Author's Notes: I gave my US President a fictional name comprised of parts of the names of two fictional television presidents whose portrayal I enjoyed. Mine looks and sounds much like our current president. If you can't guess which two fictional presidents/shows I'm honoring, let me know!

I'm messing with mythology and Marvel canon at this point. There is no true documentation (that I could find) regarding what kind of giants were in Odin's background or who Laufey's parents were. I also added an uncle for Odin who was neither related nor had frost giant blood in the original mythos. But, that's my "artistic interpretation", so I'm going with it!

Pay close attention, the genealogy is a bit convoluted, but important later. FOR THOSE HAVING AN ISSUE WITH FOLLOWING IT, CHECK MY PROFILE NOW FOR A LINK TO MY TUMBLER CHART!

… …

Odin looked up sharply. "What's wrong, husband?" Frigga asked from her comfortable chaise where she leafed through a favorite book.

"I felt something; a power I haven't felt since I was a small boy and my grandsire Búri ruled. It's worrisome."

"What kind of power? Perhaps it is related to my…hmm."

"The uneasiness that you will not discuss with me?" he asked as she trailed off into silence.

"Yes."

He thought about the surge of power he had felt and its likely source. "It could well be, my lady." His attention was caught by a sudden swell of the flames in the fireplace. He focused his attention and listened for Heimdall's call. "Thor is on his way back. He's using Mjölnir; apparently this thing has disturbed him as well." They waited quietly, the rustle of a page occasionally being turned the only disruption.

The door to the study opened and Thor strode in. "Father, I have news."

"Have you forgotten all courtesy, my son?" Frigga chided.

"Ah, no mother, my apologies. The most amazing thing happened on Jötunheim."

"Has your brother already opened the Casket?" Odin asked.

Thor gave a short bark of laughter. "No, he but held it and it glowed. His voice gained power enough to shake the ground and he appeared to briefly grow in stature."

That was not unexpected if the power surge he'd felt was what he feared. "What happened?"

"Býleistr was deeply disrespectful and all but outright challenged Loki. And I swear to you, father, Loki was polite and courteous in his response. He simply asked if Býleistr intended to take the throne in Helblindi's place based on the lack of trust he seemed to have in his elder's judgment. When Býleistr remained silent, Loki demanded that he answer. That's when it happened."

"How did they respond?"

"They staggered, well, we all did, but the Jötnar fell back two paces as though a giant hand had shoved them and then every last one of them cowered before Loki. Býleistr's attitude changed immediately."

"As well it should. Sit down, my son. Let me tell you a tale of your great-grandfather, Bölþorn, the Jötnar father of my mother, Bestla, and her brother Mimir the wise."

"I did not know that you had an uncle, let alone that he was Mimir," Thor began and then frowned. "Wait, one of my great grandfathers was Jötnar?"

"Mimir's relationship to us was little remembered after he was killed many millennia ago. Yes, my mother was half Jötnar as was her brother. It's not much spoken of, though you knew we bear the blood of giants."

"Well, yes, but…"

"Bölþorn was the first Jötnar sorcerer." Odin waited for an angry outburst that never came, though his son's expression was one of betrayed consternation.

"Why have you allowed the people of Asgard to hate that from which we, in part, have sprung?" Thor finally asked. "I do not understand this."

"Laufey and his father Thrym tried to destroy both Asgard and Midgard although Thrym himself was part Æsir, though he oft denied it. Many Æsir, Vanir and Ljósálfar died to prevent their victory. The atrocities those two and their armies committed were without number; they earned the name of monster. Unfortunately, our people began to think all Jötnar were like that. It was a way for them to deal with their fear and there was no halting it." Thor shook his head mutely at the explanation.

"Thor, those were trying times. You knew only the tail end of them," Frigga said. "Please do not make the mistake of thinking your experiences are enough to encompass the whole horror of what they did. It cannot. Mistake or no, we sheltered you from it."

"And Loki," their son said quietly.

"Ah yes, Loki, who, it appears, is Bölþorn's great-great -grandson and our cousin of different degrees."

"What makes you so sure of this? The Avengers have not yet completed their DNA testing."

