These Things We've Gained: Eternal Love, Building Hope, Just Honesty

by Tales of Suspense

In the aftermath of "These Things We've Lost" people strugggle to create a new normal. (Slice of Life)

26. Chapter 26

- Chapter 26 -

23May2023 – Outside The Bounds Of Time

Vanaheim Royal Palace Guest Chambers

The joyful orange fires zinging around the room were pressing hard at the enchantments meant to keep Anthony from burning down the room and its contents. They simmered in the corners, baked the walls, and tried to blow torch the ceiling in the raw happiness that was coursing through him. They were flames that he didn't even notice. The heavyset rectangular base in front of him was holding a heavy half cylinder. The wrench in his hand was lightweight compared to the equipment that he was bolting in. Once the command module was bolted into place Anthony took a look at the entire piece of equipment. Something struck him then that he didn't like. It was in fact that he didn't like the design of the whole thing. It was still too confined for his taste. The whole thing needed to be redesigned. A wide grin split his lips as he looked at it again.

"Anthony?" The voice didn't register in Anthony's mind. He turned instead back to his memory cube. It was sitting on his desk.

"Anthony!" That caught his attention. "Knock it off." The distracted engineer finally saw what he was doing and withdrew his burning seidr, feeding it back into his core. He smiled at his older brother. "Sorry Rhodey!"

James closed the door to the hallway behind him. "What are you doing?"

"I think I'm going to redesign the entire thing," Anthony motioned to the half cylinder, "I just don't like the look of this."

Nodding once, he kept a sedate smile on his face. Being allowed to work on something he wanted was his reward to Anthony for his younger brother completing the restitution. They were both very excited about it because they knew that Loki was going to love it when they were done, but it was going to have to wait. "We can work on that later. I have something more important for you to do now." James unfolded his seidr from his core to mount a Learning Spell. After it absorbed his memories, he formed it into a small pearl of knowledge in his hand. He held it out for his younger brother to take.

Nervousness began to percolate in Anthony's thoughts when he saw the Learning Spell in his older brother's hand. By the time he approached his brother it had wiped away much of the joy he felt at being able to begin designing something he wanted to design instead of something that was owed to others. "What's that?" He continued to look warily at the pearl of Learning Spell information.

"Come and find out," James held out his hand again, "You want to see this." It puts so much in perspective.

Instead of holding out in stubbornness Anthony decided to trust his older brother. He reached out to touch the pearl. Garnet runes streaked up his arm towards his eyes where they sank in quickly. In only an instant he was walking through his home in Malibu from his older brother's perspective. This was the tour that his older brother told him about quite a while ago. He remembered it clearly. He remembered being angry that these people were in his home taking his things from his brother's hands. What he hadn't been told about was what happened next in the memory. Odin clutched at his chest and fell to the floor. The conversation that came afterwards shocked Anthony.

"Borr attacked you," Frey stated bluntly.

"Yes," Odin didn't bother to deny it. "I told him to shut his mouth. He told me to remember my place."

"Does he do this often?" Frey worried openly.

"Frequently. I used to think it was the violence of my own emotions, that if I deadened them then I could put the beast to sleep. After yesterday, there's no going back to sleep," Odin's answer prompted many questions in Anthony's mind.

"We will find a way to break this curse, brother," Frey sounded much more assured than Anthony felt at that moment. What curse?!

The next conversation that Anthony was witness to was also from his older brother's perspective. Odin willingly fell to his knees and began apologizing to Loki. His brother was kind enough to translate what the old King was chanting. It looked, sounded, and acted like a heartfelt apology and an acceptance of responsibility to Anthony. Just those two conversations were enough to get the confused engineer thinking about what he'd seen and what it meant. The next several memories didn't give him a chance to think about things though. It was only a few memories but all of them were from Odin's perspective. They summed up his feelings about his youngest son, and how deeply loved Loki truly was. It was hard for Anthony to continue holding onto the last of his irate feelings when he could feel Odin's love for Loki himself. It made the apology more genuine to him, more acceptable.

The last memory that the confused engineer was party to brought him personally to a representation of a throne room. The beautiful, polished, brown stone throne sat at the back of the long rectangular room. Anthony could see the cleverly hidden places for mechanisms in the stone body of the throne. The floor, ceiling, and walls were all done in shining gold with candy red gems and dark brown metal accents. The ceilings were high and vaulted with massive gold and crystal chandeliers hanging down. They rained golden light down. A large part of the wall behind the throne was removed to create an enormous open window overlooking the city proper of Asgard. It was strange to him that he thought it looked like a nice enough city despite knowing what kind of people lived there. The Asgardians themselves tarnished the beauty of the golden city. All together the throne room looked exactly like what Loki described to him. Odin appeared out of the mists of memory to stand before him. The old King was walking towards him, so he fell back into a fighting stance, prepared for whatever was coming. Even after having seen it once already, he still wasn't prepared for Odin to drop to his knees facing Anthony and in front of his own throne, to begin giving him the same apologetic chant that he gave to Loki. The even more confused engineer wasn't prepared to feel the sorrow in the memory of the old King's seidr whispers. Six times did Odin repeat the chant before he finally looked up at Anthony. The remembered seidr whispers changed slightly to include profound gratitude.

"You saved Loki's life when I cast him aside. You cared for my son, then my daughter when I didn't. You fought, bled, and sacrificed for Loki when I should have but didn't. It's because of you that Loki still lives. You have my eternal gratitude, and the gratitude of Asgard for saving the life of its Prince then Princess." The old King stood and bowed to Anthony. "I know you must have questions for me. I know that they are hard questions. When James deems it appropriate, we can sit down and speak on them. You deserve to have an understanding of what brought Loki to you." Odin bowed again. "For now, know that I am deeply sorry for what happened to you, and equally grateful for the sacrifices you made." He paused briefly before smiling gently. "You, my son-by-law, aren't a monster. You're a hero."

The memory of Odin faded to nothingness then, taking the throne room with him. It left Anthony standing still in the Vanaheimr guest chamber, looking down at the floor. His unfocused eyes couldn't blur the memory of what he'd just seen. It was crystal clear. The expression on his face went between anguished, confused, neutral, and anguished again. While his face was changing expressions his mind was traveling back over everything he'd just seen. It was hard not to incorporate it into what he already knew about Odin. He was already coming to the acceptance that Odin did love Loki, but this was still too much. The rage that had spent the past several years riding around on his back like an evil Jiminy Cricket tried to flare to life again. It died a quick death in light of the explanation and apology he just received. Part of him wanted to say that Odin was trying to manipulate him. That part couldn't be true since Odin had included his real emotions in the memories. This was nothing like what he expected. Over the past several years he'd listened to Loki describe a cold, loveless, indifferent father who was more likely to shun Loki than to grieve over what happened to him/her. It was becoming clear to Anthony that Odin wasn't who he thought the old King was. If he wasn't who Anthony thought he was, then who was he? That question loomed large in Anthony's mind.

Who is Odin? For several years Anthony had compared Odin to the old monsters. Odin's own memories made him seem not cold but afraid to reach out; in no way loveless, just restrained; not indifferent at all, only controlled. It was a method of control that Anthony recognized all too easily. It was how he controlled himself until his mom and dad, and Rhodey taught him better. That kind of control came from sustained trauma, he knew it well. In that moment his view of Odin cracked and broke open. An image far closer to his personal self-image emerged then. A wild wondering tore free in his mind to know what could have caused Odin to gain that sort of control. Was it the curse? Was it Borr? Was it something else? Was it all of those things and more? Anthony just didn't know and couldn't make that determination. It was all muddled in his mind. Deep anxiety spiraled through his thoughts. There was only one person that he knew who could help him to see clearly now.

"Rhodey!" Anthony's eyes focused quickly as his gaze came up from the floor. His older brother was standing next to him with a soothing expression on his face. The younger man's breathing quickened into a light panting heading quickly towards hyperventilating. His wings extended to burn powerfully behind him. The Enchantment of Modest Mages enchantments lit up across everything that it was branded across in the room. The pressure of his seidr pushed relentlessly at the enchantments, trying to set everything on fire. The room quickly heated up. Anthony squatted down to the floor, curling into a ball and covering his head with his arms.

