Choices

Chapter 55 Loki had to insist on battling these woman, disguised as a woman. Cephera was sure he half got off on this transformation of his. He seemed a little too happy to be dressed up and having a hand to hand combat, something he dreaded doing with Thor. Maybe it was the fact he was technically anonymous, and he didn't fear ridicule, but whatever the reason, Cephera was not so impressed with his interest in becoming and staying the opposite sex.
Cephera stood in the crowd. Her sister and Sif had already had a couple of rounds and were washing off near the springs. For now Cephera stood alone watching Loki grapple with a small brunette. Cephera, of course, didn't battle and would not battle. She didn't like fighting for fun, for protection sure but not for fun. It was bad enough she was made to learn it growing up and even still when she went home on occasion.
Right now, her father was more than happy to allow Cephera to stay in Asgard and build her budding courtship with Loki. Her father would want nothing more than a union to happen, it only meant a stronger alliance between kingdoms and also he knew this was what Cephera wanted. Loki was where her heart lay.
Looking around Cephera noticed a woman staring at Loki as he fought. She found it odd that the woman had a look of pure loathing spread over her pretty features, why would she glare at Loki that way? Cephera could only see her face from the side but after spending some time staring she recognized her, Amora?!
Cephera didn't speak a word, instead she watched Amora watch Loki until finally Amora turned her head and her eyes locked right onto Cephera's. Amora turned abruptly, maneuvered her way through the crowd, turning every now and then to see if Cephera was still watching.
Curious, Cephera began to follow. Outside the crowd of spectators, Cephera saw the blonde walk off further into a bamboo filled area. Cephera continued to follow, the bamboos reached well above her head and soon she couldn't even see behind her. Suddenly Cephera wondered if she was falling into a trap, she certainly hoped not.
"Congratulations," Amora said waiting for her just ahead.
"For what?" Cephera asked.
"For getting what you've always wanted." Cephera realized she meant Loki.
"No need for a congratulation, he's wasn't a prize." Cephera was annoyed all of a sudden.
"You have no idea what you're getting yourself in to." Amora warned. "You think everything is fine? That everything is happy, but it won't always be that way." A chill rushed down Cephera's spine. "Loki is capable of much more than anyone knows."
Cephera studied Amora a second. "To be fair you never loved him, you used him," Cephera said.
"True, but did I deserve death?" Confused, Cephera just stared blankly back at Loki's ex-lover.
"You look pretty alive to me," Cephera said at last.
Amora laughed in a bitter sort of way. "I am lucky to be alive. Turned into a filthy rat, I was forced to flee for my life from many a predator. I lost my mind you know. Even after Loki's spell had faded I spent days wandering the cliffs and woods thinking and acting like a rat. Eating festering dead meat of long deceased animals. I nearly died of food poisoning until I was found close to these mountains and saved."
"He wouldn't do that." Cephera wanted to believe that. Loki wouldn't kill anyone, not over something like Amora did.
"You keep believing that, but one day he'll turn on you, just you wait..., well provided either of you live to see the end of today." Amora smirked and ran off. It took a moment for Cephera to follow her but with the bamboo walls looking all the same she easily lost track of her, in fact, Cephera had gotten herself completely turned around and was now lost.
'Seraphina, Amora is here, I think Loki's in danger,' Cephera called with her mind hoping her range wasn't too far.
'Well she better hurry, this crazy woman is doing a pretty good job beating his ass already.' Her sister replied.
'Seraphina!' Cephera growled.
'Alright, alright. I'll keep an eye on him. Where are you anyway?'
'I'm lost in some sort of bamboo garden.'
'Oh, pick a direction and go straight, you'll eventually find a way out.' Seraphina directed. Cephera did as her sister suggested and all the while she thought of what Amora had said. Loki never did discuss what had happened to Amora. Cephera found it odd that Amora had just given up on gaining the spell book and left quietly. Would he have just left her to die?
Cephera weeded her way through the bamboo, her dress hitching on some edges from time to time. She thought and hoped she was going straight, but it wasn't like the bamboo grew in a perfectly straight line.
(Seraphina)
"Cephera says to keep our eyes open, Amora's here." Seraphina told Sif glancing around.
"Amora? What's she doing here?" Sif asked. Seraphina shrugged. There were enough women in the compound, Amora could have easily been hanging around without notice.
"Nothing good can come of Amora being here, especially seeing as she would recognize our lady friend." Seraphina nudged her head back toward Loki, who was still fighting the large amazon like woman. He actually was doing a pretty good job, now if he'd downsized his breasts he might have managed to move a little lighter.
"You ever wonder what happened to her?" Sif asked and Seraphina looked her right in the eyes.
"Nope, don't care. She was a bitch." Seraphina hadn't given Amora a second thought once Loki dumped her ass. Sif didn't press it, they both began to scan the crowd looking for the blonde. There was no sign of her, but something equally concerning was happening.
