Echoes in Time

Glorious

Sygn walked over to Elli and held out a hand. "So YOUR'E the key to all this, eh?" she her up and down and smiled condescendingly.  Turning to Loki, she smiled, "I can see why..."  Loki held his breath as he waited for.... "Why you wanted to come back.  She really is very... homely..."  The meaning not lost on any of them, Elli balled her hand into a fist as she kept a check on her temper.  

"Well, isn't that what anyone with a heart wants? Somewhere to come home to.  Somewhere they can rely on in a pinch.  Somewhere, they know they are truly loved and wanted. "Elli didn't  need to know the history between these two, God knew there was bound to be 'history' but she DID know she needed to stand up for herself - and the man she loved.

Sygn, maintaining her cool veneer, smiled and simply turned on her heel. "Believe what you like Midgardian, in the end, it will make no difference." She walked away towards a very uncomfortable looking Mobius.

Elli almost started to walk after her, the anger in her taking away what filter she should have had.  Loki grabbed her hand, restraining her.  In one way, terrified what a fight between them might reveal, in another immensely proud that Elli didn't give an inch.  Not even to an Asgardian Princess.

"Elli, you and I need to talk, love.  ALONE." he glared over at Sygn, who now stood with Mobius, holding court,  she glanced over, smiled, and half bowed.  "Bitch...." he muttered under his breath. Elli sniggered and covered her mouth with her hand.  Loki looked down and his eyes glittered, now he too saw the amusing side. 

Slipping her hand into his, he ushered her away and out of the room.  Catching Simon's eye as he did so, Simon just nodded in acknowledgement then turned back to the conversation.   Loki held the door, letting her pass beneath his arm. "Come on little one, time I explained."  As she pressed by, she got the distinct and unwelcome feeling that he was about to lie to her in spectacular fashion.  The reason for that remained to be seen.

They walked, hand in hand along the path to the end of the little terrace and looked out over the sea. For a moment, they just stood.  Looking.  Listening. Feeling.

"Loki..."

"Elli..."

They spoke in unison, their minds with a single thought. Being together again had clarified it.

They smiled, and Loki flushed pink, his cheeks dimpling slightly and his eyes? His beautiful green eyes? They locked onto hers, and in that instant, she knew. In her heart, she knew.

"It's ok Loki. You need me to solve this, dont you? You think you should go, you think you should find another way. But it's me. Sygn was right, wasn't she? I AM the key." She placed her hands on either side of his face, her thumbs brushing his exquisite cheekbones.  "Don't think for one minute that this is easy for me.  Don't think for one minute I'm not terrified."

She paused, and he tried to speak, but no words would come, just unintelligible sobbing.

"I'm doing this because I have to. If I die Loki, and I suspect I will, then it has been for a purpose. You have loved me my whole life, even if neither of us knew it.  You have protected my family. You have, even now, tried to find a way to save me." She stroked the tears from his face.

"God of Lies, eh? God of Mischief? I know who and what you REALLY are, Loki Laufeyson." She stopped, and he held his breath, guilt at her words making him feel sick and faint.  "You are my love.  That's all. You are the walking embodiment of everything that's good about us.  Brave, resilient, loving. You are my world Loki, and I would never betray you. I would sacrifice everything to protect you.  Just as you would for me."

Loki sat on a nearby wall and pulled her to him. Sobbing into her shoulder, he held her close.  His time with Sygn now made a hundred-fold worse with her confidence in his fidelity to her.