Kamilla:
I'm startled from my heavy sleeping pill induced sleep the next morning by a painful tingling sensation, and a ferocious tightness around my chest. Immediately I open my eyes and see Loki standing over me with a haughty expression; the pale light casts his face in dark shadows as his eyes gleam dangerously.
"Here's a little lesson in trickery for you; don't start a fight you cannot win!"
My heart starts racing and I can't breath, I try to sit up but something pins me down. I glance at my chest and realize that three brightly colored snakes are coiled tightly around my arms and chest constricting me. They hiss violently as they tighten around me, squeezing the air from my lungs. I try to escape their grasp but I can't move an inch. Panic shrieks through my mind, and a small whimpering part of me wants to beg, please don't hurt me, please Loki. Please, please. Please don't, I will do anything if you'll just make it stop.
Loki's eyes glisten as his angular cheeks are illuminated from the dim cabin lights. "You didn't actually think you could outwit me, did you? I've had years of practice. I am a master in trickery." He leans forward to flash his perfectly white teeth, "I always win."
I shove that small pathetic and fearful part of me away, I will not be a victim!
"I've escaped worse," I snap cooly, as I struggle against his enchantment and call forth my own magic to break his spell.
He sighs, looking at me as if I'm a child, then smirks, "I'll let you go, if you admit that I'm better than you."
I rail against his magic but it's too strong, I can't seem to break the spell. Panic trills up my spine once more and my blood boils, I want so badly to prove him wrong but instead I swallow my fears. "Fine." I grumble, "You're better at everything. You win. Are you satisfied?!"
He grins smugly his arms crossed, "For now."
Then he snaps his fingers and instantly the snakes vanish, and air rushes back into my burning lungs.
I jump to my feet, anger coursing through my veins. "Fine, maybe I had that coming. But now we're even." I take a deep calming breath, trying to push the terrifying panic from my mind, "But don't ever creep up on me while I'm sleeping!"
"Oh, I do apologize, if I frightened you Little Witch." He sneers, "But why would you assume that I would ever play by your rules?"
I ignore his taunting and sit back down on my bed, trying to steady my trembling hands. I close my eyes to rub my temples, and try to push the resurfacing memories aside, as I remind myself what's real.
It's okay. I'm perfectly safe. I am not a victim.
I fix my mind on the noises Thor's making in the kitchen, and the knot in my stomach unclenches. I'm not crazy.
I take a deep breathe and force myself to think rationally just like my therapist taught me.
I know Thor won't let Loki hurt me. Just like I know Loki's only trying to get a rise out of me, likely because he's bored. I hope he doesn't remember much about last night, or he'll resent that I got him drunk and peeked through his slumbering mind. I made him dream of Sif because I wanted to know how he felt about her. I wince, feeling guilty. It was actually pretty sad, she was his first love; he was enamored by her. He tried to get her to notice him, but it was no use, she only seemed to have eyes for Thor. He would awkwardly try to flirt with her, by teasing her relentlessly, but that only made her dislike him more. After he cut off her hair she mocked and teased him mercilessly, clearly resenting him. His pain and rejection eventually hardened into a sharp blade of obsessive hatred, until they became bitter enemies.
I let my mind wander, letting the tension in my limbs fade away as my breathing grows steady.
When I finally open my eyes, Loki's regarding me with a curious expression so I say, "Okay, you got me. You played me like a stupid fiddle."
I pause, "You've won. Now run along and enjoy your gloating." I add, my eyes flashing, as I stand and stroll past him and into the kitchen.
Thor grunts when he sees me and takes a bite of a large chocolate chip cookie, "Is my brother being his usual ass-self?"
"Yup. Shocker." I retort with an eye roll.
"Here have some cookies, they'll cheer you up." Thor replies his smile stretching from ear to ear. "After all, they always cheer me up! Loki refuses to eat them, and well, we all know how grumpy he can be." He pitches his voice low, "I mean, I'm not saying if he'd eat something sweet, he'd be happier. But I'm not, not saying it."
I grin and reach into the bag of cookies and begin munching on one, as the chocolatey goodness fills my mouth and dazzles my tastebuds.
"I have no desire for your sugary garbage nonsense." Loki announces as he enters the room. "And I'm not grumpy." He adds defensively.
Thor chuckles good naturedly, "You ever heard of Grumpy the Earth cat?"
I stifle a giggle, "Oh My God! He and Grumpy cat would be perfect together!"
"I know right!" Thor laughs, "He'd be like, Oh look at me, I'm always disappointed by everything and now I have someone to be unhappy with all the time. What a pair we are, let's just be devious and miserable together and find ways to spoil everyone else's fun."
"Like two peas in a pod." I add laughing.
