.-.

Beneath

Chapter One Hundred Eighty-Nine – Company

"And upon my return, I had dinner with Jane Foster."

Odin drew in a breath in preparation for what would come. He was surprised, but supposed he shouldn't have been. He knew Thor had invited her, and he knew Thor had left Asgard. Frigga had covered less distance in her village visits than he had in his, and had made it back in time to invite a mortal to dinner. He wasn't particularly comfortable with the idea, but he could not deny that he owed this woman a great deal, and in turn could not begrudge her the visit. Not much. "And?"

"I enjoyed it. It was good to have an opportunity to get to her know her a little more, in another context. She's every bit as impressive as Thor has said."

"I'm sure she is."

"You have no questions?"

"None come to mind. Shall we get some fresh air?" Odin asked, heading out to the balcony off of their bedchambers. Frigga would follow. She clearly had something she wished to say.

Frigga toed on her slippers – she'd changed for bed while exchanging reports with Odin on their afternoon travels – and followed. It was quiet outside, no battles, no portals, no fires, her sons and husband safe. One battle, perhaps. "You need to take an interest in your sons' lives."

Odin turned from where he'd been looking out over the realm, eyebrows raised in surprise. "I've done little else over the last few years but take an interest in my sons' lives. I take an interest in their behavior. Their worthiness to rule. Not in their romantic entanglements."

"That's not true. Have you forgotten Maeva?"

"I should hope not; she's one of my advisors. Thor's advisors," he corrected with a sweep of his hand, though even as he said it he knew he did not think of them as fully Thor's. "And Thor has named her to the War Council. But I know what you refer to, and those were different circumstances, as you well know. Loki was serious about her, and she would have made an acceptable match. Thor is never serious about anything, not for very long. He bores easily. I will not legitimize this dalliance by acknowledging it."

"And you won't make it go away by ignoring it, either. Thor is growing up. He has grown up. Surely you see that he's changed. I don't know the future any more than you do, but I do know, and you must as well, that he won't bore easily forever. Someday he will be ready to settle down, perhaps even with Jane Foster."

Odin did not try to hide his reaction to that idea. Preposterous.

"I'm not so sure he's held himself back from commitment because of boredom in the first place. He has been slow to gain maturity, yes, but he has also been slow to trust."

"It is precisely the opposite. He has trusted too easily."

"In offered hands of friendship, yes. In his brother's mischief, too, yes. In a woman's heart? If not Maeva then perhaps you have forgotten Kolfrid?"

"Frigga, come now, Kolfrid Badridottir? He was practically still a child then."

"He was a young man, and he was devastated. I've long thought it left a mark on him, on his ability to trust the truth of a woman's intentions."

"There's nothing wrong with prudence, particularly for one who will sit on a throne. He has no difficulty trusting women. One of his best friends is a woman."

Frigga laughed. "Yes. A woman who raises a sword to him, not her lips for a kiss. He trusts Sif with his life and with his heart, precisely because she has never sought that kind of relationship with him."

And more's the pity, Odin thought, but he had more than once remarked along such lines to Frigga, until she admonished him not to try to play matchmaker for their children. Sif, too, would make an acceptable, if unconventional, match.

"You behave as though you're blind sometimes, but I know you still have excellent vision. Can you not see that Jane is different?"

"I know very well that she is different. She is different because she is not Aesir. She is of Midgard, and this you ignore. She and every single other person alive today on her world will be dead within a single century."

"Is a century not of value merely because it is short? This is not ours to worry about, not at this point. And I remind you again that this is not only about Thor. She is important to both of our sons. Do you not see the potential for conflict there?"

Odin huffed a frustrated laugh. "Conflict between Thor and Loki. The thought defies imagination." He sighed at Frigga's sour look and turned back to look out over the damaged realm. He called to her with a gesture of his hand, and thankfully she came to his side, and slipped her hand in his. "Have I told you lately how much I need you?"

Frigga regarded him with confusion. Not that he needed her; they both knew they needed each other. The change in tone, though, was unexpected. She waited for him to explain.

"I cannot be all things. I'm ill-equipped for it, as you know. The realm is crippled. Alfheim and Vanaheim will struggle from the loss of life and the disruption to their economies, and the potential for political instability. Svartalfheim, too, now that all of those extra weapons orders will have stopped coming in. The same goes for Nidavellir, and even Muspelheim is likely to see some upheaval. Yes, in part I do prefer to ignore the existence of this mortal, because it is an unnecessary inconvenience and distraction. But in part I ignore it because I have little choice, given everything else that cannot be ignored. Thor is not prepared to deal with the scale of destruction we face in the aftermath of this war. Be my better half, my love."

