These Things We've Gained: Eternal Love, Building Hope, Just Honesty

by Tales of Suspense

In the aftermath of "These Things We've Lost" people strugggle to create a new normal. (Slice of Life)

1. Chapter 1 with a Prologue

- Prologue -

22May2023 – Morning

Asgard City Proper

Playful midday gusts of wind rose up from the deep lake surrounding most of Asgard's city proper. Large, white, hawkish, hunting birds sailed aloft on those winds. Their broad, muscular wings stretched out to catch as many of the gusts as they could while they waited for fish to venture close to the surface. Their long, curved claws were always ready to catch more. It was well-known that the hraesvelgr owned the winds above Asgard's waters. It wasn't just above the waters one of them soared this morning. A young bird turned away from the waters and sailed over the golden city instead, wanting a particular treat this day. Over the gates, the market/housing district, and the military district it soared in a wide arc until it laid eyes on the massive, floating, thin and, ever-moving pieces of curved metal which rotated in a circle around themselves just outside of the Asgardian Palace. The shadow this metal structure cast on the city was so constant that the birds above and citizens below could tell the time by it, even if none of them knew what it was or how long it had been there. The young bird landed on one of the floating metal walls, in a small alcove that only appeared as it flew close. The bird startled again, as it always did, when the alcove opened to reveal a window to a room that was too big to be contained in the thin metal. The plain room had a dark brown tiled floor and cream-colored walls and ceiling. It looked devoid of life. Only a large set of brown and gold armor in a stand sitting in the middle of the room betrayed the air of emptiness. A deep chuckle, with metallic undertones, came from somewhere in the room. "No treats today, little one. I have many things to do," he said as he shoo'ed the young hraesvelgr off, back to his flock.

As the hraesvelgr flew away the alcove closed over the window again. Within the small room the complex machinery that was a docking port for the armor whirred softly as they became active. Two million year old runes flared up across the armor in the swirling patterns of life. 'The Destroyer' armor was ready for its owner to wield once again. Currents of white seidr, the power of life, twisted together from nothingness into the armor as the soul which commanded the armor stepped into it. From the white seidr he reconstituted his body inside the armor. Little sparks of golden seidr rippled here and there as the contained anger of that soul manifested. More white seidr poured into the armor and more of his body was filled in and fleshed out. After several moments the old soul had his body back. While the armor was large the man inside it was larger than life. Standing at close to ten feet tall, this muscular giant had patrician features under his long red beard and mustache, as well as long, vivid, red hair which was pulled back into heavy braids and a high ponytail, lightly tanned skin and deep-red eyes with the irises' center glowing in white seidr. They opened to survey his surroundings. Lord Ginnungagap, High King of the Nine Realms and ancient founder of the Kingdom of Asgard, had work to do this day, and a body was going to be required to do it.

The anger he felt at why he had so much to do was intense, just, and righteous in his opinion. It was a wrath that he wasn't going to indulge in, as his beloved Lady wife probably was, nor was he going to stop his Lady wife from indulging in it; not this time. His sister-by-law had betrayed his Lady wife and him, so his Lady wife was going to handle her Little Sister without his interference. Their daughter had betrayed them as well. A slight snort came from him as he thought again of his dislike for calling Avhelanja 'Hela'. One was the name of the beautiful Lady he raised; the other was a blunt tool that his daughter wielded. She needed to be handled as well. He expected her to be easier to deal with than his sister-by-law since his daughter was always willing to listen, learn, think, and explain. She was a good girl who had done something she ought not to have. Discipline was now required. Then there was the issue of his and his Lady wife's now found grandchildren to deal with. Their situation was still perilous. We can yet salvage this tragedy, his deep, dull voice found lost its way into his Lady wife's thoughts. Hope for the future and love for the center of his world, his Lady wife, overflowed in his thoughts. We know not if they remember us, we must be cautious in how we bring them back to us, he thought to his Lady wife through their omnipresent mental link, ending their conversation as each of them went to get their work done. A warm smile spread across his lips. Despite the dire reasons driving him, he was still pleased to have grandchildren to spend time with again. They helped to alleviate the crushing boredom of immortality.

Stepping out of the complicated ancient machinery surrounding him, he turned to the open doorway behind him. Despite his great size his footfalls were without noise. The dark brown tiles flowed out into the hallway, and into every other room in the tower, except the top-most room. The cream walls and ceiling came with them. More ancient runes lit up across the walls as he passed, activating in his presence. Besides runes empowered with white seidr, there were bits of machinery and panels attached to the walls every so often. Lord Ginnungagap headed to the control room of his tower. The control machinery for everything he had and did was there, at the top of the tower. Each floor he traveled up through contained more white seidr powered machinery. Every machine hummed softly as it carried out its magical and cybernated functions. Machinery and magic came together in every room of his home. Very quickly he came to the top of his tower, to his throne room. In the center of the room a heavyset golden throne sat. Beautiful scenes of The Nine Realms done in gemstones and precious metals were encrusted across its surface. Mixed into these scenes were the ancient runes that allowed the intricate machinery on the interior of the throne to accept and work with the High Lord's seidr. All around the throne was a golden hall, with seven large statues lining the way from the entrance to the throne. Though they were long dead, and living in Niflheim now, it still brought him happiness to look on the images of his brothers. Lord Ginnungagap went calmly to his throne, sitting on it hopefully.

As soon as he was seated the throne connected with his armor to let him directly control the tower. The first thing he did was to see through the tower to the land beneath it. The military of Asgard housed many of their soldiers in barracks on the land he needed. The Third Era military hadn't kept the land free for his use as he'd asked them to in the Second Era. That needed to be dealt with, so he used the towers systems to extend his soul and pick up the barracks in their entirety, disconnect them from the city utilities then move them over the city to a field outside of the city proper. The land, a large open circle, was ready for his use. Lord Ginnungagap grasped the tower next, pulling the whole structure back from the offset plain of reality it existed in. Once pulled from that plain the tower extended from the middle floating thin pieces of metal upwards to become the highest building in Asgard. From the middle the tower extended downwards towards the circle of now empty land, to fill the circle. The floating piece at the middle locked into place as the tower's defense system. The tower of the High King took up its place next the Asgardian Palace. The unease running through the people of Asgard as the tower appeared armed and without warning was plain to see. He paid little mind to it. The High King of the Nine Realms had returned to his city and would stay for as long as he pleased.

Through the throne he was able to see each of the realms of The Nine, except Niflheim, so he looked to Midgard with purpose and hope. His Lady wife had given him a mighty gift this day; it rested on Midgard. She discovered for him the location of certain grandchildren that they thought were lost to tragedy. The swirling white seidr of Midgard, and through it the magics of Midgard itself, had saved these grandchildren when he and his Lady wife failed to. A soft smile spread on his lips as he thought about the Satska Soledras. They were the line of grandchildren from his Little Brother, Lord Soledor Ymirson of Svartalfheim, and a very special line indeed. Once upon a time they were his lawgivers, the hands bearing his justice to The Nine Realms. Lord Ginnungagap hoped that they might be able to resume their rightful place. The Nine Realms had paradoxically become an overly regulated and simultaneously nearly lawless place. If the old wounds were to be healed then a firm, consistent hand was needed. The lawgivers were needed again. Tartness found its way into his smile. He always needed more hands than he had, and they would be safe under his immediate protection. First and foremost, the Satska Soledras had to be saved from the perilous illness they found themselves dying to and the unfavorable situation they found themselves in. His Lady wife was seeing to the living grandchildren that they had left, so he was going to see to the dead ones. He was going to secure their souls from Midgard. They needed to be returned to the rest on the clan on Niflheim where they could take up their place as the lawgivers of the dead.

Turning his deft gaze to the land surrounding the Great Gate let him quickly find the last of the Satska Soledras. He could see through the new hëlja masks they wore to the Svartalfr beneath them, hear the Shiväisith they were speaking. There they were, his grandchildren.

After his father and mother birthed him then all his Little Brothers, the brothers had gone through a period of strife. They emerged from the strife closer than ever. As each brother grew their family, first with a wife then children, they decided to share their families, share the responsibility and the love. So it followed that any grandchildren that were had would be shared as well. A light smile touched his lips. Watching the Satska Soledras go about their daily routines with compassion and honor despite their circumstances reminded Lord Ginnungagap of how beloved they were to him. Looking on them more made it seem suspiciously like they had an Eidesh and Eideshan, along with the councils of clan Princes and Princesses, the rathsvidr councilmen and women. He couldn't be certain though.

The old High King drew his gaze away from the living to focus on the dead. Now that he knew where to look on Midgard it wasn't hard to find the souls of the dead Satska Soledras, they were different after all. What was a sweet smile became an intense scowl. There were hundreds of thousands of dead Satska Soledras leaving a trail across the realm, all of them resting uneasily in the places they'd fallen. If he'd known sooner then he could have saved more of them. The thought of them returning to him wiped the scowl away. How to return them to him was a concern. It had been such a long time that even the long memories of the Svartalfr clan might have forgotten him. He needed to bring one of the recent dead to him, to gauge their reaction to him and see if they remembered him at all. Lord Ginnungagap wanted to be Aidesh to the clan again, wanted his Lady wife to be Aideshan again, to take up their places as grandfather and grandmother. That had to wait until he knew that they knew who he was. Fierce determination hardened his resolve to bring the Satska Soledras back to him. All he needed was a single one, but which one?

Thinking over it, his Lady wife's exceptional, young Truthspeaker gave him an idea. Gabriel McCorrmick, he thought, a smile spreading on his lips again. Lord Ginnungagap extended soul into his white seidr then through the throne. The crystal-tipped metal lightning rod on the roof of the throne room began to glow brilliantly as he channeled himself into and through it. White light streamed upwards from the throne towards the rod. The crystal blazed with the same runes that governed the Bifrost machinery. A moment later the rod became fully empowered with the strength of his soul. The Bifrost-like blast that emitted from the tip of the rod aimed smoothly at Midgard. He travelled down that blast swiftly, crashing hard against the realm itself. The strength of his soul allowed Lord Ginnungagap to grasp the much younger soul and wrench it free of the realm's grip. With the deed done he turned and traveled back the way he came, carrying Gabriel McCorrmick's soul with him. He landed back in his armor, on his gemmed throne, while the younger soul he carried was deposited in the space before the throne. The High Lord opened his eyes to see the soul already trying to manifest itself into a new body. It was impressive that this man held both the deep understanding of himself to be able to manifest that body, and the strength of will to do so. Reaching out with his own soul he gave Gabriel a little nudge in the right direction. Only a second later the younger soul formed a nervous system, then bones, then glands and organs and what came with them. Muscles and what came with them came next. Skin and hair came last. Without being conscious of it this young soul set itself down gently on the floor. Surprise widened the old High Lord's eyes when this newly manifested soul altered its appearance to create clothing to cover his nudity, then crafted a new hëlja to cover his face with. This was the impressive talent that the Satska Soledras of old had displayed. It wasn't what he expected of this new generation. The soft gasp told him that Gabriel had come back to consciousness, so he disengaged his armor from the throne and withdrew himself fully into its shelter.

Gabriel didn't immediately notice him. It was a small pause that Lord Ginnungagap chose to use simply observe this Svartalfr. Other dark elves weren't so tall as he was, nor were the Seidmadrs of old. His skin and hair had the same moonlit lightness as the Satska Soledras that he remembered, and his real eyes were still black instead of white with a pale silver-blue iris. The eyes of his hëlja were different and distinctly Midgardian looking with his eyes being white instead of their natural black and the tips of his ears being rounded instead of naturally pointed. He carried himself with the grace and dignity of a learned warrior. His nearly white hair was too short though, the old High Lord decided. A few more seconds ticked past while Lord Ginnungagap just watched, waiting for the Svartalfr who stood before him. The old High Lord smiled widely when he felt the probing sweep of Gabriel's sarammr. It fell on him then, making the younger soul aware that he was sharing the room with someone else.

