There was a weight upon the group that had not been there before. The absence among them seemed deafening. Hogun was tending to the fire that heated the healing stones. The group sat before the flames, Leonidas felt the ache of his wounds. But only gave them secondary priority. He first felt the absence, the hole that sat uncomfortably within him.
The absence of Thor's familiar presence.
Something like this had never occurred before, and Leonidas wasn't sure what to make of it. Was it because Thor's powers had been cut off? Or had the distance grown to be too much?
Where even was the prince?
He hardly paid mind as Hogun crushed the healing stones into Fandral's wound. And only lifted his head when the warrior came over to him to do the same.
Leonidas adjusted slightly and only winced a bit when the powder came into contact with his wound.
The pain faded into a dull throb before fading out entirely.
With that distraction gone, all of his focus shifted to the hallow ache within him.
It was only alleviated a bit by the presence of Loki, and the conflicting emotions that stirred within him.
Leonidas understood why he felt the way he did, he felt much the same.
On one hand, this could be good for Thor. Perhaps give him a dose of reality that he had sorely been missing as of late. But on the other hand a the feeling of unease couldn't be ignored either.
Would Thor be alright without all his abilities?
"We should have never let him go." Volstagg muttered, drawing everyone's attention, and Leonidas couldn't help but bristle slightly. He had tried , and none of them backed him up.
"There was no stopping him." Sif shook her head, and Leonidas let out a breath.
"Well you can't be sure since you never truly tried, now can you?" He retorted, more under his breath then anything.
There was silence for a moment, and the keeper internally winced realizing they had heard him.
"Well, we saw how that went with you." Sif countered, "it didn't bode very well did it?" There was a challenge in her voice, one that made Leonidas hands close on his lap.
"Maybe it would've." He lifted his head, brows furrowed low, "if anyone else had said anything. But no one wanted to be targeted out from the group huh? No one else wanted to be labeled cowardly like the group pack mule." Despite himself, the words were spat from his mouth before he could stop them.
All attention was on him now, and Leonidas wanted to curl up and take back all that he had said.
There was a silence that followed, perhaps they realized what he was saying was true. Perhaps they felt guilty. Or maybe the fight had been dragged out of them by the earlier events.
Regardless, when Fandral spoke again, it tactfully ignored Leonidas' words.
"Well…at least he's only banished, not dead." He voiced, pulling the attention from Leonidas and to him, "which is what we'd all be if that guard hadn't told Odin where we'd gone." There were nods before a beat of silence.
"How did the guard even know?" Volstagg asked, his brow furrowing.
A strange feeling emerged from Loki, a sort of unease that made Leonidas look over to him, he was gazing down at his arm, "I told him." The prince admitted, that made everyone including Leonidas tense. Though the keeper did so for a entirely different reason then the others.
"What?" Fandral demanded, despite mere moments ago praising the guard for his actions.
"I told him to go to Odin after we'd left. Though he should be flogged for taking so long." That last part was said with bitterness laced through it.
Volstagg seemed a bit slow on the uptake as he shook his head confounded. "You told the guard?" He questioned, and Loki looked up, brow furrowing.
"I saved your lives! And Thor's." He paused before adding with a breath. "I had no idea Father would banish him for what he did." He admitted, but this earned a pinched brow from Leonidas.
Was that the truth? With the partial blocking still in place, Leonidas couldn't tell.
Perhaps he was telling the truth and he hadn't a clue. But that didn't explain the Jotuns appearance in the first place, nor Leonidas' rising suspicion that Loki had a part in it.
Sif rose to her feet and went around the fire, Leonidas watched her carefully. Of all the warriors she was likely the most loyal to Thor and willing to fight for his sometimes crazy ideas.
"Loki, you're the only one who can help Thor now. You must go to the Allfather and convince him to change his mind!" She implored, and Leonidas drew closer as Loki let out a breath and a shake of his head.
"And if I do?" He sighed, "then what? I love Thor more dearly then any of you. But you know what he is. He's arrogant. He's reckless. Dismissive of those who try to reason with him. He's dangerous. You saw how he was today." He paused and looked over all of them, "is that what Asgard needs from it's King?" They did not respond, instead sharing torn glances. With a huff, Loki turned and left the room. And after a beat, Leonidas followed. But his ears twitched back to listen all the same. Especially when Sif spoke up.
"He may speak about the good of Asgard, but he's always been jealous of Thor." She said hushed, though Leonidas couldn't help but wonder how far they thought his hearing reached.
