Loki knew what he wanted to do. He knew what he had to do. He had to make certain that there was no way for Thor to return. Everyone always voiced their concern over Thor, but Loki was wise enough to rule Asgard. He had no doubt that he would be better than Thor sat on the throne. Of course, he also had Ella by his side.

His younger sister was proving herself useful, knowing exactly what to say when people came before him to offer their condolences. She found herself stood over his shoulder, but she was the one to speak to people who were worried about the state of Asgard. Loki would have just brushed them off, but Ella was kind enough to accept their well wishes.

She was diplomatic and Loki had no doubt that she would, one day, make a rather good Queen if she was given the chance. Perhaps she should be given the chance. Of course, the only way for her to rule would be for Loki to step down and he had no intention of doing that. He had no intention of going anywhere. He was much too fond of power to do that.

"Have you seen Thor?"

Loki was sat in the library, peering into a book when Ella asked him the question. She had been wandering around the grand room before settling on the large bench on the balcony next to Loki. She kept her distance, her hands curling underneath the stone seat as she eyed Loki with an arched brow.

"I have not," Loki informed her. "Why do you ask?"

"Curious," she shrugged. "I know that mother taught you her magic. I wondered if you could appear before him on Earth…just to tell him of father."

Loki slammed the book shut, the bang noise echoing into her ears as she prepared for another argument. Of course, she had no intention of starting an argument, but any mention of Thor seemed to bring out the worst in Loki. He found himself growing irrationally angry with her. He knew that he had to stop acting in such a manner, but he found it difficult.

"And do you think telling him would be considered wise?" he asked and she shrugged her shoulders.

"I do not know," she informed him. "I thought it might be kind, yes. He is his father as much as he is our father. I am not asking you to bring him back. I am asking you just to notify that father is not well."

"I shall think of it," Loki said and Ella was shocked that he did not snap at her and demand to know more of her motives.

Nodding, she moved closer to Loki and dared to press her lips to his cheek, kissing him tenderly before moving to wrap her arms around one of his as he looked down to her. He let out a loud sigh before moving to kiss the top of her head, his hand going to hold her arm gently. He could be many things, but being unkind to his sister was one of them. Besides, he needed to pay a visit to Thor very soon. His brother had something that he needed to know.

…

Ella found herself wandering through the palace, her hands behind her back as she went. The thin pink dress she wore tumbled to her feet and flowed behind her. Her eyes were darting around as she wandered the corridors and thought of the guard who had tried to court her before all of this mess had begun. She laughed lightly at the thought of him, shaking her head back and forth. She only hoped that agreement was out of the question now.

She had no intention of going through with any of those proposals. As she went, she found herself coming to the dining hall. Entering, she wondered if there would be anyone there. Sure enough, she found Lady Sif and the Warrirors Three. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she was about leave before one of them called out to her.

"Princess Ella," Sif spoke, moving closer to Ella as the girl turned back around to look at her, her arms folding over her chest in a defensive manner as she looked to the woman. "May we speak with you?"

"What of?" Ella wondered, her tone cold.

She had never warmed to her brother's friends after the way they spoke and treated Loki. They always looked at him as though he was not an equal to Thor. They were always cruel and Ella did not like it. She had told Thor that plenty of times, but he had always told her not to be foolish and that they were simply jesting.

"Your brother," Fandral spoke up and Ella turned her gaze to him. "How did the Allfather find out that Thor had been to see the Frost Giants?"

"I told him," Ella said. "Loki told me what you were planning and I went to find him. You would have all gotten yourselves killed if you had gone to start a war with the Frost Giants."

"The Frost Giants entered Asgard first," Sif reminded Ella and she arched a brow at her. "How did they get here?"

Ella felt her hands ball into fists by her side as she looked at Sif with contempt, her eyes wide and her gaze full of anger as she spoke. "What are you implying?"

"Nothing," Fandral said, trying to diffuse the tension as he moved to take hold of Sif by the arm, attempting to steer her away from Ella. "We mean nothing by what we ask. We just wanted to know how the Allfather knew of our plan."

"And what Loki had to do with it," Sif continued and Fandral felt his eyes roll into the back of his head as she continued to speak. "He seems to be taking to power very well, that is all we are saying."

