Sorry for the late post, I almost forgot!
The theme song for this chapter is "Helena - So Long & Good Night" by My Chemical Romance
Chapter 77: Return
A doctor had come out and explained how Natasha was doing not long after Clint left. He called, as requested, but he didn't recall what it was he said. Loki was led to the room Natasha was resting in, and told that she would not wake for some time. Loki sat in the uncomfortable chair provided, examining the detestable room around him. The decorations were bleak and minimal, it smelled strongly of antiseptic, and the sound of the various machines filled the cramped space, driving into his skull. He tried not to look at Natasha, with all the tubes and wires attached to her, pale and looking so very mortal.
For the next three hours, he agonized over what had happened. How could she have been so reckless, so casual with her feeble life? What had she thought she could do, going up against a sorcerer like that?
A text message from Darcy's number interrupted his ruminations:
This is Thor. Lady Jane, Lady Darcy and Lady Pepper are safe and resting. I am getting a ride to the hospital. Be there soon.
The clock on his phone said it was 6:43 AM. He sighed heavily, and saw with bleary eyes that the sun had begun to rise, tinting the small square of sky he could see out the window a weak purple.
"Loki?" the voice was hoarse and feeble.
Loki jumped up and stood beside her bed, fishing through the blankets and wires for her hand. "Shh, you're not supposed to talk," he brushed a little hair out of her face, feeling his ire raise as he saw the angry purple bruise where her jaw had been broken. "You're not even supposed to be awake."
"I have to ask you..." she ignored his warnings. "Did you mean... What you said?"
Loki lowered his head, unable to meet her penetrating gaze. "You mean the lie?"
She squeezed his hand a little in response. "That was the lie, wasn't it?"
He looked up, and saw that tears were falling down her face. He felt a tightness in his chest, like anger only worse. "Yes."
She smiled a little, as much as her battered face would allow. "I..." she took a deep breath, which had an ugly rattling sound to it. Suddenly the machines around her began screeching their warnings, and she slipped rapidly back into unconsciousness. Nurses ran into the room, quickly followed by doctors. They crowded around her, and he was politely pushed out of their way. They closed the curtains, but he continued to stare as if he could see her through them.
Thor came jogging down the hallway. "Loki, what has happened?" he asked.
"She is getting worse," Loki breathed, more to himself than to Thor. He stood there a moment longer, and then turned to his brother. "Come, we must go," he said firmly, and began striding down the hallway.
Thor hurried after him. "Where are we going?" he asked.
Loki did not turn to answer him. "Asgard."
The throne room was not full to capacity, as it had been on the day of his trial, but it was still an exceptionally large place, and in it were little groups of people who met to discuss politics and fashion, gossip and trade. At the sight of Loki in his male form and full Asgardian armor, they fell silent and quickly scurried out of his way. Thor followed after, trying to look reassuring.
As they approached the throne, they saw that a man was reading a petition aloud to Odin, who appeared to be in deep consideration of the topic at hand. The petitioner noticed Loki first, glancing up as his voice trailed away in surprise.
Odin glared at the man, then turned to see what he was gawking at. "Loki!" he barked, more surprised than angry. "What are you doing here?" he frowned.
Loki put on his winning smile. "I'm sorry, father, I don't remember banishment being one of the terms of my sentence," he began.
Thor put an elbow to Loki's ribs, reminding him not to make things worse for himself.
Loki coughed a little. "Forgive me for being flippant," he said begrudgingly. "I am here to beg a boon."
Odin dismissed the petitioner with a wave of his hand. "A boon? And what makes you think you have earned this boon?"
Loki looked down at the floor. "I have not. But it is not for me, not entirely."
Odin stared down at the green and gold figure before him. It was unusual for Loki to ask for help, even for himself, but to ask for another's sake... "Go on," he growled. He seemed poised for an argument.
Loki frowned a little, and then switched to his female form, the armor changing to accommodate her smaller body. "Would you rather speak with me? I am told that I am easier to converse with, and more likely to keep a civil tongue."
Odin paused, then nodded, leaning back. Thor, who had seemed surprised at the the reappearance of his sister, watched with a wary expression.
"The warriors called the Avengers and I were recently in a great battle with a powerful sorcerer. We prevailed, but one of our number was gravely injured, and may not survive her wounds. I ask that you provide aid for this warrior, that she may live to fight another day."
Thor glanced at his feet. She had worded it very carefully, but done very well.
"And what has she done, to earn such a boon?" Odin asked calmly.
"She fought valiantly, and took her wounds while trying to protect her fellow warriors," Loki argued just as calmly.
"Well then her death will be an honorable one. I still do not see what she has done to warrant aid from Asgard."
"Father," Thor stepped forward, intervening. "This woman has done much for us. It was she who personally closed the portal the Chitauri were using to invade earth. She neutralized the tesseract so that it could be returned to us-"
"Silence!" Odin shouted, rising to his feet. "Will you lie to me too, Thor? I expect it from Loki, but-"
"I am not lying!" Thor shouted. "What I say to you is true! She is a fine warrior-"
"But that's not why you're here!" Odin hissed. He stomped down the stairs to the throne dais, glaring at Loki. "You dare to come here, begging for aid for a mortal woman, and why? Because she bedded you?" he demanded.