Frigga leaned into Odin's side, his hand releasing hers and stretching out to wrap his arm tightly around her shoulders. No matter how many centuries passed, she relished the particular gentleness, trust, and love that Odin bestowed on her and her alone. It was a blessing to have these times between them again, absent the press of war. Even if they didn't go quite as she might hope. There was no use in arguing; she could not compel him to be something that he didn't see the need to be, or perhaps that he simply wasn't. "I have always been your better half," she murmured, then pressed her lips together to hold back laughter until she could speak without it coloring her voice. "I told Jane how we met."

Odin pulled away, though his hand found hers again. "That is a family story, Frigga. It's not meant to be shared." It painted him in a poor light, but the tale itself didn't bother him – millennia had passed, and he was hardly the same man now that he was in his youth. Still, it was personal, and stories that embarrassed the king were not for public consumption.

"Jane feels like family."

Odin swallowed his response. He could not well reprimand his wife, for she had a right to her own feelings, and her own choices. That didn't mean he had to like them, or think them wise. "What was your overall impression from your travels today?"

"Recovery is going to take a long time," she answered, letting the deliberate change of subject go without comment.

"Indeed," Odin agreed. None of the villages they'd visited was undamaged, and some had been completely razed. "But our people are resilient. Thor has called for an Assembly tomorrow morning. We'll discuss progress on recovery plans, and begin implementing them as soon as possible."

"Mm-hm. I suspect that's not why he called it, though."

"No. I'm told Thor and Loki already found Brokk. That he had a knife and was killed in a struggle."

"Yes. Thor told me. It's unfortunate, but they had already determined that he had no more information on how to find Thanos."

"Frigga," Odin began, sliding his arm up the simple smooth fabric of her robe to her shoulder. "How did it happen? Asgard had leave to capture Brokk. To bring him back here to be thoroughly questioned and to face a magistrate. Loki wasn't even supposed to be there."

"I don't know exactly what happened. But Thor told me the same, that Brokk had a knife and there was a struggle, and I know that he spoke the truth. And I think…for everyone's sake, that it would be best if we left it at that. We're better off putting this behind us. Don't you agree?"

Odin looked out over the realm again. A realm at peace. "I can't just ignore his actions. He put the treaty at risk. He put the peace at risk."

"What actions? So Loki went with Thor. Is that such a terrible thing? Our sons, working together, after everything that's happened? Wasn't that what you wanted? They went to capture an enemy, our enemy, and the enemy fought instead of surrendering. It's not an entirely unpredictable outcome. And no one outside our inner circle needs to know that Thor wasn't alone. I would remind you also that Loki could not have gone had Thor not permitted it, in full awareness of the treaty."

After another moment, Odin turned back to Frigga, hands out, palms spread. "I yield. I'll ensure the matter goes no further." A realm at peace. Perhaps even a family at peace. At least for the moment. He returned Frigga's embrace, and hoped the moment would last.

/

/

Loki smiled, but kept his relief tucked away when Jane agreed. She had to be tired, even with the time difference in her favor, and her morning was going to come on Asgard's time, not the South Pole's.

"Oh, wait," she said, glancing to the door.

Loki's heart sank, but he kept the smile carefully in place. "Yes?"

"Can I have a few minutes? I won't take long."

"Of course," Loki quickly answered, relief flowing again. He could almost imagine Jane was toying with him on purpose, though he knew it wasn't truly so. "Actually…while you're in there, why don't you change, if you don't mind? There's nothing wrong with what you're wearing, and there's no need to disguise ourselves this time around of course, but there's no need to draw extra attention, either. Perhaps something with a cloak or scarf, even the one you're wearing; it's cool outside tonight."

"Okay, yeah, actually that would be fun. It'll take a few extra minutes though."

"Not a problem."

Jane nodded, turning to the door, then ducked her head and looked back up at Loki, standing there quietly in solid black leather, just a bit of brushed silver metal here and there, even a black leather cloak on, hood down and sides pushed back over his shoulders. His pale face almost shone, surrounded by all the black. "Um…"

"Is something wrong?"

"No, just… Can I…?" Jane decided then to stop feeling silly and awkward and just do what she wanted to do. "I'm so glad you're back safe and sound," she said, arms around a clearly startled Loki. "And I'm so glad to see you again. To really see you again, not just a glimpse."

