Thor quickly ascended the stairs of the palace, removing and tossing his cape gracefully to an approaching servant, nearly knocking the refreshment tray out of the man's hand.
The servant immediately received the cape, then bowed and moved hurriedly out of the way, seeing that Thor had no interest in the mead and fruit he had brought to offer him, walking past the servant to the solace of the outdoor veranda.
The God of Thunder closed his eyes, sighing audibly as he leaned over the railing and rested his face in his hands.
"Thor," a familiar voice sounded behind him and lowered his hands from his face to view his mother, Frigga, out of the corner of his eye, now coming to his side with Nari in her arms.
Thor gave a sad smile as the queen placed her free hand on his shoulder.
"What troubles you my son?" she asked solemnly, "And where is your brother?"
"I left him in the crypt," Thor replied, straightening as he rubbed his hands thoughtfully and pulled back from his position on the railing, "He asked to be alone…"
Frigga gave a knowing nod, "With Heila."
"Yes," Thor said, turning and taking a seat on the stone railing as he folded his arms across his chest and regarded her with soft eyes, " I left the guards with him and he is chained, the All Father cannot disapprove—"
"I still don't understand why you would take him down there," Frigga replied, her eyes narrowing on him and her voice tinged with sadness, "He needs to move forward, not back."
"But, he also needs closure Mother," Thor countered, "And as for moving forward, he's already taken the first step. He's agreed to help us—even if only for Nari's sake."
Thor smiled as he unfolded his arms and took a step forward, stroking Nari's cheek with his thumb as the baby smiled and cooed up at Thor.
"Perhaps…" Frigga replied, giving and unsure smirk as she looked down to the baby as well, "I just worry about him. It's like he just broke one day, like the bottom fell out of his life and his mind, his loyalties, his priorities—they all changed. It's like he's a completely different person now … what he did on Migard…I still can't believe—"
"He has just lost his way Mother …" Thor said, gently pulling his hand back from the baby and resting it reassuringly upon Frigga's arm, "And it's true...he has changed, almost as if finding his true identity as a Frost giant and struggling with it made him crave validation more than he ever did so before—a kingdom-power-something of his own. But, I still have faith that he will find his way again and that the Loki we knew and loved is still inside him somewhere. And as long as he'll let me, I will keep fighting for that part of him. I owe him that much."
"You're a good brother," Frigga said, placing a gentle hand over top of his
"I don't know about that," Thor sighed, "I'll always feel like I failed him somehow and—and when I watched him today in the crypt as he mourned Heila, I realized something…"
"What is that?" Frigga asked with a raised eyebrow
"That I will always lack the talent of seeing through him as easily as she could…"
# # # # # # #
7 months ago…
"Heila…" Loki said softly as he walked out to their traditional meeting spot on the palace veranda.
Immediately, upon hearing his voice, Heila quickly turned, from where she stood at the railing, to face him.
"Thank the Gods," she whispered in relief as she walked quickly into his arms, cuddling close to his chest against his armor as she felt him engulf her in his embrace, "I was worried. It all happened so quickly—the ceremony disbanded and you left with Thor and the All Father. Then, we heard one of the guards mention Frost giants in Asgard—"
"Yes, it's true," Loki confirmed, as he kissed her hair and drank in her scent, "A small fraction of them did come here—rebels, Father thinks. They broke into the relic room. But, it's over. There is no danger now."
"Good," Heila breathed as she pulled away, her soft gaze meeting Loki's for a few moments before she quickly raised her right hand and abruptly slapped him hard across the face.
Loki immediately brought his hand up to his jaw, rubbing where the skin still smarted from the contact, while staring at her with a look of impressed shock.
"Idiot," she stated, her dark eyes brewing with a mixture of awe and disbelief as she lowered her hand back to her side.
"How did you know?" Loki asked with an amused smirk, still soothing his jaw
"How did I know?" Heila smiled slightly as she scoffed and folded her arms across her chest, "I know because I know you, Loki. And, because who else would know a way into Asgard without using the Bifrost?"
"Guilty…" Loki replied, shrugging with a devilish glint in his eye
"Are you completely out of your mind?" Heila countered, her face turning serious again, "Frost giants? At your brother's naming ceremony?"
