Kamilla:
As I enter the kitchen I notice Sif rummaging through the kitchen cupboards while jotting quick notes on a small brown clipboard. I slip into the kitchen silently waiting for her to either notice me or explain herself, but she doesn't acknowledge my presence. Sif seems to have a warm contented glow about her; as her silver-red armor shimmers in the cabin light, making her look both mysterious and magical. I open my mouth to ask her what she's doing, but nothing comes out. There's something so intimidating about this legendary Asgardian, how can one person be both beautiful and powerful? Both alluring and alarming? She's beyond stunning; she is the peak of perfection in every way.
I cringe, she's everything I'm not. Sif commands so much power with such ease, that I can't help but feel a pang of jealousy as my eyes track her graceful movements. Sif searches the kitchen swiftly, her round hips swaying slightly; exuding so much confidence that I doubt she's ever felt the smallest hint of insecurity or fear. I imagine she's lived a lavish life where everything comes easily for her, and a small part of me begins to swell with hatred.
Suddenly my hair starts prickling on the back of my neck and I get the strange sensation that we're being watched. I fold my hands in my lap and fiddle with the buttons on my sleeves, my thoughts racing. Loki wouldn't spy on us, would he? I roll my eyes, who am I kidding, of course he would. Better watch what I say.
"So," I say gingerly, still intimidated by Sif's tough demeanor but desperate to break the ice, "Your buddy Hoder... just how long has he been in love with Tarna?"
Sif throws her head back in an unexpected laugh, her calloused exterior softening, "I wouldn't say love, more like obsession. Back on Asgard he was as popular with the women as Fandral was. Women threw themselves at him and he became accustomed to it. At first, Tarna not giving him the time of day was a shock to him, but now I think it's what keeps him infatuated with her."
"So that's why he decided to stay on Klyntar rather than return to be with his brothers in Nornheim?"
Sif puts her clipboard away and nods slightly, then points her narrow chin up high, "He's convinced himself that in time he'll win her over. He's always trying to impress her." Sif pauses to chuckle, before adding, "But she's much too clever to show the slightest bit of interest in Hoder."
"Yes, unrequited love is a fool's errand." I reply without thinking.
Sif grimaces as if struck, and her eyes dart away, "Not as foolish as you'd think."
I suspect by the look of longing in her eyes, that she emphasizes with Hoder, because of her unrequited love for Thor. So I change the subject quickly, not wanting to scare her away. "I don't mean to interrupt your inventory taking, but well, something's been sort of bugging me since the moment we met." I pause, then decide to just get to the point, "Why do you want Loki dead?"
Sif cocks her head slowly, with an appraising look as she pulls a small red apple from her pocket, before countering, "The real question is, why don't you?"
"Excuse me?"
Sif swiftly pulls a dagger from her other pocket and begins peeling her apple methodically as she leans against the shiny metal kitchen counter. "Surely you are aware that Loki cannot be trusted." She continues calmly, "It is his nature to betray. He is naught but a child. One who will inevitably be your undoing." She raises an accusing gaze towards me, "But you already know that, don't you Earth girl?"
I begin picking at my sleeve silently, as uncertainty floods my veins and I recall my most recent nightmare. Out of the corner of my eye I watch as Sif's gaze roams over me, then she clicks her tongue as if just realizing something. "Or maybe you're more like him than I realized. Perhaps it's you I need to keep an eye on."
"No I'm nothing like-" I stammer before catching myself. I leap to my feet and look her in the eyes, determination straightening my spine. "Actually, there's nothing wrong with being like Loki. He's a good person!"
She cocks her eyebrows at the word good, and her lips curl in disbelief.
"Fine, maybe good isn't the right word for him," I backtrack, "but he's not a monster. He can be trusted."
Her luminous eyes flick over me, but she says nothing as she takes a small bite into her apple; the silent room amplifies the loud crunch.
"I trust him with my life." I add, honestly.
A hesitant and somewhat satisfied grin plays at her lips, "Well you may have terrible taste in friends, but you certainly don't back down from a fight. I can respect that."
My shoulders loosen and I let out a small breath as she finishes her apple and tucks the knife back into the sheath on her boot. She turns to leave the kitchen and gestures for me to follow her to the cockpit. I follow her quickly and we both slip into the front seats as she takes the steering wheel in her slender hands. Her brows knit together and I watch her eyes flick over me a few times, as if she's trying to determine my character.
"Tell me how is it that you have come to know Thor so well?" She asks, after a brief moment of silence.
"It's a bit of a long story."
"Well we've got a long journey ahead of us," She grins, her smile genuinely inviting. "Entertain me."
