oOo
Chapter 11 – Deception
"Leave in the morning if you must, but I will keep you here for now."
And left he had.
As soon as Loki got his bearings, he left before Thor woke and the sun could rise. Now in his room in Asgard, he stared at his hands, wondering how the change took place without him noticing. No longer was his skin blue and covered with markings, but was now the shade of pale fleshy skin he was accustomed to.
"Thor must have done something." Loki believed.
He raised his hand, desperately hoping his Seidr worked. With a flick of his wrist, he made a copy of himself appear in front of the bed.
"Could be worse?"
He flicked his wrist and changed it into a different person, but his Seidr wavered.
"Not good enough," He thought.
His hands danced together gracefully as he manipulated the illusion, orchestrating a beautiful mix of illusions changing its shape from one form to another. That was, until someone knocked on the door.
Loki's illusion faded as he waited.
"Who is it?"
"Tis your humble servant," replied the happy musical voice from the other side of the door. "One who is great yet terrible, yet also a friend of yours holding a rather heavy tray of food."
"Erland," Loki mumbled.
"Will you let me in?"
"No."
"Please?"
Loki opted to stay silent, wondering if he stayed quiet long enough, the Elf would leave. But Loki knew how futile that was, for Elves were just as stubborn as any creature in the nine realms. And he could vaguely imagine what Erland's expression was as he waited at the door, but Loki was still hesitant to let him in.
"I have pastries." The Elf teased.
Loki sighed. "Come in."
The door opened and Erland entered, balancing the tray with perfection. The joy on the Elf's movement was visible. Loki was too tired to comment. Taking notice of Loki's casual green tunic and black pants, the Elf gave him a smile.
"I am glad to see you up and dressed."
"So am I."
"I feared I would never see your room again."
"And you never would have, had I not let you in."
"Then I am grateful that you did."
Loki mumbled a few curse words that Erland had to laugh at. The Elf sat on the edge of the bed, placing the tray on his lap, handing Loki a plate of pastry which the younger one accepted. Seeing Loki break the pastry into bits and eat it slowly, Erland had to ask.
"How fares our King?"
"Your King fares fine." Loki irritably said.
"I see."
"I wish you would cease calling me so."
"Call you what?"
"I am no King."
"King or no, he who sits before me rules the realm."
"He who sits before you is on a temporary agreement with the real King, who is in fact a bit indisposed."
"If I cannot know the condition of my current King," Erland began. "Then how fares Loki?"
"Loki is still Loki."
"Is he?"
"He is." Loki glared.
"I must know more." Erland pushed. "Worried was I that I may never see this room occupied again."
"It is occupied now and you can leave Loki in peace."
"Nay," Erland grinned.
"Erland…"
"Not until I know that Loki is well, days has it been since your return and nigh have I gotten any straightforward answers. Not even from the Queen herself. Here I have the opportunity to get it from whom I dread of."
"Elves," Loki cursed.
"Aesir," Erland rebuked.
Loki felt a tug in his chest, and felt his emotions heightened. You are no Aesir. He heard himself say. You are a monster underneath. Loki looked away and lost his appetite. Erland noticed the drastic change, for Elves were great in their senses as well as the Aesir.
"Is something the matter?" The Elf asked.
"No."
"I could call for Eir should you need her."
"Why are you here, Erland?" Loki asked defeatedly. "And do not tell me it is to simply pass my morning meal to me. I think I know you better in the last few centuries."
There was a heavy silence between them.
The Elf innocently tilted his head and his long blonde locks dropped to the side as he stared at Loki. Cerulean eyes stared at exhausted green ones. Erland quickly took Loki's disregarded plate, stood up and placed the tray on the table before he sat back on the bed.
"Is it not my duty to my Prince?" He began.
"What?"
"Is it not my duty?"
"No." Loki answered. "It's not. I never asked for—"
"Aye," Erland raised a finger. "You never asked nor demand. That is why I do."
Loki gave the Elf a questioning look.
"I am not bound to the duties of the Aesir on Asgard, neither am I bound to your King nor to you by law, but I am bound to Lord Freyr. Who is somewhat bound to the agreement made through Alfheim and Asgard, which makes him bound to the King's agreement, even if he is a King himself… since I fall under him… I am also bound… but…"
Erland paused and shook his head. "That does not matter. I am here now. I left Alfheim to remain with you, loyal as I am for our friendship."
