A/N: Waiting on a full copy of Thor, since I lost mine. But in the meantime, I'd love some input as to what Midgardian stuff Nettie could be introduced to.
Chapter 6
Worries and Plots
Being Queen, I learn in the coming days, isn't truly as hard as I had expected. Fewer duties than Loki, aside from sitting and reading from the tomes of letters between instances of necessity where Loki or I were needed.
Surprisingly, the first few days with Loki as king are relatively quiet. I had never heard the throne room so eerily silent. But, yet, the silence turned comforting, broken only by my or Loki's taking turns reading aloud on the throne.
Four days after Loki's appointment, however, all seemed to change when I hear Sif and four sets of feet coming to the throne. "Allfather, we must speak with you urgently." I huff tucking my pen back into my book.
"May you always...And I've lost it." I mutter shaking my head. "I'll never get this damned thing finished!" I growl quietly.
"Easy, my love, take a break." Loki murmurs before turning to see Sif and the Warrior's Three coming towards the throne. "My friends..." he greets them.
"Where's Odin?" Volstagg demands.
"The Allfather has fallen into the Odinsleep." I explain, tucking my book away.
"Mother fears he may never wake again." Loki chimes in, glancing at me with a small smile.
"We would speak with her." Sif suggests as I fight a giggle.
"She refuses to leave my father's bedside." Loki dismisses. "You may bring your urgent matter to me..." he stands, using the scepter to support the task. "your king." I flash a small smile as I stand as well.
"As for Nettie?" Fandral gestures to me. "What business has she up there?" he demands. Loki's eyes flash.
"Watch your tongue, Fandral." Loki warns. "That is no way to speak of your queen."
"She is not queen yet." Sif points out.
"It is implied." Loki and I say together.
"Her title, as temporary as it may be, will be settled once her and I marry." Loki grins softly.
"Four days in and you're -" Sif starts.
"Did you not have an urgent matter to discuss?" I cut her off. She starts to speak again and I flash her a look. The warriors look to each other before slowly sinking to one knee.
"My King," Sif starts. "we would ask that you end Thor's banishment." I sigh softly, already knowing how this will fare merely by the derisive ghost of a laugh Loki makes.
"My first command cannot be to undo the Allfather's last." Loki points out. "We're on a brink of war with Jotunheim." my eyes widen and I turn to look at him.
"Loki, I thought we were going to -" I start, remembering the brief discussion we had with possibly going to smooth things over with Laufey.
"Easy, darling, I have this." Loki cuts me off. "Our people need a sense of continuity, in order to feel safe in these difficult times. All of us must stand together." he turns his gaze from the kneeling Warriors, to mine as I purse my lips.
"For the good of Asgard." I murmur, already setting a plan into motion as Sif stands, being held back by Fandral.
"Yes, of course." Fandral almost whispers.
"Good, than you will wait for my word." Loki nods, moving to take a seat beside me again.
"If I may," Volstagg cuts in with a chuckle. "beg the indulgence of Your Majesty," he chuckles. "to perhaps reconsider -"
"We're done." Loki finalizes, taking a seat on his throne. "You will wait for my word. Gather the armies in the meantime to prepare for assault on Jotunheim after the wedding."
"Wedding?" Sif asks. "Whose wedding would that be?"
"Mine." Loki flashes a small grin as my eyes widen.
"Loki..." I start.
"Aneta," Loki flashes me a small smile as he cups my cheek. "you don't need to worry." I swallow. "Everything will be fine. Trust me." I bite down on my lip glancing to Sif as the Warriors Three walk away. I give her a nod before flashing a small grin.
"Lady Sif," I call as she walks away. "I wish to speak with you in my study in an hour." At Loki's puzzled look, I hastily add: "We must discuss your ensemble for the wedding." she gives me a look as I put my acting skills to good use. The role of the doting and blushing bride to be. When Loki's gaze turns to the retreating men, I flash her a wink. At this, she gives me a smirk.
"It will be my pleasure, My Queen." she salutes me. "I shall see you in one hour." she turns and walks away.
"Perhaps I should go and meet her there. Maybe the quiet will help me think." I tap the book in my hand against Loki's knee as he grins.
"Shall I see you tonight?" Loki asks as I lean down to steal a kiss.
"But of course. I shall see you at dinner." I turn and start to walk away towards my study. "If I don't find a way to find Thor first."
I never thought I'd even think this...but perhaps the power has gone to Loki's head. The thought of a wedding, don't get me wrong, made my stomach fill with the butterflies I had expected, but to know that perhaps the day after exchanging my vows that Loki would send troops in to destroy Jotunheim?
Yes, Laufey declared war on Asgard. But, in the four days since declaring it, not a single Jotun has come barging into Asgard. I swallow as I stumble for the key to lock the door of my study.
"This cannot happen." I murmur. I never thought I'd ever say it, and the words make me sick to my stomach, but they come anyway.
"I need to get Thor back."
...
"My Queen?" a knock at my study door jolts me from my planning I look up at the nearest sundial. An hour, on the nose.
