Hey guys! So I'm super excited for this next bit. I thought I'd be able to fit more into this chapter, but alas, too many words came pouring out. These next couple of chapters will be the last little Asgardian segment before we move on within the MCU. But I wanted to make sure it was full of good juicy bits, so I think you'll like what will happen! Hope you enjoy! Xoxo-NickyLynn (Oh! I've been thinking about throwing in a little chapter from Loki's POV. I think it might be interesting to get a look inside his complicated head. Let me know what you guys think!)
Tessa spent the next few months splitting her time between worlds. Time on Asgard flowed differently, so spending a few weeks there only meant a fraction of those days passed on Earth. Which made came in handy as Tessa really came to like spending time on Asgard, rebuilding her relationships with her family and her people, but she also had obligations on Earth. Fury wasn't happy with her extended off-world vacations, but then again, nothing ever made him happy and it's not like Tessa really gave him a choice in the matter. However, while Tessa was grateful to be reunited with her family, the split time between the two drastically different worlds had begun to leave her with a serious case of whip lash every time she went back and forth. She found it hard to keep track of the time difference and never seemed to be able to properly estimate how much time was passing for the realm she was away from.
Tessa was currently returning back to Asgard, after a long stay in her Midgardian home, and she was nearly as nervous for this visit as she was on her first. They had been planning a grand event to celebrate Tessa's birthday, the first one celebrated since she had been a child, and while she had tried to object, she quickly found that it spun quickly out of her control. It seemed all of Asgard was yearning to celebrate their lost princess's return, and Odin had even invited members of other realms to join in the celebration. It was going to be the largest Asgardian event in over a century, and while Thor and her parents were excited to have an excuse to celebrate her return, Tessa was overwhelmed with nerves.
She stood in the empty field, looking up at the sky, as she adjusted the strap on her bag nervously. She drew in a breath, mentally preparing herself before she called out to Heimdall and was swept up into the bright light of the Bifrost. After travelling back and forth over the course of the last few months, Tessa had grown use to the strange mode of travel. The dizzying lights no longer had the impact that they once did, and she had actually begun to find it exhilarating. By the time she landed in the observatory, a wide smile was stretched out onto her face, as adrenaline momentarily replaced her nerves.
"Welcome back, my Princess." Heimdall called over to her as he deactivated the Bi-frost.
"Hello Heimdall." She called back, stepping into the dome. "How are the realms?" she asked him.
"The realms are well, as is Asgard. The Bifrost has seen many visitors pass through it, all eager to celebrate the return of Asgard's daughter." Heimdall told her with a smile.
Tessa let out a sigh as she strode up to him. "If I'm being honest with you, I'm feeling quite nervous." She admitted. "I don't suppose my attendance would go unnoticed if I didn't show, would it?"
"I'm afraid your unattendance would go very noticed." Heimdall told her, amusedly.
"Well, there goes that idea." She mumbled with a roll of her eyes. "Got any words of wisdom to get me through it?" she asked, looking up at him.
"You have nothing to worry about Tessa." He told her encouragingly.
"Yeah, nothing except the judgment of all the realms." She scoffed.
"There is nothing you need worry about. The realms will love you, the same as Asgard." He told her with a smile.
"I don't suppose I'll see you there?" she asked him.
"I'm afraid not my Lady, though I do wish you a night full of excitement and joy." He responded with a tip of his head.
"Thank you Heimdall. Wish me luck." She said as she turned.
"Good luck, Princess. Enjoy your night." He called back to her before she transported herself out of the room and down the long spectacular bridge.
Tessa transported herself through Asgard, having to make several jumps before she made it into the palace walls. It was still early in the morning, yet the halls were bustling with busy people, moving around, making all the last minute preparations for tonight. Tessa knew that Frigga would be expecting her arrival soon, as she wanted to give her a rundown of what to expect tonight and who she would see, but before she did that there was one stop she needed to make.
"Good morning gentlemen." She said as she appeared in the hall leading down to the prison cells, greeting the men stationed there. She had come and gone so many times that the guards hardly ever bat an eye when she would suddenly appear in their midst. She had come to know most of the guards who would be put on rotation, and had been cordial with them. Enough so that they would sometimes turn an eye should her time with Loki run over, or even if she snuck in an extra visit.
