2013.08.04 - Body Swap: Mother Knows Best

Asgard. Orderly, efficient, ready for war. Soldiers are performing regular patrols of the city, in case of more random attacks, and messengers can be seen running back and forth, ensuring the King is kept up to date at all times. Teams of Valkyrie patrol the skies, a fast and able strike team to stem the tide until reinforcements can arrive to seal the potal attacks.

Despite all this show of military might, the people seem calm. Most go about thier daily business, secure in the knowlege that thier King will protect them. He's often been seen riding through the streets, ensuring the saftey of the walls for himself, and more than one sortie has been won by his quick thinking and strength. Despite the numerous attacks, losses have been few, and Asgard still sits as the shining beacon it is meant to be.

Thor, the Thunderer, King of Asgard, sits upon the throne in a rare quiet moment. He looks every inch the regal king, sprawled almost casually across the chair, brilliant red cape making a sharp contrast as it spreads from his shoulders behind him. The king is lost in thought, his elbow upon the arm of the chair and his chin on his fist. Long has Loki secretly longed for this seat. Once...briefly...he held it, and treachery took it from him. Now it is his.....and the Trickster hates it. Thor's life galls him to no end. Everything handed to the man on a silver platter, it's almost too easy to be loved and respected in this body. And it grates on the man's nerves.

But still...Asgard deserves a good King. And right now, it needs a champion more than ever, and Loki, trapped in his brother's body, has more than risen to the challenge. He's excelled. The realm is secure, relations with her Allies have never been better....and once more that idiot will get all the credit. Fuck my life.

Loki was a good King. A wonderful King, actually. Rivaling that of the All-Father himself. With the attacks, the brother's being switched, her pregnancy and a multitude of other things... Sif had finally decided to leave Asgard. Not for good, of course but despite the way raging, the Realm Eternal was in more than capable hands.

The Goddess was recieving regular reports and she made steady trip back to Asgard to check up on things. The truth is though... Pregnant, beyond stressed and physically exhausted... Sif was in no condition to fight. She'd be little more than a liability really. And there were those on Midgard who, despite what was happening to her, she could help. Is it any wonder that the Queen of Asgard has stepped away and gone to Midgard?

Here's hoping this doesn't get her turned into a goat or another penance duck or something. Rain's decided to call on someone with considerably more awesome expertise, since getting a hold of Loki, well, - that might be hard to explain and telepathy doesn't seem to be working like usual. There need not be any more exploded mead jars. That, and Rain seems to have adopted a scrawny orange tabby cat. Seriously, talk about living up to the witch stereotype. Sheesh. It's tough trying to keep Eldred in working order when she herself is likely not divine in nature.

But she's going to do her best to pay Asgard a visit. Right, bring candy for Sif and let SOMEONE know she let Amora out. She let the Amora out (and likely anyone who made woofing noises would probably get newted or something). "Where is - um, pardon me ..." She's trying to ask a guard for directions, but it's tough being magically mortal and explaining yourself. "Oh no, I -" Well, one way or another, she'll get there.

Meanwhile, on Midgard, Loki has been... odd. Well, more odd than usual. There is no good reason for the Trickster to have Mjolnir. That, in and of itself is suspect. The mortals that have learned that Loki is not Loki, but his brother Thor have tried to help him keep his ties without alerting too many others to what is going on. Attacks have been happening and Loki is ill prepared to face them. He's distracted by his own version of Thor's God Sense. And by Sif. His worry for her knows no bounds. Trapped in his brother's body, his misunderstanding, arrogance, and sheer gall of taking everyone and everything for granted grates on him. Everything he's tried to do to help has all but backfired in his face. He een got arrested by SHIELD and tossed into the Hulk Cage. His friends, Fnadral, Volstag... his WIFE Sif, all shy from his touch, all have to battle their knee jerk reactions of immediate distrust. The chaotic nature of his brother's whims now make much more... well, sense! Even trying to EXPLAIN what happened has gotten people blaming Loki... to Loki's (Thor's?) face. Thor owes his brother hugs and better care and show of trust and affection... If they can get back to themselves. Thor's already starting to lose himself now and then, when alone, in the visions. Murder has already been committed by his hand.

In the healing rooms of Asgard, Eir has been burdened with concerns. Sif's pregnancy and some secret that she and the Warrior's Three were keeping from her had her worried. She tasked them to find a way to help her. Like Sif, she too was getting regular reports from a handmaiden of Sif's. And the healer did NOT like what she was hearing. She made to go to the Queen-Mother, Frigga, the Sorceress of Vanaheim, herself. Her flowing healer's robes fluttering behind her, Eir heads from the healing chambers toward the royal suites.

