Leonidas wasn't surprised to find Loki in his room, servants were there with him, helping the newly crowned king getting dressed in his ceremonial garb.

The recently titled Hirdman entered quietly, his four paws padding lightly on the marble floors. In the midst of his chaotic thoughts he had retreated into a form where complicated emotions were harder to grasp. Loki took notice of his entrance, especially when Leonidas hopped up onto a chest and curled up on a set of blankets that were there. He gazed on at the scene quietly willing the tormenting thoughts away.

But to little avail.

It didn't seem like his ward was doing much better. The shield had grown ever the shakier. And there was a lingering fear burning within him. Hidden behind the excitement of actually being king.

Leonidas could almost hear the worried thoughts radiating off him as he glanced about at the servants as they milled about the room.

Do they know? What would they do if they knew?

Although mind reading wasn't a ability he had been gifted with, he could nearly read the trickster's thoughts with how his brows pinched slightly, and doubt radiated from him.

"You are dismissed." Loki said suddenly, causing the servants to pause mid job, put down their items and leave with bows to him.

Leonidas watched them go quietly before shifting his gaze back to the new king.

Loki stood before a full length mirror, fixing a few pieces of armor and for a moment or two there was silence. Before he then lowered his arms, gazing at himself with a unreadable look on his face.

"And so the frost giant sits on Asgard's throne." He said, though Leonidas wasn't sure if it was to himself or him.

All the same, he hopped down from the chest and morphed back into his normal form coming over and standing a bit behind him.

"…so this then disproves what you were saying earlier." He prompted, watching his ward's face in the mirror.

"Does it?" His eyes flickered down to Leonidas who gazed back easily. "Or is it just a matter of circumstance? After all, once Thor returns, or Odin wakes…well. It's all over then." He said before turning his gaze back to the mirror as he fussed over his collar.

"So that's why you don't want Thor to return. You don't want to surrender the throne to him." Leonidas concluded.

"You never answered my question from earlier." Loki said instead, and letting out a soft breath Leonidas picked at his sleeve cuff, realizing he probably would have to start wearing his ceremonial garb more.

That thought made his face twist up slightly but he pushed it aside.

"Well, you didn't answer mine. Twice now." He looked to the king.

"You have a tendency to avoid my questions you know."

But Loki almost didn't seem to hear him, instead he turned to face his keeper. "Leonidas."

With a breath, the Hirdman gazed up at his ward, "Loki, you are my ward, my king, and…" he paused before taking a deep breath to steel himself, "and my brother, and I have never, and will never see you any different. I'm your Hirdman for as long as you'll have me. And that has nothing to do with the throne, I don't care what or who you are." He paused and gazed at him seriously, "and I do not see you as a monster…actually I know you are not one." He said, gazing up at him seriously. "The only way for you to become a monster, is for you to start believing you are one." There was silence between them for a moment or two. And Leonidas let out a breath, not willing to waste his attention. "And now that I've answered your question, you answer mine." He paused a beat, glancing around the room and listening for anyone around. Once he was sure that they were alone. He gazed at him seriously, "did you do it?" He waited a beat, "did you purposefully derail Thor's coronation?"

For a moment Loki didn't say anything and they gazed at each other quietly. Though he didn't need to say anything. His silence was answer enough.

Loki loved to talk, it was when he was not talking however that the most could be gleaned from him.

"That wasn't your earlier question." He said instead, and Leonidas sighed.

"Yes, but that's the heart of it." He eyed him a moment, "I won't tell anyone. My first loyalties are to you and your brother." He added, and Loki sighed before going over to his helmet picking it up and gazing at his reflection in it.

"And what if it is I against my brother Rafr? What shall you do then?" He questioned not lifting his gaze.

Leonidas gazed at him quietly, "I don't know." He waited a beat before sighing, "if the oath was not involved. I believe my first choice would be your side. It's no secret that Thor has a particular distaste for me. But I'm bound by the oath I was sworn to. I cannot move against either of you."

Loki was silent, absorbing his words a moment.

