Chapter 42: It's Just a Horse Race… Really!

Loki's glass shattered as it hit the ground.

"Another?" the waiter asked him.

Loki ignored him and rounded on his brother. "You lied to me! She is alive!"

"I did not lie!" Thor clipped off each word precisely. "And you died too, so there." He crossed his arms in front of his chest as if that would settle the issue.

"I told both of you to stop arguing. I thought you'd outgrown that a thousand years ago," Frigga scolded her sons.

"Well, he told me that you were dead," Loki pouted.

Frigga frowned as she glanced down at her belly. "Hmmm, you might have a point there."

"See, I told you I was right." Thor's chest puffed up self-righteously.

"Ahem, if I might remind you Loki. You thought you had been killed when I found you… and all this…" Thranduil waved his arm to encompass the room they were currently in, "has come about as a result of some outside force."

Loki considered that and nodded. "He is right."

"Who is he? And where are we? And how did we get here? When did you die?" Frigga fired the questions rapidly.

"The Norns?" Loki answered her last question first. "I suspect they have something to do with this entire adventure. Happened after you were murdered, which all goes back to when Jane found the Aether." He shot a quick look at Thor. "See, I'm not the only one who caused problems with the stupid stones."

"Ah, Mrs. Mother of these two princes," Susannah interrupted. "Y'all are at Churchill Downs."

"You may call me Frigga." The polite response included a smile in the direction of the woman. Frigga then noticed Sif. "Lady Sif! You are here too?"

Sif grinned. "You bet. Wouldn't miss a minute of this. It's been… ah… interesting. And this is Thranduil," she pointed to the elven king, then gestured towards the female elf standing next to her, "and this is Tauriel. They are both from the woodland realm of Mirkwood."

"Mirkwood? I cannot recall ever hearing of a Mirkwood. Which realm is that in?" Frigga inquired.

"A tenth one, mother. It is a most glorious place. I was hoping we'd stay there, but the Norns – if it is them causing all this insanity – chose to bounce us back here to Midgard," Loki explained.

"I'm confused," Frigga admitted.

"Welcome to my current life, mother," Loki swept her a bow.

"Oh look!" Susannah piped up to distract them. "They are about to start the first race. Turn the television on so we can hear the call," she directed their waiter. "We can watch from up here and still hear the call on the tv." She directed everyone to the front of the box.

All eyes turned to the track as the horses entered for the post parade.

"Is this the one our horse is in?" Tauriel asked.

"Oh my no. That is the twelfth race," Susannah replied and glanced at her watch. "That one won't happen for several hours yet."

"Ah, then we will have plenty of time to enjoy these jewel beverages. You must try one… and the champagne," Thranduil directed his last comment to Frigga.

"Jewel beverage?"

The waiter appeared at her side and handed her a mint julep. She took a sip. "Interesting, rather refreshing."

The waiter approached Thor and handed him a large tumbler filled with mint juleps. "I do hope you are not driving today, sir."

"Driving?"

"He's flying," Loki quipped.

"Ah, excellent. I shan't need to worry about you over imbibing and then driving."

Sif threw back her head and laughed. "Him? Drink too much?"

"Shall we place a bet?" Susannah asked.

"What is this bet?" Thor asked.

"You picked what horse you think will win and bet some money on it. If they win, you win more money depending on their odds."

"The horses do not look odd to me," Thranduil commented.

Susannah's laugh twittered through the room. "No, the horses are not odd. The odds are who people think the fastest horse is. It's based on how much money is bet on the horse." Susannah's simplified explanation seemed to satisfy everyone.

"So which one is the fastest?" Sif asked.

Their waiter checked a computer in the back of the room. "Number 13 is currently the favorite. If you wish to place a bet, I can accommodate you."

"How much does one bet on this horse?" Thor asked.

"Oh, two dollars will do," Susannah replied.

Loki pulled out the credit card and handed it to the waiter. "Place two dollar bets on the horse for each of us."

The waiter took care of the transaction quickly and the group moved to the front of the box to observe the race.

As the favorite, number 13, stepped onto the track, a huge roar erupted from the crowd. The beautiful bay stallion took exception to the noise and ducked his head and began bucking like a wild mustang. The lead pony reacted as well, jerking away from the thoroughbred. The sharp tug on the horse's tender mouth added to his irritation and with a wild cry, he plunged away from the lead pony, causing the lead pony's rider to fall to the ground. Free of his restraints, the bay stallion took off snaking his head back and forth as he continued to buck. His jockey, taken by surprise, was thrown from the horse and crashed into the fence.

