#Odin was waiting for Loki to get back to promote Thor to king

[worstloki]

AU where Loki gets banished for Thor/Warriors 4 going to Jotunheim and he just settles down on Earth. Copes with the blue arm by ignoring it completely since he's been disowned and dumped on Earth anyway. There's probably a way to 'prove himself worthy' and 'get back to Asgard' but he never bothers with it.

[sjsmith56]

Two Steps to the Left - Part 4

Summary: As predicted, the Avengers are called to battle, alongside the Asgardians and Wakandans. Although victorious, they recognize the next fight will be close and prepare. At the end of the final battle, something strange happens.

Length: 3.5 K

Characters: Bucky Barnes, Steve Rogers, Colonel Phillips, a cast of thousands, some characters from the TVA.

Warnings: none

Author notes: See after the story to avoid spoilers.

<<Part 3

🪖 👽 🛸

Three years later

Major Rogers and Captain Barnes stood on the platform as they waited for the portals to open. Other enhanced beings stood next to them, the Black Panther in his all black vibranium suit, backed by his force of men and women warriors armed with spears but with skills and tactics that rivalled the most advanced armies on earth. Next to him stood Thor, wearing his battle gear and cape, his hammer Mjolnir in his hand, then his brother Loki, wearing a black and green suit that seemed to flow with his lithe body, topped by a golden horned headdress, and their father King Odin, along with a sizeable complement of men and women warriors. They all looked out over the assembled force of human super soldiers, both men and women. Their Lieutenant, Isaiah Bradley, quickly checked they were ready then smartly marched over to his commanding officers.

"The troops are ready, sir," he said.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," replied Rogers, noticing his wife, Peggy, and son at the back, as she stood with the General and Howard Stark.

Bucky's wife, Dot, was also there, her hand on her abdomen, as she was due to give birth in another month. Other spouses waited with them. Captain America stepped forward, making eye contact with as many of his team as he could.

"Today, we go forth into battle for the first time as a unified force, representing this universe. The threat against that universe is a threat against ours and we have vowed to join together as one, to fight Thanos. King Odin has fought similar battles before and will be leading our force once we get through the portal. Obey his orders without question. You will see other beings from other timelines in our combined forces, give them the same respect that you've already given to our force here. Good luck and may fortune be on our side."

Several large portals opened behind them, and the small army went through towards the strange light that poured through. Within moments they were gone, and the portals closed behind them leaving the others behind. All they could do was wait. With the General's invitation those left behind returned to the base and waited for the signal that would indicate a return. When it didn't come by nightfall, the spouses were assigned quarters as none wished to leave until their loved ones returned. Howard and the General sat up well into the night, putting quite the dent into a bottle of scotch talking of all that happened in the three years since they learned about the bigger threat.

Howard spent that three-year interval studying the properties of the remaining two vials of HYDRA serum, carefully decoding its secrets, so that they could continue creating super soldiers. Phillips, Steve, Bucky and the Howling Commandos continued the fight against HYDRA, destroying their bases, arresting their followers, and exposing their activities to the light of day. In the process they came across individuals, men and women, who showed their willingness to join in the battle against that darkness, while maintaining their humanity. When the first batch of the new serum was ready to test, several of those people volunteered to take it, putting their life on the line. They came through with flying colours, proving that the single most important quality of the serum was its ability to enhance that which was already present in the individual.

Rather than wait for Isaiah Bradley to be transformed without his consent, the newly promoted General Phillips located him and after getting to know the giant of a man, offered him the opportunity to join the Howling Commandos as a regular team member. Bradley was one of the first to volunteer for the serum. As part of a promise Phillips made to the soldier, the secret program he was in during the original timeline was exposed as a dangerous and criminal exploitation of black soldiers. The General used all of his power to shut it down permanently.

Thor arrived first on their world, less than a month after modern Bucky and Bruce left; the pillar of light from the Bifrost came roaring down from the sky, leaving an intricate design on the grass at the base. He waited to be approached by Steve and Bucky, who brought the flask of Asgardian mead with them, still enough inside for the three men to share a drink. The Demi-god recounted the visit of his future self, who apprised him of the threat of Thanos, then shared that information with Odin and Loki, informing the latter that he was murdered by the Titan. The news that Thanos was strong enough to kill a god, tempered Odin's original plan to summarily attack the Thanos of their timeline, agreeing to join with the other forces being assembled, ready to fight when they were needed.

King Azzuri the Wise, also known as T'Chanda, reached out next. Visited by his granddaughter, Shuri, he learned of the threat that they all faced and how his help would be needed. At first, he didn't want to expose Wakanda to the attention of the world, then Shuri showed him what the isolation of the country did in terms of how their resources became coveted over the years. Convincing him that an alliance with the Avengers would work in several ways he sent a delegation to them, inviting Colonel Phillips, Steve Rogers and Bucky Barnes to visit the country as his guests. Surprisingly, he found common ground with Phillips as the plain-spoken man impressed the king with his candour. Equally impressed by the two super soldiers who didn't like bullies, he accepted that Captain America was the owner of the shield that had been made with stolen vibranium, then gifted another one to Barnes, as well as presenting vibranium strengthened suits for them to wear that would protect them from weapons the western world had only envisioned in science fiction stories.

Before she returned to the future, Shuri encouraged her grandfather to reinstate the ancient tradition of the Dora Milaje, the elite women warriors that protected the kings of Wakanda for many years. Then she asked that he allow the super soldiers to train with them, reasoning that it would benefit all of humankind to have them allied together using common tactics. When he allowed Rogers and Barnes to train with them on their first visit, seeing how quickly the two men picked up the tactics, he agreed it would serve their combined forces well.

All of that was accomplished in the three years since they were apprised of the threat. When a portal opened in the middle of a training exercise just hours before, and a sorcerer stepped through to advise them it was time to go, Rogers immediately ordered everyone to prepare for battle. While they did so another portal opened with the Wakandan force, then the Bifrost appeared carrying the Asgardian force. They would walk through to the battlefield together, proof of the alliance between the peoples of two of nine realms. With barely enough time for whispered words of love and assurance to their families, the team now officially known as the Avengers, came out carrying conventional weapons, as well as modified HYDRA weapons, created with the reasoning that some good should come from the technology.

Two days later, a single portal opened to a sorcerer, looking a little disheveled, who announced the battle had been won. He advised General Phillips to get medical crews ready to accept the wounded. When questioned, he wouldn't say if there were any casualties. Ten minutes later a large portal opened, and the Avengers crew came through, as the other members of the force returned to their own homes. Although most came through on their own two feet, there were some that had to be supported, and others that were carried in on stretchers. Two stretchers had blankets over the person on them.

Peggy and Dot, grasping hands, moved towards those coming in, at first not seeing Steve and Bucky in the nearest rows of returning soldiers. As their faces became more desperate, they stopped, and looked at each other with a growing fear, then they saw their husbands, each of them part of those carrying the two blanketed stretchers at the back. General Phillips motioned to some soldiers to relieve the two men. Their wives ran to them, collaring them in a fierce embrace, while the two commanding officers took their muffled cries without words. Instead, they held their women tightly, as if they would never let them go. The General stood waiting, not willing to interfere with this emotional grounding that each man seemed to need. Then Major Rogers opened his eyes to General Phillips and pulled away from Peggy, saluting his superior officer.

"Sir. Our side prevailed and the Thanos of that timeline was defeated," he said, then looked at the soldiers around them. "We had two deaths, fourteen injured. We'll need a few days after debriefing. It was ... intense."

"Take the rest of today," said Phillips, saluting back. "We'll debrief tomorrow morning at 09:00."

"Yes, sir. Thank you."

With their wive's arms around them, the two officers headed towards a jeep, it's driver beckoning to them. After seeing the two men and their unit in action during World War II and after, Phillips wondered how intense it had been to make the two men look like they had gone through an unimaginable gauntlet. He found out the following day, when the Major described the otherworldly foe they engaged in battle with. Even the Asgardians had been hard pressed to keep up with the alien beings Thanos brought to the battlefield. There had been no respite as wave after wave of nightmare creatures kept attacking. The final battle, where the strongest warriors went against Thanos himself found the being fully capable of defending himself against multiple adversaries at the same time.

"How did you defeat him?" asked Phillips.

Steve and Bucky looked at each other before the blond man spoke. "We managed to take his weapon from him, then used it to remove his hands. Then Thor finished him by using his hammer to remove the head. It was dirty and bloody, and it was the only way. The Bucky Barnes that was here before, was there and he called it a street fight without rules, as if a street fight ever has rules. I guess he meant that we have to consider everything when we fight Thanos again."

"Recommendations?" asked General Phillips.

"We need more enhanced soldiers," said Bucky. "There were thousands on each side, and it could have gone either way. Thanos has aircraft that I've only read about in science fiction. Stark needs to invent something similar, perhaps using the HYDRA aircraft we still have in storage. We need more allies from this universe. Our side did have people from other planets in that universe. Thor has promised to engage with those who live in the nine realms and bring others with them." He ran his hands over his face. "It's not going to be easy, sir."

That became an understatement as they were called again to fight just three months later. Although they had no deaths in this battle, there were more injuries and once again the same recommendations were made. More super soldiers were created, as they opened the process to other armies of the world, searching out those who fit the strict requirements. Azzuri agreed to Stark working with Wakandan scientists to come up with a standard issue weapon that would be more effective against the enemy. Thor recruited more participants from other worlds in the nine realms.

A year later they had a much more integrated force, along with several units of fighting aircraft from one of the alien worlds that agreed to create a space force to represent their universe. Shortly after this time, the people of Earth were informed of the threat of Thanos, after the being of this universe sent a scouting party to determine the strength of any potential defence against him. With the appearance of that party in the middle of New York which necessitated the intervention of the Avengers it soon appeared on newsreels, and the growing entertainment media, television, around the world. That scouting party never made it back, as they were engaged and defeated. Their technology was studied, reverse engineered and used to add to the multi-planet space force that now existed. It seemed like the whole world was now engaged in preparing for the day when Thanos would appear, and he didn't disappoint, arriving November 1, 1952.

The alarm was given, the sorcerers contacted all their allies, both human and non-human. The humans from other universes and timelines arrived first, then the others, multiple Asgardian delegations, multiple contingents from worlds that had never even been aware of a small planet in an insignificant solar system on the outer arm of a spiral galaxy that resembled so many others. But they came, and assembled in the desert, far from populated areas, a force larger than any other.

It was a brutal street fight, no rules, just survival of all of their species at stake. Because this time Thanos brought all of the remaining versions of himself together, determined to prove to all universes that he was the supreme being of all beings. It was a gamble unlike anything he had ever attempted before. All the various versions of him assembled in that dry desert, certain that nothing the humans and other species from other worlds tried would be unable to stop him from achieving his glory. When the last version of him was defeated and lay headless, bleeding his purple blood into the soil of a planet he had considered unimportant, his followers surrendered. A few of those still standing on the victorious side, gathered together, beaten but not bowed, satisfied but not gloating, and wondering what would happen next. Some, like the Asgardians, said it was a battle that would be sung of for millennia, describing how the brave underdogs rose as one to challenge the Titan who believed he was above time itself. Then one of the Loki beings, stepped away from the others and looked out over all those still alive and smiled. He glowed a rich green colour and if one looked at him in the sunlight a certain way it would seem he was holding tendrils of green in his hands, tendrils that whirled and grew, stretching out to infinity.

"You have done well," he said. "Now it is time to fix that which we broke to defeat the threat against all the universes and all timelines by Thanos. Live well, my children."

Then everything went black.

