Loki

Chapter 3

"I fear your brother is not coming," Enchessa said to Yardaff.

"I fear you may be right, My Lady," replied Yardaff, looking, as she was, at the moon that was high in the night sky.

"As I thought…" Enchessa muttered angrily.

It was the middle of the night in Jotunheim, and all of the Frost Giants had gathered outside the palace for Loki's coronation. They had been waiting for hours.

"Please, Lady Enchessa, let us not jump to conclusions," Yardaff begged of Enchessa. "My brother no longer bears any allegiance to the people of Asgard, I am certain of it."

"He is no longer in this realm," Enchessa replied coldly, having just cast a quick locator spell so as to find out whether or not he was.

"That does not mean-"

"It means that I was right about him!" Enchessa exploded. "He has no desire to be one of us! The All-Father has twisted him, turned him against us!"

"Perhaps, but that does not mean that he has betrayed us!" argued Yardaff.

"Lord Yardaff!" called a Frost Giant from the crowd. "What has happened?"

Yardaff sighed, and, ignoring Enchessa, he spoke to the crowd.

"My brother, it would seem, has left Jotunheim," he said to them. "Where he is, no one can say for sure. But I intend to find out," he added, seeing Enchessa about to interrupt. "My brother has shown me a secret passage to Asgard, and I shall travel there now in the hopes of ascertaining his whereabouts."

"A gateway to Asgard?" repeated Enchessa angrily.

"Indeed, My Lady," Yardaff said, turning to her, "and I shall use it now, so as to find my brother. If there is any being who knows where my brother can be found, it is he who sits upon the throne of Asgard."

"The risk is too great," Enchessa declared. "Our crown prince has left us; you cannot go alone!"

"If I go with accompaniment, it will be a hostile gesture," Yardaff replied calmly. "I do not go seeking battle; I go seeking answers. I will request a peaceful meeting with the king." Seeing that Enchessa was about to argue some more, he added, "I will show you - all of you -" he added, turning to the crowd, "where this gateway can be found. If I do not return within a day's time, you may come after me." He drew himself up proudly. "However, for now, I go alone, for the safety of all of us. As the only one of royal blood here in Jotunheim, it is my responsibility to risk my life for the sake of my people, and that is what I intend to do." And with that, he walked away in the direction of the gate Loki had shown him a year ago.

When he got there, all of Jotunheim was following in his wake. He picked up Loki's helmet and lifted it for all to see.

"This was once my brother's crown," he told them. "He left it here to mark this passage, and the fact that it remains bodes well for our kind." He looked to the sky, oriented himself, and activated the gate.

"Farewell, my people!" he called over the roar of the opening bridge. "I shall return shortly!"