Ask me How I'm Doing; I'll Say, "Okay."
"You're not a monster," I said. But I lied. What I really wanted to say was that a monster is not such a terrible thing to be. From the Latin root monstrum, a divine messenger of catastrophe, then adapted by the Old French to mean an animal of myriad origins: centaur, griffin, satyr. To be a monster is to be a hybrid signal, a lighthouse: both shelter and warning at once." —Ocean Vuong
Usually, there was much mirth after a victory.
But Thor's heart was despondent. He had hoped that Odin would learn from his mistakes.
The last thing Loki needed was to be isolated from his family. Loki had made mistakes, but he was not the only one at fault.
Thor was at fault for never realizing how much pain his younger brother was in.
Frigga was at fault for never reminding Loki how much she loved him.
Odin was at fault for never telling him the truth.
Loki could be saved.
Thor has to believe that.
But Odin had barred the prison doors.
No one not even the Queen and Prince of Asgard were allowed to enter.
"Min sønn (My son)," Frigga wrapped her arms around him.
"Mama." Thor sighed feeling some relief.
Frigga smiled sadly. “Your father will not see reason. I fear he will do something irreversible.”
Thor nodded. “I have a plan.”
”The less I know the better.” Frigga kissed his cheek.
The prison was buried under Asgard. It was darker than Hel.
Thor crept through it quietly as if some great beast slumbered.
Something didn’t feel right.
The prison was almost completely empty.
At long last, Thor stood before his brother’s cell. He didn't recognize his brother.
Loki had always taken such pride in appearance. This man in utter chaos and disarray couldn’t possibly be his brother!
Loki’s hair had always been a still pool, but now it was a churning ocean. His face was gaunt, almost skeletal. He’d always been pale, but he might have been a ghost. His fists were bloody and raw caked with blood as if he’d tried to pull the cell apart with his bare hands.
"Brother," Thor's voice cracked.
Loki didn't acknowledge him though. He wouldn't even look at Thor.
"Loki!" Thor tried again.
But Loki's gaze was locked elsewhere.
"What have they done to you?" Thor asked. He turned around trying to see what Loki was staring at.
Unlike the rest of the prison, the cells across from Loki's were occupied.
Thor frowned. "What is this?"
A small child watched him with a cunning green eye watched her. She was cut in two flesh and bone.
A small wolf pup was wrapped in chains.
A black snake spat venom at the cell.
Two small children held onto each other.
And finally, a tiny foal with eight legs curled around itself.
They were all children.
Why would children be locked away like this?