"I…It's good to really see you again, too, Jane," Loki said, this time getting over his surprise at the contact more quickly, and putting his arms awkwardly around Jane to extend the hug. A brief moment later he felt her shoulders bunching up, her arms squeezing a little tighter, and took that at his cue to release her.

Jane flashed Loki a smile, then hurried into her suite, remembering to pull hard on the door. When she reached the bathroom, she stripped out of the blouse and skirt and tights and got freshened up, then darted back out to the dressing room where the gowns were hanging. Just as she suspected, from what Frigga had said, the gowns weren't the only clothes she'd been provided – those were her choices for the feast tomorrow night. Inside a bureau next to the wicker mannequins were around a dozen more items hanging from sturdy shoulder-shaped detachable hooked hangers, with a few more things folded on the three shelves beside them, along with two sets of bracers and a few scarves, and in the drawer below was a full row of shoes that Jane was certain weren't as delicate as they looked. They reminded her of the silk shoes she'd gotten dyed to match her prom dress, though these were much nicer. She didn't need to look to know there was a pair to match every outfit she'd been provided with. Right next to the bureau, were two pairs of boots she hadn't noticed there before, and wondered if maybe they actually hadn't been there before. One pair was low, probably a couple of inches higher than her ankles, with a series of metal bands wrapping around the ankle area, and the other pair would definitely reach her knees.

For several seconds she just stood there, staring at it all, overwhelmed. She didn't have much more than this at the South Pole – and fewer pairs of shoes – and that was for nine months. This was for two days.

Then she took a deep breath and started looking through the hanging items. Most of them were dresses, but simpler than the ones on the mannequins. They could qualify as formalwear on Earth, but she'd seen enough women on Asgard now to know that this was everyday wear for anyone who wasn't working. Eliminating anything flashy or brightly-colored, she pulled out a gown with an interweaving of rich browns and muted golds, and held it up to herself in the mirror. The colors suited her, she thought, and the decision was made.

The dress slipped on over her head easily. There was no zipper but she remembered how squeezing a tab on the inside of Loki's boots had loosened them enough to remove them, and sure enough, a similar squeeze of the little tab tucked inside the neckline of the dress tightened the material to a perfect fit.

Loki had never mentioned it, but clothes here had to have magic worked into them, because the dress did fit literally perfectly. The broad empire-cut waistband and fitted bodice were just right, even the broad shoulder straps were perfectly proportioned to the length of her torso, which was particularly unexpected. It was rare for her to find anything so fitted that didn't require alterations. When she slid on the matching low-heeled gold shoes, she found that the dress's length was also just enough to be called floor-length without her actually tripping over the hem.

When Jane looked at herself in the tall mirror, she couldn't help staring for a moment, turning a little this way and that. She looked elegant. Pretty, in a way she didn't usually think of herself. She picked up the backpack she'd dropped on the floor, then shrugged it on, which knocked her down a few rungs on the sophistication scale, but Jane didn't particularly mind. She went back to the bureau and from the hanger next to where her gown had been she pulled out a long gold scarf, a little thicker and sturdier than a regular scarf, maybe more like a stole. When she worked it into place around her, she realized that it was softly molded to conform to the precise shape of her shoulders. Looking back as she hurried to the door, she could see the material billowing behind her, neither as long nor as substantial as a cape, but still reminiscent of it in a way that made her smile.

"You look beautiful, Jane," Loki said when she emerged. "Asgardian fashion suits you."

She did a little twirl for him. "Thanks. Though to be fair in a contest of silk gown versus Carhartts and long johns, I'm pretty sure silk gown's going to win every time."

"I can't argue with that. Are you wearing your backpack under your stole?"

Jane flashed a big grin and even hopped on her toes in giddy excitement that she'd guessed the right word. Stoles weren't part of her normal clothing vocabulary. "Yep."

"You won't need anything, why bring it? It looks odd. Like you've grown a large lump on your back."

"Don't judge. How do you know I won't need anything? Come on, where are we going?"

Loki extended an arm out toward the stairs that Jane was already edging toward, and they set off. "If I didn't know you've been here for most of your day and Asgard doesn't have it, I'd ask you how many double espressos you've had."

"Oh, that would be so dangerous. I know it's getting late here, but I'm glad you showed up because I don't know how I would have been able to sleep."

