A/N: Hello, everyone! Thanks for the positive feedback. I can't repeat often enough just how nice I find you, my dear readership!
So, in this chapter, we'll go to Asgard for a little while ;)
Have fun!
Read, review, and hopefully enjoy ;)
After he told Loki his goodbye, Thor soon finds himself thrown out of the flux of light back to the familiar sight of the golden dome and the golden guardian, Heimdallr, standing at its center like a statue, awe-inspiring, tall, dignified. Truly, one of the most able men of entire Asgard.
"Heimdallr, my friend, it's good to see you," Thor greets the man in golden armor.
"My Prince," the man nods, his eyes staring ahead, as always.
"So, how are you faring?" Thor asks as he walks away from the portal.
"The usual business, my Prince," Heimdallr replies. "Though I have to say that I was less preoccupied for your services lately."
"Well, I was... preoccupied back on Midgard," Thor smirks.
"So I heard," Heimdallr tells him.
"Well, I have to head my ways. I will talk to you later," Thor waves his hand. The Bifröst's guardian nods silently. Thor exits the dome to find his steed already waiting for him. The thunderer pats the horse on the back with a grin tugging at his lips, taking in the familiar scent and sensation. He saddles up and makes his way down the Rainbow Bridge, to the palace, where Thor is already awaited at the entrance by two soldiers.
"Mylord, the Allfather is already awaiting you in the Great Halls," the one to the left tells him.
"Thank you," Thor nods before he proceeds to the Great Halls. He stops in front of the golden door, however, suddenly finding a pull of air, cold, in his back. Thor grimaces, glancing around, but then shakes his heads and walks on anyway. Probably Loki's warning are playing a trick on him and he imagines things not there. So the God of Thunder opens the doors to the Great Halls and steps inside. Thor finds his parents seated on the thrones, a picture so familiar that it is almost odd again.
"Father, Mother, it's so good to see you," Thor greets them, hoping that if he shows enthusiasm, this will somehow work in his favor. Even if Thor is not yet too sure of Loki's warnings, he accepts by now that a bit of precaution doesn't do anyone harm.
He walks up to them, kneels out of courtesy, but then goes on to Frigga to embrace her. She holds on to Thor tighter than he estimated, however, and again with that strange kind of desperation he already felt radiating from Sif earlier on. Thor can't help but the small grimace against her back, but once they come face to face, he flashes the brightest of smiles at her.
"Ah, my son, I'm so glad you're finally back home," she exhales, leaving her hands on his shoulders, glancing at him in a mixture of awe and affection.
"I'm sorry that I kept you waiting this long, but I was very busy back on Midgard, Mother," Thor apologizes. That is when Odin speaks up for the first time, "Yet, you should be aware that your responsibility is still Asgard and not Midgard."
"Father, if you had called for me in case of real crisis, I surely would have come," Thor insists, doing his best to keep the anger out of his voice and his heart, Loki's words still present in his memory.
"Why do I have to call out for you to help Asgard, Thor?" Odin argues vehemently. "As the Prince and future King, it is your responsibility to care, just as it is for you as the leader of the commander-in-chief."
"Odin, give it a rest," Frigga exhales. "He has just come back. Let him rest and..."
"Wife, that is none of your concerns," Odin tells her, his voice dark and unforgiving. Thor blinks hard. His father never treated Frigga like that. He is so deeply in love with her that anyone who dares to talk to her in that way would be beheaded. At least that was so before.
"It is my concern, for he is my child," she argues. Thor can't help a small smirk. Even if Loki and her are not related by blood, both share the same kind of dignity and pride. They would never allow someone else to silence them, be it the Allfather himself.
"A child who is not answering his deeds," Odin corrects her.
"Father, if I caused you distress with my absence, I apologize. I was not aware that we had urgent business here. Or else I would have been here, I assure you," Thor negotiates.
"I surely hope so for you, my son. You have to see that you have a duty to Asgard that you have to answer, personal preferences or desires aside. You are to be King one day. The times where you could simply travel around and live into the day are over. You are now in the stage where you are about to become King," Odin reminds him.
