Hey, all! Thank you all for being so patient with me. I just finished up my third semester of college! I can't believe I've already been in college for a year and a half. Again, thank you for being so patient; the cell biology and organic chemistry finals were a bitch.
Anyway, enough from me. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
P.S. I love reading through all your comments, so don't be afraid to drop one or two! Or ten!
I fidgeted with the simple gold band on my ring finger as my mother inspected the wound on my chest. My foot tapped impatiently on the marble flooring of the healing wing as the All-mother wiped away some fluid from the healing wound. I was itching to get out of the palace and to my wife's side. I knew I would have to wait for Thor to return with the rest of the Avengers before we could enact our plan, but I was itching to get into action. If I sat around doing nothing any longer, I would surely go mad. It was a wonder I hadn't already.
"So," my mother began, "are you going to tell me about the ring?" I blushed heavily, looking down at the gold band circling my finger. The woman continued cleaning my wound and prepping the area to be rebandaged as if she hadn't said anything.
"I-I wanted to do things right," I said, suddenly embarrassed. I wasn't sure why I was suddenly feeling this way in front of my mother of all people. If anyone were to understand, it would be her. And everyone else had been so understanding, Thor, Jane, even the Avengers. And thinking about it now, I felt guilty for not having told my mother about the important development.
"It sounds so childish and dare I say silly saying it now, but I wanted to do right by (Y/N). She deserved a real chance at love, at courting, at marriage." Heat suddenly took over my cheeks, and I knew they would be bright red with sudden uncertainty and embarrassment. "So, after that discussion I had with you, I asked her to court me, if she so desired."
"I see nothing childish or silly about that, my son," the blonde woman said as I paused in my story. "In fact, I think it sounds unbelievably romantic. I can't believe you thought that up all on your own," she teased. I rolled my eyes, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. "But in all seriousness, Loki," she said, adopting a more serious tone, "that's nothing short of lovely. I'm so proud of you and the man you have become." She was now grabbing the bandages and beginning to wrap them around my chest. "Tell me more," she prompted when I remained silent.
I "proposed" to her, so to speak, while we were in Midgard. Though it was winter while we were there, I used my magic to create a garden in the courtyard of the Avengers compound. I proposed to her under a trellis of Morning Glories, just like the ones we have in the royal garden. It was there, watching her read under the trellis, that I realized I was hopelessly in love with her," I chuckled and shook my, a soft smile on my lips.
"We were married the night-" I cut myself off, unsure if I was going to be able to continue. "W-we had a wedding ceremony the night before she was taken," I admitted softly. "Tony helped me pick out the rings and I had arranged a ceremony incorporating Midgard wedding customs with our own traditional ones." I paused for a moment. "She loved it," I whispered. "And she looked so beautiful in that simple white cloth gown. I had done her hair before we left for the chapel."
"Loki," my mother whispered but said nothing more. At that moment, it seemed that we were both at a loss for words. And in all honesty, what more was there to say? There were no words that would bring comfort in this more than trying time. The only thing that would bring either of us comfort would be to have (Y/N) back within the palace walls.
"What if we get there too late?" I asked suddenly after a long stretch of silence, voicing the dark thoughts that had been circling my mind ever since my wife had been ripped from my sight. I watched my mother pause in her actions of dressing my wound before she quickly recovered and continued her work.
"You just have to pray that you won't be," my mother said, her voice soft and sad. She quickly finished adhering the bandages to hold up well enough during a fight before putting her things to the side. A hand rose to cup my cheek, rubbing a thumb over my cheek. "I know that's not what you want to hear, Loki. I don't want to think about it either, so I haven't been. Instead, I've been focusing on what I know for a fact about (Y/N)," she said, using her other hand to brush through my hair gently. I looked up at the woman in front of me expectantly, waiting for her to continue.
"When I think of (Y/N), I think about how strong she is. And how stubborn," the sorceress said with a gentle quirk on her lips. "She reminds me of a certain someone I know." I couldn't help but smile at the small, teasing jab. "When I think of (Y/N), I think about the wonderful impact she's made on you. I think about how you smile more often. I don't think I can recall a time when there wasn't a smile on your face when she was by your side." I closed my eyes against the tears though I was not sure I would be able to hold them in.
"I also think about how much she has brought my shy little boy out of his shell," she said. The statement could have been taken as teasing by others, but I could hear the love drenching her words. "You've grown so much since your marriage, and I couldn't be more proud of the both of you," she offered softly. I gave her a small smile in return for her kind words. She smiled gently and pressed a kiss to my forehead.