"It's good to be the Queen." I whisper standing. "Who is it?" I call turning to the door.
"Sif, Your Majesty. You requested my presence?" I immediately unlock the door, grabbing her arm and pulling her in. "Aneta, what is it?"
"You are right. Loki is fighting a war we both know is impossible to win, even with the Destroyer. We need Thor back on Asgard. The sooner the better." I say bluntly, earning a look of shock from Sif before she grins at me.
"You finally see common sense. The God of Mischief will not make a good king." I scowl.
"You twist my words. Loki needs someone to tell him it's madness."
"You are to be his queen." Sif points out.
"I can't convince him on my own." I pace my study before looking to Sif. "I fear I must ask too much of you."
"I serve Asgard. As acting Princess Consort, I also serve you." Sif grins softly. "Although saying that is peculiar."
"Not the time for peculiarities. I need you to do two things for me." I reply as I set my pen down.
"Name them and they will be done, my Queen." Sif says, holding a finger up as she presses her ear to the door. "Guards." she mouths. I press my ear to the door beside her.
"His Highness requests servants to start setting the throne room for the wedding." I bite my lip.
"The wedding isn't until the overmorrow -"
"Would you rather risk Loki's wrath. Ensure it gets done. Our bride to be has enough on her plate." I swallow and look to Sif.
"That's two days." I turn to look to Sif when the footsteps fade away. "I want you to go to Heimdall as soon as I dismiss you. Tell him what's happened and get Thor's location. Inform him that I will be coming tonight after Loki is in bed to go and track him down."
"Nettie -"
"Sif, please. The Nine Realms depend on it." I tell her point blank. "Odin did not lose his eye and almost his life to bring the Nine Realms back into war. Thor started this, yes. But Loki is passing a point of no return."
"Net -" Sif starts again.
"You gave your Queen your word." I say sternly, giving her a look of disappointment. "I'd rather not lose good warriors to a fruitless cause." Sif ponders it for a moment before nodding.
"It shall be done." she agrees.
"In the meantime, you are to tell no one I have gone until Thor and I have returned. Tell Loki I have retired to look into finishing my workload before the wedding."
"But your dress -"
"Loki's dressmakers all know my measurements by heart. I am not worried. Just promise me none will know where I've gone until the time is right." Sif nods.
"But Thor is still banished. How will you get him into Asgard?" I smirk.
"It's called the Queen's Pardon. My word cannot be broken. Loki told me so." I turn. "I'm going to pack for the trip. Go and find Heimdall and inform him I will be coming tonight."
...
That night the palace is quiet. Part of me reconsiders my plan when Loki kisses me goodnight and closes the door. Could this really work?
It has to. If not for Loki's sake, than for the Nine Realms. I grab my satchel, packed for anything and slip out of my room to go down to the Bifrost.
Another advantage of my nightly habits are none of the guards patrolling in silence ask question of what I'm doing. Many nights they watch me pace up and down the hallways lost in my own thoughts of another unclaimed melody.
My wandering, thanks in part to my known habits goes unnoticed as I slip from the palace gates. Again, I go unnoticed as I slip through Asgard and make a beeline for the Bifrost.
For Heimdall.
"Lady Aneta," Heimdall bows and I flash a small smile.
"Good evening, Heimdall. I trust Sif has been to see you?" I ask as I walk into the observatory.
"Earlier in the day. Are you sure you want to do this?" he asks. I glance over at him with a small knowing smile.
"I have to do this. Before Loki makes a hideous mistake." I walk inside. "Send me to Thor. I will call you when I am ready to come back." I hike my bag up. "And Heimdall?" he looks at me, prepared to open the portal. "I thank you in advance." he flashes a small smile and nods.
"It is my pleasure, my queen." and with that, the portal opens and I walk through.
...
Almost as soon as my feet touch the ground, I hear shouting and unknown loud beeping noises.
"GET OUT OF THE WAY, KID!" I open my eyes and see an unknown wheeled carriage barrelling right towards me in a deserted road.
"HOLY ALLFATHERS!" I jump and roll out of the way, holding my arm as the carriage screeches to a stop. Three people pile out, two female voices sounding out.
"Where did she come from?" One asks as the other, a brunette orders for what she calls a "first aid kit."
"No need." I slowly get up and dust myself off. "I'm alright."
"Are you sure?" A male voice sounds out as I move out of the way.
"Fine. Fine. Where am I?" I look around the barren land and raise a brow. This place is unknown to me.
"New Mexico?" A woman wearing glasses steps into my vision as I turn to look at her. "Where are you from?" she reaches down to take a hold of my skirt to examine it. "I think we may have found an alien, Jane. Maybe an alien princess."
"Are she alright?" That voice. I flash a small smile when I hear it.
"Thor?" I ask. The brunette woman, holding a small white case pauses looking back to the carriage.
"Friend of yours?" she asks as a door opens and slams shut. A blue leg comes forward, followed by a bare muscled arm. Finally, I look up to find a curtain of blond hair framing his face.
Sure enough, I find myself face to face with the God of Thunder himself.