#there's nothing wrong with writing Frigga as being nice and genuinely caring for Loki

[worstloki]

I’m not gonna lie. I’m writing a Loki fanfic (set in Thor 1) and I cannot unsee the perception of Frigga your posts have made. Like...wow I literally can’t unsee this. I mean I looked at Thor 2 through a “well she’s about to die so let’s give her words meaning” sense but now...*distressed noises*

You can present Frigga as nice and caring even if she’s canonically not so, but if we’re taking what we’ve actually seen of her then she just isn't the kind angel many claim she is and this is made very clear in Thor 2 in case it was too subtle in Thor 1. 

I agree that it is especially distressing to remember that Frigga was the pinnacle of love/affection Loki received from Asgard and while Loki being able to recognise her manipulation and resist the gaslighting was extremely satisfying to see it also meant he realised the only constant source of love he’d received his whole life had been conditional to his submission. 

I apologise for any distress changing your opinions on Frigga may have caused but I have to admit that now I’m rather tempted to do a line-by-line analysis of how every piece of dialogue she gets makes her treatment of Loki even worse, especially when compared to her treatment of Thor.

[mrs-dragneel-stark-solo]

Unforseen Chasm

part 4 of Unforseen Chasm

Prompt: Two sisters fall for men that are absolute enemies. The love they have could tear all of them apart, or it could bring them together. Word Count:  2004 Note: This is by far the longest thing I’ve ever written (including my other fic series). first major Collab with my best friend @thorne93 what was first a simple “what if” moment turned into a two year writing session and I’ve never been more prouder of myself than when i started my first series. goes through most of the MCU plots there are some changes to accommodate for what we wanted and there is a bit of a crossover between the MCU and other characters. I hope you guys enjoy reading this just as much as I enjoyed writing it.

“What?” she asked, closing her eyes and violently shaking her head. “What the hell are you talking about? Did you get to the hammer?”  

“No. I got to it. But this man was in front of it. He was gorgeous, Shannon.” 

“Really? You were stopped by a pretty face? You've never been the type,” she teased. 

“No I'm serious. He had pitch black hair, it was slicked back. He wore a suit, an expensive suit. His face, my god his face. He had blue eyes you could swim in. And his face was sharp…” You started to drift into thought about him. Part of you was trying desperately to remember why Thor and this mystery man made you feel so damned… warm and powerful. 

“Earth to Y/N,” Shannon said, snapping her fingers in front of your face. 

“Hmm?” you asked, turning to face her. 

“So you saw a hot guy, big deal?” 

“I don't know...  But we know Thor is still here. We need to call Jane.” 

You called Jane and told her that Thor was still being held captive at the compound-city thing they built. 

“We can't leave him here, Erik,” you pleaded, once Jane told you were on speaker with everyone. 

“Y/N, listen to what he is saying. You believe all of this? They're children's stories.”

“Erik, we’re scientists. Look at the facts. A man shows up in an inexplicable storm, with a hammer that no one can lift, talking about realms. If he's delusional, he sure has a lot of convincing evidence around him.” 

All you heard was an exasperated sigh, presumably from Selvig. 

“Jane, come on, tell me this all just adds up in a funny way to you,” you begged. “Tell me I'm wrong.”

Begrudgingly, Jane agreed in a hesitant voice. “She has a point.”

Erik and Jane went a few rounds before Erik finally agreed to trying to come get Thor. He thought if he gave them the name of that doctor Jane used to date, it might throw them off the scent and let him go. All of you devised a plan, Shannon faked the ID in the system really quickly using her phone (gotta love brilliance and Stark Technology, kids), and Erik was on his way back. 

Erik retrieved Thor and you two and drove back. After he dropped you two off, Thor and Selvig went to a bar.

“So you still think he’s some sort of god, huh?” Shannon asked as she fixed the two of you some water. 

“I don’t know what I believe any more,” you said with a sigh. “I just know I feel… different around Thor. I felt different around that man at the crater. Something… I don’t know,” you said shrugging. 

“Did he say anything to you?” she asked with a frown. 

Your brows knitted together as you purse your lips. “He said ‘You can see me?’ as if I wasn’t supposed to be able to,” you remarked, your eyes on the floor, trying to decipher what that meant. Shannon did the same, and you could almost visibly see the gears of her mind working before you continued. “Then I said that yes I could, and he said ‘You’re Asgardian,’ and disappeared.”

“So that was it. You were both standing at the hammer, he asked if you could see him, and then said you’re Asgardian? He’s suddenly claiming you’re from the same place Thor is?” she asked, shaking her head and giving a callous laugh. “What a nutjob.”

