700 FOLLOWERS - FEBRUARY 7, 2016
Chapter Fifty Nine
Lienna
Odin left me alone to walk the rest of the way to the room where the unnamed family member was, saying he had business to attend to. I did not linger on his words, I was far too excited to see a family member that wasn't a heartless old man.
Odin had guided me to an unfamiliar corridor, one that seemed less regal than the majority of the grand palace. I had to resist sprinting down the marble hall. I pulled open the door without bothering to knock, expecting an excited Queen Frigga. Instead, I saw Thor.
He looked exhausted and, as a result of that, older and more mature. I supposed I looked the same; recently, life had been all but peaceful. He smiled when he saw me, engulfing me in a warm hug.
"It is so good to see you not constantly surroundes by doctors," Thor said. "I apologize for the absence of my mother, she is visiting Loki."
"If she can visit him, then I suppose that is a wonderful sign," I sighed.
Thor nodded, gesturing for me to sit. He sat across from me, staring thoughtfully at his hands. I wanted to believe that the thick silence in the room was a comfortable and relaxing one, but I grew nervous with every passing second.
"Where is Jane?" I asked, attempting pitifully to alleviate tension.
Thor gave a quick smile. "Ah, Jane stayed on Midgard to act as a representative of Asgard for me. This whole... issue has made Midgard an unsafe place for us Asgardians, and a difficult one for those who associate with us. She will return to Asgard or I to Midgard when it seems safe, but for now, it is best for us to be apart."
I nodded. "I hope they are all safe. They did not deserve what happened to them."
"None of us did, you especially."
I swallowed, wincing at the pain it brought.
Thor leaned back into his chair, breathing deeply. "Lienna, I have spent all my waking hours thinking about this, worrying about you and about how this would affect you."
I sighed.
"And I know this might not seem like an option to you, but I believe that you do not have to forgive him for this." My mouth opened before my mind formulated a thought, so I simply gaped at him. He ran a hand through his hair. "I know, how could I ever dare to suggest that? Lienna, I love Loki, with all my heart, but he killed you. I once thought that Loki's mischief had limits, but seeing your lifeless body proved to me that he does not." He looked me in the eyes, and I could feel tears ready to flow. Thor had a very valid point, and did not hesitate to tell me my rights.
"It is not my decision to make for you, but do not feel obliged to forgive him just because you love him. I do not know his motives, or if he was possessed by some dark magic beyond his control, but I saw what he did."
I nodded, trying so hard not to cry that I nearly cried anyway. "I love him, Thor, but I don't know how much that love should encompass." I took a deep breath, rubbing my eyes. "I just want to see him, to talk to him."
"As do I, Lienna, but I am afraid he hasn't said much since the last time he saw you. He refuses my company and even occasionally denies our mother her right to be with him." Thor sighed deeply, closing his eyes and seeming as old as Odin in that moment. I felt as old as he looked, feeling exhaustion settle into my bones more than it had in a very long time.
"I just wish that all could be as easy as it was before," I said. "The night that I was Chosen, everything became incredibly difficult."
"But would you change anything about that night?"
I stayed silent. Of all the random yet existential thoughts I had had, this one had never really crossed my mind. Would I chose to love Ander though my better judgment said no? Would I have actually taken Ander's warning to not fall in love into consideration? No, definitely not. I wouldn't even change the fact that I was kidnapped by royal guards.
After a while, I shook my head. Thor smiled. "I would not change a thing either. As trying as life has been recently-" I smirked- "everything that I have learned and experienced has become too important to give up."
"But at the same time, it has been so painful I am amazed we all survived."
I saw his eyes glance at the brace around my neck for a moment. I realized then that that would never go away. The glances at me, the air of judgment that clouded everything that came to me, it would not leave.
Unless I could clear Loki's name of something, anything, I would be judged for the rest of my life. This was the life of anyone with any amount of power, but I was experiencing this on an extreme scale.
I was scared, absolutely terrified, but I could not give up when I had just begun. I needed to have hope. I needed see my husband.
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Sorry about the long, long wait! I've been sick and busy and in Disneyland!
Also, sorry about how awful this chapter is but Thor and Lienna needed some good family bonding and other necessary plot points.
love you all lots,
katiethenovelist
OH RIGHT thank you for 700 followers!