SIX

Best Served Cold

.

Amora relaxed back in the large, round bath, sighing with complete contentment. The hot water lapped at her collarbones and she spread her arms along the edge, letting her head fall back to the towel piled high for just that purpose.

"Feel better?" Valkyrie asked smugly from the other side.

"Absolutely," Amora sighed. "You?"

"It had been a while."

"Well I was in Asgard's dungeon for… I don't know… aeons." She let her eyes close. "How long has it been since you had that much fun?"

"Before Hela attacked."

Amora looked up. "I'm sorry. I thought we had lost all the Valkyrie in that attack." She paused. "Was there a special someone for you?"

"Yes. And she's been dead so long…" Valkyrie turned in the water to stretch for a bottle sitting by the edge. She pushed herself across the bath to be in front of Amora. "Just because we've had this time together doesn't mean I won't kill you if you betray all those Asgardians waiting for us to kill Thanos."

Amora smiled. She took the bottle from her, taking a swig before handing it back. "My dear, I have killed so many people who, like Thanos, thought they were somebody. He will be no different. We all have our reasons for revenge. He has destroyed half of the Ragnarok survivors - and that's not ok. I have no intention of doing anything but killing the soulless scum. Well, that and possibly severing his head and peeing in an eye socket or two."

Valkyrie grinned. "Nice."

"I just hope Loki is as good at plans as he says he is."

"I think he might be," Valkyrie said, her smile dying.

"Do you think he's planning as we speak?" she asked slyly. "It's almost evening."

"Oh I'm sure he's hard at it. With someone, somewhere."

Amora looked at her - and then laughed. Valkyrie took a swig from the bottle then passed it to Amora. She took a drink but then Valkyrie rescued the bottle from her for another drink herself. Then she came closer to reach over Amora's shoulder, setting the bottle on the stone side.

Amora put a hand through her hair. "You are so beautiful," she said quietly.

"And it's been too long," Valkyrie grinned, pushing herself closer.

.

.

The soft mattress bounced and flexed as Korg rolled to sit up. He stretched, threw his large feet over the edge, and made it to a standing position. He went to the curtain, currently serving as a makeshift door to his tiny hut. He swished it to one side and smiled. "Ah, now that's nice," he said, his hands on his hips.

Sun was just eking over the horizon, just starting to make it over the hills in the distance, to hit the sides of huts and the much taller side of the ship a few hundred feet away. He trudged outside and went to the large water butt with a ladle in the top. Helping himself to a drink, then looking around at the damp morning ground around him, he stretched a little more before going to the ship.

He smoothed a hand down the outside, appreciating it, before he turned and looked at the groups of huts that had been taken over or added to, or in some cases built, as they had arrived just the day before.

"Well, he said he'd be in the biggest hut and first light was go time," he said happily.

He made his way through the huts until he realised the one right in front of him was much larger than the rest.

"This must be it." He put a hand out and swept the curtain to one side, marching in. He had to stop as he found a large wooden table on its side by the far cloth wall, chairs scattered around, toppled over, and one of them even broken.

"Aw man - must have been some kind of fight," he breathed. "Loki? Are you in here, man? You ok?" he called.

Something stirred behind the table. The sounds of creaking wood, possibly broken glass, and then a very fuzzy 'mmm' emanated from behind the barrier.

Korg strode over and put his hand to the wood to move it. He found Loki on his back on the floor, some kind of shiny armour under his left shoulder, cuts and burgeoning bruises to his face, his chest, his arms - and wearing nothing but his black boots.

"Oh crack my rocks," Korg protested, shielding his eyes. "Where are your pants? You're all thin and gangly and squishy and so not like a pile of rocks!"

"Who's—?" Loki opened an eye, finding himself splayed out on the ground, one knee up and over a broken chair leg. "Ow - ow - ow," he gasped, putting his left hand up over his shoulder and dragging the armour out of the way. He laid flat in the dirt, grateful for some comfort. "Oh bilgesnipe's balls," he heaved.

"You may leave," came a stern female voice.

Loki's eyes went very round very quickly. He shot upright, sitting in complete worry. "Korg," he said quickly. "You've woken me - thank you - and I'll meet you by the ship."

