Chapter 43
43
Thor arrived as the group were brainstorming over dinner. It had taken them most of the day to discover where Luka had gone. They sat him down with a pizza and a beer before explaining his brother’s whereabouts. Then it took quite a while to convince the big god to not immediately fly to Paris. Steve literally held him by an arm and Tony called his suit to convince him to wait for their reasons.
Huffing in annoyance, Thor sat back down, only after Pepper refused to give him Luka’s exact location. “You could spend days looking for her. By then, she’ll have heard you were searching and you know she’ll just hide again. Please, Thor! Listen to what everyone has to say. We’re trying to help!”
Her impassioned plea finally convinced him. “Very well, Lady Pepper. I will hear what you all wish to tell me. I know several of you have become friendly with Luka. I’ve no desire to disturb those friendships; Loki never had many of his own.
“I will do my best to understand your reasoning, but I cannot guarantee to agree with you. No matter what she, or he, says, I fear for my brother’s safety. The beings who wish him harm are persistant and very dangerous. My greatest fear is what will happen if they do find him. Loki suffered greatly under the Mad One’s hand. They will not simply end his life. No, they will destroy him first!
“Even if he survives Thanos’ attempt at revenge, he still faces my father’s idea of justice. Odin cares not for my brother’s reasons for his actions; he simply hates him for what he is and that he cannot control him. If he did not possess Gungnir, which my brother had made for him, Loki would be more powerful. The fact that I love Loki, no matter who he is, only angers my father more.”
They spent the rest of the evening discussing just what to do, and who should be the first to contact Luka or Loki, whichever. If they should wait and for how long. Tony said he could have someone from his Paris office try and track her down, find out where she was staying, etc.
“I think she’s still at Hotel de Crillon. The manager said she’d booked at least two or three weeks,” Pepper reminded the group. “Maria Chiuri said they have an appointment tomorrow, too.”
“I’d go, but he’s already miffed at me,” Natasha mentioned. “Maybe Bruce would be a better choice.” She frowned at the big god. “Definitely not you, Blondie. They’re both done with you hanging over their every move. Loki and Luka,” she clarified.
In the end, the entire team went. Tony flew those that couldn’t fly on their own in one of his Learjets. It was decided not to take a quinjet, since Loki would recognise it, even from a distance.
Except for Banner, the group waited at SI in a comfortable lounge. Figuring it was his best chance of getting close enough to Loki, (or Luka), Bruce took public transportation to the hotel. He hoped to catch her there before she met with the Dior designer. Apparently, luck was with him.
Loki answered the knock, expecting clean laundry, with “It’s open. Just leave it on... What are you doing here?” he scowled. Luka, wrapped in only a towel, was drying her hair.
“Whoa! Sorry, sorry!” Bruce dropped his gaze and turned his face away. “Just want to talk, okay?”
“Oh, stop! You’ve seen me unclothed. Nothing has changed. Talk about what? And where is Thor?”
He’s here; well we all are. At Tony’s business, across the city.” The goddess growled and Bruce hastened to reply. “Please, gimme a chance to explain. The others are keeping your brother there until you say it’s alright for him to come. He just wants to see you. Make sure you’re okay. He promised he’d leave if that’s what you want.”
“I really don’t care what he wants. I’ve no desire to see nor speak with him. He’s done enough and his constant hovering will eventually bring attention I definitely do not want.” Luka waved an angry hand.
“Maybe if you tell him so to his face, he’ll finally get it. Just running away only makes him fret more. Not that it matters to you, but I don’t know how much the rest of us can take.” Bruce shrugged with a weak smile.
Luka huffed a very put upon sigh and rolled her eyes. “Oh, alright! If it will get you all to leave me in peace. But, I will not speak with him alone. Come, give me your hand, and I’ll take us to them.”
“Shouldn’t we let them know we’re coming?” Bruce waffled, trying to back away.
“No. I wish this over and done. The sooner, the better.” Luka’s eyes glowed and she blinked the two of them to SI.
To say the Avengers were startled by the sudden, unexpected arrival of the pair of self-avowed monsters in their midst would be an understatement. Though they reacted in various ways, it was obvious everyone was surprised. Several exclaimed aloud, weapons were unlimbered or grasped, people jumped out of their seats, and Thor, Nornir love him, roared in delight.
“Brother!” he shouted, even as Loki released Banner’s arm. The doctor staggered to a chair, a hand to his head. He moaned softly and Tony offered a bottled water.
