52
Mini Me
I see the best in me when I look at you and that's all that matters. – Loki
Loki woke up early the next morning, feeling refreshed and slightly lazy. He wanted to just lie in bed, but he made himself rise and take a bath, scrubbing the last of the sleep from his eyes as he did so. He planned to gift Rhiannon with Arcana today, it was customary for a prospective groom to give his bride a betrothal gift, and Loki hoped she would like the mare.
Of course she'll like her, Loki thought when he heard a loud squeal coming from the nursery.
"Wonderful," he said, pulling his robe on and slippers. He walked down the hallway while the squealing turned into giggling and he opened the nursery door. "What the Hel?!"
Snow.
Snow was falling in the nursery and Max and Aleta were running around, making snowballs.
"Where did this snow come from?" Loki asked and Max ran to him.
"I made it!" Max said and Loki's eyes widened.
"You made it?"
"Yeah!"
"We wanted to play a prank on Vince and Nate and Max said we should throw snowballs at them," Aleta said.
"But it's not snowing," Loki said, getting concerned as well as confused.
"That's when I said it would be neat if we could make snow. So, I closed my eyes, thought about snow and...," Max said as he pointed to the snow.
"Ah," Loki said with a nod then waved his hands, making the snow vanish.
"Awwwww!" Aleta said with a pout.
"Are you mad at me, Daddy?" Max asked.
"No, imp, I'm not mad. Just a little curious with how you were able to do that."
"I won't do it again."
Loki felt bad about upsetting his son as he knelt and hugged him. "It's not bad, imp, just unusual to be able to do that. I'm going to get dressed." After he was sure Max was all right, Loki left the nursery and went back to his chambers.
How did he do that? Loki wondered. His son seemed to have inherited ice magic from his unknown father, who must have been a Jotun or half-Jotun like Loki was.
He dressed in his favorite green, gold, and black outfit and then hurried down to Rhiannon's room. Trickster darted out and attacked his ankles. "Hello, little scamp!" Loki laughed at the kitten. "I'll feed you in a minute." He picked up the striped feline and set him on his shoulder. Then he knocked on Rhee's door.
"Who is it?" Rhiannon called.
"It's Loki," he replied.
The door opened and Rhiannon stood there in a pretty peach day dress. "Good morning!" she greeted him and then stood on tiptoe and kissed him.
He grinned at her. "If that's the way you greet me every morning, I'll be a lucky groom."
The blonde lady laughed softly. "I will remember that. Shall we go to breakfast?"
"Yes, but first I have a present to give you," Loki said eagerly. "I would have given it to you the morning after the betrothal ceremony but we were enchanted. Anyway, I can give it to you now."
"A present? Why? It's not my birthday," Rhiannon said, puzzled. Her birthday was in the spring, during the month of May.
"It's custom for a groom to gift his bride with a betrothal gift," Loki explained.
"Oh, but . . . I don't have a gift for you!" she protested.
"You are my gift," he said, then took her arm in his. "Come, it is outside."
He led a curiosity-laden Rhiannon out of the palace and to the field where the royal horses were turned out for the day. He halted with her by the white fence surrounding the pasture and whistled softly.
A gold mare with a silver mane and tail lifted her head from her grazing and whinnied. Then she trotted over to them. Loki stroked her nose and then gave Rhiannon a sugar cube. "Here, darling. Give Arcana this so she gets to know you."
Rhiannon fed the mare the sugar cube, wondering why Loki wished her to do so. "Loki, why do you want Arcana to know me better?"
"Because, darling, Arcana is now your horse," Loki declared. "She is my gift to you. Do you like her?"
Rhiannon gasped, overwhelmed at the gift. "She is the most beautiful horse I have ever seen, much less owned! Thank you, my love!" She turned and hugged Loki and then kissed him.
He drowned in her sweetness and murmured, "If I had known giving you a horse would elicit this sort of reaction, I'd give you a dozen!"
"You don't need a horse to make me kiss you, you foolish prince!" she giggled, swatting his arm playfully.
He chuckled. "Now you can use your mother's saddle and ride her. She is a champion jumper. Jumps like she was a pegasus. I have also asked Mother to have her dressmaker sew you a new riding habit, one with a divided skirt and short breeches to wear beneath it, so you can ride astride, which is how you should ride a horse."
Rhiannon's eyes widened. "Astride? Like a man?"
"Jotun women and Vanir and Alfar women ride astride too," Loki pointed out. "As do many Asgardian ladies. It's only the court ladies who want to show off their pretty frocks that use those ridiculous sidesaddles and claim they are ladylike. I suppose they are all right if you are in a procession or going at a slow walk, but a faster pace can result in too many accidents because you cannot maintain a proper seat with only one leg in contact with your horse."
Rhiannon considered what he said, and realized it made sense. "You are right, Loki. I will look forward to using the new riding habit when it is finished."
"Hopefully it shall be done in time for the wedding," Loki said. "Speaking of the wedding, would you like to set a date?"
Rhiannon nodded eagerly. "What is today?"
Loki consulted his watch. "In Midgardian time it is June 28th, which means in Asgard time it is two weeks before that. So it's the fourteenth here."
Rhiannon considered. "How does July fourteenth sound? It's a month away, which will give us time to prepare the invitations and the hall and everyone's clothes and the wedding feast."
Loki nodded. "That sounds fine to me. I shall tell Mother and Father tonight. We can do the guest list together and the wedding feast menu. You and Mother can do the decorations for the hall. All I ask is to include some green color scheme in there, anything else is up to you."
"And how about the dresses and your suit?"
"You can pick out the girls dresses, since I assume they will be in the bridal party. I'll wait and see what you choose and then I'll make the boys' clothes to match. You may wish to speak with Father, he would like to help design the dresses. But I will make your wedding gown myself."
"I shall make your suit," Rhiannon promised.
"I look forward to seeing what you create for me. I'm sure it will be stunning," Loki said with a smile.
Rhiannon blushed. "I will do my best. I know whatever you make for me will be amazing."
She stroked her new mare's nose and fed her an apple Loki handed her. "You are a beautiful mare and I can't wait to ride you."
Loki watched her with the golden horse and said, "You know, if you wish to ride her right away, all you need to do is borrow a pair of Sam's jeans and boots. And one of her tunics my mother made for her when she practices with Balder. She won't mind letting you borrow them."
"Really? But isn't that outfit rather improper?" Rhiannon asked, though inwardly she was fighting against the voice that hissed to her that real ladies didn't wear breeches and ride astride.
"No. Sif rides that way and she is a lady. My children all ride astride because it is safer that way. You need both legs to communicate with your horse and to hold on if the horse runs or shies suddenly." Loki pointed out. He could tell she was wavering and said in his best wheedling tone, "Would you like to try it?"
Rhiannon nodded. "Yes, I would!" she declared. "Are you sure Sam will not mind?"
"I doubt it, but you can ask her at breakfast," Loki said. He scratched Arcana's forehead. "We have to go now, girl. But we'll return later. Perhaps we can go for a ride after breakfast."
"That sounds lovely." His betrothed agreed and they walked back to the family dining hall together.
On the way there they met Belle, and Loki thanked her for making the restorative potion and assured her he would save it just in case it was ever needed. "I'm proud of you, raven." He declared, hugging her.
Belle smiled up at him. "Mr. Gold helped. And Wulf."
"I see. I will thank them later." Loki grinned, but forbore teasing her over the apprentice.
During breakfast, they announced the wedding date, and everyone was excited to begin preparing for it. Sam was quite eager to lend Rhiannon some of her clothes, and the two disappeared shortly after they had finished eating so Rhiannon could change. Loki went to prepare the horses, getting Rhiannon's Jotun saddle from the tack room where Sleph had stored it and placing it on Arcana.
Sleph tacked up Starflight for Loki, and said, "Enjoy your ride, Father."
"Thank you, son. I shall." Loki leaned against the mounting block, waiting for Rhiannon to come out.
Soon she emerged, walking with unaccustomed freedom in her borrowed jeans and a long purple tunic tied with a gold sash. She wore Sam's brown leather boots and had her long hair pulled back in a tail. Her Frost Opal earrings glittered in her ears.
