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A soft, and gentle breeze swept over the balcony that Amora had taken over from Thor's chambers. It was the furthest portion of said chambers from Crystal and Thor's more private rooms in the suite. She hadn't left that spot either, though she intended to accept Fandral's offer of his chmabers, with the notible exception to a daily visit to the great-hall and the library.. Amora seemed to be strangely quiet. She remained mostly on the balcony, having pulled the heavy curtains from above to close it off and given herself some modicum of privacy there. A plush cushioned lounger, tables, and various other furniture had been commandeered to her desires, and she had spent most of her time there. Oddly alone.
There she sat now, reclining on the sofa with various pillows propping her head up as she flipped idly through a book. A pitcher of wine, now mostly empty, and a half filled goblet of vibrantly fruity smelling mead sat before her on a small end table. She would pause every so often, plucking up and sipping at it in an idle fashion, then turned a page of the book that magically floated before her.
A rather large collection of well wished gifts sat piled around her, having been set out at the door and brought to her attention by servants since news of her arrival had spread. More than a few declarations of love sat etched on paper, scrolls with long poems and tales regaling her beauty and their love lorn hearts for her. Yet she didn't seem to care overly about them, leaving them in a dissary on the floor around her.
*
Thor is gathering his items for the sparring session later; swords are set into bags, his practice armor marked and set out to be put on later, before his departure. He'll be going against Sif, so everything has to be right. As he moves things around, it's a familiar feeling, a warm, almost friendly emotion as he takes that which is his, has been his for centuries. The only time he gets to feeling like that on Midgard is when he visits the old places; what mortals now call Iceland, Denmark, Norway.. he's not lost his love for that region.
Thor is more than aware that Amora hasn't really left her chambers much since arriving, save for those few moments, and he takes that risk to see if she is still within. Instead of moving around to a side door, the Prince moves down the distance of balcony before he is just without. A throat clearing, and Thor steps through, looking at the sorceress' current state of.. this isn't boredom, no. It's something else.
"Amora."
*
If the Enchantress was aware of Thor's return to the chambers to collect his arms and armaments she didn't seem to care. Yet when he swept aside the curtains and approached, even addressed her? She waved a hand, lowering the spell holding the book aloft and raising her brilliantly green eyed gaze toward him. She arched a golden brow upwards, though she didn't rise from her lounging position against the pillows. Rather she reached for the goblet of mead, and took a long draught of it.
"If you're here to chide me over Scarlett's gift, I'll take it back when she returns to Midgard. Or if I am returned to Midgard before her. It's only temporary. The poor girl just wished to read." She offered mildly, a smile painting over her ruby lips that did not reach her eyes.
Then she was setting the near empty goblet aside again, and running a hand through her hair, averting her gaze from him in favor of looking down at her skirts for a morosely silent moment.
*
"While I understand you took it to be a kindness, we don't have to give everyone the gift of Allspeak when they arrive. There are things in those books that mortals cannot every hope to understand." Heck, there's a bunch in there that took him more than a few lessons, and even then? He still has much to learn even to catch up to his father when it comes to things such as simple castings of runes. "It's just not done.."
For all of Thor's words, and deeds, Asgard is still a world apart, and special.
"I don't know yet what Father will do in terms of your exile. I cannot speak with him until this weekend. He has given no reason, but that is his right." Thor paces and his steps lead him to a table that has some of the well-wisher gifts upon it. He doesn't touch anything, but he makes note of its existance, and chuckles before he turns about to Amora, his expression sobering.
"How long did you know of Loki's imprisonment?"
*
Amora sat up, a grimace pulling at her lips. "Would you feel the same if I imparted the gift to your Crystal? Scarlett has been my and Loki's apprentice. She understands much. Or are you going to fall to the same habit of underestimating a mortal that we all do at some point? She's looking at child's books, histories and the books that Loki and I read while studying magic when we were kids. Hardly state secrets. Do you think I would endanger Asgard so? That Fandral would?" She tiled her head to the side, smoothing her hands over the slashed green silk skirts that revealed her legs in scandalous flashes of skin. But at the mention of her exile she hung her head, golden hair falling over her shoulders as she kept her gaze low.
