The penultimate chapter! I really can't believe that we're finally here. Or that next weekend will be the end of posting this fic!
It'll feel odd not posting updates to it after that.
From the moment Loki heard Óðinn's voice bid him enter the king's study, he knew something was wrong. 'Twas filled with the barely controlled anger he knew well but had not heard personally since his regency. He entered, his trepidation rising as he saw General Týr standing before the All-Father's desk with his hand clasped around his other arm, behind his back.
Standing, not sitting.
Óðinn only made people stand before his desk when he was displeased with them and wished them to know it.
"Ah, Loki, finally," Óðinn said, motioning him forwards.
Loki did so with a growing sense of confusion and alarm. That the All-Father was not happy was obvious, the reason why was far less clear.
As he came to a stop before the king's desk, Loki flickered his eyes to General Týr, catching the man's own for a moment ere the head of the army glanced down once more. What was this about?
"Father," Loki began with more calm than he felt. "I came as soon as the messenger found me."
'Twas a rebuke, but a mild one and Loki doubted Óðinn would notice. 'Twas also the truth, and if the messenger had taken too long to find him, then 'twas not his fault. Óðinn should have sent Huginn or Muninn instead if 'twas so urgent.
"What is the meaning of this?" Óðinn demanded sharply.
Anger of his own began to coil in the pit of Loki's stomach at the All-Father's attitude, but he ruthlessly suppressed it until he knew more. Revealing his own temper would only devolve the situation further, as he knew well from previous experience.
'Twas not like he had been unaware things would go back to how they had been before his regency, sooner rather than later. More fool he if he had even had the smallest hope in Óðinn's words of change and reconciliation possessing even a grain of truth.
"What is the meaning of what?" Loki queried instead, eyes darting over the king's desk, only to find it strewn with various parchments.
From where he stood, however, he could not see which ones they were.
"These proclamations regarding your brother's ability to command an Einherjar unit, or the alterations to the reporting structure for the Bifröst gatekeeper!" Óðinn snapped, sending one of the parchments flying when he jabbed at it violently.
Ah, of course. Loki had known a moment like this would come from as soon as he had first requested General Týr work with Lord Ragnvaldr to draw it up and formalize a change in the reporting structure of the gatekeeper of the Bifröst.
"Your Majesty-" General Týr began.
"I was not speaking to you!" Óðinn cut him off. "Well, Loki?"
"They were necessary," he replied, evenly.
"Necessary?"
"Aye, necessary," Loki insisted, not giving his adoptive father a chance to say more. "Thor's entire command committed treason; did you truly wish to simply give him more Einherjar to try again?"
'Twas the easiest place to start as Loki knew Óðinn did not disagree with what he and General Týr had done there. Indeed, based on some of what had been said before, Loki knew the All-Father thought it an important step in Thor's penitence moving forwards. No doubt, 'twas the other edict which had roused Óðinn's ire and caused him to become enraged and, as so oft happened, it spilled over onto other matters.
While Loki knew this would likely not end well for him, he would not meekly allow Óðinn to reverse the edicts either. He had previously committed treason in order to protect Ásgarðr from his idiot brother's reign, he could withstand a flared temper from Óðinn to keep her from having another gatekeeper like Heimdallr. While he knew better than to think Höðr would allow direct contact with Óðinn to go to his head, his old guard would not be the last gatekeeper Ásgarðr had, and now was the time to implement the proper procedures for the position, or it would never transpire.
"You could have simply informed your brother of his need for training," Óðinn countered.
How predictable. The All-Father did not wish for there to be proof of his precious heir's need for remedial training. Thankfully, Loki had the perfect response for this, too.
"Thor hardly accepted it even with the edict," he stated. "As both Lords Ragnvaldr and Aðalgrímr can attest to, in addition to General Týr and Lieutenant-General Yngvarr. It had to be official."
Óðinn's jaw worked, no doubt due to the fact he had already had a report from Lord Ragnvaldr regarding Thor's little temper tantrum after learning of this new edict from General Týr. On that, at least, Loki could be certain as there was no way the advisor would not have informed the All-Father of it.
