The Light To His Lies (Loki)

F I F T Y

Odin stood by a cliff side, staring out into an endless sea that stretched far beyond the horizon. His hair was unkept, and his clothes were mundane. He looked so different from the last time I'd seen him.

I stopped walking forward as Loki and Thor did, approaching him carefully. I was scared to see him, honestly. The last I had seen him he'd ordered me into prison for falling in love with Loki.

With the thought of his name, I glanced at Loki. He was watching me out of the corner of his eye, but looked away when I caught him.

"Father," Thor said, watching him cautiously, Loki caught up with the two of him. I cocked my head to the side, can't helping but studying Loki a bit, his eyes were held down and shame stirred in those emerald green pools, he felt guilt for casting Odin into exile, it was clear. "Look at this place, it's beautiful." He says, from the back of Odin's head I see him tip up his chin and revel in the breeze for a moment.

"Father, it's us." Thor said, looking into Odin's face who did not return his glance. Odin nodded. "My sons," he said, Loki turned his head at that. Sons. I imagined was going through his head.

If he's even real, I thought, my thoughts making me look away from Loki's face and at anything else.

"Lyra," Odin said suddenly, surprising me. I looked up from the grass to see Odin still facing away from me, not even registering I was there and I was surprised he even noticed me. But he was the Allfather, he knew all. "Come join us," He added. Hesitantly, with Thor and Loki looking between me and Odin, I walked forward until I was standing beside Thor, a good few feet between us. Odin looked at each one of us. "I've been waiting for this day." he breathed quietly.

"Father, we've come to take you home." Thor told him, clearly anxious that his father was acting so spaced out. Odin chuckled dryly at Thor's comment. "Home," he muttered. "Your mother, she calls me. Do you hear it?" He asked, tilted his head toward the horizon.

I remembered Frigga then, her auburn hair, her kindness. I'd aspired to like her once.

"Loki, lift your magic." Thor growled. Odin laughed, looking at both of his sons with such love in his eyes I didn't need my magic to feel it radiating off of him. "It took me quite a while to break free from your spell," Odin said to Loki. "Frigga would've been proud." I saw the flash of hurt in Loki's eyes at the mention of his mother who'd died years ago. I looked at Loki, eyes softening toward him, before snatching my eyes away before he noticed me.

"Come, sit, we don't have much time." Odin beckoned, motioning us all toward a rock behind him. I walked with them, but didn't sit with them. Odin grinned at me. "Well, come on, then." He encouraged me, and I begrudgingly obliged, sitting next to Thor uncomfortably and staring at my hands in my lap.

"Lyra, my dear, I must apologize,"

My head perked up in surprise, never would I ever expect to hear those words from his mouth. By the look on Thor and Loki's face, they were just as surprised.

"You called out to me, and I heard you. But, I couldn't bring myself to do what you asked." Odin said, looking at me solemnly. It took me a moment to recall what he was talking about, but when I did my heart stopped beating in my chest. My face paled slightly at the mention of what happened to me those years ago. I knew what he was referring to, when I'd discovered that Thanos was right about my power. I'd begged the Allfather to kill me. He heard me, but he couldn't do it. Anger welled up inside me and I willed myself to stop shaking, tried to stop my teeth chattering. Millions died because of him. I suffered years, because the king of Asgard didn't have the strength to put down his Admiral.

"But now, I see why you asked that of me. And I'm sorry I didn't do it."  He told me, I looked down at my feet, not able to handle the weight of Odin's eyes on me. And Loki's.