(Author Note: If you're like me and want more backstory than plot you are in the right place. *The events of this chapter take place well before the first Thor movie.)
Chapter 4: Dreams of Hunting and Food Fights
Loki dreamed. He tried not to do that often. Dreams were either a fanciful attempt to escape reality that was doomed to failure, or his subconscious way of punching him in the gut with all the things he had done wrong in the past. Unfortunately, this dream was one of the later.
He sat on the banister of the balcony outside his brother's chambers pretending to listen while he blathered on about something. Bla bla bla, training, bla bla bla, swords, bla bla bla, axes … On and on Thor rambled. Suddenly Thor's tone changed, drawing Loki's attention back to the conversation.
"Fandral had an interesting idea the other day…" Thor began hesitantly. "The festival of harvest bounty will be starting next week. Fandral said that if we sneak out while everyone is distracted, congratulating the chosen, we could get a head start on the wild hunt." He glanced around conspiratorially before whispering, "Do you want to come with us?"
Loki looked at his brother as if he had lost his mind, which he obviously had, and said, "Isn't the whole point of participating in the wild hunt that you are chosen to represent Asgard as our mightiest hunter alongside the chosen hunters representing the nine realms? Why not wait a few more years until you are eligible to be chosen? I'm sure father would be happy to choose you to represent Asgard or one of the nine realms that do not have a suitable hunter."
"Waiting, always waiting. How many decades must I endure until my time comes and I can seize the glory that rightfully belongs to me?" complained Thor. "I will prove to father that I am ready for a worthy challenge. Are you with me or not?"
"Decidedly not," said Loki. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you will get in when you are caught?"
"It will be an adventure! Fandral, Volstagg, and I are going and nothing Sif or you say will stop us."
Loki wandered the festival to pass the time. He had not seen Thor since his declarations which probably meant that he was sulking somewhere to avoid him. He didn't bother hoping that Thor had changed his mind, that wasn't something his mind was capable of. All he could do now was wait and hope he had a chance to mitigate the situation when it arose.
Realizing that wandering the festival alone was doing nothing to distract him, Loki turned to head back to the training grounds. As he passed the food stalls he pulled his collar over his nose. The smell nauseated him. He didn't have time for food anyway. Walking faster, he turned the corner, but paused when he saw who was blocking the path. Ducking into a nearby clothing stall, he leaned against one of the tent poles to listen in on the conversation. Hogun and Sif huddled just on the other side of the canvas wall arguing.
"How could we let them go without us?" Hogun whispered furiously.
"How could we go with them?! They are going to dishonor one of our greatest traditions," said Sif in frustration. "One of my family's greatest prides stems from my great grandfather being chosen. That was the start of our family's friendship and service to the throne."
Hogun paused before saying, "I had hoped that our refusal would dissuade them. Especially your refusal, you're not one to avoid jumping into the fray."
With a large sigh Sif said, "We better get back. The selection will begin soon."
As he listened to their footsteps fade Loki wondered why they had not tried to persuade Thor to give up his plan entirely instead of just refusing to go with. He would have tried if he thought Thor would listen to him. Loki had tried many times to talk Thor out of his idiotic plans to no avail, but if Sif or Hogun tried he might just listen. After all, Thor held his friends much higher esteem than he did his brother.
Loki left the bazaar shortly after, but as he turned to leave the clothing stall his hand brushed a luxurious red cape. He trailed his fingers down its velvety hem.
Loki paced back and forth behind the royal stands as his father began his welcoming speech. This was going to be bad. This was going to be so bad. What was that idiot thinking! How was no one supposed to miss the vacant seat next to father? People would notice… worse father would notice.
"Do you know where Thor is?"
Jumping out of his skin, Loki turned to his mother. She looked down on him from the top of the stairs that lead to the royal viewing area. Running his hand through his hair in an attempt to stall he said, "I haven't seen him the past couple of days. Do you know what has kept him so preoccupied?"
