wake pt.3
The first thing Thor felt was pain, in his head and in his heart. He had missed. He had his chance for redemption; for Loki, for Heimdall, for his people, for Asgard. but he missed, another mistake on his long list of failures.
The second thing Thor felt was a gentle breeze. That alone shocked him, no feeling that comforting belonged on the battlefield. As he started breathing deeply, he felt the lightning thrumming through his veins and responding to the natural seidr of the planet. Seidr which was oddly familiar.
Thor startled upright and finally opened his eyes. “Is this Valhalla” he asked, looking around at his home long destroyed, the smell of honey cake drifting through the garden.
Fandral laughed out, “Valhalla? You jest, Thor!” while Sif looked on with concern, “Have you hurt your head, my prince?”
At the question, Thor turned back and caught sight of his brother, “Loki, brother! I am overjoyed to see you well.” At least the sun is finally shining on us.
Loki grimaced slightly, but once he met Thors eyes his own widened in pain and he dropped to the ground with a thud. He started choking and grabbing at his neck in panic, Thor shot up in alarm, “No, No! Not again, please!”
Loki flailed a little longer and then suddenly stopped. He slowly blinked his eyes open, looking around. The breeze was warm and the scents were familiar. If this was Valhalla, then all of the suffering was worth it.
As soon as Loki caught Thor’s flailing form he was filled with rage, “You blithering oaf! I sacrificed my life for you, and you let him kill you just like that?” He cannot believe this.
“Ha! As if the God of lies has the propensity for sacrifice,” laughed Sif. “What tricks do you engineer now, Silvertongue?” He heard Volstagg spit out.
Loki scoffed at the sight of them, disbelieving that he would have to interact with them in what should’ve been a utopia. That did, however, make him look closer at the scene he was presented with. This couldn’t be Valhalla, not with them. He pulled from his natural seidr and incredibly found it responding instantaneously. He last remembers feeling thoroughly drained while being confronted by Thanos on the Statesman.
He then reached out further, attempting to connect with and understand his environment. He found the resulting well of energy to be strikingly powerful, and familiar.
Thor saw the moment Loki caught up to this train of thought, his eyes sparking with confusion and the barest hint of hope. “What is happening brother?”
They locked eyes instantly, assessing each other. They were each unsure if the other was a figment of their imagination or truly there with them.
Loki then swiftly grabbed Thor’s bicep and forcefully pulled him towards the palace. They walked quickly searching for privacy, so swept up in their rush, they paid no mind to Sif and the Warriors Three looking startled at the scene.
“Unhand the crown prince, Loki, or we may attack”
“How dare you attack your prince, Loki!”
Loki registered the accusations, but felt no urge to muster a defence. He was much too confused as it was. Thor however, seemed to finally register the insults being thrown at his brother.
His offended voice boomed through the hallway, reaching far enough for the nearby Einherjar to straighten at the threat in his voice. “Have care for how you speak Lady Sif, it sounds almost as if you lay accusations of treason against the second prince of Asgard”. Unfortunately, Sif and the warriors three had never been accused of being intelligent, and clearly missed the shift in Thor’s tone.
Fandral laughed heartily, “What nonsense are you speaking, Thor! Verily, you are familiar with his character,” completely missing the rage in Thor’s eyes.
Sif, starting to scent the tension in the air, was quick to defend herself. “He is but a serpent of falsehood, a Liesmith!” she explained, believing that she could point to his cruelly gifted nicknames as fact.
Thor felt blind-sided at the vitriol thrown at his little brother, but one glance towards said brother devastated him further. Loki looked unsurprised and bored, as if this was nothing new to him.
Thor thought back to how life was for the two prior to his botched coronation. He had always believed his brother to be childish, scheming, and sharp-tongued. He had brushed off said behaviour, but he remembers believing the lies he was now faced with.
The memory of something his brother had said in the future-past quickly came to the forefront of his mind, “I only ever wanted to be your equal.”
He felt his worldview shifting as he realized that many a time, Loki’s sharp retorts were just that: retorts. A deep sorrow filled him as he realized his brother only ever employed his Silvertongue in defence of himself, as no one else seemed to do so.
“Sif and the warrior three, you dishonour yourselves, your families, and Agard itself. It would be prudent for you all to depart lest you further besmirch your reputation. Refrain from returning until you have abandoned your juvenile allegations and restored your honour.” Thor quickly turned towards his brother, not deigning to wait for a reaction from his friends.
