The normal hustle and bustle of the market place in Asgard was replaced with an eerie silence that sent shivers down the spines of those who walked past, the place as empty as a ghost town – a stark contrast to its normally crowded state, where throngs of bodies pressed against each other as the people tried to get the best bargain, their voices filling the air.

Sif stalked down the roads, her dark eyes darting left and right, looking out for potential dangers, holding her sword in her right hand and her shield in the other, her black hair braided and slung over her shoulder in order not to let it get in the way when she fought. Her armour weighed heavily on her shoulders, but the warrior maiden hardly noticed it anymore, the metal becoming a second skin to her as though it had been grafted into her flesh. The soldiers never took off their armour now, not even when they slept or ate - such was the life of an Asgardian warrior now. With imminent war on the horizon, and ambushes left, right and centre, there was no time to take off and put on the armour again. The chitauri came in the night, slitting the throats of those who were unprepared.

As a result, even the queen of Asgard herself donned the armour that she had not worn in eons. The maids and servants were given weapons to arm themselves with – for what little good those weapons did without the knowledge of how to use it – and the villagers were instructed to remain in their houses.

Warriors were spread thin across Asgard, trying to patrol the land whilst also doubling to protect the heart of the realm, and it was evident in their strained eyes and the shoulders that were trembling in exhaustion.

Sif herself hadn't seen the Warriors Three since that first invasion by Thanos, all of them separated by the Allfather and spread out across Asgard. And she hadn't seen Thor for much longer than that, her oldest friend having descended to Midgard to fight alongside his mortal friends. The female warrior gripped her sword tighter, her thoughts blackening – as it always did – when it inevitably came to rest on the lone blight on Asgard's brightness.

Loki.

The dark prince had always been withdrawn, selfish and cruel, giving off a mysterious air that had made maidens swoon in the beginning, but which turned to suspicion and disgust soon enough. Once, a long time ago, Sif thought that she might have even fallen for his particular type of charm had she not met Thor and the Warriors Three, something she was grateful for. As it was, they had still met, but Sif had considered him beneath her notice. The prince who hid behind Thor's back, who played with magic and who would hole up in the library the whole day if he was allowed to, not at all like a true Asgardian warrior.

There was a slight hitch in her step as she thought about the younger prince. Looking back now, she wondered if things would be different had she not challenged his authority back then when Thor was banished. She remembered his expression when she and the Warriors Three had barged into the throne room demanding that Thor be released. He had seemed almost disappointed, as though the four of them had failed one of his tests or so, but the expressions had flitted over his face so quickly and finally landed on an emotionless facade that Sif wasn't sure whether she saw correctly. She wondered vaguely if that had been a catalyst for his fall into insanity. Almost as soon as the thought popped into her head, she banished it, telling herself that Loki was an insidious creature who was a snake in disguise, and that even if she had not rebelled, he would have turned out the same way.

She studiously ignored the slight unease that stirred beneath her skin, telling her that she was one of the catalysts to making who Loki was now.

The female warrior finished her patrol and returned to the main palace of Asgard, her shoulders slumping minutely as she stepped passed the great double doors, nodding once to the equally weary guards standing near the door. As her feet meandered along familiar routes and hallways, Sif found herself immersed in her own thoughts. It wasn't until she heard a soft melody echoing in the deserted hallways that she paused in her steps.

Cocking her head to one side, Sif slowly walked to where the music seemed to be originating, hesitating when she found herself outside Loki's old room. She placed her hand on the knob, the cold from the metal seeping into her palm. Sif felt her breathe quicken for unknown reasons, her hand gripping the metal tighter. She gathered her courage and pushed the door open, the armour-draped queen of Asgard flicking her iridescent eyes towards Sif momentarily, before dropping back down to the cloth in her hands. Sif stood at the door uncomfortably, not daring to move further into the room of the one person she detested the most, yet unable to find it in herself to leave the room she had entered.

Frigga remained silent for several more seconds before she asked quietly, "Have you finished your patrols Lady Sif?"

The shield-maiden nodded mutely, straightening from the slouch, "I have returned from scouting the marketplaces of Asgard, other than the fact that it is unnerving to see the lack of people, there was no other problem, no sign of the chitauri anywhere."

