fossilised | I come from a land of ice and snow

I come from a land of ice and snow

Asgard sat atop the branches of Yggdrasil since time began, and little had changed in their society in the years since. Each Asgardian was long-lived into the millennia, their lands were fertile, their people brave and strong. They had their vassals, their allies, and their enemies. Yet even those who opposed them respected the might of the Golden Dias, and the royalty who sat upon it. Currently that was Odin Borson, though he grew weary more easily now and had begun to consider passing the throne to his eldest son.

He had been blessed with many children, but only two that he considered worthy of his lineage and status. His firstborn, Thor, strong and honourable and everything an Asgardian warrior should be. His second son, Loki, was not natural born, though none knew that but his wife. He was different, a creature of magic and mayhem, of sharp intelligence. Both were worthy, but together they would take Asgard to a new prosperity, he was certain of it.

Midgard, where the mortals dwelt, was a land raided every few centuries for stock. It was seen as a breeding ground, much like a corral for cattle. Mortals were lesser, short-lived and weak, they were fit only as slaves. The last raid had taken place when Loki had been but a baby, nearly a thousand years ago, but the mortals that had been taken had been bred and cared for so that a healthy slave population still thrived. Slaves were given a weakened mixture of Idunn's crop with their food, to extend their natural lives to at least a few centuries in order to make them worth the effort to train. They had no rights, but they were taught well that this was their natural position.

All slave children were raised in a central pen and taught the same when small, those that then displayed talent at cooking, riding, hunting, housework, artisan skills, or singing were then measured off to be specially trained for higher masters. Every five years those who could afford to buy a slave, or those of high enough status to simply demand them, came to the corral and chose. Those who were chosen were special, were envied, and those who were not ended up working the fields out in the far reaches of Asgard, the most menial of work.

Anthony and Steven had been friends since they were little and being raised in the large pens together. Both had excelled, Anthony at crafting and Steven at warrior's skills, but neither were chosen when they were five, nor ten, nor even fifteen. Now, at twenty, it was their final chance to be chosen before they would be assigned to one of the meanest farmers beyond the borders of the great capital. Steven woke Anthony as the dawn rose, mingled excitement and nerves on his face.

"Anthony! Wake up, I've got news! I heard the overseer talking to one of the passing guards, and Princes Thor and Loki are coming to the corral today."

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"Of course we sleep and eat, but we do not need to do it as often as mortals. I will not turn down some food and rest, though."

She might not be too happy with what mortals called food, though. Jotun food was very natural, and very heavy on meat and fish. Few plants grew in the cold freeze of their homeland, and what little there was had to be tended to in special underground caves. Bread, meat, and fish tended to be their main fare.

"It seems wise to have a council to advise the leader. My father is King, but he would not make decisions of war or great import without seeking the advice and consensus of his council first. Helblindi, that is my eldest brother who will be King one day, does not see that yet. He's growing, though."

"It's a good thing that you'll be queen then," Tony said, rinsing his hands off and heading back upstairs to get on a clean shirt. He didn't think much of doing that with the girl there, though the reactor planted in his chest might give her some pause. "You can keep all the stupid boys in check." He might have been a womanizer at one (or two) point in his life, but he also was fully convinced that women ran things. He quickly buttoned up a fresh shirt to head out into the messy streets, still strewn with the remains of reveling. Expectedly, he had to tell Loki all about the reactor and while it was a story he told many times, he enjoyed it this time with the girl.

Tony didn't keep food at his place. He always used the communal kitchen (and whoever was manning it) to get something to eat when he needed it. Or sometimes Bruce would bring a meal over to make sure he ate. That might not be happening so much anymore.

"Let's see," Tony said, encountering no one in the food supply building. Evidently it was still too early for celebrators to get out of bed (most of whom with new partners). He pulled open one of the refrigeration units he spent his days refurbishing and scanned the neatly labeled items. "We have a lot of roasted Dog-sheep left." The biologists had named most of the animals here based off of what was in the skiff databases but Tony used his own classifications.