A gasp swept the crowd.

"Oh, no! I do hope he is all right," Susannah cried, watching as medics raced onto the track to attend to the fallen jockey. Several grooms had raced out right behind the medics, attempting to capture the loose thoroughbred.

"It appears that he has broken his arm," Susannah stated, as she watched the medics help the jockey to rise. He was holding his arm close to his body. The medics quickly assisted him off the track. "Now who will ride?"

"They need to capture the horse first." Loki pointed out. The horse was still running free, cantering through the post parade, rider-less and free. He stopped at one point, stared at the grandstands and blew loudly through his nostrils, clearly enjoying his romp. Several grooms approached the horse, but he reared up causing them to back off.

A flash of green erupted from the crowd racing towards the stallion. Breaking through the circle of grooms, the figure approached the horse with his hand extended. The stallion snorted but permitted the figure to approach.

"Ah, Thranduil," Loki spoke up. "Isn't that your son?"

Thranduil sighed. "Yes, it is."

Frigga looked at Thranduil. "That's your son? Rather brave, isn't he?"

"He has always had an affinity for beasts, horses especially. I can barely keep him from trespassing through Rohan on his ventures. Théoden, or was it Thengel?"

"Thengel," Tauriel confirmed.

"Yes, Thengel, yes, that's right, he was king of Rohan at the time. He was rather upset when Legolas came home with one of his prize stallions. I had to send quite a tribute to placate him over that incident," Thranduil finished his story.

By now, Legolas had reached the stallion. Reaching up, he quickly removed the bridle, then the saddle. With a graceful leap, he mounted the horse.

"Is that legal?" The racetrack announcer's voice could be heard on the television in the background.

"I'm not sure, Bob. But he seems to have the horse under control," a second voice came through on the television.

"The horses are approaching the starting gate. Wait, there appears to be a question about the new jockey," Bob's voice reported. "Mike, what are they saying down there?"

"There is a bit of concern, riding without a bridle or saddle… not sure if there are rules about that or not…" Mike's voice trailed off for a second. "The officials have decided he can ride. They are about to load them into the gate. Turning it back to you for the call."

The group watched as each horse was individually loaded into the starting gate. Legolas shook his head, pointing to the end of the gate. Three officials shrugged and nodded.

"Looks like the favorite will start from the outside, and outside the gate. This is shaping up to be an interesting race, folks," Mike's voice explained what was happening.

"Why do they have to go in those boxes?" Tauriel asked.

"It gives everyone the same start. I am surprised they allowed him to start outside, but he's at a disadvantage doing so," Susannah explained.

"Aaannnddd… they're off!" Mike's voice shouted as the horses broke out of the starting gate. Legolas waited a mere second until all the horses were out before allowing the stallion to take off after them.

"Oh, he's going to lose. He's behind already."

"My son does not lose," Thranduil pronounced quietly.

"As they enter the first turn, it's number 7 in the lead, with 5 and 4 right behind him. Bringing up the rear is 13."

"Come on Legolas!" Sif shouted. Tauriel glanced at her for a moment, then joined in the cheering.

"GO!"

"Down the backstretch, 4 had taken the lead, with 7 fading quickly. 13 is starting to move up, sitting in tenth."

Shouts from the grandstand were focused on the favorite.

"Come on 13!"

"Go! Faster! Faster!"

The horses came around the final turn with several bunched together. Legolas was behind the bunch. He leaned forward, saying something to the horse. The horse responded as if he had wings, flying around the pack on the rail and sailing into the lead. He continued to extend his lead until he crossed the finish line.

"I don't believe it!" Mike's voice announced. "13 for the win, 9 for place, and 4 for the show. What a race! What a way to start Derby day!"

"He won!" Tauriel and Sif shouted as one.

"Did you expect otherwise?" Thranduil shot her a look.

Tauriel rolled her eyes at him.

"Does this mean we get to go to the Circle of Winners?" Loki asked.

"The winner's circle? No, that's just for the owners. We have to wait for our race. But we can go down to where they'll be bringing the horse out and congratulate his rider. I cannot believe your son did that," Susannah gushed to Thranduil. "Now, follow me." She exited the room expecting the others to follow. It wasn't until she was half-way down the hall that she realized she was alone. She returned to the room to discover it completely empty. "Well, that's odd…"

"Actually, with that group, it's not," Tony Stark said as he came up behind her. "I take it they've taken off somewhere?"