"Bölþorn was the last true master of the Casket of Ancient Winters, it is an inherited ability. His daughter Bestla, my mother, had no affinity for it, but Mimir did though he never mastered it. Both siblings were powerful in sorcery; Mimir fathered a daughter named Bera who was both a sorceress and a shape-shifter. We do not know what became of Bera, but when she left us, she was with child by an Æsir warrior who feared to admit he'd been intimate with the queen's niece. My mother was convinced that her niece would have a daughter and she was rarely wrong about such things. When assuming other shapes, Bera found her Jötnar form easiest, though she could on take others of the same mass. I've no doubt any daughter of hers could have shifted to a Jötnar form if they had taken refuge in Bölþorn's homeland."

"My brother is my cousin," Thor said in a wondering tone.

Odin frowned. "That is all you take away from what I've told you?"

"No," Thor retorted. "But that does have significance to me. Does it not to you?"

"Yes, of course. Loki is not only our family by adoption, but by blood. I am pleased as well."

"So, tell me what does this affinity with the Casket of Ancient Winters do?"

"Both Mimir and Bera had an affinity to it. I suspect that Loki has inherited Bölþorn's mastery of it. There is a prophesy of the Casket finding a new master, though it gives conflicting accounts of what might happen once that master arises. You see, the Casket of Ancient Winters is not only capable of unleashing catastrophic arctic storms, it also can, when wielded by one who can master it, provide a magical boost to that individual's natural attributes. In Loki's case, it would make his every word more convincing and powerful as well as increasing his strength, other natural abilities and when it is not bound, his magic."

"So this is why the Norns felt that he would turn the tide for whichever side he chose during Ragnarök." Thor's eyes narrowed and he glared at him. "You fear him, father."

"I fear for him. This is a terrible temptation and I do not know if it is one that he can resist." Odin sighed. "I do not even know that it is one from which I could turn away were I gifted with it."

"I think you underestimate our son," Frigga soothed. "He has a good heart."

"He is one who has endured much pain at the hands of many. Revenge…"

"Revenge is nothing next to love. Had this happened before, I agree, he would have been lost to us. But now I know he will triumph over the temptation."

… …

Tony collapsed on his silk-sheeted mattress and groaned. His still damp hair was leaving a wet spot, but he really didn't give a rat's ass after being up the whole damn night trying to get all of the hay and its residue out of the Mark IX and off of his body. "After five showers and two baths I finally feel clean. Jarvis, how much hay was in that damn suit?"

"Eighteen point seven five pounds, approximately one quarter of a small square bale, Mr. Stark."

"Fucking Loki. Bastard probably cackled all the way to Asgard."

"I believe it was Princess Kara who was laughing, sir."

He grimaced at the memory of Kara down on the floor laughing so hard tears streamed down her cheeks. "Yeah, I guess it was. Is he going to pull something like this every time I use a snarky nickname?"

"Was that a rhetorical question, sir?"

"Um, nooo."

There was a pause before Jarvis responded. "Based on your past actions and their consequences, if you do not make a serious attempt to amend the behavior, there is a seventy-five percent probability that Prince Loki will respond with another event designed to cause you extreme discomfort."

"Christ. I am so screwed."

"Mr. Stark, Agent Hill is on the line for you."

"Shit. Okay, what the hell; put her through, my day can't get too much worse." He waited for the click that signified a call being connected. "Maria, long time no chat, what's up?"

"That's what I want to know, Stark. You were supposed to report to HQ four hours ago," the annoyed voice of Fury's second in command snapped.

"I had more pressing issues."

"I want specifics."

"I literally had hay stuck up my ass; is that specific enough for you or do you need to know that it was alfalfa and not clover?"

"What?"

"Never mind. Obviously I missed whatever you wanted me at HQ for, so why are you bothering me now?"

There was a rustling sound, followed by the thump of a closing door, and then all background noise ceased. "I heard you brought a real live elf back from Asgard, is that true?"

Tony grinned. Fury was keeping his shadow in command in the dark. Sweet. "Actually, I brought a dwarf and a hobbit. Why, you want in on a kinky threesome?"

"Stark! You are a perverted…"

He snickered and tuned her out until her rant abated. "Hey, you asked me a question I can't answer. If Fury wanted you to know what I did or did not bring back from Asgard, he would have told you."

"Damn it, Stark. Throw me a bone, here."

He thought about it. "Okay, I'll confirm that I did not bring lover boy back with me. The Æsir Casanova remained in Asgard with Thor."

A deep sigh was the only response for several long moments. Just as he was about to tell Jarvis to close the connection, Hill spoke again. "Thank God," she said in a heartfelt tone before she hung up.

