Rescue
Over the next few weeks, I spent my time training. Vigorously. I split my training between in the Calland library, learning magic and reading up on the family history, or out in the clearing, sparring (much more gently than last time. Even though Uncle Thor wanted me to go all out some more, we didn't need to put Sif through that again.) I will admit that this training has exhausted me in more ways than one. Even the month fighting off monsters on the way to Asgard.
In just a few days, I grew stronger, and faster. In my physical abilities and even my magical abilities. I had even begun to tap into the power that is my Frost Giant half.
"Blue..." Fandral's voice broke the silence of the room. Both Fluff and I growled, "Wake up, Blue"
"Sleep.." I grumbled into my pillows, "Today's training kicked my ass more than I expected it to. Let me sleep."
"No. You're going to get up. You wanted to learn how to turn into an animal" Fandral crossed his arms
"Only because you introduced me to Harry Potter!" I groaned. We have had regular movie nights at Fandrals since I started training. Something about downtime will help me sleep (I still need a good drink before I go to sleep so I don't understand the point of movie night) I pulled the covers over mine and Fluff's head and tried to go back to sleep. I heard Fandral sigh and then rip the covers off "DASH! YOU FUCKING TWAT!"
"There's the mouth of your father" Fandral shook his head "Well, the mouth of the Callands"
"If the family hold is any indication, I would like to ask a few questions about something in the anatomy section." I sat up and rubbed my eyes. Fluff yawned.
"You found the penis section." Fandral laughed.
"Why is it an entire section?!" I asked, reluctantly getting up out of bed.
"Maybe some Callands needed a lesson in what to do with their cock" Fandral rolled his eyes "Do you require education on them?"
"firstly, I get what they're for and I certainly don't have a problem with it. But there has to be a limit. And Secondly, no, I don't" Fandral shot me a strange glance my stomach turned, "Don't look at me like that,"
"I just didn't think that you... you know..." The colour drained in Fandral's face. We had talked in secret the other night. I had a nightmare and Fandral came in on checked on me. When he woke me up, I yelled for him to stop touching me. The night was over. I freaked out. Once I calmed down and realize where I was, Fandral held me for hours. That's when I told him everything.
"You know that I've been in some tough spots back in Jotunheim. There were times when I didn't know where my next meal came from. Sometimes, I needed a little extra money. Again." I looked away. I was ashamed of my past. I glanced at Fandral and he was still giving me a look "Don't look at me like you're judging me"
"Blue... I'm not judging. I know what it's like to be on your own. I never brought myself to prostitution but I do get it"
"Whatever you do... Do not tell Thor." I begged "I have a feeling he would overreact to that," I admitted, "I know my mother would've fucking killed me for something like that and when he finds out he will react like I think he will. I don't need that kind of judgment in my life."
"Tell Thor what?" he let it go, "Look, What you do with your body is your own business, Blue... I do not have a leg to stand on when it comes to sex. I slept with so many people back on Asgard." Fandral patted my shoulder. This was why I loved Fandral. He wouldn't judge. Nor give me the long-winded lecture. He let me fuck up gracefully. That is why he is my favourite Godfather.
"Is that how you got your name of Fandral The Dashing" I found my boots and put them on "Ow. Ow"
"Yes. it was" Fandral then clapped his hands "Now. Time to learn transforming"
And as much as I wanted to go back to sleep, I followed him out of the house. A part of me always wondered if I had a special animal inside me. I wouldn't mind a lion. Or even a wolf. A wolf would be cool. Saying that, If I'm a wolf, I have a feeling that the mannerisms that I have been using on Fluff since I've been staying will come back to bite me in the ass.
I followed Fandral to the clearing where he told me to sit on a fallen tree. The very one that I threatened to hit Thor in the head with this afternoon.
"So from the book I was reading and what I remember Loki telling me about shapeshifting... It should be relatively easy" Fandral pulled a book from his pocket "Considering you're just now discovering your power, we may need to dig for it."
"And how do we do that?" I wondered. I wiggled in my seat. Should I sit on my hands? he thought it over.
"How did you manage to let out your banshee scream?" Fandral asked.
"Thor pissed me off," I remembered, feeling that anger bubble up, "He got me to talk about my father. And about the man that killed him"
"So, what you're saying," Fandral figured, "Thor pissed you off and that's how it happened?"
"And that was enough for me to expand the clearing a bit." I looked around Fandral had been out here a few times clearing up the place, laughing at the Thor-shaped hole in one of the trees.
"It seems that your powers may be based on your emotions" Fandral tapped his chin "If that's the case and anger brings out your scream, I wonder which one will bring your transformation on"
"And how do we find that out," I asked. Fandral threw his arms around me and held me tight.
"Blue, I want you to know that I love you. And that I'd never do anything to intentionally hurt you"
"Why are you being weird?" I wasn't quite sure where he was going with this, but I have a horrid feeling about it "I love you, too. Where did this come from?"
