Hours must have passed since the last bout of questioning, and Loki was growing fed up of being locked away. Though he knew he could easily escape this prison, he knew that he had to stay put for the sake of his people. After all, he had no doubt that they would face serious repercussions if he left, and he was not exactly certain that he wanted to leave them. He had rescued them from Asgard, and then ensured their safe journey to Midgard, and he had ruled them for a few years under the guise of Odin. It would be nice to stay with them for a while, he mused, even if it was just for a few years. It would at least give him a chance to rest and figure himself out, for he certainly hadn't had the time to do so recently. Now that he didn't have to worry about Thanos or his followers coming after him, he could focus on other things, and though he was the God of Mischief, he wanted to ensure that the Asgardians and Sakaarian refugees were settled.
Of course, he knew he had to play along with the charade of being a prisoner, for there was much to be done in the name of diplomacy. It was also part of the plan of getting himself out, and he had done his best to comply with every request that had been made of him since he had been arrested. During the bouts of questioning, he had answered truthfully, but he knew that his interrogators did not believe him. This was not to be entirely unexpected, for he was the God of Lies, but it was growing incredibly frustrating. It did not help that the Prince was also very tired and in a lot of pain too, so their repeated questions were becoming more and more irritating. It was only on the third lot of interrogation that something had changed, and they had no longer regarded him with such suspicion. He had wondered why this was, but he quickly realised that Freya had told them everything from their first meeting. Loki had known that this would be inevitable, but it was not easy admitting that he had once been subject to the whims of a young mortal girl. It seemed that Freya had omitted the fact that he had been a cat for a while, and for that he was exceedingly grateful.
He could not help but wonder what had happened to Freya. It was evident that she had been interrogated, but she had not been returned to her cell since then, and the lack of news of her fate was bothering him. Had she been returned home, never to return? Or was she still being questioned? He had no idea, but he had no doubt that they were purposely being kept separate. After all, it had not looked good when they found her in Loki's chambers so shortly after arriving, and he had a good idea that she would have been defending him at every chance she got. Though she should hate him for what had happened, Loki knew that the human would do everything in her power to state a case for him. Normally he would be offended that such a lowly being would think themselves capable of doing such a thing, especially as he could usually talk himself out of trouble, but he was tired, and Freya was not exactly an ordinary mortal. He had read through the research she had conducted during her time with SHIELD, and he had to admit it had been rather convincing. He just wondered if she had the will to do the same thing now, for he hoped that her actions now would work in favour of the plans he had for her.
Loki also idly wondered if Thor would be petitioning for his release. Although the brothers had rarely gotten along in recent years, they had worked together to try to defeat Hela and save Asgard. During the short time spent on the ship they had discussed the future, and while Loki did have his doubts about remaining on Earth, Thor had assured him that they would figure things out together. Of course, that had been before Thanos had taken over the ship and massacred half of the survivors, and then… Well, they had barely spoken since then. He knew that Thor still believed him to be responsible for Odin's death, and thus everything that had followed, and Loki had taken the Tesseract, which had led to the ship being attacked. The fact that Loki had since saved half of the universe and was now suffering terribly for it probably would not ease Thor's anger, nor the Trickster's conscience.
He glanced around his cell one more time, and then paused as he heard footsteps. He truly hoped that he was not about to be taken for another round of questioning, for he was not sure he had the stomach for it, but then he heard the voice and he cursed. He was in no mood for visitors, and especially not his brother. It was evident that the God of Thunder would never trust him, and that he would only act in the best interests of his people and his beloved Midgard, regardless of his brother's fate.
"Hello Loki." Thor greeted warmly.
"What do you want?" The Trickster asked harshly, instantly on edge. "To gloat? To mock? To…"
"To catch up." Thor pointed out, undeterred by his brother's behaviour. "I've not seen much of you since Titan and I wanted to thank you." Loki frowned at this, for he could see that Thor was being sincere.
"Thank me?" The Trickster scoffed. "For what?"