-.-.-

The light tapping of the bottoms of his feet against something startled Gabriel. He was having a nightmare, one in which he was certain that he would never see his splendid wife Abigail or his sons Aiden and Sean again. It occurred to him almost instantly that he was supposed to be dead. He was certain that he had died. When he opened his eyes and looked down at his hands, he was shocked to see them intact, as he was also certain that an unlucky grenade explosion near him sheared off three of his fingers on his right hand. It didn't matter at the point in time, he just used his sarammr to replace the fingers and keep fighting. I died, I know I did, he thought in astonishment. We all died. The deaths of the last of his cousins pained him when he remembered that they died with him. Laying his hands on this chest and extending his sarammr inwards let him confirm that he did seem to be dead and disembodied. Another quick scan of himself with the invisible force let him determine that he was indeed bodiless. This didn't sit well with his obviously intact body. Only a few seconds passed before he decided to sweep the area with his sarammr. Perhaps there was someone around who could explain this. After a second thought he decided that he wanted to go home more than he wanted an explanation, although an explanation would still be nice. Extending his sarammr to his fullest let him sweep the room. Instantly the sweep revealed that there was another disembodied presence in the room with him. It was beyond massive, yet felt small too, like a star condensed into man. Gabriel spun around quickly, ready to fight and die again if need be. What he saw stunned him. He wasn't prepared for, "Aidesh!" When he saw and believed who he was standing before he ripped off his hëlja so as to not be rude and dropped into the supplicant's pose; he knelt with both knees on the floor, bending forward with his forehead on the floor, both arms were outstretched with his left hand over his right. A very soft prayer for aid for his clan began after that. Gabriel wanted to convince Aidesh to save the Satska Soledras even more than he wanted to see Abigail. Saving the clan would save her as well.

It answered his question immediately as to whether they remembered him, though it displeased the High Lord to see the younger soul drop into the supplicant's pose. That they remembered him was pleasing and hopeful, until he heard what the younger soul was saying. An expression of pain flickered over Lord Ginnungagap's face when he heard the soft pleading prayer. There was no prevaricating in those quiet tones, no falsity or flattery at all. There was only an honest and earnest plea for aid openly and willingly given. His lawgivers had never been prideful, but always carried a certain pride with them; for themselves and their ability to dispense justice fairly. They had so much dignity. That they had been reduced to begging sent bright flashes of pain through the High Lord's soul. Rising swiftly from his throne, Lord Ginnungagap went quickly to Gabriel, knelt down to one knee beside the younger soul, grasped his left hand and brought them both to standing. "There is no need for that, young one." He spoke gently. "Aideshan is already moving to secure the clan's safety and health."

Aideshan! Gabriel didn't know what to say to that. Painfully sharp hope cut though him that his clan might be saved. It sent tears welling up into his eyes then down his face. "She is?" It was all he could think to say.

He can even manifest realistic tears, the high Lord thought, taking note of the spontaneous talent. "Worry not, young one, now that we know where the clan is we are moving the intervene. The hardships you have suffered shall be tended to. What of this that can be made right shall be. I promise you this." Lord Ginnungagap's voice was a low rumble with metallic undertones. "It is time for the Satska Soledras to return to me."

- Chapter 1 -

22May2023 – Evening

Vanaheim Royal Palace Healing Rooms

The timeless woman's tall form was old and slightly frail looking, lightly tanned but withered with age. The sturdiest thing about her seemed to be her long, dense, white hair which was pulled back into many different, small braids which were then braided back into a thick cord of a braid that went over the back of her head and down to her waist. Her ancient visage was both regal and kind, the mantle of age was comfortable on her. Her sharp blue eyes were most noticeable. They were eyes that took in the details around her with a practiced grace. In her younger days her hair was a reddish-chestnut color while her sharp blue eyes still conveyed her astuteness. Old age had robbed her hair of its once vibrant color while only making the blue of her eyes sharper. She wore a long, brown, velvet dress that had a floor length skirt with a slim bodice and sleeves. Celtic knotted designs were embroidered in shimmering tan across the plush dress. While she wore a single ring made of eight separate rings on her right hand, it was her vast dignity, determination, and confidence that shown through. Lady Audhumbla, High Queen of the Nine Realms, stood silently now in the healing rooms of the Vanaheimr Royal Palace.

The timeless Lady had come to the capitol city of Vanaheim, to the white palace at the heart of the city Vindrvelsignet, to assist in bringing the hope and healing that her family needed. Her grandchild, her litil-svass, would be there soon, but wasn't the only one who was coming. Those serving her would be there soon as well. Excitement gleamed in her sharp blue eyes. All the people serving her knew what they had to do. They were all eager to play their parts. This was just the beginning. She'd given them hope, now they would bring her grandchildren back to her. Litil-svass, her little-sweet, was just the first to be healed. Lady Audhumbla's gaze drifted back to the door to the room. She hadn't been so excited for something in at least a million years. A swirl of dusky rose sjel-seidr teleportation fire suddenly reached up to the ceiling, burning into existence in the small room. The white floors were unmarked by the fire, as was the matching white ceiling. They and the white walls gleamed with a pearlescent hue. This room was just another white room in the gleaming Palace of Clouds.

The flames of teleportation died back down leaving three men standing in its wake. The oldest and tallest of these men had grey hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and lightly tanned skin. His patrician features suited the beard well. A well-cut brown leather vest covered his quilted deep blue shirt while covering the waistline of his brown leather pants that were tucked into knee high leather boots. This aged monarch always felt that darker colors suited his older age. His most recognizable feature was always the piece of stylized gold covering where a functioning right eye was previously but was no longer. At nearly seven feet tall Odin, the Lord of Asgard, surveyed those around him from a height with his sharp blue, left eye. The sharpness of his spirit, his confidence and air of authority, held people's attention. The beastly curse sleeping inside of his heartstring, next to his heart, was often what he used to pay attention to, but no longer. It was Borr's madness visited upon him. What was going to happen in this room was going to be the beginning of his getting rid of the grumbling growling curse from Borr, his own father.

Beside Odin stood his Little Brother by oath, who also towered over those around him while being shorter by an inch or two than his Elder Brother. While the elder King wore the sober tones of age this younger King wore an austere solid white with silver accents. White silk shirt, white leather pants, white leather boots laced up the sides, white and silver brocade vest. Sheer, austere white complimented the relentless, lupine perfection of this younger King, with sky-blue eyes and light blond hair. Frey, the Lord of Vanaheim was the white Lord of the Palace of Clouds. He was also the most powerful Vanaheimr Heal Meister living. He skill in healing was going to aid him in what he was going to be doing.

The third man of those who arrived in the dusky rose teleportation fire was the shortest and youngest, though still taller than average. His platinum blond hair was a nearly white clue to his inhuman heritage. It was he who brought the two Kings to that room in the Palace of Clouds. It was a pale contrast to the dark purple silk shirt, black leather pants and boots he was wearing. The darker colors accented the liquid seidr crystal covering the iris of each eye in sparkling violet, while the liquid seidr crystal betrayed what the young man was. There could be no mistaking what Sean McCorrmick was; seidmadr, a wielder of all seidr color types but orange. The ethereal beauty of his eyes complimented the delicate and fair features of his face. Small shimmering dots of sunny yellow seidr crystal surrounded the outside of each of his eye sockets gave away that there was a bond between Lord Frey and himself. It was the Lord's sunny seidr that made up the crystal. They were the physical representation of their unbreakable bond.

As soon as the dusky rose teleportation fire died down Sean went quickly forward to kneel in front of Lady Audhumbla. He was her Truthspeaker and would belong forever to his Lady. With his left fist and knee on the floor, his right arm across his right knee, and his head bowed, Sean spoke. "I've brought them, my Lady. They're ready to serve you."

A quick command to her sjel-seidr caused it to turn into three invisible Invigorating Runes that were branded quickly onto the three men beside her. The runes would bolster the seidr cores of the men, ensuring that they would have enough seidr to do what she'd tasked them with. There was a very important task before them. Lady Audhumbla wanted them ready to complete this task. "Into the shadows with you." She spoke quietly, without looking at any of them. Her attention was solely focused on the door, and who was about to come through it.

A wide smile spread across Sean's face as he saw the dusky rose runes that would keep their seidr cores filled as they all worked. He rose quickly and turned to see both Lord Frey and Lord Odin stepping back into the shadows. To ordinary eyes they simply disappeared. However, he could see the shadows, the oozing bits of darkness that were swarming over both Lords. He flared out his seidr to Lord Frey as he stepped into the shadows himself. I'm here if you need me, his seidr whispered to Lord Frey as it gently ran over his Lord's skin. Whether or not he was being rude wasn't certain for him. It was something his Lord wanted, but he wasn't officially allowed to be so informal with his Lord yet. Despite the uncertainty, he did it anyway. What was coming was going to be difficult, so Sean wanted to remind Lord Frey that he was by his side. The door to the white room began opening slowly, pushed by a little hand.

The slender boy that was opening the door was tall for his age. No matter how many attempts were made at taming it, his dark brown hair was naturally unruly. It was wavy in some places, and curly in others. The little boy's face was familiar to anyone who knew his father. It was his eyes that were familiar to anyone who knew his mother. Edward Stark was the firstborn son of Anthony Stark and Loki of Asgard. Loki, Odinson at first but Friggadottir now. Edward loved his mother equally no matter what surname she wore. It was this deep love that brought him to the room he was entering with his mother in tow. The little Lord already knew the elderly woman was waiting for them, as well as the Lords in the shadows.

A bright smile beamed from Lady Audhumbla to Edward as he pushed the door open with one hand. His other hand was wrapped tight around his mother's hand. Her smile gained a little more brightness when she finally saw her litil-svass. This was a moment that hadn't come soon enough for her.

Exasperation began to creep through Loki at her son's silence. He normally answered her questions, but in this odd trip he'd almost refused. All he would tell her was that there was a nice lady who waiting for them in the healing rooms. He wouldn't tell her which healer it was. Edward knew all of them. Her eyes widened in shock when she entered the room after him. "Amma!" Loki let go of her son's hand to rush over to her Amma. She'd wanted this for so many years. Her time was almost spent. The time for her last trip was upon her. Very soon she would die and return to Niflheim to be its Lord. Before she had to leave she wanted one last hug from her Amma, Afi Gin and Afi Gorynych, as she loved her grandparents without hesitation. Whether she'd be able to get a hug from either Afi was seriously in doubt. Amma was standing right in front of her. It was an opportunity that couldn't be passed up.

Glancing furtively over showed Edward where his grandfathers were standing in the shadows. Oozing bits of darkness were flowing over them, as well as Sean. His mother wasn't looking, so he waved at them.

This moment in time was worth waiting for. Lady Audhumbla gathered Loki to her in a tight embrace. "I have missed you, my litil-svass," she said softly. Her little-sweet was so close, but not fully brought back to her. There was still more work to do. It had to be begun before she could truly have her little-sweet back. The Lady moved one hand to stroke down the back of Loki's head. Too fast for Loki to do anything about, she commanded her dusky rose sjel-seidr to turn into a powerful Sleep Inducing Spell which passed into Loki's brain. Loki instantly went limp in her arms, slumping against her. Lady Audhumbla effortlessly scooped up her little-sweet then turned swiftly to deposit Loki on the cold surface of the Soul Forge. "Come forward," she spoke softly.