Frigga nodded her head gracefully, humming a tune as her hands weaved a myriad of colours on her tapestry.

"Your majesty," Sif began hesitantly, "Are you feeling well?"

Frigga paused, her eyes fixed on the cloth in her hands. "Asgard is crumbling under the pressure of Thanos' threat, the golden realm is unravelling at the seams and there seems to be nothing we can do except to hold on and hope that we make it through this ordeal. Meanwhile, my sons are trapped on another realm, faced with dangers that threaten their lives more than ever."

Sif felt a lump rise in her throat, "Is it safe for Thor?" she asked, "To have Loki with him?"

Frigga looked up sharply, the frigid glare sending shivers down Sif's spine. The warrior stood up straight, aware that she had crossed a line.

The queen put aside her weaving gently, the motion belying her anger. "I know of your distaste towards my youngest son Lady Sif," Frigga said quietly, "I am and have been well aware of it since you all were mere children, barely past the knee. However, I would expect that you keep your comments about him to yourself. Loki is still a prince, and he is to be respected as such."

Sif clenched her hands into fist, her anger rising, "Is he considered a prince of Asgard?" She bit out, "He betrayed Asgard, selling it to the Jotuns, and he tried to conquer Midgard, if it wasn't for Thor, he would have succeeded!"

Frigga remained silent, but her lack of words spoke volumes. "I understand that you detest Loki, and I will not deny that my son has committed crimes against the throne. But there are circumstances that have led to his actions. Events that you and I know nothing about. I would implore that you hold your judgement on him until all the facts have been revealed." She spoke, her voice never rising to a higher pitch though it was firm.

Sif pressed her lips together, nodding jerkily once to signal her agreement. She swallowed her anger, knowing that it wasn't wise to anger the queen of Asgard.

Before either of them could say more, a tearing sound echoed in the room, as though the fabric in Frigga's hands had been torn apart on its own accord. Sif frowned, her grip on her sword tightening, while Frigga, recognizing the sound, stood up immediately, her sword shimmering into existence in her hands, the weaving falling to the ground softly. At the sight of her queen's alarm, Sif's own grew, and she twirled her sword, the second blade protruded from the hilt, forming a double bladed weapon. She stepped in front of Frigga, doing her duty as one of Asgard's warriors, protecting the royal family, staring at the space in front of her.

To her surprise, the air in front of her seemed to wrap and twist, as though there was an invisible force which was arranging the very atmosphere itself. A small, unnoticeable black hole opened, the rift growing wider and wider until it resembled the maw of a humongous monster. Sif gripped her sword tightly, until her knuckles turned white, a trickle of fear seeping into her heart. She had never seen something like that before, and the abyss, the blackness, the void, seemed to want to swallow her whole. But the warrior and shield-maiden of Asgard stood her ground, her loyalty to the realm and its queen fighting against her instincts to run.

A group of people stumbled out of the hole, appearing suddenly in a flash of bright colours, some of them falling to the ground, disoriented from the mode of travel. In the cacophony of sounds and noises that emerged from the group, Sif had no idea who to focus on, but Frigga had eyes only for one person. The only person in the group who seemed to be steady on his feet, a foreign black shirt on his body, with equally foreign pants that hugged his long legs.

Before she could even comprehend who else was there, Frigga let her sword drop back into her inter-dimensional pocket, throwing her arms around the tall figure. Loki stumbled back from the force at which his mother had slammed into him, fumbling for a moment before his arms came around and encircled her, his entire body trembling as he leaned into her strong embrace. He buried his nose into her golden curls, inhaling the smell of his childhood. The god hadn't realised how much he had missed his mother until he laid eyes on her, something he had not done since he threw himself into the Void.

"Mother." Loki murmured, tightening his arms around the woman who raised him.

Frigga felt her heart soar at the greeting, her worries over her lost child dissipating as though it had never existed. She pulled back slightly, looking up into her son's eyes. It didn't escape her notice that while he seemed more tired than the last time she saw him, the madness in his eyes was gone, and his green irises shone clearly. "My son," she said, smiling brightly, holding him at arm's length while she surveyed his entire appearance. "Welcome home."

Loki exhaled, "Asgard is not my home, but" he stressed, seeing the slight hurt on his mother's face, "I am glad to see you."