"I knew of Loki's imprisonment after Sif told me in Alfheim. I told you as soon as I saw you." She offered softly, "I thought it poor choice and bad for all our sake's, and Asgard's.. if you found out here, after an extended time."
*
"Lady Scarlett is not being courted by Loki." Thor's words are clipped and clear, "I thought that was fairly obvious. Should she find herself in that position, then I will revisit the matter."
The Prince wanders back, his tones low. "The lateness in informing me brings unbidden thoughts as to what else my friends may not be telling me." He waves a hand in her direction in gesture, before he cocks his head. "Tell me, Enchantress. Is there anything else that you know of that might have slipped notice? Before I stand before my Father this weekend. I ask you because you are the keenest one to catch news before most others, so do not play the part of idle ignorance. It does not become you." Thor knows she's much smarter than that, and any whispers are certain to be caught.
*
A sigh fell from Amora's lips and she lifted her gaze to his cornflower blue eyes. Her carefully placed mask falters and a look of aching could be visible, even to him. Especially, to him. She reached out a hand and let it fall between them and she pursed her lips and looked away again. "Not from your friends, no. But your lady mother. She came and visited me on Midgard, she would not speak of your brother. It was what first tipped me off to the fact that something was amiss."
Amora sighed again, reaching for the pitcher of wine and emptying it into her cup. She then took a long time to sip at the contents before she glanced back at him. "When I saw Lady Sif in Alfheim, my first thought was to ask her. She said that your brother insulted the All-father, and as a result.. he's in complete isolation. In the deepest levels of the dungeon for the highest security."
*
Thor knows that look, he does. Any other day, any other time, he would feel… pity. A kindness. Now, though, there's a million other thoughts that drive through his head, and he spins away, stalking towards one of the many columns. He hasn't yet seen his mother, though that's not for 'public consumption'. There's a great deal amiss with the royal family at the moment, and everyone is playing some music so those that dance may actually move together.
"And you thought not to tell me your concerns. Instead, treat them as idle concerns with nothing to back them."
Thor turns about once again and brings his arms up and crossed before his chest. "That was no base insult then, Amora. What he must have said is beyond that, when even exile is too dangerous." But that begs the question, 'What was said?' and 'Why?'. "Loki does not engage in idle chatter, so whatever it is caught Father by surprise." A dark shadow crosses blue eyes, and his jaw twitches, but he doesn't speak.. instead shaking his head in an attempt to dislodge a thought.
"I will demand an audience with my Father."
*
As he spun away, Amora reached out with both hands, frozen in time to try to halt him. As if she ever could. Her hands fell back to her lap and she sat, watching him as if he were all the world and she could see it crashing and burning. Loki had told her to stay out of it. To pay her debt to him, was to stay out of the matters regarding the royal family. Regarding him.
Yet as Thor spoke about demanding to see the All-father she rose, moving to his side and reaching out a pleading hand to settle on his arm. "Thor, please.. Nothing can be gained by demanding an audience with your father just now. Whatever it is that Loki said, must have been serious indeed I—" A shadow crossed her features briefly and she exhaled a heavy sigh.
"I do not know what could possibly have been said, Loki gets into trouble, aye.. but this? A prince of Asgard? The All-father's youngest son? I cannot fathom what it was that happened. And Loki offered nothing to Sif on the contents of the insult. Wouldn't it be wiser to try to speak with your brother? Have you tried it at all? Perhaps he would tell you?" Her voice was soft and pleading, giving and meant to be soothing to him. In all the ways that she toyed with other men's hearts and threw insults at other women? The opposite was true when she spoke to Thor.@
*
The hitch in Amora's voice speaks volumes, but this is one of those times when the silver-tongued Loki would be best for the job, even if the Enchantress is doing her best.
"There are no visitors allowed, by order of the All-Father." Thor sounds as if he sits upon anger, and the shadows that hang upon his face, the clouds that darken his blue eyes give it merit. "That is the first thing I attempted after learning of his imprisonment. I am not idle here, Amora. My days are not spent climbing the clouds and speaking of sweet nothings. The moments that I do get away are few and far between, and I find I must apologize for every hour I am away."
