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(Author's Note at the End)

TITLE:

An Emerald Amid the Kingdom of Gold

Complete Summary:

He dreams about it every night—The shimmering emerald standing out amongst the sea of gold. But with the rising plague on his land, he doesn't dwell on it. That was until a sorcerer with the most piercing green eyes was accused to be responsible for it and was sentenced to death. He thinks the sorcerer is innocent. He doesn't know why. No matter what the consequences will be, he will try with everything in his power, to stop the execution.

Slash: ThorXLoki (Thorki), FandralXLoki

=0000=

-CHAPTER THREE-

THE BURNING

Thor had been pacing around his chamber by the time he woke up. He was too immersed in his thoughts that he wasn't aware he had already missed breakfast. It was so unlike him to miss that meal of the day and so his mother, the Queen Frigga, had even visited him personally in his room. She was carrying a tray full with a loaf of rye bread, two kinds of cheese, and a selection of cold cuts. Another servant trailed behind her, holding the whole pitcher of freshly squeezed grapes and goblet on her other hand.

"Thor?" Frigga's voice was evident with worry.

The blonde heir stopped in his steps and turned his head towards his mother. There was surprise in his expression.

"Mother? What are you doing here?"

Frigga waved her head and strode over to the spot he has yet to leave. The queen lifted her arm and gently laid the back of her hand on her son's forehead. She sighed, brows furrowing.

"You're sweating cold, my dear." She murmured.

She turned to the servant. "Brew him some tea from the leaves I've gathered from the garden this morning."

The servant bowed and left, slowly closing the door of Thor's room.

"I'm fine mother." Thor said as he was guided to sit back on his bed. Frigga only smiled at him and silently approached the table where she laid the tray of food. Thor was about to stand up and help her but she was fast to gesture him to stay where he was.

"If you are going to attempt lying to someone, that person isn't me. And I can see clearly that you are bothered by something." She paused when Thor looked away. "And you will tell me what has you preoccupied after eating this breakfast." She took the plate, put a bit of everything that she brought before handing it to her son.

Thor began to eat. But he chewed slowly as if he was still in deep thought.

With three slices of rye bread, some bits of cheese and cold cuts left on the tray, Frigga knew for sure that something is terribly bothering her son. If he were in his normal condition, he wouldn't miss going down to the dining hall to join them in the morning meal. He would dig into his food and would even have a second helping of it.

Hearing the last clang of the silver utensils and the dull thud of the porcelain cup filled with the fresh tea earlier, Thor wiped his mouth with a red cloth his mother had provided him.

No matter how much he tried to prolong the moment, he knew Frigga wouldn't leave his room without even coaxing the smallest information as to what was worrying him.

He met his mother's stare.

Still, he couldn't bring himself to talk about his most recent dream.—Or any of those dreams he had been having.

"I'm just thinking for solutions that may help stop the plague in our land." Thor said.

Frigga only looked at him. She was waiting.

"This current situation is really worrying me, mother. Our people's flocks are dying. We are losing the beasts in our forests." Thor may have just found the perfect topic for him to avoid talking about his nightmares. But could he actually call it a nightmare? In fact, the issue their kingdom was facing deserved more attention than that of his confusing dream. Nevertheless, the face that so clearly appeared in his vision in the middle of his sleep felt more real than any other plague he was supposed to be finding solutions for.

But that scent of a rare flower…

He could still smell it.

That face…

The slender figure that seemed to be covered by the moon itself.

His skin was almost luminous white. The magical creature glowed beneath the dark bushes that covered his bare body.

And the sensation as he had put his arms around Thor's neck, the Asgard heir would never deny how good it felt—how the soft skin engulfed him in an almost desperate embrace. The fragrance around him that time was intoxicating.

Thor…

"—or…"

Thor's vision suddenly warped into the interior of his room.

"Thor?" His mother repeated for the tenth time. She had been calling his name while he had been trapped in that trance again.

