Visitation

by kalimecat

Loki has returned to Asgard and is imprisoned for his crimes. While in prison he has the occasional visitor, will the love of others bring back the fallen prince or is he truly too far gone?

16. And So It Begins

A/N: HELLOOOOO READERS! I"m finally updating! Yay! I'm sorry it has taken me so long. January is a busy month for me being that my birthday is that month, but I didn't forget about you. The weather outside is snowy and cold making it th perfect day to catch up on some writing. Readers once again I have to thank you such much for your interest in the story. All your follows, favorites and reviews. Each and every one brightens my day whenever I see them so thank you for that. YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!y

So this chapter focuses a little more on Jane. Mostly, I did that because in the movies Jane experiences so little character development, I wanted to explore that a bit, but don't worry everyone else is still here. Well you'll just have to read it and see what you think. Happy Read and Writes and as always God Bless.

"Close the door," the great king instructed his golden son in an even tone as they entered Odin's private study.

Thor did as the king commanded,"Why do you need to speak with me so urgently father?" He inquired. "I was hoping to show Jane more of the palace and the city before the banquet..." he expressed giddy an eager like a boy.

"She cannot stay here," Odin declared with a wave of the hand.

"What?" Thor balked. "She'd only just arrived," he protested "She's ill," He went on his bright blue orbs entreating the all-father to hear reason.

"All the more reason why she must go," Odin's declaration was firm.

"I...I don't understand father, she's too sick! You know that the Midgardians won't be able to heal her," Thor shook his blonde head trying to understand.

"She is contaminated with the Aether," Odin snapped turning on the muscular warrior

"Yes, that is why she needs to be here...on Asgard, where she can be treated and... where she can be cured," the statement came out more as a wishful question rather than a definitive statement

"The Aether is full of darkness," Odin elaborated shaking his head and turning away from facing his eldest son. "It was the plan of the Dark-Elves and their leader, Malekith to unleash said darkness against the universe and plunge the universe into an eternal state of night where their kind could reign supreme. Ages ago my father put an end the rule of the Dark-Elves. It was supposed to have been destroyed," Odin mumbled worriedly, "finding it bodes ill," he continued to mutter more to himself.

"Yes...I understand, but..." Thor tried to explain to his father on to be cut off.

" No, you don't understand!" Odin interrupted, "Convergence is upon us...in only a few days it will take place and now that Aether is in Asgard it's darkness will be unleashed and it will spread, it will cloak us and soon its evil will consume the realms," Odin shook his head and visible shudder ran down the elderly ruler's spine. "The reign of the Dark-Elves will be realized," Odin elaborated.

"I thought the Dark-Elves were destroyed by your father?" Thor looked like a puzzled boy not understanding his studies.

Odin avoided the crown prince's gaze. For a moment the crown prince stood blinking helplessly as the weight of his father's words fell upon his full force. "Convergence will allow the full power of the Aether to be released upon the realms," the patch wearing king expressed.

"What...what of Jane?' Thor replied as he swallowed the severe lump forming in his throat.

"She is but one woman, Thor," Odin dismissed.

"No we cannot just leave her to die father!" Thor hollered coming up behind Odin and slamming his fist down on Odin's great onyx desk. Thor heavy and strong hands left an impressive dent in the furniture. "I won't just sacrifice he!"

"Thor you must learn to place the good of the realms, the good of Asgard before all else," Odin turned around and said stoically to the distraught and brawny blonde whose shoulders were already heaving. "The right thing always requires sacrifice Thor. That is why wrong decisions are so easy to make," the wielder of Gungnir expounded. Thor felt his father's hand clamp down on his shoulder. Somehow the weight of the kings palm felt heavier than the brass plates on his arms.

"NO!" Thor continued to roar. "There has to be another way!" he shook his head refusing to accept his father's words that condemned Jane to death.

"Thor sometimes the hard way is the only way," Odin stated his firm demeanor never altering. "One must learn to sacrifice," he expressed with a slow exhale. Thor thought back to several centuries ago, when he and Loki entered the temple of tribute. The oracle had asked would he sacrifice himself for the good of the realm. He resolutely said yes. He was hardened as a warrior since his youth. It wasn't that he wanted death, but death in battle was the most honorable death one could hope for. But then he'd been asked would he sacrifice another. Thor could never make the hard choice. Perhaps he was always doomed to fail. Perhaps he wasn't meant to be king.

Prince Thor pulled back against his father's steadying touch. "And if it was mother?" Thor started his voice rumbling like a far off storm.

"Thor," Odin's bass voice rumbled with a slight tenderness.

"If it was mother," he began again, stealing his emotions as best he could. He clenched his jaw and wrapped a tight-knuckled hand around the hilt of Mjolnir. "If it was mother, would you just leave her to take the fall for others?" Thor asked in an even tone unafraid to bring his brilliant blue eyes to stare into the solo slate-colored eye of his father. Odin held his son's gaze for quite sometime. He expected Thor to flinch, but when the great blonde didn't even bat an eyelash it was the mighty king who finally dropped his gaze.

"Thor don't be ridiculous," Odin reacted. "You cannot compare this woman to your mother. You cannot compare a millennium of marriage and devotion to a few days tryst on Midgard,"

Thor started to growl. "It wasn't a tryst!" he blurted out. "I love her," Thor responded he squared his shoulders and declared it proudly before his great father. "I love her as you love mother...if you tell me that your would sacrifice mother then I will consider your words..." Thor qualified. "Would you sacrifice your wife, Father?"

"Jane is not your wife!" Odin protested.

"Would you?" Thor pressed with desperate earnest.

The gray-haired ruler sucked in a sharp breath, he slammed his old lips shut and mashed them together. "No."

Thor smiled, "There's still Loki," Thor suggested with nearly child like excitement seeing his father slightly relenting over his condemnation of Jane Foster.

"No!" Odin shot down the suggestion immediately.

'Father, you know that Loki is probably the only enchanter in the realms who would know of a way we can save Jane and the realms...we must utilize..."

"Loki is no longer an enchanter," Odin reminded his son as he shut his eye and Thor thought he could detect regret in the tone of the king old the golden realm. "Loki has no powers now," Odin confessed his voice cracking and as his shaking hand raised to touch his temples "Poor child," he whispered as his thumb across his lip. Thor watched curiously it reminded him much of how Loki dragged his finger across his upper lip when he was in deep thought. "Loki has nothing now," Odin replied.

"Father," Thor approached Odin cautiously, he was soon standing directly behind the gray-haired ruler. "Even though Loki no longer his magic," Thor started his voice low and even more pained than Odin's, "Dagmar said that she believed Loki may still have the knowledge base on how to remove the Aether from Jane safely, that is at least worth a..."

"No!" Odin barked slamming his eye shut and clutching the Yddrasil model Loki made for him so many years ago.

"Father, I don't understand you said that you wanted to give Loki redemption...this...this could be that moment for him," Thor reasoned aloud to the all-father. "I f you saw that Loki was willing to help...if the people saw that Loki was willing to help..." Thor began to surmise

"No," Odin protested once more whirling around and giving Thor a stern look.

"But..."

"It is too risky," Odin stated walking away from the warrior prince and going over to a glass covered bookcase. "The Aether is a power gem and much like the Tesseract I fear its allure will be too great for Loki. It will tempt him once again down a dark path, I cannot allow the realms to suffer again because Loki tampers with thing that are too great for him to control," Odin decreed.

"Father, you have no faith in your son, give Loki a chance...perhaps he...perhaps he's better now "

"I want nothing more than for Loki to be...better" Odin paused on the word. "And I do wish to restore Loki. I don't want him in prison for centuries on end...but" the wise king started to qualify.

"Yet, you will not trust him with this act?" the crown prince barked back. "The act is simple enough...he would merely need to instruct the healers and mages how to purge the Aether... " Thor continued to explain. "It is a simple task. A task that is probably much more to Loki's liking than thinking he need be a servant for the rest of his days. It would remind the people of Asgard of the good prince Loki once was..." Thor continued. "And it will allow Loki to see you believe in him," the golden locked hero insisted in earnest. "If he could see that you believe he can be trusted than perhaps he will come back to us..."

"I have said what I have said Thor," Odin started to raise his voice. "I will not say it again. Loki knows the conditions for his redemption and he must come to terms with them," Odin nodded as if convincing himself once more that the act of redemption he'd offered the poor blind once magician was fair.

"I tried to explain it to Loki, but he does not see servitude as redemption," The blue-eyed thunderer stated.

"Then Loki's fate is in his own hands," Odin offered and he gave Thor a glare one that since childhood had always pinned Thor to silence.

"So you will condemn an innocent woman to death because you don't trust Loki to even look at the Aether?" Thor questioned the king of Asgard indignantly. Odin remained a figure of stone to his son's pleas. "Then how are you different than Loki, who would slaughter innocent mortals because he believed he had the right to?" Thor would not relent with asking his incriminating question the Odin.

"You dare compare my actions!" the great king thundered. "My actions that are for the good of Asgard and the Nine Realms to that of Loki's? YOU DARE!" he roared back in the prince's face and he slapped the base of Gungnir on the carpeted floor beneath their feet and Thor felt the plates of tile shift and slide under him.

Thor's facial expression drained, for a moment he felt like than no more than a boy speaking out of term to his father, he immediately bowed his head, looking down the carpet and his shoes. He dared not bring his two bright, sapphire eyes to even glance back at Odin's strong, penetrating gaze. "Father, I meant no disrespect...it's just..."Thor started once again his baritone voice was catching in the back of his throat. He breathed in deeply, feeling tear's pricking behind crystal blue eyes."It's just...it is just that...I love her Father," Thor confessed finally managing to glance up at Odin. He held his massive mallet wielding hands in front of him fidgeting with his fingers like a child confessing that he'd smashed a vase in the hall. "It has taken us nearly two years to find each other. For Two years I have waited to once again have her...I cannot...I will not," he clarified with determination, bringing his head and eyes up and squaring his shoulders, "I won't lose her again father..." Thor stated resolutely. "Not without a fight," he declared as his right hand reflexively gripped Mjolnir as if he were preparing to battle.

The one-eyed king gave a sharp exhale through his nostrils, his shoulders that had been held high and stiff as a marble statue moments before slowly started to fall. His stoic eye suddenly softened and Thor watched as Odin's lips curled beneath his white whiskers. "We will do what we can for Jane Thor," He assured his son," he brought his gnarled tanned fingers to rest upon Thor's shoulder once more he could feel how they trembled. Thor's heart swelled and his eyes misted around the edges. A broad grin tore across the young prince's face and he nearly thought he would weep for glee. "But Jane will leave Asgard before Convergence, Thor whether the Aether is removed from her or not, do you understand?" Odin expressed.

"Yes, yes, yes, Father of course," Thor nodded. "But I...I must get ready and see to it that all is in preparation for the banquet tonight. I can't wait to introduce Asgard to their future queen," Thor nearly exclaimed.

"Queen!" Odin balked as he watched Thor dart around the room giddy as a schoolboy. "Thor, do not be hasty about your life with Jane," Odin warned as Thor started to head out of the study chamber. "Thor," the all-father caught his eager lovestruck son by the cape. "No matter what, you will have to let her go sooner than you think," Odin cautioned. "Mortal lives are short-lived. I fear your attachment for her will only cause you pain in the end,"Thor nodded, but a beam was still spread across his golden face and Odin doubted the young warrior truly caught his meaning.

---

The sight of the room overwhelmed her. Her eyes went wide with wonder as she took in the vastness of the room. For a spring break in college her senior year she and a few of her closest friends from school went to Las Vegas Her roommates mother was a travel agent and got them an amazing deal for the hotel. It was incredible room, way better than what some college girls could afford on intern salaries. It had an incredible penthouse view of the Vegas strip, a whirl pool in the enter for the girls too and they had 2 queen-sized water-beds. They'd all said they felt like celebrities staying in such a luxurious suite, but that was teepee in comparison to this. If she'd felt like a star then she was sure she felt like a real empress now.

For a moment she just stood gawking at the sheer opulence of her living arrangements. She kept feeling like she was trying to say something, but her words continuously failed her. Last night she'd been sleeping in a small London flat in apartments adjacent to the university that was funding her research. A year or so a go she was living in a mobile home. It was crowded, shabby and poorly kept she had to admit, their was barely enough room for her and her equipment in the small trailer, if another person came in it felt cramped and uncomfortable. She didn't have any personal furniture or even nice silver wear. Her mother had said she was living like a pack-rat. Now she was spending the night in a palace. Unbelievable.

Finally, Jane gasped for air after sometime of breathlessly admiring the walls made of marble and alabaster stone. The exquisite tapestries that decorated the walls and the view. The view was spectacular. Even from just entering the room, Jane could look out and see the balcony that gave a marvelous view of the Imperial City. It was an awe-inspiring vista. "Wow!" the auburn haired Midgardian woman whispered as she slowly drifted into the room. She breathed in the aroma of the foyer. It smelt like honey and jasmine blossoms. It was divine. The chamber was welcoming and warm, she noted the kindling and the large hearth that glowed. "Now these are chambers," she muttered wistfully and like a wide-eyed child she began exploring her new quarters.

