Gold
It was perhaps one of Alex's proudest moments when they came to rest on the splintered end of the Bifrost and she didn't empty her stomach contents over the Allfather's boots.
The universe was still spinning around her in a whirl of colour, like a strobe light in her peripheral vision, but she forced herself to stay upright and meet the king of the gods' eye. She thought he gave a fraction of a nod, before everyone around her starting moving like they hadn't just stepped out of an acid-tinged version of a teacup ride, even Thor.
His apparent ease with the journey made more sense when he handed the Tesseract over to his father. Odin barely glanced at the cube, and with a tiny gesture it vanished into thin air.
Her tenuous connection with it cut off. The nest of vipers resident in her stomach abruptly departed, the pressure in her head and across her chest lifting, though her knees still protested their use. Thor increased his grip on her, concern lacing his features as he stared down.
"Did the Tesseract affect you?" he asked, and she nodded her head mutely. Beyond him, Loki's gloating expression had turned altogether more pensive, and he couldn't seem to decide whether to focus on her or Odin.
"It can have a lasting affect on those it has touched," Odin said. "But it is locked away again where it will not be able to reach out to anyone. You'll not feel that way again."
A clink of metal caught her attention and she turned back to Loki. She'd thought it strange no soldiers had rushed forward to restrain him when they arrived, but now saw Odin had been weaving his own kind of magic, more effective than any soldiers would be against Loki. The irons that had bound him at wrist and ankle had changed, flowing to encase his entire body like armour, only there were no concessions made for joints or movement. He was trapped in the metal, which rose as far as his collarbones, and the muzzle still encased the lower half of his face. Any fury, any fear, he wanted to express were as locked in as the rest of him.
Alex's stuttered gasp was lost behind Thor's own bellow. "Father, this isn't right! He should remain chained, but this-this is-"
"Necessary," the Allfather interrupted. "It is only temporary, until his true punishment has been conveyed by the court. Until then, this is the only way I can be sure he has no means of escape."
His tone allowed for no argument, and Thor glared but didn't protest further. He gave his brother a sorrowful look, one met with cold hatred.
"It will not be for long," Odin continued. "Before the day is out, he will know his fate."
"Then you do not intend to try him. You move straight to sentencing."
"He confessed his actions against this realm before he fell from the Bifrost. While they were misguided-I cannot call them well-intentioned-they were still treasonous. Besides which, his deeds on Midgard were well recorded by Heimdall. We know his guilt, so what use is there for a trial?"
Odin gestured for the soldiers around their group and a handful moved forward carrying a stretcher, though she supposed a litter was a more appropriate term. They tipped Loki backwards onto it, none too delicately, so he could be carried.
It was surreal to be surrounded by men in such outlandish attire, even if she'd grown used to Loki's sense of fashion and the way Thor had dressed around Stark Tower. One man in metal, leather and a cape was very different to a dozen of them, especially with the helmets they wore. Though it hardly seemed practical, combined the stern set of their faces and their immense size it was an intimidating uniform. Even with all the gold.
They weren't the only eye catching thing in gold. Beyond them, the palace of Asgard waited at the far end of the Bifrost, spires piercing the sky. She'd seen it once before, when Loki brought her here to be tested, but it was possible you could never get used to that sight. Even the towers of Manhattan paled in comparison.
"Have you ever ridden?" Thor asked, nodding towards three horses being held several paces away.
"Yes. Your brother made sure I knew how to ride." They approached the horses with Loki carried behind them, and Thor helped her up into the saddle of a chestnut mare.
"I'm afraid Lady Idun has already departed for the orchards," Odin told her. "We will provide you with an escort in the morning to follow her. As it is, it's too late in the day to begin such a journey, and you should rest first. Thor can accompany you back to the palace while I ensure my youngest arrives safely."
This time, even through the muzzle, Loki managed to howl, his attention on her furious.
"That's right," she said. "I didn't come here because I gave in to you. I'm here to see Idun. Then I'm going home."
She nudged the horse in the direction of the palace, and with a yell to Thor, set off in a trot, leaving Loki and all his anger behind for the time being.
Alex let Thor take the lead as they approached the palace, hoping to fade into his shadow among the waiting crowd. They cheered his return and she passed mostly unnoticed, earning a few curious glances but nothing more. Her clothes probably didn't help, since everyone here was in the same Middle-Ages-goes-metallic gear the soldiers wore.
The Bifrost became a boulevard that led straight to the palace gates, beyond which a tree-lined bridleway took them to the vast entrance doors. Thor helped her dismount and servants rushed up to stable the horses, while he took her into a hall that was clad in a continent's worth of marble.
Corridors branched away and she followed Thor through them, praying that she never had to find her own way out of the palace. He gave an occasional greeting to the people they passed, but the heavy set of his brow deterred people from trying to engage him in pleasantries. The decor didn't get any less eye-catching and they soon reached another troupe of guards at the end of another hallway.
"My lord," the one closest said, standing aside. Thor swept past without a response and Alex scuttled after him.
"These are our private quarters. Father will have arranged for your a set of chambers to be prepared for you for the night." He still seemed unhappy about what had been done to Loki on the bridge.