"And for the other?" Óðinn demanded, eye narrowing. "Do you feel I need remedial training as well?"
Loki stilled at the question, realizing precisely how precarious his current position was.
"I-" he began, only to be cut off by a wordless snarl from the All-Father.
Clearly, Óðinn did not actually wish for a response to his question.
"As for you," Óðinn continued, turning his attention back to General Týr. "Why did you allow him to implement such an edict?"
Anger flared through Loki at the words. Allow?
Allow?
He had been king!
"My prince was my king," General Týr replied smoothly, eyes trained straight ahead and back straight. "I could not allow him to do anything."
Satisfaction was far too mild a word for the emotions Loki felt at the general's response.
"I was, however, the author of the edict and counseled him on the advisability of the alterations," General Týr continued. "We both felt them to be a proportional and necessary response given what had occurred."
Loki's eyes cut back to General Týr briefly at the use of the word 'we'. In the end, it had been entirely Loki's decision on whether or not to sign and authorize the edict, and the head of the army would have been well within his rights to leave all of the responsibility and blame with him as regent. That General Týr was not, spoke not only to the man's honor, but also to the respect Loki himself had earned from him, for they both knew the risk Týr was taking by opposing Óðinn openly.
Aye, 'twas for the best of Ásgarðr in the long-term, but it could lose General Týr his position if Óðinn felt sufficiently aggrieved. It would not take much for the All-Father to find acceptable reasons if he truly wished to rid himself of the current head of his army.
"Ah, so you too felt I need checking?" Óðinn questioned, dangerously.
The angry tension in the study made Loki wish to swallow, but he resisted the outward sign of his own tension and instead sought to draw attention back to himself.
If they could divide Óðinn's rage between them, they could both escape this intact. Divide and conquer.
"Father," Loki tried.
"I did not ask you," Óðinn cut him off.
Actually, he had, but there was no use reminding the All-Father of that, Loki already knew from previous experience. Nay, this would require something far more serious than that.
"Regicide!" Loki barked, deliberately allowing some of his anger to leak into his voice.
It worked and Óðinn's eye swung back towards him even as the All-Father paled visibly.
"Heimdallr had become so self-important and arrogant as to think he was allowed to have a say in such important decisions as to who sat on Hliðskjálf, or to act as he saw fit when he did not agree with your own choice of successors," Loki stated, using the opportunity he had created. "This was, in part, caused by his closeness with you; by the fact he did not need to report to anyone other than the King of Ásgarðr himself, rather than to General Týr or anyone lower in the hierarchy as any other Einherjar would.
'Twas this oversight we sought to rectify with the second edict."
The anger still clearly displayed on Óðinn's face, told Loki all he needed to know about the effect of his words.
He should have expected it, he supposed. 'Twas not like the All-Father had listened to his advice before his brother's aborted coronation so, truly, why should Óðinn commence doing so now?
Weariness swept through Loki, and he wished to return to his chambers to rest. He should not have allowed himself to hope things might be different now, despite all the changes wrought with others like General Týr and the people on whom he seemed to have made a lasting, positive impression.
"Get out," Óðinn ordered, glancing briefly at the head of his army, ere his eye darted back to glare at Loki.
"Your Majesty-" General Týr protested.
"I said out!" Óðinn roared, pointing at the door sharply.
Loki met General Týr's eyes after the man had bowed and was turning to leave. He saw both concern and an apology there, but he did not blame the man. The head of the army had done what he could, but Óðinn would not allow him to do more. 'Twas not General Týr's fault. Loki was instead touched the man had tried at all given Óðinn's foul mood.
Nay, this was his fight, and Loki straightened his spine and squared his shoulders as the door closed behind the general on his way out.
'Twas shocking, however, how much Týr's departure left him feeling vulnerable and naked. He had never used to rely on anyone and so he was stunned to find he had now. 'Twas all Lieutenant-General Yngvarr's fault, no doubt, though it hardly mattered now.
"You went too far with this second edict, Loki," Óðinn pronounced, grabbing hold of the parchment to wave it around before throwing it back at his desk. "You were in no position to tell me what to do!"
