SoA – Part 3
Chapter 12 – Fallout
Loki teleported out of the room, taking only Kara with him. The wards shattered as he whisked them through. He brought them to a cave high above, and well outside of Asagarth. The palace was a small gleaming wedge in the distance, towering over the city.
Kara pushed herself closer into his arms. She held him as tightly as she had when she had first seen him in the clearing on Midgard, making it difficult for Loki to breathe. Loki robotically returned the embrace. He was overwhelmed with conflicting emotions. He focused on the emotional pain that felt like it had ripped his heart out of his chest, taking his ability to breathe with it. Kara wished with all her might that she could heal Loki's wounds, but this time the wounds were not something that could be healed with a Soul Forge.
"He called me Laufey's son." The disbelieving sob fell from Loki's lips unbidden. Once the first escaped, many followed. Much like when Thor cried during his exile, Loki let out a scream of pain that shook the mountains. Avalanches began all around them. Kara carefully lifted Loki to a safe distance inside the cave as the snow crashed down in the front. Light disappeared and Kara held him closer to her. She was a good foot off the ground so she could keep his face tucked to her shoulder. She kissed his brow several times as he cried. It was the only thing she could do that could show him he was not alone and with someone who loved him.
At some point Loki could no longer stand. He slid down the rock wall of the cave. Kara took a moment to pile a small grouping of rocks and quickly superheated them. With the tiny bit of light the rocks gave off Kara slowly approached him and moved to sit beside him. He reached out and pulled her Kara into his lap sideways. She smoothed her hands along his hair and guided his head to rest his forehead against her shoulder. She could see the outline of Loki's body now in the low reddish light. He seemed to be more in control now and after a long while Kara moved out of his lap and lightly guided him into a more relaxed position on the ground, resting his head on her thigh facing the stones. The heat from the rocks had heated the entire cave and even the floor was no longer freezing.
They sat there for hours in silence, listening as some of the snow at the entrance dripped off the rocky edges to the floor from the heat inside. Kara would occasionally warm the rocks, but otherwise she spent the time carding her fingers through his hair. So many thoughts had gone through her mind. How much she hated Odin in that moment. How proud she had been of Thor for choosing them over his father. How they would proceed now that Odin was obviously against them. On that front she was at a loss. She had no idea what to do now. She only knew that she would not abandon Loki, mother or Thor. Whatever they decided she would stand by her family; not Asgard, not as long as Odin ruled.
"Why?" Loki's voice suddenly broke the stillness. It was very quiet and raspy from his crying. Kara had thought he was finally sleeping. His voice was curious which made her think he was not thinking of Odin. Most likely forcing himself not to think of the cruel man, instead he was thinking of something else.
"Why, what?" Kara asked, just as quietly.
"Why did you mourn me so long?" He asked her after a few moments of silence. His tone carried a vulnerability she had not heard from him before.
"Because to me, you are the most important person in my life," She whispered back as she gave his hair a tiny tug of affection as she slid them through his hair once more. "No one else holds a candle to you in my eyes. They never have. Mother is close, but you have always been the person I cared for most since I lost everyone I had loved on Krypton."
Loki's breath stuttered as he dragged it past his lips. "How can you love me so?"
Kara curled herself over his head and kissed his brow once more. "Because you have always been the one person I knew I could cling to in this life. Even mother falters, but you have never made me feel alone." Her voice quivered slightly as she confessed her feelings. "You have always strived to make me feel accepted and safe. Both were things I needed so desperately when I first came here. Even now I need it, and you always have been there, even when you were not." She raised her hand to where the pendent usually rested on her throat.
"I am so sorry Kara." He cried into her thigh as his tears returned. Remorse and self-loathing evident in not only his words and voice, but in how he clung to her legs. His hands trembled with it, just as much as his voice seemed to break and crackle with guilt.
Kara soothed him. "I forgive you." She whispered over and over as his new tears overtook him. She leaned back and thanked Rao that Asgardian men were not taught tears were a weakness and unmanly as humans seemed to be. She could feel it when Loki began to believe her. She did love him, and she did forgive him. Those words finally took hold and Loki fell into a deep sleep.