A powerful wave of calm support washed over Anthony from James' soul song of stillness. The hopeful notes seemed to move his younger brother's emotions more than he thought it would. Appealing to hope didn't always work with his brothers. He was always glad when it did. James knelt down next to Anthony who peered out from behind his arms. He put a hand on his younger brother's shoulder and squeezed gently. "Anthony," he spoke calmly, "I'm here for you."

"Was I wrong?" he asked his brother bluntly before his gaze drifted away again, "Was I wrong? I was wrong. Was I wrong?" Anthony didn't want to think that he was wrong in what he thought of Odin. If Odin was more like him and less like the old monsters then Anthony was very wrong. He had judged someone who needed help from his own Rhodey. Anthony had always agreed with his other brothers, Arno and Morgan, that people like them needed their own Rhodey. Thankfully there were rarely people like them, really only other Starks. Odin was the first person who he'd given this kind of consideration to. The consideration itself was raw and stinging in his thoughts. It fought with the last remnants of his rage at Odin for allowing Loki to be harmed so badly. Even though he couldn't tell which side was winning the battle, he knew for certain what side was going to win the war. The tone of understanding coming from Rhodey's song made it clear where his older brother stood on the matter. It wasn't a place that Anthony was sure he wanted to stand on just yet. The rage against someone who he thought was as bad as an old monster felt right. It felt justified to him. Once again Odin's memories stripped away that feeling of rightness from him. It left Anthony with a head full of rage that he knew was misplaced and didn't know what to do with. "Was I wrong? I was wrong. Was I wrong? I was wrong. I was wrong. I was wrong..."

"Anthony," James called him again, "talk to me." This was going better than expected in his opinion. That Anthony was still conscious was a blessing to him. His younger brother didn't know what he was saying, but he could tell that this had changed things for Anthony. Extending his own seidr, he prodded at his younger brother's wings until they folded back inwards. The room stopped heating in the absence of Anthony's blazing wings. Leftover heat burned at any exposed skin like a tropical beach at midday summer. "Anthony?"

The bewildered engineer was freaking out, and he had an understanding that he was freaking out. The consistent calm support from his older brother helped him to calm down enough to recognize a freak out when it happened. It helped him to take a calm breath and push the overbearing anxiety away. Taking another deep breath, he looked at his older brother and met his gaze. "Rhodey, I think I did something bad."

"And what would that be?" James kept the calm expression on his face and kept the soul song of stillness playing loudly.

"I think I attacked someone…," his voice dropped to a whisper, "who's like me."

The older man smiled at his younger brother, pride shown in his eyes. He pulled his younger brother up to standing. "That's a more mature way to look at things. I think the most mature way to look at this would be to say that you acted on the information you had without acknowledging that the information you had was incomplete. Now we have more complete information, so it's time to update our viewpoints." Anthony was already doing just that, and James was proud of him for taking those steps on his own. The subtle hints of pride found their way into his soul song of stillness beside renewed undertones of hope.

A light tremor went through Anthony's body. "I want to see Loki." He was glad that Rhodey was there to hold onto his elbow. He wasn't certain that he would have remained standing otherwise. "I need to see Loki." Looking back into his older brother's eyes he pleaded for what he wanted. "Please Rhodey, please let me see Loki." Little tears welled up in his eyes. His mind felt raw but supported. He needed to hold his wife before he could think about the magnitude of what he'd done wrong. The only problem he could see was that his wife was going to be livid with him for everything that he did. Despite that he still wanted to hold his wife. Anthony's gaze drifted down again. "She's going to be so angry with me," he whispered, "I deserve it."

James' mind took that moment to remind him that he did need to speak with Lady Audhumbla on an important issue. He'd already decided to do this, now was as good a time to pull the trigger on it as any, he reasoned. Squeezing his younger brother's arm again, James focused his soul song through his voice so that Anthony would believe what he said. "She's not going to be angry with you, I'll discuss it with her if she is. You don't deserve her anger either. It's going to be ok, Anthony."

From Odin to Asgard, Anthony wondered if he'd misjudged anything else. In that moment he was glad that Rhodey was able to catch his 'god-killer' platforms. It was so long ago that he caught the weapons of mass destruction that Anthony sent to Asgard to inform them of their mistakes. Did Loki know about those as well? Anthony didn't know that either. His mind wandered over what he didn't know and kept finding more and more things that he didn't know. As much as he loved his beautiful wife he couldn't deny anymore that she hadn't given him much information to work with. "I don't know." He muttered to himself alone. She's going to be so angry. What if she cries? I don't want to make her cry again! Anthony's mind devolved into distraction.

"It's going to be ok. I promise you that it will be." James looked from his younger brother to Lady Sjofn. Keen nervousness crept into his thoughts. No matter how he pushed it down, it kept returning. "Lady Sjofn, could you please ask Lady Audhumbla if I could bring Anthony to visit with Loki for a moment or two? I think it might be good for both of them."

"Yes, James." The Norn Lady stepped back into the currents of time. She went through the currents towards her Lady to make her request for an audience.

23May2023 – Outside The Bounds Of Time

Vanaheim Royal Palace Guest Chambers

A broad smile was plastered to Loki's face as she worked on weaving a slim but intricate belt on the lap sized loom in front of her. She hadn't been able to sleep despite what James left for her, so now she was working through the first of the activity boxes that he left. The loom, tools, materials, and instruction book had popped out of one of the magically packed activity boxes. Her Afi Gorynych and Afi Gin were seated on either side of her on the bed. They were commenting on her design and work while her Amma sat in a chair off to the side. She was having a cup of tea and reading a book. It was a peaceful moment until her Amma spoke.

"Come forward. Let us coverse." Lady Audhumbla set her book on the small table that her tea was on.

From the currents of time came Lady Sjofn. She knelt down to one knee as she went to speak with her Lady. "M'Lady," Lady Sjofn began, "James Rhodes wishes to bring the firehawk for a short audience with Lady Loki. He wishes to have your permission before he brings the firehawk."

Her litil-svass had frozen in place and was paying close attention to her now. The weight of her granddaughter's gaze told Lady Audhumbla just how much Loki wanted to see her husband. "An audience may be granted as long as litil-svass stays in bed." She spoke cordially, and only partly to her handmaiden. Loki was now a part of this conversation. In her peripheral vision she could see Loki nodding her assent quickly.

When her Afi Gin took the small tools and loom from her lap, Loki didn't notice. She was wholly focused on if her Amma would allow her to see her husband. Her hands clenched unconsciously, vibrating softly. She wasn't expecting to see Anthony so soon. Now that she had the chance she wanted to immediately. If she had to stay in bed to see her beloved then she would, she didn't mind.

"As you say m'Lady. I shall inform James Rhodes of this. Shall I bring them to you?" Lady Sjofn was pleased that Lady Loki wanted to see her husband as much as she obviously did. She was pleased that Anthony would be able to see Lady Loki. Anthony was rapidly becoming a friend to her, and Lady Loki was a truly darling former student. She wanted to see both of them happy. Them being happy would make James happy as well, which would also make her happy. As the thought passed through her head, that she needed to speak with her Lady about James, she could see her Lady moving to handle it.

Moving them out into a separate moment, Lady Audhumbla was curious to know what sudden thought had twinged her handmaiden's sjel-seidr. "Speak your mind, Lady Sjofn. What troubles you?"

"M'Lady," she paused for a second as she understood the gravity of what she was going to say, "I take my responsibilities as an administrator of the younger Norn's bloodlines very seriously, and when I find a candidate I feel that I must bring them forward... even if it is a delicate situation."

"You found a new candidate?" Lady Audhumbla thought she might know who her handmaiden was bringing forward, and it was an interesting proposition.

"I believe that James Rhodes would make a fine sire of any number of Norn bloodlines. I don't believe he would be amenable to it though. I believe he would find it dishonorable to treat the mother of his children so casually. If he could be acquired for siring, I do believe that the Norn bloodlines would be greatly strengthened, m'Lady." Lady Sjofn laid out her thoughts for Lady Audhumbla to digest. "Greater candidates for recruitment might be available to us from those bloodlines, if we are careful."

"It is an interesting proposition, but I think you are correct. I think he might be too honorable to begin a family without the mother present. 'Tis a shame, I must admit. You truly believe him to be of such fine quality? Has he impressed you so?" She was sure that approaching James on this matter wouldn't go anywhere, but she was interested in her handmaiden's unchecked thoughts on the man who was taking care of her family.

