Flowergirl |L. Laufeyson|

Chapter Eleven

The first rays of light found Zoë in the garden, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the gentle breeze of the wind. She had not managed to sleep at all the previous night.

Tony Stark had come back to those that cared about him, injured but momentarily safe. The Asgardian hoped that he had actually slept, but she did not know if he would be able to do that. If she were to take a guess based on his injuries, he had surely fought with someone. But had he fought alone, or were there others with him that had not made it?

The woman opened her arms wide, letting the spheres of golden light scatter in the garden. They were glistening in the morning sun as if they were pieces of glass. She did not hear the person approaching her.

"So, that's what you can do."

The blonde opened her eyes and glanced at the mortal next to her who was looking at the spheres in fascination. She turned back to her front, her eyes fixated on a tree.

"Thor has already told you of my abilities, you said so yourself."

"I never thought that it would look like this," he muttered as he turned to her. "I am still waiting for the whole story."

"Did you get rest?"

For some moments, the man remained silent. "I could not sleep."

Finally, Zoë turned to look at him, taking in the way his eyes seemed to have lost some of their light. Tony seemed to have aged a decade in these last three days. "Was there someone with you?"

"Too many people, gone," he murmured, his eyes closing momentarily as he grimaced. "But I did not come here so that we could discuss what happened in that spaceship."

"Are you sure you would not like to talk about it?" she pressed, but he only shot her an incredulous look in return.

"I am waiting for the story, Flowergirl."

She let out a small sigh. "Before I start, I want you to answer one question." The man nodded. "Why is my past so important to you?"

For some time, Tony remained quiet, not replying. The blonde waited patiently, genuinely curious as to why he thought it was so important to know about her. Slowly, he raised his gaze to hers, not being afraid to meet her eyes. "You know all about my past, all these years of you working as my gardener have given you an insight as to who I am. It seems only fair that I learn about you."

"Well then," she sighed, her gaze falling to her shoes that had suddenly become fascinating. The sun rose in the clear blue sky, the golden spheres around them glistened, and both of them were unaware of Pepper watching them from a window, their voices gentle murmurs of the wind that barely reached her ears. "It was a morning just like every other."

Zoë was sitting on a field near her home, watching the flowers around her as they swayed at the gentle breeze of the wind. The golden spheres around her were twinkling like diamonds floating on air. A small smile was on her lips as she relished in the silence.

At least, that was the case until she heard a scream.

The smile was extinguished from her lips in seconds as she looked back at the direction of her home. She was far away, but she could still make out two silhouettes, seemingly fighting. This could not be good.

Zoë picked herself up and walked quickly to her home, fearing for the worst. As she got closer, she could make out the forms of her father and brother fighting, her mother standing some ways back as she tried to make them stop their argument. It was then that she noticed that her father was holding a dagger.