Loki points an eyebrow, "What are you schoolchildren prattling on about?"
"Oh I'm just talking to myself out-loud. Something you aught to be familiar with." Thor taunts, between mouthfuls of cookies.
"I don't talk to myself." Loki replies looking truly baffled.
"Yes, yes I'm sure you think you're being very sneaky when you do it." Thor replies sarcastically.
"Now, how about some breakfast brother dearest? You're much nicer when you've eaten."
Loki rolls his eyes and mumbles, "And you looked nicer, before you started eating."
"Actually, the women of Earth tell me I've never looked better." Thor retorts haughtily.
Loki balks, "Are you insane? You've never looked worse!" Then he smirks, "Although I can't say I haven't been enjoying it just a bit."
"Oh, please any woman would pick me over you, any day."
Loki freezes and his shoulders tense, and immediately Thor begins apologizing. "I'm sorry brother, that was needlessly cruel. I went too far."
Loki ignores him and slides his piercing gaze to me, "Tell him he's wrong Kamilla."
I balk, "Wha- Me? I don't want to be saddled with deciding which of you is better looking. If that's what you-"
Loki sighs wearily, before pinching the bridge of his nose looking exasperated. "Tell him that he has looked better, and that he needs to take better care of himself."
I swallow feeling relieved, then glance at Thor; his blue eyes are wide and he looks unusually vulnerable and fragile. I hesitate, trying to be gentle with what I'm about to say next, "Well....Your mother did suggest that you eat a salad. And it wouldn't hurt to exercise. "
Thor stiffens and his eyes go wide.
"But that doesn't mean you don't look good." I add "You look handsome no matter what size you are! I'm just concerned about your diet, you can't keep eating like this forever. You need some sort of nutrition in your diet."
"But, I-"
"Our mother is never wrong." Loki cuts Thor off, his voice soft and full of concern. "Was." He corrects himself, his voice suddenly sad.
Thor's eyes cloud over and he drops his gaze and fiddles with the drawstring of his black sweatpants. After a moment of silence, he sighs. "Yes, I suppose she was right."
Loki conjures an apple and tosses it to him gently, "Here. Enough with the cookies, you're not ten."
"Thanks." Thor mumbles as he takes a small bite of the apple. Immediately Loki swipes the bag of cookies from him and makes them disappear.
Loki watches Thor slowly eat the apple, his expression tender and unbearably sad. "You can't keep going this way, you've got to get back in shape."
Thor nods somberly, his voice soft and eyes downcast. "Yes I know."
"Maybe when we get to Nidavellir we can do some exercises together." Loki offers gently.
Thor's expression splits into a grin and his eyes dance, "I'd like that."
My heart melts, seeing Loki try to help his brother is one of the sweetest things I've seen him do. I back out of the room quietly, wanting to give them privacy.
Even though I desperately want to stay; wishing I was a part of their family.
Back in the control room I notice that the monitor is blinking and beeping loudly, "Arrival is imminent." The automated mechanical voice exclaims. "Arrival is imminent, please disengage auto pilot and prepare for landing."
I press the blinking red button to disengage auto drive and the spaceship begins to decelerate with a shudder. I look out the wide window and see a small grey planet in front of us, and call over my shoulder, "Hey guys, I think we're here."
A moment later Thor and Loki are in the cock pit gazing out the window as we near the planet, "Ah yes, Nidavellir, realm of the dwarves." Thor says nodding approvingly.
Loki stares out the window his emerald green eyes shimmering as we near the planet. "It looks different." He remarks quietly.
"That would be Thanos's doing. He massacred the dwarves and forced Eitri to forge the infinity gauntlet."
Loki nods, seemingly unsurprised by the information and I wonder if he knew all along what Thanos was planning.
"Did you know?" I ask Loki, my voice soft and uncertain. "Did you know what Thanos was planning?"
Loki raises an eyebrow at me, then turns to stare out the window, as if lost in thought. "Of course not. Don't be absurd."
I want to believe him, but doubt creeps up my shoulders. That didn't sound convincing at all. The most important rule is that the doctor always lies. I think to myself, remembering the episode of Dr Who. Of course he's not telling the truth, Loki is the Prince of deceit, after all.
Thor slips into the pilot's seat and takes the steering wheel in his large meaty hands.
"Alright, I'm still getting the hang of landing this new spaceship, so you two better buckle up!"
"Well, you're not exactly known for your subtly, brother." Loki sasses slyly. Thor pauses, then begins chuckling warmly. Loki tries to hold back his laughter in response but fails.
"Fair point." Thor quips bemused, "Perhaps you should drive then?"
Loki smiles, clearly pleased. "Yes, I'd prefer not to die on impact. But never fear, I'll show you just how easy it is."
