Gentle Heart

Grey skies loomed over her as the beautiful delicate snowflakes descended. Lightly melting on her warm flushed cheeks, Talen smiled childishly. The beautiful skies and freedom she has been craving since her sentence is finally here and being set free is something more than she truly wanted.

Her pink lips parted, her hot tongue curled at the taste of fresh snow, softly giggling at the numb sensation crawling down her backside. Talen could care less that she is freezing. This is her home, a soft snort came from her left and the black nozzle of her beloved friend nudged her temple. Her small fingers tenderly stroked the side of Xanthos’ face, the fiery stallion that recovered nicely from his injury.

Pressing a gentle kiss, memories of leaving Whisper behind once again left her empty. She despised the fact that she wasn’t given the privilege to take him with her. All Father disagreed for one simple reason; Whisper has wings and will draw too much attention.

What rubbish! Talen can easily cloaked Whisper’s wings with some sort of spell if she wanted to, but she was pained again to leaving another behind. Anvindr now settled on her leg for extra precaution, Talen never had him on her before reuniting with Thor the first time and Prince Loki is still rotting in that prison cell.

Her dark grey eyes softened at the mere focus of Thor, how her prince is off maintaining the nine realms with the help of his troops. The Warrior Three and Sif no doubt are aiding him along with her brothers and parents.

Minerva cannot stay on the sidelines when a battle ensues; she always has to participate in some way. But to be free and not have the honor of helping Prince Thor and the others made her feel useless. Sitting here in the blanket of snow filled with her horses and dear friend, Ralph who has been working twice has hard since he has to fulfill not only his duties but hers.

Ralph made a huge fuss when he found her in the woods, smelly clothes and messy hair. She looked like a hobo, from his terminology. So lost in thought, she didn’t notice Ralph taking casual steps towards her, a look of concern pass his features as he sees her looking at the dark sky.

Sitting beside her, Talen turned when she heard his voice, “Your hair got so long.” He muttered, his fingers threading through her pink fluffy hair. The curls that were once a couple inches longer than her shoulders now reached down to her lower back. The curls indeed straightened the longer it got leaving Talen in a pout, but when Ralph volunteered to cut it, she refused saying she needed something to remind her of her mistakes.

She needed a change, she said.

Blowing hot air into the winter atmosphere, Talen felt uneasy wondering how the ache in her chest slowly started to ascend. With a furrow brow, she grazed the tender skin of where Brisingamen was imbedded and a soft pound wretched her forward. Grey eyes filled with worry, her hand stopped her from fully collapsing, pink hair ruffled in her face to mask the shot of pain coursing through her.

“Talen? Hey, what’s the matter?” Ralph’s concerned twang voice muffled in her ears, his voice drowned out as she felt as if she was underwater.

What on Earth is going on?

Colors started to shift, the beautiful sheet of snow turned crimson. The stench of burning flesh filled her nostrils and still with her chest throbbing, panicking from the pain, she lifted her hand to see it covered in blood.

Her breath hitched at the sight, constricted of feeling, her body started to shake as she lifted her other hand to see it too covered in the same copper scent. The foul air lingered, her eyes blurry with tears when she saw bodies pile a mile high, torn, shredded, mangled, and burned. Parents, children, sons, daughters, everyone completely destroyed.

Air wheezed out of her throat as the ache became too unbearable, clawing at her chest; she felt the blasted pendant still within her. Lips quivered in disbelief, she whispered, “N-no.” She shook her head, “No…no…no…NO…NOOO!!!” She screamed, adding more pressure into her chest.

Talen jolted from her slumber, tears streaming down her pale cheeks as she gasped for air. Scanning the large white cell she is encased in, she realized it is just a dream. Her fragile body shook with vigor as she senses started to become one with her mind again. “It wasn’t real…it wasn’t—r-real.” She reassured herself, pressing her hot cheek against the cool floor of her cell.

Taking large gulps of air, she tried not to close her eyes as the images started to spill from her mind; things that she refused to come into terms with since her first day here. Each day was different than the last, each dream always brought her hope only to be deceived and ending with internal inferno that she didn’t want to be a part of.