He shook his head and rubbed his face with his palms. By the time he let go of roughly massaging his face, his skin was red. There was a small stinging as his calloused hands left his cheeks but the feeling kept his consciousness to the present.

"I think you need to rest in your chambers for now." His mother decided.

"No. I need to visit the flocks. I need to che—"

"You will only make our people worry if you come out in that state. Your younger brother will handle that arrangement alone for today." She cut off.

Without so much as any hint that she would be listening to her son's protests, she turned away, gathering the tray with the leftovers and didn't even bother asking for the servant's presence to help her carry it out of Thor's room.

xXOOOXx

Fandral had been frustrated for the past week when the King had ordered for him to stay within the palace. At first, the punishment for having secretly gone to the forest was supposed to last four days maximum. But because of his brash mouth and annoyingly persistent attitude, asking his father to let him go back to the forest as soon as possible, the King's patience took its toll and decided to prolong his punishment instead. So when his mother entered his room, he thought he had seen an angel.

"Mother!" Fandral strode towards her and gave her an embrace.

"Oh!" Frigga was out of balance for a second but her younger son leveraged their stance.

He let go of her and was sporting an expression as that of when he was a little boy, excited to see his mother and waiting for the news of a new adventure. The Queen couldn't help but return the vibrant smile her son was giving her.

"Were you tortured not being able to go out of the palace?" She whispered, her teasing voice evident. It was the kind of tone she had always used on Fandral when he was being an overexcited little man ready to pop out a ball of energy.

"Ah…You wouldn't understand. Father still treats me like the boy he used to chase around in the field whenever I sneak out." He waved his head. The memory had actually been the most hilarious image his mind can conjure.

The mighty King of Asgard running in his complete golden armor, chasing the annoying brat of his in the middle of the field. Odin had been breathless by the end of the pursuit, clutching the collar of his son's leather shirt. And the way he was glaring at his youngest was half-hearted. He looked more like he was going to cry rather than be mad at his son. What was more surprising was that he always laughed like he had just played a game with the princeling. And together they would go back to the palace smiling to each other.

"Come on now, darling. I have news for you." Fandral brightened up at this.

Frigga led her son to sit on the blue velvet couch beside the vanity.

"Thor isn't quite himself today and I told him you would be attending to the flock owners. Would it be alright with you, my son?"

Fandral smiled. "Of course, mother." There was a glint in his eyes that the Queen didn't miss. She waved her head. She always knew what was behind that expression.

"If you really need to go…there…" Frigga whispered the last word. "Please be careful. I will give you a vial. Drink it before you leave. I don't want you catching any illness."

"Yes, mother." The second of the princes had a wide grin plastered on his face by now.

The Queen stood and was heading for the door. She paused, as she was about to leave.

"Just a reminder Fandral. Please do clean your boots before entering the palace."

"I will."

He could hear the laughter of his mother behind his closed doors. When the sound of her footsteps along the corridor finally faded into the distance, he started to prepare for the day's agenda. He had been cooped up inside their home for the past seven days and there was no way he's going to deny how excited he was to be able to go out once again.

Even more so, there was someone that never left his thoughts.

Loki…. we're going to meet again.

xXOOOXx

For the whole week, one boy has observed the pale figure of the sorcerer that's been visiting the forest. For the same week, that same boy had witnessed similar actions from the stranger. He was terrified by the unusual way this particular individual had been killing the beasts. At first the boy thought, he was only hunting. But for the past few days he'd been taking the lives of the wild animals, he never once brought one of the corpses home. If he'd been a desperate hunter looking for fresh meat, he would not be finicky about his prey nor would he just leave it to rot on the ground.

The boy hid behind the bushes. He was trained a spy and he was very good at his job. He was able to prove his skill because the sorcerer didn't seem to act as if he could sense someone watching him.

The sorcerer eventually left after his routine ministrations.

When the boy saw the stranger was far enough, he stood up silently from his position and decided to finally investigate the left corpse.

