Hi...

Yeah... I guess you all hate me by now, but if you're reading this... maybe you could give me another chance?

I'M SOOOOOOOOO SORRY! I honestly didn't mean to take so long! First there was a month of studying for another month of exams and than there was school again... And I got stuck a little. But I'm back on track now! Honestly, the moment I upload this, I'll start writing the next chapter! (or maybe I'll put my pizza in the oven first... it depends ;) )

Anyway, I hope you'll ENJOY this!

Chapter 57

With a fast pace, Odin strode through the halls of the palace, following the young and anxious guard who had just informed him that there seemed to be a problem at the palace gates. Only an hour ago, The Allfather had woken up in his chambers… alone… it was a feeling he simply couldn't get used to. The bed, his chambers, his palace, Asgard… his life was depressingly empty and useless without the warm smile of his beautiful queen.

But Odin didn't have much time to let his thoughts wonder off to his wife, for two guards had informed him that his very own son and his most trusted warriors, to whom he'd granted mercy, had betrayed him and left Asgard. He'd immediately summoned Heimdall to the throne room.

Jötenheim…

They'd left to return his stepson, that traitor, that monster…

Before The Allfather had the chance to place judgement over the Guardian, the same guard that he was following through the hallways, came to the doors of the throne room.

A problem… that was all he had to say, as if he was scared to name it.

Odin tightened his grip on his golden sceptre while his mind tried to get a grip on the situation. What had happened to his own House? His son, Thor, had betrayed him, without a second thought! And all for that mistake of a son! He would have to handle quick and hard! This was the final straw! Loki would pay with his life! Lady Sif and The Warriors Three had played their final card as well! Banishment would suit them well! And Thor…

Odin scowled. What to do about his only son… He'd always known Thor had a talent to get in trouble. He was too rash, he didn't think about his actions. It was Loki who…

Odin stopped in his tracks, his face pale as ice, his eyes dark with hatred.

"No!" he roared, making the guards around him jump back in surprise. "Enough of your tricks, trickster!" he shouted into the hallway, clutching his head with his free hand. "I will not show you compassion! I will not!"

The guard around him glanced at each other, not really knowing what to do.

"My king?" one of them carefully asked. Odin jerked his head toward the guard and pierced his dark eyes into his.

"He's trying to trick me, my friend!" he whispered darkly while softly tapping the side of his head. "To control me like he took control of the mortals! Using my memories against me! I will not let him!"

Odin's voice echoed through the empty hallways of the palace. He turned toward the other guards, his eyes wild with rage.

"We cannot allow this trickery! A monster! That's what he is!"

The guards didn't move a muscle, but stared back in utter surprise and slight fear. With a swift move Odin slipped towards the young guard, leading them toward the gates. Odin came closer, until their noses almost touched. The guard was paralysed.

"You will not let him win… will you, my young friend… you cannot!"

The guard swallowed and quickly nodded. "Of course not, my lord!" he answered anxiously, thinking it was better to agree with Odin. The Allfather laughed. The crazy, cold sound slowly faded through the dead halls.

"Good man!" he whispered while tapping the guards shoulder and nodding. "Good man…"

The guard only nodded and waited for his king to take a step back. Odin smiled and gestured forward.

"You were leading the way?" he said.

The young guard nodded, quickly turned around and continued his walk. He suddenly felt even more nervous about showing Odin "the problem".

-xxx-

Odin and his companions turned around the last corner leading to the big front gates of the palace, immediately giving excess to the broad boulevard connecting Asgard with the upper ring of the city. The front guard seemed to slow his pace the closer they got, but once they reached the closed gates, he nervously licked his lips and turned back to his king.

"My lord, I honestly don't know how they got here so quickly and with these numbers, but …"

"Open the gates!" Odin roared impatiently. The guard nodded and gestured to his two colleges guarding the gate from the inside. They both pulled a handle next to the door and slowly pressed it down while the sound of chains and rolling cogwheels filled the air. Bit by bit the massive doors opened, allowing the morning sun that fell straight on the front of the golden palace, inside, making it shine like a beacon on the city. Odin blinked until his eyes had adjusted to the bright light, but what he saw made his heart stop.

