Author's note: the letter ð (eth) is pronounced like the "th" in the word "them"

"And that is how Yggdrasil is not only a literal reflection of the health and status of the galaxies in the Nine Realms cluster but also a conduit for direct and indirect interactions between them. Basically, it's like a combination of a computer's operating system and some sort of infinitely complex baby monitor. Without it, Asgard's ability to create Einstein-Rosen bridges may completely break down, and the metric expansion of space in this cluster will increase exponentially, possibly affecting the fabric of reality and time itself."

A rather frazzled-looking Thor had deposited an equally frazzled Jane in Ada's room about an hour ago. Jane had not stopped talking since she arrived, despite the fact that Ada's mind was obviously elsewhere. Jane worked through complicated concepts out loud, and Ada had spent enough time with her to realize that asking for clarification would only generate more scientific jargon. However, Jane's summary of the issue at hand was fairly understandable- and quite worrying.

"But what about the Norns?" Ada asked uncertainly. "You mentioned earlier that somehow their wellbeing is tied to that of the Nine Realms as well as the tree-"

Jane cut her off. "Norns? Oh yeah, the programs." Ada's look of utter confusion was enough to encourage her to elaborate. "If I think about it all like a computer, it makes more sense. The Norns are the programs that can access information from the galaxy cluster via the tree. There are three main programs, the Norns Urd, Skuld, and Verdandi, are able to read the source code- basically, time and space- directly from Yggdrasil. There are also thousands of sub-programs, such as Gerðr and her sisters, who can only interface with Yggdrasil through the main programs."

Ada nodded along with Jane's explanation. "But where are they? The Norns, I mean," she clarified. "I didn't see anyone else beneath Yggdrasil when it was stolen."

"Oh, yes, of course… no one seems to know," Jane shrugged, obviously not too concerned with their whereabouts. "Apparently, they don't leave the tree's side very often, but like you said, there wasn't anyone else there that night. I think Odin and Thor's reasoning is that if they get the tree back, the Norns will come back too."

Ada frowned and drummed her fingers on the table. Spending her morning in deep conversation was not exactly how she wanted to start the day, not after that dream. She could feel her stomach start to flutter at the slightest thought of it…

No, best to focus on something else. Like the end of the universe.

Ada cleared her throat. "Then when is the invasion?"

"I don't know that, either," Jane sulked and rested her chin on one hand. "I'm not allowed to be anywhere near Thor and Odin when they're planning anymore… not since I corrected Odin on a certain travel calculation. I've mostly been locked up in the library, researching."

Ada laughed. "Why did he banish you to the library? He should hire you as a strategist!"

Jane grinned. "That's exactly what I said! That didn't go over too well either…" she paused and pondered her next words. "Odin is kind of a… oh, what would be a polite way of saying it… kind of a dick."

Ada snorted at Jane's word choice. "Careful no one hears you say that, or you'll be locked up like me!"

"He is, though!" Jane insisted. "You should see how he treats me! I mean, he is a king and all, but would it be too much to ask for him to treat me as something above the level of a rat? The things he says to Thor, when I'm standing right there… ooo, I could slap him!"

"Ha! I think you've slapped enough members of the Asgardian royal family to last a lifetime!" Ada said through chuckles. "But yeah, from what I've heard of Odin, he's not exactly what I would call a nice guy."

Jane raised an eyebrow. "You mean in mythology?"

"Y-yeah, in mythology," Ada quickly confirmed. Certainly not from personal conversations with the god of mischief next door. "And also, he threatened to kill me the only time I've met him."

Jane blew a puff of air through pursed lips, making an exasperated sound. "Figures. The one time I get to meet a boyfriend's parents, and his dad treats me like trash and wants to kill my friend."

She and Ada both snickered a little, then broke into full laughter at how absurd the situation was. Although they both felt better for it, the air around them was still heavy with the threat of military action and its unknown outcome.

However, before either of them could succumb to the bleak mood, Thor's voice sounded in Ada's living room. "Jane, my love!"

Ada whipped her head around to look at Jane, who somehow looked equal parts mortified and delighted. "Using the "L" word now, are we?" Ada asked quietly, smirking and waggling her eyebrows.

Jane smiled and turned away, blushing deeply. "Just since last night. He actually had to tear a book out of my hands to tell me."

