The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Temporary Asgardians
Disclaimer: All characters mentioned belong to Marvel or the Norse myths. I just play with them.
A/N: So, here it is! I took forever to write it, and forever to post it,but here it is. Sorry for any inconvenience. I had my youth retreat for church, so that's why this took so long.
I have this rated K+ because of the story of Sleipnir. Those of you who are familiar with the myths know why. Even those who don't can probably get the basic line and understand why it is that Loki is so afraid of Svadilfare. Please let me know if you think I should bump the rating up to T.
Also, if you think I should put this in the crossover section because it takes place in Asgard, let me know. I wasn't sure if I should or not.
I'm rambling again, so here's the story...
Thor practically dances as he waits outside Loki's chambers. This time his friends are coming to his home. He's felt bad for a while now that they have been hosting him, and he has finally gotten them to come to Asgard. Now the only problem is getting Loki and his family to come out.
He can hear the little voices of his youngest nephews, Vali and Narfi, as Loki gets them ready. Vali and Narfi are twins, and look so much alike that nearly everyone has trouble telling them apart. Even Loki sometimes calls one by the other's name. Sigyn never makes the mistake, though. She can always tell who needs to eat their spinach and who still has half a cup of goat milk.
Loki's only daughter, Hela, is the youngest of his children. She's a strange little thing, with half of her body dead and the other beautiful. On her 'good side', her hair falls in dark brown waves. The right side is straight and white. While most think her revolting, Thor can only see her as endearing. He can't understand why anyone would not love the four year old.
No sound comes from Hela as Sigyn fuses over the child. She's always very quiet, though. Her silence had worried her parents to the point that they had taken her to one of the best healers in the realms. The healer - an old elf named Ain - had assured them that the girl would speak in her own time. And speak she did. The first time she ever showed her voice was when she was three - almost exactly a year before. It had been a complete sentence, too. When she does speak, which isn't often, her words are wise. For a four year old, that is.
Thor is getting extremely impatient. He bangs on the door and calls, "Hurry up, Loki! We're supposed to meet Sif and the Warriors Three in ten minutes!"
The door is opened right as his fist goes down to rap harshly on the wood and Thor's knuckles collide with Loki's nose. The trickster backs away, clutching his inured nose and murmuring, "Towel, towel..."
Blood runs down his arms from his nose. Sigyn's eyes are wide as she sets Hela on the floor and rushes away in a flurry of skirts. The two disappear into an adjacent room, leaving a very bewildered Thor and their three youngest children.
Hela looks up at Thor and gives him an odd look. It would've taken any other man centuries to figure out what the look was, but Thor recognizes it immediately. The strange little expression on the child's face is a smile. Only the left side of her mouth moves upward, turning her face into one of garish amusement.
Thor only smiles in return, though he is concerned for his brother. His worry dissolves when Vali and Narfi explode with laughter.
"Did you see his face?"
"He definitely wasn't expecting that!"
The twins are eight, maybe nine, and apparently very excited to see their father bleeding. They obviously are more like their uncle than father. This makes sense, seeing as they spend more time with the thunderer than the liesmith. But seriously, what pair of twins would really want to hang out with a guy who studies and practices magic all day?
When Loki and Sigyn come back, the former holds a hand towel under his nose. When his eyes meet Thor's, they both start laughing. Sigyn looks a bit bewildered, but smiles politely as Thor guffaws. The brothers' laughter only causes Narfi, Vali and Hela's little laughs to grow.
After almost five minutes of laughing, even Thor's booms calm down to chuckles. Loki watches his big brother with an eyebrow raised. Did the oaf ever stop? Finally the god of thunder catches the trickster's look and ceases his laughter.
Thor clears his throat and says awkwardly, "Well, seeing as we are all ready now, we should go and meet with the others before our Midgardian friends arrive."
Loki nods and flicks his wrist, making the bloody towel disappear.
Twenty five minutes later, Thor, Sif, the Warriors Three, Loki and his family are waiting with Heimdall on the Bifrost. Any minute now the Avengers will arrive, and Thor can begin his tour of Asgard. He is currently grinning from ear to ear and looking very excited.
