Visitation

by kalimecat

Loki has returned to Asgard and is imprisoned for his crimes. While in prison he has the occasional visitor, will the love of others bring back the fallen prince or is he truly too far gone?

9. Sigyn

A/N Hello Readers! Once again thank you all so much for your encouragement with your reviews, favorites and follows. Your words are always appreciated and your enthusiasm about the story makes it all the more grand to write. This chapter took a while to write and it kinda ended up going on a tangent. It started to get longer and longer, so I consider it a part one. It is a transitional chapter that will lead to a more exciting next installment. t it was written based on a request of a faithful reader. Priestess of Freya this ones for all readers happy reads and writes and God bless

Lady Sigyn didn't know why she had felt thus inclined to return back to the dying queen's bedside after Mistress Eir had dismissed them all and specifically sent her to go and tell the royal family that the queen's last moments were drawing near. Perhaps it was because of the promise she had given Crown Prince Thor earlier in the day.She had promised the eldest son of Odin that she would sit with the queen during what could be her fin hours. Now that the queen's end had come she had done nothing, but leave. True she had left under the instruction of the great healer, Lady Eir, she was going to tell the royal family, that the all-mother was fading, but still she had a made a promise that she would not leave.

Perhaps it was because she didn't want to see the queen die alone. What if while all the healers and chambermaids and waiting gentlewomen rushed out to announce to the household that their beloved Queen Frigga would no doubt soon take her last breaths this very night, the queen actually died? Was she to have her soul depart into Valhalla without feeling the touch of a loved one's hand on her brow or clasping her fingers? Was she not to hear the soothing words of whispered goodbyes or even the sweet old funeral hymn to be sung in her ear as a send off? Sigyn had been there to sing to her aged grandmother when she took her last breaths. All of her family had gathered around the frail old woman's bedside. Her oldest aunt took a lyre and set down by the bed and struck the cords to the tune then all 18 of her closest relatives sang the tearful words like a final lullaby. Of course Queen Frigga would rather have her family by her side to sing the song, but still... she was almost family, she had almost be the queen's daughter-in-law, and someone needed to be in the room, to at least open the window so that her soul could have a clean exit. That was a long time held tradition in Asgard. The Asgardian's believed that if the window wasn't open and the soul could not escape to go to Valhalla it would become trapped in the building for a century or more. A shiver ran up Lady Sigyn's spine as she thought of all the creepy tales she used to hear as a child about such unfortunates. No, no she could not allow such a thing to happen to her queen, after all Frigga had been such a generous ruler to the people of Asgard, she had been such a gracious mistress, such a loving wife and doting mother, surely she deserved to take her place in the ever bright halls of Valhalla and not roam the palace halls in turmoil as a ghost.

Perhaps Sigyn returned to the queen's chambers for the simple fact that she did not want to be responsible to report to Prince Thor that his mother wasn't going to make it through the night. She thought of his beautiful blue eyes, eyes that he had inherited from Frigga. He had been so weary this morning, but still he had stayed by his mother's side refusing to leave her until he was sure another was able to watch over her. How could she tell him such painful news. How could she tell the great king that his wife of more than 3000 years was no more.

She walked back to the queen's chambers. The room was more dimly lit than before, as if a few candles had been blown out. The curtain rustled and she heard soft footsteps creep across the carpet of the queen's room, but she saw no one in there. She heard whispering. It was low and indistinguishable. She couldn't make out the words. Perhaps it was simply the wind, the lady in waiting tried to assure herself, then she remembered part of the reason she was coming back to the queen's bedroom, was because the window had not been opened and that was not the proper ritual in the presence of one dying. Sigyn stepped closer to the golden door and peered her head in. She thought she saw a shadow. The young blonde-maiden nearly jumped out of her skin. Was it as the legends had always said was the queen's soul trapped and trying to get out but unable to being that the balcony doors were slammed shut only to keep out the noise of the rowdy citizens who clamored just outside the palace gates.

Sigyn gulped feeling fright race up her spine. She brought her pastel yellow painted nails up to her moist pink lips and nervously started to bite down on them. For a moment she thought to go into the queen's bedroom, perhaps just open the window and let the spirit flee, but the thought was to eerie for the noblewoman to bear.

She looked again. Maybe she had seen wrong. Yes, she encouraged herself, she had to be such thoughts were preposterous, there was nothing there. The queen had to still be alive she'd only been gone a minute. She was simply nervous and on edge thinking of the queen's life. She breathed with the new rationale firmly planted in her mind. She held her breath and puffed out tanned and rouge painted cheeks and counted to three, but she was to scared to open her golden eyes on three. With cheeks still puffed out and eyes still squeezed shut she counted to ten and then she peeled her eyelids open to peer back into the royal room. "Nothings there, nothings there," she muttered to herself as she made her amber eyes survey the bedchamber once more. She was almost convinced. She was about to take a sigh of relief when she detected the shadow once again it's tall hunched form loomed over the queen's still body menacingly, like some type of dreadful reaper come to harvest. Sigyn trembled she started to call for the guards, but what could the guards do if the lovely female ruler's time was coming to an end even if it was untimely. She noticed the shadow, it was not at all how she remembered the old scary stories had described it. The figure was tall, willow, lanky it was thin looking it was almost gaunt. The sinister shadow turned it's head into the candle light as the bony hand reached into Frigga's golden nightstand. Sigyn stared in horror only to see the sharp angled features of the shadow.

Lady Sigyn gasped and couldn't help when she nearly screamed "Loki!" the golden-locked young woman had to clamp her hand over her mouth to keep herself from screaming and alerting the household. She wrestled with herself. Part of her wanting the run in panic and alert the palace guards. Another part of her felt faint. She backed out of the doorway of the queen's domicile. She slammed her back against the shiny gold walls, her breath hitched to the point of hyperventilation. She shook her head in disbelief. How was this possible? Loki was imprisoned; he was locked in the deepest recesses of the dungeon there was no way he could have escaped. She shook her head. Surely her own weariness from being at the queen's side, her own grief and fear of losing the beloved monarch was playing tricks with her mind. Sigyn tried to convince herself of such things, but she was failing miserably at such attempts. Should she call for the guards? Finally she forced herself to come up and lean away from the wall. She still had both hands firmly clamped around her mouth to keep even a syllable from escaping out of her lips. She shut her eyes as she brought her lovely blonde-haired head from around the corner to glance inside the queen's bedchamber once more. Cautiously she peaked one hazel eye open at a time. The shadowy figure had vanished.

Sigyn brought trembling sandy hands away from her rosebud pink lips as she gazed in searching for any sign of Prince Loki. She looked left and right, her wide-set amber eyes roaming all around the still and peaceful bedroom, no sign of the the image she'd thought she'd scene. Like a skittish cat, she'd hiked up her long sunset hued gown and ran into the room. She went to the queen's side. She touched her hand, it was dead cold and stiff as a board, Sigyn lowered herself gently to her knees and placed her head on the queen's chest listening for the rhythm of a heart beat. There was none. She was lifeless, cold. Dead.

"Your majesty?" Sigyn's gentle voice called sweetly to the queen. "Your majesty!" she cried shaking an icy a prone figure. Lady Sigyn shook her head with disbelief. "No your highness! No!" the golden-haired young woman screamed as she clutched the queen's icy skin. Had Loki simply come into the queen's room to finish the job. Was he truly so evil that he wouldn't allow the her to die in peace? Was he truly such a despicable being that he had actually wanted his own mother dead? Was this the man she once loved? Was he really a monster? The thoughts tumbled through her head while tears threatened to spill forth from her beautiful hazel eyes. "Oh your majesty," Sigyn choked out pitifully, "how could Loki...your own son..." Sigyn started to cry, "I'm so sorry," she muttered. "Rest in peace, my queen," Sigyn finally managed to offer as she brought her small pink lips to kiss the queen's jerked her head back noting the rough, gravelly feeling on her lips. She frowned as she still felt tears rolling down her cheeks. She swiped her hand over her pink painted lips and looked at the particles that were on her hand. She noted the dried, crusted looking flower petals. "What is this?" Sigyn questioned as her observed how the dust fine flower dried petals were spread all across the ruby-red satin bed sheets that covered the queens unmoving form. Then suddenly, the dusting of flower petals that had been sprinkled over Queen Frigga's body started to glow.

At first the glow started off small. It was a tiny simmering dull glow, like the final embers the burned on the logs of a fire. Then the ashes of the mystical flower's petals started to burn brighter. The light emitted from them blinding and white like the radiant first rays of Asgard's sun when it was first rising. It's illumination was so dazzling and radiant that it took over Queen Frigga's whole body. Lady Sigyn stumbled backward away from the bed. She had to shield her eyes from the piercing shine. She tripped over one of the vase's of flowers that lined the floor of the queen's bedchamber.

The blonde haired maiden stared up gaping in awe at the brilliant golden light that spiraled about in elaborate pattern above her head. Sigyn's mouth gaped as she saw the glittering particles come back together to a symbol the shape of a glowing flower over her head. The light flooded the once dark room. It spiraled off in the air like the flowing branches of a stream. The magic filled the chamber and its power seemed to push Lady Sigyn from the room. She watched as the ever flowing magic spin around Frigga until the queen was floating in the air the glowing gold light encircling her like horizontal vortex. For several minuted the royal woman was suspended in mid-air, her body limp, her hands and arms flopping at her side and her head hanging back as her whole being started to shine. Sigyn was on her bottom staring up gaping mouth at the sight before her as the light shot forth from the queen's fingers, the light flowed into her nose and mouth as if she were drinking and breathing in milk and honey. Sigyn scuttled backward toward the wall horrified and in awe of what she was beholding. The light burned brighter. It shone forth like an unbridled burst of sunshine in the palace corridors that were dark and still out of respect for the ailing queen. The blonde waiting gentlewoman of the female ruler of Asgard, curled herself in a ball next to the wall fearful the illumination would consumer her. She could feel heat coming from the glow, but actually the heat wasn't burning like a raging wildfire that tore through the wilderness, it was the inviting warmth of a spring day. Some moments passed, and finally, Sigyn had the presence of mind to pull herself from her fetal position crouch and look around. The room was no longer a blaze with the supernatural illumination. The room was now still, untouched as if nothing had taken place. Sigyn looked around, she couldn't control the fact that her teeth were chattering and her hands were shaking. She managed to pull her back off the wall, but she couldn't seem to make her legs work well enough to bring herself to her feet. She crawled across the floor through the flowers and candles and card and assorted prayer beads and made her way to the queen's king-sized bed. "Y-your...your majesty?" Sigyn posed quiet as a mouse from her hands and knees to scared to actually look up. There was no response. "My queen?" Lady Sigyn offered daring to raise gold eyes to peer over the bed sheets. Sigyn cautiously reached out war colored fingers. She drew then back in again as she drew in a sharp breath fearful to touch the wife of Odin after what she had just seen.

Sigyn dashed down the hall, she was nearly running in a full sprint from the queen's bedchamber to find Prince rushed down the corridor to the Crown Prince's chamber. She frantically started to bang on the door. "Prince Thor! Prince Thor!"the hazel eyed blonde maiden called as she pounded furious on the golden door that had the symbol of two twin snakes intertwining. She had seen him briefly in the wee hours of the morning when he'd stopped by to check on Frigga. "My prince, my prince, come quick," she pleaded abruptly at the door. "It's the queen...Frigga... she...something has happened!" Sigyn exclaimed desperately. "Sire!" she called in earnest, not understanding why she was not getting an already large gold shaded irises dilated as she noticed whose door she had knocked on... Loki's.

Sigyn staggered backward away from the gilded door. She shook her head. She must have just gone there by instinct. It was a force of habit. She knew the path so well from their time many times had she gone to Loki's chambers? She couldn't give an exact number...she'd lost 'd shared his bed so often. During the course of their decade long courtship she now thought it was about all they had shared. She felt something knot in the pit of her stomach. Her mind instantly flooded with overwhelming memories of their times together. Her hands reaching up to grab fists full of his raven locks. Her back pressed against golden bookcase as he felt his cold hands sliding down her back and thighs as her hastened to undress her and unlace her corset. She felt the smooth satin sheets of his king-sized bed caress her nude flesh. She experienced the flavor of Loki's silver tongue on her own once again. She licked her lips instinctively as she breathed in the crisps burst of fresh lime. She inhaled his cologne once again, it was a poignant fragrance like sea and night sky after a snowfall, it was the smell of smoldering myrrh and magic. It filled her senses the was it did all those times before. She remembered the way her feverish fingers traced over the contours of the muscle in his chest, and back, the way he moved was with the precision as he was executing one of his spell. She heard their heart rates starting the thud at the same time and how every kiss and caress from him to her made her moan and squeal anticipation and pleasure. She heard herself call his name in ecstasy, with longing, in love. Then he returned saying her name with abandon. Sigyn shook herself from her day dreams.