"You wouldn't have. You would have been up trying to take things apart."

"I wouldn't do that. Not when I'm an official guest here. I would be tempted, but I wouldn't. Hey, I have a question for you about Asgardian fashion."

Loki laughed quietly, stifling it entirely when they rounded a corner and passed an Einherjar on patrol. "Not exactly my area of expertise but I'll do my best."

"What kind of magic is in the clothes?"

"Pardon?"

"That makes them fit just right."

He wrinkled his brow, about to comment on Jane' s bizarre ideas about magic, when he realized what she was talking about. "You were in the Healing Room here. A manifestation of you, at least. They scanned you. There wouldn't have been time for proper fittings, so tailors used those measurements to adjust some items they had on hand."

"Oh," Jane responded, a little disappointed, since "we had your exact measurements on hand" wasn't quite as exciting as magically-adjusting clothes. It was also a tiny bit creepy, but she wasn't about to complain.

"Was Nadrith an adequate teacher?"

"Yeah. Not bad. I mean, it was obvious his knowledge was pretty thin, but he did his best. And we worked together with the books you gave him. It was probably kind of like when you were first reading through that textbook you got in Christchurch. The stuff in those books was gibberish to me, and Nadrith and I figured it out together. Don't get mad, but I liked him. It was fun."

"I told you he knows how to charm. And he knows you're important to Asgard, in some way. I had no doubt he would treat you well, else I wouldn't have arranged it."

"Oh, he definitely had the charm turned on. Don't look at me like that, there was nothing inappropriate. And he didn't try to get any information out of me or anything. Like I said, it was fun. And if I can figure out how to adapt it to Earth's materials, it could make a huge difference for people living in places with extreme heat, and really for the whole world. Thanks for arranging it."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. But you know I didn't do it out of the kindness of my heart. This is the only place where kindness may be found," he said, pointing at her with his little finger and wiggling it. "We had an agreement."

"Right," Jane said over laughter. "About that."

"Oh, no. Don't tell me you've failed to hold up your end of the agreement. I'll be very disappointed in you."

"I'll look it up as soon as I get back. Maybe I can get the head of the United States Postal Service to explain it to both of us."

"I'll accept no less than the head of the United States."

Jane laughed, but then remembered that even if she had some way to contact the President, he probably wouldn't feel particularly inclined to talk to Loki about mail service, or anything else other than the damage Loki had done in New Mexico and New York.

Loki sensed the shift in Jane's mood, and believed he knew the turn her thoughts had taken. "How are things at the Pole, Jane?" he asked, figuring now was a good time for a change in topic. "I hope it hasn't been terribly difficult for you."

Jane shrugged and made a noncommittal noise. "I think every day has been a little better. It'll be okay. And everything's fine with the buildings. Things have been returning to normal actually. There've been some questions about you. The shock has passed, and the anger, too, I guess. Now they're curious."

"Curious, hm? Of course they are. Curiosity is a common trait at the Pole," Loki said somewhat distantly. It was odd to walk this palace corridor with Jane and speak of his temporary life there, of the people whose lives were going on without him, and who still thought of him sometimes, just as he did of them. "I'm glad things are returning to normal for you."

"Well…not normal-normal, I mean…normal includes you. I guess what I really mean is that they're mostly treating me normally again."

"Good," Loki said, choosing to focus on the last thing she'd said instead of the first. "I'm not surprised, I suppose. I'd be more surprised if they treated you poorly."

They reached the door to the outside and Loki opened it, holding it for Jane then setting off along a path that led to a gate and then to the street, where lamps on one side of the road slowly came to life as they approached, remaining dim and fading again once they passed. Three others visible in the distance walked in the same direction; they were otherwise alone.

"Are you going to come back? To get your stuff?"

"I thought I would, if it's all right."

"Of course it's all right. I wanted you to come. Didn't Heimdall tell you?"

Loki narrowed his eyes and held his tongue. That Jane wanted him specifically to come? No, Heimdall hadn't told him that. "I'll just get my things and go. I don't want to cause any alarm. I should have taken it all when I left. I'm sorry I didn't. I wasn't thinking about the waste disposal issues."

"That's okay. But you don't have to just slink in and out. Maybe you can come with me when I leave here. We can hang out in the jamesway for a little while, for old times' sake. I boxed everything up, by the way. And the stuff in your room. You told Tristan to go in your room for the song list for Mid-Winter, but your room was all messed up. Tony, I presume. I've talked to him since then, and I just realized I forgot to yell at him for that."

