Odin's face contorts into one of somewhat neutral, but has a hint of concern. "Frost Giants." Odin states.
———
ODIN slams down Gungir, prompting the Destroyer to be released into the All-father's vault. The Destroyer kills the Frost Giants that dared to enter the vault as Loki, Arselia, Thor, and Odin all make their way towards it. Anger flows through Thor's veins as he stomps towards the vault. Why must the Frost Giants ruin his coronation? How were they able to get past Heimdall's watchful eyes? And lastly, how many different ways am I going to get revenge upon them for trying to attack Asgard? These questions lingered in his mind as the blonde-haired God followed his father's lead.
Loki knew that his plan worked and he was able to stop the coronation, though a hint a regret and guilt grew within the pit of his stomach. As they go throughout the corridors of the golden palace Arselia eyes Loki suspiciously. There is something that he is not telling her, she can sense it. She feels the guilt that is building up within him, just as he can sense the anger within her forming from him keeping this secret. He never liked lying to Arselia, she was one of the two people he hated lying to. The other was of course his mother. He couldn't stand lying to the two most important women in his life, but if he was to get what he wanted, he had to.
The group of four make it to the vault with Odin in the front, his two sons behind him, and Arselia behind them. The Destroyer goes back into its cage as the Asgardians make there way to what the Frost Giants seemed to come for. As they walk, they see the dead bodies of the guards that attempted to keep the vault safe. Thor's blood boils, but Arselia and Loki stay neutral being that they can care less about people who managed to fail to do their jobs.
"The Jotuns must pay for what they've done." Thor states angrily. "They have paid with their lives." Odin claims as he examines the Casket of Ancient Winters. A relic that could easily turn an entire world into an icy terrain. The chilling breeze left behind by the Frost Giants sends chills up the goddess' spine, as the wind blows through her midnight hair. "The Destroyer did it's work. The Casket is safe and all is well." Thor looks at his father in disbelief. "All is well? They broke into the weapons vault. If the Frost Giants had stolen even one of these relics-" Odin cuts his son off. "They didn't." "Well I want to know why!" The mischievous soul bond glance between the father and son duo as they talk. Arselia sends Loki an uneasy glance and speaks to him in his mind. "You're hiding something." Loki spares a quick glance at his soul bond, but continues to say nothing. "I know that this incident isn't only caused from the Frost Giants, there is something more to it. I have a strong feeling you know what that something is. Don't you, Loki?" Arselia watches as he gulps, but leaves their conversation at that, for now.
"I have a truce with Laufey, king of the Jotuns." "He just broke your truce! They know you are vulnerable." Odin turns to face his enraged son. "What action would you take?" "March into Jotunheim, as you once did. Teach them a lesson. Break their spirits so they'll never try to cross our borders again." The warrior goddess rolls her eyes at the god's idea. He wishes to break down the spirits of the Jotuns, but fails to realize in doing so would cause a catastrophic war. "You're thinking only as a warrior." "This was an act of war!" "It was the act of but a few, doomed to fail." Arselia's gaze goes momentarily to Loki, but returns back to the father and son arguing. "Look how far they got!" "We will find the breach in our defenses and it will be sealed." "As king of Asgard-" "BUT YOUR'E NOT KING!" Odin cuts his son off after finally losing his temper. An uncomfortable silence fills the room and a look of hurt crosses over the God of Thunder's face. "Not yet." Odin says before finally walking away. Loki and Arselia look to each other, then Thor. They decide it was better to leave him alone momentarily, so they follow the All-Father out.
The God and Goddess of Mischief and Lies make their way throughout the palace with bowes and curtsies from the servants directed towards them. A gentle wind blows through the air as the sun peaks through the windows of the corridors. The pair finally turn down an empty corridor and Arselia takes it as a chance to hold a dagger up to Loki's throat, and push him against the wall. "Start talking." The angry goddess states. "Kinky." Loki says with his infamous mischievous smirk. "Do I look to be in a gaming mood, brother?" Loki looks anywhere but at Arselia as she continues to hold her dagger up his throat. The hallway fills with the sounds of distant echoes from servants and workers walking about in the palace. The raven-haired goddess keeps her intense gaze upon her soul bond as he slowly raises his hands in defeat.
