Author Notes: Hello Readers, your responses and enthusiasm toward this fic mean so much today. They always make my day a little bit brighter, you guys rocks! Just to warn you this chapter is a little lengthy, I tried to condense it as much as I could though :) Well happy reads and God bless!

The mess hall was crowded and full of chatter as all the young nobles talked of what they hoped to receive for Solstice. It was naturally, the choice topic being that the academy would let out in a few days for the holiday and everybody would return ready to boast about what they received. "What did you ask for Thor?" Frandal inquired while he piled his tray full of vittles.

"A chariot," Thor said with a shrug. Thor was about 15 by Midgardian standards. His body was had grown to be hard and strong. His blonde hair flowed long, down past his shoulders and he had began to sprout facial hair which he proudly displayed. They made their way to their usual table and crossed the paths of a few young ladies, Thor flashed his golden smile and winked his bright blue eye in their direction and they all broke out into fits of giggles.

"A chariot? Thor you have plenty," Sif pointed out.

"Not one made of solid gold and decorated with rubies." He explained. "I'll have it customized with it lightning bolts and it'll have 3 sets of wheels so it'll be three times as fast as any racer," Thor explained. Frandal, Volstagg and Hogun nodded along it sounded like a glorious chariot. Naturally, they would all reap the benefits of being able to ride in style.

Soon they were all seated at the table. Volstagg immediately dug into the mutten leg that was on his plate, "Well naturally his majesty will get it for you, Thor," The redheaded Viking commented as he chewed particles of food flinging from his mouth.

"Oh the benefits to being a son of Odin," Leif, Sif's older brother, stated as he took a seat at the table. Leif normally sat at another table with his own group of warrior friends. He was a few years older than Thor and his friends, but for some reason this particular day he saw fit to grace them with his presence.

"I didn't request this from my father," Thor added as he squared his shoulders.

"No?" Frandal raised his blonde eyebrows. "Then from your mother? That's actually a good plan asking different parents for different things… I like it," The young swordsman replied cheerfully.

"You get all your gifts from those young ladies you pretend to court," Sif spat shaking her head. She wouldn't be caught dead fawning over a fellow as she had seen the other nobles daughters do.

"True," Frandal said thoughtfully nodding as he gathered another spoonful of the delectable stew and shoved it into his mouth, "But if one disappoints…"

"Anyway Thor who are you asking this gift of?" inquired Sif trying to return to the original topic.

Thor thought about what to say. Loki told him to keep the gifts from Julenissen to himself. When ever Thor mentioned telling their friends about writing Julenissen or mentioning what Julenissen had gotten him last year Loki was insistent that he not do so. Thor never really understood. When he pestered his younger sibling about why, Loki simply replied that the reason they were getting so many good gifts was because less children wrote and Julenissen was able to spend more time designing their requests. It seemed a plausible explanation, but still Thor countered the argument by saying that perhaps Julenissen would be grateful that once again people were believing in him and would reward the princes of Asgard with even more wonderful gifts. Loki would usually get really angry by that point. He'd say it would make everybody else terribly jealous to know of his good fortune when they received nothing save potatoes every year. So Thor had kept quiet about it for nearly a century. It had been so tempting, but he did as his brother had instructed and kept the truth to himself. but now Thor didn't mind rubbing it in Leif's face. Leif was annoying and if it wasn't for the fact that he and Sif were related he would have pummeled him good sometime ago. Leif would see him ride up in a shiny gold chariot and he would know once and for all Julenissen was real. Besides, once everyone else started to believe again they would receive wondrous gifts as well. "Julenissen," The golden prince proclaimed proudly. The table fell silent.

" I…I'm sorry, did you just say Julenissen?" the older boy asked mockingly. Once they heard the answer repeated his young warrior friends started to laugh at the thought.

The Crown Prince of Asgard couldn't understand why his statement had been humorous. "Actually yes," the prince stated without fear.

Volstagg tried to control himself. He bit his lip and covered his mouth, but soon the guffaw was desperate to escape; he roared with laughter falling over leaning heavily on Thor for support, "Oh come off it already Thor," He managed to say without choking. "What did you ask for it as a peace offering from the Dwarves after that little run in you and Loki had?" the suggested.

"No dwarf would be able to craft what I have in mind," Thor boasted. He had worked hard thinking out the details of the chariot.

"OK, so did you ask that Vanahiem princess you met at the lake last year send you a little something." asked Frandal curiously arching his eyebrows up.

Thor chuckled good-naturedly at this thought. He remembered the beautiful pale skinned girl, they had been quite taken with each other. He was sure that he could have written her and asked her if she would like to exchange gifts during the festive season. Maybe he should arrange to send her something …or asked Julenissen to. "No I told you I'm asking Julenissen." Thor proclaimed. The laughter from his friends immediately fell into an awkward silence.

"What did you say?" Leif asked raising an eyebrow at the prince as he called a few of his burly young warrior friends over to the table..

"I said what I said and I need not repeat myself on your account," Thor stated. He narrowed his bright blue eyes and they cast a stormy look at the older young man. It wasn't that he felt embarrassed by what he said, all the contrary, he felt great pride, but he didn't have to humor Leif.

"Thor you can't be serious, right?" asked Frandal looking nervously around eyes were starting to stare at the table. Thor's voice was by nature like a blast of thunder and when he spoke it was always audible to all in the vicinity unless he purposefully whispered.

"Yes I am." Thor said truthfully. " I know you all have received potatoes in your shoes, but I have received grand gifts from Julenissen." Thor squared his shoulders as if making a declaration for all the people of the realm.

"Thor, you don't actually still believe, do you?" asked Hogun suspiciously his tone hushed. His eyes shifted over his shoulders to see if anyone else had heard the prince. He slowly heard other's in the mess hall drop their utensils., shift in their seats and silence their own conversation. Yes, they had heard.

"How can I not…I see him every year," prince Thor reasoned.

"Their majesties still dress up for you and your brother?" questioned Leif trying to piece everything together and on the verge of erupting into fitful hysterics.

"No one dresses up," Thor shook his head dismissing such a thought. "It's Julenissen who appears in the flesh!" he declared slamming his fist against the table.

" I don't remember seeing him at the palace last year," Sif asked hoping that there would be a more reasonable explanation given.