Loki whistled softly when he saw her. "She doth teach the torches to burn bright," he quoted appreciatively.
"Excuse me?" she said, not understanding the reference.
"I was quoting a Midgardian play called Romeo and Juliet," Loki explained, smiling. "You look beautiful, is basically what I said."
"Thank you, Loki. This feels kind of odd but I think I like it." She glanced down at herself. "You can move so much easier in pants. No wonder you men love them."
Loki grinned. "That's certainly true. But pants aren't just for men. On Midgard, women wear them too."
"I think I shall like Midgard very much," Rhiannon grinned.
Loki gave her a leg up into the saddle and again Rhiannon realized how much easier it was to do things like getting on and off a horse wearing the non-restricting jeans. They were also very comfortable,allowing her to sit easily in the saddle and not worry about cumbersone skirts getting in the way.
The two rode leisurely out of the yard, and only when they were among the peaceful rolling green hills did they allow their horses to run, Rhiannon laughing as the wind streamed through her hair.
Loki rode with a careless grace, but he loved watching his betrothed's eyes light up as she discovered new things.
While the two were enjoying their morning ride, Loki's children were happily rehearsing for the play, though Max and Aleta didn't have much to rehearse and once they were done fifteen minutes later, the two toddlers went out to play with Malek by the practice yard.
The young elf was too shy to ask to use a practice sword with the grown men, so he played games of hide and seek, chase, and Mother May I with Max, Aleta, and Gudrun. He still did not know who he was going to stay with permanently, but hoped that one of the Asgardians would agree to have him as their fosterling. He wasn't fool enough to think one might adopt him.
Slightly tired from their games, the children leaned on the fence surrounding the pracrice yard and watched the warriors sparring. Malek thought Balder was the most impressive warrior, so devilishly quick with his long sword, Lyn, which meant lightning in Old Norse.
"I'm thirsty," Max announced. "I'm gonna get a cup of water."
He went towards the table in the garden nearby, which had a pitcher of cool lemon water and some small cups set out for them by Loki's household servants. As the little boy approached the table, he passed two noble women gossiping.
"Did you hear, Gytha?" a tall lady in a teal gown muttered to her friend in a yellow gown with her golden hair piled high on her head. "Prince Loki's bastard made it snow in the nursery this morn! I heard one of the maids saying so to Claire, who is the prince's cleaner."
"Really?" tittered Gytha. "Oh, Marcella, now that just proves the prince was lying when he said that the boy was not his get. No one but a Jotun babe would have that sort of magic. Plus look at them—they are nigh mirror images of each other."
Max shrank back against the shrubbery, his face burning. Loki had said that he was not a bastard, but then why did those ladies keep saying he was?
"So true, Gytha! The prince must have had a good time down there in Midgard, no matter what he says!" She gave a spiteful laugh. "Honestly, I think the king and queen should be stricter, otherwise this kingdom will be overrun with royal bastards like a plague of fleas."
"Yes. I believe all three princes have some," smirked Marcella, smoothing her yellow skirts. "Only Thor and Balder don't attempt to deny theirs. Does Loki believe we are stupid, to not see what is right in front of our eyes?"
"Perhaps," sniffed her companion. "Or perhaps he does not wish his betrothed to know he has sowed some wild oats."
"Not many women would agree to take a bastard into their house," snorted Marcella. "Especially not one who is a magical freak like that."
They moved on, and Max crept out from behind the shrubbery. He went to the table and got some water, but found he was too upset to drink it and just sat staring at it. His stomach hurt thinking about what the ladies had said, and wondering if they could be right.
Aleta, Malek, and Gudrun were so busy watching Balder, Sif, Thor and the Warriors sparring that they quite forgot about Max, who finally got up from the table and went into the stable to pet Snowdrop. The filly was sleeping in the straw and did not wake when the small boy crept in to stroke her silky mane. Max curled up in the straw next to Snowdrop and dozed, waking only when he heard Loki and Rhiannon returning from their ride.
He walked out of the stall and saw Loki just coming out of Starflight's stall after rubbing the silver mare down. Max's hair was sticking up and his green eyes were sleepy and teary. "Dad!" he cried and ran and hugged Loki about the knees.
"Hey, scamp! You decided to take a nap in the hay?" his father queried, picking some straw out of his son's hair.
Max nodded. "I slept with Snowdrop. So the nasty ladies didn't see me."
Loki frowned. "What nasty ladies, Max?" He knelt to look in his son's eyes, noticing how upset the boy was.
"The ones who said you lied and that I was really your bastard," Max sniffled.
"Oh, poor Max!" Rhiannon exclaimed, coming over.
Loki's mouth tightened with suppressed anger, and his eyes flickered crimson for a brief instant. "That does it!" he said softly, his tone frigid.
Max looked up at him. "Am I in trouble?" His lower lip trembled.
"No, imp. I'm not angry at you. I'm mad at those gossipy blasted—" he bit off the rest of what he wished to say, knowing it was not suitable for young ears.
"Loki?" Rhiannon queried. "What do you mean to do?"
"I mean to lay these false rumors to rest once and for all," he answered. "Do you think Stefan has a diagnostic bed free right now?"
"He may, yes."
"Good. Because we're going to need it," Loki said shortly and picked Max up.
"Why, Dad? I'm not hurt," Max said.
"I know, buddy. But we need the bed for another reason," Loki answered. "Rhee, can you calibrate it to scan for DNA?"
She nodded. "Of course I can."
"That's good, darling." Loki said, and then they all went to the infirmary.
As luck would have it, Stefan had not one, but two beds free, and Loki had Rhiannon turn them both on while he lay on one and Max on the other. She turned several knobs and pushed a few buttons and soon a glowing schematic appeared over both beds.
Rhiannon scanned them, and then typed in DNA percentage match. She expected to get back one of two results—either half the DNA would match—indicating that Max was Loki's blood son—or only a small portion would match—indicating they were not blood related.
What she found was something no one had expected.
The DNA matches were the same.
She gaped at the results, her mouth dropping open.
Loki turned his head. "Rhee? What is it? You look like you're catching flies."
On any other day, that would have made her smile, but not today. "I . . .That's impossible," she murmured half to herself.
"What do you mean—impossible?" Loki frowned. "What do you see?"
"The DNA . . ." she began. "It's not just similar . . . it's the same, Loki."
"The same?"
"Yes. Exactly the same."
Loki froze. Then he sat up. "But . . . that can't be. Even with a blood tie, no one's DNA exactly matches another's. Unless—"
"—Unless they are identical twins," Rhiannon finished. "Or . . ." she hesitated upon saying it because such a thing was forbidden by Asgardian law.
"Am I your twin, Dad?" Max asked softly.
"No, buddy, otherwise you'd be a grown up," Loki said softly, a chill running through him. No . . . it can't be . . . he thought in denial.
"Loki, are you sure you didn't have a twin?" Rhiannon queried, her face grave.
"Yes. Astra and Laufey both told me I was a single birth—a rarity among Jotun who normally have twins." Loki answered.
Rhiannon stared at the results again, her hands twisting in her tunic. "Then . . . that means . . ." she trailed off.
"Do the scan again," Loki said and Rhiannon nodded. She pushed the buttons and looked at the screens, but the results were the same. Loki and Max's DNA were a perfect match. She printed out the results then she looked through the archives and found a medical scan for Loki when he was Max's age. She pulled it up and compared them, shaking her head.
"Now what?" Loki asked, getting up and walking to her.
"This is an old scan of you at Max's age," she said and he looked at the results.
"It's the same," he whispered.
"Daddy, what's wrong?" Max asked, getting scared.
"Take it easy, imp," he said, picking Max up.
Loki thought about how he could replicate himself with his magic. But those copies were mere illusions, mirror images that faded as soon as he stopped concentrating or they were destroyed physically. Even a magically created doppleganger might look like him on the outside but a master mage could tell it was nothing but a construct of earth, water, spit, and ashes glamoured to appear like the person it represented.