"I strongly dislike how I never manage to fool you." "What have you done, Loki?" He sighs as Arselia retracts her blade. "I merely stopped my oaf of a brother from becoming a king and destroying the Nine Realms." Arselia gave her soul bond an incredulous look and Loki sighs once more. "You are correct. I did help the Frost Giants into Asgard." "I knew that part already, but how did you do it? How did they even step foot into our territory without Heimdall seeing them?" A small smile forms on the mischievous god's face. "There are secret paths throughout the realms that not even Heimdall can see. I simply opened one of those paths and that lured the Frost Giants to go to father's vault and attempt to get the Casket of Ancient Winters. It is not my fault they fell for the bait that I left them." "There is more to the story than your silver tongue lets on." Loki rolls his eyes. He knows that it would probably be better to just tell her, rather than her forcing it out of him. If she tells the All-Father, then he would know where her loyalty truly lies. "I did it as I said before to stop Thor's coronation. You saw how he acted in the vault, ready to strike up a battle at any given moment. He is not prepared to become King. By doing this, maybe father will see that I'm more qualified for the position of king. Maybe...maybe he'll see my true potential." Loki states teary-eyed.
Arselia looks to her soul bond with soft eyes, but a smirk forms on her face. "What are you thinking?" Loki asks as he can sense a mischievous feeling develop within the goddess. "Is there anyway I can join in this little plan of yours?" The duo smirk at each other menacingly.
《♛》《♛》《♛》
Thor angrily enters the room in which the feast for his coronation was meant to be held. He pushes two workers that were cleaning a table out of the way, and proceeds to flip the table over with a loud roar. The God and Goddess of Mischief watch from the shadows of the room as the Warriors Three and Lady Sif enter to check on their friend. "Redecorating are we?" Lady Sif asks sarcastically. The Warriors Three and Lady Sif banter as Thor goes to sit on the steps of the room. Arselia and Loki come up from behind Thor and catches his gaze. "It is unwise to be in my company right now, brother and sister." The duo sits on either side of Thor, upon the stairs. "Who said I was wise?" Loki asks. "And when do we ever listen to you?" Arselia chimes in. "This was to be my day of triumph." The angered god states. "It'll come. In time."
Loki and Arselia make eye contact, before Loki goes to whisper to Thor. "If it's any consolation, I think you're right. About the Frost Giants, about Laufey, about everything." Arselia leans over to Thor and adds on to what Loki says. "If they found a way to penetrate Asgard's defenses once who's to say they won't try again? Next time with an army." "Exactly." Thor agrees. "There's nothing you can do without defying father." Loki adds. The soul bond knew exactly what they were doing. They would provoke the blonde-haired god until he finally snapped. Once he did, Odin would see that he is not fit for ruling and would make Loki the first in line for the throne. With Loki on the throne he would select Arselia to be his queen and rule with him, therefore her spot on the throne was sealed and there would be no competition between her and Sif. Was she jealous of Sif? No, but she wanted to make sure nothing came between her and the crown. Sif is an excellent warrior along with a good leader. She would be fit for the position of queen just as Arselia is. Loki and Arselia wouldn't marry out of love, but out of power. Yes they love each other, but not in the romantic way. Arselia wouldn't dare to fall in love again. The first time she did, he was stripped away from her. They were stripped away from her. She never wants to feel the pain of losing the one that holds her heart again, hence the reasoning why she refuses to let her walls down and why it's easier for her to fake happiness rather than allowing herself to truly express her emotions.
