It took him shorter to fall from grace than to be brought back into what he feels is a golden cage. He always has had an ease with words his elder not-brother ever had.

It took him more time, efforts and endeavours to become a warrior because this was not his home. He tried, he has tried, tried again and again to be the son, the man, the prince they wanted. He has tried so hard to fit him. But he would not, could not, and did not fit. Raised among swans when all he ever was, was a repugnant amphibian unfit to fly. But the worse is not his failure. The worse is the lies.

The lies he has been fed days after days. Lies of better happier tomorrows by the woman who let him believe he was a cherished son. Lies of victories, lies of being seen as worthy by a man who caused him to commit the crime nobody can ever mend. He would laugh almost.

Lies. He wanted to be accepted as equal. What a joke. He was treated as equal. Thor was lied to, just as much as him. That's equality for you. Two men told from infancy to look at each other as blood brothers. Who believed the lie and loved each other as brothers and friends should. To be severed from this bond at the ultimate second.

This was it. Lies.

The tesseract has brought them back. Directly into Odin's private chambers. Small wonder. Asgardians might look at askance to a king who let free rein to a monster in their mist. Who allowed said base creature to prowl free to taint the sacred sanctum. And more he thinks about it, more his rage builds up eats him, submerges him. Once he loved, he worshipped, he idolized. Once, he has an ideal. Now, all he owns is hate and this hate is an inferno ready to engulf what he called once Home.

There will be no witness. Save the oaf. How can Thor stay so calm? Ho! Golden son, you have been lied to! Denied of truth! How can you claim to be my brother if you do not stand by me when we have suffered a similar abuse?

A quick look around. His m… the Queen is not there. Probably too ashamed of him. A real mother would stand by him, would be at her side. Too weak, too cowardly. Too afraid. Hate devours more and more what sanity he has regained so cruelly through the Beast's sound thrashing.

Thor looks around just like him. More openly and seemingly surprised. Like he really was expecting to see Frigga (since this is the name he must use from now on. Not Mother. No more Mother). The Lady Frigga (Lady Frigga. Yes, it has a better ring. But Odin will be only AllFather. For Eternity. Only Laufey…). The Queen is not there.

'I am proud. Proud of you Thor. Your actions were noble and restrained as they should be'

His lone and cold (so cold) eye turns to the Fallen. The muzzled not-son. The monster that has been bound like monsters should be.

'We thought you dead. Heimdall scanned and scanned all the branches of Yggdrasil and could not find you. Where were you? We even built a funeral pyre. We mourned you. Your mother … you broke her heart… you broke her'

A muzzled man cannot answer back. But his eyes can. How dares he? How can he dare to tell him his m… the Queen mourned. If he could, he would reply. But he can't and simply allows his rage to answer back for him.

A sign of the hand from Odin and Thor frees his mouth. Finally. He moves his jaw, and remains silent.

'I have not informed your mother of your return. I will not! I will not, I cannot tell her the son she grieves for is a murderous lunatic who wrought Death on innocent people. Haven't I teach you not to vent your anger on innocents? Better she weeps for the lie of a dead son than what you have become'

A parricide. AllFather. I am fully aware of my crime'

This is too much for Thor. He cannot allow his brother's tongue to cause more damage to their father. Too much damage to Loki. Because he knows his sibling. He knows that Loki is fair and can trash himself with as much gusto as he can punish a fool.

'Stop it, Loki. Our father is just and he is our king. I have erred just like you and what happens today is the direct consequence of my own folly. If I had not decided to take you to Jotunheimr...'

'...I would have learnt the truth later. I would have learnt regardless and we would still be standing in this room.'

Odin sits on a small chair. Tired, exhausted. Thor is contrite; Loki would, should feel worried. If this man was his father, his true loving father. Which he is not. His real true Father is dead. Killed by his son's hand. Loki, son of Laufey. Loki begat by Laufey. Laufey killed by Loki. This blood will never come off his ledger. Not that he wants to swipe it. This blood is his badge of honour. The very proof of his innocence. Laufey killed by Loki who was taught Laufey was a monster, who was taught Odin was his father. Laufey wanted to kill Odin. Loki Odinsson killed Laufey. But all was a lie. Odin lied. Odin is the cause innocent Loki killed innocent Laufey. Laufey's blood is calling for revenge. Calling for Odin's blood. Loki was not able to save Laufey, slain by Odin's web of lies. Loki will avenge his father. All it takes is patience. If they are anything, Frost Giants are patient. Loki will wait. No more stupid tantrums. He will wait. Like a snake in the shadow. Like a wolf waiting for the right moment to strike and he will kill Odin.

'When Heimdall was finally at long last able to locate you, it was clear for anyone to see you were partially under the influence of Thanos.'

