Ella glanced at the warrior who stood beside her, his hands behind his back as he kept a reasonable distance from walking beside her. She continued to glance back at the door which had just been closed and concealed her brothers. Halmer continued to speak to her and she ignored him, too intent on knowing what Thor was going to plan to do. She didn't trust him to just sit in his chambers and do nothing. His mind had been turning and she could see when he was thinking.

"I have to say that your mother misled me," Halmer spoke to her and she looked up to him, observing his brown hair which was rather short for an Asgardian. It was pushed back on his head, revealing his pale features and light green eyes. His nose was rather large for his features and his lips formed a tight line. "You are prettier than she told me. Much prettier, in fact."

"Flattering," Ella simply replied to him and he looked at her and stopped his walking. Ella followed suit, her head instantly whipping back around as he followed her gaze and arched a brow.

"Is something the matter?" he wondered and Ella bit down on her bottom lip. She could dismiss Thor and his threat. Loki was smart; he wouldn't let him go to Jotunheim to declare war with the Frost Giants. She had faith in Loki. She had faith in Thor to a certain extent. "You seem awfully distracted."

"I am," Ella admitted to him, resting her hand on his arm in a soothing manner as he watched the movement, his heart fluttering slightly as she wrapped her fingers around his armour. "I know it is rude of me to run off like this but I cannot stay and talk. I need to go and check on something."

"Would you like me to come with you?" he offered and she shook her head, quickly walking backwards down the corridor, gathering her skirt in her hands and pulling the material up and around her pale legs as Halmer cocked his head to the side.

"No, I am quite fine on my own," she promised him. "Why not go and see the gardens? They are rather lovely?" she suggested, urging him to stop standing there as she continued her backtracking away from him.

"It is dark," he simply replied and Ella rolled her eyes, hoping he did not see.

"Well, there is plenty to do. I shall see you tomorrow perhaps," she said and then made her move, turning on her heel and rushing back to her brother's chambers, her feet hitting the ground with haste as she went. She waited for the guards to open the door for her, neither of them saying anything at her apparent breathless appearance. She bowed her head out of politeness and stepped into the room, looking around but all was empty. There was no one there.

She shook her head and moved across the room, ignoring the mess which had been created on the floor due to Thor and his lack of self control when he became angry. Moving up the steps, she stood on the balcony, looking over the city and onto the Rainbow Bridge where six horses moved along the platform. Ella narrowed her eyes, unable to see who it was but she did a quick sum in her head including the Warriors Three and Lady Sif. She shook her head, wishing that it wasn't them, hoping and praying they had not been foolish enough to go.

"Go to father and tell him."

Ella shrieked out loud as she heard the voice in her head speak to her and she placed a hand over her mouth, containing her squeal further as it finally became known who was speaking to her.

"Are you listening to me, Ella?"

Ella muttered something incomprehensible before closing her eyes and focusing on speaking to her brother.

"You have gone to the Bifrost, have you not?"

"We have. Thor would not see reason with me. I tried to tell him but he was not listening. You need to tell father. Go and tell him we travel to Jotunheim."

"He will be furious."

"His anger will subside but the danger we put ourselves in may not."

"Fine, I shall go to him. Try and stop this, Loki. Thor is going too far."

"Do you think that I am not aware of this fact?"

"I am sure you are aware. What kind of madness is this?"

"It is not madness. It is arrogance."

Ella shook her head as he left her alone, rushing towards the chambers which her father resided in. The guards watched as she rushed, none of them saying anything as she finally stood outside his door, allowing it to be opened for her.

"Daughter," Odin spoke loudly as he looked up from the throne at the head of the table, Frigga next to him and her hands in his as she looked pleadingly into his eyes before realising her daughter was present. Ella stumbled for a moment, wondering what scene she had fallen into before the Allfather spoke clearly to her. "What brings you here?"

"It is Thor," Ella quickly spoke, realising that she sounded like a snitch. She never considered being a snitch a good thing and despised people for it. But, she was doing this for Thor. She was doing this to protect him and his friends. "He has travelled to Jotunheim."

Odin instantly reacted, his hand clenching into a fist whilst Frigga shook her head, moving her hand to run over her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose in frustration. Odin stood up haughtily, moving towards Ella as he spoke.

"How do you know this?"

"Loki told me through. He spoke to me whilst he was on the way," Ella spoke, her voice faster than normal. "He said that Thor would not listen to him."

"Arrogant boy!" Odin roared, moving his way from the room without a moment to glance back at the two women in his life. Ella spun around and watched him leave before she felt her mother's hand rest on her shoulder, squeezing it gently.

"Your father will stop them," Frigga promised her. "Thor shall realise the mistake which he has made in leaving for Jotunheim."

"Thor does not understand any mistake which he makes," Ella muttered back to her mother and Frigga pushed her lips together, allowing them to form a tight line whilst remaining mute. She could not help but think that her daughter may have spoken an ounce of truth.

"You should go and change," Frigga informed her daughter. Ella began to protest but Frigga shook her head, holding her hand out to stop her. "Your gown is new and does not need to be ruined. There is nothing we can do until their return, Ella, so please do not argue with me."

The blonde nodded curtly at her mother, turning on her heel and leaving her alone in the chambers whilst she made her own way back to her room, grabbing at her hair and tugging the flowers from them as she went, dropping them into her free hand as she pulled at the pins. She winced continuously, finally realising that it was nearly impossible to pull all of the wretched things out and so she quit, dropping the pins onto her white dresser before sitting on her bed.