A soft smile spread across Frey's lips at his grandson as he stepped out of the shadows. When the boy came over, Frey knelt down to give Edward a hug. It was wonderful to have this before he and Odin began healing Loki. "We'll spend some time reading, sometime soon. I promise you, we will," he said quietly. Frey wasn't sure when he'd have time. If he had to make time, then he would.

"You'll be very busy, but I'll wait," Edward said quietly. Turning, he went to his other grandfather. When he was standing in front of Odin he held his arms out for a hug, with a wide smile on his face.

Mild shock filtered into the elder King's thoughts. Disbelief filled Odin that another of his grandchildren was standing in front of him. The boy acknowledging him was wholly unexpected since they hadn't been properly introduced yet. All the elder King expected was the opportunity to observe his grandson for a few moments when he stepped out of the shadows. Waiting for years before he got to meet any of his grandchildren was what he expected. In a single day, he met two. Despite only having met the boy, he didn't hesitate to quickly kneel down. Little tears of joy covered his single eye when Edward giggled and jumped into his arms. Odin held the boy close for a moment before pulling back some so that he could look into his grandson's eyes. "It's so good to meet you," he said quietly, trying to speak around the lump in his throat.

Of both Edward's grandfathers, it was Odin who needed the most amount of reassurance. Things were going to be most difficult for him. Edward put his little hands on either side of his grandfather's face. "Don't worry, Afi. Everything will be alright." He leaned in to give his Afi Odin another hug.

A bright smile touched Odin's lips as he gave his grandson one last hug. He didn't want to set Edward down, but he and Frey had a very important task before them. It was only a few precious moments with his grandson, but it helped Odin to truly let go of the fear and worry that brought him to that room. There were still an unruly mess of emotions streaking through him, but none of them were negative. Even the growling beastly curse in his chest was silenced in the onslaught of happiness. It wasn't fear and despair that brought tears to his eye now, but joy and hope. Odin could believe his grandson when he said that all would be well.

Edward turned and went to Lady Audhumbla. "Amma?" he asked quietly. They still had things to do.

A quiet sigh left Lady Audhumbla. She didn't want to leave but couldn't stay. Now wasn't right for her to spend time with her little-sweet. She stroked her hand gently down the side of her little-sweet's face. Soon, minn litil-svass, she thought. "Yes." She turned towards her Truthspeaker. "See that they bring minn litil-svass back to me." With that, she held out her hand to the littlest Lord in the room. Edward took her hand, then the two of them left through the door Loki and him entered through. There was still a firehawk to pacify and children to put to bed.

Sean waited until Lady Audhumbla and Prince Edward were out the door before he angled his seidr out to bend into a Wavering Visions Weave then a Signet Ward. They combined a moment later to create a Vision of Certitude Ward. The ward laid smoothly over the outside of the door and wall, surrounding it. It completely obscured the door from view, making it appear like a smooth section of wall. It anchored solidly and swiftly. Sean continued to feed it power to maintain its strength. His Lady's rune on him ensured that he could keep anyone from coming through that door. With the ward in place, no one would even know the door existed.

Joy traveled with his grandson it seemed. Odin watched Edward go before turning his gaze to his child. Loki had been lost to him for too many years. Lost and now found. As he stopped beside the Soul Forge, he looked down at Loki. His son was smaller as a woman, but just as beloved. Tears spilled over to run down his cheek. For the first time in years, he was in the same place as his youngest child. "I'm sorry, my child. I am so sorry," Odin apologized softly for the many things he'd done wrong. The tears were quickly wiped away. It wasn't the time for sorrow. It was the time to begin making amends, time to begin healing Loki from the terrible wounds that were Odin's fault.

The strange combination spell that Sean formed drew Frey's attention briefly to the door. It created something that felt like a shielding type spell, but wasn't quite right. This was something else he'd never seen. Frey was very well aware that it should've been the depth of knowledge Sean possessed that should draw the most of his attention. However, it was the intense desire to strip Sean bare, run his fingers over Sean's thighs while spreading them apart then seeing how deeply he could bury himself in his fair Seidmadr's body that drew his attention. That would be for later. Frey smiled when he felt Sean flare his seidr to run it along his skin. He pushed that desire aside to focus on the task at hand. His beloved niece needed him now, needed the healing that he and his Elder Brother would provide.

The raw lust in Lord Frey's gaze found its way into his seidr. Sean could hear it in Lord Frey's seidr. It was loud and longing, aching for him. A brief flare of his own seidr to stroke over Lord Frey's scarred skin followed it, as it led his thoughts to steamier grounds than where he was. Awkward redness filled his face before he banished the rogue desires. Sean knew he wasn't there for himself, he was there on his Lady's orders to carry out his part of this compassionate task. More seidr angled out of his seidr core to strengthen the Vision of Certitude Ward. Nothing will get past me.

When Frey turned back towards Loki he saw Odin looking lovingly down at his child. She was a child they both loved deeply, one that neither could let go of. He walked over to the Soul Forge, stopped by its side. "Are you ready, brother?" he asked.

"Yes, it's time for brighter future," Odin nodded once. The beast within him was still silent which he appreciated.

A smile spread across Frey's lips at that. "It is," he said while he unfurled his seidr to extend it into the Soul Forge, activating the ancient machine. Before he brought up the light tools he looked to Odin once more. "Prepare yourself," he said quietly.

Taking a deep breath and nodding once more, Odin braced himself. He already knew what destruction his foolishness caused. He was prepared to see the devastation firsthand. Idunn's knowledge would give him the means to mend that damage. His seidr unwound from his core, arraying into the Transmutation Spell. Before he released the spell, he flared more of his seidr to touch at the Soul Forge. Frey's seidr was already there, so he released his spell to create a bridge between their seidrs. The Transmutation Spell released smoothly to open two beautiful flower like transmutation circles with several layers of slightly pointy petals. The Rune of Transmutation glowed brightly at the center of each circle. Once fully opened the circles instantly transmuted the seidr flowing through them, turning Odin's citrine seidr into Frey's sunny seidr. The connection that formed extended past Odin lending his strength to Frey. With their seidrs running as one he could feel many of his Little Brother's emotions. The very clear desire for Seidmadr McCorrmick was only awkward until he realized that there was an honest happiness that came with it. It wasn't something he'd ever seen or heard from Frey before. It made him happy to know it was there. What surprised him most was the ardent anticipation at being able to heal not only Loki, but every member of the family, himself included. Frey finally had the ability to do so, and he planned on using it. That made him not only eager, but proud to lend his seidr to his Little Brother. With Frey's seidr effectively doubled, Odin was truly ready.

The sudden influx of power almost startled Frey. Through it he was shocked to find that he could feel Odin's emotions. The joy at seeing his child alive, the hope for the future, the sorrow at the past, as well as the pensive trepidation were all felt by Frey. There was even a quiet dark place in his seidr that he wondered about. It was reassuring in a way he hadn't thought possible to be able to feel so much from his Elder Brother. It left a smile on his face as he looked down at his beloved niece. The seidr was Odin's seidr, but it felt like his own, could be formed and used like his own. To have so much power at his command filled Frey with a magnificent confidence. He had the knowledge and the power at his disposal, now he was going to heal his beloved niece. Frey pulled the light tools up to begin the healing. The top surface of the large, flat rectangular bed that Loki was lying on lit up beneath her. Two slender conducting poles at either end of the bed rose up out of the floor. As soon as they were nearly face-height with Frey, each pole curved to form the sides of an open circle. Before they could join they curved again to continue their ascent towards the ceiling. While the poles continued to climb, the open circle they'd formed stayed at exactly the same height. Just a few inches from the ceiling they stopped. Frey's seidr raced from the base up the conducting poles then stretched out to create a field of light above Loki. Small dials and rods appeared in front of Frey for his use. The Soul's Light was extended, and the light tools created. Something new popped up along with the light tools; a small area in the Soul's Light that was displaying the section that he was focusing on in detail. The smaller section was building up the simulation of a body part from nothing, lighting up it with electrical impulses and blood flow and then breaking it down into nothing, only to start all over again. It was interesting, but not necessary to Frey in that moment. The Soul's Light would do.

Instantly Frey extended his seidr to cover Loki, then sink into her so he could assume complete control of her body. A perfect representation of her formed in the Soul's Light. He pulled away her glamor first, there was no need of it. Alabaster pale skin receded swiftly leaving a cerulean behind. The beautiful blue skin was covered in deeper blue raised markings. They were the markings of the Royal House of Jotenheim. They were markings that could never be shown in public. Frey looked through the light to her heartstring. That was the most pressing problem. It had to be addressed first. When he went to delve into her lifecode he was shocked to find he no longer needed the Soul's Light to illuminate his path. It was even odder to find that it felt more right to use the Soul Forge without relying on the light than with it. The dials were instantly dismissed since he didn't need them. It was as if a new way to use the Soul Forge had opened itself to him. The smaller section which was simulating things in the Soul's Light was part of this new path. Frey didn't stop to analyze it. He took that swift new route gladly and came to her badly scarred lifecode. A small ripple of shock and despair traveled through Odin's seidr at the sight of Loki's lifecode, before it was ruthlessly banished. Just a little more seidr pushed through the transmutation circles along with a desire to be rid of the scarring.

Frey could see the scarring for what it truly was now. Idunn had opened his eyes, but Frey held no gratitude for that monster as he saw it. It was the inactivated precursor as well as the remnants and aftermath of Void Sickness. It was the source of Loki's brittle bones, but didn't scare him anymore. Instead of indulging in fear, he reached for one of the small rods of light in front of him. The rod slimmed down while it lengthened out some. The end of it sharpened down into a razor-sharp point. Frey found an unscarred piece of Loki's lifecode then touched it with the light tool. It copied then broke out in the Soul's Light. Every piece of the lifecode unfolded within the light. Frey looked over the scarring again and decided that he was going to have to deal with it first before he could transmute a new heartstring for Loki.

Beginning at the cells in the center of her remaining heartstring he went to cleave away the scarring, so that he could replicate what was missing then replace it and move on to search the next cell. When he touched the scarring, the Soul Forge moved in another new way. A subtle vibration passed through the Soul's Light. Frey grasped the vibration with his seidr. It brought a smile to his face to when he realized it was Odin. His Elder Brother was influencing the Soul Forge through their connection in a very useful way. Through the vibration Odin instantly marked every piece of scarring in Loki's lifecode throughout her entire body. Frey didn't have to pull prints from previous times he'd had her in a Soul Forge, he didn't have to search her body cell by cell, screening every last piece of her lifecode. It was all glowing in his seidr now; hundreds of millions of cells carrying the scars of this abnormal growth. He didn't know how Odin was doing this, but it made him happy to see. Frey linked the replication of Loki's lifecode in the Soul's Light to the light tool he was wielding. A tiny Transmutation Rune formed on the tip of the tool out of his seidr. After the rune was properly applied to the tool, he struck the cell with the light tool. Scarred, intractable remnants of Void Sickness' corruption cleaved away effortlessly as they were instantly replaced by the healthy lifecode that was supposed to be there. It was transmuted into existence from the seidr he wielded and the breakout of Loki's lifecode in the Soul's Light. Cell group by cell group, Frey went through Loki's lifecode. Time slipped by without either man noticing. He knew his Elder Brother was a Master Mage, knew he was a Master in Battlefield Magics, but hadn't truly appreciated it until know. The ebb and flow of Odin's seidr was entirely absent. He appreciated the stable constancy now more than ever. That stability bolstered him while he repaired his beloved niece's lifecode. Every cell marked in his seidr was struck, the scarring removed, and the lifecode repaired. Hours passed as every piece of scarring in Loki's lifecode was removed and repaired. It made Frey so happy to see it. In an odd turn, he wasn't sure how much of it was his happiness and how much of it was Odin's. It was more odd because he knew that Odin was feeling the same thing. Both were pleased to see more health restored to Loki.