Her smile is so warm and luminous, that I feel suddenly at ease, as if all is right in the world. I return her genuine smile and proceed to tell her my story. Telling her of my training with Wong, our subsequent encounter with Lady Death and the reason Loki left Thor behind.
"So he's safe? He's with these Galaxy Guardian's you speak of?"
I nod, "He's safe, but I imagine he'll be returning to Earth soon, he never manages to stray very far from his favorite planet."
A muscle in her jaw ticks and she turns away seemingly lost in thought. I wait to see if she has any more questions for me and when she doesn't, I stand, deciding it best to give her some space. But, suddenly she speaks, her voice full of warmth. "Thank you for your honesty, and for everything you've done for Thor. He couldn't have asked for a better friend."
I'm not sure how to respond, so I simply say, "Yeah, well... he was my best friend."
Her piercing gaze swivels towards me as she coaxes carefully, "Nothing more?"
I nod reassuringly, "You have nothing to worry about Sif. I prefer to keep all my relationships platonic. Besides I think I know someone who's already claimed his heart." I say with a teasing grin. This doesn't have the effect I envisioned; her eyes narrow and her mouth slams into a deep frown.
"I didn't mean anything by it." I add, scrambling to fix my blunder. "It's just that I saw a lot of Thor's memories. And I know that he was devastated when you got engaged to someone else. Is that why you didn't get married, because you still loved Thor?"
She shakes her head without looking at me, her gaze still fixed on the window, "No, I didn't get married because my betrothed died."
I gasp, "What? I didn't see that in Thor's memories!"
Sif's voice is small and deliberate,"It isn't something he likes to remember. Thor feels partially responsible."
"What happened, how did your fiancé die?"
Sif considers me for a moment, then sighs, "Six hundred years ago Lorelei attempted to use her magic-infused voice to enchant Thor and make him fall in love with her. But unbeknownst to her, it was not really Thor, but Loki in disguise. He and Thor had cooked up yet another witless scheme and Loki was impersonating him, to cover for Thor's absence. When Lorelei used her magic on the man she thought was Thor, Loki was able to resist her magic easily. But I suppose even though she failed at enchanting him, he admired her brazen disregard for rules. So, Loki let her believe that the love-spell was successful and professed his unyielding desire for her. After a few days, she realized it was Loki and not Thor that she'd tried to enchant. And while she was disappointed, she remained unfazed. Afterall, Lorelei only ever wanted a throne, and since Odin hadn't yet named an heir, she assumed that with a bit of scheming she could get Loki the crown. They dated for a few weeks wreaking havoc everywhere they went but," Sif pauses and eyes me slowly, "Well according to Thor, he ended it because she bored him. But personally, I think he was just using her. She's basically a psychopath. Anyways, Lorelei does not handle rejection well, and when Loki spurned her, she was became vicious. She came to me that night in a rage, accusing me of seducing Loki away from her. And she blamed me for her lack of a crown. I, of course had no idea what she was talking about and told her so." Sif pauses averting her eyes, as sorrow thickens her normally confident voice. "If only I'd known back then what she was going to do, I could have stopped her."
"Whatever she did," I coax gently, "you can't be held responsible for her bad decisions."
Sif smiles slightly, seemingly grateful for my attempt to exonerate her. And I feel a surge of hopeful compassion blossoming in my chest; as if this is the start of a beautiful friendship. I put my hand on her shoulder gently, "Whatever it is, you can tell, me, I won't condemn you."
She nods resolutely, squaring her thin shoulders, "The next morning I woke to discover that Lorelei had used her magic to ensnare the man I was betrothed to; Halder. She enchanted him to fall in love with her and ran away to Midgard, determined to become Earth's Queen. She slaughtered hundreds as she amassed a huge army on Earth. And in response Odin sent Thor, Loki, the Warriors Three and I, to defeat her. We were able to capture her, but just before," Sif's breath hitches and she freezes for a moment, "just before Thor and I could reach Lorelei, she realized she'd lost the battle and retaliated by slitting Halder's throat. She didn't take her eyes off me as she slaughtered him, and he wasn't able to fight back because he was still trapped by her enchantment. He died with love in his eyes as she murdered him." Sif shakes her head, as if shaking away the pain. "After Thor and I caught her and brought her home, Odin gave her a life sentence, to serve for all eternity. But Thor blamed himself for Halder's death. And when the Dark Elves invaded, she escaped her cell and Odin," She rolls her eyes, "Whom at the time I heavily suspected was actually Loki in disguise, sent me to Earth to hunt down Lorelei once again. Fortunately I had the help of several Shield Agents, and was able to catch her and imprison her a second time. But the very next day Loki banished me, and I know not what happened to her afterwards."
