Loki's Queen

Chapter 7

The next morning the tower was awakened by an alarm.  With a groan Stark sat up, "JARVIS what's going on?"  "There seems to be a problem in the infirmary Sir," the AI responded.  Stark shot up and ran down to the lab.

The room was in chaos.  Natasha, Thor, Loki and Banner were on the outskirts of the room trying to calm Aes.  She was crouched over her niece, snarling.  "Lady Aestrid, I do not wish to harm you.  Please allow Dr. Banner to continue his tests," Thor called out, hammer in hand.  "What happened," Stark asked as he cautiously made his way into the lab.  Loki smirked, "It would seem the scientist decided to try and take the childs blood."

Suddenly a soft voice rang out, "Stop."  Everyone froze making sure what they'd heard  wasn't a figment of their collective imaginations.  "Aunt Strider, stop," the girl said again, her fingers tangling in the black fur on Aes' shoulder.  Slowly Aestrid stepped down off the bed, her snout pressing to the girls temple.  She smiled then and wound her arms around her aunts neck in a fierce hug.

"I'm alright, I swear I am," she said softly.  She finally looked up at the others taking them all in until her gaze landed on Loki.  He felt an odd buzzing at the base of his skull and frowned.  She frowned as well, looking back at her aunt then back at him.  She smirked then causing her startling grey eyes to sparkle.

"Aunt Strider, you must turn back.  You're making them very uncomfortable," she said before looking straight at Banner with a confused curiosity, "especially the scientist."  Aes stood back then allowing herself to once again become human.  Loki watched in fascination as the change came over her, he noticed it took her less time than when changing into the wolf.  Standing there in nothing but a sports bra and boy shorts, her hair wild about her head, shoulders and back she looked like a warrior woman of old.

She spared him a glance before looking down at her niece, rage in her eyes.  The girl had the good grace to look sheepish, looking up at her aunt with a smile that said she knew she was in trouble.  "Hi auntie," she said.  Aes crossed her arms over her chest and frowned down at her.  "You have much to answer for, girl," she said, a cold authority in her voice.  "Alright, why don't we all just get dressed, yeah?" Stark said running a hand through his hair.

An hour later they all sat or stood in the common room arguing among themselves.  Aes stood silently, arms crossed, legs braced apart and fully clothed.  Loki could feel the anger coming off her in waves and he noticed the child studiously keeping her eyes on her hands in her lap.  "I trained you myself, how did you allow them to trap you," Aes said coldly.  Everyone went quiet turning to them.  "Well you see, it's actually quite a funny story," she said trying to smile up at her aunt.  Aes rolled her eyes and started pacing. 

"Last I left you you were studying at college.  I trusted you to know your way, to learn all you can, to experience life without my constant watching over you.  Do you realize that had these strangers not come to find me I would've never known you were taken until it was too late," she nearly shouted.  The girl looked upset now and slightly embarrassed.  "I know aunt, I'm sorry," she said meekly.  "You are usually not the impetuous one, I am.  I swore to your mother that I would keep you safe and I failed.  You are usually not so reckless, what happened Aurora," she snapped.

Aurora took a deep breath before looking down at her hands again.  "I-I met a boy.  We grew close, I didn't realize that he wasn't who I thought he was until they cornered us," she nearly whispered.  Aes spun around and stared at her incredulously, "A boy?"  She looked up at her aunt with tears in her eyes, "I thought......I thought that he was my One."  Loki saw the exact moment that what Aurora said registered for Aes' eyes softened and she sighed as if exhaling all of her earlier rage.

She kneeled by the girls side and cupped her face in her hands.  "He just left me there, he was afraid of me.  It wasn't like mother and father at all," she cried.  Aestrid stood then shaking her head sadly, "When you find your One it will be all consuming.  He will protect you no matter what danger you face.  He will not abandon you to it.  You are far too young to be seeking out your One, Aurora.  You should've focused on your studies."  

Waving her wrist Aes manifested a single cigarette out of thin air and lit it before taking a drag.  "What did they want with you," Aes asked suddenly with a frown.  Aurora gasped jumping up suddenly, she grabbed her aunts shoulders, "You have to call the others."  Aes recoiled from her as if she'd just slapped her, her face a mask of horror.  "No," she whispered.  "Please!  You must my Queen," Aurora pleaded.  "Aurora," she snapped in warning.

Everyone in the room looked at each other in shock.  Thor frowned, "Queen?"  Aes looked at him sharply, "This is not your concern Odinson!"  Loki stared at her in shock, that was not the voice of a lowly mortal.  That voice held authority.  Aurora gasped, "Odinson?"  She stared at them both with wide eyes.  She shook off the shock and turned back to her aunt.  "They're in danger, we all are if they succeed," she pleaded.  "Alright," Steve said, "everybody just calm down a minute.  What are they planning?"  Aurora looked at them all before looking back to her aunt.  

"They're trying to make an army, an army of us," she said sadly.  Thor stepped forward, his brow furrowed in confusion, "What are you?"  Aes sighed, her shoulders slumping as she shook her head.  She turned to them a quiet rage burning in her eyes, "We are the Ulfhednar."