"Someone had to!" Loki shot back, deciding he would rather argue than submit and be punished anyway.
"You arrogant child!"
The latter word made Loki flinch back a step, hitting far too close to home, and he felt his still fragile core tremble as he struggled not to allow his usual thoughts regarding his true species to intrude. Luckily, his anger easily allowed him to switch his focus to something else, even as he realized he had pressed a hand to his sternum when Óðinn's eye darted down towards it with a hint of alarm.
"Loki, are yo-" Óðinn began.
"I am arrogant?" Loki demanded, almost shouting. "I am not the one refusing to even see, and much less admit, my own faults and mistakes. You are the one whom allowed Heimdallr's ego to inflate as much as it did, to the point where he felt justified in attempting to kill the king of Ásgarðr!"
"Are you blaming me for what happened to you?" Óðinn questioned, startled.
"Nay, 'tis not what I said!" Loki exclaimed, frustrated. "But it will be should anything like this ever occur again simply because you were too prideful to allow the changes implemented to stand."
"Matters are not always so simple."
Simple? Simple?
"From all which Heimdallr said and indicated during his trial, I do not doubt he is currently sitting in his cell, awaiting a visit from you," Loki retorted.
Óðinn looked truly startled. "Me?"
"Hmm, for you to inform him he is free and that you will restore his All-Sight to him once more. Such was his self-righteousness and belief in what he did."
He refused to speak of how he feared these precise actions himself. Loki would not allow himself to be quite so vulnerable or honest before the All-Father, not given all which had already been said and done here today.
"Lo-"
A knock on the door interrupted Óðinn but, before his adoptive father could call out, it opened and Frigga entered.
"Mother," Loki greeted, startled.
What was she doing here now? She would know Óðinn was likely busy with important business.
"Frigga," Óðinn said, clearly echoing Loki's own thoughts. "Is something amiss?"
"Amiss? Aye, clearly," Frigga replied, eyes sweeping both of them and not liking what she saw. "Why are you two arguing?"
How was she always so able to read him?
Loki did not know, nevertheless he was not about to pass up the opportunity presented to him.
"Father is displeased with my edict altering the reporting structure of the Bifröst gatekeeper," he explained, succinctly.
"Why?" Frigga questioned, glancing back to Óðinn. "'Twas to prevent another situation like the one with Heimdallr from reoccurring."
"'Tis not quite so simple," Óðinn tried.
"How is it not?"
"The king needs to be able to speak freely with the gatekeeper for the good of not only Ásgarðr, but all of the Nine."
"It can be done without inflating their ego," Loki interjected.
"The gatekeeper is a critically important and unique position," Óðinn insisted. "And they must be treated accordingly as a result."
"Óðinn," Frigga retorted sternly. "Heimdallr tried to kill Loki! How can you possibly condone his position?"
"I am not!" Óðinn protested.
"It sounds like you are, despite what he did."
"Frigga!"
Loki's eyes were darting back and forth between his adoptive parents, even as he shifted in discomfort. Though he had rather deliberately involved Mother, watching them argue was not something he had ever felt comfortable with. Mayhap, 'twas because they did it so rarely.
"He tried to kill our son!" Frigga cried out, her voice rising sharply.
"I know, but I cannot restrict my own capacity to ensure all of Ásgarðr's safety as a result of his actions," Óðinn retorted.
Was the All-Father deliberately being obtuse or did Óðinn truly view it as such? Loki was not entirely certain, and it unnerved him.
He did not like being unable to read Óðinn on a situation like this.
"Do you not trust General Týr to carry out his duties?" Frigga demanded. "Is that why it must be you?"
The question made Loki wince for, though 'twas a fair one, he dreaded the true answer which might be concealed beneath this fiction.
Was what had nearly occurred to him a price Óðinn was willing to pay to maintain his personal contact with the Bifröst gatekeeper?
"'Tis not what I said," Óðinn shot back. "I am king and, as such, there are difficult decisions I must make regardless of my personal feelings on the matter!"
"And how is Höðr reporting to you one of them if you trust General Týr?" Frigga asked.