It was furnished with elegant rugs with ornate designs of red and gold running through the carpeting. The ceiling was dome-shaped and painted with a gorgeous painting that depicted cherubs frolicking over puffy pastel clouds. Jane's feet immediately started wondering through the chamber as her eyes tried to take it all in. Her sitting salon had ruby-red upholstered seats and silk mats for entertaining guests. She had a private study fitted with more books than that of the local booksellers in her town. The tub of her bathroom was the size of a small swimming pool and just looking in she could tell that the water was at least 6 feet deep. The bottom of the tub Dagmar explained was made of priceless coral from the Endless Sea. The pool had small fountains of whales spouting water from their blowholes lined the four sides of the pool and kept the tub flowing and bubbling. She drifted to the bedchamber. A king-sized bed shaped like a heart with crimson quilts made of silk and satin with a canopy with long gossamer curtains trained down across the floor. Her dresser and nightstand glistened, they were made of finely polished pearl and gold. Jane flung open the closet. It was large enough to be a chamber in and of its self and it was filled with row after endless row gorgeous jewel colored gowns. There were silk scarves and shawls, shrugs and drapes made or ermine and mink and shoes. There were many splendid shoes. from leopard printed boots to gem studded sandals and elegant slippers made of satin and lace.

"I take it that everything is to your liking, Lady Jane?" Dagmar questioned knowingly a bemused hum to her tone.

"To...To my liking..." Jane stammered out spinning around wildly to face the Vanir maiden. Dagmar nodded encouragingly. "To my liking?" Jane babbled out again. She must have sounded like a fool for she noticed the way Dagmar's pomegranate lips twitched as if she was trying to hold herself from bursting into laughter.

"Yes," the raven-locked enchantress began to elaborate, "The chamber and of course the garments?" she pointed back to the closet, that was a treasury of royal apparel. "The gowns vary in size," Dagmar stated as her silver eyes inspected the dresses. "I'm sure you will find one that is in your size, but of course if there is a particular gown that is to your liking that does not fit properly, I can send for one of the seamstresses to take your measurements and they will hem it for you, just so before the festivities tonight," Dagmar assured the scientist. Jane could merely manage a nod to express her pleasure at all that was around her. The dresses were beautiful, she'd never worn such finery, silks, and satins, laces and velvets, cashmere and all other manner of fine linen. She'd never decked herself in such lovely jewels: sparkling diamonds, rare amethysts, enchanted obsidian stones, glittering emeralds and royal sapphires. It was overwhelming and wonderful. After a moment, Jane Foster found her tongue, "It's incredible!" Jane exclaimed at a lost for words over the grandeur of it all.

"It was Queen Frigga who arranged these chambers for you."

"Queen!" Jane gasped her brown eyes surprised.

"Why yes," Dagmar shrugged her dark eyebrows arching quizzically, "Prince Thor's mother," she elaborated slowly for the mortal. Jane instinctively bit her lip. Mothers made Jane nervous. She knew it was silly. But somehow her boyfriends mother's never liked her. Donald's mother in particular had not been a fan of hers. She remembered when her and Donald's relationship started to become more serious and Donald was ready for her to meet his family. She'd been so excited. They met at a fancy restaurant in the community where the Blake's lived. At first she'd thought Blakes mother was simply wonderful. She was sweet once they met Mrs. Blake often invited her over for lunch or dinner, they'd go shopping together, but then Mrs. Blake became overly critical. She found fault with the way Jane cooked, the way she kept house, the fact that she wanted to pursue her career rather than marry her son instantly. Jane felt anxious, what if queen Frigga was the same way? Surely she wouldn't think some small town mortal was good enough for her future king son. "Not to worry, you can thank her in person, tonight at the ball," Dagmar expressed flashing a lovely smile and took Jane tenderly by the hand and patted her.

"Ball?" Jane asked back. Just that quickly the ball had slipped her mind. She'd never been to a ball...she hadn't even been to her high school prom.

"Yes, the ball, don't tell me you forgot already," Dagmar waved at Jane with long-nails. "We must find you something marvelous for you to wear!" the raven-coiffed maiden exclaimed.

Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Lady Jane! Lady Jane!" a high-pitched and airy female voice called while a mild tanned hand gently rapped on the ivory door. "Lady Jane," Once again the voice called the tone noticeably softer this time, "Are you here?" the female inquired. "Oh," a sharp giggle followed the exclamation as quick feet padded their way across the plush carpeting and made their way to the inner bedroom where Jane Foster and Lady Dagmar were. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' a beautiful honey-skinned platinum blonde woman with glossy pink lips apologized rapidly as her form appeared before the two other women. She quickly flipped her flowing gold tendrils out of her face as she curtsied before the pair who were already present in the bedroom chamber. "I...I could not find your chambers." the blonde-haired handmaiden explained. "I was knocking on several doors trying to find you only to get the wrong person every time," she shrugged and explained a girlish chuckle. "I am Sigyn, Lady-In-Waiting to her majesty, Queen Frigga of Asgard and she has assigned me to be your attendant this evening," Sigyn explained, her flowing blonde curls fell in her face from her bowed position, but slowly she straightened herself up, pushing her long hair away from her face and back behind her shoulders before she brought bright and bulbous liquid gold eyes up to look at Jane before offering a genuine and radiant smile.

"Well I shall leave you to get settled," Lady Dagmar concluded giving a slight inclination of the head after seeing that Jane had been fitted with a proper attendant.

Sigyn's blonde head swiveled and she gaped, "Lady Dagmar!" she gasped giving a curtsy to the Vanir Prime Minister's daughter. "I...I...I didn't see you there, my lady."

"You are in most capable hands," she told Jane Foster. She reached out her slender hands and patted Jane on the shoulder reassuringly. 'I have matters I need to see to in the healing ward," she stated.

"About my condition? About the Aether?" Jane inquired her excitement about this evening instantly fading as the reality of what was really going on once again dawned on her. She hadn't been brought to Asgard for a weekend vacation with her boyfriend, nor had she been brought here to attend fancy balls, she was brought here because there was an ancient matter of unfathomable power coursing through her veins and threatening to destroy her at any moment or at least before this Convergence occurred. "I should be...shouldn't I be coming with you, we have much to research," she demanded.

"No, no, no" Dagmar replied shaking her head, "You must rest and get ready for tonight. You must try not to excite yourself, it will only cause the Aether to surge," Dagmar explained in a soothing tone. Patting her hands in the air to simmer down the panicking earthling.

"I cannot sit by idly..." Jane protested

"No, you must rest, I will be back around to check on you in a few hours. Sigyn will make you most comfortable," The Vanir maiden stated turning on her heels and proceeding to leave. She brought her silver-eyed gaze to fall upon the blonde-haired maiden who was standing next to Jane Foster. "Lady Sigyn," she acknowledged with a pleasant yet stoic smile before she proceeded to exit.

Sigyn watched as Lady Dagmar pulled the white hood of her healing cape up and over her silky ebony tresses. Her head swung back and forth rapidly as she looked between the two women. A feeling of guilt loomed over her golden head making her nervous. She'd heard what happened about Dagmar. The incident was all the rage of gossip amongst the palace staff and the courtiers and news traveled fast through palace circles. She'd heard some other noblewomen discussing it as she walked down the corridor. She overheard about how Lady Dagmar was attacked in her own chamber because of her fiancé's jealous rage. She heard that Lord Olaf even attacked the Prime Minister accusing him of tricking him into engaging himself to a sullied woman. She heard about Dagmar's faithful servant woman who was beat bloody by Lord Dirkson. She'd listened and learned that when the guards arrived at Lady Dagmar's chamber they found him unconscious on the floor. Lord Olaf was still unconscious, but when he awoke he'd face Odin for his assault on an ambassador in the king's house. What was worse was that she heard that it was rumored that Lord Olaf was given a secret letter between Lady Dagmar and an alleged lover by servant.

Since then she'd wanted to speak to Lady Dagmar. She wanted to explain things to her, but the opportunity hadn't arisen. She'd been away. She'd only returned from her family manor just a few nights ago. her father had actually summoned her home to begin to plan her nuptials with Theoic. She wanted to go to Dagmar, she figured it was only right... it was her fault that such things had happened she hadn't done it on purpose... it was an accident, but still, she knew if she went to Lady Dagmar there would definitely be consequences for her actions. She supposed it was rightly so technically she'd stolen private property. Asgardian laws were harsh a servant that stole was likely to lose a finger. She wondered if the Vanir woman would enact such a terrible punishment upon her. Sigyn tried to comfort herself with the knowledge that Lady Dagmar wasn't a cruel woman. She worriedly brought her bronzed finger up to her glossy pink lips as her wide golden eyes darted to Dagmar's form that was disappearing into the hall. With hesitance, Sigyn turned to face Jane, "Lady Jane, will you excuse me for, but a moment?" she asked as she took a deep breath. Jane eyed the blonde haired lady o the queen curiously. She watched the way Sigyn fidgeted and suspected that the maiden must be in need to relieve herself, gave an affirmative nod. With that Sigyn quickly walked through Jane's large room to catch up with Lady Dagmar,

"Lady Dagmar!" Sigyn called lifting her hand to catch the young healer's attention as she was heading back toward the stairs to returning to the Halls of Healing. Dagmar slowly turned around only to find Sigyn rushing up to her in the most jittery of manners. "Lady Dagmar, I am sorry, I am sorry," she gushed as soon as she was face to face with the beautiful cream-skinned Vanir woman. "I...I...I" she started once again, "I heard all that has happened...I'm..."

"You're sorry?" Lady Dagmar asked but the question sounded like an accusation. She scoffed and shook her head as she finally brought her starlit silver eyes to look into Lady Sigyn's honey pools.

"Yes," Sigyn blurted out immediately. "I never..." she started pleadingly

"Why did you go through my letters, Lady Sigyn?" Dagmar questioned abruptly cutting off the blonde woman mid-sentence. "Why?" she demanded.

"I...I don't know," Sigyn confessed like a guilty child. "You left them out...you asked me to straighten up your chamber... I came across them and I was curious," she attempted to defend herself. It was feeble attempt that ended in a pitiful shrug of slumped shoulders.

"So anything that is left out, you believe is for your prying eyes?" Dagmar's questioning was scolding.

"No, no" Sigyn started her voice cracking with nervousness as she began her defense. "I was putting things up, but then I happened to see the scrolls scattered about on the floor and...and I...well I..." Sigyn stuttered anxiously, her warm-colored palms started to sweat and she fiddled with her fingers.

"And when you saw that they weren't addressed to you continued to look!" Dagmar pointed out with condemnation in her tone. "Continued to read! Those letters were personal!" Dagmar's voice was forceful but she didn't raise it. Sigyn watched as Dagmar's eyes shimmered and she saw the woman's lovely painted eyelids bat back over her brilliant gray irises. "Between Loki and I and they were none of your concern!" the silver-eyed enchantress scolded.

"I know," Sigyn responded as her pretty pink lips curled down, a frown of deep remorse lingering like a scar on her sun-kissed face.

"And now they are gone," the raven-coiffed ambassador confessed she scarcely heard the sorrowful words of Lady Sigyn. Her silvery voice quivered and she pressed her hand toward her chest as if trying to massage the pain out of her chest.

"I'm sorry," the daughter of Captain Arn replied tenderly.

Dagmar looked up and blinked back the tears that longed to flow. She bit her plump pomegranate lip, "I should report to Queen Frigga of your snooping ways!" Dagmar threatened her finger-pointing in Sigyn's face. Sigyn jumped back as if she was scared that Lady Dagmar would strike her. She'd done it once before and the slap and hurt. Sigyn had always been a sensitive even as a girl even the threat of being physically chastised would send her in to hysterics. She'd burst into tears and cry on the spot. Usually her instant blubbering would save her from her father's heavy hand. "You are a Lady-in-waiting to the queen do you also sift through her belongings and correspondences?"

"What?" The golden-locked handmaiden to the queen balked in shock. "What! No!" she protested her voice trembling. "I would never dare to look through the queen's belongings," Sigyn assured the Vanir noblewoman waving her hands in front of her. "I...would never betray her majesty's trust! Never!"

"Yet, you betrayed mine!" Dagmar retorted instantly. Sigyn began to give a rebuttal only to have Lady Dagmar cut her off before her tongue could even formulate words. "I left you in my chamber thinking that you were coming right behind me. You took advantage of my haste and lingered in my room... only to try and find evidence to accuse me of the very thing that ruined you. Perhaps I have under estimated you Lady Sigyn, maybe you are smarter than people think... maybe you are a conniving little..." Lord Audric's daughter accused.

"NO!" Lady Sigyn yelled. "I did...I did linger. I did look through your letters and I did read them, but I never was trying to betray or hurt you or lead to anything that has occurred," the golden locked Lady-In-Waiting defended herself she started to sniffle and as best she could she tried to control the tears from leaking from her golden pupils. Feverishly, she started swiping at her eyes trying to remove the tears from her face, but her hands couldn't keep up from the rapid flow of water coming from her honey-colored eyes. "I never wanted Lord Olaf to find out...I"

"Then why did you take what was not yours?" Dagmar asked, her voice and her expression suddenly softened. "Why did you give it to him?" Dagmar continued to question the inquiries were still pointed but they were more maternal like a mother trying to find the reason for her child's misconduct. Watching Sigyn cry pulled on her heartstrings. She remembered when she slapped Sigyn, she hadn't meant to take out her anger and frustration on Sigyn in that way. Once again she had done so. She didn't want to hurt Sigyn, she wasn't even truly sure she was angry with the Aesir woman, but still it was Sigyn's actions that had brought all this about and she needed to know why Sigyn had done what she'd done. Why did Sigyn give the letter to Lord Olaf. Surely, Sigyn and Olaf were not friends. What did she stand to gain? Perhaps Sigyn wanted her to suffer the same fate she did...to be branded a harlot for all the court to scorn and mock.

