It was only a few seconds. A short encounter. An almost insignificant occurrence. His hand had turned blue, where the other's skin would have turned black with frostbite. The frost giant's touch was part of the nightmare monster he'd been taught of as a child.
This moment was enough to plant the seeds of insecurity.
Of madness.
Odin had not appeared soon enough into the battle. The idea that he may be one of these retched beings was by now already festering in the back of his mind.
His mind fought and raced as he strolled into the vault. The AllFather had always seemed to prefer Thor to him. Loki's plot to ruin his brother's coronation would not even have been necessary, it would not have so much as occurred to Loki to do such a thing, if there had never been some air of superiority around his brother.
Another thought struck Loki.
Thor is not his brother.
Never has been. If this is the truth of Loki's heritage, it only figures why he has the tendencies he does.
It is only fitting for Odin to sleep now. Over the millennia, he may have played father, and he may feel as though he has explained himself well enough, but Loki could not be satisfied by that. Odin blatantly expressed his love for Thor; one Loki knew was something he never could achieve.
Thor is a fool at any rate.
Thor was banished from Asgaard and for good measure too.
Loki was king now.
This would the beginning of a new era in all of the nine realms.