The kids look pretty excited, too. Even Hela. She wouldn't appear to feel anything to anyone else, but all those gathered there know what the odd little face is meant to convey. The twins are easier to read, with their bright eyes and big grins that are both missing teeth. They joke around with one another, guessing about what the Avengers will look like.
Sigyn hushes everyone up when the telltale gust of wind blows through the area. In just a matter of seconds, the Avengers - and Pepper of course - stand before them. Thor grins at them, unaware of the looks they give his nephews and niece. Loki doesn't miss it, however, and pulls Hela up onto his hip.
Bruce and the girls look sympathetic, Steve's eyes are round, Clint looks disgusted, and Tony says flatly, "Ew."
Hela turns her face into Loki's shoulder and sobs. Her frail body shakes violently as she cries into her father. She really thought that these people would be nicer. Loki had told her that they may think her strange, but that they would be kind and welcoming. Apparently he had been wrong. At least about this short, bearded man.
Sigyn steps up to Tony and says angrily, "Don't you dare call my daughter ugly! She is my beautiful little girl, and if you say otherwise, you will know the wrath of a mother!"
Tony - not surprisingly - takes a step back. This Sigyn is very different from the one he met on July 4th. This Sigyn is protective. This Sigyn is loud.
Loki's trademark smirk crawls across his face. Sigyn really could be vicious. He'd learned that the hard way before they were even married. That's what had drawn him to her. The way that quiet, gentle Sigyn could turn into a fierce tiger truly fascinated Loki. And it takes a lot to fascinate the god of lies.
Sigyn takes another step toward Tony and he moves back, keeping the distance between them. The woman jabs a finger at Tony and says, "If you even act like you might say something unkind about Hela, I won't hesitate to hurt you. You have my word."
Tony nods and puts his hands up as a barrier. "Sure thing. She really is pretty. I didn't actually mean what I said."
Loki's wife gives him a single quick nod before going back to stand beside her husband. Loki gives her a quick kiss and looks at Tony, daring the inventor to say something else.
After all the introductions were made, Thor led his huge group of friends to his mother's garden. This is where they are now. Pepper can't get enough of the roses, and Natasha is amazed by the bright green flowers of one plant. Clint can't stop himself from thinking that the tiny pink blossoms of another bush are like the Black Widow in that they are extremely deadly. Tony loves the little red flowers with yellow centers. Bruce admires the leaves of one tree that ripple, changing colors like the Bifrost. Steve thinks that the huge, baby blue blooms are simply adorable.
Thor the Warriors Three, Sif, and Loki and his family stand aside and watch as the Avengers gape in wonder. Fandral leans over and whispers something to Sif, who actually cracks a smile. The blond warrior looks immensely pleased with himself at his accomplishment. Hogun stays completely silent; his legs spread a bit apart, his arms folded, and his face blank. Volstagg smiles and offers advice like, "Don't touch those, they bite.", "The queen does not appreciate people treading on her moss." and "I wouldn't smell those if I were you. It's very unpleasant."
Tony was the one to find the most important feature of the garden. This is to be expected. Rich people are attracted to gold. The billionaire points up at one of the shining apples and asks curiously, "What makes those gold?"
Thor smiles. "They grow that way, Man of Iron. There is no explanation as to how or why."
Stark looks a bit disappointed for a moment. Then he asks, reaching his hand up to the fruit, "Can I have one?"
"NO!" Every person who lives in Asgard yells at the same time. Even Hela.
Tony pulls his hand back quickly, looking greatly surprised. "Okay, okay. Sorry. Sheesh."
Thor runs a hand through his hair, mussing the blond locks. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before saying, "No, Stark, you may not have one of Idunn's apples. Only she can safely take of the tree. No other save Loki has ever done so."
Tony crosses his arms. He now looks annoyed. "So, Rock of Ages can pick the stupid fruit but I can't? How is this fair?"
"How is life fair?"
Every Asgardian gulps. Tony is almost afraid to turn around. But he has to see who spoke. So he slowly turns to face the speaker and is immediately puzzled.