"I...I...I was just curious," Sigyn stated with a heaving sigh. "I often remembered Loki writing to you, sometimes he mentioned things that he wished to write to you. Something exciting would happen and he'd immediately rush to tell you about it...while I was standing right there asking him about it...but he'd give me sketchy details," Sigyn shook her head as if she was till trying to piece things together. "...I suppose I just wanted to know..." she shrugged.

"Know what? What we wrote each other about?" Dagmar inquired with confusion her voice becoming less sharp and biting and more tender.

"No, no," Lady Sigyn simply wagged her head. She dropped her head shyly. She looked at the rug and looked down at her feet. "I just wanted to know why?" she expressed almost silently.

"Why what, Sigyn?" ebony-haired healer pressed. She was relentless in her questioning.

"Why...Why?" the fair-haired woman's eyes darted around anxiously as she looked down at the ground, "Why he loved you so over me," Sigyn confessed with a sigh of relief bringing big, bright, tearful eyes to look at Dagmar.

The ebony-haired Vanir noblewoman sucked in a sharp breath as she felt her heart crumple for Sigyn. Dagmar had always loved Loki. But she knew that Lady Sigyn had loved Prince Loki as well. Dagmar had never felt threatened by Sigyn. Not because Sigyn wasn't lovely, for she was very fair and very popular among the young warriors and noblemen of the Asgardian court. But Loki's heart had never truly been in the relationship and in that she felt safe, but one day Loki wrote her saying that he and Sigyn were due to be wed. The letter sounded happy about the notion. He wrote asking her recommend for a gift to give Sigyn on their wedding day. He talked of their honeymoon pots, first Alfheim for the mountains and then Nornheim for the exotic beaches and then how they would love to come and visit Vanaheim before they returned to Asgard. Dagmar remembered the felling of panic. Panic soon gave way to jealousy. Was Loki simply going to flaunt his new wife in her face. Have them stay I her own palace. Then he'd had the audacity to ask her if she would be a bridesmaid for Sigyn, saying how it would mean so much to him to have his closest friend be a part of his wedding. For the first time Sigyn would have something she did not have. Loki. Not just on her arm for a fancy political banquet, or in her bed for a romp on silky sheets but she would be his wife. They'd be joined together sacredly before Yddrasil. She would bear his children and what if in time Loki truly loved her. She knew what Sigyn felt. "Sigyn," Lady Dagmar whispered back starting to reach out her hands to embrace the other woman.

'I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Sigyn continued blubbering over and over. She covered her face with her palms as she cried fiercely into her hands. Dagmar watching as wide-set golden eyes filled to brim with tears eventually that hot liquid came pouring from her tear ducts and running down her rosy cheeks. "I...I...I never meant for Lord Olaf to see...I never meant for anything that has happened to occur," she explained between gasping breaths. "You must believe me, oh please," she begged falling to her knees and clutching the hem of Lady Dagmar's pristine white healing robe. "I never should have taken that letter...I shouldn't have gone through your things...I don't know what came over me to do so, but it was not right...I took the letter and I read it...and...and I kept it...I don't know why," Sigyn explained grabbing at her golden locks and shaking her head. "I... guess I...I just thought...I don't know what I was thinking!" she cried. "I'm not very good with plans... but I never meant to cause you pain or to make your reputation come in to question with the man you were due to wed...that wasn't my plan in the least," Sigyn assured Dagmar bringing her bronzed hand back to grasp at the white garment. She buried her face in it sobbing hard. "I...I...I know what that is like," she whispered, "I know what it can cost a woman," she went on, "I would never wish that on anybody. Never. I...I...I" the blonde-haired Aesir woman started to hiccup. "I would never do that," she insisted. "I never went to give it to Lord Dirkson my lady," the blonde woman continued gasping trying to contain her weeping with little success. "It...it fell...it fell from with in the fold of my gown," she explained pulling at the cloak she was wearing now showing the raven-haired healer her garments and how deep and loose the concealing pockets were. "I was running...I was running from Loki's cell and it slipped out...I was going to give it to Loki," she finally reported taking a deep breath to gain some composure. She shook her head and started to laugh only to keep herself from drowning both of them with her tears. "I knew it wasn't mine to give...I did a bad thing...I took what didn't belong to me like a dirty thief, but I thought... I thought...that I'd give it to Loki and let him read all those wonderful words you'd written to him. And then...then I'd tell him I'd love him and he'd say he loved me to. I just wanted him to choose me for real...chose me when he had the choice of choosing you... All I've ever wanted was for him to love me back," she panted breathlessly. The thought of what had transpired still tore her apart. "But he doesn't... hedoesnhedoesnhedoesnhedoesn," Sigyn sobbed folding over, bowing her body until her forehead was pressed against the floor. She cried and howled as if her physical heart was being ripped out and stomped on before her very eyes. "He doesn't" she murmured with exhaustion.

"Sigyn please," Dagmar replied back softly seeing the woman bowed and groveling at her feet. Sigyn looked so distraught, her hair was now a mess about her head from her gripping and clawing at her tendrils, her face was streaked with tears so that the powder and rouge had wiped off and the remnants were gathered at the base of Dagmar's skirt.

"I deserve what ever punishment you wish to enact upon me my lady, for I have cost you your husband and I have taken your belongings you out rank me in everyway...so I submit to punishment, I could face the stocks for what I did. I should lose a finger, I shouldn't even be a Lady-in-waiting to her majesty, the queen...If you tell Queen Frigga, then that's fair I suppose," the blonde haired handmaiden explained more so to herself than to Lady Dagmar, "but I just wanted you to know...I am so...sorry," " Sigyn whimpered and she finally brought her round honey-colored eyes to look into Dagmar's silver orbs. She expected to find Dagmar's expression cold and merciless, she was shocked to encounter a calm and almost joyful look to lady Dagmar's lovely porcelain face. "I ask your pardon and ask for mercy milady," she whispered clutching herself as silent tears trailed down her face.

Dagmar lowered herself to Sigyn's height, Her warm alabaster hands came and cupped Sigyn's sun-kissed cheeks. She swiped her dainty thumb under the Lady-In-Waiting's dripping eyes. "It's alright Sigyn," Lady Dagmar breathed. "Don't apologize anymore," she shushed her like a mother comforting a child.

"I'm sorry," Sigyn continued she heard the command, but some how she couldn't stop her mouth from running.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Dagmar told her. Those words did manage to put and end to Sigyn's babbling. She looked up at the Prime Minister's daughter with wide eyes amazement. "I never intended to punish you," she explained shaking her head.

Sigyn wagged her head protesting Dagmar's thanks. "How? How can you say that?' she questioned.

"I should be thank you, really," Dagmar stated back with a shrug and her full pomegranate lips formed a wide a watery smile. Sigyn watched as tear's also welled in the enchantress' eyes. Slowly one or two tears of joy spilled from each silver eye. "Olaf is a cruel man," Dagmar informed Sigyn. Sigyn believed it. She'd witnessed how he mercilessly whipped prince Loki in the arena before all and how he relished in every blow he inflicted on Prince Loki's black. She small the smile that rippled across his face a bloodied stripes ran crisscross over Loki's trembling spine. He laughed with glee as he heard Loki's frantic sobs and screams. She shuddered. "And now I am free of him," Dagmar stated as she breathed in as if inhaling the dawning of the new day "What you did has done that for me and I thank you," She said inclining her head toward the blonde woman. "It has also revealed a valuable piece of information to me," Lady Dagmar explained quietly.

"What?" Sigyn inquired with wide eyes.

"Something wonderful," Dagmar's pomegranate lips stretched into a brilliant smile as she dabbed her sapphire blue handkerchief under Sigyn's still leaking eyes. She saw the bewilderment shine through Sigyn's sun-bright irises as the waiting gentlewoman offered a somewhat clueless grin back. "About the child I had for Loki," Dagmar whispered. Sigyn gasped but before she could utter a word Dagmar spoke on her tone still hushed, but full of excitement. "I thought that I miscarried, that my child came into this world out a breath in its body, but in his rage, Olaf told the truth. That my child though premature, was born alive. He got rid of it," she spat. "He is a heartless man," Dagmar nodded to herself closing her silver eyes to keep from allowing them to water. What kind of person was it that could have an innocent child placed in their arms and simply declare that the fate of the babe should be death and then to lie about the matter. He had no conscience. "The baby is most likely dead," Dagmar confessed. "It was true, Olaf was a powerful man and most of his household feared him and if he told the midwife to get rid of the offspring then that is most likely what had been done. Besides what person would spare the child of a Frost Giant? "But, still, but still there is a chance," Dagmar forced out as she opened her eyes. "There is a chance that the babe is alive," she declared to Lady Sigyn. "And it is that chance that I take I intend to find the truth and if the child is alive I intend to find him." she stated a determination flickering in her light gray eyes and making them shine like sterling armor.

The fair-haired maiden listened breathlessly to Dagmar's confession. Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach and she hoped her heartache didn't show so plainly in her expression. Dagmar's child was alive... or could be alive...but if the child was alive...then truly, she felt she had lost. She'd already lost. Loki had openly told her he didn't love her. He might as well of said he despised her for all the pain his words had brought her. And now...if they did have a child together then they should be together. She was convinced of that. She nodded resolutely. If their love had produced a child then perhaps they were meant to be. She and Loki had relations hundred of times, but never once had she conceived a child. Dagmar and Loki had one night of passion and she bore his seed, perhaps that how it was to be. That was fates design, that was the will of the Norns and who was she to stop it.

It was only right Sigyn told herself. If Loki ever left the prison, he and Dagmar could get married, raise their child and live happily ever after just like every fairytale said they should. He would be the wayward prince and she the beautiful princess, the mystical enchantress, the kind healer who would grant him redemption. Sigyn wondered why she had ever dreamed it could be different. It was foolish as most of her thoughts were. And she...she would move on. She would marry Theoic. As her father had commanded. Theoic was good man. He was kindly and good-looking, he had a fine estate in the country. She would live a quiet life away from the glitz and glamour of court, although she loved court. Perhaps she would have children with Theoic although she was sure she would love her children with Theoic she had always imagined a brood of dark-haired children with impish smiles and big green eyes. She would deal with the fact that she would have to share her husband's bed with another woman for the rest of her days. It was no different from her days with Loki. She'd shared her bed with Dagmar. Although Dagmar hadn't been a physical presence she might as well have been. She would marry Theoic and find contentment... she would find happiness... peace...love...wouldn't she?

"I have something to ask of you Sigyn," Dagmar murmured as she clutched Sigyn's tanned hands in earnest as she pulled the woman from her somber thoughts. Sigyn batted back amber eyes as she focused on the words of the esteemed healer. "I have written this letter to Loki," Lady Dagmar expressed as she slipped a small piece of parchment from out the folds of her healer's cloak. "I...I know how fond you are of delivering my mail," the silver-eyed damsel expressed with a sweet smile as she gave a playful wink to the tawny skinned Lady-in-waiting to Queen Frigga. Sigyn's already wide-set eyes grew large as the moon with horror. "I was wondering..." Dagmar started as she slowly began to press the parchment into Sigyn's warm-colored palms. "If you would deliver this to him?" the Prime Minister's daughter requested.

"NO!" Sigyn nearly screamed. She noted that she had started the ebony haired female mage. "I mean...I mean no...no I can't...I can't...I can't go back down there," she stated panting."Please my lady," Sigyn begged. "I can't! I can't!" she persisted her soprano voice shrill with fear. "I cannot...Loki...Loki doesn't want to see me," she explained as if she was out of breath. "He doesn't...he doesn't no," she continued to insist as she wagged her head.

"Sigyn," Dagmar's pomegranate lips pursed as concern formed for the blonde woman. "You have been tending Loki all this time...I'm a little confused..."

"HE HATES ME!" Lady Sigyn shrieked desperately. Lord Audric's daughter sucked in a sharp breath at hearing Sigyn's frantic tone. "he hates me," she said again this time her voice was just a raspy whisper.

"No," Dagmar protested grasping Sigyn by her wrist. "That can't be true...you have been so kind to him," she assured the feeble-minded maiden. She held onto Sigyn's wrist tightly to keep the flighty Aesir noblewoman from fleeing. She noted the way Sigyn winced. Being a healer she was able to detect the physical signs of pain. She flipped over Sigyn's wrist and revealed the underside of the woman's arm. She pushed up her long and dangling sleeves as she did she noticed the blackened burn marks that peppered skin that should have otherwise been smooth and the hue of sandy beaches. Silver eyes scanned the injured flesh. 'Loki did this?" She asked.

Sigyn averted her gaze and dropped her head only slightly bobbing her head and admitting to what had occurred. "Please," she silently begged slipping her wrist from out of the hold of Dagmar's porcelain hands. She rolled her long sleeves down to cover the burn marks.

