Vow of the Valkyrie

Astrid ran her pale hands down the dark teal, floor length dress she was wearing, it stood out around the average looking black and white attire around her and for half a second, she considered changing it into something else, but quickly decided against it. At least she’d get Loki’s attention.

The Valkyrie had crashed a large gala deep within the borders of Germany, a country Astrid was rather familiar with. She’d seen Loki here in several different scenarios and while the god’s decision could still change at any moment, Astrid had decided to at least attempt to catch the stray Aesir.

Speaking of whom… Astrid felt the god’s energy the moment he stepped foot in the building and she gracefully turned on her heels and began making her way through the crowd toward the pulsating beacon of power coming from the opposite side of the room.

With an inhuman grace, Astrid managed to weave in and out of the people crowded into the hall and had just reached the center of the room when she spotted Loki causally strolling down the grand staircase. She knew that walk, having it seen far too many times, and it never meant anything good.

As though the man wanted to prove her right, Loki reached the bottom of the staircase and quickly swung his staff, hitting the guard in the face and sending him flying across the room; before lunging toward an elderly man amongst the new found chaos and pushing him toward a stone table that had conveniently been placed in the middle of the room.

Astrid sighed at the god’s actions, even as the crowd of people began screaming and running from Loki in absolute terror. Gods, he just had to make a scene, didn’t he?

Loki reached into his coat pocket and pulled out some sort of device and with a flick of her hand; Astrid had it soaring toward her outstretched palm. The god immediately looked over at her and his eyes narrowed dangerously before he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

“Really dear? Trying to entertain me with cheap party tricks?” Astrid asked as a golden staff was pressed against her throat, its owner pressed against her back.

“What are you doing here Valkyrie? You have no business showing yourself.” Loki hissed into Astrid’s ear and cold dread filled the blonde’s veins as a sudden unimaginable realization struck. “Well?” The staff was pressed into her throat with a little more force as Astrid’s mind spun with an attempt to understand and process the information she’d just discovered.

How did this happen? Why hadn’t she seen something?

“Do you honestly believe you could harm me?” Astrid asked softly, a small smile forming on her face just moments before a loud crash sounded through the room, followed by a sharp groan before Loki released her.

“Are you alright, miss?” Asked a man dressed in ghastly red, white, and blue stripes, he sounded slightly out of breath (who wouldn’t after crashing through a second story window and tackling a god?), but yet his smile never faltered.

“Perfect, Steven.” Astrid told him cheerfully and took one step to her left to block the man from the power blast from Loki’s staff, which easily rebounded off of Astrid’s back.

“Thank you ever so much for saving me from that awkward situation.” She smiled charmingly at the man who was now staring at her as though she’d grown a second head, and allowed her awfully restricting dress to transform into her Asgaurdian armor. She then turned to Loki who was trying to hold his own against Tony Stark in his full Iron Man suit, but failing miserably. It was kind of sad really.

“I can’t watch this.”

Astrid said softly and snapped her fingers, causing Loki to fall backward and for thick, unbreakable chains to wrap tightly around his squirming body.

Once Loki was under control, the room suddenly became extremely quiet as the two free men stared at Astrid who was now walking quickly across the marble floor to bend down next to Loki. The god’s eyes were a deep shade of emerald and were filled with an overwhelming amount of hate, almost as if that one emotion made up his entire soul, but deep inside those irises, Astrid saw a flash of something strange, of something foreign…

“Who are you?” Astrid was distracted from her thoughts by Tony Stark’s voice asking her a question. She turned to the man and saw that he was standing next to Steven, with his face shield down and an eyebrow raised.

“Astrid, Valkyrie of Hel.” She held out her hand in the duo’s direction, but neither took it. “I’m a friend.” She added, but still nothing. “I’m here to help.” That got a response and Stark’s suit retracted enough for his hand to reach out to shake Astrid’s.

“Isn’t that sweet? I always knew Valkyries were traitors.” Astrid closed her eyes tightly and took a deep calming breath before waving her hand through the air, adding a slight twist at the end, and causing a metal muzzle to appear over Loki’s mouth.

