Valkyrie had put Thor onto Sven, and walked alongside them as they headed for where her family lived. They would help her friend. Thor was shivering immensely, and the white streak in his hair had grown, almost encasing the blonde hair.
"Will he be okay?" Olaf asked, who was also walking beside the harvester.
"I don't know. I've seen my family perform some pretty powerful healings, but never something like this." she took Thor's hand, which was ice cold. "I hope they can help him. I want him to see his brother again." Sven snorted. "No buddy, I am not in love with him. Besides, I prefer to be alone out here. He was just a passerby who I helped." The reindeer snorted again. "I said that I'd think about the friendship. I'm still skeptical." she went silent as they approached where her home was, a dark clearing in the forest surrounded by mossy rocks. Valkyrie helped Thor off the reindeer, supporting him as he walked.
"Family!" she yelled, "I'm home! I need your help!" she led Thor to the center of the clearing.
"They're... rocks," he muttered, cocking an eyebrow.
"They're not rocks," Valkyrie huffed, setting the man down and going over to one of the rocks, "They're trolls. And they just love to prank me." laughter was heard, and some of the rocks started rolling to where she was, popping up and unfolding into little trolls.
"Valkyrie!"
"Val's home!"
"Yay, yay!" shouts were heard as the trolls stacked themselves up to see her, Valkyrie smiling at her family.
"It's good to see you guys! But I need your help," she explained, kneeling to their level. "My friend here was hit with ice. He needs-"
"Hold up," one of the trolls said, "he?" they all turned to look at Thor, who gave a small wave. Cheers went up again as they pushed Valkyrie towards Thor.
"She's brought a boy!"
"She's in love!"
"We'll have a wedding!" they began gathering leaves and crystals, but Valkyrie shouted at them, seeming fed up.
"He is not my boyfriend!" she yelled, making the trolls go silent. "He isn't even my friend! He was just a traveller who I helped to find his brother, but his heart was frozen, and we need pappy to help!" almost on cue, Thor fell into her, clutching his chest as more white encased his hair. She caught him, sitting him down on a normal rock as another troll rolled towards them, this one much older.
"Let me see him," he said, and Valkyrie helped Thor to stand enough to see pappy, who took the prince's hands in his own. "My dear, you are dying," he said, "There is ice in your heart. It can only be removed by an act of true love."
"True love..." Thor muttered. He thought for a moment before his eyes went wide, and he turned to Valkyrie. "Loki. I need to get to Loki." Valkyrie nodded, but pappy gripped Thor's hands again.
"Go to the kingdom. You cannot risk being in the mountains for much longer." Thor began to protest but Valkyrie spoke before he could.
"Thank you, pappy. I'll make sure he gets there." the trolls then rolled back into their rocks as Valkyrie helped Thor back onto Sven, the group setting off for Asgard.
Back in the kingdom, Jane had locked the king up in the dungeons, cuffing his hands so that he couldn't escape. She planned to set up a quick trial, win, then execute him. Simple enough, and then the harder part, which was figuring out how to kill off Thor without suspicion. But, the first thing was to focus on the task at hand. She descended to the dungeon, putting on an innocent face for the guards. They opened the door to Loki's cell, closing it behind her. The king was awake, sitting up, his head bowed and the chains clinking as he played with them.
"Why have you brought me here?" he asked without looking at the princess, who sat in front of him.
"To protect this kingdom," she responded.
"This isn't protecting it. With me here, you're putting the kingdom at an even greater risk." Jane smiled darkly.
"It's only for a little while. I'm going to have you executed soon." Loki's eyes widened.
"Executed? That's not possible. For one thing, you don't have the authority to do that, and for another, Thor and the kingdom will never allow it."
"The kingdom already sees you as a threat, your highness. Execution will be a fair trial. As for your brother, he still has not returned from the North Mountain. The court agreed that if he does not return within the next day, I will be crowned since we are engaged." Loki looked at her, afraid and disgusted. "No need to give me that look. Your death will be quick and painless. As for your brother's... heh. I can have a little more fun with his." Loki stood up, yanking on the chains, but they stopped him inches from Jane's face. He glared daggers into her eyes, the metal cuffs freezing over with his rage.
"If you lay a finger on him, I will kill you." Jane cocked her head at him, unfazed.
"And how will you do that? I've gained the kingdom's trust. Even if you do kill me, you'll be killed yourself for doing so."
"I will do whatever it takes to protect my brother from you."
"Is this love, your highness?" Loki's jaw clenched as he receded, and he looked away, trying to hide his eyes. "It is, isn't it? Oh, the irony. The forbidden love between princes, between brothers even, and both of them die in the end. Almost like Shakespeare." she chuckled, gripping Loki's black curls and yanking his head up so he could see her. The king growled, but Jane ignored it.
"Enjoy your final hours, your highness. You don't have many left." Loki snarled, spitting into the princess' face.
"Go to hell," he sneered. Jane wiped the saliva off her face with her sleeve, then used the same hand to sock the king in the jaw. She smiled blankly, then released his hair, exiting the cell. Loki moved his jaw, popping it back into place, then sighed, sitting down and looking out the bars over the frozen wasteland he had created.
This is all my fault, he thought to himself, Thor disappearing, the kingdom in ruins and a tyrant plotting to take over. I should have been a better king. A better brother. He put his face in the cuffs, cradling his head. I'm so sorry, Thor. If we don't make it out of this, please know that I love you.
Ok, getting kinda sad but who cares because ANGST
-Grace ♥️