The Elf's words left Loki in silence.
Loki looked away as Erland got up to take the tray out of the room. They spoke no words. Erland cleaned up and before he left, he placed a note on the bed in front of Loki. And the Elf quietly slipped out of the room.
Loki took the note.
-Nelvelin pass (Alfheim) trade agreement.
-Dwarves of Durragdal treaty.
-Ovi caverns in the high mountains is impassable. (Must work with the Vanir)
Loki stared at the to-do list made in the Elf's writing and questioned how it was possible that Erland knew these were his tasks for the day and if he were to work on it at all. Loki realized that in the long years he knew the Elf, Erland had ways to get information.
"He probably coaxed Lord Hoenir." Loki thought.
Despite Erland being older than him, the Elf never treated him any differently. Their friendship went centuries back to Loki's time with the Elves in Alfheim.
How two misfits became friends was a question only the Norns could answer.
oOo
"Did you have to pull that stunt?"
"What stunt?"
"Don't play dumb with me, Mr. Stark."
"I'm not playing dumb, I'm a genius." Tony answered. "I feel like I'm being underrated, unaccredited and unwholly represented."
"Mr. Stark…"
"I want my lawyer."
"This isn't time for games." Fury glared at him from the screen. "You left before we could get answers from you."
"Look, I told Pep I was coming home." Tony said. "I just happen to have tampered with Shield tech and left without saying goodbye. I know I have my curfew dad, but I have rights!"
"You have rights over that stunt you pulled with our security feeds?"
"I was curious!"
"Curiosity kills." Natasha voice sounded in the background.
"Sure, but what can we learn if we don't poke at things until they explode?" Tony shrugged as he picked up the Starkpad and walked over to his Ironman suit and began tinkering. "That's science and engineering."
"If it works, then it works." Tony threw a piece of scrap behind him.
"And if it doesn't work with us?" Fury asked.
"If it doesn't… We just rip it apart."
"Apparently he never got the message." Clint mumbled.
"Messing with our equipment is off limits." Fury repeated. "And you high jacking our controls to stop us from spying with our resident Norse god doesn't get you on my good side."
"You have a good side?" Tony mocked.
Fury and the others weren't going to have it. Despite not being able to see Natasha and Clint's faces, Tony could tell they were pissed and amused at the same time. The billionaire rolled his eyes and sighed. "Look, I just needed my own readings and my own theories." He mumbled as he went back to throwing scrap around.
"And you couldn't have done that without bothering us?" Clint asked.
"Interference," Tony shrugged.
After a moment, Tony added. "And it was too personal okay? It's not every day you get to see a Smurf and a surfer dude together in one room, hugging each other like it's the end of the world."
"Hilarious." Natasha muttered.
"I have my morals."
"And if the world was at stake?"
"Come on, Fury. Have some faith. I wouldn't have done what I did if it meant hurting people, okay?"
"That's debatable."
"Besides, I got my readings and I'm sending them to you." Tony complained as he pushed buttons on the Starkpad. "I'm still on your side, why are you berating me on this? I can feel the animosity between us a hundred miles away."
"Don't pull that stunt again." Fury glared and turned off the connection.
"Right," Tony sighed.
He twirled around his chair and bit his lips.
"Hey Jarvis, send what theories we've got to Shield about Tall dark and Frosty, except how to track him, tracking blue and green stays with us. We can't let Shield take this one advantage we have. If it happens again and Loki does appear, I want to have a word with him. If Shield doesn't want me to talk to Thor, then I'll just have to talk to his little brother."
"Is that wise, Sir?" Jarvis questioned.
"Am I ever not wise?"
oOo
"Thank you for indulging our request." Khuldrag chuckled. "We're glad this treaty is in place."
"You're most welcome, Master Dwarf." Loki answered.
"This treaty went faster than you can say Nurzogg!" Dis laughed, and three of the dwarves joined him. "Odin's council would have laughed at us for this agreement. Good thing you're here to settle things, Lad."
"Dis!" Bhak scolded. "He's King."
"Well bless my beard. Word has not spread far yet."
"Dis!"
"Dis is right, too young to be King."
"Thrakbeard, we're in the presence of royalty!"
"But he's too young!" Thrakbeard argued. "But the lad is smart."