"Yes, Tony. I should have realized. It didn't occur to me when I sent Tristan to my room. Did he find the song list? If not, I can probably recite most of the titles from memory."

"No, he found it. Along with all your drawings of Alfheim."

At that Loki faltered a step. From that collection of papers, one could recreate the entire journey straight to Niskit's home. He'd been beyond foolish to leave everything behind there. He'd been so anxious to do whatever needed to be done to win the war and gain his freedom that he'd literally given it not a single thought. The detritus of former lives, it had seemed. In the jamesway, the former life of Loki Odinson, and in the elevated station, the former life of Lucas Cane. He pulled the hood of his cloak up over his head.

"Don't worry, he didn't know what he was looking at. I boxed everything up after that, and I moved the stuff from your room into my room, except your clothes. Tristan wants to join the first human expeditions to the other realms, by the way. To photograph everything. Wright was there, too, and he said he wants to be part of the expeditions, too."

"Hmph. Perhaps that will be the next phase of my life. Tour guide for exciting Midgardian expeditions across the realms."

"I'd sign up for that," Jane said with a grin as they continued down the street.

"I'll be sure to advise you of any upcoming itineraries. Oh, you also asked about the blood stains on the mattress, yes? Sorry about that. Terribly untidy of me. I asked one of the servants about it. She left me a bit of powder you can apply, then wipe with cold water. It should work for the normal blood, the red blood. As for the other…I truly have no idea. But I'll see that you get the powder before you go."

"Okay, thanks. It's not that it's such a huge deal, really, but it was a lot of blood, and it'll raise questions, you know?"

"I know."

"So how have you been? Your mother filled me in on some of what's happened. Sounds like you've been through a lot."

"I have been busy." He leaned down to whisper in Jane's ear in an overly dramatic conspiratorial voice, "I did it in a day and a half."

"Congratulations," Jane said, looking up at Loki and his smirk. His attitude was clearly playful, which was good to see, but she was certain the pride behind the words was genuine, too. "I'm impressed. I hope you're going to tell me all about it."

"Perhaps. But I had something else in mind for tonight. In the meantime, the short version is that we're merely waiting to get the treaty signed tomorrow, and then the war will be officially over, and Odin will release me from judgement."

"So tomorrow's the big day."

"It is indeed."

"What does that mean exactly, to be released from judgement?"

"It means I cannot be further punished for those things I was judged guilty of. And it means I'll be free of restrictions. I can go where I wish and do as I wish. I was thinking I might do some exploring on Alfheim."

"Like a vacation?"

"Something like that," Loki answered. He hadn't particularly thought of it like that before, but he supposed it wasn't all that unlike the vacation plans he'd heard the other Polies talk about for after they left Antarctica. His might be considerably longer than theirs, though.

"You deserve a vacation."

"Not everyone would agree with that statement."

"No. But they don't know what you've been through recently. You need a chance to relax. Thor told me the feast was your idea, by the way."

"Eir's skill is remarkable, but on Asgard the best medicine is large pieces of meat and copious amounts of mead. They need this."

"And was inviting me your idea, too?"

"I believe it was Thor who first mentioned your name."

"But you still planted the idea, didn't you? He said you told him to invite the people he missed. I've spent too much time with you, Loki. There's a purpose to everything you say."

Loki squinted his eyes at Jane, at the phrasing she'd used. "There's a purpose to everything your father does." If he chose his words carefully, that had nothing to do with Odin. He shrugged it off and focused on what Jane had asked him. He supposed there was no point in denying it. In fact, it might be nice for her to know the truth. "I wanted to see you again, Jane. Under better circumstances. Don't tell him. He believes it was his idea. I…gave him a little nudge, for my own sake. I won't apologize for that."

"I'm not asking you to. You didn't have to be sneaky about it, but I'm glad you suggested it."

"But Jane, being sneaky about it is what makes it fun."

Jane laughed at Loki's teasing tone. That little bit of "sneakiness" was tame by comparison with so much else Loki had done, and maybe even a normal thing between brothers. It was a good sign, she thought, rather than something to be upset over, especially since it worked out well for all three of them.

"In here," Loki said, guiding Jane to the right, where he opened a shiny black gate in a shiny gold wall. Beyond the gate was a broad paved path lined with trees from which glowed small white lights, almost like Christmas tree lights. It could be anywhere on Earth but for the towering gold buildings on either side of the path. "This is beautiful," Jane commented.

