Spaces Between

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Tove quickly petted his head before jumping back out of his reach.  Käro's eyes shot open and he let out a warning bark.  He pawed the ground in frustration.

With laughter still escaping me, I caught my friend's attention. 

"Alright, before Käro slaughters us all out of spite, I need to give you guys a quick run down of people that live here."  I explained quickly, patting the space next to me.  Tove snorted before bounding back to her spot.  Alrekr let out a small hum of approval.

~*~

THIRD PERSON P.O.V

Loki was exhausted.  Mentally and physically.

With Lorien on Midgard, his distractions from the council meetings were growing minimal.  As was his ever shrinking patience.

Five of the six Nobles were present for the meetings.  Two of which were bumbling idiots who had no place ruling over a Kingdom. 

Loki was counting the minutes before a fight would break out....

Or how long his patience would hold out before he would stab someone.

Either was an option and the latter was seeming very likely.

Lord Asher, the Noble absent, was days late.  The others—Lord Salen, Lord Eco, Lord Malki, Lady Koa and Lord Alder—were all seated at their respective spots for what seemed like the hundredth meeting of the week.  The Allfather sat at the head of the table and Loki sat next to his brother at the other end.  All in all, it was a combination for disaster.

A loud clank of metal on metal silenced the room as Odin brought Gungnir down to connect with the floor.  All eyes trained on him.

"Today we will be continuing the discussion revolving Lord Thaddeus."  Odin pronounced clearly, Loki rested his cheek against his knuckles coolly.

Lord Thaddeus, or otherwise know as the lost Noble, had came into the picture several years prior.  Loki was contained to cell when Thaddeus first reappeared but Frigga filled Loki in when he was informed that he would have to attend the meetings.

Another step in a thousand to gain back the Allfather's trust.

Loki signed mentally, listening as the Nobles spoke.

Lord Thaddeus was thought to be dead—in fact, he came from a thought to be extinct bloodline.  Though, according to Loki's mother, he reappeared in Asgard, asking for the land that his ancestor's kingdom had laid upon.  Land that had been split among the others when this bloodline was believed gone.

The Nobles were currently discussing whether or not to accept the Lord's nobility and what land would be returned.

"A seventh would be beneficial," Lord Eco of Cassia mused.  Eco was the fourth strongest of all of the nobles—baring long black hair pulled back with a leather ban and slanted charcoal eyes.  He reminded Loki of Hogun in looks. 

"It would make a larger council, another ally if we were ever attacked."  Lord Malki of Aequum was the next to speak as well as being the strongest of the six.  The father of the boy who had caught Loki's sister's interest.

Loki considered the Malki his ally—but it didn't mean he trusted Alrekr.

The third Noble to speak caused Loki's blood to boil.

"Not necessarily," Lord Alder of Ueria stated coldly, "a larger council means another voice to argue with over pointless discussions such as this one.  I don't believe we should accept this Lord Thaddeus.  How do we even know for sure he is who he says he is?"

Loki did not care much for Alder at all—an inconsiderate ass, in Loki's opinion. His hatred had grown even more since he was informed by Lord Malki that Alder had scolded Lorien over a simple accident, and then preceded to snidely comment to Malki that if had ever happened again that he'd be sure to see to that both children received a lashing.

It had taken an awful long while for Loki to cool his temper—even longer to get himself to stop planning ways to kill the Lord.

Once the meetings were officially over in a few weeks, Loki had decided that there was going to be one less Noble leaving then had arrived.

"He has been seen by Heimdal, he speaks the truth." Odin reassured Alder, the Lord turned to face him.

"I mean no disrespect," he hissed irately, "but your alleged GateKeeper has made mistakes before."

Odin's head tilted and voice raised in volume, "are you questioning my judgment?"

Alder bowed his head, "no, Allfather."

If it had been Loki seated at the head of this table, he'd have Alder's tongue for the way he spoke. Words dripping with so much sarcasm that it was clear that he did not care about Odin's words.

The Allfather had let slide but Loki wouldn't have.

But Loki did not open his mouth.

Alder's time would come.