"I just wanted you to know that," he reiterated. He is up to something "Are you ready?" I nodded as I prepared myself for whatever may come next "Right, I need you to close your eyes," Fandral ordered. I shut my eyes "Imagine yourself in a dark forest, You're all alone. And no one is there to save you."
"Okay," I was unmoved. I've been alone before "That's fine. I can save myself."
"You can't even save yourself from yourself, Aurora." He called me Aurora. He never does that "Your powers are too strong. To make matters worse, you can't control them. You are volatile. A powder keg waiting to explode. One little poke and you are in a million pieces." I started to feel my heartbeat quicken.
"I can control them." I was lying. I was scared of my powers.
"Like hell, you can" he pushed harder. So that's what he is doing. He wants a reaction "There's nowhere for you to go. You can only stay here for so long. But there is nowhere in this world where you won't be rejected for what you are. Even if you continue moving from village to village, realm to realm, they'll still find you. And you'll never be able to stop running. They'll be waiting at the next one with pitchforks and torches. You'll never be able to stop running. You'll never be safe."
"Fandral... Please... stop," a knot in my stomach grew tighter and tighter with every word that came out of his mouth, "Stop... please"
"Why should I?" Fandral wouldn't let up, What emotion is he trying to cause? "They won't. They won't see you as a person, They will only see you as nothing but a monster!"
"Shut up!" I squeezed my eyes shut and suddenly, the world was quiet. I just wanted him to stop. When I opened my eyes again, the world was bigger. And my vision went strange. I could see too much, "What just happened?"
"I'm so sorry, Blue" Fandral picked me up with the utmost gentleness, "I thought the best way to bring out your inner animal, despite you knowing you are your ultimate protector, would be through fear. If suddenly, you couldn't protect yourself. And that's why I used your fear."
"Dick move"
"I know but, Blue, look at you" Fandral smiled proudly.
"What did I turn into?" he held me up to a mirror. I could hardly believe this was me, "A bird?!"
"You look like Odin's raven" Fandral gestured to the strange markings down my back. a little smile graced Fandral's face.
"I'm a bird?" I continued to adjust to my new body.
"You're a raven," he ran the back of his pinky along the back of my feathers. And if I am being honest, it felt kind of good. I can see why Fluff likes belly rubs "Whose a good little raven?"
"I am not afraid to peck you" A sudden jolt of excitement ran through me, "does that mean I can fly?" Fandral held out his hand, letting me perch on him. "This is so weird"
"Thor is your Godfather and you find this weird?" Fandal smiled at me.
"Why not try taking off?"
"Promise to catch me if I fall?"
"Always." That was all the confirmation I needed. With every ounce of strength I had, I flapped my wings and started gliding around Fandral's head.
"I can't believe it... I am actually flying!" A few happy chirps later, I flew back down and perched myself on his shoulder, "Fandral! I did it!"
"Hell yes. Don't tell Loki that I actually listened to him" Fandral stroked my feathers again "Are you ready to go to Asgard?"
"Hell yes!" I chipped and tried to fly away. Fandral gently held me "Let me go"
"Easy Blue. You don't want to overexert yourself on day one. Much like all the other things you have learned in the past week, you are going to have to get some practice with this first"
"Oh come on"
"Look, There's no telling how long you will be able to hold your transformation. What will you do when no one is around to catch you?" he explained, putting me back down on the tree "We're not going anywhere. Just for another day or two, Blue. Then, we can go to Asgard all you want and between the two of us, we should be able to liberate Loki"
"But-"
"No" Fandral put his foot down, "I don't want to be strict with you. That's Thor's job. but I also don't want you recklessly flying into a window"
"It's not reckless. It's quicker than a door" I argued, "Dash... If I end up getting hurt, my accelerated healing will kick in."
"And what if there's nothing left to heal?" he snapped, "You don't understand how vicious Hela can be" He turned around and refused to look at me "You're not ready yet."
"Yes, I am!" I turned back, my body aching all over the place.
"Aurora Layladottir. I said no" Fandral called me by my full name. I back down. For now. Might sneak out later "Just go get some rest."
"Okay," I walked off while Fandral stayed in the clearing.
Something wasn't right. I've never seen Fandral this protective over me. I don't think Thor would even be this bad. He may even encourage me to deceive Fandral. After today's training, I could stand the rest. I went up to my bedroom and took a long, well-needed nap. To no surprise, Fluff crawled in next to me. No doubt to make sure I got that needed rest.
When I woke up again, Fluff was gone along with the sun. Fandral must have called him. I walked out of my bedroom and noticed that I wasn't near the observatory anymore. Was I sleepwalking? Because I'm pretty sure I fell asleep in my bedroom next to the observatory and not near the lab. Strange.
Things in the house seem pretty quiet. Everyone must have gone to bed already. I know Fandral is right about taking another day or so to fine-tune my raven skills but I do not have the time. God only knows what Hela and the others are doing to Loki in their dungeons.
"I'm sorry, Fandral, but I can't wait. And neither can he." Carefully, I tiptoed my way downstairs and started heading for the front door.
