Frozen soul

Chapter 68

I DON'T OWN PICTURE

Chara ride next to Loki at behind the group. Kiba run easily next to them. Chara feel hers and Loki's nerves tighten while palace come closer. Loki squeeze reins knuckles white. Chara force herself to look calm. People has surrounded their path. They ride slower in town. Chara hear how people cheer on Thor, some even greeted Loki. She detect some spiteful and angry comments toward him too. She has to grit her teeth hard together so she won't yell to them. Loki has his indifferent mask on. Chara feel how he has started to build his walls back on what has came down in time with her. Chara didn't want anything more than to reach toward him and assure that everything will be okay. But she couldn't do that. And it hurt.

Finally they come in palace's yard. Chara easily slide down from saddle and Kiba immediately rush to her side. She gently pet his head. Someone clear their throat. They turn to look at him. "Allfather wait you in throne room." Manservant announce and start to lead them. Chara walk beside Loki and Kiba walk on her other side. "We will be fine." She whisper to Loki before they step though doors. There is only two people. Chara test that her illusion barrier is still tightly on. She walk beside Loki. Thor walk closest and bow to Odin, same as Loki. Chara give him as small curtsy as possible and keep her eyes on floor so she won't start to yell at him immediately. She dared only glance at the couple when they entered. 

"Thor." Woman greet him warmly and hug him. "Mother." He answer with smile. Then Frigga walk toward Loki. "Loki." She greet him, her voice is full of love. "Frigga." Odin command and she stop. She glance sadly at Loki before walking back to her place. Chara feel the hurt, anger and grief radiating from Loki and she squeeze her nails in her palm hard, trying to control herself.

"Thor, my son. I have heard only praise about you form Midgard. You bring glory and honor to Asgard." Odin praise him. "Thank you father. I try to do my best for that." Thor answer humbly. Odin glance at Loki. "I take that it is because of you that my orders aren't followed." "Not entirely father. As you remember, you made a pact with SHIELD in Midgard that they send a guard with Loki in here. They felt that your order question their skills. So there wouldn't be a fight I stepped in and agree with their wish." Thor explain. Odin stare at Loki and Chara. He frown. "You have done correctly my son. They have to be skillful if you trust them so much." "With my life." Thor agree. Chara couldn't help that corner of her lips twitch. She never believed that Thor trust her that much, it feel good.

"Then, Loki." Odin sigh disappoint. Chara see how Loki stiffen. "I agree that you go on Midgard to make up what you did and to learn more about humans. You have assisted these Avengers for some, but." Loki flinch slightly. "You haven't made any efforts to get to know humans better. Only one you have spend your time is your guard. They are doing their job by spending time with you. You arrogant-" Chara couldn't take it anymore and step forward. Odin stop talking and everyone turn to look at her. "Winter." Loki plead quietly. Chara ignore it and look around frowning. "Huh, You have changed the decoration since last time I was here." She announce loudly. 

Thor stare at Chara scared and worried. Frigga has indifferent mask on her face. Odin is fuming in anger and Chara feel Loki's fear radiate from him. "Who the hell are you?" Odin yell. Chara look at her surprised.  "Oh, sorry. I totally forgot." She answer and drop last of her illusion. Frigga gasp and Odin stare at her mouth open. "Impossible." He mumble. Chara smirk to him. "Everyone leave us." Odin command. "Thor." Chara call and turn to look at him. "I leave Loki under your guard." She say. She glare at him, messaging through her eyes that if he is in chains when she get back, she will kill the culprit. "Of course, Lady Winter." Thor nod and seem to understand her silent threat. "Go Loki." Chara command him lastly. She glance at him with gentle smile. "No." Loki mouth. Chara glance at Thor and he drag him quickly out. 

When door close behind Thor and Loki, Chara turn to look at Odin again. They stare at each others for a moment. "Helga..." Odin say. Chara smile coldly to him. "Hello grandfather." Odin stand up and glare at her. "This is impossible, you died centuries ago." He snap. "And yet, here I am." Chara answer and bow mockingly to him. Odin snarl. "Are you here to free your mother?" He ask warily. Chara rise her eyebrows and chuckle. "You don't know?" She laugh. Odin stare at her. "You don't know." Chara laugh. He growl to her. 

Chara wipe her eyes. "You seriously don't know that Hela escaped centuries ago. She is not there." She laugh. Odin stare at her shocked, then Chara sense that he used his magic to confirm what she told him. "Impossible." He mumble again. Chara smirk. "Are you getting old?" She mock him. Odin snarl again. "Then are you here in her behalf, to kill me?" Odin point his weapon toward her. Chara snort. "No. Hela is dead. I'm free from her." "Then what do you want Helga?" "DON'T CALL ME THAT!" Chara snap. "I'm Winter. I abandoned that name same time as Hela abandoned me." She growl.

"Hela is dead?" Odin ask quietly. Chara glare at him and frown when he looked so broken. "Yes she is. She came after me couple centuries ago. When I refused to join her she tried to kill me. I managed to kill her instead. She took my right leg with her at least." Chara tell and shrug again. Odin move to sit down on stairs. "Hela is dead." He mumble again. Chara is confuse. She slowly approach him. "Yes she is dead. You don't have to worry about her anymore." She say. Odin glance at her. "I failed to save her." Chara stare at him for a moment. Then she burst in laughter. "You wanted to save her? What about me? You tried to assassinate me for centuries." She snap back.

Odin snap out of it and stand back up. "You are nothing more than a bastard child." Chara smirk darkly. "Perhaps, but I still am next in line of throne if I wish so." She threaten. Odin growl. "Do you want to destroy Asgard?" Chara snort. "No. Only thing I want is to be able to live in peace. I'm tired of hiding from you, tired of checking over my shoulder. I want a life without this." She explain and wave between her and Odin. "I don't want the throne, I don't want to be recognized as royal." She continue. Odin look her up and down, searching for lies. 

"Does Thor know?" Chara shake her head. "No, not yet. I promised to tell him one day." She answer. Odin nod, thinking for possible outcomes. "Does Loki know?" Chara swallow. "Yes, he know. Not everything but important parts." She answer strongly. Odin groan. "You told him." He say disappointed. "He didn't deserve anymore lies. He is your son as much as Thor is." Chara snap. "He is adopted." "Doesn't matter. You chose to take him in. You chose to raise him as your own. Don't you dare to turn your back on him like you have done rest of us." Chara growl. He glare at her. "You don't have the righ-" "I don't give a fuck about that. Loki still loves you even after how you treated him." Chara snarl. 

"One thing I promise to you Allfather. If you try to attack me or Loki, I will make that prophecy to happen in dark way." She threaten him. Kiba growl to Odin from next of her. Odin seem to just now realize that there is wolf in room. "I see you have same taste as your mother." He say coldly. Chara glance at Kiba. "Yeah, now after you said that I remember that I played with Fenris couple times." Chara answer. She smile sweetly to him. "I hope that I have made myself clear enough. Your throne and my freedom. If you destroy my freedom I surely destroy your throne." She tell him calmly and walk out of room, Kiba fast behind her.