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?

71. The Prodigal Returns

A/N: HELLOOOOO READERS! OMG IT HAS BEEN SOOOOOO LONG! You probably thought that I forgot about you! I am soooo sorry that it has been this long! You know this was never my intent! I am always trying to work on my story as much as possible, but I have been sooooo busy lately with life, (work, school, family, friends) I hardly had the time. I also had a time when my computer wasn't working so that backed me up. But please trust that I never forgot about this story and I have been just as eager to finish it as you all probably :P lolol. Well, that being said, I want you to know that I appreciated each and every one of the reads, follows, favorites, and reviews. If It wasn't for your encouragement I wouldn't still be writing this story. So I thank you! Thank You! Thank you! I also thank you for your patience. xoxoxox. Well, you all have been patient long enough, I won't test your patience any longer. Get ready, get comfy, grab so cookies and milk Happy reads and writes and most certainly GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

So

Chapter 71

Loki's head hung low as he waited for the pronouncement of judgment. He didn't look as the delegates from the council scrawled their votes onto their tiny parchment slips. The only people he was sure would vote in favor of him remaining in Asgard were not allowed to vote. Loki kept his head down but nearly smiled with the irony. He knew that no one in their right mind would want him to stay in Asgard even if he was mucking stalls and scrubbing toilets, it was better than what he deserved. Even if he walked around chained and muzzled like a beast for the rest of his days the point of the matter was, that he would be walking around in Asgard and some people, some good people, some innocent people, some happy people, some hardworking people, some people who had everything to look forward to in life were gone and they weren't walking around. They weren't able to walk around Asgard, they weren't able to put in a day's labor, they weren't able to see their families or friends or be seen by them. Why should he be?

Loki partially imagined that there would be some who would love the opportunity to deride and humiliate him for a lifetime by making him do degrading work. He thought of Lord Drek. Lord Drek had always found him smug and arrogant. The son of stonemasons had thought that he'd worked his way up to the upper echelons of society. Still, Loki had always been arrogant enough to knock him down a peg and remind the proud mathematician of his humble origins. Loki was sure he would love the hauling and lumbering. Then there was someone like General Brunhilda. Loki couldn't forget that he'd been not only responsible for the death of her family member, Ingvar, but no doubt she'd lost her troops, Valkyrie had slain because of what he'd done. They were her sisters and she would avenge them 7-fold if she were allowed. She no doubt wanted him dead, but if she couldn't give him an execution herself, she'd certainly like to feel as if he was dead and only banishment would grant her such solace. Anything less would make the leader of the Valkyrie feel like she had failed her warriors.

The former dictator could have gone on and on thinking about each Council Member's decision. But what was the point of that? Another odd form of torture? He kept his head down. His green eyes were trained on staring at the beautiful gilded tile that made up the flood within the hall of judgment. The golden tiles had ornate designs of scales justice. They had the crest of Forseti, one of the 12 original Einar who was Asgard's first judge. Forseti was known and revered for his founding of the courts. He was a mediator of justice; before that most Aesir settled their disputes with blood battles and duels. Forseti had come up with many laws and rules that had helped Asgard become a more tame and civil society, but Loki was sure that even Forseti in all of his wisdom would not have been able to think of a more fitting punishment for one so vile as he.

He heard the footfalls of the members of the High Council as they traipsed down the illustrious steps that led from the seats to the throne. Some were deliberate, some were steady and some were hurried, some were light, but Loki recognized them all. That was why so few people could sneak up on him. Green eyes closed as he saw the first shadows of the delegates drop their ballots into their designated chests. He'd let them do their action as anonymously as possible. He'd harbor no resentment toward anyone for whatever sentence they'd give him. It didn't matter now. His fate was about to be sealed. And no matter what it was better than he deserved. Loki tried to keep himself grounded in the moment. Although he doubted that he'd ever see this gorgeous hall again, in he'd been allowed a few extra months in Asgard. He'd gotten to see the dust settle and he was glad that his last memories of his home weren't of a smoldering, decimated kingdom, but one that was rebuilt, strong and thriving. He was happy for the chances that he'd had to look out the window and see the skyscrapers and edifices rise tall as the mountains. He was delighted that he had been able to lend his hand to rebuilding the Imperial City.

He was grateful for the few moments that he'd had with his brother. He breathed in an out. At least he'd had that to cherish. The last moments they'd shared together, they'd shared as brothers and friends not rivals or mortal enemies. They weren't fighting and spewing venom and trying to kill each other. Instead, they'd stayed up joking and reminiscing. Thor was always quick to forgive, but this was truly shocking. He was shocked that Thor could still embrace him after everything he'd done, still love him and want him around. That meant everything to the raven-haired enchanter.

He was thankful that he got to embrace his mother one more time. Her hugs were still as warm and tender as they had been when he was a child. All the time when he was in the void he'd missed her so much. In his despair in the dungeon, he'd truly longed to see her. When he'd fought for Asgard he'd had the fear that he'd never see his mother again and he'd never get the chance to tell her that he was sorry because he really was sorry. In the past months at least, he'd had the chance to tell her how much he loved her and how grateful he was to have her in his life. He didn't deserve a mother like her, who loved him unconditionally even though he wasn't of her own loins. She'd loved and nurtured him all his life, she'd celebrated him and shared her gifts with him. He was so glad that he didn't have to be the cause of her heartbreak any longer. At least she knew that her son hadn't squandered everything that she'd taught him and just given into darkness. In his life he'd only ever wanted to make her proud and he'd heard her say that he had and that she loved him. Even now she whispered it from the lofty position she took among the delegates toward him.

He'd gotten to be around his friends, Volstagg, Frandal, Hogun and yes, even Lady Sif. It was amazing how familiar it all felt. Like the pieces to the puzzle of his life were slowly coming back together and filling in the gaps. Even today the Norns had gifted him with knowing that his apprentice wasn't dead. Even though he'd performed the obligatory tradition of building a celestial orb for the fallen he still felt he would have been smothered with guilt over Bardok's demise. Then they'd blessed him again by allowing him to see Sigyn. He'd needed to know that she was ok. He'd done everything in his power to keep her safe during the final battle and to think that he'd failed her the same way he'd failed Dagmar, well... in the end he would have probably begged Odin to take him life.

And Odin. Odin was King of Asgard. He had a job to do. He had to protect the Nine Realms. He had to protect Asgard from threats. And he had proven in every way to be a threat and an enemy, but Odin hadn't treated him like he was simply expendable. He'd made him feel like a true son for the first time in a long time. That had meant everything. Odin didn't hate him for what he'd done. He should have. He should have cursed the day he'd found him in that ice temple, but he didn't.

While Loki's mind still dwelled on counting these unprecedented blessings, he faintly registered the king of Asgard's booming voice. It was the only voice to be heard in the judgement hall. The king's voice was stern, commanding, unwavering. He spoke as if the power of Gungnir literally radiated right from his mouth. Loki's emerald eyes dared to look up at the wizened ruler's face. If he didn't know better, he would say that Odin looked nearly pale, Loki thought he saw a few added wrinkles on the ancient monarch's brow. Ever since he could remember Odin had had light hair. When he was a boy Odin's hair had been a nearly bleached blond color, but soon it faded to a misty gray, and then it was silver, but now it was even whiter than before. Odin's eye was a steely gray-blue, but it was hardened and icy as it gazed down out the bound and chained former dictator that stood before him. Odin's throne (Judgment seat) sat high above the floor and ebony coiffed enchanter, despite his regal apparel looked quite small in the eyes of the King of Asgard.

He looked small, but never frail, despite his slim build. Odin couldn't help, but recall when he'd first found Loki. Somehow the situations seemed similar, he had been in an icy hall waiting for judgment to be pronounced over him, waiting for his grim fate to be sealed. Loki had looked small, but from the squalling he'd been doing, Odin could tell that he wasn't frail, at least his lungs weren't, besides in such harsh conditions only the strong survived. Even now Loki proved his strength. Mjolnir wasn't meant for him and to control its power and the power of Gungnir against the Aether, the blast should have killed him. Odin reminded himself that Loki wasn't an innocent little baby anymore, he wasn't a mischievous little boy, either who had gotten in trouble for putting tacks on the chair of his governess. He had already shown leniency, leniency that was not approved by the entire council. Still, the king was determined to do what was right for his people.

King Odin swallowed deeply, the time came and Odin rose from his throne and spoke. "Come forth, Loki" Odin's words came hurling toward prisoner. Loki obeyed his chains rattled as he took slow steps closer and closer to the throne. Once he was standing right at the foot of the throne he was given another command. "Kneel," Odin stated. The ebony-haired enchanter bowed before the ruler. "Here, I have the ballots from the delegates to pronounce a sentence upon you," he shook a few of the parchments in his hands. "I want you to know that the decision that is made today is neither made lightly. I can personally attest to the deliberation that each member of the council has put forth on this matter and myself. In Asgard we have a long-honored tradition of honoring our heroes and punishing our enemies," King Odin's face wore a scowl. "Considering everything that you have done both for and against this kingdom you have left us in quite a quandary. Yet in the spirit of both justice and mercy we had prescribed a sentence for you. A sentence that quite suited your crimes and still granted you some clemency. This was considered with the highest degree of scrutiny, Loki. I saw the signs in the heavens, so the grace and favor and bounty that the Norns had given us through you and in turn wanted to extend that to you," Odin gestured with a weathered hand. "And then Loki you dare...you hazard to ask for more." The king's voice rumbled. "Words used to describe your actions were 'Impertinent'" Odin began and he clapped the ground with Gungnir. "Brazen" he continued and Gungnir's pounding resounded throughout the room. "Insolent" Odin declared. "And that was putting mildly," the ruler of Asgard. His only eye seemed to glower at the shackled soul before him. "Your arrogant request flouts justice and mocks the people of Asgard!" Odin shouted at the mage.

"All-father, I meant no disrespect..." Loki started to mutter quickly, but his voice was so choked up he doubted anyone could make out what he was saying.

"Silence!" the king hissed. "As the all-father I am obliged to be their protector, as Asgard's king, Loki, I am bound to make a decision that is in the best interest of this realm, as a father," He stopped. His breath hitching. For the first time since Loki had been dragged into the hall of, he felt that Odin's gaze was not incriminating. "I have tried to raise sons who could be wise kings and good men. And at times, that has been my greatest failure," King Odin looked down. There was a gasp that came over the delegates. A few hushed no's rose up. Odin looked back up. "There were times I was described as overly indulgent of my children, not strict enough," the king's voice was hushed. "I acknowledge my own shortcoming. "Both my sons desired the throne so much that they were willing to expose these gentle realms and innocent lives to the horror and desolation of war!" the King of Asgard's voice was practically a roar. "My first born was reckless and arrogant he picked fights only knowing the thrill of victory, so I had to teach him defeat. For Thor banishment was the answer through which he learned what it truly meant to be a king," Odin inclined his head toward his eldest son sitting in the stands with his mother

"I believe Thor learned humility in his time in banishment. Through his time among humanity, he learned that a true ruler has to sacrifice," Odin reminded all. "When he had no power, he learned how truly be worthy of great power," Odin wagged his finger in the air. There was a momentary pause. Odin took a deep breath and then looked at Loki. "But you Loki, you are not like Thor. Where there was recklessness for you there is shrewd cunning. Your actions were planned the results were what you wanted and intended," Odin pointed out sorrowfully. Odin breathed in and out. "Thor learned from his banishment. And I believe you would learn from banishment as well," Odin decreed. There was an audible gasp from the trickster. His eyes emerald eye wide and watery at the pronouncement. It took a concerted effort on his part to keep from screaming out. But he didn't. He mashed his lips together until he tasted blood and pressed his white knuckled fist into the cold marble floor. This was justice. It was what for the best. No one would want him around.

There were murmurings swirling in the seats above the throne. "Yet I recall that you too have already faced a self-imposed exile," Odin looked down at Loki. "And when your worthiness was true, well the proof was in the hammer," Loki thought he heard mirth in Odin's tone. "And I believe you, too, Loki have learned a lesson," the king confirmed. "Because you, who so badly wanted to rule. Who so desperately wanted to have others bow and kowtow to you...now... now you beg to be a servant," Odin's wiry, white eyebrows knit together. "Nay a slave!" Gungnir stamped loudly on the ground once more as he would make his final pronouncement. "And now based on the votes of this most revered High Council and the power vested in me Asgard's king, I, Odin All-father, do hereby, hence forth sentence you to an eternal life of service to Asgard as her prince."

There was a hush that came over the crowd of citizens and courtiers that had pushed into the judgement hall. Those who weren't able to make it into the judgment hall were thronging at the doors, standing on each other's shoulders desperate to peek into the chamber, but upon hearing the sentence many fell over with a loud thud.

Loki was still kneeling before Odin and the delegated. He was told to be silent and he was doing his best to obey the king's orders, but he wanted to say something even if it was just to thank Odin for even indulging him and pretending to consider his inane request to live as a servant in Asgard for the rest of his days. What was he thinking? How could he, for all his intelligence have allowed such a foolish plea to come out of his mouth. If he wasn't already kneeling, he would have kicked himself and brought himself down even lower.

With head bowed and body bent over, Loki didn't hear Odin's words, he didn't even notice the silence that had come over the crowd or hear the thuds of those who fell over from show. The only thing that he could hear was the sound of his own rapidly beating heart. He could feel his heart beating in his ears as well as in his chest as he awaited the pronouncement. His heart sounded like 500 drums of war against his golden breastplate. His heartbeat echoed in his ears as if he was in one of those garish Midgardian concerts, that they had the nerve to call music. He thought that his eardrums would burst. It drowned out the words coming from Odin's mouth. The raven-haired mage could feel perspiration rolling down the back of his neck and dripping from the sides of his helmet. Loki wouldn't have already been crouched down, humbled and bent; he would have kicked himself for his foolishness of even daring to ask for more than the sentence that the King of Asgard had originally given him.

Loki had told himself he wouldn't be afraid of the outcome of the sentencing. He'd marched into the judgment hall not as some cowering victim, but as a true ruler. Victims had no say in what happened to them, but Loki knew that his own actions had led to this moment. He accepted that. He wasn't truly afraid not of the outcomes her knew. He had resigned himself to life on Knowwhere. It would be brutal, harsh, crazed, but it would be better than the Void. Being an errand boy to the eccentric Collector certainly wouldn't be the way he wanted to while away eternity, that was type of torture in and of itself. But it was better than what he deserved. An eternal and humiliating life of servitude in Asgard was what he'd asked for, so how could he not accept that? How could he be afraid of the punishment he so craved? It would be a degrading, grueling and probably a mirthless existence, but he'd take it gladly. But that third option. That was a wildcard that he hadn't counted on. His mind was always reeling, always thinking and planning and plotting, but he hadn't counted on Odin allowing a third choice to be given. Maybe they'd just simply choose to execute him. It wasn't a comforting thought, it made his blood run cold, but it was justice and Asgard was land that prided itself on justice if nothing else. He was sure that the people would be satisfied. In that way the people of Asgard could just move on. Still, Loki truly doubted that Odin would allow him to be executed, maybe the man he called father, really did have a soft spot for his wayward son after all. He'd had plenty of opportunities to kill him or let him die starting when he was even just a babe and ending with right after the Aether had been put into stasis and the battle finished. Or maybe Odin didn't had sympathy, maybe he just wanted to torture him the more with a miserable life. Loki nearly shrugged that off. His mind flipped and turned over as he through of the numerous tortures that the High Council of Asgard could concoct in his honor. He gulped. He pictured them sending him back to the Void and having him once again chained to a stone and having that horrible serpent drip its acid venom all over his body once again, until it burned off his Aesir colored flesh and revealed his true, hideous cobalt skin so that all of Asgard could stare at him like some animal in zoo.

There was a pause and Odin and High Council looked down on Loki's fettered and crouched form. He wasn't moving. King Odin thumped his scepter against the marble flooring beneath his throne. "I, Odin All-father, decree henceforth that your crimes against this realm though numerous and great are pardoned. When you had all the power to destroy and dominate, when you had us all at your mercy, you chose to be merciful, help and heal and that is what I and this Council chose for you," Odin pointed out as he gestured with hand toward the High Council sitting in the pews behind him. "When the time came you showed that you didn't have the heart of a villain, but of a hero. You showed that your mettle wasn't that of a monster, but of a man and that your rulership wasn't one that had to be tyranny, but that you truly had the nobility of a prince." the king continued.

"Here! Here!" Prince Thor thundered. He immediately popped up from his seat withing the stands and he started to thunderously applaud his father's words. His furious hand clapping was soon followed suit by his mother, Heimdal and his friends, the Warriors Three and Lady Sif. Slowly, Lord Audric stood to his feet, he also started to applaud and before long even Prime Minister Algrim was also cheering.

Lady Jane Foster had been given the privilege of standing in the back of the Judgment Hall. The crowd around her stood dumbfounded. Her misty hazel eyes looked around and she saw the astonishment on their faces. There were a few mouths that just hung open upon hearing the king's pronouncement. Jane couldn't help but toss her head back and laugh. She found her hands clapping as well as she looked up Prince Thor. Her eyes met his. His elation for his brother was palpable and contagious even through a glance. The scientist's smile spread across her face and she beamed back at her boyfriend. Jane was a woman of science and facts. She was a woman of simple logic. She liked logical things. She liked things that could be counted and measured, weighed and dissect. It made things easy. But even in science there were mysteries. There were things that couldn't 100% be defined or known. There were things that just had to be believed, because the results could be seen, like gravity or atoms. This was one of those kinds of situations. They only knew the results of Loki's actions at the end and those results were good. That could be quantified, weighed and measured. The scientist let out a hoop and a holler. As Jane cheered soon the crowded of courtiers that were in the Judgment Hall started to applaud as well. It didn't take long before the all of Asgard's High Council gave a standing ovation. The sunlight flooded into the austere throne room from the diamond domed ceiling and bejeweled stained-glass windows. It shined down on the prisoner.

Finally, the thunderous applause broke through and resounded louder in Loki's ears than his own rapidly beating heart. He decided the raise his head and hold head, he opened his emerald eyes and beheld everyone on their feet clapping wildly. He could only imagine that they had decided to get rid of him. His exile would be followed by a parade for sure. He could only think that during the public execution of a few Frost Giant war criminals back during the Great Cold Wars that there had been such elation over a sentencing. The only thing that gave the enchanter pause was that he saw Thor and his mother cheering as well.

Loki sat there wide eyed as a child as he heard the sound of Gungnir hilt slam against the beautiful marble. His attention was called back to Odin. "You will hereby serve this sentence forth with," Odin decreed. Immediately the palace guard rushed to surround Loki caught glimpses of their shadows as they drew near. So, this was it, he was just going to be carted off and thrown away? His eyes dilated for a minute. Without even a chance to say goodbye? He supposed he and Thor had said their goodbyes, but what about Mother? He at least wanted to hug and kiss his mother one more time. Maybe it was too much to hopeful that Odin would exchange a tearful farewell with him, but he'd at least thought that the king of Asgard would give him some parting words. He'd said that he'd still thought of him as a son. And what of Lady Sigyn? If he was never going to see her again, he at least needed to make sure that there were some words that weren't left unsaid between them.

The hands of Captain Frell and the other palace guards were soon on him, pulling and tugging at the chains that he was bound in. He felt one of the guards reach for his arm as if to pull on him, but Loki quickly twisted from the hands that seemed all too eager to accost him. Though quite frankly no one had laid a finger on him. He twisted and out of their grasp and the enchanter landed flat on his face. The clapping stopped and there was nearly a gasp that came from all those beholding. Queen Frigga's hands reached out toward him as if from the balcony she intended to scoop him up. Loki pushed his horned head off of the tile floor and kept himself on all fours, he looked up at King Odin with desperate jade eyes. "My king!" he cried out. "I do accept my punishment..." he began his voice somewhat shaking.

"Indeed," Odin remarked his wiry, white brow raised as he looked down at Loki.

"I have no right, to ask you of this, sire, your judgment has already been more than what this scoundrel deserves," his silver-tongue articulated. "I only ask from you another day's time..." The raven-haired Aesir man as practically panting.

"A day's time?" the king of Asgard echoed his words.

