Falling Is Like This

"Thor! Wait for me!" Loki cried, holding tightly to the satchel strapped across his chest.

"SHHH! If anyone sees us, father will have our backsides!" Thor whispered.

Loki pushed his black hair out of his eyes and nodded. "Sorry!" He whispered.

After giving him another narrow-eyed glance, Thor tossed a cloak to his brother. "Bundle up. This way no one will notice us."

Loki latched the cloak and lifted the hood over his head. "Where are we going?" He asked, falling into step with him.

"I don't know. The mountains? I'm sure there's much to explore there." Thor answered. He swung Mjolnir absent mindedly as they made their way through the hidden passageway beneath the castle.

"I'm certain of it! Err-why are we going again?" Loki asked.

"To get away from our instructors of course! I grow tired of their boring words and stories."

"I don't, I like their stories." Loki replied, scratching his face. "Some of them are good. Besides, we were supposed to learn about how to defeat a bilgesnipe today."

Thor spun to face Loki, walking backwards as he spoke. "What better way to learn than to do it ourselves? Think of the stories they will tell when we bring then the carcass?" He smiled broadly.

Loki's steps faltered, but he righted himself. "You didn't say we would be hunting one!"

"Relax brother. With my physical skills and your magic, we can easily down one."

"I don't think-"

"Good. Don't think, just do. All will be well!" Thor said. "We'd best run once we are outside, the day won't last forever. Though think of the stories they'll tell if I kill one in the dark with only the stars to guide me?"

"I suppose..." Loki didn't have time to finish. The passageway stopped and they began to run towards the mountains.

OoOoOo

Seren ran through the tall grass as her friends ran from her, unable to see where she was going because of the red blindfold tied over her eyes

"Over here!" Hayden called, jumping back before she could tag him. He turned and ran, nearly colliding with Cody and Kyra. The trio scattered, laughing as they dodged her.

"It's not fair for me to be chasing you guys on my birthday!!" She said, her arms outstretched before her.

She ran around the field for a few more minutes until she realized it was quiet. "Guys?"

The breeze blew her strawberry blonde hair forward, tickling her nose. She pulled the blindfold down. "Guys?"

A quick look around told her that she was no longer in the field of her grandparent's land. The golden grassy field had given in to large trees and a more rocky terrain. A small creek trickled around the boulders. In her twelve years on the farm, she'd never been this far. But anyone who knew her, knew she loved the outdoors.

She followed the creek deeper into the woods, entranced by the beauty of it, even though the Autumn sky was cool and overcast.

After a while of walking, she came to a steep ravine. The creek trickled down into a large pond with the bluest of waters, which emptied back out into a larger stream at the bottom. The forest on the opposite side of the ravine was lush with wild berries and crimson Autumn leaves. It looked like something from a fairy tale.

Seren looked around for a way to cross but couldn't find one. The other side wasn't too far, maybe eight or ten feet. Against her better judgement she took a few steps back and began to run as fast as she could. Just as she was about to launch into a jump, her sandaled foot caught a tree root. She could only manage a yelp as she tumbled head first into the ravine.

OoOoOo

Loki stifled a yawn. They'd been crouched in the forest for hours waiting. "Thor can we not go back now?"

"Not yet." Thor whispered, peering out from the leaves.

"We've been here for hours waiting for hel knows what. The suns are setting and we are going to be in a lot of trouble-"

"Come on Loki, where's your sense of adventure?" Thor asked, punching him in the arm.

Loki rubbed his arm and rolled his eyes. "Right. I believe your sense of adventure is big enough for the both of us. And why the sudden rush to prove yourself?" Loki was getting louder as his agitation grew.

There was a flash of light high in the evening sky. Loki jumped to his feet and he and Thor stared up at the sky in awe. "What was that?" Loki asked.

"I've no idea-what is that?!" Thor pointed to a small object falling from the sky.

Loki squinted his eyes, trying to make it out. He could just make out a flash of red and golden hair. He ran out of the trees.

"Loki wait!" Thor grabbed his arm.

"Thor it's a girl! And she's falling!" Loki wrenched his arm free and the two ran towards the lake. They reached the edge just as she plunged into the water. Loki ripped his cloak off and dove into the water. He wasn't very skilled in the art of battle, but he was a good swimmer. He pushed through the water, straining to see. He finally saw her sinking quickly below, thrashing as she tried to swim. Loki dove deeper, looping his arm around her waist. Together they broke the surface.

Thor swam over to them and helped drag her to the shore, where Loki laid her out on the sand. Her blonde hair was plastered to her face and he could see blood on her forehead.

"Who...is she?" Thor asked.

