Chapter 8

Loki woke up in his own room. How he had gotten there was beyond him, the combination of alcohol and the emotional stress that had left his body after countless of years had fatigued. He may have passed out and that thought had his cheeks flush. Some sort of guest he was, passing out, letting his hosts drag him to bed. He was sure to apologize profoundly next opportunity.

When he got out of his room he stumbled upon Bukhee, who told him his parents were out in the field of the neighbors, to discuss recent developments.

"What developments?" Loki asked his youngest new friend.

"The Pharaoh died last night, murdered." Bukhee frowned. "Apparently a plot by some servants, who planned to kill the prince as well." Loki couldn't care less what happened to the Pharaoh and the prince; he was more worried about Thor being trapped in such a snake's nest. "The kid next door said they were going to bury those servants alive as punishment." Bukhee continued, disgusted by the mere idea. "That scares me." Loki rested his hand on the young man's shoulder.

"Bukhee, in this world things happen, and yes, sometimes they're scary. But you seem like a brave young lad, who will face any monster or danger he comes upon, am I right?"

Bukhee gave Loki a toothy grin. "Yes!" then his face changed, as if he remembered something. "Ah I did your chores, so you can go to the dance group! I wish I could see, but I'm not allowed to go. Not sure if the group will stay since with the funeral and all it will take a while before anything's celebrated with dances!" Loki nodded, aware of this fact. He would have to try regardless.

"Just one way to find out, right?" Loki said, pinching the boy's cheek.

"Argh! Don't do that!" And Bukhee ran off to continue doing what he was doing before.

Loki got into Thebes without trouble. The guards were very wary on who entered and what their business was, but they remembered him from the day before so they let him in. "If you have no business involving the funeral, we suggest you leave again soon as well, and not get in the way of those who do." Were the words hurled at him as the guard turned around to inspect the next person that wanted to get in.

Loki went straight to the palace to find out as much as he could about what happened the night before, finding the same guards at the door as the day before.

He came up with a lie that would surely help him further.

"The names of the murderers be damned, we intend to slander them further outside the city walls, can you tell me who is responsible for this crime?" He asked Paia.

"Not entirely sure about the names, but it was that newcomer and… you'll never guess, one of the girls from the kitchen. Many believed she was in love with the Prince! That newcomer was trouble, I saw that the moment he stepped foot in the castle. Once a slum-dweller, always a slum-dweller." And he spat. "Big and buff is what he was, took four man to take his blonde ass down, so I heard. "

Loki's heart sank. Big, buff, blonde, new to the castle…. Oh Thor was have you done?

"T-thank you…" Loki said as he turned around to walk away.

"Hey, not like that, over here you pay for services. I gave you information, my price is one kiss!" Paia grasped Loki's wrist, who felt down due to the sudden force he was grabbed. His knees scraped against the stairs he was standing on.

"Unhand that man, right now, or do you want me to tell the highpriest about how this lack of obedience may have caused the death of our beloved Pharaoh?" A voice behind Loki offered. It was so full of authority that Paia let go of Loki's wrist before he realized what he was doing.

The man helped Loki on his feet and down the stairs.

"Who are you, to ask names?" The man asked Loki. And though Loki was wary to give information he owed this man.

"I'm afraid my brother may have worked himself into some trouble, I wanted to know if he was ok, but now it turned out that he supposedly killed someone… He couldn't... He wouldn't..." Loki hung his head.

"Telling people you're the brother of a supposed criminal isn't going to help you get any far, you know?" the man said, and Loki looked up alarmed. "It's a good thing I'm not shallow minded, nor convinced of Thor's involvement of this crime. In fact, I'm pretty sure that if he wasn't there, our Prince would be dead…" He grabbed Loki by the shoulder. "Come, let us speak elsewhere. There are eyes and ears everywhere. Most would see to it we'll be dead by dawn if they found out what we know!"

After what seemed like half an hour walking through a maze of alleys and streets they stopped at a humble looking building. When the man invited him, he walked in after him after eyeing the immediate surroundings carefully. Once they had entered and sat down on soft pillows in an array of colours, a woman immediately came to hand them both a drink. Loki accepted it and thanked her for it though he would not drink from it. The man opposite of him drank the cup in one go, but eyed Loki as he did, as if approving of Loki's slight mistrust of him. Once Loki figured that the drink was safe, he carefully took one sip.

"My name is Vali, and I had the pleasure to meet your brother. A honest, good and loyal man. And strong. I know he's not responsible for the Pharaoh's death. Because I know who is. Sadly there is no proof, the Highpriest made sure of that. He's a clever man. A dangerous one as well." He looked at Loki who took this information in.

"I've met him… the Highpriest… he wanted… he wanted to have me…" He swallowed. "there was a man with him, bald, donning a big ring, though he looked poorly dressed otherwise."

"Ah, that is helpful! You have seen him walk around with the actual assassin. But no matter what we say, it will not convince anyone. Tony does not know you and he trusts no one right now."

"Tony?" Loki asked.

"The Prince" Vali explained. "Regardless I will tell him in private when I can. See what he'll do with that information."

Loki and Vali discussed further. For almost an hour. Because besides plotting to downfall of the treacherous Obediah, Vali actually met Thor, seen him alive, knew what was going on inside the walls. When Vali led him to the door he asked Loki to be wary of who asks him what and have no opinion on anything, regardless of who asks him, unless it's Vali, in private. Loki nods and wished the man farewell. Nest full of snakes indeed.

ooOOoo

Tony woke up after two days, with a massive headache, and grief taking over the minute he opened his eyes. Not for his father who barely loved him, but for the fact he could truly not believe anyone. One minute he was laughing with Pepper and Thor and the next they stabbed him in the back. Thor he could understand, it was his fault the man had been torn out of his life to serve him for the remainder of it. But Pepper? They go way back. And where would she get the strength to do something like this. The mere thought of stepping on an insect scared her, Tony knew. Or had it all been a façade? And then there was Obediah, was he to be trusted? He didn't knew anymore. Literally all the people around him could be out to kill him. Not for the first time in his life he wished he could just leave the palace and leave it all behind him.