The voice belongs to a young girl. But that doesn't make any sense. It had been a woman's voice. So what is this twelve year old girl doing standing there, peeking around the tree?
Tony leans over and looks around the trunk of the tree. Nothing. Well, the little girl is there, but no woman. The inventor stands upright again and looks down at the child.
"Excuse me, did you just say that?"
The girl nods and says in that same too-old-for-this-body voice, "Yes, friend Stark. It was my voice that you heard."
Tony chuckles nervously and looks back at the others for assistance. Thor shakes his head and Loki smiles slightly. The rest of the group just watches with wide eyes, curious to see what will happen. Anthony turns and is about to say something when he realizes that the girl has disappeared. Her voice hasn't, though.
"Be careful, Stark. Make sure that your hands stay in safe places."
Sif and Fandral begin herding the Avengers toward the exit. Idunn's strange voice continues on, warning each of them to live good, noble lives. To make the most of their short time, since they didn't have much of it. And, above all, to never, ever take her apples.
Next, Thor leads the group to the royal stables. They're all still a bit freaked out by the Idunn episode. Once they reach the stables, Loki directs them over to a particularly large stall. Thor recognizes it and moves closer to Loki.
"Are you sure you want to show them?" The god of thunder looks worried for his brother.
Loki nods and answers softly, "Yes, Thor. They already know about the story."
Thor gives him a last look before moving over to Tony and saying quietly, "Have care how you speak. You do not wish to insult Loki again."
Tony looks a bit confused, but understands when Loki opens up the stall door. He doesn't, however, heed Thor's advice.
"Oh my gosh, what the heck is that?"
Thor groans as Loki turns around. He is right in Tony's face as he snaps, "That is my son. If you way one more cruel thing about my children-"
Thor cuts him off with his rushed words, "Loki, he meant no ill will against your equine son. You know all who see him are shocked. The Man of Iron is no different."
Hela has paid no attention to her father's outburst. She reaches out for the strange eight-legged horse and calls, "Slippy, Slippy!"
The horse tosses its head and gently presses its nose to the girl's. Hela giggles in delight and strokes her brother's face. Loki seems to have forgotten that he is angry with Tony and grins broadly as he watches his youngest and oldest children play with one another.
Vali and Narfi pull away from Sigyn to join the little group around the horse. Pepper and Natasha even step forward to pet him. It's a little awkward, since this animal is Loki's son, but he seems to enjoy all the attention.
Loki turns to Clint. "You were wondering how I could be a mother, were you not?"
The archer nods and Loki goes on, "Long years ago, when I was the Midgardian equivalent of twenty, a dwarf came to Odin with a proposal. The dwarf offered to build a great wall that would protect all of Asgard from the Frost Giants forever."
Everyone has fallen silent. They are all listening to Loki. Not only is he a wonderful story teller, but he barely ever speaks about this subject.
"Odin knew that no service so great would be done without payment. When asked what reward he wished to be granted, the dwarf requested possession of the goddess Freya, as well as the sun and moon.
"Of course, this demand was great, but the gods' desire for this wall of protection was greater. All the gods were called to council. Some wished to reject the dwarf's offer, while others had yet to decide where they stood on the matter. When asked for my counsel, I advised that we accept the offer. The dwarf would have to do the work alone and in the space of a single winter. When these conditions were presented to the dwarf, he agreed, but said that he should be allowed the use of his horse, Svadilfare. By my own advice, the gods granted the dwarf the use of his horse. I did not think that even with the help of a beast the dwarf could finish such a task in the time allowed."
Loki pauses his tale to shift Hela to his other hip. He conjures up a glass of water, takes a sip, and sets the glass on the edge of the stall door.
"The work began the next day. The dwarf worked hard, and by the sunrise of the second day, the foundations were set and several large stones already gathered. Men and women alike clustered to watch. Even the fair goddess Freya oversaw the construction.
"This heavy work continued all winter long. By the time spring drew nigh, the wall was nearly completed. Freya had no wish to go with the dwarf, and convinced the gods that I was to blame for this disaster. The council declared that I was to be put to death if I could not find some way to prevent the completion of the wall.
