The shock of the jötnar was obvious, particularly Laufey's. It pleased Loki greatly and the desire to say something he truly should not rose within him, but he ruthlessly fought it down. Not only could it serve to derail the entire negotiations, but it could also endanger him personally, not to mention his already precarious position. Still, the impulse remained, his inherent desire and need for both chaos and mischief exceedingly unhappy at being not only denied here, but being so severely curbed for so long. 'Twas part of why he had never truly desired the throne; he would have to either deny far too much of his true self, or risk rebellion and disorder if he did show his true self while seated on Hliðskjálf.
In order to provide himself with a little relief, and to help drive their point home of course, Loki started tapping the table with one finger, timing it with little spikes of his seiðr which caused the Casket of Ancient Winters to put on a bit of a light show.
"How?" Thrymm-General demanded.
Loki shrugged carelessly. "As I understand it, your íviðjur are particularly gifted seiðberandi, with my own seiðr and heritage, well..."
"It sees you as an íviðja," Helblindi-Princex realized.
"'Tis our best guess," General Týr answered.
Loki saw the realization dawn on his father's face, and it filled him with a particularly vicious sense of satisfaction. Laufey had left him to die to avoid exactly this type of situation. Only then he would have been raised by them and been sympathetic to both Laufey and Jötunheimr. Now he was neither, all he truly cared about was preventing the deterioration of so vital a part of the Yggdrasill.
Except that was not entirely true, Loki realized as he felt a hesitant and hopeful touch at the back of his mind alongside that of Ásgarðr. Both were more muffled here on Niflheimr and without direct physical contact with the Casket, but 'twas still unmistakably the touch of Mother Winter. Much as he hated the truth of his heritage and his still very mixed feelings for the jötnar themselves, Loki found that he had no such hesitation, hatred or mixed feelings for her whatsoever. Nay, she was nothing but pure bliss and enjoyment. Like a balm to his very wounded and mutilated core.
Loki could say he loved Mother Winter as intimately and completely as he did Ásgarðr, and he had absolutely no idea why. Not that he truly cared. Though he was naturally a suspicious and untrusting bastard, when it came to seiðr, he had always had a tendency to go with his instincts and they had never served him wrong before. Indeed, he would not be able to walk the very branches of the Yggdrasill if he had not trusted his own seiðr when everyone else had said something was suicidal.
"What is it, exactly, you are proposing?" Gunnlöð-Lairde inquired, tearing his eyes from the Casket.
"That King Loki uses his affinity with the Casket to... restrict its abilities that we are concerned with," Lord Aðalgrímr explained. "After which we would return the Casket to you to use as necessary to restore Jötunheimr."
By now, Laufey's face was an unreadable mask, so Loki was unable to tell what his birth father thought of the proposition. Given why he had most likely been left to die, though, Loki did not think Laufey would be at all pleased with it. Thrymm-General's face had hardened, but 'twas difficult to say whether that was because of Loki's affinity for the Casket - given that he was the king of Ásgarðr and so the enemy - or because of the idea itself.
Helblindi-Princex was slightly easier to read. Perhaps 'twas the shock from earlier or his sibling was simply more able to think of Jötunheimr's future, but Helblindi actually looked hopeful. 'Twas unfortunate then that the decision was not up to them. Not that Loki would trust Laufey to keep to the agreement if Helblindi were to have made it as a regent. The only reason Loki knew that he did not have to worry about the same issue was because of how determined Óðinn had been to prevent war. And what his adoptive father's own council had told him.
"You wish to control us," Laufey accused, looking at Loki directly.
"Nay, I wish to give you back what you need to save your Realm, with a few precautions added to safeguard the rest of the Nine from a recurrence of what happened before," Loki countered.
"Such as?"
"Such as preventing the Casket from being able to transport people off planet-"
"You have said that you were willing to discuss allowing us to trade once more!" Gunnlöð-Lairde protested.
"And the ability to utilize the Casket as a weapon," Loki continued.
"You mean to leave us defenseless," General Thrymm stated.
"It would be no different than you are at present," General Týr retorted. "And that seems quite capable to me."
