Hello, my people! Here is a chapter <3 Do hope you enjoy it! 

~Music~

Harry and Ginny (Deathly Hallows, Part 1)

Lily's Theme (Deathly Hallows, Part 1)

The Bell Tower (Hunchback of Notre Dame)

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Part  12

<Letter Received in Asgard One Week Ago>

Thor,

It saddens me greatly that Thea is still haunted by the night, and by my brother. I had so hoped for so long that she would be able to forget this anguish before we had to resort to this plan. I agree that while Loki is her solace, she must learn how to fend for her shadows without him

In lieu of your last letter, I have spoken to Videl. He is surly, and spends his punishment of house arrest stalking through the halls and generally being a nuisance (which should not be a surprise) until I have threatened to have him imprisoned in the dungeons. At first, I must admit,  he laughed at the prospect of helping us, and of helping Thea. But then, I offered something in return, the thing he wants the most: freedom. Videl, in turn for aiding us, will be allowed once again into the forests and mountains of Ardhigiza. He will not be allowed off-world, however, so you mustn't worry about that.

I have enclosed an invitation for Linthria's and my wedding, which will be held in almost three weeks. The ceremony will be small, as I have mentioned, so I sadly can invite only you and Thea. My brother will be ready for you in a week. I pray that this experiment will work.

Lifolas sends his greetings both to you and Thea. I think he grew quite fond of her as he healed her.

Sincerely, Archer

*

<Now>

Over the week, Thea cannot sleep without Loki.

Her nightmares have escalated at an alarming rate, growing more and more life-like and potent to her imagination. The first few days, Loki doesn't know how much she has been suffering, but then a night later, he is woken abruptly to someone running into his darkened room. The room is much larger than Thea's, and includes several smaller chambers, but still has a large canopy bed on a high mattress.

Before he can react, Thea has climbed onto the bed and he can hear her heaving sobs and the trembling of her finger as she touches his shoulder.

"Wai-"

Thea jumps back, because she realizes that Loki is shirtless; in the moonlight, she can see his pale, toned chest partially covered by blankets. His arms are also much more muscular than would be expected, and with his long, thick black hair mussed around his shoulders, Loki is an imposing figure, comparable to a slumbering vampire.

Thea backs up, putting her hands to her mouth, and then her eyes. "I'm s-s-sorry L-Loki."

He sits up on one elbow, looking at her through one eye, for the other one is covered by his long hair. "Thea, don't be afraid," he says, his voice gravelly from sleep.

She stands there, fingering her hair, but at least uncovers her face. Her eyes are very wide.

Loki holds out a hand, "Come on."

She doesn't move.

Nodding as if he knew his was going to happen- which he did-, Loki swings his feet around and stands up. Walking past the frozen figure of Thea, he crosses the room and, picking up the loose white nightshirt from a chair, pulls it over his head.

He lies back down on the bed and again, holds out his hand. "Come on," he repeats.

Thea looks at him, still looking frightened, whether from just now being startled or still from the nightmare that must have woken her, Loki isn't sure. All he knows is that Thea hesitates only a second before running across the room and onto the bed.

Loki moves a soft pillow over to her, but she buries her head in his shoulder instead, her shoulders shaking. He reaches out and wraps his arm around her and murmurs, "Shh, Thea. Stop crying."

Between great, heaving sobs, Thea gasps, "It w-was V-Videl, L-Loki!"

"I know," he says, "But I need you to try to forget it." He pauses, "How did you find my chambers, little one?"

"I w-walked around a-al ot."

Loki frowns and then looks down at her, "How long were you walking around the palace alone at night, Thea?"

"I d-don't know. An h-hour?"

"Don't do that anymore," says Loki firmly. "You could get lost."

"O-okay," whispers Thea tremulously. As he lies on his side, Loki can still feel her small body quivering from fear, and perhaps cold.

"Go to sleep," he soothes, pulling the blanket up around her, tucking it around her chin before leaning down to kiss the tip of her small, freckled nose.

Thea leans forward and rests her head against his chest. "Please sing," she whispers.

Her voice is still shaking, and her eyes are still open and scared, so Loki sighs, "All right."

*

This pattern continues. In fact, after the first few nights, Loki begins to spare Thea having to roam the halls at night (she ignores his warning not to do so, and this drives Loki into a new stream of worry) by just having her sleep in his room with him. This includes Klaka, who Loki reluctantly accepts.