She gasped and pressed her back against the wall opposite Loki's door. She covered her trembling baby rosebud pink lips and slid down the golden wall to the floor. The fair-haired courtier covered her face with her palm doing the best she could to contain her tears. The last part had been pure fantasy. He never said her name. He never looked her in the eyes, he never even lingered in the bed after the act, she never woke up to find him lying beside her sleeping with his arm around her let alone was there a chance for pillow talk where they could confess secrets to one another.

He never ever said her name. Sigyn bit her lip as the reality dawned on her once again. She couldn't help but allow the water to bubble up from her eyes as she remembered the alarming fact once more. No he never said her name in the times they'd entwined themselves, rather he called another's...Dagmar.

"I don't see why you're so upset?" Sigyn shrugged as she sat down on the day bed in the salon in Loki's bedchamber. The festivities were only just dying down, but Loki had slipped away to his room for the night, claiming when his brother and father questioned him that his wounded leg was bothering him. Sigyn had followed behind him, thinking that perhaps he would need help or need a bandage change as he prepared for bed.

Loki stood near the hearth, he had placed his cane to the side now using the wall and mantle that stuck out from above the fireplace as a crutch. His shoulders trembled he looked down at the fireplace. He tossed his hand out sparking flames on the kindling and glowered down and the fire. Meanwhile, Sigyn distracted herself playing with the pendulum on Loki's coffee table. She pulled one of the balls back and watched intently as the 4 balls in the center stayed in place while the one of the farthest end moved in time and proportion to the ball she had pulled.

"Don't see why I'm so upset?" Loki asked snarling as he turned toward her. His lip curled with repulsion as he looked at her. She was a lovely creature, her hair looked like golden wheat heaped in great bundles, her skin was warm colored like the sands on the beach, her eyes the color of a honey comb and her lips were always puckered into a kissing shape, but for all her attractive qualities her inability to perceive anything besides that which was explicitly explained to her in the most elementary of terms was most unappealing. He growled balling his hands into white knuckled fist. Sigyn managed to bring her honey colored irises up so that they were no longer focusing on the toy. She imagined she must have looked like a naughty little girl with her hands in the cookie jar before supper. Loki was protective over his trinkets. He gave her a stern look and she instantly plucked her anxious fingers away from the shiny metal balls and folded them in her lap. "After the way Father presented Thor with Mjolnir and kept going on and on about how he was so proud of him," Loki paused sucking in a sharp breath as Sigyn watched his shoulders roll trying to release the tension that was working its way into his back "and then...then that grand celebration 7 nights of feasting in his honor and then Father asks me to make a speech...you should give your brother some honor!" Loki railed vehemently, picking up the goblet of wine that he had set on the mantle and hurling it into the flames. "You can't see why I'm upset," the emerald eyed prince asked his tone was a scathing mockery of her aptitude.

Sigyn dropped her eyes for a moment feeling foolish. She knew Loki was jealous of Thor, but she never quite understood why. Thor was a mighty warrior, the mightiest in the realm as it was shaping up to be. But Loki was a fine enchanter. The most powerful in all the realm. Thor was incredibly handsome, he was strapping, and striking, rugged and manly, but Loki was no less attractive in her eyes, actually he was more so, he was sleek, and charming, polished and mysterious. They were night and day, but neither one was better...they were just different. She didn't know why he couldn't see that without being jealous.

She hadn't thought he was upset about anything. During the ceremony Loki beamed with pride at his brother. Afterward, he kept telling Thor how he was so worthy, but now behind closed doors he was riddled with envy. "Your brother performed a great feat Loki," Sigyn pointed out her eyes still downcast not wanting to meet his penetrating and heated green-eyed gaze. It only lead to her feeling like a simpleton for even thinking she could point out something he hadn't thought of. "He thinks your proud of him," she insisted, "Surely you think that he is deserving to be rewarded..." Sigyn went on.

Loki growled low in his throat, he snapped his head in the other direction. "This isn't about Thor and his worthiness," He responded through gritted teeth.

"It isn't?" the blonde-haired noblewoman questioned. A look of pure confusion on her face.

"NO!" he shot back abruptly. Sigyn flinched. "Shocking isn't it to think something could actually be about me," He uttered with a sarcastic voice that was calmer but still no less impatient.

"You didn't wish to make the speech?" sunny haired woman drew a conclusion, but couldn't help that it sounded like a question. Loki sighed and drew his hands to his temple trying to keep his temper under control. He leaned over the hearth and gripped the mantle so that his body, the wall and the floor formed a perfect right triangle. "Oh Loki, your brother was so happy about it. I could tell it meant a lot to him to have you say all those nice things," she expressed taking tentative steps closer her golden train slowly dragging across the lush green carpet.

"Oh and we mustn't disappoint dear Thor, mustn't we," he replied as he closed his eyes and pressed his ivory forehead against the black marble stone that formed the mantle.

"I didn't just mean it like that," Sigyn quickly qualified and started to laugh nervously once she was directly behind him, "All of Asgard loves your speeches, you're their silver-tongued prince," she added perkily with a wink. "They did applaud so after you had finished," she pointed out.

Loki's scowl deepened. Sigyn was a fool. The applause was for Thor, for the mighty thunderer and now the wielder of the magnificent hammer Mjolnir, they did not cheer for him.

Prince Loki managed to smirk despite himself. She couldn't help, but be what she was and she was a simpleminded imagined how much easier it would have been to have this conversation with Dagmar. She could actually hold a dialogue that could cool his distemper, she could actually offer words that made him feel worthy, made him feel as she so often put it, "spectacular" He heard Dagmar's sweet mellow voice whispering the words in his ear, but then he noticed that it wasn't his oldest friend speaking with him, it was the woman who he'd been courting for sometime now. Her mousey voice weaseled its way back to being the focal point of his attention. "You know I think your father wanted to honor you by allowing you to give the speech, I mean it is a tremendous honor, normally the King would do such things, but he gave the privilege to..."

"Oh yes," Loki began his smirk transforming almost instantly into a sneer, "my honor should simply come from boosting Thor's ego."

"No I didn't mean it like that," Sigyn offered throwing out her hand to catch his slender shoulder.

"My gift only to be used to exalt my brother," he twisted from the light hold of her soft and tanned finger tips

"Don't feel that way," the courtier cried.

"What other way can I feel?" Loki retorted spinning around to face her. Her eyes were a lovely shade of hazel that looked like the sun reflecting off a lake made of pure honey. They were wide and trembling, she felt so inadequate she didn't know what to say, she didn't know what words he was looking for. What gesture could she do to serve as a bandage for his wounded prided. Sigyn thought of times when she'd caught Loki and Lady Dagmar talking in the courtyard. She knew Dagmar from childhood same as she knew Loki and Thor. She knew the Vanir maiden was the daughter of the Prime Minister of Vanaheim and had become very close to Prince Loki over the years. She often heard him refer to the raven haired Vanir woman as his best friend. Sometimes she'd catch him slumped beneath a tree in the middle of the day, she's start to go to him, but before she could Lady Dagmar would appear. She was truly a beautiful woman. She'd sit down next to him rubbing his shoulders. "You must feel like a shadow she'd whisper to him. He'd start to protest, but she'd still him, somehow, Sigyn was never sure how Dagmar was able to quiet the mouth of Asgard infamous silver-tongued prince. "You aren't a shadow...you are a star. And somewhere every star shines as a sun," she told him and Sigyn would watch as Loki's troubled expression would soften as Dagmar's pomegranate lips planted a sweet kiss on his forehead. Sigyn sighed now just as she did then, she was not blessed with the gift of words, she knew Loki was searching for her to say something reassuring like the encouragement Lady Dagmar had given, but her tongue was slow. She merely batted back wide gold eyes, trying to think of something intelligent to say to her wise prince.

Loki grew annoyed as he stared into her large eyes that did nothing to ease his self doubts. He turned from her sharply and snorted an angry breath from between the narrow nostrils of his perfect pointy nose. "Odin treat's me as if I'm Thor's scribe," Loki spat shaking his head and breaking his gaze with hers. "Just record your brother's deed Loki," Loki muttered to himself more than to her as he started to pace about. "And was I not right there by his side?' Loki demanded. "Was a not fighting and toiling willing to lay down my life as well.. did I not shed my blood, have my own bones broken," He growled a wild look in his green eyes as he turned to look at the lovely golden-haired maiden he was courting. "He could have at least commended me before the people," Loki choked out.

"It's almost your brother's 1000th birthday," Sigyn interrupted,"It will be his manhood ceremony, perhaps your father did it for that reason," she posed, she placed her delicate finger's on Loki's back. She could feel him trembling with fury and rage through the golden latches on his breast-plate. Loki didn't respond, his jade pupils fixated on the flame she watched as the fire grew and swelled with his ragged breathing. "Perhaps your father will give you something great for your 1000th birthday as well," Sigyn posed once again she reached out her hand to clasp his shoulder. She smiled a beaming and radiant grin at him. Loki kept a scowl etched on his thin lips despite her sunny expression.

'Perhaps," the younger prince of the realm responded dismissively. He waved his hand as if he were shooing her away like she was a pesky fly that kept buzzing annoyingly around his ear.

"He will," she encouraged pulling the hand that had dismissed her toward herself and stroking her sandy thumb over his creamy knuckles, even his bony fingers had tension mounting there. She toyed with his fingers trying to get them to loosen up. His wrist was tight. "You know, hammers are such an obsolete weapon to receive," Sigyn went on,

Loki's mouth dropped open as he looked at the lovely golden-haired maiden with disbelief. She smiled absent-mindedly of how utterly clueless she truly was. "What?" Prince Loki asked with disgust slipping his thin fingers from being intertwined with her's.

"I'm serious," she went on laughing. She was so sure of her fashion forward senses. "Hammer usage is really going out of style," she elaborated. "It's such a big bulky weapon," she continued now having fun with the conversation. "You know my best friend, Liv's cousin's, husband works at the forgery," she waved her hand looking for Loki to nod along with interest at her little tidbit. The green-eyed prince remained open mouth with disbelief at the girls words. She leaned over into his ear, "Well he told her, that the newest weapon that they are trying to promote for the games is going to be whips," she whispered it and the giggled a squeaking giggle into his ear. Loki jerked his raven haired head away from her annoyingly high-pitched guffaw.

"Sigyn, have you any idea what Mjolnir is?" Loki asked his tone harsh.

"Yes," she immediately responded wide smile still spread across her pretty face. "The hammer," expressed. "I find it so funny how men name their weapons like they are their babies," she teased.

"No, Sigyn" Loki closed his emerald eyes and his voice rippled with agitation. She knew that tone well. He often had it when they were speaking. Sigyn's warm colored cheeks began to flush. She hated the fact that she always came out sounding so foolish when they spoke. Why hadn't she paid more attention during her lessons. Perhaps then she'd know the things he'd so desperately wanted her to know. He'd tell her a riddle or ask her opinion on a passage from a book he'd just read and she supposed her responses weren't satisfactory. She'd try to guess his riddles. He liked to tell them during banquets and other functions. It was always a good source of amusement for the delegates trying to guess one of his notorious puzzles. She'd sit their mulling over the facts and clues and then she'd finally shout out something. Loki would shoot her a glare or he'd wince in embarrassment at what she had said.

"Mjolnir is one of the most powerful items in all the Nine Realms!" Loki explained throwing his arms out a he elaborated. "With the Mjolnir at his side Thor is practically invincible. The hammer has incredible capabilities," Loki went on he turned from her. "There are only a handful of relics that match its might," the green-eyed prince stated blowing an exasperated breath out of his mouth. "Only Gungnir, is more powerful than the hammer."

"Oh," was all the blonde woman could find to say. Loki rolled his eyes still keeping his back turned to her. Sometimes her ignorance was almost insufferable. "Perhaps Odin will give you one of the relics of equal power, hmm?" Sigyn prompted as she approached him and walked around to face him. She loved looking into his gorgeous gem colored eyes. She smiled as she brought her tanned hand up to rub his cool ivory cheek.

