Despite all she had heard, nothing would've sufficiently prepared Anja for their arrival on Jotunheim. As the young woman sat on the edge of her bed, staring out her window at the barren, frozen land just outside the ship, she wondered what the hell she had gotten herself into by agreeing to join in on this space venture. From what she had heard of frost giants, they weren't exactly the kind of being she wanted to deal with, but this was a necessary evil in order to help defeat Thanos once and for all.
"Miss Anja? Are you ready to depart?" Korg's voice called from the doorway behind her.
Anja turned her head to look at the Kronan. "Yeah, give me a moment." She stood, shrugging her winter coat onto her shoulders before zipping it up. She took one glance out the window again before tightly closing her curtains. She walked up to Korg and raised an eyebrow. "Are you not coming with us?"
Korg shook his head as the two of them stepped out of her room and made their way towards the lounge. "Nah. Thor thinks most of us can stay on the ship without consequence. He says only a handful of you are going to negotiate with the frost giants. Gives the rest of us some time to work on some things around here, I guess."
Anja frowned slightly. She really hoped Thor knew what he was doing. She would've thought most of the crew of ten would be going just in case things went haywire, but then again she was sort of new to all of this hero business. Even still, she would imagine having Korg around would be more useful than she would be, given she didn't have complete control over her own powers and she was probably rusty from her S.H.I.E.L.D. training years ago. She shook the thought from her mind. Maybe whoever else was coming would make up for that. She just hoped she wouldn't have to break out her abilities today. Anja made a mental note to get some practice before the next realm just as the rest of her friends came into view.
"About time you got out here," Layla called out, all bundled up in a fluffy coat, pulling a hat over her head. "I was starting to think you chickened out."
Anja resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Wouldn't dream of it," she said quietly. She looked among her friends, and seeing Layla, Thor, and Loki as the only others even remotely dressed for the obviously cold weather put a frown on her face. "Is it... just the four of us going?"
"Yes," Thor answered, adjusting his cloak. "It should not take more than the four of us to convince them to ally themselves with us against Thanos. Cold is not something Korg or Miek need to really deal with. Tony and Bruce have decided to improve the tech on the ship, and Brunnhilde is going to train Spencer in combat since she is the least experienced in it."
Anja didn't have time to reply to him before Layla spoke up again. "Is that all you're wearing? You're probably going to freeze."
Compared to Layla and Thor, Anja was hardly wearing anything to protect herself from frostbite. They were bundled up like they were going into the arctic, wearing layers of furs and heavy coats. Anja was relieved to see that Loki was no more bundled up than she was, and hadn't even really added anything to his armor other than a small fur draped around his shoulders.
"Should I be wearing more?" Anja asked, pulling a pair of gloves from her coat's pocket and sliding them onto her hands.
"Depends on how well you tolerate frozen tundras," Loki answered before shooting Thor and Layla a smirk. "Some aren't able to withstand the frigid air of Jotunheim."
Anja felt a little better hearing that, and shrugged. "It can't be any worse than Michigan winters. There were times our temperatures were well into the negatives, and I survived just fine. Walked to class in it and everything."
"Speak for yourself," Layla commented. "Some of us don't exactly have the ability to not freeze in sub-zero temperatures."
"Mm, how tragic," Loki snarked. Anja could tell he was growing more weary of the complaining with every second. "Now, if we're done debating our attire, we should depart, as I am sure we would like to be back to the ship by nightfall." He looked to his older brother and added, "And once we get to the palace, I would like to do the talking. I think I have the perfect plan."
Thor sighed. It was more than obvious to Anja he wasn't so sure that Loki doing the negotiating would work out, but he answered, "Fine... Let's get going then." The God of Thunder stepped away from the other three, leading the way to the ship's main entrance. As his brother and the two women started to follow him, he turned to Korg. "We'll return hopefully before nightfall. Hold down fort while I am gone."
"Will do, man," Korg replied with a nod. "Don't end up like Doug."