Just in front of the opening gates stood a couple of familiar faces. In the middle, Jane, with in front of her, her daughter, dressed in full armour. At her right stood Arya, at her left Lord Steldor and Lord Gunnar. Behind them…

For a far as Odin could see, people filled the boulevard all the way into the city. The guards around Odin, all too a step back, awaiting their king's reaction.

Odin stared at the sight in front of him.

"What is this!" he called out, focusing on the four people in front. "Lord Steldor, Lord Gunnar! Explain yourselves!" he continued, now realising the two Lords hadn't been present in the throne room that morning as well.

The Lords exchanged a glare, but it was someone else who stepped forward.

Carefully, obviously nervously, but also resolutely, Frigga lost her grip on her mother's protective hand and took a step forward. She gulped and quickly adjusted her armour that didn't need adjusting, before looking up with the strongest kind of determination she could manage, colouring her bright sparkling blue eyes.

"I, p...p...princess Frigga of Asgard, The Lady of Light, … Eeer…, daughter of Thor, … rally the people of Asgard in protest of prince Loki's banishment."

Frigga licked her lips nervously. She'd clearly been practising her exact words over and over, but she meant every bid. Using her anger and love for her uncle, she forced herself to continue, ignoring the fact that there were thousands of people counting on her. They didn't matter in the slightest! Not to her! Only Loki!

"According to the eer... ancient laws of Asgard, the king must hear his peoples demands! A rule you n...neglected! Secondly, eeer…"

Frigga blinked confusedly for a second, but he memory luckily caught up.

"Secondly, since my dad is off-world, I speak on his behalf and I have a vote in your actions against Loki, Si… lady Sif and The Warriors Three. I say you leave them alone and grant them the safety of Asgard. Lord Gunnar and Lord Steldor agree with me!"

Odin watched the little girl, speechless and stunned. His look of complete surprise gave Frigga new strength to finish. She took another step forward and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"And thirdly, according to the ancient laws, a king can be declared unfit to lead, in which case a new ruler must be selected. As a member of the royal family I place myself, with the permission of the people and two of the Lords, as an eli... el... eligible successor if you prove yourself incapable to fulfil the people's need!"

Frigga locked her bright, stormy eyes on her grandfather, feeling utterly relieved and immensely proud. She wouldn't look away!

Odin tried to rap his mind around the situation. For some reason his thoughts trotted back to his wife. His beautiful Frigga, of whom he could see an almost perfect reflection in this young girl's determined expression.

Suddenly Lord Steldor stepped forward, with Gunnar in his wake.

"Odin, my old friend...," he sadly started. "There was a time I'd follow you until the end of the realms, when I trusted your every judgement... What has become of you?"

Gunnar slowly nodded. "We swore allegiance to the king of Asgard. However in our eyes, you are not fulfilling your duty. Therefor we have decided to …"

"Silence!" Odin suddenly roared. The surprise in his features dissolved into the same dark craziness. "If I'm not mistaken, you can only depose me with approval of at least three votes of the four Lords. In case of a tie, only a member of the royal family can pose the deciding vote."

Steldor and Gunnar looked at each other.

"Princess Frigga…" Steldor started, but Odin quickly cut him off.

"Her vote would count if not for the fact that her father, whom she's replacing, has committed treason and is therefore excommunicated until I say otherwise! Besides, Princess Frigga is under age. Her vote doesn't count without her father's title!"

The two Lords fell silent.

"I believe that leaves you with a tie, my Lords!" Odin finished.

"But that's not fair!' a young voice sounded. Odin diverted his eyes from the two Lords and focused on the his granddaughter who stepped his way, her young face scarred with anger. "Loki never..."

