CHAPTER SEVEN WHOOOOO we're making progress! :) 

Enjoy!

Chapter Seven

~Thea's POV~

That Saturday, I am woken up early to Klaka leaping up on me and licking my face. I groan, then sit up and rub my eyes. As I ruffle my blankets, I realize that the Stjarna stuffed animal is tucked in the corner of my bed, against the wall. I look at it, and feel my chest deflating a little bit. I have tried to forget about Loki so much, it hurts.

I get up and throw a pillow at the toy and head into the bathroom to change. I pass my pile of homework lying on the floor, a collection of textbooks, notes, string, and markers. Angelique had been over on Wednesday, and we had focused on trying to understand light waves, using the string and different colored markers to literally "make" light waves and bend them as objects would pass through them. I'm feeling much more confident about math and science now, which is a relief, because I really want to get into Umber Academy.

Jack and I have been talking about basically nothing else, unless you count Kyle's future engagement which of course, I had told him the day after I found out. We, along with Peter, have been browsing through the Academy's catalogue, looking through courses and their descriptions. The afternoon classes, all of which are of the "special" variety, are split up into four divisions of difficulty, plus advanced. Jack and I discuss which divisions we will most likely be placed in.

"You'd definitely be at least Division III in Manipulation," he commented one day as we sit at a booth in Panera. We were supposed to be doing homework, but had decided to put it off.

"No way," I said, "That's like, for seniors."

"Juniors," said Jack, swirling his straw in his fresh-squeezed lemonade, "Mostly juniors, I would imagine. Although I would probably be in Division III Weapons as a sophomore. Clint and Dad have been training me with all sorts of gadgets since I was walking."

"Is there a Division IV class for stupidity?" asked Peter, "Because that's what you are if you'd think to give two-year-old Jack any sort of weapon whatsoever."

I have also finished my Umber essay. With Angelique's help and revision (she had given me her number), it actually turned out pretty well. As Max commented, when he read over it, "It's like reading Longfellow."

I don't know who Longfellow is, but Max's proud face when he read the essay was enough for me.

Last night, I had gotten a text from Natasha informing me that I will be at Stark Tower for most of today, training with her and Clint. Steve is apparently in Asgard for some reason, but everyone else will be there.

Not only am I excited about going to Stark Tower because I need to train some, but because I want some answers. Max hadn't "gotten time" to fill me in on the events of the Long Meeting (as Jack and I call it), but I'm eager now to figure out what's going on. Especially if the news has something to do with Asgard, which may or may not explain why Steve is there now.

I get to Stark Tower around ten, and Max drops me off before heading back to the apartment to do some work.

"Hey, after this, and after your session with Angelique, you and Kyle are going to Boston tonight to get some of the last stuff from the house before packing up completely," he informs me. "Get ready."

I find Natasha and Clint in the training room hallway, in room 15, already going at it. I stand at the doorway and watch the two of them fight it out in a blur of motion. Natasha is combatting Clint's strength by using a series of acrobatic moves, as well as two long sticks that she has whipped from her belt. They fight fiercely, fist on fist, kick on kick, grunting and unrelenting.

Eventually, as usual, Natasha gains the upper hand, but barely. In a lightning-quick move, she wraps her arm around Clint, uses him as a lift, and then springs up, wraps her legs around him and sends him crashing to the ground. She lands neatly next to him.

"Hi there Thea," says Natasha, slightly breathless, moving some of her red hair from her eyes. "Go ahead and get changed and warm up. We'll be with you in a few seconds."

I walk into the adjacent locker room and change into tight black pants and a green tank top. I glance at myself in the mirror. I'm so flat, I don't even know if I qualify as a girl. I resist the urge to slam my face against the glass.

"Thea!"

"Coming!" I exclaim, grabbing my dagger and running out of the locker room

*

I practice for three hours, with both Clint and Natasha, in a various combination of fighting maneuvers. Most girls would consider this to be useless and exhausting, but for me, it is therapy. As I sweat through the arduous exercises that Clint and Natasha plan out for me, I finally let all thoughts of Loki, school, and Jack flow away from my brain and just allow myself to sink into the routine of finesse, quick thinking, and strength.

After my training session, I shower and change back to regular clothes, then make my way down the hallway to one of the conference rooms. Inside, Clint and Natasha are already waiting for me. Alongside them are Tony, Bruce, Steve, Max, Kyle, Jack, Peter, and, surprisingly, Thor.

Thor stands and greets me with an enthusiastic hug, but I can't help but notice that his eyes are as tired as his brother's, but hold none of the mischief.

Jack pulls out a chair for me, and I sit next to him. He's wearing some sort of British football jersey, and his hair is messy. I try not to think about what it would feel like to run my fingers through it and-

"Let's get to it," says Tony, between eating bites of a blueberry muffin, "Thor, go at it. What's up in Asgard?"

Thor takes a deep breath. He suddenly looks a lot older, and I see the shadows under his eyes. "There has been conflict in the gentry of Asgard, regarding international matters of Midgard and of Ardhigiza. Asgard has always considered it above Midgard, and with the discovery of Ardhigiza, the nobility feels threatened. The unrest is fueled by two powerful families, as well as my father."