Ada snickered as Thor knocked and came into her bedroom. He looked significantly more at ease than when he had initially dropped Jane off, though his eyes seemed tired. He smiled brightly. "Aðalrun, it is a pleasure to see you on this fine day! Jane does so enjoy your company, and I am glad that you two were able to spend some time together." He rested his hand gently on Jane's shoulder.

As Jane beamed up at him, Ada resisted the urge to roll her eyes at their sappiness. "I enjoy her company too," she said, her tone overly cheerful. "Now you two lovebirds go on, I'm sure you have fields of wildflowers to frolic in."

"Love… bird? I have never heard of such a creature!" Thor gave a hearty laugh. "But they sound delightful!"

"Ah, Jane, I just remembered!" Ada said as Thor guided Jane out of her seat. "Could you get me some more paper? My stack is kind of dwindling."

Jane gave her a surprised look. "Seriously? Last I saw, you had pretty much a full ream! What have you been doing?"

Ada rubbed the back of her head, trying to think of a non-committal answer. "Uh, you know… language stuff. Writing. I make an occasional effort at origami… there's really not much to do."

"I wish I could bring you books… you must be miserable up here," Jane said, concern evident in her voice.

"Eh, I make do," Ada shrugged nonchalantly.

"I shall ensure that you are supplied with more paper," Thor said, guiding Jane out the door. "Come Jane, mother wishes to show you a rare flower that has recently bloomed in her garden!"

Jane looked back over her shoulder and waved at Ada. "See you soon!"

"Have a lovely time in the garden, dear," Ada said in a British accent. She heard Jane giggle as she passed into the living room and out the front door with Thor.

Ada heaved a sigh of relief when she heard the heavy front doors bang shut. She hated hiding things from Jane, but figured that her meetings with Loki were the only things keeping her sane at this point; if Jane found out, she would most likely tell Thor, and Thor would probably pass the information on to Odin. Not only would Ada no longer have a (frightfully attractive) Asgardian to study, she would probably also be hauled off to the dungeon.

Ada folded her arms on the table and laid her head down on them. She slowly closed her eyes, overcome by exhaustion from staying up too late with Loki for the past few days and her interesting but not very restful dream last night. However, as soon as darkness fell inside her eyelids, Loki's image popped into her mind. He gazed at her with desire and need, and she could almost feel his lips again…

Ada's eyes snapped open and she jumped out of her chair so fast she felt dizzy. This did not bode well for tonight's visit to Loki's room. She began to pace the floor nervously, fidgeting with the ends of the long green fabric that hung from her shoulders. She imagined they were supposed to function as sleeves, but at the moment, they were just something to keep her hands busy.

Ada had never been particularly good at hiding her feelings, and she knew that Loki would easily be able to tell that something was off about her that night, even if he weren't the god of lies. She took a deep breath and plopped herself on the couch in front of the fireplace.

The only way she could think of to possibly avoid the subject would be to hit Loki with magic-related questions right off the bat. She just hoped she would be able to feign indifference long enough to get the questions out.

Ada walked over to her bed and retrieved the simple magic book from beneath it. She frowned slightly as she stared at it in her hands; she was feeling more and more like magic was not exactly her cup of tea. For all of Loki's explaining, and despite the fact that he had actually shown her its composition, it was just a difficult concept to wrap her head around. She wondered if humans had the capability to perform Asgardian magic as she lay down on the bed on her stomach to read.

In fact, that would probably be a good leading question for Loki. He would balk at the idea of pitiful Midgardians being able to use magic, and probably insult her in the process. That would hopefully bring her to her senses about how silly her feelings for Loki were.

Ada tried to bury any stray thoughts of the sensation of his arms around her as she focused on reading.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As she steeled herself to knock on Loki's door, Ada wondered if she had perhaps had a bit too much mead at dinner. She had indulged more than usual just to calm her nerves in anticipation of her and Loki's meeting, but she hoped it was not so much that it turned her into a stuttering mess in front of him (or worse, cause her to speak her mind). Her insides were warm and her shoulders somehow felt weak as she pictured him opening the door and inviting her in as usual, only to catch her up in his arms and-

Nope. No, no, no, Ada shook her head, trying to interrupt her overactive imagination. She hugged the magic book and her new supply of paper to her chest and pulled open her side of the door, knocking loudly on Loki's side before she could come up with any more fantasies.