The replicate spell, which could make multiples of objects and food, could never make a replica of a person, because that required more magic than the spell could handle. It was very difficult to make even a doppleganger of someone, though most people thought it was easy for a magician to do. But it was not-even if one had talent in that area.
"Loki, if these are correct...," Rhiannon said and he nodded.
"I need to take Max back to Midgard," Loki said and Max looked at him with a puzzled look.
"Why?" Max asked.
"I need to see Uncle Tony and I want Uncle Bruce to do some more tests," he said and Max frowned.
"Will I have to get a shot?"
"No, son. Just some images." Loki replied, his mind whirling.
'What are you going to tell everyone?" Rhiannon asked.
"I will tell Thor the truth, but I will tell the rest that I forgot Max had a dentist appointment. I know we have Healers who deal with teeth, but he would feel better with his regular dentist," Loki said. He hated having to lie, but if what he and Rhiannon thought were true then he needed to know how it happened and when.
"We have to lie?" Max asked.
"Yeah, imp, but it's one of those times when someone has to lie."
"I want to go with you," Rhiannon said and Loki gave her a puzzled look.
"You do?!"
"Yes, you could say I want to see Midgard before the wedding so I won't be overwhelmed."
Loki was stunned.
"Are you sure?"
"I am. You need me, Loki."
"Daddy, I want Rhee to come with us," Max said and Loki smiled.
"Okay," he said and they headed out of diagnostic room. Rhiannon had deleted the scans, but the scanner had made an auto saved file and sent the file to Stefan's desk.
Loki had sent word for Thor to meet them outside the infirmary. Thor approached and saw the worry in his brother's eyes.
"What is going on? Is Max ill?" Thor asked.
"No, he's fine, but we need to speak," Loki said as he handed Max to Rhiannon and led Thor to a tree.
"What is going on?" Thor asked in a soft voice. Loki cast a spell so Heimdall could not hear them and leaned against the tree. "Loki?"
"Max overheard some women gossiping about him being my bastard."
"How dare they!? Tell me who they are and...!"
"Brother, calm yourself. I will handle them."
"What does this have to do with Max being in the infirmary?"
"I wanted proof that Max isn't my son and Rhiannon took a scan. I thought we would either find something which will prove he is or isn't my son, but we found something else."
"What did you find?" Thor asked, unsure if he wanted to know the answer.
"He's me."
"He's...you?!"
"He is an exact copy of me only younger."
"How is that possible? Is he an illusion?"
"Why would I make a child version of me?"
"I don't know."
"No, if he was an illusion, he would have faded. The same if he was a replicate."
"Then what is he?"
"I think he might be...a clone."
"By the Nine! How did that happen?!"
"I have no idea. That is why I need to take him to Misgard. Tony or Bruce could run some tests and, maybe, help me figure out when I was cloned."
"Are you sure it didn't happen here?"
"No, I don't. That is why I need help and your word you will not say anything. Max, no matter who or what he is, is still my son and your nephew." Loki said sharply, gesturing emphatically.
"How could you ask such a thing?! I would never think any different no matter what you find out!"
Loki sensed he had hurt Thor with his sharp words and said quietly, "Forgive me, brother. Of course you wouldn't. I didn't mean it the way it sounded. I am just . . . stunned right now."
He placed a hand on Thor's muscular shoulder and Thor clasped his wrist lightly.
"Who else knows?" the Thunder God whispered.
"Only you, me, and Rhiannon."
"What are you going to tell the others about why you're leaving?"
"That I need to take Max back to Midgard for a dentist appointment."
"I will look after the other children until you get back."
"Thank you, brother," Loki said and Thor smiled. Loki lowered the spell. They walked to Rhiannon and Max gave Thor a sad look.
"Uncle Thor, I'm a bastard," Max said.
"No, you're Max!" Thor said as he took Max from Rhiannon and tossed him into the air. Max giggled as Thor caught him and tossed him again. Thor caught Max and hugged him and Max leaned his head against Thor's neck.
"We better get going," Loki said. Thor handed Max to him. As the trio left, Thor shook his head and thought he should have seen the signs before.
Heimdall watched as Loki, Max and Rhiannon approached and he sighed. Thor had sent word about their having to leave, but something seemed wrong. He had noticed the private conversation between Loki and Thor and the troubled look on Max's face.
"My Prince," he said with a nod and Loki adjusted his hold on Max.
"Open Bifrost, please," Loki said.
"Of course," he said and the interface opened. He watched them leave, frowning, as Bifrost closed.
"Whatever is wrong, may the Norns watch over you," he whispered and wrapped his fingers around the hilt of his sword.
Bifrost deposited Loki, Rhiannon, and Max right outside the Avenger's mansion, on the back lawn.
Loki wasn't sure if Bruce or Tony were at the mansion when the door opened and Steve walked out.
"What are you doing here?" Steve asked then gaped at Rhiannon. "And who is this?!"
"Steve Rogers, meet Rhiannon Lyr, my betrothed," Loki introduced them.
"Hello, Miss."
"Hello," Rhiannon said.
"Is Doctor Banner or Stark here?" Loki asked.
"Yeah, they're here," Steve said then noticed Max' unhappy face. "Hey, Max, what's wrong?"
"I'll explain once I see Stark," Loki said and Steve was a little shocked by his tone.
"Hi, Uncle Steve!" Max said softly.
"Hey, buddy," Steve smiled at him.
They walked in the building while Rhiannon looked around and Loki loved the curiosity on her face. She was taking in everything as they headed down the hallway and stopped at the elevator.
"Hey, Max, want to show Rhiannon around while your dad talks with Tony?" Steve asked.
"Yeah!" Max said.
"Will that be alright?" Rhiannon asked.
"Yes, I will have Jarvis call you if they want to do tests," Loki said.
"Who is Jarvis?" she asked.
"I am, Miss," a voice came from somewhere and she gasped.
"The house is alive?!"
"No, I am an artificial interface Mister Stark invented so he has someone to talk to while he's working," Jarvis said and she smiled.
"He sounds very wise."
Loki and Steve glanced at each other as they smiled and tried hard not to laugh.
"He is," Jarvis said when the doors to the elevator opened and Loki walked in. He pushed the button as he waved at them and the doors closed.
"This way," Steve said while pointing with his hands and they followed him.
Tony moved his head to the music while he looked at the information on the multiple screens when the door opened and Loki walked in the lab.
"Stark, we need to talk," Loki declared bluntly and shut the door.
Tony spun about. "Loki! Mother of God!"
"No. God of Mischief."
"That's not what I meant. You scared the life out of me. If it wasn't for my arc reactor, my heart would be going a mile a minute."
"I do apologize, but we need to talk."
"I got that," he said, swiping his hand to turn the screens off. Tony approached Loki and saw the anger in the prince's emerald eyes. "What's wrong?"
"I have reason to believe someone has... That I have been..."
"Spit it out. You've been what?"
"I believe someone cloned me."
"Come again?!" Tony asked with wide eyes and a confused look. "Someone cloned you?"
Loki nodded tightly. "I just found out today."
Loki told him about the rumors which have been going around about Max as Tony nodded and waved for him to continue. Loki then told him about the tests and how Max's DNA was identical to his own and Tony blinked his eyes a few times.
"Whoa, Reindeer Games, that is freaky. Are you sure the scans are right?" Tony asked.
"That is why I brought Max here. I wish for you or Banner to scan us again. If he is what I think he is, then I want to know what happened and when," Loki said.
"I don't blame you. I wanna know too." Tony said quietly, all traces of his normal flippant attitude gone. "Jarvis, where is Bruce?"
"He is in his lab," Jarvis said.
"Have him come here."
"Shall I tell him about Loki?"
"That would be a yes."
"Yes, sir."
A few minutes later, the door opened and Bruce entered the room. He was curious to why Loki was there as he saw Loki pacing and Tony held up a finger to silence him.
"Bruce is here," Tony said. Loki stopped pacing then turned to face Bruce and Bruce titled his head to one side.
"What's up?" Bruce asked.
"The sky," Loki joked feebly. Then he reiterated what he had told Tony.
"Did you know about this?" Bruce eyed Tony sharply.
