AN: I do not own Thor but as long as they give me my FF to write I'm good.

Chapter 4

Sora's heart was pounding heavily in her chest; thrumming against her rib cage as if it were trying to break out. She quietly wiped a tear from her eye as she quickly exited the throne room. She didn't dare look back for fear that Loki had followed her in his anger. It was all she could do to get to the healing room where Sif and the Warriors Three were waiting for news from her. She hurried swiftly down the great hall, her blue and grey robes flowing behind her like beautiful silk and gossamer banners in the wind.

Her footsteps sounded desperately against the stone floor as she sped past palace guards, pushed through courtiers, and cut around corners. She was absolutely fixated on getting to where she needed to be. There was no time to lament and no time to contemplate the sorrow of Loki's treachery. The others had to know of his plans immediately so they could figure out their own plan of action.

As she fought through the maze of halls and rooms the words of warning from the warriors ran through her mind over and over again.

"It is useless! Loki has his throne and there is no convincing him of anything anymore." Fandral groaned, throwing himself down on the couch beside Sif.

All of the warriors seemed determined that they were going to have to go to war against Loki and pull him off of the throne. But Sora, being well practiced in the ways of negotiation, thought otherwise. There was no need for such rash decisions especially if they were acts of violence against their friend.

Sora stood at the end of the banquet table, her arms crossed thoughtfully over her chest as she contemplated what to do. Her fingers rubbed lightly at the small silk corselet around her slender waist. She refused to believe that fighting Loki was the only way to solve this.

"Perhaps a politicians' touch would be better." She suggested, walking into the center of the warriors' gathering. "Loki is not like Thor, he will listen to reason. I suggest you let me talk to him before you do anything."

"We have already tried that remember? You think your fancy words will have any sway over him now that he has the crown?" Volstagg snorted, taking a huge bite out of a turkey leg he was holding. He chomped on it meanly for a moment before he added, "He will lie to you."

"Even so, is it better that I do nothing?" Sora asked, looking down at him. She was slightly annoyed by his doubts in her abilities. "I have not talked to him since the events of today. We are running out of time."

"I agree with Sora," Sif spoke, pushing herself up out of her seat and standing by the politician. "We should give her a chance. If it does no good then we can step in. It will not hurt us to delay another hour or so."

Sora nodded to her ally, "We cannot give up on diplomacy so easily. I believe I can help Loki, it's not too late."

The Warriors Three had begrudgingly let her go, not fully trusting their fate to a politician. Still, Sora was a warrior if only one of a different kind and being on the same side as them helped bolster their confidence in her. She was their last chance at making a peaceful resolution with Loki.

Sora came to the doors of the healing room and threw them open without hesitation. There was no point in dwelling upon having to give her friends bad news. Everyone in the healing room looked to where the council member entered. When they saw the grave expression on her face they knew what she was about to tell them.

"I have failed you," she said, her clear blue eyes scanning the crestfallen faces before her. "Loki has no intentions of bringing Thor home and what is worse, he plans on destroying Jotenhiem. I do not think I could have devised worse intentions for him to have myself."

"Destroy Jotenhiem?" Sif asked, standing up from her seat in shock. "How?"

"I do not know. But I am certain he already has the means to do it." She said. Sora closed the doors behind her so that no one outside could hear them and then made her way into the room to join them around the fire. What she did not tell the warriors was that her own fate now hung in the balance as a result of her defiance against Loki. "All I know is this is what Loki wants and he cannot be swayed."

Sif nodded, "Then it is up to us to stop him now."

There was a hint of sadness in the warrior's eyes for Sora. She knew of her attachment to Loki, even though her feelings for him had gone unspoken. Thor had pointed out to Sif the slight touches and lingering glances between the two that had gone unnoticed by everyone else. He knew his quiet brother better than anyone and he was able to discern the growing bond between Loki and Sora. It was a quiet relationship that grew silently beneath anyone's notice; their bond looked like a cordial friendship to an untrained eye. But Sif knew that it was something so much deeper than that.

No one would ever understand what Sora was truly giving up when she fought against Loki. She was severing a bond that was sacred. Loki had become a part of her life and her soul. Sif knew that Sora, being as determined as she was, would try to push Loki away from her heart and cut her feelings out of the equation in order to do what was necessary. From the moment Thor had told her of Sora and Loki's bond she felt that it could only end in tragedy. She had proven to be right, much to her regret.

"I am sorry I could not help." Sora said, walking slowly around the fire. Her delicate robes dragged dangerously close to the flames but she did not care to pull them away. Even though she hid it well, her sorrow was weighing heavily on her and she was beginning to realize what the culmination of these recent events would mean for her life.

She would be faced with war once again and Loki would not be at her side to face it with her. Her fight for peace and unity in the council room would be waged alone. One by one those who would stand by her cause would abandon her and her voice would be extinguished like the last ember in the ashes.

The long road ahead stretched out before her and all she could see was the unhappiness that she would soon face. She knew she had to be strong for this- she had to do it for Asgard, for the love of the people she defended. She would stand against Loki and all his legions if it meant to protection of her world and those beyond it. Sora had to believe that there was a brighter dawn on the horizon; that they would make it through this. That is what she fought for now. Loki was lost, but Asgard and Jotenhiem were not.

AN: IMPORTANT for ALL readers: I have gotten your requests from the last chapter and all of you seem to be okay with an M rating so I am raising it to be such (because I feel Loki and Sora deserve it). Also some of you have expressed interest in Sora and Loki's background story and not to worry because I shall be elaborating on it throughout the chapters (like the next one I'm posting so stay tuned). Thank you to all who reviewed! You are amazing and excellent with giving feedback.