A throat clears, then tapping on a microphone
"Excuse me? Yeah hi, can everyone see me? Can you all hear me?" The female docile tones of Rachel Stark sounds, as all the Media people zoom their cameras or point their microphones at her. She gives a slightly nervous chuckle, and clears her throat again, looking down at the podium, void of any cards for a speech. "I thank you all for coming today. I know with the battle of New York only being about two weeks ago, everyone is still slightly on edge. I am here today in the hopes to take that edge away. There will not be another hole in the sky to another planet like that. Stark Industries will be helping for the reconstruction going on, for rebuilding the city, along with Stark Tower, now Avengers Tower. The Leader of the battle has been apprehended, and due to his not being of Earth, we will not be broadcasting his name. I know in Germany, he named himself Loki of Asgard, this is not true, as we have a standing peaceful existence with Asgard by the friendship with the first prince, Thor. He, though from Asgard, is not the second Prince Loki, it was a spell to take his face and voice to discredit him to his Home and to start conflict between our two worlds. I will now be taking questions for the next 10 minutes, it will be orderly and with no one yelling-"The TV snaps off.
"That is one way to make sure if his punishment is to come back here, to make sure no one will attack him randomly," Tony says placing the remote down. Rachel scoffs off to the side with a roll of her eyes.
"From what I know, and have been told, about Odin the likelihood of Loki being able to return is far fetched at best. But what do you say, Thor?" Rachel lets her head fall back against the couch letting her look up at the man, who in turns shrugs.
"I know not of what Father will do. But I will try to sway him in that direction, maybe bind his magic until his punishment is over. Like he did with Mjolnir." Thor, who was standing right behind where Rachel is sitting, tilts his head down to look at him, his blue eyes sad and uncertain of the upcoming trial for Loki.
"If he does come back I want a few rounds with him!" Clint states from the breakfast bar, as Rachel pulls a face. With it only being two weeks from the fight the tower and New York not yet ready for the Avengers to move in, so currently they were using the mansion as a base until the time comes to move. Natasha, who is enjoying her breakfast next to Clint, rolls her eyes and pushes some fruit towards the over-excited archer.
"Yeah, even if you want to Clint, Loki still has a lot more battle prowess than you. His main weapon is his magic, but that doesn't mean he doesn't know how to fight hand to hand, or with a different weapon, like a dagger. He can and will hand you your ass. Trust me I know, despite all the martial arts classes I took, I could barely keep up with him when we spared." Rachel says rolling her eyes at Thor, who sends her a smile, in the time since the fight the two had gotten closer if for no other reason than they were the only two to advocate for Loki. Tony scoffs walking past Thor and Rachel back to the lab with two cups of coffee in hand.
"OI! I could take him!" Clint yells, then promptly chokes a little on the piece of fruit he had popped in his mouth.
"You can't even win against a blueberry, yet you want to take on Loki by yourself, not likely." Tony quibbs before walking down the steps. Clint glares after him as Steve walks in from the swimming pool, still, towel drying his hair, noticing Clints glares he looks to Natasha.
"Talking about fighting Loki again aren't they?" Natasha grunts, and gives Steve a look that basically read 'Do you really have to ask'. Steve gives her an amused smile before raising his voice garnering the other's attention. "Instead of talking about sparring with him, why not discuss what else could be done if he is indeed told to come back?"
"Loki will obviously be going with me to London, he had been working with me on parts of the UK SI programs, it's still in the stages where I need his input," Rachel states picking her head up from the back of the couch, Thor takes that time to walk around the couch and sit next to her, both of them looking to Steve.
"You won't be going alone." Steve cautions with a firm voice, at which Rachel rolls her eyes at.
"Yes, Mother. And I was thinking about asking Thor to come, he's only known the US, maybe directing him to other parts of the world would be good in expanding his looks on it. I mean since coming back from the Proto-Norse era." Rachel looks at Thor, as though asking him a question, her eyes lighting up. "OH! We can get papers for you, just like I was in the middle for Loki, we can all go to college. Of course, I don't mind going to colleges I've already been to, I'm sure they have some new classes I can take. Then we can look at going to a different country, one that does not speak English!" Thor, who looked a little wide-eyed at Rachel, smiles and nods.
"I would be honoured to accompany you and my brother. Though I am not sure what 'College' is." The three at the breakfast bar look to each other before Clint places a five-dollar bill on the table, Natasha huffs and places a twenty, Steve looks a little scandalized by the both of them, before adding fifteen himself. Clint starts to laugh gathering Rachel and Thor's attention again.
"What are you going off for Canary?" Rachel asks raising a brow at him, the man's head turns quickly he glares at her.
"What'd you just call me?" Rachel gives him a slow grin, full of mischief.
"Canary, obviously." She leans back into the couch looking rather comfortable as if she's exactly as she wishes to be.
"Do I look like a little songbird to you?!" Clint continues to glare at her, silently shaking off the similarities Rachel showed to Loki.
"I'm not sure, but you sure are puffing up like a peacock." Natasha scoffs, as Clint does puff up more in indignation.
