Hardest of Hearts (Thor/Avengers: Loki/OC )

Chapter 11

"What?" Althea asked, in a small and shocked voice as she looked at Loki.

Had she just heard him right? Did he really say what she thought he did? Was she dreaming now? Still asleep and under Loki's enchantment in his chambers?

"You can't marry another if you're already married," Loki said to her smirking. "It's the perfect plan."

Althea gulped, "And if I say no to this plan?" She asked him timidly, and watched as his smirk fell.

"Do you oppose my plan?" Loki asked her, the grip on her shoulders tightening.

Althea couldn't hold his piercing gaze of green eyes, and looked down at the rainbow bridge underneath them,."…Are you sure?" She asked him, without looking up.

She felt his fingers tilt her chin up gently, until her face was level with his, so close she could feel his breath on her face. "I wouldn't ask if I was not sure," He told her with such sincerity that she could not deny him.

"Alright…" She whispered, agreeing to marry him.

"Heimdall, send us to Helheim," Loki said turning to the gatekeeper with a smile on his face.

Heimdall nodded before slowly walking inside the bifrost, coming to a stop at his platform, waiting for them. Althea watched Heimdall stand there, waiting for them patiently, and felt a jolt of fear go through her. From both the knowledge that she was going to marry Loki, and that she was about to journey to Helheim and meet Hel herself.

Loki held out his hand, and she took it, together walking to stand in front of Heimdall to stare out at the stars ahead of them.

"If your return here threatens Asgard and its people in any way, I will keep the bifrost closed to you," Heimdall said before slamming his sword down into the podium, starting up the bifrost.

Althea felt a tingling sensation all over her body, and squeezed Loki's hand tighter. What she saw was nothing like she pictured, a stream of light passed her by at a blinding speed of all sorts of colours, ones she didn't even have a name for. It was beautiful, exhilarating and terrifying all at the same time.

Then it was over, and she and Loki found themselves in a cave covered with white and blue ice, yet it wasn't cold to her, in fact it felt warm.

"Why isn't it cold?" She asked Loki, looking at all the ice around them. "We should be freezing."

"I do not know," Loki replied looking around them as well before walking forwards, not letting go of her hand, tugging her forwards.

She followed after him, looking around her, wondering if they would see any spirits of the dead. But maybe they had to be dead themselves to see them. And if that was the case, she didn't want to meet them any time soon.

She felt water soak through her shoes, but still did not feel the cold she thought she would have. The entire place was a dreary ice cave, not something beautiful and shimmering. In fact the ice had a dull look to it. The entire place just screamed miserable and dreary. It was no wonder all the souls of the dead who had spent their lives being lazy instead of pillaging and fighting or doing something, were sent here for the afterlife instead of Valhalla. But she also knew those who did not die in battle were also sent to Helheim, having not perished in a warrior's death.

"…So, you've come to my realm young Goddess of Life…" Hel's voice slithered through her mind, the same as it had been the last time she'd spoken to her.

But now Althea was more aware of Hel's voice, and could concentrate on it solely. It was warm and cold, sweet and bitter, gentle and cruel, quiet and loud, young and old, everything about it seemed to be the opposite of the other, a strange mixture to hear. Something hard to even describe, without hearing it for yourself.