Alliance

Chapter 9: Coming to Terms

•£• Loki •£•

Loki was standing before the relic of Jotunheim, his back to the doorway. He heard

footsteps entering the vaults and within moments was aware of his brother moving

through the room to stand by his side. Turning his head, he gazed at Thor and let out

a small laugh. "I see you chose this room rather than the other. Good choice,

brother."

Thor laughed in return. "If you had wanted the Tesseract, you would have taken it

long before now. I wondered if Katirya had instead come down to steal it, and

figured you had checked on that."

"Indeed, I did. But, if she had wanted it, why would she have let Volstagg find her?

Why bother announcing your arrival if you intend to steal something?" Loki tossed

out questions that had been going through his mind as he turned to face his brother

fully. "If the legends of the Thirteen are only half true, she would not have even

needed to bother to advise us that she was here. She would have entered, taken it

and left."

"Do you truly believe that?"

"Yes." Loki answered quickly. "I fear she is here for a purpose, though I cannot

understand it yet. She clearly is capable of lying and I believe she lied to us in that

chamber. She was trying to find out something, but I am not sure what. I thought..."

He paused, and finally admitted. "I thought perhaps I could control the Tesseract

and outwit her with it. I came here at first with every intention of getting it, but

when I looked at it, I knew it would not accomplish what I needed. So I came here

instead."

"And you are angry that she has lied to you."

Thor stated the obvious, but when he heard it said aloud, Loki felt his anger

returning. Gesturing towards the relic, Loki almost snarled. "Yes, I am angry. And

why should I not be angry? It seems my entire life has been a lie. I wonder," He

turned to gaze down at the relic, his voice rising. "what would happen if I returned

to Joutenheim to claim my birthright? Would they accept me? I am their true king, or

am I? Was that a lie too? Was Laufey truly my father?" He suddenly turned away

and walked to the wall, pounding it with his fist. "Why? Why do I not look like the

Frost Giants? Why do I appear as I do? Yet clearly I have their powers!" He turned to

face Thor and held out his hands, which had turned blue, reflecting his heritage.

Thor took a deep breath, sensing he had found the root of the trouble with Loki's

outburst during the council. "You are confused. You have every right to be so,

brother."

"But I am NOT your brother!" Loki shouted.

"Maybe not my blood brother, but you are still my brother." Thor replied quietly.