"They seized me violently. Needless to say I was frightened. I swore a solemn oath that, no matter what happened to me, I would find some way to stop the work. They let me go and I went immediately to my chambers. I only had three days until the first day of spring. If the work was completed by then, I would be killed for my evil."
Sleipnir stamps two of his front hooves and tosses his dark mane. Loki reaches up and scratches behind the horse's ear as he continues his tale,
"After hours of thought, I finally came up with a plan. Since the horse, Svadilfare, obviously did a great amount of work, probably more than the dwarf, I would have to somehow stop it. If I injured Svadilfare, the dwarf would know. So I decided to use the creature's instincts.
"I went through all of my books and found the enchantment I was looking for. I practiced it until I was comfortable and went out to do the dirty work. I used the spell once I got to the wall, turning myself into a mare. Svadilfare took interest, being the male he was. He followed me into the forest without hesitation. Some time later, Sleipnir was born."
Tony crosses his arms and says, "So, you're saying that, to save your skin, you got pregnant."
Loki scowls and doesn't answer. Vali looks up at Tony and says matter-of-factly, "He's braver than you."
Tony puts a hand over his heart and looks as if he's about to say something very Stark-esque , but Thor booms, "I had a part in that story, too!"
Loki pats Thor's arm gently. "Another time, brother. Another time."
Thor nods and Sif rolls her eyes. She, Loki, and the Warriors Three have heard the thunderer's part of the story countless times. It's one of his favorites, because he defeated the dwarf - who turned out to be a Frost Giant in disguise - so easily. When he tells the story, Loki is almost as evil as the giant, and Sleipnir is his punishment. This isn't true, though. To Loki, Sleipnir is a blessing.
Two very large men come in leading the biggest horse any of the Avengers have ever seen. Fandral lightly taps Thor's shoulder and points at the approaching men and beast. Thor's face darkens and he says in an unnaturally quiet tone, "We must go."
Loki's eyes flick to the huge horse and widen. They look perfectly round. He shoves Sleipnir back into his stall and hoists Hela up a bit. The look in his eyes is one of immense fear.
Loki slams the stall door shut and fumbles with the lock. Finally he gets it locked. Sif gently lifts Hela into her own arms. Loki's going to need both hands for this.
The Asgardians set off toward the stable door, walking as quickly as they can without running. Sigyn has to hold up her skirts. None of the Avengers knows what's going on, but they walk along with the others.
Clint catches up with Loki and asks, "Care to tell me what the heck is going on?"
Loki says a single word and Clint knows why the liesmith is so scared. "Svadilfare."
The giant horse seems to hear his name and is head shoots straight into the air. He pulls away from his handlers and trots over to the fleeing group. Once he gets so close that they can feel his breath on their necks, Loki drops to the ground in a ball, his arms covering his head.
"No, please no!"
Svadilfare doesn't seem to care and he nuzzles Loki's hair. Thor turns around and places Vali and Narfi on the ground.
"Loki, just stay still and he won't hurt you."
Loki shivers in his little curled up state. The horse continues to sniff him over. Clint realizes that the beast recognizes Loki. At least his smell. The archer stands nearby, ready to help if he's needed. He and Thor are the only ones who stayed behind with Loki. Everyone else is waiting outside of the stables.
The two men hurry over and pull Svadilfare away. They both look worried. Worried for their jobs. Once they have led the animal away, Loki stands. He's still shaking.
"I'm very sorry yer 'ighness. Didn't mean fer 'im to git away."
Loki nods and brushes himself off, his hands trembling. He mutters, "Do not worry yourselves. No harm done."
As they walk away, Thor says gruffly, "See that it doesn't happen again."
The men nod vigorously and murmur agreement.
When Clint, Thor, and Loki walk through the stable door, the others give them curious looks. Loki says nothing, Thor is too worried for his brother to speak, and Clint waves them away.
The whole group is silent as Thor leads them to their next and last destination.
