A/N: So begins another installment of our series. I am fully exhausted after my business trip this weekend, and also very grateful. Apparently there was a shooting in the area where we all went out Saturday night just a couple hours after we had left. No deaths, which is a huge blessing after the horrible shooting in Colorado last week. Prayers go out to those families, as well as the four people injured in Austin.

Oh, and we're back to post Thor and post Avengers. This takes place after "Breath of Life" and the short "Blinding."

Co-written with Gabrielle Day.

All This and Heaven Too

There was not often peace in the house of Odin, not true peace where all inhabitants within were at least cordial to one another and all inhabitants without had little complaint or pressing need. It had been a blessed past few months of such peace and the Allfather was almost certain it was to do with the peace between his sons, and between his sons and himself. He gave thanks every chance it came to mind, for he was old enough to know it would not last.

Odin sighed and waved the last of his messengers away, sinking into his seat at the large carved table where his people and advisors gathered. The last man was always the one to bear the worst news, Odin mused. "My peace cannot be ending so quickly," he murmured to himself. Rumors of sickness in the south. He would have to go and see and take Rowen with him.

He glanced up as the doors to the hall swung open and Thor backed in, hands raised in supplication. "I assure you I told Sif no such thing, brother!" he exclaimed, laughing.

"How would you know what you told Sif after all the ale you consumed? You could have told her anything and never have been the wiser!" Loki retorted, his expression more resigned than angry.

"I wouldn't have told her that," Thor argued.

"Stories of our long-ago youth really should stay there," his brother grumbled. "Good evening, Father. Perhaps you could encourage the future king of Asgard not to be so loose with his tongue around pretty maids when he's had a bit too much. Anyway, what ever happened to the mortal girl?"

"Jane? She is well."

Loki raised an eyebrow as if waiting for Thor to connect what he was getting at and then finally gave up. Sometimes he thought the thunder god deliberately ignored the innuendos more than missed them.

Thor grinned at his father and Odin did not miss the casual wink his eldest son gave him as he propped himself on the edge of the table. Odin allowed a small smile. Thor was joyful; Loki exasperated. All must be well in the universe.

"What news, Father?" Loki asked, slipping into the chair Thor had pushed back with his foot.

"Thankfully very little. No one is going to war, no one is putting cracks in the Bifrost, and no one is burning down someone else's shop or barn or tavern. There have been reports of some sort of sickness in the south. Rowen dispatched one of his apprentices to them days ago, but if it continues we shall go see what the trouble is. I think we shall go tomorrow either way, as I am in desperate need of fresh air. And your mother has informed me that the autumn festival is quickly approaching, so we must prepare for that."

"Lots of drinking." Thor said.

"And spending copious amounts of time in the library." Loki murmured.

"Your mother would prefer it if you did not drink in the library, and you both will be required to be present." Odin warned.

"Shall we go with you to the south?" Loki asked, cutting off Thor's protest.

"No, we shall only be gone for a day." Odin said.

"We shall endeavor not to start any wars or break the bridge while you are away," his youngest said with a very small smile.

"Again," their father added as he stood. "I should prepare for my travel. I will bid you both a good evening."

Loki watched silently and carefully as the Allfather left the room. Something wasn't right and Odin seemed a bit less at ease about the situation than he would have liked to have portrayed. Though he used the fresh air as an excuse, he had never needed one before to travel down south, or anywhere else for that matter. No, he always had a purpose behind his actions, and if the most powerful being in the Nine Realms was going to check on a little sickness, it caused the god of mischief to question the severity of the situation.

"You won't really lock yourself away for the festival, will you?" Thor asked almost sulkily.

Loki rolled his eyes. "Mother would only send you to fetch me, and then where would we all be?"

"Well, the last time ended with me serenading you from the top of the bookshelf ladder, if I remember correctly." Thor said.

Loki rolled his eyes. "Yes, and as much as it pains me to tell you this, dear brother, your singing is not improved with the consumption of drink. Even great consumption of drink."

"You cut me to the quick." Thor said, his grin betraying his words. The blond watched his brother's smile fade and he followed the other's gaze to where their father had departed. "You think something is not right with father."

Loki looked up in surprise, and Thor tilted his head. "I beg you give me a small ounce of credit. His ways are as known to me as they are to you."

Loki gave a small sound of acknowledgement. "I think something is not right with Father," he agreed after a moment of thought.