“Come, brother” was all Loki got before he was dragged out of his shocked state and pulled in the opposite direction.
A smirk immediately pulled onto Loki’s face and he snickered at the affronted huffs he heard from behind them. He then turned to look at Thor questioningly, “Pray tell, dear brother, what was the inspiration for such an act? Has sparring perhaps scrambled your wits or are you still recovering from transplanting the time stream?” Sif and the idiots three deserved most everything that came for them.
As Thor looked back to his brother, he held a grim expression. He noticed the way in which Loki carried himself, he could see the apprehension in his posture, and the hopeful tilt of his head. Had he always been so easy to read, or did Thor never take the time to learn his own brother?
“I was a fool Loki. I was a fool and I never plan to be one again. I shall thank the Norns everyday for the chance to change and to be the brother you deserve” Thor explained, as sincerely as he possibly could.
“When did you become so sentimental?” Loki mocked, but Thor simply grinned as took note of the pleased flush of his brothers cheeks.
Being the extremely kind and benevolent older brother that he was, he didn’t embarrass Loki further. “Come, let us find a place to discuss all that has happened” with that, he turned towards the royal wing.
Thor and Loki sat in silence. Both unsure of how to proceed.
They’d settled in Thor’s chambers and Loki’s gaze was on his face from the minute he’d approached the mirror.
Smooth, unmarred, and fair skin was reflected back. He was beautiful again. He didn’t look pasty and tired. He had no bruises up his arms. His neck was clean and adorned with his favourite necklace.
If anything were to have solidified his presence in the past, it was this necklace. The weight of the pendant was comforting against his chest, he hadn’t felt it since he fell into the void and it was ripped from him.
It was a silver representation of Yggdrasil made of his and his mother’s seidr. It had been a gift they crafted together to commemorate the end of his studies under her tutorship, as a final test of his abilities. It not only was sentimental, but it functioned as an external seidr reserve which he may replenish and access as needed.
Looking at the pendant now, he felt uneasy. He was back. If he ignored the haunted look in his own eyes, he could pretend the torture had never happened. He could run. He could abandon this form for another which is unrecognizable. He would never have to look back, Thor had the same information as him and was likely willing to fight.
Thor was the fighter, not Loki. Loki just wanted to survive.
Loki’s eyes flicked up, assessing his surroundings once again, and they met Thor’s reflected back.
When they entered the room, Thor had settled on a nearby chair and silently taking in his surroundings.
Thor was reeling, to say the least. Where he was previously confused, believing this all to be crafted in his mind, he was now shocked. He walked into his chambers and messy as they were, he was able too quickly find Mjolnir sitting by his chair, innocuously. She was magnificent, her handle freshly polished and gleaming. He sat down on said chair and could immediately feel her pull from the proximity.
Thor simply stared, unable to bring himself to respond. He did not feel worthy, he hadn’t since facing Thanos on the Statesman. He didn’t know if he could do this, truly. It would be easy to consider this just another battle he could conquer, but being bound by metal and watching his brother be killed told him that he wouldn’t win. He was always a warrior, but that wouldn’t be enough.
Thor was then struck by how grateful he was to hav this brother with him. His eyes flicked up, meeting Loki’s in the mirror. He couldn’t do this without him.
“How did this happen?” Thor asked, sounding lost. Loki felt like he was looking right through him, expectantly. It was angering him unreasonably.
It angered him because he doesn’t know. How did this happen? Loki was mulling it over in his head, but he just couldn’t make sense of it and from what he understood, he was annoyed. Loki was one of the greatest mages in the nine realms and he hadn’t thought of trying this? Embarrassing, truly.
He met Thor’s gaze with annoyance, “Why would I know?”
Thor actually seemed surprised at this, his eyes turning confused. Loki puffed up a little, eternally pleased at the subtle trust in his skill level—but he would never admit to appreciating the reassurance from Thor.
“Loki, what are we to do?” Thor asked again, slower and more deliberate.
Loki’s face scrunched up in confusion, and then dropped back to blank, “What do you mean we, brother?”
“You can’t possibly believe that I can do this without you, Loki,” Thor asked incredulously. “We need to fix it all. We have to. Who else, if not us?”
“When have to find mother,” Loki stood then, suddenly. Thor stood and stopped Loki’s fidgeting form from leaving, “We should discuss a plan, no?”
“What do you think we need to find mother for?” Loki scoffed before leaving the room, not waiting for Thor to follow.
