Rebecca looked at the proceedings below like a God on high. Thor tried to fight what she was doing, but as she had stated, he had the most of her focus and he could not argue her. One thing he had noted was while she was in such control of him, he could not control Mjolnir. Loki stood to the side, causing Thor to look at him. He had apparently no idea that they were still related by blood. Thor realised then that there was something more that joined the sadistic pair, even if Loki did not realise it, born in war; as he had stated to the other Avengers, being born in such makes a person fundamentally different to their peace time counterparts.

To his other side, the Warriors and Sif stood, awaiting instruction of whatever manner, in fact, the entire room was in silence, awaiting his words. He wanted to inform them all of what was afoot, that though they thought Odin had begrudgingly allowed Loki 'home' it was not, in fact, true, and that they and indeed all the realms were in danger, but he could say nothing, he could only sit there on the throne and wait for whatever she wanted him to say. Finally, he was forced to rise, and a silence filled the crowded room. 'Good citizens of Asgard, and our friends from other realms, I thank you for your joining us in this time of mourning. Odin Allfather, my father, was not only a strong warrior, virtuous leader, a just king, but also a good husband and father. He loved our mother wholeheartedly, her death took a great deal from him, it gives me comfort to know they are together again.' There was a murmur of agreement from around the room at that.

'Really?' Loki looked to where he knew Rebecca was standing out of sight. 'You are making him almost seem Aesir.'

'To them, he was. Thor was Daddy's Little Prince, he needs to say this, we have to sell it.'

'How much is it turning your stomach?'

'I am gagging, I can taste my breakfast again.'

Loki chuckled at her response. All the time they had spoken silently to one another, Thor had continued to waffle on. 'After the convergence, I am glad to see my brother has returned also.' He looked over to Thor and gave a curt nod, a small smile twitching on his lips as he knew that behind the calm exterior, Thor was seething. 'I have, as many know, abdicated from the throne,' there was a murmur at that. 'This shall remain so now. I have discussed it with my brother and we have come to an arrangement that works not just for us, but first and foremost is what we believe, to be best for Asgard.' Silence met his words as people yearned to know what the future would hold. 'Loki is to remain here as King, ruling Asgard as we were taught to as youths; while I shall continue as I have done in recent times and protect the realms, all of them.' There was a momentary pause before the room erupted in elated cheers.

'That is unnecessary,' Thor growled in his head, despising what Rebecca had just forced him to say. He loathed the idea of leaving Loki in charge of Asgard, no one could imagine the damage he could unleash. 'You are going to make them suspicious.'

'I have to agree with him, my Darkness.' Thor was slightly surprised to hear Loki's thoughts in his mind. Nothing answered either of them. 'Becky?'

'I am not making them do that.' Her voice seemed almost unsure. 'They are actually happy with it.'

'Really?' Loki seemed as uncertain as she was.

'Yes, they want this.' She confirmed. 'They always have.'

"What?" Thor seemed as shocked as they were.

'Your beloved public, they are all thinking it. Loki is the diplomat, you are the warrior, so him being King and you going off and swinging your hammer around like the man you are, while Loki does the realm work is something they actually want. Speaking of such things, I'm curious, are you so attached to that thing because it makes you feel better about other…inadequacies? Does the hammer make you feel like you are compensating for something?' Rebecca laughed as Loki forced himself to remain stoic faced, though he was laughing internally.

Thor, however, was forced to stand still and say or do nothing. 'This is what you resort to, infantile comments regarding my manhood?' he scoffed. 'It does not bother me, I am not so insecure to concern myself with your comments.'

'No, your insecurity lies elsewhere, your need for approval, for people to like you, all because of that one dismissal when you were a boy. Are you not embarrassed, your whole character defined with not being able to deal with rejection? What if your friends were to reject you? What would you do then? Cry?'

'Are you going to try and find out?' Thor challenged.

'No, that is too easy,' Rebecca grinned. 'How is that a punishment when you will know it is not real, it would have to be real to hurt you, you're not stupid.'

'Loki would differ.'

'He has his own prejudices.'

'Why are you doing this?' Thor again tried to reach out to her. 'Why hurt others when you can flee?'

'Flee? And live in hiding for the rest of my life? No, there is no hiding, I am sick of hiding who I truly am. Why should I hide? Because they feared me, I had to hide. No more.'

She ceased all communication with him then, leaving Thor to watch as people reacted to what Rebecca had him say, they were thrilled, and that worried him. Loki could act however he wished and people were not going to question, they wanted it. That cut him deeply, he felt somewhat deflated to think his brother was deemed a better fit for a king that he was.

*

'My Darkness?' Rebecca grinned as she turned towards Loki. 'What are you thinking?'

'Does it bother you that I can see into your head, but you cannot see into mine?' she pondered.

'I do wish it was a shared ability, yes.' Loki confessed.

Rebecca searched into his mind for a moment, seeing the niggling thought that itched at him. 'You believe them?'

Loki took a moment to answer. 'I do not, I know you are not using me.'

'Then why are you thinking like that?' Rebecca's face showed her hurt. 'You believe them, they are trying to separate us, they know that together we are too strong, but if they divide us, we can be defeated, or worse, will harm each other, can't you see it?' Loki looked at her, his uncertainty blatant. 'You are the God of Lies, right, you can see lies, can't you?' she stood toe-to-toe with him, looking him directly in the eye. 'I am not now, nor have I ever used my abilities to get you to do anything, I am with you because I want to be because you are the only one to see me for me and not fear me.' She stated. 'Am I lying?'

Loki looked into her eyes, trying to find any form of lie in her words, he knew she was in his mind trying to see if he could find anything, but he could still feel his thoughts as his own. 'No, I cannot see any falsities.' He admitted.

'I am not lying to you Loki, they are trying to hurt us, they want you away from me, Odin, Thor, even the Avengers, you forget, I have seen every conversation Thor had with them, they know together, we are unstoppable, they are trying to use Thor to do it, they think he will change your mind, he will break through your resolve.'

'I am not weak,' Loki snarled, his voice hardly above a hiss.

'I know that, and you know that.'

'They will see.' Loki sneered.

Rebecca leant up and kissed him, nipping his lip before tugging on it slightly. 'We will make them see.' She promised.