To Roam Into the Unknown

Resurrection

Aurora had tried her hardest to stay conscious, clutching desperately to Loki as the pain threatened to split her in two. Against her will, she could feel herself pushing to get the baby out. She remembered saying something to Loki and he ran off, that's when the ear shooting scream erupted from her lips as she pushed with what remained of her strength. When she finally fell back, instead of a mattress, she felt air as she fell backwards into a dark abyss. She felt as if she'd been falling for hours, but couldn't find it in her to care. The longer she fell, the less she cared. There was no pain...No sadness...just nothing.

And then she landed softly on she didn't know what. All around her was darkness And calm.

"She isn't...dead."

Aurora stared up into darkness as she heard the words as if spoken from behind a wall. There were other voices, but only one in particular stood out to her.

"Get out. All of you....Get out now!" The voice screamed harshly, so full of sorrow. There was the faint sound of a baby crying.

Aurora pushed herself up, slowly, as the fog lifted from her eyes. Loki...."Loki..." she whispered.

"My heart stopped the moment hers did!"

Aurora stumbled as if her legs suddenly stopped working. None of this made sense. She clutched at her chest. "Am I dead?"

"That depends entirely on you." Came a quiet voice from behind her.

Aurora spun around. A woman stood a few feet away from her, a black veil hiding her identity. "Who are you?"

"That is not important."

"Well what happened?" Aurora demanded.

"Your heart stopped during childbirth." The woman replied.

"So I am dead." Aurora stated.

"As I said that is up to you. If you continue in the direction you're going-"

"Towards my husband's voice."

"Yes. That will take you back to your life. If you so choose to go the opposite direction, you will move on to the afterlife."

Aurora turned her head slightly in the direction of Loki's voice. "I'm so sorry...I failed you."

"No! You didn't! You didn't fail me!" Aurora cried, looking up into the darkness. Without giving the woman another look, she took off running in the direction of Loki's voice, and ran for what seemed like forever.

OoOoOo

'Soon I know I'll wake from this dream....'

Loki felt something smooth against his cheek and struggled to pull himself from the void he'd allowed himself to tumble into. Aurora was dead. His wife was dead. If he'd the opportunity to throw himself from the Bifrost again, he would do it.

Refusing to open his eyes to get the image of his dead wife, his face twisted and he let out a sorrowful cry, curling into a ball on his side.

"Loki..." he heard her voice and felt as though he were going mad. Then he caught the scent of eucalyptus and opened his eyes. The sun shone blindingly in his face, but he could make out the silhouette looming over him.

'Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping

Hello, I'm still here....

All that's left of yesterday....'


He sat up quickly and sucked in a breath as if it were the first he'd ever had, tears stinging the corners of his eyes. "I thought I'd lost you..." he choked out.

She sat next to him on the bed, her cheeks rosy and skin glowing. He cupped her face with his hands and looked her over. Her skin was actually glowing.

"It worked..." he said quietly, shaking his head slowly in disbelief. An unexpected sob erupted from his throat and he pulled her into a tight embrace. "Never....ever...do that to me again. Where you go, I will follow, even in death." He whispered. "You don't even know the things I would have done to get you back."

They stayed like that for some time, not speaking, only listening to the other one breathing. The twin suns were high in the sky by the time they pulled away from one another.

Aurora sat on the edge of the bed looking down at Loki who kneeled in front of her, looking her over.

"How do you feel?" He asked.

Aurora shrugged. "I feel great actually. It's like nothing ever happened."

Loki smiled. "Yes, that would be the effects of the Apple." He waved his hand over her face and instantly her bloody clothes were transformed into a beautiful silk gown the color of the sun, fading into a glowing orange at the end of the train. The sleeves hung loosely off her shoulders and a bronze breast plate covered her chest. Matching bronze cuffs decorated her wrists. Her golden hair was twisted into an elegant wispy braid that hung over her shoulder.

Loki stood and helped her to her feet. "Would you like to meet our daughter?" He asked.

Aurora gasped and smiled. "With every fibre of my being."

He held her hand and together they made their way out of their chambers. When they entered into the foyer, all of the windows were draped in black. The mirrors were covered with black shrouds and ask of the candles had been snuffed out. Aurora felt a lump in her throat and tensed up.

Loki patted her hand. "It's alright darling." With a wave of his hands, the shrouds disappeared and the light from the twin suns flooded the room. "All will be well."

OoOoOo

Jane stood with Thor in the throne room as Odin prepared to address the people about Aurora's death. The golden drapes had been replaced in the night with black ones. The funeral horn had sounded as soon as her death had been confirmed and preparations were being made for her funeral. No one had slept for all were heartbroken. She couldn't imagine losing the one she loved in the way Loki had. The night would haunt her for a long time. And then the thought of the baby growing up without its mother was almost too much for her. Jane sniffled and her eyes blurred as tears threatened again. Without looking at her, Thor gently patted her hand where it rested on his arm.

Frigga stood to the right of Odin, clad in a black and silver gown, cradling the tiny bundle in her arms. The warriors three stood to the left of Odin. Not a sound was made as Odin stood and finally began to speak.

"In the early hours of the morning, Asgard suffered a terrible loss. It is with a heavy heart that I tell you, the princess Aurora died during childbirth." A loud murmur went through the crowd.

"This isn't so, father."

The chattering stopped and every head turned to the entrance of the throne room. Jane gripped Thor's arm to the point that he winced, but only slightly. "Thor!" She whispered.