Then there was the sound of footsteps coming down the hallway rapidly. Leonidas turned just before urgent knocking resounded on the door.

Loki turned as well brow pinched slightly, "it's open."

The door opened to reveal a einherjar, he entered panting a bit with exertion from his hurry. He fell into a kneel before the king.

"My lord." He greeted, and both king and hirdman stood before him brows pinched.

"What is the urgency, speak." Loki said, and the guard lifted his head looking stricken.

"The Hamramr, they have been been attacked." At that both Loki and his keeper stood up straighter. The former sending a look to the latter before returning to gaze at the guard.

"When? And by whom?" The king asked, the guard stole a breath.

"A few hours ago at most. The…" he hesitated, "the corpses are still fresh." At that, before he could help himself, Leonidas stepped forward.

"What are the casualties?" The guard paused before looking at him. Once again looking stricken.

"…there were no survivors."

Inside him, Leonidas' blood ran cold. No survivors? How was that possible?

The keeper hadn't really known his people, having left so many years back. But he had visited a few times. Taken Loki there, he had wanted to take Thor as well, but the Asgardian had not been interested.

But gone? How could they all be gone? Granted, the population had never been very large, but they had been warriors, who could've taken them out?

"Who did this?" Loki demanded, cutting into his thoughts.

Leonidas looked up at the guard who looked hesitant. "We aren't sure…" he looked up at Loki gravely, "but we found large amounts of ice everywhere."

At that both King and Hirdman went still, "you are dismissed. Send scouts to see if there are any possible survivors." The einherjar nodded and departed silently.

For a moment the two of them stood there quietly, Leonidas gazing at the ground with wide eyes as he tried to digest this information.

"…they're all gone." he said finally, not lifting his eyes from the ground. "How…?" He trailed, unable to comprehend the concept.

A hand landed on his shoulder, and he didn't have to glance up to know it was the newly crowned king.

"I don't know, but we will figure this out brother. That I swear." And like his brother, Loki squeezed Leonidas' shoulder, but unlike the god of thunder, the grasp didn't make the keeper wince.

He swallowed and steadied himself, if this was true, if there were no more…then he and Arne were the last.

That thought made him sick.

But he…didn't have time to worry about this. He…needed to help Loki in this transition, and when Thor returned…see what would happen then.

And hopefully resolve things between the brothers.

He would…

He didn't know what he would do in regards to this situation, it seemed surreal. Fake. A lie that had been told for some malicious reason. But what that reason was, he hadn't a clue.

Was the room spinning slightly or was it just him?

Who did it? Who slaughtered his people? Shouldn't he be crying? Shouldn't he be sad?

Why didn't he feel anything?

No, he didn't have time for this, he needed to focus. He needed to do what he could for Loki and Thor. It's not like he could do anything, its not like fussing over it would bring…them…back-

"I think I'm going to be sick…" Leonidas gasped before a hand went to his mouth, his stomach was doing things it wasn't supposed to.

"Okay, easy, one moment." Loki said, though Leonidas only barely heard him over blood rushing in his ears. The hand left his shoulder, and it's like a anchor to reality vanished. Leonidas stumbled again feeling unsteady on his feet as he gasped, doing his best to suppress the urge to throw up whatever was left in his stomach.

What was this? Why was he suddenly struck ill?

There were cubs there…weren't there? Were his parents there? Had his parents still been alive?

Did they call out for help? Were they taken by surprise? How fast did it happen? Did they die quickly? Was it prolonged suffering?

Oh by the Allfather he was the last.

Something was put before him, and he barely registered what it was before he couldn't resist any longer and upchucked whatever was in him.

Pathetic retching wrecked him as he heaved for breath, feeling cold even if there wasn't a draft.

Someone's hand was on his back, someone was speaking, but it took him too long to register that it was his ward.

Worry and sadness came from the king, and Leonidas wanted to turn and assure him that he was fine, and that this strange sickness was nothing more then a bug that would pass.

But his body was shaking too much to do any of that.

