Kirsi

by Susan M. M.

The Avengers

based on a challenge/prompt by Sheneya at "Avengers Fanfic Challenges and Recommended Reading"

Standard Fanfic Disclaimer that wouldn't last ten seconds in a court of law: Based on characters and situations created by somebody else (other than Kirsi Lokidottir, who's mine). All other characters {beyond minor NPCs} are from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and used without permission and without any hope or chance of financial profit. Just in case anybody has any doubts, I do not own the Avengers. To paraphrase Aggie2011, if I owned the Avengers, Joss Whedon and J. Michael Straczynski would be collaborating on the Hawkeye/Black Widow movie right now. Ten thousand thanks to Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Joss Whedon, Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Renner, Marvel Comics, Disney Studios, et al., for inspiration. This story is debuting as 'netfic and has not previously been printed in any fanzine or APA. Please don't sue. I'm too broke to pay attention, let alone legal fees. This is an amateur work of fiction, in the truest sense of the word: written for love, not for coin.

Challenge: Loki had a daughter. He brought her with him during the Earth invasion, thinking he was going to win. He spent so much time on trying to take over, he usually dumped her on MindSlave!Hawkeye to look after. After his defeat, it's revealed that due to an ancient Asgard law, now that Loki's going to prison, Hawkeye is her legal guardian. How will he cope with going from a solitary person, to looking after the child of the man who used him so badly? Not to mention the well meaning, but not always usable, help of his fellow Avengers.

Kirsi

by Susan M. M.

The Avengers

Legend tells of the many offspring of Loki: that he was the father of the world serpent Jörmungandr, the wolf Fenrir, the goddess Hel, the warrior Narfi, the ill-fated Váli. Legend also tells that he was the mother of Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse, and that he spent eight years on Midgard transformed into a human milkmaid, and bore children during that time. Some of those legends were true, other false, for when a man - or a god - has a reputation for wickedness, sins beyond his own are attributed to him. But legend neglected to mention a youthful indiscretion with a serving-wench that resulted in a daughter, and failed to record that daughter was the apple of her father's eye.

Loki told Heimdall that there were many ways into and out of Asgard other than the Bifrost Bridge, and for once Loki Lie-Smith spoke truly. After he had allied himself with the Chitauri, Loki snuck into Asgard through one of those hidden ways.

For one who had lived in the great palace of Valhalla since he was an infant, 'twas easy for Loki to find his way through the servants' quarters without being seen. He tapped once upon a certain door, then opened it and stepped inside without waiting for an invitation.

A girl-child sat by the window, practicing upon a lap-harp. She looked up when the door opened. "Father!" She set the harp down and rushed into his arms.

"Kirsi," he whispered her name lovingly. "How I've missed you."

"Father, where have you been? Why haven't you come to see me in so long?" Kirsi asked. In appearance, she resembled a human child of ten or twelve winters. Her long black hair was neatly braided in two plaits. She wore a green linen under-dress beneath a cream-colored woolen over-dress. The brooches fastening the shoulder straps of her over-dress were copper, engraved with pictures of playful cats, far finer than a servant's child would generally wear, but not as fine as a princess of Asgard deserved.

"Your uncle and grandfather are vexed with me, dear heart, and I've had to avoid their wrath if I wished to avoid a bruise. But now I'm back, and I'm here to take you on an adventure," he promised.

"An adventure, Father?" Kirsi looked up at him, her green eyes sparkling.

"Yes, a wonderful adventure. I'm leaving for Midgard as soon as the sands in this hourglass run out." Loki reached over and turned the hourglass upside down. "You have until then to pack, because if you're not ready, I'll leave without you. And I would hate to become king of Midgard without you beside me."

"Midgard? Gra- Lord Odin is making you king of Midgard?" Even in the privacy of her own chambers, Kirsi knew better than to give her grandsire anything less than the respect due the king of Asgard.

"I am making myself king of Midgard, child, and if you wish to be princess of my new realm, you must be with me when I conquer it," he told her. "Now, if I remember correctly, this hourglass holds but a quarter hour's sand. So if you wish to bring a change of clothes or a nightshift or a favorite toy, pack quickly."

"Yes, Father!" She kissed his cheek, then hurried to grab a traveling case for her lap-harp. She gathered some clothes and underthings, her cap and cloak, and her favorite doll. Loki conjured a sack out of nothing and laid it on the bed, for her to put her things in.

Halfway through the packing, Kirsi looked up. "Father, Mother is coming with us, isn't she?"

"She'll be joining us later," Loki lied. Or perhaps it was not a lie. Perhaps once he was lord and master of Midgard, she would rejoin him in his bed. Their youthful affair had long been over, and she would never be his queen, but a king needed concubines. And for Kirsi's sake, if nothing else, surely she would prefer to be the leman of the king of Midgard than a serving-wench to the king of Asgard. He could even ennoble her - give her the jarldom of Chicago, or perhaps Memphis.

With that possibility in mind, Loki conjured up paper, pen, and ink, and scribbled a hasty note to his former leman.

Maren Vidardottir, my once beloved,

I claim a father's right to have Kirsi by my side. I shall take good care of her, and I hope you will join us presently. Know that she will be safe with me.

Loki Odinson, Prince of Asgard

He'd hesitated a moment over the signature. He wasn't truly Loki Odinson. But he wasn't ready to admit to being Loki Laufreyson. Was he Loki No-oneson? He looked at his daughter and smiled. He was Loki Kirsifather, and that was all that was important.

Author's Note: at the moment, I have more plot bunnies than I can corral, so updates will be slow and erratic in schedule. Aggie2011 is not only a better writer than I am, she's a faster updater. (And, boy, does she crunch mean! Check out her stories if you like hurt/comfort.) Chapters 2 and 3 are outlined, but I may need to wait until the DVD comes out (September 25, 2012) before I can transmogrify outlines into stories.