Elisabete could see the panic in Loki's eye as he slowly backed away to shield her and Adelina away from the two of them. Thor was glaring daggers at him with his hand held tightly around the handle of his hammer, ready to strike at any moment.
"Now, dear brother-"
"Do not call me that!" Thor interjected.
"Thor...now is not the time for hostility." Loki spoke carefully.
"It is the time, Loki. Sif has told me everything that has happened while I was away. You would lie to your people about my whereabouts and why I was in Midgard." Thor explained.
"Quiet, Thor, you have no idea what you're talking about and neither does she." Loki seethed.
Elisabete furrowed her brow and cradled Adelina's head to her chest, fearing a fight to break out. Before she could say anything, she noticed Loki's hand begin to glow green and in the blink of an eye she was in Adelina's nursery. She rushed towards the door and heard it lock with Loki's magic. She let out a grunt as she kicked the door and sat down near the window, holding Adelina in her arms.
Her mind was racing with so many questions. She couldn't understand why Thor was back with Sif and how they had even gotten back here. Sif was banished and Heimdall would be ordered to not allow her access. She felt horrible that Thor would claim that Loki had lied about his disappearance. Thor has betrayed his people in her eyes and Loki was the one true king. She was afraid for Loki and what might become of them. If he were to come back for the throne, she feared a fight would break out between the two and her love would be killed. Once she was able to calm the girl down and get her to fall asleep, Elisabete cried silently just as she used to back at home as she looked out the window. The view was breathtaking and she feared she would never have a view like it again after this moment in time.
Thor told Sif to leave the room and round up the Warrior's Three. She exited the room and Loki swallowed the lump in his throat as he stared at him with wide eyes. He just hoped that Elisabete was not overthinking what Thor had said. If she were to even start to question his motives, he knew that would be the end.
"Why have you returned?" Loki asked him.
"You and I both know why." Thor replied.
"Is it because you think the throne yours?" Loki inquired.
"No, you fool!" Thor scoffed. "I am back because of your lies. I may not wish to be king but I will certainly not let you lead this lie any longer, and I especially won't have you lying to my people any longer."
"It does not matter anymore. You gave up the throne, remember? You said you didn't want to rule." Loki told him.
"How do you know that?" Thor asked him.
Loki's eyes widened slightly but he quickly composed himself, knowing he revealed too much.
"You were not present when I spoke with father that day. How could you know?" Thor inquired.
Loki remained silent and Thor took his silence as him admitting his guilt.
"Loki? How do you know the conversation that took place between father and me?" Thor questioned him, narrowing his eyes at him as his face contorted angrily.
""Because it was me! I used my magic to appear as father to try and convince you to leave! I wanted you gone so I could have the throne, alright!" Loki exclaimed angrily.
"Where is father then?" Thor inquired.
"Gone away." Loki replied, shrugging his shoulders.
"Tell me the truth, Loki. Where is our father?" Thor retorted.
"Your father, Thor. He is no such father to me and he never will be. I have no father, I am-"
"Do not dodge the question. Where is he?" Thor scowled.
Loki took a deep breath and stood up straight, smiling brightly, enjoying how Thor grimaced upon seeing the smirk on his face.
"He's dead." Loki announced.
Thor lifted his hammer into the air and Loki tsked as he wagged his finger at him.
"I know you are angry, but I had to do what had to be done. He was driving this realm into the ground and if it hadn't been for me slitting his throat while he slept, this realm would not be where it is now." Loki explained.
Thor's expression softened as his arms fell to his sides as well as the hammer. He stared at his brother with a dumbfound expression not being able to comprehend the information.
"You killed him?" Thor asked meekly.
"I did what had to be done," Loki explained to him. "This realm is better off without Odin's hand messing it about. I have rebuilt this place from the ground up. The people admire me and love me...and they hate you. You abandoned them. You betrayed them all."
"I did no such thing and you know that!" Thor exclaimed.
"No, you didn't. But that is what I told them and they believed me. Who will they trust now?" Loki smirked.
"What exactly have you told them?" Thor inquired.
"Oh, just that Odin passed away from an Odinsleep and that you decided to leave this realm when it needed you the most. I told them what a scoundrel you were and how you just left them in need of your assistance. I stepped up and took the throne, making a name for myself again. In these four years, I have regained their trust and they look up to me as their rightful king. You are nothing to them anymore." Loki replied, standing confidently before him.