"Yes, m'Lady! He is deeply honorable, highly intelligent, extremely driven, and is in the prime of his health and life. He could strengthen any Norn bloodline that he began or added to." A little sigh of frustration left Lady Sjofn's lips. "He is a perfect candidate for siring. The only blemish on his candidacy is his incredible honor. He would find it dishonorable to create progeny if he could not spend an honorable and loving life with the mother of his children. He would view it as treating her with dishonor."

"I shall give it thought, Lady Sjofn. It is an interesting proposition." She smiled approvingly at her handmaiden, pleased that her handmaiden continued to serve her so well. "Go now, and bring them to us."

Bowing her head, Lady Sjofn was pleased that her Lady was willing to hear her out. "Yes, m'Lady." She stood and turned back into the currents of time, going to retrieve James and Anthony from the guest room that they were waiting in. She stepped out of the currents in front of them. "You have been granted an audience, on the condition that Lady Loki must remain in bed resting." If only you would agree to siring Norn progeny. Hopefully my Lady can convince you!

"Thank you, Lady Sjofn. That's perfectly acceptable to us," James looked over to Anthony who was practically vibrating with the desire to see his wife now, "isn't that right Anthony?" His younger brother wasn't the only one tense with emotion though. James had his own reasons for being tense.

It took Anthony a moment to realize that someone was directly speaking to him, it was his older brother. "Huh? Can we go?" The need to see his wife was coursing through him. He needed the comfort of being with her. His desire to see her was filling his seidr whispers. The fear of seeing his wife was chasing after it. It'd been so long that he felt like it was an age since he'd last seen her. It had been years, he was certain, but still wasn't sure how time moved in the offset moment he was kept in.

"Loki has to stay in bed during the visit. Ok?" James repeated it to his obviously distracted younger brother. He focused his soul song of stillness back through himself and aimed it at Anthony to calm him.

"Sure, ok. Can we go?" He didn't like having the limits placed on his visit with Loki that had been. He couldn't get out of them though. He only had a few minutes to remind his beautiful wife just how much he loved her, apologize to her for what he'd done, and gain comfort from being near her but he couldn't do any of what he wanted to. Her health outweighed his desires. It had to be that way. His wife was not well. His older brother kept telling him that Loki was getting healthier, that she was almost fully healthy again. He couldn't bring himself to believe it. Loki had never been healthy during the entire time they'd known each other. So now he couldn't picture what a healthy Loki might look like in his mind. All he could see was them being together again. Anxiety filled his thoughts at not being with Loki immediately. His bad choices were bearing down on him, and he needed the comfort she could provide. More anxiety filled his thoughts as he thought about her knowing what he'd done. He'd always tried to keep her in a blissful, stress-free ignorance. Even more anxiety filled him because he was going to have to be away from her for another extended period after this as well. He was crafting something for her, something to help her not be afraid of being healed anymore. A mélange of anxiety and distress began to soak into his thoughts. A heavy dose of calm hit his thoughts as he hesitated in anxiety. Anthony could hear it whispering to him that everything would be ok. It helped to lesson his anxiety that Rhodey was by his side. His older brother was always able to calm him down. If you need her so much, then she ought to be your 'companion', the dark voice in the back of his mind whispered. The calm from his brother was bearing down on him. It made it all too easy to disregard the little headache causing voice and its bad advice.

His younger brother's seidr whispers were open and filled with anxiety and nervousness. James focused his soul song of stillness through his voice so that Anthony would hear and believe him. "It's going be ok, Anthony. I'm working on making it better. I'm not going to stop until it is."

Just how much his wife was going to be angry at him for all he had done worried Anthony now. He couldn't imagine her not being angry at him. She didn't even know all of it yet, he knew that for certain. His childhood was still unknown to her. She was going to find out those things soon enough if Rhodey was to be believed, which he always was. What she would think of him then was the subject of his nightmares. It terrified him to think that she might not want to be with him after that. His older brother kept reminding him of Herb, of how Herb accepted and loved Arno despite knowing fully about him and his brothers. His older brother kept telling him that Loki would be the same, that she would accept and love him still. Anthony wasn't so sure about that. Part of him wanted to tell her himself just to get it over with. He didn't think his mouth would let him get through telling anyone that without failing him. Part of him wanted to ask Lady Sjofn to go back in time and make none of it have happened at all. She would have to know what to look for then. He didn't want that either. He wanted no one to know what he did, what was done to him, and what he was now.

Anthony was a Stark, not just in blood, but in title.

All Anthony had was the moment he was in though. His shoulders sank as he thought about the restrictions again. All he could do was see Loki, nothing else. That would have to be enough comfort. The restrictions came back up when Anthony thought about having Rhodey's support for this. The support of his older brother would see him through this as it had seen him through so many things. Taking a breath helped him to calm down further. He smiled up at his older brother. "Ok."

It wasn't something she would normally consider away from her sisters, to speak without needing to, but in this instance and seeing how nervous Anthony seemed to see his own wife, Lady Sjofn did consider it. The look of confused anxiety on Anthony's face and the fear of his wife's anger filling his seidr made up her mind. "Lady Loki greatly desires to see you again. She awaits you most eagerly because she holds great affection for you."

"Remember, she asked after how soon she could see you. Lady Sjofn is right. Loki wants to see you again. She wasn't angry when I spoke to her last." James reassured his younger brother. Dealing with Anthony's anxiety was always an uphill battle. Handling it in the short term never guaranteed that he could handle it in the long term. It always returned. Anxiety revolving around anyone knowing about Anthony's childhood was the most difficult to deal with. The old monsters left his younger brother with a deep-seated unease regarding that, and it had decades to build up into a perpetual problem. It colored most of Anthony's personal relationships in ugly shades of nervousness, paranoia, and mistrust. They weren't what James wanted for any of his brothers, so he continued to struggle against them like Sisyphus on his hill.

Looking between his older brother and Lady Sjofn, Anthony let himself believe that his wife would still love him, did still love him, would forgive him for his poor choices. He prepared himself to face his wife's wrath while hoping that he wouldn't have to. This would be the last time he could have that hope, since he knew that she was going to be angered by what he'd done with the old monsters. He wanted her to be like Herb, but Herb had proven himself over the course of decades. Loki hadn't and he couldn't pretend it was otherwise. "Ok," he said, smiling nervously, "let's go."

"It'll all be ok." James spoke one last time, knowing what was about to happen. However, his younger brother didn't know what was about to happen, and it had to stay that way. Anthony might attack someone to keep this from happening. James could only stop the attack if Anthony didn't know what was going on. It meant perpetrating small lies against his younger brother. He didn't like doing it but didn't want his younger brother to lose control and attack an innocent bystander. The situation sent currents of tension through him, so he nodded at Lady Sjofn to let her know that they were ready to go. It was all he could do in that moment.

There was nervousness in Anthony's seidr whispers over seeing Lady Loki. Having listened to Anthony and James speak on what was done, his nervousness was something Lady Sjofn understood. There was only a hint of nervousness in James' seidr whispers, but that she couldn't understand. It didn't sound like the nervousness had to do with Lady Loki or Anthony. Moving instinctively, she looked into the currents of time around the two of them. She could find nothing since they were still blocked by the carmine and orange flames. Frustratingly enough, she was unable to see what was coming. James' nervousness without a reason made it feel like something was coming. Lady Sjofn kept her frustration to herself as she extended her sjel-seidr into the currents of time around the three of them. She pulled them through time and space into the room where her timeless Lady and Lady Loki were waiting. Her body dissolved in the currents as she swirled through them. Once they were in the room she stepped to the back of the room, reconstituting her body, and waited silently until she was needed again.

Anthony was hanging back, expecting to be met with anger at the same time as Loki was struggling to stay in bed. James took Anthony by the hand and led him over to the bed. He reached out and took one of Loki's outstretched hands in his. Then he brought their hands together, smiling at both of them in turn. "I thought you might like to see Anthony for a short time." Stepping back, James let his younger brother and sister-in-law come back together again. When it looked like there would be no problems he turned and went to speak with Lady Audhumbla. They had serious business to discuss.

