The Brightest Star

Chapter 9 - Stepping in as the Teacher

(Loki's POV):
The following day I attended my lesson with Kára, allowing for her to instruct me in creating a solid clone. I made sure to pace myself today, knowing that I would need my energy to track her after the lesson, I could not afford to be in such need of rest as I had been the day before.

"How are you feeling?" Kára asked in concern after my clone faded into nothingness.

"I can try again," I replied, disappointed that my previous clone had only been solid in the upper body.

"Are you positive. I just want to make sure that you are not overworking yourself, we do not want a repeat of what happened yesterday," Kára cautioned, but I shook away her concerns.

"I know my own endurance, I have plenty of energy to try one more time," I responded before focusing all of my strength on creating another clone of myself.

Once it had materialized, Kára stepped forward and took the clones hand in hers. She nodded when it held strong and then she moved her hand to the forearm, followed by the shoulder, the cheek, then the thigh. A smile broke out on her lips as it remained solid, despite that being the spot that my previous clone had disappeared with. She ran her hands down my calf, but as she reached the ankle, the clone was no longer solid and her hand went right through.

"Damn it," I muttered under my breath, disappointed with my lack of success. I had been so close to succeeding, but I had not quite achieved it, like everything else in my life: the Asgardian throne, besting Thor, taking over Midgard, a happy life.

"Do not get upset, Loki, that was incredible!" Kára cried out with a radiant smile on her face. "You just started working on solidifying your clones yesterday and you have already almost achieved it. Your skill is truly unbelievable, you should not get frustrated with yourself. Here, have some of this, it will make you feel better."

Kára produced a cup out of nowhere, presumably fill with the same liquid that she had left for me the day before. I accepted the cup and examined it before asking, "what is this drink, anyway?"

"Oh, it is a special tea that my mother used to brew for me after our lessons so that it would not be as taxing on my body," she explained, clearly recalling a fond memory. Part of me wanted to learn more about her past, but it would be foolish as to express an interest, I needed to remember that this woman was nothing but a pawn my mother was using to save me.

"Well it was absolutely disgusting cold so I hope that it is more bearable hot," I replied coldly before taking a sip. I was pleasantly surprised by the taste of the liquid and it spread a warmth through me similar to the feeling I experienced when Kára had given me some of her energy the day before.

She rolled her eyes, "I apologize if it is not exactly to your liking, Loki, but you could at least show some gratitude that I am helping you regain your energy. Anyway, I think that that should conclude our lesson for today. Tomorrow perhaps you will be a bit more successful with your clone."

I watched as she left the room, clearly frustrated with my consistent rudeness, no matter how kind she was to me. I felt a strange urge to run after her and apologize, but I restrained myself and simply finished my tea before creating a clone to be escorted back to my room. Once the guards were out of sight, I focused on Kára's magical footprint and found her heading in the direction of the library. I watched from the shadows as she entered the room, found a book, and sat down to read it.

Figuring that I was safe for at least an hour to search her room, I ran down the hallways, careful to avoid any guards, until I reached the room that mother would always give out to whomever she had sent in to befriend me. At first glance, there was nothing suspicious about the room where she may have been storing her correspondents with my mother, but then I swept the room again and found a chest that was surrounded by a protection spell.

Wondering what else she would possibly have to hide besides the letters, I concluded that I had found what I was looking for and began breaking through the spell. It only took a few minutes to break, although the spell she had put on was quite complex. Inside were a number of papers that she had sent Frigga and my mother had returned with comments suggesting things to do to win me over.

I scanned the reports, noticing the words Kára had used to describe me: cold, uncivil, disdainful, impossible to be around. My lips twitched up into a smile as I read this, proud of how she had reacted to my behavior. But at the same time, there was a strange sensation of dejection crawled into my heart. Shaking my head clear of those thoughts, I focused my attention instead on my mother's responses.

Most of them were just asking Kára to keep fighting, that eventually I would warm up to her, but there were also specific requests to put on a harsh facade for my benefit and then appear more caring. Flipping through her advice, I realized that I could use this against Kára so that I could know whatever play she was instilling.

But even as I returned the letters to the chest, her words from the report I had read the day before flashed through my mind: I glimpsed a side of him today that seemed to indicate to me that perhaps there is a heart beneath that icy facade he hides behind. Her words sounded so hopeful and I could not help but wonder if she truly wanted to prove that I have a heart.

I teleported back to my room, a battle raging within me. Why did I care so much about what Kára thought about me? I had been pushing people out of my life for the past year since I was brought back from Midgard as a prisoner, why dis I feel differently about this woman?

"Troubled?" I heard a voice ask me, causing me to whip my head around and find my mother standing in the center of my room.

"Why am I not all that surprised to see you here?" I questioned, taking a seat on my bed.

"I am sure you could have predicted it, you are the one who teleported out of Kára's room a moment ago. You are aware that I always know when you use that kind of magic."

I rolled my eyes, "yes, mother, you never fail to make sure that I know. You do not need to worry about it, I was merely returning a cup to her, but she was not there so I left it in her room as opposed to taking the unnecessary time to track her down."

She gave me a smile as she sat down next to me and placed her hand atop of mine, "so what do you think about her?"

"Who, Kára?" I questioned, the mere thought of her enough to spread warmth throughout my body. "She is no better than any other person you have sent to annoy me. She tries too hard and she is no match for me magically."

"Really? Well that is certainly disappointing," she replied, although I could tell that she knew I was lying to her. "But please try to keep an open mind and give her a bit more time, perhaps she will surprise you."