Gentle Heart

“So tell me,” Talen cautiously watched the man walk forward and take a seat right across from her, the long metal table created a small distance between them, much to Talen’s relief. “What is your purpose here on Earth?”

The goddess looked confused as she questioned, “I don’t know what you are implying, sir. Whatever it is, clearly you have the wrong person.” Talen didn’t know who this man was and giving out information to a stranger, well, it might not go well on her part. No human would believe her even if she did tell the truth.

The man didn’t look impressed as he folded his hands together as he lowly said, “There has to be a reason as to why you are here instead of Asgard.”

Talen tensed, How did he know that? The only people that know are—

She paused as her thoughts immediately stopped at Jane and Thor, they would never turn her in, not in a million years or so she thought. Talen didn’t know what to think as she quickly went into denial, “I have no idea what you are talking about.” Her cool demeanor was slightly faltering at the menacing glare of the man in front of her.

It looked like he didn’t have the patience to for indirect answers, his nostrils flared in aggravation, “I thought we came to an understanding when you complied to answer my questions honestly, Miss Calloway? I did not come here to play games with you. So I’ll ask you again,” he paused for extra emphasis, “What are your intentions, Miss Calloway?”

Talen bit the inside of her lip as she felt her heart accelerating, thousands of thoughts scrambled through her mind. As of right now, he only knew her name and that she came from Asgard or he is assuming that she is from there.

“I have no intentions except continuing working at my ranch.”

The man didn’t look convinced as he took something from underneath his coat and slipped out the contents, “Is that so? I took it into perspective to do a background check and you have no birth certificate, no identification that showed that you were from here and as I dug further, I found something rather interesting.”

He slipped the sleek few pieces of paper down as it showed a black and white picture of an intricate design on desert ground, “The same markings when Thor landed on Earth were the same as the one fifty years ago and if you still think that you can deny your statement, maybe this will persuade you.” He lifted a thick metal rod with the same intricate designs carved into it, “My men found this on your person. Still in denial, Miss Calloway?”

Talen pursed her lips as she saw the evidence that was clear as day that she wasn’t from here and her gaze lingered on her weapon that she kept on herself for protective purposes. Her dark grey eyes finally looked right through the man, still afraid of him to speak her true thoughts, “I never had any intentions of harming anyone on this planet. I simply came here for a better life.”

And if you don’t give me my damn rod back, I will personally skin you alive, She thought darkly.

The final push was his dark gloved hands wrapped around her precious weapon, it was the only thing that connected her with Asgard. Inhaling deep breaths, she closed her eyes to settle her anxiety down, there was no reason to get angry. This man doesn’t mean any harm…does he? Despite what he has said so far, she trusted him a little more than she would have liked. Something about him spoke a true natural aura about him that she can depend on.

“If I was to have any ill intentions, don’t you think that I would have done it by now?” Talen tried to prove a point and squashing any assumptions that she was here for a different reason. “I am no threat to your world. All I want is a peaceful living.”

Nothing would satisfy her more than to quietly live in her ranch and ride her horses all day. Instead, she was here being interrogated by some stranger. Where was Thor when you needed him? Surely, he can help her through this difficult time, but he is who knows where. Quietly, she sat still on the flimsy chair and handcuffs that tied her to the chair, they even took extra precaution and handcuffed her legs to the chair as well.

Just peachy, Talen thought as she tried to wiggle her legs to see that they were bound too.

“And how do I know that you are not a threat today? You could have been patiently waiting for orders from a higher ground.”

The man kept assuming things from the Asgardian; she did nothing to deserve this. All she has done was land swiftly on Midgard and started a living here. Nothing unusual about it, she took her business from the ground up and has been successfully living from her profits, nothing more, nothing less.

Talen shook her head as sadness clouded her eyes, muttering, “I’m not Prince Loki. I do not have a sinister purpose here, like I said before I wanted to live peacefully here on Earth.” She felt like she was answering in circles as the man kept pestering her about her main purpose on Earth. It seems like he thought that she was lying to him, there was no reason to lie about her purpose and did she look evil to anyone? Talen was a pathetic version of what an Asgardian should look like and yet they posed her for a threat?