The wordless snarl Óðinn made sounded bad, but Loki recognized it as the one his adoptive father made when he realized an argument was lost, but he was not yet willing to admit to it aloud. The All-Father also turned away, pacing in agitation behind his desk.
The relief Loki felt was balanced out by the anger which still simmered at having needed his mother's aid to win this particular argument. The edict made sense and was the only logical action to take, given what had occurred. Why could Óðinn not accept that coming from him?
It-
Loki clamped down on the thought and instead glanced at his mother, meeting her gaze.
"Go," Frigga urged.
When Óðinn made no immediate protest - he had been here in an official capacity, after all, rather than a parental one - Loki did not hesitate any further and instead made a quick escape.
Much as they might yell at each other, Loki knew that was all which would ever happen. Therefore, he had no qualms in leaving Mother to face Óðinn alone. Despite that, he did feel somewhat guilty in having instigated the fight between them. Well, not entirely, but he had deliberately phrased his initial response to Frigga's question of what they were arguing about to elicit her sympathy to his cause.
Loki was still so distracted by his thoughts and anger that the sudden movement from his right startled him and he glanced up to find General Týr emerging from the shadows and falling in beside him. He blinked, attempting to process why the man might have been stood there, before the pieces came together.
"You are the reason Mother came into the study," Loki realized, surprised.
General Týr continued to look ahead with a straight face, though he did speak.
"A good general always knows when to make a strategic retreat," the man said. "Or when to send in the best specialist to provide reinforcement."
Briefly, General Týr's eyes cut to the side to meet his, before looking ahead once more, and Loki felt a smile spread across his face.
So, he had not been wrong to feel bereft upon the general's exit. Or rather, he had not been wrong to feel like he should have been able to rely on General Týr to look out for him.
"I see," Loki replied neutrally. "Was I ever handled in this manner?"
"There was hardly anyone to do so during your reign, with the queen being at the All-Father's side."
Not quite an answer, though Loki had to concede the point. He also made a mental note to keep it in mind for future reference.
Still, he could not help but like and approve of the tactic. 'Twas cunning and thus very much what he would have done had he been in the general's position.
"Tactics are always good," Loki said instead, to show he understood. "And this particular one worked. The edict stands."
"Good."
Frigga waited until the door had closed behind their youngest ere turning back to face her husband.
"I hope you are pleased with yourself," she said, still angry. "For you have just done the opposite of all you said you would."
"Frigga?" Óðinn questioned, turning back to look at her in confusion.
"Your pledge to commence treating Loki better in the future. Of listening to what he had to say."
"I will."
"What I just heard definitely did not sound like it!" Frigga retorted. "Resolving to do better in the future will not help if you do not start now."
"I..." Óðinn began, trailing off.
"You did not listen until I made the arguments for it."
Her husband's shoulders slumped and Frigga knew she had succeeded in conveying her meaning. Therefore, rather than yell some more, she stepped closer and took one of his hands in her own.
"I know change is difficult, especially when it comes to something you are used to being in control of," she began, far more softly. "But Loki will not see the difference between this and what came before. Particularly since General Týr stood in agreement with him and you still did not listen."
"Týr, I should have known," Óðinn shook his head. "He sent you in."
"He expressed concern for you and Loki."
"With anyone else, and under other circumstances, I might be concerned. Instead, I find myself rather impressed with the impression Loki seems to have made on everyone."
Frigga waited and allowed Óðinn to lead her out onto the balcony and to the balustrade.
"Do you see them, the green standards?" her husband asked, indicating.
"Aye."
That there were still some of them up was a source of pride to her, and she wondered if her youngest had seen them as of late. Loki had been spending a lot of time in his chambers while he completed his recovery.
"I do not believe those remaining ones will go," Óðinn continued.
There was no puzzlement or annoyance in his voice, and for that Frigga was glad. If there was one fault all three of her men shared, 'twas pride which bordered on outright arrogance.
"Loki's regency has changed things in several irrevocable ways," Frigga smiled softly.
"Aye," Óðinn immediately agreed. "He will always be a former king, and, until Thor is coronated himself, Loki will stand above him."
