There was an unearthly silence amounsgt the people. The Avengers and Guardians restrained by tendrils of black sand. Seasons released, standing back from the King, Queen, Mother and Grandfather. Loki looked at his "parents" faces. Odin's was as stern and strong as ever. His one good eye glaring not at him, but the woman by the name Seraphina. She ignored the look of the All Father as her own eyes bore into Frigga's with loathing of another sort. Frigga stiffened, her eyes held something Loki had never seen before. Disgust.
"I thought I told you to never come here again," Seraphina growled.
"It is not what you said," Frigga corrected quickly.
"You know her?" Odin questioned his wife.
"Am I the only one confused here?" Clint asked. Every Avenger sans Tony shook their heads. Hell, even the large man in red and the well feathered woman shook their heads as well. A small light bulb appeared over the small golden man's head. A tendril of gold floated over to the sallow skinned man. His gold eyes glanced at the golden man before reluctantly releasing him.
Tony stared at Frigga with intensity, as if she were a mystery. The only mystery about her Loki could fathom was how she raised to very different boys.
"We-"
"We have met under different circumstances," Seraphina stated icily, "And I recall you saying that he was my jurisdiction."
"We are not here because of that. We are here to collect our sons."
"Son. You only had one son with Odin," she stated. Animosity filled the air. Fury burned in Frigga's eyes.
"I raised Loki as my own. He is my son."
Amusement sparked in Seraphina's eyes. The children of seasons backed away ever so slightly, standing near the giant man and the pale vagabond. As Loki looked closer, the pale haired boy looked at him. Icy pools of blue reflected the world in a merry way. The rubble a playground for games, hide and seek, tag or some other midgardian game. They were soft as they were troubling. They were cold welcoming eyes of his mother.
He blinked in confusion. That wasn't possible. Thor was the only son of Odin. There shouldn't be another child that was born from Frigga. She was too noble to bear a child out of wedlock. And too in love the with All father to even suggest a tale.
Besides, he had Loki's smirk and fair colored skin. Not that of as Asgardian. He could not be a full Asgardian if he held any blood at all. No, he was a spirit. Plain and simple.
"Yes. Of Laufey was he not?" She questioned.
"He may not be my blood but he is still my son."
The air grew slightly colder. A small smile came to Seraphina's face. The avengers were silent, all trying to keep up with the two strong women.
"I do not understand," Steve muttered softly.
"Mother," the golden season spoke softly, "Let them leave. There is little to be gained. Besides, I feel like hunting hares."
"Right. Your... Loki and Thor, should leave immediately. We have more important matters to address."
"More important?" King Odin scoffed.
"Loki's ally is still at large. And he was our foremost target."
"Bunnymund," Loki said softly, "I know where he is."
Faces turned to face the trickster God. A sheepish grin gracing his face.
"I am the only one he has taken through his tunnels. I talked over plans with him. We are good friends."
"You only give me more reasons to see you dead child," Seraphina commented dryly. Tony snorted at the comment, "Being his friend even when fallen and at the mercy of your enemies."
"More reason to keep me alive. I can help you find him."
"Loki!" Frigga gasped.
"And what keeps you from turning coat Laufeyson?"
"The same that keeps you from leaving. Curiosity. There are things that you don't understand about our attack, and yet you clearly held a problem with one side and fought. And I," he paused looking at Jack, "have witnessed something of an enigma while here on Midgard. An enigma in which I cannot rest until I solve."
A mischievous spark gleamed in her eyes. Her face stony and otherwise rigid.
"Well, who am I to deny a chance at redemption?"
"Seraphina!"
"What? Midgard is my responsibility. He attacked and now wants redemption. Your son attacked my home. My home," she smirked, "my prisoner."
"I am his mother. Odin and I will discipline him."
"Does a mother discipline a murderer? I think not. Come along Loki," she snapped. The avengers eyes widened.
"You're letting him go?" Clint gasped, "What the hell?"
"Seraphina. He knows vere Bunny iz. Perhaps it vould be better if ve joined you?" North broke in. She almost forgot that he and Tooth were there.
"Wait? Hold on! Reindeer games gets to go free?"
Jack smirked back at Tony's outburst.
"Does it bother you great glowing man child?"
"Wait! Frosty?"
"Jack Frost at you service," he bowed with an impish grin. He flew over to to ensnared avengers and taps their noses, turning them bright red, "Nipped your nose."
The avengers stared in confusion as Nick Fury, director of SHEILD chuckled.
"Still up to your old tricks."
"Of course Nicky poo. I like to think of my self of snow balls and fun times, Mister Hard work and deadlines."
"I see that. Could your grandfather let my soldiers up?"
"We are not your soldiers Nicky poo," Stark snarked.
"Fine. Could your grandfather let all my soldiers go? Stark doesn't count."
"Wait a minute!"
"Hey Pitch? Can we let these mortals go on their merry way?"
The guant man in the black robe gave an odd look to Jack.
"Mortals Jack?"
"Uh... Maybe I still have some of Jokul's influence," he commented. Thor's eyes lit up as Odin's good eye fell on the scrawny child.
"An Asgardian here on Midgard?" he questioned. His voice commanded authority. Seraphina stood between her father and children, shielding them from Odin's gaze.
"None born of your realm aside from your kin are here Lord Odin."
"Yet one carries a name from our realm. And influences a warrior of yours."
Frigga stared at Seraphina, hatred and loathing simmering in her eyes. Seraphina's eyes darted towards the youngest before retreating to Odin's gaze.
"A name is but that. Now take your son and leave. Loki has a rabbit to sniff out."