"He sealed his own fate, Frigga! These are matters you cannot understand!" Odin interrupted her angrily.

"I understand that you are just scared!" Frigga shouted back. "You're scared that Loki is a much better king than you are! I'm not the only one seeing that!" she said while gesturing to the people behind her. "You must be a fool to not see it yourself!"

Something seemed to snap inside Odin's mind. His eyes turned dark, his face turned grim, while he suddenly lifted his sceptre and smashed it back down. A loud rumble, followed by small shockwave spread over the boulevard and rolled into the city. Shouts and screams filled the air when the people lost their balance and fell to the ground. Frigga, however managed to remain on her feet. She crossed her arms in front of her body and took a deep breath. Her rage was reaching its peak. If there was something she simply couldn't stand, it had to be ignorant people, using their power to keep up appearances and scare people into following them. In her eyes, Odin was nothing less than a big bully.

"I'm not scared of you!" she shouted. The temperature around her seemed to lower with every word she said. A soft breeze blew in from the boulevard and circled the young girl, making her golden hair wave in the wind. "I don't like you! You're stupid and blind! I'm even embarrassed to be related to you!" she called out while an aura of silver magic slowly formed around her. "I know what Loki did, I know it was wrong, but he also saved me and the rest of Asgard and Vanaheim! You say he's a monster, but I think you're not doing a bad job becoming one yourself!"

Frigga was surrounded by a bright silver circle of light by now. Odin, however, didn't seem to care that much. His expression hadn't changed a bit. He took a deep angry breath and turned back to the rest of the people, who had all taken a step back.

"Loki has betrayed us all!" he roared over the people's heads. "Only by lying he saw a way to the throne. I took him in as my son, I raised him, I taught him, I trusted him! If you desire a traitor on your throne, than he fooled you all!"

Suddenly two guards came rushing through the doors.

"My lord!" they announced while bowing in front of their king. "Prince Thor, Lady Sif and the Warrior Three have been spotted swimming in the Northwest Waters. They're on their way to the palace. We believe the traitor was with them."

Odin nodded shortly and threw a determined glare on the tow Lords who were still standing in front of him.

"Send guards to bring them here!" he ordered.

"What about the traitor?" one of the guards asked cautiously. Normally, he wouldn't need orders concerning Loki. One foot on Asgard sealed his fate, yet still…

Odin's glare shifted back to his granddaughter. The little girl, devastated by the idea that her words hadn't had any effect on Odin – he was still going to punish everyone! – looked sad and even scared.

Odin seemed to hesitate. For some reason he couldn't look away from his granddaughters bright sad eyes. He recognised his wife's sadness… her sadness for Loki.

"Bring him to me!" he ordered shortly. The guard nodded and ran back inside. Odin turned to his people. "Return to your homes! Loki remains a traitor! He shall be punished!"

Without further notice Odin turned around and strode back inside, ordering the two guards at the gates to close the doors. Just when the doors had shut out the last bit of sunlight, a red and green shadow shot across the sky towards the palace.

-xxx-

"All right, what now?" Sif asked with her teeth shattering. After the bitter cold of Jötenheim, she wasn't really enjoying their midday swimming party.

"I suppose we find a way out of here…," Fandral answered, looking around the cave. For as far as he could see, there wasn't any immediate exit. "Eeer… Loki?" he asked. "Any suggestions?"

It remained silent. Fandral looked around the circle of his friends. "Wait…," he said. "Where is Loki?"

Everyone looked at each other, now realising Loki wasn't in their midst any longer. Thor looked beside him to the empty spot where seconds ago Loki had been swimming, but all that remained were a couple of small air bubbles covering the surface.

"Or he's found a way out of here," Fandral said. "Or he's drowning…"

But Thor didn't wait for everyone's opinion. He took a deep breath and dived under, only to spot his brother slowly sinking to the bottom of the cave, his eyes closed, his body limb. The rest quickly followed while Thor grabbed his brother's upper arm in order to pull him to the surface, when Hogun suddenly caught his attention by pointing to a light spot further down the flooded cave. Everyone nodded and started making their way towards what they hoped would be an exit.

