Tessa could hardly sleep that night. Between the thoughts running through her head, and the feeling of being in a foreign world, she found herself tossing and turning all night. By the time the light came filtering back into her room, Tessa was already wide awake. She drew herself a bath and changed into one of the more Asgardian style dresses that she had been provided. It took her nearly a half hour to get the fabric wrapped around her, as all the sashes and holes confused her beyond belief. It was like solving a puzzle and Tessa found herself coming to realize why it was that ladies tended to keep handmaidens around. By the time she managed to finish dressing herself, sure she had done at least one of the sashes wrong, she was damn near ready for a nap. She sat herself down at the vanity table, where a large oval mirror sat, and ran a brush through her white hair before drawing it up in a ponytail.
Tessa sat staring at her reflection, finding herself being lost in thought. It was the same face she had seen every day for so many years, but yet it somehow seemed different now. She was human, and now as she studied her face, she knew that. She studied the bone structure underneath, comparing it the Thor's, Frigga's and Odin's. Tessa found it ironic that the one member of her family that she looked the most similar to, didn't even share any gene with her. A knock echoed through the massive room, shaking Tessa from her internal musings. She stood up from her seat, pulling the door open with her powers as she walked over to it. She found Thor standing on the other side of the entryway, dressed in his usual flamboyant clothing, and a wide grin upon his face. "Good morning." Tessa greeted, as she came to a stop in front of him, adjusting the fabric around her midsection.
"You look quite lovely this morning. The Asgardian style does you well." He complimented.
Tessa's cheeks burned at the compliment as she fussed with the fabric that just didn't seem to sit right. "Thanks. Though I'm fairly certain I have put this on wrong." She admitted.
"I'm fairly certain no one will notice." Thor told her reassuringly. "Would you care for an escort down to dining hall to break our fast?" he asked, holding out his arm to her.
Tessa slid her hand onto his offered arm. "Yes, thank you. I'm afraid I would end up lost if I was to try finding my own way. This place is massive." She said. "Though I don't know how my stomach could possibility handle another meal like last night's." she admitted, her stomach still trying to digest the massive amount of food she had consumed the night before.
Thor let out a chuckle as they made their way down the hall, Tessa pulling her door shut behind her. Her eyes lingered on the door across from her own for a moment before she was pulled along by Thor. "I was wondering if you would permit me to show you some of Asgard today. I would very much like to introduce you to my friends as well. They are most excited to meet you."
"Um, yeah of course. That sounds great." She told him, trying to sound positive, though she was also very nervous to meet other Asgardians outside of her family.
"Wonderful! They will be glad to hear it!" he told her excitedly. They walked in silence for a while after that, Tessa's nerves dragging her into the depths of her mind. When they made it to the private dining hall, Tessa was relieved to find a normal amount of food laid out on the table. There were several types of fruit, breads, cheeses and some types of meat as well, but overall, everything seemed like a normal breakfast. Tessa sat down in the seat Thor pulled out for her, mumbling out a thanks as she did.
"Good morning, dear." Frigga greeted her from her spot next to Odin, both of whom already had food piled onto their plates, having started eating before Tessa and Thor arrived. "I hope you slept well."
"It's the most comfortable bed I have ever slept on." Tessa told her honestly, choosing not to disclosure her inability to sleep, as she didn't want Frigga to worry over it.
"I'm glad to hear it." Frigga said with a smile. "And I see you found the clothes I had brought in for you."
"Uh, yes…" Tessa said, looking down at the teal fabric. "I don't think I've put it on right, though." She said yet again. "Perhaps you could show me how to properly wear it later?" she asked hesitantly.
"Oh, you have done just fine. It could use with some minor adjustments is all. I would be more than happy to help you later, if Thor does not steal all your time today, that is." Frigga said, sending a smile down to Thor who had begun piling the food onto his plate.
"I have to admit, I'm not normally one to wear dresses, especially ones as complicated as this, but it is rather comfortable." Tessa said, genuinely surprised by how much she liked the smooth fabric clinging to her skin.
Tessa began selecting some of the fruit from the spread before her, sniffing at certain ones that looked particularly unusual. Once she had a good amount of food on her plate, she began eating, testing all the different flavors, trying to compare them to things found on Earth. "How did your visit with Loki go?" she heard Thor ask curiously from across the table. Tessa stopped chewing, looking from him over to her parents. Odin didn't look particularly pleased with the topic but chose to remain silent.
