Built Up a World of Magic

“She lives in a fairy tale somewhere too far for us to find.

Forgotten the taste and smell of a world that she's left behind”

Once upon a time...

In another universe, another timeline.

Among the Nine Realms, was Asgard; home of the Asgardians. The Royal Palace of Valaskjalf could be spotted from miles. The high structures, the walls, the many towers, all made of shining gold.

In the castle, the Queen of Asgard sat at a table reading a book as she awaited her husbands arrival back from battle. She heard footsteps approaching. "Your Majesty, the King has returned."

"Hope he's alright." said the queen.

A moment later, the King of Asgard walked into the room. His clothing covered in dirt, grime, sweat and dried bloodstains. His face exhausted with some bruises and scratches adorning it.

"My beloved you have returned to me."

"Yes, my love." The king replied with a slight smile. It was then the queen realized that the king was carrying something bundled in his arms. "I have a surprise for you, my love" Said the king. "A surprise? What ever could it be?" She questioned. The king slowly extended his arms. "Take a look" he said flashing is wife a smile. The queen stepped closer. She noticed the bundle in the king's arms was wrapped in a cloth as if it was a blanket. The queen approached cautiously. She had no idea what was awaiting her as she reached to unwrap the the cloth. Gently, she gripped the the fabric. The fabric felt coarse between her fingers. Pulling away the fabric from the bundled face, she realized it was...

"A baby?" she gasped.

"Indeed" The king concurred. Smiling brightly, loose tresses of blonde hair covering his face. He had his lovely wife were unfortunately unable to have a child of their own. They most certainly tried but no luck. His wife, the Queen of Asgard blamed herself and spent many nights crying feeling as if she was inadequate. To the king, her husband, she was far from it. He loved her more than anything. Mind, body and soul.

The baby was sound asleep. "It's a girl" the king said looking at his beloved wife. The queen looked at him in disbelief. "A girl" she echoed. The queen always wanted a baby girl. "Where did you find her?"

"Abandoned" the king answered. The queen's eyes widen in shock. "Abandoned? Who would be so cruel to do such a thing to a innocent baby?"

"A cold heartless monster" There was a hint of anger in the king's voice. The queen looked at him knowingly. "Jotunheim."

"Yes" came the king's reply.

"May I hold her?"

"Yes, of course my love" The king gently placed the bundle into the queens awaiting arms. "Hello, little one." This baby was unlike the ones in Asgard. Her skin was a unique shade of blue and was a bit cold to the touch. The queen wasn't unfamiliar with Jotun. She read about them in books. Frost giants but this little baby was far from a giant. Tears weld in the queens eyes. "I don't care what she is or where she came from. I would love her as if she were from my own womb." The queen stated matter-of-factly. "Of course" the king said as he gave his wife a kiss. "We would love her as if she was our own. She'll be the future Queen of Asgard."

The queen gently rocked the baby in her arms, further lulling her to sleep as the queen began to sing an old Asgardian folk song.
"Men trærne danser og fossene stanser. Når hun synger, hun synger "kom hjem. Men trærne danser og fossene stanser. When she sings, she sings 'come home'. When she sings, she sings 'come home'."

Five years later

"Keep your feet on the ground
When your head's in the clouds"

The little girl with dark brown hair was trying to braid her mothers hair. Her hair was a few shades lighter than the girl's own. A nice "sun-kissed light brown" she would tell her mother.

"You're doing well, darling" her mother said. The queen was lounging on a ornate upholstered chaise chair. Her flowy dress a light powder blue, a book in hand.

"Mother, what are you reading?" The girl asked.

"About the Valkyrie"

"Valkyrie?" The queen could hear the question in the girl's voice.

"Yes!" The queen exclaimed excitedly. "Asgard's group of elite female warriors."

"Female warriors? Can I be one?"

"You're meant to be the future Queen of Asgard. As of currently, you are the sole Princess of Asgard." The girl paused, eyes cast downward. Her mother turned toward her. "But there's nothing that says that the future Queen of Asgard can't also be a warrior." She reassured her. "The girls eyes lit up, a smile spreading across her face as her mother gave her a chaste kiss on her cheek.