When every piece of scarring was removed Frey could see the improvement in functioning of every piece of Loki's body. With her lifecode repaired Frey was able to transmute new bones in place of the old, corrupted ones. Her bones were stable and strong for the first time in years. That pleased them both to see. Loki was well prepared now. The next place he moved was to the ragged outer edge of Loki's heartstring. It had to be prepared before he transmuted the replacement for her, now missing, second heartstring. He tightened his control of her nerves before he went to work but stopped before even beginning. An idea floated across his thoughts along with another vibration in the Soul's Light. Odin was proposing a conversion that Frey liked the sound of. Frey drew on knowledge gained from both Idunn and Loki herself to form the Transmutation Spell accurately. He smiled widely when he saw every nerve in Loki's chest travelling from her heartstring to her brain light up. They were marked in his seidr. Odin was influencing the Soul Forge through their connection to properly anticipate and preemptively provide what he needed. Thank you, brother, he thought. You're welcome, brother, drifted through his thoughts before he turned his attention again to Loki's heartstring. Frey released the spell to create control points along the nerves. With the control points fashioned he took command of Loki's remaining heartstring, sinking his seidr slowly into the scarred muscle. It spasmed violently until he stopped the muscle contractions. Overwhelming pain began shrieking down the nerves towards her brain. It was at the control points that the pain was halted. Any impulse carrying pain down a nerve was transmuted into numbness as it passed through the control point. Frey and Odin were both pleased to see that Loki felt no pain. Neither thought that would be possible before this.

The next thing Frey did was to look through the broken-out lifecode to find the coded instructions on what Loki's heartstring was supposed to be. Her lifecode had always been a little odd to him, but he could see now that it was a second heartstring and not a random reduplication in the code. It was a little concerning when he realized how much seidr it was going to take to replace Loki's missing heartstring. Seeing to her healing afterwards was a concern. Another little vibration through the Soul's Light told him of Odin's willingness to supply a larger portion of the seidr needed so Frey would have more seidr available to heal her with. He didn't want to drain his Elder Brother, but he couldn't deny the wisdom of the plan. Only one of them was a Master Heal Meister.

Frey formed another powerful Transmutation Spell from Loki's broken-out lifecode in the Soul's Light. It formed perfectly like a healing salve, so he could lay the spell against the ragged edge. It filled in the jagged holes and covered over the hideous scars. When the spell released the holes and scars in Loki's first heartstring filled in with tissue that perfectly matched what was already there. With that done, Frey drew on a tremendous amount of his and Odin's seidr to form a powerful Transmutation Spell. Even more seidr drew into the spell to be transmuted. Almost all of their combined seidr poured into the spell. Well over half came directly from Odin. Each man felt the loss of it as their cores drained. Odin wavered for just a moment before his seidr core refilled instantaneously, Frey's refilled next. Both looked down at their chests, then each other before they shrugged it off. Whatever it was wasn't harmful, quite the opposite. When the spell was strengthened enough Frey anchored it to one end of Loki's intact heartstring. Frey began at the anchored end & controlled the release of the spell carefully. Cell by cell he formed a new heartstring that both grew from and alongside the intact heartstring. Every new cell was meticulously formed then placed, attaching to Loki's heart smoothly. Frey was determined to not go back to fix any mistakes made because there would be no mistakes to fix. His beloved niece would be healed properly the first time.

More time slipped away as Frey completed transmuting a new heartstring for Loki. A broad smile crossed his face when it was finally finished. He turned his attention to the other end so that he could check his work. The heartstring was done perfectly. The thrum of Loki's seidr core increased in power and strength. Thank you, brother, floated across his thoughts through the Soul's Light along with Odin's gratitude. You're welcome, brother. We will accomplish this together. His Elder Brother was as pleased to see Loki healed as he was. His next goal was the poisonous seidr left in the scar from Hela. Again, Frey used nearly all the seidr that he and Odin had together for the Transmutation Spell. His smile widened a little when both of their seidr cores refilled again. It gave him the seidr to easily apply the Transmutation Spell to the lingering seidr, transmuting it momentarily into more seidr before spreading it carefully over the scars on Loki's organs. This next transmutation brought Loki new, whole, fully functioning organs. It almost brought tears to Frey's eyes to see his beloved niece's scarred, stripped out kidneys be replaced. They instantly began cleaning her blood like her original organs no longer could. A brilliant happiness began building in him as he checked each organ to make sure that it was well-formed and properly situated. One by one he checked them, noting the radical increase in her overall health as they began working. Even her womb was much healthier. Frey had to stop for a moment to regain control of himself as the unstable happiness exploded through him. The proof was before him that it wouldn't be so dangerous for her to bear the children she wanted, either for her or for the babies. The baby she was carrying was safer. All of her future babies would be safer now as well. Loki's health continued to increase as she was slowly made whole again.

This left the two Kings with only one thing to attend to: the injury to Loki's brain and Thanos' wicked seidr inside of it. This last Transmutation Spell that Frey formed took all the seidr that both Odin and Frey had to give, emptying their cores and letting them fill again, only to be drained and filled once more to strengthen the spell. The sheer volume of seidr that the Transmutation Spell held was unwieldy to handle for one person. A powerful vibration came through the Soul's Light as Odin lent his own control and strength to Frey to shore up the many facets of the spell. Frey grasped the vibration which let him get a better grip on the massive Transmutation Spell. Applying the Transmutation Spell was as easy as the last time, made easier by their cores being full. The mighty seidr left festering in Loki's wound resisted then slowly transmuted into nothing, The happiness in both Odin and Frey was truly sparkling as they ensured that Thanos' grip on Loki was undone. Loki's long nightmare was over.

The remnants of the titanic Transmutation Spell were spread like a salve over the jagged hole in the back of Loki's brain. From the broken out lifecode in the Soul's Light Frey found the coded instructions for Loki's brain. Odin's powerful desire to see Loki's injury healed vibrated through the Soul's Light again. That powerful desire to understand and to heal vibrated through the Soul's Light, making the smaller section that simulated things glow softly. Frey wondered if it could be of use to him now, since he didn't understand why that section of Loki's brain was malfunctioning. It had to be understood, so he reached for it. It all felt so natural when Frey was able to take the broken out lifecode in the Soul's Light and create a simulation of Loki's brain. Seeing the brain forming, lighting and then breaking down showed Frey something else he'd never seen before. He could see how this little piece of Loki's brain could make her sick. He could see why Thanos cut the part out. Beyond that, Frey could see what the problem was. The blood vessels flowing through the small section of Loki's brain simply weren't big enough to supply the demand that that section of Loki's brain had when it activated. Without proper blood flow the whole section seized up and malfunctioned, neurotransmitters became erratic and then began sending damaging signals out along Loki's nerves. When Frey formed another Transmutation Spell and coated the inside of the wound with it like another salve, he went in and both lengthened and widened the blood vessels as they formed. Good health would flow from those broader vessels. It was a simple fix that Frey almost sneered at Thanos for. Thanos could have fixed the problem without maiming Loki's brain, he chose not to. It was added to the long list of reasons he had to hate the Mad Titan. A gentle vibration came through the Soul's Light again. We will hunt him together, floated across his thoughts along with Odin's agreement that Thanos should be hated, should be hunted. It was reassuring in a strangely wonderful way that he and Odin would go to that battle together.

All of Loki's physical injuries were healed, so the time to check his own work came. It only took Frey an hour to check his work one last time. Cell group by cell group, muscle by muscle, organ by organ, bone by bone he worked to make sure that there were no mistakes. Everything was perfect and settling in well. The baby Loki was carrying was healthy and developing well. There was nothing left to tend to so Frey disengaged the light tools and withdrew the Soul's Light. Odin closed down his Transmutation Spell, withdrawing his seidr. The conducting poles were the next thing to withdraw back down into the bed. The bed under Loki darkened as it powered down. The healing was done.

Frey looked joyfully to Odin, but Odin was looking down at Loki. Frey realized then that he could hear the love in Odin's seidr. It was pure and hopeful. It complimented the younger King's own joyous love. "She is fully healed."

"Not yet. We have to heal his …her mind. Then she'll be fully healed." His child was almost fully healed. Odin just needed to find a way to heal Loki's mind. He already possessed the skills and much of the knowledge, now all he needed was the techniques. Dark thoughts passed through his mind again as he considered continuing his education into the mind. No, Lady Audhumbla probably wouldn't care for that. How else can I accomplish this then?

"There is no way to heal a broken mind, brother," Frey said softly. It always distressed the younger King that there existed no knowledge of how to heal a broken mind. There were no experts in the Nine Realms that he could consult with.

"There is. We just haven't found it yet, but we will." Odin folded Loki's arms over her middle and gently slid a hand beneath her head to lift her up into a sitting pose. From there he picked up his daughter and then looked to his Little Brother. "I know we will." Even if I have to bring you into my darkness and educate you myself, we will do this.

Frey couldn't help but smile at his Elder Brother's sentiment, even when he knew it was useless.

A cold wave spread through Sean's mind announcing his Lady's presence before she spoke to him. My Truthspeaker, Rhodes brings the firehawk to you now. Send my grandson and minn litil-svass away. Before the cold wave receded he was able to reply, Yes, my Lady. The Vision of Certitude Ward over the door broke down quickly into seidr which Sean used to bend a Portal Spell to the guest chambers where Lady Loki was going to sleep. The portal opened smoothly to link the two rooms together. "Lord Odin, Colonel Rhodes is bringing Lord Stark to us now."

"I'll away then, and wait for you to reopen the portal," with that Odin turned and went quickly through to the guest chambers.

Sean backed away from the door and quickly stepped back further into the shadows to avoid agitating Lord Stark when he came through the door with Colonel Rhodes. It was none too soon since a moment after he stepped into the shadows the good Colonel opened the door and ushered in the reluctant Lord of Midgard.

-.-.-

22May2023 – Evening

Vanaheim Royal Palace Hallway

The large, dark skinned man walking down the hallway was casually dressed for being in the Vanaheimr Royal Palace. Tennis shoes, short socks, jeans, a belt, and a form fitting plain tee shirt were almost all he wore. The tight not-quite-a-frown on his face tied everything together to give him a stern look. The soul song of stillness singing out through his white seidr was softening that look some with its calming effect. Even though it was softened some that stern look was still aimed squarely at the younger man walking beside him, his adopted younger brother. While the younger man had a similar fashion sense, he had a full frown tying everything together to give him a more worried look. The older man felt that the worry was justified because his brother has made a mess of things again and had refused to be introduced to someone important. He couldn't be surprised. His younger brother was a Stark; Tony Stark to most people, Anthony Rhodes to him. He was tired of the messes. That wasn't all he was done with though.

