1: No One Mocks the God of Thunder… Except for the God of Mischief and Their Elven Archmage
Aaravos and the golden warrior carry Loki into the city of Asgard. As they walk, Aaravos can feel dozens of eyes on them at every moment. He keeps his back straight and eyes ahead, and pretends not to notice.
"Let me carry the prince from here," the golden warrior offers.
Aaravos shakes his head, looking down at Loki. "If you are not comfortable with the both of us carrying him, give me a moment with my hands free and I will carry him alone." He will not let someone else hold Loki, not now, when Loki is unconscious and Aaravos does not know who to trust.
The golden warrior frowns in confusion, but gives Aaravos the seconds he needs to cast the Earth spell he used once before. It is much stronger this time, and when he is done he can easily carry Loki by himself.
He touches his lips briefly to Loki's forehead, then looks up at the warrior. "Where to now?"
"The palace." The warrior walks towards the soaring structure in the middle of the city, glancing back frequently to check that Aaravos is still following. He is, of course. It worries him that Loki has not yet shown any signs of waking, and his own people will be better equipped to care for him than Aaravos is.
They enter the palace, and several guards come up. They speak to the golden warrior with respect, calling him Heimdall, but their voices are too low for Aaravos to understand much. They look between Aaravos, Loki, and Heimdall frequently, before seeming to reach a decision. Two of the guards leave; the rest stay.
Aaravos stays silent, not wanting his voice to betray his uncertainty.
The guards return, carrying lengths of clanking metal. Aaravos steps back. "What are those for?"
He has an uncomfortable suspicion as to what the answer is.
"You are an associate of Loki's," Heimdall says. "The prince is unwelcome in Asgard at the present time. Were he conscious, he would be bound as well."
Aaravos takes another two steps back as the guards approach with the chains. "Keep those away from me, or I will–" he will what? He has nothing to bargain with, nothing to threaten with, save the magic he cannot use whilst holding Loki.
He stops, shoulders slumping. If he must submit to chains to protect Loki, then he must.
He stiffens, gritting his teeth to control his shaking as the guards bind his ankles together, limiting his movement, and lift Loki slightly to chain his wrists, attaching the wrist cuffs to the ankle ones. They even place a collar around his neck, though Aaravos is not sure what its purpose is, since the guards do not bother connecting it to the other chains.
He is glad for what little freedom the chains afford him. At least he can still walk, even if every step reminds him of being forced to his knees and chained down three centuries ago.
Something crashes into his legs from behind, making his knees buckle. As they hit the stone floor painfully, he feels a hand clamp around his wrist, followed by cold metal. He pulls, but to no avail, and his other wrist is caught and chained as well. The two chains are crossed, forcing his arms to form an X, and pulled tight. He falls to the floor painfully atop his crossed arms, and it does not take long for his legs to be bound as well.
Aaravos lifts his arms slightly, leaning down to touch his forehead to Loki's. That was three hundred years ago. This is now. Then, he was forced into chains to be imprisoned. Now, he accepts them to help Loki. It is different.
He looks up again, meeting Heimdall's eyes determinedly. He may be chained now, but he is not weak.
"What must I do now, where must I go, to get Loki the care he needs?"
"You will have to ask the prince about that," Heimdall says. "With the king gone, his eldest son has the final say in whether that one receives care, imprisonment, or both."
He will get care, and not prison again, even if I must kill for it. "I understand. And where might I find this prince?" He arches a brow. "I will not be patient forever."
"Follow me." Heimdall turns. Aaravos follows him, sensing as several of the guards fall into line behind him. At least they allow him to walk on his own, rather than dragging him, though they are far too close for his liking and he flinches at every clank of the chains.
They stop in front of double doors larger than necessary for anything but a dragon. Aaravos stares up at them, sincerely hoping there is no dragon beyond them, that they are so large for no reason other than show.
"Be careful what you say and do, if you truly wish to help that one," Heimdall warns just before giving the guards the order to open the doors.
Two guards flank Aaravos as he walks in after Heimdall. There are many more people in the room, warriors, nobility, and common folk alike. All turn to stare at Aaravos and Loki. Aaravos raises his chin, looking straight ahead at the blond man on the throne and pretending not to see anyone else.
The man jerks and leans forward in clear surprise. "Loki?"
Aaravos lifts his arms as much as he can. "He is hurt." He can hear the tremor in his voice, and takes a deep breath before continuing. "Please, he needs care, he needs rest and safety. I- I have little to offer in exchange, but only help him and I will repay you in any way I can."
"Loki?" the blond asks, half standing. "Where did you find him? What did you do to him?" He sounds angry now, not so worried as his first word.