"Don't you try to deceive me? You are my son, I'm the one who taught you those tricks," said Frigga. "Now tell me what your brother has gotten himself into this time."
Loki fidgeted slightly, but before he could come up with something to say, a commotion erupted from the training ground.
Frigga gave him a meaningful look before turning to go back up the stairs. "Let us go find out what my son had done now, shall we?"
It had been an even bigger disaster than he had thought. Guards had stumbled upon Thor and his friends during the selection ceremony and hauled them out in front of the spectators. Father was furious. The pulse in his neck beating for all the worlds to see as he verbally tor them to shreds. While his tirade was relatively short considering the ones Loki had received, it was unnerving to witness his brother and father arguing so heatedly in front of so many witnesses. Once Oden regained his composure, he ordered Thor to be confined with in the castle walls for two weeks.
Thor stormed off angrily and was quickly pursued by guards to make sure his sentence was properly carried out. Once Thor receded into the foliage, Oden's ire turned to fall on Fandral and Volstagg. "I have been lenient with Thor because he is my son, but I cannot be so with you." Turning to the remaining guards he ordered, "Take them to the square to be flogged and placed in the stocks for the remaining five days of the festival. After all they did want to be part of the entertainment." Not even bothering to watch them be led away, Oden turned back to continue the proceedings of the wild hunt.
As he returned to the castle Loki passed a parcel to the nearest guard saying, "Deliver this to Thor's chambers." He hoped that it would be enough to distract him from doing something idiotic, like retaliate against father. Knowing how stubborn and single minded Thor was he would not just let this humiliation pass without protest, but he was easily distracted. Maybe the mystery of the unsigned gift would be able to preoccupy him. Speaking of distracting Thor, Loki turned to go search for his brother.
Loki found Thor in the banquet hall pacing back and forth down the rows of tables set for the post-hunt feast. The tables bowed slightly from the weight of the bounty they held. The decadent foods sat in splendor amid the finest goblets, china, and silverware in all of Asgard. Loki made his way down the isle of tables that Thor was stalking through. He started to walk between the rows of tables to greet his brother, but paused when Thor turned to look at him.
Thor's eyes blazed with anger, his shoulders tens as he strode up to be toe to toe to Loki. "How could you betray me like that?!" Thor bellowed.
Loki stared at him in confusion. What was he going on about now?
Static sparked from his hands as he continued his tirade, "Do you have any idea how humiliating that was?! Being drag like some kind of criminal out in front of all the Nine Realms. I bet you just thought it was hilarious watching father being disappointed in me, for once, instead of you."
Every nerve in Loki's body crackled in outraged, fury at Thor's words, "Why do you always blame me for you incompetence! Like anyone would even need to tell them what you were trouble you were getting into. They probably knew you were up to something from the moment they notice your absence at the selection ceremony. They probably didn't even need to look that hard to find you either, what with all you're stomping and thrashing as you gallivanted through the forest." Loki stepped into Thor, his finger digging into his sternum. "Even if someone did betray you, why would you automatically assume it was me? Why not Sif or Hogun? They didn't seem to take to your scheme either."
"My friends are loyal to me. Unlike you, they would never betray me!" Thor roared into Loki's face.
Loki lend in even further so that his nose brushed Thor's and whispered, "What good is loyalty when all it does is get your friends killed, or in this case flogged."
What little control Thor had, broke at Loki's words. He hurled himself at Loki, his sparking hands outstretched towards his throat, careening right through him to fall face first into a bowl of pudding. As if Loki would antagonize his brother in person. The marriage rolled his eyes before blinking out of existence. Loki stepped out from behind a pillar and rolled his eyes as well, just for good measure. The newly christened pudding god rose, sparks of anger shooting in all directions.
