You had an amazing trip back to Midgard, catching up with your friends and found family. You also promised to return and spend more time when it was closer to when Pepper was due so you could help her with the delivery. She would have a team of the best doctors on Earth, of course, but she and Tony both felt better knowing the magical healer would be on realm and helping. You also gave them a way to contact you in an emergency if she went into labor sooner than expected. You'd keep your word to her.
The twins were sad to leave and Narvi took it especially hard. He didn't want to leave Pepper and actually cried about it. Narvi never cried. The twins were both capable of telepathically telling you and Loki what was wrong, so they didn't need to wail like normal babies to get their way. He was really attached to Pepper and her baby even before the baby was born.
You weren't sure what that meant, but was pretty sure that it wasn't a good sign.
With Loki being crown prince now, though, you were going to have to split your time between Asgard and Midgard more than you used to have to. Loki was going to be king and needed to learn as much as he could before Odin officially stepped down. He would also be taking the throne sooner than you'd originally anticipated since Odin had been planning on stepping down once you had given birth and things had settled a little afterward.
No one was expecting you to die in childbirth. That had kinda thrown a wrench in everyone's plans. Especially yours.
*
You hugged the team goodbye when you were gathered around the Bifrost circle to head home. You held Narvi secure in yours arms so he didn't get up to any mischief. "You can come visit when you have a school break," Loki was promising Wanda as you said goodbye. You knew that Wanda was practically Loki's little sister as well as his magic student. She missed him dearly while he'd been gone and now you were leaving again and hadn't been home nearly long enough. You understood. Midgard was your home too. You'd grown up there. But now you were going to have to spend more time on Asgard.
You shook off the thoughts and reminders of the team's mortality. You knew you just had to do what the other Asgardians did and enjoy every moment of time that you had with the team, store up as many happy memories with them as they could while you had them in your lives.
You hugged everyone goodbye, promised to visit soon, and finally gathered with the others in the Bifrost circle to head back to Asgard. Thor raised Mjolnir and you cuddled Narvi close to protect him as the rainbow lights surrounded you and brought you home.
Heimdall welcomed you home and told you the skiff was waiting for you. So you all climbed in and Loki flew it back to the palace while you cuddled the twins. Vali lit up in excitement and you had to hold her by the back of the shirt to keep her from leaning over the edge too far. She had no fear of anything and dove into the world headfirst. The twins were as different as night and day, but you loved them both the same and loved them both dearly.
When you finally got to the palace, you made your way to the throne room, since you all had to announce to Odin that you had returned. It was a formality, of course, he knew the second you called for Heimdall that you were coming home. Still, everyone officially coming to the realm had to present themself to Odin. Even his children and grandchildren.
You and Loki had to lead the procession into the throne room now. Thor was older, but Loki was the crown prince now, so he was expected to lead. Now that he wasn't driving the skiff, he was back to carrying Vali. You both stopped before the throne and Thor and Sif stepped up beside you. You all four went down on one knee to express your fealty to the throne. "Father, we have returned home," Loki announced.
"Welcome home, my children, grandchildren," Odin replied. With his words, you were allowed to stand again. Unfortunately, in that movement, Loki's grip on Vali slipped just enough that she could squirm out of his arms and run up to see her grandfather. Odin laughed, swept her up and settled her on his lap like this happened all the time. He was so very different with his grandchildren than he was with his children.
You felt something strange in the throne room and looked around subtly trying to find out what it was. Your eyes finally lit on Odin's ravens. He'd had them for forever. They were too smart for their own good, but... that shouldn't spark your notice of them now.
So what was it about them that was drawing your attention?
You finally realized when your own jet-black wings shifted and settled and a feather fluttered to the ground. The birds were watching you, the first Valkyrie they'd seen on Asgard in centuries.
The first other valkyrie they'd seen in centuries.
Like called to like. The ravens called to you because they were like you.
They were valkyrie too...