"Nope," Tony said with a shake of his head.
"Will you do that scans?" Loki asked.
"I don't have to," Bruce said then he walked to the computer panel and typed on the keyboard. "We still have the security scans from when you first brought the kids here. And we have one for you as well."
Bruce looked at the screen then he tapped a key and the scans appeared on the main screens.
Loki looked at the 3D images and he sighed while Tony looked up at the ceiling.
"Jarvis, see if you can find anything which links Max to Loki," Tony said.
"Searching," Jarvis said. "The scans are identical."
"How?! Max is a four-year-old kid?!"
"Unknown."
Loki gazed at the scans as his heart slammed in his chest and he balled his hands into fists.
"Scan them again."
"Searching," Jarvis said. "The scans are identical. Max is Loki."
The three friends stared at each other in shock.
"But he's been examined by me as well as his family doctor. Wouldn't they have noticed he wasn't human?" Bruce asked.
"Max is a master shifter, like I am." Loki told him. "We can shift to mimic those around us. I did it when I was a baby, shifting from my Jotun shape to Asgardian when Odin found me. It's not conscious when you are that young."
"Anything else?"
"He has nightmares, he can levitate objects, he has ice magic, he teleported into my betrothed's room, he..."
"Whoa! Back up! Your betrothed?!" Tony asked.
"Yes, I am engaged to be married."
"Right. Remind me to congratulate you later. What else can he do?"
"He knocked me in the head while levitating a book and my mother has taught him some other magic."
"Sounds like your powers and magic," Bruce said.
"How did this happen?!" Loki asked, getting agitated.
"Calm down. Can you think of anything else you two have in common?" Tony asked.
"His magical aura is the same as mine," Loki said, running his fingers through his hair.
"These nightmares? What are they about?" Bruce asked.
"They are mostly about the abuse his mother inflicted upon him."
"Who was his mother? What was she like?"
"She was an abusive drug addict."
"Is she alive?"
"No, she overdosed."
"Do you know her name?"
"Her name was Amelia Ryder."
"Has Max told anyone, but you about the nightmares?" Bruce asked.
"Yes, he has a child psychologist."
"What did he say Max should do about the nightmares?"
"He was to draw them and..."
Loki thought about Max' drawings and they were mostly about a shadowy woman and hands. He wondered if there were drawings he hadn't seen and he vanished in a puff of smoke.
"Ok, what was that about?" Tony asked and Bruce shrugged.
Loki appeared in Max's room and looked around, but nothing seemed out of place. He then peered at the dresser when he knelt and opened the bottom drawer.
"Oh, Max," he murmured as he removed the drawings and placed them on the floor. He examined the drawings and noticed a green outline was on most of them. He picked up the drawings as he pushed the drawer closed with his foot then vanished in a puff of green smoke.
"Welcome back," Tony said after Loki appeared and he placed the drawings on the table.
"What are those?" Bruce asked.
"Max's drawings," Loki said and they gathered around the table. He spread the drawings out and Loki recognized one or two of the drawings as something which happened to him as a child.
"Uh, why is there a baby in a box?" Tony asked, showing Loki the drawing.
No, it can't be, Loki thought. The drawing was of his little sister's funeral. He had never told Max about her funeral.
"That's... That's my baby sister," Loki said and told them what happened to her.
"Then this is a memory. Your memory," Bruce said.
"Sir, I have scanned the drawings and have found a theme," Jarvis said.
"What sort of theme?" Tony asked and the drawings appeared on the screen.
"As you can see, the drawings are outlined in green."
"Yeah. Noticed that."
"This could be from Max's point of view."
"You mean we're seeing where he is?" Bruce asked.
"Affirmative."
"Are those bubbles?" Tony asked.
"Affirmative."
"Which means he is in some sort of green liquid," Bruce said.
"What are these black images?" Loki asked.
"They could be people he's seeing, but they're distorted due to whatever he's floating in."
"Is that an octopus?" Tony asked, pointing to the red object.
"Scanning," Jarvis said. "Negative. It is not an octopus."
"Then what is it?!"
"It is this!"
The image became clearer as they looked at the screen and Tony growled.
On the screen was the symbol for HYDRA.
"Holy hell!" Tony snarled.
"Whoa!" Bruce said.
"Hydra cloned me!?" Loki cried.
"Looks like," Tony said.
"Do you think Fury knows about this?" Bruce asked.
"I wouldn't put it past him."
"We need to see him." Loki said shortly.
"Yeah, we will, but you need to calm down."
"Get him here now!"
"Sir, I have contacted SHIELD and told Colonel Fury you need to see him immediately. He will be here in ten minutes," Jarvis said.
"Thanks," Tony said.
"Why don't we go upstairs and you can introduce us to your fiance?" Bruce asked and Loki nodded. They left the lab when one of the drawings fell silently to the floor and slid under the table.
Rhiannon and Max were with Steve, Clint and Natasha in the kitchen while Max nibbled on some cookies and Rhiannon was talking with Natasha. She was amazed with the stories of how they all got together due to Loki and thought it was sad that Steve had to spend years frozen in ice.
"Well, who do we have here?!" Tony asked as he, Bruce, and Loki walked in the the kitchen.
"Uncle Tony!" Max said as he got off the chair and Tony lifted him up.
"Hey, kid! It's my favorite cookie monster!" Tony said, giving Max a hug.
"I would like to introduce my betrothed, Rhiannon Lyr," Loki said and she smiled at them. "This is Tony Stark and Bruce Banner."
"Pleased to meet you," Rhiannon said politely.
Tony grinned. "Well, Reindeer Games, you sure know how to pick 'em." He nudged Loki.
Rhiannon was puzzled. "Reindeer Games?"
"That's Tony's nickname for me," Loki explained. "Because of my helmet."
"It reminds me of a reindeer. And since he loves the cold . . ." Tony coughed.
Rhiannon chuckled. "I get it. Loki likes giving his kids nicknames too."
"Or anyone nicknames," Steve said. "You should see those two at one of those stuffy corporate parties. They watch everyone and give the really annoying and arrogant men and their wives hilarious nicknames."
"Remember that one guy who wore the paisley print shirt with the striped pants?" Clint giggled.
"The one who could make you go blind looking at him?" Tony clarified.
"Yeah and Loki said . . . that guy needs to call 911 Rescue My Closet! I almost died laughing."
"That man was a walking disaster," Loki recalled. He smiled at Rhee. "So how are you finding Midgard so far?"
"I like it. Your friends are very helpful." Rhiannon smiled. She looked at Loki questioningly, and he sent to her.
Bruce and Tony confirmed what we found out on Asgard. But we figured out who did this. It is a group of nasty individuals called Hydra. They want world domination. I will know more after I speak to Nick Fury.
As if Loki had conjured him, Fury appeared in the doorway.
"Where's the fire, Stark?" the Director of SHIELD asked.
"Right here," Tony said and Fury looked at Loki then at Rhiannon.
"Who's she?"
"This is my betrothed, Rhiannon Lyr," Loki said.
"Your what?"
"His fiance," Natasha said. Fury nodded as he saw Max and Max smiled at him.
"Hey, little buddy."
"Rhiannon, please take Max to the entertainment room." Loki requested. She nodded, picking Max up.
"Jarvis will show you where it is," Tony told her. After she and Max had left the room, Fury arched an eyebrow and folded his arms over his chest.
"Will someone please tell me what's going on?"
"It has to do with this," Tony explained. The 3D scans of Max and Loki appeared over the table as Fury examined them and scowled.
"What am I looking at?"
"These are scans of Loki and Max."
"Why am I looking at them?"
"Max has started showing signs of magic and powers which are identical to Loki's. More than that. He shares the same DNA as Loki."
"Then he really is your kid, hunh?" Fury asked, looking at Loki.
"No. Max is me," Loki said. Fury swore as he shook his head, chomping on his cigar.
"You knew?!" Tony cried, shocked.
"Not about the kid, but what happened to Loki," Fury said and Loki glared at him.
"What did happen to me?!" Loki growled. His eyes flashed dangerously.
"Calm down, Reindeer Games," Tony said, holding his hands up.