The final spot that they visit is the throne room. Since they go through the dining hall to get there, the group also gets to see the shining marble and polished gold. The mahogany tables are huge. A single table is long enough for all the Avengers, Sif, the Warriors Three, Loki and his family to sit comfortably together.
The dining hall is nothing compared to the grandeur of the throne room. The huge pillars that line the room are, without a doubt, very impressive. They make even Thor look small. Clint feels that they would be able to make anyone appear small, no matter how tall or strong they were. Hulk would be no more than a little action figure when compared to the massive pillars.
Tony looks around him, his mouth open in wonder. No matter how rich he is, he will never have enough money to buy anything half so palatial as this. He can't help but wonder how much this would cost. Judging by Loki's story, Odin probably had to pay with a woman and some stars.
Bruce removes his glasses and cleans them on his shirt before pushing them back up his nose. As nice as this place is, he's glad that he doesn't live here. It's too big and too gold. Too showy for the scientist. Way too showy.
Steve has to fight to keep the look of distaste off of his face. This place is very sublime. And yet not. Because it's way too much. The beautiful marble has been greatly overused. The gold is also very overwhelming. It would be an understatement to say that the palace is gaudy.
Pepper can't stop thinking that if Tony had been the person having it built, he would have the place built exactly the same way. Maybe with a little more red and less marble. The structure of the building would be very close to, if not precisely the same as, the current design.
Natasha and Clint follow their assassin training and survey the entire throne room. From the pillars to the huge, ornate chandelier, all the way to the throne. Anything could be hiding behind the pillars. Something could be perched on the chandelier. There could be some sort of creature lurking in the shadows behind the throne.
Thor steps forward, grinning. He calls, "Father! You have long awaited this day! I have come to introduce you to my friends of Midgard who assisted in Loki's defeat and capture!"
Odin looks up and fixes his eye on Thor. The Allfather makes a dismissive motion with his hand. The servant who had been speaking to him quietly bows and hustles out the door, nodding respectfully to Thor and, surprisingly, Loki. Odin waves them closer, giving the group a rare smile. Thor's grin widens as he leads his friends up to his father.
"Welcome to Asgard, friends of Thor."
Tony raises his hand in greeting. "Hey."
Steve gives Odin a smile and says, "Thank you."
Pepper and Natasha incline their heads in greeting.
Bruce smiles. "Hi."
Clint nods. His nod isn't as polite as the girls'.
Odin gives Clint a strange look, but says, "As thanks for your retrieval of my wayward son, I have decided to have a feast in your honor. I am aware that this was not planned, but I trust you will accept."
The look in his eye says that they had better accept, or there will be consequences. So naturally, the group agrees readily.
Tony, the self-appointed leader of the group, speaks for them all. "Yeah, a feast sounds great. I'm seriously starving. Like seriously."
Odin raises an eyebrow and looks at Thor with an expression that clearly reads, 'Is this guy for real?' Thor just shrugs, looking amused. Odin looks back at Tony and says slowly. "The evening meal will be in two hours time. Please don't be late."
One hour and fifty-six minutes later, the Avengers stumble into the dining hall, laughing like a bunch of high schoolers. Odin is not amused. At least, he wasn't. Now that he sees Loki's smile, he is grateful that this group of people can make his youngest son happy again. His youngest son who hadn't smiled in so many thousands of years.
Fandral and Tony are comparing beards when Odin clears his throat and calls, "You are nearly late."
Loki turns, his smile fading. "My sincerest apologies, my king. It is my own fault that we are late. I was introducing them to my dear old tutor."
Clint snorts, barely able to contain his laughter. Natasha elbows her partner, but she isn't really any more collected than the archer. No one is. Every one of the Avengers is laughing, as are the Warriors Three and Sif. While Loki may not be laughing, his emerald eyes sparkle.
Odin shakes his head. "Not to worry, my son. There is no harm done."
Thor beams and the laughter resumes as the thunderer and his friends take their places. Once everyone is seated, Odin raps his staff on the pristine marble floor. Silence falls over the dining hall. Odin stands and his eyes drift over everyone before him.