Thor looks down and away, searching for something, perhaps that is outside and beyond his reach. "We are not exempt from propriety. You know that. My father is still King of Asgard, and we are given only so much room before we, too, fall under the same rules as others."
*
Amora lowered her gaze, though her hands remained on his arm, a lump formed in her throat. She wavered, standing there in his presence, as she always had. Her anger, her bitterness and her love-sick desire to have him near her made an ocean torrent inside her. Her head pounded and she closed her eyes briefly, "What if I told you.. that on our way inside.. I.." She faltered, her gaze rising once more to search his expression. A delicate hand reached up to brush against his cheek, and she listed against his frame slightly. As if drawn ever inward.
"I spoke with Loki, via magic. I cannot explain the details.. I know you would care for them not." She licked her lips, drawing away from him slightly.
"He told me to not interfere. That Asgard balances on unstable ground.. a nudge.. might upset the balance. He told me if I did not.. if I pursued my own goals, my debts to him.. for saving me in Muspelheim, would be repaid." A cool laugh, bitter and weak sounding even to her ears followed.
"I guess my debt will stand a while yet.."
*
Thor drops his head and closes his eyes for a moment before he shakes his head slowly, opening his eyes to look at Amora, his expression in earnest. He tries to sound kind, he does, but information on his brother that has been withheld cuts him. The pair have had their differences in the past, but now, as adults (Okay, young adults by Asgardian standards), they're finding a more common ground. And with it, a deeper loyalty.
"Then do as he says, Amora. He does not engage in idle chatter. If he does not wish you to interfere, then it is a matter in which you should not."
All this might be made a little better if anything went right, but so far? "Then perhaps I should seek audience with the Queen first." He hasn't yet seen his mother? "I will get to the bottom of this."
*
A sigh escaped Amora, her shoulders slumping as she closed her eyes briefly at his words, before looking back to him and pushing stray strands of golden hair back from her features. "I fear in warning you that I have crossed the bounds of 'not interfering'." She laughed weakly, and shook her head, a hand rising to muffle the sound behind her hand.
"I am sure that you will solve the mystery of it Thor, of that I have no doubt. However, if you have need of me I shall be here. Awaiting judgement." She spread her hands out before her and then paused and looked around them and grimaced.
"Or at the least I shall remain in the palace. I have no desire to push the All-father's judgement in regards to my exile. Not when I already fear that it will stand. I didn't exactly fufill the terms of my return. Aye, you are here.. but you have still brought a mortal to court. Princess or not. Though I know your heart is not entirely in it."
A guilty expression crossed her features at that and she reached up to rub her neck and look away from him. "That is not a judgement on you, or her."
*
Thor shakes his head quickly, his own blond hair moving in the gesture. "Your telling me is what I demanded of you, Amora. If you were planning on some sort of trickery, it would have been done differently, in a different time and place where it suited your purpose." He looks down at the Enchantress and offers a half-hearted attempted smile. "I know you well enough to know that this is you."
He puts a hand up to stay any other conversation, and he ducks his head slightly. "Before you believe that, know that my heart is in it enough. There are… complications that one can expect." Is this Thor? Really? He pushes lightly from her personal 'zone' and looks out on the balcony again. "Either she will accept my suit or she will not. If she will, well…" There will one day be a new Queen of Asgard. "If she doesn't?" Thor shakes his head and looks back in at Amora and smiles tightly, lips thinning in the expression and he shrugs, though it's anything but offhanded. "Then I will be understanding."
*
The smile, half-heartedly given though it was, earns an answering one from her. But her's is tinged with the ache of longing of what would never be. She bit back a sigh, though she exhaled a heavy breath as she met his eyes and looked away briefly, rubbing her upper arm in the silence as he stepped away toward the balcony's edge. She followed, stepping lightly until she came up to his side.
"But it is not for love yet, is it? I know you will do your duty to the realm. That you will be a great King, when you time comes.. No one can doubt that." She spoke softly, her green eyed gaze lingering on him as she spoke.
"Princess Crystal is a good woman, better than me. Kinder, than me. You could do much worse." Her voice sounded choked as she spoke of the Princess, and she looked away from him. Jealousy clogging her vocal chords as she curled her hands tightly around the railing she leaned against.
