In honor of Enchanted reaching 100k reads, here's another chapter!!
L O K I
Loki had known that ruling would not be easy. Ever since he was a boy, he had carefully watched his father as he went about his kingly duties. He knew that one day, the same would be expected of him.
Loki had anticipated the war councils and the general council meetings. He had expected the royal appearance that he would have to uphold and the needs of the people that he would have to meet.
But he had not anticipated Huginn and Muninn: Odin's most dependable spies.
Loki had always been aware of the brothers. Odin's elite spies were known as the Ravens, and of that force, Huginn and Muninn had served him the longest. Every morning they came to Odin for the day's assignments, and every evening they returned with information.
As children, Thor and Loki had often wondered about how their father's Ravens operated. They always strained to listen when the spies whispered in Odin's ear in the dining hall.
Loki recalled once seeing one of the brothers after breakfast, leaving the king's presence with a new assignment. The young prince, only a child, had watched from around a column as the strange man walked toward a balcony.
The man had paused and looked back over his shoulder. Loki could remember his own shock at being discovered; Amora had been helping him practice how to conceal himself. His father's spy only gave him a quick wink before transforming into a bird—a raven—and flying off into the sky.
Loki sat back on the throne—his throne—as he awaited the return of his spies. Just like every night, the flap of wings alerted him to their return. Their black wings were almost impossible to see against the dark night sky, but they were revealed by the light of the throne room.
Reaching the throne, the birds transformed into men, both dark-haired and blue-eyed. Although, one had a broader build than the other. They both gave their king a nod.
"How were your flights?" Loki asked. The sound if his father's voice coming from his mouth still startled him.
"Uneventful, but not too boring." Huginn spoke with a satisfied smile.
The broader of the two brothers—Muninn—scoffed. "I wish I could say the same. I was nearly caught by S.H.I.E.L.D., looking into their HYDRA infestation."
The spy gave his sleeve the barest sniff and wrinkled his nose. "I smell like a metropolitan dumpster now."
"Oh." Huginn smirked. "I thought that was just your natural aroma."
Loki smiled. He did not know exactly how long the brothers had been in Odin's service, but it was long enough for them to no longer care about formalities. Something that Heimdall obviously did not share.
He imagined that if he had known the brothers better, the three of them would have gotten along. Huginn and Muninn were not as brutish as the other men in the king's service. The two had a knack for knowing things that they shouldn't. Their information gathering was unprecedented.
"What news do you bring for me today?" Loki asked.
"Prince Thor continues to work with his allies on Midgard," Muninn spoke, "They are working with S.H.I.E.L.D. to combat HYDRA's threat."
Huginn snorted. "They're so oblivious."
The king leaned forward on the throne. "And Loki's scepter?"
Since learning from Gamora that the Mind Stone had once been in his possession, a part of Loki wanted to find it.
"It's in HYDRA's possession. They're using it for experimentation." Muninn shuddered. "They certainly have not changed in the last few decades."
"So there are three Infinity Stones on Midgard," Loki mused, "We will have to watch them closely."
He looked to Huginn. "And the Power Stone?"
"It's held in an underwater temple on Morag," Huginn said, "but the planet's low tide is coming and the waters will begin to subside soon."
The doors to the throne room opened with a low drone, and a guard stepped in.
"Lady Sif is here as you requested, Allfather."
"Send her in." He gave the brothers a nod. "Thank you."
They bowed and turned to leave as Sif entered. As they passed, Muninn smiled at her, but she did not return the expression. Loki could barely hear the sound of Huginn's low snicker at his brother as they slipped through the doorway.
Lady Sif kneeled before the throne, bringing her fist to her chest. Loki recalled the time when she nearly refused to do so when he sat on the throne as himself. If Sif knew that it was him, Loki had no doubt that she would kill him where he sat. That is what she had promised him, after all.
At the motion of the king's hand, she rose to her feet. "What do you require of me, my king?"