There were one or two people who passed not that far away, but they just assumed that Loki was another one of their number that they hadn't met yet, such happened quite frequently still. A thousand people was not a lot as far as a population went, but it did still mean that there were strangers among them, nobody could know a thousand people all at the same time.

Loki again hopped up onto the cabinets to sit, she seemed to prefer those to any chairs that were around, and crossed her legs. Roasted dog-sheep, whatever that was, could be edible but she had a definitely preference for fish. All Jotnar did.

"Have you any fish? Raw will do, I do not need it cooked, though I could make you a traditional spiced fish soup if you wished it."

"I could really go for fish. But no. We know there's a lake right south of the settlement but we don't have experts to tell us what's edible. And no one wants to chance it yet. It's on my to-do list, making a scanner to find out what is safe for consumption." He had a very long to-do list. Some of the stuff he could and did give to other engineers but most of it was still stuck in his head. And he just worked better alone where his genius didn't make everyone else feel angry and inadequate.

And his personality didn't make people want to hit him. All. The. Time.

"Oh. Wait. Good old tuna!"

Loki probably had never had fish in a can before but that was one supply that they had s lot of. Thanks Walmart.

Loki had definitely never had fish in a can before and when the top was opened, she wrinkled her nose and poked the flakes inside. Jotunheim didn't have an issue with food storage that would necessitate tins, their climate was so cold and their farming and fishing methods so economical that the need for long term storage beyond what the ice could already deal with wasn't there.

"This is not fish, you are trying to jest with me. A fish has a head and fins, a tail. This looks like something your children might have brought up with a sickness."

She poked it again and then held the tin back out to Tony.

"Surely all of the fish is safe to eat, it's just fish, why would it not be?"

"A lot of fish is poisonous." Tony dumped the tuna out into w bowl, chopped up some space onions (they were closer to nuts sctuslly but Tony thought they tasted like onions), and made two sandwiches on toast with fried bacon for extra crunch. If Loki wanted it, she could have it if not, he'd eat both. He did brew some more coffee though since the girl enjoyed it, making a full pot should anyone else happen by during a walk of shame home.

By now, Tony should have gotten annoyed at all of the questions but he took it in stride, and did so for the entire day, breaking only twice more to get a little sleep and then make another meal, this time something akin to a hamburger. He didn't even warn Loki away from his stuff. She was curious but trustworthy. Or Tony told himself that at least. She was their best hope for a return to normalacy.

The following morning, Tony called a Council meeting. He'd not gone without seeing Bruce for almost two days in a row before but evidently that was what happened when you kissed a friend these days. You had to give them space. And besides, Loki filled the friendship niche pretty well since.

He made sure to be fashionably late for the meeting, Loki in tow, if only to make sure that they had a grand entrance.

Though she did not normally vanish from home for several days at a time, she did not think that anyone would worry about her unless at least a month passed by without any word from her that she was safe. Besides, she was enjoying herself learning about this mortal, his hopes and dreams and fears, and the humanity that had been all but wiped out by Asgard.

It wouldn't be the most grand of entrances, because they all just saw Tony with a teenage girl. Bucky frowned, he didn't like the amount of people in council meetings anyway, let alone with added members, but Loki didn't seem to notice. She just stepped forwards and smiled.

"These are your leaders, Tony Stark?"

"Technically, that blond there is out leader," Tony said, good naturedly, trying not to let his eyes settle on Bruce. "We just advise and out vote him on occasion. His name is Steve Rogers."

"Barnes," Steve said immediately. "I took Bucky's name."

Tony arched an eyebrow but considering how Barnes wanted to stamp himself all over Steve, that made sense. "Steve Barnes. His husband, James, is next to him. And the rest." He didn't get into it. Loki probably didn't care. "This is princess Loki of Jotunheim."

He waited for there to be some commotion. He was not disappointed, either.

"She's from a different reality. Like we used to be. She's offered to act as a liaison between us and her father the King. They want to help us. And I don't think we should say no when we still live in a reality where Asgard wants us as slaves."