About the time she said that was when Thor returned with a very drunk Selvig and dropped him in his bed before Jane and Thor went to the roof. 

“So, did you get any of your data? At all?” Shannon asked, now that you two were probably alone. 

“I got this,” you said, pulling the recorder out of your pocket. ”It isn’t much. Just my thoughts of the last few days, nothing for calculations, but it’s a start. We have that at least.”

Shannon took the recorder from you and flipped it over in her hands. “At least it’s something,” she noted. “Hey why don’t you come back with me?” she asked suddenly. “Jane’s research is gone, you’ll have to start basically from scratch. Why don’t you do that at one of Tony’s labs?”

You shook your head. “I don’t know. I should probably help Jane rebuild what she lost.”

“And you can, you will, but with equipment that was made after Y2K,” she said with a cheeky grin. “Come on, please?”

You let out a breath of air. “I will come back to help you give what I have to Tony, but then I’m coming right back to help Jane. It isn’t right she lost all of her work thanks to those goons.”

“That’s all I can ask then.”

Around 1 AM, Shannon said she was tired and went down the road to a little hotel to sleep, ready to take you back with her tomorrow to NYC. You decided to go tell Jane your plans, but when you got to the roof, Jane was passed out on the lawn chair and Thor was sitting staring at the fire they’d made. 

“Oh, damn, she’s asleep,” you noted when you saw her. 

“Ah, Lady Y/N, so nice to see you,” Thor said with a smile. 

“Thanks. I was just gonna come talk to Jane but she’s clearly not talking right now so…” You gestured to Jane and gave a faint laugh before stuffing your hands in your pockets. 

“Ah, yes, tis quite hard to speak to the sleeping,” he remarked with a soft smile before standing up and walking towards you, taking a spot beside you where you stood and looked up at the stars. “What were you going to talk to her about?” he wondered.

“Oh, I was just telling her I’m going back to NYC, for a little while. My friend Shannon and her colleague would love some of the data I’ve gathered. Actually, they’d love to have data on you,” you said with more honesty and earnest, gesturing towards him with a turn of your body.

“Mmm, yes, your kind have not seen us for some time,” he stated quietly, almost to himself.

You turned and looked at him. “You really do think you’re Thor, don’t you?” you asked softly, no accusation in your voice.

“I know I am. Son of Odin, brother of Loki, son of Frigga…” he said, his voice trailing off, seeming sad.

In your head, you couldn’t fathom that you were talking to a god. In your heart though, Thor seemed so sincere, so genuine when he spoke of his family and his home. How could it not be real? How could he just be a delusional man? No, something about him just felt… otherworldly to you.

“What happened? Why are you here? Why can’t you return home using the Bifrost?”

“You know of the Bifrost?” Thor questioned. He’d mentioned it once, but never explicitly stated what it was or how it was used. 

You shrugged. “I studied Norse Mythology extensively in college. Your name came up quite a bit. In fact we named Thursday after you,” you said with a smile. 

“That is a heavy honor to bear,” he said with full seriousness.

“Not really, Thursday is the day before a real weekend begins, you’re almost like Monday’s less evil twin, but still evil,” you teased before looking up at him and grinning. 

A small blip of silence passed before Thor calmly said, “I was cast out. I stormed a realm of our enemies and sought out war with people we’d made a treaty with. With one careless action, I destroyed a treaty older than myself.” He hung his head in shame and you pressed your lips into a sympathetic expression, a small frown forming on your face. 

“I’m sorry,” was all you could offer.

“My father and I argued, he called me cruel and vain, I called him old and foolish. Before I knew it, he took Mjolnir and took away my power and cast me out. My banishment, the threat of a new war, it was all too much for him and he died. My brother is king now and our mother forbids my return. That is why I can’t return. That is my fate…” 

A tear dropped from his eye and you felt yourself naturally reaching towards his hand. You gripped it, and gave it a small, reassuring squeeze, to which he squeezed gently back.

“That seems… harsh,” you stated. “You made a mistake, but to banish you from your home forever… No mother would choose her husband over her son. Perhaps your actions did put too much stress on your father but… I doubt this is the first time you’ve made a mistake. Surely she doesn’t hold you responsible.”

“According to my brother, she does.”

“Your brother? You’ve heard from him since you’ve been here?” 

“Yes, while I was put in that room near my hammer,” he stated. “He visited me and told me everything.”

“Is your brother, by chance, perhaps… uh, pale, with dark hair?” you asked, trying to avoid using words like “gorgeous” “breathtaking” “stunning in all physical aspects”. 

“Yes, why?” 

