Loki- 15

Thor- 15

Virdi- 15

She landed on the balls of her feet, absorbing the impact through a forward roll. It was not a particularly impressive leap for an Asgardian but it would have been for a dark elf burdened by armor, even if it was just leathers. There was no blood on the courtyard stones below Loki's balcony but as Virdi examined the dirt and dust disturbed by her own fall, she noticed slight drag marks towards the exit of the small garden.

"With any luck, the elf should be injured from the fall," thought Virdi as she sprinted out of the garden and toward the gates of the palace. Virdi remembered her lessons from Isaac about the enemies of the realm. The threat from Svartalfheim was supposed to have been long gone. Why, then, was she chasing an ancient enemy from another realm?

Torches and braziers were being lit everywhere around her as she raced around yelling guards and screeching maids. Some made an attempt to ask her questions or grab her as she ran but the girl in bloody clothes hurtled past everyone.

Instead of aching, her legs felt like they'd waited for this sprint all her life. Her chest was heaving but Virdi's lungs took in the crisp air without pain. Her bare feet were flying and she swore she saw a whisp of white hair disappear around a gate on the outer parts of the palace grounds. The wound in her upper arm felt nonexistent as her arms pumped.

She flew around the turn, narrowly avoiding loosing her footing on the pebbled path toward the great gates of the palace. What she saw made her heart stop and her bare feet skid to a halt. Guards in golden armor rode atop white horses while others were rushing to close the ornate bronze gates in hope to trap the assailant within the grounds. They would trap her in as well. The paths and front of the gates were packed with guards, citizens of the lower city, and horses. Panicked cries echoed around and Virdi knew the dark elf would make it out of the gates before they closed.

There was one known way on and off of Asgard: the Bifrost, but one had to travel through the city to approach the bridge. It was too much to hope that the assailant would be caught by any of the panicking Watch in the city — dark elves had already proved that they were too stealthy for the regular bumbling Asgardians. It could be safe to assume that the assassin would reach the bridge. It could also be assumed that the protector of the bridge was dead, as he would never allow anyone entrance to the Realm Eternal without announcement otherwise.

Virdi continued forward, sweating suddenly, hot like she had spent the whole day next to the fireplace in her room. She had to make it out of the gate, and she was fast approaching the blockage of men in armor. She took as deep a breath as she could and bellowed.

"MOVE!"

Guards turned to look at her in horror. The closest ones- young ones not present in the palace- readied their spears only to be pushed away by their captains.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" she cried again. Her voice echoed strangely across the populated entranceway to the palace and heat rippled from her body.

Virdi barreled into the crowd but, despite her yells, it was still difficult to maneuver through the press of people around her. They were all trying to get to the gates, which were about halfway shut now, and forcing aside animals to make way for a little girl was difficult work. Virdi cursed her small form viciously and shouldered her way through the crowd; the Allfather would ruin her if she let the assailant escape. Her only hope was that the elf would be facing a similar situation in the crowd.

She finally burst free of the clustered people to see the waking streets of the city below the palace. Lights were being lit and doors were opening as people entered the pathways to ask what had happened at the palace. There would be no way she could make it through more crowds without some type of advantage.

"My Lady," shouted a voice from behind her, "My Lady, a horse!" A guard half-clad in golden armor was struggling to drag a saddleless, chestnut-colored horse through the edge of the crowd toward her. Virdi sprinted to the mount and the guard offered her the simple rope reigns as she leapt onto the back of the horse. The animal reared up at the sudden weight on its back and Virdi had to clench her thighs to ensure she stayed seated, but she held on as two hooves slammed back onto the ground. The people at the edge of the crowd scrambled out of the way of the large beast and Virdi leant forward to the horse's ear. Every second wasted meant another second the assassin had to hide from her.

"Run," she commanded. The animal took off like an arrow down the streets of the lower city, past guards and common folk alike, towards the Bifrost. Virdi tried her best to watch for the silver hair that revealed the dark elf but she saw nothing as she raced down the streets. Her loose braid hit her back with each stride of her horse. Her muscles were shaking gloriously and her lips were contorted in a vicious snarl.

The buildings began to grow fewer and fewer as she neared the bridge. The bridge to the Bifrost itself was half a mile long and Virdi could now see a small, dark figure racing to the golden domes of the gate. It was almost halfway across the bridge. What hope could the dark elf have of getting past the guardian of the Bifrost? Had they already dispatched the famed Heimdall? Had they bewitched him like they had her?

