In The Shadows | Loki

ONE BITE

Odin leads me out of the palace grounds and into the surrounding village, not saying much of anything as we walked. There are no guards with us, confusing me slightly, but I wasn't going to mention it. Odin didn't appear worried either, as he nods at the passing villagers. It becomes clear where we're heading, but I'm not sure what exactly it is. 
        The building towers over the other village structures, and looks almost like a church with its large spire and looming presence. The closer we get to it, the less people there are, and by the time we step inside, I see how deserted the actual place is. It's in the silent building that I dare to speak.
        "What is this place?" I ask, keeping my voice low to be sure I don't disturb anything. Odin doesn't look at me, walking deeper inside.
        "The temple of the world tree." He replies. "Yggdrasil. That is not our destination, though." He keeps walking, turning sharply around a corner, away from the main hallway. Suddenly, we're in a twisting maze of hallways, and I can't keep track of our path. There are stairs down, down, down, and I'm not sure how much lower we can go. More hallways, filled with various doors, and then we stop at one. Odin pulls a key from his pocket, opening the door without hesitation, and then leads me into a large chamber.
        My breath is stolen in a gasp as my eyes are immediately drawn above us. We were under the world tree, and I was looking up at roots. They were beautiful, twisting and growing before my eyes, wrapping around balls of light. I felt like I was staring up at the beginning and end of the cosmos. I could've stood there, staring for hours, but Odin's voice pulls my eyes away.
        "This way." He's already started away from me, towards more doors. How many rooms could be in here?
        I cast one last glance at the roots before following the King. There is no lock for the door that Odin stops at this time. Actually, there's nothing. No handle, no knocker, no keyhole. I open my mouth to ask, but I stop as Odin lifts his hands to one of the stones in the wall beside the door. His hand presses down, and he begins to murmur something that I don't understand. The door begins to glow, brighter and brighter until I'm forced to look away. I squeeze my eyes shut as Odin continues his chant, waiting for him to stop. It takes a long time, but eventually he slows to his last words, and the light disappears. 
        When I open my eyes, the door is gone, and instead there is simply a doorway, leading to..... to outside? Odin doesn't explain, of course. He just glances at me before walking... outside. I follow, feeling grass tickle my feet as I walk and look around. Like Asgard, this appeared to be a floating island, but this was in the sky instead of space. Fluffy clouds fill the sky, and it looks like a perfect summer day. 
        Movement out of the corner of my eye has me turning, and I see a woman standing between a tree and a small hut, the only things on this island. The woman smiles as she takes in Odin.
        "Odin." Her voice is soft, airy, and kind. Then her eyes fall to me, and the smile doesn't fade. "Ophelia Winters. I've been waiting for you." 
        "Iðunn." Odin replies. The King of Asgard walks away from me, towards the hut, but I don't follow. Something in me urges me to stay with the woman, Iðunn, so I do. Odin goes inside the hut, and when the door swings shut, it's just Iðunn and I, alone. 
        "Ophelia." Iðunn speaks, taking a few steps towards me. "Soulbond to Loki. Your life has been a troubled one." I frown at that.
        "I'm sorry, I'm not sure what I'm doing here. Or who you are. Or... well, what's going on in any way." I say quickly. Iðunn chuckles, stopping at my side, only long enough to link my arm with hers so she can walk towards the tree with me. 
        "Do you know this tree?" She asks, nodding towards the tree. It was vibrant, with a rich brown trunk and emerald green leaves. Amongst the leaves were white flowers and golden apples. I shake my head no. "This is the tree of immortality."
        "The what?" I ask. Iðunn smiles at me. 
        "The tree of immortality." She repeats, stopping at the trunk. "One bite from an apple grown from this tree will make you like Odin, like Thor and Loki. You will live thousands of years, you will be Goddess." I watch her and wait, wait for someone to jump out and yell "just kidding!" No one does, and I let out a strangled laugh before pulling my arm from hers.
        "There's been some sort of mistake." I say quickly. "I couldn't hold on to my own powers, this isn't for me. I can't be.. I can't be a goddess." Iðunn's smile never wavers, her arms falling to her sides as she looks up at the tree. 
        "I have kept watch over this tree since the kings of old hid it from the cosmos." She murmurs. "I know who will come to take a bite from these apples, and you have been fated to come here for millenniums." Her eyes fall back to me, and I see that they're the same gold as the apples. Her hair is platinum blonde and pulled back, her dress the emerald green of the leaves. It was like she was part of this tree. "Odin has never brought anyone to eat the fruit from this tree. He claimed that he would never find anyone worthy. Until now, he has held true to that statement."
        "I-Worthy?" The word feels caught in my throat. "I'm not worthy. I'm a mess. My life is a mess."  Iðunn's eyes turn sad at my words, and a small sigh escapes her. 
        "It saddens me that you don't see it." She murmurs, turning back to the tree. I watch as she reaches up, getting on her tip-toes to reach a fat, golden apple. She plucks it from the branch, her hand gripping it lightly. I watch as she turns back to me and holds it out. I take it, but don't dare think about eating the fruit.
        "This is a mistake. Odin made a mistake." He'd made a lot off those in the past few years. 
        "He didn't." She murmurs. "Don't think that you are doing this for yourself. Take the bite for your friends, for your planet and people." Her eyes gain a mischievous twinkle. "Take a bite for your God. For Loki. He deserves you, this, after all he's been through. You deserve this, even if you can't see it."
        My eyes fall back to the fruit in my hand, my mind reeling. I couldn't do this. I didn't deserve this.
        "Take a bite, Ophelia." Iðunn urges. "One bite." 
        Almost unconsciously, I bring the apple close to my lips.
        "One bite."