We ended up staying in New York for 2 more days. Tony and Erik Selvig worked hard on trying to figure out a way for Thor, Loki, and I to use the Tesseract to get back to Asgard.
I tried to convince them that I could just make a portal back, but Tony wanted to try and tinker around with the Tesseract. Thor didn't want me to use my powers to get home, he was convinced that I needed to rest after the battle that had taken place, even after I complained that I was fine. He's just worried about me, which is sweet, but also annoying.
I am a warrior too and Thor understands that, maybe he is more worried about emotional damage. Loki really did try to tear me apart, but I'm working through it, slowly, very slowly.
We were all standing in the middle of a public park in the middle of New York City, exposed.
Thor and I had already said our goodbyes, and he was eager to get back to Asgard, but for once I didn't want to go back. I was intrigued by this brave new world that Midgard had become. In Asgard I was looked down on, looked on as a weakling who had fallen into Loki's trap, but here I could be more. Natasha and I were already becoming friends, and it was weird to be friends with a girl. I had always been friends with men, and despised by women, mostly Sif, but the promise of a new friend who was a female warrior excited me. My grandmother had often spoke of her Valkyrie sisters and the battles they fought, and I had always wanted that. Sif had turned me down, but Natasha, there was something there.
Echo wanted to stay because Clint kept giving him dog biscuits. Which as I tried to explain to Clint that Echo is a wolf, Clint nodded and continued to rub Echo's belly like a dog.
At least I have something to go back to.
Erik handed Thor the Tesseract and the portal creator that he and Tony had made. Loki stood on one side and Thor on the other. I placed my hand over the top of the glass cylinder and I ignored Loki's attempts to telepathically speak to me by putting up a shield in my mind.
He didn't deserve to run my life anymore, I wasn't going to let anyone run my life anymore.
The Tesseract blazed to life sucking us all up in a flash of blue light.
My feet hit ground hard, but Thor kept me upright, his hand holding my arm steadily.
We landed at the edge of the broken rainbow bridge, where Odin had a force of soldiers waiting for us.
We all marched towards the palace slowly, with Thor and I in the lead of the force. I was carrying the Tesseract, sensing the power beneath my hands.
When we got to the palace, Odin was waiting for us on his golden throne, with Frigga standing on his right hand. I took a deep breath and walked forward holding the Tesseract out in front of me.
"We retrieved what had been lost Allfather." I said calmly.
He nodded. "Heimdall take the Tesseract from Cade and put it in the vault." Heimdall appeared from behind a pillar and took the Tesseract from me gently. He walked quickly down the passage way to the left of us.
Odin raised his eye to look at the guards around us. "I wish to speak to the prisoner alone." He commanded.
Thor and I both turned to go.
"No, you two stay. There is much to discuss." Odin confirmed.
I turned around slowly and nervously pulled at Obsidian, that was strapped to my side as a sword.
I willed Echo off of my arm, and he materialized in front of me.
"Go find somewhere to stretch out." I whispered to him.
He bounded out of the room towards the open pavilion to the right of us.
"Hello mother." Loki said happily, looking over at Frigga. "Have I made you proud?"
Her face hardened. "Do not make this worse for yourself Loki."
Loki took a step forward his chains rattling together. "Define worse." He responded winking at her. "I honestly don't see what all the fuss is about."
I sighed and leaned against a pillar.
Of course he doesn't think genocide is a big deal.
"Do you not feel the gravity of your crimes? Wherever you go war and death follows." Odin gruffed out.
"I went to Midguard to rule them as a benevolent god, just like you would have." Loki commented, the smile never leaving his face.
"Why does he think this is okay?" Thor thought.
"Because he's Loki. He doesn't take anything seriously." I replied sighing again..
"We are not gods, we are born we live, we die, just as humans do." Odin said gritting his teeth.
"Give or take 5,000 years." Loki replied snidely.
He was almost mocking Odin, something that was a very bad idea.
"All this because Loki desires a throne." Odin said sarcastically.
"It is my birth rite!" Loki snarled.
"You're birth rite was to die!" Odin shouted. "As a child cast out on a frozen rock. If I had not taken you in, you would not be here now to hate me."
Wow this is awkward.
Thor shifted uncomfortably next to me.
Yeah he feels it too.
"If I am for the axe then for mercy sake just swing it." Loki said rolling his eyes. "It's not that I don't like our little talks, but..." He trailed off. "Actually I don't like them."
"Loki, you should respect him for keeping you alive." I said to him gritting my teeth.
"Oh are you talking to me now?" He replied.
I rolled my eyes.
"I'm trying to keep you alive, but you are making it rather difficult for me actually." I responded sarcastically.
"Frigga is the only reason you are still alive, but you will never see her again." Odin tsked. "You will spend the rest of your days in the dungeons."
The guards came back into the room to pull Loki away.
"But what about Thor? You would make that witless oaf king while I rot in chains?" Loki roared turning to where Thor and I were standing.
Odin paused and looked over at both of us. "Thor and Cade will both be working to undo the damage you have done, and bring peace upon the nine realms. And then yes, Thor will be king."
The guards pulled Loki away out of the room, but not before he cast one more longing look at me as he passed.
"Thor, Cade, come forth." Odin commanded.
I stood up straight and walked with Thor in front of the giant golden throne.
"Loki still longs for you." Odin said turning to me.
I swallowed and nodded. "I know. He wishes to go back to a time where things were the same. He wishes to live in the past, ignoring what has happened in the present." I responded.
"You must not focus on what has happened in the past Cadence, you need to look into the future and figure out where your loyalties lie." Odin said stoically.
"My loyalties?" I questioned.
Odin nodded. "I sense a war within you, an inner struggle that will pull you apart if you let Loki in. The same war was within your grandmother, her struggle between her family and her orders. You must not let this live in you."
I clenched my teeth. "I will not let it invade my mind Allfather."
"Good. See that it doesn't." Odin replied." Now, Loki has brought disorder onto the nine realms and I need you and Thor to fix it."
"Yes father." Thor said calmly.
"Yes your highness." I said bowing my head.
"The road ahead is not clear, and you and Thor must be ready to face what is in the mist." Odin said mysteriously.
A silence settled over the room.
"I fear that Asgard is not ready for what will rise from the mist." Odin's voice echoed over the throne room.
A chill raced through me as I remembered the dark shadowy figure in my dreams.
Something was coming, we needed to be ready.
Thank you for reading! Tell me what you think, like or comment. Be on the look out for "The Valkyrie Legacy Part 2: The Calm Before The Storm"