Loyalty to the Unseen

Caladhiel turned over in her sleep to face her open balcony doors as a soft warm breeze filtered in. Her room was now bare of her belongings as most of the light elves had returned to Alfheimr with an exception of a select few who were to stay for Thor’s coronation the next day. She was to return home after and prepare for her own coronation.

The only thing of any possession that remained in her room was the book that was identified to have come from the dark prince’s personal collection. She still couldn’t see him, even knowing that he has disguised himself as Gayle to help her made her ache to talk to him. It also made her angry that he was able to so cleverly deceive her, and was close to her, exactly what both wanted but she had no clue who he truly was. She tried not to dwell on it too long, and she didn’t have the time to. Things were moving so fast nowadays, she was afraid she would blink and she would open her eyes to see herself on the throne back in Alfheimr.

Instead, when she opened her eyes she saw herself still in bed but what awoken her was now placed in her hands. It was a golden paper plane with a green snake stamp on the wing. She sat up and looked out at her open balcony doors before opening the plane. Written on there was a single word, no signature, just to word: help. Loki never asked for help, not from anyone.

Caladhiel rushed down the corridor towards his chambers. She hadn’t bothered to change from her nightgown and just threw a cloak on and used her invisibility, as usual, before heading to aide her prince. She didn’t knock, instead just quietly entered his room and searched for him. His fire was going and there were a few pillows, furniture, and books tossed about. She saw his curtains leading to his balcony blowing in the breeze and she headed out there to see him leaning on the railing looking out over Asgard.

Caladhiel took a deep breath before silently walking over. She stood next him, he didn’t acknowledge her but she knew he was aware of her presence. He continued to look out over the land while she continued to look at him. Finally he broke the silence.

“Look at it. All of that and more...it should be mine. Thor is too immature to rule. The throne always belonged to me.” Knowing nothing she would say could ease his mind she merely reached out her hand and delicately placed it atop his that was using to lean against the railing. Once more he made no indication of noticing her movement but she knew he appreciated it but the ever slight release of his death grip he previously had on said railing.

“From a young age, father said the throne could go to either one of us, but I knew it would always go to Thor. They always preferred Thor and favoured Thor over me. I just don’t understand why.” He then turned his head to finally look at Caladhiel who was watching his with a small sympathetic face on. “Why do you think that is?” he asked.

“He is the eldest, and typically the throne is to fall to the eldest,” she said gently. Loki turned to look back over the balcony.

“No, it is more then that; such a stupid reason to not put the better-suited heir on the throne. No, I feel Odin is hiding something from me. I just don’t know what.” He stared down at his hands and Caladhiel squeezed his hand lightly in a sign of comfort.

“What do you have planned, Loki,” she asked after a while of studying him. She could see the gears turning in his head and she had known him long enough to know the look he got on his face when he was plotting something. To others it would appear his face was neutral but to her she saw the ever slightly furrowed brow and the flicker of a smirk on his lips.

“Let us talk inside,” he said grasping her hand in both of his, “your hands are cold.” He led the way inside and never letting go of her hand, to make sure she was really there, they sat on a sofa in front of his dying fire and the only source of light in the room. He caught sight of the book he had given her under disguise resting on a side table. She caught his gaze.

“I returned your book,” she said turning to look back at him, his eyes remained on the book.

“Tell me, how did you feel when you found out that the dark elves were the cause of your mother’s death?” he asked, his face now completely void of all emotions.

“Relieved, at first…to know.”

“And then? Were you angered, filled with hatred?”

“Not entirely. The best way to describe it was annoyed. Here we were so close and they had to ruin it. We still are going back but they are hostile and we have to keep watch in case they attack. It is just an added pressure and I wish there was a way to stop them but the only way I think I can stop them is if they are all gone because they will never see reason. But I am here to help you, my prince. There is not anything I can do about the All Father’s choice, but I can comfort you till you accept it.”

“I don’t think I can ever accept it.”

“Then allow me to comfort you anyway. It is the best I can do.” She scooted over and wrapped her arms around him. He paused before he wrapped his arms around her as well and pulled her closer.

“I wish I could understand,” he said as he took her scent in to calm him down.

“Quiet, Loki. Do not think about it,” she said leaning back and looking him deep in the eye. “What is done, is done. Tomorrow you shall support your brother and he, no doubt, in return will bestow upon you some great honour. Just wait.”