"True." Volstagg began, "but we should be grateful to him. He did save our lives." After that claim, there was a beat or two of uneasy silence.
"Laufey said there were traitors in the House of Odin." At Hogun's words Leonidas tensed and remained planted in his spot, just out of their sight.
"Why is it every time you choose to speak, it has to be something dark and ominous?" Fandral near whined, and there was silence for a moment as Hogun's words settled within them.
"A master of magic could easily bring three Jotun's into Asgard." He continued, further incriminating Loki in their eyes. Leonidas curled his hands into fists, internally debating whether or not he should step back into the room and defend his ward.
Would his words even be taken seriously?
Did he find himself seeing some truth in their words?
"No! Surely not!" Volstagg protested.
"Loki's always been one for mischief, but you're talking about something else entirely." Fandral continued, a warning in his voice.
"Who else could elude Haimdall's gaze with tricks of light and shadow?" Sif pressed, but that wasn't surprising, she had never really liked Loki.
"The ceremony was interrupted just before Thor was named King." Volstagg muttered, albeit reluctantly. And Leonidas felt his stomach do a few flips.
Loki had wanted Thor to have more time, he had specifically worried that he wasn't mature enough.
Was it all just a coincidence? Or something all the more terrible?
The keeper hated thinking such things, hated that the words of people whom barely tolerated his existence were reinforcing already existing doubts he had about his ward.
But the evidence was there…
He needed to go find Loki.
He needed to get to the bottom of this, before it spiraled out of control.
Without hesitating a step he hurried after where he felt the presence of his younger ward.
It did not bode well when Leonidas found himself stepping once more into the vault. All had been cleaned out, as to be expected. Yet somehow there was a even more foreboding feeling then when there were bodies in here.
He found Loki where he expected him, standing before the casket as it rested on the pedestal.
"Loki?" The name slipped form his mouth quietly, but the trickster heard it all the same.
The youngest son of Odin spared a glance at Leonidas over his shoulder.
"I take it they didn't have very nice things to say about me in my absence."
Leonidas released a breath he didn't know he had been keeping in, and instead of responding to the statement, he pursed his lips. "Why are you blocking me?"
The question seemed to catch the trickster off guard a moment as he lifted his eyebrows slightly, "I'm surprised you noticed." At his words Leonidas worked his jaw with a breath, ears flattening to the sides.
"Of course I noticed." He stepped forward, closing the distance between them, "now you aren't answering my question."
Loki however turned to gaze at the casket, "something happened while we were on Jotunheim." He said instead, causing Leonidas to sigh, but he knew he wouldn't be getting anymore out of him.
"A lot happened, you're gonna have to be more specific-"
"You told me once that I smelled different from the others." he interrupted instead, and Leonidas frowned a bit.
"What does that have to do with-"
"Why am I different from the others?" The trickster once again cut him off and turned to look at him. And Leonidas was suddenly struck with surging doubt and uncertainty as some slipped past the wall Loki had put between them.
Eyes widening, Leonidas stopped in his approach, "Loki…no one has the same scent, most everyone else has the scent of wine and sweat and-"
"You know that's not what I mean." He cut him off again, and the keeper couldn't help but let out a hard breath.
"Loki where is this coming from? So what if you smell different? You are different! Most Asgardians are brutes! Is this about what Thor said earlier? You and I both know he speaks without thinking! Why is it suddenly important to you-" this time, Leonidas cut himself off, as Loki had in one move picked up the casket, and held it between his forearms.
Leonidas watched with widened eyes as the once pale skin of the trickster turned a familiar shade of blue. Loki, who had been gazing at him turned to look down at himself, only to let out a slightly choked breath.
Panic and fear surged from his side, and without thinking, Leonidas moved to go forward to pull the casket from his grasp. But that's when the lattice began to fade away, and the destroyer began to power up once more.
Ears flicking back, Leonidas surged forward and ripped the casket from Loki's hands jerking to put it back in it's place when-
"Stop!" The shout from the Allfather made Leonidas freeze, and turn to look at the approaching King and keeper.
"Am I cursed?" Loki asked simply, and Odin shook his head coming to a stop near the entrance.
"No. Put the casket down Leonidas." Odin ordered, and without hesitation the keeper put the casket down onto the pedestal. His eyes flickering up to the glowing wall, only to watch the Destroyer retreat, and the lattice to reform.
"What am I?" Loki asked as his keeper tore his eyes away from the glowing wall and to his ward.