James Rhodes was exactly one hundred percent done with his younger brother's excuses. There were the excuses for why his younger brother needed to use filthy and immoral means to handle his wife's poor health. Then there were the excuses for why his younger brother needed a robotic army. After that there were the excuses for why his younger brother waged and won a secret war against his own home planet. Next came the excuses about why his brother found himself in possession of so many weapons in violation of the agreement. There were even excuses about why his younger brother chose to ignore his own health problems instead of handling them in an even vaguely responsible fashion. There were so many excuses from Anthony that there were even excuses for why there were so many excuses. James was done with all of them. He knew that Anthony knew it. What was about to happen in the small room they were headed to was just the beginning of the problems causing the excuses being resolved. He also knew that Anthony had pieced that together as well. It was causing a nervous hesitation that was all too obvious in his younger brother. That nervousness wasn't going to stop James though. This needed to be done.

James pushed the door open, and Anthony stepped into the room before his older brother, despite not wanting to. A pervasive nervousness filled him at the sight of the Soul Forge. His older brother already knew what he'd done to himself, but now someone else was going to know. That was one of the things Anthony had fought against for several years; to keep anyone from knowing what he'd done. The terrible feeling that Rhodey was going to bring the hammer of corrections down on him filled him when he saw Frey standing next to the Soul Forge. Anthony hadn't even introduced his older brother to Frey yet, but there they were cooperating. I should have known better. When Anthony turned all he received from James was an unsubtle glare as he closed the door behind him. He flinched away from the closed door and towards Frey and the Soul Forge, feeling cagey. From James to Frey then back and forth, Anthony's gaze traveled. "Hey, Rhodey, what are we doing?"

"You know what we're doing." James took another step towards his younger brother; ready, willing, and able to catch him if he tried to run.

Anthony was about to be put into that Soul Forge, he knew it for certain. Frey was about to see some very suspicious things and would have questions to go along with those things. They weren't questions that he could answer easily. If Frey was able to get those answers out of Rhodey then the pale King might not want to speak to him again. It left Anthony with very little choice. There was something he needed to do before Frey found out what he did. It was something he'd needed to do for several years. He listened to the soul song of stillness, let it comfort and fortify him before he proceeded. Now was the time to get it done, so he took a deep breath and prepared for what he always saw as the inevitable outcome of what he was about to do. He was a Stark after all. Frey was still smiling kindly when Anthony turned to him. Humiliation burned brightly on his face as he spoke. "Frey, …I, I'm, sorry, for what happened when we first met. I shouldn't have done it. It was wrong." His voice faded away in those three sentences until it was tiny. He'd offered a piece of his personhood, now all he could do was wait for it to be crushed. It was all that could happen in his mind. Starks didn't apologize to the prey, to do so was to become the prey, no longer a person.

Anthony's demeanor distressed Frey. It was clear to him that his nephew-by-law was expecting to either be hit or made sport of for trying to apologize. Neither of those were what Frey wanted. "I forgive you Anthony, and I wish to apologize to you. I regret my actions. I should not have attacked you."

Shock blew Anthony's eyes wide as he looked up to Frey then looked away, "Thank you. I was never angry at you." It was what Anthony could think to say since apologies weren't his specialty.

"What Tony means is that he's already forgiven you for your actions, that he didn't hold you accountable for them, but he thanks you for your apology." His younger brother nodded as he spoke when James moved to intervene. Anthony was having the expected problems with apologizing and accepting an apology. It was his responsibility to handle that.

The shadows oozed silently around Sean, smearing his vision with a deep brown nearly black color. He tilted his head to the side to listen to the song coming from the good Colonel's white seidr. It was like seidr, not able to be seen with eyes or heard with ears but still there and able to be used. The young seidmadr couldn't tell what the song was.. Whatever it was, it had a distinctly calming effect on those around Colonel Rhodes. Sean appreciated that.

Frey kept a soft smile on his face while he was intensely curious about what had just happened. He wondered both why Anthony had such low expectations of apologies and why Rhodes had such a practiced demeanor for interpreting and putting forth Anthony's intentions. "Are you ready?" Frey looked to Rhodes since it was clear that Rhodes was directing this endeavor.

This was one of the best apologies that Anthony had ever been a part of. There wasn't any hitting or yelling or taunting involved in it. As well as it went, it also meant that it was time for the next part of this. He turned to his older brother nervously, asking, "Is it time now?"

The Sleep Inducing Spell was mounted quickly from James' unfolded seidr. Cupping the side of his brother's face, he smiled approvingly at the apology. It was three whole sentences instead of half of one. "You did good, kid, but it's time." He released the spell into Anthony's brain, causing his younger brother to collapse forward into him while his eyes rolled back into his head as his seidr stowed back into his core. James scooped up his brother and placed him gently on the bed of the Soul Forge then moved around to the head of the ancient machine.

The shadows peeled away as Sean stepped out of them and angled out his seidr to bend a Portal Spell to the guest room where Lord Odin took Lady Loki to. The Portal Spell opened quickly, linking the two rooms together again. He held it open while Lord Odin stepped back through. His part in this task was at an end. All there was left was to wait until he was needed again. Sean didn't mind, it meant that he had more time to listen to the song Colonel Rhodes was playing. It wasn't beautiful like Mjolnir's ethereal song, but it was still just as soothing in a more primal way.

Once James was out of Frey's way he began cycling rapidly between the soul song of stillness and the soul song of blessings. He couldn't heal his younger brother, but he could ensure that everyone would have calmness and luck on their side. It was what he could contribute to this situation. The only other thing he had to contribute was a simple request. "Tony's left kidney is a donor kidney. I know you can replace it, but I'd like you to leave it in place. Tony wants to keep it."

"Alright, if it's what he wants, then we can do that," Frey replied. He didn't know what a 'donor' kidney was, but it was something he needed to pay attention to. Looking over to Odin showed him that Odin didn't know what a donor kidney was either.

Should we check his organs first? Odin flared his seidr out to Frey since it was clear that neither of them knew about what Rhodes was mentioning. The beast within him began to grumble again.

I think we will. Frey answered with his own seidr flare.

"Thank you. I appreciate that." James looked back down to his brother and smiled a little nervously. He had disentangled his younger brother from the mess that he'd made, now it was time to get him the medical attention that he needed. It won't always be someone else doing this. Someday I'll be able to do this for myself. It wasn't as if James mistrusted other people completely, he just trusted himself more.

After Frey extended his seidr into the ancient machine between them Odin unwound his seidr from his seidr core to form another Transmutation Spell. It released to form another bridge between his seidr and Frey's seidr before the conducting poles had even finished raising. His seidr was instantly transmuted into Frey's seidr as he lent his strength to his Little Brother again. The grumbling of the beast within him grew a little louder. Through their joined seidr Odin could feel his brother's desire to heal Stark as well. It was a desire that he shared. His son-by-law had suffered enough. It was time for healing.

Up the conducting poles Frey's seidr went to extend the Soul's Light and create the light tools again. It was nice to feel that Odin's desire to heal Anthony matched his own. The dark place in his Elder Brother's seidr was expanding, but Odin was containing it, so he paid it no mind. Like Loki, Anthony was covered in Frey's seidr as he assumed complete control of his nephew-by-law's body. A perfect representation of Anthony appeared in the Soul's Light. Frey was ready to begin the healing, so he looked to Anthony's organs first. After what he'd seen in the conference room he expected the scarring riddled through his nephew-by-law's middle. Every organ had some level of disfunction due to poorly healed injuries. What Frey didn't expect was the gruesome discovery of what James meant by 'donor kidney'. Someone else's organ was sitting in Anthony's body, being used as though it were his own. Frey instantly wanted to know why it was there and what happened to the other person that the organ came from. Tearing someone apart to put their bits in another person seemed truly grisly to Frey. As ghastly as it was, the younger King had to admit that the organ was serving Anthony very well, much better than his own remaining kidney. The more Frey compared the two kidneys the more he grew to accept this Midgardian solution. Without this other person's organ Anthony would have been suffering from the same sort of organ failure that Loki previously was. As well as it was serving Anthony, Frey still wanted to remove it and transmute a new organ in its place. He was stopped by Anthony's own desire to keep the foreign organ. A vibration in the Soul's Light brought Odin's thoughts across to him. It looks like a powerful organ, that's probably why he wants to keep it. Frey couldn't disagree with that assessment, even though he disagreed with keeping the organ in place.

Since Frey wasn't going to get to replace the foreign organ he moved his focus to Anthony's own kidney and the very serious scarring that was all throughout it. After a thorough assessment he decided that the organ was scarred but could still be saved. He took active control of the organ's nerves to dampen the pain that his actions might cause. Next Frey took one of the small light tools, sharpening the end down to a razor sharp point. He began by cleaving away the scarring throughout the kidney and breaking down the tissue into a paste. The paste was used to prompt controlled cellular regeneration to heal the organ completely. From Anthony's kidneys to his liver Frey's attention went. There was scarring in the liver too. It looked like a small explosion was detonated inside the organ. That scarring was the next to be cleaved away and broken down. More cellular regeneration brought the liver back to full health. The scarring in the smaller organs was able to be handled quickly and without much effort. When Frey went to examine Anthony's stomach he found that there was scarring in that organ as well. The scars were in an organized grid over the top of the stomach. Frey wondered what test Anthony was conducting that he left himself with such orderly scars. Those too were cleaved away, broken down and healed.

More time slipped past as Odin lent his strength to healing Stark. The internal scarring was both more than he wanted to see and less that he expected to find. It brought a smile to his face to see it dealt with. It was better to see the organs healed than to contemplate where the donor kidney came from, and certainly better than what they found in his son-by-law's skeleton. More than a few of the bones looked like they were cleanly sawed through and then roughly put back together. There was scarring in the muscle of his left leg that made it seem like Stark's left leg was severed and reattached. Odin didn't want to think that might have happened in Stark's workshop. Unfortunately, there were many terrible things that happened in that workshop as his son-by-law worked to create a cure for Void Sickness. This was probably one of them.

Sean grimaced as he watched Lord Frey and Lord Odin work. Lord Stark's skeleton wasn't as scarred as Lady Loki's was before Lord Frey got to it, but it was scarred in equally bad ways. Loki's scars came from the cure for Void Sickness that Lord Stark created. Lord Stark's scars came from creating that cure. Sean didn't like that Lord Stark had to use his own pain and suffering to create a cure to Prince Loki's pain and suffering. The pain hadn't been alleviated. It only changed forms. Sean liked watching Lord Frey work to alleviate that pain with Lord Odin's assistance. This was a real cure to the pain and suffering that came with a slightly disjointed soundtrack. Colonel Rhodes was rapidly switching between two different songs now. Sean could tell that one was still the calming song, but the new song was more difficult for him to determine. If anything, it made him feel lucky. Like a Prosperity Charm maybe? If that was its function then Sean was glad to have it.

All of the scars and blemishes were removed from the rest of Anthony's body when Frey decided to turn his attention to his head. The younger King hoped that he wouldn't find anything terrible there. It was a vain hope, and he knew it when he looked to Anthony's brain. What he found there was never what he wanted to find. Anthony's brain was a normal size, but still showed signs of malnutrition, and early childhood neglect. The language center of his brain was damaged in a way that Frey couldn't repair, not when his very brain was deformed. What the younger King was looking at was damage from years of abuse in childhood. Frey's gaze met Odin's and they both worried. They would have worried more but they saw the excessive markings of a prodigious intelligence in Anthony. A vibration in the Soul's Light brought Frey Odin's thoughts on the matter. He must have overcome this. Frey had to agree with his Elder Brother. The tremendous feats accomplished by his nephew-by-law couldn't have happened if the damage affected him so severely. Frey still didn't like it. This was an injury that he couldn't heal. All he could do was to handle the slight scarring from multiple concussions. With that done Anthony was as healed as he could be.

