You smile and let Loki draw you towards him to kiss you and then you wander through the garden with the four of you. You and Loki ahead and Thor and Jane behind you, sometimes you venture a glance behind you and you smile when you see Jane and Thor sometimes give each other a kiss. When you come to the fountain Loki sits on the edge and pulls you on his lap.
"I remember the first time I saw you here, you were so beautiful." he says.
Your thoughts go back to his words, that you sat on the edge of the fountain, with your feet in the water and your fingers glide through the water. Your other arm is around his neck and you close your eyes for a moment when you feel his lips on your neck.
"It seems an eternity ago." he sighs.
Suddenly you hear a deafening alarm that echoes through the air and you look up.
"What is that?" Jane asks.
"The alarm." Loki answers.
He gets up and puts you on the ground, he begins to pull you behind him as he looks around. You have no idea what is happening but judging from Loki's nervous way of looking around you know that something is wrong.
"Guards!" he shouts.
Before you can blink your eyes, there are four guards around you, Thor and Jane now stand beside you and Thor pushes Jane towards you while Loki himself turns to the guards.
"Bring Jane and y/n to my chamber, or Thor's, the one you come across the first and keep watch at the door, no one goes out, no one goes in." he says sternly.
"Loki, what is happening?"
"We are being attacked." he says.
"What? By who?"
"Probably the Frost Giants." Thor answers for him.
"No, Dark Elves."
"What? Why would they form an aliance with the Frost Giants?"Thor asks.
"I don't know, the must have promised them something." Loki says before turning to you,"go with the guards."
"What about you?" you ask.
"I will stay and fight."
You nod, you understand that Loki can not join you, that he must fight, not just because he is a prince of Asgard and it is his duty to fight but also because he wants to and he would not have wanted it otherwise. Before the guards can take you, you close the distance between you and embraces him, you feel his arms circling around your waist and he pushes you firmly against him.
"Be careful, please." you whisper.
"Of course, always," he kisses your temple and looks at you,"go, I need you to be safe, my love."
You nod and kiss him on the lips before the guards take you and Jane to the palace and halfway through the hall you come across several guards armed with arrows and weapons running toward the exit. Once in Loki's chamber two guards stay outside the door and the other two come along into the chamber in order to ensure that no one enters through the windows. You walk toward the balcony doors but your wrist is gripped by one of the guards, and you look at him.
"You have to stay out of sight of the windows when they see Prince Loki's beloved is here they will try to get to you, the same applies to Ms. Jane."
You nod, you understand that you can not take the risk to be seen and get captured and you step back, suppressing the need to know what happens with Loki and Thor.
"They'll be fine." Jane says.
"I know."
You sigh and sit with Jane on the bed, the palace trembles and shakes on its foundations and you hear people yelling and screaming hearing the panic in the voices. Suddenly the door opens and a guard appears.
"The queen wishes for Mrs. Jane and Mrs. y/n are brought to her chamber."
Before you can do anything there are eight guards around you who accompany you to the chamber of Frigga. The guards shield you almost completely off but you can see that the palace is already very damaged and in ruins. Frigga's chamber is guarded by at least eight other guards and inside her room, there are at least four. Two guards come along inside and stand by the windows while you and Jane are brought into the adjoining room wich is filled with bookshelves with books. You turn around and look at them and when your hand gets caught you look up.
"My child, am I glad to see you." she says.
She gives you both a hug and takes you to the table where you sit, you find out that there are several work benches with glass measuring cups and other tools.
"This is the place where I've learned Loki to deal with his magic." Frigga says.
"I thought as much." you say.
Suddenly you're attention is drawn by an intensely loud bang outside and you shoot up out of your seat, your eyes go to the window and you have to restrain yourself to go there and see if you see Loki, you have to know if he is alright.
"Loki will be fine, he can take care of himself, and Thor is with him," Frigga says and walks up to you to grab your hands, "he will return to you."
You smile and look around you again to the many books and scriptures that cover the walls and you walk towards it. There are heavy books with spines that are worn on the workbenches, some are open and you walk over there to see it. What you see is all gibberish to you, strange scribbles and formulations and your fingers slide over it.
"When I first took Loki here he was just a child but I didn't have to explain anything to him, he understood the most complex formulas right away and I was amazed by his intelligence." Frigga smiles at the memory of it.
"You must have been proud of him."
"Of course, I've always been proud of him, to this day. Every parent wants to be proud of his child."
You pull you hand back and look at her.
"How come you never told him? Of his true origins?"
"I wanted to, but Odin was against it. He was afraid that if Loki would know he was not a born Asgardian he would turn away from everyone, would lock himself up, was going to hate himself because he is what he has learned to hate."
"Loki is much stronger than Odin gave him credit for, he could have handled it."
"I know and I've told him many times but he did not listen."
"Maybe he did it because he was afraid of how people would think about him when it became known that their King had taken an offspring of a Frost Giant into his house."
"Maybe."