The temperature started dropping in the room rapidly, plunging from a comfortable seventy degrees to thirty in seconds as the Jotun prince's temper slipped its leash.
"Whoa! Did it suddenly get cold in here?!" Clint asked.
"Loki, don't make me sedate you," Tony warned. Loki was usually so controlled and polite that sometimes the billionaire forgot that he was also a fierce Norse god and one with powers that could level a planet if he chose.
"Look," Fury said. "I'm sorry about what happened, but, at the time..."
"Tell me!" Loki hissed, his eyes flickering from green to red and then back.
"It would be better if I showed you," Fury said.
"Showed me?"
"Yeah. And to do that, we need to go to the Helicarrier."
"I'm going with you," Tony said suddenly.
"Me, too," Bruce chimed in.
"We'll all go," Natasha agreed.
"Someone has to stay here with Max and Rhiannon," Loki said.
"I'll do it," Clint offered, raising his hand.
"We better go," Fury said as they all went outside. He led them to the shuttle then up the ramp and the shuttle took off a few minutes later.
Loki sat in silence as he tried to figure out how they were able to clone him. He closed his eyes as he cleared his mind and tried to access any memory of his time on the Helicarrier.
He remembered the Avengers taking him there.
He remembered being led in chains to the holding cell and the shocked look on Bruce's face when he saw him.
He remembered his talk with Coulson and killing him.
He replayed his talk with Natasha when he opened his eyes and gave her a regretful look.
"Are you ok?" she asked.
"I'm trying to figure out how all this happened," Loki murmured and she nodded.
Loki thought about talking to Thor and tricking him into the holding cell and his escape.
Suddenly, he realized something was missing. He felt like he had hidden something or blocked something out and he concentrated.
"Hel," he sighed as the shuttle glided in for a landing. They strode down the ramp and across the deck. Some of the SHIELD agents gave Loki a leery look but he ignored them and followed Fury to the small elevator.
"Why isn't he in chains?" one of the men asked.
"Why isn't he dead?" another snapped.
"Because he wasn't in control of himself when those aliens invaded," said a woman. "He was mind controlled to lead them. You think he'd be an Avenger otherwise?"
The others muttered but Loki didn't wait to hear what they said, entering the elevator.
The small elevator lowered them into the ship as Loki watched the numbers going down and Fury saw his eyes glinting angrily.
"So, how did you meet Rhiannon?" Fury attempted to distract him, but Loki stayed silent.
The doors opened and they strode down the hall, drawing attention from some agents posted there.
"Was that...?!" one of the female agents asked, looking at Loki.
"Yeah, it's Loki," her friend said with a grin.
"Damn, he is so cute!" she moaned and they softly laughed as they went around the corner.
Loki heard them, his mouth twisting up into a small smile. Is that all they ever notice about me? I am more than just a pretty face. Fury pushed the buttons on the control panel. The doors hissed open as they walked into a room and Loki's heart froze.
Before him was the holding cell.
"What are we doing here?" Natasha asked.
"This is where it happened," Fury said, walking to the computer panel and typed on the keyboard. The screens clicked on as they gathered around him and Loki watched the screen.
"What are we looking at?" Steve asked.
"This is security footage of when Loki was in the holding cell," Fury said and they watched Loki pacing the cell. Tony and Bruce checked the readings on the screen and Tony was surprised to see how low Loki's body temperature was compared the rest of the room.
"Is that normal?" Tony asked and Loki looked at the scan.
"For me, yes," Loki said with a nod. They watched as an agent walked in the room and walked to the cell.
"Well, it looks like I have company," Loki on the screen said with a grin.
"Stand back," the agent said.
"Does it look like he has something in his hand?" Bruce asked. Fury typed on the keyboard and they could just see a taser gun in his right hand.
"You're afraid of me," Loki said. "Good. You should be."
"I said stand back!"
"As you wish."
Loki stood back as the door opened and the agent walked in the cell. Before Loki could cast a spell or move, the agent took aim and fired the taser gun. The electricity hit Loki as his body jerked and he fell to the floor.
"What the hell?!" Tony asked and looked at Fury. "Why did he do that?!"
"Watch," Fury said.
The unknown agent walked to Loki then knelt beside him.
"Still awake?! Good!" the agent said.
"I am going to destroy you!" Loki hissed.
"No, you're not."
"What are you going to do?!"
"Oh, I'm just going to take some hair and blood."
"Why?!"
"So we can find out how to destroy you."
"Thor would never allow this!"
"He gave his ok after the Colonel explained things to him."
Loki glared at Fury as the room became chilly and Fury sighed.
"He's lying," Fury soothed. "I would never have asked that and Thor would have kicked my ass if I dared." Loki looked back at the screen as he tried to hold back his anger and Natasha placed a hand on his upper arm.
"All of you are going to burn once I'm free!" Loki said and the agent laughed. The agent removed the syringe from his pocket as he jabbed the needle into Loki's neck and Loki screamed. "Stop!"
"Did you stop after you killed all those people?!"
"I... I...," he said as the pain increased then he cast a spell to bury the memory of what was happening into the furthest reaches of his mind.
After the agent had drawn the blood, he placed the syringe into a small metal case and used scissors to cut some of Loki's hair. He placed the hair into the small metal case when he stood up, kicked Loki in the side then left left the cell. Loki's eyes closed as he sighed and the glass of the cell frosted over.
"Do you have any idea who that agent was?" Tony queried.
"Nope. His image was pixelated so we can't see who he is. His voice was altered as well," Fury admitted.
"How convenient," Loki spat as he crossed to the holding cell and Fury pushed the buttons. The doors hissed open as Loki walked in and paced about the cell. He felt a cold shiver run through him then he shook off the fear and shifted into his wolf form.
"Wow," Steve said. Loki sniffed the floor as he tried to categorize the scents and sneezed at the scent of a strong aftershave.
"Find anything, Flea Bait?" Tony teased and Loki gave him a narrow-eyed Look. Changing back, he walked to Fury and sighed.
"I was able to pick up a scent that is not mine, yours, or Thor's," Loki informed him.
"Do you think you can identify who it belongs to?" Fury asked.
"The only way I can do that is if I had free access to the Helicarrier."
"Or you had everyone go on deck for inspection," Steve suggested.
"That would make it easier," Loki agreed.
"I'll do it," Fury said quietly. "I want to catch this sonofabitch! What he did was illegal . . .extremely so. We aren't like those Nazi mothers!"
"I believe one of those Nazi mothers, as you put it, infiltrated your organization and did this to me." Loki put in.
Clearly that idea did not set well with Fury and he scowled and chomped down on his cigar. Then he used the PA system to gather all the agents on deck for a surprise inspection.
When everyone had assembled, Fury went on deck followed by the Avengers. Loki walked a few paces behind Fury, his nose working to find the scent of the aftershave.
They went down the rows, Nick eyeing everyone sharply, waiting for Loki to signal that he had found the rogue agent. Suddenly Loki paused before an agent towards the back of the group. The man was of average height and build, nothing remarkable. His hair was blond and his eyes were a medium brown. He looked to be in his late forties, with tinges of silver in his hair. Loki coughed softly and Fury halted in from of the man.
His name badge read A. Smith.
"Agent Smith, come with me," Fury ordered softly.
"Something wrong, sir?" the agent said nervously, and Loki could smell his sweat. He glanced at Loki. "What's that animal doing here?"
"Don't question me, Smith!" Fury snapped. "And don't insult our guest either."
"A guest?" sneered Smith. "Is that what you're calling him nowadays?"
"Let's go!" Furry snapped and the agent went with them into Fury's office.
However, the moment they stepped inside, Smith went for the tazer on his belt. He would have shot Fury in the back, but Loki was faster.
The taser vanished from the agent's hand and the next thing Smith knew he was hauled off the floor by his collar and dangled in the air as a furious God of Mischief snarled, "Don't even try to escape! You're going to answer a few questions first."
"Like hell I will!" the agent struggled but could not break free.
"You were gonna shoot me in the back?" Fury growled. "You damned coward!"