“My boys,” Frigga greeted, before stopping and staring a little longer. Her head tilted to the side, “What has happened to you?”
“What ever do you mean?”
“There is a latent energy surrounding you both, with an unrecognizable and powerful signature,” she stated accusingly. “What have you gotten yourselves into?”
Thor looked towards Loki, shocked, but found Loki’s face to simply be amused.
“It took you longer than I thought it would, mother,” he said with a huff. “We are both flummoxed, unsure of what has happened. We are not from this time.”
Frigga’s eyebrows shot up briefly, before settling once again, “Come, let us have some tea.”
Thor was prepared to object, to re-iterate their urgency before stopping to watch Frigga take Loki's arm and pull him towards the Solarium. Loki looked back with an expression that urged him to hold his tongue and follow.
Thor suddenly felt off-balance. He followed the two quietly, with a solemn expression.
As they sat down, a palace servant swiftly came around with tea and snacks for two. She seemed to be surprised at the extra teacup needed and rushed to ameliorate it. Thor’s mood soured a little further.
How many teas and chats had he missed? Did the All-mother die disappointed in her oldest son?
“Thor, have some honey cake, your favourite darling.” Thor raised his head at Frigga’s warm voice, meeting her eyes softened with fondness. He felt his self-deprecating thoughts fade into affection.
“Mother, I’ve missed you sorely. It’s truly a blessing to be with you again,” he said softly, reaching for a piece of cake. She simply simply smiled in response.
“Well, I believe it’s time you regale me with your adventure, my boys.”
With that, they began their tale. Starting with the botched coronation, which Loki explained, feeling thoroughly embarrassed.
“Loki, my little trickster, you are my son in every way which matters. Regardless of the blood which flows within you,” she assured. “I’m sorry we didn’t get the chance to properly explain your lineage, it is a great regret of mine own. I was afraid that you would reject my role as your mother should you learn of it.”
“I wish you had given me the chance to learn of this knowledge in different circumstances, mother.”
Frigga then sighed, deeply, “You were born to King Laufey and Queen Farbauti of Jotunheim. The All-father found you abandoned in a temple near the castle walls and decided then to protect and raise you as his own. When he brought you to me, I knew then that you were my son and I loved you.”
Loki tamped down the warring emotions he felt at her abbreviated recounting of history. He nodded at her, not trusting his words at the moment, and swiftly continued his story. Thor butted in intermittently with his own perspective and detours.
Loki was deeply bored at the in-depth look into the lives of Midgardians which Thor seemed to find vital for sharing. He held an eye-roll back at the statement ‘most delicious pastry in all the nine realms’, but suddenly found his interest again at the idea of a sceptre enhanced witch.
Midgard continues to surprise and shock.. He will have to look into this when possible.
As Thor seemed to approach the events which pre-empted the All-fathers death, Loki abruptly cuts Thor off, “What do you know of Hela Odinsdottir?”
Frigga suddenly looked as if she was struck at the sound of her name, which did not bode well for their story.
“So you have both learned of your sister, although I do not know how. She was born of Odin and Queen Farbauti and although Hela was already into her adolescence when I married Odin, she still grew to be my daughter.”
Loki and Thor both looked to each-other and back to Frigga, confused.
Odin and Farbauti? She was sister to both brothers?
“Truly, mother?” Loki verified, for he was confused by both her lineage and the kinship she seemed to have.
“Yes, it was my only wish that you both had the chance to meet your sister. Unfortunately, before Thor was born she fell in battle. I hope to be reunited with her in Valhalla one day,” Frigga sighed, looking fraught, as she slowly lifted her tea to her lips. She took a couple of calming sips before looking at her sons again.
They both looked increasingly anxious and uncomfortable, “Well, mother. About that.”
“Why do you both look as if you’ve snuck a Bilgesnipe into the throne room again?”
Loki met Thor’s eyes once again, finding him to be exceedingly anxious. Guess he had to do this.
“We learned of Hela soon after Thor returned to Asgard from his adventures. I may have been impersonating the All-father and attempting to prepare the realms and such things….” Loki trailed off embarrassingly, his cheeks colouring as he looked away.
“My little trickster, what did you do?” Frigga asked amusingly.
“Nothing! I simply allowed him his rest. I ensured his comfort,” Loki responded, rather petulantly, if Thor were to say.
“He had left father in a home for older Midgardians, but he had escaped when we sought him out.”
