Warnings: None that I can think of. Le gasp!
The lazy buzz of bees hums close by and the sun beats hot upon his head. The warm breeze carries the scent of blooming flowers and fresh dirt to him and Thor forces himself to relax against the marble arch beside him. He tries to make the taut muscles of his arms loosen. This is what he's come here for after all, to ease his mind. He hopes the soft atmosphere of his mother's private garden will aid him in soothing his temper, for it has become hot with the injustice that has been cast upon his young brother, Loki.
Thor cannot understand his father's reasoning. Even when he himself attacked and killed the Jötuns for his tarnished coronation, his father did not react so severely. True, the All-Father sent him to Midgard for a few days. Yes, he negated his hold on Mjolnir, but he never denied him the chance to regain those lost treasures.
Why not so for Loki?
His little brother is innocent; the All-Father has proven this much by his very actions. The purple toxin Thanos used to invade and control his brother's mind is sealed deep in Asgard's vaults. Thor has spoken to Heimdall and heard of the tortures his brother has endured for all the Realms. But then, why has his father forsaken his brother to the whims of the Midgardians? Bad enough that the All-Father has stripped Loki of his family and magic. No, the All-Father compounds the sentence by placing him in the care of the very people Loki's harmed.
And for what?
Does his father wish to see more harm set upon his brother?
It isn't that Thor does not trust his new found allies. Far from it. He…merely worries that they will overlook the torment and suffering Loki has endured this past year and focus only on the damages wrought by the Chitauri. So many deaths, so much anger. Thor understands it, the berserker rage that fills a man when the tide of war is upon him. He fears what that unbridled wrath will do to his broken brother.
But then when has that ever stopped our father?
Long has Thor argued with his brother against the claims that the All-Father cares not for Loki. He's blustered and sworn that Loki is misconstruing the past, making large the small. Odin loves Loki. He wishes only for his wellbeing. And yet…Thor slumps, does this not prove his brother is right? Thor cannot see it any other way. He refuses the customary reassurance from his mother.
Your father does all things for a reason, my son.
How can she defend this?
Thor strikes his fist against the stone, relishing in the bright pain that burns across his knuckles. Better this then the festering agony trapped in his heart.
"Had I known you to be thus far gone I would have sought you out sooner, my son," his father's deep voice says from behind him.
Thor straightens, but refuses to acknowledge his father by facing him. He does not trust himself not to attack the man should he gaze upon his self-righteous visage. "You need not have troubled yourself so, All-Father."
His father steps to his side, but Thor ignores him in favor of inspecting a scraggly bush. Several long minutes pass before his father deigns to speak again. When he does, it is in a low tone filled with mystery. "I would speak with you of Loki, my son."
Thor bristles and clenches his fists by his side in an attempt to keep them from marring his father's face. He decidedly does not think about snatching Mjolnir from his belt and using it against his father. He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "There is naught to be discussed in that, All-Father."
"Foolish boy," his father hisses. "Think you it gave me pleasure to so degrade your brother?"
Thor rounds on his father. "Did it not? Ever has your heart been hardened against Loki. Always have you dismissed his skills in speech and lectured him for using magic. And now a perfect opportunity arises to rid yourself of this blemish and you took it without a second thought. So, do not speak to me of regret, All-Father, for I shall not believe such lies anymore."
For a moment, Thor thinks his father will hit him, so dark does the anger fill his face. The very air about them tingles with ancient magic and Thor finds it hard to breathe suddenly. But the fury passes like the rolling of thunder and all Thor is left breathless.
His father gazes down on him, his eyes expressionless. "What think you would have happened had I allowed Loki to return to Asgard?"
Thor does not even have to think about that. "He would have found aid and healing with Eir and mother. His mind would have been saved."
His father shakes his head. "You are young yet and, as such, do not understand the way the worlds work."
Thor splutters, but his father continues before he can get a word out.
"Had I brought Loki back as I so wished to do, the High Court and many of the nobles would have wasted no time in storming the halls, baying for his blood."
"You see darkness where there is but shadows," Thor says, and he does not try to hide his disbelief.
