Attacks and Banishments
The small group of warriors landed in Jotunheim, an intricate pattern forming in the ground from where the Bifrost had touched the surface of the icy landscape. Loki had to wince as the Bifrost retreated, it was…a rather alarming and very obvious entrance. Anyone, even the humans, would notice a hole opening in the sky and a beam of light shooting down with a roaring noise. Especially in such a dark land, any sort of bright light would be obvious, and he knew that meant the Jotuns would know of their arrival, would know they were there and that the element of surprise would be destroyed.
He sighed, he couldn't help but think that he should have gone to see Kona first, see if she might be able to look into this little endeavor and see how it would play out…if they'd even make it back alive. But he knew if he went to her before leaving she would refuse to let him go alone or would fail to see him and Thor. There were times, brief times, where she didn't quite see much of Thor's future, he was of the impression it was because she was hesitant to look, because of her feelings for Thor, that she was afraid she would end up biased, but visions DID come of his brother. But then again, she also had trouble seeing him as well, actually she rarely did see him, but he suspected it was because he didn't do much that would warrant a vision of such kind. He didn't get into trouble, he did as he was told, the most she could see was a trick or two and those were never anything so large as…
As Thor taking the throne and throwing Asgard into a war.
He never minded that Kona didn't tend to see his future, it didn't bother him. He did like knowing warnings of things like this, of whether or not one of Thor's ideas would get them injured, but he liked allowing the future to happen as it did. But he did like warnings, yet Kona never really said much about his future other than that she didn't see his future often. She saw him at times, standing with the other Asgardians but not so much him himself and what his own personal future held. He was sure that, one day, he should ask her why that was, but for now…he liked thinking that the future with Kona would be one they'd shape together.
"We shouldn't be here," Hogun muttered.
"Let's move," was all Thor said as he led them off.
Loki looked around, anxious, expecting the Frost Giants to attack at any moment…but so far there was no sign of them. He followed Thor across the snowy land, all of them on edge, all of them waiting. They paused only when they reached the edge of what was likely meant to be a city of some sort though the structures were melting and crumbling, clearly devastated from the war with Odin,
"Where are they?" Sif wondered, seeing no sign of the Frost Giants, which should have been impossible…they were giants!
"Hiding," Thor sneered, "As cowards always do."
Loki closed his eyes, sometimes hiding wasn't cowardice, it was self-preservation. A king needed to live to rule his people, if he died, he left his kingdom in chaos. In some cases, it was needed and necessary for a king to hide, to flee, so that they might survive and be a beacon of hope for their people. Their people were a warrior-race, yes, they fought and they did battle, but a wise king knew when to fight, Thor…just always wanted a fight, no matter who against, no matter if they deserved it or not.
And this…this march into Jotunheim…was a clear indication that Thor was not the wise king Asgard needed at the moment.
They entered the city, crossing a wide expanse, an open area, starting to hear the Frost Giants now, starting to see them lurking in the shadows, on all sides…surrounding them.
"You've come a long way to die, Asgardians," a voice said before them and they looked ahead to see an icy mist parting, revealing a single Frost Giant sitting on a throne, clearly it was Laufey, the king of the Jotuns.
"I am Thor," Thor stepped forward, showing no fear as he glared up at the Giant, "Odinson."
"We know who you are, Odinson."
"How did your people get into Asgard?" he demanded.
Laufey seemed to smirk, his face looking like ice was cracking around the edges of his lips at the move, "The house of Odin is full of traitors."
The Warriors Three and Sif looked at each other, alarmed by such words, that any in Asgard would wish to betray the Allfather or their people. Loki's jaw tensed at the information as well, his hand curling in to a fist.
"Do not dishonor my father's name with your lies," Thor spat, his eyes even more narrowed at the king of the Jotuns.
"Your father is a murderer and a thief," Laufey sneered down at him, "And why have you come here? To make peace? You long for battle. You crave it. You're nothing but a boy, trying to prove himself a man."