"I owe you no loyalty!" spat the agent, sensing his cover was blown.
Loki dragged him over to a chair and sat him in it, conjuring ropes that wrapped about the agent and held him fast. "Now, first you're going to tell me your name," he drawled pleasantly, but there was frost beneath it.
"I will tell you nothing, you monster!"
Loki rolled his eyes. "Spare me! You'll sing like a canary." He set his hand on the other's head and magically cast a truth spell on the man. He waited for it to take effect then whispered, "Now, tell me your real name."
"I'm Franz Oppenheimer."
"All right, Franz. Who do you really work for?"
"Hydra. I am one of their top spies."
Fury swore. "How long have you been here?"
"At least three years. I am a deep cover agent," Oppenheimer said smugly.
"Why did you take blood and hair from me?" Loki interjected.
"Because my superiors and I wished to make a clone of you so we could destroy everyone," Franz answered, then looked horrified. "I . . . I . . . how are you doing this?"
"Making you talk?" Loki queried wolfishly. "That's for me to know and you to never find out. So you wanted to make a weapon to take over the Earth? Did you succeed?"
The Hydra agent struggled to avoid answering but in the end it was useless and he blurted, "No . . . not at first. Despite our top scientists, the cloning method was experimental still. Many did not survive. There were three that made it through the first stages, but then two did not mature right and they died. One only survived when we removed him from the tube. But . . .he was not, as we had intended, fully grown. He was a baby. My superior, Dr. Horst, named him Maximus—the Great One."
Loki's fists clenched. That explained Max' drawings of the green bubbles. "What did you do with him?"
"The good doctor determined we would need to raise the boy in the doctrine of the Fuerher. So we gave the baby to one of our top operatives. Her name was Margot Rydah."
"Not Amelia Rider?" Loki frowned.
"That was her alias. Her name was spelled liked this," he carefully spelled it. "If you rearrange the letters it spells—"
"Hydra!" Loki exclaimed.
"We thought it very clever," laughed Franz. "So we sent the clone with his teacher and told her to raise him to be the weapon we desired."
"Did you also tell her to abuse and belittle him?" Loki demanded sharply.
Franz shook his head. "In that, we erred. We thought she would respond better to the clone, but once his powers began to emerge, she proved to be a coward. Instead of teaching the boy to revel in his power, she used force to make him suppress it. But we did not find this out till much later. The reports she sent were full of lies, and by the time we discovered the truth, our superiors in the organization determined that Margot was a liability and we needed to rid ourselves of her. So we set up a certain deal, and primed the drugs we sold her to kill her when she used them. Then no one would question how she died."
"What about Max?" Fury snapped.
"We were going to take the clone back, try another minder, but we did not reckon with NYSS. They came and fetched the clone before we could prevent it, and then he disappeared into the system. My superiors declared the program a failure and they forced the good doctor to kill himself to regain his honor."
"How about you?" Fury scowled.
"I was deemed too good of an operative to lose. So they let me live and continue my mission."
"What about the lab and the equipment they used to clone me?" Loki snapped.
"When the program was shut down, they destroyed the lab and all the research used to make Maximus." Franz replied. "I saw it done. Once a program fails, it is erased entirely."
Loki's eyes narrowed. "So you're telling me there is no way for you to make more clones?"
"No."
"And you are the only one left who knew that Max was a clone?"
"Yes."
"Good. That will make this a lot easier," he said, then he reached out a hand and clamped it upon Oppenheimer's forehead.
"What—what are you doing?" the prisoner stammered.
"Making sure you don't ever reveal this to anyone," Loki replied grimly and then he used his magic to erase all the memories he had of Max and the cloning process.
He removed his hand. "There! Now that my secret is safe, I can turn you over to Captain Fury, who will take you into custody. I'd like to kill you for what you did, but something tells me that letting you live as a prisoner will hurt you far worse than dying." He gave the Hydra agent a frigid smile.
"No! Just kill me and be done with it!" Oppenheimer howled.
"No."
"Why not? You killed before!"
"That wasn't me killing people in New York," Loki declared coldly. "I was under a mind control spell. When I kill it is for self-defense, or to protect those I love. "
"Just do it, you monster!" screamed the agent, thrashing against the ropes.
"No," Loki repeated maddeningly.
"Damn you to hell, you mother f*&^%%!"
As the Hydra agent's language deteriorated into the worst set of street slang, Fury called to his men. "Take this traitorous piece of trash and throw him in a cell. Don't listen to whatever he says. He's Hydra."
His men looked startled then saluted and obeyed, dragging Oppenheimer off.
Fury turned to Loki. "Listen, Laufeyson, I want you to know that what that slime did was not something I would ever okay—not to anyone. That kind of thing goes against every code I stand for and I apologize again for it happening to you."
Loki heard the sincereity and regret in the old soldier's voice and he said, "I don't blame you. That spy had everyone fooled. What's done is done, Fury."
"What about Max?"
"What about him? He's my son and that's all that matters."
"Are you going to tell him?"
"I will, but not until he's older. Then, he will decide who and what he is. His mind and his soul is his own," Loki said and Fury nodded.
Loki now understood how Odin felt about not telling him about his own past. Having such a burden was painful, but it was for the best. He prayed to the Norns that he was doing the right thing and sighed.
"Let's get you back to your kid," Fury said and Loki nodded.
The shuttle back to the base was just as silent as the one going to the Helicarrier. Loki peered out the window, pensive and upset. Natasha touched his hand and he turned to her. She wrapped their fingers together.
"He's still Max," she said.
"I know. I am just wondering what else Hydra has of mine," Loki said, gently squeezing her fingers.
The shuttle landed as the Avengers and Loki departed then stood back. They watched the shuttle take off as Clint, Rhiannon, and Max walked outside and Max ran to Loki.
"Daddy, Uncle Clint taught me how to burp my name!" Max said and Loki looked at Clint.
"He did?!" Loki exclaimed and Clint shrugged.
"Did you find anything?" Rhiannon asked.
"Yes," he said as he tickled Max. "I have a very talented little boy!"
"Daaaaaad-dyyyyyy!" Max said as he giggled.
"Ok, now that's over with," Tony began, laughing. "When is the wedding and are we invited?!"
"No, I thought I'd let you see the video on Youtube," Loki joked. Then he started laughing. "Of course you're invited! It's black tie and formal, naturally."
"Is it alright if I bring Laura and the kids?" Clint asked.
"Yes."
"I need to call Pepper and have her get my tux cleaned!" Tony said as he ran inside.
"Save the date, Stark! July 14th!" Loki called.
"Right!"
"If he forgets, I'll remind him." Steve said.
"Thank you."
"Daddy, are we going back now? I want to show Aleta how to burp her name," Max said.
"Say goodbye first," Loki said and Max grinned at his uncles.
"Bye!" he said with a wave.
"See you soon, buddy," Clint said. They watched the Avengers walk inside as Loki looked up and adjusted his hold on Max.
"Heimdall, open Bifrost," he called out.
"Wait!" Bruce said as he ran to Loki and Natasha was behind him. "Can we go with you?"
"Why?"
"I want to see Asgard. The way you and Thor talk about it makes it sound like paradise," Natasha said.
"And I want to also," Bruce said with a grin.
"Okay," Loki said when the golden light appeared and they stepped in the light. "Just so you know, the first trip tends to make people sick."
Rhiannon followed. "Just close your eyes. That helps."
"I never got sick!" Max informed them.
"That's because you're a teleporter, imp. Gates don't affect us like that," Loki explained.
The rainbow light flared as they soared upward and Bruce felt his stomach flip.
"Don't get sick," he chanted in his head as he heard the Hulk laughing and he sighed.
"Wimp," the Hulk said in his head.
Natasha shut her eyes and held onto Rhiannon's hand. She had the feeling of flying through space at a ludicrous speed.
The rainbow light flickered as they stepped out of the interface and Heimdall smiled at them in welcome
"Greetings," the Watcher intoned.
"This is Heimdall," Loki introduced them. "Heimdall, these are my friends, Dr. Banner and Lady Natasha Romanov."
"Hello," Natasha said.