"I did nothing to him," Aaravos protests. "I would never harm Loki. I love him."
As soon as the words leave his mouth, of course, he wonders if he should have said that. If he should have revealed how much he cares for Loki. If he accidentally angers someone now, will they withhold care from Loki to get back at him?
The blond twitches in surprise. "Then we are agreed on that, at least. Who are you, and how do you know my brother?"
"It is a long story," Aaravos responds. "I will tell you, after Loki is taken care of." He knows he is on thin ice with this demand, but he cannot delay Loki's recovery any longer.
Tears prick his eyes, and he tries to blink them away. He cannot cry, not here, not now. "He took a risk, and–" He pulls Loki closer again, arms tightening around him. "I would do nothing to harm him, ever." Yet it is my fault you are hurt. If you had only cared for me a little less, perhaps if I had not told you of my love, you would have been gone long before the prison could harm you.
...is it wrong that I regret nothing save not moving faster?
"He will receive care," the prince decides. "Einherjar, take him to the infirmary."
The guards behind Aaravos step forward, but Aaravos pulls away, hugging Loki to his chest. "No, you cannot take him. Let me carry him for you, let me stay with him. Please."
"You are an outsider, and an associate of Loki's," the blond man says. "No offense, of course, but how can we trust you?"
"How can I trust you?" Aaravos returns. "Do you truly think I would harm anyone here while I still need your help?"
"Either you stay here and let the Einherjar take my brother to the infirmary, or you both stay," the prince says, adding something under his breath that Aaravos cannot hear.
Aaravos works hard at maintaining his composure, sliding on his old Archmage of Xadia mask, cool and distant. Underneath, his anger heats his veins, quickening his breaths slightly. "Very well." He rests his forehead on Loki's a moment, giving the tip of his nose a quick kiss. Fighting down the absolutely irrational fear that he will never see Loki again, he surrenders him to the guards. "Take care of him," he instructs, looking from one man to the other, memorizing both faces.
"Of course," one says.
Aaravos watches them leave, the pit in his stomach growing still deeper as they go. The door closes behind them, and his heart rate skyrockets. Loki is gone now, and he is chained in a room of strangers. This cannot end well.
He turns back to face the throne. "And what would you have of me, in exchange for Loki's care?" This may be Loki's brother, but Aaravos knows there is little love lost between them.
"An explanation." The prince descends the steps from the throne, stopping a few feet from Aaravos. "What were you doing with my brother? How did you… appear on the Bifrost? How did Loki get hurt?" His gaze is hard, and Aaravos knows he does not entirely believe that he had nothing to do with it.
"For the first question, I was attempting to keep Loki safe and unharmed," Aaravos says, looking down. "As you saw, I did not entirely succeed. For the second… that is too long a story to tell now, but the short version is a teleportation spell that did not go quite right. And the third question…" His hands curl into fists at his sides. "Loki is so brave," he says softly, "so kind and good. But so damned foolish. He was hurt because of a cruel entity, and because he was too much of a kindhearted fool to leave me behind." He blinks, eyes stinging. "If something happens to him, it will be my fault."
"How?" the prince demands. "How will it be your fault? What did you do to my brother?"
Aaravos looks up. "You love him."
"Of course I do, he's my brother!"
"I was not sure, after some of what I had heard." Thor practically swore to me that this one mission would likely be suicide. Somehow, Aaravos manages to keep his tone calm. "Your name would not happen to be Thor, would it?"
"Thor Odinson," Loki's brother says, suspicion lacing his tone. "Why?"
Aaravos offers a short bow, making sure the chains make as much noise as possible. "I am called Aaravos. I am–" words flit through his mind for a moment before he settles on "-glad to finally meet you."
"And I you," Thor agrees, somewhat warily. "How did you meet my brother?"
"Is the throne room really the best place for this discussion?" Aaravos glances around at Asgardians who quickly look away, as though attempting to conceal their interest.
"Perhaps not," Thor concedes. "Walk with me awhile?" He takes a few steps towards the door, pausing to let Aaravos catch up.
Aaravos begins walking toward Thor, slowly, rattling the chains as much as he possibly can with every step. Thor winces each time, until he finally snaps, "Can you not do that, please? It's incredibly annoying."
"So is being chained."
"I can't unchain you," Thor says. "You are too much of a threat."
Aaravos scowls, but stops trying to rattle the chains. "Why do you think that?"
Thor begins walking again. "Because you clearly are, and because Heimdall must have ordered you chained for a reason."
