Asgard's Angel

Confrontation

For the first time, Angel's problems with magic weren't coming from within her. They were coming from an outside distraction. Actually, there were five distractions. They had received a letter that morning, but refused to say what it contained. So Thor, Sif and the warriors three had taken to the library while Angel and Loki tried to work. But the racket the group was making was making it difficult. Thor let out a yell, and Angel glanced up sharply. "What the hell are you doing?" She called. They were all silent. She looked at Thor. "May I see it? I might be able to read it if you cannot."

 

Sif opened her mouth before the prince could. "Go back to your studies child, this doesn't concern you." She said coolly.

 

Angel ignored her, looking at Thor. "Please?" Thor stood up and brought the letter to her, and she smiled triumphantly at Sif.

 

"The problem," Thor whispered to Angel, "is not that we cannot decipher it, but that there is nothing to decipher." She looked down at the page, and found it blank. She frowned. Examining it, she held it up to her face, and realized something. Lemons. The sheet smelled of lemons. 'Youve got to be kidding me,' she thought. Reaching around Loki to grab a candle, she tried not to flush at how close they were. Snapping her fingers, the candle lit, and she held the letter over it. As words started to appear she smiled, and Thor looked from the sheet to her. "How did you-?" He asked.

 

"It's an old earth trick," she said with a slight laugh, "you right the letter in lemon ink, and it doesn't show up unless you hold it over a candle or iron it. It's something many earth kids do." She handed back the letter, words visible. After a moment there was another audible cry.

 

"What now brother?" Loki asked in annoyance.

 

"These people, daemon prædictas, say they are behind my attack, and are declaring war on Asgard."

Loki heard Angel swallow, and looked over. She was pale, and her eyes were wide. He resolved to kept half an eye on her, worried she might faint. "You can't be serious." He said. Thor looked at him sadly.

 

"I am.  They say that we will surrender to them or die fighting." Angel picked up some of the books they weren't using, and slipped away to shelve them. Loki was the only one who noticed, as the others had gone into huddle formation. He followed her. She slipped the last book into its place, and looked at her hands. They were shaking. She curled them in to a ball as closed her eyes.

 

"You ok?" he asked.

 

She looked up at him. "Why do people ask if you're ok when the answer it obvious." She laughed, but was forced. "No I'm not ok," she said, looking down. "I'm scared."

 

He put a hand on her arm. "Never been to war before?"

 

She shook her head. "I have, which is why I'm so scared. It was so horrible," her voice cracked, "I hoped I'd never had to go through it again." Loki could see the tears welling in her eyes, and did the first thing he could think to. He hugged her, pulling her close.

Angel hadn't felt this safe in someone's arms since Casey died. Despite how cold her friend was, the hug was so full of warmth it undid her completely, and she began to sob in his shoulder. She was so scared. The daemon prædictas was a familiar name to her. She had been much younger, but she could still remember how terribly bloody it was. She had thought she was rid of them forever. But she could also feel great rage bloom in her chest. How dare they come back! How dare they! Her crying subsided, and she pulled away from her friend, despite how inviting it was to allow him to hold her for infinity. But she needed to be strong. "Sorry," she said, squeezing her eyes shut to rid them of any last water.