14661/With Tales Unbidden

With Tales Unbidden
Date of Scene:	12 April 2023
Location:	Themysciran Embassy - First Floor
Synopsis:	Thor and Diana speak on the Starport Battle.
Cast of Characters:	Diana Prince, Thor

---

Diana Prince has posed:
The Themysciran Embassy in New York City is bathed in the warm glow of the afternoon sun, casting long shadows across the polished marble floors. Diana is lost in thought as she moves about her office, tidying up and returning some research materials to their rightful place on the bookshelves. Just as she is about to settle back into her chair and continue her work, there is a soft knock at the door. Turning her attention towards the entrance, she sees one of the Embassy attendants standing there, looking somewhat hesitant. "Excuse me, Ambassador Diana," the attendant says in a quiet voice. "Thor has arrived and wishes to speak with you." Diana nods in understanding and rises from her seat. With a smile crossing her red hued lips, the Princess walks through the sunlight shining through the windows of her office to meet them both...

When Thor had arrived, he'd been greeted by the Embassy staff in the main foyer, and escorted through the house to the back where Diana's office resided.

"Thank you, Holly." Diana tells the young woman before she steps away to leave them be. Then Diana looks to Thor, and she just offers him a hug. "Welcome back." She tells him in a happy, and friendly tone.

Thor has posed:
    When he had arrived there was not an ease of recognition for the man of Asgard. Some might have seen imagery of the battle, or flashes of the figure that had arrived to aid as he could. Yet those images were likely in passing, and the chaos there was wild. Those young podcasters had gotten the lion's share of memorable shots, though Thor had been afar.
    So when the one-eyed warrior with the grim visage appeared in the foyer, it might have taken a moment or two for the name of the visitor to be drawn forth. "Thor, Son of Odin." He had offered. But any question it was him was only fully dispelled when he smiled. And it was that smile that might remind some of the Thor of old.
    He was shown to the office where Diana dwelled, the Asgardian's footsteps quiet. He wore different armor than what he had worn during the battle. Now he was in Asgardian garb with the black and silver plate and chain. A crimson cloak hung from one shoulder. His hands were gloved but his arms were bare. At his side was the hammer. On his back? The large axe he had wielded during the war.
    "Diana." His voice lifts just enough to be heard. She offers that hug and his eyes meet hers. A small hint of hesitation. Then he nods and steps to her. His arm slips around her waist and he draws her close. One hand lightly rests on her shoulder. Squeezes faintly. He leans back to look in her eyes.
    "I am grieved by your loss. You have my condolences, my sympathy."

Diana Prince has posed:
When the hug is given, Diana pulls back mere moments later, and responds to his offered words with a faint smile of apreciation for him having said them. "My people fought as they were duty-bound. They did as they knew they swore to do. It is what they would have wanted, to protect the innocent and fight for what was right."

She draws in a breath then, and looks him over. "You seem very battle-ready, come to speak of such things." The Princess offers as she steps to the side then to motion in to the office. "Would you like to sit and have a drink? You know the routine, whatever you would like, we assuredly have it." She tells him then. "I shall admit too, I am curious to here some of your tale, as to where in the Heavens you have been all this time."

Thor has posed:
    "Forgive me," Thor says as he then takes the moment to undo the strap that lets Stormbreaker rest against his back. He eases the silvered axe and Uru hammer to the floor, leaning the former against the wall. He shrugs out of his cloak and hangs it upon the coat rack there.
    "It is... a time of tumult. We have received words of different factions amongst the remaining Svartalfar behaving in erratic ways. Upheaval. I feel..." The man turns to the side, good eye distancing before he looks back to her. "That I should be ready."
    Then at the offer of sitting and a drink, he gives a nod of his head and walks toward one of the proffered chairs. His hand rests upon the back of it, then he awaits her to join him, only taking his seat once she does as well.
    "I will drink whatever you are having if you so wish." He pushes a hand through the ragged mane of his hair, still short and shorn, just like his beard.

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana is dressed quite nicely, in a white pencil skirt, a white blazer jacket that is closed up to mid-chest level, her dark hair tied back in a finely kept crown of dark locks with only a few loose tendrils hanging from it, and heeled shoes finishing her attire. She's clearly been dealing with business today, likely some public affairs earlier in the hours.

She gathers them both up a bit of a surprising drin, perhaps. A spicy bit of whiskey, that she delivers to him. "This was from a friend who makes his own whiskey in eastern Texas. He sent me a case of it. I'll admit, I've started to enjoy it." She says with a slight grin before she finds herself a seat across from Thor.

A sip is taken from her own glass before she sets it down. "You are expecting another attack then?" She asks him. "I had hoped we'd cut them off at their head, so to speak..."

