Night has fallen and while Asgard sleeps, Loki does not.
His chambers are dark and besides his breathing and the sound of snoring from his brother's bedroom, there wasn't a sound to keep him awake. No, what kept him awake were his thoughts, which seemed as loud as a raging river.
He focused on Thor's snoring; relishing the sound and finding comfort in it, after all, his family had refused to utter a single word to him for two whole days now. He knew what they wanted, an apology, but how could he apoligise for something he did not do?
His family's silence was a crushing weight on his heart. The first morning after his disgrace in the throne room he had rushed to breakfast in the hopes of making things right. When the reached their dining hall there was the sound of happy conversation, with Odin laughing at a tale Thor was recounting of his latest training fights with Sif and Fandral. His mother's melodious laugher joined in and Loki's spirit had soared, hoping that they had put it behind them.
They hadn't.
The moment he rounded the corner and entered the dining hall all conversation stopped. Loki's heart had almost stopped too. The cold glares sent his way from his father and brother made his blood seem to freeze. His mother's gaze was solely directed in to her meal.
" Good morning father, mother, Thor," Loki greeted softly.
There was no reply.
Loki didn't feel hungry anymore, and without a sound he had turned and left the room with tears threatening to spill form his cheeks.
Even after having not eaten for two days he still was not hungry. He didn't feel much of anything besides his heartbreak.
He was lying awake just staring up at the ceiling as if it held all the answers to his troubles.
It did not.
If only Heimdell had not been sent with the delegation assigned to command peace treaties in Jotunnheim, then he could have explained everything, seen Loki's innocence! Of course luck would be against him.
So he lay awake until morning light filtered softly through his open window.
He collides with Thor in the hallway on his way to get a drink of water. Thor grumbles in anger but continues on walking as if Loki were just a nuisance he could brush off. Through the commotion, he doesn't even address Loki once. Knowing that if his brother refused to speak to him then his cause truly was dire, Loki's heart seemed to drop further in his chest.
It was as if he was invisible.
He greeted servants as we went and yet they did not reply, they barely even looked at him. The guards were worse, they shoved against him purposefully as he passed outside the palace, not wishing to be in its oppressive aura any longer.
He couldn't blame them, if war resulted from this prank the guards would be among the soldiers called to fight and likely to die.
Walking quickly, he made his way in to the city in the hopes of reaching the library where he could hide away with his ancient scrolls and forget about the world. What he hadn't counted on was the mob.
It was as if the whole city stopped when he entered it. Men, women and children alike stared at him with open hostility.
" Is that the one who made the giants sick mummy?" A little boy asked excitedly as he passed.
" Yes, he is," His mother replied coldly, not turning her gaze from his retreating form.
Soon he had followers, mostly young men and women, a few older, and all furious. They made an obvious show of tailing him and he could feel the weight of their gazes pinned to his green cloaked back. He didn't falter, faltering would show weakness, though he did stop when they called out to him.
" Hey!" A young man yelled out.
Loki halted and with a deep breath of preparation he turned to face them, anxiety making his heart flutter in his chest.
" You think that you can just make all this trouble and walk around like there's nothing wrong?!" The same man inquired loudly, causing the crowd to hum in agreement, their faces stony.
It seems he was their spokesman.
" I do not mean to offend, I was merely on the way to the library," Loki explained calmly, knowing anger would not help this situation.
He was their prince, he should have ordered them to back off, asserted his authority, and yet he didn't, it wasn't as though they would have cared either way.
The man scoffed, a sneer fixing on his handsome face.
" That changes nothing, prince!" He spat angrily. "What? You think you can just hide away from what you've done while we send our brothers and fathers off to war because of your stupidity?" He added forcefully, causing the crowd to shout out in an uproar of agreement.
" Please, you must understand that I did not do what I have been accused of!" Loki pleaded, desperate for at least someone to believe him.
The crowd's expressions grew darker and they advanced like a storm cloud, making Loki feel two feet tall. Their spokesman, a man who appeared to have had warrior training at some point, struck out as fast as lightning and pulled Loki off the ground by the front of his tunic.
" Liar," He snarled. "You have always been and will always be a liar".
Loki could not contain his emotion any longer and he twisted like a snake, breaking free of the man's grasp and ripping his tunic in the process. He took one moment to stare at the crowd with large sorrow filled eyes and then he took off. He ran as fast as he could, knowing that if he did not he would be overcome by the crowd. He knew the only place he would have safety was the palace, and while the guards there despised him they had a duty to protect him and that was enough.
He was accustomed to running, his long limbs were perfect for propelling him at great speeds and he used them to his full advantage, knowing that the men and women thundering along just behind him would gain if he so much as mistimed a step on the uneven cobblestones.
Thankfully being in front made it impossible for them to see his tears.