"Thor," Odin said, looking at his son. The King had yet to decide what to do with his adopted son, who had not only forced his way into Jotunheim but also harmed Heimdall, one of the most loyal and longest serving of the Asgardians. As his one eye stared at Thor, Odin wondered if the phrase 'blood will out' was true. Such a curious mortal phrase.
"Why have you punished Loki and not me? My brother only sought to save my life, a life that I so carelessly tried to waste." He wanted to know the truth. He needed to know the truth. His hand trembled under the weight of ignorance.
"After all, you picked him over me. You made him king,"
Odin continued to look at Thor. Worlds were beginning to part before the wise king and he saw the form of his son and the memory flicker. He sighed. It seemed that already Thor was suffering more than he should.
"Thor, you were intoxicated. I will not punish you for a mistake you made when you were not thinking correctly." He said, slowly.
"But there's something else, I..." Thor faltered, eyes beseeching his father in the hope that he could explain the situation to him. In the hope that he would know the question that Thor could not even phrase.
He did not.
"I'm different. My skin turned blue at the cold touch of those monsters. I did not burn," Thor said, staring at his father. He was begging for an answer now, begging in the silence.
"What am I?" Thor asked after a minute of silence and Odin sighed. He may have worked out that Thor was not meant to be of this birth but he had to play along. They had to learn and this could not be undone by simple means. He closed his one eye and sighed.
"Thor, you are my son," He said, opening his eye and looking into Thor's blue ones.
"What... what else?" He asked. Going through this once had been hard enough. Twice was worse.
"Thor, you must understand that it changes nothing," Odin said, placing a hand on his son's shoulder.
"Father?" Confusion showed in Thor's face and he looked up desperately at his father.
"When I fought the Frost Giants, I did so in the hope of peace. And when I was there, I found a child, abandoned to the harsh weathering of their realms," He slowly started, watching Thor's face as he realised what he meant.
"I'm a... Frost Giant?" He slowly asked, there was a pause and then Odin gave a nod.
"But... why did you keep it a secret? You should have told me!" Thor protested, eyes desperately searching his father's face, water pricking at his blue orbs, threatening to escape their bonds.
"And how would you have reacted?"
"If I had known from the start... if you had raised me in the knowledge..." Thor stuttered and his father bowed his head.
"Does Loki... who else knows?"
"Just your mother and I,"
"I'm going to my chambers," Thor announced, turning suddenly, red cape billowing out behind him.
"Son," Odin called, raising a hand and Thor paused.
"Am I to be punished for my actions, father?"
"No, you have suffered enough,"
"Have I?" There was a hint of confusion in his voice and Thor turned to look at Odin, questions flickering across his face.
"One day you will learn. One day you will understand." At these words, his son strode out and Odin nodded to two guards to follow him.
He blinked and a tear fell down from his eye. He remembered how things should be and how they would be again. He remembered Loki's anger and the loss their family had suffered when their youngest member had fallen into the abyss. An anguish made worse by this alternative universe where the memories were all the more sweeter. And he remembered the death of the woman he loved with all his heart. The woman who had held a family together, even when it had fallen apart.
"So this is what you mortals use for transport," Loki commented, looking around the airplane, Eric seated next to him and Darcy and Jane were looking very put out in the seats behind him. There had been a long argument between the two woman who would get to sit next to the god. Darcy was interested in his features but had claimed that she would ask questions about the politics in his world. Jane had no interest in Loki's appearance but desired the knowledge that he had promised her. In the end, it was the trickster who had solved the problem by announcing that Eric would sit besides him. The man had only been too glad that he didn't have to pick sides between the two woman. And to be fair, he didn't want Jane sitting next to this eccentric yet slightly worrisome god.
"Yes," Eric said, watching the raven haired being look around, delighted at the folding table.
"It's called an Airplane. It travels through the air," Jane told him. "Do you have similar things?"
"We have ships that travel on both water and sky." Loki answered, closing the tray and looking out the window. That had been another thing that he had demanded upon finding out that the planes did not have good views from all seats. All these new mortal things had their interests and Loki intended to get the best experience while he was here.
"I still can't believe that we're doing this," Eric muttered. The god had done really well at talking them around. He still wasn't quiet sure how exactly Loki had convinced them. It all passed by like a blur but it felt like this was a brilliant idea at the time.
"Relax, Eric, nothing shall go wrong," Loki decreed with all the power of a god.
"It's not that I'm worried about," Before anything else could be said, a flight attendant came on and Loki watched the demonstration with fascination.
"I had no idea that you mortals required so many instructions and at such a basic level," He said, after the cabin crew left. With a quick movement he did up the safety-belt and readjusted it to fit perfectly.
"Its safety," Darcy said, munching on some sweets that were meant to be for children. Loki had managed to wrangle them their own packets.
