Divided Chapter 12

Eidra pulled Fen closer before her, keeping her hands firmly on his shoulders.
“They are all old. Did they not bring any children?”
“No,” Jane scanned the people filing into the Throne room, “No families were scheduled for this trip. At least not to my knowledge.”
Brenna reached over and knuckled him atop his head, “They were smart, they left their little worms at home.”
Fen swatted at her and missed as Eidra snapped, “Will you both be still?”
Brenna stuck out her tongue at Fen who hunkered closer to Eidra with a scowl.
“See how much older Stark is?” Jane exclaimed, “Good god.”
The doors of the Throne room swung shut with a boom as Thor stood up from the throne, starting down the stairs to greet the group. Loki swung his gaze to his left, catching Eidra's eyes as he followed his brother and giving her a thin smile.


Simon had been guided to one side by Beth and as such was able to see Tony extend a hand toward a large man with a close cropped beard and long blond hair done in a braid down his left shoulder.
“It's Thor.” Beth whispered in his ear, “Now that is a beautiful man.”
“If you like the type.” Simon retorted, pulling himself up taller, “Now hush, they're speaking.”

“Citizens of Midgard, honored guests, friends!” Thor boomed, “I welcome you to the realm, the city of Asgard.”
Tony took Thor's hand, shaking it briskly, “It's a pleasure to be here, truly. We are honored, moved by this opportunity to unite our realms in the name of commerce and peace. I hope we will learn from one another and grow in kind.”
Loki smiled broadly, taking Tony's hand next, “Were I unaware, Stark, I would have thought you were looking for a place on the High Council.” he muttered.
“And I am thrilled to see you again as well,” Tony pumped his hand, “How's that sainted wife of yours? The children?”
Loki's smile slipped a little, “All are well. Odin hope they remain as such.”
Thor raised his arms in the air as Loki let go of Tony's hand, “Follow us into the Great Hall. We have prepared for your arrival an array of Asgardian delicacies to properly welcome you into our culture. First we eat, then we shall discuss business.”

Simon held onto the handle of his suitcase so hard, his hand had begun to ache. He was tired, more than a little hungry though he doubted he could stomach whatever foreign food they were going to present to him.
“I can't wait to see what they eat.” Beth whispered.
“And what if they serve you some strange blue tentacled monster in sauce? Or jellied....brains in cut glass bowls? What then?” He shivered suddenly.
“Nonsense,” came a voice behind them, “They enjoy a good steak as well as you do.”
Beth looked over her shoulder, “Honestly?”
Tony nodded, “You seem disappointed. Were you hoping for some fantastic oddity?”
She shrugged, “I didn't know what to expect, really.”
“Well you're in for a big surprise...Simon, come with me.”
He guided Simon forward through the throng moving into an immense room dominated by a long table laden with food, stopping beside Thor.
“Your Majesty, I'd like to introduce you to the reason we made it this far. This is Simon Foster.”
Thor paused and bowed, holding out his hand. Simon reached out, his body on automatic pilot, and shook it, “I am pleased to meet you Master Foster. What think you of our fair city so far?”
Simon could feel the tension in the air though it didn't seem directed at him, rather at Tony.
“It's lovely.” Simon croaked.
“Simon Foster!”
He looked about at the people around him, trying to focus on the owner of the voice before his hand was taken in a sturdy grip. He followed the hand upward until he came to a face he knew quite well.
“Colin? What in God's name...?”
“You two know each other?” Tony glanced back and forth.
“I should say so!” Colin cried, still pumping Simon's hand, “We used to run about together summers at the seashore. His aunt owned a cottage just down the lane from my family's summer place in Blackpool. How is yer Aunt Mary now?”
Simon swallowed hard, “She's passed on, sorry to say....” his mouth felt like cotton, “Ah, what are you doing...” He looked about the Great Hall, “ Here of all places?”
Colin let Simon's hand go, “I'm employed as an agent. Mister Stark, here, is my boss.”
Colin saw Tony give a small nod.
“What a coincidence.”
Simon heard a heavy sigh from the man who had stood beside the King as he delivered the greeting, “May we dispense with the pleasantries for now and fall to? This threatens to be a monstrously long day.”
“My brother is right, please follow me.” Thor waved his hand, gesturing them forward toward the table.
“Gods save me.” Loki nudged him as they followed behind, “Where are the women?”
Thor peered around, “I do not know. They are likely at the rear of the crowd, they were still on the steps when we left the throne room. They will be along soon.”
Loki cast a furtive glance about. The only place he wished to be at that moment was with Eidra, not playing host to foreigners.
“Come along, Loki.”
“Yes, of course.” He made his way through the throng, “We cannot finish lest we begin.”