During the first few weeks, Loki had been distanced and would only respond with short quipped remarks during her visits, but as the weeks went on, he slowly began opening up little by little. He was by no means spilling his deepest feelings to her, but she could at least hold a steady enough conversation with him now. She found his desire for knowledge far outstretched her own, which was a feat in and of itself. So, she would spend a great deal of her time asking him about the worlds he had seen and the knowledge he had gained from them. While she adored spending time with Thor, as he always knew just how to make her laugh, there was something about Loki that was so unique to him that it was only in his company that she found it.
"Good morning, my Lady." The guard on her right said as she stepped up between him and the other guard. "Excited for tonight?" he asked her.
"Oh absolutely!" She told him, moving past and down the steps. "I am absolutely, positively…..terrified." she finished, muttering the last part to herself. She walked down the corridor, finding Loki seated on his bed, his back facing the barrier. She transported herself down the rest of the way, blinking into existence just on the opposite side of the barrier.
Tessa knew that Loki would have noticed her appearance, just like he always did, but he did not move to greet or acknowledge her. "Hello Loki." She said, hoping to elicit a response from him. The frigidness in which he set his shoulders told her that he was in a foul mood, which she guessed had a great deal to do with the impending celebration.
"I've brought you more books." She said, swinging her bag down from her shoulder and opening it up. She had made it a habit to bring with her as much Midgardian literature as she could every time she would come back from her time on Earth. She had started with authors like Shakespeare or Homer, but she was slowly beginning to branch out to more modern literature and by the way he went though them so quickly, she had only assumed he was enjoying them, at least a little.
She pulled out the new stack of books as Loki remained silent. "Did you enjoy Hemmingway?" she asked, adjusting her grip on the heavy stack of books. As the silence around Loki lingered on, Tessa began to grow upset. "Loki." She called out, hoping to gain his attention. "Do you really plan on ignoring me all day?"
"That depends. If I keep ignoring you, will you go away?" he asked.
"Not likely." She responded with a shrug.
"I found that he rather lacked imagination." Loki said after a moment, finally turning around to face her. "But there was one story…the snows of something or another. There were passageways that I found noteworthy. Please tell me you've brought something better this time." He said, coming to a stand.
Tessa wrapped her powers around the stack of books in her hand and used them to transport the stack past the barrier, something she had been working at for the past few weeks. They landed on the floor with a thud as Loki walked over to them, sitting down cross-legged on the floor next to them, using his bed as a back rest. He picked up the first one from the stack, looking at it with a raised brow. "Edgar Allen Poe?" he asked. "What kind of name is that?" he scoffed.
"Um, the best name ever." Tessa shot back at him. "I thought we could try some poetry. Poe's work tends to be rather….macabre. I think you'll like it." She told him, sitting down across from him. "So how have you been since I've seen you last?" she asked him as he studied the cover. He looked up at her with a pointed look before she shook her head. "Right. Dumb question, sorry." She apologized.
"How long are you staying for this time?" Loki asked as he picked up the next book and studied it.
"Not sure yet." She told him honestly. "To be honest I'm already fighting the urge to escape back to Midgard. I'm…I'm not really looking forward to this party. My imagination has been working overtime, imagining every possible way I can ruin tonight by insulting someone in some horrid way. I wish…" she began before she trailed off in sadness. "I wish you could be there. I'm sure you would keep me from making a fool of myself."
Loki looked up at her, the muscles in his jaw twitching. "You're the Princess, Rania. It's they who should be worried about insulting you." He said, choosing to ignore her comment about his presence. "Besides, if anyone is going to end up the embarrassment of the party, it'll be Thor. The great oaf couldn't make it through a night of celebration without making a fool of himself, even if his life depended on it."
"At least Thor won't have to worry about insulting some king from somewhere by doing something idiotic that is a grave offense in their culture." She insisted.
"Thor once bedded the King of Niflhmein's only daughter at one of Odin's birthday celebrations." Loki told her with a smirk.
"Well, that doesn't seem so bad." She refuted.
"While she was engaged to be married." He continued. "To the prince of Alfeim."
Tessa's mouth fell open into an o. "You're lying." She said, in shock.
"I wish I were. He nearly started a war because he was too busy thinking with his primal desires, to think with his actual mind. The only reason it was avoided is because Odin was able to talk King Dorrmer down and offered him a relic as peace offering." Loki told her.
"Wow." Tessa said, letting out a whistle. "I suddenly feel much better about traversing tonight, thank you. I think I can avoid bedding any wayward princesses, anyways." Tessa said with a laugh. "Wait, you don't think they're going to be here tonight, do you?" she asked suddenly.