"Yes, All-father, to settle my affairs," he stated boldly. He had to at least make some time to make some provisions for his own daughter. He had to tell his mother that the child was out there. He had to make sure she had a home. He could let Lord Audric know, she was truly the child's next of kin and Loki knew that Dagmar would be concerned about her father living out the rest of his years alone. He also had things that he wanted to leave his daughter. Loki looked up and bit his lip. He had no right to make any more requests. He was a banished man; he wasn't a citizen any longer and he was dead to them in all but name. If he was to be a slave for the rest of his days than he had forfeited all of his rights.

"To settle your affairs," Odin looked from side to side.

"Please," he allowed the cry to tumble from his lips.

"Loki," Odin said his name with fondness. "Did you hear what I said?" there was almost a jovial chuckle to his tone.

The raven-haired enchanter pushed himself into a kneeling position. He looked around at all the faces still starting down at him It amazed him that not a one seemed to hold condemnation or malice in their eyes. He thought that he saw pity in their pupils. Loki shook his head; of course, what else could they have for a wretch such as him? A soul who had lost everything. Still, he allowed Odin's question to dawn on him once more, had he heard what Odin said? In truth he hadn't.

"Release him," the leader of Asgard commanded. He stamped Gungnir against the ground. The guards snapped to attention once again and rushed to Loki. They grabbed his limbs and they set the key forth into the chains and fetters and unlocked them. Loki watched as his heavy binds fell off of his wrists and ankles. Captain Frell was the one to place the key into the fetter around his neck and unlock it. It fell against the marble with a clang. Loki sat on his knees gaping up at the all-father. He was certain that they would transport him to the Collector in chains and no doubt the Collect would just see him as another shiny relic to keep under lock and key at least initially. Why was he being released, so? If they had allowed him to live as a servant, he had assumed that he'd still be bound, but it would make cleaning even more of a chore, but it was a punishment after all he shrugged. "Rise, Prince Loki," Odin instructed.

Loki gulped, the words scarcely processing the thick haze of every other thought that was rushing through his brain. He started to get to his feet, but perhaps he stumbled a bit. Quickly, there arose a hand to help him up. It took him by the shoulder as he braced himself. Then one hand reached out to him and pulled him to his feet. "Your Highness," a deep baritone voice said kindly as it helped him up. Loki turned to see the face of Asgard's gatekeeper giving him an encouraging nod. Loki smirked back at the watcher of the Bifrost, there was still twinge of disbelief in his expression. Loki's thin lips pursed as if he was about to ask a question. Heimdal's strong mahogany hands clapped him on the back, but didn't say a word. He simply drew back and bent himself into a sweeping bow. "Your Majesty," he mouthed before backing away.

Loki turned back toward the realm's ruler. He was surprised when he saw Odin walking down from his dais toward him. Soon he was only standing a few feet away from him. For a moment his face was stoic, but with every passing stride the facial expression got softer. Before long there was a tight-lipped smile creasing across the elderly king's face. He pointed Gungnir toward Loki's golden breastplate. "My son, Loki, Prince of Asgard," He declared before the assembly. The Council sat back silently hanging on Odin's words. They watched as King Odin dropped his magnificent scepter. The mighty weapon fell to the ground with a clank and a clang. The king's hands reached out and gripped Loki by his gleaming shoulder-plates. He just stared at the young man for a few moments. His gray-blue eye searched Loki's emerald ones. They glistened with tears. Loki shook his head, his severe lips trembling as he tried to form some words, but seemed to have none. Odin beamed at Loki and pulled Loki into a tight embrace before all. The young mage was tall and sleek in build and with his helmet he appeared to tower over the king of Asgard. As he felt Odin's firm embrace, Loki nearly collapsed right into the hug from the elderly monarch. His eyes were full of unshed tears and he stared at Odin in bewilderment, but as soon as they embrace, they came forth unabashedly. Odin's cheeks were wet too. Odin's weathered hands moved from around Loki's back toward his face. He touched Loki lightly on his hairless cheek. He held his face securely between his two palms and nodded vigorously with a smile. "Welcome home!" King Odin proclaimed to him before all.

The applause was explosive for a minute from the Council. Then suddenly, Prime Minister Algrim slowly approached to where King Odin and Prince Loki were standing. He faced them and for the first time in a long time, he bowed toward the youngest son of Odin. The rest of the High Council followed suit from their lofty seats. One by one like a wave the bowed. Before the reinstated prince of the realm. The guards stood at attention and saluted him. The courtiers in the back of the throne room followed suit. Loki looked around with astonishment. He looked back up at the High Council with disbelief. He pinched the palm of his hand to check that he was actually awake. He looked up and saw Queen Frigga with her lovely face streaked with tears and blowing endless kisses at him. At her side he saw Prince Thor, his brother, with a triumphant fist full of thunder raised high in the air cheering him on. He must have been dreaming.

The rest was blur for Loki. It was a swooshing slurry and swirl of adrenaline and happiness. So, much happiness! Everything felt like a carnival! Bright colors, laughter and applause. People rushing about celebrating and exclaiming. There was shouting and congratulating, there was hand clapping and embracing and there was weeping, but for the first time in what seemed like forever they weren't tears of pain, or depression or anger, but of true elation. At some point Loki felt himself being hoisted off the ground, feet in the air and being bounced up and down. He couldn't recall the last time something like that had happened. Maybe it had been at his 800 birthdays when everyone was determined to get him wasted. Truth be told he certainly felt drunk now. He was giddy as a schoolboy himself. He looked beneath him only to find that it was Volstagg who had lifted him on to his shoulder. He should have known it was the jolly red-haired Viking who would do such a thing. Frandal was at his side declaring how happy he was for him and how great a job he did. Hogun wasn't saying much, but of course he never did. Still, the normally silent warrior was letting out a few hoots and hollers and his normally stoic face was wearing an ecstatic grin from ear to ear.

Lady Sif rushed into the crowd and reached up and shook Loki's hands. At some point she pulled him down off Volstagg's shoulder. The prince tumbled downward and, in the pandemonium, and enthusiasm of the crowd he was nearly trampled, but Lady Sif took him by the hand and helped him up. His face still wore a look dazed, giddy shock. His helmet had toppled off of his raven-locked head. Loki looked around for it on the floor and noticed his beautiful helmet being kicked about by busy, bustling boots. He reached for it, but found it at the feet of another. Lady Sif reached down and gripped it u and passed it to him. Loki's hand reached for it, but just as his hands were about to touch the horns of the helmet, he found himself somehow being entangled in a headlock by Lady Sif. The proud warrior woman pulled him in locked him under her arms and drove her fist into his coif of ebony hair and ruffled it. Lady Sif gave a hearty laugh and Loki laughed as well. They hadn't truly laughed together like this in so long. Even in the years prior to his vile betrayal of his family and friends they'd always bickered like cats and dogs. When she finally released him from the headlock, she handed him back his helmet. Loki muttered thank you, but truly it couldn't be heard over the raucous shouts. "Well, we finally found a way to stun your silver tongue into silence," she pointed out to him and placed her hands on her hips.

Loki shook his head, trying to smooth out his black mane. "Well, I'm sure in time I'll find my tongue," he replied as he polished the horns of his helmet with the silk of his tunic.

"And I guess this means that I'll have to go back to calling you, 'Your Highness,'" the brunette shield-maiden rolled her eyes.

"Like you ever did before," Loki's emerald eyes rolled back to her.

"Well at least you won't have high expectations this time around," she gave a wink.

Loki penned her with a glare and there was still a smirk on his lips, but before he could offer another retort or even get his helmet situated back on top his head, he felt two strong, big, burly biceps come and wrap tight around his torso and swirl him around! He'd recognize those arms anywhere and of course that jolly, thunderous guffaw that boomed in his ear. He looked over his shoulder only to find Thor's happy expression behind him. Thor hoisted him in the air and exclaimed. "You did it! Brother! You did it!" The way he was spinning him and swinging him, Loki couldn't help, but feel like a little kid again. He remembered Thor helping him learn to walk, when he finally took those first few steps on his own without toppling over Thor had been ecstatic that now he had a true companion would could run about with him. Later he remembered his older brother showing him how to properly wield a blade so that he wouldn't make a fool of himself at the first tournament. Honestly, there was a part of Loki that hadn't wanted Thor to attend the tournament. He was afraid that he'd lose and then his brother would see him and see him as a disgrace to their family, but Thor came and he saw and Loki didn't lose and Thor cheered wildly then like he did now and picked him up and spun him around just like now.

Finally, Thor sat him down on his own feet. Loki felt as dizzy as his top. He tried to put his helmet on top of his head, but it hung lopsided and crooked as he got his footing. Thor took him by his shoulders to steady him and the two brothers looked each other in the eye. One of Loki's hands held onto Thor's strapping shoulder while the other gripped his own head. "Thor! Thor! Thor!" Loki called. "What is this? What is happening?" he questioned smiling.

Thor punched his younger sibling in the shoulder. "What do you mean, brother? You're coming home!" the crown prince of Asgard exclaimed. "You are home! For good!"

The emerald eyed enchanter shook his head. "Thor after everything I've done..." Loki looked down... "How could...the Council...?" Loki stammered his eyes searching Thor's.

"That's exactly it, brother," Thor expressed as he wrapped his arm around Loki's shoulder. "After everything you've done... coming back from the brink of self-destruction, fighting at the side of Asgard when we needed you most, coming up with a plan to save us all, sparing my life, sparing all our lives when you had us at your mercy, wielding Mjolnir..." Thor elaborated. "You were willing to sacrifice your life for everyone and they saw that," Thor held Loki firmly by his shoulders and looked him in the eye.

"But...but... I'm..I'm the cause of everything," Loki went on.

"Exactly," Thor nodded his head vigorously. "Everything that we have now is because of you," Thor pointed his thick finger at Loki's chest.

Loki shook his head, "Come on you know what I mean," Loki said in earnest.

"I know that without you, this wouldn't be possible," Thor put his arm around Loki's shoulders he spun Loki around and extended his other arm out to show Loki his handiwork. Loki saw the newly renovated hall of judgment with its marble pillars, golden tiles and bejeweled windows, t was beautiful not just a gnarled, dilapidated ruin. A throne sat minted and intact and it wasn't sat on by a monster or a dictator, but by a true king that could render real justice. The castle was full of the people of Asgard, and they were alive and vibrant and beautifully arrayed. They weren't bound or shackled, bruised and bloodied. Out of the window he caught a glimpse of the beautiful blue sky and the golden yellow rays of sun, not a darkened sky filled with fire and brimstone.

Jade eyes were open to behold all, but Loki refuted. "It wasn't me," Loki expressed "I did the very least, at the very end...

"I'm not worthy," Loki continued. "I took lives," he sighed.

"You saved lives," Thor retorted. "You saved my life," Thor's blue eyes looked at his brother hopefully.

To this, Loki finally cracked a smile. "Not like it's the first time," he shrugged with his lopsided grim.

"No, that it's not. And it's not the first time you've saved Asgard...maybe it's just the first time that everyone got to see it. And I'm sorry for that...maybe that was my fault brother." Thor expressed.

"No, you're the hero...you saved Asgard." Loki insisted. "You, and the warriors of Asgard, and the people," Loki began to count.

"Well, you're my hero," Prince Thor confirmed as he wrapped his hand gently around Loki's neck. "I need you," Thor hunched his big shoulders, "and Asgard needs you too," he winked. "If you wouldn't have returned to us, we may have all been lost," Thor continued.

Loki wanted to protest some more, but before he could formulate another sentence, he saw his mother, Queen Frigga rushing toward him. She was Asgard's most dignified and royal queen. She had approached his father and whispered something in his ear and planted a kiss on his lips, but in the midst of all the pandemonium Loki doubted the citizens noticed the exchange between the monarchs. Then she quickly turned from the king and made her way toward the princes. Now mother had always taught them that at royal functions that they never ran and they never rushed, they were simply to hasten. His mother was hastening toward him like her life depended on it. Instantly, he felt her loving arms wrap around him.

"Loki! Loki! Loki! Loki!" she exclaimed as tears streamed down her face. Her lips were trembling, but her face was lit up. She took his angular face in her hands and all at once began to shower it with kisses. Her deep crimson lip paint smeared and smattered all over his pale face. "Loki, my love, my heart," she gasped. "Oh, my love, what a great day!" she exclaimed.

"Mother...I...I... I don't know what to say," Loki finally managed.

"That's a first," she laughed, wiping the lip paint off his face with her silk handkerchief.

Loki looked down and grinned. He heard Thor's jaunty laugh behind his mother's. "Well, this day is just full of surprises isn't it," he retorted.

"Oh, Loki, my son...I am so happy! I prayed that they would show you mercy, but this is more than even what I had dreamed," she explained.

"But Mother, how?" Loki asked his eyes searching hers'. "Did you have something to do with this?" her younger son questioned. His lips quirked and he pointed a finger at her.

"Me?" Queen Frigga's voice went into a sing-song tone. "Me? How could I have anything to do with this? I was not even allowed to vote," she stated. It was true that Queen Frigga was not a member of Asgard's High Council and very rarely was able to cast a ballot in these matters. It had been forbidden. But that had never stopped Queen Frigga from expressing her opinion.

"The renovations of the city are coming along splendidly," Odin said to his queen as they finished up their evening meal. The royal couple strolled arm and arm on the terrace of the palace lawn. They could see the construction of the new edifices rising in the background. The rebuilt temples and monuments glistened in the glow of the 3 moons. The ash had faded away and now they could truly see how much progress they had made with the reconstruction. Everything looked nearly as good as new. In a few weeks, it would look ilba nothing had ever happened. Soon there would be no traces of how close their realm had come to collapse. King Odin talked on and on about how pleased he was with the fact that the Imperial City was shinning, shimmering, splendid once again. "After the next moon cycle the master builders tell me that they should be able to reopen the University," Odin expressed. "Asgard's best and brightest and even others from around the Nine Realms will be able to return to study," the elderly king beamed as he looked at the mighty university made of golden bricks standing tall and stately like a second palace in the city.

"Loki will be pleased," Queen Frigga stated with a sigh as she looked out at the university where Loki had not only proudly attended and had been a stellar pupil and proudly served as patron, but had also been one of their most esteemed professors.

"What was that?" the king asked as he stared at Frigga, she had halted in her tracks and her blue eyes glistened as they stared out at the city.

"I'm just saying, it'll be good news for Loki to hear that all the hard work he put into the university will continue," She stated.

Odin's eyebrow raised, "Yes," Odin continued, skeptically. He gave a slight tug on his queen's arm ushering her forward as they made their way through the palace. "You know, Frigga many people have called the University home throughout the eons, but opening it up will allow a sense of normalcy to return to the Imperial City after the battle,"

"Of course, normalcy," Frigga stated cooly. They walked through the corridors a detail of guards following closely behind Odin talked of the different monuments that he was going to have commissioned to be built to remember the Convergence and those who had died. "I have been talking with Master Pallo," the king started. "I've asked him to come up with some designs for a massive statue to commemorate the brave warriors who died in battle. He came up with a simply brilliant artistic thought, to have the statue made of onyx and rubies to represent the Aether attack," Odin explained and the wizened king sounded rather excited about the plans. "Do have any thoughts about where we should put it, my queen?" Odin inquired of her.

"I'd have to look at the details from the city planners, my love," Queen Frigga reported, but her voice did not sound as elated as he'd hoped.

Soon the royal pair had made their way to their bedchamber door. Odin respectfully dismissed the guards. As soon as the guards walked away Odin's valet appeared. They opened the grand, mahogany doors with golden overlay and details. The doorknobs were shaped like lions. The king and queen entered their chamber. The chambermaids were just starting to finish up with the final touches to prepare the royal bedchamber. Their king-sized bed with gold and white quilts made of silk and velvet and golden fleece were turned down and the pillows were flushed. Both the king and queen's respective nightcaps were prepared and chilled on their stands. There were only a few candles and lanterns lit in the room giving it a nighttime glow. Most of the illumination was coming from the hearth and the crackle of the logs on the fire could be heard. The glow from the flames was a distinct red that came from the redwoods from the High Mountains one of the richest villages in the Hill Country where Queen Frigga was from. The chambermaids came out and presented Odin and Frigga with their evening wear. There was the faint scent of lemon and sandstone coming from the bathroom and the sound of running water could be her. "May we help you disrobe, Your Majesties?" the two maids asked in unison and they curtsied to their monarchs.

"We will be well for this evening, my children, thank you," Queen Frigga said pleasantly.

With that, they exited. Beneath wiry, white whiskers the wizened wielder of Gungnir wore a wily twist to his lips "Planning to disrobe me?" he asked. His snowy brows raised. His lips nearly pursed. Queen Frigga had a playful smirk on her lips. Slowly, Queen Frigga's elegant, but slightly wrinkled fingers started to remove some of Odin's vestments. She started by taking off his heavy helmet. She gently started to place some of his vestments to the side.

"Would you build a statue for him?" Frigga asked as she took off Odin's golden wristlets.

"For who?" the king asked.

"Loki," she practically hummed. She walked his wristlets over to the dresser where the king normally placed such trinkets. "If you send him away...I'll never see him again, the least you could do is allow me to see a statue," she remarked. She stopped helping her husband undress and stared beyond the gossamer curtains that separated their bedroom from the balcony. She looked out at the night sky and the glittering city that was starting to come back to life.

Odin sighed and sat down on the bed. "We don't build statues for traitors, Frigga," he reminded her.

"He's not a traitor, he's already proved that," the queen of Asgard practically hissed.

"Frigga, if the council decides to banish Loki, then we cannot have a statue of him, it would be a mockery," Odin informed her. He got up from the bed and walked behind her.

"It is a mockery to have someone who saved this kingdom banished," she shook her head.

"It's out of my hands, Frigga," Odin was directly behind her and he raised his hands in the air defenselessly.

"You are the king of Asgard!" She turned to him. "Nothing is out of your hands!" she reminded him. "You could grant him clemency," she declared, her lips were quivering and tears pricked at her cerulean eyes.

"I have spared his life." Odin decreed to her.

"A life for a life," she shrugged off his words. "He spared yours; he spared all of ours!" she practically shouted. "The Council has to see that. He's only asking to be a servant, why won't they...you..." she shook her head. "You know Odin...all he's ever wanted was..." Frigga stopped and paused, "was to be of service to you and Asgard," she explained and she allowed her tears to fall.

Odin shook his head; he turned around and wandered back into the bedroom. "Ha!" the great king tossed his head back and laughed. "All he's ever wanted was to be served," he pointed out. He recalled how spoiled both Thor and Loki had truly been for most of their lives. He turned back around to look at his wife, but he caught a glimpse of the newly rebuilt Bifrost Bridge. The Rainbow Bridge looked better than ever. He thought of how it had been smashed to smithereens just a few weeks ago. The other time that had happened had been a few years ago. He recalled rushing across the bridge on the back of Sleipnir, the horse's eight hooves moved quickly as lightning and somehow, he was able to catch Thor by his bootstrap. There his sons dangled. He recalled Loki then, pale and stricken looking up at him with frantic eyes the color of a forest.

"I could have done it, Father, for you...for all of us," Odin shook his head as he recalled Loki's voice at the moment. His efforts had been misguided, but he wanted to do something that he thought would benefit Asgard in the long run. He thought of when Loki had come to him so many centuries ago, imploring him to let him research the Tesseract. Hadn't he just wanted to find routes to make travel between the worlds easier? He hadn't approved, because it was risky, but Loki intended to do something useful. He thought of when he would lecture Thor and Loki when they were just lads. He'd tell them of his conquests, he'd tell them of the ways of the warrior king. Thor was eager and hearty and proclaimed how he would fight by his side, but so did Loki. He was smaller, frailer looking and he didn't seem like he would become much of a warrior at the time, but he'd always echoed the same sentiments right behind Thor Odin nearly chuckled. He thought of the Frost Giant foundling that he'd brought to the palace, hadn't he thought that that child could be useful, could be of service to him?

King Odin walked back toward Queen Frigga, he saw how she still stared out at the city. He walked closer to her and placed his old, but strong hands against her delicate shoulders. He felt the way they shook. "You are right," he whispered in her ear. "Maybe he has wanted to serve..." Odin admitted with a sigh.

"Then let him serve Odin, let him serve," she stated as she turned around to Odin and pressed her cheek into his chest. She hugged her husband tight. Odin's arms wrapped around her as well. The couple there wrapped in each other's arms. Frigga could feel the way her husband's heart pounded.