"Yes, because I arrived with your brother, who is banished." Aaravos looks at his wrists, remembering his promise from only earlier that day. I will be there with you and for you this time. I will not let anyone harm you again. He focuses on his breathing, keeping it steady so his heart rate will not skyrocket. He is not with Loki now, and he should be. "He expected us to be thrown into prison upon arriving here, did you know that? I am somewhat surprised that chains are all I am given."
Thor draws back, turning slightly to look at Aaravos. "He is not banished. Who told you that?"
"He did."
"He is known as the Liesmith for a reason." Before Aaravos can protest that Loki rarely lies, Thor continues, "He spoke the truth about the prison, however. He escaped prison once already, faking his own death before impersonating our father to rule Asgard. When he is well enough to travel, you will need to leave immediately, or I'll be forced to put him in a cell."
"What?" Aaravos's eyes narrow. "Why? What has Loki done that would warrant such treatment from his own brother?"
Thor's tone grows sharper. "He invaded Midgard two years ago, attempted to take over the planet, and killed many humans. Do you not think this is enough to earn him a lifetime sentence?"
Aaravos shakes his head firmly. "For another, perhaps, but in this case the one being punished should be the chessmaster, not an innocent pawn." A humorless smile ghosts across his face. "Perhaps Loki is more of a queen than a pawn, but the point stands: he had little control over what happened then, and used what he had to ensure he failed." At Thor's clearly confused look, he pauses, raising an eyebrow. "...were you unaware of this?"
Thor shakes his head, temporarily speechless. "What are you saying? That Loki did not invade Midgard? I saw him there myself!"
"That is not what I said." Aaravos sighs. "Loki did invade your Midgard, true, but not of his own volition. His mind–" Aaravos chokes on the repulsive words, but forces himself to continue. "His mind was not his own." He shudders. "What Loki has been through, it is a heavier burden than any should be expected to bear. Many have shattered from less."
Thor frowns. "How could you know this? Loki never mentioned that even to me, and we were close before then."
"Did you think to ask?" Aaravos returns. "I did. Loki rarely lies." He sweeps on, over Thor's noise of surprise. "When has Loki spoken an untrue word to you that was not to protect his own heart or salvage his pride? Save those two reasons, he has only ever spoken truth to me, someone he has known less than half a year. Would he have any more desire to lie to the brother he was once so close to?"
Thor scowls. "You are twisting words as he does now. Cease your lies; I've no wish to hear more."
Aaravos's eyes narrow for an instant before he relaxes, features smoothing into a charming smile. "Fine. Disbelieve me. I only ask that you speak to your brother, ask him what happened in the year between his fall from the Bifrost and the invasion of New York."
Thor considers this a moment, beginning to walk again. "I will. Thank you."
They walk in silence for half a minute before Aaravos says quietly, "He still loves you, you know."
Thor looks at him. Aaravos stares straight ahead, not seeming to register Thor's presence at all until he continues, just as softly, "You've hurt him badly. Refused to believe in his innocence, believed the worst of him on the word of near-strangers, taken away his voice and magic, even his freedom. He believes you see him as an enemy, someone to be silenced and imprisoned. I do not know what you think of him, but I know he still sees you as the older brother he has always looked up to and could never be like. He loves you a great deal, and so every thoughtless action from you causes more pain to him than you could realize."
"Why are you telling me this?" Thor asks, voice not quite as low as Aaravos's.
"Because I love Loki dearly, and I hope that you do as well. He holds so much pain inside him without ever letting on that it hurts. If I hurt him, I would wish to know so I could do better. I hope the same is true for you."
Thor stops, wide-eyed, so Aaravos stops as well. "Is there a–"
"Prince Thor!" a boy's voice shouts. Aaravos and Thor both turn to see a young boy racing towards them. He skids to a stop a few feet from Thor and bows. "Prince Thor, I was sent from the infirmary. Prince Loki is awake and asking for–"
"My brother is asking for me!" Thor shouts joyfully, heading the way the boy came from.
"...asking for a being called 'Aaravos'," the boy finishes.
"Take me to him," Aaravos says. The boy takes one wide-eyed look at him and nods. Aaravos darts as fast as the chains will allow after the boy, and they manage to arrive at the infirmary only a minute or so after Thor does.
Aaravos puts his shoulder to the closed door and leans. It creaks open, and he looks around to see Loki sitting up on a slab of stone. He hurries over, pushing past someone who looks to be a healer of some kind, placing his hands on the stone to lean closer to Loki. "My starlight, how are you feeling? Any better?"