"Yes, Father," Thor nods solemnly.
"But enough of that. I have tasks for you that you will have to fulfill for me," Odin tells him.
"Of course, Father, whatever you may wish," Thor replies.
"By the rise of next morning, you shall travel to Vanaheimr, along with the Warrior Three and the Lady Sif to deliver this script to their leader. I want you as my representative," Odin tells him.
"Of course, Father," Thor nods, though he can't help but be curious that Odin suddenly wants him for messenger duties.
"Everything else will be explained to you later, for now... you may be dismissed," Odin exhales.
"As you wish," Thor bows lightly. Frigga turns to the Allfather, "I will see you later."
She and Thor take off and leave the Great Halls. Once outside, she grasps his hand and wordlessly drags him to one of the balconies. Both settle down on one of the stone benches set there. Frigga grasps Thor's hands with motherly affection.
"So now we are on our own," she smiles at him softly - one of the things Thor knows he can always rely on. That is something he knows won't ever change about Asgard. His mother's affection and big heart are eternal and unchanging.
"How are you, Mother?" Thor asks, now with more sincerity.
"Concerned, just concerned, but let's not think about that. I want to hear about you and what went on in Midgard," Frigga urges him.
"We fought some very strong enemies, you see," Thor shrugs.
"And of course you beat them all," she smirks.
"Of course," Thor grins back. "You should have seen us."
"You know that I do not like the battlefield," Frigga argues.
"Yet, you would never hesitate to fight an enemy if he came your way," Thor grins. He knows that his mother is not just a strong sorceress, but also a skilled and strong fighter who outmatches many if not all of Asgard's soldiers. This was perhaps one of the reasons why Odin first fell in love with her... and again, so much like Loki. Even if that would make Thor Odin – and Thor, at this point, doubts that he wants to be his father. That man used to be his role-model, used to be the man Thor always wanted to become one day. However, now that he learned about the many times Odin lied to him, lied to Loki, hurt Loki... Thor sees things in a different light, and it's a much darker one than could be considered in the lights of the golden shine of Asgard.
"Of course, but you know my philosophy. You only fight if you have to, but then you do it right," Frigga tells him with a soft smile. "Nevertheless, I would have liked to see you coming back from battle victoriously."
"But you should know, Mother. If you want to come to Midgard, we'd welcome you with open arms," Thor argues. It was something that confused the thunderer in a longer while anyways. That Odin didn't visit was everything he expected, but Thor had been honestly convinced that at least Frigga would come to Midgard to pay Loki a visit in banishment, once in a while. When Loki was still imprisoned in the dungeons, Thor knows that Frigga saw him at least once a day, and that even though Odin made it clear that she should rather ignore the God of Mischief. However, Frigga had only told him that one sentence, and that sentence had been enough: "A mother's love knows no limits, and surely it knows no prison bars."
So truly, Thor is confused that Frigga never came to earth to see them, not only just once, for he knows how deeply she cares about Loki, still.
"And I would if I had a chance to," Frigga sighs, the white in her eyes turning grey as she bows her head in sadness.
"What do you mean? Sif also traveled with the Bifröst, so can you, too," Thor argues.
"Your father does not want me to travel. He doesn't want many travels anyways. He only lets very few use the Bifröst," Frigga explains.
"But you are the Allmother," Thor grimaces. She never was just an asset. Frigga always was a woman of pride - and even the Allfather didn't make her keep silent if she wanted to speak. She always fought for what she considered worth the fight - and this seems to be worth the fight for her.
"And he is the Allfather and King of Asgard. What he says is rule. I tried to talk him out of it, but your father is just... very set in his ways, at least he is so lately," Frigga explains, dread tugging at her, pulling her down. "But... let's not think about that for now... so... how... how is Loki?"
Her eyes instantly flicker with motherly affection and enthusiasm at the mention of his name.
"Loki? Loki is... is fine," Thor assures her.
"Really?" she asks.
"Yes, in best health and... still as witty," Thor smirks.
"That is good. I already feared that either one of my sons would be in trouble," Frigga lets a sigh of relief. Thor grimaces, well... son, maybe no longer. And not in trouble... not really.
