Glorious Purpose

Frigga glanced into the nursery, where the maid was occupied with Thor, ignoring the other child. Thor was misbehaving, as usual, throwing his toys at the poor women's head. Frigga tiptoed across the floor, to where the other boy lay silently. She leaned over, to see his shining green eyes and thin black hair. To here surprse, the baby grinned up at her, mouth stretched right across his small face in a smile. "Hello, child," she whispered, picking him up, and holding him close. He was not Frigga's child, but she felt sorry for the scrap of a creature.

"What are you doing?" called to his wife.

"Greeting the new child," Frigga was still cradling the baby.

Odin looked down at him with distaste. "He is the child of a monster, Frigga! Who knows what he will grow up to be! You need not treat him like he is your own."

"But Odin!" Frigga protested. "He is only a baby. You took him on, adopted him, and now you choose to abuse him?"

"He is not my child, he is nothing but a tool to ensure the safety of Asgard. The safety of your real son."

"Odin, how could you?" Frigga was disgusted by her husband. "Why give him a new hope in life, only to crush it later?"

"Frigga," Odin was angry now. "You will leave Loki alone."

Then he left, leaving Frigga alone with Loki. Thor had gone to sleep (finally), and Loki was drifting off in her arms. "It's okay Loki, I'm here."

***

"Thor! Thor!" Loki yelled after his brother. He'd stolen his notebook and pen, again. "Thor please! I didn't do anything!"

"Come get it!" Thor teased. Loki sighed. This was normal behaivour for his brother, and today Loki couldn't be bothered to spend his afternoon chasing after Thor.

"Mother!" Loki went back into the palace. "Mother!"

"Yes, love?" Frigga was lounging in the throne room - Odin was nowhere to be seen.

"Thor's playing outside the garden again," Loki lied. That would get his notebook back.

"Oh that boy is so naughty!" Frigga stood up and followed Loki into the garden.

Thor was playing on the grass, fighting some imaginary monster. "Thor, have you been playing on the other side of the gate again?" Frigga asked.

"No mother!" Thor answered inocently.

"But Thor!" Loki whined. "I saw you!"

Thor's face fell. "But I never went out there!"

"Come Thor. You'll be playing inside today," Frigga grabbed his hand and led him towards the back door.

"What's going on here?" Odin's voice came from the far side of the garden.

"Thor's been playing on the other side of the gate again," Frigga told him.

"I didn't see him."

"He did!" Loki added, jumping up. He had his pen and notebook back in his hand.

"Did you see him?" Odin questioned.

"Yes! Yes!"

Odin shook his head. "You're lying."

Loki looked at him, confused. "No I'm not!"

"Tell the truth boy."

Loki hung his head in shame. "I'm sorry father. I lied."

"Loki!" Frigga was shocked, and disapointed. "Why?"

"He stole my notebook!" he cried, pointing at Thor.

"Loki, you must not lie," Frigga scolded.

"I told you this would come of him. See to it that Loki is punished."

"What?" Loki squealed. "He stole my stuff and I couldn't outrun him!"

"I would sooner tolerate a theif than I would a liar. For a theif, though his ways may be wicked, he may also be trustworthy. But I liar will always stab you in the back. Thor gave you back your things, but you cannot take back your lie. I will break your bad habits, Loki. I am doing this for you," he shook his head. "Why can't you be like Thor?"

"Because I'm not Thor!" Loki snarled. "I am Loki of Asgard! What must I do to make you proud of Loki, not Loki - trying - to - be - Thor?" he stormed off, tears falling from his verdant eyes. Why couldn't he do anything right? Why couldn't his parents be proud of him? Why couldn't they love him?

***

"Loki!" Thor was calling for his brother, wandering around the garden. Loki watched on in amusement. He was balaced in the forked branches of a large tree, looking out over Asgard. He'd grown tired of his brother's games, and had taken refuge amung the leaves. "Brother show yourself!"

Thor looked around one more time, before leaving the garden. The sunlight was fading from the pastel sky, and Loki was too comfortable in his hidey-hole to put his brothers mind at ease. "You shouldn't do that to your brother," Frigga scolded.

Loki looked down to see his mother, below him, sitting on a bench. "Oh, he would not let me stay up here peacefully. It's my hiding place - I wouldn't let Thor know of it."

"Go now, let him know you're safe," Frigga urged.

"Why?" Loki was slightly annoyed by her suggestion. "I am perfectly happy - and safe - where I am."

"Oh, you are too harsh on your brother. He means well," Frigga laughed.

"Usually," Loki replied darkly.

"Always! Do as you will, Loki. Just speak to him when you go in," Loki watched her leave the garden. He smiled - his mother always made him smile. Up in the trees, he looked down on the realm of Asgard, happy to belong there.

***

Times must be truly desperate if Odin was willing to appoint Loki as king. With Thor gone and Odin to sick to keep the throne, Loki was in charge of Asgard. Yet Loki found no comfort in his new position. He knew how much it killed Odin inside to allow a Jotun on the Throne of Asgard.

Loki looked at himself in the glass - he looked royal, like a king. But beneath his handsome, Asgardian appearance, he was nothing more than a monster beneath all the armour and good looks. Oh, what he wouldn't give to have Thor at his side. But Thor was banished, and if he was there, Loki would not be king. So he left Thor on Earth.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped out, into his new rule over Asgard.

***

Regret. It was all LOki had in him as he clung to Thor's hand, hanging over the shattered Bifrost. The fight with Thor. Letting him remain on Earth. Bringing the Jotuns to Asgard. Every mistake, coming back to him, consuming him.

Odin was keeping Thor from falling, but he was too weak to lift them both. Besides, he wanted Loki to fall. He wanted him to die. To leave Asgard forever. And Loki didn't have the willpower to disagree anymore. He would not stay where he wasn't wanted.

"All I ever did," he called up to Odin, "I did to make you proud."

It didnt help. didn't change Odin's heart. It didn't change what Loki had done. But it made him feel so much better. Just so his father knew that he still cared.

Then Loki Laufeyson let go. He watched Asgard dissapear from veiw with a smile on his face. He watched everything he'd ever known vanish. What would lie on the other side? No longer burdened by the many expectations, dissapointment, suspicions poured on him by Thor and Odin, Loki's life had new purpose.

***

A blue light, a crevice in the air, tore through the room. Chaos broke out in the top security lab, jumbled words and misdirected orders failed to help. Loki enjoyed the panic he'd caused. Fleeing midgardians, abandoned technology.

"I am Loki of Asgard, and I come burdened with a Glorious Purpose."