After the crowds had dispersed at the conclusion of the funeral, Loki had escorted his mother back to her chambers in the palace. He had practically ordered her to change and take to her bed immediately upon their arrival. Loki had thought more than once on the mournful journey home that he would be forced to carry her there. The shock of the unexpected and tragic loss of her son had drained her both mentally and physically. Though she was younger than Odin and not yet of the age to be considered elderly, she appeared weak and frail as if she had aged five centuries in just the single day since Thor had breathed his last. Loki sat at her bedside as she lay on her side, her hand in his, Loki listening as she reminisced.

"I'd always known I could lose him or your father or yourself. I prepared myself for such an event each time all of you were called upon to face our enemies. If that were his fate I could have borne it far easier. For him to be taken by such a cowardly act..." Frigga said.

"It may not have taken place on the field of battle but it was a noble death nonetheless." Loki told Frigga, attempting to assure and comfort her.

"He is in a better place, free from pain and sorrow. I'm comforted knowing he is at peace, but I can't but mourn for the life that was stolen from him, all that could have been…a wife...children…" Loki could clearly see that his mother was exhausted. He himself was on the verge of nodding off as they conversed. He raised Frigga's hand to his lips, afterwards holding it between both of his own.

"I swear to you, I will find who did this." he told her. Frigga examined Loki's face.

"You now carry an additional burden. Your father has told me that he has revealed to you the truth of your origin. You should have been told long before this day. We didn't want you to feel different. We should have known it would be unavoidable. It changes nothing. From the moment your father placed you in my arms, you have been as much my son as your brother."

"You have never given me cause to doubt. Sleep now." Loki said as he released her hand and rose to his feet. Frigga's eyes closed. He looked upon her for a moment before exiting the room.

Where was his father? Loki knew Odin had formal expressions of condolence to accept after the funeral but surely those had been completed by now. He couldn't imagine when he was king not remaining by the side of whomever he had favored highly enough to make his queen during such a time, to leave her to mourn alone even with all the burdens of kingship.

As he questioned his father's absence, another's absence came to mind as he traversed the corridors towards his own chambers. He had not seen nor heard from Verda the whole of the day. He had not noticed her in the crowd of mourners at the funeral, though it would have been easy to overlook her among so many. Although she had remained with him the evening before as he had finally allowed himself to express his grief, perhaps she had ultimately decided after his crude analogy to distance herself, his display of emotion only momentarily arousing her sympathy. But was that not what he had wanted? Though as he had admitted to her, he wasn't at all sure what he wanted anymore. It wasn't so much her he wished to be rid of as the complications due to her identity but the two were inextricably linked. He could not accept nor reject one without doing the same with the other.

She had rarely seen him at his worst, his darkest, the side of him that could be so callous and cold, hard and harsh. In truth, Loki was a man of deep feelings, vulnerable and sensitive, though only his mother had ever seemed cognizant of that fact. No one who did not feel so deeply would be capable of lashing out the way he had at his brother and others over the centuries. It was this dark aspect that he had nurtured over the years to shield him much like the solid exoskeleton of an insect protects its soft insides. He would hurt others or push them away before he was hurt by them. He would leave before he was left, betray before he was betrayed. However, Thor's death had jolted something within him.

He had not only sensed a shift in the universe but now one within himself. He was on the verge of having everything, or at least nearly everything he had desired, or had once believed he did….the throne, the power and respect that came with it, not just on Asgard but throughout the universe, he was now free of the shadow of his brother...or was he? Somehow Loki still sensed it hovering over him. Or perhaps that shadow had been replaced with the burden of living up to Thor's confidence in him as Loki had told his brother on his deathbed he would strive to do. Despite all he had previously wished for now being in his grasp, he did not find the taste so sweet as he had imagined. He felt the ponderous weight of it all. Why couldn't being a king be all flowers and parades, revels and glorious pomp and ceremonies and monuments and theater celebrating his greatness? He had paid little attention over his lifetime to the numerous and far less grand and more drudgerous responsibilities of kingship that rested heavily upon Odin's broad shoulders.

As Loki neared a T in the corridor he slowed, setting aside his thoughts as he believed he sensed a presence as the flames of the cauldrons lining and lighting his path sent flickering shadows dancing on the stone walls. He approached the intersection of the two corridors cautiously.

As he turned to the right into the corridor where his chambers were located, Sif, who had been lying in wait for him, swung the mace in her hands, its heavy, metallic round head cutting through the air...and through Loki's head, Loki's image vanishing. Sif spun on her heels without hesitating as if she had expected it and also had predicted that Loki would appear behind her, which of course he had.

"Are you mad-" Loki managed to exclaim before the mace struck him in the chest, knocking him across the corridor against the far wall. Loki recovered just as Sif came at him once again. Loki produced his daggers, taking a battle ready stance, dodging another blow from the mace. "Enough! Sif! Stop this!"

"You betrayed him! You knew you would not be the heir! You had him murdered so you could take the throne! You know where there is a portal to Midgard as you also know of those to the other realms! You brought them here! What did you offer them? Riches? Power?" Sif cried as she continued to pursue Loki down the corridor, swinging the mace, Loki skillfully dodging each potential blow from the weapon in her hands.

