Brother Avengers

Brother Avengers Chapter 23

For the FIRST section, you must listen to the Thor Soundtrack: "Science and Magic."

For the SECOND section, listen to the Prince Caspian soundtrack: "The Door in the Air."

For the THIRD section, you MUST, MUST, MUST listen to The Young Victoria Soundtrack "Victoria and Albert." MUST. No option. It was written in sync with the music—if you don't listen, you'll miss a whole layer of narrative.

And for the FIFTH (LAST) section you MUST listen to the Thor Soundtrack: "Earth to Asgard." Like I said, you'll be majorly missing something if you don't. ;) I will write the title of the song above each section, so you won't forget:))

Enjoy!

Chap 23

"I have died every day

Waiting for you

Darling, don't be afraid—

I have loved you for a thousand years.

I'll love you for a thousand more.

All along, I believed I would find you.

Time has brought your heart to me—

I have loved you for a thousand years.

I'll love you for a thousand more."

-A Thousand Years

Science and Magic

The air in the orchards behind the palace was drenched in the sweet scent of apple-blossoms. Evening was falling, casting soft, purplish, rich light and bringing out the deepest colors in the emerald lawn, the millions of flowers, and the feathery-blue sky above. Birds sang sleepily in the thickets, and far off, the ringing, laughing noise of a group of children playing ball caught Thor's hearing—he glanced in that direction, toward the far lawn that was obscured by a hedgerow, and smiled. His booted feet crunched on the gravel of the pathway as he walked, taking it slow, favoring his leg. He held a wooden cane in his right hand, and leaned on it for support. He would never have borne such a show of weakness—except that if he did not have it, he would have been unable to walk with Sif this evening.

He glanced to his left at her. She wore a long, light-green, flowing gown and gold belt, and her hair was undone—it fell like an ebony waterfall down to the middle of her back, and curled gently across her shoulders. She met his glance, keeping pace with him, even though it was slow.

He smiled at her, suddenly nervous. She smiled back, lifting an eyebrow.

"What?"

"You look pretty tonight," he blurted. Then he cleared his throat. "Not...Not that you do not always look pretty, but...And 'pretty' cannot truly describe what you..." He cleared his throat again and felt his face heat up. He faced the path again, determined not to speak again if he was going to make an idiot out of himself. Sif's smile broadened, she rolled her eyes, then reached down and slid her right hand into his left one. Thor swallowed hard, looking at her again. She was still smiling, though she faced straight ahead now. He closed his fingers around hers. They felt unexpectedly soft, delicate. Odd. He'd kissed her once, on impulse—he'd kissed her again in the hallway after they had both nearly been killed. He had proposed to her, for Valhalla's sake. But he had never, ever just walked with her through the gardens, holding her hand.

"How is your wound?" she asked. "Does it hurt?"

"No. Not at all," Thor flatly lied.

"Mine does," Sif confessed with a sigh. He shot her a startled look.