But it is crystal clear to Loki that Thor takes this new arrangement with dissatisfaction. Loki knows why. He's merely masking Thea's cruel nightmares, and he knows it, but he can't stand to hear her scream and suffer at night.

So Loki caves in against his better instincts.

Thor does not.

One day, as Thor stands upon a balcony overlooking several hallways and sees Loki and Thea walking through- with Klaka prancing after them, looking very dignified. Loki, who is wearing his helmet and armor, is actually not forcing Thea to keep up, but walking so that Thea can easily keep pace. He is looking down at her, watching her face, which is turned up towards towards. Her expression is fair and light, but Thor can easily see the tired drawn of her eyes.

Thor continues to watch from above as Klaka turns around and leaps up on Loki's legs. Loki, rolling his eyes, gently kicks Klaka down, while Thea laughs. She playfully leaps up, grabs the golden horns from Loki's head, and watches with a mischievous gleefulness as the helmet falls off and clatters loudly to the ground.

Despite himself, Thor smiles as he watches Thea scurry away from Loki, running and laughing simultaneously.

Within seconds, however, Loki has strode across the hall, grabbed Thea around the waist, and thrown her over his shoulder. Thea kicks, even though she can't break free, but her peals of laughter reverberate, drawing the attention of several passersby, including what appear to be a young man and his daughter.

The man has smoldering black eyes, dark hair pulled back in a tie behind his neck, and an intimidating stature with rippling muscles bulging out of his armor. The girl is around thirteen or fourteen, and has large brown eyes and long black hair. She looks very haughty.

"Loki." says the man, not even attempting to hide his derisive tone.

"Ah, Fjodr," says Loki, just as derisively, swinging Thea around so that she's back on her feet. "How delightful to see you! How is dear Hiera?"

"Oh no," mutters Thor, beginning to hurry down the balcony.

Fjodr's jaw clenches.

"I saw her at the festival," says Loki in a casual tone, yet one of obvious mockery. "She looked quite lovely."

"Don't talk to Papa like that!" exclaims the dark-haired girl, crossing her arms and glaring up at Loki. She doesn't seem to be scared of him at all.

Loki chuckles, but his eyes are hard as he looks down at the girl. "So much spunk. Just like your mother, yes?"

"You bastard," says Fjodr.

Loki is still smiling down at the girl, but he is talking to Fjodr, "You still have not been forgiven. You should have been flogged, or better, killed, yet you mock me for my little piece of revenge."

"You leave my father alone, you great bully!"

The girl's bravery shocks Thea, but Loki only looks amused. He leans down so that he is close to the girl's face, and says in a quiet voice, "I wouldn't cross my anger if I were you. Your father, I am sad to say, learned that lesson the hard way."

Fjodr clenches his fists, but Loki ignores him.

Finally, Loki's frighteningly amused expression causes the girl to turn away, and she looks at the ground.   

Loki chuckles again, drawing back from the girl, "That's what I thought."

Thea, who has no idea what is happening, shifts uncomfortably.

Then, Fjodr's hard gaze turns to Thea, and she quails, not wanting to look up at his frightening form. "And who might this be?" He asks in a soft voice. "She's a mousy little thing, isn't she, this mortal girl?"

Thea feels Loki's hand on top of her head, and she leans back against him.

"Thea is possibly the bravest child you will ever meet. And she knows when not to antagonize someone much stronger than they, unlike your stupidly bold child."

"You just can't have enough, can you, Loki?" growls Fjodr.

"How peculiar. Because, incidentally, that's what your dear wife kept telling me when-"

Thankfully, Thor arrives at this precise second, because Fjodr looks like he is about to fly at Loki and tear him limb from limb.

"Fjodr, Loki," says Thor, "How lovely to see you both getting along again!"

Neither Fjodr nor Loki look particularly enlightened or pleased at this comment. But Fjodr, shooting Loki one last look of pure loathing, decides this is a good time to leave. He does so, stalking down the hall. The girl looks back at Thea and throws her a contemptuous look before following her father haughtily.

Thor turns back to his brother, "Loki..."

Loki shrugs amiably, looking very pleased with himself. Thea, however, has been thinking hard about what Loki and Fjodr had been saying and now looks like she rather wishes she hadn't thought about it at all.

"Thea," says Thor, "Would you mind leaving my idiotic brother and I alone? One of us will find you later."

"Okay," she says, and glances at Loki, a question in her eyes. He nods at her, his own eyes hard, and then she turns away, walking back down the hall.

