Love & Mischief

Chapter 9

Month after month, Annabelle would spend her days with the Allmother. They would venture into the gardens, read, practice magic, paint and indulge in countless other pastimes. Annabelle enjoyed herself but could not stop thinking about Loki - hoping that he was alive.

"This is my favorite spot in the gardens," Frigga said. They were by a little pond and a bench.

"Why is that?" Annabelle asked curiously.

"This is where I'd bring Thor and Loki when they were young. It was such a long time ago - before you entered our lives," she said and smiled. "I would sit on this bench and watch them play. When they got tired, they would sit next to me and we would read... It was so wonderful."

"Sounds like it was..."

"Mother! Annabelle!" Thor said, running to them.

"Thor, what is it?" Annabelle asked.

"We found him. We found Loki."

"What?!" Annabelle said.

"Come, Father wants to see us at once."

Annabelle then used her magic to transport the three of them to the throne room.

"There you are, my love!" Odin said to Frigga as she walked up to him.

"Is it true?" she asked him.

"Yes."

"He's alive?" Annabelle asked Odin as she approached him.

"He is."

"Where is he?" she asked, needing to know.

"Midgard."

"Why would he be on Midgard? That doesn't make any sense."

"All I know is that Loki is alive and on Midgard."

"I will go fetch him at once," Thor said and began to walk out of the throne room.

"I'm going with you," Annabelle said, catching up with him.

"No, you're not. It's too dangerous."

"To hell with danger! He's my husband!" Annabelle said firmly.

"Annabelle, he has the Tesseract. Who knows what he will do."

"I'm going. And there's nothing you can do to stop me."

Thor looked into her eyes and knew that she would go with or without him. She was determined, and when she's determined, nothing can stand in her way.

"Fine."

"They haven't finished rebuilding Heimdall's observatory yet. How are we going to get to him?" Annabelle asked.

"I believe I will be able to conjure enough dark energy to take the two of you to Midgard," the Allfather said.

"Are you sure?" Frigga asked.

"Yes. Now, to the rainbow bridge."

~~~

"This place is so peculiar," Annabelle said as she admired the forest the Allfather had transported them to.

"It is. You should see it in the day, it's beautiful," Thor said, fondly. "Has Heimdall found him?"

"Yes, it appears he's on some sort of a flying ship..." she said, trying to interpret what Heimdall had told her telepathically. "He says that we should go to the ledge on that mountain so we can see it."

A moment later, the two were standing atop the mountain.

"I'm not really sure what we're looking for exactly... Do you-"

"Stay here. I'll be back," Thor said, cutting her off. He then flew toward a giant flying object that Annabelle was just baffled by. Lightning began to light up the sky, accompanied by loud, roaring thunder.

A minute or so later, Thor came flying back. He threw Loki onto where he and Annabelle were standing just moments before. Annabelle decided to stand behind a tall pillar of rock, out of view.

"Where is the Tesseract?" Thor said angrily.

"I missed you too," Loki laughed.

"Do I look to be in a gaming mood?!" Loki looked at his brother, annoyed. "I thought you were dead."

"Did you mourn?"

"We all did... Do you know what your absence has done to Annabelle?!"

"I never meant to leave her," he said sincerely, now growing angry at his brother.

"But you did. You left all of us! Mother, Father-"

"Your father. He did tell you my true parentage, did he not?"

"Loki, we were raised together, we played together, we fought together. Do you remember none of that?" Thor questioned.

"I remember a shadow... Living in the shade of your greatness. I remember you throwing me to the side time and time again. I was and should be king!"

"So you take the world I love as recompense for your past? No, the Earth is under my protection."

"And you're doing a marvelous job at that. The humans slaughter each other in droves while you idly fret. I mean to rule them. And why should I not?"

"You think yourself above them?"

"Well, yes," Loki admitted.

"Then you miss the truth of ruling, brother. The throne would suit you ill."

"I've seen worlds you've never known about! I have grown, Odinson, in my exile! I have seen the true power of the Tesseract and when I wield it-"

"Who showed you this power?" Thor interrupted, "Who controls the would-be-king?"

"I am a king!" Loki yelled.

"Not here! You give up the Tesseract! You give up this poisonous dream! You come home."

"I don't have it," he said as Thor backed him up to the edge of the cliff. "You need the cube to bring me home, but I've sent it off I know not where."

Thor then raised Mjölnir, "You listen well, brother. I-"

Before he could finish, Thor was hit by something and taken to the woods below.

"I'm listening," Annabelle heard Loki say. She didn't know what had happened, but she knew Thor was gone, which meant it was her turn. "Well, that's one way to get rid of him."

"I suppose it is," Annabelle said, walking out from behind the rocks.

"Annabelle?" Loki asked, shocked. "Darling, is it really you?"

"Well, what do you think?" she asked with a warm smile.

"I think that only my wife would be joking at a time like this," he said with his iconic grin, walking over to her. "I've missed you."

"I missed you," she said, finally back in his arms. The two stayed like that for a moment, together once more. "Now... what are you up to?"

"Nothing."

"Now, that would be a first."

"Alright, fine. I've been offered the chance to rule Midgard..."

"You have?"

"Yes. All I need to do is open a portal, let the Chitauri through, and win against the meager might of Earth."

"I see... and how are you going to open said portal?"

"I've recruited some scientists to create a device that will harness the power of the Tesseract."

"Sounds like you have this all planned out."

"All but one thing..."

"And what is that?"

"Well, if I'm going to rule, I'll need a Queen," he says and looks at his wife.

"Of course."

"Will you be mine?"

"Always"