The next morning they ducked out of the cave, it was now quiet and calm with no sounds of crying or darkness looming. They walked through the vegetation of the dense rainforest . It was hot and humid, the leaves and plants were wet from overnight rainfall and the intermittent cool breeze and smell of rain was a comfort to Y/N, reminded her of home. Her mind drifted to the past and her first day on Asgard and how she got there, she had been wondering for some time if she had been sent on purpose or if it was merely a coincidence.
More and more it had seemed like the former. I mean, who opens up a portal in Manchester for gods sake? And in a car park of a car showroom? All these things happened in New York for sure but never the UK. As the group walked following the map, Y/N turned to Nitid. 'Look, I'm sorry for what I said back there. I didn't mean to upset you or to make you feel bad about the past. Nothing we can do about it and you were just doing the best you could.'
Nitid smiled, 'No, I understand. I can't imagine what you went through or how your life was different to others. I couldn't be a mother. Your life would have had nothing with me. You needed to be with other mortals.'
'Yeah, I get it, I just... I would have appreciated some kind of connection with you? Or maybe even just a visit or something?'
'I couldn't just visit you, it never would have worked. You would never have accepted when I would have to leave.'
'How do you know? I could have been happy knowing you-'
'Because I tried.' Nitid blurted.
Everyone turned including Brokkr. The outburst had shaken Nitid and her usual cool composure.
'When you were a child, I came to see you. You were around six years old. I watched you in the play ground on your own and I came and spoke to you. I told you everything and I told you how much I wanted to bring you home with me but I couldn't. I told you just how lucky you were and that one day you would understand.'
'How come I don't remember?' Memories raced through Y/N's mind and she could not recall anything.
'You wont. When I walked away you tried to follow me. I didn't know. When I turned you were in the middle of the street, you know you had no sense of danger. From the first time I dropped in on you, I knew you were a little dare devil. You were hurt in that road, and I realised then that I couldn't even protect you from the every day.'
'Okay, you're talking about someone else because I never was in a car accident. I was never hurt this is insane!'
'Yes you were! I healed you! I healed you, took away the memory and put you on the other side. The school found you in the park across the road.'
Y/N was quiet, she remembered that day. She remembered walking across the road and then playing on the swings and slide when a teacher brought her back. She remembered them asking how she got out, and why she left. she couldn't remember, only that she wanted to leave and walk across the road.
'I remember that day. They kept asking me why I left, where was I going. I couldn't remember. My mother was furious. They just thought I ran away to the park.'
'And that is why, I never took you back.' Nitid said quietly. 'I could never be a mother to you.'
Y/N nodded and tried to come to terms with what Nitid was telling her. She took a deep breath before turning to the group. 'Right guys, let's get to this ship. Stop all the dilly dallying.'
In an uncomfortable silence they journeyed on, Loki staying close to Y/N and hoping he would not touch her as she could feel at any moment her heart would break from her mothers rejection and admission.
They were almost at the camp, when Thor took a look at the map. 'This is wrong.' he said confused, 'This map says the settlement is back where we came?' They all huddled round to see the changed map, it was indeed behind them.
'I don't understand, I followed it to the letter.' Y/N was frustrated and put her hand to her head rubbing it tiredly.
'This... THIS is clever.' Laughed Brokkr.
'Mind sharing the joke?' Loki snapped, Y/N put her hand to him to stop him sniping further. 'Oh Loki, a great trickster like yourself should see what is happening surely?' Brokkr teased and took the map from Thor 'It's a game, and you know how I like games.'
Loki sighed, and looked down at the parchment and saw that he was indeed right. 'It's the planet itself. It is moving, changing, making those who trek its earth lost.' Loki seemed to admire the whole thing, like it was a work of art. This unsettled Y/N a bit but she quickly pushed her worry aside.
'This Nanny person. She has to be doing this. It can't be anyone else surely?' She took out her daggers, the blue gems shining in the sun, 'I say, let's bring her to us. Let's end this once, and for all.'
