Home again…
They are gone for five years, Loki tries to remember what that means for humans. What does fourteen mean when they return home will Jane still be a little girl or will she be an old woman. It is hard for Loki to remember.
They arrive with glorious welcoming parading through the streets as citizens cheer their victory. They have not lost any men and Thor is smiling waving to all of his people. Loki wants a shower to change and to see his mother and student. They arrive to the throne room and All father is waiting for them, mother standing where she stands and Jane is nowhere in sight, the little glass doll could not have broken. Loki feels the panic as Thor greets their parents and asks about his sister.
"She was out riding, I sent word you will see her tonight at your celebration. Your sister is in good health." Odin informs and then asks about the battle. Thor retells the story as Loki rolls his eyes and slips out of the room something's never change.
Loki is walking to his room when he sees her running down the hall in a white linen dress with blue ribbons she is smiling and she's bare foot a large red hound running at her side the creature as tall as her waist. Then he hears a woman scolding and that smiling face turns to look behind her and Loki's world suddenly is in slow motion. He knows that face, that bright smile and that fanning brown hair with ribbons.
"Jane." He says her name, but it can't be her because the girl standing there in the middle of the hall being scolded by a staff member is a young girl not a child, her head tilted just so in an indulging way like she is listening and discarding everything the woman is telling her. Jane's eyes shift and Loki realizes he is walking towards her, when had his feet decided that?
His watching her as her eyes widen and she smiles so brightly clearly ignoring the staff member that now is watching him with disapproving eyes. Jane launches herself towards him and moments later her arms are wrapped around his ribs, her head against his chest and she is so fragile in his arms that Loki is confused on how this little glass doll could have gotten older. It was her, but not her. His arms again out to the sides her hair motionless and his fingers twitch, she looks up at him and is so happy she gives him another small squeeze before Loki gives in his arms moving to encircle her his hand ghosting her hair, he notices the flowers intertwined with the silk strands and the smudge of dirt on her nose, clearly she has been up to no good, he smiles when a booming voice interrupts the moment.
"Jane!" Thor calls to his sister and she is out of Loki's arms being lifted in the air and swung around by the blond warrior, before Thor folds her into his embrace and kisses her head. And that is how Loki realizes he sees her. Always in motion, her hair fanned out, billowing blue skirts, dancing in the light, and never still long enough for him to touch. But Thor throws his arms up and she swings into the huge man's embrace like such big arms were made to hold her. Loki turns and leaves them to their moment, both of them already too busy catching up to notice his absence.
Loki is sulking in the shadows watching the party in Thor's honor with a sneer. He doesn't hear the approach but the butterfly soft touch on his shoulder shock him and his been at war for five years his warrior instinct has someone pressed harshly against a wall his body pinned them in place his fingers laced across their throat and their wrist restrained in one of his hands above their head, he looks down with a sneer and fear filled brown eyes look up at him. He doesn't move, his forgotten how to breath. An animal is growling from behind them and Loki curses.
"You're hurting me." Jane whispers her body trembling when he doesn't immediately let go of her, his fingers around her throat relax but don't move, and she is sure he presses himself into her more. She tries to keep from crying, for the first time she is truly afraid of the man before her.
"Nobody sneaks up on me." He growls and she is looking up at him with unshed tears.
"I wasn't trying to." Jane vowed looking up with as much bravery as she could muster. He was always so mean, even when she was trying to be his sister he treated her like she was his enemy.
"We are not rivals. Thor and I, we aren't your enemy." It sounds like she is trying to reassure him.
"You're nothing." Loki sneers, "but Thor...two sons both born to be kings. There is only one throne, you're a smart girl." Loki tells her icily.
His fingers spread across her throat and then slide back releasing his hold, his body no longer presses into her but still uncomfortably close.
"There are six throne." She whispers like he is the fool and he feels it because his supposed to be smart and his never thought of that.
"I don't like you." He tells her emotionless, it's a lie and he knows it's a lie but she smiles when he tells her that.
"You don't have to, Thor likes me. Frigga likes me, Odin likes me, and you don't like anyone. I wouldn't dream to be so special to be the only person you did like. It must be terribly lonely, to be as loved as you are, Loki, and to love no one in return. I think that is one of those things that make me different that make me human, I don't have the time to waste on those that don't want my affection." She tells him pushing past him and joining the party.
Loki is left in the shadow with only his thoughts as his friends.
He thinks this party is the worst one he has ever attended as Thor clumsy twirls Jane around the dance floor. The man is too big and she is too small, so incredibly fragile. Loki flexed his fingers again remembering the way the glass doll felt against him, too fragile.