Ahead, a figure stepped out before them, the gold of her dress fading into the matching colour of the walls. Alex knew even by her stance that this was someone important, before Thor swept on ahead to greet her.
"Mother," he said, pulling her into a hug, and Alex hung back to let them have a moment. That the woman was a queen was evident up close, even without a crown, since she outdressed Idun. It was in the way she held herself, the way she schooled her features, the way she moved-royalty shone from her pores, like it often did with her sons.
She had a moment of not knowing whether she should bow or curtsy, but the queen solved that for her by taking her by the hand and kissing it. "I am Frigga," she said by way of introduction, "and you are the mortal girl who my son loves."
When she'd met Odin the first time around, there had been a hint of accusation in the way he spoke to her, like she'd set out to trap herself a god. With Frigga, there was no judgement, just warmth and an undercurrent of sorrow. She didn't release Alex's hand, clasping it between her own.
"I am," she replied, floundering around for something else to say. "It's nice to finally meet you."
"I wish the circumstances were not as they are."
"Me too."
Frigga looked to her eldest, finally letting Alex's hand go. "How is he?"
"Tired. He hasn't eaten or bathed in weeks. Father says he is to be sentenced immediately."
"Not immediately. This evening." Though it had been dusk on Earth, here on Asgard it was still afternoon, judging by the blue of the skies they'd ridden under. "I'll ensure he is fed before then."
Thor opened his mouth to speak again, and Alex thought he was going to mention the way Loki was imprisoned in the metal suit, but he paused, changing his mind. "Mother, Lady Alex has travelled long this day and faces another long journey tomorrow. She needs rest and nourishment of her own."
"Her rooms are ready. I'll escort her, you should arrange for the kitchens to prepare a meal for the both of them."
Alex shot a wide-eyed glance in Thor's direction, but he was already obeying his mother's command. Frigga took her arm, which made Alex feel tiny and grubby in comparison. She hadn't showered since leaving England and her jeans hadn't been fresh on that morning.
"I wish we could have met the first time you came to Asgard," Frigga began, leading Alex further down the corridor. "While it was not within my power to stop you from being tested, I'm often a better judge of character than my husband. He's too suspicious of everyone. I know, from speaking to Lady Idun, that he did not follow her instructions, and that decision cost us all dearly. Perhaps I could have ensured he gave you a chance to pass the test."
Alex weighed up her next words, given she was speaking to Loki's mother and a goddess to boot. "Despite everything that's happened since then, I'm glad now that I never had the chance to pass. I made decisions without being able to appreciate what they meant."
"You believe you'd be unhappy with Loki, if you'd become his wife at that time?"
"I think I was blind to his faults, so while I would have been happy, it wouldn't have stopped any of this from happening."
"You think so? I have often wondered if I had known when he lost you, that any comfort I could have provided would have swayed him from the path he set himself on."
"Honestly...I doubt it. More and more I'm coming to think that even with me on Asgard, he was too jealous of Thor to let him gain the throne without trying to prove himself the better option to their father. His bitterness at being second-best is too ingrained, and I don't think having a wife would have changed that. I'd have been too clueless to know what to do to dissuade him. Worst case scenario, I'd have found myself trapped here, thinking I was a widow and probably on treason charges myself."
They passed a set of doors with a walled garden beyond it, fountains glinting in the sunlight. Frigga was quiet as she processed what Alex had said.
"You may be right. I am a believer in fate, so whatever led us to this point was meant to be. I am, however, sorry for all the hurt my son has inflicted on you, whether he intended to cause you pain or not. For what it's worth, I know he would never willingly harm you and you mean more to him than any of us. That's not an easy thing for a mother to admit."
She didn't know about what had happened that day. She couldn't, not the way she was speaking about Loki. Despite everything else she knew, Loki's attack on Alex-whatever his desire to hurt her-hadn't been relayed to her. Or perhaps the news hadn't travelled that quickly.
And Alex couldn't tell her. Not when the woman was so clearly heartbroken over everything that had happened with Loki.
"It doesn't matter," Alex said. "He's going to be punished for everything he's done, and I'm going home."
"In that regard, I do have a small favour to ask. Would you accompany Thor and myself to the sentencing? You will be the only representative from Midgard, though you won't be asked to speak, and I need someone with me who at least feels some sympathy for my son. His father will be acting as king, so I am unable to rely on him for support. Thor must stand beside his father. Few in this realm would feel any sorrow for Loki. You, I fear, may be my only kindred spirit."
They'd turned down a short hallway that ended in a wide, elaborately carved door. Outside the door Frigga paused, waiting for Alex's answer. Alex, in turn, had to brace herself against the wall at a sudden realisation.
"People keep talking about a sentence, but no one's told me what the outcome could be. Will they..?"
"No, my child," Frigga replied softly. "He won't be executed."
Alex released her breath. Despite the almost claustrophobic urge to get away from him, she never wanted that. "Good."
