AN: Thank you for reading and for adding this story to your alert lists! I hope the second chapter is a little more intriguing! Please enjoy! Next chapter there will be some Loki action.
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Blue eyes stared out towards the rest of Asgard, their pools reflecting the gilded splendor below them. From his chambers, Thor could see so much of the beauty of Asgard—the gardens, the statues, the still lakes and broken Bifrost. It all emanated a glorious grandeur and yet…
All he could think of was his brother.
He closed his eyes as he remembered the night before—how he took the long trek to the detention wing of the palace only to stop before he could open the door. His hand rested on the elegant door, about to open it, but then he heard it: a guttural scream from his brother. Thor did not want to think of what horrors father had ordered Loki to endure, but from the screams that echoed through the halls and haunted his sleep they were severe.
Putting his head in his hands, he just let out a defeated sigh. He felt like a coward, running away from the sight of his brother. But as he lost himself in thought, he couldn't help but wonder if his father had been right after all? If the screams were any indication of the tortures Loki would endure for the entirety of his life, death may be the sweeter option. A sickening feeling made its way through his body as he even entertained the thought. He wished not for his brother to die.
Before he could think further, however, Thor was interrupted by a small knock on his door. Turning around, he gave a small smile towards his visitor—his mother. As he went to stand up, Frigga waved her hand to dismiss him. Instead, she sat on his bed with him, looking out of his window to enjoy the glorious view. Thor knew, however, that while her face held a smile, her eyes betrayed her true melancholy.
"I am pleased that you and your brother are home, Thor." She whispered, still looking out the window, "Your father has been most disturbed with both of your absences. As have I."
Thor grabbed his mother's hand and gave her a small smile. Finally turning towards him, she returned the gesture. Thor noticed how old she now looked, the wrinkles encroaching on the once youthful face that was the envy of many. Perhaps the events that had since transpired had truly aged his parents. The marks of their worry were far too apparent.
"You look as if you have slept not, dear." She remarked, seeing the tired eyes of her son, "Are you not well?"
"I am well, mother." Thor explained, "Though it looks as if I could ask you the same question. I would not be shocked if we were denied sleep for similar reasons."
Frigga looked at her son painfully before distracting herself the view from his window again.
"I know that well, Thor." She whispered, "I went to see your brother last night and…the things he said, the way he spoke, the way he looked…that was not my son."
Thor could see his mother's blue eyes start to glisten as she spoke of Loki. She looked to be thinking, trying to find the right words to say, and failing. He watched her curiously as she grabbed his hand harder, trying to pull some of his strength. In all his years he had never seen the powerful queen look so broken.
"He blames me, and your father." She muttered, voice shaking, "I wanted nothing more than to love him as my own. I thought I had done that…I tried so hard to treat you both equally, to never make him question my love for him. I never thought him a monster, I just saw my son. But what has replaced Loki is a monster…thirsting for revenge. Against me."
Thor took his mother into a hug as she wept silently. He could feel her small hands grab his clothing in pain as the warmth of her tears fell on his shoulders. Her voice was ragged and scared—as if what she spoke would be true. He could hear in her voice that she desperately wanted none of it to be true.
"He said he hated me."
Thor looked at his heartbroken mother and held on to her hands, looking into her eyes and giving her the most reassuring smile he could fake.
"Know that I will always love you, Mother." He smiled, "Loki may be lost, but know that what he says are empty words. I know him to love you dearly."
Thor knew that what he told her was a lie, but he could see that it made her feel just slightly better. He smiled as she gave him a small hug before letting out a defeated sigh. Her blue eyes, so much like his, looked at him once again.
"I worry for you, Thor." She admitted, "What troubles you?"
Thor stood up, not wanting his mother to see his worry. Standing in front of his window, he just let out a small sigh, his hands held behind him. He did not want to trouble his mother with his own burdens, but he knew he didn't have a choice. In all his contemplation, he could not think of a solution—he could not think of anything that would make Loki better. Perhaps her wisdom could be of use.
"Father wishes for Loki to be executed." Thor explained, trying not to show the panic in his voice, "I think him wrong, Mother. I told father I would try to save Loki—that I could bring my brother back yet—I know not how. Loki will not speak with me. He thinks he has been forced to live in my shadow and resents me for it. Nothing I can say will change him. I have given myself an impossible task and my brother's life is in the balance. I want not his death on my hands."
Thor could feel his mother's panic in the silence that came after. He didn't know if she knew of Odin's plans, but he knew that she would agree with his disagreement of them. Finally, after a long silence, she spoke.
"Your brother needs to be healed in the most desperate way," she said, almost as if she was thinking aloud, "I…I know not if that is a grand idea. Forget I said anything."
Thor turned around and looked at his mother. She looked to be pondering a thought with all her might, yet she seemed skeptical. It was rare that his mother questioned her own judgment, her own thoughts. If she had any ideas to save Loki, he didn't want her to sit pondering to herself about them.
"Mother please." He begged, "I know not if anything would work, but if there is even a chance…"
"If I sought out lightning, Thor, I would seek your council." She explained, "I pray you can follow my thoughts."
Thor looked at his mother as if she was ludicrous. He gave her a small laugh before pacing back and forth, half considering her suggestion. He knew that is mother had meant he seek out Eir, Asgard's greatest healer.
"I think Eir not the wisest person to call, Mother." He explained, shocked she even suggested it, "Eir may be gifted in the healing arts, but I know her thoughts towards Loki are not pleasant. I fear…past events will bar her from helping him."
Frigga looked at Thor and gave him a sad smile. Standing up, she put her hands on his shoulders and stopped him from his pacing. She could see the questioning in his eyes after her suggestion. Eir was possible of unbelievable acts of healing, and if anyone could help Loki it would be her. But she understood her son's uncertainty; Eir was very intimidating, and held on to grudges.