"Impossible," thought Virdi and she urged her horse on faster. "The whole of Asgard would have felt the magics of the Bifrost being disturbed. The Allfather would have known, connected to the realm as he is."

She was gaining on the white-haired figure when it skidded to a halt 200 meters from the dome that housed the gates of the Bifrost. Her horse was sleek with perspiration. There was a large and shining source of light steadily approaching from the other side. Virdi had only ever heard of the guardian of the gate and even from this distance his silhouette offered a renewal of her determination. By the virtue of the shining light, Virdi knew the legendary Heimdall had not been killed.

Virdi was now only 100 feet from the figure and she could clearly see the pale skin under the crop of white hair that marked the assailant as a dark elf. In the seconds she had until she was upon her target, Virdi readied herself to leap from the back of the horse by bringing her leg over to the left side of her steed and loosening the hands tangled in the mane. She almost lost her grip when the figure skidded to a stop on the bridge.

The steadily approaching light and the clattering shouts behind her jolted Virdi into action again. She flung herself from the horse and started running at the still figure.

The dark elf turned its head to her and, as she closed the distance between them to 20 feet, she was sure she could see the golden light play off pale blue eyes. Virdi hissed and felt a hot surge in her chest when the assailant crouched low on the side of the bridge; the elf was going to jump into the water below.

"What hope could they have of survival? The water runs fast and strong to the emptiness beyond?" she thought frantically. The heat in her chest had expanded so that her bones themselves felt like they were forged in fire. It wasn't painful, it felt…urgent. It felt like she had to let it out or else she would melt.

The elf was still readying a leap and Virdi knew she was not going to reach them in time to grab a limb to haul them over the edge for justice. The only thing she had time to do was yell as the assassin tensed to spring.

"STOP!"

The elf jerked — to Virdi's mild horror— and froze mid-leap. The body collapsed in some sort of boneless heap of twitching limbs. Almost as soon as the figure crumpled it jerked forward, clawing its way toward the edge of the bridge again like some sick marionette. Virdi was unable to tear her eyes from the grotesque sight…

Until the assassin finally slipped over the edge.

She flung herself after the figure. Her ribs hit the edge of the Bifrost and the breath was expelled from her body in a vicious "umph." Her fingers gripped the stiff black fabric around the dark elf's wrist and the weight of the other body almost pulled her arm out of her socket. The weight began dragging her over the side of the bridge, as well.

Virdi's grey eyes finally met the pale gaze of her escaping adversary– her soul froze at the hatred echoed in those eyes. The woven fabric at the elf's wrist was fine and sturdy but it was rapidly slipping from Virdi's hand. Her other hand was pressed on the bridge surface in a desperate attempt to keep her upper body from toppling over and into the water below. The heavy elf was still unmoving, save for their strangely twitching foot and furiously darting eyes.

Virdi breathed deeply and grit her teeth as she prepared herself to pull the enemy back onto the bridge. It was a gamble that was unlikely to pay off; her feet scrabbled for purchase on the smooth Bifrost and her arm was the only thing offering her leverage to keep her from following her prey into the water. Her grip tightened, her muscles coiled, and she began pushing upwards with her left arm. The figure barely moved. Virdi screamed with exertion, her arm gave in, and she collapsed back where she began. She could not hear anything beyond the blood pounding in her ears.

The elf's other arm swung towards her hand in an attempt to dislodge her grip on the sleeve but there was not enough power behind the strike. The foot was twitching more aggressively, causing both Virdi and the assassin to sway dangerously back and forth. Virdi readied herself to try again despite her trembling arms but an excruciating pain shot up her wrist and jarred her arm.

The elf was pushing their sharp-nailed thumb into her wrist, pinching it with all their strength. Virdi's grip broke almost immediately and adversary fell with triumph in their eyes. They hit the rushing water a few seconds later and Virdi's heart plummeted with them. The shape disappeared beneath the dark water and with it, Virdi's hope to bring justice to the villain.

Part of her wanted to follow the elf into the water, if only to finish what she started, but a large and heavy hand on her shoulder stopped her.

