(How should we have Thor figure out that Loki had gotten out?)
"Can I go into the cell? Or can he come out for a little while?" Avalin asked, keeping her hand pressed to the barrier as she turned and glanced at Thor. More than likely it was going to be a no, but she wanted to at least try.
Thor watched the two of them, glancing at the guards and then back as Avalin asked her question. "I will allow you two to spend time together under three conditions. There are guards with you the entire time, Loki swears not to use any magic or tries to escape with you in any way, and you stay in the cell while you're together."
(Loki kept the cloak, maybe he has it stashed away but not well since he was in a rush and Thor notices? Maybe the cloak is only meant for servants or guards and there was no way of getting one unless it was given to him?)
Loki rolled his eyes, the mischievous playfulness coming back. “Now brother, since when do you know me to try to escape while imprisoned? “ he backed away slightly to let the barrier go down. “Fine, if it means I can have her here with me, Fine.” He allowed, clasping his hands behind his back and waiting patiently
(ooo that works :D)
Avalin nodded as well, a happy smile on her face as she slowly stepped a half step away from the barrier and watched as Magnus walked to the button and pressed it. Slowly the barrier came down and Avalin walked into the cell as quickly as she could, wrapping Loki in a much wanted and needed hug.
Thor watched silently, not replying to Loki in any way. It was habit that made him look around the cell as Avalin walked in, his eyes passing over everything, including a brown cloak that had been hastily stuffed away. He didn't think it out of the ordinary until he looked back at it, frowning visibly.
With Avalin, he didn’t have to pretend in front of his brother, he didn’t have to act as if this was his second time seeing Avalin the hat day. All the emotions from before came rushing back when he hugged his wife. He pressed his lips to hers, kissing her gently before peeking at Thor. He saw the frown and silently cursed himself for being so hasty. “Everything’s going to be alright, love.” He whispered to Avalin, averting his gaze from his brother and focusing on his wife and child
She happily kissed him back, hugging him close even as he whispered to her and she whispered back, "I trust you, my King. Whatever you do, please stay safe though." Avalin could see the cloak out of the corner of her eye but she tried not to draw attention to it, instead pulling him tighter and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "I love you." As long she was allowed to stay by his side and keep Magnus safe, things would be alright.
"Loki. Where did you get that cloak?" Thor asked, his voice holding more than a hint of suspicion and anger.
He hugged her close, silently promising her he would love and protect her and the child. “I love you too, my goddess.” He whispered back in reply, kissing her head befor looking up at his brother. He looked back at the cloak, knowing any excuse he gave would surly get everyone e involved in trouble. He sighed softly and pressed one last kiss to Avalin's head. “A gift.” He said simply, nodding to Avalin.
Thor's eyes narrowed in suspicion and he watched Loki carefully. "Don't lie to me brother. That's not a cloak Avalin could get her hands on. That's from the guards' supply, and without a guard giving it to you, you won't have it. Now tell me the truth, why do you have it?" He glanced at Magnus and Loki's replica, silently telling them to be on guard.
Avalin stayed silent, just stayed next to her husband and laced one of her hands with his. There was sure to be a fight or at least punishment for Loki having the cloak, and she silently promised herself she would do anything in her power to keep him from getting any harsher punishment.
He gently squeezed her hand and tucked her safely beneath his chin. He chuckled softly and shook his head “the truth. What an odd concept that is. If I tell you the truth will you think it so or will you think of it as another one of my lies. You can’t tell the difference anymore.” He smiled and kissed Avalin's head. “Fine. I’ll tell you as long as no harm comes to her.”
"The amount of harm that she is in depends on what you did," Thor replied, scowling at Loki and stepping closer to the call, "Now truthfully, tell me what you did." He still looked like the regal king he was supposed to be, but now there was a hint of annoyed brother in with it.
Avalin smiled nervously, burying her head next to Loki's chest and trying not to worry too much about Thor's anger.
"She will won't be harmed in any way." he growled, the thought of his own brother ever even considering hurting Avalin. "Swear it that if I tell you the truth she won't get hurt." He repeated, unfazed by his brother's anger. He'd risk his anger, risk his freedom for her. He stroked Avalin's hair, trying to reassure her as well as himself
"I swear she won't be harmed," Thor growled back, stepping closer to the two of them but not quite entering the cell just yet, "As long as you tell me exactly what you did and why you have that cloak."
She didn't move from Loki's side as he talked to Thor, protesting to what Loki was saying even though it wasn't heard under the two brothers. It was clear that she would have to move soon though, as the tension in the air was enough to show that the two might actually fight. And even if she wanted to have a part in it, there was no way she was going to risk the life of their child over this.
He shut his eyes momentarily before he guided Avalin to the bed and sat her down. sitting down beside, he pulled her into his lap and held her close as he began to speak.