My hand automatically reaches for my golden band, invisible to everyone but me, "Your father?"

Thor looks at me, "My father is trying to bring peace to Asgard, and to solidify his throne. To do so, he must satisfy its people."

I want to scream about ten things right now, half of them curse words, but I contain myself. Barely.

"And these two families?" questions Bruce, "What do they want?"

"One of them is Fjodr's powerful lineage," says Thor, and smiles slightly as I let out a groan, "And the other is headed by a widowed sorceress named Niedra. She lives with her only son in the outskirts of Asgard. She is powerful, and cunning, and has connections everywhere."

"Sounds fantastic," says Tony.

"There is also the question of the crown. Odin is growing old, and as I have stepped aside from the throne, there is the debate about an heir. Fjodr, as most of you know, has a daughter about Thea's age, named Saissa. And Neidra has Caomh, who is older, and is fueled by an avenging mother."

I am clenching my fists and staring at the wall. Because there is one other person in this apparent race for Asgardian throne. Me.

Assuming Loki hasn't actually completely disowned me.

So goody. Three kids, one of which is a bitch, one of which is the son of a sorceress, and one of which who is me, who is the technical heir to the Asgardian throne with some problems with fire extinghuishing. And one crown.

"What's their thing against Ardhigiza?" asks Bruce.

"The Asgardians believe that the Velah are below them, even more than humans. They think they are animalistic and behind the times, as they are one with nature. I fear what it may mean for young Archer and his unstable rein."

"Are we talking about an Asgardian and Ardhigiza war?" demands Max, "Because that has its own host of problems."

"Yes," says Thor, "The biggest being that Asgard will destroy the Velah, and this is what Asgard wants. To expand their borders. Perhaps even to Midgard."

"So what?" asks Tony, "Earth and Velah against power-crazed demi-gods?"

"There is that problem with diplomacy," says Thor, "I have tried to speak to my father, but he will not budge. His mind is set. If the Velah do not succumb to Asgard's desires, and be envelope as a principality, my father will take it over."

"What?!" I exclaim.

"I know this sounds distasteful," says Thor, "But I cannot change his mind once it is set. We must decide now whether to align with Asgard, or to bring our advice to Archer."

"Does Archer know about this?" I ask.

"Yes, but perhaps not to its extent," says Thor. "I am first loyal to Asgard, but am friendly to Archer. But he is young, and perhaps he is inexperienced for this ordeal. Perhaps he should succumb to-"

"That's not fair!" I exclaim, "He shouldn't have to bow down to Loki when he's being an overlording-"

I gasp.

I had just said Loki's name.

I know that's very very bad.

"Loki?" questions Thor, confused, "It is Odin who sits upon the throne of Asgard. My brother...my brother is dead."

NO. NO, HE IS NOT.

"M-my mistake," I whisper, "Sorry. Can I have a moment?"

I walk out of the conference room with as much dignity and calmness as possible. And then, I hide in the bathroom until the meeting is over. For some reason, I think the more I hear about plots against Asgard, the better it will be for me.

*

"You got all your homework right," comments Angelique around one o'clock. As Ed Sheeran plays in the background, she's lying on my bed, upside down so that her dark hair falls off of the side as she looks at me, "And didn't you say that you got a hundred percent on that lab?"

"It was a ninety," I say.

She waves her hand, "Ninety, one hundred, still an A."

"Fair point," I say. I'm sitting at my desk, writing down more notes about wavelengths and also really trying not to think about earlier. So mostly, I'm just staring up at my corkboard, which has a compilation of photos on it.

Angelique sits back up, and her hair falls in her face. Pushing it aside, she walks over to me in her bare feet, "Whatcha doing now, besides staring dreamily into Jack's green eyes?"

"I am not," I say, pushing her shoulder.

(This is not completely true.)

"No one would blame you," comments Angelique, leaning against the dresser, "They are quite dreamy."

"If you say so," I say as dully as possible, but also knowing that I sound like I have a piece of bone stuck in my throat. To move the conversation away from us, I say, "What about you? Any guys you like?"

"Nope," laughs Angelique, "Nope, I'm single and not ready to mingle. I've got my own life to figure out, much less having to worry about."

"Yeah right," I say, grinning and spinning my swivel chair around, "You've probably got some guy pining for you. Probably a bad boy too, with-"

"Oh no, no, no," says Angelique, smiling and holding up her hands, "No bad boys for me, nooo thank you!"

At that moment, Max pokes his head in, "Thea, you might want to get ready. You and Ky are leaving in twenty minutes. Hi there, Angelique."

"Hi Max!" she waves cheerfully. As Max turns away, she glances back at me, "Guess I have to run. Text me if you need anything between now and next weekend!"

"I'll be working on getting you one of those bad boys in the meantime," I say enthusiastically.

"Yeah, you have fun with that," she says, grabbing her purse, "Catch you later Thea, and if you bring me a bad boy, I'm going to purposely teach you the laws of physics wrong!"

I'm telling you. Irony and I need to have a good long chat real soon.

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until next time! xxSierraxx