Virdi was gently pulled to her feet by the glowing figure of Heimdall. He said nothing as he stood beside her and gazed into the water. Another one, dead, with no hope of interrogation, with nothing gained on either side. Another wasted life.

After a time, Heimdall walked her back to the palace. The small, pale figure in a grey tunic would have looked comical next to the enormous figure of Heimdall had the young girl not been smeared in different colors of blood. Her bare feet were silent as they crossed the marble thresholds of the palace, her back was straight, and her expression was stony. Armored men and women were racing around the chambers or standing stoically at important entrances. Virdi and the Guardian of the Gate turned into the hallway that housed the royal chambers.

Doors were open and five soldiers were posted outside of Loki's room. Voices were softly muttering within and the soldiers were dutifully pretending not to listen to the conversations. Virdi had done the same thing many times. Across the hall in Thor's room, there were grunts. Two guards carried a bundled body out of the chamber quickly; three maids raced past Virdi and into the room to clean. She paused as the guards walked passed her because part of the assassin's braided hair had fallen free from the dark fabric that was wrapped around the body– it was stained with dark blood.

Virdi had done that. She had killed that person. She had killed two people and allowed another to fall to their death… but they were enemies attempting to murder children and they deserved no compassion from her.

Still, they were dead by her blade.

A gentle hand came to rest between her shoulder blades. It did not push her forward or hold her back – it just rested there, grounding her. She walked the last few steps forward. Without a word, Heimdall deposited her by the door to the chamber, turned, and began walking back towards the Bifrost. The warmth of his hand vacated Virdi and she felt cold again.

She stealthily stuck her head around the corner of Loki's doorway and saw both princes in the arms of their mother. The boys were pale but unharmed, clutching at Queen Frigga while Odin was standing at Loki's balcony. His ravens stood near him and he was speaking to them in low tones. A weight in her lifted when she saw that Thor and Loki were safe. Virdi suddenly missed Migr and envisioned him beside the other two boys.

She narrowed her eyes when she noticed that both princes had pinched expressions and wet, red eyes; they were afraid. She straightened her shoulders, ignoring her wound and exhaustion; they did not need to be afraid when she was there. She would be the picture of strength for them.

"I am pleased you are both unharmed," she said quietly when she met the eyes of her friends. Then, she spoke firmly and deeply to Odin. "Allfather, I have returned with news of the assassins."

Frigga, Thor, and Loki all looked to the doorway immediately and the Queen let out a small gasp. The boys, if possible, grew paler and Loki's eyes shot to the wound in Virdi's upper arm and the blood down her front. Virdi looked down at her dirty feet and her bloodied hands. The strange, dark fluid that stained her fingers was getting sticky. It clung to the lines of her palms. Thor and Loki stared at her while their mother brought a hand over her mouth. Odin had not even moved when she announced her presence.

Virdi was compelled to speak again, to be noticed by the man who made her an eternal protector of the realm. She needed her existence acknowledged before the king and his family, yet he was just standing there. She had killed people– she'd risked her life– and been the victim of some heinous magic. Odin didn't even look at her!

"Your Highness," she said with a burn in her chest and a plea in her throat, "I shall await you in the war room with Lord Ulrich."

Odin Allfather turned from his ravens and looked over her critically with his knowing eye. He was stiff as a board and after a minute, he nodded. Frigga let out a laugh mixed with anger and disbelief. She turned to glare at her husband.

"I am sure whatever news you have to share can wait until after another visit to the healing rooms. You are recovering from a magical attack, wounded, and I will not have you walking around the palace looking like a ghost!"

The Allmother gazed at Virdi with sorrow and compassion. Frigga stood from where she knelt regally, never looking away from Virdi's grey eyes. Her sons stood with her and released their grip on her arms. "Loki, Thor, stay with your father. He will remain with you until I return," she said. It was an order, not from a queen to a king but from a wife to her husband. Odin would do as she said. Her gentle hand reached out to Virdi as she stepped forward in her flowing silks. "Come, Virdi."

Virdi looked to Odin, but he had turned back to look out over the balcony again. She reached for the Queen's hand but before grasping it, she remembered that her hands were sticky with blood. She froze. The Allmother should not sully herself with the low hands of a servant. Virdi drew her hand back in.