Lamentis-1, 2077

Sylvie thought back to her conversation with Loki on the train

"What was she like?" Sylvie asked Loki, her voice light.

"She was, um... A Queen of Asgard." Loki's expression was sad, his voice solemn." Sylvie looked at him curiously as he spoke. "She was good. Purely decent."

"You sure she was your mother?" Sylvie teased.

"No, she's not actually. I was adopted. Is that a bit of a spoiler for you? Sorry about that." Loki answered with sarcasm dripping in his voice.

"I knew I was adopted" Sylvie said matter-of-factly. A slight nod of her head.

"They told you?" Loki asked her in disbelief. His face contorted in pure confusion. Sylvie found it amusing.

"Well, of course they did."

"Hang on a second. Tell me about your mother." Loki remarked.

"I barely remember her. Just glimpses of a dream now." she said sadly.

The last think Sylvie remembered of that conversation is Loki showing her his magic. Fireworks appeared from his hand. She stared in bewilderment. The lights of the fireworks reflecting in her eyes. Emotions ambivalent, a mixture of sadness of the Asgard she barely remembers and trying to suppress the fluttering feeling in the pit of her stomach. Surely she wasn't developing feelings for Loki, right?

Loki found Sylvie sitting on a large rock, her face stoic as she stared ahead. Watching the asteroids and meteoroids crash onto the planet's surface. Loki slowly approached, taking a seat on the rock across from her. Sylvie’s face remained placid as she spoke, “I remember Asgard, not much but I remember.” A vague memory appeared into Sylvie’s mind, the castle of Asgard, made of shining gold. “My home, my people, my life.” Loki could hear the sadness in her voice as her face remained the same. Sylvie glanced at Loki. He was listening to her intently.

“The universe wants to break free, so it manifests chaos. Like me being born the Goddess of Mischief. I ran from the TVA for a long, long time. Hiding in the ends of a thousand worlds.” Sylvie’s voice broke at the end of her sentence as she was trying to suppress a sob. “Now this is where I die.” 

Loki turned his body toward her. “We don’t die. We survive.” Loki said with certainty. Looking briefly, Loki noticed Sylvie’s hands were placed in her lap. He reached out tentatively. His heart racing. He placed his hand on top of Sylvie’s. Surprise adorned Sylvie’s face. Making her face almost seem childlike as she glanced at their hands joined together. 

“We will make it out of this, I promise you.” 

Sylvie’s blue eyes stared into his, a smile gracing her lips. She moved her other hand to lazily trace patterns across his forearm. 

Then the sounds of crashing rock against rock roared loudly. Loki and Sylvie look up toward the dark sky to see to their horror that the moon was approaching closer, fast! 

Sylvie locked her fingers and Loki’s in a tight grip, for a moment she forgot how to breathe. She looked over at Loki, his lips pressed into a tight line but she could see the fear in his eyes. Sylvie looked ahead of them again. Panic welling in her chest. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. 

She felt Loki’s other hand wipe away at her tears with his thumb. His touch was gentle. 

As rocks crashed and rumbled from the sky above them, Loki caressed Sylvie's cheek, as if to help sooth her. His piercing blue eyes stared into hers. It took Sylvie a moment to realize that Loki was leaning his face toward hers, lips parted. Is this how they'll spend their last moment? instinctively she moved toward him. She could feel his warm breath on her lips. Just when their lips were about to touch. Two time doors opened behind them.

They looked at each other in complete shock. "How?" Sylvie asked in a whisper. "No idea but this may be our only chance." Loki half yelled as the rumbling got even louder. "Ready?" Sylvie answered with a nod and with that they both jumped through the doors not knowing what was next for them.

Loki and Sylvie landed on the other side practically faceplanting into the hard ground.

"Shit." Sylvie said under her breath. Loki groaned. They winced in pain as they got up as they tried to gather their bearings.

"Where are we?" Sylvie asked.

“Asgard” Loki answered.

“Well, the question is now; which one? Mine or yours?” Sylvie asked as she looked at him. The time doors shut loudly behind them.

“Shit, guess we’re stuck here now.”

