27 Chapter 25 - Baldur and Amora

Two years have passed since I began my journey. After leaving Wakanda, I made several detours driven by my curiosity. I attempted to locate the Earth's sorcerers, but to no avail. I have no idea about the origins of the ancient one or how to find her beyond the information provided by the movies. Therefore, I gave up and resumed my journey back.

Throughout my travels, I dedicated all my time to studying vibranium and the powers it possesses. I became increasingly impressed by the versatility of vibranium; its applications are nearly limitless. While it may not be as resilient or possess the magical qualities of uru, it certainly has more applications than merely creating weapons and armor.

Additionally, I have completed the recreation of my second magical rune, Othala, which literally means "inheritance." Instead of seeking to enhance my own powers further, this rune will serve another purpose: to augment the abilities of those closest to me. The idea occurred to me while studying with the dwarves. All that remains is to tattoo it onto my body and commence the second phase of my plan.

I pondered whether it is truly necessary to further augment the strength of my people, and the answer is unequivocally yes. In the Infinity War, Thanos' army was virtually endless. If he had taken just a bit longer to retrieve the stones, and his army had continued to assail Wakanda, it would have surely been destroyed. Do not be deceived by the cinematic portrayal of the Avengers having the upper hand; the issue was that Wakanda's army was being systematically dismantled. While the Avengers are indeed formidable, an army is not solely comprised of generals. Thus, enhancing the power of my people and those closest to me is not only logical but imperative.

"Sir, we have arrived."

Emerging from my "quarters" within the confines of my ship, I find Nordur smiling, with the children of Wakanda by his side. They have grown close during our journey; the general has a way with children. On the horizon, I can see my home. From afar, it appears as nothing more than an uninhabited island surrounded by a multitude of palm trees. We swiftly approach, heading towards the center of the island.

As we near the center, the significant changes the island has undergone in the past two years become apparent. Several fields are being tended to by women and children, indicating that my people are not facing food shortages. Many individuals are constructing what appears to be a project of medieval roads, while variously sized golden houses are being built in an organized manner. As we pass by the workers, they all look towards the ship, waving and shouting my name.

"It seems they haven't forgotten about me."

"How could they forget their leader, sir?"

Upon reaching the center of the island, I observe that construction of my castle is still progressing rapidly.

"It's good to be back."

The ship begins to land in front of the castle entrance. As it touches the ground, Sieg and a girl come running towards me.

"General, take the children to their quarters, and then we will begin their lessons."

"Yes, sir, let's go, children."

They depart from the ship and head towards the general's residence. During the journey, the general agreed to let the children stay with him, as their presence has garnered much attention from my people, who have never before seen individuals with such skin color.

"Sir, welcome back."

"Welcome back."

Sieg and Freyja greet me as I disembark from the boat.

"It's good to be back."

We move into a room already constructed within the castle.

"So, how are things on the island?"

I inquire as I take a seat at a wooden table, with Sieg seated across from me.

"We are further along than expected in the construction of the city, my lord. With the help of Lady Amora and her disciples, the harvests are plentiful, so we have ample food for the coming winter. Only the construction of the castle is lagging behind."

Sieg speaks, lowering his head slightly in apology.

"No problem, the delay in the castle is due to a lack of materials. Now that I've returned, the materials will begin to be transported after a few adjustments."

"That's good news, sir."

"How is she?"

The atmosphere between us has been somewhat tense since I saved her. Now, having left her alone for two years, her mood must have worsened. Our conversations during my journey were strictly "professional," as if our relationship had shifted to that of master and servant.

(I hate this feeling.)

"Lady Amora is working tirelessly. In the mornings, she lends significant aid to the construction efforts with her magic. In the afternoons, she's alone, working on what she calls a means to provide piped water for everyone. I don't understand what she means by that. And in the evenings, she teaches her apprentices on the mountain."

The piped water project should have been addressed many years later. We're still in the early stages of everything, and Amora likely wants to expedite everything on her own.

"She's overworking herself, sir."

Sieg speaks with a worried expression.

"Yes, I agree. That's why I need to speak with her now."

"She's in the western part of the village, setting up additional protection spells."

I rise and make my way towards Amora.

I walk to the western part of the island. Along the way, several residents smile and cheer with excitement at my return, which warms my heart.

Exiting the town and entering the forest, I walk for over thirty minutes until I spot a woman with her back to me. She has long blonde hair almost touching the ground, and she's dressed in emerald-green leather attire that accentuates the curves of her beautiful body.

(She's becoming more beautiful every day.)

A green light emanates from her two outstretched hands, rising upwards before expanding into a mist-like green fog that then becomes colorless.

(She has become more powerful than before.)

"Your magical abilities have grown as much as your beauty."

Her body tenses in surprise upon hearing my voice. She turns to look at me, taken aback.

"How have you been, Amora?"

"Baldur?"

*POV: Amora West of Genosha*

It's a significant challenge to defend such a large island without people watching the sea all day. As almost all the island's residents are working on building the new city, I thought about placing more spells with the power to alert me if anyone approaches the city. I've done this before, but due to the city's expansion, I have to do it again.

A few months ago, a ship from a distant land tried to abduct some inhabitants who were tending to the farms and make them their slaves. Luckily, I was nearby. I killed them and sank their ship. I didn't tell Baldur about this; it was a trivial matter.

And I doubt he would be angry about the deaths of mortals like those. He is very kind, but I know full well the ferocity he reserves for his enemies. That's one of the many things I love about him.

(It's ready.)

It's a simple magic, actually. Unfortunately, I don't have the magical power to cover the entire island at once, but it won't take long. My powers are growing day by day.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"Your magical abilities have grown as much as your beauty."

His voice makes me tremble.

"How have you been, Amora?"

When I turn, I see Baldur, with that warm smile of his like an afternoon sun.

"Baldur?"

He has changed hardly at all in two years; years for the gods are like months. He was wearing lightweight golden leather armor, with that smile on his face that makes my heart race. His beard was a little grown out, but nothing too noticeable, and his hair was braided, almost as long as mine. We stood in silence for a few seconds, gazing at each other. I was holding back from running and embracing him, but something held me back.

"Amora, this has to stop."

Baldur looks at me with a serious expression, staring directly into my eyes. For a moment, I thought he was talking about our relationship, which made me feel a fear like never before in my life.

"Baldur... Please..."

"I'm talking about your guilt, Amora. You're dedicating every minute of your days to my plan for the island, thinking you need to compensate me for being banished from Asgard. You think it's your fault. But it's not."

Every word he speaks strikes directly at my heart. He was right. I knew I was pushing him away because of my guilt, working day and night to turn this island into a kingdom worthy of Asgard, so Baldur could be the king he was destined to be.

That fool Thor would never be a good king; Loki doesn't want to be king. He'd be happy to pass the throne to someone more worthy. The throne of Asgard belonged to Baldur; there was no one more deserving. But I made him lose it.

"So what should I do? How can I rid myself of this guilt?"

Baldur gives me another smile and steps closer, standing right in front of me.

"You didn't make me lose anything. Instead, you gave me everything."

"Don't lie to me!"

I begin to act irrationally, tears streaming down my face. Baldur doesn't shout at me or lose his patience; he simply looks at me with that same smile.

"You should be the king of Asgard, possessing the power of one of the most powerful realms in the universe."

"Yes, I could, but I never wanted that. Being the king of Asgard means accepting the weight of my father's and grandfather's sins. I would have to rule while always trying to compensate for their suffering and mistakes. I would have to be a better ruler than my father, and I never wanted that burden."

Baldur starts to gently wipe the tears from my face. Each word of his seems to lift a weight from my heart.

"You saved me from that fate, gave me a chance, gave me freedom and the opportunity to create my own kingdom. Even if I make mistakes similar to my father's, they will be my mistakes, and mine alone."

I am relieved by every word he speaks; finally, I am no longer burdened by guilt over his banishment.

"Amora, believe me, I don't regret a single moment of saving you."

He holds my face in his hands and lifts it to look into my eyes. His touch is warm, like the spring sun, so comforting.

"If you think I can be a good king, then I will be a good king here. But the life of an Asgardian is too grand to rule alone."

His words catch me by surprise.

"What do you mean?"

My heart skips a beat, waiting for his answer.

"If I am to be a king, I want you as my queen, to spend this almost immortal life with you."

He doesn't wait for my answer; he kisses me. His lips are warm and sweet, and my mind goes blank until he pulls me closer to him.

I lose track of time as we kiss, starting gently and sweetly, then growing more passionate until we part.

"So, do you accept?"

He asks, sounding a little unsure of my response.

"Yes, let's live together, and when the time comes, I'll follow you to the other world."

This time, I take the initiative to kiss him.

*POV: Baldur Beach West of Genosha*

After my declaration and our kisses, we walk hand in hand to the beach, sitting together and simply watching the ocean. No words are necessary. I confess I was very nervous about the conversation, but luckily, it all turned out well.

"Well, what now?"

Breaking the silence, I ask.

Amora looks at me, her face slightly flushed.

"Since you said you would become the king, I think you should have your coronation."

She was right. I never said I would be the leader of the city; I could have appointed someone else and commanded things from the shadows. But now, it's different.

"Didn't you mean our coronation, my queen?"

I smile, and she blushes even more, lowering her head.

"Yes."

I lift her chin and kiss her beautiful lips once again. For the first time since the battle against the frost giants, everything feels right.