"What happened?" Dagmar demanded frantically.

Lady Sigyn gulped. She knew she had been in Loki's cell for a while that day, but although she could see the two of the talking in her head she couldn't recall the conversation except for the latter part, where she told Loki she loved him and he lashed out at her. She knew more had happened. Something important hand happened, something big, but she couldn't recall what it was. It was strange. The more she thought about it the more light-headed she became. She didn't like the feeling. She shook her head to clear it. "I don't remember," she breathed. "I...we were talking and I guess he just became angry with me...I...I can't back there Lady Dagmar, please do not make me...I leaped at the opportunity to serve lady Jane because I could no bear to go to Loki's cell again," Sigyn shook her head and pleaded with the Vanir noble woman. Her eyes once again starting to mist. "I can't," she repeated urgently as she took Dagmar's hands in hers and looked the woman in the eye to show how fearful she was of the situation. Dagmar nodded silently releasing the woman from the request. "Beside, my lady...you should go to Loki and tell him...perhaps if you do...Loki will...Loki will decide to accept Odin's terms of redemption," Sigyn explained and managed to smile through watery eyes. "So that he can be with you and the child?"

Dagmar stiffened at the words that parted from Lady Sigyn's glossy, pink lips. She knew that what Sigyn spoke was truth. Yet, she was as fearful as Sigyn to go to Loki's domain. She couldn't imagine why Loki would have so much contempt for Lady Sigyn, surely all the woman had done was care for him, but the truth was that Loki was very much a different man than who she had once known. Loki wasn't completely sane anymore. Dagmar remembered a conversation she had with Thor. She could hear the crown prince's deep voice making a sad confession, "Loki's sanity, hangs by a thread and when that thread snaps Loki will be completely lost and for good," If the thread had snapped in Loki's mind Dagmar believed that she was responsible for plucking the thin cord that connected Loki to reason. If Loki hated Sigyn for her kindness and charity than surely he must loathe every fiber of her being for the betrayals she had put him through. She had willingly been the instrument that had stripped Loki of his most precious commodity, his magic. Although she said she'd done it to help, she done it to protect him, she'd offered her service because the all-father believed that this was the only way Loki would survive the extraction, but even so she felt that the justification was a feeble one. The kind where a guilty person walks free on a technicality, but all the while they are truly a murderer. Surely, she didn't know how she could face Loki even after all these months after the extraction. How could she face him after she hand looked into his emerald eyes pleading and panic-stricken as he faced the ooze which would rip his powers from his being? How could she talk to him after she'd heard his tortured scream and still she pressed deeper into his psyche to remove his mystic connection? How could see him after she'd watching him twist and writhe on that table like a fish flopping on a deck frantic for its life?

Loki would hate her and he had every right to. She'd left him blind and miserable to wallow in powerlessness for the rest of his days. Would Loki even hear her? Would he even care now? If he did care how would he feel about their child? No doubt he would be disgusted and horrified by a child that looked like a Frost Giant, Loki was ashamed and appalled by his true origins, she doubted he would embrace a child who reminded him of such. But still it was a conversation that they had to have. Whatever the outcome he deserved to know. For too long she'd passed the duty that was her's off on Sigyn. "You're right, Sigyn," Dagmar confessed as she bowed her head. The amber locked lady-in-waiting couldn't help but bat her eyes in shock as she took in the statement. Sigyn didn't believe anyone ever told her she was right. She was always wrong, always the fool. Rightness was something reserved for the wise, the strong, the powerful and Sigyn had never been considered any of those things. "This is something for Loki and I to discuss," Lady Dagmar continued. "Soon, but not just yet," Dagmar qualified. "First," she stated "I need to know the fate of my child," she explained firmly. "There might not even be any child..." Lady Dagmar's voice trailed off for a moment. Her storm colored eyes staring down the hall. Sigyn watched as her milky eyelids shut in silent prayer that somewhere the baby she bore was alive and well and being taken care of with tenderness even though it bore the feature of a Frost Giant. "Sigyn, I do still need you to do me this service," the raven-coiffed Vanir noblewoman expressed and her demeanor perked up. Sigyn bobbed her blonde curls dutifully. "I have written this letter to the house of midwives, who attended me during my delivery inquiring about what happened to the child. I have pressing matters that I need to see to for Lady Jane, would you make sure that the courier between the realms gets this Sigyn?' Lady Dagmar asked as she produced another scroll and showed it to the blonde maiden.

Lady Sigyn swallowed deeply and extended a bronzed hand before the pale skinned Vanir, "I will," she agreed as she took the scroll.

The rich colored thick lips of Lady Dagmar curled into a most grateful beam. "Thank you," Dagmar mouthed as she began to push herself from the ground and in turn helped Lady Sigyn to her feet. "Well I supposed we both better see to our duties," she breathed.

"yes, yes quite," Sigyn replied. "I must get Lady Jane ready for the ball tonight," The golden-locked woman expressed excitedly, for fashion excited Sigyn like little else did.
"Well I shall see you tonight," Dagmar stated she placed her silky-smooth hands upon Sigyn's shoulders right before they parted company.

Sigyn carefully wiped her eyes as she rounded the corner to return to Lady Jane chamber. She didn't want Lady Jane to know she had cried. Lady Jane's door was still slightly ajar so Sigyn slipped right in. She she walked through the foyer she pulled the scroll from outside her sleeve. The scroll was once again sealed, but this time Sigyn dare not think about reading the contents. She didn't really need to, she'd already been told what was written on the page of beige parchment. Inside this note was a question that could seal Loki's heart to Dagmar's for all time if it was answered positively. Sigyn frowned as the idea crossed her mind not to deliver the letter.

---

Time rolled around slowly in Asgard, Jane soon came to realize. She'd taken a nap, she'd enjoyed a luxurious bubble bath, she'd dine on a gourmet lunch and she'd tried every single gown in her walk in closet. It had been Lady Sigyn's request. Sigyn actually had to dress her. She hadn't had someone dress her since she was at least 7 years old, but she'd been in need of help. For awhile the amber eyed attendant just watched and giggled as she watched Lady Jane's pitiful attempts to put her garments on in the right order. She mistakenly put her corset on the outside of her gown. Sigyn immediately rushed to help her. But even after all the time taken for dressing there were still several hours left until the great feast Prince Thor was preparing in her honor.

Sigyn ran off to the seamstress' quarters to see that Jane's evening wear was properly fitted for the banquet. In the mean time Jane decided to go and look for Prince Thor, she hadn't seen him since earlier in the day. She supposed in the back of her mind she was still a little jumpy, the last time he left her sight she didn't see him for over a year. Lady Sigyn politely offered to escort Jane to the prince of Asgard, but Jane refused. Sigyn was sweet, but Jane wasn't used to having someone follow her about so, besides she wanted to explore the palace on her own.

After getting turned around a bit wandering through the labyrinth of a palace Jane found herself on an outside veranda that led to a lavished gardens filled with fountains. The fountains were so beautiful and the lawn was filled with dignitaries mingling about as they enjoyed afternoon tea. She happened to spy Prince Thor strolling through the crowd. "Thor!" Jane called excitedly seeing his gold hair gleaming in the sun as he bid good afternoon to the courtiers chattering about on the grounds. Thor looked up trying to trace Jane's voice.

"Jane!" Thor couldn't help but exclaim. He recognized her voice immediately and his head swung back and forth as he tried to find her amongst the crowd of officials and dignitaries.

The burly prince searched high and low for her as his deep-sea blue eyes surveyed the grounds. She scurried over to him energetically hiking up her flowing skirt as she scuttle down the steps and pushed her way through the women of court who were all a twitter trying to flirt with the handsome prince. When she came before him Thor hated to admit it to himself but he hardly recognized her. He expected to see a willow figure trotting toward him in boots, scarf, denim pants and a rustic looking sweater. He was all but blown away by the vision that had appeared in his face. "There you are," Jane said slightly breathlessly, taking him in, in all his glory always took her breath away. " I was beginning to think I would never find you," she admitted as she swiped the back of her hand across her brow. Thor continued to gawk at how exquisite she was. The silk teal colored toga hung slightly off her shoulder. It was the first time that he had seen the adorable freckles that peppered her peach skin. Seeing the way the toga tugged at her curves and fitted around her bosom stirred him. He'd never seen her wear jewelry, besides a simple ring or time keeping device made of leather straps that she'd called a 'watch'. He loved seeing her dainty wrist covered in golden bangles and her neck adorned in a polished bronze chain. Her ears were a perfect fit for the tear drop earrings that were set with a stone that matched her dress. His blues eyes glanced down at her feet. They were pretty in the crisscrossing strapped sandals she was wearing. He even noticed the delicate anklet that flattered her left leg.

Thor blinked as if he was trying to rally himself from a dream. He shook his head, his blonde mop flopping about atop his head as he brought his brain to focus on what she had said. "I'm sorry you became lost," he apologized taking her small hands in his mammoth palms. "I supposed I haven't been a very good host," he continued. "My mother would be greatly disappointed. "I shall give you a proper tour now if you'd like," he offered and she watched as he gave her a full sweeping bow and offered her his hand ready to escort her throughout the imperial palace.

"I would love a tour," Jane expressed grinning from ear to ear as she pressed her hand against his bulging bicep. Thor started to take a step leading her toward the steps of the veranda, "But," Jane interrupted the progress of their walk. "Thor I need to know more about the Aether," Jane expressed.

"Jane," Thor began with an exasperated sigh. "I don't want you to worry about such things, I'll find away to protect you. To keep you safe. I assure you. I'll keep you safe. I promise. Don't be afraid," he told her protectively bringing his thick bronzed hand to brush against her blushing cheek.

"I'm not afraid, Thor," she told him. She was beyond afraid. She was terrified, but she was only terrified because she didn't know any fact about what was happening It was this mystical mystery. Her very life seemed to be left in the balance of nothing but magic. Jane wasn't sure she believed in magic. There had to be more logical scientific explanations to this strange occurrence with in her. Perhaps this thing called the either was a parasite? She was scientist. She wanted to dissect to experiment and to be part of the solution to her own cure, not lie helplessly and await doctors orders like any ignorant patient would. "But I need to know. How can I not know all the facts about something that is affect my very life!" she protested.

A smile crinkled in the warrior prince's eyes as he watched Jane's nose twitch with frustration. It was possible that she was cute when she was mad. The smile in his sapphire eyes didn't last long. It felt and a grimaced arched across full and perfect lips. "It is not just your life that hang's in the balance," he confessed. He went on to explain to Jane about the intricacies of the Convergence. He illustrated for her by gesturing with his hands and bringing their hands together. She heard his words and took in their meaning. The things that he explained were borderline frightening, but somehow as she listened to the deep and steady baritone hum of his voice as he articulated the words, she only felt mesmerized.

"I liked the way you explain things," Jane expressed dreamily as she looked into his endless sky blue eyes as their palms were pressed together, she could feel his pulse through his fingertips. He laughed slightly bringing his face down so that their noses would touch. Thor didn't often feel as though he was good at explaining things. He supposed he didn't always have much of a chance, if much talking was needed that was Loki's department.

"Thank you," he laughed his warm, spicy breath tickling the bridge of her nose.

"A hem," a cough appeared and the crowd parted. Hushed murmur of polite and gracious words were offered and Jane could feel a presence nearing them. The two young lovers halted just as their aching lips were about to kiss. "Am I interrupting something?" a demure and feminine voice asked with a slight tickle in the tone. Thor's head was the first to swing and face the woman. Jane's followed in a split second.

"Mother," Thor breathed, a pent-up sigh leaking from his mouth and a slight glow rising to his bearded cheeks. Jane turned to face the woman. She was a lovely woman who appeared to be at the older end of her middle age. She had a mature beauty. She was regal and poised. Dressed in elegant gold garments from head to toe. Her hair was an endless forest of amber ringlets and though at first Jane was sure Thor looked just like his father after seeing his lovely mother she could tell he had inherited some of his features from her as well.

The regal Asgardian woman looked on her elder son with doting affection. Her eyes housed nothing but warmth and love. "Mother?" Jane a balked back looking between the handsome man she was with and the royal woman before them. She watched as the stately woman held her lips type together to hide a smile that longed to burst forth.

"Yes," Thor stated back slowly he gave the lovely queen a signature wink and she immediately shook her head at the gesture as was customary between them. "Jane Foster this is her imperial highness, Queen Frigga of Asgard," he pointed toward the wife of Odin and he watched Jane's mouth hang open. "My mother," he leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"Mother," Jane repeated then she felt Thor's breath stagger on her cheek as he started to chuckle. She turned to look at Thor noting the gorgeous happy grin on his face. "Mother!" she balked once more, "Queen!" she gasped. "uhh...Uhh..." she turned to look at Thor for help, but he was too busy cracking grins in her face to be of assistance. "Queen!" she shrieked once more dropping her eyes and falling into an awkward curtsy, her knees bucked and her stance tottered, she nearly toppled over, "You majesty!" she stated finally, "It's an honor," she began still only looking at the queen's diamond plated shoes.

