- Chapter 45 -
A look around the room showed McCorrmick that the surprise, anger, and grief hadn't faded. That wasn't unexpected. A moment's hesitation passed before the young corporal spoke respectfully to the elder King. "Sir, are you and your wife ready to continue? Or do you need another moment?" Out of the corner of his eye he noticed the younger King looking at him.
The Truthkeepers interruption wasn't welcome, but Odin understood how it was needed. He looked at his wife, then at the Truthkeeper. He suddenly was grateful for the young man's consideration in this situation. "Give us a moment, please," he replied.
"Of course, sir," the corporal nodded. With one more look at Queen Frigga his decision was made. He got up to go to the back of the room. Some searching around in the cabinet there yielded a box of facial tissues which he placed on the table next to the grieving King and Queen. "We use tissue to wipe our eyes, and nose. They're there if you want them," McCorrmick spoke quietly as he backed away, trying to be considerate of the situation. This was as much as he could do for them.
"Thank you, lad," Odin said. He kept his arms tight around Frigga as she cried. The sound of it hurt him. It hurt all the more knowing that he aided it in happening. What hurt the worst was knowing what he'd forced his youngest son into. He couldn't travel through time like a Norn, but he still wished that he could go back to the meeting where he dismissed Loki. His Council of Lords would've been thrown out of his office so that he could hold tight to his son instead. He couldn't go back. Forward was the only direction open to him.
As McCorrmick sat back down he noticed King Frey still eyeing him. "Can I help you, sir?" he asked quietly. There was still the occasional roaring from King Frey. It was quieting down slowly as another sphere of silence formed around the attractive emmiki.
"Thank you for your consideration of my sister. I greatly appreciate it," Frey spoke quietly as he gave the handsome lad an appreciative look. He wanted to console his beloved sister, to wipe the tears away and make sure they didn't come back. The wailing in her seidr was slowing fading away as she regained her composure. It didn't calm him to know that it was only composure, and not the alleviation of that pain. He was keenly aware of the damage that a deep pain deeply hidden could do. That wasn't what he wanted for her. Frey spent most of his life talking to Frigga, many times just to keep her talking. Conversation and counseling were two skills he forced himself to master so that he could talk through any pain she might feel. Words became one of his weapons as her pain was always his enemy. There were no words he had that could make this better. In a perverse twist, knowing that there was nothing he could do only made the urge to do something that much stronger.
How many barrels of ale will it take to wash this failure down? Unbidden, an image of Hunter and Forrest playing at Frey's feet came to his mind. The little suits of armor they loved so much were getting small on them again. He would probably need to have new ones made for them soon. While the Enchantment of Sizes would easily make the old armor fit, he loved having new armors made for them. New armors would probably have to be made for Aren, Bjorn and Erik as well. Edward never wanted armor. He wanted little brocade vests like his grandfather wore. Frey thought he might like to see them before he went to speak with Anthony and Loki on this. His grandchildren would be a welcome reprieve.
"You're welcome, sir." McCorrmick waited for the situation to move along on its own. The next file needed to be started. In that setting he didn't have the authority to move the situation along. Settling the people in the room then beginning the next file was what he wanted to do. None of his wants were allowed. Proper manners were what he had to work with. None of the polite phrases he normally used sounded anything less than callous under the circumstances.
"Loki was never our enemy," Steve said quietly. There was a ghastly pall hanging over the room. It was sharply punctuated by the quiet crying of Queen Frigga. Speaking felt wrong somehow. There were still things that needed to be said. In all his many years of military service there'd rarely been this level of shock surrounding any situation or individual. Being honest with himself, he was shocked as well.
I did say that, sir, the young corporal thought dryly as he looked down at his laptop. No one ever wanted a Marine's opinion.
The most bizarre sensation that Steve had somehow been transported to Oz edged his thoughts. The road didn't lead to an Emerald City, but to a mansion in Malibu. It felt as though he was finally seeing the man behind the curtain. Very much like Oz's wizard, Loki was nothing like what they thought. And just like that wizard, Loki was a fraud as well. Loki was never a villain, would never be a villain. Leaving aside the living as a woman issue, Loki was almost ordinary. He, or she, exercised. He had a spouse who he got into arguments with but loved anyway. He worked, Steve knew that Loki worked as Lilith Singer, doing all the things Pepper did before she'd become CEO, then co-CEO, as well as many other charitable projects. He had kids who went to the park. This was the sort of bland information he would find from one of his civilian neighbors. It wasn't what Steve would have thought of someone who was still classified as an interplanetary terrorist and war criminal. He didn't know what to expect anymore. With everything Loki had sacrificed for what seemed like a damn fine cause, it just didn't feel right to think of him as a terrorist and war criminal. It also didn't feel right to think of him as a woman.