Thor shook his head, but said nothing as he opened the door and stepped off the ship, the other three following close behind. Once they were several yards away from the now closed doors of the ship, Layla asked the question that Anja had been dying to ask.
"Who the hell is Doug?"
"It's a long story," Thor responded. "I will have to explain it later. Just know that was his way of saying don't die."
Silence fell over the four as they continued walking through the frozen landscape towards the palace. Anja, while generally not a fan of winter, was finding it very difficult to not marvel at the unconventional beauty of all the ice and the way the light reflected off its surface. The frozen structures were almost sky blue in color and the contrast with the white snow made it all the more breathtaking. Sure, Anja was beyond used to snow and ice thanks to her life in Michigan, but this was a whole new level to it.
Anja ran a hand down the face of an iceberg absentmindedly. They weren't far from the palace now, and Anja was feeling more anxious by the minute. Palace may have been the wrong word for it, as it was mostly just an ice and stone structure with a throne settled in the middle. Nonetheless, even at a distance, it was an imposing structure and she was sure the giants that resided there would be no less intimidating.
She was unintentionally lagging behind Thor and Layla by a few paces, ignoring whatever they had started talking excitedly about. Taking everything in just meant she was moving slower than they were, taking more calculated steps as her mind raced, trying to not worry about these talks and all the ways they could go wrong. Thor and Layla both seemed unfazed by the task at hand. She supposed in a lot of ways, the two of them were a lot alike. Both headstrong, both natural leaders, both people that commanded the attention of anyone in the room. It was no shock to her they had taken to each other, or that they were both so eager to start these talks. She shook her head as she watched Layla gaze into Thor's eyes as they continued to chat.
Layla could make fun of her all she wanted, but she was honestly no better.
"You may want to pick up the pace," Loki's voice broke her thoughts.
She looked over her shoulder, and saw him walking only a few feet from her. "Technically you're behind me, so who needs to pick up the pace?" she sassed, a small smile on her face.
"I'm behind you so you don't fall behind because you're too busy fondling the ice," Loki responded, smirking back at her.
She shrugged lightly as he started to walk next to her. "I have a degree in climate physics, so because of that and a few other reasons, I find this all a little fascinating. I've never seen so much ice, and from where I am from, that is saying something since we can have ice for more than half the year if the weather decides to be wonky."
"Where I am from, this is normal," Loki said, the tone of his voice much more solemn than when he had spoken last.
Anja raised an eyebrow curiously. But he was from Asgard, wasn't he? Was Asgard a frozen tundra too? From what she had heard, no, but since she would never get the chance to see it, she would never be for certain. She made the mental note to ask him what he meant by that later. The four of them had reached the palace and it was time for sidebar conversations to cease, and for the negotiations to truly begin.
The four of them approached the throne, and Anja took in the scenery a bit more. And, more importantly, the incredibly large beings standing and sitting before them. This was the first time she had ever laid eyes on a frost giant, and her eyes went wide involuntarily. Their blue-gray skin and piercing red eyes had struck her speechless for a moment as she studied the markings and ridges that varied from giant to giant. Anja could see why some would think of them as terrifying, but her mind said differently.
"Wow... they're beautiful," she practically whispered.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Loki glance over at her, a bewildered look upon his face. It looked as if he was going to say something, but he was cut short when the giant seated on the throne spoke up.
"So who are you, and why are you trespassing in my realm?"
Loki cleared his throat, looking away from Anja and up at the giant. "I am Loki, Prince of Asgard," he started. "This is my brother, Thor, King of Asgard, and our friends, Layla and Anastasia of Midgard."
The frost giant raised an eyebrow as he placed an elbow on the throne's arm before resting his chin on his fist, seemingly familiar with his name. "Ah. So you're the traitor who murdered my uncle, as well as the one who attempted to destroy Jotunheim with the Bifrost." He paused briefly before glancing at Thor. "And you nearly rekindled a war between Jotunheim and Asgard." The giant looked away from the King of Asgard before his eyes fell onto Anja and Layla. "As for these... humans, I don't know why you brought them."
