Moon Ra

Chapter 18 Hate

And thus, the striking of the key pulled her from her inner thoughts. The tune of a wordless song came into her consciousness. She opened her mouth for the first time to sing on her own accord. Closing her eyes and singing her heart out, her body swayed to the rhythm of the song. After she finished singing, she opened her eyes to a wide-eyed and silent crowd. She clenched her hands together as she looked at her feet, hiding her panic. "That was wonderful...thank you," John Williams said as he wiped away a tear. The crowd finally erupted in a joyous boom of applause. Skye smiled and sat in her seat once more. "Good job!" Eros cheered as he hugged her gently. "Ladies and gentlemen, mortal, deity, and Being, if you all will follow me to the ballroom, for it is almost midnight. Let the dances begin!" Odin called to the masses. Ezra leaned over and whispered in her ear. "If you do recall, my lady. I believe I have the first dance," he reminded. She chuckled and nodded as she walked with him to the ballroom. I cannot find Skye anywhere; I hope she is alright... Loki thought as he scanned the room, the first dance of the night beginning. Ezra is a bottle full of emotions, pain, and sadness. I wish I could help him. She thought as she danced. "Tell me what ails you," she stated, and he looked at her with blunt annoyance. She sighed, "It will make you feel better." His countenance softened. "Later," he said as he released her grip, leaving her on the ballroom floor. She danced with many men, including Loki, in those two hours until the grand clock struck twelve, and everyone guessed who their partner was. Skye took off her horn and mask, causing the Beings to chuckle, and the god's to gasp in surprise. They believed she was Skywalker. "Surprise!" she squeaked. Loki smirked, "There you are Ren, fooling everyone," he mumbled as he joined her side

The real Skywalker appeared beside Frigga. "You allowed her to prank every one?" Frigga asked the Being. Skywalker nodded with a smile, "It's nice to fool people from time to time; it is quite amusing," she said as she walked towards Skye and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Go and hide it," she ordered in a hushed tone and walked out of the room. "I need some peace. Goodnight, Loki," Skye bade, and she left the room.

Instead of going to bed, Skye went to the stables to find her favorite eight-legged horse. She found Sleipnir in a coral alone, because he was feared by all who tried to approach him. "Sleipnir, I'm not here to hurt you," Skye said quietly as she approached the coral with a bag of oats. He snorted, glaring at her as she sat on the fence; she decided to sing a song in her mother tongue to cheer up the glum and irritable horse. Sleipnir's ears perked up hearing her song, whinnying, he walked over to her, stooping down to eat oats that she had in her palm. Another wave of exhaustion fell over her, making her slide down on the ground. Sleipnir transformed into a human, clothed in silver armor. "Are you alright, my Lady?" he asked as he helped her to a hay bale. "I overdid it dancing," she muttered. "Did you dance with father?" he asked. "Yes," Skye answered with a soft smile. He smiled and sat down next to her. "The dance must have been very special. Where do you wish to go?" he asked. "The Bifrost," she replied. Sleipnir reverted to his original form and knelt. "Thank you, Sleipnir," Skye said as she lifted herself onto his back and gripped his mane. He leaped over the fence and galloped to the Bifrost.

Heimdall came from the celebration to return to his post but saw Skye sitting there close to the window along with Sleipnir. She was braiding his hair into plaits to keep it away from his face. She poked the glass with her finger, making it ripple and vanish by a silent spell. She drew close to the ledge, looking with wonder at the night sky. "Hello, young lady," Heimdall said as he placed his sword back onto its pedestal. He sensed the unique power of the casket. "Why do you wish me to keep The Casket of Winters?" he asked. She turned to him with great sorrow in her eyes. "In this casket is my immortality. When Thanos comes, he will try to take it, that is why I chose you to care for it," she said quietly, looking at the glowing box in her hands. "Will you tell them what you are?" he asked as she placed the box in his hands. "No," she said as she put her hand on his sword. "I will return in three days' time; be ready," she said, mounting Sleipnir. She rode back to the palace.

