This chapter is also Ozhawk's handiwork. Enjoy!
Chapter Ten
Loki only quirked a black eyebrow when Jemma excitedly told him about Skye being Fandral's soulmate, and looked at the couple staring into each others' eyes.
"Interesting," he murmured quietly. "It seems that Midgardians and Asgardians are more compatible than anyone had previously suspected. I daresay a good number of my people will be looking on Earth for their mates now, if Odin will permit."
"It's so interesting," Jemma said, happily placing her hand on his offered arm. "Makes me wonder if all the Unmarked on Earth are actually meant to be paired with people from another realm."
"Why do I have the sinking feeling that you are even now contemplating setting up some sort of inter-Realm matchmaking agency?" Loki murmured.
"That," she smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling, "is a wonderful idea!"
He stopped walking.
"A joke, Loki! You're not the only one allowed to make jokes and play pranks, you know. And you deserve a bit of grief today because I've just found out that you threatened even Sif if she didn't call me Lady. And what was that nonsense about Coulson and Fitz not being allowed to enter my chambers? It wasn't as though I planned to take them into my bedroom, anyway!"
Skye had to smile as she heard Jemma's voice getting higher and more irritated as she told the god off. And Loki was actually taking it, hanging his head slightly and looking away from his soulmate's annoyed expression. He really does love her, Skye thought, and another little bit of her worry for Jemma seeped away.
They entered the throne room, but there was no formal announcement as they made their way towards the front of the room, where Odin was seated on his throne, talking to Thor who stood beside him. And to Skye's surprise, here she saw perhaps a little of Loki's reasoning, because there were men in the room who looked at him with an expression of barely concealed distaste, that morphed into something like jealousy when they looked at Jemma.
Loki's actions had come back to haunt him.
"I will not tolerate open disrespect to you," Loki said, loudly enough for most of the room to hear. "You know I care little for anyone's opinion of me but yours. But if I ever hear any man call you a Midgardian whore again I will tear him limb from limb."
"Someone called her what?" It was May who lost her temper first, though the others weren't far behind.
"It wasn't to my face," Jemma tried to placate May.
"It was to mine," they'd reached Thor, who stepped forward with an unusually grim expression on his face and spoke quietly, for once. He made a production out of bowing deeply to Jemma, and then respectfully to the rest of them. "A nobleman who hoped to procure a royal alliance through one of his daughters. He disrespected both Lady Jemma and my Lady Jane. My brother is particularly annoyed in that he is not the one who exacted revenge for the insult."
"I hope it was messy," Skye said, surprising herself with how bloodthirsty she felt about it.
"It was certainly final," Odin spoke for the first time, and they all turned to him, hastily executing bows and curtsies in varying degrees of gracefulness. His single ice-blue eye settled on the closeness between Skye and Fandral, her hand on his arm, and he watched them even as Thor performed introductions.
Odin didn't look as old as she'd expected, Skye thought. But then, Thor had told them that Loki managed to maintain the illusion that Odin was on the throne for months, long enough for Odin to have a true Odinsleep and refresh himself fully. He looked like a vigorous man around Coulson's age, though his face was sad and she remembered that it was less than a year ago that he had lost his beloved wife, and a good deal less than that to Odin who had slept much of that time away.
When it came her turn to be introduced, therefore, Skye curtsied deeply, as best as she could manage – how the hell had Jemma made that look so easy? – and said;
"I was greatly sorrowed to hear of the loss of your queen, All-Father. Thor spoke of the Lady Frigga to us and her loss is a tragedy to all the realms."
Odin stared at her for a long moment, and Skye had the terrible feeling she'd overstepped some sort of boundary. But then a slight smile curved his mouth.
"It is your mark upon Fandral's lip, is it not, Lady Skye?" he said, loudly enough for the whole room to hear, and with clear emphasis on the title. "You are very welcome to Asgard. Fandral has long been a stalwart servant of the throne and we are glad to see him finally receive his just reward."
Skye returned his smile as Fandral's hand settled possessively on her elbow. Startled whispers were running around the room already, the noise level slowly rising until Odin suddenly stood.
"Come," he said. "I wish to get to know my sons' friends privately."
He'd dropped the royal we, Skye realised, and it was obviously a mark of respect, because the noise died down. Momentarily, anyway, until they'd followed Odin from the room and the doors had closed behind them. Then the roar of voices from inside rose to a crescendo.
Odin led them to a large, private chamber. A table was laid with food and drink, and he turned to Coulson and nodded.
"I have long wished to make your acquaintance, Son of Coul. Both my sons have spoken highly of your courage."
Coulson couldn't help a look at Loki. "Thank you, All-Father," he said politely. "We are all honoured by your invitation to Asgard."
Odin's mouth twisted in a grim smile. "I only regret that your welcome will not be warmer. Perhaps I erred in forbidding interaction with Midgard all those years ago. Too many of my people still view yours as ignorant savages."
"Father," Loki said quietly, "you were correct. We were holding them back. Within thirty years of withdrawing ourselves entirely from Midgard, the Industrial Revolution began," he told Coulson. "Man's ingenuity was awakened, once there was no longer magic in your world. Men have evolved to become our equals, and in many ways more, since they do not have the leisure of our long lifespans in which to make their discoveries."
They were all – except Jemma, Skye noted – gaping at Loki when he finished. He really had changed his tune, Skye realised, from the god who believed humanity were cattle, born to be ruled. Was it Jemma alone who had changed him, or had she perhaps been merely the final piece to the puzzle?
Odin smiled, and reached to put a hand on Loki's shoulder. "Well said, my son," he said quietly.
