Gentle Heart

Once again, Talen finds herself in one of the fewer places in Asgard that she can truly find solace and comfort. The stables. The quiet neighing, hooves clacking against the pebble streets and Whisper gently nudging her with his snout affectionately.

Talen smiles softly at the kind gesture, “Thank you, dear friend. I find myself with few friends these days.” Including one that is captive and force to be in a small living quarters until the Aether is extracted. But she couldn’t visit Jane as she pleases and even if she could, she wouldn’t. The guilt is eating her up. Everything is starting to rise in her troubles making her feel like she is trap in a tank slowly filling with water and its almost to the top.

She is struggling to breathe, find a way to escape. Maybe she should give up. With betraying Jane, following with her feelings towards Thor who in turn is using her as a coping mechanism for losing his mother and Loki blaming for Frigga’s death…

She knows that Loki is not the only one that puts the blame on her. The gods could be possibly thinking that if she could only redeem herself, saving their queen would be a step in the right direction. Her heart squeezes as her sorrow fills her.

Whisper’s wings flutter, craning over her form like a shield letting them both be shrouded in darkness. Hiding herself from the world that she is shedding tears before recollecting herself to find a plan where Loki will accept the offer of taking them to the Dark World.

They needed to get Jane out of here and the dark elves are the only ones that can extract it. Dagmar and her father come to a dead end with spells of what to do.

Running her hand down the soft coat of her beloved friend, she promises that she will return for him. Her thumb rubbing harshly against the crescent mark on her forehead before making her way to find, Misa. The sweet novice healer that took care of her when she was released and has separate duties of feeding the prisoners.

Misa makes her way towards the kitchens, her blue dress flowing against her ankles, the top being tied around her neck with a leather bound while her lean back is exposed. Scratching her elbow, she softly smiles as she sees the trays line up for her to take. Rarely saying anything to the chefs bustle about, she picks up the large tray before walking out.

The young goddess did not think she would be working the dungeons so late in her training of healing. She thought she would be tending to wounds and learning spells, but her superior thinks otherwise. So many unquestionable doubts about Misa risen if she has a strong heart for this occupation and if she can handle a bit of roughhousing from inmates than she can handle patients.

Clearly not understanding the intent of it all, she bit her lip not wanting to be sent back to the brothel where her mother is currently position there. She wants a better life for herself, so she must endure. Gripping the tray tighter, she straightens up her back when she sees the two guards standing at the entrance.

“Good evening.” She whispers and earning nothing in return. They stand firm and silent, watching her pass before standing straight up again. Shivers crawl down her spine as her footsteps echo down the hall.

Taking that final step into the dungeons, keeping her eyes forward as the low rumbling of convicts start to whistle and roar in pleasure on the discomfort of her wellbeing. Sliding each plate under, she works her way around until the last cell where Loki is located. Pursing her trembling lips, she place the plate on the floor as the small window appears, opening it, she slides it across before it closes again.

“Misa, is it?”

The tight curls kept away from her face sprung free, her hazel eyes widening when she looks up in shock. How does he know her name? More out of pure shock than wonder, she stiffly nods. “Yes…how do you know my name?”

“Who doesn’t know your name? Talen speaks wonders about you, of the highest esteem no less and also hearing the guards sharing their opinion of having you underneath them until their hearts content, well how can I forget?”

Heat spreads across her dark cheeks, nibbling on her bottom lip, she brushes her skirts as she clasp her hands together. “I d-didn’t know you and Lady Talen were on speaking terms.” The sinister smile fades from his features as he makes his way towards her casually as if her words did not break his demeanor for one moment.

Instead of expanding on the conversation that is put out in front of him, the god of mischief chides, “How does it feel to be the third most hated goddess in all of Asgard?” Loki’s thin lips only widen at her confusing glance before continuing. “First being Talen of course, no one wants her free, then following is yours truly and then you…the goddess that made it your mission to bring her back to health.”

Misa tighten her hold on her hands fully aware of the disdain that has been clouding her ways since healing Talen back to health. Death threats were made or attempted to bribe her to assassinate the pink hair goddess when she least expected. How can she of all people save someone like her, they say.

The young apprentice never even had a look of the goddess, not even when her and Loki stride in Asgard to claim it. Without a doubt she had heard stories of a goddess leaving the realm of Asgard to Midgard, but never put two together. The vicious goddess that other gods vividly describe her was her brutal nature, hair as dark as blood, eyes that glowed like liquid gold and fangs which she pierced her victims with to feed.

But she didn’t see any of that.

What she saw was a broken goddess, lying on the ground who was mistreated in the dungeons. So to hear from Loki that she should hate Talen for her misguided savior, she shook her head. “I rather be hated for what I truly believe in than be loved by many for what I am not.”

