Kari:

I sit on my throne proudly with my legs to the left of me and my back straight against the hard wood. I have one leg crossed over the other. Both of my arms lay on the arms of my wooden throne tracing the engraving lightly with my fingertips, soothing me into relaxation. I may feel physically drained but I will not show it. Katrina had taken a lot out of me, her taking over the body drains us both, but it only makes her hold over the body stronger and I can not allow that. I will not be the alter ego.

Smirking, I click my fingers and watch the throne room doors squeak open and reveal the person who had entered my castle. Petrye stands to the side of the room and glares at the person who walks slowly into the room. I grin as I see the red-caped, long locked blonde god of thunder. In his hand, he holds his hammer and something about him seems different. He looks older, wiser. What has happened to the fun loving man I knew? Well, the loving man that Katrina knew and loved dearly...

"How about searching your mind to about five minutes ago when we were crying our eyes out because of his mother's death!" Katrina snaps in my head. I ignore her and do not reply. She took control before and I will not let her again. I sit up straight and stare at the blue eyed immortal.

"Thor, welcome it's been far too long," I say smiling at him. I tilt my head to the side and watch as he glances around the palace. He observes everything in the room and there is a glint in his eye as he looks around. He turns and looks back at me and bows, tilting his head downwards showing his respect. 

"Katrina-" he starts. I tutt him and wave my finger at him mockingly. I frown at him and take a deep breath. Do not lose your temper, do not lose your temper... I think to myself, calming down. There does not need to be blood shed today unless necessary.

"You should know by now Thor that my name is no longer Katrina, it is Kari and I expect you to use it if you want to live," I warn him, venom laced behind my calm voice. He nods his head and sighs but does not reply.

"I apologize if you had trouble getting into the castle, it's hard to know who to trust," I state and beckon him forward with my finger. He stares at me and hesitantly walks forward.  

"What happened to you? Why are you so cold?" Thor asks softly. I scoff and shake my head at him. I unfold my legs and stand up and walk towards him pace by pace. I chuckle and feel the flames trail behind me at each step I take. He watches the magic out of the corner of his eye but his focus remains on me. 

"I thought we were friends," Thor says sadly. My face turns neutral and I don't show any emotion. I meet him and stand directly in front of him. 

"So did I, but we were both wrong," I snap coldly. He sighs and closes his eyes for a moment. When he opens them I see sadness, regret, and guilt?

"Why are you here Thor?" I ask getting straight to the point. Thor's face saddens even more and he looks at me with sorrow filled eyes.

"My mother has passed away-" Thor starts to say but I stop him and nod my head. 

"I know, I felt it," I tell him honestly. He looks at me shocked and raises his brow questioning me. I sigh looking down and walk away from him and back towards the table. I pick the apple I was cutting earlier and twist it in my hand. 

"No, you just suffered the pain I suffered," Katrina snarls inside my head. I huff in annoyance and start to answer Thor's questioning gazes. 

"Loki created the ring of eternity, that means he bound his soul to mine and mine to his. It also means we can feel what each other are feeling. Over the past I learned to block him out, I felt nothing he felt. But then... I felt sadness..." My magic covers the apple and starts to slowly rot it in my hand. 

"I felt regret, and guilt... everything he felt," I mutter feeling the apple turn into ashes in my hand. It let the black ashes run through my fingers and fall to the ground disappearing as they hit the stone. 

"And I hope to Valhalla you suffered, you bitch!" Katrina growls. I again ignore her comments and temper tantrum. I should really block her out of my head but that's now become impossible. 

"So yes, I know about your mother's passing. I offer my condolences, Frigga meant more to me than anyone else. She was my second mother, I... I... I loved her with all of my cold heart," I tell Thor. I sigh and close my eyes and keep my back to him. Tears roll down my face and I quickly wipe them away. This is not me. I am strong. I am powerful. This is Katrina. She starting to take control again.  

"You are weak..." Katrina states mocking me. She's pathetic thinking that I want her sympathy. I chuckle and nod my head before turning back to Thor. 

"Why are you here Thor? I know that it's not here to talk about Frigga," I question repeating my previous question.

"Is it that obvious?" Katrina chuckles. 

His face softens for a moment until it hardens again. He sighs and looks at me, his eyes pleading. He wants help, his suffering wants to end. 