Her anger with him for letting go and falling into the Void was impossible to manifest right now. She'd been so angry at him at times over the past year. She had burned a whole new wing into rock and ice for the Fortress dealing with that anger, and she'd accidently learned she had limits. A few days without powers stuck in the Artic had made her aware of those limits very well. While she hadn't been able to freeze inside the Fortress she had felt the cold outside. She had actually felt completely human until she had managed to absorb enough sunlight. It had taken days because she had managed to burn her skin a little the first day by not considering that humans couldn't spend that much time in under a sun lamp without their skin burning.
She'd spend those eight days recovering and using her Kryptonian tech to cover the bare rock and ice with the crystal supports and 'sheet crystals'. The crystals helped to keep the humans from finding the Fortress as it interfered with their signals in an undetectable way. I mimicked solid rock so humans mistook the area for frozen tundra with geo-vents underneath. This far north in Norway all the area looked similar to their technology.
Kara took off her cape a laid it down beside him. She took his cloak off and rolled him gently onto hers, and then stretched out beside him, covering them both with his cloak. The Kryptonian fabric, despite being thinner actually reflected the warmth of their bodies towards them and the cold of the stone away better than the thicker fabric of Loki's ceremonial one that he'd been wearing. Loki's cloak was more of a thick velvety fabric, it made for an oddly shaped blanket that worked better at keeping the night chill off them. Their of them needed the warmth, but it made them more comfortable.
Without a pillow she carefully rolled him on his back and then curling herself into his side. His armor covered body was cool, but not uncomfortably so. With the depth of the darkness in the cave, Kara needed to use her x-ray vision to see if Loki was in a comfortable position. Once she was sure he wouldn't wake in pain, she allowed herself to use his arm as her own pillow and clutched it tightly to her. She finally allowed her own weariness to overcome her and slept better than she had in nearly a year despite the circumstances.
Kara was startled awake by a loud thud near the entrance to the cave. Loki's eyes also snapped open. His quick actions to get to his feet and produce daggers in each hand was hampered by Kara's body being draped over him, and his arm being more than a little unresponsive due to her weight on it most of the night. As second thud several seconds later had both scrambling to their feet. "That can only be Thor." Loki sighed as he shook his arm trying to regain feeling in it.
"No doubt." Kara sighed as she went to move towards the front of the cave.
Loki grabbed her and turned her back to face him. "I can't thank you enough for staying with me." He told her, his voice and touch were both tender and caring in the deep darkness of the snow covered cave. She wished she could see the expression on his face.
She placed her hand on his cheek. "I'll always be by your side Loki." She felt him smile under her hand before he took it and kissed her palm in gratitude.
The simple courtly kiss was electric. Pleasure shot from her palm to her heart, making it race just a little faster. She'd felt this reaction before, when she was thirteen. She'd had first had a crush on Loki back then. Her feelings had faded by the time she was fourteen into something a little more friendship deep. This past year had shaken something loose, and she had regretted ever allowing the feeling to fade into the background.
The moment was broken when the snow at the entrance lightened as the thick snow covering was nearly broken through. Kara turned reluctantly and shot her vision in a wide wall of defused heat at the snowy opening. Even in the low light she could see the snow as it melted away from the opening without shooting the beam past the snow and possibly hurting Thor outside.
Morning light poured into the cave nearly blinding both of them with the suddenness of it. Thor rushed in. "Are you both well?" He asked franticly. "Mother said you were safe, but when you didn't return I grew concerned. The rumbling on the mountain told me where you had likely gone, but I had expected you both to come back before this morning."
Kara smiled at him. "We were fine, Loki just needed some time, and we fell asleep afterwards."
Thor glanced at Loki, his red rimed eyes, not yet covered by glamor told him that Loki had been in need of privacy to come to terms with their father's cruel actions. He walked over to him and ignored Loki's warnings and one quick back step away from Thor He took his brother in a tight bear hug. "I do not care what that idiot of a king said last night, or you for that matter. YOU ARE MY BROTHER." His voice boomed, in the small cave the sound resonated and gave Kara an instant headache. He held Loki out at arms-length by his shoulders with both his hands clasping them tightly. "Any who dispute this will face me in the Holmgang." He finally let Loki go. For once he didn't pull away and yell at him for calling him brother.
Kara chuckled trying to keep the conversation from becoming too serious, "A battle to the death? That's a little extreme don't you think?" Holmgang was actually a very serious business. It was Asgard's equivalent to a formal 'pistol's at dawn'. Rather than private affairs however, Holmgang's were public spectacles. Matters of both personal and house honor were dealt with in these matches.