"The council must make a decision that is in the best interest of Asgard...not what we want for Loki," Odin stated as they finally came from off the balcony. Odin clapped his hands and instantly a glass panel door came and closed off the balcony and the bedroom. Queen Frigga had removed her dress and slipped into a nightgown. Odin came and wrapped one of her silk and fur robes around her shoulders as she climbed into bed. "It is late, my wife, try to get some sleep and think not of this anymore.

"It is impossible for me not to think of it. That would require for me to not be breathing," Frigga said slightly chuckling as she slipped her body beneath the covers.

"You truly are "all-mother," Odin quipped. He waved his hands and the fire in the hearth slowly died and soon there were only a few dimly lit candles glowing." He kissed Frigga's wet cheek.

"How do they know Odin?"
"Know what? The elderly king asked half-sleep

"That what is best for Loki and what is best for Asgard aren't the same thing?"

Odin didn't respond to the queen's inquiry with anything, but soft snores. The next morning Queen Frigga arranged a breakfast tea that was a private invitation for many of the ladies of court to take place the following day. She had her couriers rush out early to deliver the correspondence. Queen Frigga had a Crystal Tea Room inside of the palace. The palace was the first building that had been rebuilt and the Crystal Tea Room looked radiant. It was made of all glass and each facet sparkled and shined like there had never been any war at all. The Noblewomen dressed themselves in their best frocks for the occasion. "My, my, Your Majesty! I must admit it was quite a pleasant surprise to receive such an invitation," Lady Talona declared as she fanned herself.

"It is a pleasure to invite all of you ladies to the palace once again," Queen Frigga stated most graciously. "There have been so many matters of state of course," she began as she stirred her cup of tea.

"The reconstruction of the Imperial City is paramount," expressed Countess Reeta an elderly woman. She was some kin of Odin on his mother's side. She was a strong supporter of most royal decisions, but most felt that she didn't want to fall out of favor with the king since their kinship was so distant, she feared that if she fell from their good graces she would lose her title, land, and privileges.

"Yes, of course, cousin countess," Frigga expressed warmly. "But we must make time for civility and gentility now that we are starting to get our footing again,"

"Here! Here!" several of the royal women eagerly raised their teacups in a toast.

"You are absolutely right Queen Frigga!" another regally dressed woman decreed. "Why it's been positively dreadful having to walk around in a perpetual state of mourning. It was good to have reason to put on clothes of cheer this morning,"

"Will you have a celebration soon, my lady?" asked an eager young gentlewoman. She lived with her uncle who was one of the Council Members. He was the captain of Asgard's elite flying force. They called themselves the Aerial Aces. "It just seems so tragically unfair that when I started living with my uncle in the big city, then everything was destroyed before I even got my chance to attend my first Royal ball," the maiden insisted.

"Not everything was destroyed, child," Queen Frigga chided mildly as she took a sip from the steaming cup and looked over the rim.

The young Aesir woman balked and gawked and choked on a sugar cube at the queen's gentle rebuke. The other noblewomen shushed her and scolded her. They hissed in her ear about her foolhardiness to even speak out. "Of course, forgive me, Your Majesty," the young woman got up and bowed before the female rule of Asgard.

The wife of Odin wore a demure smile on her lips. She dabbed ever so delicately at the corners of her mouth with her handkerchief. "Think nothing of its child. After all, isn't forgiveness the very heart of civility?" she questioned the woman before her. They all responded accordingly affirmatively. "As far as your question, well it would be nice to have a ball again," Queen Frigga smiled. To this, the ladies clapped and shouted yes. "But of course that would show no sense of propriety. What with so many people having lost loved ones in the battle and the days leading up to it." Queen Frigga shook her head and placed her hands on her heart. Quickly she muttered the last rights for the dead. The others followed suit. "We must honor the fallen," the queen stated.

"But Your Majesty surely after we have the grand funeral..." began the countess.

"Well, there is still another matter that must be settled and that is the sentencing of my son, Loki," Queen Frigga interjected. Eyes went wide and a silence came over the normally talkative group. Queen Frigga endured their silence for a moment, but then she cleared her throat and continued. "Many of you are mothers...but have any of you lost a child?" she questioned. The question posed as a challenge, to which no noblewoman was able to meet. "Now think about losing him twice?" she continued to demand. Her voice reverberated with emotion. "I do not think my heart would be able to make merry again," she insisted as tears started to rush down her face. One of her ladies-in-waiting came up immediately and started rubbing the distraught royal woman's back.

"Your Majesty, I couldn't imagine," quietly expressed a noblewoman by the name of Lady Lange. "I have sent my sons to war; I have sent my daughters to live among foreigners for finishing schools. In the end, they always returned to me. I went with you to Kytheria with you and some of my children I could not get in contact with. I was so afraid they would die and I would never see them again, but my children are alive today and we are all together as a happy family and that is in large part because of your son, Loki," Lady Lange announced. Murmurs broke out amongst the rest of the tea party, but none dared to raise their words above the sound of the steam rising from their cups. Lady Lange spoke the truth. Many warriors fought bravely, and every citizen had played their part, but without Loki wielding the hammer and the scepter at the same time, well every effort made by others would have simply been in vain. "You've already experienced the loss of your son, thinking he was dead," Lady Lange went on, she put her hand on her heart and hung her head. "Then you got him back again, back from the dead, that is every mother's dream," Lady Lange pronounced to the other women her eyes wide.

"Yes, but he was crazed and murderer," whispered another lady of court in Lady Lange's ear.

Queen Frigga cut her a glare from across her decorative teacup, but she allowed the ladies-in-waiting to do her dirty work as they hissed "Shhhh" in her direction. She shrunk back like a violet.

Lady Lange quickly recovered, she fanned at the other woman and then turned back to Queen Frigga she reached her hands over across the white tablecloth-covered table and practically knocked over the decorative crystal teapot with an array of beautiful flowers in it. She was desperate to make amends to the queen if the other woman's remark had offended her. She reached across the table to grab the queen's gracious hands. The royal woman had several rings on her fingers and Lady Lange kissed every one of them. "Please, Your Majesty! I am truly sorry that you have to deal with the prospect of losing him again,"

"Even after he has proven himself," the Queen of Asgard stated with bitterness in her tone.

"But surely, Queen Frigga you wouldn't outright defy the wishes of your husband, the king, or Asgard's High Council?" questioned Lady Talona.

"Are you implying that I couldn't or that I shouldn't, my dear Lady Talona?" asked Queen Frigga as she dabbed a white handkerchief at the corners of her mouth amazingly never smearing her lip paint.

At the sharp inquiry, Lady Talona nearly swallowed a whole sugar cube that she'd just dropped in her tea. "Me? Me? Me?" she asked as she choked. "Why, Merciful Yggdrasil, I imply nothing, I merely ask a question, my lady?" she threw her hands up defenselessly.

"Oh, but of course," Queen Frigga modeled a delicate smile and poured more tea for her guest. "I would never seek to publicly challenge my husband's judgments, especially after such a trying time for the people of Asgard. It would simply show no propriety. That being said, I just want to let you ladies know that if my dear, sweet Loki is banished I just can't picture myself being in much of a celebratory mood going forward," Queen Frigga's eyes were wide.

A gasp came over the crowd of women. "Well...well...well, my queen you mean never?" asked the young gentlewoman, who lived with her uncle.

"I cannot foresee it, my child," Queen Frigga said wistfully. "How could I make merry and entertain knowing that my son would never have such privileges again?" Worried looks washed over the faces of the noblewomen, they quickly exchanged frantic glances. "But that is why I wanted to have this tea," Queen Frigga stretched forth her arms benevolently. "To extend hospitality to you dear ladies once more in case the worst should befall Loki," she expressed.

"Oh dear," mumbled Countess Reeta.

"But my queen," a Councilman's wife began to speak up. "There is still always the chance that the High Council could vote in favor of Loki being a servant," she pointed out nervously.

"Ha!" Queen Frigga tossed her head back and laughed. "And what chance is that? You all know that so many have such a hard heart against my youngest son."

"But in theory, Cousin, if Loki was allowed to remain in Asgard as a servant?" began the countess.

"Then my heart would rejoice and I'd thank the Norns," the blonde-haired wife of Odin exclaimed and she raised her hands in praise. "Well, my ladies, it has indeed been a pleasure to be in your company and see that so many of you all are doing so well," she blew kisses at them. "I am afraid I must beg your pardon and depart from you all as I do have a few pressing matters to attend to," she explained as she started to stand from the table. A few of the women started to stand up, "No, no, no, please continue to enjoy the tea," Queen Frigga bid them graciously as she and her ladies-in-waiting exited regally.

The women of the court watched as Queen Frigga excited. They sat quietly and politely and dignifiedly chewing their cucumber sandwiches and exchanging meaningful glances. When they could no longer hear the footfalls of Queen Frigga and her waiting gentlewomen, the rest of the noblewomen shot up from their seats and rushed around the Crystal Tea Room in a panic.

"Order! Order! Order, ladies!" declared Countess Reeta. "Now ladies we must calm down," she insisted as she stomped her jewel-incrusted walking cane on the glass floor. The women seemed to freeze in their tracks and once again they daintily resumed their seats at their respective tables.

"Countess Reeta, you heard what Queen Frigga said, she said, that she won't be hosting any more balls if Loki is banished" one woman reiterated as she fanned herself vigorously.

"Oh, my goodness, oh my goodness," the niece of one of the High Council members began to wail. "I come to the Imperial City to study and then the Imperial City is attacked and nearly destroyed, then we are saved, but I'm never going to get the chance to go to royal ball and I waited all my life to go to a royal ball," the young maiden whined. "Merciful Yggdrasil, it's all so traumatizing!" she decreed in a sob and one of the other older women started to rub her back.

"Now, ladies you must remember it's an if," the elderly countess reminded them. "If the Council decides to grant Loki's request to stay in Asgard as a servant, Queen Frigga will be satisfied and the parties and festivities will resume as normal." she pointed out.

"But Queen Frigga is right, no one will vote for Loki to stay. My husband has already expressed that he thinks allowing Loki to live is a great act of mercy."

"Well, you must convince him otherwise, Lady Talona," stated Countess Reeta.

"Convince him otherwise," Lady Talona almost threw her head back with laughter.

"Lady Lange raised some good points, in part, we are all sitting here because of Loki," pointed out one of Queen Frigga's sisters. "Nobody would be able to vote at all if Loki hadn't changed his mind. He changed his mind and saved us... can we not extend the same courtesy to him?"

The women continued there chattered on debating back and forth as Queen Frigga listened intently outside the door. Her ruby-painted lips turned upward, she rubbed her palms together and nodded slightly to herself. She didn't need every single, lord and High Council member to vote in favor of her son's desperate request to be a servant, but she did need the majority. With a little coaxing, she was sure that the ladies of court could get the job done.

At some point, she made her way out into the city with her waiting gentlewomen. There were still many renovations going on and there was still much charity work to be done as well. Queen Frigga attended a stirring speech being made by the Chief Architect. He was earnestly trying to stir the crowd into working to help rebuild the city. He had a particularly ambitious venture of a new citadel that he wanted to rebuild, but quite frankly the good people of Asgard were warn and tired. Everyone was pitching in and doing their best the truth was they'd been working round the clock nonstop to rebuild the Imperial City. Most were committed to helping to restore what had been demolished in the battle, but new building projects garnered less enthusiasm. "Come! Come! Come! People can't you see, this new Citadel is just what the new Imperial City needs!" he exclaimed. "We will build it triple; reinforced titanium and it will be a secure stronghold that even the Aether wouldn't be able to tear down! It will be a safe stronghold for all to run into. And look how beautiful it is," The Chief Architect practically swooned as he pulled up an elaborate holographic image of an absolutely magnificent-looking tower. "Now all I need is a few good Aesir men and women to volunteer to build..."

Before the architect could even finish his statement the crowd of disgruntled Aesir started to boo and hiss. They raised their fist and pitchforks and axes too. "We've been volunteering for nearly a month, but we have needs!" an old man shouted.

"PAY UP!" another group shouted.

"People, people! Come, now come," The master builder began. "This is a chance to be a part of history," He expressed to the theme as he once again pointed to his glorious building.

"Why aren't we focusing on rebuilding the catacombs?" asked an elderly woman holding a shovel.

"Aye! Aye!" a sailor chimed in. "The catacombs are what saved us. They are tested tried and true."

"The Catacombs have been destroyed in the fire," the Chief Architect tried to explain to them. "It was a gift from the ancients, but now we need to have something new, something of our own, to leave our mark on this newly christened city, doesn't that excite you all?" his eyes were wide and his wiry, white hair was sticking up on edge with anticipation. The crowd of potential laborers seemed unimpressed. "You will all literally be able to etch your name into history!" he exclaimed. "I'll have each of you carve your name into one of the bricks and it'll be there for posterity's sake," he insisted he nodded and grinned like a fool encouraging at the crowd.

"How do you even know it'll withstand the Aether if this ever happened again?" asked a shrewd little boy. He was a tiny scamp of a fellow, he wasn't even wearing any shoes and his tunic was ripped and his ill-fitting, dirty trousers were being simply held up, but a pair of suspenders. "That red infinity stone nearly smashed everything to pieces!" he declared and he pounded a small fist into his small dirty palm.

The Chief Architect bristled as he saw the way the boy's question stirred the crow. "Now see here son," she started to scold. "I have been designing all the new plans for the city and I'll not be questioned by the likes of you," He pointed a finger at the child in the crowd who had climbed on top of a lamppost to make sure he was seen and heard. "I have the backing of the Royal Family," he squared his shoulders as he showed the crest of the house of Odin.

"He most certainly does," Queen Frigga spoke up. The wife of Odin had simply tucked and concealed herself in the crowd, but she pushed back the plain hood of the cloak that she was wearing and revealed her royal, radiant crown. The people gasped and bowed and made way for their queen as she marched her way up to the podium to stand right by the architect. He took her hand and helped her up as she approached and then immediately bowed to her and kissed her hand.

'Your...your...Your Majesty," he stammered upon seeing her. "What are you doing here?" he questioned.

Queen Frigga maintained her royal smile, "Might I?" she gestured toward the speaker atop the podium. The architect nodded eagerly. Queen Frigga made her way to speak on the megaphone. "Dear people of Asgard," she began.

The assembly wildly began to cheer for their all-mother. "We love you, Queen Frigga!" someone shouted out from among the masses.

Queen Frigga waved her hand lyrically. "And I love you, dear citizen!" she shouted right back. She put her finger to her lips to quiet the crowd. Once she had gotten their attention and silence she continued to speak. "My dear subjects. I as your queen want to speak my earnest and most humble thanks unto you. You are the ones who are working with all you might to rebuild the Imperial City. Your efforts are what has brought us from the brink of Ragnarök to being free and defeating our foes. I know you are weary. You have been working tirelessly and look around at all that you have done," the queen pointed out. The crowd followed Queen Frigga's outstretched hand. There they beheld a city under reconstruction, but it rising from the ground great and more glorious than ever before. Buildings that had been completely decimated and ground into rubble were growing like great gold and silver stately sycamores out of the ashes. "Your blood sweat and tears have gone into the reconstruction and you all have also lost and suffered. The royal family is not insensitive to your plights and although we are pressed to provide food, clothing, shelter, and gold for those who have been displaced by this terrible battle. That being said I believe in his building project of our Master Architect," the queen started to clap and some of her ladies-in-waiting followed suit encouraging the crowd to clap as well. "Yes, yes, yes! It is a marvelous edifice," she said as she looked at the holographic blueprint. "And that is why all those who can spare the effort and energy to make this fortress a reality will not only be given the honor of etching their names into the golden bricks and carving their names into history but will throw them a lavished banquet, with delicacies so succulent you thought you'd gone to Valhalla!" the queen exclaimed. She watched as the eyes of the people expanded. Their mouths salivated right in front of her face. "I will furnish it with golden goblets, and true silverware which I will allow you to keep," she pledged to the Aesir men and women and children before her. The crowd went wild with applause. The Master Builder grinned in astonishment from ear to ear as he looked wide-eyed at the queen.

The crowd soon simmered down, but out of their midst there was one who called out, "But Queen Frigga how shall we know if this building can withstand the might of the Aether? We must know before we build?" A man with a slim, dirty face and a bushy black beard.

"Don't worry, my dear subjects, I will make sure that it is tested and you will see with your very eyes how strong a material this building will be made of," Once more the queen promised.

It didn't take long before the crowd dispersed and Queen Frigga was left alone with the Chief Architect standing atop the podium. Immediately, the young architect bowed toward the Queen. "Your Majesty, I do not know how to thank you enough," he started. "That is so generous of you," he expressed. He was wearing a hat on his head, but he wrung it as he took it off before her.

"Oh, it is nothing, just a little incentive. It is ridiculous to expect people to work for nothing forever," she shrugged. "It is a paltry sum," she expressed.

"Yes, but you'd think they'd take pride in working for the good of rebuilding their city."

"That is what my son wishes to do,"

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty?" he gasped.

"My son, Loki, only asks to work for free for the good of Asgard. He'd be free labor for hire. I'd honestly think people would leap at the opportunity to have someone like him to work, but I fear the Council will vote to exile him," stated the royal woman.

The Chief Architect gulped. "I...I... I really can't say what other Councilors are deciding, my queen" he said as he quickly tried to gather his belongings.

"Naturally, the ballots are private, even I would not pry into such personal matters. I suppose there is a reason why I am not allowed to cast a vote unless the Council of course reaches a tie," she reminded him.

"I doubt it would be a tie," the young designer mumbled.

"Oh no, I'm sure it will be a sweep against my son," she declared. "So many of the older Council Members seem to hold Loki in such low esteem," Queen Frigga almost wore a pout.

"I...I... I mean he is a criminal," he muttered.

"He's a hero too!" the queen countered. "No one seems to mention that!" Queen Frigga insisted forcefully.

My queen, if I may, I must say the High Council did take into account what Loki had done and they did decide to spare his life," the Chief Architect pointed out.

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life," those ways are old as time. "You are one of the youngest members of the council I was hoping that maybe you would be able to introduce some new thoughts on justice and mercy," she proposed. "You are an innovative and clever young man, I know this based on your designs here," she once more pointed to his schematics. The young architect looked stricken by Queen Frigga's words. He hadn't even been serving on the High Council for a century. Queen Frigga's dainty fist slammed down on the desk where the holographic blueprint of the proposed fortress was still displaces. It caused the image to flicker. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Queen Frigga's voice trembled. "Just like this city, it's been torn down and brought to its lowest. It's been beaten and battered and reduced to a shadow of its former self. Yet from the ashes we must rebuild. Many are saddened by the decimation of and desecration of our fair, fair city, but you... see hope... you see an opportunity to build something new. I dare say you hope to build something even better than what came before.

"Maybe it's foolish to try to build better, Majesty," he expressed.

"But that's what you are trying to do; is it not?" The wife of Odin questioned.

The Chief Architect couldn't help, but bob his head in honesty. "I just want to leave a mark..." he shrugged. "We live long, but buildings usually live longer," he offered.

"It all reminds me so much of Loki, he's trying to rebuild himself from his ashes, he's trying to be better than what he was, don't you see," Queen Frigga's voice was practically pleading. "But he needs help, just as you do! You need help to make your dreams come true. Your dream is to build a grand fortress, my son's dream is to be a slave!" Queen Frigga tossed her head back and laughed. "I have tried to help you get the workers you need to turn a dream into a reality, but I fear that I may be unable to do that for Loki," Queen Frigga sighed. "I think your idea is sound and that the edifice would do good for Asgard, I think if given the opportunity Loki could do good too," she stated firmly. "You know he is a very capable mage..." she practically said with a humph.

"Well, of course, Your Majesty..." he began to explain.

"And he's the only one who has any real experience with the Aether," she mentioned. "You do need a skilled enchanter who can test your new metals and alloys against the infinity stone don't you?" Queen Frigga arched her eyebrow. The Chief Architect just nodded once more. "Well, I do have other business to attend to today," she stated abruptly.

"Of course, my queen, I am so honored that you would take the time out of your busy schedule to even hear my proposal and to help me, my lady you are too kind," he dropped to his knee and kissed the queen's hand once more.

"Well, thank you for taking the time to hear mine," Queen Frigga replied with a curtsy before she exited. She walked down the podium and her ladies-in-waiting helped her into the carriage. The Master Builder stood grinning ear to ear as he waved goodbye to the queen of the realm. He couldn't believe that Queen Frigga was willing to offer such payment to the plebian public. Yes, he knew that the people were in need, but the royal family was already doing so much to assist the people. He was sure the royal treasurer wouldn't be pleased. She was a shrewd old woman who didn't like to distribute royal funds for simple building projects that wouldn't do anything to influence the crown's honor or dignity. The two had gone head-to-head on many occasions. Still, there'd be nothing the old bird could do now that he had officially had the queen's stamp of approval.

