Eagle (A Loki love story)

Chapter 55

Thor and Loki were so kind, they claimed that if the plan was to have any real effect, neither Jane and I could know what it was, so as to elicit real and natural responses from us. The only time I heard something of what they were planning was Loki vehemently protesting against something, although I wasn't sure what. Whatever it was, it couldn't be that bad because it looked like Thor was able to convince Loki do go along with it.

When they finally finished, Thor went back to Jane and Loki beckoned me back to his side.

"What I could've done with the power that runs through those veins."

"It would've consumed you."

"She's holding up alright. For now."

"She is strong in ways you could never even know."

"Say goodbye."

"Not this day."

"This day, the next, one hundred years, it's nothing! It's a heartbeat. You'll never be ready. The only woman who's love you prize will be snatched from you."

"And will that satisfy you?"

"Satisfaction is not in my nature." Well that certainly wasn't his attitude last night.

"Surrender is not in mine."

"Son of Odin–"

"NO! Not just of Odin! You think you alone were loved of mother? You had her tricks but I had her trust."

"Trust? Was that her last expression? Trust?! When you left her defenceless to die!?"

"What help were you in the hall!?" Thor advanced on Loki.

"I saved her. I SAVED HER LIFE!"

"But she's still gone. She's still as good as dead!" Thor grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him backwards against one of the engines, hand to his throat and the other ready to punch.

"She wouldn't want us to fight." Thor set Loki back on his feet.

"Well she wouldn't exactly be shocked." Thor smiled sadly.

"I wish I could knew if I could trust you." Some things would never change and it looked like Loki was truly hurt by his statement.

"Trust my rage." Loki whispered.

"You have your own mortal to lose. Why rub mine in my face when you know I can do the same?"

"Because I'll have three to four hundred more years to get her an apple from Idun." Thor opened his mouth.

"Don't ask." I cut him off as Loki pulled me back across his lap, "An apple from Idun?"

"Idun is the keeper of the golden apples of youth. She is also the goddess of youth and fertility. Whoever consumes one shall become immortal and be forever young."

"But why would it take you hundreds of years to get one?"

"Odin thought that she was being to lenient with who received the gift of immortality and for that, he banished her from Asgard. No one knows where she is now."

"But you think you can find her?"

"I am positive. She would have drawn attention in Vanaheim and Midgard and most of the realms cannot support her apples so that leaves Alfheim. I'll find her. I promise you." He whispered that last bit to me, his breath brushing the shell of my ear and making me shudder.

We flew around aimlessly for the next hour or so and Thor was growing more and more anxious by the second. At first, he spent every moment with Jane, trying to wake her up but she refused to stir. As more time passed, he floated around the speeder, looking at the wreckage from the battle more than five thousand years ago. Unlike Thor, Loki had no trouble staying in the same place. He was very content to stay sitting by the steering stick with me draped across his lap. His hands were in constant motion and he never had me stay in one position for too long. He and I both knew that I was trying to hide my soreness and discomfort left from last night and he was really making an effort to massage anything that hurt. After that, he settled for straddling me over both of his legs, keeping our fronts pressed together. I had my head resting on his unarmored shoulder and he leaned his on top of mine. To put the cherry on the cake, Loki had his hands on my back, angling his nails just right to scratch through my clothes.