All Hail The King // Loki - Book 2 ✓

Chapter 25

LOKI RECOVERS QUICKLY after the ship bounces into the ground in Svartalfheim, realm of the Dark Elves. Soon the craft is back in the air, flying through the remnants of a long dead civilization - aside from Malekith and his desperate vestige of the fallen race. Anna sits next to him, her eyes wide as she takes in the dark and desolate planet.

"It's like a graveyard," she whispers. "The entire world is like this?"

Loki nods solemnly, "They sought to plunge the Nine Realms back into darkness, and Bor fought them well. When it became clear that the Asgardian forces were winning, Malekith ordered a suicidal attack. Ships dropped from the sky destroying everything in their path, including the Dark Elves."

"He massacred his own people? And for what?" Anna asks.

"A cause," Loki replies bitterly, thinking of his own attempt to slaughter the Jotunn. "Do you think him a monster?"

Her eyes grow wide as she takes in the loaded question, turning to Loki with remorse etched over her face. He'd told her about his history with Odin. Between the nightmares and the torture sessions at the hands of Restitution, his voice was the only balm to her torment. Given a willing audience, he had opened up to her with little reservation.

"You're not like him, Loki," she says, placing a gentle hand on his arm.

They fall silent, as Loki is unwilling to argue with her. Too many times he's called himself a monster, and no matter how hard Anna tries, she can't seem to convince him otherwise. At this point, her best course of action is to prove it to him through actions rather than words. He's spent his entire life being told of the atrocities of the Frost Giant. Raised to fear and hate them, like much of the Asgardian race, it is no surprise that he was horrified to discover the origins of his own birth.

He bristles in the awkward silence, watching as Thor tends to Jane as she sleeps. Of course he's just as bad as Malekith. His guilt eats away at him, his failure to prove himself to Odin, to Frigga - even to Thanos. The thought of Frigga pushes up too many unwanted emotions, so he grits his teeth to steel himself once more.

Anna's proximity is overwhelming, and - were it not for his grip on the steering of the ship - he would gladly take her in his arms once more. Thankfully, he is unable to do so. He shouldn't have allowed himself that moment of weakness. Not that she isn't worth loving, on the contrary. She is worth more than he could ever provide. Rather than allow himself to become used to her nearness, he reminds himself that it is fleeting. It cannot and it will not last.

It's for her own good, he reminds himself.

"What I could do with the power that flows through those veins," he says wistfully, turning to watch Thor dote on Jane.

Thor sighs, "It would consume you."

"She's holding up alright," Loki replies grimly. "For now."

"She's strong in ways you'd never even know," his brother replies, sitting back to face Loki.

Glancing sadly at Anna, Loki leans forward to speak softly to Thor, "Say goodbye."

"Not this day," Thor says firmly.

"This day, the next. A hundred years, it's nothing," Loki scoffs, venom lacing his words in a way that neither he nor Anna expected. She stiffens next to him, and he stands, his voice wavering slightly, "It's a heartbeat. You'll never be ready. The only woman whose love you prized will be snatched from you."

"And will that satisfy you?" Thor asks angrily.

Loki replies without missing a beat, "Satisfaction is not in my nature."

"Surrender is not in mine," Thor retorts.

Bitterly, Loki shakes his head, "Son of Odin."

Thor stands, bringing himself to his full height as he regards his brother. Pain is written all over his fair features, his blue eyes dark with worry. Anna wants to say something, to intervene, but the brothers are speaking in a way that she believes they have not in a while. After Loki discovered his heritage, he deeply resented Thor, but the feeling was not mutual. His bitterness has eaten away at his heart, and now - although it is poorly timed - he is able to express it. Thankfully, Thor is having none of it. He loves his brother, that much is true, but he clearly hurts. His pain isn't simply for Jane or Frigga. It's for Loki as well.

"No, not just of Odin," Thor thunders. "You think you alone were loved of Mother? You had her tricks, but I had her trust."

"Trust?" Loki hisses, his green eyes glistening as they fill with angry tears. "Was that her last expression? Trust? When you let her DIE?"

Thor frowns, "What help were you in your cell?"

"Who put me there?" Loki spits back before roaring, "WHO PUT ME THERE?"

"You know damn well," Thor shouts back, grasping Loki and shoving him back against the side of the ship. "You know damn well who!"

Anna jumps up to grab the ship's steering mechanism, watching with horror as Loki struggles against his older brother. His wrists are bound in front of him, preventing him from fighting against Thor fully, but she knows that he could still inflict damage if he wished it. Thor's face is contorted with anger, his fist raised to strike Loki with a heavy blow, but he hesitates when he recognizes the look on Loki's face.

Guilt. 

His green eyes are wide with expectation not with fear. He wants Thor to do this, to lose himself in rage over Frigga's death, as some sort of twisted penance for their mother's death. She had been brokenhearted by Loki's actions on Midgard, constantly hoping that the son she had raised and loved - still loved, would return to her. Both of them knew she never gave up hope, and Loki suffered all the more for it. He's furious with Odin, furious with Thor, but beyond everything else...he's furious with himself.

"She wouldn't want us to fight," Thor says, releasing him.

In that moment, Loki's gaze softens. Thor is right. Frigga loved both of them, encouraged the brothers to be the best of friends despite their differences. Of course, they often bickered - especially given Thor's predilection for battle and for earning Odin's approval - but the bond between them had always been strong. That was Frigga's doing. She wouldn't want them to fight.

"Well, she wouldn't exactly be shocked," he says with a sad smile, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

Thor chuckles, "I wish I could trust you."

Turning, Thor moves back toward Jane. Anna bites her lip, watching for Loki to meet her gaze but he does not. He takes a moment, swallowing his emotions, and straights. His eyes are filled with determination and his jaw is set as he steps toward Thor, regarding his brother carefully.

"Trust my rage," he says resolutely.

Now playing: "Blood" by Algiers.

*****
AUTHOR'S NOTE

This chapter hit me right in the feels. Vote + comment! 

Thank you to everyone who wished me a happy birthday yesterday. I was so overwhelmed with all of the love and support I got from wonderful Wattpad readers. You're all wonderful!

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