Just when they started fearing they'd never see the air again, Hogun and Volstagg, who were swimming ahead, swum upwards and broke through the bright, shining surface into the warm light of Asgard. One by one the others followed.

"What happened?" Sif asked worriedly when Thor joined them, still clutching onto the limp body of his brother.

"Don't know…," Thor answered. "He probably ran out of adrenalin."

"We need to get him the palace… fast!" Fandral added.

"That might be a minor setback…," Volstagg said while staring in the distance, where palace shone bright as ever in the middle of the city.

Sif sighed. "Odin will have noticed our disappearance by now," she said. "We'll never make it back without being seen!"

"I bet they already spotted us anyway," Volstagg added. "Thor!" he said while turning towards the god of Thunder. "I say you fly Loki to the palace. Perhaps Jane and Arya have managed to gather enough people to keep Odin from killing Loki on the spot."

Thor nodded. It was risky, but at the same time, they didn't really have another option.

"What about us?" Fandral asked carefully. "They'll just fish out of the water and arrest us!"

"Yes!" Sif answered. "And I hope they hurry, because I'm not looking forward to swimming the all the way…"

Thor sighed and let his eyes glide over his friends. "I am sorry you had to commit treason to fulfil our quest, my friends. I'll try everything in my power to make my father see reason. Until then…"

"We'll manage Thor!" Sif interrupted.

"A group has to stick together, after all!" Fandral added. "Even if we're talking about our weird little wallflower!" he said with a grin while splashing some water towards the unconscious form of Loki.

"Just get Loki to safety! We'll handle the rest!" Volstagg finished. Thor grinned and lifted Mjolnir above his head.

"Until we meet again!" he said with a smile before taking off, with Loki in his arms. But Thor was in for another surprise when he came closer to the city. The normally shining line of the broad boulevard cutting through the city was coloured dark. When he got closer, Thor realised it was packed with people. Thousands of people. But he didn't have time to worry about that. Right now his attention was focused on the balcony ahead. It was the balcony of his chambers. A little more clumsily than he meant, Thor landed on his balcony, almost dropping Loki in the process. A low moan left his brother's lips, but his eyes remained closed. Thor carefully put Loki with his back resting against the wall before turning towards the glass doors, giving excess to his chambers.

"Damn…" he muttered. The doors were closed. A quick look inside was enough to tell the God of Thunder that his family was elsewhere. Another moan focused his attention back on Loki.

Thor kneeled down in front of his brother. Loki shivered and continued the struggle of opening his eyes. His whole body was aching, burning and trembling at the same time, but that wasn't his biggest worry at the moment.

"Did you feel that?" Loki asked in a hoarse voice when he finally managed to gain eye contact with his brother. Thor frowned.

"What?" he asked.

Loki wanted to pull up his shoulders, but his muscles protested. So he just moaned. "I don't know…," he said in a whisper while slowly lifting his hands to his face so he could rub his eyes and temples.

"It felt like magic… strong magic…"

"You can still feel magic?" Thor asked with a deep frown across his face. "You're mortal…"

Loki sighed. "I can't control it anymore, but I remember what it felt like, you oaf!"

Thor threw his brother a meaningful glare, but Loki ignored it.

"I think it was Frigga…," he continued. "She's getting stronger!"

Loki couldn't help but sound a little bit proud, but he was also worried.

Thor smirked. "I suppose the only solution is when you teach her?" he asked sarcastically. Loki sighed.

"This is not a joke, Thor!" he snapped. "If she doesn't learn to control it, she'll start hurting people! Herself included!"

Thor didn't answer, instead he got back on his feet and looked inside his chambers, hoping someone would enter. He didn't really want to think about Frigga's magic, even though he understood it could be a serious and dangerous problem. They were facing so many problems already! And what would Odin do? Maybe he would start fearing Frigga's power and … No he couldn't think of that! First things first! Loki needed help.

