Loki: Winds of Winter

Chapter 51 - The Pack Arrives

Colonel Schneider had been informed by Ragna that her entire battalion was coming through the portal that day and would be put up at his Alpha One Base, awaiting deployment. She had arrived a few days ago with an entourage: herself, the Winter Soldier, an American Reporter, an American special forces soldier, a giant calling himself the Hound, and another man saying his name was Bronn. They were all staying on the base now, along with the small group of men she already had with her. The princess in question, was laying on the ground and using a sniper rifle. Bucky Barnes was standing behind her, earmuffs on, and his arms crossed over his chest. The Hound was beside him, a set of earmuffs on his own head, a frown set on his face so deep, the Marianas Trench could not compete. Bronn was sitting a little ways back from them, swirling a bottle of beer, and grinning. Ragna had taken the scope off the rifle and was merely using her eyes to gauge the distance. 

"The wind is picking up, so you might want to adjust-" Bucky started to say but Ragna lowered the muzzle and shifted her position before modifying the dial on the rifle. Bucky made a face and Ragna squeezed off a round. It pierced the target, dead center, at fifty yards. Bucky stopped talking and glared down at Ragna. She lowered the rifle and glanced over her shoulder, giving him a 'I did it' look. "You've handled at rifle before."

"Father made sure and I had training in all manner of weapons, with many different fighting styles. I first handled a sniper rifle when I was eighteen-years-old," Ragna answered. She pulled the gun back up again and aimed again. This time she let off five round, creating a ring around her bullseye. Ragna jumped up off the ground, dusted herself off, turned around and snatched Bronn's beer bottle from his hands. She took a swig before passing it back to him. Bronn just took the bottle back and finished it off. Ragna faced Colonel Schneider and smiled before she closed her eyes and tilted her head from side to side. "They're coming..." she said. Schneider was about to ask her how close when suddenly, a green portal appeared. Ragna approached it with her arms wide open and smirk on her face. The first figures to come through the portal were men wearing a wide array of garments. One man was wearing minimal armor at best, thick leather and dark skin. He looked like he was very happy to be there. The next man had flaming red hair and a maniacal expression on his face. He had thick fur coat and a large ax on his back. Another man with a beard came through, wearing all black and carrying a sword. Several other men came through of varying colors, races, and strengths. "My captains!" Ragna greeted. They bowed to her.

"Your grace," they all said seriously. She turned and signaled for Barnes, Castle, and Brock to advance.

"Allow to introduce my Midgardian compatriots: James Buchanan Barnes, formerly of the United States Military, WWII era. Frank Castle, US Special Forces, present era. Edward Brock, reporter," Ragna introduced.

"Don't need to make my job sound so prosaic," Brock commented dryly.

"A reporter? So, he is a bard? A storyteller?" one of the captains asked.

"A storyteller? That would imply that he actually told an entertaining tale. Brock is probably an exception, but most of his kind are foul beings, with twisted agendas. They walk through this world, soulless and corrupt. They warp words to suit their ends. I despise them. But, like I said; he's the exception," Ragna responded. Brock gave her a look and his head twitched a little. Ragna knew Venom was talking to him and she smirked a little. She turned to face her men. She frowned after half a second. "Captain Perros and his half-brother are being held during the investigation of the rape allegations?" she asked.

"Of course," Captain Dark Wing said.

"Have both of them brought through once we've established positions. I will hold the trial and finish the investigation. I've had private people probe the case while I was here," Ragna said and this made several of her captains raise their eyebrows. 

"Do you no longer entrust this kind of case to internal affairs?" Thoros of Myr asked. Ragna shook her head.

"This ran a little too deep for me to trust those close to the guilty party," Ragna responded and Thoros nodded his head. She gave him a smile and Bucky saw a brief glint of affection in her eyes. A man with an eye patch approached Ragna and bowed to her.

"I'm assuming that you want Thoros and me here strictly as advisors?"

"Of course! You both should be retired, but you stay here purely because you love me," Ragna said and the man huffed, shoving her lightly. She laughed a little before she turned back and smiled at Colonel Schneider. "This is Colonel Abraham Schneider. He is the commander in charge of this base. His rules are to be respected. Switzerland is the center of Europe, and therefore, the center of our operations. I will devise a battle plan after we break our evening fast. They dine at precisely six evening bells, and I requested that we be allowed to eat at eight evening bells. The captains, as always, will sit separate from the men, and we will begin our battle plans."

"Your grace," all the captains said before they bowed and moved to their prospective units. Only Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr remained by Ragna's side; along with Sandor Clegane, and the Midgardians. Ragna turned around and walked back towards the target range. Bucky fell into step right behind her and almost bumped shoulders with Clegane. Sandor glared at him and Bucky returned the look.

"I'm getting real tired of you giving me those looks. There's no need to be so hostile," Bucky commented. 

"You haven't given me reason to not be unfriendly. Until proven otherwise, I will treat you as I see fit, and you haven't earned my respect or my trust," Clegane answered and that was when both Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr came between them.

"Sandor! There's no need to treat the handicapped military mortal like that," Beric commented.

Handicapped?! Bucky thought, mildly outraged that Beric had called him that.

"Innocent until proven otherwise. Come on! Tell me all about this strange, Midgardian world!" Beric said as he led Sandor away from the mortals. 

"Allow me to extend our Westerosi apologies. The Hound has always been very protective of her royal highness, and views all men as potential skulls to split open," the top knot man said.

"And you are?" Brock asked somewhat suspiciously. The older man laughed, extended his arm, and bowed to them.

"I am Thoros of Myr, formerly a Red Priest of the Lord of Light, and now, an advisor and confidant of the Princess Ragna of House Frostborn," the man introduced. 

"You do look a little old to be doing this job," Eddie Brock commented and Thoros laughed. 

"I've known her royal highness since she was a child of only six-years-of-age. It was about fifteen years ago, she retired both Beric and me from fighting in the field alongside her. We now operate on an entirely advisory level," Thoros explained. He sighed and smiled at Ragna. She was talking to Beric rather animatedly and he seemed amused by her gesticulating. Finally, Ragna realized that Beric was making fun of her and she slapped his chest. He started laughing and Ragna laughed with him. Bucky caught the light moment as well and paused. Time seemed to slow down for him as he gazed at Ragna. The rays of the sun seemed to be captured in her green eyes and her smile was electric. Bucky did not know how long he was staring at her, but he did see both Castle and Brock giving him a look. He glared at them, and at least Castle looked away. Brock kept making a funny face at him for another couple of seconds before he also looked away. When Bucky glanced back at Thoros, the former Red Priest was giving him a knowing expression. 

 "What are you looking at?" Bucky asked defensively.

"The princess has an uncanny ability to bring men under her thrall. Many a man has sworn himself to her and all have given their lives for her. She has yet to find a man worthy of her attention," Thoros stated.

"What makes you think I even want her attention?" Bucky challenged before he walked away. He approached Ranga, and clearly put a damper on the conversation, because Ragna just stopped and raised her eyebrow at him. Thoros chuckled almost evilly.

"The man who does not want her attention, is undoubtedly the man who will receive it," Thoros muttered to himself. However, he was not the only person who heard it. A special forces soldier and a symbiote heard him as well.