✔𝚨 𝚸𝛐𝐞𝐭'𝐬 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐞 ➳ 𝚩𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐲 𝚩𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬

Prologue

How much time had passed since she last caught herself staring at the clock? Melora was not fully sure. It must have been before the hour hand began turning and the sun set. Since then, she had become a deft collector of minutes.

Like a caged bird, ravenous for the sky, despite knowing the danger above in that vast, wild, abyss. There was something about the night sky turned, the blues slowly fading to darker colours until you were not sure whether the colour was black or simply the darkest of blue. They looked so similar.

They reminded her of the thoughts that always came in situations like these – when you are surrounded by all these people but really? Feeling any lonelier would be difficult. Everyone else seemed to have people to speak to, matters to attend, while she would either stay in a corner or follow Loki around like a pathetic puppy.

Those thoughts were a dark enough shade to colour all the oceans blue. Those who harbour dreams of being alone must have forgotten what loneliness felt like.

"Here." Melora looked up at the voice, peeling her eyes away from the deserted balcony with billowing curtains. Thor was standing there, a slight smile, a sincere one on his face with a glass in his hand stretched towards her.

"What is it?" She asked, eyeing the golden liquid.

"Only the best of ale, of course," he grinned, and as she raised the glass, he put a finger on the bottom, tilting it for her to drink more. "You look like you could use a drink." A chuckle left him before he sent her a friendly wink and continued moving in the direction he had been going.

Thor was headed for his usual group of friends, and most of them now looked at her, seeing that he had stopped. They were alright most of them, nice people, but more like Thor than anything. Loud and boisterous.

The breeze caught her hair, making her eyes shoot towards the balcony, and this time she did not stop her feet from wandering towards it. No one paid her a mind as she swept through the flowing curtains and immediately pushed her body against the railing.

The air was sweeter in an instant, her lungs hungrily taking it all in. The stars had begun peeking out now, the various constellations telling their stories. Melora leaned forward, resting her elbows on the railing as she looked towards the forest, the massive trees still able to be seen from here.

She did not know much about birds, but the envy for their wings was still there. A cage is a cage after all, no matter how golden or important it may seem. There were so many hours in a day for her to wonder what it would be like to leave.

If one day, she decided she had enough. The libraries, the silent walks, the trainings and all of the properness. Would they start searching for her? 

Out of obligation they probably would. 

Where could she go? No, where would she go?

Frigga had always spoken highly of Midgard; their people were special apparently. The Greeks had some interesting philosophy and literature that was for sure, but they also changed quickly, their lifetimes short.

Perhaps that would make it more interesting. All of the time in the world for her to watch, discover their lives and read them like the open books they were.

"Melora?" His voice sounded from the entrance, and she immediately turned around to look at him, pushing away any trace of the thoughts she was having.

"Yes, Loki?" She asked, straightening her back, and he stepped towards her, no smile on his face.

"You need to stay close to me, it will look better," he said and grabbed onto her hand, his cold one lacing with hers, and she quickly nodded, allowing him to drag her back inside and towards the crowds of people in there.