Loki closed his eyes at that, it appeared Frost Giants knew exactly how to bait his brother as well. He could tell Laufey was trying to incite a fight with Thor by mocking him in such a way and, for not the first time, he was praying that his brother would see through it and let the insult roll off him.
"This boy has grown tired of your mockery," Thor held up Mjolnir at the Giant, taking a step closer but the other Jotuns stepped out of the shadows, revealing themselves, making him pause as they stepped up to the defense of their own king.
Thor eyed the Giants, the blue-skinned, red-eyed, 8-foot-tall brutes, when Loki stepped beside him, "Thor," he whispered in his brother's ear, imploring him, "Stop and think. Look around you. We are outnumbered…"
"Know your place, brother," Thor pulled his arm away from Loki's grasp.
Loki looked away for only a moment at those words. He had heard them so often growing up, his father insisted he and Thor were BOTH kings, yet Thor treated him like he was and always would be just the second-in-line, never seeming to realize it was second-in-line to a throne he did not want. He didn't want to be seen as that, he merely wanted to be Thor's brother, his equal. Yes, Thor would be king, and he was happy for his brother, but whenever Thor got like this…where he was in the 'I'm the King' mentality (even when he wasn't King yet) he would start to talk down to others, to HIM especially.
Thor always told him to 'know his place' when all he wanted was for his place to be beside Thor, as his brother, not a second Prince.
"You know not what your actions would unleash," Laufey warned, "I do. Go now, while I still allow it."
Loki took a breath, knowing he had to try again, that he HAD to get Thor out of there ALIVE, and stepped up beside his brother once more, seeing him glaring at the Giant and spoke himself, "We will accept your most gracious offer," he told the king, doing his best to be polite and diplomatic, to prevent another war like he knew Thor would likely create if they didn't leave now.
Thor glared at him, but he held firm, the man looking back at the others who offered him pleading looks as well. He turned back to Laufey, staring him down for a moment before he relented and turned to go…
"Run back home, little princess," a Jotun muttered as they passed.
Thor stopped dead.
As did Loki, the man closing his eyes, not even needing warning from Kona to know what was coming next, "Damn."
And then all hell broke loose in Jotunheim as Thor grabbed Mjolnir and turned, swinging it at the Frost Giant who had uttered those words, knocking him back across the space…only for all the other Giants to attack, forcing the small group of Asgardians to defend themselves.
"Next!" Thor cheered, leaping into the middle of the battle, not even seeming to notice the way his comrades were struggling to keep themselves safe and unwounded, "At least make it a challenge for me!" he cried, grinning when a larger Jotun turned to face him, "That's more like it!"
Loki threw knives at the attacking Jotuns, trying his best to get to Thor, he knew that when his brother was in the heat of battle he lost all sense of self-preservation. He'd forget that they were trying to leave, he'd forget that they HAD to leave, and he'd fight till he could fight no longer. And THEN they'd be in the worst predicament they could be in. And he was determined to get them all out alive, he was NOT going to die in Jotunheim, not now, not with Kona still in Asgard, not with her unknowing of his feelings for her.
If anything, he was going to fight to survive just to get back to her.
He saw two Jotuns rushing for him and dashed off, running past a pillar…only to find himself at the edge of a deep crevice, the Giants rushing for him…only to fall through him as they tried to swing at him…falling into the crevice itself. He peeked out around the pillar he'd hidden behind and twisted his hand at the projection he'd made of himself.
"Pathetic," he muttered, before rushing back to the battle, trying to help the other Warriors with their own Jotun threats.
They all looked over though when they heard Volstagg cry out in pain, seeing a Frost Giant grabbing his bare arm, "Don't let them touch you!" he cried, managing to slay the Giant, only to reveal the skin of his arm had blackened considerably, as though burned or frost bitten to the extreme.
Loki turned back to his battle, stabbing a Frost Giant, when another grabbed his wrist, freezing his glove…shattering it, touching his bare skin…but…unlike with Volstagg…
He watched in horror as his skin slowly turned blue, like a Frost Giant's, spreading up his arm rather painlessly. He looked at the Giant, who seemed confused before he kicked the Giant away and stabbed it as well. He looked at his arm, watching as it faded back to its normal peach color, not quite as pale as Kona's skin, but…human-looking.