"He is wise. He will not throw himself into danger unnecessarily."

"No, he leaves that to his eldest."

Thor laughed loudly. "I never go into danger without reason, even if you do not always agree with that reason. You should not fret. He will return without harm. After all, what could be so potent an illness that it would affect even the Allfather?"

"I don't fret over him," Loki snapped, a bit to quickly to cover himself. He frowned, curling himself up into the chair so that the heels of his boots were balanced on the edge and his knees were tucked under his chin.

"No, just as he does not fret over us." Thor said.

Loki shot him a dark look, which went ignored.

Thor leaned back on his elbows and gently nudged Loki's elbow with the toe of his boot. "We could always follow them down there, if it would make you feel better."

"No, it would not."

"Yes it would."

"No, it would not. Besides, even if it did, Father would know what we were doing. Our ways are as known to him as his are to us." Loki said.

"I cannot think of which is worse, facing Father's irritation if he catches us on the road behind him or being with you all day if you are sulking."

"No one said you had to tolerate my company." Loki grumbled.

Thor thought for several minutes before snapping his fingers. "I have it. We shall find the messenger that brought father the news of this illness and ask him what it is like. Then you can look it up in your books." he said, sounding quite pleased.

"Or we can just wait until he returns and ask him," the dark haired prince grumbled, standing to stalk out of the room. He couldn't place the source of his irritation, and a very tiny part of him fussed that he shouldn't take it out on his elder brother, but as Thor followed without question he squashed that tiny voice of conscious. Thor really did bring it on himself by egging him on in the way that he did.

"Are you going to go ask the messenger?" Thor asked as he matched stride with his smaller sibling.

"Why would I waste my time on that?"

"Because you're curious."

"I am not, and it's a terrible idea."

"It was a good idea, you just don't want to admit it."

"Why are you following me? Didn't you say you don't want to be around me today?"

"I said that I wasn't sure which was worse between your sulking and Father's irritation, and I'm following you to see what the messenger says." "I'm not going to see the damned messenger!"

"Really? I'm sure there's a plausible explanation on why you're going away from your chambers or the library and towards the healing rooms where he would be."

Loki stopped dead in his tracks, Thor making a short laughing sound as he barely managed to avoid clipping Loki's shoulder. "I am...damnation." he turned to Thor and lifted a finger in warning. "If we get there and happen to find that the messenger has not departed and if I so happen to feel like asking him a question, you will remain absolutely silent and allow me to speak with him."

Thor held up his hands, not for the first time that day and nor for the last. "As you wish."

Loki turned and resumed walking with a huff.

"Although it was my idea!" Thor called after him.

The brothers briefly said hello to Rowen as they passed the hastily packing lead-healer and found the young apprentice in one of the back rooms helping his master to finish the chores that could not be left undone before his departure.

Loki was sure that he had known him when they were younger, but it had been many centuries, and while they may have crossed each other's paths as children under the careful tutelage of some of the best mages in all of Asgard he could not recall much about him. He had, of course, surpassed the boy in their youth and went on to his own studies once he also surpassed the majority of the masters in their land. His old classmate had, apparently, gone on to study under Rowen as an assistant. He must have proved his worth as he had been sent ahead, alone, to give a full report.

Now he turned to the brothers, pale eyes showing his exhaustion, but he gave a deep bow, even if looking a bit wary of the dark haired sorcerer. "My princes," he greeted.

"You are the messenger that came to our father?" Thor asked without pause, cutting his brother off before any words left his lips.

"Yes, sire. Beck is my name."

Loki's hand briefly brushed the small of his back, and Thor gave a low hiss as his shirt froze to the skin there. The trickster offered Beck a disarming smile to distract him from his brother's sudden displeasure. "Beck. Would you be ever so kind and tell us what you told our father?"

Beck's gaze shifted between them, suddenly uneasy. Loki thought it had little to do with Thor's glaring at him. "Master Rowen has instructed that I not speak of it until they return, my princes."

"Well, as you know, Master Rowen and the Allfather are traveling away tomorrow. The king would be greatly assisted by whatever we could find while they were gone as I am quite familiar with researching such topics. You would be doing both the king and we humble princes a service by admitting to us this information." Loki said.

"The king wishes your assistance with this matter?" Beck asked. Thor opened his mouth and Loki touched his arm with cool fingers in warning. "Yes. Why else does a king have sons and advisors, but for times like these."