"No one could doubt that you would be worthy of her. Of anyone." She finished.
*
Thor looks out over the city and chuffs a soft breath. "She is kind. Intelligent. She understands courts even if they are not her own. It was her idea for us to come, for me to return to present her. She told me that she would not accept my offer to court unless I had asked my parents." His jaw tenses again and he considers, "If I were to pay attention to all the little thoughts in the back of my mind, I would think that she hopes that they find her lacking. But if they do not, I must then ask her sister, the exiled Queen." He turns about and leans upon the edge.
"Currently her heart is with another. So, she considers her duty. But, there is nothing to gain from me that hasn't already been offered. And I believe that her sister will choose the side of her heart." Which is only right… right?
*
Golden brows lurch upwards and Amora reaches out a hand to settle on his arm. "Thor, my dear prince. You offer her the Nine realms, all of Asgard, a throne of the realm eternal and nigh immortal life to go with it. What could you possibly believe that you do not have to offer her materially? Even without that? You're the kindest, and honestly good man, that I have ever known. You're handsome and thoughtful and anyone would be lucky to have you." Her voice broke off and she looked away.
"Her sister would be a fool to think otherwise. What does an exiled Queen have to offer Asgard? To offer you? A good princess, second born.. but still doing what she thinks of as duty?" Amora shook her head, golden hair spilling over her shoulder as she traced her gaze over his expression.
"You do realize how many people would die to be in her position?"
*
"Crystalia does not hold that ambition, Amora," Thor rumbles. "For her part. She wants adventure, excitement, and a man that will cause her heart to beat, the humours to course through her body." He exhales in a sigh and shakes his head, shrugging soon after. "I'm sure if I put a call out, there would be lines that would lead to the ends of the Tree. But to what purpose? Power? Authority? A chance to claim that Prince Thor is their sole possession?" A chuckle rises soon after, though it is without any humor.
"Instead I wait upon my heart." Thor looks beside him, and his expression softens, "I'm sorry, Amora." Has he been aware all along? Oh, definitely.
*
At his words Amora looks away, her jaw squaring as she stares at some far off point in the distance. Her own heart thumping painfully in her chest. The woes of many a man that had tried and failed in vain to capture it, all because it was set on the golden prince beside her. She fell silent, her eyes closing as he chuckled about putting out the call for a lady.
It was the apology though, that broke her, and she hung her head, her hair sweeping forward to try to hide her expression from him. Her eyes stinging with emotion that collected there. She swallowed a hard lump in her throat, a hand rising to press against her lips. Finally, after several moments of stiffened silence she glanced toward him.
Green eyes glittered with a dampness that few, if any had ever seen, but still they did not fall. A bitter smile folded upon her lips as she looked up at him. "It is my fate. I have divined with every known method out there. You shall never love me the way I do you." A weak laugh escaped her and she tore her gaze away.
"Did you know in some cycles of Ragnarok you did choose me? In my vain attempts to see if there was any way.." She exhaled a shaking breath. "But in those worlds you are not you. And you still do not choose me willingly, only when other options are no longer available." A delicate, if shaking hand combed through golden locks.
"Forgive me, you have enough matters to attend to than deal with my petty jealousy."
*
"That's rather cruel of me." Thor's observation is given with a little bit of self-deprecation. 'Even if she was the last woman in the universe..'
He looks at her, watches her for a few long moments before he smiles tightly. "I should go. There is more yet that needs to be done. Now that I am home, it seems everyone is coming out of the woodwork, asking my aid for this, and my opinion on that. They're all acting like Father will be going to his Sleep soon." But that's not the case… right?
Thor leans over to press a kiss to the top of the Enchantress' tresses before he straightens again. "I would see your exile lifted by the weekend." With that, the Prince is ready to turn and head back to 'his side' to finish the preparations for his sparring match.
*
Whatever other response Amora has dies at his reply, her figure stilling as she stood as if she had turned to stone herself. She merely stared ahead, unmoving, unturning to face him. Even as he promises to work to lift her exile, and leaned in to press a kiss to her golden crown of hair. She remained that way, silent and fixed as he turned and left to prepare for his sparring match.