The Secret Asgardian (An Avengers Fanfiction)

Chapter 8: New Mission

8. New Mission

A soft knock on my door awoke me from my light sleep. Frowning sleepily, I sat up and looked around the unfamiliar room that I had been assigned. Unlike most of S.H.I.E.L.D's rooms, the interior was more homely, with patterned wallpapered walls and a surprisingly soft carpet.

I glanced over at the clock on the wall and groaned when I looked at the time. From the balcony, I had gone and found out which room I was supposed to live in for the time being and then holed up in it for the last day, sleeping. It was now 10 o' clock in the morning, the next day.

"Who is it?" I called, my voice croaky from too much sleep.

The door opened slowly, and Thor poked his head around.

"Can I come in?" He asked, always polite.

I nodded and yawned, and he came in, shutting the door behind him. He sat down at the end of my bed, figuring that I wouldn't get up. He was right.

"Is there something troubling you, uncle?" I asked, leaning back against the bed's headboard tiredly.

"No, I'm fine. Actually, I came to ask you that."

"I'm ... ok," I sighed.

Thor could see right through me, and he smiled knowingly.

"I know how hard it is to face your kin as your enemy. It mustn't have been easy for you to face Loki alone."

"I have no warm feelings toward him," I said coldly.

"But he is your father nevertheless. You will always be related by blood - and that is what makes it hard to fight him."

"But you're not related by blood," I pointed out.

"Loki will always be my brother, whether we share blood or not, as you will always be my niece," Thor murmured.

I said nothing, and stared at my clasped hands.

"I just wanted you to know that you aren't alone in this problem - after all, you are part of a team now," He winked.

"If I wasn't in this team, I wouldn't be part of this mess," I grumbled.

"Ah, ok. That may be true," He conceded, and I smiled reluctantly.

"Has Nick informed you of how much of a failure I am?" I asked, serious and sad once more.

My uncle hesitated.

"I don't believe he counts it as a failure - more of a mistake," He said carefully and I sighed wearily.

"Loki wasn't doing anything wrong when I saw him at the museum - how was I to know he stole a book? And why is a book so important?"

"That's what Nick's trying to find out."

We stayed silent for a moment, each consumed by our own thoughts.

"Oh, Nick said that you're not allowed to wallow in bed all the time like a "stroppy teenager". He says has another mission for you," Thor said suddenly, remembering.

"Oh, wonderful. What has he concocted now as punishment?" I whimpered, pulling the covers over my head.

Thor laughed, and I heard him leave the room.

***

I sat on the couch in the "living area" for the Avengers, the room where I had first met the team. Peter sat beside me, and we both stared up at Nick who paced in front of us.

"We've found out who donated the book to the museum. Her name is Iva Sykes, and she lives in Cardiff, Wales. Very wealthy, owns a mansion just outside the city. Fifty acres of land to her name, four children and no husband," Nick informed us quickly, and I shook my head in bewilderment.

"How do you know so much about her?" I asked incredulously, and a small smile tugged at Fury's lips for a fleeting moment.

"Because we're the best. Anyway, I'm sending you two on this mission, and you're going to find out everything about that book. What it's about, who wrote it, what language it's in - everything! You better bring me some good information, or don't bother coming back."

I exchanged a nervous glance with Peter.

"Any questions?" He asked, giving us a hard look, as if daring us to ask anything.

"Why are you sending us?" I asked suspiciously.

"Oh, did I forget to mention? You'll be attending Iva's yearly ball tonight - and you'll be posing as a couple. Eldrid, you'll be her distant cousin, and Peter will be your partner. You both look roughly the same age, so it's better to send you two. Don't worry, we've got you on the guest list," Nick said coolly, amusement flashing in his eyes at our horrified looks.

"A ball? I can't dance!" Peter complained, and I hesitated.

Actually, I could dance. It was a skill I'd had to learn so I could attend any formal gatherings and balls in Asgard and represent the royal family, as Thor and Loki hadn't exactly been the ballroom dancing type. As a female royal, I'd been the one who had to go to the stuffy dances and meals, while they attend the more 'casual' feasts. That was one of the reasons why I left Asgard.

"Neither can I," I lied.

"Well, you'll either have to learn, or avoid the dance floor all together and mingle with the wealthiest people in Wales."

Neither of the options were very appealing.

"So you expect us to find out about the book at a ball? And you think that some stuck up lady will tell us what we need to know?" Peter asked cynically.

"Yes," Nick said seriously.

We sighed in unison.

"Better get your dancing shoes," Peter muttered to me.