Chapter 16

A/N I guess because it's almost Christmas, and because I found my motivation back, I'm starting to write faster again, go me! I'm not going to be a lot home the upcoming two weeks, so it may be a little slow on updates because of that! I guess it would be fair to give you guys a heads up.

I love all of you, and your reviews, especially the 'regulars', you guys are amazing and deserve cookies!

ooOOoo

"Loki?" Thor shuffles one of his feet forward. As much as he had been looking forward to seeing his little brother, well and alive, again, he was confused, not sure this was not some elaborate dream. "Is that you?" To be fair, anyone would be confused if they found their long-lost brother, someone they've been wanting to look for for months, standing in damp trousers, drops of water falling on his bare chest from his freshly washed hair, in the hallway behind you. As if nothing had been wrong and Loki had all this time just been here, the palace, taking baths with the Pharaoh as if it was nothing.

"Thor" but it sounded more like a hiccup as Loki threw himself forward into the broad muscled arms of Thor, who, even though he was well-build, was even thrown back at the speed Loki threw himself against him. He found two arms wrapped around his torso, wet hair tickling his chin, as Loki slightly bended over to hug Thor so intimately.

Tony was looking at this all with his mouth wide open. Sure he had seen people being united before, but the love these two brothers had for each other was something he had not experienced himself before. And truth was, as much as he was happy for Thor to have found his brother, Tony really wished it was him Loki was hugging right now. 'So selfish, as always…' he coughed instead, hating to interrupt the moment, but he felt a little neglected. And hey, this was Tony, he demanded attention every waking minute.

"Yes.. well, guess who we found last night Thor!" Tony said. Tony looked up from the wild mess that was Loki's hair, to his ruler.

"Thank you! With him here, I'm certain of his wellbeing." Thor bowed his head to Tony. It took a lot of restraint for Tony not to snort and say 'yeah right, I was about to go wild on your little brother before, so not sure about that wellbeing-part.'

"Well about the being here part…" Tony began.

"Please don't send him away!" Thor begged. "Loki can read and write, he is smart, he can cook and bake, he's very useful."

"If you'd stop interrupting me… Loki IS going to stay. We made a deal." Tony said, raising his hand to Loki, signaling it was up to him to tell Thor.

Loki looked up in Thor's confused eyes as he let go of Thor and stepped one step back. "We indeed made a deal. I am to stay with the pharaoh for a year, do his every bid and then we can both leave. Together!" Loki said. He hoped Thor was proud of him now, how he had solved this situation.

Thor shook his head then chuckled. "You have no idea what you got yourself into Loki. Tony is a notorious drinker, he's a pervert and a lazy bum as well."

"Excuse me? I don't drink that much, I'll have you know. I'm not a pervert, I just enjoy looking at nudity, especially if it's someone gorgeous and I'm not lazy, I just enjoy my bed a little more than you or him. That's no way to talk about me! Ugh, the stuff I have to put up with!" He threw his hands in the air in mock offense, only realizing he was still standing in the hallway with nothing more than a cloth wrapped around him. Hardly royal.

"Tony, really, I had to drag you back to your room only days ago, because you weren't able to walk yourself, you were drooling over my shoulder and the moments you didn't you were shouting insults at the guards who were awake, who I had to explain afterwards that you didn't mean it. Then the day afterwards, maybe because you were still drunk, I don't know, you tried to peek under Delilah's skirt using a stick to lift it, while hiding in the bushes. You rarely get up before the sun hits the highest point in the sky. So what untruths have I spoken?" Thor said, raising an eyebrow. Loki was basking in his big brother's glory. He was badmouthing the Pharaoh, and he wasn't going to lose his head for it… he hoped. Seeing how Tony was just gawking at air as the insults rolled over him, he didn't think he was. It was actually quite humorous so he tried to hide a smile and a chuckle behind his hand.

"Okay, wow, you're all against me, first Rhodey, then Thor, and now you, how could you? Now you laugh? At my expense? That's it!" And Tony puffs his cheeks (It's not like he's a grown man, or anything) as he stomps off in the direction of his room. "I expect you to be there in a short while, I'll let you have a talk with your brother, because you know, I'm a good guy and everything." He said as he passed Loki and Thor.

As he turned around the corner, Thor shifted his eyes back to Loki, who was now looking up at Thor.

"Despite the way we ended up here, Tony is a good guy. Please don't think a minute he'd harm you if he could avoid it. He's going to be a fine ruler, who will do anything to please everyone. I think he will be good for the people and this realm in general. Egypt will flourish under him. It's why I've chosen, now I know you're safe, to stay here and guard him with my life. Or at least for a year. If you choose to leave after that year, I will go with you, because my first and most important promise is to protect you and I always will." Thor clasped a big hand around Loki's shoulder and then smiled. "But how on earth did you get here?"

"As you were here, safe, I've been chased by thieves, nearly trampled by horses, had people with less than savory intentions after me…" He wasn't going to mention how Tony had almost be one of them, if he was going to be honest with himself, at least Tony stopped himself, because he knew it wasn't right and that was something, right? "But more importantly, I met a family who took me in as their own and a group of entertainers who hired me, they're really important to me, and I wish to let them know I'm alright. Do you think I'm allowed? Either way, after this year is done, I would like to live with the family, I think. Oh Thor, there's so much to tell you. You see the father of the family had a brother and as fate would have it, he's the one that accidentally trampled mother. Stieth, the father, said his brother had been so depressed afterwards; he died drinking his sorrows away. He was so sorry for our mother's fate, he begged me forgiveness, but he also told me why they were there and why they were so ruthless in their pursuit. It now all makes sense and… I finally managed to give it a place. I finally feel at peace. I know it's a lot to ask but you should meet him, hear him out, I'm sure it would help you as well!" Loki wanted to tell him so much more, but he was supposed to go after the pharaoh, as it was now his duty.

