thirty three
"and it was glorious, it was victory"

Casia emerged from her chambers after a brief, and very much needed, nap. She'd dressed in clean clothes, fresh to the touch, devoid of the blood of her new found intergalactic enemies and smelling of wintry spices she begged to cover the stench of death that shrouded her relentlessly.

It had taken more scrubbing than she'd anticipated. No amount of time spent rubbing the rough sponge on her skin was adequate to rid her of the grime of battle.

Even as the water flushed red, the itching of dirt remained.

Eventually, she admit defeat and clambered out to dress herself for what she was sure was coming.

If there was anything she'd learnt about Thor Odinson in the short time she'd known him, it was that he didn't give up. His determination was devastatingly honourable and admirable by all, friend or foe. There was a reason he was the one aiding the new age of peace.

And, so, Casia decided to venture from her room once more, despite the predicament it had previously gotten her into, to attempt to find him.

If there was something she could do to help whatever plan he'd formulated, which she was absolutely certain he had, then she would do it in a heartbeat.

She'd happened upon him by chance as he marched in the form of a determined warrior towards the dungeon. His jaw was wound tight. As tight as the taunt silk of an aerial dancer suspended from the ceiling, one wrong move from plummeting to their demise.

"Thor!" She called out to him and hurried down the remaining few steps to reach his side as he halted for her, the silken shirt rustling against her skin like leaves in the beginnings of fall.

"Casia, you should get some rest," He said gently, though the fire in his eyes was a familiar face.

One she knew she could never forget. Too many times had she peered into the mirror after a mission, successful or failure, and seen that burning rage. The desire for vengeance, blood-shed as the iron-price. 

A drive that could never be satisfied, no matter the ichor upon the blade.

"I've had plenty," She replied, coming to a stop before him. A meek attempt to prevent him from walking away from her in her self-call-to-action.

Up close, the lines of bereavement were coarse upon his skin. No man, woman or child deserved those ravines, but many bore them all the same. In truth, there was little any soul could do to remain untouched by death's predatory talons.

Perhaps those unbroken lead the loneliest lives. To never have loved is one of the greatest tragedies known. Written in the stars above and Shakespearean fiction alike.

"I want to help you with whatever you've got planned because I know you and I know for a fact you're not going to sit back and let those fuckers get away with this."

The determination in her almost ran parallel to his own, though not fuelled by the same fire.

"Okay," He agreed. "You're right. I do have a plan, but you might believe it foolish or even suicide. I will not think any less of you if you decide to stay behind, Cas."

Without a second thought, Casia reached for his hand and squeezed it tight as she told him, "I'm not a coward. I'm coming with you."

His eyes flickered to her hand gripped around his own and then back to her heated face, wrought with the iron plates of a woman who'd seen to much in too few years of life.

Had become the woman she was today because of fear.

"Then we must begin," Thor said, dropped her hand and continued his march to confront his brother.

Casia followed, head held high as she came face to face with fear like prey to the predator. The gazelle at last turned to confront the snapping jaws with a fleeting bravery, regretful to say the least. And yet, there she stood, frozen.

-

-

Casia had been taken aback.

Not by Loki's display on his brother's arrival, but at the scene his illusions had concealed. There the Prince sat. Slumped against the wall, though he was not alone. Beneath his arm, slumbered the Princess of all things chaotic.

At the voices, Lusine's eyes fluttered open and she sat up straighter to engage herself in the conversation, to make herself useful to the cause she didn't know was hers to strive for.

Though she appeared dazed as she blinked though the bright light as it poured into her eyes and even went so far as to yawn, but covered it behind a hand as any well-mannered royal would do.

In dismissal of Loki's question of their mother, Thor said, "I did not come here to share our grief." Loki tensed beside her. "Instead I offer you the chance of a far richer sacrament."

"Go on," Loki replied, intrigued to say the least.

Lusine knew that expression well. Had witnessed it the first day they'd met in that throne room when he'd asked for the dance. The dance they'd ended up swirling into was not one either of them had expected.

Was one both of them stilled reeled from.

"I know you seek vengeance as much as I do," Thor told him. Maybe pain could unite brothers where all else had failed. "You help me escape Asgard and I will grant it to you, vengeance. And afterwards, this cell."

An offer even an angel couldn't refuse.

Loki chuckled lowly. The act vibrating through Lusine's body where their cold skin touched one another.

"I feel although I should not be here for this discussion," Lusine said as she rose to her feet. She took one look down at Loki and nodded respectfully before turning to face Thor once again as she strode to the cell wall. "I will aid you as you have always aided me."

"Thank you, Lusine," Thor replied, bowing his head in respect.

Lusine teleported through the cell wall, covering as little distance as possible to conserve energy, though she found that her head still spun for the act.

"Casia and I will await a short distance away, keeping out of sight of course," Lusine told him, that militant nature overcoming the woman.

Thor nodded and turned back to his brother.

The women could hear their voices as they departed the dungeons and rose to the ground floor where they would await the emergence of the Odinsons.

"You were with him," Casia finally noted.

"And you were with him," Lusine retaliated, an eyebrow raised.

