And now we arrive at the last chapter of Thor and Loki's banishment! Thank you for your lovely reviews and I hope you enjoy this very, very long chapter! :-D
Thor swung his sword at Loki, who leapt out of the way- rolling over and landing on his knees. Thor leapt toward his brother when Loki swung to the side, grabbing a dagger and throwing it at Thor.
The eldest Odinson dodged by leaning backwards before swooping forward again. Loki smirked as Thor's hand went straight through him and the real Loki held a dagger at his brother's throat.
"Check mate, brother," he purred.
Thor growled in annoyance and pulled away. "No fair, brother!"
"You have your swords, I have my illusions, it's entirely fair."
Thor swung round and knocked Loki flying, the younger prince soaring across the arena and landing against the wall with a loud: "OOF!"
The arrogant God stormed toward his brother, sword at the ready. "FIGHT ME PROPERLY!" he roared, swinging the weapon at him with an intention to hurt.
Loki's eyes widened and he swung to the right, conjuring a dagger and panting heavily. "What on Asgard?!" he exclaimed, ducking again as his brother swung the weapon once more.
"FIGHT!"
Loki ducked, rolling forward through Thor's legs and kicking out with his foot. Thor fell to the ground, clutching his privates.
The darker prince then leapt onto his brother, pinning him down with his dagger at his throat.
"Check mate again, brother!"
Thor pushed Loki to the floor, placing a heavy rock that lay nearby on his chest, rendering the younger prince immobile.
"THOR! LET ME UP THIS INSTANT!"
Thor walked away.
"THOR!"
Thor walked out of the arena, shoulders drooped. He was not happy.
"THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!"
Sigyn heard the sound of yelling and, curious, headed to hear what it was.
"THOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" Loki was screaming, lying on the floor, clutching at this giant rock and trying to pull it up, but failing.
"Loki?" Sigyn stepped forward into the arena. "What are you doing lying under a rock?"
"Oh, hello my love! As you've noticed, there is a giant rock- a boulder more like- on my chest. I cannot get it off, I've tried! Can you help?"
Sigyn knelt down beside the black haired, emerald eyed prince. "Why did Thor put a boulder on your chest?"
"Because I pissed him off..."
"Figures..."
Sigyn placed her hands on the boulder, next to Loki's, and the two pushed with all their might. The boulder slowly came free and Loki gave a gasp of relief.
"Are you alright?"
Loki tried to sit up, but winced in pain and fell back down. "Ahhh!" he exclaimed as pain surged through his arms and chest.
The Vanir goddess immediately placed her hands on the prince's chest. A blue light surged through his body and Loki sighed in relief.
When the healing was done, Loki sat up and rubbed his back, groaning. "That blonde-haired bastard!" he yelled. "Just because I was beating him in a sparring round, he has to put a fucking boulder on my chest?! Where did he even get it from?!"
The girl stood up. "Why were you sparring?"
"He wanted me to vent my anger at dummies, but it looks like he chose to vent his instead..."
"Why were you angry?"
"My father..."
"Oh."
"Yes..."
"I don't want you to fight your father over me, Loki..."
"I want to. I know I'm better for you, he just can't see it."
He stood up, his face serious and tense, eyes narrowed as he walked over to her, his 6,4 height towering over her smaller one. "If it gets me anywhere, in what I choose to do to get you, then that's all that matters," he stated coldly.
Sigyn's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
"Leave this to me."
"You're scaring me, Loki."
"Well, that's not the first time you've said that. Is it?"
He had a hold of her arm.
"Loki, let go!"
"I know I'm enough for you, just you wait till he sees it."
"I want you to let me go. Loki," her voice was serious, like cold fire, "let me go. NOW."
The dangerous man let go of her, his expression unreadable and cold. "So be it... Go fuck Thor."
He turned and walked off, a dangerous fire burning in his mind.
"This is what we do, brother," Loki said as he sat down at his desk, Thor in front of him. "We arrange a hunting trip, lure Theoric into an angry bear's path, kill him and-"
"Wait, what?" Thor frowned. "Kill him?! Loki, we aren't savages!"
"It's the only way, Thor. How else are we to do this?"
"But- but, that's treason! Punishable by death!"
"Which is why we must make it look like an accident by luring him into the animal's path."
"..."
"Thor. I know you don't want to do this, but it must be done. For Sigyn, brother."
"For you."
"For us."