"Well, I suppose," Beck stammered, looking beyond the two brothers. "I really should let Master Rowen know..."

The smile broadened and Loki waved his hand in the air, as if dismissing the thought. "He's quite taken with his preparations. Please."

Beck seemed to realize that it was no longer a request and swallowed hard. "I don't know what's causing it," he began, "but many people in the southern parts of our lands are growing ill." He lowered his voice, as if fearing that he might be overhead. "Three have died already. Master Rowen fears, after I spoke of it, that there might be more. He called it a plague."

The two princes were silent for a moment, the chill in the air having nothing to do with Loki's talents. "I didn't think such a thing could even come to Asgard," Thor murmured.

"You must have some idea of what has caused it," Loki pressed.

"I do not. I swear it. It takes young and old alike, from the frailest of Asgardians to warriors that have never known a defeat. It crumbles them to their knees."

"Beck."

The two princes and the young assistant turned to see Rowen standing in the doorway.

"Master Rowen!" Beck exclaimed.

Rowen eyed them all, but addressed only his apprentice. "Would you please fetch Freya. There are tasks I must assign to her while I am away tomorrow." he asked.

Beck bowed to the princes and to his teacher before leaving as quickly as he could without actually dashing away.

Rowen shook his head. "The two of you are incorrigible. I know for fact that Odin has not requested your...assistance in this matter."

"With all do respect, Master Rowen, three deaths hardly constitutes a plague. There must be more to young Beck's report than even he realizes." Loki said, frowning.

"Aspiring healer now, are you my lord?" Rowen said with a wry smile. He eased himself into a seat with a soft "oof" before sighing. "You are right, of course. Three deaths hardly constitutes anything at all. Could have been an animal with poison in its blood that was slaughtered for festival, or some sort of small vicious creature sinking its teeth into soft flesh in the night. There are all sorts of things that it might be. What concerns me is that not one who has fallen ill has recovered. One of our fallen it took in one week, another one day. Beck brought news that near seven others are displaying symptoms...including the healer that lives there. That is why we must go."

"You think it could be an attack from outside Asgard?" Thor asked.

Rowen shrugged. "Your father wishes to dismiss the possibility."

Loki studied the healer's expression carefully. Illness and death from it was not unheard of in Asgard, but it certainly was not as prevalent as in places such as Midgard. If it began to spread there would be a panic in the outer cities and it would move inward, disrupting everything, including the ability to get a handle on the situation. "Will you isolate the cases?"

"I do not know our course of action until we arrive," Rowen sighed. "Now, if you will allow, I will say the same thing to you as I did when you were merely curious youths: off with you to something more productive than eavesdropping on my unproven theories and preparations. I assure you that if your father believes it is in Asgard's best interest to bring you into the situation, he will do so, otherwise he must have a reason for keeping you at arm's length. Good evening, my princes."

That was a dismissal if they had ever heard one, and before Thor could open his mouth to argue Loki had hold of his sleeve, pulling slightly as they headed for the door. "There is a time and a place," he said lowly.

"We are no longer curious youths." Thor complained.

"No. Now we are curious men backed by royal authority which I am sure is quite more troubling to him." Loki said.

"We did not even hear what the symptoms were."

"No, not that it would have done much. As he said, we are hardly aspiring healers. By the time we narrowed it down to anything useful they will have returned. I am afraid that we shall simply have to wait until tomorrow evening."

Their wait became much longer than they had anticipated. Odin and his head healer were gone long before the sun came up the next morning, with his wife watching his departure from one balcony and his sons watching from another. When the sun fell that evening and they had not returned, it took all of Loki's skills to coax his brother not to charge after them or go banging down Heimdall's door for information. By the time the sun had set on the second day, Loki did not try as hard to convince Thor not to go. When the sun set on the third day and there had been no sign of them, nor a messenger back, Loki and Thor were in the stables together preparing to go after their father.

Just as Thor was about to mount a servant's child tumbled into the stable. "My lords," he said breathlessly, "the king has returned."


TBC

A/N: First I meant to get this uploaded last night... That didn't happen, so I told myself "before I leave for work." Yeah, you see how well that went as well. So lunch break it is. Enjoy, and I hope you love it! (Oh, and no spoilers for the last ep of The Hollow Crown, if you watch it, please. I'm still catching up!)