"Odin never loved Loki, not like a father should love his son." you say and you can't help but sound bitter.
"You knew, didn't you?" Frigga asks.
"Of course I knew, before I was placed in the service of you and Odin, I always thought that Odin was a great king and loving father and husband but immediately after I came to work at the palace to serve you, I saw it. The disappointment and bitterness in Loki's eyes after being pushed aside by the only person he wanted to please. I had to bite my tongue many times to contain my words against Odin to say how wonderful Loki is, how incredibly strong and courageous. I wanted so often to go to Loki and just hold him, comfort him in my arms and say that Odin is a fool if he does not see how special Loki really is."
"I tried to let him know and feel how special he is by bringing him here, by teaching him to deal with his magic, it was something of us together. I have always treated my two sons equally."she says.
"I know that, and Loki loves you very much. When Loki took me as his personal servant ..... I was so happy when I heard that, I finally had a legitimate reason to be in his chamber, to be near him when I wished so. "
"Did it then began? Between you?"
"No, not immediately. We both knew it would never be accepted, a prince and a maid. It started gradually between us, a fleeting touch of fingers, a caress, a longing look and finally a kiss," you say and smile when you think back to it, "when he took me into his bed for the first time I thought it would be just one time but it happened again and then a third and fourth time. Just when I started thinking he might have feelings for me I realized that the nights we shared together always came after Odin had once again pushed him aside I knew he was just using me to forget about the treatment Odin gave him, that he needed to know someone could still need him but I didn't care. I was just happy that instead of sharing his bed with those whores he choose me every time and I was more than willing to give into him. I never thought that he would give me his heart voluntarily, Odin would never allow it. Ironically actually, the one who was so against us has actually ensured that he took me into his bed and eventually into his heart. "
Frigga smiles but suddenly the palace trembles again to its foundation and the side wall gets blown away, Frigga grabs you and Jane's hand and pulls you under the workbench, when the dust settles you see black boots emerge, four pairs, four men, but not the guards of Asgard. You crawl backwards until you feel the bookcase behind you and Frigga looks at you.
"Stay behind me an stay low." she says.
Frigga slowly stands up and sticks her chest out to show that she is not afraid, you and Jane look at each other before you look at the boots who are still coming closer. Suddenly Frigga is pulled forwards but before you can do anything a black thread wraps around your wrist and Jane's and you are also pulled forward. Before you and Jane are taken by a man in a headlock, your back against their chest and arm around your neck, you see that it is not a Frost Giant and you remember that there were Dark Elves too. You hands go to his arm to pull him away but he is too strong and Jane isn't faring any better.
"What do you want." Frigga says defiantly.
"A medium of exchange,"the answer is, "take them."
You are roughly taken out of the chamber, your eyes get big when you see the whole palace has been destroyed and debris is everywhere, you see dead bodies, some Asgardian but also other fighters that are dressed in the same uniform as the men who hold you. You are leaving the palace walls where behind you and outside another Dark Elf joins you and he has a blue casket with him, you have no idea what it is but when you hear Frigga suck in a breath you know enough. You are dragged into the streets where the fighting is still under way in earnest. Suddenly you see a familiar figure fight in the distance with four others, Loki fights his way through the streets of Asgard with Thor and the warriors of the palace and the Dark Elves have no chance against the princes. Suddenly you hear a scream beside you and you see that Frigga winces, your eyes move back towards Loki and he looks your way. When he sees that the Dark Elves hold you he abruptly stops fighting and rushes to you followed by Thor.
"No!" you yell, "Loki, go away!"
You know it's pointless, he will never abandon you and his mother and Thor would never leave Jane, when they are about ten meters away from you Dark Elves appear before you and Loki and Thor skid to a halt. The Dark Elves all pull a knife, some two, and approach the princes. The guards want to join them but when some of them are hit by a knife and fall dead on the ground they stop dead in their tracks. The Dark Elves close the circle where the princes are now in the middle of, making it clear that this is a fight between them and the princes, and that no one must interfere with this.
"Let them go, Malekith." Loki says through clenched teeth.
"When you let us pass."
"Not with the casket." Thor says and takes a step forward.
The Dark Elves respond immediately by all raising their dagger and you realize what will happen, you have all the faith in the fighting skills of Thor and Loki but against eight Dark Elves?
"Why? What have the Frost Giants promised you."
"Absolute power and invincibility."
"The Ether then." Thor says.