'And how do you plan to do that? It's not like we know where she is?' Thor reasoned.
Y/N took a moment and realised that they didn't need to know, just listen.
'We know she takes orphans, right? Well then she is already after me. I dont need to find her I need her to find me. Thor, do you think you can help stratagise? Help us take the high ground?'
'You can count on me.' Thor nodded, 'And Brokkr, I think we are going to need help.
Thor began planning with Nitid and Brokkr on how to use Y/N to their best advantage. Loki pulled Y/N to one side with a look of concern 'You can not offer yourself up as bait. My oaf of a brother may agree with your foolish tac tic, but I do not. I won't allow you to do it, I forbid it.'
She shook her head, 'You can't stop me. I do what I want, and I choose this. I am tired of this, aren't you Loki?'
He nodded reluctantly, the last thing he wanted was for her to be bait, but he knew he couldn't stop her from whatever she set her mind to.
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Y/N had the plan set. If Nanny wanted to take her, she could come get her. There was not a chance in hell she was going down without a fight.
The plan itself would require more power than she had been trained with by Brokkr, and would take more cunning than she could muster.
As she prepared herself, she felt someone approach behind her. It was Brokkr. He smiled a little then delved into his pocket. 'I believe this is your trinket.' He produced the pendant necklace Frigga had given Y/N, wich had the Swan symbol and promised good fortune.
'I really don't want it. It's not like it will be any use to me now.' She smiled sadly with a reslute expression.
'Take it. It should be with it's owner. Here.' He cast his hand over the pendant, and it glowed blue.
'It should protect you now as well.'
Y/N held her hand out as he let it fall into her palm, and looked sorrowful at it. It reminded her of the lost future and how she would need to tell Loki soon.
She placed the pendant around her neck and smiled ruefully.
'Are you ready to go?' Loki asked as he walked over and took her arm.
'Yes, I'm ready.'
'You don't have to do this,' Nitid assured 'let me handle her, then you and the others can leave.'
'I'm not leaving you here. We're leaving this place together or not at all I won't have it any other way.' Y/N picked up her bag and began to walk towards their next stop. 'And I trust you.' Y/N said with a smile.
Nitid smiled back and took Y/N's hand. 'I won't let you down.'
'Well then, you know what you are doing then?' Loki asked impatiently.
'I do.' Replied Nitid.
'Then I will go with Brokkr until it's time.' Y/N said with a nodded to brokkr and they stayed off into the forest.
Nitid waited a good deal until she was sure they were hidden away, and began to work. Summoning blue fire through her hands she began torching everything around her.
'Come out Nanny, or I will burn your planet to nothing!' Fire consumed the plants and raised fumes into the air. Thick black smoke filled the atmosphere and the sound of cries filled the air.
'I wouldn't do that if I were you.' A dull, dispassionate voice came from the shadows. 'My lads don't like that.'
'Gryla?' Thor stepped forward, he recognised the women instantly. Gryla was a witch that had been banished to Midgard many years ago, after her being guilty of consuming bad children, and making orphans of good children only to adopt them and take them to her home.
As she stepped forward, the group could see her, 6ft hardened woman with white hair, clothing old and of Asgard.
'You were banished, witch. Your crimes in Asgard and in Midgard are well noted.'
'Well, well, if the little prince has grown into a princess. Your father banished me that is true, but on reality he did me a great favour. For centuries I have been taking children, giving them better homes than what their parents could give them.'
'If by that you mean killing their parents and kidnapping them. And now, you're after my child?' Nitid seethed. Loki observed the anger which emanated from Nitid and it was dark and hateful.
'I could have taken her long ago, but your wards kept her from me. You know the agreement. I take any gifted child in the galaxy abandoned or orphaned.' Said Gryla resentfully.
'Well then you better take her!' Brokkr pushed Y/N through the trees as she struggled from his grip. She said nothing but looked wildly around at the others, then at Loki.