Chapter 11
Thor groans as he wakes up, his head is pounding like he got drunk on half of Asgard's ale cellar. He tries to sit up, only to find he can't - when he cranes his neck, he sees his wrists, chest, and legs are strapped down to the table he's on. Before he can even get outraged, a familiar voice says "I never wanted this for you."
Thor snaps his face over so hard he hears something crack in his neck, and sees Hela sitting in a chair against the wall. Her hair's down from the headdress it was in last he saw her, and she looks…pensive, almost. Except Hela doesn't get pensive - she gets angry, sometimes murderously so, she comes and visits Amora, Loki, and Frigga, she storms into the palace with the biggest wolf he's ever laid eyes on and throws Necroswords at his friends, she's threatened to feed them to it by hand if they ever do…something to Loki ever again, since Odin clearly won't grow a set and put a stop to their bullying of him. He never did learn what prompted that, but Sif and the Warriors Three kept their distance ever since from Loki…possibly because Fenris likes Loki and Amora, and bared fangs the size of his arms at them and licked her lips hungrily while staring directly at Volstagg.
She doesn't get…this.
After a moment, Thor swallows and rasps out "What do you mean?"
Hela sighs, running a hand through her hair, and says "He did this to me to, you know. It's why I can't say more than a few sentences to him without it all devolving into another fight. He told me I was worthy, told me I would rule Asgard one day, the empire we were building together, when the time came. We conquered seven realms together, me as his right hand…his executioner." At Thor's horrified look, she shakes her head and says "Don't give me that look, Thor. He made it out to be some grand honor. An Executioner was supposed to execute the King's will, his vision…and, yes, people. I executed a lot of people under Odin's command. I flat-out killed hundreds of thousands more in battles. I even used Mjolnir for it, if you were wondering." There wasn't much to 'conquer' on Midgard, it's true, but the other realms they bathed in blood and conquest. The 'and I was a child trying to do what my father wanted of me' gets left unsaid, hanging between them like a literal weight in the room. "And then, one day, he just stopped."
Thor asks "What changed? Why did Father suddenly stop?"
Hela shrugs, saying "Honestly, to this day, I don't know what exactly changed his mind. But, as we're making our way across Vanaheim…one day he tells me we're done with the conquering, done with his expansion, done with making Asgard's empire as large and strong as one can scarcely imagine. I…didn't take it well, I admit. He raised me for war and bloodshed, raised me to kill entire armies. Not for court, not as you were. When I dared to disobey him for the first time in my entire life, he banished me to the underworld."
Thor closes his eyes, he hadn't wanted to listen to what Hela was saying time and again…but this time he doesn't have much choice. He'd thought she was lying, or that she'd misunderstood…but, really, how can you misunderstand something like that? After a moment, he breathes out "Seems that's his solution to every difficult child, then. Cast it away."
Hela adds "Cover it up as well. He erased me from history altogether, Thor. The mural on the ceiling is covering up the one depicting our conquest of the realms."
Thor frowns, an old memory coming to mind, and he says "Loki said something when he and Amora returned…he said he knows what Allfather never wanted him to know." At Hela's gaze, he asks "What did he mean by that?"
Hela runs a hand through her hair, saying "Honestly, Thor, you don't want to know. Suffice it to say Odin has stolen many things from the Realms we conquered…some that he had no right to take."
Thor frowns, asking "What? What do you…"
"Mean? Take the Casket of Ancient Winters. From what the Jotuns that passed through the Underworld before being reborn said, it was created and used to keep their homeland strong, their people safe and their structures intact. When he seized it, he took away their ability to repair their world from any…well, melting, for instance."
Thor looks at her in shock, he'd assumed the icy ruins they passed through were because…well, because that's where the Frost Giants lived. In crumbling ruins, hiding in the shadows. But if they couldn't fix anything…suddenly, Laufey's burning hatred of Odin, his words of him being a murderer and a thief, they sound less like baseless accusations and more like a buried truth.
Even a week ago, he'd have said she was spewing lies…a week ago, he hadn't been banished from Asgard for attempting to protect his realm. For trying to be what Odin taught him to be…suddenly, he understands Hela's ever-present anger for their father like he never has before.
At least I haven't been cast into the underworld and barred from ever escaping…
Amora stares at Loki in shock, that was never something she expected him to ask on Asgard. They've been married on Earth before, with Hela and Hades attending the wedding and Frigga insisting on the memory, but…they'd both agreed that a wedding on Asgard wasn't possible for them. Thor has never liked her, for reasons known only to him, Odin has never been that good at hiding his disdain for her, so the two of them eventually came to terms with the knowledge that they'd never get the King of Asgard's blessing to marry.
Except…Odin's indisposed, Thor's gone, and Loki's king.
