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Friend or foe
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I ran back into the maze of flying axes, blood and crys full of anguish. Thor sat helplessly trapped in amongst the debris from my explosion yesterday, Loki lay by his side slowly regaining consciousness struggling in the handcuffs.
I flung my sword in every direction cutting my way through, blasting the soldier's out of my way until I could finally reach my brothers.
"Thor, Loki!" I yelled out of breath running to their sides.
My eyes quickly flicked between them and the surroundings looking for anything to help them. "Hold still," I told Loki as I prepared to yet again free him from his bounds.
"I would not do that if I were you little one," a cold harsh voice spat, I felt the end of a cool silver point pressing on my neck "Now everyone stand down."
I heard the entire army drop their weapons and calm their cries. I felt all eyes on me as I sat knelt in front of my petrified looking brothers both unable to speak. The blade pressed even further into my neck, as I felt the slow warm trickle of blood run down my back.
"Now stand and face me unless you want them to slice their necks," a corse voice spoke, two large warriors placed giant daggers to Thor and Loki's throats.
As I was told I rose slowly turning round cautiously to be faced with my enemy "Dolan," I murmured to myself.
"Yes dear, now your little escape was quite inconvenient for me, but at least you came back and now I have even more of you." he glanced behind me.
"Give me one good reason why I should not blow this entire camp up," I spoke daring to take a step closer.
"Because you would risk killing those big brothers of yours or if they are not enough of a persuasion trust me I get how irritating siblings can be, how about him," Dolan smirked as his arm moved to reveal Riden slowly walking forward.
His head hung low eyes unable to meet mine, his gash from the other day has reopened and looked sore. I could feel the stress in me boil up knowing that I would be fully responsible for our safe escape. My mind would tick back to any life lecture my father gave or magic lesson with mother in a desperate attempt to source a plan, but mainly for my own comfort against this alarming situation.
"What do you want with me?"
"Truthfully I want nothing to do with you," Dolan found this far to amusing for my liking.
"It is not I who wants you, but that monster I was on about has taken quite the interest in your powers."
"And what of my brothers," I heard my brothers muffled screams from behind.
"They have their own destinies, destinies we can alter," his eyes wavered between mine and the two behind me as his grip on the impending sword tightened.
"Really that is all your going to say just cryptic little messages, because I know your covering for someone and if your dead then I can go and talk straight to the big man in charge not his useless little bitch," I pinched the end of the silver blade moving it an inch from my neck.
My now pure white eyes pierced his shaken ones, slightly put back by my confidence and change in eye colour. My hand slowly started manipulating the air around causing a strong wind to surround the decimated battlefield.
"Stop this now or I will have them lash your precious brothers necks," I looked back round to see the two warriors push the swords precariously close to their necks until a tiny trickle of blood leaked down Loki's deep green armour.
At the sight of that the atmosphere grounded to a holt; trees stopped violently shaking, the soaring dust and debris settled as did our hair and lose armour. Most of all silence fell over the crowd it was as a quiet as an abandoned building left to rot.
"Now look back at me girl," Dolan spat, but I could not meet his eyes again, how in the heavens would I get out of this, "I said now," he yelled through his gritted teeth.
Dolan quipped his sword and used it to drag my cheek over so I would be facing him, leaving a deep gash in its memory.
"That will probably leave a mark princess, is that not similar to the scar a simple asgardian Lord once bore, that is until you killed him in cold blood quite literally with ice and all, I love the irony of that consider this a token of your brutality you once gave us Beserkians a constant reminder of what you have done."
I felt a hot tear burn my bleeding wound, I don't know whether this is because of the sheer amount of pain flowing through my body or the pain of knowing we may truly not get out of this situation alive.
Wordlessly I looked to the ground not knowing what to do "does that hurt little one oh well, boy come and cuff her," I glanced up to Riden timidly walking forward with a familiar set of cuffs.
He stopped, I wondered why Dolan would use him to do this and why not have him magically stuck like my brothers. For the first time since he told me to run Riden looked into my eyes, guilt filled every emotion in him I could tell his mind was conflicted. Once those power cancelling cuff are on we are not getting out alive.
"Riden please I can get us out of here just trust me," I pleaded with him whispering as he got closer.
"I cannot do this," he swiftly backed away tapping his hand twice on his sword as he moved "Come on kid you have your orders, I quite enjoy this lovers quarrel."
"But sir is there not another way without her," he begged Dolan, confusion wafted over me, although a plan sprung into mind as he gave a signal I hadn't seen in a while.
"Get over it Riden you know there is no other way."
Ignoring Dolan's words I watched carefully as Riden reproach me, I held both my hands out in anticipation. Just before he could strap on the first cuff I jolted my hand forward grabbing the sword attached to his waist. Using my free hand to push Riden behind me my sword now clashed with Dolan's, surprised I got the immediate advantage. Our fight did not last long, using the earth I tripped him sending him flying on his back. Before he could react I stood on his sword yet again letting the power of the earth shatter it my other boot was placed on his collar bone as I pointed Riden's sword directly at his neck.
"Make the most of your enemies weakness, yours was having a sword fight with the goddess of element's," I heard Thor snigger in the background.
"Men drop your swords and free those two," I ordered them "and do not even think about touching him," I pointed to Riden.