She was laughing and jumping and twirling and in motion. Her hair fanning out with ribbons in it and she wore a blue gown with silver and gold embroidery flowers across the neckline and along the hem. She didn't belong at this celebration as the warriors drank and the women flirted.
Loki can't tear his eyes from her.
Thor goes to fill his glass and Jane finds the warriors three, they hug and laugh and then Jane is whispering in Fandral's ear and he nods with a conspiring smile, before Jane runs off.
Loki watches as Fandral whispers to his comrades and then he watches Jane approach Sif with a gentleness Loki didn't know the warrior woman possessed she hugs Jane, Sif sweeping soft brown hair from the young girls face as the warrior woman blushed and shakes her head. Jane was pleading, tugging on the woman's hand and before Loki figures out what was transpiring Jane had Sif out on the dance floor with her and for the first time in two thousand years the warrior woman danced.
Sif was not nearly as graceful dancing as she was fighting but the smile on Jane's face urged the woman on and they weaved in and out of each other's arms and a small smile pulled at Sif's mouth. Then Jane switched directions and Loki could see the path before the collision took place, Jane threading under Sif's arm the warrior woman turning just as Fandral was leading Thor through the dance floor and Sif twirled into Thor's embrace, her hands upon Thor's chest as she looked up clearly embarrassed.
"Thor!" The warrior woman was shocked and Jane was there holding onto Sif and Thor's hand looking up at them both with an innocent smile.
"Brother will you dance with us?" Jane asked sweetly and Thor still holding onto the warrior woman blushed and nodded.
Then Jane took their hands and lead them through weavers dance, twisting turning and twirling under arms as a whole, "Fandral, come join us!" Jane called out to the handsome man that stood there awkwardly watching, he shrug and joined hands and the four of them danced together as a group. Jane was laughing and everyone seemed to want to please her and when the music changed she twisted out and into Fandral's arms, leaving Thor and Sif to dance just the two of them as the music slowed. Thor politely took Sif's hip in his hand and pulled her close and danced the rest of the evening with her.
Fandral and Jane smiled at one another danced one more song then went and sat on top a table to watch the pair of warriors romance. Jane sighed as Fandral handed her a glass of cider before throwing his arm around Jane's shoulder and letting her lean into his side. Women all over the room eyeing Fandral with what sweet attention he was showing the little princess.
Loki watched in horror as Fandral's fingers threaded through brown hair decorated with ribbons in a tender way his loving eyes on the glass doll in his arms.
Young girl's crush
Jane thought herself in love with the stable boy.
His name was Alaric and he took grand care of her horse, Medea, and always had a treat for Orion and time for the princess.
He was the only one around that looked remotely her age, though he looked to be a human 16 she knew he was really several hundred years older than her, didn't mean he couldn't be her first kiss.
He was handsome with dark brown curls and soulful brown eyes, he played the fiddle and had a smile that was only overshadowed by Thor's. He was smart too. He could talk to the horses and discuss the stars and he was the only person that would race her through the field bare back. Alaric never looks at her like she's breakable and she thinks that is why she truly fancies herself in love with him.
They ride through the meadow most mornings and have a picnic in the grass. Jane picks a handful of wildflowers and weaves them together in a crown before placing them on her head. Alaric is watching her with serious eyes and Jane thinks now is as good of time as any. She leans over and kisses him on the mouth, his lips are soft and she takes her hands and places them on his cheeks in attempt to deepen the kiss, he pushes her off him and looks at her horrified.
She has never been more embarrassed in all her life. "I thought..." She suddenly couldn't form words.
"A princess of Asgard does not kiss stable boys." Alaric tells her his eyes down cast looking at his feet, they are still sitting on the picnic blanket and Jane can only look at him confused.
"I like you. That doesn't matter. I don't care, I'm adopted as they all keep reminding me, not a real princess." She tells him like explaining this makes his statement irrelevant.
"Adoptive, brought here no doubt to marry a prince, to be my Queen." He says this bitterly and she can't help but glare shaking her head.
"No, I..." she begins to argue because his statement doesn't make sense. "I don't know why I was brought here. But Thor should marry Sif. They will be king and queen." She explains. Alaric looks up at her with an expression Jane doesn't understand.
"Two princes, Jane." he tells her like telling secrets and Jane is so horrified by the comment she stands with a huff.
"If you don't like me like that it's fine, no need to be cruel." She shouts racing over and jumping on her horse riding off as Alaric shouts her name, for her to come back.
