The Disorder (Book 1)

Chapter 10

When Aubrey became conscious again, she recognised that she was in Loki's body again. He opened his eyes, and Aubrey saw stars, literally. She thought he was lying outside before she realized that it was just the ceiling of the infirmary where Loki induced their last seizure.

Loki, what the hell? Aubrey thought, in shock.

Now, Aubrey, I can explain... Loki replied.

Yes. Please do.

But Loki didn't explain. He was distracted by the sudden movement of the curtains that separated the bed from the rest of the room. Loki quickly relaxed his body and closed his eyes. Aubrey could hear the curtains slowly sliding open.

"Loki," a soft feminine voice said, "I know you are awake."

Loki smiled. "Damn Idun... you're good." He opened his eyes and looked at his visitor.

If Aubrey had a jaw at the moment, it would have dropped. The woman, Idun, was delicate, and purely lovely. She was short and thin, with mid-length soft brown hair, done up in an intricate braid that was held together with flowers. Her eyes were brown, and fiery like Aubrey's family and everyone she had seen here (she would have to ask Loki about that when she questioned him about what happened with her father). Her face was round and tanned perfectly, with freckles scattered across her cheeks. She had small, steady hands, with beautifully filed nails, that held a small basket, filled to the top with mouth-watering golden apples.

Loki tried to sit up, but every muscle in him protested. He ignored the pain, but Aubrey was wriggling from it in the back corner of Loki's mind.

"Loki, you are hurting. Let me help." She set the basket of apples down on the bed next to Loki. She pulled a small knife out of a hidden pocket in her embroidered green dress and carefully cut a small wedge out of one of the apples, so that juice poured from the apple and onto Loki's trousers purposefully.

What? Does Idun resent you too? Aubrey thought.

Well... Kinda... Do you remember when I made that potion, and broke into that room last time we were here? he replied.

Yeah.

That was Idun's stuff.

Aubrey was astonished that he could so easily take advantage of such a delicate person. How could you steal from her like that? She's so nice.

It was necessary. I needed to go to Earth and figure out where Balder was.

"Here you are." Idun said. "Eat up."

Loki took the apple wedge and shoved it in his mouth. The second he took a bite, flavor filled his mouth. It tasted like warm summer picnics; like the breeze ruffling hair; like a relaxing walk in the forest, surrounded only by wildlife; like lying in cool grass in the warm sunshine. It tasted like life, if there was a taste for that. Loki perked up immediately, muscle soreness gone in a flash.

"Mmm perfect as always, Idun, dear." Loki said, standing up and pecking her on the cheek as he began walking away.

"Odin wants to speak with you." Said Idun before he was out of earshot.

"Of course he does," Loki sighed. "Where is he?"

"The balcony." She replied as she began fixing his bed.

"Course he's on the balcony," Loki muttered as he jogged down the aisle of the infirmary, "always on the bloody balcony."

What's wrong with the balcony?

He always gets sentimental when he's up there. It gets really cheesy.

So about my dad... Aubrey thought, determined to get some answers.

Seriously? Can we talk about this later? It won't take long to reach Odin.

Fine. But you are NOT slipping out of this one.

Loki just grinned.

Once out of the infirmary, Loki found himself in the massive banquet hall. It was no longer filled with bright sunshine, instead the light was in the form of orange shapes cast across the floor, tables, and chairs. A beautiful sunset could be seen out of the mile-high windows, which also revealed an expanse of ocean and a fertile valley bathed in orange light. Streams, rivers, and waterfalls ran like veins through the lush mountainside. Tall buildings could be seen at the mouth of the widest river in sight. Crystal clear canals that held small boats swam lazily by, while large, intricately carved warships bobbed in the river's mouth.

Aubrey wished she could have admired the view longer, but Loki turned his gaze away and hurried out of the room and into the Hallway of a Billion Arches, as Aubrey liked to think of it.

Loki jogged to the end of the hallway, while Aubrey noticed that Loki must be a very hyper person if he is willing to run around a huge castle for fun. Maybe he's just impatient, like Aubrey, or maybe he just gets bored easily. Walking down these halls isn't the most entertaining thing to do, she had to admit.

Loki chuckled.

What? Aubrey thought.

Oh, it's just that I didn't expect you to react like this.

Like what?

Well, you just found out that your dad is an alien, that was brought back from the dead, might I add, you have a different alien stuck in your head, you are currently in the mind of said alien, waltzing around in a giant alien palace, you started having seizures, there goes your independence back home, and not to mention the fact that your seizure doctor was a shape-changing raven that can travel through the worlds. Usually, humans don't cope with that well, yet here you are, thinking about why I run through hallways.

I'll admit, it was a lot to take in, but to tell the truth, this is all kinda fun. I've always been bored living a normal life, and I've always dreamed of stuff like this. It's kinda like my dreams are coming true.

That's because you're one of us.

What do you mean?

Your related to your father, and he is Asgardian, therefore we can conclude that... He let Aubrey finish his thought.

I am half Asgardian.

Obviously. And our eyes, I could tell you were wondering about those, everyone's eyes look like that here, fiery, as you called them. Kinda like how everyone's eyes on Earth look inanimate and flat.

Cool.

Loki reached a golden door, larger than the others by far, and opened it quickly. On the other side stood an elegant garden full of strange flowers Aubrey had never seen before. Orange petals as big as her head dotted the closely trimmed bushes. Tiny yellow flowers filled the flowerer bed across the way, along with some tiny dots of red and purple. A fountain trickled pleasantly in the center of the comfortably small area. The grass was green and luscious, but could not be touched through Loki's boots. Aubrey wished she could feel it between her toes, or roll around on its soft surface, but it seemed as though some one was already thinking along those lines.

A beautiful woman lay asleep on the grass, her face elegant and peaceful in her slumber. Her hair, which would have reached her ankles had she been standing, was spread around her in a blanket of golden waves.

At that moment a wicked grin spread across Loki's face. Aubrey strained to understand his thoughts, but she was unpracticed and found it very difficult to read him when he was thinking to himself.

He reached for his belt, where he pulled out a small dagger, and stalked toward the sleeping beauty.

A/N:

Is anyone getting the reference? Comment if you do! Or if you don't :) don't forget to vote! Also in case you were confused, Loki and Idun are not together. Loki is just a romantic like that :P