Beauty Is a Cruel Mistress

Alone is how she felt, the loneliness leading to the entirely foreign world that she currently resided. Eyes peeled, she took in the fact that this current world she resided in was far more beautiful and mythical than anything she had ever seen. Standing on the platform looking out to the land of advanced buildings and a sky of many hues, she gave an appreciative smile. It was an absolutely lovely sight to see. There was a man on the platform, a guardian sentry of Asgard. A man who made move to grab the hooded stranger that was capable of traveling to the land of Asgard without his allowance. Heimdall had not even seen the stranger coming, it was so sudden it caught him off guard. She turned to look at the overbearing man wearing golden armor complete with a helmet and sword. His amber eyes narrowed on her current position, she was nothing more than an intruder. All that he could see was her feminine pout, most of her face covered by the hood. Other guards showed up to take her away, it was unheard of to have such a visitor. She was grabbed and pulled away without much care to be taken to the king of Asgard Odin.

Never did she struggle, she was beyond struggling at this point in her life. All she could do was listen and observe as the men escorted her to the castle. Because what she had done was something no other being had been capable of, she was treated as a threat. The elderly and wise king sat on his throne, lines of guards on either side of those walking the aisle. She remained calm somehow, like she was void of the need to flee. Forced to kneel before the king by her escorts, she stopped her fall onto the stone floor, palms down and she looked up to see the gray haired man walk towards her.

“Show your face intruder, and state your name.”

“I am Isobel,” she spoke as she raised her hands to pull back the hood. She lifted her gaze to look up at the king. The king was taken aback by her appearance, her features untarnished and lovely. Her expression was calm, too calm for one that was a prisoner surrounded by warriors. It was an expression that prompted the king to interrogate the young woman.

“What business do you have in my kingdom?” the king questions. She shook her head and gave a sad smile.

“Sorry to disappoint you but I do not know where I am.”

“She wears the clothing from Midgard Father,” a man states upon seeing the shoes and pants of the woman. He locked eyes with her. “You are from Earth are you not?”

“Yes,” Isobel nods in agreement.

“How did you manage to get to Asgard? The portal was destroyed.”

“If you have been to Earth then you know some of us are born with certain capabilities that allow us to do certain things-” she paused wincing in pain over the wounds that seemed to have reopened by the treatment she had received from the guards. The warm drizzle of blood slid down her back and an exhale came from her mouth in response to the pain. If she were to die, it would at least be in a beautiful place.

“You seem to be in pain are you alright fair maiden?”

“I’m fine-”

She didn’t complete her sentence and collapsed onto the ground. The fatigue not something she felt before, she could only think that the very trip that had gotten her to Asgard had drained her energy on top of the abuse she received before. Son of Odin, Thor went to the woman’s assistance. She wore a scarf around her neck that now moved aside to reveal the bruising on her skin. Thor took notice of the bruising then he took notice of the blood seeping through her cloak.

“Father she needs to be taken to the healing room,” Thor announces. Odin nodded as a sign of approval and Thor looked down at her, lifting her in his arms to take her to the healers. A gasp escaped her lips when there was pressure put on her wounds. He gave an apologetic gaze but began to hurry her to some help. The movement was too fast, her consciousness fading in and out. Throughout all of the treatments, those around took notice of the fact she never once shed a tear through all of the pain. It was as if she was whipped and tortured previous to her arrival. This silent strength made them believe that perhaps they misjudged the young woman. That Asgard was her haven for the time being. Their medical treatments much more advanced than that of Earth’s allowed them to heal her wounds. Thor waited in her chambers awaiting for her wake from her deep slumber.

She was fourteen years old, her father had taken her to get ice cream after she competed in a fencing competition. They sat by the window eating the frozen treat even though it was winter. Everything was fine until the bullets penetrated the windows. Those in the shop screamed and dove onto the floor in hopes of avoiding gunfire. Some were not so lucky. Her father had been shot several times, still she pulled him to the ground hoping to prevent him from being shot anymore. Tears ran down her face as she cradled her dying father in her arms. Pools of blood collecting around them.