"Your past mission to retrieve Lorelei was successful," he spoke.
Sif glanced away in confusion. "Yes."
"I think you would be of use in other...clandestine missions," Loki said, "I want you to begin training with the Ravens."
Her brow furrowed. "Allfather, I-I'm a warrior, not a spy."
"You have served well and have proven yourself as a great warrior," he said, "But we are not at war now. I think you would be well suited for this assignment. Very few are capable of becoming Ravens."
Sif opened her mouth to object, but the king went on. "You are to begin training tomorrow. Muninn has graciously offered to take time away from his assignments to help you."
The barest eye roll passed over the warrior's face, and Loki had to fight away a smile.
"Where will I find him to begin training?" she asked lowly.
The king raised an eyebrow. He had expected more of a fight from her. Although, he supposed that she could not deny an order from her king.
"He will find you."
Sif nodded stiffly. "Is that all, my king?"
"Yes, Lady Sif."
She left the throne room with her fists clenched at her sides.
As soon as the doors shut, Loki cast a spell over the room and leaned back on his throne. A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he lowered his illusion.
"Do you really think that this is a good idea?"
Loki turned to the source of the voice and smiled.
Amora sat perched on the edge of the throne. She looked as beautiful as ever, watching him with a warm smile and the slightest uptick of one brow.
"I need Asgard's best out collecting information on possible threats," he said, trying to keep a straight face.
Amora scoffed. "You need them distracted and far away so that they won't suspect you."
Loki's face broke out into a grin. "Yes." He shrugged. "Sif has already begun to suspect me. I suppose, without anything to occupy them, Huginn and Muninn would find out soon enough."
"But Sif has always fought for Asgard with Asgard. She will not like being away on spy missions."
"She would not like the monotony of living without a war to fight either." Loki sat up. "It's a good plan."
Amora tilted her head and frowned. "Then why do you doubt it?"
"I don't."
She rolled her eyes. "Obviously, you do. I'm a illusion of your own creation and I doubt it. So you must doubt it, too."
Loki held her stubborn gaze for a long moment before looking away. "I know."
He sighed. It had become a dangerous habit, creating his own image of her to keep him company.
He reached out toward her hand, but it only passed through the image.
"I wish you were here," he whispered.
"Then why do you not have me come back?" she asked, "Why do you not tell me the truth?"
Loki shifted, his brow twitching downward. "You would be angry with me."
"Yes, but only for a time." She shrugged. "If you're doing well, I might let you go on with your rule even if I didn't entirely approve of it."
His lips just barely raised up as he looked down at the floor, his eyes distant. "But that's it," he said quietly, "You wouldn't approve. You'd be disappointed. And that would tear me apart."
Clearing his throat, Loki stood to his feet. "Which is why it's better for you to not know...It's good that you're there. You'll do a lot of good."
He walked out to the balcony. The cool wind hit his face, and the galaxy stretched out across the night sky. The bodies of the Yggdrasil system could be made out by the trained eye.
"How much time do you think has passed there?" he asked.
Amora's illusion approached, resting her hands on the railing. They were folded neatly, taking up little space, just like the real thing.
"No one knows exactly how drastic the change in time is for Yggdrasil," she said, "But the planet's position will cause time to move slower there."
Loki nodded, lowering his gaze. "I hope you don't take long." He looked over at her. "Oh, how I miss you."
With a wave of his hand, she vanished, leaving him with a gentle smile. He could hardly stand looking at her without being able to touch her.
Loki leaned over the railing and watched the lights of Asgard flicker quietly. Work had begun to repair the damage from the siege, and they were sending relief to other realms that had suffered disruptions from the Convergence.
He would make Asgard better. He would be a good king. And maybe Amora would not kill him when she returned.
* * *
Finally got Loki's POV!
Let me know what you guys think of this new turn of events in Asgard!
I have added Huginn and Muninn to the cast. I am very excited to introduce these new characters! I think they'll be fun!