Hewooooo

So here's the next chapter!
Enjoy!

~Songs~ 

An Unlikely Alliance- Thor, the Dark World

Show Us the Way- Brave (Disney*Pixar's Brave)

Chapter Eighteen

~Nobody's POV~

That morning in the secret hallway in Asgard is a chaos. Odin has received information that there may, in fact, be human smugglers into the realm, and therefore, Thor has been held up. Sif and Loki are now the Asgardian nobles in charge, which only adds to the hoodlum, as the two of them do not exactly get along. 

After spying on the conversations during the morning, Thea has concluded that to get to Myrinea, it's necessary to get through the heart of the palace, and down to some sort of pond at the bottom of the city. At the bottom of the pond, there is a portal, a hidden one. It's been calibrated to take the travelers to this loophole in between realms, where Myrinea lives. 

The breathing under water part is going to be tough, but apparently the pond isn't deep, so hopefully I won't die thinks Thea.

Her surviving thoughts are drowned out as she hears the pestering shouts of Sif and Loki. Evidently, Sif has told Loki that the only way to get through the palace without being seen is to go in pairs, and to go different routes until they reach the edge of the city. 

"Oh yes," sneers Loki, "That's an absolutely fantastic plan, Sif. No problems except for the fact that Odin's guard will be informed of every movement now that his precious Asgard is in danger of human attack." 

"It's the only way" snaps Sif, her ponytail swishing vindictively as she glares up at Loki. Her ferocity reminds him of Thea. 

Thea, in the meanwhile, is getting a bit tired of the loud bickering- which she is surprised hasn't alerted any guards to the situation already. Rolling her eyes, she slumps on a bench next to Steve and Natasha who, unlike Tony, aren't trying to intervene with a warrior and an Asgardian prince. 

The debate gets louder and louder, and groaning with impatience, Thea leans against Steve's shoulder muttering, "This is so stupid." 

"I wouldn't say it's stupid," supplies Steve, looking up mildly, "I would, however, say that this is a bit of a setback."

"No, Thea's right," says Natasha, who is leaning lazily against the wall. "This is completely stupid." 

Why Thor had deemed it wise to set Sif and Loki in charge is beyond Thea. It would have been better with Fandral and Loki. At least Fandral had a sense of humor. 

As the fighting goes on, however, Thea begins to smirk more and more. Natasha, Steve, and Tony (who has given up trying to communicate with Loki and Sif) look at her, confused. 

"How about Loki transfigures us?" Thea pipes up when there is a brief period of silence, which is used by Sif and Loki to glare at each other stonily. 

Loki's head whips around to her. 

"What?" asks Sif. 

"Well," says Thea, trying to look confident in the presence of the slightly formidable Sif. "Why can't Loki just transfigure us to guards or something, just until we get out of the palace?"

Silence. 

"I mean, if you guys think that's a stupid plan, by all means, you two, keep arguing," Thea waves a hand in the air, "This is fantastic for me, watching Loki yell at someone else for a change." 

There's more silence. 

Then, Sif says slowly, "Yes, that could work." 

Loki, who is looking very much like he doesn't want to admit that Thea's idea is smart, retorts, "Oh, please, every guard in this damned palace knows one another. We'd have to knock out the equivalent number of-"

"Oh, shut it Loki," says Sif, her black eyes snapping. "You're just insulted that Thea is more clever than you." 

Thea smirks at Loki. She's beginning to like Sif. 

"Will that work?" Steve asks, looking at Loki, who looks stormier than he has ever been. "Could you transfigure us? And then we could make our way through the city and down to the pond." 

"Do you suppose that you just walk through the city dressed like that?" Loki laughs dryly, "You'd be cornered within five minutes." 

"Well then," says Thea, crossing her arms just like Sif and going to stand next to her. "Either we dress up like Asgardians, or at the city's gates, or you transfigure us into city people." 

"City people?" sneers Loki. "How about you just say citizens like a proper person."

"You're just sore because I actually thought of a plan that you couldn't think of," says Thea with a smile of satisfaction. 

