Darcy stomped angrily through the hall, not believing how unfair the whole situation was. They could at least give her a souvenir to take with her.
"Why can't I come along too?" she demanded once more. Thor sighed, placing a hand on her lower back to lead her along.
"Svartalfheim is much too dangerous for a mortal," he told her. She scoffed angrily but didn't move away from his touch.
"Jane's going," she pointed out. Thor nodded.
"Jane is required to go with us. The Aether inside her is slowly killing her and Malekith is the only one who can remove it. And the only place where we can lure him and have a safe advantage is his homeland," he told her. Darcy frowned.
"That makes no sense. Wouldn't he have more of an advantage if it's his homeland? See this is why you need me. Maybe I can cause a distraction. I've been told I happen to be very attractive. Maybe my beauty can distract him long enough for you guys to kill him or something." Thor smiled affectionately.
"Trust me, Lady Darcy. Not even your beauty can hold the gaze of Malekith the Accursed." Thor led her to the stables and mounted his own horse. He turned in his saddle. Behind them, Loki stood with his arms crossed over his chest. Darcy gazed back at him longingly.
"Are you sure you're into guys?" she asked him, tossing her hair seductively over her shoulder. Loki smirked.
"At the moment," he answered, eyebrows arching at her boldness. She sighed and blew him a kiss. Loki made a show of dodging it excessively, causing her to pout. Thor could only shake his head. His brother hadn't been subtle in his disregard to her feelings. Loki had actually found it quite amusing and made fun of it at every available opportunity, much to Thor's disapproval.
"Goodbye, Lady Darcy. Hopefully, you find another who returns your affections. But alas, none will be better looking than myself I'm afraid," he told her. Darcy laughed, wiping away a mock tear.
"Goodbye, my Shadow Prince. Maybe we can work something out with Stark someday," she suggested. Loki smiled, inclining his head.
"Perhaps," he told her. Darcy almost fell off her horse when Loki winked at her. Thor decided at that point, it was time to leave. He spurred his horse onward, pulling Darcy's along.
"The Allfather has made an exception for you Darcy. He feels that you are an unnecessary prisoner here and wishes you well," he told her. Darcy sighed, taking one last glance at Loki. The god had already started on his way back to the tower without a second glance back.
"I am to lead you to the edge of the Bifrost and leave you there I'm afraid. But you will not be alone. Heimdal will be there to guide you the rest of the way, which shouldn't be too difficult since the path is straight across," he told her. The woman frowned.
"What if I fall off?" she asked worriedly. Thor sighed.
"You will not fall. The horses have made this trek many, many times," Thor told her as he led her through the lower villages of Asgard. Darcy's apprehension was not assuaged.
"Easy for you to say. You're a big muscly Asgardian. You slip, you just get sucked into the void and spit out the other side. I, on the other hand, know that intergalactic voids in space are not very healthy for the human constitution. Not even sure I'd come out whole," she told him in a single breath. Thor frowned, remembering Loki's experience with the void. He shook it off. She was only a mortal after all and could mean nothing by it.
"If you should fall, I promise I shall catch you," he said. Darcy grinned and began to lean over the side of her horse.
"Oh help me, Thor!" she yelled, waving her arms. Thor smiled.
"Perhaps Heimdal would be more to your liking," he suggested. Darcy squinted in the Guardian's direction.
"Maybe. Hey, don't you think he kinda looks like Idris Elba?" she asked. Thor's brow furrowed in confusion.
"Who?" he asked. She waved him away.
"Never mind. I forgot you guys don't have tv's here. It's kinda sad."
It took Steve a while to figure out where to park his bike. But then eventually, he noticed the valet Stark had for the tower and handed it off. He was assured that it was in the best care and was directed to the lobby.
On the ride up, Steve contemplated what he would say to Tony. 'Hey, Stark, I think I made a huge mistake letting Thor and Loki go and the whole world is going to be destroyed because of it.' He shook his head, opting not to be so dramatic. Before he had even finished the thought, the doors opened and all too quickly, he was facing the very man he had come to see.
Tony smiled openly, a glass of scotch in one hand and a Stark Pad in the other. Steve felt his eyebrows go up before he could stop them.
"Stark, it's 10 am," he pointed out. Tony looked down at his drink and shrugged. He took another sip.