They walked in silence just a couple of minutes more, before Loki turned them to the side, to another gate in a gap between the trees, this one of a heavily-grained wood, with a black metal handle that Loki turned. He gestured for her to enter, and she stepped through the gate to an outdoor seating area, with the same little white lights on bushes and a few low trees. It reminded Jane a lot of the tavern she and Loki had used for their arrival point on Asgard before continuing on to Alfheim, though she knew it wasn't the same one.

Loki led her to a table with benches on either side of it, and sat beside her rather than across from her. When she glanced around, she saw that the few other people present were also seated facing the same direction. She wondered if maybe there was going to be a band or something.

Loki, meanwhile, attempted not to react to the glances his way, now that he had left his cloak on a hook near the wall. Asgard was not large. Compared to the other realms, it was tiny. The royal family – what the people of Asgard still considered to be the royal family – went about their lives here and were regularly seen in public – Thor and Loki most of all, and Odin least of all, but it was neither news nor cause for gawking when they were seen about the realm. Not normally. Right now, things were not normal. Loki noticed every glance in his field of view, some of them lingering. In particular, he noticed Tassi Svanurson, the owner of this establishment, arguing with an older man, who then threw the towel he'd been holding onto the plating counter and stalked off toward the kitchen. Tassi cast a quick guilty look their way, then hurried over.

Loki prepared himself. He'd known he would have to deal with this, in one form or another, as a consequence of his plans for the night. He had no intention of hiding from it. Having decided to venture out in public, he would face it head on, and not just face it, but confront it. Like it or not – in the line of succession or not – he was these people's prince, and as long as he had to walk Asgard's streets, he would assert himself as such.

"My prince, my lady, welcome. My lady, I don't believe I've had the pleasure of your acquaintance."

"This is Lady Jane, a guest of the king."

"Then it is my exceeding privilege to host you both here tonight. I am Tassi Svanurson, proprietor of this little tavern.

"Pleased to meet you," Jane said. She was smarting to tell Loki she was perfectly capable of introducing herself, but told herself to let it go, that she was on another planet where customs were not necessarily the same as her own.

"My deepest apologies, my lady, my prince. Our kitchen is barely functioning. But I can offer you fresh bread and an assortment of jams if you like, and of course drinks we have aplenty. May I have the honor of serving you something before the entertainment?"

"That depends," Loki answered before Jane could speak. "Will our bread and drink be prepared by the man who disappeared into the kitchen in a poor mood a moment ago?"

"Ah, no, my prince. I apologize for that. Just a little disagreement. He was leaving. Nothing to be concerned about."

"When the 'little disagreement' is about me, I believe it is my concern."

Jane glanced between the two men: Tassi looked nervous, and Loki looked calm, that calculating calm of his that belied the turbulence beneath. She had missed whatever disagreement they were referring to.

"It's just my father. I sent him home. I swear to you there will be no problem."

"And your father has what grievance against me?"

"No grievance, my-"

"What grievance?"

"I'm sure it will pass. He's dissatisfied at the moment about Jotunheim. But you needn't worry, he-"

"Did he fight in the Ice War?"

"His father died in the third battle on Midgard."

"I see. You can tell him that I too am…dissatisfied about returning the Ice Casket to those barbarians. But it enabled us to emerge victorious, and they won't be able to use it to attack Asgard or any other realm."

"I understand. And in time, so will he. But please do not be concerned for your food and drink. My father would never degrade himself so, and no one else here would stand for such a thing, either. I give you my solemn oath," Tassi said, fist over his chest.

"Fine. But let's not be too solemn. This night is for enjoyment. The lady and I will have the bread and jam, some thick honey, too, if you have it."

Jane followed Loki's lead and ordered tea, but had second thoughts when, after Tassi left with their order, she looked at the other four occupied tables and saw everyone else had what looked like beer mugs in front of them. "What are they drinking?" she asked with a glance toward the nearest table, with three women and one man.

"Ale or mead," Loki answered. "You may order whatever you like of course, but I'd advise you to abstain. You'll find them stronger than the equivalents you're accustomed to. At the feast tomorrow night if you wish to partake I encourage you to stick with ale, and to drink it in careful moderation. Consider it more like…whiskey, in strength."

"Okay, thanks for the advice. Soooo…is everything okay? Your mother said you and Thor returned the Ice Casket to Jotunheim, in exchange for them withdrawing from the alliance, and that that helped end the war. And she said you did something to it so that they couldn't use it to attack Earth or any other realm. But I take it not everyone thinks it was a great idea to give it back?"

