Brothers United

Loki stirred uneasily in his sleep. He was dreaming, but to him the dream was too real. He was standing with Thor in Jotunheim. He assumed it was Jotunheim as they were surrounded by ice and snow. It blew around them whipping and stinging their faces. Loki tried to shield his face. He could make out the shape of Thor just in front of him. 

"Wait brother!" he called out. 

Thor stopped but kept his back to Loki. Loki came up behind Thor. 

"Brother?..." Loki said quietly. Reaching out a hand towards Thor's shoulder. 

Thor slowly turned to face Loki. His eyes hooded, an evil sneer in his face. Loki, shocked took a step back. Thor's eyes burned deep into Loki's

"I've brought you home brother." He sneered, and smiled. His sneer growing wider. 

Loki shook his head not understanding what Thor had meant. This was not his brother in front of him. Loki started to walk backwards away from Thor, shaking his head, his eyes darting from side to side. 'No' thought Loki. This is a dream, I must wake up. But he didn't. The dream would not end.

Thor looked at his retreating brother and laughed heartily. 

"Leaving brother, so soon?" Thor raised an eyebrow and tapped lightly on Mjollnir.

Loki stopped and looked at Thor. This was not Thor. Why was Thor playing with him like he was some sort of prey animal? A movement out of the corner of his eye caught Loki's attention. He could make out shapes emerging from the icy mist. Frost Giants!  Loki tried to move but he couldn't, he couldn't move. His wound from his previous visit to, Jotunheim started to throb. The pain growing, pulsating outwards. Thor looked at his brother and started to laugh. It started as a quiet chuckle, then grew loud and more threatening. 

Loki was paralysed,  rooted to the spot. He looked down, his feet were encased in ice, he was trapped. He pulled hard at his feet. They would not move. He looked back towards Thor, his eyes pleading for help. Thor turned away from Loki laughing, and walked towards Frost Giants. As he reached them, they parted to let him pass. Thor paused, turned back and gave Loki one last sneer and then turned and walked away.

"No! Thor please..." Loki whispered. 
"Don't leave me here. I don't belong here. I want to go home. "Please..."
"Thor..."

Thor disappeared into the icy mist. Loki was now alone, except for the advancing Frost Giants.  Loki strained hard with all the strength he had but he could not pull free. The ice rising up from his ankles and was now encasing his knees. 

"THOR!" Loki bellowed. "BROTHER!" his voice echoed back at him. He grunted as he tried desperately again to free himself from the ice. 

"Aaaarrrrrrrhhhhhhhh!" No! You will not take me!" Loki spat out at the Frost Giants. He pulled hard at his legs.

The closest frost giant reached out and grabbed his arm. Its icy grasp cutting through him. He felt the icy fingers penetrate into him. The cold spread up his arm and seeped through into his blood. 

"No! No!" cried out Loki and he tried to pull away. The Frost Giant's grip grew tighter. Loki's eyes grew wide in fear.  He looked directly into the frost giants glowing red eyes. 

"No!" he whimpered, "No..." he whispered. The ice in his blood was close to his heart now. He grew weaker, but would not give in. He fought the cold, he fought the growing exhaustion. He tried so hard to fight it! He didn't belong here. The other Frost Giants were only inches from him now. They were all laughing at him. When the icy fingers finally reached his heart. Loki cried out in agony...

Loki sat bolt upright, panting heavily. Beads of sweat dripped from his forehead. For a few seconds he sat disorientated, not sure where he was. His eyes began to focus and grew accustomed to the room in which he was sitting. Loki sighed. He was still in his cell. In a strange way Loki felt that comforting. He must have drifted into sleep. It was tiresome waiting for Nissa to return. What else was he to do?

These dreams were happening more often thought Loki. Why could he not control them. He was afraid of nothing, but these dreams unnerved him. Why Jotunheim? What significance was Jotunheim to him?

Loki rubbed his forehead and tried to clear the strands of dream still attached to his thoughts. This dream was different to the one he had before. It seemed even more real to him. Why had Thor abandoned him so readily? Why did he feel so cold?

