Chapter 9: King of Asgard
June 31, 2011 AD
The All-Father's chamber was bathed in a light golden glow, emanating from the shimmering light that covered over the boat like bed where the great king slept. At the head, on either side, were his wife and youngest son, watching him carefully, closely. Loki had taken too much to staring at things lately, but it just seemed like the thing to do. It seemed like all he could do. Father's sleep was different this time; there was no warning, no preparations, no nothing. He never grew used to seeing his father this way, the peterually strong, solid, never ending and secure form of his father weak and vulnerable, helpless as a newborn child. It wasn't right, it didn't fit. And yet it happened still, despite the wrongness of it all.
"I worry…" She whispered, drawing Loki's attention away from his father and to his mother's grief etched face. When had sorrow laid so deeply there? You know very well when. Loki hissed in his thoughts. "I fear he may not wake…"
"He will, mother." Loki assured her, even if he didn't really believe it himself. It was the least he could do, to hold up his family as he had ever tried to. He may lie to her, to bolster her weary soul. Frigga smiled gently at him, looking back down to her husband.
"You and he were at odds, before he slept." She sighed. Loki took a deep breath, leaning back from the golden bed, knowing she was right. "He loves you, Loki, you know that don't you?" Loki nodded slowly.
"He always made sure I knew." Loki whispered. And he always had, hadn't he? Looking back on his life, Odin had always impressed upon Loki that he was loved, that he was equal, that he did not have to prove anything to anyone. There were days when Loki wished they never told him, that he'd never known. But, Loki knew he would have found out at some point, and how terrible would it have been, learning some other way, some later day? Even if his father had, by telling him the truth, made his life immeasurably difficult, even if he had inadvertently stolen Loki's childhood from him, Odin had made every effort to help Loki where he could. "I do not understand then…why?" Frigga frowned at him. "What in the nine possessed him to kill me? I simply do not understand. If I did I… I could try to forgive him, truly, but as it stands now… I do not know why he did it… If he loved me, as he said…"
"He does love you." Frigga urged, trying to pour all of her truth and honesty into the words. "As for why, I do not know exactly why… he has never told me. I think he is ashamed of his reason, whatever it may be." The All-Mother sighed heavily, eyes drifting to her husband's sleeping form as she spoke her next words.
"He was so sorry, for what he did to you. He was so sorry Loki. He blamed himself for what he saw happening to his family, and then when you came back, he didn't know what to do. It was why he did not go to Hela himself, as much as he wanted you, he feared you, your anger and pain. He couldn't face you, he was too ashamed." Loki frowned.
"Feared my…" Loki sighed and his eyes drifted away. "I am angry with him, of course I'm angry." He trialed off, trying to keep from letting loose just how angry he was. His father's betrayal had cut deep, the rest he'd expected in their own ways, but not his father's, and he'd never expected death. He'd never felt so betrayed in all his life, not even each time Baldur had turned on him. He was more hurt and confused than angry, but anger was so much easier an emotion than either of those, it's sick beckoning like a siren's song. It was a trap, burning the already charred bridges of his family. So Loki forced himself to look past the anger to the roots of it all, the wound the dirty rags of fury tried to cover over, infecting it as they played at healing. He took a deep breath and spoke again. "I am willing to forgive him." Loki looked down. Even if he did not believe his own words, he spoke them. Some times, he had to simply tell himself he forgave people in his head, and he'd slowly believe it in his heart. That was how it was now, with his father, with most of them. It was harder than they knew, to let this all go. Most of them, Thor, his mother, Sif, Fandral, he'd forgiven them in his heart. But not his father. Not yet.
But he was willing to try.
"I know, Loki. And he can hear you, now." Frigga said, sighing. "And he knows." Loki blinked slowly, then turned when he heard the door open. Oh, he'd been dreading this, and so much of him was still shocked, numb when he saw them, holding Gungnir. The chaos of emotions inside him rose even higher, fear now adding itself to the powerful cocktail of anger, confusion and hurt. "With Thor gone, the line of succession falls to you." Frigga said as Loki stood slowly, fighting to clear his head, reign in his emotions. His movements were almost in slow motion as he gently took his father's spear from the high councilor. He glanced back at his mother, and she smiled at him, nodding encouragingly. Loki curled his hands around Gungnir tighter.
He could do this.
"All-Father, we need to – oh, Loki." Fandral nearly tripped when he saw his friend, in all his regalia and horned helm, sitting on the All-Father's throne. Something akin to dread began to settle in his stomach, not at the fact that Loki was on the throne, but what it meant about the All-Father. First Thor, and now his father. "Is there something wrong?"
"My father has fallen into the Odinsleep. Until he wakes, I am regent." Loki replied, still fingering Gungnir slightly as he sat on his borrowed throne. Fandral nodded respectfully. "Do you need something my friends?"
"It's about Thor." Volstagg said. Loki frowned, eyes narrowing slightly. He looked intimidating on that throne, far more than even his friends thought possible.
"I think we've already been through this. Thor stays where he is, and tries to learn his lesson, whatever that may be. And I'm not going to go against my father's last act in my first." Loki told them, his tone carried a note of sureness and finality almost reminiscent of Odin himself.
"Of course, we would not ask you to bring Thor back." Fandral clarified, and he was surprised to see Loki's shoulders visibly relax, as though he'd been expecting a fight from them. Though he probably was on edge as it was, he'd just had a throne he'd never wanted or expected thrown in his face, so Fandral let it go.
"We would ask if we could go to him, perhaps help him get his power back." Sif said. Loki cocked his head, thinking the plan over.
"All four of you?" He asked, and they all nodded. "I don't see any harm in you going… however, if you could wait until there is a more stable situation with Jotunhiem, I may need you here if events continue on their current course." Loki replied.
"But Loki, we will need Thor if there is a war." Volstagg protested. Loki nodded slightly.
