A/N: Well this just sort of...happened. And I'm a complete fool for trying to write two Blackfrost stories in tandem, I know. But I'm super excited about this because of reasons. Oh, and ye be warned, here there be spoilers for The Dark World.

Mutiny

by Flaignhan

"I am telling you, they are twice as big as elephants," Thor says enthusiastically. "Everything is twice as big on Asgard, isn't it, Jane?"

Jane doesn't comment, and Natasha smirks, then downs some of her wine before anybody else notices her childish sense of humour.

"Well," Thor says disappointedly. "She didn't get much of a tour last time she was there."

"Sure, we believe you, buddy," Tony says, nodding sarcastically. "We believe you."

"I still can't get over it," Steve says. "I mean, in my day, other planets were the thing of movies, and movies were pretty radical back then too. And I know we should know better than anybody that aliens exist…" His words are slightly slurred and Natasha smiles, knowing that he's about to go off on a tangent, telling them all about what the city was like seventy years ago. Tony yawns pointedly, but Steve doesn't notice, and continues to talk, Thor listening intently to him, while Clint flips the coaster off of the table edge with the back of his fingers and tries to catch it. Bruce quietly engages Jane in conversation, and Natasha rests her chin on the heel of her palm, settling herself down for another long winded history lesson.

She'll admit that it's nice to have everyone back together again, without the threat of imminent attacks. They'd barely gotten over last year's Chitauri attack before Natasha was being hauled all over the place by SHIELD, Clint too. She would very occasionally see Steve at the hub but never really managed to exchange more than a quick hi or have a quiet lunch with him in the cafeteria on those few rare occasions where they were both stopping for a while.

The rest of the evening passes by in a blur of more drinks and chatter, and Steve eventually falls asleep, his head resting on his arms, Thor chuckling loudly as Tony starts stacking beer mats on top of his head.

"What are the bars like in your home town, big guy?" Tony asks Thor when he runs out of beer mats. "Full of buxom wenches and ale?"

"Asgard has plenty of beautiful women," he tells him. "Though, not a patch on those one might find on Midgard," he adds, noticing Jane's raised eyebrow. She smiles, satisfied, and takes a sip of her drink. "You should all come to Asgard," Thor adds. "You have been gracious enough to welcome me on your world. I think it's about time I returned the favour."

"Yeah!" Jane says excitedly. "You guys, the bifrost is like the best thing you will ever experience. Like a roller coaster but way cooler."

"A roller what?" Thor asks, frowning down at her.

"Never mind," she says distractedly. "We should go, we should really really go. You guys want to, right?"

"Yeah," Tony says. "Sounds…well it sounds pretty awesome to be honest," he concedes.

"Bruce?"

"Yeah, whatever, I'm in," Bruce says tiredly, waving a hand then draining the last of his beer.

Jane turns her gaze to Natasha, and she simply shrugs and nods. "Sure," she says. "Why not?"

Jane manages to extract an agreement from Clint as well, and Natasha fingers the stem of her wine glass, wondering how much trouble they'll be in with Fury if they all just disappear off the face of the planet without a moment's notice. She decides she doesn't care, however, and really, the prospect of seeing an alien world is actually kind of exciting, no matter how successfully she might be playing it cool.

"So," she says casually, directing her attention to Thor. "When are we going to make this little field trip?"

"Tomorrow," Thor says, looking down at Steve with a grin on his face. "I think the captain needs some rest."

Thor hadn't been exaggerating when he had told them of the wonders of Asgard. Natasha can't stop the soft wow that escapes her lips when they step out onto the rainbow bridge for the first time, the icy pathway glittering in the sunlight and stretching ahead of them. The palace is beautiful, golden, and seems to shimmer in the glow of the warm sinking sun. In all her years of seeing extraordinary things on her travels, none of them can hold a candle to this.

"Come," Thor says, a beaming smile on his face. Natasha can't remember ever seeing him so happy. "There is much to see!"