"All right…," Thor sighed after a couple of silent seconds. "It doesn't look like anyone's going to open the doors for us."

The God of Thunder picked up his mighty hammer. He grinned down to his brother, who sighed and closed his eyes again, letting his head rest against the wall. The sound of breaking glass filled the air.

"You're enjoying yourself?" Loki asked when everything when silent. His eyes were still closed, but he knew Thor was grinning stupidly at the opening he'd just created.

"Maybe a little…," Thor answered after a couple of seconds while putting Mjolnir down to help his brother on his feet again.

With a lot of effort the duo managed to walk the few meters from the broken widows to the couch. Loki let himself sink in the soft leather and closed his eyes. He just wanted to sleep. Without pain, without fear. But it didn't seem as if anyone was paying attention to his hopes, because two seconds later, a loud knock on the door made both brothers freeze on the spot. Thor stared at the door for a couple of seconds, wondering what to do. Was it Jane? No, she wouldn't knock!

Another knock, this time followed by a voice. "Prince Thor! If you're in there, please open the door or we will use force!"

Thor swallowed and summoned Mjölnir.

"Prince Thor? Last chance!" the voice sounded.

Loki sighed. "Just open the door, Thor… What difference will it make?"

Thor's jaw clenched. He didn't like giving in like this. Normally he could rely on Loki to create an illusion, but now… So The God of Thunder decided to drop his pride and made his way towards the door.

"My prince…" It was Lord Argus. His old face stood dead serious when he pierced his dark eyes into Thor's. "How nice of you to join us once more…"

A young guard, looking as if he wanted nothing more than a pat on the back of his superiors, stepped forward. "We know you are hiding the traitor, my lord! Besides that you have committed treason! The Allfather ordered your immediate arrest! The traitor needs to come as well!"

Thor tried to think of something – anything – to say, but Loki was first.

"The Traitor…," he mimicked the young guard without leaving the couch or even showing his face. "Nice new title… But I prefer my name!"

The young guard awkwardly tried to make his way past Thor, but the God of Thunder didn't move a muscle and stared down on the man. The guard wanted to say something, but Thor's dark stare made his words turn to ashes in his mouth. After a few second, Thor turned his attention on Lord Argus, hoping the Lord would understand.

"Lord Argus, Loki is wounded, he needs help! Let me bring him to the hospital wing…"

Just when the Lord wanted to repeat Odin's orders, footsteps sounded at the end of the hallway. Everyone turned and Thor looked over their heads to see his wife and daughter, followed by Kale and his wife Eira, the healer.

"Thor!" Jane called out, both distressed and relieved. "Daddy!" Frigga joined in. The little girl, looking tired and worn out, let go of her mother's hand and rushed forward, skilfully making her way through the legs of the people standing in front of the door. Although she had been really worried about her father, her real goal was – hopefully – waiting inside.

"Frigga don't!" Thor called out, but his daughter swiftly ducked underneath his spread legs and entered her family's chambers.

Loki looked up when he heard his brother call his niece's name. The next second he was looking straight into the tired, watery, yet sparkling blue orbs of Frigga. For a moment all his pain and problems disappeared when he realised just how much he'd missed that little girl. And then, all of the sudden, Frigga had thrown herself into Loki's lap and tightly rapped her arms around his chest, while her tears soaked his scruffy, bloody shirt. Loki could still feel the vague aura of magic around the girl's skin, but his senses were quickly blocked by another wave of searing pain caused by Frigga's rapid hug. Loki couldn't keep a short moan from leaving his lips, making Frigga loose her grip and look up.

"S…s…sorry…," she stuttered through her fast, shaky breaths while she quickly rubbed her eyes dry. She offered Loki a watery smile and laughed shortly. A soft silver glow formed around her. Loki shivered when he felt Frigga's magic against his skin, and slowly infiltrating his aching body. A warm, tickling feeling spread through his muscles while his pain slowly faded.