"I do not disagree. However, Thor is in exile at the moment, and until I know there is no hope for diplomacy, I shall act as if there is. Please, understand my friends, I do not mean to keep you from Thor, and I want him home as much as you all do, perhaps more. But, I am regent; I have to think of Asgard, not just my own needs or wants. Asgard needs to avoid a war, and if Thor remaining in exile for a time ensures that, I am afraid he must stay there. Trust me, I will let you go to Thor as soon as I can." Loki tried to assure his friends. They were warriors, men of action, sitting around and waiting for him to figure this out didn't suit them.
"What do you plan to do, go to Jotunhiem and hope for the best?" Sif asked.
"I am still figuring that out. Please, my friends, I need you here for a time. You know as well as I that most of Asgard's army does not…enjoy my leading them. If a war began, I will need you here." That seemed to satiate his friends. Loki let himself relax slightly, he did not want to have to deal with these four running off to Midgard without his permission, and by the looks of it, they would wait for his word. For now.
"Of course, my king." Hogun replied, with a small bow that was reflected by the others. Loki blinked for a moment, as if surprised that they were bowing to him, but then smiled slightly as they left. Perhaps he could pay his brother a visit before they got to him. Just a projection, but he did want to check up on Thor. And, even if he was in exile on Midgard, he should at least know what was going on in Asgard, if only to more inform him of what his foolhardiness had unleashed. Loki knew full well he had no good news to share, besides the potential coming their friends to Thor's aid. But Thor should be up to date.
It had nothing to with Loki wanting to make sure his brother was all right.
Nothing at all.
Finding Thor, even in the vastness of all the universe, was no hard task. Localization spells were difficult to master, but mere child's play to Loki's skilled machinations. And the spell grew easier the better one knew the person they were attempting to locate, and Loki knew Thor like the back of his own hand. He was not hard to find, the energy that flowed around him, even as a mortal, was as brash and ostentatious as the man himself. But Loki was confused about where he found him. He was not far from Mjolnir, and anger, confusion and worry swept off him in droves. Loki hid his projection from the mortals as he wandered about the complex they had set up for a little while, sliding his emerald gaze over all they were doing, ensuring in his own mind that they meant no harm to his brother.
They would have hell to pay if they had any malicious intentions towards Thor.
As it stood, they were merely curious about him, and interrogating him. Loki knew his time watching Thor was short, so he sent a flit of magic at Mjolnir, told the hammer to act up. It was enough to garner the attention of the man pestering Thor, and Loki slipped in the room after he left.
"Oh Thor, what have you gotten yourself into now?" Thor's head jerked up at the sound of Loki's voice, and he was stunned to find his brother staring down at him.
"Loki!" Thor exclaimed, trying to stand and embrace his brother, but Loki put a hand up to stop him.
"Projection Thor, I can't actually come. I'm a little busy." He said, and Thor sat back down, pouting slightly. "Having some trouble with Mjolnir, I assume?" Thor's eyes flashed.
"It is no laughing matter Loki! I cannot pick up my own weapon." He looked downcast, and shook his head. "I am sorry, I nearly got you and all of our friends killed. You are all right aren't you, Loki?" Thor asked, sighing in relief when Loki nodded. "Thank the Norns, you looked awful before father banished me, I thought you'd been hurt."
"I was, long ago. But our friends are coming to see you, they should be here in a few days, though I'm not sure." Loki answered, eyes drifting away. Even he had little faith in any agreement being formed between Asgard and Jotunhiem at this moment.
"Father let them come?"
"No, I did. Father is in the Odinsleep…mother fears he will not wake." Thor looked stricken, eyes falling to the floor. Loki sighed, he didn't need to burden Thor with this, but neither did he want to keep secrets, or for Thor to hear secondhand. "Thor, he will be fine. But in the mean time I'm in charge and I don't like it so please find someway to prove yourself worthy soon so I can get off this fordæmdur throne?" Thor laughed, shaking his head.
"Most people would never say that."
"Well I am not most people."
"I am well aware." Thor mumbled, shaking his head. "I'm not sure how I'll get out of here, can you think of anything?"
"Not this time, I'm afraid. This you have to figure out on your own." Loki felt on of the men coming back to the door, as Mjolnir was calmed down now. "Best of luck, brother." Thor was about to protest, but Loki's projection vanished and Thor was left saying goodbye to empty air.
"Goodbye? I just got back."
Loki opened his eyes, seeing the throne room once more. Thor was well, if in a sticky situation, and that was good to know. He would watch his brother, make sure all was well. Gungnir allowed him to do that and he planned on taking full advantage of being able to spy on Thor. He hated to leave so abruptly with barley anything in the way of a goodbye, he wished he could spent longer talking, but events were determined to part them for the time being. Exile was exile, after all. And Loki had other things to do than worry over Thor, more important things than putting his own mind at ease. For now at least, he was a king, and he had to put the rest of the world's needs above his own desires.
"Your Majesty?" The call of a guard pulled Loki from his stupor, and he shook his head slightly, hoping the guard had not been there too long.
"What is it?"
"Captain Tyr is here, my lord." Loki nodded, standing slowly.
"Send him in please." The guard bowed sharply and turned on his heel back out the door. Tyr was the Captain of the guard, and Loki had a few changes to make, to get the castle ready for war. Even if he hoped against hope to avoid bloodshed, he would have to be ready for it should it come.
Tyr was a gruff and stoic as Loki remembered him from his childhood days training with the Chief of the Guard. He had few encounters with the monster of a man since then, besides in feasts when he would habitually tell the tale of how he lost his hand to a wolf that seemed to grow in size each time he told the story. He was a typical Asgardian, big, gruff and all about honor and fighting. That made him easy for Loki to deal with, and luckily he had a mind for strategy, and was loyal to Asgard to a fault. If he was upset with the current king, or regent, he made no mention of it, and followed Loki's instructions, giving his own advice once and while as well. It was late night by the time they were done, Tyr going to his barracks to give out orders, and Loki to his chambers, trying to sleep. Even if he felt more secure about Asgard's defense by the end of his meeting, he was no less restless, no less worried.