Thor has posed:
    Eyebrows risen, Thor accepts the drink and lifts it slightly in sign of thanks. He takes a moment to settle into the seat and then draws his leg up to rest his ankle on his knee. That blue eye focuses on her. He lift shis chin slightly when she asks her question. He holds up a hand as if to stay her concerns.
    "No..." A pause, then he adds. "No. We are not expecting more just... I am aware there is much I am not expecting. Still." His brow knits slightly as he turns to look away. Then his smile returns faintly as he looks back to her.
    "My apologies, Diana. I find myself... waiting for the hounds to flush the next deer, and yet I should realize there is nothing more before us. Yet I... cannot lay this concern to ease. For it is done. It is ended. Yet I feel as if in its completion I am still found... wanting."

Diana Prince has posed:
Diana takes another sip from her glass before she sets it aside on her desk, the sunlight coming in behind her, casting a glow over her right shoulder, and the side of her face. She folds her hands together on the edge of her desk and looks across it to him. "You came to me, quite some time ago now, looking to start the project of bringing people to the Starport upon arriving within our realm. I do not think you anticipated how challenging that project would actually end up being. The challenge was immense, for many of us..."

She takes in a small breath, shows him a small smile, and finishes it with a small shake of her head left to right one time.

"The challenge tested us, perhaps you even the most... But we are not sure what the results of that test are, which I think may very well leave us feeling such thoughts as you describe. Wanting... answers, justice for the fallen, time to reflect on what may have been done better for greater outcomes... but, such is not possible. We are where we are now, and we have to make the best of it as is."

Thor has posed:
    "Yes,"
    Thor answered softly after she said about how immense the challenge was. His gaze distanced past her, then that one eye returned. He furrowed his brow, then exhaled slowly. "I feel a distance when I think back of that time. I feel... apart." The Thunderer finally takes a sip of the whiskey, but seems not to really taste it. Still distracted on some level.
    "But what is more I feel... hubris. It was a fool's errand and I feel it opened the path for Malekith. Odin traded his eye for wisdom. Mine paid the price instead for my folly." Shaking his head slightly, Thor looks downward at his right hand, twisting it before his gaze, then tightening it into a fist before opening it again.
    "I started these events, then was cast afar while you and others paid the price for what I wrought. Only for me to return in time to..."
    He stops, shaking his head.

Diana Prince has posed:
The words that he says, and the way that he says them, have the Princess slightly shifting her muscles within to make her fidget a little upon the edge of her seat. She leans her shoulders forward a little more, ever so slightly, toward him. "Thor..." Diana says in her utterly warmest tone of voice. She waits for him to make eye contact with her. "You are a good man." She tells him with that soft sincerity that she has honed over the course of her many years. "You did not leave us. You were taken. We fought to find ways to bring you back, and whether or not we were successful in that... here you are. We can all agree that the way things took place, they were.. not ideal. But this endeavor was one that we all were in on, together. We were all apart of it, and we all believed in it. We believed in you too, and still do. The best that you can do now, is be the good person that we have all come to have such faith in. That is what the rest of us need to see, that you are here again, that you are indeed back again... and that the man, the warrior, the honorable person... is here for us once more, when we need him to be."

Thor has posed:
    "Ah Diana." Thor says softly, and she can see a glimmer of that smile. He shakes his head, lowering his gaze as he breathes deeply, then exhales slowly. "At least in this I was wise coming to you."
    He takes another moment. Another sip of whiskey. Though this time he seems to recognize the taste and gives it a second glance, quirking an eyebrow. He looks to her and says. "I haven't told anyone what happened to me. After Malekith's spell struck me. Not even mine family. Not yet at the least. Soon perhaps."
    He gestures to the side with the glass, "I was told it was meant not just to... take my life. But it was meant to unravel me from... myself. From my destiny. My fate of prophecy. Unbind me from that which holds we all Asgardians."
    Thor looks past her when he speaks, "I awoke and I was not myself. I spoke with someone as I drifted through... nothing. Then I met those souls whom came with me back here. I was... existing. But I had nothing of myself. I spent all this time since working... forward. Just moving forward trying to find something of who I was. Eventually the path opened before me."
    He takes a deep breath then says, "I tell you this not to ask for your pity or whatnot. But more to explain. That since then, since I recovered myself. My fate. I still on some level feel... as if I am that man who had no memories. I have that duality. It is just hard to wrap my mind around."

Diana Prince has posed:
Throughout what Thor confides in her with, Diana merely remains there watching him with her forearms crossed over one another on the edge of her office desk. The ambience of spring weather outside the windows behind her continue to play their setting game, with little birds fluttering around in the ornate feeders setup in the gardens surrounding the Embassy property.

