Chapter 13; Banished

Back in the bifrost, Odin was quickly giving orders, sending Fandral and Volstagg, who had apparently also been injured, straight to the healing room. He stood up on the pedestal in the middle of the room and threw Heimdall's sword to him before ordering him out. Elaine dropped Loki's hand and turned to leave as well but Odin stopped her.

"Why did you bring us back?" Thor demanded as Elaine sidled back over to Loki's side.

"Do you realise what you've done? What you've started?"

"I was protecting my home!"

"You put Elaine in danger despite knowing she has no ability at fighting!"

"I was protecting Elaine! She is no more injured than she was before!"

"Then why is she behind Loki and not you! Who truly was protecting her Thor?" Odin demanded as Thor turned to look at Elaine who took a half step behind Loki. She honestly did not want to be here, but the all father had insisted.

"You cannot even protect your friends! How can you hope to protect a kingdom?"

"There won't be a kingdom to protect if we are afraid to act! The Jotuns must learn to fear me! Just as they once feared you."

"That's pride and vanity talking, not leadership. You've forgotten everything I taught you! About a warrior's patience."

"While you wait and be patient, the nine realms laugh at us! The old ways are done! You'd stand giving speeches while Asgard falls!"

Slowly bit by bit, Elaine couldn't help but notice their voices slowly getting louder and louder. Her hand reached out, finding Loki's once again, seeking comfort once again. To her surprise he knotted his fingers between hers, clearly seeking the comfort as well as his eyes stayed glued upon his brother and father.

"You are a vain, greedy, cruel boy!" Odin shouted, his words like the thunder.
"And you are an old man and a fool!" Thor shouted back, just as loudly.
"Yes, I was a fool. To think you were ready." Odin's tone was suddenly deathly quiet.

"Father..." Loki said quietly but Odin turned to him harshly.
"Nay!" He cried before turning back to Thor. "Thor Odinson, you have betrayed the express command of your King. Through your arrogance and stupidity, you have opened these peaceful realms and innocent lives to the horror and desolation of war!" Odin marched forwards to stand in front of Thor.

"You are unworthy of these realms! You are unworthy of your title!" Odin cried, ripping off Thor's cape and the medals on his chest. "You are unworthy….of the loved ones you have betrayed." Odin looked over at Elaine and Loki before stepping up onto the podium again.

"I now take from you, you're power!" Thor's hammer went flying across the room into Odin's hand. "In the name of my father!" The shield around Thor's arm scattered away. "And his father before!" The other side followed suit
"I, Odin, All-Father, cast you out!" Thor went flying backwards into the bridge that Odin had opened. Elaine took a half step forwards, reaching out, but Loki grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Odin appeared to be muttering to himself before he hurled the hammer after Thor. Elaine was left shell shocked. She took a half step back, pulling her hands away from Loki as she ran out of the bifrost and onto the rainbow bridge. There she buried her face in her hands before the All-father could see her tears. Loki, who had shadowed her out, made his way to stand in front of her and pull her hands away from her face. She looked up at him; tears staining her cheeks before she practically threw herself into his arms. He didn't speak, just gathered her up in his arms bridal style before heading towards his horse. He knew her well enough to know when she needed rest. Elaine didn't protest and simply pressed her face onto the nook of his shoulder and neck.

The others had already left, seeing as Fandral and Volstagg had to be tended to. He grabbed the reins of his horse; Elaine still curled up in his arms and began the journey back to the castle. He didn't get very far before Odin, upon his horse, came up beside them and looked down at his son.

"Look after her Loki, Frigga will have both our heads if anything more happens to Elaine this day." He said with a nod, before kicking his horse into action and taking off at a gallop down the rainbow bridge. Loki watched him go before turning his eyes down to the woman in his arms. He sighed quietly before continuing his way back to the stables and then onto the palace, carrying Elaine all the while.

