"Of course, Your Majesty. " I say, putting my helmet on my head and teleporting away, banishing the confusion far from my head. The use of Asgardian magic would be difficult for anyone, yet not me. My heritage is half goddess and half-Yggdrasil knows what.
My mother was a goddess, but died giving birth to me. That's what I was told as a child, anyway. After the royal guards found me. I shook the memory from my head and drew my sword, Dygö, from its scabbard, my heartbeat thrummed in my ears as I casted all distractions into the vault in my head that I often visited in these scenarios.
I charge down the hall of the prison, scanning the cells with keen eyes. When I found the one we had put the Frost Giants in originally, I noticed it was indeed, as Odin said before, empty. I cursed under my breath, grunting in frustration. I noted that the force field that guarded the outside from the prisoners was down, the device attached to the wall that operated it unharmed, I noted. I walked up to the device and ran my fingers over it, checking for any abnormalities, but finding none.
Seconds later, the sound of urgent footsteps coming toward me snapped me out of my detective-mode. I saw Cain, an Asgardian prison guard, striding toward me. His helmet sat atop his head with long golden horns that reached up and arched inward with whorls and designs coating them. I frowned in distaste to his elaborate helmet, but shoved that into the back of mind.
I tore my eyes from the sight in front of me and looked at Cain. "How long have they been gone?" I grunted, gripping the handle of Dygö tightly until my knuckles went white. Cain eyed my frustration with caution, knowing I was no pushover.
"They went missing about an hour ago, during the transition time of guards. They must've waited for the guards to leave their posts," Cain said, squinting suspiciously at empty cell. I stared at Cain hard, meeting his blue eyes with skepticism. I touched the hilt of Dygö, taking a menacing step forward. Cain flinched. "Tell me, general. I want you to look me in the eyes and tell me the truth," I drew the sword quickly, and Cain gasped as I pressed the tip the the dip of his throat. "Do you know anything about who did this?" I said, pressing lightly on the blade. Cain shook his head. "N-no, I swear," he said, his nervousness coating his words like a blanket, increasing my aggravation. Dygö, the sword that reveals the truth, hummed in response. Telling me that Cain spoke the truth. I smiled and left Dygö leaning against the wall, satisfied with his answer. "Good," I said, turning swiftly away from him. I approach the device and press a few buttons, squinting at it.
I spent the rest of the day with Thor searching for the Frost Giants. When the sun was setting and it seemed all hope is lost, Thor finally said, "Let's call it a day, they've probably escaped already if we haven't found them." I nodded in agreement. "Tomorrow we need to interrogate the guards on duty, there's no way the force field just malfunctioned. I believe we have a traitor among us," I tell Thor. He nods and pats my shoulder. "Do not forget to bring that sword of yours. It comes in handy," Thor said with a wink, I chuckled dryly. "Like I would ever venture anywhere without Dygö," I said with a grin, he gives me a knowing smile and continued to walk along the palace halls.
Thor has always been a close partner of mine, our bond as tight as that of a brother and sister's. We've fought together and we're brought up together our whole lives.
Although he is to be my king soon, I hope we still remain best friends, even though soon my job would be to guard him with my life, though that wouldn't be a problem. I would die for anyone in the Odin's armada, especially Thor.
I teleported to my chambers, I usually don't, but I was tired and worn out and aggravated.
I'd plopped myself onto my bed after peeling off my heavy armor, leaving myself in my robes and leathers and not bothering to change. I'd laid down for only a few seconds before a knock sounded at the front door and I groaned, rolling over and hoping whoever it was would go away. "The day has expired, come back tomorrow." I called, not weighing the consequences of my words as I shoved my head into my pillow. A soft, muffled laugh came from the door and the knock repeated.
I sat up abruptly, my hair tufting around my face and I blew it away in aggravation, the only man brave enough to knock again would be Thor, so I prepared myself to kick his ass.
I threw my legs over my bed and made my way to my door, fully prepared to kill him where he stood.
