Odin's hand is grazing the shaft of Gungnir, expanding his awareness of what happens in the Realm Eternal. He briefly wonders if that is why Loki left it, or some sense of duty? To Frigga and to Asgard?
But puzzling through his prodigal son's reasons will have to wait, as he focuses his attention on the prince parading as the Allfather. In his mind's eye, he sees him regally slouching in the throne, seemingly lost in ruminations.
After a long moment, a guard walks in: "My liege, Lord Hogun has returned from Vanaheim, as you requested, and will arrive at the palace shortly. The Lady Sif and the Lords Volstagg and Fandral are already waiting in the antechamber."
"As soon as all of them are ready, have them approach the throne."
The guard briefly bows in acquiescence and hurries to fetch the four nobles. Another moment passes, but Loki's ruminations have a focused edge to them now.
Eventually, the Warriors Three kneel in a loose half-circle, with Sif to their right. Loki surveys them a moment, as their disquiet simmers. When he finally rises up to loom over them, he coldly asked.
"Do you know why I have summoned you here today?"
After a brief exchange of glances, Sif, brazen and headstrong Sif, inhales sharply and meekly queries:
For our mutiny and our helping Thor getting the Aether out of Asgard.
Indeed, b-
My liege! I beg of you, do not chasten Hogun for our disgraceful conduct. He wasn't even on Asgard!
Maybe not this time, but this isn't exactly the first time that you, all of you, have defied your oaths to the throne, is it?
Another silent exchange of gazes later, and Sif starts anew:
My liege, if you mean our going to Thor during his exile, Loki was ab-
Prince Loki was the rightful regent at the time.
My liege! Cert-
Gungnir (or what looks like it) ominously clanks against the floor, silencing the young woman… for all of a few seconds.
She's already opening her mouth to defend her actions, but is stopped by Hogun's hand on her forearm. As she glances at him mutinously, Volstagg, on the other side of the Vanir, is shaking his head, while Fandral's hand is slashing the air in a shortened abortive gesture. She wavers, but abruptly concedes when a second, louder clanking calls everyone's attention to the king (or his current stand-in).
"As I was saying, this was not even your first offense. None of you even tried to stop Thor from going to Jotunheim, or, once there, to keep the discussion from escalating. Only Prince Loki did.
He egged Thor into going in the first place!
Would this be true, Thor eventually made the decision all on his own.
My liege, I-
Sif, do you really wish to keep interrupting and disrespecting me, even as you stand accused of treason? Are you that similar to Loki?"
That finally shuts her up, her mouth pressed into a fine, whitened line of anger.
"You've broken, or at least circumvented, your oaths to the Throne of Asgard by going to Jotunheim and starting a war, by going to Thor on Midgard and provoking Loki into a battle, and by leading Thor and Loki out of Asgard with the Lady Jane Foster. Thus, are you ready to admit your faults and suffer the consequences thereof?"
Hogun, as he so rarely does, takes the initiative and speaks up: "My liege, we may not have followed the letter of our oaths, but we only ever acted for the greater good of the Realms.
Be as it may, you couldn't know this at the time; you all acted impulsively and against your orders. Today, I intend to protect this realms and its future king for any subsequent sedition."
Fandral counters quickly, after a swift look at a still tight-mouthed Sif. "My liege, we may not have upheld our oaths to the throne as we should have, but only because of our loyalty to Thor. One day, when those are one and the same...
And that is the issue isn't it? As your most recent trespassing proves, even the king of Asgard can falter. Will you be enough of a true friend to oppose him then?
The four gazes fixed on him shift from puzzlement to shame, even as they lower back down to the ground.
"In your defence, not so long ago, Thor did not countenance any dissent. However, by accepting his banishment as a warranted punishment, he has grown. Thus, I repeat my question: are you ready to admit your faults and suffer the consequences thereof?"
Four meek nods are his answer.
"Going away has done good to my son, and I hope it will be the same to you.
Sif's head shots up: "Are you banishing us my liege?
Hardly, Sif. I simply have missions for all of you. And if this time away gives you the opportunity to reflect on your past conduct, well, that is just a side effect of your duty to Asgard's throne.
Four heads bob in mute agreement, even as their eyes glazed over, already lost in contemplation.
"Then we are in agreement.
Sif, Volstagg, I want you two to take the Aether to Knowhere, to a person named Taneleer Tivan, also known as the Collector. Volstagg, you will then stay close, to keep an eye on that quadrant in general and on the Collector in particular. Given his proclivities, he will undoubtedly look for similar stone artefacts. Report to me immediately if you hear of one.
The same goes for the three of you. Any mention of powerful artifacts should be brought back to me, and then investigated in full. Sif, you will move on from Knowhere into the Kree Empire. Hogun, go to the Chitauri Quadrant. Fandral, you will watch over the M'Kraan Empire.
This is a dangerous mission: please say your good-byes to your families tonight and depart at dawn."
