Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to the Marvel Universe or Disney, The Amazing Stan Lee and Joss Whedon, or anyone else involved with the movies or comics are the ones who do. I am not making any profits from this writing, it is all for the purposes of fun and creative writing
Chapter 22
The sun shone in the sky, a silver disc amidst hues of deep cobalt and navy. Despite how dark the skies were, there was a brightness over the land. It probably had something to do with the light reflecting off the snow, causing the ground to almost have this glowing quality to it. But as he walked along the palace grounds with Njord and Jarl basically prancing about him playfully, Loki liked to think that the newfound brightness that seemed to radiate from Jotunheim was actually due to the fact that after so many centuries, the once barren realm finally had the Casket of Ancient Winters back, that its very heart had been returned to it at last.
Loki let out a silvery laugh as Njord trotted up to him with Jarl close behind, the former dragging a long, frost covered branched between his powerful jaws. The beautiful wolves came to stand before Loki, Njord dropping the branch onto the snow-covered ground before Loki's feet, he and Jarl looking up at the second Prince of Asgard like a pair of expectant pups rather than two full-grown ice-sentinels. Loki smoothly picked up the branch and chucked it far, laughing again as with twin barks of happiness, Njord and Jarl raced off after the stick.
Loki shook his head as he watched his four-legged friends basically fly across the snow with effortless grace. Even with them being such powerful creatures, Njord and Jarl just loved to play fetch, be it with a tradition stick as they were doing now, or trying to catch any of those swirling orbs Loki would often conjure for them when they would go out onto the palace grounds back home in Asgard.
" They are quite remarkable animals, your pair of wolves." Loki turned sharply at the deep, gravel-laced voice and felt a jolt go through his heart as he found himself facing none other than Hellblindi himself.
The King of Jotunheim stood tall and imposing, his cobalt-hued skin standing out against the white snow. In the new light that was shining over the realm, the ornate and intricate lines that were seemingly carved into Hellblindi's flesh stood out almost white. He still had a spaulder of clear spiky ice over his shoulder, but he was no longer wearing the formal crown of large, spiky icicles, instead there was a simple circlet of braided ice around his head. He wore a long, floor-length loincloth of deep navy blue, with a metal belt around the waist that was accented by bluish-gray fur at the hips. It was Hellblindi's eyes however, that were most different. Where as the day before yesterday they had been frigid with stiff formality as he had welcomed them to Jotunheim, now they were gazing down at Loki with actual warmth behind a thin veil of formality and composure. There was also curiosity behind the deep red depths as well. Shaking himself out of his reverie and bowed to the King.
" Good morrow your majesty." To this, Hellblindi gave his own short bow.
" Good morrow to you as well, Loki of Asgard." There was a charged beat of silence before Loki spoke.
" I hope you do not mind you majesty, I merely wanted to take a walk and allow my two friends a chance to run about as they so love to do." Hellblindi shook his head.
" Tis no trouble, the only thing being disturbed by your companions is the snow that covers the ground." A loud bark had both Loki and Hellblindi turning their gazes in time to see a very happy Njord come barreling towards Loki with the stick in his mouth, Jarl giving valiant if futile chase.
The beautiful wolves came to a halt before Loki, Njord dropping the stick at the princes feet before he and Jarl pranced about him playfully with expectant yips and barks. Loki chuckled as he picked up the stick and threw it again, Njord and Jarl racing off to see who could fetch it first. Loki turned back to Hellblindi and paused when he saw the way the Jotun King was eying him with an intensity that would have made others uncomfortable, but only made Loki curios. The pair faced off until Hellblindi broke the stalemate.
" Could you walk with me Prince of Asgard?" Loki blinked at the request but then nodded.
" Of course, after all you know the grounds better than I." Hellblindi nodded and then started walking down a path that ran alongside the palace and was half-buried in the snow. They made a very stark contrast as they walked, Hellblindi being so much taller and muscular, while Loki was tall in his own way but still dwarfed by Hellblindi and svelte in build with his green cape billowing lightly behind him. As the pair walked along the palace, Njord and Jarl would run up to them with the stick and Loki would dutifully throw it. The king and the prince walked in relative silence, a random, general question here or there about either Asgard or Jotunheim. It was a bit awkward understandably. Then Hellblindi motioned to a large bench made of dark blue stone. It was Jotun-sized, so while Hellblindi fit when he took a seat, Loki looked comically small as he sat beside the King, his feet dangling well of the ground by several inches.
