Choices

Chapter 141
Steve Rogers had his shield up and ready. Though everyone was recovering from the shock of being washed off their feet he was quickly back to his.
He looked up to Tony Stark who had been the only one in the air at the time. He was hovering with his hands out pointed toward the furthest unknown person who'd flown from the pool.
Like the rest of them, they'd gotten washed to the edge of what was left of the throne room.
The man Steve was approaching stirred. He pushed himself up on the flats of his palms shaking his wet head and then looking around in curiosity. Steve stopped his forward movement. "Mr. Stark?" He asked recognizing Howard now that he had his face looking up.
"What?" Tony responded. "I thought we got passed the formalities?"
"Not you," Steve replied. Steve immediately helped Howard to his feet. Howard stared at him like he was a ghost before a smile beamed across his face.
"I'll be damned." He laughed before giving Steve a pat to the arm. "You're alive." Howard continued to look amazed.
"Steve?" He'd know that british accent anywhere. Steve turned hard. Stark had taken his eyes off the secondary person and was staring down at his younger father. Only for the face mask of his suit, Steve imagined he might look to be in shock.
He wasn't worried about Tony Stark. His eyes went back to Peggy Carter. Her hair soaked flat, her skirt clinging to her legs, one shoe missing.
Steve left Howard behind. He walked toward Peggy, a young Peggy and stopped short in front of her. Holding back his urge to hug her. This Peggy, this Howard came from the pool. They came from another world just like Tyr had.
Peggy's hand touching his face brought him back to the present. She was crying, her eyes searching for any sign that might mean he wasn't real. Realizing he was, she closed the space hugging him. "I thought you were dead."
Steve couldn't find his words. It was going to take a good sitting down to explain all this.
Steve patted Peggy on the back and then pushed her back so he could look at her. "We're at war Peggy. We can save the happy reunions for later." He told her.
Instantly, she wiped her tears away and stood straight. Her duty taking hold.
"We need to check outside for anyone in need of help. The battle might be over in here but we still have civilians to attend to." Steve ordered them all. No questions asked, they scattered to lend their aide outside.
(Cephera)
Talk about awkward. The aftermath of the battle had everyone trying to figure out what the hell happened and to top that off a father son fight between Tony and the young Howard Stark. To be fair Howard had no clue how to react. He hadn't any kids back in his world yet.
Tony couldn't seem to help throwing things at Howard that he was angry about that his father had done. The neglect Tony felt all those years growing up.
Steve had stayed behind to try and talk Tony down and to explain what had happened, but so far that was a crash and burn.
Thor, Loki, and Cephera made their way down to the dungeons to find this secret room Frigga was captured in while Hogun, Volstagg and Sif along with the Mechanovians brought any who were injured to the palace.
Seraphina had rushed off to the healing room after Sif informed her of Fandral, who was currently unconscious and still not doing so well. The wound he'd gotten had become poisoned and the healers were working on getting the poison out.
Suvia hadn't left the throne room. Last Cephera saw, she was sifting through the rubble to find any clue as to how to find her husband. Her father, King Yorin had stayed to help Suvia.
The rest of the avengers, who were not arguing, were all helping throughout the palace to find any guards injured.
"Anything?" Cephera asked meeting up with her husband.
"Not yet." Loki replied. Cephera's biggest fear was that they wouldn't find her behind Tyr's strong magic.
"Come," Thor bellowed. Cephera and Loki ran to Thor's location. "There is something behind here." He told them indicating a solid looking wall. Loki looked skeptical.
"How can you be sure?" Cephera asked Thor. To answer her, he simply knocked Mjolnir off the wall and it echo'd like something hollow.
"Perhaps, magic doesn't seal her at all, at least not here." Loki replied, trying to brush off the fact that Thor found something that he hadn't.
With a smack of his hammer, the wall crumbled and inside was a staircase leading up. "Tyr did say she was between the prison and the vault." Cephera reminded them.
Getting hopeful they followed the stairs. "I don't understand. Mother taught me my first magic, I'd think she'd be powerful enough to escape Tyr." Loki frowned.
Cephera didn't tease. It had been the first time Loki referred to Frigga as his mother since his release from prison. She was glad for it. They followed the stairs that went straight, which seemed odd as that would bring them outside the palace.
Before they reached what should have been the exterior wall, the stairs turned and sent them up the opposite way. At the top a archway stood unattended by a door. Completely open for them all to walk right in.
Inside was a small room lit only by the lights from outside through the arched windows. On the bed lay Frigga, deep in slumber. Her chest rising and falling to indicate she was indeed alive.
Loki touched her face. "He put her to sleep." He confirmed. "Nothing that can't be undone." He added. Sitting astride the bed, Loki touched Frigga and spoke allowed words to break her slumber.
She opened her eyes. Unlike everyone else, she didn't look confused. Instead, she sat up and hugged her son to her. "I knew you'd come." She told him. She let go of Loki and turned to Thor. "The both of you." She begged him forward and she began to embrace both her sons.
Cephera felt like crying. Tears of joy brimming her eyes. She wiped them away before they could fall.
"We have much to tell you," Thor said pulling away.
"I already know. I slept, but I was aware of everything Tyr did, I was just unable to stop it." She explained.
"He got away." Cephera told her frowning.
"Yes, but you all survived." Frigga replied.
"But that other world may not," Thor said also frowning.
"We shall worry about it later. Right now we have some very confused people, both Asgardian and Mortal. It's best we take things one step at a time." She stood from the bed with help from Loki. "The people need an explanation and reassurance. I'll handle that, the rest of you go back to the healing room and tend to your friends." She embraced Cephera before they all began to descend the stairs.
(Seraphina)
The room where Seraphina sat was quiet. She was far from the arguments of Stark and his past father. Fandral lay in the bed, an antidote being administered into his system through a tube much like she'd see on Earth.
He was pale. They said he'd lost a lot of blood when he'd been washed down the river. His ability to heal hindered by the poison. Seraphina couldn't even tell their son. The Byfrost was once again inactive and would remain that way until they found a way to power it.
She hated the feeling of worry. She didn't like feeling so unsure. She'd thought, going into this war, that it was only her sister and father she needed to worry about. She hadn't even thought to worry about Fandral. For that she felt guilty.
"Don't die. Your son will miss you greatly if you do," she said to her unconscious lover. 'I'd miss you.' her voice whispered in her mind.
Leaning back in her chair, she closed her eyes. She allowed her tired body to relax and for sleep to take over.

Notes

(A/N: Shortest chapter to date. Not feeling well today, but as always more to come Thursday)
Full shout out to everybody! This Fanfic was made possible by all your wonderful support! Without all of you, I'd never feel so motivated to finish this stuff. Know that you drive me to do better and for that I will always do my best to never let you down. Big hugs to you all. See you on Thursday!