“We met, I think,” you said, your eyes cast down to the town below. “I went in to see what Mjolnir was. I felt a pull to it… But he was there.”

“That’s impossible,” Thor stated.

“That’s what he said,” you noted with a scoff.

“No, I mean… He shielded himself from the mortals, from the humans. I know some of his tricks and he used one while he was here, not to alert anyone. The only way you could’ve seen him is if…” 

“Is if what, Thor?” you pried, taking a step closer to him. Part of you already knew the answer, but you needed validation for this.

“Is… if you’re Asgardian…” 

Quietness filled the space between you two as you thought on his words. Could they be true? Could you really be from another world? If so, how? Why? 

“Tell me about it,” you softly requested, thirsty to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth.

For a moment Thor seemed unsure what to say. His golden features twisted into a look of ponder before he began. “The kingdom looks as though gold touched everything. Our palace is so massive, I haven't seen every corner of it. The people are kind, caring. Never selfish. The food is savory, but humble. Sweet, and subtle… Animals of all kinds canvas the woodland areas. The markets are so plentiful, it’s hard to choose where to go or what to get.”

“It sounds like heaven. It sounds blissful,” you mused. “I wish I could go there someday.”

“I wish I could show you,” he said with a thoughtful sigh. 

You placed your hand on his shoulder. “You’ll return, one day. I know it…” 

“You’re too kind, Lady Y/N.”

“I have hope, that’s all. I have hope that SHIELD will surrender what they took from us, from Jane, and return her work. I have hope that my friend will finally be asked out on a date by a guy who is clearly in love with her. I have hope that my work in physics will change a few lives.”

“You’re a very wise human,” Thor complimented.

You shook your head and laughed. “I’m a hopeless romantic. I see good in every situation. It can sometimes be a downfall.”

“Optimism can never be a bad thing, not where I come from.” 

His words warmed you and you smiled up at him, where he returned the gesture. The two of you looked up to the stars as Thor started to tell you about the nine realms, more about Asgard, and some of the places he’d been. Mainly he went places to battle people, but sometimes he saw some really beautiful places. 

But as the night grew on, you became exhausted. The two of you bid goodnight until the morning.

tags:

@reigningqueenofwords  @cas-you-assbutt-dean-needs-you @winchester-writes @winchesterenthusiast @georgialouisea @deansdirtylittlesecretsblog @dammit-stark @livelikeawinchester @sammysbuttcheek @bran2015 @misz-adrii @sandlee44 @womanxofletters @natsuccs @childishhoebinoo  @depressed-moose-78 @oldfreakything​ @expecteddifferent @girl-next-door-writes @fanaticfanfiction @dakotapaigelove @sassy-spn-knight-of-hell​

[itsybitsylemonsqueezy]

So I finally saw Endgame. And I’m not remotely sorry I waited this long. 

But now I do understand why when I came back to tumblr there was absolutely nothing on my dash about it. 

I saw it last night and I’ve been so angry this whole time I couldn’t sleep. What even the fuck was that?! Look, as a Thor fan, I’ve grown accustomed to having my baby written poorly. but WHAT the FUCK was THAT?!?!?!

Holy christ. Holy god. Just... just... I’m so angry. 

I thought Tony’s arc was good, but, as usual, he carried the fucking movie because Tony is the only character they can consistently write. Everyone else eventually devolved into trashfire. Well, that’s not true, Scott Lang sure got some good shit in. So, if you’re an Ant-Man or an Iron Man fan, this movie was a good time for you.

But everyone else... ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh my god. 

I’m 50-50 on Steve. There were some good Steve moments, I liked that FINALLY we got a taste of the consequences of Civil War that I have BEEN WAITING FOR. It fucked me up watching Tony pull off his heart and shove it into Steve’s hand saying, “Take this and hide behind it.” I... wow. holy fucking shit. I’ve been waiting for THAT. And Steve did a good thing when Tony comes back, all fucked up about Peter, and Steve has the good grace to say “We lost him” to acknowledge Tony’s guilt and to understand, apparently for the first time, that Tony always thinks it’s his fault and he will carry this burden right into the fucking grave. Thanks for retroactively paying attention to Tony’s character arc Steve. 