Odin could feel that Frey was finished so he broke down his Transmutation Spell and withdrew his seidr, twisting it back into his seidr core. Frey withdrew his seidr then as well, furling it back into his seidr core. The Soul's Light extinguished, the conducting poles lowered and the light in the bed of the Soul Forge dimmed as the ancient machine powered down again. The healing was done, so Frey turned to Rhodes and moved out of the way. "He is healed now." It wasn't entirely true, and he decided to speak with Rhodes about it tomorrow. He needed to know if Rhodes knew what, if anything, was being done about it.

A sedate smile graced James' face. His younger brother was well taken care of. Moving around to the side of the Soul Forge, he gathered his younger brother up until he was carrying the younger man with Anthony's head resting on his shoulder. He turned to face Frey. "Thank you for this, he's needed it."

"You're very welcome." Frey smiled at the gratitude. It was humble and honorable. This was what he'd seen in the recordings in that meeting room. He was glad to see it in real life.

James turned to Odin then, "Thank you. We greatly appreciate this."

A smile accompanied Odin saying, "I'm glad to have provided aid."

James turned to Sean then, "Thank you as well, for helping to make this possible."

"Of course, Colonel Rhodes, it was my pleasure to help out." Sean bowed slightly, minding his manners around a colonel that he respected greatly. His seidr angled out of his core for him to bend into another Portal Spell, which opened to a different guest chamber. "We'll convene again tomorrow morning in Lord Frey's office."

With a simple nod, and an, "I'll be there," James turned around and went through the portal. His brother needed rest and he still had things to do.

From the other side of the portal Sean heard a very soft, "It's ok, kid," before the portal closed. He broke down the portal into seidr and angled it back into his seidr core.

"Sean, could you bring Frigga to us, please?" Frey was eager to keep going. It was distressing that he couldn't fully heal Anthony's body or Loki's mind. Frey wanted to de-stress some with another healing, one he could take to completion.

"Brother?" Odin wasn't sure what Frey was doing. He didn't mind if there was something Frey wanted to discuss between the four of them. Physically he was fine, emotionally he was exhausted. Having Frigga near was what he wanted.

"Certainly." Sean grasped the pearl of his Lady's seidr in his seidr core and let it froth and foam into the seidr around it, converting the seidr that it touched. When he was empowered he commanded the dusky rose Nornic seidr to grip Lady Frigga gently at the moment she arrived on Vanaheim and bring her to them. A moment later Lady Frigga arrived in a flash of dusky rose teleportation fire.

The brilliant light from the teleportation fire was swiftly blinked out of Frigga's eyes. The first thing she saw was Truthspeaker Sean McCorrmick with his runework lit. The beautiful runes covering his neck, shoulders and chest, arms and body down to his hips then down from the tops of his thighs down to his feet were shimmering in lovely deep purple and then dusky rose on his right arm. The complex and beautiful chain structure that any mage carried on themselves was filled with the runes of the magical disciplines or powerful spells that the mage had worked to learn. Normally the chains were straight, but the young Truthspeaker's rune chains were woven overtop of one another like ribbons. Truthspeaker McCorrmick was gifted with the runes and woven chains by the Lady he served; the Lady Audhumbla. It was all so that he might do her bidding. Then the runes extinguished, leaving him unmarked as he normally was. She turned to see her husband and brother were standing behind her. "Do I need to do something else before you can heal them?"

"I pulled you through time. Both Lady Loki and Lord Stark have been healed." Sean tried to reassure the anxious Queen.

Frigga looked to Truthspeaker McCorrmick, then excitedly to her brother and her husband. All three of them had happy smiles on their faces. She went to her husband then. "Tell me our daughter is healed."

"Her body is made whole again. Frey and I will have to find a way to heal her mind." Stroking his fingers down the side of his wife's face was relaxing him already. "I'm confident that we can do this. There has to be a way to accomplish it. We just haven't found it yet." The beast within him grumbled then stirred, speaking quickly, A little hrafnasueltir (coward) like you will let them know what you've done? A low growling laughter rolled out of the beast's throat. I look forward to you telling them exactly what you've done, my son.

"But husband, there isn't a way to heal a broken mind." Faced with such happiness and confidence, Frigga couldn't help but smile herself.

Like his Little Brother, Odin knew that his wife was wrong as well. He was well acquainted with the process to take a mind apart. Putting it back together was a different, and harder, matter though. "There has to be a technique somewhere in the Nine Realms. I believe in that, and I won't stop until I've found it." Be quiet Borr. I have no need of you. No one does.

The sentiment was to be applauded, even if Frigga already knew that it couldn't be acted on. She could hear the determination in his seidr. Her husband truly meant to find a way to heal their child's mind. "Whatever I can do to aid you, I will."

"I know." With such an enchanting creature by his side there was very little that Odin felt was beyond him.

Watching the unveiled love in his beloved sister's eyes for her husband, his Elder Brother by oath, helped to fill in more of the ashen hole in him that his wrathful anger left. It was still strange to him that he no longer wanted the wrathful anger that had been his companion for most of his life. It was gone now, and he was still burnt out inside. Seeing his beloved sister's happiness and being able to bring Sean home with him was beginning to fil in the edges of that hole. Frey was very grateful for it. "There's something we have to do before that." His voice was quiet as he spoke.

Both Odin and Frigga looked to Frey. "What else do we need to do, brother, that we aren't doing tomorrow?"

A sharp smile touched Frey's lips as he motioned to the Soul Forge. "It's your turn in the Soul Forge, brother. You have an eye that needs tending to."

Pleasant surprise streaked across Frigga's mind. She didn't wait for her husband to respond before she eagerly pushed him to sit on the Soul Forge. His eyes had always been one of her most favorite things about Odin. They were so expressive to her. To have lost one unexpectedly caused a bitter grief in her that took too long to fade. Her beloved had been maimed, leaving her without a way to heal him. Now her brother was offering to heal that injury and give her beloved back what he lost. It caused a persistent and hopeful joy to burst out through her. "Beloved, your eye! You'll have your eye back!"

Loki had taken up so much of Odin's attention that he forgot Frey's very clear desire to heal him too. Now that it was coming to that moment Odin hesitated. The beast within hm growled viciously. No! You don't deserve healing, hrafnasueltir! He couldn't exactly disagree with the beast. His lost eye was just another reminder of the terrible things that he'd done; the unjust wars, the wake of dead, the coercive treaties. He'd brought the Elder Realms to their knees and wasn't certain now that he should be able to walk away from that. As grateful as he was to have the opportunity to create a brighter future it didn't mean that he was walking away from the past. There could be no walking away from what he'd done. Odin went to tell her that he didn't think he was worthy and made the mistake of looking into her eyes. Those multi-faceted light blue gems held him rapt with the amount of love they had. It was still all for him. "You can be whole again," the words drifted into his ears. Even the power of the beast within him couldn't compare to the magnificent creature before him. This magnificence wanted his compliance, so he laid down in the Soul Forge without thinking about what was going to happen. She wanted and he could give, that was all that mattered to him.

The loving expression that crossed Odin's face as he looked at her told Frigga that he was going to do as she asked. There was a moment of hesitation that she felt from him when Frey declared his intent to heal her beloved. It was a large change for Odin that he might not agree with since he preferred to make small changes that would lead up to one large change. She understood that it might cause some hesitation but wasn't going to let that hesitation get in the way of her beloved being healed. Once he was laid down she backed away to let Frey work.

The sharp smile on Frey's face broadened into something wider. Hope for the future filled his smile. The brighter future they both sought was coming into being right before him. His own hands were bringing it into being. With Odin in the Soul Forge Frey unfurled his seidr to extend it into the ancient machine before him. The light in the bed under Odin lit up and the conducting poles rose up again. Frey extended the Soul's Light and crated the light tools for a third time that night. It created a perfect representation of Odin in the Soul's Light. He looked down to Odin with a reassuring look on his face. "I'm going to put you to sleep now, brother. You'll be healed when you wake." A weak Sleep Inducing Spell formed out of his unfurled seidr. It released into smoothly into his Elder Brother's chest to put him to sleep for a short time. Just a few minutes was all Frey was going to need.

Lord Odin's left eye fluttered shut and Lady Frigga smiled widely. The Asgardian Queen wasn't the only one smiling though. Sean smiled as he watched Lord Frey and Lord Odin interact. Just the day before the two Kings were friends at the edge of a sword, enemies in reality. Now they were brothers, and both were embracing their new roles enthusiastically. What they were shown looked to have been truly transformative for them. They were new men confronting old problems, and there were plenty of them. Sean was proud to be able to assist them as they worked.

A Transmutation Spell formed quickly and released into Odin's head to create control points in the nerves coming to and from the destroyed right eye. These control points were easier to use than keeping active control of the nerves. They let him devote more attention to the greater part of the healing. With his brother's pain alleviated, Frey set to work carefully dissolving the alchemical binding that kept the gold eye patch affixed to Odin's face. A light little clinking noise was loud in the quiet room as the patch slid off Odin's face to land on the bed beside his head. It was strange for Frey to realize that the vicious scarring and obviously deadened eye displeased him to look at. This terrible scarring was on the man who had been making his sister blissfully happy for most of her life. This was the man who he spent more than two thousand years blindly hating. My wrathful anger is dead, and I am burnt out, but I still know the meaning of family. The smile on his face didn't wane as Frey probed at the wound. There was scarring all throughout the eye socket. This was the aftermath of a Gudleifr's Bursting Ice Spell. As he expected Odin's right eye was unrecoverable, it had to be replaced.

Frey unfurled more of his seidr to form another Transmutation Spell. He held it in waiting. First he needed a light tool, so he grasped one. The tip of it lengthened and sharpened into a razor sharp point. A single one of Odin's cells was struck to copy the lifecode in it and break it out into the Soul's Light. The first thing Frey noticed was the Royal Lifecode Marker, the part of the lifecode that anyone born into a Royal House possessed. It was the ultimate proof of nobility in the Edler Realms. From there Frey found the coded instructions to form a new eye. Even with the instructions Frey frowned a little. He had no way to evenly match the new eye to the old one. What he needed to do seemed obvious. There was just one thing he needed as a Heal Meister before he proceeded. "Frigga," his voice was soft, "I have no means to match the new eye to the old. You are his wife, do I have your permission to replace both eyes, to match one to the other?"

"Yes. Do it." This seemed even better to Frigga. Her beloved was being made new. They could go into the future healthy and whole.

The smile on Frey's wide grew wide again. This was the answer that he wanted. Frey took the light tool and copied out the right part of Odin's lifecode to the tip of the tool. He applied the Transmutation Spell to the tip of the light tool in his seidr. Frey drew more seidr into his Transmutation Spell until it was twice the potency that it was. Using his seidr the younger King broke down and dissolved Odin's eyes, removing them from the sockets. After both sockets were cleaned and the nerves were gripped he touched each optic nerve with the light tool. The Transmutation Spell slid into the sockets like a salve. The younger King anchored the spell to the optic nerves and blood vessels and cell by cell he reformed two perfectly functional eyes from the spell. Every new cell formed was meticulously placed and carefully monitored to ensure the health of each cell and the health of the eyes as a whole. The rest of the scarring on Odin's face was easily taken care of after that. Only a few minutes slipped past while the King of Asgard was made whole again.

"It is done." Happiness filled Frey that he could do this for his family. He dismissed the light tools and extinguished the Soul's Light. Withdrawing his seidr caused the conducting poles to slide down into the Soul Forge, and again the light under the bed dimmed. Frey's seidr furled back into his seidr core. As he stepped back to allow Frigga to come and wake Odin.