Thor opens wide eyes. (Oh, brother. When will you learn that only daggers kill? Words hurt. Just hurt and leave seeping wounds)

'How? … Loki… nobody has surv…'

'Thanos. He who courts Death. I do not know where he hides himself. I know you were acting under his influence and I am indebted to the Banner mortal for he has broken the fetters which were binding you captive of his enchantments. I cannot bring myself to conjure what sort of torments he broke on you to reduce an Odinsson in slavery'

Thor is torn. A part of him is appalled at the very notion of Loki falling into Thanos hands; another one is rejoicing. Loki's killing spree on Midgard has an explanation. An explanation which sort of absolves his young brother. He shoots a quick look at Loki and does not understand why his brother looks even more murderous.

'So this is your plan, AllFather. Lie to my face, lie to Midgard, and lie to Asgard. Lies on lies on lies. I allowed Thanos to impregnate my soul with his vileness. I allowed it, permitted it. I…'

'Every spell?'

He would that he could say yes. But he cannot. He can lie but not to himself. After the fall, after he had lost his mind during this fall into the void, spiralling into madness… when he fell on Thanos rock into Thanos claws into Thanos power… he was played with. It took a very long, very painful time to regain lucidity. By this time, the Titan had realized that the Asgardian youth was Odin's youngest. Instead of mindless torture, he has been offered an army, a realm. Everything at one condition: to allow himself to be exposed, to allow his soul, his very core, to allow Loki to be exposed to the greatness of … no, not Death. Death is for Thanos, reserved for Thanos exclusively. To be exposed to the reality of Infinity. It would have been laughable if his body was not so damnably sore of the tortures invented by the Other for his sole benefits. (The Other. He will pay. One day, Loki swears. He will kill him too as just as slowly and The Other will also beg for something as simple as pain).

'Brother. Father speakth to you'

'Be done with me. Odin Borson. I have better things to do that listen to the man whose lies cause me to kill my own father'

Thor gasps. Predictable Thor.

'I have sent the Queen on an errand. Loki will be judged for the deaths of the guards in the Vault Room when he allowed the Jotuns to try to steal the Casket of Winters. The havoc he caused in Asgard and on Midgard where he sent the Destroyer. And his attempt at destroying Jotunheimr. I, Odin, have spoken.'

And it sets it. The rage is now a mile–high burning flame.

And I, Loki Laufeyson will take your life for my father's life. You hear me, AllFather, I shall avenge my father, Laufey'

'Loki, you let your anger which may be partially justified take control of you. I cannot, I will not allow it. You are a danger to yourself as much as others. As you are, you are not fit to be a man, much less to be a king. Children are not allowed to play with weapons. I shall take your magic away from you till you get back a semblance of sanity'

'Then I have no choice but to mourn my father in the most respectful way'

Thor's blue eyes are totally astonished. Because he is now witnessing something he has never seen and hopefully will never see again. Hammer in hand, the Thunderer is ready to use Mjolnir against Loki if needs be but Loki's magical reply to the magical lightening issued from Gungnir is not what he expected. The golden flame has surrounded his brother's form. Yet Loki's reply seems weak. He is not fighting against his, no –their, yes their father. Rather, the very green magic light is surrounding his brother's body like a shell, a cover… glamour. And it is over; the golden flame has won as it was to be. Loki's magic is gone. Dissolved by Odin's. Isn't it?

Loki is now kneeling, like gasping for air. But he smiles. He has won; he has not given in. Just like he resisted to Thanos.

And Odin and Thor retreat. Because Loki is now standing up. And Odin and Thor realize the last word, the last and final moment is Loki's. A very blue, very Jotun Loki who is looking at them through Laufey's red eyes.

'If I cannot avenge my father, the least I can do is to die like him. To die a Jotun. Loki spilled Laufey's blood. His blood will be my coat. His blood runs through my veins. The veins of Loki Laufeyson, AllFather. I am free from your lies'

'Take him away, Thor. I must inform your mother of what has happened. All what has happened. Take him to the dungeon. Let's hope some solitude will bring him back to some sense.'

He does not bother to answer. He will not answer though he will physically sick to wear this Jotun skin. Jotun he looks and the eyes of the Asgardian guards tell everything he wants to know. Fear and repulsion. The daily staples of a monster. Thor locks the muzzle he has never let fall off.

'This Jotun must be treated like a prince. He is … precious to the AllFather…, precious to my parents and myself. If any harm befalls him, I will bring myself Ragnarok over your head… and your families. He will not speak and you will not hear what he says. The king will call him back soon'

The two brothers who are not brothers, who are brothers because they are brothers, because one cannot deny the past share a last look over each other and break the bond.

Thor leaves, closes the door and the dark invades the cell. All he hears is that there is a banquet tonight in to honour the return of the first son over some insignificant typical Midgardian misadventure.

Darkness. Darker than Jotunheimr constant night. It is Asgard yet Jotunheimr felt warmer. Darkness. He walks to the wall the further away from the cell door and allows his very tired back to ease itself against the icy stonewall. Allows his legs to finally bend until his buttocks reach the stone floor. Allows his eyes to close.

He cannot speak but if he could, he would say:

'Never, never again will I be lied to. Never. All liars, all of them'

He swears that not he will never ever believe anybody again but his last tear fell in Midgard, Pitiful Earth who should cherish this divine tear because never will it fall again. Because next time, it will be somebody else who will cry…