Thor shook his head, his braids swinging dramatically. "No, I do not." He answered angrily.
Kara's brows rose. Whatever was said after they had left, it had been life affirming for Thor. Kara shared a look of concern with Loki. He at least took the declaration well. In truth he had expected something a little less grave, but something profound and challenging to Asgard's acceptance of Loki. Now it was 'accept it or face Thor in a death-match'.
"Fine I will consider you my brother, if only to save myself from being killed, if for no other reason." Loki replied with a grimace. Thor had smiled, but it wasn't his beaming grin, it was one filled with anger, though it was obvious it was not directed at either of them.
"I was such a fool to not see how the others perceived you, my brother." Thor's fists tightened. "I had my eyes opened this past year, but until this past eve I had not known it was so open among the other nobles."
"What was said after we left?" Loki asked. His voice and facial expressions were deceptively calm. Kara could hear the pounding of his pulse and his heart slamming against his ribcage. Both told her he was anything but calm. She edged closer to his side and took his hand in hers.
Thor began to pace and storm clouds began to gather around the mountain as he told them of the events directly after they disappeared.
"By The Norns Odin! How dare you deny my son!" Frigga had roared once more at him. "I will not stand idly by this time while you try to blame Loki for the actions of others."
Thor moved to stand with his mother and he too glared at Odin. "I have been learning a great many things lately Allfather. All of them tell me that you and your council are not to be trusted when it comes to my brother." He glared at the surprised and rapidly reddening faced king. "Have you ever loved him, or was he to be a sacrificial lamb for each of my mistakes that could not be swept away, such as my destruction of the Bifröst."
Odin's temper flared and he banged his fist on the table. "You would not have destroyed the Bifröst if he had not locked it into the open position."
"And he would not have been forced to prepare for war in such a manner if your council hadn't abandoned him." Frigga yelled back, startling both men. She got right in Odin's face and her long pointed fingernail inches from his remaining eye. "The Norns are not forgiving Allfather." She voice hissed as if another was speaking through her. "Do not anger us." The voice hissed once more. "We saved the boy once again. Anger us and we will not be forgiving of you."
Frigga's eyes lessened the degree of rage, but there was still plenty in her. "Nor will I be if you continue on this path Allfather." She had answered in her own voice.
Odin looked as if he wished to continue to argue but the voice of The Norns had quelled his desire to see Loki cowed before him. "What of his crimes? Are they to be ignored?" His ire once more lit, but not to the level it had been. "He killed Thor." Odin reminded her.
"It was not his intent." Thor spoke up. Both turned and looked at him, having forgotten he was even present in their focus on each other. "His intent had been to knock me out of the way." Thor went on to explain. "Sif and the others attacked from behind me. The Destroyer back handed me to move me out of the line of attack." Thor held tight to his emotions as he continued, "If any are to be held accountable for my death it should be warriors Sif, Hogun and Fandral. Their intent on attacking their princess and resisting rightful arrest placed my life in danger." Though he tried not to, his face still winced at the words he spoke. He felt as if he was betraying them, and yet truthfully that was what happened. He had seen the actions through Heimdall's report. The backhand was not followed through as it would have been if it was meant to be a true hit. Even then, had Thor not been mortal, it would have been a non-fatal blow. It was only because he had been a human that the hit had been so bad.
Odin knew all this. Not only had Heimdall told him that Loki had reacted badly to Thor's death, he'd been distracted just at that moment by the wards on Odin's outer chambers when Laufey had started his attack. He also knew that Sif and Hogun had pushed to attack Kara. Fandral had argued before they left to not provoke her. Volstagg had been under the impression that a little talking and eating would solve the issue when they had gone down to Midgard. He'd believed that a simple conversation to get both Thor and Kara to come back and confront Loki on what was going on was all that would be needed.
"And his attack on Midgard?" Odin asked. "I'm I to excuse his attack there also? Midgard is the protectorate of Asgard. I cannot just pretend this has not happened." Odin glared at his son. It angered him that Thor was still looking at him with determination.
"Loki was under a powerful spell that forced him to attack Midgard." Thor informed his father. "Under the Soul Forge the magic was located and healed after the spell was broken by Kara."
Odin looked skeptical. "Kara broke a spell that was powerful enough to ensnarl Loki? Do not be ridiculous Thor."