"Not for long. I have Sif gathering up the Warrior's Three. She's going to get them to tell everyone the truth about the lies you have spread. You have taken the throne by manipulation and treachery and I, for one, will not stand for it." Thor told him.
Loki burst out into laughter which caused Thor to furrow his brow as he awaited Loki's explanation.
"The Warrior's Three will never help her! They turned their backs on her when I banished her to Midgard after she spoke hateful things about my wife." Loki cackled.
Thor opened his mouth to speak but said nothing as he took in what Loki said.
"Wife? That woman here was your wife?" Thor inquired.
"Yes, she is my queen. She was even holding our daughter." Loki replied.
Thor smiled softly as he spoke. Although he hated his brother, he enjoyed knowing Loki still had a soft side. Nonetheless, he was still angry.
"So, I take it she has fallen for your lies?" Thor inquired.
"She loves me and trusts every word I say. I care for her too much to see her get hurt. If she left me, my world would be over. She loves me for who I am and not the words I say. You leave her and my daughter out of this. They are none of your concern." Loki told him, his eyes piercing through him.
"I will take you down, Loki. Mark my words. I will find out the truth for I do not believe a word you tell me about father. I know he is alive somewhere." Thor spoke.
"He is in Valhalla. Do not worry." Loki smirked.
"I can sense his spirit and I know he is alive. I will find him with Sif's help." Thor replied.
"Oh, yes, with Sif. Answer me this though? Have you fucked her like all the other women here or were you just concerned with sleeping with the women I preferred?" Loki asked him, patiently waiting his response.
"Is this about Sanit?" Thor retorted.
"What do you think?" Loki scoffed.
"Loki, I only slept with her that one night. We both thought you dead and she was distraught. She seemed so helpless and I just wanted to let her know it would be alright since I had grieved over you before. One thing led to another and it happened. Do you want me to say I'm sorry?" Thor explained.
"I don't want your pity." Loki replied.
"Allow me to see her." Thor spoke.
"What?" Loki scoffed, his demeanor changing to one of confusion.
"Your wife, let me see Sanit." Thor said.
Loki cocked his head to the side and felt his blood boil at the fact that Thor believed him to have married Sanit.
"Was that not her in the room?" Thor inquired.
"No. I had Sanit banished when my wife, Elisabete, discovered that she had slept with you all those years ago and birthed your bastard as a result or your one night together, if it actually was only one night." Loki replied, practically spitting on him.
"Sif told me that I had a son. Let me see him." Thor demanded.
"You cannot." Loki replied.
"And why is that? The boy is my son and I deserve to see him. He is of my flesh and blood." Thor told him.
"The boy is not here...I sent him away. I didn't want that fucking thing in my palace once I knew of his parentage." Loki smirked.
Before he could react, Thor's hand was upon his throat and pushing him against the wall.
"Where is my son!" Thor shouted.
At that moment, Sif returned and Thor reluctantly let Loki go. He gasped for breath as his chest heaved. Thor walked over to Sif and the two glared at Loki as he caught his breath.
"You will pay for what you have done here. My people do not deserve to be misled by your lies all because you wanted the throne. This is wrong and you know it. You are better than this, Loki. I will find Odin and I will bring him here. Then, he will speak the truth to the people of Asgard so that they can see what a horrible and disgusting man you really are. You will lose everything and I will laugh as Odin has you sent back to the prisons for life where you will never see your wife and child again. You'll rot away in that cell." Thor explained to him.
"Maybe Odin will even have your whore wife executed and your daughter sent off to another realm to die? After all, they are related to you in all this and when the truth comes out, everyone will rally against the lot of you." Sif told him.
"You will never find him. And you will never take Elisabete and my daughter away from me." Loki spoke hoarsely.
"Mark my words, Loki. I will return here with Odin and when we do, know that that will be the end for you." Thor seethed.
With that, Thor exited the room, and Loki burst into tears. Sif scoffed and rolled her eyes as she watched him cry.
"And just so you know, right at this moment, Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogun are going around spreading the truth. They are going around telling people of Thor's return and that you have lied. Soon enough, everyone will turn against you and want you, your slut, and bastard dead. You do not deserve to sit upon that throne." Sif told him before making her exit as well.