"No," Volstagg said with a shake of his head. "Loki would not want to see Thor banished."

"You said it yourself that you could not understand why he acts the way he does-"

"-How can you all be so callous?" Ella demanded, interrupting Sif as she continued her argument. She shook her head, her voice full of rage as she looked between the four of them. "Thor is our brother. What he did was foolish."

"And can be reversed," Sif concluded, "yet your brother refuses to do that, does he not?"

"For good reasons that do not need explaining to you," Ella snarled. "Have you raised these concerns to him? Have you told him to his face what you think of him?"

They remained silent before Sif dared to speak up, looking to Ella directly. "Did you try and ask him to bring Thor home?"

"Of course I did," she spoke. "But Loki…you do not understand what he has been through. None of you understand and it is not in my place to tell you. Perhaps it would be for the best if you stayed out of this business."

"He has you blinded," Sif mumbled and Ella shook her head.

She let her anger take hold of her then as she yelled. "I am your Princess!" she roared. "Or do you all forget that?"

They went silent as Ella looked between them, her cheek tinting red as she completed the motion. It was another moment before she spoke again, this time her voice lowering an octave as she continued to let her eyes flicker between each one of them.

"You are not to speak of Loki like this again to anyone else," she declared. "Or I will tell him and I do not want to do that. He has enough on his mind and he does not need you four questioning his motives, simply because you do not like him."

Fandral shook his head, trying to calm the young Princess who stood before them. "It is not that we do not like him-"

"-No?" Ella interrupted, glowering at Fandral. "I saw the way you used to talk to him and look at him. You have never liked Loki…all the comments…the snide remarks…and why? Simply because he did not fit in with you all? You were all so cruel to him when he was young and I saw all of it. So no, whatever it is you want from me, I will not help you."

Ella finished then, turning on her heel and leaving the room. The door opened as the guards stationed there pull them apart and shut them once she had left. Longing to find somewhere for peace, Ella eventually came to her own chamber, knowing that no one would disturb her there. She took a seat at the stool at her dressing table, her hands going to hold her head as she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

…

Loki had been to visit Thor on Earth and told him everything. Granted, he had not told him the truth, but he had told him exactly what he wanted him to know. He had said how the Allfather was dead and how Frigga had denied him the chance to return to Asgard.

"And Ella?" Thor asked, his voice low and defeated as he leant forwards in his chair, his hands clasped together and his long blond hair falling over his shoulders.

Even Loki had to admit that his brother looked pathetic. He looked nothing like the man he had once known. Long gone was his Asgardian attire, instead he was dressed in human clothes, as was Loki. His face was full of pain and his eyes closed as he asked about their sister.

"What of her?" Loki wondered from Thor.

"How does she fare?" Thor enquired. "News of father's passing must have hit her hard."

"It did," Loki continued his lie. "Our sister has taken to spending most of her time in her chamber. I struggle to get her to speak or eat…she is a shell of her former self."

"You need to keep trying," Thor said, longing to see his sister just once more as he pictured her smiling face as she jested with him and rolled her eyes at his bravado. "Ella cannot whither away."

"I do not intend to see that happen," Loki assured Thor. "I hope for her to one day be one of my greatest confidants. She is smart. We both know that, Thor. I am to rule Asgard then I would do so with her aid."

Nodding, Thor could agree with that. Ella was a smart girl. She always had been. She was stunning too, her eyes vibrant and her enthusiasm contagious. Thor would love to see her just one more time. He wanted that more than anything. He wanted to hold his sister for one final time.

"Tell her I love her," Thor urged of Loki. "Tell her I think of her every day…both her and mother."

"I will," Loki promised him. "I will keep her safe."

"I know," Thor nodded his head. "She always did favour you…she might deny it, but she had more in common with you."

Loki let a slim smile move onto his face. "Well, she never was one for fighting."

Thor managed a chuckle as he nodded his head at that. Looking over to his brother, he wondered what exactly he should say to Loki now. Saying goodbye seemed too difficult. He didn't want to admit that this was the end. If he did that then it was all over. Keeping silent, Thor nodded his head.

"Thank you," he said to Loki.

"It was the least I could do," Loki responded. "Goodbye, brother."

And with that, Loki had vanished from the room and Thor was alone once more.

…

A/N: Do let me know what you think!