Her choice of weapon told Loki much. It was not one she usually wielded, though she had enough training and practice with it to be skilled. She must have believed to run Loki through with her sword too easy a death...or perhaps she believed he was unworthy to die in the same manner as Thor. She wanted to bludgeon him, to beat him to Valhalla...or Hel where she likely believed he would find himself after death, his soul wandering helpless and alone for the murder of his brother.

Loki was running out of options. He was preparing to launch one of his daggers in her direction, perhaps a wound to her arm would be enough to end her attack, though knowing Sif that was doubtful, but maybe it would give him the advantage and he could disarm her. Then another thought crossed his mind. He looked to her face, it seething with hatred, crazed with animosity. Yes, he thought, Lorelei was certainly lucky to be safely imprisoned and under perpetual guard.

Sif was preparing to strike yet another blow when Loki stopped his backwards momentum away from her. He stood before her and lowering both arms to his sides dropped his daggers, both of them clattering on the stone floor, before dropping to his knees bowing his head. Sif looked down upon him in confusion.

"I yield to you, Lady Sif...if you truly believe I have my brother's blood on my hands I ask only that it be swift. If you're wrong, it will be you that will be the murderer, who has slain an innocent man as well as the only surviving heir and son of your king."

Sif stared down at him in shock and uncertainty. She began to lower the mace when she heard a female voice unfamiliar to her call out from behind Loki from farther down the corridor.

"Get away from him!"

Sif was unexpectedly and violently thrown backwards by an invisible force, landing hard on the stone floor on her back, the mace knocked out of her hand and landing a few feet away from her. Loki quickly turned his head to see Verda. She rushed to Loki as he retrieved his daggers and raised himself off his knees to stand. Sif, farther down the corridor recovered and slowly rose to her feet.

"Are you alright?" Verda asked worriedly.

"That wasn't necessary. I had the situation under control." Loki told her in a somewhat hostile tone.

"That's not what it looked like from where I was standing! You call that under control?! She was about to bash your head in!"

"Who is this?" Sif asked, approaching the two, confounded.

"A friend." Loki answered Sif, turning his back to her and taking Verda by the shoulders, moving her in front of him. "Go to my chambers. Wait for me there." he told her quietly.

"But what if-"

"Go." Loki said. Verda looked past Loki to Sif with animosity.

"If you harm him, I will kill you." Verda warned her.

"Good luck with that." Sif retorted.

"Be silent! Go! Now!" Loki commanded Verda. She glanced once more at Sif before turning and making her way back down the corridor. Loki had turned back to face Sif when around the same corner Loki had rounded just as Sif attacked shortly before, Fandral, Volstagg and Hogun appeared. All three looked to the mace lying nearby and then to Loki and Sif questioningly and with apprehension.

"Is everything alright?" Fandral asked.

"Yes, we're fine...we were just conversing. I believe we've come to an understanding." Loki said, looking into Sif's eyes. She remained standing silent staring back into his.

"I'm glad to hear it. Something's happened. I don't know what it is. Odin's summoned all of us to the throne room." Fandral said to Loki and Sif.

Loki broke his shared gaze with Sif to look over to Fandral, Sif doing the same. For Odin to summon them together to meet with him at this late hour did not bode well.

Loki walked past Sif and recovered the mace and approached her once again, holding it out to her. After she had taken it from him, Loki turned to join Fandral and the others, Sif following.

*********************

"Lorelei…." the coppery haired woman heard her name within her cell as she lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, a collar attached to her neck. Lorelei sat up looking about her cell, the lights having been turned down for the night. Since she was of those few sentenced to spend the remainder of their natural life entombed in the dungeon, she had been allowed a few comforts. There was a desk and chair and writing utensils as well as a supply of paper along with another small table and a cushioned armchair. Books sat atop the smaller table, delivered to her from a list of approved reading material from which she made her selections. She had never been much into reading but there was little else to do to occupy her time over the last six centuries. She had even written a few novels of her own, though she was sure they would never see the light of day.

She was allowed an hour of exercise each day, transported shackled under heavy guard to a high walled courtyard where, supervised with what seemed an entire regiment of einherjar, she could move about and enjoy the fresh air and sunlight, though the shackles were not removed until she returned to her cell once again. It was an empty, bleak existence, more than enough to drive one mad, though many had already believed she was, there was no other explanation for the crimes of which she was guilty. Often, quite often actually, she wished that Odin had instead handed down to her the ultimate punishment. She questioned why he did not. If anyone was worthy of the axe, it was her.

Lorelei spied her, standing off in a corner between two of the three force fields that kept Lorelei contained. It was one of the few areas in the cell where it was more difficult to see from outside. Lorelei knew she wasn't actually physically present, her form merely a mental projection.

"Verda…" Lorelei said as she sat up. "I thought you had forgotten me. I haven't seen you in months...or has it been years? I find it difficult to keep track locked away like an animal in this place."

"I've been busy. I've been appointed a chambermaid in the palace." Verda said enthusiastically, smiling.