"Frankly, I don't give a shit. I've had a very stressful morning and I'm pretty sure Fury tried to see me naked on purpose. But, I keep telling him I don't do porn. Not for free that is," he said humorously. When Steve didn't join in, he sighed.
"Why are you so grouchy today? Did Fury try to peep on your goods too?" he tried again. Steve shook his head.
"Tony, I think something big is going to happen and I came to talk to you because it's important and I didn't know who else I could tell so please just listen to me for a minute," he said. Tony paused. The usually calm and beacon of light Steve Rogers was now a nervous wreck. He decided that this had to be a bit more serious than he'd thought. Tony gestured for the man to sit.
"Tony, I think that I've been seeing things," he told him. The inventor frowned.
"Well Steve I know I have a Ph.D. and all, but I'm the wrong doctor to be talking to," he said. Steve shook his head.
"No, not in that way. Around S.H.I.E.L.D. The people. Some of the agents...I don't know. They seem off. Am I wrong for not trusting them?" he asked. Tony came to sit down beside him.
"Steve, I've been waiting to hear those words come out of your mouth ever since we met 2 years ago." Steve looked at him, slightly confused.
"What are you saying Stark? That I'm right?" he asked. Tony shrugged, placing the now empty glass on the table.
"I've never really trusted S.H.I.E.L.D. all that much, and they know it. Fury even threatened to take my suits if I didn't start being their perfect little monkey." Tony scoffed irritably. Steve frowned.
"Why would they do that?" he asked. Tony's gaze hardened.
"Well, seems to me S.H.I.E.L.D. wants to build their own little arsenal using stolen technology. Maybe even starting with me," he said bitterly. Steve couldn't help but give him a sympathetic look.
"I don't think they'd actually do Tony. Maybe they just think you need to be kept in line and that's the only way they can get through to you," he said. The inventor raised an eyebrow.
"Way to choose a side Rogers," Tony said. Steve sighed, not seeing a way out of this. Luckily, Tony was kind enough to change the subject.
"You said something about Loki on the phone?" he pressed. Steve sighed, running a hand across his forehead.
"I don't know, Tony. I just have a bad feeling about him and Thor. I kind of let them go when I was supposed to stop them from leaving. Now I'm wishing I hadn't. I just have a bad feeling is all," he admitted. Tony smiled.
"Well, at least, it's not just me who's worried. Thor's plan seemed a bit shady at first and I didn't think it'd work, but I got them off the island didn't I?" he said. Steve stared at him.
"You're the one who provided that getaway speedboat for them?" he said, a bit alarmed. But then again, it was Tony Stark he was talking to. The inventor nodded.
"Sure did. There was trouble on Asgard that Thor needed Loki's help with and S.H.I.E.L.D. would never have let them go. I think everything turned out to be a win-win: Asgard is saved and after everything is over, Loki is seen as a big help and S.H.I.E.L.D. will have to release him."
Steve nodded in agreement. He certainly hoped Tony's optimism didn't come from his infatuation of the mischief god.
There was an awkward bit of silence between the two men after that. Tony wasn't sure what to do with his guest that didn't seem to want to leave.
"You want a drink? I have a few alcoholic beverages I've been hoping to try out on you for a while now," he offered. Steve smiled.
"You know I can't get drunk, Tony," he said. The inventor shrugged. That hadn't been a 'no'.
"Can't hurt to try right? Besides, you were my inspiration. If I can get you drunk, then my mission in life is complete," he said, going to get a bottle of whatever was left.
He figured that since he was no novice drinker and Steve wasn't able to get drunk, they might as well try out his new heavy stuff. Shipped in straight from Russia three days ago, so he knew it was good. It was a new type of vodka that wasn't even supposed to be on the market. But hey. He was Tony Stark, right?
"I hope Russian alcohol doesn't bother you. You know, given your history with them. It's the strongest I have," he said apologetically as he returned. Steve frowned but shook his head.
"I think you mean Germany," he corrected. The man laughed.
"Oops, my bad. I was close, though. You don't mind, do you?" he asked again.
"Not at all," the soldier answered as Tony cracked open the bottle. He poured both of them a generous helping of the nearly clear liquid. He slid Steve's glass over, an impish grin on his face.
"Drink up Super Soldier," he said. Steve sighed and picked up the glass. His first sip caused him to choke.
