So, the frost-giants were going to war.

Loki wasn't surprised, not really. Helblindi had impressed on him that Jotunheim was always at war; being at war was just something Jotunheim was. The problem was not necessarily as urgent as Thor seemed to think. "Don't you remember anything about the sun on Jotunheim, Thor?" he'd snarled. "This night can mean anything from a couple of hours to a couple of years." Thor had not relaxed – in fact had looked quite suspicious. "And Helblindi's not stupid – they're still rebuilding. I'm sure they'll raid a little here and there, yes – we might lose a couple of elvish villages or something, and won't that be sad, but." He shook his head. "They have nothing to gain by attacking Asgard now – they have no chance. They're just… looking forward to it. What else have they got to do?"

But once Thor had gone away, Loki dropped the act and gave himself free rein to worry a little, and more importantly, to feel hurt. Helblindi hadn't told him. Hadn't trusted him. (He hadn't trusted a patricide-regicide-hospiticide? What was he thinking!)

Loki hated it, because he had just begun starting to think that maybe it was time to begin feeling a little trust himself – Helblindi didn't hate him for Laufey. Maybe he even knew about the Bifrost already, and didn't hate him for that either. Helblindi liked him enough to welcome stupid blundering Thor for his sake; what better proof of friendship could there be!

Only now it seemed they weren't quite as close as he'd thought, because Helblindi had been planning a whole war he hadn't seen fit to talk about.

Loki hoped, sincerely hoped, that there was some truth to what he'd thrown Thor's way in annoyance. He hoped that the frost-giants weren't planning on attacking soon – not any time soon. Not until he'd worked out a way of keeping Thor out of the vanguard and Helblindi… as safe as a frost-giant king ever got in war.

Which, if Jotunheim took on Asgard and lost, would not be very safe. Of course, he could prevent that. If he wanted to, he could solve the Jotuns' military problems all by himself. He toyed with the idea, and called forth the Casket to toy with it, too. It swirled at his touch, feeling cold and clean and right… but that was a betrayal Thor would never ever forgive. He slipped the Casket back into the ether and sat down to keep planning, in other directions.

He considered trying to talk everybody out of war, and for a moment got lost in a daydream about everything working out, Helblindi visiting again, openly, bringing a couple of little Jotun kids to tour the palace and get ward spells from their uncle. He would do much better than a half-baked prophecy, he would give them-

Focus, Loki. The voice cut right through his daydreaming and he straightened up. Do you even remember the question? The resulting second of fierce panic sharpened his mind and he turned his attention – all of it – to thinking up a solution. Because this would gut him if he got it wrong. The Casket of Ancient Winters was a powerful tool and Loki was a brilliant strategist, and if he took a side it would cost one of his brothers his life.

But, nights on Jotunheim could last for years. He told himself he probably had time to figure something out, and commenced pacing around the palace, shielded from notice so that people wouldn't disturb him while he brooded.

Thor swore his friends to secrecy and told them everything... and, incredibly, nobody demanded Loki's head. Rather the opposite: "The giants are wrong," Fandral said first, with certainty. "That's all there is to it, is that they're wrong."

Sif spoke up as well. "We know Loki cares for you, Thor – he was absolutely inconsolable when you disappeared. And we all know he hatesbeing a giant. So why would he want to be their king? You must have misunderstood. What exactly did the Jotun say?"

He heaved a sigh. The words were burned into him; he could almost repeat the speech verbatim. "It told me that Helblindi was preparing to lead them into war. Then it talked of Loki: said that the son of Laufey was finally ready to take his true place, that he's wanted to sit on a throne for so long and now it's his time. That at last Asgard will have to give him up – give up what you've taken, it said, as if Loki is a, a rock that one puts in one's pocket. A Jotun rock." He shook his head, disgust giving place to wonderment as he added: "And the strangest thing, friends: it seemed to think that stealing my brother would prove no obstacle at all to our friendship. It clapped me on the shoulder and told me it hoped to meet me one day on the field of battle. I said: that will be your last day then, so don't hope too hard, and it laughed."