Prince Loki sneered and turned his head at an angle so that her warm manicured hands were no longer touching him. Sigyn frowned her empty palm still outstretched. "That would imply that Thor and I were equal in my father's eyes," Loki sighed his thin straight shoulders falling in defeat.

"Loki," Sigyn started.

"Father handing Thor Mjolnir is practically his way of proclaiming Thor his heir," Loki snapped he clenched his fist together tight at his side.

"Well I mean he is the first-born," Sigyn added too quickly. She regretted it immediately. She spoke without thought all too often. "I didn't mean it like that!" she shouted to cover for herself.

"It's fine Sigyn," Loki began he turned to her giving her a small and weary smile, "Like you said earlier...it's really nothing for me to be upset about," Loki stated as he straightened himself up and smoothed his garments.

'Loki, no I'm sorry, I do understand..."Lady Sigyn quirked her features. She wiggled her eyebrows friskily, before she moved in front of him and trailed a finger from the center of his chest to toying with his Adam's apple. "Perhaps I can give you something great now," she teased and licked her lips lustily as she tugged on his outer tunic. Her hands moved skillfully as she started to unclasp the hinges on his arm plates and the golden shoulder guards.

"It's late Sigyn," Loki mentioned rubbing his eyes.

"I know...everyone is sleep, so we won't be disturbed," the light-haired maiden giggled as she slipped the rest of his armor off of him. "Remember when your brother walked in," she added as smiled wrapping her warm hands around his neck and positioning his fingers so that they were holding her around the backside.

"Awkward," Loki added feeling her moist mouth on his, young mage rolled his deep green eyes as he felt her hands slink around his neck and his fingers run through his slicked back black hair. "Sigyn I'm really not in the mood," He insisted shoving her hands from around his slim neck and back down at her sides.

Sigyn allowed a perfect pout to form over her small pink wet lips she let out a mewing sound that reminded Loki of w a whining kitten. 'Oh?" she purred playfully. She laughed like as she wriggled her fingers up and under the prince's tunics. She tickled him feeling his firm abdomen. "Why not? Huh, Huh?" she questioned pressing her body against his and planting sweet and yet seductive kisses on his nose and then on his grimacing lips."You'll feel better," the hazel eyed noblewoman implored him running her skillful hands over his body and allowing her tongue to play on the lobe of his ear. She continued grinding on him slowly until she felt the bulge come in his clothes. She laughed teasingly talking with her plump pink lips against his thin mouth, "See, you feel better already," she giggled making a serpentine pattern with her hand and trailing it down his torso until she was stroking over his endowment.

Early into her courtship with Loki, Sigyn had begun to feel threatened by Lady Dagmar. Sigyn never considered herself a bright girl, but she wasn't so dull that she couldn't see Loki's affection for the Vanir noblewoman. When she came to visit at the palace Loki was completely absorbed with her. She saw the way he watched her, the way his cheeks would slightly burn when she touched him and laughed in his ear. She noticed how they could talk forever and he seemed completely enthralled in the conversation. When she talked she felt like half the time Loki was hardly listening. The way the prince looked at the raven haired Vanir maiden was a look of such longing of such sweet love. A look that Loki had not given her. She shared with her best friend, Liv her fears about Lady Dagmar and Prince Loki. She loved Loki and she didn't want to lose him. Liv advised that she had to distinguish herself from Dagmar. She had to show Prince Loki that she could offer him something that Dagmar Audricdottir couldn't. She did love Loki. She wanted to give Loki something that Dagmar couldn't...or Dagmar wouldn't. Sex. Perhaps if she gave herself to him, submitted her body to his demands and appetite, then he'd love her, long for her, want her the way he seemed to want Dagmar.

"You didn't mention my dress," the blonde-haired tanned skin noblewoman pointed out to the Prince as she felt his fingers start to immediately slide up to unbutton had a tailor-made evening dress that she had been dying to show off to the dark-haired prince. Normally, she enjoyed wearing bright pastel colors, but her mother had admonished her to start wearing the colors of the prince she was courting. She said it would show Prince Loki that she was ready to be his bride. She figured it would be a tremendous surprise for Loki to have returned from war to find her festooned in his distinguished colors. She hoped he would be oh so very pleased. She didn't think that green suited her though and green was so last decade. Of course there was always gold. Gold never went out of style. She had one of the finest tailors in all of Asgard him make a gown for her of resplendent gold. It shined like the royal palace itself. Very eye-catching. Of course she was a little nervous to wear it, typically, Queen Frigga wore gorgeous gold dresses at high functions of court. Yes it was a risky move, slightly taboo, but fashion often favored the boldest, she reminded herself as she strolled across the floor making her way to Loki. Besides her own mother, Lady Ingrid wife of Arn, had encouraged it. She said it was only natural that she should try to emulate her future mother-in-law. She told her the queen would be very impressed and see her as a good match for Loki. She couldn't help but relish in the way all the other maidens of court were green with envy as they saw how she glistened. She did so love being the center of attention. Of course the envious compliments that the daughters of nobles had had to allow slip off their tongues for courtesies sake were less important than the compliments she longed for Loki to lavish her with. Loki had yet to come to her tonight. She had suspected that he would come to her after dinner when the dancing had begun, but still she longed to hear his silver-tongue tell her how fabulous she looked. The gown had pure emerald stones stitched around the neckline plunging and forming so that they'd draw the eyes to her chest, she had bought a long silk, black sash to tie around dainty waistline to accentuate her figure. The belt was bedazzled with lovely, large emerald stones.

"Nice," Loki said as his emerald eyes never even glanced down at her lovely garbs. He hadn't even attempted to slather her with the lovely words that his silver tongue could wield. He knew with Sigyn lofty words were a waste, she would need a dictionary to figure out more than half of them.

"Does it please you?" the blonde woman pressed as Loki roughly backed her toward the daybed.

"Mmm hmm," he groaned pushing her back on the bed and looming over her licking his before diving in to take her mouth furiously. His fingers fiercely rubbing over her body as he started to lift up her skirt and gave the fabric a firm grasp popping the buttons in the back of the gown. Lifting one of her legs up to wrap around his slender hips while swifly conquering her neckline.

"Oooh," she soothed, " be gentle,"she prompted rubbing her hands through his hair. "We can go nice and slow," she encouraged. Usually when they made love, Loki was quick and somewhat rough with her. He acted as if he was anxious to get it done. Not that she was unsatisfied after their sessions, not it was quite the opposite, he was possessive and ravished her until her body was weak, but still she longed for the tender intimacy of a slow and steady night when they could lie in each others arms and whisper secrets."Please?" she panted as she placed his slim yet strong fingers around her waist. She walked him back toward the daybed in the salon. Soon he was sitting on the bed Sigyn pulling up her dress as she straddled his hips. "please," she continued as she felt his cold hands run over her thighs and bottom.

"Fine," Loki growled dominantly, instantly flipping their position so that he was on top of her. In the blink of an eye their clothes were off. Her whole being yearned to be touched by his magic once again. The spell that his hands and lips cast over her sent her writhing with pleasure. The use of his magic wand left her completely helpless.

"Loki," she breathed coming up for air as he continued to suck on her neck while creating a rhythm for them.

"Yes," He murmured his mouth still pressed against her tanned flesh. His voice was thick with lust as his felt his heart rate quicken as she moved beneath him.

"You're grrrreatt!" she called biting into his shoulder to keep herself from screaming too loudly. Loki looked up at her his green eyes dark his smiled sensually before conquering her mouth. "You're a great lover," she breathed nearly hyperventilating as he touched on all her pleasure points. "Ahhh," she gasped, "Gr-gr-great wizard," she expressed as he body melted into his magic coursing through her system. She grabbed at his back as it arched up not wanting to disconnect from him. " A great prince," she swiveled her hips rolling on top of him. She ran her tongue from her nose to his navel. Loki's eyes glittering green eyes rolled back in his head pleased with the way she played with his sensitive milky skin. "I'm sorry you didn't get the hammer," she stated between breaths feeling him kiss her chest sweetly. "But... But...ohhh...I give you myself... am I enough?"she panted, "I...ahhh...I love you," she moaned as they climaxed.

He pulled her down wrapping her tight in an embrace, "Say it again, my love," he begged of her feeling her delicate butterfly kiss on his gaping mouth. "How I've longed to hear you say that, beautiful one,"Loki confessed his thumb gently stroking her jawline.

Sigyn's heart swelled in all the times they'd made love never had he been so worshiping of her. Never had he doted on her so. "OHH, Loki y-y-you're enough...for me...Am I for you?" she posed the question again tenderly caressing his face."Oh Lo-l=l=loki," she stuttered as he dived deeper into her. "I love you," she breathed her body relaxing and melting into him, by the end.

"you...you know you are," Loki smiled into her flesh. He started to make slow kisses from below her bellybutton, "Were I a pauper." he began stopping when he got to her bellybutton and digging his tongue in there, making her squirm with delight at the way he toyed in her hotspot. "And I needed to beg on the street I'd, be as rich as I am now if you loved me," he swore to her nuzzling his face against her sweet smelling body.

"Were you the princess," he went on tenderly sucking on her left breast making her moan. "And I your lowly stable boy," he panted as he peppered her right breast with sweet pecks and nips. "It would me enough," he breathed his heat pounding as he poured out the confession. "To know I pleased you," he panted making their lips meet and tasted her luscious tongue.

"Oh Loki!" Sigyn exclaimed tears pooling in her eyes as she forced her mouth to part from his while she looked into his gorgeous emerald eyes.

"Oh Dagmar," he whispered passionately as he laid his head down on her breast and felt her pelvis rise beneath him.

Sigyn's body froze growing rigid next to his. "Wh-what did you say?" she looked at him shaking her head. Her sensual tone becoming a murmur as she wrapped honey colored arms around herself as if trying to conceal her nakedness from him.

Loki's jade eyes, got wide. He couldn't believe he'd allowed that to come out his mouth. They'd made love countless times by now and more often than not he pictured Sigyn as Dagmar. His mind's eye replaced her golden locks with hair as dark as midnight. He envisioned her sandy body as alabaster skin. When he gazed into her liquid amber pupils he imagined starlight silver eyes shining back at him. There had even been occasions when he'd transformed Sigyn into Dagmar using his magic for his own twisted fantasy, it was a cruel an unfair game for Sigyn he knew, but she was happy and content the few times he'd done it she'd gone mad with erotic ecstasy at the sex he'd laid upon her, But never had he actually let Dagmar's name leak from his mouth. He smiled smugly, as he looked into her trembling hazel eyes. He never wanted to see her cry. He ran his hands through her blonde tresses. "I said 'Oh Damn More," he purred into her ear as he fooled her gullible mind for the time being.

Lady Sigyn felt the tears slowly trickle down her painted cheek. For a moment Loki's magic worked on her. It convinced her of his lies as truth long enough for her to continue in their love making. So many times she'd given herself to him. Shame and embarrassment engulfed her once again. Thinking of the way Loki broke off their courtship and had their engagement annulled.

"Stitch it nice and tight around the waist Elke," Sigyn commanded her families faithful older servant woman who was working busily with Sigyn's mother and older sister to make her gown for the banquet to announce Loki and Sigyn's soon to be nuptials.

"You must wear green to your engagement announcement, it is Loki's color," Lady Ingrid admonished her daughter.

"No Sigyn," her sister immediately chimed in as she brought over a pink chiffon drape and held it next to Sigyn's glowing honey colored skin. "Once you and Prince Loki are married you will always have to appear in his colors at all the royal functions. Enjoy your last moments of freedom as an unmarried woman and wear your favorite color...pink," she teased wiggling the pretty fabric in front of her.

"Maybe I'll wear both,' Sigyn compromised between the two. "Pink and green go well together," she winked and her and her sister burst into fitful giggles.

"Alright, alright that's enough you two," Ingrid chided her two bubbly blonde haired daughters. "You must hold still Sigyn or Elke and I will stick you," the lady of the house of Arn winked at her plump maidservant and both women pulled out their needles and playfully poked at Sigyn's outer thighs underneath her skirt. The four women continued snickering giddy over the fact that in a few short months Sigyn would be marrying into the royal family. All of a sudden the door to the sewing room, flew open and slammed against the cobblestone wall. The four women whipped their heads up to stare at Sigyn's father who was dripping wet and soggy from a ride in the rain from the palace.

"Arn!" Sigyn's mother gasped seeing her burly redhead husband drenched head to toe.

