It was an unreal feeling, to be ushered down the long corridor with people lined up on either side staring and whispering. I would have minded more if I wasn't extremely nervous at the prospect of coming in front of a literal king of an alien planet.
When we arrive in front of the steps Thor and I will kneel before the Allfather. Try to curtsy like before but as low as you can without falling. Address him as the Allfather but only when spoken to. I was grateful that Loki provided me with the instructions Thor seemed to have forgotten. My nerves lessened somewhat until the large staircase approached us. On the top stood another staircase but this one seemingly painted in gold. It led up to a large golden throne where the man I barely recognised sat. The throne curled out to both sides in an intricate pattern and two black ravens sit on either side. On the back wall, as well as either side, stood a golden window which cast in light perfectly on the throne. On the throne was Odin, dressed in black Asgardian leather, looking similar to Thor's but with the arms covered. Instead of brown elements incorporated into the suit, golden features were weaved into the fabric. I noticed two empty golden panels in the same position where Thor's cloak attached to his armour. His eyepatch was now what looked like solid gold, and his grey hair cascaded softly across his shoulders. Once we arrived at the bottom of the steps Thor and Loki knelt to one knee and I curtsied in response, trying not to be completely embarrassed at the small wobble that occurred.
"Rise." He commanded, his tone harsher and colder than he had been in my memory. "My sons, what brings you back to the palace?" I don't know why I had expected Loki to speak for us. Maybe it was because of how perfectly he seemed to fit into the cold emptiness that surrounded this room. But it was Thor that spoke up.
"Father, we come here to seek understanding of the Lady Kaya's powers. However, I wish to ask permission for us to stay for the night in order to personally see to some of my duties." There was no emotion to Odin's face, a mask falling on him in the same way it once had Loki. Then his gaze fell from Thor and onto me. I stopped breathing as he looked over me, his emotionless was completely unnerving.
"Welcome, child, to the Royal Palace of Valaskjalf. You may reside here during your stay." I let out the breath I had been holding in relief.
"Thank you, Allfather." I cast my head down respectfully and kept it there until he spoke again. He brought the long staff he held up and brought it back down to the floor in a commanding strike. I froze slightly, worried I had done something wrong.
"The court will leave us." Everyone in the hall left us in a hurry and I realised now was the time I should have been the most nervous. Thor placed a reassuring hand on my arm, reminding me that he would protect me if it came to it. It did not help as the doors closed leaving us alone there.
"You may relax, my child. You are welcome in my palace, no harm will come to you here." His words were surprisingly reassuring, and I noticed the gentle tone from before. "You may also speak freely when we are alone. There is no need for such formalities now." I let my body relax and brought my head up fully. As I did, Thor also relaxed. Loki, however, stiffened at his words, watching the interaction unfold with hesitancy. Odin walked over to Thor and brought him into a hug, I noticed the brief tension in his muscles as his father embraced him, but he soon settled into it.
"Father, I was surprised to see Loki was allowed to ride the Bifrost." I noticed the optimistic hope in his voice as I remembered the words of warning Odin provided him all those months ago.
He will not be permitted to use the Bifrost until the time comes that he becomes worthy. There was no way his actions could have fooled Odin.
"Worry not, my child. Loki still has a long way to go before he proves himself worthy again." I sighed in relief, seeing Thor glance at me. He must have noticed by now the tension between his brother and me, probably suspected something had happened between us. He kept quiet but I saw the resolve in his eyes. I watched as Odin walked over to Loki who visibly stiffened too.
"My son, I know it will take more time to heal these wounds between us than we have. Although your intentions had been sinister, my time bound to Midgard proved useful. Had it happened a millennium earlier I do believe that I would have behaved towards you differently. Maybe then Frigga would still be around to be proud of the man you are becoming."
Odin offered his hand out to Loki, who took it in silence. The expression on Loki's face tugged at my heart in a way I didn't think possible. He seemed so vulnerable here in a way he had never been on Earth. It brought me back to the moment I had showed him his room. He looked so frightened then, I realised, frighten of the kindness he was shown. Perhaps he regretted his plan for a moment. Perhaps there still was someone in there who was worth trying to bring out. As quickly as it came the look vanished as Loki's cold demeanour settled over him once more. I heard Thor's sigh and smiled briefly at him in reassurance.