Her husband was more powerful than the last time she saw him, noticeably so in fact. That got only a moment's notice though. His hand was warm in her own, so Loki pulled him over to her without thinking about it. The side of the bed had enough room for him to sit. She wrapped her arms around him before he could finish sitting on the bed next to her. Deep elation blossomed in her thoughts and left a light tinging in her body. Her seidr core kept trying to expand to encompass both of them. "Tony!"

A little cringe crossed Anthony's face as Loki called him 'Tony' again. It was the name he hid under like he hid behind the old monsters' surname. It was embarrassing to him now that he'd had so many children with Loki and she didn't even call him by his real name, hadn't seen his real face. It was also his fault. Anthony decided to accept the embarrassment as his own yet couldn't quite bring himself to correct his beautiful wife on the mistake that he previously encouraged. Instead of corrections he decided that he was going to indulge in holding his wife while he still could. After all, this was what a healthier Loki looked like. Her hair was shining ebony while contrasted with her glowing ivory skin. There was no hint of pain or tiredness in her expression, no anger either in her shimmering green eyes. "I missed you," he whispered to her, "more than I can say."

The welcome sentiment brought Loki scooting closer to her husband to lay against his chest. His heart was beating out a strong rhythm for her. "And I missed you, my beloved." Looking over to where her Amma was showed her Amma pulling both her grandfathers, Lady Sjofn, and James into an offset moment. She was alone with her husband for that second.

Anthony held onto Loki as tightly as he thought he could get away with. She wasn't raging against him, no matter what he'd done. He had practiced the words with Rhodey's help. It was time to use them now. "I'm sorry, Loki. I never wanted to hurt you. I just didn't know what else to do."

More tears welled up in Loki's eyes to spill over in trickles down her cheeks. "It wasn't your fault," her voice broke into sniffles as she spoke, "I behaved so poorly. It was my fault!"

"Don't blame yourself," he spoke quickly, "I don't." There was an irrefutable truth in his mind surrounding Loki's behavior during the Dark Days. "I never will." His seidr flickered out of his core to forge into a Conjuration Spell. The spell released to create a soft handkerchief for his wife. He dabbed at Loki's tears gently. This was what he didn't want. Anthony never wanted his wife's tears. He received them far more often than he ever wanted. A furtive glance over showed him that his older brother was still busy with Loki's grandparents. He still had some time with Loki. "Don't be sad, babe." He didn't know if he believed it, but he still put it forward. "Rhodey says that it'll be ok."

A mild annoyance flared in Loki's thoughts before it was let go of. She should have been in charge of her husband and children's wellbeing. James took over them before she had a chance to do anything. There were things that she felt she had a legitimate right to complain over. She couldn't deny his results though. The children were safe and well cared for. Her husband's seidr was no longer burning in hate and pain. It was a calmer flame now that Tony was exuding. James was managing all of these things. She took the handkerchief and wiped at her eyes, drying them. In a brief moment of honestly, she wondered if it wasn't a touch of jealousy that was fueling her irritation. Loki put it out of her head to be considered later when James was no longer in the room with her. In another brief moment of honesty, she realized to her chagrin that James wouldn't have minded talking her through her turbulent thoughts. He'd done it often enough before. It was his overwhelming calm that always caused her to let down her guard and open her problems to him. It was his practical and honorable solutions that caused her to keep coming back to him. She sighed quietly at her own conflicting thoughts and emotions. It wasn't the time for her to indulge in deep thought. Loki laid her head down on her husband's chest again. This was the little time that she was going to get with her husband that her Amma and James had allotted to her. Concentrating on Tony was what she set herself to doing. "I don't want an apology. I just want to know that you're well again."

"Well..." He wasn't sure what to say to that. Anthony had never been sure that he could be 'well', despite what his mom and dad and older brother told him. What the old monsters did was just too extreme. Functional was the best he thought he could be. As he looked down into his wife's vivid green eyes he wanted to be 'well' for her if for no other reason. "I guess..." Again, he wasn't sure what to say. The only way forward that he could see to being 'well' was to take the medicine his older brother got for him and to go to the counselling sessions that were set up for him. There was always a deep fear in that path though. A counselor was like an unruly beast that had the ability and opportunity to rip him open from the inside out and leave him bleeding on the couch. It was never something that he wanted to risk before then. It was better, in his opinion, to scare them off before they could do too much damage. There was love in Rhodey's taking him to see counselor after counselor. Anthony knew that as well, but it was also too scary for him to proceed with it. There was love in Loki's eyes too. Like the love from his brother, it was for him. Also like the love from his older brother he wanted to return that love in kind. Loki wanted him to be well, so he was going to have to conquer his fear and approach the beast he'd panicked over for so long. There was nothing he wouldn't do for Loki, so he was going to have to do this as well. "I'm better," he said finally, with a little shrug, "better than before. Rhodey's helping me with it."

Again, Loki wondered if it wasn't a touch of jealousy causing the spike of irritation in her thoughts at the mention of James taking care of her husband. The longer she felt the irritation the more she thought that it probably was jealousy. It was at least something to discuss with her grandparents and get their opinion on it. Tony is getting care, that's what matters, she thought in consolation. "Good. That's good, love." Her gaze darted swiftly to see if her grandparents were done speaking with James. They weren't, so she cuddled down against her wonderfully warm husband.

23May2023 – Outside The Bounds Of Time

Vanaheim Royal Palace Guest Chambers

With one last glance at Anthony and Loki, making sure that they were going to be ok, James went to Lady Audhumbla and spoke quietly, tensely. "I need a moment of your time, please. Yours, Loki's grandfathers, and Lady Sjofn as well. There's something we need to discuss." Powerful nervousness tried to push its way through his thoughts. He wouldn't let it overwhelm him, couldn't let it, not when he was going to ask for aid. He had to be as calm and professional as he could be. The aid he needed was extreme and he knew it perfectly well. Being denied this aid would leave him where he was, which was in an unfavorable situation. The aid stood a chance to remedy that situation. It would at least make it easier for him to handle. He had to do this. His younger brothers needed it from him. James still wasn't willing to lie to himself though. He desperately wanted to know what he was asking for, even if it meant giving the game away. Now that he had a court order in his favor, he could proceed with this how he wanted.

James had a very serious cast to his expression. It piqued her curiosity that he was so serious when asking to speak to several people at once. She instantly wondered what he needed to discuss with all of them. "Of course." She motioned for her Lord husband and blood brother to come over, then motioned for Lady Sjofn to approach. After they were all within a good range, she extended her sjel-seidr and commanded it to move them into an offset moment in time. "Loki may have some privacy with her firehawk, and we may have some privacy to discuss what you need to."

"Thank you, Lady Audhumbla. I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me. Before I begin, I would like to preface this with a reassurance that I'm not irritated in any way by what's happened. I don't want you to think that I am," he paused before getting to the heart of the matter, "not when I'm asking for aid." He let the barest little pause slip before speaking again. "I know that you, and that Lady Sjofn and Sean, have been trying to view us through time and white seidr, and this is what I'm not irritated by. There are many people who want to know more about my brothers. And so I hope you won't be irritated when I say that up until now I couldn't allow you to know those things. Not you, not Sean, not Lady Sjofn, not anyone. It has been my attitude for decades now that only certain people need to know about them, and even then, I limit them to what is truly needed." There's only one person who gets the unvarnished truth.

"You are the one extending the flames around the firehawk, and others; around many places and things." It wasn't a question as the timeless Lady had her answer. Nor was it an accusation since she was so impressed by James being able to do it to begin with. What are you?

"Yes," he withdrew his invisible fires from where he had them, "and they're now down for the next minute. You can look at anyone or anything and I won't block you from it." Now it had come to it, the moment of truth. His brothers weren't abominations, they were victims. They weren't aggressors, they were captives. They weren't monsters, they were indoctrinated children. Now was the moment where he would know if he had to physically defend his brothers. They would always have his protection, no matter the cost to him.

Lord Gin was quite thoroughly impressed that James was able to block his wife's sight through time. He wondered though what could be so serious that James would block their vision to begin with. It was something that James handled with the utmost care. It was the same care that James handled the rest of the family with. He also wondered, and worried just a little, over the word as it was spoken. 'Brothers', James said. Are there more firehawks? A not inconsiderable part of him hoped that there weren't more. What, if anything, he was going to have to do about this would depend on what his wife saw.