“When we tracked him down, with the help from a Midgardian Sorcerer—“
“Oh! Did you boys finally re-visit Yao and Agatha, I am so glad! They have missed you both,” Frigga said as she brightened.
“No, it was a most annoying and skill-less mortal by the name of Strange,” Loki snarled. “It is no matter, he led us to Odin, who had found himself in a field somewhere.”
“Loki.” Thor grumbled in annoyance. “When we found him, Father was hearing your call from Valhalla and wished to spend his final moments to deliver a prophecy.”
“—Of Ragnarok,” Loki cut in, “He informed us of Hela Odinsdottir and of her lust for battle. He admitted to trapping her in the realm of Hel with a spell tied to his life force and seidr, which would break once he reached Valhalla.” Loki looked somber as he waited, holding his breath.
Frigga was listening intently while sipping her tea and seemed to take a few seconds to fully register the meaning of his words. Both brothers waiting anxiously with morbid curiosity of what her reaction would be.
They could see the moment Frigga’s eyes sharpened and she sat upright immediately.
“You Bastard! I always knew you to be capable of treachery, but you have gone too far!” Frigga shouted shrilly, “Norns help you, you will not survive my wrath Odin Borson!”
Thor and Loki stood at attention, watching it all unfold. They had watched as Frigga’s eye started twitching, as she started muttering curses, and as she launched up and stormed towards the throne room.
As they’d entered, the Einherjar bowed respectfully before being cursed at and barrelled through.
Frigga had stomped towards Odin, cursing in all manners which had never been heard from her, and slapped the All-father so strongly he had fallen from the throne, startled.
The nearby golden guards had flinched and moved to intercept before they thought better for it and watched on hesitantly.
Meanwhile, Thor and Loki had silently followed the whole way, too curious to put a stop to the madness which unfolded.
Frigga had been blindly cursing at Odin for the better part of a minute before he seemed to shake out of his stupor and splutter out a, “What has happened to you, wife?”
“What has happened to me? to me?” she shrieked back, looking incredulous. “You sit here on your throne of lies, betrayal, and the blood of the nine realms and dare question me? I SHOULD CHOKE YOU WITH YOUR OWN TONGUE!”
She grabbed Odin by the beard and asked calmly, but no less steely, “Where is my daughter, All-father?”
Odin seemed to startle even further, his eyes darting to the golden guards listening, and the faces of his sons, who he believed oblivious. He seemed to think through his options, unsure of how to proceed, “What are you speaking of, woman?”
“You DARE deny her existence, Odin Borson?” Frigga threatened, causing Odin’s eyes to widen further and dart back to his sons. However, he saw expressions of disgust and anger, realizing he had dug himself further in a hole.
Loki stepped forward then, standing directly under the circular mural of Asgard's supposed history of benevolent leadership. Before anyone could register his movements, he summoned two knives in each hand, launching them upwards and allowing the mural to come crumbling down with a boom. The true history of Asgard remaining visible to the royal family and the golden Einherjar—who were attempting to sneak glances. Odin seemed to come into himself once again, eyes calculating.
“She is in Valhalla, you know this Frigga, what has upset you?” Odin tried again, tone placating as he wrenched himself out of her grip and stood back up.
“SHIT OF A BILGESNIPE, YOU BASTARD!” she shrieked, before slapping him again. He had attempted to brace himself, but still staggered back, half leaning on the throne.
“I know of your lies, All-father, bring my child back this instant,” She demanded, barely restraint herself from attacking again.
Odin straightened himself back out, adjusting his beard, before sitting back don on the throne. “That will not be happening, Frigga. She is too dangerous to be unleashed on the nine realms and deserved her fate,” he explained calmly, although Loki could see the way his hands fidgeted and his cheeks reddened.
Thor felt his jaw slacken at his fathers response. Since speaking with Frigga and watching her explosive reaction to their story, Thor had been feeling off-kilter. He had heard many insults to the All-father’s honour throughout his life, by Loki primarily, but also whispered snipes throughout dark corners of the palace, and from his Vanir relatives—King Freyr always having been bold with his opinions. Regardless, Thor had always been steadfast in his trust and admiration for his father, having had a similar ideologies for majority of his life.
He had but recently shed the blinders he had once worn, and it seemed as if every new interaction was disorienting in the way in which they re-framed his long-held opinions.
Odin was a bastard.
How dare he treat the All-mother like this? Thor held no fondness for his sister, having felt the full extent of her wickedness, but to plot and lie in Frigga’s face unbothered?
