Loyalty and Mischief (WIP)

Chapter 46 - Can't keep down the unspoken invisible pain

Since Loki and Sigyn's departure for Midgard, Thor had counted the sunsets. With each one that'd passed, he'd silently prepared for his own journey, unnoticed by even the servants. Now that the time had come, Thor wished he had just one more day. To speak to his loved-ones, to say goodbye to his friends, to tell Loki and Sigyn one last time how sorry he was. But he could delay no longer.
Thor knew what awaited him on the journey ahead. And though Freya had assured him he was not yet for Valhalla or her own halls, denying her quest because he feared her wrong wasn't an option. He would not forfeit what little honour he had left after what his actions had wrought, nor would he risk Freya's ire. While the völva doted on Loki and Sigyn's daughter, Freya was a vengeful sort and would hold no qualms in punishing little Brisi if she believed Thor went back on their bargain. 

With one last glance at his room, Thor gathered his satchel and sword and closed the door behind him. His heart weighed heavily at leaving Mjölnir behind, but it wasn't without reason. Odin had always told him it was a weapon worthy of a great King, a means to hone his true power. But what meaning could Mjölnir hold to one who felt utterly powerless? So it stayed in the corner by his bed, awaiting his return... or his successor.
Thor briefly considered seeing his brother and mother before he left, but they would never let him go, not even if he told them of Freya. Unlike Odin, Frigga yet believed Thor could regain his title and his father's love, much like Baldur was accomplishing. The youngest Odinson had become studious these past weeks, on his way to rival Loki and Frigga herself in the way he garnered knowledge and practiced his magic. But Baldur didn't stand alone in wanting to prove his worth. 

So Thor stalked the torch-lit corridors, pondering his task as he made his way to the stables. Freya had told him only that two of her souls, the brothers Módi and Magni, had been stolen from the halls of Sessrumnir — a remarkable feat, as only Freya controlled the inner sanctum of Folkvang — and were kept prisoner by a monstrous sea serpent named Jörmungandr.
Thor had searched Asgard's vast library and found but a mere footnote, describing the beast as a creation of sea and mountain, whatever that meant. Freya herself had offered no further explanation, insisting he alone stood a chance against the creature. If only he could share in her confidence. 

Merry noises reached Thor as he neared the hall. People had already started gathering for dinner, which meant he could slip away without attracting too much attention. Not that they would care about him leaving. Hardly anyone paid him any consideration now. Their cool, stand-offish treatment hurt more than the disgraced Prince could ever have fathomed.
As Thor entered the courtyard, he heard Volstagg's brazen laugh from the other side. His eyes flickered to see what had diverted the brute this time... only to widen in shock. Thor instantly stopped dead in his tracks, jaw dropping at the sight of the youngest member of the Warriors Three reunited with his comrades and Sif. 

"Fandrall!"

The blond warrior raised his head at Thor's loud call. His mouth tightened briefly before he dipped into a shallow bow. Not so long ago, there would have been a grin or jest, maybe. The absence of it served as a reminder that they hadn't parted as friends. Still, Thor took Fandrall in a cordial embrace and said, "Welcome home."

"My thanks."

An awkward silence fell within the group as he nudged Thor and stepped back. Sif, Volstagg, and Hogun glanced between them before their sights settled, inevitably, on Thor. Most looked at him with pity, but Fandrall's eyes were filled with the same disdain he'd seen before his friend had departed Asgard. That harsh glare nearly made Thor wince. Never had he felt like such an outsider before. 

"When did you arrive?" Thor asked in an effort to defuse some of the tension.

"Heimdall brought us back last night," said Fandrall. "We've been with the Allfather and the Queen all day."