Ragnarok, huh?

Dyre let out a breath of a laugh and rested her head against her knees, gazing out the ravine before her to the waterfall half a mile away. She couldn't be sure where she was, but she knew it was somewhere deep in mountain ranges of Earth. The surroundings and atmosphere said that much.

She had found the company of Amora and her Executioner off-putting, and so opted to leave their makeshift camp while they waited for Loki's return. She felt judged, watched, and she wasn't wrong to feel so. However, she trusted them just as little as they trusted her. Which was good, in a way. She couldn't stay away long though. Her stomach gave a slight protest, making her shift to her feet.

"You don't have to rise on my account, as flattering as it is."

She let out a hum of amusement. "Don't flatter yourself, Love. Your ego doesn't need much more preening."

"It could always use a little more." Loki stood at her side, overlooking the ravine with her.

"Did you do what you had to?"

"Yes, but it will be in installments." He nodded to her satchel. "You grabbed everything for the invisibility potions, correct?"

"Of course. Though installments? Really? I do not know these people and they look at me like I am a frail little girl." She sneered at the far-off mountains. "Are you sure you trust their loyalty?"

"No. I can only trust they want change, and that while I am providing it, I hold the cards." He chuckled. "It sounds like you're more riled up that you think they believe you frail. You and I both know this is not the case." He turned his gaze to her then. "Against them, though, you are frail. Do not forget this fact."

She chose to not answer, seeing where he was taking his words. She knew long ago to never bite at his quips.

"I say this to protect you, not to piss you off." He stood in front of her. "I know your capabilities. I know you would not stand a chance against them. They work together."

"You know the powers I had two years ago when you left me behind the first time." She kept his gaze. "You knew I couldn't follow you then, didn't you?"

He pressed his lips together, a heavy breath sifting through his nose. "I knew you were still confused on your own path. I knew you didn't have the capability to keep up with what I had to do." He shook his head. "Listen to me as your friend, Dyre. Do not give them a reason. I cannot be around to protect you." The next thing he knew he was cracked against the gut by a whip of force, knocking the wind clear out of him as he stumbled back. He shook his head.

"I told you, I am not some weak little girl." She threw another blow that he barely missed blocking. Another ball of her crackling energy followed, and another. He was finally able to cross his arms, generating a shield to keep her magic at bay. She held both hands at her sides, each holding a swirling mass of black and pear green.

His gaze locked on how solid the spheres where. Before, they still had a swirl of motion across the surface, licking against her hand. Now, it looked like she was holding two matte bowling balls, constantly shifting in listless patterns with its color. He lowered his arms slightly. "Dyre…"

"Call me frail once more." She flashed her teeth in a grin. "Two years in mourning, in anger, hatred, and depression, it drives you to learn more than anything in the world."

"How far have you expanded your abilities?"

"I'd rather not destroy the trees. They're quite lovely, actually." She clenched her palms up into fists, dispersing the energy.

He checked his shoulder before turning back to her. "You have my attention. I see you did learn much more than that binding spell you used on me in that cell."

"Quite a bit."

He studied her for a moment, eyes curious. "You said much happened while I was away that made you shift your alignment. It had to be something terrible for you to become this woman."

She tilted her eyes away. Besides that, she gave no tells.

"Dyre. Tell me what happened. Really."

She crossed her arms. "You have more important things to worry about than my alignment."

He grinned, eyes shifting to mischief. "No, see, this is fun. You have a secret you're keeping from me, and I want to know." He stalked up to her, though she turned her back to him. He only dipped down and curved his body around hers. "Your king wants to know the depth of your loyalty, my pet."

She ground her teeth and clenched her hand into a fist.

"What could have happened while I was away to show you that Asgardians really are so selfish and beneath us?"

She felt her magic simmer under her skin with her anger.

"Did you start listening to what your patients were really complaining about? Did you realize how pathetic their whines were?" He shook his head. "No, not just that." His chuckle warmed her neck as his arms practically slithered around her. "Was it the gossip of our risqué intimacy?"

Her magic flared over her arms as she pulled away. "Stop prying, Loki. I mean it."

"I thought I deserved to know why you'd be so loyal to me after everything I've done." He crossed his arms, his amusement fading. "We've known each other when we were still naïve. When we still thought the world was simple. You know why I changed. Why have you taken my path?"