January 1945, on a train in the Austrian Alps

Bucky and Steve had little time to prepare for the HYDRA soldier coming into the train car until it was almost too late. His weapon discharged a powerful blue pulse that Steve barely managed to lift up the shield to protect them both. It deflected the blast to the side, blowing a massive hole into the side of the train car, while Steve lay stunned against the opposite wall. Bucky picked up the shield, determined to protect himself from the next blast and began firing the remaining rounds from his pistol. A sudden sense of déjà vu enveloped him as he felt the cold air of the mountainous chasm that flew past the gaping hole, grasping at his body as if it were preparing to haul him out of the damaged train car.

"Move, two steps to the left."

"What?"

He looked at Steve, who still laid senseless on the floor of the train car. It wasn't him who was speaking.

"Take two steps left, NOW!"

Without hesitating Bucky did as he was told then felt the brunt of the pulse emanating from the weapon, slamming him into the other side of the train car across and past where the hole was located. He landed on the body of a HYDRA soldier he shot earlier. Dazed, he watched as Steve picked the shield up, and threw it into the standing soldier, knocking him down and out. Running towards Bucky, the super soldier trained his eyes quickly over his friend.

"You, okay?"

"Yeah, just a bit banged up. Those things have a punch to them."

"Good thing your super soldier body can take it."

Bucky grinned. "You know, I heard a little voice in my head telling me to move two steps to the left. If I hadn't, I would have fallen out."

Steve's eyes twinkled. "Good thing you listened."

Without delay the pair of them made their way to the front of the train, easily dealing with the resistance along the way. Ever since Bucky had admitted that Dr. Zola had injected him with serum, the Colonel had insisted that Rogers take him under his wing and help him accept and use the changes that were going through his body. Even though he wasn't quite as strong, or as fast as Steve, Bucky had proven to be almost as effective.

Just before they entered the cab, they heard a gunshot and rushed inside. Gabe stood over the prone body of a little man. Kneeling down, Bucky turned him over and shook his head.

"What happened?"

"He fired a gun on me," said the shaken Private, rubbing his arm where the bullet hit. "I just shot back instinctively. I'm sorry, I know we wanted him alive."

"No big loss," grunted Bucky, standing up. "I doubt he would have said anything. He was a true believer in his work. The number of times he grinned as they cut me open then watched as my skin closed up and healed was proof that he was a monster."

As the engineer was instructed by Gabe where to stop, the two super soldiers sat on a pair of crates. With Zola dead, that should put a crimp in the Winter Soldier program that Dr. Erskine warned them about. The next job was to deal with Johann Schmidt, Red Skull. The Captain and his Sergeant knew what they had to do and would do it together.

TVA

"How did he restore all the timelines?"

Mobius looked at B-15. "I don't know but as soon as all the Thanos variants were defeated, he managed to get everything back to what it was."

"He's tweaking the same thing in all the variants of ...." Ouroborus  peered closely at the readout. "A man named James Barnes. Most of the variants were forced into becoming an assassin against their will. Many of them were viciously tortured by an organization called HYDRA. He's making sure that organization is defeated in their timelines. Did he ever say anything about them?"

Mobius shook his head. "Must have been something from his original timeline that he felt compelled to repair."

The other man kept looking at the readout. "They were an organization that looked to slavery and genocide as a means of taking power. He's also making changes to the timelines of a man, Dr. Bruce Banner, something to do with a large green alter ego he takes on. The big green guy is being removed from the timelines and this Banner fellow just looks like himself. There's more."

B-15 sighed. "Print it out in a report and I'll have a look at it but I'm not going to second guess Loki. He saved the sacred timeline by sacrificing himself. If he can stop other genocides in multiple timelines I can't complain." She looked at Mobius. "Thanks for coming in. You knew him best and I was just hoping you had an idea of how and why he did this."

The blonde man stopped before the door that waited for him then shrugged. "He is a god, and gods are mysterious."

****

November 1, 1952 – The date of the first detonation of a thermonuclear device (hydrogen bomb).  What if it didn't happen in this alternate universe?

So, why did I end this with a nod to Loki at the end of Season 2 of that series?  Let's just say, he underwent such a transformation in that program that he felt compelled to change things in his original universe for the better.  Thanos did threaten the sacred timeline as word spread throughout the multiverse that he had been defeated.   His arrogance wouldn't allow him to accept that.  Loki knew the best way to defeat Thanos was to get the cooperation of multiple timelines in multiple universes from multiple species.  Once Thanos was out of the way he restored the timelines as if Thanos never existed, with a few minor tweaks (like letting Bucky have his life back, making sure HYDRA was defeated, and ensuring the Hulk never made an appearance).

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[otterskin8]

Stable

It had started as a punishment.

Loki no longer remembered just what it was he had done to earn it. It had been many millennia since, of course, but in truth, it was likely the sheer scope of his little mischiefs that made identifying a specific bit of discipline for a specific bit of fun near impossible.

Perhaps it had been for turning Thor into a frog. He recalled Odin saying something along the lines of ‘If you have such an interest in animals, you can study them closer up.”

That was how he came to be ankle-deep in horse manure.

It was dirty work - a lot of mucking out stables, treating infected hooves, plucking off ticks and scrubbing and oiling the tack. Yet Loki could not wholly resent the tasks, as it did allow him time closer up with the animals. He’d always liked beasts - often preferred their company to that of the court. They did not expect much of you, and there was no sense in putting on airs. You could be honest with a horse in ways you could not be honest with yourself.

His favourite part was grooming. Sleipnir would press his nose against his chest and snort, and Loki would stroke his cheek with one hand while the other, clad in the brush, he’d pull down the horse’s neck. It brought him a great deal of peace to do this.

Which is why he didn’t at all appreciate it when he was interrupted by a boy his own age telling him “You’re doing that wrong."

“This is how Sleipnir likes it,” Loki had said, stubbornly. “I think I know my father’s horse better than some random stablehand.”

The boy had sidled in to stand beside Loki, and to the young prince’s irritation Sleipnir didn’t at all seem to mind.

Looking sideways at him, the youth said with a smirk “What nobles know to do on horses is the same thing they know about everything else, because it's all they ever do.”

“And what might that be?” Loki played along.

“Sitting.”

That had actually made him laugh. “Did you work that one out a while ago and were just waiting for the right opportunity?”

“Well, to be honest, I’ve used it before; never had the chance to tell a nob themselves, though.”

He’d frowned, it suddenly occurred to him that there had to be a reason this servant thought he could get away speaking thus to the son of a king. “And you figured I was in such a powerless position that you could risk it?”

“Yes. Any complaint you could make about a rude stableboy at this point would likely be seen as you trying to get out of your punishment, or cause further trouble. And it is hardly an offence worth hanging me for; I am the best stableboy you’ve got, and that’s not nothing.”

He reached out a dusky hand and took Sleipnir’s nose from Loki, blowing into it gently. Sleipnir puffed his own breath back in his face with a friendly snort. “I am one of the only people around here the king’s horse likes. And the king probably has a better opinion of his horse’s opinion right now than yours.”

“For a moment, I almost liked you there. Thank you for curing that in such short order,” The prince sniffed.

The stableboy brushed that aside. “It’s impressive how much this horse likes you, despite how badly you brush him.”

“I am not doing it wrong -“

But the youth then materialized a series of different brushes from his belt and spent the next hour lecturing Loki on the use of each one, the order he was meant to go with, and how to untangle the mane and safely comb the tail.

Loki hated being told what to do, but he hated not knowing how to do something even more. So he had listened. At one point, the boy had slipped his hand on top of Loki’s inside the brush to show him the correct amount of force to apply to the brushing. It wasn’t as simple as following the hair. It was about flicking the dust loose, sweeping and much as stroking.

That had been the first time he’d felt it. The smallest flutter, in some gangly, unformed part of himself. A spark that would soon light a shameful flame in the lowest parts of his guts.

But, at the start, there had been no shame.

“My name is Sialfi,” the boy had said.

Loki met him two weeks into a three-month punishment. Oftentimes he wished they’d met sooner, that they’d had that time as well.

But at least they’d had time at all. So much wasted on his part - halting, nervous. Unsure of himself or his feelings. It was near the end that he had at last kissed Sialfi.

Allowed to go riding after a day of hard labour, they’d taken a lonely path long past the boundaries they were meant to stay within. When they’d finally reached a vantage point where they could see the edge of the very planet, they were gasping and sweaty, as were their horses. Manure was still stuck to their boots, a few stray pieces of hay in their hair, and a particularly dogged fly ignored their every attempt to shoo it off.

It only made the kiss all the sweeter.

Sialfi. He could remember the name; he could remember his deadpan sense of humour, often mocking and aloof. He could remember the way the sun used to hit his hair, absorbed by the center but always diffused around the edges, creating a halo about his head.

But he could no longer truly remember his face, or what he had tasted like.

After his discipline was over, Loki found every excuse he could to go to the stables. He went riding often, or would claim to be going elsewhere and slip away. Like this, he managed to have a few more weeks with Sialfi. A few more clandestine kisses. A few more moments where they pressed against each other as they groomed their horses together, hands joined in the brush.

Then had come the day he came to the stable and found Sialfi missing. Sleipnir had been agitated; no-one was soothing him. There was no point in searching the place - Sialfi would never have allowed Sleipnir to be in distress. He’d spoken immediately to the stablemaster. All he would say was that Sialfi was a lucky boy, so very lucky, to have been promoted like that. How unexpected. He was lucky to have met you, the King’s son, and gotten a chance to so impress. Odin himself had asked after him, and next thing you know, along came a chance to squire for the Lord Dagur himself. Of course, Lord Dagur was such an itinerant - never in one place for long, always travelling the Nine and beyond, never in one place for long. Off to Vanaheim already, and likely not to stay there for more than a day after that. He never rested, that Dagur.

But how had Sialfi, a boy from such a low family, managed to catch the eye of Dagur?

He wanted to run to his father’s study right then and there, bang on the door, accuse him - accuse him of what? What could he have said that wouldn’t have admitted…did that mean he knew? Or merely suspected?

What if it were purely chance? Dagur had one of the most magnificent mares in all of creation. Skinfaxi, with her mane of light, twice as many hands as the tallest horse - that would surely have caught Sialfi’s attention. Perhaps he’d taken good care of the beast, as he always did, his affection and talent plain for Dagur to see. And on a whim, the Lord had requested him, and who would Sialfi be to refuse such an honour?

After all, it wasn’t like he and Loki would ever be able to continue as they were. Why would he sacrifice his future for a few more moments with the stringy second prince, risking his life for the simple pleasure of besmirching royalty? Why even risk telling Loki, who might be expected to sabotage everything out of spite?

Perhaps it was as simple as that.

So he had waited. In a few more months, he had brought it up at the end of a family meal when it happened to be just him and father left at the table. Asked casually after that stable boy he’d gone riding with a few times. What had ever happened to him?

“Ah,” Odin had said. “I heard that you were close with that boy. I should have said something sooner. Lord Dagur dropped by quite unexpectedly one day, you know how he is. He needed someone to help with his horse; his last squire got himself kicked in the head, and then fell in love with his nurse. No-one quite wants to volunteer their highborn children to a traveller like Dagur, and few of those are any good with horses. But I recalled you once mentioned your friend and spoke highly of his compassion for Sleipnir, which the stablemaster confirmed. I knew that if he were a friend of yours, Loki, he would be of good temperament and sound mind, nevermind his low birth. Such individuals deserve the chance to rise above their station. When Dagur asked for such a companion during that brief stay of his here - I wonder if you even had a chance to notice, he didn’t even stay for the evening feast - I recommended the lad, though I never did hear if he’d accepted.”

“Oh,” Loki had said.

He had lain awake that night wracking his brain for a memory of having ever mentioned Sialfi to Odin, even off-handedly. Yet he was sure he’d only ever said he wished to go riding and take a companion servant along. Sure he’d kept Sialfi’s name obfuscated.

