The second chapter. Thanks to everyone who favorited and alerted.
- - - And Ash Rained Down On Asgard: Chapter 2
Please melt. he thought, feeling sick. By the Nine Realms, please don't look. Thankfully both men were turned his way, all of their attention on him, so they did not see the icy trail that Loki had somehow, unwillingly, cast upon the throne.
"What have you to say, son?" Odin asked, his voice still deep with anger. Loki gulped, and tried to eye his father and the icy throne at the same time.
Melt. Melt. Melt. Melt. Melt. Melt!
Thankfully whatever Gods there were above the Asgardian had decided to grant Loki's prayers. The ice melted, water dribbled off the throne and droplets fell on the floor, and Loki begged that his brother and father wouldn't hear the sound, wouldn't look around and see it… He had to distract them, keep them busy, and he had to do it now!
"My brother is simply angry because the Jotun ruined his big day. He has looked forward to this day since we were children – he wouldn't stop talking about it ever since he knew that he would be made crown prince one day!" Loki said. Somehow, it didn't seem to calm his father's rage, and he felt all colour leave his face. He had to think of something, and quickly, otherwise misfortune would surely befall on him, instead of his brother.
"What I mean to say is..." Loki said, struggling with his words, struggling to see through the panic that had wormed its way through his stomach and now kept his frightened, ice cold heart hostage.
"If the Jotun had ruined the day that you and mother married…" Loki said slowly, carefully. He knew that saying this could just enrage his father further, but now that he had said it, he had to finish. If he stopped now, the Allfather would surely punish both of them.
"Would you have been forgiving?" Loki asked nervously, his fingers curling and uncurling around his robe whilst he talked. The God of Mischief, however, was so focused on his words that he did not even notice the constant movements of his fingers.
"You have a truce, with Laufey…"
A truce that was broken the minute I set foot in Jotunheim.
"And those Frost Giants evidently tried to make it look like Laufey had broken it. The most logical explanation would be that they sought war on Asgard, or to steal the Casket." Loki continued. He could see that his father was thinking about his words. But still, they weren't safe, he could tell from the way that his father brushed through his beard, something which he always did when he wasn't sure what to do.
Loki Silvertongue. They call me Loki Silvertongue. I can make it through this. I can talk us out of this.
"They made it look like Laufey had ordered them to do this, so that you would break the truce. But Laufey is king. Had he wanted to wage war on you, wouldn't he have sent his whole army here, to surprise us?" Loki said.
I haven't lost my touch. I haven't lost my touch. I haven't lost my touch.
As if repeating it over and over again in his head would make it true.
"He is right, father." Thor said. He'd scrambled to his feet. Weren't you the one who wanted war? Loki thought, sarcastically, but he watched out not to say it out loud. That would undo the progress that they'd made.
"Send one man, and he can slip past unnoticed. Send more, and they cannot hide behind pillars or corners, or slip out of the palace without drawing attention to themselves." Thor continued, as if he'd suddenly turned into a strategic advisor. Loki almost smiled when he fondly thought of the many conversations that he had with one particular advisor, a young one, each trying to best the other constantly by thinking up more schemes and tactics.
"Hmm…" Odin mumbled, while he brushed through his beard once more. His eyes stood distant, as if he looked right through his sons, and Loki feared that he was unwell, that he had been poisoned or that something else had befallen on him. The goblets that the attendants had drank from at the failed ceremony hadn't been poisoned, right? Loki brushed off the though, reasoning to himself that that was impossible: no-one could ever reach the palace kitchens without being noticed.
Just like no-one could sneak into Asgard's palace.
Loki had to fight hard to keep a grimace from twisting his features. He had to stop thinking about that, if he didn't want anyone to get suspicious. And they said that Frigga, his mother, could look into one's eyes, straight into their soul. What did she see when she looked into his eyes? Did she see a traitor? A boy that had been thrown into a ploy, that couldn't control his own actions no matter how he tried? An ice cold soul? Did she see icy blue skin and burning red eyes? Loki gulped and forced himself to pay attention to his father.