There was a long moment of awkward and charged silence, and then Hellblindi finally spoke.
" If I may ask, where is his majesty Prince Thor, in the short time you have been here, I have observed that he rarely lets you out of his sight, understandably so." At this, Loki let out a small chuckle and nodded.
" As the hour is still early, I left him sleeping in the rooms that you so graciously provided for us. He did take a particular liking to the wine you served us last night at the feast that was held. Perhaps, he enjoyed the wine a bit too much." To Loki's delight, he watched as a barely there curve turned up one corner of Hellblindi's lips at the thought of Thor still sleeping off the Jotun wine.
" I am gladdened that a Prince of Asgard has taken a liking to the wine my realm produces. May I ask, how did you and the rest of your company find last night's feast?" Loki smiled as he remembered the previous night.
" I must say, the general consensus was that we all found it very enjoyable. We were all somewhat surprised by the variety of dishes that were prepared. I do not mean any offense but for obvious reasons, we were not expecting quite so much. Tell me, did the return of the Casket have anything to do with it?" Hellblindi nodded in confirmation.
" Indeed, the return of the Casket to its rightful place also marked the return of our full abilities as magic-weilders. Because of this we were able to conjure many of the dishes that were served last night. The return of the Casket, though most welcome, only marks the start of Jotunheim's restoration. Life will again return to our oceans and rivers, and also the plains and valleys, and my people and I have you and your brother to thank for that." Loki's green eyes widened as Hellblindi's explanation. He had known that the Casket was important to this place, he just never realized how important it was. With a soft exhale, Loki spoke.
" So the Casket of Ancient Winters is not only a power source, but a source of life itself?" Hellblindi nodded solemnly as he looked up towards the sky, where the newly restored, silver sun was shining brightly.
" Yes, it is the source from which all life in this realm draws from. When it was lost to us in our defeat, the sun when out, the oceans and rivers froze, and nearly all of the animal and plant life either died off or retreated deep beneath the surface to sleep beneath the ice. My people and I remained because of the Seidr that runs through us, it allowed us to live on without the strength we drew from the Casket. We survived, though we were all left severely weakened. Now though, our strength returns to us with each passing moment." Loki mulled over Hellblindi's explanation with barely contained wonder, but then he quickly grew serious as he met the king's red eyes.
" I am quite glad that things are getting better around here, but I am again reminded the stipulations my father had set forth regarding the Casket." Hellblindi met Loki's gaze and nodded.
" Yes, the rules have been made quite clear regarding what we can and cannot do, and while the inter-realm travel being cut off is a heavy blow, that in and of itself is not the focus of either myself or my people. We have an entire realm to rebuild and restore, that will take up much of our time. Perhaps once we have rebuilt our own lives and homes, we can think to our relations with the other realms." Loki smiled softly as he too looked up at the brighter skies over Jotunheim.
" I may not know you and your people well, but it is my fervent hope that you and your people will prove yourself worthy so that one day father will lift his spells from the Casket and leave it fully to you." Hellblindi turned his gaze back down to Loki.
" I thank you for your kind words." Loki nodded in acknowledgement. Then Njord and Jarl were bounding over to Loki, having finally grown tired of the stick they had been playing with. Both wolves were all but trying to climb onto Loki's lap, earning a full laugh from the second prince as he showered the two ice-wolves with affection.
A glance Hellblindi's way had Loki pausing however, when he saw the way the king was staring at him silently. Behind the neutral expression, Loki though he could see the barest hint of pain behind those blood-red eyes. Feeling his heartbeat starting to speed up in anticipation, Loki spoke.
" Your majesty, what is it?" Hellblindi remained silent for another beat before he finally spoke.
" Your highness, do forgive me if my request is too forward, but could you assume your Jotun form once more. I would like very much to look upon you as one of us." Loki felt his heart stop at the request for a moment, no doubt anticipating that something very important was going to happen. Swallowing lightly, Loki nodded.
" It's no problem." He said softly before he willed away the Asgardian glamor he normally wore, leaving him blue skinned and red-eyed.