"He comes every year," Thor boomed. "He no longer attends the gala because you all no longer believe. Your doubt grieves him…" Thor relayed the laments of his beloved gift-giving friend, the strong built teenager touched his hand to his heart and shook his head as he conveyed the sentiment. He looked up at the table of his most trusted frieds and they could have sworn they saw his sky colored eyes mist with the explanation.

"HAHAHAHAHA!" Sif's eldest brother Leif howled. "Oh this is priceless!" he pointed at the big, strapping, muscular commander of thunder, the prized jewel of the school teams, the son of Odin, heir to the throne of Asgard. Leif slapped the table unable to suppress the fact that he was overwhelmed with merriment by the notion. He wasn't trying to suppress the fact either. You… You," he panted desperate to catch his breath as he continued his rambunctious laughter, "You… still believed in Julenissen!" he hollered his amusement for all in the mess hall to hear.

"Stop it, Leif!" Sif hissed.

"I will not stop!" Leif proclaimed, "Somebody has to tell this poor fool the truth," he roared and other's started to gather around.

"You don't know the truth Leif," Thor shrugged as he went back to eating his growled. He leaned over across the table and gripped the sniggering young Viking by his collar. "Julenissen is real!" Thor Odinson declared. He shouted the words in the other boys face. He would not have Julenissen be ridiculed a moment longer this close to the time of celebration.

"Thor who told you that?" Sif whispered tenderly.

"Loki,"

"Loki!" Leif yelled his tone still full of mocking mirth. "He got you good this time Prince Thor," Leif roared on.

"What are you talking about?" Thor asked getting irritated and feeling like hitting Leif in the mouth.

"I'm talking about the fact that Loki's got you still believing in Julenissen!" Leif pointed and others started to laugh to.

Thor's eyes got wide. What was Leif saying? That Loki was lying? Loki wasn't always the most truthful person, but Loki wouldn't have lied like that, not for years. Thor panicked. "LOKI!" he bellowed his eyes frantically searched around the mess hall for sight of the other prince.

"Thor there is no need to shout I'm right here." Loki said. He had appeared out of no where, but Loki had a tendency to do that nowadays, his magic was growing and he had no problem flaunting it. He looked positively bored and he put his finger in his ear as if cleaning it out. Loki had grown much as a magician as well as physically. He was taller now though still bony and frail looking.

"Good," Thor sighed in relief, "Loki there you are. We have a little debate going…" Thor began.

"Debate has never been your strong suit, brother," Loki shrugged and smirked to himself as he attempted to find a seat at the table.

"That's why I need you." Thor clapped his hand on Loki's back.

"Oh yes Loki won't you clear up this little misunderstanding for your brother?" Leif edged on from the sides.

"Thor why do you not raise your hand in class if you don't understand," Loki stated with annoyance. "I am not your personal tutor," he grumbled.

"No, Loki this isn't about lessons,"

"No, it's about something bigger than that," Leif reported sounding very serious. "It's about Julenissen!" he said and burst into fitful laughter doubling over as the words flew from his lips. Loki's eyes got wide.

"Loki I know you said that we shouldn't tell people about the Julenissen visits anymore," Thor began his mouth running off frantically as he gripped the much thinner prince by the shoulders.

It was then that Loki noticed the crowd of young nobles and other wealthy students staring at them. They weren't having their own conversations anymore; now all eyes were trained on the two princes. "Thor," Loki said getting rigid as the eyes of their peers fell upon them. It made Loki uncomfortable. Loki was always extremely felt conscious. Thor talked so loudly that the matter was far from private. It was now a public forum, a royal announcement even. "This is no time or place to talk about this," Loki said abruptly. He pulled away from Thor.

" I know… I know you told me that I shouldn't tell anyone," Thor began.

"It appears you didn't listen," Loki replied nervously his bright jade eyes darted back and forth taking in the stares of his classmates.

"Because if we told we wouldn't be able to keep all the good gifts for ourselves, but…" Thor kept talking he hadn't really heard his brother words he was eager to prove his point.
"He's spouting off so much drabble!" Leif jeered his face bight red from laughing so hard. "Is that what your brother told you?" Leif asked cracking up and even Volstagg and Frandal couldn't help but start snickering at this point. Up until then they had kinda hoped that Thor was merely jesting. It was now painfully obvious that this was still a wholehearted belief of the prince's and though they hated to partake in the ridicule of their friend, the realization that Thor was still a devout Julenissen enthusiast was hilarious to the point where no one could keep composure.

"It's not drabble!" Thor yelled.

"Oh yes it is," Leif laughed. "I think it's time you told your brother the truth, Loki," Leif went on. He slapped his hand on Loki's thin back and jolted the younger prince back to the reality of the situation. Why was this happening here and now in front of everyone. Why wouldn't Leif be quiet? Why was Thor still talking about Julenissen anyway? Hadn't he be warned to keep such foolishness to himself? These questions tumbled through Loki's mind as he tried to think of what to do. For a moment he thought that maybe he could use the incantation of forgetfulness and make everyone forget what was going on. But he couldn't conjure a spell powerful enough to make everyone in the room forget.

"What is it you need to tell me the truth about Loki?" Thor asked his eyes pleading. "You know Julenissen is real same as me, right?" Thor asked in earnest.

Loki didn't know what to do. He should have told Thor the truth ages ago. Well really Thor should have figured it out ages ago, but Thor was very sentimental and very rash so Thor clung to his every word like some lovesick girl clung to letters from a soldier. It was sickening. He didn't want to tell Thor here and now, but he couldn't allow people to think that he actually still believed in Julenissen. The truth of the matter was everyone already knew he didn't. Everybody, that was, but Thor, his lion-hearted brother who was as innocent as a lamb at times. "That's ridiculous," Loki shrugged Thor's meaty palm off of his shoulder. He took his seat wiping the corner's of his mouth with a napkin as he started to eat. A smirk creeping across his face.

" What do you mean? Loki, Julenissen came last year. Remember I told you about the personal visits and the amour and the dagger and that…boat model set"

"Thor, stop!" Loki said his voice commanding and harsh. He lifted his hand to his brother's face silencing him.

"Loki, I don't understand, remember the letters and the snacks and we went to the market square last year and wait in line…he was there… " Thor almost burst.

