CHAPTER 12
"Jane?" Natasha was the first to come out of her shock.
"Hello, Natasha. I am glad to see you all are here, but what may I ask are you doing?" Jane asked when she saw the envelope in Tony's hand.
"Well, in the letter you left us you said that you were going home and if the machine didn't work then you would most likely be dead. So we were testing out a theory, but seeing that you are here and dressed rather strangely at that I am going to assume that your machine did indeed work," Tony told her.
Jane nodded in understanding. "What are you doing here though? I thought you wanted to go back to where ever it is you are from to be with Thor?" Steve asked her in confusion.
"I came back to let you know that Darcy and I made it to Asgard safely. I know that I was being vague in the letter I left and I knew you guys would be worried about us because we just up and disappeared. But that isn't the only reason I am back. I need time away from Asgard, away from….him," it was here she broke down. The pain she was feeling at his rejection was drowning her and she felt like she would never be able to rise above the waves that seemed to crash around her. "He was fine the first few days but now he is avoiding me like I am the plague! And I don't even know what I said to make him act this way. He was going to renew our betrothal and now it's like I don't even exist!" she cried.
Natasha pulled her distraught friend into her arms and let her cry out her pain against her shoulder. She knew that Thor would be here soon looking for the woman in her arms and she was going to give him a piece of her mind when he did show up. "Jane, it's going to be okay. We have looked at the scroll and eventually you and he will make up. I know you don't want to believe me but everything will work its self out."
Jane could only sob harder before she quieted and pulled back to look at her friend.
"Natasha, I want to thank you for looking after him when he was banished here several years ago. He told me that it was you who helped him see his need to become a responsible ruler and he has changed in that regard. There is very little of the arrogance that was once there. I am not saying that he isn't still a little arrogant but that he isn't as arrogant as he used to be, the way I remember him to be."
"You are welcome, Jane."
"So, it's been how long up there anyway?" Tony asked once Jane had righted herself once more.
"Four days. How long has it been here?"
"You have been gone only a few hours actually," Dr. Banner told her.
"Twelve hours to be exact, Miss Foster," Tony said earning him a glare for the doctor.
Doing the calculation in her head she figured out that for every three hours that had passed on Midgard a whole day had passed on Asgard. That made her wonder how long it was going to take her sister and Thor to figure out that she was gone. She figured she would wait a few Asgardian days before she went back to give him time to figure out that she had left but then again she needed to let her sister know that she had gone.
xxx
"Father. King Ashier. Darissa and I would like to tell you that we have decided to renew our betrothal and would like to be married as soon as it can be arranged," Loki said formally to the two kings.
Ashier and Odin looked at the couple before them. Both kings smiled at their children and nodded. Both were happy to see the two of them had finally gotten back together again. They wondered if Darissa could forgive Loki of his crimes against not only Midgard, where she had been living for the past ten Midgardian years, but Asgard and Jotunheim as well. However, looking at their children standing before them, both radiating such happiness, they knew that she had forgiven him for all his trespasses.
Loki squeezed Darcy's hand as they waited for their father's approval of their request. He didn't have to wait long though. Both of their fathers' gave their consent to their request and asked when they were planning on having the wedding. The two of them told their fathers' that they needed to talk to their siblings first before coming a final decision.
They bowed and left intent on looking for their respective siblings.
xxx
Loki and Darcy parted outside the dining hall after letting the other know that they would see each other after talking with their siblings.
Loki knew that Thor was most likely in the training yard with his friends and so headed there first. He walked in and observed the occupants for a moment before noticing that his brother seemed preoccupied with his inner thoughts than on the training that was going on around him.
"Brother, what has gotten you looking so glum?" Loki asked as he walked up to his brother.
Thor looked up to see Loki standing in front of him. "It's Jane. I am not sure how to go about courting her again. I have been trying to think about it and I admit I have been avoiding her for almost an entire day, but she is so different from the woman I used to know. I am unsure if I am even good enough for her anymore. I, too, have changed," Thor began with a heavy sigh.
"Thor have you told her any of this?" Loki asked his brother.
"No," came his brothers' resigned reply.
"Thor, you need to talk to her about how you feel or neither of you is going to move forward. I know that Jarissa is different now. I have seen the change with my own eyes. She isn't the docile creature that used to hang around you years ago, but a strong woman that you need. Darissa has changed too you know, but you don't see me shying away from her now do you? I know you have changed Brother and you are both going to have to relearn about the other. That's how relationships work, my dear brother. Speaking of which, Darissa and I are going to be getting married soon and we wanted to let you know so we could figure out when the wedding should take place."
Thor was surprised by his brothers' words as well as his announcement. He was truly happy for his brother.
"Congratulations, Brother," Thor boomed as he hit Loki on the back with his hand nearly knocking his brother over in the process.
"So how did it go yesterday with Darcy?" he asked
"Fine." Was the only thing Loki would reveal about his night with his mate and soon to be bride.
Thor knew from previous dealings with his brother not to pry into his private life. "Well then, Brother, where is the lovely bride to be?" he finally asked.
"Looking for her sister to tell her the news though we already told her earlier. I think she just wants to confirm it so we can set the date."