The world had changed radically since his time and Steve knew he was old-fashioned because of that. Many of the new, colorful social movements were still strange to him. While he wished they would stop speaking in slogans he didn't think they were bad people. They weren't Nazis. Steve shook his head at that. The Nazis and Hydra set a very high bar for what constituted evil. It was a bar that he thought Loki met. A frown crossed his lips. He wanted to sit Loki down and have a calm discussion with him. There were so many questions that it would just be easier to ask Loki about instead of trying to spy on them and collect data to extrapolate facts from. It was easier to just sit someone down and talk to them over dinner. It helped that Lilith was a damn fine cook. Or Loki. Steve shook his head again. This was going to take some time.
"It appears not," Natasha said. She noticed the thoughts going across Steve's face and agreed with most of what she saw. It felt almost traitorous to think, but she wondered if recruiting Loki might be an option. Perhaps killing him isn't the best option. If he was willing to sacrifice so much for people who don't care for him, or didn't, and for us, people he didn't even know, then what was he doing with Clint? After a moment of hard reflection on the actions taken Natasha wondered, Is he really trying to help Clint? She didn't think Clint would be on board with that idea. Looking over at him showed her that his face was still blank. She frowned again at that. Clint had a far too practiced a poker face. It always irritated her to not be able to tell what he was thinking. Natasha looked at him with surprise when he looked up suddenly. There was a look in his eyes that she hadn't seen in a very long time.
While Director Fury was quietly observing others and minding his own thoughts Clint had made up his mind, so he turned to the old spymaster. "Sir, I think we need to bring Loki in. She has to be recruited." Now everyone was looking at him. It was his honest opinion. Lilith needed to work for SHIELD, not Tony. Tony also needed to work for SHIELD, instead of himself. Being a contractor and advisor wasn't good enough.
Despite not having a viable option on how to make it happen Director Fury was still considering doing just that. Simply approaching either Stark or Loki could cause them to run. He didn't want them to run. He wanted to sit down with them to discuss this. Then he wanted to recruit them. "You think recruitment's a good idea?"
"If these are genuine facts, which they seem to be, then Loki is a valuable resource, one that's already proven its skill and worth. I think that Loki's invested in this planet, what with marrying Tony and having kids. If we play it right, we could have a very valuable, very knowledgeable asset for a very long time," Clint said. Even though he wasn't certain how he was going to continue working with Lilith, he still acknowledged Loki's usefulness to SHIELD was potentially very high. Part of him still wanted to talk to her about all of this. The rest of him wasn't sure that would be wise.
"My son is not a thing for you to exploit!" Frigga snapped at them. She was still sitting leaning into Odin, but the mortal's words angered her. "Loki has been through enough. You will leave him and his family alone!" Loki was broken and in the hands of an angry beast. She wasn't going to tolerate some mortal trying to exploit her son as well. Stark was more than likely beyond her reach and would remain so. Mortals definitely weren't. She could easily cut a swath through them. If they tried to harm her son then she'd do just that.
"I'm sorry ma'am, but I don't think that's your decision to make anymore. I think you abdicated any responsibility for Loki years ago. I'm sorry for you, I truly am. But the truth is you and your family made this mess. I don't think you have any right to be angry at us for trying to clean it up in a way that's favorable to us," Clint's voice was hard but polite. It was something he'd learned from Coulson. He was just one of many who'd learned many things from Coulson. There was a pang of anger at the thought of his murdered friend. But then, Coulson was sent to bring him in after he tried to kill the agent. Perhaps this is what Coulson would have wanted.
"Mortal, you will mind your manners," Odin growled quietly.
If the mortal had come over to slap Frigga she would've been less surprised. Such impudence was dangerous when she'd commanded the 1st Battalion. Her warriors could at least defend themselves. There was no mortal who could stand before her should she attack. She stood up and eyed the impudent mortal, "You dare to speak to me in such a manner, mortal?" The last word might have been a curse for all the spite it held. She was close to summoning her long sword, Snaelda Asni. Her sword sang for her when she no longer cared to speak.
"You will show the proper respect to my sister," Frey warned him quietly. Savior or no, he wasn't going to tolerate his beloved sister being disrespected by a mortal, especially not at this moment.
Though just as firmly and politely, Clint spoke next to King Frey as he had to Queen Frigga, "Respect is earned here."
His eyes narrowed as Frey looked over the calm mortal. I will remember that, Barton, even when you have forgotten. There wasn't much he could do to this mortal, not without upsetting Loki terribly. Letting it go when mischievous retaliation was a possibility didn't feel right. Normally he wasn't one to let disrespect towards his beloved sister ever go unpunished. Although Barton held a special position Frey was still going to see if he could manage some piece of retaliation that Loki wouldn't be too upset with. Finding the right opportunity was key now.