But perhaps all Odin had to do was ask the stablemaster.

And perhaps Lord Dagur would return soon.

He did. Eventually. Many decades later, when Loki had nearly forgotten what that should mean.

He’d stayed for the feast that time, and when he saw Loki he’d clapped his back and told him what had become of his old friend. “Natural with horses, you’d think he had a centaur for a grandfather! I’ve never had a better squire. That is, until he and my sister’s squire ran off with Skinfaxi and Hrimfaxi's foal. But knowing your growing reputation, my boy, I should’ve assumed any friend of yours would be a wily one! I almost admire his gumption. I’m glad Odin asked me to take him on, in the end; a foal is a small price to pay after his years of excellent service. Though he’ll truly need her if he ever shows his face around here. Can’t be letting the small folk get away with such behaviour, or we’ll hardly have a single horseshoe between all of us in a century.”

Dagur had wandered off after that, leaving Loki to wonder about what he meant by ‘glad Odin asked me to take him on’.

He never confronted his father about it. Perhaps Dagur had simply meant to imply that Odin had mentioned Sialfi, perhaps asked Dagur to give a lowborn boy a chance he would not otherwise have. Perhaps that was all it meant.

Or perhaps…perhaps his father had known. And sought to protect Loki from himself.

Loki was old enough to hear how people talked of such things now. Old enough to know to bank that hideous flame and quell half his desires. It wasn’t like all of him was bent like this; there were avenues yet that were perfectly acceptable.

Really, he should thank his father.

He should be grateful.

He should.

[hitbythunder]

Waking a Dangerous Curiosity

A Thranduil x Loki story -> read also on AO3

Summary: After their brief trip to Jotunheim, Odin punishes his both sons for breaking the peace treaty with Laufey: they get banished from Asgard and cast out to Middle Earth. Without their divine powers, Loki and Thor soon fall into the hands of the Mirkwood Elves and become slaves at Thranduil's court. As Loki decides to improve his, and his brother's situation, he wakes the curiosity of the Elvenking himself. Warnings: very explicit scenes between elf and Asgardian ;) ************************ The darkness of the night had already covered the sky with its black blanket, which only a few stars could breach with their light, when the Elvenking entered his study. The neatly arranged candles here and there, the large fireplace as well as the many rugs and furs covering the wooden floor composed a quite cozy atmosphere in the manageable room. Although not as secluded as his private chambers, the study was one of Thranduil's safe havens within the large palace which he sought out as often as possible. After pouring himself a well-earned glass of his favourite wine, the silver-haired elf sank graciously onto the soft couch in front of the fire place, the flames casting a warm glow over his dark-grey robe with the crimson mantle on top. While watching the dance of the flames, he could relax from the strain of the day. Dealing with both humans and dwarves on one day was too much to ask of an elf, even for him, and so Thranduil was overly glad to have some peace now. Little did he now it wouldn't last much longer.

Suddenly a knock came from the ornamented wooden door and with a sigh of annoyance, the king permitted entrance to whomever dared to interrupt him in his precious private time. “Adar, forgive my intrusion but this couldn't wait!” Legolas said as he approached the king, his father, who sipped casually at his wine and gestured lazily with his free hand for the younger elf to continue.

“Our rangers captured two men lost in the midst of the Greenwood, far from any known path.” the blonde elf began and Thranduil chuckled at the foolishness of the humans. Many had tried to pass the Greenwood, the largest forest in all of Middle Earth, and most of them had been led astray by the countless winding paths hidden in the thicket. Easy prey for the elvish hunters who would bring them to the palace. There was always some lower work for humans.

“And here I thought the mortals knew what happened to those who enter my kingdom without permission. Apparently they have not learned their lessons!” the king mused and took another sip, obviously finished with this topic and not interested into details. “Proceed as usual, Iôn, and do not disturb me again tonight!” Thanduil turned his gaze towards the flames and dismissed his son who refused to leave however.

“As you wish, but there is more I long to report to you.” Only when he felt the cold cerulean orbs resting on him again, Legolas continued. “Those two men claim to be princes of another realm and demand to be treated as such. Yet they refused to tell me their names as they would only speak with you.”

Thranduil's eyes narrowed and with one final gulp he rose from the couch. The silken clothing gliding down his tall figure and stretching out with a shy rustle. Apparently, the king wasn't finished for today, the spiked crown on his head calling for duty. “I will not tolerate any humans deeming themselves to be superior to our kind, especially if they disrespect my own flesh! Show me those men at once!”

With large strides, the Elvenking walked down the corridor of the palace towards the throne room, the crimson mantle atop his dark-grey robe floating behind him like flames with every step. Followed by Legolas, Thranduil graciously descended the steps to the platform in front of his throne while the prisoners were led in from another flight of stairs on the other side. One of them was blonde, tall and very well-built, the muscles stretching his navy-blue linen tunic in all the right places while the other was of a more athletic statue, with black hair past his shoulders contrasting his pale complexion. And when the two men beheld the silverly king in all his glory, their eyes widening at his dashing appearance, Thranduil chuckled mentally. He had a tremendous impact on other beings, regardless the race.

“Who dares to wander in my woods without my consent?” Thranduil's voice was smooth and vibrant, like luxurious silk brushing gently over one's skin, as it rang in the brothers' ears. Mesmerized by the outstanding looks of the king, they hesitated to answer until the raven-haired one found his tongue again.

“None other than the sons of Odin, the king of Asgard, your highness. I am Loki and this is my brother Thor!” the slim one replied in an almost equally rich voice, gesturing with his slender pale hands. Thranduil mustered the two 'princes' thoroughly from head to toe and the brother's could sense the intense gaze of cerulean orbs on them. Judging from their simple linen tunics, their slightly disheveled hair and some spots of dirt on their skin and clothes, neither of them looked royal to the elf's eyes.

“Neither the name of your father nor of this realm you claim to be from sounds familiar to me.” Thranduil then said and began to slowly pace in front of the men, his arms behind his back. “So spare me your lies, mortal!”

“This is the truth!!” Thor yelled out and as soon as he slightly stepped forward, the surrounding guards had their swords and lances pointed at both brothers. Thranduil turned to look at them with an ice-cold expression, the thick brows at the top of the perfectly straight nose knitting.

“My own valet appears more royal to me than you do. So tell me, 'princeling', why I should not let you two rot in my dungeon for wasting my time?!” the silver elf hissed at the blonde and Thor was so close to loose control and fight his way free – just to punch that haughty elf in his porcelain face.

Let's see if it shatters!

However, Loki was quick enough to pick up the word again before his brother could worsen the situation any more. Normally, those elves wouldn't stand a chance against the gods but in their current state, the brothers would most certainly loose. “Because our looks are not sufficient to judge our descent from, your highness. If you would con-” Loki tried to be as polite as possible yet he had no chance to finish. Thranduil didn't even listen properly as he was still in a glaring-battle with Thor, who refused to avert his gaze as a sign of defeat. And this blunt insolence enraged the Elvenking.

“Enough! I will not have more of your tainted words!” Thranduil stepped back and beheld the brothers one last time. “No one trespasses my land without punishment! Time has no meaning to an elf while you shall spend your days in a cell of my dungeon!”

Loki was shocked at this announcement, not resisting the guards who grabbed him while Thor fought with everything he got. Finishing the matter for today and hoping to return to his study, Thranduil turned away from the intruders and walked towards the stairs he had descended from earlier.

“Maybe you reconsider your story then!”

Two full moon-cycles had passed since the gods had arrived to the Woodland Realm. Still being imprisoned in separated cells, they had finally begun to accept their fate. Being cast out and stripped off their powers by their own father, the brothers had to adapt to mortality and this world they were now forced to live in. While it didn't take long for Loki to come to this simple (but painful) realization, Thor struggled considerably. The hurt of his father's repudiation and the loss of his beloved hammer Mjölnir was too much for him to cope with. The first days of their imprisonment, Thor had yelled and hammered against the bars with all his strength, he had ushered every curse he knew and raged like a storm inside the small cell. But time nagged at him until his stubbornness broke and he too resigned to his fate. The dungeons became quiet again.

As Thranduil had foreseen, the brothers didn't claim to be princes anymore after their stay in the dungeons and broken as they were, they finally could be used for work. Slavery was a common concept among the Silvan-Elves of Mirkwood and due to the mortality of humans, there was a constant need for labor-force. Thor was too crude and blunt to be around high-born elves, so he was put to the workers where his strength could be used ideally. His tasks stretched from chopping wood, carrying heavy bags of supplies or stocks, to simple stable work. In contrast, Loki's manners and outstanding wisdom had soon granted him a promotion to the position of a palace-servant, his eloquence and skills being a welcomed trait among the elves. Rarely did a human fit so well into their society as the raven-haired man did. Clad in a forest-green simple elvish robe and with his now middle-length hair combed back neatly, Loki could have been easily mistaken for an elf.

While being glad to be able to work instead of rotting in the dungeons, the brothers terribly missed their home and friends. Yet they would speak about other topics when Loki came for a quick visit to the stables whenever he could. At least their brotherly bond had been fortified by this dilemma.

Summer arrived and when the reports of the raven-haired servant's remarkable qualities became more and more frequent, Thranduil decided to see for himself if that was true. And against his expectations, Loki didn't fail to impress when he was assigned to be one of the king's valets. At first, he had seen his promotion as a well-earned reward but after some days in the silver elf's mesmerizing presence, it had turned out to be a torture instead. Shivers ran down Loki's spine whenever Thranduil addressed him with his intoxicating voice and the burning gaze of those cerulean orbs was hot on his skin. Loki couldn't deny that the king had gotten under his skin, much more than he anticipated, yet he had still to find out if the reverse case was also true.

Soon Loki caught himself staring at the other male longer than what was appropriate and he quickly looked away, hoping that no one had noticed. Unfortunately, Thranduil was a very perceptive being and within no time he was aware of the raven-haired man's interest in his person. With a sly smirk at the corners of his thin lips, Thranduil watched in amusement as Loki carefully (but very hasty) cleared the dining table in front of him. To say the elf's ego was flattered was needless to say. When the four valets had finished, the king decided to spend the early afternoon in the library and rose.

“You there, follow me!” he commanded and Loki slightly hesitated before he obeyed. Silently they walked through many corridors until they entered the grand library which was rather abandoned at the current hour, only two other elves were making copies of ancient books to preserve the knowledge. The literature Thranduil was seeking was stored in the back of the library where also a small living room suit and a wooden desk were arranged near a window. While Thranduil sat down at the desk and flipped through the pages, Loki stood at some distance and waited for instructions, not knowing why the king had requested his presence at all.

“Hand me that thick book with the blue cover!” the king then ordered, looking up from the text while Loki turned towards the shelf. Thranduil once again mustered the man, his tall and slim figure, his pale smooth skin and the onyx hair cascading down his shoulders. For a human, Loki was incredibly handsome, almost of elvish beauty, and for a split second Thrandui questioned the man's origin. When Loki had found the book and spun around again, he inhaled sharply because the king was suddenly standing in front of him. Even without his crown, the elf was taller by almost a head and staring intimidatingly down upon him but Loki stood his ground. Only when Thranduil's hand emerged from the folds of his aegean robe and reached his face, tracing along his cheek, Loki's calm composure faltered.

“I have never before seen a human such as you....” Thranduil whispered, his finger brushing over Loki's parted lips. “Waking my curiosity like you do is a rare and dangerous endeavor...” A little harshly, the elf grabbed the raven-haired man's chin, lifting it up and forcing him even closer, their faces barely apart as Thranduil leaned down and purred. “….because it demands for utter satisfaction!”

