Avengers The Captain's Secret Book 2: Waiting for Thor

Part 23: Back Where It Started

LESEDI POV

The closer I came to Asgard the worse my feelings got. There was such conflict, fear and death. 

"You shouldn't go."

I turned to Ingemar. "I must make sure that my son and the servants escape. They do not deserve to die for staying."

For the first time I actually used the back door of the palace, but even as I did, I could hear and see what was happening in front.

The band split to evacuate the fortress. 

"Steven?" I ran through our wing. "Steven!"

"Here!" 

A wave of panic went through me as I ran back down to the throne room. "Steven?"

Steven stepped out from behind Odin's throne with an Asgardian shield. "Grandpa said I would have nothing to fear because the throne would protect me."

I didn't want to dispel that. "And it did, sweetheart but we've got to go--"

We started toward the back entrance, but not before he caught a look at what was going on outside. 

"Hogun?" he whispered. "Hogun!"

I picked him up and covered his mouth. I turned him to me, and his eyes were wide with fear, tears streaming down his face and onto my knuckles. I swallowed my own. "We have to go."

"But--"

"I don't like this anymore than you do, but there are many to save, many who cannot fight," I whispered. "Do you trust me?"

He nodded. "Freeze the front doors."

"What?" I raised a hand and did it. "The wood will break--"

"But the ice is thicker."

I stared at him, so sure. It was the first real glimpse I saw of his father in him. I nodded. "God help us all. Let's go." We ran to the back door, and the servants had already left. Ingemar, Kelden and Dalla stood waiting, each with backpacks of supplies they must have gotten from the castle. "Where's Erik?"

"I'll hold them off--"

"The doors are frozen, Erik! Let's go!" Dalla called.

"I am a protector of Asgard!" Erik's voice rose. "I am here--"

"To protect its people, who are fleeing in the forest!" I interjected. When Erik did not move, I got angry. "As Steward of Asgard, I command--"

Erik ran out the door.

"It's that easy?" I couldn't believe it.

"Yes."

We were all running.

"The hell are we going?" Kelden asked. 

"Where is the secret garden, Steven?"

Steven broke into a run that was faster than all of us. He came to the valley of arches and we went through. We came to the waterfall and climbed to the forest. 

"About time, milady!" Heimdall said. "The people are coming."

"Yes, let's go!"

We all stood at the entrance and I simply put a hand on it. The massive stone doors opened, revealing the huge space inside, where we could hide for the time being. People ran inside.

Heimdall turned to go, but then called over his shoulder. "Erik--"

Erik nodded. "We have to go to the forest and get the others." 

"Be careful."

He gave a small smile and took off.

"We're coming, too!" Kelden called, and Dalla rushed to his side.

"We can help!"

"I will stay here," I said. "People will need leadership and comfort here."

Over the next couple of days, Heimdall returned to the streets of Asgard to find refugees. Sometimes they would decline and ended up changing their minds before nightfall. He had taken the Bifrost Bridge sword and obviously word was Hela was angry about it. 

One day, Heimdall returned to tell me he had talked to Thor. He was trying to come back. Finally, Thor was on his way.