When Darkness Falls - LOKI - Book One (Editing)

37. Desperate

     "Are you okay?"

    "I'm fine."

     "Are you sure?" Thor asked as he took a seat next to her on the peak. It had taken him a while to find the courage to approach her. She had seemed far to peaceful tossing rocks from the bottom of the ravine, but the closer he had gotten the clearer it got that she was indeed not okay.

      Athelia's dropped her head on her hands and groaned, before snapping at him. "I said I'm fine, Thor."

     She had been sitting here since the moment they dropped the shield of Bronen's cell. It took everything in her not to lock herself in the cell with him and beat him until she got the answers she wanted. Though after seeing the look on Loki's face as they walked passed his cell and knowing that her uncle had just ruined any and all chances she had to continue with her plans the way she wanted to,  she needed to get out of there and the only other place she could find peace was the ridge where Thor had taken her days ago.

     Nobody other than him would have thought to look there. Odin and Frigga had been searching for her for hours. It wasn't everyday that someone plotted to kill the King and though Odin had requested her presence in the throne room, she ended up here instead. Tossing stones and cursing the life she had found herself entangled in.

     "You know you don't have to pretend-"

     "Can you please stop?" She asked him, her voice agitated. "I appreciate your concern, I truly do Thor. Your a good man. But, no... I'm not okay. Nothing about this is okay. I'm marrying a man I barely know because my own uncle killed my father and I have no idea why." Her voice began to crack and Thor reached for her hand, surprised that she let him take it. "It makes no sense! He never wanted power or the throne. I just... I don't understand and I have no idea what I'm doing anymore. Everything is different now. Everything changes. My people won't accept the brother of the king in an Asgardian's prison and I truly do not think they will believe me. I've been gone a year and Odin's gold makes know difference to a Dorian traitor. They probably think I killed my father and fled."

     Athelia chewed at her bottom lip and an unnerving chill ran through her body as Thor gently squeezed her hand. "You're people know you're not a traitor. You may be fierce and bold and you may have done things that some people would deem unforgivable, but your people are smart and they will understand the truth when it is given to them."

Athelia managed to mutter a quick a thank you before pulling away from Thor's embrace. She studied his face for the first time and a smile tugged at the corner of his full lips as he watched her.

"I want to thank you for what you did to today Athelia," he said, brushing a piece of her windswept hair out of hair face. She turned into the palm of his hand and let his warmth spread through her cheeks. "It was incredibly brave and selfless. You may have have saved my father's life and I will forever be grateful for that."

She didn't respond. She couldn't. She couldn't tell him that what she did had indeed saved his father. There was no may have in regards to Bronen. If he had been capable of killing her the God of War, then the Allfather would be like a walk in the valley.

"You are not a monster you think you are Athelia," he continued. "You could have put that crown on your head and fought your home, but you didn't."

She cupped his hand in hers and inhaled deeply, her mind swirling with a thousand thoughts all leading back to everything she had filled his head with. All of the lies, all of the deceit, everything was building up to an explosion of truth that she wasn't ready for.

She gave him a light-hearted smile before she stood. Their hands feel to their sides and she picked up one last rock and tossed it before looking up at him.