"Hold on! Let's not get distracted here." Steve quickly says gathering everyone's attention again, Clint slowly deflates still sending glares over at Rachel.
"Well before we get too far into the conversation, shouldn't we wait for Tony or Bruce to surface again?" Rachel asks looking over at the stairs before looking back at Steve. "And know whether or not the trial will end with Loki and Thor coming back?"
"Both good points, and while yes, any detailed planning should wait for both to be met. We should have some preliminary plans, just in case." Steve says coming towards the couch sitting down, a little ways away from Rachel and Thor, being closer to the kitchen, with a cup of coffee in hand. Natasha finished with her meal, turns and leans back in her chair, Clint only halfway turning resting his arm on the countertop.
"That is if Fury lets Loki remain free while on Earth." Natasha points out, looking at Rachel, who deflates and leans into Thor a little at the reminder.
"Father would speak with him, and the decision would be made from there," Thor states, trying to cheer up Rachel more than anything.
"Here is another possibility, what if Odin wishes to see Rachel?" Clint asks both Thor and Rachel stiffen at the notion, they exchange looks before she looks down, trying to keep a guilty look off her face.
"You've thought of that haven't you?" Natasha asks as she was keeping a close eye on them both.
"Aye," Thor says as Rachel nods soberly.
"Thor brought up that Odin may try to punish Loki by dragging me into it as well. Since I am the whole reason that he came here to Earth." Rachel shrugs looking rather sad and slightly put out.
"Wouldn't he also know that you were helpful in his capture though?" Steve asks, worry now lacing his tone, as he tries to look for a way out of it.
"Yeah, but I also harboured him for months. Though at the time, I didn't know he would have needed to stand trial in Asgard, even though Loki did tell me what he had done. Plus there is the fact that I am the same as him, a half Jotunn, and Odin has never really looked kind upon them, even if his own mother was one." Rage laced her tone at the end of her sentence, as she crosses her arms. Thor places a hand on her shoulder.
"Even if Father were to bring Rachel into it, I know for certain Loki would fight against it, as would I." Thor looks at the others, each of them seeing the determination of the statement in his eyes, none of them could disagree with the notion of Thor protecting Rachel if it came down to it.
"When are you set to leave with Loki?" Steve asks, moving on from the worrying topic.
"Man of Fury has told me that they are making a container in which to hold the Tesseract and use it's abilities easily. So I am not entirely sure when they shall be finished." Thor shrugs a little, his hand still on Rachel, though it seems neither of them noticed one it.
"Have you spoken to Loki at all Rachel?" Clint asks suddenly, the girl in question jumping a little as she's brought from her thoughts.
"Hm? Oh, um, not really." Rachel looks to the side, as she starts to fidget with her fingers, "I don't know if he even wishes to speak with me either. I mean I was crucial in his loss, and I don't know if Thanos is still in control, I just-" She cuts herself off and shrugs, her eyes downcast watching her fingers.
"You shouldn't be afraid to talk to him, Rachel," Steve says, leaning forward a little, worry lacing his tone again, though this time for a completely different reason. "He is still your brother, I am sure he still loves you no matter what."
"But that's it! What if he doesn't! Thanos was in his head the whole time!" Rachel explodes, she stands and starts to pace as though she was bursting with unexpected energy, Thor heaves a heavy sigh, letting the others this was a conversation they have had before.
"Rachel, we heard what you said to Loki whilst you were trying to get through the hold of Thanos." Thor states as he stands and steps on her way, making her look tiny compared to him, he places his hands on her upper arms to hold her still knowing if he didn't she'd just pace away from him and not truly listen, "Loki would not have done even a fraction of any of it with you, if he did not like you marginally, and given from what you have told me from when you were kidnapped, he wanted to rule Midgard to try and save you from any fight with Man of Iron, correct?"
"Besides the point! That was before he was stopped before Hulk come in and knocked him around a little. What if Thanos was controlling him during the whole time, and was only making it seem like Loki truly liked me!" Rachel looks up at Thor, her eyes wide in desperation for questions he truly could not answer, before remembering what she has told him in the Helicarrier after her talk with Loki.
"What colour was his eyes, the whole time that you were together, when not in conference with Thanos."
"His eyes?" She looks confused for a second before her eyes light up in happiness, "They were emerald, like my own!" Thor smiles at her brightly.
"Exactly! Thanos could not hide his influence over Loki, which means-"
"Which means all of our time together was truly Loki! Oh, Thor, you are nowhere near as brainless as Loki seems to think!" She jumps to him, wrapping her arms around his neck hugging him close. Thor chuckles and wraps his own arms around her waist returning the hug.
"Yes, I know truly what Loki thinks of my intelligence." In the background, Steve has moved back over to Clint and Natasha, who has started a conversation about the bets that were placed earlier, hashing out details about it. Steve was paying it half a mind while watching Rachel and Thor, a gentle nudge to Natasha's arm brings her attention to the pair as well cutting off the conversation for a second. Clint growls and pulls out another twenty dollars, as Natasha returns to the conversation and the sentence she was in the middle of.
