Avengers The Captain's Secret

Part 29: Questions Answered

LESEDI EVELYN POV

It's day six.

Yesterday I was with Ingemar all day, beginning at dawn. He showed me more of Jotunheim. We climbed mountains. We iced things. We made bridges to cross to other mountains, which was fun. He was very surprised that I could read animals, but that was something I could do back home. He thought we would hunt, and I refused. I would not call innocent creatures to their death but I did call them to us for inspection and study. That felt more like a vacation or class trip, as Dad called it when we were in the Rockies.

We went into the wilderness. The surprise was Jotunheim's definition of wilderness was a cold but not frozen forest with running water. It was custom for the greatest warriors to hunt there, because even at fifty degrees, the Jotunn were weakened, so to achieve some sort of victory commanded respect.

But Ingemar and I were immune to this. We were alright in fifty degree weather.  This was when I found out that Ingemar was like me-that is, he wasn't full Jotunir. He was half that and half Asgardian, like Loki. It was fun to be out and away from the palace in the wilderness; it felt like a sight-seeing trip.

But today, I awakened to something wonderful and terrible. I found a generator of sorts so I could charge my MP3. I found some of my clothes from home. I found Brooklyn's bed and litter box. Someone had gone home and gotten my things!

I was in a panic. The good thing was my life may not be in danger. The bad thing was plans were being made for me to stay a long time. And how did they get my things?! Nothing was making sense, or any sense that made me feel good.

Ingemar showed up sometime later. His look was grave.

"What's wrong?"

"Utgard-Loki...." he swallowed hard. "Is interested in you."

"Interested?" I repeated. "He wants me to sing all the time?"

"He is considering...more."

"More what?!" I demanded. "What could I..." My stomach turned. I felt like my heart was going to stop. "Ingemar...?"

"He wonders if you can give him children who can sing, who can communicate with our animals." His gaze lowered. "I took you around our lands to see how you responded and adapted. You did very well, and I reported that, as was my duty." His eyes raised to mine. "I wish I had not."

"Can't you--"

"No," Ingemar paused. "You have a lot of gifts many do not have. I had hoped--"

"Hoped what?"

He hesitated, but then said in a rush, "That you would consider me as a mate, but--"

Now my mind was spinning. "Ingemar!" I always thought he was attractive, but this was not my home...and then there was Steve...

"I know you better than anyone here," he reasoned. "and unlike most of the males in this kingdom, I will not accidentally hurt you. I have been studying human interaction. It is similar to that of Asgard. I can do this. For you, I can do this!"

I saw the plea in his eyes. He meant every word. I looked at him. If I didn't have feelings for Steve, if I hadn't been taken against my will, I would have given this a chance. Maybe without knowing it I had, but I had not given up on Steve.  Truthfully, all I did was hope to see him again.

"Whomever it is you think of, he is too far away--"

Suddenly I heard a beep.

"He is in another realm and I am here!" Ingemar pressed.

Another beep. What is that? I started looking for the source.

"Lesedi?"

I found Brooklyn asleep on the bed under a blanket. He had begun crawling out, apparently startled. I noticed his collar; it was beeping!

"What is that?"

I picked Brooklyn up. "It sounds like...a tracking device." It was his collar!

"What?"

I threw the purse carrier on my shoulder, clutched my pet to me and left my room. I began to run in whatever direction made the collar beep louder or faster. I wasn't even sure I would be able to find my way back to my room, but I was going forward.

"Lesedi, come here, we have to talk!"

I ignored him. I kept running. "Oh, my God. Oh my God!" I didn't know where I was going, but I had a feeling I was going to Steve. He-or Tony-must have put a homing device in Brooklyn's collar! They were here! I increased my speed.

"Lesedi!"

I found the throne room and there they were: Thor, Iron Man and Captain America. I wanted to rush to them, get out of here, but I caught the tension in the air. I froze. What was going on?

Steve gave me a small smile, turning
off  device that blinked in synch with the dog's collar. He then turned serious as he addressed Utgard-Loki. "You were saying?"

"There is still much to be discussed." Utgard-Loki was clearly displeased. "The agreement we made was for Ingemar to have a mate."

Just then, I felt Ingemar's hand on my shoulder. I pulled away from him, and stowed Brooklyn in his carrier on my hip. "You? What--"

"What agreement?" Thor demanded.

"We gave-technology-to a Midgardian named Fury."

We all looked at each other.

"For what?"

"To bring back someone named....Coulson."