The Hermit Herbalist

Chapter 36 - A Much Needed Girl's Day

Pepper was thrilled at the idea of taking Loki out for a girl's day, and was a little miffed she had not thought of it earlier.  As soon as Tony had suggested it, she had run to Loki, clasped her hands together and apologized for not thinking of helping her sooner.  Loki had simply replied that she was tired and Tony thought a day away would do her some good.  Although, she was loathe to leave Darian in the care of three men (all of which who were not related to him).  Darian was laughing as Thor blew bubbles onto his stomach and tried to tangle his fingers into his beard, as Bruce hovered nearby, anxiously cleaning his glasses.  Tony was standing before the elevator, bidding the two women adieu.  

Loki was wearing a light green, knee-length dress, with little flower patterns in it and a pink belt.  Light pink, flat shoes graced her feet and her black hair was up in a high pony-tail.  A light dusting of makeup was on her face, and she held onto a small, green purse.  Pepper was holding her one arm, loosely looped in hers.  She was wearing a navy blue, knee-length dress with a white sweater and white heeled shoes.  Her red hair was down, save for a little pin keeping it partially pinned on her right side.   A simple, red belt cinched around the middle completed Pepper's ensemble.  Tony whistled and said, "Have fun keeping the boys off."  Loki made a face, clearly remembering Kael's assault and Pepper glared at him.  "I mean-  Have fun!" Tony corrected as he pushed them into the elevator and retreated before one of them could commit violence on him.  

Pepper looked to Loki and gave her a comforting smile.  "I know Tony just forgot and meant nothing by it," she comforted as the elevator descended to the first floor.  Loki shook her head and gave her female friend a sweet little smile in return.

"I know Tony didn't mean offense.  I took the words he said and divined a different meaning," Loki responded as she fiddled with her purse.

"You suffered a trauma and, from what I've gathered, you've never spoken to anyone about it," Pepper said and Loki kept looking forward.  Pepper did not want to ruin their day, but she also knew that it needed to be addressed at some point.  Loki should speak to someone regarding the violence that was committed against her by Kael on multiple occasions.  Pepper suspected that Loki had a medieval mindset: women did not speak of such things in the old days; they merely suffered through them in silence.  

Upon exiting the tower, Happy Hogan was waiting beside the car and he opened the back door for them.  "Where to, Miss Potts?" he asked with a smile.  

"We're going to Bloomingdale," Pepper said and Hogan nodded, giving Loki such a warm and friendly look that she could not help but be put at ease.  She happily entered his car.

"That was so much fun!  In Nornheim, we would have gotten a group of women together, exchanged materials, made our own new clothes, and then picnicked on the river bank," Loki said as she and Pepper took lunch at the Gramercy Tavern.  

"Well, I suppose that's your version of fun," Pepper said as she carefully picked up an oyster and sucked out its guts.  Loki made a little face at the noise, but lost it as she took a bite of her shrimp.  The two ladies had spent a couple hours shopping and were enjoying themselves at a posh New York restaurant before going to a spa for the afternoon.  Both women had martinis in front of them.  Loki had been hesitant to drink alcohol, not wanting to taint her breast milk for Darian.  But Pepper had provided a pump and she had filled enough bottles in the fridge to keep Darian fed for the next four days, enough time for the alcohol to leave her system.  The two women clinked their glasses together and sipped their drinks.

"Pepper Potts!  I never expected to see you here without Tony Stark," said a voice and three women approached their table.  Pepper stood up and gave them the faux air kisses on both cheeks before sitting back down again.

"Whose your friend?" one of the ladies asked, giving Loki a mischievous side glance.  Loki felt uncomfortable, wondering what the meaning was behind that look.

"This is Loki Barton, a good friend of mine," Pepper introduced.  Loki gave them a pleasant smile and a slight bow of her head.

"Barton?  Isn't that the last name of another member of the Avengers?  I didn't know he was married," one of the ladies said.

"Wasn't he missing for about a year?" another lady asked.

"He was.  This is the woman who so kindly took care of him while he was away.  They married and she came back with him," Pepper explained, neglecting to inform them that Loki was in fact The Loki from the New York Invasion.  

"We heard it was a backwater world that still uses sword and bows.  You must be glad to be on earth, where we are much more civilized than those creatures that don't even have plumbing," one of the women said, directed at Loki.  They all laughed like teenagers and Pepper could tell that Loki was annoyed.  Especially with them speaking so poorly about the people who had welcomed her and taken care of her for years.  However, Loki graced them with a winning smile and a twinkle in her eyes as her back straightened.

"If by a backwater, you mean a world where men actually care for their communities and women learn useful trades in society, then, yes; I came from a backwater world," Loki said in the most polite tone you had ever heard.  The three women's smiles dropped like flies as Loki took another sip from her martini and swirled it in her glass.  Pepper lightly nibbled on her lip, reminding herself not to intervene and observe how Loki handled self-important women.  

"Well!  You can't mean to think that a place like that is superior to 21st century earth?" one of the women asked aghast.  

"Superior?  No!  Equal to in every respect, yes.  My husband adapted to my world brilliantly.  He was never considered weak by the men of my village.  He contributed and was accepted.  I survived on my own for years before he arrived; and I was protected because I was a healer, a valuable person in the village and to its people.  Those people are not less than the people of your world because they might not have gone to fancy schools, or work in tall buildings, or have houses with plumbing," Loki said with a hint of a smirk in her voice.  The three women exchanged mildly embarrassed looks and Pepper could not help by revel in their discomfort.

"Well!  Your friend is certainly interesting, Pepper.  We'll have to have lunch with you sometime," one of the women said, now ignoring Loki.  Loki did not even care as she took another shrimp and popped it into her mouth.

"Of course!  Have a lovely day!" Pepper responded, effectively dismissing them.  The three women seemed surprised that Pepper was sending them away like that, but they have her polite smiles and left them alone.  Pepper looked back to Loki and saw the former goddess admiring her dinner knife.  "Glad I bid them farewell.  You look like you want to murder someone."

"Murder is too good for some people.  I don't include them in that group.  Now if I had someone like Kael in my grasp, I would never grant him the mercy of death.  It would be too kind to give him the sweet release," Loki said as she placed the knife down on the table.  Pepper stiffened.  The tone of her friend's voice and the expression on her face reminded her too much of the videos she had seen of the male Loki during the invasion.  

"You seriously think that?" Pepper asked and Loki turned her gaze to her.  Pepper felt her blood run cold.

"That bastard attempted to rape me and would have killed my son.  Yes, I would gladly do it and not lose a wink of sleep."