Gentle Heart

“I can’t believe he left without me! I could be of use with something! I’m not as useless as he makes me out to be.” Talen kept her lips tightly sealed; grey eyes followed the rage filled fit that the human was throwing when she discovered that she was going to be staying behind while the rest went to see what the plausible threat was.

“I could take care of myself instead of having some lackey looking after me.” Jane paused when she saw the flash of hurt entered Talen’s face. The human woman muttered an apology.

Talen shook her head in dismay, “No need for apologies, Jane. I understand your frustration.”

Jane plopped down on the ground with slump shoulders; there was a mutual understanding between the two and the goddess was grateful that the brunette wasn’t going to continue ranting how unfair it was not to join in on something so…destructive.

“Aren’t you upset?”

Pink hair fell to cover part of her eye as she looked at Jane with curiousness. “Upset?”

“Yes. Upset. I would think you would be more pissed off than I am. After all, you are an Asgardian and can contribute.” If Talen didn’t live in this world as many years as she did, she would have not understood the meaning of independence women have over here. Human women fought for years to gain a voice in the community while in Asgard women needed to keep things to themselves and follow orders.

Pursing her pink lips Talen responded, “I am contributing. Prince Thor wanted me to look after you while he was gone and that is exactly what I am going to do.”

This seems to rile up Jane, “You should drop the eighteen century mind set. You don’t have to listen to Thor if you don’t want to; if you want to do something else then do it. I wouldn’t mind getting out of this hell hole.”

Jane equally shared a guarded front like Talen especially with agents following their every move. There was no personal space except for her living quarters. Talen was slightly aggravated that she was so heavily guarded, but she didn’t fight it.

Crossing her legs, she shrugged her shoulders. “It can’t be helped. I’ve been raised to listen to the future king of Asgard. I put my hope, faith, and trust in Prince Thor. He has done many things for me back in Asgard and I am not nearly finished paying my debt to him. Might as well stay put until they return.”

Watching the annoyance cross Jane’s face amused her. A dark mutter flew along the human’s lips before brown eyes flickered up at the pink haired goddess. Opening her mouth to say something, a large boom was heard following an earth shattering rattle shaking the ship.

“What’s going on?!” Jane panicked, head darted all around the room.

Talen instinctively braced herself alongside Jane. She didn’t know what was going on either. Her heart hammered in her chest at the sudden attack. “Jane.” Talen’s grey eyes stayed glued to the door waiting for some type of signal of what might have occurred. “No matter what. Stick with me.”

Jane mumbled an agreement. One hand placed in front of Jane and the other dancing along the side of her thigh, she thought about the advantages and consequences of staying in one place.

None of them seem plausible. With her sensitive hearing, there were no footsteps along the hallway. Opening the door she poked her head out to see the damage. Empty. There was not a soul in sight. Usually there were two agents standing guard in front of her room.

It must have been more serious than she thought.

Trained eyes scoured the corridor as the two women jogged from one end of the hall to the next anticipating the inevitable. “You think someone attacked us?” Jane whispered brown eyes wide with caution.

Talen nodded stiffly, “There is no other explanation. I need you get you out of here.” She mumbled to herself. If the Zarroc was on board there was no way that she can hold them off all on her own while keeping an eye on Jane. Talen needed to escape with Jane no matter how much she knew it was an idiotic decision on her part.

With her gone, S.H.I.E.L.D will chase after her thinking she was being a traitor and kidnapped Jane if her assumptions were right, but her promise to Prince Thor was much more valuable than being retained by Fury again.

Taking Jane’s slim wrist, she dragged her to a random location. With agents always surrounding her and barely having any access on board she couldn’t memorize any evacuation routes. Biting her lower lip, she concentrated on the situation. When another tremor shook the facility Talen’s feet stayed planted on the ground while Jane stumbled.

“Talen?” Jane couldn’t finish her sentence when her loud scream pierced the hallway.

The pink haired goddess eyes widened in shock at the scaly hand wrapped around Jane’s ankle. The claws of the Zarroc must have sliced through the interior; Talen underestimated the lizard-like creatures. Quickly, the goddess gave a swift kick to the arm releasing the brunette from its’ clutches.

“Let’s go!” Taking her hand again, they raced towards the end to hear the tearing of metal from below and a low screech as if it was beckoning its’ companions.

As they rounded a corner, Talen halted in her tracks when she found several Zarroc staring right at her. The familiar clicking noise reached her ears. Goosebumps crawled down her pale skin while she kept Jane close to her as possible.

“Give us the pendant.”

“And the girl.” The golden eyes narrowed when Talen tightened her hold on her friend.

“Over my dead body.”

“Might as well.” As one decided to step forward, Talen’s form stiffened. She couldn’t remember a time where she took on more than one enemy at once. Grey eyes darted around to each enemy trying to decide what she needed to do.

“Jane.” She whispered lightly. When the brunette’s head perked up, she said in a murmur, “Whatever you do. Stay down.”

Right when Jane gave a nod of confirmation and knelt onto the ground Talen reached for her rod. “Time to play.” Talen mumbled before getting into her stance.

Zarroc came from every corner and within a flash the metal rod transformed into a large boomerang and pelted almost half of the creatures back with sheer force and wind. Jane stayed on the ground in awe as she observed how hard Talen was protecting her. Sheen of sweat covered her body as she flung the boomerang slicing some of the creatures in half.

Once the weapon flew back to her, her hand grabbed onto the handle swinging around to cut through another row of Zarroc. When a couple of the lizards try to reach her, they were all blocked by the pinked haired goddess.