Thor leads them towards the palace, and Natasha has to take long strides to keep up, Bruce ambling along beside her, hands dug deep in his pockets.

"It is pretty cool," he admits to her as they make their way along the bridge.

"Glad you came?" she asks. He nods, and Natasha smiles. She's never been desperately curious about the place, but when Thor made his offer, there was a leap in her chest that left her knowing she would not be able to turn him down. Going to another world is something only a few people can claim to have done, and after all of Thor's enthusiasm about his home world (despite hanging around on Earth for months) Natasha is glad she decided that she needed to see it for herself.

Steve is slack jawed as they walk along, and Natasha keeps a close eye on him, just to ensure that he doesn't wander off the edge of the bridge and tumble into oblivion. When they reach the palace doors, golden uniformed guards pull the doors open for them, greeting Thor with courteous bows of their heads. Natasha follows him through the open doors, catching the curious glances that the rest of them are receiving from the guards, but pays them no attention. They probably look like quite a strange group to them, with their jeans, t-shirts and sweaters in a world of armour, leather, and sturdy boots.

"Okay," Tony says, casting his eyes around the interior of the palace, which is just as impressive as the outside with its expanses of perfectly carved marble, pillars as thick as ancient tree trunks, and high, arching ceilings. "This is pretty neat."

"You approve?" Thor asks, turning to him.

"Yeah," Tony says casually, nodding his head. "I approve."

Thor chuckles, and quickens his pace, dragging Jane alongside him, her little legs hurrying to keep up. The doors ahead open, and a tall, dark haired woman strides through, a thick fur tied about her shoulders, obscuring an intricately carved piece of armour.

"Sif!"

The woman, Sif, does not seem to share Thor's excitement. She smiles awkwardly at the group, then addresses Thor directly.

"The king wishes to speak with you," she tells him, then nods towards Jane in greeting, who raises a hand and waves politely. Sif returns her attention to Thor. "With all of you."

Thor looks taken aback for a moment, his eyebrows twitching into the smallest of frowns, but then it disappears, his expression replaced with a broad smile as he turns to the rest of them. "Well of course he does! I've told Father all about you, and while he doesn't usually care much for mortals, I think he might be interested in you."

Jane frowns and looks up at Thor, his expression immediately turning to one of sheepishness.

"I just mean - "

"I know what you meant," Jane sighs, smiling slightly. "C'mon, let's go."

Thor leads the way, and as they pass Sif, Natasha notices that her face has dropped, her brow creased with concern, her eyes full of worry, but before she can ask her what's the matter, Sif has steeled herself, and marches quickly to the front of the group, leading their way through an intricate maze of corridors, past nearly identical guards stationed at every door.

The throne room is indeed impressive. Natasha doesn't know where to look, but when she walks slap bang into Thor's solid back because she's too busy admiring the golden pillars, she realises that something is wrong.

"Brother?" Thor whispers.

Natasha steps to the side, and looks up the steps towards the huge, decorative throne, on which sits a horribly familiar man. He seems quite at home on his throne, his limbs strewn lazily around, as though he were a teenager in an armchair. Even from this distance, Natasha can see that he looks healthier, stronger, than he did in New York. It might just be the warm light of the torches, but she is sure he has more colour to him, and he seems broader, more substantial.

Thor, dumbstruck, turns to Sif, who is looking determinedly ahead, her hands clasped in front of her.

"What the hell is going on?" Steve demands, looking between Thor and Loki, his fists clenched at his sides.

"I might ask you the same thing, Captain," Loki replies, rising from his throne and ambling down the steps towards them. "You come into my kingdom, unannounced, uninvited - "

"Where is Father?" Thor asks softly, though his voice carries well in the large room, and he is heard loud and clear by all of them.

"Dead," Loki says coldly. "But you might have known that if you'd bothered to show your face around here every once in a while. Volstagg, your instructions."

Thor whips around, and Natasha follows his gaze to see a large, red bearded man lumbering in their direction. Before any of them can protest or put up a fight, Bruce has had his wrists bound in manacles.

