While Laufey stayed behind, Thor and Loki returned to Asgard through the portal in case Odin knew what they were up to. Thor went to the Warriors Three and Lady Sif to see if he could convince them to join. Loki went to Heimdall to discuss something with him. He knew that there was something that the Watcher wasn't telling him, or Heimdall was waiting for him to find out. Heimdall is the kind of person that teaches you life lessons.
Loki ran the long rainbow bridge and got to the Bifrost. However, he hid behind the golden globe when he saw someone with Heimdall. If people kept showing up, it would ruin everything. And what better person to ruin it all than the Allfather himself. Loki let out a frustrated breath. Why now! He hoped that Thor was having better luck.
"Open the Bifrost to no one," Odin said. "Watch the entire realm, especially any other portals that may be around. If anyone enters rather than an Asgardian, confront them."
"And what about Loki, my king?"
"As of right now he is an enemy of ours. He has stolen the Casket and given it to the Frost Giants. Now they may be almost impossible to stop. And now with Loki learning their every move..." Odin seemed to trail off toward his own thoughts.
"I will do as you have said," Heimdall told him after a long moment of silence.
"Good. Keep a watchful eye on Jotunheim."
Odin was about to leave until Heimdall asked him one more thing. "And if Loki were to arrive in Asgard, what would you have me do with him?"
Loki squeezed his eyes shut as if that would shut Odin's mouth. Heimdall saw Loki, he just knew it.
"If he comes here, lock him up. He is an enemy now." With that, Odin walked out of the Bifrost without saying another word.
In a panic, Loki made an illusion to hide himself while Odin walked by. Thankfully he didn't see. With Odin's back to the Bifrost, Loki quickly went inside before anything were to happen. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
Heimdall faced the stars, most likely looking upon Jotunheim. "I should be locking you up now, my prince."
"But you won't. If I were an enemy toward you, you would not be calling me prince." Loki smiled. The thing that he could be most dependant on with Heimdall is secretly disobeying authority. Heimdall may be loyal, but when it came to disobeying Odin for the right reason, he wouldn't hesitate, like he did by allowing the Asgardians into Jotunheim and letting Loki escape with the Casket. The Watcher could break many laws and never get locked up for any of it. Why? Because they need him. No one else could see the way Heimdall sees.
"What do you need me to do?" Heimdall asked.
"I didn't even tell you that I needed you yet."
"Don't think I haven't heard your conversation."
"And already you're all for it?"
"I am."
"Why?" Loki asked, walking toward Heimdall to sit on one of the steps.
Heimdall took a moment to gather his thoughts. Then he stepped down to sit next to the prince. "I've been Watcher of the Nine Realms for a long time and I've seen more than any other being on this realm or any other. Yes, Jotunheim has its moments of mischief and war, but they're not what you've been led to believe. I believe it is time someone told you the truth."
"Alright."
"Jotunheim was discovered in Asgard's darkest time. The realm was prospering and they had everything they needed until they were taken over." Heimdall made sure not to reveal too much of the truth or else there will be more war than he intended.
"Asgard's darkest time?" Loki repeated.
"Yes. At that time Asgard was taking over the realms, made war with them all, including yours. Jotunheim fought hard and almost won that battle. They've hated each other ever since. That battle had made the Frost Giants pay a great price. They're realm was becoming poor."
"Then Odin became a benevolent king." Loki remembered the conversation he had with his father when he first entered Jotunheim by himself. "Laufey told me."
Heimdall nodded. "He did. He swore to protect the Nine Realms rather than rule over them. But Jotunheim, still hating Asgard for what they had done to their people, declared war on them, leading to the Great War. Frigga wanted to prevent the war before it can start and your mother agreed with her. Frigga saw good in them and knew in her heart that they didn't want war. She went to Jotunheim to speak to Laufey to end it, but hatred and revenge was strong in his heart. She and his family tried to stop him, but he was too stubborn."
Loki remembered the conversation between Odin and Frigga he overheard when he was going to discover the truth about himself. Frigga told him that she knew more about Laufey's heart than he can know. "They were all friends, weren't they? Odin didn't know?"
"You're correct. It all ended in that war. Because of Laufey's stubborn heart, he lost everything, including you."
You know not what your actions would unleash. I do. Loki's heart skipped a beat. Laufey didn't just lose his power or his son, he lost his entire family. He was left alone for who knows how long, and then to have watched their son being raised by the one who took him. Loki tried to control his anger and remembered why he was here. He was here to end another war, not make it worse.
"If Laufey wasn't clouded by revenge, he would've won." Heimdall got up and walked to the sword.
Loki didn't move. "What do you mean?"
"Have you not read, my prince? If your father would've used the Casket more wisely, known its true power, he would've won. It is said that the Casket itself is only a container for what truly lies inside. Only a Frost Giant with the right heart can withstand its power. If one with a wrong heart even touches the heart of the Casket, they die by a frozen death."
"And who is that one?" Loki asked Heimdall slowly, trying to process all that he said.
"How should I know?" He asked, taking the sword out to use for battle.
"And here I thought you knew everything."
Heimdall chuckled and sat back down next to Loki. "That is for you to find out. If that person uses it, they can be almost impossible to defeat. Every power that the Casket has will be theirs."
"That's why Odin took it away."
Heimdall nodded. He put a hand on Loki's shoulder. "But I know you will put everything right. It's a good time to be mischievous."
Loki laughed under his breath. "Yeah. Thank you."
"It's my pleasure."
After a few minutes of silence and processing, they heard footsteps approaching the Bifrost. Loki got up, ready to fight, but Heimdall stopped him before he could do anything.
Thor, Sif, and the Warriors Three stood in front of them. Then Frigga came out from behind them with a look of authority.
"They've agreed to help." Thor said with the most childlike smile. "With her, I didn't even need to convince."
"Mother, you don't have to do this," Loki told Frigga.
"I wasn't able to stop the war and prevent some of the people I loved dearly from dying the last time. If I could do it again, I would."
For a Frost Giant's heart, Loki felt warmth in his center. A Frost Giant's heart could be melted after all. "And going against your own husband? You're more hard-core than I realized."
"So what do we do?" Volstagg asked.
Loki took a moment to rethink. "We go to Jotunheim, prepare, and wait. What better way to make a battle worse than to go in head first. We let them come to us and we try to stop them, whether it's with words or with hands. We keep the Casket out of their reach. But most importantly, we keep the people safe. Let's go through the portal."
Thor nodded and led the way. "I'm proud of you, brother." He said as he left the Bifrost.
Heimdall and Loki stayed behind them, walking slower than the rest.
"Will you try to use the Casket?" Heimdall asked.
As much as he loved mischief and chaos, he knew well enough not to mess with the Casket. He didn't want to die a frozen death. It was really ironic for a Frost Giant such as himself. "If there comes a moment where it becomes necessary, I will, but that should be our last defense."
"Very wise. Most kings would make that their first."
Loki pondered at the word king. It was at that moment that he realized that he would one day be king of Jotunheim. It was a lot of work just being a prince protecting his people, imagine having to do that 24/7. Somehow being king wasn't as glamorous as he thought it would be. Thor could have that position all to himself.
But he shouldn't think about that right now. His priority was to protect his realm, and maybe bring real peace between them both, and not just another treaty that can be broken in a blink of an eye. Peace that can make both realms allies, friends. I hope your purpose for me proves to be right, Odin.