Fear the war

“Fine, have it your way.” He shrugged again. The claim had stayed her hand at least temporarily, which is what he’d wanted it to do, so if it didn’t suit her there was no reason to keep on with it.

“The lavish lifestyle of the King of Asgard? Well, there’s no more Asgard, so no more kings. Or, to put it another way: I no longer see the merit in pretending petty trinkets and luxuries satisfy my needs. Not that it’s much concern of yours. I can’t imagine we have much in common any more.”

“And who’s fault is that?” She spat. “We were once almost true parallels you and I. We understood each other and the struggles we have had to face. You decided that your jealousy was worth more than that. That anything the others around us might have said suddenly meant that I was against you.” Sif scoffed and looked away from him. 

“You have never been satisfied, Loki. You have need been good at pretending you were either.”

Loki had spent enough time without her company that her forgot to anticipate her poking holes in his ego.  Before he could try to sneak in that perhaps this was not the best way to respond if she cared to see him repeat himself, but he held his tongue, knowing that Sif was not done berating him.

“Odin..”  She didn’t know?  And the-

She really didn’t know.  Where was Thor?  He knew he would not deliver the news better but would at least serve as a better comfort to their friend.

“Unfortunately they all.. fell by Hela’s hand.”  This was true enough for him, 75% true.  

-

She stopped and looked at him, really looked at him. Loki was a talented liar but Sif had known him nearly all his life. There was truth to his words, enough truth to make her falter. 

“You’re not lying. Not completely anyway.” 

Sif looked past him at the people around them. Mostly women and children. No Einhergar. Tradesmen. Civilians. No sign of Asgards great army. It’s elite warriors. The reality started to settle in. This was all that was left. 

“All of them?” Her eyes met his. “Odin’s gone? Fandral? Hogun? Even Volstagg? But his family...” 

She stepped away from Loki as she felt her emotions start to get the better of her. Her brothers in arms, gone. 

“Thor... is he...?”

“Asgardian steel is highly durable and comfortably light in weight. Though my race is known to be able to lift things far heavier with ease so light is a relative term I suppose.” Sif offered up her sword for Monica to inspect. “It has a second blade hidden within the hilt which can separate should I desire it.”

She wasn’t quite sure what to do with herself. She had ended up in the middle of the battle field quite randomly, barely having been aware for very long. She could feel the magnitude of it and knew the risks the avengers were taking. After it was over Sif... had no where to go. To say her reunion with Thor was a tense one would be an understatement. It had been difficult to accept that the man she had once considered her closest friend hadn’t thought to check on her whereabouts in previous years and thus had no clue she had been banished. 

So now Sif was left on Midgard. She had respectfully stayed away from the funeral for the Iron Man having never met the man but as the remaining warriors started to disperse she was unsure what path to take. Still, if this was the last time so many early heroes were to be in one place she wanted to make herself known

“I never had a chance to properly introduce myself. I am Lady Sif of... I suppose the former realm of Asgard.”

“ARGH!” Sif yanked her sword from the wooden target and let it clatter to the ground. It had been too long of a day. She had lost a sparing match, been laughed at as a result, and yet again had been denied by General Tyr to be classified as a solider of the Einherjar. She had been doing this for decades at this point, training ever day, presenting herself when missions came alone, and never being chosen. It was too much hard work for no recognition. 

Sitting herself down she took calming breaths to fight off her upset. Nearing someone approach she looked up to see Thor and gave him a weak smile. “Come to see the failure? I’m sure your friends have been recounting my humiliation all day.”

“Thor … I think you got the wrong person sweetheart because I’m not him ” Logan said carefully walking her back to his trailer before fumbling with the keys for a moment

-

Her mind was so exhausted and jumbled that Sif could barely string a sentence together. Who was this man who had helped her? There was some disappointment it was not Thor because then that would mean home. Still, the rain comforted her and at least she was free of that damned collection. “Thank you.” She murmured leaning heavily against her saviour.