Sleep evaded him once more.
July 1, 2011 AD
The next day found Loki much the same as before, though significantly more tired and distraught. He had not eaten or slept since the return from Jotunhiem, and it was taking its toll on his body, but not to drastic degree.
But as of the moment, Loki had other, more important things to do than worry about his own health. Like staving off a war. Laufey wanted war, which was understandable, but Loki would do near anything to keep it from coming. That included going to the heart of enemy territory. Alone.
Thor might be getting to him, because this was a foolish plan.
"You are still not dressed warmly enough." Loki raised an eyebrow at the gatekeeper's words.
"I have not said a word of where I am planning to go." Loki said, frowning as he walked up the Heimdal. "But yes, I am going to Jotunhiem, and I was not cold last time, I am relatively certain I will not freeze to death." Heimdal nodded, accepting Loki's answer.
"My words to you before still extend, I cannot take you back if it poses a threat to Asgard." Loki's frown deepened.
"I am regent, Heimdal, if I were to die, there would be no one to rule in my father's stead."
"Which is why you should be careful, my king." Loki nodded, standing in front of the Bifrost. "Good luck, my king." With those words, Loki was pulled into the Bifrost, and catapulted towards Jotunhiem.
It was a bit of a walk from the Bifrost site to the palace, if it could be called that. Loki could not feel the cold on his skin, the frostbitten air of the winter realm did not touch him, but shivers ran down his body from nerves as he walked. He could see them; ruby eyes staring at him like angry spots of blood contrasting on dark blue skin.
"Odinson. You are not wise in coming here." Laufey's voice was full of malice as he looked at Loki. The young prince looked past the king, spotting a large Jotun who he knew was Laufey's son, and technically his younger brother. "What do you seek?" Loki drew his eyes back to the matter at hand quickly.
"I seek a way to avoid further bloodshed for both our realms." Loki said calmly, tightening his grip on Gungnir as if just holding the spear would protect him from the wrath of a thousand frost giants. Laufey almost laughed.
"We are beyond that now, little prince. Or should I say, king? Odin is in his sleep I see." Perhaps he should have left Gungnir behind.
"We do not have to go to war, Thor has been punished for his actions, stripped of his title and banished from Asgard until he learns. And though my father may be sleeping and my brother banished, do not make the mistake of thinking that Asgard is poorly defended." Loki's voice was firm and commanding, the voice of a king. Laufey drew back; he knew the story of the boy in front of him, as much as any one in Jotunhiem did. He knew that the royal family was fracturing, and he had never expected the quiet, small, younger prince of Asgard to stand here before him, more of a king than his elder brother was.
"You brother began this, it will not be stopped." The king leaned in closer now, ruby red eyes boring holes in his unknown son. "The house of Odin is full of traitors. Leave this realm now, before you become the first Asgardian casualty in this war." Loki drew himself up, trying to think if there was another way out of this. But he could find nothing.
"Very well." Loki breathed, eyes catching the shaking of Laufey's son's head as he turned to leave, being careful to watch for attackers as he slipped away.
"How-"
"You know very well how, don't ask." Loki cut the gatekeeper off angrily. "Watch the Jotuns, Laufey refuses to negotiate and longs for a war. Tell me immediately if they move to try to attack." Heimdal nodded as Loki swept out of the observatory. He had just wasted far too much of his day on something he knew wasn't going to work anyway. And his mother after that.
The sound of swift and tense footfalls echoed on the walls, joined with the clang of a metal spear hitting the stone floor every few steps, when the owner let it brush against the ground. Loki Odinson was a man on a mission; he had a realm to hold together.
"Loki, is everything all right?" Frigga asked when Loki came through the doors of her bedchamber, looking less than happy as he sat down next to his father's bedside. "Loki?"
"It's Laufey." Loki mumbled.
"You went to Jotunhiem, didn't you." He nodded, and Frigga sighed. "What did you expect, Loki? Laufey wishes for a war between our people, he will not stop threatening it. You should not have gone, he could have killed you."
"I know that." Loki sighed, looking over to his mother. "I cannot stave off war, and they got into Asgard once, and now they will do so again, probably with an army, right in the heart of the palace!"
"We do not know if they could repeat that, Loki. We do not even know how they got there in the first place." Frigga sighed.
"I do." Loki rubbed his forehead. "There are other paths between the realms, and I found them, marked them out in one of my journals. But I never told a soul about them, it wasn't good to know, they would leave us too vulnerable to attack."
"I had all of your journals, Loki, I never came across anything of the kind." Frigga said, her voice a little worried.
"Father probably got to it before you did." Loki assured her. "Which is a shame, there was a lot of very powerful and useful magic in there, but at least nobody else has found it." Loki wasn't sure that it was not found though. Things were adding up, events and statements coming together in ways he could not ignore. Baldur said it wasn't over, Laufey claiming there were traitors, magic that only Loki knew and only put in journals long missing was reappearing. He would be a fool to ignore all of this. There was something more than just bad luck and poor choices going on here. Something, or someone, was making this happen. But Loki kept these things to himself, after all, it was still speculation. "It would be, very unfortunate, if those books got into the wrong hands."
"Why is that?" Frigga asked, curious about what her son had been up to in his spare time. It was common knowledge that Loki was a mage, but few people knew the degree, the fact that not a single mage in the nine rivaled Loki in his abilities.
"It had the pathways in it, and ways to conceal oneself from Heimdal and other things I don't want people to know about. I kept it rather well hidden in my room, but it's gone now, father probably got to it." Frigga nodded, understanding her son's actions. Loki was always cautious with what he knew, and quite cagey about the more powerful spells he knew or created. It came from the fact that when he was younger he was teaching a mage one of his new, very strong spells, but the mage lost control of the magic and it nearly killed him. The mage had been twice Loki's age, and still unable to preform the same sort of magic. From then on, Loki hadn't taught a soul any of his created magic, even the most powerful of healing spells, one that he used to heal fatal wounds. Frigga was proud of her son, and grateful for his caution, it kept him from getting hurt.