"Father!" both daughters expressed Sigyn jumped down from the pedestal she was standing on getting her alterations for the dress and ran to her father's side. Her older sister, Rana followed suit.

"Arn you are dripping wet," her mother fussed over the obvious observation. 'We must get you out of these things," she went on trying to pry the sopping cloak from her husband's back. "Elke go and fetch some of Master Arn's fresh clothes," she instructed the maid. Elke nodded dutifully and started out the door, but Lord Arn raised his red and hairy knuckled fist to stop her. "Arn say something dear," Ingrid called worriedly to her husband. His brown eyes looked stricken. "What happened? What happened when you went to talk with the king?" she asked. "Were you able to settle on a dowry price for Sigyn?" she inquired busily.

"Prince Loki wants to break the betrothal arrangement," Lord Arn announced his eyes staring at Sigyn sorrowfully as he found a chair and slumped down in it.

"What?" Sigyn shrieked

"That's why Odin called me to palace tonight," Sigyn's father confessed pitifully.

"That can't be true," Sigyn's mother immediately defended her daughter. "On what grounds?"

"He can't just annul the betrothal, father," protested one of Sigyn's sisters chimed in. "Even if he is a Prince of Asgard. He has to have legal grounds," she confirmed. "Our family has already entered into a Betrothal contract with the house of Odin," Rana insisted.

"Infidelity," Her father confessed.

'What no!" Sigyn shouted. "I haven't...I haven't been unfaithful to Prince Loki during our time of betrothal...I love him...I love him...I would never," the blonde bride to be countered the argument. 'Who has spread these vicious rumors about me?" she demanded.

"It's probably one of the women at court," their maid servant, Elke spoke up as she brought Lord Arn a throw to wrap around her wet shoulders.

"Greedy throne mongers is all those girls are," Sigyn's mother spat.

"It wasn't women," her father began his voice which was always burly and baritone was was rough as sandpaper. He glared at soft hazel eyed Sigyn, who seemed to be trembling. "Prince Loki has says he's seen you consorting with other men in taverns at late hours of the night," the man of the household raised a stern and questioning eye at his daughter.

"Sigyn!" Lady Ingrid squealed.

"I...I...I have only gone with Prince Loki and his friends to the tavern...I haven't gone a lone in months," Sigyn explained herself her breath hitching as she tried to explain.

'When was the last time you went, my daughter?" Her father urged.

"Oh...Oh...I can't remember now," Sigyn cried grabbing her head. "It was a while ago," she started.

"Sigyn, for the love of Asgard my child you must think. Your very reputation depends on this," Her father gripped her forcefully by the shoulders and shook her for the information.

"3 weeks ago!" she finally blurted out. "It was 3 weeks ago...it was a drinking contest being held for the ladies there," she explained her memory of the night foggy.

'Which tavern?" her father pressed.

"Elixirs...Elixirs or Wild hogs...maybe The Frothy Mug..." Sigyn stumbled over her facts as her face creased with worry. "I don't remember," she wailed. "I was drunk," she cried looked to her parents. "I was very drunk...Loki...he encouraged me to drink. It was me and Sif and Frandal's new beau...I think her name was was Adelheid and Dagmar. We were all playing...Sif can hold her liquor as well as any warrior of Asgard, Aldeheid passed out and then there was me and Dagmar... Loki was supposed to be helping us back to our rooms...I don't remember what happened,"

"Sigyn, you mean you could have been with another man and you don't even know?" asked Rana

"I was sharing a chamber with Prince Loki,"

"What?" Her mother squealed. "Why on Asgard were you sharing a chamber with him?"

"It was late and everyone was drunk," Sigyn tried to explain, "no one wanted to ride back to the palace,"

"And you mean to tell me that Prince Loki couldn't pay for you to have your own quarter in the tavern?"

"Sigyn you have slept with him?' Her father's face turned red as his thick beard.

"I...I," Sigyn stammered as she looked around at her family, the wholesome eyes of her parents, sister and even elderly Elke all gazing at her with horror. "I...I...I," she continued trying to find her tongue. "No," she blurted out a lie immediately. She sucked in her plump pink painted lips as she saw her family relax. "I...I...yes," she then confessed looking down at her shoes feeling tears well up in her eyes.

"Sigyn!" Lady Ingrid gasped bringing her hand up to cover her quivering red lips. "Sigyn! No!" she yelled with horror, "Sigyn you are not his wife!" Her mother insisted frantically waving her arms about.

"I know...I know," Sigyn admitted as tears streamed down her flushed cheeks with embarrassment, "I...I love him...I just wanted...I just..."

WAP! Her father's heavy hand flew across her cheek busting her lip open and nearly knocking her to the floor. He loomed over his her, his shoulders heaving as he watched Sigyn's older sister, Rana rush to her side and attempt to wipe the blood from the blonde young woman's quaking lip. Sigyn started openly sobbing as Rana held her by the shoulders."You are a silly slut Sigyn!" her father hollered. "You played the harlot for him?" he continued to yell as Sigyn started to weep. "He accused you of not being a virgin!" the nobleman pointed a condemning finger in his face. "And I defended you. I defended you in front of the all father saying that his son was simply spreading slander on you, I called Prince Loki a liar to his face. Do you know how steep the penalty is for me insulting him in such away?" Arn demanded of his daughter as she continued to blubber, crying on her big sister's shoulder. "Do you?" the red-bearded Viking nobleman ranted as he snatched his daughter roughly by the arm pulling her toward him. "Do you?" he demanded.

Lady Sigyn could only bring herself to answer through continuous wailing. She buried her damp face in the folds of her father's soggy surcoat. "Oh Father, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry," she pleaded hugging him tight.

"I am to face a flogging for the insult I gave his highness," Arn confessed his voice hushed and hollow.

"Father no,"

"And I was willing to do it... I was willing to endure the torture to defend you honor, Sigyn" Arn finally looked at her in the eye. "But...But...but it's true you are no maid." Lord Arn's brown eyes filled with tears himself. "You have slept with him and Heimdal knows how many others." Arn growled at his daughter as he pushed away from her.

"No father!" Sigyn ran after her father catching on to his tunic. "I've been with no other man," she protested, "I was only with Loki," she pledged tripping over herself and falling to the ground as she chased behind Lord Arn.

"How do you know! You cannot even remember the night you spent at the tavern and let's face it Sigyn you have never been very bright. You have disgraced us all!" Lord Arn told her. "You are a shame to this house," he replied.

The hazel eyed maiden looked on the ex-prince's chamber with horror. He'd disgraced her so. Causing her father to be beat, allowing her name to be dragged through the mud. She could still hear the whispers as she walked through the gardens and banquet halls, she overheard, her own best friend, Liv, mocking her one day. "Well the annulment doesn't take me by surprise, after all what use has a bee for a flower once he's sucked all the nectar out of it," Loki hardly even acknowledged her in court after that. If he did he was polite and courteous, but he acted as if he hardly knew her. It was only Queen Frigga who had taken pity on her. She'd offered her the position to be a waiting attendant to her. Queen Frigga...all of a sudden Sigyn remembered why she was ran from the hall, she had to find the king and crown prince and tell them of what she had witnessed.

---

"Loki must die!" the councilors shouted from their stands and seats with in the court.

"It'll be civil unrest, the likes of which Asgard has never known if he is allowed to live any longer!" protested Thor's cousin Thram loudly to a group of listeners.

"Justice for our Queen!" Another group of noblemen started to shout as Prince Thor rose to take the podium before the most esteemed and powerful men and women of his realm.

"The queen must be avenged!" more delegates clamored from their seats.

"My lord, Prince Thor," Lord Algrim immediately greeted the thunderer. Lord Algrim's flowing purple garbs swept across the top step of the white marble dais. He quickly made his way down the marble steps and rushed over to the strapping blonde prince's face. The expression on the Thor's face was dour and contorted. "Thank goodness you are here, sire" the elfin chamberlain stated his dark eyes wide and hopeful. The white haired high counselor gave a bow to the future king and kissed Thor's ring. He offered a nervous yet still earnest smile. "The delegates are getting restless," The skinny elfin leader of court explained rubbing his palms together, "How long until the All-father arrives..." He started to ask.

Thor raised a strong hand before his father's head of council silencing the frail looking elder. "My father is not coming," he stated simply.

"Not coming?" Algrim nearly choked. He turned around looking at the crowd of furious dignitaries. "Not coming!" he balked once more. "My lord, my lord," Algrim went on shaking his head. "This sentencing cannot be delayed another day. The people are already riotous..."

"There will be a sentencing Lord Algrim," Prince Thor confessed his massive shoulders heaved a great sigh.

"But.." Algrim stuttered out a protest.

"I will make the sentence," The eldest son of Odin announced his voice hollow as he place a mighty meaty palm on the elder;y elf's old shoulder and patted it gently before he walked up to the dias to sit upon the throne where his father so often rendered judgment. His feet felt heavy as he climbed the shining white marble staircase.

"Death for the monster!" A group of soldiers who were guarding the door began chanting raising their swords high into the air as the saw the blonde prince bold as blood, red cape drape across the alabaster throne.

"Death! Death! Death! Death!" the delegates cried as the saw their favored prince upon the throne. Thor had always been mighty in battle, never one to be shy with a blade, never one to hesitate in vanquishing a foe. Surely he would not spare the life of the slimy worthless critten who dare and try to harm his mother, not now when she truly lied at the point of death. Not now when all the Imperial City was in an uproar willing to execute judgment themselves. "Death! Death! Death!" the soldiers of Asgard continued to protest as they looked at their undefeated prince.

"Hang him!" shouted a delegate from the province of Thrace.

"Chop off his head!" cried Brunhilda, the general of the Valkyrie, mercilessly as she raised a double edge blade and slid it near her own throat.

"Stone him!" demanded the prince's cousin, Lord Thram, the head male of Frigga's clan. Thor narrowed his sapphire eyes as he looked through the crowd at Thram. Thram was much older than Thor and Loki. He was more of an uncle than a cousin. He thought of the holiday's when mother would invite her relatives to celebrate at the palace. Thram would so often boast that loki had inherited his silver-tongue from him. Loki was far more eloquent that Thram ever was, still, now Thram used the gift that he once said he shared with Loki to rally the councilors to beg for Loki's death.

'Torture that savage until he dies!" Olaf, Dagmar's intended and a noble of Vanaheim suggested boldly. The crowd continued to squabble over all the ways that Loki could die. The blonde prince listened intently his brow furrowed as his pending decision loomed over him.

"My Prince," Lord Algrim spoke up coming to stand at the muscular man's side. The old elf sighed, "i would advise that we begin now. There is enough panic...I think the people of Asgard need an answer," he encouraged. Prince Thor nodded not yet able to bring himself to talk because he was afraid of the words that would inevitably have to pass out his lips. Thor brought himself to wave his massive hand giving the royal minister permission to begin the proceedings.

"Order! Order!" Algrim began. He walked away from the the high backed throne and over to the podium. He raised his hands into the air signaling for the room full of delegates to come to attention. Slowly the voices fell from raised shouts, boisterous bellows and shrill shrieks to gentle murmurs as attention fell toward the pointy eared chief of counsel. "Lord and Ladies of Asgard we must come to order!" Lord Algrim, the Elfin chamberlain called to the nobles of the golden realm. He struck his golden gavel on the crystal podium.

"Where is Odin!" Thram, the bold relative of the queen demanded. "Time for deliberation is over!" Thram persisted throwing his cape to the side. "And the time of judgment is now!" he railed flipping a sharp, crooked dagger from a concealed sheaf inside the folds of his tunics and plunging it into the red cypress wood desk. The blade was so pointed that burrowed all the way through the other side of the desk. The hilt of the deadly instrument glistened as it was made of the purest silver mind from the from the treasure hills in the Dwarf Kingdoms. The blade of the knife was still corrode with burgundy blood of a Dwarves he had killed during the battles ages ago. The weapon had actually been a gift of pledges surrender that the Dwarf General Tali had given to the great warrior Thram. Once Thor had admired his older cousin greatly for his brutality. Lord Thram's bushy dirty blonde eyebrows narrowed as he began to carved something into the red cypress wood. It was the crude shape of heart.

"Lord Thram, the all-father is not rendering judgment tonight," the pointy eared man announced as he straightened the regal deep plum-colored sash around his waist.