"I…I…I'm so…sorry…I…I'm f…fine…" he finally choked out, but a sharp shushing made him pause.

"No, enough of that. You are not fine and that's perfectly understandable." He chided lightly, and Leonidas let out a hard breath ducking his head slightly.

"I don't know what's wrong with me." He admitted, and Loki let out a breath.

"You seem to be going into shock." He stands, helping Leonidas do the same, "For once, I find myself uncertain of what to say." The trickster turn king sighed, "but know, this won't go without Asgard doing something. We will get to the bottom of this, and your people will not have died in vain." He said, and Leonidas spared a glance up taking a deep, albeit shaky breath.

"Loki…" he started, and then cast his eyes down with another shaky breath, "I…I'm the last…aren't I?" His voice broke toward the end, and he inhaled again.

If it were any other race, Leonidas knew his statement would be invalid, there were nine realms and endless space around them. Certainly another Hamramr had left and lived life elsewhere.

But if there was one thing he knew about his people, it was that they were very reclusive. And had dedicated themselves to the Asgardian royal line.

Leonidas had been chosen when he was a child, he couldn't really remember his early years that well. But he remembered that it was a honor to get the position he did. Future Hirdman to the king of Asgard, only Arne and another had been chosen before him. Due to the practice starting with him.

All those years ago, his race had been saved from total genocide by the Asgardian's intervening. Resulting in the offering of Arne and his brother as protectors of the Asgardian line. Though the disappearance of Arne's brother had always been questionable, the relationship between the Asgardian's and the Hamramr people had always been a healthy one.

Usually there was always a Asgardian colony nearby, to ensure something like this didn't happen.

So what had gone so wrong?

He was pulled from his thoughts by a arm around him. He looked up to find his ward gazing at him with sympathetic eyes.

It was a expression he never would've expected from Loki, well, that wasn't entirely correct, he did see Loki look sympathetic from time to time, but usually it wasn't very genuine.

Through his bond, he felt the genuineness of it.

Leonidas dropped his gaze again and inhaled deeply, "we need to figure this out. If the Jotuns attacked my people, that means they were purposefully attacking allies of Asgard." He paused, sensing the gravity of his next words. "And…if that's the case." He lifted his eyes to Loki. "They are declaring war."

There was a beat or two of silence, as Loki had pulled his gaze from Leonidas and cast it to the ground.

"We don't have to directly engage them in an attack, perhaps if they find out who you are, something else can be figured out-"

"I have an idea." At his interjection, Leonidas paused and gazed at him a moment.

"What is it?"

Loki then turned to him and smirked slightly, "how do you kill a snake Rafr?" Leonidas paused for a moment, then his eyes widened.

"You cut off it's head." He let out a breath, "but Laufey…isn't he…?"

There was a beat of silence as Loki stared at the ground.

"If he didn't want me, why should I care about him?" Leonidas paused before nodding.

"Okay, if you're sure."

Loki released him and they both stood, then the king turned to him, "Rafr…would you prefer to go with the scouts? To see if there any survivors?"

Leonidas gazed at him a moment, "you're…dismissing me?"

"No, no nothing like that." He paused a beat, "declaring war, or even enacting our plan, it's a very serious matter." He hesitated a moment, "and to be honest? You are one of the few people here I trust to bring back accurate information." He waited a moment, and he must've seen the hesitance on Leonidas' face because he continued. "I will be safe. I swear." He offered a rueful smirk, "I'm not Thor."

Leonidas gazed at him a long moment, his brow pinched slightly, the wall was still there. He didn't sense any malice or hidden intent.

"Rafr." Leonidas blinked and refocused on reality lifting his eyes to the prince, who gazed down at him seriously and earnestly. "Trust me. Please."

There was a beat of silence, before the keeper let out a deep breath and nodded. "Alright. I'll go check it out." Loki nodded, before placing a hand on his shoulder with a bit of serious look.

"I'll be here when you return." Leonidas nodded.

"You better be." Then he left the room.

It felt wrong, the idea of separating from not one, but both of his wards? Was this the right thing to do? He should stay shouldn't he?