He swallowed hard, not quite sure what it meant…when he spun around, hearing Fandral cry out in pain, to see that ice shards had arisen out of the ground and impaled him.
"Thor!" Sif shouted as she and Volstagg ran to help get Fandral free.
"Thor, we must go!" Loki tried to get through to his brother, but Thor continued to fight and he knew it was a lost cause.
"Then go!" was all Thor shouted.
It was a blur after that, for Loki at least, they had run, he remembered, run from the giants, run from the ice monsters that Laufey had sent after them, he remembered Thor appearing before them, slaying the monster and that they were surrounded by Frost Giants, an army of them…
When the Bifrost opened up and Odin himself appeared on his mighty steed in all his glory.
Thor grinned, "Father we'll finish them together!" he cheered.
But Odin was NOT amused, "Silence!" he commanded, Thor falling silent, as though realizing that his father had NOT come there to join in the battle, but to end it.
"Allfather," Laufey stepped before his people, rising up in a move of ice and snow to face Odin, "You look weary," he smirked.
"Laufey," Odin spoke, Loki frowning when he heard the weariness in it, "End this now."
"Your boy sought this out."
"You're right. These are the actions of a boy. Treat them as such. You and I can end this here and now before there's further bloodshed."
"We are beyond diplomacy now, Allfather. He'll get what he came for, war and death!"
Odin's jaw tensed, the old man looking grim, realizing war was on the horizon now, "So be it."
Laufey swung at him, ready to attack, but Odin held up his staff, sending out a wave of energy that sent all the Giants flying back, the ice cracking around them as the Bifrost was opened and they were pulled back out of Jotunheim, and returned to Asgard.
Odin wasted no time in grabbing Heimdall's sword from the controls, the look on his face telling Loki that the worst…was yet to come.
~8~
Loki walked through the halls of the palace, deep in thought and rather a bit…shocked at what had happened only moments ago. Odin had…he'd banished Thor. Not just banished, he'd stripped Thor of his title, he'd stripped him of his power, he'd sent him to Earth…he supposed he should consider it lucky that Odin hadn't stripped Thor of his memories of Asgard as well. It was within the King's right to do so, within his power, and his brother would be wandering Earth with no memory of who he was.
He considered it VERY lucky that, despite his own plans getting a bit…out of hand at the Allfather's actions…that Thor still retained his memories, he needed Thor to remember. Though he doubted Thor would wish the same. Odin had been…the words exchanged had broken his own heart to hear. His father chastising his brother for being too much a warrior and not a king and his brother calling their father an old man and fool…it had been devastating to witness, truly one of the worst fights he'd ever seen his father and brother engage in.
And he was in turmoil, so he went to the one place he knew he could find solace, peace of mind, and reassurance.
He gently pushed open a door that led to a large, sun filled room, pleased that the door did not creak at all. He paused there, observing the sight beyond. It was a large room, painted in a warm golden-orange color with ivory accents, the bed and stools and other furniture were made of the darkest reddest wood, everything was simple really. Minimal if he had to describe it. There was no vanity, no mirror as Kona didn't require one but there was a small desk of sorts with odds and ends of jewels and other things her handmaiden, Hild, would use to prepare her for events. There was a sort of long stool, cushioned, and raised on one end, like a small bed she could recline on, her own bed off to the side, canopied with sheer white just around the top and corners. There was a harp to the side, with a small cushioned stool that he knew was for Hild as well. A small bookcase stood in the back of the room, full of books that had been specially made for her.
All the letters within were raised, the pictures raised in different colors so that she could picture them. She could trace them with her fingers and read the words as she went, imagine the pictures and other things. It had been a gift from him, when they'd realized she wouldn't be able to read, when they'd thought that the only way for her to read was for someone to read to her. He'd offered her the special books, added to her collection whenever a new one was finished. But he still read to her at times, she loved it when he did, apparently she loved the sound of his voice 'more than he did' she'd say. Even though he loved the sound of her voice more.