"May I see how your seiðr behaves with her magic?" Odin asked. In an instant Loki's green seiðr flowed brightly around him. It wisped around him like smoke and filled the room with warmth. My eyes fluttered close at the feeling. It had been a long time since I felt him with full access to his power, and I had never felt it when he wasn't baring hostility towards me. I could feel it seeking for mine, it coated my skin and sent a wave of warm pleasure throughout me. It would have been unnerving had it not rendered me totally calm. I felt my magic react, expanding out from my body. When I opened my eyes I noticed a golden glow around me. I did not attempt to hold it back, feeling a weightlessness when it was free for the first time. It slotted against Loki's seiðr before wrapping around his body in the same fashion. I noticed how his eyes closed and his lips parted, realising it caused the same reaction to his body. Then his eyes snapped open, and I felt a panic surge within him as he tried to call back in, but my magic held his in place, refusing to let go.
I realised I would have to actively try to let go for it to stop, but everything in me was telling me not to. I felt power surge within me, so much stronger than before. But it didn't feel out of control in a normal way, instead it steadily increased, reacting not only with Loki but also made it's way to the very core of the planet. It belonged here, I realised. Not all of it, no, only a small part that tried to reach out into Asgard itself.
"Kaya... please." I turned to him and noticed how out of control he looked. He stood there completely vulnerable, like he had been exposed in a way he wasn't used to. His face was almost innocent, similar to a small child as he pleaded with me to let go.
"B-but it feels... like I have to allow it. I've never felt so... free, so complete." I whispered, he tugged at it again and I let his seiðr go. It felt like part of me was ripped away and a small shriek left my lips as my magic tore his back to me. It settled back over me, calming my panic. That was when I became scared of what was happening. Suddenly, my magic filtered back into my body. I noticed Loki stumble slightly towards me as I did before the green energy was absorbed.
"Father, what is happening?" Odin did not respond, instead casting his eyes solely on me.
"My child, what are you able to remember about gaining your powers?" My brows creased in concentration as I tried to break through the fogginess that coated all of my memories of Hydra. They had become somewhat clearer here than they had on Earth.
"I... I'm not sure of the timescale. I remember them bringing the sceptre in and it having this weird energy, unlike what it still possess. I glowed in this greenish hue–" As I talked memories became clearer and I realised it had taken on this green power. "I-I was the first one they experimented on... I think my hair was shorter then." I gasped as I recalled standing by the sceptre in front of a mirror... I looked so foreign but knew it was me. "My hair it was just brown, my eyes too. Hydra... they didn't know what they were doing. It wasn't nearly as quick as when they experimented with the volunteers. I remember..." I stopped talking as I tried to remember my time there clearer. "It was a bit later, my hair was at my shoulders. I gained access to powers but not like these." I gasped as memories flooded back. Images of green energy swirling around me. How the sceptre redirected the energy it had gained into me well before the mind stone was used to do so. "No, no it can't be." Odin just smiled softly at me. I heard Loki's annoyed complaints and in the corner of my eyes saw Thor's utter confusion.
Without a word, I walked over to Loki and took his wrist, bringing his hand up to my forehead. He entered my mind without hesitation as I showed him what happened. How the sceptre seemed to grant me powers on two occasions. The later turning my eyes gold and making my hair take on a goldish hue. But it was the first one that I believed explained everything. How overtime I developed green powers. He hissed harshly before stepping back well aware from me.
"This is not possible!" He yelled to no one in particular.
"It seemed the sceptre itself was able to draw power from you over time, my son. You can feel the magic within her, you feel it settle over your skin as if it was your own. This is not artifice, boy. Part of your seiðr resides in her." I couldn't place the emotions that flooded Loki's eyes before he stormed out. I went to go after him, but Thor held my forearm.
"It is not wise to seek out my brother in this moment, Lady Kaya." Deciding he was right, I stayed, leaving me to process this information all alone. Part of my magic was his, it fused with the energy from the mind stone and left me like this. It was why Wanda and Vision could never really help me control it, and why I could feel Loki's magic even when it was almost completely bound.
"Thor, you may wish to visit Lady Sif and the Warriors Three now. I will make sure Lady Kaya returns to you shortly."