Two days had passed and Namira struggled to continue pretending she wanted to help Loki gain power, that she'd been devoted to him while every prayer she prayed went out to Thor. The God's grip on her face was firm, "Why is it not working?!"
His grip was tight, but, true to his word, it wasn't enough to harm her, "I don't know... I swear this is exactly how I prayed to Thor... entirely the same way."
Literally.
His eyes narrowed as though trying to find a lie, "I will have you restore my power. If your mind cannot give me power, I'll resort to taking it from your body."
His frustration was palpable as the days ticked by, only four days were left now with this day included and he'd not regained a shred of power.
Namira looked at him, "If you take it from me, I do believe that qualifies as harm."
The sound of frustration leaving the God would've made her laugh if he didn't scare her.
He studied her for the longest moment, "You will pray out loud to me tonight. I will hear your worship directly."
Namira nodded mutely, where Thor demanded her words, her verbal admission to anything, Loki preferred her silence. She supposed it modelled a submission he craved for, compliant and weak.
Loki grabbed her wrist, a habit that had started to annoy her, but she forced herself not to fight the grip. He would not harm her, but if she harmed herself trying to struggle free of him... that didn't break their bargain, "It'll be your last chance. If that doesn't work, I will have your body and trust, girl, that I have ways to have it and not harm you."
His words send a shiver through her and again she nodded, "It will work... there's no reason why it shouldn't work... Have you... have you researched this? Perhaps not all Gods get their power back similarly?"
Loki's eyes narrowed and for a moment Namira worried, but then he grinned, "Perhaps you're right. I'll be back, girl, and you better hope I have found an answer or you prove yourself more functional tonight."
The God disappeared and Namira released a shaky breathe, "Thor....I am worried for today. He's growing increasingly impatient as my prayers to you don't restore his power... He'll make me do it out loud tonight... or he'll take my body... I'm... I'm scared." She paused, not knowing if he'd hear her if it wasn't an actual prayer of worship, "It'll be only four more days until he returns me to you... With your permission Thor, I'll spend my days worshipping you... and only you."
There was another ripple through the air, stronger than the ones before and Namira worried Loki would catch on to what she was doing. Was killing her harming her? Would that make a difference in the end? If he killed her to stop Thor from gaining power while he couldn't... Namira shook her head.
Again she focused on Thor's words to her, telling her she was the one in control.
Her eyes widened, "I'm the one..."
Namira knelt before the makeshift bed, her hands folded in front of her, "I promise myself to Thor, I can only ever worship him and my body and soul will only ever be his to have, to touch. Thor... I am yours. I belong to you. With you."
The ripple that went through the air was so strong it threw her off balance.
Loki appeared but a moment later, his eyes blazing with fury, "What DID you DO?!"
Namira lowered her gaze to the floor submissively, "I pledged myself, I spoke aloud as you wanted... to see if it mattered."
Thunder echoed louder and louder and Loki grabbed hold of her, "You lie to me."
Namira didn't speak. There was no need. They both knew he was right and she wouldn't make it worse by admitting it.
"LOKI!"
The roaring thunder carried Thor's voice, shaking the cave, "YOU WILL RETURN WHAT IS MINE."
Loki seemed fearful for but a moment before he grinned at her, "You thought you were smart, girl?"
He pulled out a blade then, "Let's see this smartness turn into horror as you bleed out in my cave."
Loki's grin widened, "A cave my brother cannot enter to save you."
As he slit her throat, all Namira could do was gasp as she fell to the ground, her hands clutching at the wound as if it'd stop the bleeding, "You forget... you nullified my bargain not to harm you by your own attempt to break it."
He knelt down before her, that grin still on his lips, "Such a shame, girl."
The thunder grew louder, erratic and Loki looked to the entrance to the cave, covered by a large boulder that seemed to move only for him, "It's cute that he cares."
Namira felt her life draining as her blood flowed, "Thor... Thor...I wanted to return to you and... and Loki ... I don't think I'll make it back to you... I love you, Thor... I ... I will spend my very last moments in utter devotion to you. I am sorry..."
The boulder cracked as Thor broke it down, lightning dancing along his skin and shining through his eyes as he threw Mjölnir at the trickster God who disappeared instantly.
He was with her but a second later, cradling her to him, "Namira..." Her skin had grown pale, her breathing shallow.. Thor's hand touched her face, "Pledge your life to me, offer me your soul and body."
There was an urgency to his voice, but the words would not fall from her lips, her mouth too dry, her body too weak. He pressed his lips to hers even as she thought the words of that pledge, "My soul and body are yours, my life is.. yours."
The ripple was faint now, but there.... Namira didn't know why he'd want her soul, her spirit, but as she lay there dying in his arms... she was at ease.
TBC...