Bucky had a gun out and in his hand before the introductions had even concluded, keeping it trained on her without any hesitation or hint of regret. He didn't fire, but nor did he give any indication that he wouldn't if she gave him a reason to. The Asgardians had done horrific and atrocious acts of mass genocide, rape, and subjugation, they didn't deserve any mercy.

Loki took one look at the gun, and at the commotion, and scoffed. They wouldn't be able to hurt her even if they tried, she would simply teleport away to a safer place and leave them to their fate.

"Have wisdom and do not treat me as though I were the monster you have encountered. I am not him, nor am I Aesir, I am Jotnar."

She allowed her human skin to fall away, showing the truth of her heritage to all. Beautiful blue skin with natural whorls and patterns that denoted her lineage as royalty. Her eyes changed to blood red, and an aura of cold could be felt coming from her.

"I am offering to take you to speak with my father, who knows more than I. I cannot promise you safety in our realm, there may be reasons why you cannot reside there, but I know my father will want to help you find safety and a solution."

A blue space princess... He'd been hanging out for the last day and some change with a blue space princess? Fifteen year old Tony Stark just came in his pants. Forty-two year old Tony Stark put himself between their guest and his newly wed friend. "Stand down. She's not here to hurt anyone. Rob from me, yes, but we came to a mutual understanding that no one is stealing from anyone else and that fish does not ever belong in cans on our way to a potential solution to the fact that the Asgard here are enslaving rapists."

His eyes were set and hard, though his gaze was fixed on Bucky. He knew what the reaction was about. He knew this was a need to protect Steve, though the blond had risen to his feet by that time and, honestly, looked regal even in a tshirt and blue jeans. "I'd like to meet the King."

There were some murmurings going on but Stevd plowed through them.

"We decide everything by vote, FRIDAY--"

"Wait a sec," Barton said, leaning forward. "We're gonna vote without any information at all? Jesus Christ people. Just because some blue girl says it's fine, we can't just go to some other planet-- remember what happened to us last time?"

Bruce felt a twinge of excitement himself. It was difficult not to feel enthusiasm as a scientist when meeting a member of a race of creatures that didn't even look human. For so long mankind had looked for alien life and here it was in front of them; for some reason, even though they were also from another realm, the Asgardians didn't seem to count as much. They looked too human, they were too entrenched with folklore and religion as figures of Earth.

But this?

He wanted to vote to go, but Clint was right and he nodded in immediate agreement. "We can't risk walking into a situation we know so little about. While I don't want to offend Princess Loki, especially if her offer is genuine, we're in too much of a precarious position to risk it."

Loki wasn't offended, she was actually impressed. The one who spoke out seemed to have some tactical intelligence to him, and she could appreciate that they didn't know her word was her bond.

"I can return and ask my father to come and treat with you here, but I do not think you will trust that any further, for you might fear we return with a conquering army. I have little to offer you as surety."

Tony was too easy to trust. He knew that. He'd always been like that. People he was drawn to immediately were placed in this inner sanctum of trust. And then hurt him. He really should have been better with that but he felt close to so few people that if he didn't let them in, he'd always be alone.

More than he was already always alone.

"Pretty sure there you could make it snow in Summertown and half of these guys wouldn't trust you." No one got his reference but that was all right. "We're at a disadvantage. We are vulnerable. That's just something that we have to get over. We're sitting ducks here. What do you want? What will make you trust her?"

Barton rolled his eyes. "How about you just tell us about your world? Start easy?"

It was probably good for Tony's damaged and vulnerable trust that Loki was telling the truth, and he would be vindicated for trusting her in time. But for now, she was more than happy to tell them about her world. She spread her hands and green light flowed down her fingertips to the floor, where a beautiful and detailed image of a snowy landscape filled the floor of the Capitol building. As she spoke the images changed, becoming whatever she told about.