So, that bit was good. But then we married him to Peggy? Really? Like, Peggy Carter is a wonderful lady but... we’ve spent the majority of Steve’s arc digging him out of this, getting him to move on. And I know every team movie has amnesia and doesn’t understand how character development works, but you have all of Steve’s relationships right here. Bucky’s alive, Sam’s alive, but no, Steve goes back in time to live out his days peacefully with some lady? Again, not that Peggy doesn’t matter, she does, but.... oh my GOD WHAT EVEN WAS THE POINT of introducing Bucky back into Steve’s life if not to force him to live in the NOW? Why bother giving Steve ANY friends??? I just... UGGGGGHHHH. And doing that ACTIVELY CREATES MORE PROBLEMS. What if they had kids??? We don’t know if the super soldier serum can get passed on. What if the descendants of Steve Roger are running around??? I just... I get that we had to put these characters at peace and they tried to give them a “happy ending” but... this seems like a backtracking. Steve could still pass on the mantle in the present without totally fucking over his character arc. 

Bruce... was fine. Thought it was a little rough how they addressed the Bruce/Natasha situation but as apparently everyone retroactively thinks that was a bad idea... I guess this is what we get. Also, I love how we nixed all of the possible ships with Valkyrie in this one. Which I guess follows what with NO ONE knowing how to pick up from Ragnarok. I mean... okay, I guess. 

But SPEAKING OF NATASHA.... fuck you. Just... fuck you. Clint easily could have died there and it would have been justified and it would have been fine. It wouldn’t have affected the plot in any way. You do sort of double-down on taking fathers away from their families by killing both Clint and Tony, but... Clint’s character has been a trashfire this whole time. The man wanted to go to atone for what he had done in his family’s absence. And I know Marvel offered us the peace offering of lining up every female Marvel character to protect Spiderman to prove how many female characters they have and it was really nice to see Pepper matter again and that great scene with Frigga and that’s all really sweet but... you still killed Nat for no reason. And definitively made her one of the two people that cannot ever come back, Incidentally, the only two people who can never come back are women, so. No matter how you sliced that, it was always going to be one-sided one way or another. 

But I really do think it was justified to sacrifice Clint to the Soul Stone. Clint had other people in his life, his family, he was functional, supposedly, before all the shit went down. Natasha has always had nothing, Clint’s always been remarkably important to her. As a sacrifice, killing Clint feels worse than killing Nat. And Nat’s been trying to die for her found family this whole time, those scattered people she was trying to hold on to, that she struggled to function for. It just would have been nice to reward all her trials by giving her her family back and letting someone else take the bullet for a change. *siiiiiigh* 

Nebula was great, I liked what was done with her. I fully gave up on our time travel making any sense when she shot her past self and then didn’t blip out of existence. I guess the argument for that is that the Nebula that exists branched out further back in the time line so killing herself from slightly further ahead does nothing, but... still, our time travel was a hot mess and y’all know it. 

I think I’ve covered all the major players now except... my baby. So, the first half was great for Thor. I love that he was the one to behead Thanos. I love that he was SUPER fucked up about his failures, his failure to protect his family, to protect his people, his failure to make good on all his promises. Absolutely accurate, Thor WOULD be wrecked by what he couldn’t do. And, sure, okay, he drank enough to give him beer gut, I... fine. I do NEED to point out that he’s a god, his metabolism is different so the quantity he would need to drink to even achieve that level of pudge is beyond reckoning. And, as a god, he should have been able to drop it too. But Okay.

And then there’s that sweet scene with Frigga. I did love that we brought back an underserved female character and let her have a moment with her son. I enjoyed that a lot. What I did not like was Everything That Came After That. I don’t like that they wrote Thor tackling his guilt as a stumble in his self-confidence. I don’t like that because Thor’s depressed now, he’s also stupid. But, y’know, no one has EVER written Thor’s intelligence well (Except you Taika, you, as always, did nothing wrong and I love you) so why the fuck should that change now. I don’t like that Thor ABSOLUTELY should have used the gauntlet the first time because then MAYBE YOU WOULDN'T FORGET TO WISH BACK ASGARD. Like that’s an actual, genuine plot hole. Half of Asgard is STILL DEAD and that’s never addressed because y’know fuck the Asgardians I guess. What they lost doesn’t really matter because that didn’t happen during the Mass Dusting so fuck your problems Thor. No no, it’s fine, it’s absolutely fine that Thor had to destroy his homeland, lost half his people, lost every meaningful relationship he had and then FUCKS OFF WITH THE GUARDIANS?!?! FUCK THIS FUCKING SHIT! 

No no ABSOLUTELY FUCK YOU. FUCK. YOU. I am SO mad. God, what a CARDINAL misreading of Thor’s character! And HOW DARE YOU use that “Be who you are, not who you’re supposed to be” BULLSHIT! How DARE YOU use Frigga’s words to negate Thor’s character development! We settled this back in THE FIRST FUCKING MOVIE but no one can EVER be bothered to write Thor right so FUCK ME I GUESS. Absolutely FUCK THIS. No yeah no, Thor who has been constructively making amends and shouldering his father’s mistakes FROM THE BEGINNING no no, he’d just fuck off, abandon the people he failed, yeah no it’s FINE That’s ABSOLUTELY FINE yeah Thor feels absolutely no loyalty to his people or desire to do right by them, fuck every last one of you sons of bitches. 