"Hi," Bruce said, waving.
"Uncle Heimdall, I can burp my name!" Max said and Heimdall softly laughed.
"That sounds like an excellent trick," he said and Max nodded.
"We're taking my friends to the palace," Loki said.
"I will inform the AllFather we have guests."
They walked slowly across Bifrost when Bruce looked down at the Void then at Loki. He couldn't imagine someone falling into that, or the horrors which followed, as he shuddered and went to catch up with them. Poor Loki! That must have been hell!
They paused as the golden city appeared and both Natasha and Bruce gasped.
"Wow!" Bruce whispered.
"It's amazing!" Natasha said in a soft voice.
"This is Asgard the City," Loki explained. "But we just call it the City. That large triangular structure with all the golden walls up ahead is the palace."
Rhiannon chuckled softly. "I remember the first time I came to the city. I was dumbstruck." She went and put her arm in Loki's.
"I would be, too," Bruce said and Natasha nodded. The sound of horses made Loki look to the right when Thor and Balder arrived and Thor dismounted.
"Are you all right?" Rhiannon whispered to her fiancée.
"We'll talk later, okay?" Loki whispered back.
"Welcome, Friends!" Thor greeted, smiling broadly.
"Hello. Good to see you again," Balder said, giving a neat bow and smiling happily at Natasha.
"Hey!" Bruce said with a wave.
"It's... It's nice to see you again, too," Natasha stammered a bit, finding herself breathless. There was an unaccustomed fluttering in her stomach when she looked at the blonde warrior.
"Uncle Thor! Uncle Balder! I can burp my name!" Max said with pride and his uncles chuckled indulgently.
"Well done," Balder approved.
"I've been able to do that for years!" Thor bragged and they laughed.
"How did you know we arrived?" Natasha asked curiously. "You got here so fast."
"News travels fast around here," Thor said.
"Ah!"
"At warp speed as Captain Kirk would say," Loki chuckled. "Hardly anything gets past Heimdall and what Heimdall knows, so does my father."
"And Father sent us to escort you to the palace," Balder said.
"Ladies," Thor said as he gestured to the horses and Rhiannon and Natasha shrugged. They helped the women get onto the saddles then Loki handed Max up to Rhiannon and they rode towards the city.
Rhiannon noticed their two guests were as awe struck as she had been the first time she had come to the city, looking about with astonishment at everything at once. She knew it would take them a while to absorb all the new sights and sounds, and she rode leisurely, with Loki walking beside her horse. She sensed that beneath his calm façade, her beloved was troubled, and she wished they could be alone now so she could lend an ear.
Natasha looked down at Balder walking next to her horse and the sunlight shimmered on his hair. She knew there was something there when they met at Easter, but did he feel the same?
"What do you think?" he asked and Natasha blinked.
"This place is amazing!" she exclaimed and he nodded.
"I find Midgard just as amazing," he admitted.
"You do?"
"Yes," he said with a nod. "I can see why my brothers love it so much."
They rode by some people and a few women looked at Balder and sighed, nearly fainting.
"Does that happen often?" Natasha raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, but I ignore it."
"You do?"
"Well, when I was younger, I didn't mind being able to make friends easily, but, now, it's hard to tell if people like me for me or because of my position and my looks."
She noticed the resigned look on his face as he glanced away, making her want to lean over and pat his shoulder.
Not to mention the fact that his wife and daughter were both criminals because they had tried to murder Loki. Loki had told her that Balder had been deeply ashamed and hurt by their actions and even though he had cast them off and no longer spoke of them, Loki believed Balder was still heartbroken over how he had been used by both Karnilla and Jorunne.
They neared the palace and her heartbeat quickened. This was beyond her wildest dreams. They entered the courtyard and the guards bowed. The stable hands helped hold the horses and Natasha felt a soft tingle run through her when Balder helped her off her mount.
"You are light as a feather," Balder teased and she blushed. He put her down and held out a hand. She closed her hand over his and again felt herself thrill to his touch. Like iron to a magnet.
Loki and Thor glanced at each other when Thor shrugged and took Max from Rhiannon. Rhiannon dismounted and placed her hand on Loki's chest, looking up at him questioningly.
"Shall we go somewhere and talk?" she whispered.
"Yes," he said with a nod.
I'll explain what I found out to you later, Thor, he sent to his brother. For now, look after our friends and Max. I need to speak to Rhee privately.
Alright, Thor sent and walked away with Max on his shoulders.
Rhiannon led Loki down the path to the Queen's Garden and the sweet scent of the flowers floated in the air. She led him to the stone bench, and after they sat down, she took hold of his hands. She waited for him to cast the privacy spell and then spoke.
"What did you find out?"
"It turns out Max is my clone," Loki began then told her what he had found out. Rhiannon was beyond shocked over the thought of mortals making a weapon out of someone as innocent and pure as Max or how her beloved was violated in such a manner.
"What do you think Fury will do with the traitor?" she asked, folding their fingers together.
"I don't care. All I care about is Max. What should I do? I remember how I felt after finding out I had been lied to about who and what I am. I never lied to any of the kids, but how can I expect a four-year-old to understand he's a clone? And how do we know if he's genetically stable? The other clones developed problems during their incubation process. I cannot stand the thought of him dying," Loki groaned, placing his head in his hands.
"Darling, think on this. Max was the only one who lived. That means he is stable."
"But will he grow up normally or will he age slower than the other kids?"
"Did you grow up normally?"
"Yes. My aging didn't slow down until I was older."
"Then it's the same for him."
"What if he hates me?"
"This is Max we're talking about. He adores you. That will not change once he finds out. You still love your father even after learning the truth, don't you?"
"Yes," Loki said then sighed.
"Think about this. You gave Max the one thing he always wanted and needed but never had-a home and a father who loves him. That is more precious than gold and diamonds. He may be your replica physically, but he is his own person inside. He has a loving heart, just like his father. He will understand why you waited to tell him."
"I will tell him. When he is thirteen. Because then he will be old enough to understand what happened to me and that I still love him, no matter what."
She cupped his cheek in her hand, her fingers as delicate as a butterfly's wing against his face. "Everytime I look at Max, I can see you as a child, and it fills me with joy. I love all your children, Loki, and Max is the sweetest little imp."
Loki leaned his head on her shoulder, reveling in her touch. "You always know how to make me feel better," he murmured.
"You are my heart," she responded simply and kissed the top of his head.
"Forever and always," he said, and wished he could stay this way forever.
~0~0~0~
Odin sat on the throne observing Thor, Balder, Bruce and Natasha as they approached him and both Thor and Balder bowed. Bruce imitated the brothers as Natasha curtsied and Odin smiled.
"Welcome," Odin greeted then looked questioningly at Thor. "Where are Loki, Rhiannon, and Max?"
"Max is in the nursery and Loki wanted to speak to Rhiannon in private," Thor explained.
"I take it things went well on Midgard?"
"Yes, Rhiannon really enjoyed herself," Natasha said.
"That's good. I was worried she would have been overwhelmed."
"She's not the only one." Bruce said, looking around.
"Thor, please take your friends to their rooms. I have planned a feast to welcome them officially to Asgard."
"Thank you, Sire," Natasha said with a nod.
"Yeah. Thank you," Bruce said and Thor led them out of the room. Odin had noticed Thor seemed worried, but knew he or Loki would explain what was going on sooner or later and he sat back against the cushions.
Huginn hopped down from his perch on the throne back and began to preen Odin's hair and the king scratched the raven's head.
~0~0~0~0~
After a time, Loki stirred, lifting his head and brushing his dark hair back from his face. "I suppose we had better be going. My family will be wondering where we are."
"Will you tell them about Max?"
"Thor already knows. I did plan on telling my parents and since Thor knows Balder should too. But not the kids. That can wait until Max knows himself and then he can decide whether or not to tell them." Loki answered, rising and holding out his hand.
Rhiannon took it and stood. "Your friends are very nice. I hope that Bruce and Natasha enjoy their stay here."
"I think they will."
"Will you tell your family right now?"
"My parents, yes. My brothers whenever I can find a minute alone. "
"Are you still going on that fishing trip you were planning?"