Loki looks at Thor, "Do you want to yell at me a bit longer, or are you satisfied?"

"First of all," says Thor, a faint smile on his lips, "I haven't yelled. Not yet. But I do caution your rashness around Thea."

"What do you want, then?" It's evident that Loki is going to ignore Thor's advice.

"Thea has not been sleeping well, has she?"

Loki doesn't quite not how to answer this question, "I've been with her every night. She has been improving."

This is actually a lie. Only last night, Thea had woken up screaming, and unusually, Loki had taken a substantial amount of time to get her to calm down. She had slept fitfully the rest of the night.

"Loki, Thea needs to learn to face her demons on her own. You and I both know this."

"What would you have me do? I am doing all I can."

"And that's precisely it. You are cushioning her suffering, and that will help nothing. She can't sleep with you forever, Loki. She is going to be returning to Midgard eventually."

Loki chooses to ignore the last statement and instead says, "Then what do you have in mind?"  

"A plan that you are not going to like," says Thor, "But one that is necessary."

*

After Thor finishes talking, Loki's face turns livid. "Are you mad, brother?!" He hisses through clenched teeth Thor says, "This is the only way. How else will Thea fight her nightmares if they are never resolved?"

Loki stares at Thor. Then, he says, "You have got to be kidding me."

"I am not jesting, brother," says Thor solemnly, "I have heard her screaming at night. As have you, so I observe."

"Yes," says Loki snarkily, "And I, unlike you, have the ability to calm her down."

"You can't continue to do that," says Thor, "You know this. Thea needs to destroy her fears on her own. And we need to do so with a little help."  

"This is not going to happen," snarls Loki, "Do I make myself clear?"

"You don't have a choice, Loki," says Thor patiently, "Unless you have some other imaginable way of solving this problem besides continuing to do what you're doing."

"This, this idiotic plan will just frighten her even more, you dolt! How long have you been planning this?"

"Since before Thea got here," says Thor.

Loki slams his dagger on the table so hard, the hilt trembles, but he ignores it, just staring at the intricately carved wood panels on the table. Thor raises his eyebrows, but otherwise, makes no motion.

Then, Loki begins to laugh. Straightening up, he holds his hands out to Thor, then points at him, "Fine! Fine. When this disastrous plan fails and Thea gets worse and then I am the one forced to attempt to comfort her, then we will see who was right!"

*

An hour later, Thea is standing next to Loki, looking over the balcony. She has absolutely no idea what's going on, and stands on the rail, holding onto the white column, the wind curling through her blonde hair and flipping it up into tiny curls at the ends. She is smiling a tiny smile as she watches a flock of ravens soar past the balcony, diving and cawing at each other in a giant black mass.

"What are you thinking about?" asks Loki, leaning against one of the bright white columns. He has noticed the smile that is now wavering inside of shining brightly on her face like it should.

Thea shrugs, reaching forward to try to touch the flowery tree branches of the evergreen in front of her. She manages to wrap her fingers around one of the pink blossoms and she is just about to pull it away when the door opens with a bang and Thea, in her rush to turn around, lets the pink flower drop down, down until it turns invisible in the distance.

She takes one look at the doorway, and then shrieks, leaping away and hiding behind Loki. She clutches the armor on his arm, peeking around him, her green eyes wide with fright.

"It's all right Thea," says Thor, who is standing with a tall, lanky figure, "This will-"

But Thea has started to cry, closing her eyes tightly as if trying to turn the sight away.

"You see," snaps Loki as he sets his hand on the girl's trembling head while she begins to breathe heavily from panic, "This is ridiculous. And I swore that if I ever saw that face again-"

"He is here to help," says Thor in an authoritative voice.

"Well he's not going to help, he's going to make things worse!" shouts Loki, losing his temper completely.

"Thea," says Thor quietly, trying to appeal to the shaking girl, "He isn't going to hurt you."

Thea peeks around hesitantly, but she gasps as she gets another glance at Thor's companion- who is standing there with some amusement- and turns away rapidly.

Thor glances at the seraphic figure and then nods. Loki curls his lip as Thor's companion walks forward lazily and then crouches down in front of Thea. She is not able to take her eyes off of the curly blonde hair and liquid amber eyes that have tortured her nightmares so often now. She clutches Loki's arm harder.

Raising an eyebrow, the figure reaches out a long-fingered hand towards her. She whimpers, and Loki snarls again.