"This is unacceptable!" Olaf Dirkson barked from the back of the oval-shaped, dome topped, marble walled room. "The realms suffer blow after blow and still King Odin will not simply sign for the execution of such a monster's," the furture son-in-law to the Prime Minister of Vanaheim shook his head with disgust. His mustache covered lip snarled up defiantly at Prince Thor who sat unflinching on the throne.

"The Vanir is right!" confirmed Brunhilde, the leader of the Valkyrie.

"Perhaps it is time that the council reach a decision of it's own..." petitioned one of Asgard's elders. He was frail looking man, but he still wore the medals on his tunics that had been afforded to him for his centuries of service among the Einherjar. The leaders of the golden realm grew still and one could almost hear as all the breaths were sucked in from shock. It had been more than a 1000 years since that council of Asgard had blatantly challenged the authority of the monarchy by thinking to call for an emergency vote. It was a loophole in the structure of the way the Asgard was governed. It dated back to ancient times before the realm had been unified. It came from the Einar, the 12 brothers who once ruled the feuding clans of the Aesir, after the brother's had banded together and formed one central government after a war in which the Frost Giants, Dark Elves and Troll kingdoms had banded together to destroy the blissful realm of youth and beauty. The brother's chose the youngest of them to serve as king and they served as his council. The young king was a fearless warrior, the mightiest of all his kin, but what the youthful king had in prowess for battle he lacked in wisdom on how to rule. To protect all the Aesir the brothers set in place that in times of crisis if the king struggled then the council had the right to make a verdict.

"Our king is the only one who has the right to make such a call!" insisted one of Odin's loyal friend and advisor, Lord Algrim.

"And our king does not render judgment!" protested another noble.

Thor grit his teeth and clenched his hands tight around his knee caps. He shut his eyes as he heard the continuous clamors of the members of the council. He gulped feeling as though he was being forced to swallow Mjolnir. The strapping future king rose to his feet. He took painstaking strides to approach the podium and push pass Algrim who repeatedly banged his gavel over the podium trying to quell the arguments that had once again been fueled. "Delegates of Asgard," the golden prince's booming voice echoed throughout the grand expanse of the council chamber. "I know these times are trying," he began as he saw the nobles and lords slowly lower themselves into their chairs and pews. Thor swallowed once again feeling his heart beat in his ears like the resounding drums of war that played out loud and triumphant on the battle field. Yet this was no victory march that boomed against his inner ear, no it was the sound of panic. "I know the fear and anger that you all must fear and know that I feel that pain and betrayal and anger tenfold" the blonde prince confessed to the room fool of lords and ladies, generals and dignitaries. "I know how you long for justice," he confirmed for them loudly. The viking lords cheered at the mentioning of such things. He looked out at the faces in the crowd. They were all fearful, wide-eyed and needing of an answer. He was their prince, he was their future king, they were his people in need of his protection. He knew he should be willing to do anything to protect them. To ensure the safety and the peace of the realm, that was his role. He blinked hard, shut his eyes as the sea of faces swirled about him. Shouldn't he? He knew he should. It was justice. How could a king not enact such righteousness. "And I promise you, that justice will be served," Thor swore, but the words came out slow and uneasy as if breath was being ut from his lungs as he forced his handsome lips to move to utter such awful syllables. The crowd roared with cheers. They clapped and hooted and stomped their feet in anticipation to hearing the longed for pronouncement. Thor dropped his head his long golden locked falling in his face and hiding the tears that quickly trickled from his sapphire blue eyes. "Loki's outrageous crimes cannot be overlooked," he admitted to the high council of Asgard. "Nor can Loki's sins be simply pardoned. No, for such heinous acts for such evil there must be recompense and there must be atonement." the golden prince explained. He lifted his head and looked back out amongst the council. His ocean blue iris surveyed the council chamber as if he sought the answer in the eyes of those who were considered the wisest in all Asgard, but all he saw in their eyes was lust for his brother's blood. All the elders chanted for Loki's death. It wasn't wrong request, Loki was a traitor, a murderer, a treasonous villain, he proved on every turn to be nothing but a heartless wretch, but still Thor's heart ached to forfeit his brother's life

Small, pale, bare feet slipped silently down the quiet gilded corridors. The golden tile was chilly on already frigid feeling toes. The torches and lanterns which normally illuminated the palace walls with splendor, now cast eerie shadows down the hall, making the slender figure who was anxiously scuttle down them jump. The willowy form clung tightly to a stuffed figure as he nearly went into a full sprint trying to get down the long and ominous hallway. Tonight it seemed his desired place of refuge was miles away and he was on edge thinking that behind the other doors that lined the walkway would be cold scaly fingers just waiting to grab him. Finally, the shimmering green eyes land on a much desired target. He quickly moved toward the large door made of thick iron and engraved with the emblems of sword, ax and shield. Loki wiped under watery eyes and sniffed back the snot that longed to run from his little narrow nose. He sighed in relief seeing his brother's bedchamber door. He'd thought about going to his parents bedroom, but the walk to the other hall seemed too long after the things he'd experienced tonight. He shuddered as his mind replayed the events in the dream. The condemning words and the sharp dagger that dangled inches over his exposed milky chest. Loki had to stifle crying out loud as he held his favorite stuffed toy close. His beloved little dragon, Legendary. But even the braved beast was not enough to make him feel safe and secure now.

He was right outside Thor door, he raised his tiny white knuckled fist and started to rap upon the iron door, then instantly with a flicker of fear in his eye the black-haired boy hesitated. His jade eyes turned down with shame for a moment, he could only imagine what his older brother would say. "Goodness Loki, you don't have to be such a baby," Thor would ridicule. The younger prince cringed his scrawny shoulders scrunching up as if he was trying to tuck himself into his shell-like one of the shy turtles in the pond. He didn't feel like hearing Thor's remarks tonight. He'd had such a terrible dream. He only wanted someone to curl up beside, someone strong to tell him it was alright that it was nothing and that they would protect him from the terrible nightmares which plagued him. Loki thought better of seeking comfort from the older boy. He sighed in defeat, sniffling as he started to turn back around a slink back down the gilded corridor and back to his lonely bedchamber.

But then there was a bump. A sudden crash. Normally such a slight disturbance in the night would have been easily dismissed by the raven-locked little prince. He was a shrewd little boy and he could easily deduce that the sounds were servants stumbling back to the servant quarters after a nightcap in the wee hours of the morning or the night watchmen making their way to their post outside of the gates. But on a night like tonight when his bedroom was filled with shadows and voices he couldn't bear the slight noise. The skinny future mage nearly jumped out of his skin as he scampered back to Thor's door and furiously started banging on his big brother's door to be allowed interest. "Thor! Thor!" Loki desperately cried outside the ironclad entrance way he felt fresh tears quickly start to sting behind his emerald eyes once again. "Thor!" he continued to yell, but got no answer. Finally, Prince Loki gave up with knocking and waiting to be invited in, after all, Thor never gave such courtesies to him. The big blonde boy would just barge. Sometimes the great golden-haired oaf of a lad would kick the door down in the night and barreling into Loki's neat and tidy chambers with a war cry while Loki was peacefully and calmly reading a book in the night. The elder prince would lead upon his frail looking little brother tackle him with tickling. Loki finally just pushed his way in. The iron door was heavy, but the thin muscled child managed to budge the metal just a slither enough so that his slight frame could slip through the crack.

Thor's room was dark, but Thor never closed the curtains that lead to his balcony so a few beams of moonlight slipped through into the bedchamber and shined down upon the golden prince. It was a picturesque scene, but Thor never slept neat and composed the way a good little prince should. He slept wild and sloppy. His limbs kicked about in every direction, pillows tossed left and right and scattered all about the bed. His lovely golden mane was disheveled and wild across the blue sheets of his king sized bed. Thor's mouth was gaping as he snored obnoxiously loud. It sounded like a thunderstorm inside the room, dribble hanging down the side of his mouth. Loki shook his head as he crept inside his brother's room. He stubbed his toe on one of Thor's many toys that were scattered all over the ruby rugged floor. The ebony haired prince hopped on one foot bouncing in pain from the small figurine of foot soldier with a sword. Loki finally calmed himself after rubbing the sore area, he proceeded the danced across the landmine of toys, clothing and who knew what else that littered his older's brother's rug.

"Thor! Thor! Psst Thor!" Loki whispered nervously as he straightened his dark-colored night garbs from falling off his slender shoulders and approached his brother's bed. Loki nearly needed to cover his ears as he drew closer to his the eldest prince's bedside as his brother's snoring grew louder as if he was competing with bilgeschnipe males who were lowing for mates in a winter's tempest. "Thor wake up," the slim emerald eyes child persisted as he gave his brother's forearm a good shake. The blonde merely responded back with a serious of guttural grunts and snorts, his hands and feet kicking bout as he tried to shoo away the one who dared disturbed his slumber. "Brother?" Loki asked in earnest desperate trying to pry his older brother from sleep.

"Wha-wha-wha?" Thor asked waking up in a blurry haze waking up and finding wide trembling green eyes staring at him.

"Brother," Loki began his voice small and timid as he pulled his nimble little fingers back to himself and playing with them.

"Loki?" the blonde child asked as he looked around scratching his head. "What are you doing up?' he asked in between a yawn.

Prince Loki shook his head and hugged his thin form. "I...I...had..." he started to confess. "I can't sleep," he stated. It wasn't a lie.

"Go find Helga," Thor flagged off as he started to pull up the thick fur pelts that lined his bed and get confortable once again. "She...she can give you some...some warm goats milk," The elder prince explained as he yawned and stretched and started to drift back to sleep. "It'll help you sleep," he insisted nodding as he burrowed under the wolves' fur blankets that lined his bed. 'Nite Loki," he said dismissively as his blue eyes slowly slipped shut.

Loki didn't budge. He fidgeted in his spot. He looked on enviously at the way his older brother always slept so blissfully soundly through the night. Loki was so tired. His eyes already were forming dark circles, but he couldn't sleep...not after the nightmare. He didn't want to be alone. "Brother," the younger prince of Asgard raised his voice once more.

"Hmm," Thor responded with a hum.

"C-c-can I..." he started feel scared to ask. "Can I sleep in here...with you," He added quickly before he lost his nerve.

Thor opened one sapphire eye and rolled it up to look at Loki's eager beaming face. His hands were clutched together in prayer form, his bright emerald eyes blinking back tears as he entreated him brother for permission to come into his bed. Thor propped himself up on his elbow, "Why?" The elder prince inquired.

"I...I...I had a bad dream."

"A bad dream!" Thor balked with disgust. Loki nodded making his emerald eyes stare at the floor as he dragged his toe around in the plush carpet. "Loki you're 400 years old," Thor protested. This made Loki the equivalent to the Midgardian age of 7. "You're too old for nightmares!" Thor reminded his trembling sibling harshly.

"You can't be too old..." Loki shot back.

"Yes you can," the elder brother ranted. "You're too old to come running in here every you have a bad dream at night," the blonde scolded. "You're such a little baby, Loki," Thor teased. "You still think that there are beast lurking beneath your bed?" Thor explained wiggling his fingers and making his voice sound as spooky as possible.

"No!" Loki shouted. He balled up his fist and pressed them back down by his sides.

"Prove it!" The older child challenged. "Go back in your room and go to sleep!" the blonde-haired prince dared he raised his eye brow as he egged on his brother. Loki's brave stance faltered, his skinny shoulders rounded with defeat. His eyes emerald eyes darted with worry over Thor's messy bedroom floor. He felt a shiver run up his spine as if he could feel his nightmares coming back to life. He bit his thin lower lip to keep from yelling. "Brother please," Loki begged. He glowing green eyes started to leak once more as he thought of having to make the trek back down the dark and creepy corridor all on his own and remain in his unlit room until morning light fearing for his very life after the dreadful dream.

"No Loki!" Thor growled irritably as he put his silk pillow over his head to block out the image of his little brother shivering standing by his bed.

Prince Loki nearly jumped at the gruff manner his ten-year-old looking brother spoke to him. He knew that his brother hated to be disturbed in the middle of the night, but usually he was more consoling than this. Loki supposed he had become a bit annoying. This was the 10th time this month that he had come calling at his brother's door begging to sleep with him because he was too scared to sleep by himself. He had to admit he was acting like a baby. "You have to learn the handle these silly little dreams by yourself." the elder prince of Asgard grumbled groggily.