Lady Audhumbla wasted no time in slipping into the currents of time around them and swirling directly towards Loki's children. The orange-carmine flames were indeed pulled back, so she looked into the currents of time around them to see what she could. Instantly images of the firehawk doting on his children came to her.

Hey there, little buddy! The firehawk's voice rang out softly.

Swim, dada? A little boy's voice answered.

The firehawk looked out the windows to see the bad weather preventing them from going to their backyard beach. His baby wanted to go to the beach, however. Turning back to the little boy, the firehawk smiled lovingly. Let me fix the weather then we'll go.

Later on, Loki could be seen telling the firehawk not to 'fiddle about' with the weather as it affected more than just their area. There seemed to be little that the firehawk was unwilling to do for his children, and all of it revolved around things that would be dangerous for them. Lady Audhumbla was reminded of her own Lord husband's doting treatment of their children. It was warming to see. It was also humorous since it was her litil-svass and not the firehawk who kept trying to teach the children discipline. It wasn't just Loki though. Throughout the things she was seeing she could see how James was mentoring, teaching, and protecting the children. He was more strict with the children than even Loki was. The timeless Lady approved of this strictness, as it mirrored her own just with a softer touch.

All was well with the children, so Lady Audhumbla moved back towards her litil-svass to check on her. As with the children, she liked what she was seeing in the currents around Loki. Her litil-svass' firehawk showed as much love and care for Loki as for the children.

Do you want to know what I see? Treasures all around me. Edward, then Bjorn, Aren and Erik, Hunter, and Forrest, Adara and Edana, Jay. They're all treasures to me. Each one priceless beyond measure. I could have nothing to my name and you've still made me the wealthiest man on the planet, the firehawk kissed Loki gently. Maybe I'm greedy. Hell, I know I am. I won't deny that, but if you want to make me an even wealthier man, I'm not going to complain. Every child you give me is a gift. I know that, and I'm grateful, the firehawk told Loki.

It wasn't just a loving firehawk that she saw. Lady Audhumbla also saw how James was quietly but powerfully supporting Loki. He was assisting litil-svass to settle things in her mind.

Would you like to take off your glamour while we talk? You might be more comfortable. James was actually successfully supporting Loki to accept who and what she was. It pleased Lady Audhumbla greatly to know that the honor and care that she'd seen from James so far wasn't abnormal at all. Loki was well cared for, so she moved finally on to the firehawk himself.

The past few years showed her the overwhelming love and despairing madness that were the pillars of the firehawk's mind. There was a creeping darkness hiding in the firehawk that she could see him hiding from Loki and the special silver child, Jay. It didn't surprise her that James was assisting the firehawk to manage the darkness. It did surprise her when the firehawk began to casually ooze black rot. He wiped it off onto the walls to create a lair. Unease snaked through her thoughts. A monstrous firehawk wasn't something she wanted to have to deal with. She particularly didn't want to have to deal with it since any opposition to the firehawk would be violent. All firehawks walked The Road Untraveled through time. It was the only road that couldn't be foreseen or undone. She most particularly didn't want to have to deal with that possibility since it would destroy Loki if she, her Lord husband, and her blood brother were to have to destroy the firehawk. Lady Audhumbla truly didn't want to consider that possibility. Her Lord husband had the same unease and ill-contented surprise running through his mind.

Traveling back through the years in the currents of time surrounding the firehawk brought a continuing sense of unease. What is this? Lady Audhumbla came across Herb, Morgan and Arno in those years and was unsettled that this situation was indeed already beyond her ability to handle. The only thing she liked seeing was confirmation of what James was. Even in that was the simultaneous confirmation that James wasn't alone in what he was. He was formidable defense for his brothers, as was Herb Willems. The timeless Lady continued to view the years, traveling back until she could see what James was hiding. Horror cast itself through her thoughts netting terrible sorrow in the process. The horrors and depredations that she was watching reminded her painfully of the murder of most of her own family by the monsters wielding Blood Magics.

Do? The firehawk as an abused child asked of the wicked thing guiding him. It was wearing something like Howard Stark's face.

Take a bite, the old monster replied slickly. Feed. Feast! Then bring me the rest of the soul of the prey. We'll bring glory to him who made us, the first Stark.

This was foul, the old monsters were foul and mysterious. The firehawk was not though. It was James' doing, and his parents before him.

At the last Lady Audhumbla came back to where she had been standing, to view James himself. What she found there surprised her as well. James was indeed what they thought him to be, where he came from was the surprise though. Freed slaves? The practice of slavery had always been disgusting and abominable in her eyes. What those slaves had done with their free lives was deeply honorable and highly admirable. She was going to have to speak with him on it when the time was right. The admiration she felt for James' and his family's honorably lived lives was much the same as her Lord husband was feeling in watching what she was. He had watched the same things that she had, knew the same things now that she did. James was so important to the firehawk. He was so important to Loki and her litil-svass didn't even know it. He was even more important to the children for the discipline and support he was offering. Lady Audhumbla was sorrowful that such horrid things had happened that couldn't be undone now. She felt that they were equally lucky that James and his family had decided to act when they didn't need to. Colossals didn't normally act on another's behalf. It was only their territory that they protected. That wasn't the case with James and his family. It led her to what aid he was seeking from her.

The second to last thing that Lady Audhumbla did was to swirl through time to view Arno, Morgan, and Herb. She found everything that she was expecting on who and what they were, and more even. Herb interested her and her Lord husband greatly. None of their Roads Untraveled could be undone either.

Can we remedy this horror? She asked through the omnipresent mental link in her mind to her Lord husband despite knowing that there was little they could do about the past.

We cannot, minn kaerr. All we can do is to grant James Rhodes our aid in whatever he needs. Only he and his kin can remedy this. He agreed with his Lady wife that they were so lucky that James' parents decided to involve themselves where many others would have declined involvement. The honor in their actions was beyond doubt. He sent his love for his Lady wife through their link to assist her to calm down.

The very last thing that the timeless Lady did was to command her sjel-seidr to turn into the Learning Spell. When it had absorbed her memories of everything that she saw she released the spell discreetly towards her blood brother so that Elder Gorynych would know what they knew. A frustrated little sigh came from his lips, and she knew that he'd seen everything. She swirled back to where she was standing with James Rhodes.

"I have viewed all of the family involved in this." Lady Audhumbla spoke quietly, looking back to James with sadness in her eyes. "Lady Sjofn, please view James, litil-svass, and the firehawk."

It only took a fraction of a second for Lady Sjofn to step into the currents of time and swirl to view the three individuals. What she found made sense of what she had observed of James and Anthony. She hadn't been aware of all that Lady Loki had done and had done to her once she left the Grand Temple of Urdarbrunnr, ending her Norn education. Anger erupted through her thoughts at what the Mad Titan did to her former student, and even more at the traitorous Skuld. Terrible sadness chased after it when she saw what Anthony was forced to do to find a cure to Void Sickness. It was a previously incurable disease, with the worst cure possible now. Nothing she saw was so surprising to her, since she'd spent so much time with Anthony and James. What she found most surprising was that she was correct in that it was James who was extending flames through time to block their view. Colossals had always been amazing to her. James was no different, nor were his parents. Admiration for them soared through her thoughts above the anger and sadness. She could see what aid he needed and was willing to give it so long as she had her Lady's approval. The very request for aid was admirable in her eyes. What it was to be used for was even more admirable. She swirled back to where she had been standing. Looking to her Lady she spoke softly. "With your approval m'Lady, I shall provide this aid."

"This well falls within the duties I have assigned to you. Whenever James is ready you are to take him through time. Uncover this mystery and continue to provide aid to James and the firehawk. Your sister handmaidens may assist you should you need it, they are as worthy as you." Lady Audhumbla sought out the mental link to her Lord husband, Have you any instructions for them? He replied with a quietly rumbling voice, Just that they bring back to us any answers they find. "Bring back to us any answers you find, so that we might better understand the situation," Lady Audhumbla said.

Bowing to the timeless Lady, Lady Sjofn only replied, "Yes, m'Lady."