Jane arrives at the stable and leaves her horse in the stable masters hands running up to the palace, her eyes are red from her crying and she forgets about the flowers in her hair and grass on her skirts. Loki intercepts her his imposing figure blocking her path, she looks up at him with red eyes her sadness has turned into anger, mostly at herself.
"Where have you been?" He demands harshly not caring about her tears.
"I was out riding like every morning." He tells him with a challenging glare.
"I waited for you for most the morning, what of your lessons?" He asks clearly upset to be inconvenienced.
"You have been gone for five years, things change, and you are no longer my teacher." She tells him pushing past him, he grabs her arm to halt her and when she turns with a glare, he smiles coldly at her.
"You will meet me every morning for your lessons unless I am called away, do you understand?" He demands.
"No, I don't want anything to do with you." She tells him. His grip on her arm tightens and his eyes darken, then he lets her go and walks away from her without another word.
Loki follows the path she had just taken, he had watched her running from the stables and he wants to know why she was so upset. He finds the stable master rubbing down her mare and he tells Loki about the stable boy, how the princess and boy had become friends.
The boy is sitting out back washing a saddle when Loki approaches him. "Good morning, Prince Loki" The boy greets looking up with his dark brown eyes, which too are filled with tears.
Loki doesn't care about the boy's tears. "Why was Princess Jane crying?" Loki asks in his most intimidating voice the one that people were smart to heed.
The boy shook his head and rubbed the back of his hand across his brow. "We went out riding, and a picnic, she kissed me. I told her princess don't kiss stable boys and she ran off crying. Its better that way, I asked to be transferred to Dove's Stables when I got back. I don't want any trouble." The boy looked up and Loki could see what the boy wouldn't say, that despite his words, the stable boy was in love with his Jane.
"I suggest you make sure your transfer goes through, horses can be unpredictable beasts, it would be a shame if something possessed them." Loki threated and the boy paled nodding in understanding. Loki sneered. Before leaving to find his student, it seemed his glass doll needed a lesson in who was deserving of her love and who was not.
Obsolete
Loki goes to Frigga about Jane's education. Frigga smiles warmly and lets her youngest son know that while his concern is gallant there is no need to worry, Odin had found only the best teachers in all the nine realms to teach Jane. And in many ways she has already surpassed Loki's own knowledge, and there is nothing else he can offer her. Loki is offended and Frigga tries to explain that Loki provided a good foundation but his magic limits Jane's understanding. She has no magic so she cannot understand the universe with the laws of Loki's magic. That Odin has become very creative in Jane's education and that she flourishes in her studies. Loki is still insulted. But Frigga pats his cheek lovingly and sends him on his way.
Loki goes to Odin and it becomes painfully clear that while Frigga was a slave to her youngest son's education Odin has in fact acquired some of the best tutors in the galaxy to educate his adoptive daughter. The kind of education that Loki envied and would never had been granted. She had spent two years with the light elves on Alfheim and a year with the dwarfs of Nidavellir, A mystic from Gallifrey came and tutored her for 18 months. Now she has spent one day a week at the feet of Heimhall learning the secrets of the Bi Frost since her return home for the past year, a lesson plan that was to continue until Jane's twenty first name day. Valborg the wise was to arrive in Jane's 16 year and stay in Asgard for unknown time to tutor the human princess. Really it was all a bit too much and completely unfair. If Loki was envious of Thor he consumed with jealousy over this little glass doll.
None of it was fair and Loki didn't understand- he was never strong enough, always in Thor's shadow, never a proper warrior but he was always smarter and now even that is taken from him by his father's proud hands and handed to a fragile mortal that will die taking such wisdom to the grave. It will all have been wasted, she was a waste and Loki knows he will truly learn hate when she dies
His sulking in the shadows, watching as Thor and his stupid friends train. The moment he sees her there is nothing else and he watches as she climbs down in a strange outfit that is pants but looks like a skirt, it's all blue and it fits her too tight, the fabric stretching with her as she swings down on to the railing and balances like a graceful bird. Her hair is pulled back in a braid and Loki only sees the little girl dancing in the fire light with ribbons in her hair.
"My Lady!" Fandral is standing in front of her his arms our reached to help her down, she places her hands on the handsome man's shoulders and allows his hands to span her hips lifting her from her perch and placing her on the ground. Loki has no doubt she hadn't need of the help but the blush on her cheeks make Loki bite the inside of his cheek.
Loki was here to train, not watch immortals flirt with dead girls.
"I trust you have been practicing with your bow?" Hogun asks with a friendly smile, Jane nods and pulls the bow off her back, taking an arrow from her quiver and shooting it at Loki's face. Loki catches the arrow and can't help but smile.