Another shiver rushed through the Trickster and his famous smirk appeared on his lips, his emerald orbs sparkling in excitement. Apparently, he had some impact on the elf as well and Loki was more than determined to use that for his advantage. Thus he grabbed the hand which held his chin and pulled it away a bit. “Then let me sate you!” Loki then purred and licked across Thranduil's palm with a mischievous grin. While his face didn't change at all, a wild flame of desire was sparking within the Elvenking, which could only be discovered through his hungry eyes.

“Adar? Are you in here?” A familiar voice suddenly called and Thranduil had to let go of the mortal, whispering barely audible into his ear before he did so. “I expect you in my chambers tonight!” And with that, the Elvenking withdrew and walked away towards his son, leaving Loki with a racing heart behind the shelf.

When Loki closed the large wooden door behind him he had already made up a plan in his mind: he would use his charms to gain power over the Elvenking and then free himself and his brother from slavery. They would live like royals again! Determinedly and self-consciously, Loki followed the faint glow of light coming from the adjacent chamber which turned out to be the master bedroom. A high wall of dark-brown wardrobes filled with more than just clothes stood tall on both sides of the entrance and the back of the room was filled almost entirely by the huge bed. Out of finest ebony wood with metal inlays, elvish engravings and antlers as decoration, the bed throned on a pedestal, its dark-grey silken cushions and blankets neatly arranged and inviting. The candle bearers here and there gave off a soft warm light and covered the entire room with a faint orange glow. To all the dark wood around him, Thranduil's silvery figure was a stark  contrast, his long hair floating past his shoulders as he turned around. The king still wore his dark-grey robe with the silver linings, yet the collar had been opened to reveal even more of the flawless skin beneath than usual, as Loki noted immediately as he approached. The king poured some drinks at a small table near the bed.

“Drink!” Thranduil commanded in a low voice as he handed his valet a goblet of wine, their fingers touching briefly during the handing over and sending sparks through both men. Their eyes met in a heated gaze, nothing but hungry desire clearly visible in those cerulean ones. With a triumphant smirk, Loki emptied the goblet in one go and 'accidentally' spilled some drops onto his chest, spoiling the robe. “Oh my, how clumsy of me!” he teased as he began to unbutton the top of the robe with his free hand, his slender fingers skilfully removing one after another while Thranduil watched every of his moves. When Loki's abdomen came into view, one remaining drop of wine gliding down the hills of his chest, the Elvenking couldn't restrain himself any longer and dashed forward.

In the next moment, he already had Loki in his grip, one hand snaking underneath the robe and around his waist while the other cupped the Trickster's face and pulled him closer. Pressed against the taller elf's chest, Loki didn't resist when Thranduil forced their lips to melt in a passionate kiss. Pleasant waves of delight rushed through him and when the elf's tongue intruded his mouth, Loki felt a warm tingling down his loins. In order to tease the king and make him desperate for more, Loki then took hold of Thranduil's right hand and guided it downwards, allowing the elf to cup his already growing arousal. Thranduil exhaled sharply and separated their lips, his breath already more laboured and his orbs clouded with lust as he stared down upon the smirking raven-haired man.

“What a minx you are...” The king said in a low husky voice and in full awareness of Loki's intentions, he began to massage him, adding just the right pressure. Loki couldn't help but moan. “... but I am the one in control here!” Suddenly, Thranduil grabbed a fist full of Loki's black hair and pulled, forcing his head back and leaving his throat exposed. Licking along his neck in turn with planting hot kisses along the way, the elf made his way to the Trickster's ear, licking and sucking at the lobe.

“Let's see if you can satisfy me thoroughly, little minx!” Thranduil purred seductively, delicately squeezing Loki's cock in his hand, before he rather roughly dragged him over to the bed.As soon as Loki landed on the soft mattress, he turned on his back and continued to unbutton himself – with both hands now since he sensed the king's impatience. The elf may have caught him off guard and managed to coax a moan out of him but Loki would win this battle of power and dominate the king himself. He had to, for his as well as for Thor's sake. The undressing wasn't fast enough for Thranduil, so he ripped his robe open with his hands, the buttons popping off and flying across the room. Slowly the dark silk slid past the elf's shoulders and glided down his body, past his hips until it pooled around his feet and Loki halted in his tracks at the sight. Naked and completely pure, Thranduil stood proudly at the end of the bed, his whole body glowing silverly and as Loki's gaze travelled south, his eyes widened.

With a predatory chuckle, Thranduil then knelt down over the other male and in one swift movement ripped the green robe apart and pulled it away from under the Trickster. Gathering his thoughts again, Loki then sat up and let his hands roam over the elf's broad chest, admiring the well-built figure in front of him. Thranduil wasn't as bulky as Thor but still much more muscular than Loki – a quite pleasing fact – and the elf too enjoyed being touched this way, his proud erection twitching whenever Loki's hands came a little closer.

“I shall quench every ounce of your desire before the night is over!” Loki declared ever so self-confidently, pulling the silverly elf down beside him and trying to align his cock properly. He would mount the haughty king and make him kneel eventually. Out of nowhere, Thranduil then used his elvish strength to grab Loki's arms, pin them over his head and put shackles around his wrists, the polished silver sparkling in the candle light. “W-what...??” Confused and quite surprised at the sudden turn of events, Loki tried to wriggle free but to no avail, while Thranduil chuckled darkly at his prey.

“What made you think I would let you reign over me?” Now all his true emotions came forth, no hiding anymore, and his face lit up with pure joy. “On the contrary, my dear princeling, I shall be ruling over every fibre of your body!” And with that, the elf dived down and closed his mouth around one of Loki's nipples, sucking and biting the nub delicately. Again Loki couldn't suppress a moan, louder and more wanton this time, his pulsating member poking against the elf's belly.

“So responsive to every touch...” Thranduil whispered more to himself as he tasted the other nipple and began to rub his hips against the male beneath him, pressing his length against the inside of Loki's thigh. With his heart racing and his chest heaving heavily, Loki now realized that he had totally underestimated the elf's subtleness and charm – not to mention his size! Maybe it had been a mistake to attract the king's attention. In awe Loki had to endure the purposeful caressing of the slender hands as they discovered his body, while Thranduil skilfully used his mouth and tongue to push all the right buttons of Loki's body. Thranduil bit down his neck, one hand massaging his balls while the other cupped his behind only to search for the desired entrance. Once found, the king didn't hesitate to shove a finger inside and oh, Thranduil had long digits.

“Aaah... Th..Thranduil!” Loki moaned between breaths when he felt another finger stretching him and when they hit the most sensitive spot within him, Loki arched his back as much as he could underneath the larger male. “Aaahhh!!!”

“There it is!” Thranduil purred in a low voice laden with so much lust, it would have let anybody faint yet somehow Loki was still there, his cock throbbing wildly and begging for release. Thus he tried desperately to rub himself against the elf on top to create some friction but then Thranduil hoisted himself up on both arms, his fingers slipping out of the god. Loki whimpered at the loss of body contact like a dirty whore but he was beyond caring. All he wanted was that elf to fill him deep and good, to be impaled like never before and serve the silverly king as a means for satisfaction, knowing that this would surely trigger his own release. With his hair already dishevelled from the wriggling, black strands framing the porcelain face tinted in a strong shade of crimson from the blush and his emerald eyes giving away all his current needs, Loki just lay there and looked up at the handsome elf.

“What a sight you are... all flustered and yearning for my cock!” Thranduil assessed, his long silver hair gliding past his shoulders as he moved his head a little to the side, his cerulean orbs sparkling brightly. “Since I am willing to grant you your wish....” the elf reached down and clasped his own erection, pumping a few times to harden even more, before he aligned himself in front of Loki's hole. “...you shall have it all!”

With that, Thranduil shoved himself deep into Loki, tremendously stretching his muscles so that the raven-haired man rung for air. While a little time for adjustment might have been necessary, the Elvenking began at once to move his hips, each thrust sending waves of pleasure through both men. In his former life as a prince of Asgard, Loki had already made some experiences regarding intimacies between men but never had it been so intense. He felt like a virgin all over again, and the fact that he was at the mercy of the Elvenking almost tipped him over the edge. All the while, Thranduil hadn't averted his intense gaze from the man beneath him, yet at the increasing pleasure building inside him, the king couldn't help but close them briefly and relish in the sensation of Loki's flesh around him.

“By the Valar!” Thranduil hissed when he felt Loki contracting around him and his one hand quickly flew to the untended cock between them, pinching the top in a distinct way. “Don't you dare to come without my permission!” the elf growled and spun the smaller man around with little effort between thrusts. Loki screeched out loud when Thranduil was at an angle that allowed him to go even deeper but the elf refrained from doing so. Instead he grabbed Loki by the hair and pulled his head up, forcing his back to arch, while he himself knelt behind the Trickster.

“Beg me to fuck you harder!” Thranduil commanded, emphasizing his order by a savoury slap on Loki's butt which was currently on splendid display. “Aaahhh!! P-Please, f-f-fuck me harder, T-Thranduil!” Loki somehow managed to say and oh, he would come so hard if not for this damned hand pinching his tip. Enjoying every minute, Thranduil then pressed Loki's upper body down while keeping the lovely behind up and resumed the penetration, sliding his long shaft all in up to his pubis.

“What...” - thrust - “...a salacious....” - thrust - “...princeling...” - thrust - “... you are!”

Sensing his own climax approaching, Thranduil increased his pace while smacking Loki's cheeks again, square across both, and then grabbed the smaller man at the back of the neck, forcing him further down and improving the angle of his thrusts. Loki's face was all distorted by lust, his whole body trembling and covered in pearls of sweat. He was a complete mess and such an arousing sight! Thranduil's eyes couldn't feast enough on it thus he made a simple decision.

“You are mine, Loki...” The Elvenking declared between laboured breaths, his hips slapping against the other male's soft butt. “And now come for your king!”

And with that the elf stopped pinching the tip and instead clutched the shaft of the Trickster while continuing to fuck him vigorously. With his name rolling off the king's tongue still ringing in his ears, Loki arched his back even more and pressed himself agains the king. Two more thrusts was all it took to trigger the long-yearned for wave of his apex and Loki held his breath as it washed over him with full force. Thranduil recognized the contraction around his throbbing pole with an animalistic grunt and rode it out as much as possible, milking Loki dry with his already slick hand. Then the Elvenking allowed himself to get lost in ecstasy, unleashing spurts of his hot semen into the raven-haired man and filling him until the juice gushed out again.Loki had already collapsed and lay paralysed on his belly, every limb heavy and numb, when Thranduil removed himself again and sat up. With a contempt sigh, the elf brushed through his slightly disarranged hair with his clean hand, removing the loose strands from his face, and then looked down at his panting valet with a sly smile.

“My curiosity is not satisfied as promised... so come here, little minx!” the Elvenking purred as he grabbed Loki's still parted legs and pulled him closer to his lap.

[otterskin]

Stable

It had started as a punishment.

Loki no longer remembered just what it was he had done to earn it. It had been many millennia since, of course, but in truth, it was likely the sheer scope of his little mischiefs that made identifying a specific bit of discipline for a specific bit of fun near impossible.

Perhaps it had been for turning Thor into a frog. He recalled Odin saying something along the lines of ‘If you have such an interest in animals, you can study them closer up.”

That was how he came to be ankle-deep in horse manure.

It was dirty work - a lot of mucking out stables, treating infected hooves, plucking off ticks and scrubbing and oiling the tack. Yet Loki could not wholly resent the tasks, as it did allow him time closer up with the animals. He’d always liked beasts - often preferred their company to that of the court. They did not expect much of you, and there was no sense in putting on airs. You could be honest with a horse in ways you could not be honest with yourself.

His favourite part was grooming. Sleipnir would press his nose against his chest and snort, and Loki would stroke his cheek with one hand while the other, clad in the brush, he’d pull down the horse’s neck. It brought him a great deal of peace to do this.