"For ensuring the safe journey of our people, and for staying here when you could so easily run." Loki was surprised at this. "I know that this is no match for your skills, and I'm also aware that you used the Infinity Stones purely for the return of the population, rather than for your own ends."
"And you're surprised at this?" The Trickster quirked an eyebrow.
"I'm starting to believe that you might have changed." Thor shrugged. "Please don't prove me wrong." Loki was silent for a moment, before frowning as he noticed the forcefield being removed. He really hoped that he wasn't being taken for more questioning, though it was a relief to get the chains off. They had been angering a number of his wounds, and the pain had been getting almost unbearable.
"Do you know what they've done with the girl?" The Trickster asked as they started walking.
"She has been released pending further questions." Thor explained. "Just who is she to you?"
"No one. Just a human." He dismissed, while his brother regarded him sceptically.
"I don't believe that for a second. You do not bargain for just anyone, and especially not a mortal." Loki sighed, then relented, for he knew he would not hear the end of it otherwise.
"Fine. She is useful to us. Her knowledge of Asgard and the Norse myths is second only to that of our people. She only ever wants to help where she can and…" He explained, before Thor interrupted him.
"So you make her believe that you are friends despite the fact you are using her?"
"I…" Loki sighed, for he was feeling very tired of questions. "She was a friend once, long ago, but since then…" He trailed off, for he was unsure if Freya would still think him a friend after everything that had happened recently. She had said that they were friends, but that had been before all the questioning and...
"The two of you still have some form of connection, don't you?" Thor guessed. "Was the binding fully reversed?"
"Truthfully, I do not know for certain. It was removed enough that I was not bound to her will, but I am starting to wonder if some of that spell remained." Loki admitted. "Freya translated the runes while under attack, and I tried to heal her afterwards, before Odin dragged me away. I think that is why…"
"Why you appeared in her home after the attack." Thor mused. "It would make sense."
"It is only a theory." Loki shrugged.
"What use of her do you have in mind?"
"She may be able to find a suitable location for the settlement, and also help our people acclimatise. I mean, we have both spent time on Earth but there are many things we do not know."
"You would have her be an advisor?" Thor guessed.
"Perhaps."
"And if she does not agree?"
"Then she is free to do as she pleases. It makes no difference to me." Loki shrugged as they reached the exit. He was glad for the fresh air, and more than anything he wanted his bed. His wounds were giving him no end of pain, and he needed to rest before facing another round of interrogations.
"I'll consider it." Thor paused. "And you?"
"What of me? It is evident that the mortals wish to punish me for my actions."
"Not all of them."
"Freya does not count." Loki pointed out. "I take it that I am not entirely free?" He asked, having noticed that they were being followed by two armed guards and one of the Avengers.
"Not quite." Thor admitted. "There are some restrictions, but at least you can rest in comfort."
"So a different cell then?" Loki said wryly.
"Would you prefer it if I left you there?" Thor asked, unimpressed.
"No." Loki sighed. "The restrictions?"
"You are to stay on the ship, and will not attempt to escape. If you do, then you will spend the rest of your days in seclusion, and a new planet will have to be found for our people."
"How many strings did you have to pull?" Loki asked, rather impressed that Thor had managed to accomplish such a feat.
"Do I have your word?" Thor asked, ignoring the question.
"You do." Loki sighed as they reached the ship. It was not long before he was back in his room that had been home for the past few weeks, and he was glad to have some of the comforts his cell had lacked. Of course, his door was guarded, and he had no doubt that he would not be able to roam freely or even have visitors. He was rather glad that no one had followed him inside though, and so he gladly climbed into bed, hoping to get some sleep before the next round of interrogation began.