"...Fine."
That day, Thor reluctantly rallied Sif and The Warriors Three, Theoric and Loki out to go hunting. They gathered up their supplies: weapons, food, clothes and headed out into the woods of Asgard. However, before they went, there was a slight problem.
Frigga, Queen of Asgard, had come to hug her sons goodbye.
"Thor! Loki! Be careful out there! Your father will kill us all if something should happen to you!" she crushed her sons to her and held them tightly in her arms.
"Mother!" Thor whined.
"Oh, don't worry, Mother, we'll be fine! Thor's just embarrassed because you're showing him up in front of his little friends!" Loki crooned, laughing and hugging his mother back just as fiercely as she was with him. "We'll all be safe! I promise!"
As he pulled away, he saw Sigyn behind her. She glanced up and blushed and he gave her a smile.
"Goodbye, Mother!" Thor called, climbing on top of his horse, his gear securely fastened on to the back of it.
"Goodbye, Mother!" Loki echoed, also climbing onto his horse. As he settled onto it, he looked up at Sigyn and winked at her with a grin on his face.
"Everything will be fine, Sigyn," Loki thought telepathically inside his head. Sigyn's eyes widened.
"Stay safe and I won't have to kick your asses later," she replied.
Loki grinned seductively at her. "I'd let you... Ehehehehe!" he thought back.
"Come, brother!" Thor called. "Let's go!"
"Soon, you shall be mine, dear Sigyn..." Loki thought to himself- no telepathy involved- and he trotted his horse and followed his brother out of the palace, the other hunters following behind.
"So where are we going, brother?" Thor whispered to his younger brother as they all headed through the woods towards the mountains.
"We find a creature and kill it, Thor," Loki replied, adjusting his daggers in his coat. "Then she will be mine."
"Okay... Have you actually ever asked Sigyn if she wants to marry you?"
"I don't need to, she loves me."
"You keep saying that you would honour her, Loki, but do you really?"
"What do you mean, brother?..."
"You're not letting her have her say. I would ask her if she wanted to marry me first before I even think about killing her fiancé!" Thor hissed.
"Jealous, brother?" Loki sneered. "Do you want to fuck her?"
"Loki!" Thor hissed. "Shut your mouth! You do not speak of women like that!"
"Be my guest, brother! Why don't we all have a threesome while we're at it?"
"Oh, brother mine..." Thor sighed, putting a hand on Loki's shoulder. "Why did I get into this?..."
"Sentiment, Thor, sentiment."
"Love, brother," Thor replied. "You're my brother, I would do whatever I can for you."
"And I you, brother."
As the group ventured into the deep forests of Asgard, there was an almighty scream. The group charged across the green landscape to see a young teenaged youth of about the Midgardian equivalent of 14 on the floor, a bloodied stump clamped between a large bear trap's metal jaws. Not only that, a giant bear twice the size of a Midgardian brown bear was stalking towards him quickly.
Thor leapt forward to challenge the bear, urging the others to follow. Loki slinked at the back and knelt before the trap, grimacing at the blood pouring out of the mangled foot. The boy was crying loudly and Loki placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Calm yourself, we are here to help you. What is your name?"
"B-Bjorn, your highness. Bjorn Stellargson"
"I am going to open the trap. You must be brave, Bjorn."
"Yes, Prince Loki..."
Loki placed his hands on the metal clamps, and with as much strength as he could muster, he pulled at the metal jaws. They came springing open and the prince leapt back at the sudden movement. He then took the boy's arm, holstered it around his own shoulders, swooped down and placed his arm under the lad's buttocks, and pulled him up so that he was holding him in his arms.
"I'm going to get you to safety. Hold on to me."
He quickly sprinted off towards the direction of the palace, not to go there, but to find a secluded spot where he could heal the boy properly.
Thor smashed down on the animal's head with his sword. The bear howled and swung out at the god, knocking him against the trees. Sif stabbed at the animal in its chest as it reared up on its hind legs, her spear going deep into its body. The bear screeched and fell down with an almighty thump. As it did so, its paw smashed down on Theoric, crushing his legs under its massive weight. Theoric screamed in agony.
Thor's heart dropped.
