The sound of footsteps echoed throughout the hall of the silent prison. Thor frowned a bit as he could practically feel the eyes of the inmates boring into him as he walked down the hall. He finally stopped when he came to the very end of the hall, stopping outside the cell.
The figure sitting inside against the wall had obviously been inside the cell for quite a while. Loki's hair had grown longer and had turned rather curly from lack of being washed. The raven-haired man looked over at Thor when he saw the other man out of the corner of his eye, putting a marker on the page he was on the book he'd been reading, setting the thing aside.
"Well, well, look who decided to pay a visit. Shall I start a fire and set out refreshments for his majesty?" He jeered.
"Loki, do not test me." The blonde replied with a frown. "I merely came down to check in on you."
"How long have I been in this cell, Thor?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"How long have I been in this cell?"
"Well you were put in there in the spring and now it is getting colder and soon will be winter. So, about three quarters of a year."
"And yet, this is the first time you've been down here to check in on me. So, who sent you down here? Mother? Obviously you didn't come on your own free will, otherwise you would have checked in sooner if you really care that much about me."
Thor frowned at the accusation, sighing a bit. "I came down to make amends, brother."
"Alright. Go ahead, then." Loki replied, crossing his arms and looking up at Thor expectantly.
"What do you mean?"
"You said you came to make amends. Go ahead and start apologizing, then."
"What have I to apologize for? You're in here for a reason, Loki, I think you ought to start."
Loki glared at Thor, moving to get up to his feet to get up to his feet. "Oh? Who put me in here? It wasn't me."
"You know damn well why you're in there."
"Ah yes. Because Thor, the golden boy, can wreak havoc and start fights on Jotunheim to assert his status as prince of Asgard, but the moment I try to do the same on Midgard, I'm a terrorist."
"That is how it works, yes. The Midgardians didn't expect you to come, they were unarmed."
"They didn't seem unarmed to me. Especially not when that green beast flung me to the ground like I was a little girl's cloth doll."
"Loki, you know what you did wrong."
"And I know what you did wrong as well. You don't seem to be doing any prison time for those things, though."
Thor frowned, his eyebrows furrowing. "Why have you come to hate me so, brother? I have done nothing to deserve this."
"Would you like me to make you a list? You can come and get it to read the next time you visit in another nine months."
"You're being foolish and childish, Loki."
"I'm done talking with you. Get out of my sight."
"Loki-"
"Get out!" Loki screamed into the blond's face, his face contorted in frustration and anger.
Thor frowned. "Very well, Loki." He replied calmly before turning and leaving. There had been a time in the past when the younger man would have been happy to see him. Now it seemed as if the very sight of him was like a plague.
"How did it go?" Frigga asked as she saw her eldest son stalk out of the prison, meeting him at the entranceway.
"I'd rather not talk about it."
"That badly? Thor, how badly do you want to fix things with your brother? I'm starting to think it will take more than a simple apology."
"I think you're right, Mother. I would give anything to smooth things over with him. He's so stubborn, though. He refuses to listen to anything I say."
"He takes after you in that way." She said, laughing a bit at the look her son gave her. "Come, I know someone who may be able to help. You must cooperate with her completely, though."
Thor gave Frigga a confused look, but nodded and followed her out and through the kingdom, knowing better than to question her. They walked through the busiest part of the realm and out into a forested area on the outskirts, stopping when they came to a small cottage.
"This is where I leave you, my son. The woman living in that cottage is a powerful sorceress and will help you. I'm afraid she doesn't like me all too much." Frigga said with a smile to Thor, kissing his forehead. "Treat her well and she will help you. Otherwise, she will turn you away."
Thor blinked at the words and nodded. "Very well, Mother. I'll return home as soon as I possibly can." He replied before bidding her farewell and moving to knock on the door of the cottage. When he glanced back over his shoulder, his mother had already disappeared.
He turned back to the door when he heard it open, finding a small elderly woman standing on the other side.
"Oh? How can I help he who comes knocking?" The small woman asked, looking up at him.
"I need help with my brother. He used to be my closest friend, now he won't even speak to me without screaming." Thor explained to her.
The woman blinked and stepped aside. "Come in."
