After being apprised of the situation in Jotunheim, Sif, Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg were apprehensive upon being informed by Odin that Loki would travel to Midgard to attempt to locate the mysterious Phil Coulson. His previous sojourns to the realm had been all in good fun (at least from his perspective), not missions to apprehend treacherous assassins. Though killing or even injuring an Asgardian would be extremely difficult for a mortal of Midgard to achieve, it wasn't entirely outside the realm of possibility as Thor's fate proved.

It had been a long, trying day for everyone. Exhaustion overtook Loki as he trailed behind the others after leaving the throne room to retire to their chambers for the night. After the Warriors Three ahead of Sif had rounded a corner she came to a halt, turning to face Loki and putting him on his guard. He relaxed somewhat as she bowed her head, her countenance exuding shame.

"Thank you….for your discretion. I should be in the dungeon," Sif told him after a moment of silence, as if she had been in a battle with her ego to speak the words.

"It would not have pleased my brother for you to be locked away."

"Nor would he have been pleased with my actions," Sif responded.

"Those responsible for my brother's murder will be for the axe. If it's your wish, as king I will grant you the honor of swinging it."

"I can think of nothing which would give me more pleasure," Sif replied, turning and disappearing down the corridor.

Loki entered his chambers, dark but for the large fire in the cauldron in the center of the room. On the chaise sat Verda, what appeared to be a small leather bag lying on the cushion beside her. In her palm she held an assortment of quartz crystal-like stones of various shapes and sizes, clear but for a rainbow effect in their center.

"What are you doing with those?" Loki asked, perturbed, as he briskly strode over to her and snatched them from her hand, along with the bag, placing the stones back into it, "I'll thank you to stay out of my things."

Loki was well aware that Verda would have had to employ a spell to reveal magically hidden objects in order to have found them. He didn't recall teaching her that particular trick. He had never taught her how to do what she had done in the corridor either. He wondered what else she was now capable of.

"I grew restless awaiting your return. What are they?" Verda asked.

"I came by them fairly recently. I haven't had the opportunity to fully explore their capabilities," Loki replied brusquely, the bag of stones disappearing from his hand as he magically stowed them away, "What were you thinking? I thought we had an understanding."

"What was I supposed to do, sing a song? She was going to kill you! If I'm not allowed to save someone's life…and not just anyone's, the only one for which I'd gladly sacrifice my own, what's the point?" Verda said as she rose from the chaise to face Loki, the expression of animosity he displayed fading as he processed her words.

"You'd give your life…?" Loki asked in disbelief.

"I know you don't care for the sentiment, but regardless of what it is I am to you, a horse in a field or whatever... I love you. If I couldn't save you, I'd die with you. I would have! They lied to me! They told me-" Verda said, tears welling in her eyes before she went silent, appearing fearful for a moment before she started swiftly forward, passing Loki, headed for the doors, "You're right, this must end. I don't wish to cause you more grief."

Verda came to a halt as a wall of flame sprung up, blocking her path.

"A horse would shy away from flames. You're not a horse," said Loki.

"Thanks for noticing," Verda replied.

"I should be publicly flogged for a lout."

"Knowing you, you might enjoy that," Verda responded, unable to hold back a grin from the corners of her mouth, a smile crossing Loki's face as well.

The flames vanished as Loki approached her, standing behind her, gently gripping her shoulders.

"I've just met with my father. That was the cause of my delay. Tomorrow I go to Midgard," Loki informed her, Verda abruptly turning to face him as Loki released his hold on her.

"Midgard? Why?" Verda asked anxiously.

"There's a man in Midgard...he may be responsible for Thor's murder and that of Laufey, the King of Jotunheim, who has been slain as well this night. If he's not responsible, surely he knows who is."

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"You are your father's only heir! You can't go! He could kill you too!"

"They had the opportunity to slay me. I need to know why they didn't."

"If you pursue this man, they may change their mind. Midgard is a horrible place! It's not like Asgard at all!"

"You've been to Midgard?" Loki asked curiously.

"No but I've read about it. I've heard stories."

"I've visited Midgard many times. I'll be fine," Loki attempted to reassure her.

"Do you know where he is? To find one man among all those in Midgard would be like finding one particular grain of sand on the beach," said Verda.

"If all goes according to plan, he'll come to me. When I take the throne I wish to do so knowing those responsible for my brother's murder are in the dungeon. My first act as king will be to sentence them to the axe."

"You would have them executed? Your father hasn't sentenced anyone to the axe since before we were born. He even refused to execute my sister."