"You really don't mind if I borrow Lady Sjofn for this?" Relief was beginning to spread through James' thoughts. Sharing information with Lady Audhumbla didn't bother him enough to not do it. She hadn't been a danger so far, just a potential one. If he could take her off of the potential danger list then he would be happier. Her own actions would determine that. "You aren't angry with them? Or afraid of, or disgusted by them?"

That James had so much trouble finding good care for the family and confidants to entrust things with frustrated Lady Audhumbla, but it didn't surprise her. The firehawk and his brothers needed very particular care. It was more likely to be found in the Elder Realms than on Midgard. If James couldn't find that care himself, which she believed that he could, then she would oversee it herself. "Your brothers are victims of this horror. What 'participation' they had was forced at the point of a sword. We will not hold them to account for what actions they took to survive when they were but children. We only seek to know how this dreadfulness came to be. If there are any other forms of aid or assistance that you find yourself in need of, do let us know. I can assign as many Norns as are needed to this situation; not to contain, only to assist."

There was honesty in her voice, as well as in the seidr whispers of the other people with James. Full blown relief hit him hard in the face as he heard it. It hit him hard enough that it was actually visible on his face for anyone to see, though it was swiftly brough back under control. He didn't want to have to provide physical defense against his sister-in-law's grandparents. Herb would stand by his side there was no doubt, but he still didn't want to fight that fight. "Thank you! I truly appreciate that. There aren't many who are willing to be so forgiving." He truly appreciated that no one had attacked Anthony or his other brothers yet, nor appeared to be willing to. Their defense was often an inevitability. A minute had passed, so he brought his fiery invisible defenses through time back up.

The orange and carmine flames through time had returned. Lady Audhumbla could feel their warmth as they returned. The flames were still acting in real time, as opposed to how things normally reacted to the currents of time by locking into place in a current. She knew that she wouldn't be able to go back in time to view these things again. It, like many other horrors, lived in her memories now. Only the Learning Spell would be able to show it to her again. "Nor are there many who would act to save such beings as Starks. What you and your kin have done is admirable, James. We are truly impressed."

Lord Gin could feel the aching in his Lady wife's memories as what they had watched reminded her painfully of the monsters that took her family from her. It caused an irrational anger in him that she was hurt by that again. It wasn't an anger that was directed at anyone in particular. However, he thought it might be directed at whoever it was that made the Stark bloodline. In that, he thought he knew what bloodline they might have spawned from. Lord Gin recognized the Starks' faces after all. Without seeing it for himself he wouldn't have thought it possible. The bloodline he was thinking of were good and honorable people and he wouldn't have thought them responsible for spawning such evil. Now he was going to have to deal with this as well. No, he thought as he counseled himself to patience, allow Lady Sjofn to find me answers first, then I shall involve myself.

We shall involve ourselves, Lady Audhumbla corrected her Lord husband.

Yes, minn kaerr. Of course, he replied, ever grateful to have her capable support.

The subtle narrowing of his blood brother's eyes, the occasional flaring of his nostrils, the tightening of his mouth; it all told Elder Gorynych of his blood brother's anger. He could understand the anger, since his blood sister was aching over what was seen. He too couldn't stand to see her upset. He was going to need to speak with his blood brother on this to settle things in both their minds, then they would speak with her. First and foremost, though, he was pleased that James Rhodes was taking steps to enable Loki's participation and ensure her safety. He had appreciated the care James took in handling family matters. He appreciated it even more now that he knew what lengths James was willing to go to in defending family. He wanted to immediately discuss this with Loki but could understand why James was waiting to do so. It was wise to know more and speak less.

I was right, about many things, Lady Sjofn thought. What she considered to be most important was the fact that she knew for certain now that James would indeed make an exemplary candidate for siring Norn progeny. She hoped that her Lady could secure him for at least one Norn. She truly hoped for many but knew that they'd be lucky to get one. A wild thought pushed into her mind. If they could secure him as a candidate, then they could ensure the birth of daughters who could then become outstanding Norns instead of waiting for a bloodline to produce daughters. Norn's Army would be incredibly strengthened then. It could be a moment of celebration in their long march to the end of time. For the moment all she could do was provide aid to him and hope since the light of hope had always burned brightly for Norn's Army.

A soft smile crossed James' face. "They're my younger brothers. I love them all. How could I do anything else?"

That summed up the entire situation from James' perspective for Lady Audhumbla. It wasn't obligation, duty, or honor that kept James struggling forward. This was a labor of love to him. It was both a great and terrible burden that she understood. There were those whom she loved enough to go to any lengths for. The timeless Lady understood the reason because the reason itself was timeless. How could she not understand? An equally soft smile bedecked Lady Audhumbla's face. "When struck with such an overwhelming love, you can do naught else but follow it." Looking over to Lady Sjofn she spoke again. "Give James whatever assistance or aid he needs. If you alone cannot provide this aid, then you may call upon any of the other handmaidens to assist you." She wanted that fact made clear.

Bowing to her Lady, Lady Sjofn answered succinctly. "Yes, ma'am!" She looked to James then and spoke. "Are we off to somewhere now?"

"Let me give Anthony some instructions, then we'll be away. He needs to behave himself while I'm gone, so I have to get him settled before we go," he looked to Lady Audhumbla and spoke, "Please call for me if he misbehaves while I'm gone."

"But of course." Lady Audhumbla liked having a way to deal with any outburst from the firehawk that there might be.

James almost couldn't believe that this was going so well. Lady Audhumbla and Lady Sjofn saw his brothers as the victims of extraordinary violence that they were. It was more consideration than he expected, more than he hoped for, more than he fantasized about. It was what he needed in all honesty.

Extending her sjel-seidr once again into the currents of time around them, Lady Audhumbla moved them back into the moment in time that the rest of the room was in. Her litil-svass and the firehawk were waiting for them somewhat nervously. Neither of them wanted to part yet, or at all. "All is well, minn litil-svass."

Loki wasn't certain what to think about what her Amma had to say. She was about to lose her husband again, she knew it, so she held on to him a little tighter.

James put his standard reassuring smile on his face as he looked to his younger brother. "There's something that I have to do. You can't come with me, so you're going to stay here with Loki while I'm gone." He unfolded his seidr form his core and extended it in front of him. The programing for the construct was formed in his mind before he snapped in front of him to imprint the programming into the seidr and condense the whirling strands of his seidr down into a construct.

The plain, white marble-looking person opened its eyes and looked to James. "I am one, drawn from you."

"Go to your position and wait to be used." James' attention went back to Anthony since the construct already knew its mission parameters. "I want you to spend some quiet time with Loki. Maybe you could take a nap," he emphasized, hoping his brother would take the hint, "You could both use some rest. While I'm gone there's to be no mischief, no rough-housing, no engineering, no escape attempts, no funny business, no sass, no "I wonder if...?" or "What about...?", no weapons, improvised or otherwise, no alcohol, no salacious entertainment, just quiet time. I want you to be on your best behavior while I'm gone. I will be called if you misbehave. I won't be gone for long," his instructions were stern, after which his voice softened, "Do you understand? Do you have any questions?"

"I can stay here?" This was an unexpected opportunity to spend some time with his wife that he wanted to be real. The seeds of a powerful excitement formed in his thoughts, planted themselves in his mind. Anthony hoped that he didn't misunderstand his older brother. His hands tightened on Loki as hers tightened on him. Hope bloomed fully in his heart at the thought of spending more time with his wife.

"You will stay here until I return. And you will behave to my expectations," then he asked again, "Do you understand?"

"I'll behave, I promise!" Anthony's voice cracked a little as he thought about this gift from his brother. "Thank you, Rhodey." The seeds of excitement bloomed next. They sent a shiver of anticipation through him.

Loki didn't like to see her husband so submissive but was eager to spend more time with him. Anthony's seidr was so open that she could hear his intent to behave well while James was gone. She wondered what James had done to get this level of compliance from her husband yet couldn't bring herself to complain about it too much either. For the first time in years Anthony's seidr wasn't raging. He was a calm flame today, one filled with love for her. It was a flame that James had pulled back the anger from to reveal. More than anything that was why she didn't mind the difference in her husband's behavior.