He grinned, stepping in, seeing Hild was not there, but that Kona was. She was sitting on her small reclining seat, the sunlight streaming in from the wide windows, making her hair shin even more golden. He was quiet, so quiet as he drew nearer, he always loved to do this, to sneak up on her…which was not easy given she should have been able to see him coming, but as he knew she rarely ever saw him, he always tried but, for the most part…
A soft smile came to her pale pink lips as she stopped tracing the raised lettering of the book in her hands, "You cannot sneak up on me Mischief Maker, I know not why you insist on trying."
Loki let out a gentle laugh as he came to a stop behind her, reaching out to rest his hands on her shoulders, "I would not dare sneak up on you Kona."
She smirked, "I am a seer Loki, I can see the truth as well."
He smiled, "Even without your sight you are as perceptive as ever," he leaned in, dropping a kiss to her hair, "But one day I shall manage it."
She let out a gentle laugh and brought her hand up to pat his…only to frown, laying her hand on his, "You're cold Loki…what have you done?"
He sighed, "Tried to stop Thor."
She stood, still holding his hand as she turned, kneeling on the stool, resting her front to the back of it as she faced him, her unseeing eyes directed right at his face, "That is one future that will never happen."
He laughed a moment, just gazing her, her golden hair shining in the light of the setting sun, her eyes, once brown were hazy, "I am sorry Kona," he murmured.
She just smiled, knowing what he was speaking about and lifted her free hand, tracing his face lightly as she closed her eyes, "I can still see you Loki, I can always see you, in my visions, in my mind…" she tilted her head when she felt him lean into her touch, and gently brought her head to rest on his forehead, "I always will."
He nodded against her head, "You are the only one who truly sees me Kona," he moved his head slightly, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, raising his own hand to stroke her cheek, smiling as she beamed a dazzling smile of her own at him, just for him.
He knew she sometimes saw him in her visions, standing beside Thor or someone else, she knew what he looked like at the moment, she'd seen him growing along with her, but…he still felt so guilty about her loss of sight. Even more so because…he'd had a chance to return her sight to her soon after it happened. It had been around the same time that he'd cut off Sif's hair, when he'd stolen the locks from the Dwarves to bestow upon Sif, when they'd turned black, he'd thought…if the Dwarves could return Sif's hair, make it so that it attached to her head, that it grew and flowed like real hair…perhaps they could fashion eyes for Kona, or something that would act as eyes and allow her to see! He'd been so thrilled at the notion that he'd approached the Dwarves…completely forgetting that he'd stolen the hair from them and not paid them.
They had refused even when he apologized, even when he'd offered payment, had let it be known to all their kind, all the expert craftsmen in Asgard, that it was not to be. That they would NOT nor would they ever create eyes for Kona.
Kona patted his cheek and took his hand from hers, holding it, "Now what is bothering you?"
He let out a small laugh, squeezing her hands, she always knew. He stepped around the small stool to her side, slowly sitting down beside where she had been sitting, signaling for her to sit as well, him watching as a small frown appeared on her face, "Loki?"
He sighed, "Thor…he…took us to Jotunheim."
Kona's eyes widened, "He took YOU as well?!" before she blinked, "I did not see that, I only saw Thor."
He glanced at her, "You had a vision?"
She nodded, "Just after the Bifrost was opened…I saw Thor in Jotunheim, I had Hild call Odin to me. I told him of the vision and he fled to go stop him. I had no idea he'd brought others."
"Yes," Loki took a breath, "Me, the Warriors Three, and Sif. They have taken Fandral and Volstagg to the Healers."
Kona frowned, her unseeing eyes locked on his, hearing something else in his words, "And Thor?"
He swallowed, "Banished."
"Banished!?" she exclaimed.
"To Earth."
Kona let out a breath, looking away from him, blinking a bit in her shock, "Banished to Earth," she murmured to herself.
"It would, um, appear that his…his crowning has been…delayed," Loki added, watching her expression carefully.
