Vagary

Brontide:  

 / brɒn taɪd / Noun

The low rumble of distant thunder

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“ There’s certain clinical satisfaction in seeing just how bad things can get. ”

- The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath, Sylvia Plath 

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 March 6, Avengers Tower, New York City, Earth

I don’t ask for too much, do I? mused the white feline. 

Right now, all Prem wanted was three simple things. Firstly, he needed a cup of jasmine pearl tea for his nerves, because his current physiology didn’t like being under this much stress. He shook his head at his inner joke; Funny,  I  can’t remember any specific time I relished having anxiety. Yet, ever since he met his lawfully best friend, Prem couldn’t remember a day he didn’t feel like his heart wouldn’t fail from stressing over. 

Secondly, he wanted to be able to communicate with those mortals surrounding the hospital bed in which his mentioned only friend’s comatose body was lying. Different kinds of electronic devices and cables he didn’t know of - nor care about everywhere and making annoying beep sounds. Even worse, the healers dealing with the situation were clueless about how to fix the unconscious woman thanks to her unique physiology.

 And lastly, he wanted to kill the young woman himself for her stupidity as soon as she woke up, and he was sure she would live. Norns knew how many times he warned him to be careful, yet every single time this witchling was reckless and performed risky moves. You’re literally like a child with a persistent death wish, thought Prem. And this once, I am afraid, you’ll be successful. 

 He was kicked out of the room once he tried to jump to the bed and bit the nurse trying to get rid of him, and no matter how hard Prime tried, they didn’t let him into the infirmary. Now he was stuck to watch everything from glass walls, pacing and meowing relentlessly, his fur still covered in Nova’s blood. These lunatics who call themselves Avengers were arguing passionately about something the stupid Asgardian prince did in another room with glass walls across the hall, so no one was giving a crap about or understood what he was trying to say. Prem was desperate.

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Thor expected disagreement from his friends, of course, he wasn’t that shallow.  However, he didn’t expect such a big quarrel among his friends. None of them was happy with the Allfather’s judgment, but they also said so many harsh words to each other.

Norns, help me, he thought. The Æesir prince spent his entire month with constant yelling matches and spiteful comments instead of catching up with his longing for home, adding another entire day to that pile right after his return was the last thing he needed. Yet, ever since morning, he found himself in another verbal brawl. 

 Before the team could talk among themselves about the newest developments, a distress call came from two different locations. After the problems got solved the overcount of team members returned with a strange fluffy creature, blood smeared on its white fur- Thor wasn’t sure what they were called, a cat, perhaps? Do cats even exist in  Midgard?? -  following an unconscious young lady in a blue dress drenched in blood. After the healers got custody of the woman, the hell broke off again.

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After checking his pocket dimension the fifth time anxiously, Thank Norns, I still have a spare one, The white feline thought over his options again. Option one was to keep waiting for them to eventually realize he was trying to say something other than being ‘ a bad-tempered stubborn kitty’ like he was doing fruitlessly for the last couple of hours.  Norns, help me, she doesn’t have too much time left, he prayed. The young witch needed that potion before it was too late.

Option two wasn’t any good either; he could push -already too low -seidr reserve like her to create a spell to translate his rune writing to whatever these low lives are using, drop the potion into their lap, and make them understand what it is for. The distress about this option was that if he drained his reserve as well, both their lives would be in danger this time. He shook his head,  No, I need to find another way.

He cursed as soon as he realized the third option. They will skin both of us alive, no way.  He looked at his unconscious friend one more time, he couldn’t do this to her, not again. She would choose to die with her honor than be their puppet again; he wasn’t sure why they hadn’t shown up yet, Sure they’re up to something nastier than usual,  Prem thought. Until the time I don’t have any choice left, I can’t summon them, no.

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The blond man tried his best to control the fuming anger inside his veins even though it never has been one of his strong points. He gripped the leather leash of his weapon harder to prevent any accident from happening, he couldn’t add another reason for his friends to resent him further. At that point the blonde man couldn’t take this anymore, more precisely Before he threw Stark and Barton out from the windows, he decided to walk away from the chaos surrounding him and left the meeting room.

 The Æesir prince sunken into his brooming thoughts as he walked in the long hallway. His advanced ears can still hear the ongoing argument, but he chooses to ignore them before he does something he will regret later.  