“That is…if he becomes king,” said Loki pulling away. Caladhiel looked him in the eye and saw a flicker of something there. The tiny smirk, the glint in his eye, the dark prince was up to his old mischievous ways.

“What are you planning, Loki,” she asked. He grinned and stood from the sofa and began to pace the floor behind it. Caladhiel turned and leaned on the back of the sofa to watch him.

“You are the only person I trust, and therefore you are the only one who shall be able to receive this knowledge, understood?”

“Of course. You still have my loyalty.”

“Excellent. I am also telling you this for your own safety, I do not want anything to happen to you.”

He paused and turned to look at Caladhiel, taking a step closer to her.

“Tomorrow, during the coronation, frost giants will find their way into the palace just in time to stop any crowning,” he grinned.

“Frost giants? Loki, they could hurt someone, possibly kill someone. Where in the palace?”

“The weapons vault. And those that get in the way will just be doing their job in the bigger scheme of things, for the betterment of Asgard. Just make sure that tomorrow you stay safe and out of the way.”

Caladhiel remained silent and stood from the sofa. She walked around the sofa to Loki, never taking his eyes off of his, and stopped right in front of him. She placed her hands on the side of his face, her thumbs rubbed his cheeks.

“Is there any way that this can be traced back to you?”

“None. I have thoroughly thought it over. I will be in the background and just watch everything unfold. Do not fret.”

“Just, stay safe,” she said lowering her hands to her side. She turned to head to the door, “I must return home.”

Loki didn’t waste any time before reaching out and grabbing her hand. He pulled her back to him and did the only thing he could think, the only thing he had been dying to do for a while now.

Caladhiel pulled away from the passionate kiss, with great difficulty, and stepped away from him.

“No, Loki, just…we can’t- I can’t,” she said looking down.

“Why?”

“I’m going home to become queen and you shall remain here on Asgard. This wouldn’t work out.”

“We can make it work, there is the bifrost and we have magic, we can make this work. Please Caladhiel, just stay with me tonight and we can figure out how we can make this work.”

“Loki…” she reached out and held his hand, “I’m sorry.” She turned invisible and even when Loki watched his bedroom door open and close, her touch still seemed to linger on his hand.

.-._.-._.-._.-._.-._.-.

The citizens roared as their future king entered the room with a victorious stance. Thor held mjolnir high up his head thus causing another onslaught of cheers as he walked towards the throne on his father.

Caladhiel, her father, and several other light elves of high importance were standing just to the right of the throne. Caladhiel applauded Thor as he entered and then darned to look at Loki. He didn’t catch her eye but she could make out the expression of disapproval on his face. Thor moved forward and kneeled before his father. He placed his weapon of choice onto the floor by his knee then removed his helmet and placed that next to mjolnir.

Odin arose and brought his spear down, ceasing the applause.

“Thor Odinson, my heir, my firstborn.” he began, “So long entrusted with the mighty hammer mjolnir, forged in the heart of a dying star, its power has no equal: as a weapon to destroy or a tool to build. ‘Tis a fit companion for a king. I have defended Asgard and the lives of the innocent across the Nine Realms from the time of the great beginning. Though the day has come…”

Caladhiel turned the All Father out as she looked to Loki and saw he was looking at her now. She remembered his plan and wondered if his look directed to her was his warning to her that it was about to be put into action. He continued to stare at her till she nodded in understanding. He then returned his gaze to his father and Caladhiel did the same.

“Do you swear to guard the Nine Realms?”

“I swear,” replied Thor in a positive manner.

“And do you swear to preserve the peace?”

“I swear.”

“Do you swear to cast aside all selfish ambition and to pledge yourself only to the good of the Realms?”

“I swear!” shouted Thor gleefully, thrusting mjolnir into the air.

“Then, on this day, I, Odin Allfather, proclaim you…” the king paused and everyone grew confused. Loki and Caladhiel made one last eye contact before Odin spoke in a whisper that horrified everyone, “The Frost Giants!”

A mad scramble began as everyone tried to get out and just a brief second before Odin finished uttering the words, Caladhiel had turned to her father and her people and urged them towards the door. They were the first to exit and hurried to their houses.