"It was fine." Tessa finally said, swallowing down the food in her mouth. "Actually, I was hoping you would permit me more visits with him." She said, moving her eyes over to Odin. He paused in his eating, looking up at her as she watched for his reaction. The truth was, a large part of the reason Tessa couldn't find sleep last night, was her mind could not stop thinking about the complicated man sitting down in the cells. Although she knew what he did was terrible, and of course, he did not yet have her forgiveness for what he had done to her world….to Coulson…but there was also a part of her who longed to know the man who should have been her brother.
"No." came Odin's firm response, causing Tessa's face to drop in disappointment. The disappointment quickly flared into anger.
"But if you would just-" Tessa began, before Odin cut her off, not bothering to give her a chance to persuade him.
"I said no!" he said, his voice booming around the room. "Loki has far too many comforts as is! He is facing punishment and solitude is part of that punishment! The answer is no and that's final!"
The room went silent as Tessa stared down at Odin in shock. Frigga's eyes swept from Odin down to Tessa, clearly upset by his choice, but not being able to stand against it. Thor just dropped his gaze and kept eating, his fork scraping against the plate the only sound filing the room.
The muscle in Tessa's jaw twitched as her and Odin stared across the table at each other. Her heart was hammering away in her chest as she tried to control her emotions. "Tell me, is it customary to present gifts to someone on birthdays and other holidays, the same as it is on Earth?" Tessa finally asked, breaking the silence.
Odin looked down at her in confusion, thrown off by the question. "Yes, of course."
"Over a thousand birthdays have passed since I disappeared. A thousand birthdays, holidays and whatever other excuse is customary to endow someone with presents have passed. I'm sure you have endowed Thor and even Loki with countless priceless items. Hell, you even gifted Thor Mjolnir and will pass along an entire kingdom to him." She said, casting an arm out in Thor's direction. Thor's wide eyes looked from her to Odin, his mouth still full of food.
"And yet I have received nothing! Not a single thing has been given, nor asked for. I am not asking this request for Loki's benefit, I am asking for mine! He is my brother as much as he is Thor's and I was robbed of the chance to know him as you do! I have the chance to get to know Thor, and Frigga, and you!" she nearly yelled, pointing out everyone as she named them. "All I want is the chance to know him as well. I am asking you to grant me this kindness in leu of all the things I have not had the chance to be given. Grant it and I will not ask for anything else from you, I swear it."
Odin stared down at her in shock, not having been used to anyone challenging him. "This is what you truly desire? To spent you time in the company of the man who brought so much destruction and mayhem to your world?" he asked.
"No." Tessa said, shaking her head. "I desire to spend my time in the company of my family." She told him. "You have spent millennia loving Loki as your son. Would you truly be so cruel to keep me from knowing the man who was worthy of that love?" she asked him. Hoping this request was not make lightly.
"Odin," Frigga began, drawing his eyes to her. "Perhaps this could be a kindness you could grant our daughter. It may even do Loki good, having time with her. I certainly see no harm in it." Frigga tried to reason.
Odin looked from Frigga back down to Tessa. He let out an unhappy breath. "You can have ten minutes twice a week." He finally relented. "Do not ask for more than that, for a shall not give it."
Tessa brightened at his agreement. "Thank you." She told him as he pushed away from the table and came to a stand. He gave no further response as he stormed away from the table and out of the room. Tessa's eyes fell on Frigga. "Thank you." She said again, directing it at her this time. "I'm sorry if I have made him cross with you." Tessa told her, hoping she had not put her mother in an awkward position between her and her husband.
"Yes, well, Odin will calm down soon enough." Frigga reassured her. "And when he does, he will see that granting this request was the right thing to do."
Thor cleared his throat, hoping to break the tension filling the room. "So, Tessa, what parts of Asgard do you wish to see today?" he asked, changing the subject.
"Oh, I don't know where I would even begin." Tessa told him honestly. "I want to see whatever parts are your favorite."
