Protecting You

Chapter 8

*

My eyes flicker open to see the golden floor moving beneath me, but it seems so far away. My head droops, I can't hold it up anymore. Someone slips their arm around my head and pulls it up lightly, so I face them. Loki smiles down at me and I can see my legs draped over his arm.

"L-Loki?" I mumble, my tongue rolling out of control.

"Hello dear child." He says in that deep rumbling voice.

"Loki!" A familiar voice shouts.

Loki stops suddenly and my head slips forward, my arm falling and my fingers trailing on the floor. I try to lift them. I try. But fail. My eyes flicker up to see Uncle Thor stood in the middle of the gold corridor, with soldiers marching behind him and holding weapons.

"Un-uncle."

"Loki hand Harriet over. She is ill and must stay here." Thor points out.

"She's my child, she is part of me. I will not stand back while you use various untested medicine on her." Loki argues.

One of the guards grabs their spear, but Uncle Thor places a hand on theirs and stops them.

"St-stop." I attempt.

"Loki. Brother. Look at her. Look at Harriet." Thor demands.

Loki looks down, slipping his arm around my head again and lifting it to rest on his chest. He then tucks my arm back into my lap and tightens his grip on me. He smiles quickly at me, I rub my cheek against his velvet cape and he plants a kiss on my forehead.

"She is sick. She is very sick and our attempts to treat her are not working. She is in extreme pain and confusion. We are examining other methods as the current ones do not have any effect on her. I called you because I believe you can help her." Thor explains.

"I can't help her. I do not know what to do. I just want to help her." Loki whispers.

Thor takes a few steps forward, until he is stood directly in front of Loki. Uncle lifts his hands up, offering them. Loki stares down at me, worry sparkling in his eyes.

"Please." I mumble.

Loki lifts me into my Uncle's arms. The soldiers race forward and pin Loki's arms behind him. He doesn't shout or fight back, just watches Uncle carry me out. Away from him.

"He be o-okay?" I ask, looking hopefully at my Uncle.

Uncle Thor smiles down at me, nodding. He slips his arms around me tighter, pulling me to his chest more. I groan through gritted teeth as he brushes the blue bruise forming on the back of my hand from Loki taking my drip out.

"It's fine. Everything will be fine, I will fix it." Uncle promises.

**

"You do not realise what you have done Brother!" Uncle Thor shouts, his voice filling the dark office room.

To the left is a dark wooden desk with papers filed in piles. To the right is a small sofa. Loki is sat on it, his wrists back in the handcuffs and his head bowed low. There's a small cut above his eyebrow and it leaks blood a little. Thor paces in front of him, arms crossed and his boots clunking loudly on the marble floor. I'm sat beside Loki, watching him mumble under his breath and stare at his feet.

"Were you even thinking, Loki? No, you were not."

"I was, Thor. I couldn't stand the thought of Harriet's pain, being hooked up to various machines and being experimented on because no one knows what is truly wrong with her. Wherever she goes when she's unconscious, she's alone, she's upset and in pain. Harriet has no one there. I need her and she needs me." Loki explains.

"Well, now father will not allow you to see Harriet again." Uncle points out.

Grumbling under my breath, I dig my nails in my palm and curse at Loki for being so stupid.

"He's not my father, and he can try." Loki mutter.

"Loki, will you please stop with this rebellious behaviour you have? It causes problems for everyone around you, including Harriet."

"I'm sorry. But I will not stand by while my only child is dying. I will not loose her again Thor, I will not be able to handle that."

Loki storms out of the room, grumbling under his breath and throwing his arms around. I feel his weight lift from the sofa and I sigh. Leaning my head in my hands, I rock gently on the velvet sofa.

There's a gentle knock at the door and we both look up to see Sif stood in the doorway. Her long, almost straight jet black hair flows onto her shoulders, that are covered in black armour with gold circles. She has a brown hooded jumper on with her armour reaching her knees. Sif looks confident with her head held high and one hand on her sword on her hip.

"May I have a word with you, Thor?" Sif asks.

"Of course, Sif. Is there a problem?" Thor questions.

"No. Well, not really. The problem is me, I sort of feel guilty about something." She admits.

Thor narrows his eyes in question. Sif strides in, sitting on the sofa and I stand up. Thor sits in my seat, watching Sif with full attention.

"What is it, Sif?"

"I believe I was too harsh and judgemental to Harriet." Sif announces.

What? Yes, she didn't like me from the start. She laughed when I said a sword was the same as a dagger, when I fought Volstagg. But, she was a lady and I was Thor's niece, I sort of expected it.

"Why is that?"

"I may have possibly teased Harriet when she arrived, behind her back with some of the other soldiers. I do not know why but I felt threatened by her. Is there any chance it's due to her powers?" Sif quizzes.

"Maybe. But, do not get angry, is it possible you feel threatened because she is a slightly better fighter then you?"

"I do not know." Sif whispers, staring down at the ground.

"Sif, we all get jealous. Barton is one example, he's jealous of Stark's powers. Rogers is another example, he's jealous of Harriet because she can see her father." Thor explains.

"I've never felt it before, I don't like it." Sif mutters.

"You'll get over it. Keep practising and protecting the Nine Rhelms and I will always be proud of you, Sif."

**

Standing at the back of the room, I watch a female Asgardian take blood from my arm, she then places it in a gold metal container. Uncle Thor strides in, crossing his arms and staring down.

"Sir, may I point something significant out?" She asks, her voice shaky and uncertain.

"Of course."

"I have noticed that Harriet's heart rate increases back to her normal rate when her father is in the room." She announces.

"Okay. I will take that into consideration, thank you."