Loki's Last Chance: The Chosing of a King

The Non-Existing Punishment

Mari POV

I was standing on the balcony of my room. After a week in the infirmary, Thor had arranged a room for me in the palace, so I had been staying here for the past couple days. It had been two weeks since the incident with the Clohkraw and my side had healed almost completely. There was only a scar and some residual pain and tenderness left.

I leaned against the railing as I watched the sky brighten as a new day rose. It was going to be a nice day, except for the fact that they were going to tell the kingdom. All of Asgard would be gathering this morning to hear Thor speak.

A deep sigh escaped my lips as I rested my forearms on the railing. Loki had been courting me for a week now, and I didn't know if I could handle losing him if it came to that. We hadn't really done much yet since I was under 'room arrest', but he did a couple small things with me. Like watching the sunset together if I was awake, cuddling until I fell asleep, and playing with eachother's hair. I don't know how his got that long, but it looked oddly attractive on him.

"You ready?" A familiar voice asked from the door.

I glanced over my shoulder to see Loki in his full armor smiling at me. His helmet covered his hair which was combed back to frame his face, and he looked confident.

He walked up and joined me as I looked back to the city bellow.

"It seems I'm more nervous than you are, and it has nothing to do with me." I sighed.

"It'll be fine. I'm ready for whatever the kingdom decides."

"Ok. Let's go."

Loki offered me his arm, so I took it as we went back into my room.

The room had a simple bed and dresser, and was a light beige color.

We left my chambers and headed down to the front courtyard. Stopping in front of the large double doors, I took a deep breath to calm the nerves that bubbled inside. Thor could be heard talking to the crowds that had gathered through the door, so we just listened.

As Thor told them of Odin's death and Loki's deeds, Loki took my hand in his and gave it a light squeeze. When he finished, Loki slipped through the doors to stand at his side. I stayed in the hallway listening, since I had nothing to do with it.

I moved to sit in a chair as they discussed what to do about Loki pulling the wool over their eyes once again. Smoothing out the dark blue gown I had picked out and adjusting my silver breastplate, my mind drifted. All I could think of were ways this whole thing could go terribly wrong.

I was brought back from my thoughts when I heard Thor's voice rise over the protests and chaos. I listened intently knowing this would be the decided verdict.

"Then it is decided. The kingdom will vote throughout the next two weeks on which prince they want to be king. Though, keep in mind that I have decided the throne would suit me ill, and that you have been living under Loki's good rule since the attack of the dark elves. Loki has already proven that he is capable of running the kingdom as our father did."

The brothers returned through the doors and I stood to greet them. Loki gave me a small smile as Thor gave me a hug.

"That seemed to go quite well." I said as I was released.

"Except the fact that there are many angry people who would love to kill Loki on sight." Thor responded solemnly, then addressed Loki. "It may be a good idea for you to leave Asgard until the weeks are up."

"Where would I go? There is nowhere in the nine realms that people don't know who I am and what I've done, and there is no way I could go back to Midgard." Loki clarified.

"Well, there is one place I could take him..." I muttered, a smile creeping up my face as I got an idea.

"Where could you possible be thinking of?"

"Hey, I have a life outside Asgard..." I retorted.

"What do you have in mind, Lady Mari?" Thor asked.

"I'll take him to Midgard."

"What?!" They both asked, skeptically.

"I'll have you know, I have a solid life built down there. I've been popping back and forth between the two words for centuries." I informed them.

"But S.H.I.E.L.D...." Loki started.

"Won't bother us if you behave."

Thor nodded. "Loki will go to Earth with you until the voting is over."

Loki POV

Mari and I had been preparing to leave for the past hour. Neither of us needed anything or had anything to bring, but we didn't want to leave right away. We decided to walk the Rainbow Bridge since we weren't in a hurry.

Going back to Midgard made me slightly nervous, but I trusted Mari. If she said it would be fine, it would be.

I met Mari at the end of the bridge in my casual leather outfit that I wore the last time I was with SHIELD. Maria was in the dress she had worn earlier and had her hair pulled back into a bun. She gave me a smile and slipped her hand into mine.

No one noticed as we walked along the shimmering glass, but Mari seemed a little on edge, staring straight with a tight grip on my hand.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Hmmm? Oh, yeah. It's just that heights have always bothered me. They make me nervous."

I looked down and realized that the bridge was pretty high up. Maybe thirty, forty feet. It didn't bother me, but it seemed Mari didn't like it at all.

"We could have taken a horse... It would have been faster." I suggested.

"I don't really do horseback riding." She stated. "The only kind of horse I like being around is Sleipnir."

"Since when have you been hanging around my kids?" I asked, confused.

"Since you left. They are such sweethearts... Love them to bits." She smiled, but it soon disappeared. "I'm always the one that has to tell them you're dead..."

She didn't say it in the past tense, as if she wasn't sure she would have to do it again. My throat tightened at the thought.

I brought her hand to my lips and gave it a light kiss.

"I'm sorry. I had never even thought about the people I left behind. You, nor the children."

"They are not quite children anymore." Mari smiled again.

We spent the rest of the walk with her catching me up on how each of my kids were doing and what had happened since I last saw them. All four were fine, but it made me feel guilty to talk about them. In all my scheming, I hadn't even considered how it all would effect them. With Hel and Jörmungandr never around, it was sometimes hard to remember that I even had offspring of my own.

We soon arrived at the Bifrost, and Mari visibly relaxed as we approached Heimdallr. She gave him a smile, and he in return gave the smallest of smiles. This surprised me because Heimdallr never showed any real emotion.

Maria quickly pulled me to the opening in front of Heimdallr, and we faced each other. She took hold of both my hands and gave him a slow nod.

The bright lights of the Bifrost enveloped us, soon whisking us away to a whole new adventure.

A/N:

Here you go! The sequel to Loki's Last Chance is officially started!

So you know, I don't plan on including Loki's children in my stories other than them being talked about. For the people who don't like the idea of Loki being a dad/mom already, I'm only going to mention them every once in a while.