Nataku was running in full swiftness, her feet barely touching the pavement and reminding herself: Follow the stalls. Turn right after three corners. Flowers. Swing. Master Loki…
Master Loki…
“Nataku, slow down a little I can’t keep up with you.” Odin huffed as he ran though swiftly yet slow in compared to the goddess of war. He could only see her back so he did not even know if she could hear him. He bit his lip and prepared to go faster though he knew he could never keep up properly. Maybe Loki could but it would only take little time before he told Nataku to slow down. Thankfully, she finally stopped in front of the only house with flowers and a swing in the front porch.
Master Loki…
“Goodness…” Odin came towards her and bent huffing, “You ran so fast I nearly lost you.”
“Oh!” Nataku gasped and whipped around to attend to Odin and bowed before him, “My apologies, Master Odin. I didn’t mean to be so rude. I was just… worried. Forgive my irresponsible actions.”
Loki. Odin thought. Nataku had been so worried. Maybe he chose the wrong woman to give them information. No, he indeed asked the wrong woman. He should’ve known better.
“The next time I’m to be involved in asking information…” Odin huffed a bit heavily as his sweat trickled from his face and onto the street, “…Remind me to ask anyone except a vulgar, exaggerated gossip-mongering woman who should be reminded to brush her teeth.”
“M-Master Odin…?” Nataku blinked, surprised at the words spitting out from the god of knowledge.
“So where’s Loki?” Odin took a large breath as he spoke and straightened.
Nataku turned and looked at the house. Right, it was a house with flowers and a swing on the front porch. The paint was a bit peeling and under its pale green layer was white. It didn’t look sturdy enough but still it looked cozy and it was the best-looking house in the street. And she prayed that Loki be in it. Loki had to be in it. She walked up the steps to enter the porch and headed towards the wooden door. She lifted her arm to knock but for moments she remained frozen, unsure if she would want to be the first to see how Loki looked like.
Master Loki…
Nataku gulped, opting to knock but couldn’t and her sweat trickled, thinking of him on the bed. A battered Loki with torn clothes and bleeding to death… And then she thought of Cerberus… How he could have torn Loki’s arm off. Loki must have put up a fight but lost to such a beast. And so he was defeated and was left lying in his pool of blood in the forest as Persephone laughed mockingly while leaving with her monstrous three-headed dog.
Oh, I swear I’m going to kick the living hell out of her…
Had she only been there to protect him… Had she only been there to fight for him… She had to find out if he was okay. She had to see him…
TOK! TOK! TOK!
…And say sorry…
“Coming…”
The battle Aesir gulped and was so nervous upon hearing the sound of approaching footsteps from the inside of the house that she didn’t realize Odin was already beside her. Then she heard the latches being unlocked and the door creaked open. Before them stood a smiling girl as tall as Nataku and had beautiful black curls, brown eyes, rosy cheeks and red lips. And she said, “May I help you?” Nataku opened her mouth but could not utter a word.
This Esmeralda… She’s beautiful indeed…
“Are you Esmeralda, the daughter of the hunter who found a battered young man in the wild?” Odin spoke to Esmeralda and put a sound hand on Nataku’s shoulder.
“Yes. I am Esmeralda.” The beautiful girl answered with a smile and a tone unlike those of the hunters or the woman earlier.
“We had been informed that you are nursing the beaten stranger whom your father found in the wild.” Odin said, “He could be my non-identical twin brother.”
“Oh, him. Thank goodness. Please, do come in.” She stepped to her right and nodded for them to enter as she said, “I was getting worried that no one would find him.” “
“Is he all right?” Nataku was hesitant to ask.
“Quite, I’d say.” Esmeralda closed the door, “But he looks lots better than when father had just brought him here. He’s in the second room. Let me show you. This way, please.”
Nataku’s heart thumped harder as Esmeralda went past her and walked towards a door with a handle instead of a knob. Odin began walking but Nataku stood a bit frozen, the thought of seeing a thrashed Loki in bandages on a bed, his ribs broken, his arms dislocated and his legs fractured came back to her. He could look bad. No, terrible. And she could never forgive herself if that happened. The son of the Divine Couple should have never been treated in such a way.
Master Loki, I’m so sorry…
Persephone had attacked them earlier back in Asgard. She should have been more cautious. Oh, what would the Queen Mother say! Nataku wanted to pray, but to whom?
It was strange how she was worried about someone she barely knew. It was probably her guts scolding her about how stupid she was for not being able to keep the three of them together. What would she tell the Queen Mother about why Loki got beat up by Cerberus? Why was he beat up? Because she wasn’t able to protect him. And why? Because she wasn’t there. And why wasn’t she there? Being there is neither a reason nor an excuse. In fact, not being there is wrong all by itself because her mission was to be there… for the both of them.
She shouldn’t have waited for orders. She should’ve known when to cross the line of subordination. Why couldn’t she follow him when he ran away? She followed him, yes, but why couldn’t she find him? He ran away. He sped off. He wanted to lose them and he did lose them. They lost him. It was all because of her lack of skill. Damn it all. She should’ve just pretended to know Lithios or shouted she was sorry. She had to admit that there was a bit of pride in her because she believed it wasn’t her fault. She still thought it wasn’t her fault but that doesn’t justify her not doing her duty.
And now that she was feeling this way, she should not be surprised.
But the worry seemed to eat her. It stung. It hurt.
Master Loki, don’t…
“Nataku.” Odin’s voice cut through her thoughts and she raised her head and saw him turning halfway and standing a few paces before her. He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head as if to say, “Aren’t you coming?” Nataku breathed in deeply, her eyebrows crunching towards each other in worry before following.
…Don’t you dare die…
Esmeralda opened the door but Nataku did not want to see inside. She was feeling uncomfortably cold. Odin looked at her worriedly. He raised his hand to put a hand on her shoulder but took it back. It seemed best not to speak to her about it for now.
Esmeralda went in and for moments, Odin waited for the battle goddess to follow and when she did not, he went in. Nataku’s heart was thumping rapidly as she looked at the floor and she was ready to cry.
Ah, no. She couldn’t cry.
“Nataku.” It was Odin.
She wasn’t allowed to cry.
The battle goddess took one small step but did not follow it with another. She gulped, fighting back all of the tears. What good would tears do?
It was against the situation if she would cry… or at least she believed it to be.
“Nataku.” Odin again.
Then she heard a groan from the bed and she gasped. If this situation pushed her to, deep inside her she told herself she’d end Persephone once and for all.
“Oh, oh, oh… Don’t move much…”
She would take her by the hair and slam her in all different directions.
Just live, Master Loki… Live!
She heard Esmeralda walking towards the bed and Odin who was asking if the patient was all right was not moving from the spot where he stood. She lifted her head and saw Esmeralda tending to the young man on the bed. But Nataku could only see her back and not Loki. Slowly and heavily, she took another step. Then another and another until she got closer and closer in what seemed to be forever.
Yes, it was that pale hair… That pale hair…
Then someone knocked heavily on the front door and Esmeralda straightened. “That must be my father. Please excuse me. I’m coming…! Coming…!” Esmeralda went, allowing Nataku to see the beaten young man on the bed. And when Nataku laid eyes on him, she burst into tears. Then she fell on her knees, clasping her hands to her mouth and gasping, “Master Loki…!”