- Chapter 11 -
Frey looked at the woman with strawberry blonde hair who'd gasped loudly. She looked quite distressed. Strawberry blonde, pale skinned. Somewhat like the woman from before. I wonder if that's her.
"Are you the Lady Virginia?" Frey asked the mortal woman.
"Pepper. No one calls me Virginia," she looked up at King Frey. "How do you know who I am?" It wasn't exactly true. Lilith still called her by her given name, no one else did. She kept trying to get Lilith to call her 'Pepper' like everyone else, but her friend just wouldn't quit. She wished Lilith was there with her. Her friend was always able to calm her down no matter how stressed she was over something. That and she made the most amazing cup of coffee she'd ever had. One of these days I'm going to have to steal her from him. Then she can come with me wherever I go. She'll be the best assistant I've ever had, she thought. It was a common thought for her.
"Both Loki and Anthony speak highly of you," it was an almost offhand remark. Frey didn't care to hear any of Anthony's sexual exploits before he met Loki. Truly, he didn't care to hear any of Anthony's sexual exploits. It was his firm opinion that he knew too much already. It was only because Loki spoke fondly of, "The wonderful Lady Virginia," that he listened at all.
"I don't care what that devil thinks of me! That bastard enslaved Tony, and we will get him back," there was a feisty look in Pepper's eyes when she spoke.
"Is that what you think? That Anthony is subservient to Loki?" Frey questioned, his eyebrow arching. What a ridiculous notion! Childish. Jealous. Why did Anthony keep this woman?
"It's obvious what's happened! Loki used the scepter on Tony, and Rhodey. Neither of them is thinking clearly. Once he's dead, then they'll be free," Pepper held Frey's gaze. Being Tony's assistant had prepared her to stare down anyone.
"Lady Pepper," Thor growled. He didn't want to hear about Loki dying or trying to die anymore. He was miserably tired of thinking that his Little Brother was dead. It was causing an intolerable anxiety in him that made it difficult to sit still.
"No, Thor," Frey waved his nephew off. "You truly believe that Anthony is subservient to Loki? I understand how you would want to see that. I know of your love for Anthony. He believes that you'll be happy with someone else."
"You can ..." Pepper had wanted to tell him exactly where he could put that thought. She didn't make it that far.
"Loki is the one who stands a step behind," Frey interrupted her. That's caught their attention now. His gaze didn't leave Lady Pepper, but he didn't miss his sister's distressed look.
Almost instantly Odin nearly snorted in disbelief. His son was never one to stand behind anyone. It was difficult enough to get the boy stand behind him. Loki would never stand behind some mortal. It wasn't a concern.
Fandral snickered loudly. Sif just smirked at the thought. Once again, his Uncle Frey moved to deal with his companions, but once again Thor beat him to it. "You have something to say about your Prince?" Thor said as he turned to them. He thought that perhaps they should be reminded of Loki's station. Though he was seated, he held Mjolnir tightly in his right hand, he left hand was clenched tightly in a fist.
All of them looked away down quickly and mumbled, "No, Your Grace."
"Good, because if I hear anything else from any of you, I'll let my uncle decide your punishments," Thor spoke calmly, the barely contained wrath in his voice was obvious. All of them looked nervously from Thor to his uncle and back. All of them felt a budding fear when the Lord of Vanaheim gave them a hard look and a wicked grin.
Thor was furious with his companions. He didn't know how he'd missed the casual malice they treated Loki with. Guilt, sharp as a knife, continued to cut through him. It pained him to remember all the times he laughed with them. Laughed at Loki. The past few years had given Thor time to look back on his life, back on his time spent with Loki. There were many decisions he regretted. It pained him beyond measure to think of his Little Brother trying to harm himself. To know that he himself drove Loki to such despair, Thor didn't think he could forgive himself for this. He could remind them of their places and Loki's station. That he could at least do.
Pepper looked from Thor to The Warriors Three to King Frey. She knew that Asgardians were a violent lot. It was simply in their culture to be that way but seeing metal melt under the Queen's bare hand was still terrifying. She didn't want to see one of them angry again. Despite that, she was almost yelling at one of them. "What does that mean?" she snapped back at him.
Frey smirked. "It means that Anthony doesn't do as Loki tells him. His will is free. It's purely his own. It means, Lady Pepper, that Loki does as Anthony asks, because it is Anthony asking. It means that you will never free him from Loki because he is with Loki of his own free will. It means that he loves his wife more than anything or anyone else. It means that they have nine children not because Loki has forced this on Anthony, but because Anthony has asked Loki to bear his children, and Loki has agreed. Every child they have seems to make Anthony want more children, with Loki. Every child is more than precious to him because they are a part of Loki. It means that you've not an inkling of what they have together."