"I need your help," he asks. I raise my brow. Confusion filling my soul. I look at Petrye who shrugs his shoulders. 

"Excuse me?" I ask again making sure that I heard the God correctly. He sighs and looks me dead in the eyes. 

"I need your help," he repeats himself. My mouth forms a thin line. I chuckle and shake my head laughing. I turn to look at him and scoff.

"You need my help?" I ask pointing to myself. He nods his head. I grin and bite my lip smiling. 

"You, the great God of Thunder, the son of Odin. Hier to the throne of Asgard wants my help?" I mock walking back over to my throne. Thor again nods his head. 

"After what has happened to my mother I thought you would want vengeance, revenge," Thor says. I stand behind my throne and lean on it, my arms folded onto it supporting my weight.

"Vengeance? Revenge?" I question as he continues to beg me with his body language as open as a book. 

"Satisfaction?" he questions trying to get me to agree to him. I shake my head and giggle. I open my palm and watch a red flame dance in my hand. 

"Satisfaction is not in my nature," I state and let the flame die. I scoff and walk towards him once more. 

"That may be true but surely you want revenge? You're the darker side of me, you thrive off of revenge and suffering," Katrina taunts. Even though I would hate to admit it, she is right. 

"You must be truly desperate to come to me for help. How desperate are you, to call upon me?" I laugh looking at him. When Thor looks down not answering me I sigh. 

"Who are you up against?" Thor looks at me with hatred in his eyes. 

"The Dark Elves..." He growls. I stop, instantly freeze. I look at Thor and he notices the fear in my eyes. This isn't my fear, it's Katrina's. I wanted to smirk but Katrina's strong emotions towards the Dark Elves must have taken over. Come to think of it, whenever Katrina feels something emotionally strong she usually takes hold of the body. 

"Malekith..." I whisper. Thor nods his head. I shake my head and stare at him. Katrina's fear and words continue to flood through my mouth involuntarily. 

"That's impossible. The dark elves and Malekith are buried in their hidden tomb, they cannot escape-" Katrina blurts out. My eyes widen when the words tumble out of my mouth but as soon as she starts, Thor cuts her off. 

"He has escaped. The Aether has been taken and Malekith has been awoken. He was the one to kill Frigga," As soon as those words fall out of Thor's mouth, all fear inside of me is gone. I look up at Thor and I know my eyes have darkened. 

"The Aether? What the hell happened?!" Katrina shouts snarling. My eyes turn predatory and I notice the red magic running through my veins as my hands start to glow.  Thor takes a step back in caution as Katrina's anger takes a hold of the body. 

"My friend extracted it and now it is living inside of her, it is slowly killing her and Malekith will stop at nothing but to get the Aether from her," he informs me. Katrina's rage slowly starts to calm and I keep her at bay as I shrug my shoulders, my hands returning to their normal colour.

"And why should I care? This friend must be a mortal I presume. You care for her, you love her, but now she has doomed us all. Frigga may be dead but what makes you think that I will side with you against Malekith? Do you think I am stupid?" I ask with a mixture of fury and frustration. He shakes his head and I can see the sadness in his eyes from my hate filled words. 

"No, I do not. But you must know that if Malekith gets his hands on the Aether, he will turn the whole universe into darkness, that includes your kingdom!" he snaps. I sigh angrily and look down thinking over what he has said. 

"I am already dark Thor, he cannot turn me any darker," Thor sighs at my comment. 

"He will kill everyone and everything living!" He shouts at me. 

Thor wants Malekith dead but Malekith wants the Aether from this Mortal. The Mortal will die if Malekith doesn't extract the Aether but if Malekith extracts the Aether then we are all doomed. Either way, we do not come out of this alive. Why not let him take over the universe? I may not die then... I think selfishly.

"Why not just let her die?" I question. Thor glares at me and I notice I've hit a nerve. 

"That is not an option!" he growls. I shrug my shoulders sighing. 

"Why must you be so difficult?" I ask him.

"Why must you?" he asks back repeating my question. We both stop and stare at one another. I smirk and he does afterward. He offers me a sad smile.

"Kari, please. I am begging you. I know you want vengeance and you will get that," he offers to sell his pitch. I shake my head. 

"What if I don't want vengeance?" I question. He sighs. 