"Loki, we best go to Tony's room, he's expecting us to get there soon. But I'm sure we can ask someone to pass a message to the family and the group." He shakes his head. "That still doesn't explain why you're here though, but the clothing you wear and the mention of the entertainment group allows me to make an educated guess." He tugs at his brother's arm. "Come let us go, before Tony manages to burn half the palace or he forgets to put on clothes before he visits the ladies."

Loki followed him silently until halfway there. "Has he done that before, though?" he asks, half worried, half amused.

Thor breaks down in laughter, it's the first time since years Loki has heard him do that. "Not yet he has, not yet!"

ooOOoo

Tony had just gone around the corner as Obediah joined him. "A good day, Pharaoh, may all the days be as blissful as this one. I trust you slept well?" It almost seemed he wasn't trying anymore, Tony thought. He could clearly hear the distaste in the voice of his High-priest.

"I have, Obediah. How are you? You left the festivities early last night, was it not to your liking?" Tony answered politely.

"Oh but it was, but you know, I'm getting old and I need to rest more now." Obediah answered. "There's one important matter I'd like to speak with you about, but I suppose it could wait…" he lowered his eyes to the cloth wrapped around Tony. "Until you're dressed?" he suggested.

"Nonsense my High-priest. I'm perfectly capable of making decisions and having opinions in just a cloth. Heck, I'm pretty sure I'd do well naked, as well!" Tony jested. He pretended he didn't see Obediah's face cringe at every word pouring out of his mouth.

"Well, if you insist.." Obediah bowed his head. "It's the matter of the dancer you took in."

Tony gasped. Honestly, did everyone know, or what?

"News travels quickly, pharaoh." Obediah chuckled. "It has come to attention that he is, in fact, the brother of Thor, the guard so recently accused of attempt of murder on you, and possible the murderer of your father. I still deem it unwise to have him free, and around you, so I'd suggest maybe sending him to the Northern regions to safeguard our borders? A strong man like him is always appreciated around there." He then clucked his tongue. "Then there's the dancer. I found out that they used to live in the slums and… well we all know those people" he spat out the word people as if it was a blasphemy to use it for human beings like Loki and Thor "well, you know, they're less than worthy of sharing a bed with a nobleman, let alone someone in your position."

"No" Tony said, his fists curled up in angry balls.

"I beg your pardon?" Obediah looked at Tony in disbelief. "What do you mean, no?"

"I mean no. No I'm not going to send Thor away to some Ra-forsaken place, as far away from me as possible, just because you don't trust him. I do, he saved my butt that night. As for the dancer, he's clean now, that's for sure." He motioned to his wet hair and still moist body. He noticed how Obediah looked at him in disgust as the implication of Tony and Loki bathing together hit him. "And we haven't done anything… out of the ordinary, yet. So. No."

"But pharaoh, surely you see it's wise to send him away. We've heard multiple people say they had seen Thor in your father's rooms that night…."

"As there was an equal amount of people saying he wasn't." Tony retorted.

"Well as your high-priest, in the absence of your Master of Arms, it's my duty to place your guards as I see fit. It's for your own interest, Tony that I do this. I only mean well. He will leave at sundown." Obediah was about to turn around and leave, a confident smirk on his face.

"Hold right up, it may be true that a High-priest has that right, but seeing as there are more voices telling me that a certain someone, you, had something to do with my father's death and my planned assassination, and the fact I don't like to be told what to do. It is I who has the right to appoint my High-priest, and if I think he lacks in his efforts, I can appoint someone else. So as you once said, I can't have someone I can't trust around me all the time, it would give a bad signal to the people. I ask you to leave before sundown, as you will not be High-priest by then, but will have no title at all, until proven trustworthy again. You are allowed to take all your possessions as long as you can carry them on three horses, which will be granted to you. I do believe you still own that house in the South, so make good use of that." Truth be told, he may not have looked so impressive in just the cloth around his waist, as he prodded a finger in Obediah's chest with every start of a sentence, but he sure did try. His eyes must have looked furious as Obediah was silent for a full minute.

Then he started to laugh. "Surely, my Pharaoh, this has been your best joke all year." He said, chuckling.

"I'm not jesting." Tony said, his facial features hard. "Do I look like I'm jesting?"

"You can't be serious, I've been your High-priest for so long!" Panic spread in Obediah's face and voice.

"Exactly, like you said, you're getting old, and need rest. I'm giving it you. I'll make sure you won't lack money for the remainder of your life. But I can't have you make decisions for me and I can't have you around no more. The more people insinuate you were part of the scheme against my father and I, the more I think they're right. I can't trust you any longer."

"Insolent pup!" Obediah yelled, his face red in anger. "I basically raised you!"

Tony expected anger, but he had started this, he would see it through now. In fact this felt like the best decision he had made in a while.

"Very well, I raised you, so I can unmake you as well." Obediah hissed, and before Tony realized what was going on, or notice the tiny dagger in Obediah's hand, or realize that this may actually not be the best decision he had for a while, Obediah had pushed his hand forward, intent to stab Tony in the chest. It was deflected though, as Vali pushed Tony away and raised his own sword to deflect the dagger.

It all happened in a rush, afterwards Tony had trouble to recollect what happened in less than a second. As Vali had pushed Tony out of harm's way, he was hit by the dagger instead, not before his sword had planted itself in Obediah's thigh. They both yelled, Vali slumping down, Obediah moving away from them as fast as he could. As Tony focused on catching Vali before he fell down, he didn't notice Obediah disappearing around a corner.

ooOOoo

A/N And there's another chapter, let me know what you think! 8D