A lesser person would have flinched, a person slower would have missed. Odin's unsheathed his sword to Seraphina's neck. She did not flinch. All that kept his sword from harming her was a pale skinned vagabond. The shoeless, staff wielding Jack Frost. His staff held the sword a mere inch from her neck. Ice protecting the tender wood from the sharp blade.
One eye stared into two. Ice met storm cloud.
"I don't care who you are, you leave my mother alone. She was the one attacked. By your son. Unless you are declaring war on Midgard, you will leave her alone."
"Move child. I have no quarrels with you."
"Nor with my mother. If any should have problems it is my mother with your family."
"Stand aside child. She threatens the children of Asgard with her choice."
Jack's face flushes a deep deathly blue.
"Because pure Asgardians are all that matters to you isn't it? Nothing else matters to you, oh great All Father."
"Jack."
"Calm yourself Jack. It is a king's duty to protect the people in his kingdom," Pitch said. Jack averted his eyes from the king. He removed his staff from the King's sword. Shards of ice broke from the staff and fell to the asphalt below. He floated behind his mother still rather flighty. Ready to strike.
"It seems as though Midgard has not changed as much as I had once believed."
"Something's never change Odin. Like a father favoring a son, war and bloodshed, miracles of life and death will always remain constant. Names, stories, proverbs, they are all the same. The words are all that changes, the frame, the values and ideas are the marks of change. Something that Asgard is without."
Odin's one eye narrowed. Jack hid his smile.
"I know a name with Asgardian Magic flowing through it. Jokul. As in Jokul Frosti Heimdall has spoken to my boys before in many stories, yes I know he told you boys in the past two centuries. An Asgardian who hath never set foot in his homeland. Who hath never drank from his mother's tit. An infant gifted with flight and wields the power of ice."
Frigga's jaw tightened. The Avengers and Guardians remained silent. Eyes drifted to the small white haired boy with a Shepard's crook in hand.
"Isn't that right? Jokul."
"It's Jack, Jack Frost."
"So you are of Asgard?"
"Never. I have been raised here on Midgard since my birth. I am Midgardian."
"And yet you bare a name of Asgard."
"Mother thought it fitting. Considering how I ended up in her care."
"And how was that child? Heimdall insisted you were Asgardian. He sees all child. Why would he see something that isn't true?"
Jack stared bewilderly at the King. He found it difficult to believe that this was Thor's father. He had a no nonsense grandfatherly feel to him. Thor was more like a trigger happy puppy.
"I believe in nurture. Obviously he believes in blood."
"Seraphina," Frigga hissed. Seraphina merely smiled.
"It's his choice. I've followed our bargain," she lipped to the queen of Asgard.
"Who are your parents?"
"I'm a child of Laufey. What makes you think I'll tell you more than that?"
"A half breed."
"See? No reason for you to care with my mixed blood. Even Loki has a nobler birth of pure blood than I do!"
"Laufey as in King of the Frost Giants?" Loki asked. Jack looked back at the black haired trickster paling slightly.
"Forgot you were here. Could you forget I just said that?"
Loki smirked at Jack's discomfort.
"Now why would I do that? Little brother."
Jack groaned at the elder trickster's words.
"Great. First Calor, now you, who's next? Thor?"
"Pardon?"
Jack blinked. He turned his head to see the Avengers still prisoners of his Grandfather's sand. One of which be the mighty God of Thunder himself, Thor.
"Just kidding Point Break! I was Uh, being sarcastic! You know, with how you and Loki were raised together as brothers and all and it seems we may share a parent you might proclaim your undying brotherly love for me and we really don't want that! You already have a big enough family don't you?"
Despite Thor's moments of obliviousness, he could tell that Jack (or perhaps Jokul as in Heimdall's stories) wasn't being truthful. He reminded Thor of a young Loki when he first began weaving messy tales to not get caught for something. He inevitably got caught surprisingly by Thor the most.
"Perhaps there is more to this Jokul?"
"It's Jack. Jokul was just a phase."
"Jokul, it is a powerful name. One that tells of your roots away from Midgard. You say you hail from Jotunheim. And yet you declare yourself as also carrying Asgardian blood. Art thou ashamed of your lineage?" Thor asked surprisingly calm.
"Im not the one ashamed," Jack spat, "She was ashamed of me. She didn't want me so why should I want to be near her? Why should I subject myself to living a life without warmth and love? I have it here on Earth! I found a mom, a brother, sisters, even my Grandpa! I made my life happy. That's more than I could get on Asgard as a half blooded freak, or Jotun as a traitorous runt. Why should I have given up a chance of my happiness just to see my brothers be loved by our mother while I was abandoned on the Bifrost in the hands of another."
"You were born on the Bifrost?" Thor asked.
"Brothers," Loki whispered.
"I FUCKING KNEW IT!" Tony yelled. Jack stared bewildered at the scientist. A look of pure epiphany appeared on his face.
"You're Point Break and Reindeer Games little brother. Well half brother."
There was a silence in the air.
"So?"
"Grandpa!"
"He figured it out. Seraphina did not violate her terms with Frigga. It's all legal."
"Half brother?"
"Meaning one parent is shared. And since he is the son of Laufey that means he is..."
"... Frigga's son," Odin whispered staring at his wife. Tears clouded her eyes as she turned away from the stares.
"Yeah so what?" Jack asked in fury, "They did the nasty and I was the result!"
So... Yeah. Not my favorite chapter even though it has the line that inspired the story.
They did the nasty.
Yep. Inspired the story it did. So I hope you guys enjoyed it. I hope you all don't murder me. And as always, I hope you all review.