"What is that?!" he exclaimed as he tried to catch his breath. He'd had vodka before and what Tony had given him was not it. Tony reached over to pat him on the back.
"Take it easy, Rogers. That's a new brand. Not even on the market yet," he said. The soldier nodded.
"This is terrible," he muttered but took another sip. Tony raised his own glass and followed his example.
"I can't believe you actually think this will work. My metabolism is 4 times faster than the normal human male's," he said. Tony eyed him.
"What's the deal with you and Bruce?" he asked suddenly. The soldier hesitated for a moment. He hadn't talked to Banner in quite a while since they had gotten back from Asgard. He sighed, knowing that the question had to come sometime.
"I don't know. I thought he and I were good together, but things just haven't been the same since we got involved with S.H.I.E.L.D. again. I guess it's true when they say having relations in the workplace can kill the relationship," he said. Tony nodded slowly.
"Well, I hope you guys work everything out soon. Things are going to be quite tense with S.H.I.E.L.D. and you guys don't need that mucking you up," he advised.
As Odin and his trio of guards approach Heimdal's post, he can sense something about the man is off. He brushes it aside.
"Heimdal, what have you called me here for?" he asks. The Gatekeeper turns to face them, his golden eyes even more luminous now that the moons have come out.
"I am here to warn you of a treason that will be committed," he answers unwaveringly. Odin grimaces.
"Whose?" he demands instantaneously. He is the King of Asgard and he will not have his authority undermined so easily.
"My own," the man answers, drawing his sword. The answer shocks Odin long enough to hesitate. Everything falls into place then.
"Thor," he says quietly. He turns to his men.
"Stop my son by any means necessary," he orders. He glances back to Heimdal.
"I will deal with your judgment later. For now, you shall continue your Watch and not leave your post," he said. Heimdal bows slightly. He feels no shame about what he has done. He is not confident that Thor's plan will succeed. But he also knows that Odin's plan of doing nothing will be the end of them all. In his opinion, that is not a plan at all.
Darcy stands idly in front of the counter as she waits for the nurse to look up Selvig's name. Beside her, Ian fidgets nervously. He told her he was almost sure they'd be caught but so far nothing has happened.
"Alright then, everything seems in order. If you wouldn't mind, you can wait in the hall for your father to be brought from his room," she said. Darcy smiled.
"Thanks," she says. Not even ten minutes later, Erik Selvig is seen walking toward them down a long hall. Darcy grins and he hugs her. When she tries to pull away, she finds that Selvig is still holding on pretty tightly. She sighs but lets the awkward hug draw out. When he finally releases her, they collect his bag of medicine and some other gadgets Selvig made. Darcy's eyebrows shoot up as she counts, at least, fifteen bottles.
As they leave Selvig rummages through the bag, brings out a cup of liquid, drinks it and proceeds to throw the rest of the bag away. Darcy hands the gadgets to Ian and continues on with the doctor.
So far, Thor's plan has gone perfectly. Volstagg is busy turning anyone in another direction that comes their way, claiming that Thor has orchestrated a cleaning crew of sorts to get rid of the ship. In a way, it really isn't a lie. Fandral is at the other end of the hall doing the same. Thor knows it is a flimsy lie at the very least, but it is the best he can do given their circumstance. Sadly, he misses Hogun who is still in Vanaheim with his family but is still happy for him.
He has sent Sif for Jane while he and Loki wait in the designated meeting place. Loki paces uncomfortably, muttering under his breath. Thor watches him with mild interest to pass the time. He looks like how Thor remembers him before New York, except for the longer hair. He smiles when he sees the golden helm tucked under Loki's arm. The leather bag slung over Loki's shoulder catches his eye more than once, but it's Loki's demeanor that interests him more.
"Are you alright, brother?" he asks gently. Loki turns to face him, a look of anguish on his face.
"Are you certain the weapon Malekith used was not poisoned?" he asked. Thor nods and a look of bliss washes over the younger god's face. It instantly seizes up again, however.
"She should not be in such a state if that is the case. She should-" Thor places a hand over Loki's mouth. He gestures to the guard currently passing by and gives Loki a stern look. When the Asgardian finally passes he releases his brother.
"Isn't Fandral supposed to preventing that from happening?" he says angrily. Thor nods calmly.