Eidra gazed about at the crowd, keeping a hand on Fen's shoulder though he continually shrugged out from beneath her.
“Mama, please may I join Papa and my uncle?”
“They are very busy with their guests, you will stay with us for the time being.”
She felt a tap at her shoulder, “Mama, let me walk about with him. If he gets out of line, I shall hang him over the balcony by his feet.”
Eidra looked at Jane then to Brenna, “I do not know that he will behave with you. This is a rather large gathering. Why can he not stay with us?”
Brenna caught Fen's desparate mien and leaned over to Eidra's ear, “Because he is twelve seasons old being  and still being led about by his mother.”
Ever since Fen's fight with the boy, Alger, Brenna noted her mother had been keeping a tight rein on him. Out of concern or as punishment, she was unsure but the boy had to have room to breathe, he was very nearly a man.
“I promise we will cause no trouble.” Brenna slowly prised Fen from her hand, “We want to look around.”
They started to slip into the crowd as Eidra called to them, “Keep out from underfoot, mind you!”
Brenna gave a wave as the people swallowed them from view.


“Thank you, Bren.”
They had reached the table. Brenna gazed down the length to see people staring at different dishes, picking a bit at others, noticing the surprise on their faces.
“You owe me one.” She handed him a plate from the stacks in the middle of the table, “Now do not prove me wrong.”
“I will not..” He started to fill his plate, “May we speak to them? Papa did not say we could not speak to them.”
“I suppose. What is to talk of? You have been to Midgard. Nothing should be new to you.”
Fen stuffed the end of a rolled lingonberry pancake in his mouth, “Mmmf....I know, however, they are now here in my home and I wish to know what they think of Asgard.”
Fen eyed the table left and right, spying his favorite smoked eel, seeing a young woman about to lift a piece from the warming platter.
He edged along until he was beside her, watching her sniff a forkful, study it.
“It is eel.” Fen piped up and suddenly found himself catching her plate in mid-air with his free hand.
“Shit!” She cried, covering her mouth, “Excuse my language.”
He handed the plate back to her, “No harm done, Milady.”
“Thank you so much. New situations make me jumpy.” She smiled.
He returned it, “My name is Fen.”
She put her fork on her plate and extended her hand to him, “Beth Chapel. Pleased to meet you.”
“Have you ever had eel?”
She forked the piece of fish into her mouth, “Yeah, my grandparents are from Louisiana. We'd visit them each summer when my sister and I were kids. They'd fix Creole eel,” She paused, “This is a bit bland by comparison...but still good.”
“Louisiana, it is one of those places you call states is it not?” Fen helped himself to the eel on the platter.
“Right, how do you know about the states?”
“Because of his big sister.” Brenna added, poking him in the ribs, “I thought I had lost you in the crowd. I would have hung you from the highest tree.” Brenna nodded to Beth, “Is he pestering you. I could find someplace to hang him now?”
“No, no not at all. He's being very polite. I have to say, I'm a little surprised...”
Brenna poked him again eliciting a yelp, “Surprised, because he is polite?”
“At the food.” Beth scanned the table, “I guess I expected something more...”
“Strange,” Brenna finished, “I found the food on Midgard exceeding odd. I found I had to eat what your people call organic or I would get sick.”
Beth's eyes widened, “You've been to Earth?”
Brenna picked up a roll, “I went to school there for a time. I will attend a Midgardian college next year much to my father's chagrin.”
The throng jostled Brenna and she sighed, “It is become crowded, I am going to retreat to the balcony area.” She started to move away, motioning to Fen to follow her, stopped and turned, “You may join us if you like...”
“I would love to, thank you!” Beth could hardly contain her excitement. She followed Fen and his sister, resisting the urge to reach out and grab the tail of Fen's shirt so they wouldn't be separated until at last they found a spot on the marble steps leading up to the balcony and sat down.
“My name is Brenna, by the way.” Brenna tore her roll in half.
“Beth Chapel.”
“What do you think of Asgard?” Fen leaned forward, looking at her over Brenna's lap.
“Wonderful so far, seeing as I've only been here about an hour.” Beth giggled.
\ “What do you do on Midgard?” Brenna eased back against a tall stone pillar. She could see her father and her uncle talking with Mister Stark and a short nervous looking man who seemed as if he was trying to keep the smile from sliding off his face.
“The field of anthropology, more precisely, the study of foodways and the impact on the culture of a people, or at least that's what I'll be studying here.”
Fen made a face, “I do not ken...”
“Ken?” Beth looked at Brenna.
“It means understand. It is an old word.” Brenna glanced up at the crowd, saw her mother talking to her father.
“Oh, oh, I think I've seen it before...yeah. Old English or Norse......ohhhh.”
Brenna laughed, “Exactly. Midgardians think us this vast mysterious race of people when in actuality we are like you in every respect save a superior genetic material, please do not take offense to that, and our desire to remain grounded in the ancient. Do not tell my father I said so. He wishes to believe we are as different as night and day.”
“Seems a bit small minded..” As soon as she'd said the words, she wanted to take them all back, rewind time, DAMNIT, BETH! ARE YOU EVER GOING TO THINK BEFORE YOU OPEN YOUR FAT MOUTH?