Darcy meanwhile was searching for her sister. She had already been to Jane's room only to find it empty. She knew that Jane hardly ever went to the training grounds so she was having a hard time thinking of the other places her sister could be. Deciding that she should ask Frigga, she went to find the queen.
She found the queen in one of the gardens. "Your Majesty, have you happened to see my sister today?" she asked.
"No, I haven't seen her today. Why are you looking for her?"
"I wanted ask her when she thought we should wed. Loki and I, I mean"
"Are you saying my son has asked you to marry him again?"
"Yes, my Queen," Darcy said with a slight blush. "We figured that we should considering I am his wife in the eyes of Jotunheim but we are only betrothed in the eyes of Asgard and Alfheim."
Frigga took a closer look at Darcy and noticed a small scrolled tattoo like mark below her left ear, which was easy to spot because of the younger woman's hair being pulled up into an eloberate bun on the back of her head. She knew then that Loki had indeed claimed the young woman before her as his mate. She was also one of the few that knew what the Jotun's Mating Mark really was, having studied Jotun history so that she could raise Loki better. She could clearly make out the elaborate double L that the mark was made up of. Not many knew that the mark was a brand of ownership. It was essentially the male's initials. In Loki's case Loki Laufeyson. The scrolling of the tattoo signified royalty.
"I am glad to know that you are to be married soon my dear," she finally told Darcy.
"Thank you, my Queen. However, I need to continue to search for my sister and let her know. I know I told her earlier but I wanted to ask her about the wedding so Loki and I can decide on when it should take place." With that said she bowed to the queen and continued her fruitless search for her wayward sister.
After another several hours of searching she finally went in search of Loki and Thor. She had a bad feeling that something had happened to her sister when she couldn't find her at all, no matter where she looked. She found them in the Dining Hall with the Warriors Three and Lady Sif.
"Loki, Thor, I can't find Jane anywhere," she said in near panic in her voice as she came into the Hall.
Thor was the first to react to the news. "What do you mean you can't find her?"
"Exactly that. I can't find her. I have looked everywhere and she is nowhere to be seen. I even went to ask your mother, the queen, if she had seen her but she hasn't either. I am getting worried. She never goes off without telling someone beforehand."
Loki could feel her distress. In fact, he had been feeling it for the past few hours, but had refrained from going to her. He figured that she and her sister were talking and he had not wanted to interrupt them but now he too was worried. "My Love, we will find her. I promise you this," he told her pulling her into his arms and holding her close.
Just then she thought of something or someone who she had not gone to yet to see if they had seen her sister. "Heimdall. How could I have forgotten to see if he has seen her today?" With that she pulled out of Loki's arms and ran for the Dome and it's Gatekeeper.
Thor, Loki and the Warriors Three and Lady Sif followed her out the door at a slightly less urgent pace. Thor was worried and wondered if he was the cause of Jane's disappearance. After all, he had been avoiding her since they had talked with his father the day before. However when he thought about it they really had not talked since the day she and Darissa had come home and silently cursed himself for his stupidity. He knew that women needed to feel loved by their other half and couldn't blame her for walking out on him after only a few days. His treatment of her had been crass and slightly cruel even for a strong independent woman like his Jane.
Darcy came upon Heimdall and was surprised when he greeted her with, "She is on Midgard." She left out a sigh of relief then asked, "But why?"
"She told me that she wanted to go back to Midgard to see her friends and to let them know that you and she were alright and that you had survived the journey four days ago."
"Well, she could have just told someone that. I have been searching for her all day."
"I also think she left because she feels that she is unappreciated by a certain golden prince."
Darcy wondered why her sister felt that way. She knew for a fact that Thor loved her sister. So she was confused as to why her sister felt that she needed to leave and without telling her first. "Do you know when she will be back? Did she say when she was coming back?"
"No, she didn't say when she was planning to come back. Did you wish to go to her Princess?"
"I can't Heimdall. Even if I thought I could, I wouldn't chance it. It's too dangerous."
"How do you mean Princess?" he asked her, puzzled.
"When Jane and I went through the Bifrost ten, I mean a millennium ago, we were both pregnant at the time. When we arrived on Midgard with no memory of who or where we were from, we ended up in the hospital. When we awoke we found out that we had both miscarried for no apparent reason. Jane and I have theorized that it was because we traveled through the Bifrost while with child, which we concluded was not a very safe thing to do. So no, until I know if I am pregnant after last night I will not be going through the Bifrost." she answered.
"I had no idea the danger of traveling through the Bifrost while a woman was with child," Heimdall stated, saddened by the news she had given him.
Thor, Loki and the rest of their group came up just as Darcy was telling Heimdall about the loss of her and Jane babies. Loki went to stand behind Darcy wrapping his arms around her as he did.
"Heimdall, do you know where Princess Jarissa went?" Thor asked.
Darcy jumped in before Heimdall could answer, "She went to Midgard, Thor. Apparently she feels like you don't appreciate her as you should so she left," she finished angrily towards her future brother in law.
Thor and Loki heard the animosity in her voice and Loki could feel her anger through their bond. Thor though was shocked by her anger. He should have expected it though. He had been avoiding her sister for the past day and a half now.
Thor turned and told Heimdall to open the Bifrost. He was going to find his betrothed.