Loki glares at her. 

"All right then," says Steve, taking control before things can get nasty. "Let's go with this plan. We need to hurry up- more likely than not, the Velah are getting impatient. We don't need that." 

Loki scowls, then begins to transfigure Natasha into a noblewoman, with a flowing emerald dress that makes her red hair, which is now down to her waist, pop so that she resembles an Irish dancer. Some of her facial features are skewed, too, so that only if you know her well enough like Thea could you detect that it is actually Natasha. 

Thea glances at Sif as Loki continues his work on Steve, "How are we going to do this? We don't know our way around the palace."

"Thor will be back soon," Gone is Sif's admiring tone, "That leaves three Asgardians, and with Fandral, it will be four. We will all take you at some point, I suppose."

"Thea!" Loki is impatient.

"Can you give me a blue dress?" she asks hopefully, walking over to him. "Because my mom always said that went well with my eyes." 

"Your eyes are green," points out Tony, who has taken on the appearance of a guard. Steve, rightfully so, is a soldier. "How does that work out for you?"

"I don't know," says Thea defensively, "She said it, not me!" 

"Oh, kitten, I know exactly what I'm going to do with you," says Loki, a small smirk spreading across his face that gives Thea a very bad feeling. 

Thea feels a sort of coolness about her, as if a mist is dissolving in fragments around her body, and then she looks down. "Loki!" she wails. 

Her dress is, in fact blue, but it's made out of simple, plain material, with a roped cord tied around her waist. It's the garment of a servant girl. 

"What's wrong?" Loki asks, looking to be in a much better mood now, "Isn't it a blue dress?" 

Thea glares at Loki, casting a longing look at Natasha's beautiful silk dress that swishes about her as she walks. 

"All right," says Sif in a commanding voice. "Thor and Fandral will be back soon. Then, we will escort you all through the palace taking different paths to avoid detection. You must take on the role of your attire." 

Thea crosses her arms and stares daggers into Loki's mirthful eyes. 

"I will go with Steve," continues Sif, ignoring her, "It will be better for him to fit in, as he is a soldier like myself. Thor will take Tony, and Fandral, Natasha. Which naturally leaves-"

"I am not going with Loki, not dressed like this," Thea hisses to Natasha- who is trying not to smile- out of the corner of her mouth. "Do you realize-"

"-leaves Thea and Loki." 

Thea raises her hand, "As the creator of the plan, I have a problem with the pairing arrangement." She is encouraged by Sif's curious look, "I mean, how about Natasha and Loki go together? It could look like they're courting or something." 

She says this mostly because she knows Natasha will find this prospect more amusing than insulting, and because she also knows that Loki will find this prospect more insulting than amusing.

"It wouldn't be realistic," says Sif carefully, evidently not wanting to get Thea riled up before a dangerous plan takes place. "Loki isn't known for being in the company of women." 

"So he's known for being in the company of servant girls?" asks Thea nastily. 

Sif looks likes she's trying not to smile, to keep the peace. "He's known to be amongst servants, yes. He likes telling other people what to do."

"Oh, that's not at all surprising," mutters Thea, scowling at Loki, who looks like Christmas has come early. 

She has about five minutes to vent her anger by annoying Tony, until Thor and Fandral come bursting into the hallway. 

"We do not have much-" Thor stops, looking around the room, confused to see his companions all transfigured into Asgardian citizens. Apparently, the plan sinks in, because he quickly continues, "My father grows restless. The sooner we are free from the palace, the better." 

Sif explains the plan to Thor, speaking so quickly that Thea is surprised that either Thor or Fandral can understand her. 

After Sif finishes and everyone begins to prepare for the venture, Fandral walks over to Natasha, looks her up and down with admiration, then gives her a gallant bow, "Splendid to accompanied by such a lovely muse."

"Likewise," says Natasha dryly, not seeming quite as enthused as her partner. 

"And how am I supposed to carry this?" Thea demands to Loki, brandishing her backpack and shoving it at him as if its his fault she has to carry it.