~~#$ SKIP (to however long it takes to make the container)%$#~~
Standing in the middle of the drive of the Stark mansion stood all of the Avengers, Pepper and Loki. Thor, Loki, and Rachel standing in the middle, where Thor had in one hand a container carrying the Tesseract, the other hand on Loki to make sure he doesn't try running, though looking at him and the looks he was giving Rachel one could tell that he wouldn't. Rachel shifts foot to foot, looking rather nervous, looking over her shoulder to Tony, who was looking just as, if not more, nervous than her.
"It is time Rachel," Thor says lowly gathering her attention, it was decided a few days earlier after Rachel had talked to Loki a few times, that she was just going to go with them instead of the uncertainty of if the All-Father would send troops after her. Rachel looks at Thor, then at Loki, before nodding.
"One moment, let me just." She says looking at Tony before looking back at them, Thor nods and the woman turns on her heel and rushes to the man who basically raised her. Throwing herself into his arms when she got into reach, she hugs him tightly. Catching his sister took nothing from Tony as he holds her just as tightly to him.
"You better be back, or I will storm Asgard myself." Tony states firmly, Rachel gives a watery laugh as she nods into his neck.
"Thor and Loki won't let any harm come to me, I'll be home when I can just think of it as a college, I just don't know the schedule, the headmaster, or how long the semester will be." Tony tightens his arms around her.
"That did not help, and I have half a mind to just keep you here." Rachel shakes her head and pulls back, kissing his cheek.
"Love you Big Brother."
"Love you more Princess." Giving a shaky smile the two release each other, before Rachel grabs Pepper and hugs her.
"If Tony won't storm Asgard, I will. Try to get some message to us yeah?" Pepper says releasing her best friend.
"Of course! As soon as I can establish a connection, I will be blowing you up with everything I see! You'll be so tired of hearing from me you'll beg Odin to prevent it!" Rachel says with a false bravado, at which Pepper rolls her eyes and laughs. Taking a breath Rachel nods to the rest of the Avengers, stopping at Clint to give him a stern eye, "I still refute the numbers you gave! I will get Jarvis to count how many arrows are missing, and how many were retrieved from clean up." She points at him as she walks back to Thor and Loki.
"Whatever you say 'Princess' you just have your hair in a knot cause I won!" Clint says with a cocky smile, his hands held up in mock surrender. Rachel huffs and whips her head around, her hair swishing after, completely dismissing him.
"Whatever Canary, we will continue that little debate for when I get back!" Ignoring Clint's cry at being called a canary, and Tony's laughter, she stands next to Loki, one of her hands wrapping around his arms though she would have rather grabbed his hand but due to them being bound by handcuffs couldn't.
"Everything in order then Rachel?" Thor asks a small smile on his face from watching the interactions from around them. Rachel nods, and Thor holds up the container, Loki grabs it with the hand in which is attached to the arm Rachel had grabbed. Rachel places her hand over Loki's grabbing on as well, in a second Thor would rotate his side and they'd be off to Asgard, in the last few moments on Earth Rachel looks up at Tony and sends him a smile. A flash of blue and they are gone, without a trace of ever being there. It took only a few seconds before tears start rolling down Tony's face, Pepper rubbing Tony's back standing close to him, as Bruce puts a hand on his shoulder, the other Avengers gravitating towards the man, feeling the sting of the only other female Avenger absence. In that time, while the Avengers console Tony, the other three race through space, and in what seems like a few seconds land before the broken rainbow bridge. Rachel immediately lets go with a groan, stumbling a little before feeling an arm wrap around her waist while she's blinking and scrubbing at her eyes.
"Rachel are you alright?" Thor asks in concern, Loki and him crowding around her a little, both of them stiff with worry.
"Yeah, I just wish I had thought to close my eyes. It was disorienting." She says looking up and blinking rapidly to get the spots to go away.
"Yes, I would think, if not accustomed to the rainbow bridge teleportation, it would be rather jarring, I wish I had thought to remind you." Thor chuckles, and steps back a little, nodding to Heimdall.
"Don't worry Thor, I don't know why I thought it may end up being like the wormhole instead, as a scientist I should have thought of the possibility that it would not be." Rachel looks around her a little, catching Loki rolling his eyes at the two, Rachel in retaliation smacks his arm before wrapping her arm around it again. Loki smiles at her with his eyes as the sounds of horses come towards them, the both of them look towards the sound, Rachel finally getting a look at the watcher. The woman smiles at him as he approaches.
"Prince Thor, happy returns to you," Heimdall states, his eyes firmly on Thor, not even acknowledging Loki or Rachel. The woman's eyebrows furrow, as a small frown takes over her face, getting a quick nudge from Loki, to gather her attention, her face smooths out to a blank look. Loki huffs a sigh, the only noise he's allowed to make with the mask over his mouth, as he leans down a little and rests his cheek on Rachel's head, something he had done a lot before the whole debacle occurred. Rachel leans into him her sigh heaving from her both at the familiar gesture from her brother and agitation from the way she and Loki were treated just now but knew it would not get better.
"Heimdall, wonderous to see you as well. May I introduce Lady Rachel Stark, one of my sister in arms, and Loki's twin sister." Thor smiles at Heimdall, and gestures to Rachel and Loki, both of whom grew stiff as the golden eyes of the Watcher settle upon the pair.
