Rise of the Phoenix (L. Laufey/Odinson)

13.

Bucky paces in front of a huge floor to ceiling window that looks out over the snow-covered lands of Norway. Part of him hoped that this would be over by now but it's taking longer for Tony to develop suits that will withstand the temperatures Thor is talking about. The longer Nina is over there the higher the chances of her dying. And he can't lose her. He can't. Not now. Not after finding her again.

"She'll be fine" Steve states behind him, sat on the couch with Sharon's head in his lap as she sleeps. Wanda cooks across the room in the small kitchenette.

"She should never have gone" Bucky counters. "She wasn't ready"

"You're looking out for her" Steve offers. "Always have" Steve adds. "But you're not teenagers anymore, she's not running around after boys that'll break her heart"

"No, these ones could very well tear it out of her chest" Bucky argues.

"Don't be so dramatic" Steve scolds with an eye roll. "She can take care of herself, Hydra saw to that...." Bucky huffs crossing his arms over his chest. "And she's probably with Loki"

"We're putting all our faith on a man I have never met" Bucky scolds. "A man that you and all the others say is untrustworthy and unreliable and basically a bad guy....my sister, my sister's life is in his hands, Steve" he pleads, Steve glances to Wanda who shoots him a soft look back.

"Bucky, she will be fine" Steve assures him. "She will be fine and she will be coming home" Bucky sighs and turns back to the window.

............

Loki sits beside Nina in front of the campfire, Nina scowls down at the bowl in her hand, Loki lingers close to her using her spoon to part her food.

"Here, this" Loki pushes food aside in Nina's bowl. "You can eat this" he motions to a leafy ingredient. "And this" he motions to another. She sighs. "I know" he whispers.

"No, you don't" she argues staring at the food. She's a super soldier, she needs food more than an average human, and this stuff wouldn't even sustain one of them. She sets her spoon in her bowl and gives it to Loki. He frowns at her.

"You need to eat" he scolds as she stands. "Nina" he hisses at her.

"I'll be fine" she argues and walks away, Loki huffs and looks down at the food, even he has to find this distasteful, part of him thinks they're doing it on purpose. Starving them out, or at least wanting to give them food poisoning. Loki pokes at the food and then sighs looking up and around for Nina. She stands at the edge of the camp, her cloak wrapped around her to keep herself warm.

"She's beautiful" a voice states behind him, Loki turns to see an older female jotun stood behind him. She appears kinder than the others.

"Nina?" he asks turning back to Nina. "Yes, she is...."

"We've not been introduced" she starts. "I'm Edaywen" she offers sitting next to Loki.

"You're one of the elders" Loki states, she nods.

"I was around for all of your father's rule and his father's before him" she admits watching Nina. "There are not many of us left now....." they both watch Nina, Edaywen silent at Loki's side, but only for a moment, she takes a breath. "Kings can become good but they can be great with the right queen at their side..." Edaywen offers with a smirk. "The people love queens, and it's been so long since Jotunheim has had one...."

"My mother?" Loki asks, Edaywen hums a little.

"Sadly she was never officially crowned, but we all considered her our queen anyway" she admits. "Unfortunate" she adds. "What happened to her..."