The first thing he noticed was the black circular marks scattered all over the bison's skin. The blood pooling around the beast continued to flow from the huge hole in its chest where the heart had been ripped out. The job was clean. No bits of flesh were scraped off aside from the heart and the muscle of the chest. If it were any other hunter, there will be a messy pile of torn bits of flesh cluttering the ground.

The boy picked up the frozen green flower. The crystalized blossom was starting to melt. He turned it and was curious as to how it was possible a green rose would exist in their realm. Even in the most horrible winter, this particular bud would never have the chance to grow in their kingdom. It just weren't meant to live in this place.

He carefully wrapped the flower in white linen and placed it inside his bag. Since it was crystallized, he was a bit assured that the plant wasn't affected with whatever infection the animal had. Looking around, he left the forest as silently as he had entered it.

The boy might've been a spy, but he had only focused his attention on the sorcerer. His senses missed the cowering figure of a scared young hunter who had just witnessed the way the sorcerer had ended the beast's life.

For a young man who has never seen this kind of action aside from slitting the throat or the sight of arrow penetrating the animal's flesh, even as a hunter, the situation of their struggling land and personal desperation built up a conclusion in his mind.

This plague.

The dead beasts. The very unusual sight of this magic-wielder.

The young man shivered. And a sudden surge of anger bubbled inside him.

He now knew who was to blame for the hardships and sickness the people were experiencing.

The kingdom would now be able to stop this plague.

They just have to execute the sorcerer.

There was a sneer that curved up his lips. He could not believe it. He had found the solution to stop their realm's predicament. How could the other villagers not have thought of this before? He knew sorcerers who only cared about their witchcrafts and weird chants could never be trusted. They were but lures to misfortunes. They were unnecessary beings—untrustworthy and curse itself upon their land.

He was laughing right now. An ugly façade making him look like a deranged person dimmed his face.

He would tell the whole town of this discovery.

The sorcerer should die.

We'll kill him…

He would be offered to Valhalla.

My family will survive the plague…

Then this would all be over.

He kept chanting it inside his head.

xXOOOXx

Loki was tired. He was trembling in sadness. This mission was killing him. Not because it was exhausting his strength and power but he couldn't bare to end the lives of those creatures any longer. Most of them had the potential to live for decades and yet because of the infections, their lives had been toned down to days of struggling and suffering. The only mercy they would be more than thankful for was to rest in peace and to never have to live with the plague again.

His hands and fingernails were covered with dried blood.

"I need to wash these…" He murmured to himself, rubbing the caked dirt off his skin.

Nearing his house, he whispered some spell beneath his breath and the invisible cloak [only he could see] dispersed into the cold breeze of the night. It was a barrier he had cast upon his home to protect it from any outsiders or potential robbers. For someone to stumble accidentally into his well hidden home, one was not sure if there might be dangers. Seeing as there were no signs of any presence aside from him, no footmarks to indicate there had been passersby or hunters while he was gone, Loki decided to rest his magic for the remaining hours of the day.

He was really exhausted. Drained. And the idea of sleep without having to let the flow of his magic carry on was very appealing.

He would finally have a goodnights sleep.

No one will disturb him.

No one will take interest in the brick house totally obscured within the darkness of the forest.

He will be able to replenish his energy…completely.

No power flowing for the night. There wouldn't be a depleted feeling when he wakes up.

Yes.

He was going to let go and fall into the arms of unconsciousness.

xXOOOXx

The smell of burning wasn't noticeable at first. He was too succumbed to the heavy drapes of sleep. He wasn't dreaming. He has never experienced such a thing in his whole life. Whether it was a curse for being a sorcerer or just the fact he didn't have any memory that lasted long enough to visit him in his sleep, he didn't know.

He ignored the slowly growing smell.

Maybe….he was finally dreaming. But what an odd thing to dream about.

Was it a glimpse of the past? A past he had long wanted to bury?