Natasha walked to the doctor and rubbed his back. “Sucky way to travel, yeah? It’ll pass in a moment. Just stay as relaxed as you can.” She scowled at the god, “Did you even warn him?” Loki only shrugged, with lifted brows and a rather careless smirk.
He turned to the big blond before he’d taken two steps. Hand raised and glowing, he hissed at him. “Far enough, Odinson! One more and I’m gone. I am tired of your constant haunting me. Banner said I need to explain my actions to you to make you understand.
“So listen well,Thunderer. Besides drawing Heimdall and your father’s attention, if you do not keep your distance, others will eventually notice. You certainly do not want that to happen. His attention is focussed far from here presently. The longer it stays that way, the better. For all the Realms. And the safer and happier I will be.
“Go home, Odinson! You’ve still much to learn before you are ready to take the throne. Go to council, listen to the sages, spend a season in your uncle Frey’s court. Sit at your father’s feet as he dispenses the king’s justice. Ask questions of the wise, else keep your mouth shut.”
“But Loki, I thought you...” The slender god held up a hand, cutting him off.
“No, Thor. I never really did. I no longer have one of my own, your father and I saw to that. I tried yours, didn’t care for it. Boring.”
“And you don’t want to rule us, either?” Tony interjected.
Loki just laughed at him. “You? You mortals are more fractured in your politics, culture, even language than all other eight Realms together. Impossible!”
Mischief shook his dark head. “I just want to be left alone. Perhaps, after you’ve been king for a few centuries, I may visit you, Thunderer. If I’m still alive.” Thor seemed about to argue, but the look Loki gave him left no doubt as to what he’d meant.
“I would not allow harm to come to you, Brother! I wish only to protect you, Loki. Keep you safe.”
“I can take care of myself, Thor. I don’t need...”
“But I need you, little brother. You have always advised me, even when I didn’t want to hear you. And how many times have you saved me and our friends from danger or shame? Healed one or the other of us?”
Loki only sighed, shaking his head. With a rueful grin, he glanced at the Avengers, then back at Thor. “About as many times as I caused you and those fools humiliation or put you in danger, I suppose.”
Snorting delicately, he added, “They are true. They’ll support you, no matter what. That counts for something. If you need better advice than they can give, come ask your mortal friends. Especially Banner, the little spider and the good Captain. They are wise.”
Pulling his Starkphone from a pocket, he checked the time. “Now, I need to leave. Luka has a show to prepare for. Don’t want to keep my, um, her fans, waiting!”
*Fini*
Glossary
Alfir - of the Alfar, (elves)
Barn(s) - child, children
Brodir - brother
Dvergr, dvergar - dwarves, inhabitants of Nidavellir, (underground part of Svartalfheim)
Dyr ein - precious one
Eir- goddess of healing, protection and mercy
Ek eiga annar sýn - I had another vision
Em - k - tyna I am lost
Elder Futhark - old Norse alphabet of 24 runes, (letters)
Elskan - love, lover
Engison(n) - surname, (son of no one) in other words, an orphan
Fjol - host
Frœdimadr - scientist, literally, a knowledge man
Ha det, og takk for i tag - goodbye and thanks for today
Heimdall - Asgard’s Guardian of the Bifrost, their gatekeeper and watchman
Heimskr - foolish
Hjarta minn - my heart
Issa - name, (ice, icy)
Jarl/karl/thrall - leader, free man, slave/serf
Jul - Yule a 12 day winter celebration of the return of the sun, beginning on the winter solstice, (approx 21 Dec)
Kaereste - dear, dearest
Konungsson - prince, literally, king’s son
Liki - form, shape, body
Loki - male name, lock, knot, closed
Luka - gender neutral name, “light” or “bringer of light” (ᚨᚢ＜ᚨ) in runes
Meistari - master of one’s craft
Minn - my, mine
Norn, Nornir - Fate(s), the three ancient sisters who weave the threads of gods’ and men’s destiny
Saumakvenn - seamstress
Seidkona - Asgardian female mage
Seidr - one of three forms of magic used by the Norse gods
Systir - sister
Svartalfheim - home of the dark elves, (svartalfar). A dead world, destroyed by Bor, Odin’s father
Svass - beloved
Tyna - forget, be lost
Ver heill ok sæll - be healthy and happy
Vinr, vinur - friend, friends
Yggdrasil - the Norse tree of the Worlds, a gigantic ash each of the nine Realms of the cosmos has its own branch