"That's terrible. I'm so sorry Lorelei did that to you." I reply, compassion stirring inside me as I'm hit with a pang of guilt. I've judged Sif too harshly. "But if you want to know what happened to her, why don't you just ask Loki?"
She scoffs, "As if a silver-tongued serpent could ever speak the truth."
I look her over slowly, overwhelmed by the amount of hate seeping through her words. "Wow, you really hate him, don't you?"
She nods firmly, looking every bit the warrior, I know she is. "But you can't blame him for Lorelei's actions." I add, "It's not like he was in on it. Besides I think if you asked him nicely, he'd tell you where she is, so you can get your revenge." I shrug, "Maybe it's time you and Loki finally bury the hatchet."
Sif's eyes go hard and she clamps her mouth shut, then stares out the window, effectively ending the conversation.
"Okay," I say slowly not sure where to go from here. "Well I suppose I'll leave you alone, then. Please don't try to settle any old scores with Loki, while I'm gone."
"It would be foolhardy and dishonorable to compromise this mission." Sif replies her voice as firm as a soldier's.
I grin as I clap her on the back gently, before leaving. "I like you, we're going to be the best of friends, I just know it."
While in the shower, I can't stop wondering if Lorelei was still locked in her cell when Asgard was destroyed or if she was on the ship with the rest of the Asgardians. Is she still alive? And if so, is she going to come after us? My thoughts drift to a more exciting topic as I debate how to best steal the scroll of spells from Loki's grasp. After I finish my shower, I sit down on my bed, when, for the second time today, I'm certain I can sense Loki's presence nearby. I cast my magic out, probing the room carefully. Then in the furthest corner of my room, I sense his brooding magic. I can't see him anywhere, but I know he's spying on me somehow. I smile to myself, a strange thrill going through me. If he's determined to watch me, I might as well give him a show. I stand up to look in the mirror acting unaware of his presence as I primp.
"Hmm, I wonder how I would look with red hair?" I muse aloud. I cast a spell and my dark curls turn a fiery shade of red so bright it looks like my head caught fire. I yelp, yikes that's not a good look on me. I quickly remove the glamour and give myself long, straight honey-blonde hair that compliments my dark skin.
"Not half bad, I might actually be able to pull off being blonde." I say aloud as I admire myself in the mirror. Then I cast a third spell, giving myself a giant pink mohawk that sticks up in a sharp point atop my head. I turn from side to side grinning, "Now that's badass! I look like a fucking rockstar!"
I use my magic to return my hair to brown, looking over my slim body wistfully. "Some curves would be nice." Without missing a beat, I use my magic to make my boobs abnormally huge and my hips noticeably rounder. I let my towel drop soundlessly to the floor and turn around slowly, looking at my fully exposed body from every possible angle. My light brown skin is smooth and scar free thanks to Loki's handiwork, and the light from above illuminates my now amplified curves and makes me look like a total Goddess. I lift my now large breasts and push them up, their unusually heavy weight feeling foreign and strange in my hands. I let out a soft cackle, amazed at how sexy and sultry I look, before alarm sparks in my mind and bile fills my mouth. This is stupid, and dangerous!
I pick up my towel and wrap it around my naked body, as disgust heats my skin and resentment fills my mind. My thoughts trail down the familiar path of self-hatred as I return my body size back to normal. Even without the scars, I'm still disgusting and weak.
Then I force my shame away, and use magic to make myself fully dressed in jeans and a black T-shirt. Then I rub my hands together and give myself bright sparkling gold skin. As I examine myself in the mirror, my skin glitters with flecks of luminous gold so bright it nearly blinds me. "Incredible," I mummer to myself, in awe of my handiwork. Then I enchant myself to have smooth green skin, and just for the hell of it I add giant bat-like wings to my back. I spin in a circle admiring myself excitedly. "I've always wanted to have wings!" When I see myself in the mirror, I smile, "I could get used to this! Now I just need to figure how to make these wings actually work."
Suddenly an idea comes to my mind and I smirk, "What about blue?" I turn around and cast a spell to make myself look like a blue frost giant complete with large terrifying horns, as my blue skin contrasts starkly against my black T-shirt. I make an mocking face in the mirror, " Sooo scary!" I chuckle at my ridiculous impression, then go silent, straining my ears to hear, but there's no response from Loki. There's nothing but silence. Disappointed, I try again, casting an illusion to look exactly like Loki. Watching myself in the mirror as I take Loki's shape with a wicked smirk. "Ooh, look at me," I say mimicking his haughty voice. "I think I'm so much smarter than everyone else." I pause to run my hand through my now shoulder length jet-black hair, in the exact same way Loki always does, listening for a response from the corner where I'm certain he must be hiding.