"Trust me, if that was a risk, I wouldn't ask you to be present. I wouldn't attend myself. Although treason is one of the charges against him, the king has already explained that Loki's actions were never intended to gain the throne for himself-at least not without my husband's approval-and he only planned to kill King Laufey. Given the history between our races, few mourn Laufey, or even disapprove of Loki's attempt to destroy Jotunheim. Beyond that, his invasion of Midgard was not a crime against us, so we cannot punish him for it. Therefore I am confident he will live. Nor will he be exiled, as the king wants to know where he is to ensure he doesn't repeat this folly."
"So what will happen?"
"Most likely, he will be imprisoned." A frown briefly marred Frigga's forehead, and it dissuaded Alex from pressing for further information. There seemed to be other options still available, and she knew Odin could be ruthless. Loki might not be killed, but horribly maimed didn't seem to be off the table either.
That wasn't something she wanted to hear, but it would be cowardice to avoid knowing about Loki's fate. If she didn't know precisely what had happened to him, she'd spend the rest of her life looking over her shoulder, waiting for him to be free. Hearing Odin proclaim his punishment would alleviate that. She'd also gain an ally in Frigga, who might know of a way to get her home, instead of Alex having to rely on Odin's mercy.
"I'll come," she told Frigga. "I need to know what happens."
"Thank you," the queen replied, her smile weary. "I will arrange for an escort to come for you at the time. In the meantime, food is on its way." She pushed the door open, to show Alex a room roughly the size of her parents' house. "You may rest and bathe and take full advantage of our hospitality. For now, I need to give my son all the care I am permitted to."
Alex remembered to call out "Thank you," as Frigga walked away, before shutting the door behind her.
The food was amazing. The room was huge. The bath was incredible. The view from the balcony was breathtaking. The bed was the softest she'd ever slept in. Alex wished she was in the mood to enjoy any of it.
She ate, she napped, she washed, she changed into the simplest dress she could find in the closet. Then she paced, watching the sun sink closer to the horizon. No time had been given for the sentencing to take place, and she had no way of telling the time here anyway. This, this was going to be the last time she saw Loki, and she had no right to complain about anything they wanted to do to him in punishment. Not after what he'd done to Earth. His mother could fight for leniency; she was just a witness.
When stars finally lit the sky, an unfamiliar map in the heavens, a knock came at the door.
Thor waited for her in full ceremonial costume, which involved a flowing red cape and a feathered helmet. She was once again struck by how comical the sight should have been, and how intimidating it was instead, especially with the set of his jaw and the way his fists were balled at his sides.
"Lady Alex," he said with a bow of his head. "I am glad you agreed to accompany my mother this evening. You have a good heart, despite everything. It still grieves me that you will not be becoming a member of this family, given how worthy you would be of your place."
She didn't respond, mainly because she had no response to give. She liked Thor and she'd warmed to Frigga in the space of a ten minute conversation, but they were perhaps the most dysfunctional family in the universe. And royalty. Her five year old inner self thrilled at the idea of being a princess, but her adult self knew she wasn't built to rule.
She didn't even try to remember the path Thor took her on back through the labyrinthine halls of the palace. It ended in a room completely clad in gold, with a dais topped in a throne. Odin himself sat in the throne, a vision of a white-haired old wizard from here. He clutched a golden sceptre and wore an elaborate horned helm instead of a crown. Other grand chairs had been set round the base of the throne, and black-cloaked figures occupied them. Thor led her round the back of the hall, to where Frigga waited at the front of the small crowd facing the dais.
Frigga gripped her hand and Thor gave another bow before heading to take one of the chairs for himself. The crowd behind them were all dressed in finery, even the outfits that incorporated decorative armour, and when Alex glanced across at the nearest cluster she found a dark-haired woman glaring at her. Only a raised eyebrow from Frigga made her look away, abashed.
"Don't worry," Frigga whispered. "Sif means well. She is judging you for your connection to Loki, despite the fact that she called him friend for hundreds of years. When she is made aware of the full story, she will repent."
"It's fine," Alex said, deliberately keeping her gaze averted from where Sif stood. "I suppose people are going to make judgements when they don't know everything."
Without meaning to, she sought out Loki, who was propped up in the middle of a knot of soldiers, directly in front of the the dais. She was off to the side and the suit didn't allow him to turn his head, which she appreciated. He looked better than he had earlier, his hair no longer matted and his cheeks fuller. He'd obviously accepted the care his mother had offered. The muzzle had also been removed, though the bruises it had caused lingered on his skin, his lips still cracked. Among the gleaming citizens of Asgard he couldn't have looked less regal, but he held his head high, a smirk threatening to spread even now.
A trickle of people entered the hall, before one of the guards closed the door, allowing the clang to echo round the chamber. The undercurrent of hushed whispers died.
Odin stood.
"We are here tonight to deliver sentence on Prince Loki, for his crimes against this throne. The highest court of this realm has already convened in his absence to deliberate on what would be a just and fair punishment for these crimes, and now he has returned this punishment shall commence immediately."
There was a pause, but a new voice rang out over the crowd. A voice Alex knew all too well.
"Am I to be denied the right to speak in my defense? I believe you'll be very interested in what I have to say."
And there was the smirk.
A/N: Longest chapter yet! Posted in celebration of the New Year, since I am uber cool and having nothing better to do. Happy 2013!