The members of the council are all in attendance. The royal families of the light elves, dark elves, and dwarves are also present. Several other important people are there, but Odin doesn't care about them. At least not at the moment. He has his eye fixed on his sons.
Loki and Thor are trying to catch Vali and Narfi while keeping straight faces. The twins have somehow managed to slide from their seats and are running around under the table. Well, crawling, but they are so fast it seems like they're running. It's hard to sit up straight and keep a respectful look on your face when you see the shocked expressions of court ladies whose skirts have just been fluffed and invaded by a rambunctious eight year old.
Loki finally catches Narfi. Thor grabs Vali immediately after, and Loki and Thor both shout, "Ha!" at the same time.
All eyes turn on them and they both lower their heads. It's amazing, really, the way they act. It's as if they have fallen back to when they were young and did everything together. Back when life was simpler. Back when they were not only brothers, but the best of friends. Odin and Frigga both smile at their boys.
After Vali and Narfi are placed in their seats and told in severe, quiet words to stay put, Odin makes his speech.
"Five years ago, Loki attempted to take Midgard for himself. A group of heroes not only put a stop to his foolish actions, but also rid us of a dangerous force. The Chitauri. This force was strong enough to defeat any realm, including our own. However, this small band of warriors was able to overcome this army. Tonight we shall celebrate their victory and feast in their honor."
Applause explodes around the hall. Several council members nod to the Avengers. Loki smiles at Thor and mouths, 'Thanks.' Odin taps his staff on the floor again and everything falls silent once more.
"I would like to commend Steven Rogers for his astounding bravery, skill in battle, and, above all, leadership. Please step forward."
Thor nudges Steve and the soldier stands. He walks up to Odin as deafening applause roars around him. He looks a little confused and more than a bit embarrassed.
"Sir, I really don't-"
"Kneel."
Steve does as he's told. When Odin raises his staff, Steve ducks his head as if anticipating an attack. Odin holds it out over the soldier's head.
"You are now an honorary warrior of Asgard. Represent us well."
Odin steps back and Steve rises. He bows to Odin and walks back to his place at the table. As soon as he sits, the Allfather speaks again.
"Never before have I heard of a healer so powerful as our next warrior. Another brave man who is not only skilled in battle, but proficient in the art of medicine, as well. Bruce Banner, please come forward."
Bruce stands and walks toward Odin. He is obviously nervous and visibly shaking. Who wouldn't have butterflies while walking up to a king?
When he reaches the Allfather, Bruce is told to kneel. Once he does so, Odin holds his staff out over the scientist's head and says, "You are now an honorary healer of Asgard. Represent us well."
Thor's father once again steps back. Bruce rises, bows, and walks back to his place while cheers ring through the hall. The bottom of Odin's staff hits the floor and all is quiet.
"No army is complete without long range weaponry. This team had not only one warrior who is skilled long distance battle, but two. Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton, please step forward."
Clint and Natasha exchange a glance and walk up to Odin together. They, too, are told to kneel. Clint looks over at his partner. The archer is shaking and he looks a bit scared. Natasha takes his hand and gives him an almost imperceptible nod. They kneel together and Odin holds his staff out over them in turn.
"You are now honorary marksmen of Asgard. Represent us well."
He pulls his staff back and Clint and Natasha rise. As they walk to their seats, Vali and Narfi scramble to their seats, clapping, waving and cheering. Hela claps politely, but her eyes shine with happiness. The S.H.I.E.L.D. agents are obviously the children's favorites. Loki pulls the twins back down into their seats. He looks very annoyed and completely livid.
As Natasha and Clint sit back down, Odin's voice rings again through the hall.
"The next and last warrior is known for his prowess in technological advancement."
At this, Tony sits up a bit straighter. Odin narrows his eye and goes on.
"He is also recognizable as the man with a selfish need to be the hero."
Tony blushes a bit and Clint chuckles. Loki wears his signature smirk.
"Anthony Stark, please step forward."
Tony stands and walks up to Odin. He kneels down when he's told to and the Allfather holds his staff out over the genius.