Thor reached down, grasping the table edge, and through it food and all towards Loki. It was a ridiculously childish move, resorting to a food fight, but Loki saw the advantages it lent him. As the table careened toward him with food being catapulted in every direction, it was child's play for him to manipulate their chaotic movements so that not a single speck managed to soil his person. The table landed before him, forming a barrier between Loki and Thor, while the food splattered the walls on either side of him.
Using a pillar for cover Loki stepped through the shadowed reality to walk out from behind the pillar directly behind Thor. "A food fight, really?" scoffed Loki. "No wonder father doesn't think you're ready for the hunt. Just how childish are you?"
Thor's anger was so high that the food that clung to him was nothing more than smoldering ash. Thor turned slowly, his eyes lit with anger. Without another word, Thor charged at Loki so fast that he barely had time to react. Loki lept, flipping over Thor. One hand using Thor's head as a springboard and twisting like a cat so he landed still facing his opponent. Acting quickly, Loki flipped another table grabbing plate after plate, flinging them at his brother as projectiles. They shattered against his breastplate but didn't manage to slow him much as Thor struck him with a fist wreathed in lightning.
Loki skidded down the length of several tables, coming to rest with his head against the side of a very large roast pig. Dazed he lifted his head to see that Thor had launched himself into the air and was heading right for him. Without thinking he through a spell at Thor, but it was not enough to stop his momentum. At the last moment Loki backhanded the frog away from him. Thor made a distressed croaking noise as he hit the wall beside Loki's head.
For a moment Loki felt bad about what he had done, but then he remembered that Thor had started it. So really this was all his fault anyway. Slowly he sat up, his right shoulder protesting from the impact with the table. He glared daggers at the unconscious frog in the corner and began cleaning his clothes with magic, he was going to have stains everywhere if he didn't hurry. He pulled his coat off and began inspecting it for any more traces to be cleansed, when he hear footsteps from the hallway. He startled and turned just as the double doors opened to reveal Oden flanked by the honored guests from the Nine Realms on either side. Oden stilled at the sight before him, then turned his wrathful gaze on his second son.
Well… crap.
Loki woke from the dream with a start, his ribs screaming in pain and outrage as he sat up only to have a sheathed sword point press his shoulder back against the tree.
"Not just yet. You'll reopen your wounds."
Loki froze, lifting his eyes to meet the unblinking gaze of Heimdall. Ok now he knew he was dreaming. I mean really, what the hell? This guy hated his guts.
"Despite what you think I do not hate you. I don't particularly like you either, but ..." Heimdall glowered down at him as he continued. "I see everything, remember? I've seen how you have been treated and much of that animosity has been earned, but I have also seen your loyalty and courage overlooked countless times."
Loki brushed the sword away from his shoulder and looked away. Courage, him? Not likely. Heimdall's sight must be faltering with age. He shifted slightly to a more comfortable position one hand instinctively clutching at his side, when he noticed an odd texture beneath his fingertips. Bandaged wound an intricate weave around his torso. Loki looked up questioningly at Heimdall.
"You were not overlooked this time," he said before turning away. "Besides even an Asgardian will die from blood loss given enough time." He returned his unblinking gaze back to Loki saying, "Be seeing you," with a meaningful glance.
Heimdall turned to leave, muttering under his breath, "Breakfast will be served at the castle in about 15 minutes. I wonder what it will be today?", right before he faded into the shadows between the trees.
Loki sat up with a jolt, ignoring his ribs. The guards! Thank the gods for the no visitors order. He might still have time. Quickly he closed his eyes in concentration. When he finished he slumped back against the tree in utter exhaustion and opened his eyes to see his mirage. He really should have used a solid clone, but he just didn't have the energy. He just have to come up for a reason why he wasn't eating. Waving a shaking hand towards the mirage, Loki made it disappear and reappear in his living quarters so the guard charged with delivering his food would be none the wiser.
Crisis averted Loki settled in for a well-deserved nap.
(Author's notes: Sorry for the long wait. Conversations are harder to write than mass destruction. Also my friend/editor went on vacation and I wanted to wait for her to read it first.)