But Brenna pointed a fork at her, “And indeed he can be though few would say so to his face, being as he is a prince of Asgard.”
Beth felt as if she was going to lose everything she'd eaten in the last half hour, could feel her face getting warm, “Oh god, I am so sorry. Sometimes I open my mouth way before I think of what I'm saying.”
Brenna shook her head, “Why apologize? Truthfulness is a noble quality. Too many people say what they believe people wish to hear while keeping their true thoughts hidden.”
“I know, my uncle was a politician.” Beth quipped though Brenna's resulting laugh was unexpected.
“You got that?”
Brenna put a hand to her mouth, swallowed her food, “Yes, court life is a never ending swirl of intrigues and gossip. I daresay your Midgardian politicians would have trouble keeping up.”
“I did not ken..” Fen muttered.
“Okay people!” a shout was heard over the crowd and they looked to see Tony Stark with a hand in the air as he stood at the head of the long table, “Listen up, now comes the hard part. Team leaders, myself included, have a list of people that are going to be assigned to them. I'm going to start. When you hear your name called, assemble here behind me. After I finish, the next team leader will assemble the people on his list and so on until the entire group has been separated into their respective teams. I will then tell you where you're going to be for the duration of your stay here on Asgard.” He paused, “Everyone on the same page?”
There was a murmur of assent in the room. Beth stood up, “Please excuse me. It was wonderful talking to you.” She made her way to the table and set down her empty plate, listening to the names as they were called, hoping she hadn't sounded too wooden when she'd taken her leave of Fen and Brenna.
“Simon Foster....”
Beth saw Simon standing beside him, look down at the floor, seeming embarrassed to have his name read aloud.
“Thomas Link....”
“Arianna Pagent...”
One by one, they moved to stand behind Tony.
“Elizabeth Chapel...”
Beth hurried along the table until she reached Simon, edging beside him and giving him a one armed hug.
“Yes, what a joyous reunion.” Simon grunted, “Welcome, welcome.”
“Oh don't be so negative,” Beth gave him another squeeze, “Enjoy the adventure.”
They listened to Tony, watching the group grow about him until he turned to them, “Alright if you will follow me out into the corridor, I will tell you where you're going to rest your head each night.” He held his tablet in the air and started through the crowd.
As they reached the doors at the far end of the room, Beth heard another round of names begin, straining to hear but Tony was speaking again.
“I'm going to hand folders to you. They will contain information about the families you're going to stay with, if any, and the location clearly marked on a topographic map. Some of you will be staying at the longhouse barracks of course, as per your assignments. I cannot stress the importance of obeying the rules and regulations you've been studying. The last thing you want to be responsible for is an inter-dimensional incident.”
There were a few snickers among the group and Tony flashed a brief smile before he turned serious again, passing out the folders from the crook of his arm, “...but don't forget, you're representing not just a city, a town, a country. You're representing Earth and if you carry nothing else away from this, in the very least, let's let Asgard know we too can conduct ourselves with respect and honor.”
Beth took the folder Tony handed to her, opening it as he moved on, looking up, her mouth open to speak but he was already three people away and moving fast.
She nudged Simon, whispered, “I've been assigned to Loki's household.” read further down the page hooked into the binder rings, “No way!”
Simon put a finger to his lips, “Must you shout? What's wrong?”
She leaned over and opened the folder, shoving it under his nose, “Unless I was mistaken, I was sitting talking with two of his children a few minutes ago.”
“I noticed that.” Came a voice before her and she started backward as Tony put a finger on the page, “Brenna, she's a good kid, smart too..smarter than her dad for all of me. Fen too, in fact, Destructo raised up a pretty good family, go figure. You'll do fine.” then he was off again.
“God I'm so embarrassed.” She mumbled.
“I wonder why.” Simon opened his folder though he already knew where he was going to be. Beth peered over his arm.
“You'll be in the longhouses...I'll have to visit you. Do you think we'll be allowed to travel around the kingdom?”
Simon closed the folder, “Of course we will. In fact I believe they'll hand us a map, set us up on a horse, slap the rump and say, “Off with you now”.”
Beth frowned, “Now you're just being mean.”
Simon ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, “Okay, I'm sorry, I'm sorry....I mean aren't you a little shaken over this. Not at all?”
Tony had finished handing out the folders and was now on his way back to them.
“I told you. For me, this is an adventure. You said you miss your solitary life, your quiet house. Well life is meant to be lived, enjoyed...try it.”
Tony tapped her on the shoulder while he turned to the others, “Link, come with me. The rest of you wait here. I have to bring Miss Chapel and Mister Link to their respective assignments. When I come back, we're going to return to that crazy bridge and start bringing the equipment through.”
There were groans from the group as Tony started to lead them away and he called back, “Told you we were going to have fun today.”
Beth gave Simon a small wave as they re-entered the Great Hall. To her relief, he returned the wave with a half smile. She took a deep breath then and hurried after Mister Stark.