"Loki is really good... and well-integrated into the team now," Thor tells her, hoping that he makes no mistake by referring to her as... her. That would cause questions that Loki would smack him for.
"Really?" Frigga asks almost excitedly.
"Yes, Loki has friends now, with the Avengers. And Loki holds them... very dear," Thor goes on.
"Friends?" Frigga smiles. "That truly is a relief. Loki always struggled making friends. He was such a special child after all, just as were you."
Thor grins at her. It amuses him that even to this day, she always tries not to make it sound like she favored one of the two children, though it was obvious to entire Asgard that Loki was her favorite. She didn't love him more, it's just that they connected on a different level that no one could ever explain.
"Tell me more, please," Frigga almost begs him. "I know that I'm probably annoying you out of your mind, my son, but... I just don't get any opportunity to..."
"Mother, it's perfectly fine. I'm not jealous," Thor assures her, clapping her hand encouragingly. He one was, but that is over now. He is no longer a child.
"You must think that I don't care at all about you, but... but that's really not the case. It's just that I can't talk to anyone about him... you know why," she admits. "Even your father..."
"But now we are alone, right?" Thor winks at her.
"Right, so... how is he? What is he doing?" Frigga asks, urges.
"Well, I already told you last time that Loki greatly enjoys working on machines and invents things that are amazing everyone. And he greatly helped improving the weapons we use," Thor smirks proudly. He honestly enjoys to finally have good news to tell - if only for the light sparking to Frigga's eyes.
"He always was a rather creative child," Frigga nods.
"Certainly," Thor agrees. "I think Loki... enjoys this. Just as he enjoys working with his friends on those projects. Loki likes to spend time with them."
"So you tell me, is he happy?" Frigga asks.
"Yes, Loki is happy," Thor assures her. Frigga clasps the hem of her cleavage, letting a sigh of relief, closing her eyes for a moment.
"And I already feared that his heart was still heavy from... from this banishment," she exhales.
"Loki is fine, Mother. I think... he found a place on Midgard," Thor goes on.
"That makes me glad... but I have to admit that my heart feels heavy at this also," she tells him.
"Why is that?" Thor asks.
"Because I can't see him being happy... I just miss one of my children, my son. Blood or not. This never mattered to me," she shakes her head. The first time she cradled that Jotun child looking like an Aesir in her arms, Frigga knew she was in love with this creature and promised to protect it to her last breath. And it tears her apart every single day anew to pass by Loki's former chambers and find them empty, to know that her child, her son is out there, somewhere, and she can't see him, can't talk to him – and finally do what Frigga wanted to do all the while, apologize. Apologize for how Odin does not even consider to lift his banishment and finally bring him home. And how sorry she is for the pain the two caused Loki by keeping his true heritage from him. Even if Frigga honestly believed that it was for Loki's best, the past has proven that it wasn't. The way Frigga sees it now, it was them who caused all this hatred in Loki that made him attack Odin, Asgard, and later Midgard also. Yet, far more importantly, Loki also attacked himself, scarred himself so much that it broke the mother's heart. Frigga can only hardly imagine what this pain must have been like – and how far one goes with such a pain in his chest to relieve it, in whatever the way. To lose everything you thought you could never lose. To learn something you thought couldn't ever be true. To be apart from those people you thought would never leave you. That is a desperation that drives you to the extremest actions. She sees that now. Loki didn't just fall into that abyss, they all pushed him to that rim.
"He misses you, too," Thor tells her.
"He does?" she frowns at him. "Now don't flatter me, Thor."
"Loki sent me to you with this message," Thor assures her.
"He did?" Frigga blinks against the tears evading her eyes.
"Yes," Thor nods. "Loki cares a lot about you."
"And I thought that he still hated me for... all this," she sighs.
"No, no hate for you, Mother," Thor tells her. "Loki's... greatly changed. Well, or maybe not changed, but... changed back? Loki is no longer so full of scorn and hatred."
