"All-Father, we must speak with you urgently!" Sif declared, as they all entered the throne room.
None of them expected what they saw. There was Loki, sitting on the throne with Odin's sceptre in his hand. No-one knew what to say, no-one spoke a word until Loki spoke up.
"My friends," he started,
"Where's Odin?" Fandral asked the question that was on everybody's lips,
Loki looked troubled and his voice was shaky, "father has fallen into the Odinsleep. Mother fears he may never awaken again,"
"We would speak with her," Sif said.
Lavender felt like saying they should give Loki a chance, maybe he could help now, but she knew better. She was lucky to even accompany them.
"She has refused to leave my father's bedside. You can bring your urgent matter to me," he then stood up and composed himself, saying, with a less troubled and more confident and dominant tone, "Your King,"
There was silent pause before Volstagg kneeled. Hogun and Fandral quickly followed with Lavender and Sif was the last to bow.
"My king, we would ask that you end Thor's banishment," Sif declared,
Loki laughed slightly, walking towards them, "my first command cannot be to undo the All-Father's last. We're on the brink of war with Jotunheim. Our people need a sense of continuity, in order to feel safe in these difficult times, all of us must stand together for the good of Asgard,"
Sif stood up and Fandral and Hogun quickly grabbed her back; 'thank the All-Father for their quick reflexes' Lavender thought.
"Yes, of course," Fandral said, trying to ease things down,
"Good, then you will wait for my word,"
"If I may, beg the indulgence of Your Majesty to perhaps reconsider-"
"We're done," Loki declared authoritatively,
Volstagg then stood up, with Hogun and Fandral –who still held his arm to his chest- soon after. Lavender looked up at Loki, still kneeling and not really knowing what to do, and he gave her the look he used to give her when they were children, whenever Lavender slipped up, calling him 'your majesty'. She then slowly got up.
Volstagg and Hogun were the first to leave, while Sif just looked at Loki disapprovingly and almost challenging, and then Fandral left. Sif smirked a little while Loki's body language told her to get out and then she left. Lavender had followed Fandral out but Loki's sharp mention of her name made her jump,
"Lavender, you will stay for a moment,"
"Yes, my king," she said hesitantly glancing back at Fandral.
Fandral nodded to her, meaning 'it's up to you to try and make him reconsider'.
She slowly walked back towards Loki as Sif passed her, "be careful as to what you say," she mumbled so only Lavender could hear.
Lavender then knelt again.
Loki waited for the others to leave before he spoke again, "Oh get up!" He spat,
Lavender slowly and hesitantly got up but Loki was already there, dragging her by the arm, into a small, private room.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing is wrong with me!" He snapped, "Now, you shall listen to me very carefully, yes?"
Lavender nodded, slightly frightened and intimidated by Loki, who was still gripping her by the arm.
"You will go home and stay there. I don't want you anywhere near the palace, do you understand me?"
Lavender picked her confidence up, she knew Loki wouldn't hurt her, "and why's that?"
"You would question your king?" He said gripping her tighter,
"Loki, what's happened to you?" she asked, trying to pull away from him,
Loki saw that she wasn't going to leave without answers but he couldn't tell her the truth. All he wanted was for her to be safe and if that meant hurting her feelings then that's what he'd have to do, "I don't love you!" He spat, throwing her arm down,
Lavender couldn't believe what she was hearing, "wha-… no, you're lying…" she choked out,
"I don't love you," he repeated,
"Wha… what happened to 'I'll always love you no matter what'?"
"That was a lie, Lavender! It's always been a lie, did you really think that I would fall in love with someone like you?" He hated every word that came out of his mouth; he hated every word that hurt her.
Lavender's heart had practically shattered, but now he'd said it, it all made sense and she felt stupid for not realising sooner, "your heart is icier than Jotunheim itself!" She spat at him, slapping his face as hard as she could and leaving before he could react.
Loki watched her leave, every fibre in his body wanted to call her back and cradle her, saying he was sorry and that he didn't mean a word of what he'd just said, but he had to let her go. He slowly walked back to the throne room with a stinging handprint on his face.