Queen Frigga's implications hadn't escaped him. He had seen what Loki had done. He'd seen Loki wield Mjolnir and he'd never thought he'd see the day that that scrawny enchanter would be able to carry one of the most powerful weapons in the universe. But he'd seen it with his own eyes that was undeniable. And if the Norns counted him worthy to wield the hammer, who was he to say that he wasn't worthy to live his life as a servant in Asgard? The Chief Architect had never had a problem with the youngest son of Odin as some did. They were around the same age. And they had been in a few physics and science classes together in university. He admired him in class, there didn't seem to be any subject that he didn't grasp. He liked being partnered with the younger prince of the realm. He supposed he had thought that maybe professors just praised him because he was a Prince of Asgard, but he was pleasantly surprised to find, that Loki's scholarship was genuine. Loki seemed to enjoy pulling his weight in class, although he had suspected that he might have paid off other students to do his work. He wouldn't have exactly considered him a friend; Loki wasn't as welcoming as Prince Thor. Thor was willing to call almost anyone a confidant after a fun night at the local pub or if they did him a favor. Loki was reserved and calculating. People were suspicious of the dark prince and Loki was likely just as suspicious of them. He supposed he understood Loki's position, although Thor seemed less concerned about it, it was hard to know who your real friends were when you were royalty, were people trying to be your friend because they genuinely liked you or because they wanted the perks of princely pal? No, they hadn't been friends, but they had been far from enemies. Maybe it was because they had been in the same circles of academia. They were both members of the Society of Erudite. When he first came to court as an architect Loki supported his building projects. He counseled him and reminded him that the elders in Asgard were not quick to bestow power on the younger generation especially in areas outside of combat, (young, virile warriors were always appreciated, but uppity, young scholars who thought they knew more than their elders were often told to mind their manners) and he advised him to work with others and gain their trust. Although he was more than qualified to lead, he did find that others were more willing to take him as an apprentice or consultant to a building project than the headman. His plan worked and eventually, he was able to take the place of his own father on the High Council once he died. Perhaps he could cast a ballot for Loki to remain as a servant in Asgard, it wouldn't be a popular opinion he imagined among the delegates and his one vote wouldn't necessarily change Loki's fate, but at least it would show Queen Frigga and Loki that he hadn't forgotten their kindness.

Queen Frigga had had a busy day. With all the work being done for the reconstruction of the city there was no end to the sites she had to visit and people she had to speak with, citizens who she had to help. At each of her stops there was someone who she could mention her cause to. There were seeds she could plant. It was only after the insistence of her ladies that she finally returned to the palace. The sun was setting and the city was still not stable yet.

She was later in receiving her dinner because of her busy day, Thor was no doubt busy with Lady Jane. The future king of Asgard has been dutiful to the reconstruction of the city during the day, but she knew that her son longed to spend time with the mortal who had captured his heart. Odin had pressed on Thor that Jane must return to Midgard. They had been able to negotiate that she could stay until Lady Sigyn's wedding, but then she must go. Jane had admitted that she was growing a little homesick and that she'd had more than enough adventure to last her lifetime. Thor, ever eager and zealous had nearly decreed that he would return with her to Midgard. He said it would be good to see Cap, the Man of Iron, Hulk, and a few others again. Earth's Mightiest Heroes. He also wanted them to meet his friend from Asgard, but Jane had countered Thor's enthusiasm. She told him that his place was here. She was right of course. Queen Frigga smiled as she thought of the propriety of the young woman. The Midgardian scientist was level-headed and sensible. She would be a good balance for Thor.

Odin was meeting with Lord Algrim, writing new laws and decrees for the people in lieu of all that had transpired. The two of them had most likely dined earlier. Queen Frigga suspected that she would be dining alone. Loki was still confined to the healing ward. He was far from a free man. It was times like this that she had missed Loki the most. Oftentimes the two of them had their private suppers. Even if he had already eaten for the evening or otherwise was saying how he wasn't hungry, he never seemed to mind keeping his mother company. They had not shared a meal in years. And if the Council had their way, they'd never have the opportunity again. It was a simply dreadful thought. If he remained in Asgard as a servant she'd eat with him. If she had to eat in the servants' quarters or go to the debtors' prison, she'd eat with her son no matter what. It wouldn't matter to her if Odin disapproved or if the court gossip called in improper. He just needed to be here, in Asgard and she'd make sure to make up for the time they'd lost when she'd thought he was dead and when he'd been trapped in the dungeon. There the queen of Asgard sat and an elaborate banquet table dressed as finely as could be all alone. As the kitchen staff served the queen a sumptuous meal, she happened to have a dinner guest. Queen Frigga's eyes lit up as she noted the good fortune that Lord Drek had come into the dining room. "Your Majesty!" the mathematician gasped as he saw the queen. "Oh, forgive me, Your Majesty! I had no idea you were still using the dining room this evening," he said as he bowed before the Queen of Asgard. "I will have the kitchen send my food to my room," he explained and he started to back away from the queen while bowing.

"Oh no, Lord Drek," Queen Frigga called as she beckoned to the Master Mage of the Realm. She waved with her benevolent hand calling him forward. "You don't have to go. I'd love to dine with you," she expressed.

The scholar looked quite surprised. He pointed to himself sheepishly and even started to blush. He may have been a Master Mage of Court, but he certainly had never shared a meal with the Queen. He didn't even know if he'd ever held word with her in private. His stomach was in knots. She may have addressed the mages as a group, but never alone. His partially balding head started to sweat. "I couldn't intrude upon your solitude, my queen," he began.

The blonde-haired wife of Odin continued to beckon the enchanter forward with her finger. "Now, Lord Drek, I have heard that you are quite the wizard with numbers, then you must know that one is the loneliest number you can ever do," she expressed sweetly.

Lord Drek, tried to loosen up the type purple, velvet collar about his neck. He looked around nervously. "But... but... but...but...my queen," he began. "J-j-just you and I?" his eyes bugged out of their sockets with the question.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, the Maitre'd, the cupbearers, and the guards are all present as well as the rest of the kitchen staff," Queen Frigga giggled politely behind her napkin.

Lord Drek looked around. He immediately started counting the number of other people present. It was quite a number. Granted they weren't dining with the queen, but they were present they could account for his time with the wife of Odin. "Well, if it's not an imposition, Your Majesty," he said as he took a deep sigh of relief.

"Not at all, it's an invitation," she grinned and pointed her hand toward the seat. "I hope you would not deny, your queen the pleasure of your company," she proposed.

"Oh no! Oh no, Your Majesty!" Lord Drek gasped. "Who am I to refuse, my queen," he said quickly. He started to make great haste toward the elaborately spread banquet table, but then he tripped over a chair. The chair toppled and bumped into a vase made of stained glass that stood as tall as a man, in its house beautiful orchids as lush as if they were blooming in a garden. "Oh! Oh! Dear! Forgive me my queen!" he practically started to drop to the ground.

The wife of Odin snickered slightly but waved off the actions with grace. "Think nothing of it," she assured him. As she clapped her hands, quick as a flash, one of the pompously festooned butlers appeared and quickly cleaned up the mess. Lord Drek humbly muttered his thanks to the servant. He started to sweat bullets. His mind calculated the chances of something like that happening. It seemed quite improbable, but nonetheless, it had happened. If he was smarter and wiser he would have cut his losses and dismissed himself, less the improbable happen again and he somehow managed to set the table on fire. "Please, Lord Drek, sit, all is well," the all-mother expressed.

Slowly, Lord Drek made his way toward the seat that Queen Frigga had offered him. As soon as he sat down the palace wait staff attended him, they presented him with plates and goblets and started serving him a delightful salad. He nibbled the food that he had been presented and complimented the cooks. "I trust that you have been enjoying your accommodations here at the palace?" Queen Frigga inquired as she sipped the wine in her glass.

"Of course! Of course! How could I not? This is the royal palace after all!"

"Well, yes, but of course, but after the attacks it's obvious that palace has seen better days,"

"It looks simply radiant, Your Majesty and you and King Odin have done everything you can to make all the displaced feel welcomed and at home in your home," he pointed out. "There are not many royals who would do that, I can assure you," he expressed.

"If only half of the palace hadn't been destroyed, then we would have been able to offer so much more to the people," she expressed with an exasperated breath. She shook her head.

"Your Majesty, the palace is almost completely renovated. It is lacking in nothing right now and I can most certainly assure you that the rebuilding project has way exceeded my calculations." he took a bite of one of the hot, buttered barley rolls.

"And you are the best at calculations," Queen Frigga added.

Once again, the brawny mathematician was blushing like a maiden before the queen. "I...I...I... can't say..." he gushed.

"No, no, no, don't be bashful. Of course, you are!" Queen Frigga stated. "You couldn't have become a Master Mage or earned a seat on the council if it wasn't true!' she pointed out.

"It is a shock to me every day that I have been able to achieve such things," he shook his head as he cut into his meat. "I mean the odds were insurmountable, a mathematical anomaly," he explained eyes wide.

"Fascinating," Queen Frigga responded with a beautiful smile. "But isn't that what makes life so thrilling, the element of chance? That even when all the odds are stacked against us, something amazing may happen," Queen Frigga pointed out.

"Thrilling, perhaps," He shook his head back and forth, "It certainly makes things interesting," he looked up at the queen as he spoke. "As a man of science and numbers I prefer to be able to figure things out with clear patterns and sequences," he stated.

"But you said so yourself, that such patterns wouldn't have allowed you to find the success you have now, had they played out according to the equation. You see we must make room for variables," she countered.

"Touche, my lady, touché" he quickly conceded.

"I'd love to hear about how you became a Master Mage," Queen Frigga prompted as she sipped from her soup.

"I don't know what to say, it's quite a long story," Lord Drek began but Queen Frigga didn't seem deterred. The mathematician began to tell his story. He told a story about a young boy growing up in quarries, who loved school even though his own village had none and he had to commute to another village to get there. Schooling for primary grades was free in Asgard, but getting there was not. His family only had one horse and his father needed that for work. At first, he and his siblings walked the 12 miles to the nearest village for school, but the trek was so long that he and his brothers and sisters had to leave before dawn and they could only attend lessons for half a day so that they could get home in time to help in the quarry before it closed. But soon his father needed more help in the quarry. More hands meant more money for the family and there were quite a few mouths to feed. By the time they'd completed their basic schooling. It had been decided that only he would continue to advance his education. His mother didn't want him walking alone in the dark to the other village, so his mother would wash dishes for the quarry master to earn extra to send him on the sky tram to the nearest village for schooling. He was amazed that half a day's trek took a mere hour via Sky-Tram. Well, he made good of himself in school and showed forth his excellence in the quarries. He became one of the fastest quota counters and by the time he was ready to move beyond the academy, he was already a quarry master. He loved counting and figuring and working out problems and equations in the quarry setting. He expressed to his family that he wanted to pursue a career beyond the quarries and mines. His father was disappointed. He was the only one of them who had risen in the ranks. For his father he had never dreamed of life beyond being a quarry master, for his father, that was the greatest job in the world, but not for him. Still, his family and friends did what they could to help give a quarryman's son enough money to attend university in the Hill Country. Once he'd finished his studies there, he was so enthralled with his learning, and his mind was so filled with new possibilities of where his newfound mathematical knowledge could take him. He wanted to study at Asgard's grandest university in the Imperial City. He was able to get academic scholarships to the High University of Asgard. He supposed the rest was history.

"You certainly have quite the success story, Lord Drek," Queen Frigga announced as she leaned on her hands enthralled by his tale. Lord Drek shrugged. "And I had no idea you attended school in the Hill Country, you know I was born and raised in the Hill Country, myself," she expressed.

"I just can't help, but think how wonderful it was that you were allowed to use your gifts to help Asgard," the blonde-haired wife of Odin clasped her hands together.

"I hope I have been a help, Your Majesty," Lord Drek bowed his head.

"Well, you most certainly have," Queen Frigga stated. "You've done some simply astounding work and you've made some breakthroughs in the mathematical world especially as it as it applies to enchantments," Queen Frigga encouraged.

"I think math is magical... I'm just glad that my work has allowed others to see that," he explained as he stuffed potatoes in his mouth.

"Any your teaching, Queen Frigga went on. "You truly are a gifted teacher. I just can't help, but think as I hear your tale, how absolutely fortunate you are that you were allowed to put your gifts to where they would be of most use to benefit us all," Queen Frigga stirred her soup.

"Of course, my queen, well, I suppose..."

"If only all could be given that opportunity," she responded.

"Well, the Imperial City is a land of opportunity, Your Majesty, and once things are restored and renovated completely, there'll be plenty of opportunities for all again," Lord Drek insisted.

"Thank you, Lord Drek as queen I will continue to strive to make sure that Asgard's best and brightest students always have a place to shine and let their talents flourish here in the Imperial City," she explained. "Although, I must admit this situation does have me thinking a bit about my son, Loki," Queen Frigga's eyes seemed wide and distant.

All of a sudden, the Queen of Asgard heard a terrible hacking. She looked up to find Lord Drek choking viciously on a piece of bread he had inhaled. "Guards! Guards! Quick!" the queen exclaimed. "Cupbearers, water!" she ordered clapping her hands. At the queen's behest personnel came rushing from all sides. The cupbearer ran toward her carrying pitchers of water. Three guards quickly surrounded Lord Drek's table. One proceeded to slap Lord Drek on the back. Another snatched the large mathematician from his seat and pressed into his stomach until he coughed up, the thick piece of barley bread that he'd been choking on. Lord Drek frantically fumbled until he was able to grab one of the pitchers of water. His large hands which were suited for breaking rocks more than the tedious tiny work of writing equations on a chalkboard accidently knocked over the other pitcher of water. He paid no heed as the water sloshed here and there. He guzzled the contents of the full pitcher right from the pitcher itself. Water dribbled down his broad chin and dark mustache.

"Oh my! Oh my!" he said panting.

"My goodness, Lord Drek, are you alright?" the royal hostess inquired.

"Oh. Oh yes," he said right after he gulped down a large swig of water straight from the pitcher. "I'm so sorry, please forgive me," he bowed his head so deeply in the queen's direction that she thought he would slam his head on the table. "I...I... I didn't mean to cut you off with that terrible outburst,"

"As long as you are alright," Queen Frigga stated sympathetically,

"Yes," he nodded once more "I...I...I... thought you mentioned Loki," he stated as he wiped his face.

"I did." The wife of Odin spoke sharply.

"Oh," Lord Drek mouthed. He didn't have a chance to say another word.

"Your predicaments are very similar," she expressed. She gingerly wiped her mouth with the tip of a napkin and then snapped it before placing it back on her lap. "It would have been a waste for you to stay in the quarries where your talents and gifts weren't being utilized to their full potential for Asgard. Don't you agree?' she questioned. Lord Drek couldn't deny her logic on that matter. His father had thought being a quarry master was a high enough achievement. And when he went to university in the Hill Country well, he thought to become a banker. When he reached the Imperial City, he found that there were many more pursuits for his gifts. "Well, sending Loki to Knowhere is just the same," Queen Frigga insisted. "it's an absolute waste of his potential," she shook her head. "You know his power, his wisdom, his skill and he is only asking to be a servant. He would serve Asgard and use his skills for good on behalf of all of us!"

"Perhaps, Your Majesty, but Loki has allowed his potential to run away with him. He had the potential to be a king and became a tyrant," Lord Drek spoke somewhat timidly.

"Briefly a tyrant, yes, but forever a hero!" Queen Frigga countered. "He chose to do the right thing in the moment that it mattered most and now Asgard is safe and has avoided Ragnarök. He wants to make amends the best way that he knows how. He wants to be a servant. "And Asgard is robbing herself if we don't let Loki serve to the best of his potential. Loki's skills will be squandered with the Collector," Queen Frigga continued. "Do you know of the Collector?" she inquired of the master mage.

"Not much, my queen I admit."

"He's a daffy old kook!" Queen Frigga whispered behind her hands toward the tall and stately mage. "He's an ancient eccentric, whose soul hobby and mission is to collect as many unique, intriguing, trinkets as he can," she expressed. "He'll simply try to use Loki as an errand boy and use his powers to get his hands on valuable and powerful, priceless artifacts from across the universe," she stated.

"Well, I mean at least he'll have something to do. It's better than jail, I suppose milady," Lord Drek stated.

"Yes, but don't you see it is such a task that tempted Loki down this dark road in the first place," Queen Frigga went on. "This all started from Loki trying to get the Tesseract for the Mad Titan," "Mad Titan?"

"Thanos," Queen Frigga quickly qualified.

"Oh yes, yes, quite," Lord Drek stated cluelessly. He would have to ask about this Thanos at a later time, but to make the Queen of Asgard explain herself to him was simply impolite.

"Loki went to Midgard in search of the Tesseract, that's how he ended up committing those crimes and having to go in the cell. I just fear that if he's set up in the same scenario over and over again, he'll fall to the same temptations," she explained.

"I suppose there's a chance..."

'More than a chance! Do the math! Think of the probability," She waited and watched and saw his brown eyes rolling about in his head as he tried to do the figures. "You see what I mean then?" the female ruler of Asgard questioned after a time.

"I can see how it might have a higher probability of happening, but I don't think it's likely to happen too soon," Lord Drek qualified.

"Oh no, of course not right away. Loki is too strong-willed for that to happen right away, but over time if his resolve breaks, if he gets bitter..."

"But what would it have to do with Asgard at that point?" the Master Mage of the Realm questioned.

Queen Frigga started to laugh, "The king of Asgard's son causing mischief on another planet will always have something to do with Asgard."

"But Loki would be disowned, no longer a prince or citizen of Asgard..."

"Semantics, my good man, semantics, people will not care if he launches an attack. Asgard will undoubtedly be drawn into some type of conflict to help rectify the matter which will cause unnecessary resource expenditure," Queen Frigga talked facts with Lord Drek.

"Queen Frigga, I see your point. Loki is unpredictable at best, but as you said, Loki is unlikely to slip up so quickly. It could be 1000 years from now. Versus the fact that the crimes he's committed are fresh wounds in the hearts and minds of people. If Loki remains here living as he pleases..."

"He would not be living as he pleases; he'd be living as a servant a slave for all intents and purposes who would have to use his abilities, fabulous as they may be to help build Asgard. He could help rebuild the Bifrost with his enchantments, and he could instruct new mages," Queen Frigga started to rattle off a few more uses for her son's talents. "The possibilities are endless!" she was nearly breathless with excitement. "Can't you see?"

Lord Drek finished the last bits of dessert that had been served. Of course, he could see, but he was a numbers man. The numbers had to make sense to him. He wasn't sure if the numbers did. 1000s of Aesir had been personally hurt by Loki's actions, but millions, billions had been saved even if they were unaware. If Loki remained on Asgard as a servant Loki would be happy and his mother would, but there would be many more who would be unhappy. 11 had to equal 2. Loki had committed treason and heinous crimes he had to face some consequences.

"People may see it as if the crown is being too soft. I mean surely you wouldn't want them to think..."

"Community service for life seems like a punishment to me," Queen Frigga stated. "I know you have not always been a fan of my youngest son, but..."

"Please, Your Majesty, that not true," Lord Drek declared and he tried to reach across the table to take the queen by the hand, but the table was too long and he couldn't quite reach her. It wasn't entirely true. Loki had been his student, but the young prince was an upstart, who he thought was always trying to make his better look incompetent. It didn't take long before Loki surpassed him as a mystic and he supposed he felt embarrassed having to kowtow to his former student's orders since Loki was over the court mages. When Loki was imprisoned and rumors about the things that he had done started to circulate, well Lord Drek supposed he just fell on the bandwagon. It was easier to jeer and Loki and recite his crimes than defend him. When he witnessed Loki's treason and coup and his conspiring against the crown what was he to think? It wasn't like he was going to love him after that.

"Well, Lord Drek the hour has grown very late. I must apologize for how I have held you," Queen Frigga began.

"It was an honor and a privilege, Your Majesty," he stated and jumped up to his feet and rushed to pull the queen's chair out for her. Queen Frigga inclined her head graciously at the help he offered her. "I hope you will at least consider my words before you make your vote. I do seek the good of Asgard...but as a mother... I" Queen Frigga's voice choked for a moment.