Freya had tried to sleep once Thor had left her, but his request had kept running through her brain and eventually she had given up on the idea of sleep entirely. Instead, she had begun to work on a case for Loki's release, and so she had gone back to the compound at Thor's behest once she had gathered the relevant information. It had taken about an hour or so of arguing and compromises to get them to agree to the request, and she had been surprised that it had actually worked, especially as they didn't exactly trust her. It did mean that one of the Avengers were now located on the ship at any time, ready to act if Loki did try to escape, which wasn't ideal, but Freya had an idea that the Trickster would behave himself for the time being. Of course, now that she had gotten Loki back to his room, she was trying to work out a way to get his wounds treated without breaking her word. Truly exhausted now, she had sunk onto her bed and started to gather her thoughts ready for morning, but her eyes were heavy, and she must have drifted off to sleep, for the next thing she knew she was being woken up by a knock on the door.
Silently cursing, she glanced at her phone to see that she had been gone for a few hours, which explained why her head felt muddy and she felt worse than before. She could only hope that she would be able to get a very large cup of tea before she did anything else that day, and she wondered just who would be disturbing her. Running a hand through her hair in an attempt to tame it, she called for her visitor to enter, and was rather glad to see the God of Thunder enter.
"I'm sorry to disturb you Freya, but there was something else that I wanted to ask." He said with some urgency. Freya wondered what was so important that he had not mentioned it last night and yet thought it prudent to wake her for.
"Good morning to you too Thor." She said, slightly annoyed. "What is it you need of me?"
"I should say thank you for what you did yesterday. I know it cannot have been easy." He paused. "But I was wondering if you would you be willing to help us in the long term?" Freya blinked as she tried to make sense of what he was saying.
"You want me to help you?" She asked, wondering just why the Asgardian King wanted the help of a mortal woman. After all, surely there were many others out there who could do a far better job than she ever could. "But why? I'm no one. I just happen to have stumbled across an artefact and accidentally summon your brother. Other than that, I am nobody important, and I'm certain that there are many who could..."
"There are only three people on Midgard currently alive who have set foot on Asgard. You are one of them, Bruce Banner is another, and Jane Foster is the third." Thor explained. "Of them, you are the only one who has dedicated their life to studying our people and our ancestral connections, and your knowledge will be invaluable. My people will be in desperate need of guidance as they adapt to this world, and I have no doubt that you will be able to help provide this." He continued, while she struggled to keep up with what he was saying. "We would like you to help us find a suitable settlement, and then perhaps you could stay on as a consultant or an advisor of some sort."
"I'm sorry, what?" She asked in disbelief. "Are you offering me a job?"
"You have already proved your dedication to my people, and that you have the skills to…" He paused, realising that Freya was still staring at him. "Yes, I am."
"I…" Freya hesitated, not able to compute what was happening. It was certainly shaping up to be a very strange day. "I will need time to consider it. I mean, I've not even had breakfast yet." Thor laughed at that.
"I understand." He smiled. "Let me know when you've made your decision."
"I will do." She assured him. "Has there been any more news about what will happen to your brother?"
"Not as of yet. They still hold him responsible for New York, despite what happened."
"He should be being welcomed as a hero after what he did on Titan." Freya sighed. "Can I see him?"
"Do you have a reason for it?" He asked curiously as she picked up her bag.
"Part of the agreements made last night." She explained. "I'm working on something, but I could do with getting his side of things."
"Then I don't see why not." He smiled.
A minor detour to the kitchens and a short walk later found Freya back at Loki's door, and she stifled a yawn as she knocked. The guards had checked her bag to make sure she wasn't smuggling anything to him, and then given her the go ahead. When she got no answer, the guards had opened the door, and she walked inside to find the Trickster was lounging in bed with another book.
"Good morning." She greeted, while he looked up and sighed, knowing instantly why she was there.
"I do not need your help Freya. I am perfectly capable of getting myself out of trouble." He said pointedly, not looking up from the page.
"I know you have a lifetime's experience of that." She stated, not wanting to lock horns with him so early in the day. "But they will never believe you."
"And makes you so sure that they will trust your word? You did lie to them after all."