The figure smiles a wide smile, revealing pointed teeth curled over his full lips. He seems to be enjoying himself immensely.

"Hello Thea," smirks Videl.

Loki looks infuriated, but a look from Thor silences him.

Videl continues, ignoring Loki, his amber eyes locked on Thea's green ones, "Have you missed me? My guess is no. How rude. We were becoming such great friends!"

Thea is breathing hard, her breath coming in hisses through her teeth. She can't speak. She only squeezes Loki's armor harder.

Videl is still smiling, and he says, "You look dreadful. How have you been sleeping, Thea?"

He reaches out his hand again, and everyone in the room fully expects her to recoil.

Instead, she kicks him square in the jaw.

Videl stands back up, clutching his angled jaw. He looks down at Thea. And then laughs.

Thea, in the meanwhile, has backed up, not keeping her eyes off of Videl. Loki looks at her, and unlike Thor, doesn't look at all concerned that Thea has just struck Videl.

"All right," says Thor, "Thea, listen to what is going to happen. Videl will be here for two weeks, and during that time, it is my desire that the two of you interact."

"NO!" Thea's scream is so sudden, it startles all three men. "NO, get him away from me! I'll k-kill h-him, no, no, no, PLEASE, get him a-away!" She buries her head in Loki's chest, her eyes tightly closed and turning away from her nightmare.  

"You don't seem to be grasping the concept, Thea," says Videl, looking highly entertained by Thea's fright. "I'm staying. Don't worry, I would much rather be elsewhere, but seeing as-"

"Seeing as you're a poisoned demon," spits Loki, who has his arm around Thea's shaking shoulders, "I suggest you stop talking or I will let Thea kill you without a second thought."

"Loki," says Thor warningly. "Videl is here to help. If you want Thea to-" He pauses, choosing his words carefully, "If you want what is best for Thea, then you will see what is best."

"I will kill him," growls Loki, "If he lays a single hand on her."

"Loki," repeats Thor. Then, he adds, "Let go of Thea."

Loki is still holding Thea, and she is still hiding partially behind his shoulder. Casting Thor a glare, Loki stands back away from Thea.

Thor nods to Videl. The Velah, who unusually is not sporting a bruise on his jaw, walks forward again, towards Thea. She does not move. She is too petrified now.

Videl reaches out, and Thea whimpers as he takes her hand. His long fingers wrap around her knuckles, encircling her tiny palm. He looks down into her frightened eyes calmly, with hidden satisfaction.

The two stare at each other, two beings that have been tossed in eternal opposition. Thea is trying her very best not to cower away, but the fright in her eyes is more than obvious.

Thea closes her eyes and turns away, her shoulders heaving. Videl smiles. For now, he has won.

"That's enough," says Thor, and Videl lets go of Thea's hand. She snatches it away and puts it behind her back. "Thea, go with Loki. I want to be with Videl and enlighten him on the customs of Asgard."

Loki knows this means that Thor wants to talk to Videl about Thea, but he doesn't care. He takes this opportunity to take Thea by the shoulder and steer her out of the room. She doesn't protest, but looks behind her.

Videl winks at her wickedly.

Thea gasps and turns away. Loki shoots both Videl and Thor a look of utter loathing and then pulls Thea out of the room.

Thor looks at Videl, "Archer told you the parameters, I am sure?"

"Oh yes," says Videl lazily, "Archer wasted a substantial amount of morning giving me all the details."

"Then heed him," says Thor sternly. "And I caution you: if you harm Thea in any way, I will not stop Loki from exacting his revenge. And this time, Thea more than likely will not be able to save you. You cannot Jaunt, you cannot escape from Asgard's realm without Heimdall knowing. And he is watching you carefully, Videl"

If this threat was supposed to frighten Videl, it falls flat. The Velah merely smiles again and says, "Why would I want to hurt precious little Thea?"

"Because Loki is not the only one who craves revenge," says Thor.

Videl raises an eyebrow. He and Thor look at each other for quite an extended amount of time and then finally, Videl turns away.

"Fine," he snaps, "I won't hurt the little darling."

"Good," says Thor, "You'll probably find her in the courtyard, where I am sure Loki is either trying to hide her or persuade her to kill you."

*

Thor is wrong on two and a half of his predictions.

Loki pulls Thea into his room. She doesn't protest. She is acting like a stone statue, scarcely moving her joints, her eyes fixated on a spot on the wall.

Cursing, Loki strides to a set of drawers next to his bed, leaving Thea standing stock-still. He yanks open a drawer and then takes something out, looking extremely angry as he does so.

