Chapter 23

The skies were dark as Thor stood in the square in front of the palace, the surrounding streets and houses packed full of people that had come to witness.

Koli's execution.

Anger didn't cover what Thor felt. It was so much more than that. He wanted to cripple, to kill, to maim and destroy and he feared he would never be able to stop once he started. He wanted to roar until he was hoarse and attack until his body was bloody and broken. And still, he knew his fury would never be quenched.

All because of the one man that stood chained down in the square before him.

Everyone else stood a great distance back, so it was only the prisoner and the King stood on the platform. Koli stood with his hands chained together, his ankles chained to the ground. There was no escape.

He looked a different man from the one Thor had remembered back in the dungeons, the one that had tried to ravage him. This Koli had his head bowed low, his long hair falling over his face as he sucked in quick sharp breaths. When his eyes peeked through his locks though, glaring at the king, they were not those of the madman Thor remembered.

Sure they were dark, murderous and angry, but they were sane; nothing like the man that had confessed his guilt in the dungeons.

Thor didn't let it cloud his judgement though. This had been decided.

"Koli Oveson," he called out in a booming voice, feeling the power of Mjolnir in his hand surge through him. "You have been found guilty of crimes of treason against the crown, and for that you have been sentenced to die."

His words rang out amongst the square and the crowd, all holding their breath. An execution was rare in Asgard.

But this was more than just justice. Thor didn't even bother to deny – dark skies above swirling and crackling with lightning in affirmation – that this was personal vengeance too.

Koli lifted his head a touch at his sentence, but not by much. His eyes remained the same; dark and defiant.

This man had wanted him dead, Thor reminded himself bitterly in his head, as if he needed reminding why this man would die. In his head though, Thor would kill him for more than just his own planned murder; he was taking Imogen down with him. He had ripped Thor's world apart. If he wanted Thor dead, then fine, so be it – it wasn't like he would ever succeed!

But to entwine Imogen in his tale, whether it was fiction or not… it had ruined everything. And there was no 'forgetting' this.

His knuckles were white around Mjolnir as Thor took a step forward, feeling his anger surge through him. He felt electricity crackle off him already.

Koli was lucky, Thor couldn't help but think. If he had his way, Koli would not be executed in such a clean swift manner. Given the chance, he would love to end his life with his own two hands: to beat Koli until he could barely think, until his face was unrecognisable as Thor choked the life out of his windpipe in a burst of blood…

The warrior in him was baying for blood, and it took everything inside the King to hold that overpowering instinct at bay.

He had one more formality before he could finally get his vengeance: "Do you have anything further to say?" he gruffed darkly.

He didn't care about Koli. He didn't care anything about his life, at all. He was more than happy to kill this man that was a danger to him, his wife and his kingdom…alas, the kingdom was watching. He had to restrain himself from his true instincts.

Deep inside though, his instincts were conflicted – did Imogen betray him?

He was still not sure.

His head told him that she could, and for selfish gain, she would for her and Shelby. He knew his wife could be ruthless and often was unashamedly.

But she was still the wife that had borne his child. That waited up for him until late in the night when he had a late meeting just to see him home. She held him and lay with him at night, she loved the child they had together…the light in her eyes whenever her brilliant violet gaze turned his way could never be a lie.

Right?

Doubt clouded his mind until he was no longer sure who he was even mad about.

Imogen? For being so complex and with characteristics that could now condemn her? The very strongest reasons Thor cherished her the most above all other maidens…

Then again, the people and the noblemen were the ones feeding him stories about Imogen, dosing him with doubts. They acted as if they knew her better than he did! They hadn't seen the way she had been destroyed when they had lost their son, the way she so passionately loved him in the night… to them, she was cold, cruel and heartless. She was quite the opposite, so full of life.

Which only made Koli's claim that she was doing all of this to get Shelby a better life more plausible though. Imogen would do anything for that little girl…

Even get him out of the way?

Thor's heart clenched in his chest, but he forced the emotion to stop there. He couldn't break face. Not here, not now.