He steps out of the shadow and everyone gasps, Jane simply glares at him. "Sulking in the shadows again, brother?" She asks, Thor laughs and everyone else is watching to see what he will do.
"The target is over there, little bird." Loki purrs pointing to the archery practice yards as he walked over towering over Jane, slipping her arrow back into the quiver on her back.
"Not bad shooting, but how is your hand to hand combat?" He asks a very bad idea in his head, she clearly sees it as she dodges to the left and runs like the devil is after her. And he is, because she shot an arrow at his face and she gets to learn and his pissed that she is going to die.
The others look at him like his crazy, Thor is yelling at him to leave her alone and little Jane is half way up the wall when he gets ahold of her ankle and pulls her back down to land with the wind knocked out of her in the practices yard.
Loki quickly weaves a magic barrier trapping just her and him inside so the others can't interfere. Jane looks up and knows she's trapped, knows she has no choice but to face him but to what end. What was he trying to prove, he was looking at her expectantly, waiting for her to make the first move, she looked up and quickly surveyed her surroundings and there in the corner was the knot to his magic. While they had been playing warrior for the past five years she had been studding and there was always a trace, a way out when spells were woven, she had learned that from the light elves. So she gathered her courage and ignored Thor's cries of outrage, Sif's threats and focused on Loki.
He was fast true but she was faster. She ran right towards him and he sneered clearly having expected that- only she didn't dodge down, try and slide under his legs like he was obviously expecting, when he moved to catch her she used his arm to hoist herself up into the air climbing him like a tree and using his shoulder as leverage, and pull the knife her mother gave her on her ninth name day, a small knife that would cut through anything, and she ran it down Loki's spell hitting the weakest stop, she landed in a crouching position and before she can stand she is being thrown into a wall. Long pale fingers wrapped around her throat, his free hand holding her hand with the weapon, her feet are off the ground and Loki is choking her, her free hand grips his arm to try and give her the leverage to not be strangled and his eyes are red his sneer mean and she does the only thing she can think of to balance herself, she hooks her legs over his hips and pulls him closer. Her air way opens just a little as her body's weigh is distributed and Loki's red eyes shift back to green looking down at her in surprise.
"You're hurting me." She whispers, his fingers relax but do not move, and he is looking down at her confused.
"You are going to die." He tells her and she looks at him with fear, "I should just kill you, save everyone the pain of watching your death."
She is now confused. "Then they will hate you. And then you will truly be alone." She whispers silently willing him to let her go, only his pulled off her and slammed into the ground, Fandral is there to catch her hoisting her up in his arms like precious cargo and Thor is pummeling his brother into the ground.
Fandral and Sif take Jane to the infirmary and leave Thor to take care of Loki, after all his the only one that can. Jane looks over Fandral's shoulder watching as Thor turns brute and Loki is laughing like it's all a big joke blood dripping down his chin goading Thor's wrath.
Jane asks Odin to send her away, the Water Falls to Valborg instead of him coming here she could go there, or the Fallen Star with the Seven just for a few years then she would return. Odin asks her about her lessons with Heimhall and Jane just shrugs tells him she will continue those when she returns, she desperate to leave and when Thor tells his parents about Loki's behavior in the practice yard, they understand why.
Only Loki is sent away and Jane is kept at home.
There is no far well parade or family gathering to send Loki off. Odin and Thor escort Loki to Heimhall and tell him he is banished from Asgard for the next ten years and if his a good boy and doesn't cause trouble they may allow him to come home sooner.
He laughs at them like they are a joke.
"The child has made you all soft. She needs to die." He declares to his father and brother's face both of them looking at him with shame and dishonor.
"She's not even one of us!" Loki shouts. "Don't you see she is already dead?" Why was he the only one obsessed by her mortality, didn't the rest of them understand, just yesterday she had been a child with ribbons in her hair and he had been too afraid to hold her.
"Loki, the girl does not concern you. You have made your opinions of her clear since I brought her into our home and you shame me with your frozen heart. I don't care where you make your way, but your sister will be kept safe from your wickedness." Odin announces.
"She's not my sister!" Loki practically growls as Heimhall leads him into the Bi Frost and to his banishment.
Afterthoughts
Ten years nothing to an immortal, but Loki is surprise on how much he accomplishes in ten years.
Nothing short of a master piece and he has found the simplest solution to the problem that has plagued his mind for the past fifteen years. It had been so blatantly obvious and even now it ate at him how he couldn't have seen the solution so much sooner.