"It's not the same thing," The agent said and crossed her arms defensively. "Why were you in his cell? How did you even get in?"

"The magic of his cell is not stronger than mine, even though I am weakened," She explained with a shrug as if that fact should have been completely obvious. "I visited Loki because I had something to give him. That's all."

"And what did you give him?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you," Lusine said calmly as they came to a suitable waiting place.

Far enough away from the dungeons that it did not look suspicious but close enough to be available for the quick get away. To any passers by, this would appear almost natural and, either way, Lusine knew they would not question her.

"Could you not help yourself? Could you not wait until you returned to Steve?" Casia spat. Eyes flickered gold.

Lusine's lip curved up into a sly smirk on brink of amusement as she regarded the childish woman of muddled loyalties and said, "You think I went to visit a mourning man to fulfil my own needs? Radcliffe, in your rage you forget yourself. I simply went to comfort an old friend. He lost his mother too."

"You're still loyal to him even after what he did to you?" Casia's fury-fuelled betrayed expression was replaced now by a frown that Lusine realised many wore when they regarded her these days.

A line between hate and tolerance. The slash of confusion in the sudden shift her character had taken. From snarls and remarks to greetings and manners, this was not the child who'd come to dance.

"My loyalty will always lie with Loki."

There wasn't an inch of her that didn't believe it as the truth.

Even as Loki swaggered alongside Thor on their approach, shifting through illusions. From a guard to Lady Sif, those did not bother her. In fact, it was a relief to see the trickster side of him shining through once again.

But when he cast a stark familiar illusion, Lusine tensed. Though she knew it was a facade, it was as if Captain Rogers was walking towards her. Unknown if he did it purposefully, Thor was quick to halt it when he shoved Loki into the wall at the approach of an oncoming guard.

Casia glanced to Lusine and questioned lowly, "Always?"

Lusine did not dare respond, did not wish to chance the lump in her throat making an appearance.

The sight of Loki having been handcuffed by his brother did little to relieve that ache she'd scorned herself with.

While Casia fell into step beside Thor, attempting to match his strides, Lusine walked alongside Loki and asked, "Nice to stretch your legs, hm?"

He managed to smile and reply, "As always, your company is a pleasure, Lusine."

Lusine gripped his arm and pulled him to a stop. Thor glanced over his shoulder at the halt, but gave her a nod as he pulled Casia on to meet Jane Foster and Lady Sif.

With every second her fingers were curled around his wrist, he was reminded of her earlier words. Reminded that this woman who he loved no longer loved him in the same way.

Though he could not find the strength within himself to yank his arm from her grasp.

"What we are about to walk into is going to be dangerous and I fear for you, Loki. I fear that you will do something reckless in your grief. So, this is me begging you not to," Lusine told him quietly, without shame for her plea.

"As long as you agree to the same terms," Loki replied, those green eyes of brilliance boring into her own with a much more unspoken request.

Lusine took her hand from his arm and extended it towards him with a thin smile. "You have yourself a deal, Your Highness."

Loki rolled his eyes at her mocking formalities, but shook her hand all the same.

-

-

No single part of Casia had ever wanted to set foot in the same room as Jane Foster, but there she was being introduced to her by the man both of them adored.

"Lady Jane, this is Agent Radcliffe who is currently in Asgard as a student, of sorts, to Lusine, who should be arriving soon," Thor told Jane, his enamour an undeniable streak of sunlight across his face as he regarded her.

"Nice to meet you," Jane greeted, extending a hand for her to shake.

Casia shook it immediately, knowing hesitation would be rude. Jane could never know what feelings she harboured inside. That would only lead to a mistrust they could not afford.

"Likewise," Casia replied, a wonky smile to match the way her heart tilted.

Their meeting was short lived as Loki and Lusine entered the fray. Both muttered lowly to one another as if nothing had changed. Thor didn't appreciate the sight one bit, but held his tongue.

Jane appeared to recognise them immediately and didn't wait for Thor's formal introduction.

"You're..." She trailed as Loki came to a stop before her. Those mortal eyes were wide with a futile anger.

"I'm Loki," He announced, seemingly proudly. "You may have heard of-"

Jane cut him off with a slap around the face and a hiss of, "That was for New York."

Lusine's eyebrows flicked up at the act. A mortal dared strike a god who'd brought such destruction to her home and could easily bring her screaming to her death?

But Loki only smiled at Thor. "I like her," He told him, that mischief in his voice designed to unnerve.

Lusine stepped up and extended a hand to the Midgardian woman who must be something special for Thor to love her. "You must be Jane Foster," She said in form of a greeting. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Lusine Volkov."

"Oh, I know who you are," Jane replied as she shook her hand, those bright brown eyes sparking with star-like streaks circling the pooling pupil. "I saw you when you were in New York fighting, or, I guess, ripping apart, those aliens."

Lusine retracted her hand quickly and pushed a thin smile to her mouth. "Well, I suppose there was little need for introductions then." She took a step back and folded her hands behind herself as her eyes cut away from Jane, who was utterly oblivious to the sting she'd dealt, and wondered when the day would come where her name wasn't linked to battle.

-

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