Another soft smile touched James' face. There was honesty in Anthony's voice as well. That was a good sign. He didn't want to have to go monster hunting and come back to another mess to clean up. Not that he wouldn't clean it up regardless. He just didn't want to. And again, he felt spoiled to be able to take his own wants into consideration. "You're welcome," he motioned to his construct, "My construct will help you out with anything you need while I'm gone. I expect you to use it if you think I would want you to. Understand?"

"I do! I'll use it if I need it. I promise I will." Anthony almost couldn't believe that he was going to get to spend time with Loki when he hadn't thought that he would for a long time to come. A little tremor of excitement went through his hands. A tingle went through his body. This was one of the best gifts from his older brother that he'd ever gotten. Even if it was only half an hour, he was still very grateful for it because he knew he could make more out of it.

Anthony's intentions were true. Nodding once, James spoke. "I believe you. I know you'll try," he looked to Lady Sjofn and unfolded his seidr to mount into a Learning Spell that captured the related memories from him then he released the spell towards her shoulder, "Good Lady, this is where we need to start at."

The knowledge shot over her shoulder, up her throat and across her face to sink into her eyes. They lit up with the knowledge. It was a moment in time that was decades earlier. Passing her sjel-seidr into the area around her, she gripped James with it and swirled them away from the room they stood in. Her body dissolved into her sjel-seidr as they moved.

At No Time And Every Time

Inside The Currents Of Time

Something seemed different this time as Lady Sjofn carried James through the currents of time again. There was a weight to him that wasn't there before. Is this weight your doing, James? She asked him silently as they traveled swiftly.

I've stopped hiding myself from you. His reply was neutral and carefully constructed to obfuscate the nervousness that he felt at possibly offending her in this subject. He had his aid and wasn't willing to give it up over an ill-placed comment.

It was only because Lady Sjofn had spent hundreds of thousands of years listening to the barest clues from her students that she was able to discern the slenderest hint of nervousness from James. The longer she listened to it the more she understood what he was nervous about. A small smile would have touched her face if she'd had a body. It spoke to her of James' desire to not lose the aid he'd just received. It was all for family to James. She appreciated it and went to make him aware of that. You need not worry over offending me, James. I shan't be offended now or later over what you did to protect your family. I am honored that you chose to entrust me with this matter.

A little more tension eased out of James as he heard the honesty in her thoughts when they reached out to touch him. Thank you, Lady Sjofn, for being so understanding in this matter. In that moment he appreciated the dusky Norn even more than he had previously. It was honestly hard for him to believe that he'd found people who were so understanding of the situation and of his younger brothers. There had been other offers of help before from people he thought trustworthy. They changed over time though; changed to be far less understanding of his younger brothers and their unique situation. When James was younger, he pondered over the fact that his brothers' situation was simultaneously utterly unique and very mundane. They were abused and neglected children which was a regrettably ordinary circumstance. It was the nature of the abuse that the old monsters brought to bear and the very nature of his brothers that made the situation utterly unique. No, there were others that he made the mistake of trusting, but they'd never been trustworthy. He could hear, he could feel, and he could believe that Lady Sjofn meant what she said. There was no darkness in her to betray the belief that she was trustworthy.

03June1982 – Mid-morning

Massachusetts Institute Of Technology - Extra Curricular Club Faire

The trip through the currents of time ended when Lady Sjofn brought them back to their destination. As they stepped out unnoticed into the large rectangular, white, college gymnasium decked in red and black she reconstituted her body from her sjel-seidr. Many folding tables were set up in an orderly fashion around them. Each one had offerings from various extracurricular clubs. The lively hum of activity from the faire wasn't enough to bring a smile to James' face anymore. In the middle of all of the activity, slinking about and measuring up his prey was a tall, thin man with grey streaks through his dark brown hair. His chocolate brown eyes twinkled with excitement. They didn't match his age unlike the suit he wore. The suit and his age were both worn comfortably though. The suit was immaculate and spoke to the wealth it took to acquire something so fine. However old the man was, it was the sneer on his face that truly spoke to his character. It was a sneer made for everyone, but particularly for the beautiful woman beside him. She too was worn with age. Grey streaks traveled through her blonde hair in such inconsistent intervals that they looked like the marks of extreme stress that they were. They were more real than the hideously false and near rictus grin on her face. The gems in her necklace shined brighter than her eyes. There was no light or life to be found in her previously-pretty blue eyes. The wrinkles of age felt out of place and even chained onto her face. Her vitality had been stolen. It was clear for anyone to see if they knew what they were looking at.

Howard and Maria Stark looked out of place despite the fact that few enough people noticed them. Howard kept them from being noticed as James kept himself and Lady Sjofn hidden. The elder Stark didn't fool James though. The good colonel could see what they were shielding. There was a slender, pale boy standing behind them and looking around. His eyes were wide with a little confusion and a lot of fear. 'Tony' Stark most definitely didn't look like he belonged there despite being well dressed in a little suit and tie. His dull chocolate brown eyes scanned the room once, twice, then went back to Howard, then scanned the room again. Eventually his attention settled on a table just down the way from him, with a young African American teen sitting at it. It was the intricately handcrafted miniature Ferris Wheel that drew his attention. It was sitting front and center on the table, with little lights flashing. The metal was half painted with bright circus colors while the other half was left unpainted to show off the welding in the joints and the pristine nature of the forging. The wheel moved around in a slow and consistent circle. It was driven by a small motor off to the side.

Down the way from the Starks sat a table representing the metalworks and forging club. James almost smiled at himself sitting at the table. He'd been waiting for the faire to end, waiting to meet his younger brother without even knowing it. Him as a teen noticed Tony looking at him, so he smiled at the boy. James didn't smile at Howard scowling at his teenage self and his teenage self just smirked in return before looking elsewhere.

Dr. Robert Smith, the ever-observant Dean of the School of Engineering, approached Howard from the entrance to the gymnasium. Dean Smith. It'd been years since James had seen the old man. The gruff Dean greeted the elder Stark cordially and struck up a conversation with him. James wanted to pull the Dean away from Howard and warn him of how dangerous the elder Stark truly was. He wouldn't be believed, and he knew it, so he turned his attention back to his younger brother who he was moments away from meeting for the first time. Dean Smith and Howard began to make their way towards the exit to the gymnasium, still talking but this time about Tony's entrance into the school as a student.

The scant smile that was on James' face disappeared in a scowl as Maria caught Tony's shoulder in a vice grip and turned him roughly. She looked down on her son cruelly, dismissively, then she pulled something out of her large purse. A small, silver flask shined in the bright light of the gym. On it was engraved, 'If a stiff drink doesn't solve your problems, have another. – Maria Stark'. "Here, little wretch, I have a present for you. I even filled it for you, so don't lose it. Now what do you say?"

"Thank you, companion." Child Tony's voce was low and rough. He opened the flask, took a drink without flinching, closed it, and put it into his back pocket.

Maria sneered at her son before speaking again quietly enough for only him to hear. "Everything has been delivered to your room. You live here now; I don't want to see you again anytime soon. Don't call if you need something, do it yourself. Don't send letters or correspondence, I don't care. Don't send gifts, I'll burn them. Do you understand me, little wretch?"

Child Tony nodded swiftly hoping to avoid her inevitable hair-pulling wrath. "Yes, companion."

As discreetly as she could she ran her hand through her son's hair, giving it a sharp tug before she pulled her hand back. Maria smiled cruelly at Tony's little wince. "Good. Don't forget it, and don't follow me." Turning on her heel, Maria left to bitterly follow after Howard.

It was hard for James to restrain himself from going to his younger brother. He looked over the child Tony and ached to know that it would be several more months before he managed to get Tony to his parents, to their parents.

Tony as a child stood in the middle of the bustling fair rubbing at this head, at a loss for what to do next. He knew that he had a room somewhere, he just didn't know where. This was the weirdest hunting ground that he'd ever been taken too. No one seemed wary of him at all, or of each other. Everything was clean and dry. There were no trash heaps at all. There wasn't even a single person squatting in a cardboard box. Most of the prey looked strong and healthy too. None looked weak and sick to him like what he normally hunted. Tony's gaze continued to travel around the gym, looking at who he was sharing the space with. He knew he could bring any of them down, drag them back to his old monster to be devoured. It wouldn't be a problem for him, but he didn't think that was the goal of this hunt, if it was even a hunt. He didn't want to risk showing his real face and darkening his eyes to hunt with if this wasn't a hunt. He didn't want to earn his master's wrath. He was confused again as to what he was supposed to do before he considered that maybe the prey he was hunting was in his new room. Tony wondered if his cage would be there as well.