The door whipped open in response to her knocks, causing her to start. Loki stood in front of her in his familiar linen tunic and loose pants, smiling uncharacteristically brightly. He seemed slightly taller though; Ada realized that he was wearing boots.

"Aðalrun, do come in!" he said enthusiastically, ushering her through the doorway.

Ada watched him as she entered, her earlier worries replaced by suspicion. Instead of leaving the door open behind her, as he usually did, he closed it and locked it. Now she was really suspicious… and kind of scared.

"Do not look so concerned, pet," Loki chuckled as he walked past her. "I have a surprise for you this evening!"

"I-" Ada started, but paused when she caught the smell of mead on the air. She frantically worried for a moment that the smell came from her breath, but quickly realized that it simply smelled strongly of mead in Loki's room. She glanced over to the low table in front of the fireplace in the corner to see a large jug and a tipped silver chalice.

She turned back to face him and found him standing a few feet away, observing her thoughtfully with his hands tucked behind his back. Oddly though, he pointedly avoided making eye contact with her, turning his head slightly as he fell under her gaze. Did Ada see some color rise to his cheeks, or was it just the flickering light of the fire?

"I believe we have both spent enough time cooped up in these quarters," Loki said, turning fully and taking several paces toward the fireplace. He suddenly spun on his heel to face Ada again, smiling deviously. "What do you say we have a night on the town?"

"A night on the town," Ada repeated incredulously. "Loki, you said it yourself, your room is heavily shielded. On top of that, there are guards. How exactly would we even get to "the town" to have a night out?" She silently wondered what a "night out" with Loki would even entail.

"Oh, but don't you remember the night before last?" he asked, feigning surprise. "When I had to suddenly conceal you, I found the weak thread in the shield!"

Yes, of course Ada remembered, particularly the part when his arms were around her… Shut UP, brain, she thought angrily, hoping her blush wasn't too evident.

"Well, I don't know how you choose to spend your days," Loki continued, taking no notice of Ada's internal turmoil, "But I have not been resting on my laurels! I've unraveled Odin's spell to the point that it is just a heap of ineffective magic. Observe a simple demonstration…"

He brought a hand from behind his back and rotated his wrist slightly. Ada immediately saw something glimmering out of the corner of her eye, but as she turned to see what it was it disappeared. When she curiously looked back to Loki, she was delighted to find hundreds of stars dancing and twinkling in the air between them. She reached out to touch one, only to have it poof into stardust as soon as it made contact with her finger. She giggled and poked another one.

"Is this like the spell in the book you gave me?" Ada asked through the cloud of stars.

"The very one," Loki said with pride. "Though on a larger scale."

He began to walk toward her through the stars. They shimmered and burst as he passed through them, creating showers of sparkles around his form. Ada instinctively took a step back, but Loki caught her still outstretched hand in his own, holding it until he stopped in front of her. He was so close that she had to look up to see his face. Ada blushed deeply and felt her breathing grow uneven, despite her best efforts to keep a handle on her arousal.

Loki was obviously back to his old self after his strange bout of shyness earlier. "Last night was the best rest I've had in years," he purred, bringing Ada's hand close to his dangerous mouth. He ghosted a kiss over it, just enough that she could feel the softness of his lips but leaving her wanting more. "It was in no small part thanks to you."

Ada's eyes went wide and she swallowed hard. There was no way he could know about her dream, right? He just slept really well, right? But she still had a knot in her stomach.

Loki let his fingers slip out from under her hand. He smiled slyly at her and turned his back. "After all, you were the one who suggested I sleep."

The clarification somehow didn't make Ada feel any less vulnerable, and in fact brought the dream to the forefront of her thoughts again. So much for unbiased research. She clutched the book and papers tightly, trying to regain her composure. "B-but, even if you've disabled the magic in your room, wouldn't people would recognize us as we tried to leave the palace? And I'm sure people would recognize you in town!"

"Do not fluff your feathers over such details, little bird," Loki chuckled as Ada made a face over the new term of endearment. "I have a plan. Come, sit by the fire with me."

He sat down on the couch in front of the fire and patted the area next to him. Ada sighed and made her way over, perching uncomfortably on the very edge of the seat, still clutching her book and papers.

"Now now, I think we can do away with those for the evening," Loki said, gesturing to Ada's things. He extended a hand, implying that she should give them to him.