"Jotunheim is one of the realms of Yggdrasil, a land of ice and snow, and home to the Jotnar. My people are creatures of magic and ice, we believe that strength of body and mind is important to cultivate. After all, those who are weak in body won't survive our landscape's harsh environment, and those who are weak in mind will never learn how to hunt effectively or barter for other goods. All realms on Yggdrasil are needed for balance and so all races should be protected. Our people are ruled by a King or Queen, whichever the eldest child of the last monarch was, who is advised by a council. Our current King is my father, Laufey-King, and he has reigned for the last six thousand and fifteen years."

The celebrations at his six thousandth year had been amazing and she could still remember them vividly.

"We are not the most influential realm of Yggdrasil, but nor are we the least. We are respected, at the very least."

There were many questions for Loki, enough that Tont finally pulled out his usual seat so she could sit and he stood off to her right with his arms crossed as she answered each one thoughtfully. Every topic from economy to class status was brought up, and some of the questions Tony felt shouldn't have been asked of a kid, even one who was specifically raised knowing these things so she could have the best influence over her future husband when he ruled over them all. He did not, however, interupt.

He couldn't help feeling somewhat protective over Loki, like he wanted to help her out. There was a weird tugging that he felt in his stomach, and though he didn't believe in a fate he didn't make for himself, he did believe that meeting the princess was going to change all of their lives for the better.

Eventually, Steve called again for a vote to go with Loki to Jotunheim to speak with her father and, for the most part, everyone seemed in favor of it. Tony pushed his fist towards Loki and when the girl blinked at him, Tony tapped his knuckles. "Fist bump. It means we did a good job."

Midgardians had some strange customs, but she had been brought up to not offend any foreign parties, and if she did want to offend them then do it through witty words and clever phrase that would leave them unsure if they had been offended. So she closed her fist and bumped it against Tony Stark's with amusement.

"The climate of Jotunheim is a harsh one, as I have explained, and you are all ill equipped to deal with it. I can protect perhaps three of you, but no more, would that be sufficient a party size for an initial meeting? Should a deal be done, I am certain Laufey-King would send others to protect the rest of you from the cold?"

Bucky immediately moved towards Steve, since obviously he would volunteer and he wasn't about to let his husband go into danger without him watching his six. Bruce shrugged and gestured to Tony.

"I'm okay with it, and my vote is for Tony to go. He obviously already has a rapport with Princess Loki."

"We need actual scientists to go," Reagan said. "I've been at the negotiating table before."

Tony had perhaps been about to smile at Bruce or maybe not, he wasn't sure where they stood now that he had likely beaten his bestie with an awkward stick, though his attention was returned to the table. He didn't want to argue in front of Loki. He didn't want to show how fractured their could be at times. But he couldn't let that go.

"I've got degrees in physics and engineering and the last time I checked, those were sciences." Reagan said that she hadn't meant any disrespect but Tony continued. "I also headed a global corporation for over two decades. I think that actually puts me in a better position than you, Professor." Reagan and Nayota had very little love for Tony Stark. And honestly, he didn't blame them. He didn't have a lot of love for himself either. "But that said I don't know if we want Cap to go. He's needed here."

Even Steve was silent about that.

"This about this like the feudal kings. You send delegates, Cap."

Steve really didn't like this. This is why he never wanted to be the one in charge, he was made for action and not sitting about sending other people off into potentially dangerous situations. Nevertheless, he nodded, he knew when a decision was the right one even if he hated it. More than that, he knew the right three people to send. Tony did have to be one of them, he had brokered this deal and it was only fair, but the other two needed to offset him.

"Tony, Bruce, Bucky."

Tony was smart, Bruce was well liked by Reagan and Nayota and nobody could question his scientific credentials, and Bucky was the best they had at tactics. He'd be the one who could get the others out of there if things turned south. He swallowed hard and ran his thumb over the ring on his wedding finger, stomach in knots, but just turned and walked out after giving the order.

Princes Loki looked to the three named and smiled, hands spreading.

"Then shall we go?"