Loki placed the quivering youth onto the floor on a cave that was secluded by vegetation built deep into the rocks of a nearby hill that stretched to a cliff that expanded down into a vast valley. He knelt down before the boy and concentrated deeply, trying to conjure up a healing spell for this type of wound. He muttered something under his breath and a green glow expanded from his hands. Placing his hands on the boy's mangled leg, he stiffened at the screams of agony that emitted from the poor lad's throat. He held his hands there, and gradually the pain began to fade as the wound healed.
He sighed at the sight of the boy's awkward foot.
"I'm going to have to straighten your leg. This will hurt."
Bjorn nodded, tears streaking down his face.
Loki grabbed the leg and in one swift motion, snapped the foot back into place. Bjorn screeched and Loki quickly uttered the spell and held his hands on his now correctly shaped foot. The blood stopped flowing and the pain faded.
"There. Good as new, Bjorn."
He placed a hand on the lad's shoulder, concern seeping through his bright, emerald eyes. "You were very brave."
"T-t-thank y-you, Prince L-Loki."
"Please. I think you've earned the privilege of calling me by my first name, lad."
"O-okay..."
Loki smiled and conjured up some bandages, wrapping them around the foot for protection. "How did you end up in that bear trap?" he asked.
"I was trying t-to catch some food for my siblings. They were starving and I couldn't let them go hungry. So I went out to go hunting and ended up stumbling upon that bear. It was angry and it was heading towards me when I tripped and fell onto that trap. I thought I was a goner until you and your brother came running up to save me."
"Knowing my brother and his friends, that bear will be dead by now," Loki smirked as he finished wrapping the bandages around Bjorn's foot.
Bjorn gave a smile and wiped the tears from his face. "I had to find food, my little brother and sister were starving. I'm all they have!"
"You're an orphan..." It was more a statement than a question.
"My father died in the last Great War with the Jotuns when the Asgardians pushed the Jotuns back to Jotunheim."
"Shortly after that, I was born," Loki replied, inspecting the bandages.
"That's a good omen..." Bjorn smiled up at him. "An heir to the throne born after such a horrific war, it's a sign of hope. It must have been a proud and joyful moment for your father."
"Indeed..." Loki stopped what he was doing and thought deeply, frowning in concentration again.
"My mother died a year ago," Bjorn continued. "So I've been scavenging for food ever since."
"You mean stealing?" Loki replied.
Bjorn's eyes widened."I didn't want to, Your Grace! But I had no other choice!"
"Relax," Loki smirked. "I'm just surprised that you haven't been caught yet!"
"I guess I'm just good at sneaking around..." Bjorn smiled back.
"Like me..." Loki mused. He stood up and held out a hand. The lad took it and wobbled onto his feet.
"Can you walk?" Mischief asked.
"I think so," the youth replied.
"Hold onto my arm for assistance if you need any help."
"Thank you, Loki..."
Thor heaved the bear off the Captain with all his might to see that the man's legs had been crushed in the fall. He picked the man up and looked towards his friends. "We must take him to a healer at the palace!" Thor cried. "Come on!"
"Wait!" Fandral picked up Thor's discarded sword. "Where is the boy in the trap? Where is Loki?"
Thor sighed. "He's probably gone to heal the boy, now let's go!"
When Loki and Bjorn returned to the palace and went to the healers, they found Thor anxiously pacing back and forth in the waiting area.
"Brother?" Loki frowned, stopping at the sight of his brash, loud, over confident brother pacing like a paranoid man. "What is wrong?"
Thor stopped and looked up his brother, eyes red rimmed and swollen. "The Captain is badly injured. I am worried for him."
"He'll be fine," Loki replied, waving a hand in dismissal.
Thor's eyes widened, and in one swift moment, he'd grabbed hold of the younger prince and held him by his throat against the wall. Bjorn gasped aloud but Thor ignored him.
"He will be dead because of your lust! Because you cannot accept that she can never belong to you! You have killed an innocent man because of your hatred!"
"Then let him die!" Loki snarled. "Let the bastard die and she can be mine! Like she should be!"
"I will make sure that she never does! She deserves better than a hate filled man like you!"
"What? Like you? Ehehehehehehe! Just like I said! Go fuck her, Thor! Go taste her for yourself and then come back and tell me what it was like!"
Thor snarled and smashed his brother against the wall again. "You dare say such things?! You dare call yourself a prince?!"
"I say them rightfully and I will!"
"You cannot see past your own wants!"
"Neither can you, the 'Mighty Thor'!"