Because it would be wrong to say that Loki is now only good because of drastic changes. No, Thor knows now that this tender, soft and caring side that he loves about her so much was simply hidden deep within, below the layers of ice and wicked smiles. Loki didn't become another person, it's just that her true personality now finally managed to creep its way from seed to the first tender and vulnerable bud break through the earth, and bend towards the light.
"You make it almost sound like this banishment is actually for Loki's best," she snorts.
"I think it's better than the time in the dungeons," Thor shrugs helplessly. Because, deep down, he knows that this banishment was for Loki's best.
"Most certainly, but... there I had at least a chance to see him, as selfish as that may sound. He seems so far away now," she sighs. "But I suppose that is the price you pay for your wrongdoings of the past."
"Loki does anything to redeem himself," Thor insists.
"I'm not talking about his wrongdoings," Frigga tells him. The thunderer stares at her this time.
"Even if your father may beg to differ, I see that almost all of Loki's actions are the result of our wrongdoing, of our lie," Frigga goes on. "I'm not blind, Thor. It doesn't take a genius' mind like Loki's to see that what we did didn't do him any good, but only brought about more pain within his scarred heart. No matter why we did it, for political reasons or out of the fear to make him feel even more different than he is anyways... I see that we went wrong. We should have told him... long, long time ago. Maybe all this wouldn't have happened if we had addressed this openly... I don't know. It just feels wrong to me now."
"I know what you mean," Thor sighs. "I see it in a different light now also."
"So you two... are past your quarrels?" she asks.
"We still quarrel, but no longer about these things, but rather the small things," Thor smirks.
"I'm glad to hear that. It made me so upset that you two didn't get along at first," Frigga grimaces, the memories still vivid in her mind how Thor was only reporting about the wrongdoings, if at all, or only words of scorn and dread that the trickster was probably just playing them.
"Well, there were just... many obstacles to overcome," Thor shrugs.
"And I still have those hurdles ahead of me, as it seems," Frigga shrugs.
"I honestly think that you won't have to overcome too many. Loki is still very fond of you, Mother, I assure you," Thor argues.
"That child, really...," she exhales.
"But now, I'm sorry, but I have to ask – what is it with Father? Why is he behaving so strangely?" Thor urges.
"If I only knew what caused this change within his heart. If I didn't know better, I'd say that he is still dreading everything that loomed around Loki's outburst. He is just so... full of darkness lately," she shakes her head sadly. "He set up new politics, new rules."
"What do you mean?" Thor blinks at her.
"Well, you should remember what you two worked on for a while," Frigga shrugs.
"The peace negotiations with the other realms, yes," Thor nods. Those were some of his proudest achievements as one of Asgard's royals. He and Odin set out to the other realms to come up with treaties to ensure a harmonic co-existence. And when Thor left to Midgard for a while longer, he had left the situation as simply needing more time to develop. Many emperors and leaders had to think this through – and in politics, even Thor learned by now, you have to wait and learn the arts of patience. However, now it seems that he may have waited too long.
"Odin has not done anything since to... work on them," Frigga bites her lower lip.
"What?!" Thor cries out exasperatedly.
"His new politics are that of... exclusion. He wants to make Asgard a secluded place again, the way it was eons back... which is also why he is so angry at you for staying away for so long. He wants you here, just as he wants everyone here. He wants to close the gates... you opened," Frigga tells him in a hushed voice.
"He can't do that!" Thor growls, but Frigga holds him back, "Not so loud."
Thor sucks in a deep breath and tries to calm himself.
"What is he thinking?!" Thor asks, now in a mute voice.
"He does what is his right," Frigga tells him. "If he, as the Allfather, decides to cut all ties to the realms, then that is so."
"But that is madness!" Thor insists. "He was the one to push the treaties."
"I know," Frigga nods. "And I don't like this either. Look, I spent the last months trying to bring your father to reason, but he is not listening. He is convinced that we are corrupting Asgard by opening the gates. He made that mistake once with... and... ugh, I don't even want to remember that."
"You mean... he says so because of what happened with Loki?" Thor grimaces. Can Odin be really that far gone that he thinks Loki's outburst is reason enough to justify to cut all ties to the other realms? How can he think that, with only a single memory of holding that babe in his arms?
How can he?