With Bucky staring after Steve, and everyone, even Tony felt for him because the man was entitled to his honeymoon with his brand new husband, and a lot of murmuring going on, Tony felt his stomach sink. He did not want to go anywhere with Bruce. And that was not a fair feeling, he knew, since Bruce had done nothing but be so very kind to him. It didn’t stop him from the irrational feeling, however.

“We’ll go in the armor. Barnes will be insulated from the cold, more or less, from the serum. Banner, I think you run naturally not too. But I don’t have anything in me but regular blood. The second armor will be used as a backup in case one of you ends up needing it.” Tony was already messing with his wrist watch, how he communicated with the second armor at the moment since he had yet to fully inject the sensors into his skin.

He’d finish that when he came back.

“It’s a good thing that we’re all about the same size,” he smirked, his back mostly kept towards Bruce. He’d spent every other thought the last two days thinking about the man but now that he was here, Tony was being regretful. And that was his own issue, no one else’s. The armor would be flying through the window any moment and Tony let it surround him, giving Loki a wink before his face disappeared behind the metal.

Bruce felt for Steve as well. The two men had suffered a lot and they deserved a few days of peace together, but apparently that wasn't meant to be. He went over and said a couple of quiet words to Bucky before he approached Tony in the armour, eyebrow raised to see him in it already.

"Good to see you still have it working, but we need to talk when this is done and I can see your face again," he said, just putting it out there because he was tired of Tony avoiding him since that ill-advised kiss.

Loki, intrigued by both the words and the armour, watched intently until they were all ready and she could gesture them to follow. She led them out into the surrounding jungle for about two miles and then suddenly stepped through an archway into nothingness. Should they follow her, they'd find themselves on Jotunheim, a cold of which even Tony's suit would have trouble with, and Bucky almost immediately began shivering violently. Bruce didn't, the Other Guy made him resistant to just about everything.

Cold, yes, but also beautiful. Pristine white snow, majestic peaks, ice of a bluish tinge, it was like something out of a fantasy illustration. Loki was now in her natural skin, and she definitely looked at home here in the snow.

Hey now! Tony had been where he always was…working. Just because he hadn’t spent his afternoons with Bruce whining like he usually did for a day or two didn’t mean he was avoiding him. Bruce could have come over at any time! Of course, the correct answer was that yes, Tony was avoiding him. But he’d never own up to it. He might even use Loki as an excuse if he was ever cornered for this talk that he Did Not Want.

He made some sort of ‘sure’ acknowledgement sound, but his body ran hot and cold at once. Luckily, there was no flush to his face. There was nothing but stillness from the suit. Thank you, suit.

After stepping through the archway, Tony directed the prototype to encase Bucky. That armor didn’t fly yet and wasn’t fully powered, so FRIDAY would have to do much of the work, but Bucky could still make the movements he needed and the AI would compensate with the various applied pressures and allow the joints to move. It was all very elegant for a clunky piece of unfinished work….but all of Tony’s work was. Someone once said that he could create a spaceship out of sand and cactus needles if he needed to, and have it look good to boot.

Though it was more natural to fly, Tony kept up a pace with the princess, a little snarky in his questions for her to point out landscape features, but the girl was proud of her home and Tony wanted to share in that enthusiasm with her.

Something Loki had neglected to mention during her talks about her nation, mostly because it was a sore spot for her, was that she was not exactly an accurate representation of her people. They would find that out when they rounded the next corner and a giant behemoth of a creature, at least twenty feet high and built to match, with the same blue skin as Loki emerged from seemingly nowhere.

This incoming giant rushed towards the newcomers and lifted Loki high in the air, speaking to her in a language that sounded like the dust of powdered snow falling from a roof. Loki smacked him ineffectually on the head and twisted in his grip, her words remaining English.

"Put me down, little brother, you are embarrassing us both in front of our guests. These are a delegation from a Midgard from another realm."

Bylestir, ashamed, put Loki down at once and bowed to the three, of which only Bruce's astonished face could be seen.

"I am sorry for my rudeness, guests. I am Bylsetir, second son of Laufey-King."