Thor growled in anger and tightened his grip on his brother's throat. Loki started to choke, but was laughing hysterically. This made Thor angrier and he dropped his brother on the floor like a man who'd touched fire.
Loki continued to laugh. He laughed. He laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed.
He was still laughing when he was dragged up to his room by the palace guards.
"Loki... Odinson. You have betrayed the expressed command of your king and have endangered the life of an innocent man for your lust and greed. What have you to say for yourself?"
Loki, on his knees and hands in chains, lifted his head from where he was looking at the floor to stare up at his father.
"I act upon what I know to be right and what is deserved," the dark prince replied, green eyes brimming with anger and pride. "She belongs to me and always will."
"Can you not see that your actions are pointless? That you will never have her?"
"No."
"And why is that?"
"Because I know that she will come to be mine. It is fate. Something that you don't even have control over, Allfather." His words were made to bite.
"And who are you to decide what is one's fate?" Odin steely replied.
"I'm not. The Norns know all. Mother knows all. We will be told what our future is and I know that she will be mine."
"The Norns have seen you?" Odin asked, his one eye remaining serious.
Loki shook his head. "No. Mother never tells us what she sees, not even you. No one knows. But I know that Sigyn is and will be mine!" He spat the last part out and stood up.
"You speak from lust and greed and envy, my son."
"No, I speak from love. Something you have hardly ever given me. Therefore, how are you to judge to me what love is?"
Thor stepped forward as his brother began to grit his teeth. "Father, do not blame him-"
"Silence, Thor!" Odin roared suddenly. "You have nothing to do with this!"
"Nay, I do!" Thor yelled back. He placed a hand on Loki's shoulder. "I helped my brother with the hunting trip today. I did not want to kill the Captain- far from it!- but I could not sit back and watch my brother suffer. I cannot."
He turned to look at Loki and the latter's eyes softened. "Brother..."
Thor turned back to face his father and knelt before him, hands outstretched. "Therefore," he said clearly, "if you are to punish Loki, do not do so alone. Punish me as well."
Loki looked up at his father, shock over his features.
Odin stood up. "You tell the truth?" he asked.
"I cannot lie. I am not as talented as Loki is, Father."
The Allfather nodded. "Therefore, I banish you both."
Thor's head whirled up. Loki's eyes widened even more.
"You both nearly killed an innocent man today for your own wants. Intentional or not. Therefore, you are banished from Asgard till you learn humility towards others."
"No!" Loki snarled as guards placed their hands on his shoulders. "You cannot!"
"Nay!" Thor cried as guards did the same. "I say thee, nay!"
Odin nodded and the guards pushed the screaming princes out of the Great Hall.
He pushed them into the Observatory and made them stand on the Bifrost portal. He held Gungnir towards them, a light glowing from the tip.
He was about to take away their power when the door slammed open. Frigga burst in, followed by Sif and Sigyn.
"ODIN!" she yelled. "YOU WILL NOT TAKE MY SONS AWAY FROM ASGARD!"
"They are to be banished to Midgard, to learn humility towards others! They nearly killed an innocent man for her!" and he pointed towards Sigyn, who looked completely terrified.
"She is not to blame, nor is Loki, or Thor. You know what their fate is Odin! Tell them that their life lines are linked!"
Loki looked to Odin, fear in his eyes. "Father?..." he asked. "Is this true? Have you hidden this from me? From us?"
"Enough..." Odin sighed. "They are to be banished for as long as it takes. I will not have murderers for sons, for heirs to Asgard's throne."
"Banish them, but do not take their powers away!"
"How else are they to learn? Frigga? They will become mortals and experience their pains. It is the only way."
"The only way?! Odin, don't!"
But the Allfather stepped forward. He placed his spear on Loki's forehead and a bright light shone. Loki screamed in agony as his magic, his Seiðr, was ripped away from his body and his soul.
He collapsed and Frigga ran to help him.
"How could you do this?!" she wept, holding Loki close.. "How?!"
Sigyn stood there, trembling. "Allfather, please, have mercy on them. I did not want this, any of it. I accepted my role as Theoric's fiancé. I never intended for Loki or Thor to do any of these things for me!"
Loki looked up at her, gasping for air. "No... No..." he breathed.
"You had no intention of marrying my son?" Odin asked.
"No." She saw Loki's heartbreak and looked away. "No, I was prepared to marry Theoric, but I will not love him."
Odin raised an eyebrow. "No?" he asked, amused.
