Beyond The Stars (UNDER REVISION)

Dead and Distained

The stars twinkle softly in the dark sky. I sit, my legs crossed. "She is out here again today?"

"Everyday."

"I can hear you, you know," I say to Heimdall and Thor.

Thor sits next to me. "I understand it is hard-"

"I'm sure you do, but that doesn't change anything. He's gone, Thor. Dead and distained because he let on silly emotion get the best of him. It's only been 6 months and everyone has already forced themselves to forget him. Like a hole in the wall you cover with a poster."

"My brother betrayed Asgard for his own good-"

"You didn't see what I saw, Thor. I saw his remorse during his short lived reign. If everyone was to be shamed for their poor decisions, than I'm not worse than he is."

"You didn't try to slaughter an entire race."

"You did," I say pointedly. "Thor, you can't act like you're better than him. If only you could have seen the way he talked about you. He loved you so much. You don't get that kind of love from anyone."

"I don't really think-"

I flutter my hands. Frigga has been teaching me magic in Loki's place. The small photo album appears. I open it and look at the various pictures Loki and I took together. "He isn't evil, Thor. Everyone keeps saying he is, but he isn't. He is caring," I smile at the picture of him with the cats. "Hilariously funny." I smile at the picture he took of me laughing. "And the best friend I've ever had." I look at the picture of us with our drinks, smiling widely. "I refuse to the believe that this man is evil."

Sitting in the library, I practice changing my appearance. I look into the mirror and make an illusion of myself as someone else. "I am Thor, Son of Odin." My voice changes with the look. I laugh a thunderous laugh. I change back. Looking at myself in the mirror, I watch the happiness fade from my eyes. It's only been a year, but the pain is still very fresh.

I hear footsteps running to me. They skid to a stop before opening the door. "It's Loki." Thor says, breathing heavily. I drop my mirror, it shattering on the floor. My feet pound on the hard ground, following the man I've grown to trust. I run into the throne room. "Father. We're ready."

"Wait." I wave my hands and the bag I kept packed under my bed appears. "Now we're ready." Within an instant, were back on Earth. I tighten my bag straps and clip it around my chest and waist.

"Hold on tight," Thor says.

"Always," Thor puts one hand around my waist. Thor swings Mjolnir and we're shot into the sky. I grab onto the hammer for extra security. We land on the airplane, waiting for the door to open. When we land inside, Thor let's me go. Thor hits Iron Man. When he grabs Loki, I grab onto Thor's armor. Once again, were flying and I repeat the process. It's a good thing we practiced flying together.

Soon, we land in a cliff. Loki laughs in pain. "Where is the Tesseract?"

"Ah, I've missed you too," I listen to the voice I've longed to hear for the past year. I sit down on a crevice in the cliff, not caring if my dress gets dirty.

"Do I look to be in a gaming mood?"

Loki starts to sit up. "Oh, you should thank me. With the Bifrost gone, how much dark energy did the Allfather have to conjure to get you two here? Your precious Earth."

Thor drops Mjolnir and picks up Loki. "I thought you dead."

"Did you mourn?"

"We all did. Some more than others," Loki's eyes flick to me. "Our father-"

"Your father." Loki pushes Thor's hands off him. "He did tell you my true parentage, did he not?" Loki beings walking away.

I remember the day I was called into the throne room. "We were raised together. We played together. We fought together. Do you remember none of that?"

"I remember a shadow. Living in the shade of your greatness. I remember you tossing me into an abyss. I was, and should be, king!"

"So you take the world I love as recompense for your imagined slights? No, the Earth is under my protection, Loki."

Loki laughs, but it's not the laugh I remember. "And you're doing a marvelous job with that. The humans slaughter each other in droves while you idly fret. I mean to rule them, and why should I not?"

"You think yourself above them?"

"Well, yes."

"Then you miss the truth of ruling, brother. A throne will suit you ill."

Loki huffs and pushed Thor away. He walks back up. "I've seen worlds you've never known about! I have grown, Odinson," the word spews from his mouth like venom, "in my exile. I have seen the true power if the Tesseract and when I wield it-"

"Who showed you this power? Who controls the would-be king?"

"I AM A KING!" I don't jump at his yelling and Loki notices.

"Not here! You give up the Tesseract! You give up this pointless dream!... You come home."

Loki chuckles. "I don't have it." Thor steps back and grabs Mjolnir. "You need the cube to bring me home, but I've sent it off, I know not where."

"You listen well, brother. I-" Iron Man zooms by, taking Thor with him.

"I'm listening." Loki's eyes finally settle on me. "You've said not a word. Last time we spoke, you we're full of them." I look up into his eyes, my own, glossed over and reflecting pain and anger. He looks taken aback by the lack of sparkle in my eyes. I know I've changed a lot. Despair does that to you. "Dri, I-"

"Don't call me that." My voice has lost it's smooth tone. Hours of crying every day has my it gravely. "I am Eldrid to you now."

"Eldrid." There's a loud boom. Loki and I both look over the edge of the cliff. I should be helping him. "Then go help, if you love him so much."

"Don't do that. You know I love Thor, but as a friend. I didn't have any of those after defending your honor after your death. Besides, I have to keep an eye on you." I watch the fight, worried for everyone. There's a loud clang and Thor finally meets his match. "Stand." I say to Loki.

"No, I don't think I will."

"STAND!" I yell at him, tears in my eyes, threatening to spill over.

His eyes go wide for a second. "Alright." He stands up. I force him to turn around and grab his collar with one hand and his wrists with another. "Ooh, kinky."

"Shut up."