But no…this feels so real. The smoke was beginning to clog his throat. The heavy, contaminated gas was already choking him. Realization coming to his senses, he shot his eyes open. Bolting up from his bed, outside the window he rarely pays attention to; a huge blazing fire had already scorched the whole of his garden. The fire has already reached the house for there was sizzling that was crawling beneath his floorboards. Red orange glow peeked through the thin opening under his bedroom door.

Moving in utter haste but controlling himself from panicking, he went straight to his closet and pulled out a thick coat from it. He shrugged himself in the clothing and immediately gathered the animal skin also placed inside the cabinet. The precious thing was still wrapped up in brown paper binding and without further ado; Loki ripped all of them away to reveal the leather.

He swathed it around his body and aimed for his window, pummeling right through the glass pane.

After that, everything happened in slow motion as unwelcome and forgotten images flashed through his eyes. He didn't understand what was happening. One night he decided to skip cloaking protection magic on his house and this horrible disaster materializes.

He was confused.

There was no way he'd be able to charge up his power in an instant—not when he had intentionally blocked it from flowing in his system for one goddamned night. He cursed his own stupidity and carelessness. He should never have chosen this night to take a rest from all of this. How he thought it would've relieved him if he could just relax for a few hours before going back to his mission again. He had been wrong.

Feeling his body touch the ground in a bruising slam of muscle on earth, his vision blurred for several moments. Not long after, he fisted his hands and began welcoming back his power. It took longer than usual for the flow to warm up his veins.

And hearing a heavy metal clamp placed on his throat, his magic froze on its way to fully engulf his body. A hollow force paralyzed him from producing some spells. He could still move his frame but his voice felt trapped within the constraint of the thick metal necklace.

People…. There are people….

Are they shouting? Why are they all looking down at me?

Vibrations of chains slithering on the ground sounded in his ears.

My magic. They've restricted my magic.

Panic started to rise in Loki's guts. His heart began pounding in his chest.

Two men hauled him on his feet. They were nothing short of brutal—curses and poisonous words accompanying their angry and crazed look.

"You worthless magician! You brought this curse upon our land!"

"Yeah! You are the being that has brought this plague in our flocks!"

"You should die!"

"Die!"

"Die!"

"Die!"

Loki couldn't process the others' screams of accusations.

He turned his gaze towards the people who kept on shouting their anguish and rage towards his existence.

"I didn't…" Loki's voice was cut off as a strong, hard blow met the back of his head. He felt the warm flow of his blood dripping from the opened skin and flesh before everything else seemed to flow in his subconscious.

The total blackness would be a great company but it seemed the anger of these people scared off that comforting chance to save him from feeling and hearing the pain. The state between oblivion and awareness was aggravating his suffering.

They're going to take my life.

Maybe they are right.

Maybe I am the cause of this plague.

Maybe stopping my existence will end this…

Maybe I will no longer remember the burning…

Nor see it….

Nor feel it…

Maybe…

Loki was welcoming the idea of his death by the hands of these people.

"Will we ever see each other again?" A sudden flash of memory hit him. The pain that suddenly rose up inside him was more than what he felt when the solid material had hit his head.

This felt raw. It was stronger. Like when you put salt on the wound, usually it stings so great the agony was blinding. But this memory was the kind of wound that had been closed for years. Or maybe he though it had been.

One thing he was sure, it was reopened. Everything felt fresh again. He didn't notice the tears running from his red-rimmed eyes. And something in his heart took a turn. His thoughts have changed.

Help me… He whispered desperately in his mind.

Help me…

xXOOOXx

A/N:

Oh yeah, finally I was able to update! YAY!

I want to apologize for the delay. Our Internet access went down for more than a week because of some construction workers destroying our lines. And well, I had been busy with my exams as well.

Hope this makes up for the overdue update.

And please, please, please do tell me what you guys think! I'd really love REVIEWS from you guys!

Oh and what do you think about the ending 'almost' having the same words with the last chapter? Did it confuse you…? Or did it confirm some suspicions or anything?

Thanks! Thanks!