Frigga growled as she turned to Thor. "Do you have the results?" She asked him softly, her manner reassuring him that she was not going to back down and make excuses for Odin this time.
"Aye, we brought them with us." Thor nodded before pulling them out of his pouch on his belt. "Kara's Soul Forge also found something else interesting." He told her. In fact they all had copies of the report on each of them in case they had become separated or one copy suddenly 'went missing'.
Frigga raised a brow and waited for Thor to continue. "Loki was tortured." Both Odin and Frigga looked surprised and even Odin's face crumpled at the thought of his child, even one he had been prepared to disown, had faced such pain. "It took the Soul Forge over ten minutes to catalogue the injuries from the last year, and it was unsure if it got them all."
Frigga's eyes narrowed. "That would imply more than just torture."
Thor looked down at his feet. "As the computer said, it was easier to list what was not broken or ruptured countlessly."
Even Odin was surprised by this news, the readout was clear. He had been abused to such a degree, even under Asgardian law, if Loki had not been bewitched, which the scans did show, he could not be held accountable for his actions.
The report was more through than a usual report. He looked at the report closer and realized it was a scan done without any prior input. These types of scans usually added DNA scanning and paternity, and maternity identification if possible. Loki had never had one done on Asgard by his command because he had not wanted anyone to know he was Laufey's son. Loki's parental information had been entered as Odin and Frigga manually to the database so no one would know the truth, including Loki.
Loki of Asgard, Half-Asgardian... Odin stopped and re-read that line in surprise. He'd always assumed Loki was Laufey and Queen Fárbauti's child, making him a full frost giant. If he was half-Asgardian it helped to explain a great many things about Loki.
He carefully began to read the scan once more. Half-Asgardian and half- Jötunn male, it identified him as. Odin looked at the linage; father, King Laufey of Jötunheim, mother, Valkyrie Hede. Odin's one eye popped as he took in the words. As far as Odin knew the old Witch Hede had died soon after she had voluntarily retired from Asgard. If instead she had become Laufey's prisoner, it would help explain why Laufey had been so successful against the Asgardian army in the beginning of the war. Hede would have known a great deal about Asgard's forces, and its weaknesses, Odin thought.
It also explained why despite being a Jötunn Loki was so skilled with all seiðr, especially fire. He'd never heard of a Jötunn able to wield fire in any capacity. Loki wielded it better than any other master of the art. In fact Loki had more difficulty with ice magic than he did fire. It also explained why Loki held the Asgardian form even without Odin's aid as an infant. It was one of his two natural forms. It could be argued at this point that it was his true form since he had spent most of his life in it.
Waving his hand he removed the linage portion from the report. It would not do for anyone to know about Hede. No one remembered her, and that was the way it needed to stay. If someone remembered her it would pick at the spells that held the past securely where it belonged.
Looking at the rest of the report was no less shocking for the old King. He tried to imagine enduring such tortures and not succumbing to any form of mind-control afterwards. He knew that even he could not stand in the face of such pain over a prolonged period.
Finally Odin raised his eye to his queen who stood defiant. He sank slowly into his chair. "There will be a trial, but regardless of which, the outcome is decided. Loki will be set free and declared innocent." He whispered authoritatively, the words heavy and mournful.
Frigga's eyes flashed with power. "We will hold you to this."
Thor looked confused but had followed his mother out of the room. She later explained that the trial was to clear Loki, not to humiliate him, or save face for Asgard. Without it everyone would wonder why he was let go without a word. This way the world would see that Loki was innocent of all charges.
The two had waited in Frigga's rooms, waiting for either Kara or Loki to return. They had heard the rumors of the huge, out-of-season avalanche in the mountains not far from the city. They'd guessed it was Loki and Kara letting out their rage (Thor and Frigga both knew it would be Loki who had been that angry. Kara in a rage would have brought down the mountain itself and not just the snow on it), and so they waited a little longer. When it was obvious they would not return that evening, Frigga scryed for them. Their location in the nearby mountains also showed they were warm and safe. Frigga convinced Thor to wait for morning light before she would give him a stone to guide him to them.
In his office, as Loki cried in Kara's lap in the mountain cave, Odin cried silent tears alone. Pride was such a terrible weapon. This time he'd wielded it against himself. If it had it been Thor to whom he'd said those words that had chased Loki from his presence, he could hope for reconciliation. With Loki, he knew no such thing could be easily won, if it ever could be again. It would take great effort on his part, and he was too old and set in his ways to change possibly enough to regain a fraction of his son's affection. He didn't have the energy to fight for his wayward adopted boy's affections. He doubted he ever had Kara's, nor did he truly wish for it. If she had not become so powerful and immortal, he would have gladly forgotten her on Midgard.