Loki knelt over her and brushed her hair from her face. "I've never seen her before..."

"Is she breathing?" Thor asked, laying his head on her chest. "Her heart still beats..."

Loki tapped her face. "Hello?? Miss, are you alright?" He tapped her face again a bit more forcefully and her eyes fluttered open.

She sat up suddenly, cracking her forehead against Loki's chin and sending him on to his back. "What happened?! Am I dead??" She cried.

Loki sat up, holding his chin. "You fell into the water."

"Loki and I pulled you out." Thor said.

"Where am I?" She asked again, rubbing her forehead.

"You don't know?" Thor asked.

She shook her head. "I wouldn't ask if I knew." She snapped.

Loki's brow furrowed. "You're in Asgard, of course."

Her mouth dropped. "How far is that from Vermont?"

"Where?" Thor asked. "What's your name, girl?"

Her bottom lip trembled. "Seren...Tremaine."

"What's the date? Can you tell me that?" Loki asked.

"1996...It's my birthday." Seren replied.

"What happened? Where did you come from?" Loki asked.

"I was in the woods...my friends and I were playing and I fell down the rocks."

Thor and Loki both looked up and then back at one another.

"What?" Seren huffed.

"There are no rocks up there...only sky. Where did you say you were from?" Loki asked.

"Vermont! I'm from Vermont." She cried.

Thor looked at Loki in confusion. "I've never heard of-"

"It's a village on Midgard." Loki whispered.

Seren shook her head and began to wring the water from her hair. "What are your names again?"

"I am Loki and this," he gestured towards his brother. "Is my older brother Thor."

Seren scrunched up her nose. "What kind of names are those?"

"What kind of name is Seren Tremaine?" Thor shot back.

"Where are we?" She asked again.

"Did you hit your head during your fall?" Loki asked.

Seren pulled her knees to her chest, shivering. "I don't know...but I feel like I'm going crazy. I've never heard of Asgard. How do I get back home?"

"I'm not sure, but we can help. Our father is the king-" Loki pulled his cloak off and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"King? King of what?"

"Of Asgard." Thor said.

Seren squeezed her eyes shut and wrapped the cloak around her tightly. "This isn't real..." She whispered.

"I assure you it is. But don't worry, no harm will come to you so long as we are with you." Loki reassured her.

Thor looked up at the now dark sky. "We'll take you back to the castle, your can stay there until the morning and then we'll find a way to get you home."

"Speaking of...we should start making our way back. I'm certain our absence has been noticed." Loki said. He looked over at Seren. "Can you walk?"

She sighed. "I guess."

Loki stood and helped her to her feet. "Stay close, we have quite a long walk ahead."

She nodded, following closely as Thor led the way into the forest.

OoOoOo

They had been walking for what felt like an hour. Seren's stomach growled and her feet throbbed.

"You said it was your birthday today?" Loki said, helping her over a fallen tree. "How old are you?"

"I'm twelve." She said.

"Twelve hundred?" Thor asked over his shoulder.

"No, just twelve. People don't live to be twelve hundred." She snapped.

"Midgardians don't that live long, Thor." Loki said quietly.

"Guess how old we are." Thor said, Mjolnir hanging over his shoulder.

Seren frowned, not in the mood for games. "I don't know. Fifteen? Sixteen?"

Thor snorted and Loki pressed his lips together to hide the smile. Seren looked at them. "What?"

"How old are we, Loki?" Thor asked.

"Well...Thor is one thousand seven hundred and ninety six and I am one thousand seven hundred and nintey five." Loki answered.

"Right. How is that even possible?" Seren asked.

Loki shrugged, pushing through some branches. Seren watched him closely as they walked. Though the moon only helped slightly, she could tell both boys were cute. Both boys looked to her like they were sixteen. Thor with his blonde hair and Loki with his black. Thor kind of irked her, but Loki wasn't too bad. His eyes were green from what she could tell and he was much taller than any boy she'd ever met. His skin was a bit pale but-

Seren's foot caught a root and she fell forward. Loki caught her just before she hit the ground. "Are you alright?"

"No." She fought to control her tears. "I'm tired and I'm lost...I'm hungry and my sandal just broke!" She sobbed.

Loki knelt before her and removed the broken sandal. "Here. Hop on."

"What?" She sniffed.

"You are exhausted. Hop on to my back and I'll carry you the rest of the way." He said.

Seren stepped behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Loki tucked his hands under her for support and continued in the direction of the castle.

OoOoOo

By the time the trio reached the castle gates, the moons were high in the night sky. "Seren, we're here." Loki said. The girl did not answer.

"I believe she is asleep." Thor said.

