Eagle (A Loki love story)

Chapter 34

Emily's POV

Nothing.  They had used Loki's magic to escape capture and we couldn't track it.  Fury had been watching the activities of the Bifrost but there had not been any since they had arrived last night so we knew they were still on Earth somewhere.  Tensions were high in Stark Tower where all of the Avengers (minus Thor) had moved in to help Tony recover from his recent surgery.  He'd finally gotten the ARC reactor taken out of his chest.  At the moment, we were all in Tony's massive bedroom writing a message to alert all of our assets around the world to Mira and Loki's presence.  We were about to send the message when a bright flash of colors zoomed past the window and a blaring alarm went off. 

"Go, go, go!  Get out there!  Get him!"  The Avengers grabbed their weapons and made for the exits but a loud female voice that echoed throughout the entire Tower stopped them.

"Mightily Avengers.  Have no fear.  I am Queen Frigga of Asgard and I come in peace.  I wish to negotiate with you on the matter of my son and his chosen."

"Stand down." Fury growled, "We don't want to rile her.  She's Thor's mother." The Avengers put away their guns and arrows and Fury went down to receive her.

When he returned about five minutes later, he was accompanied by a woman dressed in a long, graceful dress.  Her hair was straight and gold, with curls at the end, drawn behind her back.  The only wrinkles on her timeless face were laugh lines and her kind blue eyes twinkled with knowledge.

"Where's Thor?"

"The Nine Realms are in need of him.  He is leading the army and bringing peace."

"I think we should get straight to the point." Clint was glaring at Frigga, "What is it about Loki and Mira that you want to negotiate?"

"Upon their return to Asgard, further investigations were made about the time that Loki was 'off the radar', as you would put it.  And we found that–"

"How long was he off the radar and what happened?"

"It is a fairly long tale but I will abbreviate.  Thor first became known to you during the conflict in a small town here, correct?"

"A year before Loki attacked.  Yes."

"Well, when he returned to Asgard, there was a battle between himself and Loki which ended in the Bifrost being destroyed and Loki falling into an uncharted area of the Nine Realms.  He was presumed dead.  All of us were very shocked to learn that he was here."

"But what happened?!" Fury was getting impatient.

"We did not know and that is the complicated part.  Mira was able to persuade him to show her some of what happened to him so she could use it as defence in his trial–"

"He had a trial!?  Shouldn't the punishment be death for what he did!?"

"Ordinary, it would be.  However, it came to our attention that while Loki was in the void, he was found by Thanos.  A powerful Titan that has existed longer than Asgard itself.  He was long thought dead, worships death, and covets rule of the universe.  He wanted to enlist Loki's aid but he refused.  And so, Thanos tortured him.  I refuse to go into detail, just know that it was more horrific than any of you can imagine."

"I can imagine quite a bit." Clint growled, "Being put under mind control like that–"

"But Loki was put under Thanos's influence.  He just had a little more control over what he was doing."

"Then why would this Thanos need him to be willing?"

"Loki is skilled in magic, as I am sure you are aware, and had the power to break free of the control for brief moments of time, something Mira was able to help him do."