Thor stepped up behind his brother, nodding at Sif, who nodded back respectfully, angling her weapon at the avengers. The thunder god, smiled brightly, "Mother! I had not expected to see you the moment we arrived! Does Father know we are here?"

Loki elbowed his brother, "Don't be daft," he snapped, "If Mother knew we were coming she wouldn't have aimed her weapon against us."

Frigga shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. Others might not notice, but the two men standing before her were once children she had raised since birth. She could see the way their relationship was mending. It wasn't fully healed, no, that was too much to ask, but it was mending. It was better than what she'd seen from their interactions on Midgard, and as a mother, Frigga felt unbridled joy at seeing her sons' reconciliation. Loki had always been the more reserved of the two, while Thor was the complete opposite, always expressing his emotions and feelings to anyone who would listen while his brother hid behind masks and facades. Anyone who wasn't blind could see how Odin favoured Thor. Frigga had disapproved of that, telling her husband time and again that it would only serve to push the two brothers apart, but he never listened, claiming that Loki was far more independent than Thor and could take care of himself. She knew of Loki's attempts to please her husband, learning diplomacy, fighting with weapons he detested, anything to please the king of the realms, but to no avail. Frigga remembered how her heart broke every time she saw Loki's crestfallen face when Odin failed to praise him as he did Thor. She would open her arms and he would run to her, his body shaking and trembling as he tried his best not to cry. She didn't doubt that Loki loved Thor, but that love was shadowed and tainted by jealousy and anger, something which Frigga resented Odin for kindling. Every sibling had their rivalry, but Odin's plain-as-day favouritism did nothing but fuel that rivalry.

The queen opened her mouth to say more but was interrupted by a groan emerging from the floor. She turned around, puzzled, spying the heap of bodies that Sif was pointing her weapon at.

"Ugh," Tony groaned, slapping a hand against his head, "We're never doing that again. Right guys? Because count me out next time."

Percy kicked him in the shins, or whichever body part that his leg connected with, carefully extracting himself out from the mass of tangled limbs. He bowed to Frigga, "Your majesty." He said respectfully, much to Loki's amusement. He had heard Apollo and Hermes crack jokes on how Percy was literally the only demigod who would dare and actually almost did piss off any immortal he came across. The word 'almost' was in there because he did gain the respect of some, like Hades and Hestia. Frigga blinked in surprise and smile genially, recognizing the young demigod in front of her from the rumours circulating round Asgard. She nodded at him, gesturing for him to rise from his bow.

The queen of Asgard turned her gaze to the group of mortals, most of them having found themselves in a standing position and looking at her uncomfortably, some of them eying Sif's sword with caution. Loki might not be her blood child, but his sharp wit had to come from somewhere. She assessed each of them silently in her head, approving of the way the lone female warrior of the group held her gaze calmly but not disrespectfully. Her eyes swept across them swiftly, her mind analysing each of the mortals within a span of a heartbeat.

Frigga turned to her eldest son, "Thor, I suppose that these gentlemen and lady are the Avengers?" she questioned, though Loki knew without a doubt that she had already deduced their identity.

Thor nodded, waving for Sif to stand down, the warrior doing so reluctantly. He gestured at each of his friends, introducing them to his mother, while Percy stepped closer to Loki, who was standing off on one side, looking around the room wistfully. Despite how many people said that Percy was stupid or unobservant, the truth was that he saw a lot. He noticed the way Loki was looking at the room, and how the room was full of objects and tomes that just seemed to scream 'Loki'. He nudged the god, "Were you planning on ending up in your room or was it just a random thing where we could have exited the portal anywhere else and ended up here?"

Loki looked at him in shock, although he probably should have expected Percy to guess. "It was intentional." He murmured, "I used to lock my room and escape to the other realms from here. There are other portals of course, but those are too far out of Asgard's main city and therefore easier for the Allfather to catch me if he wanted to."

Percy frowned, "But isn't that dangerous? I mean, you have an open portal in your room, in the heart of Asgard." He pointed out, "What if the enemy came through or something?"

Loki smirked, "Tactical thinking, very good." He complimented, his smirk growing wider as Percy's face reddened, "I do have backup plans for that kind of emergency, I'm not stupid."