Lord Drek placed his hand over Queen Frigga's. Her hands were dainty. His hands were massive. His hands looked like they were fit for the quarry, but they were meant for something else. Queen Frigga's last word of 'mother' hung in his ears. He thought of his mother. She had hands like his not dainty. She worked in the quarries alongside his father. His father hadn't wanted to discourage his children from schooling, but it just wasn't affordable. The man already worked his fingers to the bone and they barely had enough for all those mouths, how could he give more? His mother had been his defender, the one who pushed for his opportunity. She worked all day in a dirty quarry, and she had children to take care of, but she went out and got another job. She alone worked to give him a few copper coins for the sky tram. Like Frigga, she wanted the best for her boy. Lord Drek understood much. He knew every equation, but when you threw a mother's love in there the outcomes were always different.

"I'll consider your words, All-mother," he announced.

"Mother! You were behind this?" Thor questioned all too loudly.

Queen Frigga put her fingers to her lips and playfully slapped him on his muscular arm. "I tell you, my sons, I had nothing to do with this," she promised. "The High Council is a free agent. I was not even allowed to vote," she reiterated.

"Of course, but would you bribe?" the eldest prince questioned.

"Thor! Why you naughty boy! How could you accuse your mother of such!" she wagged a finger in his nose and once more slapped his muscular arms.

"No accusation, Mother dear," Thor stated as he batted his big blue eyes with his long blonde lashes at the royal woman. He took his mother's hand and kissed it. "Just a mere question..."

Queen Frigga giggled at the gesture of her son. "Bribe, honestly," she shook her head. "I am Queen of Asgard, I don't need to bribe," she pointed out, "But I will say this," the queen's voice nearly sang. "Loki you may have inherited your silver tongue from me," Frigga gave a quick wink.

Loki pursed his thin lips he was ready to question his mother all the more, but he felt a gentle tap come to his shoulders. Loki spun around and there he saw Lady Sigyn beaming up at him. "Loki! Loki! Loki!" she exclaimed as she bounced up and down. She let out a quite elated and shrill squeal. She threw up her hands and her hair that had been neatly styled slowly came up hinged from her scalp. "You won! You're free!" she shouted and without thought she wrapped her arms around his neck. Loki's arms instantly went around Sigyn's waist. He picked her up and spun her around. She kept laughing as her feet came back to touch the golden tiles of the floor. "Oh, Loki! This is everything!" she continued. "Merciful Yggdrasil our prayers have been answered" Sigyn went on. Loki was just staring at her with a slightly bemused expression. "Oh," Lady Sigyn gasped. What was she thinking? She was forgetting all manner of propriety. "Please forgive me, Your Highness," Lady Sigyn responded immediately. She dipped down into a customary low curtsy, her knees were nearly touching the ground and she bowed her head.

"Lady Sigyn, please you don't need to do that," he stated to her. His long, nimble fingers reached down and touched her chin. They pressed slightly against it so that she could feel the appealing chill that radiated off of his fingers. Sigyn's heart was beating fast as she felt Loki's gentle nudge encouraging her to rise. "You are a prince of Asgard once again," she reminded herself and him as her cheeks blushed.

"And?" he muttered as he looked down at her. His green eyes and her shiny golden eyes met. The expression on his face was soft and earnest. "None of this would be if it wasn't for you," he pointed out in a tender whisper as he took her by the hand.

Sigyn shook her head, she was still blushing. "It must have been ordained by the Norns," she shrugged still grinning. She turned her head so as not to stare too long into his entrancing emerald eyes.

Loki took his 4 cool, porcelain fingers pressed them toward their cheek, and turned her face back toward him. "Maybe that's not the only thing that they've ordained," he stated calmly with a perk on his lips. Lady Sigyn's heart fluttered. Could Loki be saying what she thought he was saying? Here? In front of all these people. She wanted to swoon, fall into his arms, and then into his lips.

"Sigyn!" she heard a masculine voice with an accent from the Dale frantically calling her name.

"Theoic!" she gasped. She spun around and there he was behind her.

"My dear," he caught her by the hand. "Why did you run off like that?" he questioned somewhat sternly. "It's quite a crowd. I don't like these big crowds," he shook his head. "I can't wait to return to the Dales," he continued to complain. "So much commotion," he wiped his brow that was perspiring.

"Well, I came to congratulate Prince Loki," tried to point out.

"I must admit that that was an unexpected turn of events. I would have never in a million years thought that they would allow him to remain and reinstate him as a prince," he shook his head. "I'm really wondering what is going on with the High Council," he went on.

"Theoic," Sigyn whispered as she cringed and winced.

"I wonder if this is the wisest decision," he contemplated out loud.

"Theoic," she tapped him on his shoulder and hinted over her shoulder.

'But at least we'll be far away from whatever other shenanigans and mischief Loki may try to cause. We'll be nestled in the Dales...faraway, once we have our wedding," Theoic's thick arm wrapped around her hips and he pulled her into him possessively. He started to breathe in her delightful flowery fragrance.

"Theoic," Sigyn finally announced. "Prince Loki is right there!" she pointed out. There the wealthy plantation owner found standing only inches from his face the second son of Odin standing proud and strong in all his royal regalia.

Theoic gawked and balked, he stuttered and stammered. "Your Highness!" he said as he quickly released Lady Sigyn. He let her go so quickly that she spun around like a top. She spun right back into Prince Loki. Theoic paid no attention he just immediately folded himself into a bow. "Your Highness, Prince Loki congratulations!" he tried to exclaim. "You are most deserving and as you can see all of Asgard is ecstatic to have you once again to serve as our prince," he lied through his teeth.

"Naturally," Loki responded smug smile on his skinny lips. He crossed his arms over his golden breastplate and simply shook his head as he looked at the groveling plantation owner.

"Yes, Your Highness, you are restored to your rightful place. I mean you proved yourself and..." Lord Theoic kept prattling on and on about Loki's worthiness. Sigyn and Loki both shook their heads and they looked down at Theoic who had abased himself before the son of Odin. "Loki silently pointed to the show and spectacle that Theoic was making of himself. Lady Sigyn merely shrugged and snickered between her manicured fingers. Loki was debating on stopping Sigyn's groom-to-be, but before he could Heimdal called out to him.

"My lord, prince," the deep baritone voice of the gatekeeper resounded above that chattering and boisterous crowd of courtiers and delegates and soldiers. "The king requests that you join him and your mother and brother on the balcony before the people." The raven-haired prince's eyes grew wide as he walked toward Heimdal, pointing to himself unsure. It didn't take long for the big, brown arms to wrap around Loki's armored shoulders. "Come, Prince Loki, it is time. Let the people of Asgard see you, sire," the gatekeeper stated. He placed his strong hands on the gold of his shoulder plates.

Loki gave a wry smile on his face. "So, they can throw stones?"

"No one here has thrown a stone," Heimdal reminded him.

"Yet," Loki qualified. "But if stones are to be thrown, I suppose I shall have to take it," he nodded.

"You are a prince of Asgard, they wouldn't dare," Heimdal encouraged.

"Even if they don't pick up physical stones and hurl them at the royal family, it doesn't mean the people will trust me... this decision was the Councils and not the people..."

The guardian of the Bifrost shook his head. "Truth be told some didn't trust you before," he pointed out and there was a slight chuckle to his tone. "But there seem to be enough who have faith in you now. Have some faith in the people of Asgard as well. This is a new start," he proclaimed to him.

A small smile traced the prince's lips, "I thank you," he stated as he bowed his head toward Asgard's gatekeeper, his mentor and friend. With that, slowly, Loki walked forward through the crowd toward where he saw his parents and brother standing. They were standing right in front the balcony that would overlook the new refurbished square. Loki had caught a glimpse of it when he had taken that nerve-wracking walk into the Hall of Judgement. He found his family smiling warmly and welcomingly at him. He practically bounded to them like a boy again. Their arms wrapped him in affection. He looked at their faces, so familiar, and yet it had been so long since he'd seen them like this. He wasn't on the defensive, he didn't see them as his enemies, his bitterness was gone and they'd so easily forgiven him for his crimes and now that all that was between them was the familial bond they'd always shared.

The guards opened the golden and bejeweled doors of the balcony. The light flooded in. The Royal Family of Asgard regally stepped forward out onto the balcony. They overlooked the square that was absolutely teeming with people. The people had been busy and moving about chattering anxiously as they wondered what was going on inside the hallowed walls of the palace. "Look!" a few frantic voices seemed to rise above the commotion. "Is that Loki?" the dark-haired prince could hear the crowds' bewilderment as they spoke his name. Frigga's hand reached out for his. She clasped it firmly, like she used to when he was a boy and they would be parading around before the people. He could hear her gentle instructions in his ear once more. Telling him to smile and wave at the Aesir people. It didn't take long before he noticed his mother was doing just as she had instructed him to do all those years ago. Her hand moved gracefully to greet the citizens. Thor always had a boisterous wave. It was as if he was trying to create a windstorm from a wave. Father's wave was firm and commanding, and it was just a raise of the hand.

Odin stepped forward in front of his family before the people. "People of Asgard," King Odin started to speak as he pounded Gungnir. "You came here today to hear a verdict and to see justice rendered for the crimes committed against you. You all have trusted me since the millennia of the past and this High Council to rule you with truth and honor and to look out for your best interest and provide you with protection. And every day of my life I have tried to fulfill that. I take my role as your king and as the Protector of the Nine Realms as a sacred duty and I have sworn that I will not betray your trust. And so, it is I who take the full weight of the magnitude of this verdict. The decision that has been made this day has been made most solemnly. Therefore, my subjects, nay my dear children I make known to you my will, that I believe keeps within the highest traditions of the Aesir people. For in Asgard, we believe that our sword must always shine a light against evil, and evil must be vanquished and good must always win. That is why I am so pleased to let you know that our enemies are defeated and our heroes have returned victorious as in the times past. Asgardians after 4 long years I am pleased to welcome home my son, your hero, Prince Loki!" King Odin exclaimed. He pointed his scepter at his younger son. He extended his hand to the mage and beckoned him forward. Loki tentatively took a step toward the edge of the balcony and let the people see him. There was a pause for but a moment. As the clouds slowly parted and the rays of light shined down on him. His armor glistened in the sun. Then there was an explosion of adulation.

"LONG LIVE THE HOUSE OF ODIN!" the assembly shouted in unison over and over again. They threw their hats in the air. "LONG LIVE THE HOUSE OF ODIN!" they shouted over and over again.

"LONG LIVE KING ODIN!" the citizens of the Imperial City applauded.

"LONG LIVE QUEEN FRIGGA" her name was sung by the crowd

"LONG LIVE PRINCE THOR" They thundered. In his classic fashion, Thor sucked up the adoration of the public. He rushed up to Loki's side. And Loki wouldn't have been surprised if Thor would have tried to steal the limelight. But instead of feeling that normal inkling and twinge of jealousy which normally so easily beset him, he didn't feel any of that. Instead, he felt glad to give his brother the fame. He was the one who truly deserved it. Loki was going to graciously take a step back and let the people have Thor he was their hero, as he should be. Before the slim son of Odin could slink a few steps back on the balcony he felt Thor's big mitt grab him and take him by the hand he threw both of their hands up in the air in victory.

"LONG LIVE PRINCE LOKI!" the cheer for the frost giant foundling turned, adopted heir, turned enchanter, turned usurper, turned tyrant, turned hero resounded. Loki beamed from ear to ear as a tear trickled from his emerald eye.

"Well, that's it, folks! Can you believe it? What an unprecedented turn of events Prince Loki's acts of valor on behalf of us all have restored his prince-hood! Only in Asgard!" Thrudhilda exclaimed as she had her partner who was running the holo-recorder pan the crowd of excited citizens. "But don't forget you heard this news here first," the scribe stated. The other scribe who was with her pointed the holo-recorder at her face and she flashed an award-winning smile. 'But I'll be staying on the scene to get more info and reactions all day long"

---

The excitement of the sentencing or the pardoning as many would come to view it soon gave way to a more somber event. Odin and the High Council of Asgard intended to make good on their word that although Loki had been restored to his full rights and privileges as a Prince of Asgard they still intended to make sure his role as serving the people of Asgard with his gifts and talents was on full display. As his first act of service, he was commissioned to give the speech for the mass funeral that they were to have for the fallen.

"Are you sure that is wise?" Loki asked Odin and his mother privately after dinner. It had been a glorious meal. It had been filled with all his favorite foods. The first course was his favorite barley and quail soup. It was so warm and the herbs and flavors were blended just right. The table was spread with dilled herring, roasted wild boar, stewed vegetables of turnips and potatoes, fresh rolls of rye and pumpernickel, there was the finest vintage of Vanir wine, cheeses galore. He hadn't had such succulent delicacies in the longest time, but that wasn't what made the meal so special, it was looking around the table and sharing the meal with his family after all these years. Odin sitting at the head and mother at his side and he and Thor sitting in their respective seats. How he'd missed that seat at the table. He missed the way Thor tried to scarf down every morsel, how he shoved it in his face like he was a starving vagabond instead of a prince who sat at a banquet every night. He missed his mother's eyes sparkling up at him lovingly and reached across the table took him by the hand and squeezed it. He missed Odin encouraging him to eat more, saying he was skin and bones. It wouldn't have mattered if they had only served him a crust of bread it would have been the best meal he'd had in years as long as they were all together again.

"Of course, Loki" Odin confirmed once Thor had begrudgingly left after being dismissed from the private royal dining room after their dinner was finished. "Loki this is what you agreed to. This is your sentence," the king of Asgard stated firmly as he looked up at his son from his golden goblet. "Don't tell me you are thinking of trying to escape it already," Odin stated as he drummed his bejeweled gnarled fingers across the velvet tablecloth.

"Of course not!" Loki immediately retorted his green eyes wide as he sipped his water. "I still can't believe the mercy and grace that you and the Council have shown me," he shook his head nearly laughing. It truly was so unbelievable after all he'd done. "I don't deserve it," Loki muttered once more.

"Loki, you don't have to keep saying that," Frigga said as she reached across the table and her warm hand grabbed Loki's chilly one. The raven-haired prince of Asgard looked up at his mother. She offered him a bright and affectionate smile. He tried to return the smile/

'But it's true," he uttered with a sigh.

"The High Council of Asgard disagrees with that assessment, as do the people of Asgard they have already proven that to you," Odin confirmed.

"You saw how loudly they cheered for you," Frigga reminded him. "The people of Asgard are willing to accept you as their prince again!" his mother exclaimed her radiant smile lit up her beautiful face. Loki was impressed and shocked when he heard the crowd in the square roaring his name with the same jubilation that they had chanted for Thor and the rest of the family. It was truly unbelievable. For so long that was all he had ever dreamed of. Standing before the crowd of Asgard having them scream his name and celebrate him the way they celebrated his brother. In retrospect, it happened a few times. But then, he hadn't been satisfied somehow, he had always seen his praise as less (it had been less), but he'd been desperate for more. This time he hadn't felt even deserving of one person to pat him on the back. The people's cheers hadn't puffed him up the way he had always wanted it to. It had felt good but in a humbling way. He thought of how he'd cost so many so much. He'd cost them their peace and safety, their homes and livelihoods. If he and Malekith had carried their dark plans to fruition, he would have cost the good people of Asgard their very freedom. Some people he had cost them their loved ones. Yet they chanted his name and called him their hero and savior. But maybe the people felt like they had no choice. It wasn't as if they could go against their king's word and decree. After everything that the realm had been through the citizens were too weak and injured physically and emotionally to truly form a coup to dissent against Odin. After everything they'd been through and their dependency on the crown for the basics right now, he doubted they would even want to rally in protest.

"I just don't think that we should push the people that's all," Loki insisted as he looked to his father. "I still took lives... even if I didn't directly...I was still the orchestrator...I...I... was still responsible..."

"Loki this funeral service is the first act that the people of Asgard will take to healing in mass. We will all mourn together and you being a part of that will speak volumes. Serve them with your words. Believe it or not, your silver tongue has always been a source of pride for Asgard," the elderly monarch offered a smile as he rose from his seat and crossed over to where his son was. He rested his hands on Loki's thin shoulders.

"I don't know what to say," Loki stated quietly.

"Oh, I have faith in you, Silver Tongue!" Odin winked at his youngest son with his good eye. He then bent down and kissed Loki on top of his raven mane. "You have a few hours. The funeral will start promptly at midnight," he decreed. Frigga crossed over and gave Loki the same gesture. She also planted a kiss on the cheek of his pensive face before she took her husband's hand and the king and queen walked out of the dining room together.

It was nearly midnight and the grand funeral procession for those who had fallen in the BOTIC (Battle of the Imperial City) as it had come to be dubbed for the subjects of King Odin was about to begin. The funeral procession was to be led by the royal family. The royal family road in a royal carriage that looked to be made of ivory and the wheels of white gold. They sparkled in the moonlight with an ethereal glow. Behind the royal family, the priests and priestesses of the temple made their way singing their ancient chants. As the procession made their way through the newly paved city streets which glistened splendidly in the moonlight so as that the winding path looked like a stairway to the heavens people who had fallen relatively slowly came from their houses. They joined the processional with one family member carrying the glowing orb representing the one who had passed and others carrying candles. The Einherjar flanked the sides of the people. They were protecting them on either side as they wore their helmets and capes of gold. They carried torches. Overhead the Valkyrie flew in a majestic formation upon their winged horses. They blew their bugles and horns announcing to skies that they had new starts to place there and heralding to Valhalla that they celebrated those who had recently joined the never-ending banquet.

The procession made its way to the Forever Sea it was a beautiful, yet solemn parade of silver, white, and light. They had marched through the city and hills and passed monuments and edifices that stood as tall as Asgard's majestic mountains. Soon the House of Odin arrived at the dock and gate where the boats would be set adrift and sent forth on the Forever Sea. The sea sparkled with its myriads of colors, blues, purples, turquoise, and green with shades of pink in there too. The people were arrayed quite beautifully those who mourned a loved one wore black or silver gray. Those who had not come to burn a body wore white. The priests and priestesses finished leading the people in one last final song just as the royal family ascended their way to the watch tower that overlooked the beautiful gate to the Forever Sea. As the song came to a crescendo and finally an end Loki stepped forward.

The eyes of the populace turned toward the second son of Odin. Their voices mingled with the sounds of the waves crashing against the golden gates. "Citizens of Asgard," Loki's crisp voice rang out in the night. Soon the whispers died down and the only thing that could be heard was the splashing of the water. "Dearest Citizens of Asgard," he started again. "The three moons shine down upon us tonight. They are prepared to bless us with their light and they bear witness to this momentous occasion." He stated as he raised his hands into the air. Thor immediately started clapping and it was a ripple effect as others followed and soon there was a thunderous applause. The clapping slowly softened and Loki continued. "This moment of closure is long overdue for some of you and likewise for others, it comes too soon. More than a full moon cycle has passed since the Aether was unleashed upon the Imperial City and since your loved ones gave their all to fight against the dark forces that sought to destroy this realm. And their valiant sacrifice has enabled all this to be rebuilt!" Loki announced proudly. He swung his arm out gesturing behind him. He gestured to the newly rebuilt city that was shining like treasure in a chest behind him. "It is their sacrifice that has enabled this city to stand and it is because of that that it was the truest wish of the Royal Family for these heroes to be honored in a fashion befitting them. They are being sent off from a metropolis that still stands as a beacon of hope that shines out amongst the stars and not a crumbling wasteland," Prince Loki stated proudly. Once again, a slow clapping rose around him.

"As we honor them, we must remember this that tonight we say farewell and we say welcome," he told the people of Asgard. "As we send them forward and set them free into the Forever Sea we say farewell to their remains. As we say farewell to their remains, we also say farewell to the sorrow and devastation of the Battle of the Imperial City. For we looked at the face of evil, we saw it for what it was," Loki declared as he pointed at himself. "We stared down death and we kept Ragnarök at bay," the silver-tongue enchanter continued. "It is because of that... that dauntlessness, that indomitable spirit of the Aesir people that we can say with confidence that we welcome the dawning of a brand-new day for the Imperial City and ourselves," the emerald-eyed enchanter let his voice trail off for just a second. His articulate speech gave way to a pregnant pause that was filled with the whistle of the wind and soft sobs that he even heard from those around him.