"Your father will not be expecting any other but you and Prince Loki." Is the man's reply, Rachel, who didn't know she could, grew stiffer at being dismissed the way she was. Wanting nothing more than to say something about it, she kept her mouth shut remembering the conversations she had with both Thor and Loki about the likelihood of the treatment she was likely to receive.
"As we had figured, but Rachel was wishing to speak on my brother's behalf, as she has time with him before things unfolded the way they had. As well as finding differences that may sway the All Father's judgement and punishment of my brother." Thor states, his voice growing rather hard at how the man before him treated both Rachel and Loki. Just then the horses, with the guard on their backs pull to a stop before them, two extra horses in tow, for the brothers no doubt. Though little whispers between the guards sound as the speculations of who the third with them was, and why she was so close to the scorned prince. The three of them head towards the spare horses, stopping before them Thor turns to Rachel, "Do you know how to ride?"
"Yes, a couple of my lessons were equine oriented," Rachel says smiling and going to one of the horses, a black coated stallion with intelligent brown eyes, letting the beast smell her hand before she starts petting it, taking only a few seconds before holding the snout of it close to her person.
"Then you would not mind Loki riding behind you?" Thor asks, taking the place of standing next to Loki as Rachel introduces herself to the horse.
"You might want to ask Loki, Thor." Rachel laughs turning towards them, laughter dancing in her eyes ask she continued to pet the mount. Thor turns to his brother who shakes his head in answer to Thor's question.
"Right then, shall we get on and going?" Thor asks, as Rachel grabs the horse's attention again and let it know that she was going to its side, putting her foot in the stirrup and pulling herself on, all before Thor was able to move to her side and help like he was about to do. Settling herself in the saddle she looks down at Loki and Thor, both of whom were looking at her in surprise, giving them both a droll look.
"I can also brush, clean, reshoe, saddle up and unsaddle my mount with no help from gentlemen like yourself." Thor looks slightly sheepish while Loki chuckles from behind the mask and move over to the side, before turning and looking at Thor, who rushes over and helps Loki up behind Rachel. Once seated Loki raises his hands above Rachel's head, who looked up as he did, noticing what he was doing. Lowering his arms again this time with Rachel between them, she moves her arms out of being trapped beneath and back to the reigns letting Loki grab the horn (the little nub that pokes out from the front of the saddle that people tend to use to get on the horse, or wrap the reigns around). Once Thor had gotten himself seated, both Thor and Rachel steer their mounts towards the heart of Asgard. Starting off at a walk and working up to a cantor Rachel follows Thor, trying hard to ignore the guards around them, enjoying the sights of the city around her, marvelling at the city of gold. In what seemed almost no time, they pull up to the gates of the castle, the whole group slowing down the mounts as the gates open, stopping at the stairs Thor dismounts before helping Loki down then turning to Rachel and helping her down. Looking around at the palace she almost misses the two rather imposing figures at the top of the steps. Two very similar loud gulps cause her to turn to the two Princes with a question on the tip of her tongue.
"I thought we would have had the chance to at least enter before Mother and Father were upon us," Thor states more to Loki than to the question Rachel was about to ask. Loki nods and nudges Rachel to be sandwiched between Thor and himself, as the guards surround them, "Remember Rachel, please mind your manners if you wish to help Loki at all, and try not to speak unless spoken to, and mind your temper with Father, he does not take kindly to what he deems impotence." Rachel swallows heavily and nods, taking a breath as she wraps her arm through Loki's.
"I remember, and it doesn't matter my personal opinion on him, I am here as a guest and a key witness to try and bring Loki back to Midgard. No insulting anyone if at all possible, try to garner Queen Frigga's attention and happiness, as she is likely the best advocate to lessening Loki's sentence." She says, as the three slowly make their way up the steps.
"Oh, my sons!" Frigga exclaims as they come into hearing range, her face brightened with happiness and relief that both of the men she raised came home safe and sound, though her eyes continuously flitting to the unknown woman between them, taking in the similarities between her and Loki.
"Welcome back, my son," Odin states, his eye taking in the three before him, the blank look on his face unsettling all three of them.
"Mother, Father. I have returned with Loki and the Tesseract. As well as a sister in arms, this is Lady Rachel Stark." Thor introduces her as they reach the top of the stairs, stopping before the queen and king. Rachel curtsies lowly, even though she didn't have a skirt on.
"An honour to be in your presence King Odin, Queen Frigga. Asgard is as beautiful as the lore states, I never thought one such as myself would be able to gaze upon it, let alone come to gaze upon it's great rulers." Rachel lowers her eyes, though keeping a hand wrapped around Loki's arm, as she states this and raises slowly from her curtsy.
"Mortals are not permitted here, use the Tesseract and return her immediately," Odin tells Thor, ignoring everything Rachel just said. The woman in question tightens her grip on Loki as her back grows stiff, and her jaw locks to keep from saying anything to the impudent man.
"She is not mortal Father. She is Loki's twin sister." Thor states, his own eyes flashing in anger at his father.