He'd been intent on lashing out at Loki for killing Thor. It was an anger he had allowed to overshadow his guilt, grief, and remorse at the loss of Loki to the Void. He had not considered all the facts, or even considered that their might be a reasonable explanation for his actions. Now as he looked back on the past year, he knew that his unforgivable actions against Loki went further back that just today. He sat and mourned the death of his relationship with his intelligent son, the only member of his family as unforgiving as himself. Despite not being of his body, Loki greatly reminded Odin of himself, more than Thor often did. It was one reason Odin was so harsh with Loki. He knew how much of a manipulative bastard he could be. It was not a stretch to see these same skills and motives attached to Loki. He feared Loki would use them against Thor as he had once used them against his own brothers to become King of Asgard. His brothers now sat in other Realms, only to return to Asgard by invitation. Odin rarely allowed them to return.
Heimdall had told him he was wrong after Loki's fall. He'd seen and heard Loki's last words to Kara as he was pulled into the black hole. Odin in his pride and anger had dismissed his words. Now in the dark and alone he reevaluated his conclusions, his pride demanding he stand firm, while his cold heart wished for a better outcome. He had such a small amount of time left, and so much to see righted before that happened. He didn't have time to chase after Loki's affections or forgiveness.
"Thank you for telling us this Thor," Kara said thoughtfully. Mother and Thor standing up to Odin, and forcing him to back down twice in one night, it was astounding. Odin was so used to having 'yes men' around him; the idea that others might oppose him must have been a tremendous reminder that he was not infallible.
Just before they left Loki placed a glowing hand in his pocket and pulled out her pendant. He handed it back to her, placing it in her open palm and closing her fingers intimately over the glowing stone and holding her hand a moment longer than necessary. "You should have this back."
"Thank you, I don't feel whole without it." She admitted tenderly. She turned and pulled her hair up after she placed it back in his hand. Loki wrapped the leather cord around her neck, tying the ends with a spell so only he or Kara could remove it.
Loki smiled contently as he saw the stone resting under her throat. "I'm happy you like it so much." He could feel his seiðr in the stone reach out and bond with her once more. Unlike the first time there was a touch of possessiveness in how his magic reacted to Kara this time. The pendant was slightly sentient, as it was literally a piece of him. It made finding her location quite easy now that he also had bonded with the stone again. The piece of him wrapped around her throat however, had claimed her in a way his seiðr had never done before. It was heartening to know it could be that content in her possession.
He often found she was the easiest person he could talk to now that she was 'of the same age' as him. He of course knew much more than her, as he had years of study completed that she had not even scratched the surface of. But for her years she was very intelligent and as long as he gave her background knowledge when speaking of new topics she quite often kept up with him, though she didn't always agree with him. He found it refreshing in a female companion, and he had often wished her to be older so they would be more than what they were, but only in recent years.
Really it had been since that first conversation suggesting Kara as a wife. Before that he'd seen her as a young girl. After that the fact she was almost fully grown had been almost forcefully brought to his attention. Every interaction after that day had shown him some new way Kara had matured. Her armor was no longer flat chested and boy-like in its design had been a truly eye-opening experience. As was the first time he'd seen her in the tighter work-out leathers she wore when practicing her weapons skills in their mother's training room. Kara's ban from the Training Field was actually a good thing once her body had filled out. He could easily imagine the accidents that would have occurred had she ever gone through her exercises in dagger or sword forms while wearing those clothes. She was easily twice the size of Sif, who was oddly proud of how small her chest was, claiming it made it easier to fight.
Worse still he'd had moments of just being content in her presence, but also moments of shameful arousal. As a child Kara had been physically affectionate, much like Thor. As she grew older she shied away from other males, but still kept Loki close physically. She had admitted that once she fully understood some of Fandral's stories and the lack of respect the men had for woman they considered 'loose' she had wanted less to do with them. Kara in a temper had become almost intoxicating to him, though he hid it well from others.
