A Service To Asgard
"Why do you summon me, my king." Thor's head was bowed as was a new custom of his, Loki noticed. He did not meet his brother's eyes when he called him King.
"It is for service to Asgard that I call you here today, Thor Odinson." Loki said evenly. He was perched on the throne as if he were born to be there and he looked down at his crestfallen brother with solemn detachment. Thor remained knelt. The image of the mighty warrior prostrate in subordination was always a curious sight to the God of Mischief.
Loki had taken the throne after Odin's death. It was sudden and unexpected but everyone agreed the throne suited him. He took the position with dignity and class, after all there was no other option. Thor had been exiled to Earth and did not prove himself in time to regain his position as heir before their father's untimely passing. Loki had delivered Thor the news in a cell and watched the mortal crumble beneath the weight of it. Loki did not say it was Thor's fault, but Thor took responsibility in a way that Loki did not expect.
Thor did not bristle when Loki told him who would be king, something that also surprised the cunning Jotun. It seemed Odin's last medicine to his brash fist-born had taken some tole. Thor had been humbled. The beginnings of tears Loki saw brimming in the warrior's eyes had taken him aback and almost made him forget why he came.
Thor had asked to return then.
Loki explained the regrettable truce with Jotunheim that depended on Thor's exile.
"There must be some other way." Thor had said, face flooding with hope and desperation. He was so bare with longing that Loki half expected him to drop to his knees. The former god was beaten and broken and looking desperately to Loki for help- Loki, his younger brother. Loki, the adopted son of Oden. Loki, the Jotun. Thor was completely at his whim.
Of course Loki was sympathetic. He was a kind and fair king, after all. He allowed Thor to return to his beloved Asgard. There were terms of course, but Thor was ever grateful to his brother.
Some time had passed and Thor took his new position on the king's guard with a dutiful grace. He would never be king of Asgard but he was called upon to keep peace in the realm and serve the new King, Loki. He fought in battles and protected the realm and did whatever Loki asked of him. He was a good warrior, but as he grew more comfortable in his position, traces of the old Thor began to emerge and Loki knew there was still one score yet to be settled.
"King Laufey of Jotunheim requests penance for the disrespect you dealt his people when you met them in battle outside of our realm's truce."
Thor's head suddenly shot up and he stared down his king.
"Penance?" he barked incredulously, and though he remain knelt, his tone was rising,"For what crimes?"
"Have you forgotten?" Loki began, "hostile trespass into Jotunheim and for the subsequent lives taken by Asgardian warriors."
Thor gaped incredulously, "hostile tresspass-"
"Yes," Loki did not shout but his tone reached across the room and his eyes held Thor as securely as if the warrior were wrapped in his grim.
Thor noted the tone, as did as the guards along either side of the throne who seemed to straighten and grip their spears in anticipation. Thor caught himself.
"My King," he began again, leveling his voice "how would you have me carry out this penance?"
"King Laufy has requested your voluntary delivery to Jotunheim and a duration of servitude."
"Absolutely not." Thor barked at once and was about to go off into a roaring tangent on the injustices and atrocities but Loki's steady voice cut through and silenced him.
"I have accepted his request." The king said.
Thor froze.
"We must mend relations with Jotunheim and while I wish there was another way, this way seems to be the most effective. By ending your exile on Earth, we appear to have left you unpunished for you actions and King Laufey will not simply leave Asgard alone. You will do as is required of you."
"Unpunished?" Thor swallowed and seemed to organize his thoughts, "I am serving my sentence here," he said carefully, "Asgard has seen to my punishment in full. As penance for my march on Jotunheim, I am now in servitude, I have no hammer- no throne" his careful pace quickened as he grew more harried, "Now I am to serve the Frost Giant in Jotunheim? I will not! I will not, Loki!"
"You live here in servitude as repayment for the brashness of your actions in Jotunheim and the humiliation you suffered Asgard. Yes is is true, this is an acceptable atonement. But only to Asgard. You have yet to make peace with the Jotun. You will do this now and if we are lucky, Jotunheim will not declare war."
"Brother-"
"I am your king before I am your brother and you would do well to remember that," Loki's voice rose to a force that even silenced the God of Thunder, "And as your king, I command that you take responsibility for your selfish and reckless actions that have not only wracked the civil terms between our two realms but have endangered all of Asgard. I don't think I need to remind you of the life your poor judgment has cost this realm already." he added in an icy tone that pierced the kneeling Asgardian.