Thor straightened his shoulders and glared back at his father, suddenly grateful that he was able to witness his mother’s ire.
Loki had held an amused expression for the length of the confrontation, his smirk growing stronger with each nervous, shifty, glance Odin sent his way.
He knew by Frigga’s stunned silence, it was finally his time to shine.
He stepped forward again, Odin’s attention snapping to him, “My, my All-father, does your treachery know no bounds?”
“Loki, what have you done?” Odin asked accusingly. He seemed to look around, hoping for support, but found none. Thor stared back, expression even stormier, “Have care with how you speak of my brother, father,” he threatened lowly.
“Do not gaze upon my children, Odin One-eye, lest you lose your remaining appendage,” Frigga spat out, turning her back to him and returning to her spot between her sons. Loki frowned, as he had been prepared to throw further fuel to the fire by revealing his knowledge of his own parentage before being interrupted.
“We are leaving,” she said simply, ignoring his shocked noise, “I will be on Vanaheim, searching for a way in which to reverse whatever you have done to Hela, and my sons will be moving about freely, do not dare attempt to interfere.”
“You will not command me, in mine own palace, All-mother.” Odin attempted to order, but his family ignored his statement entirely. Even the nearby Einherjar shot each other disbelieving looks.
“Interfere and I will make it so you must explain to the nine realms why the entire royal family has left your side, never to return,” she threatened. She knew the support of the realms was entirely based on fear and any cracks in the untouchable image Odin presented would be detrimental to his rule.
She grabbed each of her sons hands in her own, turned and walked out with them.
The library of Vanaheim was one of Loki’s favourite places in the nine realms, in fact all of Vanaheim was. It surely helped that he was not only allowed to freely use his seidr, but he was encouraged to. The Vanir were proficient in the art of seidr and believed it honourable to wield it skillfully.
This was never the case on Asgard. The Aesir were brutes, simply put. They weighed physical prowess and destruction much higher than any elegant and powerful art. Loki was always regarded as a coward who had to rely on deception and lies to succeed, there was never appreciation for all the times his seidr and scheming saved their lives. The problem was that seidr was considered inherently feminine and cowardly—not to mention Odin All-Father himself was a powerful mage. Although Loki knows that he shape-shifted into a female form to learn, in avoidance of the supposed shame.
Loki was called seidrmadr mockingly and it didn’t help that he used his own shape-shifting ability to freely express his gender identity. Loki often found comfort in her female form, as it was distinctly less recognizable and granted her the freedom of anonymity. Loki’s female form, in fact, was a common visitor of Vanaheim.
The Vanir were a sister race to the Aesir, but were considered to be the Wise Gods of Old, placing enormous importance of culture and academia. As such, they have the most immense collection of knowledge in all the known universe stored in their library. The library was also openly accessible to all who seek it, which marks another major distinction between them and the Aesir.
The Aesir keep their knowledge close to the chest, with their library being primarily accessible by those of noble birth. It was a silly rule which the All-Father loved because it allowed for deliberate filtering of information. History was written by the victors after-all.
Unlike Asgard’s expansive golden halls, Vanaheim was covered in beautiful greenery; creeping flowers climbed along stone walls, and large shady trees were scattered throughout. The realm was filled with cobblestone pathways, stone castles and citadels so large they could be seen worlds away. It was truly an oasis.
After the explosive confrontation in the throne room, Frigga and her sons had left the realm swiftly. She had stated that she had no intention of Odin taking her threats lightly.
They had followed by quietly because they’d needed to get more information from her to begin planning their next steps.
Thor and Loki had yet to formally plan their moves as they’d been swept up in the confrontation rather quickly. They hadn’t had a chance to temper their mother’s reaction because they were completely caught off guard by it.
Loki had always thought that she knowingly allowed Odin to banish Hela, as she had always been against Asgard’s more brutish tendencies. On paper, there was no reason for Hela and Frigga to ever have been endeared to each other, so Frigga opposing her battle thirst made sense. Although it did hurt to consider his mother capable of such treachery, it couldn’t otherwise be rationalized to him. Seeing her explosive reaction had been thoroughly surprising, to say the least, but he was glad for it.
Thor, however, believed Frigga to be unknowing to their father’s treachery, in the meagre amount of time he’d thought about it. He had always had a more simplistic view of morality and learning such an upending secret had given him the difficult task of reconciling all the differing facts he now knew about his father. Unfortunately, he hadn’t had much time to truly ponder the implications of the Odin’s actions and Hela’s supposed place in both Asgard’s history and their family.