Nothing made sense.

It felt like hours as she answered the same way over and over again, frustrated tears started to blur her vision as she choked out, “I mean no harm! What don’t you get about that? I am the goddess of healing and horses, what is so threatening about it?”

The dark man lifted himself from the chair planting his hands on the table as he hissed, “I will not underestimate anything extraterrestrial. You can be an unknown threat to my planet and I will not risk setting you free by mistake, now tell me who you work for.”

The pink haired goddess was getting a headache as she grinded her teeth for good measure, “No one.”

Before any other words can be exchanged from the two, they heard a loud crash and a thunderous roar before a colossal man barged in without reason. Talen almost sighed in relief when her eyes caught with the golden god himself, “Thor.” She whispered.

Thor on the other hand, didn’t seem pleased as he directed his glare at the Director, “What is the meaning of this? Why do you have my friend in chains when she has done you no harm?” he gripped his hammer tightly as he waited for the dark man to answer.

“Hasn’t done any damage yet. We are talking precaution after what Loki did in the past several months and we will not take visitors lightly.” Talen didn’t know how Thor knew she was here, but she was glad that he graced her with his presence when she was starting to get annoyed. The man with the patch did not know when to quit and easily can see that he wasn’t going to leave until he got his answer.

Thor dismissed his reasons as he walked towards Talen and released her with ease, Talen rubbed her swollen hands as she heard the prince murmur, “Are you alright?”

Forcing a smile, she nodded, “Yes my prince. It was all a misunderstanding…how did you know I was here?” It was then that Thor explained that she was in the headquarters of S.H.I.E.L.D. the same agency that created the Avengers unit. Now in understanding, she was introduced to the stubborn man as the man with Fury or Director Fury for most.

The name fits perfectly.

Talen then directed her attention at Fury as she asked, “If you don’t mind, I need Anvindr back.” She held out her hand for her weapon, but Fury didn’t look compliant to do so.

He still didn’t trust her and showed it by shoving the weapon into his coat, Talen pursed her lips as she heard him say, “I still don’t trust you.” She felt Thor taking a huge step toward the Director in protest, but she grabbed his cape gently as a simple reminder that it shouldn’t be fussed about. Anvindr always had a way of finding her, no matter where she was. “Thor,” the prince lifted his gaze back to the man, “Keep an eye on her.”

Once he left, Talen sighed as she crossed her arms, “This was an eventful day, wasn’t it?”

“If I had realized that he had followed my every move, I would not have let you reveal yourself. I put you in harm’s way and now they are holding you captive.” The golden god lifted his head up towards the ceiling before he lifted his hand to touch the wall, “You can easily escape if needed be and yet you stayed, why?”

“I had no reason to escape my prince. If I did, all they would have done was follow me home.”

Thor chuckled, “Yes, but you are your mother’s daughter and she trained you well if I remember correctly.”

Talen shrugged shyly as she remembered the times her mother trained her from dusk till dawn to be a female warrior. No matter how many times she wished she was in the stables, her body was present with her mother. She didn’t have the ideal mind of a warrior, her mind was feeble and only thought of one thing and that was peace. Talen was aware that her mother had grim thoughts about her only daughter wishing that she was a fierce warrior like herself.

Instead, she cowered behind the four legged creatures that kept her company since she wandered off to the stables at a tender age. All the cuts, bruises, and broken bones didn’t amount to anything, but a scared little girl that was afraid to fight back. Talen had the grace and agility of dodging attacks, but to become a merciless killer, it happened once and she is afraid of ever becoming that monster again.

It was so easy for her to take a life when she was so blinded by rage; the easiest feeling to let it consume a person. The reason why it happened was they were at war and her closest brother died on the battle field.

Biting her lip, Talen shook her head, “I can’t let those feelings consume me again, Prince Thor. It only brings destruction.”

“That is because you have not harnessed your feelings, if you did so, it will be easier for you to control your movements. I shall teach you the ways of the warrior, my dear Talen.” She forced a smile as he patted her back with a little more force than what she is used to. Without complaint, she agreed silently as he started to teach her a few things about using her anger as a weapon.