"Thor, what the hell do you-"
To my surprise when I jerked open the door, Loki was standing with an amused sneer on his face, who looked down at my roughed hair and angry expression and stifled a laugh. I flinched at the sight of him and tried to shove my anger down so I would not do something I would regret. "L-loki-" I exhaled in surprise."Hello, my dear." He says, a smirk thick in his tone. His voice took on a flirtatious drawl, and I began to fear if he tries to aggravate me I won't be able to hold my tongue. "My liege, what brings you here?" I ask, at this unholy hour, I wanted to add but help my tongue. "No need to be so formal, you can just call me Loki." He says, a sly grin curling his lips. "Ah, yes of course." I say, smiling sheepishly and rubbing the back of my head. "And to answer your question, I found this." He says, holding something in his hand I hadn't noticed before- my sword. I stared at Dygö with my mouth wide, then I jerked my head behind me to my empty scabbard that I'd kicked off with my armor. Had I not just had it moments ago? I'd never forgotten it anywhere before. I looked back at him and graciously accepted my sword that was extended in his hand. "U-um, thank you," I stuttered, still shocked I'd forgotten my most prized possession, I thought back, when did I have it last? I know I did at least moments ago with Thor, could I have dropped it in the hall?
"I found it in the dungeons if you were curious," Loki said, then I remembered that I had left it against the wall. I was so out of it I'd forgotten my sword, I stroked Dygö's hilt, as if to apologize to it. "Thank you, lord. Truly." I said, finally looking up. He nodded. "I thought you never ventured anywhere without your beloved sword." He smirked, propping his elbow on the doorframe, I frowned at his gesture. "It's not as if I could lose it, Dygö always returns to my hand." I said, making my point by holding my sword in my left hand then swiping my right, and Dygö conjured in my right and disappeared from my left. Loki's lip tugged up in amusement. "What a loyal piece of steel," he commented, and I rolled my eyes and smiled as I twisted Dygö in my hands.
"What were you doing in the dungeons, anyway?" I piped, the thought coming into my head suddenly. He grinned at me then, pushing his tongue through his two front teeth. "Oh you know, visiting friends," Loki sneers, I exhaled a brief laugh and brushed it off. "Well, I won't keep you a moment longer at this unholy hour," Loki said, tilting his eyebrows up at me when he threw my thoughts back at me. I furrowed my eyebrows at him, but he just scoffed before dipping his shoulders in a mocking bow before turning to leave. "Wait, Loki?" I call, grabbing his hand before he leaves. "Thank you for the gifts." I say. He looks down at my hand that grasps him and I jerk it away, shyly pulling it behind my back. "My pleasure" And after that, he was gone, and not long afterward, I collapsed onto my sofa, not even bothering walk a few feet to the bed.
--
The next day seemed to drag on, though I usually love my duties and give them my full attention, I seemed to be in a daze all day, thinking about Loki in my room the night before. I tried not to let myself think of it very long, for the interrogation of my own men needed my full attention, I drifted off far more than I intended. Thor seemed to notice and said "Not in it today, my dear Lady Lyra?" He chuckles. I smile at him. "I guess I just slept weirdly, I don't know what has gotten into me." I say sheepishly.
Thor looks at me with a knowing look. "Let us gather some guards to check Asgardian homes, we do not know whether or not we have a traitor here in Asgard." Thor says. I almost scoffed. "I still can't believe you left Delian off the hook. He couldn't have been more incriminating," I said, crossing my arms as I faced him, he smirked. "The sword does not make mistakes, you of all people should know that." He said pointedly, I sigh deeply and nodded, running my fingers absentmindedly on the hilt of Dygö. I nod again, fulfilling the order he gave me.
After a long day of searching for the escaped Frost Giants, we finally called it a day. We had almost searched all of Asgard, but no luck. We questioned everyone on guard duty that night, but to no avail. I went to the training grounds to make up for the training I missed out on, but no one was there, probably because of how late it was. I unsheathe Dygö and hold it in my hand, shifting my feet in a battle position when a voice spoke in my head. "It's a little late to be training" It startled me and I whipped my head to the side, raising my sword in a battle ready position. When I bumped into Loki, I was so embarrassed I stumbled backwards, running into the rack of double bladed swords.
The swords fell off and landed on my ankle, cutting into the skin under the weight of the bar. "Loki for the love of Asgard!" I said under my breath, pain bursting through my ankle and I cried out in anguish. "Oh, Lyra I'm sorry." I heard Loki say, panic in his voice. I didn't bother to be formal as I pressed my fingers to the wound after kicking the bloodied sword aside.