"I suspect that's an understatement. The seizure of the casket and its continued custody on Asgard looms large in Aesir pride. But I'd rather not concern myself with it right now, if you don't mind. Let's enjoy the evening, hm?"

"Sure," Jane said, though her mind was buzzing with the conversation she'd just heard. From what she'd understood from Jolgeir and later Frigga, Asgard had been on a fast-track to losing the war, and might have fallen within days were it not for what Loki had done. Surely these people's hatred of the Jotuns wasn't more important to them than avoiding the destruction of their own world. Then again, Jane supposed, hatred often wasn't a particularly rational thing. Loki's own hatred was a prime example. "So what's the entertainment?" she asked.

"You'll see."

Jane pursed her lips and nodded. Loki was smiling at her as though he hadn't just been asking whether someone was going to spit in or poison their drinks. She busied herself with looking around her again – the location really was beautiful, the little white lights on the sculpted bushes and trees providing enough illumination to make out her surroundings but not enough to detract from the sky above – the air fresh and comfortably cool with the stole on her otherwise bare arms.

It was strange. There was so much she wanted to talk to Loki about, and not all of it particularly serious or personal. But she felt tongue-tied and awkward now, and had no idea what to say.

A couple of minutes later Tassi returned with a loaf of bread and a slotted tray with little glass bowls set into it, each filled with different jams, plus one with honey. A woman followed right behind him with a tea kettle – taller than what Jane was used to but otherwise not that different from a regular old Earth tea kettle – two glasses set into metal holders, and two little shot-glass-sized metal cups of dark golden liquid. Honey for sweetening the tea if she cared to, the woman explained when Jane asked.

She sipped at her tea, testing the sweetness and finding the bit of liquid honey she'd added to be enough. She noticed Loki looking at her, then, and briefly met his eyes before looking away. Then she looked right back at him and blurted out, "This is so weird." Loki asked why, and Jane couldn't answer.

They turned their attention to the bread and jam, Loki naming each one – it turned out that Midgard did not have kiva fruit, to Jane's knowledge, but to Loki's surprise they did have booth gooseberries and dragonfruit; Jane reminded him that he'd only seen a tiny fraction of Midgard and what it had to offer, which in turn caused her to mention that for all she knew, kivas grew somewhere on Earth and she just hadn't heard of them. Jane, Loki couldn't stop thinking in the back of his mind as they made light conversation about fruit, thought this was weird. He'd considered this evening carefully, this one and perhaps last chance he would have to spend time with her, just the two of them. He'd thought it likely she would say yes, had made arrangements under that assumption. And he'd thought she would enjoy it. She didn't seem unhappy, or uncomfortable, he thought, as she predictably chose kiva jam for her first slice of bread. She did seem a little quieter, more subdued than he'd expected, and he began to consider if Thor had said something to her that had affected how she viewed him.

Jane let out a moan, then quickly swallowed and put an embarrassed hand over her mouth. "This is really good," she said, setting down the piece of bread she'd slathered with the thick honey Loki had asked for. It wasn't very sweet, but the flavor was rich and intense. When it came to honey, Jane thought, she had definitely been missing out by sticking to the little plastic bear at the grocery store. She was going to have to pace herself, though. She watched Loki take another slice of bread and add one of the jams to it.

"I must confess I've missed the food here. Though I must also confess that I still do, since the food is rather lacking at the moment."

Jane nodded, but again glanced around her and wasn't sure what to say. "You don't think this is weird?"

"What, precisely?"

"I don't know," Jane said again, then tried harder. "It's…these other people here."

"Does it trouble you? We don't have to stay," Loki told her, though he hoped she didn't want to leave just yet.

"No, it's not that. It's just…they know who you are. And they know who I am, or if they don't, it's not a secret. And I'm not…that's it. That's what's weird. Every time we've been around other people, you were Lucas, or I was Jana, and…now we're just us. We've never been us around other people. In public."

Loki nodded. "I understand. You could be Jana again, if it would make you more comfortable," he offered with a teasing smile.

"Maybe that's part of it, too. I feel like Jana, dressed up like this. Like we should be pretending. All I need is a braid and a scarf around my head."