The conversation is brief, informing the Queen of Sif's illness. Frigga, who was already informed of the concern with her sons, but stayed her hand to allow the boys to figure things out for themselves, finally saw no other recourse.

"Begin the ritual to wake the All-Father," she ordered of the healer as she stood.

"Call my sons to me in my chambers. Both of them. Tell Loki he is to bring Sif with him," she said smoothly to one of the Einhenjar that guarded her. They knew better than to question the oddity of Loki bringing Sif, but they said nothing. Instead, with a bow, they moved toward their task.

It was as she was moving to her own rooms that Frigga heard the sound of a mortal's voice, and ...smelled, though scent was not the sense she was using to detect the hint of magic, Rain.

"Escourt the mortal to my room, and fetch food and drink," Frigga says to a guard which stood by the wall. He saluted with a murmured, "All-Mother" and turned to that task. Odin's wife, the sorceress that taught Odin and Loki their magics went to her rooms, ordered her handmaidens to prepare some needed items, and then to leave her alone when her guests arrived. There, Frigga, the Goddess of Magic and Life, waits.

Sif had been with 'Loki' when she revieved the summons. There was no hesitation. The pair answered the call immediately. Sif's own portal flashes to life right outside the chambers of the All-Mother.

The Goddess, despite looking as if she is but days away from Hela's grasp, straightens her shoulders and lifts her chin. She's dressed in armor that has been tailored to accomedate the obvious baby bump and her sword rests on her back.

When the pair enter Frigga's chambers, Sif smiles faintly and tiredly before bowing with a hand over her heart. "My Lady. You summoned us?"

This place is so good at making her feel so dang small. As if she didn't already after being booted from mom's coven. Oh well. She can't sit and stew in it now. Rain looks apprehensive. Fortunately, Rain can't hide her aura period, and she stands stock still, wide-eyed as a guard approaches her. Their vision is motion based, right? Right!? She actually looks fairly tired. Rain's worried about Sif, but she seems to have her hands full with other things. Still, Rain meekly lets herself be escorted and help fetch food and drink. She thanks the guard, possibly even making a bit of small chat. When she's brought in, her dark purple eyes go wide. Oh geez.

This is so, so much bigger her that it makes her stomach sink a bit. She bows politely on entering. Wait. What's a good title for a goddess? Oh no. Think fast, Rain. Think /fast/ because she's pretty sure Frigga could do so much worse than a mere newting. She opens her mouth, closes it. She remembers having a dream about her ancestors voting 7-1 that she was in fact, a giant wuss. The last time a vote that unanimous happened was 8 centuries ago and it was a vote for No Clothes Fridays. Title for a goddess. She just offers, "Salutations, ma'am." Yeah, there we go. If any deity is listening, Rain hopes that she got it right. The tone is polite.

"Yes, my son," Frigga says softly, a gentle smile on her face in the otherwise empty room. She holds out her hand to the Thunderous Trickster, palm up. Her eyes, her smile, are not the bright gleaming one she would have for Thor, but the wise understanding, calm smile for her younger Loki, her intelligent and clever son.

"Won't you sit with me while we wait for everyone else? They shan't be long," she asks, waiting for Thor...Loki to come to her. It will take however long Heimdall needs to contact his sister, and from there, Loki...Thor will follow. He always does. Frigga smiles as Sif enters, and she motions to a chair.

"Sit, my daughter in law. Rest your body," she adds in a motherly tone that is comforting and firm all at once. She turns her gaze to Loki standing at Sif's side and she nods her head and points at a chair next to Thor.

Loki looks tired and washed out in the golden halls of Asgard. Under his bright green eyes are the circles of lack of sleep and too many thoughts. Thoughts that the Tricky Thunderer is simply unused to having. He glances about, eyes falling on his brother. A million thoughts flicker by, things he wants to say, but with his mother's wordless order still hanging over him, he moves toward the chair he was told to sit in while helping Sif to her chair before he he sinks into his own.

It isn't until Rain enters and is likewise warmly and regally greeted that Frigga, after flicking a glance of a Lock spell on the doors, and motions over a crystal near at hand that glows with a You-Shall-Not-Spy-Here charm, does she take in the gathering before her.

"Thor, Loki; I was told there was an issue..." Putting it mildly.

As much as Loki wants to yell, 'Your not my real Mom!' when not face to face with the woman who raised him, cared for him, and even gave him his first book on magic, who can resist that patient motherly smile. The Trickster wants to hate his adopted mother with the same intensity he does his adopted father, but even now can't bring himself to fall that far.