Yet she was; she caused the destruction. It was Loki that was the leader of all of it, but she was the pawn, a murderer that caused death. She killed numerous of her people, she nearly killed Jane and on the verge of doing do with Thor.

How was she still alive?

She didn’t understand why she hasn’t been sentenced to death.

Possibly because everyone knows that your weak conscious will provide more torture than one can ever give you. A dark whisper entered her mind, Talen pushed it away, shaking her head in dismissal.

Her days are coming to an end here, Talen will be released and she will return back to Midgard if All Father admits it. She highly doubted he will retain her here considering the looks she still has gotten from her time here, the guards obscured her food in every possible way; provided piss water, literal piss in the water, and they defiled everything she touched.

She has taken it upon herself to find ways to keep herself clean, but as for hunger…there are days they did not feed her so she rationed her food whenever they gave it to her despite it filled with snot or saliva, she stomached it.

Now she had to wait patiently for someone to tear down that wall and go home where she belongs.

_ _ _

Thor inquisitively gazed down at the soldiers that have fought alongside him since the first day of proclaiming that he will end the war of the nine realms. It has given him blood, sweat and grief over doing such a task from his father no less than expected nothing, but greatness.

Greatness he received.

Thor has grown far more than Odin has imagined, creating order once again in the nine realms, he imagined peace gracing his features only to see his mind clouded with distractions. Standing next to his son, he made a not so subtle suggestion that Thor needed to consider taking the throne and a wife.

The prince pursed his lips, he gripped the railing as he stated, “I am not ready to take the throne for I still need to grow.”

Odin disagreed, “I think you are except you have distractions clouding your judgment.”

Thor inhaled deeply, holding his ground as he has heard this speech many times before over the past several years. “This isn’t about Jane Foster, father.”

“Who said it is about her?” His father’s eye filled with wisdom struck a chord with Thor as he realized it wasn’t Jane, but a certain pink haired goddess he is speaking about. “Her days spent in the prison are about to come to an end.”

“What are you saying?” His deep fear is that Talen’s sentence is prolonged further until her dying day alongside Loki or worse, death. Waiting for his father to explain is nerve-wracking, he will not lie and say he hasn’t’ thought of the soft spoken goddess over the past hundred years and much to his dismay he hasn’t seen her since.

Whenever he tried to see her, her cell is conveniently empty at the time. The guards will always state that she is elsewhere under strict orders from All Father himself, now that he thought about it, his father has been keeping them apart all these years.

It also didn’t help that Loki always had something to say concerning the goddess and himself. If that shield wasn’t there…

“She will without a doubt return to her life in Midgard.” Thor blinked astounded at his claim that Talen will do such a thing. She has a home here with everyone, she’s finally back where she belongs and to say that she is going back? Odin sees the confliction in his son’s eyes, “Do you not think she will? Talen feels like an outcast and with such animosity from her own people will certainly drive her back to the human world.”

“She won’t go back. I won’t let her, she stays here.” Stubborn as they get, Thor’s grip tightened around the railing. He has seen her leave before, once is enough, he cannot endure it again.

“You cannot forbid her because I will admit it. She belongs where she is comfortable with and you belong here ruling over Asgard. Do you think she will stay for you when she thinks you have feelings for Jane?”

It only took a moment for Thor to hear the words coming from his mouth; his father believes he doesn’t have true feelings for Jane. Before he can retort to his comment, Odin spoke once more. “Has it not been Talen that you have been thinking of and not Jane? You swore you will see Jane again after the Bifrost was destroyed, but not once have you spoken of it. Each time you returned home you immediately go to the cell hoping for something you cannot cling to. Talen will not give you her heart, she thinks of herself unworthy and for you—it is best to have someone that lies in front of you.”

