Loyalty and Mischief (WIP)

Chapter 28 - There's something there that wasn't there before

Thor had to admit he'd missed it. The awesome excitement of adventure and plunging into the unknown took a firmer hold of him with each passing day. Though he yet remained cautiously wary, he couldn't deny relishing in this mighty quest. His resolve had grown stronger, too. This was, after all, what Princes did; going on seemingly impossible ventures and return to their people victorious.
Yet the one failure from his youth still cast a shadow over Thor. He hadn't forgotten the dreadful repercussions from when he and Loki, only just grown into manhood, had gone looking for Surtur's Sword. A war with Jotünheim had nearly broken out because of their actions. And Loki had... lost his way. The fragile state he'd been in the weeks that followed the events had left him vulnerable. So much so he'd succumbed to...
No. Thor would not allow himself to think of her. She'd betrayed both him and his brother. She'd betrayed Asgard. And she was gone now. Dead, most likely. But, with those past events in the back of his mind, it was of the utmost importance all went as smoothly as possible this time around. If only Baldur weren't so impatient.

"Why do you insist on wasting our time when we could already be on our way to retrieve the Sword?"

Thor's jaw clenched when his little brother raised his voice to him for the fourth time that day. Who would have ever guessed he would actually come to think of Loki as the better brother?

"You know why," said Thor, raising his eyes only briefly before returning to the page he was reading. "We must be well prepared for this voyage."

"We prepare by honing our skills in combat outside on the training grounds! Yet, you have us inside, stuck in this damn library!"

Thor slammed his hand on the table and jumped up from his seat. He had quite enough of this. Baldur recoiled at his brother's sudden outburst but never lost the defiance in his eyes.

"I have us here," hissed Thor, "because I do not want to repeat the mistakes I made before. People died when we last went after the Twilight Sword, Baldur. This isn't like any other adventure I've told you about. We must be careful. If not for our own lives, then for the sake of Asgard."

"You've not told me a single thing about what happened in the past," complained Baldur. "If you would just —"

"No."

"But, I could —"

"Baldur, enough!"

Thor hated yelling at the princeling, yet in this moment, his strong and roaring voice was the only thing that would let Baldur know this wasn't up for discussion. The shame of those days still anguished Thor deeply. He wouldn't have his little brother look upon him with the same pity all the others had. Nor would he allow Baldur anything he could use against Loki. 
To say the two siblings were clashing was putting it mildly. Baldur was determined to prove he was the better magician in the family — apart from Frigga, of course — and challenged Loki at every turn, even in public. Because of the promise he'd made Sigyn, Loki tried to turn every challenge into a lesson. Still, he couldn't help but demonstrate his superiority, which irritated Baldur even further. If he ever discovered what Loki did all those years ago, Thor was certain Baldur would use that knowledge without care or a moment's thought. He couldn't allow that.

"I know you are excited to go on this quest, brother," said Thor, his voice gentler. "But you must believe me when I say we are not ready. Only fools rush in. And we were fools in our youth. Not anymore. So we will learn all we can about the Sword, train hard, and only when I deem us ready shall we depart. Please, Baldur. Try to understand I am trying to protect us all as best I can so history doesn't repeat itself. "

Baldur sighed. "I do, Thor. I simply don't understand why you shut me out. You say we must prepare because something bad happened, and I believe and trust you know best. But how can I make sure history doesn't repeat itself if I don't even know that history to begin with? I may yet be a child, but I assure you, I am a lot stronger than I look. I can take it."