Loki's jade eyes looked up and the vast twinkling expanse above him. "We welcome our heroes to take their place in the pantheon above, to be immortalized in the heavens, like those who have gone before," Loki waved his hand upward toward the bright diamond sky. All eyes looked up at the numerous constellations that sparkled brilliantly above them, telling the stories of the ancestors and heroes of the past. "We welcome them to take their seats in the endless banquet tables of the halls of Valhalla, for we know they are most worthy," the prince stated. "They will never be forgotten. They will always be remembered and songs will be sung of them," the silver-tongued prince of Asgard pledged with his hand on his heart.

"As is our custom, many of you have oiled and anointed and prepared the bodies of your fallen loved ones. You have decorated their funeral longboats with their favorite things and with love and care. And you have proudly constructed your celestial orbs to be outlined in their memory," Prince Loki explained as he reached beside him and raised a beautiful glowing orb that he had constructed. The crowd oohed and awed at its magnificence.

"I too, have constructed one such orb. I have constructed it to honor the fallen. A brave warrior by the name of Dyson Antonson," Loki exhaled.

Lady Sigyn was not standing far from the royal family as one of the queen's ladies-in-waiting she was given a prime view of the ceremony. Her heart swelled. She clutched her breast. "Dyson!" she gasped as tears trailed down her cheeks as she heard Loki speak of her old friend.

"Dyson Antonson will lead the procession of long boats into the Forever Sea. He is one of our many brave and valiant comrades to have fallen defending our home." Loki paused as he thought he heard the faint murmurs in the crowd rising up from behind him and below him saying how scandalous and shameful and disrespectful that he was the one making this speech. He was sure he could hear the heckling and mocking and the crowd on the verge of an uproar. He looked down, but he couldn't make out the faces of the people, they were an endless sea of shifty, shrouded figures holding their glowing orbs. Maybe the bright lights hid the snarls on the faces of the family members of all those who had died in the wake of a battle that did not need to occur. Hundreds of longboats were about to set sail on that final voyage. The fortunate ones had a body in them to be burned, but some bodies were lost, unable to be found in the rubble after weeks of searching in the aftermath of the battle. Those family members had had to decorate empty longboats. His mother understood, it was her idea that they have the ceremony for all even if they didn't have a body, she had gone through the same thing for his funeral when she watched an empty pyre burn with the belongings of her youngest son resting upon it.

Loki couldn't help but feel the weight of all the sorrow that lingered in the atmosphere. He was responsible for their pain. He was the reason for their sorrow tonight. He was the reason why families were torn apart never to be the same. He was the reason why romances had ended and friends would never gather together again. Those people were right. He had no right no reason to speak before them. It was a brazen mockery of the irreparable harm he had done. Maybe this was the plan of the Council all along, have the people stone him. That way his family couldn't blame them. With bated breath, he awaited the first rock to be launched in his direction. It would be followed no doubt by a flaming arrow aimed at his heart. Loki was tempted to rush down from the raised watch tower and get out of dodge. He could have easily vanished or changed his form and slipped silently into the crowd. He took a deep breath and steeled himself to stay rooted to the stones he was standing on. That was his sentence. To serve Asgard as its prince. He'd begged to be a servant, to be uncomfortable, to do the dirty work tonight was the first step in that. He'd always longed to be the prince that Asgard wanted. A true son of Odin in who the people saw all the kingly virtues. He thought of the lessons about being a king that his mother had taught him all his life. "A true king admits his faults," he could hear her articulate to him with queenly bearing and motherly authority. It was a tough proverb for him to bear. By nature, he was a trickster and maybe a bit of a liar. But if he was to truly serve Asgard as her prince (son of a king), he'd have to be better than he was before. "From me," Loki spoke quietly, maybe so that only his family could hear at first. "From me!" Prince Loki announced loudly and strongly.

"Dyson withstood me in my unrighteous conquest against Asgard," Loki stated and then hung his head. "And I...I...I... I slew him...I slew him without mercy," The prince stated to the mass of mourners. The pained and surprised gasp of the crowd rose up like the wind was blowing. Thor stepped forward next to his brother. He put his hand on his brother's shoulder and he could feel it trembling beneath the golden plate that he wore. Loki turned back and looked at his brother. Thor's expression was pained and placid. His blue eyes almost urged Loki to stop. He didn't have to confess all of this to the citizens. Maybe it wasn't even proper that he was doing so now, but Loki patted the hand that rested on his shoulder and pushed onward. He knew what he had to do.

"You...see...to me... at the moment," Loki began once more taking deep gulping breaths. "Dyson was a nameless, faceless subject to me," he confessed. "A minor obstacle to be overcome," he shook his head. "But I was wrong! I was wrong dear subjects of the crown!" Loki called out to the mass. "Dyson wasn't an ignorant nobody. He wasn't just a number or just one of many slain...Dyson was a palace guard, before that he worked as a servant alongside his grandmother, Dyson was a grandson, a family member, and a friend. He was an Aesir. He had hopes and dreams and passions and... love," the raven-haired enchanted explained to all under the sound of his silver tongue. Loki nodded to himself as he felt a pang in his chest. "He had someone he loved..." he placed his hand on his heart. "His love for this realm and the royal family was evident in his moment of bravery when he faced off against me in the very throne room," Loki continued to express.

"Dear people of Asgard, young Dyson's life has been cut too short. I take responsibility for that as I take responsibility for so many of us that have been lost," the second son of Odin stated with his head lowered although his back was straight. "I took his life, but I did not extinguish his light," Loki announced proudly as he raised the bright orb high above his head as a spectacle for the thousands of mourners who gathered. "Dyson's light will ever shine bright in our heavens as we remember his example. His example is to stand up for what is right no matter who opposes us, to fight to the death every courageously as an Einherjar of the heart, and to protect those that we love," Loki announced. Loki was surprised when his words were not heckled, booed, or hissed at. They certainly had every right and reason too. Still, the green-eyed mage was in shock as he heard what sounded like a clap of thunder, but it was the clap of hands. He was overwhelmed it took everything to keep him from shedding a tear. "Tonight, as we bid farewell to bodies we bid welcome to legacy. Think of the legacy that your loved one has left behind that will shine over us forever!" Loki proudly proclaimed.

With that, all the glowing orbs were raised high. Odin stepped forward holding his magnificent scepter. Loki tried to slink back into obscurity, but he could not. "It could not have been better said, my son," The king of Asgard stated. He turned and embraced Loki before the grand crowd of Asgardians and kissed his forehead. King Odin signaled for the longboats to be allowed into the channel. Dyson's ornately and regally decorated longboat led the way. When the beautiful vessel was near the edge where the Forever Sea met the endless sky, all eyes watched as a blazing arrow shot through the darkness and set the barge on fire. It burned brilliantly before it took off the edge. Hundreds of boats soon followed suit. As the longboats made their final journey through the harbor the flaming arrows shot for the archers' bows like fireworks. They hit their targets and set them on fire.

Loki raised the bright, glowing orb that he'd crafted for Dyson high into the air. His pale hands trembled as he released the artifact into the air. The orb floated up gracefully into the heavens. It was joined by thousands of others and they illuminated the night sky brighter than the stars.

Soon the pageantry and ceremony were finished. The citizens and mourners all trickled away at their own pace as they bid their farewells to their loved ones. The royal family lingered about. "You did an excellent job, Loki," Thor assured his brother.

Loki shrugged. "I was hardly worthy to render it, but I hope, in some way, it can show the people of Asgard how sorry I am," he admitted.

"Your silver tongue has never failed you, has it?" Thor laughed and nudged Loki on the shoulder. "Well trust that your gifts haven't failed you once more," Thor stated and put his hand on his brother's shoulder. "Come, let us away to the palace, it is late," Thor offered with a smile. Loki returned the expression his smile just housed more tiredness.

The raven-haired enchanter turned on his heels as he took a deep sigh. At least he wouldn't have to walk. He was so emotionally drained he was sure he would fall asleep on even the short carriage ride to the palace. As Loki turned to follow his brother he heard a small rustling sound creeping up behind him. Soon a squeaky, scratchy voice spoke up. "Pardon me, Prince Loki, might I have a moment?"

Slowly, the royal with the horned helmet turned around. There he saw a petite woman with a rather chubby frame, in typical mourning clothes of black and navy-blue lace. Her hair was tucked into a wimple, but a few gray ringlets strayed from their place. Her face was weathered and it looked as if she had been crying. Her dress was simple, but she had a lapel with a flame on it. Loki noted it. It meant she was from one of the merchant guilds and most likely was a candlemaker. "Yes, madam," Loki stated to the elderly woman. She bowed as low as she could before the newly reinstated prince of Asgard using her cane. "Please, my lady, there is no need for such formality tonight" Loki assured her.

She raised her head, a small smile on her lips. "Oh surely, there is," she insisted nodding. "I'm nothing but an old candlemaker and you are a son of Odin," she reminded him and her lips wore a smile.

"You are a citizen of Asgard," the prince responded. "As such I am at your service, mother," he stated to her. The old woman was shocked by the prince's words. In Asgard, there was general respect for the elders, but that was amongst people of the same station. His mother was Queen Frigga herself, why would he defer to her? Still, she tried not to show shock on her face, but she was just a simple old candlemaker and she doubted she could fool the fabled trickster. "May I help you, mother?"

She cleared her throat. "Nice words you said about Dyson," she offered. "You...you...truly made it sound as if you really cared for him," her voice came quickly as she tucked her shawl closer around her neck to shield herself from the cold night air. "Not surprising coming from you though," she slightly chuckled. "You always could talk and charm," she said and fanned herself. "At least that's what my sister would tell me," she continued to chuckle.

The ebony-locked enchanter wore a quizzical expression on his lips. "And who was your sister?" he inquired.

"Your laundress," the old woman replied subtly. "Once upon a time,"

Loki's emerald eyes went wide for a moment. "Dyson's grandmother..." he muttered though barely audible.

"Yes," the old woman kept her head down but finally raised it so their eyes could meet. "Dyson was my great-nephew," she explained.

"I..." Loki started, but his tongue felt like lead. "I'm so sorry..." Loki barely managed to let the words fall from his silver tongue. He shook his head exasperated. It had been hard enough knowing that Dyson was a friend of Lady Sigyn's, that he was a palace guard, and a friend to many of the guards who still worked in the palace. The thought that Dyson had been a little boy wandering around the palace and helping the old ladies air out sheets had only added to his guilt. Sigyn had shared that his grandmother had passed a few years ago. Loki had tried to console himself with the fact that the act of service he was doing for Dyson was a last rite being performed since Dyson had no family to speak of. He certainly hadn't expected to meet a family member of his. He blanched upon hearing her words. His knees felt weak and before he could even think Loki found himself on the ground kneeling before the small peasant woman.

"Sire! Sire!" she practically squealed seeing the prince groveling before her. It was dark and the crowd was starting to dissipate, but surely someone would notice this unseemly display. "You mustn't, you mustn't!" she insisted as she leaned over on her cane and reached out her hands to try to help Prince Loki back to his feet. He wasn't budging as she fumbled and pulled on his long, thin fingers. "You mustn't get your fine tunics all soiled," she whispered to him. She thought of the times when her sister would tell her how meticulous Loki was about his clothing and linens. She said he liked them just so and would give very specific instructions about how to wash them and press them even though he was just a teenager. Quite frankly when her sister had told her all these things, she thought it sounded dreadful working for such a pompous and polished young prince. Her sister told her it was quite easy, Loki was neat as a pin, so doing his laundry wasn't hard at all as he rarely had even a stain on his cuffs. She said she felt bad for Prince Thor's laundry staff because Prince Thor would ruin a pair of leather pants, rip through capes, and leave mud stains on his bed and want things ready the next day. Still, with Loki's reputation, she didn't know if finding dirt on his knees would send him into a fit. She had to confess Loki had surprised her tonight, he wasn't at all as she had expected, or maybe he just wasn't who he used to be. She held up her wrinkled hand and silenced the prince. It was a move that could have had her court-marshaled at one point, but she had nothing to lose now.

"I killed your nephew," Loki stammered. "You must hate me and you have every right to. "I won't ask your forgiveness," Loki said still looking down. He couldn't even bring his green eyes to stare up at the elderly Aesir woman.

"Please Prince Loki, you must rise,' she urged. "King Odin and the High Council of Asgard have forgiven you... who am I to not," she shrugged. She tried to smile, but tears trickled down her cheeks, but she continued to tug on the prince's hand urging him to stand.

Begrudgingly, Loki rose to his feet, but he still looked down. "You're being more gracious than most would be to me and far more gracious than I deserve. He's not the only one of our people I killed..." Loki confessed.

"Please, my prince, may we sit, I'm quite old and it's such a long service and these bones are brittle," she continued to try to chuckle with watery eyes.

"Of course, my lady," Loki gave a sweeping bow before offering the elderly woman his arm and walking with her to a seat on the step. He helped lower her onto the step and took a seat next to her. "I figured Dyson had died when a month had passed since the battle and I hadn't heard from him." she shrugged. "I didn't know how he perished... I never would have guessed," she gasped. The elderly Aesir woman started to weep. "He was my only living relative," she explained through her tears. She pulled out a handkerchief and continued to sob. Loki's face was stricken, his green eyes wide and they started to shimmer and shine with emerald tears.

"No," he gasped, but his voice choked and nearly drowned by the old woman's crying. His heart thundered in his ears. He'd felt so alone before. In the Void and the dungeon. He'd felt like he'd had no one, but the subtle reminders of family, they'd shined through and gave him hope in the darkest times. What would all of this even mean without having his family? Even knowing that he had his daughter...his one biological family member. Though he didn't know her, he knew that knowing that she was out there made him want to go on and want to try. "I'm...I'm...I'm so sorry," Loki replied and his cold hand reached out and took the old woman's. Her hand was trembling. "You must feel like I've taken everything from you...and I have...I have and I did it for nothing... I" Loki started to ramble,

Loki didn't know if the elderly woman truly heard him as he started to lament. "My husband and I lived in the Imperial City for many years and we owned a small candle shop." she pointed in the direction that the shop was. Her other hand strayed to touch the olden emblem of the flame on her lapel. "We were successful. My sister took Dyson in when he was just a youngster after his parents died. They lived with us for a little while until she found work in the palace then they went to live there." she inclined her head toward the shining golden edifice that still glowed in the darkness. Eventually, my husband and I... we moved out of the Imperial City and to the Lake Country, my husband loved to fish," the old woman continued to laugh. "Good thing we made candles or my whole house would have smelt like fish," she continued to chuckle. "When my sister died," her voice shuddered. "She lived a good life mind you," she raised a gnarled finger toward Loki's pointed nose. "She was proud of the work she did," the elderly woman said with a humph.

"She served me well. She was an excellent laundress, I am very fastidious," Loki admitted rolling his eyes.

"Oh, I bet, but it doesn't show a bit," the old Aesir winked her eye as she noted Loki's fine garments. The leather, gold, and velvet arrayed and layered in perfect measurements and his cape was pressed and creased just so. "I invited Dyson to come to the Lake Country, but the Imperial City was his home. It was the only place he'd ever lived. You know he loved it so. He was so proud to live here, so proud to have lived in the palace. Why, the way he bragged in his letters you would have thought he was a prince as well, not a servant boy," she shook her head mirthfully. "He really wanted to be a palace guard. He was so proud," she picked up her head and looked Loki in the eye still smiling. "He said to me, 'Aunt Quilla, what greater honor is there for a man than to protect his home and family," she explained. "When he took the oath as a Palace Guard, he swore to protect everyone in it as his family. Including you," she pointed at Loki's nose once again. "Truth be told, you were his least favorite member of the royal family," the old woman admitted with a wry smile on her wrinkled lips.

"I suppose, I'm everyone's," Loki looked down his pale cheeks blushed.

She raised her finger a shook it in his face. She clicked her tongue. "Not everyone's," once more the old woman wore a smirk on her face. She looked around just a few feet away talking amongst the queen's ladies-in-waiting was the person she was looking for. "There was one who seemed to favor you," she inclined her head toward Queen Frigga's waiting gentlewoman.

Loki's eyes followed the old woman's bobbing head, "Sigyn," he whispered wistfully as he caught a glimpse of her graceful form. Even in the mourning garbs her style and beauty made her stand out in a crowd.

"Yes, yes, yes," Lady Quilla declared as she snapped her fingers. "Such a pretty name. Such a pretty young woman," she went on. "Dyson surely was smitten with her," she snickered through her fingers, "but she seemed to only have eyes for you. Oh, that burned him up. I think that was what made him have a personal dislike for you. He thought that she was wasted on a slimy trickster like you," the old woman said in the same tone that Dyson would have.

"He was right," Prince Loki nodded his head and let it hang. "I never deserved a woman as good as Lady Sigyn. She's too good for me," Loki confessed.

"Now, what woman could be too good for a prince, a Son of Odin?" The elderly lady scratched her chin.

"She is... too good for someone like me, my lady," Loki explained curtly as he raised his head and looked her in the eye once more. "A murderer, a traitor..."

"Is that who you are?" she arched her gray brows.

"That's what I've done," Loki nodded, "Besides she'll be marrying another in a few short days," he announced.

"Oh, so that's all the big to-do going on," Her eyes went wide for a moment. "Oh, but I won't be able to stay... I won't be able to attend," she muttered more to herself than to the raven-haired enchanter before her.

"All are invited; it is about time that the people of Asgard have something positive to celebrate. All I have given them is sorrow and an occasion to mourn," Loki explained to her.

Quilla quirked her lips. "I think you have given us more than that, Your Highness," she stated quietly. "But I... I won't be able to stay..." she continued to shake her head. "I have to get back to the Lake Country and it's a long way to travel for an elderly woman such as myself."

"Lady Quilla, I took the last of your family members from you and for that, I am truly sorry, I can't do anything to bring him back, but...I"

"No, no you can't!" she snapped. "For all your powers and gifts and even as a Son of Odin you can't do that. All you can do is make pretty speeches..." Her gentle demeanor instantly changed to something sharp and scolding. Perhaps she'd gotten over her reverence for the royal family and was finally able to see him for what he was.

"And I know that's nothing..."

"I didn't say that, my prince." she took a deep breath. "I came all this way because I wanted to honor Dyson...who I thought died unknown, buried in a pile of rubble. It broke my heart to think that no one would know him or be here saying goodbye to him. He was a good boy," she nodded. "He always helped others. He helped his grandmother every day, He helped me and my husband make candles for years, he helped my husband catch his fish," she hummed and she laughed to herself. "He wanted to help Asgard and do something great," she explained as she balled up a triumphant fist and raised it in the air.

"He did," Loki replied to her as he clasped her fisted hand. Loki tried to offer a smile.

"I know," she nodded and she returned the facial expression toward the younger son of Odin. "I knew Dyson would go down swinging, go down trying to help and protect others. "But, now, because of you, all of Asgard knows that too," she looked at him and expressed. "You gave him royal honors. That was what Dyson always wanted. You gave him a star to shine in the sky for all time. When I honestly couldn't afford to have an orb made for him," she hung her head. "So, I just wanted to say...thank you..." she breathed through her tears.

"Ma'am, please," Loki said as his voice choked. "You can't thank me," Loki shook his head. "I took someone loved...I...I..." the silver-tongue enchanter sputtered. "You should hate me," He stated with a shudder.

"Maybe...I should," Lady Quilla said quietly. "But it would change nothing, Dyson would still be gone and I'd just be a bitter old woman, hating someone who seems to have changed, for the better," her wrinkled hand dared to stray up to touch the prince's cheek. They were cool and smooth, but damp.

"I've done so much wrong..." Loki began again.

She nodded. "You feel like your life is full of darkness? Admittedly you have done dark deeds," she explained as she reached into a satchel that she was carrying. She pulled out a small white candle that she had made in remembrance of Dyson. "But take it from an old candle maker a single flicker of light can eradicate darkness," she said and smiled at him and struck a match against a cold stone to light the candle. The candle started to burn brightly in the dark of night. Many of the people had started to trickle away and their lights had gone with them and their orbs had ascended high into the heavens. The old woman moved her candle around and showed how powerful its small flame could be. "Now imagine more..." she urged the youngest son of Odin. Loki started to imagine, but he didn't need to. Before long the elderly Aesir woman was pulling out tons of candles of all shapes and sizes. And setting them up on the step where the two of them were seated. She lit them all. "It's not so dark anymore, is it?' she chuckled. "Although the darkness is still around it isn't the focus anymore, my prince. Even look at the sky. It is black, but we focus on the stars," she waved her hand over her head. "That is how you must think of your life now...every good deed you do eradicates a little of the dark past," she confirmed. Loki continued to shake his head. Her words were too good to be true. "You gave Asgard a light by giving her a chance to go on...you gave my nephew a light that will now glow forever." she smiled at him and patted his hand. "May I give you a light, my prince?" the old woman asked timidly.