Frey paused to make sure she understood his words, "It means that petty jealousy is unbecoming on a woman as great as both Anthony and Loki say you are."
Pepper sank back into her chair, covering her face with both her hands. It couldn't be true, it couldn't be. You've known this was coming for years now, a tiny voice whispered in the back of her mind. You knew he didn't love you anymore and you held out hope anyway. She gave herself a moment, just one, to cry. When that moment was done, she dried her eyes, squared her shoulders, and lifted her chin. King Frey was still looking at her. She returned his gaze. "Is Tony happy with Loki?" She couldn't keep the contempt out of her voice when she said his name.
A genuine gentle smile crossed Frey's lips. "Despite what you've seen thus far, yes. They're very happy together. They're very much alike, and yet, each manages to have what the other is missing. Anthony is a good man, and he's excellent for Loki, as Loki is for him. This fight they've had isn't normal. I'm sure they've already made amends to one another and are preparing to visit me in Vanaheim." And if they aren't then they will be because I'm going to collect them myself, he finished the sentence in his thoughts alone.
"That's nice to know." Pepper was starting to dislike Asgardians, and whatever King Frey was. I'm better than this. I need to regain my calm. "Thank you for telling me."
'Shut up, turn around and stop wasting your time,' just isn't going to do. No time here to waste either. Dammit, you emmika are annoying. If it wouldn't give him away McCorrmick would have closed their mouths, turned them all towards the screen and just quietly restarted the file. Using the sarammr like that was prohibited by Eidesh. He was about to open his mouth and speak, about to tell them, 'Please excuse me for interrupting, but this isn't the time or place for personal disagreements. We're here to view the files. We should resume the task set before us,' but stopped before he did. That sounds like I'm talking to a classroom full of children. I need to do better.
"I will come to visit as well," Frigga said. I will meet my grandchildren and speak with my son.
"No, you will not." It was going to be bad enough when he explained to Loki that the secrecy she sacrificed so much to keep was gone, but to have someone from Asgard there as well would be intolerable. Even if it is her mother, Frey thought.
"Frey!" Frigga was shocked that Frey would continue to keep her from her child and grandchildren.
"No! As Lord of Vanaheim is it within my purview to decide who is and is not welcome within my kingdom, and when they might be welcome. When Loki and her family visit, no one from Asgard will be welcomed into my kingdom," Frey's tone brooked not disagreement.
"How is it I'm to not be angry with you, brother?" Frigga demanded to know. Why is he still doing this?!
'No, you won't!' 'Yes, I will!' Maybe talking to them like they're children is the right tact. The young corporal looked in irritation at the other adults in the room.
"Loki must be returned to Asgard for trial," Odin said quietly.
Looking to Odin, Frey laughed outright. "I think we both know that you no longer have the power to bring Loki to heel. If you send troops to retrieve her, then you'd best be prepared for war."
Standing quickly, Odin moved closer to Frey, "You dare threaten me?!" He almost couldn't believe what Frey said. That Frey would even threaten war was very worrying. What has Loki told him? "You would threaten the peace we have worked to create?"
How old are you?! McCorrmick frowned at the elder King.
Another wicked grin graced Frey's face. Oh, he'd waited so long for this moment. The Norns actions had somewhat released him from his oaths in the confines of this room. It was a freedom that he would indulge in, if only a little. This would cut deeper than the gilded sword pin anyway. "Loki has protected you from an Inquiry to Enlightenment." Frey spoke slowly, giving his words time to sink in. "If you would come for Loki, you'd best be prepared to face all the other realms, for they'll side with me, and with her."
Somehow Frey's grin grew even wider as he spoke, his voice was low and quick as his glee at the moment nearly overwhelmed him. He'd waited centuries for this moment, the moment when Borr's boy would be undone. "So come, bring your armies back to my lands. This time will be different. The land will be painted in the blood of Asgardians, and I will laugh as it happens!" There was a violently mischievous glint to his eyes.
How old are you?! The young man frowned at the younger King next. The sarammr began to extend towards both the misbehaving monarchs when it stuttered then withdrew to him. His will was constrained.
You may only use the sarammr to defend your person. You must show them, once again his elder aunt whispered to him.
Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry. Please forgive my ignorance. It won't happen again, he answered her. Deeper nervousness filtered through his thoughts. It was packed away in the quiet he kept in his mind with the sarammr. Did I just fail? The despair brought on by that thought was kept packed with the nervousness. She hadn't explicitly said that he failed. I'll just keep going. Until told otherwise, the test is still on …hopefully. Please let me be able to prove the Satska Soledras' worth!
"Frey!" Frigga cried. This went from bad to unimaginable in only one sentence. An Inquiry would claim the lives of both her and her husband. What it would do to her son was unthinkable. When she woke that morning, she would've said without hesitation that Frey would do whatever he could to safeguard her life, even sacrificing his own life. The wicked grin on his face gave her pause. She still didn't think that he would allow any harm to come to her, but Frigga seriously doubted that Odin would be given the same benefit. There was an old hatred in the glee of that grin.
For a moment Odin stood motionless, calmly assessing Frey. His glee at the knowledge was too obvious. It shocked him to see that Frey wasn't lying. "What proof of this do you have?" he asked quietly.
"Did Skuld not tell you that you would weep at your failures?" Frey looked like a hungry wolf eyeing its next meal. His eyes were bright with that hunger.
"What proof, Frey?" Odin demanded. He had to know. Frigga's and Thor's lives now hung in the balance. His own life might be forfeit, but he had to do what he could to protect them.
Frey motioned to the screen, "Skuld has sent you a Truthkeeper, perhaps you should listen to what truths he has to share." He stood and walked around the end of the table, placing a hand on the young corporal's shoulder, "Here is your Truthkeeper." He saw the handsome lad looking from him to Odin in his peripheral vision. The boy looked like he wanted nothing to do with this argument. Frey moved around the end of the table to stand in front of Odin. "You will hear Loki's word's today, hear them as you should've done more than twenty years ago."
"Twenty years ...?" Odin had been thinking on what Frey might have meant by that since he first said it. There was only one thing he could think of, but it made no sense. "The Jotunns? Loki's warning about the Jotunns. This is what you mean?" Loki attempting to trick him into confronting Laufey about such foolishness was one of the more irritating things his son had ever done. It was particularly irritating since Loki was absent from Asgard for several years. It deeply irritating to Odin that Loki came home and tried to do that. He didn't care to hear such foolishness and dismissed the boy so he might think on what he'd done wrong. Odin still didn't know where Loki went to during those years, the boy would never answer. Loki only glared and teleported away. Odin wondered if perhaps wherever he'd gone to poisoned his mind enough to ruin Thor's coronation. He also wondered if perhaps it was easier for whomever Loki spent time with to poison the boy's mind since it looked like his son might have been unbalanced already. The thought of his son trying to die was still painful to contemplate. So many things had happened, and he didn't know why. Throwing in the possibility of an Inquiry to Enlightenment only made it all more fearful.
The truth danced on the edge of Frey's tongue. He wanted to be the one to tell Odin just how he'd failed. He wanted to see the recognition of failure in Odin's eye. He wanted it with an almost violent desperation. He took a breath to steady himself. Frey wouldn't go against the Norns, he wasn't a fool. He looked down at the young mortal and smiled at him. He was a good boy. Frey noted for later that the boy was looking around the room oddly and a little angrily.
Looking back to Odin he said, "I'm not the Truthkeeper. You wouldn't believe me if I were to tell you. You will listen to Loki, and you will believe, because the Truthkeeper has said that Loki's word is truth. You will listen, Wolf of War." Frey sneered just a little at Odin. He'd hated Borr's boy since he was a child. He didn't miss an opportunity to remind Odin of that.
"Frey, do not call him that!" Frigga was very angry again. As angry as she was, she was disappointed as well. It'd been nearly two thousand years since it happened, but her brother was still mired in the anger of it. That Frey let his anger instead of his good sense guide him was always equal parts angering and disappointing. That he'd kept things from them that they needed to know just wasn't acceptable. Frigga couldn't fathom how he could think it right to bring a bloody history from long ago into this. She could see the desire for vengeance in his eyes and wondered if he would ever let it go. It was something she'd been trying to get him to let go of for centuries. Frigga wasn't sure if she was going to be able keep speaking with him on it. With the possibility of an Inquiry to Enlightenment looming, she wasn't sure that they would be able to keep speaking at all. As angry as she was, the possibility of losing Frey was more frightening than the Inquiry. She needed him in her life, but she was tired of his anger. She just wanted him to be happy.
