The Unveiling, Part One ThorXLoki

The Unveiling
Part 1
Sequel to " The Claiming"
Rated; PG-13

The sun rose in the Asgardian forest.
No sleep came to Thor, he tried to forgive himself for what he had done to his brother... to justify what he had done...

Loki had been silent for a while, when he finally spoke, Thor had been surprised by what he heard.  

"Only you have made me feel..."

Thor chew his lower lip, " Had Loki been sincere?" There had been a time when he had trusted Loki without fail, without hesitancy, but they were far from those times now." He looked down at his brother, watching him rest.
He chuckled to himself, he had always watched his over his brother. Though smart, Loki had always looked so frail, so timid and delicate.
Thor had made himself a personal promise to protect Loki no matter what fate befell him personally.
He had always felt it his duty to ensure his younger brothers safety and to go to any lengths to do so.
" But can I continue to do that now?"

The sun had risen, the other Asgardians would know of Thor and his bro...-prisoners, return.
Thor squinted into the sunrays as they gleamed over the mountains, illuminating the golden spires of Asgard, the palace, their home... "How would the people react?"
"How would their father and mother react?"
"How would his decision affect his ascension to  the throne?"
"The citizens of Asgard would forever hold view of his future court by the decisions he made today."

"More than anything, what would happen to Loki? Would others fear him? Would they hate and scorn him?"

As the suns light reached the cave where Thor and Loki had spent the night, Loki moved and muttered something. Thor heart turned bitter. His brother had a dark side to him, he could not forget that now.

" Loki, awake." Thor stood assertively, his heart pounding,
" Why does it have to be Loki? Why must I bring him in? Is there not another way?" He stared at the ground regretfully, this had to be done.
He searched for the mouthpiece and manacles to restrain Loki once again, as it was time to leave the mountains and go home for his hearing in the All-Father's court.

Loki stood, his wrists blue and the sides of his neck bruised. Thor smiled. " You may want to heal your wounds brother. I would hate for father to ask how you came about those scars..."

Loki looked down at his wrist and quipped a light mocking smile, feathering his scars with his fingers.
" Blame it on the battle... and Odin is not my fa-" Thor had shoved the mouthpiece into Loki's mouth and began to cuff Loki once again.
" Do not waste breath on words that I care not to hear brother. You may claim lineage for the Frost Giants, but you were not raised as one. "  
Loki looked back at him, his eyes the same distant, disengaged look he donned so well.
Thor closed the space between their faces, " You are Loki Odinson! Suffer the fate so many others would find honor in."

Thor turned away from Loki frustrated at his odious words, outstretching his left hand, calling for his hammer. It emerged from some nearby shrubbery landing with a soft hum into Thor's awaiting grip.
Thor went to turn around once again and found that Loki stood right behind him, mouthpiece clasped in his shackled hands.
Without saying a word, Loki reached for Thor's chin and placed a kiss on his lips.
Thor closed his eyes, feeling Loki's cool lips against his, hearing his heartbeat in his ears as the kiss slowed time and slowed breath.

As the kiss ended, Thor didn't know how to feel. "Another one of his schemes?"  Loki secured the mouthpiece in place and reached for the Tesseract.

" He's not gonna say anything? He must be plotting something in that deep mind of his...If he cannot poison my mind with his words, he is assuredly aiming for my heart through his lips..."

Thor began to spin his hammer, "Come brother, it is time for us to return home..." he grabbed the other handle of the Tesseract and took to the sky.

–
Asgard

News of Thor and Loki's return flooded the streets rampantly that early morning.
By afternoon the Palace Court and Grand Hall was filled with citizens every space waiting to hear the fate of the disgraced younger Prince.

Odin sat at his throne, silent... contemplating, eying his sons intently. One of his sons, bearing the scars of war valiantly and the other, a criminal and the perpetrator.
"I see you return to us safely my sons. Loki, we thought you dead ."
Loki looked down and away from his father.
" As you would've wished I'm sure." he thought snidely.

" As much as my heart rejoices at your return,  I cannot ignore your recent past transgressions. Especially your heinous actions with the Chetauri against Earth..."

A gasp swept through the crowd.
Loki could feel the eyes of the people prodding him, staring through him. He wanted to strike out against them all, make them feel his pain.

"Feel my pain brother..feel my love." That was what Thor had said to him before he had...taken him.

" I admit, I cannot figure a suitable punishment for what you've done. To execute you, I feel would be too extreme, too quick as well. As much as I despise your actions, you are still my son and a prince of Asgard, despite what may now you may think. Odin was silent for another moment. I know the first punishment that you will be subject to."
He stood, booming the sentence aloud for all to hear.

"You will be cast out into the mountains, far away from others that you would seek to manipulate to your own gains. You must find your own way back to Asgard. Your powers will remain but and you will be incapable of speech. "

The mouthpiece disappeared from Loki's lips. He attempted to speak, thinking his father only boasted exaggeration for sake of appearance but no words came forth though he tried to produce them.

"Thor, since you have reclaimed your brother and the Tesseract, a celebration will be held in your honor in 5 days time." The people cheered.

"Their golden champion, their hero..." Loki sneered mentally.
"Have you anything you to say on your brothers behalf?" Odin asked.

Thor looked to his side at Loki and then stared at the floor. " For the moment, I do not father. But I do believe he is lost..."

Odin nodded and waved a hand over the crowd, receding into his throne. " Let us retire in preparation of the impending feast. .. More questions of my younger son will be answered after his the completion of his first trial."

Asgardians began to file out from the regal hall, some muttering, others whispering among themselves, but all curious...

As the last of the citizens cleared out, Odin motioned for Thor and Loki to follow him to his study.

As the brothers followed their father across the threshold, the great doors closed behind them. Odin stopped before the great fireplace, staring into it.

" Loki, I-I thought you dead, but it is truly you." Odin turned to touch Loki, to look at him, embrace him... Loki did not seem to return the desire. "Have you any idea what it is like to feel that emptiness, to feel that failure as a father? As the All-Father?"

Loki looked away from Odin, his hands still shackled, his mouth contorted in a bitter grimace.

" He believed us celebrating his loss." Thor announced. Odin scoffed. " Why Loki? Why do you continue to wage war? Why do you feel as though you've been neglected?

Is the world, is the freedom you are given not enough to suit your desires?"
Loki hated not being able to speak, it was infuriating that he was silenced, like he had always been in this house.

I envisioned a world where you both would rule side by side, even though one may hold title of King. It is how I raised you, it is how you grew." Odin sighed as if he was truly exhausted and sad. " ..it is a future that I fear may now never come to pass..." Thor bit back his lower lip.

" Father, all can be as it once was. We have the Tesseract, we can repair and reopen the Bi-frost..."

" No Thor, you have matured. Both of you have matured, but it will be another long time again before you may rule in my stead, and a while longer before the Bi-frost can be re-powered and established steadily.  After all that you have encountered, you still rely too much with your might and your hearts emotions, Loki you let your hearts desires twist reality into something it is not and for all your wisdom you do not think things through to the end..."

Odin turned away from his sons again staring into the fireplace.

"Thor although you have not done anything wrong, I fear you too must go on a journey with your brother to clear the residual resentment that lays within your heart."

Thor was dumbstruck. " But Father-..."
" Trust me my sons, I know what is best for the both of you..." Odin whispered.

Suddenly Thor and Loki were no longer in the study but surrounded by chilling snow, freezing wind, and infinite ice.