Tony groaned. He wasn't going to get to sleep any time soon. "Jarvis, get Fury on the line. He needs to know Hill is sneaking around behind his back."

… …

Haakun stared out of the window of the small palace. Unlike the Valhöll, this building was white. The architecture was simplistic, yet pleasing to the eye and the green spaces and flower gardens beckoned visitors that were discouraged by walls, fences and armed guards. Mortal rulers were far more vulnerable than Odin and Frigga, so the precautions were likely a necessity. Hearing footsteps in the corridor, he stood politely to greet the delegation that strode into the room. First in the door was Captain Rogers. The hero had dressed in the predominately blue uniform that Haakun noted echoed the theme of the flag that stood in the room and also flew from a tall pole on the spacious grounds. He was followed by a number of strong looking men in dark suits who all sported wired devices in their ears; probably a security detail. A tall mortal, though not quite his own or Prince Loki's height, with skin the shade of Heimdall's and eyes the color of Tony Stark's stepped forward. "I'm terribly sorry to keep you waiting," the man said. "Our military leaders are a bit flustered by all of this. You'd have thought that after New York, they'd be happy to welcome extraterrestrial allies, or at least I would have."

The man looked exasperated, but his smile was genuine and open. Haakun frowned at Captain Rogers and looked pointedly between him and the mortal's leader. Rogers flushed. "Oh, I'm sorry." He turned to his leader first, as was polite. "President Palmer, this is First Councilor Haakun of Asgard, god of the Hunt. Lord Haakun, this is Josiah Palmer, President of the United States of America, the country that the Avengers call home and one of the most influential countries on Earth…uh, Midgard."

"Welcome, Lord Haakun," the president said as he glanced around the room. His eyes settled on Prince Nyvorlas who was standing by the window, still staring out at the grounds. The Ljósálfar hadn't so much as looked up as the group had entered the room. The mortal blinked in surprise and then squared his shoulders. "And who might this be?" he asked in an even tone.

Proving he was listening, Nyvorlas abandoned the window and moved to stand beside him. "This is Prince Nyvorlas of the Ljósálfar. His home, Álfheim, is one of the three most powerful of the other eight realms. His Highness accompanied us to Midgard, your realm, to assist Princess Kara with her empathic shielding techniques and has stayed to represent his Queen in our negotiations."

"Welcome Prince Nyvorlas." The president frowned. "Wait…Princess Kara?"

"Our newest Avenger, Hellbringer, Mr. President," Rogers supplied. The man stared at the hero with a confused expression. "Uh, she, um…" he trailed off and looked at Haakun helplessly.

"Why don't we sit and I'll give you an overview of what happened while your heroes were in Asgard," Haakun offered. "Then we can discuss how our negotiations should proceed."

"Sounds like a plan." He directed them to seats that sat off to the side of the oval shaped room and then turned to the security team. "Gentlemen, I suggest you wait outside. I'm sure you can agree that Captain America is sufficient protection for the American president."

… …

"Can you do that?" Kara whispered with an uneasy glance at the escort of Jötunn as they trudged through the icy tundra to Thrymheim, Jötunheim's capital. Fandral, Hogun and the Æsir warriors trailed behind them and the Avengers. She had her visor up and the face protection removed as she'd decided the combination made her too warm. He'd allowed it after securing her promise that the visor would go down as soon as they noticed anything more amiss.

"The spears?" he asked, speaking in Midgard's English tongue, one the Jötunn warriors would not understand. She nodded. "Yes." He smiled as he thought about the power surge he had felt from the Casket of Ancient Winters…when he hadn't even raised the lid. "And a great deal more, I suspect."

"Loki?" He turned his head to look back at Romanov as the woman opened a channel on the communication system provided by S.H.I.E.L.D. and Stark. "You said you'd show us your weapons once we arrived."

"You're seeing them," he told her, nodding at the nearest of the Jötunn. "I can create a bladed weapon of ice such as they carry. I can also fashion a bludgeoning weapon hard enough that it will not shatter on impact with anything less unbreakable than Mjölnir or Captain Roger's shield." He smiled and glanced down at the Casket. "And this also can be used as a weapon; though I would be loath to use it as such for anything but the direst emergency. The cost to the land would be too great."

Very little of her face was visible beneath the arctic gear, but Loki could imagine the Black Widow's lips curving into one of her rather unsettling smiles. "Then why do we need them?" she asked, indicating the warriors led by Hogun and Fandral.