The first time he'd seen her tear into the Warriors Three and Sif after that enlightening day in the council chambers he'd been distracted by her flushed face and the amount of energy she seemed to put out when angry. He'd nearly been too late to intercede. He'd had much the same reaction onboard the Helicarrier. Even under the control of 'The Leader', he'd felt the surge of arousal when she had sworn at him. Normally when people used such simple, vulgar language, Loki was unmoved. He actually found it childish and unimaginative. It was why his insults tended to be more creative.
Looking at the pendant at her throat he smiled. He felt a possessive sense of pride seeing it being worn so high on her throat. The pendent had been hidden on Midgard and she often wore it much lower when there, it was more fashionable.
The three returned via Loki's teleportation spell, directly into Loki's sitting room. The room was dusty, as if no one had entered the room since 'his death'. Kara sneezed at the unexpected neglected room. Even the air was stagnant.
"No one was able to enter once you disappeared, brother." Thor explained as he too looked around the room. Papers and books lay exactly as Loki had left them.
Loki took a quick look around. With a wave he smiled as his diagnostic spell told him his wards had held. "The wards would have stood for several years, even if I had died." He told him smugly. He'd been proud of the work he put into them.
Thor nodded slowly. "Mother said as much last year when someone had suggested you were hiding to avoid punishment."
Kara laughed at the absurdity of the idea. "Which one of your idiot friends suggested that?"
Thor looked concerned as he shook his head a little. "None, by then they had been punished and were forbidden to express opinions on Loki, or even speak of him. It was Councilman Seidring who made the suggestion."
Kara looked sharply at Loki. "He's been the one pushing for charges against Loki now as well, is he not?"
Loki rolled his eyes at her unasked question. "I made him look like a fool in front of Vanir King once when I was little more than a child, mostly by understanding our treaties better than him. He has never forgotten it."
Thor laughed loudly. "You made him look like he was the child while you the statesman." Kara raised a brow at Thor to get him to continue. "Loki proceeded to school him on the treaty right there in front of the Vanir King, pointed out that the treaty was outdated in places, and which parts needed to be renegotiated… something about fruit?" Thor turned to Loki for clarification.
Loki rolled his eyes. With a wave of his hand, the rooms brighten by a glow green and gold magic before the dust cleared and the three could sit down on clean furniture. "The Vanir used to grow a type of citrus fruit that is similar to a cross of an orange and lemon, a crinomin. The import tax on the fruit was to offset the reduced sales of other less profitable items that we needed that could not be grown here, but were needed to be subsidized due to the profitability of the fruit. Other items Asgard needed were taxed under the same treaty, but Asgard soil was finally able to supply these other crops for various reasons, including climate. Growing conditions were just better on Vanir and cheaper." Loki explained. "Vanir no longer grew the crinomin for Asgard, as the fruit was by then being grown on Asgard, and the less profitable crops that were being protected by the tax were still being grown in sufficient numbers due to increased growing technics. Seidring had suggested that there was no need to renegotiate the treaty even though Asgard now needed to import other crops we could not grow due to a lack of fields at the time."
"And you were a not as skilled with your tongue back then." Thor smiled proudly at his brother.
Kara blushed a little at the unintended innuendo, Loki just nodded with a smirk. "I was only six hundred or so."
Kara did the math quickly. Loki had been equal to a ten year old, in human years. She smirked and tried to stifle a giggle. She could easily imagine a ten year old Loki lecturing the stern, overly proud man on the ins and outs of the treaty in front of an equally amused King of Vanir. She had met the man once and he had been very friendly and welcoming to his 'fosterling great-niece'.
"He should have forgiven you by now, that was so long ago and you were just a child." Kara scoffed.
"Some hold grudges for less." Loki reminded her with a chuckle, as he was one who had held such grudges on occasion.
Noise down the hall attracted Kara's attention. When she turned and stared at the wall hard both brothers froze. Looking through the walls Kara could see a contingent of Einherjar approaching the door of Loki's chambers. "The guards are coming." She whispered to them.
It took concentration to see through the walls but not the bodies on the other side. She could see the faces of the guard and knew them not to be friendly to Loki. The fact that Sif was among them was a dead giveaway to who had ordered them to bring Loki in. The chains in hand also were a clue.
"Not on our side." She warned. "I don't know the captain leading them."
"There must have been an alarm ward if anyone entered the room." Loki muttered as he pulled his daggers from his storage. Thor lifted Mjölnir, spinning it in hand to ready himself to fight.