"P-please stop," she stuttered, only halfway to the palace. He quickly let her off his back as she sunk to the ground, shivering and grasping her head. Ezra spotted them leaving the Bifrost and followed them. "Are you alright?" he asked. She didn't answer but kept wheezing. "Kid, take deep breaths, okay?" he ordered as he placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him, blood coming from her eyes, nose, and the gem on her forehead. "Ehhhh.... you're going to be okay, don't panic," he lied as he took a handkerchief and tried to stop the blood. As if on cue, Skywalker appeared, "Sweet stars, Skye. I'll handle this from here," she said as she knelt and began to use her power to stop her bleeding and preserve her life for a little longer. "Starlight, you will be alright, just close your eyes and sleep," she said in a soothing tone. Ezra watched the angel's head tilt to one side and fell fast asleep. "Ezra, thank you for notifying me. I'm going to return her to the palace, goodnight," she stated as she left. But I didn't even....?

Loki finally retreated to the garden for silence and sanity and found Skye asleep, laying under the gazebo, with her wings wrapped around herself. "Ren, wake up love," he said as he gently shook her. She yawned and sleepily opened her eyes, "I think it's time for you to get some real rest," he whispered. He helped her sit up, and she moved her head to lean against his shoulder. Enjoying the moment, he asked, "Have you seen the Tenth Realm?" He watched her rub the sleep from her eyes and wrap a wing around him, snuggling her face into his shoulder. "I was sent to destroy it, but thankfully, the Beings stopped me. It's heaven there," she responded, perking up a little. "I've seen all the realms and planets, even earth. I've only visited it once since I was taken. I watched it grow up ...and then my people die," she said with sorrow. Loki grabbed her still trembling hands. "I hate to see you suffer, Skye," he whispered. "Neither I..." she replied softly as a tear trickled down her cheek that he tenderly wiped away. He started to recite a sonnet from an old Midgardian playmaker named Shakespeare. He affectionately stroked her soft, white hair as she, in turn, gazed into his green eyes.

"Loki," she murmured, making him stop. "What is it?" he asked. "What is it they call love?" Skye asked. "Love is a choice, and it is never-ending; it is a sacrifice one must do daily," Loki said. He noticed that something was bothering her. "I will be gone for a few days," she explained, looking into his green eyes, "I am going to fight Thanos, in order to do so, I must train," Loki's loving expression changed to anger and confusion. "You will not fight, Skye. I will not allow it," he said sternly. She stood up, "You have no say in this." He saw tears fall from her eyes. "I don't want you to die, Skye!" he yelled, slamming her small form against a post. "This is my fate! Get out of my way!" she shoved him away from her. She went to leave the gazebo, but Loki caught hold of her wing, making her stop and turn her head to look at him. Her eyes were purple and clouded with unkempt wrath. "Forgive him, for he does not know what he is doing..." she said quietly to herself as if she were holding Power back. Her eyes remained that color, "Why!? Why!? should we forgive him? He's a liar, a cad, and a selfish brat!" Power ranted. Loki let go of her wing, stunned by Power's anger. "Because you don't know the Queen's plans for him," Skye said softly, making Powers wrath to cool slightly. "Goodbye, Loki..."

Skye made a portal and jumped through it. The portal closed, leaving Loki alone. He yelled in anger, throwing the small box in his hand into the frozen lake. The broken box opened, revealing an engagement ring in the shape of the infinity tree, beautifully bedazzled in rare stones, now lost for eternity. Burying his face into his hands, Loki wept for the first time for someone else. He heard a soft, metallic thumping sound, and he looked up to see Skywalker walking to him. She wasn't wearing gloves or the boots that she normally wore, and her robotic arms and legs shone in the light of the moon.

"Don't give up hope. It's not over yet," Skywalker said. "She's merciful. She had to leave because you wouldn't listen to her," Skywalker explained. "Why...why is she so...so selfless? I've never seen her do evil the entire time she was here!" he yelled in frustration. "Because that's what she is," she said, sitting down next to him. "She is like me in more ways than one. I'm a warrior; I fought in battles, losing my arms and legs. I've lost everything I loved because of my title, and who I am," she said, showing her robotic limbs. "She lost her identity and the will to live. Now she has found it again. Through you, she regained her title," she said softly, looking at her robotics. "She knows how much you care, but she cannot stand down against evil. Even if the one she loves tries to clip her wings," she said, looking at him. He blushed a deep red. "She looks so much like you," Loki remarked, making her laugh. "I often think the same thing Loki," she smiled and left as suddenly as she appeared.