"Sit down, Thor," He said like he was talking to a child who was just learning that words had meaning. Thor raised a golden eyebrow at him in protest. "Don't say another word before you embarrass yourself any further" Loki said quietly keeping his eyes straight, but narrowed. He didn't want to tell Thor in front of everyone. It would mortify his brother, but he couldn't allow himself to be humiliated either. He could hear the murmurs and whispers from everybody… so they both still believed wasn't that just darling.

"Why would I be embarrassed?" Thor asked he had never really been embarrassed before. He had never suffered a defeat publically. He was the hope of Asgard. He was the son of Odin after all. What could anyone do to embarrass him. "I'm not ashamed of Julenissen, Loki." The golden prince replied trust in his youthful eyes. "You shouldn't be either… I'll just write him and him and beg him to come and then all of you will see… you see!" the prince declared. Loki's mouth dropped open with disbelief. This couldn't be happening. Thor couldn't be making this public declaration before all. Was his brother really that much of an idiot that he just couldn't take a hint. Couldn't he hear how everyone was laughing?

"You'll do no such thing!" Loki said sharply as he shot up from his seat green eyes cold as flint. He had to look up to see Thor's, but they were so hopeful and trusting. Loki knew that part of this was his own fault but he'd never dreamt it would go this far.

"I can ask Julenissen for what every I want for Solstice!" Thor insisted shaking his head, his little brother could be so silly with worry sometime.

"You can't ask that! You won't get it," Loki tried to explain through gritted teeth quietly. Thor only met his borther's intense hollow stare with a look of confusion.

"He doesn't get it! He still doesn't get it!" Leif ranted inspiring even more unruly mockery from the crowd in the mess hall.

"Why?" Thor asked Loki, his exuberance fading into a puzzled look of a child.

"We'll discuss it later," Loki said stoically, he turned slightly to pick up his meal tray. Suddenly the younger prince didn't feel very hungry.

"Why?" Thor called loudly. For the first time he began to take inventory of all the eyes that were still upon them. It didn't make him feel nervous or uneasy or lack confidence in the truth about the character of Julenissen. There was nothing to doubt Loki told him and once Loki told everyone else the matter would be settled, since Loki was so good at convincing people of things, Thor thought proudly to loved attention. "Just tell them Loki" he let out a sigh, but smiled as he playfully punched his younger brother in the shoulder.

"Tell them what?" Loki asked aggravation mounting throughout his flight frame. His fingers fidgeted by his side, his eye twitched. Why wouldn't Thor just let this matter die. All the eyes of the young men and women of court were still on them. The whispers were rumbling through the dinning area.

"About Julenissen!" Thor went on. Now he started to laugh not realizing he was only laughing at himself. "People believe you when you speak Loki. They'll believe you." Thor boasted in his brother's ear. The one time Thor gave Loki credit in public, Loki laughed at the irony. The one time when Thor realized that Loki's gift as an orator, was valuable was quite misplaced,

, "Let's talk about this in private…later. Please." He strained to say through his hushed tone.

"Loki, for too long we have held the good fortune of Julenissen to ourselves. Now it is time for those who have forgotten to remember once again," Thor explained clutching Loki's shoulders and making a statement like some poet, but Thor was far from poetic. The group around the jeered all the more. Even their friends could not contain their laughter by this point. Thor sounded so delusional.

"Thor, you sound like a fool!" Loki protested starting to walk away he could feel himself flushing under the demeaning stares and snickering of everyone.

"How? Why?" Thor demanded chasing behind Loki as he attempted to exit the mess hall. Thor grabbed hold of him. "Brother… he's real right"

"You want me to say the truth? You want me to tell the truth to everyone here?" Loki asked motioning with his hand to the large crowd of young Asgardians standing about. We was hoping that Thor would feel some sense of discomfort and back down, but the he didn't.. Thor nodded dumbly. Trustingly. Believingly. Loki brought his hands up to his temples massaging them, now he was purely just aggravated with Thor naivety. He had tried to shelter Thor, but when he heard a whisper somebody saying that both the sons of Odin were nothing but two mollycoddled ninnies, his blood ran cold.

"If you don't tell him I will!" Leif quickly balked from on top of a table, "I can't take it anymore!" Leif went on doubling over on his knees. "Someone put this wretched Bilschnipe out of misery!"

"Leif come on , just let it go," Sif grabbed her brother's hand and tried to pull him down from his lofty position.

Leif quickly snatched his hand away, "No, how is he going to rule over us when he's so naïve?" asked Leif loudly and the whispering of agreement started. "So look Prince Thor this is the truth of the matter…"

"He asked me," Loki turned around and glared at Leif. "So I will tell him," Loki said as he turned back around to face his blonde haired brother. A sense of pleasure started to trickle over him and he tried to suppress it, but a small part of him liked the notion of Thor finding out in public. Yes, it would be embarrassing, but hadn't he been embarrassed in public before? How many times had Thor shown him up, forced him to spar publically in events that he wasn't good at?

"Not me brother, tell everybody else…I already know the truth," Thor chuckled happily.

"You have no idea what the truth is Thor," Loki shuck his head. Thor looked befuddled, but the expression wasn't one Loki hadn't seen before on his siblings face. Well now Loki was about to bring some clarity and to some degree he was going to enjoy cutting his brother down to size."You still believe in that fairy tale," He announced and all hushed at the confirmation that the crown prince of Asgard really did believe, "But now it's time for you to wake up from that little dream," Loki went on his voice monotone and unwavering. Thor stared at him his face perplexed this wasn't going quite as he expected. "So now you need to know…Julenissen isn't real," he stated matter a factly boldly, mercilessly before all his face was expressionless. Thor's expression fell from an innocent gaze to something pained and questioning. The color in his face drained. He looked like he had the wind knocked out of him. His head reeled. The silence of the slowly erupted into a roar. A roar of laughter and the laughter got harder and it got louder. Thor spun around everywhere he looked in the large mess hall someone doubled over laughing him to scorn. They hooted and hollered, turned red and blue in the face. They gasped for air as they tried to compose themselves. Even his friends…even his friends could no longer suppress their giggles. They tried to hide it, but he could see their shoulders slightly jigging up and down, their eyes watering from tears that came with the territory of comedy. He turned away from them all and he turned back to Loki…his brother. Loki was smirking. It was the sort of smug little smile that was almost imperceptible, but Thor caught it. It was that smirk that made Thor the most embarrassed. The taunts and teases of his subjects, their ridicule rather than their admiration was a slap in the face, but that smirk. That smirk on his brother's lips was a blow that had so much weight Thor felt like he wanted to fall to his knees.