"If it's not real
You can't hold it in your hand
You can't feel it with your heart
And I won't believe it"

Ahead of them was a large hallway, gold furnished from the walls, the floor and the ceiling. Their footsteps echoed on the hard floor as they walked.

"Out of all the places, why would that TemPad send us back to Asgard?" Sylvie asked her arms raised in frustration. "I honestly have no idea" Loki replied as the kept walking.

"Something feels off about this." Sylvie was glancing around as if she was anticipating a trap. Loki didn't blame her. Something was off-putting about this version of Asgard.

Sylvie passed by a gold table, a gold vase of white flowers native to Asgard. The same kind of flowers Sylvie would place in her mother's hair. "Loki, wait" Sylvie placed the back of her hand on Loki's chest to stop him. She chose to ignore the fluttering feeling it gave her. It always did, any physical touch with him.

"What is it?" Loki questioned as he quickly glanced around. Searching for any abnormalities.

Sylvie, still staring at the vase, said: "This isn't real."

Darkness... all there was, was darkness. In the distance, a voice. A voice that slowly and progressively got louder.

"Sylvie, Sylvie, Sylvie. Wake up." Loki's voice. He was gently shaking Sylvie's shoulder.

"Loki?" Sylvie blinked. Loki was looking directly at her. His face filled with concern and fear. "Loki, what's wrong?" Sylvie's brows furrowed in confusion.

"You pulled away from me suddenly, mumbling in your sleep. Your breathing erratic."

"Sleep?" Sylvie sat up suddenly. Glancing around the room. The room was themed green and gold. "A nightmare?" Loki asked. It was then Sylvie noticed that she and Loki were in a bed. Their bed. As Sylvie tried to collect herself. She glanced at Loki, he was shirtless and his hair tousled. That's right. She remembered everything. Reaching the end of time, The Citadel, the fight and Sylvie pushing Loki away but still, he found her. That was a few years ago now.

Sylvie glanced down at her hand. She was wearing a wedding ring. Loki raised his hand to show his matching one. "We married years ago, here in Asgard. Wedding rings are not traditional to Asgardian culture but you insisted. I suppose it was that brief time we spent visiting Midgard." Loki smiled. He looked genuinely happy.

"But if it's true
You can see it with your eyes
Oh, even in the dark"

"Are you alright, my love?" Loki asked as he pressed a kiss to her neck"

The words "My love" echoed in Sylvie's mind. That's what her parents used to always say. It's one of the few things she remembered about her past.

"Yes, I'm more than okay. Thank you." Sylvie looked at Loki lovingly.

Loki grinned, there was mischief behind it. "Well, in that case..." he trailed off as he kissed her neck. Moving down; kissing her collarbone. Sylvie returned the affection as she turned her face towards his and kissed him passionately. Loki deepened this kiss as he reached the hem of her lace camisole. Sylvie hummed in delight.

"Let's hope we don't get interrupted" Loki whispered darkly into Sylvie's ear. "I sure hope not" she answered breathlessly. "I love you, Sylvie" Loki said between kisses. "And I love you, Loki." Sylvie removed her camisole in one swift motion. Still kissing Loki passionately.

The sound of their bedroom door opening can be heard in the distance.

"Mother, father! Look at what I can do!" A young girl exclaimed in excitement.

Sylvie quickly grabbed the comforter to cover herself as Loki untangled himself from her.

"Frigga, what did we tell you about coming into our room unannounced?" Loki scolded.

The girl had medium length blonde hair and had her palm facing upwards with fireworks coming out of it.

"Sorry father, I was just so excited to show you what grandmother taught me." Frigga replied.

"That's wonderful, darling" said Sylvie.

"Frigga, it's early. Give your parents time to wake up for the day." said a voice in the distance.

"Yes, grandmother." and with that Loki and Sylvie's daughter, Frigga ran out the room closing the door behind her.

It was silent for a moment.

The timeline has been restored. No more running, no more fear of letting someone in, no more mourning of loved ones.

It's their "happily ever" after as the people of Midgard call it.

"Now, where were we?" Loki inquired. "Baby number two?" Loki grinned mischievous at Sylvie.

Sylvie answered him with a kiss, with much force it pushed him back onto the bed.

"Her prince finally came to save her
And the rest you can figure out"

The End.