"He must have gone ahead to get an early start the other part of the plan." Loki frowns, lifting the bag he is carrying higher up on his shoulder. It makes Thor curious enough to ask what is inside.
"At the moment, nothing of importance. If this plan of yours works, I will not have to use it," his brother answers cryptically. Thor frowns but lets the matter go. He is already asking a lot from Loki and fears pressing the matter will endanger their mission. Thankfully, Sif returns with Jane and he lets Loki be.
Loki perks up, seeing that everything is going as it should and they must move now. He studies Jane for one long moment, seeing the paleness of her skin and can instantly tell the woman won't last another day with all that power residing within her frail and mortal body. She is barely standing as it is, Sif supporting most of her weight. Jane catches his eye and he reconsiders his thoughts on her strength.
"I feel I should slap you for what you did to New York, but Thor says you're reformed now," she tells him in a voice that is stronger than she looks. Loki smiles.
"I think I can see why you like this one Thor," he tells his brother. Jane blushes modestly. Beside her, Sif rolls her eyes. She is immune to Loki's charms by now. Has been for centuries.
The female warrior hands Jane off to Thor and pulls her sword free. After a moment, Loki realizes why as he begins to hear the shouts of the palace guards from the way she had come. This time, it's from Volstagg's way. Said man comes running soon after Loki thinks this.
"Well, I guess that's our cue," he says blandly. Volstagg and Sif elect to stay behind to hold off the guards. Thor nods and he, Jane and Loki rush off to the Dark Elf ship.
Once inside, Thor goes to the controls of the ship and begins to look for the start button. Unfortunately, everything seems to be in elvish. He begins to press every button he sees. None seem to work and soon he is pounding every one of them with a great and ferocious anger.
"Thor, perhaps you should employ a gentler approach?" he says. Thor turns to glare at him.
"Perhaps you should just be quiet and focus on your part," he growls irritably. Loki narrows his eyes and from experience, Thor knows that is never good.
"Perhaps, you should move out of the way and let me handle this. Out of the two of us, I am clearly the better pilot," Loki insists. Thor scoffs, and it almost turns into a laugh.
"Out of the two of us, which one can actually fly?" Thor counters. Their brotherly feud is interrupted when Jane promptly faints.
"Oh dear. Has she died?" Loki asks, turning to check her pulse. The engines of the ship finally start up and Thor has no time to feel any sense of enjoyment from his accomplishment because his girlfriend is getting worse with every second time passes. Loki reports that she is still alive, but her breathing is shallow.
Thor operates the controls with some difficulty at first, but soon they are in the air, albeit shakily. Loki congratulates him sarcastically. Thor ignores him in favor of concentrating on trying not to hit things with the bulky flying machine. He fails, knocking down a column. He can practically feel Loki's unsaid comment rising in his throat.
"Not a word," Thor tells him before Loki can open his mouth. Loki smirks and rises from Jane's side. Another collision causes him to stumble.
"I think you missed a column, brother. Shall we try once more and see if you can to destroy all of Asgard as well?" He asks this in a disturbingly pleasant voice and Thor is instantly reminded of the man Loki was a year ago when they fought each other in New York. Thor turns to face him and Loki's eyes go wide with alarm at his sudden disregard for their safety.
"What the name of Nornheim is wrong with you Loki? Can you not see that I am trying?" he demands. Loki raises an eyebrow.
"You know, I was wrong. About all of this. This is a wonderful plan. Let us steal the biggest, most obvious ship in the universe and smash it into everything. It's perfect Thor," Loki sneers. Thor sighs tiredly.
"You know what, I give up. If you want to fly, then go ahead," Thor tells him. He lets go of the controls and Loki dives forward as the ship begins to go down. After he gains control, he doesn't even bother to glare in Thor's direction. He knows his brother can feel the anger radiating from his body. It was a reckless thing to do, but Thor is tired and scared Loki was being a little shit to begin with. At least, Loki knows what he's doing.
"Thank you! Finally, we can agree on something," Loki says and gleefully begins to steer. He is clearly a better pilot but Thor decides to keep these thoughts to himself. He does quite nicely and manages to get them out into open air and over the water. Then the Asgardian skimmers appear and begin to fire at them. He was doing so well even then. That is until he crashes the side of the ship into a statue.