Not to mention that the brevity of her baby's reign would allow it to easily become fantasized. There would always be people who would look back on it and think Loki would have done something differently had he remained in power, or that any unpopular action would not have occurred with Loki instead of Thor.
It had initially worried her when her baby had become regent, but the rekindling of the closer relationship between the boys was helping to allay the fear. As long as they stood together, those factions would not have the power to become any greater and then Loki's altered position might prove very useful and powerful to both Óðinn and Thor. He would be another face of Ásgarðr, and a means for different voices to be heard.
But his own had to be heard first, before any of that could occur.
"A position which can give him his own chance to shine," Frigga said.
Óðinn nodded. "If Thor can see it as such."
"I do not think you need to fear that," Frigga smiled, proud of all the ways her eldest had changed recently too. "He rendered Loki speechless recently admitting much that need."
The surprise in Óðinn's eye as he looked at her was great.
"Our boys are growing up," Frigga murmured, half wistfully, half with regret as she stepped close to rest her head on her husband's chest.
"Aye, but do not fear," Óðinn replied. "Loki has ever felt the need to prove himself, and I doubt with his hormonal storms he will not come close to doing so with his adolescent temper tantrums either."
Frigga could not help herself; she laughed even as she knew 'twas likely true enough to make her wince. Thor's puberty had been quite spectacular due to his gift, and she had feared for Loki's own as a result, only to be pleasantly surprised. It should have been an indicator for her to look deeper rather than to simply take things for granted as she had.
"Will you be able to control or override his seiðr if it were to come to that?" she asked, dreading the answer.
"I... the power from Ásgarðr, aye, if it were necessary and was for the good of Ásgarðr," Óðinn replied. "But as for the rest... I am uncertain."
'Twas a scary thought, even if Frigga could not help but feel some level of pride in it. She had also not missed the qualification Óðinn had placed on his ability to override Loki's access to Ásgarðr's power.
It should frighten her far more than it did; this special connection her son had with the magical core of not one, but two Realms. Yet, the eager and trusting way her youngest viewed those connections soothed her greatly. Of her sons, Loki had always been the far more cautious and naturally suspicious of the two, so he would not have given his trust lightly. And she knew Óðinn had been connected to Ásgarðr's core for most of his life, even if he had admitted that how he did was markedly different from how Loki did it.
"Well, we shall have to see how bad 'tis once Loki has his first hormonal storm," Frigga said.
"I suppose 'tis too much to expect it to be easy," Óðinn responded.
Frigga laughed. "When has Loki ever taken the easy path?"
As warned, quite a short chapter. I hope you enjoyed it, though, as there was a lot of important stuff in there.
Progress, but not unrealistic progress. The Óðinn and Loki relationship will be a core part of the sequel, as that needs a lot of work and Óðinn was napping for far too much of this fic for them to make any in-depth progress on changing it. Not to mention that, as an absolute ruler, Óðinn's not used to being confronted with his own faults and weaknesses. His word is law, normally. Loki's also far too stubborn for his own good. Not to mention that he tends to think the worst of people in situations like this...
So, yes, lots of work to do there.
But, luckily, Loki has more allies on his side than he did at the start and they're willing to send in the big guns when necessary. So to speak.
Now, the good news for quite a few of you was, yes, that was essentially Loki telling Óðinn to go speak with Heimdallr. It won't quite be all the confrontations you have been asking for, but at least one of them is still in this fic! There'll also be a bit more on something else some of you have been asking about...
Speaking of the sequel, I've just given a bit more away about that on my blog in a new post. I've also had a bit of a rant on pronouns based on a comment I got on this fic here. Then there's a link to my NaNo profile for next month, and a post on book series.
Old Norse:
Hliðskjálf - the high seat of Óðinn allowing him to see into all realms - i.e. Óðinn's throne
seiðr - witchcraft, sorcery / a type of sorcery practiced in Norse society during the Late Scandinavian Iron Age - i.e. magic
Up next week: Óðinn visits Heimdallr & Loki visits Himinbjörg...