For now, Imogen was not his problem. For now, Koli was the guilty one. He was the one who had to die today. Dark eyes glared at him from across the courtyard, but they didn't quite match the small humourless smirk that curved Koli's lips. "You're all being fooled."

Thor's heart froze, skipping a beat and he couldn't place the feeling of dread that washed over him as Koli's words quietly rung out.

It was his eyes that unsettled the god so much. The words of madmen and lunatics were easily dismissed no matter how rash they were – Koli was no mad man. Anybody could see that. Sane eyes stared out at his King and a calm, rational voice spoke his warning. That was what it was; Thor could see it in Koli's eyes. He'd been fooled and it had led him to his death.

And if everybody else was fooled too? To what fate would it lead them?

He didn't dare linger on it now. He couldn't. The question burning on the edge of the King's tongue had to remain unasked and unanswered.

Forcing down the quickening beat of his heart, the god tightened his fingers around Mjolnir's handle. He wanted this over with, as if smiting Koli would somehow undo his harrowing words.

Lightning cracked in the sky above and the god felt numb as he lifted his mighty weapon to the heavens. The sparkling electricity made instant, hard contact with the mystical hammer and Thor could feel the power surging through him. Fingers clenching, he finally shrugged off his anxiety.

He wasn't going to let some traitor get to him. Instead, he was going to remember how Koli had torn his life apart, tainted his wife's name, possibly condemned her too, potentially robbed Shelby of a mother…

For all that, he was angry. For all that, he was going to get his revenge.

Thor didn't need to see the metal plate beneath Koli's feet to know it was there; he was much more interested in looking his enemy square in the eyes.

A grand gleaming silver, the plate was decorated with all manner of glorious, ancient engravings beneath Koli, ready to seal his fate. Thor's vengeful gaze never left Koli's dark one for an instant as he threw his arm down and cast the lightning down - bolt of electricity made a bee line for the silver plate.

The god's breath started to rasp as he watched the metallic designs ignite and glow, gleaming out in the purest white he had ever seen. All the white Koli's gaze held his.

Until it was marred with pain.

Teeth gritted, Koli tore his eyes away from the king and glanced down – just in time to see his ankles harden into solid grey stone.

Thor relaxed his arm down at his side as he watched, releasing a deep, measured breath. He watched with a dark satisfaction as Koli cried out and pulled at his bonds, though there was nowhere for him to go. He was caught, his fate inescapable. The god's face was blank as he watched the grey of stone engulf more of Koli's body, creeping up his legs and thighs, solidifying as it went.

He wondered what it felt like. Did it burn? How did it feel having your flesh converted into stone, cell by cell, until you were nothing but a statue of the man you once were?

Koli's wrists tugged at the chains, blood oozing from the skin around his shackles. His feet were welded to the platform, inscriptions still glowing beneath him.

His upper body writhed as his hips fused into stone, frozen in place for the rest of time. He would never move again. The grey hardened his clothes too, even Koli's now oversized tunic solidifying into pure stone around his thinned torso. It was silent and mesmerising as the transformation took place.

Finally, Koli's body twisted over, he cried out as he was frozen that way from the waist below, his forearms morphed into stone in front of him. His clenched fingers stayed curled in pain, exactly the same in stone as they had been in life.

It wasn't long before the sensation crept up his arms too, Koli's taunt chest hardening. His agonised cries changed into breathless groans as his lungs hardened into rock.

The last of his breath exhausted, there was nothing the prisoner could do as his neck transformed to stone, leaned slightly to the right as he writhed how he still could. Every vein was still prominent up the side of his throat, creeping down before it disappeared into the neckline of his shirt. His body was hunched over in his agony, making him look smaller than he truly was. Thinner. Weaker.

Thor felt a dark satisfaction to see it so.

His heart was hammering as the stone crept up the underside of Koli's chin and his mouth searched for the sky, clinging to life for as long as he could. In the end, it made precious little difference.

Stubble immortalised, the grey swept mercilessly over Koli's parted lips, stealing his last breath from him without a pause. The spell didn't care for him. The darkly simmering, swirling storm winds stopped ruffling Koli's hair as it hardened to stone.