Loki kept both of his hands on Njord and Jarl, the two animals stilling in their playfulness to be two pillars of quiet strength and reassuring in their presence as Loki buried his long fingers in their white fur and waited to see what Hellblindi would do. He did not have to wait much longer as Hellblindi slowly leaned forward, not taking his eyes off of Loki till he was eye-level with the latter. Loki could feel heat creeping up the back of his neck as he realized that he was being silently scrutinized and no doubt analyzed by the Jotun king. Then with a deep, low rumble Hellblindi finally straightened back up and spoke.
" You are the spitting image of our father by blood, Laufey." Loki felt his heart lurch for a moment at this, not truly knowing how to process this. He had naturally never met Laufey, only knowing his face from the memories he had shared with Thor. Before Loki could say anything, Hellblindi continued in his assessment, a look of true sadness finally spreading across his face.
" Yes, you have his baring and features, but your eyes, your eyes are those of Farbauti, our mother."
These words were unexpected, so unexpected, they made something inside Loki ache despite himself. Loki had to look away for a moment to reign in the many emotions that had been caused to rise up inside him. Once he was sure that he would not either scream, cry, or do something else that was ruled by his emotions, he turned back to Hellblindi and spoke.
" I thank you for your words, for they answered some questions I have regarding this part of me." Loki held up his hand and flexed his fingers before continuing.
" I know that I am a Jotun, born to a king and his consort as the Norns told me when they brought me back, yet I know not the circumstances that surrounded my birth and my abandonment. Would you be willing to tell me what happened?"
Hellblindi gave Loki a hard stare as he replied, waring clear in his voice.
" I am willing, but know that I will not mince words." Loki's own gaze grew just as hard, if not harder as he spoke.
" I would not appreciate it if you did, the truth is what I want, the truth is the only thing I will have." Hellblindi nodded and then began to tell his tale.
" Very well. You are the third and last son of Laufey and Farbauti. Before you is I, and before me was Býleistr. You were born on the eve of the great battle between Jotunheim and Asgard. Farbauti was known as one of the fiercest warrior giantesses of our realm, but even she was powerless against fate. Though you were born so small, the labor proved to be too much for her. She started bleeding, and despite all of our best healers' attempts, there was nothing that could be done. No sooner had the breath left our mother's body, father turned his gaze upon you and looked at you with nothing but blame and hate. Maddened by grief and rage, he declared his hatred for the runt who had stolen his beloved consort's life and ordered that you be taken from his sight, or he would rip you apart with his bare hands." Hellblindi looked to Loki with unreadable eyes as he continued.
" The skies were swirling with clear signs that the Allfather and his forces would be arriving soon. While father clung to Farbauti's body and howled, Býleistr charged me with taking you to the great temple. I was to leave you there as an offering. I did as I was commanded by my elder and then everything descended into battle and chaos. Býleistr fell that day and I became the crown prince over a defeated and desolate world. Father retreated into himself after he had mother entombed in the sacred burial chambers beneath the palace. I went back to the temple to see what had become of you, only to find you gone. I had always assumed that you had been carried off and devoured by some wild animal or taken by the ice. It was only on that day in the halls of Asgard and after having seen your true form in the projections that I realized that it was the Allfather himself who had taken you. That you were raised as a Prince of Asgard and had been murdered by our would-be destroyer Menkos. You know the rest." Loki's face seemed to be carved from stone, made all the more prominent because he was still gazing across at Hellblindi in his Jotun form. Loki nodded mutely before he took a deep breath and spoke.
" So royal blood or not, a runt is a runt regardless?" Hellblindi replied without hesitance.
" Yes, for that is our way." Loki let out a small sigh and gave a jerky nod before he looked away. He understood what happened, and he knew that the Jotun were not a race known for sentiment. This place was still a harsh one, and only the strong ever had any chance of surviving it. He had been born a runt, he was going to be done away like a runt, it made no difference that he was the son of a King. He had it rougher because his birth father blamed him for taking the life of his consort, who he appeared to have loved very dearly from Hellblindi's description. He knew all of this, he had even told Odin himself that his only real birthright was to die. And yet, even with all of this, Loki could not help but feel the low burn of anger and hurt radiate through him. The fact that he had been right about his birth and circumstances did not make him feel any good, not at all.
He had wanted to be wrong, he had wanted so badly to be wrong.