Tony wasn’t surprised by the gender dimorphism, and Loki had explained previously that given her ability as a shapeshifter, she was comfortable in any form she wished, any gender she wished. He’d not thought to ask then if sorcerers tended to just prefer to be considered female or if that was just a preference for the girl. He probably should have spent less time explaining how a circuit worked and how to brew coffee-- But maybe they could speak again later.

He did still have her commission to finish, and while she said she’d pay him, Tony wanted the company more. He took the opportunity, however, to engage repulsors to hover properly at this genuine Frost Giant’s eyeline and gave a little half bow so he wasn’t thrown too drastically off course and crash into the snow and ice.

“Your sister has been nice enough to invite us over. We haven’t meant too many friendly people in the last six months. Our leader’s sent us to say hello to your father and King and we want to pay our respects.”

They didn’t have gifts exactly, which again, Tony was a little annoyed with himself not to think of. But what did one get a king of an alien race of giants?

He certainly didn’t know.

With a sigh, which should have translated more to bow too in the Jotun’s language, Byleister led the way to the massive, jutting, almost impossibly huge mountain palace in the distance. “Love what you did with the place,” Tony said, once more walking beside Loki. “No really…do the flowers grow like that or are they sculpted?” He gestured to what looked like massive snow roses and crystalline orchids that glowed with soft blue light.

"They grow that way naturally, Jotunheim is a place of magic and it sculpts itself to our needs as its primary inhabitants."

As they came closer to the palace, it would become obvious that the size was not simply to do with gender. All of the other Jotnar seemed to be around Bylestir's height, and Loki stood out as a slender and small figure among towering giants. She did not seem to notice the disparity, for she had grown up with it all of her life, but it did prompt Bucky to ask. He didn't have the social tact that he needed for moments like this, so he just came out with it bluntly.

"Why are you so much shorter? Are all the others men?"

Loki's expression went blank for a moment before she smiled at him sweetly, and replied in honeyed tones. "Why are you so much uglier than the others?"

Bylestir snorted. He thought the question an odd one. Did the mortals not know anything about the people they had come to visit. "Be careful, mortal, my sister does not take kindly to her deformity being pointed out so nakedly."

Laughing at Loki’s snap back to Barnes, Tony placed a metal covered hand to Bucky’s shoulder. “You’ve seen her abilities to shapeshift. Imagine if she had to do it with as much mass as her brother? Plus, the smaller package is cute.” They were shown through the main thoroughfare, guards and vassals and servants standing aside to allow the two royals and their diminutive guests to pass. Tony made good use of FRIDAY to record everything going on so that the Council would be able to watch the video when they returned.

Despite all Loki did to prepare them to meet her father, the frost giant sat on a massive throne, overlooking them as if they could be ants scurrying across a kitchen floor. He was, however, kind voices as he rumbled at Loki to join him after he greeted the newcomers announced at the door to the grand chambers.

“You are forever bringing home strays, my precious girl,” Laufey said as he lowered himself to speak alone to Loki. “Midgardians do not fare well in our Realm so why have you brought three here? I am impressed by the naked one, unencased in armour. Is he a sorcerer? We have not known of any mortal to fully embrace the seidr.”

Loki touched her father on the cheek in a tender gesture, she was truly fond of all her family and she believed that he would do his utmost to care for the Midgardian strays, as he had so aptly named them. She murmured their tale to him in a few words, but it was enough for him to rise again with a stern expression to his face. Not for them, but for these Asgardians in the neighbouring realm.

"Your loss is beyond comprehension. But I cannot send you to the Midgard of our realm, there would be others that match your face and form there, the confusion and disruption would be too great. I do not want to insult you by offering you vassalage and place here, on Vanaheim, or Asgard, you need a place of your own to flourish and grow once more."

That would mean looking for an available place outside Yggdrasil, but hopefully not too far away so that they could maybe be allies one day.

"We will not abandon you to such a hostile realm, we will seek out a new planet for you to call home. There are many abandoned or uninhabited ones in the universe."

I come from a land of ice and snow

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