"No-!"
"Oh yes! Odin meant for me to be your bride by Rite of Conquest, Thor! Just as our mother was before me! I was never the spare. I was never meant to rule as Queen of Asgard in my own right. I was only to be your kept woman, to unite our two realms just as Frigga's marriage to Odin brought Vanaheim to heel!"
"That's not… even if that was father's original intention, it's clear he changed his mind, Loki! We were raised as brother and sister for a thousand years! I could never look at you in that way!"
At least he's having the same visceral reaction she'd had when she'd finally realized the truth while flying through the void. For that… for that, Loki decides she can afford to be a little gracious.
"Consider this your one warning, Thor. Leave now. I will never be your bride. Instead, I will be Queen of this pathetic mudball. I will rule it justly and benevolently, with a closed fist. The Midgardians use the freedom afforded them by Odin's negligence to slaughter each other by the thousands daily. They will live much happier under my rule than they do his."
Thor shakes his head at that, quickly recovering from the shocking revelation that their father intended to wed them to one another. Loki expected nothing else from the meathead of course, he was always quick to compartmentalize. What she isn't expecting is the next words out of his mouth.
"You are as foolish as ever, sister. Midgard already has a King. A hidden one yes, but a King, nevertheless. I told the All-Father of him already and Odin has given his tentative approval. Tony Stark works even now to bring peace to Midgard. Your presence is neither needed nor wanted."
What? No seriously, what?! A… a HIDDEN KING?! Blinking rapidly at Thor, Loki sputters.
"What are you talking about, Thor?!" He gives her a curious look.
"You've seen his power for yourself already, have you not? You attempted to strike him down with the Destroyer and failed. He is even capable of defeating Lady Sif in a duel. He is not like other Midgardians. He is more, just like a King should be. Unfortunately, Midgard started persecuting monarchies a few centuries back. Hence, Tony Stark must remain in hiding."
He says it all so matter-of-factly. Like it just makes sense or something. Never mind that Thor is speaking nonsense. Hidden kings? Persecuting monarchies?! And why was the All-Father even entertaining this idea? Just to placate his perfect son?!
A snarl leaves Loki's lips as her face contorts in anger and rage. Thor was mocking her. He had to be!
However, just when she's about to lay into him, to truly lay into him… one of the Iron Legion slams into Thor from the side, followed by another and then a third. The three armors drag Thor with them, pulling him down into the forest below as they punch and kick and strike at him with energy blasts. Thor roars in anger in response, wrestling right back with them as they pull him towards the ground.
Behind them come three more of the armors who move to join their comrades in trying to secure the God of Thunder. And behind them come a final two, who land on either side of her, staring her down and almost daring her to do something. Loki smiles and lifts her hands in surrender, watching on in amusement as both sides take an ass-kicking down below. All according to plan.
What is not according to plan is the ninth armor that shows up, only to land and split open, letting Tony Stark step out onto the cliff a few feet away from her.
"Stark." One of the Iron Legion calls out to him warningly, but he just waves them off.
"Oh, don't mind me fellas. Just something I need to check on. Something I want to see."
Then, looking past her to the brawl below, Stark sighs and brings his hand up to his ear.
"Rumlow? Kiddie gloves only. He's technically on our side. I' ll step in to calm things down in a moment so treat this like a training exercise until then, 'kay? Want a word with his sister first."
Loki's eyes widen at the man's casual arrogance. The Iron Legion had seemed so certain that they didn't owe their strength to Stark back on the aircraft. And yet, when Tony approaches, her two guards do not stop him. And down below… she sees the change in those fighting her brother as they switch up tactics. No… it couldn't be. There was just no way-
Stark suddenly grabs her by her jaw, making Loki hiss as he forces her head back and stares into her eyes.
"Unhand me, mortal!"
She goes to bite his fingers clean off, but he's already pulling them away.
"Has anyone ever told you what beautiful blue eyes you have, Loki?"
Stark's murmur is nonsensical. The Iron Legion watching the encounter seem to think so too, because they exchange glances as he stares her down. Loki, meanwhile, just glowers at Stark in confusion. What did he think he was doing, speaking like that to a Goddess? More so, if he sought to seduce her he could at least get her eye color right! Everyone knew her eyes were GREEN!
But before she can lambast the mortal for his words and promise him eternal agony once she took over his pathetic world, Tony has already turned around and started heading back to his armor. She's so very tempted to fling a dagger into his back to try to end him right then and there but he already survived her daggers once, not to mention the Destroyer. As well, she was flanked by two of the Iron Legion, who had already proven to be as violence happy as Thor himself without half of the compunctions about striking a woman.
Stepping into the suit, Tony Stark takes to the air and lances over her head before flying down to the battle below. Then…
"Shield-Bro!"
Just as he said he would, he calms things down and has them all playing nice with one another in mere minutes. Loki watches this as she's escorted back onto the Midgardian aircraft, now with Thor and Tony Stark in attendance as several unhappy and somewhat damaged members of the Iron Legion stand in silence in the crowded space.
And Loki finds herself wondering if Thor might not be as mad as he sounded. A hidden King … it sounded impossible. Surely… surely something like that would not have escaped the Mad Titan's notice, right? Something like Midgard being ruled in secret by one single figure would not fail to pass under the notice of the Other!
There was just no way that Tony Stark was anything more than an up-jumped mortal with delusions of grandeur and a slightly sturdier frame than other Midgardians. But even if he was Midgard's hidden monarch like Thor seemed to think… it mattered little. Because everything was still going according to plan.
-x-X-x-
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