𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕄𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕪 𝕠𝕗 𝕄𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕪

28: Explanation

I will never give up on you

I see the real you

Even if you don't, I do, I do

The Real You - Three Days Grace

"Wait, so why aren't you black?" Claire smacked Peter's arm with a harsh whisper of disapproval. He flinched, knowing he would probably get scolded for his straightforward question. Everyone was gathered in a large room, which Liz assumed was a sort of living room. It contained many chairs and sofas for people to sit, and almost the entire Avengers team sat spread out throughout the room. Or at least, the members that lived together on Earth. Many of the rest of them, like Peter Quill and his team, Black Panther and his companions, and Captain Marvel would surely arrive at the party coming up. Thor had invited every Avenger he could think of.

Liz pursed her lips and crossed her arms at Peter's question. Heimdall, who stood next to her, only offered him a bored stare, though you could clearly see in his facial expression that he wasn't impressed. Tony sighed with embarrassment as well and you could see Steve pinching the bridge of his nose. Similar reactions were seen from many of the rest of the teammates. Clint, on the other hand, was laughing under his breath at the young team member's question. Nat nudged Clint just as Claire had done to Peter, but not as drastic and harsh. The archer glanced up at the Russian woman from his place on the couch, elbow perched on the armrest as he craned his neck and silently asked, 'what?'. Nat tried to keep a straight face with creased brows that seemed to say 'knock it off', but soon couldn't help herself as a small smile spread across her own lips as well. When Liz glanced over at the two Asgardian brothers, who stood side by side behind a sofa that seated Wanda, Vision, and Bruce, Liz could see Thor raised a peculiar brow at the spiderling. When her eyes landed on Loki she noticed that he was staring right back at her, a small smirk playing amongst his mouth. It made the corners of Liz's lips curve upward too, but she quickly looked away and glanced up at Heimdall, whom she now identified as the father she never knew.

Everything was still so raw, so fresh. Liz felt as if she'd been lifted from hard ground and now sat on a cloud. It was almost relieving for her to finally know that she did have a father figure. But at the same time, she was also confused and conflicted. Why had he waited so long to find her? Why hadn't Heimdall come for her?

"The lost queen of Asgard, Frigga," Heimdall started with a monotone voice. "Was very gifted in the arts of magic and spells."

"My mother knew of this?" Thor asked surprisingly calm. Heimdall nodded to the king.

"She was the only one who knew."

Loki piped in now. "So Odin never knew of your infatuations with a Midgaurdian woman?" Liz winced at the use of Loki's word choices. He made it sound like it was the worst thing in the world, but the tone of his voice made it seem the complete opposite, even if he did use rather shrewd wording. Heimdall inhaled deeply.

"Odin was aware that I had formed a connection with a descendant from Midgard," He confessed. "But he knew nothing of the child we'd had together." Liz shifted uncomfortably as she felt all eyes land on her. Her arms tightened closer to her chest. "To make sure that he remained unaware of Elizabeth, Frigga made sure that we shared no resemblances regarding physical stature, and she was sent to Midgard where her mother took care of her." His gold eyes landed on Peter. "So that, Mr. Parker is why she is not black," Heimdall emphasized. Peter pursed his lips into a completely straight line, his cheeks puffing just slightly from the action. He glanced at the ground with an ashamed slump of his shoulders, but Liz could tell he wasn't the type of person to take things too personally. He would be fine.

Tony spoke up next. "So then how do you explain the..." He gestured his hands in circular motions toward his eyes. "Eye-color-changing-thingy?" Liz glanced up at Heimdall and waited for his answer. She was curious, too.

"My blood remains coursing through her veins, she is still a descendent of me. I believe that when she experiences certain emotions, her body triggers a reaction that reveals her Asgardian lineage."

"So does she have your powers, too?" Rhodey asks as he leans against the back of a couch.

"Highly unlikely since she is only half of me," Heimdall corrects him. "With further research, we may be able to uncover her true abilities. But for now," The gatekeeper peers down at his daughter and Liz returns the gesture. Her arms are still crossed protectively over her chest. "I think it's safe to say that she is definitely a demi-god. The remaining question is... the demi-god of what?"

A little later, maids of the palace arrived to take each person to their assigned rooms and sleeping quarters. Once the last couple of people began filing out of the room, Liz sighed softly, her eyes still following Wanda and Vision as they left the room. Heimdall faced Liz fully while she still faced angled toward the door. When she moved to peer up at the tall man, her eyes dimly lit with gold. Heimdall's brows creased sadly as he watched the young woman in front of him. Liz swallowed reluctantly, her eyes darting between each of her father's. Her words barely came out louder than a whisper as she fought to swallow down the tears that threatened to fall again.

"Where were you when she perished?" He sighed heavily, his eyes averting to the floor. She was talking about her mother.

"The attack occurred at the time of Ragnarok, an apocalyptic upbringing of chaos and hellfire." Heimdall's voice rumbled as he spoke lowly. He attempted gazing at her again, only to see that a tear had cascaded down Liz's cheek. "My duties to protect Asgard overshadowed my ability to sense her in danger." Liz sniffled but didn't falter her gaze.

"She locked me in my room when they forced entry into our home," Liz muttered sadly. She wasn't sure if he knew what had all happened, but she was going to tell him anyway. "She thought that I would be safest there, but they got me anyway." Liz wiped away the tear that had fallen down her cheek. The tip of her nose was slightly red from the emotions building inside of her. She hadn't felt this emotional in years. Then again, she hadn't let herself come close to experiencing these feelings again. "I don't even remember her name, what she looked like, anything." Liz pursed her lips, then looked up at Heimdall with hurt in her eyes. "What was she like... my mother?"

"Her hair was the most radiant blonde I'd ever seen. Her face adorned sharp, magnificent features, much like your own, and her cheeks were dotted with light freckles," He told her. Her stomach tightened. She had remembered the freckles. "Her eyes shone the most sparkling color of blue." His head tilted at her. "And her name... was Larissa Elizabeth Rausch." Liz felt him gently grasp her shoulders. "She loved you more than life itself, Elizabeth."

"Why didn't you come for me?" She asked accusingly. "Where were you when I needed you? When I was held captive by the Red Room?"

"It was too dangerous for me to come in contact with you. Odin would have forbidden it, and I very well could have lost you at the hands of an angry king." As much as she wanted to argue, Liz knew that he was right. Even though she knew Loki and Thor, she didn't know the rules of Asgard and the way they ran things. Nor was she familiar with Odin and what he was like as a ruler. So she allowed Heimdall's words to sink in and nodded her head solemnly. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth." Liz stared into his eyes sternly.

"Just don't leave again." The gatekeeper watched her for several seconds before nodding in agreement. For once in her life, Liz felt as if she understood herself.