Siren

Love At First Sight

"W-What? How, how is this possible? You?" Gianna stammered with such a shocked expression like a bombs just went off.

Still flabbergasted at the woman claiming to be her mother, she didn't buy it at first until Gianna allowed the woman to continue her false narrative. The evening chill began to get to the women as they decided to sit down on logs in a position so that the smoke didn't blow in their eyes. Despite sitting by multiple campfires in the past, Gianna never liked roasting food over it, but rather with a knife and fork rather than her fingers.

"Yes. Me. I, am your mother. My name is Amora. I know what you're thinking, child. 'Why are you here?' 'How are you here?' 'Why show up now?' Well... to answer your questions, my dear, we are going to need a cup of tea."

Quickly, Gianna fetched them both refreshments so that she could determine whether she was telling the truth or not. The woman blew on her drink before taking a sip, then set it down on the ground before crossing one leg over the other.

"It began many, many millennia ago on the realm of the Bright Elves. I was present for a diplomatic mission as to negotiate a boycott of their rival faction, the Dark Elves of Svartalheim for the purpose of hopefully avoiding a war. Unfortunately, that was not the case, as per the return of Malekith attempting to claim the Aether. I was in the courtyard of Kiiilair. Your father was there also but for a slight different reason. To steal the crown of Surtur."

"Surtur? How in the name of Odin's beard did they get their hands on the crown of the Fire God?"

"No-one knows. But, during our stay, I got to know your father a little better over the two weeks we were there. And there, you were conceived in the room of the late Patriach Guunylopz."

"But how is it you're here now?"

The woman avoided the question by asking Gianna in turn of her presence on Midgard.

"I'm... I thought I would give Asgard a bit of a break. I thought grandmother said you died trying to protect me from savage Midgardians?"

"Your father, Loki, is not the only person who can fake their death."

"My father is dead. I saw it myself. He, he died a hero."

Saddened by the recollection of his name, Gianna felt depressed, almost not wanting to converse anymore. Amora took note of her sad expression and reached out to her.

"I'm sorry about your father. I wish I was there to comfort you."

"You may still have that chance."

Amora motioned to wrap her arm around the girl, but was stopped midway.

"Not. Now."

"O-Of course."

"Amora?"

"Yes, child?"

"Can you teach me?"

"Teach you what?"

"How to fake ones death."

"It is not that simple, Gianna. one must learn the trick and practice. You cannot just simply do it. If you're going to do it, you must do it right."

"When can we start?"

"Tomorrow night."

"B-But I'm doing something--"

"What, seeing that girl? I noticed how you were looking at her. You must be careful with whom you pick."

"There's something else... I, I think... I think she might be my soulmate."

Amora's face lit up, her expression gobsmacked but proud all at the same time. She could neither make head nor tale of the soulmark, but she could make a brief summary of it to the girl.

"You have the mark?" Amora whispered in awe. 

Gianna pulled up her sleeve and showed the woman her soulmark.

"How do you know she is the one?"

"It was going crazy when we conversed. I could tell that hers was going the same by the faces she was pulling from the discomfort, as was I doing the same." 

"The soulmark is a very dangerous thing, child. It won't only fortify your overall health and power, but should you break it, it could mean... death."

"I like her, so I'll risk anything for her."

"For your sake, I hope so too..."

"Who was she?" Wanda's brother asked curiously.

The brunette wandered through the market with her brother, unsure of what to do for the next part in their plan to exact revenge on the Avengers.

"I think she is the one." Wanda answered confidently.

"Your soulmate?"

"Yes, Pietro. But... there's one problem. I think she's an Avenger."

"What?! How?!"

"You remember the invasion in New York? I think she was the one there with the, the power to create a supersonic wave with her voice."

"It could just be a coincidence."

"I hope so."

Unable to get her off her mind, Wanda blindly walked through a crowd until she accidentally bumped into a stranger who instantly seemed drawn to her.

"Well, well... what do we have here?" The stranger said with an evil yet charming smile.

"I-I'm sorry. I should have paid more attention to where I was walking." Wanda replied nervously. "Wait... who are you? I recognise your face from somewhere."

"Weren't you at Strucker's research base a couple years ago?" Pietro questioned.

The stranger chuckled and folded his arms. "Perhaps. And you two must be Strucker's prized pupils."

"Why are you here?"

"To investigate something, but it appears I've already found what I'm looking for."

Both Wanda and Pietro tensed in case the stranger acted in a way that seemed hostile until they assured them that they meant them no harm before he parted ways with them. A child ran past the siblings, drawing their attention to the lost child being reunited with his mother. Wanda quickly imagined what it would be like to be a mother worrying about her own child, but she struggled to think straight as the thought of killing her soulmate or failing to love her became a wary thought when the child told them to meet someone at the church.