Stretching his arm out in gesture of Sif, right when she flips a comrade to his back, she grins at her administrations only to feel eyes upon her. Glancing up to see who it was, confusion ran through her when All Father and Thor gazed upon her. Shifting her gaze elsewhere, Odin then spoke, “She will be released tomorrow. You can come to say your goodbyes then.” Then he departed leaving Thor’s head spinning.

_ _ _

Thor couldn’t believe his eyes, the woman that he now saw is nothing he could ever imagine or wish upon anyone. The fresh clothes that were provided for her since her start of her sentence were now worn, shredded at the hem leaving her bare stomach.

Her ribs protruded from her skin as she swallowed a large breath, difficult time breathing from what he gathered, lack of food and water. Her hair, pink fluffy and curly that always shined with the appearance of being soft to the touch is now limp, lifeless. The curls disappeared as her hair flowed down her back, exceedingly long.

He almost didn’t recognize her. Her feet bare, wiggling in discontentment and her skin is almost ghost like. “Talen.” He whispered. As if she had superb hearing, her head turned, grey eyes that were filled with curiosity and gentleness now held despair and desperation.

Her pale lips parted in disbelief, softly muttering his name under her breath, he softly smiled at her as he saw the shield disappear between them. Free to reach out towards her, he took those long steps and scooped her up in his arms without a second thought. A foul scent waft in his nostrils, but he pushed it aside smelling much worse and knowing it wasn’t her fault he held her closer.

A groan left her lips, concerning him, he released her. Asking if she is well will be stupid to say, cupping her hallow cheek, his deep blue eyes flickered in regret. “I am truly sorry for not being here for you.”

Talen licked her dry cracked lips, offering him the weakest of smiles, a portion of one that made his heart swell. “All is well, my prince.” All is not well, he refuted. Seeing her in such a state twisted his heart in unimaginable ways and realizing his father was going to give her the options of her freedom, he must speak with him.

“Let’s see you to a medic. Can you stand?” His booming voice lowered to a gentle whisper as if he felt his voice itself might break her. Talen shrugged her shoulders not knowing if her strength is up to par, biting her lip; she used the prince as leverage pushing herself up on shaky legs.

Half way to standing, her legs shook so much, Thor couldn’t stand it. Picking her up in his arms, she felt lighter than a feather. He remembers holding her in his arms and she was heavier than this the last time. If color can splash her cheeks, it would do so as she shifted her eyes elsewhere, clear of embarrassment.

“You don’t have to do this.”

“I must. You need proper care. I will take care of you, I promise.” Holding her closer in his arms, he stepped out of the cell, guards standing rigid as he trekked through the halls. Ignoring the snide remark form Loki, he continued on, focused on the fragile goddess in his arms.

As he reached the infirmary, he commanded the best to aid Talen. Witnessing the reluctance, he pressed further to have them help her. Talen flinched at their touches, lying her down as particles mirroring her body floated above her. She winced at the state she is in; she will need to be in intensive care for weeks to regain her strength. When the healers voiced the exact conclusion she came up with, she winced as the warm touch of Thor came above her.

Brows furrowed, he pushed her long hair back from her forehead, “What is this?” He didn’t notice the red crescent mark on her forehead before.

“That is the mark of Brisingamen. One will be marked when revived.” Dagmar, one of the head healers that Talen has come to know gave her a look. Talen kept silent as Thor mulled it over asking if it can be removed. “No, it is like a birthmark. Completely harmless, but a testament of what she has been through.”

Seeing that Thor has become comfortable again, Talen is beyond shock when she hears him say if it is safe for her to be sent to another living quarters.

“What do you have in mind?” Dagmar questioned.

“A room next to mine. It will put me at ease if I can keep a watchful eye on her; I assume horrible things happened to her while in her stay in her cell.” He stated gravely. Given permission to do so, Thor picked up Talen again as a small squeak came from her. Her body screamed at the new position, watching her features he eased up, her body became less stressed.

“My prince, someone will escort, Talen to her new quarters.”

“There is no need.” Thor spun on his heel taking Talen with him, she gripped his tunic between her fingers and could not help, but feel flustered with butterflies fluttering in her stomach.