Brothers United
Secrets
Loki opened his eyes. It was dark. He had been sleeping in his chambers. In the far corner, the remains of a lit candle flickered briefly in the gentle breeze coming from the balcony, casting strange shadows on the walls.
Loki frowned and turned his head. Why was he awake? He had not had a nightmares, not since he was a child. Those nightmares had terrified Loki. Trapped unable to move, locked in an icy tomb, unable to escape. He would cry out for help but none came. Then frost giants would appear, coming for him, taunting him, telling him he would be torn apart... Loki shook his head, clearing the memory. No he had not had a nightmare. He turned over on to his side and listened. It was silent... No...no sound except the gentle billowing of the fine curtain across the entrance to the balcony. He felt uneasy. Something was not right. He pulled the covers off him and got out of bed. He slipped on this tunic and walked towards the balcony. As he reached the curtain he paused. He cocked his head to the side and listened again. He could just make out muffled voices coming from the courtyard below. They were too distant to hear clearly. He pushed the curtain aside and walked slowly and carefully out on to the balcony. He crept up to the edge and peered over, careful not to be visable to those standing below.
He still could not make out what was being said but saw two shadowy figures in deep conversation. It was strange that the guards had not noticed and moved them on. Loki watched until the two figures had parted company. He was curious but thought no more about. Sometimes he himself had needed air and had gone for a walk. He yawned, stretched, and thought no more about it. He turned, rubbed his eyes and walked slowly back to his bed. Tomorrow he would visit Nissa again.
.......
Loki rose early and quickly headed off towards the sphere room. It had been nearly a week since his last visit. He was eager to return. He was happy and walked lightly, his steps almost dance-like. His route took him past the throne room entrance.
"LOKI!" a round, deep voice boomed out of the throne room.
"I wish to speak with you." it spoke with authority.
Loki flinched and stopped still. He knew the voice well enough. It belonged to his father Odin. He turned on his heels and entered the throne room. He could not disobey the command of his father. Odin sat on the throne, in Asgard armour holding his staff Gungnir. He glared at Loki with his one eye. Loki walked up to the base of the steps which lead to the throne and knelt before Odin, his head bowed.
"I return to Asgard to discover mischief Loki."
Loki swallowed hard but kept his head bowed. Odin knew. Odin knew Loki had left Asgard and travelled to Midgard and now Loki had to face the wrath of Odin. Had Heimdall seen him? He wondered what Odin would do. He had probably broken several major rules and Odin would bring his full authority down on Loki. Loki felt deep regret. He would no longer see Nissa. They would no longer enjoy going out riding together. They would no longer tell each other fantastical tales from long ago. He would lose a close friend. He was laughed at and ridiculed in Asgard. Prince Loki but prince of what. Asgard was not to be his. His heart sank and he sighed a heavy sigh.
"Look at me Loki!", Odin barked, his voice shaking the room.
Loki swiftly lifted his head and stared at his father. Loki gulped. His father glared back at him. Loki could see the annoyance in his face.
"Explain to me Loki... Explain why I have to return to such news?"
"Father...I..." Loki started to explain.
"No feeble excuses Loki! I am disappointed in that you chose to show such disregard for my authority."
"I do not want to have to return to Asgard to sort out mischief caused by you. I would of thought by now you would grown out of such things."
"I am truly sorry father, I..."
Odin did not let him finish. "What did you do with it Loki? " Where have you hidden it?"
"Hidden?" Loki asked startled. "Hidden what?"
Loki was shocked. Momentarily stunned. This was not about the sphere and Midgard. Relieved, he let a small smile crossed his lips.
This was the wrong thing to do. Odin rose up too his full height and stood up glaring at Loki in fury.
"Do not be insolent boy!"
"You think this all amusing?"
"You will answer me now!" He bellowed.
Loki didn't know what to do. His father did not know the truth, but if Loki did nothing his father would punish him severely. He had done nothing wrong, but he was being punished. Not only that but he had witnesses. As well as his father, his mother Frigga was in the room along with Lady Sif and the warriors three. They had taunted him earlier and this was just what they would use against him.Thor was not present so perhaps had not returned with Odin. Thor may have stood up for his brother, but he was not here. Loki was alone. Odin's general Alrik stood to the left of the throne. He watched Loki intently. Eyes fixed on Loki.
Loki looked round the room, all eyes watching him. It made him feel very uncomfortable. He was very much the outsider right now. He wanted so much to be somewhere else, somewhere he felt wanted. He swallowed hard. He wanted to run, to get away. He felt trapped. Just like in his childhood nightmares.
He looked back at Odin his eyes pleading for leniency.
"Father, I know not of which you speak."
"I have caused no mischief."
"On my life father whoever caused you such upset, it was not me."
"If you have been told I was involved in this, then it is a falsehood."
"You were seen walking to the lower chambers, Loki", Odin replied sternly.