"I think Eir the best choice, Thor." She smiled, "If I knew a better healer I would have suggested them. Eir…is very gifted. I pray you can convince her."
Thor gave his mother a small, childish smile.
"Oh, why can't you?" he laughed, "I wish not to anger her. Besides, you—"
"Thor," Frigga interrupted with a small smile, "She fancies me not, I think. She may be one of my handmaidens, but that does not mean she is particularly fond of me. Though I have, admittedly, asked too much of her at times."
Thor looked at his mother with an unspoken understanding. Eir had been asked to do many things in her time under the royal family, many that were not particularly pleasant, but he hoped that despite all of that, she would help Loki.
"Alright," he sighed, "I will seek her council."
Golden eyes looked down at fixed ones below. Death had come swiftly for her most recent patient, a foolish Asgaridan who meddled with the wrong elves on Svartalfheim. Looking down at her hands, she noticed her pale skin had taken on a deep burgundy from her attempts at healing his extensive wounds. It was futile, really—he was lucky he survived the trip back.
Putting her bloodied fingers on his eyelids, she closed them in respect and said a small prayer. She didn't know where this would-be soldier's spirit would end up, but she hopes for his sake it was not Helheim. She had brought back a few people who had seen sights of it, and the horrors they saw were unsettling.
Before she could clean her station, however, her eyes widened for a moment. She was no warrior, but she knew when she was being snuck up on. From the large, deep noise the footstep made she had a fairly good guess as to who her approached was, too. Taking a deep breath, she started to wipe off her bloody hands.
"What do you need, Thor?" she asked with a tone of bitterness in her voice, "Expecting me to celebrate your return? Sorry, I don't have flowers."
Thor furrowed his brow as he approached the goddess. Her back was turned to him, purposely ignoring his gaze, and she was washing her dark red hands. As he approached, he noticed a body on the table; a mangled one at that, and it sickened him to see her cleaning herself idly as if her job was finished.
"Can you not raise the dead, Eir?" he questioned, looking at the dead man, "Does he not deserve your magic?"
Finally, Eir turned to him. Her golden eyes, much like Heimdall's, unsettled him. They were a special trait in Asgard, whose bearers could see things that most Asgardian's couldn't. Heimdall was blessed, perhaps cursed, with a sight to see into far realms unknown. Eir was given the ability to see beyond the boundaries of life and death. It was perhaps, because of that, she was a great healer.
"If I saved everyone, Thor, what would Asgard learn?" she asked looking towards the body, "That it is commendable to march into Svartalfheim, seeking trouble with the dark elves? Of course not; tragedies must happen for learning to take place."
Thor took a deep breath as she cleaned further. There was a silence between them for too long that disturbed him. He watched as she moved the body out of the healing room, and cleaned up the blood that had spilled on the floor. If he had not known her, he would think the sight strange. Eir, having grown up under the close eyes of his father, was every bit royal looking—but she had been given a gift that kept her in the most vile, tragic, and dark places Asgard had to offer. It showed, in her bitterness. She had seen so much death and pain…he supposed he shouldn't judge her coldness.
"Would you not save me if I had befallen tragedy, Eir?"
The woman gave him a small laugh before continuing her work.
"Of course I would save you, Thor." She said almost bitterly, "I am bound to the royal family. You could be mangled beyond recognition and yet I would be expected to use my magic, even if it killed me, to save you. Those are the perks of being royalty, Thor. No matter what idiotic act you committed, I would be expected to save you."
Thor looked to the ground and suddenly felt bad. He felt unsettled that, by virtue of his birth, he was granted a privilege that the man on the table had been denied. Shaking the thought out of his head, he decided to address the matter he came to her for.
"Loki is alive, Eir." He said, changing the subject, "Though he has done some…regrettable things."
He watched as she stopped her work for a moment and looked towards him. Her eyes showed a number of emotions that he was sure contained a mixture of shock, anger and confusion. She finally stopped her work and sat down, putting her hand on her forehead in thought. Thor watched silently, unsure if this thoughtfulness was a good sign or not.
"And this news…of what importance is it for me?" she questioned, almost asking herself, "I care not what Loki has done. I care not that he still lives."
"Not for long, I think." Thor remarked, leaning against the now clean healing bed, "Father wants him executed for his crimes. I will not allow it, though. I told father I could heal whatever damage has befallen his mind and—"
"But you can't," Eir interrupted, "So you came here…to appeal to me? You made a deal with your father that you can't fulfill. How typical. Of what do I owe Loki? If I am not mistaken, he is not of Asgard or your true kin. I owe him nothing."
Thor looked at the anger in her eyes that had replaced the shock. In his heart, he had a sick feeling that their meeting would go like this. Eir was not fond of Loki for many reasons, but he didn't want the past to destroy Loki's future. He didn't want the grudges Eir liked to keep kill his brother.
"For me, Eir." He whispered, looking at her, "I don't want to lose my brother again. You know what it is like to lose someone…I want not to suffer that pain."
Eir looked at him with questioning eyes before shaking her head in defeat. Standing up, she walked over to Thor and looked at him with her eyes that unsettled him greatly. She could tell that he was telling the truth, even if she couldn't understand why anyone would want Loki alive. Perhaps it was a brotherly thing…she never was blessed with siblings, so what did she know of those workings?
"Fine, Thor." She agreed, "But the pathologies of the mind are most difficult to fix. At times, even with my magic, they are irreparable. You have to be ready to accept the worse scenario."
Thor looked at her and gave her a small smile.
"All I ask is for you to try." He explained, "Thank you, Eir."
With that, he left leaving the woman to wonder what she just agreed to, and why she agreed to do it.
It was going to be a task she would most despise.
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