"Like this," says Loki slyly, waving his hand over the backpack. It briefly vanishes in a solemn green light, and then re-appears as a tray, with various daggers on it, including Thea's. "See this?" Loki looks down at Thea, grinning madly, "You're now accompanying me with some of my various weapons. Aren't you such a helpful girl, Thea?" 

Thea punches Loki in the shoulder, hard enough to make him wince. "Can I use one of those weapons to impale you?" 

Loki doesn't get a chance to reply, because Thor has taken charge, an appointment that makes the entire hallway seem so much calmer. 

"We will begin with myself and Tony, taking the ironworkers' path. Next will be Sif and Steve, then Thea and Loki, followed by Natasha and Fandral," he looks around the room mildly, "Questions?" 

Thea slumps against the wall, her course dress rubbing against her skin as Tony and Thor, after reviewing a few short rules about the conduct of Asgardian guards, leave the hallway. There don't seem to be any problems, because about five minutes after Sif and Steve depart, Loki gestures a very stormy Thea to her feet.

"And kitten," he says quietly as he holds the door open for the both of them, "Please do your best to appear at least a bit subservient." 

"In your dreams," scoffs Thea, throwing her nose in the air as she carries the tray of knives. 

"And put your head down," Loki says, "You're not an aristocrat, you're a servant. And walk behind me meekly." 

Thea is about to protest, and perhaps throw one of the daggers at him, but that's when a few guards appear from around a cluster of columns. When they look at her curiously, she falls a few steps behind Loki, walking in his shadow and lowering her face. Although the guards cannot hear her, she hisses, "IhateyouIhateyouIhateyou." 

She doesn't need to be walking alongside Loki to detect his chuckle. 

Around the corner, however, Loki stops dead, as does Thea. The All-Father, Odin, is standing in the corridor, talking with Volstagg. Thea is so startled that she trips, scattering the knives onto the floor. 

"Pick those up, you clumsy girl!" barks Loki, startling the poor girl even more. As she sinks to the ground to retrieve the knives, her hands quivering with both fear and anger. 

"What brings you here, Loki?" asks Volstagg brightly, clapping a hand on his shoulder. 

"Looking for my dear brother," says Loki coldly. 

Odin is looking from Loki to Thea with a very curious look. "And why the knives?" 

"Target practice."

"Target practice, eh?" asks Odin, still looking at Thea, his one eye staring at her so hard, it makes her nerves go a mile a minute. "Have you heard of those unwelcome...guests we have running amok in our halls?" 

"Not yet," says Loki. He and his adopted father are giving each other looks of mutual loathing. "I have no fear that your...capable guards will be more than up to the task." 

"Quite right!" proclaims Volstagg loudly. "Now who is this lovely young maiden? I'm not sure I've seen her in the-" 

Odin is still focused on Thea, so thankfully does not see Loki shoot Volstagg a beaming glare, nodding towards Thea pointedly. 

Volstagg's eyes bulge, then says clumsily, "Ah! So this is Wininya's daughter? Beautiful girl, lovely eyes." 

"I wouldn't say that," says Loki coolly, "However, I must be leaving now, whenever this clumsy child gets back up."

Odin still looks slightly suspicious, but Volstagg leads him away, enthusiastically pointing out the budding of the flowers on the trees. 

Thea scrambles to her feet, holds the tray of knives in one hand, and punches Loki again.

"That's not proper etiquette to your liege," says a very gleeful Loki to a very enraged Thea, "Seeing as you're serving Loki, the crowned prince of Asgard."

"Can I call you Loki the CP for short?" Thea asks, trying to keep her voice down. 

"Abso-"

"CP stands for crackpot." 

Loki cuffs Thea around her head, nearly causing her to drop the knives again. 

*

Everyone congregates at the bottom of the city, near a small copse of trees. Loki has revived everyone to their previous forms- he does so to Thea with slight disappointment. 

Thor leads them through the trees and towards a pond. It's clear, and Thea can easily see the bottom, where a shimmering portal shines through the service. It appears to be a portal, but it's whirring with unforeseen energy. 

"How deep is that?" Thea asks, trying not to sound overly nervous. 

