Soldier *Sequel to Empty*

Chapter Nineteen

"Place of purple skies?" Frigga asked as she hung onto her words. Her eyes laced with sincerity, and it almost pained Evangeline.
"Yes, I couldn't tell the temperature. It was wrong, not hot nor cold. I do not have the knowledge of such a place."

They stared at a map of the realms, the planet's and stars swirling and occasionally changing place in the paper.

Queen Frigga tapped her index finger on her lip, a perfect shaped nail leaving a crescent imprint. She walked over to the book shelf on their left and picked up a thin book with frayed binding.

"I believe I know." Frigga placed the book on the table covering the map.

Opening the book to the third page, the writing was hand written and only a few sentences.
"The In-Between is the only place I have ever heard of that has such qualities. It almost impossible to access and even harder to leave. You must have to have the Norns on your side to find it."

"Why have I never heard of this place?"

"Because it was never a place of interest. A place uninhabitable, nothing grows. It's a world of rock. It's nor hot nor cold. It's nothing but rock and purple sky."

Evangeline troubled her lip. "I saw people. They where torturing him under a purple sky in a cell. People are there. Hurting others."

Frigga placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "We will find Loki. I promise."
____

Levian smiled and stared at the entertainment. A woman dancing with horses, the copied her movements and they seemed to be perfectly in tune with one another.
Thor still had his hand intertwined with his own.
"What does this festival celebrate?"

"Life. The happiness to be alive, the simple things. Things we take for granted." He could almost feel the rumble of his voice.  "It's beautiful. I attend every year, I have since my time on Midgard."

"Do you ever plan on returning there?"

Thor glanced at Levian. "Perhaps. I will if my friends call for me."

"What are humans like? From gypsies and Asgardians?"

Thor paused before a grin spread on his face. "They are proud, selfish, and reckless... but they love with all of their heart. The live to the fullest take opportunities that we would pass up. Their lives our short, but they have meaning."

Levian sighed. "They sound remarkable."

"They are."

The woman dancing with the horses took a bow, her animals following her cue. Levian applauded for a moment only to quickly return his hand back to Thor's grasp.

"Come, I want to show you something." Thor gently tugged on his hand and Levian followed. They walked for quite a ways down lesser populated streets.
The street entered into an archway that lead to a lake.
   The golden lights of the city reflected on the water, making the waves dance with light.

"It's, wow..."

Thor let his lips turn upwards a bit. "This lake has been here since I was a small child, a place of refuge in the loud city. Even though I was quite loud myself, this place always put me at ease."

Levian took notice of the ivy that grew in the sides of the buildings, the way the sounds of the city seemed to fade here, and the way it was so calm.

"I can see how."

"I brought you here because I wish to tell you something."

Levian blinked, "What would that be?"

"I-" Thor paused. "I have grown quite attached to you in a very short period of time. I care about you greatly Levian."

"In what way?"

"It is certainly more than friendship, I know that much."

"I feel similarly. I happen to like you quite a lot. It is very sudden but it is something that I have contemplated before."

Thor gave him another smile, Norns, he loved the little smiles that were laced with the most sincerest of meanings. They stepped a little closer together. The string of lights casting a soft orange glow on their features.

"May I?"

"Absolutely."

The kiss was soft, and gentle. He liked this side of Thor. The one who treated those he cared about like the most precious things in the world. It was amazing.
Levian could not deny the blush that covered his cheeks. His first kiss was Thor Odinson Prince of Asgard, and his closest friend.
He did not mind in the slightest.