Duty or Love?

Why are we alive? At the beginning of everything, there was originally two worlds. Niflheim, the dark world where it was cold and misty. And Muspell, the fire world where everything was hot and burning. There was a gap between the two worlds which was called the Ginnungagap. The hot fires of Muspell and the cold of Niflhiem met at this point. The Fire melted the ice and the first life appeared. This creature was called Ymir. Along with Ymir, a hornless cow was also melted from the ice and provided Ymir with the resources to live. The cow was called Audhumla. Audhumla licked from the ice, a man. The first man. His name was Buri. Buri was our ancestor. He married among the first giants who were born from beneath Ymir's left arm. From these giants, all giants are descended. Buri eventually had three sons. There names were Odin, Vili and Ve. The three brothers created the universe in which we live in today. Midgard; the home of the people, devised from a couple bits of wood who were breathed to live by Odin. Jotunheim; home of the giants which lay beyond the seas of Midgard. Vanaheim; homeland of the Vanir and of my mother. Asgard; the home of the Gods. My home. My birthplace. It had been so long since I had seen it. Was it really my home anymore? I had given it up long ago when I thought there was nothing left for me there. Midgard was my new home, but I suffered here like I did everywhere else. Hundreds of years had gone by and for all of them I had made many friends and I had to accept that I would watch them die in front of me from disease, battle and old age. I would just keep living for many more thousands of years.

I had come to Midgard when I wanted a new life. I had wanted to forget all my sorrow and anguish. A title which was no longer mine. A place in society I was no longer allowed to uphold. A love I could never have. A life I didn't want to live. On Midgard I found my purpose. I was its protector. I would fight wars in their name and live every time. I could replace thousands of men on the battlefields and save many lives in the process. My whole live I was a warrior and all I would worry about was which battle I was fighting that day and how many enemies I would need to kill. Looking back, I realised one thing; I was a monster, a killing machine. Now I think about Killing to defend and saving as many lives a possible. Wound not kill. I remember when I first came to Midgard and I was greeting as a god. The Bifrost put me down In Norway where a local tribe rested. They saw me come from the sky and so believed me to be a goddess. My armour and weapons made them call me a Goddess of war. The Warrior Angel. My codename says a lot about me. I can be sweet and innocent but deadly and fierce. I can kill and I can protect. It fit me perfectly. I was, for a time, able to forget. I started a new life teaching people how to defend themselves and their villages and helping them fight their petty wars with neighbouring countries. But throughout the years, the memories would come back to me. Memories of him. He was the last person I cared for back home. He was my best friend. Someone so special to me and yet he to was taken away from me. But now, nearly nine hundred years later since giving up everything to become a better person, he found me again.

We were so different now. We had, in a way, grown up. We had become important people. And yet, the strain of being so far away from each other had reflected on us the whole time that we were apart. I had loved him. I love him still. But now he is leaving again. He is a criminal and will face Asgardian Justice. Along with Thor, he will go home and face Odin's wrath while I will remain here where I belong. I still had a job to do. The battle of New York will sure to be heard about through the Universe and no doubt we will see other threats face us in the future. We had to be ready to fight again. I was sat in the window of my room as I watched the commotion down below on the streets. Outside of the Avengers Tower reception, Tony's cars had pulled up ready to take the group to Central park. At that point Thor was going to use the power of the tesseract to take him and Loki back to Asgard. He had asked me to come with them, but I'll be honest, I was scared about what may happen when I get back. Would I be accepted back? My family, would they forgive me for leaving? Loki, would he be locked up so I could never see him again? The questions were endless. I continued to sit by the window with my knees brought up to my chest and my forehead resting on the cold glass pane. Behind me, I heard my door open, but I refused to look away from the streets below. Thor was stood helping to chain Loki's hands and adding a mussel to his mouth. I winced at the cruelty as the 6 shield guards stood with their guns pointed directly at Loki. "We're getting ready to leave. Are you coming?" Tasha came and stood behind me as she placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "I can't Tasha. I don't think I can bring myself to say goodbye." I lowered my head to see Loki being pushed into a car. "I think that if you don't, you'll regret it." She told me. "We leave in five minutes." She informed me as she headed back towards the door. I thought quietly to myself before turning around to shout her back. "Tasha. Wait!" she turned around and walked back into the room. "Can I ask you a question?" she nodded. "Duty or Love?" she raised an eyebrow as a look of confusion fell on her face. "What?" she asked. "My whole life I had put my Duty before anything else. My knowledge of war and fighting, my career as a warrior, my Duty as protector for this planet and the people on it. But what would happen if I were to put my heart first. Take the chance I have for myself instead of for someone else. Is it the right thing to do" Tasha walked further into the room and came and sat down beside me at the window. "I get what you mean. When I was in the red room, we were trained so that all that would matter to us was the job. They even went one step further and sterilised us so that we wouldn't be tempted to take a different path. It made me heartless and it took me a long time to develop a different persona." She explained. "I can't tell you exactly what to do as it's your choice, but my advice would be that as someone who never had the chance that is presented to you. Take it. Because it may be the only chance you get." I nodded "But I'm scared Tasha. I'm scared of what'll happen if I take the chance and go home and I'll be rejected." She placed her arms around me in a hug. "Do you love Loki?" she asked simply. "Yes." I admitted. "Then it shouldn't matter about anything else. Follow your heart and you'll find that something will work out." She released me and once again, she begun to exit. "Do whatever feels right. I hope to see you at the park at least." I turned back to the window as she walked out. Time was running out. They were going to leave any minute now and I still hadn't decided. "Follow your heart" she had said. "Nothing else should matter." I shut my eyes and pictured Loki's face in my head. He was perfect, his beautiful green eyes with his long black that would curl up slightly at the edges. His laugh that was music to my ears and his smile. Oh, his smile, everything about it drove me crazy.