When Darkness Falls - LOKI - Book One (Editing)

29. Believe

     "It's just right over the hill here," Thor said softly as he pulled his arm from hers and waved up at the tip of the Rocky peak.

     Athelia wasn't even aware that Asgard had such a dark, hard landscape and she found herself taking back every ill word she had spoken about this place. Thor watched in awe as her eyes followed the hollowed canyon and for the first time in a long time, she genuinely smiled.

    "It is so beautiful."

     "It is." He smiled, not taking his eyes off of her. "I never understood how one could prefer this over the splendor of the city. I always loved the way the suns reflected from the palace when they sat and the way the colors swirled through the glass. I never possessed true magic the way you and my brother do, but if I did, I would surely look upon this every night."

     She glanced at him for just a moment before her eyes fell back to the setting suns. They dipped just below the high white peaks and for once the swirls of pinks and purples resonated with her. It truly was far more beautiful than anything she had ever seen. The way the colors reflected on the snow caps, illuminating the grayish canyon in a wondrous glow. It was the perfect blend of her two homes and she took a deep breath as her heart finally accepted the beauty of Asgard.

     "Come," Thor insisted waving his hand down a steep path.

     Confused, she looked at him. "Are we not going to watch the suns set? I can only imagine what the stars look like over here."

     He quickly reminded her that it was still midday and she laughed before following him down into the steep ravine. She rolled her eyes jokingly everytime he reached to help her down an incline, but after the first times, she took his hand afraid to hurt his ego any further. They both knew she wasn't as dainty as she looked, but she had to learn to appreciate what a man felt his role was here.

     "Do you trust me?"

     "What?" She looked up as Thor neared the entrance of a deep cavern. He repeated himself as if she hadn't actually heard him the first and she narrowed her eyes. "The last person who asked me if I trusted them, tried to kill me."

     "Athelia, I don't want to offend or upset you, but you're not on Dorian anymore. You have no enemies here."

     She simply nodded, biting back the chuckle of her own failed joke. She wasn't sure if it was his lack of understanding or her cynical tone that crossed the wires of the humor towards one another, but she couldn't help but think of the witty retorts Loki would have thrown at her.

     Her small smile faded as he turned his back to her. She couldn't help but think she had upset him, but she also couldn't be a hundred percent certain if she could truly trust him. Yes, despite everything she had done or said to him, he was still very kind and accepting towards her, but she wasn't sure that she could ever trust anybody who didn't know how dark her past really was.

     She followed him slowly through the tunnel. The further they got the darker it had become and despite Thor's knowledge of every twist and turn that ran through these mountains, he was still finding it hard to navigate.

     "Do you know where we are going?"

     "Yes," he said, ducking down as the tunnel became shallow.

     His hand slid against the walls as he stepped slowly. Athelia chuckled as he pulled her forward by her hand, but just as she was about to illuminate the hall, they turned a corner and a red glow flickered at the end. "There it is."

     He looked back, the distant light casting a soft glow on his face as he smiled at her. He had spent all morning with Freya trying to make this right and his smile grew wider with every step closer.