"Oh, wonderful!" Frigga says in delight, her face lighting up in delight as she comes forward and takes Rachel's free hand, not even trying to pull her from Loki, "I will admit to worrying for a moment that Loki had gotten someone into a situation and you were his daughter, my dear." In the background Loki makes a noise, between shock and agitation, "Oh shush my son, we both know you have done as you please. Come in all three of you, let us adjourn to the living quarters so we may talk."
"Guards take Loki to a cell," Odin commands, not saying another word about Rachel, but still not acknowledging her.
"Belay that. Loki will be joining us, Dear, I am sure all three of them have things to tell us." Frigga says looking at Odin sternly.
"My love, Loki is dangerous-" Odin starts only to be cut off by Frigga.
"And your tactician mind has already realised that both Thor and Loki have taken a gamble in bringing you a bargaining chip for Loki's cooperation in his twin sister," Frigga states, ignoring how the three grow stiff at her words, Loki moving in a way to almost hide Rachel from Odin's gaze, which finally lands and stays on the girl, who was too busy staring wide-eyed at Frigga. Odin hums, and nods before turning around and walking inside the palace, making his way to the royal living quarters, "Atertian, please bring a light meal and refreshments to the living quarters. Do not worry a moment dear girl, I will not let Odin do anything to you, as I am sure both my sons would fight hard for your safety."
"You are right Mother, but why bring it to Father's attention?" Thor asks as the four of them follow in the king's wake.
"If I had not, your father would have sent Loki to a cell, and not heard anything either of you had to say in his defence. With this, it will demand he listen to you."
"Now I know where you inherited your sneakiness Loki," Rachel whispers to Loki, think she was low enough for Frigga to not hear her, only for that to be busted seconds later when the queen started laughing.
"Worry not about holding your tongue with me dear. I do not mind, though your etiquette was beautiful, and a wonderful greeting was flawless." Frigga pats Rachel's hand as they turn down a corridor, "Thor please remove your brother's bindings."
"Yes, Mother," Thor states moving behind them falling in step behind Loki taking the mask off, while Rachel blushes at the praise. Once the mask drops free Loki licks his lips before looking at his Mother.
"It is lovely to see you once more, but why are you playing advocate for us?" Loki asks as Thor comes to his side and removes the cuffs as they walk.
"Because my son, while I believe you do need punishment for what you did, I do not believe you will deserve what your father is sure to sentence you with if he does not hear out your siblings," Frigga states plainly, taking no notice as Rachel elbows Loki in the side.
"Despite Loki's suspicious nature, I thank you, Queen Frigga, for playing our advocate, and for making sure we are heard," Rachel states ignoring the silent glare Loki sends to the back of her head. The four stop before a door as Thor takes the handcuffs free from Loki.
"You are very welcome dear, and please you may call me Frigga, I am sure we will talk more often once everything has settled. I do wish to know everything about you, my dear." Frigga smiles and opens the door letting herself inside, Loki steps to the door and holds it open for Rachel.
"Do not let him get under your skin Rachel, he is rather good at that," Loki whispers to her as she passes, giving him a smile and nod, that could be mistaken as a silent thank you, Loki and Thor enter behind her. Frigga gestures the three of them to take the couch across from the chairs Odin and herself had settled in. Within seconds of them sitting, with Rachel between Thor and Loki, the servant the queen had called on earlier enters the room and sets the coffee table up with sandwiches and what Rachel could only guess as the Asgardian equivalent of tea, given the teapot. The five of them sit in silence, it only disturbed by Frigga serving everyone tea and asking if they wished for a sandwich, before Odin clears his throat.
"Your mother wishes to know your side of the story, with the input of Thor and your sibling," Odin says looking straight at Loki, who had taken a small drink of the tea, before setting his cup down on the table in front of them.
"Yes," Loki states looking back at Odin, who gestured for him to begin. Loki casts a quick look at Thor and Rachel before launching into his tale, "I was confused, and hurt about discovering the truth, that mixed with the sibling resentment that had built whilst growing up with Thor, it made for a rather unstable mindset for when you fell into Odinsleep." And so Loki's story continued, leading to hanging off the edge of the broken bridge and above the void, where Rachel, who had kept an eye on him through the beginning, grabbed his hand. "I was trying to prove to myself, and you that I was and are an Aesir, a proud member of Asgard, in trying to get rid of our long-time enemy with the fragile truce as it was, not to mention that it was breaking with the incident that occurred during Thor's coronation." Taking a breath and clutching Rachel's hand back, knowing the both of them had a rather unpleasant reveal of their heritage. "I cannot say why I let go, other than thinking that, fresh from your sleep, you would not have the strength to pull the both of us up, and as Thor is the heir you wanted, I was unneeded, and it was better that you could pull him up, instead of losing both of us to the Void. I am not sure how long I fell, or how long I was in the Void. What I do know if the next moment I remember clearly and had a view of anything was when I landed in Midgard." Loki looks at Rachel, who sends him a shaky smile, "When I realized I was alive, I knew my next step was to find my sister. Though I wasn't sure where to start, and I don't think I would have found her, had it not been for a voice entering my consciousness. It said that it would help me locate her, so long as I helped it in return, in desperation, I agreed. Though I do not regret finding Rachel, I regret agreeing to it." Loki stopped looking at Odin, who looked stern, but rather pale listening to Loki before Loki looked at his mother, who looked stricken, and had tears in her eyes.