"No. I love your son, but I know that I cannot be his wife. I have accepted that for a long time."
"You are loyal to your duty, Sigyn. Very loyal..."
He turned around and looked at Loki on the floor, Thor stood there on the portal, Frigga sobbing into her son's clothes.
"Banish them."
Frigga let out a cry as Loki was pulled up onto his feet and made to stand next to his brother.
Odin pointed Gungnir at Thor and the latter went spiralling backwards into the portal, down towards Midgard. Loki had but a moment to capture Sigyn's gaze with his in a moment of absolute fear before he was also enveloped into the portal with his brother.
It closed as Loki disappeared and Odin walked out of the room, leaving Sigyn, Sif and Frigga alone to register with what had happened.
"THOR!" Loki cried as he spiralled down to Earth. "THOOOOORRRRR!"
He landed flat into the ground and everything went black.
When he awoke, he was out in a field, mud everywhere and the ground overturned in the impact. His head throbbed and he slowly sat up, only to vomit everywhere as his body went into shock.
"Thor!" he cried. "THOOORRR! CAN YOU HEAR ME, BROTHER?!"
"Loki!" he heard a weak voice cry out from nearby. "Loki! Is that you?"
The younger prince crawled over to where his brother lay and placed his hands on his face. He rested his head on his brother's chest, hugging him gently. "Thor..."
The older prince coughed and smiled up at him. He wrapped an arm around him. "Loki..."
"Are you okay? Are you badly hurt?" Loki propped himself up on an elbow and scanned his brother for injuries
"Why? Why did he have to banish us?" Thor moaned.
"I'm sorry, brother. So, so sorry! I didn't know that-" Loki was crying.
"Ssh, little brother. We did not know."
"How, how could he do this?! My powers. Our powers! Gone!"
As Thor was about to reply, a car pulled up alongside the road. A man came out and ran over to them. "Good Lord, are you boys okay?!" he exclaimed. "I saw something crash here! Are you okay?!
Thor coughed and tried to sit up, only to also vomit due to the body shock.
The man went to help him. "We should take you boys to hospital right away!" he gasped.
"No, please don't-" Loki started to say.
"We need a place to stay," Thor added. "Can you just take us somewhere? We'll be fine. Please?"
"You boys should really go-"
"Please!" Thor cried.
"You can stay with me then, I have a flat nearby that you can rent." He turned to Loki. "Can you walk?" he asked.
"I think so," the teen carefully stood up. "Come on, Thor..."
He bent down to help his older brother up. The man helped and the three set off in his car down the dark road...
The man and Loki helped Thor onto a bed.
"You can stay here," the man kindly offered. "There are two other people in the joined room next to yours, but this flat is empty."
"What about you?" Loki asked.
"I live in the bottom flat as the landlord."
"Aren't you going to ask for a monthly rent?"
"Not while you boys are injured. Where are your parents?"
Loki and Thor looked at each other. "We don't have parents..." Thor mumbled.
"You're orphans?!" the man exclaimed.
"We're from Norway," Loki explained. "We were left desolate because our family became bankrupt..."
"Well, you boys stay here for as long as you need to."
"Thank you," Thor smiled. "We shan't forget this... Shall we, Loki?"
"No," Loki shook his head. "You have our gratitude."
"My dear, please come with me..." Frigga gently took Sigyn by the hand and lead her to her chambers. "What I am about to show you is very dangerous, so you must be careful."
Sigyn nodded as the door closed.
Closing her eyes in concentration, the Queen of Asgard focused on something in her mind. Slowly a ball appeared in her hands. Frigga pushed the ball forward and a massive burst of energy came out of her hands, creating a kind of wormhole.
She turned to Sigyn and placed her hands on her head. "I give you the ability to restore powers, use it wisely."
She uttered something under her breath and Sigyn felt a burst of energy inside her as the Seiðr went into her body.
Frigga then turned around and picked up something big: Thor's hammer, Mjölnir, newly made and finished.
"This hammer is given to those who are worthy to hold its power." She held it out. "You are worthy of that power, Sigyn. Take it and give it to Thor. He'll need it."
"Is he not worthy for it yet, Your Highness?"
"He will be. I have sent Sif and the Warriors Three to Midgard to find Thor. You find Loki and look after him."
"Isn't this going against everything the Allfather wants?"
"He is not as aware of the Fates as I am..." Frigga replied, giving her a small smile. "The boys need you. You have to go."