Thor was beaming too, obviously delighted that Loki had come to realise that Midgardians were indeed worthy of Asgard's respect. Until Odin turned to him and frowned.
"You have not helped matters, Thor."
"Father?" Thor looked startled.
"Nor you, Loki. I understand your desire to protect your Lady Jemma, and to avenge any insult done to her. But the fact remains that you are behaving hypocritically. You bar all men from her chambers, and yet spend every night within. You threaten with grisly death any who do not speak of her with utmost respect and yet you kiss and touch her where any may see you."
Loki looked suddenly stricken. "Father…"
"I am not done speaking, Loki. Thor is just as bad. You spend every minute that your duties permit on Midgard with Lady Jane. I understand her reluctance to come to Asgard after what happened the last time she was here, but you must see that to our people, it looks as though you merely amuse yourself sporting with your mortal mistress."
Thor's face twisted with rage. "If any dare to speak of my Lady Jane so…" he began, until Odin cut him off.
"They dare because your actions make it appear so!" He turned to Skye, that icy-blue eye hard. "It is my understanding that on Midgard today, men and women cohabit without censure. It is not so on Asgard, and nor will it be so while I am King!"
The room was silent as Odin's words rang out. Jemma was red-faced and hanging her head, and Skye felt her cheeks flushing as well, because she'd been having utterly filthy thoughts about Fandral and what she wanted to do when she finally managed to get him alone. She chanced a sideways look at him from under her lashes. He was standing still and straight, watching Odin with an expressionless look on his handsome face – until his eyes slid sideways to catch Skye's gaze, and he winked at her.
Even redder, Skye snatched her eyes away and focussed on Odin, who had turned away from them for a moment, and now walked over to Jemma and took her hands in his in a gesture that obviously surprised her.
"You are as a daughter to me," Odin said gently, directly to Jemma. Her eyes widened. Every time she'd been in the All-Father's presence he had been nothing but kind and welcoming to her, but this display of sentiment was new. "I cannot tell you how glad I am that you and Loki have found each other, and that you see beyond his past misdeeds to accept him for the man he is now."
Jemma smiled, a little tremulously. "I love him, All-Father. I always will."
"I know. I see your heart. And I do not censure you for following the customs of your people, daughter. My disapproval is reserved for my sons. Their actions have exposed you and Lady Jane to gossip and insult. I will have no more of it."
"Father, no!" Loki obviously guessed what was coming, but Odin carried on, ignoring his outburst.
"Thor, you shall go to Midgard with the Lady Sif to act as chaperone, and bring Lady Jane here to take her rightful place among our people. A ceremony shall take place nine days hence in which Asgard will gain two new princesses. And until that time, all maidens of Midgard shall be sequestered from private male company. You may meet with them only in public places, and there will be no inappropriate displays, Loki, am I making myself clear?"
Loki was looking utterly disgusted, but bowed his head in acquiescence to Odin's edict.
"Wait a minute," Skye couldn't help but burst out. "Are you saying I'm not allowed to be alone with Fandral?"
"Despite his reputation," Odin said, "of which you have no doubt heard by now, Fandral is the most honourable of men. I do not doubt that he would have courted you properly. I regret, Lady Skye, that I can no longer permit you the luxury of that. For the future safety of all Midgardian women," his eyes slid over to May, "I must make it clear to my people that you are not to be trifled with. Lest I have to ask the Valkyries for an honour guard for any unattached woman who comes to this realm, and order that the Bifrost to Midgard be closed."
"You're saying that it would be open season on Earth women if you don't make it clear that's not allowed," May said thoughtfully.
"That is correct, Lady Melinda. And while I know of your reputation as a warrior…"
"I'm no match for an Asgardian," she said bluntly. "Especially without guns."
"You took all her weapons?" Odin frowned at Sif.
"Your standing orders are that none may be armed unless they are part of the palace guard, Your Majesty…"
"I will not leave these women defenceless. Arm them," Odin ordered Sif. "I must ask a good deal of you, Lady Sif, to safeguard their honour until the weddings…"
"Wait, what, weddings?" Jemma gasped. Loki winced.
"Surely you understand there can be no other way?" Odin turned to Jemma. "Quite apart from anything else, I will not permit a potential heir to the Asgardian throne to be born illegitimate."
Jemma's hand flew to her stomach. "What? I'm not…"
"Not you, Lady Jemma. Not yet, anyway, though not for lack of trying on Loki's part, I believe." Odin turned to Thor and gave him a hard look.
Thor's mouth fell open.
"So she did not yet tell you."
"Jane?" Thor actually looked as though he might collapse. Loki braced him with an arm across his back and a murmured congratulations.
"Bring her here, Thor. I am afraid that she no longer has the luxury of choice."
Coulson winced. "I wonder if I might be permitted to accompany you, Thor? I know Doctor Foster quite well…"
"Go," Odin waved at the door, and Thor, Coulson and Sif left hastily. Odin turned his attention back to Jemma. "You will marry Loki in nine days, Lady Jemma, at the midwinter feast. Consider it a command from the throne if you wish." He turned then to Skye, looked from her to Fandral. "If it is your wish to be married at the same time, Lady Skye, then you are welcome. But know that until the two of you are wed, then you will not be permitted to be alone together at any time." He nodded regally and swept from the room. About five minutes later, when they were all still staring at each other in shock, two tall blond women in armour similar to Sif's filed in and took up positions on either side of the door.
May looked at Fitz, and then at the two couples. "Come on, Fitz. They might not be allowed to be alone but we can at least give them some privacy to talk." She tugged on his arm lightly, drawing him over to the table laid with food and drink. "So what do you think this is?" She picked up a curious-looking red fruit.