So I've been playing with the idea of this story for a lot of years. As the MCU has expanded I've written bits and pieces and with the release of Infinity Wars all the missing pieces have fallen into place and I decided I was going to go for it. Please let me know your thoughts, I've never had much feedback, good or bad, on a story and would enjoy having more. I have also decided to release this story by movie rather then one long story over the MCU like 'Wild Card'.
So I know the idea of an Avenger's long lost daughter being found and joining the team is a well used idea but i wanted to try something different with it. Most of the time those stories are written as the young girl being lost and confused to her place in the world and the Avengers help her find meaning. I however wanted to go the opposite and tell the story of a woman who had it all and knew who she was before losing it because of her father. I also wanted to avoid the 'pretty, little artsy girl. If I've done what I hope to do hopefully you'll find very little of that in Val. Anyway, enjoy and please review the introduction to Valkyrie!
"Have we missed it?" Loki called, panting from his haste as he and his mother entered the golden sphere at the end of the Rainbow Bridge.
The Gate Keeper smirked, "Not yet. She is about to be summoned."
"Thank Valhalla." Frigga exclaimed with a hand on her heaving chest as she and her son crossed the room to the golden guard standing stock still at the end of the room, looking over its edge into the vast emptiness. Both members of the royal family took their long assigned places at either side of Heimdall and linked their arms with his, his sight taking over their own.
"AND THE CHALLENGER!! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!! HERE TONIGHT, IN FABULOUS LAS VAGAS, WE WITNESS THE RETURN OF TWO TIME WINNER OF THE WOMEN'S UFC FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION!!! HERE TO DEFEND HER TITLE IS THE SCANDINAVIAN BOMBSHELL HERSELF! THE VIKING OF VIOLENCE WITH THE FISTS OF THUNDER!!
VALERIE 'THE VALKYRIE' SELVIG!!!"
The crowd roared as Sabaton's song Swedish Pagans boomed through the arena. Each viewer raising to their toes for a chance to see their favourite fighter, their champion, their hero.
Entertaining the arena with her team the 5'8" blonde threw her arms up, pumping her fists into the air for her fans. Her deep blue eyes were blinded by excitement for the upcoming match. Her pale skin glittered with a thin sheen of sweat from her pre fight warm up.
The two fighters readied themselves. Shedding their outer layers, checking their gloves and guards. The entire room seemed to wait on baited breath. The lead up, the tension, was almost the worse part but would make the match that much sweeter.
Frigga tighten her grip on the Gate Keepers arm. Sucking her lips between her teeth in anticipation. Her breathing ragged as she watch the tall blonde bump her fist with her challenger.
'The Valkyrie' and her challenger began to circle one another. Muscles tense, both waiting to see who would be first to go on the attack.
The challenger was. She lunged towards Selvig, attempting to bring her to the ground. Selvig had other plans. She caught the charge and held firm, refusing to be taken off her feet. The two women held fast, both refusing to let go.
"Come On!" Loki cheered, "Use your legs!"
That's exactly what she did with a knee to the gut. Valerie was finally able to push her challenger back and rage shown in the challengers eyes would have startled a lesser fighter.
The challenger swung back, intending to catch her with a right hook. The champion moved into position to block when she noticed the shift of her challengers footing.
As predicted the challenger's right hook was a fake out. Her left hand began to rise to catch Valerie in the chin with an uppercut but 'The Valkyrie' was too fast. She blocked the hit and took the opening presented. Her knuckles made contact with her challenger's temple. Blood showing the place she had hit. The other woman staggered. The two time winner watched as the other woman's eyes glazed before her body hit the mat, blood staining the white of its surface.
Valerie 'The Valkyrie' Selvig had taken her third championship match.
Loki cheered from their viewing platform, pumping his fists into the air in celebration. Frigga jumped with joy, throwing her arms around the golden guard beside her and planting a kiss of happiness against his dark cheek.
"She did it!" Loki shouted out, running to his mother and taking her in his arm.
Frigga laughed at her son's antics as he spun her around. Once her feet had returned to the ground she kissed his cheek. "I've never been more proud of her!" The Queen cupped her own cheeks as she stared off into the night. "It seems like just yesterday we were watching her learn to walk and now this!"
"She has grown into a fine woman," Loki took his mother's hands in his own as pride danced across his face, "And a great warrior. She is strong in both heart and soul."
Frigga sighed. "I know." She pulled her hands back to herself and once again went to Heimdell and took his arm. She watched the blonde woman celebrating her victory on Midgar. "Oh my beautiful granddaughter, when will I get to hold you in my arms again?"
23 years ago...