"What of my betrothal?"
"That is not of any concern right now. You have more pressing things to worry about. Find Loki and Thor. Do what you must to love my son."
The Vanir girl frowned. "Your Majesty, I don't understand how this can-"
"Ssshhh... Just go."
Sigyn nodded and leapt into the portal.
When she landed, the young girl found herself on a field near a winding road. She looked around for any signs of landmarks, but couldn't find anything. She looked down at Mjölnir and sighed.
"I wish I could find them..."
Mjölnir seemed to glow then, and Sigyn looked up to see a glowing string along the road. She felt her senses heighten and a voice seemed to say, "Follow me. I will get you to where you need to be."
She nodded and started to follow the light.
When she arrived at her destination, she saw a flat with the lights inside turned off. The light went up the wall into a window, and Sigyn climbed up it to reach the ledge.
With Mjölnir on the ground, Sigyn climbed up the wall and swung over the ledge into the room. She turned around and called Mjölnir to her.
She slunk deeper into the room and felt around. She closed her eyes and focused. They were nearby.
Turning on a light, Sigyn saw that she was in the bathroom and heard something moan nearby at the sudden burst of it.
She held her breath as someone stumbled into the room, rubbing their eyes.
"Turn off the light, it's too early to have the lights on right now and-"
The figure's eyes widened. So did Sigyn's.
"Thor?" she whispered.
"Sigyn?" he gasped.
"What are you doing here? Is that Mjölnir?"
Sigyn placed the hammer on the floor. She held out an arm. "Come here, Thor."
Confused, the teen did and gasped when she placed a cold finger on his forehead.
Closing her eyes, Sigyn concentrated and felt the energy within her move forward through her arm into Thor's body.
The man groaned and collapsed onto the floor. "What did you do?" he wheezed.
"I gave you your powers back." She picked up Mjölnir with one hand. Helped him up with the other.
"Here," she said. "Try to hold it."
Thor gently took the hammer out of her hands. He held it up. "I can hold it!" he cried joyfully. "How?"
"I have no idea."
"I thought I wasn't worthy of it!"
"Clearly you are."
"Thor?!" Loki's voice could be heard behind him. "What are you doing in the middle of the night with Mjölnir?"
He walked into the bathroom. He stopped.
"Sigyn? What are you doing here?!"
She grinned at him. "Hello to you, too. I'm here to keep an eye on both your butts! Make sure you don't cock up the Allfather's commands! Oh, and it's not just me, Sif and The Warriors Three are here too. They should be here any moment..."
There was a loud thud from the kitchen.
"Now."
Loki shook his head. "It's been a long day. I must be seeing things."
"I haven't put a spell on your or anything like that..." Sigyn smiled.
"No... But I'm losing it. I'm off back to bed."
"Brother!" Thor grabbed hold of Loki and pulled him back into the room. "After all you've done for her! The reason why we're banished here! You're just going to go back to bed?!"
"Fine!" Loki pushed past his brother, pulled the girl close and hugged her tightly. In her ear he whispered, "I thought I would never see you again..."
"Neither did I..." she whispered back.
"How did you get here?"
"I'll tell you later."
"You're staying with us?"
"Yes. I'm your official guardian! For both of you! Well, you mainly."
Loki smiled and held her even tighter. "Then I have you all to myself?"
"Yes."
"I'm going to hold onto that. Just you wait."
Sigyn smiled and breathed in his scent, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I think everything will be okay for now, my love. Now that I have you," he sighed.
"I hope so..." she replied. "Actually, hold still..."
Loki frowned and gasped as she placed a finger on his forehead. She once again closed her eyes and felt Loki's magic within her move through her arm into his body. Loki gasped as his powers returned to him again and staggered backwards into Thor's arms.
Thor laughed and helped him up.
"I'm off to help Sif, Voltstagg, Hogan and Fandral in and then I'm off back to bed!" Thor smiled. "I trust you'll see yourselves settled? Goodnight!"
When Thor was gone, Loki pushed himself towards her to capture his lips with hers. He smiled down at her. "You've returned my Seiðr to me. How?"
"I'll tell you later..."
The dark prince laughed. "This has been one eventful Christmas, hasn't it?"
"Yes," the Vanir replied. She prodded him in the chest with a finger. "But don't think for one second that you're off the hook. You nearly killed my fiancé, Loki! After I told you to stop fighting for me! What the fuck, Lo?!"