When his ten years of isolation were over Loki stood in the same stop he had been dumped waiting as Heimhall ripped him through the Bi Frost and as he took his first breath of Asgard air he smirked happy to be back in Odin's court. Odin, Thor and Frigga await him; Frigga with open arms and a warm smile, Odin with assessing eyes and a tired frown.
"Brother, vow here that you mean Jane no harm!" Thor demands with cold eyes. Loki smirks with fake insult. "I swear I mean Princess Jane no harm." He declares with silk words and they all look at him like he can't be trusted. It is, however, one oath he will die to up hold.
Jane likes to wonder around the castle with Orion by her side, it's a pass time that keeps them busy and since she is attempting to avoid the returning mischief maker a bit longer she decides to test out her newest invention. She has constructed a pair of spectacles that can see through magic and it's a side of Asgard that no one but her has ever seen. She hears her name being called and she turns with a smile towards Thor's voice but when she looks behind her it is Loki standing in her path. Her breath hitches and tries to hide the fear that washes over her as she pulls the glasses up and Loki turns into Thor, she puts them back on and it's Loki standing there smiling like a snake. Jane takes a step back- she doesn't understand his trick but she has never seen Loki smile with good intent and for her first meeting upon his return to be unchaperoned and with him dressed as Thor can only mean he has returned to fulfill his promise to kill her.
"I brought you a gift." the Loki-Thor tells her pulling an apple out of his pocket and offering it to her. It has been a life time but there are stories about accepting apples from magical people, stories Jane remembers her real mother reading to her a life time ago on Midgard and how it is never a good idea. Jane shakes her head threading her fingers together behind her back, Orian is sitting beside her unaware of the danger.
"Come Jane, it's just a peach." The Loki-Thor tells her again she lifts the glasses and there the apple has changed into a peach.
So death by apple was Loki's plan- it was almost clever.
"I'm not hungry." She tells him like it should matter, if it was Thor it would but this is Loki. She takes three more steps away from him and her back hits a pillar, one that she is familiar with, one she can climb easily.
"Jane?" Her name is a question as he takes a step towards her, she kicks his hand catching him off guard and causing the apple to fly out of his palm, his first instinct is to lean back and catch the apple. Jane uses the distraction to hoist herself up the pillar and onto the balcony terrace overlooking the hall then she runs without looking back to her rooms the only place she would be protected by magic.
As she runs she pushes the receiver on her bracelet and in an instance Orion is teleported to her side, running ahead of her, he was use to traveling that way by now. She invented his collar so he could sit on the roof with her and it came in handy anytime he got lost or left behind.
She made it to her rooms a full minute before Loki began to pound on her door. She had no doubts that he would try to use magic to break in but because of her schooling with the light elves she knew how to naturalize his magic, her room was a fortress against his tricks.
Jane's room, however, are not sound proof and she hears him screaming at her door. "You can't hide in there forever!" He yells her, the door vibrating but not even his strength will help him against Dwarf craftsmanship. She doesn't know what the god of mischief is up to but she will not be his victim.
There is a banquet that night and she knows she is expected to go.
The knife her mother gave her is she strapped to her thigh.
Frigga had a dress made just for tonight one of sky blue that showed off her midriff and had embroidered runes in darker blues along the hem. The skirt was light weight and Jane felt beautiful in it, she felt like a woman and she hoped that tonight Fandral would see her as one.
She placed the spectacles in a soft leather case and hooked that on one of her forearms, and the ice knife she made for Sif on the other Forearm her sleeves would conceal them. Jane no longer wore ribbons in her hair instead she has a golden crown that settles at her hair line, it's thin and delicate with flowers and vines moldings. She leaves her hair down in long curls and looks at herself in the mirror she is small for an Asgardian but she is confident she is just as pretty as them at least Sif has claimed that she was many times.
Frigga comes to get her. Jane has no doubt it's her mother as the queen beams with pride and tells Jane what a beautiful woman she is. The celebration has started and Odin is on his throne, Thor is at the banquet table with his friends and Loki is at Thor's side looking like he would preferred to kill them all rather than be celebrating his return.
Jane does not waste a single though on the man as she peeks under her lashes at Fandral whom is looking at her with appraising eyes. She blushes as she kneels before Odin, who tells her to rise and pats the arm rest of his chair. She does as she's commanded earning a one armed hug from her father and a proud smile from her mother. Odin whispers something in her ear and she laughs, then he waves over an elven prince and offers his daughter as a fine dance partner.
The elven prince takes her hand and Jane smiles warmly at Prince Kellen, they were familiar with one another after her stay with his people, he had become a good friend.
Loki rises to go sulk in the shadows his eyes glued to the glass doll on the dance floor, Thor places his hand on Loki's shoulder, "Tonight is to celebrate your return, brother, you should enjoy yourself." The warrior demands.