"You must be Laufey's nephew then," Loki pieced together, a smirk all too apparent on his face. Anja swore for a second he was going to laugh. "Didn't he have a son?"
The girl caught Thor shooting his brother a warning glare from the corner of her eye before he hissed, "That's enough, Loki."
"Not a living one. That runt died long ago," the frost giant huffed, obviously annoyed. "Now, I'll ask again... why are the four of you trespassing in my realm? You and your brother have caused my people much grief, and I have no reason to not kill you where you stand."
Anja's heart was racing. It didn't seem like the frost giants were going to cooperate and the thought of a fight frightened her more than she cared to admit. She hadn't fought anyone since the Civil War, and that alone was enough to make her nervous, let alone what fighting a frost giant would entail. She didn't have long to think about her fear before Loki spoke again.
"Well, we have something of yours," he explained, causing Anja to raise an eyebrow in confusion. What? She seemingly wasn't the only one confused, as Thor and Layla looked over at him as well. "With the Casket Of Ancient Winters in your possession once again, you would be able to rebuild your world to its former glory. You can have it back- under one condition."
"And that would be?"
"An alliance and subsequent peace between our realms," Loki stated plainly. "The universe is on the brink of war with the Mad Titan, Thanos. He is hellbent on retrieving the Infinity Stones in an attempt to wipe out half the universe. It would be wise for our realms to unite against him, as he possesses enough force to easily overpower us both individually with little effort. Midgard has already aligned with us, as well as Nidavellir, so I trust they would align themselves with you as well."
Anja watched as the frost giant's face flashed between annoyance and concern. She really hoped that this wasn't about to backfire, and took a deep breath as she mentally prepared for the worse. "The last time you promised us the casket, Jotunheim was nearly destroyed. Why should we accept this offer of yours now? How do we know this is not another trick? You haven't shown us you even possess the Casket of Ancient Winters to begin with."
Loki sighed, likely in an attempt to calm himself. "I'm trying to correct my past mistakes. There are more important things at stake than the petty fighting between our realms. The casket is what you want, right? Here!"
Loki waved his arms, and in a warped, swirling blur of motion, a glowing blue and gray-ish black rectangular box appeared in his outstretched hands. Whatever it was, it certainly looked as ancient as its name suggested, and Anja couldn't resist staring at it, eyes tracing the patterns across its surface. It was almost enough to distract her from the fact that Loki's skin was starting to turn the same blue-gray as the frost giants standing before them. Her gaze shifted from his hands to his face, and, sure enough, it had changed to blue-gray as well, his normally emerald colored eyes now completely a deep red. She could only stare in awe as the frost giant spoke up once again.
"What sort of witchcraft is this?"
"Well, that's the fun part. This isn't witchcraft, I assure you," Loki answered with a chuckle. Anja willed her heart to remain calm as she took notice to the smirk forming on his face. "I am Laufey's son, raised by Odin, and rightful heir to the throne of Jotunheim. Odin thought that one day I could unite our realms. I'm attempting to do just that."
And that's when everything finally clicked in Anja's head.
Why he had said he had been lied to his whole life. Why he didn't want to come to Jotunheim to begin with. Why he was so hesitant to talk about what was bothering him. Why he said where he was from ice like this was normal. He wasn't Asgardian after all; he was a frost giant, and he had spoken of them to her as if he had been told they were monsters, as if he had been taught to hate himself. It all made so much sense, and hearing him say all that only made her heart ache. She knew he was a troubled soul, but this... this was more than she would have ever thought. She blinked a few times, willing her eyes to stop tearing up for her friend.
"Should you refuse my offer, your realm will stand alone in its inevitable fight against Thanos. A weakened Jotunheim stands no chance against the forces Thanos possesses, especially if he has acquired any of the Infinity Stones he seeks- which by now I am sure he likely has," Loki continued as he lowered the casket down to his chest level, breaking Anja's thoughts. "Your choice, dear cousin. You can keep your throne, and you can acquire the casket and Asgard as an ally... or you get a battle you will not win that could quite possibly result in the utter annihilation of our kind."