He would not survive a week and he knew it. He was so used to not have to do anything himself, and though he did quite a lot himself. When there was no one to serve him food every few hours and he'd had to hunt for it himself he'd fail and die. Besides there was no Thor to save him from the crocodiles.

And that's where it hit him. Why would Thor save his live only to take it again later? It made no sense. Unless he anticipated he'd take it together with his father? And how could he take his father's life. He had been contained to Tony's quarters. So either he was not guilty at all, or he was in this with quite a bigger group of people.

He decided to ponder a little longer on this all, headache or no.

ooOOoo

Loki exited Thebes and headed for the group of entertainers. He feared they would have left, as usually entertainers had nothing to look for at funerals, but they were still there.

"Nowhere to go…" One of them said as he saw Loki's curious eyes travel over the few sitting outside the tents and deducted what Loki was thinking. "Are you here for the audition?" The man asked.

"Yes, if you're still taking that is?" Loki answered.

"He said you'd be here." The man answered. He extended his hand. "Name's Phileas Colosson. I'm a Greek, in case you were wondering." Loki took his hand and shook it. "Loki" he answered.

"Fury figured you couldn't resist." Phileas said.

"Where is he from, anyway?"Loki asked. He had noticed the darker skin colour on the man yesterday, but had made no comment, so many people in Egypt were travelers from the countries south of Egypt. With the Greek Phileas he wondered how many more foreigners there were in this group.

"No one knows, and no one ever asks. So you better don't ask." Phileas said, smirking. "Not to worry though, he won't kill you! He knows when to appreciate a nice pair of athletic legs."

"Hrm, yes, I do, don't I?" Fury said as he came out of the tent. "Nice seeing you again, Loki wasn't it?" Fury asked, but it was clear he had heard all. "Well show us what you got?" And he motioned Loki to come inside. And he saw something he had never seen before. Someone with fiery red hair was dancing with a veil on the music played by some of the musicians in the tent.

"This is Natakhta, quite a rare find, run away from her former kinsman, not exactly sure why, but we tend not to ask about the skeletons in our closet." Fury said nodding at the woman dancing in approval. "I would like you to dance as she can, if you can."

Loki gulped. He was quite good, as people used to say, but not this good! "I haven't danced in years, I have no clue where to begin!"

"Let's start at the beginning." A timid voice said, only half a minute later Loki realized came from Natakhta.

She grabbed his hand and gave him the veil. "Follow my moves." And Natakhta danced, and Loki danced and at one point Loki forgot the music, the tent, the people looking at them, the troubles outside the tent, even for a moment he forgot Thor. When the music stopped, Loki woke up as if from a dream. He looked at Phileas and Fury who were still speechless. Natakhta grinned.

When there was still no words coming out of anyone's mouth Loki's heart sunk. They were not impressed for sure.

Phileas sighed. "Oh for the love of Ra, Fury, tell the man how you were mesmerized and want him to join us? Or do you need me to tell him?"

Natakhta grinned, Fury nodded.

"Welcome to the group, Loki." Fury said, grinning. "Stay as long with us as you want. Natakhta, you have your partner, teach him!"

Loki couldn't believe it, he thought he butchered the dance, but he actually hadn't. He had never seen anyone dance as Natakhta before and it had made him feel as if he could fly. "Thank you!" Loki eventually said. "I would love to join, but I have friends here who I wish to help if possible!"

"Yes of course, it would be a shame to leave you behind when we continue though… it won't be soon though, with the funeral there won't be anyone welcoming us." Fury said. "But we can train and practice for when people do want to have a magnificent show. Please come and practice whenever you can."

Loki promised to do that. One step closer to getting inside the palace. If only Thor won't be killed before that. That would prove to be the bigger problem.

ooOOoo

Thor was broken, tired and he felt betrayed. One moment he had saved Tony, again, and next he knew he was imprisoned as a criminal, accused of killing the Pharaoh, planning to kill Tony, together with Pepper. No one would listen to him, everyone was so sure they had done it.

What was his motive? None, Thor would never dream to kill anyone.

Next to him Pepper was sobbing hysterically. She must be even more broken, being blamed of doing someone while she had given everything for Tony all these years. More then once she would ask Thor what would happen to the both of them. Sometimes she would ask if Thor did kill the Pharaoh, after which Thor would frown, as the idea was absurd. Pepper knew, and she would feel guilty after asking him.

While she was crying Thor was planning on taking the blame, if only to save Pepper from a horrible destiny. But he wasn't sure yet if it would help. He said nothing, to anyone, as he felt betrayed and wasn't sure who he could trust anymore. Surely Tony must have seen him help him against that man who had tried to kill him? Surely he didn't believe what Obediah had said. Pepper and Rhodey had warned him, he was trouble. Or Tony wanted someone to take the blame and he had staged it himse... no he mustn't believe that.

The more Thor thought about it, the more he suspected the man to be the guilty one behind this all. After all who would benefit from removing the Pharaoh and his son from the palace? Obediah would easily take over.

So he remained silent, waiting to see what would happen. He hoped someone would find the truth, as he remained chained to a wall. Obediah had not visited him yet and Thor knew it would only take days, maybe even hours before the High Priest would try and get rid of him.

'Oh Loki, what have I got upon myself now?' Thor sighed.

A/N Short chapter is short, not dead yet, just very sorry!