Loki smirks, because Thor for once is right, he did return to enjoy himself.
Jane is dancing with Kellen and Kellen is telling her of the pixie migration when a tall brooding figure rudely cuts in and sweeps her up into his embrace leaving Prince Kellen to look after them clearly insulted.
Loki's hand is on her hip and his thumb shifts to rest on exposed skin. She is glaring at him and he is smiling down at her like he finds her anger amusing.
"Since when do you dance?" She asks shooting Kellen and apologetic look. The elven prince manages a strained smile.
"It's my party, why shouldn't I dance?" Loki declares like she is simple.
"You never dance, what makes tonight so special?" She asks not for the first time hating how little she is compared to everyone surrounding her. His hold is strong and too possessive, she hates the way he is looking at her it makes her fidget and like a frighten animal all she wants to do is run away.
He seems to understand this as his arm snakes around her pulling her closer to him. "Tonight is special because for once it's my party." Loki tells her.
"Then dance with someone else, why me? Why am I so special to gain the privilege of your attentions?" She says this mockingly like his attentions are an insult and no one would should want them.
Loki simply smirks deciding to play her game for a little while longer. "I thought we already established that there is nothing special about you." Loki reminds her, his looking over her head and Jane has to arch her neck back to look at him, the top of her head barely comes to his shoulders and she feels vulnerable, remembering how he declared her death and wondering why even after his exile he seemed desperate to make her feel inferior. She doesn't ask if he returned only to kill her, because it doesn't matter, what matters is that she knows he did not return to be a good brother or a good son.
"The glasses you were wearing earlier, where did you get them?" He asks almost casually, it was his turn to lead the game.
Jane sees no reason to lie or hide what she can make, "I made them, they can see through magic."
"And the spells carved into the tile around your room where did you learn those?" Loki demanded to know.
"Something I picked up during my many travels." Jane informed him just as casually.
"Odin has been very careful in what you have learned and what he has shielded you from. I tried to offer you a gift earlier and you acted like I was trying to poison you." Loki stated but it was a question, Jane simply did not understand what he was asking.
"You did try to kill me that was why you were sent away." Jane reasoned, wiggling to put a bit of space between them, then he bows his head and his lips are on her ear and she is sure her heart has stopped beating.
"No." he whispered against her cheek, "I was sent away because I though killing you was the only way. But I'm willing to admit I was wrong…I have found another way, Jane…" He whispers then his tone changes and she can feel the pull of his words. "You're going to smile and dance and pretend like everything is normal, then in thirty minutes you are going to lock Orion in your room and you are going to come meet me in the garden. I will be waiting." His words flowed like a spell, a command that would have to be obeyed, followed without alteration, with a silent something to make it impossible to tell anyone else. His lips brushed across her temple and she is left alone in the middle of the dance floor to be puppet to his will.
Only Jane wore her parting gift from the Dwarfs everywhere, a necklace to protect her against mind magic and dark curses. She had wondered at the oddity of such a gift but now she understood, remembered the tales they told of the mischief maker, they sought to protect her in the only way they could. Still Jane is afraid and still she doesn't know what Loki wants from her but it can't be good and all she can think about is Snow White and the witch that can change forms and tries to feed the princess a poisoned apple.
Jane has been preparing for a night like this since she was fourteen, since the night she asked to leave but they forced him to leave instead now she would simply have to be brave enough to run away. To run back home to her uncle and away from the god that wanted her dead.
Frigga, Odin, and Thor had been so kind and so loving they had given her a home and made her family and now for some unknown reason she had made an enemy out of a man that should have been her family too.
Really It was fine, she was done trying to pretend like any of it mattered she was a woman and it was time for her to grow up and say good bye to golden cities and rainbow roads. To run from Loki and hope that their family could bring him peace of mind.
So she did as Loki bade her, first Kissing Frigga and Odin giving them a hug and telling them good night- goodbye.
Then she hugged Thor and Sif and told them to take care of each other.
She said her farewells to Hogun and Volstagg in rues of a goodnight then she kissed Fangural on the mouth in front of everyone and thanked him for all the dances over the years. Then she ran from the party with Orion at her heels all the way to her rooms.
Frigga had given her a yellow bag covered in blood on Jane's twenty first name day, it was Margie Foster's purse. Jane's mother's purse. Jane's last name was Foster how could she have forgotten that? Jane could remember her mother, small woman with brown hair a pretty face that Jane saw similarities to in the mirror. And her father had been Arthur Foster, a skinny man in jeans and flannel shirts with horn rimmed glasses and sandy blond hair. They would lay out on a blanket at night and look at the stars, Arthur showing his little daughter each consultation with the passion seasons. Margie making hot coco and holding her daughter tightly as father's excitement lured her to sleep. Memories Jane had forgotten until she looked inside that blood stained bag.