"Aye, smart he is!" Dis nodded.
"You bottle-head fools!"
"Quiet you three!" Khuldrag scolded.
Dis, Bhak and Thrakbeard stopped arguing and looked to the floor as Khuldrag held his chin up high. Loki couldn't help but hide his mirth as the leader of the three turned to him. Khuldrag saw the amusement in the young Prince's eyes, or rather young King's eyes, and smiled.
"Apologies, your Majesty."
"It is well, Master Khuldrag." Loki smiled at all four of them. "But the past is past with the council's mistreatment of your race. Our treaty is in place, trade will work as agreed upon and help will come if asked of us and if we ask of yours. The All-Father will make sure it continues this way for many a year to come."
"For that, we are thankful for," Khuldrag smiled.
"There is no need for thanks."
"Our kinsmen in Durragdal hold you high in our eyes for this."
"You flatter me, Master Dwarf." Loki chuckled. "There is no thanks needed, for this treaty was long due in the making."
"All the same, you have our thanks, son of Odin."
Loki felt his heart race, but composed himself quickly to give them a light bow.
"If you would give us your leave?"
"You may have it." Loki responded. "May your journey be well."
The four Dwarves thumped their fist on their chest and bowed like a stiff rock and went on their merry way out to the halls, chattering about the fairness of the Prince/King and his velvet voice, making mention of his kindness and lack of animosity towards them.
Son of Odin…
Loki recalled the words with a feeling of hurt, and found himself out of place.
Why was he standing alone?
"Loki!"
He snapped from his thoughts and turned to the Sif and the Warriors three with Fandral yelling loudly and waving at him. The other three were mixed with worry and amusement.
"You're up and about!" Fandral grinned. "And you are… you."
"Obviously," Loki replied.
"We thought we'd never see you out of your room."
"If I had known you'd bombard me, I would have stayed for as long as I liked."
"Very funny, Loki."
"How do you fare, Lad?" Volstagg laughed.
"Loki," Hogun slightly bowed.
"I am well."
"That is good."
"What do you need?" Loki frowned. "I am busy."
"Busy?" Fandral questioned. "But you've only just finished."
"What you witnessed was a meeting with the Dwarves at Durragdal." Loki supplied with annoyance. "I still have to sit through another meeting in an hour with the Elves at the Nelvelin pass to find a way for them to pass on trade to Asgard without being affected during mid-winter."
"We just wanted to ask you something," Sif opened.
The others went quiet as Loki turned to her.
"Go on." He urged.
"We're on your side, Loki." She voiced quietly. "You may think we are against you, but we are not. We are sworn to Asgard, to you and our people. We will not abandon you should you need us."
"Sworn to me or sworn to Thor?" Loki chuckled bitterly. "Where were you when I needed you?"
"Loki…" Volstagg began.
"No, stop." He voiced with a snarl. "I know you spoke to Thor, about me, about who I am or whatever I am, but I don't believe for one moment that you care for my wellbeing."
"You cannot think that, Loki." Hogun said.
"I cannot?" Loki stared at them. "Hate runs thick in the blood of the Aesir's when it comes to races below their worth. You cannot convince me that you have no hate for what I am, or for who I am."
"You've done well for our Kingdom." Sif treaded carefully. "In your reign, Asgard has never been more prosperous had you not changed some of our ways. We trust in the All-Father's ways and have lived by it for centuries but…"
"But you cannot trust mine?"
"I did not say that."
"You did not have to, your words speak thusly." Loki mumbled.
"Why must you twist everything?" Sif glared.
"You may see the fruits of my effort, but you cannot see my motive and it disturbs you. You think I would overthrow my brother, that I am doing so for my position for the throne. Nay, you are mistaken. I do this for our people."
With that, Loki left them in silence.
"Maybe we should tell Thor." Fandral voiced. "Something bothers Loki."
"It would be best." Sif nodded.
"You agree?"
"It won't be wise to travel." Hogun said.
"Loki has not forbidden leave for the Bifrost so we are well to travel." Sif sighed. "Thor needs to know of Loki's condition, I do not think Loki would deprive us of that, nor Thor."
"I do not like this." Volstagg frowned.
"If it helps both our Princes' then we must do it."
"For Asgard," Fandral said.
"For Asgard," They agreed.
