Ones again, the planer was moving over the wood. Beat for beat.
After having finished two chairs Thor had given the chairs a break to work on a book shelf. Every time he went to his chambers and saw that big stack of books laying in the corner he always ended up feeling kind of guilty.
Not far from him Fandral was laying on his back on the grass, looking up into the sky while chewing on a grass straw.
Next to him Hogunn was sitting with crossed legs, polishing his sword. His movements seemed to follow Thors, rhythmically.
Volstagg was sitting with closed eyes, almost looking like he was meditating or something. Sif was fuming, her arms crossed and her eyes closed shut.
There was tension in the air, there was only one question… Who would break the silence first? Who would first talk about the thing they all had on their minds. Yet none of them were opening their mouths.
Finally Sif opened her eyes as she seethed. "How dare he!" she exclaimed.
The warrior three turned their heads to look at her, Thor did not. He just continued his work.
"Suddenly he just walks in and takes the throne?!" Sif asked. "How can you just stand there! Not only are you the oldest, but you were chosen by Odin!" she exclaimed at Thor.
Thor frowned, but kept working.
"He has them eating out of his hands!" Sif continued and turned to the others. "Don't you see? He worked it all out perfectly!" she stated. "Now Loki has everything he wanted! Discrediting Thor, the council is worshiping the ground he walks on and he is king!" she exclaimed.
"So?" Thor asked.
"What do you mean so?" Sif turned to Thor. "Everything that happened since your coronation. It all went in his favor. As if planned."
"Yes, you could make that assumption." Thor stated not lifting his head.
"Aren't you going to do something?" Sif asked.
"Do what exactly?" Thor asked finally looking up. "If we assume Loki planned all of this from the start. What would you have me do? Run in like a maniac and accuse him of foul play? That'll only make me look like a raving lunatic! If being king truly was his plan. Don't you think that me running around yelling he is doing wrong is the exact thing he would want me to do?" he asked.
Sif gaped as she looked at Thor.
"One thing I do know. If we had just listened to Loki in the first place and not gone to Jotunnheim. None of this would have happened." Thor stated. "So there, we owe him not to question him this time."
Sif frowned as she crossed her arms. "You're wrong." she stated. "If Loki hadn't let in Jotunns to ruin your coronation. Then none of this would have happened."
Thor looked up.
"We all know that was Loki. Who else could it be?" Sif asked. "Loki is the only one able to open the portal between Asgard and Jotunnheim and let people through."
There was a chilling wind going between the five friends. Sif looking at Thor with harsh eyes and Thor looking back at her.
"Yeah… He let them in." Thor agreed. "It couldn't have been anyone else. He wanted to proof a point. That I am not ready to be king. And he did it, he proved his point."
"So… He got exactly what he wanted." Sif concluded.
"Seems like it." Thor replied. "Loki wanted me to look bad, he wanted me to fall from grace, he wanted to teach me a lesson. And he got it, he got all of it."
"Then what are you going to do?" Sif asked in a frustrated voice.
"Not acting like a lunatic ones again to proof his point further." Thor stated. "Beside, I have no reason to think Loki wants to hurt Asgard. He's angry with me, and you four. And our parents. But no one else so…" he looked at them then shrugged. "If he's acting to protect Asgard. What's the problem?"
Sif gaped, she looked like she couldn't believe what she was hearing. The warrior three looked uneasy from one to the other.
"Now… Listen to me. All of you." Thor asked in a deep and dangerous voice. "I have no idea what Loki is planning. He is absolutely planning something, but what it is? No clue. None." he stated. "He could be working against us or to our benefit, I honestly don't know!" he stated. "But I want to give him the benefit of doubt." he stated. "You are not to touch him or act against him. We are going to sit back and let him do what-ever it is he has planned. I already broke his trust in me ones, probably many times. I wont let this be the last straw. If there is any hope that we may regain the trust we ones had in each other, I must trust him with this. And so will all of you, until we know for sure he isn't acting to help us. And I mean absolutely sure. You will listen to him, you will do as he says. You will give him that chance. He is my brother." he stated. "And he is your king now. Do what he says."
Sif, was clearly not happy. She was fuming, her hands tightening and her mouth shut tight.
"Heh." Fandral commented. "You started to sound a bit like Loki there." he commented as he looked at Thor. "Thinking about the long game and plans and stuff."
"Maybe that's not such a bad thing." Thor sighed. "I mean, Loki has the entire council in line. They don't even dare to question him." he stated then blinked. "How did he do that? They were questioning me all the time. Every single order I tried to give!"
"Well, we know Loki has a way to manipulate events and people to favor him." Fandral shrugged. "I mean, we have been in situations where we thought for sure we would have to fight and yet he managed to just talk us out of it." he commented then squinted his eyes. "Yeah… He does he do that."
"Loki silver tongue." Hogunn commented as he kept polishing his sword. "A dangerous opponent indeed. With him his words are as dangerous as any sword."
"We don't know if he is our enemy so we wont act like he is." Thor snapped. "He is my brother and king of Asgard. Are we clear on that?" he asked.
There was tense silence.
"Well, if we are to be technical." Hogunn then commented. "He's adopted. He's not actually your brother, nor does he have any birth right to the throne."
Thor glared at him. "Yes… He is my brother." he stated. "That has never changed and never will! He might not have a birthright to the throne. But the second Odin adopted him and presented him as his own. His right to the throne became as great as mine."
"Thor." Sif earned Thors angry gaze. "He's Jotunn…. And he is furious with Asgard. This is not a safe bet to make."
"This is my choice." Thor stated. "And the consequences. What-ever they may be. They are mine to bear!" he stated.
"Thor has spoken." Volstagg stated. "And quite clearly, if we have any respect for him at all we shall adhere to his wishes."
All turned to him and the older man looked up.
"The royal family are the leaders of Asgard. We are their soldiers." Volstagg stated. "Our job is to follow our leaders. I was asked to become Prince Thors champion, many years ago. And I accepted my duty with pride. Even though Thor was just a child, he would soon grow. And he would depend on good men willing to follow his orders. He is the Prince, he is the one who has to final choice. Always. And he made his choice. Whether we agree with it or not matters nothing. Not when the choice has already been made."
There was silence as everyone looked at Volstagg. And Volstagg just shrugged.
"Well, Loki has a way to be three steps in front of everyone." Fandral commented as he laid back down. "Also, kind of nice to see that Torkild down on his knees. Seriously how did Loki do that?" he asked. "But man, I could watch that man grovel all day. It's great."
Thor smirked amused. Then he closed his eyes… Please Loki. I beg of you. Please show me you're doing the right thing.
I want to believe you are… I need to believe that.
Still as Thor looked up he had that sinking feeling in his chest, and he remembered, a pair of furious red eyes. Hands grabbing his throat, the intend to kill so real… And Thor had to admit, he had no idea what Loki was thinking… None.