Sif shook her head. "Well, we knew frost-giants were strange."

"Aye." Volstagg. "They must be, as they've called you beautiful, more than once."

"Please. My friends, I beg you to be serious," Thor said. "We must decide what to do."

Fandral hissed. "I don't know what we can do. Thor, think about this. Loki is on shaky ground with many, many people. If you accuse him of treason – if you even suggest it – whether or not he's proven innocent his reputation may never recover. Not once people find out what he is."

"Proven innocent?" Thor did not like the sound of that. "What do you mean? Are you suggesting that I call him out in public, demand a trial?"

They all jumped in at once. "No!" "Thor, no," "Are you out of your mind?" "That sounds unwise."

"Good. Because Loki would never forgive me for that. We shall have to investigate this in private."

And then, horror of horrors, a laugh. A loud bitter laugh, Loki's laugh, and suddenly Thor could see his breath as the room's temperature plummeted.

"By all means," Loki said, shimmering into being beside him. "Let us investigate. Perhaps I can help."

Most of the Idiots at least had the grace to look embarrassed, but Thor stood with his arms crossed. "So you were spying upon us," he accused. "Once again. Then, you know what we were talking about. What have you to say for yourself, brother?"

"First, it's not what you think," he began, then winced, because he sounded awful, rushed and defensive, and of course Thor wouldn't believe a single word out of his mouth.

Especially, because: what would those words be? I'm sorry, Thor, but the frost-giant currently threatening the realm is actually my brother. Yes, I've been keeping it from you. Oh and also he once poked out your father's eye because of me. Sorry about that.

So Loki stayed silent, trying to figure out what to say…

"Well? It's not what I think? Then what is it?" Thor pressed. Not sounding particularly patient.

Loki groped for words… but amazingly, for once in his life, other people took his part. "Thor!" Sif snapped.

"Don't take a tone with him until we know he did something," Volstagg agreed.

Hogun snorted. "Until."

Fandral slapped his hand against the wall to quiet everyone down. "Nobody's accusing anybody. All we know is that the Jotuns are going to war, and that they have some strange thoughts about Loki. That's it! For all we know they're plotting to kidnap him. We really need to think this through."

Thor was still glowering. "I would like to hear explanation from Loki. Not guesses from the rest of you."

"Thor." Sif again. Then she sighed. "Would you please excuse us a moment, my king?" That took everyone aback, and before they could recover her hand was on Loki's arm and she was leading him away.

In the hallway, Loki shielded their conversation with a charm and finally found his tongue. "Are you sure it's safe to be alone with me?"

"Stop it," she said firmly. "This is only going to get worse if people don't grow up." She took a deep breath. "Thor is jealous. He's jealous of your new friends, and when Thor is jealous he gets hurt and angry and he behaves with even less sensitivity than usual. You know that."

Loki shrugged. Having never been the object of Thor's jealousy before he could not really comment, beyond: "He accused me of treason."

"No – he doesn't realize what he sounds like, and how unfair it is. Take this from one who knows, Loki: he doesn't mean it. He'll hate himself when he realizes how he's hurt you."

"He hasn't hurt me." Petulant and pathetic. Thor might have believed it but Sif rolled her eyes at him openly.

But at least she moved on without pressing the point. "Just talk to me, so that I can have your back. Any idea what's going on?"

He couldn't bring himself to tell her everything. All he would say is: "I've had my fill of being king of Asgard. And I have no intention of seeking the Jotun throne – that's absurd."

Incredibly, she seemed to believe him. "So why do they think otherwise? A stupid guess? They know that you like Helblindi, and that Asgard has never been kind to you. They must think that they can offer you everything you want – friends, family, a throne. I suppose they think you would come willingly."