"Yes, perhaps we should go tomorrow." Loki mused. Then he got an idea. "Would you like to come along?"
"But isn't it just you, your father, brothers and the boys?"
"Well, yes, but I figured it might do you some good to get away too. Before you get so busy planning the wedding you don't have any free time."
"I would like to, since I have never been fishing before but how?"
"Easy. I could show you how to shift into a boy."
"Is that hard?"
"For me, no. And since you are already a shifter, it will be even easier," Loki grinned. "So what do you say? Want to come fishing?"
Slowly she nodded. "Yes, why not? For once I can discover how it feels to be a boy."
After they returned to the palace, Loki went to check on Max and found the little boy in the nursery, reading one of his books.
"Imp?" Loki asked and Max looked up.
"Yeah, Daddy?" he asked.
Loki picked Max up off the couch and sat down. Placing Max on his lap, he cuddled the boy and Max leaned against him.
"I just wanted to check on you and see if you're still upset about what those ladies said."
"No, I'm not."
"You sure?"
"Uh-hunh. Know why?"
"Why?"
"Because they were being mean and, even if you and my mommy did make a baby, it doesn't matter 'cause you're my daddy and I love you."
Max's words melted his heart as Loki kissed the top of his son's head, smiling down at him.
"I love you, too."
"Are we still going fishing?"
"Yes, we're still going fishing."
"Good! I'm gonna catch a really big fish!"
"Really?!" he asked, arching his eyebrows up.
"Yep!"
"Would it be okay if Rhiannon joins us?"
"She's not a boy!"
"She can shift into one. Well, she will once I show her how."
"Then it's ok. Just hope she does scream when she sees a worm."
"If she does, don't laugh."
"I won't," he said with a shake of his head. "Daddy, will you read with me?"
"Sure," Loki said as Max held up the book and Loki smiled.
~0~0~0~
Rhiannon saw Natasha pacing. The Healer approached the Avenger and Natasha turned to her.
"Is there something wrong?" Rhiannon asked.
"No. Yes. I don't know," Natasha said with a sigh. "This is ridiculous. I don't normally have problems when it comes to my feelings. But, when it comes to him, I turn into a mess."
"Who are you talking about?"
"I am talking about Prince Balder."
Rhiannon looked at her and she saw in Natasha the same hopeful and loving expression she had seen in Sif with Thor and a small smile appeared on her lips.
"You have feelings for him?"
"I guess," Natasha said, lifting her hands in the air.
"Have you ever felt this way before?
"No. I've dated a few guys but none of them have ever made me feel like this."
"Like your insides flutter and you are at lose for words when you see him?"
"Yeah, something like that."
"I felt that way whenever I saw Loki. But, seeing how ugly..."
"You think you're ugly?! You beautiful!"
"Thank you," Rhiannon said as she blushed. "I used to have this long scar on my face from an accident I had as a child and my father told me I was ugly. It wasn't until Loki healed me that I realized I was beautiful."
"Well, attracting a man with my beauty and charm was never a problem. I guess I'm not sure he would be interested in a relationship after what happened with his wife and daughter."
"That was . . . well it was both horrifying and shameful to all of us, not just poor Balder. But Loki told me that he made his peace with Balder during the holiday called Easter,the equivalent of our time of renewal. He believes that when Balder meets his true love his heart will mend itself. The way Loki's did when he met me."
"Loki told you that? He's pretty savvy. But that explains a lot of why Loki never dated, even though women were throwing themselves at his feet."
Rhiannon looked startled. "They were?"
Natasha nodded. "Yeah. He's a chick magnet."
"A chick magnet?"
"Means all the ladies like him. A lot. Some of them would have worshipped at his feet. But he was never more than polite and friendly to any of them. I thought . . . well I thought that he was like Thor when we first met-arrogant and stuff. But he really wasn't. That was all Thanos controlling him. He's a gentleman. He treats women with respect-all women, no matter if they are rich and pretty or not. Makes me wonder what sort of bitch he married before who couldn't appreciate that."
"She was horrible. She treated him and their children like dirt beneath her feet. Luckily though she is dead now. Even though he was divorced from her for many years, she still haunted him. But now he can lay her to rest."
"She died? Recently?"
"Yes." Rhiannon told her what had happened with Boda.
"Not to speak ill of the dead, but good riddance!" Natasha snorted. "Sounds like the best thing she did was give him Jorgy, Fenris, and Abby."
"I think so." Rhiannon nodded. "Otherwise she was-as you Midgardians put it-a waste of breath."
"Now all I have to do is figure out how to get Balder to notice me."
"Why don't you ask him?" Rhiannon asked while Balder approached and Natasha noticed how handsome he looked in his armor.
"Greetings," Balder said with a bow.
"Hello," Natasha said.
"Greetings," Rhiannon smiled.
"Lady Natasha, would you honor me by allowing me to escort you to dinner this evening?" he asked and Natasha felt her stomach flip.
"Yes, I would like that," Natasha agreed and he smiled.
Rhiannon hurried back to her room to change for supper, thinking that if the Norns were kind, then Natasha would end up being Balder's beloved the way Sif was Thor's and she was Loki's.
Loki met Thor on his way to Odin's study, and he beckoned his brother to accompany him. "You may as well come with me and hear what I say to Father," the Master of Mischief told him. "Because I intend to tell him what I would have told you."
"All right. This way you won't need to repeat yourself," Thor chuckled, his teeth glinting in his beard.
His two sons found their father yawning over some paperwork and the old king looked happy to see them. "Hello, my sons," he greeted them. "What do you wish of me?"
"Father, I brought Thor here so he could listen to what I have to tell you," Loki began, standing at attention with his hands clasped behind his back. "All I ask is that after you hear what I say, you agree to speak of this to no one else save Mother."
"That is not an unreasonable request," Odin agreed. "Does this concern your wedding, Loki?"
"No, it concerns me and Max," Loki replied.
Thor sat down in a chair across from Odin and then Loki told them what he had discovered when he visited the Avengers mansion and Nick Fury.
Odin's eye went wide in astonishment at first and then the blue orb darkened with anger.
"How dare this mortal violate my son in this manner?" Odin snarled, his temper skyrocketing.
Loki was slightly shocked to see this display of temper, as he had not been around when Odin had declared war upon Adabiel, and he hurried to calm the king down. "Father, please, calm yourself! The man responsible had been caught and punished for what he did. I saw to it myself."
"Is he dead?" the king demanded abruptly.
"No, imprisoned," sighed Loki. "However, if he causes any problems I have no doubt he will be killed."
Odin huffed softly. "Very well. I would have preferred him executed by our laws, but I supposed that will have to suffice."
"Had I known sooner, I would have made him pay for what he did, Loki," Thor said softly.
"Then it's better you did not know, because then I could not have questioned him," Loki replied. "And then the truth would have never been known."
"It is a strange thing—that my grandson is also my son," Odin mused.
"In a way," Loki acknowledged. "But though Max is my replica as far as my physical body and powers, his soul and his mind are his own. The Norns allowed this to happen for a reason, and they weave as they will."
"That is so. And perhaps it is best to not question them," Odin agreed.
"Max is still my son, and that's all that matters," Loki declared firmly.
"Have you told him what you found out?"
Loki shook his head. "No. I will wait until he is older. He won't understand right now. But when he is thirteen then Rhiannon and I will tell him."
Odin met his son's eyes in shared understanding. "Just do not wait too long, Loki."
"I won't, Father," Loki promised.
"Good. Very good," the old king said approvingly. "Are we still going fishing tomorrow as planned?"
Loki nodded. "Yes. Shall we ask Bruce if he wishes to come along?" he asked Thor.
"I will ask, though Dr. Banner is not much of a fisherman. Boats make him ill."
"Perhaps he can stay and assist Stefan in the infirmary," Loki mused. "I'm sure Bruce would love to learn about our medical technology."
"He will talk Stefan's ear off," giggled Thor.
"No doubt," Loki agree, then the brothers took their leave.
A/N: So what did you think of my surprise? And there are more surprises yet to come!