"Did the voice introduce itself, son?" Odin asks, hesitating slightly before adding the last word, Loki jumps a little, his eyes jumping back to Odin in surprise.
"Y-yes, a last moment thought I asked it, what its name is. The reply, though knowing our history, I ignored thinking it was just trying to play a prank, or misguide me. It introduced himself as Thanos." A loud gasp from Frigga, all eyes, except Odin, jumps to her, her hand to her mouth as tears streaming down her face.
"Oh, my son!" She says softly, Rachel lets go of Loki for a moment to give the queen a napkin for her face, "Thank you, dear one." Rachel gives her a small smile before she sits next to Loki again, leaning into his side and clutching his hand.
"Have you anything to add to this Lady Stark?" Odin asks her, causing her to jump, not realising his attention was on her. Looking at him with wide eyes, Rachel clears her throat.
"Um, though Loki told me of finding out of his adoption after we had spent time together, I can only assume it happened near the time that I found out about my adoption. Though I do not know the details behind it, and it did die with my parents, or who I thought were my parents, when I was eleven. The night Loki found me, I was arguing with my adopted brother, before running off on my own to weep by myself and collect myself. I had been out of sorts due to it, Loki had found me at one of my favourite spots to go to when I wish to think or start gaze. As he and I were conversing I had taken notice of the similarities between he and I, and brought him back to my house where I ran a couple of tests that would determine if our genetic makeup were similar-"
"You are able to do that dear, without needing to go to a medic?" Frigga asks, as her curiosity got the better of her.
"Normally yes, but I am academic and have been to many different establishments to gain degrees in many different fields, plus my brother and I built a system that runs our houses and electronics like a servant would. Gathering blood from myself and Loki I was able to compare our genes, while the system ran a facial comparison. From those scientifically proving that Loki and I were related, and with how close our genes are to one another, it is easily able to determine just how we are related. Coming up with the result of siblings."
"Fascinating," Frigga says in awe and looked as though she'd start questioning Rachel if Odin had not cleared his throat.
"Continue Lady Stark," Odin says as both Rachel, and Frigga blushes lightly, much to the men's amusement.
"R-right, um, not knowing if Loki had family he had to get back to, I asked that he stayed with me. I was curious about his upbringing, and what we may share in common. And it gave me a link to what I'd grow up knowing if we hadn't been separated. It also gave me a distraction, and the ability to accept my adopted family as family again knowing that no matter what I still had blood family with me. Tony, my adopted brother, and I run a company left to us by our father Howard, though he ran one branch while I run the other, I took Loki with me to where my branch is located, which is the United Kingdom, specifically London England, where we stayed for a few months. In that time Loki and I learned everything there was to know about each other, and I introduced him to different entertainment on Midgard, and was in the process of getting proof of his existence on Midgard so that he could go to lessons with me, as both of us wanted to go back. That is when I started noticing Loki was talking to himself, and any time he did his eyes were an electric blue-"
"And you didn't think to do anything?" Odin snaps at her, all eyes jump to him, everyone besides Rachel looking at him in surprise. Rachel though giving him a very droll look, barely affected by it.
"On Midgard mental issues are a very delicate subject, and while having the doctorate in mind medicine, we do not have the technology to look at someone's brain. I would not know where to start. Besides I was researching and asking other healers about what could cause it, myself and the automated servant I mentioned were keeping eyes on him, but not very strict ones, or else I would have known the second Loki's brain was completely Thanos'. Though he was very careful to never say the name of the one he was conversing with. I didn't know what to do. I had just gotten my twin brother, and something was wrong, I freaked out a little. And then Tony needed my attention, and as I had been ignoring him for a while to spend the time with Loki, I figured since Jarvis, the system, would be keeping an eye on him, I could go see Tony and then bring him and the woman he is courting over to meet Loki. It was in the time I was with Tony that Thanos finally gained full control over Loki, and trust me when I say that I regret nothing more than not being there when Loki needed me to pull him back from the crazed lunatic that Ar-" A quick hand covers Rachel's mouth before she can finish her statement, as she was getting worked up, all eyes besides Rachel move to Thor, who cleared his throat.
"Rachel has a very strong opinion on The Mad Titan, one that should not be said in polite company." The jab causes Rachel to glare at the blonde who stares back, not moving an inch from his statement, in the background Loki looks a little sick, while Frigga almost bursts with joy, and Odin looks on in amusement. Rachel huffs and turns from Thor who lowers his hand, slowly as if making sure she wasn't about to continue her statement.
"So you are saying Loki's actions were not of his own from the moment he stepped on Midgard?" Odin asks, diverting the attention back to the matter at hand.