This was getting a little out of hand, but Loki had not truly expected the jötnar to be terribly pleased with his idea. It did solve all of their problems, though, while still allowing for the return of the Casket of Ancient Winters.
"Enough," Laufey growled as both of their people opened their mouths once more before they turned blood red eyes on Loki. "You believe you can control the Casket enough to accomplish what you speak of?"
Instead of replying, Loki allowed his seiðr to remain in prolonged contact with the Casket of Ancient Winters, making it flare up brightly and bathe the whole hall in ethereal blue light that sparked and danced as the storms within the Casket raged on strongly. The display of power made Laufey clench their jaw and Loki eased off, knowing he had made his point. Wanting to appear more harmless once more, he leaned back in his chair and allowed his left hand to drift back to the ice fox pelt.
"What of the trade you promised us before?" Laufey finally asked, and Loki forced himself not to sag in relief.
If his birth father was asking for more details, then at least Laufey had not dismissed the whole idea outright as there had always been the possibility they might. It would risk dooming their entire Realm, but Loki was not convinced that his jötunn counterpart was entirely sane anymore. Maybe Laufey never had been, but after their utter defeat at the hands of Óðinn, Laufey had then had over a thousand years to nurse their hatred and wallow in defeat as their Realm slowly crumbled and died around them. It would have been trying for the most stable of kings.
"We are willing to allow tradesmen to come to fairs in Ásgarðr or to provide Bifröst transport to ones elsewhere if another Realm is interested. Álfheimr has a Harvest Festival in several months' time and might be honored to host your people for the event," Lord Aðalgrímr replied. "With the lifting of the barricade, others would also be allowed to come visit Jötunheimr to trade with your people."
"And you think that will be enough?" Gunnlöð-Lairde questioned.
"You had a flourishing trade with the rest of the Nine before your invasion of Miðgarðr," Lord Ragnvaldr said. "Many of the items only Jötunheimr can provide have been missed since. I believe there are many who would be most eager to have access to them once more. The ice gems and furs, in particular, as well as live ice fox kits and ice blossoms."
"The ice blossoms are all but gone since the loss of the Casket of Ancient Winters," Gunnlöð-Lairde informed them.
"Then surely they should come back with the return of the Casket," Loki said, calmly.
"And for our defense?" Thrymm-General demanded.
"You have declared war, General," Týr smiled coldly. "Do you now truly expect us to believe you are worried about your ability to defend yourself from those who have not sought hostilities with you in millennia?"
Oh, a good point well made, Loki was impressed. The way that Thrymm's jaw clicked shut told him the jötunn had realized the same.
Laufey shifted their large bulk, glancing over them all before returning their eyes to Loki, gaze far more assessing now than it had been before. They may have gotten all that they could out of the jötnar as far as their belief in his naivety and inexperience was concerned. Hopefully, it had been enough.
"What makes you believe you have the right to manipulate Jötunheimr's most precious artefact thus?" Laufey finally demanded.
Loki's lips thinned. "I am attempting to find a way to return that which you require to save your Realm without leaving Ásgarðr, Miðgarðr or the rest of the Nine open to the kind of attack which you have launched before."
The very air in the hall chilled and Loki wondered if 'twas Laufey's displeasure making itself known, or whether one of the other jötnar was responsible. He hoped 'twas his father, as he would love to be the one responsible for making them lose control thus.
"You would seek to control Jötunheimr henceforth while appearing to treat with us," Laufey said.
"Restricting the Casket of Ancient Winters is hardly controlling you," Loki countered. "Unless you believe me capable of accessing it from Ásgarðr, in which case I thank you for the compliment, but I am not quite so powerful as that."
General Týr's lips twitched once at those words and Loki felt pleased with himself. It would take a powerful seiðmadr indeed to be able to manipulate even a magical object like the Casket of Ancient Winters from such a distance. Indeed, he did not believe it possible for something like this. He still had a hard enough time believing even an Infinity Stone like the Tesseract could be utilized from such a distance, let alone as far away as Loptr had implied he had used it from. But it hardly mattered since the Casket of Ancient Winters was no Infinity Stone, powerful as 'twas in its own right.
