When Darkness Falls - LOKI - Book One (Editing)

43. Risks

     "I thought you hated the ale?" Thor asked with a light hearted smile as Athelia ordered another round for the two of them. Thor had barely touched his own, but she was desperate to relieve the edge that crawled under her skin.

     "I do," she said, taking the last sip of her mug before sliding it across the table. "But... We are about to ask a man who despises me to help us escape Asgard."

     "Heimdall doesn't despise you."

     "I threatened to kill him," she confessed. "On multiple occasions." Thor raised a brow at her words, but the pub maiden returned quickly the tankards and interupted his train of thought. "Not one of my finer moments, but hey-" she raised her glass to him. "Here's to be hopeful."

     "It's a long shot, I know, but Heimdall is a dear friend and I don't believe he would betray my trust over my father's." He insisted, trying to ease every doubt she had of his plan.

     It wasn't that she didn't trust him, because she had learned quickly that Thor was one of the very few people left her in life that she actually could, but it was the others she was weary of. She had fought beside the Warrior's Three, butshe was certain that her issues with Lady Siff had spread through her companions and that the trust they had once had in her, had vanished.

      Thor placed his hand over Athelia's in an attempt to comfort her. He ignored the warmth in the hand that still wore a bind, but was still careful not touch them. He squeezed gently and watched as the stern look on her face faded, but the small smile she had mustered faded as the golden clad guardian made way into the pub.

     Heimdall stared at the two of them for a moment, before taking a deep breath and removing his helmet.

     "Just let me talk, okay?" Thor insisted as he slowly stood to greet his friend. Athelia nodded, standing beside him and watched as the two embraced each other. "You were not at Odin's war council."

     "The Bifrost is closed by your father's orders." Heimdall sighed a she placed his helmet on the table in front of Athelia. "No one is to come or to go."

     His golden eyes landed on Athelia and for a moment he was taken aback to see her in a state like this. She lacked the luster that she once possessed with her tight white braids and excessively dark armor, but he still found beauty in her existence as he always had. He nodded in her presence, but didn't go as far as saying hello, instead he turned back to Thor and leaned into his chair in an attempt to relax for the first time in ages.

      "We face an enemy that is invisible even to me. What use is a guardian such as that?"

     At first Athelia thought that praising him as a profound gatekeeper would smooth over some of the distraction she had caused, but she took his lack of eye contact as a dismissal and sat back, sipping her sour ale as the two of them discussed why he was called here.

     "Malekith will return, you know this." Thor muttered as be stared down at his half drunk tankard. Heimdall knew as well as anyone else that Thor was correct, but j like the prince or the Allfather, he did not look forward to this day. "Heimdall, I need to ask for your help."

     "I cannot overrule my kings wishes. Not even for you." He said, his gaze landing on Athelia.

     "We're not asking you to." Thor said, his voice dropping to a whisper as a a small group of patrons passed their table. Heimdall took a moment to glance over at Athelia, half expecting to see her disinterested or angry, but he was surprised at her attentive nature and the sincerity of her interest in helping the Asgardian's people. "The realms need their Allfather strong and unchallenged, whether he is or not. But he is blinded, Heimdall, by hated and by grief."