"But it wasn't silly!" Loki protested. "Thor it was awful...I"

"I'm not always gonna be able to save you from everything," he continued his voice starting to slur as his hand slacked against the pillow. "What are you gonna do if I'm not around?" Thor questioned with a lazy yawn.

Loki's lower lip quivered uncontrollably as he heard his brother words. He took a deep breath trying to control himself from breaking out into a full sob but he couldn't help the silent tears that trickled from fearful jade eyes. 'J-J-Just go back to sleep Loki..." the 10 year old looking prince instructed from the comfort of his bed.

Loki sighed he pulled his night tunics tighter around him all of a sudden feeling a chilly wind whip around him. His head hung as he felt forced to make the terrifying walk back to his own chambers. He couldn't fall back asleep alone. He couldn't have them come again. He couldn't bear the thought of another sleepless night. Thor's actions only proved further that these were night merely ridiculous images from his subconscious, these must have been visions of things to come. "Thor please...I won't come back after tonight," Loki whimpered as he neared the door to Thor's chamber. His small pale hands touched the silver doorknob, but Loki turned around with a wide and hopeful smile on his face. Thinking that his big brother would beckon him back. He waited for a long moment for the older boy to provide security as he had in times passed, but Loki was only greeted with a choral of loud thunderous snores.

Thor heard the latch of the chamber door shut. Some how that quiet clicking jarred the hard sleeper from his barely settled into sleep. "Huh? Huh? Huh?' the young blonde haired prince sat up a little in his king-sized bed and looked around his dark room. "Loki?' he asked as he rubbed weary blue eyes. "Loki you can sleep in here," the confessed sleepily. "Juztrynot to talkinurschleep, okay," the older brother offered. Thor smiled smugly as he nestled back down into the cool sheets of his bed. He expected to feel his younger sibling's bony body come bounding and bouncing into the bed happy as a lark who had just learned a new song. But as Thor observed no slim figure slid in next to him. "Loki?" Thor asked once again into the dark waiting for his younger brother to respond, but no reply came. For a moment the blonde-haired child frowned, perhaps he had been too harsh in his dismissal of Loki? Loki had had a series of nightmares lately, more than once a week he would wake up screaming or crying or he'd just run to Thor's room. He never talked about his dreams, not that the elder prince had ever inquired. Perhaps he should have. Thor shook his head against the silky pillow as if pushing such a thought from his brain for its silliness. He had just started his hand to hand combat training. The Einherjar who began the instruction for the group of youngsters told them that hand to hand combat was the bravest and most manly form of fighting there was. He said with weaponry a person had their sword and shield to protect them, and an archer confronted their opponents from a distance, but with hand to hand combat a warrior must face his fears head on there was no barrier between you and your enemy. So one had to be fearless, no backing down no cowering you had to face the things that scared you to be a true warrior of Asgard. Thor smiled contentedly to himself as he snuggled back beneath the warm fur pelts that lined his bed. He was simply helping his little brother become a warrior. Loki had to learn to face his fears just like anyone else. When Loki began his hand to hand combat class he would be advanced.

A few minutes passed and Thor contented proud feeling of being a great big brother by showing tough love slowly started to leak away. He twisted in his sleep which was unusual for the ten year old in appearance son of Odin. He never had trouble sleeping, he always slept like a log, long and deep until Helga, his nursemaid stormed in and pried him from his bed. Minutes passed and Thor continued to feel the small knot in his stomach form into a giant pit filled with guilt. He gulped. He'd hardly paid attention to how small and frail Loki's form had looked in the moonlight. He had hardly noted the shrill, weak, needy plea that his baby brother had offered as he asked to sleep in the room with Thor. He'd scarcely registered the way Loki's bright green eyes shook with pain and fear. He'd simply brushed aside the trail of tears flowing like a river down the 7-year-old looking prince's narrow cheeks. His pale face so wet it looked like he had just come from the tub. He hadn't paid any attention at all the the way his younger brother's bony little body rattled with quivering in the dark. He hadn't heard the hitched breath gasped that Loki did as he tried to keep from openly sobbing.

"Brother?" Thor asked quietly as he pushed open the golden door to enter his brother's sleeping quarters. "Hey, Loki, are you still awake," Thor asked as the door creaked shutting behind him. His little brother's room was always so neat and tidy, he always put away his toys and books and trinkets, he always kept his tunics, trousers, robes and cloaks pressed and hung up neatly in his walk in closet and wardrobe. Even though the room was an abyss as Loki has his thick curtains drawn tight as not to let even the faintest traces of light into his chamber Thor had no problem walking through the room and he knew the path to Loki's bedside without having to see the way. "Brother," Thor called softly as he place one palm on the foot of his brother's large bed. He padded against the bed until he came to the headboard. He placed two small ceramic mugs of steamy goats milk on his the incredibly well crafted nightstand made of black cedar from the forest of Alfheim and laden with the most glittering of golden plasters. Normally, Loki would chide his elder brother to use an emerald coaster. The older blonde boy set down on his brother's bed, his sturdy hand feeling along the mink pelts. He didn't feel Loki's body though. He felt for good while. Loki was slight of build, he often was completely swallowed up by the thick quilts and large pillows that decorated the mattress of his kingsized bed.

Worriedly Prince Thor felt along Loki's night dresser trying to find the lantern. He found it and managed to turn the it to get the fire to glow in a tiny flame. He raised the lantern off of the dresser lifted it above his head allowed its fragile illumination to penetrate the darkness of the room. There he saw in the corner a tiny figure huddled under a massive jade colored blanket, whoever was under there was shaking like a leaf. Thor could hear the chattering of knocking knobby knees and soft muffled whimpers from under the sheet. "Loki?" Thor asked as he pulled up the end of the blanket to peek below the cozy fabric and find a trembling black-haired child clinging for dear life to the stuffed dragon that he owned, Legendary. Loki's eyes were squeezed shut tight as he mumbled something between his deep gasping breaths as he sobbed. "Oh Loki," the old boy muttered as he observed how terrified the little prince truly was. Loki looked up at his older brother with horror transfixed in water filled emerald irises.

"No!" the seven-year old equivalent aged prince yelped as he saw his brother's form hovering over him. He held up his little plush dragon protectively in front of his face as he cowered behind the toy.

"Loki," Thor said his face twisting with pain as he pulled the much beloved stuffed animal from slim porcelain fingers, "Loki shh, it's just me," He expressed noting that Loki flinched and fought to hold on tight to his possession. Finally he managed to pry Legendary away from the constrictor like grip that his little brother had on the animal. "Brother it's just me...it's ok," Thor tried his best to explain placing the toy gently in Loki's lap and wrapping his tanned arm around the Loki's trembling shoulders.

"Thor?!" Loki squeaked it was all at once a timid question and an elated exclamation. The older child nodded as his thick hands clutched tight around Loki's shoulder. Thor offered a faint smile as he placed the lantern down on the inside of the blanket. For a moment it reminded him of the many times he and Loki would camp out in the play room. They'd turn their cover's into tents on rainy nights and light the warm hearth and fashion bows and arrows out of fun objects they'd find around the house, like the golden utensils in the china cabinets. Then mother would have the maids bring them chestnuts and pastries for them to roast over the hearth flames. They'd laugh and joke tell each other spooky stories, which mother didn't like. Then Loki would open up one of his books and he'd display one of the big maps of the cosmos against the ceiling with his magic and it would feel just like a real woodsy adventure. Thor's reassuring smile faded as he recognized that Loki was not smiling and laughing and chattering away eager to share his knowledge, but rather he was shaking and scared.

Almost instantly Thor felt the practicing magician wrap his slender arms tight around his torso. "It's ok Lok," Thor encouraged affectionately as he felt his brother's damp face press and soak through the thin fabric of his sleep tunic. He could feel Loki's spine quivering as he folded him into a tight embrace. Loki broke into a sniveling mass as he felt his older brother's protective arms guarding him. He clung tighter shaking his head as if refusing to let go much like he'd done with the stuffed dragon. "It's alright now, shhh" he reminded him. 'I'm here, ok...you're ok Loki...there's nothing to be afraid of," Thor soother as Loki nuzzled into his big brother's chest for comfort. For a long moment he held Loki firmly whispering for the younger boy to settle down. He rubbed his back gently until he no longer felt Loki's body being wrecked with tremors. "I thought you'd gone back to sleep," he expressed once Loki wasn't blubbering quite as loudly.

"I tried...I tried," Loki began to express frantically slowly peeling himself from the blonde boy's shoulder. "I fell asleep and it happened again," the raven-locked lad continued shaking his head furiously. "The dream came back...it always comes back," he went on, his glistening green orbs dating around the room as if he was searching for the source of his terror. "I couldn't let them get me...so I hid..." Loki confessed his ivory cheeks turning crimson with embarrassment. He knew it was simply a vision, nothing more. Yes he could rationalize such concepts, but in the moment when the dream spiked it seemed so real, he couldn't help but run and hid in the corner like a frightened little rabbit.

"It's alright Loki," Thor reassured him. He took him back by the shoulder and once again pulled him close. "It was just a dream..." he tried to state.

"I know...I know...I know you...you must think I'm so weak for hiding from my nightmares...I'm sorry," Loki admitted looking down rubbing his finger under his sniffling nose.

"No," The blonder prince replied strongly. "No," he said nudging the younger child's chin up so that he could look him in the eye. "it must be something really scary...I'm sorry for how I was before..." the older son of Odin apologize. His gorgeous blue eyes dropped and he looked almost as shamefaced as sniveling ebony coiffed prince. Prince Loki nodded his acceptance to his younger brother's apology. "You...you want to talk about?" the elder child offered clumsily. Loki shook his head and looked down once more embracing Legendary. "You've had a lot of bad dreams Loki, I think you should talk about it..." Thor prompted gently scooting closer to the younger boy's side.

"I..." Loki started collecting himself and swallowing deeply, he didn't know how he could tell Thor. He didn't even want such words to pass his thin lips. "I...I'm being attacked..." he breathed out.

Thor's eyebrows knit together and his normally smiling mouth formed a snarl, naturally becoming defensive. "By who?' the older brother demanded.

"Everyone," Loki whispered.

"Everyone?" Thor continued.

"At first...at first it's all these Frost Giants," the green-eyed prince stated quietly as he looked up at the sapphire orbs of his big brother feeling as if he would cry again. "There so hideous,"

"Yeah they are," Thor agrees almost feeling a glimpse of fright himself at the thought of being surrounded by those big blue beasts "But..."

"They are leading me to this crumbling ice temple... and I'm fighting and bucking and trying to pull away, but I can't I can't get away," Loki continued as his emerald colored pupils stared at the flickering flame that burned inside the lantern. "Then," Loki's voice turned even more hushed. "They slap me on this altar," the young prince shivered as he can feel the way the ice froze his entire being even through the dream, "and... and...and the faces," the sable haired boy forced himself to stutter out. "They...they change," Loki told his brother quickly glancing up at him.

"Change how?' Thor asked purely confused.

"They change from being Frost Giants to Asgardians," Loki confessed as he clutched his knees up toward his thin heaving chest.

"What? Oh Loki..." Thor began while reaching his hand out to stroke his brother's face, but Loki twisted from the affection.

'They all want me dead!" the youngest son of Odin confessed breathlessly as tears spill from shimmering jade eyes once more.

"No, Loki," Thor contradicted immediately, "No Loki...It's just a dream it's silly, you are a prince of Asgard, no one would want to kill you," Thor tried to assure his younger brother.

"There's more," Loki sniffled as he wiped his linking eyes once more. " So...So in the dream...I guess I become older..." he nodded gearing himself up to tell the most blood chilling part of the dream. The climax of the terrible nightmare that always left him dripping in freezing perspiration and screaming bloody murder. "Well you're there and you're older too..."

"Really?" Thor asked eagerly. "What did I look like?" He inquired with unnecessary perkiness considering the fact that his brother was debriefing him on a terrifying sleeping vision.

"What?" Loki barked back giving the big blonde boy a hard glare.

"Sorry?" Thor recounted his previous question immediately and help his hands up in a surrender position. "What happens when I come?"

"You...you...you try to kill me!" Loki shouted and broke forth into blubbering into his milky white palms. Thor's bright blue eyes were wide with horror when he heard Loki's confession. "I'm...I'm tied down and...and...and you march over to me and...raise this stake over my chest," Loki did his best to explain through his sobs.