"As for henceforth," Loki continued. "Anything can be negotiated in the future."
That gave his birth father pause, before Laufey shared a look with Gunnlöð-Lairde.
"Would you be willing to stipulate a timeframe for such a renegotiation into the treaty?" Gunnlöð-Lairde asked.
'Twas a risk, because if not worded correctly it could offer up the whole treaty for debate at a future time point, but Loki did not see how they had much choice but to attempt to navigate it.
"Aye."
Now they simply had to agree on the timeframe, not to mention the exact details of the trade and any other items which Laufey-King and Gunnlöð-Lairde might wish to discuss and add onto the treaty.
Loki's very fingers itched to cause some form of chaos or mayhem. It had been far too long.
Despite his earlier concerns, Thor found he could not help but feel excited as he made his way down to the dungeons. He was excited to see his friends once more, even in these horrible circumstances. Besides, once he had been able to speak with them about why they had done what they had, then he could see about sorting this whole mess out.
The trek, though, seemed to take forever and Thor wondered if 'twas because he could not wait to arrive. Normally when he came down here, 'twas on far less pleasant business and he was usually accompanied by either his brother or one of his friends, as they normally were down here with a captive or to retrieve one. He would also normally have Mjǫllnir with him too.
Thor felt the loss of his hammer once more and he had to force himself not to reach down to his belt for her presence. It made him feel almost naked not to have Mjǫllnir with him, especially when walking into the dungeons, even if he knew he had no need for it now. Both because he was not going to interact with dangerous prisoners and because he had his own personal guard shadowing his every step. He hated the latter, it made him feel weak and vulnerable in a way being made mortal alone had not. Or was it simply because he was on Ásgarðr once more where his training alone would not help him as it had when dealing with the shielded men?
Regardless, Thor was happy when he reached the guard post and he was able to abandon those thoughts.
"Prince Thor," the head guard on duty greeted, rising to his feet.
"I am here to see Lady Sif and the Warriors Three," Thor replied, not wanting to correct the man's mistaken use of his title.
Hopefully, he would officially have it back soon enough, so 'twas not truly worth the effort of explaining it to the man.
"Aye, of course," the Einherjar replied. "They are in the cells at the end of the main corridor."
"Cells?" Thor asked, confused.
"Procedure dictates male and female prisoners are not to be housed together, my Prince."
Thor could not help but flinch at the word 'prisoners', as if his friends were the usual riffraff the dungeons housed. Did no one have any respect? Lady Sif and the Warriors Three were not only some of the best warriors Ásgarðr had, but they had done countless acts of bravery and heroics in her service, not to mention all of the blood they had spilt and how oft they had risked their very lives!
"Very well," Thor replied, clenching his fist.
He could argue the point the Warriors Three were no danger to Lady Sif, but it would delay his ability to actually see and speak with his friends, so he left it for now. He could ask Loki to correct this misunderstanding later.
"Do you require additional men?" the Einherjar asked.
"Nay, I shall not be opening the cells," Thor responded, moving past the guard post.
Much as he might wish to do so and end this ridiculous charade, Thor knew better than to try it. If he allowed his friends out without his brother's permission, then not only would they simply be reimprisoned once more, but Loki would no doubt rescind his permission to see them again. Though it grated to be so reliant on his brother's word, Thor did know the importance of ensuring the king's authority was not questioned needlessly, or challenged so boldly and openly. Especially now of all times, when both Loki and Mother had mentioned their standing within the Nine was precarious. Personally, Thor wished to go out and teach any who were so foolish to make the mistake of thinking Ásgarðr weak, even at a time like this, but alas he could not.
It had been part of his mistake in going to Jötunheimr.
The walk was quiet, most of the cells along the main corridor being empty and Thor could not help but wonder if the other prisoners had been moved to the side corridors in order to separate his friends from the rest. 'Twas probably a good thing, since it would allow them more peace and quiet in the evening, rather than being continually disturbed by the noise of the very criminals they had helped track down and imprison.
