A Poisoned Touch

The group who stood before Heimdall held two princes, one queen, one Asgardian warrior and three humans, Heimdall gave each of them a nod before he moved the sword that would open the bifrost. 

“Your majesties. Travel safely.”

His third trip through the bifrost was a bit easier to his insides. When he landed on the pad of the tower he didn’t feel like throwing up, though the same could not be said for Bruce or Tony, both of whom hit their knees. 

“Welcome home sir. Mrs. Stark will be apprised of your arrival.” 

“Thanks J.” Tony got out before almost throwing up again. 

“Hey Jarvis, can you alert the others that we are here. If they didn’t see the bifrost.” 

“Certainly Captain Rogers. And may I say, welcome home to you as well.” Steve looked around the common floor kitchen and he was actually hungry, so he figured at least Thor, Hogun and Frigga might be as well. Yet another way that he was turning out to be more than what he thought he was. Thor had been right, the more he used the bifrost, the less it bothered him. 

“Thank you Jarvis. Can you have some food sent up as well, we have guests.” 

“As you wish Captain Rogers.” Steve herded them all towards the table and while he waited for food to be delivered for the rest of his team to show, he got tea going for Tony and Bruce. He heard the elevator go off but before he saw anyone, he heard Sif and Fandral speaking to the queen. 

“Your Highness. Welcome.” Sif gave a quick bow, but Fandral pulled a deeper one. 

“Ah, Sif, Fandral, I do hope that you have been behaving as befitting an emissary to the Throne.”

“Yes, your highness.” Sif responded. Fandral, probably wisely, kept this mouth shut. 

“They've been fine, ma’am.” Sam came forward. “Samuel Wilson, known as Falcon around these parts.”

“Well met Master Wilson. And you have been the one tasked to being in charge of our warriors?”

“As much as anyone. Me and another of the Avengers, Clint. I believe you met him? Or was that just The King?” Sam sat next to Bruce, checking on the scientist who was looking green in a way that was different than normal. 

“Mother, food shall arrive, soon, would you like a small something to snack on?” Thor asked, kneeling down by her side. There was another ding, the elevator arriving again. Three carts were pushed in by kitchen staff, followed quickly by Pepper. 

“Tony!” She rushed over to his side, and he lifted his head, his face still pale from losing his lunch again. 

“Hey Pep. I would not recommend travel via bifrost, that thing does not play around.” She kissed his forehead and pushed the tea that Steve had made towards him. “Have you met the queen yet? Frigga, this is my wife, Pepper Potts. She is too good to take the Stark name.” 

“Ah yes, the phoenix. We met briefly when I was last here, but in the upset, we did not get time to talk.” Frigga gave Pepper a once over, before nodding gently. 

“Phoenix?” Tony asked, and Frigga looked confused. 

“She does burst into flames, does she not? I am old, but not senile.” 

“Oh, yeah.” Bruce put his tea cup down, before pulling his glasses off to clean them on his shirt. “Extremis, Tony. To someone from a world where mythical things are real, a phoenix is not a big leap.” 

“Oh.” Tony offered, and Steve was tired of feeling left out. 

“What is Extremis Tony?” Before Tony could answer, Pepper squared her shoulders up.

“A year before you were thawed out Steven, a man kidnapped me. He wanted to make Tony hurt, so he hurt me. He shot me up with a very volatile compound that killed everyone else who got it. Tony was able to get it stabilized.” She looked up at him, and he saw her irises go red. “I can control it. It doesn’t control me.” 

“Of course it doesn't, dear. You are a formidable warrior in your own right.” Frigga laid her hand on Pepper’s arm, ignoring the steam that rose. “Now, I’m not up to date with your Midgard delicacies, could you help me find something small to nibble on?”

As the two women walked towards the carts, Nat came in with Clint, both of them looking pleased to be back in touching distance again. 

“Steve-o. I hear there is news.” He did a quick glance around the room, landing on Hogun. “And we have a new person. Does he need to get thrown into a wall as well?” 

Hogun looked offended and Fandral, made an aborted coughing sound before stuffing a piece of something pink and glazed in his mouth. 

“Hey Clint. Hogun is here to stay with the others, you’re coming with us.” 

“What changed?" he asked, ever alert.

“The princes desire a united front.” Hogun offered. 

“Lokes isn’t even here.” Clint pointed out. 

“Ah, yeah, um...” Steve stuttered. 

“Clint, Clint, we were right! Captain Tight Pants is a prince!” Tony yelled out, drawing every eye in the room. 

“Are you sure I cannot hit him?" Hogun gritted out. 

“Stand down,” Nat told him, prowling over to Tony. She pinched his chin and lifted his head. “Tony, now would be a good time to read the room. You think it's funny, being you, but when there is royalty involved, you have to show respect. Because while Steve won’t say anything, the warriors raised in that style will. I’m gonna give him the go ahead next time.” 

Tony actually looked like he was thinking about  it, and Bruce touched his shoulder gently. “Why don’t we go down to the lab and call Richards? We still need to get in touch with him. And we’re going to have to talk to Fury, so Steve, you and the spy twins got that right?” 

“Yes, Bruce. I’ll talk to Fury. And let me know if Richards gives you trouble.” Tony waved him off, and Steve assumed that Pepper would follow them, but she continued to sit with Frigga, watching everyone with a shrewd eye. 

Hogun approached her, his head tilted slightly in respect. “I apologize my lady, for speaking rudely of your husband in your own home, but he is the stupidest smart person I have ever met.” 

Pepper huffed out a laugh. “Yes, that's my Tony. I would make excuses, but if I started, I would have to keep going. I should tell you, I know things are different where you are from, but here, Tony and a lot of others use humor to deal with situations they cannot control. Not an excuse, just something for you to think about.”  She stood and brushed off invisible dirt on her linen skirt. “Now, will you all be here for long?” 