"Oh, ok," Korg said. "Wait - how did you do that lady voice?"

"I have many skills," Loki shot back.

"Yeah, true."

"Off you go then. I'll meet you at the ship."

"You might want to put some pants on first," Korg ventured. "I mean I'm pretty easy-going but some people don't like to see that before breakfast, you know what I mean?"

"I can assure you I will find my trousers before I leave this tent. Now go."

"Ok. See you." Korg turned and walked out.

Loki heaved a gigantic sigh of relief and lay back down in the dirt. He stared at the cloth ceiling. "Please say that's Angela," he announced.

"Well of course it's me."

He heard movement and then she appeared from around the other side of the table, wrapped tastefully in something long and green. "Is that mine?" he frowned.

She walked around to his side, looking down at him. "You can have it back now." She peeled it off to reveal it was indeed his cape - and also that it had been her only clothing. She dropped it in his face.

He spluttered and blew material and dust from his mouth as he sat back up. "Thank you, I'm sure."

She crouched, putting a hand out and sweeping his hair back to straighten it from the crazy maelstrom it was currently in. He froze in surprise, before turning to look at her. She smiled. "People say you exaggerate," she mused. Her hand went out and pinched at his chin. "You do not."

"Uh - thanks?" he hazarded.

She got up and he watched her walk away with the grace of a trained fighter. Abruptly he caught himself almost admiring her. Then he shook himself and made every effort to stand up. "Uh - we need clothes."

"Yes. And we also need to make sure that Kronan does not spread news of this to everyone in a fifty-mile radius."

"I was going to say the same to you," he said. "But then I thought you'd hit me for implying I was embarrassed about being found with you."

"No," she said dismissively, locating her beige top at least. She straightened with it in her hand and found him watching her. "It would be foolhardy to let people think their leader had intimate relations with one of their warriors."

"Quite," he said with a whimsical smile. "Wait - are you embarrassed about being found with me?"

"What do you think?"

"But are you though?" he asked, stepping over broken furniture to cross the room to her.

"Does it matter?"

"Well… yes."

"No."

"No you're not embarrassed or no it doesn't matter?" he asked, confused.

"What?"

"What 'what'? I asked you a simple question."

She grinned, putting a hand to his face and smoothing it over the cuts and scratches. He didn't flinch at the stinging pain it caused. "So needy, Laufeyjarson. So… lonely."

He took a step back, breaking her connection and looking around for his trousers. "I am not needy. I was just worried I had hurt your feelings."

She grinned and shook her head. "Since when do you care about anyone else's feelings?"

He straightened up and she folded her arms, still holding onto her top. "Ok, fine. I don't care," he said coldly, "most of last night to the contrary."

Her smile faded. "That is between us and no-one else," she warned.

"Oh, trust me, I am not the type to kiss and tell."

"Good," she said, casting her gaze around the room. "Then let us bathe and find new clothes, and then find this Thanos."

"That would be my first choice."

"And when we are victorious, we shall do this again."

"That would—. What?"

"If you want to."

He cleared his throat, then shrugged dismissively. "Maybe."

She smiled as she turned away. "Next time, no knives."

"You loved it. —With and without the blades."

She grinned but refused to let him see her face. She cleared her throat. "Clothes, Laufeyjarson."

"Clothes, Angela."

.

.

Korg kicked in the door so hard it flew across the marvellously painted room and crashed into the other wall. "We're in! Storm the palace my friends!" he called.

Asgardians and ex-gladiators rushed through the gap, shouting and brandishing makeshift weapons. They slowed and looked around, confused, as all they found were people standing around in party clothes and carrying drinks. Music was playing loudly from somewhere close-by.

Korg walked in, slowly to a stop. "Oh, er… hey everyone," he said, lifting a cheerful hand and waving. Most of the people now watching him with interest waved back. "What's - er - going on?"

A woman, tall and happy in her flowing rainbow coloured dress, smiled at him. "We're celebrating darling - the Grand Master is in the dungeon and he's left us all of his booze and beds!"

People laughed and clapped.