"Nothing." She shrugged. "But of the two of us, I stand a better chance of persuading them that you are not the total villain that they think you are." Loki looked rather unimpressed, while Freya's patience was wearing thin. Not for the first time was she regretting leaving her family home, and she was beginning to wish she had stayed for her quality time with Astrid rather than travelling half way across the world.
"I have to at least try." She pointed out, while Loki sighed.
"You never give up, do you?"
"You should know that by now." Freya paused as she sipped her tea. It was a little too sweet for her liking, but she knew she needed the extra sugar to get her through the day. "Besides, I think this comes with the territory now, as I've been given an offer of employment."
"Oh?" He actually looked interested at this news.
"It seems that someone wants me to help your people find somewhere to live. Something about my experience in the past and my expertise… Well, I don't think I need to explain any further, for I think we both know whose idea it was." Freya told him, having guessed who was responsible on her way across the ship.
"You've seen straight through me." Loki shook his head, then grimaced a little with pain. "It had been in my mind since I discovered you were still alive."
"And that's why you could not risk me in the fight?" She asked, wanting to know the truth.
"Something like that." He dismissed. "Have you accepted?"
"I need to think about it." She told him as she got out her laptop and set it up. "In the meantime, I know we are both sick of questions by now, but…"
"What do you need to know?" He asked resignedly.
"Everything." She looked apologetic, and Loki sighed. "It was part of the agreements drawn up last night."
"You're compiling a case for my defence, aren't you?" He guessed, not entirely surprised.
"It would appear that no one else is willing, and… Well, I know that there are some ideas being gleaned from our legends, and none of them are particularly pleasant."
"I am hardly innocent though." He pointed out, while she rolled her eyes.
"That is true enough." She agreed as she sipped her drink. "I can leave if you wish me too."
"Stay." He said softly. "Please." Freya just offered a slight smile as he got up. "I'm sorry. It has been quite a long few days."
"It has for both of us."
"What is it you wish to know?"
"What did you do when you were ruling Asgard? And what exactly did you do to bring back those who had been lost?" Loki sighed heavily, for he was not exactly looking forward to explaining his actions of the last few years. He certainly had a number of regrets, including that of exiling Odin, and of taking the Tesseract. It also did not help that he had brought Surtur to life and caused Asgard to be destroyed, even if it had been the only way to stop Hela.
"It may be easier to show you." He said simply, while Freya was thoroughly confused. "Do you trust me?"
"I do." She said, noticing just how close he was to her. Standing up, she met his gaze as he placed his hands either side of her temple, and he whispered something, before she was seeing Asgard in all its glory. She watched as Loki stood trial for his attack on New York, and then his escape from the prisons after the Dark Elves attacked. She winced as he died at the hands of the Kursed, and yet she could not help but smile as she saw the Golden Realm rebuilt. Asgard prospered under Loki's rule, and she laughed as she saw the giant statue guarding a theatre. But her joy was short lived, for then came Hela, and from this point onwards all she felt was sorrow as Asgard was destroyed and then the ship was attacked by Thanos. Her heart broke as Loki took a final stand, and then she was seeing her apartment and their journey to Wakanda. She felt a few tears fall then, especially as she witnessed the conversation held between the brothers before Loki had the gauntlet. She could almost feel the searing pain that Loki had endured while trying to bring everyone back, and then he was on the ship, bringing them to Midgard. Freya blinked away the tears, feeling a complete mixture of emotions, but she was even more determined to have him remain with his people. She had no idea how the Trickster had coped throughout so much devastation, and she knew he deserved to rest after such an ordeal. She was also certain that some of those images would haunt her for the rest of her days, and yet…
"Freya…" He whispered fearfully as he removed his hands. She looked up at him just in time to see the glamour fade, and he staggered forwards before falling.
"Loki!" She cried out, feeling totally helpless as she knelt beside him, knowing instinctively that there was nothing she could do. "Loki please!" She begged as she tried to rouse him, but try as she might, he would not wake...
