Frigga located Odin in Loki's room, hidden behind another glamor, designed to make him look like a couch. The first thing he said once she roused him was "So I'm dead then."

"No, don't be ridiculous."

"We held your funeral, my queen. Therefore I am either dead or insane," Odin reasoned.

"That you have so little faith in my abilities is hurtful, Odin. It would take more than the likes of Malekith to slay me," Frigga said, narrowing her eyes.

"You are truly alive," Odin mused, sitting up and reaching out. Frigga grasped his hand with her own, clutching it tightly.

"Yes, I am. We have much to speak of," she warned. "And you will not be happy for very much longer."

"Oh?" he asked as he stood, leaning slightly on her arm for support.

"Loki has escaped from the dungeons."

"Yes, yes, I was informed. Is that all?" Odin interrupted.

"And if you had not interrupted me, I would have finished telling you that he has been impersonating you for some time now," Frigga said with a tight smile. Norns knew she loved Odin, but there were times when it was difficult to like him.

"That is impossible. Loki is dead," Odin declared.

"It would not be the first time you thought him dead," Frigga pointed out.

Odin cursed under his breath.

"Loki also told me that you informed him that his sentence was for life," she said dryly.

Odin was silent.

Frigga pursed her lips together to hold back the scathing comments just waiting to burst free. Both of her children would be present before she continued their discussion. She considered sending a guard to locate Thor, but she decided against it, a feeling telling her that Thor would already be at their destination.

Thor was in fact waiting for them just outside the door, a hesitant expression on his face that fell away when he saw them.

"Father, what has happened to you?" he asked, pulling Odin's arm over his shoulder to offer his support.

"I was in the Odinsleep," Odin said.

"But how?" Thor asked. "I saw you not more than a few hours ago."

"Worry not, Thor," Frigga said with a wry smile. "You shall soon have the answers you seek."

Odin sighed heavily, but didn't say anything as Frigga pushed open her door and led the way into her room.

"Loki!" Thor bellowed as soon as he saw his brother.

"Thor," Loki greeted calmly.

"I should have known it was you. How many times will you make us grieve falsely brother, whilst you scheme elsewhere?" Thor asked.

"Boys!" Frigga snapped before Loki could release the hurtful, cutting remarks on his tongue. "We will be having a calm discussion. There shall be no violence of arms or of words in this room."

Odin snorted. Frigga glared at him. They would be having words once their sons were out of the room.

"I'm sorry, Mother," Thor said.

"Yes, sorry," Loki mumbled, staring at the floor.

"Additionally, no one shall be leaving this room until we have resolved a few concerns of mine," Frigga added, placing a quick weaving of seidr over the door as she spoke.

Odin and Thor began protesting immediately, but Frigga ignored them. She was in great need of rest, but would be unable to have it until the words that never should have gone unsaid were spoken and the lies corrected.

"Now, first of all, Loki, your sentence was not for life but for a mere century, and you were to be allowed visitors," Frigga announced.

"Father, you lied," Thor exclaimed. "Why would you do that?"

Loki's eyes grew wide with shock, although whether it was because of the truth or that Thor was defending him she couldn't tell. It might have been both.

"After what he did, attacking both Midgard and Jotunheim, he deserved to suffer for life," Odin argued. "He should not have gotten off easy because he was a prince. What kind of example would that be?"

"He has not even reached his first millennium yet. The highest punishment anyone can have at that age is a century," Frigga said.

"I thought he might have sentenced me for life because I am not a true Asgardian," Loki said.

Frigga broke off from glaring at Odin to glance over at her younger son, who looked miserable despite his calm facade. It was the tightness about his eyes and mouth that gave him away, along with the slight hunch to his shoulders. He was practically broadcasting his emotions for those who cared to look.

"You are as much a child of Asgard as any," she said, reaching out for him.

Loki only turned away, spurning whatever comfort she could offer him. It hurt, but Frigga could understand. Her youngest was afraid to accept compassion when he was certain it would only be yanked away from him.

"That does not change what he has done," Odin said grimly. "Loki must still reap the consequences of what he has sown."

"Then let him serve out the rest of his sentence," Thor suggested. "Loki should spend the next century imprisoned for his crimes, but no more than that."

"There is also the matter of Thanos," Frigga said with a calm she did not feel.

The skin around Odin's mouth tightened. "The Mad Titan is gone, dead on some long forgotten world. You will not speak of him."

Loki chuckled without any humor. "If you truly believe that then you are a greater fool than I thought."

Odin stepped forward threateningly. "I will banish you to the darkest corner of the dungeon if you -"

"Enough, Father, Loki," Thor said, stepping between the two. "Let us listen to Mother. She would not bring up Thanos if she did not believe it important."

"Thank you, Thor." Frigga nodded. It was always rewarding to see her elder son use what little diplomatic skills he had retained from his lessons. "The Mad Titan has resurfaced and I believe that he intends to restore the Infinity Gauntlet. Odin, you and I will have a discussion with your advisors on how to go about fortifying the Nine Realms against him. I have already warned Thor's Midgardian companions to the danger that threatens them, so we must be sure to take that into consideration. Whilst you are gathering your advisors, Thor and I will escort Loki to his new cell and make sure he is comfortable. Are there any objections?"

Odin looked like he wanted to argue, but he wisely held his tongue before he stalked from the room.

"Why should I let you put me back in the dungeons?" Loki asked, magic gathering around him.

"Were you not the one who said a hundred years is nothing, only a heartbeat for the likes of us?" Thor asked.

The magic fell away from Loki as he stared at Thor. "And how is your mortal lady?"

Thor smiled, open and honest. "She is doing very well. People from all over Midgard wish to learn from her."

"Interesting," he said in a tone that implied the exact opposite. Loki sighed dramatically. "Very well, Thor, Mother, let us go to my cell."