“Then what are you then? A savior? A pristine goddess that will save Asgard from its downfall?” Loki paces back and forth like a predator watching its prey. His graceful movements as she watch his green eyes pierce through her.

Misa sadly smiled, “I am none of those things, but I can truly say that even though we lost a queen, you lost a mother and I am sorry for your loss.” Pivoting her heel, she makes her exit as Loki glares daggers at her back.

It’s been difficult, only seeing Thor when it is deem necessary. Talen storms out of her parents household, her father quickly following behind her. “Talen.” His baritone voice echoes as he chases after her. He calls out for her again before his large hand firmly grips her bicep, spinning her around leaving her hair in a flurry.

Grey eyes meeting grey, tension rising as she breathes calmly through her nose to think things through. Her anger, frustration and blame are surely taking its toll and her father who she try to use to blow some of that anxiety away only increase it.

“What is the matter with you?” Aeron’s voice lingers as he searches for an answer in her harsh features. Furrow brow, deep lines around her lips and the mark on her forehead glowing brightly. “Control your anger, my little bird. There is no need for apprehension.”

Tears start to spring into her eyes as she stares at her father. How she has not heard that nickname in decades – the name that only her father and Vermundr call her sweetly. Biting back the painful ball that is choking in the back of her throat, she exhales. “I feel like you are hiding something from me, father and every time I try to reach out towards you, you back away. I understand mother’s hatred for me, but now I feel like you feel the same except your actions are more hurtful than hers.”

Aeron softens his grip on his daughter, gazing down at the brokenness of her soul. For years, the poor girl has built up walls, created worlds for herself and pursued a life of happiness only for it to be knocked down within seconds by a relic.

Now it haunts her, breaks her down when she is alone and her sadness eats away at her for pleasure.

“I am not hiding anything from you. I swear it.”

“Then why does it feel like I am the only one trying to help, Jane? I’m the only one actively looking for a solution while All Father is looking for a way to destroy her and you will dutifully follow him without complaint.”

“That’s enough.” His voice tightens at her accusation, stormy eyes burning. “I advise our king as I see fit and if you think I blindly follow him then you are sorely mistaken.”

“Is it?” Talen’s lip trembles. “I was sentenced to a hundred years in prison. A hundred and not once have you visit me. Not once have you fought for me. Scolded me. Punished me.” Each word dripping with more venom than the last as the frustration of loving her father is growing into an agony she can barely recognize.

Aeron was silent in that moment, taking it in. The moment his little girl walked through the door, he knew that it wasn’t going to be a casual conversation like they usually did. Something that continued to be awkward, snipped, but filled with love. No, this was out of anger and in due to her stomping out like his wife when her temper gets the best of her.

He did not see Talen, he saw Minerva.

“You locked up in that cell was punishment enough. I couldn’t bear the sight of you behind that golden shield because then I would have to admit it was you that invaded Asgard. That it was you, that killed all those people. Seeing the devastation that you left in your wake…” He trails off, not knowing what else to say. He felt in his heart that he has to speak the truth and seeing his daughter’s tears rolling down her cheeks only made it more painful.

All he could do is lovingly press his forehead against her own, comforting her in his own way.

Surely, Talen thought her father would help with the situation at hand, but the given facts were there. She will have to think of this on her own.

It wasn’t long that Talen accompanied Misa during her rounds, grabbing a tray disguised as a random goddess aiding the apprentice on her duties. As you casually make your way to the dungeons, Misa fills you in on her small influence on the soldiers standing guard. Talen didn’t know what she means until she are face with them, their eyes staring straight forward…nothing out of the ordinary.

Until focusing on their eyes, pupils dilating, surely she did not cast a spell?

“It will wear off in a while, but we still must act quickly.” Misa renders the older goddess speechless, clearly underestimating the naïve apprentice. Hauling herself down the steps, Talen feels expose despite being covered head to toe other than her eyes.

Stepping on those small steps leading towards Loki’s cell, her grey eyes land on the god of mischief, clearly waiting for her arrival. “Surprise after surprise, your little apprentice is making good use of her docile nature.” His green eyes flickering towards the apprentice who swiftly starts to make her rounds before landing on the murderess in front of him.

“Speak. I doubt you came to speak pleasantries.”

Talen pulls the garb masking her lower half of her face to her neck. Her heart beating out of her chest. “It’s about Jane and you taking us to the Dark World. You are the only one that knows how to get there. There must be something of value that I can offer for you to change your mind.”

Loki snorts, disgusts course through his veins that this meager goddess can think that he can simply change his mind because she is more demanding and have built a spine over the last couple of days. “Clearly you have forgotten the words we exchanged.”

“We didn’t exchange words, that was you and prince Thor.”