Finally, the three were once again alone and able to freely chat. They each looked like there were many things waiting to be spilled from their lips, but silence still prevailed between them. Loki moved his hand in a sweeping gesture and the three tea cups they’d previously been sipping appeared before them, refreshed.
“Thank you, darling,” said Frigga softly as she reached for her cup and took in the floral aroma.
“We have a large number of things to discuss, and I anticipate there is a great deal of planning you both need to do,” Frigga began, finally cutting the tension in the air.
“Indeed,” Loki responded swiftly. He and his brother had laid all their cards on the table already, and frankly it had been a long and stressful few years they were coming off of. He missed his mother and simply awaited her lead in this surely stress inducing conversation.
Thor, alternately, felt energized in his spirit at the prospect of another chance of fix his many errs. He looked to Loki to assess his intentions in the conversation, he saw that he intended to hand the reins over to their mother and acquiesced. He was re-learning how to trust and understand his brother and he believed following his lead for the time being was the right thing to do. Loki had always been more level-headed in strategy, and while Thor was proficient in battle he had the tendency to allow his emotions to overcome his need for strategy.
“I suppose you may feel as if you no longer understand your father or the realm on which you’ve been raised. You both have experienced great losses since we were last together and are poised to face further challenges in the days to come. I am ever willing to impart my wisdom unto you, to shed light on the depths of our history. Know that my desire is to support you, my dear sons, in any way within my power.” Frigga reached for both of their hands, palms upward. They both swiftly placed their hands in hers, smiling.
“We are deeply grateful for your help, Mother. Your knowledge and assistance in any capacity is appreciated, but not more than your presence and support,” Thor responded. His eyes shimmered with unshed tears as he spoke and swiftly flipped his hand to grip Frigga’s tightly.
Loki’s own hand was rested lightly on her palm. He was holding himself tightly as his gaze stayed locked on their hands. Thor could see the tears in his eyes and the determination on his face. Thor knew that Loki had always held Frigga in high regard and the loss he felt was immense. Thor lifted his other hand to his shoulder and squeezed, hoping to convey his support.
Frigga smiled at that, “I am aware that you have been educated about the illustrious might of Asgard, and you have undoubtedly been regaled with tales of our triumphs and grand celebrations. However, it is vital to acknowledge that history, often, is crafted by those who emerge victorious. I will tell you the true story of Asgard, unfiltered and unadorned.”
They settled back into their seats and waited for Frigga to begin.
“The first Aesir, Buri was born amongst the Ice Giants in Niflheim. He sired three sons with a giantess by the names of Bor, Njord, and Mimir. Buri was bested by Bor in battle, who went on to marry Bestla the giantess. Along with his sons, Odin, Vili, Ve, and Cul, Bor founded the Aesir.”
“Odin, Vili, and Ve defeated Ymir the Frost Giant in battle and used his corpse to create Asgard and establish it as the home of the Gods. This much you both surely know from your lessons,” Frigga smiled then, in a mirthless way, “But there is much that happened between then and Odin’s coronation.”
“Odin, being the youngest, had little chance of ascending to the throne and spent his life adventuring through the ten realms. Odin created Midgardians on one such adventure, but Bor was displeased by this and granted them eternal suffering. Odin defeated the God Tempest, and sealed it away in the Uru which would be used to craft the great Mjolnir. In short, Odin travelled the realms leaving many bodies in his wake.” At this, Frigga looked displeased. She took another breath and continued.
“Njord Burison, Bor’s brother, founded the Vanir on Vanaheim. This was something many were opposed to, finding it to be a slight on the might of the Aesir. None took more offence than Odin himself, but his standing in court was not one which would allow him to start unnecessary war of this scale.”
“When Bor fell in battle, Cul ascended the throne and proclaimed himself the ruler of Asgard. The other brothers vehemently opposed his rule and spread word of his madness that made him unfit for this role. There is no other record of this and I have long suspected this word to be false.”
Thor’s eyes widened.
His father had not often discussed his brothers, just that they had perished in battle long ago. To learn that Cul had once been King of Asgard was shocking to say the least.
“Odin, in a twisted pursuit of knowledge, ventured into the depths of Yggdrasill. In a grotesque act of sacrifice, he gouged out his own eye, believing it to be an offering worthy of wisdom. The World Tree, in its cryptic ways, responded with a prophecy, revealing a path for Odin to follow.”