She let the magic dissipate, reigning in her anger. She swallowed hard. "You know about the rumors of the baby. You know the gist of why I've started straying."

"I remember. But none of that should have kept you to this path."

"It didn't." She shook her head, forcing herself to be honest. She needed to be. He deserved to know. "Not many were happy about the pregnancy. Mother especially. She did her duties as a woman of medicine, but besides that, she kept her distance. She didn't want to associate with her grandchild."

"Not surprising, given the circumstances." He kept his distance, sensing she needed a little space to breathe for the moment.

"Not really, no. It was only when she voiced her actual opinions did I understand just how much she despised the result of our liaison." She clenched her jaw and kept her sight forward. "I could tolerate the ones about you and I. Those I knew otherwise. But the speculations of our child… She called it a thing. She said she was glad I never brought 'the bastard' to term." She shook her head. "I knew she spoke out of hatred of your actions, but still." She felt sick. "That is why I kept to this path. I have no loyalties. Not to them."

"What of Thor?"

"I still owe him loyalty, but I will do what I have to, if it comes to it." She turned and kept his gaze. "Happy now, my king?"

"I feel as if answering that would do more harm than good for me in the long run."

She rolled her eyes, and he gently approached her. "Meaning you are."

"In a way. At least now I know why you have become who you are." He held her arms. "But am I happy that your mother spat upon the idea of our child? I'm livid." He watched her gaze keep on his chest, not really focused. "Now I can be sure you'll be able to keep up. I really didn't want to leave you behind again."

"Why did you?"

"I wasn't sure you were ready to turn your back on your life just yet. So, to keep you safe, you were kept in the dark. Risking anything else would have been disastrous." He shrugged. "And we wouldn't be here now." He pushed her hair behind her ear. "Look, I know you probably won't want me to, but I can set her on fire just a little next time I go to Asgard."

She chuckled a bit, her focus finally coming back. "No, don't bother." She sighed. "So what now?"

"What do you mean?"

She gestured between them. "Where does that leave us? Just out of curiosity. Where do we go from here?"

He pulled a mock thoughtful look. "Well, I was kind of hoping we could fool around a little bit, and then maybe-" He laughed as she pushed his chest. "Alright. From here, we take it a day at a time. This is going to take some time. A few years, at least."

"Not out here, I hope."

He scoffed. "Jungle-boy I am not. No, I've… acquired a few assets to give us a base of operations, somewhere to lay low."

"I don't care how you operate, remember?"

"Fine. I tricked a few Midgardians into servitude, nothing too horrible."

She shrugged. "Alright, then what?"

"Then we start to gather what we'll need, which may take some time. At least we'll stay busy."

"And once you have it all?"

He frowned. "I hadn't thought that far ahead. Rule all of Midgard, I suppose. Rebuild it under my command, as it should be."

She nodded. "I see. So, just rule the Earth? King of all Midgard. They shall all bow to you upon command."

He hummed in approval. "Yes."

"They will do as you say, for they are meant to be ruled."

His next hum bordered a purr. "Of course. Their pathetic and feeble minds can't handle power. They need one true king."

She felt his presence become heavy as she stroked his ego. She dropped her voice. "Oh yes. They kill each other daily over petty disagreements. You'll free them from themselves. They will grow to worship you."

"Mm." He tilted her chin up. "Speaking of, I have something you can get on your knees for."

"I bet you do." She felt for herself and heat flashed from her core at his hiss of pleasure.

His jaw threatened to go slack. "Oh, that hour in your room was not enough." He took her hand away. "Though we'll wait until I can take you properly. The dirt is the last place I'd subject either of us to."

She shrugged and leaned up to his ear. "No one said we had to get in the dirt. I'm sure these trees are pretty sturdy."

His grip on her tightened. "This is true." Without warning he hefted her to his hips, forcing a squeak from her. "They do seem thick."

She couldn't help but laugh. "Shut up and get your pants off."

He purred. "Yes ma'am." He went to kiss her but pulled back, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "You know, Midgard is pretty large. I might need some help ruling it. Care to spread chaos with me, until the end?"

"Mm, I thought you'd never ask."

His smile grew sinful. "Good. Now… where were we?"