You're too far away to be able to understand what is being said so you keep your eyes on Loki, the look in his eyes is furious and when you see his hand flex around the dagger you know it's turning into a fight. You become restless and start to squirm in the arms of the guard who thightens his arm around your neck and your breath catches in your throat. Loki feels your discomfort and looks at you, you want to tell him that you love him that you have confidence in him and that he can do this but when he shakes his head you frown your eyebrows and then he says something to Thor you do not understand. The two princes go standing with their backs against each to protect each other in fighting stance and when Malekith gives a nod the first four attack the princes. Thor and Loki continue fighting with their backs against each other to protect each other's back and it all seems to go well, the Dark Elves are no match for the princes but eventually the two have to leave each other to create enough space to kill them. When all four are dead at the feet of the Princes the remaining four leap straight on top of Thor and leave Loki alone. The youngest prince is surprised with the turn of events and does not know what to do, of course, he wants to help Thor but it is a tangle of legs and arms and he will not hurt his older brother. You hear Jane and Frigga next to you shouting and you risk a glance aside, Frigga attempts to encourage Loki to help Thor and Jane screams desperately for Thor, you hear the sob in her voice. Suddenly Loki moves and stops right before Malekith.
"Command to stop them."
"Why?" Malekith grins and looks at how Thor must make every effort to provide the Dark Elves resistance, "he is not even really your brother, he always stole your moment, you victories, he always got the attention of Odin even if you deserved it."
Loki looks back and sees that two Dark Elves forced Thor to his knees and a third has his hair and pulls his head back, exposing his neck.
"Kill him, and we let the women go."
Loki looks at him abruptly.
"And the casket?"
"That remains with us, we get the ether of the Frost Giants, and we will give you a private army, an invincible army with which you can overtake any planet you want."
"What? No, I'm not....."
"Listen to me,"Malekith says and grips Loki's chin between his thumb and forefinger,"you think the love of that woman has changed you? That she the desire to reign a world took away with you? She does not have eternal life, she shall die in what? Fifty years? A blink of the eye compared to how long you'll still life and then what? Then you've got nothing, if you accept my offer you will never be alone, I give you all that you desire, the strongest army, the best planet."
Loki closes his eyes and looks away but Malekith is relentless.
"When she dies you will hate her because she deterred you from doing what you've always wanted, conquer a world, be a King, you'll realize that it has always been your greatest desire and that she has taken it from you. She's poisoned you, made you weak."
"No!" Loki calls and tears himself loose of grip Malekith's,"I am not weak."
The look in his eyes terrifies you, his fingers flex around the dagger and with resolute steps he walks towards Thor, the guards brace themselves when Loki walks around them and stands behind Thor. He leans over and whispers something in his ear and for a fraction of a second you think you see something of disbelief in his eyes, then, without warning Loki cuts the throat of Thor. Jane screams and the guards have to hold her to make sure she does not fall to the ground, Frigga becomes quiet and when you hear Loki saying your name you look at him, he mouths I love you at you before he sticks the dagger in his chest. Your breath gets knocked out of your lungs when you see how Loki falls sideways, beside Thor, your head shaking.
"No," you breathe, "no, Loki!" you cry.
You begin to recalcitrate in the arms of the guards and when they let you go you run to Loki to fall beside him on your knees while Jane does the same. You draw Loki's head toward you and lay it on your lap.
"No, please don't, open your eyes, love, look at me, do not leave me, I can not ...." your arms encircle his shoulders and you pulls him firmly against you, peppering his face with kisses.
"Well, not what I expected but it will do." Malekith says and passes you in the direction of the bifrost.
Your tears roll down over your face and fall on Loki's cheeks, you pull him up and suddenly he disappears, you look surprised at where a moment ago Loki was in your arms and when you suddenly hear Thor's voice, you look up. Your breath is fast and you blink your eyes, Jane has moved away from Thor, not believing what she sees but his attention is on you.
"It was a trick." he says.
"What?" your question.
"It was a trick, you know that Loki knows magic, he has shown the Dark Elven what they wanted, I was not hurt, look." he says and points to his throat.
You crawl over to him and caress his neck, where at first was a big gaping hole is now skin, no trace is left from the large slice, you sob and look at him.
"Loki ....."
"Is still alive."
"Where is he?"
"The Bifrost, if I have to make a guess."
"What? Alone?"
You get up and want to run towards it but Thor is faster and grabs your wrist.
"No, listen to me ..."
"Let me go!"
You pull but Thor is obviously too strong for you and eventually you cease your efforts and look at him sobbing.
"You know that Loki can duplicate himself?"
You nod.
"The Loki you saw stabbing himself to death was a clone, the real Loki is probably at the Bifrost. Heindall has certainly seen what Loki was planning and he will be ready."
"You have to help him." you say.
"I know, but it will be too late. Loki must do this himself."
"But ..."
"Loki has the advantage that Malekith thinks he is dead and will not expect him. Loki is good with magic, that you know, and he is a trained fighter. If he is wise he has cloned himself so that he is not alone and Heimdall is with him, also a trained soldier. You have to trust him."
"Thor." you suddenly hear Jane saying.
Thor turns himself around and comes up slowly, he steps towards Jane and reaches out his hand and as she takes it and falls into his arms you feel a hand on your shoulder and you look up. Frigga looks at you reassuringly, and as always she has a calming effect on you, she helps you up and you look around you. Everywhere is rubble, and some people have already started cleaning up.
"Tell me that he will be fine, that he will come back to me."
"I will always come back to you, my love." you suddenly hear.