Jane already had a small satchel packed, she wouldn't take any clothes, her Asgardian clothes would not work on Earth so she changed into the simplest of her dresses and gathered all of the inventions she could stuff into her bag then she climbed out her window and to the roof, were the slop evened out and were she had built her own one way portal to Earth.
It would get her there then the signal would scramble and be untraceable, only Heimhall would be able to find her and that she had a secret weapon for so that no one could find her, so that Loki couldn't find her. She was ready teleporting Orion to the roof top as she stands on the transport disk calling her dog over and like an obedient boy he sits down on her feet so he will fit, she makes sure his tail is on then she looks up at the Asgardian sky one last time and flips the switch. Light engulfs her and Orion and seconds later they land on Earth on the side of the road in the exact spot 16 years earlier a little girl in red rubber boots was abducted by aliens.
Earth not Midgard
Jane doesn't remember much about Earth at least not in way of geography that was why she invented a map. A hand held device that sends out pulses and creates a 3D imaging on a palm size device in her hand. There is a town five miles south of their location, it takes Jane a few hours to get there.
It is morning when she arrives and the town is small, a few shops are opened including a thrift store. These Jane remembers, cheap second hand objects. She had a little Earth money from her mother's purse and this was her first stop.
Orion followed her obediently and the shop owner didn't say anything about her companion though the woman eyed the dog wearily. Jane picked out a pair of simple blue jeans, and a blue flannel shirt, then she went to check out the shoes and was delighted to find a pair of red rubber boots in her size. Jane made her purchase for a whopping ten dollars and then asked the woman if there was somewhere she could change. The woman directed her to a small room with a curtain and Jane pulled off her Asgardian gown and dressed into her new Earth fashion. She then braided her hair and sold the dress to the woman who owed the shop and found a diner where she ordered Orion and her some breakfast.
She went back over her exit portal and shifted the charm bracelet on her wrist, one of the charms would block her from Heimhall's vision, another was a button to call Orion if he was lost, there were still more charms all had a purpose. Orion sat in the booth across from her and people were looking at them like it was weird a dog should join her for breakfast. It seemed this was something Earth and Asgardians shared, Jane however just smiled and ordered them both breakfast. Still no one questioned Orion's presence or demanded he leave, and she wouldn't be the one to make him. He was the last of her family and she would keep him close.
While waiting for breakfast she did survey her surroundings and it was interesting to find that even on Earth Jane was small for a human. She wondered if this would be true for all her race or only the ones in this town, she had a feeling it was true for the whole of her race.
No one but the waitress talked to her while she was in the dinner and when they were done eating she asked how she could get to New Mexico, she needed to find her Uncle. The waitress suggested she take a bus and directed her to a bus station a few blocks down. Jane thanked her and walked down to the bus station. It pleases Jane considerably how much she does remember being back like not everything was as lost as she had thought. It occurred to her when she passed a pay phone that perhaps she should look Eric up, it had after all been 16 years its possible he has moved, and even after selling her dress she doesn't' t have a lot of money to waste. She stops and looks him up in the phone book only his not there, so Jane finds the library and with the help of a worker they look him up on the internet and Jane finds a phone number. She calls him without thought, hoping he will remember her.
Eric answers the phone and sounds cross and tired. Jane suddenly wonders if this is a good idea.
"My name is Jane Foster, you might not remember me. My parent died in a car accident when I was eight, someone picked me up from the wreckage and raised me, only recently did they remind me about my parents. I was hoping you could tell me where they are buried." Jane asks the other end of the phone is eerie silent and her hands are shaking.
"How did you get this number?" The man asks sounding gruff.
"The internet. I remembered you worked with my dad, he called you my uncle. Memories are starting to come back like of Haille's comet the map of its course you drew for me on the back of a napkin. The smell of my dad's after shave, aqua blue, my mom's perfume, Clare de Lune. I just want to visit them." Jane tries not to cry.
"Jane?" the man asks with disbelieving hope. "Where are you?" He asks eagerly.
"In a small town five miles from the crash site." She tells him.
"Stay there I'm sending a car. I can't come but the password is Arthur, ok?" He asks almost historically. Silent tears escape Jane's eyes and she is nodding as she answers. "Yes. Ok." She promises.
