"How could you let them take him!?" Thor yelled, slamming the door to Odin and Frigga's chambers.
"Thor, lower your voice," Odin rubbed a hand over his face, sighing.
"Why should I?!" Thor slammed his fist on a table, jolting the bottles on top on it and sending a few to the floor.
"Because I cannot speak to you when you're like this. Lower your voice or this conversation will be over,"
Thor huffed before speaking again in a quieter tone. "Father, why?"
"There was no other way out of that situation where Loki would be unharmed. At least this way he's safe for the time being until we can discuss getting him back,"
"We're supposed to just take their word that they won't hurt him?!" Thor's voice turned aggressive again.
"Thor," Odin warned. "What would you have done in my place?" He sat at the table.
"Refused,"
"Even when they had the knife to his throat? That would have gotten Loki killed,"
"Then I would have fought,"
"We were too far away; by the time any of us got to them they would have slit his throat,"
Thor cringed at Odin's blunt words and slumped into the chair opposite him.
"What if they don't give him back?" Thor's voice was quiet with childlike fear.
"I won't allow them to keep him too long, don't worry, my son. I lost Loki once for a year; I won't lose him for any longer than is necessary," He assured and Thor left shortly after.
When they got to Jotunheim, Loki shuddered at the change in temperature, trying to look calm despite his fear. He should have stayed with Frankie and Max.
One of the Frost Giants nudged Loki to follow Vili, who was already a few paces ahead – a few paces for them, which was several for Loki – and heading to the ruins of the palace. Loki hurried after him and looked around, trying to get his eyes to adjust to the darkness quicker. He could see a few pairs of red eyes glaring at him and he gulped, wondering if they knew he tried to destroy their home realm just last year. They got to the palace and Loki was led to a 'guest room'.
In the room there was a small window, which was locked securely, and the walls were all cold stone. The bed was king sized and also made of stone with furs on top and a few pillows which were only put in for Loki's benefit. The Jotun said the king would be back to talk to them after he is done preparing for the feast. When Loki asked what feast, he said he'd find out soon enough and left. The sound of the heavy door closing echoed through the room and so did the cracks of the multiple locks sliding and clicking into place. Loki counted six.
He sat on the hard bed and sighed, burying his face in his hands wishing he was back home. He couldn't quite decide if he meant with Max and Frankie or with Thor.
After a few minutes there was clicking outside the door.
One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six.
The door was flung open and Vili stepped in followed by a slightly shorter Jotun who Vili referred to as Kama. Kama was carrying a pile of cloth.
"Loki," Vili greeted and Loki just stared at him. He sighed and nodded to Kama, who walked around the king and placed the pile beside Loki before bowing to him and Vili then leaving.
Loki glanced at the pile then back to Vili.
"Get dressed," He ordered.
"I am dressed," Loki stated, subconsciously rearranging his collar against the cold.
Vili looked at him scrutinizing and shook his head. "Do you want to be assassinated? Because you will be if you go anywhere dressed like a filthy Æsir,"
Loki clenched his fists but refrained from saying anything and looked at the clothes beside him. "I didn't realise Jotuns even wore that many clothes," He commented.
Most Jotuns he'd seen had just worn cloth over their crotches but the pile looked too big to have just that.
"I figured you would be uncomfortable with that," Vili answered.
Loki looked confused, that actually sounded… considerate?
"Besides, you're a runt so it would be an unnecessary embarrassment,"
Ah, there it was.
Vili left the room and slid all the locks back while Loki waited until they were all done before unfolding the pile.
There was a dark blue tunic with black around the low neckline and slightly darker trousers made of velvet. There was a thin jacket with it made of similar material to the trousers and a black leather belt.
He sighed and changed quickly, folding his Asgardian clothes carefully and placing them on the bed. He kept his own back boots and was tucking the bottom of the trousers into them as the locks started to slide open again. Loki noticed how they were opened in a certain order each time. He wasn't sure if it was because of the actual locks or because that was just a habit of Vili's. He opened one at the top left then top right and one just under that, then under the first one and so on in a big S shape.
He looked up as Vili stepped in.
"Stand up," He ordered and Loki decided it would be best not to argue.
Vili beckoned Loki forward and walked around him, inspecting him closely. Loki felt extremely uncomfortable under the attention but stood silently.
"It'll do," Vili muttered. "Follow me,"
He walked out of the room and Loki hesitated before hurrying after him, glancing around at they walked through the corridors for a way to escape later until he bumped into Vili's chest. He looked up and saw him staring down at him.
"Change," Vili ordered.
Loki looked down at his clothes in confusion.
"Um, I did,"
Vili rolled his eyes. "Change to your Jotun form,"
Loki shook his head in refusal and Vili pushed his shoulder against the wall, lowering his face so his eyes were level with Loki's.
"Change" He said again, sternly.
Loki sighed and let his skin fade to blue; he blinked and felt a light tingle in his eyes as they went red.