Finally they arrived back at her room and he placed her down. She stood for a moment, swayed and then collapsed back against him.

"Elaine...Elaine!" He shook her gently, standing her back upright.

"I should have stopped him, jumped in front of that frost giant to stop the fight from happening, I was close enough, and I could have done it!" Elaine said softly, speaking for the first time since the bifrost, suddenly grabbing tightly hold of his arms. "First giants...frost giants in Asgard...you..." Loki tired to sit her down on the bed but she was rigid now. Everything was running through her mind and suddenly it all clicked into place and made sense.

"It was you..." She said quietly, turning her eyes up to his before she pushed him away. "You can hide things with your magic, who's to say you didn't hide three frost giants on one of your secret paths. Laufey said the house of Odin was full of traitors!"

"Elaine, listen to me..." Loki began taking a step towards her but she backed up, crashing into her bedside table.

"You let frost giants into Asgard Loki, are you insane?"

"It wasn't supposed to be like this, you weren't supposed to be down there!" Loki said, turning to pace in front of her. "It was just meant to be a trick to spoil my brother's day and save Asgard from his idiotic rule for a little longer."

"But I got injured, Loki, does that even matter to you?"

"Of course it matters!" Loki cried turning to her. Slowly, he held out his hands to her. Elaine looked at them for a moment before pulling at the strings that held her cloak to her and walking past him out onto the balcony to over look the bifrost. Loki slowly followed after her, pulling off his cape in the process, throwing it down beside the cloak she had just discarded on the ground.

"What will it take for you to believe me that I never intended for you to be hurt?" He asked, stepping up beside her as she turned to face him. They stood less than a foot apart and she could help but notice the look in his eyes, and partly wonder what it was. She had never seen him look at her like this before. Elaine found herself no longer able to keep his eye and lowered them to his shirt, which was slightly askew. She twisted her hands in front of her, trying not to reach out and touch him. She was supposed to be mad at him, but there was something about him that made all her anger just vanish in an instant, and part of her knew it wasn't magic.

"Will I have to swear to you?" He asked softly. "Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear, that tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops—"

Elaine caught on quickly, looking up at him in surprise.

"Oh, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon that monthly changes in her circled orb, unless your promise is to be the same..." She said quietly, dropping her eyes again.

"What shall I swear by?"

"Well..." Elaine began softly, finally giving in and reaching across the space between them to fix the front of his shirt. "Do not swear at all; or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self and I'll believe thee."

Loki was quick to catch her hands in his own. She looked up at him once again.

"You enjoyed the book I see..." She murmured softly as he nodded.

"Elaine, I want you to understand you mean a lot to me, and I never meant for you to be hurt and I wish I could take your injury away, and the pain and the sense of loss for Thor..." He said quietly, drawing her eyes to his. He watched as they filled up once again with tears.

"I am here..." He told her before drawing her into a warm embrace. "I will always be here." He said more to himself than her as he rested his head atop hers.

"Do you think Thor will ever return?" Elaine asked, her cheek pressed against him.

"Someday..."

Elaine sighed softly, turning her head to hide her face in his chest. Loki rubbed her arm gently before moving a half step back. Elaine gripped onto his arms.

"Where are you going?" She asked, sensing that he was leaving her. After everything that had happened today, the last thing she wanted to be at the moment was alone, even though she was still angry at Loki about the frost giants, he was still her friend and she wanted him with her to mourn for Thor's banishment.

"I must go speak with my father, I'll come right back," Loki promised quietly, gently prying her hands off his arms.

Elaine nodded and dropped her arms. Loki wiped away the tears on her face, before planting a kiss on her forehead.

"I promise, I'll come right back..." He told her before he was gone, leaving Elaine to collapse onto her bed.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THE LOVELY REVEIWS! They really do keep me going and keep me writing! Next chapter you can expect in the new year (seeing as right now it's new years eve for me and the rest of Australia anyways :P) and I hope you all have a happy new year!