The trickster seemed somehow paler then before as he gazed at Odin. Feelings kept surging from his side of the bond, the intensity was overwhelming.
"You're my son." Odin said simply but that did not satisfied his betrayed son.
"What more then that?" Loki pressed taking a step forward, Leonidas swallowed and turned to look at Odin as the Allfather did not answer. Instead looking all the more worn down and exhausted. "The casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?" He pressed, and Leonidas stiffened up as it hit him.
Why, despite his denial earlier, Loki smelled different from everyone else. Why the cold never bothered him, and of course, why his skin turned blue at contact with the Jotun relic.
"No." Odin said, confirming thoughts not spoken aloud. He sighed and leaned on Gungnir. "In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the Temple, and I found a baby. Small for a giant's offspring…abandoned, suffering, left to die. Laufey's son."
Odin stopped, letting the words settle in, Leonidas turned to look at his ward as Loki gazed at Odin with a near distraught look on his face.
"Laufey's son…" he breathed out, and his keeper wanted to do something. Something to alleviate the situation, but what could he do?
"Why?" Loki pressed, "you were knee-deep in Jotun blood. Why would you take me?"
"You were an innocent child." Odin claimed softly, but Loki didn't believe a word of it, and honestly, neither did Leonidas.
"You took me for a purpose, what was it?" That question was not met with an answer, "tell me!" Loki barked, insistent.
"I thought we could unite our kingdoms one day, bring about an alliance, bring about a permanent peace…through you." Odin then sighed, "but those plans no longer matter." He looked more and more weary as the moments passed. So much so that Arne noticed and moved closer ready to catch him. Lest he fall.
"So I am no more then another stolen relic, locked up here until you might have use of me." Loki spat, not noticing Odin's increasing exhaustion.
"Why do you twist my words?" Odin asked, his brow furrowed slightly.
"You could have told me what I was from the beginning. Why didn't you?" The trickster demanded, and Leonidas glanced between father and son uncertain if he should say anything or stay out of the matter.
"You are my son. My blood. I wanted only to protect you from the truth." Odin claimed, but Loki's anger was not fading, in fact it seemed to be mounting.
"Because I am the monster parents tell their children about at night?" the trickster demanded. Odin shook his head, his eye drooping a bit.
"Don't…"
"It all makes sense now. Why you favored Thor all these years." He said, the revelation only increasing his anger.
"Loki…" Leonidas started just as Odin pled for his son to listen. But both fell on deaf ears.
"Because no matter how much you claim to 'love' me, you could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the throne of Asgard!" He shouted, just as Odin's body began to shake. Leonidas' eyes widen as he watched the king lift his hand a trail of gold following it. Loki stalked from the room not noticing, Arne took hold of the king as he seemed to have trouble standing. Leonidas froze a moment before going after the prince.
"Listen to me!" Odin cried, but Loki ignored him. Leonidas however grabbed ahold of Loki's arm pulling him to a stop.
"Loki!" He barked, and the trickster spun on him, ripping his arm from his grasp. His eyes were ablaze.
"Did you know?" He demanded, his words like a whip.
Leonidas flinched despite himself, "what? No of course not!" He snapped back, but with less malice.
"But you knew something was different about me!" He countered, and Leonidas huffed, his ears flicked back.
"Yes! And I told you! I haven't kept any secrets!" The keeper protested, and his ward gazed on with hard eyes.
"But you've doubted me. Haven't you?" The question dropped like a vase shattering. Leonidas gazed at him a moment, before letting out a controlled breath.
"Well. You've been giving me plenty of reason to. Haven't you?" He countered, "you still haven't explained why you've been blocking me."
"So how is it you see me Leonidas? Rafr? Now that you know, you know what kind of monster I am, do you still see me as you did before?" He pressed, eyes searching, Leonidas opened his mouth to respond-
"My king! Hold on!" Arne's order caused them both to turn and look at the two.
Arne had Odin propped up against the wall as his body seemed to blur and shake but out of sync with reality. A faint golden glow encompassing him. His face was contorted into a silent scream.
Alarmed, both keeper and ward ran over, Loki got down before his father and takes him into his arms, he looks him over before turning to Leonidas. "Get the guards!" He ordered, and without hesitation Leonidas transformed and took off up the stairs.
Unsurprisingly, Arne stood guard outside, Leonidas could see the worry pinching his usually rather impassive face as he passed by him. Perhaps he should've said something.
But what did he have to say? He knew very little about the Odin-sleep.