It seemed plausible. He wove a lie quickly. "Jotuns are notoriously weak in empathy," he agreed. "It's entirely possible my cousin's been misreading me." His mind bubbled with helpful details. "Thor told you of how Helblindi picked a fight with him, yes? To force me to choose between them, to see what I would do. I feel terrible about this but I did side with Helblindi at the time. That, and… well, they know that the Allfather did things to me, and… of course they'd assume I'm willing to join their cause." This was better – much better. He would deal with accusations of treason. He would much rather field that suspicion than tell Thor that the title of brother he so treasured not only did not belong to him, but actually belonged to another. To a Jotun. He shivered.

"But… you're not willing to join their cause," Sif prompted. "It's all a misunderstanding. Right?"

He met her gaze with his most wide-eyed sincerity. "Right."

She nodded. Believing him? "Let's go explain to the others."

They did. There were apologies all round for doubting him… but he thought he could still see doubts in their eyes.

Fandral said brightly: "So, we just need to tell them that Loki's not interested."

"How can we make them believe us?" Hogun asked.

Tell them about the Bifrost. Before someone could suggest that, Loki nodded and plastered an overly serious look onto his face. "Well, it would be best if the Jotuns saw that I was actually unavailable to join their cause. Perhaps we should kill me in front of them."

Volstagg snorted and followed his lead. "Aye, that could work."

But Thor barked, "Enough joking, brother! Volstagg, you as well."

Volstagg would not be silenced. "Well, what are you going to do, Thor? Lock him away – again? The answer is simple: we tell them Loki is ours, and either they believe it or they don't. If they do: wonderful! And if they don't, I'm happy to go to war and lop off a couple of ugly blue heads to make our point. That's the answer." He made a face. "No offense meant, Loki."

"None taken," Loki said without really listening. He was too busy staring at Thor, who had started looking disturbingly thoughtful when Volstagg fired off the lock him away thing… and continued looking more thoughtful, and more troubled, as time went on.

Loki could see the moment the idea formed up. "No, Thor," he snapped with authority.

Sif looked from one to the other. "No what?" she said.

"Don't even think it. I'll kill you first, brother. Or myself." The words were out before he could stop himself, and then he winced. Perhaps not the wisest thing to say, for a man currently under suspicion of treason. He tried to calm down.

Suddenly there was an arm around his shoulder – Fandral. "Come on, now: everybody take a breath. What's this about killing, hm? Loki?"

Loki threw back his head and laughed, because fuck if he shouldn't have seen this coming. "Thor wants to send me back to the dungeons," he explained. "Apparently he didn't get enough the first time around. Though I don't know what more he could-"

"Loki!" Thor sounded miserable. "I was thinking they could hide you there. Keep you out of the Jotuns' reach, that is all. In comfort and safety. I- I only…" He drew himself up and spoke with more authority. "There is nothing wrong with proposing an idea, brother. I would never order you anywhere against your will. And I would never… that goes without saying, I sincerely hope."

Loki tuned him out as he mouthed his protests. Nothing wrong with proposing-? Oh, of course not.

"But, consider it," Thor continued. "Please. It would keep you… safe." He was inventing – desperately. And he was the worst liar Loki had ever was he really thinking – did he doubt his brother's loyalty after all? Better to lock him away than give him a chance to betray the realm again, was that it?

Loki didn't want to ask. And he didn't want to tell about Helblindi, either. And really, before long the Idiots might press one of them into saying something that couldn't be unsaid, or Thor might lose patience and put his foot down with something unforgiveable, and the surest way to avoid any of that was:

"Fine," he said quickly, almost in a panic. "No one touches me, no one touches my magic, I approve every paper before you sign it, and then fine, until someone sorts out what's going on with the frost-giants I'll go stay out of the way."

Loki was allowed to pack a bag this time – although he was assured that it was not necessary; clothes could be provided and the facility had its own library. (He wondered briefly about what sorts of things they might read there, and decided it was probably best to bring his own entertainment.)

The Drones who escorted him to the portal he had never met, but when he arrived, Drone Three was in the waiting area.