Loki shook his head. He had no time for dreams right now. There was work to do. The guards had been surprised to find Loki back in his cell. Of course they reported it directly to Alrik. Who can directly to interrogate Loki. Although it was difficult to fool Alrik, Loki had managed to convince him he had only left the cell momentarily, and not in fact Asgard. He knew his father would be displeased and disappointed further with him but Loki did not care. He was determined to find out the truth of the traitor in Asgard and clear his name. 

**********
Nissa sat hunched over a larger wooden table in the guard room. She held a goblet of wine between her hands, resting it on the table. She twirled it round quietly while watch the other guards laugh and joke with each other. They had accepted her with out question. She had played her part as guard of Asgard well. They had even offered her wine. There was a celebration, of sorts. Prince Loki was now back in his cell, and was bring watched constantly. That danger to the city was over. The casket was still missing but Alrik said he would find out soon who had taken it. Nissa listened to the conversations of the guards intently. Waiting for any useful information she could take back to Loki. So far, not much was forthcoming. Talk of old campaigns against small attacks by Dark Elves  close to the borders, but nothing major. These skirmishes were quickly dealt with and seemed to be normal occurrences. No news for Loki there. Alrik had still to come to the guard room. Nissa wanted to meet him. She had heard Loki talk about him on his trips into Midgard. He had seen many battles and fought along side Odin. He was wise and well thought of. Nissa was sure that Alrik would also want the truth to be known about the false allegations levelled at Loki. 

There was a slight commotion outside the guard room in the courtyard. Suddenly a tall, muscular guard strode into the room.

"Stand up and ready yourselves. Alrik is on his way!"

Nissa's heart beat fast. Alrik was on his way to the guard room. She would finally meet him. 

Shortly after the tall guard had walked into the room, another man entered the room. His hair was silver. He also was tall, and muscular. The other guards in the room immediately stood up to attention. Nissa followed them and stood up. Alrik glanced around the room. His eyes fell on Nissa. She tried to disguise that she had just swallowed hard. Alrik walked over to where she was standing.

"You are new to Asgard, yes boy?" He stared at her face.

"Y...yes sir," she answered trying not to sound nervous.
"I arrived with a garrison yesterday"

"Hmm," said  Alrik. "You prepared for battle? The odd skirmish at the borders is nothing compared to what is coming!"

"Yes sir," Nissa said with more confidence. 

"Excellent my boy!" Alrik laughed and clapped one hand onto Nissa's shoulder. "We shall battle our enemies together!"

Alrik turned and faced the other guards. He was no longer smiling. 
"I have been tasked with an unpleasant duty and I need two of you to be with me." 

"As you know Prince Loki has returned to us. Odin is very displeased and..." Alrik sighed heavily... "I have asked to speak to Prince Loki about his actions. He is to be taken to the room of truths, where he will be questioned about his knowledge of the casket."

"I will take Bodun with me and..." Alrik gazed around the room, his eyes fell on Nissa.
" You boy what is your name?"

"Um... Selvig, Sir," Nissa replied.

"Well Selvig, you will also come with me. Get prepared and both of you meet me in the courtyard. This will not be pleasant."

Panic swept through Nissa. It was too late to warn Loki about them coming, she only hoped that Loki would be ok. She readied herself and walked out to the courtyard. They walked silently to the cells. Alrik walked ahead. He did not speak to them once during the walk. As they entered the cell area Nissa could see Loki sat in his cell. There was the tiniest flicker of recognition in Loki's face but then it was gone in a second. He stood up as Alrik unlocked the door.

"It is a pleasant evening to have visitors." Loki said smiling at Alrik.

"I shall come straight to the point of this visit. Prince Loki you will be taken under order of you father, Odin to the Room of Truths. You know the purpose of that room. You will come with us now.

Nissa looked at Loki. He was no longer smiling. His eyes grew wide and he backed away from Alrik.

"I am sorry my Prince but it is by the order of Odin. You know this cannot be disobeyed." Alrik turned to Nissa and Bodun. "Bind him."

Nissa looked back at Loki. She suddenly didn't know what to do. Loki looked back at her. His eyes were sad. He lifted both his arms towards her, holding his hands together and lowered his head. Bodun stepped forward and bound Loki's wrists. Nissa walked to the side of Loki and held onto his arm. They walked silently out of the cells and up the spiral stairs towards the courtyard. Nissa held Loki's arm tight. She was afraid. Not for her, but for Loki...