When Darkness Falls - LOKI - Book One (Editing)

42. Devastation

     Days had passed and yet the pain only grew stronger. Loss. Betrayal. Heartache. Thor never imagined that he could ever experienced a blow such as this all in the matter of an hour, but he had and it hurt worse than watching his brother fall from the Bifrost Bridge.

     He couldn't let go and he couldn't forgive, but as much as he wanted to put the blame on his brother and his wife, he knew that the only reason Malekith came to Asgard was for the aether and the only reason the aether was on Asgard was because he took them too it. He was angry and he wanted answers. He wanted to know why his mother had to loose her life. Why Bronen had attacked his own niece and why his father refused to let anyone see the young neophyte, who had been locked away since the attack.

     His mind wandered to Athelia, who had slept through the majority of the recent events, healing from the wound that should have killed her. He knew he had his brother to thank for keeping her alive, but he couldn't help but wonder what version of Athelia would wake. He cringed thinking of how he left them both. How they embraced each other like it was the last time they would be together and when he returned, after his mother had been taken from his world, he fell to his knees as Athelia had to.

     He nearly beheaded his brother in a fit of rage, but unbeknownst to him, Loki had one last trick up his sleeve and though it was a risk, Thor did not stop him. He sat there on his knees as he prayed to the God's to spare him one less devastation and watched as his brother's Frost giant fingers burned the bind that kept her morality in tact. Neither of them thought it would work, but the moment the bind clattered to the ground, Loki was tossed back in a surge of power that trembled through the both of them.

     Athelia's body had jolted upwards as her life force had returned and they watched as the darkness spread through her beautiful white curls and inched through every vein in her body. He had seen the darkness in her once before, but this was different. They all knew there was no coming back from this, but despite the bind that Loki had broken or the lingering burns of his hand on her skin, she fought every second to stay in the real world.

     "How are you feeling?" Thor asked her as she rolled over in their bed.

     Athelia avoided his gaze, but instead gazed around their new living corridors that Frigga had spent the night before the wedding preparing. Neither of them had dared approach the subject, but they both knew the loss that had lingered through their kingdom and the vengeance that burned within their souls.

     She pulled the blankets from her and Thor watched as she inspected the dark strands of hair that weaved through her braids. There was a sickening look on her face and he glanced away as her dark, dim blue eyes met his. She was still as beautiful as the day he met her, but the subtle changes that darkness had caused put him on edge every time he looked at her.

     "I want to see Freya," she demanded, pulling herself from the bed. Her nearly naked body caused Thor turn away and she shook her head, embarrassed by the way he avoided her.

     "You know that's not possible."

     "Then make it possible." She snapped back, teetering on the edge of the void between them.

     Athelia had done her best to hide the motions the swept over her. From her uncle to Frigga, to Freya being locked away and Loki still rotting even though he saved her life again. It was enough to drive anyone mad, but she had to fight it, because every moment that passed, all she wanted to do was a slaughter something.

     "Thor," she said, her voice softer. "I just need to see her. Talk to her. Tell her I'm sorry and I promise you, if you let me I will take her far away from here. Somewhere where Malekith won't find her."

     He didn't respond, wishing she could indeed do such a thing. He knew his father was hoping Malekith and his arm would return for and the aether that ran through her blood, but Thor wanted to spare his people anymore loss.

     "Will you say something?"

     "What would you like me to say?" He chuckled. "That I will help you betray my father's orders. That I will help you escape. What good would come of that? Disobeying Odin is what got us into this mess in the first place."

     "Your father is the one that got us into this mess, Thor, not you. He's been lying to you since the day you were born. If the truth had been known, I never would-"

     "You have no idea what you're talking about." Thor dismissed her as she stepped closer to him.

      "Don't I?" She chuckled. "Do you not have a sister you never knew about? One that just so happens to practically be my mother."

     "She's not your mother," he growled.

     "I may not have been born from her blood, but I was born from her darkness."

     "It doesn't matter Athelia, there is nothing we can do it about it now. We are who we are and we cannot change that, we can only try to be better than those who brought us into this world."

     "Then help me do the right thing. Help me save your people... My people. We can do it together, I know we can."

     "And what if we can't?"

     "We can," she said, her voice full of hope for the first time. "Thor I was given a second chance and I'm not going to waste it. Understanding and accepting my truth gives me a strength over my darkness I never possessed before. I can wield it. I can manipulate. I know I am in control now and I can't let your father's vendetta stand in the way of Freya's survival." Her hand folded around her husband's and she tried give him a light hearted smile, but he dropped his gaze to her darkened fingers. Something he was yet capable of accepting. "I know I scare you and I know I hurt you and lied to you, but I am all too familiar with the taste of vengeance and I promise that if you help me save Freya, I will pin down that bastard and let you pluck him apart limb by limb until he is begging you for mercy." No one else has to die Thor... No one."

      Thor processed her words as he paced back and forth around the bath that Athelia had been soaking in all morning. His fingers ran against the cold marbled edge as he worked the idea in his head. He was sure they could save Frey and they could defeat Malekith, but he wasn't so sure that Athelia was as in control of herself as she thought she was and that worried him.

     "I promise to walk away," she finally said. "If you help me save her, regardless of how it ends, I will forsake the throne and go home."

    "My father would never let go of Dorian."

    "The accord my father made with Odin was based on lies, therefore void." She muttered, holding out her hand. "Your sister may be locked away, but she is alive none the less and the rightful heir to the Asgardian throne. If you help me, then we will both be free to live the lives we want, where we want."

     "And does yours include Loki?"

     Athelia glared up at him. "I sincerely hope you are joking." He stepped away from her, sighing heavily. "You're brother may have saved my life, but I've paid my debt to him by showing him his way out and he chose to rot down there. He is no longer my concern, Freya is and I am telling you that I would take her and leave, you just half to help me get her off this planet. Let Malekith follow me to Dorian, he wouldn't survive more than ten minutes against my armies."

     "You are the Princess and The Future Queen of Asgard, Athelia, and you are my wife. I will help you, but I so not want you to leave unless that is still your wish. I promised you a life of happiness and I intend to fulfil that promise."

     "You owe me nothing Thor, most certainly not your own happiness."

     "I know I don't, but I did not lie when I said I wanted to love you. In a way maybe I already do." He admitted, finally looking her in the eye. "You scare me and you anger me. You drive me mad and you fill me with an insatiable chaos that I barely know how to handle. We have a long way to go, Athelia, but I would be stupid to let someone as brave and resiliant or strong as you to walk away from the crown you deserve or the future you could have."

     "Thor -"

     "You are my wife and I would very much like for it to stay that way, even if it that means you sit on a throne planets away."