Diana tilts her head to the side very slightly as she eyes him closely when he speaks of the situation with his mind.

She considers a response before finally speaking after a few lingering passing seconds. "I know someone... a pair of someone's, in fact, who could potentially help you with that. To smooth things over. It sounds as though Maleketh attempted to destroy you in a unusual way, that has left your memories damaged. If you would like, I could reach out to a friend, for you to speak with, who could help you sort those memories out. One Professor Charles Xavier. He is a... very talented telepath, though this is not something he shares publicly. I know that he would speak with you on the matter, however, in hopes of giving you some measure of return to where you naturally should be after such unusual means of harming you. If interested, of course, in such a avenue..."

Thor has posed:
    Thor lifts a hand, again as if staying her from that course of action. "No, it is perhaps just my own foils preying upon my thoughts. Give me time, I'm sure I will be back to the norm soon enough. I just..."
    A pause as he looks across the way, then he says. "We just, likely miss the people we have lost. It has not been long. I am sure I'll... I'll find my feet soon enough." Thor straightens up a little and takes another drink of the whiskey, then sets the empty glass upon her desk.
    "The drink was good, thank you. It had an interesting smokey aftertaste. My regards to the brewer." He then seems to formally change the topic moreso as he says, "And you, how do you fare, Diana?"

Diana Prince has posed:
A light smile is quickly come and gone from Diana's visage as she sees his reaction to the offer. She doesn't comment on it any further, but does merely nod her head very slightly to his summation of just needing time. His comment about the whiskey has her showing a hint of a grin. "Not many around here would indulge in it with me, but I was curious for someone else's opinion. I like the smoky part..." She says, whispering that last bit in a little playful way.

His question, however, has her sitting up straight, gliding her arms off the desk down to just resting fingertips upon its edge now. "I am... as good as I ever am, I suppose. The loss of my sisters at the Starport was a heavy blow to take, as was informing the Queen of it. She believed they gave their lives for a just cause, when it was all explained... and the ceremonies of celebrating their lives went over well here at the Arts Center. Thus, we push ever forward. It is what our fallen would have wanted us to do. Never show signs of weakness. Always prepare for future aggressions. Be sharp, be strong, be prepared."

She purses her ruby red lips for a moment, before another faint grin graces her expression. "Now we just rebuild the Starport, and convince people that a massive battle is not planned for a good long while..." She tries to make light of it all, as hard as that may be to do!

Thor has posed:
    The tall Asgardian nods slowly as he listens to Diana, his good eye following along with her, watching her lips at points as she speaks, then looking into her eyes. He smiles a little, though it's a small sad smile as he feels that shared melancholy. He looks down at the mention of rebuilding the Starport, his eyebrows lifting as he recognizes the truth of that, and the sentiment for a better future.
    "I feel that... perhaps we did some good. That what we did helped us discover what Malekith had planned. That we revealed it and forced his hand. But if we discover otherwise, the blame is mine. It was my idea. If in the future there is to be a price to pay then I shall pay it." His gaze slips to the side then he adds, "And Jane..."
    Yet he shakes his head and does not travel down that road of thought. Instead he looks back to her. "If there is anything I can do, let me know. I am... between Asgard and here often. If I do not see your message immediately it will be soon no matter the case."

Diana Prince has posed:
The mention of Jane has Diana showing a slight expression of remorse for Thor. She did not know Jane Foster well, personally, but what she knew of Jane... well... she was certainly not pleased about how that played out either.

"I know in my heart that good was accomplished." She softly says back to him, letting that lie there in hopes of it reinforcing some positive thoughts within the Thunderer.

"The people of Themyscira are here for the people of Asgard. As I am here for you." She further says, letting that too linger a moment before she shows him yet another playful little expression.

"And more whiskey, should you desire." She states, gathering up her own glass to take a sip from it... her own glass still half full from where she'd filled it to.

Thor has posed:
    Thor smiles a little, his good eye meeting Diana's gaze as she says those fine things. He breathes in slowly, then exhales just as slowly. He nods and murmurs, "You have such kindness, Diana." Then he seems to shake his head slightly as he rests his hands on the arms of the chair. His eyebrow rises as if he was coming back to the here and now.
    "I have taken up enough of your time. It is good to see you. Though I wish circumstances..." Yet he does not finish that thought. His lips instead thin a touch, one of those smiles that is given in the face of such adversity. He pushes himself to his feet and it takes him a moment longer than he normally does. He turns...
    There's a faint hum as Stormbreaker leaps across the distance and into his hand. He adjusts the strap on his back and clicks the heavy axe into place before Mjolnir then leaps into his other hand. He turns, "Until next time. Feel free to come by the embassy." Or rather the Asgardian one.