Ada made a pained face; these were all her notes on Asgardian Proto Norse, and she was hesitant to relinquish them. However, Loki didn't seem to have a reason to cause harm to them (that she knew of, anyway), so she reluctantly turned them over. She watched him like a hawk as he deposited them on the table in front of them, wincing as he knocked the tipped chalice. She reached out and righted it, placing it as far away from her papers as she could.

When she turned back to Loki, she found him sitting closer than he had previously been. He concentrated on her with narrowed eyes and slowly extended his hand to cup her cheek. Ada's face erupted in heat and color once again as she felt his cool touch. She suppressed a whimper as Loki's hand moved behind her head, his fingers tangling themselves in her hair. She could feel them lightly still as he withdrew them, pulling slightly at the short strands… and pulling, and pulling, and pulling…

Ada grew confused as Loki brought his hand around to her front, and felt a heavy thump across her shoulder as he withdrew completely. She furrowed her brow, which was somehow a strange feeling, as she reached up to feel what the odd weight suddenly attached to the back of her head was.

She took the end of it in her hand and brought it up to her face- it was a long golden braid. Her mouth dropped open and she followed it up to where it joined the rest of her hair. She covered her mouth in shock as she looked at Loki for answers, simultaneously realizing that her face was had changed as well. Loki watched her react with devilish glee and magically produced a mirror for her.

As Ada examined her new face and hair, he proudly crooned, "You could blend in anywhere on Asgard now! One of my best works, if I may say so; it is much harder to dull beauty than it is to create it."

Ada quickly looked away, dumbfounded by the indirect compliment and still reeling from observing a face in the mirror that wasn't her own. She made a few small noises, unsure of what to say.

Loki laughed at her state of shock. "Now for me," he said, whizzing his hand in front of his face and over the top of his head. He shimmered for a moment as his features molded themselves into those of a ruddy-faced, bearded blond man. His eyes, however, remained their natural shade of effervescent green.

"Wow," Ada said quietly. She resisted reaching out to touch Loki's new face to see if it was as real as hers.

Loki rose and offered his hand to help her up. She hesitantly accepted, and realized she was right to be cautious when he did not let go after she stood. Instead, he led her in the direction of the door to his living quarters while she tried not to blush herself into oblivion. Despite Loki's unfamiliar looks, his hands maintained their shape and soothingly cool temperature.

"You have been quiet this evening," he mused as they walked.

"I was… just… ready to do some more elicitations," Ada said haltingly. "I wasn't expecting all this."

Loki chuckled. "What kind of a surprise would it be if you were expecting it?"

They stopped before the door and turned to two large closed doors on the left that Ada hadn't noticed before. Loki released her hand and threw them open, revealing an almost disturbingly large wardrobe. "We can't have you wandering about the city in palace finery," Loki explained as he stepped forward to examine the vast array of clothing. He reached into the very back of the closet and retrieved a well-worn forest green cloak with small golden metal clips around its edges. "This was mine when I was young. I believe it will fit you."

Ada gingerly took the cloak from him and held it in her arms. Although it looked slightly ragged, it was still softer than any material from earth. She draped it around herself, finding that it hid everything except the hem of her lighter green dress. Her newly blond braid stood out against the dark color.

Loki looked her up and down, stroking his chin. "Perfect!" he exclaimed before pulling out a larger blue cloak for himself. It featured the same golden metal clips as Ada's.

He threw the cloak around himself as he opened the door to his living room, striding confidently forward. Ada quickly walked after him, calling softly, "But the guards!"

"Already dealt with!" Loki turned to face her before opening the front doors. "They were relieved of their duties earlier than usual tonight, to be replaced with more… agreeable individuals."

Ada raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you can trust them?"

"Of course I can!" Loki laughed. "They are my illusions, after all!"

Ada barely had a chance to process Loki's handiwork before he abruptly pulled her into an embrace. He tilted her chin up to look him in the eyes, and he smirked characteristically despite the blond beard. Although she knew it was still him beneath the disguise, she found herself missing Loki's refined features and dark hair; he looked far too much like Thor this way. But looking into his dancing green eyes still gave her the same butterflies.

"Tonight, you are my dutiful wife Dagmar," Loki purred, his lips close to her face. "And I am your loving husband Bjorn."

Ada nodded slowly. "Bjorn," she repeated, unable to bring forth any more words.

Loki smiled and pulled away from her, placing his hand on the enormous wooden doors. He looked over his shoulder at Ada as he pushed them open. "Shall we?"