After a moment, Amora hisses "You never had to ask, Loki. You know that. Of course I'll marry you!" Loki's blinding smile when she says that lights up the room, and he sweeps her up and spins her around before devouring her mouth.
Frigga waits until they break apart before regretfully saying "As much as I've been planning your wedding since the day Loki told me…" They're about to be in the midst of a war. They don't have time for a five-day wedding feast and celebration.
Loki smiles, and says "It's alright, Mother. Truly." No, no it isn't, but they'll make the best of it nonetheless. "All we officially need is someone to oversee the marriage…and, in this case, that could be you, Mother." The only other person they actually need is the record keeper, and he's just to put it in writing that Amora and Loki got married.
Loki makes a small box appear in his hand, saying "I'd intended to give this to you earlier, Amora, but…given everything…" He opens it up to reveal a silver ring with a diamond-shaped sapphire in the center.
Amora can only stare in shock as he slips the ring onto her finger, hissing "You'll be a perfect Queen, Amora, I know it."
Before she can say she doesn't know the first thing about being a queen, much less ruling Nine Realms, a flick of Loki's fingers generates an elaborate illusion.
Loki's suddenly in a suit and tie, Amora's in a gorgeous white and blue sleeveless wedding dress, sapphire necklace and earrings, and a silver and sapphire tiara in her hair. He absolutely plans on getting her the real things when this is all over, having been secretly planning on proposing once more as Amory and Luka while Thor was too busy on some adventure to notice his and Frigga's absence, but an illusion will have to do for now until then - they can have the full ceremony after they've sorted things out with Jotunheim.
When the Records Keeper arrives, he's more than a little shocked to find the Deathless Witch fighting back tears as she stands in a white and blue dress, hair pinned up and decorated with a silver tiara. He's even more surprised to hear that Queen Frigga is marrying them right this instant.
Seeing the look in her eye, he doesn't argue, just gets out his book and quill and starts writing down the date and time of the wedding between King Loki and Amora Sigyn officiated by Queen Frigga Allmother. Once the marriage is officiated, the Record Keeper closes the book and quickly leaves - whether this is a marriage of convenience, a show of strength to the Jotuns, or something else, he's not fool enough to open his mouth.
Whatever misgivings he may have of the match, he cannot deny that the circumstances almost require it - they're on the brink of war, and the Deathless Witch is known throughout the Nine Realms for her sheer ruthlessness. And, incidentally, from surviving battles that would see anyone else killed.
Firmly deciding it's a marriage of necessity and convenience, and nothing more, the old man heads back to his office before turning in for the night once the new King and Queen of Asgard take their vows.
Loki scowls at the closed door, at least the old man had the decency to keep his mouth shut about what he was so obviously thinking - that his marriage to Amora's nothing more than convenience at best and a coup for the throne at worst. Honestly, it's like they haven't paid attention whatsoever - Amora, contrary to what all of Asgard bar himself and Frigga most likely believe, has no interest in the throne, ruling people…or even being in the spotlight in the first place. The detail that she can cry diamonds is something that developed naturally over the centuries…and he's only ever seen her cry a handful of times.
As in, he can count them on one hand and still have fingers leftover.
She'll squeeze out a tear or two if they need money to buy something, with the aid of an onion, but she's never been one for fancy clothing and opulent living arrangements - give her a comfortable bed, clothes that fit right, and a steady supply of food, and himself there, and she'll be perfectly content with whatever her surroundings look like. Something that seems permanently ingrained in her, even after a thousand years or so, thanks to her first life as Hari Potter.
And Loki himself has no desire to rule Asgard, the society that has always made it clear they consider him and his inborn talents worthless - Thor, as he said a few centuries ago, can have the Throne. Asgard will probably be burning within a year, either because Thor started some kind of war or because the people are rioting due to finally having their eyes opened to just how much of an utter child the elder Prince truly is. Really, for being about thirty years old in Earth years, he's got the mindset of a spoiled five-year-old.
As much as Loki would love nothing more than to make their Asgardian Marriage very official, for about the rest of the night at least, they can't - there's no time thanks to Thor's idiocy.
Amora seems to know what he's thinking, because she puts a hand to his cheek and hisses "We can celebrate after we get everything figured out. Or Odin wakes up, whichever comes first." She's thoroughly convinced he's not faking that Odinsleep after the two of them got married in his bedchamber, he'd never have been able to stay quiet through it all - but, according to Frigga and Loki, there's no telling when he'll wake up. He could be out anywhere from a day to a week.