There was a quick but almost silent knock at his chamber door. Loki stirred, believing he imagined the sound he rolled over and pulled the covers up around his shoulders. It sounded again, loader this time. It also seemed to be coming from a low spot on the door. The Prince frowned his brows before rubbing at his tired eyes. Through the window he could see it was still dark out. Who could it be at this hour?
The knock sounded again. Becoming frustrated he pulled the blankets from his forum and forced himself to the door, but not before nearly tripping over the clothing he had discarded on his bedside floor last night after drinking with his brother and the Warriors Three well after dark. It had to have only been an hour or so since then.
The knock came again as he reached the door "I'm coming!" He groaned at the wooded door, believing it must be his brother in a drunken state. His hand found the golden door handle in the dimly lite room and pulled. The second the latch was released the door was pushed open from the other side and his mother forced her way in before kicking the door shut behind her. He watched her in confusion and still partly asleep as she fluttered about his chambers, checking there was no one else present as she clutched a tiny bundle to her chest.
"Get dressed!" She hissed at him as she finally came to a stop in the centre of his chambers.
He raised an eyebrow in confusion, "but it's not yet dawn!" Sleep was still heavy in his voice as he tried to formulate a clear string of thought.
"Get dressed!" She hissed again, "Hurry!"
Loki turned from her, picking up his discarded clothing from only hours before. His brain to foggy to think of much else. He never had been a morning person. He moved slowly, not feeling his mother's sense of urgency, also to give his brain a chance to wake up. The room around him became silent. He half wondered if he had merely dreamt of his mother coming to his chamber door.
The thought vanish as a gentle sound echoed in the silence. A soft cooing. The sound was quickly followed by the shushing sound made by his mother. He remembered this sound from his childhood. Suddenly alert he hurried back to her. Confusion danced across his face.
Frigga smiles fondly at her youngest son. The recent events of her night bringing back happy memories of when her boys were young and ignorant to the world around them. Slowly she shifted her body and the tiny bundle in her arms as to not disturb it but to make sure he had a good look.
Inside was a tiny babe, no more then a few hours old if he had to guess. The tiny pale creature had its eyes closed, clearly drifting in and out of sleep. It's only notable feature was a tiny patch blonde hair that peaked out from its blanket covering.
Loki looked between the infant and his mother, very unsure of what to make of the situation. His mind raced, whose child was this? There was no way it was his mothers. Could it have been his? He was in no way pure but was sure he had always been more careful then that.
Frigga finally took pity on her startled son. "Loki, my son, I want you to meet your niece."
"Niece?" He choked out. This was Thor's daughter?
"Yes." His mother stated simply.
"What?!" He chokes again, "How?"
"Marel, of the kitchen staff. She came to me some months ago in tears. Your brother bedded her and once she learned she was with child she came to me for help." Frigga said easily. She had had the past few months to come to terms with the situation.
Loki starred down at the babe and one thought danced in his mind. "So why bring her to me?"
His question seemed to jolt Frigga from her content state of watching the child sleep. "Because I need your help!" She said, once again in haste. "Your Brother and Father have no knowledge of this girl and we need to keep it that way. Thor is not yet ready to raise a child and if your father finds out... I fear what he may do."
Loki's mind came to the most logical solution. "Then we leave the girl with her mother and cast a cloaking spell to hide her relation to Thor. No one must know besides the three of us."
"Two of us." Frigga whispered.
Loki chocked a dark eyebrow, "Pardon?"
"Just the two of us would know and I'm afraid your plan is impossible." The Queen licked her lips. "I fear Marel is no longer with us. Her body was not strong enough to handle the birth of child who holds such power."
Loki nodded. "Then what do you suggest we do?"
"We must hide her." Frigga concluded. "Send her somewhere she may grow up loved and safe, and when she is ready then perhaps she may learn of her birthright."
"And how do you suggest we do that?" He questioned his mother.
Her eyes locked with his and he could see she had thought this through. Planned. Prepared. Her being here wasn't on a whim. "My magic is not strong enough to open a portal to another world but together we should be able to get her to Midgar."
Loki nodded and without anything else being said they set to action. They would need time and a place to focus. They needed to get out of the palace to decrease they chances of being caught.
The Prince led his mother from his room and into the palace hallways. They weaved in and out, both knowing the patrol paths of the guards and staff that only came from living in the same place for so long.
After several minutes of evading they came to the gardens. With luck they would make it to the garden edge and into the forest beyond. However they were intercepted.
"Follow me." A calm voice spoke a ways to the right of the hidden pair and their charge. Both jumped, turning to see Heimdall. They froze, caught at their own game. "I see all." He spoke calmly once again. "You should have just come to me in the first place." That was the last thing he said before turning from them.