Thor looks over to Arselia, then over to Loki. The pair knew that look too well. The look of a warrior hungry for a battle. "No, no, no. I know that look." Loki says frantically. "This is why I've given you the name of trouble because you're always ready to cause it." Arselia says as she stands. "That's the only way to ensure the safety of our borders." The God of Thunder states. "Thor, it's madness." The pair says at the same time. "Madness? What sort of madness?" Volstagg asks. "We're going to Jotunheim." The raven-haired god and goddess look at each other for a moment and gulp. "This isn't like a journey to Earth where you summon a little lightning and thunder, and the mortals worship you as a god. This is Jotunheim." Frandal says to his friend with concern evident in his voice. "My father fought his way into Jotunheim, defeated their armies and took their Casket. We would just be looking for answers." "It is forbidden!" Sif exclaims. Thor goes on to talk to his friends as Arselia and Loki share a conversation within each other's minds. "Are you sure we are not taking it too far by going to Jotunheim?" Asks the weary goddess. "Have you no faith in me, my soul bond?" "I do, but I worry about the condition of our brother if he truly strikes a battle upon the Jotuns." "I assure you, he will be fine. His friends, possibly not so much." The pair chuckle within each other's minds, but Thor addressing both Sif and Arselia interrupt them.
"And who proved wrong all who scoffed at the idea that young maidens couldn't be the fiercest warriors and sorceresses this realm has ever seen?" Thor asks while gesturing to the Goddess of War and the Goddess of Mischief, Lies, and Thunder. "I did." The women state at the same time. "True, but I supported you both." Thor says as Arselia rolls her eyes. "My friends, we're going to Jotunheim."
《♛》《♛》《♛》
The group of seven make it to the gardens of Asgard where they go to gather their horses for the journey across the Bifrost bridge. As Thor and his friends talk amongst themselves, Arselia and Loki sneak off to the side momentarily and secretly talk to one of the standing guards. "Thor, the Warriors Three, and Lady Sif have brought it upon themselves to travel to Jotunheim and battle the Jotuns. We have attempted to stop them, but it has worked to no avail. We go now with them to serve as their protection and make sure that they don't die untimely deaths. Pass this information to the All-Father." The goddess tells the guard. The guard nods his head and makes his way to spread the news. The blue-eyed god sends her a wink and they make their way to catch up with the rest of the group. "That silver tongue of yours is going to get you in trouble one day." The god states. Arselia side eyes her soul bond and nudges his side. "You are one to talk, and besides I'm waiting on the day that it actually happens."
The pair catch up with the rest of the group and mount onto their horses. They make their way out of the palace grounds and onto the beautifully colored bridge. Looking up in the sky is almost as if looking at a painting. Swirls of blues, greens, yellows, oranges, purples, and pinks fill the sky as the sun begins to set. The water glistens and the wind blows throughout everyone's hair as all of their trusty companions guide them to their destination.
The group stops their traveling once they see Heimdall standing at the end of the bridge. They all get off their mounts and walk over to the All-Seeing man that stands adorned in his gold armor. Loki and Arselia walk passed Thor and both say "You leave this to us." "Good Heimdall-" Loki starts but is immediately cut off by the golden-eyed man. "You're not dressed warmly enough." "I beg your pardon?" Arselia asks. "Do you think that you can deceive me?" The pair chuckles. "You must be mistaken-" "Why would we try and-" "Enough!" Thor exclaims. The pair immediately stops and Thor walks in front of them to attempt to talk to Heimdall. "Heimdall, may we pass?" "Never has an enemy slipped my watch until this day." The man steals a glance at the soul bond before continuing. "I wish to know how that happened." "Then tell no one where we have gone until we've returned. Understand?" Loki and Arselia look to each other, then look back at Thor. Arselia feels a pang of guilt rise within her, not just from herself, but from Loki. They love Thor, but they believe in doing this and stopping him from becoming king, they would be doing the realms a favor. The All-Father a favor.