"Why not? It is not what he is? Or have you forgotten how our parents were murdered? Have you forgotten who it was that held the chains?!" His rage leaked out into his voice to ripple the air around him. Frey worked to contain the wrath in his voice. There were mortals before him, yelling wouldn't do with them in range.
That piqued Natasha's curiosity. There's an interesting story that I'd like to know, perhaps a little farther away from that particular pent-up violence. When King Frey spoke the air around him oscillated like heatwaves coming off hot pavement in the summer. Unlike heat waves she could feel the force of it pushing against her.
I knew it. Director Fury watched, listened, and knew that he was right in his opinion of Thor's uncle. He was a very handsome beast that had no problem killing. This mythic creature would smile widely as the blood dripped off his fangs.
"I haven't forgotten, brother. I've forgiven," Frigga wanted him to move on from their bloody childhood. She'd wanted it for many years, kept trying to get him to give it up. Trying to pry it from him only made him hold tighter to it. When will you begin living your life, brother? Is this why you betrayed me because I stand with Odin? Frigga wondered if maybe she shouldn't have mentioned Odin in the letters she wrote to her brother. She wondered if she'd perhaps told him too much. It was always a careful line she walked, between what she could and couldn't tell him. If I'd told him less, would this have happened?
"Good for you! I haven't. I won't ever forget. I won't ever forgive!" Frey's chest was heaving, he was consciously trying not to yell. His anger flared out to roar through his seidr before he pulled it all in tightly. It burned and ached in his chest the same as it had since he was a boy. His beloved sister's seidr constantly hissing cruel things at him only drove the pain harder. He unfurled his seidr instinctively to form and release a Regenerative Weave into himself. His seidr furled back as he felt the pain dull some.
Sitting quietly and patiently McCorrmick decided to listen to their squabble. Eidesh would turn this into a teaching moment. It was growing harder to concentrate on what they were saying. The strange unspoken noise coming from King Frey was a roaring wrath akin to an erupting volcano. In severe contrast to that was the noise from his sister that was a constant sibilant hiss of 'Betrayer'. Added to that was the unceasing song from Thor's hammer. It was a distracting mix of sounds. What was weirdly most noticeable was the sphere of silence that never seemed to leave the elder King. Looking down the table to the Avengers showed them looking at one another. They didn't know what to do to. The Kings and Queen were more powerful than Thor, as Thor's behavior made that readily apparent. The Avengers didn't have the firepower to force them to stop yelling. Dr. Banner almost looked like he wanted to change, just to shut them up. McCorrmick understood, he truly did. Thor was sitting quietly, despair was written on his face, in the slump of his shoulders. He could only watch as General Rogers tried to ask Thor something. The noise from the arguing royals was a little too loud for him to hear the General. Whatever was asked had the pained Prince looking even worse. Agents Barton and Romanov were uneasy with this latest yelling match. Director Fury was giving him a hard look. It was an expectant look. What did you expect me to do, sir? As you pointed out, in front of everyone, I'm still only a corporal. What would be appropriate for a corporal? Queen Frigga was still sniping at her brother who was sniping at her husband who was sniping at her brother. They needed to stop. I'm supposed to be showing them these files not listening to them air their family problems in front of strangers. I think I'm just going to be forthright about this. They need to shut their mouths.
"We've had enough arguing. Thank you!" a hard voice interrupted them. Corporal McCorrmick gave each of them a hard look. He almost smiled when he thought, Act like children and I'll treat you like it. "We're not here to listen to you squabble. We're here to view these files. This is what Skuld has tasked me to do, so I would appreciate it if you would stop your bickering and sit down. Please." He pointed at their empty chairs, and repeated, "Please." Once they sat down, the young man took a deep breath and sat back down. "Alright, back to the files."
"Hold on, corporal," Director Fury was both pleased that the corporal caught the meaning of his look and with what the corporal did with that intent. He looked from the corporal to Thor's father. "What's an Inquiry to Enlightenment?"
Irritation pursed Odin lips. He glared silently for a moment, answering only when he realized that the mortal wouldn't be intimidated so easily. This new breed of mortal men had no fear, they were odd. "It is none of your concern, mortal."
The Director looked from Odin to Thor then, "Thor, what is it?"
Unease filled Thor, so he glanced over to his father. When he received no instructions or admonishments he glanced back to Director Fury. "I don't know, Director. I've heard of it, from one of my tutors, I think. I don't remember what it is though."