Thor bowed his head and was silent. Long strands of golden hair slid from behind flushed ears to hide what Loki knew was shame.
The king's grip that had tensed around his staff began to ease as he studied the pitiful sight of the once proud heir to the throne of Asgard, now reduced to a kneeling, hammerless subject of the realm.
He tossed a significant glance to the guards at his shoulder and they began to clear the large chamber.
"And as you're brother, " Loki said, stepping down from the throne . They were alone and Loki's tone was regretful and his eyes had gone soft as he watched the tense and kneeling form of the warrior. "I advise you do what is best for your kingdom, as much as it pains me to ask this of you."
Thor felt the sudden closeness of his king above him and a commanding touch fell on his slumped shoulder, inviting him to rise.
Thor's eyes where a stunning, stellar blue as he gazed up at the dark and sleek-haired Asgardian. He expected the icy, disproving look of the king, but found the warmth and sympathy of his brother. Thor slowly rose to stand beside him, no longer as servant to a king, but as brother to brother.
"Father would have bade it." Loki said regretfully, and the condoling hand on Thor's shoulder gave a firm, clinging squeeze.
Thor winced as he understood. His eyes closed.
"If you say it must be ,brother, I will do as you ask." His low voice nearly cracked and he forced his eyes to meet and hold the steady gaze of his brother's, as if to consummate his loyalty, "You are right, Loki. It is my mess. I must set it right... Father would wish it."
Loki's eyes turned prideful.
"You are a good king." Thor said and smiled, but it was a weak, broken ghost of the blazing smiles that used to brighten that hero's face.
Loki noted the hurt beneath the mask and said nothing, but returned a small smile of his own, masking something else.
"I will do as you ask, brother." Thor continued, voice strengthening, "for Asgard."
"For Asgard." Loki said and squeezed Thor's shoulder again.
As they moved to the shuttle, guards flanking them from all sides, they passed a long hallway that was lit by blue flames and Thor's steps slowed.
"Brother," he said absently.
Loki suddenly halted when he heard the call and turned back with a scathing look.
Thor realized his mistake, "My king," he corrected himself, but none of the guards seemed to have noticed.
Loki's sharp look eased and he strode back indulgently to see what had caught his brother's attention. He followed Thor's gaze down the long, blue-lit corridor. Loki knew it as well as Thor.
The corridor lead to a guarded keep that held mysterious artifacts and treasures of Asgard. The items inside were as varying as they were powerful and dangerous. There were historical treasures, remnants of a glorious past. Some had begun great and terrible wars, some had ended them. Some were anomalies, who's functions were a mystery. Some items were stored there to be hidden so that no one could use them- as if people could not be trusted with them. While it might have been more effective to destroy those item- erase them from existence- Asgard would not do history and craftsmanship such an insult by unmaking a thing. Instead, they kept it down there, locked away in the dark keep, never to be touched or misused again for the safety and order of all the realms.
"No, Thor." Loki said, knowing at once what Thor was thinking, "It is law. You know you can never wield Mjolnir again."
The blonde Asgardian already knew the penalty for his betrayal to Asgard and knew it well. When Loki took the throne, in Thor's exile, he took pity on his banished brother and allowed him to return to Asgard under two conditions. Thor would serve the realm- not as heir to the throne but as guard to the king. Thor was stung by the loss of his terms but understood his crimes and was still grateful to be accepted back under any circumstances. Then, Loki told him the second term for his return: To honor their late father's wishes, Thor would never be allowed to wield Mjolnir again.
He was overjoyed to be welcomed home but he couldn't help longing for his dearest Mjolnir. He would forever feel the ache of her absence and the shame of his actions which separated them. He knew the pain would dull overtime but now, knowing he would be sent far from the guarded walls of his home and stranded in the cold, barren heart of Jotunheim, the hammer called to him stronger than ever and he ached tragically for her.
"Do you know what he will ask of me?" Thor asked finally, clearing his throat and dragging his eyes away from the cold, haunting corridor.
that lead to the sacred keep and the weapon inside, who's song he never stopped hearing.
Loki studied his brother with a pitying look, "I do not," he said honestly, "but we have an agreement. He must return you in one piece or we'll be at war by morning." that didn't seem to pacify his brother and Loki leaned in adding, "You will be returned by their mid-cycle. We will come for you."
To be continued