Summary:Thor and Diana continue their quest to find the source of the odd weather and mystical influx in the area. Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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"Starting a war? No, no, not this time," Thor replies, startled at first, but his tone evens out. He has started wars. "As a general practice, I only start wars which are just and necessary, and they are in defense of said world, not to end it," Thor continues, "usually with hosts of demons or invaders, to protect my people, or those that cannot defend themselves. But I digress. This story will influence events to come, and concealing the truth would only defend my injured pride."
Thor relaxes some on the horseback, though his light, clear blue eyes move more to the landscape, perhaps to find memories there, as opposed to potential distraction if he looks upon her instead. "It stems from a disagreement with my father, Odin, the allfather. But first I must describe the nature of Mjolnir."
'Not this time', he says, and Diana's attention narrows upon him. She shifts on Kachi's back to gain more comfort for her calves contained within the burnished red-and-gold of her greaves, but makes no comment, instead electing to be the ears rather than the peanut gallery for his tale.
Attentive as she is, the Amazon warrior does follow the wandering of his gaze if only to be certain she too sees any incoming issue. None arrives or appears to stare back at them. The horses' hooves make muffled sounds upon the dense, wet sand rolling by beneath them.
"Please do," Diana says quietly. "Knowing such details about this…Mjolnir may help us better locate it yet." She nearly pronounces the name correctly; there's a sense of the next interation being spot-on for how she mouths it a few more times to herself, rolling the foreign name around on her tongue.
Thor's tone is warm and comfortable, he enjoys telling stories, and he isn't bad at it. He has an animated visage that carries a lot of emotion; he's a storyteller that emotes both vocally, and physically: in facial expressions and with his hands. "Mjolnir is a mighty weapon, forged by Odin himself, and imbued with godly power," Thor begins. "It is enchanted with a number of abilities which augment my own. So powerful is Mjolnir that one must be worthy of the power to wield it." Thor becomes more animated, gripping the air with a passion as he describes the worthiness. He may as well be talking about a loved one, in his style of speech.
His hand opens and he looks at his empty palm, and then down, as his emotions switch from confidence into loss. "I was impetuous during a confrontation with our enemies. My father had demanded careful diplomacy, and I saw a different path, as they scorned us. I do see the error, now, but Mjolnir left my side. My father deemed a lesson required. I am banned from my home, from Asgard, as well." Thor draws his hands in to rest on the horse's neck, naturally seeking to comfort himself in some mild way. "Weep not for me, though, for this is not the first time."
A sunny little smile appears on Thor's face, as his optimism gently shines through his sadness: "It may not be the last. All of those with power must remember their humility. Some of us require more lessons than others." Thor passes his fingers through the horse's lower mane gently, face troubled.
Diana looks down at her own hold on Kachi's dark mane. The small, introspective smile hovering on her lips doesn't fade, but it loses a lumen or two of amusement in light of the outcome shared. She begins to braid the horse's mane nonchalantly, the movements of her fingers a thing of long-practice even as she speaks once more.
"I believe I understand why your father chose to do as he did. Still, it is a painful thing to be subject to such a lesson. You speak of the hammer as if you miss it dearly." Empathy swirls through her tone for Thor and his plight. "I may be too forward in my thoughts, but banishing you from your homeland seems excessive. To lose a symbol of your might in battle is punishment and no doubt your people were aware of this edict. A family is a necessary thing to instill learning and lesson, but to be separated…" Diana falls silent and looks steadily forwards between the triangular tips of her mount's ears, at the gentle disappearance of the beach around the curve of the land-meets-sea.
"I am sorry, Thor. We will recover your Mjolnir and your father will see the error of his heavy-handedness."
Thor releases a soft 'hmmm' through his nose, though it isn't derisive. More that he hears her, but lacks the words for agreement or disagreement: as if he were about to defend himself, or his father, or his family, but instead swallowed it back. Leaping onto the defensive is what got him here, and he's trying to mind himself: at least when things are quiet and he's paying attention, such as now.
"It is as missing my left arm, for Mjolnir to be gone. And to miss my heart, separated from my home," Thor answers, with a thoughtful willingness to be open. His vulnerability isn't weakness, though, it's coming from somewhere else: since he doesn't see it as a weakness to explain those things. On first glance he may have seemed a moody toddler, but at least he's self-aware about that it can happen.
"Mjolnir will require my hand to lift from where it has fallen. And I will need to be worthy, to regain it," Thor says. "I believe that I am now, but it is Mjolnir which knows for certain. Should I lift it, I will also regain my home."
Having finish the first braiding of the gunmetal-grey mane fibers in her hand, Diana continues on to the next clumping, this one an inch longer yet. She glances down at it as if to take account of it before her attention shifts to Thor again.
"I believe you will be able to accomplish this. I shall also make a point of not reaching for it myself. If it does hold the might of thunder itself, it will give me a bad hair-day at the very least." Her lips lift at the corner in a secretive smile. "I know what it is like to be separated from home. Once you've regained your might, what do you intend to do with it? Do you intend to return to your people?"
Thor laughs, in his loud way. It echoes off into the landscape near them. Thor won't be good for stealth, probably, but perhaps he excels at brightening spirits. "Ha! It will not harm you if you try, worry not, Princess of wonders," Thor smiles. "I suspect you are no more capable of having bad hair than myself." He chuckles, and considers her question.
"Of course. I will return, but I will also continue to assist the Avengers when this realm has need." He scans her thoughtfully. "Do you stay to the boarders of your home?"
"My hair does as it wills," Diana shares, taking a moment to brush a damp lock of it behind her shoulder. The sun shining down is already turning the Mediterranean air thick and humid post-storm.
"But it is a wise decision, to stay here with your heroic team. They benefit from your presence." She pointedly keeps her own gaze upon his face and once his eyes return to hers, she gestures in an inclusive sweeping of hand from his person and behind them. Despite it not touching the Asgardian, her fingertips designate the expanse of ocean beside them and down the traveled coastline behind.
"I do stay to the borders, yes. It is a decision of my own and a result of my making. They are never far from me, my family, even if they appear to be beyond reach. I take solace in knowing this." Inhaling deeply, she sighs and scans the coastline ahead of them. "I choose to stay in this world because of its people. They are an imperfect society, but the rare moments of peace and goodness inspire me in turn. They need my help and I grant it willingly."
((to be cont.))