As it turned out, there seemed to be a couple of common denominators with all the places Thor ended up showing her….drinking and fighting. He took her to many of his favorite pubs, introducing her the townspeople there. She would ask them all what it was that they did, and they would tell her how happy they were that their princess was home. They spent many hours moving around the busy town center, going from this place, to that. Thor would tell her which places had the best drinks and point out all the places which he had his best fights. To be honest, by the time they were headed back to the palace, Tessa wasn't sure how much more she could handle. She had never been very good in crowds, given her long past of avoiding them. And the crowds that would gather around her every time they stopped were unavoidable. Tessa was nearly ready to return to the solitude of her chambers to get some reprieve, but there was one last stop Thor wanted to make.
As they walked out onto the training grounds, Thor's absolute favorite spot, the sounds of clashing metal had already filled the air. Tessa watched as a woman with dark hair and silver armor, swung down with a large sword, bringing it crashing against the shield held out by a blonde haired man, holding a sword of his own. The pair spun around each other, blows landing against each other's shields and blades as they went back and forth. The blonde man yelled out a remark that Tess couldn't make out and in the next second the woman had his feet swept from under him, sending him falling to the ground on his back as the two other men watching the fight burst out laughing.
"Still can't seem to best Lady Sif, can you Fandral?" Thor called over to them as they made their way closer. Everyone's heads turned at the approaching royals, eyes instantly drawing over to Tessa's unfamiliar face.
"Not to worry Thor! I've been merely going easy on her is all!" The blonde man, Fandral, shouted from the ground as the woman, Sif, helped back up to his feet.
"Right, and I suspect you've been 'going easy' on me all the other times you've wound up in the dirt as well, is that it?" Sif asked with a roll of her eyes.
"Is this her?" the man with red hair, a long beard and a large belly asked, motioning over to Tessa. "Is this Asgard's long lost princess?"
Tessa did her best not to drop her gaze from the four sets of curious eyes as Thor placed an arm around her shoulders. "Tessa, I'd like to introduce you to Lady Sif and the Warriors Three." He said, motioning an arm out to the others. "My friends, I'd like you to meet my sister, Tessa."
"Hello." Tessa said hesitantly. "It's nice to finally meet you, Thor's told me a great deal about you all." She said, taking a step forward.
"Hopefully not too much." Fandral told her, walking up to them along with the others.
"Fear not, my friend. I have not said anything about your lecherous ways." Thor said with a grin.
"Ah." The blonde man said, coming to a stop in front of them. "I suppose I should count myself lucky than."
Tessa's mouth lifted up into an amused smile. "Don't worry. Some of my closest friends have been the biggest lechers around." She told him, her mind drifting to the Stark men. "I think I should find myself right at home in your company."
"Oh, I like her already." Fandral said, looking over to Thor. "Tell me my Lady, how are you finding Asgard?" he asked, his gaze landing back on her.
"It's beauty is unmatched and it's people have offered nothing but kindness so far." She responded. "It's more than I could ever hope for."
"Thor tells us you're a warrior on Midgard." The dark-haired man said, who Tessa assumed was Hogan.
"Yes, though I'm sure I have not seen nearly as many battles as you all. Thor has been telling tales of all your victories. The realms are lucky to have you all guarding them." Tessa told them all.
"Are there many female warriors on Midgard?" Sif asked curiously.
"Not nearly enough." Tessa admitted. "I take it there's not many women fighting for Asgard?"
"Not anymore. No, I'm afraid it's just I who normally has to pick up the slack of these buffoons." Sif responded with a roll of her eyes, casting her thumb over her shoulder at the others.
"I resent that." Fandral told her, offended.
"What part? Being called a buffoon or is it that you wish to be included as a female?" Sif asked him, causing a roar of laughter from the friends.
"Well, he certainly seems to be fighting like one today." Volstagg commented with a laugh.
"Now I resent that." Tessa said.
"Would you care to show us how a female fights then?" Fandral asked her, raising a brow.
"Oh, I'm afraid I have no experience with swordplay." She told him, motioning towards the blade at his side. "I think I'll leave that to Lady Sif."
"Don't feel too bad Fandral. I fear you would be no match for Tessa. She is quite formidable in a fight. She single-handedly defeated Loki, I have no doubt she would easily best you." Thor told him with a strong pat against his arm. "Tessa is the best warrior I've seen in action." He praised. "Second to me, of course,"
Tessa raised a brow at the comment. She turned and narrowed her eyes on him. "Excuse me, but I'm pretty sure the last time you raised your hammer at me, you ended up with your Asgardian ass skidding across the forest floor." Tessa told him.
"Really?" Sif asked with a wide smile, the thought of it amusing her.