Ella changed with haste, removing her clothing and leaving it to lie over the chair which sat in the corner of her room before tightening the silken robe around her body. She pulled the knot tightly across her body, folding her arms and moving over to her balcony, stepping out into the dark night whilst looking at the Rainbow Bridge. Leaning against the stone railing, she counted the passing minutes until they came back, waiting patiently by drumming her fingers against the surface.

It took all of half an hour before she saw emerging figures and she leaned further over the balcony, looking with strained eyes to see who they were. She could tell none of them were his family yet one was injured. Fearing the worst, Ella gulped loudly and wondered what to do. She stayed where she was, her eyes never leaving the Bifrost until she saw a lone man emerge, his head held highly in the air and his black hair slicked back.

Ella continued to wait until she saw the blonde head leave for the Bridge, tapping her foot nervously on the stone floor. But he did not emerge. She watched as her father moved back towards the palace, unaccompanied by Thor. Ella's face scrunched up tightly before she shook her head, turning around and moving back into her room. Contemplating changing into more appropriate attire, Ella looked at the effort which would be required and decided not to bother. She had no time for that when her mind was whirling with possibilities.

"Where is Thor?" Ella demanded as soon as she saw the Lady Sif stood in the private dining hall, Loki on one side, his hand curled under his chin as his eyes seemed distant and almost vacant. Lady Sif looked to Ella, her gaze narrowing before she dropped her hands onto her hips.

"The Allfather has banished him," Sif spoke and Ella's gaze widened as she heard the news. Sif nodded to confirm when Ella began to shake her head and she moved through the room, still speaking as she gathered up some newly replenished food to take to the Warriors Three who were seeking medical treatment.

"Where?"

"Midgard," Sif said. "He found us in Jotunheim battling the Frost Giants. We were outnumbered and had planned to leave but the Allfather found us first. We still are not sure how he even knew where we had gone."

Ella remained silent. Was this her fault? Was she the reason as to why she had lost her brother? Loki lifted his contemplative gaze from the floor, turning to look at his sister who stared back at him. He could see the worry in her eyes, the fear of what she had done.

"I told him," Loki decreed, his voice velvet like as the words rolled of his tongue. Sif turned her stare to Loki, a brow arching on her forehead as he placed his hands behind his back and stared back at her. "I told the guard to alert the Allfather of our departure."

"Why would you do that?" Sif spat whilst Ella wondered what Loki was talking about.

"You have seen Thor. You have seen how reckless he has become. Is that what Asgard needs in a King? He almost had us all killed." Loki said; his voice remaining calm and collected and Ella confusingly stared at him, wondering what he was speaking of.

"He is our brother, Loki," Ella spoke up and her brother's dark stare turned to her. "Surely his exile is not something which you wanted."

"Is it not?" Loki wondered, hissing his words and Ella recoiled at the venom within his tone. "We both know how Thor acts, Ella."

"That does not mean we long for him to be gone," Ella snapped back as Sif moved slowly from the room, sensing a storm brewing between the two siblings and that was not something which she intended to be a part of. "How can you say such a thing?"

"Quite easily," Loki promised her. "Do not tell me that you did not grow tired of his brutish behaviour?"

"What has happened to you?" Ella snapped at hearing him speak. She had never heard such resentment in his voice before and it worried her terribly. "You are being cold and harsh for no apparent reason. Thor has always loved us despite his traits."

"Oh," Loki said, extending his arms as his eyes moved upwards and a sarcastic smile split across his face. "And how I would hate to be cold. Well, Ella, I am afraid to say that is what I am and I cannot change, regardless of anything."

"What are you talking about?" Ella yelled at him. "You are making no sense, Loki."

"It matters not," Loki snapped back. "Leave me be."

"Not when I cannot understand why you are acting in such an unreasonable manner," she replied, stubbornly jutting her chin out as Loki rolled his eyes, tired of arguing with her.

"Go and spend time worrying your pretty little head over Thor," Loki mumbled, dropping down to sit on a step, leaning forwards with his hands braced against his knees. Ella watched as his head drooped and his eyes closed and she wondered what had happened in Jotunheim. Something was distressing him and she had a feeling that it was not Thor's exile.

"Loki," Ella whispered his name, moving cautiously towards him, kneeling down on the floor in front of him, her hand moving to rest on top of his on his knee as he managed to drag his gaze upwards to look at her. "What is it? What is troubling you?"

For a moment he considered telling her. He considered letting the truth be known and his suspicions raised. For that was all they were, suspicions. He needed them to be confirmed. He needed to find out the truth if it was the last thing which he did. None of it had made sense. The Frost Giant had no effect on him which had harmed him like the others. No, he had adapted to their colour. He had almost become one of them."

"It is nothing," Loki drawled out to her, shaking his head as he removed his hand from her warm and gentle touch. "I just wonder what may have happened today if father had not come, that is all," he lied to her. She seemed appeased before removing her hand from his knee. She continued to sit before him, clasping her hands together in her lap whilst Loki avoided her eyes.

"It is natural to dwell on the past," Ella informed him and Loki had to hold his tongue, wanting to do nothing more than tell her the truth. She would maybe leave him be then. "But you are safe. No one...no one died, Loki...I am sure there is a reason for why Thor has been banished. One day, it will come to light and we will see him again."

"Perhaps," Loki simply agreed and stood up, leaving the room.

Ella swivelled on her knees, her gaze following him as he left the room and she wondered where he was going. She remained sat where she was, thinking about what had just happened.

...

A/N: So thank you CrystalShardsOfRain and darkxngelxreaderx for reviewing and no, this is not going to be a Loki/Ella pairing – strictly family.

Anyway, please let me know what you think!