“You’re an Asgaurdian?”

Astrid, Stark, and even Loki turned to Steven and gave him an incredulous look. Really, had he not been here the entire time?

“No shit, Sherlock.” Stark said and rolled his dark eyes at the other man before turning his attention back to Astrid. “How can we trust you?” He asked darkly and the sudden personality change, had Astrid reeling.

“Simple.” She said once she had composed herself. “The enemy of my enemy is my friend. In case you haven’t noticed, Loki and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms right now.” Astrid’s blue eyes stared into Tony’s and after only a few uncomfortable seconds, his mask slid back into place.

“Widow, we have him in custody, bring the jet around.” Tony’s slightly robotic voice said, “And make room for a hitchhiker.”

“I want you to meet the others.” Stark said to Astrid.

“And give us some information on what Loki is planning.” Steven added and Astrid smiled widely.

“Of course.”

-

“Ladgerda, you need to keep behind the jet.” Astrid thought to the Pegasus waiting impatiently outside the building. ”I have a feeling Loki’s capture won’t go unnoticed.” An overwhelming feeling of warmth was Astrid’s only response as she stepped onto the small airplane. Tony and Steven had already lifted Loki aboard and he was sitting upright with hate and anger burning behind his bright eyes.

Astrid was directed to a seat across from Loki and the two men sat on either side of her, obviously not completely trusting of her.

“Who’s your friend, Capt.?” A female voice said over the intercom a few minutes after the plane had ascended into the sky. “Should I be jealous?”

“No Natasha, you shouldn’t be. I don’t involve myself with mortals.” Everyone on the plane suddenly went silent; the only sound was the high pitched whirl of the engines as they kept the craft in the air.

“My name is Astrid by the way.” Astrid calls out so the woman in the cockpit can hear her. “A Valkyrie of Hel.”

“Valkyrie? Like the Norse gods that chose who died?” The voice asks, sounding honestly intrigued.

“Exactly. So glad someone has heard of us.” Astrid said with a smile that Natasha couldn’t see. “I heard that a group of mortals got themselves tangled up with matters of gods, figured I’d help in any way I could.”

“He got tangled up with us, first.” Steven said quickly, “We didn’t go looking for trouble.”

“Of course not-“Astrid was cut off by a large bang from the ceiling of the craft, a moment later there was a similar sound, then another. Tony stood as though to jump from the still moving plane and investigate, but Astrid calmly gripped his arm, causing finger sized dents to appear in the otherwise flawless metal. “It’s merely a visitor, no need to get your wires twisted.”

As though Astrid had said some magic word, the back door of the plane suddenly opened, causing wind to rush into the cabin for a few moments, before the figure closed it behind him. “Hello Thor, wonderful for you to join us.” Astrid said cheerily as Loki began struggling against his bonds and making distressed cries against his gag.

“You are aware your horse is outside, right?” Thor asked, ignoring his squirming brother as he sat down beside him.

“I am. Good thing she found you and saved us from the full effects of that temper of yours.” Astrid replied and held out a hand for the blonde god to take, clasping her hand around his forearm as he did the same to her.

“You see too much.” He said with a slight smile, content in the knowledge that Astrid saw and knew more about his future and his plans then even he did.

“Perhaps” She agreed and turned to her two mortal companions on either side of her, who had yet to attack the new passenger, most likely because they were aware of who he was. “You’ve both met my friend, correct? Thor? God of Thunder. Heir to the crown of Asgard. All around good guy.”

“Met? No. Heard of, yes. I assume you’re here to take, that-“ Tony pointed to Loki who looked positively enraged at the moment, “back to Asgard, right?”

“And keep him there.” Steven added with a nod.

“After he reveals the location of the tesseract, I’ll make sure he’s locked away within the dungeons of Valhalla for as long as necessary.” Thor said gruffly, his eyes narrowing dangerously in Loki’s direction, “My brother he may be, but his actions are inexcusable.”