A/N: here you go my wonderful readers, another chapter! also, I'm excited to announce that I got accepted into my first choice Graduate School! I'm not sure whether this means I'm going to write more often for this story before I start school, or whether updates will become few and far between once I start school. it's all a bit up in the air at the moment. either way I will finish this story :)
"No Loki," Odin said, his tone that of a disappointed parent. It seemed, to the young prince, that nothing he did would be good enough for the man he called father. He was not good enough when he quietly stood in the shadow of Thor's glory, allowing his own brilliance and accomplishments to go by unnoticed. He was not good enough when he tried to surpass Thor, to show he was more worthy to rule as King of Asgard. In that moment, hanging above the abyss, it seemed that it was far easier to let go and fall into darkness than to allow himself to be saved and continue to be seen as less than adequate. He let go, and savored the expression on Thor's face as he fell, cold and dark enveloping him. The very last thing he saw before pitch black overcame his vision was the face of a young woman…Darcy, her long hair whipping wildly around her face, tears falling from her eyes into the void after him. Of all the things he had done and people he had wanted to cause pain, he never wanted to cause the anguished expression on her visage. In that last second he regretted letting go, would give anything to take back that moment and reach out to take the hand she was offering him. He screamed, as much in anger as in pain, when he continued to plummet further away.
"Loki!" The young man gasped as he woke, jolting upright and forcing away the person restraining him.
"Brother, tis only I, it was only a dream," Thor spoke softly, not daring to move from his place on the floor where Loki's magic had tossed him. The younger Asgardian looked around wildly, trying to assure himself that it was just a horrible nightmare. His furniture was in pieces, yet the bland white walls were reassuring to him, helping to ease his mind. He swung his legs out of bed, holding his head in his hands for a moment, attempting to ease his anxiety.
"Loki, are you yourself again?" Thor asked quietly, daring to stand and approach the rattled man.
"I am fine Thor. As you said, it was but a dream. Is there something you needed?" he asked, standing to pace.
"Darcy is going to be visiting today. There is something we wish you to have. Please get ready as soon as you are able and we shall go," the blond said, patting Loki on the shoulder gently before exiting the cell. The young man was confused by his adoptive brother's vagueness. Thor was never one to keep a secret. Loki quickly changed from his sleeping robes and brushed his hair back from his face before stepping to the cell wall, waiting to be led out. He was taken by surprise when there were no shackles waiting for him. Instead Thor led him, unbound, from the dungeon. The younger man was surprised to find that they were walking the familiar path to his private chambers.
"Thor, what is the meaning of this?" Loki muttered glaring at the blond.
"I will allow Lady Darcy to explain," the prince grinned, much more jovial looking than he had been in a long while. He motioned for Loki to go ahead of him into the room that used to be his sleeping chambers. He stepped forward almost tentatively, hesitating only a moment before throwing the door open.
"Hey there! What do you think?" Darcy asked, whirling around at the sound of the door opening. She threw her arms wide, as if to show off the room that Loki was already intimately familiar with. The young Asgardian raised his eyebrow in a questioning expression, a slight smirk to his face.
"Are you asking what I think of my former chambers before I was thrown into a cell for an indeterminate amount of time? Why yes, they are quite lovely," he said, strongly attempting not to laugh at the young woman's expression. Darcy scowled at him, dropping her arms.
"You know, if you're going to be a jerk about it, I might not explain what's going on. I know you're dying of curiosity," she threatened. Loki took a moment to think through the situation, determined not to let Darcy know she was right about his curiosity. Finally he let out a resigned sigh.
"Fine then, Lady Darcy, would you please explain to me why we are in my former chambers?" he asked her. The smile she gave him was worth the frustration of all this mystery she seemed determined to keep up.
"So…I had a very long and complicated talk with Odin and Thor between visits. I swear, it was like teaching an undergraduate intro to psychology class with all non-majors. Anyway, after all my explaining and all the research I showed them…and explained to them, we decided it was a good idea to have you move from the cell downstairs back to your room. It will definitely help with your issues to be in a more comfortable space."
The young Asgardian blinked at her, eyes wide with confusion. He glanced around the room again as if seeing it with new eyes. He caught sight of the book he had been reading, left unfinished on the table beside his bed. His workbench across the room had been obviously cleared of the things he had left there, but everything seemed to be in an order he liked. With a pained intake of breath, he realized his mother must have come in here and cleaned up his fragmentary magical experiments and put things to rights. She would be the only one who would know what to do with the things he had left behind. Loki knew Darcy was watching him carefully as he staggered over to the bench, sweeping his hands along the cleaned surface. He could feel traces of Frigga's magic still, keep the dust and grime away a little while longer.
"It's ok…" Darcy whispered, her fragile Midgardian hand feeling no heavier than a feather upon his shoulder. He was about to ask why she would say such a thing to him when he felt the wetness land upon his braced hands. Tears, for the first time in a long while, were falling from his eyes. Silence reigned in the room then as Loki cried…he cried for himself, for all he had done that had just caused more strife and pain to everyone and himself, and he cried for his mother, all while Darcy stood as the only witness.