The panic was evident in Koli's eyes, angled up to the dark skies above. In a way, Thor was glad the man's last sight would not be towards him, accusing or otherwise. It resolved him of any guilt that Koli might stir unwillingly within him. Predicting his emotions was rather difficult lately. All the same, he relished in the bright glistening look in Koli's orbs, clashed with pain and sorrow. It was so weak and broken… Thor had won. His victory resounded proudly, but cruelly, in his heart but he didn't deny it. He embraced it. He wanted this.

It looked like Koli had all but forgotten Thor and the crown in his final moments; gleaming, agonised searching for forgiveness within the heavens. They would find none, of that Thor was certain.

Finally, Thor watched with a dark satisfaction as the prisoner's orbs hardened into solid, cold, hard stone and Koli was no more.

Heart pounding, Thor didn't take his eyes off of his conquered enemy before him as his hammer reached for the skies again. Pure power surged through him as lightning struck him and it took everything in him not to let his lips curve in a dark smirk of triumph.

Resisting, instead, he smote his enemy once and for all – Mjolnir aimed down to Koli and the lightning moved with it, striking the former man squarely between his blank eyes.

Thor wanted to make an example of Koli.

And he did so as the stone statue exploded into a billion pieces, disintegrated into a pile of fine black ash where a man had once stood.

XXX

Imogen stayed poised by her window, stood frozen on her toes as her fingertips clung to the lower ridge of her little window.

She couldn't tear her eyes away from the square below, even after it had cleared of all the spectators. Thor had been the first to leave, turning his back as soon as Koli …well, wasn't Koli anymore. Just a pile of ash. A pile of nothing. His life was over and there was no evidence that he had even existed thanks to Thor's actions.

Was that what he was planning for her too?

Imogen's eyes barely blinked as she stared, feeling half like a statue already. Her violet orbs were gleaming, wide and terrified. She had every right to be.

Her chest was tight with panic, but she couldn't bring herself to breathe properly, the air slipping mechanically in and out of her lungs, her body barely moving as if the slightest breeze would break her.

Like Koli…

Would that pile of ashes ever leave her memory?

Was it her fault? Had she somehow killed Koli because of her carelessness? She never wanted anybody dead…

No, a voice in her head dashed quickly. It wasn't her fault, she hadn't killed anybody. Koli and Elga were the ones that had conspired against her not the other way around. Koli's fate had been in his own hands, not Imogen's.

All the same, what did it mean? Was she going to be next? If they believed Koli was capable of trying to kill the King and that it was worth killing him for it... how much of a threat was Imogen?

Her knees trembled as she knew her own answer and she covered her eyes with her hands as a silent sob left her.

Gods, she was going to die…

Her eyes snapped open as she heard shouts from outside her door and she quickly straightened up, wide eyed gaze shooting to her door in a heartbeat. She knew those shouts, that voice: Thor.

In a second she was upright and her hand brushed quickly over her face, making sure she was presentable – she did not want him to see her breaking down. She had to be strong in front of him, even though she was crumbling inside. How would it look if he saw how much Koli's death had affected her? It would look guilty…

Face straight, if a bit pale, she was ready for her husband by the time the door crashed open, slamming against the wall with a bang.

She wasn't sure what she was expecting to see when Thor strode through and slammed the door behind him, but she wasn't reassured by the twisted, angry look on his face. He'd just killed a man – she wasn't sure what that did to a person. She knew Thor was used to death, but something looked wrong this time. He looked furious, but unsettled, shaken.

Imogen didn't dare move as Thor barged his way through and instantly began pacing, long heavy strides across the room. A frown dug into Imogen's brow – she'd never seen him do that before.

"I shouldn't have had to do that." Thor muttered, dark eyes low as he marched restlessly.