Loki sighed. "Let's find somewhere to put her until after we've talked with father. I'm sure he is irate."

"Nonsense. We only missed one day of lecture. There will be plenty more." Thor said, kicking a stone over the edge of the rainbow bridge.

"You'll both be lucky if we ever let you outdoors again!" Both boys froze. The queen emerged from the shadows of the castle wall, golden cloak billowing in the soft breeze.

"Mother." Thor said stiffly.

"Thor, Loki, what in the nine realms were you thinking?"

"Apologies, mother. We only wanted to test our skills. And look!" Thor pointed to the girl Loki carried. "This girl is lost, she fell into Lake Amethyst and we rescued her."

Queen Frigga lifted the lantern she carried, illuminating the child's face. "How did she-" the queen shook her head. "We'll discuss that later. Loki, take her to Eir. Then you and your brother are to go immediately to your father. Am I understood?"

"Yes mother." The boys replied.

OoOoOo

"What in the nine realms were the two of you thinking?" Odin bellowed from his throne.

Loki and Thor both stared down at their feet.

"Do you have any idea the worry you caused your mother?"

"Heimdall could have found us-" Thor's sentence was cut short when Odin held up his hand with an angry growl

"Heimdall's powers are best used in the defense of Asgard, not trying to find its two princes who decided to take the day of from their duties! Which I might add, is not the behavior befitting a Prince of Asgard." He continued.

"Father, we only wanted to show you how much we've learned from our lessons. We were tracking a bilgesnipe." Thor responded. Loki rolled his eyes, irritated at Thor's attempt to drag him down with him, but stood silent with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Were you now?" Odin asked, leaning forward, his elbow resting on the throne's golden arm. "And if the bilgesnipe strikes you with its poison-spined tail, what would you do then eh? Use Night in the Valley sap or bark from an elder tree?"

Thor held his head high. "Night of the Valley sap."

Loki shook his head, but Thor wouldn't look at him.

Odin sat back in the throne. "Now you've just poisoned yourself even worse. You tie off the wound so the poison can't spread, then cover it with bark from the elder tree until you can get to a healer. That," he pointed at Thor. "That is the reason you attend your lessons! Your battle training has been cancelled until further notice."

Thor's mouth dropped. "But father-!"

"I'll not hear another word of it! In place of battle training, your wilderness training will be doubled. That goes for you as well, Loki."

"Yes father." Loki didn't mind. Battle training was his least favorite subject. He'd always felt more at peace with the outdoors.

Thor looked down at his feet angrily.

"The two of you are dismissed, unless there is something else I should know?" Odin said, his one good eye fixed on Loki.

Loki swallowed hard. "There was...a girl. She fell out of the sky when Thor and I were hunting."

"Go on." Odin said calmly.

Loki glanced at Thor who was still scouring at the door. "She fell into the water a-and would have drowned but Thor and I pulled her to shore."

"Where did this girl come from?" The Allfather asked.

"Who knows." Thor grumbled.

Loki fidgeted with his hands behind his back. "After speaking with her, I suspect she is from Midgard. Vermont to be precise."

Odin tapped his finger against his chin as he took in Loki's words. "Where is this girl now?"

The doors to the right of the throne opened and the queen entered. "She is with Eir my love." She stood next to him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Does she seem a threat?" Odin asked, glancing at her.

Frigga gave him a warm smile. "She is but a child. She is scared and wants to go home. She's sleeping now in the healing rooms."

"Very well. We will deal with her in the morning. Boys, you are dismissed. Your supper will be delivered to your quarters. Ready yourselves for bed, wilderness lessons begin at daybreak." Odin said.

Thor turned on his heel and stormed out without a word. Loki turned to take his leave but gave pause. "Father, what will you do to Seren?"

Odin gave a chuckle and glanced at the queen. "He's already named her, like a lost pup." He whispered. Frigga gave him a smile. "She will be sent home tomorrow, once she is deemed fit to do so."

"Might I escort her through the Bifrost? It can be an overwhelming trip and she's already frightened enough as it is." Loki asked.

Odin regarded him carefully. Frigga bent down and whispered in his ear. Odin nodded. "I'll allow it."

Loki gave Odin a nod and bid them goodnight.

OoOoOo

Seren opened her eyes as sunlight poured through the window. 'What a weird dream...' she thought, pulling the blankets over her head.

The door opened. "Oh good, you're awake."

Seren pulled the blanket down. Loki stood at the foot of the bed. "I wasn't dreaming?"

"I'm afraid not, little one." He answered.

"I'm not so little." She replied. "How did I get here?"

"A portal, would be my guess."

"This is the weirdest thing ever. It's like Labyrinth or..or Alice in Wonderland."

