Lady Sif never brought up the green meteor again.
Not directly, anyway.
The silence that followed was heavy enough to say everything.
She sat at the table with a distant look in her eyes, quietly emptying one can of beer after another. Before long, more than half the crate had disappeared.
Evenson finally broke the silence.
"Too weak?"
Sif blinked, glanced down at the can in her hand as though she’d only just remembered she was drinking, then nodded.
"It is."
Evenson chuckled.
For an Asgardian, beer probably had all the kick of flavored water.
Still...
That clearly wasn’t what was bothering her.
"You’re worried about Thor."
She didn’t answer.
She simply nodded.
Evenson opened another beer.
"Loki’s clever, but this wasn’t a coup he’d been planning for years. He didn’t have time to prepare endless contingencies."
He took a sip.
"Have a little faith."
"Thor has his power back."
"I know."
No one understood Thor’s strength better than Sif.
She had fought beside him for centuries.
She wasn’t worried that he’d lose.
"I just..."
"You mean the woman he loves."
Sif looked up in surprise.
"How did you..."
"It’s obvious."
Evenson smiled.
"The way you look at Thor isn’t the way you look at anyone else."
He gestured toward her with his beer.
"I’d wager everyone in Asgard knows how you feel."
"Everyone except Thor."
Color rose faintly in Sif’s cheeks.
Am I really that obvious?
She was direct by nature, but hearing someone state her feelings so plainly was still embarrassing.
After a moment, Evenson spoke again.
"I don’t think you need to worry so much."
She looked at him.
"One day..."
"Thor will understand how you feel."
"Will he?"
She shook her head.
"You don’t know him."
"Thor isn’t some spoiled prince who chases every pretty face."
"When he loves someone..."
"He loves with his whole heart."
She lowered her eyes.
"And that’s part of why..."
"...I fell in love with him."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Evenson smiled.
"Well, for what it’s worth..."
"I’m rooting for you."
"Thank you."
The words slipped out automatically.
A second later, Sif frowned.
"...Wait."
"You’re supporting me?"
"In this?"
Evenson nodded.
She stared at him as though he’d just claimed the sky was green.
"That doesn’t make any sense."
"Why not?"
"Because of who you are."
"And where you’re from."
Her expression grew thoughtful.
Odin had never been careless in preparing Thor to inherit the throne.
Even the companions Thor surrounded himself with had, in one way or another, passed the Allfather’s scrutiny.
Thor possessed courage, conviction, and overwhelming strength.
What he lacked...
Was caution.
Sif had long been expected to temper that weakness.
She was supposed to be the steady mind beside the future king.
Unfortunately...
There was one flaw in Odin’s plan.
Thor’s personality was simply too overwhelming.
Anyone who admired him inevitably found themselves agreeing with him far more often than they should.
Fortunately, Thor wasn’t here.
Which meant Sif was thinking with perfect clarity.
"If you’re acting in Midgard’s interests," she said, "you should support Jane."
"In a monarchy, political marriages are nothing unusual."
"If a woman from Earth became Asgard’s future queen..."
"The benefits for Midgard would be immeasurable."
She looked directly at Evenson.
"So why would an Earthling support me instead?"
"It would make sense politically," Evenson admitted.
"If this discussion became public, quite a few people who enjoy calling themselves world leaders would agree with you."
He took another drink before continuing.
"But politics only matter if the plan is realistic."
"Thor won’t abandon her."
"I know."
Evenson’s smile didn’t fade.
"But Thor isn’t only Thor."
"He’s also the future King of Asgard."
"And I doubt King Odin would ever approve."
He spoke respectfully.
"Odin isn’t prejudiced against humans."
"But he’s still a king."
"I can’t imagine him allowing the heir to Asgard’s throne to marry someone who isn’t Asgardian."
He paused.
"And as a father..."
"He’d never willingly watch his son marry someone with such a painfully short lifespan."
His gaze drifted toward the window.
"Human lives are fragile."
"They’re over far too quickly."
He sighed softly.
"So even setting politics aside..."
"The relationship has a clock hanging over it."
"Jane may never live long enough to see Thor crowned king."
"She may never become queen."
"And if Earth pushes too aggressively for someone Odin already considers unsuitable..."
"It’ll only sour Asgard’s opinion of us."
"The risk isn’t worth the reward."
Sif’s eyes slowly lit up.
She immediately felt guilty.
She shouldn’t have been happy that Thor’s romance might end in tragedy.
Yet...
She couldn’t stop herself.
Humans lived, what?
A century if they were fortunate?
To an Asgardian, that was barely an afternoon.
There would still be time afterward.
Even if Thor remained heartbroken for years...
A king couldn’t ignore matters of succession forever.
Asgard would eventually need a queen.
And heirs.
The crushing weight she’d carried since meeting Jane suddenly felt much lighter.
She drained the rest of her beer in one long swallow before grinning at Evenson.
"You’re surprisingly sensible."
"I’ll take that as a compliment."
Evenson raised the last half-full can in the crate.
"So... if the opportunity ever comes, perhaps you could put in a good word for..."
A thunderous motorcycle engine roared outside.
The sound echoed through the abandoned base.
Evenson stopped mid-sentence.
"...That was fast."
"What a shame."
Sif’s expression sharpened instantly.
"Who was that?"
"A guest."
Evenson narrowed his eyes toward the window.
"Not a particularly friendly one."
Realization crossed Sif’s face.
"You evacuated everyone because of this person."
"I did."
Evenson stood.
"You stay here."
"I need to greet our visitor."
Sif nodded.
"I won’t interfere."
Among Asgardians, barging into another warrior’s duel without permission was considered deeply disrespectful.
Evenson hesitated.
"...I appreciate that."
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"But..."
"If you hear me screaming for help..."
"...I’d appreciate it if you ignored that custom."
Sif stared at him in silence.
...
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