Vili released him with a smile and they walked to a huge hall where there were hundreds of Jotuns sat around long tables. Their conversations halted as Vili and Loki walked through the doors and they turned to stare at them. Loki gulped and Vili thudded a hand on his back, pushing him forward a few steps.
"My friends!" He called into the room, making Loki jump "The lost prince has returned!"
The room erupted into cheers and applauds as well a thumping on the tables. Loki turned to look at the king, who was grinning to the room.
The Jotun nudged him forwards again and led them to the thrones at the front of the hall. There was one big one and a slightly smaller one beside it, Vili gestured for Loki to sit in the smaller one and he complied quietly. He turned his back to the chair then put his hands on the arms and jumped slightly to get into it as Vili chuckled, settling into his own. Loki glared at him but Vili paid him no notice.
The conversations slowly built up again and Loki's eyes scanned the room casually. He'd always been a good observer and he'd always enjoyed observing.
A lot of the Jotuns kept glancing at Loki or muttering about him but Loki pretended not to notice. He leant over the arm of his chair to Vili.
"Why am I here?"
Vili carried on smiling to the room as he answered. "This is your home, Prince,"
Loki spoke through clenched teeth. "This is not my home,"
Vili sighed, still smiling and not looking at him. "You'll think differently soon enough,"
"No I won't, this will never be my home. I hate this realm and everything that dwells within it," He stated venomously.
Vili's head snapped to him and he stood up, gesturing for Loki to follow him. Loki did so hesitantly and as soon as they were in the corridor Vili pinned him against the wall lowering his face close to Loki's.
Loki cringed away from Vili's rancid breath.
"You cannot fight what you are, Loki. You cannot deny it and you cannot hide from it. You can embrace it. This realm has more to offer than it appears,"
"Why do you want me here anyway? What use could you possibly have for me that is so important that you threaten a war with Asgard in order to get me here?" Loki gritted his teeth, Vili's large hand over his collar bone and the base of his neck, his thumb pressed lightly against Loki's windpipe.
Vili grinned, showing rotting teeth. "We want what was taken from us,"
"I was left to die, why does it matter?"
"Is that what Odin told you? How do you know you weren't left in the temple for safekeeping so you weren't in the way of battle?"
Loki faltered slightly. "If that was so then why was I left in the wreckage?"
"I honestly don't know what Laufey was thinking but either way, this is where you're from; this is your home,"
"This will never be my home," Loki insisted again and Vili brought his other hand up and backhanded Loki across the face, making his head whip to the side. Loki gasped in shock and glared at Vili.
"Behave or I'll show you what real pain is," Vili hissed out dangerously, his face inches from Loki's.
Loki bit back his response and nodded.
Vili smiled. "Glad you understand. Go back to your room and seep. Tomorrow I will explain what I want you to do," He dropped Loki and stalked off back to the hall. Loki's eyes widened as he was left alone but just as he was looking around trying to decide which direction would aid his escape, two Jotuns joined him saying Vili had sent them to ensure he found his way back to his room easily.
Loki huffed and returned to the room he'd been left in previously.
When he got there the Jotuns closed the door behind him and Loki listened for the six locks, counting them as they clicked or slid into place.
He sat on the edge of the bed, millions of possibilities of what tomorrow could hold race through his mind and he felt a headache building.
After looking at the furs in mild distain, wondering how Vili could ever think he would be able to sleep, Loki stood up and looked out of the window.
He remembered what Thor had told him many years ago, when they were the human equivalent to teenagers, about the stars and how no matter what realm you're in there are always a few constellations similar to that of another realm. He searched the dark sky for the constellations that were the same as the ones of Asgard and, despite the stars being very hard to see through the cold mist that covered Jotunheim, he spotted one.
Loki stared at the stars and hoped Thor was looking too.
Thor flipped a table in outrage. Despite his conversation with the Allfather he was still livid but no longer at Odin but at the Jotuns for tricking them into a situation where they would have to give up Loki and, most of all, at himself for not being able to do anything.
He sat on the steps in the dining hall with his elbows on his knees, like he had the day that was supposed to be his coronation after the Jotuns had interrupted. He closed his eyes and thought back to that day when Loki had come out from around the pillar as if out of nowhere and, for a second he could almost hear the soft click of Loki's heeled boots on the hard tile floor. Thor turned to look to his left where Loki has sat that day and sighed when he saw he was still alone. He buried his face in his hands and took in a deep breath, remembering what Odin had said.
They would get Loki back, soon.
He stood up and calmly left the room, going back to his chambers.
When Thor got there and the door was locked, he went over to his window and sat on the window sill with his knees up against his chest.
The blonde looked up at the thousands of stars that sprinkled the night sky like jewels and tried to picture what the sky looked like in Jotunheim but when he went there it was too cloudy to see any as he could recall. He remembered one of the very few things he'd taught Loki which the younger didn't already know from one of his many books and locked his eyes on a constellation which should be the same as in Jotunheim.
Thor tugged a blanket from the floor and wrapped it around himself, still watching the specific stars and wondered if Loki could see it through the darkness of Jotunheim or if he was even looking at all.