"You were seen entering the catacombs."
"It is missing Loki...the Casket of Ancient Winters is missing!"...
Loki frowned and turned his head. Why was he awake? He had not had a nightmares, not since he was a child. Those nightmares had terrified Loki. Trapped unable to move, locked in an icy tomb, unable to escape. He would cry out for help but none came. Then frost giants would appear, coming for him, taunting him, telling him he would be torn apart... Loki shook his head, clearing the memory. No he had not had a nightmare. He turned over on to his side and listened. It was silent... No...no sound except the gentle billowing of the fine curtain across the entrance to the balcony. He felt uneasy. Something was not right. He pulled the covers off him and got out of bed. He slipped on this tunic and walked towards the balcony. As he reached the curtain he paused. He cocked his head to the side and listened again. He could just make out muffled voices coming from the courtyard below. They were too distant to hear clearly. He pushed the curtain aside and walked slowly and carefully out on to the balcony. He crept up to the edge and peered over, careful not to be visable to those standing below.
He still could not make out what was being said but saw two shadowy figures in deep conversation. It was strange that the guards had not noticed and moved them on. Loki watched until the two figures had parted company. He was curious but thought no more about. Sometimes he himself had needed air and had gone for a walk. He yawned, stretched, and thought no more about it. He turned, rubbed his eyes and walked slowly back to his bed. Tomorrow he would visit Nissa again.
.......
Loki rose early and quickly headed off towards the sphere room. It had been nearly a week since his last visit. He was eager to return. He was happy and walked lightly, his steps almost dance-like. His route took him past the throne room entrance.
"LOKI!" a round, deep voice boomed out of the throne room.
"I wish to speak with you." it spoke with authority.
Loki flinched and stopped still. He knew the voice well enough. It belonged to his father Odin. He turned on his heels and entered the throne room. He could not disobey the command of his father. Odin sat on the throne, in Asgard armour holding his staff Gungnir. He glared at Loki with his one eye. Loki walked up to the base of the steps which lead to the throne and knelt before Odin, his head bowed.
"I return to Asgard to discover mischief Loki."
Loki swallowed hard but kept his head bowed. Odin knew. Odin knew Loki had left Asgard and travelled to Midgard and now Loki had to face the wrath of Odin. Had Heimdall seen him? He wondered what Odin would do. He had probably broken several major rules and Odin would bring his full authority down on Loki. Loki felt deep regret. He would no longer see Nissa. They would no longer enjoy going out riding together. They would no longer tell each other fantastical tales from long ago. He would lose a close friend. He was laughed at and ridiculed in Asgard. Prince Loki but prince of what. Asgard was not to be his. His heart sank and he sighed a heavy sigh.
"Look at me Loki!", Odin barked, his voice shaking the room.
Loki swiftly lifted his head and stared at his father. Loki gulped. His father glared back at him. Loki could see the annoyance in his face.
"Explain to me Loki... Explain why I have to return to such news?"
"Father...I..." Loki started to explain.
"No feeble excuses Loki! I am disappointed in that you chose to show such disregard for my authority."
"I do not want to have to return to Asgard to sort out mischief caused by you. I would of thought by now you would grown out of such things."
"I am truly sorry father, I..."
Odin did not let him finish. "What did you do with it Loki? " Where have you hidden it?"
"Hidden?" Loki asked startled. "Hidden what?"
Loki was shocked. Momentarily stunned. This was not about the sphere and Midgard. Relieved, he let a small smile crossed his lips.
This was the wrong thing to do. Odin rose up too his full height and stood up glaring at Loki in fury.
"Do not be insolent boy!"
"You think this all amusing?"
"You will answer me now!" He bellowed.
Loki didn't know what to do. His father did not know the truth, but if Loki did nothing his father would punish him severely. He had done nothing wrong, but he was being punished. Not only that but he had witnesses. As well as his father, his mother Frigga was in the room along with Lady Sif and the warriors three. They had taunted him earlier and this was just what they would use against him.Thor was not present so perhaps had not returned with Odin. Thor may have stood up for his brother, but he was not here. Loki was alone. Odin's general Alrik stood to the left of the throne. He watched Loki intently. Eyes fixed on Loki.
Loki looked round the room, all eyes watching him. It made him feel very uncomfortable. He was very much the outsider right now. He wanted so much to be somewhere else, somewhere he felt wanted. He swallowed hard. He wanted to run, to get away. He felt trapped. Just like in his childhood nightmares.
He looked back at Odin his eyes pleading for leniency.
"Father, I know not of which you speak."
"I have caused no mischief."
"On my life father whoever caused you such upset, it was not me."
"If you have been told I was involved in this, then it is a falsehood."
"You were seen walking to the lower chambers, Loki", Odin replied sternly.
"You were seen entering the catacombs."
"It is missing Loki...the Casket of Ancient Winters is missing!"...