"So that was your grand plan, to clean toilets?" Lorelei responded.

"I'm doing far better than you wasting away in your cell. I had a minor setback but that doesn't matter now. Everything is working out as I envisioned. Unlike you I did not need to employ magic to make up for a lack of other skills." Verda said sarcastically. "I had nothing to lose in the attempt. If I were to fail it would all just happen all over again. I would have ended up no worse off. If my life before taught me anything, it was that one must seize opportunity with both hands...and create it."

"I see you've acquired new skills." Lorelei observed. Verda's few visits to her in the past had been in person, standing outside her cell, conversing for the few minutes they were allowed to do so through the force field.

"I can do far more than this. He taught me...Loki, though I've taught myself much as well. He says I'm his star pupil...though I believe I'm his only pupil...but no matter. He has said I have a natural talent." Verda explained proudly.

"You have certainly come a long way. I remember watching you pine over him from afar, too fearful to even say hello. It was pathetic, pitiful."

"I have now done far more than say hello." Verda said, smiling slyly.

"Is that how you repay him for his tutelage or have you actually managed to win him?" Lorelei asked, astonished.

"It took much time…he wavers in his affections. He fears what others may believe. You never did make life easy for me. But now that fate has willed that he is to be king he will have no reason to concern himself with what anyone thinks."

"You truly believe he will take you as his queen? If I were you I would fear the fall from the height of such lofty aspirations."

"You're one to talk. In your quest to conquer Asgard and the realms you have fallen as far as anyone possibly could." Verda made a show of looking around the cell, "I may clean toilets but at least I'm not forced to live in one. I never cared about being queen. I knew as most others did that Odin would likely choose Thor to succeed him. It was him I wanted, I cared not for grand titles."

"So you say...until you realize one is within reach." Lorelei responded.

"Believe what you wish, but it's true. I may have loved him from afar, but I still loved him...and I loved him for who he was, not what he was. I may be the only one that ever has. You know that if I do become queen. I have no intention of convincing him to free you. You will die here."

"That will happen far sooner if you succeed. I'm sickened by the thought of it. He would do better to take a bilge snipe as his queen."

"Ahhh….sisterly love. I've so missed this. Actually no, I haven't. Goodnight, sister. May your dreams be as unpleasant as yourself." Verda said, her image fading out leaving Lorelei alone once more in her darkened cell.

*********************

Loki, the Warriors Three and Sif entered the throne room, making the long trek towards the throne, Odin seated upon it. He stood as they approached, stepping down from the throne and moving towards them. Loki could sense from his father's walk and demeanor that he was anxious and agitated on top of his sorrow. He looked even wearier than he had earlier that day in the vault.

"I wish to speak to my son alone. I will rejoin you shortly." Odin said, moving off to his left towards a doorway that led into his study. Loki looked at the others assembled, as baffled as they were as to the reason they had been called before their king and his father before following Odin.

Entering his study, Odin strode to the middle of the room before he turned. Loki came to a stop a few feet from him.

"I have received word from Jotunheim...Laufey is dead." Odin said grimly.

"How?" Loki asked, aghast. Jotuns, like Asgardians, had very long life spans. Laufey was not as aged as Odin. He should have had many more centuries ahead of him.

"He was murdered...in much the same way as your brother...it is morning on Jotunheim. He was just rising. They took him unaware, not expecting an attack in his own bedchamber. Only one servant was present to witness it. The assailants all escaped by unknown means." Odin informed Loki, pausing before he continued. Loki looked at Odin astonished. Not that he cared what befell Laufey, or any frost giant for that matter. He'd be perfectly satisfied if they all were no more. He cared even less now, knowing that it was Laufey, his own biological father, that had abandoned him to die as an infant, yet he knew the implications of the event and especially due to the manner in which it had taken place. "I must ask you...was this in any way your doing?" Odin asked.

"No...of course not. I was with you and mother, my presence was likely witnessed by nearly everyone on Asgard." Loki said, glad that this time he had witnesses. The last thing he needed on top of Sif believing he had killed his brother was his father thinking that he had assassinated the King of Jotunheim.

"You did not have another act in your stead?" Odin asked.

"No. I swear on the soul of my brother in Valhalla...I was in no way involved." Loki said, sounding almost desperate. It was imperative that his father believe him, especially this time when he actually spoke truth and was not simply attempting to avoid punishment for a prank gone wrong or some other infraction as he had as a child and even from time to time now as a young man. Odin put his hand out, resting it on Loki's shoulder.

"There is no need to invoke your brother's soul. I have spoken to Heimdall. He agrees that the murder of Laufey was most likely committed, or at least orchestrated by those responsible for your brother's death. Whatever their motive may be it is unlikely to be something in which we should hope they triumph. Heimdall also believes that you are the one most likely to succeed in uncovering the truth. As much as I dislike the idea of placing my only surviving son and heir in danger, I agree. After I have spoken to the others, you must return to your chambers and rest. Tomorrow you prepare to go to Midgard and find this Coulson and learn from him what you can."

"I swore to mother I would find who is responsible for my brother's death. I make the same vow to you."