Disclaimer: I don't owe anything
Chapter 14 Captured
The dress Saphira had chosen to wear to the gala was a beautiful black evening gown that came to her feet but had a slit up the side; it came off her shoulders and had a bit of green sparkle; her shoes were black heels with straps around the ankles and diamonds on the buckle. Saphira had fixed her hair up in a bun, with a diamond-encrusted hairclip and left one curl hanging down on the side; at the moment, she was sitting at her vanity putting on makeup.
"You look gorgeous, darling," Loki said, appearing behind her; Saphira smiled at him through the vanity mirror as she set her makeup aside and picked up a diamond earring; Loki himself looked more handsome than ever, in a black suit, with a white blouse, black vest, and tie, and a black scarf with gold designs on it. He was carrying his scepter in one hand, which he had disguised as a walking stick.
"Thank you." Saphira grinned, putting the earring in her ear. "You look real handsome, almost like we are going on an actual date."
"Well, we do have to look the part," Loki answered; he laid his hand on her shoulder. "If you wish for an actual date, then after we win, I'll take you on plenty."
Saphira's grin widened. She and Loki had been married a week now, and she had never felt happier in her life.
"I'll hold you to that," Saphira told him. Loki smiled and reached up and touched the pointy part of her ear, making shivers go down her spine; Saphira smacked his hand away, making Loki laugh. He then leaned his scepter against the vanity to help her put on the necklace he bought her, then begun to rub Saphira's shoulders.
"Mmm, that feels good," Saphira mumbled, closing her eyes and leaning into him. After a moment, Loki dropped his hands and held one out to Saphira.
"Are you ready, my Queen?" Loki asked. But instead of taking Loki's hand, Saphira sighed and looked in the mirror, Loki kneeled in front of her. "Saphira, darling, is there something wrong?" Saphira turned back to him.
"I have this feeling something is going to go wrong," Saphira answered, "It always does for us."
"You're just nervous, my love," Loki told her, he reached out and laid his hand on the back of her neck and ran his thumb across her jaw. "I'll be fine, sweetheart, it'll all work out."
"You're letting yourself get arrested," Saphira said, "And it's most likely be either Iron Man or Captain America who shows up to do it."
"And I can take them both." Loki bragged. "Yeah, Iron Man has a metal suit but he's still just a mortal man underneath, and Captain America has a special shield and supper strength but he's still just a mortal underneath, I on the other hand am a God, the God of mischief, they are no match for me."
"I know who you are, baby." Saphira told him, "And don't get so cocky, you're starting to sound like Thor, yes, we live for thousands of years and yes, we are considered gods, but we are not completely immortal."
"I know that." Loki told her, "But we are talking about Midgardains." Saphira sighed then smiled at Loki.
"You're right," Saphira replied. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to worry so much, I just don't want anything to happen, to you."
"Do not be sorry, darling." Loki replied, "It's perfectly normal to worry over someone you care so much, I do the same."
"You're such a great guy, and so sweet, I don't understand why I am the only one who sees it." Saphira said.
"I wonder what I did to deserve such a beautiful goddess." Loki replied, and Saphira smiled at him.
"Just lucky I guess." She joked, and Loki laughed and stood, holding his hand out to her once again, this time Saphira slipped her hand in his and stood.
"That I am, my love," Loki replied "And, darling, there was no need to insult me a moment ago."
Saphira laughed as they disappeared, reappearing outside the building where the gala was. They both grinned, and Saphira slipped her arm through Loki's as they walked inside.
Saphira walked with Loki through the building, then down some steps. Then she let go of Loki's arm and stepped aside, as he flipped his scepter then hit some guy with it. He hurried down the stairs and grabbed the guy he was looking for, flipped him over, and slammed him down on some artifact. He used his scepter to hold him down, then pulled out some device and stuck it to the guy's eye. When he was finished, he just let go of the guy and turned back to Saphira; she slipped her arm through his as they headed outside, where everyone had run to; as they walked, Loki's green magic surrounded them. Their fancy clothes changed to what they usually wore in battle. People screamed as they walked across the road; Loki blasted a car in the air heading towards them, causing it to flip on its top.
"Kneel before us," Loki yelled to the group of people around them, as he slammed the scepter on the ground. "Kneel!"
All around the people clones of Loki formed a circle; Saphira stood next to the real Loki, her arm still in his, as she watched everyone get on their knees, then she walked with him as he walked into the crowd talking.
"Is not this simpler?" Loki demanded," Is this not your natural state? It's the unspoken truth of humanity that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel."
"Bit dramatic, don't you think, babe?" Saphira asked. Loki grinned at her and went to say something, but an older man stood back up.
"Not to men like you." The guy said.
"Pardon?" Loki asked, turning to the man.
"I will not kneel to men like you." He answered.
"There are no men like me," Loki said.