"Yes," Loki replied with his voice shaking. "You already have," he told her. His emerald eyes stared earnestly at her.

Lady Quilla took the beautiful candle that she had made of Dyson and placed it in Prince Loki's hand. "If there is good in you...it will always shine," she promised him and forced his hand to clasp around the candle. Instantly, a flame sparked on the wick of the candle. The old woman's face exploded with a smile. Loki looked astonished. He knew how to spark a flame in his hand, but he hadn't done anything. "Let it shine now," she instructed him.

Loki's head bobbed up and down emphatically along with his Adam's apple. Loki had never been an overly affectionate person, but he couldn't help himself. He instantly wrapped his arms around the Dyson's aunt's slender frame. He held her in a tight embrace for a long time. "Thank you," he whispered and he felt her cry on his shoulder.

The moment passed and Loki didn't know how long he sat there hugging the woman who he'd taken everything from, yet she had given him something priceless. After they had both settled, he helped her to her feet. "I better be getting back to the inn," she said as she dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief and blew her nose.

"Oh no, Lady Quilla," Loki began as she held on to her elbow. "I cannot allow you to stay in the inn."

"I must..."

"No, you mustn't. You were intending to come and live with your nephew in the Imperial City and that is exactly what you shall do."

"Oh, but Your Highness, I...I... I... my husband sold our property years ago," she explained.

"I would like to invite you to live in the palace," Loki stated proudly.

"What!" her eyes bugged out of their sockets. "Oh...oh...no... no... no your Highness!" she shook her head vigorously. "The palace is for the royal family... I have no business there," she insisted.

"Your sister saw the dirty laundry that sounds close to the family to me," his statement caused the elderly woman to blush.

"Your nephew was a hero and the least I can do after taking his life is to offer his only relative a place to live. Please!" Loki's voice was clipped, but nearly desperate. He removed his horned helmet placed it in his hand and then dipped to his knee, "It is a matter of pride..." he explained.

"My Prince you must stop bowing to me, 'Tisn't proper," insisted gesturing with her hands for him to rise rapidly.

"You will make a beggar of a prince if you continue to refuse me," he told her with that rueful signature smirk on his face.

Lady Quilla wagged her finger playfully in Loki's face. "Now, you mustn't say that, sire," she replied. "I don't know... I don't know," she began pacing around as she leaned on her cane. "I do have a life in the Lake Country," she went on.

"Of course. I don't want to rush you into any decisions, but you can at least stay at the palace until Lady Sigyn's wedding," Loki proposed. The old woman stopped her pacing for a moment and turned to face the prince her interest seemed a little more peeked.

She scratched her chin, "I haven't been to a wedding in a long time," she thought aloud.

"Oh, this is sure to prove to be the wedding of the century. I can promise you my mother has spared no expense."

"I always thought that the next wedding I went to would be Dyson's," she expressed. "Dyson was always imagining marrying her," the old woman continued to puzzle. "But he cared about her so greatly, I'm sure he'd still want to have seen her get married and be happy," she pointed out. Loki was in the background simply nodding. "As long as she was marrying the man she loved!" Lady Quilla pointed out as she spun around on her heels and pointed her gnarled finer in Loki's face.

Prince Loki held up his hands in a surrender position, a sheepish grin on his face. "I... I'm...I'm sure she is," he confirmed.

"Mmm -hmmm," Lady Quilla was unconvinced. "Well, even still, I...I... I just wouldn't feel right staying in the palace for free like that," she explained.

"Lady Quilla, the palace has been open to citizens for a moon cycle and many have made themselves at home," Loki stated with a guffaw.

"But they were displaced! They lost their homes! They lost everything!"

"So have you and because of me...same as them" Loki insisted.

"My prince, just as you have your pride, I have mine," she pointed to herself. "I've always been a hard worker. Never taken a handout. It just doesn't sit right with me to stay in the palace, eating your fine food, sleeping on your fine linens for nothing. My sister and nephew worked for their right to live in the palace and so should I," she insisted.

"Madam you drive a hard bargain," Loki stated and shook his head. "But if you are allowed to help make the candles for Lady Sigyn's wedding, will you agree to stay," he offered and blew an exasperated breath out of his mouth and blew his licorice locks out of his face.

"In my line of work, you gotta know how to haggle, my lord," she threw her head back and laughed. "But you've got yourself a deal!" she stuck out her hand a shook hands with the prince. Loki offered the elderly woman a ride home in his carriage, but Lady Quilla insisted that she at least needed to gather her things from the inn where she was residing.

"Prince Loki," a palace guard cleared his throat as he appeared behind the enchanter. "Your carriage is ready, sir," he stated. He stamped his javelin on the ground and stood tall "The king, queen, and prince have started to return to the palace. Not that I'm rushing you," he went on and looked down.

"That's alright...I was just getting ready to leave, but this is Lady Quilla," the guard bowed toward the elderly Aesir woman. "She's Dyson's great aunt," he pointed out.

"Oh, my goodness!" the guard cried. He went up to Lady Quilla grabbed her hand and started shaking it vigorously and profusely. "Dyson was great!" he declared to her. "He was truly cut down in his prime. Terrible! Terrible!" he repeated as his eyes instinctively cut a glare toward Loki. "I mean...uhm..." he began to mumble when he thought he noticed Prince Loki catching his glare. He hadn't exactly meant to glare. "I mean...I mean...it was just an honor to know and work with him," he continued to shake the woman's hand.

"Yes," the old woman said her voice and body shaking from the young palace soldier's vigorous shaking of her hand. "It's so nice to meet a friend of Dyson's" she wore a smile.

"Guard Curt, will escort you back to the inn and to the palace," Loki explained.

"I will?" the young guard questioned. "I mean... I mean... I will," he replied resolutely and stood attention while saluting and holding his spear.

"You are too gracious, your highness," Lady Quilla responded as she shook her head.

"I owe you much more," Loki insisted to her. He kissed her weathered old hand. "I'll see you at the palace," he stated and winked, he turned to walk toward his gilded coach. The guard proceeded to walk with Lady Quilla. He waved and signaled for a solar skiff to pick them up so that she wouldn't have to walk. Once Loki saw the two of them get into the skiff, he entered into the carriage. Just as Prince Loki was about to signal for the carriage drive to pull off and head for the palace, he noticed Lady Sigyn approaching.

"Loki!" she called waving to him as she came toward the carriage in a hurried pace. Loki started to get out of his ride, but Sigyn was already at the door before he could even open it.

"Sigyn," he responded to her breathlessly.

"I just saw Lady Quilla," the blonde-haired lady-in-waiting started. "She told me the two of you talked and how you had invited her to stay at the palace, that was so lovely of you."

"Twas nothing," the raven-haired enchanter shook his head.

"Twas something...twas something sweet," Sigyn smiled at him at put her hand to her heart. "And so were the words you said about Dyson. Your speech was beautiful," the daughter of Admiral Arn reported.

"I meant every word I said," he told her.

"I know," Sigyn nodded. "She knew too," she assured him. Sigyn leaned over into the window of the carriage. Her soft, pink lips were close to Loki's ear. "You've used that silver tongue of yours so much for telling lies, you forget it's golden when you tell the truth." She pulled back and looked him in the eye with a faint smile on her lips.

Loki's lips were close to her own. He licked them as he stared into her golden pools "Let me make golden again," the prince said as he swallowed deeply. His emerald eyes stared deep into hers.

"Ok," Sigyn nodded the word scarcely able to escape her lips.

Once more Prince Loki started to try to open the carriage door. Sigyn was there so it couldn't open properly. The two of them shared a giggle and Sigyn took a step back to allow the carriage door to swing open. As he did so Theoic came bounding to Sigyn. "Sigyn!" his voice boomed enthusiastically in her direction. Lady Sigyn's head swung as she turned to face her intended. "I've been looking everywhere for you!" he stated when he reached her. He wrapped her in a warm embrace. Lady Sigyn gingerly returned the hug.

"Oh, Theoic!" she gasped as he squeezed her tight.

"Guess who is in town for our nuptials?" he asked the nobleman wore a bright grin on his face. Sigyn put up her hands a shrugged at her intended's enthusiastic question. Her eyes darted toward Loki. "Huh?" Theoic questioned as he beheld the expression on her face. He finally, followed her gaze and saw the prince. "Oh... um, Your Highness," Theoic quickly corrected himself and fumbled into a bow. Being that he'd grown up in the Dales he wasn't used to royalty just appearing before him. He always forgot his courtly manners. It wasn't that he wanted to be rude, but quite frankly, that was why he wanted to get back to his country estate as soon as possible, where he didn't have to maintain such protocol. Loki inclined his head at the gesture. "The funeral was exceptional, sire," he stated. "Everyone seemed to be very moved," the brunette landowner continued. "It's the best ceremony I've been to...since...since..."

"The one that took place about a month ago?" Loki inquired with a smirk. That was what had made this funeral all the more painful, they had had one just a month ago and he'd been responsible in some way for both.

"Well...I...I..." Theoic stuttered. "I didn't mean..." he began. "It's just that Your Highness always knows just what to say," Theoic quickly recovered.

"It would seem," the silver-tongued son of Odin replied as he stared at Sigyn.

"Excuse me, Prince Loki," Theoic once more tried to follow the rules and regulations of court, before he addressed Lady Sigyn. "My dear, now can you guess who is coming to our nuptials?" he inquired once more.

"Who?" the golden-haired lady-in-waiting asked.

"My brothers!" he declared.

"Oh," Sigyn's eyes were big and her tone was pleasant. "I hadn't thought that they weren't going to come."

"Well, they were willing to come the last time, but you know a trip to the Imperial City is very expensive and after all, they had been prepared to stay at Kelby, where lodging and food would be free, but since I told them that all expenses were being paid by the Royal Family, they were able to make it," Theoic was beaming.

"I'm so glad they could come,"

"Yes, I thought we'd go out and celebrate!" he declared to her. Lady Sigyn slightly smiled. It was nice to think that Theoic was at least willing to spend some money for their wedding. It was so gracious of Queen Frigga to offer to cover all the expenses, but the Royal Family had so many issues of state to deal with she hated to think of them splurging for her. "I mean after all how often will we be able to have a night on the town on the crown," he rubbed his palms together.

Sigyn shook her head. She should have known. "Theoic, it is very late," Lady Sigyn expressed and it was. It was after midnight.

"But there are still some taverns that our open," he insisted. "We'll just have a few nightcaps," he expressed. "They've brought their wives and the women they are courting. It'll be a chance for you to get to know the family better," he explained.

Sigyn knew she shouldn't refuse an occasion to get to know her in-laws better. All Theoic's brothers had seemed pleasant enough and she'd been pleased to meet some of the other women in the family, but it was truly late, "You know Theoic tonight is such a somber night, it kind of seems a little insensitive to make merry while others are in mourning," she stated.

Theoic wrapped his big strong arms around his bride-to-be. "What? No, no, no," he shook his head. "Tonight was about putting this behind us," he shrugged. "Just like how we are supposed to forget what happened and welcome Prince Loki back with open arms," he went on.

"Theoic!" Sigyn's voice was a shrill scolding shriek.

Theoic clapped his big farmer's hands over his mouth. His brown eyes were wide. "I mean..." he started. "Not that we don't forgive... it's just," he started, but he was no silver-tongue and he didn't have the words to say to make amends for such a blunder. Theoic started to panic. This is just what he had feared centuries before. Insulting Loki and having the trickster do something terrible to him. All at once Theoic was on his knees in a pleading position. "Please! Please! Forgive me..." he started, but when he looked around, he noticed that Prince Loki's carriage was rolling down the path leading back to the palace. Theoic was panting. "Oh, my goodness! Merciful Yggdrasil, that was a close one!" he declared as he fanned himself. He pulled a handkerchief out from his surcoat and white his profusely sweating brow. "Do you suppose he heard what I said?" he asked his betrothed as she helped him off his knees.

"I surely, hope not," Lady Sigyn whispered. "You know Theoic, Prince Loki is actually very sensitive..." Sigyn continued to try to explain Loki's position to her future husband, but the plantation owner was busy leading her to the tavern for the night.

---

When Prince Loki made his way back to the palace, he was absolutely exhausted. The night had been long, but emotionally it had been nerve-wracking to have to think about giving the eulogy for the grand funeral. He was sure that the people of Asgard would throw stones and riot when they saw him standing before them. For Odin to pardon him for his crimes was one thing, the people might have felt like that was a family matter, but for him to speak over the dead people who had caused to lose their lives well even he thought that Odin was provoking the citizens.

Then, still, their acceptance and applause and dare he say approval was all, but overwhelming. He was prepared for their hate, scorn, and mistrust, but acceptance, even if it was fake, was not something that he was completely prepared to handle. His mind reeled. How could it be? How could someone like Dyson's great-aunt show him forgiveness and kindness after his confession? It was baffling. Still, he'd spent 3 long years feeling angry and bitter and full of hate toward the world. It had been a drive, a burning fire that he used to fuel him, but that fire also burned him as well. It took him years to learn that lesson, but maybe the people of Asgard were smarter than him, having all the anger, rage, and bitterness destroyed things within and without, perhaps the people of Asgard had learned the lesson from his mess of a life.

Once the carriage arrived at the palace there were plenty of servants ready to attend to him and his knees. The footman and the driver took care of making sure his horse was tended and properly stabled. The guards greeted him courteously at the door and the servants working the palace floors politely bowed and tentatively offered their praise on his speech. When he arrived at his bedchamber, his valet was waiting. "Prince Loki, can I get you anything before you retire for the night, Your Highness?" he asked "That is if you are planning on retiring, of course..." he began nervously as Loki approached his door. Loki gave a half smirk toward the butler. He was a short-round chap who barely seemed to be able to grow a mustache.
"I think I'll be fine for the evening, Ishka," Loki reported.

"Oh, yes, certainly, of course, sir," Ishka followed behind him as the raven-haired enchanter entered his bedchamber.

"Is everything to your liking, my prince?" he asked as he tried to glance around Loki's tall lanky frame while he removed his helmet. Loki took in his bedchamber. Everything was perfect the fire was gently blazing in the hearth; and the bed was turned down with fresh mint on the pillows. There was a warm pot of tea in a gold and emerald teapot with matching tea cups as well as a fine bottle of sherry. His night robes were laid out and freshly pressed for the evening along with a pair of bedroom slippers. "Your bath is ready, sire as well," Ishka continued. The chambermaids just left he stated. Loki walked into the bathroom just to check on his pool-sized bathtub. It did look splendid as the inviting scent of eucalyptus and sandstone combined with the water. It was already steamy. "I took the liberty of picking out a few tomes for you, my prince," Ishka carried on. He chattered on and on about the updated volumes on some astronomy and history and even a new novel that had come up since Loki had fallen off the Rainbow Bridge that he thought the younger Prince of Asgard would enjoy. Loki smirked to himself and couldn't help, but think it was good to be a prince again. "Your Highness, is...is...everything to your standards?" the butler asked as he nibbled on his fingernails.

Loki turned around and stared at Ishka, his old butler, with scrutinizing jade eyes. Prince Loki had always been demanding. Both of the princes were, but in different ways. Thor was demanding in the face of the servants constantly having them run, back and forth to meet his needs, but Prince Loki had a quiet sort of particularness and he was quick to complain about servants who didn't meet his standards. "I... I tried to remember all the things that you liked, your highness. It has been a while," Ishka chuckled. "Not that I forgot...I just... of course, your likes may have changed during your time...time...time...uh...away," he practically squeaked under Loki's penetrating gaze. Under his breath the short butler muttered, "Please don't turn me into a toad," he gulped.

"Ishka, I must say," Loki started. "This bedchamber is simply not to my expectations," he kept his cool demeanor.

"Oh...oh...oh...please, Prince Loki...I'm so sorry...I'll get it right next time, my lord...it's been a while... but"

"It exceeds my expectations," a smile cracked through his thin lips and he winked his green eyes at his old valet.

The elderly valet who stood about two feet shorter than Prince Loki seemed to melt under the word of praise. "Your Highness?" his eyes brightened. Prince Loki didn't repeat himself, but he inclined his head once more at the pudgy old man. "Well, I'm so pleased!" he expressed. "Can I do anything else for you, sire?" he asked. "Should I call in the royal dressers to help you disrobe?" he inquired.

The dark-haired enchanter arched his brow, "I think I'll take it from here," he stated as he placed his hand on his valet's shoulder.

"Oh...oh...yes...quite sir," the servant humbly nodded. "Well, if that is all, sir, I'll retire for the evening?"

"That'll be fine. Thank you, Ishka,"

Ishka started to leave, but he headed to the door of Prince Loki's bedchamber, he turned around to say, "Welcome home, Prince Loki,"

It didn't take long for Loki to go through his nightly routine. He took a long soak and enjoyed sips of a nighttime brew while reading over the books that the butler had picked out. Such simple luxuries, long forgotten, but it felt good to settle into his bedchamber and once again not feel like a pariah for being in his bed. He read over the newest volume of a publication that the observatory had put out. The theories weren't new to him, but as he reviewed it, he thought for a moment how Thor's newest beau might find it interesting. Loki tried to concentrate more on the theories, but he found his mind wandering and drifting here and there. He would have liked to say that it was because the concepts weren't completely new or because he was just so spent mentally from everything that had transpired since his sentencing, but still he knew that wasn't completely true. There was something else that was pressing on his mind. He didn't want to dwell on it though. The prince flicked his wrist in the direction of where his hearth was ablaze with a warm fire, to douse the flames just a bit. He rolled over and began to blow out the lamp on the nightstand to prepare for slumber. His heavy ivory eyelids were contentedly sliding over his emerald green eyes when a knock came at the door.

Loki's eyes popped open with annoyance. He knew that thunderous banging anywhere. He wrapped on his door in the middle of the night like he was swinging his hammer around trying to knock skulls. Thor was continuing his pounding when Loki tossed his pillow over his head and let out a groan. "Thor get your arse in here," Loki's voice was muffled and irritated beneath the pillow.

The big, blonde lug came in chipper as ever. "Loki, are you asleep?" he asked. Thor's attempts a whispering were always futile.

"Thor it's nearly 1 in the morning, what do you think?" Loki finally tossed the silk pillow off of his face and in Thor's direction.

Thor caught it easily enough and started laughing heartily. "Well, I don't know... I thought you might have been reading," he began.

Prince Loki had replaced the pillow that had been covering his face with a lazy, long arm. He slightly removed his arm so that he could glare at Thor with a bright green eye. "Fine, I just finished reading," he muttered.

"HA!" Thor blasted and tossed the pillow back at Loki who reached his arm up and froze the pillow midair. "I knew it! You haven't changed a bit!" Thor declared.

"You better hope for Asgard's sake that's not true." Loki's dark humor was certainly still intact. Thor had missed all this too much though. It didn't take long before the golden-locked thunderer was running from the door and onto the bed. He landed on Loki's bed as if he was trying to belly-flop into the pool, He sent Loki's thin frame hurling off the bed. Loki landed back on his own bedsheets with a splat as Prince Thor continued to guffaw. He shook his head. "The person who hasn't changed at all is you," he pointed out. "You're still just as annoying, insufferable, and ridiculously rambunctious..." the dark-haired prince went on.

"Ah-ah-ah," Thor wagged a thick finger in Loki's face. "Careful, I was just about to say how much I missed this...and you," Thor stated. His blue eyes looked back at his brother hopefully. "Come on you missed it too, right?" he urged. And Thor had that look in his eye. The same look he used to give Loki all the time when they were little that said if he didn't tell Loki what he wanted to hear he was going to physically torture him with tickles to get him to say what he wanted. That was if he was lucky, sometimes Thor would put him in a headlock or twist him into a dreaded half-Nelson to get him to holler uncle.

Loki shook his head. Thor wouldn't have to resort to such childish extremes tonight, Loki blew out an exasperated breath and leaned heavily into another pillow. He closed his eyes, "Every minute," he smirked.

