Weakness.

I hated everything about the word. I hated the way it rolled off the tongue, the way it hung in the air, and the way it heaped shame on whoever admitted to having it. I would not have that shame.

I was the King of Asgard. I was the one sitting on the throne; in my hands was the staff of power. So many plans I'd made to get here, so many lies I'd told. This was my great victory, and I could not--would not--lose it to the hand of weakness.

So what was mine?

My mother was dead, and as for Odin--whatever inadequacy I'd felt towards him had vanished ever since I'd resumed his appearance. I had no beloved woman, and I had no friends, so was I already invincible? What was my weakness?

"Thor has left for Midgard," a young messenger reported. "He gives you his farewell."

Settling my shoulders, I resumed the mindset of Odin. "Another meeting with the world's mightiest heroes, I assume?"

"That is accurate, my King," the messenger replied and bowed.

Waving my hand, I dismissed the messenger and chuckled to myself. Whenever Thor returned to Midgard, to discuss with the other "Avengers", I couldn't help laughing. They thought they were so mighty, but what could they do? Sure, they'd defeated several foes, but what they didn't realize was that the real war could start among themselves. If they should disagree...

I chuckled again.

Indeed, as I wondered about my own weakness, it was not hard for me to guess Thor's. Midgard was his weakness: the land, the people, that wildfire of a woman, Jane. If even one of those things should be destroyed, the  god of thunder would be crippled.

But that was a task for another time.

I was tired of making plans. I was tired of fighting and lying. Right now, all I wanted was to relax and know that nothing would ever disturb this realm of tranquillity I'd created for myself. In order to preserve it, I had to identify and blot out my weakness.

So what was it?

As I pondered the question, I recalled each individual member of the so-called Avengers. There was Captain America--or rather, Steve Rogers, a weakling of a man who'd stumbled across a great streak of luck. The shield certainly was formidable though, and the morals that backed it were stronger still.

Falcon certainly possessed several similarities with the man in red, white, and blue, for both had served in the military. Military might on Midgard was much different than that on Asgard, but that kinship between soldiers and warriors remained. Although Falcon, or rather, Sam Wilson, did not have the Captain's strength and agility, he did have the Captain's trust as well as a set of metallic wings.

Tony Stark was something of a wild card: something I had experienced personally during my time on Midgard. Although, like Falcon, he possessed no powers or superhuman strength, he had a highly intelligent mind. With it, he had orchestrated complicated suits of gold and red, and he piloted them masterfully. Indeed, his personality only added to his cunning, and combined with his suit, Tony Stark was Iron Man.

I'd used the Hulk's uncontrollable rage to my advantage before, but I knew that in reality, the Hulk, or rather, Dr. Banner, was a gentle and intelligent man. His intelligence matched Tony Stark's, and I knew that before the events involving Ultron and the Doctor's untimely disappearance, Tony and Banner had conducted crazy and fantastic experiments, just for the fun of it.

Black Widow, or Natasha Romanoff, also had a close relationship with the Doctor, but where she lacked in his strength and intelligence, she gained in precision and agility. Against a foe, her skill was almost always unmatched, and her thrusts and jabs were deadly. Alongside her skill, she had great beauty, and indeed, she used it to her advantage. Smart girl.

Hawkeye, or Clint Barton, was a close friend to Natasha; it was obvious in everything he did. Although the woman could take care of herself, he always had an arrow trained on her enemy, and she on his. Indeed, their sibling-like love was ever-present, even when they were worlds apart.

A newer member to the Avenger's was the Vision, and like Tony Stark, he too, was a wild card, but not in the same context. The Vision wasn't a wild card because of his unpredictability but rather because of his potentiality. His powers had only briefly been demonstrated during the Age of Ultron; who knew what true power he possessed?

Finally but not lastly was the young Wanda Maximoff, the Scarlet Witch. She too, like Vision, was a new member to earth's mightiest heroes. Her powers of manipulation and puzzles were akin to mine, and she demonstrated them beautifully. She still had much to learn in the ways of magic and coyness, but I knew that one day, her power would rival mine.

One of her particular skills stood out to me. It was her power concerning the human mind. Many times, I'd seen her touch a person's forehead, simultaneously thrusting them into a world of their greatest fears and weaknesses. If I could somehow get her to Asgard, she could touch me, and then I'd finally know my weakness.

But how?

I'd have to manipulate many to get her here, and even if I did, I did not know if she would agree to hypnotize me, or if I'd be susceptible to her wiles. Was my throne's security worth the risks?

Before the lovely Romanian drifted away from my thoughts, I grabbed her hand and pulled her back. Her eyes pulsed with power, but underneath, they were rimmed in red, like she had been crying. What had happened to her? As the question presented itself, its answer quickly followed.

How could I have forgotten?

During the Age of Ultron, Wanda had lost her brother, Pietro. She had mourned similarly as I had over my mother, but, although I still ached, I had put my mother to rest. I had avenged her, and now I was ruling her kingdom. I missed her, but I was at peace.

Wanda was not.

Her powers were unmanageable and chaotic; if she were to lose her concentration, she could wreak much destruction. With her mind in chaos, Wanda would be absolutely unstoppable.

Closing my eyes, I sought after the young Scarlet Witch. Grass and trees passed in a blur, and soon, I came upon the Avenger's facility. The building itself was masterfully crafted--the handiwork of Mr. Stark, no doubt--and rushing my mind's eye forward, I pierced through the building's ceiling.

Creeping down the hallway, I caught sight of two people. One was the lovely Wanda, and the other was Thor. Arm in arm, they were strolling down the hallway, caught up in the comfort of each other's presence. Between them drifted pleasant conversation, and for what I knew was the first time in a long time, Wanda was smiling. It wasn't a full-toothed smile, but it was a grin, nonetheless.

Even without being present, I could sense Wanda's unease. No doubt she was worried about her brother's face appearing, for if he did, she could accidentally injure her friends. It was possible that if she did lose the handle on her powers, Thor would want to help her. From the way he was holding her, he definitely would. But how, and could it be used to my advantage?

What if he brought her here?

Thor would realize that i could help her control her powers, and if she came here and became my student, there was a chance I could seize my own goal. She could touch my brow, and I would finally know my weakness.

Once again I considered the risks and weighed them against the benefits. Would this gamble be worth it?

Disrupting my stream of thoughts, my mother's face appeared. It was true, she wasn't my real mother, and denying her the title was my greatest regret, but even in death, I wanted to please her and make her proud of her son. Ruling Asgard was my greatest accomplishment, and if I should lose the throne once again, I'd be heaping shame upon the name of Frigga.

I'm sorry, Wanda, I thought as I made my decision, I'm sorry for the pain I will cause you, but I cannot disappoint my mother again.

Hey everyone!!

I realize that this chapter was really long, but I am curious as to what you thought of it. So, what did you think? Please comment!! If you liked it, please vote!!

Julie :D

P.S. I am having way too much fun with the gifs that you can now add to chapters. I hope you liked them just as much as I did. :)