"They were originally meant to reassure the Jötunn people of my good behavior. But we shall consider them a deterrent to betrayal by our hosts; we do not appear nearly as formidable as we are. Having Asgard's finest as an honor guard will lessen the chance that we are seen as easy prey. I would rather accomplish what was agreed upon and leave without violence; we've had more than enough of that." If there was going to be a betrayal, no doubt Býleistr would be the source. His half-brother's posture had shifted back to confidence as they walked. That did not bode well.

The mortal redhead made a soft snorting noise over the device. "You don't think we'll get out of here without a fight, do you?"

He grimaced. "The possibility has occurred to me," he said.

"Good to know."

Her matter-of-fact response was strangely reassuring. "Dr. Banner?"

"What happened to calling me Bruce?" Loki sighed in response. "What do you need?"

"I hope I'm wrong but I believe the one wearing a silver torque may have an unpleasant surprise planned for us," he told them, avoiding saying his half-brother's name as that would catch the Jötunn's attention amid what sounded like babble to them. "While you may well need to…get angry, I wanted you warned. If you can manage it, wait for a signal from myself or Kara unless someone in our group seems to be in imminent danger."

Bruce chuckled. "No guarantees, but I'll do my best."

"No shooting anyone either?" Barton chimed in.

"Restraint is our goal." Loki checked to see that all of the other Jötnar were looking away from them before using hand signals to update Hogun and Fandral as they'd refused the ear pieces. The two nodded. He schooled his features into an indifferent expression. They'd prepared all they could.

… …

The meetings with the American's president and later with a group he had, for some odd reason, called a 'cabinet' had gone well. This country would support an alliance with Asgard and had agreed to coordinate any necessary military efforts with them. Once they'd heard the terms of Loki's sentence, they'd also agreed to drop all charges against him in return for Asgard allowing Thor to continue to aid the Avengers should a situation require extra help. Several members of the group had been supportive of an idea Lady Pepper had proposed on the flight to the capital: a highly publicized wedding of Loki and Kara in the mortal style to desensitize the population to what he'd done and romanticize his return. One of the men had called it 'a brilliant public relations strategy'. They were now on their way to New York City, the scene of the crime, as it were. A meeting had been set up with the German Ambassador to the United Nations in an attempt to obtain an agreement with that country to dismiss charges for Loki's action in their city of Stuttgart. "I'm not so certain Loki and Kara will care for their wedding here to be a public spectacle," Nyvorlas interrupted Haakun's musings.

"If that is what it will take to ease his reintroduction to the locals, he will do it and be glad of the opportunity."

"Or else?"

"Please, your highness. Loki was raised a prince of Asgard, he has always expected the important events in his life to be public. He will not need coercion."

Nyvorlas snorted. "His lady might."

"She will understand that it is for her husband's benefit." He eyed the Ljósálfar prince, but Nyvorlas made no further comment.

"Kara will enjoy having a real wedding she can plan for," Lady Pepper told them from her seat in the row behind them. "I can't wait to see her face when Loki makes his official proposal."

"I do not understand this proposal business," Sif said. "They are already wed in Asgard; she can hardly refuse him here."

"It's the romance of it," Rogers explained. "Every girl dreams about it. Well, most girls, I guess there's a few that don't, at least these days."

"Steve, there have always been a few that don't, they just weren't so open about it back when you were young," Lady Pepper said.

The soldier shrugged. "I guess. I'll admit I probably didn't want to know. But I'm trying to be more open about things I don't understand." His grin was wry. "And God knows there's a heck of a lot I don't understand, especially now."

Lady Pepper reached across the aisle and patted the man's arm. "I think you're doing great."

Nyvorlas was frowning at a sheet of paper that the soldier's lady had given them before she had left them for New York the night before. "What is a 'Rueben Sandwich'?" he asked.

Rogers' eyes rolled up and he let his head hit the back of the seat as he moaned. "Only the third best thing to ever hit your taste buds. But Rueben's Delicatessen closed while I was on ice."

"They're still made all over the city, Steve. Didn't you discover that?" Lady Pepper asked, sounding amused.

"What; really? Oh neat. Nyvorlas, we'll get Beth to take us someplace that makes them right. You can't miss tasting a Rueben. What else is on the list?"

"New York Style Pizza, something called Coney Island Chili Dogs…do mortals really eat dogs?"

