Chapter 6
Darcy walked to the throne room after being summoned there by her husband. When questioned about the summons, the guard who had delivered the king's message couldn't give her any more information. She hurried along the corridor towards the throne room and stopped when she came to the great golden doors. She wondered what it was that Loki wanted to see her about. It had been a little under six months since their talk in the library and every day she found out something more about her husband. She liked him and in the past few months had gotten more and more comfortable in his presence. The thought made her pause for a moment before she pushed it to the back of her mind and walked into the throne room. There she found her husband lounging on his throne deep in thought or so it seemed to her. She made her way up to the throne and then waited for her husband to acknowledge her. As she waited she thought back to what had happened in the past few months. After their talk in the library they had met everyday to talk about their lives and she had gotten to know him better. Not only that but she had began to trust him.
Loki was pulled out of his thoughts when he breathed in his wife's light floral scent. He turned his head to look at her and smiled softly. She had her head bowed and seemed to be thinking about something. "Darcy," he breathed her name reverently as he reached out to pull her head up so she was looking at him.
Startled by the sound of his voice and his hand on her chin, she looked up at him in surprise. His voice had sent bolts of electricity through her and the way he said her name made her feel like there were butterflies fluttering around in her stomach making her blush.
"Lo….Loki….what did you want to see me about?" she managed to get out all the while trying to figure out why she was feeling this strange pull
towards him.
He smiled and told her that he wanted to see her about a decision he had made. This made her look at him sharply and she wondered if after the six
months they had been married he was finally going to give in to the request she had made of him before their wedding.
"And what decision would that be?" she asked. Curious to know what he had to say.
"My love, do you remember what you asked of me before our wedding?" he asked. No longer afraid to call her by the endearment.
She nodded and waited for him to continue.
"After much deliberation and thought I have decided to do as you have requested," he finally said.
It took a few moments to realize what he had just said and then before she knew what was happening she was embracing him.
Loki was a bit shocked by her reaction but happy nonetheless. She was where he had longed for her to be, in his arms. Yet, before he could pull her
closer she pulled back only to thank him for honoring her request and then asking when he planned to release everyone and how.
"Darcy, I actually already have started the process. The Avengers have all already been released as of this morning."
"And?" she asked wanting to know what the outcome had been.
"If you are asking how they responded why don't you ask them yourself? They will be here shortly to help with the rest of the population."
Darcy could not stop smiling. She had known that Loki had a good heart underneath his cruel exterior, especially after learning about him, and
seeing him know only made her realize just how much she had come to admire and respect him. Not only as her king but as a person and husband as
well.
Loki noticed her smile and it made him happy to know that he had put it there. He wanted to keep her in his arms for the rest of the day but he
knew that that was not going to happen especially when the guard announced that the team had arrived. He felt her stiffen slightly and then pull out
of his arms, her smile being replaced by a neutral facade.
"Thank you for coming," he told the group before him that was kneeling before the throne.
"Your Majesty, you called?" Stark said looking up at his king and queen.
"Yes, I did. I will need your expertise in releasing the rest of the inhabitants of this world from the scepters power."
This did not take Stark by surprise as much as it did the others. He had been working closely with the king for the past few months working on a
device that could be used to do exactly that. Tony spared a glance at his queen and noticed that even though she wore a neutral expression on her face her eyes were dancing in joy. He knew that she would want to know how their release had effected each of them and decided that he would try to get her and the group together to let her know. He was still surprised how much Earth had changed under Loki's rule. At first he fought against it but he yielded when Pepper had been threatened. As it was he was happier now than he had been before the takeover and Darcy actually was a good queen.
The Avengers each looked to Darcy knowing that she was the one that had asked the king for their release and each was thankful to her for it. They
may not have been in control of themselves but they knew that Darcy had mellowed out the king in the six months that they had been married. They
each had been surprised when he had released them from the spell and each had mixed emotions after the fact but there was one thing that they
knew and that was that he actually was a good king and ruler. Earth had actually flourished under his guidance. There were no longer wars plaguing
the population and people generally were getting along.
Thor took a moment to analyze the couple before him. He could see that Darcy was happy and it made him smile to know that Loki was the one who
had made her so. Although he was happy that his brother had finally found happiness, it saddened him to know that he would have to return
to Asgard soon as Odin would want a full account of his absence. He knew what that meant for his wayward brother and it hurt to know that Darcy would be pulled into it.
"Of course, Sire. The device we have been working on is finished and should work the way we hope it will."
"Good. Then get ready to put it to use. I want the job done by the end of the day." With that he dismissed the group.
"Darcy, you can go with them. I know you have questions for them," Loki told her softly.
She looked up at him then a smile reappearing on her face as she again embraced him before hurrying off to follow her friends out of the room.
She caught up with them shortly after leaving the hall and they all made their way to Starks Lab where the device was awaiting them.
"My Queen, we know you have questions," Barton began with a slight bow towards her.
"You guys don't have to bow to me nor do you have to show me any other formality. I am still me even if I am now queen."
"Yes, but you are queen and therefore are deserving of respect," Banner said softly.
Darcy only nodded her head. "So exactly what happened when he released you guys? He told me I had to ask you what your reactions were."
"Well, I for one was surprised, but I couldn't find it in myself to attack him for what he did," Natasha said quietly, "Although he deserved it," she
added moments later.
"Yes, he does deserve to be beaten to a pulp for what he did as Natasha said but he has proven that he can be a very good ruler," Banner replied.
The others only nodded. They had so many things that they wanted to do to Loki whether praise him or scorn him but none of them could deny that
he had made Earth a better place for all of them.
"My Queen, I am afraid I must return to Asgard soon," Thor suddenly said, which surprised not only her but the rest of the occupants of the room as
well.
"I understand, I only hope that your father understands that Loki has been an asset to Earth and not a hindrance."
He nodded in understanding. They both knew that Odin was going to likely imprison Loki for what he did to Midgard and both were worried about the outcome.
"I hope that father will understand but I don't know, he is very set in his ways and stubborn too."
"Then go. Make him see that Loki has changed for the better, Thor," Darcy said sadness creeping into her voice at the possible loss of her husband.
Thor nodded. He heard the sadness in her voice and knew that even if his sister-in-law was not in love with his brother yet she cared deeply for him
and was worried for him.
"Well, we better get this device going if we want to get the rest of the world out from under the scepters power," Stark said.
"Yes, let's set the world free!" Darcy said with a smile.
