The Jotun's Daughter

Chapter 24

"You're lucky it was only three weeks." I didn't turn towards the man clad in red, white, and blue as he moved to stand beside me. 

        "Try 70 years," he laughed slightly, but I detected bitterness in his voice. We were both silent for a moment. 

        "How long will it take for you to realize that they are all on your side?" He leaned his elbows against the railing, steadying himself. His famous shield was strapped over his back as usual, and the rays of the sun hit it steadily. 

        "You know, back in that room, when you were crying, I almost believed that you were an innocent, eighteen-year-old girl. Almost." Steve's voice was grim, and he was set on edge. I looked at him sharply. The soldier was smarter than I had given him credit for. 

        "How much of that was real?" It wasn't a question, and I was tired of taking orders, so I remained silent.

        "I suppose that if you want to talk, you will, but be aware that I'm watching you." The corner of my mouth lifted slightly into a smile. 

     "What's so funny?" I turned my head to look at the man who towered over me so easily, but I didn't cower. Instead I raised my other form beneath my skin, and looked him straight on. 

        "If I'm correct, Captain, you are the one who was frozen in the ice," Fog dissipated into the warm air as I spoke, curling out of my mouth when my icy breath hit it. Steve stood up straight, alert, but I just shook my head, and let my human form appear once again.

        "It would do you well to watch me." 

"Are you threatening me?" He demanded. I noticed that his hand was slowly moving towards his shoulder.

        "Do I need to?" I asked quietly. He stopped, studying me. I looked back out over the city, ready to leave, when May poked her head through the glass double doors across the deck and called out that we needed to come inside.

        "You and me need to train some more as well," She pointedly told me. I nodded, and she disappeared behind the glass.

        "I saw those moves you used against the Chitari," Rogers voice was dead cold behind me as I started to walk away. I stopped and looked back at him.

        "You may not know this, but even after becoming...." He motioned to himself, "This, I still had several things to learn. Particularly new martial art moves, and different ways to defend or attack. But I studied the ones that weren't available to me, and learned their particular aspects and signals-or why they were banned in certain countries." My muscles stiffened. 

        "Coulson won't overlook a little detail like that, Kayla, especially when he knows where it came from. If he saw what you had done...." He trailed off, and I knew that if I ever had a time to verbally defend myself, or convince him otherwise, now was it. I inhaled.

        "Captain Rogers, for my credit....I was nine years old. I didn't know what they were teaching me, I just knew that it would keep me off the streets. Later, when they elaborated on what they intended to do, I left." I looked him in the eyes. "Alone."

        "But you didn't stop practicing. Kayla...the motions you know by heart are banned in several countries, and for good reasons. If people knew what you are capable off-on top of your powers, you would be-"

        "Killed. Experimented on." I turned away from him, and started to walk back.

        "I know how it goes when you're put on the gifted index, Captain Rogers," I called over my shoulder. I reached and glass doors and opened them.