"Wh-wh-what?" Thor asked hands still wrapped around Loki's shoulder's his eyes looking desperately into Loki's seeing if they flickered. His green pupils didn't dilate though, he didn't shift or fidget, he stood there straight and still after the crushing words had flipped off his silver tongue. Thor's mind still reeled, hurt and humiliation and disillusionment flooding his psyche and making it hard to think. "But…we…I…I saw him" Thor stammered his words coming out in like a toddler first learning how to make a sentence rather than just saying random assortments of words.

Loki shuck his head. Why did Thor persist? He was like a dying man who by attempting to pull the weapon in his side out only dug it in deeper. Why couldn't he just nod and sit down or just leave the room? But since he insisted on asking more question Loki was obliged to grant more answers. "You saw this," Loki said and waved his hand, flicked his wrist and said some words that Thor couldn't catch and produced the image that he had conjured for his brother for what had been now nearly 100 years.

The image looked so real. So life like, but it was a shade, just a trick of Loki's imagination. The crowd of teens got hushed whispering. The whispering was even worse than the laughter. He spun around and saw their faces, the shock and the smiles, the snickers and the amusement. His friends turned away looked down , looked up in the air whistling. He turned back to his brother. "You…you…said you…when we were younger…I…asked you…you said he was …real" Thor's voice was weak, humble, he held his hands in place in front of him he looked down at Loki's shoes.

"Yes," Loki said still standing like an oracle finally shedding some light on the situation of some simpleminded pilgrim. "I know," Loki confessed his green eyes big and his mouth imperceptibly turned up into a sneer that only his brother could catch because Loki held his face like that so often.

"You lied?" it was a question not a statement, because Thor still had to process the fact that it was a lie. Why it took him by surprise Thor would never know. Loki lied often. He played mean tricks on people often, but for some reason Thor had always had a hard time seeing that.

Loki shook his head in disbelief. Thor could not really be this naïve. Loki had lied to him plenty of times. But no matter how many times Loki lied when Thor found out he always stood flabbergasted by the notion. Loki smirked wider as he patted Thor on the shoulder. "It's not the first time I've lied to you," he admitted and actually put on a smile that looked sweet and sincere. Thor became enraged. He gritted his teeth and tried to hold his fist steady by his side, but he felt himself loosing control. Loki started to walk away and head back to his seat. Now that the truth had been shed there was no reason he couldn't enjoy his meal. Loki felt a rare emotion slip over him… a feeling of control. He felt so powerful a feeling that he normally didn't seem to get much of a chance to embrace. He was always viewed as weaker and lesser, but this tipped the scale, made them equal to so extent. He liked this feeling of power. It felt good.

The whisperings continued still coupled with laughter. Thor too felt a rare emotion wash over him like a flood …disgrace. He should never feel that way. He was Thor young god of thunder, Crown Prince of Asgard, Odin's firstborn son. No one should have the right to mock him. The mocking and the ridicule that swirled out of the mouths of his young Viking peers made him feel so small. It was horrible, hideous it made him want to run and hide, but hiding was for cowards and he would not have anymore ridicule come to his name. Without thought Thor felt his hand grip around the dark-haired prince's neck. He held on tightly and hoisted Loki in the air. Loki looked nervous his feet kicked in the air. The smug grin was gone and the powerful feeling was fading quickly. Thor carried him like this and forcefully flipped him onto a table. The good feeling was completely drained now. What had he done? And Why had he done it? Loki went with a crash as his body collided with plates and glasses and utensils. He started to arch himself up in pain, but the movement made Thor press the choke harder."WHY?" Thor demanded his eyes brimming with tears. The crowd of Asgardian teens screamed and gasped, but still there was laughter .

"I…" his little brother gasped as his bony, white fingers circled around Thor's thick hands trying to pry it away from his neck. "I… can…. explain," he croaked out a hoarse whisper. He brought his foot up to kick Thor in the stomach just as an attempt t be able to breathe once more, but when focused Thor could become an immovable object.

"Thor!" Frandal and Volstagg called rushing over to try and settle the mighty prince. But Thor didn't hear them. His hand continued to grip tightly round Loki's neck blocking his air supply. They both started to grab his arm trying to pull him off of Loki, but Thor was now endowed with the strength of thunder and he could not be moved.

"You were just waiting… huh? Waiting to humiliate me!" Thor yelled and the other students in the mess hall moved from their seats and excited cheered on the fight, Because that is what people of Asgard loved; good battles. 'Is that what you wanted, to shame me before all?" Thor asked bitterly shaking Loki a little.

"No," Loki managed to say as he felt his body rattle. That had never been his intent when he started out with the little scam. He hadn't wanted to entirely today either. He wanted Thor to back down, but when he didn't…

"You just like playing with my head, then?" Thor asked roughly. " My poor, stupid brother! He'll believe anything I say off of my forked tongue. Let me see how I can make a fool of him once more. Let me see what other tricks he will fall for," Thor described in a mocking tone.

"Br-brother p-please," Loki cried desperate for breath. His hands still scrambling to claw Thor's constrictor grip around his neck slowly started blocking the oxygen from entering his windpipe," His face getting even whiter that normal, his green eyes half lidded as if he would pass out any minute. Thor could feel his little brother's pulse in his bare hands. "I…can't…breathe," he got out.

Thor released him. Loki limp body rolled off the table and fell to the floor like a rag doll.. Loki rolled on his side clutching his heart. He gasped as air finally filled his lungs once more. He had strong hands grip him once more turn his over and lay him flat on his back. The room was spinning and he was still winded, his vision was blurry, his back still hurt from when his brother slapped him down on the table. To make matter's worse he felt Thor climb on top of him. "Thor, please," he mouthed slowly breathlessly as he looked up at his much stronger older sibling, Thor's heavy hand was made into a fist and aimed at Loki's face. Loki turned his head bracing himself for the impact of the blow. Thor heard the jeering of the crowd, mocking him saying how such a fool was not worthy of the throne, crying out to Valhala to save them from his leadership. He squeezed his fist tighter together.