Thor and Loki had always been told of a great battle with ‘Frost Giants’ had spelled the loss of Odin’s eye. It was jarring to hear this unabridged version of their history, where Odin was a treacherous scheming man with a thirst for power.
Frigga pushed on, ignoring the shocked look on her son’s faces, “Alongside his two brothers, Odin led a relentless assault on Cul's fortress. They waged war for forty agonizing days and nights, while Cul and his Worthy sought refuge within their stronghold's labyrinthine halls. As Odin's brothers ruthlessly decimated the Draumar forces, finally breaching the fortress's defenses, Odin confronted Cul, only to be met with a disavowal of their shared blood.”
“Cul understood Odin’s ulterior motives clearly, even while their other brothers remained unaware. It was then that Odin recited the prophecy whispered by the World Tree, and defeated his brother, casting him aside.”
“When Vili and Ve found them, the wounds of betrayal and loss carved a lasting scar upon the fabric of their family and Odin saw the rest of his plan to fruition.”
“What did he do, Mother?”
“He erased the memory of his brothers and usurped the position of Allfather and ruler of Asgard and the nine realms. In a later batter with Surtur, Vili and Ve supposedly surrendering their own lives so that he may continue on and this served to amplify his own godly attributes, imbuing him with unprecedented power.”
“Supposedly?”
Frigga grimaced, “I cannot ignore my lingering suspicions which arose due to the peculiar timing of those events. The convergence of circumstances surrounding the sacrifice of his brothers during the confrontation with Surtur leaves room for doubt.”
“Following the loss of his brothers, Odin sired Hela, but he fashioned her more as a weapon than a cherished child. Driven by the weight of his past and the desire to maintain dominion over the realms, Odin's creation of Hela became a manifestation of his own internal struggles and the somber choices he had made.”
Loki snarled, “So he was a wretched man long before he dared to pilfer me from Jotunheim.”
Frigga looked into Loki's eyes, down to his clenched hands, and sighed, “you are my son, Loki, and I find it hard to condemn Odin’s actions because they brought you to me and to where you rightfully belong.”
Loki’s hands loosened and he slid down into his chair. He couldn’t be upset with that logic because he knew it to be true. However upset he was, he still loved his mother deeply.
Frigga smiled at him in commiseration, “Let us continue. Odin, alongside Hela, went on a ruthless campaign to raze anyone who opposed his rule to power. The echoes of their conquests would resound throughout the realms, forever staining their legacy.”
“This was around the time Odin’s displeasure with the Vanir recurred. He proposed a forced union of the realms, and when my father, King Freyr, opposed this, it lead to a brutal war. Vanir had sought the support of Surtur of Muspeliheim, but even then Vanaheim’s illustrious cities were reduced to ruins.” Frigga placed her tea down then, looking upset.
“To bring an end to the relentless war, King Freyr devised a strategic alliance by bestowing his eldest daughter's hand in marriage to Odin. This union served as a pivotal moment in our shared history, uniting two realms and forging a bond between our families. It was a marriage forged not only out of political necessity but also rooted in the hope for a lasting peace and prosperity for our people. As such, I embraced my role as the bridge between our kingdoms, shouldering the responsibilities and challenges that came with it.”
“As a Vanir princess in the vast realm of Asgard, I faced a drastically different culture. Strikingly, it was through our shared isolation that Hela and I forged a bond. Both of us, in our own ways, endured the weight of expectations and the isolation that came with our respective roles. In one another, we discovered a source of understanding and empathy, providing solace amidst the challenges we faced. She was, or is, my daughter.”
Loki shot an uneasy look to Thor, which he returned. They hadn’t seen any side of Hela which may indicate she could be reasoned with, but trusted their mother to be truthful.
Thor could see the tears in his mothers eyes and was struck again with strong dislike for his father. It seemed he was proficient in using people to fulfil his own desires with no care the the person themselves.
“I am truly sorry for all you’ve endured, mother,” Loki responded lowly.
“It is long passed now, my sons. Without these experiences I wouldn’t have had three beautiful children which fill my heart with joy,” she smiled at them once again, with tears still pooling in her eyes.
Their tea had long cooled and time continued to march on as they sat there, chatting. It felt surreal to both brothers to be afforded the chance to listen to their mother speak once again. While Loki felt glad, Thor’s initially jubilant spirit seemed to have dimmed.