"I'm loath to begin my reign with bloodshed, but I can think of no punishment more fitting for the murderers of the heir to the throne of Asgard. My father had not yet made the formal announcement but everyone knows Thor was my father's choice to succeed him," Loki told Verda, "Sif was in love with my brother. She lost another long ago...Haldor...the only man ever to equal my brother in her affections. He was one of Lorelei's victims."

"No wonder she lost her mind. I wish I could tell her I despise my sister as much as she does."

"I'll arrange a proper introduction another time," :Loki replied.

"I thought you didn't want anyone to know."

"I've given the matter more thought. I believed it unfair how you've been treated by others but then I behaved no better. You've committed no crime...you have, actually. You've stolen something from me," Loki replied.

"I've taken nothing from you-" Verda began, confused.

Taking Verda's hand, Loki raised it, placing her palm over his heart.

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Loki awakened at dawn and carefully removed his arms from around Verda, slipping out of hers as she dozed. He had slept well, once the both of them had gotten around to it. Upon taking Verda to his bed, he had experienced a second wind, or more accurately a third. Afterwards, however, both had rapidly given in to exhaustion. Though he had gotten fewer hours of rest than was customary, which had been the case the previous night as well, the deep nature of the sleep he had fallen into had made up for the quantity. He couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty. His brother had been murdered and right in front of him. How could he have even considered let alone engaged in what he had with Verda the last two nights? But then perhaps that was what had kept him sane over the last two days. The blessing for the dead did say not to mourn but to rejoice.

Loki prepared for the day and dressed, finishing just as Verda rose.

"Promise me you'll be careful," Verda said tearfully as she embraced Loki after they had both moved from his bedchamber to the great room.

"I swear it. I'll send word upon my return," Loki assured her, kissing her forehead before she made her way to the doors of Loki's chambers, turning to gaze at him once more before passing through them.

Loki crossed the room in the direction of Mjolnir, the hammer resting alongside the chaise, before coming to a halt and staring at it for a moment. As he had seen Thor do countless times, he reached out his right hand. Just as it had for Thor, the hammer rose from where he had placed it, rocketing to him. Tossing it away it returned to him.

He considered whether he should bring it along with him to Midgard. It still did not feel 'right,' as if it didn't belong to him. However it was a useful weapon and he could easily disguise it as something mundane that would not attract attention. Gripping it, he exited his chambers.

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"Uh….Jane? Would you call this weird because you said to let you know if there was anything weird," Darcy, Jane Foster's intern, said as she approached her holding a device that was somewhat larger and bulkier than a cell phone.

Jane sat at a desk in front of a computer inside the vacant car dealership that now served as her and Erik Selvig's base of operations. Jane took the device from Darcy, examining it, quickly rising to her feet.

"What the hell?!" Jane exclaimed, befuddled.

"I guess it's weird, then."

"Yes, it's weird...it's more than weird...it's...where's Erik?"

"Right here. What's going on?" Selvig said as he entered the building, a paper bag of sandwiches held in one hand as he approached the two women.

"I don't know. I've never seen anything like this. It's not like before," Jane said, handing the device to Selvig as Darcy took the bag from him.

"You told them to hold the mayo on mine right? I hate mayo...blecch," Darcy said, opening the bag and looking into it.

"Yeah...I had them put your name on it," Erik answered Darcy as he examined the screen of the device Jane had put into his hand, "This can't be right. Are you sure it's not picking up some kind of interference?" Erik asked, bewildered.

"We have to go...now!" Jane exclaimed, rushing towards an older beige colored Pinzgauer.

"What's the big deal? Can't we eat first? I'm starving!" whined Darcy.

"You can eat on the way!" Jane called out as Erik and Darcy followed her.

"I hate eating in the car!" Darcy griped.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

As the dazzling light of the Bifrost lifted, Loki found himself standing in the middle of the circular pattern it left behind, seared into the ground, as he surveyed the dry, dusty landscape.

The air was stiflingly hot. Loki appeared to be dressed in a black button down shirt and trousers, a pack on his back. Attached to it was an umbrella, though Loki reconsidered the wisdom of the illusion he'd chosen to disguise the hammer.

Rethinking the color of his clothing as well as he walked under the blazing sun, his shirt transformed from black to white, the trousers to a khaki color. He was not a fan of those particular shades but knew he would be far more comfortable. Trekking across the barren landscape he finally came upon the first sign of mortals' presence in the area, a two lane road. Entering the roadway, Loki looked to his left and right. In the distance to his left he noticed a large billboard. Turning in that direction he made his way down the road.