“Ah, the three Asgardians are staying once Tony talks to Richards. I uh, I want us to show a united font when I go to meet uh…”

“His people. When he goes to meet his people, as he is a prince.” Nat finished. Clint had a hand over his mouth and he was trying not to jump with glee. 

Sam just stood and walked over, walking a circle around Steve and Thor, the two of them did not separate but a few inches from each other. “A prince huh? I can see it. The way you stand, the way you always fight for what’s right. Okay.” He made a salute. “So what do I need to take with me?” 

“We shall leave from here to Asgard before leaving for Aerilon. Only pack essentials, your armor definitely. Your everyday and ceremonial clothing shall be provided by the royal seamstresses.” Frigga told them all. 

“Sweet!” Clint crowed. “I’m gonna go through my kit. Steve let me know when Fury gets here, I’ll help you handle that.”

“Yeah. Clint. O’course.” His stomach rumbled. Loudly. Making everyone turn to him. “I’m just gonna grab a bite first. If Fandral hasn't eaten it all.” 

“There is more of these lovely sweets.” Sif held aloft a brownie. Something sweet did sound good, but he needed real food first. 

“I see a dish of pasta, Brooklyn. Want me to grab that from the clutches of my friends?” Thor asked, he’d gone to look over the offerings. 

“Yeah, pasta sounds great. Thanks.” He sat next to Sif, who was slowly taking apart a type of hand pie.

“Your cuisine is quite varied here. Clint took us for pizza. It was delicious.” Steve swallowed the bite he’d just taken before speaking. 

“That doesn’t surprise me. Clint’s favorite food is pizza. We’ve eaten a lot of it since they defrosted me.”

“I quite enjoyed the boar. I mean, ham, that the curly haired one made.” If she was trying to be discreet, it wasn’t really working. 

“Bruce is a very good cook.” Thor said, when he sat down with a plate full of fried chicken. “Have you tried the fowl? It is much sweeter than what we have back home.” 

Sif took the offered bite, chewing slowly. “It is quite good. All the food I have tried has been good. I did not like the drink that Clint gave us. The dark one. Bitter as hell.” 

“Ahh, coffee.” Steve grinned. “You can make it sweeter. I put milk and sugar in mine. There are stores all over, where you can go and get coffee that doesn’t taste at all of coffee.”  

“Ah, excuse me sir, I believe I am getting hacked.” Jarvis’s voice was all weird, and right as he was done talking, the elevator door opened, spilling out Fury, Coulson and Maria hill. 

“Not again.” Steve sighed out. He stood, and when he walked around the table, he let his wings unfurl, shaking them out. It was a sign of unease, he had learned that early, but it could also be a intimidation tactic to those who thought him weird. Which was the three in front of him. Fury wanted to control him, Coulson wanted to study him and Maria Hill, she just wanted him to get out of her way. He wasn’t going to give any of them what they want. 

“Madam.” Fury started nad Steve heard a sword drawn. Shit. 

“Is there a total lack of respect on this godsforsaken planet?” Hogun held the tip of his sword to Fury’s throat. The man actually looked surprised for a split second before he masked his features. Hogun continued, taking a step forward. “You will call her Your Majesty, or The Allmother, or if you are feeling totally incapable of respect, you may call her Frigga, mother to Thor, wife to Odin the Allfather, The Goddess of Motherhood.”

“Call off your guard dog, Rogers.” Fury barked. Hogun’s blade got closer. 

“Please let me kill him, my prince.” The warrior asked. 

“No.” Both Thor and Steve answered. Fury raised the one eyebrow. 

“Interesting.” Fury said, and Frigga strode forward, just as the rainbow bridge rocked the tower yet again. 

“Enough.” Frigga said, her voice laced with anger. Coulson opened his mouth to say something but Frigga just looked at him. “I said enough.” 

Odin strode in with Loki at his side. “My wife, you had need of me?” 

“This one reaches for more power than he should.” She nods at Fury. Steve watches Odin glare at the man. 

“And for that you stole their voices?” He asked, amused. 

“I could not listen to them a moment longer. They were upsetting my boys.” In front of them, all three were trying to speak, mouth moving rapidly but with no sound coming out. Odin watched and after a few moments, motioned for Maria to come forward. 

“You look the most likely to think before speaking. May I trust that is true?’ He asked. She nodded, her attention solely on the king. “Good, now speak.” 

“Your highness, welcome to earth.” 

“This is not my first time here, nor will it be my last. Unless of course, the man in black continues to think that he can control what I, or my family does. And let me be clear when I say that Steven Rogerson and his team are my family.” He paused, watching Maria, before continuing on. “Now, there has almost been an incident twice, and I have been called from my home twice. I rule a kingdom, young miss and that is time consuming work. I do not have time to keep coming here. So, what is going to happen is you are going to take me to the leader of his fine planet, and we shall talk.” 

“I am sorry, your highness but Earth does not work like that. There are many countries, each with its own leader. Getting them all in one place is a logistical nightmare, not that it is even possible.” 

“You are telling me it can not be done.” 

“I am telling you, your highness, that if it can be done, I do not have the tools. I have the will, though.” She looked ashamed that she could not do what he asked. 

“Very well. Frigga, my queen, please stay with Thor. Steven, to me.” Steve walked over to him, wondering what his next step was. “Loki?’ 

“Yes, father.” He came close, his eyes twinkling. 

“Take me to where the leader of Midgard resides. I will go to the person who can do what I ask.” 

“Yes, father.” Steve barely had time to recognize the glee in Loki’s voice, before they blinked out of existence, his whole body folding in on itself.