Sif and the Warriors Three get to the Throne Room, hoping to talk Odin out of his decision to Banish Thor - they had to wait a full day until Sif was healed from being impaled on six icicles, which Fandral barely noticed in time since he was busy fighting off four Frost Giants, and Volstagg's arm had to be healed of the Frostbite one of the Giants gave him. It was, without question, an unmitigated disaster - they'd gone to get answers about how the Frost Giants got into the Weapons Vault, but Thor lost his temper after Laufey called Odin a liar, thief, and bloodthirsty murderer, and smashed Mjolnir into the nearest Frost Giant. It was absolute chaos, they nearly died, but Thor was just trying to defend Asgard, he must see that!
The four of them quickly kneel down, fists on their chests in salute, and Sif says "Allfather, we must speak with you urgently!" When they look up, though, their fists slowly fall from their chests as they realize it's not Odin on the throne, but Loki.
Loki regards them coolly, expression unreadable for a moment before saying "My…friends." He knows what this is about, they want him to bring Thor back. Well, Thor made his bed and now he has to lie in it - he is slightly curious if they'll try to sweet-talk him like Fandral and Volstagg usually do whenever they have a problem they need him to fix, or if they'll go for Sif's approach and attempt to insult and badger their way to their goal.
Fandral half-curiously asks "Where's Odin?"
Loki bristles at the underlying disrespect, but says "Father has fallen into the Odinsleep. Mother fears he may never wake again." More that she fears she'll never get to enact her detailed punishment for him, but still.
Sif immediately says "We would speak with her." Now Loki glares for a moment, at least Fandral had the sense to act concerned about Odin's sudden disappearance when he'd seen the man just last night - Sif's intentions to go above him are plain as day.
Biting back several various responses that will just turn this into a screaming match, Loki says "She has refused to leave my father's bedside. So you can bring your urgent matter to me." He sits forward with a cold look in his eye, for Sif, and adds "Your King." From the looks on all their faces, his unspoken message came across clear as day.
Hogun's the first to put his fist back to his chest and kneel, followed by Volstagg and then Fandral, who pulls Sif to one knee. After a moment, the blonde pastes a smile on his face he usually reserves for schmoozing classically-beautiful ladies and sweet-talking Loki into doing something for him, and says "Our King, we would ask that you end Thor's Banishment."
Loki purses his lips, temper getting the best of him at their utter blindness and complete disregard for anything but what they want, and says "We're about to go to war with Jotunheim. The Einherjar need to be mustered, city-wide defenses have to be raised, Amora's currently sweeping the palace looking for any other surprise portals they might open up, I've been busy holding council meetings, reassuring the people, and attempting to come up with some way to mitigate the complete and utter catastrophe Thor and the four of you have unleashed upon Asgard in your impulsive stupidity, and you want me to spend what might take up to a week figuring out where Thor was banished to, and then bring him back? In case you haven't noticed, that is time we do not have. Once this mess with Jotunheim is finished, one way or another, then perhaps I will consider it - until then, my answer is no. I have much more urgent matters to attend to than Thor's current whereabouts. Point of fact, banishment is likely safer for him than anything else! Laufey will almost certainly demand his head as recompense for the subjects of his you lot killed, if not all your heads, and if nobody knows where he is since Odin is incapable of telling anyone right now, then his life is safe. The same cannot be said of yours, and it would be best if the four of you spontaneously decided to take a vacation in some far-off realm without telling anyone until this mess is cleaned up!" Do they seriously not see the consequences of their actions on Jotunheim?
Loki's been trying to draft a peace treaty - a real peace treaty, not Jotunheim being beaten into submission by Asgard's army - all day between council meetings, giving an impromptu speech to the public to reassure them that they are safe and he will not allow war to touch their lives, that will hopefully be accepted and try to repair the nonexistent relationship between the two realms; Amora's been working herself to the literal bone Warding the palace from the literal bottom up, having spent four hours writing a Ward Scheme that will prevent any further surprise portals and is still applying it to the rooms in the palace, she's most likely going to expand into the city tomorrow if he knows his Soulmate at all - and these four want him to just drop everything and go to Earth to look for his trouble-causing elder brother instead of putting out the fires of his latest mess?!?!
Truth be told, he's still working out a suitable punishment for the four of them - officially, for starting a war with Jotunheim. Unofficially, or as Sif at the very least will see it, for the centuries of utter Bilgesnipe shit they've pulled regarding both himself and Amora.
All four of them stare in shock at the end of Loki's rant, and Fandral claps a hand over Sif's mouth, Hogun's hand on her arm clearly restraining her now and says "Of course, my King." Volstagg promptly picks them up, and he carries a near-rabid Sif out of the throne room with Fandral and Hogun keeping her from committing treason and attempted Regicide, giving the excuse that Sif's still in pain and not thinking clearly due to it.
Here's the dress and jewelry Loki's going to either buy or make via magic. I did try to make them look like they go together, I swear.