Imogen could barely breathe as she watched Thor, gauging his mood. She couldn't read him. Was he…upset with what had happened? Had he not wanted to execute Koli? She didn't have the nerve to ask though…

Thor seemed happy to explain himself though: "I should not have to tear my life apart for this." He went on, more to himself than to Imogen. "It should not be happening. We should not be here. We should be back in our chambers bouncing Shelby on my knee while we discuss names for the new child. This should not be happening."

No, it shouldn't, Imogen agreed in her head. Still though, she didn't want to speak. Not about that at least, lest she say anything more incriminating about herself.

She knew what she wanted to speak about though, what she wanted: "Shelby.." she ventured softly. "How is she?"

Thor's eyes finally lifted and he paused his pacing for a moment to meet Imogen with a cruel, hard gaze. "Safely out of harms reach." He said curtly.

Harms reach… her reach. Imogen's eyes narrowed at the implication, lips pursing. "I am not the enemy here."

Thor's eyes just flashed warningly. "That is still being decided." He muttered bitterly. "If it was known, there might have been two piles of ashes out there in the courtyard rather than just one."

His words stung deep, but Imogen fought to hold on to her composure as her former fear stabbed at her heart. She couldn't show it, she reminded herself, steeling her spirit. She couldn't show she was afraid that that was how this would all end. "You sound very sure." She forced out in a level voice, trying to keep the spite at bay.

"On the contrary," Thor argued, "I am not sure of anything. I cannot decide if my wife was unfaithful or not, if she wants me alive or not…what does that say about me? People are baying for a decision and I cannot give it to them."

For a moment, Imogen's heart soared with hope at his words, but she quickly quelled it, not wanting to show in her face how happy Thor's doubt made her. Still, it did. Her fate was not set. Thor was undecided and torn apart by that very fact by the sound of it. Perhaps Imogen was not as dead as she thought.

Without warning though, Thor crossed the room and clasped Imogen by the shoulders, his smouldering blue orbs locking with her defiant violet ones. "Why did you do this to us?" he hissed.

She could feel Thor's strong grip through her dress and knew that she would have finger shaped bruises the next morning from his hold. That was the last of her worries though as his words sunk in: "I did nothing!" she sneered back, brushing Thor off her. Only by his grace did he let his hands actually fall away at her motion. "I have been nothing but loyal to you and I have been repaid only with this slander, been banned from my own child!"

Thor's eyes flashed dangerously, but his hands stayed at his sides. "Don't you dare bring Shelby into this." He warned darkly. "You know full well why I cannot allow you to see her."

"I know what reasons you use to justify withholding her from me, but I don't believe they are valid!" Imogen countered without hesitating, temper rising in a heartbeat. "If I'm going to be dead in a moon's time then what does it matter? Surely I can do her no harm if I am soon to be a pile of ash just like Koli!"

She watched her husband's expression morph into one of pure anger into one of pure horror, watching the colour drain from him in an instant. The fury was still there – she could see that behind his orbs.

But for that brief moment, she saw at his most vulnerable, looking almost…scared.

He blinked it away quickly, steeling himself. When he spoke again though, his voice was softer, more humbled. "With him, there was evidence." He said gravely, eyes the darkest shade of blue possible, fists clenched at his sides. "With him, his work colleagues confessed he has discussed the idea of treason and ruling in my stead. With him, many a woman attested that he had promised to make them his queen when he had overthrown me. With him, we found a letter written by his own hand describing as such, sealing his guilt in solid, hard evidence."

His voice steadily rose in volume again and Imogen could see his anger growing and growing with every word. Something inside her quaked as he towered over her.

Her own temper melted away as she listened to what he was saying though. That was a lot of evidence against Koli. So many first hand witnesses and with written proof… no wonder Thor had found grounds to execute him. He was undoubtedly guilty of treason, no matter how unlikely he had ever been to succeed.

But what about her? Had people come forward to testify against her in such a way? "And me?" she asked quietly. "Is there that kind of evidence against me?"

Thor's eyes narrowed and she could see him battling inside. He was furious and confused – a dangerous combination.

"No." he finally bit out. "There is not."

"Then you should let me go."