A black unmarked van pulls into town before nightfall Jane is sitting in the dinner and she assumes it's for her, she quickly pays and goes to meet a man dressed in a black suit with brown hair.
"Miss Foster?" The man inquires. Jane nods looking at the man with assessing eyes not sure if she should trust him.
"I'm agent Colson, Eric Selvig works for the government I will take you him. The password is Arthur." The man is business wrapped in nicety. Jane immediately likes him. She climbs into the back of the van with Orion and buckles herself in. There are three other men in the car all dressed in black suits. Jane smiles as they pull out of the town and drive towards the planetarium.
Master Plans
Loki had a master plan one that involved reclaiming the ice casket and stealing Odin's daughter, before he destroyed every living creature on Asgard. The land of liars, of manipulators and of deceivers.
During his ten years as an outcast and Odin's oldest enemies found him, those seeking revenge by way of murdering All Father's youngest son.
Only Loki is anything but weak and passive and after being abducted to Jotunheim then standing over Lafey's dead body does the glamor of Odin's power dissolve and for the first time does Loki's see himself as he truly is, an abandoned heir to the Frost Giants, one that just murdered his own monstrous father.
So he took the throne and built himself a castle and forced his will on the barbarians. Set up a different kind of society one that flourished in the ice land and made plans to take the race of outcasts out of the darkness. He worked hard to gain their loyalties and he returned to Asgard only to fulfill two objectives.
He waited in the garden for her until morning like a fool, thinking that his spell would force her to bend to his will, but little Jane was clever and somehow she had freed herself of his magic.
Loki went in search of her as the sun rose her rooms wide open and Frigga's cries echoing down the hall.
Odin stood in the room a letter clenched in fist as Thor tore the room apart, looking for something.
That was how Loki found his not family in the throws of sorrow and panic the little glass doll nowhere in sight.
"Where is she?" Loki growls his anger seeping into his tone as he eyes these pathetic creatures.
"We do not know. She ran away." Thor yells over his shoulder, Frigga still crying, Odin still as a statue.
"Why? Why would she do that?" Loki asked. He is shocked at such desperate measures, did she really think she could run from him? There was nowhere in the universe she could hide that he couldn't find her.
"Her letter does not say, it just says good bye and thanks us for being her family." Thor tells him, the oaf still going through trunks pulling out possessions and thumbing through books. Perhaps looking for clues on where she ran off to.
"Why are you just standing there old man! Find her! Heimhall can see her." Loki bellows looking to Odin.
"Of course, brother!" Thor shouts running out of the room no doubt in search of the gate keeper.
"What did you do, to cause her to run Loki?" Odin turns and accuses. "What lies did you tell her to make her turn her back on her family?"
"Your one to talk of family, Odin" Loki spits out his eyes shifting as All Father turns to give the child he raised his undivided attention.
"Why couldn't you make her sister?" Odin demands harshly, his anger vibrating through the air.
"Like you made me son? But I am not your son, and she is not my sister. I am Layfeson, heir to the frost giants. Two kings one throne. I use to think that made Thor and me enemies, but she understood...six thrones she said...enough thrones for both Odinson's. I took my birthright and I am here to take back the power of my people."
"I will not give you the ice casket." Odin vows.
"And I will not ask for it." Loki tells him with a smirk, turning and walking away.
Loki was a King and he didn't have to ask for what already belonged to him.
Loki catches up with Thor who is begging Heimhall to tell him where Jane traveled. The gatekeeper is eyeing the oldest prince with sad eyes and it is apparent to Loki that, however, Jane traveled it was not through these gates. Heimhall had not been aware of Jane's absence until Thor had told him. That in itself was telling.
Somehow the clever little glass doll had learned to travel between worlds all on her own without magic and there was only one place she would go, the place where it all started, Midgard.
The conversion was approaching and while this was a minor snag in his plans it was easily mended. Loki decided he had been to narrow minded he needed to broaden his plans and find little Jane and he knew just how he was going to do it.
"She went home." Loki told them turning to leave, he would return to the Frost giants alter his plans so he could find his little song bird before he destroyed the universe.
"This is her home!" Thor bellowed after him.
But Heimhall understood. "Midgard, she found a way back to Midgard."
"Can you see her?" Thor asked.
The gate master shook his head. "No, but it was the one place she would ask to see the most, it is the one place she would have gone. She spent many years at my feet she could have learned how to make her own way there." Heimhall praised but Thor looked horrified by the idea.
"I must find her." Thor said charging into the Bi Frost without thought, "Send me to Midgard." Thor commanded.
"It is a big planet I do not know where she is." Heimhall warned.
"Doesn't matter, I will find her." Thor declared before being transported through space.