"Surely, you would not punish our son for something which they think and talk about?" Frigga's voice drifted through the air, into the throne room. The distance in Odin's eyes was replaced by surprise and stubborn determination. Soon, Frigga strode into the room, moving ever so gracious in the golden dress that pooled around her feet with every step she took.
Loki suddenly realized how old his parents really looked. Despite her age, though, Frigga's skin was still smooth, save for the small wrinkles around her eyes from many a laughter. Her hair was braided and wound around her head so that, if need be, it would not hinder her as she fought, despite the fact that it had been many years since his mother had last wielded a sword. Loki knew that she kept two daggers in her boots, though.
"Thor wanted to wage war on the Jotun for the actions of few!" Odin defended himself. Loki wondered if he felt the need to defend his decisions to his wife. Perhaps their marriage wasn't all that it looked to be. He made sure to remember that thought, for perhaps he could use it the next time that Laufey sent for him. In the few weeks that he'd been but a pawn in the Frost Giant's game, Loki had fed him various lies and vague rumours, until the king of Jotunheim had gotten tired of uselessness of his informant and had demanded something that he could make use of.
"Yes, Thor wanted." Frigga said, her eyes shining with wisdom and something that Loki could only identify as excitement. Was she excited that she could speak against her king? Loki had never seen his mother quite like this. Of course, the arguments between the king and queen were infamous for their length: once, Loki remembered, their parents hadn't talked to each other for months. On end. He almost smiled as he remembered that the Allfather had told his sons to pick Crystal Flowers from the Blue Forest, finding it amusing that the king did not care to pick flowers himself to make up to his wife.
Frigga had loved the bouquet of delicate, tiny crystal flowers in many twinkling colours, with thick stems and thin rosebuds, even though she must've known that they were not Odin's, Loki suddenly realized. He wondered why they even fought at all, if such a simple thing as flowers that weren't even picked by the giver could end their quarrels.
"But did you hear him say that he was going to take your army to Jotunheim to slaughter a many?" the queen continued, whilst she proceeded to make her way towards her husband, taking long strides.
"No, but-" the king said, but his wife did not let him finish.
"Is thinking and saying one thing the same as acting on it?"
"No. But-"
"But you wish to teach our sons and the citizens of Asgard that they are not allowed to share their opinions, to speak their thoughts?" the queen challenged. Loki held his breath. Frigga might be Odin's wife, but that might not mean that she was safe from his rage.
"Of course not!" Odin said indignantly. His wife smiled, and Odin's determined face faltered when he seemed to realize that he had walked right into her trap. Loki hid his smirk behind his hand. Perhaps he had inherited his touch for scheming and mischief from his mother after all…
"Well then, tell me what our boys have done to earn your rage?" she asked, her voice sweet like nectar that dripped out of a flower upon the butterfly's touch. The king of Asgard blinked, looked at his sons, and sighed when he realized that he'd been defeated.
"You may leave…" Odin said, sparing a glance at both of them.
Finally. Loki thought.
"But if I hear but one word of you going to Jotunheim, you will be punished!" Odin said while he pointed to his firstborn son, using his spear Gungnir, as a means to underline the threat. Loki sighed in relief, and even when he saw Thor's jaw tighten with stubbornness did he not lose his sense of security. They would not be punished. They could leave. They were safe.
Loki tried to tell his speeding heart that, until he remembered the illusion that he'd cast. And when he remembered the illusion, he felt the exhaustion weighting down on him. Hence why he was not happy in the slightest when his brother clasped him on the shoulder once they were outside the throne room, smiling brightly.
"Thank you, brother." Thor said with gratitude, not noticing at all that Loki nearly collapsed under the weight of his hand. Loki managed a smile at his brother and wasn't sure if he should be relieved when Thor removed his hand and walked away. For one, he nearly collapsed now that he'd lost the possibility to lean on something if need be, and secondly, Thor had been the reason why he'd pushed himself to remain standing.
Now, the exhausted God of Mischief wobbled on his legs and crashed into a pillar, sliding down against it.
At least he hadn't fallen through a window.
After what felt like an eternity, but were just fifteen minutes nonetheless, Loki found that he could finally stand again, and he quickly made his way to his chambers, knowing that he had to break the illusion or else lose consciousness any minute.