"I don't think that he actually believes in it. It's just that he uses it as a justification for his actions," Frigga exhales wearily.
"So does that mean... about my... mission," Thor grimaces uncomfortably.
"Even if I don't know for sure, I would say that he will make you deliver to them a script stating that he seeks to cut all ties to Vanaheimr," Frigga agrees.
"Then I will not go," Thor shakes his head.
"You will if he makes you, Thor," Frigga argues. "Or do you sincerely believe that any one of us fancies what Odin does lately? Be assured that no one wants this. You opened a door for us, and now it's shut in front of our eyes again. Yet, we have to keep in mind that we are a realm of tradition. And tradition demands that what your father says is rule."
"Then what am I supposed to do? Just stand by and... watch it happen?" Thor shakes his head.
"Talk him out of it. Maybe you can convince him," Frigga replies. "He listened to you before... and you are the one who is across, who can say that... that this is good, that opening the gates is right."
"You should have sent for me sooner if that was the state of affairs," Thor argues.
"I would have," she shrugs. "But as I said, Odin... doesn't want us to. So we had to wait for his patience to wear thin and call you back."
"I can't believe this," Thor shakes his head.
"I wish I could tell you that this was all just a dream, a fever mare, but... it's reality," Frigga tells him.
"I hardly recognized him when I first saw him," Thor exhales.
"He turns obscurer in front of my eyes with every day passing," Frigga sighs.
"Well, you're right, though. I will talk to him. Maybe he will listen to reason if I show him that opening the gates is the right decision after all," Thor nods to himself. If only he could make it clear to Odin just how good this is, how there are companions on earth, willing to fight alongside him, and therefore Asgard. How he found love in this realm, thanks to this realm, and that love stemming from yet another realm they used to be at strife with. If only Thor could tell either one that he is in love with Loki and that there is no longer any threat. That all can lay down their swords. An Aesir and a Jotun in love in Midgard. Isn't this just the proof that opening the gates brings about the greatest fortune, can bring peace and love, harmony? If this can happen, then why and how can Odin, for only the blink of an eye, believe that one has to cut the ties when they should be holding on to them as tightly as they can?
If only he could tell them.
"But you should wait until later, so that he is calmer when you face him. Believe me, I can tell you from experience that Odin will only move if he is at least calm enough to listen to you," Frigga reminds him. Thor nods, "Then it shall be so."
He kisses the back of her hand as both get up.
"I will find a way to fix this, Mother, I promise you," Thor tells her, putting as much credibility into the statement as he can. Because he has to find a way, somehow, anyhow. There is just too much on the line that he cannot afford to lose.
"I have faith in you," she smiles sadly. "So... I shall see you at the dinner table."
"Yes," Thor nods. Frigga turns on the heel and walks further down the balconies, glancing into the sun. Thor grimaces as he makes his way to his chambers. However, on the way there he bumps into the Warrior Three and the Lady Sif.
"My friends!" Thor cries out gleefully as he claps them on the shoulders and shakes hands. He knows that he can always trust those people.
"Well, you finally made your way back," Fandral grins. "Are the women on Midgard so exquisite that you just forget about Asgard, or what?"
Sif hits him in the side.
"Midgard is full of fine people," Thor smirks.
"Well, I did not have the honor to meet many of them, for our stay on Midgard was quite short... thanks to some circumstances revolving around a certain trickster who wanted to be King," Fandral chuckles. "How is the little devil anyways?"
Thor bites down whatever comment he may have in mind to bring Loki out of that dreadful spot of always being made the villain in any conversation, while also never being taken seriously.
"Loki is well," Thor eventually says. "And gets along really well with the Avengers."
"That seems hardly possibly in my opinion," Volstagg laughs throatily.
"Well, you know what they say," Fandral shrugs. "Miracles happen once upon a time."
"But some miracles just don't," Sif huffs dismissively.
"But that miracle happened indeed," Thor manages a weary smirk. "But enough of that. I would rather hear about you and the businesses of Asgard."
"Are you really that desperate to bypass the topic, Thor?" Volstagg grins.