"But why is it explained so slowly? Surely you mortals must be able to understand it without having to see the actions performed twice, each time in a different language."
"Well, there a kids and they need things simpler. And most of us only speak one language," Eric answered.
"Really, how dull." Loki replied raising an eyebrow.
"How many do you speak?" Darcy asked.
"How many are there?" Loki replied, a smirk on his face.
"Wow, you must have a talented tongue," She replied.
"Well, they do call me silver-tongue,"
"Don't encourage her," Jane intercepted and Loki laughed.
"You mortals are so easily encouraged." He replied and Eric sighed.
"Maybe we can manage this trip without too much talking?" He suggested. The engines fired up and Loki froze, looking around.
"You OK?" Jane asked, before Darcy could get a word in.
"It feels like thunder," Loki muttered, looking around. it reminded him of his brother; he needed to get back to Thor soon. He doubted even Odin knew what the Thunderer would do.
"You scared of thunder?" Darcy asked.
"Think about thunder and take a guess." Loki replied, watching the ground slowly move. Or appear to move.
"You're close to Thor, went on trips with him according to the myths." Eric pointed out.
"He's my brother," Loki said, frowning as the plane stopped, waiting for clearance. "Why have we stopped?"
"We've got to wait for the runway to be open," Eric told Loki, who began to tap against his legs. The god was not one for patience.
"This mortal transport takes too long. When I last walked this Earth yor people could leave in a matter of minutes," He said.
"We're casting the first plane to Norway, at 3 am in the morning, I think we're doing pretty well," Darcy said and Jane rolled her eyes.
"We'll be there in about eight hours. A lot faster than taking a boat or walking," Jane answered and Loki blinked. The plane was moving once again.
"That was fast," Eric commented.
"I moved our time slot up," Loki said. "Seems it works by allotting time to go on the 'runway'."
"You can do that?" Darcy asked, looking impressed.
"Yes," Loki said, his tone indicating he was bored with this conversation as he returned his attention to the window.
"Jane, can I keep him?" Darcy asked.
"No!" Jane replied, a bit too loud as several heads turned in her direction. "Sorry," She muttered, looking apologetic.
The plane turned onto the runway and started to pick up speed. Loki leaned forwards, against the force pushing against him.
"Thor," Frigga said, entering the room of her adopted son, or as she knew, he true son. There was no denying a mother's intuition and she had known from the start what Thor had done. But she, like Odin too, kept her silence. Their children had to learn and she was proud of Thor for giving Loki this chance at a normal life.
"Mother?" Thor said softly, looking up at his mother who smiled at him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Do you have something you wish to tell me?"
"You knew, yet you kept it a secret."
"We didn't want you to feel different. You are our son." Frigga said, pulling Thor into a hug which he shrugged off.
"You should have told me. I should have known what I was,"
"And how would you have coped, growing up with that knowledge. No child is prepared enough for that."
"I... I can't be one of those. It isn't right." Thor muttered, moving to sit down on his bed while his mother went to sit next to him.
"Thor, listen to me," She said, placing a hand on his cheek. His eyes moved to meet hers. The secret weighed heavy on her heart and one that she had carried for such a long time, unlike her husband. Her only advantage was that the later information remained hidden. All she remembered was she found out that Loki survived the fall.
"Listen, no matter what you are, no matter what you have done, no matter what you may do, your father and I love you with all our hearts. We may not share the same blood but that doesn't make our bonds any less strong."
"Please, don't..." Thor said softly.
"Thor, speak your mind,"
"I... I feel wrong. I should not be a Jotun. I'm an Asgardian. I can't be this monster. Why has this happened to me? Why me and not Loki?" Thor asked and Frigga closed her eyes.
"Things don't always turn out as we want them to." She said, rubbing his back. "We just have to deal with them as best and as safely as we can."
"What do you suggest I do?"
"Continue as you are, don't let this change you. The only difference is that you know what you are a frost giant, which you have always been. Do not forget that your father, Odin has his share of giant parentage." Thor nodded, remembering the fairly short family tree. He offering his mother a smile.
"I need time,"
"Of course," She replied, standing up and slowly leaving. "If you need to talk, I will be here."
"Not mourning over the loss of Loki?" Thor asked and there was some bitterness in his voice.
"I hope for his return but I am here for you."
"Then why did you turn me away earlier?"
"I had just found out the news, I was shaken," She said softly. "We all were."
"I understand," Thor muttered and Frigga turned to leave.
"Do you think Loki will return?" He asked. "He is strong and clever. He will find a way." Thor gave a small nod and Frigga left. He closed his eyes. Loki would talk him out of this. He couldn't allow his brother to return. Not before he had taken action. He would have to be fast.