Elora had been walking the palace halls for several hours when she'd decided to seek out Heimdall. She knew, of course, she would see the guardian in the morning before but she wanted to spend some time with him before she left.
When she was almost to the gatehouse she saw Heimdall coming out, anger evident on his face. Slightly worried, she picked up the pace.
Skirts hiked slightly as she jogged toward him. "Heimdall, what's going on?"
"You shouldn't be here, Lady." His words were a warning more than an order as he looked over her shoulder watching for danger.
"Why?" She asked, coming to stand before him and as he laid a hand on her elbow to make her turn around her vision flashed white. Thor, Sif and the warriors three, all on Midgard, fighting...
Her vision cleared and she met Heimdall's eyes as his own seemed to come back into focus from his own gifts.
"Come, you need to cloak yourself and stay hidden until the princess gets here." He began to pull her into the gatehouse.
"Heimdall, what is going on?" Elora yanked her arm free and stopped, refusing to move until he explained.
"Sif and the others went to Midgard to bring Thor home. Loki is on his way here and I fear he is blinded by his rage. I have summoned Yrsa so please, stay hidden until she gets here. I fear what Loki might do if he thinks you have betrayed him as well."
"What are you talking about, Loki wouldn't-"
"He would, Elora. And I need you to promise me you will stay hidden so that he doesn't get the chance."
Elora had never seen Heimdall so angry. He was breathing heavily as he kept glancing down the bridge, waiting to catch sight of Loki's approach. When he met her eyes again she nodded. "Okay."
Heimdall grabbed her arm again and pulled her into the gatehouse tucking her behind the barely there lip of the entrance. "Cloak yourself, and no matter what happens wait for Yrsa."
Elora stood stone still and scarcely breathed as she concentrated on her illusion when she heard Loki approach Heimdall who stood outside the gatehouse in an effort to keep her hidden.
"Tell me, Loki, how did you get the Jotun's into Asgard?" Heimdall spoke his tone almost disinterested in the answer.
"You think the Bifrost is the only way in and out of this realm?" Loki's voice was angry and more cruel than Elora had ever heard it before. "There are secret paths between the worlds that even you, with all your gifts, are blind. But I have need of them no longer now that I am king. And I say, for your act of treason, you are relieved of your duties as Gatekeeper, and no longer a citizen of Asgard."
"Then I need no longer obey you."
Elora heard the scrape of steel before a blast of cold came through the doorway and it took everything in her not to scream. Several agonizing moments passed and Loki entered the gatehouse heading straight for the control mechanism. Climbing the stairs he placed Gungnir into the keyhole and turned it, starting the bridge. As the gatehouse began to spin he waved his hands and the Destroyer appeared.
"Do your job." He commanded the sentry before sending it across the bridge and storming out of the gatehouse.
Minutes passed but Elora couldn't move. She was afraid to turn the corner and see what carnage Loki had inflicted on Heimdall so she kept her promise and stayed hidden until she heard Yrsa's voice.
"Heimdall!" The princess screamed and a wave of relief washed over Elora, releasing her from her frozen vigil.
She spun around the doorframe to see Yrsa standing in front of a frozen Heimdall. "Oh gods!" She exclaimed and ran to them.
"What happened?" Yrsa demanded as Elora raised her hands and began to thaw the guardian.
"Loki," Elora couldn't meet Yrsa's eyes as she spoke. "He sent the destroyer to Midgard. Sif and the three went to bring Thor home."
"What kind of madness is unraveling here." Yrsa words were not a question as she stomped into the gatehouse to look around.
It took several minutes but Elora was able to free Heimdall and the guardian quickly moved into action.
"Princess, the others need your help." He slipped his sword into the mechanism and opened the bridge.
"Elora are you coming?" Yrsa asked as she walked toward the glowing gate.
Something pulled at the back of Elora's mind and she shook her head. "I'm going to warn your mother."
"Heimdall, make sure she gets there unharmed." the princess said over her shoulder before stepping into the glow.
YOU ARE READING
A Gods Favor
FanfictionElora fell in love with the little boy who was kind to her at the worst time of her life. A thousand years later and she still feels the same even though that kind boy has been buried deep inside Loki.