The pair of royals shared a glance before following him through the garden and onto the rainbow bridge.
A collective sigh of relief seemed to leave the three as they entered the biofrost dome. Odds of them being stopped or seen was almost nonexistent now. Heimdall wasted no time prepping the biofrost to transport the infant he spoke with purpose as he worked. "Say your goodbyes now. Sending her to Midgar without being noticed will be difficult enough but two trips is sure to be noticed. I must send her alone."
Frigga hugged her tiny, nameless granddaughter to her chest. "Will she be alright?"
The gatekeeper nodded, "I'll be sending her to a small village in Norway. It is evening there and she will sure to be noticed and looked after."
Frigga sighed, knowing in her heart of hearts there was no way she could keep this beautiful child. She looked down at her resting face, running her fingers through the soft tuff of blonde hair. "Farewell my sweet girl. Be strong and brave and remember I'll always be watching over you. I prey to whoever may be listening that one day I may hold you in my arms again."
Loki watched his mother say goodbye, processing for the first time what had happened that night. He was losing a member of his family. Yes she was too young to know but had she been able to stay and grow and learn he was sure that, like his mother, this girl could hold a special place in his heart. He stepped closer to the pair. He reached up, rubbing a long, pale finger over her cheek. Touching her for the first time. She was so soft, so delicate, so innocent. She didn't deserve this but what choice did they have. Poor thing didn't even have a name. "Be safe." Was all he could say to the child.
"It's time." Heimdall announced.
Frigga walked the tiny girl to the edge of the biofrost, leaving her and her bundle of blankets gently on the golden floor. Once she was away from the gate there was a flash of light and the three adults stood alone in the dome. All evidence of the baby princess gone. The Queen felt her cheeks become wet but did nothing to stop the tears. She had come to love the girl in the few hours she had been alive. Loki's noticed his mother's state and carefully wrapped a long arm around her.
"Hurry up Maria! I don't want to missed our reservation!" Erik called as he left the house. Leaving the front door open for his wife to follow.
"I'm coming! Hold your horses!" Maria stepped through the threshold as he husband started the car. The old Diesel engine roaring to life. Maria closed the door tightly behind her and turned back to the door as she dug her keys from her purse.
In the midst of the rumbling engine she heard something. A small cry. Her head darted from side to side as she tried to find the source but when she couldn't find the source she brushed it off. After finding her keys she locked the door and turned to the family car. She easily walked down the steps when the sound came again. She froze.
"Common Maria!" Erik called through the now open window of the vehicle. Maria put her hand out, flashing him her palm. He was confused by the gesture and turned off the car. Now worried for his young wife he left the vehicle and went to her side. "What is it?"
"I hear something." She responded. They both froze, listening again for the sound. "There!" She called, pinpointing it to the side yard of their house. Maria was the first one there. Slowly she approached the noisy bundle of blankets that now laid in a complex burned ring in their lawn that hadn't been there a few hours ago when she had returned from work for the weekend. She crouched, shifting through the pile. She then gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.
"What is it?" Erik asked, his wife blocking his view of the bundle. His concern for her making him take little note of the burned patch in his lawn.
He watched her back dip before she stood and turned to him. The baby in her arms fussed. Trying to find comfort. "It's a little girl."
Erik stood frozen, wide eyed at his wife and the young girl. "A baby? Who would leave a baby here?"
She shook her head, "I don't know but we have to get her to the hospital. Who knows how long she's been out here."
"But dinner?" He almost choked on his words, knowing how cruel he sounded but he couldn't stop himself, "The university."
She glared at him, "There will be other jobs and I'm sure they'll understand."
Erik sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Right." Of course she was right. "We'll drop her off at the hospital and report her to the police. Maybe they'll be able to find her parents."
"Erik." Maria whispered. "She was left on our lawn. Can you really believe she wasn't abandoned?" The couple stared at each other. Tears beginning to well in Maria's eyes. "We will take her to the hospital and report her but we can't just abandon her too. She'll need a home, a family."
"Maria." Erik began carefully, picking his lips. "I know what the doctor said but we can't just take a child off the streets!"
Maria began to weep, her grip on the baby tightening but never enough to hurt the child. "Maybe this is a sign." She whispered but he still heard her. "A sign from God that we can have a family after all."
Erik's heart broke, knowing his wife had already made up her mind and maybe she was right. Maybe it was meant to be. All Maria had ever wanted was to be a mother and it had only been a few weeks ago when they had been told it would never be possible for them. Erik had decided to focus on his career but the news had almost destroyed his wife. "What are you waiting for? Get in the damn car."
Her eyes snapped from the child to her husband. She watched the playful smile dance on his lips and couldn't help but smile back, a new round of tears staining her cheeks.