Percy sighed, but was cut off by Frigga, who turned to him and smiled, "Loki," she chided, "You should know better than to stand aside and leave your friend unintroduced."

Loki straightened, blinking slightly in confusion while Percy hid a smirk, he looked at the demigod and shrugged, "This is Perseus Jackson Mother, I believe you have heard of him?"

Frigga sighed, "I have," she said simply, "but you look extremely different from how the warriors portray you!"

Percy raised an eyebrow, "Please don't tell me that they described me as some super buff man with bulging arms and legs." He deadpanned.

Frigga laughed lightly, feeling the worries of Thanos melt away temporarily. Sif coughed, "Milady, should we not inform the Allfather of this...development?" she said, glaring at Loki.

The trickster god sneered, "Ever so eager to run to your king right lady Sif?"

The female warrior bristled, her dark eyes boring into his, but Thor stepped between them, "Brother, Sif, stop this immediately. We came to Asgard to aid in battle against Thanos, not to squabble like children amongst ourselves." The thunder god gave his brother a look, "Besides, Father is the king of Asgard, he needs to know why we came back."

Loki narrowed his eyes, looking to his mother who was nodding as well, her eyes expressing her understanding. He bared his teeth at Sif, who growled back, "Very well then, let us seek an audience with the king."

Sif led their small group towards the throne room where Odin would be now, their ragtag band garnering looks of confusion, awe and disgust. Confusion because the maidservants and guards who they bypassed recognized that there were mortals in the group, wondering why the terrans were on Asgard. Awe, because they recognized Thor, the golden prince who had come back to Asgard, their spirits lifting as they realised that there was only one reason why he would be back when Asgard was in danger. Disgust, because many saw, and recognized Loki, the dark prince whose heinous deeds they all heard and knew by heart.

Thor, having had a good talk with his brother, noticed the glares and sneers that were sent his way, frowning and gripping Mjolnir tighter. How he managed to miss all of these gestures in the past he did not know, but it only made the guilt in his chest grow as he realised that Loki had not been exaggerating at all when he said that the people of Asgard detested him. The Avengers weren't blind either, and Tony shared a look with Bruce, the two of them sharing equally uneasy looks at the animosity that was directed towards the leaner god.

The group of gods and mortals came up to a set of double doors that rivalled the ones on Olympus, the avengers – especially Tony – gaping at the shiny gold embellished doors. Percy, on the other hand, privately thought that Atlantis was better, though he conceded the fact that Asgard's throne room was beautiful. Frigga left them outside the throne room, gesturing for the guards to let her enter, saying that she would let Odin know of their arrival.

Steve paced outside the throne room anxiously, if the king was anything like Zeus, they would have to tread carefully, more so since this was their friend's father they were facing. Natasha and Clint were equally anxious, but they hid it better than Steve did, their faces a stoic mask. Clint wondered vaguely if Natasha had been prophetic when she told him that 'it was nothing they'd ever been trained for'. Granted, she had been referring to Loki at the time, but he couldn't help but feel that if the god of lies hadn't come to earth, he wouldn't be in this position. Tony was chatting quietly with Bruce, his own bravado covering his own brand of anxiousness up. The genius hated acknowledging that people were more powerful than he was, and it wasn't borne out of anything like pride.

Okay so maybe it was a little, being the first to create a metal flying suit, powering his entire building with clean arc reactor energy, it made his ego swell. But more than that, he hated the thought of people who might be superior to him, it reminded him far too much of his time in the Ten Rings, how they lorded their authority over him, making him feel worthless and helpless, compounded by the fact that Yinsen died for him, when no one else had cared before.

It made him dislike Loki when he first encountered him, made him dislike Thor too, and the Olympian gods as well. But as arrogant as he was, as much as people claimed that he didn't have a heart, Tony stark did have one, and Thor was one of his friends, he wasn't about to go back on a promise to help the other guy. That, and Percy was coming along. Someone needed to keep an eye on the kid who was a walking, breathing trouble-magnet.