"I'm not. I just don't see the sense in debating on this. You haven't seen Loki in a while, so you can't tell, really, so why should we bother with the issue?" Thor argues.
"He is right, we have far more urgent affairs than the trickster," Sif agrees.
"I'm just saying. If we believe in the Allfather's words, then that trickster is one of the reasons why we are in such a deep trouble," Volstagg snorts.
"It has nothing to do with Loki's actions for sure," Thor shakes his head. "That lies now almost two years back now."
"And you were gone for three months. You didn't see him raging," Fandral joins the other warrior in the argument.
"In fact I did not," Thor agrees. "But even if Father did mention Loki in that context, I think it must be something out of the heat of the moment."
"He said that we have to cut all ties to the other realms, for he once let one bundle travel across – and it almost cost him his life, and the throne," Volstagg tells the thunderer. "If this wasn't aimed at Loki, then I don't know what would be."
"My friend, don't you see that it remains that it is about getting things straight with my Father only? Loki is back on Midgard. What could he do under my watchful eye, huh?" Thor argues. And he hates it, hates it that even now in banishment, Loki is the one to be blamed for something that truly cannot be her fault - because she isn't even there.
"I don't care. I just say that he is the cause of this trouble – for he is tearing us apart," Volstagg grumbles.
"What do you mean?" Thor frowns, but that is when Hogun suddenly speaks up, "Because I'm not of Aesir blood either, I was warned that I might have to return to my homeland."
"What?!" Thor exclaims. "Since when does he consider that?"
"He only let us know today... which is one of the reasons why we came for you," Sif answers solemnly.
"He must be out of his mind," Thor exhales, running a shaky hand through his hair. And here he was and believed that he was simply returning home, but now... now everything seems to crumble before his eyes and Thor can't help but miss Loki. You can say about her what you want, but Loki is a born tactician. She'd surely know a way of how to handle this situation with a kind of calm and wit that Thor lacks at this point, for he only feels pain in his heart that makes him want to just jump into action, even though he knows that this would be perfectly futile.
"So what do you intend to do now, my Prince?" Sif asks, hugging her arms.
"I will talk to him. Perhaps I can bring him to reason," Thor explains.
"But what is if you can't?" the female warrior inquires.
"Then we will have to come up with something else," Thor shrugs. He would love to just happen to have a good plan, but he knows nothing. Everything is suddenly covered in layers of thick smoke, blurring his vision.
"You have to stop this," Volstagg urges him. "Or else Asgard won't be anymore."
"I will. Have faith, my friends," Thor nods, clapping them on the shoulders for comfort and encouragement. He doesn't know what else to do, to be perfectly honest. Not only is he now confronted with a changed past, about the many times Thor thought that had been reality, when in fact it had been another, one filled with Loki's pains and her sufferings thanks to his ignorance and Odin's anger. However, now even the present and future seem to be corrupted by this evil spirit that suddenly looms over the Great Halls, the palace he grew up in, the place he calls home. This is no longer the home he knew, and Thor starts to doubt that it ever was or will ever be again.
"Faith alone won't save us," Sif warns him.
"But it's never a wrong thing to do," Thor smirks, to which she can't help a small smile either. They engage in casual chat after that, though Thor is only halfway listening to the conversations. He can't remember Asgard's air feeling this cold against his skin, and not once has he felt this uncomfortable in his own home.
Later on, Thor finds himself in the dining room with opulent meal on golden plates with Mother and Father to either side. And even though this should feel familiar, it feels foreign now. The sweet fruit taste sour, the mead bitter.
"So, Father, how are the peace treaties going?" Thor asks after a while, not meeting the older man's eyes. The God of Thunder wants to try to lead to the matter in a more subtle way and not just go ahead and accuse Odin of his bad decisions. Or well, Thor would like to, but he sees that he can't do that without risking what he holds dear.
"The peace treaties go nowhere," Odin tells him without only a moment of hesitance. "I decided that this is not fitting our politics and has thus to be neglected."
"But we worked on them so very hard – and the other realms seemed quite responsive to the idea," Thor argues, still keeping up a casual tone.
