Beautiful Chaos

{part five | chapter one}

time: ragnorok
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It had been a long time. Months. Nearly a year now. Several, happy, peaceful months. Months they had spent together. Months they had spent falling deeper into love with each other.

Why did it have to be interrupted?

It was a lovely, warm day on Asgard. Lilith was lounging on a beautifully upholstered fainting couch, it's lush, velvet, green cushions and intricately carved, gold-painted wooden framing continuously distracting her from the ridiculous play being performed in front of her.

"Grapes, your highness?"

"Hm?" She pulled her attention away from the wooden leaf she was tracing with her finger tip to glance at the speaker.

"Would you like some grapes, your majesty?"

"Oh. Yes, thank you. Just place them there." Gesturing at the small table, she smiled at the palace worker and turned towards the stage once more, forcing a laugh back as she watched the Asgardian actors reenact Loki's death. Or at least, what would've happened had he actually died. The performance was entirely over exaggerated and Lilith had even caught Loki stifling a chuckle a few times throughout the play.

He was seated on his own couch, disguised as Odin, as he usually was in the public eye.

The peaceful afternoon was suddenly disturbed by applause, Loki even stood from his lounge and cheered for the actors. Lilith stood with him, smiling at him as she clapped.

"That was terrible," She whispered to him, leaning over so only he could hear.

"I know. I sound nothing like that," Loki said, referencing the actor's depiction of him as he picked up his goblet of wine and took a sip. Lilith rolled her eyes.

"Actually, I thought that part was fairly accurate. I was referring to the man who played-"

"Who?" Loki questioned, seeing Lilith's gaze freeze on someone in the crowd of Asgardians. When he turned around to see who she was staring at with such a horrified expression, he could only respond one way.

"Oh shit." He put his cup quickly back on the table set between the two couches and composed himself.

"Father." Thor greeted.

"Uh... My son, Thor, has returned!" He announced to the crowd, "Greetings, my boy." The citizens gave a small round of applause for the god of thunder.

"That's an interesting play. What's it called?"

"The Tragedy of Loki of Asgard," The disguised prince answered, "The people wanted to commemorate him."

"Ah, indeed they should. I like the statue. It's a lot better looking than he was when he was alive, though." Lilith saw Loki take aback at this slightly, but stayed silent, hoping that Thor wouldn't realize she was there, "A little... less weaselly. Less greasy, maybe. Do you know what this is?" Thor held up an enormous skull-like thing that was almost as large as he was.

"Oh, the skull of Surtur. That's a formidable weapon!"

"Do me a favor," He held the skull out to one of the guards, "Lock this away in the vault so it doesn't turn into a giant monster and destroy the whole planet." Loki looked to Lilith for help when his brother was distracted, but she just shrugged.

"So... it's back to Midgard for you, is it?"

"Nope." Thor threw his hammer and caught it casually, "I've been having this recurring dream lately. Every night I see Asgard fall into ruins."

"That's just a dream. Signs of an overactive imagination," Loki suggested.

"Possibly. But then I decided to go out there and investigate. And what do I find but the Nine Realms completely in chaos. Enemies of Asgard assembling, plotting our demise. All while you, Odin, the protector of those Nine Realms, are sitting here, in your bathrobe, eating grapes."

"Yes, well it is best to respect our neighbors' freedom."

"Yes, of course, the freedom to be massacred." Thor threw his hammer forward this time, only a half-foot away from Loki's head.

"Yes, besides, I've been rather busy myself."

"Watching theater." Lilith bit her lip, chewing on it anxiously. If he looked just past where Loki was standing he would notice her and the whole charade would be over. Then again, maybe it already was. Loki was rambling about board meetings and secretary council meetings and blabbering about anything he could think of to attempt to drag himself out of his own mess.

"You're really going to make me do this?" Thor interrupted the supposed king's tangent.

"Do what?" Loki asked. Thor paused for a moment before throwing his hammer at least three miles away from where they stood and placed his hand around the back of Loki's throat.

"You know that nothing will stop Mjolnir as it returns to my hand," Thor said, "Not even your face." The palace guards moved towards the pair, ready to protect their king, but they weren't sure if Thor would actually hurt his father, so they kept a safe distance, not interfering quite yet.

"You've gone quite mad," Loki trembled, "You'll be executed for this."

"Then I'll see you on the other side, brother." It was over, he knew. The hammer was speeding back, in less than a half-minute it would smash through Loki's face and kill him for real this time.

Lilith picked up the long fabric of her dress and moved quickly to stand between the two gods and Mjolnir. She was going to have to get to the hammer before Thor did.

Just before she jumped in front of them, Loki shouted, "Alright I yield!" and the disguise faded away.

Holding out her hand, Lilith caught the handle firmly and when it smacked against her palm, the dull rush of lightning pulsed through her veins. She grunted slightly. It felt heavier than it had a few years ago when she had first lifted it. She ignored it and turned to look at Thor with a fiery glint in her sparkling brown eyes.

"You dropped this." She said, shoving the hammer at Thor's chest once Loki had moved out of the way. The man buckled slightly, coughing before attempting to act as though he hadn't been affected.

"Lady Stark?"

"Hi, Thor." Lilith felt her bottom lip quiver. She was nearly twenty-two now, and fairly pissed off that the god had almost decapitated her partner, but it had been so long since she had seen her friend, her family member, and she couldn't help but tear up and bring him into a fierce hug. He wrapped his arms around her, hesitant at first.

"I'll deal with you later," He said to her. He mustered up a strained smile that looked more like a grimace before turning to his brother with a glare. The crowd was still murmuring about Loki and his disguise. A man came rushing through the crowd, covered in some sort of slime and causing more distress and confusion than there already was.

"Behold!" He panted, "Thor... Odinson..."

Loki turned to him, disappointment and frustration etched on his features, "You had one job," he held up a finger, shaking it at the man in a scolding manner, "Just the one."

"Where's Odin?" Thor asked.

"You just couldn't stay away, could you?" Loki asked, completely disregarding his brother's question, "Everything was fine without you. Asgard was prospering. You've ruined everything. Ask them," he gestured to the crowd.

"Where's father?" Thor asked again, fed up with his brother's antics, "Did you kill him?" Thor stalked towards Loki, chasing him up the steps of the pavilion they had previously been seated under and holding the hammer to his chest, threatening him once more.

"Woah, woah, woah! Okay! I know exactly where he is."

"And where is that?" Thor sneered.

"Midgard." Lilith said timidly, "Earth."

"Well that solves that problem, doesn't it?"

"What problem?" Loki asked, his eyes suddenly wide with worry.

"That problem," Thor pointed at Lilith, "pack your things, Lady Stark. You're going home."