And I won’t lie that I am personally pissed about Loki but this disgusting, final betrayal of who Thor is is the Last Fucking Straw. And if the point was to retire the originals WHY DID YOU SADDLE HIM WITH THE GUARDIANS WHO OBJECTIVELY ARE NOT FINISHED?! Like, they have past Gamora now who has no relationships with any of these fucks, their shit is NOT straightened and you’re just throwing Thor into the mix??? What the fuck for?! Just let him be king of Asgard and then you NEVER HAVE TO SEE HIM AGAIN. That was his retirement! Ruling his people like a GODDAMN MONARCH. Y’KNOW. LIKE HE’S ACTUALLY GOOD AT AND HAS ALWAYS WANTED TO DO. *screaming* 

I can’t, I just... and “Asgard already has a king” exCUSE ME?! Valkyrie’s only been back with her people for FIVE YEARS after being gone GOD KNOWS HOW LONG. Literally LONGER THAN YOUR LIFESPAN THOR. And Valkyrie ISN’T a leader! She’s a soldier! What did we watch her lead??? What exactly are yoru examples of her credentials??? What proof do we have that the, I remind you, GREATLY traumatized, Asgardian people even trust her?! It heals far more damage to let the prodigal son redeem his family and make up for the mistakes. And this isn’t to shit on Valkyrie, she’d probably do fine ruling Asgard but she DOESN’T want to, there’s absolutely nothing in her character description that says ruler and this was all just a fucking excuse to let Thor go off and play Big Lebowski with the Guardians of the Galaxy and I am PISSED TO HIGH HELL about it! 

The thing that pisses me off the most is that it would not have materially changed their plot in anyway to just bring Asgard back, let Thor use the Infinity Gauntlet. Yes it would have fucked him up, but does that really matter? You weren’t using Thor for jackshit anyway. Let Hulk triple team Thanos instead, you know you want to. As you bothered to write Bruce like a person today. What would it have changed to bring back Asgard? Other than y’know providing more hands to fight Thanos’ army. Like, did anyone else notice that Wakanda is apparently the only army we know? That was some fine ass tokenism at the end there, woof. Letting Thor use the gauntlet was their last chance to let him be the person he actually is. And... instead they trashed them. Because they have never cared about Thor. They NEVER believed they could sell him, never had confidence in him as a character, never marketed him effectively, convinced themselves that the audience didn’t care for Thor... and so here we are. 

I’m so... mad. About all of that shit. That not once could these writers do right by Thor. I’m just going to go back to living in Ragnarok, fuck all of this.

[imagine-loki]

Across the Divide

TITLE: Across The Divide CHAPTER NO./ONE SHOT: Chapter Twenty-Seven AUTHOR: wolfpawn ORIGINAL IMAGINE: Imagine Loki sneaking out of the palace as a youth to see the city and countryside, while out one day, he accidentally gets in trouble for something, but a young girl deals with the situation, allowing him to be left alone and his true identity be kept secret. She is a poor girl who is only in the city to sell goods with her father, so she does not realise it is Loki, even though she sees his face. They form a friendship as she shows him around the city, and tells him the date she comes to the city every month for a particular market. RATING: Teen and Up

Life, as it so often does, conspired against Loki and Ariella. While Loki was contemplating how best to apologise to her, there had been an emergency that called him off realm. He had not even the time to talk to Ariella again and to try and make amends when he and Frigga had had to rush to Alfheim to deal with a matter there that caused need for all the greatest seidr wielders in the realms to be required, the matter was of such importance, Odin had given Loki Gungnir to assist. Leaving Ariella to be told what was going on by Odin, though she was slightly sceptical at first, but after a day or so, she had heard maids confirming it, as well as the lack of appearance by Frigga, confirming it more to her.

After a week she had begun to walk about her room somewhat and with good food and rest, she had recovered almost fully. It was then she set about the task that Odin had asked of her. She had thought about it at length while she recovered. Odin gave her permission to call upon anything she required, the results startled all involved, the materials were inexpensive and basic. There were comments made regarding it, scoffing and ridicule being most common, but Ariella never heard any of it, because she was too busy in her own world.