"Poor me." I add, pitching my voice low, to sound sullen and miserable, "No one understands me."
I'm practically holding my breath expecting him to remove his glamour and appear in my bedroom enraged. But when nothing happens, I exhale sadly; heavy with disappointment. Perhaps he's not even here. Am I just imagining his presence? I shake my head, feeling like a total idiot. "If only he could see what's right in front of him." I mutter quietly to myself.
From the back corner of the bedroom I hear a sharp throaty noise, and my heart hammers frantically against my chest in response. Shit.
"I know you're there Loki." I call out without turning around. Suddenly, in the mirror, Loki's reflection appears; his pale angular face scrutinizing me silently. I can't read his expression, so I default to teasing, "Spying on innocent women? How very chivalrous of you, master."
Loki smirks as his tall frame leans forward to spin me towards him; his soft hands are firm as his eyes roam over my body. I realize that I'm still glamoured to look like him when he responds, "Darling, you've never looked more handsome."
I scoff and shake my head, "You're so conceited Loki. Of course, you'd be attracted to yourself!"
In an instant he closes the distance between us and breaks my illusion with a simple flick of his wrist. When my glamour fades he puts his hand on my cheek, caressing me softly, looking as if he's won a prize. I tell myself to back away from him, but my body rebels by remaining rooted in place; transfixed by the man that is both terrifying and wondrous.
His lips quirk, "I like you better this way little Witch." He pulls me so close that I can feel the warmth emanating from his chest as he adds, "No tricks, no glamour's."
I falter, my face blushing; it takes every ounce of strength within me not to swoon like a schoolgirl. Don't fall for his flattery! A frantic voice screams inside me. I force myself to back away from him and cross my arms, feigning indifference, "Yeah I'm sure you say that to all the Earth-girls."
Loki opens his mouth, his brow furrowing but I cut him off, "Friends don't spy on each other." I snap, disliking how vulnerable and sweaty I feel.
Loki looks puzzled for a moment, as if he's considering something, then his expression hardens and his wild green eyes glitter with disdain as he disappears from my sight.
My heart drops, and I wipe my sweaty palms on my blue jeans, as I drop onto my bed.
I pick up my book cursing myself inwardly, that was way too close! And a very bad plan! I've taken this charade too damn far!
I try to read my favorite book, but find I'm just rereading the same paragraph as my mind wanders. I exhale and throw my book across the room, overwhelmed by the chaotic emotions pulsing through me. I rub my temples trying to slow my thoughts; I feel like I just walked into his trap. I know I shouldn't tease him so much, especially when I know his natural reaction is to pump me full of flattery and lies. There's no reason for me to put myself in a position to let the God of Lies mess with my heart. No reason at all!
And yet, I can no longer deny the fact that my heart leaps every time he's near. I can't seem to stop the memory of our passionate kiss, that night Thor dared us to lock lips. I played it off like it didn't matter. But, if I'm honest with myself, it did matter, a lot. I've tried to ignore the warmth that spreads through my chest every time I'm near his intoxicating body, but all this time I've spent with him has only made me adore him even more. I sigh, if only he would trust me... if only I could trust him. Then maybe everything would be different. Maybe then we- I shake my head, No, this ends here! I'm smarter than this! And I refuse to lose myself in this dangerous fantasy! He's the God of fucking mischief and lies! I will not let myself succumb to infatuation! And that's all this is, a pointless infatuation.
I need to focus on my survival if I want him to trust me and treat me like his equal. All this time I've been hoping he'd realize that we're not so different; that I can be his partner. His best friend even. But even though he's saved my life a few times and made a few kind gestures, I'm not entirely sure that I can trust him. I purse my lips together and clench my fists; I must be vigilant enough to make sure he's not taking advantage of me. He and I have been playing a game of cat and mouse with each other, but we're both trying to be the cat. He's always messing with me, trying to get a rise out of me, and I haven't been shy about taunting him to get under his skin.
But now I just wish we could both take down our walls and open-up so we could be friends; I'm growing tired of this game. As much as I hate being vulnerable, I know I would lower my drawbridge in a heartbeat and scale his highest walls if only he'd let me in. I exhale sadly, is that even possible?
Perhaps I really was a fool to try and befriend the trickster. I push all thoughts of him from my mind and pick up my book from the floor, eagerly loosing myself in the novel, desperate to forget the enigma that is Loki.