't be certain. The rays from the weak sun were causing the ice in the air around them to glisten. Before she could reach them Callieach called her back. Anna held her breath in anticipation. Had she been caught? Callieach held out some silver cuffs. Magic inhibitors that Anna knew all too well.

"We can't have you trying anything silly now can we child." Callieach smirked as she bound Anna's powers.

Anna returned to her team mates and hugged them all farewell. They were all telling her to reconsider. Trying to tell her there had to be another way. Anna shook her head and said this was the only way to keep them all safe from harm. She told them all how much she loved them and thanked them so much for giving her a home and a family. She begged them not to think harshly of her and her actions. She squeezed Njord with all her might and told him not to worry that everything would be okay. Njord thought he saw a glint of mischief in his daughters eyes. Anna then made her way over to Loki. Bodach hauled him to his feet and unbound him and gave him a stern warning not to try anything stupid.

"Annabelle." He breathed her in as she wrapped her arms around him and held on tightly. "This is insane."

"I was never insane except upon occasions when my heart was touched." Anna whispered.

"Edgar Alan Poe if I'm not mistaken." Loki gave a small laugh. "Now who's going to make me read bad Midgardian poetry if I don't have you." There was so much pain and sadness in his eyes. How could he go on without her.

Loki felt Anna's hands delicately moving from around his neck down his body and around his waist lingering at the sides of his armour. It was a touch that would have gone unnoticed by any onlookers, it would have looked like a tender embrace between two souls bound together by love, but to Loki it was a deliberate touch. What was she up too. Anna cupped Loki's face in her hands and brought her lips to his. She planted a soft chaste kiss on his lips and whispered to him "I'll love you to the end Lokes" She rested her forehead on his for a moment. She let go of his face and walked over to Rumlow.

Loki put his hands to his sides where Anna's had been. They had been in his concealed pocket. And not just a normal pocket but one that was enchanted. One Anna had been in before when she so stealthily took his daggers. Loki could hide everything and the kitchen sink in there if he wanted to. He felt for his daggers but they were gone. In their place he felt something leather. It was like straps of leather held together with buckles. There were two fo them. Realisation struck of what Anna had done. He tried to conceal a smile. My clever little thief. Anna heard Loki's voice in her head and she gave him a wink. Just following Cap's plan. Be ready. She spoke back to him. Thor recognised the familiar look on his brother's and Anna's faces. They were talking to one another in their minds. Thor whispered to the team that Loki and Anna were up to something. The team could see the shifty looks Anna and Loki were sharing and there seemed to be a mischievous smirk hiding in both of their eyes. The team tried to ready themselves for whatever they were planning.

"Rumlow, I think I am ready now. I've made my peace, said my goodbyes and I'm ready to go." Anna stated.

Rumlow walked towards Anna and put his arm around her. To his surprise Anna placed her hand over his. She gave him a sweet smile and pulled him into an embrace.

"Loki, Now!" She called over Rumlows Shoulder. Loki disappeared in a green glimmer of light.

"You foolish girl! Helping  him escape now will not protect him in the long run." Callieach yelled.

"What the fu...?" Rumlow tried to turn to face Loki but he was pulled back around by Anna. He felt a white, hot, searing pain in his gut. He looked down to see a beautifully ornate, shining, green hilted dagger protruding from his abdomen. He wrapped his hands around the blade as he slumped to the ground. Anna leaned over him. She held the dagger in her shaking hand again and twisted the blade. Rumlow let out a blood curdling scream of pain.

"This is for all the years of torture and abuse. I will never be yours and you will never hurt me or anyone else ever again!" Anna said quietly through gritted teeth.

An all consuming darkness washed over Rumlow. He closed his eyes and breathed his last laboured breath. Callieach let out a shrill shriek as she saw the life leave her last surviving son. She began striding towards Anna in a murderous rage.

The Avengers and Nojord took this opportunity to make their escape. The agents were distracted. Callieach wailed like a banshee. They became caught up in what was going on with Anna and Rumlow and Loki's disappearing act that they let their guard down. It didn't take long for the Avengers over throw them and to neutralise their threat.

Bodach made a beeline for Njord. The pair engaged in an epic battle. They were evenly matched in their fighting style but Bodach was eventually overpowered by Njord's powerful magic. Bodach lay on the ground with Njord towering above him.

Anna felt the rushing of air past her ears as she was hauled off of Rumlow and up onto her feet. Callieach had one hand around Anna's throat, raising her into the air. Anna thrashed and kicked trying to break free.

All at once the Avengers raced to help Anna. They were stopped in their tracks as they saw Callieach swirling the deadly snowflakes.

"One more step and your precious little Annabelle will become the most prized sculpture in my winter garden." Callieach's tone was chilling and her threat was deadly serious.

There was a few seconds of silence and intense staring between the Avengers and Callieach. Everyone trying to catch their breath. Seizing up the threats. Callieach continued to swirl the snowflakes in her free hand.

Over Callieach's shoulder, a little ways in the distance the Kelpies danced and galloped through the Loch. Completely ignorant to the chaos and destruction surrounding the cottage. A green shimmering light caught the eye of Tony. He snapped his head up and squinted past Callieach, trying to get a better view of the figure that had appeared out of the light.