"It does not matter. You weren't there, so you can't tell. The negotiations only brought about more trouble. And that is why I decided to put an end to this enterprise. We simply return to the old rule," Odin tells him. "Though that is obviously something you're already aware of. Or else you wouldn't ask in such a tone."
"Well, frankly, Father, it's not hard to guess that something is not going the way it should go, for there are so many solemnly looking faces around the palace," Thor snorts.
"Watch your tone," Odin warns him with a hiss.
"I don't think that my tone upsets you, but rather what I have to say, Father," Thor argues.
"You are still not King of Asgard. That makes my word rule, you should remember that," Odin tells him icily.
"Father, I do not wish to be at strife with you. I am honestly confused that you stepped down from something that was actually working in everyone's favor. You were the one who taught me how we have to strive for peace and harmony to have safety. You were the one who drilled it into me that one cannot just go to war to bring peace, but that it takes time, negotiations and understanding for the others," Thor tells him, hoping that these words will somehow reach the Allfather, but his grimace remains grim.
"And peace is what we will have, just in another way. You should know best that we went too easy, let too much in when we shouldn't have let anything in," Odin argues.
"What do you mean? Why do I know best?" Thor frowns.
"You know best for you are bound to live with the consequence of this weakness, of this attempt of peace. We let him close in the hope to bridge the worlds, but you see what became of it, Thor," Odin tells him.
"You're talking about Loki," Thor grimaces, though he would rather not believe in this. When Mother and his friends said so, he thought they were actually blowing this topic up into a major topic, but now... it becomes painful reality, Odin sincerely believes in this. Thor can see it in his eyes that seem to be so much darker these days.
"Loki is doing well on Midgard and works eagerly on redemption," Thor says, not knowing what else to say. "As I told you before."
"And it does not matter. The past showed us that we were wrong in the belief that bridging would be helpful. If one good idea came from your adoptive brother's outburst, then it was to destroy the Bifröst and cut all ties to the other realms," Odin tells him.
"You can't be sincere, Father. We have the Bifröst for just that reason. Why would we wish to destroy it when this was a right given to us? A privilege? A responsibility? We could move so much for everyone if we kept the gates open," Thor argues vehemently.
"It was wrong, simple as that," Odin replies. "Our responsibility is to Asgard and Asgard alone. You have to learn that lesson, still, Thor."
"But by telling the others that we do not wish to cooperate with them, we will only be more at strife with them than we used to before we started with the treaties, Father. We endanger Asgard more than we'd help it," Thor responds, his voice rising in anger.
"That is only true for as long as we still have business with them. I already work on a way that will make it very hard for any traveler to come our way. We will be safe," Odin argues.
"There is no spell strong enough, not even you can cast it, Father," Thor retorts, not quite believing it. His father is a man of wit, but this just seems too outrageous to be true.
"Do you doubt me that much in my abilities, really, Thor?" he huffs. "Believe me, son, I can do a lot more than you may think."
"Oh, I'm well-aware of that circumstance. Because you are actually thinking about this, and that is nothing I ever thought you were capable of doing to your own race and that of the other realms."
"Watch your mouth, Thor Odinson," Odin threatens him.
"You just have to let go of the hatred, Father. I know that this is a hard task, but you were the one who taught me this lesson. Why don't you listen to your own advice?" Thor questions in a low voice.
"You are mistaken if you think this is an action of the heart. I am acting as Asgard's King. I make a political decision, one I made before already," Odin argues. "Or do you tell me that I have been wrong in my politics all this time?"
"No, that you set it that way was necessary," Thor replies. Odin smirks, but the God of Thunder carries on, "It was necessary, but it was only necessary for that time. We now have different times, Father. We are no longer the realm we used to be. We can't just go back like that. We are heading towards the future, and that future won't be satisfied with simply applying what once worked for Asgard. We have to see that we have changed. This realm has changed. And that change demands that we change tactics, change goals, seek further, seek more."
"And it was that adventurous spirit that brought about all this trouble, Thor. Perhaps we live in different times now, but you have to see that we are a realm of tradition," Odin argues.
"Forget the traditions!" Thor cries out, standing up, banging his palms on the tabletop.