"You're my brother!" He shouted at Loki gripping him up by the shoulders of his tunics and this slamming his body back on the ground. " Father said…You're supposed to be my supporter," he stated his voice dropping along with the fist. He punched the ground and the mess hall rumbled knocking the mockers over, but that didn't stop their laughter. "Why would you…How could you dishonor me like this?" Thor asked quietly. He wanted to crawl under a rock as he watched every stare a whisper and make wisecracks about him in his face. Loki started to get up, but Thor pushed him back on the ground.

Loki glared up at Thor from his back, "I wasn't trying to dishonor you …I was trying to be a good brother." Loki explained rolling over breathlessly panting.

Thor looked at his brother with utter disgust. He got off of him and started to head out the room all the while hearing the taunting remarks of his peers. So this is what it meant to feel mortified. It was crushing suffocating. He wished he was small, he wished for the first time in his life he knew magic like Loki so he could make himself vanish. He hated it. He hated it. He started to run. "Run to Julenissen, little baby!" He heard Leif yell over the crowd. It was a pure adrenaline based reaction when Thor marched back around step over his brother's thin body and punched Leif square in the jaw. he sent the older boy said threw the air, but he didn't wait for Leif to respond to the blow. His ears still rang with the teasing of the rest of his classmates and he need to escape with what little pride he had.

The ride home was blur. He drove his horse harshly, forcing the animal to run faster thatn normal through the streets of the Imperial City. Normally, Prince Thor proudly galloped through the cobblestone roadways, he loved to have the peasants stop and stare at him in awe, have young maidens catch their breath as they caught a glimpse of his gorgeous locks, have merchants toss him their goods free of charge and hear as the townspeople wished him health and prosperity and victory in all he did. Now he wished to be seen by no one. He was a scorned fool before the eyes of his subjects. It wouldn't be long til the students body of the royal academy arrived to their homes only to share with their families that prince Thor still believed in Julenissen he would be taunted for the rest of his days by his peers he had no doubt. Their noble parents would shake their heads pityingly when he came to a formal dinner, their servants would snigger behind his back. He would never be able to show his face again at least not for one hundred years. He'd beg his father to get him a private tutor or send him to Vanaheim.

The palace was glittering, the preparations were well underway for the holiday. Servants were busy hanging garland and leaves, putting flowers around the room. They were rearranging the decor and they brought out the season rugs, and vases and other ornaments to set the mood for the occasion. The prince wanted to rip all the ornaments and decorations down. They mocked him and scorned him just his peers at school had, just as his brother's smirk hard. A few servants called to him trying to ask the prince if he preferred tinsel here or there. One young servant girl planted herself under a mistletoe hoping to steal a kiss from his highness.

Thor was blind to their gestures and deaf to their voices. He went to his room dazed with humiliation. His father and mother were most likely still in meetings so nobody questioned why he was home so early from school. As soon as he entered his chambers he slammed the door. The pictures on the wall and trinkets that rested on the shelves fell on the floor, but he didn't care. He'd have some one clean it up later. He liked the sound of the things crashing against his marble floor.

He looked at his bed. The happy quilts that his mother always had placed on the beds to celebrate the season. She had sewn them with the help of her handmaidens long ago when she first found out she was pregnant. At the time when made them as a gift for her unborn child. The quilts gently displayed the classic Solstice scene with Julenissen bestowing gifts and riding through the nine realms on his sleigh. He had always loved it, but now it was a hideous reminder of constant lies. He ran to the bed and pulled the blanket off, crumpled it up, and ripped it. He looked around his room setting his sight on all the things that were about that were constant reminders of the lie. He had a whole chest full of his Julenissen gifts, he'd dump them all out…give them to orphans anything to get the lie that mocked him out of his face. He was a fool to believe for so long. He shuck his head miserably hating his own naïvety. Why had Loki tricked him all those years. He started to go for the chest buried in the back of one of the closets, but then his eye caught sight of a box, the blue box that had been the present he'd received from Julenissen almost a hundred years ago now the night he was about to stop believing all together. The night he should have stopped believing… the night Loki made his deceitful image the first time. He fiddled with the gift. It had meant so much and now he saw it for what it really was… a lie. Another illusion his brother had conjured. He squeezed the hilt tight in his hand, looked at the gift with repulsion and flung it at the mirror outside of the dressing salon. It hit and the ornate mirror shattered into tiny pieces. The impact from the throw and created a gaping crack in the flawless gold plaster that lined the wall where the mirror once stood.

Still, further enraged, he flipped over his writing desk. The desk where he had set and asked Loki for the truth and Loki just fed him lies. The papers and parchments, quills and different color inks tumbled to the floor loudly. Thor's massive shoulders heaved up and down as he beheld the mess he was making. He could have done more. He felt as if he wanted to flip his bed out of the window, but somehow all the vehemence and anger fled quickly and before long he found himself unable to stand. He pressed his back against the wall, sank down and cried. He didn't know why he was crying… he was so flooded with so many strange emotions that all felt awful. He was embarrassed because nobody believed in Julenissen at his age and in his mind he knew that, but when Loki said it was Ok he trusted him and kept believing and then his little secret was out for all to laugh at. He could hear the students in the academy 'here comes Prince Thor the baby, the fool.' He was sad because Julenissen wasn't real. It was like someone telling him a friend had died. He was angry with Loki for lying about for so long. He felt so betrayed by his brother. Loki had conned him, made him just a puppet for his own sick pleasure. Humiliated him. Is that what a good brother does? He hated how Loki said that he was trying to protect him. Protect him from what? Protect him how? As if he needed Loki's protection… the whole thought was so laughable, but he didn't feel like laughing. Loki lied. A lie wasn't protection it was deception. The more he thought about the trickery the more and more upset he became. The tears kept pouring from his sapphire eyes hot and fast and he felt even more like a child the way he was reacting. He cried for a long while. He cried so hard he fell asleep. Then he heard a knock at the door.

"Thor are you in there?" he heard Loki softly rap on the door. For awhile Thor set silent. Maybe if he ignored Loki he'd go away, "Thor!Thor!" Loki called frantically pounding on the solid gold door, but Thor wasn't good ant not reacting to stimuli and one more pound on the door broke his resolve.