It was no secret that Thor had always strongly taken after the All-father. It was a matter he had been proud of for a long time, but hearing the treachery which he was responsible for made him feel queasy at the comparison now. Before his time with the Avengers of Midgard, he had had the same battle-lust and arrogant need for power and respect. He remembers now, the despicable words he’d shared regarding the Jötunn’s in his previous life.
March into Jotunheim as you once did, teach them a lesson, break their spirits so they'll never dare try to cross our borders again!
He had never sat with Frigga like this before, he’d always ran away when she wanted to chat so that he could spar with his brothers in arms. What a fool he’d been. He’d fallen for the falsehoods Odin had spread to save his own reputation.
“Through both my influence and the arrival of you boys, Odin tempered down his need for conquest and settled in his role. It was my understanding that Hela had fallen in their final battle which led to this change of heart, but that was clearly far from the truth. My dearest daughter, plotted against by that bastard Odin one-eye. He is fortunate that I did not choke him with his own treasonous tongue,” she spat out, looking re-energized in her anger.
At that, Thor’s mood lightened considerably. Seeing the All-mother so undeniably alive was the greatest gift he could’ve received.
“What of the tesseract, mother?” Thor shot Loki a grateful look, he had almost forgotten the reason for the history lesson.
“During Buri’s adventures through the cosmos, he encountered a being by the name of Thanos. He claimed to be the last of the known Titans who’d perished due to scarcity of resources. It was a sad story, yes, but Thanos used it to justify the genocide he continued to commit on realms. I’m sure you both know of this,” Frigga said, looking at them in question.
“Aye, we endured the torment of his dreadfully feeble justifications for his deeds,” Thor responded.
“Truly, he is abhorrent not only for his murderous inclinations but also for subjecting us to interminable boredom each time our paths crossed.”
At that, Frigga smiled again, amused at first but it soon shifted to grim. “Buri fought long and hard to end his campaign, and managed to destroy his forces and expel him from all known realms. He collected both his gauntlet and the Tesseract from his possession to keep as trophy.”
“He soon realized the immense power of the Tesseract and vowed to safeguard it, lest Thanos or another would-be conqueror with dangerous ambitions sought it. This vow passed unto Bor soon thereafter and along with Bestla he created the Bifrost with an echo of its power. There are texts in the depths of Asgard’s library’s which may better explain the designs and perhaps the Tesseract itself.”
Loki then looked to Thor, eyes shone with determination, “Well, we know our next stop then, brother.”
Thor smiled back, recognizing the glint in his eyes. He was reassured in that Loki planned to join him in this journey.
Thor and Loki found themselves sitting alone in a Vanir tea room, having finished regaling their tale to their mother they decided to split up. She was determined in learning all she could to free Hela while they were tasked with seeking out knowledge on the Infinity stones and Thanos. Before departing for Asgard again, they sat to create a plan in a neutral space.
“I do not believe the answers we need would be found on Midgard, Thor,” Loki responded, exasperated at his insistence. “While I know that the ‘Avengers’ are dear to you, they would not be of any help at this point. We are the only ones who know of the future, while allows us the opportunity for stratagem.”
“Midgard is currently home to two Infinity stones, do you truly believe it not to be a worthwhile stop? Is this stratagem or your own grudge, Loki?” Thor said, rather petulantly.
“I do not deny their value as allies, nor the peculiar attraction Midgard has with the stones, but we must be prepared to approach them. We must research the stones independently, and develop a pretence to create a relationship with the planet. Not just your brothers-in-arms,” Loki said sternly.
Thor grumbled a response back, the tone displaying his acquiescence, but the words being mumbled. “What was that, Thor?” Loki asked teasingly, raising his hand to his ear as he smirked and leaned towards Thor.
“Yes, alright brother,” he grumbled once again. “Let us plan” Thor spat out, looking obviously put out at the decision.
“It is for the best brother, we do not know how our actions may affect the timeline, and we must guard our advantage closely,” Loki responded, dropping his smirk and attempting to sound reasonable.
“You are right, of course, but you are verily acquainted with my own opinion on planning and stratagem,” Thor sighed. “I realize this is a strength for you, and am trusting you to steer us clearly.”
“Thor, you’re my brother and my friend. Sometimes I'm envious, but never doubt that I love you and will remain steadfastly on your side.”
The brothers smiled at each other, feeling settled. Nothing was remotely okay, but they could finally say that they had each other.