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Destiny
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Blood just blood, the guilt was overwhelming.
I was the monster hiding under your bed, the villain in your bedtime stories.
The letter lay there covered in blood, the neat curls of the words smudged in red. By its side lay the stained silver dagger that fell with a clatter just after it ripped the life out of a soul.
My knees buckled beneath me as I collapsed to the floor. My eyes blur with hot tears flooding down my face. I brought shaky hands up to cover my eyes as if to tear myself away from what I had done.
I was so focused on defeating the Beserkian's that I lost myself. I left my home, my brothers, my parents in pursuit of this unrealistic revenge fantasy. They may have always been my enemy but I became their worst nightmare.
I can't do it anymore, I caused years of torture and pain to innocent people which inevitability lead to many suffering. I pulled my hands away to see blood all over, covering my face my dress and the body right in front of me.
I didn't know what to do, when to move, how to move on, but then a comforting hand rested on my shoulder, "hey it's ok." I soft masculine voice spoke.
I turned round to be met with a man, dark brown hair and warm chocolate eyes. He knelt down and held me at arms length, using his thumb to wipe the tears away.
I paused not believing who I saw my voice caught in my throat as he sent a comforting smile my way, captivating my eyes to draw them away from the blood.
"Riden," I mumbled softly.
"Yes love," he chuckled, "is it you, is it really you?"
"What, I've changed that much," I threw myself into his familiar arms and he embraced me tightly.
"How, what, why?" the questions raced around in my head "I thought my brothers were here."
"Oh, they are," he chuckled, I glanced to the side to see Thor and Loki on the floor barely hanging onto life.
I ran over my eyes not knowing what to focus on, blood everywhere daggers piercing their skin.
"You did this," Thor whispered before for his face dropped into nothingness.
"Loki," I whispered silently, "look behind you," were his last words.
Riden grabbed me round my torso standing me up remembering our many training exercises. A cool knife was placed on my throat ready to cut.
"You murdered my uncle, you will murder my father so I am here to get even, an eye for an eye," he whispered coldly into my ear.
"You messed the prophecy up, now there is no right path so out of the 6 of us there's only two left and soon there will be one," the dagger slices my neck.
Blood everywhere blood, I collapsed on the floor in a pool of blood by the side of my dead brothers.
"I want to you give this message for me," Riden's voice changed into nothing I've heard before, he didn't change his tone, it was someone else's voice.
"I no longer want you three just yet, but the Beserkian's do, and they are declaring war."
My vision started to black out, but yet I was still alive, Riden knelt down by me stoking a strand of red stained hair behind my ears, "do pass that message along."
He raised the knife plummeting down towards my face.
Darkness...
No pain.
No life.
No nothing.
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I woke slamming myself up right, nearly head butting the person next to me. I was covered in sweat and tears ... But; no blood no daggers no dead bodies.
"Honey, it's me your alright," I focused my dazed eyes upon the loving person in front of me.
"It was just a bad dream, your safe your home," she spoke softly dabbing a refreshing cloth along my forehead.
"Mother, it was real he-he gave me a message I-I he erm said," I started speaking faster and I was hyperventilating.
"Ok, ok sweet heart, we will talk outside in the fresh air," my mother rubbed my leg before standing and grabbing a dress out of my wardrope, "throw this on and meet me by your tree."
She smiled and walked out gently closing the door behind. I put on a long deep burgundy dress with gold detailing along the top and sides. Tying up a matching cape, I heading out of the door down the hall out to the open garden.
I walked down the same hallways I did as a child, feeling the cool marble on my bare feet. The air was cold which helped wake me up, there was the occasional scurrying of a mouse or hooting of an owl.
The dewy grass soaked my feet and the end of my dress as I walked through the familiar gardens. It was a maze of; trees, flowers, small streams with stepping stone's, which I walked over holding my dress as I went. I didn't need to think about where I was headed in the pitch black the directions where permanently in my brain from spending everyday running through these twisted gardens as a child.
Coming out off a rose arch I saw the ever aging tree, a single piece of rope left hanging from the long sturdy branch. Green branches paved a dark silhouette in the sky, beneath it sat my mother, elegant as always.
"I see the swing Loki built me broke," I spoke softly announcing my arrival.
"Yes, it weathered away, it hurt him when it broke Thor tried to convince him to fix it, but Loki simply said it provides me with a constant reminder that she's gone and theres no need replacing something just for it to wither away again like the memory of Kie."
A silent tear fell down my face as I sat next to mother resting my back against the rough bark of the tree.
"I will ask him to fix it," I mumbled quietly, "I'm sorry mother I really am I did not mean to, I don't know what came over me I just saw the palace halls again and the door and my powers were stronger than ever I-I just had to get away."
I couldn't hold back any more, the tears fell freely down my face, Frigga lifted an arm round my shoulder bringing me closer. My head rested in the crook of her neck, the sweet flowery smell of her perfume was comforting.