Before she could retreat fully, Frigga grabbed her hand and gripped her fingers in the sternest, most gentle hold that Virdi had ever felt. It was infinitely sweeter than the correction of her tutors when they fixed her grip on a weapon. It was more careful than when Loki shifted her fingers on a pen in her writing lessons. The hold cradled her as though she would shatter with a touch.

The thought was ridiculous. She was not fragile; she had just killed three people.

At the remembrance of recent events, Virdi's hand twitched in the queen's hold and she made the choice to clutch at her like a lifeline. Frigga had led her from Loki's chamber before Virdi recognized that they were walking. They passed guards posted throughout the hall in seconds and none dared to look at her alongside the Queen. Frigga drew her into her side, bundled her into the healing wing, and deposited her gently into a soul forge with a pillow beneath her head.

Fridha was bandaging her shoulder as the Allmother dismissed the other women readying the soul forge and began casting the enchantments herself. Virdi winced when Fridha touched her and tried to move away when she prodded the wound at her shoulder. The healer placed a gentle hand on the side of her face.

"My Lady, may I calm your mind before the Queen begins?"

Virdi wrinkled her nose angrily. "I do not need your mind magic, I am calm. It was that sort of magic that crippled me." Why on earth would the woman even suggest such a thing?

"Lady Virdi, I only ask because–" began Fridha before she was cut off.

"Thank you, Fridha, I will handle Virdi's care for the rest of the evening. Please, go back to your other patients."

Fridha looked from the Queen and back to her patient before uncomfortably. At the queen's slight, sad nod she stood, bowed her head, and left the chamber.

"She means well but she is unaware of your temperament, dear," the Allmother said idly as she shifted the golden threads of the soul forge. Virdi said nothing in response and a few minutes later Frigga said, "The forge is prepared, Virdi, are you comfortable?"

Virdi nodded sleepily. Her body was exhausted and she felt like she was burning up. "Your Majesty, why am I in the forge? I have a mere scratch in my shoulder."

Frigga stopped her graceful work for a moment and peered through the forge's magic surrounding Virdi. "You were victim to some elven binding magic, my dear. You have been wounded by an evil man. You killed this man, along with his partner. You and I know that the soul forge reveals more than physical wellbeing."

Virdi started to push herself out of the bed. She was fine, enemies of the realm were nothing but threats to be removed. "My Queen, I must protest! I am quite alright, just-"

"Then allow me to see for myself, if only for my own peace," she replied. "you wouldn't rob a mother of that would you, child?"

Virdi reclined again. She felt trapped by the Allmother's courtesy.

"Furthermore," continued Frigga, "The soul forge possesses one asset we cannot forget: it reveals a person's magic."

Virdi furrowed her brows and the queen laughed tiredly.

"It was apparent to me, Virdi, the moment you awoke from the binding curse placed on you by one of those elves. I felt the force in my bones when you left the healing rooms. Your voice when you returned to Loki's chambers only further confirmed my knowledge. You possess some form of innate magic, Virdi, and it has festered within you for so long that it now has no other option but to burst forth from you wildly."

With that, Frigga said a tinkling word in an ancient language and the soul forge flared to life. Flowing grains of gold floated over Virdi to represent her physicality and burnt orange glowed over her shoulder to depict her knife wound. Dark energy flew over her head and out of her sight but what drew the young girl's attention most was the brilliant, white-silver light that accumulated over her torso. Every few moments the silver light would arc and shift wildly, often times to the base of her throat, sometimes to her limbs.

Virdi stared at her, aghast, and Frigga only smiled.

"Well, you certainly don't do things by half, dear. It appears you will join Loki and I in our next sorcery lesson."

Hey guys, sorry for the long wait. A lot of things compounded and I really have no excuses. I'm hoping to be updating more frequently once I get a handle on life! I want to make sure everyone knows that this story is not abandoned and neither are my others, so have this short chapter. It was a hard one to write for me; I just couldn't get it to flow the way I wanted it to but, in the end, it is a vital transition into Virdi's young adulthood and I had to get it out there. I think it will be easier to move on after this weird transitionary period.

What did you guys think? Please let me know! A big part of why I'm still creating is because of the wonderful reviews that keep coming, nothing motivates me more and I want to be sure people are out there enjoying. Any suggestions are welcome and guesses are great! Do you think Virdi will be alright after taking three lives in defense of her charges? What about her magic powers?! And what does Odin know?

Thanks for reading and please fav and review!