The god of mischief grins, his disheveled clothes, torn. His bare feet bleeding and his hair wavy and out of place except for the dry tears she once saw last time. Now its fill with more rage. “Nothing will please me more than to have your head on a pike, then again it wouldn’t give me the satisfaction to know that you won’t feel what I am feeling. You are Thor’s prized pup. His woman in the darkness. The love of his life…”

Shivers call down her spine, initially screaming at her to turn away. To find something else, but what else can she do? Shaking hands with the frost giant is the least of her worries. “If you can save Jane’s life, help us extract the Aether, you can do whatever you want with me, whether its to take my life or break it.”

Her solution causes her so much pain, heartbreak as she hears the hush tone of Misa coming towards her, pleading with her to reconsider her actions. As she stares into Loki’s deceitful eyes, nothing pleases him more.

“Risking your life seems to be your default setting. How dull.”

“Do we have a deal?” She stresses the proposition and all she sees is that wicked smile widening.

“I feel like a monk in these clothes. That’s much better.” Talen eyes widen as her blush continues to show on her new face. To see Loki masking himself as her, peeling off layers to reveal her slightly pudgy torso and pushing her chest up to appeal to men’s eyes is beyond demeaning especially if she is pose as Loki.

Significally taller than disguise Loki at the moment, staring at the pink hair that is clipped back and hearing her voice sound so menacing drench in a bit of sarcasm as he makes a list of her attributes and characteristics.

“I don’t know why I am guised as you and you as I.” Talen mutters, letting the height difference get to her. Glancing down at Loki who smirks in glee.

“Because if this plan fails then at least I can be free and you will be imprisoned for the rest of your life. So what’s your plan of action of getting out of here? Getting Jane? Or you doing this all by yourself? Where is your brainless knight in a red cape?”

Pursing her lips, she clenches her fists hearing her feminine chuckle echo the hall. “Did I make you mad? Irritated? Angry beyond contempt?”

“If you don’t shut up I will be.” Seething as she glowers at Loki, hovering over his form like a tower. Grey eyes staring back at her before glancing up on her forehead. Clicking his tongue in dismissal as he presses his finger on her mark.

“Settle down. Wouldn’t want anyone to see through this ruse?”

Sighing, she steps back without a doubt glaring at Loki when she stashed in her own bedroom as the god of mischief retrieves Thor. There is no way she can do this on her own, taking Jane and all. But to trust Loki into this plan without switching forms, she grew irksome watching her own form swaying hips disappearing.

Loki tries to remain as poise as possible, channeling Talen’s true personality before knocking at Thor’s chambers. Hearing his brother’s voice, he instantly clenches his fists almost dispelling his façade for a little bit of something else.

He can use this form to kill him. The ultimate pain of what Talen can possibly feel equally as what he feels about his mother’s death, but he pulls back knowing that his much bigger plan is already in play. He waited for Talen to come back when he refused to work with her and Thor. His acting skills prove worthy as the stupid goddess places her life in his hands.

Now the future king of Asgard needs to become a apart of this in order for this to work. “It’s me, Talen.” He softly called out, he bites back a smirk when Thor rushes to the door, opening it. Loki is bombarded with an embrace before feeling Thor’s beefy hands cup his cheeks.

“I was so worried. Where have you been?”

Feeling a part of her nature to bite his lip, Loki did just that, nibbling on his lip, responding, “I needed time to reevaluate everything. Figure out how to convince Loki to side with us.”

“You what?” Thor furrow his brows in confusion. “Why would you go alone? Loki is a deceitful beast. He will stop at nothing to gain the upper hand.” Loki shifts in discomfort when those putrid hands start to squeeze his face together. Those concerning blue eyes turn dark as the discomfort turns into pain. “I know it’s you, Loki.” The thunder god spits out in hate.

Slamming Loki against the wall, his façade of Talen not vanishing as he sees him widening his eyes in fright just like his beloved does. “W-what are you talking about? It’s me. T-thor…I-” Loki furrows his brows before a hand envelopes his neck, closing his airway.

“Talen rarely calls me by my name. She’s known for adding titles.” Smashing Loki’s head against the wall, the mischief god’s face shifts before changing to his true form. Loki chuckles as his hands clutch at his brothers forearm, taut and refusing to budge.

“Must have slipped.”

“What are you doing here? Where is Talen?”

“About that…” Loki trails off, grinning at Thor’s growl. “Safely in her room, awaiting for our arrival.” He shifts back to Talen’s form before patting the arm holding him steady. “Release me so we can fill you in on the details. Our dear girl has a plan.”

“How does this plan go? Your release?”

“Something along those lines. Details are not that important. That is between Talen and I. Why don’t we free your bird and get started?” Thor finally releases him, watching the snake gleefully smiling and making his way out the door with him in tow.