14504/Discordants: Aftermath at the Embassy

Discordants: Aftermath at the Embassy
Date of Scene:	26 March 2023
Location:	Asgardian Embassy
Synopsis:	Thor returns to the Embassy after the war and has a reunion.
Cast of Characters:	Thor, Frigga, Brunnhilde, Sif

---

Thor has posed:
    The embassy had been in a partial state of upheaval ever since the battle.
    At first it had started with Sif rousing the troops and getting them gathered to head to the Starport in its time of need. Then word had gotten back about the massive battle that was under way. Soldiers had appeared from Asgard proper, and another deployment of reinforcements had been made ready. But then word had come back that Malekith had fallen. That the battle... nay the war was over. And the Asgardians cheered.
    Several went through to still help with the end of the battle and resolving matters, but then word came back of the fallen. There was a sombreness to that news though tempered because the warriors of Asgard knew... those souls were in Valhalla. For such a battle they had not known in a thousand years. Such honor.
    It was, however, an honor denied Lady Sif. Though only barely so.
    She had been spirited away at the end of the battle and most knew not where. It was to her that Thor's thoughts turned and eventually brought him... here.
    Back to where it had all started. To where Ulik had screamed his demands and all of it almost ended with a battle between the two. What would have come about had he not done so? Malekith's plans lost and unchecked... where would they all be now?
    Thor gave little thought to that after only a bare moment as he set down, boots thumping upon the pavement before the front of the Embassy. The guards instantly snapped to attention, their spears striking the cement of the upper stair as they shouted, "Hail, Thor! Kingslayer!"
    To which he smiled a little, his features ragged, his hair still short and unkempt, that strapless eyepatch over his eye. On his back was the heavy axe Stormbreaker, and at his side... Mjolnir. Though the hammer barely stirred. He took a deep breath, then nodded to them. "Greetings. I would enter."
    The door was pulled open instantly and within Hedla was already bowing, tears fell from her eyes as she stepped back and gestured toward the interior. "You will... you will find most everything in order, my Prince. There was... we are still cleaning after the... celebration."
    He steps in slowly and rests a hand on her shoulder gently. She looks up and he smiles at her, one good eye touched with warmth. Then he asks, "Is Sif here?"
    "Aye, m'lord." Hedla turns to start to motion in the direction needed...

Frigga has posed:
There is little that Queen Frigga doesn't know; she's got a prescience about her that is almost scary. Assuming, of course, others actually knew about it. All anyone knew is that Frigga was never truly surprised by anything. (Except surprise parties thrown by her children. She's a pretty good actress.)

So, Thor's return and subsequent arrival first at the Embassy rather than the palace had her travel via Bifrost down prior to his arrival. The cloak enclosed lithe figure of the Queen had landed, and while it had stopped traffic, all the rubber necking was for naught. No one recognized the nobility in their midst.

Hidden in a side chamber, Frigga can hear her son's voice and smiles at the teary greeting of Hedla. She won't show herself; not yet, anyway.

Brunnhilde has posed:
SOME TIME AGO

"Out of my way, mortals."

It was amazing what a stern, authoritative voice could do. Yet the marks of battle visible on her blood-marred armor and face did half the job of getting people move out of the way. Brunnhilde moved with purpose to a certain hospital room, for once in the last ..., two years perhaps being fully sober. The cries of the dead still lingered in her memory, all those souls pulled into Valhalla. A matter of celebration for many, not so much for the once-upon-a-time Valkyrie leader.

One hadn't slipped past. Jane Foster. Mjolnir's wielder. She was gone, but not dead. And if Brunnhilde could help it she'd make sure another wouldn't slip past just yet.

It's why when she gets into Sif's hospital room, "Valhalla is not yet your road to travel, old friend.." oddly softer tone to the old valkyrie's tone. Hand rests on Sif's shoulder. She takes in a breath, not even sure if her powers would still work.

*Do I still have Odin's blessing?*

They both teleport away from the hospital....

