AUTHOR'S NOTE: ...And so we begin Part Two. Hope you will enjoy reading it as much as I know I will enjoy writing it! It will be a few (I'm guessing three or four) chapters before Loki and Barbara share the same space once again, but do not despair. The "getting there" will be just as exciting as their imminent reunion, I hope.

Please read and review! I love to read your thoughts on my little, humble tale!

Game of Shadows

Chapter 20

Beginning of Part 2

Asgard.

Crowning jewel of the universe, standing proudly at the top of Yggdrasil, The World Tree. Home of warrior gods and goddesses, protectors of the universe, keepers of the ancient secrets that formed the cosmos and shaped the galaxies. An idyllic place, a shining beacon of hope, a symbol of beauty, monument of the grandeur and strength of its king. It was a perfect place, with its immense plazas and sprawling gardens bearing testament to the prosperity and longevity of its people. Majestic, colossal palaces and terraces, towers and edifices proclaimed the wealth and opulence enjoyed by those worthy enough to reside within its walls.

All nine realms knelt to the splendor, glory and might of the home of the Aesir, save for one, Midgard. With different times came different tides, and a world that once held contact with its savior and protector, soon regarded it as nothing more than a legend. Old men's tales, passed down from generation to generation. Myths, told in academies and places of knowledge, memories of ancient times in which men aspired to reach the gods. Leather bound texts threatened to waste away as the dust of time ate away at the memory of the beginnings of the human race.

But Asgard was no longer a distant recollection, mere whispers in the lips of parents and grand tales told in study halls. Earth had once again reconnected with its past, had been graced with the presence of its protector, and faced the wrath of mayhem. It had survived, and the human race once again wondered at what lay beyond the stars. The nine realms were all once again linked in the knowledge of what was greater than them.

But the Realm Eternal did not rejoice in its newfound juncture with Earth, nor were they aware of it. The daily lives of the Aesir continued as usual, a pleasant constant of daily work and merriment, joy and peace. Save for two. The Allfather and Queen Frigga stood at the Gate of Vili, located in the entrance of the rainbow bridge. At its end stood Heimdall, the all-seeing gate keeper to the realm. Night had fallen on the city, and as its inhabitants were lost either in slumber or merrymaking, its royal family stood with hearts heavy, awaiting the return of their children.

There were no processions of triumph to celebrate the return of the heir and their lost prince. There were no rose petals and palm branches to line the streets and rain on them as they passed through the city in golden chariots, the populace rejoicing as the royal family were once again made whole, welcoming the son they thought dead, forever lost to their embrace. Trumpets and horns would not sound, and there were no feasts and banquets awaiting the royal court in the dining halls of the palace.

No, this night the lost prince returned a criminal. Not a prodigal son, not returned from the land of the dead, not found lost, wandering and weary in some forsaken world. The second in line to the throne of Asgard would once again set foot on the world of his youth a defeated conqueror, a broken spirit, a wounded boy, a ghost of the son he once was.

Suddenly, a faint blue light began to form on the bridge. Odin straightened his shoulders and steadied his heart for what he knew was coming. Beside him, Frigga gasped as her hand instantly flew to her lips in an effort to stifle the sob that escaped her. He knew her heart was breaking before she even laid eyes on her long lost boy.

"Steady, my love" he coached her, a hand going the one that stayed by her side. "You must be strong. What awaits us is not easy. He needs your strength, now more than ever". He squeezed the hand he had taken, and she leaned her head against his shoulder, the gentle yet strong threads of her maternal heart aching.

A flash of the same light formed, large and bright as two figures began to take form in the middle of it. Soon, it faded, and there the two brothers stood. Odin looked to his eldest, who instantly sought out his eyes and nodded in affirmation and acknowledgement, then his eyes fell to the other figure.