"I don't see why not." Loki said, shrugging. "I'm sure Odin would not miss the chance to present you to as many of the realms as possible. With his daughter returned, I have no doubt that he'll be formulating possible matches to strengthen allies and reign in tighter control over the realms." Loki said, his mood suddenly shifting with the change of topic.
"Matches?" she asked him. "You can't possibly mean marriage." She said, finding the idea preposterous. "Odin couldn't possibly-" she began before Loki's curt voice cut her off.
"Odin has a long history of using his children for his own benefit." He bit out. "If you think that he wouldn't ship you off to the highest bidder if it meant securing his crown, then you are sorely mistaken."
Tessa went quiet as she processed the idea. "It doesn't matter anyway." She said after a moment. "I have no intention of being married, let alone to someone who has been chosen for me." She said, looking away. "Anyways," she began, moving past the idea. "I'm sure Frigga will be expecting me. I should be going." She said, pushing herself up to a stand. Loki's eyes didn't follow her as she moved back. He stared down at the floor, his eyebrows drawn together, obviously upset.
"Enjoy the books." Tessa told him, feeling bad for leaving him in such a sour mood. "I'll….I'll see you soon okay?" When she didn't get a response from him, she let out a sigh before transporting herself out of the corridor.
Tessa found Frigga, though she wasn't sure if she was glad she did. Frigga had been running around hectically, trying to organize everything and get the last-minute details smoothed out so by the time Tessa found her, she was a force to be reckoned with. Frigga had practically drug her into her chamber, asking one of her handmaidens so bring them food as they would be staying there for a good part of the day. Frigga wanted to go over the guest list with Tessa, knowing that she had no experience when it came to the innerworkings of the realms and their courts. She went over all of the major realms that would be in attendance, identifying the important people who she expected to encounter.
Tessa found it difficult so keep up with all the foreign names and worlds that she knew hardly anything of, but did her best to listen attentively as her mother spoke. As the hours slipped by, Frigga ordered Tessa into the bath before dressing her into one of the most beautiful dresses she had ever seen. It was made of a shimmering, silver material that wrapped tightly around her chest, holding itself up without the aid of straps. The bodice sparkled with hundreds of shining gems, that Tessa almost hoped were not real diamonds. The back was nothing but an intricate weaving of a long sash that tied off on the bottom. The waist drew in tight around her body before hitting the tulle fabric of her skirt that fell down loosely around her legs, sweeping around her delicately with every move she made. Overall, Tessa found it the most beautiful gown she had ever seen. Something fit for a princess.
After they got her in the immaculate gown, Frigga fussed over her hair, braiding it back and letting it cascade over one of her shoulders. Frigga adorned her with a few silver bands that wrapped around her arms before pulling out a small tiara. Frigga placed the circlet on top of her head, making sure it stayed in place, before stepping back and reviewing her work. "Beautiful." Frigga said, smiling down at Tessa, who had yet to see her reflection, due to Frigga's insistence. Frigga helped spin her daughter around, letting her face the long mirror behind her.
When Tessa's eyes fell on her reflection, her breathing stopped. She felt like she was staring at a stranger, rather than herself. Everything about her screamed princess and Tessa wasn't sure how she felt about that.
"You look radiant, my dear." Frigga said, reaching forward and adjusting a few pieces of her hair that had fallen out of place. "I think there will be many men who find themselves lost for words in the light of your beauty tonight."
Tessa's mind began drifting back to thoughts of her conversation with Loki at that comment and she bit her lip in nervousness. "Frigga….you wouldn't…" she began not knowing how to phrase the question. "You wouldn't try matching me with anyone tonight, would you? I mean I know that's normally how the lives of princesses go, but then again this isn't a normal situation. You wouldn't-" she said before Frigga cut her off.
"Of course not, my dear. Why ever would you think such a thing?" she asked, shaking her head, coming to stand in front of her, taking her hands in hers. "The fates have brought you back into our lives and I'll not let them take you from me again. I must share you with Midgard already, I have no intention of sharing you with anyone else." She told her, the corner of her mouth pulling up in the corner.
"Oh! I almost forgot!" Frigga exclaimed, moving back over to the table behind them and opening the small box she had brought in. She reached inside and pulled something out before turning around and walking back over to Tessa. "This was given to me by my mother. Now, I am giving it to you." She said, reaching over and bringing the necklace around Tessa's neck. Tessa watched as the massive sapphire came to a rest just above the hollow of her neck. It was nearly as large as Tessa's palm, and the most beautiful blue she had ever seen. It refracted the light into its depths, giving it the appearance of a rolling ocean as it dangled from the delicate silver chain.