"He said the house of Odin is full of traitors." Loki's voice was barely above a whisper, but it was like a yell to Frigga.
"Loki, you cannot believe a word he says!"
"I know, I know. I just wonder, why would he say that? How much does he know about me and Baldur?" Frigga took a deep breath.
"I do not know, though probably not much. Mostly only our close allies know as much as Asgard itself does. And even they do not know everything."
"Well they know most of it, thanks to Baldur." Frigga sighed, nodding slightly. "I'm so lost, I don't know what to do." Loki put his head in his hands. "I never expected to be in this position, on my father's throne and now here I am and on the brink of war!" Loki let out a shuddering sigh. "They will never follow me, mother. They only ever followed Thor."
"They will follow you, my son. You are their king." Loki sighed, eyes drifting with his thoughts. You could have stopped this. His mind hissed at him. You could have stopped him, but you didn't. Silver tongue indeed.
"I should have stopped him."
"Thor is stubborn, there was nothing you could have done." Frigga sighed. "Perhaps, in some way, this is what is best for Thor. Perhaps he will learn some patience. Your father had a reason to banish Thor, there is a reason to everything he does." Loki smiled, how many times he heard those words over the years, the explanation for everything, his mother's go to fallback. It was true, but sometimes it annoyed him.
"I have to go." Loki sighed, standing slowly.
"Do your mother a favor and get some rest and food today." Frigga told him, and Loki smiled. "It's terribly late, whatever you have to do can wait, Loki."
"Of course." He could indulge her. The things he had to do could wait a bit longer. They could wait a few hours of tossing and turning in his bed before he got fed up and did what he had to do.
July 2, 2011 (Around 1:00 am)
"Sif, Volstagg, Hogun, Fandral, get packing. You're going to Midgard." Loki's voice was harsh and his words spoken quickly as he stood in the doorway of the balcony the friends called their own. It was still the middle of the night, tiny hours of the morning. He had tried to sleep, to no avail, and apparently his friends had the same problem. All four of the room's occupants snapped towards him, expressions ranging from surprise to confusion, to Hogun's singular gruff countenance.
"Now?" Fandral asked.
"Yes, now. Jotunhiem is beyond diplomacy, and we are going to need Thor for this if we have any hopes of winning. I cannot simply bring him home, but I know that my father would not leave him without a means of returning. He will have his power back if he is worthy. Help him find that means, and quickly." Loki said, before turning swiftly on his heel and sweeping out of the room, green cape billowing behind him.
"You know, whoever claims Loki is not cut out to be a king, has clearly never met him." Sif mused. "Come my friends, our king has given us our orders, we must fulfill them."
July 2, 2011 AD (Around 9:00am)
Puente Antigo, New Mexico, Midgard.
Looking at the skillet and the eggs sizzling on it, Thor was grateful he knew how to cook. Years of camping trips and adventures had taught him that skill well enough, and now he could preform a small favor for those people who had been so kind to him, even if that was just making them breakfast. He was surprised how much he had learned in such a short time on Midgard, he was fairly certain Loki had been trying to teach him these lessons for millennia, and he had learned them now in a few days. But being stripped of power and titles would do that, he supposed. These people were so good to him, not because of who he was, but merely because they were being kind. It humbled him greatly, to know such good people, and made him think of his home, how few people were like that, it seemed. The only person he could think of was Loki, who always seemed to treat everyone the same, from his brother to the lowliest servant in the palace, always putting them before himself. Perhaps he should have learned something from that after watching it all those years, instead of teasing Loki for it.
Speaking of Loki, his brother had told him their friends were coming, but they had not yet arrived. What was holding them? Pray, don't let it be war, he would never survive the guilt. Was something wrong, was Loki having trouble and needed them to stay?
Suddenly there was a great banging on the glass windows in front of them.
"Found you!" Ah, that would be them now. Erik's mug met its end on the concrete floor, and Jane and Darcy just stared, while Thor beamed. His friends were here! While the others were standing dumbfounded, Thor went over to let his friends in.
"My friends, Loki told me you would be coming." He said, embracing them in turn.
"Loki told you, how?" Sif asked.
"A projection. He wished to inform me of some things before you came here. So, Loki sits on the throne?" Thor asked.
"He does. He sent us to help you." Fandral replied. "Who are your friends?" Thor turned around, looking back at his new Midgardian friends.
"These are my friends, Jane Foster, Erik Selvig and Darcy Lewis." Thor then turned back, and introduced them. "My friends, this is Sif and the warriors three, Volstagg, Fandral and Hogun."
"Uh… I guess you're not crazy." Jane said, regaining her senses the quickest and shaking Sif's hand, and proceeding to Thor's other friends. "So, are you all, from Asgard?"
"Of course. Thor, what have you been telling these people?" Fandral asked, glancing over at Darcy who was making googly eyes at them. He smiled and waved, which earned a him a slap from Sif, growling at him; don't even.
"Only the truth."
"Who's Loki?" Darcy asked.
"Thor, you didn't mention your own brother?" Sif exclaimed. "Loki is Thor's younger brother, and the current regent of Asgard. He would have come, but he's busy." She explained.
"Loki, god of lies according to the Norse." Erik mumbled. Thor frowned, but it was Sif who jumped to Loki's defense.
"Loki is as trustworthy as people come, you would be wise to trust the word of his friends rather than misinformed and long dead mortals." She snapped back. Thor sighed, and put a hand on Sif's shoulder, shaking his head.
"My friends, thank you for coming, but I'm unsure what you expect to do. You cannot take me home." Thor said.
"We're here to help you, and for company." Volstagg said.