"Well, no, at least not in the U.S.; they're talking about a kind of sausage link that they top with ground beef in a very spicy tomato based sauce with grated cheese and maybe onions on top, all served on a bread bun. Messy but really tasty; it's not very healthy though. Come to think of it, the Rueben isn't either."

"Virtually immortal, Rogers; I'm not concerned about my health."

"Oh, okay. I don't really have to worry, but I like to set a good example." He grinned. "I can make an exception for out of town guests, though."

… …

A series of what looked like short ice covered mountains dominated the frozen landscape. Clustered around the base of these large hills were clumps of evergreen trees and stone structures. The buildings ran right into the ice, almost as though they were porticos and the hill/mountain the actual building. Kara peered more closely. "Oh, they are building right into the mountains."

"Glaciers," Loki corrected. "Remnants of them. And yes, Helblindi mentioned that their palace, so to speak, was built within the glaciers."

"Interesting way to make use of your environment. And pretty spectacular looking." Loki gave her an approving nod as she continued speaking in the Asgardian common tongue, which she was assuming at least Býleistr would understand. The younger Jötunn prince turned and frowned down at her. "It is far superior to your Valhöll," he said haughtily.

"It's actually not my Valhöll, I was born on Midgard. But I have to agree, for pure innovation, this is amazing. Though Asgard and the Valhöll are both very elegant and lovely, this has more, I don't know, natural strength to it. Don't you think so, Loki?"

Her normally quick on the uptake husband blinked for a moment before responding. "It certainly does. There's definitely an artistry there; a stark beauty to it." She had to fight not to smirk at the emphasis. Loki thought that Tony Stark's building was a bit of an eyesore, so he'd managed to insult his brothers' people without them having a clue.

Býleistr was giving them an uncertain look. "It suits us," he said with a shrug. "We are not soft like the Æsir." He frowned at her. "Why are you not freezing, woman?"

"You did not give me the opportunity to introduce any of my companions. This is my wife, Princess Kara. She has quite a tolerance for cold, unlike our three mortal companions," Loki told him.

The Jötnar prince's blood red eyes narrowed. "This is the powerful female that my brother spoke of?" It was evident from his tone that he thought even less of Helblindi's judgment than he had before.

Kara grinned and pulled off one of her gauntlets. "Yes, I am," she said as she held out her hand to him. "I'm pleased to meet Crown Prince Helblindi's brother." She waited, looked at her hand and his pointedly. "Is greeting by touching a new acquaintance's hand not the custom here?"

He growled. "You wish to trap me by forcing me to do you harm so that your husband has an excuse to kill me."

"Not at all," Loki said. "Our brother took her hand, he was not afraid." Býleistr still made no move. "I guarantee you that I will not hold you to blame should she take harm from you touching her hand if you give me the same guarantee," he said testily.

"Don't do it," a grating voice said as another Jötnar, this one wearing a gold torque, emerged from the stone structure. As he approached, Kara recognized Helblindi.

"He would be forsworn, I knew it," Býleistr snarled.

"No, he would not. But you might if the pain startled you into attacking the princess."

"Pain? What pain could an Æsir or Midgardian do to me with the mere touch of her hand?"

"She carries fire such as the giants of Muspelheim could only dream of, kept safely contained so that she may touch near anything without scorching it should she wish it. But when presented with the cold of our skin, her heat automatically fights back."

Býleistr stared at her and then gave Loki a pitying look. "You have a wife you dare not bed?"

Loki laughed. "I bed her frequently. My temperature in this form is not quite so cold as yours, additionally, I can shift to an Æsir form. We do manage quite well, thank you." Kara grinned as she ran her bare hand up Loki's chest and curled it around his neck. "I like to cool off," she said. "And you like playing with fire."

"Minx. Behave yourself." She laughed and pulled away and displayed her unharmed palm to the Jötunn who had gathered closer.

"That is not a fair demonstration," Býleistr claimed. He struck a belligerent pose to match the attitude she could feel through her shields and held out his hand. She shrugged and gently laid her palm against his huge one. Only a few seconds passed before he hissed and pulled his hand away. "That is…it is magic, sorcery. They have lied, Helblindi, his power is not bound."

"It is no lie, brother. I agree it's magic, but it is a magic of her body, not of Loki's sorcery. Calm yourself." Helblindi turned to her. "Princess Kara. Might I have your word that you will not intentionally cause harm to any of my people?"