Spurts of fire emitted from Talen as she landed a kick firmly on one of the remaining Zarroc. When the last one was beheaded Jane looked up to see the fatigue goddess trying to maintain her composure.

“Talen?”

Her shaky form could not be missed, blood soaking her clothes as she leaned on the metal boomerang that now retracted into the rod she recognized. When the goddess fell to her knees Jane quickly went to her aid asking if she was alright.

“I’m—I’m fine.” She gasped.

Concern ran through her as she looked around. “We should get going before more of them show up.” Jane was terrified that they were not only after the pendant that was embedded in Talen’s chest, but after her as well. This was no doubt the work of Loki. Who else would know who she was?

Lifting Talen from the ground they hobbled a little further to find another pack of Zarroc waiting for them. Jane cursed silently her mind instantly started to race to think of some type of plan. Talen lifted herself off of the human to stand in front of her in a protective position.

“Get them!”

Jane panicked. Talen wasn’t moving from her stance; no movement that was telling her that she was about to defend them. Her posture slacked ridden with fatigue and a brutal beating from the first round of Zarroc and now this?

“Talen!” Jane called out the goddess’ name hoping it was bring some type of reaction to her, but all she received was nothing. As the Zarroc got closer Jane thought quickly and reached for Anvindr. Once her human fingers touched the rod it started to glow. The bright light was overwhelming blinding everyone around them.

The intense heat was electrifying. The waves of heat rushed through her body before it started to roll back into small waves. The light started to reduce until her ears heard sounds of birds chirping.

Birds chirping?

Jane opened her eyes to reveal lush of green grass. From a distance there were a herd of sheep and cattle. Looking around she felt this place was somewhat familiar.

“Home sweet home.”

Talen’s voice brought her back to reality. The soft grey eyes of her companion looked at her since they were around the same height. “You’ll be safe here, Jane. I promise you.”

Total confusion was brought to Jane as Talen started to limp away. “Wait! What the hell just happened back there?”

Talen pursed her lips she didn’t want to question what happened back there. It was a miracle that they came out alive and complete shame washed over the goddess. How her mother would lash her for being so incompetent in battle! Talen barely had enough stamina to last merely an hour of fighting, completely worthless as a warrior for endurance.

But now that she was on her turf she can settle in her home and look after Jane in her own way. Walking towards the farm was going to be quite the distance since they somehow teleported on the outskirts of her land.

“How did we get here?” Jane’s persistent questioning kept nagging at her.

“I don’t know. Don’t question it. We’re safe and I can keep you safer in my home.” There were a few things in her home that she was quite proud of and a few hidden places where she could keep Jane from danger.

From the long journey towards the goddess’ house Jane kept questioning how something of that nature could happen. The understanding that Jane obtained on Talen’s power didn’t connect with the teleportation they just experienced unless it had something to do with Anvindr or the pendant. Theories started to rack her brain as she walked side by side with Talen who was too quiet for her liking.

Talen was thinking of ways to keep Jane undercover without Ralph or any of her employees from noticing if they don’t throw a worry tantrum when they find out that she was alive. It has been close to a year since her absence. Something told her that her dear friend Ralph has been keeping an eye on her farm since she left.

Once the dirt road that leads to her house was in view Talen almost scurried down the path to her home. A smile almost broke into her face when the familiar smell hit her nose. Her body suddenly started to relax and feel at ease. Everything about this place was just perfect.

“Hello Talen. It’s been quite a while since I’ve last seen you.”

Her heart almost stopped at the silky voice.

No.

Stormy grey eyes shifted to see the god of mischief standing feet away from her, a sinister grin bared on that pale face of his. “Prince Loki how did-”

“How did I find you? It was easy, really. A simpleton could have found this god forsaken place. Did you think you can hide behind my brother and I would overlook you?” Loki took a few steps forward; eyes darted from the pink haired goddess to the brunette standing right beside her. “And this must be the human whore that my brother is enamored with. How pitiful.”

Talen’s eyes stayed glued on Loki, his posture and words clung to her body. Trying to read his next move, she started to shake. “Don’t move!” Instantly, Anvindr was in the hands of Talen in a fighting stance. “I will not hesitate to attack.”

“Ooo, frightening. Tell me Talen. Do you think you have changed?” Loki inquired as he paced in a semi-circle around the two. “I could tell that you are shaking in fear from the murders you committed not too long ago. You weren’t born a warrior; you were born to merely gallop around the stables staying in the shadows. If it weren’t for your mother you wouldn’t have Anvindr, would you? No, you would be completely defenseless.”

Talen tightened her hold on the rod when she felt Loki’s eyes wander to her chest. “And to think that the goddess of horses and healing would be a complete fool to intertwine her body with Brisingamen, I guess I would have to take you too.”

Loki innately charged towards the two, Talen gritted her teeth when her rod clashed with his scepter. “Do you think you can overpower me? No one can overpower me!” He effortlessly threw Talen back with a powerful blast. The goddess flew back like a ragdoll.

Her body crashed into the ground her body screamed in pain hoping to have some kind of antidote to heal itself. Blood seeped through her mouth as her hazy vision prevented her from seeing straight. The goddess tried to lift herself up, tried to do something that would get her up and to protect Jane like she promised Prince Thor.

The struggle between Jane and Loki wasn’t much. The muffled sound of Jane’s screams still rang through her ears in a mournful cry. Fingers lifted up from the ground as if she would somehow save her with a single flicker of her finger, her vision was shrouded in complete darkness.