Taking in a deep, steadying breath, Loki turned back to Hellblindi and spoke.
" I do understand why things happened the way they did. But you should now here and now that I shall never forgive Laufey for his abandonment or for blaming me for something that was not my fault, nor will I ever acknowledge him as anything but the one from whom I am begotten. For all of his many mistakes and flaws, there is only one whom I will ever acknowledge and love as my father, and his name is Odin. With this being said, I respectfully ask that you never again refer to Laufey as 'our father' in regards to me. You knew him as your father, so call him as such. But just as he did not want me, I do not want him." Hellblindi nodded his head gravely.
" I shall respect your wishes Loki Odinson." Loki nodded in acceptance and then spoke.
" You have my thanks for telling me of my origins, and you should know that I do not look upon you with as much harshness as I do your predecessor Hellblindi Laufeyson." Hellblindi tilted his head to the side and gazed at Loki with interest.
" While I welcome that you do not feel the same towards me as you do my father, I would like to ask why that is."
" I saw the way you spoke up against Queen Hela, and also vouched for my parents and brother when they knelt before the Norns and pleaded with them to have me back. Your actions that day changed many opinions and raised many questions regarding how you and your people are perceived in Asgard. My mother looks upon you with gratitude for what you did that day. While it is true that it was my brother who raised the issue of returning the Casket to Jotunheim and persuading our father to allow it, you own actions were not overlooked, I know with certainty that you raising you voice as you did helped sway my father in his decision." Loki's voice trailed off into silence, Hellblindi seemingly stunned into speechlessness. But Hellblindi recovered quickly and shook his head, a half-smile on his face.
" They are strange, the tides of change. I had resigned myself to Jotunheim remaining shrouded in darkness for the rest of time, never again to glimmer under the light of a silver sun. Yet as of the day before yesterday, the heart of this realm returned to its rightful place and the sun was reignited. I know that this will not automatically fix all that is broken between our worlds, but I speak for myself and my people that we are eternally grateful to you and to his highness Prince Thor."
Loki found himself smiling quietly at the sincerity that was plain as day across the angular, cobalt face of Jotunheim's king. It was then that a thought suddenly crossed his mind.
" What was she like?" Hellblindi frowned in confusion for a moment, but Loki clarified.
" Farbauti I mean, you have told me that I have her eyes, and that she was a formidable warrior in her own right, but I would like to know more." Loki watched as a look of far away tenderness flitted across Hellblindi's face before he quickly composed himself and nodded, a tenderness remaining in his deep red eyes.
Hellblindi then began to regale Loki with many tales of the legendary Giantess Farbauti. He told Loki of how he had her bright smile and her long black hair. Her favorite weapons had been the sword and spear which she would conjure with ice as the Jotuns did their weapons. Though she was always adorned in gold and gems mined from Jotunheim, they rarely did her any justice. In battle she was ruthless and infallible, showing no mercy while using both her seidr and her own brute strength to cut through entire regiments of enemy Loki had laughed with a glitter in his eyes when Hellblindi revealed to him that, while she was a battle-hardened warrior, Farbauti had been quite the prankster herself, powerful in her mastery of seidr but always using it to ruffle feathers left and right, her most frequent and favorite target being Laufey himself. Loki smiled but also lamented, for it seemed that he was very much like her.
" Farbauti was Laufey's Queen yes, but she was also his closest confidant and keeper of his heart. When she perished, my father's heart died with her." Loki nodded and a humorless smile spread across his face.
" Did she want me at least?"
" Yes, she did. For all of her fierceness, Býleistr and myself were the only one's besides Laufey who knew of the tenderness she kept hidden away beneath her steely demeanor. Like any mother, she was truly excited when she learned that she was carrying you. I do not know what the outcome would have been had she lived, but I can say with certainty that runt or not, she would have regarded you as hers and fought to keep you. Such was her nature."
Loki felt his heart give a painful lurch at this, once more lamenting the circumstances of his birth. Hellblindi allowed himself a small smile as he took in Loki's face once more, seeing the amalgamation of Laufey and Farbauti in him. With a small sigh, Hellblindi leaned back in his seat and spoke.