Bruce took one look at Tony's face and immediately launched into a discussion about the theories of the wormhole they had travelled through, throwing out ideas and dragging Tony into a discussion to take his mind off other stuff. From the gratitude in his friend's eyes, he knew he was successful. The two of them exchanged theories about the portal they had travelled through, wondering if they could get a scanner close enough to study the portal. Tony suggested asking Loki, to which the god raised an eyebrow, having overheard their hushed conversation. Tony scowled and wagged an accusing finger at him for eavesdropping, while Loki just smiled, his face a shining beacon of innocence. The god hid his surprise behind the facade, wondering how and when the mortals became friendly enough with him to even consider asking him for help with their projects.

Soon enough, Frigga returned and nodded to them, gesturing for them to follow her. She led them through the side door, leading them into the throne room where Odin awaited them, his stoic figure atop the golden throne of Asgard, Gungnir held tightly in his hands.

Loki pressed his lips tightly together at the sight of the old king, his gaze turning cold and frigid. He felt Percy nudge him and he unclenched his fingers, giving the younger boy a grateful look.

They arranged themselves in a line, Thor at the head, dropping to one knee with his right fist over his heart as he bowed to Odin. The avengers went next, and being mortal, they didn't give the same now that Thor did, instead, compromising for a half bow at the waist which Odin did not reject. Percy stepped up after them and bowed, "Greetings, your majesty." He said, making eye contact with the king as per the Greeks' style.

Loki however, did nothing of the sort. He raised his chin defiantly and stared straight into the Allfather's eye, a sardonic smile curving his lips, "I see you are in good health, Allfather."

Odin narrowed his eye, "You would not bow before your king? Show him respect?" He said softly, his voice carrying across the room.

Loki's smile twisted, feeling the anger rushing back, "I see no king of mine."

Thor, sensing the rising tension between his brother and father, stepped in quickly. "Father, we – Loki and I – received a call from Mother, requesting our return to Asgard to fight in the battle against Thanos. My friends," he swept a hand across the avengers, "Have generously decided to come along and help us against the Mad Titan."

Odin kept his gaze on Loki, who smirked challengingly, the king breaking his gaze from his wayward son after a long while, turning to face his eldest instead. His eyes swept over the avengers, assessing them individually, something that made Loki bristle internally, knowing that they were being judged for their worth despite their good intentions.

Odin nodded and spoke, "I, on behalf of Asgard, welcome you mortals. It was an unnecessary and troublesome decision to travel to our home realm, but I appreciate the gesture, I am sure that you are all valiant warriors back on Midgard, and I appreciate the support you give my son."

Frigga glanced sharply at her husband, while Natasha narrowed her eyes at the king, wishing she could give the royal a taste of her Widow's Bite, he could get a first-hand taste of how much of a 'valiant warrior' they were then. And from the look on Percy's face, she wasn't the only one to think so either. Tony scowled, already half stepping forward to give a piece of his mind to Odin, but to his – and everyone else's surprise – Loki stepped forward, a sneer on his pale face as he subtly pushed the genius behind him.

"Valiant warriors? Truly, is that all you are able to say in the face of the men and woman who defended themselves against the chitauri and won?" Loki scoffed, "Your generosity truly knows no bounds, Allfather." He sneered, his words dripping with sarcasm. He flung a hand out, "They come here to defend a realm they have no obligation to, and you shower them with pretty words dipped in poison. I expected much more of you than this O Mighty King."

Odin sat up straighter, leaning forward, his tunic rustling with the movement, "I have welcomed them into the realm of the gods, a place where many have desired to come but have fallen short of the grace they needed to mingle with the gods –"

Loki laughed, "Mingle with the gods?" He mocked, "The Avengers came here to fight out of nothing more than goodwill, but you see plots where there are none do you not?" He said dangerously.

Odin stood up and slammed Gungnir onto the ground, "Enough!" He roared, pointing the spear at Loki's heart, "You will not show disrespect in the halls of the honoured you dishonourable creature!"

Loki's face darkened and Percy stepped forward hastily, pushing past the avengers who were all stunned at the trickster god's actions. "Your Majesty, I-"

Odin turned to him, "And you, Perseus Jackson, what are you here for?"

Percy blinked, composing himself, "Like my fellow Midgardians," he said, nearly fumbling over the foreign word and cheering internally when he didn't, "I'm here to help fight against Thanos. And no, I don't need glory or gold or whatever, I won't be able to carry that back to my house anyway. And people might think that I robbed a bank or something." He said, grinning cheekily at the king of the realms, his faux grin betrayed by the stormy look in his eyes.