Her days were busy, she did lessons for a few hours in the morning, had lunch, then she worked on her idea, then dinner and rest before beginning the next day again. Odin was a constant mentor to her as she continued her education. A better-suited tutor was found, one that made Ariella’s learning a pleasure for the woman, Odin came by every so often to see how she was progressing in those lessons, but also to keep her company and to inform her of what was going on with Loki.

‘How is the project going?’

‘Fine.’ she smiled as she put away to book she had been learning to write with. ‘I need to do the next phase of it soon.’

‘Excellent. Have you a timeframe or are you simply working as you see fit?’ Odin asked as he watched her work around her room, putting away more items.

‘I think a month, but then I have days like today and reassess to six weeks,’ she rolled her eyes.

Odin chuckled, ‘All beings have such days, they mean very little.’ He dismissed. He smiled as he noticed she had taken some his vernacular in their time speaking as well as broadened her own comprehension of many words he used. ‘Loki and Frigga should be home soon.’

‘That is nice.’ She gave a small smile.

‘Are you still angry at him?’

Ariella gave a stern glare at the old monarch for a moment before her shoulders slumped, ‘No.’

‘Then why the disinterest?’

‘I am not disinterested, I am looking forward to seeing Frigga again.’

‘And Loki?’ She said nothing. Odin shook his head, knowing there was nothing he could do regarding the matter. ‘You are as stubborn as each other.’

Ariella said nothing and went about getting herself ready for her afternoon’s work. She thought of the time when she had just seen Loki after their forced separation from one another due to circumstance, of how he placed a chaste kiss on her lips, and the sensation that she had felt as a result, as though she was after being given a new lease of life. It had made her feel incredible, but of late, thoughts of Loki had made her feel less than good, she felt as though she was never going to feel such a way about him again since he clearly had not seen her in the manner she thought he had. Perhaps, she thought, she had only imagined it in him in desperation for his affections in return for her own.

She was toying with her hair, which thankfully was now halfway down her neck and getting to her shoulders once more even after it had been cut to shape it. She was able to put a small braid in it now, making her feel more feminine. The new dresses she was made also caused her to realise she could actually look somewhat like a high born woman giving the right circumstance. It filled her with joy to feel such a way, she often looked in the mirror smiling as she began to gain weight again. The only concern she had was how she would know how to stop. Eir assured her that that was not a concern, she would ensure that her diet be altered come a time she reached such a weight.

Smiling as she walked to where she was working on her piece, she rarely paid any attention to anything around her, oblivious to the people watching her, many speculating she was Loki’s whore, some even speculated she was Odin’s, more than a few comments were made that there was life in that old dog yet, especially with Frigga off realm for what was notably the longest period in recent centuries without her husband.

‘Ariella?’ She turned to see Thor behind her. ‘Forgive my shouting, I was unsure if it was you, you look well.’ Thor jogged a few paces to catch up to her, smiling widely. ‘I hardly recognised you.’

‘Yes, now that I do not look like some form of famine victim, I am somewhat different looking.’

‘Different would imply grotesque to many, you look incredibly well.’Thor beamed.

Ariella folded her arms, ‘What do you want this time?’

In the time since Loki’s departure, Thor and Ariella had spent some time in each other’s company through different events, most of which were accidental meetings, as Thor tended to go training after his lunch while she went to about her own dealings, both inadvertently meeting en route, as well as Thor aiding with some of Loki’s matters in his absence. In such times, they had spoken, though not at any considerable length. It was through this that Ariella had noted Thor’s interest in the young and seemingly pleasant Lady Sif, and due to a small suggestion on her behalf one day to get Sif something that she had noted the girl liked as a gift and her subsequent elation, Thor had come to Ariella to deal with any issue he had regarding the maiden thereafter, citing she was the only non-staff female he had any form of amicable relations within the palace, and with Frigga not on realm, he needed to ensure he did not screw up too badly on the matter.

‘I wish to ask the Lady Sif to dine with me tomorrow.’

‘And?’

‘What should I ask her?’

‘Ask her if she wishes to dine with you, literally there is nothing wrong with just that.’ She stated as though obvious.

‘And if she declines?’

‘Force your father to force her father to force her to marry you; what do you think you do, you get over it like a grown man.’ Ariella scoffed before rolling her eyes. ‘Honestly. Look, you like her, she likes you, according to Odin, she is of enough standing for this to be allowed, and according to the monkey stirring the devilment pot in his head, having his son be in a love match will only add to the situation.’ she stated as they came to where their paths usually ended on the accidental meeting. ‘So, just get on with it. I am literally going to die of old age before you take your finger out and deal with this.’

‘Take your finger out of where?’