Kara shook her head and motioned both of them back. "They are coming here. Let's just move to my or Mother's rooms. They wouldn't dare try this in her wing."
Kara's rooms were directly below Loki's and just down a hallway from her Mother's receiving rooms. If her mother was angry enough at Odin she might even actually have used the rooms the evening before. Kara had only used them for dressing for feasts and special affairs in all the time she had lived in the palace, but there was a full bedroom. Kara had often taken naps there when she had been recovering from stasis sickness in her first few months on Asgard.
"I suggest yours." Loki replied thoughtfully. "You'll be able to see and hear what their response will be to us being gone and not answering."
With that quiet agreement Loki shifted the three of them through the stone and they landed in Kara's rooms. Even in the early morning light, Kara's rooms had a warm fire and a breakfast tray sitting on her sideboard. All of that was ignored as they waited for Kara to tell them what was happening above.
"They have knocked on the door." Kara reported as she watched carefully. She could see that four of the guards, Sif included seemed eager to arrest Loki, the other six were not so enthusiastic. They held back and clutched their spears and swords as if expecting a fight. It was several long minutes as they continued to bash at the door before one of the guards suggested Loki was not actually inside to the captain.
The captain had snarled but agreed, ordered four men on the door, and left the chains. "They were given orders that if anyone comes out they are to be chained and brought before the Allfather for trial."
"Is Sif among them still?" Thor asked with a frosty growl.
Kara raised a brow to Thor's use of just her name and not her honorific. Sif was technically a noble, a minor one, but still nobility. Not using Lady meant he too had banished her from his presence until she was granted forgiveness.
"No," Kara nearly forgot to answer him. "She left with the unknown Captain." She admitted.
"It was likely Hildric, Seidring's nephew." Loki told them quietly.
"Family affair then," Thor snorted and placed Mjölnir down by the couch as he sat heavily.
Thor then took a moment to look around. Like Loki's rooms, Kara's had many books and scrolls in orderly bookcases. The colors in her room ran more toward a cobalt blue and metallic gold. The rich deep colors didn't make the room dark, but cool and calming, thanks to the deep red accent rugs. The blue drapes were wide open allowing the morning light to flood the room the room had a balance of warmth to it as well. The bookcases and tables were lighter hardwoods, to contrast the darker colors.
The sitting room they were gathered in had the two couches in front of the fireplace, each couch had two tea side tables, and a sideboard for serving a buffet style meal or tea service was against the wall nearest the door.
Behind the receiving area were the doors that led to Kara's personal rooms. Kara suddenly remembered that Thor had never actually seen her rooms before. To be fair she had never seen his either. She had to shake her head to clear the thoughts of the old Thor.
This new Thor that had come to Midgard to retrieve both Loki and her was almost like a completely different person compared to the one she had seen last year. His banishment had affected him greatly, she knew. No one changed without a huge shift in their world view, and being placed on Midgard as a mortal had shaken Thor, but not really enough to have brought this much change. She was wary of it, but at the same time, Thor had done things that she never would have thought possible in the past few days.
He had stood up to Odin for one. Never in her recollection of memories of his actions, or stories told, had Thor ever stood up to Odin to protect anyone else. Sure he had stood up to Odin when he didn't agree with him, but it was rarely public.
More than even that great feat, he'd put Loki's well-being and reputation first. Ahead of his own glory, he'd stepped back and let Loki and Kara shine brighter than himself. Loki now overshadowed him in the Midgardian news, and not once had he protested it, because Loki needed the exposure in a way he had not.
Despite wanting to hold a grudge against him, she found she couldn't. With that act alone he had gained a measure of her respect. She had such hope for him and Loki. They both needed one another in a way neither fully understood. They were such polar opposites, and yet they had always loved the same things; family, duty and honor. Their conflicts came in how to best protect those things they cared for. Even then, they had always been on the same side until the coronation.
Kara was going to fight hard to keep Loki from slipping into blaming Thor for Odin's mistakes. Thor did have things he needed to atone for, but Kara wasn't going to let Loki blame Thor for things out of his control. Odin's favoritism of Thor was not Thor's fault. Same as Mother's favor always fell on Loki, at least until Kara had arrived. Frigga had not had as much time for Loki in those early days, and only had more time for him once he had joined in teaching Kara her lessons.