"Mostly just the brainwashing and setting an alien army upon New York, yes. The rest of it was him, the only reason I was able to disconcert the difference, thanks to Thor reminding me, was Thanos could not hide his influence upon Loki, in the change of Loki's eye colour. When Loki was himself our eyes are a match in colour when Thanos has control or near enough control Loki was no better than those under the control of the scepter, his eyes would be the electric blue I had noticed when he was conversing with Thanos in London." Odin nods, almost feeling relieved, listening to Loki's story at the beginning of it all gave him a new look upon his youngest, his blue eye looks to Thor and then Loki, before taking in the fact that Rachel and Loki were leaning on one another as if giving and taking support that was free between the two, with Thor sitting close enough to just almost touch the girl in between them.
"And what have you to add Thor?" Odin asks, looking to his eldest.
"I have nothing to add Father, it was Rachel to noticed the eye change, and deduced the sudden change in Loki, when days before they were planning lessons with one another. It was she who got the information from Loki in a moment of clarity from him after the first capture, and it was she who put everything together, and why Thanos is after the Tesseract."
"Oh? Well?" Odin turns back to Rachel, who blushes.
"Um, as I stated I am very academic, and in the lessons I planned for myself one of which was Mythology, which is what the stories of the Nine Realms have divulged to in society now, nothing more than Myths. In it is the study of Norse Mythology, and the stories of your crown jewels Sire. And what The Mad Titan is after, and how he plans on doing so, along with why he wishes to obtain them." Rachel looks at Odin, who looks like he has seen the future come into clarity. Frigga and Loki both a little confused.
"What do you mean dear one?" Frigga asks, since Odin wasn't.
"Well, if lore is as lore states, King Odin has five crown jewels, called the Infinity stones, it is Thanos' plan to collect all five and use them to gain Lady Death's favour in wiping out half of the nine realms, well more of half the people on each planet of the realms, or all Universes. Given how the Tesseract acts, and the plan behind what was to be done with it in calling the Chitari, it was easy to deduce that the Tesseract is the Space Stone, and then how altering the sceptre acts, it's really the Mind stone. That alone is two of the five, but I do not know where the others are."
"Oh my!" Frigga looks at the girl wide-eyed, both amazed and appalled by her deductions, "And how did you come to these conclusions?"
"Um," Rachel again looks at Loki then at Thor, she starts fidgeting with her and Loki's fingers, as she hadn't explained it out before, "Though, a really bad attempt to get a woman's attention, it is kind of romantic that he is going to such lengths to get it. It was easy to guess from a romantic point of view, though I didn't think of the fact of what the sceptre held until thinking just now about the tesseract, and how even though none of us while we were at base, were not touching the sceptre it was altering our brains."
"Oh yes, I remember that you delved into-"
"Thank you!" Rachel glares at Thor interrupting him loudly, the man had the decency to look sheepish about what he had almost said. Odin and Frigga share a look each raising a brow at the other. Rachel noticing the look from her peripheral, sighs a little and glares at Thor more as she explains, "When our parents died our government tried to take me away from Tony, who was twenty one years, but was already considered an unstable guardian for someone as young as I. There are times if I am not careful about my own mentality, that I will begin to panic and start to relive it, usually only during very loud and very heavy arguments. During that time I was taken away from my brother no matter how much I begged, wherever they put me I ran away to get back to Tony, some of the foster homes I was placed in were not good environments and would get beat because I wouldn't stop begging from my brother. It was when I finally got back to Tony after running away from a particularly bad house with bruises and a broken nose, that the court finally took notice of my pleas and left me with Tony. Though I don't think they would have if Tony hadn't immediately called for highly skilled doctors to check everything about my physical well being, and making sure none of the male guardians took advantage of my being eleven and far weaker than they, and then started scheduling a couple of sessions with a mental doctor so that I could talk through any mental damage it may have caused to my psyche." By the end of explaining Rachel is again looking down at the two sets of hands in her lap, refusing to meet anyone's gaze.
"Given what I know of Man of Iron and yourself, Rachel, does the public know of this?" Thor asks as gently as he can, which equates to a bull in a china shop.
"Thor Odinson!" Frigga exclaims appalled by her sons' behaviour and question. Loki also glaring at Thor from over Rachel's head before wrapping his arms around her and pulls her away from Thor a little. Thor looks up, both surprised and scared, unsure why he was being called out like he was.
"My son, something along those lines is not for someone who is almost a stranger to ask, and rather rude to do so," Odin states sternly, scolding his eldest. Thor blinks as the realisation of what he said comes over him.
"Oh, Njorns! I apologize Rachel! I meant no-" Rachel looks up at Thor, holding her hand up stopping him, she has a small smile on her face.
"It's fine Thor, I know you didn't mean any harm. Tony and I, though more he than I, are very public faces and are often talked about by the media. So while they knew about the questioning of my guardianship, they did not know about the foster houses or abuse. It was kept out of the media, though I had to beg Tony to not sue, or send weapons to blow them apart the attackers."
"Not to seem rude, but why dear girl?" Frigga asks rather confused on why Rachel impeded justice, the girl in question sends the queen a humourless smile.