"Leave me be, Loki." Thor rumbled from behind the door.

"Thor please, open up,".

"Go away!"

"Brother, can we just talk?"

"I have nothing to say to you, Loki," Thor declared and got up and stomped over to the door. He slightly opened it. He peered out and looked down at his younger brother. Though Loki had sprouted in the past few years Thor still stood taller than him. Loki looked back and put on a smirk. That smirk, sometimes Thor just wanted to slap that smug little expression off of the green-eyed youth's angular face. He only returned a weary grimace in his younger sibling's direction. "I think you've said enough today," He replied and slammed the door in Loki's face. Loki was taken aback by the action. Between the two of them he had always been the one more likely to shut the other out. Thor was quick to get over things and easy to share how he felt. Loki shuck his head, Julenissen truly meant a lot to him. He heard Thor put the steel bolt on the door to secure the room. He heard his hulking body bang against the other side of the door.

"Brother" Loki said as he just appeared in Thor's face. Thor's red rimmed eyes got wide with shock then narrowed into a glare. Loki was just in Thor's room. If Thor went in Loki's room without permission Loki would have a fit, but here Loki just felt free the teleport himself where he was uninvited. The nerve of that slimy little snake. Loki was staring down at him since Thor had resumed his position slumped against the floor pitifully pouting.

Thor found his brother's patronizing concern irksome. "Do you not understand what a shut door means?" He asked through gritted teeth as he clenched his fist.

"A closed door is hardly a method to keep me out," Loki reminded his older brother and grinned cheekily.

" Is this?" Thor asked rising slowly to his feet wiping his eyes, "GET OUT! " Thor yelled and pointed his hand at the door.

"Calm down," Loki began putting up surrendering hands.

"Don't tell me to be calm after what you've done! You ruined my Solstice!" Thor stated.

". "You're the one who brought Julenissen up in the first place." Loki began and started walking around the room.

"Don't you dare try to twist this on me,," Thor cut Loki off sharply. His massive shoulders heaving up and down. He looked as if he wanted to throw something out the window. And Loki suspected that maybe it was him. "If you wouldn't have been playing games with my head..." Thor went on, his breath hitched, he was livid.

"I'm sorry," Loki said with a sigh. He looked off to the side. It was a rare thing for Loki to apologize and when he did ,if he was actually sincere, they always came out awkward and stiff.

Thor stepped closer in his brother's direction, Loki looked up at him somewhat timidly. Thor searched his brother's expression Loki didn't seem to house much remorse or at least nor enough for after what he had done. Loki had apologized as if he had seen the thing and just took pity on the plight of the disgraced personal, and not as if he had been the contributor to the humiliation. When the two had their staring match Loki wasn't greeted by his normally gentle faced older sibling. Thor still looked on the verge of rampage. And Loki kept himself from wrapping his hand protectively around his neck which was sore from the choking. Usually, Thor was the one to make the first apology, when he did so, he would always follow through with a warm embrace, Loki would always tease Thor and tell him they might as well kiss and make up as mushy as he was about things. Still, he wondered if he should offer his brother a hug to make apology seem more sincere. But when he looked into the brooding pools that were Odin's blonde haired son's eyes and saw Thor's fist clenched so tight they made the veins in his brother's muscles bulge out like swollen rivers. He immediately dismissed the thought. Thor was imposing and Loki now understood why people backed down when Thor challenged them to a fight. He felt as though Thor would punch him in the face had he opened his arms and tried to hug him. Loki gulped as Thor stepped closer, "You're sorry for what?" Thor's voice was a deep angry rumble a tone rarely used for Loki even in their worst fights. But this was more than rage there was wounded look in his brother's crystal blue eyes and Loki could tell he had cried. Strong and brave Thor never cried. And knowing that he had affected Thor in that was gave Loki a feeling that he so relished. That rare fleeting feeling had once again surface… the powerful feeling taking over his senses Loki had to fight to remain composed and not smile full and wide like he felt like doing. He took a deep breath, then he exhaled "I'm sorry for..."

"Are you sorry for the way you tricked and conned me for years?" Thor demanded his head shaking back and forth and strolled closer.

"I…" Loki began as he took a step back. "it wasn't a trick Thor..."

Thor hurled an incriminating finger in Loki's face. "Are you sorry for how you completely humiliated me in front of all my friends and everyone at school?" Thor ranted on. He gripped Loki roughly by his thin arms and pushed him into one of the dressers. "Do you feel bad for making me feel like and idiot for all the times I believed anything that every came out of your mouth?" Thor ground out

Loki shrunk back, "I wasn't trying to do any of that Thor… I just didn't want to ruin it for you," Loki confessed and looked down.

"You ruined everything for me! I am a laughingstock!" Thor yelled down at him. "How do you expect me to ever show my face again?" Thor demanded

Loki kept his days downcast, he cringed under the blast of his older brother's voice. "In a few days everyone will…"

"Don't you dare say one more lying word to me," Thor seethed.

"I… I tried to tell you the truth about Julenissen before. I tried every year, but you just wouldn't listen! You just kept going on and on in your little make believe world so I let you believe! I let you have it!" Loki ranted. The words came out fast and harsh. Like a million punches to the gut and Thor's face showed it. Loki regretted it. He said trying to reach out to his brother. Thor stepped back. "You cared so much about Julenissen."

"I thought you cared too," Thor replied still dumbfounded by the reality that what had been so much apart of his childhood with his brother had been nothing but a charade Loki put on. "So you mean all those times when you told me you had already written your letter or you had already gone to the market square..you were just tricking me so you could scorn me behind my back?" Thor asked his back turned he looked down at the floor the reality still giving slapping blows

"No!" Loki reached out and took Thor back the shoulder, "I humored you," he expressed benevolently smiling like their mother used to smile when he would bring her works of art for her to display in the kitchen.

"So you, 'humored' me," Thor began as he turned around and spun on his heels and glared down at the lanky black haired boy beside him, "all that time and you decided today was the day I needed to know?' he asked bitterly.

" I didn't want to tell you in front of everyone, but you kept pressuring me."

"You lied all that time… you couldn't lie again to help me save face?" Thor asked his voice weak and fragile.

"You had to learn the truth at some point," Loki shrugged.

"Oh thanks for telling me the truth Loki you're such a good brother," Thor said sarcastically and gave a smile.