"No, Loki," Thor immediately rejected the dream and threw his arms around his little brother. "No Loki, No...Never!" Thor pleaded for Loki to believe. "That could never happen, you know that right?" Thor asked earnestly gingerly pushing the crying boy off of his shoulder and twisting his head so he could look Loki in the eye. But the raven-haired child avoided eye contact, as liquid kept splashing from his eyelids and running down his cheeks like and endless raging river. "You know that don't you Loki?" Thor pressed shaking the thin little boy by the shoulders "Don't you?" Thor pressured nearly shouting. "You know if anyone ever try to hurt you I'd beat them up!" Thor declared giving his younger sibling a gentle nudge on his quivering a tear soaked soggy chin. Thor jumped to his feet and started jabbing at the air, showing off the fancy techniques he'd recently started studying in the hand to hand combat course. He threw the blanket off from being wrapped tightly around Loki's fragile looking body. Thor instantly started wrestling the thick sheets. He gripped up and flopped himself around in the sheets acting as if it was truly a match and pretending that he was beating the Frost Giant to a pulp. "Be gone Laufey!" The young thunder declared. "No one messes with my little brother, you hear!" he warned the big green quilt as he twisted it around and put it in a headlock and repeatedly punched the part that he had turned into a head. Thor laughed heartily at the gesture and he noticed in between sniffles Loki was starting to sniffle. Thor came back to his brother's side broad smile now stretching over his face. He wrapped his strong young arm around Loki's bony frame

"In the dream...you...you hate me," Loki continued still choking back his tears.

"Loki it was just a dream!" Thor admonished the younger child. "I...I could never hate you. Never, never, NEEEVEEERRRR!" Thor elaborated. Thor shook his head vigorously proving himself. "You're my little brother, I love you. No matter how much we fight...I'll never hate you," Thor gripped his brother's tiny hands in his own. Loki's hands were cool and clammy in contrast to his brother's warm clasp. "Could you ever hate me?" Thor asked encouragingly he batted back innocent blue eyes.

"No Thor," Loki bobbed his head and gave a small glimmer of a smile that barely traced across his lips, but some how shown through the water in his eyes. "You're my brother," Loki continued to nod as he let out a yawn. Thor rubbed his brawny had through Loki's midnight locks and ruffled his hair causing Loki to give a sleepy giggle.

"Come on," the blonde-haired lad encouraged as he pushed himself up off the ground still clasping his little brother's hands, "Let's get some sleep," he offered perkily leading his brother by the hand to the bed. "Here," the older prince exclaimed once Loki had slowly eased himself back into the bed. "I brought you some warm goats milk to help you sleep," the taller prince offered. Loki's drooping emerald eyes automatically perked up.

"Really?" Prince Loki beamed at his younger brother as he watched him walk around to the other side of the bed and place the lantern down and then scoop up two ceramic mugs full of the soothing drink.

"Yup," the blonde prince winked a sky blue eye. "I fixed yours just the way you like it" Thor told Loki eagerly as he rushed back to his brother's side. The steamy drink sloshed out the side of the mugs as Thor made great haste to get it to his brother. Loki started to cringe as he noticed the milk stains soak into his clean carpet, before he could even wrk up the nerve to fuss at the crown prince his felt the hot mug hit his chilly fingers. "Bottom's up!" Thor cheered as he brought his cup to clank with Loki's before he threw his head back scarfing down the thick hot brew. Loki smile and followed suit. When the tepid thick liquid hit his lips Loki couldn't help but smile, Thor had made it just the way he liked it. With honey and zesty splashes of cinnamon and just a pinch of ginger to make it perfect. Loki guzzled it down contentedly as he watched Thor do the same with his own mug of goats milk. They both finally finished laughed as they slammed there empty mugs back down on the counter top of Loki's night stand. The two prince's burst into laughs as they stared at each others faces and took in the freshly painted milk mustaches on their face's. Thor pointed and laughed with a guffaw that sounded like a roll of thunder. "HA! You're gonna look so funny when you actually grow a beard and mustache!"

"Yeah well what about you?" Loki barked back as looked at his reflection in the mirror opposite his bed. He must admit he did look rather awkward with the white trail over his narrow and pointed upper lips and the thin line of access dribble that rolled down his chin like a goatee. He swiped at the milk mustache with the back of his hand. "Blonde head and brunette mustache!" he joked and yawned once more. Thor turned around and looked into the mirror too, he laughed as he saw his face. The cocoa infused goats milk smeared all over his face running down the side of his mouth like a full beard. The pair of brother's snickered a little long as Thor ineptly tried to wipe the access off of his face but mostly ended up just making himself look even more messy.

Eventually the two brothers laughed themselves into tiredness. "You want to come back and sleep in my room," Thor offered gesturing his head toward the door.

The raven haired prince shook his head bringing his pale hand up to cover his gaping mouth trying to stifle the yawn that was escaping. "Mmm I'm so tired now, Thor," Loki slurred groggily allowing his weary head to flop against his dark pillows.

"Then I'll stay in here with you," Thor declared triumphantly snapping his finger like he'd had an idea for a brilliant invention. Loki smiled sleepily as he watched the blonde climb across the bed to get under the covers next to him. "Make sure you don't have any more of those nightmares," Thor continued once he had slid completely under the black mink pelts and satin sheets over his brother's bed. He tucked them both in and watched as Loki wriggled his slender shoulder to get situated perfectly for bed once again. Loki took a deep and contented sigh feeling snuggly under the blankets and safe knowing that his big brother was by his side to protect him in the night.

"Nigh-nigh brudder?' Loki whispered falling asleep.

"Goodnight, little brother," Thor muttered back patting Loki down and easing him into sleep. "Loki?" Thor added moments later.

"Hmm?"

"You know what I told you back in my room wasn't true right?" Thor asked. "You know, about not always being there for you and stuff," the blonde went on. "Cuz there's never gonna be a time like that...I'll always look out for you and I always I'll protect you," he promised.

"Thanks Thor," Loki smiled in his sleep.

"You'll always look out for me, won't you?" Thor prompted

"Yesss," Loki babbled nodding with his eyes closed. The younger prince flipped over to face Thor, Loki's green-gem eyes batted pitifully as he tried to stay awake. He yawned once more helplessly drowsy after a night of frightful dreams, crying and sipping warm honeyed goats milk. He offered a small weak smile up sleepily at the blue eyed boy who guarded him. "always,"

"Go to sleep," the crown prince instructed as he ruffled Loki's midnight locks.

The black-haired boy's breathing even without thought he scooted closer to his brother, allowing his pointy little nose and his forehead to lean on Thor's chest. Even at the tender age his older brother's body was rock solid firm and dependable. He could feel Thor rhythmic heart beat strumming bravely near his ear. It sound like the drum and fife and it sounds familiar and good. Loki smiled as the old familiar beat played and lulled him to sleep, his slim porcelain fingertips instinctively curled around Thor's sleeping garbs just as they had the first time they'd met. "Luvyou," slurred as his last ounces of consciousness faded from him.

"I love you too, Loki," Thor whispered back as they both drifted to sleep. He looked around protectively in the darkness as if he was daring anymore of the nightmares to come back and pester the younger prince's sleep while he was on standby. Thor reached over his brother, after his sky blue eyes had surveyed the room to satisfaction, he turned out the glowing lantern. The flame flickered away until the two princes were cloaked in darkness. The blonde nestled back down under Loki's dark-colored quilts and wrapped his arm once more around "I'm here I won't let anyone hurt you, I promise," Thor swore doing his best to whisper and let his little brother settle into slumber

Thor blinked rapidly, feeling moisture wash over his vibrant azure pupils as he pulled himself from remembrance. He told hos brother that there would never come a time when he wouldn't protect him, when he wouldn't fight for him. He said it would be impossible for him to kill him...It wasn't as if he was going to actually commit the act of execution. No his hands would be clean though his conscience never would be. He would make a declaration, but he'd allow someone else to carry out the deed. But still he knew he'd be a promise breaker and either way he could see Loki's penetrating jade eyes burrowing into his soul as his cracked, dry, thin lips mouthed the word "LIAR!" from the noose. A shudder shot through the son of Odin. He looked around at the bewildered faces of his most noble subjects. They stared back worriedly at their soon to be king. Thor smacked his lips together, his mouth felt dry as he reoriented himself with his surroundings. How long had he been lost in thoughts of the past. It must have been for more than the average moment for he noted Lord Algrim's pruned fingers gently skimming his bulging bicep as if to come and rally him from a trance. "My prince," the old elf whispered low enough so that only Prince Thor could detect the worry housed in his voice.

The great blonde warrior cleared his throat and head shaking his sunlit locks along with his head. "The leniency that has been granted to Prince Loki in hope that he would become repentant and in hopes that he would change his wicked ways has obviously been in vain," Thor picked up right where he left off. "The attack on the queen has proven to us all what type of creature Loki is," Thor confessed bitterly. The words turned his flesh tongue to iron. He twisted looking away from the unblinking eyes of the delegates as they hung on the edge of their seats to hear the pronouncement. Thor bit his lip so hard that he scarcely thought he'd make himself bleed. He'd promised Loki that he'd protect him. He'd told his brother he would never do those terrible things that he'd seen in that awful dream, but here he was standing before all the dignitaries of the golden realm feeling he would say the opposite. He tried to say it was different. That Loki was different that Loki was not that little boy, that little brother who was so scared and trembling in the night looking for a savior from terror in the night. No he was a far cry from that. He was mangled, twisted and gnarled on the inside. He'd become a dark soul capable of taking his very mother's life. Thor's ivory white teeth sunk deeper into the pink skin of his lip. "It is with a heavy heart," Thor forced the words to escape from his throat and he knew that his voice that was ever the roar of thunder was was now as weak and wobbly as a spring shower. "it is with much regret and because of the point of desperation that this crisis has risen to," Thor went on. He looked up. He looked up to the gold dome shaped ceiling then his sea colored eyes went back to the crowd he scanned over the faces of the nobles and then he looked to the back standing around the doors along with the other soldiers he saw Hogun standing amongst them. The slant eyed warrior stared right back at Thor. He quickly banged his right fist toward the left side of his chest, silently telling the hurting prince that he would support him no matter what his decision. Thor barely managed to give a nod to his old friend as he swallowed the thick not that bulged in his muscular throat. "It is with much sorrow, that I Thor Odinson declare that on this day..."

"Prince Thor! Prince Thor!" a shrill cry rose over the calm and still of those assembled who waited with baited breath. The blonder haired bearer of Mjolnir looked over the crowd and saw the guards struggling to control a most rowdy young woman. She bucked and pulled desperately fighting to get free of the strong hold that guards had placed on her gentle upper arms.

"Lady Sigyn," One of the palace soldiers whispered roughly keeping a firm clamp on her forearm. "You cannot be in here," He expressed not releasing her.

"This is a private session of the council," another one of the watchmen clad in the gleaming gold armor of the palace soldiers expressed.

"This I urgent," the young noblewoman declared. She stomped on one of the guard's toes who was apprehending her. The feisty outburst and was enough to make the palace soldier slacken his grip enough to allow delicate looking Sigyn to tear from the arms of both soldiers. She ripped her sheer champagne colored sleeves as she flung from there hands and feel prostrate on the ground before all the councilors. Without hesitation Sigyn flipped her long light-colored locks from out of her face as she clambered to her feet and rushed to the dais. "My Prince! My prince!" she cried pushing her way to the throne. More guards jumped up to try and quell the obviously disturbed young waiting woman of the queen.

"What is the meaning of this?" Lord Algrim stood up from his elevated seat on the platform and pointed toward the frantic girl who none of the guards could seem to catch as she ran down the center aisle.

"My lord forgive me," she begged breathlessly when she finally arrived at the foot of the glorious marble steps of dais. She placed her hand to her chest still trying to quiet her palpitating heart. She nearly forgot her courtly manners, but once the lovely golden-haired maiden composed herself she brought herself into a curtsy. "I...I...I have news...news of the queen," she shook her head fumbling to get the words across correctly. Sigyn had never been much of speech maker. She'd never been known as one of the articulate women of court who charmed by reciting rhymes and lyrics. A guard came to seize her from behind. He reached out his hand to clasp her roughly by the shoulder and drag her out of the council chambers, but Prince Thor strong hand raised to halt the soldier in the very act. The warrior of Asgard immediately withdrew his hands from accosting the young maiden. He stood straight and stiff at attention waiting for further instruction from his liege.

Prince Thor descended the beautiful marble steps quickly and stooped down only a few steps above lady Sigyn's head. "What news of my mother?" Thor's voice was shaken.

