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I sauntered down the aisle toward the bottle I knew would be perfect for what Mr. Kliadstum needed for his dinner party tonight. German, bubbly, not too dry; it was exactly what he was looking for. I can find the precise wine for any person; a talent I had picked up in 1700 France.
I rang Mr. Kliadstum up and said goodbye. He’s a kind old man. Human, like everyone else here. I did my bet to avoid other magical folk, keeping a low profile.
5:50 pm. It was time to close. I hummed while mopping the floor when the bell on the front door chimed out a small ‘ding-ding’, alerting me to a customer.
“How now, spirit. whither wander you?”
I froze for a moment. It couldn’t be. I returned to my mopping. The gentle swish of the mop on the floor was nearly inaudible from the way my heart beat in my chest. His voice was still as sweet as it had ever been, the aureate prose slipped so naturally off his tongue.
I sighed, “Over hill, over dale, thorough bush, thorough brier, over park, over pale, thorough flood, thorough fire”, I stopped mopping, “I do wander everywhere”
I glanced up at him, towering over me by at least one foot. Of course, he wasn’t human. Even dressed in contemporary fashions it was painfully obvious. He closed the space between us so effortlessly. I nearly forgot my next line, I whispered “Swifter than the moon’s sphere”.
He swept my cotton-candy-colored hair behind my ear and delicately trailed his fingers down my cheek, and lifted my chin so our eyes met.
“Do you know some Midgardian children call spun sugar ‘fairy hair’? It seems accurate to your newest hue”.
Finding my voice again, I gently brushed his hand away, “I like to change it up every decade or so. How did you find me?”
“Heimdall”, he said with a cheeky smile.
I nodded and returned to my mopping, the task nearly done. “You made quite a mess in New York. Do Thor or Lady Sif know they’ve been doing your bidding?”
He strolled down the rows of bottles, looking at the different labels. Midgardian wine couldn’t get either of us drunk, but it was still fun to try.
“Yes, they were both made aware recently. And after an exchange…”
“Fight.” I interrupted and corrected.
“Fight. A compromise was made. Thor and I are ruling together” He paused for a moment. I knew that look.
“Just as our mother had planned”, he finished.
“I heard, I’m so sorry. She was an incredible person” I hugged him, perhaps it was awkward after all this time, but I missed holding him close. How can someone smell the same after 400 years?
I pulled away from the hug and grabbed a bottle from the shelf, “Come on, it’s closing time”.
—------------------
We sipped slowly from our glasses. The view from my favourite tree was breathtaking this time of day, you could see for miles and the sun shone in a rainbow of colors. As the sun gave way, the few remaining clouds dissipated, revealing the stars. We were just far enough from the city that its lights wouldn’t compromise the night sky. The chill of the night air paired perfectly with the wine. He must have noticed the goosebumps on my arm. He removed his jacket and placed it on my shoulders. So cliché. But dammit, it was romantic. He was romantic, still. I set down my glass where the rich moss grew on the bark. I smiled and stroked its soft surface. I didn’t want to beat around the bush any longer, he had a reason for coming here and after all these years I’d be a fool to think it was just for me.
“Why are you here, Loki?”
He sighed, “Do I need a reason?”
“It’s been 400 years”
“Polaris…”
I interrupted him “Don’t ‘Polaris’ me, Loki of Asgard. You disappeared”
“Things were complicated”
“For 40 decades? For years I thought you had died!” I was getting loud now. I took a deep breath to calm myself. I didn’t need to get angry. I hadn’t had an outburst for years; I wasn’t about to break my streak.
“I’m here to recruit you, on behalf of SHIELD”
I rolled my eyes, immediately filling with dysphoria, “You have got to be kidding”.
“While I do like a good trick, no. This is a serious proposition”
I blinked rapidly for a moment, “Why me?”
“You know why Polaris”
I picked at the moss at my side, “If I say no?”
“Then I suggest you run. But if you say yes, you can come to Asgard with me”
I shook my head, “Loki, it’s been decades. I’m not sure I even know how…”
“That’s not all”
I sighed, frustrated “What else?”
He suddenly took my face in his hands and kissed me. It was everything I had thought about for 400 years.
Then why did I push him away?
“No, Loki. You can’t just come back after 2 centuries, give me your coat, kiss me, and fix it.”
“Polaris, look at me”
I looked at the sky. I didn’t think I could make eye contact without losing it.
“Polaris…”
I looked his way, being sure to make eye contact, “What?”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left without contacting you. I still love you.” He reached for my hand.
I fought the urge to pull my hand away, and said, barely above a whisper “I still love you too”.
“Come to Asgard with me. We have SHIELD agents ready to train you. They can help you hone your gift”
Gift. God I hated that word. Fairies are supposed to have powers, which I do, but this, “This is no gift, Loki”
“Perhaps you will change your mind”
My options were dwindling. I had run in the past, and it was exhausting. I didn’t want to run ever again.
“I can’t keep running. I’ll come.”
He pushed a strand of my orchid-hued hair out of my eyes, “I missed you”.
I nodded and rolled my shoulders, allowing my wings to appear and stretch to their full height. No point in hiding them anymore. He stopped for a moment to admire my wings, “and I missed those".
Some things never change.
I nodded, “Alright, let’s go”.
One call to Heimdal and a wave of color washed over us, landing precisely at the end of the Bifrost.
Loki began to lead me down the bridge, “Welcome back, Princess”.