"You have my word that I will not intentionally cause harm to any of your people unless they are intentionally attempting to cause harm to me or my companions," she agreed.

"That is fair." He turned to look at their group. "I do not know these two," he said, pointing at Bruce and Natasha.

Loki motioned them forward. "This is Natasha Romanov, known as the Black Widow, she is the fellow warrior and partner of the Hawkeye whom you met before. This gentleman is Bruce Banner, a warrior scholar. Hawkeye and the Black Widow are here as Kara's personal honor guard. Dr. Banner is here to help us understand what is happening with the ice fields and how best to fix the damage I have caused to them. But make no mistake, he is also a warrior in his own right, though he looks it not." Helblindi gave Bruce a skeptical look and Býleistr chuckled outright. "Do not laugh. He is the one who subdued me on Midgard when I had all of my power. He does not always appear so…innocuous."

"Just don't make him angry," Kara couldn't resist adding. "You wouldn't like him when he's angry."

… …

Thor sat sideways in the window seat of his sitting room, one leg bent, the other foot on the floor as he stared out over Asgard and the plain that had so recently seen horrific battle. Almost everything he thought he'd known about himself was a lie. Was this how Loki had felt? No, it had to have been worse for his brother. Thor knew quite well that he'd been the favorite, not just of his father but of the entire court. And he was still mostly Æsir and looked it. He'd always felt loved, Loki, not so much. Letting his head drop back against the wall behind him he sighed. "I owe you yet another apology, my brother."

"Thor, why do you sigh so?" Volstagg said, for once not around a mouthful of food. Thor eyed him carefully. His tunic was clean, not so much as a grease spot or crumb upon it. Not that this was totally unusual. When there was a direct threat, Volstagg was well prepared and could and did keep his mind off of food until it was safe to relax. But they were under no such threat…were they?

"What's happened, my friend?" he asked the red-bearded warrior. "Has Heimdall reported aught that I do not know?"

The big man chuckled. "No, not at all. I spent a long and happy night with my family. Guðrún sends her best."

"Ha! Guðrún sends me a message not to let you near any more battles. I know the lady well."

"You do, indeed. But we wander from the subject…what has you so disturbed, Thor. This gloom and doom is not like you."

"There are secrets upon secrets in Asgard, lies upon lies. Or rather, omission upon omission. Tis no wonder Loki lost his way. I barely keep to mine."

Volstagg narrowed his eyes shrewdly. "The All-Father finally told you, did he? It is about time."

"Told me what?" As much as Thor wanted to believe his old friend knew the truth, he was too familiar with Loki's ways of getting information from him to assume.

"About your bloodline." Volstagg stared at him in return for a moment and then laughed boisterously. "We are at an impasse. You will not tell me what you have discovered and I cannot tell you what I know lest we speak of different secrets altogether. Ah me."

"We spoke of my great-grandfather, Bestla's father. Are we still on the same subject?"

Tugging at his flowing beard he nodded. "Then you know that you have more in common with your adopted brother than you thought."

"And more than you thought," Thor said with a tired grin. "Why, knowing this, did you allow me to go to Jötunheim like I did?"

"Laufey was a monster, he deserved to die. Why not by your hands? If any Æsir could do it, I thought that your blood might make you capable of withstanding his power. Obviously Loki's more so, but I did not know that then."

"You do not think me a monster?"

"No, nor do I think this of Loki. Well, I would not have save for what he tried to do, though I now know he was coerced so I still do not."

It took him a minute to work out Volstagg's convoluted sentence. "It is never the blood, nor the race, it is intentional and willing actions that make the monster."

"True, my friend." The hirsute warrior fiddled with his belt. "Why did Odin tell you now? What has happened?"

"The power of the Casket of Ancient Winters has awakened…for Loki."

Bushy red eyebrows rose up into the other man's hairline. "But…that means that Loki must be descended from Bölþorn as well." A huge grin broke out. "Hah. I thought his way of thinking seemed familiar. You never knew Mimir when he lived, did you?"

"No, he continued only through my father's sorcery by the time of my birth. You are showing your age, old friend."

"Someone has to keep a responsible eye on you young pups," he said. "Mimir was wiser than any I've known, though his ways were harsh. He could think, that man. His backup plans had plans."

"Much like Loki. Though my brother's decisions have often been unwise."

