Contest of Champions

6

It's not long after that strange encounter before I have to head to the throne room to prepare for the ceremony. The throne room is usually limited to only Odin and those others he would permit entrance, with one exception: Reaping Day. That's where the ceremony is televised every year because it's large enough to hold all of Asgard and it still contains the grandeur we were once known for. The irony of the greatest realm forced to play Thanos' game is well seen here.

Odin, Frigga, Thor, and Hela are already there. As I enter, I see Gamora and Nebula coming in through another entrance. As members of the Black Order, they are required to be publicly present at the Reaping, to ensure order and make sure the chosen contenders don't try anything rash.

As I walk towards the dais, I see Thor's eyes look over my head in the direction of the daughters of Thanos. His eyes light up with happiness. Since I doubt he's excited to see those two particular girls, I guess Asgard's Contest of Champions escort has finally arrived.

A swift glance over my shoulder reveals my suspicion is correct. Jane Foster is entering the throne room.

She wears a floor-length Asgardian blue dress and her long, straight brown hair streams down her back, loose like always. I watch as she goes walking past me and right into the arms of Thor. He holds her close and presses his lips to the top of her head before pulling back and staring into her eyes, his hands cupping her face, her fingers wrapped around his wrists. Then they share a long, passionate kiss.

I feel a hand on my shoulder and Gamora is standing there, just looking at me. "What are you staring at?" she asks.

"Oh," I say, turning to her. "Would you rather I stared at you?"

She lifts an eyebrow, not amused.

"Oh, are we still fighting?" I ask. "Because I thought the whole hand-on-my-shoulder was a sign of forgiveness."

Gamora rolls her eyes and shoves at my head. I go with the movement and step away from her. "Very well, we can still be angry."

Nebula sighs as she walks past us, heading for the dais. "Children," she murmurs at our behavior.

Frigga sees her and smiles. "Nebula," she calls out in greeting, stepping down from the dais, her bright yellow dress brushing against the steps.

"Queen Frigga," Nebula answers, bowing her head as she halts before the queen. Frigga walks over to her and gives her a hug.

Nebula and Gamora are familiar with the Odinson household because they kind of grew up with us. When they were young and first assigned to guard Asgard, Thanos brought them to Odin personally and told him to take care of them until they were older. Although the Other is our head Peacekeeper here, he seems to enforce from a distance, and leaves the actual work to Gamora and Nebula. In all honesty, we prefer that.

My mother did what she always does when Thanos left them here: she took care of the two girls. She loved them, tended to their needs. She's just like that. She cares for those who need it, and Nebula and Gamora needed it. Which is why, when my mother embraces Nebula, the daughter of Thanos wraps her arms tightly around her. Frigga has often remarked sadly that Nebula always hugs her hard, like she'll never receive an embrace again. I once said that she wouldn't, if it weren't for my mother.

That wasn't a good comment to make, on my part.

Gamora, on the other hand, never took to the rest of my family, not even to the extent that Nebula did. She is only friendly to me, and courteous to Frigga. Otherwise, it's a hostile manner she wields towards Odin and Thor. Hela's not here enough for Gamora to have established a particular attitude towards her, beyond icy civility.

Asgardians begin to filter into the throne room, those eligible for the Reaping taking their preordained places in the front. It's a large enough chamber to hold all of Asgard's population. Odin takes his place on his throne, Frigga, Jane, and I standing to his right while Thor and Hela stand to his left. Gamora and Nebula stand, one on the far left, one to the far right, at the bottom of the steps leading up to the dais, ready to quell any disturbance that should arise. The Other, a cloaked, masked alien who only makes an appearance at Reapings and other rare, special events, stands lurking behind Odin's throne, off to his left, like a menacing shadow.

But we're still missing someone.

There's an awkward silence as Jane presses her lips together and glances around, looking for our missing champion. But the silence is short-lived, for she actually does show up. Intoxicated, like normal.

Valkyrie staggers down the steps leading into the throne room from the direction of the champions' wing, swaying from side to side. At one point, her foot misses the step and she plummets, falling down the remaining couple of stairs and sprawling on the floor. For a moment, she just lies there.

"Is she okay?" Jane asks uncertainly, but it's not as if she hasn't seen this before. Valkyrie's drunk every year. "Is she unconscious?"

"No," I answer. "I think she's dead."

Jane gives me a look that says plainly how insensitive, but I just shrug.

The crowd, meanwhile, is fidgeting, unsure of what they should do. Finally, Valkyrie shoves herself to her feet.

"Wait!" she calls out to no one in particular, managing to pitch forward toward the dais. It takes her a minute to figure out, once she's there, which of the steps is the right one, for she must be seeing double with all the alcohol she's ingested. She always takes Reaping Days badly.

"Oh, dear," Hela sighs, and nods to Thor. The two of them descend down the steps and escort Valkyrie up the stairs, positioning her in between the two of them one they resume their places. Hela and Thor both keep a grip on her arms to hold her steady.

Odin looks over at Valkyrie, and I know there is disapproval in his eyes. Valkyrie just looks back at him and then cocks her head, raising an eyebrow in puzzlement.

"Well?" she slurs. "What are you waiting for?"

Frigga sighs quietly and glances down.

I glance out into the audience and see the cameras positioned in strategic places, ready to capture the entire ceremony for broadcasting to the rest of the galaxy. I also see Heimdall, standing along the aisle, leaning on his staff. I know Sif, Volstagg, and Fandral are out in the audience, waiting for Volstagg to volunteer and kick their "Champions Three" plan into action.

And then Odin begins to speak and the Reaping officially starts.