There he was. The forsaken infant he had saved from the frigid, icy temple that had been his cradle and would ultimately become his grave. The toddler that wobbled on unsteady legs in his chambers, that crawled up the steps to his throne and graced his lap upon it. The child that ran through the halls of the palace, his hearty laughter mingling with the one of his older brother. The boy that excelled in academics, perfected his magic and often retreated to himself. The man who had fought next to his sibling defending the realm, showcased his mischief, garnered a reputation for being the ladies' favorite and earned the title of God of Mischief. The son he had neglected and cast aside in favor of the golden child. The brilliant and intellectual prince he had left in shadow in order to exalt the boisterous son.

He was only a pale shadow of the young man that had fallen from the very bridge on which he stood. Gone was the youthful hue that graced his countenance. He had aged, the signs of the toil, strife and struggle he had lived written in the dark circles around his jade eyes, the ashen, clammy complexion of his skin, the worn and haggard state of his garb. He was in chains, a metal muzzle hiding his lips and jaw from view. Yet what surprised Odin most was the flames that burned in his eyes as he lifted his head and fixed his gaze upon him.

"Father, mother" Thor's voice resounded, breaking the stunned silence that had fallen over the quartet.

"Secure the Tesseract in the vault" Odin ordered, and two royal guards approached the blond prince, who relinquished the device that temporarily housed the cube. Once they were gone, he moved to speak again, but a soft, feminine voice was heard before he began.

"Loki…" Frigga whispered, half a choke, half a sob, as she failed to control the tears that now spilled onto her soft, ivory cheeks. "...my son!" she wailed as she ran from her place at her husband's side.

She reached him and instantly threw her arms around his neck, sobbing and holding him tight as her tears spilled onto the leather of his coat. He made no effort to move, his eyes still on Odin as Frigga wept her years of mourning upon his shoulder. His line of vision was blocked as she pulled back and placed her hands on his face, cupping his cheeks as she looked into his eyes.

"You're really here!" she cried happily as she wept "you're really here at last! My son is back in my embrace, never to leave it again!"

He finally looked at her. There was the woman he had called mother, the one who had laid his head upon her lap time after time as he sought comfort from the disdain and favoritism of the man he once called father. He showed no emotion or rejoicing at the enthusiasm of her greeting, but he couldn't help to close his eyes and relish the soothing feeling that washed over him as she laid her forehead to his.

Thor and Odin watched the exchange in silence, grief and sadness evident in their eyes. They marveled at the extent of a mother's love as she welcomed her child in chains. They looked at each other and Thor gave his father a sad, hopeful smile. Both their eyes were red and glistening. Odin finally broke the silence, taking great effort in keeping his voice and composure steady, struggling with the desire to run to his estranged son and join his wife in rejoicing in his return.

"Loki Odinson, you have returned to your home of Asgard. As your father and your king, I bid you welcome. There are many and great matters that have yet to be addressed, but as of this moment, we rejoice in your return, despite its grave circumstances" he stopped as conflicting emotions threatened to overtake his aged and long-lived heart, and called upon his last iota of strength to deliver the words that must be spoken.

"For your safety and the safety of the realm, I hereby take away from you your power, your gift of magic and the skills of illusion you possess that may aid you in further deviating from your path. You are to remain in the chambers that once belonged to you, until you have redeemed yourself and fulfilled the consequences of your missteps. Welcome home, my son…" he finished in a whisper, as he took steps forward and reached out to touch him, taking away from Loki all he had achieved and learned in his youth.

The instant the Allfather's hand came into contact with his, the chains that bound his wrists and the muzzle around his mouth and neck broke free, shattering and turning to dust that the crisp night air blew away. He gritted his teeth and seethed as his powers drained from his body, and burned his gaze into the eyes of the man who took them from him.

Thor approached and stood next to his mother, who still had her arm around Loki.

"It is for the best brother… do not take this as a slight on your person"

He then took his brother's free arm, and escorted him after his father into the entrance of the royal palace. Frigga never left his side, his arm in hers, as if somehow he would be gone from her again.

On the end of a broken rainbow bridge, Heimdall observed, weary and apprehensive. A storm was brewing, and the return of the once King Loki was the onset of the tempest.

End of Chapter 20