"Step forth." The command reverberated through the hall and I thought I was going to faint from the idea. Hesitantly, I crept forward, glancing around the room nervously. When I had woken that morning, I hadn't exactly planned on having a meeting with Odin. Or one in front of the entire royal family, for that matter.

In fact, I had been rather looking forward to going home. Well, what was left of it. Still, I knew humans had an incredible capacity to recover from devastation and tragedy. Earth would be back in shape before we knew it and I wanted to be there. I didn't feel quite right on Asgard, especially given I was back to being a much weaker human.

Yet, my dream of returning that day didn't seem to be in the cards. Instead, Loki and I had been called to a summons. While he had been conditionally reaccepted into the family, I was entirely uncertain as to what was going to happen to me. Given he was once again a prince, I was confident that I wasn't exactly the ideal choice as his wife. But there wasn't much they could really do about that without undoing the delicate peace that had been reached.

So, instead I told myself that it couldn't possibly be worse than nearly being erased from history. In fact, nothing could. That had been the most painful, excruciating, hopeless, depressing experience of my life. I stopped in the center of the room, balling my fingers into fists as I waited.

I still wasn't overly fond of Odin. Seeing that he had spared Loki twice, however, forced a grudging gratitude towards him. Especially since he had so recently reinstated him into the family, a gesture that I knew was likely difficult for everyone.

"Olivia Grant of Earth," He began solemnly. His tone was remorseful and I fought the urge to cringe. Whatever was about to happen was likely not good. I felt my jaw tense but remained silent. "To you I owe a great debt of gratitude."

Well, that was unexpected. "You saved, not only your world and your people, but all the worlds from a terrible enemy." I sunk into myself slightly, the praise making me more self-conscious than anything. "You taught my son love and honor. And you returned him to this family."

But...I was waiting for it. I knew it was coming. "And thus it is, with heavy heart, I present to you a choice." And there it was.

"And what choice would that be?" I inquired quietly, my thumb twirling the ring on my finger with anxiety.

"Loki is once again worthy of these halls." I snuck a glance over to him. From his expression I could see the monster rising to the surface. Tread carefully, Odin. I thought to myself. "As such, he is a son of Asgard and prince once more."

I waited for him to continue, discovering I was moving my right leg back and forth in impatience. Stop. I commanded myself, my leg stopping mid-motion. "He has expectations here, as does his brother. He can not join you on Earth again." It was like the floor had been pulled from underneath me. He wouldn't be allowed to return with me? But that would mean...

"Surely, you cannot be serious?" Loki hissed with disbelief. I saw him begin to say something else when Odin interrupted.

"I am entirely serious, I'm afraid. Your place is here, with us."

"My place," Loki snarled. Oh, crap. Bad move, Odin. Very, very bad move. "Is wherever I wish it to be. I will not abandon her to live a mortal life alone."

"Which is why I present her with a choice." Odin's gaze returned to me and I flinched from the intensity of it. "You may return to Earth and resume your life with your people alone."

Alone? I took it to mean I would not even be permitted to take my daughter with me and I felt the darkness begin to boil within me. "Alone? As in, I go back and even my daughter stays here?" My voice had a noticeable edge to it and Odin gave me an apologetic look. I wasn't in a particularly forgiving mood.

"Sarah is a member of this family. As such, she would be required to remain here."

"The hell she is." I snarled. "You didn't seem so interested in having her here when you banished Loki to Earth. This isn't about family, this is about power."

Perhaps my words were dangerous, but I didn't care. Loki had the right to choose. Sarah had the right to be with her parents. I was being manipulated into taking whatever the second option was and I didn't like it. I heard Thor suck in a breath in anxiety.

"Remember whom you speak to, girl." Odin threatened.

"I do know to whom I speak." My body hunched and I walked towards him slowly. I was entirely aware of the hatred that seethed from every pore, the feral side of my nature bubbling over. "The absentee father who favored his firstborn. The man who adopted a child of his enemy as a power play, with no regards to the child's feelings. Oh yes, I am perfectly aware of whom I speak to. Your threats mean nothing to me. You can smite me where I stand, but it will never erase the damage that you yourself caused. And we both know what happens if you carry out one of your threats."

The room was utterly still, as if the parties involved were holding their breaths simultaneously. His one eye narrowed into a slit and I maintained my ferocity, allowing the darkness to flow freely. I hadn't endured such hardships to allow some old man with a desire for blind obedience to ruin everything.

"A member of this house has responsibilities." He stated firmly. "As such, there is a second option available to you."

"I'm well aware of what my second option is. I just don't enjoy being manipulated into one course of action." I exhaled slowly in attempt to calm my anger. "You ask me to leave my home, my very way of life to remain here with my family. I am more than willing to do so but I do not appreciate being coerced into it."

"I rather prefer the third choice," Loki seethed. "In which I renounce all ties to this 'house' and the three of us leave at once."

As angry as he was in that moment, I knew what it had meant to him to be part of the family again. I wouldn't ask him to leave his home and his family. "No, it's fine. I'll stay."

"You cannot-"

"I said," I focused my gaze on Loki, feeling the intensity of it myself. "I'll stay."

He glowered at me but said nothing else in response. Odin and I continued to exchange heated stares at one another before he spoke once more. "Then it is to be understood that you shall remain here." He paused and I could tell he was heavily debating something internally. "I should revoke the second part of my offer for your impertinence," I said nothing but continued to glare. "However, given the circumstances I can at least fathom your behavior."

My jaw clenched and unclenched several times and it took every ounce of self-control to not go off. He had a way of getting under my skin and stirring up feelings I had buried for years. I didn't like the effect he had on my nature and I questioned how well the arrangement was going to work. "It would be unjust of me to expect you to remain in a realm of immortals, married to an immortal, as a human subject to death. I hereby declare you to be a daughter of Asgard, married to the son of Odin." He slammed his staff to the ground, a rushing wind blowing my hair back. The impact of it surprised me and I held out my hands for balance.

I felt a strange tingling under my skin, an inner strength that I had never possessed before. A glance at my hand revealed that, though my skin remained pale, it seemed to emit a faint glow and I marveled at what had just occurred. "Welcome to the Aesir." He didn't say it but the undercurrent was there. Should I ever have such an outburst again, he wouldn't fail to punish me, repercussions or no.

Odin swept from the room, Thor, the queen, and other siblings of Thor I had never met following behind him. "That was brave of you." Loki stated with amusement, a slight smirk on his face.

"Yeah, well I don't like being forced into anything. Doesn't matter who it is."

"You do realize as angry as he may be, you have forever earned his respect?"

"Er, no."

"Are you certain this is what you want?"

I looked around the empty, grand room, it's golden tiles gleaming brilliantly in the sun. It was the farthest thing from what I knew or was comfortable with. Still, if it was where Loki and Sarah were, I would call it home. "Not really. I'm not exactly goddess material." I chuckled darkly. "But this is where you are. It's where Sarah is. So, I suppose, it will just have to work."

"You did not have to, you know."

"I know." I sidled next to him and wrapped my hand around his arm. "But just so you know, I am not wearing a dress. There's just no way." He laughed, the sound of it mixing with our footsteps across the floor, the noises echoing in the empty hall. I glanced over my shoulder at the place where I stood moments ago and bid farewell to my old life; the life that could have been and never was. I returned my gaze forwards and the thought stuck me. For all I had surrendered, I didn't feel the slightest bit robbed. After all this time, all these years, I finally had what I yearned for: love.