Sorcha's Secret World, Part 2: Mystery and Mischief.

Chapter 18, Call me Dashing

As expected, the Templars weren't happy with the news we had to share with them. As a matter of fact, they were furious about how much we had withheld from them. I was glad Thor was with me.
All we could do was warn them, there was very little concrete information we had to share about Beaumont and Halja's whereabouts or plans.
At least now they knew, the vast intelligence network the various agencies shared between them would be looking out for Beaumont as well.

Loki and Jessie had come up with a way to make certain she always knew whether it was really him; a phrase only the two of them were aware of, a safeword if you will.
Loki did the same with the rest of us, so we'd also always know he was really our Loki if we were in doubt.
The Templars had agreed to assign an agent to Jessie as her bodyguard so she would be protected at all times and could continue her studies at university. Richard had been kind enough to assign Calinda, who was someone that Jessie and I both knew and trusted.
Until we learned more, there was not much else we could do.

"This should help distinguish me from the others," Loki said with a wry smile. He walked out of the bathroom while drying his hair. Without the black dye, the silver strands were clearly visible. He was shirtless, and the scars on his back and chest were no longer hidden either.
"At least now you'll know it is your husband and not an inferior version of me when you wake up in my arms."
"Oh shit, I hadn't even considered that!"
I was already in bed and held my arms out to him. Loki looked strangely insecure, preferring to hide the scars from his past even from me.
He curled up in the bed beside me and snuggled up in my arms.
"You are beautiful," I whispered, stroking an errant strand of hair out of his eyes. I was rewarded with a small smile.
For a while, we both lay there, both of us lost in our own thoughts.
"I still don't understand what Beaumont's plan is," I finally admitted. "I understand Hel wanting to create an undead army large enough to conquer Midgard, but how does that gain Beaumont access to Asgard?
The Bifrost is broken, and from what I understand it takes a lot of magic to send someone from there to here. Besides that, Odin hasn't interfered in Midgard's affairs for centuries."
"Hasn't he?" Loki raised an eyebrow. "I think Odin broke that resolution the moment he sent Huginn and Muninn to aid you on Solomon Island. Not to mention when he sent his son and the leader of the Valkyrie. Asgard has been embroiled in Midgard's affairs for quite a while now.
Beaumont's plan is to force Odin's hand, to create a large enough threat that will be impossible to be ignored. Perhaps he's even hoping to draw Odin to Midgard himself."
"Is that likely to happen?" I still had a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that Asgard and the gods truly existed. Loki and Thor were one thing, to me they were simply people I love dearly, and besides their longevity and powerful magic, not all that much different from the rest of us.
I couldn't imagine the rest of the pantheon walking amongst us again.
Loki, knowing me well enough to know what I was thinking, grinned and shook his head.
"What is that ancient curse again? 'May you live in interesting times?' It couldn't get more interesting than right now, my darling.
As for your question: I don't know. But I can't imagine Odin being content to sit by the sidelines once Hel starts her war. He is likely to at least send some of his Einherjar, which means somehow opening a way between both realms.
And once that happens, Beaumont will have his way back to Asgard."
We lay together in silence. All Loki had wanted ever since we met was to leave Asgard and his past behind him. Now his past had caught up with him, in the most catastrophic way possible.
"What will happen to you if Odin sends more of his men?"
"I'll be made to stand trial."
"This is going to end badly, isn't it?" I whispered softly.
"I am afraid so," Loki agreed quietly. "There is no way for this to end but in blood, fire and tears."

Neither of us slept much that night and when we finally did fall asleep, our rest was disturbed by one of Loki's night terrors.
I was bleary-eyed when I stumbled into the kitchen the next morning. Sif had gotten there before me, looking just as tired.
"Didn't sleep much either?" she asked.
I shook my head. The fact that the big warrioress was as worried as I was didn't feel particularly reassuring. Sif was wearing skintight jeans and a sleeveless t-shirt, leaving her arms bare. She was muscular, the curves of her biceps well-defined. I couldn't help but notice the tattoo on her arm; a stylized pair of wings with rows of Asgardian runes underneath.
Sif followed my gaze.
"All the Valkyrie have one," she explained. "The runes underneath are the names of the Valkyrie that have fallen while I was in command."
There were about a dozen of them.
"I am sorry," I said, not sure what else to say.
"All of them were my sisters in arms, but this one," she pointed at the third name, "was my sister in blood as well."
We sat down at the large kitchen table. I reached out and squeezed her hand. "I am really sorry about that. I can't imagine losing a sister."
"Trude was a lot younger than I was. Growing up, she was the pesky little sister that would not leave me alone. As she grew up, she was determined to follow in my footsteps. I was the youngest ever to join the Valkyrie, but Trude was only a few years behind me. She was fearless, reckless, always the first to run into danger, the last to get out of it."
Sif smiled sadly.
"I promised mother I'd do everything to keep her safe, a promise easier made than kept."
Her eyes met mine.
"You think that I treat Loki unfairly. You believe I needlessly hold on to old grudges. So hear my story, and see if you still judge me thus.
Loki has aligned himself with Halja, and her mother Hel, more than once in the past. One of those times, he helped Halja set a trap.
Trude was one of a small squadron of Valkyrie that was caught in it. Thanks to her, the rest of them managed to escape. Trude wasn't so lucky.
A week later, we found her body."
Sif looked down, trying to hide the pain that was written on her face.
"The things they had done to her... never have I seen a body so tortured and abused."
Sif looked up again, eying me defiantly.
"She was my little sister! I will never forget, and I will never forgive Loki for the part he played in her demise. Never! So judge me all you wish."
I closed my eyes. I had suspected Sif's anger at Loki was personal, but I had not expected anything like this.
"Loki has changed," I said finally, hoping I'd find the right words to say. "And I love him dearly for the person he is today.
But I will never excuse his past, nor do I condone the things he has done. I would never expect you to forget, and whether you can forgive him is up to you. I would not blame you if you can't.
Loki can't change the past, none of us can. The past is written in stone and all we can do is keep moving forward, no matter the burden we carry.
And the burden Loki carries is a heavy one. I am his wife, and I'll do anything I can to make carrying that burden a bit easier.
I don't judge your anger and pain, Sif, it is not my place. But neither do I judge Loki because that is not my place either. My place is to love and support him, just like you love and support his brother."
Sif held my gaze for a moment, neither of us blinking. Finally, she nodded.
"I like you," she said. "I really do. Loki doesn't deserve you, but I am glad he found you.
Perhaps you can keep him on the right path.
Norns know everyone else who tried that has failed so far."
I didn't know what to reply to that. I didn't consider it my job to try and control Loki, or to try and change him. Nor did I want it to be.
"I'll be leaving soon," Sif said. "I know it will probably be another wild goose chase, but I got word of another sighting and I'd rather be out there than sit here twiddling my thumbs."
I smiled at her. I could understand that. Sitting here in the hold was like waiting for a storm to arrive; we knew it was coming just not exactly where or when.