Just myself

Chapter Eight - This Is The Truth... Mostly

"Steve, I'm going to tell you everything." He nods at me and sits beside me, both of our backs against the door. "My name is Elizabeth Nerheim and I am not, indeed, from Earth." He looks shocked at this revelation but doesn't move to interrupt, so I continue.

"I was born in a far southern corner of Asgard as a child of a rare race of Asgardians; the Geainae. We were a minority from the beginning, shunned and pushed from society, but there came a day when a prophet told Odin of a Geaina who would have the power to take the throne. It had often been told that we were a threat due to our enhanced magical abilities and intellect but this time, it came from the respected prophet of the gods. He went crazy. He sent every regiment of his army to take every Geaina woman from their homes and kill every man and they had no power to resist. My mother was two months pregnant with me at the time and my father had just been killed but they still dragged her and every other woman back to the palace. They lived for months in cells beneath the palace, being fed the bare minimum until, seven months later, my mother gave birth to me. It was said in the prophecy that this Gaeina would bear two marks, a crescent moon on her left temple and a star on the right." I reveal the marks on my own temples. "That was me. When I was born, Odin ordered every woman killed. He raised me in the very same cell where every woman from my village was murdered. They raised me until the earth age of fifteen, documenting every single regeneration and trying to predict a pattern. Thankfully, they found none. At fifteen, I ran. Heimdall let me through the Bifrost, knowing that if I were to stay, they would simply exploit me for my powers, and I came to earth I could be free. I have been living here since. Three months after I got here, I was contacted by a man, Liam. He told me of how he was also a child of the Geainae. He came to me after he heard tales of a girl who had had three new faces in three months. He protected me and helped me find jobs with every new face. And... that's my story."

"Okay." Steve seems to consider this all for a moment, brows furrowed. "I have some questions." He sits up again, more alert.

"Shoot." I step over to my bed and lie down.

"You explained the marks on your temples but what about the rest of the... marks on your face?"

I trace the lines on my brows and cheeks, "They are the marks of my people. We all bear them. They are how we identify our species."

"Okay, why do you cover them?"

My hands fall limp. "Because, if I'm going to pass as human I cannot have my markings in full view."

"Alright, so, how does this relate to Thor and Loki?"

"Because," I sit up to face him, trying to impress the severity of the situation "if they were to find out that I was the child of the prophecy then I don't know what they would do. They may be fine but they may also force me back to Asgard. Then, if they were to force me back there, I don't know what they would then do. Would they kill me? Would they exploit me? I don't know!"

"Okay."

"Do you understand? They cannot know!"

"I understand." He stands. "Although, I think you could still take the job."

"Ste-"

"No, hear me out. He never has to know and you would earn favour with Tony and our superiors. Not to mention, you'd build up a cover in front of Thor."

I consider it for a moment. He's really right. I could do this without giving myself away and I'd get into Tony and the superiors good book. I could also make some friends.

"Fine. I need to talk to Tony." I stand and head to the door. "Hey, Steve?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you so much, I appreciate it."