She heard the golden queen laugh and her guffaw though high-pitched reminded her of Thor's. "A rise my child," the queen commanded mildly. Jane pulled herself out of the awkward pose. She had to untwist her feet to regain a steady stance. The queen gave a demure giggled as she watched her son extend a hand to the maiden. Jane rose to her full height. She pushed her auburn hair out of her eyes to get a better look at Thor's mother. "It is truly my pleasure to meet you, Lady Jane Foster," Queen Frigga insisted and she performed as small and graceful dip for the Midgardian woman. "Welcome to Asgard," she greeted and she smiled warmly at the human scientist. Jane started to talk but she found her lips moving only to produce silent words. Frigga maintained a gracious grin and cast a glance at her brawny boy. "It is so good to finally meet the woman who has captured my son's heart son," she explained. "I have been curious about you for quite sometime," the queen admitted her face remaining placid and pleasant. Jane only pointed at herself in reply and the queen gave a gracious nod back. "Thor could talk of little else after the Bifrost was destroyed," she told. She whispered in a jesting nature as if it were a great secret.

"Mother," Thor blushed.

"Now here you are in Asgard and I hear it through servants gossip," Frigga announced a lighthearted tone to her incriminating words. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was trying to keep you hidden from me," Queen Frigga figured allowed and leaned over and whispered into Jane Foster's snickered at the regal woman's remark.

"Never, Mother,' Thor contradicted jauntily. He wrapped his strong-arm protectively around the woman who bore him. Jane smiled. Queen Frigga was a dignified woman, she stood with a perfect posture, she held her head high and Jane supposed she came off as a woman with a tall presence, but when one did the measurements the height difference between mother and son was quite distinct. Thor was probably a foot and a half taller than his mother. His mighty arms could fold her into a strong embrace like she was no more than a little girl. The warrior prince leaned over and planted a forceful child like kiss on the golden queen's cheek. It was sloppy and ended with a smacking sound. Frigga scrunched up her features and hummed as she accepted the offering. "I just wanted to wait, I figured I save the best for last in allowing Jane to meet you," Thor insisted flashing the queen a radiant grin.

"Oh you," The golden-haired monarch pushed Thor's face away from her's as she laughed. "Just like your father, they are shameless flatterers," Queen Frigga informed Jane and Jane approvingly to the queen's admonishment. "That's how they get away with so much...through flattery," she continued bringing her hands down by her side, " But I can see that the things my son told me off you weren't mere embellishments," the royal lady countered. "Thor she is simply splendid!"

Frigga's royal blue eyes sized up Jane quickly. She hadn't lied when she said Jane was splendid. She was. It didn't surprise her, Thor had always had impeccable taste in maidens. He always courted such lovely women. Frigga could tell from a look that Jane was smart. Thor had bragged to her about the intelligence of this mortal. How she understood matters of the cosmos that few on Midgard did. Frigga watched the shy glances exchanged between the young couple as that chatted a little in her presence. It was plain as day that they cared about each other. Their feelings were young and immature. The emotions were impetuous and giddy. There love was based more on hunches they had about one another rather than actual facts known about the other person, but their was passion and yearning in their eyes for one another. It was puppy-love at best; the type of love that can easily run-a-muck and leave young lovers in heartbreak when it ended.

She looked at the way her eldest son glanced at the auburn haired woman. It was so adoring. His cheeks would flush crimson if he stared at her too long. He was head over heels for this woman and knowledge of that made Queen Frigga's heart ache. She maintained a placid facial expression and fought hard to contain the frown that longed to show on her face. She had always wanted the best for her sons. The best for Thor and Loki looked different, but in the end she had wanted the same things for them. She wanted both her children to be happy. She wanted them to both find love. Her sons were heirs to the throne of Asgard and their were many maidens in court were nothing but crown chasers, but she'd always prayed that her sons would find maidens to share their lives with. Ladies that were good to them and good for them. The requirements seemed easy enough, but it was easier said than done.

Loki was reserved, he had only courted a few maidens, but Loki was sensitive and he was ever seeking someone he could trust. There had been Angraboda, a beautiful priestess from Muspelheim, she hadn't been good to Loki or good for Loki. There was Lady Dagmar, Loki had loved Dagmar so and they could have been a good match, she would have been good for Loki, but she'd never been good to Loki. Then there was Sigyn, sweet and simple Sigyn, was faithful to a fault. She was as good to Loki as a woman could be to a man, but Frigga doubted Loki would ever see Sigyn as good for him

Thor courted often, but he was fickle. He had a new maiden that he was bestowing his favor upon every year or so. The queen honestly couldn't keep up with the number of courtiers and royal women that Thor had taken up with. Despite that she knew her boy's heart. Thor was a loving young man, he loved like a child with a trusting and dependent type of love. He counted completely on the people in his circle. Jane was good to Thor. She'd taken him in during his banishment to Midgard and in the process somehow she'd changed him, what a strange power this human woman must have had over the wielder of Mjolnir was a mystery to his mother, but what ever the case she was good to him, but she wasn't good for him. She was a mortal and their love would be short-lived at best. It would hurt Thor so to watch his lovely little bride die in only a few years times. In Asgard even if Jane Foster lived 100 yrs it would be but a moment. How could she watch her son mourn a wife at such a young age. Thor would be heartbroken. He already was willing to go through such great lengths to keep her alive now... but he wouldn't be able to stop her inevitable death at some point. Thor would be a young man and Jane would be growing old and gray. Their children would be barely out of diapers and Jane would be aged and wrinkled. Their children's aging would be accelerated. Frigga couldn't imagine the pain of possibly outliving a grandchild. There were other reasons why this love was treacherous, Jane was mortal and Frigga highly doubted the people of Asgard would relish the notion of a mortal queen. The elders and council members would fear that a mixed Midgardian children would weaken the legitimacy of the monarchy.

"I was just about to take Jane on a tour, Mother," Thor interjected into the Queen of Asgard's musings.

"I came to find you to tell you that Heimdal needs to speak with you," the queen informed her strapping older son.

"Surely, it can wait," Thor was easily dismissed his duty to the realm making his brilliant blue pupils face lovely Jane.

"Surely, it cannot." Frigga responded. "He said it is most urgent, a matter about Convergence," the queen explained in a hushed tone. "But luckily for you both I am more than capable of giving Lady Jane a proper tour of the palace," Frigga expressed with pleasure as she flashed a smile at Ms. Foster.

"Oh no," Jane started, "Please your highness I couldn't put you out...or..."

"What?" Queen Frigga questioned innocently. "I am not put out at all. I am happy to do it. I will introduce you to a few of my favorite ladies among court before the ball tonight, that way you are sure to feel most comfortable," she elaborated. Jane turned to Thor, but the great warrior merely shrugged his massive shoulders and offered a lippy grin in reply. He was no help. "Beside I assure you I am very knowledgeable of the palace grounds, I have walked these halls, long since before Thor was born," she tossed her head allowing her long golden curls to bounce on her shoulders as she gave a rascally snort at her big, strong son.

"A word of advice Jane, it is best to not argue with Asgard's Queen, one never wins," he admonished her. He folded his muscular arms across his breastplate and nodded encouragingly for Jane to do as his mother requested.

"He has only learned this after more than a millennium of losing debates with me," Queen Frigga offered a cheeky smile on her elegant face.

Jane finally relaxed. "Well if you insist, your majesty," she conceded dropping her head and giving a shrug of surrender before offering a smile to Asgard's most beloved queen. With that, the queen linked arms with Lady Jane and whisked her away. Thor laughed seeing two women so dear to his heart walk arm in arm. He called to Jane expressing how he would see her tonight before he set off to see what it was that Heimdal needed to see him about so urgently.

After the tour of the gardens Queen Frigga lead the way for the two of them entered the palace. She took her through several corridors pointing out banquet halls, ballrooms, sitting rooms lounges and various chambers. She showed the Foster woman where the council met, the courtrooms, the rooms of a few officials who lived in the palace. The grand atrium where on the most grand of celebrations were held to accommodate as many citizens as possible. Jane gaped as she gazed at the golden stadium it could hold over 2 million people the queen informed her. They walked down halls of coats of arms that glistened as if they were freshly polished.

Frigga was an excellent tour guide, Jane had to admit as they came to the close of the tour, the queen had walked her around the entire palace and Jane's feet were starting to throb, but she dare not interrupt the queen who had taken time from her royal routine to escort her son's guest around her house. The Queen of Asgard had been most informative. She knew so much about the history of the palace, when the rooms were built and the type of stone used, but it wasn't the fact tidbits that fascinated the female scientist. It was the anecdotes that Queen Frigga shared along the way. Stories about herself and her friends as young maidens first visiting the palace. She pointed out the place where she'd first caught eye of Prince Odin. She talked of the changes she made during her early years as queen. She talked of her family. She recalled moments with her boys. Funny stories of young Thor tottering around the palace. It made the imperial household seem less like a museum and more like a home.

The queen's nostalgia allowed a thought to roll through Jane's mind, could she too call this place home? It was fantastical, beyond anything that she'd ever dreamed of. Could she one day know these endless hallways like the back of her hand? Would she give tours? Like the queen would she have family memories in the rooms as she walked by.

"Ah," The golden-haired ruler sighed as they rounded a corner. "This is the nursery," she said with a faint smile gracing her painted lips. She slowly pushed the door open. The nursery was elaborate. The walls were painted a happy light yellow and they were decorated with all sorts of imaginative childish depictions, shapes of suns and moons, trees and rivers, rainbows and animals. Their was a swing and slide-set on the inside. A jungle-gym shaped like a castle that honestly could have been a home. There were trampolines cribs, beds and baths. Naturally, their was a wide assortment of toys and books. "My boys have long since outgrown this room," the queen chuckled, "But I often allow those who bring their children to court to utilize the room for their little ones, alas,we don't have many children at court now. When my children were young Odin and I encouraged others to bring their children, but I supposed since all the children have grown..." Frigga's voice trailed off and Jane saw a wistful shimmer come over the great queen's sapphire eyes. "Do...do you want children...Lady Jane?" the queen posed.

Jane Froze. She could feel her pulse quicken. A lump formed in her throat. What...what was Queen Frigga insinuating? Did she want children? Did she want children? She wasn't even sure! She had never really thought much about having children. If truth be told she supposed she never really wanted children...children would take away from her time to do research and experiments. She'd have to spend late nights out studying the stars, she'd need to travel a lot to be successful in her field, she wanted to work at NASA! That wasn't the life for a mother of 5. She'd pictured finding someone who she could share her life with, share her findings with, share her research with, they could work together supporting one another in their studies and careers, she'd never pictured them supporting one another in parenthood. Did she like children? She suppose she liked children well enough, for extra money one year while in graduate school she'd tutored elementary school students. Although sometimes she could even find Darcy to be a bit juvenile. Did Thor want children? Whether he wanted children or not he was Asgard's future king and producing an heir was simply his duty. Would that be her life? Giving him heirs, raising little princes and princesses? Organizing banquets? What about her research? Yet somehow when she thought about it...with Thor it didn't seem so terrible. Her head started to pound. She felt dizzy and light-headed. The Aether was whirling inside her. She remembered how Lady Dagmar had admonished her that Aether was a weapon. It sought to defend itself. She had to keep herself calm. High emotions would set the Aether off. She shook her head and breathed.

"Yes, your majesty," she answered.

---

The ball was more than anything Jane could have ever dreamed it would be. Entering the ballroom was like walking into a treasure vault. The staircase was made of white diamonds intertwined with gold banisters. A chandelier that shined brighter than the sun was in the center of the stained glass ceiling. It's crystals reflected rainbows in their prisms. The floor was made of brilliant white marbles. The banquet tables were set with fine floral displays that were shaped like swans and doves. The flowers burst forth with every color imaginable and the fragrance of the sweet bouquets filled the air. The table clothes were scarlet in color with decorative tassels of gold. It was all so wondrous she nearly pinched herself to make sure it wasn't a dream. From the top of the staircase she timidly observed the courtiers. They all looked so lovely, like little jewels spinning about. They were all so gorgeous, men and women the Aesir were a race of flawless specimens. The men were tall and striking and built for battle. The women youthful and graceful...beautiful. In a room full of roses Jane was just a dandelion. Even thought she was dressed up as one of them, she was sure she was still nothing but a plain-Jane.

Jane had never considered herself an expert in fashion. She never really tried to be trendy. She wore what she liked, she wore what was comfortable and practical in the lab. She wouldn't exactly have labeled herself frumpy, but she certainly wasn't stylish. But tonight she wanted to be. Tonight she wanted to look her best. She knew Thor would be looking wonderful in his polished sterling armor. She wanted to match. She didn't know where to begin with Asgardian fashions though, the drapes and gowns, and toga's that were in her closet were beautiful, but they were a puzzlement to her. Luckily, where she was merely a novice, he assigned attendant, Lady Sigyn, was a guru.

Sigyn had worked tirelessly, to help her pick out a most sensational dress for the banquet. She'd worked so hard to ensure that Jane was perfectly put together for this most special occasion. "You first ball, your first ball isn't this exciting?" Sigyn insisted as she scrubbed Jane like she was just a little girl. "I remember my first ball," she went on as she poured a sweet smelling ointment over Jane's tresses. She dug her fingers in and gave Jane's head a good shampoo. "My sister was older thaI and she was introduced at court before me, but oh when it was my turn I was thrilled," Sigyn squealed as she helped Jane out of the tub and presented her the a towel so soft that Jane felt as if she was wrapping herself in a cloud. Sigyn lead her out of the bathroom and they set in Jane's dressing room as Sigyn called for a couple of other maidens to help style Jane's hair, do her nails and feet and paint small henna designs on the tops of her feet. "The gowns, the music, the dancing, the men!" Sigyn exclaimed. "Oooh you will love it!" she insisted as she painted Jane's face.