"I asked him to be honest with you from the beginning." Frigga's words drifted over to him as he entered the room, his eyes went to Loki first and then to the unconscious form of the Allfather. He was encased in a golden field that resembled a glowing coffin.
"There should be no secrets in a family." She continued softly, glancing up briefly to acknowledge Leonidas. He dipped his head slightly only to be greeted by a soft, though weary smile.
"So why did he lie?" Loki asked, pulling Frigga's attention back to her son.
"He kept the truth from you so that you would never feel different. You are in every way our son Loki, and we your family. You must know that." She conveyed to him earnestly, and Leonidas' eyes drifted to his ward as Loki took in the information, gazing down at Odin quietly. "You can speak to him. He can see and hear us, even now." At the statement the keeper's attention went to the Allfather curiously. It must have been something to do with the mind…
"How long will it last?" He asked, but Frigga only shook her head.
"I don't know. This time is different. We were unprepared." She near whispered, and Loki let out a breath, his eyes on his father.
"I never get used to seeing him like this. The most powerful being in the Nine Realms, lying helpless until his body is restored." He murmured, and Leonidas took up place behind him prompted by the feelings of uncertainty dancing within the prince.
"But he's put it off for so long now, I fear…" she trailed off, her eyes glistening, Loki took her hand and she smiled softly wiping her eyes.
"You're a good son." She claimed, and Leonidas couldn't help but glance at Loki as the uncertainty grew. The wall that had been placed between them was now shakier then it had been before. Though he wasn't sure if it was because of Loki lowering it, his uncertainty, or Leonidas' now undivided attention upon him.
"We mustn't lose hope that your father will return to us. And your brother." She added, and Loki's brow furrowed at that.
"What hope is there for Thor?" He asked, and his keeper couldn't help but also look to Frigga.
"There's always a purpose to everything your father does. Thor may yet find a way home." Leonidas felt a weight lift from his shoulders, but felt something entirely different from Loki.
His eyes flickered to him as he rose from his spot and headed for the door. Just as he did, the sound of footsteps hit Leonidas' ears moments before they hit Loki's.
The einherjar guards came into the room, causing Loki to tense up as they blocked his exit. Feeling the prince's fear spike Leonidas came over, not knowing what he would do but knowing he would do something if they tried anything.
However the guards merely stood there and Loki's brow furrowed.
"Thor is banished. The line of succession falls to you. Until he awakens. Asgard is yours." Frigga explained, and as she did, the einherjar bow before Loki. Another guard enters, and brings the now stand-in king Gungnir. He also kneeled, and handed the spear up to him.
"Make your father proud." Frigga said as Loki took the spear gazing at it and feeling the weight. A sense of pride wafted from him and despite the circumstances Leonidas couldn't help but smile.
This was proof that he had been wrong earlier.
Wasn't it?
As Loki exited the room, Leonidas moved to follow him-
"Leonidas." Frigga's soft voice caused his ears to turn back before he did. When he did he glanced at the retreating Loki before back to her, "don't worry. I won't keep you long." She explained, and then motioned to the chair across from her, "please, sit."
Leonidas came over after hesitating a beat. He had a feeling that Loki shouldn't be left alone right now. But he couldn't exactly disobey the queen.
"Is there something you need from me?" He inquired, ears folded back with uncertainty.
"Well yes, though perhaps reminding you of this is a bit redundant." She paused as Leonidas' brow furrowed, "but please keep a close eye on Loki. I fear where his mind might drift." She sighed, and gazed at her husband through the golden field. "We do not see him any different, we love him as we love Thor. Though I am not certain he sees it that way." She fretted, before lifting her eyes to Leonidas once more. "Please make sure he doesn't do anything he would come to regret. I fear you might be the only one who can reach him." But that made the keeper blink.
"He'll listen to you m'lady. He's always taken your words to heart." He explained, and she smiled softly at that.
"Does he? That's good to hear." Her eyes fell to the Allfather again, "sometimes I fear despite the earnestly behind them, a mother's words are somehow found hollow in the ears of her children." She said softly, and Leonidas stared at her a moment, unsure of what to say. However she seemed to sense this and smiled, "Alright, I won't hold you any longer." He nodded and got up dipping his head slightly, he headed for the door- "Leonidas?" She called causing him to pause and turn toward her again.
"Yes m'lady?" She looked hesitant a moment before eventually standing and coming over. His ears lifted curiously at her approach.