Loki couldn't believe his eyes. She was doing it again… something that took years of practise, not to mention the rights spells, especially for a beginner, but she was preforming complicated magic as if it was the child's play. Frigga caught Loki's strange look and mistook it for one of terror. From one second to the next, the silver glow disappeared and Loki felt the pain wash over him once more. He groaned and closed his eyes, forcing himself to remain awake. He didn't want to scare Frigga, yet the poor girl probably hadn't the slightest idea of what just had happened, let alone that she had performed advanced magic.

In the meantime, Lord Argus, the guards, Jane and the others had taken advantage of Thor's confusion to get inside. Thor tried everything to stop the guard from getting any closer to the couch, but it was in vain.

Loki looked up at the new comers, battling his own desires to just close his eyes and float into darkness, but he didn't want to scare Frigga.

"Gentlemen, my ladies…," he greeted everyone sarcastically before fixing his attention back on Frigga. He quickly smiled at the girl.

"I'm alright, Frigga," he lied. Jane stepped forward and took her daughter of Loki's lap. Loki tried to get on his feet, if only to be able to look down on Lord Argus and the guards, but Eira softly pushed him down on the couch. Loki wanted to argue, but one look of the healer made him shut up. There was something about those healer that just scared the living hell out of him. It was almost as bad as his mother's death stares…

"My lord, I cannot let you take Loki with you. He needs medical care, you don't have to be a healer to know that. Even our prisoners have the right to get medical attention!"

The young guard, who clearly hadn't spent much time in the infirmary – otherwise he would have known to never argue with a nurse – stepped forward and said: "The Allfather ordered to…"

I don't care what the Allfather said!" Eira interrupted sternly. "These are the laws of Asgard! We are not savages! Loki is coming with us to the infirmary! If Odin wishes to speak to him, he will have to get our permission first!"

The guard wanted to argue, but Lord Argus stopped him. "Very well…," the lord said after a few seconds of silence. "Take him to the infirmary, but prince Thor is coming with us."

Lord Argus turned towards four guards who had accompanied him. "You will escort the traitor to the infirmary. Since he is a prisoner, you have the right to kill him if he tries to escape or harm anyone!" he said, obviously wanting to prove that he too knew the laws of Asgard.

Eira nodded thankfully and together with Kale she carefully dragged Loki to his feet.

"No one's going to ask how I feel about this?" Loki asked in an attempt to lift the heavy atmosphere a little bit.

"Not really," Jane said with a smile after Eira and Kale had both rapped one of Loki's arms around their necks. Loki smiled shortly while forcing the black spots covering his view to disappear. He focused on Frigga who had been awfully silent. The girl rested in her mother's arms. He pale face was covered in silent tears. Today's happenings had obviously left their mark on her young soul. Loki concluded that that only made him feel worse, so he tried to think of something that would maybe give him the strength to drag his feet all the way towards the infirmary without fainting and giving those idiots of guards exactly what they wanted.

"Where's Arya?" he asked while Eira and Kale carefully escorted him towards the door. Jane followed, knowing that going with Thor wouldn't help in the slightest. She wasn't exactly Odin's favourite daughter-in-law.

"She's talking with Lord Gunnar and Lord Steldor," she answered when she was certain Lord Argus couldn't hear her anymore. "They're trying to figure out a way to keep you … safe…" she said trying her best to not use any words that would upset her daughter even more. The little girl almost seemed in shock by now. Jane had to do her best not to just run back to Lord Argus and hit the crap out of his stupid old face. What idiot talked about killing someone in front of a scared six year old!

Loki on the other hand seemed relieved, hearing that the ex-Captain was still fighting for him. In fact he caught himself secretly hoping to see her again really soon. Arya always managed to make things look a little bit brighter.

I really hope you liked it even though it took a while :)

Please let me know what you think, I'll try uploading as fast as possible!

Rumple x