Aaravos's name is on Loki's lips even before she is fully aware of her surroundings. The last she remembers is the sight of the bifrost and collapsing into Aaravos's arms. Almost habitually, she shifts into her female form before reason catches up with her and she shifts back into male. She does not know where she is yet; it is better to keep up appearances.
Loki awakes in a soul forge, hands flailing only to be restricted by chains keeping her bound to the table. A healer approaches, encouraging her to calm down.
"Where is Aaravos?" Loki asks, voice strained and hoarse. "The one that came here with me, where is he? Is he okay? Is he safe?"
The healer looks back at Loki in confusion, saying she was brought here alone by einherjar, could she be referring to one of them?
"No, no he, he has violet skin like the night sky with stars and white hair like the snow and eyes as gold as the sun." Loki struggles to sit up, dispelling whatever work they were doing with the soul forge above her and meeting with the protests of the healers. "You would know if you had seen him. Please, I have to find him."
"You are in absolutely no condition to be going anywhere at the moment," the healer insists. "We'll send a page after this… person, but you have to lie back down."
Loki drifts out a little again, only to awake to the creaking of the door, and the sight of Aaravos in front of her again. "My starlight, how are you feeling? Any better?"
Loki sees Thor standing a few paces behind Aaravos, arms crossed and a worried expression on his face. Loki smiles at her Aaravos, bringing a hand to his cheek. "I am fine. Just a little tired, and drained, and everything hurts." She casts another look at Thor, and adds, "Not much worse than your green Midgardian friend managed."
Aaravos sighs in relief, leaning into Loki's touch. "Not too serious, then? Is there anything I could do to help, or do you simply need more rest?"
"You know me, Sparkles. It'll take a little more than a little disintegration to do me in." She glances over at the healer for her expert opinion. "Is rest all I need? I'll admit I might have dozed off earlier."
The woman nods, seeming determined not to look at Aaravos directly. By the Norns he's not a basilisk, he's just a little different, Loki gripes internally, turning to smile at Aaravos and hoping he doesn't notice the way people avert their eyes. "See? Nothing to worry about."
"That is good. How long will it take?" How long will we remain here?
He reaches out to set a hand on Loki's, frowning in annoyance when the chains stop him and moving his other hand as well.
Loki notices the chains on Aaravos's wrists when she hears them clink. She sits up abruptly in anger, restricted again by her own chains. Loki glares at Thor. "Chain me if you must, but he does not deserve this indignity." He has been chained long enough, dammit!
Thor sighs heavily. "Brother, you are a threat to Asgard, and any accomplices of yours will be given the same treatment."
Loki huffs. "Neither of us wish to be here, but we cannot very well leave you in peace when we are chained." She sits up, deciding now that she has had enough rest. "Allow us passage off this planet and you will never have to see me again, and I shan't jeopardize your throne or taint your golden image any longer."
Thor strides over and places a heavy hand on Loki's shoulder. "The healer just said you need rest, and unlike some I choose to look after my family."
Aaravos cannot decide whether that is a dig at Odin Allfather or Loki, but he does not much care at the moment. "Kindly take your hand off Loki, I did not hear you ask her for permission to touch her." He glances quickly at Loki, hoping his instinct was correct.
Loki is startled by the use of female pronouns despite her disguise. Does Aaravos truly know her so well? What gave it away if not her shapeshifting? Stifling the grin that threatens to spread on her face, she gives him a nod and hopes he sees the gratitude in her eyes.
Thor, for how dense he can be at times, thankfully notices Aaravos's choice of words. He speaks to the healers. "Might I have a moment alone with my brother and his friend?" The two healers politely exit the room, and when they do Loki shifts into a more feminine shape.
"Thank you, Thor," she mumbles, begrudgingly grateful and somewhat surprised that her brother would afford her this kind of courtesy.
"Thank you," Aaravos echoes, a bit slower. He glances at Loki for permission before sitting on the edge of her bed and looking questioningly at Thor.
Thor looks questioningly back at Aaravos for a moment before seeming to understand what he had just done. "Oh! Yes, that was just to get rid of them so Loki could shapeshift," he explains to Aaravos. "Unfortunately, not all of Asgard is so forgiving to such differences, particularly in the palace."
"I'm shocked you would still give me such kindness. After all, it is not as if I ever had the privacy to change form in my cell, what with the transparent wall," Loki grumbles. "Speaking of which, why am I here and not there right now? It would not be the first time a healer had to come down to the dungeons."
"It was not my choice last time," Thor says, "it was Father's."
Aaravos arches an eyebrow, silently noting the slightly defensive tone.
"I've been thinking about that, actually," Thor continues after a moment.
