Leaving Jane in her world to her own devices, now he moves to confront his brother. If there is any time which suits this, it's now and he knows it for himself to be true. This is a job he leaves for himself because it's as simple as that; he caused it and thusly is responsible. It isn't out of malice for his brother or out of hatred but merely out of pain that he comes to see him. He approaches where the guards have placed him for the time being, seeing as the prison is in dire need of rebuilding. The palace itself is still stiffly guarded even after the confusion and chaos of the war which nearly decimated their population and as such the guards give Thor a sort of glare. He dispels it easily, as his prerogative is of much higher need than these guards' image of him. He is no king, after all.
Those eyes lock onto him right away and those lips pull into a sly smile. It's not the usual smile of coy deception which he offers Thor, rather, it's more a smile of condescension directed upon his brother. His heels clicking on the ground as he approaches the slender man, Thor himself narrows his eyes to look him up and down-it is no easy feat, seeing the state Loki let his pride fall to. He may have been dressed properly, especially compared to the memory of him the blond held from before the fight-hair strewn about and eyes defensive and cruelly staring him down, saying 'judge me if you will' which so contrasted his personality. This is a different stare of disdain on his face. This is one of humor. Humor, an expression not long for this world when it's graced upon Loki's visage and that's how it's always been. It never lasts very long and Thor could count on his hands how many times he had seen that face of humor over the years. It's not a look of delight in cruelty but one of delight in trickery.
The apologies offered to him were not real, and Thor knows that now. That, however, does not mean he cannot draw the memory out and clench his fist tightly.
"And here he is," says the silver tongue he's known for, and his brother's brows furrow tightly. It's not a voice he's expected to hear again and the first emotion he feels is surprising: relief. "the one who rejects his birthright."
"Do not test me," He responds with a gruff frown, bringing a hand up to rub at his chin in thought. "I thought you to be dead. What is the point of such a trick? To delude the nation into thinking you to be some... martyr? Those kinds of lies do not become you. There happen to be plenty other lies which do."
"You knew you would be found out in due time." He adds, clenching the hand at his side around Mjolnir's handle. The look on Loki's face faces then, and he gives a shrug, making the guards reassert their positions. Thor looks the two guards down and they relax somewhat, locking their eyes on the prisoner instead. A smile returns on the raven-haired man's lips and it does not reach his eyes.
"What difference does it make? You know how I feel about power," He chuckles, mimicking his brother's pose in mockery, almost-but it isn't quite the way he would normally. It's diluted, it seems, and he returns to his previous pose in moments. Perhaps he does not think Thor would notice, but he does. Time has made him more observant and it shows here-his eyes roving the man. "you, better than anyone, know how I feel about power."
"You achieved nothing. You would have won my respect were you to stand and return with me-but that isn't what you want," Loki's mouth flattens into a neutral expression. "you want something else. Mother's death awoke something in you. I know not what it is, but it is there. I cannot help but to question; what do you believe it is that drove you?"
It isn't a surprise to Loki that his brother brings that up; Frigga has been a touchy subject for all the kingdom since the moment she was sent off. He plays it off with a lift of his brow. "I know not what it is either, brother. Perhaps it is rage? I'm quite popular with it, as of late. It wouldn't be much of a surprise on my behalf."
Rage. That is a good point. "Perhaps it is." The pair falls silent for moments, eyes meeting momentarily. It is not one of their pregnant, uncomfortable silences, rather it is a solemn one of mutual concern. Thor did not usually concede a thought so quickly, and it feels somewhat baffling to the raven-haired man that he was even able to do so.
"...I pray you do not misunderstand my concern for you." Thor speaks up after a few minutes of simply thinking to himself wordlessly, looking aside. "I thought you dead. Gone. I should not have doubted your abilities to come back despite anything." The blond offers a smirk and receives one in return.
"You know me." Loki retorts, giving a faint grin.