The words flowed out of her mouth calmly and instantly and for a moment Imogen regretted them. Then she reconsidered – she should be let go if after all this time, there was still no evidence to prove she had tried to do this crime.

Thor merely tipped his head to the side slightly, lips quirking in a small, humourless smile. "I cannot trust you."

"That's not enough to hold me-"

"Koli still confessed." Thor cut her off instantly. "Koli confessed and implicated you in his schemes. I cannot simply ignore that, Imogen! You know that."

Imogen's small fists curled at her sides and her chest heaved slightly as she took in deep breaths. "I know you have no right-"

"I have every right!" Thor finally roared, temper snapping. "I am King and if I feel you are a threat then I can lock you away, I can strike you down – I can do whatever I feel necessary for the good of the realm and there is nothing you can do to change that!"

Imogen could feel her cheeks flush with colour as her own anger flared dangerously. "Then you are a tyrant, not a ruler-"

"You betrayed me!" Thor yelled back at her, the furious rumble of his voice making Imogen quake inside though she didn't dare show it on the outside. "I will not be held guilty for your actions! You are the one who wished me dead and lay with another. How do I know the child you carry is even mine?! I have no idea who you are anymore. Certainly not the girl I married!"

"Perhaps I grew up from that girl!" Imogen yelled back, feeling her throat ache from it. "Perhaps I realised that love and dreams are not enough to keep you safe, an illusion you seem to still harbour!"

"Then perhaps you should grow back down and get over yourself!" Thor countered without even a pause.

Thor's mocking tone did nothing to improve Imogen's mood but for a moment, she was just so shocked at what he had said, it rendered her speechless.

"I don't know what's going to happen or what you have done." Thor went on, lowering his voice a tad though it still held the same thunderous tone. "All I know is that if I find you have betrayed me, I will remove you from my realm in one way or another. And if that creature," his head jerked towards her, eyes lingering on her slightly swollen belly, "turns out to be his and not mine, then you can damned well take it with you!"

Imogen could only blink. Remove her from the realm – what did that entail? Would he banish her? Execute her?

Cold fear swept automatically through her system and she felt the colour leave her face as her terror returned instinctively. She didn't want to die. She didn't want to be banished either, but it was better than losing her life…

Whatever response was fighting its way up her throat got lodged in her windpipe, refusing to come out. Her lungs caught their breath, body feeling like it was choking itself out of her own fear.

She hadn't wanted to show such weakness in front of Thor but she couldn't control it, couldn't stop it. Her hand flew to her throat as she fought for breath and her other flew to the banister of her bed, steadying herself. The lump that was stuck in her throat seemed felt impossibly large, impossibly solid.

Finally, she wrestled her panic and forced herself to take a breath, opening her lungs wide. Gasping in the air at last, her fingers trembled on the bedpost.

Her eyes were wide as they stared down at the drab floor, gulping in large breaths of oxygen as she calmed herself.

She froze though as a large hand settled gently on her back. "Gods, Imogen…" Thor sighed heavily, voice sounding so terribly sad. "I didn't mean…"

Did he know what he didn't mean? Locking her up? Accusing her? Disbelieving her? Holding her child from her? Doubting the legitimacy of the child she currently carried? Did he regret all those things? In a heartbeat! Could he deny they existed though and just continue with their lives as if nothing had changed?

No.

Things had changed a great deal.

"I did not betray you." Imogen forced out, not caring that her voice trembled slightly. Actually, she was glad that she was facing the floor still, leant over in her weakness; Thor couldn't see the tears that were pooling in her eyes. She bit her lip for a moment to stop them from falling. "And this child is ours. But if killing me is the only thing that will bring you peace, then for mercy's sake, just get it over with."

She didn't want the fear. She didn't want the uncertainty. If she was going to die, then she could accept that. She could make her peace.

Frankly, she was tired of not being in control of her fate like this. If she was going to be killed, she would rather it be over and done with and save her and her family further torment and despair. It was not fair – none of it was.

She didn't move as the hand melted away from her back. She held her breath as she waited for Thor's response, unsure of how he would react.

Then the door slammed hard, and she had her answer.