Thor, The Warriors Three, and Lady Sif walk passed Heimdall, Arselia, and Loki. "What happened, you two? Silver tongues turned to lead?" Volstagg asks. Fandral, Lady, Sif and Thor let out laughs as Loki and Arselia follow behind the group with scowls on their faces. The seven make it into the circular golden room and Thor walks to the very end of it. Heimdall climbs upon the stairs prepared to place the sword into the holder to open the Bifrost. "Be warned. I will honor my sworn oath to protect this realm as its Gatekeeper. If your return threatens the safety of Asgard, Bifrost will remain closed to you and you'll be left to die in the cold waste of Jotunheim." Heimdall warns the group as they look to the entrance of the Bifrost. "Couldn't you just leave the bridge open for us?" Volstagg asks. "To leave the bridge open would unleash the full power of the Bifrost and destroy Jotunheim with you upon it." "How exciting." The goddess of thunder says. "I have no plans to die today." The god of thunder states. "Yet you and your recklessness will end up being the death of me." Arselia mutters under her breath.
Heimdall fully pushes the sword down, and the group is incased in blinding rainbow portal. Thor holds up mjölnir whilst Arselia holds up mizzath. The sword and the hammer give the god and goddess a sense of stability when in the Bifrost. They look to each other and smile while surrounded by a flurry of bright colors. After a couple moments of traveling, the group finally makes it to the cold, desolate realm of Jotunheim. Darkness of nighttime surrounds them, as a faint color of blue is casted within the realm.
"We shouldn't be here." Hogun states. Thor ignores his friend's remark and starts walking. "Lets move." An uneasy feeling crawls upon each and everyone's souls as they walk further into the realm, but being the warriors they are, they refuse to show their uneasiness. The septet eye their surroundings as they cling to their clothes for warmth, all except for Loki. The wind whistles and the breath of people show due to the cold climate. The group seem to notice the lack of Frost Giants within their home realm. "Where are they?" Asks the goddess of war. "Hiding, as cowards always do." Thor claims angrily.
"You've come a long way to die, Asgardians." Laufey, King of Jotunheim states. "I am Thor Odinson!" "We know who you are." "How did your people get into Asgard?" "The House of Odin is full of traitors." "Do not dishonor my father's name with your lies!" Loki and Arselia keep their poker faces on that they learned to develop over the years as they listen to the discussion. Laufey stands up and gets out of the shadows. "Your father is a murderer and a thief! And why have you come here? To make peace? You long for battle. You crave it. You're nothing but a boy trying to prove himself a man." Laufey states as the Frost Giants come out from where they were hiding. "Well, this 'boy' has grown tired of your mockery." The king growls as him and his followers summon their ice blades. The Asgardians go into a defensive position ready for a possible battle. Arselia and Loki rush over to Thor, realizing that their plan is beginning to get out of their hands. "Thor, stop and think. Look around you we're outnumbered." Loki says wearily. "Thor please listen to Loki, there needn't be a battle." Arselia adds. "Know your place, brother and sister." Thor spits out. "You know not what your actions would unleash. I do. Go now, while I still allow it."
"We will accept your most gracious offer." The raven-haired god states. "Thank you for your mercy, King Laufey." The mischievous goddess says. The king sends a small nod her way as Thor looks back and forth angrily between his brother and the Frost Giant. "Come on, brother." Loki says as he and Arselia begin walking away. Thor turns away, but is interrupted by a Frost Giant speaking. "Run back home, little princess." The anger rises once again within Thor and Arselia lets out a sigh. "Damn." "Here we go." The soul bond comments. Thor smiles, before swinging mjölnir at the Giant and sending it into a wall. "Next?" Thor asks, then proceeds to hit another Giant with his mighty hammer. The group of seven begin to fight off the Jotuns. Arselia stabs them with her trusty sword as Loki summons daggers to throw and impale them.