"Volstagg, what are you -?"

"King's orders," Volstagg replies gruffly. He nods something of an apology to Bruce, who is staring down at his wrists, and Natasha knows that the cuffs are far more hardwearing than a basic set that one might find in the SHIELD equipment store. Bruce looks towards her and smiles, though Natasha can tell instantly that he's putting on a brave face. He doesn't like being restricted. None of them do. It's one of the few traits they all share.

"But he's not the king," Thor whispers, shaking his head. "He can't be."

"Oh but I am," Loki tells him, his lips twisting into a satisfied smirk. "With Father dead and you abandoning your people, the line of succession fell to me. I wouldn't bother trying to transform, Dr Banner," he says, turning to Bruce. "They won't break, so if you'd like to keep your hands firmly attached to your wrists…"

Natasha places a hand on Bruce's back, rubbing his shoulders as soothingly as she can, while simultaneously trying to work out exactly how they can get out of this. She feels him let out a shaky breath and hopes to god that he can keep the other guy under control, though with the way things are panning out, Natasha thinks she might just turn into a rage monster, gamma radiation or not. She can't believe they were so stupid as to come unarmed to another world, a world that Thor hasn't been to for months. It feels like such a childish error, now that they're here, face to face with a man who should be dead.

"Loki…" Thor steps forward, and before any of them can process what's happening, including Loki himself, Thor pulls him into a hug, his arms locked around Loki's body. His face contorts into a venomous expression and he twists out of Thor's grip, pushing him away.

"Don't touch me," he hisses.

"I thought you dead," Thor croaks. "And king or not, I will hug my brother." He breaks into a smile, his blue eyes bright with unshed tears.

"You will not," Loki says haughtily, dusting himself off. Thor's smile fades, and Natasha chews on the inside of her lower lip, casting her gaze to the doors behind them, flanked by half a dozen guards. When she turns back towards Thor and Loki, she notes a few more guards slipping into the room quietly, and so she surreptitiously gives Clint's ankle a jab with her toe. He turns to look at her, and she glances towards the guards. He gives her the smallest of nods in return, confirming that he too has noticed their ever growing audience. Natasha moves closer to Bruce, more concerned for him than anyone. Besides Thor, Loki arguably has the biggest axe to grind with Bruce, and now he has rendered him unable to defend himself.

"What happened to Father?"

"He fell into the Odinsleep and never awoke," Loki says with mock sadness. "It was tragic."

"And you didn't think to tell me?" Thor asks. "You held his funeral without me?"

"Oh…" Loki says softly, taking a step back. "You mean, me informing you myself of Father's death and allowing you to attend the funeral would have been the decent thing to do?"

"Yes," Thor says through gritted teeth. "Do not tell me that you thought I would not care, do not lie to me."

"Sorry," Loki says, though it's plain to all that he's not sorry at all. "It's just that I seem to remember being told by a lowly prison guard that mother had been murdered, and I seem to remember you holding the funeral without me, while I rotted alone in the dungeons. Call me bitter, but I really couldn't care less about your feelings."

Thor buries his face in his hands, taking deep, steadying breaths.

"Well it seems you boys have a lot of issues to work through," Tony says casually, taking a few steps backwards towards the doors. "So I think we should probably give you some privacy."

"Ah ah ah," Loki says, holding up a finger. "Not so fast. You've hardly seen the palace. I can really recommend a stay in the dungeons."

"Brother no," Thor says, stepping forward. He spreads the fingers of his right hand, in expectation, but as soon as they hear the whooshing sound of Mjolnir, Loki waves a hand, and the hammer drops to the floor with a loud, echoing clang. Thor turns around, and holds his hand out again, staring at Mjolnir, but it doesn't move.

"You're not worthy," Loki tells him. "He who abandons his realm cannot hoard its treasures." He holds out his hand, and Mjolnir flies obediently to it. He smirks down at the hammer, relishing in the feel of it in his hand, then tosses it over his shoulder carelessly, Sif ducking to avoid its path. She retreats to stand by the side of a blond man, a rapier tucked securely into his belt. They both look down at the floor as though they're wishing they were somewhere else, far away from this particular family feud.