Thor beamed from ear to ear, though Loki's eyes were closed he could imagine the goofy grin on his brother's face. "Soooo, I was thinking...that tomorrow we could wake up and spar..." he started. "After breakfast of course," he shrugged. Thor continued to rattle off other suggestions for how they'd spend the day.

"What is this an itinerary?" Loki questioned.

"Well, who knows what will happen if I let you out of my sight for too long," Thor wriggled his thick gold brows.

"Fine, I'll spar with you, but I'm not waking up at the crack of dawn to do so," the mage qualified.

"Fair enough," Thor agreed. "We can get brunch after we spar with Jane," Thor explained.

"How long is Jane staying in Asgard?" Loki inquired.

"Just until Lady Sigyn's wedding. I know she must return to Midgard," Thor sighed. "She's said she's had enough adventure and excitement for a lifetime," Thor chuckled. "She's ready to return to the boring and mundane,"

"I suppose I can see that, she'd still be a mortal after all," Loki winked.

"Now, don't you start with that mortal business, she was just starting to like you. We can all meet the Warriors Three and Sif may want to go and have a pint before dinner," Thor then suggested. "Then maybe we could go for a swim," Thor beamed with his ideas.

Loki shook his head. He never considered his elder brother the best planner, but Thor would always try to fill every minute when he planned something. "I do have to see if, father and the council have any duties for me," Loki explained as he put quotation fingers around the word duties.

"Oh!" Thor exclaimed as he slapped his forehead. "That was what I came in here to tell you! You did a great job on your 'first duty'" Thor expressed and smiled.

"I don't know about that," Loki shook his head.

"You did Loki!' Thor assured him, and he placed his hand on Loki's thin shoulder.

"I felt like a fool up there," Loki acknowledged.

"You didn't sound like a fool," Thor countered. "It was beautiful and stirring Loki, no matter what you think, I saw the faces of some of the council, Loki some of them had tears in their eyes," Thor continued.

"Thor they could have been crying for their loved ones, it doesn't mean..."

"It was what you said," Prince Thor squeezed his brother's shoulder. "You were sincere and you were honest. I don't think people expected it, but, but it worked. "The blonde-haired son of Odin tried to explain.

"Come on, Thor," Loki said as he rolled his tired eyes in his brother's direction. "There were thousands of people at the funeral, I don't suspect that what I said miraculously changed everyone's opinion of me."

"You were the one who told me that no one has a favorable opinion about everyone."

"That's true. Still, I'm not convinced that if you and father and mother hadn't been standing on the platform, they would have thrown stones."

"Well, you were alone for a little while...I trust that there were no attempts on your life," Thor chuckled.

"For now," Loki's thin lips wore a smirk.

"Loki, I'm sure there are some who still may have distrust for you, but there were always those people. When you spoke...you spoke from your heart. You know Loki people may not always be able to see through lies, but I believe when somebody says the truth...people will recognize it and respect it," Prince Thor stated.

Loki just shook his head, "You sound like Dyson's great-aunt," Loki took a deep breath as the familiar sound of his older brother's voice talking to him in the wee hours started to lull himself to sleep.

"Dyson's great-aunt?" the golden-locked wielder of Mjolnir questioned.

"Yes," Loki's voice was becoming slurred with sleep. "She came to me after the funeral...thanked me...said she forgave me..."

"That's absolutely wonderful, Loki. If she can forgive you...If I and Father can forgive you, no one in Asgard has the right to condemn you," he declared.

"I think she said something like that too," Loki stretched and yawned and tried to adjust himself comfortably on his bed. He'd gotten so used to sleeping in uncomfortable positions that he had forgotten what it felt like to lay off the plush comfort of his own mattress, but it was more than that. He'd had the opportunity to sleep in his room before this night, but then he slept with a heart and mind that was full of hate and rage and revenge and guilt. His mind and soul had been at war and his sleep had been fitful and unrestful. It was funny now how tiredness felt like bliss and his bed felt like a bed of roses now that his conscience was clear. "I felt so bad though," Loki went on mumbling drowsily. "He was her only relative..she'd forgiven me...she'd given me a gift, but I'd robbed her of everything," Loki explained. "I...I... I had to make amends," the master mage yawned once more and covered his mouth.

"So, what did you do to make amends?" Thor asked. He couldn't help, but smile down at his brother. He looked so tired and Thor knew he really should let him sleep, but he'd missed these moments for so long... for too long... he couldn't bring himself to just let Loki rest.

Prince Loki rolled over on his side, "I asked her to come and stay at the palace..."

"Really?"

"She was a stubborn old woman, though," Loki's lips cracked into a lazy grin.

"Oh..."

"Yes, she wouldn't agree until I told her it wasn't charity and that she could work for her keep," he still laughed.

"Can you imagine anyone passing up the opportunity to stay here?" Thor gestured to Loki's elaborate domicile with golden walls and ivory beams, furniture made of bronze and onyx.

"She said her sister and nephew worked for their room and board; she wanted to do the same..."

"Loki you are not going to turn that poor old woman into your laundress, are you?" Thor sounded aghast.

"No... of course not. She's a candlemaker," Loki's cream-colored hand lazily pointed to the beautiful new candle on his nightstand. Once it was pointed out, Thor caught a whiff of its pleasant aroma. "So, she wants to help make the candles for Sigyn's wedding..."

Thor's ears perked at the mention of Sigyn's wedding. A smile almost as sneaky as his brother's played on his broad lips. Blonde eyebrows wriggling shifted from Loki's bed to relaxing in a high-backed velvet chair and propped his boots up on the edge of Loki's bed.

"Boots off," Loki ordered sleepily.

Thor smiled and removed his boots from ruffling the fine fabric of Loki's quilt. "Soooo,"

"Soooo," Loki mocked, "When are you going to let me sleep?"

"After we talk about this wedding," Thor said sternly.

"What?" Prince Loki's emerald eyes finally popped open. He forced himself from his side to sit up fully. This would require being alert. Thor was the type that had to use specifics with less he jumped to his own wrong conclusions 90% of the time. Usually, this worked to the trickster's advantage, but any wild and outlandish statements from Thor at this juncture were likely to have unintended consequences. "What are you talking about?" he rubbed his tired eyes. "There's nothing to talk about."

"Nothing to talk about? Nothing to talk about!" Thor exclaimed. "SIGYN'S ABOUT TO MARRY..."
Prince Thor didn't get to finish his hollering as Loki leaped out of bed and rushed over to the chair where Thor was lounging and slapped a cold hand over his lips. "Shhh! Keep your voice down!" he scolded. "You trying to wake the whole palace, Thunderer?' he asked with a glare. Thor attempted to talk with his lips underneath Loki's hand, his eyes wide and expressive as he tried to speak. Loki rolled his eyes and slowly lifted his fingers from Thor's face.

"I can't believe you are going to let Sigyn go through with it?" Thor blurted out once his mouth was released.

"Thor, stop. It's Sigyn's choice."

"Ok, and what other choice have you given her?"

The enchanter grew rigid for a moment, "I...I...er...Sigyn and I were already engaged once before and I broke off the engagement..."

Thor guffawed loudly, "You did more than that! You completely scandalized her!"

"Thank you for that reminder, Thor," Loki said through gritted teeth. Loki walked around his bed and went to put back the book that he was reading on the bookshelf. "That's exactly the point; I've already ruined things for Sigyn once... why would she want to go through that again?"

"Well, are you planning on doing that to here again?"
"I'm not planning on doing anything," Loki articulated over his shoulder. "She'd marrying Theoic. That's the end of that. He stated as he found the proper place for the book.

"That's the end of that?" Thor questioned. "You're just going to let the woman you love be wed to another?"

"Woman...I... I never said I loved her!" Loki snapped.

Thor sat back and made himself comfortable in the chair, once more he propped up his and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Oh, there's a lot of things you don't say. That doesn't make them any less true."

A half smile crept across the second son of Odin's face. "Hmmm, maybe you actually have changed a little, Thor."

"Not quite as dull remember," the gorgeous blonde joked.

Loki slowly crossed back over and he was fiddling with his dagger. His fingertip danced along the point of the blade. "Not quite," he grinned. "Anyway," he shook his head. His ebony mane was wild about him, "It's not about what I feel for Sigyn, it's about what Sigyn feels for me."

"You know she loves you,"

"No, I don't."

Thor got up from the chair and cut Loki off as he was walking. He gripped him by the arm with one hand and placed a hand on his forehead with the other. "No fever. Ok, you really are a silver-tongued liar and your lies are even working on you if you can't see that she loves you." Thor laughed out loud.

Prince Loki flagged Thor's hands away. He thought of Thor's words and it almost made him blush. Sigyn had done everything for him. She'd saved him in every way possible. But maybe she'd done those things out of pity or to save Asgard and he was just a side effect. Even if Loki could convince himself of that (and it was possible, he'd convinced himself that his own family hated him), the kiss they'd shared on top of the tower, was like nothing he'd ever felt. They'd kissed many times before, but it hadn't jolted his soul and stirred him quite like that before. He knew it was the same for Lady Sigyn. Once more Loki shook his head. He moved away from Thor and sat down on the edge of his bed. "Well, if she does love me, she shouldn't." He held his head in his hands.

"Why?"

"Thor, are you kidding me?" Loki retorted. "Look at everything I've done!"

"I am... you saved Asgard and the Nine Realms...he held Mjolnir," Thor encouraged. He took his mallet and flipped it in the air. Loki's eyes watched intensely as the hammer flipped up and down, Thor had the tendency of wrecking his things with his weapon.

"I'm also the reason why people are dead! I'm a murderer!"

"Stop! Don't say that about yourself!" Thor bellowed. He gripped Loki by both of his shoulders and hoisted him to his feet and shook him good. He stopped and looked him in his jade eyes, they were wide and practically childish. "That's not who you are! That's not who you are. Is it?" Loki stared at him with tired eyes, just blinking. "Is it?" Thor urged.

"No, it's not who I want to be," Loki confessed.

"It's not who you are!" Thor said to him sternly. He wrapped a firm hand around Loki's thin neck. "It's not who you've ever been," he reminded his younger brother.

"But I did kill people, Thor,"

"You saved more lives than you took," Thor's hand rested on his shoulder.

Loki looked down. Thor's words were kind, they always were, but "Sigyn may not see it that way, Thor."

"The boy who I grew up with...he hardly ever wanted to fight, didn't want to go to war...preferred tricks," Thor laughed.

Green eyes darted up, "You used to call me a coward for that," a smirk skirted over Loki's severe lips.

"Well, I was wrong," Thor stated firmly. "You were just wiser to try to find alternatives, even if they were dishonest," Thor winked his blue eye. "Sigyn sees that in you, Loki. She wouldn't have gone through all that trouble if she believed you were just a heartless murderer. I see the way she looks at you," Thor nudged Loki with an elbow and practically knocked him off the bed. Thor wriggled his blonde brows in a way that made Loki's pale cheeks flush.

"That may be true, Thor, but there's more to this than that," Prince Loki started to pace about. "Theoic can give her a comfortable life..."

"Umm her life would be much more comfortable and glamorous in the palace!" Thor declared almost indignant that Loki would dare to suggest that a life would be better than the royal life. Thor was right of course; they lived in opulence and luxury beyond compare. Sigyn was already used to palace life, it would surely be a step down to just be a no-account noble's wife, but..."

"And uncomplicated," Loki lifted his finger and glared back at his older sibling.

"Jane tells me that he's already married," Thor ran over to Loki and whispered it like he knew a big secret. "Sigyn will be his second wife! That sounds way too complicated for Sigyn."

"Well, maybe it's less complicated than being married to a Frost Giant!" Loki exclaimed.

"Loki," Thor said as he patted the air. "Don't say..."
"Thor, don't! Don't say 'Don't say that about yourself'" Loki mocked Thor's voice. "Because it is the truth." he huffed. "Now you know it, so let's not pretend any different," he snapped.

"You've lived in Asgard all your life, you are a true son of Asgard! You proved that with what you did. When the chips were down you risked your life for Asgard and you didn't have to, but that's what any Aesir would do."
"It doesn't change what I am in my blood. I'm still Laufey's son..." Loki sighed.

"No, you're not..."
"Thor! You know it's true..."

"I don't care!" Thor blonde declared like a child. "I know you are my blood," he affirmed. "And Sigyn doesn't care either... I know..."

"You don't know, Thor! You don't know that. You may be willing to call me your brother, family..."

"That's because that's what you are! That's what you'll always be."
"Fine," the younger prince huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. He blew the long strands of dark hair that had fallen over his eyes out of his face, with a small smirk on his lips. "That doesn't mean that she'd embrace the idea of mingling herself with a Jotun!" he spat the last word like a bad taste in his mouth. His mind couldn't help, but race to thinking of his time of passion with Dagmar. It had meant everything in that moment. He was so desperate, so needy for approval and love and their bodies intertwined had felt so right. She was like Thor, she rejected the truth of who he was and told him, it wasn't true, made love to him like she didn't care, but when it was time to prove that she didn't care...well she did. He couldn't go through that again.

Thor scratched his blonde beard, "Well, by my recollection, she's already mingled herself with a Jotun," Thor once again wriggled his brows in Loki's direction and wore that goofy grin as he guffawed. Loki was beet-red. He would never get over the time when Thor walked in on them.

"Thor!" Loki seethed. "Does a locked door really mean nothing to you?"
"I heard strange noises, I was concerned for you," Thor put his hand to his heart.

Loki's hand slapped his forehead. "Well neither she nor I knew I was a Frost Giant then," he spat at the chuckling thunder-head. "Maybe she wouldn't want to produce...half-breed children," he shook his head face twisted miserably. "Who would love a Frost Giant baby?" Loki asked shaking his head. "Even own parents didn't want me," he muttered to himself.

"Mother did," Thor's steadying hand was on his shoulder once more. Loki looked behind him. He put his hand on top of Thor's. "Father did...I did."

"It just might be too much to ask, Thor..." Loki continued to shake his head.

"But it deserves to be asked Loki," Thor's hand was on his shoulder.

"I can't ask Sigyn to break a betrothal contract if her father has already entered into it. She'd never do it," he shook his head. "She'd disgrace her father," Loki went on thinking of every excuse in the book.

Thor's face wore a baffled expression. "Loki you could pay 4 times the bride price. Lord Arn would be overjoyed!"

He finally managed to make it back to his bed. "After everything I've done to her... then to expect her to raise another woman's child," Loki mumbled. He was exhausted as he finally made his way to the bed. He flopped back on it once more.

Thor could see how tired Loki was. He was almost tempted to leave his brother's bedchamber and let the master mage rest for their full day of brotherhood tomorrow. But then Thor's tired mind registered the words that had loosely tumbled from Loki's silver tongue. "Wait? What?" the blue-eyed son of Odin and Frigga asked as he spun around on his heels to face Loki.

Loki's eyes once more popped open. He bit his lip. He couldn't believe his silver tongue had let such a thing slip. Thor was staring at him wide-eyed, looking practically horrified. Loki sat up in his bed, his heart racing as he met his brother's gaze. His family had already forgiven him for so much and here in his first days of being reinstated to the royal family he brought scandal upon the house of Odin, by having a bastard baby of a Dagmar. Loki's clever mind immediately started to think of a million tricks. He landed on possibly hypnotizing Thor, making him forget what he'd just heard. Loki's eyes grew wider, his emerald irises started to glow. Thor wasn't hard to hypnotize and it wasn't as if he hadn't done the trick before, but he decided against it. Thor had put so much trust and faith in him. Thor had proven his loyalty as a brother. Thor had never betrayed his trust although he'd betrayed Thor's countless times. So, Loki told Thor of a night of passion, a hidden letter, and the baby he'd never met.

Thor staggered backward until the back of his legs hit against the high-backed upholstered chair and practically fell in it. Thor didn't say anything for a moment. Loki's gut was tangled in knots. He was waiting for Thor to erupt and tell him about his carelessness. Berate him for how there hadn't been such a scandal in the royal family in years and how he'd disgraced them all once again. He deserved a scolding and a lashing for what he'd done. But of everything he'd done, it had been the one thing that he'd done that he hadn't meant the outcome. But he didn't regret the outcome. "Thor...I..." he started to look down. Then he straightened himself. "Well, aren't you going to say something?"

"You mean I'm going to be an uncle?" the elder brother asked.

Loki's jade eyes opened wide at Thor's response, perhaps he was too hopeful, but his thin lips smirked in Thor's direction. "Technically, you already are one." Then Loki winked.

Thor shot up out of the chair like a rocket. He started to scamper around with the enthusiasm of a puppy! "You mean... you mean I have a nephew?"

"It's a girl,"

"A niche! I have a niche?" Thor was elated.

"Niece, Thor," Loki enunciated and slapped his forehead once more.

"This is wonderful news! There hasn't been a princess in the family in 3 generations! Mother will be thrilled!" Thor gripped Loki's shoulders.

"Thor no! No! No! No one must know!"

"What? But we must make preparations..."

"Thor, I'm serious, I haven't decided anything... it might be better for the child to go live with Lord Audric..."

"Loki, you can't be serious? You wouldn't give up your only child..."

"I don't know what I'm going to do Thor!" Loki grabbed at his head. "It's my choice!" Loki pointed out.

"Well, you're not just going to give up my niece," Thor stuck out his chest.

"It might be the best thing for her," Loki tried to explain in earnest. His eyes got wide all of a sudden. Laufey giving him up had been the best thing for him. He doubted Laufey ever thought twice about him. Surely, if he would have cared about his offspring when they looked each other in the eye if he had ever cared he was sure that he would have known him. Loki would think every day about his little daughter. "I'm not saying what I will do...I... just...I just...I need time to think... to sleep," Loki explained as he looked up at his brother with tired eyes.

Thor nodded, "Of course, I... you should rest, Loki," Thor put a comforting hand on Loki's shoulder and practically ushered him to bed.

Loki lay down. It felt good to rest upon his bed, now that his mind was bogged down with thoughts, decisions, and troubles. "Thor you can't say anything," Loki warned.

"I won't," Thor assured him.

"Thor swear it," Loki urged, he gripped his brother's clothes and didn't allow him to leave his bedside. Thor looked him in the eye and in that moment the trickster thought about hypnotizing his brother to make sure that he had forgotten what he had heard. It had felt good to divulge his heart to his older brother, but Thor was a blabbermouth. Loki was just about to make his eyes swirl and cause Thor to forget, but he thought better of it. Thor had belief and trust in him although he had done a million wrongs. He owed Thor that much honor.

"I swear, I won't say anything. It's not mine to tell," Thor's words were firm, stoic, and mature sounding although he gave Loki a lighthearted smile.

Loki nodded. He allowed his head to rest on the silky, black pillows of his king-sized bed. So comfortable and large enough for two. His eyes slowly fluttered closed. "Thank you, brother," Loki whispered. "For everything...truly, "Loki started once more.

Prince Thor shushed him. "Loki give yourself a chance, give your child and chance,e and give Sigyn a chance for a happily ever after," Thor encouraged. He turned around to see his brother's response to his hopeful words. He could only imagine the trickster's signature smirk as he told him that happily ever after was just a myth. When he looked back at Loki, he found him fast asleep. Thor smiled fondly at his younger brother and pulled the covers up over his body. He then gingerly blew out the new candle that Dyson's aunt had given him.

A/N: HELLO READERS! You made it to the end of the chapter! Give yourself a round of applause, a pat on the back and another cookie from me! This chapter was long, but I hope it was worth it! I truly did work hard on this chapter. I wanted it to be a lighter chapter since we have gone through so much pain with Loki throughout the years. Anyway, I just want you all to know that I actually thought that we'd get a little farther in the plot with this chapter. As I've said before, I am really looking forward to bringing you the conclusion of this tale, but I don't want to rush it. I allow, the story and the characters to tell it at their own pace. ;) But we are very close to the end! Now, if you've been reading this the whole do yourself a favor and me a favor (hint hint: this week was my bday!) and leave a review, I'd love to hear from you!

Disclaimer: anything in this story that seems to bear resemblance to any politics is purely coincidental. This is purely a work of fanfiction and is meant for fun!

As the new year has come in it brings promise fun and hope, but it has also brought pain and tragedy, some of the recent tragedies have even taken place close to home. These times can certainly be hard, discouraging and put fear in our hearts, but please know that God has not given us a spirit of fear. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we can overcome dark times. If you would like to learn more about having a relationship with him, please feel free to send me a personal message. JESUS LOVES YOU!