Which is why he didn’t at all appreciate it when he was interrupted by a boy his own age telling him “You’re doing that wrong.“

“This is how Sleipnir likes it,” Loki had said, stubbornly. “I think I know my father’s horse better than some random stablehand.”

The boy had sidled in to stand beside Loki, and to the young prince’s irritation Sleipnir didn’t at all seem to mind.

Looking sideways at him, the youth said with a smirk “What nobles know to do on horses is the same thing they know about everything else, because it’s all they ever do.”

“And what might that be?” Loki played along.

“Sitting.”

That had actually made him laugh. “Did you work that one out a while ago and were just waiting for the right opportunity?”

“Well, to be honest, I’ve used it before; never had the chance to tell a nob themselves, though.”

He’d frowned, it suddenly occurred to him that there had to be a reason this servant thought he could get away speaking thus to the son of a king. “And you figured I was in such a powerless position that you could risk it?”

“Yes. Any complaint you could make about a rude stableboy at this point would likely be seen as you trying to get out of your punishment, or cause further trouble. And it is hardly an offence worth hanging me for; I am the best stableboy you’ve got, and that’s not nothing.”

He reached out a dusky hand and took Sleipnir’s nose from Loki, blowing into it gently. Sleipnir puffed his own breath back in his face with a friendly snort. “I am one of the only people around here the king’s horse likes. And the king probably has a better opinion of his horse’s opinion right now than yours.”

“For a moment, I almost liked you there. Thank you for curing that in such short order,” The prince sniffed.

The stableboy brushed that aside. “It’s impressive how much this horse likes you, despite how badly you brush him.”

“I am not doing it wrong -“

But the youth then materialized a series of different brushes from his belt and spent the next hour lecturing Loki on the use of each one, the order he was meant to go with, and how to untangle the mane and safely comb the tail.

Loki hated being told what to do, but he hated not knowing how to do something even more. So he had listened. At one point, the boy had slipped his hand on top of Loki’s inside the brush to show him the correct amount of force to apply to the brushing. It wasn’t as simple as following the hair. It was about flicking the dust loose, sweeping and much as stroking.

That had been the first time he’d felt it. The smallest flutter, in some gangly, unformed part of himself. A spark that would soon light a shameful flame in the lowest parts of his guts.

But, at the start, there had been no shame.

“My name is Sialfi,” the boy had said.

Loki met him two weeks into a three-month punishment. Oftentimes he wished they’d met sooner, that they’d had that time as well.

But at least they’d had time at all. So much wasted on his part - halting, nervous. Unsure of himself or his feelings. It was near the end that he had at last kissed Sialfi.

Allowed to go riding after a day of hard labour, they’d taken a lonely path long past the boundaries they were meant to stay within. When they’d finally reached a vantage point where they could see the edge of the very planet, they were gasping and sweaty, as were their horses. Manure was still stuck to their boots, a few stray pieces of hay in their hair, and a particularly dogged fly ignored their every attempt to shoo it off.

It only made the kiss all the sweeter.

Sialfi. He could remember the name; he could remember his deadpan sense of humour, often mocking and aloof. He could remember the way the sun used to hit his hair, absorbed by the center but always diffused around the edges, creating a halo about his head.

But he could no longer truly remember his face, or what he had tasted like.

After his discipline was over, Loki found every excuse he could to go to the stables. He went riding often, or would claim to be going elsewhere and slip away. Like this, he managed to have a few more weeks with Sialfi. A few more clandestine kisses. A few more moments where they pressed against each other as they groomed their horses together, hands joined in the brush.

Then had come the day he came to the stable and found Sialfi missing. Sleipnir had been agitated; no-one was soothing him. There was no point in searching the place - Sialfi would never have allowed Sleipnir to be in distress. He’d spoken immediately to the stablemaster. All he would say was that Sialfi was a lucky boy, so very lucky, to have been promoted like that. How unexpected. He was lucky to have met you, the King’s son, and gotten a chance to so impress. Odin himself had asked after him, and next thing you know, along came a chance to squire for the Lord Dagur himself. Of course, Lord Dagur was such an itinerant - never in one place for long, always travelling the Nine and beyond, never in one place for long. Off to Vanaheim already, and likely not to stay there for more than a day after that. He never rested, that Dagur.

But how had Sialfi, a boy from such a low family, managed to catch the eye of Dagur?

He wanted to run to his father’s study right then and there, bang on the door, accuse him - accuse him of what? What could he have said that wouldn’t have admitted…did that mean he knew? Or merely suspected?

What if it were purely chance? Dagur had one of the most magnificent mares in all of creation. Skinfaxi, with her mane of light, twice as many hands as the tallest horse - that would surely have caught Sialfi’s attention. Perhaps he’d taken good care of the beast, as he always did, his affection and talent plain for Dagur to see. And on a whim, the Lord had requested him, and who would Sialfi be to refuse such an honour?

After all, it wasn’t like he and Loki would ever be able to continue as they were. Why would he sacrifice his future for a few more moments with the stringy second prince, risking his life for the simple pleasure of besmirching royalty? Why even risk telling Loki, who might be expected to sabotage everything out of spite?

Perhaps it was as simple as that.

So he had waited. In a few more months, he had brought it up at the end of a family meal when it happened to be just him and father left at the table. Asked casually after that stable boy he’d gone riding with a few times. What had ever happened to him?

“Ah,” Odin had said. “I heard that you were close with that boy. I should have said something sooner. Lord Dagur dropped by quite unexpectedly one day, you know how he is. He needed someone to help with his horse; his last squire got himself kicked in the head, and then fell in love with his nurse. No-one quite wants to volunteer their highborn children to a traveller like Dagur, and few of those are any good with horses. But I recalled you once mentioned your friend and spoke highly of his compassion for Sleipnir, which the stablemaster confirmed. I knew that if he were a friend of yours, Loki, he would be of good temperament and sound mind, nevermind his low birth. Such individuals deserve the chance to rise above their station. When Dagur asked for such a companion during that brief stay of his here - I wonder if you even had a chance to notice, he didn’t even stay for the evening feast - I recommended the lad, though I never did hear if he’d accepted.”

“Oh,” Loki had said.

He had lain awake that night wracking his brain for a memory of having ever mentioned Sialfi to Odin, even off-handedly. Yet he was sure he’d only ever said he wished to go riding and take a companion servant along. Sure he’d kept Sialfi’s name obfuscated.

But perhaps all Odin had to do was ask the stablemaster.

And perhaps Lord Dagur would return soon.

He did. Eventually. Many decades later, when Loki had nearly forgotten what that should mean.

He’d stayed for the feast that time, and when he saw Loki he’d clapped his back and told him what had become of his old friend. “Natural with horses, you’d think he had a centaur for a grandfather! I’ve never had a better squire. That is, until he and my sister’s squire ran off with Skinfaxi and Hrimfaxi’s foal. But knowing your growing reputation, my boy, I should’ve assumed any friend of yours would be a wily one! I almost admire his gumption. I’m glad Odin asked me to take him on, in the end; a foal is a small price to pay after his years of excellent service. Though he’ll truly need her if he ever shows his face around here. Can’t be letting the small folk get away with such behaviour, or we’ll hardly have a single horseshoe between all of us in a century.”

Dagur had wandered off after that, leaving Loki to wonder about what he meant by ‘glad Odin asked me to take him on’.

He never confronted his father about it. Perhaps Dagur had simply meant to imply that Odin had mentioned Sialfi, perhaps asked Dagur to give a lowborn boy a chance he would not otherwise have. Perhaps that was all it meant.

Or perhaps…perhaps his father had known. And sought to protect Loki from himself.

Loki was old enough to hear how people talked of such things now. Old enough to know to bank that hideous flame and quell half his desires. It wasn’t like all of him was bent like this; there were avenues yet that were perfectly acceptable.

Really, he should thank his father.

He should be grateful.

He should.

[hackedmotionsensors]

Mind if I ask you what you didn't like about Thor in IW? Or if you don't want to talk about that, what cake would be a thematic cake you'd design for Loki to go along with Thor's lemon one?

I can answer BOTH of these.  There’ll be spoilers here so I’ll tag that but be careful.

1) i can’t seem to get the cut to work so I’ll put the cheesecake thing up top 

So the cheesecake at Disneyland for Thor was a raspberry cheesecake with a chocolate Mjolnir on top. I would probably do another cheesecake but maybe with a citrus flavor to it. Like a lemon lime cheesecake with green icing on top and a little chocolate Loki helmet on top!!! But I love citrus lol

Okay spoiler filled rant beneath the cut

In Ragnarok you can tell that Taika KNEW a LOT about Thor the comic book character and cared about this character. I mean he was the first one to bring in Immigrant Song as part of his pitch for the movie which is INSANE that no one had thought …..to make Thor about a heavy metal viking in space??? because that’s EVERYTHING that made Thor appealing in the 70s-80s in a sense lol. Hemsworth was tired of playing this TOTALLY under-utilized and under-powered GOD OF THUNDER!!! And of course he’d get bored. If you go back and you look at the Thor movies on their own he’s not even really the main character in his own movies. Jane and Loki are more compelling, more story driven, given more character development and those moments you remember from Thor 1 and 2 are NOT Thor moments. (M&M wrote The Dark World which is why no one outside of die hard Thor fans really like that movie).

Taika and Hemsworth collaborated on Ragnarok. Taika’s main point was that if you’re going to have a movie about Thor he NEEDS to be the best character in the movie. A lot of people loved Ragnarok but there are a lot of people who thought it wasn’t DRAMATIC enough or MEANINGFUL enough but a man who didn’t want to be king, doing the most KINGLY things of protecting his people, sacrificing himself against a colonizing murderer even if he is a part of that family of colonizers. It shows Thor coming into his own as his own character. Taika knew how to use Hemsworth’s humor and is a great comedian on his own. All of Taika’s comedies have these really HEARTFELT moments that make the funny moments much more entertaining because you care so much about them).

Marvel gave up on Thor.  Marvel Studios gave up on Thor. M&M gave up on Thor and the Russos never knew what to do with him anyway. And in a sense I kind of see why someone would fall to the wayside when you have a cast of over thirty heroes to try and be entertaining, give the audience their scenes and have people want to care about them.

When Ragnarok came out it was so under promoted that they were sure that it would flop. It wasn’t until those screeners came back or the reviews came back that people actually cared about it. Because they made an amazing movie. 

Like when everyone’s contract was coming up to end Hemsworth wanted more and that was all Taika and Hemsworth collaborating on this character.

ALL OF THIS WAS THROWN OUT THE WINDOW WHEN THEY STARTED FILMING INFINITY WAR/ENDGAME. 

I’m not gonna spoil endgame but I’ll tag it anyway but these two films were filmed at the same time. Not counting pick ups and retakes. So everything we knew about Thor in this last movie was filmed roughly at the same time as Infinity War.

Hemsworth said in an interview that he really wanted to keep what he and Taika had worked on with Ragnarok. But what are you gonna do? you can’t fight TOO much for that last movie because its the last two movies. Eventually he was convinced on what they were going to do with Thor.

Ragnarok: Thor realizes he’s more than just a weapon. Lighting COMES and flows THROUGH him. Not the Hammer. Mjolnir is what makes him fly but not what summons the lightning. He was referred to as the God of Thunder. That’s WHO HE IS. The previous movies kept emphasizing he’s not a god. Even Odin calls the Asgardians not gods which GOES AGAINST WHAT THEY ARE IN BOTH MYTH AND THE COMICS. Thor had his own humor and it worked because Taika knew how to write Thor and Hemsworth knew what to do to make him funny.