She nodded, "Perhaps it is for the best, banishment will not last forever, not for Thor and…" she nodded more, "Earth will help him. It will benefit him, he needed this to grow. Yes…I…think it is for the best that this happened."
Loki let out a breath, "I am…so relieved, to hear you say that."
Kona blinked and lifted her head, stiffening a bit as she did indeed hear more in Loki's words than another would hear. She shifted, turning to look at him, "Loki…did you have something to do with it?"
He felt himself smile more for how well she knew him than what he'd done, "I did. I…may have led Thor to the decision to go to Jotunheim in the first place."
"Why?" she shook her head and spoke nothing else.
He smiled more at that, at how she was giving him a chance to explain himself and his actions, his thoughts, instead of jumping to one conclusion or another. Instead of berating him, she was…willing to listen. She was willing to hear him out and, with the banishment, he needed that. He felt so terribly guilty about it, he had not intended for it to go THAT far, but…it seemed that even that would be for the best in the end.
"So that you would not have to confront father about him," he answered, "I didn't mean for him to be banished," he squeezed the hands he was still holding, sincerity in his voice as he spoke, speaking truly as he always did with her, "I merely hoped that…if Thor even attempted to go to Jotunheim, that father would see his rash actions and postpone the ceremony a while longer. I thought I'd be able to convince him not to go in the end, or that Heimdall would refuse us access to the Bifrost," he rubbed his head, "I had no idea it would come to that, to banishment, but…" he looked at Kona, reaching out to touch her face, "Thor attacked them Kona. He has started a war by his actions. The Jotuns will attack."
Kona blinked a few times looked down, "He was not ready to be king," she looked at him, "If he would do that, if he would put his people at risk."
Loki nodded, he saw that now. He loved his brother very much, but…seeing Thor attack, all of them KNOWING that to do so would mean war for all Asgard…and Thor still did it. Thor hadn't bitten his tongue and checked his anger and keep walking but attacked, brutally. Thor had put him down numerous times during that trip and HE had managed to stay his anger and irritation and still help his brother.
"Please believe me Kona," he whispered, "I did not know father would banish him."
He truly hadn't. He'd thought that Odin would merely take Mjolnir away, that he'd refuse Thor the crown till he had proven himself worthy, he hadn't thought it would also mean banishment, making Thor mortal, stripping him of his power and birthright. THAT was NOT what he'd wanted. He just…wanted Odin to see that Thor…wasn't ready.
He knew Kona was agonizing over what to do, what to say to Odin about Thor and his future as king, he'd hoped to avoid it, that if Thor did something foolish that Odin would realize it himself, Thor's faults. It seemed Odin had realized too many of them to forgive in only a single instant.
"I believe you Loki," she told him.
He looked at her, actually feeling a bit startled at that, that she would believe him so quickly, "You do?"
He knew that no one else would, no one would believe, if they discovered he'd manipulated Thor to go to Jotunheim, that it was not his intention to get his brother banished. They would see it as him being jealous, they would see it as him being greedy, they'd see it as him trying to get Thor out of line for the throne to claim it himself. They wouldn't see what Kona saw in him, she truly did see him more clearly than anyone else did. She saw his intentions, the truth in his words, she believed in him, she always had, in a way no one ever would, not even Frigga he was sure.
"Of course," she reached up to touch the hand on her cheek, smiling at him, "You have never lied to me Loki, not once, I doubt you will start now. Mischief Maker you are, but a Liar to Seers you are not. No matter how polished that silver tongue of yours is, it does seem to get quite tied around me when you even try to lie."
He let out a small laugh, unable to help himself from pulling her into his arms and hugging her tightly, "Thank you," he whispered in her ear, closing his eyes as he held her, just…needing one person, just one to believe him, to give him strength to endure what he'd done, to know it had been for a good reason, for the welfare and benefit of Asgard.
Kona let out a small squeal when she felt herself being tugged closer and twisted so she was more lying on the stool, in Loki's arms as he held her, himself leaning back on it. She could feel him relaxing against her, as though he'd been carrying a terrible burden he'd only just released, which she knew he had.