"What do you think about when you think about (Y/N)?" she asked softly, a thumb still running over my cheekbone. Her other hand was now holding my own. I was quiet for a moment, trying to gather my words. There were so many wonderful things that came to my mind when I thought of my loving, beautiful, strong, capable wife. I didn't know where to start.
"I think about her smile," I whispered after a few moments of comfortable silence. "Her beautiful smile," I mused. "And her laughter. Incredibly quick-witted, smart, caring, beautiful, and a million other things which I can't put into words. And her strength, her undeniable strength," I said with a shake of my head, thinking about everything she had already survived. "Norns, she's so strong. And so stubborn," I said with a chuckle.
I sighed deeply and twisted the ring on my finger. "I miss her so much, mother. I don't know what I'll do if she doesn't come home," I admitted, looking up at the woman in front of me. The corners of her lips were drawn up in a sad smile and her eyes were damp with unshed tears.
"She will come home safely, Loki. I can feel it, here," she vowed as she pressed a hand to my chest, right over swath and bandages and right over my heart. I nodded as I took a deep breath, trying to center myself, to ground myself. The All-mother pressed a lingering kiss to the crown of my head before pulling me into a strong and comforting embrace. I sighed deeply and melted into her hold, allowing my head to rest against her shoulder.
"Thank you, mother," I whispered softly as I lifted my arms to return the hug, I squeezed my mother tight, trying to put all of my thoughts, feelings, and words into one simple action. Actions did speak louder than words.
"Of course, my son. Always."
3rd Person POV
The helicopter pad at the Avenger's Compound in upstate New York exploded with brilliant light as the Bifrost made contact with Midgard. The radiant light dissipated, revealing a very irate god of thunder who wasted no time marching toward the Compound. He reached the nearest door and scanned his hand, the A.I. running the building granting him entrance immediately. The man stomped into the building, startling several Stark employees in the process.
"Welcome back, Thor," F.R.I.D.A.Y. greeted seemingly from nowhere and everywhere at once. "Shall I alert the team you are here?" the female voice asked as the god strode toward the elevator used strictly by the Avengers.
"F.R.I.D.A.Y., have the team meet in the common room," Thor all but barked at the ceiling. "Tell them it's urgent, and there is not a second to waste," the blonde man said as he stepped into the elevator.
"Right away," the A.I. said as the elevator began to move. The man crossed his arms over his chest and tapped his foot impatiently, silently wondering if the metal box could possibly move any slower.
Across the compound, the rest of the Avengers were receiving alerts from Tony's A.I. that Thor had entered the building and was requesting their immediate presence. Tony cursed as the music that had been playing loudly in the lab was suddenly shut off. "What the hell, F.R.I.D.A.Y.?" Tony groused. Peter looked up from his personal workstation across the lab, staring at his mentor expectantly.
"I apologize, boss, but Thor is here, and he is requesting the immediate presence of the entire team. He says it's urgent," the A.I. responded, not at all sounding sorry.
"Of course he does," Tony muttered under his breath but stood from his workstation anyway. "Come on, Pete. Let's see what Point Break wants," the mechanic said as he wiped his hands clean of grease on a nearby rag. The teen was quick to follow the older genius out of the lab.
Bucky was pulled from a peaceful sleep by the annoying sound of the A.I. he would never quite get used to. He groaned, having half the mind to pull a pillow over his head and ignore the voice, but he knew he couldn't. The super soldier didn't know the god of thunder very well, but he knew him well enough to know the god didn't come calling very often. Alpine startled and hissed slightly as the man pulled himself out of the bed. He only rolled his eyes at the cat before leaving the room, the little ball of white fur following close behind.
"Captain Rogers, Mr. Wilson," the A.I. spoke out. Both men quickly tucked out of the mock combat they were locked in. Steve looked up expectantly, wiping the sweat from his brow as Sam retrieved a towel and a water bottle from the bench. "Thor is requesting your presence in the common room right away; it appears to be an emergency." The two men shared a brief but concerned look before they both started off at a jog toward the elevator.
The library of the compound was filled with soft, steady breathing and the sound of pages turning. Bruce and Natasha sat in comfortable chairs cattycorner to each other as they read their respective books. The couple had one hand on their books, the other hand holding the others. Their connection only broke when one needed to turn the page. The gentle atmosphere was broken by F.R.I.D.A.Y.'s voice.
