The Ides of July // Loki - Book 1 ✓

Chapter 48: The Vault

BY THE TIME they reach Heimdall, Anna's tears have slowed to a trickle, and she wipes them away before taking one last look behind her at Asgard. The sky is a brilliant blue, and the palace is framed with mountains in the distance. Part of her wishes she could've explored the city more, gone with Loki to the wilderness, retraced the steps of his childhood. Anything more than this. She knew Odin wanted her gone, but this is excessive. A nagging thought tells her that something is wrong, and she definitely isn't the type to sit by and let it happen.

Hogun dismounts the horse first before offering a hand to assist Anna, which she promptly ignores. Hopping down, she earns a look of respect from Sif, amusement from Volstagg, and...a wink. Fandral winked at her. Ignoring him, she strides into the golden chamber where she arrived a little over a week ago with Loki.

"Lady Anna," A booming voice hits her eardrums the second she steps inside, and she is shocked to see Thor standing in front of her in all his glory. He grips Mjölnir in one hand, and his red cape billows behind him as he crosses the room to engulf her in a hug. A single cut mars his face, and she frowns into his shoulder.

"Thor--" she starts to speak, confused as she attempts - and fails - to pull out of his hug.

"What is the meaning of this?" Lady Sif's voice cuts through, interrupting her and causing Thor to drop Anna and beam at his friends. "How are you here?"

"My friends!" Thor bellows. Anna winces, taking a step away from him.

Lady Sif frowns, "The Allfather informed us that you were imprisoned. We were to come free you and your Midgardian companions."

"There is no need," Thor smiles. "Stark succeeded in removing the technology in both Jane and Lady Potts that prevented our escape."

Technology? What technology? Anna looks baffled. Come to think of it, how did Restitution manage to hold Thor, the God of Thunder, against his will? Surely those magic-restricting shackles wouldn't have been enough to hold him.

Heimdall steps up, "I told the King of Thor's imminent return not two hours ago. When did you speak to him?"

"Just now," Fandral replies. "We met Loki and this lovely lady in the corridor. The Allfather approached us and sent us on our way. Loki was led away by guards."

Thor's smile disappears, and Anna's look of confusion gradually transitions into one of recognition. Odin called Loki to appear before him in the throne room, which was the opposite direction from whence he came. Granted, she doesn't know Asgard at all, so there could always be a back route, but why would Odin come find Loki when he refused to even visit him when he was unconscious?

"Loki and I were on our way to meet Odin, I mean - the King - when we saw them," Anna adds. "I fell, and when I stood up Loki was acting strange, and Odin appeared. It all happened so quickly."

"Did you see him?" Thor grabs Anna's arm, shaking it lightly. "Did you see Loki as you fell?"

Anna shakes her head, "No. I don't know. What do you mean?"

"We must go," Thor instructs, leading the way from the chamber with Anna in tow. His grip on her arm smarts, his strength more than he realizes it to be, and she realizes how gentle Odin had been when he led her through the castle.

Odin. That look in his eyes when she told him how Loki needed to know how much Odin loves him, how much Anna loves him. She wasn't able to read it then, but now she recognizes it. It's the same look Loki gave her when she told him she loved him. Baffled. Lost. Afraid to say more. Longing to do so.

"Can Loki change his appearance?" Anna mumbles to herself as Thor leads them down the Bifrost back into Asgard.

"What did you say?" Thor demands, his blue eyes stormy.