Chapter 31
Fenslar was a paradise...built strategically in less used part of realm. It was situated on mountain that were covered by lush forests and a beautiful lake situated in the valley. Frigga loved it there! Thor must have chosen to go there for the memories of the place. But he had not bothered to ask or even discuss his decision with Odin.Merely announced it to the council, leaving none in charge of the ruling.Though it was not needed to leave the charge with someone, Thor would have at least had a discussion with Odin before leaving. But he has rarely spoke with his father since the blasted visit of the Jotun king. Not as a son to father at least... Odin sighed! This was not good. A big setback indeed.
The allfather has been keeping eye on Loki for a long time. Loki's decieving nature, his penchant for tricks and lies and the harsh truth about his blood was enough to cause suspicions in any Aesir mind... And Odin always had Hidsjkalf at his service. Though Frigga and Thor loved him wholeheartedly, It was difficult for Odin after facing Jotun's barbarism in battlefield. And moreso it was difficult to forget how his own jotun mother had betrayed and abandoned them before he could even walk! Bestla was the cause of Ve being taken and killed. Though she had taken form of Aesir woman to gain Queen's throne, her heart remained as cold as her birth-realm. She had proved so by abandoning a loving husband and children. Odin pushed the bitter thoughts away as he adjusted the screen to show the Fenslar.
He could not see the insides of the bedchambers , thanks to his late lovely wife. She was goddess of marriage and family, and insisted for the privacy of couples as a blessing from her. So Neither Odin Nor Heimdall was able to see through the bedchambers of anyone.And Odin had no heart to rescind protection given at his wife's request.. It was Frigga's will and it shall be followed nomatter what..
He saw Thor and Loki moving down the hill on a forest trail. Heading towards the lake, Thor's one hand around Loki's shoulder, other holding a small bag.
' A picnic then!' Odin thought.
They didn't go to the usual spot though. There was a small clearing on the way down, Thor cleared the place and spread the mat. Why do all the work manually while the trickster, who can do it all with just a wave lounged there? Odin frowned. Has Thor commanded Loki not to use seidr?
As they settled after the mat was spread and some food was opened the thunderer was sitting by the tree and trickster leaning on him taking bites from his hands. Thor said something, his expression amused , hearing which Loki's eyes widened and he turned to hit the king on his chest in mock rage. When it failed to bring anything but a fond smile from the the thunder god, Loki
moved to tickle him. Thor laughed so hard that even Odin could here him.It reminded him of two boys playing in the queen's garden. The corners of his lips turned upwards as he gazed on his sons. But soon, tickling turned into something else. A frown turned his lips down as his single eye narrowed, when Loki straddled seductively on Thor's crotch. He was pulled in for a kiss and then for urgent fondling.
Odin closed the screen urgently as he had no taste for incestuous lovemaking between his own children. But the way Loki acted ,bold and seductive and the way Thor acted as lovesick puppy around him was too much to ignore. It was clear that the trickster had the king wrapped around his little finger. And Thor ,the naive sentimental fool didnot even realise that he was being manipulated. Why Thor, even Odin had no idea how Loki had managed to control his own master.
Odin had always been wary of the deceitful
nature of his second son. So he had kept an eye on him ever since he was imprisoned. He had seen him pace in distress, scream in rage and curse in spite.... yet never once had reacted to the drama! He had seen the shock and guilt eating the prisoner alive after Frigga's death.He had seen a son grieving alone when his mother was parting the realm in cerimony for the beloved queen. He had seen him twisting and turning in bed as unknown dreams tortured him. He had seen the light in his bright green eyes die as he was thrown back into the same cell , after Thor brought him back half dead from the fight with Malekith.He had seen him starve himself to sickness in his grief for the only mother he knew. He had seen him shivering in fever and turning his dull green eyes away from Thor, who was trying to get him to talk. And he had dismissed it as some cunning plan to escape just punishment.
But now the Allfather was not sure at all. Thor was not as naive as he assumed him to be. He had thought that his elder son was being ruled either by sentiment or by deception on Loki's part. But Thor had proved to be more clever than he appeared, he had stratigically toppled Odin from the place of power and damaged his image in Asgardian's minds. And he had effortlessly taken the role of the King. The old god suspected trickster's hand in that too, but Thor had proved that he was able to stand on his feet and did not need outside help for the political games.Moreover, he appeared to be dominating his wayward brother in their relationship. And Loki had surprisingly accepted it.. He was as good as tamed cat! That was only animal Odin could think of when he thought of Thor's concubine. All he appeared to be doing these days was eat, sleep and be pampered by the king. And he seemed happy... content! more happy than ever, Odin could remember. He never looked so radiant even when he used to be a prince, a son Odin! It was like his world revolved around Thor, and Thor had given him something that nobody ever offered! Nothing else matterd for Loki now, The throne, Odin's love, Asgard's acceptance , everything was just background noise for him. As the thought appeared, Allfather's mind was filled with a sense of loss. He remembered how Frigga had argued countless times for Loki's sake.. how she would appear distraught and disappointed over his casual disregard for her son's grievances.
" You lost a fiercely loyal son who could have been so much more, if only you had let him!" , Thor's angry voice rang in his mind. And suddenly Odin realised the truth in those words. It had started as him being wary of Jotun child with incredible powers. He had senced the powerful seidr and took the infant with him instead of killing it off like it's mother and guards. But he had difficulty in accepting the child as his own like Frigga did. He always had thought that the monstrous blood was going to show one day, so the child needed to be tamed. Somehow unknowingly Odin had directed his anger at his own mother for abandoning him towards the jotin foundling he had brought home, So Loki was punished harshly, he bore brunt of Odin's wrath more than anyone else and he was perceptive enough to see the injustice! Still the boy had been dangling over the hope that his father loved him. His mother's false assurances kept him hanging over the precipie, and finally Odin had gone and pushed him down with two words..
Allfather had always taken actions more in account than words. He thought the emotions and their expression was domain of godesses.. and had avoided them at all costs.The grief and guilt he felt over Loki's loss, he burried it in other matters. He celebrated Thor's return and drowned himself into ruling. But Loki returned, with so much bitterness and hate that Odin could hardly look into his eyes. So he did only thing he could do, threw the boy down into the dungeon... burried his own failure away from Asgard's eyes.
And now Loki have been resurrected by his own golden son. He should have suspected when Thor started visiting the traitor daily. He should have kept eyes on that scheming snake so that he would not be able to cast his spell on the true heir. Yes Thor has surprised everyone by proving that he is clever enough to rule and outsmart his own father. He had also won loyalty of Loki, the chaos himself. But if it's true loyalty or one of the schemes of the cunning deceiver has to be seen yet!
Yes. Odin will keep a close eye on the trickster and find out what is his plan.Then he could show the liar's true colours to all and he could open the eyes of that lovesick fool of a king. Yes, he will do that.That was only way he could separate the leech away from his honorable boy.That was only way to gain control over the King and Asgard.