But he needed to assure Loki that he trusted him…

If he stayed, then it would prove to his ward that he had no trust in him, and believed his intent to be malicious.

He was on their side, he was on his wards side, and that meant trusting him.

And that was something he could do.

He just wished he could shake the doubt that clawed at the back of his mind.

Loki was a trickster.

He was a liar.

He was still blocking Leonidas.

By the Allfather, he hoped he wasn't lying this time.

After he had gotten out of his scuffed up and dirtied armor, Leonidas went for a fresh set, it was a backup pair specifically made for when his first set was dirty. It wasn't the most durable, but it would do for now. After all, all he should technically be doing is scouting.

Once he was dressed, it was then that he realized that Arne might not know.

The keeper had been posted in front of Odin's chambers, and very few guards were allowed back there. It was unlikely that he was informed.

A pit formed in his gut.

Every time he was distracted by something, he was always brought back to the reality that it was a very real possibility that he and Arne were the last.

It was a strange, emptying feeling that clawed at his insides making him feel hollow.

It was a isolating feeling, one he didn't quite understand. By all logic, he shouldn't feel so attached to his people. He had hardly known them, remembered very little of customs or traditions. It felt almost…wrong to be sad about something like this.

Like, his lack of knowledge of them made him an inadequate survivor. How could he carry on traditions, ideals and beliefs when he barely had a clue as to what they were in the first place?

But regardless of how he felt, he needed to tell Arne.

With steps heavy and hesitant, he headed toward the king's chambers.

However once he cleared the stairs, he came into sight of the older keeper.

For a moment their eyes met, and no words had to be spoken for Leonidas to understand that the other Hamramr knew.

The younger keeper swallowed before taking a deep breath and nodding to him silently, Arne nodded back and with that Leonidas parted.

He needed to meet up with the other scouts.

He hoped this wasn't a mistake.

Pounding footsteps came down the hall, and Loki knew before they entered that the heavy footfalls belonged to none other then Thor's friends.

Einherjar guards entered first, and following after them was who he expected. Sif and the Warriors three entered with their heads already bowed. They fell to a knee without even looking up.

"Allfather, we must speak with you urgently-" However the warrior cut herself off as she lifted her head, her sudden silence caused the other three to raise their heads as well.

He couldn't help but smirk slightly at the sight of their shocked faces.

"What is this?" Volstagg demanded, and he didn't seem certain whether he should be alarmed or not.

Loki however just smiled as he gazed down at them, "My friends…you haven't heard? I am now Ruler of Asgard." He informed smoothly, he knew they wouldn't receive this well.

"Where is Odin?" Fandral demanded, though not harshly, albeit hesitantly.

"Father's fallen into the Odinsleep. My mother fears he may never awaken again." It wasn't quite a lie, but it wasn't the entire truth either. Frigga had not spoken such words. But her worry was valid, hidden under the veil of trying to reassure her child.

The thought of that stirred something within the trickster that he tried not to think about too much.

Sif stood, and the men soon followed, "we would speak with her." She said, and Loki gazed down at them evenly, catching note of how they exchanged a glance.

"She has refused to leave my father's bedside. You can bring your urgent matter to me." He paused a beat, "your king."

Sif seemed to catch that he noticed, and straighter up, "we would ask you to end Thor's banishment." She claimed, though everyone in the room, except perhaps the guards knew that wasn't the truth.

Loki decided to play along, and stood with a breath turning away from them and gazing at Gungnir.

"My first command can not be to undo the Allfather's last." He shifted his gaze to them, "we're on the brink of war with Jotunheim. We speculate that they have recently attacked an ally of ours." There was a alarmed exchange of glances between the warriors, "our people must have a sense of continuity in order to feel safe in these difficult times." He claimed, and there was a beat of silence. "We all must stand together, for the good of Asgard." He said.

"Who was attacked?" Volstagg asked and Loki let out a soft breath shifting his eyes back to the kingly spear.

