You just stared at Loki and that bombshell in shock and confusion. "How?!?" you demanded increduously. There was no logical way for Loki to know your mom. None. Before the battle of New York he hadn't been to Midgard in centuries.

Loki paused, looking for words. "Your mother is Asgardian. Lady Byrynhilde, daughter of Freya. I have known her my entire life and I would recognize her anywhere, though I have not seen her in centuries. She was a member of the Asgardian court and was my Mother's best friend. I was still a youth when she disappeared from the court. I know she was unhappy about the marriage that was being arranged for her. She must have fled Asgard to avoid it," Loki explained, musing that last. He'd been too young to ask further than why his precious Mama was sad and where his 'Aunt' had gone. Or he'd been old enough, but Frigga had told him not to ask to protect her friend.

That sounded like something Frigga would do.

And Loki would do anything his Mama asked of him.

You just stared at him in shock. "T-that doesn't make any sense..." you couldn't imagine that your mom was Asgardian. Wouldn't you have known that she wasn't human? If it were true, you should've known. But you thought over what she'd told you over the years. "She would never tell us where she came from, but said it was a different country," you told him softly and he nodded along. That made sense with what he knew. "She did say that she ran away from an arranged marriage, and the queen had been her best friend growing up, and had abolished the forced arrangement of marriages after she left, but by then... She... she said she couldn't go home after we were born because of the question of our citizenship," you told him. She'd been so sad when she told you that story. She'd wanted to go home, but couldn't until you and your sister were grown. And even then, you might not be accepted.

Loki nodded. "I can prove it to you," he told you and stripped your invisibility spell from himself as he stepped out of view of the window, moving toward the front door.

You grabbed his arm. "We can't be seen!" you reminded him sternly.

Loki gave you a reassuring smile. "You cannot. I, on the other hand, am fine. I can always cast a stronger invisibility spell on you while I go speak with your mother," your spell worked, but he was much more practiced at it that you were. You let him go, more shocked than anything. If your mom were truly Asgardian... then you would be half... and that was a lot of implications.... Loki's magic shimmered over you and he kissed your forehead reassuringly before he went to the front door. You followed him toward the front of the house. You wouldn't go in. You couldn't. Your mom would sense you even through Loki's magic. Her magic was stronger than yours. She'd been the one to teach you the basics after all.

A moment later the front door opened and your heart nearly broke to see your mom this close and not be able to go to her. You saw her stare in open shock at seeing on of the princes of Asgard on her front porch. She clearly recognized him as he clearly recognized her. Though it wasn't a surprise that she recognized him. Everyone knew Loki from the battle of New York and his work with the Avengers since then.

Your mom composed herself quickly. She stood straight and tall, looking like a court lady, like the friend of the queen you had always known her to be. "Little Loki, how you've grown," she greeted him warmly. It was clear that she really did know Loki. No one would dare call him 'little Loki' unless they'd known him long enough to earn the right to the embarrassing nickname. "To what do I owe the honor, your highness?" she asked more politely. It really was strange to see one of the Asgardian princes on her doorstep. Especially when she was hiding.

"Lady Brynhilde, it is a surprise to see you on Midgard," Loki greeted her politely. You saw the brief change of his expression, saw his court mask as he seamlessly hid what he was feeling. As he hid the lie that came out of his mouth next. "Shield, the organization I have been working with to help the Avengesr, informed me there might be another Asgardian here. I was sent to confirm their intelligence," he lied. Shield had told you no such thing. But he had to come up withe some excuse to go see your mom.

Your mom nodded and stepped back from the door. "Come in, dear," she bid him warmly. She seemed to continually slip into treating him like the child/teen she'd known. "Surely your Mother told you why I left Asgard..." she trailed off when your teenage sister entered the room. You were watching from the living room window.

Your sister was fifteen and had shot up like a weed. To Loki's eyes there was no denying that the teen was part Asgardian. She had the height and coloring for it (which you did not), the flare of seidr, (though so did you, though you hadn't recognized the power as specifically Asgardian magic). She also had the protective nature of a young Lady Sif, which amused Loki thoroughly. "Mom? Who's at the door?" Bree asked protectively, warily looking at Loki.

Your mom turned to address her. "Loki of Asgard came to call on us, something for the Avengers. Go make a pot of tea. The good stuff, mind," your mom told her firmly. Bree hesitated, looking wary to leave your mom alone with the strange man, but she nodded and went to do as she was told.