"Thor!" Lady Sif exclaimed, and Thor looked up to spot her in a cell on the left.
"Lady Sif," Thor greeted, then looked to the right. "Fandral, Volstagg, Hogun! How are you, my friends?"
A slight scuffing behind him reminded Thor of his guards, so he turned to look at them. "I need some time here with privacy."
The two Einherjar glanced at each other before looking down the corridor. They then moved back down the way they had come, before taking up positions well out of earshot, but within easy viewing distance.
"Thor," Fandral greeted when Thor turned back around, the paramour now closer to the cell's energy door than before. "You are back!"
"Where is Mjǫllnir?" Volstagg asked, frowning.
Thor flinched. "I have not yet regained her, or my powers."
"Then how are you here?" Lady Sif asked. "Loki had said he would not bring you back."
"It had not been his intention, nay," Thor confirmed. "But after you left, the humans took me prisoner once more and they were not treating me well."
"What? Why not?" Volstagg demanded, coming forwards himself.
"They were angered by the attack on their men and wished to know about the Bifröst and how we travel between Realms," Thor explained.
"So Loki retrieved you?" Lady Sif questioned, disbelief obvious on her face and in her voice.
"Of course," Thor frowned. "Why would he not?"
"He had refused to allow you to return before."
"He did not wish to interfere with Father's lesson for me."
"Are you certain 'twas all it was?"
"What Sif means is that as long as you were gone, Loki was king," Fandral hastened to add.
"And so he still is," Thor frowned. "As I said on Miðgarðr, the rules of succession are quite clear. I was removed from the line when Father banished me."
"But you are the heir!" Volstagg protested. "You were about to be crowned king and would have been if not for the frost giant attack!"
"Aye, but I was not."
Thor hated having to admit that. It still both shamed and angered him greatly to think of what had happened. He should have been king by now!
"Because of Loki's machinations."
Thor froze at the voice, for 'twas none of his friends, though he still recognized it instantly.
Heimdallr.
But where? Thor strode further down the corridor to look into the last cell and there, indeed, was the former gatekeeper of the Bifröst. It startled Thor badly to look at the man and to be met by brown eyes instead of golden ones, but it only served to remind him of exactly why Heimdallr was here.
Not that Thor thought he could ever forget. Not something like that. Not regicide.
Not against Loki!
"Heimdallr," Thor spat, fury in every note. "You have a lot of nerve speaking to me."
Surprise flashed across Heimdallr's face, and the man even had the gall to open his mouth in complete confusion before seeming to regain his wits.
"My Prince," Heimdallr started. "I-"
"I do not want to hear it," Thor snapped.
"Thor?" Volstagg questioned.
"He tried to kill Loki!" Thor thundered, glaring at his friend briefly before returning his furious gaze to the would-be assassin. "You tried to kill my little brother!"
The confusion now evident on Heimdallr's face only served to further enrage Thor. Did the man truly think he would have supported his actions? When he had tried to kill Loki?
"I was only doing my duty, my Prince," Heimdallr said.
Thor snorted. "Your duty is to protect the king, not to try to kill him!"
"Loki had usurped Hlið-"
"Usurped? Usurped? Loki is king by the rules of succession."
"Is?" Lady Sif demanded. "You do not mean to challenge his claim to Hliðskjálf, even now you are back?"
"Of course, I do not," Thor replied. "As I said earlier, I have not yet regained my titles and powers. And even if I had, Loki would still remain king as he was the rightful heir when Father fell into the Óðinnsleep."
"But Loki-" Heimdallr began.
"I thought I already told you I did not want to hear it," Thor stated, glaring into those disconcertingly brown eyes. "In fact, right now I do not even wish to see you, who would be the slayer of my kin."
With that, Thor stepped forwards and hit the isolate button on the control panel of Heimdallr's cell, which made the entrance become opaque and muted all noise in both directions, fully cutting Heimdallr off from the rest of the dungeons.
Thor looked at the cell for a moment, trying to control his anger before he turned back to his friends. Then, because he knew that his mother would want him to, he steeled himself for the question he knew he had to ask.