Laying a hand on Odin's shoulder, Frigga shook lightly. "Odin, beloved. Awaken." Another little shake at his shoulder seemed to do the trick as he began to stir. "Awaken."

A duality of sensation trickled through Odin. He was warm and comfortable while laying on something cold and hard. "Awaken," the words caught his attention, the tone of the familiar voice was gentle. The most beautiful creature to him in the Nine Realms was calling. He had to go to her. Odin's eyes snapped open, showing him the pristine white ceiling above him. This field of vision was wider now than he remembered it being. Tentatively he reached up and placed his right hand over his right eye. His field of vision returned to normal until he removed his hand, then it was wide again. As he was moving to put his hand over his eye again he saw her; the most beautiful creature in the Nine Realms. Frigga had a jubilant smile on her face that he couldn't help but be held rapt by.

Joy lit up Frigga's expression as she saw both of her husband's eyes for the first time in hundreds of years. She cupped the side of his face with her hand so that she could get a good look. "Oh beloved, you're whole again."

Whole again? Odin didn't think he was but would be anything she wanted him to be so long as Frigga was willing to look at him with that much love. It was never a love that he deserved, but always he love that he wanted.

Frey watched another example of the unquestionable love that his beloved sister and Elder Brother held for one another. It helped to fill in the ashen hole in himself that his wrathful anger left behind. This was the love that he'd always wanted his beloved sister to have, the dedication that she deserved. There was another something that she deserved, something else he could provide. "There's one last important thing that needs to happen. Frigga…" Joy vibrated through Frey.

Odin sat up slowly, placing his right hand over his right eye, and withdrawing it. Frigga stayed by his side until she heard her brother speak, then she turned to look. The wide grin on Frey's face betrayed his intention to heal her as well. Frigga put a hand over her chest as she realized what he wanted to do. Since she was a little girl she'd known that she was incomplete as a woman. She should have been unmarriageable since she could provide no heir to any husband she had. It was why she joined the Valkyr, to make her life meaningful somehow. Odin was willing to overlook this deficiency. That never meant that Frigga didn't regret never giving him a child from herself. Even as Odin brought her Thor and then Loki as their children she still regretted not being able to give this gift to her husband. It never mattered to Odin. He loved her just the same, loved their children just the same. It was always a bitter gripe in her own mind that she thought could never go away. Frigga knew that all of it was about to change with her brother's very obvious offer to help her be complete as a woman.

"Sister, it's your turn in the Soul Forge." A moment to calm himself came and went as Frey began to tremble at the thought of finally healing his beloved sister. Very early in his life was when he learned of his sister's inability to bear children. His father trusted him with the secret as he was learning to use the Healing Spell and Soul Forge. There were more times than he could immediately remember that he'd tried to heal this inborn injury. Every time he learned a new technique, or new power level of the Healing Spell, or new familiarity with the Soul Forge he tried to heal her. Never once had he been successful, or even able to make progress. His beloved sister's lifecode was twisted in on itself. Even now the injury couldn't be healed without fundamentally changing who and what she was. That didn't mean that he couldn't heal her womb. That was something he could do easily now. Even if she didn't want any more children, she would at least be able to feel like a whole woman. That was more than enough wellness for Frey. He only wanted her to be happy.

"So that I can have more children?" Frigga trembled slightly at the thought of being able to gift her husband with more children. Frey was just as happy for her. There were many who said that the Lord of Vanaheim and his Little Sister should have been reflected siblings, for their faces matched so well. It was normally that his face was said to be wolfish while hers was said to be exquisite. More than anything it was their height that distinguished them. In that moment each of their expressions held equal amount of joyous anticipation. This was a moment each of them had waited so long for.

"I'm a little old for that." Odin chuckled as he spoke, only half joking.

The mischievous little wink that Frigga gave Frey told him that his Elder Brother was in for a surprise sometime soon. He couldn't wait to see the look on Odin's face.

As Frigga got into the Soul Forge Odin moved around to the side. "Do you need me for this, brother?"

Shaking his head lightly, Frey moved back to the Soul Forge to unfurl his seidr from his core and extend it into the ancient machine before him. The light in the bed lit up as the conducting poles extended up once more time. "Not this time. I won't even need to put her to sleep. Your control points in the nerves will create enough numbness to handle this." With that Frey extended the Soul's Light and created the light tools. He grasped one of the small light tools and its tip extended down again. Another cell was tapped so that Frey could break out his sister's lifecode, so he that could look at how to manipulate it. Then Frey formed a Transmutation Spell from his unfurled seidr. He released it to form control points on the nerves to and from his beloved sister's womb. No pain would reach her from this.

Her womb was a small, thick, and hardened muscle that didn't serve its purpose. Frey gently loosened the muscle before he began slowly and carefully bisecting the top from the lower section. Frey moved the top of the muscle upwards in her belly while he formed another Transmutation Spell. From there he thinned the muscle fibers on the top section while thickening the lining to a useable depth. Frey released the Transmutation Spell towards his beloved sister's womb, anchoring it to the top muscle section and growing new muscle cell by cell. With the top section lengthened the younger King bisected the lower section to create another circle of muscle. After the muscle and lining were adjusted he grafted the muscle loop onto the top section of the womb, building a new womb as he went. Another Transmutation Spell formed from his seidr and released towards the incomplete womb to create new muscle. Again, he meticulously grew the new muscle from the older ring of muscle. The bottom section of her womb was also small and hardened so Frey formed another Transmutation Spell. He broke down and dissolved the bottom of her womb before he released the Transmutation Spell towards the womb that he built for her. The spell was carefully guided to regrow the bottom in a useable size and softness. Not only would she be able to carry children, but she would be able to safety deliver them. Once his work reforming her womb was done Frey realigned the nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissues to her new womb. The last thing Frey did was to check his work cell by cell. Everything was properly in place and functioning well. It made him all so happy to see. He had finally healed his beloved sister.

Frey withdrew his seidr from his beloved sister, undid the control points on her nerves, then dismissed the light tools and extinguished the Soul's Light. The conducting poles went down for the last time as the light in the bed dimmed. Tears of joy misted over his eyes. His voice was thick with emotion. "It is done. You're healed."

The entire process of Frey rebuilding her womb was on display for Frigga to watch in the Soul's Light above her. Her hands rested over top of her belly as her brother worked. The numbness in her middle dissipated when he withdrew his seidr. It left behind parts of her body that didn't function before where they did now. It was such a small difference, but it meant all the world to her. She was finally complete as a woman. Frigga sat up and lunged to her brother, hugging him tightly before she looked back over to Odin. "Beloved!"

Gratitude and joy sung through Odin's thoughts. He held his arms open for his wife and she threw herself at him so that he could hold her tightly. This was something that his wife had wanted for so long and had never thought she could have. For as much as he loved his wife this was one thing that he hadn't been able to give her. Though he was too old to give her children, she could still feel whole as she deserved. This was a magnificent gift from Frey to Frigga and him. Odin couldn't think of how to repay Frey for this gift, but he whole-heartedly acknowledged the debt. "I don't know how to repay you for this, Frey. Thank you. Thank you."

A mischievous grin touched Frey's lips then. "A few new nephews or nieces would be nice."

A quiet chortle left Odin. "I'm still a little old for that."

"We aren't too old now." Frigga looked up to Odin hopefully.

"Wife, I'm old and withered. Too withered for a new babe." Odin had the distinct feeling that Frigga was going to try to convince him to do something unwise. It wasn't as if he disliked the thought of having more children with her, he just didn't feel like he was up to the monumental task of a new babe.

Something in that sentiment suddenly seemed off to Frey. He wasn't quite sure what it was. Later was when he decided to think about it, after Frigga had convinced Odin that they needed more children. He chuckled at the thought of it, still flushed with happiness.

A cunning grin touched Frigga's lips. "Tomorrow is going to be busy, we should away to bed. We want to be well-prepared, and half the night has already slipped away." They would be going to a bed in one of Frey's guest chambers, instead of their own bed in their chambers in Asgard. Frigga didn't mind though. Part of her welcomed the thought of her child being conceived on Vanaheim. Either on Vanaheim or Asgard, one way or another Odin was going to give her another child. They both knew it.

Odin knew the look in his wife's eyes. She was definitely going to try to convince him to have another babe, so he prepared himself. He prepared his most sensible arguments for a last stand that would be neither heroic nor drawn out. She was going to win the day in this battle. All he could do stall until he was more comfortable with the idea, and she wasn't going to give him that much time. "Yes, wife. That's a wise idea." This is not a wise idea, wife.

"Sleep well both of you." Frey didn't bother keeping the encouraging smile off of his face. Frigga didn't need encouragement; she clearly was going to go after what she wanted. His smile broadened when his beloved sister teleported her and Odin away. They were happy. It was all he wanted for his family.

Frey's gaze turned from where his beloved sister and her husband had been to the beautiful young man he was suddenly alone in the room with. Lust began to build from the joy he was feeling. Heavy emotion turned to heavier emotion as he went to stand before his fair seidmadr. Everyone in his family was as healed as they could be. He and his elder Brother had done as much as they could do. Now, with Sean, he could indulge himself.

22May2023 – Late Night

The Lord of Vanaheim's private chambers

Black candles lit the room in low light. Their soft glow flickered over everything in the small, windowless room. Against the center of the back wall was an unusually large bed. The wooden headboard was carved with an ornate picture of a pack of dragons raining fire down on a rocky landscape with a large volcano in the backdrop. The nearly six-foot wide by four foot tall tableau was done in a variety of tones. Each of the seven dragons was a different color. Deep crimson red, sandy yellow, light clover green, bright cerulean blue, cinnamon brown, smoky grey, and midnight black. Each of the dragon clans was represented. The heavy mattress was just as wide as the headboard. It sat on a heavier wooden frame lacquered in deep black. The frame and mattress extended out to nearly nine feet before both swung into a wide curve at the end. The mattress was thick and covered in solid black silk sheets. A matching thick silk quilt was draped over the mattress. It was large enough to cover the entire bed and even flow over the sides almost to the floor. Several large pillows decked in black silk covers were neatly arranged up by the headboard.

Beside the bed, on either side of the headboard, sat two, small tables. Each of them were done in the same black lacquered wood as the frame of the bed. The only thing on the tables were the black candles which were all that was lighting the room. It was magic which lit them, magic which kept them lit and magic which kept them from burning any lower. Beneath the bed the floor was tiled in cold black stone. There were no rugs to cover its hard surface. The walls of the bedroom were covered in a deep black paint. They were bare of anything besides the color. The ceiling was covered in the same black tones. On one side of the bed was a closed door which led to another small room that served as a closet and dressing area. On the opposite side of the bed was another closed door that led to the bathing chamber. From the wall directly facing this bed was the door that led out into a small sitting area with more doors. All three of these closed doors were lacquered in shining black.

A brilliant flash of sunny teleportation fire briefly added light to the room before it died away leaving two men standing in its place. They were standing at the end of Frey's bed. Sean was between him and his bed. Little shivers of excitement were already shaking Frey's muscles. That excitement sped up his pulse and left him slightly panting as he looked down into Sean's crystalline violet eyes. They were exquisite. Pleasant eagerness filled him entirely, wiping away anything but the singular need creating that eagerness. With his fair seidmadr standing between him and his own bed he no longer cared about proprieties. Here, alone with his fair seidmadr, he was no longer the Lord of an Elder Realm who was uncomfortably bound by tradition, propriety, and his own hard-won good reputation. Here, he was just Frey.