Loki shook his head as he watched them exit. He knew he could go after them and stop them, but he felt powerless somehow. His mind was not clear and he could not think straight. All he could think about was ensuring that Elisabete would not realize the truth and leave him. He teleported to the nursery and Elisabete looked up at him with wide eyes and a shocked expression when she noticed he had been crying. She rushed towards him and Loki wrapped his arms around her tightly, thinking of what to tell her.
"Loki, what has happened?" Elisabete asked.
He pulled her back and held her hands tightly as she awaited his answer.
"Oh, it was horrible. Thor had come back here with Sif to try and take the throne from us. He says he believes himself ready to rule now but I told him he could not. I told him he abandoned us and I stood up and assumed the role as king after Odin died from the betrayal of his son. He was so horrible. He claimed I had lied to everyone and that I took the throne through manipulation. He left and said he would be back to usurp the throne from us." Loki explained, crying now to try and play up the lie.
Elisabete furrowed her brow and took Loki's face in her hands and kissed him sweetly.
"Shh, it's alright. If that is true, you must stay strong for the people. They need to see that you will stand up to your brother and his hatred." Elisabete replied.
"He is trying to hurt me out of jealousy and nothing else. He is a cruel man that does not deserve the throne. After making us believe he cared for us and then just leaving, he thinks he can come back and just take the throne?" Loki told her.
"He is a bad man, Loki. I know what he is now. I will help you through these tough times and I will see to it that you are looked up to as the rightful king of Asgard. You are a good man and you would never do anything to hurt me or this realm." Elisabete explained.
Loki smiled weakly and nodded his head softly.
"To keep you and our family safe, I order that they do not leave their chambers, especially you. I will have some of Adelina's belongings moved into our chambers for I do not trust her to sleep alone. I fear you all may be targeted." Loki told her.
"What? Why?" Elisabete inquired.
"Sif has the Warrior's Three spreading rumors about me and how I've lied my way to the throne." Loki replied.
"That is a terrible thing for her to do and for them to do. I cannot believe they would betray you like this, after all these years you've known them." Elisabete spoke.
"Take Adelina back to your chambers. Before doing so, I suggest you meet with your family for you will not be able to do so for some time until this is all cleared up. After that, you must remain in our chambers. I will have Iona send your family and us meals for the day. I am doing this to keep you safe." Loki explained.
"Of course." Elisabete smiled.
"Good. You know I love you, right?" Loki asked.
"Of course I do. And I love you, Loki. More than words can say." Elisabete replied.
Loki kissed her and quickly left the room. She turned to face the crib and smiled weakly seeing Adelina sleeping soundly in her crib. She carefully picked her up into her arms and made her way to Tadeus' room. He let her in and he gestured for her to sit at his writing desk.
"What brings you here?" Tadeus asked.
"Thor has returned." Elisabete replied.
"What?" He gasped.
"Loki has said he has come back to try and take back the throne and that he has the Warrior's Three spreading rumors that Loki has lied his way to power in this realm." Elisabete explained.
"What is Loki doing about this?" Tadeus asked.
"He is going to try and see if he can control the rumors and contain it. However, he thinks we may be targeted as a result." Elisabete replied.
"What does that mean?" Tadeus inquired.
"From this moment on, we are all under house arrest." Elisabete replied.
"What!" Tadeus scoffed.
"Loki has ordered that I say my goodbyes to you all for now since once I leave, you cannot leave your chambers under any circumstances and neither can I. He will have Iona bring you your meals daily but that is it. He just wants us all to be safe." Elisabete told him.
"That is insane!" Tadeus laughed.
"It is only until he can figure this all out and it goes away. This is a very sensitive subject to him." Elisabete spoke.
"Why is it sensitive him? He should have nothing to worry about if the rumors are false." Tadeus shook his head.
"He does have everything to worry about. This is Thor we're talking about. He was the once looked up to prince out of the two of them and now he has come back after abandoning his people. You and I both know there are several hundreds, even thousands of people in the towns and villages that are still loyal to Thor that also do not believe Loki has been honest. This could destroy him and destroy us." Elisabete explained to him.