"Then I know Katrina will," when Thor mentions her name I scowl at him. But he is right, she does want Malekith to pay for what he has done. She wants to make him suffer and pay, I can feel it. Frigga meant a lot to her... to both of us so he must pay. 

"Side with Thor then you will not die," Katrina calmingly sweet. I listen to her words carefully, considering them. I know she is only trying to take control of her body again but I will not let her. this time. She is going to be kept locked away until further notice. 

"What makes you think you can trust me?" I ask him. He looks at me, a little hope displaying in his eyes. The god who wanted to destroy an entire realm and race having hope, having a small part of him latching onto a brighter future. But I know it is only going to come crashing down one way or another. 

"I don't, but Frigga did and she never gave up on you over the past year," he tells me. I close my eyes and bite my lip. I think for a moment. 

"She never gave up on me..." Katrina asks with surprise in her voice. I ignore her and continue to think. Is this really a good plan? Can we stop Malekith? I sigh and leave my thoughts behind. After this, there is no turning back. 

"When do we start?" 

*****

"So, we're now going to Asgard?" I hear Petrye ask. I turn my head and look at him. 

"No, I'm going to Asgard with Thor whilst you stay here and look after my kingdom. I need someone that I can trust to look after this realm and rule over its people and that person is you," I order. Petrye looks at me in shock and when my words sink into his head, his eyes lighten up. He instantly picks me up and swings me around in his arms. He twirls us around. I don't giggle or show any emotion. 

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" he cheers. I clear my throat and he quickly places me back down onto the floor and kisses my cheek. I raise my brow and look at him scoldingly. 

"Urm... I mean thank you, my Queen," he bows his head and rises again. He kisses my hand and a small blush burns his face.

"You're giving him false hope in a Queen that will never care for him. You're leading him on and he is too blind to see it," Katrina snaps at me. I smirk and look at Petrye. A little affection glazing over my eyes. I muster up the best smile I can possibly achieve and look into his eyes. 

"You are the only one I trust, I need you Petrye," I say almost begging. Of course, this is all fake. I only trust Petrye because I know he wouldn't dare defy me. 

"He's going to find out you don't care about him and when he does, he will hate you!" Katrina warns. It is almost like she cares for him. 

"I don't care, I'm just concerned for my body," she says. Petrye looks at me sweetly and nods his head, he takes my hands in his and smiles. 

"I will do my best to protect your kingdom, my Queen," he says truthfully and once again bows.  

Perfect

*****

"How do you feel Thor? You've made a deal with the devil herself," I state walking towards the gateway of the Bifrost. He looks over at me with no emotion displayed in his eyes. 

"I have always had hope that one day, I would have my friend back, the woman I consider to be my family. The woman who still holds my brother's heart," he replies. I scoff and shake my head, pulling up my cloth black raven hood. 

"That ship sailed a long time ago, and it has sunk in deepest parts of the ocean," I tell him with no remorse. Thor looks over at me with sadness in his eyes and summons Heimdallr to open the Bifrost. The multi-coloured light covers the both of us and sends us zooming into the air. 

We land moments later in the golden dome. I open my eyes and look around. Nothing has changed. Everything in this room is the same as how I left it a year ago. I turn my head and see the dark skinned, golden eyed man staring at me. His eyes hold sadness in them also as he stares back at me. 

"Kari," he addresses me. I smirk and lift my head looking at the gatekeeper. I push down my hood and let it fall softly to my shoulders. I raise my brow and take a couple of steps forward looking at him. 

"Really Gatekeeper? Do you address a Queen by her first name? How improper of you," I state. My eyes darken and flash red. Heimdallr immediately recognizes his mistake and bows in recognition. 

"I apologize, my Queen, welcome back to Asgard. I hope your stay is pleasant," he quickly covers up his mistake. My smirk widens and my eyes return back to their silver colour. 

"Better, I expect next time you address me, you say those exact words. I wouldn't want to harm you," I warn threatening him. He nods his head in understanding and then looks over towards Thor. 

"I apologize, my Queen, it will not happen again," he apologizes again. I continue to smirk. 

"You're right, it won't," I state with power in my voice. I start to walk towards the rainbow bridge and Thor nods towards Heimdallr. 

"Oh and Heimdallr," I call out stopping in my tracks. I turn my head and watch slight fear show in his eyes. 

