Beauty Is a Cruel Mistress

It was strange for her to admit to herself that she actually enjoyed herself. She wasn’t used to the notion of having fun but she did keep in mind that she shouldn’t be in Asgard for long. This wasn’t her home, granted she had no home, she knew she wasn’t supposed to be where she was. The entire thing was supposed to be temporary, the only reason she was there was because she wanted to die somewhere beautiful. There was no expectation to live, she just thought she could die in peace and not worry about what to do with her life. She didn’t know what to do with freedom anymore and she wasn’t entirely sure if she wanted it.

Being treated so kindly felt wrong not because she was betraying them somehow but it lied in what she had done before she arrived. There was so much blood, sweat, chaos and work involved in ruining the life of another. The man in question was a senator and cruel businessman who had the reputation of a saint so when Belle took revenge she was sure to ruin all aspects of his reputation. That was the reason for the state she was in, near death and ready to welcome eternal darkness. She had taken cameras and any other recording devices she could get to have it sent to every news channel in the New York tri-state area. Everyone knew what a monster he was and they knew the age she was imprisoned. Belle knew by doing so if he made it to prison those in the prison would punish him for being a child molester and rapist. It was the only way to make sure he got what he deserved, death was too easy and kind to give him.

A part of her wanted to return to Earth just to see the suffering he was going through. The idea of it made the corners of her mouth turn upwards as she on the bed. Parting with her body once again this time she examined her features as if she were a parent looking down at their child sleeping. Her ghostly touched the side of her sleeping figure‘s face, she silently questioned whether she looked like her biological mother and had she become a victim just as her mother had. She remembered seeing a picture of her real mother once, she never seen anyone so regal and beautiful in her life. In her mind she didn’t look like her mother, it was too abstract of a thought to think she held such grace. Pushing the thought aside she began her travels towards where Loki was being held imprisoned.

Thor was still awake drinking merrily with his comrades. He was in high spirits because he had gotten Belle to smile. While they drank and walked along the streets of Asgard the farmer ran towards them.

“Sir, she is there as we speak, come hurry.”

“Farmer you overstep your place.”

“She is wily temptress sir you mustn’t be distracted by her beauty that is what she wishes.”

“I will humor thee but I have no doubt that you are wrong,” Thor grunts. Irritated and impatient Thor made his way to the area he was told to go. He was set on proving this foolish farmer wrong. However when he approached the zone in which the tree stood he saw a very faint figure nearby it. He quickened his steps to get a better look. Belle stood in front of the tree with her arms crossed in front of her while Loki stared at her from the other side.

“Alright well I owe you an apology, my ability to show empathy in a proper manner has actually always been pretty awful, and I shouldn‘t have been so crass to someone that has nothing better to do than to think things over,” she says in a rather stubborn manner.

“Sentimental is not something I am so your words mean nothing.”

“You are more sentimental than you’d like to lead yourself to believe Loki,” Belle states with a small smile. “There wouldn’t be the need for revenge if you weren’t sentimental. Emotion is what draws us to the idea of getting back at those who we think have wronged us.”

“So we‘ve become a we now.”

“Let‘s not run with that one alright? It‘s pretty clear we are very different people.”

“Yes well I am a god and you a mortal.”

“That’s just ridiculous you’re not a god,” Belle laughs.

“I am the god of mischief if you must know,” Loki argues.

“It’s a title Loki, a nickname at best, doesn’t make you a god. I mean what you really are is a person, a person with some interesting capabilities but a person nonetheless.”

“Looks like we have company Lady Isobel.”

“What sorcery is this? Are you here to make a fool of me?”

“Not sorcery,” she replies only to realize that he could not hear her words. She was merely an apparition to him and her communication with Loki was on a telepathic level. Thor gave her a look of distrust while she attempted to think of a way to communicate. Loki smirked looking at the scene unfolding. He saw she would try to speak and when she raised her hand to follow he stopped to look at her. Belle pointed to the palace as if to say meet her there and she began to walk towards the area.