"Careful, you don't want to hurt yourself."
Thor frowns. "That was uncalled for, Sister."
"Oh, no, you set that up perfectly," Aaravos assures him innocently.
Thor looks back and forth between Loki and Aaravos. "Dammit, now there's two of you."
"There could be," Aaravos suggests, glancing at Loki and flicking his fingers as if to draw a rune. He smirks at Loki's nod, sketching the rune swiftly and turning himself into a copy of Loki. "Like so."
Thor jumps back at Aaravos's display of magic. "Those are supposed to be magic suppressing cuffs!"
Loki rolls her eyes. "His magic isn't like ours, Thor."
"Evidently what stops Asgardian magic does not affect Xadian magic… and perhaps vice versa," Aaravos muses. "Interesting."
"I know what you're thinking darling, and perhaps you should not start trouble with that knowledge? My brother packs quite a punch." Thor gives Loki a puzzled look. "Oh don't look at me like that, when have I been dumb enough to pick a fight with you?"
"Every time we have seen each other in the past few years?"
Loki averts her eyes, remembering both the destruction of the Bifrost and the attack on Midgard. "I am certain I don't know what you are talking about."
Aaravos raises an eyebrow again, letting the illusion fall away. "I may have known Loki only a few months, but that is enough time to know she does not choose to fight. Remember my request of earlier, Thunderer?" The title reminds him of Avizandum, for fairly obvious reasons, though not much else about the Asgardian prince is like the Dragon King.
Thor looks puzzled for a moment, then his face clears. "Oh! Yes. Loki, your friend and I spoke before you woke up, and he suggested I ask you what happened between your fall from the Bifrost and the battle of New York." He tilts his head quizzically, a small smile on his lips.
Loki gives Aaravos a look of betrayal and shock. "Why would you tell him about that?" She tugs at the chain still restricting her movements. "I changed my mind. I'd rather face the hammer."
"I said he should ask you!" Aaravos protests. "It is up to you how much you tell him, love, but… if he cares for you as much as he seemed to when we arrived…"
"I am right here."
Loki tries not to flinch at Thor's aggravated tone. She grits her teeth and takes a deep breath. "If it took you this long to wonder what happened to me, to think to ask me, and only when someone else made the suggestion, then you do not deserve to know."
"I tried to ask you on Midgard, do you not remember this?" Thor asks.
Loki racks her brain, trying to picture when he might have asked. "I do not…" She smirks. "I remember that you were knocked off a cliffside by a metal man. That was funny. I made a joke about it I believe, not that anyone was around to hear it… I think..."
She squeezes Aaravos's hand, shuddering at the memory of the Other always peeking in her mind at random intervals.
Aaravos squeezes Loki's hand back tightly, moving closer to her, thumb rubbing circles on her wrist. " You are safe now, my starlight; you needn't speak of this if you do not wish to."
Loki jolts forward with the sudden realization. "The vault. You need to increase the security in the vault. You still have the Tesseract here, and if he can track it at all then Asgard will be in danger." Loki mentally tallies up where the other stones she knows of are being kept. "The mind stone is on Earth, protected by your friends, reality is with The Collector. No one knows where the soul stone is so that is a mercy. That leaves time and power. Hopefully they are equally protected."
The reality of her situation starts to weigh on Loki. She's back in the same universe as him, in a place where he might come looking for one of the stones. Loki let herself get too accustomed to the strange freedom of Aaravos's prison, a place beyond his reach. She rubs at the cuff anxiously, trying to control her breathing. "Please, Thor, let me go and I'll never return, I promise." Looking over to Aaravos, she adds, "We could go to your home, or somewhere else entirely."
"Not until you tell me who you are so terrified of," Thor demands.
"I'm not scared of anyone!" Loki snarls.
Aaravos's breath catches at the thought of returning to Xadia. It… it is possible now. They are free, they could go anywhere.
He stands abruptly at Thor's demand, chains clinking as he steps forward, into the prince's space. "Loki does not have to tell you anything," he says coolly. "Now, I think it's well past time you remove her chains."
"She just said Asgard could be in danger. I have a duty to my people to learn what that danger is!"
"Perhaps, but she has no duty to tell you, and if she does not wish to, I will defend her." Aaravos's jaw tightens, and he glares at Thor, eyes hard. "Trust me when I say you do not want to cross me."
"No duty?" Thor scoffs. "Loki is a prince of Asgard, disgraced though she may be." He turns to Loki. "What say you, sister? Do you not care enough about the people you once ruled over to tell me about this supposed threat?"