Odin turned to Thor, sitting back down on his throne, blatantly dismissing them, "Take your friends to the guest rooms and let them settle in. You are all dismissed."

Frigga curtsied, giving her husband the royal equivalent of a stink eye before she swept out of the room, her strides brisk and sharp with her armour clinking softly where her normal tunic would billow behind her as she glided across the marble floor. They all filed out after her, Loki and Percy being the last to leave, the god glaring at his once-father before Percy shoved him away from the throne before he did something he would regret. Just before Percy stepped out, the doors slammed shut in his face, making him stumble back and draw Riptide in a flash, facing the aged god.

"All are dismissed, except you Perseus Jackson." Odin boomed, his eyes narrowing suspiciously, "I would like to hear your story on how you managed to...acquire an Infinity Stone."

Percy gripped his sword tighter, hoping that the doors would hold until he found out what Odin wanted from him.

In hindsight, Loki probably shouldn't have let Percy leave the last. Knowing the demigod, trouble, even in the smallest form like tripping over his own feet would have surely found him. So when the doors slammed shut a hairs breadth after he exited, Loki whirled around immediately, his guard up, slamming a hand full of power into the door.

He wasn't expecting the rebound that sent him flying into Thor.

He crashed into the sturdy thunder god, taking him by surprise, the both of them crashing to the ground in a loud heap. The avengers – minus Tony and Bruce – whipped out their weapons, falling into a defensive stance that came as easily as breathing.

Loki paid them no attention and snarled, leaping to his feet. "That bastard!" He hissed, darting towards the door, stopping short when Frigga blocked him.

"Loki, stop this, now." She said sternly.

Loki bared his teeth, something he would never have thought to have done to his mother of all people, "He has locked Perseus in there, and I will not stand for it!"

Frigga placed a hand on his arm, "Loki, Odin knows what he is doing, all he wants is to know how Perseus managed to get his hands on a stone!"

Loki shrugged his mother off, hissing, "And to do that he chose a coward's way out? To hold him back like a prisoner? As though he were a criminal? To grab him when our backs were turned?" He snarled, his voice rising higher and higher with each accusation.

A resounding slap echoed the ought the hallways, abrupt silence falling on them. Loki's head turned to the side, his eyes wide. Frigga breathed heavily, her hand stretched in front of her.

"Thor," she instructed sternly, "Bring your friends to the guest rooms."

Thor started, protest on his lips, but Frigga sent him a sharp look, "Now!"

He hesitated, looking at his brother who remained as still as a statue, before gesturing for his friends to follow him, the avengers casting strange looks at the god as they left.

Frigga turned back to her youngest, who was gingerly lifting a hand to touch his face, a red mark growing in the left of his cheek.

"Oh Loki." She whispered.

Loki stared at her, his eyes growing dark with emotion, "You would stop me from entering?" he asked softly, his voice flat.

Frigga frowned, "Loki you know that I would not stop you normally –"

"Then why, pray tell, did you stop me now?" He asked, "Why would you not let me enter the throne room? I am the reason that Perseus is here on Asgard, I am the one who suggested that he train with the stone, I alone am responsible for him!"

Frigga stared at her son, her youngest son who had gone through so much trauma and seen so much horror yet returned to Asgard – the place he had been scorned and mocked – in a heartbeat the moment she requested for him.

"Loki," she said, "Trust that your father will not harm Perseus."

Loki sneered, "He is not my father, and only a fool would trust the man who taught me how to lie."

"If you cannot trust Odin, then trust that Perseus can handle himself well enough not to come to any harm. They are mature adults Loki, and all Odin wants is to know how he secured a gem." Frigga pleaded.

Loki pressed his lips tightly together, "Perseus finds trouble even where there is none, I do not want to see him hurt."

Frigga touched Loki's arm lightly, "Walk with me my son, it has been so long since I last conversed with you properly."

Loki scowled, looking at the golden double doors which gleamed mockingly at him, "If a single hair on him is harmed, Odin will know what it means to make an enemy out of me."

Frigga smiled and tugged him away from the throne room. With great reluctance, he gave the doors one last look before allowing himself to be pulled away by his mother.