"Morning, Loki," he said easily. "I know you've seen the papers, but just to be clear: nothing's going to happen to you. This is not nearly the first time we've held people for safekeeping during political problems, it's completely normal and everything's going to be fine. All right?"

Loki nodded.

"You won't be harmed. However, you aren't allowed to leave or send communications without your king's permission." The Drone shrugged. "On the upside, that means that any trouble in Asgard while you're away, cannot be blamed on you."

He wondered who was going to be blamed in his absence, for every stupid little thing that went wrong in the palace.

"Also," Three went on, "You can't be kidnapped or liberated by force; there are enough secrets in our vaults that no kingdom would dare cross us, and if one did we are more than prepared to fight. So, you are hopelessly stuck here. And you'll have trouble with your sorcery; our space is heavily warded and a lot of magic will fail, or misfire. We prefer you not to use it. If you must use it, be careful and give us plenty of warning. Do you understand?"

He nodded.

"Then, come. I'll show you your room." The Drones left space while they walked, not crowding in on him to usher him along, but still. This place set him on edge, and he wasn't much in the mood to make small talk, and at last Drone Three said into the silence: "So, no helmet this time?"

"I imagine I've left it the same place you've left your courtesy," Loki shot back.

The Drone immediately straightened up. "I assure you I did not mean to offend. You often joke when you're nervous; I was under the impression it puts you at ease."

Loki blinked. Did it? "I also snap when I'm under stress," he said at last. "Forgive me." He was quiet for a bit, wondering he did joke to calm his nerves and wondering how the Drones knew that before he did.

"You have nothing to be nervous about, Prince."

The cool, distant formality was worse – far worse. "Please, Loki is fine."

"Of course he is, Prince." The teasing was back at once, and Loki found it a little disconcerting that the creature was apparently able to switch from friendly to professional and back again at will. Did that mean that at any moment the Drones might-

"This way." The Drone veered off into a side corridor, and opened a door by some mechanism Loki didn't see. "Please." He gestured Loki in, and when Loki went there was that hand brushing his back, guiding him, and he shuddered. The Drone pulled away at once. "Ah, sorry."

The absurdity of a Drone apologizing to him for such a thing boggled the mind.

Loki's room this time was slightly larger than the room he remembered, with nicer furniture, but its sink and toilet were still right out in the open. When the Drones took up positions inside with him – the new one standing by the door, and Drone Three sitting in one of his chairs to read – he grew testy. "Please tell me you're not going to just stand there the entire time I'm here?" he snapped in Door Drone's direction.

"If you object to him just standing there," Drone Three put in, "He could do something else." And he looked up from his book with a bland smile.

Loki glared at him. (Or, tried to. It was hard to glare effectively with a chill running down his spine.)

"I'm joking, Loki." Really? There was a bit of an edge, now. "But just because it isn't dangerous for you to be rude to us, does not mean it isn't still rude."

A fair point. ((And they had always been polite to him, even while-)). "My apologies," he said, shutting his mind to thoughts of the Drones' civility. "Only, at some point I'll want privacy." He gestured to the toilet.

Door Drone passed hands over the wall in a pattern, and though Loki felt no magic in the room the floor began to glow and a wall shimmered into being. "Will that suffice, Prince Loki?"

The bathroom at least was walled off now, so Loki nodded and rummaged through his bag to find a book. But after another few hours of silence the presence of the Drones got annoying and he asked (politely, this time!) whether they would leave entirely.

They did, but then in the silence and solitude he began to have strange thoughts like what if he had only imagined that everything was fine and what if he was really here because-…

He had to bang on the door and call them back. Hating himself thoroughly for his weakness. Or his madness. Or both.

TBC.

Sorry, sorry, a thousand apologies for the delay. Work has been brutal and I took a break to write that Clint/Loki whip thing, but now I'm back! Next chapter's half-written already, so expect it in a couple of days. What's going to happen is, Loki will geniusly realize that he can't hide from the having-a-frost-giant-brother thing forever.