The following days were full of news. Bad news.
In a way, you were thankful for the distraction. Avoiding Loki had been easy with everything you had to take care of.
Frost Giants had been spotted on the mountains. At first, many thought it was a mistake and didn't pay much attention to it. An attack on a small village was what triggered every alarm and the reports could no longer be ignored. The Giants had to be tracked and found as soon as possible. You spent most of your days coordinating with soldiers and scouts to get as much information as you could, even traveling outside the city for days.
Once you had all the information you needed and created a plan with your men, you sent a message to the palace. A war council had to be summoned at once. It was time to round up the members and discuss further actions.
Loki and Thor were the first ones to arrive. Thor took his usual spot by the table and put his feet up, while Loki leaned on a wall. He didn't like sitting down, not when he was anxious and restless about the council.
"I hope this meeting brings good news." Thor said, stretching his arms above his head. "I'm tired of doing nothing! Fighting Giants sounds perfect right now!"
"Because fighting Giants it's what we're here for?" Loki said, absently picking at the trinkets that adorned the room.
"Yes? A war council has been summoned to deal with the Frost Giants that somehow made it to Asgard." Thor explained.
"What?" Loki turned to look at Thor. This was news to him.
"Didn't she tell you? She must have told you." Thor looked quite perplexed that Loki didn't know. "She told me before she left. She told everyone!"
"Not everyone, I haven't seen her in days." Loki said, hoping Thor missed the slight bitterness in his voice.
Thor shrugged. "Something is up with her, though." He commented. "She seemed distracted and more serious than usual. Would you happen to know anything?"
Loki turned his back to Thor and pretended to focus on the trinket in his hand. "Why do you ask me?"
"Well, I was under the impression you're - close." Thor said tentatively.
"I wouldn't exactly call us friends." Loki shrugged.
"Lovers then?" Thor smirked at Loki.
"I wouldn't call us that either!" Loki said as if he found the thought quite disturbing.
"Come on, Loki!" Thor leaned back on the chair. "Everyone knows about you both. Mother even thinks you're courting her!"
Loki clenched his jaw. "I am not, and I have no interest in doing so."
"Good to know." You deadpanned, staring at him from the door.
Loki stared back, wondering how much you had heard of what he said. Neither of you had time to give it another thought. Thor scrambled up from the chair, and several people started to fill the room. Doing a headcount to make sure everyone you needed was present, you took your place at the end of the table.
"As you know, there have been several Frost Giant sightings in the past few months. Initially, we dismissed them, but as more people repeated the same story, we kept a vigilant eye." This wasn't news to most, so no one said anything. "That was until two weeks ago, when the sightings became a raid to a small settlement." You opened an holographic map and pointed at a village by the foot of the mountains.
Thor clenched his fists. "Any casualties?"
"None." you said. "That settlement is very close to the river outpost." You pointed at another structure on the map. "As soon as the alarm was raised, several einherjar deployed and the attack was foiled."
"It is a small family farm, not more than 20 inhabitants." The outpost Captain added. "The Giants came in the dead of night in small numbers, seemingly after livestock. As soon as they saw us, they ran."
"Next morning, a recon mission was sent. We had to find out how the Giants got here." You looked at the soldier by your side. Thin and not quite tall, covered in green and brown linen clothes, he was clearly a scout.
"We scanned the area, and found a cave system completely frozen over." He said, pointing on the map. "In the winter that's normal, in summer not so much."
Thor stared at the map. "It's not high enough to be frozen either."
"We covered the two exits, kept one of ours there to see if our suspicions were correct." As he spoke, the scout showed the rest of them on the map. "On the third day, we got our answer. Five giants came out of the cave, and climbed the mountain. We followed them to here." The soldier pointed to a spot right between two mountains. "There's a glacier there, permafrost. A good spot for their kind to settle."
"The river outpost took charge of the situation." You continued, opening the data cube the captain had brought. "They scanned the cave system and found a passage or portal of some sort." You pointed to a dead end in the caves. "Another group went up the mountain and scanned the glacier, finding a camp, small still, but evidently under construction." Several images floated off the holographic map, showing ice structures scattered over the glacier.
"And they're going to be speeding up their operations, they know their cover was blown." Hogun added.
"What is the plan then?" Thor looked at you.
You took a deep breath. "We have to split up. One group must go to the camp and... take care of it." You looked at Thor with a tiny smile, knowing he liked to "take care" of this kind of thing. "The other, smaller, group must go to the caves, secure the exits. No one goes in or out, until we figure out a way to close the passage."
"Can't we just block it? Or blow it up?" Sif asked.
"No, not an option." Loki was the one to answer. "Chances are they merely stumbled upon such a portal, but if someone on their side purposefully opened it, they could easily relocate it." He explained. "It must be sealed with magic."