"I want to say something." She paused, "perhaps before it is too late." His brow furrowed at that, but she didn't elaborate further. "I can't say I quite understand the bond you share with my boys. Nor the one that Arne shares with my husband. But I can see the fruits of it, and the undying loyalty it brings about. And I wanted to say, despite what Thor claims, you are not just a servant. Arne has provided great wisdom, counsel and companionship to Odin throughout the years. Thor, I love him so, but he does have a rather hard head., and a stubborn sort of pride about him. My desire is that the three of you, despite the positions you may hold, that you will have a relationship that will endure the ages." She smiled softly, and yet somehow sadly, "you are all so young, yet at the same time all grown up." She then gently placed a hand on his shoulder, leaning over slightly so they were closer in height. "What I'm trying to say Leonidas, is that you are not just their servant, you are their brother, their companion and friend. Do not forget that."
His eyes were wide as he gazed up at her stunned slightly at her words.
Frigga had always been kind to him. Always let him sit in on lessons she taught Loki when the prince had grown tired of the rough training outside. She had always been warm and welcoming to him.
"T…thank you m'lady, I….I really appreciate you saying that." He conveyed softly with a bit of a smile.
She smiled in return and nodded toward the door, "now, run along Hirdman. Your king needs you." At the title, Leonidas blinked gazing at her once again wide eyed.
"Yes m'lady." He stated, his head reeling at the title he was just bestowed with.
Obviously it was one he knew he would receive one day. Or rather, a day ago, when Thor became king and Arne stepped down as Odin's Hirdman.
Still he hadn't really thought of the implications until now.
Hirdman, right hand man to the king, something exclusively reserved for the Vangr.
No longer was he a companion to the princes, he was Hirdman to the king.
And the King…was Loki.
Stepping out of the room, he couldn't help but spare a glance up at Arne. He knew the man wasn't going to leave this spot until the Allfather woke.
"I suppose I should be congratulating you." Arne claimed, gazing straight ahead without falter.
Leonidas did however falter in his step, "…I guess so." He eyed him a moment, "though you don't seem very happy about it." He observed.
Arne looked at him, golden eyes piercing, "given the circumstances, should I be?"
There was a beat of silence as both Vangr gazed at each other, "…this is about what happened with Thor…isn't it?" Leonidas asked quietly, and Arne inhaled softly. Seeming to reign himself in.
"Your wards were almost slaughtered." He said, turning to look at the younger Vangr fully.
"I wouldn't have let them die." He said firmly, doing his best to keep the bite from his tone.
He respected Arne, but sometimes the constant underestimation of his capabilities was infuriating.
"And how would you have stopped it? Would you have taken on all the Jotuns at once? All by yourself?" He pressed, and Leonidas worked his jaw with a deep breath.
"Pardon me, but what is the point of this sir?" He asked, keeping his voice level.
"One of your wards is banished, and the other sits on the throne. Though I fear neither are prepared for the circumstances they find themselves in." But that just made Leonidas frown.
"Is anyone really prepared to be suddenly crowned king, or suddenly banished?" But Arne ignored his question and gazed down the hallway before them.
"I fear that their paths may soon be diverging." That made Leonidas tense up, "how do you plan on handling that? Who will you follow?" The question held a intensity to it that Leonidas did not expect. Though he shouldn't be surprised, should he?
He had known for a long while that the brothers were not close, but had it actually come down to choosing between them? Could he even do something like that? How could he do that to either of them. Selfishly, part of him wanted to easily say Loki. Thor had never really wanted him around anyways. Loki had always been relatively kind to him.
But even the thought of parting ways from either of them left a sickly feeling residing within him.
He couldn't side with either, that would mean betraying the other, and he…he couldn't, he couldn't betray them. He couldn't-
"As I feared." Arne cut off his spiraling thoughts, and Leonidas lifted his gaze to him.
"B…but you don't know if they are actually going to be enemies. They are brothers…they wouldn't…" he trailed off, doing his best to push away all the memories conflicting with his words.
He could see it.
That's what scared him.
"I…I can't…I can't let that happen…" he murmured softly eyes wide as he gazed at the ground.
"You should head off now, your king might need you." Arne said, and Leonidas looked up at him again, though he had nothing more to say that wouldn't come out laced with panic and fear.
So, he turned and walked away. Later he would realize that he should've said parting words. But his thoughts were too muddled to come up with anything of the sort.
He had to make sure it didn't come down to that.
He couldn't chose between them.
He…wouldn't chose between them.
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