"My stay won't be long, or pleasant," I chuckle and continue to walk.

*****

"This is what Malekith did, he destroyed the whole of Asgard. The people are terrified and have been advised to stay inside," Thor informs me. My hood is back up covering my identity. I nod my head staring at the frightened people around the once people and happy market place. 

"The people are afraid, they need comfort, they need hope now that their Queen is dead," I state no emotion in my voice. I look over at Thor whose eyes are glazed over. 

"But then again, they should kneel in front of royalty," I comment and snap my fingers. 

"Kari, what are you doing?" he asks watching as each citizen falls to their knees. I chuckle darkly. 

"I'm teaching your kingdom that they should bow down to royalty," I say and watch as my magic wraps around each citizens legs. They don't move, my magic has paralyzed them into submission. 

"Kari stop it!" Thor demands looking down at the emotionless submissive people. I smirk and walk towards them. 

"They are perfect now, they show submission and respect for royalty," I say chuckling. 

"I said stop! Do you do this to your people?" he questions me angrily. I shake my head and laugh. I look at a small girl and a small boy who are kneeling. I walk over to them and click my fingers and a loaf of bread appears in a basket beside them. 

"No, they know their place, I am a fair ruler and Iove my people. I'm only showing you the options of your kingdoms respect, how it could be," I suggest pointing to the people. 

"They are scared, they need a powerful ruler who can protect them, it's time for Odin to step down. He clearly can't protect his people from darker forces," I state the obvious. I look at Thor who doesn't look at me. I sigh and snap my fingers a final time and let the people free from my magic. Everything resumes as normal. 

"You honestly believe that my father cannot protect his people? Our kingdom?" Thor asks me. I shake my head. 

"I do not," I sigh. 

Thor:

I walk into the dungeons, Kari is with Sif, Fandral, and Volstagg who are putting the plan into place. I still don't trust her but I still, have hope that Katrina is alive and will come back. My mother never lost hope and neither will I. She is still in there. 

I walk down the steps for the third time this week and make my way to one particular cell.  

"Thor, after all this time now you come to visit me. Why? To gloat... to mock?" I see Loki standing proudly in his cell looking at me mockingly Belittling me. But something about this act is wrong. Something is off. I walk closer to his cell.

"Loki enough, no more illusions," I demand looking sadly at my brother. He sighs and the image of Loki flickers. He disappears and I see the real Loki on the floor leaned up against his cell wall with his head hanging sadly. 

"No you see me brother," Loki says with his tone spitting harshly like a viper. I sigh and shake my head. If only he knew the woman he loved was here. If he only knew that she was in the castle. I sigh and look at him. 

"I know you seek vengeance as much as I do, I grant this to you, vengeance and afterward this cell," I offer. Loki looks away from me and chuckles. He sighs. 

"You must be truly desperate to come to me for help," he chuckles I sigh. 

"What makes you think you can trust me?" he asks as I turn away. I don't look at him and remember this exact same conversation I had with Kari only hours ago. 

"I don't, but you should know when we fought each other in the past, I did so with a glimmer of that my brother was still in there, but hope no longer exists to protect you," Loki doesn't move and just lets my words sink in. 

"You betray me, and I will kill you," I state with no emotion in my voice. Loki smirks and his grin widens. I look and his eyes brighten. 

"Hmm, when do we start?" he asks. 

*****

I break Loki out of his cell and he smirks. He stands to his feet and I drag him out of the room avoiding any guards and allow him to change back into his armor. 

"So what's the plan?" Loki asks me, walking back over to me once he is fully changed. I don't say a word and listen for the cue. 

"What are you waiting for?" he asks me. I shake my head and shush him. He looks taken back and I hear guards walks past us. I shove Loki around the corner and hold him to the wall. 

"Scared of some of Odin's toys?" he questions referring to the guards. 

"I don't think there's anything wrong with the guards," I turn and see Fandral facing both of us. He looks at Loki and I notice something in his eyes are different. For a second they flicker silver but it vanishes before I see it. I close my eyes and rub them before reopening them. 

"You okay Thor?" Fandral asks. I nod my head. Loki looks at Fandral and smirks. 

"You're in on this too?" he asks him. Fandral chuckles and looks down. This is so out of character for him. 

"Oh you have no idea,"