"Thank you for the hospitality, Lady Brynhilde," Loki told your mom politely as she led him into the living room so they could sit and talk in peace. "What is your daughter's name?" he asked conversationally as he sat on the couch your mom had indicated. "I can sense her seidr,"

"Her name is Brenna," your mom replied as she took a seat across from Loki in her usual comfy chair. "and you are correct, they-she does possess the seidr. I teach her what I can," she sighed in exasperation. "but she is so like Lady Sif at that age... more interested in swinging a sword than practicing her spells." Bree came in with the pot of tea and teacups for them. Loki offered her a kind, polite smile and you saw your sister's cheeks turn red that the handsome prince was giving her any attention. You didn't blame her. Even if you did want to strangle her for looking at yourboyfriend like that. Your mom turned to address her. "Bree, go upstairs and do the homework you've been avoiding all weekend," she told your sister firmly. Bree hestiated as any self-respecting teenager would do if someone so interesting came into her house. "Now, Bree. And don't bother trying to eavesdrop," Bree stomped off and your mom waved a hand in the direction of the staircase with a heavy sigh, placing an anti-eavesdropping charm as she did. "Teenagers... I don't remember Sif being this much trouble, though I could always hand her a sword and put her in Thor's path and they'd both leave us alone for awhile," she reminisced with a fond smile.

"Lady Sif and my brother are still the same since you last saw them. Give them a battle, and they will have the time of their lives," Loki told her warmly, and your mom laughed at Thor and Sif being the same as she remembered them. Loki seemed the same too. Loki then added. "I'm sure my mother would be happy to hear that you're alright,"

"I'm sure she will. She still writes to me occasionally. Since she abolished the practice of arranged marriages and it was safe for her to know where I am... I would have returned home by now, but there was the girls to consider. They'd never be accepted on Asgard..." your mom explained, and didn't seem to catch her slip. You'd been dead for four years and she still spoke of you as if you were alive.

Loki was ever observand and caught her slip. He, of course, knew about you, but he was still a troublemaker and had to prod at the slip. "Girls? There is another?" he asked her gently.

Your mom blushed when she realized her slip and sorrow filled her eyes. "I had another daughter. She would have turned 23 yesterday, but she made the journey to Hel a few years ago. It is a shame you could not have met her. She was such a bright girl and may have even given yourintelligence a run for its money," she teased him lightly to lighten the mood again.

Loki smiled knowingly. He often said your intelligence amazed him. "I am quite she would have, for you to speak so highly of her, Lady. I am sorry for your loss,"

"Thank you, your highness," she replied with a polite head-bow at his acknowledgement of her loss. She sobered more. "Is this Shield looking to cause trouble for me or Bree?" she asked him, clearly concerned over your sister's safety and well-being. She'd already lost one daughter. She would not risk the safety of the other.

Loki shook his head. "Do not worry. I will keep your secret. They do not need to know you are here. I shall tell them there was no Asgardian here. They, unlike my lady mother, cannot tell when I am lying," he set his teacup down on the table and stood to leave. "I will not overstay my welcome. Thank you for the wonderful tea and conversation. Call on me for anything you may need. I will provide it if it is within my abilities, even teaching young Lady Brenna with her Seidr,"

Your mom walked him to the door. "You know I would never impose," she reminded him warmly. Loki hadn't changed at all, it seemed. Even if Bree was a pain in her ass, she waould never impose the teaching of the teen onto one of the princes of asgard. "It is good to see you are well, your highness. Please do me the kindness of saying hello to your mother for me, when you see her next?"

Loki inclined his head. "It would be my pleasure, Lady Brynhilde." He summoned a beginners text for learning magic. "Please give this to Lady Brenna as a gift. It is the least I can do for showing up unannounced,"

Your mom smirked. "Mayhaps this will entice her to actually learn to use her seidr instead of just her fists..."

Loki offered her an elegant bow. "Good day, my lady," he bid her warmly, with the air of long familiarity.

Your mom offered him a warm smile and an equally elegant curtsy. "Good day, little Loki. You're welcome here anytime,"

Loki left and headed back over to you. You rushed to him. "So? How'd it go?" you asked. You'd missed most of the conversation watching through the window where you wouldn't be seen or felt.

"I was correct. Your mother is Lady Brynhilde, best friend of my mother. Your sister is strong in Seidr but seems to be similar in disposition to Lady Sif," he told you and you nodded with shock in your eyes.

"She never told us..."