Believe in Magic [a Loki fanfic]

Trapped

Black storm clouds circled in the sky above the tall dark tower, the flickering of lightening illumining them accompanied by rolling thunder. The tower's wall was made of solid rock. There were no windows. No doors. No cracks. An impenetrable wall. Loki ran his hand over the smooth wall - an excellent piece of mental sorcery. The Master of Magic circled the edifice, his eyes and magic gliding over the surface, looking for the slightest imperfection, an opening. There was none. It was built perfectly. All the girl's hurt and grief was securely sealed away behind these walls. 

A faint whimpering came from the inside, followed by cries of agony. He had saved her life, was that not enough? Why did he care about her at all? The girls voice cried his name and the God's chest contracted painfully. Instinctively, he placed his hand on the cold stone wall. Why, in the name of Hel, did he care so much? Loki cursed and slammed his fist against the rock. 

"You cannot reach her", a husky voice sniggered, followed by throaty laughter, and her screams and sobs echoing in his mind. 

Enough! 

Without thinking, Loki sent a concentrated stream of his magic into the wall of the tower. There was a loud rumbling noise and a hairline crack appeared on the rock face. Before Loki had time to react, a whirl of sparks burst threw it and took the form of a tall Fire Giant. 

"You cannot have her, Frost Thurse!" the creature hissed and a blast of flames hit Loki front on and threw him backwards. The God gasped and found himself on the floor of the healing quarters. Slightly stunned from the power of the blow, he sat up slowly and shook his head. 

What had happened to this girl in Niflheim? Had he encountered a memory, or had this demon still power over her? And why a Fire Giant? If any creature he would have expected a Frost Giant. Loki rose to his feet.

Eir watched him with interest. 

"What happened, Loki?" He did not answer, but kept his eyes focused on the girl whose body started shaking uncontrollably, but when the dark prince stepped forward towards her, Eir touched his arm to hold him back and said, 

"Do not interfere. Whatever you did, it worked. This is a good reaction. It means that her nervous system is readjusting and her mind is coming out of what she was trapped in." 

Loki relaxed and the Goddess looked at him with eyes full of compassion and a faint smile on her lips. 

"You do care for her." But Loki shook his head, 

"She is a curse, Eir. I wish I would have left her to die in the forest of Niflheim." he burst out, and when Eir laughed softly he cast her a bewildered look. 

"You care much more than I was aware of. We cannot always control things, Loki, and you are not the first to be thrown into confusion by their own feelings. It is not she, who is the curse, it is you - you are confining yourself to who you believed yourself to be. She is simply showing you where  you stand, and where you bind yourself." 

Eir still had her hand on his arm and squeezed it gently. 

"The God of Mischief is not meant to be bound. Not even by his own thoughts and actions. His strength is the fact that he cannot be defined." Eir smirked, taking in Loki's astonished facial expression. "I will go and get some herbs, will you stay here until I return?" Loki nodded and his eyes wandered back to the girl on the bed. 

Eir was right. Ella had awoken a side in him that he feared, but he was neither willing nor ready to face these feelings. He sat down on the bed and entered Ella's mind again.

This time, Loki found himself in a lush green forest with golden sunlight streaming through the rich foliage and the peaceful murmuring of a stream nearby that mingled with melodious birdsong. It was a place filled with Light, warmth and a pure beauty that captured the God's heart. Somewhat enchanted, Loki followed the sound of the water, becoming aware that flowers started blossoming around him – in the grass at his feet, on shrubs and trees around him – the forest turned into a flowering garden as the God of Mischief moved through it. A little girl sat by the water, her skinny arms slung around her drawn up knees, long dark hair cascading down her back. She turned around when he approached and Loki recognised the soft hazel eyes that greeted him with trust. When her gaze swerved back out onto the water the dark prince settled beside her, experiencing an unfamiliar feeling of peace rising in the depth of his being. Just as Loki closed his eyes to explore it, he felt a tiny hand wiggling its way into his and the master of magic gently closed his fingers around it, allowing his mind to sink into a deep tranquility.

Loki was not aware how long he had stayed like this when, without warning, the girl withdrew her hand and let out a stifled cry. His eyes snapped open to see the world around him crumble and turn into a dull barren dessert. He turned to the girl at his side and faced the cold rock wall of the tower.

"How is she?" Eir's voice pulled him back into the world of Asgard and he heard himself say, 

"I have lost her again," before he slowly opened his eyes to take in his surroundings. 

The strange sensation of tranquility still lingering inside him. Loki became aware of sitting next to Ella on the bed and of the fact that his fingers were intertwined with the girl's. He withdrew them before Eir could notice and stood up stepping away from the bed. 

"You are back already?" 

"I was gone for a while," the healer replied as she walked over to the bed and stroked her fingers lovingly over Ella's head. 

The Goddess had developed a fondness for this girl, maybe even more so now that she knew how good she was for the prince. Ella seemed to bring healing to Loki as much as he brought it to her. 

"You have not lost her, Loki. She is asleep, but she is not trapped anymore." Her eyes met Loki's and he looked away quickly, not wanting to betray the relief he felt at her words.

"I better go now", he muttered turning to leave. 

"Loki." He halted. "Thank you." 

The God gave a slight nod before he left.

Bemused by the turn of events and the tranquility that pervaded his being Loki made his way to one of Asgard's many gardens where he lay down on the grass, turning his gaze upwards to the star scattered vastness of the sky. Forgetting himself in the vastness for a while until his mind drew him back to the mortal girl who had invaded his life with a gentle force that he seemed unable to resist, and the force that held her captive. The fire demon. Was that who she had encountered in Niflheim? The monster she had depicted in her drawing? Loki's thoughts moved to the child he had encountered in the forest, who had utterly enchanted his heart. The God of mischief did not find any sleep that night, nor did he seek it.