She sighed before speaking, "I know dear, I saw the look in your eyes the moment you stepped out of that godforsaken cell, you saw freedom and an overwhelming sense of power, you subconsciously felt you had to go to save your people fight for what you thought was justice."
"Why did you let father put me there I was only 16 I didn't know any better," I sobbed into my mother's now tear stained blue dress.
"I fought with him every night about that, so did your brothers, there was no swaying his mind," mother sounded guilty as if this was her doing "he said it would teach you a lesson so you would stop trying to take things into your own hands."
"Well, the only thing it taught me was how much I hate father and all other opposing people, also how the cell dividers don't match up with the lines on the stone slabs."
We sat in silence for a while gazing up at the stars, a question had been rattling around in my head for a while, "How did you know I was having a nightmare, I never make a noise when I do."
"I'm your mother." I raised my eyebrows not convinced, "I'm your witch mother, I sense these things and looked inside of your head watching you replay that scene, the guilt building each time."
"Someone said they had a message." Frigga hummed in response "they said I messed up the prophecy, but they no longer want me for now, however the Beserkian's do and they are declaring war."
Mother looked down at me carefully "I'm sure it was just the dream you know what really happened. Your brothers carried you out when you broke down after reading the letter, then they called for heimdal and you came home safe and sound."
"No, no, no it was real like it was defiantly real, his voiced changed it went dark and weird, alien like," I looked up panicked.
"Who changed?" I was reluctant to say his name, "who Kiara?"
"Riden."
"I am sure it is not real, but in the unlikely case that it is we are prepared and I will let father know," mother squeezed me tighter making me see that she was probably right.
"That boy Riden, you two were very close," I rolled my eyes at his name, "even though he left you on not very good terms I can see he did truly care for you and most likely still does."
"He manipulated me into liking him, dragged me out to be captured or killed, how can he still care," I sounded bitter as I spoke about him.
"But you would do the same for your father."
"Ha, he locked me in prison for a year he's lucky if I'm willing to talk to him," mother have me a warning glance for speaking about father like that, but chose to ignore it.
"What about your brothers you would do anything for them, you already have; sacrificing 32 years to find a way to protect them from the Beserker's, sneaking into Vanaheim to find a way to end it," my mother smiled and seemed, proud?
"You are amazing and have the capabilities to do incredible things, the future of Asgard looks brighter with you three," mother smiled kissing my forehead "but we need to keep that temper of yours in check, along with your communication skills."
She chucked as did I, we went back too gazing at the stars. Each night they move and change, but with decades watching them I've learnt many different patterns how each ones link, which realm is closer to which star.
"So, do you think I will be the first queen of asgard?" I smiled up hopefully.
She rolled her eyes as if to mentally prepare herself for the next centuries of rivalry over the throne, "potentially, but you have the biggest disadvantage."
"Yeah, yeah I know it's because I am the youngest and by quite a bit," I trailed on only to have mother interrupt me.
"Not just that, you have two older brothers, normally the throne goes to the oldest son which in this case is Thor," mother continued looking disappointed as she did, "however when your father was crowned king the alfather it was by his ageing fathers choice not by traditional age order we normally go by."
"Right ..." I was wondering where this is going.
"It means that now people are more willing to allow your father to chose the next ruler rather than it automatically be Thor," mother finished, although it seemed she had more to say.
"So actually any of us three could be the king, it's always been like that for us," I was confused this is what we had always been told.
Mother took a deep breath before starting, "your not only the youngest, but the only girl competing for the throne, meaning that nobles and the council men will just discard you from the decision all together. Your father has the final say, but he must please the nobles and council to keep this realm working as he gets older he will rely on them more and more."
"So basically I should give up all together," I flopped back against the tree feeling defeated, as I normally do.
"No, it just means you have to fight even harder than those two. I believe you are the right choice to be queen your a powerful goddess, caring, smart and devoted to protecting your people and family."
"But, I do not want to fight with Thor and Loki I only just came back and I don't want to spend the rest of our lives resenting each other," I quietly spoke.
"Its hundreds of years until that moment will come, enjoy the time you three have as youngsters," mother stood getting ready to head back "I love Kiara Odinsdottir and your brothers, I only hope for the best for you three and Asgard. Also don't worry about that message that's for me and your father to worry about not you dear." mother straightened my messy blonde hair out before heading back, presumably to sleep for the rest of the remaining night.
My hand came up to my neck to rub a silver necklace, it had only a small sapphire hanging from its dainty chain. I swear this was the thing that kept me grounded all these years, thanks mother the best birthday gift ever.
I sat back taking in the deep purple blues of the night sky, making patterns with the small silver orbs. The tranquil environment allowed me to think back over everything that has happened, everything I've learnt and done.
What a journey.
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