Loki's green eyes flickered with regret "Brother, I wasn't trying to hurt you. When I told you that Julenissen was real…I"

"Oh I know…" Thor said putting on a fake happy expression, "You were just trying to look out for me, right?" he smiled brightly, but then it faded to a smoldering glare.

"I wanted to make you happy!" Loki blurted out frustrated with how Thor just belittled his acts of kindness. "I thought eventually you'd figure it out for yourself," Loki shrugged.

"I don't care. I don't want to see your face, right now."

"It's not my fault that you're so naïve Thor! If you weren't so foolhardy you would have figured it out for yourself years ago. "

"And it's not my fault that you're a …a…a liar!" Thor hollered.

"If you'd open your eyes and look around you wouldn't be so easy to deceive," Loki retorted.

"Maybe then I'd see you for what you really are," Thor grunted.

"And what's that?" Loki asked sort of laughing to himself.

" You're a deceitful little snake!" Thor snapped. Irritated with this fact he shoved Loki and Loki flew back several feet into the golden door that made the entrance way into his elder brother's quarters, but the push was so strong that it didn't just stop at the door . The door flew off the hinges and collided with the wall outside the bedchamber. The wall cracked and the potter that lined the halls tumbled over. The crash was loud and echoed through the halls. Loki's head slammed back harder on the doors frame on impact when the door collided with the wall. His nose started bleeding again. Loki looked stunned. His eyes fluttered as if trying to bring everything back into focus. Thor staggered out of his room, he was shocked at himself he hadn't meant to do all that. Just then their mother came frantically down the hall a group of her maidens hot on her tail.

"What was that?" she asked indirectly she looked and saw Thor and rushed to him, thinking maybe something had happened to him 'Loki!" she shouted seeing blood trail down the dark haired prince's face. She saw Thor imposingly looming over him. Her and her servants were immediately at Loki's side helping the scrawny young man to his feet. "Darling," Frigga said as she ordered a maiden to get some tissues from out of prince Thor's room . The room was a mind field and the servant girl treaded softly upon entrance to avoid glass cutting her. The girl brought back the tissues and Frigga gingerly began to wipe Loki's face. Both nostrils oozed with blood. It ran like a faucet over his lips and down his chin. "You need to go to the healer," Frigga insisted, trying to get Loki to lift his head up to stop the blood flow.

"Is everything Ok?" The King of Asgard asked he came down the hall with gallant rushing strides two guards accompanying him. "I heard a crash," he explained to his wife and children. "Loki what happened?" demanded upon seeing the mess that was the boys face.

"Ask Thor," Loki spat, pushing away from his mother's hold and wiping his hand under his dripping nostrils. His white hands were stained red by the crimson liquid. "he had a tantrum when I told him about his buddy Julenissen," Loki said and he started to laugh it was almost a cackle.

. " Guess it's a good thing you found out today, huh? Guess it freed you up to act as you want to," He started his breath evening as he shuck his head, "Striking your little brother twice in one day will most certainly would have put you on the naughty list. Making him bleed, Tisk tisk tisk" Loki mocked clucking his tongue as he stepped closer to Thor's face, "Why you would have been in fear of getting potatoes in your shoes for the rest of your days," Loki whispered as he leaned in Thor's face, blood was dripping down his pointed chin and smearing all over his green tunics with the gold embroidery, Loki normally hated to get his pristine clothes dirty, but he didn't seem to care as the crimson stains gathered on the fringes of his collar. He stood there, letting it drip, a twisted grin was on his face. Thor lunged toward him again letting out a thunderous roar. Odin reached out his strong hands to restrain his older son from releasing another physical attack on the younger. Loki didn't flinch when he saw his elder sibling poised to charge like some type of raging bilgeshnipe. Loki stood firm and still had the sickeningly straight smile running across his blood coated mouth as if challenging Thor to do something else in front of their parents.

"Thor!" the king's deep voice shook him back to alertness. "Apologize!" He said and shook Thor by the shoulder roughly.

"Loki!" Odin called out reaching for his younger son, but Loki was gone. Magic was making the prince a more illusive figure. Thor growled and slammed his fist against the wall causing a terrible dent.

"What is going on?" asked Frigga worriedly. She turned her head to the spot where Loki was and then quickly turned her head to her oldest boy and looked at him with a startled look. "Why would you hit your brother like that? And all this so close to the Solstice! Look at your room!" Queen Frigga went on frantically shaking her head.

"Loki humiliated me at school, he told everyone I still…believed in Julenissen and…"

"Thor, son, how is this possible at your age?" Frigga questioned. "I thought you knew…your father hasn't dressed up in nearly a century." she stated and touched her sons strapping shoulder.

"Loki told me he was real… I don't know why I believed that liar!" Thor spat.

"Enough!" Odin roared and the teenager was silent.

"I need to go check on Loki," Frigga told her husband. "That blood.. there was so much blood," she muttered to herself as she looked at the hankercheif that was practically drenched in red and still it hadn't gotten all the blood off Loki's pale narrow face. Odin nodded dismissing his queen.

"Thor we need to talk," Odin said and Thor remembered Loki having that same voice many years ago. They walked through the corridors father and son. "I don't know all the details of what has happened," The ruler of the realm began. Thor did not hesitate in going into details about the events that had transpired at the academy.

"I understand that your pride is wounded my son, but that is no reason for you to lash out at your brother the way you did," Odin began with a sigh. "There will be many matters that you will face when your time comes to rule over this kingdom you cannot be so easily governed by pride. It will end only in bloodshed just as it has done today."

Thor seemed not to hear his father's statement he continued in his tirade. "The worse part of it," The crown prince began, "is that he said he did it to protect me, what sense does that make?" Thor mumbled bitterly.

"It makes a lot of sense my son. "Odin confessed as he cleared his throat.

"What? How? How can a lie protect someone?" Thor looked at his father needing wisdom. He was so confused and hurt and embarrassed even now.

"Sometimes the truth can hurt people, Thor," Odin explained.

"I don't understand," Thor shuck his head his blonde hair bouncing as they entered the gardens.

