I have to say, the reviews left me giddy. I'm so grateful that a lot of Sovereign's readers care for Nora and appreciate her attitude; it was important to me to create an OC that is likable and realistic. I know some of you are worried that Nora will forever be trapped as another one of Loki's minions and I'm happy to say that... I won't spoil anything.
Tension is good.
Yay.
On a second note, this chapter is more of a filler chapter. I feel like it is a complete mess and I'm hoping that it doesn't read like one. Let me know if anything seems out of place.
A huge, huge, HUGE thank you to all who reviewed!
Please forgive any glaring mistakes.
Sovereign
Chapter Six:
You can be my black star,
Twisting and turning with love and devotion.
Black Star - Queen of Hearts
Ever since he was a young boy, Loki always felt immense gratification watching his magic at work. Whether it be the creation of simple illusions with the wave of his hand or the more skill-required task of manipulating forces, he never tired of seeing his sorcery spring to life.
A gift from the Other and a promise for victory, the scepter added a new dimension to his magic. Filled with the raw and magnificent power of the Tesseract, the scepter was a natural fit for Loki. He wielded the weapon effortlessly; the possibilities of both destruction and enslavement at his fingertips. A pair of attributes that Loki very much appreciated.
No human could ever counter the spell; nothing could be done once the tip of the scepter came into contact with a subject's chest. From there it was only a manner of seconds before the enchantment took over their mind completely, the spell permeating their body and draining them of a conscience. A truly beautiful process to witness, the end result left the subject's eyes devoid of emotion and filled with a glowing and vibrant shade of blue.
Agent Nora Graves was currently in the finishing stages of the process. Her body was relaxed and still as Loki watched the blue begin to swim in her eyes, the life they previously held being dragged away and locked in a dark recess of her mind.
She was now his.
Staring intently at Agent Graves, Loki released her hands and sat up. His blood was rushing through him and he couldn't keep the smile off his face. Agent Graves was unaware of his mirth and continued to remain motionless, her breathing calm and silent. After a moment, her glassy eyes met his intense gaze and she blinked slowly.
"Agent Graves."
"Sir," Agent Graves replied. Her gaze traveled from his face down to the legs that straddled her. She quirked an eyebrow and poked one of his knees with a lazy finger, causing to Loki grunt in acknowledgment of his position on top of her. He gracefully pulled himself to his feet and watched Agent Graves shift before lifting herself to sit upright. She seemed a little disoriented and when she moved again, Loki subconsciously offered his hand to help her stand.
A muscle in his face twitched when Agent Graves took it without question.
"Thank you," she said.
He hadn't meant to be polite.
Once standing, their hands dropped to their sides and they regarded each other in silence. To Loki, there was a noticeable change in Agent Graves. No longer was she fighting him; the balled fists and angry, frustrated expressions were gone and replaced with passive tranquility. He almost missed the spirited personality she used to possess.
In retrospect of his time in the glass cell, Agent Graves had been nothing more than mere entertainment for him. As the God of Mischief, the solitude and utter boredom that Fury had left him with had been painful to deal with. At first, Loki attempted to quell the banality of his situation but after so much pacing and thinking, his mind began to wander and beg for some amount of stimulation.
His solution to the problem came in the form of an impromptu plan. Setting his sights on one of the main cameras watching him, Loki began to send a slew of smirks to whoever was behind the device. While he was guaranteed nothing, Loki hoped for someone to wonder what he was up to and become agitated enough to either report him or pay him a visit. Thankfully for him, it had been Agent Graves who arrived to answer his call and not someone with a 'magazine' to throw at him.
Just as Loki wanted, Agent Graves had sought to learn about him and his plans involving the Tesseract, along with a number of other questions. Never one for ruining surprises, he supplied her with vague and occasionally biting answers. The banter between them had been humoring enough and towards the end of their conversation, Loki could almost admit to having enjoyed her company.
Humans were perplexing creatures. Dull, weak, and ignorant, they never posed an issue for Loki until his brother (that buffoon...) became so sickeningly fascinated with that one woman. There was no other explanation for the transformation in Thor's personality; all in the time of his banishment, his brother had gone from reckless and headstrong to caring and thoughtful. Had Loki been able to predict Thor's weakness for the mortal woman sooner, he would have gladly disposed. It was because of her that the throne of Asgard no longer belonged to him.
Humans.
What was it Thor saw in that woman to want to fight for her? All Loki could see was another opportunity to command and conquer; humans had gone long enough without proper structure and order in their lives and it was in his power to set their world straight. Of course, he realized no human could understand his goals or appreciate his intentions. Forever bound to Midgard, their views were limited by their experiences and it was Loki's burden and purpose to help them understand their true place.