The menace in the younger King's look was both noted and disliked by Clint. When it went unacted upon he turned his attention back to the angry Queen.
"Mother," Thor stood and wiped his face dry. "He's not wrong." They were some of the acridest words he'd ever spoken, but he knew they were right. He knew he was right to say that he and his parents were in the wrong.
"Thor!" she snapped at her son. "How can you say that?" Shock tinged her anger. Frigga didn't understand how her son could defend this mortal's behavior. Mostly she didn't want to admit to letting Loki go. She wasn't ready to let go yet. Odin stood up behind her, but she didn't see him. Only when he gently turned her to face him did she notice that he too was out of his seat.
Looking down at his wife showed Odin something he had always loved; her fierce spirit. It was what drew him to her to begin with. "Wife, we are in the wrong. While we will do all we can to set things right with Loki, you must see that we are in the wrong," he told her. He staunchly ignored the look of surprise on Frey's face. He didn't feel like dealing with him at the moment. It wasn't something he ever thought he would do. To publicly admit to being wrong was an almost unthinkable thing for any Lord of an Elder Realm. It sowed the seeds of doubt in the minds of his people. It was unwise to do, even in such limited company. Odin knew it was his only choice. The magnitude of his failure allowed him no other move but that one.
As he heard words he didn't think he ever would Frey's eyebrows rose slightly. No Lord of an Elder Realm ever admitted fault publicly. It was setting a dangerous precedent. It was more shocking because Borr's boy never admitted to being wrong about anything even in private. He tucked the admission away for later use. He wasn't truly certain he could use Loki to jab at Odin without it being completely crass, but he would definitely look for an opportunity for that as well. Frey knew that it wouldn't be something he could use within earshot of his beloved sister. She'd have his hide for that. There were very few times that she'd ever been able to take him to task over anything and he disliked each and every one of them.
"But husband, they wish to use Loki," Frigga didn't want them anywhere near her boy. It was a grousing excuse, and she knew it. To hear him admit fault was shocking enough, but for him to do so publicly wasn't just an admission of fault. He was accepting responsibility for it. That meant that she had to as well. She wasn't sure she wanted to do that just yet. Part of her worried that the mortal would be right if she did that. She would have to accept that Loki was gone from her. Even with feeling the pain of having Loki ripped from her, Frigga still couldn't do that. Giving up without trying just wasn't acceptable. Truly, giving either of her sons up was what was most unacceptable.
"Come now wife, Loki has ever moved only when he chooses to," Odin smiled at that. It was only a soft smile, but it was there none the less, "Do you truly believe that they can move Loki if he doesn't wish to be moved?" He didn't bother to check the pride he felt. Normally he would keep his emotions tightly in check. In this instance, he thought it right that others should know. That pride was cut by the pain that others might know that he was proud of Loki, but Loki still didn't know. How can I ever make this right? I need to know what kind of break it is before I can do anything. How damaged are the memory chains?
"Loki has been through enough. Loki has given enough," she said firmly. Frigga wanted so badly to leave the miserable little room she was trapped in. She wanted to turn to Frey and demand that he take her to her son. Part of her feared that he would say no again and be justified in doing so. Even if he would, it didn't look like Stark would either let go of Loki or let them close enough to get to Loki. She didn't care. Frigga wanted her beautiful boy back. Whatever it took, she was going to have her family put back together again.
"Loki is an adult," Odin almost flinched at his own words, "one with many children. We have no say over what Loki does anymore. Loki will always be our child, but he is a child no longer." He feared then that it was Stark who was holding power over Loki. It wasn't the mortals influence he worried over. It was the probability of what Stark was. How can I ever make this right? Odin wondered briefly if he was going to have to treat this like a hostage situation. He didn't know what he might have to offer Stark to get his son back. That idea was set aside when he thought about Frey having had access to Loki for several years. How that happened had to be discovered. Odin hoped it might provide him with a way to get to Loki as well.
"I do not have to like it, and I won't!" Frigga gave him a fierce look. She wasn't going to give up. The subtle hints of sorrow and pain in his features combined with the awkward tone in his voice made her question for just a moment if he was giving up. Odin's parents made it all too easy for him to let go of family. It wasn't something she liked but it was something she understood. When she looked up into his eyes, she saw not the Lord of Asgard, but the father of her children. Frigga understood then that he wasn't going to give up either. That was fine, because willing or no he wasn't giving up on their youngest son. She wouldn't allow it.
Motioning for her to sit as well, Odin nodded as he sat. "That is fine, wife. It is." He held her hand again after she was seated. Her presence was the only comfort he had against the tide of this horribleness. At that moment, he would take almost anything he could get.
When his parents returned to their seats then Thor sat. "Truthkeeper, would you continue please," he said. He didn't want to continue on, but there was no other way to go.