Loki flexes her fingers, pulling them into fists and releasing them. "Please, do not fight. I do not wish to see those I love in conflict." She takes a deep breath. "There is much to tell you should you wish to be prepared, but thankfully I took certain precautions while I was on the throne." Smirking up at her brother, she adds, "Or did you assume I spent all my time watching theater?"
She holds up her chained hand. "I left in a bit of a rush last time I was here. I should make sure you kept everything in place during my absence."
At Loki's request, Aaravos takes a step back, away from Thor. "As you wish, starlight."
He waits while she speaks, watching Thor, though for what he is not sure. "Perhaps now you'll unchain Loki so she can ensure your kingdom is safe?" he asks pointedly.
"...I don't have the key," Thor mumbles after a second. "I should find a healer."
"Excellent idea," Aaravos says briskly, making a shooing motion. "Hurry now, we've not got all day. Perhaps one of them is nearby still."
Somewhat surprised, Thor allows himself to be shooed away, and Aaravos seats himself on the bed near Loki again. Taking her hand, he asks softly, "Starlight? Do you… need to speak of anything, while we are alone?" Allowing a small smirk onto his face, he adds, "or would you like another distraction?"
Loki takes Aaravos's hand, bringing it to her mouth to kiss the back of it. "I should ask how you are faring. You are in chains in an unfamiliar world, and I was not there to help you when we arrived."
Aaravos hums, smiling at her. "The largest worry is nothing now, as you are safe. Anything else matters little at the moment."
Loki smiles in return, heart full at the knowledge that Aaravos is safe and that he was just as concerned for her wellbeing. "I love you, Aaravos."
"Oh?" Aaravos tilts his head in mock surprise. "Odd coincidence, that: I love you." He smiles almost sheepishly and kisses her forehead.
Loki laughs lightly. "Yes, quite the fortunate happenstance. Now kiss me properly, please?"
Aaravos laughs. "I was only waiting for permission~" He cups Loki's face and leans down, kissing along her jawline on the way to her mouth.
Loki combs her fingers through Aaravos's hair, caressing the back of his neck as she kisses him back in earnest. She might have kissed him a little less passionately had she realized Thor would be back so quickly.
"I have the– oh NORNS, can you do that LATER?"
Aaravos pulls away from Loki in surprise, turning to see Thor holding a key, hand pressed over his eyes. "Sister, I did not need to see that!"
"Then perhaps you should have taken longer," Aaravos suggests.
"It was just a kiss, Thor! Norns I put up with you cooing and mooning over that mortal woman and you cannot bear to see one kiss? She was what, a mere 26 years? At least my partner is a little more age appropriate, you pervert." Loki smirks victoriously.
Thor pulls his hand down from his eyes and looks to Aaravos. "How old are you, then?"
Aaravos shrugs. "I lost track. After a few millennia, the years begin to blend together. Why?"
Thor raises an eyebrow at this. "A few millennia, as in multiple? You're at least twice as old as Loki!" Thor grins mischievously at his sister. "He sounds about Father's age."
Loki's eyes go wide before she buries her face in her hands.
"I would much prefer it if you could avoid comparing me to that…" Aaravos searches for a word that will properly convey his disdain without upsetting both Loki and Thor. "Great king," he decides, the words dripping with sarcasm.
"Perhaps we should move on?" Loki holds out her chained hand to Thor, and he unlocks her.
She will not deny that the temptation to grab Aaravos, vanish, and run is there, but she resists the inclination. However, she knows that she needs to look after her people, even if they no longer claim her as one of their own.
...And inspecting the security measures around the tesseract will make it that much easier to steal it should she need to.
Aaravos holds his wrists out to Thor as well, with affected nonchalance. "Would you mind? They do jangle so."
Thor scowls at him and unlocks the chains. Aaravos's sigh as they drop to the floor is only a slight expression of his relief at having the damned things gone. He smiles and offers an arm to Loki, resisting the urge to turn to see Thor's reaction. "Where to now, my love?"
Loki smirks at Aaravos's affection, glancing out of the corner of her eye to see Thor roll his eyes. She pecks Aaravos's cheek, trying to contain her joy that she is here, with him, unchained. Turning to Thor, Loki asks, "The Tesseract is being kept in the vault, yes?" Thor nods, a suspicious expression on his face. Loki suppresses the urge to roll her eyes. "Virtually any Asgardian that works in the palace can get outside forces into the vault. Trust me, it was not hard when I did it. What security measures have you or Father added since then?"
Thor seems to think for a moment, before answering. "There have been no changes."
Loki rubs her temples. "By the Norns how has Asgard survived this long?" She takes a deep breath. "Take us to the vault? So that I may assess the weaknesses?"
