Midgardian princess

Chapter 17

Loki reads one of the books you and Frigga had sent him last time. Your words are still echoing in his head, your goodbye and the possibility of never seeing you again. It breaks his heart, but he thinks it is for the better, maybe this way you could be happy again, maybe now you can find the same kind of sunshine on Midgard as Loki had found in you.

A familiar figure appears in front of him once again.

"Hello, mother," he says. Loki doesn't feel like talking.

"My son..." she is at a loss for words.

"Has she left already?" he silently asks without looking up from his book.

"No, not yet, but soon," Frigga answers and he nods, "I can show her to you."

"No," Loki says, "I already let her go. I don't deserve anything more from her."

Silence fills the little cell. There is so much both of them would like so say, but no words to describe the feeling. Finally Loki decides to do the last thing he can to protect you. He stands up still holding the book he was reading.

"In my time away I made some very powerful enemies, some who would stop at nothing to get back at me. I don't want her to be in their path."

He steps closer to his mother's figure.

"I promised her to keep it safe," Loki takes off the necklace, "But I don't think I can do that. Please, hide it somewhere, keep it safe, she's my everything."

And the pendant phases from one form to another as he places it on Frigga's hand. She looks at it surprised knowing that it is Loki's most prized possession and the last thing he has of you. She puts it around her neck and hides the crystal under her metal breastplate.

"I will guard it with my life," Frigga promises and the man simply nods.

***

You stand inside the new Observatory with Thor. Sif and the Warriors Three are standing a little bit behind waiting to be sent off to the different realms to fight their wars.

"So this is it? This is where our paths go theirs separate ways?" Thor asks.

"I guess so, but..." you smile, "I'm sure we will meet again, I truly believe it."

"I will miss you, little sister, I truly will," he puts his heavy hand on your shoulder, "And I hope you're right and our paths may cross again."

You look at the warriors behind you, in all your time here you never knew them as your friends, but you know you will still miss them too.

"Could you do me one last favor?" Thor asks and you turn back to him.

"Anything," you assure.

"Back on Midgard... would you look after Jane? Keep her safe? Keep her company?"

"Of course," you smile.

The man opposite you lets out a sigh and pulls you closer.

"Goodbye, sweet sister," he says as he hold you, "Be safe."

"You too, Thor! It would be my honor to see you as king and I know that day will come! You will make a wonderful and just ruler," you part and you turn to Heimdall, "Send me home and take care. Goodbye."

You feel the Bifrost taking you away, sending you through space with incredible speeds. You see the colors change and suddenly you are standing in a circle of charred grass at the edge of a forest. You look up to the sky.

"Thank you, Heimdall."

You walk into the forest and you soon find the overgrown path leading up to the house that has served as your home before. Everything about it seems to be left untouched as you walk up to it. You take the hidden key from where you had last left it and unlock the door. It screeches on its old hinges as you pull it open. You look down and see footsteps in the dust. You chase them to the little bedroom. You follow the trails someone else's fingers have made on the surfaces on the room. When you get to the bed there is a snow white flower. It looks as fresh as if it was picked minutes ago. You take it and realize it is the same flower Loki had plucked for you on the very first evening you were together.

You sit onto the dusty sheets and look at the flower in your hand. Loki had been here, he hadn't lived in here while on Earth, but he came here because that was the last home the two of you had together. You look around in the familiar room. Everything seems grey, you blame it on the lack of cleaning, but even the sun doesn't shine the way it used to.

You put aside the flower and decide to get to work on the house, a spring cleaning if you will so you could at least pretend that Loki will return home to you at any second. That you will hear his voice in the hallway calling for you. You wish to turn back time, but all you can do is to wash away the grime that time has left inside your home.