They gathered their weapons and what they could take and headed straight for Heimdall, where they knew they would be welcomed. Loki, who knew it was bound to happen, was staring outside at the balcony. He watched as the Bifrost activated and shot the warriors down to Earth.
"Fools they all are," Loki sighed. "And traitors too."
But Loki had other matters to attend to, and the Warriors four were not on that list. That is, unless they step in his way.
oOo
"Are they in place?!" Laufey shouted.
"The troops are all waiting and prepared." Byleistr mused. "They wait at the edge of the mountain."
"Good."
"What do you want Thrym, Valgard and Alrik to do?" Helblindi wondered.
"Let them stay with the others." Laufey snarled. "We cannot spare more. The boy will lead us to Asgard for the casket."
"Will you spare those you promised you would?" Byleistr asked.
"Did they spare ours?"
Byleistr and Helblindi refused to answer the question. Because in truth, when Laufey was defeated, the Aesir have spared those who surrendered but in turn, they left them to suffer in a dying world.
"I will see how prepared our people are." Laufey walked away.
"Is this wise?" Byleistr asked. "Going to war?"
"I do not know." Helblindi glared. "He is blinded by hate, anger, and grief."
"What of him?"
"Who?"
"Our little brother," Byleistr stared at their people from the top of the hill. "A game is this to our Father."
"It is a game." Helblindi said sadly. "We cannot question our King, and the boy, he is lost to us."
"He is small."
"Lost and small, he cannot return to us. There is no in between." The older snarled. "We go to war and win, or we lose everything. It is either of the two. Who are we to deny the stake of the lives of our people? We will die anyway. It is better to fight hard than to fall harder."
Byleistr could only nod.
oOo
When every one of Loki's task was finished, it was already midday. Loki snuck into the treasure vault and pondered his decision. He was afraid, of what Laufey could do to him if they found their own way into Asgard and yet Loki was more afraid of what people would think of him if he continued. There was nothing he could do, because one day, if given the chance, everyone would know who he was.
Better for the chaos to begin now, than wait for it later.
It was time…
Loki held the scepter. His hands trembled as he lifted it, and brought it to the ground. The echo sounded heavy inside the vault as the wall opened behind the casket. He took a deep breath and watched as the Destroyer stopped in front of him.
"It is now or never." Loki looked up.
With a blinding green light, the Destroyer disappeared and Loki was left standing alone in the treasure vault. His whole body shook, and his knees threatened to give way.
"Forgive me, brother." He closed his eyes. "Please forgive me."
oOo
Heimdall waited for Loki to reach him.
He could see the pain in Loki's eyes, but there was determination in them as well. Heimdall knew Loki had done something, and it could be the result of his torture. He could not tell. What did Loki fear that would lead him to do this?
"Tell me, Loki." Heimdall voiced. "Why you have done what you did?"
"To ensure peace," Loki's voice trembled.
"And do you think this will help?"
"What else must I do?"
"Not this."
"There are things even your gift cannot answer. I must do what needs to be done, for everyone."
"And will this benefit everyone?"
"It will right the mistakes Asgard had done to others." Loki thought in his twisted thinking. "What have our people done but slaughtered other races and brought them to their knees to obey us, protector of the nine realms indeed."
"This will not help us, Loki."
"I cannot risk anything else." He softly said. "It must be done."
"Loki—"
"It is time."
Loki gracefully moved his wrist and pointed the Casket at Heimdall.
"Forgive me."
oOo
In Odin's room, Frigga heard the Bifrost activate for a second time and she couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt and pain on her chest. She strode over to the wall and moved the light curtains back to see the Bifrost continue to work.
"What is happening?" She breathed.
She turned to Odin and noticed his hand twitch and Frigga ran towards him to the bed. She cradled his hand and turned back to activated Bifrost.
"We may need you sooner than you think, my Husband." Frigga whispered.
oOo
Erland was in the middle of his duties when he noticed the Bifrost from where it shot through the sky. The horse he led to the stables nearly jumped as he held onto the reigns. He muttered for the horse to calm down as he directed his gaze to the bridge. The Aesir's were shouting commands; Tyr was leading some of his men to the bridge. Many of the ships were flying towards the edge of the city, while others prepared for battle.
There was something wrong, and Erland has a feeling.
"What have you done, Loki?"
oOo
TBC…
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