"And how do I know you will not take that opportunity to make off with the Tesseract or any number of weapons and treasures?"
"She will not," Aaravos says. "Loki is not the sort to do such things." He smirks pointedly.
Thor turns a glare on him. "And you are?"
"I never said that!" He folds his arms, smirking even more.
"You will simply look at them, to learn more about my homeland, yes? Because you would not want to jeopardize my potential reconciliation with my brother?" Loki gives Aaravos her best pleading eyes and innocent smile.
"For now," Aaravos promises, gaze flicking to Thor to see his reaction, and slipping his hand into Loki's. "So long as you are happy here, starlight, Asgard's treasures are safe from my sticky fingers." There is a threat implied there, and he hopes Thor is quick enough to catch it.
Loki smiles wider in gratitude and squeezes Aaravos's hand. To Thor, she adds, "Aaravos cannot lie, so that is as great of a promise you can procure from him."
Thor looks back and forth at Aaravos and Loki, his expression guarded. He summons Mjolnir and hefts it toward Loki. "Betray me, Sister, and-"
"You'll kill me? I believe we've been through this before."
Thor glances at Aaravos, and finishes, "and I will be forced to have you truly banished from Asgard." Turning the hammer in Aaravos's direction, Thor says, "You, I will kill, if you hurt her."
Aaravos nods, serious. "Noted, and the sentiment is mutual. I hope you do not intend to use that thing on me, however, it seems rather slow."
Loki feels a surge of affection at the fact that not one but two people are concerned about her wellbeing to this degree. She is somewhat surprised that Thor would still care about her like this, but perhaps that is just his antiquated sense of honor and chivalry coming through.
Thor escorts Loki and Aaravos to the vault. Loki places an illusion over herself and Aaravos to appear as einherjar, since it would appear unusual for the disgraced prince and someone clearly from another world to enter the vault, even in the company of the crown prince. Additionally, she wants to spare Aaravos any more of the stares and rumors.
When they enter, she drops the illusion, and Loki is struck by the memory of the last time she was here. She remembers the moment her entire sense of self had been thrown on its head. She pauses at the top of the steps, looking down at where she stood as she screamed at the man she thought was her father.
"Are you alright, love?" Aaravos whispers, squeezing her hand. He is not sure what about Loki's posture or expression makes him think there is something wrong, but she is clearly remembering something, and not a pleasant memory.
Loki smiles, blinking away the tears that linger at the corners of her eyes. "Much has changed since I was here last." She glances up and sees the wall at the end of one hall that once concealed the destroyer, the monster of fire and metal she summoned to keep Thor from returning to Asgard. Turning her head to the right, she sees Thor waiting for the two of them at the bottom of the stairs. "For what it's worth, Brother, I am sorry for sending the destroyer after you. I only intended to delay you, not cause any sort of permanent damage."
Thor laughs lightly and shakes his head. "You need not worry about me, it was but a few scratches, but many bystanders might have been hurt had we not evacuated."
Aaravos's eyebrows shoot up. "I do not suppose anyone would be willing to tell me this story at some point? It sounds quite interesting."
Thor grins, "It is indeed quite the tale, how I became worthy of Mjolnir and regained my honor when I had formerly courted war, and of course how I met the lovely Lady Jane of Midgard."
Loki rolls her eyes. "You had to ask," she mutters.
Aaravos nods, restraining his grin. "Yes, worthy of a particularly large hammer. A difficult feat, I am sure."
Loki discreetly elbows Aaravos. "Please tone down the sarcasm, my love. He's not as dense as he looks."
Thor takes Aaravos's disbelief in stride. "If you think it an easy feat, then perhaps you would care to show me how you might wield it?"
Hm… should I tell him? Loki wonders for a half-second before deciding. Definitely not, I have to see this, especially if he somehow manages to hold it.
"Fine, for you, starlight, but he makes it so easy." Aaravos sighs theatrically. To Thor, he says, "A hammer? If you like, though I am accustomed to more elegant weapons." His eyes flick to Loki momentarily as he holds out a hand for the unwieldy lump of metal. "Is it heftier than it appears?"
"You might wish to brace yourself. The metal was forged in the heart of a star, but it does not take much in the way of physical strength to wield it." Loki winks at Thor when Aaravos isn't looking. It is technically true, it is not a matter of strength.
"Ah, then it and I will get along well," Aaravos muses. "Star metal and a star elf." He braces himself as Loki advised, waiting for Thor to hand him the hammer.