"Loki might need your help, if things with Jotunhiem get worse." Thor sighed. "I fear that I may have caused a war with my actions there, and I do not want Loki to have to bear that alone."
"Loki sent us to come and help you get home. Asgard is on the edge of war, Thor. That is why we are here, we need you in Asgard." Sif said solemnly. Thor's blue eyes grew huge, almost horrified by the notion.
"You left him there, alone? Are you mad!"
"Loki knows what he's doing Thor, don't underestimate him and don't treat him like a child. I know you're afraid of loosing him but he can care for himself. Besides, he ordered us to go, there wasn't much we could do to argue, especially not with the mood he was in." Fandral replied, trying to calm Thor down.
"Thor, can you think of something, anything that your father may have said when you were banished? Any clues?" Thor frowned, and turned to his new friends. He would need everyone's help for this.
July 2, 2011 (Around 9:15am)
Calm before the storm. One never knows the true meaning of those words until they are faced with the eve of battle, or the wait upon the outbreak of war. Loki had faced the day before battle many times, but it never felt like this. This was pure torture. The air was thick with dreading anticipation, the city quiet with solemn fear. Loki had readied the palace for war, but kept the city as calm as he could, the Jotuns would not come there first. Their pathway lead into the palace, so from the palace they would stop the frost giant advance, should it come. Heimdal was watching, but he had told Loki something most disturbing. His sight was being blocked, meddled with. More use of secrets Loki had found and tried to keep hidden. Someone had found his spells, and they were using them against him. Damn them.
The palace throne room was silent, air heavy there as it was everywhere else. There was no movement in the air; things were quiet, far too quiet. If the king didn't know better, he would have bet a certain prince of Asgard was worried, but not this time. This time it was natural weather, reacting in it's own way to the tension clinging to the people swimming through the thick air. Loki was exhausted, his nerves were frayed and his already weak body was beginning to fail him. His mind was growing slower, duller. He knew it showed, though he was good at schooling its effects with a simple guise and change in posture when need be.
Loki hoped that Thor would be able to pick up his hammer soon. He had to, Loki was sick of sitting on this borrowed throne, tired of bending to all of this pressure. He hoped Sif and the warriors three could help with the matter. He also hoped that his father's purpose in teaching Thor some humility and discretion panned out, he'd been trying to do that himself for years. But, in the mean time, Loki was trying desperately to juggle the looming war with the frost giants. His thoughts were there and there alone as he sat on Asgard's golden throne. A lone guard came into the throne room, making Loki straighten up in the massive seat, shifting out of his slouching position to a more professional one.
"What is it?" He asked calmly, but something twinged in the back if his mind. There was something wrong with this picture. The guard was silent, just looking at him. Then he laughed. Loki frowned, standing slowly. He hated the fact that his magic and senses were still mostly crippled, he couldn't know what was going on.
"So the one who wants it the least gets it first. How ironic." Loki's eyes widened. Baldur. The illusion shed off of him, leaving behind the familiar and haunting face of Loki's younger brother. It only took seconds for Loki's mind to shift all the pieces into place. It's not over, traitors in Odin's house, the seeming orchestration of events, it all settled into place, except the magic part of the puzzle. It was all Baldur. Loki leveled Gungnir at him, eyes cold as ice.
"Go back to your cell Baldur." Loki said sternly. Baldur only laughed, lifting his hand slightly.
"I thought you'd notice. I even told you! How blind has your tenure with Hela made you?" He asked, wide sneer twisting across his face.
"Go." Loki growled.
"It was me, you idiot. The frost giants, Thor's banishment, all of it. I had plans, and friends. All me, you little fool." Baldur threw his hand forward. Loki only knew it was a knife when it hit him in the rib cage, chipping his bones and driving in just under his lungs. He cursed himself for not seeing, but in reality, there was nothing he could have done. Loki's strength failed him, Gungnir slipped from his fingers as he leaned onto the throne for support. Baldur came and stood over him, shaking his head. "You are much to easy to kill. No fun in it really." He pushed Loki to the ground, leaning him up against the foot of the throne. "Now, I can't have you dying on me. I need you to watch." Baldur said.
"Watch what?" Loki hissed, holding his hand at the knife and wound in his side. His fingers were already red with blood, and the pressure he was trying stem to flow of it with was hurting him almost more than being stabbed.
"Watch me kill Thor. Should be even easier than you, because he's a banished mortal now." Baldur replied. Loki panicked, trying to grab Gungnir away from Baldur, but the traitor prince only laughed walking away. "Amora, keep him down." And that was the magic part of the puzzle settling into place, as well as Baldur's agent. Loki saw her, yellow gold hair swinging at the small of her back, little green crown shinning on her head as her eyes glinted with an anger and vanity he now knew well. She swept out from behind the throne, casting a spell to bind Loki where he was. "You know, those journals of yours were so helpful to me and Amora in getting the frost giants in, and those spells Loki, my goodness you could conquer realms with those. Too bad you have no plans. However, my eyes are much bigger than yours."
" You should not have done that." Loki hissed, gasping for air afterwards, trying to stave off a cough.
"And you shouldn't be talking, shut up." Loki sighed, holding back another cough and swallowed thickly. He was forced to watch as Baldur used Gungnir to call the destroyer, and sent it to earth. He tried shutting his eyes, but that only showed him Midgard, Gungnir's sight still tied to him. He tried to move, desperately, he had to stop Baldur. He was failing again, he couldn't do that. Not again, please, no. He saw the warriors three trying to fight the destroyer, but he knew it was no use. He watched, forced himself to watch as Baldur closed in, as Thor looked so confused, he thought it was Loki. That made Loki's heart bleed, his poor brother, thinking Loki betrayed him. Loki wanted to scream at Thor as he walked to the metal monster, scream that it wasn't him; that nothing Thor said would work and run, oh please Thor run. Run! Get out of the way! Thor no! Please Thor! It's not me, run! Run, run! RUN! Thor didn't run, he tried to talk Loki down, but it wasn't Loki. He could see the hurt and betrayed faces of his friends, confused and uncomprehending of what was going on. Were they wrong about him? He could see the question in their eyes.