“Elves!” exclaimed her father to the small group left, “we depart now! Gather your things and we shall head to the bifrost. No coronation will continue this day and we must be safe away from the frost giants. We don’t know how they got here but can’t anymore than we’ve already risked with the dark elves. Go and be safe.”

The elves parted to their own houses and Caladhiel followed after her father.

“Father wait!” she exclaimed as she closed the door behind her and followed her father upstairs.

“Caladhiel, gather your things now,” he said turning to his daughter and putting his hands on her shoulders.

“But father, surely we can’t leave right this second. What would the AllFather think?” she asked.

“I spoke with the AllFather before the ceremony and he expressed his desire that should anything happen he wants us to retreat to our home planet in safety. Please we do not have time,” he said letting go of his daughter and rushing to his room. Caladhiel walked into her room and grabbed her bag. She was already packed just to be ready for whatever happened. She walked to her window and looked out at the palace. She could see the citizens of Asgard still making their way out to safety but she wanted to know what was happening in the weapons vault. Did they know it was Loki? Was he safe?

“Caladhiel are you ready?” asked her father walking past her door.

“Coming father,” she said and she threw her traveling cloak on and they made their way outside where the others were gathered.

Their progressions to the bifrost was a silent affair and everyone moved a fairly fast pace but not nearly as fast as they should have with Frost Giants in Asgard. They were slowed down by their thoughts of leaving what they had come to be known as their home for so long and they were finally leaving it. They had built lives in Asgard and while it wasn’t their true home they still had grown quite attached. But Alfheimr was their true home and now that it was safe they must return no matter how many fond memories they were leaving behind.

The houses they were leaving behind were to go to Palace staff and their families and were soon to be filled, so there was no turning back now. Alfheimr awaited them.

They had just stepped onto the Rainbow Bridge and Caladhiel could feel her own discouraging thoughts begin to enter her mind so for support she reached out and grasped her father’s hand. Passing the first support post on the bridge, Caladhiel could not resist glancing behind her at the palace and that is when she saw something she wasn’t expecting. By grabbing her father’s hand she had somehow been able to start a connection that allowed her to briefly use his power of visions of the future because there before her was an image of herself, but she was at least twenty years older.

She didn’t look much different but her eyes held more wisdom to them and along her cheek was a scar that had healed over long ago and was almost faded. Caladhiel stared at herself as she turned and walked towards a young boy who was sitting on the ground playing with an apple. Her vision self picked the young boy up in her arms and Caladhiel couldn’t help but gasp as she saw an older Loki enter the vision and embrace her and the boy. His hair was longer than it is now and his eyes held wisdom as well as a tiredness that wasn’t there currently. The family turned to look at her and Caladhiel closed her eyes to keep her emotions intact.

When her eyes opened again, the vision was gone and she was aware now that she had stopped walking and that got the attention of her traveling party.

“Caladhiel, what is it?” asked her father who squeezed their joined hands to get her attention.

“You have seen it have you not?” she asked facing her father. He searched her eyes for a moment before sighing. “You have seen my future; my husband and son.”

“Yes, I have,” he said.

“Then why keep us apart? Why? All those years you and mother strove to make sure we weren’t together. We stopped having lessons together and you stopped arranging times for us to be together. If you knew this was our future why try to stop it?”

“Because your mother sensed something dark in him. We know the truth but we cannot tell you, only Odin, Lady Frigga, your mother and I knew, and we sworn to secrecy and to keep you two apart,” he said, “you must understand this is for your own good.”

“But your visions always come true. Always. There is no way to stop it.”

There was a silence as a father studied his daughter. In his heart he knew what to say but his gut feeling knew it was not a good idea.

“Go to him.”

“What?” asked Caladhiel looking up at her father shocked.

“When you are ready, you will return to Alfheimr and become queen, and you will, but for now, you must go.”

“But, father, you wish to retire, you have aged and it is time. I am ready.”

“No you are not. When you become queen I want you to be happy, I may not have your mother’s gift, but I do know that right now you are only happy when you are with him. I do not like it, but I have no control over this. It is time for you to make your own decisions in life.”

“Thank you father,” she said embracing him. He pulled away and looked at her.

“Just make sure those decisions are good ones, promise me,” he said.

“I promise,” she said smiling. And with a kiss to her forehead she turned and ran back down the Rainbow Bridge and straight to the palace.