Artemis: The Final Battle ➳ Steve Rogers [2]

[ T H I R T Y - T H R E E ]

☆
T H O R

My eyes flicker open and I find myself in a familiar room. It takes a while before I finally realise that I was back in Asgard. I was home.

"Brother?" I look up to see Loki standing at the end of my bed.

"Loki, what happened?" I questioned.

"You've been shot, Brother. Heimdall brought you back, along with some mortal." Loki replies, "You need rest."

"I think I've rested enough, Loki." I sigh, pushing myself up in my bed.

I look up at Loki, who seems a little different than it did the last time I saw him.

"It's been a long time, Brother." I say, "The last time we spoke you were trying to destroy Earth."

Loki exhales sharply, letting his head hang low and seemingly genuinely ashamed of his actions.

"I assure you nothing like that would ever happen again, Brother." He replies with another heavy sigh, "I've done a lot of growing since then. In fact..." Loki drifts off, shifting uneasily.

"In fact?" I prompt him to continue.

Loki gulps before he hesitantly continues, "Father has decided to step down from his throne. Tomorrow, I will be crowned King." He pauses, looking up at me with empathetic eyes, "I fully understand if you wouldn't want to, but I would like you to stay for the ceremony."

I expect myself to feel angry at the news, but instead, a smile stretches across my face.

"I'm proud of you, Brother." I give Loki a pat on the back as I make my way out of the room, "Where is Lady Camille?"

"The mortal?" Loki questions and I nod in reply.

He stops in his spot, looking at me with furrowed brows.

"There's been orders to not allow her anywhere near you or..." Loki shrugs before adding, "Vice versa, I suppose."

"Loki, please." I pleaded, "This is important, I think she needs help."

"This isn't going to be like that time with the Jane Foster girl, right?" Loki states and I shoot him a look.

"She's a friend who was of great help." I say, "And I'd like to return the favour."

"Very well, then." Loki gestures towards the door, "Follow me."

I follow my brother down the familiar winding halls of Asgard and soon, he leads me into a room.

As soon as I open the door, my eyes land on my mother, along Heimdall and Lady Camille who looks relieved to see me.

"Oh, my dear boy." My mother rushes up to me immediately, pulling me into a tight hug, "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Mother." I say, giving her a kiss on the cheek, still finding it surreal that I'm seeing her again.

"I'm glad you're okay." Camille speaks, tugging nervously at the hem of her shirt, "And I owe you an apology-"

"No apologies needed, Lady Camille." I quickly cut her off, "It's clear to me now that you weren't in the right frame of mind, considering the fact that you kept calling me Strucker and that your eyes were...Different."

The memory of the events from the previous day replayed in my head and I could still remember the colour in her eyes- or rather, the lack thereof.

"Hold on," Camille speaks again, "How did you know we were here?"

"I spoke to my mother about this." Loki answers, "We both thought it was a good idea to try to figure things out."

Camille corks her head at Loki, her brows knitting close together.

"You seem different." She comments, "Definitely a lot nicer. I don't know how I feel about this."

"I'm sorry, have we ever even met before today?" Loki asks, looking obviously confused.

Camille shrugs, "It's complicated."

"Well, then," Loki simply moves on, "Have we came to any conclusions as to what all of this is?"

"We have." Camille replies, "I have a plan too. First of all, we have to find the Reality Stone and Heimdall was just going to tell us where is it."

"Yes." Heimdall clears his throat, "We obtained the Reality Stone several years back and we hid it  on a planet at the Collector's museum in Knowhere."

"Knowhere?" Camille snickers, "He's making this up, right?"

"No, Lady Camille." I jump in, "There is actually a placed called Knowhere."

Camille lets out a whistle, "Who would've thought. Can't believe this is my first time on another planet." She mutters, mostly to herself.

"In that case, I suggest you do not go alone." Heimdall continues, "It may be dangerous to someone who isn't familiar."

"Thor and I will go with her, then." Loki says, earning himself some surprised glances from around the room.

"But your crowning ceremony is tomorrow." I argued.

"I've seen what Father has to struggle with, being king. Although I'm honoured, I'm not in any rush to take that on." He states.

"Who are you and what have you done to Loki?" Camille jokes, but Loki doesn't seem to catch on.

"I beg your pardon?" Loki glances at her in confusion.

"It's a joke, dear Brother." I laugh.

Loki straightens up, still looking just as confused as before.

"I thought jokes were meant to be funny." He mumbles to himself, "Alright, it's probably time for us take our leave before our father finds out about what we're up to."

"Maybe we should stop by Earth?" Camille suggests.

"I don't see why we would need to." Loki simply states.

"Well, we could pick up some backup if we do." Camille says, "Strength in numbers, right?"

Loki lets out yet another sigh, "Very well, I suppose we could do that."

We are soon being lead to the Bifrost bridge.

"Don't forget your hammer." Camille reminds.

"Oh yes." I say, holding out my hand.

In a matter of seconds, Mjolnir comes flying into my hand.

"Stay safe, my boys." Mother smiles, "Come home soon."

"Are you all ready?" Heimdall asks and we all nod in reply.

Before we know it, a brilliant ray of light shoots down and we were on our way back to Earth.

A/N: I'm so so sorry for the irregular updates these days guys!! I've just been so busy these days, but I'll try to update as often as I can!!