The gown they'd chosen was a deep rich plum hue. It was luxurious and royal the color alone denoted that it was fit for a woman who could one day be queen of Asgard. The shape of the dress was A-line and the fabric was so smooth a satin texture that it would make a baby's skin feel as if it were coarse as sandpaper. The skirt was gathered in elegant pleats. The bodice was decorated with gold silk thread and beads of amethyst stone. Sigyn had worked tirelessly with Jane's normally limp and listless hair curling it into spiraling ringlets and pulling it into an elegant style and adorning her with a simple yet beautiful headdress, it was single string bead of pearls wrapped around the ground of her head.

"Entering, Lady Jane Foster, escorted by High Highness Crown Prince Thor ," announced the chamberlain. Jane heard a drum roll and a mighty trumpet blast. All of a sudden a spotlight was put on her and so were hundreds of pairs of eyes. They were all staring up curiously and some even enviously at the mortal who had captured the heart of the prince. Jane's pulse quickened and part of her wanted to dart back up the steps, but then she saw Thor. His blonde mane swished as his head swiveled to face her. His strong hand reached up for hers. There were hundreds of women in the great banquet hall. They were all ravishing beauties. Queens and princesses ageless goddesses. She was a mere mortal and yet Thor's sapphire yes filled and swelled like an ocean when he saw her. He only had eyes for her.

Instantly, she felt her feet glide out from under her and waft her down the grand staircase. Before long her hand was safe and snug inside Thor's calloused but amazingly tender palm. "Jane!" Thor exclaimed, "You look...You look...You look," Thor stumbled. He'd never been good with words. Words seemed to always fail him when he needed them the most. What word could he give to tell Jane how beautiful he thought she was in this moment. Beautiful didn't seem to cover it. "Stunning!" he finally gushed. With Thor's words Jane's nervousness fade away. The harsh glares of the crowd didn't matter.

Dinner was before dancing. The banquet tables were filled with food piled as high as a mountains. Jane didn't think she'd ever seen so much food. It all smelt delicious every morsel tasted divine. Their was a first course, second course, third course, a fourth course and still servants kept bringing out plate after plate. Jane had eaten so much already. She sampled pheasant and wild boar, skewers of vegetables with lamb, the rolls and biscuits were succulent and moist. The fruits and vegetables were juicy, rich and robust in flavor. Casks of ale were passed around, glasses of wine were never empty. The food was so good she could stop herself from sampling everything at the tables. Before long though it caught up with her. She found her belly so full she thought it would pop right out of the tight corset that Sigyn had tied her up in. She felt as if she would blow, but as she watched the rest of the Asgardians in the dinning hall she noted that all of them continued to stuff their faces with vigor and gusto. They drank and ate and made merry and never seemed to tire. But Jane soon found her head spinning. She'd never been much of a drinker and even just one glass of the bubbling champagne left Jane feeling fizzy and tipsy.

The entertainment was amazing. There were fire breathers, jugglers and jesters and colorful mimes. There was a great jousting competition. They brought the horses right into the ballroom and set up the jousting stands. Prince Thor participated. He asked Jane for a favor as he competed in hand to had combat with a high-ranking general. He won, but the fight was fair and Thor actually seemed a bit challenged by the competition. The crowd went wild with his feats. The hour grew later and later and dessert wasn't even served until nearly midnight. Dancing came after dinner. The King and Queen of Asgard took seats upon their gilded daïs as they commanded the court composer to play tunes for the young courtiers to make merry to. Jane watched in awe as she saw a few of the dances the Asgardians performed. The proper ballroom dances were nothing that Jane was used to. Each pair whirled and twirled about in perfect time. It was wonderful to watch. Prince Thor had danced with a few noblewomen, but he was bored with those maidens he was eager to dance with Jane. It would be their first dance together. He couldn't wait to hold her in his arms and escort her across the dance floor. Jane wasn't much of a dancer. She'd never taken a dance class. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd been dancing. She should have told the charming down... Maybe it was that she was a little drunk (She tried not to drink too much, but the banquet had overflowed with wine and ale. She didn't want to seem rude so when the serving wenches came and offered her goblet after goblet of strong drink she hadn't refused) or maybe it was the fact that Thor shone like a sun in the room, but she couldn't refuse him when she strolled her onto the dance floor. Perhaps they danced for hours perhaps for mere moments, but she was lost in his immense masculine arms.

"Mind if I cut in?" a sultry female voice interrupted the prince and his Midgardian maiden as they waltzed all over the sparkling ballroom floor. Jane's head was once again starting to pound. She felt so drowsy and light-headed, but the evening had been so magnificent she didn't want it to end. The Asgardian's she was seeing could dance until the sun came up. She leaned her hurting head heavily against Prince Thor's chest as he rocked her gently to the slow music that the orchestra played on their lutes and lyres. It was such a romantic song.

Jane blinked open tired eyes. Her vision was a blurry swirl of the hellish red and black caused by the surging Aether. Still, she could make out the form near her. The build was strong and impressive, tight and toned. She was wearing a clingy silver on strapped Grecian style gown. The normally tough looking warrior, looked as regal as any other female member of court tonight.

"Sif," the golden-locked prince greeted his smile toward his old friend slightly good from his own heavy consumption of mead. "Why don't you look pretty," He acknowledged that Lady Sif had taken particular care of her appearance this evening. "I haven't seen you all night," He confessed as he stopped spinning with Jane and swiped strong hands through his sunlit mane. "Where have you been?' He sounded as if he was in a playful fuss.

"Oh I have been about," Sif reminded him her mahogany eye gave a wink. "I guess you've just been a little reoccupied," the brunette shield-maiden reminded the blonde prince. Thor let out a chuckle noticing how Sif's head was pointed toward Jane. "You've danced with Jane all night, you haven't even given her a chance to get a drink of water or rest her feet," Sif went on, "Surely her mortal form had grown faint," Sif insinuated in a hushed tone that was more directed at the golden heir of Odin's, but Jane was not out of ear shot. Jane's eyes darkened and they narrowed toward Sif. "Mind if I cut in?" The shield-maiden asked again, her tone was pleasant, but the shove she gave to Jane was rough enough Sif was strong from years of war. Jane stumbled backward as she watched with bewilderment as Sif and Thor immediately started to dance. Jane completely lost her balance and toppled over onto the floor, pedicured feet flipped in the air and her diamond studded sandals flew off her feet. As she collided with the ground something exploded. The Aether came bursting forth from her in a sharp ink mist of violent red and deadly black. The blast was powerful spilling over and pushing the dancers who were around her to the grounds and turning over the banquet tables and blowing the food to bits and to the ceiling. Everything started to rush and swirl. Jane panicked as she attempted to clamber to her feet. Another blast shot forth, it rose so high that it shattered the ceiling, it was so forceful that it splintered the crystal glass ballroom floor. Jane collapsed on the ground. Daze and unable able to move as she watched the horror around her through fuzzy eyes.

There were shrieks and screams. Crying and shouting. There was all manner of commotion. The sounds of crystal plates shattering. Windows and doors being flung upon. Tables falling to the ground in loud bangs. And there were feet hundred of feet stomped and pounded desperate to escape.

"JANE!" she heard the golden prince bellow her name.

"Get everyone out of here!" the great king shouted.

"Contain her!" ordered the captain of the guard pointing the listless figure of a maiden in amethyst lying on the ground. Boots stomped toward her, metals and iron clanked and crashed. Immediately, the guards drew their swords. "On your feet!" one commanded. Jane didn't respond to the order. "To your feet!" he continued to rail. Instantly, Jane felt several large ironclad hands wrapping around her soft forearms, shoulders and wrist hoisting her to her feet. Jane mumbled something incoherent to the soldiers. Whimpering as they pulled on her limbs. She was so dizzy and confused, she was unable to stand on her own feet or even support the weight of her throbbing head. It flopped down against her chest. "You're under arrest witch!" he declared and yanked back Jane's head by her brown tendrils.

"LET HER GO!" Hollered the son of Odin seeing the way the palace soldiers manhandled the Lady Jane. Once again the Aether reacted vehemently with anything or one that it perceived as a threat. It shot for the knocking back the guards and flinging a few over the balcony. It singed and burned a few others and left them screaming in agony. "Jane!" Thor called once more. A few remaining guards tried to block the prince from going near the dangerous woman. "Let me pass!" the future king roared and punched pass the barricade of armed men that were tying to surround Jane Foster. Thor tore violently through the defense, pushing and pulling his way to Jane as the crowd of nobles frenziedly scattered from the area. Thor was at Jane's side as Lady Dagmar too came rushing forward. "What's happening?" The blue eyed prince asked in panic to the young enchantress

Lady Dagmar wagged her head. "I can try to put a force-field around her," she told him. With that she whispered secretive words and a green-shield encased Jane. The green-shield was the last thing Jane saw.

When Jane awakened she found herself lying in a lovely canopy bed inside the room the chamber that had been assigned to her. The room was warm and toasty. What had happened? It had all happened so quickly. One minute she was enthralled in the splendor of a royal ball, the next minute everything was exploding, bombs were bursting, people were running. It was awful. Had she ruined the banquet? Had she hurt someone? Had she hurt herself? Had she hurt Thor? She tried to calm her nerves and settle back into a sleep.

Jane couldn't sleep. Perhaps it was a couple of minutes or perhaps she had slept for a little over an hour. Once she woke up she found it impossible to fall back to sleep. She tried to lay their with her eyes shut in the darkness, but her mind was too restless. Too much had happened. Too much had transpired in only a few short hours. One moment she'd been on her first date since Thor's departure from New Mexico, the next she was being catapulted across the cosmos to find the cause of what was going on with her. This Aether...this Aether...this Aether was coursing through her and could probably kill her...could probably destroy worlds. Jane shuddered. Their was something in her that could annihilate a planet and leave it in darkness and she was expected to attend banquets. No. Jane wouldn't stand for it. Lives were at risk, hers included. She couldn't just sit by idly and play princess when in a few days Convergence would take place and she could be dead.

Jane pressed her way from the bed, she stumbled around her large chamber, feeling and frantically fumbling to try to find a candle or lamp that she could use to light her way. She managed to find a small oil lamp resting on the night stand by her queen sized bed. In the salon chamber a small fire glowed in the hearth. Jane squatted down next to the glowing blaze. She positioned the snout of the oil lamp near the flame and watched it light. Jane rose from her crouched position by the fireplace and proceeded to walk on out of her chamber door. Jane couldn't help but feel like a naughty girl who'd been punished with no dessert for a week, but who always went down the fridge after her parents were asleep. Jane peered her head out the door. The coast was clear. She let out a sigh of relief and wiped her brow.

She walked through the halls in search of the library. She thought she'd found the library; the room was full of books. There were shelves and shelves of books all piled high to ceiling. There were hundreds of scrolls stored away in chests and drawers. There were maps and charts of the cosmos. There was a board where an elaborate equation was written, it seemed to have been left unfinished. There were bottles and vials filled with liquids, there were telescopes and charts. Odds and ends, doohickeys and gizmos, gadgets and model flying machines, ships in bottles and all sorts of strange and wondrous contraptions. Jane was drawn to them like a fly drawn to a flickering fame on a summer's night. She tried to stifle herself the last time she'd been curious to explore she'd ended up contaminated.

Jane sucked in a sharp breath and balled her hands into tight fist as she tried to control them. She knew she should just walk away. This was obviously a private study and not the public palace library, but still she was intrigued. If any room housed the information she sought it was this one. Jane raised the small lamp that she'd been carrying as she looked for a lantern inside the chamber which she could light to give more illumination to the obscure chamber. She managed to find one. Once she set the spark not only did that lantern light, but all the others placed around the wall lit as well. Jane smiled as she watched the chain reaction of the torches. Once the torches lit everything else in the chamber seemed to come to life. The gears on the gizmos started to turn. They gave old and rusty creaks as they got accustomed to movement once again. Jane's eyes lit up as she watched the intertwining pipes that linked the vials bubble as the potions brewed with new energy.

Jane wandered through. Sifting through the shelves. Many of the books were written in a cryptic dialect. She couldn't even understand what was being written. There was one book that she came across though that had pictures of 5 gems placed on a hand and one of the stones looked very much like the Aether. Jane grabbed at the book she had to pry it from the shelf with much force. Finally the parchment book flew from its secure lodging. When the book flew out back so did Jane. She stumbled backward tripping over a coffee table. The book flew from her hands as she let out a pathetic little yelp. The yelps soon turned to a scream of horror as she watched the bookshelf start to fall over. The bookshelf toppled toward the ground and with it dust scattered about the room. Jane coughed as the smoke cleared.

Jane scurried from underneath the mounds of scrolls and parchments her brown eyes darting around the chamber to see where she had accidentally tossed the large book with the hands and the 5 , she found it.