His interest in Agent Graves stemmed from his ambition. While she was no more remarkable to him than any other human, her gumption and attitude held value in Loki's eyes. Like others, she doubted his chances at success and turned her nose from the inevitable future of Midgard. She represented a trend of opposition and just like the old man in Stuttgart, Loki needed to make Agent Graves understand.
How he swelled when Agent Graves realized she could not prevent her fate! After the moment of Agent Metzger's turning, Loki had relished in the defeat expressed on her face. Standing there in horror meant she accepted the fact that she was playing with magic and powers she could never compete or win against.
But then, oh, then she said those words...
"I would rather die than become your puppet."
Just when Loki thought he could claim his victory over this human woman, she had caught him off-guard with that bold declaration. Her constant defiance was infuriating and confusing to comprehend. Faced with complete opposition, how could Agent Graves remain so resolute? Was it the human spirit that his brother became infatuated with?
It had always been his intention to use the enchantment on her; there was never another option. For the sake of hypotheses, had Agent Graves voluntarily succumbed to his demands, there was no time to test her sincerity. The risk was too great to allow her to walk around with her mind still intact and Loki was not willing to have his plans at domination ruined by another mortal woman.
Her original purpose as a distraction ended the moment his scepter caught her in the spell. Now she was a weapon; another member of his soon to be massive army.
Smiling a little, Loki mentally congratulated himself. Once Midgard was his, he would rejoice in releasing Agent Graves from her mental state. She would witness his victory and kneel before him without a single trace of hope her eyes. He would then truly become her sovereign.
The light above them flickered temporarily and Loki snapped out of his reverie. Agent Graves was still staring at him, no doubt awaiting orders, and her tongue peeked out to slowly run across her lower lip. Drawn to the action, his eyes lingered momentarily on her lips, his own twisting into a small sneer.
While within the glass cell, he took pleasure in eliciting a reaction from Agent Graves; the focus of his gaze on her mouth causing her cheeks to flush an appealing red. Now, further down the road, things had somehow changed and it was she eliciting a reaction from him. The unconscious wetting of her lips stirred an unfamiliar emotion within Loki. A feeling that was uncomfortable and made him angry.
Before he could control himself, Loki raised his hand and smacked her across the face. Agent Graves made no sound as her head snapped to the side, her fingers coming up to stroke her stinging cheek after a few seconds of letting the pain sink in.
Loki grit his teeth in immediate regret for the poor handling of his emotions. Long ago he befriended anger and jealousy, feelings that drove his ambition and gave him reason, but now he found the two emotions becoming a natural occurrence around this human woman. He felt anger during her heroic tirades and jealousy when she cared for that bumbling idiot Agent Metzger.
Could someone ever care for him?
His stomach lurched at the thought.
Loki flexed his hold on the scepter and spun around to face the door. He had more important things to worry about than trifling insecurities. He had a realm to conquer. "Come, Agent Graves. We have much work to do."
"Of course," was the reply.
He reached the door without looking behind him and tapped against the corroding metal with a knuckle. The response was instant and he stepped to the side to allow the door room to open. A man in a dark uniform held the door as Loki crossed the threshold into the hallway, Agent Graves tailing close behind.
"Find yourself useful elsewhere," Loki said, sending an icy glare to the man in black. The man bowed curtly and walked down the hallway without argument. Agent Graves moved to stand beside Loki, her shoulder barely brushing against his, and watched the man disappear around a corner.
"Should I follow him, sir?" She asked earnestly.
"No, you will be accompanying me for the time being." Loki clasped his hands behind him and began to walk in the same direction as the man. Agent Graves followed. "Tell me about yourself."
She gave a short laugh, "Where should I start?"
"What do you do at S.H.I.E.L.D.?"
"Computer and technology related work mostly," she said, her voice void of much emotion. "I've dabbled in other areas but I feel truly comfortable behind a keyboard... and a gun when the situation calls for it."
"I see," Loki could not tell if she was attempting humor and he took a quick glance at her as they rounded the corner. It wouldn't be long before they'd reach the expansive room in which the Tesseract-powered structure was kept. "And do you enjoy your work? I recall an Agent Metzger being displeased with a lack of 'action'..."
"Oh, I find it to be very interesting."
"And what has been the most interesting part to your job?"
He could feel her eyes on him.
"You, sir."
Loki smirked and hated the stirring in his gut he felt because of her answer. They approached the large entrance to the base of the Tesseract operation and he was pleased to see his many subordinates rushing about the room with purpose. Bodies clothed in dark uniforms were everywhere and worked diligently to place the finishing touches on their assignments. Technology enclosed the space and created a maze-like route, with Loki treading over numerous cables and clumps of wires in order to make it towards the back of the room.