"There are always men like you." The guy said.
"Look to your elder, people," Loki said. "Let him serve as an example." He pointed the scepter toward him, but Saphira laid her hand on his.
"He's an old man, Handsome," Saphira said when Loki looked at her. "We can't kill an old man. Besides, his bravery is admirable." Loki lowered his scepter with a nod; that's when a younger guy thought it was okay to jump up and say something rude to them.
"You can make him your example," Saphira told him; Loki grinned, and lifted his scepter, and pointed it at the guy. Captain America dropped in from nowhere and blocked the blast with his shield, sending it back towards Loki, knocking him down; Saphira rushed to him as she pushed a lady out of her way so that she can make sure he was okay. She glared up at Steve Rogers, raised her hand to throw fire at him, But Loki stopped her.
"You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everyone else, we ended up disagreeing," Rogers said.
"The soldier, a man out of time," Loki smirked as he stood.
"I'm not the one that's out of time," Rogers said. Saphira snorted. Rogers turned to her, "Do you find something funny?"
"That was a pretty lame come back, to be honest," Saphira told him. At that moment, a jet came in low, and a women's voice said.
"Loki, drop your weapon, and stand down."
Loki lifted his scepter and blasted it toward the jet; it moved out of the way, so Saphira caught it in the wind and blew it back, not enough to blow it out of sight or enough to cause it to crash, but enough to give Loki time to fight Captin America a bit.
Which he did, first blasted energy from his scepter at him, Rogers blocked it with his shield, then threw it at Loki, who knocked it aside with his scepter then knocked Rogers feet out from under him, their little fight was entertaining, with Loki having the upper hand must of the time; he got Rogers down, and held his head down with the bottom of the scepter handle.
"Kneel," Loki demanded.
"Not today," Rogers said, knocking the scepter away and stood; rock music was suddenly blasted through the air as Iron Man flew up and blasted Loki with something from the palm of his suit.
"Loki." Saphira ran to him as he sat up.
"Make your move, Reindeer Games," Stark said, Loki moved over a little in front of Saphira as if trying to block her, then raised his arms, as his helmet disappeared and his clothes magically changed. "Smart move."
The jet was back as Stark reached down and grabbed Loki's arm and made him stand; Rogers did the same to Saphira, though more gently, and they led them both into the jet. Where they made them sit in seats next to each other, as the door closed, and it lifted off the ground.
"I don't like it," Rogers said to Stark, obviously thinking they couldn't hear.
"What? Rock of Ages giving up so easily?" Stark asked.
"I don't remember it being so easy," Rogers said. "That guy packs a wallop."
"Still, you're pretty spry for an older fallow," Stark said. "What's your thing, Pilates?
"What?" Rogers demanded.
"It's like calisthenics. You might have missed a couple of things while doing time as a Capsicle." Stark chuckled.
"Tony, I am trying to be serious," Rogers said. "The lady with Loki, Saphira."
"What about her?" Stark asked.
"It's odd; she didn't do anything but stand there and watch Loki and my fight. Why didn't she get involved?" Rogers said. "And why the heck does she look so much like Astrid Star, but with longer hair?"
"Heck?" Stark chuckled, then frowned."Whose Astrid Star?"
"Old actress from back in my day was pretty famous for a while," Rogers answered. "My friend Bucky was a big fan; he once made me stand in line for two hours with him so that he could get her autograph."
Saphira started laughing; they both looked at her like she was crazy; Loki caught her eye and raised his eyebrow; Saphira nodded at his unspoken question and Loki smirked, amused.
"Probably arm candy," Stark said, turning back to Rogers. "Can't fight."
"Still, I don't like it," Rogers said.
Stark and Roger's conversation quickly turned into them bickering with each other. Saphira looked to Loki, and they both rolled their eyes.
"You were not supposed to get taken with me," Loki whispered to her. Saphira slipped her hand in his.
"I know, everything happened so fast; I swear I didn't get taken on purpose," Saphira whispered back. "I got scared when Stark hit you with his lasers, and I had to check on you before I realized it. Rogers was grabbing me."
"I know, darling," Loki answered. He rubbed his thumb across the top of her hand and switched to talking in Asgardian. "It's okay; we'll have to find the perfect time for you to escape, probably after we land."
"Hey, guys," Romanoff called to Rogers and Stark. "If you two would stop bickering like two-year-olds, you would realize the two baddies are back there plotting in a language even I don't understand."
Rogers and Stark turned to Loki and Saphira, but they had stopped talking when Romanoff called out; Stark looked between the two.
"Okay, let's lay down some rules." Stark said, "The first rule. If you talk to each other you do it in English or in a language, Romanoff can understand."
"We were only plotting our escape," Saphira said, shrugging.
"And our plan for world domination." Loki grinned.