"Please tell me you did not know what Heimdallr had planned," Thor asked, looking at each cell in turn.
"Nay, of course not!" Fandral exclaimed, clearly shocked.
"We only learned of it when Heimdallr told us after we were imprisoned here," Volstagg added.
"The last thing he said to us before we left for Miðgarðr was that he could not send us there as he was honor bound to Loki not to," Fandral added. "Thus, we had no suspicions he would do anything, let alone try his hand at regicide."
"Very well, good," Thor replied, relieved. "And, aye, now you mention it, I do recall him saying that to you."
Lady Sif frowned. "How do you know what he said to us?"
"Oh, ah, well..." Thor began uncomfortably, even if 'twas the perfect opening for him to commence speaking of why he was here. "Loki showed me your conversation with Heimdallr in Himinbjörg, moments before you left for Miðgarðr."
"Well, he did not waste any time," Lady Sif muttered.
"What?" Thor asked.
"In trying to turn you against us."
"'Tis not like that, I had merely asked why so many people seemed to be decided against you and he said 'twas because of what was shown at Heimdallr's trial."
"People are still so against us?" Volstagg questioned. "What people? Simply the palace guards and servants, or even the common people? I had hoped it would be a temporary reaction."
"What does it matter?" Lady Sif snapped, irritably. "If Thor is not regent, then the decision is Loki's, and we all know he has already made up his mind about us!"
"What? Nay!" Thor protested. "You will have the chance to explain your side."
"Thor," Lady Sif began. "This is Loki we are speaking of."
Thor scowled, darkly. "Why are you all suddenly so against each other? You speak as if you cannot trust Loki to do the right thing, and he says you were never his friends but only mine and you merely tolerated his presence to please me."
The way Lady Sif's eyes suddenly skittered away from his made Thor's stomach drop, and he quickly turned to look at the other cell. There, both Volstagg and Hogun looked uncomfortable, neither of them quite able to meet his eyes. Only Fandral could do so, and his gaze was not entirely guilt free.
Nay, it could not be! Loki could not be right about this! Surely, he would have noticed something at some time!
"Nay," Thor finally voiced his denial, shaking his head. "It cannot be."
"I have considered Loki a friend," Fandral said, softly. "But Thor, his mischief is not always so innocent and..."
"And he has always been jealous of you, Thor," Lady Sif added, forcefully.
"But... but we have been together- fought together- for over half a millennium!" Thor protested.
"'Tis not just us," Volstagg said. "He has never liked us very much either."
Was that true? Thor felt he could no longer be certain of anything anymore. Not now he found exactly how wrong he had been about so much which he had never even thought to question before.
His very friends and brother, his closest companions for so long 'twas hard to think of a time when things had been different... did not truly get along and did not even like each other! How could he have been so very blind?
If he kept thinking of this now, he would be completely depressed Thor realized, and there were other things he had to do.
"You are wrong, Sif," Thor said, pushing all else aside. "Loki himself told me that you will have a chance to speak and give your side of the story."
Lady Sif looked shocked. "He has?"
"Aye."
"When?"
"The day after tomorrow."
"It will be an official trial?" Hogun asked.
"Aye," Thor confirmed. "Lord Ragnvaldr has arranged it himself."
"Good," Volstagg nodded. "But why then and not today? Why are we made to wait? Heimdallr's trial was held right away."
"That was unusual and due to the fact he was the gatekeeper of the Bifröst," Thor explained, face darkening as he glared at Heimdallr's cell. "Ásgarðr could not afford to be without a gatekeeper."
Lady Sif snorted. "You mean Loki could not."
"Nay, Ásgarðr could not," Thor retorted with anger. "And I would still be imprisoned on Miðgarðr if Loki had not held the trial when he had."
"Were they truly so upset with you?" Fandral inquired. "The humans? You did not attack their men at the Bifröst site."
"They did not differentiate between the two, saying you were there because of me. And it would appear attacking a warrior of the government can be punished by lifelong imprisonment or even death."
"They would not dare!" Volstagg stated. "Kill the crown prince of Ásgarðr? It would be a declaration of war."