When Loki turns around, Thea's eyes widen as she sees what he is holding.

Loki walks back across the room, Thea's dagger glinting in his hand. When he reaches Thea, Loki softens, and says in a quiet voice, "I did not want to have to do this, kitten. But I don't trust Videl, and I want you to have this just in case. You will use it if you have to, yes?"

Thea stares at her dagger, her lip trembling. "I c-can't t-take it," she whispers.

Loki is surprised, "Why not?"

"Wh-what if...maybe I...I'm n-not strong l-like you."

Loki understands. Thea is afraid of the dagger's temptation.

"Go sit down," he says, nodding to the bed, sheathing her dagger and fastening it to his belt. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

She looks up quickly, "Where are you going?"

He's already out of the door. Thea reluctantly sits down on the bed, and tries not to jump at every small sound.

About ten minutes later, the door opens, and she starts. But then her shoulders fall in relief as Loki comes inside. He is holding a small, shallow bowl with some sort of pestle sticking out of it, along with a thin stick about six or seven inches long. Thea sits up and sees bits of a dark brown bark crushed bark inside the bowl.

 "What's that?"

"Alder," says Loki, setting the bowl on the large wooden nightstand. He uses the pestle to ground the plasma-like, dark brown liquid to get rid of any lumps, "It has been associated with fire, and so I thought it would be even more appropriate for you."

Thea gets up and peers over his shoulder. The liquid is emanating a faint woodsy smell. She wrinkles her nose, "What does it have to do with me? I don't have to drink it, do I?"

"No, you idiot," says Loki, "Sit back down."

She plops back down on the mattress. "What's it for then?"

"You need to learn the definition of patience." Loki pulls back his sleeves.

"I know what patience is, you-" She yelps as Loki seems to throw a spark of light into the pewter bowl. It ignites and lets out a small explosion of brightness. "What did you just do?"

"To explain would take too much effort, and you wouldn't understand it even then." Loki takes the small thin stick and swirls it in the liquid, which is now black and emitting a soft hissing sound.

He sits down next to Thea, the bowl in his hand. "Let me see your wrist."

"Uh...why?"

Loki, rolling his eyes, takes her hand and turns it around so that her wrist is exposed. The three cuts are still visible, but slightly fainter. "Your wrist is so puny, this is going to take me a few moments."

"What is?" Thea asks as Loki picks up the stick from the bowl, "Are you tattooing me?"

"Don't be stupid," says Loki, "Warriors going off to battle, or a couple about to be married, or some other significant event, would make cause for this ritual. This alder dye will stain your skin and leave something on it to make you stronger."

As Loki pours a few drops of water on Thea's left wrist, she says, "It still sounds like tattooing to me."

"It's not permanent," says Loki, holding up her wrist and putting the stick, which is now glistening with the Alder dye, on her skin, "It will last about a month or so, which is plenty long, I should imagine."

"What are you writing?"

"Sh," says Loki, bending over so he can see better, "I'm concentrating."

She purses her lips in annoyance but watches him trace small letters on her wrist without further comment. The liquid feels cool, yet causes her skin to prickle simultaneously.

Minutes later, Loki sits back up, and Thea peers at her wrist. She cocks her head, trying to read it.

Du er elsket.

"What's that mean?" Thea asks.

"You ask too many questions. You know that, right?"

"But I-"

"Blow on the dye so that it sets while I do the other one."

She gives him an awful look, but does as he asks. She looks at the strange saying, trying to decipher what it means. She has no idea, of course, and so concedes to blowing on the liquid.

In the meanwhile, she feels Loki tracing her right wrist with the Alder dye. There are only five letters on this one.

Lille.

"Will you PLEASE tell me what they mean?" asks Thea, "And what it's for?"

Loki gives her a look.

"Sorry."

He rolls his eyes, and then stands up, putting the bowl back on the dresser. Then, he unfastens the emerald dagger from his belt and holds it out to her. "Take this."

She hesitates, and then, her fingers trembling, she takes the hilt, holding it up to the light. She looks slightly more timid now.

"The Alder dye is a symbol, and the words on your skin will remind you of the strength that can help you through this." His tone turns gentle, "Because I know you can."

Thea holds up her right wrist, "What does it say? Lille?" She pronounces it "lill".

"Leel. It means 'little one'".

"And this o-"

"'You are loved,'" says Loki softly.

She looks up at him quickly. Her eyes have grown very large.