Infinity War: Somehow Thor cannot fight without a new hammer. (Its to sell toys) So lets go on this adventure ELSEWHERE to get a new fucking hammer. And then the Hammer is used ONCE. And then in Endgame he’s completely useless without his hammer??? or Stormbreaker?? Stormbreaker can use the rainbow bridge. Why couldn’t he use it to go get Tony? Granted he didn’t know where Tony was but it makes just as much sense as Captain Marvel finding him. And I absolutely love that scene but ??? Thor has this ability and used it once??? 

Like he has a whole conversation with the guardians and rocket about having to go get a new hammer. Why? WHY? Because he didn’t defeat Thanos? 

But he’s reliant on this weapon AGAIN. Which completely defeats what we learned in Ragnarok. It just seems like they literally didn’t know what to do with Thor because Thor was so powerful. They did the same thing with Vision. That’s why Vision gets nerfed at the beginning of the movie. They LITERALLY said “We had to take Vision out early on because he’s too powerful”

Which is fucking stupid. Because if Vision is so powerful and Thanos fucking wrecks him then THANOS IS NOW MORE POWERFUL THAN VISION. The people who should be able to wreck Thanos without really any issue are Wanda and Captain Marvel because they’re BOTH birthed of Infinity Stones and so is Vision but if he can take out Vision then you have more fear for what he can do to Carol or Wanda. 

Thor is one of the most powerful Avengers in the comics and throughout most of the series he’s just sorta …..really strong.

Taika tried to fix that and the Russos and M&M erased that.

Also.

We had an entire movie that proved that Thor wasn’t a complete buffoon. Thor isn’t supposed to be a Tony Stark or a Reed Richards or even a Black Widow for that matter. But he’s not stupid. Which makes Loki that much more manipulative because he’s constantly tricking Thor (granted he’s had about a thousand years to perfect tricking Thor and a mom who taught him how to be a witch so…yknow)

And there’s nothing wrong with HOW Thor fell into a depression or dealt with trauma. But his trauma wasn’t any different than Cap or Tony really but it was dealt with as a joke. And there’s always something really uncomfortable to me (even tho I did laugh at the jokes because of course I would. They’re framed as jokes and some of them land really well like when he’s asleep in the chair or when he’s telling the tale of Dark World) where being fat is being made to look like a sign of laziness or that being fat is something that in and of itself is funny or how underneath that fat is a really buff man who can take his fat off at any time and as a card carrying fat person I don’t have that ability. 

I like Fat Thor. I do not like that on top of being Fat he was a complete idiot. They took everything he was good at and the humor that Taika and Hemsworth brought to the character and made it a three hour fat joke.

So I’m hoping if he shows up in Guardians or they do get Thor 4 (or Thfour) we get Taika’s involvement again and we get some writing on this character that isn’t belittling. 

So basically I hate that the Russos and M&M didn’t know what to do with this character that we had to wait so long to see actually get shown in a light that wasn’t just “That Blonde Dude with the Hammer”

[sserpente]

In a heartbeat (Chapter 22)

A/N: Heyho there my lovelies! Please keep in mind that starting from chapter 27, there will be spoilers for Infinity War. Warnings will be in place. Have fun reading! ;-)

You insisted on taking the bus after knocking-off time. Ricardo wanted to take you to a restaurant right away, having dinner together before heading to the cinema. Whether it was the urge to take a shower, freshen up a little and make yourself pretty before your date or the fact you wanted to drag this out for as long as possible, you did not know. Perhaps… it was a mixture of both.

After taking a shower that took a lot longer than usual, you were smart enough to apply your make-up before putting on that red blouse and skirt. You would pair them with some black heels and a leather jacket—anything but green. Anything that could remind you of Loki.

Satisfied with your work, you went to grab your hair straightener from the bedroom. Then, you stopped dead in your tracks, however, your eyes widening in shock and your lips parting. There was a man standing in the middle of your bedroom.

“Loki…” This wasn’t real. He was not here. There he stood, leather armour, green cape, raven hair, those curious blue eyes you instantly lost yourself in and a mischievous smirk on his thin lips, right in the middle of your bedroom.

“Am I hallucinating?” You asked him, your eyes filling up with tears. Screw your make-up. Was he an illusion?

Loki shook his head. “You’re not, little minx. I’m here.”

And then, you literally flew into his arms. Hugging him tightly, you let out all of the frustration that had built up in your body over the last four months, right until your strength left your body and you went limp in his arms.

The God of Mischief chuckled.

“How are you?” You asked, excited as you locked eyes with him. Loki returned your glance with surprise.

“How are you?”

“I’m… fine?” I’m fine now, you mutely corrected yourself. This couldn’t be happening. Loki was here, with you, in your very own apartment. Why had he come here? Had he… missed you? As much as you had missed him? You could barely hold back the urge to scream you loved him, right in his face.

“Are you really? Thor told me you might not be all too well since you left us.” So he had been worried? It was true, you hardly ever left the house except for work. Crying and mourning the loss of a love you had never owned had become a part of you ever since your departure.

“I’m okay.” Your smile was weak, yet Loki seemed content with your answer for now. He allowed himself to take a look around.

“So this is your place?”

“Yes. My flat. I was going to live in New York before… well, you know. I… just couldn’t go back there.”

Loki nodded. He understood, of course.

“Why are you here?”

“I came to see you. How you are holding up after your adventures.” You didn’t expect him to ask you for permission when he simply sat down on your bed and tilted his head for you to join him.

This was impossible. Loki was back, he was sitting on your bed! The memories came crushing back, knocking you down like Thor’s hammer. The almost-kiss, the hugs, the tears, the countless nights you had spent cuddled up in bed together…

“Tell me.”

“Oh, well… Tony helped me snatch a job at one of my favourite magazines. It’s great, I love my work.” Loki nodded once more. He seemed genuinely interested. “I might soon be promoted too!”

You bit your lower lip. “What about you? How is… married life?” The sting in your heart when you spoke the words had you flinch, your hatred for Valkyrie returning. For a second, you had almost forgotten she even existed.

The God of Mischief smirked once more. For a moment, it looked like he was going to reach for your hand and hold it. Then, however, he tensed.

“I am not married as of yet.”

The only time you had ever been this relieved was when you had learned Loki had survived Ragnarok.

“You’re not?” You attempted nonchalantly. “How?”

Loki sighed. “Thor suggested it would ease our people if I wedded her. I have been postponing it ever since. I do not love her. I never have. I believe you know this.” He said, a taunting tone audible in his smooth voice. “Ruling is one thing. But even my mother—Frigga—loved Odin dearly.” You understood. It was something he had hoped for himself too. He had tricked Thor yet again. Your heart jumped once more.

Nodding, you smiled at him and suppressed a childish giggle. He didn’t love her! Did that mean… you actually stood a chance? Ha! If only… you were still a mortal, nothing had changed about that.

For a while, neither of you said anything. You sighed as you leaned against him, hugging him once more. The peaceful silence was only ripped away from you when your phone rang.

“Oh. Sorry.”

Rather reluctantly, you stood to pick up. It was Ricardo. Shit. Your date!

“Uh, hello?”

“Hey, (Y/N). Should I come pick you up? The movie starts at nine, there’s still time, of course, but I was just wondering…”

And now what? Dump him? You couldn’t do that. At some point, you had actually been looking forward to this night. But now that Loki had showed up and stirred up your strong feelings for him yet again, it felt… wrong.

No. You should go. Ignoring the butterflies in your belly when you thought of the God of Mischief patiently waiting in your bedroom for you to come back to him. Would he disappear again in a few hours? There was no guarantee Loki had returned to you to prove he loved you. He might not marry Valkyrie… or not yet, at least but if you were a mere friend he thought it would be polite to visit… you were not going to miss out the chance on pulling a decent guy. This was a plausible thing to do, right? No, no, no!

“Oh! That’s… that’s nice, Ric, thank you. Um, can you give me another hour? I’ll call you, okay?”

“No problem. I see you then.” You hung up.

“Who was that?” Loki asked when you turned around, concern and curiosity present on your face. Why was it so hard to tell him?

“That was, um… my date.”

“Your what?” Loki’s face fell. His blue eyes narrowed as he frowned at you.

“I was planning to go out tonight before you showed up. You know—“

“With friends?” He probed.

“No… with a guy. It’s a date. His name is Ricardo, he is one of my co-workers. He is a really nice guy, so I—“

“No.” He said simply, interrupting you harshly.

“Excuse me?”

“You will not go.”

“What?!” You must have been hearing things. You were not exactly keen on going out with another guy either, not now that the man you actually loved was right there in front of you and not impossibly far away, marrying another woman. But this? You might as well go out because of his gruesome reaction.

“You are not going to meet him. How will you know his intentions are honourable?”

Gnashing your teeth, you clenched your fists. Now you were angry. “You’re the one talking about honour, Loki.” Had he forgotten how he had betrayed his own brother? How you had stood up for him, lied for him even? You would have stayed on this godforsaken planet with him if it only meant he was going to be alright—because you loved him. Still, your response was mean. You almost regretted it. After all, he had kept you safe on Sakaar…

Loki did not sound like he cared about you finding someone to spend your life with. Much rather, he seemed… jealous. Oh, absolutely not. This was impossible.

What was he doing? What were you doing? How had you gone from a tearful reunion to a feisty fight this quick? You refused to believe he was jealous. Why would he be? You had hoped for so long Loki would take a romantic interest in you, you were not going to hope in vain again.

“We are not on Sakaar anymore, Loki! I don’t need your permission! I haven’t talked to you in months and now suddenly you show up in my life again, wanting to control it? I won’t have that, fuck you! Who do you think you are?!”

The God of Mischief seemed all but unfazed. His glare was deadly when it met yours. “Your king.”

You blinked, not quite believing his words. Was he serious? Maybe he really was cruel and evil, even if everything inside you screamed he was not. Did he have to take even your last hope? Couldn’t you at least date… and eventually fuck other men to get over him? Apparently, you could not. Loki was relentless. When you stormed off in a rage, attempting to rip open the bedroom door, it wouldn’t budge a smidge despite it being unlocked. Damn his magic.

“You are not leaving.” He repeated. He stood when you took off one of your high heels and threw it at him.

“Open the bloody door!”

Loki dodged it effortlessly, approaching you fast and dangerously. You were about to take off your second heel and throw it but this time, he was quicker. Catching your wrist in mid-air, he made you drop your absurd weapon, snatched your other wrist as well and pressed you against the bedroom door.

Your whole body touched his, his chest rubbing against your hardening nipples. The fabric of your blouse and bra was way too thin. Shit.

A surprised moan escaped your lips when his mouth came crashing down on yours, his lips devouring yours in such a desperate and dominant manner, your knees almost gave in. W-what…?

A/N: Anyone else who was waiting for this?! And it only took them 22 bloody chapters to finally kiss. It’s another mean cliffhanger, I know but I promise it will be worth it. ;-)

[god-of-mischief]

Loki fic idea

I want a fic set during Thor 1 where Lady Sif and the Warriors 3 manage to bring Thor back to Asgard before Loki could use the Destoyer to kill Thor/get his powers back and without Loki killing Laufey and destroying Jotunheim so that an Asgardian Civil War breaks out for the throne. HCs below the cut:

Thor has no real reason to outright attack Loki on sight when he gets home but he does get angry that Loki lied to him (although in the AU Loki could just tell the truth and say that Odin was in the Odinsleep and may never awaken but that Thor still couldn't come home)

However, since Thor hasn't become worthy, he's still somewhat of an arrogant asshole and wants the throne even though he is still mortal

Loki, of course, refuses because Thor is 1) mortal, 2) arrogant, and 3) bloodthirsty. None of which they need when at war with Jotunheim -- a war which Thor started

This rivalry over the throne at a time of war of course raises tensions and people take sides

The younger warriors who trained with Thor, including Sif and the Warriors 3, and grew up hating the Jotunns and wanting to kill them will of course support Thor. I also think the nobles will support him as well because he's terrible at politics and therefore easy to manipulate while Loki is not.