"No-that's not exactually-" he began in defense, refusing to admit she had bested him. "You caught me off guard, it was not a fair fight."
"Well, are you on guard now?" she asked him.
"Yes, I-" he began before Tessa lashed out with her powers and sent a blast into his chest, sending him falling back on his ass, skidding back twenty or so feet.
Thor blinked up at her in surprise, while Tessa just grinned down at him. "I'm sorry, you were saying?" she asked him sweetly as the others busted out in laughter.
Thor pushed himself back up, pointing Mjolnir at her. "You wish a fight sister?" he challenged her.
"Well, I mean I don't think it would be-" she began to taunt, before he swung back and sent his hammer fly at her. Tessa let out a startled yelp as she quicky transported herself out of the line of path and landed behind him.
The others began slowly backing away, as Thor called Mjolnir back to his hand and spun around to face her, posed and ready for a fight. "You sure you want me to embarrass you in front of your friends?" she asked him with a smirk, as she called upon her powers and felt the familiar thrum fill her fingertips.
Thor just smirked back at her before he spun around and sent his hammer out at her again, this time with more force. Tessa disappeared in a burst of blue, landing directly in front of him, bringing her foot down onto his chest and kicking him back. He went stumbling back and as the hammer slammed back into his fist, he swung his arm out at her. Tessa dropped down to the ground and tried sweeping his feet out from under him like Natasha had taught her, but he jumped back and instead brought his hammer down on top of her. Tessa teleported out of the way as his hammer struck the ground, sending cracks across the dirt. Tessa, having popped up behind him, sent a strong blast out at him, sending him skidding across the dirt on his front.
"Care to admit defeat yet?" she asked him as he pushed himself back up.
"Not a chance!" He yelled out, sending Mjolnir out at her as he rushed up behind it. Tessa dropped herself behind him again, but Thor was expecting it. He spun around and brought an arm down on her, which she reached up and blocked, creating a shield with her powers. She watched as his hammer came flying at her from the corner of her eye. She reached out and wrapped her powers around it, latching onto it and stopping his from moving any further. The muscles in Tessa's arm shook as she struggled to keep hold on the magic weapon. Thor looked over to his hammer that was stuck, frozen in mid-air, several feet behind him, then down to Tessa's smirking face.
"Oh, I'm sorry, did you need that?" She asked him before she gathered her power in her other hand and sent him flying through the air with a powerful blast that shook the area with a small tremor. Thor hit the ground and slid back along the dirt until he slammed into the shed which housed all the training equipment. The area burst out with hooting and laughing as their audience congratulated Tessa with victory.
She brought Thor's hammer closer to her as she walked up to a dust covered Thor, still on the ground. She let Mjolnir hover in the air beside her for a moment, observing it closely. "Does this technically count as being able to lift it?" she asked him as he pushed himself up to his feet with a grunt. "I don't think I could handle being worthy, even if it does." She said then, letting her powers recede, causing the hammer to drop to the ground between them with a heavy thud.
"It just means, sister." He said, gripping onto the handle, lifting it up to point at her face. "That you cheat."
"Oh, come on, how did I cheat?" she asked him with a laugh, finding it funny that he refused to admit defeat still.
"You and your tricks." he accused. "Just like Loki…..it's cheating."
"Thor, you fight with a giant magical fucking hammer." She deadpanned, lifting an eyebrow.
Thor's eyes dropped down to his hammer for a moment before they lifted back to her. "Exactually. If it was just me and you, man on man…or woman…then I would win." Thor said with a shrug.
"I'm afraid, my friend," Fandral said, coming up behind Thor, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "That you have to admit defeat this time." He said with a wide smile.
"I think I'm going to like you." Sif said to Tessa as she walked up beside her, grinning madly.
"I think you, my Lady," Fandral said, letting his arm drop from Thor's shoulder and walking forward, wrapping it around Tessa instead. "deserve to be bought a drink!"
"Oh, I don't-" she began to protest, not really wanting to go back to the pubs.
"Oh nonsense! It's not everyday we see our friend here bested! This rare occasion deserves celebration!" Fandral yelled out, eliciting shouts of agreement by the others. And that was how Tessa ended up back in the bar, pulled into a drinking contest by a brother who was still salty about being beaten in a fight. And that was how Tessa found out that Asgardian drinks were stronger than Midgardian one….a lot stronger.