"You are now an honorary councilman of Asgard. Represent us well."
He pulls the staff away and Tony stands. He walks back to his seat. The other council members nod at him as they clap politely. Pepper smiles at him and kisses his cheek when he sits beside her.
Odin looks over the hall and everything falls silent. He's about to say something else - probably the beginning of a long speech - when Frigga snatches his staff. The queen had been quiet, smiling politely as Odin had appointed each of the Avengers to their new positions. She looks out at everyone gathered. Her voice rings clear through the hall.
"I have noticed that throughout time, respect falls to those who have done what are called heroic things. To the warriors who fight. To the healers who save lives. While these are all noble things and those who perform these acts should receive respect, there are some who are not given any acknowledgement. Such people are scorned and frowned upon for being of the lower class."
Whispers bounce around the hall. Frigga holds her head high, undeterred.
"One of these warriors was just appointed a position in the council for his selfishness, while those who act purely for the benefit of others go unnoticed! And I will not stand for it!"
Tony shifts a bit, looking uncomfortable. Frigga takes a breath and moves Odin's staff to her right hand. Her eyes fall on the strawberry blonde sitting beside Tony.
"Lady Potts, please come forward."
Pepper looks confused, but stands and walks up the hall. She can feel every eye on her and self-consciously tucks a bit of loose hair behind her ear. She wishes now that she had worn something nicer than her jeans.
Frigga smiles at her and says to the crowd, "Many women like Lady Potts are overlooked when awards and positions are given. Women who work to keep everything running smoothly. If such women weren't around to make sure that everyone was in line and ready for the mission that you all go on, your lives would be chaos."
The queen looks down at Pepper and says, "Kneel."
Pepper does so, still looking a bit sheepish. Frigga holds Odin's staff out over Tony's girlfriend. She smiles kindly down at her as she says, "I appoint you, Pepper Potts, to the position of the queen's, my own, consultant, adviser and right hand woman. I have no doubt that you will be able to fill this role."
She pulls the staff away and her new adviser stands. Frigga nods, letting Pepper know that she can go back to her seat. Thundering applause fills her ears as she walks down to her place. She can't help but wonder how so few people can make so loud a noise.
She sits down and looks back up at Frigga in time to see the queen push the staff into Odin's hands and take her seat. The Allfather looks a bit bemused, but there is also a sparkle of admiration for his wife in his eyes. He turns and looks out over the hall.
His authoritative voice rings in the long, marble hall.
"This feast is not only to celebrate the Avengers' victory, but also to welcome my youngest son back to Asgard. He was lost, but he has been found. He has done terrible things, but our love for him remains as strong as ever. I can only hope that I will be able to properly show this love."
Loki looks down. Under the table, Sigyn's hand finds his and she runs her thumb along the back of his hand. He looks back up at her and she smiles.
Frigga says in her kind voice, "We love you, Loki, and you will always be welcome here, in your home. Never forget that."
Odin nods. He says in a lighter tone - if that's even possible for him - , "Now, let us feast!"
Tony looks confused. Well, all the Midgardians do, but Mr. Stark just looks hilariously confused. And he should be. There's no food. No drink. Nothing. How the heck are they supposed to feast if there's nothing to feast on? Do the Asgardians eat air?
Odin looks at Loki. "Would you do the honors?"
Loki grins. He moves around in his seat a bit and puts his hand out. With a flourish of his hand, a huge feast appears on the table. A huge feast of shawarma.
The Avengers all start laughing and Tony says, "All right!"
Odin just looks a bit puzzled. He says nothing, however, as his dinner guests eat what, in his mind, is a very odd type of food.
After taking his first bite, Tony looks up at Clint and says around a mouthful of shawarma, "It's a disgusting kind of yummy."
Clint nods in agreement and takes another bite as Thor says, "I think it's a delicious kind of yummy!" While he says this, crumbs fly out of his mouth. This of course makes everyone laugh again. Well, not quite everyone. Clint tries to laugh, but since he has his mouth crammed full of shawarma, he chokes instead.
Tony points and says, "Help him! Somebody help him!"
