Hostage to Love

Blackmail is such an ugly word

"Thor?  Are you over here?  THOR??"  Jane was wandering in the orchard the following day.  She'd spent a lovely morning, walking and talking and generally being a companion to Ari.  Loki and Thor had been locked away in a room discussing Asgardian issues, which to be honest, Ari had little to no interest in.  Anything of any importance for Vanaheim, which was probably not much, could be dealt with by her Prince and he would let her know.  She really did trust him that much.  It wasn't that she didn't want to rule, it was just... she didn't want to rule.  She knew she had to, it was her duty, but that didn't mean she wanted to.  She never had.

Now, the idea of splitting her time between Asgard and Vanaheim made the whole idea much more palatable.  They would take a long break in Asgard every few months, where she could rest, relax and enjoy being with Loki.  He would get to see his brother and his father and, just maybe, any of their Midgardian friends.

Midgard.  Ari so wanted to see it for herself.  She'd spent the morning quizzing Jane about it.  "Do you really get to drive yourself?  Do you wear trousers EVERY day?  And what does coffee really taste like?" she'd seen what Loki had shown her by enchanting her and letting her see his memories - well some of them.   Although she new the truth about a certain visit a few years ago, she specifically didn't want to see those images.  Not because she was shying away from the truth, no, but because she couldn't handle seeing her love in such pain and turmoil.

Yes, he'd said it was pure vengeance against Thor and Odin, but the Dark Order and the Chitauri had exploited that anger and turned it into something else.  But that was then, and this was now.

The two women had parted ways when Thor and Loki's meeting had broken up, Ari going to attend to affairs of state that she'd been avoiding, and Jane to meet Thor.  They were planning to stay a few more days then head back to Asgard to begin planning their wedding.

Jane heard a rustling in the trees ahead and grinned.  It always made her laugh how he thought he could be discrete and ninja-like at 6'4" with Olympic God stature.  As Darcy always said "all muscly and everything".  Darcy... she hoped she was ok.  She'd left her and Iain in charge of the lab while she was gone.  She could only keep her fingers crossed Darcy didn't hack SHIELD off while she was away - at least Erik could be relied on to pour oil on Darcy troubled waters.

Now she crept up to where the main noise was coming from.  Dashing round the tree, she bumped into not Thor but a large, VERY large man dressed in armour and armed with an axe and a very bad attitude.

"Morning missy!" he grabbed her and she started to scream, to no avail.  A large and distinctly calloused hand closed over her mouth.  "Oh no you don't.  You're coming with me.  Someone wants to have a little word.  And you've got all the words we want to hear." He lifted and tucked her under his arm as she struggled and mumbled distinctly Midgardian curses at him.

In a few strides she was manhandled onto a horse and away.

Thor dismounted and wandered through the orchard.  Where was she?  Ari had said she'd gone for a walk.  He felt bad, leaving her for so long but Loki and he had lots to discuss, not least this potential rebellion.  He'd tried to suss it out before he had to let Ari know.  Only a few days into her reign and already disquiet in her realm?  Not the way he would have wished for her to get familiar with ruling.

"Jane?  Jane are you there? Come on, time to go and eat I brought some Pop-tarts with me and they are calling!"  He knew that would make her laugh, his reputation for Pop-tarts had stuck ever since their first meeting all those years ago in New Mexico.  This time though?  Nothing.  Now he was beginning to get worried.  She wouldn't just go off on her own.