Birthright

Another Day In Paradise?

Tom looked at his screen and sighed. This was not going well. This chapter had taken all his concentration. Every time he began, he seemed to wander from recalling facts to being part of the fiction itself.

It had taken all day to write a scant two thousand words. What in the hell was happening to him.

His latest series of articles were around women and Norse legends. He'd started with Sigyn, the lover of Loki, whom he found to be shallow and scheming. Not Loki, no. Sigyn. He doubted if he were Loki he would have been taken in by her. He certainly wouldn't have had children with her.

No. She wasn't the object of his fantasy.

Neither was Queen Frigga. She was noble, fierce, and passionate. The wife of Odin, possessor of magic, and her chariot was pulled by cats! That always made him smile. Cats, eh? It took a strong will to herd cats. And he should know. He turned and stroked his large ginger tabby, now residing on his desk next to him.

"You'd never make a chariot cat, would you Volstagg?" He smiled as the cat stared at him, unblinking. He seemed to sniff in disgust, then started the daily ritual bath. Tom laughed. "No shame, old son, no shame whatsoever!"

No Frigga wasn't the woman he now spent hours imagining.

That honour went to Valkyrie. No particular one, they weren't specifically named - Brunhilde in Wagners opera didn't count. No, it was the fierce passion with which they fought. The loyalty to Asgard. The strength to excel in what seemed to be, at that time, a man's world. Today? On Earth? They were the CEO's, the politicians, the surgeons, and, he had to admit, the millions of women all over the world simply holding their lives together in the face of overwhelming odds. Even today, women were expected to be the backbone. Having a family, living a career, raising children, dealing with life without a second thought.

Nope. Not much had changed over the millenia. Just the clothes. Oh, and the names. He'd loved the old names. Even his own, Torbroder. 'Brother of Thor'. He wondered how his family had a norse connection. He wondered if he would ever find out.

He also wondered if he would see his own personal Valkyrie again? He'd done the unthinkable. Kissed her and let her go. With his phone number no less. That never happened. It either ended, like it had with Bren... Betty, he shook his head, or he left the bar alone. Never like last night. Hot and bothered and distinctly unfulfilled.

There had been something different about her. Something strong, passionate, but in no way subservient. Yes, she was indeed a modern Valkyrie. His fantasies had begun to include her. He smiled and sighed, shaking his head. "Back to work, old boy." He said aloud, making the cat look at him. He wasn't sure who he really meant.

Frigga sat looking at her husband. It had been weeks since he'd fallen into the latest Odinsleep. This time, there had been no trigger. No fight, no stress, just sleep. She had the distinct feeling this was his time. Holding his hand as he lay in the huge gilded bed, she looked up as Thor walked in.

"Have you found him? Made contact?" She asked softly, her gaze returning to Odin. Thor sat opposite her, looking at his father.

"Any change?" He asked, more in hope than expectation. He looked at her and she shook her head. "Asa found him. Your magic is strong mother, he still has no idea who - or what - he is."

Frigga looked up. "Get him here, and I will reverse it. We need your brother. Odin's time is ending. When he goes, Asgard will be vulnerable." She stroked Odin's forehead. "If only they could have been reconciled." Her voice matched her eyes, filled with regret and sadness. "I only hope, once he remembers, he will agree. Your Father... well, we can only hope." Tears fell, something Thor had rarely seen. Not even when Loki had been banished.

"Asa will not fail us. She knows she has to bring him back at all costs. Asgard needs him." He paused and looked at his father, "WE need him."

He stood and walked back out to find Heimdal. He needed an update. As he left, Frigga closed her eyes. She knew bringing Loki's mind back would be difficult, if not damn near impossible. It might cost him - and her - everything. Permanently.

Asa picked up her phone. These infernal things annoyed the Helheim out of her. A necessary evil in this world, she'd been disgusted how quickly she'd become attached to hers. Now she dialled a number and waited.

"Come on, pick up." She drummed her fingers on the table top. "For Odin's SAKE!" She was about to hang up when a man's voice answered.

"Hello, you've reached the life model decoy of Tony Stark... consulting hours are every other Tues....."

"Shut up and speak to me Stark!" She barked down the phone. For a second there was silence then laughter.

"I see you still know how to handle technology rather better than Point Break!" Tony Stark was nothing if not genial. "What can I do for you Little Miss Fierce?"

Despite her best efforts, she laughed. "Tony, you are incorrigible. How Pepper puts up with you I'll never understand. I would ask if you're well, but thats self evident." She sighed. "We need to talk Tony. There's been... developments, and I need to speak to Fury. Can you arrange it? Quickly?"

"Sure." Tony sobered up, for Asa to call him and ask for a face to face with Fury, there must be something up. Thor had taken a leave of absence - not that anyone could actually stop him anyway - to return to Asgard. Something about Odin needing to sleep? Who knew? "I'll send the Quinjet. Usual place. Tomorrow? 10am?"

"Thanks, Tony." She said, "See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow Asa." He was gone.

She knew he'd taken it seriously when he'd called her by her name. Tony was nothing if not the perennial joker. If he stopped, then it meant business.

She looked at her phone for a minute. Ok, so. Tomorrow. She would speak to Fury tomorrow. Tell him they were taking Loki back. Not ask, no. Tell. S.H.I.E.L.D. might have clout on Midgard, but in the world of Yggdrasil? Asgard still ruled. And while there was still an Asgard to do that, she intended to do her job.

Dialling another, this time unfamiliar number, she waited. Voicemail. Real voicemail this time.

"Hi... it's Asa? You remember? From the bar? I... I just wondered if you fancied... lunch? You do eat don't you? Phone me? Bye Tom." She made her voice

She put the phone down and rubbed her eyes. Right, if she was going to do this, it had to be by the book. No getting involved. She'd get him on side. Want to help her 'government project'. She only had to get him to agree to go with her. Frigga would take care of the rest.

As she looked at the phone, willing it to ring, she sighed. Had she failed at the first hurdle? Getting up she went to get a drink. Her hand had barely touched the bottle of water when her screen lit up.

With a deep breath and smiled as she answered. "Hi Tom...."