Loki stood in his green and gold armor with Aurora at his side clad in a gold and orange dress. "She lives and breathes." He said, leading her to the base of the dais.

The room immediately erupted into a roar. Odin slammed the bottom of Gungnir again the marble floor. "Silence! Leave us at once!"

Frigga stepped forward. "Loki, what have you done?" She asked.

"I did nothing but fall asleep next to her and when I awoke, she was alive." He replied.

Odin stepped down from the dais, stopping in front of Aurora. "Step forward my dear." He said. Aurora did so with her head held high. Odin placed a hand on either side of her face, turning it from side to side as he examined her. "Send me Eir." He ordered.

Aurora exhaled through her nose. "Can I see my daughter now?"

Frigga stepped forward, preparing to hand the child to her when Odin stopped her.

"Father?" Loki said.

"Eir must examine her first, Loki." The All Father replied.

"I've told you-"

"It's ok Loki. He's just being cautious." She looked up at Odin. "You can't blame him."

The door to the right of the throne opened and Eir breezed in. If she seemed at all shocked by Aurora's seeming resurrection, she gave no indication of it. "My king, you called for me?"

"It appears the Princess has evaded death. I would have you examine her for any traces..."

"Traces of what? I've told you this wasn't my doing." Loki argued.

"Brother, please. Just let her do it." Thor said quietly.

"It's ok Loki." Aurora said again.

"Traces of dark magic." Odin finished.

Eir bowed her head and stood before Aurora. "Princess, please be still." She said. She held her hands out to the side of Aurora's head and closed her eyes.

Loki watched, clearly irritated, as the healer's hands began to glow a faint blue. Soon the light consumed Aurora's entire body. Then the light pulled away from her and entered into Eir's chest. She opened her eyes and looked at Aurora, her lips turning up ever so slightly at the corners.

"It seems that the Lady Jane's quick thinking has saved the Princess. The Golden Apple has taken effect, and immortal blood now courses through her veins. There is no trace of darkness in her." Eir said finally.

It was as if the weight had been lifted from everyone. Thor laughed and clasped Loki on the back, sending him stumbling forward as always.

Aurora lifted her skirts as she climbed the dais and took her daughter in her arms. Loki stood beside her and soon Thor, Jane, Odin, and Frigga joined them in admiring the child, who stared up at everyone calmly.

"She has your eyes, dear." Frigga said, giving Loki's arm a gentle squeeze.

Loki could only smile, at a loss for words at the child he'd managed to create. He broke away from Mýrún's gaze only to find Aurora watching him. She smiled softly at him and in that moment, his happiness immeasurable. Ignoring everyone around him, he leaned forward, pressing his forehead to hers.

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too." She said.

"There shall be a grand feast tonight." Odin replied.

OoOoOo

Aurora stood on the balcony, starting out at the Bifrost as the sun once again set. The party was about to begin. She glanced over to where Mýrún slept in her cradle. Everything she saw, she saw in a new light. She was now a mother and immortal. Everything had changed. She leaned forward and gripped the marble railing, closing her eyes as a warm wind carried with it the earthy scent she was so used to. She knew he was there before he'd spoken a word.

"Loki?" She said, turning.

He paused on the steps of the balcony and smiled. "How did you know it was me?" He was dressed in his formal green, black, and gold armor, his golden helmet tucked under his arm.

She leaned against the rail. "Your scent gave you away."

He turned his head and sniffed. "But I bathed."

Aurora laughed, widening Loki's grin. "Everyone has a scent specific to themselves."

"I know. Yours is eucalyptus." He said, picking up a strand of her hair and sniffing it.

"Don't be creepy." She smirked, shoving him playfully.

Loki laughed and set the helmet down on a chair next to the cradle. Mýrún was staring up at him. "Hello little darling..." He whispered, picking her up. The child yawned and rubbed her eyes, and before long was sleeping once more. "One day old and all she does is sleep."

"It's easy to become exhausted when you're so tiny."

Loki sighed. "I wish I could sleep so soundly."

Aurora smoothed the child's hair back. "Well, maybe you will if you drink enough at&t this party. Speaking of, shouldn't we make our way down?"

"You should know, people from all over will be here tonight. You are the first grandchild for the All Father. It's a big to do." Loki kissed Mýrún's head and laid her back in the cradle. "We'll arrive together as a family." He said, cupping Aurora's face.

"That sounds absolutely perfect." She said. "But aren't you worried about security? You told me yesterday that S.H.I.E.L.D. had sent people here undercover-" Loki placed a finger over her lips.

"Don't worry. Every measure has been taken to ensure our family's safety."

Aurora pursed her lips. "Ok...But I'm a mother now and worry is embedded in my DNA."

"One last thing." He reached inside his coat and pulled out a small black box.

Aurora's brow furrowed. "What's this?"

"Something I should have given you a long time ago." He opened the box and Aurora's eyes widened.

"Is that-"

"Your mother's ring? Yes. Your father gave it to me the day we left for New York. I never could decide on how or when I would ask you, and then...certain things happened and I was never given the chance."

Aurora tried and failed to blink back her tears, and all words at that moment failed her. She the her arms around his neck and began to cry.

"Tears of joy, I hope." He said, gently stroking her hair.

"I've never been more happy in my life." She whispered.

Loki slid the ring onto her finger and smiled. "Now then. I believe we have a celebration feast to attend."
♠ ♠ ♠
Ta-Da! More to follow, but the end is very near. Me thinks there will be a sequel.....