Loki's smile flickered at the mention of the braid; now he wished he'd never suggested that particular disguise for their trip to Alfheim. But he saw who was entering the outdoor seating area from the front and knew there would not be time to dwell on that, which was for the best. "Forget about the others, Jane. They're irrelevant. As far as we're concerned, it is just you and I. Well, and him."

/

A month later...! Yikes. Apologies for long delays on review replies, I'm like a month behind! But things just got complicated for a while, long stories, anyway I should start catching up soon, and please don't let it dissuade you from dropping in a review should the mood strike, I appreciate every one and lack of (timely) response does not reflect lack of interest.

Responses to Guest comments: "Star" (187/8) - Thanos can't really see into Loki's mind. There is "limited access" so to speak; The Other can get a peak of Loki's dreams. If Loki were to dream about Pathfinder while The Other happened to be watching, then yeah, that would probably be a Bad Thing. (188/9) It's an important point I think. No, Thor's not into astronomy. But he appreciates Jane zeal and need to "conquer" in her own way, and he can relate to that kind of drive. "C" - Thanks, and, your comment gave me a good laugh. Shall I pass on your suggestions to them? :-) "Ewanna" - Jane's having a heck of a night, isn't she? And glad you enjoyed the Odin-Frigga story. Guest (Aug. 10) - Thanks! Appreciated. "Mab" - Thanks, and welcome to the story and the land of reviews! Re Farbauti, she said something about Loki and a romantic partner? I don't remember that but I'm racing to get this posted so I can go buy some supper and am foregoing a check. Anyway this is an excellent question, which just happens to have been ever so vaguely referenced in this chapter. In all honesty I haven't made a detailed decision on the issue, but the change Odin fixed into Loki (Loki's magic with Odin using Gungnir to...embed it more thoroughly, was *very* thorough-going. If you tested his blood, his DNA, etc., you would find only Aesir. This is why Loki never had any inkling he wasn't anything other than Aesir. So my thinking is that if he were to father a child, he would have passed the Aesir DNA to the child...but maybe also with his natural shapeshifting abilities from infancy...and the child would not have that "fixing" magic in his form...so it's perhaps possible that the child might in the right circumstances shapeshift to Jotun. But in general, the baby would look fully Aesir. However, NOW Loki's form is not "fixed" in the same way it was before. Maybe that changes things a bit. The story has not forced me to come to any firm decisions on it. As for Odin and Frigga, regardless of the child issue, there would be the issue that Maeva, or whoever, perhaps has a right to know she's marrying a Frost Giant. You are free to speculate! Re the arrow, bear in mind, there *are* unknowns in all that, and some characters (all characters?) aren't providing the full truth. Not that they're necessarily lying, they may be just incorrect. And there is definitely room for speculation here. Hold that thought. Re Loki's form, the main difference is that Loki controls it now. His Aesir form is there at his choosing, as is his Jotun form. It's still a more fundamental change than illusions and such, so he has to put more effort into it, he's not used to it, but he has more control over it now than before. A Jotun touch, or the Ice Casket, might "pull" at his form now, but with a bit of effort he could resist the change. What Frigga said about it in particular was because these were things Odin did, and she wasn't entirely sure herself what the effect would be. Re Jane and Loki, thanks! That's so true, Jane is in a *really* unique position with Loki. And her friendship I would say is really important to Loki learning he can be loved (or at least we can say valued, deeply cared for). But that "second to Thor in everything," that breaks my heart a little for him. He's in a difficult position with Jane, due to Thor, and Jane doesn't realize it. Rambles welcomed by the way (but that was very organized!). "Star" (1/2) Thanks, I do think Thor-1 intends to give us a Thor whose good mood and sense of adventure and fun are infectious, and one of those people whose laughter just puts a smile on your face and makes you want to join. *I* would like to laugh with Thor!

Previews for Ch. 190 (which clocks in at a whopping 21 pages...oh well!): Lots of Loki, lots of Jane, call-backs galore, and a touch of Great Spiny River Crickets.

Excerpt:

"Speaking of that means of escape," Jane said after they'd reached the palace itself and the door had closed behind them, "I should have asked your mother this but I didn't think of it at the time. Do you have any idea what was in that little vial? What goes into a magic potion that transports you across the universe? Eye of newt, that kind of thing? I don't know exactly what a newt is, some kind of lizard I think, but when I think of magic potions I think of eye of newt."

"That sounds disgusting."

"Yeah. Which is why I asked. Just wondering what I drank. But also, you know, how it works."

"I'm surprised it took you this long to ask," Loki said, turning to crack a grin at Jane.