I just got to the front door when I heard toe-tapping behind me.
"And where do you think you're going at this hour?" My heart stopped as I slowly turned around. Fortunately, it wasn't Fandral.
"Hey, Thor..." I bit the inside of my cheek, keeping my head on my shoulders "I was going for a walk." I pointed to the front door. Thor stared at me in disbelief.
"Try again, Aurora. We both know that you don't just go for walks. We know that when you can't sleep, you get a drink"
"Okay, I was going to the pub" I rocked back and forth on my heels.
"The nearest pub from here is at least twenty miles and You don't have your distance mirror anymore" Thor took two steps towards me "And Fandral's wine cellar needs to be restocked. Now, do you want to tell me where you were really going?" Crap. He saw through my bullshit. I need to get better at lying.
"Asgard. I'm going to Asgard."
"Rory, you do know that is in another realm?" Thor sighed heavily as he leaned on the stair railing.
"There's a portal 30 miles east of here" I sighed.
"You're going after my brother, aren't you?" Thor huffed. I nodded.
"Someone has to. You don't seem to be bothered too" I scoffed. Thor kept a straight face "Thor, you have no idea what they do to him. He needs to get out of there. I can get him out" Thor stared at me. I thought he was about to start yelling at me.
"Okay," he started heading up the stairs.
"Wait," I froze in my tracks, "Are you not going to stop me"
"For two reasons" Thor continued his journey, "One, I am quite busted up and two, like you said someone needs to save my brother. If you think you can do it, Aurora, then you can do it. I know what you are capable of. I'm not going to wrap you up in cotton. That's Fandral job"
"Thank you," I thought of something that scared me. Fandral's reaction when he finds out that I was running off to Asgard already after he told me not to "I should be back before morning. Please don't tell Fandral"
"That means me having a conversation with him that doesn't result in me killing him," he promised, "Now, get out of here"
Smiling, I took off out the door and transformed into my raven form.
"I wonder how fast I can fly" It's still hard to wrap my head around the fact that I'm flying. Yet, there was no beating the view "Hold on Loki. I'm coming"
I closed my eyes and listened for the portal. According to the map and people in the village, the portal makes whooshy sounds. However, just as I reached the clouds. I saw the aurora borealis behind the city of Asgard.
"That was a short trip" I didn't even make it to the portal. Thinking that it was just the thin air, I carried on flying.
As I flew a little closer, I froze. I saw Hela walking in the corridor, she looked as if she was ranting to someone. How the hell am I here already?
"How did I...? Wait. Can I teleport?" Did I accidentally swallow a piece of distance mirror? Or was this another power that I've never tapped into? All of these were possible. I need to test this out.
I land on the south side of the palace. Making sure the area was safe. I turned back to being human and concentrated. I quieted my mind like Sif taught me and focused on a nearby rock.
"Hocus pocus, make my socks land on that rock"
When I opened my eyes again, that rock was at my feet. I didn't think I could do that. I can teleport. I travelled a whole freaking realm in minutes.
"That's pretty neat." If that's the case and I can actually teleport, What's stopping me from getting into Hela's dungeon? Lucky for me, she doesn't know I can also take the form of a raven.
Quickly, I changed back to my raven form and flew up to the dungeon window. Now, if I were Hela, I'd probably have the shit kicked out of Loki for the plain and simple fact that I wanted him to have better stuff and because I betrayed her. Hela never really liked Loki after our trip from Jotunheim to here, so I'm sure she didn't hold back. Nor did Loki get an upgrade.
I flew to Loki's window and yep, I was right. He never got those upgraded accommodations. the sight of the poor beaten and battered man inside broke my heart. I let out a few chirps, just to let him know I was here. Loki could barely lift his head to look at the window. And what remained of my broken heart had shattered into pieces.
"Hello, little raven. A beautiful night, isn't it?" Loki rolled onto his back. I could see boot marks and a ring around his neck. Did Hela try to hang him "What the fuck is wrong with me? I'm talking to a bird. But the companionship never hurt anyone" Loki chuckled as placed a hand on his stomach "Little raven. please stay outside. It's safer for you out there than it is for me in here. I envy you. I would give anything to be able to fly away from here" Loki rolled back over, showing his back to me. I could see the whip marks. Something was wrong with him.
I flew down to his feet and laid my wings over his ankles. Hela broke his ankles. I hate that bitch. I closed my and used the healing skill that Sif taught me. I place my intent on his bones and force them to my will. In this case, popping the joint back in place and mending the bone altogether. To no surprise, Loki jumped, letting a little wince out.
"What the...?" He looked down at me with such joy in his eyes. He reached down to give me the same gentle petting Fandral gave me. Only Loki's touch meant more "Thank you. You're a good little bird. I didn't think ravens could perform magic. I'm grateful you can, little raven. Again, thank you." I hopped up into Loki's lap and turned back into my human form before his eyes, laying my head on his shoulder.
"You are welcome"