The prince sighed and pushed himself away. "Not now..."
"Yes, now! How am I suppose to go around Asgard without being branded a whore or a murderer now?! That was my future husband, Loki! You cannot do that! You hear me?!"
Loki glared at her. "This is nothing of your concern."
"Nothing of my- NOTHING OF MY CONCERN?! YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH ME, YOU BASTARD!"
Loki growled and grabbed hold of her by her wrist. "You dare call me that?!"
She slapped him round the face. Hard.
He staggered back. Tears filled his eyes.
"You bitch..." he snarled. "After everything I've done for you, you show no gratitude for me?!"
"Gratitude? Why should I show you gratitude when you nearly killed my future husband?! Why should I? All you've done is mope around, wailing at your misfortune over what you can't have. You've never asked me if that's what I want. If I want to be your wife, even if it were possible. This is a poisonous dream, Loki. You are my childhood friend- my best friend. And I will always be that. But I cannot be your concubine, mistress, or your wife. My duty to my future husband and Asgard will always come first."
"Even if it's not what you want?" He looked up and stared at her with his deep, emerald eyes, pleading with her not to say it.
"Even if," she steely replied, not breaking the gaze. She walked up to him and held his face in her hands, wiping the tears away.
"You're breaking me..." he whispered. "Why won't you stop?"
"You're breaking me, Lo..." she whispered back. She placed their foreheads together, stroking his face with her hands. "But we must have the courage to carry on. We have to..."
"Even if we cannot?"
"Even if."
He let out a sob and she brought his head onto her shoulder, gently swaying from side to side while stroking his back to calm him.
"Ssshhhh..." she soothed, kissing his head. "Loki, ssshhh..."
"It's not fair!" he sobbed.
"I know. I know."
He pulled away, not wanting to look at her. She pulled his face back to her gaze.
"Everything will be okay... We'll get through this. All of us. Together."
He nodded.
"I won't leave you, Lo."
He nodded again. "I know," he replied calmly. "I know."
Thor and Loki looked around the new building, gobsmacked.
"This school is so big!" Thor exclaimed. "How will we ever know our way around?"
"It shouldn't be so bad..." Loki murmured. Then grinned. "After all, you've settled in quite nicely, haven't you? You're already addicted to sugar."
"Oh, but brother, it's the best thing I've ever tasted!"
"Sash!" Loki hissed as a student walked past. "Don't make yourself look stupid! Act like one of them."
"How do I do that?"
"I have no idea..."
"Aaahh, the new students!" a tall man with brown, greying hair approached them. He shook their hands. "I'm Headmaster Warwick: the Head of Middleman High School and Sixth Form College. Welcome to the school!"
Thor grinned. "The pleasure is ours, Sir!" he chirped.
"You are the princes from Norway, yes?"
"Yes, Sir." Loki waved his hand behind his back as he thought of a spell and Warwick smiled.
"Well, we have plenty of royalty here along with you new Italians and Norwegians here! You're in Year 12 already?"
"Yes, Sir, we've done a few courses already at home." Loki waved his hand again.
"Great! Then I'll take you to your form room! Follow me!"
"What did you do?" Thor hissed to his brother.
"Mind control: makes him believe whatever I say. Midgardians are easy to fool. So simple minds..." Loki mused.
Thor elbowed him sharply. "Carry on speaking like that and we'll never go home."
"We won't. It's impossible to learn to respect these apes..." Loki rolled his eyes. "But, duty calls and so I will have to learn to."
"You bet you do," Thor replied as Warwick stopped outside a classroom door.
"Here we are!" Warwick exclaimed. He handed them a piece of paper each. "Your locker codes and your timetables for the week are on here."
He smiled. "Enjoy the school, boys." He motioned to the teacher inside the classroom and the teacher inside nodded.
Warwick smiled again and walked down to the corridor to his office.
The two Asgardians looked at each other as the teacher from the classroom approached the door.
Thor grabbed Loki's hand. "Ready for Helheim, brother?"
"Bring it on..." Loki murmured, squeezing the hand tight.
The door opened wide. "Class, meet Prince Thor and Prince Loki Odinson from Norway!" the teacher announced.
Thor smiled his biggest smile at Loki. "This is it..." he grinned.
Letting go of each other's hands, the brothers strolled into the room and their new lives.