Brunhilda was stood at the far edge opposite Seraphina and she had her elite with her. She never had her elite with her unless it meant trouble. "Brunhilda," Seraphina elbowed Sif to look her direction.
"Uh oh, I told you bringing him here was a bad idea." Sif growled and began pushing toward the front.
"Loki Odinson!" Brunhilda called out and the ruckus of fighting halted and everyone followed their leaders eyes right to female Loki. Seraphina spit out a few choice curse words. Loki didn't seemed bothered by his discovering and simply put his hands to his hips and tilted his head at Brunhilda. "You dare enter our sacred grounds. To mock us by attempting to become what we are?"
Loki glanced down at his long lithe body and smirked back up. "Clearly I'm doing it better than you." He replied and all hell broke lose. Even though the mountain was considered a part of Asgard, the Valkyrie held no allegiance to the throne and strict rules stated that any man who dare enter would die.
Seraphina stopped with a growl and before the crowd rushed in to subdue and possibly maim the younger prince, Seraphina began to put her fighting skills to good use, knocking out seven females around her while Sif did the same. The crowd surrounded Loki to a point that even Seraphina had trouble spotting him, but the sound of magic whistling through the air told her he was at least alive.
Punches, kicks, grabs and some neatly taught pressure points had Seraphina closer to the center than Sif, that was until some cheap shot warrior grabbed Seraphina by her hair and pulled her back. Seraphina always thought hair pulling was a katty thing to do, but apparently effective.
Bringing her elbow back, Seraphina struck the woman in ribs and then whirled to wrap her arms around her waist and then forced her backwards until she fell into the women behind them and knocked them all down. It didn't stop there and wouldn't.
(Cephera)
At last she could see something other than bamboo, Cephera squeezed her way out the other side of the mass of shoots and cursed. She had no clue where she was, but she knew she was nowhere near close to the battleground. Pausing, she pushed her hair out of her face and caught the sound of shouting.
'Sera?' She questioned in worry.
'Busy fighting, could use some help.' Her sister replied and Cephera growled. Why could they never go anywhere outside the palace without causing trouble. It wasn't like they tired to cause trouble, but it just seemed to find them. Taking off at a run, Cephera followed the noise only to be stopped by Amora herself.
"It's fitting he die this way," Amora said with loathing. "I can't allow you to help him, had it not been for you, I might have gotten what I wanted. I blame you just as much as I blame him." Cephera smelled smoke and chancing a glance behind her, she noticed the bamboo garden was being swallowed up by fire.
"You would have burned me all because you failed in your own selfish ambitions?" Cephera glared at the blonde.
"I would burn you all if I could."
"You're crazy." Cephera accused. Clearly something had happened to Amora's mind to think she could get away with this... Or perhaps she didn't think she could get away or even care. Amora didn't waste anymore words on her, she summoned up a nasty spell of fire and set the grass in front of Cephera blazing.
Happy that Loki had taught her how to douse flames, Cephera did just that, but Amora was nowhere to be found once the flames were gone. Cephera spun around to see where her enemy had gone and couldn't see her. "Amora come back to the palace you need medical help." Cephera called out. Surely whatever was wrong with her she could be cured.
Cephera got no answer aside from a very thin line wrapped about her throat. "Loki isn't the only one who can turn invisible." Amora growled in Cephera's ear. Cephera gasped for air and got none, her fingers attempting to dig in around the tight string around her neck but Amora held it too tightly.
Cephera bulked her head backward as hard as she could, straining the string more but smashing the back of her head against Amora's hidden face. Amora cried out and her hold loosened giving Cephera time to break free. She fought and sputtered in air as she scrambled away from her attacker.
Her throat burned and her eyes had watered. She couldn't see Amora, she hadn't let go of her spell. Cephera stumbled back to her feet and cried out, a line of blood seeped across her upper arm where a blade had struck her. Amora became half viewable holding a dagger in her hands. The half of her face Cephera could see was wide eyed and deranged.
"You all deserve to die. We all deserve it." She cried and plunged the dagger at Cephera again, but it wasn't Cephera who dodged it or even stopped it, instead a woman had grabbed hold of Amora and was whispering something to her. Amora fell to the ground alive, but out cold.
"Cephera," Frigga said.
Shocked, Cephera finally zoned in on the woman who had carefully laid Amora on the grass. "Put out the fires and stay with her until I return, I need to fetch my son."
Cephera nodded numbly and watched the Queen of Asgard rush off toward the growing ruckus. Shaking her head free of the confused fog, Cephera ignored the sneering pain in her arm and did as she was told. She doused the fires and then sat leaned against a tree stump watching the slumbering form of Loki's ex-lover, if she twitched, Cephera was ready to knock her out with her fist. Today was not a good day.

Notes