"Very well then. All I guess that is left to say is that you stay safe and protect Adelina." Tadeus told her.
"I will. I have Loki to protect me as well. I know he will do everything he can to keep Thor from taking the throne out from under him." She sighed.
"Go and say your goodbyes to mother father now." Tadeus said softly.
"You know, I love you, Tadeus. You've been so good to me during these tough times and I cannot thank you enough." Elisabete told him.
"You have thanked me by giving me a better life. I would never have gone far in the village and now you and I are the heads of a charity to help give back to our people so they have a chance." Tadeus explained.
Elisabete smiled brightly as Tadeus laid a kiss to her forehead.
"And I love you too, little sister." He whispered.
And with that, Elisabete took her leave and went to her parents and sisters. She explained the predicament to them and told them about the situation they were going to be put under. They understood and hugged her tightly, saying they loved her before Elisabete made her way back to her chambers. There, she laid Adelina down in their bed and brushed her hair back, kissing her temple as she sat on the edge of the bed, watching her sleep. She remained there as she patiently waited for Loki to return. After a couple of hours, the doors opened and Elisabete quickly stood up with a smile on her face, only to realize it was Iona coming in with a tray of food.
"How are you doing?" Iona asked, setting the food on the writing desk.
"Has Loki told you what's going on?" Elisabete retorted.
"No...but I have heard a few rumors." Iona replied.
Elisabete exhaled sharply as she put her head in her hands and shook it quickly, trying to hold back her tears.
"Is is true Thor has returned?" Iona inquired.
Elisabete took a deep breath as she looked back up at Iona. She bit her lip to keep any noise or whimper to escape as she nodded her head.
"Why has he come back?" Iona asked rushing to Elisabete's side.
"All Loki has told me is that Thor has come back out of jealousy and is trying to usurp the throne." Elisabete explained through her sobs.
"Why would he come back now? He abandoned us." Iona spoke.
"I don't know. And now Loki has me and my family under house arrest because he fears that if these rumors keep spreading about him, they'll target us. Iona, what rumors have you heard?" Elisabete told her, gripping her hands tightly.
"Basically something about Loki having lied to us about Thor's disappearance and everything else he's ever told us." Iona replied.
"My Loki would never lie to us. He's a good man and for those people to spread these horrible things about him is horrible. One minute they're behind him and then the next minute they're just going to stab him in the back?" Elisabete scoffed.
"That is how it goes sometimes. And you and I both know that almost all those court members were just on his side because he is the king and now that the one true king they truly stand for has come back...they'd be willing to turn their backs on Loki and your family." Iona told her.
"Why would they turn on me and my family? We have done nothing wrong." Elisabete whimpered.
"Because you are married to him and are clearly on his side, they will target you all." Iona replied.
"All because I fell in love with the man he is not the king?" Elisabete groaned.
"Unfortunately, yes." Iona sighed.
Elisabete shook her head and sat down at the writing desk. She began to eat her food and not once did she look up at Iona while she stood there.
"Please leave." Elisabete instructed.
"I'm so sorry, Elisabete. But I will stand by you through this all. No matter what happens, you will have me to help you." Iona told her.
"I appreciate that but I want to be alone right now." Elisabete replied.
Iona bowed her head and exited the room. That night, Loki returned with a few maids to set up Adelina's crib as well as a few of her other supplies and toys. The two ate their dinner silently while Adelina played in her crib, babbling to herself. She had been fed before and was getting ready for bed.
"I'm scared." Elisabete said, breaking the silence.
"I know and it will be alright. I'm going to protect you and Adelina." Loki told her, taking her hand in his.
"Aren't you scared at all?" She inquired.
"If I must be honest with you...yes." Loki replied.
"What might they do if these rumors get worse?" Elisabete asked.
"We might have a potential uprising on our hands. Riots...or even a civil war." Loki told her.
"These rumors are ridiculous. How can these court members and your people who have stood behind you just go and believe them all?" Elisabete scoffed.
"Because they always have believed them." Loki replied quickly.
"Why? They're false. It's slander." She spoke passionately.
"That does not matter to them. They're loyalties are always moving and are never constant. And if it's any consolation, the people at court have always hated me. They never wanted me to assume to the throne yet they went with it because there was no one else more qualified." Loki explained to her.
