Storm Princess

Chapter 19 Tony's Treatment

In another part of the city, Loki had taken Tony to visit the Science Guild. Tony was in the middle of interrogating the engineers when Frigga appeared to him and Loki and told them it was time for lunch. Tony was tempted to refuse, but he wasn't going to be rude and decline a request from the Queen.

So, Loki and Tony made their way back to the palace. When they reached the great hall, Evie stood up and rushed towards her uncles and hugged them, “Did you have fun, Uncle Tony?”

Tony smiled down at his niece, “Sure did, lightning bug. I learned a lot. I think some of it I can apply to my suits.”

“That's great! Come on, let's have lunch.”

Evie took Tony by the hand and led him to the dais where her family was seated. Frigga smiled at Tony while Odin nodded. Tony bowed towards the monarchs, “Good afternoon, your Graces.”

“Good afternoon, Tony. I hope you enjoyed your morning with our engineers,” Frigga said.

“Yes, I did; I had no idea that Asgard was so advance. It's amazing how you combine magic with technology. I didn't think that sort of thing was possible.”

“Yes, it is. I hope you can learn much more about our technology and apply it to your own when you return to Midgard.”

“Thank you, Queen Frigga.”

They continued their conversation while the servants served lunch. As they ate, Frigga would ask Tony subtle questions about his life and how he felt lately. Without realizing it, Tony started to explain that he was having a hard time sleeping and eating because of the dreams he had been having lately.

After lunch, Evie asked if Thor could take her to visit Bjørn and her friends, “Not, today, Petal, Bjørn is in the training yard with his father, but if you like you and I can observe.”

Evie's face lit up, “That would be wonderful, Daddy. Let's go.”

“In the meantime, Tony, would you like to see our library,” Frigga asked.

Tony's eyes lit up, “Yeah, that would be great.”

“Then, I shall escort you.”

Tony stood and offered his arm to Frigga. She took his arm and led him out of the dining hall. As they walked down the palace's corridors, Frigga pointed out all the paintings and sculptures that adorned the hallway. Eventually, they slipped into a comfortable silence, “Evie tells me that she is worried about your health, Tony, and asked that I treat you.”

“Yeah, she told me that she was going to ask you, but you don't have to if it's too much trouble.”

They walked into the library, “Nonsense, Tony, you are family now. And I will always help my family. You told me that you have been having trouble sleeping and eating. How long has that been going on?”

“Since that battle of New York. Since I went into the Wormhole.”

“And what did you see?”

Tony looked away, “I'd rather not talk about it.”

“You don't have to talk about it, my boy, but if you want, I can enter your mind and see for myself. I can assure you that it's quite painless, and it will be beneficial.”

“It will?”

“Yes, it will. Though I get the feeling that this self-destructive behavior has been going on a lot longer than you are telling me.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

“I think you do, my dear. But we'll get to the bottom of it if you let me.”

Tony took a deep breath and nodded.

“Lie down, my dear, and close your eyes.”

Tony laid down on the plush sofa and closed his eyes. Frigga sat down next to Tony and pillowed his head on her lap. She touched his forehead and closed her eyes. Immediately she was transported to Tony's childhood, where she found that his father ignored him continuously and showed him little affection. His mother tried to make up for Howard's lack of attention, but what the boy craved was a father's love.

She saw that Tony resented that Howard spent most of his time looking for Captain America than spending it with his lonely son. And when Howard did spend time with Tony, his father only expected perfection from him. His father's treatment made Tony feel inadequate as a son. And when Howard shipped Tony off to boarding school, that only reaffirmed that he was a failure.

After a while, Tony appeared with Frigga in Tony's mind, and he watched himself as his life played out before him. Frigga took Tony's hand and brought him into a hug, “You are not a failure, Tony. Your father expected too much from a child. And you did have people in your life that loved you unconditionally. Your friend Edwin Jarvis. James Rhodes and his family. My granddaughter loves you. And you may not believe it, but I love you as well. It was wrong what your father did to you, but it was never your fault.”

Suddenly, Tony's memories moved to the day his parents died, and he was at their gravesite. Tony saw himself standing there with Obediah Stane. Tony did not shed a single tear for his parents, but afterward, he drank so much he couldn't remember what happened the next day. And that was when his life changed, and he became the playboy that everyone knew. Tony and Frigga stood by the graves after everyone left.

“It's alright for you to grieve, Tony, even for your father. You loved him. On some level, you loved him, but you also resented him for him, causing the death of your mother. You're allowed to feel those emotions; no one will fault you.”

By this time, Tony was weeping; Frigga took him in her arms and let him cry all his anger and grief. Once Tony had finally calmed down, they moved on to his fear of what he had seen in the wormhole. Tony showed her the vast army on the other side of the wormhole waiting to cross over and how large it was.

“I know that no one will believe me, and I'm the only one that can protect the Earth. We have to be prepare. Because they may not come soon, but they will come, Frigga.”

Frigga sighed, “Unfortunately, you are correct, Tony. Your people's work with the Tesseract has alerted other worlds that the Earth is ready for a higher form of war.”

“That's what Thor said.”

“And he's correct. It's unavoidable now. But you do not have to take this burden on you alone. Asgard will help you in any way we can. I will make sure that all of our knowledge is passed on to you. So long as you do not work yourself to death. From what I can see, it will take years for this army to reach you. And with the Tesseract safely in Odin's vault, it will take even longer. You have time.”

Tony felt a load lifted from his shoulders, knowing that he at least had the help of someone else and that they believed him. Frigga hugged him and repeated in his ear, “You are loved, Tony Stark. Never forget that.”

With that, Frigga and Tony left his mind, and Frigga left Tony sleeping soundly on the sofa.