Beyla ~ (Loki)

23.

Months to years have passed with the secret of Loki's place on the throne. The land of Asgard has never prospered so splendidly. If Odin could see him now, even he would be proud.

Where ever he is... I never cared enough to ask the question.

A golden statue of Loki and I have been placed at the very center of the land. Loki sits on the day bed in the gardens, watching a tragic play of his death. "This is how it happened, huh?" Loki smiles at me, eating a grape. "Indeed, Lady Beyla."

"Sorry for all I've done." Loki's counterpart says laying on the ground. Thor holds his head. "It's all right. Hold on." "I'm sorry I tried to rule Earth." "They'd be lucky to have you." "I'm sorry about that thing with the Tesseract. I just couldn't help myself. I'm a trickster."

"So mischievous." The actor portraying Thor nods with tears.

"Sorry about that time I turned you into a frog."

"It was a wonderful joke."

Loki (Odin) laughs, "Twas indeed hilarious." I shrug in agreement. "I laughed a bit."

"Tell my story. Build a statue for me. Beyla must be at my side." "We will build a big statue for you." "With my helmet on, with the big bendy horns." I lean down to whisper to Loki. "You wrote this didn't you?" He shrugs with a smile. "A hidden tallet."

"I will tell Father what you did here today." Loki mouths Actor Loki's final line along with him. "I didn't do it for him." Actor Loki then "dies".

I look behind me, viewing a sweep of the people. My blood runs cold as I see one individual. "Thor." I gasp. I wave slowly in shock. He walks up with a smile. "Beyla." His arms wrap around me tightly. "You look well." He says happily. He is truly grateful to see me in such health. "Thank you, Thor. Took a while after all the lies I had been told." He releases me. His eyes move towards Odin. "All the lies, Beyla?" Thor studies my eyes and soon after pushes past to see his father. Loki stands up, applauding the show as it ends. "Bravo! Bravo! Well done. Bravo." I stand behind Thor as he inches to Loki.

"Father." Thor nods, catching his attention. "Oh, shit." I wave my hand in front of my neck signaling him to stop. He composed himself and announced, "My son! Thor has returned! Greetings my boy."

I place my head in my hand. "We are so screwed."

Odin goes through a weird internal transformation. His fluidity is replaced by a rigid and regal posture. "It's an interesting play. What's it called?"

"The Tragedy of Loki of Asgard. The people wanted to commemorate him." I say quickly, getting in between the two. Thor looks down at me then back to his father. "Indeed they should. I like that statue. A lot better looking than he was when he was alive. A little less weasely. Less greasy maybe." Odin sours, masking his agitation. Thor holds up the skull.

"The skull of Surtur?" I ask in recognition. "That's a formidable weapon."

Thor approaches an E-Guard and hands it over. " Do me a favor. Lock this in a vault so it doesn't turn into a giant monster and destroy the whole planet." I raise my brows, "That's a bit much."

Odin shifts uncomfortably. "So it's back to Midgard for you, is it?" Thor starts tossing Mjolnir, turning back to Odin. "Nope. I've been having this reoccurring dream lately. Every night I see Asgard fall into ruins..."

"That's just a silly dream... Signs of an overactive imagination."

Possibly... but then I decide to go out there and investigate. And what do I find, but the Nine Realms completely in chaos. Enemies of Asgard assembling, plotting our demise, all while you, Odin, the protector of those Nine Realms, are sitting here in your bathrobe, eating grapes, and eyeing our Lady Beyla."

"Well, it is best to respect our neighbors' freedom."

"Of course, the freedom to be massacred."

"Yes, besides, I have been rather busy myself." "Watching theatre." I shake my head. "No, no. Board meetings, and security council meetings... stuff." Thor turns to me. "You're going to play along, Beyla?" He faces Loki again.

"You really going to make me do it?" "Do what?" Thor spins Mjolnir and then hurls it off into the distance, grabs Odin by the back of the neck. Odin's royal attendants gasp in shock. "You know that nothing will stop Mjolnir as it returns to my hand." Mjolnir stops mid-air and starts soaring back. "Not even your face."

"You've gone quite mad. You'll be executed for this!" Loki panics. I huff feeling the nerves. "Just do it!" I hiss biting at my nails.

"Then I'll see you on the other side...brother." The jig is up. Loki's shimmering illusion dissipates, "Alright, I yield!"

Thor pushes Loki away and catches Mjolnir. Loki looks to Thor, hands up with a smile. Skurge arrives on the scene, a little late to warn Loki. "Behold! Thor... Odinson." I wave my hand over to him, vines wrapping around his mouth shutting him up. Loki points at him in frustration. "You had one job! Just the one." Thor towers over his brother, "Where's Odin?"

"You just couldn't stay away, could you? Everything was fine without you. Asgard was prospering You've ruined everything. Ask them."

Thor advances on Loki, who backs up onto the lounge couch. "Where's Father? Did you kill him? Beyla, did he?" I stare at Loki confused. "No... He... I don't know." Thor looks at me as if I'm mad. "You had what you wanted, you had the independence you asked for!" Thor presses Mjolnir onto Loki's chest. "Ow-ow-ow! Alright! I know exactly where he is."

~

Thor, Loki, and I travel to earth. The busy streets and people push me into a rush. I breathe in the air and smile. My clothes matching the street clothes in the city "It's nice." A bee comes flying at my face. "Hello." I smile settling the bee on my finger. I see the demolition of a building. The sign on the ground says, Retirement Home. I look around confused. "Where is he?" Loki crosses his arms as we three watch the demolition. "I swear, I left him right here."

"Right here on the sidewalk? Or right there, where the building is being demolished? Great planning." Thor picks an argument.

"How was I supposed to know? Can't see into the future. I'm not a witch."

"Then why do you dress like one?" Loki scoffs, "Hey."

"I can't believe you're alive. I saw you die. I mourned you, I cried for you." Thor says in anger. Loki nods with narrowed eyes. "I'm honored." Suddenly two girls come rushing towards Thor. "Hi! Would you mind taking a picture with us?"

Thor smiles at the two young girls, "Sure." Thor holds his hand up in a peace sign smiling at the phone. "Sorry to hear that Jane dumped you." My mouth drops. "What?" Thor looks at me and shrugs. "She didn't dump me. I dumped her. It was a mutual dumping." Suddenly gold sparks begin to circle Loki. "What are you doing?" I ask confused. He looks at me with wide eyes. "This isn't me." Loki drops out of sight, vanishing through solid concrete, a card let in his place. Thor pokes the business card. "Loki?" I pick up the card reading it, "177A Bleecker Street."