Slowly, but surely they released their grip on them, Thor was now free from the rubble magically holding him down, both still had magic cancelling handcuffs on, but no longer had a dagger to their throats. I felt a controlled smile rise on my face as I looked down to see the helpless leader before me.
"I am sure the allfather the king of Asgard will love to know what has happened here," I mocked him.
"I am sure he will princess," a familiar voice spoke behind me
Spinning round a sense of relief filled me "Lord Arvid you are here look what me and your son have accomplished we should head back now so father can see him for himself," my smile grew as did my brothers.
"Yes that would be nice, except." he grabs my wrists binding them in the cold hard francium "Your coming with me now."
"What?"
"Wh-hat, why your your Arvid a Vanaheim noble one of my father's most trusted friends and my, my best friends father." a mess of words fell out of my mouth as I watched in complete and utter shock.
"Yes well, the world is full of lies and betrayal in amongst its darkness," his dark eyes glared at me then to my brothers behind me "silence them and take them to the ship."
"Now wait a minute," Loki yelled, before anyone else could say anything a small piece of metal technology wrapped around their mouths so they were now unable to speak again.
"Wait!" I spoke load and firmly holting everyone's actions "at least explain to us why you are doing this to us what made you betray us."
I pleaded with him hoping to buy time, I looked over to see Riden shift uncomfortably he yet again cannot meet my eyes.
"Very well," he concluded, my brothers stood behind be with a warrior on each arm. I stood directly in front of Arvid hands stuck in the cool metal stopping any powers from getting through the only way we knew to break them was my fire.
"I assume you have heard the basics of this tale," he seemed impatient "yes," I mumbled.
"Well, the big old monster came to our planet killing hundreds, father decided to pledge out loyalties to him in order to save our people. However when our army was recruited to help demolish other planets my father refused evacuating people to other realms and planets splitting us up in order to prevent the inevitable."
"That is why you are scattered across many realms," I interrupted.
"Yes, I always knew you were the smart one. So as you can probably guess the creature found a large group planning to diverse across 10 planets and killed them all. It is known as the night of the brave Beserkers where our battle cry came from."
"So then me and my brother made an agreement to kill our father for his betrayal saying we would do his bidding for the safety of our people," Dolan walked over standing by Arvid's side.
"You and uncle Dolan killed my grandfather?" Riden spoke up staring at his father completely shocked.
"Uncle?" I breathed.
"Yes son we did and had no choice but to, anyway by moving to Vanaheim and keeping the different tribes scattered he forgot about our deal, until you three were born. He then decided he wanted you all for your powers. He ordered my men to hunt you down over the years and finally we have got you so now our debt is over and my people are free to be happy and safe together once more, it is a shame it took 3000 years to get to this point."
"Did Riden know about this," I asked quietly.
"Yes he knew every part and played a great part in the plan."
My mind was racing with all different assumptions "What plan?"
"Well, we needed a way in, I was a well respected noble but that was not close enough we needed someone very close to one of you and considering you were Riden's age and desperate for love and attention you were the perfect target," Arvid smirked patting his son on the back.
"So your saying every moment we had, everything you have ever said to me, everything we have done together was a lie it was all part of a fucking plan to bring me and my brothers in," I edged closer with every step getting quieter until I could practically whisper to him.
Rage filled me like it never has before.
"Kie listen at the start yes it was, but I was young I did not understand and then when I had to get closer to you it was all planned, but then I strayed away from the plan be-because I, I may have actually ... Fallen in love with you," he slowly walked backwards with my advancing steps holding his hands up in surrender, Riden's soft chocolate eyes pleaded with mine for forgiveness.
Before I could get any closer two guards grabbed onto my arms pulling me back to be in line with Thor and Loki who send reassuring glances as they could still not speak.
"No, don't you dare say that, it was all fake everything that happened you manipulated me to do, was it supposed to go that far" I want to know whether our night, a night I had been looking forward to for my entire life was not wasted on someone who didn't even care for me.
"It was not supposed to go that far, but I fell for you I truly did everyday I would dread for what would happen when today came, I tried Kie, I tried to get you to escape we could have gone on the run together forever. But you broke that promise you came back when I told you to go," he walked back over to where he was stood before, only to have his father plant a hand on his shoulder pulling him back.
Arvid smacked his son hard round the head "number one rule do not fall in love with your enemies, what do you mean you tried to let her escape," Arvid's voice was cold and dark, I have never heard him speak like this.
"Why do we have to do this why not fight back or send Thor and Loki saving her," Riden pleaded with his father, he was full of emotions about to let them slip.
"Because he threatened your life, if I did not bring in the three children of Odin he would kill you and making you part of the plan made your existence more necessary for him," Arvid replied.
"I do feel bad for you three trust me, watching you four grow up together will always be the highlight of my life and I, like Riden got close to you and handing you three over will be hard, but I must do what has to be done to save my people and my son, tell me you wouldn't do the same," though this plan was cruel it did have another side to its dark tale.
Silence, I was lost for words one moment I had everything; I saved my people from the Beserker's by capturing their leader saving my brothers, I finally proved to father I was good enough and I had a someone who loved me dearly.
Now that's all changed because of him.
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