"Now you will sit back down and don't you dare talk to me that way," Odin narrows his eyes at him. Thor reluctantly sits back down, his nostrils flaring.
"You shall never forget the traditions. They are the mainframes of this country," Odin lectures him.
"The pillars of the country are its people," Thor shakes his head.
"And they hold traditions alive. That is our way to honor the ancestors, to hold the past alive in the present," Odin argues.
"At the cost of the future?!" Thor curses. "Traditions which demand from us that we have to stagnate and stand still are no traditions worth to follow, Father. We are heading towards a new world, an open world. And it contains all these places that lie beyond the palace."
"A realm without traditions is a realm of chaos. You can force change only so and so far without your card house collapsing upon you, Thor. Not every change is for good," Odin hisses.
"Neither is every tradition that we want to stick to. Some traditions simply belong to the past," Thor replies, not wavered by the Allfather's words. He saw the new world, he saw it in Loki's eyes, in his friendship with the Avengers. There is a way out of this hatred, there is a way towards unity and a way towards peace. Yet, for that one has to let go of the past and look into the future, with bright eyes and open heart.
"So you think I belong to the past, too?" Odin snarls.
"Only if you hold on to those traditions that already tasted the savor of decay," Thor tells him.
"And here I thought you learned your lesson. The same words I heard when I banished you," Odin snorts.
"No, because back then I didn't know what I was talking about, but now I do, Father. This is madness. This is wrong. We should step ahead, and not back. We should embrace change and not neglect it. We should do everything to bridge the gaps between the realms and use what was given to us to make that happen," Thor argues. "I'm no longer the pouting child that you banished to Midgard to learn his lesson. I grew. Because you showed me and because I saw that true victory can only be achieved by modesty, patience and charity, but not by means of war or exclusion. We have to change our course or we will go down."
"You don't have the foresight, my son," Odin shakes his head.
"I have enough to see that this is leading us nowhere, Father," Thor argues.
"Enough!" Odin suddenly yells, banging his fists on the table even stronger than Thor did.
"Odin," Frigga tries in a soothing voice, but the Allfather is not even taking notice of her.
"I am King, you are the Prince. That means you follow my command, or I shall strip you of your title and send you back into banishment," Odin curses.
"Odin, now that is enough," Frigga snarls angrily.
"It is enough that he dares to talk to me like that, wife," the Allfather argues, before he turns his attention back to Thor. "For as long as I'm still King, I decide. And you will follow my instructions. You have to know your place, my son. And to make it clear to you – it is not Midgard."
"You give me any reason to believe that it truly is," Thor argues. "Because I don't recognize this place anymore. Or what you try to make of it."
"Because you're not around," Odin retorts. "Instead of standing up for your country, for your people, you play hero back in Midgard, to have them celebrate you, cherish you, so you can feel more like a God and less like a politician that you are by blood and responsibility to the throne you are to inherit one day. But until that day comes, you are to obey me. I will not accept this back-talking anymore, or else I have to run rings around you, ring that will certainly lead you away from that other realm you fancy."
Thor blinks at him like a fish out of the water. Odin threatens him to imprison him here in Asgard?
"Father, I'm Midgard's keeper," Thor argues.
"And if you want it to stay that way a while longer, you better regain your respect for me," Odin snarls. "And get back my trust in you."
"How?" Thor croaks.
"You will go to Vanaheimr as I told you to. Is that understood?" Odin sneers. Thor searches his mother's eyes for guidance, and they tell him the answer: Stay out of that fight, you will not win it.
So Thor bows his head and grits his teeth as he mutters, "Of course, Father, as you wish."
With that he gets up from his seat, "If you'd excuse me? I'm still... tired of my voyage. I shall repair to my chambers and see you in the morning."
Thor leaves without another word, stalking down the now dark hallways that swallow his shadow greedily. He loudly opens and shuts the doors leading to his chambers. Thor heavily sits down on the bed and buries his head in his hands.
He never felt this alone in his home as he does at this very moment.
"Lend me strength, Loki," Thor mutters to himself.
"Lend me strength to make this a home again."