“You leave her be Loki!” Thor growls. Loki laughed knowing that it drove Thor mad to know Belle was visiting him. He followed her with the intention to find out what she had to say. Her travel back was quick paced with Thor right at her heels. When they reached the palace Thor’s anger was less prominent and he watched as she approached the bed that still held her body in a unmoving state. Belle was quick to go back into her body. He watched as her eyes flickered open and she rose from the bed to sit up. She moved towards him in ended with her leaning on the edge of the bed.

“Okay to better explain this, I can leave my physical body and project my astral self elsewhere. Kind of nice trick when you’re being tortured or chained up. ”

“And Loki?”

“During the attack on New York, he destroyed part of the building I was being held captive in. He unchained me and gave me a cloak, I left and he didn’t stop me from doing so,” Belle spoke.

“He assisted you.”

“More or less.”

“But if you can separate one’s self from your body and travel then how did you not receive help sooner?” Thor questions.

“It’s different here than it is there, no one could ever see or hear me,” she responds looking down. “It‘s not sorcery, it‘s adaptation to a horrible situation.”

“Why do you visit Loki?”

“He could have killed me, forced me to be on his side but he didn’t. I feel like I owe it to him to at least visit.”

“He is being punished for the things he has done.”

“I understand that, but coming from someone who has been imprisoned, it’s pretty awful being left to your own thoughts for a long time, you start to miss talking to other people and forget what it‘s like to actually be a person,” Belle says in a soft manner. Thor softened his gaze and looked upon her frowning face with apology.

“It was not my intention to sadden you Lady Isobel, I am merely concerned, you understand?” Thor counters stepping towards her.

“I understand your concern and I will leave Asgard so that there is no more debate that I am plotting against anyone.”

“That is not my wish Lady Isobel.”

“I don’t belong here.”

“If you did not belong your gift would not have brought you to Asgard in the first place. I wish you to stay Lady Isobel,” Thor responds taking her hand in his in a gentle manner. “I will be sure no harm ever comes to you again.”

“You don‘t have to worry about that, I don‘t feel much of anything anymore,” she states. Thor took her hand and brought it to his lips causing her to close her eyes that may have shown traces of emotion. She moved her hand from his and opened her eyes once again. “You don’t know a thing about me and it doesn’t matter because of how I look. I don‘t want to be someone else‘s object again, I‘ve come too far to become that again.”

“I do not wish to make you my object. You are free here, I will not force you to do anything you do not wish to do Lady Isobel.”

“I don‘t know how to respond to that,” Belle says in a soft voice.

“Get your rest and I shall take you out riding around the lands you have yet to see,” Thor replies with a reassuring smile. She found it hard to accept the patience and kindness he showed her but she nodded regardless.

“Okay.”

“Sweet dreams Lady Isobel.”

His blue eyes down looking at her before he turned to leave. Thor saw the uncertainty in her eyes but he knew she was trying to trust him in her own right. He shut the door behind him and she sat back down on the bed with a heavy sigh. Lying on the bed she closed her eyes, hoping for sleep to take over. It took a long time for her to fall asleep and when she did she was back in a memory.

She stood on the stage with a nerve wrecking smile that was laced with surprise. Her hands shook and she held them behind her back in hopes of no one seeing how nervous she truly was. Next to her was her dear friend Paulina, who had also won the award along with her for academia. Out in the crowd was her father and mother along with her older brother. They kept taking pictures and yelling out her name. Paulina hugged Belle and they received their award for their hard work. As they got off the stage both of their families rushed at them to give hugs. It was one of the last happy moments Belle had with her whole family there together. Her brother wasn‘t calling her names or telling her she didn‘t belong. Things hadn‘t gotten that way until their mother died. In that moment she was happy.

Belle woke up alone, the sky had lightened and the tears welled up in her eyes. She had no family left it was the worst feeling to wake up with. Belle pushed herself from the bed, wiping the tears away and got up to head to the bathroom that was connected to the room. It was her hope to wash the sadness away. The bath was filled and she stripped the clothes off her body before completely emerging herself into the warm water. Under the water she couldn’t hear anything, the silence something she welcomed. Finally surfacing she draped her arms lazily on the edges of the bath, her eyes staring at the wear on her wrists. The marks were fading from the release but she still remembered the weight that came with the chains. Belle didn’t like not knowing what was occurring back on Earth, whether her captor was receiving the treatment he should be getting or if she even made a difference. She rose from the bath, grabbing the towels set out for her to dry off. Wanting to feel more like herself she slipped on the clothes she wore the day she had arrived in Asgard.