" I must admit, when Queen Hela showed us the ordeal you went through on the barren plains of Nifelheim, I could not help but see that you possess the same fiery will as our mother did in battle. It was almost as if Farbauti herself had risen back from death to rain down hell and ruin." Loki smiled sadly at Hellblindi, who surprisingly enough allowed himself a small smile in return, but he quickly grew somber as he spoke.
" The Norns were right to call you a jewel, and my father was a fool for ever giving you up." Loki's dark red eyes widened for a moment at such words of high praise, but he quickly composed himself and spoke.
" I'm not a jewel, I'm just me." Loki felt his heart stutter for a moment as he saw the respect that was shining in Hellblindi's deep red eyes.
" You are extraordinary none the less, and all of Jotunheim knows this." Loki ducked his head shyly at the praise before he looked back up at Hellblindi.
The pair talked quietly for a few moments more before Loki finally took his leave, bowing to the King of Jotunheim and saying that he would see Hellblindi again at breakfast before he headed back inside the now glimmering palace with Njord and Jarl trotting along beside him.
As he walked along the long, arched corridors of the palace, Loki felt all good feeling within him rapidly disintegrate. He had just turned a corner when a relieved voice sounded. Loki paused as the Lady Sif trotted towards him with the Warriors three close behind her, all of them looking very happy to see him. Another thing he needed to get used to.
" My Prince!" Loki frowned and felt concern rise up as Sif reached him.
" My lady, what's wrong?" At this Sif just shook her head with a sheepish smile as she gave him a small bow, the others doing the same.
" Your highness, when he awoke, Prince Thor was most alarmed to find that you were not there in the room you're sharing. He waited for you to return on your own, but when you didn't he summoned us and asked if any of us knew where you were. When we did not, he dispatched us to search the palace for you." Loki nodded at this and smiled a knowing smile before he spoke.
" Is he still in our room stewing?" Volstaag smiled back as he nodded.
" Yes my prince, he awaits you, though he did look about a breath away from tearing this place apart to search for you himself." Then he turned his gaze to Fandral who looked just a bit shaken.
" He may or may not have also nearly taken Fandral's head clean off while he was speaking with us, waving that hammer about him for emphasis as he gave us his orders." Fandral sent Volstaag a stern look, clearly not happy that the rotund warrior had revealed this, but then he just shook his headed and nodded to Loki. Hogun merely shrugged as he spoke.
" We should all know by now how his majesty gets when he worries, consider this a reminder to not stand so close."
Loki bestowed on the warrior's three and Sif a brilliant grin as he spoke with a chuckle.
" Why do your words not surprise me in the least? No matter, my brother will not have to worry any further, I shall be seeing him presently. Are you alright Fandral?" Fandral looked startled for a moment before he quickly recovered and spoke.
" I am alright your majesty, Volstaag likes to exaggerate." Loki nodded.
" Very well, I shall see you all when it is time for us to go for the morning repast." The warriors three and the Lady Sif all bowed respectfully to Loki, who nodded in acknowledgment before he stepped past them with Njord and Jarl flanking him.
The warriors three and the Lady Sif watched him go until he disappeared around the corner. Volstaag let out a soft sigh, regret written across
" We sure did drop the ball with him." The others all nodded before Hogun spoke.
" While it is doubtful he'll ever see us as his friends, at least we can serve him as we should have always served him, as a prince of Asgard."
The others all nodded before heading back to their own rooms, the three men sharing one while Sif got a quest room all to herself.
Loki got to his and Thor's room in a few long strides and quickly entered through the door, which was made of a carved blue stone yet surprisingly not as heavy as one would assume a stone door to be. No sooner had he entered, a blur of red and blond came barreling towards him, and he found himself face to face with a very grump looking Thor.
" Where were you brother?" Loki remained as cool and collected as ever as he replied.
" Peace brother, I just went for a walk on the grounds with Njord and Jarl, we were playing fetch when we were met by Hellblindi himself." Loki watched unsurprised as a look of jealousy crossed Thor's face before he spoke.
" Did you and he talk then?" Thor watched as Loki's face grew incredibly sad for a moment before he school his features and spoke.
" Yes brother, we spoke, and we cleared the air on a few important thing. I also got some much needed answers." Thor reached out and gently cupped the side of Loki's neck as he spoke.