Thor gets out of his chair and gestures for Loki to take his seat. "Be my guest." He replies with a taunting grin.
Loki gracefully slides into the seat and begins steering carefully, his expression calm and confident. He steers us through the planet's murky atmosphere then glides us gently and elegantly to the ground. Once the ship has officially landed, Loki announces, with a smug grin, "As usual, I am better than you in every way."
"Yeah, yeah. You always were the smart one." Thor patronizes him, patting him sloppily on the head.
Loki swats his hand away, but I catch sight of his small secret smile; clearly enjoying the affection. Together we leave the cockpit and are about to open the door to exit the ship when some unseen force violently wrenches open the metal door with a loud crack.
A hooded woman in a black flowing cape towers before us, so tall that she has to lean down in order to fit inside our spaceship. Immediately the ship is overwhelmed with the stench of rot, and all the power goes out in the ship, plunging us into a chilly black darkness. The only light is the starlight that streams in behind her, illuminating the terrifying figure that stands before us.
Once my eyes adjust to the darkness and I can see more clearly, I realize that the cloaked woman isn't a woman at all, but a giant, lanky, skeleton, so white, that her jagged bones seem to absorb and drink up all the light that touches them. Her cheekbones are sharp enough to cut glass and her eyes are nothing but deep pits of dark blood-red flames. Her expression is grim and fierce, and the longer I stare into her eyes, the more I feel all the happiness and joy from the last few days evaporate as terror, despair and impending doom takes their place.
"Pardon the intrusion mortals, but I believe you have something that belongs to me." Her chilling voice screeches, piercing me to my very soul.
"Who are you?" Demands Thor, his ax Stormbreaker poised to strike.
"Tsk, tsk, I expected my reputation to proceed me. Didn't you know I would find you? I am Death. And a soul I very much plan on keeping has recently slipped my grasp."
Loki gulps audibly, his face full of sheer panic before he withdraws his knives. I grab the daggers from my pocket as well and step backwards, as a suffocating feeling of hopelessness overtakes me. I can't outrun her, I'm going to die. Perhaps I'm already dead.
I take a deep breath and cling to the hope that we can escape this.
"You," she adds pointing directly to Loki "are my property."
Loki's eyes widen as he glances frantically towards his brother. And a terrible foreboding chill creeps down my spine, making me shiver.
"If you want him, then you'll have to go through me!" Thor growls, instantly lunging and angrily swinging his ax at her head.
With a quick glance of her eyes she hurls Thor against the wall, where his large body crumples with a heavy thud. His god-slaying-ax clamors to the ground with a loud bang. I watch in horror as she pulls his astral form from his body without even touching him.
"What an interesting soul he has. So innocent and endlessly brave. What he lacks in brains he certain makes up for in strength. He would be quite nice to keep as a trophy."
"Don't touch him." Loki growls his voice low and feral.
She flicks her eyes and Thor's astral form returns to his body, but he doesn't wake or stir. Her fiery eyes swivel towards me and she hisses, "Perhaps I'll take your soul as payment, since you're the one who stole him from me. Amd your terribly fractured soul would be so much fun to unravel."
My hair stands up on end, as panic shrieks through my veins. Frantic thoughts race, and sweat begins to bead on my brow, No, no, no! I don't want to die! Not here, not like this! I immediately conjure my shield around me. The terror causing an outburst of adrenaline as I steel myself for a difficult fight. But if I'm honest with myself, I know this is a fight we cannot win.
Death clucks her black tongue and purrs coyly, "Don't worry my little children, I won't make you decide today. I'll give you time to argue amongst yourselves. But if you try to run, I will chase you down." She grins wolfishly, exposing her jagged, blood-stained teeth. Then she adds her voice full of cruelty and longing, "It's been a long time since I've felt the thrill of a hunt."
She turns her back to us to leave, then with a whoosh, her head swivels around 180 degrees. Her flaming eyes burn even brighter as she stares directly at Loki. "I will be back. And one of you will surrender yourself to die." She declares, and with a sudden rush of cold howling wind, she vanishes. I swallow and force myself to stop shaking, before facing Loki.
My heart is thumping wildly, and I'm wary of his reaction. I don't take my eyes off him as I recall my dream; Loki and I killing Thor and handing him over to Death. I shudder, is my dream coming true? Is that what's going to happen. Yes, it is what must be done. A resigned voice seems to whisper from inside of me. I shake my head, No! Never! I would never kill Thor! He's my only friend!
Besides, common sense tells me that Loki would prefer to sacrifice me, rather than his own brother. Sweat drips down my back as I wonder if Loki will try to kill me, to save his own life.