-----

Brunnhilde is by the entrance to Sif's room when Thor is walking closer, arms folded and leaning against the door's frame. "She is resting." a beat. "But she will live."

And she even sounds sober when announcing those news. At least for the moment.

Sif has posed:
From within that room came a voice. One that all of those familiar with Sif would recognize as annoyed.

"Only because you will not allow me to get out of this damned bed!"

In the room, she was tucked into the bed with her armor nearby. She had been helped by Hedla to change into a sleeping gown and thus she lay there with the covers and furs pulled up under her chin. Glaring at the door. Because that was going to let everyone outside know just how angry she was since they couldn't see it. But it's the best she could do.

The only good thing? Brunnhilde had left her sword laying on a chair pulled up next to the bed, easily within reach. Sif's hair was down and she was looking paler than usual. There were bruises and scratches on her arms and face but nothing that looked life threatening. Of course, the attack that had almost taken her life had not been physical.

Thor has posed:
    The Bifrost had been activated no small number of times since the events started to unfold, and poor Hedla was beset. She would likely torment herself for not being there to greet the Queen when she arrived, if she learns of such matters passing. Yet it was understandable how the flurry of activity was so busy around all of them.
    Thor, for his matter, gave a nod of thanks to her as he moved in the direction she indicated. Down the hall, a turn. Only to set gaze upon an old familiar face. "Brunnhilde."
    Her name is uttered with a warmth touching his good eye, a lingering sadness to the man even in that giving voice to the name of the lost Valkyrie. "It has been some time..."
    Yet whatever else he was about to say is lost to the rumbling growl that comes from the obstinate occupant within. He took a deep breath, some touch of relief entering his manner. Then he smiled a little crookedly at Brunnhilde, commiserating on the trial it surely is to tolerate Sif as a friend.
    The door opens and there is Thor. A little more ragged, wearing curious clothes from far off lands, with just the one good eye and the mystic weapons... which are left by the door with a soft clank.
    "Sif." He says as he approaches her bedside. He stands there, looking her over...

Frigga has posed:
The moment is for Thor and his friends, and Frigga remains silent at her post beside the door. The news of Sif gains a slight acknowledging nod from her, though she will insist later that they travel home so Sif can be attended to properly and with due care and courtesy as befits her status.

As the small retinue of friends moves to corridor and room where Sif's complaint rises, giving voice to her location and her general well being, Frigga takes the opportunity to slide from her hiding spot and glide silently behind them. The fatigue of war, and the fact that none of the guards that were present upon her arrival thought to mention the Queen was in residence should make it something of a surprise...

"You will be allowed, Lady Sif, when you are brought home to make sure that no harm has been done to you here." Her tones are soft, hold a light hint of amusement, though beneath them, there brooks no argument. Sif will certainly be set free once she has a clean bill of health from their own healers. (Thus her opinion on the medical field of Midgard.)

"You have our thanks, Brunnhilde, for Sif's safeguarding and bringing her back." As if that underscores the silent answer as to whether or not she continues to hold Odin's favor?

As for Thor, she leaves him for last.. but in her heart, at this moment, his presence is the one thing that fills her heart. She does wait, however, for him to check on Sif first, to see with his own eyes... eye?

Brunnhilde has posed:
"Thor."

Sunken orbs on kohl-filled blue eyes that can't hide the drained aspect of her pallor that a lifetime under the bottle has been taking out of the Asgardian woman. Yet the vivid blue burning in those eyes is still the same warrior of the past. At least for the moment, perhaps awakened by all that transpired at the Starport. All the deaths, the thunderer's return and more ... Some sense of purpose visible there.

"You look a mess. But like what you did to your hair." Never one to mince words this Brunnhilde. Sif's growls from within the room has her look over her shoulder, "You heard Hedla. She wanted me to strap you down to bed if you tried getting up." and Hedla's word is law in this place.