Thor smiles and almost drops the hammer into his hand, and Aaravos gasps at the sudden weight of it, pulling his hand to the floor. He gives it an ineffective tug, then murmurs the same spell he used to carry Loki and tries again.
It still does not budge.
"It is magicked, I suppose?" he asks, standing. "Only the One True King can heft it, or some such?"
Thor chuckles in that booming way of his. "A simpler explanation," he picks up the hammer, flicking it upward and spinning it in the air, "you're not worthy."
Loki nods. "Supposedly anyone that is sufficiently pure of heart and noble of intent can lift it, but truly your initial assessment is correct."
"Ah, well." Aaravos shrugs. "I cannot say my heart is pure, and I know my intent was not noble." He lowers his voice, stepping closer to Loki. "The surprising part is that he can lift it, after those threats."
Loki snickers. "I have my own theories about the hammer," she says quietly to Aaravos. You have to have Odin's blessing as a warrior. He was the one who took it from Thor in the first place. Neither one of us are exactly favored in his eyes.
"Come on, Loki." Thor interjects, "show me the supposed weaknesses in our security."
"May I assist?" Aaravos asks. If Loki wants the moment to shine, he does not want to get in her way… but the opportunities he can already see to poke fun at Asgard are delightful.
Loki smiles at Aaravos. "I always appreciate your input. Thor?"
He nods, "I am not a fool to turn down advice altogether."
Hmph, that's new then. Loki thinks, but keeps the comment to herself.
"There is a disturbing lack of guards," Aaravos says promptly. "All off testing their worthiness on particularly large hammers, perhaps?"
Thor scowls. "No, they–"
Loki finds herself distracted with a new addition to the vault: what appears to be the skull or horns of some particularly large creature. "I remember seeing this… what is this again?"
Thor strides over and boasts, "Ah yes, just before I exposed you and reinstated Odin, I brought Surtur to a resounding defeat. This is his helm.
"And Sir Ter is…" Aaravos raises an eyebrow. "Other than the bearer of rather inferior horns." He touches his own briefly.
"Surtur is the prophesied destroyer of Asgard, the one that can be reborn from his helm to rain fire upon this planet." Loki sighs heavily. "Thor, do you see the flame just a few paces down the hall?"
"Yes, of course."
"Do you remember what that flame is?"
"Um… the eternal flame. It can channel the power of Asgard and burns forever."
"Do you know how Surtur can be reborn from his helm?"
"Er…."
"By placing his helm in the eternal flame, Surtur can be reborn, and channel the power of Asgard to bring it to fiery destruction!"
"Seems a rather bad idea to have them so close together, then," Aaravos comments. "We wouldn't want any fiery destruction, now would we?"
Thor sends him a sharp glance. "Don't you dare."
"What are you accusing me of?" Aaravos keeps his tone light. Not a difficult task, this is as much fun as bothering the mage.
"You know!" Thor snaps. "Don't even think about it!"
"How am I supposed to know what not to think of if you will not even say it?"
Thor's glare darkens. "Don't touch anything in here, especially not that helm."
"Oh, you think I might bring about Asgard's doom?" Aaravos tilts his head, arching an eyebrow. "That would be foolish, after all, Loki and I are still here." He shrugs, pretending to ignore Thor's hands clenching into fists and relaxing. "Anyways, so long as Loki is happy, Asgard has nothing to fear from me. Did I not already say that?"
"I am just happy that I am not the first one suspected of causing chaos," Loki interjects with a smirk, hoping to ease some of the tension. "Not so long ago you would have directed such a statement at me, Thor. Am I no longer your favorite troublemaker?"
Gesturing to the helm, Loki continues, "As for that, there is an underwater cove where we can lock it away. Best to keep it far from any flames, just to be safe."
The three of them progress through the vault, Loki compiling notes on her and Aaravos's critiques for Thor to use. She certainly doesn't expect the poor oaf to remember everything. She makes a note to refresh the protective enchantments she placed during her rule once she is better rested, and Thor expresses surprise that they are there to begin with. "That's the entire idea, they are supposed to be undetectable until they are needed."
And then, when Thor has his attention on Aaravos and his critiques, Loki swaps out the tesseract for an ordinary box covered in layers of illusions and enchantments, placing the real one inside her pocket dimension.
At the top of the stairs in the vault, Thor claps Loki's shoulder almost amicably. "I was worried I could not trust you, but this has gone a long way to repairing things, Sister."
Loki tries to smile, but there is still a sinking feeling in her chest.
If you noticed the absence of the line breaks, yeah, with more than two characters now it was a little trickier. Let me know if you'd rather have them back, to help distinguish between Aary's and Loki's POVs.