"Good thing we have a seiðmenn to take care of it." You clearly meant Loki, but avoided looking at him. He did not fail to notice.
"Can you close it?" Thor looked at Loki, taking his attention off you.
"I won't know until I get there." Loki simply stated.
"The river outpost will be our starting point. I've sent several regiments already, to protect all the other settlements and the roads in the area." Several spots on the map lit up at your words, showing the many scattered homes and villages at the foot of the mountains. "More will depart this evening. We will join them tomorrow morning."
You put your hands on the table and looked around, waiting for any possible questions or comments.
"Well," Volstagg stood up, making quite a racket and pushing chairs out of his way. "We all must feed and rest tonight. And I, for one, am starved."
There was a murmur of chuckles around the room, but most agreed Volstagg was right. The council was dismissed and everyone made their way out. Except for you.
You usually stayed behind, going over plans and overseeing practical things like food, water, and other necessary supplies. This time, the scout and the regiment captain stayed with you, as you discussed further issues with them. They were to depart that evening, bringing the supplies with them to the outpost.
Loki also stayed behind, but stood silently by the door, waiting until the soldiers left. You did your best to ignore him as he closed the door and prowled towards the table.
"You've been avoiding me." He finally spoke.
"I have."
"May I inquire about the reason?"
"You may. Don't expect me to answer, though." You said dryly. "In fact, I'm surprised you noticed at all."
Loki did not miss the tinge of sarcasm on your voice. He leaned on the table by your side in what he thought was a charming pose, and softened his voice. "I did search for you."
"Is that so?" You focused intently on the hologram in front of you. "Funny, the few times I saw you, you were already preoccupied."
"This is what it's about? Your jealousy finally got the best of you?" He groaned loudly. "You kicked me out of your house after the banquet, you've been avoiding me for days, and now you are being - " Loki stopped not to say the word he was thinking of. "I think I could do with an explanation."
"I owe you nothing. You said it yourself, we are not friends ." You looked at him, briefly.
Loki closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Damn it.
"How much did you hear?"
"Enough." You turned away to store the data cubes on the cabinet.
As if knowing you didn't have a chance with him wasn't enough, he had to make you feel insignificant. No more than another notch in his bedpost. It took all you had not to go off on him. Instead you pretended he wasn't there, walking around the room getting things you needed and putting others away. Always used to getting all the attention when he wanted it, Loki did not like you ignoring him. He did not like that you hadn't answered his question either. He didn't like not knowing .
"I just-- Why are you angry at me?" His low voice was harsh. "You knew what this was about, what it entailed, and I never gave any indications to anything else. If you thought--"
"I thought nothing !" You cut in harshly, and turned to glare at him. "I thought nothing as I saw you take a different woman every night into your chambers. I thought nothing as I saw you flirt with half of Asgard on a daily basis. I thought nothing every time you told me you were purposefully making me jealous." You swallowed hard. "I thought nothing as you told your brother everything we weren't ."
Loki seemed to be stunned by your sudden display of brutal sincerity, and confused about what to say, as if he was barely beginning to understand where all of this came from.
"What was there to think? That you had a heart?" The tone was cruel and mocking, it made Loki flinch.
"That's not fair." He said, biting the words.
"You don't get to tell me what's fair." You pressed your lips into a tight line, and willed yourself to turn away from him. "I'm done. We are done. I have more important things to do than you ."
Loki didn't take rejection well, or defiance, he was so used to getting what he wanted. He was always the one to decide how and when to end things. Pride wouldn't allow him to let you leave without retaliation for that offense.
"Hersir!" Loki spat. "I have not dismissed you yet."
You stopped cold. "Is that an order?"
Loki hesitated before saying, "Yes."
You turned around and slowly walked to stand directly in front of him. The second he looked into your stone hard gaze he realized he had made a huge mistake.
"What will you have me do, my prince?" You asked, contempt dripping in every syllable. "Fetch you a cup of wine? Maybe some sweets?" Your stare never faltered as it pierced through his eyes. "Or perhaps I should drop my trousers and bend over the table. Will you order me to do that, your grace ?"
You punctuated the last words, effectively breaking all familiarity. Loki clenched his jaw, but said nothing.
"Maybe I should drop to my knees and suck you off?" You continued. "Let you fuck my mouth, swallow your seed? I know you love it when they swallow."
You didn't even blink, still staring him down, challenging him to say something. You knew he prided himself in being charming enough to have people do as he pleased voluntarily. He had never used his title or his power to get what he wanted. Now, you were provoking him. Forcing him to choose when there was no way he could win.
"What are your orders?" You insisted with venom in your voice.
Loki's mouth had gone dry. "You may leave." He croaked.
You took a step back and bowed. "Your grace."
You wished you could run, but you knew Loki watched you as you left. You wouldn't give him the satisfaction to know you were broken.
I knew the moment I looked into your eyes
I'd have to swallow all the lies