Dark Star || Loki [1]

[33] Everybody Stalks

19 FEBRUARY, 2011

ASTRID

The queen found her in the courtyard. The sun was going down, hugging the horizon as its orange light spilled out onto the vast crystal-blue waterfalls beyond the kingdom.

"Astrid," said Frigga breathlessly, rushing her into a hug that both knocked the breath from Astrid and surprised her. "Gods above, I thought you'd been hurt terribly."

Astrid felt a painful twinge of guilt in her chest. "I'm so sorry, Frigga. My magic was overwhelming me, what with everything you and Loki were talking about-"

Frigga stopped her with a swift gesture of her hand. "You were spying on me and my son?"

Her blood froze over. The queen's arched eyebrow struck more fear into Astrid's heart than any kidnapping or waterboarding ever had. "I-I didn't..."

But Frigga shook her head, smiling wickedly. "I suppose I shouldn't have underestimated your talent-nor your curiosity."

Astrid hung her head. "I'm sorry."

"What's important is that you're safe, dear." Frigga lay a hand on her shoulder. "I don't want to think what my son might have said to me if you were put in danger under my care."

"I have a feeling you're the only person he wouldn't eagerly turn into a toad," said Astrid.

Frigga laughed. "You're probably right."

"I'm worried," said Astrid. "And I think that's the worst part. I never used to be worried about anything."

"What changed?" asked Frigga, making a sweeping gesture towards the canopied alcove in which they had sat days before. Astrid took it as an invitation to walk and talk.

"Just about everything." Astrid wrung her hands. "Including your son coming into my life."

Frigga laughed lightly. "He's always been somewhat of a subject of worry for me as well."

"He's been one of the best parts, actually," said Astrid. "He's been a real friend to me. That's something I've never had before."

"Loki rarely socializes with anyone on Asgard besides his family, and even then it's often paired with reluctance. But to make friends with a Midgardian... I'd say you're very special, Astrid."

Frigga was smiling warmly at her, but all Astrid felt was an uncomfortable weight sitting on her chest. "I want to continue training," she said. "I won't give up this time. I promise, Your Majesty."

"I have no doubt in your resilience," said Frigga firmly. "What concerns me is not your ability, but that of your magic. Such unfiltered power within a human... I regret to say such a rarity has proven dangerous."

"Has?" Astrid sat down as they reached the flowery alcove. "People have had magic this strong before?"

"A select few," said Frigga in a way that suggested those humans hadn't fared particularly well. "There are people on Midgard who worship us as gods-have for thousands of years."

"The Scandinavians," said Astrid. She'd done some reading on Norse mythology in Loki's books. She'd held no interest in gods and goddesses until she met-and babysat-one.

Frigga nodded slightly as though appreciating Astrid's knowledge. "In older times, we would visit them from Asgard, and they would write stories of us in their own books. That was how those legends began," she said. "But the cost of interacting so closely with humans was high, and one poor girl paid dearly."