"Oh, come off it…"Loki smiled playfully as he took a step forward, lowering his hand from his face and reaching it out to pull her close to him, "It was all in good mischief—"
But, she immediately took a step back, avoiding his grasp.
"No…" Heila said, unfolding her arms and holding up her hands to stop his advances, "You don't get to be all charming and weasel your way out of this one. 'Good mischief' does not entail showing your Father's sworn enemies into Asgard! What if they hadn't gone straight to the relic room? And what if they had brought more with them… not just a handful, but an army! What would have kept them from killing any one of us, not to mention the All Father—"
"But they didn't!" Loki defended his posture straightening as he met her defiant gaze, "The big, dumb oafs came in and went straight for the casket and Thor reacted exactly as I knew he would when I devised this in the first place," then he took a step toward her, scoffing with an amused smile, "You should have seen Father's face when he said we should march into Jotunheim. I thought he was going to have a coronary!"
Heila just shook her head as she took another step back, but Loki's hand grabbed her shoulder gently and she soon found herself gazing into his eyes as they softened
"I promise you, I didn't mean any harm to anyone," he said in a low voice, "I just wanted to take the attention away from my brother…for once…and I'm not sorry I succeeded. But, please, believe me when I tell you, it was all just me being my mischievous self. I just wanted to mess with Thor on his day…that is all."
He kept his eyes locked with Heila as he leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers and she gave a relenting sigh as he snaked one of his arms around her waist, finally managing to pull her close once more.
"I did take precautions. I only spelled the passage to allow three giants through and I would have died before I ever let them harm you…" he breathed, then kissed her nose and she gave a reluctant smile, "If all goes well, all that will happen is that my brother will be dumb enough to go to Jotunheim and my Father will bail him out like he always does and I'll be in the perfect position to prove myself as –"
"The better son," Heila interrupted in a low voice, before pulling back to search his eyes, "The rightful heir?"
"Something like that…" Loki smirked uncertainly
"Loki…" Heila soothed, running her hand down his arm, "I know you've never felt as though you were Thor's equal—that you were different-but you don't need to prove anything to anyone. Just believe that your father has a plan for everything he does and doesn't do—"
"Oy! Mischievous one!" Fandral suddenly cried from nearby, causing Loki to look back over his shoulder with a look of mild annoyance and curiosity as he watched Thor's friends walk quickly past them, Hogun and Sif in the lead, as they made their way through the rotunda to the great hall, "Your brother is on the rampage…we might need your sorcery to subdue him."
"Worst of all...the banquet has been cancelled!" Volstagg cried forlornly as he brought of the rear behind Fandral
Loki rolled his eyes and sighed as he turned back to Heila.
"I suppose I should follow them and be the supportive little brother," he said with mock enthusiasm, his voice clearly reflecting that he had something up his sleeve
"How supportive?" Heila challenged with a smirk
"I may or may not tell Thor that his idea to go to Jotunheim is the right one..." Loki replied
"I see…" Heila said softly, closing her eyes and taking in a breath before she opened them, "I've told you before, Loki, that I will never try to change you or dissuade you. We are all responsible for our own lives and you are who you are and I am grateful for that in more ways than one. But, I've always believed there is symmetry to the world and you must be careful with that silver tongue of yours... or one day, your mischief will find its back to you..."
"I know what I'm doing," Loki assured her and she reluctantly nodded, closing her eyes again at his touch as he reached out and gently stroked her cheek
"Just be careful," Heila said softly, relishing his touch
"Of course," Loki soothed, then leaned in close to her
"Tell me you still love me..." he whispered in a sweet, tender and teasing voice, and watched as she quickly re-opened her eyes at his words
"I love you," she affirmed in a soft tone, then stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, cuddling close to his chest
"Tell me you trust me," he whispered again, now resting his chin contently on the crown of her head
Heila sighed, then released her hold on him and pulled back to face him.
"Never…" she replied with a knowing smirk, before leaning in and kissing him passionately, letting their lips tangle for a few moments before she turned out of his grasp and walked off down the side steps to the palace lawn, leaving Loki alone on the veranda.
He watched after her for a few moments until she disappeared, then smiled devilishly and turning on his heel, took off through the rotunda toward the great hall.