"If this dagger ever tempts you," continues Loki, "Look at your wrists as you think. This will be a reminder for those that care for you."

"O-okay," she says.

Then, she bursts into tears, throwing her arms around him.

Loki laughs, "Why are you crying now?"

"I-I don't know," she sobs.

"Then stop it," says Loki, smiling, "You're not supposed to be sad about this."

"I'm n-not. I'm h-happy."

Chuckling, Loki says, "I know."

"I d-don't ev-even know why!"

This is not completely true. Loki, for all his shortness and sternness directed at her, has never, to her face, told her that he loves her. This was unexpected, and she hadn't even known how to react.

Her eyes are still glistening as she looks up at him. Rolling his eyes, but smiling simultaneously, Loki leans down and kisses her forehead softly.

"I do love you," he whispers, still smiling. "Never forget that."

*

That evening, Thea walks down the hall, with Klaka in her midst, towards the dining hall. She is looking at her wrists, and then at her dagger, which she has fastened back at her waist, using a belt she has tied around her dress. She feels peaceful.

Klaka suddenly begins to bark, his ears erect as he darts forward a few feet.

"What is it?" Thea asks, bending down to pet Klaka. "What are you barking at?"

"Me."

Thea lets out a small scream and leaps back.

Videl is leaning lazily against a column, his amber eyes narrowed at her.

He ambles towards her, and Thea backs up. Klaka growls, which is saying something, because Klaka usually likes everyone.

"Go away," says Thea, her hand on the hilt of the dagger. She keeps her eyes on Videl. "Or...or..."

"Or you'll kill me?" asks Videl lightly, glancing at the blade. "I'm petrified. Can you see the fear in my eyes, because I am just dying of terror."

Thea doesn't say anything.

"You are a timid, scrawny little creature. Do you actually think that I fear you?" Videl asks in his drawling accent.

Thea curls her lip.

Videl leans down so that he's level with her. Thea does not pull back.

"What's this?" asks Videl softly, holding up her wrist so that he can see the dye on her wrists, "Ah. You need a little bit of encouragement, I see. Did I have something to do with that? Terribly sorry. Old habits."

Thea doesn't move.

"And the fact that you can't sleep? Still? It's been so long! You should have gotten over that by now, I should think."

Silence.

"You're awfully quiet," says Videl, still peering into her eyes. "You're still scared of me, but don't want to show it." He pauses, "And your little dog doesn't like me either. Shocking."

"Go away," whispers Thea, the dagger still grasped tightly in her hand.

"I cannot, unfortunately. I have my unfortunate duty to fulfill. And that is to help stop your terror for me. Which might be difficult, seeing as you have two deaths under that little belt of yours." He pulls slightly at the rope around her waist that had held the dagger.

Thea fights to keep her face passive.

"My father, you killed, cold blood," says Videl, his voice a snarl, "You little bitch."

"He would have killed me," she whispers.

Videl cackles, "But that's not even the best part! You killed your sister, too!"

Thea's face pales. "T-that wasn't my fault. You did it!"

"I did it?" whispers Videl sinisterly, "I did it? Is that what Loki is telling you now? I don't recall being the one to send a blade into her little body."

His smirk deepens as Thea puts her hand to her mouth, her lip trembling. But she still does not cower away from him.

"Ah," says Videl, "Think what you want, little murderess. You know the truth, deep in your heart. You know it. You know that it was you that killed-"

"I didn't do it! You did!"

"Oh, REALLY, you-"

Videl lets out a shout. Klaka had leapt up to bite Videl in the arm.

Thea takes this opportunity to run. Klaka, letting go of Videl, prances after her, looking exceedingly proud of himself.

Videl watches Thea vanish around the corner. His smile slips, and his countenance hardens. Now, he looks much younger and pale than the cruel creature that had just taunted Thea.

He shakes his head, his golden curls loose. Then, he turns away and walks out of the door.

This had been a step, and Thea had passed the test.

Videl be back for Thea after dinner.

And maybe this time, he won't be so horrible to her.

------

Aw. Du er elsket.

Fun fact: Alder was used by Norse people to call Loki to their aid. Alder really is associated with fire, and produces a black dye. You can also apparently make a rune using the dye to catch liars in the act. Keep that in mind. 

Hope you liked the chapter! What do you think of Videl? And btw, Fjodr and the young girl will be back.

Please VOTE and COMMENT! thank you! :D 

Love, Sierra xx