"You just decapitated your grandfather, Loki. I think that should tell you something," Thor tells him haughtily. Loki snorts derisively but returns the controls to Thor when he asks. After a few more minutes, however, Thor tells him to jump. Loki gives him an incredulous look.
"Thor, I think you have gone completely insane. There is no way in Helheim I am going to jump," Loki tells his brother. Thor solves the problem by simply placing a hand against Loki's chest and giving him a strong shove out of the open doorway. Then he grabs Jane and jumps after him. He finds Loki flat on his back on the floor of the skimmer Fandral is steering. The blond warrior looks down at him, smiling.
"I see your time on Midgard has made you soft, Loki. I swear I am starting to see a nice womanly swell starting to form on you. I guess that Stark mortal is treating you very well," he teases, his foot poking at Loki's stomach. Loki pushes the limb away and stands hurriedly, fixing his clothes. Oh, how he hates Fandral. The sound of approaching Asgardian ships distracts them, though. More shooting begins.
"Fandral," Thor says. The warrior nods, picking up the rope tied to the ship.
"For Asgard!" he says before jumping overboard. He swings onto the pursuing ship to handle their attackers.
"Nothing personal," he says before punching a soldier in the face. The other soldier draws a sword and attacks him.
"Not the face, dammit," he says when the blade comes dangerously close. He disarms the final soldier and turns to look at the ship ahead of him. He salutes Thor who gives a small nod. This is where they part ways.
"Alright, Loki. Takes us to your secret passage." Loki sighs and grips the steering stick. He coaxes the ship into a more accelerated pace, slowly steering them toward a steep cliff.
"Are you mad, brother?" Thor exclaims when he sees where they're heading. Loki grins.
"Most likely," he answers. It does nothing to reassure Thor in the slightest. At Thor's horrified look, he elaborates.
"If it were easy, everyone would have done it by now. Odin would know of this passageway and our escape would be that much harder." Thor nods and goes to hold Jane as the crevice comes closer. It's clear even from a distance that it will be a tight fit and the ride will not be smooth.
By some bizarre miracle, Loki manages to get them through the tiny crevice and white light streaks past them. Thor marvels at how similar it looks to traveling by the Bifrost. Once they are through, the hardest part of Thor's plan comes into play.
"Can I trust you to carry out the plan to it's fullest?" Thor asks for the second time that day. Loki nods.
"Trust my rage," Loki tells him hoarsely. Traveling through the secret passage proved to be less draining than the Bifrost, but still noticeable. Thor notices his fatigue and thinks it for the best. If Loki were to appear weakened, then Thor having him as a captive would appear much more plausible.
Thor nods and pulls out a pair of thick metal cuffs. He attaches them to Loki's wrists and takes a deep breath as they click into place. In the distance, he can see the huge shape of the Dark Elf ship. 'No going back now' he thinks as he continues to stare.
He attaches the chain from Loki's cuffs to his belt. He looks over at the ship and is relieved to see that Jane is standing on her own. When she walks, her steps are steady and Thor's worry lessens. As he begins to move again, he feels a tug at his belt. He looks to Loki.
"Wait," he says. Thor frowns when Loki reaches for the amulet hanging around his neck. He slips it off and gives it to Thor. When Thor opens his mouth to protest, Loki stops him.
"It's likely they have heard of me, Thor. A Jotun runtling. If I am to be a convincing captive, then I intend to play the part well," he says. Thor nods silently and pockets the trinket. Loki unties his hair and runs his fingers through it to give him a look if disarray.
"Besides, even if they haven't heard of me, how enticing would it be to have a Jotun runt for a slave? Especially if they have ties to the royal line." Thor can only hope that Loki doesn't get angry if the elves should mock him for his small stature as a frost giant. They move forward as a group and Loki adopts a sluggish limp to his walk. Thor finds himself almost believing it.
The Dark Elves are not surprised to see them and it doesn't unsettle Thor in the least. Malekith approaches with a group of them, him in the middle. He does not trust Thor.
"Malekith, I bring you an offering of good faith!" Thor shouts over the wind. The Dark Elf leader turns as his second in command Algrim comes forward and whispers into his ear. Loki reigns in his surprise when he sees Lorelei trailing close behind. He sighs inwardly, already hearing her taunting voice in his head. He shudders when it suddenly becomes real.
"Well, well Loki. I'd say you were feeling a bit blue, but then again I'm sure you'd know much more about that than I."