"The Hamramr." There was another beat of silence as they digested this information.

"And we are certain that the Jotun's attacked them?" Hogun questioned, speaking up for the first time in awhile. Loki gazed at the man's reflection in Gungnir, and saw a potential opportunity.

With a breath, the newly crowned king turned back to them, "we are not. I have sent scouts and Leonidas to survey the area." He paused a beat and turned directly to Hogun, "we have not heard anything from the Vanir people." There was a beat of silence, "and if you would like to join the scouting group, you are more then welcomed." The other warriors turned to look at their friend, and with his brow pinched he did seem to be considering the idea.

"Go my friend, we will be here awaiting your return." Fandral said, placing a hand on his comrade's shoulder. Hogun glanced at him before stealing a breath.

"When does the scout party leave?"

Loki nodded to the large double doors, "soon, you should hurry." Hogun nodded, stood and bowed once more.

"Thank you my lord." Then he turned heel and left. Loki gazed after him, and a part of him was glad that Leonidas wasn't here to feel the satisfaction coursing though him.

"Do you see my point now my friends? You cannot tell me that if Thor was here he wouldn't jump the without thinking, as he is prone to do, and attack the frost giants with full force?" There was a moment or two of silence, and he did notice that his words did not seem to have the same sway as they once did.

"…yes, we understand." Sif said, though with barely concealed frustration.

All the remaining warriors stand, and bowed their heads.

"Let us know if we are needed…my lord." Fandral said, in a vain attempt to flatter the newly appointed king. Loki however just nodded. And they departed.

His eyes followed them until they vanished from his sight.

Vanaheim. Home to the Vanir and the Hamramr. Though, the Vanir had prospered substantially more then their shifting cousins.

A symbiotic race that once served the Vanir as loyal bodyguards and in turn were provided shelter and resources. Also taught many things, allowing the Hamramr to step into a higher role amongst the races of the nine realms.

However that all changed when the Hamramr were attacked.

With the intervention of the Asgardians, the Hamramr found a new species to aid. And thus the keeper and ward relationship between the Hamramr and the Asgardians was born.

Though those who lived on Vanaheim still held a highly symbiotic relationship with the Vanir.

By all logic, this meant that Leonidas and Hogan should get along smoothly, seeing how their species have benefited off each other for ages.

Though that had never been a reality.

When the Bifrost spat them out onto the planet, Leonidas took in the sight before him.

And couldn't help but glance at the warrior with him.

Of course it made sense for him to be here. To see if his own people had been attacked, though Leonidas found it a bit odd that his comrades had not come along as well.

They certainly seemed like the type to back each other up in times of crisis.

Or was it that they feared the crisis back on Asgard was greater then all others?

Perhaps he shouldn't have left.

His attention was directed back to the scenery when the scouts began to move, talking about plans. Leonidas however just let his gaze fall onto the land that his people called home.

…that his people once called home.

Lush trees surrounded the wide open field they had been planted in, rolling hills and mountain disrupted the horizon line.

The grass beneath their feet was wet, like it had rained recently, but there wasn't that rainy smell in the air.

No, there was just the horrific stench…of death.

Distracting from the beautiful scenery and the pleasant weather were the bodies that littered the land before them. Man, woman, child, all laid out, slain like cattle. The fumes of blood poisoned the air, filling Leonidas' nostrils with nothing else.

His eyes were wide and ears flattened back as he gazed at the bodies. The colony of Asgardians that resided here had already started burying the people, and it seemed that the Vanir people from the North had joined in as well.

Hamramr hadn't been a large population at all, and it had been a concern for awhile that they would eventually die out do the extensive time it took to repopulate.

Though no one had imagined that they would be wiped out so brutally.

Evidence of the attacker, aside from the bodies was scarce. The ice, which had been what presumably killed the people, it was almost completely gone.

What a perfect weapon, leaves behind very little evidence.

Leonidas sensed Hogun next to him before he spoke, "My condolences." He said, earning a glance from Leonidas who then let out a breath and gazed at all the bodies.