Korg nodded. "Right, so… I'm taking the Grand Master's place and everyone here has to do as I say."

People looked at each other, shocked. They reached for loved ones - or at least favourite acquaintances. They began to protest in fear. The music came to an abrupt halt.

"Oh no - wait - no!" he called, both hands up. "No it's ok - we're just here to run the place until our saviour gets back."

"Saviour?" one woman dared.

"Yeah. Nice bloke, if a bit squishy. He's called Loki."

"That toad? The one in green?" another woman asked. She pushed herself free of her cowering friend. "He turns up here, gains favour with the Grand Master, unleashes hell and then escapes - and now he's just going to saunter back in here and try to take control?" she demanded.

"Well he did say to keep you all happy and safe until he got back here," Korg said.

"Safe from what?" she asked, her face paling.

"There's this other bloke, see - a really really big purple one - and he ripped our ship in half and kinda killed loads of people and I think he might be coming for the rest of the universe soon," Korg shrugged.

People looked at each other - and then began to panic.

"Wait! Wait!" Korg cried. "Loki rescued Asgard and stopped him! Don't worry - he wants me to just look after you while he goes off and kills him for you! You're all safe!"

People stared. Murmuring began as they talked amongst themselves.

"Hey - you!" Korg called at a slight young man standing by a window. "Get the music back on. And drinks for everyone."

An Asgardian young gentlemen of dark skin and worried face stopped by Korg's shoulder. "What are you doing?" he hissed from the side of his mouth.

"Well hey, I'm kinda winging it here, man. But Loki said to do what he would. So we keep them happy and partying and before they know it, Loki will be back. Right?"

The man threw his hands up in the air. "Whatever."

"See?" Korg nodded. "Where's that music?"

The sounds of synth cheer weaved through the throng and people began to relax, began to pick up their half-forgotten drinks and began to climb down from abject fear.

Korg folded his arms. "Oh yeah," he said cheerfully. "This will be easy." A man walked past him and he grabbed his shoulder. "Hey, man. Do you know where the Grand Master is?"

"Oh everyone knows the way to the dungeon," the man grinned. "But no-one ever goes there."

"Right, well… Ok then."

.

.

The sounds of soft-soled boots made him twitch. He sat up straight, his eyes narrowed, as he tried his hardest to identify the owner. Decades seemed to go by before, finally, a pair of black boots paused by the bars currently denying him freedom.

He smiled as he recognised the footwear. His eyes went up the dark leather until he reached the raven-black hair brushing the elaborate shoulders of the outfit. "I knew you'd come back for me," he said smugly.

Loki turned to face the bars of the dungeon. His head tilted and he looked at the Grand Master and his seated pose of defiance. "Oh did you," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

"Well of course!" the Grand Master grinned. He put a hand up toward him. "I mean, I'm me after all."

Loki smiled slowly, but it made the Grand Master uncomfortable. "What we have here," Loki said cheerfully, "is a misunderstanding."

"Yes! Yes! Of course!" he cried. He grinned again. "You never meant to desert me and steal my ship, and I never meant to let all the prisoners with jobs put me in here. You know I do forgive you."

"No no," Loki said dismissively. "Let me just…" He stood back, his palms up as he appraised the entire vision before him. "Let me just enjoy this."

"Enjoy what? What's to enjoy? You've come to get me out, right?"

"Oh no," he grinned. "I'm here to gloat. I'm here to revel in just how completely the tables have turned."

The Grand Master's face dropped. "What?"

"It's quite simple," Loki said, his voice made of honey. "I'm here, and you're there… It's almost like the first time we met, do you remember?"

"Yes - yes I do, and I remember seeing something special in you, boy, and I took pity on you, do you remember?"

Loki's smile morphed into a face made of bared teeth and barely-contained anger. "I remember you thinking I was only good for entertaining you."

"And you did! You were marvellous!" the Grand Master grinned. "That's why I let you into my inner sanctum - the parties, the orgies, the whole thing! You were so much fun. So feisty." He put a hand up and pawed the air. "Roowwrr," he mock-growled.

Loki straightened up, squared his shoulders. He resisted the urge to pull his leather collar straight. "Offer me anything to let you out."