Sigyn looked up her large hazel eyes shimmering with tears. She blinked once and the fell like rain upon her cheeks splashing down quick and leaving small puddles on the marble steps. She grabbed at her chest once more. Thor's heart felt as if it would nearly burst. His mouth hung open like a cod fish as he braced himself for the unimaginable news. He felt his never failing legs falter and get weak as he watched Sigyn's chin quiver. "Something wondrous has happened," Sigyn explained.

---

After Sigyn's announcement the council adjourned itself. The gossipy courtiers rushing out to spread the words and have all pray for the queen's speedy recovery. Thor had rushed to his parents bedroom where he knew his father waited. Odin had expected Thor to come in and report the decision that had been made. When the all-father heard such news he sprinted from his resting couch in his chamber to be at his wife's bedside, with Thor hot on his heels. The two waited for the queen to wake while a few servants went to awaken Eir, the master healer.

Eventually, the others moved on. They went to inform the people who still waited outside of the castle gates for news about the queens condition as the faithful citizens still kept their vigil burning candles and incense and chanting hymns to hope for the queen's survival. King Odin had continued to talk to Eir outside the queen's chamber door. Prince Thor stayed with his mother as she healed. He couldn't bring himself to leave her side, not knowing that just an hour or so before she had knocked on deaths door. She'd stopped breathing and almost been lost to him for good. He'd not lose her now. He'd watch and stand like a faithful guard and see her wake. The waiting was nerve wrecking for the queen had not moved nor stirred, she'd not even moaned and despite the fact that her vision once again looked much improved all still feared that Frigga would not pull through. Thor closed his eyes refusing the thought. He brought her warm knuckles up to his lips once more planting a hard kiss on them. He busied himself for a time walking around the golden queen's quarters and tidying up. Trying to assemble, the cards and flowers, fruit baskets and other gifts given to his mother into piles and bunches, but he'd never been one to organize unless he was arranging troops for battle or finding a place of a new trophy on his shelf. While he walked he couldn't help but glance at the portraits that lined golden dressers and cabinets in mother's room. Paintings made of mother of when she was a young maiden. A lovely portrait of her and father on their glorious wedding day. A small depiction made of her pregnant with Thor. Her middle was so round it looked like she had been pregnant with twins. Thor's blue eyes surveyed more of the portraits. Sweet family portraits of the four of them. One where Odin stood behind his beautiful wife and Loki stood the left side of his mother, while Loki who was still young at the time sat happily upon mother's lap, but that was far removed from now. Thor scarcely noticed way his mallet carrying hand reached out to clutch the frame of the portrait he studied. His calloused fingertips skimmed the edges as he traced the outline of his little brother's sharp features. Bright green eyes and brighter smile. How they had once happily played, chasing each other back and forth through the palace. Thor would threaten the younger child after his impish little brother pulled some prank on him and Loki would dart quick as a flash to hide behind mother's skirt. Thor turned the portrait over he couldn't look at it. He couldn't look and remember his kind and happy younger brother who now was accused of attempting to murder there mother.

Thor flung himself back to the bedside on his knees. "Mother, please wake up," the thunderer's voice reverberated with emotion as he watched the slow steady rise and fall of her chest. "You must return to us," he begged rubbing her slender silky fingers over his cheeks and down through his golden beard desperate to feel her comforting touch. "I am in need of your advice mother, I know not what to do, Mother, I know not...mother I need you," Thor whispered as he leaned his head down and pressing his forehead against hers as her cupped her beautiful face in between his rough palms. He visage fell into a sob and he allowed the tears to roll from his eyes and onto her cheeks. Thor had fallen asleep with his head resting on Frigga's belly. Much like he had many times as a boy. So many nights when he and his brother were lads mother had come into their chambers or found then in there playroom or in rooms they had no business being in and she'd read them stories, lulling them to sleep with he smooth and loving voice. There'd been times when on long carriage rides when they'd go to visit mother's relatives who lived in the High Mounts or if they'd travel to one of the obscure province's to stay at one of the getaway palaces that he'd become tuckered out from the long journey. He'd try to twist toward the side and lean his head back or against the door of the carriage, but it was uncomfortable, mother must have noticed how he continuously squirmed and kept trying to reposition himself. Eventually he'd feel her graceful hands come around his shoulders and gently guide his sleepy head to resting upon her velvet covered lap. Her tender hands would stroke sweetly through his blonde locks. How he wished he could feel her delicate fingers massaging through his scalp now. Queen Frigga's condition had much improved her color had returned and her breathing had eased to steady rhythm, but she had not once opened her eyes. Despite that magic spell that Sigyn had claimed to have witness, Mistress Eir still seemed doubtful that the queen would return to them.

"O-O-Odin?" Frigga stuttered groggily as she batted her cornflower blue eyes open. Her fingers laggardly playing in the with thick golden locks.

The person connected to the sunny colored mane started to stir. Shoulders wriggling sluggishly for a moment. He craned his neck to face the direction of the groggy yet gentle soprano voice. The warrior prince's sapphire blue eyes gazed with wide eyed wonder at his alert mother. His face immediately unveiled a dazzling smile. "Mother!" Thor nearly shouted as he pulled his head from off of her stomach. "Mother!" he gasped. "Mother you're awake!" Thor exclaimed scrambling on his knees so that his head was closer to her face.

"Oh Thor," Frigga giggled bringing her warm hand to stroke his face and forehead. "You look so much like your father," she explained with a tired smile as she yawned finally allowing her palm to cup his cheek around his yellow beard. "So handsome," she told him lovingly as her heavy eyelids fought to stay awake and keep her azure eyes revealed. Thor snuggled his face into her hand, when he was a boy her hands seemed so large they seemed to cradle his whole face, but now they seemed so tiny and fragile pressed against his masculine features. He could scarcely form his words he only managed to graze the inside of her palm with a sweet kiss. "You're tired," the queen continued bringing her gentle fingertips up to trace around the edges of his dark circled eyes. "You need to sleep, you need to sleep," she repeated drowsily. Her dainty but dry looking lips arched into sweet maternal smile.

"Mother, shhh no... no you're awake," Thor's voice trailed away as he gripped his mother's hand with a squeeze like he'd never let go again. "You're awake," he whispered his deep blue eyes shinning with the wonder and the happiest form of disbelief. He squeezed his eyes shut allowing the liquid that shimmered over his bright azure irises to overflow and run down his face. He felt like a boy again. He remembered a night so long ago, a night we'd waited ever patiently for Julenissen to arrive. He'd been an older boy, far to old to still believe in the childish fairytale, but still he had. Still he'd kept the faith even when all his friends had long since given up in holding onto such fantasy. He set on the sill his the window in his large bedroom, his eyes like that of a hawk gazing out over the slumbering Imperial City that wore her white robe for Solstice. His eyes were careful and shrewd that night, but it was a rare occurrence for he had not been an observant boy, truth be told he wasn't an observant man, but that night he had been a tune to the slightest sound, the tiniest disturbance. He waited and watched like a sentry that never leaves his post. He waited on past his brother's pleading and even when his brother had fallen asleep he kept surveillance out of his window, but finally as the minutes and hours passed as the night grew later and later and his beloved patron of holiday gift-giving didn't arrive, he grew despondent, gave up hope and headed to bed...but then...then just as he drifted off into a teary eyed sleep a light shone through in his doorway and a round, jolly ole elf came to him. He'd been so elated as a boy. He hadn't known what to do jump up and down, scream, run in circles and turn somersaults or just break down and cry. It was one of the best sights he'd ever seen, that moment of sheer joy was only a fraction of the glee that flooded through the entire being of Prince Thor upon seeing his mother awaken, seeing her sapphire shaded eyes bat, seeing her lips moved and crinkle in a kindly smile and feeling her hand warm as it clasped his. "Mother you're awake!" he exclaimed like a boy on the morning of Solstice

He cupped her tiny face in his massive hands and pulled it gently toward him and showered it with kisses. "Oh mother...I thought... we thought...all of Asgard... we...we thought we'd lost you," he explained breathlessly pulling his face away from her only to give her a once over. She did look weak, but she looked gorgeous as always her cheeks flushed from the attention and affection that her oldest boy was giving her. "I couldn't bear it...oh Mother I couldn't bear it to lose you...I" he stammered his cheeks once again all of a sudden becoming damp. He felt Frigga raise a weak hand slowly and tirely she managed to swipe his tears away. "I'm so glad you are alive," he expressed wishing he had better words to convey his utter ecstasy at knowing that his mother had not been ripped from their realm to be taken to Valhalla. The behemoth of a prince instantly folded over burying his hairy face in the crook of her neck, sobbing with joy like a child as he felt her strong heart beat strum in his ears. The wife of Odin tenderly moved her hand down onto her son's back as she hugged him tight. His arms were careful as they folded around and engulfed her not wanting to cause her anymore pain.

"Shhh," the queen soothed, "weep no more, my little thunder, I am here," she whispered feeling as Thor relaxed in her touch. Thor looked up at her his sky colored eyes beaming as he showed his teeth through a watery smile.

"Little Thunder, Mother?" Thor asked playfully managing to wipe liquid filled eyes as he gingerly lowered her down to her pillow.

The golden queen of the realm eternal smiled wearily back at her eldest. "I used to say that to you when you were a babe, crying at night," she confessed. Thor once again bowed his head to plant a loving kiss on her forehead.

" I must alert...I must alert everyone...Father!" Thor said rambling his muscular body trembling with excitement. He was on his feet rushing to the door. "FATHER!" he bellowed down the hall his voice rolling through the corridors like thunder. Frigga wince at the loud tone that Thor used, she noted her body felt stiff and her head was tender and sore in the back and she brought her delicate left hand to feel along the bandaged area of her head only to note that the area was moist, she drew her hand back toward herself only to smell the faint but distinctive scent of dried blood now on her nails. She allowed her head to flop back on her satin pillow case. "Father come quick!" Thor roared all the more.

"Thor," Queen Frigga called to her son mildly, her hoarse and sore voice straining to be heard over the thunderer's bellows.

The blonde soon to be king of Asgard immediately turned from the door upon hearing his mother's sweet call. He rushed back to her side. "Mother are you alright," he asked in earnest placing his sturdy hammer carrying hands on her thin shoulder, "Do you need anything?" he asked almost breathlessly, panic in his tone and eyes, "Water?" he offered finding a pitcher by his side on her nightstand. He gather it and attempted to pour water into the cup but his hands shook violently as fear gripped him thinking something else was going wrong. Frigga waved her hand refusing the proffered cup. "A healer, then?" Thor asked. "Mistress Eir!" he immediately shouted. "Mistress Eir, Father come quick!" he yelled for them all the more. Only a second passed and they did not arrive and Thor's impatient impulsive nature got the best of him. He stood to his feet ready to rush out. "Hold on, Mother," he instructed the beautiful and loving honey combed haired woman lying in the illustrious bed. "I'll go fetch help," he reported. His foot raised ready to sprint.

Frigga caught her son's powerful hand just as he was starting to try and flee, "No, Thor," she muttered weakly, smiling and shaking her head.

"Mother you need..."

"I only meant to ask...I...where's Loki?" she questioned through sleepy half-lidded eyes.

Thor looked stymied and blinked rapidly as he took in his mother's question. "Mother...w-what do you mean where's Loki?" Thor responded. "Mother don't you remember anything before..."

"I remember Loki and I arguing," the queen began her beautiful blue eyes rolling back in her head as she stretched to find the moment in her head. "He was so angry," she shook her head and frowned. "He was so vehemently angry...but he'd been sick and hurt after that whipping," she went on even now trying to defend his violent outburst.

"Mother," Thor stated pulling her from her hard thought at trying to recall the events. "Loki did this mother...he struck you...tried to kill you...I"

"No!" Frigga immediately cut Thor off.

"He's so tainted now Mother...I...I don't know who he is...perhaps all are right about him...perhaps he is just a...monster," Thor whispered looking up at her for an answer.

"No," Odin's wife protested her eyes batting determined to stay awake. "Loki came to me...he sung the song... he used the flower...he saved me. He's just afraid Thor...he's just afraid," Frigga breathed, he eyes slowly closing as she gripped Thor's hand tightly.

"Afraid? Afraid? Afraid of what, Mother? Afraid of you? Afraid of me?" Thor demanded.

"Thanos," Frigga stated as she drifted off too sleep, just as the King and servants came bolting breathlessly into the room.