She had to pause though, wondering, "Did you let those Frost Giants into Asgard?"
He smiled at that, Kona was…very smart, "I did," he nodded.
"And what purpose did they serve?" she asked, she understood his reasons for tricking Thor into going to Jotunheim, to give him more time before he was made king, to make Odin aware that he was not ready, but the other Frost Giants, the ones who went after the Casket, THOSE she was unsure about.
"They halted the ceremony, did they not?" he shrugged, letting out a breath, "You told me you were wary of Thor taking the throne. Your visions…they were frightening you, seeing Thor as king at that moment. I just…tried to delay it."
That had been all he'd done in letting the Frost Giants in, a trick that had nearly made him late for the ceremony in the first place. He'd used one of the secret ways Kona had shown him as a child, cloaked them in smoke and left them to their devices. Whatever they did afterwards was their own business, he didn't think they'd go after the Casket, he'd just hoped that the alarms would ring that the Frost Giants were there and that Odin would stop the ceremony.
It had happened.
But then Kona had reminded him, it had only been delayed, that there was still a chance of Thor being made king tomorrow or the next day…so he'd devised another way to delay it longer, to show Odin what she'd seen without Kona having to tell his father about it. The vision she'd seen, he didn't want to think of his brother like that, but he knew it was a possible future. Thor's attack today had proven it was possible. Odin…it would have broken his heart to know that, by making Thor king at that moment, would have doomed Asgard to tyranny.
"Can you tell?" he asked after a long moment of silence, "Can you tell if Earth will help him?"
He looked down as Kona closed her eyes, focusing on a vision, her face scrunching a bit as she saw something, "I think it shall," she nodded, opening her eyes, "There is much confusion for him now, there will be much hardship for him, but…Earth has much to offer him, much to teach him. He will…grow on Earth, in a way he could not on Asgard," she smiled, "I think he shall be a fitting King when he returns."
He smiled at that, relieved to know that, despite his plans getting too out of hand with the banishment, that ultimately, in the end, Thor would be a better person for it. And that was all he wanted, his brother on the throne, but ruling their home wisely, because it was home and it was important to him, it was his family and friends and people that Thor would be ruling over and they deserved the best. They deserved Thor, but not how he was. His brother had unlimited potential, but he needed to reach it first before he could be king.
He looked down when he felt a subtle shift in Kona's breathing to see she had drifted off. If he and Kona stayed in Asgard after Thor returned…he would want it to be a safe place for HER as well, and Thor…he'd already made it dangerous and he hadn't even been king. Imagine what damage he could do with the power of a king? No…his brother…he needed time to mature and to grow into the king he knew he could be.
He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of Kona's hair, his hand gently resting on the back of her head as he did so, before he frowned and looked at it, examining it in the glow of the setting sun…that arm…that same arm that had turned blue…
He blinked and let out a breath, putting his arm around her and pulling her closer, allowing his eyes to fall closed, needing the peace of sleep, hoping it would erase the horrible thoughts plaguing him as to what that blue skin could mean.
A/N: I hope that look into Loki's mind sort of made sense in terms of his plans and reasons for what he did with Thor. I hope the last few chapters made more sense now that we see his thoughts behind it. I can say that Kona will be keeping an eye on Thor's progress and...what she sees of the future-king may influence quite a few aspects of the story to come, give more insight into the events of the movie as well :)
But now, knowing what she does...does it make her a co-conspirator? Hmmm... }:)
Some notes on reviews...
Thor will definitely soften :) His stay on Earth will change him for the better just as (I felt) it did in the movie too :) But there will be a point in one of the stories where Kona says something very harsh, but very true to Thor yup :)
We'll have to wait and see how Kona survives what Loki does }:)
Thanks! I try to not overwhelm the story with the OC but balance it and also be able to give insight to the OC and how they affect it so it's great to know I'm managing it :)
I'm glad you don't think Kona's a Mary Sue :) I can say we'll really see how non-Sueish she is in the sequel (or at least I hope it'll come across like that) ;)
Hello :) That's awesome, I hope you enjoy your account :)