"Jane?" a baritone voice interrupted her as she tried to decipher the strange runes written on the parchment. Some letters bore a strange resemblance to the English alphabet, but not so much so that she could understand what was written.

Jane looked up nervously, she slammed the book shut guiltily. "Thor!" she gasped.

The strapping heir to the throne tentatively stepped closer to the chamber door he lingered just outside for a minute, before putting his hands on the black birch black-gold that outlined the door. "What are you doing up?" he asked with horror. "You need to rest," he urged her his deep voice nearly cracking with worry. He beckoned to her with a gesture. Then he looked into the room where she was. He scarcely had recognized it at first. "What are you doing in here?" Thor asked as his voice took on a very serious tone.

"I'm sorry," Jane immediately apologized rising to her feet as the prince entered the chamber. "I'm sorry," she dropped her head.

"Do you know where you are?" he asked.

'I should...Your mother gave me a detailed tour," Jane said giving a giggle trying to break the tension, but Thor's eyes remained wide and stricken. "I didn't mean to pry into private places it's just...I'm just researching," Jane stated allowing her arms to slide from around his neck. "I need to know...I need to know...more about the Aether,"

"Jane," Thor groaned with caution.

"Thor this is serious, this is something that could kill me,"

"Don't say that!"

"It could have major ramifications not only for me but for the world. Your world... my world... and all the worlds you speak of," Jane protested shaking her head.

"You don't have to worry," Thor assured her.

"I cannot just sit by and do nothing! Not when I've done this to myself..." Jane started her voice starting to shake. "You saw what happened at the banquet...I put everyone in danger!" she protested.

"Jane," Thor muttered he braced her cheek with his rough palm. 'it wasn't your fault," He told her. "You didn't know," the blonde breathed.

Jane batted her brown eyes and turned to Prince Thor staring at him intently, "I didn't know then...but I need to know now. I need answers!" she stomped her foot. "I want answers and I want to be part of the solution!" Jane insisted.

Thor frown and he allowed his hand to run through his golden locks, "You came to a good place for answers then," he confessed he gave a smile and looked up at Jane.

The auburn haired human smiled, "What is this place?' she started she turned around and pointed to the objects in the room. 'Look at all these old manuscripts?" she picked up one of the parchment scrolls that had tumbled down with the toppled over bookcase. Thor's blue eye looked over at the fall book shelf. Jane noted that his eyes dilated with a strange sort of shock. "I...I'm gonna clean this all up," she reported dutifully as she looked around she had indeed made a mess. The chamber was dusty and obviously not often utilized, but it had been tidy.

'I will get a servant to do it," Thor reported absently "Mother will be cross if it is not done in a particular way," he went on as he scanned the books. He found one old one. It was tattered on the edges the parchment inside the leather-bound casing was faded and gray. Thor bent down to pick it up, the edges of his mouth turned up as his clumsy fingers ran over the words engraved on the book.

"Have you seen all these gadgets?" Jane asked curiously as the butterfly fluttered around them and other model contraptions continued to twirl and move. "Can you read this?'" she asked him as she presented him with the book with the 5 gems connected to a hand.

The look in her sweet hazel eyes was most earnest. She looked like a hopeful and trusting child. Thor cleared his throat almost hating to tell her the truth. "Not well enough to be a translator I'm afraid," he confessed.

Jane's bright eyes sank with disappointment. "So what did I stumble into some hidden library?' Jane questioned till looking around with awe and bit a playfulness.

Thor smile up at her, "Not exactly hidden," Thor stated he walked around stepping over the rubble of books. He darted to a corner with the book still in his right hand his left hand reached out to feel one of the toys, a model flying skiff, he pressed the button on the side and watched as the rusted toy darted through the room wildly. They both had to duck their heads to keep from being hit by the machine. Thor eventually caught it in one hand. "Although it was kept very private, maybe for good reason," the massive viking prince explained. "This is the Southern Tower," Thor explained. Jane nodded as if she understood the meaning. "Loki's study and laboratory," he admitted dropping his head again and looking around. Automatically, Jane dropped the book that she had held in her hand as if it was infected with some type of disease. Thor watched her reaction with a scowl. "Loki built these models," Thor expressed sentimentally as he opened his palm and showed Jane the tiny toy flying boat. Jane looked skeptically at the trinket in the warrior prince's mighty hand. "We were boys...I liked to play outside... Loki... well Loki was sensitive to heat...he preferred to spend his days in doors...tinkering," Thor informed her with a shrug as he set the tiny automobile on the shelf. "Loki and I...we loved this one," Thor waved the little golden toy in his hands.

"Tinkering with weapons of mass destruction," Jane nearly spat as she walked around the Southern tower, she scrutinized everything as she walked by. The books and scrolls that moments ago she'd long to read now frightened her, the gadgets that had been fun and fascinating now were fearful gizmos. The bottles that once seemed of interest filled with bubbling chemicals now she looked at with distrust as if they bubbled with evil potions.

'What?" Thor's head jerked up from looking at his brother's handiwork. His face contorted and perplexed with what she said. He'd never heard Jane speak that way about anyone. Even during the time when SHEILD took all of her equipment, she'd spoken out of frustration, anger and fear. She'd called them 'Thugs' and 'idiots,' but even those insults seemed mild in comparison to the way she made her statement about Loki. Her tone was laced with malice and contempt.

Jane's head swiveled. She turned to face Thor to see the hurt and wounded expression etched plainly across his face. Instantly, guilt hit her. She'd spoken too soon. To her it seemed like a joke about a monster, but for Thor it was an insult about his kin. She regretted the words, but she didn't regret what she felt about the horrible villain, Loki. He'd tried to take over the earth. He'd killed hundreds and thought nothing of it. He nearly leveled her hometown sending that metal, fire-breathing giant to attack Thor. He tried to kill his own brother. He was a heartless scoundrel, "I'm sorry," Jane brought her tongue to formulate the words. She was sorry if what she said had offended Thor. She wasn't sorry for what she insinuated though.

The golden-haired wielder of Mjolnir bobbed his head and gave a grunt as he continued to walk through Loki's old study. Loki hardly ever let his older brother in. If Thor did go in it was by force and normally Loki would throw him out quickly. There were still a few logs on the fireplace in Loki's chamber. The chamber was drafty. No one had set foot in it much. Odin had gone in a few times to sift through Loki's things. They thought Loki was dead and Odin wanted to give Loki's research to the universities. Thor hadn't gone in there at all. He couldn't bring himself to go in.

For a moment they were in silence. Finally Jane spoke, "Was he always cruel?" she whispered stepping behind Thor and placing her tiny hand on his huge back. She could feel the contours of his muscles moving.

"What?" Thor questioned once again

"As a child, was he cruel?" Jane posed as both her hands made their way to his shoulders and she pressed her head against his back. She sucked in a sharp breath as she hugged him from behind. She awaited what she thought would be a painful answer, an answer that housed a confession about an awful mean-spirited boy.

Prince Thor spun on her fiercely, she saw storm clouds gather in the prince's sky blue eyes. They misted like a torrential down pour. "What! NO!" Thor shouted. "No!" he shouted once more gripping Jane tightly around her soft shoulders and shaking her a bit. "No Jane, no," Thor insisted finally calming down. "No," he murmured once again. He dropped his head and his golden locks swayed in front of his sapphire eyes as he wagged his head. "Loki wasn't like that," Thor told her. "He was good person!" Thor started. "I know...I know you didn't know him as I did...I know what you must think of him," Thor started his beautiful blue eyes dropping.

"That he's a monster!" Jane spat without remorse.

"but he wasn't like that always," Thor rebuked immediately. "He was smart...so smart...he was smartest person I knew. He used to teach classes at the universities he was the chancellor for education throughout the realm of Asgard and he was the master mage of court," Thor bragged. 'He used to teach classes for the under privileged youths at the orphanages," he expressed. He could see the look of shock on Jane's face.

"He liked children?" Jane's eyebrows raised in alarm. She couldn't picture that tyrannical horned madman being with children. He needed to be kept as far away from children as possible as far as she was concerned.

Thor smiled and dropped his head. "Well if you asked Loki he would probably have said no," Thor confessed. "He was always complaining about it...saying how it was such a menial task," Thor chuckled shaking his head, 'But I think Loki really enjoyed it...the children seemed to like him," he shrugged, "He complained about it so much so saying how the children acted like animals, that one day I just went to the orphanage to see what was going on and they were wild, but they really seemed to like Loki, they were all running over to him, talking to him pulling on his tunics, hugging him. One time he invited the all for a sleepover at the palace... He was funny," Thor began and he started to laugh, "he was so funny...he was always playing pranks...telling jokes and riddles," Thor continued. "You would have liked him, Jane," Thor assured her, finally looking up. "Loki used to love to read...I'm sure you too could have talked of books together and Loki...Loki loved animals...he used to always know so much about creatures...He used to have a cat...he loved that cat and his horse, Luna one time the king of Nordheim sent him an owl..." Thor rambled. "You would have liked him Jane...you probably would have liked him more than me," Thor confessed sheepish smile tracing across perfect pink lips.

"No," Jane protested.

The blue-eyed prince nodded knowingly, "Trust me, you would have...Loki and you would have probably had much in common, he also liked to explore...figure things out he was very inquisitive," Thor explained.

"You were close," Jane finally surmised with a sigh. She didn't like the fact of it...she didn't like the fact that Thor seemed to have so many feelings for a creature like Loki.

Thor shrugged and laughed just by default as his muscular mallet wielding hand pushed back the long blonde locks from his face as he hung his head. "He was my brother," Thor confessed. "...Do...do...do you have siblings Jane?" Thor asked clumsily. He felt foolish asking the question. It was something that they should have talked about long before now. He looked up at her hopeful for an answer that perhaps she could fathom, she could understand what her felt. To have a person who was part of your soul, who you loved so dearly and know the pain of what it meant to see them become someone you were afraid of and afraid for.

Jane shook her head. "Not really," she confessed. Thor's massive shoulders slumped. "Sort of," the auburn-haired scientist went on. It was such an unscientific answered. How could one kinda/sorta have a sibling? She felt silly and she looked at Thor's yellow eyebrow's quirking with confusion. "I have a stepbrother," Jane explained. "His name's Chase," Jane elaborated with a shrug. "We only lived together for three years. Chase was older than me, he was off to college by the time I was 12," Jane began to explain about her stepbrother, Chase. "But...but...Chase and I never became close," Jane admitted. Thor watched as her chest deflated. "It wasn't that he was mean to me..." Jane explained looking back at Thor. "Chase went to college and we became even more distant..." Jane shrugged. "I went to his wedding and we exchange phone calls for the holidays. He has a daughter...I've met her about 5 times she doesn't even call me her aunt...she calls me Ms. Jane." Jane sighed as she felt Thor's thick hand rest upon her shoulder. "I guess I always wanted siblings, it was hard for me and my mother after my father passed. I didn't want to bring up my pain to my mother much, I didn't want to hurt her. I kept a lot in. I didn't have many friends as a child and I...I always thought it would have been nice to have a brother or sister to play with hang out with," Jane confessed folding her hands in her lap with the sad confession.

"We were always close... at least...I thought...I thought we were. I feel like all the memories that we had have become twisted in Loki's mind. All the times that I saw as innocent and happy...Loki was angry and bitter..." The eldest son of Odin confessed. "It makes me feel like I never knew him at all... and that scares me Jane, that scares me!" Thor expressed."I know you don't trust him..."

"How can I?" Jane retorted almost indignantly, "How can I trust someone who nearly burnt a town to a crisp? How could I trust someone who wanted to enslave humanity, who tried to kill you? "He's a monster!" she barked.

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course,"

"Then know I won't let him harm you," He nudged Jane's chin up so that their eyes met. He leaned his head down dipping it so that their lips touched. The kiss was soft and strong all at once. Jane rose on her tiptoes...she longed for more, but it was the Asgardian who initiated the separation of their mouths. Jane's eyes were still closed her thin pink lips parted and still awaiting another taste of Thor's juicy mouth.

"I trust you," she breathed after realizing that the perfect moment had ended.

Thor's bronze hand stroked caressed Jane's curls, "Good." he murmured planting a sweet peck on her forehead. "It's late Jane and you must rest," he admonished and Jane couldn't help but think that for a moment she sounded like her father, sending her off to bed after she'd badgered him with questions about the universe and stars. "I will have words with my brother," he admitted his voice a growl.

---

Loki's ear's perked as he heard the door that led to dungeon open. He had been idle lying flat on his back flinging a chest piece in the air and catching it in an open palm without much thought. His mind wandered to other thoughts. Thoughts of the deal he had made with The Other and therefore Thanos. Still, the sound of the iron door scraping against the rough granite stone alerted him that someone was entering his domain. He thought of what the other could have meant saying when the opportunity arises to take it. No opportunities had made themselves known to him. He sat plotting and waiting, ever so patiently waiting.

