I let Loki have the bed back. At the moment, I wasn't feeling too great about using anything Odin gave me. So that meant sleeping on the floor. Sure, it wasn't great for my back, or my overall mood, honestly, but just that simple act made me feel like I was doing something. I mean, we were barely doing anything that could be classified as rebel activity, but it meant something to me, and that was what mattered.
The weird thing was, after my little outburst at the guard, I realized something. Not only did I want the King of Asgard dead, but I just wanted to go home. This place was not home. No, in fact, any sort of comfort it had brought me months ago had faded into nothingness. Though I realized I had a loving father sleeping just a mere two feet away from me, all I cared about was getting back to my adoptive parents back on Midgard.
I had never really cared for them. In all reality, I had hated them and ignored them for most of my life. But, now that I thought about it, they hadn't done anything wrong. They were nothing like the crazed gods I'd met here. I didn't have to worry about them doing anything but trying to get me to love them back.
Asgard had proven to just be a mess. Odin had taken away everything that might have mattered to me. He hadn't given my mother a chance to get to know me, he'd stripped me of a real childhood, and he'd made my father become a psycho. At least Loki seemed to be trying not to be such a spaz around me, though. Still, I was feeling like it had been a big mistake to even interact with these Asgardians.
If I had just given up on my foolish ideas, I could have stayed on Earth with a family who was desperately trying to make me feel like I belonged in a world I didn't even come from. Yeah, I still would have had to deal with being the smartest girl in my grade, and I probably would still piss everyone off, but I could have tried to be thankful to the two people who attempted to make a life for me.
Staring up at the ceiling, I wondered what they were doing now. Did they know where I was? Had they pooled their money together in order to give people an incentive to find me? Now that it'd been almost a year since I'd left, had they given up, or were they still fighting to bring me back? I'd been such a jerk to them. Funny that it took being locked up in an otherworldly dungeon to realize the fact.
Tears threatened to spill from my eyes. I'd have to make sure to check up on them when I finally got out of here. If I got out of here. The chances of that were seeming pretty slim considering my death threats against the king. I'd still hold true on that promise, though. I didn't care whether I had to lie through my teeth just to get the opportunity to jab a dagger through the old man's heart, it would happen. My life had been ripped away from me. It'd be interesting to see how he felt when I did the same to him.
God, I'm not quite sure how much longer I could deal with this. I needed to get out. I needed to escape. I needed to—
A blue sky appeared above me, fluffy clouds lazily drifting across it. The hard floor had been replaced with a field of grass that ended abruptly at busy, concrete streets. Sitting up, I realized where I was: Marcus Garvey Park. It was only a couple of blocks away from the apartment I'd lived in. But, I couldn't actually be here, could I?
Just a few steps told me I was still in the cell. My head had whacked the marble wall, causing me to let out a little yelp in shock. So, I hadn't teleported, merely created an illusion. But, what good was all this magic if it couldn't bring me closer to the people I loved? Or, at least wanted to now that I'd come to my senses. I was trapped in a room with the one man in this realm who may have an inkling of care for me. Sadly enough, I wasn't entirely sure he had changed at all. And I was worried I'd find myself going down the same path as him, just as he'd warned.
I glanced around the lifeless park, trying to see if I could spot a single soul. It seemed as though my illusions were just as void of people as I had made my life. The cell wasn't even large enough for me to play on the playground. The best I could do was lay back down and try to decipher the meaning of the clouds above me. That one could be a broken heart, the other a bird set aflame. I wasn't exactly in the mood to be cheerful.
Loki stirred and I let the illusion fade away. I hadn't worked out all of the logistics of this magic crap, and didn't need him waking up to see the park. That was something special to me, and I didn't feel like trying to merge together my two lives any time soon. Instead, I decided to act like I was sleeping. Today was not a day for confrontation.
He rose and I could feel his eyes digging into the back of my skull, watching over me. Was he doing so in love, or because he was going to try something and didn't want me present. We'd made a promise to escape together, there was no way he could leave me now and not feel my wrath later. He'd probably laugh at me if I tried to chastise him anyway. I was still shorter than most of the adults and so my yelling wouldn't even seem threatening.
