16. Sacrifice
Thor stormed into his father's throne room without any thought to propriety or respect. Odin looked angry at the intrusion and his councilmen looked either shocked or scandalized. Thor paid no mind to any of them.
"What have you done, Allfather?!" Thor demanded as he approached the throne. "What have you done with him!?"
Odin sighed and much of his anger seemed to dissipate with the motion, leaving him drained, weary, and frustrated. "I see. This is about Loki."
"Of course this is about Loki!" Thor shouted at his father.
Thor paced angrily before the elaborate throne like a caged beast. "I brought him here for justice! I told you when I agreed to bring him home that I meant to help him heal! Now I'm told that your orders deny me access to him, to my own brother!"
Odin motioned the others to leave him with his son before replying, his tone even. "He has done terrible things, Thor. I cannot-"
"He was not of sound mind and you know it." Thor growled out the words as though they were escaping of their old will; as though he physically could not contain his rage. "How could he be after what you did to him?"
"You blame me, I understand." Odin's tone was weary. Had they been discussing anyone other than Loki, Thor would have felt sympathy for his father. "Your mother believes that she and I are to blame for this tragedy as well. I admit I am partly at fault where Loki is concerned."
Odin's tone and gaze hardened. "That does not mean that I can ignore what he is capable of, Thor. We only just managed to avoid another war; the people need to see our strength, our leadership, our commitment to justice. I cannot be lenient on him merely because of his upbringing."
Thor stopped pacing to snarl at his father. "So you lock him away from me so that he cannot even know comfort as he awaits your punishment? Would you be so cruel if it had been another who brought him here and kept the truth from him?"
"He is not imprisoned because of his lineage, but because of his crimes." Anger laced Odin's tone but he maintained his composure. "Thor, you have to understand that to be king means to put Asgard first. Jotunheim will demand punishment in order to keep the peace and you have insured that our people care for the preservation of Midgard. They will require-"
Thor had heard enough. "They do not know half of what has passed or what caused Loki to react as he did. We do not yet know what became of Loki after he fell, what was done to him! Yet you would sacrifice him for a peace that you cannot truly promise."
Odin's anger at the suggestion was clear but Thor paid it little mind. His anger was just as great and he had the advantage of knowledge that his father did not possess. Thor was aiming to protect his brother, his people, and the nine realms. Loki came first, however…Thor would need him. He just needed to make Odin understand that first.
"There was another behind the attack on Midgard, Father…someone Loki feared. I spoke to Loki during the battle, I looked into his eyes; no one else did. Those creatures that followed him to Midgard were like none I have ever fought before and they were following orders from someone that is still out there. We will need to work together to protect the nine realms and I know Loki will work with me now."
"Our people will not accept him in any position of power now." Odin sounded thoughtful but guarded. He clearly saw that Thor had a point but was not willing to give in to his proposed outcome. "They will not trust any information we gain from Loki, even if they ignore his mischievous nature. He told many lies while you were away, Thor."
"And where did he learn to do that so convincingly, I wonder?" Thor snapped in response. He held up a hand to stall Odin's response and took a deep breath. "Loki always surpassed me in wisdom and reason. If we tell our people the truth and show them that we stand beside Loki, then they will give him a chance. That is all he'll need."
Odin stilled for a moment before regarding his son in curiosity. "You have that much faith in him, still?"
"Yes." Thor stood firm and held his father's gaze. "I do."
"We cannot tell our people everything." Odin warned his son.
Thor's gaze hardened. "You mean you will not tell them what you did." It was not a question and Odin did not attempt to argue. "You would put yourself before the good of Asgard?"
"The truth would harm not only me, son, but all of Asgard. If what you say is true, then we need to preserve their faith in our leadership now more than ever." This time Odin raised a hand to ensure Thor's silence. "What do you think they would demand be done with Loki if they learned what he is, now? What would you do to prevent it from happening?
"I have made a terrible decision, son. I have lied to my family and to my subjects. Now you know the truth, but the people cannot. I make this decision as both a king and a father." His tone gentled. "I will not lose both my sons and Asgard herself."
Thor fisted his hands at his sides and stepped onto the lowest stair below the throne. "Then give Asgard another explanation for why Loki was not himself and place him in my care. I will vouch for him and I will work with him to ensure the safety of Asgard. If any continue to doubt him, they can bring their concerns to me or hold their peace until he proves himself."
Odin's face remained impassive, but his eye reflected his son with pride. "You would take responsibility for Loki, after everything that he has done?"
Thor heard the unspoken 'after he tried to ruin you' but it did not change his answer. "Of course I will. He is my brother."
A small smile graced Odin's face. "Then Loki's punishment has been decided: house arrest under your guidance. Your little brother is now your responsibility, Thor. Do not take it lightly."
The smile faded from the Allfather's face. "I will give you a few days to get him settled and inform him of your suspicions. Then you will have to tell me if you still believe he will be willing to assist us and we shall need to start working on Asgard's defenses."
Thor was stunned, relieved, grateful, and suspicious all at once. He had expected to get his way but not so easily. "You will order his guards to turn him over to me today?"
Odin nodded once. "When we are finished here, I will have them escort him to your chambers…with a few limitations, naturally."
Thor narrowed his eyes. "You cannot leave him powerless. I will need his skill when the time comes."
Odin considered that for a moment before replying. "Then you shall accompany me to Loki's holding cell and I will bind his fate to yours before releasing him to you. He will be limited in strength but allowed his full abilities unless you will them to be limited too. You will also know his location and condition at all times."
Thor was angry that Loki would be so robbed of his freedom but knew it was the best he was going to get from his father. It was much better than whatever fate Loki would have met prior to their discussion, he was certain. "If you must."
"I must." Odin stood. "Come now, I will take you to your brother."
He paused just after he passed his son. "I am very proud of you, Thor. I believed this situation required a far greater sacrifice than what you have offered."
Thor turned and started to walk beside the Allfather. "With me, Loki is safe, and with him, I can keep Asgard safe. It is no sacrifice to ensure my brother's and my people's survival."
Odin smiled once again. "You will make a fine king one day, my son."
After what their father had planned to do, Thor wasn't so sure.
17. Falling
Thor had faced many a monster in his time. He had fought battles that would make even some of the finest warriors of Asgard tremble in fear. He had taken on entire armies with only his closest friends and his little brother by his side.
Thor had seen comrades and enemies fall in every manner imaginable. He had grounds covered in blood of different shades and corpses of many forms. He had seen horrors that would make others ill just to hear the tale of it.
Despite all these terrifying experiences, Thor had never suffered nightmares. He knew that his friends had all experienced them at one point or another. Loki had suffered from them ever since he was a child. Thor never thought less of his friends or brother for it, but he never had felt a fear so great that it haunted his dreams.
That changed after he battled Loki on the Bifrost. Thor could forgive both his father and brother for the events that preceded the fight and he never dreamed of his banishment or helplessness. He never was haunted by the lies he'd been told or his face-off with the Destroyer. Even the battle itself rarely bothered his slumbering mind, for he and Loki had fought before, if in a less serious setting.
They were brothers, after all…despite what Loki seemed to believe in the end. Thor still clung to the hope that it was merely fear, pain, shock, and anger that caused Loki to think that way. In his heart, Loki had to know better.
What Thor could never forget, what plagued his waking mind and haunted his dreams, was the final image he had of his little brother. He had seen Loki in pain in the past; he had even seen him shocked and frightened, but Thor had never seen such an expression on Loki's face as he had just before he let go.
The sight of his little brother's face as it fell further and further away hit Thor harder than any gruesome battle or corpse ever had.
In Thor's nightmares, Loki was forever falling.