"You aren't frightened?" Loki asked.

"Well should I be? You told me last night that you wouldn't hurt me." She said.

"Yes but, I'm a stranger to you."

"Then did you lie? Are you going to hurt me?" She asked, crossing her arms.

Loki smiled. "Absolutely not."

"Ok then." Her stomach grumbled. "And you're not really a stranger. You're Loki."

Loki chuckled. "Yes, and you are Seren. Are you hungry?"

"Starving."

"Come. I'll take you to the kitchens so you may eat."

Seren threw the covers back and hopped out of bed. "How pretty..." She looked down at the light pink nightgown that she wore. Its sleeves were long as was the gown itself. She had to lift it so as not to trip. "So you mean to tell me you have kitchens? As in more than one?" She asked, following him out of the room.

"What? You mean you only have one?" Loki teased.

Seren smiled together they walked, Loki's boots echoing off the elegantly decorated walls. They walked out into a bridge leading to an adjacent wing of the castle when Seren gasped. "Holy cow!" She exclaimed. The rainbow bridge shimmered vibrantly. "What is that?"

"That is the rainbow bridge leading to Bifrost." Loki replied, leaning against the stone wall.

"What's it do?"

"It can take you any where you wish to go."

Seren looked out in wonder. "Anywhere in the world?"

Loki leaned down. "Anywhere in the universe." He whispered.

She looked up at him, eyes wide. "Wow."

"It's how you are getting home."

"I have to go through that thing?" She asked, her tone changing quickly to one of alarm.

"Yes. But it's alright, I'll be going with you to make sure you return unharmed." He began walking towards the opposite end of the bridge towards the kitchens.

"Can't I see Asgard first?" She asked.

Loki held the door open for her. "There's no time today I'm afraid."

"Can't I come back?" She asked, walking past him.

Loki shrugged. "I don't see why not."

"How do I do it?"

Loki pulled out a chair for her at a tiny table and motioned for her to sit. He stopped a servant as he was passing. "Might we get some breakfast pastries and fruit?" He asked. "Oh and some juice? For the lady?"

The servant bowed his head. "Yes my Prince."

Seren smiled, excitement setting in. Loki sat down before her. "What's so funny?"

"You really are a Prince! Your mother...she's a queen and your father-"

"Is a king, yes." He smiled.

She shook her head. "So, Loki. Tell me how to get here."

"Well," he lowered his voice. "It has to remain a secret. It could be dangerous if just anyone came through. There are portals hidden everywhere. I won't be able to tell you much about the one you came through except that it nearly killed you so you probably shouldn't go through that one again. Perhaps I can visit you sometime and to find a safer route? We can share knowledge about our homes." The thought excited Loki as he'd always wanted to visit Midgard, and now he'd have a contact.

The servant came carrying a tray of brightly coloured fruit and pastries. Seren did her best to control herself but as soon as he was gone, she immediately bit into a pastry. "I think that would be so cool!" She said. "No one would believe me!"

"No, they wouldn't. That's why this must remain a secret between you and I."

She downed a mug of bitter juice. "Lucky for you, I can keep a secret."

OoOoOo

Seren stared in amazement as each step she took on the rainbow bridge lit up.  She glanced up to see Loki watching her with a smile.

"What?"

"It's nothing...I've just never seen someone so entranced by a bridge." He replied.

"Obviously it's not just any bridge." She said, looking back down.

Loki chuckled. "Alright. We're here."

Seren stared up at the giant spherical building before her and was suddenly nervous. "I don't want to do this!" She said, turning towards Loki.

"It's alright. I'm going with you." Loki assured her.

"Will it hurt?"

"Only if you don't land on your feet." He took her by the shoulders and spun her around. "Good morning, Heimdall."

"Prince Loki." The golden guardian inclined his head ever so slightly and he looked at Seren. "Young miss. Are you prepared for travel?"

Seren looked over at Loki. He gave her a reassuring smile. "I am sir." She answered, holding her head a little higher.

"Very well. I will send you to the realm from whence you came. Prince Loki, if your return poses any threat to Asgard, Bifrost will remain closed to you and you will be stranded." Heimdall said monotonously.

"I understand Heimdall." Loki replied.

"Very well." He said, thrusting his giant golden sword into the ignition.

Loki ushered Seren towards the opening. The room around then began to spin quickly, the noise was deafening. She looked up at him as her hair whipped around her face, green eyes wide with fear. Loki reached down and took her hand, holding it firmly. "Whatever happens, do not let go!" He cried.

Seren bit her bottom lip and nodded. There was a blinding flash of light and before she could register what was happening, she and Loki were sucked out into the stars.