"Ah! There you are!" Came the voice of Erik Selvig, his plaid shirt helping him stick out like a sore thumb. He looked excited with Loki's appearance and his eagerness brewed over into his mannerisms. "The Tesseract is nearly complete!"
Loki nodded in approval and looked at the massive technological structure that stood next to the brainwashed astrophysicist. There was no doubt that the device was the greatest technological advancement Midgard has ever seen, a design only made possible because of Loki and the Tesseract.
"We should be ready to load Her up within the hour," Selvig added, placing a hand on the chrome chassis.
"It's beautiful," Agent Graves said from beside Loki.
Selvig smiled, "Another addition to the team?"
"She will be assisting us at Stark Tower," Loki replied, eyeing the woman next to him.
Selvig walked towards them and extended his hand to Agent Graves. She shook it firmly and regarded him with whatever friendliness she could muster. "It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Dr. Selvig."
"The pleasure is all mine." Selvig looked to Loki, "You continue to surprise me in finding all of these agents! She looks like a bright one, unlike that clumsy boy with the wound..."
"Yes, yes..." Loki rolled his eyes, a headache starting to form. "Dr. Selvig, I shall leave you to make the last minute adjustments that you need. Agent Graves will stay here to assist you, should you require the help. If not, drown her with information. Her mouth is already beginning to salivate with questions..."
Sure enough, he glanced at the woman and she was slowly inching closer to the impressive structure, her eyes skimming over each and every component. Selvig was practically glowing with pride. He beckoned Agent Graves over with a wave of his hand and she happily acquiesced.
Suddenly impatient, Loki walked past the physicist and the agent and sat down on the set of steps in the back of the room. He was tired of waiting and his anticipation was beginning to eat away at him. He was desperate to achieve victory.
Loki sighed and leaned forward, supporting his elbows on his knees. Lazily, he rolled the rod of his scepter between his fingers and his mind grew heavy in concentration.
What if he did fail? He never liked to dwell on the thought but the possibility of failure still existed and could not be ignored. Loki was confident in how smoothly his plan was running; the Tesseract in his possession, the heroes of Earth scattered and demoralized, and the army soon to follow his command. Everything lined up to equal success but there was a feeling of trepidation that chinked his armor of confidence.
You intend to become some sort of king but I'm telling you that you will fail!
Agent Graves was no seer; she could not predict the end result and yet the assurance behind her words had struck a chord with him. If he were to fail, the Other swore to make him understand pain and suffering, something he wanted to completely avoid.
"Sir? Are you all right?"
Loki blinked out of his mental trance and looked up to see Agent Graves staring at him with worry. When he didn't respond, she tilted her head towards an open spot on the steps. "May I sit down?"
"Dr. Selvig has no use for you?" He asked, watching Selvig tinker with calibrations.
"He told me the basics," she sat down next to him. "I find the whole concept to be insane but I suppose I've seen stranger things these past few days. Nothing is unlikely."
Loki remained silent.
"You're worried, aren't you?"
"Hardly."
"I can see it all over you, you know."
Loki glared at her, "I'm sure."
Agent Graves gave him a small, assuring smile, the unnatural blue of her eyes stomping out any true emotion that they might have held. "Well, for what it's worth, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you succeed."
Loki wanted to laugh; of course she was going to be devoted to his cause! She was programmed to throw her life away for him if he called for it. Still, for what it was worth, it was nice to hear her loyalty and commitment.
"Agent Graves!" Dr. Selvig called out, his body now in front of a computer monitor. "Would you mind helping me out with some final adjustments?"
Agent Graves stood and brushed off the bottom of her uniform, her eyes dropping to give Loki a last fleeting look before walking back to Selvig's side.
Loki inhaled and closed his eyes as another member of his team rushed by him with an armful of equipment. His headache was not getting any better and a small part of him wanted to call Agent Graves back and have her assist him in bolstering his confidence. The darkness of his mind was now swimming with thoughts of her, of Asgard, of the future and of...
Loki shuddered as an image of himself in horrendous agony came and went.
All at the hands of...
I will not fail! I cannot!
When he opened his eyes, he could see Agent Graves staring at him with a blank face. He tensed and tightened his grip on the scepter. This damned woman...
Selvig popped out from behind the device and smiled widely, the beads of sweat on his head glistening in the light. "The Tesseract device is ready to be fully operational and we can begin to relocate it."
Loki swallowed with the news and rose to his feet. The time to act was now.
"To Stark Tower."
Please take a few seconds to review and let me know what you think!
The next chapter should come out sooner (but don't quote me). I have a basic outline for what will be happening from here on out. From where it stands now, I see this story ending at ten chapters.
I do intend on a writing a sequel. :)