A/N: Ta-da! It's me. I'm not dead. Still. Heh. I know I haven't been on much at all lately, but I was going through some of my old stories, and I found some that I never uploaded that I shall do now. Apologies again for being so absent, I really do miss writing fanfiction and sharing it with you all. But that's what life and writing novels and starting Etsy shops will do to ya, I guess.
Disclaimer: I (sadly) do not own Thor. Or Loki. No matter what I like to think/dream.
There was one more thing he had to do before he returned to Midgard.
The meeting with the All-Father had gone better than Thor had expected, and while he was eager to return to Jane, one thing still weighed heavily on his heart.
He had returned to Svartlheim, but had not been able to find Loki's body. It grieved Thor that his brother could not be given a proper funeral, but he could still do one last thing.
Thor stood at the edge near the water alone, the small ship in front of him. He reached down and gently placed a golden helm inside the boat, brushing his fingers on the cold metal of one of the horns momentarily before pulling back.
Loki had never cared overly much for ceremony, this Thor knew well, but he would still give his brother one.
Hesitating, Thor knelt in front of the boat, reaching out to touch the helmet gingerly. He swallowed, then whispered, "I am sorry I failed you, brother."
With that, Thor rose slowly, releasing the rope holding the boat tethered to the dock. The small vessel began to float away, down the channel and out towards the sea.
Thor watched the boat float away, like he had watched his brother fall away from him, a tightness in his chest. After the boat had moved a short distance away, Thor lifted the bow from beside him and, lighting the tip of the arrow on a nearby torch, fired.
The arrow struck the boat, instantly lighting ablaze. Thor watched the flames dance around Loki's helmet, the gold catching the light and magnifying it until it seemed to shine as one of the stars in the heavens.
Thor watched as the boat drifted over the waterfall, and then disappeared out of sight.
Even after then, he did not know how long he stood there in the dark. A single tear traced down his cheek, and he did not bother to wipe it away.
Did you morn? Loki's mocking voice came back to him and he closed his eyes.
More than you will ever know, brother, he replied only in his mind, and then with a shaky breath, he turned to walk away.
He caught sight of his father watching him from one of the palace balconies, but he turned and disappeared from view quickly.
With the heaviness not lifting from his heart, Thor turned and started for the Bifrost. There was nothing further he could do for his brother now.