" Are you alright?" Loki leaned into Thor's hand and nodded, his eyes going to the lightly glittering pendant that hung ever-faithfully around Thor's neck for a moment before he spoke.
" More of less, but did you really have to terrorize Sif, Fandral, Hogun, and Volstaag, I just ran into them and heard that you nearly took Fandral's head off with Mjolnir. How many more times must you be warned not to wave that thing around indoors, especially now that were are staying in a palace made predominantly of ice?" Thor snorted and chuckled before he grew mock stern.
" Hey, you should be the one getting a lecture here, going off on your own without telling me." Loki just quirked his elegant dark brow.
" Since when does simply going to walk the dogs equate with nearly causing bodily harm to one of your entourage?"
There was a beat of silence and then both brother's were dissolving into laughter. With a chuckle, Thor pulled Loki into a firm hug, wrapping his arms around his brother tightly. Loki returned the gesture wholeheartedly. The laughter died down to a peaceful silence before Loki spoke against Thor's shoulder.
" I'm alright brother, but could we maybe talk later?" Thor nodded as he rubbing his hand over Loki's shoulder in a show of tenderness.
" Whatever you want brother, I am here." Loki smiled against Thor shoulder and nodded. Not ones to be left our, both Njord and Jarl crudely joined the embrace, rising onto their hind legs and pawing at the brothers until Thor and Loki wrapped their arms around them, creating a four way prince and wolf hug.
After the brothers and wolves had partaken in enough hugging, for the moment at least, Thor finished getting dressed and they all headed out of their room. After meeting up with the warriors three and Lady Sif they all headed down to the main hall where Thor and Loki took their places beside Hellblindi as guests of honor, while the warriors three and Sif took their seats a little further down along the long, crystalline table that was laden will all manner of foods ranging from the familiar to the truly unique to Jotunheim, like a type of fruit that looked like a dragon fruit encased in a thin layer of ice. Sif took a particular liking to that item, Volstaag just devoured everything in sight, while Hogun tried a bit of everything and asked many questions about what it was , but it was Fandral that had both Thor and Loki chuckling quietly to himself because the blond warrior had focused less of dinner and more on blatantly flirting with one of the servers, a Jotun lady who clearly dwarfed him in height by several heads. The most amazing thing was that this woman, scantily clad as was the Jotun fashion, did not immediately pound Fandral into the floor, she flirted back just as irreverently. It was jarring, yet oddly endearing to see two people who had once been such bitter enemies, now being so free and fun with each other. Things got all the more lighthearted when Njord and Jarl tried to steal Hellblindi's own breakfast right out from under him. Hellblindi had made them stop with a single stern look, but there was a ghost of a smile on his face as he had fed both wolves some meet from his plate.
After breakfast, Thor and Loki took their leave of Hellblindi and left the warriors three and Sif with instructions to go into the city and lend aid in the rebuilding efforts. Hellblindi had assured the two princes that he would send some guards along with the four to ensure their safety, because while the tensions had eased somewhat, they were no magically wiped out by the return of the Casket. It was why Thor had sent the warriors out in the first place, to send a clear message to the people of Jotunheim that Asgard's intentions were indeed honorable, to lend aid now that the people of Jotunheim had gotten their seidr back. The use of seidr was one thing, but the aid of able bodied and willing hands would not be turned away according to Hellblindi.
The princes of Asgard walked with Njord and Jarl until the reached the guest room they were sharing. Loki ushered the two wolves inside, the pair of them looking unhappy, but they would not be able to follow where Loki planned on going. Thor frowned at this but remained silent as he walked with Loki down the corridor, till they were at a large arched window. It was a few feet from this large window that Loki turned to Thor, his face serious and garnering no room for argument as he spoke.
" I asked that we talk brother, but not here." Then before Thor could even replied, Loki took off his a full-speed run towards the window, leaping up onto the railing and propelling himself straight into the air.
Thor let out a startled shout and raced to the railing as he watched his brother fall out of sight. But as he neared the railing, there was a flash of blueish white light, and then Thor felt both relief and and anger course through him as Loki rose back into view with a flap of his deep cobalt wings. He had assumed his eagle form and was now hovering in the air with the silvery light of the Jotun sun luminous across his pristine feathers. Loki looked to Thor with his deep red eyes and spoke.
" Fly with me brother." Then without anything further, Loki turned and started flying away from the palace.