Loki blushed but held her head high. "That is not why I ask-" she said quietly, trying to ignore the stares of the surrounding courtiers.
"Of course it is! You are selfish, Loki. Your toy is broken and you want it fixed."
"She is not a toy!" Loki shouted, surprising Thor. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen Loki's female form this angry.
Odin laughed humorlessly. "You think I am a fool. You think I have not heard of your depravity,"
"Depravity?" Loki pleaded, glancing around as the crowd ogling the spectacle began to grow.
Odin continued his rant uninterrupted, "that I would be ignorant to the way you have cavorted about like some bilgesnipe in heat?!"
Loki held silent a moment, a realization coming to her. "Fine. You wish for my humiliation?" she shifted into her male form. "I offer it to you freely, if that is your price."
He knelt down before the throne, removing his helm and placing it on the stairs before him. "Father..." he looked up, pleading in his eyes. "I beg of you. Please give me what I ask so I may save the woman I love." His voice cracked on the last word.
Thor wheeled around to stare at Loki, truly shocked at what he had said.
Odin turned back and sat on his throne. "Love? What do you know of Love?"
At this moment, Frigga came running into the room, having just received word of Loki's appearance. Thor hurried over to her and quietly filled her in.
"How can you build a love based on lies and deceit?" Odin demanded.
Loki laughed. "You lied to me my whole life, and yet you claimed to love me as a son. Or was that a lie, too?"
Odin was quiet a moment. "No."
"Then why do you deny me this? When have I ever asked you for anything?" When Odin looked away, unmoved, he stood, knocking away his helm, which clattered down the stairs. "Nothing I ever do is good enough for you!" he cried.
"No!" Odin objected. "It is she who does not deserve it!"
Loki paused, shocked. "Natasha? Why?"
Odin scowled. "She is not worthy to be the consort of a prince of Asgard," he spat.
The frown deepened on Loki's face. "She is not my consort..."
"What, are you courting her then? Absurd!" he laughed.
"No, she refuses be courted," Loki's voice began to raise as he tried to speak over Odin's objections.
"She refused you?" Odin balked, "A whore such as she-"
"Don't you dare call her that!" Loki threatened.
"And what would you call it?" he hissed. "You failed to mention that she tried to seduce the very man you were fighting."
Loki chuckled breathlessly. "I spoke the truth when I said she was a talented warrior. I would call it her finest weapon."
"A weapon she has obviously used to ensnare you."
Loki stepped back, calming. Odin was so far off the mark the argument had become ridiculous. "Not everything is so black and white as you make it."
"Is it? And if I give you this aid, then what? Do you think she will stop being so careless with her life? She is mortal, and susceptible to a thousand different deaths. Will you beg for aid a dozen times? A hundred? Or will you quickly tire of her and move on to a new trinket?"
Loki looked at the polished marble floor. He had not planned to reveal this much, but if he had come this far... "It is my intention, if she consents, to bestow upon her the Helm of Awe."
The whispering crowd around them was silenced at the gravity of his words. By placing his rune on her, Loki would ensure that Natasha would not fall prey to any mortal wound or sickness. But in so doing, he would risk becoming mortal himself. The rune would draw upon Loki's strength to heal her. If her wounds were too great, it would kill them both.
"If she consents?" Odin asked into the silence.
"I should have done it already, but I feared that she would object. She would not like anything that would... mark her as belonging to me."
Odin scoffed. "She refuses to acknowledge your claim?"
Loki shook his head. "I have no claim, she refuses to be courted or conquered."
"Then why do you champion for her?" Odin sounded exasperated.
Loki shrugged, making an eloquent gesture of it. "She is my lover, yes, and my friend. She means more to me than anyone in any realm, and she cares for me exactly as I am, no lies, no masks. I don't need to own her. That is enough for me."
"Then you are a fool."
"No." Everyone in the throne room turned, shocked to find Frigga the source of protest. She moved to stand next to Loki. "Your pride has made you the fool, Husband. Love is not just for the pure and good."
"Silence, woman!" Odin hissed.
"No. If you cannot see what good this woman has done for our son, then you are truly blind. If you will not give her the aid she so rightly deserves, then I shall." She turned to Loki, speaking softly. "We must go, quickly." and without another glance for Odin, she began leading them out of the throne room.
They had made good progress towards the exit when Odin stood, shouting after them. "She's not worth it, Loki! She is beneath you!"
Loki turned, grinning. "No, she is my equivalent." And then he left.
A/N: So... I discovered that I'm kind of famous on tumblr, lol. I just joined, my handle is TheHappyMediumsTeapot, and I discover that my writing and art is already all over the place! It makes me happy. I'll have to spruce it up a bit and post special stuff there and whatnot.
And yes, Odin is being more than a little whack on the issue, that will be explained later I promise. Next chapter on Saturday! Still don't have the following one written, so I don't know when it will be posted.
As always, I loooooove it when anyone takes the time to post a review. It just makes me feel so fabulous, and right now I need a little fabulous in my life. Time spent writing and drawing is usually time stolen from far more practical and grown-up activities, and you guys help make me feel less guilty about that. ^.^