I have a lot of elaborate headcanons for Loki that I want to fit in here. So:

There is a royal spy/assassin ring that only takes orders from the crown and Loki has been training with them for centuries, one of the reasons he doesn't train with the normal warriors. Their sneaky and subtle fighting style suits Loki perfectly, and they encourage magic because they aren't stupid and bigoted. This organization is very secretive and only the highest ranking people know about it. Thor doesn't know because Odin couldn't trust him yet to keep it a secret. Odin would've handled them during the first few years when Thor would have been king until he was ready. Loki, however, was picked out by their leader when he was young cause he saw Loki's potential in sneaky combat and magic. In fact, he was so good that he was promoted to be the leader/captain/whatever after several centuries. Thor and the Warriors 4 have no idea. The spies/assassins definitely take Loki's side with the throne debate.

The Valkyries did not totally die out. They were still mostly killed by Hela and Brunnhilde did escape to Sakaar but there must have been some retired/old Valkyries back in Asgard. So they decided to rebuild the order and by Loki's time, they were back to their formal glory. Because of their elite warrior status and sneaky fighting styles (as seen by Brunnhilde and her knives) they work closely with the spy/assassin ring. Since Loki is genderfluid, I also see her training with the Valkyries and the tattoo only shows on her female form. This is not quite as big a secret but it's not talked about much. Thor and the Warriors know but they don't really make the connection that Loki is an elite warrior of Asgard. The Valkyries definitely take Loki's side.

I see Loki as hating the greedy and power-hungry aristocrats and preferring the common people of Asgard. While Thor is the warrior prince, Loki is the prince of the people. There are a lot of headcanons about Loki going to schools and orphanages and such. I also see him advocating for greater representation for the people and for equal rights for women and male sorcerers since he is also a minority. Loki also helps repair the damage in the taverns where Thor and the Warriors visit. So the common people definitely support Loki. This is interesting cause while they outnumber everyone else, they don't have as much power. However, the blacksmiths are in charge of supplying weapons and armor so they can make a difference.

The magicians guild also supports Loki. Thor has constantly belittled magic, along with his supporters, and they do not like that. They would love to have a king that understands and supports them.

The older generation of warriors who fought in Jotunheim, maybe or maybe not including General Tyr, would probably support Loki since they have actually experienced war and do not want to experience war again. Thor being king would certainly lead to war while Loki has a greater chance of solving it peacefully, or of using his strategic intelligence to minimize loss of life and end the war quickly instead of Thor's strategy of run in and start killing.

There would also be the debate in some people whether they are loyal to the throne no matter who sits on it or whether they are more loyal to one of the brothers (*cough* Heimdall *cough*) But I think that Heimdall would chose to support Thor based on his actions in the movie.

Frigga, of course, is heartbroken and knows that she could end this and take the throne but she can't leave Odin's side because her magic and her connection to Odin are the only things keeping him from dying in the sleep (insert fancy wording for soul becoming lost). She debates with herself because she needs to stay in order to try and get Odin to wake up faster and end this but if he doesn't wake then she may have to let him die in order to end the fighting. She personally doesn't think Thor is ready for the throne, especially with him being stupid enough to demand it while mortal and disowned, but she doesn't let the public, or either of her sons, know this.

Another debate within some of Thor's followers is that while they really want to support him, he is mortal and therefore weak. But some of them just say the hell with it, he's Thor, he's invincible even when mortal.

Loki, of course, is still internally freaking out because of his revealed heritage. He is having an internal debate where he knows that for the good of Asgard, Thor can't have the throne but a Frost Giant shouldn't be king cause they are monsters. All of his "friends" have deserted him for Thor, which further hurts them because while he knew they favored Thor, he had still thought of them as his friends. He is hurt the most by Thor though because of his brother's lack of faith in his ability to rule.

Thor views Loki as trying to take away his glory and his birthright. He doesn't think of Loki as a warrior and therefore shouldn't be king while at war. He still loves his brother, but their relationship is going to be permanently soured by this.

During this time, Jotunheim has been preparing for war. They have probably received rumors somehow of the chaos in Asgard (shape shifting Jotunn spies???) and are waiting for the fighting to begin and end so that they can attack when Asgard is at it's weakest. Laufey also really wants to kill Thor while he is mortal, possibly sending shape shifting assassins after him.

Loki's spy ring received word of this so he assigns some of them to secretly protect Thor even though they are fighting cause he doesn't want his brother to die.

I'm not sure if I want the fighting to actually begin and end with a Victor, begin but be stopped by an awakened Odin in the middle of fighting, or be stopped by Odin right before the fighting could start.

If they do fight, the Warriors 4 will have a very hard time convincing Thor not to join in cause he is mortal. He is not happy about this. Because of this, he is unable to direct them when they fight Loki, cause of course they go after him.

They still see Loki as a traitor and an usurper so they try to kill him. While Loki has the magical and assassin combat skills to fight them, it's hard cause it's 4:1, he's still hurting over their betrayal, he knows Thor will never forgive him, and despite their betrayal they were his friends and he doesn't actually want to kill them. So yeah it's a tough fight. I want Loki to win and have them locked up in the dungeon, but also for him to be seriously hurt and trying to hide it from everyone and trying to stay strong.

Thor is very surprised that Loki didn't kill them. In his mind, he made Loki the enemy and so mainly remembers his worst qualities and his animosity with the Warriors 4. Loki's mercy helps reverse that somewhat.

For the fighting, the assassins kidnap the leaders of the resisting warriors to weaken the command structure, but not Thor for plot reasons. The common people refuse to supply Thor's men with weapons/armor/food so they are weakened. The Valkyries as elite warriors can take down the Einherjar easily but they really don't want to destroy the entirety of Asgard's military so they do their best to knock them out and take them as prisoners of war but, of course, there are casualties.

There's a big final battle between what's left of Thor's forces and the Valkyrior, the assassins, the older warriors, and the town's people who took up arms. Loki's troops outnumber Thor's and he wins. When Thor and Loki finally face each other after all this time, I imagine Thor as angry and betrayed while Loki is sad, disappointed and betrayed (and scared cause once Thor learns he's a Frost Giant and gets his powers back he is dead -- "I'll hunt down the monsters and slay them all").

At this moment, Odin wakes and he and Frigga interrupt Thor's shouting match at Loki while two Valkyries hold him down. Odin is pissed. At Thor for defying his orders and starting a civil war, and at Loki for not being able to resolve it peacefully (Loki can never be perfect in Odin's eyes). However, he is far more pissed at Thor.

Loki at this point collapses from previously mentioned serious injury and Thor turns back into worried, but still pissed, older brother.

The rest of Thor's troops, including Heimdall, are put in the dungeons to be dealt with later. Thor is put under house arrest and cannot leave his room due to a magical barrier put up by Frigga, who is also pissed at Thor.

Loki almost dies, but does recover. While he does so, Odin and Frigga actually sit down and talk with Thor about his unacceptable behavior. He is on his way to learning his lesson, but not there quite yet. In this conversation he is also told of Loki's heritage. Thor is horrified, but not because his brother is a Frost Giant (although he does have some issues with that, centuries of racism don't disappear in one night) but because of the lies that have been told to Loki his whole life and the fact that he was dealing with this on his own while also having to fight his brother in a civil war.

When Loki wakes up, there is a long conversation with him, Odin, and Frigga about his heritage and his place in the family. Cue mental breakdown from all the stress and self-hatred. Odin realizes what a terrible father he has been and vows to fix it.

Laufey is pissed because he missed his shot due to Odin waking and the Asgardian spies subtly ruining his plans in hilarious ways behind the scenes. Throw some humor in there to relive the angst. Odin sends a diplomatic party down there to end the war peacefully. As Asgard can't afford a war right now, they have to give up the Casket. However, they did secretly enchant it so it can't be used as a weapon (insert complicated spell here).

When Loki is well enough, he and Thor have a much needed conversation that is very emotional. Loki wanted to avoid this as long as possible but Frigga basically dragged him by the ear. It is very emotional, and Thor has had some revelations about his dismissive behavior towards Loki while he was healing so he is not pissed anymore. Loki is super frickin nervous about his heritage reveal, and while Thor is uncomfortable with it, he still accepts his brother. So they make up, but there still is an underlying tension that may never go away.

After this, Thor is sent back to Earth to finish learning his lesson, where SHIELD is all over him cause they realize he's an alien. They tell him how they protect the earth so he decides to join them. He then works with Steve Rogers a lot on missions and meets Tony Stark. Hilarious drinking competitions and contests to see who can get a date the fastest at bar begin. Thor wins. Always.

On Earth, Thor learns about racism, sexism, and homophobia which are all problems in Asgard. He learns how to accept those who are different and how to implement reform in Asgard. The moment when he accepts this is when he becomes worthy and gains his powers back.

During his time on Earth before he gained his powers back, Loki had been visiting frequently and so has introduced himself to SHIELD and the members of the not-yet-formed Avengers. They appreciate his talent for strategy and subtlety, especially his magic abilities. Let's just say Loki loves Midgardians. He loves pranking them even more though.

When Thor is welcomed back to Asgard the heir issue is brought up again. To immediately make Thor the heir again would be very insulting to Loki, plus Thor still isn't ready to be king since he probably didn't pay attention in his politics class and doesn't know much about being a king besides starting wars.

So Loki remains the heir, but since he much prefers leading the spy ring to being king, he makes a deal with Odin that he will help Thor learn politics so that several decades/centuries in the future Loki will publicly hand over the title of heir to Thor so that he will be king.

Heimdall is relieved of his post and his powers (which I headcanon to come from the Soul Stone which has yet to be revealed) are transferred to either one of the Valkyries or one of the spies. Heimdall is executed for treason (seriously he committed it like 3 times: he allowed them to go to Jotunheim and start a war, he allowed the Warriors 4 to retrieve Thor, and he joined a coup to try and overthrow Loki). The Warriors 4 should have been executed as they committed treason just as much, but they didn't have positions as important as Heimdall's and they were following their prince the first time. Also, Thor and Loki advocated for them (further surprising the Warriors 4 and making them feel guilty for hating him). However, they are dismissed from military service with dishonorable discharge and banished from Asgard. (Meaning they live when Asgard is destroyed by Hela in the future)

There are too many warriors who supported Thor to be banished or executed so they are freed but are put on heavy probation, heavily fined, and are on house arrest indefinitely which is enforced by magic.

After a few months of Thor being back in Asgard, Amora or Lorelei (or some Asgardian somewhat villain that the princes used to know) appears on Earth with the scepter in place of Loki in the Avengers. Thor and Loki both go down to Earth and join the Avengers and take her down.

Cue the rest of the Marvel series but tweaking Loki's role a bit so it works out with the AU.

The end. This was a lot longer than I originally thought. I would write this, but I don't have time so if anybody does want to write this, please tag me.

[anavantgardener]

Frost and Mischief Ch. 3

Summary: In this, the third chapter of Frost and Mischief, Elska settles into her new role as Lady in Waiting.

Pairing: OC x Loki Laufeyson

Warnings: fluff???

Word Count: 2,700, a short one!

-----

An Apology Overdue

Prince Loki burst out laughing as King Odin's face reddened. Poor Prince Thor had no clue as to how to respond to his mother's statement. Elska herself nearly dropped to her knees in pure delight.

Me, a lady in waiting for the queen of the Nine Realms, she was overjoyed.

"My queen," the All-father stuttered out. "What benefits could this possibly bring to the royal family, to the city of Asgard as a whole? She does not even bear Asgardian blood!"