"I just…don't understand how this could've happened. Arne always told me our people were warriors…" he trailed, his eyes falling upon the face of a child. She was half morphed into what appeared to be some kind of Midgard animal, from what he remembered they were called Raccoons.

But it wasn't the obvious attempt to escape that disturbed him, it gwas the wide unseeing eyes that looked up at the sky lifelessly.

"Even warriors can be overrun by forces greater then theres." The warrior next to him claimed, and Leonidas sighed his brows pinching.

"It doesn't make sense, how did they get here? How did Heimdall not notice?" This had been the second time the frost giants had presumably gotten past the sentry.

A traitorous thought creeped into the back of his mind. He knew Loki had snuck them in the first time…

No. No, that was insane. Why would he do that?

Leonidas needed to stop thinking about this, he couldn't keep holding suspicion toward his ward. He needed to trust him.

"It is strange that the occurrence happened twice." The Vanir next to him muttered, and Leonidas let out a breath.

"Yeah, it is." His eyes flittered around the scattered bodies, not sure how to feel, but feeling uncomfortable that he really didn't feel anything at all.

"Your parents…what do they look like? Perhaps we can find them and pay respects." Hogun offered, and the keeper couldn't help but glance up at the sincere offer.

With their proximity to Thor, and often abrasive way they behaved, sometimes Leonidas did forget that they weren't bad people.

"Oh…um." He paused, his gaze falling onto the bodies once again, his brow pinched slightly and he let out a soft breath. "It…it's been a really long time." There was a beat, "I…don't remember what they looked like."

Next to him, Hogun nodded, and he said something. But Leonidas was deaf to it. As a sudden and intense anguish swept over him. A intense feeling of hopelessness and fear clutched his soul and refused to let go.

Leonidas let out a choked breath and stumbled from where he stood. It took him a minute to realize these feelings weren't his own. They belonged to one of his wards…but who?

This did not feel like Loki, even though they were bonded, his emotions were usually very fleeting. A ghost of a feeling usually greeted him. He knew it was because of how guarded Loki was.

But the one who breathed intensity was the currently banished prince.

Leonidas let out a gasp, both from the overwhelming feelings and the realization that he wasn't completely cut off from the Asgardian.

It was a worry he didn't realize he had until this very moment.

"Are you alright?" Hogun asked, and honestly, speaking the most Leonidas had heard from him in a long time.

"Y…yeah…" he gasped, "just…overwhelmed." That wasn't a lie, though it wasn't because of the bodies before him.

Though it probably should.

No his mind was scrambling as he desperately reached for whatever feelings he could garner from the banished prince. But the overwhelming intensity faded away, and Leonidas was left feeling empty again.

He let out a shuddering breath and did his best to calm down and not call for Heimdall to send him to the prince's location.

It's not like Thor would appreciate the action…

But…what if he was in danger? What if something happened?

Leonidas couldn't live with himself knowing that he knew something was wrong but did nothing.

Loki would be fine, right? Did he need to go back to him? Or was Thor's situation more priority?

The overwhelming hopelessness clawed at his mind like a vicious feline.

He knew he had to go, he just wasn't going to enjoy the consequences of it.

With a deep breath he tuned his eyes to the scene he knew would linger in his dreams.

He should feel something more, he should be mourning.

But he felt like he was staring at the bodies of strangers. Strangers whose only connection to him was the race they shared.

"I need to return to Asgard." He explained, tearing his eyes away from the corpses, "I'll report that there isn't too much to find here. The colony and scouts shout take care of the rest." His eyes flickered around the now graveyard. "I would stay, but-"

"It's alright." Hogun said, cutting him off. Leonidas looked up at the warrior, "go and make sure the prince has not gotten himself into too much trouble."

The statement caught the keeper off guard, and he opened his mouth to question it, but thought better and just nodded.

He turned before pausing and glancing over his shoulder at him, "thank you…and I'm glad your people were unharmed." Then, he spared one last glance at the now ghost town and let out a breath before turning to the sky.

"Heimdall, the Bifrost."