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Odin awakens in his dim room with his crows circling around him. He’s surprised to find the room empty, Frigga is always at his side when he is in sleep.
“Show me,” he commands his crows. They stop flapping their wings and go down to their master's eye level and reveal the going-ons of Asgard.
Odin sees there is no war, as he had feared would happen. In fact, Asgard is at peace. Loki sits on the throne and Thor is in Midgard.
Odin dresses in his regal clothing of metal and red cloth. The guards outside the room bow before the Allfather, fists to their hearts.
“Where is Loki?” He commands.
“In the council chambers, Your Grace.”
Odin makes his way there, and all who see him bow before him.
The council room is made up of a giant table with carvings of battles won by the Allfather and his army. The King is at one of the ends, the seat of power. There’s a large window to see the city and the sky, and with servants at the corners to keep the drink flowing.
The doors slam open and all look in surprise.
“Father,” Loki says a single word and it hangs heavily between the two royals.
The councilmen stand and make obeisance to Odin Allfather. Loki looks around; he is no longer king, and then bows to his father.
Loki moves away from the high chair.
“Leave us,” Odin says to his councilmen and the servants and they all depart without words.
Loki holds his hands to keep the nervous trembling from showing. He doesn't think he’s ever felt so unsure in his whole life.
Odin looks at his son. Loki looks as if he’s aged. Not physically, never that, for although Frost Giants aren’t immortal, they age so slowly, they might as well be. And he knows, has always known that Loki is no simple Frost Giant. Loki is something else, something more powerful than the Jotunn.
His age shows in his eyes. The spark of childish and sometime cruel mischief is gone, replaced instead by a cold green look that hides any other emotion. His shoulders are rigid as well, as if he’s expecting a blow.
“Loki, my son-“
“But I am not your son,” Loki steps away from the hand Odin means to put on his shoulder.
For the first time Odin can see the resemblance between Loki and Laufey, the way they stare at him, cold and with hate. He has feared this since he realized he loved Loki as a son many years ago when the babe turned into a laughing boy and then a thoughtful young man.
“I have wronged you.” Odin admits.
Loki looks away and scoffs. “My entire life has been a lie and you sum it up so simply, as if it were no more than spilt mead,” he says between clenched teeth, but also holding back the floodgates of tears.
Odin stands straight. “I will not apologize for taking you. I saw a small child in the cold, abandoned-“
“And your pity moved you to take a son of a Front Giant, not just any Frost Giant, but Laufey's! Was that your revenge!? Take me, make me less than I was meant to be!”
“I saved your life! Had I left you there you would have died!"
“You stole me! You ripped me away from my true family!”
“You are sorely mistaken, my son," Odin says more calmly. "Had I left you there you would be no more.”
“I was in a temple for my own protection! While you waged war, Laufey sought to keep me protected!”
Odin Allfather’s patience leaves him. His eye shines with anger, his face is red with hate. “Lies, that’s what Laufey has spoken to you. He cared not for you then, he cares not for you now! He has seen that I have raised a fine son, and wishes only to spite me by taking your love away from me!”
“My love? It has been nothing to you. It was always Thor who occupied your heart. Perhaps it is time I give my affections to someone who can return them with no ill will.”
It is the Allfather’s turn to scoff. “He never looked for you. He made no inquiry of his only son, his heir, he simply didn't care that you had disappeared. He took it as a blessing that you were gone.”
Loki wishes to strike the Allfather, wishes to silence him. Those few times Loki has spent with Laufey, the Frost Giant seemed interested in the well being of his son, but now the things Odin speaks of... they make him doubt. What is Laufey interested in?
“Loki,” Odin says softly, he can see the torment in his son’s eyes. “Yes, I took you. I held you in my arms when you were a babe, Frigga held you in her arms when you were a babe, and we have loved you since then. Do not doubt that. Laufey is crafty, he has ever desired my demise and death.”
They stare at each other, Odin’s lone blue eye against two bright green orbs.
“I know not what to believe,” Loki admits. “All my life I've been in Thor’s shadow, all my life you have favored him. In the beginning, I thought it was because he is firstborn and I am second. But I have never seen a second born be as easily ignored as I have been by you. Now I understand, I am not your son, how foolish of me to think I could compete with Thor.”
“Loki-“
But Loki shakes his head. “I wish to hear no more lies. I will not stand here and listen to you.” He takes a step back and removes the crown from his head. His neck is thankful. He bows lowly to the King of Asgard and leaves the man alone in the chambers.
Odin finds his wife in her garden. She smiles and hugs him. “Welcome back my king,” she says but her voice is full of sorrow.
“I see our younger son has you worried as well.”
Frigga nods. “I fear that he will turn against us completely.” There are tears in her kind blue eyes. “Husband, he is my son, not from my womb, but from my heart. I could never live with his hate.”
“If he hates anyone it is me. You have always been gentle with him and he loves you.”
“Laufey will make sure to rob Loki’s love and keep it all to himself.”
“Loki is young, but he is not naive, he will realize we are his true family.”
Odin hopes his words are true. Loki has always been a hard child to read. And his cruel mischief has sometimes given him doubt of Loki’s wisdom, he can only hope he is right.
His first duty as re-awakened King, after consoling his wife, is to visit Jotunheim.
Odin hates the place, there’s no sunlight at all, only a vast darkness that spreads eternally. He notes the improvements but to him, the King of Asgard where the sun shines brightly, Jotunheim will always seem like a dark and angry place to live in.
Three jotuns meet him, they do not threaten him, but only guide him to where their king awaits for Odin.
Laufey sits in his ice throne, his red eyes take in the presence of his greatest adversary.
“Laufey.” Odin tilts his head in acknowledgment of Laufey's royal position.
“Odin.”
“Will you declare war on Asgard now that I am awake?”
“I desire nothing more than to see you dead, but I leave it to you. You will publicly denounce Loki, you will cast him out of Asgard, so he may return here where he belongs.”
“Loki is a Prince of Asgard, he is loved there.”
Laufey scoffs, “I am no fool, I know he is not loved there. I have heard the tales of the youngest Prince of Asgard. Loki Liesmith they call him, God Of Mischief. He is thought of nothing but a nuisance there. He belongs here with his true family, where he will be shown true love.”
“My answer is no, I will not denounce him.”
“Then Jotunheim will go to war against Asgard.”
Odin’s face shows nothing but anger.
“Relief yourself of a false son and regain your true son, Thor. If Loki is returned to me, then you may reclaim Thor and allow him to return to Asgard. Is it not fair, Allfather? I will have my firstborn back, and you yours shall have yours. What say you?"
“You have left me no choice." Odin said bitterly. "Loki is yours.”
Odin speaks to Loki first, tells him of what Laufey has made him do. “You must leave,” is all Loki hears.
Tears fall from his eyes and run down his pale cheeks. Odin moves to wipe them away but Loki steps back before he can.
Loki is gone from Asgard before the decree is read out to the people.
In it it states Loki is no Odinson but in fact is the son of Laufey.
The people are shocked by this, they had come to respect Loki as a good king, but then they remember his cruel pranks and declaire good riddance, they celebrate when Odin Allfather returns with Thor by his side.