‘It is an expression.’ She stated, not paying any more attention to him, too busy thinking of her next addition and not overly bothered by Thor’s love interest other than hoping he was content with it.

‘Did you hear Mother and Loki are back soon?’

‘I was not aware of such.’ She stated, trying not to show her emotions at that.

‘You still have not forgiven Loki?’

‘I still have not forgiven your lying and I was not even friends with you.’

‘So, you see me as a friend?’ Thor grinned, Ariella gave a stare. Thor placed his hand on her shoulder and looked into her eyes. ‘Do not hold onto anger and let it fester, you will end up ill again with such thoughts.’

‘Stop trying to be sagely, you are too young to make it work.’ She scoffed before walking off. Thor rolled his eyes before heading to the training grounds.

*

‘I cannot wait to return home.’ Frigga smiled wearily as she got into the carriage to bring them home.

‘Yes, my own bed is something I never thought could be so enticing.’

‘And Ariella?’ Loki gave a sideways glance at his mother. For the entirety of their time on Alfheim, she had tried to get him to use some manner of communication with Ariella, which led to him commenting that she would not be able to read the letters and would be too proud to get someone to help her. When Frigga mentioned her at all, he clammed up slightly, the look of defeat on his face blatant. ‘You cannot ignore her forever.’

‘I am not the one who said to leave, am I?’ Loki growled.

‘Time heals most wounds.’ Frigga stated sagely. ‘Wait and see, before the full moon you will be worse than before, back once more in each other’s company.’

As Loki thought of the time he had kissed Ariella, after seeing her in the inn after their time apart, he swallowed and sighed. ‘It can never be like that again.’

Frigga rolled her eyes and looked out the window again, wondering why her son had to be so melodramatic.

* Loki walked through the palace, not overly interested in anything around him, he did not care what others were doing, he was partly concerned with Ariella and her reaction should she see him again and also wondering what work would be waiting for him on his desk.

He turned a corner and froze at the sight that greeted him. There was Thor, giving Ariella a hug, then kissing her cheek as they parted ways, the smile on Ariella’s face telling him she was genuinely happy. He noticed too her hair, her now fresher features and her clothing; she looked beautiful, more beautiful than he ever thought the small grime covered gaunt peasant girl could ever have looked. With his heart pounding in his chest, he watched her laugh to herself as she walked off down a hall, Thor grinning widely as he went his own direction. Not wanting to see any more, he used his magic to get him to another part of the palace and away from the scene he had just witnessed, Thor’s promise the day that Ariella was angry with him coming to the fore of his mind and his anger rising as a result. From his hidden position, he heard two courtiers going by, scoffing as they spoke of the peasant concubine and how she clearly was seeing to all three royal men, such was the manner they were in her presence, and how would Prince Loki feel on his return to know that his father and his brother had been ploughing that particular field of his in his absence. Unable to take the pain in his chest, he rushed through the palace again, not able to stand it.

When he got to a large balcony that overlooks the city, he realised he must have run several staircases also. Knowing none would hear it from such a height, he let out a pained yell.

‘Loki?’ He turned to see Odin behind him, looking at him with great concern. ‘My son, what is it?’

‘I…’

‘Yes?’

‘You…’

‘I what, Loki, tell me.’ Odin walked forward slowly, looking worriedly at his son. ‘Whatever it is, my son, I will assist you. Is it Ariella?’

On using her name, something in Loki snapped, his pain turned to anger, the scoffing words of the two men coming to the front of his mind. Looking at Odin in hate, he lunged forward. His actions startled Odin only for a moment, and though old, years of wars, training and general knowledge came to the fore again, and he grabbed his son with a swiftness a man of his size should not have and held him fast against him, using his own seidr to prevent Loki using his, grateful that in his anger, Loki’s was not able to function with the proficiency that it usually would. ‘Let go.’

‘Speak to me Loki.’ Odin refused to let him go, instead, holding him fast.

‘I heard what they are saying.’

‘Who?’

‘What you are doing with her.’

‘Who Loki?’

‘Ari.’ He got his elbow free and was trying to strike him. ‘In her rooms.’ Implication rife in his words.

Loki was winded as his father threw him forward and he fell to the ground, when he turned he felt fear for the first time in his life of his father, who glared at him with anger. ‘Do you think me such a man?’ He bellowed. ‘That I would prey on a young girl, the only one that holds my son’s affections, that I would do that to my wife, the woman I have loved since before you and your brother were ideas in my head?’ He stood over his son. ‘Courtiers will always talk, you are capable of knowing their lies, yet you choose to believe that of me, of Ariella.’