"Brother, let me take them to Heimdall," Thor says, gesturing behind him. "He can return them to Midgard, and then we can…deal with this as you please."

Loki shakes his head. "No. Trespassers shall not be set free so they can reoffend. What do you take me for? An idiot?"

"Now just hold on a second," Steve says, but Natasha knows that arguing is no use. They are outnumbered, unarmed, and well out of range for any support from SHIELD. Loki ignores Steve and walks up to Thor.

"Don't worry," he says softly into Thor's ear, his hand resting on his shoulder. "I'll have them put your woman in the cell next to yours. You won't be too far away from her." He gives his shoulder a rough pat and smirks, before turning away, and heading back up the steps towards his throne. "Guards," he adds casually. "Seize them." He chuckles to himself as the guards rush forward and says: "I've always wanted to say that."

Natasha doesn't bother to fight, unlike Clint, who is too damn stubborn for his own good. The broken nose he gives one of the Asgardians only results in him taking a rather hefty blow to the head, leaving a deep gash on his brow. They are all secured within seconds, and she has two guards holding her in place, each with a firm grip on her upper arms. None of the guards seem to want to take Thor, however, and when Loki sits down and views the scene before him, he sighs exasperatedly.

"Fandral, Volstagg, escort my brother to the dungeons. Sif. You lead the way. You're in charge."

"My liege?" Sif says uncertainly, turning slowly to face him.

"Yes?" Loki replies, fixing her with a sharp gaze.

"He is the prince," Sif says cautiously, running an index finger along the edge of her armour.

"As was I when the last king banished me to the dungeons. I am within my rights," Loki replies, turning away from her, apparently considering the matter closed. Sif doesn't seem to agree, and Natasha stands on tip toe to get a better view, the guards apparently sharing her curiosity as they allow it it.

"His crime?" Sif asks delicately, avoiding Loki's gaze.

Loki frowns, pauses, and then apparently comes up with an answer. "Treason," he says brightly. "Brutishness," he continues, counting the crimes off on his fingers. "Ugliness. Need I go on? I daresay I could provide you with an extensive list before supper."

Sif sighs and nods, leading the way down the steps towards Thor. Volstagg and Fandral follow behind her, and stand either side of Thor, though they do not touch him.

"After everything, you will throw me in the dungeons like a criminal?" Thor says, his voice cracking. "After I have loved you, in spite of your crimes, in spite of all those times you tried to kill me? After I have stood by you?"

"Don't you dare!" Loki bellows, pushing himself up from his throne and sprinting down the steps to meet Thor head on. The silence rings louder than Loki's shout, and everyone, including the guards, is frozen in place. "Don't you dare," he whispers.

"Loki - "

"I died saving your life. Avenging mother's. Doing that which you could not," he says softly. "And then you left my body to rot on a frozen plain," he hisses, then takes a step back, all traces of anger and bitterness disappearing from his expression. "Tell me again how you loved me?"

"The universe was ending," Thor tells him earnestly, his hands pressed together as though in prayer as he beseeches him. "What would you have had me do?"

"I would have had you give a damn," Loki says coldly. "Because there is not a single person here who will believe you if you say you would have abandoned Father's body as you abandoned mine. You would not have left him, nor mother, nor your precious Jane." He shoots a look down at Jane, and she stares up at him defiantly, her jaw set. "But you abandoned me. As you have always done."

"Brother please - "

"Make haste, Sif, I require the three of you for our counsel," Loki orders, retreating to his throne once more. Sif nods, and, avoiding Thor's broken gaze, she moves towards the doors, and Natasha finds herself being chivvied along by the guards. She twists in their grip to look at Loki, sprawled comfortably in his throne as he watches them. His lips twist into a smirk, and he raises a hand, giving her a lazy wave of greeting, before the doors are slammed behind them, and they are led downstairs, towards the dungeons.