The Jotun's Daughter

Chapter 12

"Kayla, it is very important that you do not show the full extent of your powers," Thor spoke carefully. He paced the study which he had privately called me to.

        "If anyone finds out what you are-who you came from-you are in even worse danger here than on Earth." I studied him. He knew about the red-head, of course. If this was his version of a scolding, or pep-talk, he wasn't doing a very good job. I fingered the blade in my hands. It was the same one from the market-Jase had presented it to me the other day, along with it's twin (It was a set), claiming that his mother was going to make him give me a welcoming present anyway. The cool metal felt right at home in my hands, and although I was grateful for his gift, I didn't want him to get the wrong idea.

        "Kayla," Thor's voice pulled me from my thoughts. He glanced down at the two weapons I had absentmindedly been twirling in my hands.

        "I know that you are used to disappearing," He said quietly. "But I also know that during those grave times, you have been on the move. You cannot run here, but if your identity is revealed, you cannot stay."

        "I understand," I replied. I slid the blades into twin sheathes at my thighs. He hesitated, and then nodded. Then he touched a button on the desk and brought up a monitor. I watched the holographic image slowly gain focus, and the a logo pop up.

        "This is Camilight Academy. It is where the best go to study the arts and learn to fight." Thor pushed another button, and a advertisement began to play, with the soundtrack coming from a speaker somewhere behind me.

        "Welcome to Camilight Academy. If you are watching this, congratulations! You have been accepted into one of the best schools in Asgard. Here, you will learn everything and anything you need to know about living the life of a high-class citizen. You will enjoy strolling on the lush grounds of the academy, training with the best teachers and warriors of this realm, and learning from the top men and women of our current day..." The monotone voice droned on about the life at the Academy, while pictures flashed across the screen, showing students training and fighting with weapons that would be illegal on earth, summoning powers and using them to do perform trick, studying in a huge library, hanging out with friends, ect. It was sickening. Thor must have seen my face and reaction through the holo-screen, because he sighed and shut it down.

        "I know." Was all he said.

        "Why do you have to send me there? Why not some...lesser school?" His eyes flashed. 

        "I trained there, Kayla, and graduated top of my Powers class, but I cannot show you how to summon or control yours. It is true, I could not yield the hammer until I was worthy, but I could train with replicas, preparing me how to use it. You must learn, before you do something that you deeply regret."

        "So you want to train me to be a soldier." Thor grimaced.

        "Steven, my old friend, was a soldier. You are nothing like him. You train to be whatever you need to be at the academy, nothing more, nothing less."

        "Captain Rogers? Don't compare your elite group of warriors to him. He had honor, and respect because he worked for it. Freedom was practically engraved in that man's skin. They-" I pointed to where the holo had been, "-Are expected to be respected. Everyone hates them, because they think that they're better than everyone else."        

        "You are quick to speak and short to listen." Thor stood angrily. I pushed back my chair and stood as well.

        "No, I'm quick to observe. Walking through the bazaar the other day? Sure, your perfect son greeted people. Each and every one of them was from his school. Same posture, radiating power, perfection, polite manners. But you know what else he got? Dirty looks, muttering tongues, and several insults when people thought that we were out of ear shot, insults that even I won't repeat. I can't be turned into one of them."