Everyone tries to help him at once. This just makes it worse. While everybody panics, the clump of chewed up shawarma floats out of the archer's mouth. All eyes follow the revolting mass as it coasts through the air over to Vali's plate and sets itself down.
Loki steps over to his son and bends down so that he is eye level with the dazed looking child. Loki asks softly, "Did you do that?"
Vali nods slowly, still awestruck. Loki breaks into a grin and hugs his son. Narfi looks excited for his twin. Hela is a bit confused, but seems happy. Sigyn looks overjoyed as she embraces Vali.
Thor sees the looks on his friends' faces and explains to them that Loki has been waiting for a long time for something like this to happen. He could tell that his son held magic the first time he saw him, and the whole family has waited patiently for the magic to come out. Now that it has, everybody is happy for the little Lokison.
An hour later, Thor leads his little group of friends to the Bifrost. Hela is fast asleep in her father's arms, a small, crooked smile on her thin, pale face. Her withered gray hand clutches the front of Loki's shirt. Sigyn walks along beside her husband, holding Vali and Narfi's hands. The twins are still bright eyed and wide awake. Sigyn, however, looks exhausted. It's no small wonder, since her belly has grown enough that it's possible to see that she's pregnant. At least for those who know her.
Heimdall is ready for them when they arrive. He turns and walks into the Gateway, saying in his deep voice, "Come."
Thor and his friends and family walk in after the Gatekeeper. They are quiet now. Something about Heimdall makes them feel more solemn. Or maybe it's just the fact that they actually have to say goodbye now. No, it is definitely Heimdall.
The tall, dark-skinned man says, "If you have not already said farewell to your friends, I suggest you do so now."
He has the tone of someone who won't put up with crap, so the group immediately obeys.
"It was great to see you all again," Steve says as he takes Thor's hug. Sigyn lets go of the twins' hands and also gives the soldier a hug. Hers is much gentler. Vali and Narfi wrap their arms around Steve's legs and he pats their heads. Loki doesn't offer a hug, but his arms are clearly full. His eyes are friendly as he nods his goodbye and says quietly, "Farewell, Steven. Congratulations on your new position."
The other goodbyes go by very much like this one. The Warriors Three and Sif stay back, but not in an unfriendly way. They just don't know the Avengers enough to hug them.
When it comes time for Clint and Natasha to say goodbye, Vali and Narfi bombard them.
"Please don't leave!" they say simultaneously.
Clint smiles and ruffles Narfi's hair. "I have to, kiddo."
Both boys frown and Vali asks, "You'll come back, right?"
Clint looks back at the rest of his team. Tony shrugs and the archer turns to the kids again. "I don't know, but I'm sure your dad can bring you down to Earth sometime."
Loki looks to Pepper for confirmation before saying to his children, "Next time Thor and I go down to visit, you three can come with us."
This seems to cheer them up a bit. At least for the time being.
Everyone going to Midgard positions themselves where Heimdall tells them to. The Gatekeeper slides his sword into the slot thing and the Avengers are pulled through the Bifrost. Thor thanks Heimdall and carries Loki's suddenly sleepy twins back to his brother's chambers.
They manage to get all three of the kids' teeth brushed and pajamas on. Getting them into bed is easy, since they're more than half asleep already.
"Good night, Hela my darling. Sleep well," Sigyn says softly as she closes the door of her daughter's room.
Loki and Thor are saying their good nights quietly. They don't want to wake the little ones. Sign hugs Thor and he leaves with a smile. Loki puts his arm around his wife's shoulders and together they walk to their own room.
They change into their nightclothes and slip into bed. Loki places a gentle kiss on Sigyn's lips before they snuggle up together, Sigyn's back pressed against Loki's chest and stomach. The mage's hand comes to rest on his wife's softly rounded belly and stays there the whole night.
A/N : If you can read the story and favorite it, you can leave a review! Please do so!
Thanks to all the Guests who reviewed my other stories and gave me ideas!
For all of you wonderful people out there who follow my stories, the next one will be more about Loki's Little Angels. Stay tuned! ;)