To Have Loved Then Lost (LokixOc)

New Duties

Loki silently put me down, neither of us breaking eye contact from Sif or the warriors.
"My friends." He smiled, trying to divert their attention.
"What is this?" Sif asked. Loki cleared his throat and sat back down in the throne.
"Due to Thor's absence and my father needing bed rest, the weight of the crown has fallen to me." Sif shot a look between us with the others couldn't decide where to look.
"What is this?!" She gestured to us both.

Loki and I made brief eye contact. I don't think there was any use denying it. They saw what they saw.
"You don't need to worry." I promised them, assuming they already made countless connections and theories in their heads. "We assure you that this won't get in the way of important matters."
"Where's Odin?" Hodun asked as if he hadn't heard what I just said.
"Father has fallen to Odinsleep... Mother fears he may never awaken again." This was the first I heard of this.
"Then we will speak with her." Sif marched to the throne.
"She refuses to leave my father's bedside. You can bring your urgent matter to me." Loki rose from his seat and thrust his staff on the floor. "Your King."

The four of them looked between each other before giving in their protests and kneeling before him, saluting their hands over their hearts.
"My King. We ask that you end Thor's banishment." Sif bowed. I looked over at Loki whose expression remained unchanged. I forgot he now had the power to do that. But would it be a good idea? Loki said it himself that he was arrogant and reckless. Would someone like him be wise to have around during a time like this? Odin's command was the we could return when he was worthy. His continued absence meant he hadn't achieved that yet. I did worry about him.

"My first command cannot be to undo the Allfather's last." Loki chuckled. "We're on the brink of war with Jötunheimr. Our people need a sense of continuity in order to feel safe in these difficult times." That was a valid point, but I doubted they would accept it and I could see in on Sif's face.
"We must all stand together for the good of Asgard." I added.

Sif's doubt turned to anger and couldn't resist lunging at us. I flinched and stepped back but she was restrained by Fandral.
"Yes, of course." Fandral nodded.
"Good. Then you will wait for my word."
"If I may," Volstag spoke up. "I beg the indulgence of Your Majesty to perhaps reconsider_"
"We're done." Loki shut him up sternly and I was taken a little aback.

The warriors and Sif had nothing more to say. Feeling defeated, they turned back and walked outside. Sif was the most irked as she lingered behind the longest of the four. Her expression was a mixture of frustration for Loki and betrayal for me. She then turned her back to us and followed the warriors out.

"You could have been more gentle." I suggested, breaking the silence.
"I would have liked to, but they needed to know my decision was final." He removed his helmet, placing it on one of the throne's armrests and leaving his staff leaned against it.
"I can't help but shake the feeling I betrayed them." I sighed.
"For being with me?"
"For helping you at all, really. You being King sounds like their worst nightmare. They don't like it when I defend you. Sif, especially." I answered him and he took my hand.
"I hope you take comfort in knowing that I feel honoured you've done so."
"My pleasure." I smiled, looking up at him.

"Back into the subject of War, I doubt you'll like it, but I think the best course of action now would be to speak to Laufey in person. Perhaps a new king would cause him to reconsider." What better time to try out my advising skills than the present. Though, knowing about Loki's true origins and his feelings towards it, I expected him to argue.
"I'm glad you think that because I already made arrangements to visit him later today. I hope to agree on some middle-ground at least." He said which happily surprised me.
"And what of Thor?"
"I'll try to visit him if possible. If not, I can always send down one of my illusions in my stead."
"Good, let me know how he's doing." I smiled, excited to hear some news about him. "And if he's any closer to getting Mjölnir back."

"Then I shall see you later tonight." He smiled and kissed me on the cheek. "Would you be so kind as to keep Mother company while I'm gone? She's in Father's chambers."
"Oh, um," I looked to the door that lead to where he said. "Are you sure that's okay? I've never been in allowed there before."
"If anyone find an issue, say I approved it. And I'm sure Mother would appreciate it more than she wouldn't." He assured me.

I took his word for it and made my way to Odin's chambers after Loki mounted his horse and had ridden down the rainbow bridge. Two guards stood outside Odin's door. They didn't seem to want to stop me, but they were giving me side glances, making me hyper aware of their thoughts.
"...Loki allowed me to be here." I said quietly. Their expressions didn't change, but they took their gaze away from me.

I knocked the door lightly and spoke up, "Your Majesty, it's Thyra. May I come in?"
"You may." She answered me. I cautiously opened the door to an otherwise dark room if not for Odin's glowing, golden bed where he slept. A shield of some kind domed around him that I assumed was for healing as Frigga was perfectly capable of holding his hand. I quietly closed the door behind me and sat on Odin's right side.
"Loki said you could use the company while he talks with Laufey." I said.
"I'm grateful." She smiled back at me, rubbing her husband's hand with her thumb. "He's goes into Odinsleep every so often... but he's been putting this one off for so long, it's weakened him." I hear her sobs and sniffles between her words. "I fear he'll never wake up again."

I wasn't sure what to say, so I just sat in silence. Odinsleep looked a lot like regular sleep, but in Frigga's eyes, he was already gone. I don't her blame for grieving like she does even though he's not really dead. If this happened to Loki or even Thor, I'd be inconsolable.

"So much has happened in such a short amount of time." I finally broke the silence.
"Indeed." She nodded before looking up at me. "Has Loki told you?"
"He told me what happened in the vaults, yes. And about where he came from." I answered her. She sniffled and wiped her eyes with her free hand.
"We only wanted to protect him from the truth.  He's our son and we never wanted him to feel different." While I understood their reasoning, I strongly disagreed. They may have meant otherwise, but their secret-keeping ended up being their source of Loki's insecurities. But I held my tongue. This was not the time nor place to argue.

"He might be angry with his father right now, but take it from me that he loves you very much." I tried lifting her spririts. What I said was true, there were many occasions of Loki expressing to me how much he loved her. I even offered to call him Friggason as a joke which he seemed to like.