Thor nodded and walked into the small house, following when she led him into a small room with a table sitting in the middle. On the table was a small mixing pot with herbs and things scattered around it.
"Tell me, when did things start going awry with your brother?" The woman asked, sitting Thor down in a chair on one side of the table.
Thor sat down and thought on that for a bit, having to go back a while. "It was quite some time ago. On the day of my coronation, some Jotuns snuck into Asgard to retrieve the Casket of Ancient Winters. They were stopped, but it was an act of war. So, Loki, Sif, and the Warriors Three and I all went into Jotunheim to repay the favor. We came back before a full out war started, but ever since then, Loki's been off."
The woman nodded to him, listening to the story. "So, things between your brother and yourself were better back before that day, is that correct?"
"Yes, it is."
"Then, the solution is simple. If we bring your mind back to the way it was back then, perhaps things will be easier to smooth out with your brother." She said as she began to sort through the herbs, putting things into the mixing pot and stirring them all together. When she poured in some sort of dark liquid, a puff of smoke erupted from the pot, making them both cough.
"There, it's ready. Now, when you drink this, your consciousness will back to what it had been on the day before everything started going wrong with your brother." The woman explained to Thor as she got a glass and poured the concoction into it.
Thor nodded and took the glass when she handed it over to him. He examined the dark liquid a bit hesitantly. It would help, though, he reminded himself. If he ever wanted things to get better, the liquid was vital. So, he took a deep breath and brought the glass to his lips, tilting his head back and downing the drink.
As he'd been afraid of, the liquid tasted absolutely hideous. He swallowed it quickly and blinked a bit before starting to feel a bit woozy. In about an instant, he'd passed out on the table.
The old woman looked down at him and smiled a bit, starting to clean up just a bit, not too much, though. She liked things looking more lived in, anyways. After a bit, she heard the prince stirring around, groaning as he sat up again.
"How do you feel?" She asked him curiously.
"I have a headache, but it should go away soon enough. Other than that, I fell fine, thank you." Thor replied to her with a wide, happy smile as he stood up from the table. "If I should ever have any more issues, you will be the first I come to, that I promise."
The woman blinked at the new way the prince was acting, but smiled. "It's not a problem, your grace. Now, let me walk you to the door." She said to him.
"Oh, you don't have to do that. You've already helped me out so much."
"No, I mean, you might be a bit wobbly on your feet."
Thor smiled and laughed a bit as he let her guide him to the door carefully. "Thank you again, Miss. I bid you farewell." He said before giving her a respectful bow and moving to leave the cottage, walking back through the forest and into the bustling kingdom.
He didn't have much time to plan it out, but he soon found himself walking back into the prison building confidently.
"You there, guard. Come, I have a job for you." He said with a smile to a guard, beckoning him along with a finger. He then lead the guard down to the end of the long hall, stopping outside Loki's cell.
"Hey, I thought I told you to leave me alone." Loki snapped at Thor with a frown when he saw his brother outside his cell.
"Unlock him, he's coming with me." Thor said to the guard, paying his brother's complaints no mind.
"My prince, are you sure? He's extremely dangerous." The guard asked confusedly.
"Anyone can be dangerous if they try hard enough." Thor replied with a small shrug.
Loki blinked at Thor's new attitude, watching the guard curiously to see if he'd go along with it or not.
The guard blinked at the logic. He supposed the prince wasn't exactly wrong. "Are you sure about this, your grace?"
"Absolutely."
The guard nodded and moved to turn the magical barrier keeping Loki locked into the cell down, then stepping up and putting a pair of handcuffs around his wrists. He handed Thor the key and let the blonde prince continue as he pleased.
Thor smiled widely and thanked the guard, setting a hand on Loki's back gently and walking out with the other, laughing when he noticed how shocked and confused his brother looked, the other's mouth hanging open just a bit as he was guided out of the building.
"What's the matter, brother? Silver tongue turn to lead?" he teased happily.
Loki closed his mouth and looked over at Thor. "What pray tell are you doing?"
"I thought it was obvious, I'm bringing you home. Sure, father won't be too happy, but I'll win him over for you, don't worry." Thor replied happily.
Loki was still in shock, for once not knowing what to say, just following his brother back to the large golden palace.