“Papa please, please don‘t die,” she pleaded.

“You have to run Belle, run as fast as you can, don’t let them take you.”

“No we can run together, I need you Papa.”

“Never let them see you cry Belle,” her father spoke as he choked on his own blood. His hand raised up touching the side of his daughter’s face, unintentionally coating her skin with his blood. “I love you Belle.”

Those were the last words he spoke to his young daughter before the life slipped from his being. She cried over his body, hunched so that she could continue holding onto his body. The men came in ready to take her, she heard them behind her muttering things regarding taking her away. There was an anger in her and she stopped crying, her hand slipping to grab the gun that her father had hidden in his coat pocket. A simple click of the switch, she turned the safety off then quickly pulled it out. She didn’t care, those men had killed her father and now she was going to murder them in cold blood for doing so. Both hands holding the gun she shot them, emptying the contents of the gun into their bodies. It was foolish, she thought justice would prevail, that by shooting those men she would be free but she was handed over by the police, to a horrible man that had put the mark out to kill her father. A man who would continue to cage her up like an animal cut off from the world for many years. She remembered her first beating, she had lost consciousness from the painstaking loss of her virtue and several wounds she had accumulated. Any semblance of a childhood was lost within twenty-four hours.

Isobel woke up in a cold sweat, almost as if the memory of being hit woke her. Half of her expected to wake up alone sore and covered in wounds, chained to the bed. Instead she was being nudged awake by Thor who had noticed she was having a bad dream. Of course she had forgotten about him and she found herself letting out a fierce snarl while she punched him in the face. Thor was thrown off by her behavior but he knew her struggling was not good for her health so he attempted to restrain her motions. Her reaction was to fight more and when Thor had her wrists pinned above her head while her legs were under his hold as well she refused to look him in the eye.

“You were having a nightmare I was only attempting to wake you. I mean no harm to you,” Thor states in a sincere manner. She briefly met his gaze then looked away.

“Please let me go,” she spoke in a shaky voice. His eyes softened and he unhanded her realizing that there was a reason for her reaction. She sat up in the bed moving away slightly before looking up with an apologetic stare. “I do not respond well to unexpected contact.”

“I am sorry I did not know.”

“It’s fine…I suppose now that I am healthy the questioning about my arrival will continue.”

“We assume you’ve come to escape those that harmed you.”

“I didn’t mean to come here, I just didn’t want to be where I was anymore, I hadn’t even known I was capable of leaving,” Isobel rambles. “I honestly thought that I was just dreaming.”

“This is no dream maiden, you are in Asgard and I am Thor, son of Odin.”

“You are very proud of that name aren’t you?”

“I am,” Thor states with a smile. “I will have the help get you a proper meal, your mortal body must need nourishment.”

Thor wasted no time to get up to find someone to gather a meal for Isobel and while he wandered about, a woman entered the room. She had on a beautiful gown and long blonde flowing hair. Isobel never seen anyone so regal looking let alone come in such close contact with. The woman gave a reassuring smile before she sat at the chair next to the bed.

“My son seems to be very attentive towards you. It is no surprise considering your beauty.”

“Beauty is a cruel mistress.”

“Why would you say such a thing?”

“I’ve been imprisoned for how I look, treated like an object to be used and owned, nothing more than that,” Isobel spoke rather plainly as she looked towards the open window. The older woman gasp in shock, she moved her hand onto Isobel’s to reassure her somehow. It was the contact that made Isobel look to the woman.

“You needn’t worry about those monsters who degraded you so, you may stay here in Asgard as long as you please,” she says kindly. The woman’s kindness reminded Isobel of the mother she lost while she was still growing up. Isobel softened her gaze at her and gave a weak smile.

“My name is Isobel, but you can call me Belle.”

“And I am Frigga, wife of Odin.”

“It is lovely to meet you,” Isobel responds. Frigga gave her a smile and squeezed her hand reassuringly.

“You are safe here Belle.”