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Before he could think of a fourth option, Prem heard the opening glass door of the room where the Avengers were arguing. Someone stormed out accompanied by yelling from the room. Tight clumps of leather boots were coming his way, The white feline decided he needed to get their attention and he saw a tall muscular blond man with a crimson cape following the polished shiny Asgardian armor. Prem cursed one more time in realization:   Shit, that’s Thor!

A brilliant plan started to form in the white cat’s mind and his bushy tail went up as he walked in the storming blonde prince’s direction.  

As Thor turned right in the long corridor, he noticed the white furry creature with a bushy tail coming his way and meowing at him. He couldn’t understand the tongue of the peculiar animal, however, from its tiny size and intelligent-looking eyes, the blond man decided that the creature was worthy of his attention.

“ Greetings, little beast!” joyously boomed the  Æesir prince, and the white feline meowed again as corresponding. A small smile and a playful gleam found the corner of the blonde’s mouth and he decided to pet the little furball and walked toward it. 

Prem tried his best not to grimace and swat giant hands reaching for his silky white fur and letting the blonde man pet him. After the fifth rough petting, he had enough but he needed to keep the prince still interested in himself, so he escaped the calloused rough hands by coiling himself between the tall man’s legs, meowing again.  

Thor chuckled in an eerie tone, “ I like you, little one. You have very nice fur, what a shame there is blood on it.” The white feline blinked emptily at the  Æesir prince’s sky-blue eyes and thought:  What now? 

The blonde man must have mistaken his unresponsiveness because, in seconds, Prem found himself in said man’s lap on the waiting chairs in front of the glass doors of the infirmary room; being petted roughly against his dislike. 

The white cat slyly tried to escape from the iron grip of Thor’s hands but, to no avail. The blonde man, humored by his puny efforts, boomed more joyously “ Stop struggling, I have no interest in harming you!”  

Prem tried his best to endure this mistreatment for Nova’s sake, he tried to focus on pulling the ingredients he needed from his pocket dimension. But, it was hard to focus on anything when Thor’s calloused hands were like sandpaper grinding on his poor back.

 When he could no longer handle this torture, his tail thrashed around, pointy ears were withdrawn to his head, and black slanted pupils dilated; he gave a warning growl. Last warning, you dimwit, learn personal space or I will make mincemeat from your ugly hands.

About the time Prem was about to attack the said hands, Thor let out a distasteful chuckle in a  low tone; “I spent a thousand years with Loki, did you really think you can deceit me that easily? Quit the pretense sorcerer.”  

Prem froze in realization as he felt the dangerous electricity in the air. Thor continued with the same tone as his iron grip on the white feline never weavers, “ I do not trust your kind, little one. So, do tell me, what is your business among mortals in this form? You have one minute to explain your intentions before I uncloak your fraud and do not even entertain yourself with the thought of escape or I  bring your demise.”

Prem sighed in defeat as a feather quill and parchment paper appeared. Alright Æesir, you won.

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At first, the buzzing whispers and pitch-blackness were somehow peaceful. Nova was almost sure she was dead and would soon see the golden gates of Valhalla. 

Then, her vision and the rest of her senses returned. However,  everything was nothing but red and deafening silence. It was so silent that she could hear even the blood circulating in her veins.

She didn’t know how long it went, but it was maddening. She still couldn’t see anything, and that was utmost distressing. It was only crimson red and disturbing silence.

Nova tried comforting herself, by reciting her words for Last Rite: Listen and bear witness to the covenant of this witch, dear sisters. I am Novandéyri Försterin of Vannaheim, Progeny of Moon Mené, seer of Midgard. Once I was the maiden, I became the crone. The Norns, The Nines, and The Heavens; vouch for my vow,  I now am the eyes of Völva Suveren. Cross my heart and hope to die, and witness now my shedding blood is theirs and theirs is mine. Over the roots of Yggdrasil, my watch will end only with my death starts and I  become taciturn,  now I am the warning of lurking darkness till the last dawn ahead Ragnarök.

Suddenly, the young woman felt her whole being drawn towards the ground with a skull-crushing force, at least to her senses it was the ground, and she heard a deep serene voice of a woman: “Oh my sweet child, fret not. Your days are far from over, you  still have plenty to see.”

With the assurance of the voice, visions of chaos and morbid events started to flash before her eyes at a speed she couldn’t catch. Bloodshed, violence, ablaze and ruined places, screams of agony and pain, bodies in piles, darkening skies and so many other haunting visions to count… “ If you do not heed my warnings, these are the befall of what is coming, little moon .” 