"At least make it a challenge for me!" Thor says confidently. More Frost Giants are sent to join the battle and spikes of ice rise from the ground. As Arselia swings her sword upwards with her right hand, she uses her left to conger daggers and throw them to oncoming enemies. She continues to fight and throws mizzath just to cut right through her attackers as she battles the other ones with her daggers. Her and a Jotun go at it with each other. Dagger to ice blade. One on one. The Jotun manages to knock her dagger out of her right hand, but when she sticks her hand out, mizzath comes back to her and her sword goes straight through the blue creature. Arselia watches as Loki is cornered in the battle, but isn't even afraid for her other half as she recognizes that it is merely one of his illusions. The Frost Giant runs towards Loki just for it to go straight through him. Arselia smirks and decides that she also wants to play tricks. She manages to make multiple versions of her and confuse the frost giants surrounding her. "Stop playing games and show your true self, witch!" The angered Giant shouts. "They don't call me the Goddess of Mischief and Lies for nothing, darling." Arselia uses herself and her illusions to attack the giants. She normally never fights like this, as it requires vast amounts of energy from her to make multiple illusions solid, but to get through this, her trickery must be used.
While fighting and messing with the Jotuns, she hears Volstagg shout "Don't let them touch you!" Thor continues to smash the Frost Giants with his hammer as Loki fights them off with his daggers. Arselia allows her illusions to take her place as she hides behind a pillar to regain her energy. She watches as Loki stabs a Frost Giant and how it manages to grab Loki's arm. Confusion is evident over Loki and Arselia's faces as she watches how the Jotun's touch doesn't burn the god, rather make his skin an icy blue. "That's not possible." Arselia whispers to herself. She senses a pang of sadness and hurt within her soul bond and tries to send him warm and reassuring feelings back. Loki stabs the Giant once more and watches as his skin turns back to it's pale complexion. "Loki." The blue and green eyed goddess calls his name. He turns to her with teary eyes and a shocked expression upon his face.
Before either of them can say anything more, they watch as a Frost Giant sends shards of ice into Fandral. The duo of mischief act quickly and throw daggers towards the Jotun. "Thor!" Sif shouts. Thor continues to fight as Hogun and Volstagg help their friend off the shard of ice. "We must go!" Shouts Loki. "Then go!" Retorts the stubborn blonde. "Do you not see the chaos that has ensued?!" Arselia asks in disbelief. "Oh trust me, I do!" Thor says as he throws mjölnir to go through the Frost Giants. Laufey begins to get fed up with the ignorant god just as his friends are. He summons magic to awaken his beasts that begin to be released from the ice. "RUN!" Volstagg shouts with Frandal above his shoulders. The group begins to run towards where the Bifrost landed with Thor still fighting behind them. "Thor!" Loki shouts. "THOR COME ON!" A worried Arselia shouts as she runs from the beasts.
The group makes it to the Bifrost point and Loki shouts for Heimdall to open the bridge. The Jotun beast crawls from the edge of the cliff to where the group of six resides and stalks towards them. Arselia summons mizzath to her hand and prepares to strike the large beast. Just as it goes to attack the group Thor flies through it and Arselia stabs it's chest. Loki grabs her and pulls her away just in time to not be crushed when it falls. She looks over to her soul bond and sends a small nod of thank you. Thor finally lands in front of the group of warriors, causing the beast's body to fall off the side of the cliff. Thor holds a victorious smile on his face as he turns, until he sees the large amounts of Jotuns that Laufey has summoned. "Great, now I'm going to die young." Says the goddess of thunder as she examines the army of Frost Giants in front of them. The blue creatures corner the group and make their way towards them. Suddenly, the Bifrost is summoned and Odin enters Jotunheim upon his eight-legged mount, Sleipnir.
