Chapter XIV: Interrupted Coronation
A/N: Recognized dialogue is from the movie or deleted scenes. This one was a much faster turnaround. Thanks to theicemenace for her beta work and anyone else who helped! Enjoy the chapter, SSD
Hanna was slinking around the palace amidst the preparations for the coronation invisible. It was one of her favorite tricks to do outside of what did with fire.
The past eight decades of her existence had certainly been the most interesting ones by far. Now her magic obeyed her wishes with no flare-ups, unless Hanna wanted to make a point that fire was considered the most destructive element for a reason.
As she was walking around, Hanna sensed two very familiar presences ahead of her. Concealing herself, she began to listen. This would be a test to see how long it would take for the princes to catch her, if they did. Nine times out of ten, Loki was the one who caught her. Hanna nearly missed him saying,
"Nervous brother?"
"Have you ever known me to be nervous brother?" Thor scoffed.
"Well there was that time in Nornheim…" Loki started. Hanna made a gesture against evil at the memory of that particular adventure.
"That was not nerves, that was the rage of battle," Thor began before going on with, "How else could I have fought through 100 warriors so that we could escape?" A servant with a cup of wine had walked up.
"As I recall I veiled us in smoke to ease our escape," Loki stated sounding like a teacher trying to remind his student of a key fact they had forgotten.
"Some of us do battle, others just do tricks," Thor grinned. The servant then made a critical error on his part, by snickering at Thor's jape.
At first it seemed as if Loki was not going to do anything before Hanna saw him do a motion with his right hand. The servant yelped and dropped the tray as blue snakes came out of the cup.
As Loki cackled his usual laugh, Thor chided, "Loki, now that was a waste of good wine!"
Ignoring Thor for the moment Loki looked at the servant saying, "Just a bit of fun right my friend?" Another wave of his hand and the snakes disappeared.
Both of the brothers were grinning as that beleaguered servant bowed and left. A short time later, another one came up with Thor's helmet.
Without missing a beat, Loki quipped, "Oooh, nice feathers!"
"Here they go again." Hanna thought exasperatedly.
"You don't want to start this again, do you cow?"
Even though she had heard this conversation many times before, it did not stop it from being any less funny. Hanna couldn't help it. She chortled.
Snapping his head up, Loki drawled, "Darling, I thought that I taught you better than this."
Grumbling and cursing to herself Hanna teleported out. Loki was infuriating and drove her mad.
But she loved him anyway.
###
Yes, she loved Loki. It had taken the last five of the eight decades for Hanna to admit it to herself in her in her mind. She was nowhere near brave enough admitting it aloud where anyone could hear.
It was time for the coronation. Hanna needed to get down to the throne room to get into place, wherever that wound up being.
###
Sif was quite upset. A mere apprentice was standing higher than her on the steps leading up to the throne.
And as if she could sense her anger that very apprentice turned her head slightly and grinned. The grin made Sif shiver slightly.
Hanna's grin was too similar to Loki's for comfort.
Thor was showing off, tossing Mjolnir in the air, turning her mind from those thoughts. The elder prince's antics could not help but make her roll her eyes scoffing, "Oh please!"
All Thor did was wink as he knelt before the throne.
###
The cheering went quiet as Odin stood up. He began speaking, "Thor Odinson, my heir, my firstborn."
Hanna could sense Loki's irritation.
"So long entrusted with the mighty hammer Mjolnir, forged in the heart of a dying star. It's power has no equal, as a weapon to destroy or as a tool to build. It is a fit companion for a king." Taking a breath the Allfather continued, "I have defended Asgard and the lives of the innocent since the time of the great beginning."
Hanna tuned out the speech a bit, but still made it look as if the ceremony had her complete and undivided attention. Something bad was about to happen, and she could feel it in her very bones.
###
Tuning back in, Hanna noticed that Odin gotten to the main point of the ceremony with Thor.
"Do you swear to protect the Nine Realms?"
"I swear."
"Do you swear to preserve the peace?"
"I swear."
"Do you swear to cast aside all selfish ambition for the good of the Realm?"
"I swear!" Thor shouted.
"Then on this day, I Odin Allfather proclaim you…" he suddenly trailed off. Something really had to be seriously wrong.
"Frost Giants," he muttered and slammed Grungnir to the floor. The Destroyer would be unleashed.
Thor's coronation was the last thing on anyone's mind.
###
"YAAAAH!" Thor overturned the table, in his frustration. Hanna ignored it, turning back to the book she was reading. She was still giving Thor a wide berth.
Shortly after Thor sat down in front of a pillar, Loki slinked around it and sat down next to his brother.
"It is unwise to be in my company now brother," Thor snarled.
"Who said I was wise?" Loki asked as he sat down anyway.
"This was supposed to be my moment of triumph," Thor growled.