With his heart pounding hard inside his chest, Thor unbound Mjolnir from his belt and raised it into the air. A few moments later found Thor in flight, cruising along side the great eagle. There were stunned murmurs from down below as many witnessed the pair flying by, but the princes paid them no mind as Thor followed Loki.
The brothers soared through the brisk air over Jotunheim for about ten minutes, until Loki elegantly banked left with his wings spread wide and he flew towards a small mountaintop. Thor followed his brother as the descended from the skies, watching as the great eagle glowed with the same bluish-white energy as Loki transformed back into his normal form. He landed on his feet in the snow, Thor dropping in beside him.
Thor watched as Loki walked away from him towards the edge of the mountaintop, his gaze going to the citadel of Jotunheim that now gleamed in the distance against the backdrop of glacial ice. Thor stepped forward, wanting to say something, but his voice just would not come for. Loki beat him to it, his voice tried yet firm.
" I learned of my origins today brother." Swallowing, Thor came to stand beside Loki and looked to the latter as he spoke.
" What did you learn Loki?" A part of him didn't want to know, but Thor quashed that part of him down. Loki slowly turned to meet Thor's expectant gaze and with a small sigh, he began to recount the sad tale of his birth and the blame that was placed upon him the moment he drew breath.
Thor felt his own heart bleed for Loki as he eyed the sadness that was radiating off of his younger brother in waves. It made him wish that Menkos had not killed Laufey as he had, but only so that he himself could have smashed the bastard to pieces himself. Loki did brighten a bit when he started talking about Farbauti, and Thor too lamented the loss of the woman who Loki had apparently taken so much after despite never having known her. He sent a silent prayer of thanks to her, for if it was because Loki was so much like her that he was able to survive the trials he faced in Nifelheim, then Thor would only hold Farbauti in the highest regard and be eternally grateful.
" It's strange brother." Loki said as he turned his gaze back to the citadel. Thor inclined his head while a light frown marred his brow.
" What is brother?"
" I have learned the truth about both my parentage and the circumstances surrounding my abandonment. I thought that I would be angry, and I was for a few moments, but now I just feel sad." Thor nodded and spoke.
" It is understandable that you would, your beginning did not start out as a happy one." Loki nodded.
" A part of me wished that I had been wrong about being abandoned, but Hellblindi just confirmed that I was an unwanted runt with the addition of being blamed for the death of the one who bore me. It is a bitter pill to swallow, but it is part of what makes me who I am. But learning what I have learned today had only reiterated what I know in my heart." Thor could feel his throat starting to constrict, but he would blame it on the cold air.
" What brother, what do you know?"
" That Asgard is my home, that its people are my people and that as a prince of Asgard I will served them to the best of my ability. That Odin is the only one I will every love and accept as my father, that while I acknowledge Queen Farbauti as my birthmother, the mother in my heart will always be Frigga. And that even though Hellblindi is my only living brother by blood with Býleistr gone, you are my brother, my best friend, and one day you will be also be the King I will be honored to serve." It was here that Loki's face turned into a bright grin filled with so much home that it made Thor's very soul ache.
" I know who I am Thor and I know where I belong, by your side, always."
The next thing he knew, Loki was letting out a soft laugh as he was all but tackled into a fierce hug, Thor practically squeezing the daylights out of him. Loki returned the embrace just as fervently.
While others would have said their "I loves yous" and such, Thor and Loki just stood embracing one another because they really didn't need such words, and is the light from the silvery Jotun sun happened to make the lines of clear liquid that were streaming from both of their eyes glisten, well, no one was around to see or comment.
Meanwhile, through the branches of Yggdrasil to another realm...
Clint Barton let out a very weary sigh as he sank down on one of the plush sofas in Tony Stark's living room.
" I almost wish some moron would attack the city, give us something to do."
Clint's words of boredom were met with grumbles and nods of agreement from the other Avengers who were all lounging about Stark's pent-house. It was early afternoon and for once, things were completely quiet. No monsters or supervillains of any kind attacking New York City, leaving the superheroes more or less grounded. There wasn't even any kind of special OPS from SHIELD, which left Clint and Natasha as they were right now, sitting around doing nothing, with the archer sprawled across the large sofa and Natasha sitting on the floor by the coffee table twirling one of her throwing knives with her fingers.