Thor didn't move.
Please don't…
That's my brother…
Please…
Baldur…
No use. Loki's heart screamed in agony when Thor went flying, he could feel the tears streaking down his face, which was twisted in anguish.
Thor was dead.
Thor was dead.
Loki jumped when Amora kicked him, making a disappointed face when he opened his eyes.
"Still alive. How annoying. Oh well, the frost giants will kill you." Loki's eyes widened. Frost giants? Baldur, what are you doing? Loki thought, looking over to his wickedly smiling brother.
"Come on Amora, we have things to do." Amora covered Baldur in the guise if his older brother as they slipped out of the room, leaving Loki gasping for air on the floor. He still couldn't move, and he didn't even want to. Loki had no idea how long he just sat there, weeping silently and waiting for the knife in his chest to take his life. It refused; despite Loki's own will to die and the blood loss he'd suffered, the king of Asgard could not even find solace in senselessness. He'd utterly failed at what he set out to do, Thor was dead and Baldur had done the deed. Some good he was. Then something clicked into gear at the back of Loki's mind, perhaps it was the sense of honor engrained in his mind from a young age, perhaps it was the popular idea that bravery would soothe pain, but more likely, it was Loki knowing what he had to do. He had a realm to protect, and he would not let Asgard fall into the hands of a madman while he still drew breath. That would never happen. Loki opened his heavy eyelids and scanned the room. Baldur, for some reason, had left Gungnir on the floor. Loki felt Amora's spell leave, the caster loosing proximity to the subject. He moved his hand to the knife in his side. He couldn't take it out, that would kill him, but he couldn't leave it as it was. This was going to hurt. He steeled himself, closing his eyes and pushing. He couldn't help the cry of pain that escaped as the knife went all the way into him, to its flat hilt. He sat there for a moment, chest heaving up and down as he fought through the searing pain. He really just wanted to sit there and weep, he'd just watched his brother die. But there were things to be done, mourning could wait. Loki was king of Asgard, and he had to defend it. Slowly, the king pushed himself off the floor, holding himself up with the throne. He walked unsteadily, leaning over and picking up Gungnir, leaning heavily on the staff. Thank the Norns he'd readied the palace for war…
The guards looked stunned when their king limped out of his throne room. They tried to help him stand, but he pushed them off.
"Baldur's escaped. He's bringing frost giants. Get to the Bifrost." He breathed, straightening up in an attempt to not look so injured as he was. It hurt like nothing else but it had to be done. The guards seemed concerned, but did as he told them. Loki closed his eyes as they left, blocking out the pain from his mind. He stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do. Then he took off for his father's room, knowing his parents were there. His path though the palace was painful, every step reminding him of the knife in his chest. He could barely walk, his gait slow and dragging as his side froze up with each step he took, pain shooting up and down as he walked. But the ice sent all of it to the back of his mind; they were in his parent's room.
Loki pushed the door open, finding Laufey leaning over his father, small knife ready to kill. His mother was on the floor, holding a frostbitten arm. Loki wasn't sure which sight made him angrier.
"Laufey!" Loki yelled, getting the Jotun king's attention. The towering giant turned, slowly, to face Loki.
"He said you would be dead." He hissed.
"Baldur lied. Get used to it." Loki snapped.
"I'll just have to kill you as well then." Laufey snarled, lunging at Loki, who took no time in dispatching the frost giant king with Gungnir.
"Loki, you're hurt." Loki turned his mother, who was still on the floor, felled by Laufey in an attempt to save Odin.
"I've just killed my father." He whispered, staring at the charred remains of the wall and frost giant. He shook his head kneeling down next to him mother. "Are you alright?"
"I will be fine. Loki, Laufey is not your father, he gave that right up long ago." She comforted him. Loki smiled, but it still lingered at the back if his mind. "You're bleeding!" She exclaimed, looking at Loki's hands, and down to his side. He was going to have to cover that with a guise, if he could find the energy.
"I'm fine." He told her swiftly, starting to go out to the Bifrost. What was Baldur planning? "Stay here." Once more, Loki was thanking his lucky stars for adrenaline, because it was all he could be running on at the moment.
"Loki, let the guards handle it, you are injured." Frigga grabbed at her sons hand, desperate not to loose him again.
"It's nothing, just a scratch." Loki lied, pulling away from her. He withheld Thor's death from her, she didn't need that now. But with Thor gone, Loki was the only thing, once again, that stood between Baldur and success. She looked so worried, and he didn't want to hurt her, but he had to go. "I'll be fine, but I must go." He smiled, and left the room swiftly.
July 2, 2011 (Around 9:45am)
Loki rode out to the Bifrost, his weakness and wound becoming more apparent by the second, every step Sleipnir took was like being stabbed all over again. He saw them, two pair of huge frost giants, between then, Heimdal stood frozen solid. The giants charged at Loki, which was a massive mistake. Even if he could barely fight in his condition, Gungnir was all he needed, blazing light from the staff dispatching them as it had their overzealous king. After dealing with them, Loki eased himself off of Sleipnir, trying not to aggravate his injury further, and went to help Heimdal. Placing his hands on the ice encasing the golden-eyed guardian, he cracked the ice surrounding the wise old gatekeeper, stepping back as Heimdal did the rest on his own.
"Where is Baldur?" Loki asked, breathless and holding his side again, before pulling himself up once more, but he could feel weakness bleeding through him. His clothes were already drenched in blood, Loki didn't know how much more of this his weakened body could take. He could already, despite the adrenaline, feel himself fading.