"That's sickening to me." Elisabete huffed.
"Not everyone is amazing and loyal like you, my love." Loki chuckled.
After dinner and getting washed up, they put Adelina to bed and waited until she was heavily asleep before they got into their own bed. The two laid curled up in each other's arms and she furrowed her brow as he began kissing her neck and jaw. She felt him rub against her and she giggled as she softly pushed him away from her.
"Loki, we can't have sex." Elisabete laughed quietly.
"Why not?" Loki inquired.
"Well, Adelina is right there." Elisabete scoffed.
"Then we'll just have to be really quiet, won't we?" Loki smirked.
He rolled on top of her and kissed her deeply, wrapping his arms around her and cradling her head. She smiled through the kiss and was the first to pull away. Loki let out a huff and raised a brow at her.
"What if she wakes up?" Elisabete asked.
"Please, Elisabete. I need you right now. I need you more than anything." Loki begged.
She gasped as he pushed against her and she felt his hardness on her inner thigh. She looked up at him with wide eyes and could see that he truly needed her in that moment. For all she knew, this could have been their last night together in this way if things went terribly wrong. She smiled softly and quickly lifted her nightgown to her waist and Loki smirked as he unlaced his pants. Before she could even get herself ready, Loki thrusted himself inside of her and the two gasped as he laid his head against hers. The two did their best to muffle their moans and soft gasps as he began to move within her. His thrusts were long and punctuated and Elisabete bucked her hips up towards him. He made sure he spent most of the time pleasing Elisabete and ensuring her needs were satisfied. She bit her lip tightly and threw her head back into the pillows as she came around him, giving him the opportunity to kiss and suck at the flesh of her neck. As she was coming down from her high, she rolled over on top of Loki and his eyes widened as she laid her body against his and undulated her hips against him, earning a soft moan from him. Loki took her face in his hands and brushed the hair out of her eyes so he could look at her as he slowly thrust up into her. In a matter of moments, Loki choked back his grunts as he came. She rode him through his climax and fell against his chest as the two caught their breath. As she rolled onto her side of the bed, she placed her hand on his chest and looked up at him lovingly. He turned to face her and placed his hand over hers while smiling at her.
"You're so good to me." Loki whispered.
"Only because you deserve the best after everything you've been through." Elisabete whispered back.
Loki shook his head and Elisabete playfully slapped his arm.
"You do deserve it, Loki. I love you with all my heart and I want nothing but the best for you because you've treated me so kindly and I know you would never hurt me." Elisabete explained.
He let out a deep sigh and wrapped his arms around Elisabete tightly, not wanting to let go. The following morning, the two awoke to Adelina holding herself up in the crib and bouncing as she babbled. Loki excitedly ran over to her and lifted her up into the air and brought her back down to his chest, kissing her all over her face as she laughed wildly. He straightened out her hair as she grabbed at his own. Elisabete came up behind him and laid her hand on his shoulder as she looked over at Adelina. She took her into her arms and the two changed and dressed her for the day.
"You two are to remain here. I have meetings to go to to try and dismiss these rumors and make things better. I know that I'm first going to try and find the Warrior's Three and reprimand them for what they've done to slander my good name." Loki explained to Elisabete.
"Be careful out there, Loki. Be safe and alert." Elisabete said.
"I always am, love." Loki grinned.
He kissed her cheek and then picked up Adelina into his arms once more.
"Now, I expect you to be a good girl for your mother today. You've been very eccentric lately, you know that? Disrupting my meetings by crawling around as your mother is running after you. Will you be a good girl?" Loki told her as he took her hand in his and placed it on his chest.
"Bah bah bah bah bah." Adelina spoke loudly.
Loki laughed as she blew raspberries in his face and he shook his head.
"I'll take that as a yah-yah-yah." Loki chuckled.
He kissed her quickly before placing her down on the ground next to her toys. He walked over to Elisabete and took her hands in his and kissed them softly.
"I'll try to be back to have lunch and I'll go and check up on your family before I come back to let you know how they're doing." Loki told her.
Elisabete thanked him and he took his leave. He knew that if Elisabete stayed in their chambers away from the truth that his court members were spreading, she would stay by him and that was all he wanted. No one, not even Thor, was going to take her away from him.