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Tony's New Assistant (Part 37: Odin's POV)

Humility was not one of Odin's virtues, for all that he was renowned for his wisdom. Staring, eye to eye, with his mirror image, was a lesson that no matter how wise a man, there was always room for humility.

And here was the lesson thrice over, in the mortal man Fury, in Loki King-maker, and in Thor Stormbringer.

Frigga would laugh at him, he knew, and tell him that it was no more than he deserved. And almost, that was enough, for she would laugh, and she hadn't laughed since he'd told her of her son's fall.

That knowledge did little to mitigate the frustration.

The mortal man Fury was Odin's own mirror image. Odin's own left eye staring into Fury's right eye. The mortal was as dark as Odin was pale, ruled from the shadows where Odin ruled from a golden throne, was as young as Odin was old. And where Odin's son Thor stood at his side along with Sif and the warriors three, Fury had Loki Twice-Stolen at his side along with a set of mortals who were just as deceptively dangerous.

"Loki Odinson, it gladdens my heart to see you well." It did gladden his heart to see his poor foster son had not been destroyed by his fall through the realms. But it also worried him to see the trickster god stand opposed to him and those from Asgard. Odin had intended that Loki support Thor in Thor's kingship, and yet now Loki stood at the left hand of a mortal.

Loki opened his mouth to speak, most likely something cutting as had been his want since he was but a child, but the mortal spoke before Loki Silvertongue even got the chance. "Loptr Laufeyjorson, is in the employ of the Stark empire and I have just taken him into SHIELD command."

Odin learned humility again. If anyone on Asgard had tried to speak for Loki, they could have expected to have his sharp tongue turned on them. But here and now, Loki looked satisfied to be so claimed, and Odin, for all his wisdom, was unsure as to the status of these entities to which Loki of all people showed loyalty. Few on Asgard thought Loki capable of loyalty, and yet, here were two mortal entities that Loki apparently thought highly enough of to give uncoerced loyalty, while giving up even the name given to him by the Asgard.

The silence stretched as he waited for Loki to speak, but Loki remained silent for once, allowing the mortal Fury's words to stand for his own.

Thor broke into the silence, as was his want, and said "Father, ask them about the Tesseract!"

It was almost a relief to be able to turn from his difficult child to his golden child, even as he wondered why Thor had to be so very bad at diplomatic meetings. He did notice, though, that Loki had finally flinched at being turned away from, and the mortal man introduced as Stark had placed a hand on his shoulder.

"The Tesseract?"

Of course, Odin knew the Tesseract was here. It had taken some contriving to managed to get it properly out of his own care and into some other realm. It was a great enough power that one could not simply throw it away, but it was best not kept, either.

"Yes! Director Fury has found it and agreed that it might be returned to Asgard and your care, and I will work off its value in defense of this realm and in honor of my lady Jane!"

And thus came the third lesson in humility.

After years struggling to relieve himself of the Tesseract, he was presented with it as an unrefusable gift from his son and heir, and as a sign of intent that Thor would wed his mortal infatuation. The honest delight in Thor's face demonstrated clearly that Thor knew nothing of Odin's dislike of the Tesseract or his disinclination to allow a mortal marriage contract. And, looking into that open face, like a bright sun on a clear day that could so easily turn to thunderclouds and lightening strikes, Odin knew that he could not speak his dislike of this plan of Thors. Instead, he said, "Ah."

Thor beamed at him as he had granted approval. And, Odin realized, so he had, in refusing to deny it.

He turned back to Fury. "I have learned much, even in such a brief visit. I hope, Lord Fury, that I might one day host a equally informative visit from you one day."

And while the threat sailed over the heads of every one of his own subjects, it was understood by every last one of the mortals.

Fury merely smiled and said, "I'll keep that in mind."