A Child of Mischief (Loki/Avengers story)

22. Decision Making

As Queen Frigga enters the barn, she see's Loki pull Ragnar out of his stall, mount him, and then head for the indoor riding arena. Walking over to the gate of the arena, Queen Frigga watches as Loki rides Ragnar around the arena, every time he comes to a hurdle jump, Ragnar jumps high over it. Loki does not stir or lose his balance when Ragnar does this.

"Loki, you know avoiding the answer to what needs to be done will not solve anything, it will only make things worse." Queen Frigga says as Loki passes by her. Steaming with anger, Loki turns Ragnar around and rides him back to Queen Frigga.

"You want to send her away, fine. Do what you must, but just know, I am not the only one that will put up a fight when it comes to objecting this unfair decision. Peter will fight it, and so will she, maybe even two of the other recruits will fight it as well, but we will have to see about that." Loki says and turns Ragnar away from Queen Frigga and continues to ride him around the arena.

As Loki turns back to the gate, he see's he is now alone. Slowing Ragnar's pace, he slumps over and buries his face in Ragnar's thick dark mane, and screams. Jumping off of Ragnar, Loki barely makes it to the gate before he collapses, from the hurt and anger that fills him. Tears of anger fill his eyes, and he can barely see. A nightmarish sound echoes through the riding arena causing both Ragnar and Gisli to be spooked and go a bit crazy. The sound comes from Loki, he nearly howls in anger and emotional pain.

As Loki looks up, his eyes go wide. Believing he is seeing things, he blinks twice, but what he see's in front of him does not disappear. Cora's glimmer stands in front of Loki, and silently watches him.

"Does this mean, she's awake?" Loki asks, Cora's glimmer shakes her head. The glimmer moves closer to Loki until she is standing right in front of him. Loki stands up and looks at the glimmer.

"Then how are you?" Loki asks, before Loki can finish the question, the glimmers eyes glow white and transports Loki into Cora's mind which is full of memories.

Loki watches as memory after memory of Cora's plays in front of him. From when she was first taken to Earth, all the way up to the day before they came to Asgard.

"Wait, go back. I need to see those again, from when she was a child." Loki says, the glimmer nods and moves her hand in front of the screen and backs up to the memories of when the Avengers first fought Loki and when Cora first lifted Mjölnir.

Loki gasps as he see's both memories, he turns away from the memories and nearly collapses.

"I nearly almost killed her when I tried to take over Earth? How could I have been so stupid, I should have known she was close by at that time." Loki says and hangs his head, the glimmer places her hand on Loki's shoulder, he looks at the glimmer.

"Do better." The glimmer simply says and then transports Loki back to the riding arena. Once back in the arena, the glimmer disappears. Ragnar nudges Loki's shoulder, he blinks and looks at his horse. Stroking Ragnar on the bridge of his nose, Ragnar calms down.

"I have to do better. And fighting for her to stay is where I have to start." Loki says as he takes Ragnar by the reigns, and leads him out of the arena and back to his stall. Once Ragnar is back in his stall, Loki leaves the barn and heads for the castle.

Once back in the castle, Loki heads straight for the infirmary. As Loki rounds the corner near the infirmary, the person he needs to talk to is still on the floor across from the doors.

"We need to talk." Loki says, Peter looks up at him and gets to his feet.

"What about?" Peter asks sorrowfully looking past Loki, keeping his eyes on the doors of the infirmary.

"Cora. The Queen is insisting that she be sent back to Earth once she is well enough to travel." Loki says, Peter's eyes go wide when he hears this.

"What? No, she's staying here. Plus, Cora herself won't agree to that." Peter says and puts his hands on his face. Loki watches as Peter shakes his head.

"The Queen needs to be convinced in order for her to over turn her decision. Is there anyone else in the group that can help convince her?" Loki asks determined to make sure Cora stays.

"Liv, Dre. Come to the infirmary." Peter says into his mic.

"On it." Peter hears both Olivia and Andre respond into his ear piece. As he and Loki wait for Olivia and Andre, they both stay silent and look off in different directions.

The sound of heels against the stone floor of the castle makes Loki and Peter turn in the direction of the sound. As they both look toward the sound, Olivia and Andre both gracefully yet hurriedly round the corner and come to a stop once in front of them.

"Any news, yet?" Olivia asks as she and Andre come to a stop. Peter shakes his head, both Olivia and Andre exchange worried glances with each other.

"There is some news, but it does not pertain to Cora's condition." Loki says, Olivia and Andre look at Loki confused.

"What is it then?" Andre asks, Loki exchanges a questioning glance with Peter, before Peter nods.

"The Queen is going to make Cora return to Earth once she is well enough to travel." Loki says, Olivia and Andre exchange surprised yet worried glances with each other before looking back to Peter and Loki.

"Is that really necessary? She got hurt once, does that really have to be the case in order for her to be sent back to Earth? If anything she should be dubbed a hero for helping in the battle and taking a hit from one of those creatures." Olivia says and crosses her arms.

"Cora has more guts than she gives herself credit for. If it gets put to a vote, the upper hand may go to those that want her to stay." Andre says, Loki gives all three of them a devious look.

"That is what we will have to do then, put it to a vote." Loki says, all three of them nod. As they nod, the infirmary doors open and Dagny walks out, then stands in front of Loki and Peter.

"She is stable enough to be moved to her own room. We will be tackling that soon, as for when she will wake up, that is uncertain at this time. Could be hours from now or days." Dagny says as she turns and heads back into the infirmary. Olivia and Andre, turn back toward the great hall and make their way back that way.

"I should go tell Thor and the other royals what's happening." Peter says and begins to turn away from the infirmary. Loki grabs hold of Peter's shoulder, and stops him in his tracks.

"I will go let the others know. You go wait by her room, until she is put in there." Loki says, Peter nods and turns in the direction of Cora's room and heads for it.