Rogers frowned and looked between the two of them as if he couldn't figure out if they were being truthful or sarcastic; he opened his mouth to say something, but whatever he was going to say to them was cut off by the sudden sound of thunder, then extensive lighting flashing across the sky.
"Where did this come from?" Romanoff asked as Loki looked up towards the sky, a little spoked.
"What's the matter, scared of a bit of lighting?" Rogers demanded, watching Loki.
"I'm not overly fond of what follows," Loki said; he glanced at Saphira, both knowing what the lightning meant when the sound of something hitting the top of the jet.
"What are you doing? " Rogers demanded as Stark hit a button and open the back of the ship up, and headed toward it; he didn't get far, as Thor appeared, he tossed Mjolnir at him, knocking him out of the way, then Thor went right to Loki, grabbed him, and headed to the back of the ship, holding out his hand for Mjolnir; caught it then spun it around.
"Thor, wait." Saphira cried, jumping up, but he ignored her and flew out the jet, taking Loki with him.
"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Stark asked Saphira, who was on the edge of the open door; she stopped and turned around. "Stop right there; Raggedy Ann, don't move."
Saphira smirked at him, held her hand out, then fire appeared, and formed a ball, then three more; Rogers and Stark just watched with wide eyes, as Saphira started juggling the fireballs, something she did in her show dozens of times, she looked up at Stark, and her smirk grew.
"I assure you, Stark, I am more than just eye candy." Then Saphira raised her hand to her mouth, palm held out, fingers pointing towards them, and she blew, as if blowing a kiss at them, and a big flame shot out towards them. Smiling, Saphira turned and walked right out of the jet; the wind and air wrapped around her as she allowed the gravity to pull her safely to the ground where Saphira landed right behind Thor, who was on a rocky hill, arguing with Loki.
"We were raised together." Thor was shouting. "Played together, fought together. Do you remember none of that?" Loki glanced behind Thor at Saphira, then turned back to Thor.
"We were raised with Saphira too." Loki told him, "She played alongside us; she fought alongside us. But did you remember any of that when locking her up in the dungeons like a common criminal?" Thor looked back at Saphira. "I do, she does, but I also remember living in a shadow. Living in a shade of your greatness. I was and should be king."
"So you take the world I love as recompense for your imagined slights," Thor asked. "No, Loki."
"Imagined slights?" Saphira demanded; they both turned to look at her, "You think Loki imagined being treated second best by Odin? You think he imagined being in your shadow; imagined the trouble your friends caused him when he was King? Your dumbass friends wouldn't accept it because his name isn't Thor, they should have been punished as much as I was for treason against Loki's rule."
"Saphira," Thor said, holding his hand out toward her. "I know you love my brother dearly, but now is not the time."
"Time for what?" Saphira demanded, "Truths."
"No, it is not the time for this conversation," Thor said, "You can not just attack another realm and try to rule it."
"Why not?" Saphira and Loki asked at the same time. Thor looked between the two with a frown.
"The Earth is under my protection," Thor said; Loki started laughing.
"And you are doing a marvelous job." Loki said, "The humans murder each other in droves while you sit by and ideally threat. I only mean to rule them. And why should I not?"
"You think yourself above them," Thor demanded.
"Well, yes," Loki answered.
"We are," Saphira spoke up. "Even you, Thor, and Enid, we are not only royalty but gods."
"What happened to you, Saphira?" Thor asked. Saphira frowned at him. "I thought you better than this, and I thought we were friends."
"We...are," Saphira answered. Loki frowned at that.
"I visit you in your cell, just about every day. I afford to turn my back so you could escape." Thor said. "My mother brought you your meals every day and took care of you, but the moment Loki shows up, you seem to forget all that. I understand wanting to get out of that prison, but to go along with this."
"We could only make Midgard better," Saphira answered. "We aren't going to hurt anyone that doesn't get in our way; I lived on this planet a long time, the selfishness, the greed, the hatred humans have for one another gets worse with each passing decade; it's not as grand as you believe it to be, maybe it's not as bad as I think it to be either but Loki and I couldn't possibly make it worse than it is."
"You are not going to hurt anyone that does not get in your way?" Thor demanded, "What about the people where the Tesseract was? You two attacked and killed people there?"
"They were in our way of getting the tesseract," Loki answered.
"And the military base? Thor demanded.
"In our way of something we needed there," Saphira answered.
"If Enid were here now, she would be disappointed in you," Thor said; Saphira took a step back in surprise; Thor's words hurt more than Mjolnir had.
"Do not speak to her that way," Loki demanded, shoving past Thor and standing in front of Saphira. "Did you not do enough when you hit her head with your hammer, knocking her through a wall?"
"You were there; you know that was an accident, Loki," Thor said. "I was aiming for you."
"Accident or not, you still left a permanent scar on her," Loki said. "You still hurt her with your carelessness."