"An 'issue' would be putting it mildly, Mother." Thor begins, sitting up a little straighter in his chair. "But I'm sure my brother and the Lady Sif could explain everything. I have a realm to protect." he finishes, standing smoothly. He's not running. No really...he just doesn't want to be here right now. Having to sit here, and explain how this whole experience has only increased his resentment towards his brother, it would only wound Frigga. And that...Loki still will not do. "I have duties to attend. Excuse me."

Okay...Loki is running. Shush. Leave him with his dignity.

"You, will sit right there until this matter is resolved, Loki," Frigga says, turning her rich blue vanaheim eyes on Thor. Her tone doesn't ever shift from the warm motherly tone, though it has grown a touch firmer.

Sif blinks a moment at Frigga, having never heard that tone directed at herself before. "Thank you, my Lady," is murmured softly and tiredly. With 'Loki's help, she settles herself into her seat.

When Rain enters, a small smile is given to the young woman as well as a nod of her head and then her attention, or as much of it as she can muster, is turned on Firgga and her sons.

And she wisely keeps her mouth shut at the mention of their 'issue'.

Okay. That's a bit of a relief. Rain doesn't find herself struck down, transmogrified, sent to New Jersey or anything along those lines. Good. Rain will return the polite greeting, as best as she can. She looks between the two Asgardian brothers. Didn't the door just get locked? Her eyebrows lift. There's a small smile back to Sif and a nod. Rain looks to Frigga and the others. She seems uncertain, but opts on 'speak when spoken to'.

Loki...Thor frowns as Thor...Loki moves to excuse himself. Already, harsh words are starting on his lips toward his brother, but Frigga beats him to it and so Loki's mouth... falls further open. His green eyes focus on Frigga, and his whole face is alive with shocked surprise. ( Mother knows!?.... Oh shit!) Oo.

Frigga settles a glance at Loki, smiling indulgantly, patiently, at her 'slower' son. It's a non verbal pat on the head before she returns her gaze to Thor, waiting for him to do as told and sit back down.

Thor spins in place, face growing hard. "I am not in the mood to be mothered, Mother." the trapped Trickster hisses. Why is even that so much more intimidating coming out of Thor's body? Damnit! I can't catch a break in this. "And I do not have the time, nor the patience for this. So cease your game and say what you need to say."

Thor does not sit down. He doesn't move any closer to the door, but no way is he sitting down. Ha. Passive-aggressive defiance at it's best. And Thor is the immature one?

Of course Thor's the immature one! He's being passive-aggress... hang on. That's Loki. This is just confusing. Frigga smiles patiently, turning her kind gaze to Sif.

"I see why you are having such issues, my dear. I will care for this and set things to rights. Mortal, will you escourt my daughter in law to my bed chamber, and see her resting on my bed, then return to us? I must have words with my sons," Frigga says, as her eyes go back to Loki... Thor. The oh-so-mature Passive-Agressive one.

"This exchange needs to be undone, clever one. It is making our Sif very ill, to the point where Eir fears the lose of more than one life," she asys, knowing without looking at him that Loki...Thor is going to flip his lip. She wants to see Thnor...Loki's reaction.

Rain is definitely going to stick to the whole being quiet thing. She pauses and nods, lowering her head respectfully to Frigga. She looks to Sif and will carefully offer a hand, though she seems okay with just walking alongside Lady Sif. She's got problems reading people sometime. And she also doesn't correct Frigga on being called Mortal. That's a-okay with her. Really. Either way, she's totally going with Sif.

Under normal circumstances, Sif would protest such treatment. This situation is... Anything but normal. She grips Rain's hand lightly and pushes to her feet only to bow as deep as she can to the brothers and their mother. "My deepest gratitude, my Lady."

She looks at Thor and Loki both, offers each a smile and then lets Rain lead her away with a soft murmur of thanks. Perhaps she'll actually get some rest this time!

Loki starts to stand with Sif, but Rain has her and he stays wehre he- wait! did Mom just say she could fix us? Loki brings his distracted gaze back to his mother then lifts it to Thor, eyes full of hope.

Thor crosses his arms over his chest and sighs softly, waiting, quite impatiently, for Frigga to get this show on the road. "You will fix this? You've known a way to sort this out this whole time, and you only choose /now/ to reveal it?"

Thor snorts softly and turns once more for the door. "Call me when your done with your games mother. Some of us actually have to be useful."

Frigga says softly. "COme here and sit down so I can undo what has been done," she says in a stern voice, a master to her apprentice. She leans forward toward the table covered in the items she'll need for the ritual.

Loki bites his lip and looks to Thor, waiting and saying nothing.

Rain will go deliberately slower, to give the Asgardians more time to themselves.