"While they hurt me I made sure they were hurt far more. While I can heal mentally and physically, and no one knows what happened, I made sure that no matter what they will never heal. Not only did I make sure they went to jail for child abuse and negligence, but once they were released I made sure finding a job for them would be one of the most difficult things in their life. Plus the government has them on a list stating that they are not allowed within a certain distance of children." Rachel had a prideful look on her face for a few moments, before it became a slightly guilty one, "I almost may have illegally gotten into the Government database and put them on a few different watch lists. And then I ignored their existence. They did what they did, I got my revenge, and now they mean nothing to me or mine. Less than scum on the bottom of my heel." The last sentence she tilts her nose in the air a little, Loki smiles at his sister while Frigga laughs lightly.
"You know where Loki got his revenge streak, where did you get yours, my dear?" Frigga asks, as Rachel blushes a little and shrugs a little.
"When your brother is eleven years older than you and is a certified genius you have to get creative in how to prank and get revenge." Rachel smiles looking at Frigga, who continues to laugh.
"I wonder who would win out of a prank war between you and Loki." Thor ponders.
"Loki, he has access to magic, and while I can think of many mundane ways to prank him, and probably make a few gadgets to help me, he could snap his fingers and it'd be an instant prank," Rachel states logically to Thor.
"Mm, I am not so sure Sister. I may have magic, but that inadvertently makes people lazy, you have to work towards a good prank, and find a way to make it undetectable in ways of magic." Loki reasons back at her.
"Be that as it may, I don't have magic to rely on to detect what pranks you set up, I'd be at a disadvantage." Rachel says looking at Loki from the corner of her eye, "I think I'd have to pair with Thor just to get one good prank on you, and the only reason I'd bring Thor in on it is to distract you long enough to set it off."
"Is all I am good for a distraction?" Thor asks petulantly.
"Yes," The twins answer together, looking at Thor together. Thor backs away a little, his face paling quite a bit.
"Do not do that, you two are rather scary." Together, even without looking at each other, identical mischievous grins spread across their faces, causing Thor more alarm.
"Rachel, Loki enough, no reason to scare him so early," Frigga warns the two, feeling as though it was meant to be. Loki picks up his somehow still warm tea, while Rachel huffs and turns from Thor. Odin massages his head, as though a headache was coming in, though hiding his amusement from the twins and Thor. Rachel had been good to his sons, even though they've known each other a very short period of time, Loki telling the truth about the whole thing and not just trying to slide his way free, while Thor was taking more attention to not only Loki but to his surroundings and seemed calmer. He was still thinking about everything that was going on, past, present, and future. He knew given the Mad Titan's play in it, punishing Loki for his actions on Midgard would be unfair, and unwise as it could lead Loki back to Thanos' grip though given how attached Loki was now to Rachel and how attached she is of him, Odin doubted anything he did punishment wise she'd let Loki back into the Titan's grip. But there was still the matter of what Loki did during his reign whilst Odin was in his sleep. Odin's head snaps up upon feeling a hand on his, looking at the source a soft smile takes over his face, Frigga squeezes Odin's hand and he returns it. It was his fault for how things played out, and punishing Loki without taking some blame himself would be untoward. Taking a breath before clearing his throat gathering the attention of the three 'children'.
"I have decided, though there will still need to be confessions before the houses. Loki, in the light of everything, punishing you for any of it would be untoward, as you were reigning King whilst I was in my sleep, doing what you thought best cannot be punished. In saying that, killing Laufey while is a way of declaring war, also opens channels with his sons, and lead to another more stable treaty. There will NOT be a repeat." All three sit there blinking in rapid succession in surprise.
"Y-yes" Loki pauses a second, looking to Rachel who smiles at him, before looking back to Odin, "Father." Odin nods a small smile making its way onto his face.
"Now your actions on Midgard," The room grows tense in suspense waiting for Odin's next words, "Given that you were under the influence of the Mad Titan, and the Mind stone, I will not punish you for it. If you wish to return to Midgard however, as it is their realm. They will have say in what your punishment shall be before they sentence you to anything, your Mother and I will speak with them, explaining what we can. But we shall stand by their punishment, as will all three of you." Odin stares down mainly Rachel and Loki, as they would be the likely two to think a way around it.
"Yes, Father." Loki and Thor intone.
"Yes, Sire," Rachel says waiting until the two men went silent, though not entirely sure why she was being made to agree given she wasn't a citizen of Asgard, and he had no rule over her, but doing so anyways given everything.
"I know I have no rule over you Lady Stark, but I am sure your government and adopted brother do." Odin raises his eyebrow at the girl, who blanches at the idea of bringing her brother into it.
"Yes, sir." She says a little more put out this time. Thor and Loki snickering quietly on either side of her, she elbows Loki in the gut while glaring at Thor, a look that most would claim retribution for.
"Good. Now let us move onto the subject of Rachel being in Asgard." Odin says, and in seconds after the whole good vibe of the room is sucked dry.
"Oh my love, you simply cannot read the room can you." Frigga sighs into her tea.
"I can read it just fine thank you, Love. But that does not change the fact that Rachel was not permitted to enter Asgard, sibling of Loki's or not." Thor and Loki shift a little, closing in as though to hide the girl from Odin's gaze.