Book One: Worlds Apart (Loki)

Chapter Nineteen

1914: Kaja kneels picking herbs from her and Ark's garden, just something small she'd planted to help them both, gives them both something to focus on. She hums a little raising a bundle of lavender to her nose. Lavender is something she loves.

"It is time for you to return home" a voice states behind her. Kaja closes her eyes.

"My exile had no expiration date" she argues standing wiping her hands on her skirt. "I'd like to remain here" she turns to the figure.

"Your time here is over" he argues. "And you are to return home"

"I cannot just leave" she argues back.

"You have a duty...." she looks down. Feared this day would eventually come, she just kind of hoped she'd be the one to decide when she'd return home. She closes her eyes and clenches them tight hoping he'd go away. "Kaja" he states softly. "He will forgive you"

"But it will hurt" she whispers.

"Yes, it will" he agrees, she sighs and looks to him. She nods sadly and moves towards him. She can say no. But her family will make her return. And that would hurt more. He holds out his hand to her and she takes it. "For what it is worth" he starts. "He is a fascinating boy"

"Yes, he is" she whispers and then they vanish in a blast of light.

........

Ark sits outside the Abattoir, the house of the Mikaelsons. Kaja has vanished and the news coming out of the Quarter is that vampires are killing witches, so he, of course, fears the worse, and he can no longer feel her so the only thing he's come up with; is her death. And it's been three weeks. Most of which he's spent drinking rum and crying. And now he is being brave.

"For Kaja" he tells himself before standing and crossing the street towards where Katri is stood. "Excuse me. Katri Mikaelson" he states to get her attention, nothing threatening or alarming, nice and polite.

"Yes?" she asks looking over him.

"You don't know me" he starts, she sets a cigarette between her lips and raises an eyebrow. "I'm your son" the monkey on her shoulder looks to him as she does.

"Excuse me?" she asks him, no longer amused.

"I'm your son" he repeats. "My name is Arkin..."

"I don't have a son" she argues and starts to walk away.

"I was given to my parents by Esther" He tells her, she stops. "I have" he pulls his mother's letter out of his jacket. "A letter my mother wrote" he holds it out towards her. She looks over her shoulder at it. "Take it. Read it. And if you still don't believe me....then you don't believe me, but if you do....I urm...living in a small place just off the harbour...." he tells her and shakes the letter. Her eyes searching his.

"Why do you think..." she starts and stops.

"I urm...my parents used to know you from before....when you were human.....I can tell you things that aren't in the letter, that....that a witch told me" she moves back towards him. She takes the letter and raises an eyebrow.

"Like what?" she asks.

"My father, my real father....his name is Loki" she flinches slightly but covers it quickly. "And...he's not from around here" she opens the letter and starts to read it. "I get my magic from both of you and I get my....wolf from you and I think the reason I am still alive and young is him"

"I don't understand" Katri whispers, her eyes going over the letter again. "They told me..." she stops and looks to him, really looks at him. She hands the letter to the monkey who takes it as she moves closer to Arkin.

"I wasn't sure you'd be happy if I showed up" he whispers looking down as she moves closer still. "I mean...I wasn't sure why things....why I ended up with...." she lifts his chin and stares into his eyes. Checking. Seeing if he is lying to her. He can tell the moment she figures it out. The moment she realises who he really is. Can see it in her eyes. 914 years after his birth, she gets to meet her son.

"Your my son" she whispers, he nods.

...........

Ark walks with Katri. The monkey on her shoulder eyeing him carefully.

"Urm...the monkey?" he asks, she looks to him.

"I knew the pirate captain that he belonged to, and Jack here, he was cursed to be immortal" she offers holding out her hand, Jack takes her hand and lets her pull him forward into her arms. "So when the captain died...."

"He came to you?" he asks, she nods. "Did you want..." he pauses. "Did you want me?" he asks, she stops and turns to him.

"Arkin" she whispers. "I never wanted something more in my life" she admits. "Me and your father....we were happy, we were excited" she reaches up and strokes his cheek. She scoffs and shakes her head. "Mikael and Esther.....they destroyed everything"

"What happened to my father?" he asks her.

"He left" she answers and shrugs. "Who knows why or where or whatever....bloody left, doesn't matter" he watches her sadly and then takes her hand, she jerks slightly and looks to him. "What are you doing?" she asks him.

"I'm holding my mother's hand" he answers. She watches him sadly. They approach the small house just outside of the town, Katri frowns a little.

"This is where you live?" Katri asks eyeing the modest house that Ark and Kaja lived in.

"Yes" he answers.

"Alone?" she asks, he nods.

"Now, yes"

"Now?" she asks looking to him.

"My girlfriend.....died" he whispers, her looks turns sad. "Or ran away...." she touches his arm and he looks to her.

"You could move into the Abattoir" she offers. "We have the space and you could get to know your family...."

"Little soon for that" he counters. "I urm...I want to get to know you first" she nods and looks down. "Your family has it's...reputation" she nods a little.

"Yes, of course" she whispers. "Then how about lunch tomorrow?" she asks. He nods.

"Lunch sounds nice..." he holds up his hand to Jack. "Nice to meet you, Jack" Jack takes his hand and shakes, Katri watches. "Good night" Ark turns to Katri. "Tomorrow" he offers.

"Good night, Arkin" she whispers as he walks away. Katri watches him go sadly and looks up at the sky. "Loki" she whispers and then shakes her head walking away back towards the Abattoir.