I slowed my breathing and kept my eyes shut. Perhaps I could fall asleep once more instead of just pretending to be so. It was one of the only things I could do in the cell, but it wasn't always the most enjoyable. Dreams could range from pleasant to terrifying all in one night, and I wasn't too keen on finding out which type would greet me in my slumber. Should I just get back up? I mean, I was trying to trick a god. And why would I want to trick my father?
Just then, I heard footsteps coming up toward the barrier. They were heavy, more so than the usual guards, and seemed to be at a much quicker pace. Either someone was on the run, or they were desperately trying to get to us. The former seemed more probable. But I was wrong, it would seem, as I soon heard Thor's voice a mere foot or so away.
"Brother," He boomed, making it obvious he had a reason to be here. "Father has commanded me to collect you. The Dark Elves are prepared to attack and we need a battle plan. Odin believes that despite your shortcomings, your strategic brilliance is unparalleled. He requests your presence immediately."
Loki was quick to answer. "As I must so often remind you, Thor, Odin is not my father. Secondly, I need to know there's something in this for me before I put aside my beliefs and help defend the very land that wishes to cast me out. So, what might I receive as payment for these services the King so desperately needs?"
My eyes opened, darting back and forth, glancing at the wall before me. I'm sorry, Loki was being offered a way out of this hell hole by Odin? Of all the people in the realm, I would never have expected the person who threw him in prison to now release him. However short that period of freedom may be.
"He's willing to revoke your prison sentence. You'll be given the same freedoms of any citizen of Asgard. I don't believe there is much else you should be asking for, brother," said Thor. "He's being much too generous to begin with."
"I'll need to hear it from him. You may take me straight from this cell to Odin himself, but if he does not agree to the terms you've told me, I wish to return. If he won't let me go, I'll just wait for the Dark Elves to release the prisoners. See how much good it does him then."
"Then it's agreed. We must leave at once."
I heard the barrier's humming fade away and lept to my feet. Running toward the exit as fast as I could, I could see my escape, and then. . . The barrier sprung back to life, knocking me to the floor. Loki stood beside Thor, and I almost thought I saw him smirking. Oh, how I would wipe that grin right of his stupid face if I had the chance.
Thor chuckled. "Lady Winter, your attempt to run off is admirable, but I'm afraid you were not a part of the deal. You are to stay in the dungeons until my father says otherwise."
"What, is he too afraid that a little girl's gonna slit his throat?" I spat.
"He's worried about his people's safety, and as you've made it quite clear, you are just as much of a threat as the foes who threaten to attack us. I'm sorry, but you are not going anywhere."
"Fine. I'll find some way out myself." I turned to Loki. "Thanks for all the help. Great father, you are."
His eyes burned bright. "I did what would help me. You'll learn someday that the only person you can save is yourself. Trying to drag others with you is a waste of time. And who knows, we may be seeing each other again quite soon if Odin doesn't hold true to his promise."
The pair left, and I found myself enraged once more. I was still trapped and now had the added "benefit" of being completely and utterly alone. How could he leave me here to rot? I hoped that Odin decided to find someone else to strategize for him. Or better yet, that the Dark Elves killed them all. Even if I was slain afterward, at least I'd have the satisfaction of knowing revenge was taken on those who betrayed me.
Asgard was a place of deception. One god couldn't be blamed for it all, not when the entire kingdom proved day in and day out that they all had the same profane morals. They constantly played one another for their own benefit, but if they had others one their side, no justice was upheld. I had been alone with no one to stand up for me, so I was made a prisoner. Loki attempted to take over a planet by himself, so he was easily taken down. Odin had an entire kingdom falling for his nonsense, so he was praised as a flawless king.
I had no power here, for no one believed in me. I let them walk all over me for their own personal gain, and look where that had gotten me. The only one who might have been selfless had been brutally murdered. No one was left to speak the truth, and as I collapsed in a tired heap on the floor, I thought to myself that perhaps no one ever had been.