"He went back to the palace." Heimdal said, turning to the Bifrost. "Your brother is calling." Loki frowned. Few people referred to Baldur as his brother anymore, the youngest Odinson was essentially disowned by not only his entire family, but Asgard as well. So, who could Heimdal be speaking of…
"Thor? He's alive?" Loki asked, and Heimdal nodded. Loki let out a sigh as relief washed over him. He didn't care how Thor was alive, Loki was just glad that he was. He'd need to put that guise on now, no need to worry Thor.
"And he has regained his power." Loki shook his head as the Bifrost came to life, gathering power and shooting off to Midgard. Why had he ever doubted his stubborn brother? Heimdal collapsed almost in the same instant that Thor and the warriors three appeared.
"Get him to the healing rooms." Thor told the three, who quickly complied. The thunderer's gaze shifted over to his brother, who had put a mask over himself and his spear, taking away the rather obvious bloodstains on both. "Loki..."
"It's Baldur, Thor, it wasn't me." Loki breathed. Relief washed over not only Thor's face, but also everyone else's. "Don't look so relieved, he's tried to kill everyone. Amora is with him, they're in the palace." Thor nodded curtly.
"Amora? Your old teacher?" Fandral asked, clearly confused.
"Yes, Amora. How she got in contact with Baldur and how long she has been helping him, I do not know. I had no idea of her involvement until today. I thought she was long gone…" Loki shook his head. "Be careful, she's stronger than you think."
"I thought it was you." Thor said, nodding his head towards the opening of the Bifrost.
"Idiot." Loki growled, leaning on Gungnir heavily for a moment.
"Are you alright?" Sif asked. Loki nodded swiftly. "You look awful."
"I'm fine. I'll stay here in case he comes back. You try and find Baldur." Thor nodded, pulling Sif along as they left. Once they were far enough away, Loki collapsed on the steps to the pedestal of the Bifrost, head leaning back against it. He knew that if he tried to make it back to the palace, he'd pass out in the way. At least here he could do some good. He just had to stay awake. The adrenaline was wearing off and the pain was hitting him full force now. He knew this feeling, though it was slower than before. He the guise go, eyes drifting over the bloody handprints on Gungnir's gold surface. His clothes too felt wet and sticky, his hands slick with blood.
He could just sit here, rest for a bit. He'd be ok. Just…stay awake.
July 2, 2011 (Around 10:15am)
"You always ruin everything!" Loki looked up as Baldur roared in anger, raging voice jolting the king from his half conscious state. "I was going to be the hero of Asgard, they would have loved me. But no, you just have to get in the way!" Adrenaline rushed back into Loki's system, and he stood up. "Why won't you just die already!" He yelled, lunging at Loki who moved out of the way with all the speed he could muster, which was not much. He just prayed Thor would get here soon.
"Stop moving so I can kill you!" Baldur screamed. Loki almost wanted to laugh at the words, but it would hurt too much, and be too foolish. The younger brother proved too much for his dying older sibling, and soon had the king of Asgard on the ground once more, gasping for air. Baldur grabbed Gungnir, ripping it from Loki's weak grasp. "Mine." He snapped, turning from his fallen brother to the pedestal. "Goodbye Jotunhiem." Baldur said in a singsong voice. That shot horror through Loki, making him roll onto his stomach, and try and push himself up. As much as he saw the frost giants as his foes, they were still in some ways his people. He didn't want them all killed, and it was just wrong in any case.
"Baldur, stop!" Thor yelled, and Loki forced himself off the floor. He didn't need Thor distracted by him while he had to deal with Baldur.
"Why should I? If I recall correctly, you were always bragging about how you would kill all the frost giants when you became king. Do you want to do the honors?"
"You cannot kill an entire race!" Thor exclaimed. Well, this was new. Loki mused. Midgard seems to have done you good, brother. Baldur lifted his arms, looking around.
"Why not? Why do you even care? They're frost giants, savages, don't you agree?" Baldur sneered, but Thor shook his head.
"You can't do this, I won't let you."
"You two were always so alike." Baldur hissed. "So stubborn!" He pulled Gungnir from the Bifrost, though it was frozen in place now, and lunged at Thor. Thor blocked with Mjolnir, beating Baldur back. Unlike Thor, Baldur had intent to kill, going at his eldest brother with everything he had. Loki slinked out of the observatory, trying to avoid the vicious fighting. But he didn't avoid Amora.
"Look who's still alive. Do you even know how to die?" She laughed.
"I know very well, thank you." Loki snapped back, hand now holding his side. She looked ready to kill him, when the Bifrost seemed to explode, sending them both flying backwards. Thor landed near Loki, who groaned in pain. Baldur and Amora fled, leaving with her magic, knowing that this was over. Thor pushed himself off the ground, trying to get to the Bifrost. He couldn't reach; there was no getting there. The force driving him back was too great. Gungnir was on the ground nearby, and Loki reached for it, and pulled himself to his knees, leaning heavily on his father's golden staff.
"Thor!" Loki cried. He couldn't stand, he was too far gone now. He'd failed to stop Baldur from killing all the frost giants, even to hidden one in Asgard. "Thor!" He yelled again, trying to shout over the wind and waves. Thor didn't respond, so Loki pushed himself off the ground. Thor was standing on the edge of the wind, leaning in. Then he did something that shocked Loki. He brought Mjolnir down on the bridge.
He was breaking the Bifrost.
"Thor! If you destroy it you'll never see her again!" Loki screamed. He'd watched Thor, when he had the time, asked Heimdal how he was. There was a woman, someone who in the short time he was there had claimed Thor's heart. Even as he cried, a voice whispered to Loki; what choice does he have?
There was a hitch in Thor's movements, showing that he had heard Loki. But both brothers knew the truth, there was no other way. Thor slammed Mjolnir down again, and the bridge began to shatter. One more blow and it broke, exploding and sending both brothers flying into the air once again. Loki saw nothing beneath him, only black. Oh Norns I'm going to fall into that.