Thor looks to his father excitedly and raises mjölnir in the air. "Father! We'll finish them together!" The one-eyed god looks to his son in disgust. "Silence." He spits out. Laufey makes his way towards the King of Asgard with a smirk etched upon his face. "All-Father. You look weary." The Jotun king states. "Laufey, end this now." "Your boy sought this out." The group all looks to Thor as he intently watches the interaction between his enemy and his father. "You're right. And these are the actions of a boy, treat them as such. You and I can end this right here and now, before there's further bloodshed." "We are beyond diplomacy now, All-Father. He'll get what he came for. War and death." Says the angered Jotun King. Arselia gulps as she fears for the life of not only herself, but for her soul bond and Thor, and for some reason a small bit of fear for the Warriors Three and Sif. "So be it." Just as Laufey summons an ice blade to strike Odin, Odin uses the power of Gungir to blast him away and bring the warriors home via the Bifrost.
Once back in the golden room on Asgard, Thor looks to his father in anger. "Why did you bring us back?" "Do you realize what you've done? What you've started?" "I was protecting my home." "You cannot even protect your friends! How can you hope to protect a kingdom?!" Odin says angrily as he throws Hofund to Heimdall. "Get him to the healing room! Now!" Hogun, Volstagg, and Sif all hurriedly help the injured Fandral to the healing room as Odin and Thor argue. "There won't be a kingdom to protect if you're afraid to act. The Jotuns must learn to fear me, just as they once feared you." Arselia and Loki stand silently in the Bifrost chambers as they both watch the father and son pair argue, whilst still being shaken up from the battle. "That's pride and vanity talking, not leadership. You've forgotten everything I taught you about a warrior's patience." "While you wait and be patient, the Nine Realms laugh at us. The old ways are done. You'd stand giving speeches, while Asgard falls." "YOU ARE A VAIN, GREEDY, CRUEL BOY!" The raven-haired god and goddess flinch back from the volume and tone of Odin's voice. Never have they heard or seen him be so angry. "AND YOU ARE AN OLD MAN AND A FOOL!" Thor raises his voice as well, challenging the one-eyed god. An awkward and uncomfortable silence fills the chamber as Odin looks down. "Yes. I was a fool...to think you were ready."
A feeling of triumph fills both Loki and Arselia, but their love for their brother forbids them to feel it for too long. "Father-" Loki tries to interject, but Odin growls over to him. Loki stands in front of Arselia protectively and looks to his father with the eyes of a scared boy. "Thor Odinson, you have betrayed the express command of your king. Through your arrogance and stupidity, you've opened these peaceful realms and innocent lives to the horror and desolation of war!" Odin states as he grabs Gungir and places it where Hofund would be. "You are unworthy of these realms! You're unworthy of your title! You're unworthy...of the loved ones you have betrayed." Arselia watches the encounter with wide eyes holding onto Loki's hand. "I now take from you your power!" Odin exclaims as he summons mjölnir to himself. "In the name of my father and his father before, I, Odin All-Father, cast you out!" Odin shouts as he uses the power of mjölnir to send Thor away.
Loki and Arselia looked to their King teary-eyed with shocked and concerned faces. Odin brings mjölnir up to his face and whispers "Whoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor." Odin then throws it into the Bifrost, before looking to Arselia. "You are to not go after mjölnir or Thor, is that understood?" "Yes, my king." "Where have you sent him?" The god of mischief asks. "Midgard." He makes eye contact with Arselia before looking down. "If you were able to go there willingly, dear child and manage to survive, so shall he." "Father, I had my powers it's not the sa-" "This is not up for discussion, do I make myself clear?!" Odin shouts. The pair look down and nod their heads. They got what they wanted, to get Thor out of the way of the throne, but at what cost?
𝐀𝐍:
𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬- 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐨 𝐮𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐲'𝐬 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐠𝐨, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐲𝐚 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 ✨𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥✨ 𝐒𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐞𝐲 𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫. 𝐈 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. 𝐌𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐱𝐱