The Midgard Woman

Georgiana felt a twinge of relief at finally being able to give the subjects of Jotunheim the good news. She just wished that Loki were back with her, for even though she knew that he was alive and perfectly safe back on Midgard it wasn’t quite the same as having him at her side. Still, she offered her friends a small smile as she approached the balcony to address the people, butterflies flurrying inside her, but she took a deep breath and quashed them down. Now was no time to be nervous of public speaking.

Note to self, she thought, leave all this to Loki in future.

“Everyone,” she announced, pressing the front of her dress down a little as she approached the railing. It felt tight on her today. The people below fell silent and raised their heads, with respect, looking up at her with expectant eyes. “I have some news for you, god news, thankfully. Well, two things, really. First of all, I have had a few messages, by which I mean illusions, sent to me by Queen Frigga of Asgard, to say that the work on the Bifrost Bridge should be completed soon, so you will all be back with your loved ones in a few days time if not today.” A rippled of applause went up along with several relieved and delighted murmurs. Georgiana waited patiently until they had finished and then went on, “And secondly, I have had some word from my husband. Both he and Prince Thor are alive and well on Midgard, staying as it happens, with my Mother, and once the Bifrost Bridge is repaired, our Prince will return to us, and then, hopefully, things can go back to normal.” She bowed her head. “That is all, thank you.”

There was another round of applause, followed by cheers as she turned and made her way back inside the palace. Gunnarr smiled at her. “That is excellent news, Your Highness.”

“Isn’t it, though?” Georgiana smiled, the prospect of being with Loki again very soon, nestled close and warm in his arms, bringing a warm glow about her face. “Now, tell me what else is in the diary for today and see if I can’t handle it as well as I am handling this.”

They made their way back to the Throne Room, where they both found that there were various documents and deeds that needed to be dealt with, as well as a few political problems that Georgiana did her best to solve but in the end found that Gunnarr was more suited to the task. He had been very helpful these last few days and she resolved to mention that to Laufey. Hopefully the Prime Minister would get a promotion or some kind of reward.

At any rate, it was something of a fulfilling day and come mid-afternoon, Georgiana found herself quite exhausted. Automatically she sank onto the nearest chair, which just so happened to be the Throne, and smiled tiredly at Gunnarr. “Forgive me, but I don’t know how Laufey can do this every single day, unless Frost Giants have a different sort of energy to humans.”

Gunnarr chuckled. “My Lady, please don’t take this the wrong way, but you are only human, after all, and therefore not as used to having such tasks thrust upon you.”

“Yes, you’re right,” Georgiana agreed. “I wonder whether Loki might be able to give me some lessons.”

Gunnarr looked at her curiously. “Forgive me, Your Highness, correct me if I’m wrong, but it does seem to me that you are very happy this morning, and something tells me that it isn’t just to do with the prospect of your husband’s return.”

Rubbing the small of her back, Georgiana smiled and got slowly to her feet. “You must have some sort of sixth sense, Gunnarr, and yes, I must confess-”

The doors suddenly flew open as Brigitta came hurrying in, looking flushed and flustered. “My Lady Georgiana, there you are! Oh, you must come quickly!”

“What’s happened?” Georgiana asked, going up to her.

Brigitta fanned herself as she leaned against the wall. “Oh, I’m getting too old for all this running around.”

“Come and sit down,” Georgiana insisted, steering her towards a chair, which Gunnarr also helped her into. “Now, what’s the matter?”

“The Bifrost, My Lady,” Brigitta panted, clasping the young Princess’s hand in her own. “I think...I think the King has returned.”

Georgiana felt her heart lift at once. “Oh, thank the Norns!” she exclaimed, before springing to her feet and hurrying outside, thankful she had remembered to put on her coat before leaving the palace.

“Your Highness, wait!” Gunnarr called after her, but she was already gone, out of the Throne Room, skating a little on the polished stone floors and stumbling out into the knee-high snow covered grounds. She sped up a little at the sight of the army of Frost Giants making their stealthy way back to the palace and at the sight of her, they all stopped and dropped respectfully to their knees at once.

“You’re all alright,” she breathed, helping the Captain to his feet, pressing his hands between hers, not flinching once at the coolness of his skin. She had missed that, she realised, that level of contact with her friends. “Everyone’s been so worried.” And then, spotting Laufey, she hurried up to him and hugged him tightly. With a small, fond, rumbling chuckle, he returned it before holding her at arm’s length. His eyes were serious. “Georgiana, they’re already starting the search for Loki-”

“I know where he is,” she cut across him.

Laufey frowned at her. “Where?”

“Midgard. Mother’s house to be precise.” She smiled at him. “He’s alive, Laufey, they both are.”

Laufey’s eyes filled with tears and he hugged her again. “Thank all the Gods.” Then, he addressed his soldiers. “I know that you are all eager to be back with your families, but I must request the Captain and two of you to accompany me in bringing my son home. The rest of you are free to return to your homes until further notice.”

The soldiers nodded and two of them stepped forwards, along with the Captain.

“I’m coming with you,” Georgiana said.

Laufey didn’t protest because he had no reason to, so he smiled warmly at her and nodded. “Alright,” he said, before turning his eyes skywards, “Heimdall, open the Bifrost and bring us to Asgard. The Aesir need to be informed.”

Georgiana nodded and gripped his arm tightly. Bifrost wasn’t exactly her favourite way to travel, but for Loki she would have taken it a thousand times over. The rainbow lights burst from the skies and carried them back to the Bifrost Bridge, where Odin, Frigga, and Heimdall were gathered along with Sif, the Warriors Three and a handful of troops, all of whom looked surprised to see the Frost Giants back so soon, but Laufey quickly explained the situation to the King and Queen.

Frigga covered her mouth with both hands in relief. “Thank goodness,” she breathed. “They are unharmed.” Then, she turned her eyes questioningly to Georgiana as if to confirm this.

Georgiana nodded. “Yes, Loki informed me that they were both well.”

Odin scratched his head. “To have opened a portal through a wormhole to a familiar realm would have taken a great feat of magic,” he said, to no one in particular, before adding to Laufey, “Thank the Norns that your son has such skills, otherwise they both would have been lost to us.”

All this was very well, but Georgiana was itching to get back to Midgard, so she added, quickly, “I imagine Prince Thor will be relieved to be back home again,” and that prompted Odin t turn sharply to Heimdall and instruct him to open the Bifrost to Daventry in Midgard. Heimdall nodded and did so, and Georgiana shot him a grateful smile, which he returned with a look that said “My Lady, I am simply doing my job.”

“How many of us should go, Allfather?” Sif asked, tentatively. “Should we all accompany you? They may get into difficulty.”

Odin raised his eyebrows at her, coolly. “I don’t see how, Lady Sif, unless this is your incredibly subtle way of saying that you want to see Midgard at least once before you go to Valhalla.”

Sif blushed.

“Actually, Allfather, it would be a good idea to bring your warriors,” Heimdall said, grimly.

Everyone turned to him, but it was Georgiana who spoke what they were all thinking. “What do you mean?”

Heimdall turned to them. “Now that the Bifrost is repaired, I can see all that goes on in the Nine Realms once more, Your Highnes, not just the realm you are about to go to. The Dark Elves have just left Svartalfheim, and they are heading for Midgard.”

Georgiana felt her heart lurch as she hurried forwards, Laufey and Odin on her heels. Please, no, she thought, desperately, please let Loki be alright. Please.

Blissfully unaware, however, of what was about to happen, Loki was having thoughts on an entirely different theme. For the first time since Thor had entered his life, he was actually feeling rather cheerful, almost his old mischievous self again, and much as he might hate to admit it, underneath that initial big-headedness, Thor was actually alright. In fact, he was actually beginning to like him.

It was a pleasant day as they strolled about the grounds, Loki thinking they must cut rather odd figures to any human who happened to be passing, dressed as they were in their respective Aesir and Jotun styles as opposed to what the Midgardian gentlemen wore, engaging in some playful banter. Loki was prepared to swear, in fact, that during his short stay on Midgard, Thor had changed somewhat. He seemed to listen and think more instead of recklessly plunging right into actions without a second thought. Perhaps a visit to another realm had been exactly what he had needed all along. At any rate, it was not by any means an unpleasant walk, nor conversation, and soon they came upon a very familiar spot.

Loki smiled. “You know, Georgiana and I got married here?”

“Really?” Thor asked, eyebrows going up.

“Right here,” Loki replied, tapping the ground with his foot.

“In the middle of winter?” Thor grinned.

Loki laughed. “No, in the autumn, actually. We would have got married back on Jotunheim, but Margaret didn’t think she could cope with the ice and snow.”

Thor smiled thoughtfully. “Happiest day of your life?”

“No, actually, that was the day I learned she was in love with me, her seventeenth birthday,” Loki replied, and then seeing Thor’s eyes looking slightly longing beyond the happiness, he did something that surprised them both, he reached out and put a hand on Thor’s shoulder. “It will happen,” he said, consolingly, and then added, “I mean you’re not over the hill just yet.”

“Should hope not,” Thor laughed. “Perhaps I should take a leaf out of your book and visit this place more often.” He glanced around the grounds. “Find myself a Midgard woman.”

“You’ll have to come back, anyway,” Loki replied, folding his arms.

“Why?”

“To visit Margaret. I think she’s rather taken to you.”

They exchanged a smile and began to make their way back to the house. “Tell me,” Thor said, “does Georgiana ever miss this place? I could understand if she does.”

“No, I don’t think she misses the place itself so much,” Loki answered. “Margaret, yes, and perhaps the house, but she always thinks of Jotunheim as home now.”

“Oh, I know that,” Thor grinned. “She told me.”

“Was that before or after she slapped you?”

“Before.”

Loki grinned at him. “I’m sorry, I just wish I could have seen that. I do love her when she gets cross.”

“Really?” Thor joked. “I found her pretty scary, especially since she’s quite a bit shorter than I am!”

“Ah,” Margaret smiled as they approached, “the triumphant warriors return.” Then, her gaze shifted to the sky, and she added “And just in time too, it looks like there’s a storm approaching.”

Thor and Loki turned to where she was looking, and both of them stopped in their tracks. Those clouds were rolling on too fast to be ordinary Midgardian storm clouds. They were heavy, not with rain, but with magic and darkness.

“Dark Elves,” Loki said, softly.

“Then...does that mean the Bifrost’s fixed?” Thor asked, slowly, watching the clouds. “Or have they come here on their own?”

“Who knows? Their magic’s different to ours,” Loki replied, before common sense kicked in and they both reached for their weapons as the clouds rolled closer to them, Thor’s hand finding Mjölnir’s handle, Loki’s fingering his dagger’s sheath. They began to back up towards the house, their eyes on the skies the whole time as the blue and white above them was blotted out by greying darkness. Loki knew that he was afraid but he knew also that he had to stand and fight. Whatever the Dark Elves wanted here on Midgard they would not get. “This is my wife’s realm,” he muttered, “and I’m going to protect it.”

“We’re going to protect it,” Thor corrected him. “Together. Margaret,” he added, without turning his head, “you’d better get inside. It won’t be you they’re after.”

Margaret did as she was advised as Malekith suddenly came swooping out of the darkness towards them, landing on the small wall in front of them so that his eyes were level with theirs.

“How touching,” he sneered to Thor. “Since when did you care so much about another realm, Aesir Prince?”

Thor, however, didn’t rise to the bait, this time. He simply gripped Mjölnir a little tighter and replied, calmly, “Loki and I accept your surrender if you give it. Do you? Do you surrender?”

Malekith looked surprised and for a second Loki thought that he was actually going to give it all up. Then, the Dark Elf ruler threw back his head and began to laugh, causing the rest of his Kursed Warriors, the handful that were left at any rate, to join in.

“No,” Malekith snapped, suddenly, and with one movement that neither of them could have foreseen, he threw Thor into the midst of the Kursed Warriors with one flick of the wrist.

“Thor!” Loki yelped, automatically, and he vaulted after him as the Kursed advanced. A split second later, however, Mjölnir whistled through the air and took down the nearest one. The next met its end with one slash of Loki’s dagger. He moved fast, dodging weapons left, right and centre, avoiding limbs, delivering minor blows wherever possible and as Thor yanked himself upright, he had to admire Loki’s fighting skills and style. He was so quick it was unbelievable.

“Get them, you fools! There are only two of them!” Malekith howled over the sounds of the miniature battle unfolding before his eyes.

Thor lashed out at a second Kursed with Mjölnir, this time only managing to crush its shoulder with his blow, but it was distracted enough by the injury for him to deliver a second blow, this time one that knocked it off its feet. He threw Mjölnir through the aira second time and Loki ducked as it barely grazed past him, knocking back the Kursed Warrior he was having trouble defeating.

“That thing really does have a life of its own!” he exclaimed.

Thor just grinned at him as he caught his favoured weapon and sent himself spinning at another Kursed. Show off, Loki couldn’t help thinking with a grin of his own as he just managed to avoid being sliced in two by another Kursed that came at him with a battle axe. One quick slice to the back of the neck, however, sent the warrior to its knees, and Loki give it a kick out of the way as he caught his breath.

“Nicely done!” Thor complimented.

“Thank you,” Loki replied, catching a glimpse of Malekith’s fury out of the corner of his eye. He spun around and a second later really wished that he hadn’t as a sword came his way, courtesy of Algrim. Loki lashed out quickly with his dagger as pain suddenly rippled through him and Malekith let out a furious shout as his best warrior finally fell. His cry wasn’t the only one to cut through the air like a knife, however, and Thor whiped around as he took down the final Kursed bearing down on them in time to see Loki stumble to his knees, his bloodied dagger falling from his grip as one hand supported him against the ground and the other clasped the fresh wound spilling onto the grass.

“Loki!” Thor shouted, diving down beside him.

“I’m such a fool,” Loki muttered, shuddering with the pain. “Always watch your back...the first rule of combat...”

“You’re going to be alright,” Thor said, trying to remember what little he knew about dressing wounds.

Loki shook his head. “I don’t think so.” He looked at Thor with wide eyes. “Wound’s too deep.”

“Seems you Frost Giants aren’t as strong as you like to think you are,” Malekith sneered as he leered over them.

Loki ignored him, his hand fumbling across the ground until it found Thor’s. “Thor...Brother...do something for me...”

“Anything,” Thor replied, squeezing his hand back.

“Just...take care of Georgiana for me...” Loki gasped, fixing him with a pleading look. “Tell her...I love her...please, Thor, do this for me...”

“I will,” Thor said, not letting go of him. “I swear it, Brother.”

Loki managed a shaky smile. “Brother...You know, I actually always wanted an older brother.” With another shudder, he closed his eyes, his body going limp against Thor’s grip. “I’ll see you in Valhalla,” he murmured, before slipping out of consciousness, and out of life.

Thor laid him down on the grass, unable to believe it. How could this be happening? How had this all come about so fast? He felt tears spring to his eyes, of sympathy, and of pity. What would Georgiana say? What would Laufey say? What would any of the Frost Giants think knowing how Loki had met his end, so young? It was Georgiana he felt the most pity for, however, and he clambered shakily to his feet, swearing on his life to always be there for her as per Loki’s final request, before turning a dark look on Malekith.

“If your warriors had to kill anyone, they should have killed me,” he said. “My life is not as worth living as much as Loki’s was.”

“I don’t see why you’re complaining, when you’ll be joining him soon enough,” Malkith growled, before sending a burst of red magic at Thor that not only sent him spinning through the air and crashing into the nearest tree, but which also sent Mjölnir spinning away from him to goodness knows where.

Thor winced as he clambered to his hands a knees, from the force of the impact. Malekith hovered in front of him, laughing, quite unaware of the pulse of the Bifrost a little way away from them.

From where they had landed, the parties of Asgard and Jotunheim had a good view of the grounds, which were now littered with the bodies of the dead Kursed, and one other. Georgiana stared, unable to breathe for a second and then she managed to stammer out a “No!” as she hurried forwards.

Laufey, however, caught hold of her. “You are unarmed; I won’t risk losing you too,” he said.

“But, Loki-!”

“Come on,” Odin said, already hurrying towards the grounds.

“Too easy,” Malekith smirked, shaking his head as Thor clambered to his feet. “It’s almost worth letting you have a go just to knock you back down again.”

“Do you forget that you are alone now?” Thor retorted. “Loki and I managed to take down every single one of your remaining warriors; I would say that was rather clever for an Aesir and a Frost Giant!”

Malekith just sneered. “Pathetic fools! Never send pawns to do the work of a King!”

“You have a choice, Malekith,” Thor went on, his voice raised like thunder. “You can either leave now as you are, leave this realm that has done you no wrong in peace, or this can end with the spilling of your blood.”

“You truly think you can defeat me, Pathetic Asgardian?” Malekith snapped.

“Perhaps not, but I can try,” Thor replied, holding out his hand and summoning Mjölnir back to his hand.

“I’m disappointed,” Malekith taunted. “That always used to get a rise out of you.”

“I’ve been taking lessons on battle tactics from a very wise friend who is now dead,” Thor replied, “by your warrior’s hands!”

“Then it seems I must try harder!” Malekith sneered.

“Will you surrender, Malekith?” Thor demanded, raising Mjölnir.

“Never!” Malekith declared, and with one great leap he was atop the roof of the house. Thor prayed that the inhabitants inside would be safe from his powers. “Darkness will rule this realm! And then, where next? Perhaps Jotunheim? What do you think? Perhaps that pretty little maid your friend over there favoured so much can be persuaded to turn to our cause; what do you think?”

“You leave her out of this!” Thor snapped, swinging Mjölnir andusing her to fly right up to where Malekith now crouched like a dog upon the rooftops.

“Ooh, getting a soft spot for her yourself, are you?” Malekith sneered.

“I am sworn to protect her,” Thor replied, and with that they were fighting, Mjölnir’s blows deflecting all of Malekith’s powerful blasts of magic even as Thor found himself backed to the edge of the roof. Strong as the Aesir were, a fall from such a height could kill them quite easily. He aimed another swing at Malekith, but it missed and Mjölnir swung off in a completely different direction.

Malekith laughed in triumph as he finally succeeded in knocking Thor off the roof with his magic. Thor, however, just managed to grab onto the edge and found himself swinging precariously, willing Mjölnir to come back to him.

“Oh, Thor,” sighed Malekith, dramatically, “must you insist on trying to live? You know, it really rather bores me when enemies refuse to die.” Thor grunted and tried to swing himself back up onto the roof, but without anything to push his feet against, it was a very difficult feat. Then he felt a shove against his shoulder and he looked up to see that it was Malekith’s foot. “They just don’t know when they’re beaten,” Malekith smirked down at him. “Say “hello” to your Brother for me.”

He raised his foot to bring it down hard on Thor’s shoulder but he froze in midair with a pained gasp and Thor stared in wonder at the sight of the Kursed sword that had suddenly materialized right through the Dark Elf ruler’s body. Malekith looked down, unable to believe it, and then twisted his head to one side.

“You just told me yourself,” Loki replied, and then yanked the handle of the blade back. At the same time, Thor knocked Malekith’s other foot out from underneath him, sending Malekith toppling over the edge and crashing to the ground below, never to rise again.

Panting heavily, Thor managed to get one elbow up over the edge of the roof and Loki grabbed his arm, pulling him back up again. The two young Princes leaned over, catching their breath and staring down at the most dangerous Dark Elf to ever live, the one that they had finally defeated, together.

“How about a warning next time you decide to do that?” Thor gasped, presently. “I thought you were really dead.”

“What?” Loki panted. “And risk them not believing I was? No.” He shook his head. “Your reaction had to be real, otherwise I would never have pulled it off.”

“Well, you proved a point,” Thor agreed, “brains very often beats brawn.” Then, he straightened up and added “And...I’m glad you’re not dead.”

“Makes two of us,” Loki replied.

Awkwardly, the two men hugged, briefly, before breaking apart and surveying the remains of the Kursed littered down below.

“I suppose we’d better clean up the mess we made,” Thor said.

“We? That was mostly you,” Loki joked, and they both laughed.

Thor threw up a hand and caught Mjölnir as she finally came singing back to him. “Come on.”

“I’d rather take my chances jumping,” Loki said.

“Tough,” Thor replied, grabbing his arm and flying them both back down to the ground. “So, what was all that “Brother” stuff about, anyway?”

Loki flushed and turned away from him. “Just trying to make it convincing so you’d have an excuse to attack Malekith.”

“Well, I don’t buy that for a second,” Thor grinned.

“It’s the truth,” Loki insisted.

“Come on.” Thor gave him a soft punch on the shoulder. “You like me, admit it.”

“Well, there’s no need to go spreading it around,” Loki replied, turning to him with a grin.

Then to his complete surprise, Georgiana ran up to him and slapped him with such a force that he almost fell over. Thor jumped at the sound. Straightening up in surprise, Loki stared at her. Before he could say anything, though, she had seized the front of his tunic and with a cry of “Loki Laufeyson, don’t you ever scare me like that ever again!” she had kissed him. Loki responded almost instantly, wrapping her in a tight embrace that had Thor averting his eyes out of respect for their privacy. This was love, he realised, wondering how he could have possibly mistaken their relationship for anything else before, true love.

“Promise me?” Georgiana insisted, breaking away from the kiss to cup Loki’s face in her hands. “Promise me you won’t do that to me ever again?”

Loki smiled. “Darling, I promise,” he said, before pulling her back into his arms with a loving murmur of “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” Georgiana whispered back, clinging to him. Then, Loki felt a tap on his shoulder and he looked up to see Thor grinning at him.

“Hurts, doesn’t it?” he teased, referring to the slap. Loki laughed and Georgiana smiled in relief. Standing formally to attention, Thor took a deep breath and added “And, um, I believe I owe you an apology, Lady Georgiana. I made a very foolish mistake and I said some things that offended you, acting without thinking or having any consideration whatsoever for your feelings, so please believe me when I say I truly am very sorry.”

To his surprise, Georgiana pulled away from Loki, went up and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek. Smiling at the bewildered look on his face, she teased “Perhaps you’re not quite the idiot I took you for after all, Prince Thor.”

Thor smiled back at her and then frowned at Loki. “Hold on, I thought you were bleeding.”

It was Loki’s turn to smile. “ A clever illusion, my friend, although that Kursed did wound me, but only a scratch, nothing I couldn’t fix myself with magic.”

“Well, you certainly fooled me,” Thor replied, and then the three of them were distracted from their banter as Laufey came running up to hug his son, followed quickly by Frigga. Odin came up too, and Thor gave his Father a wary look, unsure whether or not he was in trouble.

To his surprise, however, Odin smiled and placed both hands on his shoulders. “I’m proud of you, Thor,” he said. “You have proved yourself to be a worthy ruler of Asgard someday.”

Thor smiled and then, with a glance in Loki’s direction, added “Well, Frost Giants aren’t really that bad once you get to know them.”

Odin hugged his son. “Well done, my boy,” he said, softly. “You two have shown today what the alliance between our two realms stands for.”

Thor shrugged. “I don’t think I really understood it before. But I do now.”

There was a general sense of warmth and happiness in the air now that the battle was well and truly over and Georgiana smiled, feeling that nothing could bring any of them down in that moment. As her Mother finally emerged from the house to find the battle well and truly over, and found herself embraced by a very relieved and grateful Laufey, Georgiana tugged Loki’s hand and pulled him a little away from the group. “I’ve got something to tell you,” she said, softly.

“Go on,” Loki replied, happy just to be back with her again, even if she had just slapped him, and then his eyes widened as she took both his hands and placed them on her stomach. “Georgiana!” he breathed and then “Are you sure?”

Georgiana nodded, beaming at him. “Urd checked me over this morning because I was sick, and well...” They smiled at one another. “Oh,” she added, “I haven’t told you the best part yet.”

“Which is?” Loki asked, unable to believe that anything could be better than this news.

“It’s triplets,” Georgiana smiled, shyly.

Except that.

“Triplets?” Loki repeated, and when she nodded again, he pulled her into a hug. “Georgiana, I could kiss you! Well, I mean I’m going to kiss you!” he added, doing so before lifting her off the ground in sheer delight. Georgiana giggled as she clung to him tightly, alerting the others to what was happening.

“Good news?” Frigga smiled, knowingly.

“The best,” Loki replied, setting Georgiana gently back on her feet before turning to them. “Georgiana’s just informed me we’re going to be parents.”

“And we’re having three of them,” Georgiana added, grinning.

Margaret looked like she didn’t know whether to shriek in delight or faint as she rushed up to hug them both. Laufey looked ecstatic. Frigga let out a “Congratulations!” as she too bestowed a hug on the Jotunheim Princess, and Odin just laughed in delight before turning to congratulate Laufey.

Thor smiled as Loki came up to him, grinning nervously. “Three’s quite a handful, you know?” he teased. “Still want my help?”

“Of course,” Loki replied, glancing over at Georgiana who was being fussed over by her own Mother and Thor’s. He smiled and then turned to Thor. “After all, someone’s got to be their Godfather.”