"What?"

"You want to get out of here, don't you? What will you do - for me - to convince me to let you out?"

"Oh I see," the Grand Master grinned. "It's like that, is it? I knew you came back because you liked me. A special bond - that's what we have." He pressed his hands together, thinking. "Well… I will… do… anything you like. You know, the front thing, the back thing, the upside down one with the sliced pineapples."

Loki smiled, his eyes on the floor between them, nodding.

"See?" he grinned. "Done deal, right?" He got up off the floor. "So. Here we are. Letting me out of here. Yep… any minute now," he said, rubbing his hands.

Loki did not move.

"Because… I can do you favours, like, well, like you did for me."

Still, Loki did not move.

The Grand Master felt some kind of cold tickle at his spine. "Uh… Ok, not pineapples. What was it you… Oh! I know! The kabarka fruit, right? That was what you liked - ribbed, right? For more fun?"

Loki just watched.

"Ok - how about money," the Grand Master said. "I can be your slave for a day - two days - I mean who wouldn't want that? All this? All me? And it can be yours for two days." He realised Loki was not smiling. "—And on top of that there's money in the treasury. Real money. You like money, right? So… here we go, now. Letting me out. Just - reaching for that lock. Aren't you, though? Reaching. For the lock. With your hand, there." His eyes went from Loki to the lock on the bars and back again. And again.

Loki walked closer to the bars. "Here's the thing," he said pleasantly. "There are some elements of us two that, yes, are astonishingly alike - except you're in there, and I'm out here. You're offering me all kinds of things for your freedom, and all I have to do is be like you and take them. That's all."

"Yes! Ok, so how fast can we get this lock opened because—"

Loki lifted an index finger. The Grand Master stopped short. Loki cleared this throat, took a calming breath. "I'm not going to take them. I have no intention of letting you out. And do you know why?"

The Grand Master put a hand to his own chest, his mouth falling open. "What? Why would you not let me out? I mean I'm the handsome one here, the clever one, the one with all the—"

Loki dragged in a breath and his fists balled. "Oh do you ever stop talking!" he hurled at full volume.

The Grand Master fell silent.

Loki huffed, then took in a deep breath and let it out with the patience of ages. "Listen to me, former Grand Master. I am not letting you out. I am not here to help you." He took a step closer to the bars. "Let me be very, very clear. The days of you owning me are over. I came here to see you suffering, as I suffered. And when I walk away and you shout for me to forgive you, I shall smile, and enjoy the sound of you begging. And then I will leave you to the people of this planet. It's up to them what happens to you now."

The Grand Master stood, his mouth hanging wide in shock. "Wh-what?"

"You crave attention, and adulation, and being the focal point of everyone's efforts." He waved his hands out. "Enjoy your solitude, forgotten and unloved." He turned and walked away.

"You come back here, boy! I owned you once, I can do again!" he shouted.

Loki stopped dead.

"Ha! See!" the Grand Master shouted. "You know it, too!"

Loki backed up, retracing his steps. He did not turn, did not look at him. But his right arm went out straight, his hand open as if throwing something.

The Grand Master turned, expecting something to be on the ground behind him. But there was nothing.

Loki, his eyes still straight ahead, walked off.

The Grand Master frowned in consternation. He turned around and leant on the bars with his back, folding his arms and trying to think.

A low hiss caught his attention. Something poked out from under the prison cot and he realised it was long and green - and had sharp teeth.

"Ooh, a snake!" he grinned. "I love snakes. Come here, little fella, let's see you."

Loki paused by the sharp bend in the corridor. He listened, his eyes burning with hatred and pure anger.

"Aw, aren't you adorable," went the Grand Master's voice. "What do you have there—" Something metal hit bigger metal. "Ow! What the—. How can you even hold that? You have no hands!" The sound of scraping furniture, of hurried feet. "Ahh! No! Ouch! Stop that! Where did you get a blade! Ow! Ah! Stop! Please!"

Loki stood there for a long time, listening to the sounds of fear, of horror, of weary acceptance, and then humiliation and begging.

He smiled. And as the sounds continued, he walked away.

.