The Soulmate Initiative: Book 1

12. A deal

LOCATION: ASGARD

As soon as Tasia and Lavina have arrived back on Asgard, they are approached by guards, Lavina is taken to her cell and Tasia to the newly-fixed throne room. Tasia gets down on one knee before Odin, who speaks "You once said there would never be a wiser ruler than me. You were wrong. The alignment has brought all the realms together. Every one of them saw you offer your life to save them. What can Asgard offer its new ruler in return?" "My life... and Lavina's. Father, I cannot be Queen of Asgard. I will protect Asgard and all the realms with my last and every breath, but I cannot do so from that chair. Lavina, for all her grave imbalance, understood ruling as I know I never will. The brutality, the sacrifice, it changes you. I'd rather be a good woman than a great Queen." "Is this my daughter I hear, or the soulmates she loves?" "When you speak, do I ever hear mother's voice? This is not for my soulmates, father, they do not know what I came here to say." 

"One daughter who wanted the throne too much, another who will not take it. Is this my legacy?" "Lavina has fought alongside me with honour." Tasia stands up "I asked you to hear me out regarding what happened on Earth and you asked me not to. But may I now?" Odin sighs "Very well." "When I confronted her, I noticed something different about her. Yes, she always wanted to rule, and yes, she was willing to kill for it, but she would not be willing to lead a stranger's army into territory she wanted to claim. She is a trickster, she likes to play, and yes, some of her tricks are brutal and dangerous, but she would never threaten the life of a complete innocent. She would never kill for the fun of it if the person she was killing had done nothing to her. But she did. She led an army to Earth, enslaved people, killed thousands of humans… That's not my sister. That's not who she is." "Then who was it?" "She won't tell me his name, he scares her, even now." Tasia takes a step closer to the throne "She was being mind controlled, manipulated. She told me that he enhanced her wants and hopes, fed them and drove them further than she would take them." 

"If Lavina told you this, then are you sure you believe it?" "I do. Her eyes glowed blue, similar to those she took control of, just more subtle. She had more availability to act, but her consciousness wasn't accessible and her mind was flooded with orders from, I know not who." Odin looks concerned "If this is true and there is someone out there who managed to take over Lavina's mind like that, then we have a problem…" "That we do." Odin narrows her eye "What do you ask of me?" Tasia starts passing back and forth and she thinks… "Though she didn't have complete control over actions, they were only exaggerations of her true beliefs. So punishment should still be issued, but there is a punishment I think is more fitting." "You want Lavina to live on Midgard?" Tasia stops and looks up at the Allfather "Yes. But not as a mortal, but rather with her powers still intact and to use them to serve the Avengers to protect the Earth. Fighting alongside those she fought against, protecting the planet she intended to rule." The King thinks about it for a moment "We will discuss this further and I will evaluate Lavina. But for now, you will stay here and keep the peace within the Nine Realms. Once I have come to a decision, you, and possibly Lavina, may return to Midgard." Tasia bows "Thank you, Allfather." 

Back on Earth, Regina and Ashley return to New York, to the Stark Tower, now renamed Avengers Tower, where the others are all living. They update them on what's happened and that they don't know when Tasia will be home and if they will ever see Lavina again or not. When they both tell of Lavina's actions, the rest of the team are pleasantly surprised, yet of course, still suspicious.