"And you see light where it never lived," his father snaps back. "The High Court feels threatened by Loki. They know when you ascend the throne that he will replace them, make them insignificant. And the nobles always remember the many endeavors your brother made against them and their ploys for higher status and riches. Their embarrassment has embittered them."
"And the common people?" Thor whispers, his heart seizing within him. Are they too against my brother?
How could he have been so blind to this? Only now does he recall those many foul looks and heated snarls tossed at Loki's back. Thor's soul cries for the wrong done against his brother. How right Loki was to say he did not care about him. With one word, Thor could have saved him and brought him under his protection.
But his father's face lightens instead of further darkening. "Nay, ever has Loki been the champion of the poor and lower class. He looks to their needs and defends them against any who would seek to harm them. They fly his colors from their rooftops."
And Thor remembers all the emerald green banners and flags waving in the wind whenever he strolls through the lower parts of Asgard. It gladdens his heart and mind that Loki has at least some of Asgard ready to support him.
"And it goes without saying that your mother will always love Loki," his father adds.
Thor grins. His mother would rather give up her rights to a sword than abandon Loki. Thor frowns. "But then why speak such callous words? Why leave him in the hands of the humans? Surely you could have banished him to Alfheim, where the elves would have cared for him?"
His father sighs. "The High Court and nobles would have seen it for what it was, a kindness. They might have rebelled and we can ill afford such uprising at this time. Thanos is growing closer and his hand stretches out to Asgard. We need a uniformed front if we are to defeat him."
"And so you pander to their misguided notions and wounded feelings instead of aiding your son." Thor declares, folding his arms across his chest.
"I chose to leave Loki with those I knew to be open-minded and fair. The humans of SHIELD will not harm him further. And even if they should, your new allies, the Avengers, will protect him. It goes against their morals and conscience to injure any as hurt as Loki is now."
"That is why you spoke such harsh words in front of them."
"Indeed. They will see him as friendless and their humanity will push them to aid him in his recovery." Here his father pauses and lets a rare smirk grace his lips. "But the High Court and the nobles will not see it as such. Their regard for Midgard is low and they expect nothing more than barbarism from them."
A light blossoms in Thor's mind. "Should they seek out Heimdall, he will only report your words to them and they will be convinced of your ill intentions towards Loki."
"Yes."
"But will not this also encourage Loki to think the same of you?" Now that Thor knows his father's true feelings he would not have Loki so tricked.
The All-Father's shoulders droop. "I fear that in his present state Loki will not even remember his own name, let alone the words I have spoken."
"But the Avengers shall and if they tell him…"
"It is a necessary risk, my son."
"Let me return to tell them, let me aid my brother in his recovery." Thor pleads.
"I cannot, my son," his father says. "Your men need you here to stand as a beacon of light. Their hearts falter in fear at the thought of facing so great and powerful an enemy. They need you to be with them, to show them there is naught to worry over. Please, my son, I would not ask this of you if it were not crucial to Asgard's welfare."
A part of Thor, the one dedicated to being a brother, screams for him to refuse his father's wishes. To run to his mother and demand her help him return to Midgard. But the part of him that has trained for centuries to be king over this land tells him that he cannot afford to be so rash. Loki will find friends on Midgard who shall aid him in recalling his former mind. And when that happens, Thor can only hope his little brother understands his absence.
"Of course, father," he says with a bow. "I am at yours and Asgard's service."
"You have Asgard's thanks, my son." His father turns to leave.
"You will tell mother, will you not?" Thor asks.
His father glances back and chuckles. "You make the erroneous assumption that I have ever been able to hide anything from her."
I hope you think I explained Odin's thought process well enough. I know he'll probably semi OOC in kindness, but since this is an AU anyway I figured it'd be all right if I played with how I wish Thor TDW had gone. It doesn't excuse my version of Odin for what he's done to Loki, but I also didn't want to write him as a Gary Sue villain. Does he have bad parenting skills? Heck yeah. But I don't think he's an evil man in this stpry, per say, just flawed.
Anyhow, please drop me a line or two and tell me your thoughts on this newest chappie. Let me know if there's anything you specifically wish to see in future chapters. Or who's POV you want to see next.