Tony himself had actually grown tired of tinkering in his lab for the day, instead sitting on one of his own plush couches and mindlessly flipping through the T.V. channels with a glass of ice-tea in his hand instead of his usual scotch. On a couch a few feet away from him, Doctor Bruce Banner wasn't even awake anymore, having conked out with his head coming to rest over the back of the chair while Tony had been channel surfing.
The only one who was somewhat active of Steve Rogers, but that was only because he had taken it upon himself to make lunch today. He too had been sitting about, trying to read a book but then setting it down because his interest simply was not there. It was while he was surfing the channels that Tony came across a show about epic scale pranks and fails. With a small chuckle he turned up the volume and settled in. He was not disappointed as the show proceeded to showcase some truly ingenious and inventive pranks. As he laughed out loud, it woke Bruce who glared uselessly at Tony and then he too was sucked into the show. Clint perked up a bit and joined in the laughs while Steve chuckled whenever there was a shrieking mom or someone face-planting into a pool. Even Natasha allowed herself a small quirk of her lips at some of the antics. As they watched, Tony was suddenly struck with a thought.
" Y'know who'd have really liked this?"
" Who?" Bruce asked while the others looked to him in varying degrees of askance.
" A certain golden horned God of Mischief!" The effect of Tony's words was instant as there were loud voices of agreement and smiles all around, even a small one from Natasha.
It had been about five months since they had all returned from Asgard after having see Loki returned to his rightful place. In the beginning, Fury had been well, furious both about the delay in their return and also the fact that Loki was not in fact dead, to say that things had descended into chaos would have been an understatement. But that was where the memory stone Thor had given them had come in quite handy. After seeing just what had gone down, and what Loki himself had been forced to go through had done much in swaying the council. With Fury, they all suspected that it was the part where Loki had come to them looking so wrecked and asking them to forgive him for what his own murderer had done, had been the turning point. He would always look sever, but whenever Loki was mentioned at meetings, Fury did not react with disdain but acceptance.
Pepper had nearly blown her lid when they had shown her the memories, and after they had shown the city itself, she had gone on the war-path much like she had done when everyone still though Loki was dead to prove his innocence once more on a global scale now. All critics and haters were effectively smashed by the formidable powers of Ms. Virginia Potts and her connections.
Jane, Darcy, and Selvig had joined the Pro-Loki campaign along with the Avengers and had done several interviews and held steady in their support of Loki before they had all headed for London where Jane and Selvig had been offered chances to guest lecture on their theories. Slowly but surely, people had started to believe that it was not a trick, and that Loki had been through things that no one should ever have to go through. It did help that he was a god straight out of Norse mythology along with his brother, who had helped defend the city. The hate had died down to nearly non-existence, but now there was massive amounts of curiosity regarding the real Loki and what he was like. And to be totally honest, the Avengers themselves missed Thor's little brother as much as they did the Thunderer himself.
" You know, I would love to see just what kind of pranks Loki could come up with, they'd probably put us Earthlings to shame ten-fold." Clint said with a chuckle. Steve set down a plate of freshly made Panini sandwiches as he spoke, smiling as he watched his friends descend rather enthusiastically on his cooking.
" He does have the advantage of his magic, and his mind's sharp as a scalpel. You all saw how he transformed into me, and also turned Thor's hair blue, just think of the possibilities." Natasha nodded and added her thought.
" Besides pranks, his magic would be a great offensive and defensive asset in battle." The others all nodded in agreement before Bruce's eyes flashed green for a moment and he spoke.
" The other guy just misses Thor's real brother, wants to see not puny green god again and Thor too." This caused chuckles all around, but the others all found themselves sharing the Hulk's sentiments.
" Hey, ya never know, maybe Heimdall will see that things have calmed down enough here and Thor and Loki will be beaming down to Midgard when we least expect it." This caused more chuckles, but also sparked an real secret hope that Tony's words would in fact come true.
What the warriors of Midgard did not realize was that the gatekeeper in question, a certain amber-eyed and horned helmet wearing sentinel had turned his all seeing gaze upon them as they ate lunch and conversed about the princes of Asgard.
A small smile turned up the corners of Heimdall's lips as he eyed the realm of Midgard, a singly word passing through his lips.
" Soon."