"…a bright flash caught my eye and startled the monster for a moment; I looked and saw a dagger just within my reach. In my desperation I seized it, and with the anger of one without hope of life, I thrust it through the monster's neck. Behold, a marvel - the blade cut through the hide and even broke rings of bone, and the monster fell to the floor!"
"Just a moment - here is Loki, you have to start from the beginning!" exclaimed Fandral. "Never mind that you already repeated it for Hogun…"
"I have already heard it from Heimdall, thank you," said Loki, waving his hand as he passed by.
Beowulf stood up from the healers' table, causing the healers to jump back from him mid-treatment. One of them clucked disapprovingly and tried to continue fixing his wounds. The Warriors Three, Sif and Thor had been listening to his account of what had happened in the lake. They had worried that he had, after all, failed, when the water had yielded up Fandral's sword tangled in some unlucky water-beast. Beowulf had eventually emerged, gasping and flushed with the excitement of victory, holding Grendel's head before him as payback for the head of the dead Asgardian advisor. He had also been holding something else.
"Loki - I cannot thank you enough. But I am very sorry. Your dagger…" Beowulf apologetically held out a beautiful twisted hilt with serpentine patterns.
"Yes, the blade melted upon contact with the poisonous blood when you beheaded the monster." Loki gingerly picked up the grimy, bloody hilt from Beowulf's palm. He turned to go.
"Wait, prince," said Beowulf as he started after Loki, all decorum lost for a moment. Without the rest of the Geatish contingent constantly around him, he seemed much more boyish and light-hearted. "Thank you for letting me do this on my own - now Hygelac will be pleased with me. I have to thank you for that, too," he said, turning to Thor.
"My lack of involvement is also his fault," said Thor, pointing to Loki, but without a trace of malice.
Loki nodded curtly and took his leave. Beowulf resumed his telling of the story, to the delight of the Warriors Three and Sif, while Thor excused himself and followed his brother out into the corridor.
"Congratulations, my lord," said Loki coolly. "The monsters are quelled and you have fulfilled your duty as regent."
"I could not have done it without your help and common sense," said Thor, striding alongside Loki. "I know you did not have to help me, but you went to Heimdall… and you have been helping me all along."
"I hope you will remember that lesson in the future," said Loki. "Do not say all that just to placate me."
"Hotheadedness is a natural fault of mine; do not hold it against me, my brother."
"If I hadn't stopped you…"
"It was for your sake that I did not jump in after Beowulf at the lake - I tried, for once," said Thor quietly, with an air of admitting something he didn't want to admit.
"Very well," said Loki, with less of an edge to his voice.
They rounded the corner and came face to face with Odin and Frigga.
"Father! You have awoken," cried Thor, embracing Odin. "We have good news."
"I have heard," said Odin pleasantly. "I hope you have learned something."
"Let us introduce you to Beowulf…" said Thor, steering Odin back towards the healing room.
Loki was left with Frigga.
"Did you hear that, Mother? Did you see that?" said Loki, his voice bitter once more. "It's as if I'm not even here." Frigga felt her eyes growing hot on his behalf, and all she could do was squeeze Loki's shoulder. She had grown tired of explaining her husband's treatment of their younger son. They stood in the corridor for a good while in silence.
Suddenly, Thor and Odin came back around the corner. "Beowulf is very grateful," Odin said, "although we are the ones who should be grateful to him. Frigga, your sons have done well. Well done, Thor… and Loki."
Frigga smiled at Odin, and then beamed at Loki. He smiled back, but inside he felt even worse for having gotten what he wanted - and especially for even wanting it at all.