Odin speaks and his voice carries throughout the kingdom, from the armies mustered together in the throne room to the citizens in the streets in the grand city of gold and the home of Warriors. He declares War.
It was long ago that it began, two worlds of great power clashing in a struggle for power. The Armoured Warriors in Gold fought in the dirt and soil of Midgard to seize the Giants Armoured in Ice. But now in the time that has come after War, the colliding of races has come to a halt.
The beginnings of Legends are being told.
Laufey falls in battle when he attempts to lead his titans into a battle crazed with impending defeat, but is confronted by his youngest son. It is said that the son was half the size of King Laufey himself, he would not let his father destroy the last of the army for the sake of glory.
This spurned a challenge between Father and Son, a battle uninterrupted by the onlooking giants and a fight to the very death.
Laufey was infuriated with betrayal and charged the Son ready to take him from this life, so he may be able to sacrifice everything Jotunheim had in one final act of suicide.
Some speak whispers that the King was deceived by the mastery of illusion and magic, driven mad by his own rage he was finally murdered when the Son manipulated the elements blowing the onlookers back before he brought his magic down against the dirt of Midgard, the Earth quaked and a chasm enveloped King Laufey into an endless pit of darkness.
They say this Son commands the last battalion of Titan's he has the markings of royalty carved upon his face, skin of cobalt blue and eyes of blood. He is small in comparison to his kind but he is the most powerful, his looks are as deceiving as the Son himself.
It was this news brought to him only moments ago that the Son travels to Asgard this very day, the last Titan's will accompany him to the rainbow bridge itself. The air feels icy against his face, and he can almost sense the presence of the Jotun Son approaching their world. Thor makes his way to the throne room keen to seek confirmation from the King, he has Mjolnir in hand clenching it tight ready to swing it at any moment.
"Thor, I have been expecting to see you."
Thor scans the hall for the Jotun's but finds that they have not yet arrived "Father I hear news of the Jotuns?"
Odin nods and his eye closes as he speaks "They are approaching." He is perched upon the throne, he does not seem alarmed in the least.
"Why are they coming here?" Thor's concern is clear in his voice but Odin raises his hand to silence the God of Thunder
"We must see to their arrival."
Thor shifts impatiently as they walk along the bridge, he can hear the footsteps of half the Asguardian army behind him as they close the distance. Finally the advancement is brought to a standstill and a creature appears in the distance.
It's as they said he is small against the Titans that shadow him, he is lean but slim, short dark hair that spikes in all directions red eyes the colour of fury, the markings are not crude as Thor had imagined but rather tribal. The Son wears only the white fur around his waist it is covered in droplets of ice on every fine hair of the beast it once belonged to, with armour around his wrists and legs but he is barefoot and there is blood straining his cheek and torso.
The sight of him is intimidating with the last of the Frost Giant Titans at his back, the survivors who could probably destroy the army of Asguardian's that Thor had behind him. The reason being that these warriors of Jotunheim were ready to die, today and every day that preceded today.
Thor was not sure why the Son had come to the world of his enemy, was this his last stand?
The Jotun's came to a stop leaving only a small distance between the armies, Thor could see him clearly now, he had received many injuries in battle but the blood on his face and torso were not his, it made him wonder if it was Asguardian blood or rather the blood of the Jotun King that the Son adorned.
"The War Ends Now."
Odin seemed as surprised as Thor and the army in gold who stared dumbfounded at the Jotun's declaration. The King stepped forward to answer the Jotun
"And who are you to declare such a thing on behalf of your kind?"
The Son stepped forward as Odin had done his eyes never once leaving the Kings sight "I command my people, I am the King of Jotunheim and I declare the War done." Odin looked past the Son as the Titans knelt behind the self-proclaimed King.
"And why should they choose you to lead them?"
"Because I am no fool blinded by his rage, I have young blood and a mind to choose my enemies more wisely than my predecessor."
Odin could feel the chill of ice in the air and he was himself intimidated by the presence of his former enemy. He didn't like the predatory stare that he was receiving from the new King of Jotunheim, eyes that followed him with precision and focus. Even in the minimal numbers here Odin considered the possibility that this may be a day of blood that he would not return from.
"You seek a peace?"
The Son nodded not once did his posture change and his Titan's rose to attention, Odin gripped his sceptre in his hands waiting for their move, waiting for the attack.
But it never came.
"We seek peace."
And suddenly that was worse than an outright attack, Odin could see something in the Jotun that worried him but he was offering only peace. The deceased King Laufey underestimated this Master of Deception and Trickery but Odin would not.
"You have yet to prove that to me."
The Jotun did not seem surprised in the least instead he relaxed his stance "What would you ask of me?" the Titan's never once interrupted the discussion which was not something they usually did. In all debates with King Laufey there was always interjection from the Giants but not when the Son spoke, they questioned nothing that he said. Their loyalty spoke volumes, and Thor wondered if they had fought in battles beside one another under the tyranny of Laufey.
"I would ask that you prove your loyalty to Asgard."
Odin wasn't sure if this was a perfect plan but it was the only offer the Jotun's had for peace so far he continued
"My Son shall take your hand in the Duality of Gunnr, let there be no division of our worlds but rather allies in arms bound by dual kingship."
The Son was surprised to hear that offer, it clearly wasn't what he was expecting to hear, Thor hadn't expected it either The Duality of Gunnr was called out of desperation from bloody war, to unite two worlds by Kingship was the most extreme form of Peace. Jotunheim and Asgard would be ruled by two Kings under one banner stained by the blood of the carnage and butchery of War.
The Jotun turned to look at the wounded Titan's searching for conformation from their tired eyes, they were the last of Jotunheim's power never expecting to see their home again nor their families. The new King of Jotunheim returned to his position having got what answers he needed from his warriors
"I accept the offer."
Odin exhaled deeply with relief "Then let this day be known as the first day in years of War that bloodshed hath not stained. Our kingdoms will merge, and our future will coexist in harmony."
Thor caught himself staring in disbelief his Father was going to solidify the peace by having Thor take the hand of a king slaying Jotun?
"Thor Odinson of Asgard step forward."
The Jotun's eyes were on him now as he followed his Kings orders moving to stand before the former enemy.
"Loki Laufeyson of Jotunheim step forward."
Thor didn't think that name suited the Jotun but he would have to remember it, the only things on his mind aside from his being bonded to this creature for life was the blood that decorated Loki.
Thor raised his right hand and waited for the Jotun to do the same, Loki looked at him for a moment before slowly raising his hand, pressing his palm against Thor's own. They stood there on the bridge finally making eye contact red to blue, Loki was accepting this truce for the sake of his kind.
This was not like a marriage but it was similar, neither King could marry while the bond was in place, they would rule as equals neither being able to declare War without consent from the other. They would spend a lot of time in each others company, Odin had just passed the title of King to Thor by allowing this bond to take place.
Thor cut his right palm and so did his former enemy pressing the palms together once more Odin's voice echoed as he spoke "A kingdom of two becomes a union of two great worlds, two strong powers."
Thor pressed the bloodied knife against Loki's delicate throat and the Jotun returned the favour
"We will never forget our mutual destruction, forever shall our alliance hold or let the bond be broken now."
There was an uncomfortable silence both of them waiting for the other to commit murder, but it never came. Loki removed the knife from Thor's throat leaving himself exposed, Thor flinched he could end this right now, murder the King slayer and destroy the last of the Titan's.
Loki never broke eye contact letting the knife drop from his hand their right hands still pressed against one another. This was the defining moment, Thor imagined what other great men would do in his place and none of them seemed to let the Jotun walk away from this.
Thor was either weaker or stronger than them because he let the knife fall away from his hand, the bond was secured. The air was thick with the smell of an oncoming storm, the sea surging with the icy wind blowing against them.
It was done.