She slides into the room as well but whatever she might be going to say next is stopped at that voice. A familiar voice even if one she hasn't heard in ..., oh she stopped counting at 400 years.

"Your Majesty." If anything she wasn't expecting Frigga to be there. She drops down on one knee as is customary for a valkyrie greeting King and Queen.

Sif has posed:
Upon seeing Thor fully for the first time since his disappearance so many months ago, Sif's face shows her happiness as a bright smile appears. Her blue eyes are filled with warmth as she looks him over quickly, watching as he stows weapons by the door before entering more fully. She looked up at him then her expression twisted, a bit more amused. "Always late. I'm sure you received all the credit for the battle as well," she commented, a running joke between them that has been an ongoing bit of a burr under her saddle since coming to Midgard. "You look worse than I feel," she added for good measure.

She started to reach out a hand, to squeeze his, then saw Frigga had also joined them. "Your Highness." And she was immediately trying to push off those covers in order to stand up which would be followed by a proper drop to the knee if she managed to do so without one of them stopping her. And before she can really protest, she sees Frigga's eyes fall to Thor and Sif, wisely, holds her tongue to allow mother and son their moment.

Thor has posed:
    A faint smile is given to Brunnhilde, and then he self-consciously touches his rather short hair now. A nod is given, "Yes, well. There is a tale to be told..." He shifts to the side slightly, including her in the room and connection between himself and Sif.
    He then looks to the fallen shield-maiden. Thor touches a hand to Sif's shoulder, shaking his head slightly as his smile widens.
    "Entirely, the way people are speaking you'd imagine I did it all single-handed..." Yet there is a faint distance to his words, a touch of emptiness to them. His brow furrows as if he was about to say something else. His good eye lowers, then looks back up to meet Sif's gaze only then...
    Then he turns at the sound of Frigga's voice and his breath is drawn. It's a curious thing to see for those who have not seen the royal family in such moments. When they are less the rulers... and more just a family. Those few moments when they display what others might call 'humanity', fallibility. He espies her and there's that feeling of a moment as he just takes it to breathe, and then a slight ease of the tension in his shoulders. As if some small measure of the weight upon them had been lifted. "Mother."
    Just that single word said simply. Softly.
    He walks to her and touches a hand to her arm. Then draws her into a gentle embrace. No further words needed at the moment though there is that feeling of comfort between the two. It's an embrace that is held for several long seconds. Then he eases back, resting his hands on her shoulders. He adds a second word to that shared between them.
    "Jane..."
    The pain in the word quiet but deep.

Frigga has posed:
No one was expecting Frigga to be at this place. While it is Asgard ground, she doesn't find herself outside the large palace often, unless it's simply to walk her gardens. Or so she allows some to believe. She does have a life, after all.

Brunnhilde is given a smile, a nod in silent permission to rise, her obeissance that hasn't happened in many a century looked upon with grace. Sif is given a hand gesture, again a silent command to remain where she is, abed. It is where she belongs at this moment.

Her son. She's studying him from behind; the way he walks, the way he holds himself. His hair is shorn, there are new wounds, scars where there hadn't been before. And when he turns to face her, she can read the entirety of his relief and his pain on that face. She stands there, her expression filled with that of love of a mother to her son, a son that she'd thought lost. She'd felt the pain before, the anguish, and the feeling never truly dulls.

As Thor approaches, Frigga does reach her hands out to take his, the first touch, the first contact before the embrace. This tableau has been the same down through the centuries, the millenia, from the most base of houses and homes to the most gifted and noble. They are simply mother and son; a mother's relief that her son is home safely from war.

And what a war it was.

The embrace is held, her arms holding her grown warrior son, and the word he speaks breaks her heart to hear the ache. "It will be okay," she whispers. "You're home. Where there is life," she reminds softly during the embrace. There is a moment the pair are silent before Frigga moves to get just a little distance between them, and her hand rises to gently touch his face, the sad, but happy expression tinging her face, "When you were little, you always said you wanted to be like your father. I did not think you'd intended to do so like this."