"I am not the crown prince at present," Thor reminded them. "And I do not believe they fully understand precisely how much less powerful they are. They have a strong and fierce fighting spirit. At least among the warriors."
"How did you get away if they kept you?" Lady Sif asked.
"Höðr saw what was happening and informed Loki, who sent Birgir and Yngvarr to negotiate my release."
"There, see, I told you things were not so bad," Fandral stated, looking at Lady Sif.
She merely scowled back at him.
"Thor, did Loki say why the trial is the day after tomorrow instead of today or tomorrow?" Volstagg asked. "I know it takes time to organize, but surely today or tomorrow is not so bad? We have been here nearly four days already."
"I am sorry, my friend," Thor replied, realizing Volstagg had to be worried about his family and how they fared in his absence. "But the negotiations take priority, so the trial has been planned for the day without talks."
"Negotiations with Miðgarðr?" Lady Sif asked. "Surely those must be done by now?"
"Nay, not Miðgarðr, Jötunheimr."
"Jötunheimr?" Fandral repeated, shocked. "Those preparations actually worked? Loki is truly negotiating with Laufey?"
"Aye, Aðalgrímr and Loki were able to convince the jötnar to come to the negotiating table," Thor confirmed.
The news seemed to shock his friends speechless, and well it should, as Thor knew from all Father had said over the centuries that bringing Laufey in to talk peace was no mean feat. He was actually rather proud Loki had managed to accomplish it, even if he still had many mixed feelings on the actual process itself. Part of him still wanted to simply go to war with Jötunheimr and show them how strong Ásgarðr was, but it clashed with the other half of him which had started to change on Miðgarðr. He knew Lady Jane would be very disappointed with him if she knew any part of him sought the glory of battle, especially when it could be avoided.
If it could be avoided. Thor was still not strictly convinced it could be as he did not trust Laufey to hold true to his word. At least he knew Loki well enough to know his brother would not easily be taken in by the jötunn king. Nay, Loki was far too distrustful and suspicious at the best of times for that.
"So, 'tis true then," Lady Sif stated, fists clenching. "Loki means to give the Casket of Ancient Winters back to Laufey to use as he will against Ásgarðr or any other Realm."
Thor frowned. "Who told you that?"
"Heimdallr knew some of it."
"Clearly not enough. If the Casket is to be returned, its powers will be greatly reduced in order to ensure it cannot be used again as such."
"Laufey will never agree to that," Fandral said, looking genuinely worried.
"He may have to, Mother and Uncle Vé have told me that without the Casket, Jötunheimr will die," Thor explained. "Indeed, the Realm is already deteriorating from what I have been told."
"Die?" Volstagg questioned. "How can a Realm die?"
"Seiðr," Hogun answered, rising to his feet.
"Aye," Thor confirmed.
"I do not follow," Fandral admitted.
"There are legends, ancient legends I had always assumed to be nothing but tales," Hogun began. "They speak of seiðr so old 'tis part of a Realm itself, in this case Vanaheimr, of course, but they say many Realms have it. They say that without it, the Realms would wither away and die, becoming nothing but barren rocks devoid of all life."
"Seiðr keeping a Realm alive?" Lady Sif questioned in disbelief. "That sounds like something Loki would believe in."
"According to Mother, Father thinks it may be true as well," Thor said carefully, knowing he probably should not mention the truth of the Óðinnforce, given how unknown it seemed to be.
"Why would such information be considered a legend?" Fandral asked. "It hardly seems worthy of that status."
"The stories do not merely state that," Hogun explained. "They go on to speak of individuals, of seiðberandi powerful enough to feel Vanaheimr's own seiðr and use its power to do wonderful or terrible things. Those seiðberandi are attributed with the best and worst of Vanaheimr's history and myths. There are also other legends of one yet to come, a seiðmadr of such great seiðr and power he will be chosen by the Nine Realms themselves and blessed by the Norns with an unparalleled connection to the Yggdrasill."
"Ah, now that is an actual legend," Volstagg laughed.
Hogun simply tilted his head once in acknowledgement.