Thor arrived at her bedroom chambers to take her with him to have breakfast and he raised his fist to knock on the door only to have the door open before he could do so. Her hair was pulled to the side in a braid and he saw that now wore her old attire. He did not mention it and gave her a welcoming smile.

“Lady Isobel, I trust you slept well.”

“You may call me Belle.”

“Lady Belle.”

“No just Belle,” she corrects.

“Belle would you like to accompany me to the day‘s first meal?” Thor inquires. Belle nodded gently and stepped forward to follow him out of the room. She walked beside him somewhat quiet, she felt the need to break the silence.

“Thank you for being decent, I know I’d probably be in the dungeons or something if you didn’t vouch for where I came from.”

“You did nothing wrong and it was clear you were good.”

“I don‘t know about that but you are free to believe what you want to believe.”

“You do not believe yourself to be good?” Thor counters giving her a sideways glance.

“Does anyone really consider themselves good?” Belle responds in an honest manner. “Do you believe yourself good Thor?”

“I believe I try to be good.”

“I think that’s all we can do.”

“No truer words have been spoken,” he states. They reached a more intimate setting to eat breakfast and Thor pulled out a chair for Belle to sit. She hadn’t noticed and walked to a different chair to sit. He shrugged off the fact she hadn’t taken the seat and Thor sat down across from her. Their meal was somewhat silent as Belle prodded her food while in deep thought about the good times she once had. Thor shoveled food into his mouth and noticed Belle hadn’t eaten very much. “You must eat more, I do not wish you to fall ill.”

“Oh right, sorry,” Belle replies picking up a piece of bread. She took a bit of the bread but her troubled mind never gave her the strength to truly taste it. Everything seemed so fruitless because all she could think about was her captor, whether he was prosecuted for the things he had done or not.

There were times that she would momentarily forget about it throughout the day with Thor. Times where she found herself enjoying the moment but when left to silence her mind always traveled back to him. Thor would catch her moments of deep thought, finding the need to ask her what troubled her so. They were ready to ride back to the palace when he acted upon that need while he assisted her back onto the horse.

“What troubles you Belle?”

“Not knowing what happened when I left.”

“Not knowing what happened with what?” Thor inquires.

“Winters, I cannot sleep not knowing whether he has gotten what he deserves. Whether my attempts to reveal his true side were all in vain,” she spoke softly.

“If it troubles you so Belle, I am willing to take you to Heimdall, he knows all that occurs on Midgard.”

“He does?”

“Yes. Would you like to see him?”

“It would mean the world to me.”

“Then I will take you to him,” he says with finality.

“Really?” Belle responds with bright eyes.

“Yes.”

Thor smiled at her and she returned the smile looking as if she was receiving some grand gift. Her genuine smile lit up her entire face and Thor couldn’t help stare at the beauty of such a moment. They traveled to visit Heimdall where the bridge was in the process of repair. Dismounting from the horses they approached the all powerful guardian. Belle could hardly wait for the insight and Heimdall had already known her wishes before she could speak them to him.

“You mean to know what has come of your captor.”

“Yes Sir,” Belle nods.

“I do not believe you wish to hear what I have to tell you Lady Isobel,” Heimdall spoke in a solemn manner. Belle stepped forward, a look of demand in her eyes.

“Tell me.”

“This Senator Winters has not been prosecuted for his actions. They have deemed the footage as a hoax.”

Belle felt her chest clench tightly and her breaths were ragged. The news was not what she had wished, not even close. A hoax, her suffering was deemed a hoax; something trivial and phony. Thor saw how upset she looked and he placed a hand on her shoulder hoping to comfort her somehow. Comfort did not come and she smacked his hand away. Her hands balled into fists and she made no attempt to calm her fury.

“Belle you mustn’t let this affect you so.”

“I have every right to let this affect me. I served my time and he will serve his,” she states looking off into the distance. Thor grew panicked when her skin began to glow with a bright light and she turned to look at him with an apologetic gaze. “Goodbye.”