Guilt flashed across Thor's face for a moment, and he looked away; no one spoke until he looked back up at them.
"Loki, give up the tesseract, give up this poisonous dream, come home," Thor said.
"Will Saphira be welcomed without being locked in a cell? " Loki demanded."I did both of us a favor, brother; I lifted the ban so the women we love could return to Asgard, where they belong, but the wise Odin turns around and kicks mine off the planet, I do not win the Earth, I am still not going back to Asgard when Saphira is not wanted there."
"Loki, I plan on talking to Father," Thor said. "I plan to return for both her and Enid once I can. You do not belong here, Loki; you can not..."
"I have more right to be in this realm than you do," Loki smirked. "After all, I am half Midgardain."
"You are what?" Thor demanded, eyebrows raising.
"Half Midgardian." Loki answered," My birth mother was Midgardain."
"You still have to answer for your crimes on Asgard," Thor said.
"You need the cube to take me back." Loki answered, "But I do not have it; I sent it off, I know not where." Thor turned to Loki and pointed his hammer at him.
"Listen here, brother, listen carefully..." But whatever Thor was going to say, he didn't get to finish, because at that moment, Iron Man came crashing into him, knocking him off the mountain.
"I'm listening," Loki said, making Saphira giggle as they both got down on the ground to watch Thor and Iron Man fight.
"Darling, you never mentioned anything, Thor said," Loki told her.
"I kind of did; I mentioned Thor being protective of me," Saphira answered.
"I'm sorry, I was not there," Loki said, reaching out and pushing Saphira's hair behind her ear.
"It's not your fault," Saphira said.
Loki said nothing. He just turned back to the fight; Captain America joined them; he made a crack about Thor putting his hammer down, which only angered Thor.
"I think he loves that hammer even more than my sister," Saphira said as she watched Thor hit Iron Man with it. Then go flying at Captain America, who held up his shield, Mjolnir hit it with a loud bang, which caused some sound wave; Loki covered Saphira as all-around Thor, and Captain America trees fell with a loud bang, and dirt and dust flew up towards them.
"Poor trees." Saphira frowned and stood up, she held out her hand, suddenly there was a big gust of wind, that began to blow in a circle around those on the ground; they looked around confused as the wind picked up the tress, holding them up right, then the ground shook, as holes opened up, and the tress planted themselves back into the ground, and the holes closed over the roots as if the tress had never been knocked down, and with one wave of her hand the wind stopped.
The three on the ground looked up at her with shocked faces, even Thor. She glared at them, then turned to Loki.
"Saphira, my love, it's about time for me to be recaptured," Loki said, standing and going to her.
"Just you?" Saphira asked.
"Just me." Loki replied, "Thor showing up gave us the perfect opportunity for you to get away."
"But I'm going to worry about you." Saphira frowned.
"No need, darling," Loki said. "Go check on Selvig and the cube, stay with them until I return for you, and tell Barton when to come attack the flying craft."
"But..."
"For me, darling, please." Loki said, "After we win Midgard, we will be together for good, plus we are married; no one can keep us apart now."
"Fine." Saphira gave in, and she and Loki kissed, then Loki counseled her presence and told her not to make a sound as the others made their way on the rock to get them.
"Where's Saphira?" Thor demanded, looking around for her.
"She left. I know not where she went." Loki answered as Captain America put cuffs on his wrist. "Though Enid might be a little interested in the way your mind keeps jumping to Saphira instead of thinking of her."
"What are you trying to say, Loki?" Thor demanded.
"You know what I am saying," Loki answered.
"This is no time for gaming, brother," Thor said. "Where is she? If anything were to happen to her, Enid would be devastated."
"Saphira is not your wife, Thor," Loki told him, "Nor your sister; it is not your job to worry over her. Let her be."
"We don't have time for this," Stark said when Thor opened his mouth to argue. "Look, we'll get Merlin here back to SHEILD, then get it out of him where Firestarter went."
"And where the tesseract is," Rogers added.
Saphira wondered how she was going to get down from the rock and get out of here as she quietly watched them making their way up the rock where the Quinjet had landed on the very top; she didn't have to wait long for an answer, though, as the jet with Loki flies out of sight, another one like it appeared next to the rock Saphira was standing on, and open the door and Barton was standing there to help her on, Saphira rolling her eyes as she took his hand and got on board, and greeted him with a "Hey, Barty."
It had been following them this whole time, just counseled by Loki's magic; he must have had it as back up in case she hadn't been able to get away at the gala. No wonder Loki thought she would be able to get away once they landed; as Saphira sat and buckled in, she told Barton the message from Loki. Saphira decided to relax and take a nap. So far, everything seems to be going according to plan.
AN Next Chapter will be in Enid's POV, don't worry Loki is still shown. When Loki told Saphira not to insult him, he meant when she said he sounded like Thor.