"First of all, she is clearly quite gifted with magic," Queen Frigga waved her hand towards Elska, who was finally coming back to reality. "With training, who knows what she could do. She has the potential to be one of the greatest Masters of Magic the Nine Realms have ever seen."

"Mastery of magic is not all one needs to be a productive member of society, let alone the palace" the king huffed.

"Technically," Prince Thor gave a large, oblivious smile to his father. "She has been a productive member of the palace. She knows just how I like my tea. None of the palace staff get that right."

The queen gave a happy nod to her oldest.

Two members of the royal family on my side, very nice indeed. Elska raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, but as a lady in waiting she would not be waiting on you anymore, boy," King Odin glowered. His face was becoming rather like a strawberry.

"Additionally," the queen began again. "Dear Elska is quite learned in the history of the Nine Realms, courtesy of myself."

The king's brow furrowed before Queen Frigga continued.

"She's trained in magic, she has already proven her dedication to both the palace and the royal family, and she knows the history of our entire kingdom like the back of her hand," the queen stated. "A bit of etiquette training and she will be a perfect member of the Asgardian court."

It was getting harder and harder for the king to say no. He loved his wife, and as much as he truly despised Elska's heritage, he knew the queen was fond of her. She was a valued companion, and very practically a daughter to his wife.

"My king, if I may," Elska knew how she needed to play this. She curtsied, head bowed. "I know this palace better than any of the other servants and palace staff. I can train them, even train someone to take my place before I would fully take the position of the queen's lady in waiting. If it be your will, I may spend the remainder of the week training a servant to fill my position while also preparing myself for my new role."

Looking to his wife and then back to the girl standing before him, King Odin began shaking his head. His decision was made.

"I would not even know who to choose to take your place," he said, rubbing his temples before continuing. "Perhaps you have an idea?"

Elska's face lit up. She knew just the girl for the job.

"Indeed I do," she smiled. "Eira Bjorndotter."

*****

Heading back to the dwelling that night, Elska could hardly contain her excitement. She had never been so happy in all her life. She decided she would take the long way home so as to enjoy the moment as long as she could.

As she was walking through the palace gardens, Prince Loki suddenly seemed to materialize out of the rose bushes Elska was passing.

"Hello, there," he greeted her with a smile as she jumped.

"My prince," she curtsied, catching her breath. "Do you often walk the gardens at night, appearing out of thin air and scaring passers by?"

"Only for a special few," Prince Loki held his hands behind his back as he fell in step with her. "I wanted to congratulate you on your new position."

"Thank you, my prince, but first there is something that I believe is overdue," Elska stopped to face him. She curtsied again. "I must apologize to you. What I said to you upon our last meeting was cruel and inappropriate. I am forever grateful to you for keeping the incident from your father."

As the words left her mouth, it was like a final weight had lifted off her chest, and now, everything was right with the world.

With a pensive look, Prince Loki gestured to a bench nearby. The two sat down, looking out at the beautiful view. From their seat, they could see where the clear night sky met the tops of the houses in the upper district. Below the horizon, flower bushes dotted their view like constellations of their own.

"In all honesty, there is nothing to apologize for," he said, turning to look at her. "Each word you spoke was true. I could not understand what it is like to come from that area of life."

He paused, and in his thoughtfulness was a sort of beauty. Elska admired the peace that his features took on when the young prince sat in pondering silence.

"In the moment, I was quite flustered," Prince Loki continued. "I felt angry, but I was also puzzled by the point you had made. I spend so much time sulking in my studies, surrounded by knowledge and vast education that I continuously soak up, yet never once have I thought that anyone might not be privy to that sort of learning."

"I think it only natural for people to find themselves honed in on their own way of life," Elska said after a moment. "In time, each person comes to realize that there is an infinite number of other ways people live that must be accounted for. What matters is what we do with that information. We can sit, denying or even resenting it, maybe both. Or, we can embrace it and open our minds to the idea that we can always help, no matter who we are and what we can do."

Elska leaned back and closed her eyes, soaking in the moonlight, and for the first time, Prince Loki gazed upon the beauty she truly was. Snowy, pale skin sharply contrasted by her curled auburn locks. Her curved figure was aglow in the light from the starry sky. The corners of her pink lips turned up in delight at the cool evening air blowing through the garden.

"You are quite different from the other servants, my friend," he noted, looking back to the sky.

"Oh?" Elska giggled. "How so?"

"You are thoughtful, smart," he said. "You seem to know the truth of the world before anyone else does."

"I do not think that makes me so different from the rest of the servants," she replied, earning a quizzical look from the prince. "I think you simply know me better than you know the rest of the servants."

"A fair point," he smirked.

"So," Elska glanced over to Prince Loki. "We are friends?"

He stood, looking down at the mischievous woman.

"For the time being, I suppose," he said before vanishing into thin air.

*****

When Eira heard the news, she could hardly believe it. Her best friend had been made lady in waiting for Queen Frigga, and she herself would be getting a promotion of sorts, as well.

"Are you quite sure you didn't dream the whole thing?" she asked, a look of bewilderment decorating her face.

"I am quite sure, indeed, my dear friend," Elska laughed. "You and I will both be in the palace."

"When do you move to the palace? Shall we start packing your things tomorrow?" Eira sat on the small cot next to her friend.

"Why would I be packing my things?" Elska looked confused. "I'm not leaving the dwelling."

"Past ladies in waiting have stayed in the palace," she looked as if the idea were the most normal thing in the Nine Realms.

Elska had not really paid much mind to any past ladies in waiting. Generally they didn't stay very long; the queen did better on her own, just having the general palace servants and staff tend to her when she needed it.

"I suppose," Elska stuttered, a sudden wave of anxiety settling over her. "I suppose I will have to ask tomorrow."

"Why does it bother you so?" It was Eira's turn to be confused. "It's quite the upgrade from this place."

"This is my home," Elska began. "It has been for almost a millennia. These people have watched me grow, they've accepted me from the start. Moving into the palace, it's a different way of life entirely. They're going to train me to act differently, to be proper in front of the Asgardian court." She almost scoffed. "What fun is that?"

The two friends shared a laugh before Eira placed her hand on Elska's.

"My advice to you, never forget from where you came," she smiled at the nervous girl. "Besides, I will be there everyday to keep you in check. And you will come visit, I am sure."

This will be good, Elska thought to herself. Living in the palace will be good, right?

*****

Elska had seemingly been constantly busy the past four days. From tending to her duties, to Eira shadowing her every movement, to small training sessions with the entirety of the servants, to her own lady in waiting training, her days felt like years. She found herself trudging home, eating only some bread and cheese, and falling to her bed, face in the pillow.

She had yet to even start packing, and the anxiety of getting it all done was moving closer and closer to the forefront of her mind. Thor (he refused to allow her to call him "prince" now that she was officially working with the family so closely) had shown her to her new chambers on her first day of training. Elska could barely believe that she'd be living here. Having her own bathing chambers amazed her, not to mention the size of the bed. Queen Frigga had even seen to it that Elska had her own fully-stocked bookshelf.

Funnily, Elska had yet to see the queen since the day she named her lady in waiting. Thor believed she was working hard to ready Elska's formal lessons.

Day five of preparation was the last; tomorrow morning, Elska would be moving into the palace and officially relinquishing her position to Eira.

She will do well, Elska thought to herself. Likely even better than I ever did. She smiled to herself as she made her way to the Royal Library to meet Eira and begin their morning cleaning. As she turned a corner, she nearly ran into the queen.

"Elska!" Queen Frigga exclaimed, a surprised smile on her face.

"Good morning, my queen," Elska curtsied, excited to finally see the matronly figure again. "How do you fare this morning?"

"Quite well indeed, my dear," the queen replied. "Your speech is changing. It is more formal."

"Yes, my etiquette teachers have informed me that it is the way the Asgardian Court speaks," Elska blushed a bit, embarrassed. "They say I will need to speak as such, also, if I plan to be a successful lady in waiting."

"Well," Queen Frigga placed a gentle hand on the young woman's face. "I look forward to gracing the Asgardian Court with you by my side."

"Always the voice of encouragement," Elska grinned. "I have been meaning to thank you, my queen, for the bookshelf in my chambers."

"I do believe that was Prince Loki's idea," she held a sly grin. "My son seems to have noticed which books you tended to borrow."

Wiggling her eyebrows, the queen began walking away, leaving Elska in a strange silence. The new lady in waiting resumed her short trip to the library, feeling slightly giddy now. Perhaps Prince Loki would be there, and she could thank him.

As she entered, she found herself alone, not even Eira had arrived yet. Looking around the room, she found the sundial.

I suppose I am a tad bit earlier than usual, Elska realized, slightly disappointed. She began tidying up, straightening things up. Moving from desk to desk, she picked up various books and returned them to their home shelves. She always wondered how books ended up out and about when the only soul who seemed to venture into the Royal Library was Prince Loki. Hopefully, she'd be able to add her name to the room's list of visitors soon.

Walking over to the prince's study desk, Elska picked up notes that had fallen and tried to set them on the desk so they wouldn't interrupt whatever process he had spread across the table at the moment. It was always a continuous stream of notes and open books, quills and ink scattered in between. Every now and again, a crumb-covered plate sat atop one of Prince Loki's book stacks.

"I am so sorry, Elska," Eira marched into the room, looking a bit flustered. "I got distracted preparing breakfast for the children in the dwelling."

Pulled from her thoughts, Elska looked over to her best friend.

"It's quite alright, I had barely begun cleaning," she laughed at Eira. "Here, I will show you what books go where."

As she reached for Prince Loki's discard pile, Eira reached for one of the prince's in-use piles. Elska reached out, just about to say something when another voice beat her to it.

"Not those," for what seemed like the hundredth time, Prince Loki appeared out of nowhere. "Books on this desk are currently in use." He held a tight-lipped, fake smile; hiding his frustration never seemed to be something the prince excelled at.

"The prince puts his discard pile on this desk," Elska said gently, struggling to gesture toward the desk next to her while holding a pile of books in her arms.

"Of course, my apologies," Eira's face turned beet red as Elska smiled at the new palace servant, trying to reassure her. "It will not happen again, my prince."

Elska, hoping to keep Eira away from the same wrath she had once earned from Prince Loki, moved the conversation forward and away from the situation.

"Shall we take your plates to the kitchen, my prince?" Elska curtsied, sending a sideways glance at Eira to do the same.

As the two women awaited his reply, Prince Loki kept his focus on Elska. She looked tired, overwhelmed, and even scared. He thought back upon the day all those years ago when he had shouted at her for completely cleaning off his desk. He had thrown a book at her, but even then she was too swift for him. Now, he felt a strange regret for that moment, and seeing her in this moment, he even worried for how she was feeling.

Noticing he was extending the silence, Prince Loki washed the look of confusion from his face.

"Yes, please," he nodded, allowing the women to rise from their curtsy.

Elska motioned for Eira to pick up the plates as she quickly returned the books. For a brief second, Elska and Prince Loki's eyes met, and a quick agreement to speak later was made.

The two women gave a short, final curtsy to the prince before leaving the Royal Library.

Watching them go, the prince sat at his desk, placing his head in his hands. Feeling another twinge of guilt run through him, the confusion toward his feelings settled in once again.

*****

"There isn't even that much to pack, Elska," Eira threw one of her aprons at her pouting friend.

"I do not care," she crossed her arms and dramatically fell onto her bed. "It is effort and I have no more effort to give."

Eira scoffed, placing a hand over her heart and feigning sympathy.

"That is quite rude, you know," Elska giggled.

"Everything is going to be okay," Eira walked over and sat next to her friend, wrapping her in a hug. "We will finish packing tonight and break open that bottle of wine you took from the palace those months ago."

Elska gave an appreciative glance to Eira.

"That does sound quite wonderful," she said, standing and throwing her few belongings into her two bags.