The King of Asgard paused trying to think of the right way to illustrate the matter to his eldest son. "Do you remember a few years ago when there was a rebellion in the Eastern Dales?" Odin asked. Thor thought for a moment then remembered the incident. "When I announced the rebellion to the Kingdom I told them that it was only a band of a few, really it was an entire militia of about 300 citizens who were slowly gaining territory. I told the people that the rebellion was contained when I hadn't even dispatched troops yet. Do you understand why I did that?"

"Yes, father to keep from inciting panic," Thor reasoned.

"But it was still an untruth,"
"Yes, but the citizens can't be privy to all information it would make them fearful and lack confidence if they knew too much," Thor shrugged.

"So you see that sometimes a lie can be used to protect people?" Odin raised his eyebrow. "To protect innocent people from facing matters that they are not responsible for."

"Father, that is different, you have to look out for the well being of the realm,"

"Maybe Loki thought that he was looking out for your well being," Odin expressed as they continued their slow walk around the courtyard.

"But Loki wasn't looking out for my well being! Thor insisted "He was just making me look a ignorant," Thor sounded miserable in what he said. "His lie only lead to my scorn and ridicule amongst my peers. I am a prince of Asgard and now I am to be mocked by my subjects for the rest of my days?" Thor shrugged looking up at his father, the wisest man he knew. Though Thor was approaching the age of manhood, he was still avery young boy in many ways. Odin knew that and so did Loki. "How did he protect me, how did he help me? He said he wanted to make me happy… I'm not happy, I'm furious, I'm disgraced."

Odin's expression that often seemed hard to onlookers because of his one eye soften tremendously, Thor was so deeply troubled. He knew where the lad was coming from. He well remembered the days of youth. Days when the publics opinion made all the difference in the weight of your world.."Loki told your mother and me about your little belief system some time ago," Odin confessed and he looked down at his son, who was only now starting to become a man. He smiled warmly as he watched Thor as he flushed under his one eyed gaze. "I was going to tell you, but Loki begged me not to," he explained.

"Why? So he could think of me as an idiot?" Thor ranted.

No, no," The king put a warm hand on his son's tense shoulder. "He only wanted you to be happy. He knew that you'd be disappointed to learn the truth. He didn't want to ruin the enjoyment of the season for you. He protected your innocence from being shattered. Odin explained. ". Innocence is a rare gift in this world. Sometimes when we find innocence we try to keep it that way. We lock it up before it can become jaded." Odin explained but his gaze was off of his son now and he stared out at nothing. He just didn't want you to lose your innocence."

" Did he keep me innocent or keep me simple? He could have waited to tell me, but he purposefully told me in front of the students. Now everybody thinks I'm a fool." Thor said twisting out from under his father's hand.

"The timing was unfortunate, but I don't think your brother's intent was to embarrass you publically when he told you about Julenissen originally."

"Because of Loki I don't think I can show my face at the academy for a month!" Thor rumbled.

"That's rubbish. You are my son, you didn't know. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Now you know the truth and you are equally as wise as everyone there and Loki," Odin explained. He nudged his son's downcast chin up.

"I feel so betrayed by Loki," Thor admitted.

"Don't. I think if the roles were reverse…"
"I wouldn't have let Loki walk around like a fool believing in a fairytale," Thor went on.

"Maybe not about this particular issue, but if you knew something…"

"What could be so earth shattering that I would lie for all those years?" Thor wondered allowed.

"If you knew a truth Thor, that would devastate Loki," His father was intense and he looked his son firmly in the, "You wouldn't tell him, would you?" he took his heir and held him tightly by the shoulders, "Would you?"

"No father, I suppose not," Thor said slowly and thoughtfully as he bit his lip wondering what could be so devastating?

"Your brother was obviously very ill in the end," The King of Asgard explained almost vacantly.

"I don't understand Loki couldn't have just gone mad over night," Thor ranted to his parents it had only been a few days since his brother's unimaginable suicide and everyone had been on pins and needles with grief.

"He was driven mad," his mother replied as tears trailed down her cheeks.

"By what?" Thor demanded. "What could have caused this?" Thor wondered. The question was rhetorical. He hadn't actually expected Odin to give an answer.

"A lie," His father's voice was a whisper.

"A lie? A LIE! Loki lied all the time how could a lie push him over the edge?" the solitary prince begged of his parents. He couldn't completely process all that had happened. The destroyed, the fight, the bridge being destroyed, Loki plummeting toward that vortex. It all seemed like some elaborate nightmare. He kept expecting to wake up run into his brother's room and see him calmly quietly reading a book or find him in the hall snickering at some mischief he had created, but the bridge was cracked, the bifrost gone and so was Loki.

"Well maybe it wasn't a lie...maybe it was the truth that corrupted your brother," Odin replied softly.

"Truth father?" Thor looked as if he was on the verge of tears again, "Truth made Loki try to kill me, try to destroy Jutonheim, to take over Asgard?"

His heart twisted a long with his body as he slept. The memories faded and guilt consumed the prince. He had finally learned the truth/lie that his father spoke about so many years ago. But when his parents explained what had happened Thor only felt anger. Why would learning the truth make Loki lose him mind? Make Loki turn into a cruel monster? That truth was just a technicality at best. It didn't change anything about who Loki was to his family. Thinking of how Loki had let all semblance of sanity slip over a confession that he asked for made Thor enraged the prince. He ranted on and on the night before the funeral saying how what Loki did was ridiculous and uncalled for. He was so furious with Loki for having such a juvenile response. Then his mother reminded him of an incident many centuries ago when he had begged for truth and had reacted rashly when he got the answer. Thor should have understood more. He should have remembered how crushing a truth was after you'd believed a lie for so long. He should have remembered how it felt to think those that you trusted the most were the ones lying to you. He should have known that empty dark feeling that crept over Loki when their father finally told him that he was adopted. Did Loki think that he knew too? Did he think that he known the secret all along and kept it as a part of some sick joke? He honestly didn't. Had he…it wouldn't have changed anything, Loki would have still been his brother…he'd always be his brother. Maybe Loki should have been told the truth eons ago…maybe if he would have known he could have adjusted and moved on from there. Maybe Loki should have never learned the truth. Thor sighed in his sleep. Hearing Loki shout, "I'm not your brother… I never was." It was one of few times when Thor instantly knew Loki wasn't telling the truth. He didn't know what Loki meant then, but he knew it was a lie. There was no truth in that statement at all.