‘She and Thor…’

‘So he is using her now too, Norns how has she the time of day to do anything other than bounce from room to room of the Odin-Line with such actions? Nothing to say about her five hours of study before lunch, or the six after that she labours on the task she is set, no, she is bed-hopping the royal household, I have to commend her, she is by far the most hardworking creature to ever set foot on Asgard to juggle all that, whenever does she sleep. What sort of way is that to speak of her, you know her better than any, you know she would never do such a thing, yet here you are accusing her of it.’

‘I saw them.’ Loki shouted, causing Odin to pause and frown. ‘Together, in the hallway, he kissed…’

‘Where did he kiss her?’

‘Does it matter?’

‘Yes, it does. To kiss her as a lover would is far different than to kiss her as anything else.’ Odin growled before looking to the edge of the balcony. ‘But no better one to ask than one involved. Care to explain what Loki witnessed.’

Thor stepped down, Muninn and Huginn pruning themselves after completing their assignment to retrieve their master’s older son. ‘I gave Ariella a kiss on the cheek, yes, I confess, I also embraced her, tightly I might add.’ He strode over to his brother, his face stern. ‘And? What concern of it is yours? What right have you to dictate who she does or does not have contact with? What makes you any better than those before you to try and control her, those you stated you wished to see her free from?’

‘You could not see me happy, you swore to ruin it.’

‘I am happy, I am elated beyond words or measure.’ Thor bellowed, resembling his father.

‘With her.’

‘I do not want anything to do with her in that manner,’ Thor scoffed.

‘Then why do as you did?’

‘Because of gratitude.’ Loki scoffed. ‘Yes, I suppose that is a concept you cannot understand.’ Thor sniped. ‘If you must know, Ariella has been helping me.’

‘In what manner?’

‘Not that it is your concern, but with the matter of Lady Sif.’ Loki frowned. ‘The interaction you witnessed was a result of her aiding me have the Lady Sif join me for dinner, in private, as a manner to court her, the Lady Sif, and not Ariella, the woman I know you, my own brother and kin, to love.’

‘Then why say what you did about her?’ Loki challenged, though his voice uncertain.

‘To get you to cop on and start doing something about this rather than allowing something good pass you by.’ Thor stated as though obvious. ‘Why else?’

‘So you did not want her?’ Loki’s voice was smaller as a result of Thor’s declaration.

‘Forgive me, brother, I mean no disrespect to your tastes in women, she is quite pretty, I can see and acknowledge such, but not a type that would interest me.’ Thor stated. Loki’s lustre to fight dissipated fully. His brother and father’s words ceasing his anger. Turning to his father, he could see understanding in his features. ‘You never cared what idiots thought before, yet now their word is sacred. You need to reassess yourself.’ Loki gave him a sideways glare, causing Thor to square up to him. ‘And if you ever attempt to lay hand on our father again when he did nothing to warrant it, when he only tried to help, I will create a crater with your body as its centre.’ He swore, walking back to the edge of the balcony. ‘Sort yourself out brother, not everyone is as honourable as to take your feelings into account.’

Loki frowned again. Odin walked over to his son, placing his hand on his shoulder. ‘We all want you to be happy Loki, why will you not let yourself be happy?’

He looked to his father, remorseful of his actions. ‘I…I should never, I am so sorry.’

‘We shall say no more.’ Odin stated, waving his hand in dismissal. ‘You have an incredible mind Loki, you are also a very good man, it is not in your nature, so we will put it down to exhaustion and stress.’ Loki nodded, grateful for his understanding. ‘But as your brother threatens, once I can forgive, a second time would be wrong of me to. It would indicate you are aggressive, and I do not want anyone, much less a girl who deserves the world, to deal with a man that could strike her.’

Loki looked at him appalled at first, but said nothing, knowing his actions deserved such words. ‘It will not occur again Father, and I will make amends for my actions against you this day.’

Odin nodded and gave a small smile. ‘I know you will, now, go calm yourself, and then speak with Ariella when she finishes later.’

‘Finishes?’

‘She is a busy woman, as I said, she will not be seen until after dinner, which she usually takes in her rooms alone and many times she goes to bed immediately after, if her maid is to be believed. She is caring for herself now, eating well, sleeping well, she is a new being because of it.’

Loki swallowed, he was so consumed by jealousy, he had not taken time to even assess Ariella’s appearance fully, though he noted her beauty. ‘I will have to wait to see her so.’ He gave a sad smile.

‘I hope it is soon.’ Odin smiled encouragingly. ‘I am proud of your work in Alfheim, your mother’s correspondence was very complimentary.’

‘I am just glad it worked.’

Ariella’s hair