"Dr. Banner, Ms. Romanoff. Thor is here at the compound and he is requesting everyone's immediate attention," the A.I. informed the pair. The couple shared a look before they both closed their books and stood from their seats, hand in hand as they wordlessly made their way to the common room.
In the common room, the god of thunder paced back and forth impatiently. His strong hands were restless, going from being clenched at his side to his hair to his beard and all over again. The sound of the elevator reaching the common room floor caused the worried man to stop in his agitated movements. The silver doors of the elevator opened to reveal the team. The group was quick to move into the room. Everyone was silent, save Tony, but that wasn't too much of a surprise to the gathered Avengers.
"What is it, Point Break?" the man asked as he leaned up against one of the couches.
"I need your help," Thor said. "(Y/N) has been taken by the Dark Elves. The bastards didn't leave a trace of evidence behind that we can pit against them. If we attack them right out, it will start an all-out war among the Nine Realms. We need a small group of elite soldiers to run a stealth mission, but Einherjar are not equipped for a mission like that. They are trained for mass combat on a battlefield, not cramped halls and possibly the dungeon of a castle," Thor spit out quickly. By the end of his mini speech, his chest was heaving for breath.
"Woah, woah, Thor, slow down," Tony said as he pushed himself off the couch to stand up fully.
"We do not have time to waste," the god hissed, blue sparks of electricity crackling around his clenched firsts and slowly working their way up his arms. "(Y/N) does not have any more time that has already passed. Her life is at risk."
"Thor, we want to help, but we need the whole story," Steve reasoned, his hands raised in a placating gesture and his voice soft. Thor took a deep breath and let it out, forcing the electricity sparking around his hands to dissipate. He began speaking again, much slower than before but not without haste.
"Just over a week ago, Loki and (Y/N) were on a trip to renew their vows and have a proper wedding. The night after, they were attacked by a squadron of Dark Elves. Asgard has managed to remain civil with Svartálfheim, but Alfheim, (Y/N)'s homeland, has been enemies with the Dark Elves for centuries. We can only guess that they are seeking revenge or to start a war," Thor explained to the shocked Avengers. "They left virtually no evidence and used (Y/N)'s dagger to stab Loki in the chest, an unsigned note stuck underneath the blade. It can't be traced back to the Dark Elves. If we attack them outright it will start an all-out war across the entirety of the nine realms. We need a small, elite team to handle this carefully, and the Einherjar just aren't trained for a stealth mission.
"I was hoping the team would be able to help in exchange for us helping with the bomb. Word of the Avengers has not reached places like Svartálfheim. There will be no way for the kingdom to trace the team back to Asgard, let alone Midgard. The team is small and has already conducted dozens of stealth missions and search and rescue missions." Thor looked at the team pleadingly as he spoke, but Steve was quick to put the god's worries to rest.
"Thor, there are no debts among friends, but of course we will help you. And you will not owe us anything for this," Steve broke in, his voice full of conviction. "The act committed against your family was heinous, and we will not let them get away with this. Of course we will help you bring (Y/N) home," the super soldier said, and from the look on the rest of the team's faces, there was no need for deliberation. Seeing this, the captain immediately took charge.
"Call Scott and Clint. See what we can do to get them here and how long it'll take. I want them both for a stealth mission, but we need to get them here in a timely manner," Steve ordered as he glanced over at Tony. The shorter man already had a Stark Pad in his hands, typing furiously.
"Already on it, Cap," Tony said tersely but not angrily.
"And Rhodey?" the Captain added, an eyebrow raising.
"In D.C., but I'll see what I can do," the billionaire called over his shoulder as he left the room, a phone now held up to his ear.
"The rest of you," the man said, addressing the rest of the room, "time to suit up and talk game plan." Everyone nodded, varying stages of worry on their faces. "You too, Peter, as long as your Aunt clears you. Tell her I'm requesting your presence." Steve's words immediately had the youngest Avenger scurrying off in the same direction Tony had just left in to call the woman who was like his mother.
For a moment, the super soldier watched the young man run off before he turned to the rest of the team. The stoic man set his jaw and clenched his fists at his side. Outsiders would just assume the captain was mentally preparing for battle, but those closest to him could see he was worried. Though they had only known the princess of Asgard for a relatively short time, they had quickly come to see the woman and her husband as family. It was certainly a strange thought as they had saved the entirety of New York from the god of mischief and his army, but Thor was family, and that made (Y/N) and Loki family.
The man steeled himself as he faced his friends, equally grim looks on all of their faces. "Let's bring Princess (Y/N) home," he commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Avengers. Assemble."