He rushed over to my side and helped me up. Once I stood on my two feet my knee buckled and I almost hit the ground, but Loki caught his arm beneath my shoulder blades and his other arm under my knees, setting me down so I sat on the concrete and he kneeled next to me, searching for whatever harm befell me. "What did you hurt?" Loki asked. I gestured toward my foot and said, with a glare, "My ankle." I huff, a little peeved. He was about to bend down to tend to my foot when I ushered him off. "It's alright. I can take care of it." I insisted, bending over to inspect my ankle further, the cut was minor compared to the pain, and I imagined it was most likely sprained and I suppressed my annoyed sigh.
Sprained limbs were usually more difficult to heal.
Me being who I was, I had certain abilities that pertained uniquely to myself, one of those powers is the ability to heal. But it was a rarity among powers and only existed among the Goddess of Healing, so I couldn't show others. Per His Royal Majesty's orders, I kept it confidential. Though Odin's reasoning was questionable and I was confused to no end about it.
"Nonsense. Let me help." He insisted. "Loki, it really is nothing to worry about-" "I said, let me help." He ordered sternly, glaring at me stubbornly. Heat flashed in his eyes and he pinned me in place with his stare, my stomach flipped with that glance and it seemed as if he would never let this go. He couldn't just let me handle it, no, he had to be helpful, I thought irritably. And of course, he wouldn't let up about it, so I stopped fighting. I sighed and he chuckles and bends down to look at my ankle. He presses on my ankle and causes me to wince, the gash on my ankle stinging with the pressure of his fingers. "Ah, I am sorry." Loki says.
"By Valhalla!" Loki said, moving my baggy pant leg up my calf to better examine the cut under it, his knuckles brushing my skin as he did so and sending goosebumps down my skin. "I didn't realize it was cut, I will take you to the healers. You wouldn't want that to become too serious," Loki said, I frowned at the guilt in his voice, but I shook my head. "I can attend to myself, it is barely bleeding. I needn't healing magic. But thank you, Lord-, er, I mean Loki. " I said hurriedly, pushing myself up with my hands and onto my feet, rolling my ankle to try and bring some relief to it, but still I put too much trust in it when I tried to stand and my ankles gave out, I yelped in surprise and almost fell again but Loki shot up and steadied me.
His hands braced my waist, holding me flush against his chest and hooking an arm across my back to hold my weight. We were so close that my face hovered over his shoulder, I gripped his shoulders tightly to suppress the pain in my ankle. Inhaling sharply through my nose, as I shifted my weight onto my other ankle, although it wasn't necessary because Loki held me so close that he supported me fully, my feet on the ground had no purpose as Loki was the one keeping me up. "So you don't need any help?" Loki chuckled, and I couldn't help but laugh breathlessly. "Perhaps I overestimated my ability to stand up straight," I breathed, amused at my own clumsiness. Loki laughed lowly, the noise rumbling in my ears, he dipped his head so his lips were near my ear. "Maybe that's just my affect on you, my dear." Loki hummed flirtatiously, and I squirmed uncomfortably, my face and I became more aware of how closely we were pressed together, I'd clutched onto his shoulders and gotten so close that are legs were almost tangled as we stood.
I pulled my head from his shoulder, planning to pull away from him, when I found myself staring into emerald green eyes, lips hovering inches away from mine. My breath hitched in my throat and I suddenly couldn't move, I was paralyzed by green eyes that bore into my soul. His eyes pinned me in place and an amorous grin that flipped my stomach.
I was astutely aware of the closeness of the two of us, I could feel the gentle caress of his hot breath of my nose, tickling my skin, my breath caught and I forgot in that moment who we were, I couldn't force a rational thought through my mind as my eyes flitted to his lips, Loki must've noticed the change in my demeanor and he grinned impishly, his emerald eyes glowing with mischief. "I'm sure you must have that affect on a lot of women," I joked back, trying to remain light-hearted and ignoring the buzzing in my veins.
Loki frowned at my words, his eyes flashing almost imperceptibly. I furrowed my eyebrows together, wondering where the sudden uncertainty in his emotions came from, but his sneer came back as quickly as it disappeared. "And I'm sure you're ecstatic to be one." Loki quipped, and my face flushed even more furiously and he laughed almost maniacally.
He really enjoyed making me squirm.
He bent down, and I gasped silently as I thought me might actually close the last bit of distance between us, but I yelped as he scooped me up in his arms suddenly, I grappled onto his shoulders in surprise, startled at his gesture.
"Now let's take care of that ankle,"