James almost found himself trying to push at Tony with his seidr to get him to go to the metalworks and forging club's table, where James' teen self was. A few minutes later the miniature Ferris Wheel caught Tony's attention again, and he went to investigate. James sighed in relief that Tony was finally with his teenage self. He knew that Tony would be taken care of, so he turned his attention back to the door that Howard and Dean Smith exited through. He spoke to Lady Sjofn while looking at the door. "We need to follow Howard back to his old monster, Peter Stark. Then we'll follow Peter back, and repeat the same thing for him, then again for Ephraim Stark. That should get us to the original duo; Josiah Stark and the pale-eyed freak, Ani Staerk. Ani should be the last one we'll follow back. Once we have their starting point then we can go forward from there."

"It shall be done." Lady Sjofn stepped back into the currents of time, carrying James with her. She knew her target and went instantly to Howard. Carefully she wound back the currents of time around him, following him backwards through time. Howard's life was only part of what they'd come for. There were others who they had to find, so she swirled a little faster through the currents to unfold the life before her just that much faster. She wasn't just going to uncover this mystery for her Lady. She was going to uncover it for James as well. He needed answers. Those answers would assist him to better care for Anthony, who needed and deserved that care. It would make Anthony happier to be better cared for, which would make her dear former student, Lady Loki, happier as well. James wasn't the only one she wanted to see cared for with what she was doing. James was right. This was about family.

23May2023 – Outside The Bounds Of Time

Vanaheim Royal Palace Guest Chambers

Anthony watched as strands of fuchsia pink seidr wrapped around his older brother until Rhodey disappeared inside of them. He was gone then, and Anthony was alone on the bed with Loki. As alone as he could be.

Moving quickly to take advantage of this opportunity, Anthony let go of Loki and stood up. His shoes were pulled off quickly so that he could lay back down with his wife again. "Let's dream together," he said as he was laying back down and closing his eyes, "We can talk then." And do other things. She laid down with her head on his chest, and warmth spread through him. Excitement spread on the edge of that warmth. Then he let his seidr flicker out of his core to forge into several Enchantment of Modest Mages Charms. They were branded across everything in the room that he could see or feel with his seidr. Making a mess of the room wouldn't make Rhodey happy, not making that mess would. He extended his whole seidr core powerfully so that it encompassed the both of them. Vivid orange flames swirled around them fluidly. This was all the privacy he could give their bodies while their minds dreamt. Those flames were filled with his love for his wife, for his Loki, he hoped they would make her happy as well as shield them. He disliked that there were other people in the room, though it couldn't be helped. The sting of that was dampened some by who was in the room with him. After all he had heard about them Anthony didn't think that they would judge him poorly for wanting to spend some private time with Loki.

Indeed, none of the three of Loki's grandparents did judge him poorly. Elder Gorynych hoped that his litil-svass and her firehawk could spend time talking through things to ease both of their minds. However, Lord Gin and Lady Audhumbla hoped that the two young lovers could spend some time doing more intimate things. Each understood that Loki feeling physically bonded to her firehawk again would help with her healing and recovery. All of them knew that the firehawk would give Loki whatever she needed and hoped that he would get the same.

23May2023 – Outside The Bounds Of Time

A Combined Dreamscape

Closing his eyes, Anthony went through the steps carefully to begin the meditation that would let him access his dreamscape consciously and open the door in it for Loki to come in. Keeping his seidr flared while dreaming was almost more than he could manage right then, with how excited he was. It took several tries before he was able to begin the meditation smoothly. His mind traveled inwards until he was standing on a balcony in his first Malibu mansion wearing his clothes but not his shoes. The ocean was strangely green. The cliffs the house sat on were immensely high and also a strange orange colored rock. It wasn't the scenery that he paid attention to. There was a door off to Anthony's right that he turned to. It was a flat, plain white door with a matte white handle and no window. He opened it quickly to see Loki standing on nothing, in the middle of nothing, wearing her long sleeved tunic dress without shoes as well. Anthony stepped to the side to let her pass. The nothingness looked silky smooth when she stepped out of it onto the balcony. He closed the door behind her. Turning quickly and bending over, Anthony wrapped his arms around his wife, under her arms, then stood up straight with her. "I missed you so much." The years he spent in that small room were all immediately worth it just to get to this moment.

Wrapping her arms around her husband, Loki held him tight to her. "And I you, my Love." Even though it had only been days away from him, she still felt like it was years away. When he set her back down and cupped her face with his hands, she gazed lovingly up into his chocolate brown eyes. Heat began to spread through her body at his desirous gaze. When he kissed her, she opened herself to him, loving him in return. Suddenly his hands were on her, caressing her body through her dress. Heat spread forcefully through her at his touch. She could feel his love for her in his kisses, in his touches, in the heat surrounding them from their excitement.

He kissed her deeply again, then left a line of smaller kissed over her jaw and down her neck towards the claim mark he left on her shoulder so long ago. He murmured as he went. "I missed you," he placed a kiss, "all the years I spent in that room," he placed another kiss, "I missed you so much!" It's all for you! He wasn't going to think about the fact that he still had things to do in that offset room, like what he was building for his wife. It was more time away from her. A shiver of excitement moved through Anthony's seidr, pulling his attention back to where it belonged. He was so close to the claim mark that his seidr began to call out for Loki's seidr. There were so many different pleasures that he wanted to go through with his beautiful wife, but this had to come first. Seidr washed thickly over his tongue, like honey. Gusts of steam blew out of his open mouth as his body heated up for her again. Anthony's fiery wings extended with his excitement until they were burning the air behind him. Fire streamed through his blood, and he could feel his veins lighting up from within. His heart blazed in shades of fiery orange. His body was preparing itself to use the claim mark. Adjusting their dreamscape forcefully, he disrobed each of them. Their clothes were left strewn across the balcony.

The sudden breeze across her heated skin drew an appreciative gasp from Loki. Anticipation coursed through her veins. Clamping her hands on his shoulders, she tried to pull herself up to him as he bent down to meet her. Her husband needed her now. Loki rejoiced in being able to feel his need in his seidr and as his needy flesh pressed thickly against her belly. Liquid desire gathered in her own needy flesh. She pressed herself against him eagerly.

The claim mark appeared quickly in her flesh, seemingly from nowhere. Gathering her closer with one hand on her bare back and reveling in her tilting her head to the side, Anthony opened his steaming mouth above the claim mark, lowering down onto it. His other hand caressed one of her breasts while his lips sealed to her skin before his teeth fit into the well-worn groves slowly and surely. Deeper and deeper he sank his teeth into her until her blood sprayed out and over his tongue. It filled his mouth in liquid aphrodisiac. The enticing smell of her skin wafted up into his nose. The scent of her arousal pushed his excitement higher. Her delectable blood poured out while his seidr poured into her through the openings in her skin made by the claim mark. So much of his seidr infused her that he could feel everything she was feeling. The fires of pleasure burst from Anthony's skin to encompass them. Pleasure flowed openly in flames around them. Even the open skies couldn't bring Anthony this level of fantastic sensation. It was intoxicating to feel their hearts beating in time. The need to be touched in all the ways that she loved jutted into Anthony's mind from Loki's thoughts. As soon as Anthony had driven Loki to her peak then he was going to do everything she wanted. He was moving swiftly towards his own peak. Her pleasure was pushing him higher with every second.

Small amounts of her seidr were forced out of her core to flow back into him. It completed their circle and drove both of them to their peaks quickly. Loki shrieked out her lust as she pressed herself further against Anthony. The tightening of her nerves triggered Anthony's own release. More and more of his seidr pushed forcefully into her to extend their orgasms. A guttural roar tore out of his throat, and he pushed even more of his seidr into her. Only half of his seidr was required to use the claim mark but he forced more and more through her anyway so that she would know how much he loved her.

Panting heavily, Anthony held Loki against him. She had gone limp against him but was still holding onto his bare shoulders. They each panted against one another until he bent over and lifted her up into his arms. Now was the time for the other pleasures that he wanted to experience with his wife. He was ready. Looking down at her smiling face he could tell that so was she.