Shadows and Lies

Chapter 32

Sif knocked lightly on Loki's door. She knew Thor was probably in there as that's where Thor had been spending most of his time since Loki's death.
Loki had died a week ago when the people demanded his execution, and Thor still wasn't ready to take back his position as king.
"Thor... you really should stop spending so much time in here" she said, approaching Thor who was sitting in Loki's chair reading a book.
Thor didn't say anything, he seemed fully involved with whatever he was reading.
"Thor" Sif said again. Thor gave her his attention.
"Loki had a lot of really good ideas.... he designed better shields for the palace, he came up with better security plans, he had ideas for useful treaties with other realms..." he trailed off like his sentence didn't really have and end. "And father just ignored his ideas" he finished. Sif nodded a little bit.
"I know, you've told me before. We need to go" she told him. He ignored her though.
"You know his death doesn't make sense. How did he die? How did anyone even find him out there? And Loki is smart, he wouldn't have just gotten stabbed in the neck. And why did he run? What did he think that would achieve? He had some sort of plan in all of this" Sif tried to get his attention again, but he kept going.
"He knew that the spell he put me under would only last for a short time, he knew I'd follow him, so why would he be seen disguised as me? And why run into the forest? What's out there that-" Sif cut him off this time.
"Thor. I know you're stalling.... but it's time" Sif said. Thor stopped talking and took a deep breath and put Loki's notebook down.
"I know you want Loki to be alive.. but being in denial won't bring him back." She wanted to be compassionate, but she also needed to be realistic.
"I know" Thor said quietly.
"Come on, it's time" Sif said again.
"Is it that day already?" Thor asked glumly. When Loki died Sif told Thor that she would take care of arranging a proper funeral for him, and that it would be in one week to give Thor and the people time to settle down after everything that happened. That week was now over, and it was time for them all to say goodbye and send Loki on.
"Yes, it is. I know this is hard for you but-" Thor held up a hand for her to stop.
"I know. I know, I just- I guess I was hoping that somehow I could avoid it" he said as he stood up.
"I know... but it'll be good. You can start to move on, and Loki can be at rest" she wanted to encourage him, but there was very little she could say that would make him feel better about losing his brother.
Thor didn't say anything, but he followed Sif out of the room and they left out the back exit of the palace. The sun was going down and cast warm golden light over the lake behind the palace. The warriors were already standing at the edge of the lake, waiting for Sif to return with Thor. They all wanted to have a large funeral on the edge of the waterfall in the frost of the palace were Frigga had been sent on, but sadly they weren't able to do that. With the entirety of the Asgardian public being hateful toward Loki, the most they could honor him would be just the five of them, in private, on the small lake behind the palace.
Loki was laying in a boat on the edge of the water, and when Thor looked at him he could swear Loki was about to jump up and say it had all been faked. But he never did.
"We'll give you a minute" Sif told Thor, and her and the warriors stepped away so that Thor could say a goodbye without prying eyes.
Thor knelt down next to the boat where  Loki lay and took a deep breath.
"I know you don't like sentiment... but I do so here it goes. We didn't always get along, and there were times when we tired to kill each other, but I hope at the end you knew how much I loved you. I wish I could've saved you but... Anyway, I hope you know that I love you, and I'll miss you, and I'm so proud to be your brother... and I think In the end mother and father would've been proud of you too" he stood up again and turned to the group about to call them back, but then quickly turned back to Loki.
"One last thing. Just... if anyone can cheat death, it would be you, so do me a favor and just... stop being dead. Somehow, be back tomorrow, somehow make this all fake... do that for me" he said with a slight nod, then waved his friends back over. The four of them came back but no one else said anything, it was hard to think of something to say, and they knew that Loki would think it was stupid to talk to his dead body, so they just took a moment of silence. 
After a moment, Fandral picked up a torch from the ground and lit it, then handed it to Thor. Thor stood next to the boat carrying Loki and touched the inside of the boat with the flame. The boat burst into flame and Volstagg untied the it from the shore and pushed it forward, letting it float off across the the lake.
It wasn't easy for any of them to see Loki go, But in a strange way they were all at peace. Loki had been a Pain when Thor first dragged him back, but then he changed for the better and they were all on the same side, and even though they felt the loss from his death, they were glad that he was finally able to stop fighting against the people's hate. They were glad that all the madness was over and that Loki was somewhere with his mother and no one was trying to kill him or stop him from bettering himself.
The five of them stood on the shore of the lake for a little while before Sif put a hand on Thor's arm.
"Are you okay?" It was such a simple question, but it felt like it needed to be said. They'd all made long speeches about why Loki moving on would be a good thing, but ultimately she wanted to make sure her friend was doing okay.
Thor nodded a bit.
"I'll be okay. I'm glad he won't have to live such a burdened life, but... he's still my little brother, and I don't think I can avoid feeling a great loss" Sif nodded in understanding.
"We don't expect you to not feel loss. Just know that we're all here for you, even if your people aren't" she assured him.
Thor cracked a small smile.
"Thank you, Sif. Thank you all of you" they left the lakeside and went back to the palace. When they got there thor turned to Sif again.
"Thank you for taking care of things while I... processed everything. I'm ready to take my place again though" he didn't want to go back to ruling, he was still angry at his people for killing his brother, but if he didn't come back now he would just dwell on his pain and anger until it consumed him, and he didn't want that to happen, he wanted to move on.
"Of course. If there's anything else I can do..." Thor finished her sentence for her.
"I'll let you know" she smiled a bit and left him alone. Thor walked through the halls feeling very small in a big area. For the first time in a long time he felt alone, he knew he had his friends, but all his family was dead... he didn't have Odin to go for for advice about ruling, he didn't have Frigga to go to for the calmness only she could give when he got upset, he didn't have Loki to go to for... well he always went to Loki when he didn't really know what he needed, and somehow Loki always knew what to say to help. But they were all gone, and as much as he loved his friends, there was a hole in his life that only his family could fill.
With a heavy heart Thor made his way back to Loki's chamber, he stood in the doorway and took in the room... somehow it just felt like Loki; everything seemed to emit Loki's attitude and character, every piece of furniture, the way everything was arranged, it was all Loki, it was the way he wanted his room to be and in a strange way it was like Loki was still there... every time thor saw that room it would be Loki.
Thor smiled a little bit and pulled the door almost closed.
"Sleep well brother" he said quietly before softly closing the door, like loki was just asleep, and he was just saying goodnight.