The Light that Shines Within

The Roof

The roof

Thor, Loki and I stood away from all the others as we prepared to leave for Asgard. Thor put this painful-looking muzzle on my raven-haired friend. He didn't look too pleased about it, glaring at his blonde sibling every time Thor looked away. I hugged everybody in turn, starting with Nat, Clint, Rhodey and even Pepper, who I didn't really have a liking to. I left Tony for last and purposely avoided Steve's advances so he would get the message he wasn't as important as he thought. "Hey kid, stay safe up there for me and really sell the Stark brand up there for me, okay?" Tony teased as we hugged, winking as we pulled apart. Then he glared at Thor. "You will keep her safe, right, Point Break? I'd hate if her dad showed up here in NYC and I had to tell him his daughter was imprisoned on another planet. With no way out." I laughed and rolled my eyes at his reaction and protective concern for me. If he only knew my real power, the sheer might of it, he and the others would have likely run for the hills. My back was to the two gods waiting on me but I still felt like there were eyes on me strangely. Huh. I glanced over my shoulder to see Loki's intense gaze on me, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. How did he do that? Keeping my eyes on his so completely... The way the world just fell away from everything but his eyes? He looked away from me just as I was falling into his gaze, to something just behind me.

Next thing I knew there was a tap on my shoulder and I turned fast to see Steve standing there with his eyes sad. Maybe even a bit angry.

"Don't forget about your workout buddy, huh?" he said, trying to joke lightly and I smiled up at him apologetically and hugging him fast. "Sorry, Steve. Thought I got you already." Reluctantly he let me go from his arms. He looking down at me with a softer face. "Nope." He smiled, brushing a loose hair from my face slowly, deliberately, warmly. "Be safe..." He spoke quietly, bending to my ear as he spoke. I nodded once seriously. Behind us I heard Clint cat-whistle at us, my uncle whisper-yell "Get a room!" Natasha clapping and smiling, saying "Finally!" Along with Pepper and the Iron Patriot. I growled in annoyance at this. I felt the reds of my irises turn red at this and I quickly turned to act as if I was embarrassed by their teases and not getting ticked. Blinking a few times and taking deep breaths to calm me down, I felt much better after a moment. After I felt better, I turned back to the others with a sly grin on my face, feeling a bit mischievous at the moment.

"What was that? Shadows got your buns?" 

They all gave me confused glances before I summoned the shadows beneath them to trip everyone present and land them on their asses. Steve laughed at me, watching me grin at him before I took off the other way, towards Thor and Loki. The blonde one grinned at me and patted my back lightly as I stood in between the two gods. "That was a good one, Lady Cass!" I simply nodded once, watching as the others I had tripped were getting up, my uncle looking especially upset at my joke and I looked up at Thor pleadingly. "Let's get out of here!" I exclaimed. "Before Tony can get his suit!" I hissed hurriedly at Thor. I was damn sure I wasn't about to die this close to seeing the Realm Eternal just because my uncle couldn't take a joke. Thor just laughed again, and I watched in horror as Tony began to summon his suit from inside. But before it was fully assembled on his body we all went up in a flash of rainbow lights. 

***

Asgard

We landed abruptly, and embarrassingly for me. I was still yelling in joy at the feelings of riding the Bifrost for the first time ever. "Woo hoo!" I had my fist up in the air like a superhero and my eyes closed stupidly before I could even realize we had already landed inside a huge, circular dome-shaped structure. I knew already what it was from all my research into this place from both Thor and old books. The legendary Bifrost dome, where Heimdall the gatekeeper kept watch over Asgard, the Bifrost, and all of the Nine Realms. At the same time. Kinda creepy if you stopped to think about it. That time you thought no one was watching you as you did something embarrassing or not so good. Or just shouting in an echoing hall like your on a rollercoaster, like I just did. 

Thor laughed next to me, the jerk. 

Then he walked towards a huge man with an even bigger sword in his hand. My mind went nuts in embarrassment and nervousness. Could that be?...."Heimdall!" Thor said cheerfully embracing the man, confirming my worst fears. I had just "Woohooed" in front of a freakin legend..great first impression, am I right? Loki grunted next to me, getting my attention. He was rolling his eyes at the pair hugging and looked at me afterwards, then back around the golden dome. I caught on to what he was trying to say with his eyes, causing me to smile even in my embarrassment. "Its really nice here Loki. Thank you for inviting me here. Even if its not under the best circumstances."  I whispered to him and he nodded as if to say "your welcome." There was a scared look in his eyes and as our eyes met for a brief second, I sensed it. Thor us to the exit before Hiemdall spoke to me directly. He bowed, causing me to flush a bit. 

Gods, this was going to take some getting used to.

"Pleasure to finally meet you, face to face, Cassandra Queen of Night." I bowed to him in return. "The pleasure is all mine, gatekeeper." I spoke softly and tried to smile but it came out nervous. Heimdall winked at me, I guess to make me feel better, leaning in conspiritorally. " Don't you worry, your grace. You shall do well here in defence of the prince." He then looked at Loki with a gesture to me. Then to the world in general. "Welcome to Asgard." I nodded once, glad for his words of comfort. They really had helped me out here, walking up to Thor and Loki. Thor leading Loki onto a horse, which tried to protest, but with that muzzle on him it seemed like he was just silently screaming. I chuckled to myself at this scene and thought about how pained he must have been, not being able to ride his own horse up to the palace.

Also, I had a theory about what Loki had said at home. About the mind reading thing. 

So, I relaxed and spoke within my mind to him on my way onto the black stallion that was for me. Loki sitting behind his brother on Thor's white one. I climbed easily onto the saddle and held on the reins expertly. I turned, smiling at the black haired god slyly. "Having fun?" I spoke inside my head. To my greater surprise he seemed to have heard me, turning to glare at me. "Oh, shut it Cassandra- wait. You can ....hear me now?...me, you hear me?"  He asked incredious, I guessed he never thought I would figure it out. I shrugged in my triumph.

Feeling just a touch smug. 

" I guess so, all I needed to do was relax and let you in Loki." I said cheerfully, grasping my reins tight in my hands. Thankfull I was old enough to know how to ride a horse and remember when everyone rode horses as transportation and not cars and airplanes. "What about being old enough?"  Loki asked a bit confused. And then I remembered that the only person who knew my whole sorry tale was Steve Rogers. As far as Loki knew I was just turned a vampire by a horrible circumstance of life...whoops. I just shrugged again as if it was no big deal, smirking at his curiosity and wonder, confusion. "I did say you had "no idea" Didn't I, your highness?"  Then I put back up the mental walls and snapped my reigns, heading to the palace.