Frey looked from Thor to Odin, "This is who will be King one day. Well done, Odin. The reasoning of your choice is overwhelming." The amount of venom dripping from his voice surprised even him. He almost felt badly for it when Thor visibly flinched, but there was no excuse in Frey's mind for how uneducated the boy was.
Queen Frigga turned around to berate King Frey again when Corporal McCorrmick spoke again. "Please do not start again. I would appreciate it if everyone would please stay in your seats, and please keep a reasonable tone of voice." King Odin turned towards him with anger in his lone eye. "As Truthkeeper, I'm running this presentation which contains information that you need. So, if everyone would please keep your calm we'll get back to what we're all here for." McCorrmick was tired of the yelling, interruptions, and rudeness.
"Corporal McCorrmick," Steve gave the can apologetic smile as he spoke calmly, "I'm sorry for one last interruption, but I have a question."
The calm smile on the young corporal's face turned a little wooden. Of course, it would have to be you to politely interrupt. Unfortunately, he couldn't say no to General Rogers. Besides having too much respect for the General to say no, General Rogers had asked in a polite, quiet tone of voice without any yelling. This officer and gentleman earned his father's respect for so many reasons. The calm attitude in stressful circumstances was one of them. "Yes, sir?"
"What you were saying earlier, about what we know being inaccurate. I think what you meant is that we should approach this with an open mind, and not assume we know Loki, or what he wants. Was that it?" Steve wanted to ask earlier, but people were yelling, and it didn't seem wise to get involved. Understanding what the corporal was trying to tell them was important though. The young man had valuable information but couldn't give it to them as easily as anyone wanted.
The General's understanding was greatly appreciated by McCorrmick. "Yes, sir!" Calm, honorable, understanding, and intelligent. Dad was so right about him.
"For what it's worth," Bruce interrupted with an apologetic look at the corporal, "I think Loki's on our side now." He spoke to the Director, "If Loki's trying to take humans into space, giving Tony the means to make it happen, that's got to count for something, right? I know it doesn't make up for lives lost, but it's a pretty big gift." Bruce paused to consider for a moment. "And I don't think that spaceships are the only thing either. You said it yourself, Director. Stark-tech has advanced radically, and in a very short time. Maybe Loki gave him more than just the ship." He motioned around the room to the hellicarrier itself, "Maybe all of this, everything Tony gave to SHIELD, came from Loki. The speed of the advancements would make perfect sense if Tony already had the fully finished blueprints and just had to make minor adjustments for humans to use them."
That would mean that … Bruce thought for a moment longer before he finished his thoughts aloud, "Maybe Loki has been right in front of us this whole time and we just didn't see him." Thor looked unnerved by that thought.
Frowning at the thought, Director Fury spoke, "You're suggesting that we let a known enemy get this close and did nothing? That's not a comforting thought, Dr. Banner." Even from a McCorrmick that wasn't comforting.
"That's what I'm saying though. Maybe Loki's not an enemy. It wouldn't make any sense for Tony to arm us if he was working for the Chitauri. It wouldn't make any sense for Loki to allow it if he was working for the Chitauri. None of it makes sense when you look at it like that," Bruce put up a hand to stop Director Fury from interrupting him, "Even if there were computer viruses or kill switches in the equipment when they came to you, you've had them long enough to have found them by now. And I know that a lot of the stuff he gave you was in straight blueprints. Your own people built them!"
Shrugging, Bruce huffed, "I don't know. It just seems more sensible to look at it from an open perspective instead of one side or the other. Maybe Loki isn't a friend, but at this point, I don't think he's an enemy either. And I'll go ahead and be the one to say it. It's not like the invasion happened yesterday. Loki's been here for years, with the scepter. He's had time to mess things up and the only thing he seems to have done is settled down with a family and helped us when we didn't know it."
"What were those schematics then? You think it makes sense to not look at Loki as a threat?" Director Fury asked. "We'll see." He didn't like that Dr. Banner had some very valid points. It was easy to dismiss words. It was harder to dismiss years of actions, and Stark had been arming SHIELD for years. If he was under Loki's sway, then Stark was at least doing it with Loki's approval, if not Loki's help in doing it. None of those considerations made sense given what he already knew. Director Fury knew that he still didn't know enough.
With a look at the screen Corporal McCorrmick said, "I'm starting the file again." It's time for you to see, he thought. He heard Skuld's gleeful voice in his thoughts then.
Yes, yes! Bring them their punishment …let me hear them being punished.