"About twenty feet," says Sif, who is now removing her cloak and tossing it behind a bush. 

"Shouldn't be that bad!" says Fandral cheerfully, "We'll just take a little dive!" 

Thea, however, is looking very nervous. She may be a good swimmer, but holding her breath long enough to get to a portal at the bottom of the pond is not as easy as it looks. And nerves do not help either. 

"All right," says Thor, "Is everyone ready? This shouldn't take long." 

Thea gulps. 

Fandral, as is his nature, gives a gallant wave to everyone (and winks at Natasha, who rolls her eyes), sheathes his sword, and dives into the crystal water with the precision of an acrobat. There's a shallow splash, and he vanishes, although Thea can see him kicking towards the bottom. 

"I'm going to ruin my clothes," Thea says stiffly, trying to stall her turn into the water.  

"What a shame," says Tony unconcernedly, watching as Sif follows Fandral into the water. Fandral, who is at the bottom of the pond already, suddenly sparkles and vanishes. 

Natasha goes next, and Thea is being pushed forward by Loki, who is behind her. Thea is very, very nervous as she stares at the edge of the pond. 

Then, she screams, flailing her arms as Loki takes things into his own hands and pushes her into the water. 

It's much warmer than she had thought it would be, but she still wastes precious seconds gaining her bearings. She turns and moves downwards, trying to stay calm, trying not to breathe, trying not to...

She chokes, panicking as she gets deeper and deeper, her eyes stinging as she looks down at the shimmering portal. She hears a vague splashing sound from next to her, but is trying to get down towards the light. 

The water is closing around her like walls. 

She's not going to make it. 

Suddenly, just as her eyes are rolling, someone grabs her was it and pulls her after him, into the portal... Thea doesn't get to experience the rolling sensation of the cosmos, as she has fallen unconscious...

"Thea!" Natasha runs over to where Steve is lying Thea on the ground. "Is she okay, Steve? What happened?"

Steve, who is still sopping wet, puts his hand on Thea's head, "Took in some water, but she should be-"

He's interrupted as Thea coughs violently, then, gasping, sits up, her eyes bulging. "Ow..." she croaks. 

"You good, Thea?" asks Steve, relieved, as he stands back up. Tony is standing a little ways away, having wandered back to make sure Thea is okay. 

Loki and Thor emerge from the portal, both soaked through. Loki shakes his head, his longer-than-normal black hair spraying water everywhere, and Thea laughs, which is interrupted as she coughs up a little more water. 

"What?" he asks, peering down at her. 

"You look like a dog," she giggles, "Trying to get the water out of your hair."

He snorts, and walks by her. 

It's chilly here, and as Thea sits up, she realizes that they are on a mountain. A lonely mountain, however, and it stands out across the darkness that surrounds its peak. When she shivers, Thor wraps his cloak that he has taken from underneath his belt, around her, which has somehow miraculously stayed dry. 

"Where is she?" asks Steve. 

Thor nods up to the very top of the mountain, where a small door is now visible: large and wooden, with immaculate curls around it, with beautiful designs. "Myrinea favors beauty." 

They trek up towards the door, and Thea, who is still wet from the pond-portal catastrophe, trudges up after Tony, who has waited for her at the end of the pack. 

As they reach the door, Thor nods towards it, taking a deep breath, "Are you ready, my friends?" 

They all either nod or make no qualms about what they are about to do. Thor's bright blue eyes swivel over to Thea, who shrugs lightly. 

"Very well then," says Thor, entering the door without ever so much as knocking. 

Here's the final list of songs I've complied... I loved all your suggestions, by the way, but here are the ones that I've thought are the best. Please vote on your favorite in the comments or message me your vote. If there's a tie, I'll pick... :P

Lost it All - Black Veil Brides

I See Fire- Ed Sheeran

Breakaway- Kelly Clarkson

By Your Side- Tenth Avenue North

Everybody Wants to Rule the World- Lorde

ALSO

I'm doing another page on my Q&A in a few hours... so any more questions, just let me know! :D