Sean glanced quickly around the small room that Lord Frey had teleported them to. It was a dark room, his Lord's bedroom. He could feel the very clear intent in his Lord's seidr. There was almost nothing but that one thing. It was so powerful that it was obscuring anything else. Sean wasn't nervous about the reasons behind it, nor was he nervous about being with a man whom he'd known for such a short time. There was no worry about that. While seidr was used to bend into spells, runes, weaves, charms, and wards, to practice magic, it was also filled with a person's thoughts and emotions. Frey's seidr had already flowed through Sean's seidr core as Sean had touched at the inside of Frey's core. They knew each other now in a way that he hadn't thought possible. It only helped him to feel better that some of Frey's seidr was trapped within his seidr core in the imprinting. Sean had no nervousness in being with a man who already belonged to him, who he already belonged to. "What would my Lord like to do?" he asked quietly.

Frey leaned down to press their lips together. His fair seidmadr tasted just as good now as he had before. "Frey," he murmured against Sean's lips, "just Frey. I want no titles between us." Unfurling his seidr, he reached out and gripped his and Sean's clothing with his seidr then dismissed it all to his interdimensional pocket to be dealt with later. He reached up to place a hand on the side of Sean's face. "I want nothing between us," he said before he sealed their lips together again.

22May2023 – Late Night

Vanaheim Royal Palace Guest Chambers

The lovely soothing lullaby from Mjolnir was singing in Thor's ears as she hung from his belt. His dear friend was trying to sooth his anxiety and he appreciated it greatly. "Are you certain that Stark is ..safe?" He looked to the door to the guest chambers again. More typing noises drew his attention. Every time either of them spoke the good Colonel recorded it, normally on his phone. It didn't feel ominous or intimidating though. It was just how Colonel Rhodes was.

James increased the strength of his soul song of stillness. "He's sleeping right now. You don't need to worry." He caught Thor's attention then. "So you didn't tell me, how are you doing through this? How do you feel?" His hands were waiting to type out a transcript of the encounter on his micro laptop. It was time for Thor to start having more formal check-ins. Audio recordings weren't enough anymore.

A feeling of safety and security that came with Colonel Rhodes helped his omnipresent anxiety to ease. He had to admit that if the good colonel said that Stark wasn't a threat then Stark was indeed not a threat. "I ..I don't know. I feel so guilty about what happened to Loki, and what happened to Stark. I'm glad that father and Uncle Frey could do something about it, but I…" The Asgardian Prince's voice dwindled away to nothing as his gaze drifted down. There was something, a small detail of what he'd learned in that meeting room that he couldn't deny. It was awkward and uncomfortable, dwindling his voice to a near whisper. "Colonel Rhodes, am I wrong to be angry with my parents?"

"Call me James, please." When Thor looked up at him James gave him a reassuring smile and a nod. "You aren't wrong to be angry. You aren't wrong to have any emotion. Your emotions are yours. They're valid, whatever they are, but it's not good to hold on to the anger. Anger is a poison. So tell me, what are you angry about?"

Anger is a poison. In light of what he'd seen of his brother-by-law's anger the words sounded particularly wise to him. "Stark's anger is poisonous," Thor reflected, "I don't want to be like that." The lullaby gained a slightly more soothing tone.

"No one should want to be like that." James' voice was light while his thoughts on his younger brother's anger was grim. Tomorrow morning he was going to find out how Anthony would take what he'd done. That was neither here nor there though, and certainly not helpful in that moment. The Asgardian Prince needed someone to talk him through his emotions and he didn't mind being the one to do it.

"No, certainly not." Thor shook his head negatively. "There are several things that I'm angry about; how father punished Loki for studying magic, how father used Loki and I, how mother lied to me. She lied to me! I still love them, but I don't know how much I can trust them." His shoulders drooped then.

"And that makes it worse? The feeling of betrayal or the lies themselves?"

"I… don't know now. I thought it was the betrayal, but the lies are so painful. Just the thought of not being able to trust my mother hurts." Thor still couldn't wrap his mind around the very concept of not trusting his mother. He could feel the pain of it but didn't want to. He wanted to trust his mother and father.

"Let's unpack that, one piece at a time. The betrayal causes a separate and distinct hurt. The lies themselves also cause a separate and distinct hurt. Not being able to trust your mother also causes a separate and distinct hurt. Do you still trust your father, or are you having problems with that as well?" James appreciated that Thor always gave him honest answers and didn't purposefully try to obscure problems. It made working with him so much easier than any of his younger brothers. He was also glad that Thor didn't mind his creating a transcript of their encounter. The soft typing noises were a gentle undertone to their conversation.

"I feel like I can't trust my father either." Thor dragged his gaze back up to meet James' gaze. "I want to. I want to trust my parents. I, I feel …" His gaze drifted back down as he couldn't get the words out that he needed to.

"Do you feel guilty in some way for not trusting them?"

Thor nodded slowly. "I do. I good son would trust his parents." A slightly bitter burn ignited in his thoughts. "Good parents wouldn't lie to their children, or use them like tools, … …but they needed to."

"Alright, so we have the betrayal, the lies, not being able to trust your mother and then not being able to trust your father. Is there anything else?"

"Father punished Loki, as a child, for studying magic because he didn't want Loki to discover what he'd done! It was wrong how he did it, what he said! Loki didn't do anything wrong." Thor was still appalled to understand why his father punished Loki so harshly.

"How could Loki have discovered it when she was a child?" James strengthened his soul song of stillness just a little more at Thor's distressed look.

"It's what Loki said, a person's seidr can tell you who their parents are. If Loki could discern that he wasn't their child then he could discern that I ..that I wasn't their son either." Once again his voice lowered to a near whisper. "And then there's Mjolnir." Her song gained a sorrowful tone, as though she was apologizing for what happened. You will always be my dear friend. I don't blame you for this, Mjolnir. From sorrowful to more grateful, Mjolnir's song changed in tone, even though the lyrics stayed the same.

"Alright, and what about Mjolnir makes you angry?" James' gaze darted briefly to the large hammer hanging from the Asgardian Prince's belt.

"Father created Mjolnir to keep people from discovering what I am." Thor knew that by definition he was a Royal Bastard, but he thought that his mother would be offended by him saying that.

"And what you are?" Thor had reasons to be angry, James couldn't deny it, but he still thought that this should be easier to resolve than Thor was thinking it would be. A shift in perspective was needed. The Asgardian Prince had already started shifting, but he still needed some help along.

"I'm not my mother's son by blood. I'm a Royal Bastard, my father's bastard." A deep flush of embarrassment coated his face. They were words that no Prince of any Royal House should ever utter, but they were the truth. There was another truth though, one his mother viewed him through. "I'm still my mother's son. I wish I could show you how. It was beautiful." It made him feel loved again, and he loved that.

"Do you think you could transfer it to me? To show me?" James suspected that he knew what Thor wanted to show him. Anthony had already shown him, and Thor was right. It was beautiful. His younger brother didn't take it as beautiful though. It was hideous and sickening and entirely relatable to Anthony.

The note from Edward was still in his pocket so he pulled it out and read the instructions again. Thor wasn't really sure about his ability to transfer a memory through the Learning Spell. He didn't want to do it wrong and hurt someone, himself included. The instructions were simple but involved enough for him to try it. Thor asked Mjolnir to create the Learning Spell for him, then he focused on the memory he wanted to show James, and had a desire to transfer the memory. He could feel the spell activating and gathering his memory into the spell as he focused on it. There was a noticeable feeling when the memory was ready to transfer. With it ready he reached over and touched James' hand. The memory transferred then. Beautiful runes in a color he'd never seen before streaked up the good colonel's arm, over his shoulder, up his neck and finally into his eyes to light them up from the inside as the memory played out. It wasn't the color of James' seidr. Thor wondered if it was the color of his own seidr. It was a pale yellow with tones of light green in it. Or maybe it was a light green with tones of pale yellow in it. Whether or not it was his own seidr he liked it the color. It reminded him of new spring grass growing on a mountainside.

To counteract the Learning Spell's physical effects James breathed through his mouth. The exact moment when Loki revealed how Odin had sculpted Thor's DNA so that Thor looked like Frigga's biological son played out before his eyes. It was exactly what he thought it was going to be. Knowing that this was shown at the meeting was good information to have. He had a general idea of what was shown at the meeting but liked having specifics. When the memory stopped he looked over to Thor and smiled. "You're right. It is beautiful." Going over it for a moment James looked back to Thor. "I think that 'Royal Bastard' is an unfortunate phrase, and I wouldn't use it for yourself." The soul song of stillness was targeted at Thor then, to ensure that the Asgardian Prince could think clearly.

"I'm not actually my mother's son," Thor began but stopped when James held up a hand to stop him.

"A child is created when a man and a woman each contribute their DNA, or lifecode as you call it here, to the process, correct?"

"Yes, of course." Thor knew how little he knew now, but even he knew that.

"Your father's lifecode is in your own, correct?"

When Thor nodded again James asked his next question. "Your father sculpted you to closely resemble your mother, correct?"

"Yes." Thor wondered what the point of the questions were. It was James though, he knew that there was a point to them.

"How do you think your father could accomplish this feat? He'd have to have your mother's lifecode in order to copy it, correct?"

"Yes, he would." It was something that Thor hadn't thought about. Thinking of himself as a Royal Bastard knocked many things from his mind.

"So, your father's DNA is in your own. Your mother's DNA is also in yours as you were sculpted to look like her, correct?"

"Yes." Thor's eyes widened some as he thought about it.

"The questions then are these; does it matter how your mother's lifecode got to be where it is? Doesn't it matter more that it's there?" James hoped that Thor could shift his perspective. It looked like he was, but only time would tell if the shift would stick.

Just a few simple questions opened Thor's eyes to something he desperately wanted to see. It was a way for him to continue looking at his mother as his mother. Little tears misted over his eyes. Much of the pain of thinking of himself as anything other than his mother's son faded away in a rush of understanding. He wasn't just crafted to look like her son, he was her son.

The distressed Prince didn't answer, so James continued on. "We have a process on Midgard called 'In Vitro Fertilization', where a man donates his sperm and the woman is impregnated by a doctor using a complex process of removing her eggs, fertilizing them with the donated sperm, and then reimplanting them in the woman's womb. It isn't a natural process, but it results in a natural baby. This is a good example of what you need to remember Thor. Life happens in many different ways. Just because your birth didn't happen in the standard way doesn't mean you're less of a person, or less of your parents' child. All it means is that you came to life in an unconventional fashion. That's all, nothing else." Thor looked like he might be amenable to the lesson in the conversation. James was glad of that.

When the tears in his eyes spilled over Thor put his hands over his face. "Thank you. Thank you so much!"

"You're very welcome." James unfolded his seidr and mounted it into a Conjuration Spell, then conjured a handkerchief and handed it to Thor. His seidr stowed back in his core. The Asgardian Prince took a few moments to compose himself, wiping his face dry. When the Prince was ready he circled back around and pressed his attack. "So we still have betrayal, lies, trust issues, Loki's upbringing and Mjolnir. All of these things are causing your distress?"

"Yes, they are." Thor hoped that James could help him see new paths forward. He desperately wanted a path forward that didn't involve him being untrusting and angry with his parents.

"It seems to me that all of these things stem directly from your father's attempts to hide your mother's disability. Would you agree that it seems like the root of the problem?"

"Very much so, yes." There was no way Thor could disagree. Once his father's efforts were revealed they all went back to his mother. "It was all for her, even me."

"Alright. So why don't we discuss that for a little while, then we'll break for the night. You can sleep on what we've discussed. How does that sound?"

A bright smile lit up Thor's face. "I like the sound of that."