"He is young. Mimir lost his head, well, his body over his unwise personal decisions. Yet his wisdom has been responsible for Asgard prospering. Perhaps Loki's wisdom will do the same when you become king."

"I pray that he keeps head and body attached to do so," Thor grumbled. "I do not wish to deal with a sister denied the greater part of her husband." Volstagg joined him in laughter as he pushed off of the window seat and they left his chambers in search of a meal.

… …

They emerged out the other side of the fractured glacier that had been hollowed out to make an absolutely fascinating palace. Bruce was amazed at the ingenuity. The sky was brighter on the other side, the cloud cover was almost nonexistent. He peered into the distance. "Hawkeye," he asked over the comm. "Is it my imagination or does the ice kind of disappear about a mile out?"

"Just over a mile and a half. Looks like mudflats out there. The trees are kind of leaning."

"And that, my friends, is what I'm here to fix. The ice should continue solidly, all the way to those mountains. These trees are bred to thrive in ice. In the mud, they'll fall and die, leaving this plain barren," Loki told them.

Bruce whistled softly. "That would change the weather patterns of the entire region. Entire species could die off, almost overnight."

"Definitely overnight when you look at it from a long-lived race's perspective. Yes, I all but destroyed them in a fit of pique." Bruce watched Kara wrap an arm around Loki's waist.

"You'll fix it. Stop kicking yourself. It's definitely your responsibility but it wasn't your fault. Got it?" she said.

"Yes, love. I've 'got it'," Loki responded. He returned to the strange language that made Bruce's head itch, probably a result of the magic Odin had used on them so that they could understand the races of the other realms. "My brother, we're going to walk out to where the ice dies so that we can determine where it is best to release the Casket's power. Do you have any objections?"

The Jötnar wearing the gold torque, Helblindi, shook his head. "Two of my guard will go with you. I do not wish any of my people to mistake you for an enemy." He turned and frowned at his younger brother. "Býleistr, I need you to attend me. We have food distribution to see to." Býleistr nodded and turned back into the palace, glaring down at the other Avengers and at the Æsir as he went. "Do not mind him," Helblindi said. "He worries for our people and has little trust. He believed too strongly in our father's lies about the Æsir." His grin was unsettling as he turned to Loki. "As you no doubt believed too strongly in Odin's lies about the Jötunn."

"I believed in many lies until they all came crashing down around my head," Loki agreed then gestured toward the distant mud. "You see the result. Midgard also felt the brunt of that betrayal. I will go there to right my wrongs to them once Jötunheim is restored."

"Fix the damage you have caused and then we will talk monetary recompense. I do not wish to bankrupt you, but my people will need to eat, clothe and house themselves until the land can support them again."

"I consider that a priority. I do not need more death and suffering on my conscience."

… …

Raj Nassar looked up as the blonde waitress set his chicken salad sandwich in front of him. "I'm concerned that you are developing a conflict of interest," he said quietly then picked up the overstuffed baguette and took a small bite.

"Whose side are we supposed to be on?" she asked in return. "Isn't our mission 'Peace and Security for All'? I can't see how this relationship would interfere with that. You know the man; is there anyone more balanced, more even-handed, more interested in justice than him?"

He swallowed the amazingly delicious morsel and then took a sip of the fresh squeezed lemonade before answering. "You have a good point. However, the Regents may not see it that way." He frowned. "Go take care of your other tables before you attract notice." Staring out at the bustling city street and then up at the newly repaired tower that boasted the word 'AVENGERS' at its peak, he carefully weighed the possible reactions to this news. The other members of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Council of Regents did not know the identity of his intended successor. By the time they would need to know, the dynamic between the two organizations would likely have changed dramatically and this relationship might then be considered an asset rather than a conflict. Taking another bite of his sandwich he allowed the flavors to take his mind off of the issue, or perhaps the non-issue. The tarragon and the pineapple contrasted sharply with the mildness of the chicken. The chef here was an underrated genius.

"Can I get you anything else? My resignation, perhaps?" the waitress asked with a bit of an edge to her voice.

Raj looked up at her in surprise. "You would do that?"

"Funny thing about love," she replied. "It will make you do things that others find foolish, but that you find as necessary as breathing."

He smiled. She was right. If his love hadn't been killed, he would have done anything to stay in the relationship. If he was lucky, one day he'd find that kind of love again. "No, I think I have everything I need. It's fine, just as it is."

Her return smile was sunny. "Thank you, Raj."