"It's beautiful." Tessa breathed, running her fingers along its cool surface. "Are you sure you want to give it to me?" she asked, looking back at Frigga with wide eyes. It had to be worth a fortune and Tessa felt bad taking something which obviously meant so much to her.
"Of course. It's yours now and maybe one day you'll be able to give it to your own daughter." Frigga said with a smile. Tessa chose not to comment on the possibility of kids in her future, not having the heart to tell Frigga children had never been part of her plan, let alone whether she even could have kids. Instead, she thanked her and pulled her into a tight hug. "I love you, Tessa. Never doubt that." Frigga whispered next to her ear. Tessa felt tears threaten to fall before Frigga pulled back, breaking the tender moment. "Now, I must go prepare myself. Thor will be here in a couple hours to escort you down. Just try to relax in the meantime and I will see you soon." Frigga told her, squeezing her hands comfortingly before dropping them and moving past her.
"Thank you, Frigga." Tessa said quietly, watching her mother retreat from her room. She waited until her mother was gone before she went for her bag and dug out her phone. She opened the camera and started taking pictures of her, the dress…..of everything. Tessa had promised the others back home that she would take pictures during this visit, as no one truly believed her when she had told them that even the floors were laid with gold. She went outside her balcony to take more pictures before just marveling at the sunset which cast the whole kingdom in hues of golds, pinks and reds.
After a while, a knock sounded on her door, and as she came back into her room, she found Thor walking in, dressed in his golden armor and flowing cape, looking all the Asgardian god he was. He stopped when she walked in through the archway, the dying sun was casting it rays on her, sending beams of light around her like she, herself, was made of starlight. "You look absolutely radiant, sister." Thor said with a wide smile.
"Oh, well this old thing." Tessa joked, tossing out a hand. "You don't look so bad yourself. I'd say we Odin's polish up rather well." She said, walking over to him, returning his smile. "Oh! Wait, come here! I want a picture of us together!" she exclaimed, flipping her camera back open before coming to a stand next to Thor. She stepped up close beside him and held the camera out as far as she could before taking a few pictures of the two of them, Thor giving the largest grin she had ever seen. "The others back on Midgard have been pestering me for photographic evidence of my time away." She explained to him before tossing her phone down onto her bed.
"Well, shall we?" Thor asked, holding an arm out for her to take.
Tessa looked at his extended arm and suddenly it wasn't some cute fantasy anymore…..it was real. Soon she would be presented out to all the realms and surrounded by a sea of people that she didn't know. Her heart rate spiked as her nerves overtook her again.
"What's wrong?" Thor asked in concern, noticing her uneasiness.
"I wish…" she began, before deciding to leave the words unsaid. "It's nothing." She said instead, shaking the thoughts away. "I'm just nervous is all."
"Well don't be. Your beauty is one to marvel at tonight, they'll be no shortage of people whose eyes fall on you in wonder." He told her, trying to comfort her.
"That's sort of the problem." She said with a short laugh. Loki's words echoed in her mind before she steeled herself. "I-I'm fine." She said, with a nod. She slipped her hand onto Thor's arm, giving him a smile that she hoped conveyed courage. "Just promise you'll not leave me alone."
"Tonight's about you sister. Whatever you desire." Thor responded.
The two walked down the halls, finding them surprisingly barren. It seemed that everyone was already congregated down in the large open ball room. Tessa focused on keeping her breathing rate steady as they crept closer, repeating Loki's words over and over in her head like a mantra. You're the princess. It's them who should worry about upsetting you. The words seemed to evaporate in a burst of smoke, however, when they came to a stop outside the large doors, the sound of laughter and music drifting through the wood. She knew that everyone was waiting just on the other side of the door, and she suddenly found it difficult to breath. "Thor, I don't think I can do this." She whispered.
Thor gave the back of her hand on his arm a pat, leaning in closer to her. "Of course you can. Just think of it as going into battle." He told her.
"If only." She scoffed. "Battle is easy, this is….this is terrifying." She said.
"Fear not, I'm right here with you." He told her.
Tessa tried to find comfort in his words, but she suddenly found herself wishing it was not Thor at her side, but Loki. However, it did no good to wish on things that couldn't be, so she drew in a deep breath and clung onto Thor's arm tightly. "Okay." She said, nodding. "I'm ready."