So, I'm back! Finally! It's been a long week, and I'm sorry I couldn't update earlier, but I just didn't have time. In fact, I still don't have time, I'm supposed to be studying right now. *shrug* I'm a normal teenager, what do you expect? Anyway, has anyone looked at the count on this story? Exactly 100 followers! 100! Thank you SO much, guys! Now, chapter 21!

The Big Bad Wolf Fangirl: I'm honestly not quite sure...

Whitelion69: Thank you :)

Littlebirdd: My thoughts exactly! Luckily, I've only got English and Spanish left to go...

Rubi Yuki: Oh, yes...I'm sure if they tried they could read each others' minds :). And thanks for that little song, I haven't seen Finding Nemo in years! As for your idea...maybe ;). I've got a plan.

silent song of shadows: Happy belated birthday! Hmm...not a bad idea...we shall see. ;)

Disclaimer: In short: Not. Mine.

Ali's POV

We walked out into the hall to the sounds of cheers. Loki, while not their favorite prince, was still royalty, and therefore deserved respect. He slapped a grin on his face, and wore it all the way down the aisle, until we reached our spot next to the dais. Then we turned to face the door, along with everyone else in the room. I counted in my head, three...two...one...BOOM. The huge double doors swung open for the second time, revealing the smiling prince everyone was waiting for.

The crowd went wild. The cheers were deafening, about five times as loud as they were for Loki. Thor grinned widely, brandishing his hammer, which drew even more cheers from the audience. They finally died down when he reached the stairs leading up to the throne, upon which Odin All-father sat. Thor kneeled down, gently placing Mjolnir down beside him. Looking up at us, he grinned and winked, before turning his attention toward his father.

"Do you swear to serve the nine realms?" Odin boomed.

"I swear," Thor replied solemnly.

"Do you swear to preserve the peace?"

"I swear."

"Do you swear to cast aside all selfish ambition for the good of the realm?"

Thor's grinned reappeared, brighter than ever, and he raised Mjolnir high.

"I SWEAR!" he cried.

"Then on this day, I, Odin All-father, proclaim you-" he stopped. His brow twitched, and he seemed to look into the distance. Thor's grin faded, and he sneaked a glance at his friends, Lady Sif and the Warriors Three. Everybody seemed to look confused, except, I noted, Loki. Oh, no.

It was then that Odin gasped the two words I dreaded:

"Frost Giants."

The crowd burst into a cacophony of worried muttering. Thor, Lady Sif, The Warriors Three, Loki, and Odin all jumped into action, briskly storming out of the throne room. Odin headed straight for his secret weapon: The Destroyer. Awakening it, he sent it off to the trophy room to intercept the three would-be robbers. They didn't get far.

Nonetheless, the coronation was effectively ruined. Odin and Thor had gotten into a short, but heated argument about war and peace, and Thor was sulking. Odin retreated to his own quarters after the incident, and everyone was told to return home. I was still confused. When did Loki ever have time to let them in? I swear, I was watching him the entire- oh. Oh. He must've gone that morning while I was sleeping. Dang it, Ali! You are so STUPID! I berated myself. He'll never be able to redeem himself now! He'll just fall further and further into the abyss- literally! If I can't stop that one thing from happening, I'll never be able to stop the entire- CRASH!

I jerked out of my self-castigation, and whipped my head around to see Thor, glaring at a recently flipped table. Right...forgot about that part. Lady Sif raised an eyebrow.

"Redecorating, are we?" Thor didn't answer.

"What's this?" Volstagg asked.

"We told you they'd cancel it," Hogun said, slightly worried.

"And we thought you were just being your normal, cheery self," Volstagg tried to joke. He then looked down in sorrow at the spilled contents of the table.

"All this food. Such a disappointment, just cast on the ground. It breaks the heart." I rolled my eyes. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could take Volstagg's thoughts away from his food.

By this time, Thor had plopped himself down on the steps and was scowling at the floor. Loki walked up, and sat down beside him in a comforting gesture.

"It is unwise to be in my company right now, Brother," Thor warned.

"Who said I was wise?" Loki countered, refusing to move.

"This was to be my day of triumph!" Thor seethed.

"It'll come. In time," said Loki softly. I honestly couldn't tell if he was faking it, or if he really cared. "If it's any consolation, I think you're right." And here came the manipulative side. "About the Frost Giants, about Laufey, about everything," he continued. I hadn't really paid attention to Thor and Odin's argument, but I had seen the movie, so I knew basically what it was about. "If they found a way to penetrate Asgard's defenses once, whose to say they won't try again? Next time with an army."

"Exactly!" Thor agreed. I nearly sighed. Loki was good. I'd only ever seen this side of him two or three times during the months I was in Asgard, but he certainly knew how to manipulate people. I'd even learned a thing or two from him: the best way to get someone to think or do something, is not to plant a new idea in their mind, but to take an idea that's already there, and give it a bit of urging. That was exactly what he was doing now.

"But there's nothing you can do without defying Father." And there was the punchline. The finishing touch. Pretend to disagree with your own plan, and it will only harden the resolve of people like Thor. Obviously, it doesn't work with all people, but if you find someone stubborn enough (ahem), it never fails.

Thor thought for a second.

"Yes, there is," he said, standing up.

"No, stop, I know that look. Stop right there!" Loki exclaimed, though I knew he was secretly reveling in his triumph.

"It's the only way to ensure the safety of our borders!" Thor argued.

"No, it's madness!" Loki drew out the argument, just to make it look more realistic. Those words caught the attention of Volstagg, who was busy scavenging food from the other tables.

"Madness? What sort of madness?" he asked eagerly.

"I-it's nothing," Loki said quickly. "Thor was simply making a jest."

"The safety of our realm is no jest," Thor said determinedly. He turned to his friends.

"We're going to Jotunheim."