Visions still ongoing, Nova pleaded over and over with a weak voice “ Stop it,” She couldn’t help her curiosity and the pringling needles on her neck, “ How do you know that name?”

The visions stopped and the voice materialized in the air before her, a beautiful woman, late in her middle ages. She was in a white silk gown with wavy silver-white long hair twirling around her silver crest tiara fluttering around and she had gentle silver eyes and a beautiful motherly smile.  Nova’s eyes widened with recognition. “ I am your grandmother Mené. I waited so long to meet you, little one.”

 Corners of Mené’s mouth wrinkled with dimples, “ We have much to discuss.”

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“ Why should I trust any of what you tell?” asked Thor, narrowing his eyes in suspicion. “ They will not be on board with anything you say on this matter, you know nothing about my friends. You don’t even care about any of them.”

 This time, Prem couldn’t help himself but roll his jade orbs while licking clean the last spot of the dried blood on his back.  Thor read what was being written on the paper in his hands with the quill in the air glowing with an azure hue, “ Oh please, like you even have any plan to make them accept the Allfather’s judgment. I told you, Crest Valley witches are colluding on what who knows for how long, sure the Alfather and the Almother are aware of something vast is lurking.”

The white feline stopped licking himself and stared into the blonde man’s blue eyes, “ Believe me or not, that’s on you but it doesn’t take a genius to conclude his judgment on the fate of the brother of yours is linked to whatever is pending.”

“He is my adopted-”

Prem gave another glare to the blonde prince, “ Don’t you make me start with that too! Whether I care about your silly mortals or not,  I care about that witchling, and so  Æesir, Norns help me, I will do all it takes to see she is well. Selling your atrocious,  so legitimately  ‘adopted brother’ like a redeemable hero cloth to these mortals? So be it.”

Thor shook his head, scuffing, “ You must be a very faithful familiar, willing to do anything for her.”

The white cat hissed in annoyance as his eyes glowed with a feral spark. “She is not my owner, I am a person, you oaf!”

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March 6, Royal Palace of Valaskjalf, Asgard

“Alright, we need to hurry,”  The blonde prince darted with the white cat he was holding in his colossal arm from the corner of the wall they were hiding.  Prem groaned with annoyance and kept thrashing around in protest, “As I told you already, I am not a thing you to carry. I can walk by myself! ”  

Thor grinned joyously at the white feline meowing relentlessly, “Stop writhing,” His long fast strides echoed through the vast hallway of the golden palace. “ We do not have the luxury of your being lost, timing and discreteness are of utmost importance. This way,”

The blonde prince turned right and walked toward a beautifully engraved wooden door. He took a deep breath, and they found themselves in an airy room with enormous windows. Two women and a man were the only occupants of the well-lit room decorated with only a comfy beige-colored lounge suite and a mahogany coffee table. 

The two women raised with a smile on their beautiful faces as they saw the blonde man, and the older blonde one closed the distance between them and gave him a thigh hug, squeezing squealed Prem during the process. “ Welcome home, dear.” 

Thor smiled as warm as the bright sun, “ Hello, Mother.” He gave a welcoming nod to the brunette woman in shining warrior armor behind, “Good to see you, Lady Sif,” His smile faltered as he turned to the sulking raven-haired man still sitting on the middle sofa, ignoring his existence. “Brother,”

The golden shackles on his wrists rattled, as the said man lay behind his back. First, he was glaring at the blonde man, then his icy glare turned into a confused stare when he saw the bizarre furry creature Thor held. “ What is this?” 

The blonde man blinked confused as well, “ He’s a cat…”

The raven-haired man couldn’t help but roll his green eyes, “ I know what a cat is, Thor. What is it doing here with you?” He gave a condescending look to the white feline, and a mocking toothy smile to his brother; “ I thought of you more as… A reptile person.”

The handsome face of the blonde prince darkened with a warning glare, “Loki,”

The blonde woman sighed tiredly, “ Enough, we do not have time for this.” Her blue eyes locked scrutinizingly to the said creature in his son’s arm. “Who are you?”

Prem gave a weak meow, staring back to Allmother’s kind eyes, the dark eyebrows of Loki raised with curiosity at the meak sound.

“ He can’t talk the way we do, he used a magical paper and ink to speak with me, he must be too tired to summon it right now. Yet his witch friend can understand from his tongue. I am certain there must be a kind of spell involved,” Thor explained calmly.

Frigga gave a confident smile to his son, “ Then let me see what I can do about it,”

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