No one approached Kara's door that morning and about an hour later Thor left for his own room to prepare for the trial that was scheduled to begin that afternoon. Kara had sent word that she would require enough food for herself and Thor to be sent to her rooms. Once the order had made the rounds in the staff the guards on Loki's door sulked away peacefully, as they rightly guessed that Thor and Kara were guarding Loki until then.
The trial itself was anti-climactic and quite private. Only highest ranking military warriors, and nobles were present. The lower ranked councilmen were not in attendance. Seidring was there, but he kept his disapproving mouth out of the discussion. Kara wondered if Odin had personally ordered him to be silent.
The highest ranking Healer was brought in and examined the Soul Forge readings. Even the great Tyr had flinched at the description of the torture Loki had been subjected to. Even more telling was the looks of shock and respect shot at Loki when the result read that the Soul Forge was unable to determine the amount of times the injuries had been healed. Even more telling was the physical damage done by the mind controlling magic, and the trace remains that were there even once the spell had been broken. The Healer Eir had insisted that no one, not even Odin himself would have been able to withstand that level of spell along with the torture.
Kara quickly testified that by Midgardian law, a person not in control of their own actions could not be held accountable for crimes committed during that time. Therefore there were no charges against Loki outstanding on Midgard. That also helped his case. She also testified that Clint Barton, who also had been mind-controlled, was also not being held accountable by the Midgardians as proof of her claim that her interpretation of Midgard Law was accurate. Those facts helped ease the minds of some of the others in the court. It surprised Kara because none of them really held Midgard in high esteem.
Odin held true to his word and quickly dismissed any charges or concerns over the matter. Seidring tried to object and bring up charges from before Loki's fall, including the destruction of the Bifröst, but Odin shut that down quickly.
"Loki Odinson was acting as rightful Regent at the time of those actions." Odin proclaimed loudly. This voice filled the entire grand hall, making the councilman rock back on his heels in surprise. After a year, he'd thought Odin was ready to finally throw Loki from his family. Kara was too surprised by the admission and order. Loki too was stunned to hear Odin publicly claim him, but it was too soon after the words of the previous evening for him to process it quickly. Thor had expected it and just didn't think too much of it.
Odin narrowed his eye at the man. "Any who slanders him for those actions will soon see the wraith of my anger. I will see it as a slander against myself as King, as he was acting on my behalf. His words and actions were done as if they were mine."
No one dared say anything after that. Even Seidring was careful to not even look at Loki. Frigga was standing in the shadows by the family doorway of the hall. She gave Odin a small nod of approval before she left unseen by anyone else. Odin waited until he was alone to sink further into his seat.
Once the hall was empty Frigga entered and walked to him. "Are you alright my husband?" She asked with some concern.
"I am so tired Frigga." He admitted sinking further into the seat of his throne. "They did not even look pleased by the decree I made."
Frigga rolled her eyes while Odin closed his in sadness. "It is too soon to expect otherwise. You have not even had a chance to offer apologies for your words last evening." She told him sternly.
Odin glared at her a moment before he looked fierce. "Are they satisfied?" He asked regarding The Norns.
Frigga looked with her sight. "They seem content for now." She told him. In truth she never saw them unless they were displeased as they had been last night. It greatly concerned her that they had interfered with Loki's life as they had Kara's. Odin too had been disturbed by the revelation that they had helped save Loki. It suggested he was needed to help Kara stop Ragnarök. Which meant the time was coming, sooner than he'd like.
"Kara will not wish to stay here long." Frigga sighed sadly. "Midgard is quickly becoming her true home."
Odin's mouth pinched as he scowled. "I hate how her actions hurt you."
Frigga glared back at him. "Then you shouldn't have forced her to leave before she saw Asgard as a home," Bringing up the reason behind their arguments of the past few years.
Odin growled in frustration. "I am aware I made a mistake, but her aging would not have slowed until she lived there. We had no way of knowing she would be immortal." He reminded her with more heat in his voice than he intended.
Frigga just nodded, allowing the argument to die down. They had gone over this fight several times. She knew his side as well as he knew hers. "You made a first step towards reconciling with Loki. The next move has to be his."
Odin gave her a slow nod before he raised himself from his throne and escorted her from the hall. "I pray he will forgive, for I am uncertain how long I will have left." Frigga cast a concerned look at her aging husband. As much as she wished it wasn't so, she knew Odin was in his twilight years, speeding towards his eternal night, and feasting in Valhalla once that darkness fell over him.