Brunnhilde has posed:
Anyone that knows Brunnhilde knows she is't the type to stay for too long down on a knee greeting royalty, no matter who it is. But at least she has no snappy comment back at the Queen like she might have for Odin. She's never been one to hide what she felt about Odin's decisions in the past but in this moment she chooses to stay silent, letting mother and son celebrate life. There had been too much death already, some celebration for the living was needed too.

The Valkyrie makes way to Sif's bedside instead. And sits down on the covers. Casually. And with enough pressure to keep Sif from getting up in case she decides to be stubborn and try to bend the knee for the Queen. Yes, she knows how stubborn Sif can be.

Eyes are ahead and watching the reunion though. Mother and Son. It was what they fought for after all. More so than making sure the souls were brought to Valhalla sometimes what mattered was bringing a son back to his mother.

Intense gaze is on Thor though and she cocks her head to the side briefly at something, "Death follows him, but that's not his destiny.." a murmur aimed at herself, but she's close enough to Sif that she may be overheard by the other warrior.

Sif has posed:
Brunnhilde knew her too well.

For though Frigga had given that wave, and though she was the Queen and thus to be listened to, Sif had still managed to get those covers flipped up and started to swing a leg over to the side of the bed. Only to have Brunnhilde sit on those covers and trapping her back beneath them before she could actually get the rest of herself clear.

Though, admittedly it was pretty obvious she was not in any condition to be getting up since it took her so long to even get that far. But Sif would never admit that.

She glanced to the reunion of mother and son then quickly turned her face away, closing her eyes a moment and getting the emotional response to the reunion blinked back before looking back to the woman sitting with her.

Though those words had Sif's expression twisting into a faint frown and a tilt of the head though she would not bring attention to it now. If Brunnhilde had wanted the entire room to know, she'd have spoken up and shared. Not like she was the shy sort.

Thor has posed:
    Thor holds Frigga's gaze a hint of moisture in his eye. Then she offers those last few words and he exhales a breath that would almost be a laugh if he didn't cut it off. Yet the smile remains and it is a warm thing. He squeezes her shoulder gently, then turns away so as to not ignore their comrades in this moment. He looks to them both, shaking his head slightly.
    "There is so much to do." He tells them levelly. Just a deep breath taken, and drawn.
    A look to Sif is given as he pulls one of the seats near to her and sits in it, looking at the woman. "I need you to rest, Sif. Malekith's magicks are no simple thing. Because I need you to recover quickly. Or else I'll..." He seems about to say something, but then instead says, "Well. I'll have to find someone else to steal all my glory from."
    Then to Brunnhilde he lifts his chin, "And Brunnhilde. I know that it must have been truly dire to draw you forth. We should take time and speak when..." He looks to Sif and Brunnhilde, then murmurs. "When things are more at peace."
    He rests a hand on Sif's, covers or no. Then he says, "I am glad you have endured, however. There is much to tell."
    A look to Frigga and he says, "And I will be along directly to Asgard as soon as I can. There are souls that have given me aid from the purity and kindness of their hearts. And I will see them rightly done and rewarded. I must see to my comrades and..." He shakes his head, "Apologize for taking them down this grim road."
    A pause, "And... we must honor the fallen."

Frigga has posed:
There. That is what Frigga had been searching for, that she felt her son needed. That lifting of spirit, a glimpse of humor when things seem so dire. When Thor does turn away, Frigga takes the opportunity to take a step back now, allowing her son to compose himself and to set to that which next must be done.

Brunnhilde's quick subtle yet not so subtle keeping Sif in place is greeted with a smile of approval, and Sif, too, is extended a warm, familial smile.

"I expect there will be celebrations home, so do me the kindness of coming home sooner rather than later?"

With those words, then, the Queen of Asgard turns to let herself out, the way back to Asgard a blast of bright colors, holding the hues of the rainbow.