He cried out when everything jolted to a sudden stop. Looking up, he saw Thor hanging onto the other end of Gungnir, and Odin holding Thor up. But then he slid.
His hands, covered in blood, were sliding down the staff that was his lifeline.
"Loki!" Thor yelled, unable to help his brother. Loki's left arm hung at his side, unused due to the pain it caused him. Setting his jaw, Loki swung his arm up, grabbing higher up the staff, but his other hand slipped off, sending him sliding further down, closer to doom.
"Help." He asked, feeling his strength fade as he pulled at his wound. Thor pulled up with all his might, Odin helping to pull Thor onto the bridge. Once there, Thor extended his hand out to Loki. Once again, this time with a small grunt of pain, Loki swung his right arm upwards. Thor's strong hands grabbed his brother's wrist, pulling him bodily upwards and to safety. But when he was safe, Loki could not stand. His strength was gone; the last of it spent reaching for Thor. He just lay on the ground, chest heaving as he gasped for air, slipping into shock.
Thor was stunned when Loki collapsed, but he snapped back to reality fast and picked Loki up with one arm under his shoulders, holding him close to his chest, wincing as he felt the wetness of blood, and launching into the air with Mjolnir. Loki cried out at the rough treatment, but he couldn't for long, his strength and senses were leaving him fast.
By the time Thor got to the healing rooms, Loki had passed out, limp in Thor's arms. The elder brother dropped Mjolnir and slid his other arm under Loki's knees, carrying him to the rooms. Eir was binding some frostbite on one of the guards arms when Thor burst in. She dropped what she was doing, no trained healer's eye could miss so much blood. She tore the sheets off one of the beds, helping Thor lay his brother down on top of it gently as he could. Eir began to, quickly but full of care, take the bloodstained golden armor off of Loki's chest.
"What happened to him?" She asked, not seeing a blatant wound, just masses of bloodstains and blood flowing from his side.
"I don't know..." Thor whispered, looking over his brother. Had he missed all that blood, had Loki been hurt before, or afterwards? Now that he thought of it, Loki had looked pale and tired, leaning far too much on Gungnir. Thor was brought back to the present by Eir gasp.
"Oh no..." She said, pulling back the clothing she'd cut off of him. Thor saw the end of a knife, deep in Loki's chest. It made him sick. Had Baldur done that? It was his knife... Eir tried to pull it out, knowing it could not stay there. But it was so worked in, she couldn't remove it. "Thor, I need your help." She said. Thor stomach turned, but he moved next to her, wrapping the end of his fingers around what he could and pulling. Loki groaned as Thor took the blade out, and even more blood worked itself out of his weak body. There was so much blood, it seemed to coat everything. Eir pushed the stricken Thor out of the way, pressing a cloth desperately to the wound, trying to stop the flow. The cloth turned scarlet almost instantly, and Thor felt sick again. "Get a healing stone." She snapped at one of the other healers, who rushed off to find one. Thor sat down on another bed, staring blankly at his brother. Was Loki dying again? Was this it, again? He'd just gotten Loki back, why had he been such a fool! If he'd been here, none of this would have happened, or if the warriors three had stayed, or...
This was his fault. Loki was dying and it was his fault.
The young healer came back with at least five small healing stones, handing them to Eir. She took then, crushing the golden stones and pressing them onto Loki's wound. Even all five of them weren't enough to stop all of the blood flow. Eir knew he could not afford to loose any more. He was already so pale, his face and skin ashen. She pressed another cloth to Loki's side.
Slowly, the blood stopped, and Loki still breathed. It was shallow, but it was breath. Eir bound up the wound, and sat down in a chair beside him with an exhausted sigh.
"Is he going to be alright?" Thor asked, voice shaking as he looked at Loki.
"I think so. The next days will tell us." Eir replied, looking down at Loki. He had pushed his body much to far, it was a miracle he was even alive when Thor got him to her, so much blood had been lost. She was not very optimistic on his prospects of surviving, not after such abuse to his already frail body and spirit, but she would not let Thor on, he needed all the hope he could get. "Let him rest, he's lost a lot of blood. Other than that, he was lucky. The knife didn't injure any organs." She sighed, standing up slowly. Thor nodded, looking down at the bloody knife still in his hands, the knife that nearly killed his brother. How did it get in that far, so that it was unseen beneath Loki's clothes? How long had Loki had the wound, and yet still fought?
Odin and Frigga came to the rooms in turn, Frigga looking very worried for her son, but convinced by her husband and Eir to go and rest. Odin told Thor how the battle had unfolded, how Loki been injured, how the knife had gotten so deep in his chest. It shocked him, that Loki had shoved the blade further into his own body so that he could continue to fight, and then run around Asgard, stopping Laufey from killing his parents and then went to the Bifrost and helped Heimdal get Thor back to Asgard.
Everyone in Asgard had always hailed Thor's bravery and courage, but Thor knew he was not half so brave as his brother. Loki's courage had saved Thor's life many times, Thor saw that as he now looked back on his life with new eyes. Loki had always been there when Thor needed him. He was never missing in action, as Thor too often was. And yet he'd always allowed Thor to think, to believe that he did it all on his own. He had stood gladly in Thor's shadow all these years, not once complaining, never accusing Thor. He had ever been a silent and sure rock, braver than all the men who ever named him a coward.
And now Loki had saved Asgard, almost on his own. Sure, Thor came in at the last moment, but it was Loki who'd stopped Laufey from killing the king and queen, Loki who had released Heimdal so that Thor could come back at all. Without Loki's actions, Asgard would have fallen that day.
Loki had won the battle for Asgard.
This has to be the longest chapter I have ever written. To put it in perspective, it's longer than whole stories I have written. It just, would not stand to breaking up. I thought I would be late getting it up, but after a marathon editing session, here it is. If there are errors, I very sorry, and please feel free to point them out. Thanks to all the people who have reviewed, means a ton to me.