Enemies to Lovers

3.

After arriving back at the palace, Boudi headed straight to her rooms. She briefly saw Astrid in the garrison when they came back, but she didn't say anything to her. She couldn't even look at her and rushed back. Boudi couldn't deal with this now. She needed to try and clear her head and decide what, if anything, she was going to do about Loki.

Boudi decided to take a long bath once back. She needed to remove the copious amounts of blood and grim from herself. She needed to relax and breathe.

Loki, on the other hand, had to suffer Odin's wrath. Well, witness it, at least. Odin blamed Thor for the invasion. It was Thor's job to ensure that no enemy ever entered Asgard. Thor was meant to be the protector, and he had failed his task. He had just proven to his father that he wasn't ready to be King, and when Thor argued back that he was ready and that none of this was his fault, Odin banished him.

Loki watched quietly, his eyes flicking between his brother and father. Well, not that they were blood-related, as Loki had discovered. He had been betrayed and lied to all his life. Loki's rage was building slowly.

Little did they know that Loki had planned this invasion with Laufey to prove to Odin that Thor was an imbecile and that he shouldn't be King. The plan had, in fact, worked perfectly for Loki and even better than he had hoped, apart from the discovery of his true identity, of course. He had only wanted Odin to see Thor wasn't ready, but what happened afterwards was even better. No Thor to ruin Loki's plans

Loki had baited Laufey with the casket of ancient winters, a treasure that Odin had stolen from the realm of Jotunheim. Laufey wanted their power source back. Jotunheim had grown weak without it, and Loki had seen an opportunity to use the frost giants to his advantage.

Loki went to the treasure vault. He had the compulsion to do it and look upon the casket of ancient winters to touch it. He had seen it as a child, but Odin had always kept him from it. It had drawn Loki to it before, but he'd been afraid to go near it. Odin had told him he would freeze to death instantly if he did. A scary story to keep him away from it. Loki now realised why. He would have learnt the truth if he had touched it before.

...

The following day, Boudi was summoned to the throne room. She didn't know what to think as she arrived in the great golden hall and looked upon Loki sitting on the throne.

His legs splayed wide in arrogance as he slumped back in the ancient seat of power, his hand gripping Gungnir, Odin's weapon, firmly in his grasp. He smirked as Boudi entered the hall. Her stunned expression pleased him as she paused just inside the doorway.

Where was Odin? She thought to herself.

"Hello, Pet", Loki's commanding voice echoed around the golden hall.

"Where is the All-Father?" Boudi asked curiously as she stepped forward further into the room.

Loki waved his hands, signalling for the guards to leave them alone. Boudi watched as they all left, leaving just her and Loki alone, the door now closed firmly behind her.

"Father has fallen into the Odin sleep. Mother fears he may never awaken again," Loki says sadly.

Boudi narrowed her eyes at Loki. Something was wrong. She could feel it. Boudi strode towards the throne confidently.

"What did you do, Loki?" she asked with a sneer.

Loki grit his teeth and rose from his seat, staring down at her as she stopped at the foot of the dais. The booming noise from him hitting Gungnir onto the floor echoed around the room.

"You dare to accuse your king of ill intent?"

Boudi scoffed as she looked up at Loki. His face hardened from her apparent lack of respect. She shuffled on her feet, clenching her jaw to try and hold back her anger as Loki stared at her.