He met Sif at a gathering of Thor's group. She had been with them before, but they hadn't previously talked. Thor introduced them. Loki wore his usual mask. Her eyes had sparkled at first—but as he played his act, the sparkle faded. As they continued to speak it extinguished. Her tone became simultaneously pleasant, flat and insulting. A sudden realization crept in that she was matching his caricature. She purposefully insulting him with a reflection of himself. He smiled genuinely for the first time in a long time. But what to say from there? She excused herself, but he asked her to stop. He asked to start over. Her expression was at first uncertain; then the sparkle returned. For the first time in forever he actually conversed. The others melted away and hours slipped by. When he returned home that night his heart was full.

He began willingly accompanying Thor on his excursions. Sif and he began to meet separately. They talked and explored, and a powerful new feeling blazed to life inside. Eventually he confided the secret of the wrecked village. She was unsettled. He also showed her the pathways between the Realms, and they traveled freely between them. He had almost forgotten his troubles when they stumbled across another village while exploring. This one had already been cloaked. He didn't try to undo the cloak or he would be arrested again. Instead, he would do some detective-work.

A dread suspicion had grown over the source of the hostility. They searched the area and found another rift. It led to Jotunheim, home of the frost giants—ancient enemies from millennia past. There had been peace between those Realms for some hundreds of years under a treaty. Or had there? When he returned alone to the rift later, it had been blocked. This time he wouldn't tell his family what he'd seen, or what he would do. He would act independently and let his consequences be on his own head.

Meanwhile, Thor watched his brother's relationship with Sif develop. He became jealous; jealous of his brother's attention and jealous of the loss of Sif's. She had the same slippery feeling as Loki. In vain he had been trying to pin her down, but no efforts on his part could unlock the friendship which Loki—of all people!-had gained with such seeming ease.

New resentment built.

Another change struck the family temperament. For a long time Odin's affection had been centered on Thor. Now, as they edged closer to the throne, it was lavished to the point where all others were obviously sidelined. Thor was built up as though his coronation was a certainty; his position and authority were stressed. It was too much for him to handle. The weight of fame sunk him into debauchery. Loki watched it happen, watched him drink, fight, love and steal with alarming frequency. As he and Sif stood back, things grew worse. Soon the activities were no longer petty. Property was damaged. Items went missing—mainly drink, clothing, things stolen for the thrill of stealing rather than necessity.

Loki used his knowledge of portals to enter Jotunheim. He alternately disguised himself as one of them, or cloaked himself to listen to officials and courtiers. For many days there was no evidence. Even his being there would be taken as an act of war if he were known—but he continued his surveillance. The pattern of destruction was too similar to the histories, too aligned with a pattern of animosity to be overlooked.

Back home, Odin continued his affirmation of Thor's wildness. The cycle grew worse, and Loki became bewildered. How could Odin not see the monster that was being created? Did he think that silence would cure the problem? The threat of kingship was closer by the day, and Thor was too strong-willed to hear any counsel. Worse was the worry of Odin's reluctance. If he couldn't face a belligerent son, could he face a hostile Realm?

His time with Sif became constant, a welcome respite from increasingly complicated life. They spoke of everything and anything. He had never encountered anyone who could match his intellect, interests, conversations; but their happiness was soon overshadowed.

Weeks of listening on Jotunheim paid off. At first it was bits and pieces; a confirmation of an attack on Asgard, a deal made with the government. He discovered to his horror that Odin was allowing the attacks as part of their 'peace treaty'. That explained the cloaked villages, the absences in the records! Further research revealed plans for full-on war. Saying anything would lead to Loki's imprisonment. He had to think of something else, but what could he do? Gradually a plan began to take shape. He had to prove their intentions to Odin before they caught Asgard unawares. A new worry. What of when Thor was king? If he found out—if war began-his impulsive nature would destroy them all.

Then came news of Thor's coronation.

A bittersweet door was opened. He would use the coronation as the vehicle for truth; he would use the Jotuns' already-simmering ambition to orchestrate an attack. A small detachment of troops would infiltrate the palace's vault during the ceremony and attempt to steal back an artifact of mighty power. The attempted theft would gauge both the reactions of Thor and of Odin. If neither were equipped to rule, then it was his duty to take the throne.

Sif was the final block. The stress had worn on him and his frequent absences were suspicious. She was curious and concerned, but he couldn't reveal anything. She couldn't be accused of treason if he failed. Besides, as the sister of Heimdall, her actions were closely monitored. To breath a word even to the person he trusted as dearly as himself was to risk everything. It became a thorn between them, and Thor's madness continued.

As the coronation drew nearer, Loki went to Jotunheim undisguised and told their leader he was planning a coup. He played both sides to the tune he wanted-but before he sacrificed himself, before he reached the point of no return, he had to free Sif from entanglement. He stepped back and allowed Thor to step in. Despite tears, long nights awake, not eating, not sleeping, nausea and stress—he broke her heart and pushed her away. She couldn't be killed on his behalf. He couldn't risk the plan's exposure.

As a final severance, he cut her hair while she slept. That act severed his connection not only to her, but to himself. It symbolized the death of his previous life. If he was to commit treason, to kill in the name of peace, he needed a new persona. Loki fled through the rift to Svartalfheim and mourned. In the days he spent there, he re-shaped himself. He created a new identity of power, charisma, and wit spiked with condescending vitriol. It beckoned others in while building a wall to stop them coming closer. Respect, but don't dare to love. Nothing like what happened with Sif could happen again.

When he returned, everyone was astonished at the change. He engaged others with confidence and snark, building some up and cutting others down to the amusement of all watching. He smiled, laughed and ran circles around them with scathing wit. His new persona was at once acidic and magnetic. Soon he was held on equal estimation with his brother.

Thor was confused and unsettled. He began to wonder if he had read his brother wrong all those years. He began to wonder if they could rebuild their friendship after all-but Loki's plans were set. Beneath a superficial re-establishment of goodwill his war plan waited to unfold; a plan that would shake the core not only of Asgard, but of all the Realms.

Continued in "Though This Be Madness" !