His Queen | Book 1

Forty Three: The Exiled

It happened so quickly. She was in Jotunheim; facing down a thousand Jotnar and the harsh cold winds of winter. Now she is in Asgard. Unexpectedly coming back through the bridge so quickly without a second to comprehend the last few seconds had her falling forward over her own feet. Her spear clatters to the ground and her weak legs give way.

She falls into the arms of Loki and he gently helps her to her knees. He moved back to examine her injuries. His jaw wound tight. He moves to touch the black ice scaring her perfect skin. He holds back. Worry riddled his expression. "Are you alright?" he is unsure what to do.

Sigyn grimaced when looking at her right side. "It burns." she told him, softly.

Vali is on the other side of his mother now, asking how she was.

The first thing the All-Father did when coming back through the Bifrost was march up the platform. He angrily ripped the sword from its panel and tossed it across the way to Heimdall. He catches it effortlessly. Then turned away and walked out of his observatory. How long did it take Odin to figure out where they had gone?

"Why'd you bring us back!" thundered Thor, pushing back his red cape, frustrated.

Odin turned to his son. "Do you realise what you have done?" he roared, standing above him on the platform flailing his hand. "What you have started?"

"I was protecting my home!" Thor argued.

"You cannot protect your friends!" Odin wildly gestured his hand to the other around. Most injured. "How can you hope to protect a kingdom?" Odin then turned his one eye to Fandral, studying his condition for a split moment. "Get him to the healing room." he commanded. And when Volstagg didn't move fast enough, "NOW." he barked.

Volstagg slung Fandral's arm over his shoulder, and the other over Hogun. Together they hauled him up the bridge with Lady Sif leading.

"Mother, we must get you to the healers." Vali said. "Can you stand?"

Sigyn nodded, fighting the burning sensation pulsating around her body, she used her husband and son as pillars to get back to her feet.

Despite the critical condition his friend was in, Thor decided to pursue this argument. "There won't be a kingdom to protect if you are afraid to act. The Jotun's must learn to fear me, just as they once feared you."

Loki's worried expression left his wife and was turned to Odin and Thor. He shifted. Sigyn put a hand to his arm where the Jotun had touched him. He looked back at her, thin brows pulled together.

Sigyn shakes her head.

"That is pride and vanity that talks. Not leadership!" Odin barked back at Thor. "Have you forgotten everything I have taught you? What of a warriors patience?"

"While you wait and be patient," said Thor. "The Nine Realms laugh at us. The old ways are done. You'd stand giving speeches while Asgard falls apart!" He was suggesting that the almighty Odin was obsolete and too old to rule.

But he has been here since after Bor and his brothers killed Ymir to shape the worlds. It was Odin who thrusted the Nine Realms under Yggdrasil. Who strung himself to the tree for knowledge. He has reined sovereign for eons.

"You are a vain, greedy, cruel boy!" spit flew from Odin's mouth.

"And you're an old man and a fool!"

Sigyn and Vali stop. She sees for the first time Vali looking at his grandsire. Deep seated hate in his blue eyes, but he was looking at him. Then he looked at his uncle, bitterly. His mother warned him. She told him what would happen and he insisted on following his uncle into another realm with the intentions of war.

And now his mother was hurt because of it.

When Odin spoke next, it was with a calmness. "A fool, yes." he says. "A fool to think you were ready."

Loki came forward, putting a hand in front and implored. "Father..."

"ARGH!" Odin spun to his second son and let out a mad yell at him. A sudden act of anger. This stunned Loki and he stepped back again. Sigyn pulls him back to her. His attention is back on Thor.

"Thor Odinson. You have disobeyed the express command of your king. Through your arrogance and stupidity you have opened these peaceful realms and innocent lives to the horror and desolation of war once more."

Odin plunged his spear Gungnir into the panel. The observatory sprung back to the life as energy sparked to each cog in the dome. The turret spins back into place and fires the bifrost into the universe. The pull nearly took Sigyn off her feet if not for her son supporting her.

"Mother, what is..."

"Be quiet."

Odin stalked to his eldest son. He stopped face to face to him. "You are unworthy of these realms." he ripped the silver disks from Thor's breast plate. He went to protest as his father tore apart his armour.

"Unworthy of your tittle!" he ripped off Thor's red cape with a loud shred and discarded the rest to the floor. "Unworthy of the loved ones you have betrayed."

Loki took a step back to his son and wife.

Retreating back up the steps of the platform, Odin turned dramatically holding out his palm to Thor. "I now take from you - your power!" Mjolnir flies from Thor's hand and into the palm of Odin. Now disobeying the commands of Thor. "In the name of my father," a finger of lightning spurs from the hammer and hits Thor. The right arm of his armour falls away like crackling pork.

"And his father before!"

Another strike takes away the remainder of Thor's armour.

"I, Odin All-Father... cast you out!" Odin thrusts the hammer, a strike of lightning hits Thor and he is sent off his feet with a powerful force towards the open bridge. He was pulled into the vortex with a shout and he was gone.

Loki stumbled back again.

His brother casted out of Asgard. Sent to an unknown realm. His eyes glistening over. But those tears were gone the moment they tried to surface.

Odin turned, whispering to the hammer. He turned and hurled the hammer into the bifrost after Thor. The turret closed and moved away sealing Thor out of his home. Loki quickly took his wife and son and left the observatory. He picked her up into his arms determined to march her down the bridge.

Vali jogged to keep up, his mothers spear in hand. "What was that just now?" he exclaimed, as they passed Heimdall standing on the bridge.

Sigyn shifted painfully in Loki's arms.

"Odin just casted out Thor." Loki answered his son.

"Where has he gone?"
"We don't know. He could be anywhere in the Nine Realms. Stripped of his power. His tittles. He cannot survive out there."

"Thor will be fine." assured Sigyn. "He pisses mead and craps thunder. I'm sure your father will bring him back..."

"No he won't." Loki said. "I know my father. He won't bring Thor back unless Thor earns his power back."

"Then," said Vali. "does that make you sole heir to the throne?"

Loki gave his son a look. Then smiled. "Only until Thor returns. Should he return." he corrected.

Sigyn grimaced. "Do not get any ideas." she warned.

Asgard sits on the cusp of nighttime. The streets are mainly empty expect for the taverns and pubs. Soft lights illuminate the streets of Asgard casting a soft glow of gold. Hues of dark orange and pink are sent scattered across the skies and the realm seems awfully quiet tonight. All of Asgard's people choosing to stay at home after the events of the coronation.

And it would be in no time that her people will soon hear of Thor's banishment. Odin's golden child and heir cast out of Asgard by the All-Father himself. Most would say that is harsh punishment for the prince. Sigyn would argue otherwise. Since being a little girl she was raised to be a princess; a queen. She understands what it will take.

Thor Odinson has a lot of learning to do.