He'd been waiting for the sign the signal that his moment to turn the tides in his favor, but he'd also been waiting for the door to open...he'd been waiting for a visitation. For a moment he felt his heart fill with a hopeful flutter. His stomach knotted with butterflies. He felt anxious like a child waiting his birthday or awaiting Solstice. He was eager for a special gift. Sigyn? Could it be? Had she returned? He'd been so cruel to her... he'd rejected her love time and time again and yet her kindness was unceasing. She'd sewn those regal trousers for him so he would be dressed in the raiment of royalty and not the rags of a vagabond. He'd confessed vile and evil things to and in her fragile feeble-minded state she hadn't understood the gravity of his words, but when he'd talk of heinous plots she'd spoken of love. All the had done was tell him that she loved him All he'd done was spurned her, tossing her aside like a garment he'd out grown and saying he could never love her.

Loki slammed his green eyes shut, reflexively, his white knuckled fist followed suit and the clenched by his side grabbing at the fabric of his bedding and rubbing against the smooth suede texture of his new trousers. He'd lied... he'd lied to her when he said that...but lying was nothing new for him at best it was a flattering statement to called a liar, he'd been called so much worst. He bit his lip, he felt the rich material of the garment on his leg. Loki's sharp teeth tug trying to tear into the flesh of his thin lip. If she returned to him it would just prove how simple-minded she truly was. Even when he shouted in her face even when he said awful things to her even when his violent outburst caused her to be burnt she still returned. Fool. Foolish, like a scolded child who seeks comfort from the same hand that had spanked minutes before. Foolish, like a dog that is beat for disobedience and then comes and licks his master's feet. Sigyn was a fool! But it was her foolish that was making her all the more endearing. He sighed.

Loki listened for the faint pitter-patter of her dainty heels slapping against the stone of the prison steps. That sound would be music to his ears, but it was not heard. Instead her heard hard, heavy lumbering footfalls coming his way. They were steady even and proud, but they were in some haste. Thor. He sneered as his one time brother's name entered into his thoughts.

"Loki," Thor's voice called from behind a glowing gold barrier. He looked curiously into the cell. Loki's form was tiny on the bed and he face his brother's back. "Loki are you sleep?' Thor asked with an almost tender tone. Loki rolled his eyes Thor's inkling to brotherly tenderness sickened him. Loki rubbed his pale palms together, well if Thor was here...they might as well have a bit of fun. The blonde man slowly approached the shield and put his hand on the outside of it as if to give himself a better ability to peer inside. Loki looked so shrunken and shriveled, it was said that Loki's meals had been better, but he'd put on little weight.

Loki' shoulder's wiggled like a snake uncoiling itself. Mighty as Thor was he felt his skin crawl as he watched Loki's serpentine movements. "No brother," Loki voice came out in a chilly breath. It took the son of Odin by surprised, he half way expected the once prince to answer with a groggy incoherent murmur lost in slumber. Thor parted his lips ready to reply, "I'm awake," Loki hissed rolling over and allowing himself to face Thor. Thor sucked in a sharp breath as he beheld Loki. His skin was cobalt blue, chunky and broken looking like sculpted ice. The spiraling designs still crisscrossed frozen flesh. Loki's eyes glowed a bright vermillion. Thor's feet faltered and he took a step back. He was just surprised. Odin had indicated that when he went to talk to Loki that he was going to try to grant Loki his Aesir flesh back. If only to grant the once prince some comfort while he was in his cell. Thor had expected the find his brother milky fleshed and green eyes and not frost-bitten skin and deadly pupils. He swallowed. As he stared at Loki's form. He shook himself, what did it matter what color his brother was? "I...I...I thought father had changed your form," Thor stammered clumsily not know how to phrase everything.

Loki methodically walked toward him leaning over into Thor's face from behind the force-field glass. He shrugged. "Seems you surmised in error," Loki corrected. " What's the problem?" the blue skinned creature asked cocking his head, twisting his neck in an awkward angle, "Don't like what you see?" Loki questioned sharply. "So sorry to disappoint you, Prince Thor," Loki snapped pursing his lips and allowing a phony smile to trail over him thin blue lips. The blonde prince scrutinized his brother's form, blazing eyes still appeared unfocused and blind. Thor frowned. "My apologies, majesty," the raven haired Jotun began his tone biting. "If only I could see I'd take care to dress properly in your presence."

"Stop," the blue-eyed son of Odin ordered he twisted unable to look into those dead red eyes any longer."I came to ask you something," Thor uttered harshly he'd had enough of Loki's taunts. They tore through soul as if he was wearing no armor at all.

Loki arched his eyebrows the edges of his mouth twitched in a way that only his brother would notice. It was a gesture from long ago. When as a boy Loki took pleasure in knowing more than his older brother. The Frost Giant walked back to his bed. He sat down and crossed his legs before swinging them onto the bed and leaning back as if he was ready to take a nap. "I'm listening,"

"Do you know of the Aether, brother?" Thor asked taking a step closer to the shield.

Loki's disinterested closed eyes, opened wide. His bored expression shifted ever so slightly, his features quirking. It took all his restraint to keep his façade from showing the glee. The Aether. The moment that the other had warned him of... this was it. This was that moment."It was one of the Infinity Gems, it is a power crystal," Loki explained with an exhale through his narrow blue nostril. He felt about his bed for his object that he occupied himself with and flipped it in the air. Even in the state when he was blinded he managed to be able to catch the trinket and Thor had to admit he was impressed. "it was destroyed," Loki explained. "Why is it of any importance to you?" Loki posed back but Thor could detect the pleasant tone in his words.

"No!" Thor exclaimed. "No, it has survived...somehow after all these eons it has survived. It turned out that it was buried on Midgard...not destroyed...Father believes that being that the alignment of the worlds is so close...that it awakened the Aether. It is here, in Asgard. "

"How did it get here? ' Loki asked his tone bored as he turned away from Thor. Once again he gave the golden prince his back.

"I brought it here... well that I brought Jane here," Thor confessed.

"You brought a mortal to Asgard?" Loki's burning coal eyes rolled to the back of his head as he scoffed. "You truly are an imbecile."

"I had no choice...Jane came in contact with it...it threatens her life," Thor confessed in one quick breath.

"She is a mortal, her life is easily threatened," the Jotun shrugged nonchalantly. "Dog could threaten her life."

"Do not dismiss her life so easily!" Thor roared his fist instinctively flying to hit against the glass of Loki's cell.

Loki turned around sharply, "Temper, temper Thor," Loki cautioned with a tisk of the tongue. "Wouldn't want to break the shield and set me free," he warned with the grin of a tempter. "I might unleash Ragnarök and all," The trickster flashed back a cheeky, toothy grin at the strapping blonde.

"Enough!" the hammer bearer roared once again. Loki took a step back, unruffled and smirking. "This is not a game!"

"Oh when your dear little Earthling is at risk all of a sudden the happy-go-luck prince becomes oh so serious."

"Convergence draws nigh," Thor continued taking deep breaths to calm the nerves that Loki was plucking. "Father and Heimdal say that when the worlds align the darkness of the Aether will be unleashed," Thor's eyes darted about with nervousness as he explained. "I need to free Jane from it then I will go and bury it again before Convergence. Do you know how to purge someone of this force?" the blue-eyed prince asked taking a deep breath and bringing his sapphire pupils to look at the dark red of Loki's Frost Giant eyes.

Loki rolled his shoulders, turned his head and Thor caught glimpse of his regal profile. "Asgard has many great healers, surely they should be able to assist your human wench," he flipped his wrist.

"They don't know what to do," Thor breathed his voice rumbling.

"Perhaps Lady Dagmar," Loki snorted deep scowl etching new lines in his already tattooed flesh. "Could be of assistance to you, she is so apt at removing powers now," he snorted.

"She does not know how, she suggested you," Thor explained. "If there was another way I wouldn't be here," Thor announced.

"DO NOT MAKE SPORT OF THIS!" the eldest prince railed running up to the glowing shield. "If you know what to do to save her and if you with hold information, that could aid in the process I will..."

"You will what brother dear?" Loki asked smugly as he swung his long legs off the edge of his bed and stretched, before he walked back over the magic enforced side of the shield. "You'll lock me away? Whip me in public? put me in the stocks so all can point and stare at the Jotun like I'm so caged beast in a zoo!" Loki spat. "oohh better yet will you extract all my powers?" Loki inquired with mockery as he patted his hands together like a giddy little child.

'Loki," Thor began.

"Well I guess you've done all the above...what else is left for you to do to correct your dear and distraught wayward brother, gosh," Loki teased clapping his palm against his cheek. "Hmm," he hummed. "I guess there's one option left" Loki blank eyes pinned Thor. "Kill me..." the horrible idea rolled off Loki's tongue and he toyed with it like a cat with a mouse. Thor felt something cold run all over his body. His sapphire pupils dilated. 'Is that what you would do, brother?... Would you kill me if I didn't vow to save that wretched earthling?" the Frost Giant inquired her turned his lead side ways and darted his black tongue over thin-ice lips. "Would you? Would you Thor?"

"ENOUGH! Is that what you want death! Because it can be arranged for you!" the thunderer roared.

"Well that's not much incentive for me to be of assistance is it," Loki replied smug grin on ice blue lips.

"Do you know how to remove this from her or not?" the crown prince yelled.

"Even if I did, know how to save your harlot's life" Loki began and he started to pace reaching his right hand to feel for the furniture in the room. "I have no power by which to aid you,"

"Could you tell someone, could you instruct someone like Dagmar in how to remove it?" Thor pressed. Loki was silent for a moment eyes closed as if lost in deep thought. "Loki please...please do this... this isn't just about Jane...this is about Asgard all of us...our way of life... don't...don't let that die because you bear a grudge toward me," the bulking behemoth pleaded.

"You are so soft for earthlings, you beg for me to spare the life of this mortal, but even if she could be saved it would just be a matter of time. You only prolong the inevitable...she'll die soon enough," Loki reminded Thor. he watched Thor's facial expression's flicker like he'd received a blow to the abdomen. The pain on the handsome prince's face somehow pleased the monster."Oohhh you love her so!" Loki pretended to swoon. "So protective of her...but even if she lived a century it is but a heartbeat in the span of time..." Loki dismissed with a flippant hand.

"If you do this Loki, then I'll grant you a free life here in Asgard," Thor offered..."How long do you want to live like this...confined in this cell? Your stubbornness and arrogance keep you bound in this prison. Make this your act of redemption. If you'll do this then you'll have saved Asgard...you'll be a hero Loki." Thor entreated. "You'll be free," Thor expressed.

"Free to shine your shoes!" Loki spat. "Free to be your slave!"

"Loki!" Thor shook his head his tone softening. "Being a servant is better than a prisoner, being with your family..."

"Who would want to be a slave when they are born to be a king? Kingship is my birthright! I was heir to Jotunheim after all," Loki jested as he displayed his Jotun form proudly.

"You were abandoned in Jotunheim!" Thor interjected.

Loki snarled like a hound showing snow white teeth as his brother's comments dug like a nail into a sore."I WAS KING OF ASGARD, FOOL!" the Frost Giant bellowed His nose inches from the shield so that he was shouting in the Asgardian Prince's face. "Holding this realm together while you were crawling around the muck and mire of Midgard with the pigs!" Loki spat. "I am entitled to a throne just as you mighty Thor! MORE THAN YOU!" he cried his breathing growing ragged. "You think you can come and ask for favors for your mortal whore and you think that you can bargain by offering me an eternity of servitude?" Loki questioned shaking his head all to amused by the notion. "You are a laughable oaf," Loki continued to chuckle wagging a blue finger toward the glittering shield. "I deserve a throne," the raven-haired prisoner declared to himself as he started to pace about as her rubbed gritty, icy palms together. Thor could hear the sound of the icicles on his hands clacking and cracking against one another. "And I shall have it!" Loki declared triumphantly, halting in his tracks and turning back toward the glowing force-field and rushing back toward it. "I SHALL HAVE IT, YOU HEAR!" he hollered spittle flinging from his chapped blue lips. He collected himself smoothing blue hands over evergreen tunics.

Thor's eye's were wide as he stared with horror at Loki's vehement display. Eventually, he adverted his gaze, he couldn't look at Loki like this any longer."Every time I come to this dungeon Loki, I come in hopes...in hopes that somewhere deep down inside my brother still exist. That somewhere underneath it all the kind boy that I used to play with as a child was still there. That the young man who'd I shared my secrets with wasn't truly gone. I keep dreaming that the man who fought by my side was...was...Is he gone Loki?" Thor asked softly.

The Jotun chuckled in his throat. "He never existed," he announced callously. Thor brought sorrowful sapphire eyes once again to look at his one time brother. Tentatively, the mallet wielder started to bring his right hand to press against the shield, but he quickly withdrew it before he touched the outside of the force-field. He turned and headed for the door to the dungeon.

"You shouldn't have brought her here, Thor," Loki stated he walked behind Thor inside his cage as Thor's red cape swung with his hasty exit. "You have placed Asgard in grave danger," he warned. "But I shall not save you from your folly as I have in the past, brother," Loki taunted as he watched Thor disappear up the steps.

A smirk trickled across the Jotun's narrow face. His eyes flickered and he batted away the garish red tint on his pupils they returned to their gorgeous green hue. The rigid icy skin melted away until smooth and polished porcelain flesh was formed. "And so it begins, my dear brother," Loki proclaimed as he broke into a giddy, manic cackle.

A/N Well guys you made it! That was a long chapter. It was a very difficult chapter to put together and I think it was probably the slowest chapter of the story, but I just know that the slowness is simply the calm before the storm for our epic climax!