"It'll come. In time." Loki was trying to calm Thor down, something that would take a miracle at this point. But then he went outside his usual tactic,
"If it's any consolation, I think you're right. About the Frost Giants, about Laufey, about everything. If they found a way to penetrate Asgard's defenses once, who's to say they won't try again this time with an army."
Hanna vanished her book back to her room. Loki was acting strangely even by his standards. He was agreeing with Thor a little too much.
"Exactly!" Thor exclaimed.
Loki then sounded more like himself when he continued with, "There's nothing you can do, without defying Father."
Thor suddenly had a gleam in his eye, Loki quickly began backpedaling, stammering, "No Thor. I know that look."
Hanna had a very bad feeling about what Thor had in mind.
"It's the only way to ensure the safety of our borders."
"Thor, it's madness." Loki was still trying to talk his brother out of flouting what was obviously a direct order from Odin.
"What's madness?" Volstaag asked as he looked up from building his sandwich.
"We're going to Jotunheim," Thor said as if it were the most obvious thing in the realm.
Not surprisingly, the others were shocked.
Fandral found his voice first, as he blurted, "This isn't some voyage to Earth where you summon a little lightning and thunder, the mortals worship you as a god. This is Jotunheim."
Ignoring his friend, Thor went on going, "My father fought his way into Jotunheim, defeated their armies, and took their casket. We will just be looking for answers." Thor had a huge grin on his face. Loki looked less than thrilled.
At seeing the dubious looks on his friend's faces, Thor coaxed them with, "My friends, have you forgotten all that we have accomplished?" To Hogun he asked, "Who led you into the most glorious of battles?"
"You did," her fellow Vanir replied.
Turning to Volstaag with a grin, Thor continued, "And to delicacies so succulent you'd thought that you had died and gone to Valhalla?"
"You did," Volstaag replied with a similar grin.
Ending with Sif, Thor went on, "And who proved wrong all those who scoffed that a young maiden could become one of the fiercest warriors this realm has ever known?"
"I did," Sif replied with a grin. Hanna had to smile at that one herself.
"True, but I supported you," Thor conceded, but still acknowledged his own role.
Now he turned towards Loki slightly, but still talking to the others, "My friends, you won't let my brother and me take all the glory are you?"
"What?" Loki seemed surprised that Thor had even mentioned him at all.
"You are coming with me, aren't you?" Thor queried.
Still seated, Loki turned around to face him with a grin that made Hanna's insides churn (she hid it well) saying, "Yes of course." Looking sidelong towards her, "And since we're going to a realm of ice, having more fire on our side will be of much use."
Hanna nodded her agreement to come along. Of all the adventures she'd been on with this group, this was going to be the most dangerous.
As they were getting ready to ride to the Bifrost, Hanna noticed Loki talking to one of the guards. Any further thoughts on the matter were cast aside as she urged the horse into moving to catch up with the others, which she quickly did.
###
Once they were a few hundred feet from the observatory, they all dismounted. Loki went cut in front of Thor, saying, "Leave this to me."
He started to say, "Good Heimdall.." when the man himself interrupted with, "You're not dressed warmly enough."
"I suppose it was too much to ask for Heimdall not knowing what we're up to," Hanna thought grimly.
"I'm sorry?" Loki seemed surprised.
"Do you think that you can deceive me?" Heimdall's voice rumbled.
"You must be mistaken…" Loki grinned was not able to finish when Thor cut him off with a growl of "Enough. Heimdall may we pass?"
"Never has an enemy slipped my watch, until this day. I wish to know how that happened." It seemed that Heimdall was of a mood to help them.
"Then tell no one where we've gone until we return. Understand?" Thor commanded. He then stalked past Heimdall.
The others followed. Volstaag japed as he walked past Loki who was standing still, "What happened, silver tongue turned to lead?" Fandral clearly chuckled.
"I don't recall you trying, Volstaag," Hanna shot back as she walked in front of them.
###
Once they had all gotten inside the observatory, Heimdall started the process by sliding his sword into place.
"Could the Bifrost make any more noise?" Hanna mentally groaned. "We're trying to sneak to Jotunheim against direct orders of the Allfather."
Soon it was near time for them to leave. It seemed that Heimdall was not going to let them go without some words of warning: "Be warned. I will honor my oath to protect this realm as its Gatekeeper. If your return threatens the safety of Asgard, Bifrost will remain closed to you. And you'll be left to die on the cold wastes of Jotunheim."
"Couldn't you just leave the Bridge open to us?" Volstaag asked.
"To leave the Bridge open, would unleash the full power of the Bifrost and destroy Jotunheim with you upon it."
"I have no plans to die today," Thor proclaimed.
Heimdall then said, "None do."
A few moments later, the Gatekeeper fully activated the Bifrost, sending them on their way to Jotunheim.
A/N 2: Yes, I'm aware that this is an evil cliffhanger. And slightly shorter. So... What do you all think?