The frost giant stared down at the four of them for a few moments in silence. The only noise was from the wind blowing between the ice structures, and the haunting sound was more than enough to send a chill down Anja's spine. It wasn't helping her already racing mind, and she silently prayed that this wasn't going to blow up in their faces.
"Very well," Loki's cousin finally spoke up. "You have a deal. We will align ourselves with you against this Thanos in exchange for the Casket of Ancient Winters."
"Excellent," Loki breathed, handing off the casket to one of the frost giant guards. Anja watched as his skin slowly returned to 'normal,' still completely mystified by it all. "We will be in touch with you in the future. Thank you for your cooperation."
With a quick, diplomatic bow, Loki turned and started to walk back out of the palace. Anja thought it was best to do the same, and then quickly followed her friend, Thor and Layla not far behind. The silence from earlier had fallen over them once again, or at least it had until Thor caught up to Loki and forcefully twirled him around to face him. Anja and Layla both stopped in their tracks, watching the brothers with wide eyes, knowing very well this was about to turn into a fight.
"How long have you been holding onto the Casket of Ancient Winters?" Thor questioned, his voice booming with anger. "It should've been destroyed on Asgard."
Loki shrugged lightly, trying to downplay it. "I picked it up when I placed Surtur's crown in the eternal flame. I thought it could prove useful, and I was right. I fail to see what the problem is."
"Is there anything else you stole from the vaults that we should know about?" Thor accused. "Like I don't know... the Tesseract?"
"Absolutely not," Loki answered, a completely serious look plastered to his face. "I didn't have enough time to grab anything else, let alone the Tesseract. I assume it was destroyed with everything else on Asgard, or it's floating around in space somewhere."
"For your sake, you better hope it was destroyed," Thor replied angrily, giving his brother a stern glare before continuing towards the ship without another word.
Anja and Layla exchanged glances before following behind the two men. Other than the decision to head to Jotunheim to begin with, this was the first time either woman had seen the two of them at odds with each other. Anja was sure this was probably only going to be the first of many fights the brothers would have. She got it. After all, she certainly fought with Layla and Spencer. As the four of them trudged towards the ship, Anja was just going to be happy this first step was done and over with, and was hoping she would be able to get some much needed relaxation done before the next realm.
*****
Hi everyone! Sorry this took so long for me to post! It's been a weird couple weeks here. Due to the extreme cold we received thanks to the polar vortex (at one point we had windchills around -40°F), we had a pipe freeze in our house. Only one. Turns out whoever designed our house was an idiot and ran the pipe outside in an overhang, and said overhang was poorly insulted. Also turns out the tub drain had a slight leak, which is the true reason the pipe froze. Luckily we caught it before it burst. My dad came out, got the pipe unfrozen, fixed the drain, and replaced the dry rotted boards and insulation. Bad news is that we have to fix the ceiling in our basement now and a hole in our bedroom closet.
And then per Michigan protocol, it was near 60°F a few days later, and last night we got a small ice storm.
I also started work again! I only work Sundays in February, but that may be different going forward. It was a nice first day back, despite how wet my shoes and feet were by the end of it!
Other than that, I can't think of much else to report. My baby is now 5 months old, and it seems super weird to me to think about. I swear just yesterday we were coming home from the hospital. She's rolling now and everything. I'm torn between excitement and sadness. Being a parent is weird.
This chapter was somewhat inspired by some fan art I saw some time ago (about a year or more ago, I think). Of course now, I can't seem to find it to properly credit the artist who inspired a good chunk of this chapter. Dumb me should've written it down when I saw it back then, but I was obviously not thinking. If anyone seems to find it, please let me know so I may properly credit them!
Anyways, I think that is it! I hope all is going well for you all! Thanks again for reading and being patient with me.
~arty_writes