𝐄𝐓𝐎𝐈𝐋𝐄 ━ loki laufeyson¹·¹

8│COME BACK, I STILL NEED YOU

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❛ ᴇᴛᴏɪʟᴇ​​​​​​​​​​. ❜ ° . ༄
- ͙۪۪˚   ▎❛ 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 ❜   ▎˚ ͙۪۪̥◌
»»————- ꒰ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ, ɪ
sᴛɪʟʟ ɴᴇᴇᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ꒱


❝ UNTIL THE END, DRÖTTNING ❞

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A S G A R D

They didn't talk on the ride back but Eleanora could feel the rigidity of her husband's spine against her chest as she sat behind him on the horse. The tension between them that had been present since his return to Asgard only increased the longer they went without speaking. When they arrived at the stables, Loki handed their mount off to a stablehand. Then, she had to hurry after his long, powerful strides that sent his emerald cape billowing out behind him as he stalked through the halls. They made it to the Vault when he finally did whirl on her, his jaw tight with anger as his eyes flashed.

"What do you think you're doing?" the god snapped. "Checking up on me like a child who needs to be watched?"

The blonde remained collected in the face of his fury, fully believing that her actions did not warrant his wrath. "I'm keeping the castle, just as you asked me to. Forgive me if I worry about you during your prolonged absence; I was under the impression that you were merely going to Midgard. Had you told me that a trip to Jotunheim was in order, I wouldn't have bothered."

They both knew that wasn't true, but she hadn't said it to lie; she wanted to make it a point that he had kept things from her. He regarded her stiffly where he stood a few feet away from her. There was no warmth in his gaze now, only the cold rage that had been building within him since he'd found out about his heritage. It seemed to spill out of him in a never-ending tidal wave, reaching the bursting point at inopportune times. His previous meeting with Laufey (who was, horrifically, his father) had only served to push him past is breaking point for the day (nay, the hour.)

"The details of my political endeavors are none of your concern," he told her sharply. "What else have you done today besides chase after me?"

Eleanora met his hard gaze evenly, unafraid of his temper (though it might have been smarter if she was.) She drew herself up to her full (but still much shorter than his) height. "I took care of Thor's friends for you. You're welcome." At the sudden uncertainty in his eyes, she scoffed. "Not like that; they're still very much alive. I have merely sent them to Midgard to retrieve Thor."

"And why would you do something like that?" Loki demanded icily.

"Well, they would have meddled in our plans if they were here on Asgard anyway. Not only that, but it is a foolish venture to try and break him out of exile; we don't even know what act would counter Odin's terms— probably something ridiculously selfless and heroic," she finished. "They will be out of the way for some time yet. Now, are you going to tell me what you're up to or will I have to simply question your choice for vacation spots?"

He did not speak immediately, his mind racing to catch up on her train of thought. The thing that struck him most was that she had called it 'our plans.' Even when she had no idea what he was arranging, she was still willing to side with him. He could have told her to get lost or come up with some half-hearted excuse that would have kept her otherwise occupied but, despite everything, even the rage sizzling just under his skin, he found that he could not abandon her— he did not want to.

"Fine," the god grit out irritably. "I did go to Jotunheim for my own purposes. I made a deal with Laufey so he could bring his warriors to Asgard to slaughter Odin while he is defenseless. He will undoubtedly fail in this undertaking as I will be lying in wait to kill him myself. Then, because of his act of war, I will aim the Bifrost at Jotunheim long enough to destroy the realm, thus cementing myself as a hero of Asgard and our reign of the Second Golden Age can begin."