So I finished writing Into The Void, and moved straight onto this. I don't know how it's going to pan out really, and I think I'm just gonna have to tweak things as I go along. It's set during/after The Avengers I guess.
It's pretty much readable as a stand alone fic; as long as you have an understanding of how Loki got Sigyn to marry him, then you're good to go really; but this is a sequel. But reading the first one isn't like, detrimental.
I don't even know if I've gotten the characters down yet, I'm figuring it'll take me a bit of practice to write all these new guys in; but I'll have fun writing it either way and that's all that matters I guess.
And I wanted to thank all the people who reviewed/favourited/alerted my story and me in the Thor category; it meant a hell of a lot and I'm just hopeful that I'll get the same amount of support for this.
It starts off pretty fast, purely so I could sort of set the tone; but here it is - and I hope you all enjoy. This is my first time in The Avengers category, so here you go;
Tony had to admit; stranger things had happened. Like discovering a whole new element on account of a box his deceased father had left him, or falling in love with his uptight CEO. But this.. this was a whole new level of strange. And something told him no amount of alcohol was going to make things any clearer. Not even an explanation from Thor with the glorious blonde hair (even Tony had to admit; it was impressive) would give this sense, but then again he couldn't really take anything the guy said seriously; He was Lord Byron and Shakespeare's suspiciously conceived grandson. That was something that Tony could make sense of.
His eyes trailed from the back of Thor's incredibly deceiving head, and to the Helicarrier. And more importantly, the person standing in it. And the one outside it.
The blonde girl, even blonder than Thor but her hair wasn't as well tamed as his, had her palm placed upon the glass. He couldn't see her face, but Tony was pretty sure he could guess her expression. He was pretty good at working out girls; well he liked to think he was.
The man inside the Helicarrier was staring down at her, a face mixed with disgust and shock. And a smirk, but that was something that never seemed to leave. He was a smirking machine, like the Cheshire cat – except Tony wasn't about to take advice from him anytime soon.
But again, stranger things had happened. Hitler had a girlfriend, hell; Stalin even had a wife. It was only normal that a homicidal, psychopathic Norse God with a penchant for mischief and evil have a girl back home. But he didn't quite get why.
Maybe underneath the horns and the armor Loki was a decent guy, he seemed pretty charming (in spite of the whole kneeling thing) and had a way with words. Or maybe he needed to mull this over with JARVIS and a drink.
The second option seemed more likely.
Asgard was the realm eternal. The key word being 'eternal'.
But not for everyone, apparently.
It had been months since Loki fell from the Bifrost; but it did not get easier. Only further away. Sigyn knew soon it would just be a painful memory, something she would be able to dwell on late at night and hide away from the rest of the realm. People had mourned, vigils were held and memorials took place. But like everything else, the people moved on. Sigyn was attached to the label of 'survivor' and was left to her own devices.
Parts of her felt an amazingly huge guilt, and another part wanted to forget. But forgetting was the problem; she didn't want to forget him. That was the hardest thing.
But not today. Today was different by all means.
At first she had believed it would be the same old awful routine; she'd wake up, ignore everything and go to the gardens. She would do next to nothing, perhaps go into the city and show her face before going home. The routine was depressing and pushed her further into the void she had found herself falling through. She felt used and responsible for his death, and she didn't know why.
Maybe if she had been kinder to him, maybe if she had told him she loved him more, maybe if she had just that bit harder to make him feel wanted and not a waste of time things would be different. But he didn't want her love, or her approval. She was irrelevant to him, she knew that now. Only Odin mattered. Odin and Thor; if anything she had been a distraction, something for when he was bored or alone.
But nothing could be changed now. What was done was done, as was the way of The Norns. They had planned this out, and now nothing could change it. No matter how much she prayed.
But on this particular day, Sigyn had been walking past the family chambers when she heard his name mentioned. Her curiosity had got the better of her and she had sidled up against the wall, pressing her ear to the door so she could hear more.
"The Tesseract and him; I can sense him. And his poisonous schemes." Odin's voice said darkly, as if he was filled with worry, Sigyn's eyebrows raised at the mention of the Tesseract, the name was familiar. But she couldn't quite place where - or why. Something in a book months, maybe even years ago.
"I must travel to Midgard, father."
Midgard… Earth.
Sigyn had been to Midgard once before she entered her courting years and had wished to go again since Loki had passed; In fact she was desperate; desperate to escape Asgard and the life she now lead, but she probably would never visit Midgard again now that the Bifrost had been destroyed. Unless it was prepared that was, which would still take a long time. And Sigyn didn't really feel as if she could wait.
"That I cannot allow, as future king you must-"
"No, father. Midgard is a lowly realm, the people need protecting. I must keep them safe, it is the least I owe them."
A thick silence fell over the room and Sigyn was sure Odin could hear her breathing. She closed her eyes tightly and held her breath, forgetting exactly why she thought listening in on this would be a good idea. Finally Odin broke the silence.
"You must be swift and stealthy, Thor. The Norns have warned me of bad tidings. Bring him back. I will use all the dark energy I can in order to send you there, but you must retrieve Loki in order to return home."
Thor was to leave for Midgard? That was the first Sigyn had heard of such things, and she found herself praying that it would be sooner rather than later. Hopefully she could convince Thor to take her with him, he never usually refused her anything.
As Sigyn thought over her ideas, the door opened slowly and Sigyn jumped back, pretending to stand nonchalantly as possible. If she was lucky, the lying tricks she had picked up from Loki would work and she could persuade Thor to let her go.
"Sister, are you feeling well?" Thor asked, his cheerful smile covered his face as Sigyn's eyes widened as she smiled.
"I am perfectly fine." She said, Thor gave her an unconvinced look before he shook his head, attempting to move past her She stepped to the side, hands clasped behind her back as she cocked her head to the side; attempting to be as sweet as she could be. "Is there somewhere you must be, Thor?"
"I am to travel to Midgard." His voice was proud, but his eyes were wary as he watched her eyes grow wide and expectant.
"Midgard? Could I... Could I accompany you?"
"No." He didn't even hesitate to answer and cast his eyes away from Sigyn. She sighed, almost dejectedly before she took a step forward.
"Please, Thor... I cannot stay here for a moment longer."
"No, Sigyn. It is far too perilous."
"I am able to care for myself, Thor-"
"No, you cannot." He snapped back, Sigyn recoiled and nodded her head, staring down at the floor. Neither of them spoke a word for several moments before Sigyn finally faced him once more, her face stained with emotion in a final attempt to convince him.
"Why must you go?"
"Father... Father suspects Loki-"
"Loki?" She whispered, she placed her hand over her mouth as he spoke his name. "Is he... does he live?"
Thor didn't say anything, he instead stared in her direction and didn't move a muscle. Sigyn let out a shallow breath, and then a shaky nervous laugh as she closed her eyes tightly. She'd often exercised the thought of him surviving in her mind, a strange fantasy that one day her husband would come back and save her from a lonely life.
"I am coming with you."
"No, Sigyn, you cannot-"
"I will follow you." She stated, her hands on her hips as Thor began to grin, shaking his head at her sudden burst of confidence.
"Oh, sister. You have changed from the timid child that Loki first brought here."
"Not entirely.." She mumbled under hear breath, slipping her arms around herself as Thor's gaze softened, he took a step closer and placed a hand on her shoulder affectionately.
"Sigyn, you cannot accompany me. It is far too dangerous, I doubt mother would ever forgive me if I was to allow something to happen to yourself."
"Thor, I have to. I do not wish to stay here, it is painful, it is..." She sucked in a breath, shutting her eyes gently before she looked down at the floor, "It is too much for me to take without him."
"Sigyn, he will be different, we do not even know if he lives-"
"A chance is all I ask, please."
Thor stared at the girl for a few moments, gritting his teeth together before he looked away. A stony silence fell over the two as Thor considered her words, and Sigyn waited hopefully. Eventually, after what seemed like an age, Thor began to talk.
"If father says no, then you will stay here."
Sigyn grinned, throwing her arms around Thor. He let out a laugh and gave her one of his infamously strong hugs. She felt short of breath and had to pull away from. Thor looked down at her dress as shook his head, pointing to her.
"You will have to change into more suitable garments, Princess."
Sigyn nodded her head, about to push past him before she realized something. A few words she often forgot to say nowadays.
"Thor, thank you."
The larger man only smiled in return as Sigyn ran down the corridors towards her chambers. Only when she was out of sight did he place his hands against his face and berate himself for making such a stupid decision. The girl had learned well from Loki, that was certain.
Sigyn practically ran to her rooms, her stomach was quickly turning into a pit of nervousness but she couldn't stop herself from pulling off her dress and slipping into her warrior garb; flat boots, black pants, a white shirt embedded with various metals so that it could not be broken easily; and a bodice. Her hair hung around her body as she slipped out of her chambers once more, trying to hide her excitement, or even anxiety as she slowly approached Gladsheim. She requested for the guards to open the doors, and after staring at her attire for a few moments they eventually did.
Sigyn stepped in, wincing as the doors shut with a slam as soon as she stepped inside.
Odin watched her, his face seemed almost angry as she walked up the dais to stand by Thor.
"Sigyn." He regarded her, she nodded her head and now felt like shying away; but she couldn't.
"I will keep her from harms way, father. You know this."
"Sigyn, do you understand truly how dangerous this could be?"
Sigyn nodded her head and attempted to keep her face straight. Showing any emotion in front of the Allfather right now wouldn't play out well for her, she had to prove she was still as strong as she used to be. And that she could hold her ground.
"The dark energy I must use could tear you apart, child. You would be cast through-"
"I understand, Allfather." Sigyn said, she knew her voice was beginning to break under the scrutiny of Odin, and she knew she sounded juvenile. Like a little child trying to insist she knew what she was doing; when in reality she had no clue.
"You would dare to interrupt me?"
Sigyn gulped, flicking her eyes shut as she stared at the floor. She pursed her lips together before breathing deeply through her nose, shaking her head for a few moments before she finally found the courage to face the King. "Please, Allfather."
Odin gave her a stern look, and the feeling of him judging her passed through her veins. Sigyn jutted her jaw out and stood proudly as she could. Thor, too, stood proudly and bowed his head in respect to his father.
"I swear, she will be kept safe. I shall allow no harm to befall Sigyn."
"You would jeopardize your one quest, to fulfil the wishes of another?" He rose from his throne and began to walk down the dais until he reached Sigyn and Thor, his staff held in hand as he stared deeply at Thor.
"As future King; It will be my duty to protect the people of our realm. To protect only Sigyn alone will be an easy feat."
Odin's gaze drifted from Thor, who stood proudly still; to Sigyn. Who was struggling to not show her nervousness. It was strange how the king could turn from a father to an Allfather so quickly. Business and family never seemed to mix; and when it did it was kept secret. even from the people it concerned most, that Sigyn had learned a little too late.
"Very well, so be it. Thor and Sigyn of Asgard. You shall be sent to Midgard, and you shall not return until your deeds are done."
Sigyn felt the ground around her become uneasy as Odin lifted his staff, pointing it towards the two. Darkness began to grow around them, and a thick cloud of grey smog appeared around their feet as it looked like the air in front of them was being ripped apart by Odin's hands to reveal an abyss. Sigyn cried out as Thor gripped her wrist, pulling her towards the open rift and casting her through along with him.
Falling.
She was falling.
Literally falling through the sky, the wind rushed past her and she couldn't even cry out in terror, instead she could only shut her eyes and wait for the impact. Thor was no where to be seen, but then again; seeing was quite hard to do when plummeting towards the earth. The sound of thunder and the crackle of lightning echoed through her ears as she struggled to prepare herself.
And then she felt the sudden force of Earth, feeling herself being thrown to the floor and laying there for seconds, maybe even minutes in what looked; and felt to be leaves, bushes or even grass. It felt as if the world was spinning, and she rolled onto her back, letting out a small gasp of pain.
Luckily, being a Goddess (Though a useless one) she was immortal, but that didn't mean she couldn't feel pain. And immense pain this was, almost debilitating had she not felt like it before. But that didn't mean it made it any easier; especially now as she tried her best to move forward, practically crawling on her knees before she finally regained enough feeling in her bones to awkwardly stand to her feet. She stumbled forward, almost falling flat on her face before she managed to stop herself, retaining her balance by taking one small step at a time. Which would have worked had she not been exceedingly clumsy; she wouldn't have exposed herself so embarrassingly.
Sigyn fell forward, landing against the floor with a weak cry. The two exposed men turned to stare at her, each with an arched eyebrow. And the other had one of the strangest faces she had ever seen.
"Tourists." The man dressed in metal said. And as Sigyn picked herself up from the floor, Thor threw his hammer at the peculiar dressed man in a rage.
Or was he dressed like that? Perhaps that was his skin, perhaps all Midgardians looked like that nowadays instead of the fun illustrations inside the novels.
The man of metal was propelled backwards, going through trees as Sigyn found herself fixed on the sight. She didn't notice the last man staring at her, his eyes with filled with mirth, and a smirk on his face as she jumped out of the way when the metal man jumped forward, knocking Mjolinir out of Thor's hand. Sigyn landed against the floor once more, a weak gasp escaping her lips as she struggled to pick herself up. The sound of lightning being summoned echoed through her ears, and the white blinding light appeared all around for a split second as she ran towards the rocks that Loki was sat on, she hadn't even noticed him there as she kept her back to the sight, not wanting to see the metal man be destroyed by Thor. That was what usually happened in battle, from what she had heard anyway in the stories Fandral boasted of to the ladies of court.
"And I presumed you mourned, too." The familiar voice caused Sigyn's eyes to widen, but a look of fear cross her features as she stepped back and away from the source. "How strange, they normally leave the weak ones in Asgard.."
Sigyn fell back again, and it seemed as though most of her time so far had been spent falling around. Loki let out a sharp laugh and slid down from his perch, until he was stood in front of her. She lifted her hand for him to take and pull her up, but he merely stared at her.
It was strange, to see him so unresponsive to her. It was only when a blinding light was sent through the clearing did she saw the rings around his eyes, the wicked glint in his eye and the snarling curl of his lips as he literally pierced her with his gaze. A breath hitched in her throat as he lifted an eyebrow when she pulled herself up.
"Loki?" She whispered, taking a step closer. Tentatively, she brought her hand to her face and cupped his cheek gently, his snarl only grew as she moved closer, he let her trace her fingers against his sharp cheekbones; and she could have sworn he allowed himself to be taken in - even if it was for a matter of seconds before his hand flew out, grabbing her wrist and ragging her away from him until she was held at arms length.
The sound of footsteps stopped her from shaking with fear. Loki would not do anything if Thor was around, providing the footsteps were Thor.
But instead of Thor, she saw a man with strange blue skin, blue and red if she was to be exact. And a circular shield decorated with a beautiful star and stripes.
"Ma'am." The man said, and Loki dropped her wrist and she stumbled back, she didn't speak a word as he stepped forward, catching her in his arms before she fell to the floor with another thud. She certainly wasn't on her best form today to say the least. He gently pulled her back and away from Loki, a concerned expression on his face as he looked towards her, and then a look of malice as he stared towards Loki.
The God of Mischief merely smirked, gesturing towards the blue man's arms around Sigyn's body as he held her upright when threatened to slump in fear.
"Thor, I implore you; tell your Midgardian friends to remove their limbs from my wife."
The man dropped Sigyn and shot her an apologetic look. Sigyn felt herself being pulled in by Loki forcibly before she had time to regain her wits. Enough that it hurt, his fingers dug into her sides as she tried her best not to show anything. The last thing they needed for the men to believe Loki was anymore of a monster than they already did. It was obvious that they did from the looks of disgust they gave him. Even Thor, too, seemed wary, not yet hateful but saddened.
"You're telling me Rock of Ages landed himself a girl?" The metal man asked, the face of his metal flipped up to reveal a Midgardian, a handsome one too.
"Man of Metal, this is Sigyn of Asgard." Thor said, his voice was careful not to reveal too much as the blue and red covered man stepped forward, pulling Loki away from Sigyn and holding his arms behind his back.
"Which would make you what? A goddess? Or something just as... unnatural." Said the man made of metal.
Sigyn nodded her head slowly, gauging Loki's reaction to being restrained. He didn't seem pleased, to say the least. The blue and red man held him tightly and began to pull him towards the other two.
"What is it, you can't talk?" The metal man asked again, And Sigyn was taken aback. She furrowed her eyebrows and stared at him with confusion at how he could speak so out of turn, and be so abrupt.
"I do not like to talk to people with such little manners." She managed to say finally, and a sharp laugh left Loki's lips as she folded her arms over her chest - much like a defiant little girl rather than a Goddess. Thor smiled weakly as the metal man, who now had a Midgardian face squinted, turning his back and began to walk away.
"Agent Romanoff, we've got another crazy. And I think I need a scotch." He called out, his hands cupped to his mouth as a large flying object - a machine - came into view. He was calling out to a strange being in the sky. Which certainly didn't look sentient. Or at least she hoped wasn't sentient. Something of that size shouldn't have its own free will.
And he had the cheek to call her crazy.