"over a moth ago, I set a plan in place to see Avalin since you wouldn't allow me out of the cell. You're so call guard over there was easy to persuade into doing my bidding." he nodded over to Magnus, trying his best to convey him as an innocent guard doing what was best for his family instead of an accomplice. "just a little threatening of the family, maybe his position as well if he didn't comply. Upon my requests, he found the cloak and started scouting out when the servants quarters would be empty. once he figured out a time, we sceduled an escape plan, of course if thing didn't go smoothly or if he set up an ambush, he would have been dead by now." he narrowed his eyes slightly before continuing. "the man beside him is nothing more than a replica, something to keep you distracted while i found my way back here."
Thor was clearly furious by the time Loki finished talking, and as he couldn't exactly just shut Loki back in his cell, he decided to take his anger out on Magnus. The king spun on his heel, pushing Magnus against the nearest wall and snarling at him, "Why would you help him? He's a known trickster and criminal and yet you fall for his meaningless threats? You aren't fit to be a royal guard."
Magnus stayed silent, dutifully taking the blame with a glance at Avalin and Loki that held a mix of emotion. "I'm sorry Highness," He said, going with the story, "I…I didn't want him to hurt my family. He was persistent."
Thor glared at Magnus, yanking off the guard's emblem on his jacket and tossing it on the ground, "You can prove how sorry you are by joining the rank of servants." With that, he spun back and shot a true kingly glare at his brother, pointing at Avalin, "You risk my anger just to see her? To spend a few precious seconds with your wife, knowing fully well that I won't hesitate to take away all of the work she's done or easier yet, kick her out of the palace and let you take on every single moment of your sentence?"
He looked apologetically at Magnus, disheartened to hear that he would no longer be guard but slightly glad that he wouldn't be fully punished for his treason. He returned his brothers gaze, his deep green eyes meeting his brother's icy blue ones. He gently settled Avalin on the bed before standing up and meeting Thor at the threshold of the cell, not willing to risk anything more by stepping out of the cell, though he was very close to doing so.
"I would risk every one of the 9 realms in the universe for her." he growled in response, leaning forwards and glaring back at his brother "you, as well as everyone else in this kingdom knows that." He laughed harshly at his threat and shook his head, starting to pace the cell as if he were a predator, itching to attack his prey. "Do that and they'll be nothing to keep me here. Not a barrier, not your precious royal guard, not even Valhalla." he grinned, the image of the man he used to be coming into full view. "just because I've changed for the better, does not mean I can't go back. I would be careful about what you say about my Queen in front of me, brother."
"Your threats don't work on me brother, you should know that. I will punish both Avalin and you how I see fit, and if you won't stay in your cell by me simply kicking her out, I'll just make her life harder while she's here in the castle. We both know very well that she will go to the same ends for you," Thor growled back, clearly itching to say more, even if it would start a fight between the two brothers, "I know of her pregnancy, brother, it's no secret. And making her life miserable while she's carrying a child is something I will do if you keep up your actions."
Avalin stayed resolutely silent throughout the spat, her hands resting on top of her stomach as she sat. She wanted nothing more than to join Loki at the barrier, but she was starting to actually not feel the best. She was careful to keep it hidden though, keeping her face neutral when she looked anywhere but at the ground.
Thor paced as he talked, seeming like every inch of an opposing predator that was ready to fight. "How much of her comfort are you willing to risk for your actions brother?"
"Oh really? and what kind of example would that be setting for the kingdom? Their high and mighty king, threatening a pregnant woman all just because he can't manage to keep his own brother in line? and for what? being as desperate as everyone else during those five years? My my, brother. You have truly stooped to a new low. I would say I'm proud if the threat of you harming my wife and child didn't compel me send you to helhiem." He shook his head and stopped his pacing, clasping his hands behind him "That depends. How much are you willing to endure my very much justified anger if I ever see or hear of my wife and child being hurt due to your impulsive actions?" he countered, the playfulness gone from his eyes, now instead replaced by complete seriousness
Thor was silent for less than a minute, a cold look of anger on his face, "I swore to you that I won't harm her, and I intend to keep that promise. But as for anything up to that line, I will do if it comes to it. Right now I'm thinking that the only way for you to learn that as the King I have to protect Asgard from you is to make your punishment more severe. I like the idea of letting you two freely meet, but with the punishment of having your sentence transfer more and more to Avalin every time you're together. Maybe that will teach both of you something. I have many more ways to make her life more miserable if that doesn't work though."
He breathed a humorless laugh and looked away from his brother, off into the distance. "protection from me," he repeated, almost as if it were a joke. "Asgard wouldn't need protection from me if you had just let us live our lives instead of caging us up like some animal." He shot him a sharp glare before turning on his heal and gently helped Avalin up from the bed. He cupped her cheek and pressed a long kiss to her lips, maybe the last one he'd have in a while. "I love you my Queen, you and the child. Please stay safe, my love. And please don't fight him." he kissed her head and hugged her tight, momentarily wondering what would happen if he managed to teleport them out of Asgard. He knew that it wouldn't be safe for the child or for himself, especially with the barrier up. With a small sigh, he gently nudged her towards the opening of the cell, squeezing her hand gently.
"I hope this is what you've wanted." he said, addressing Thor before turning away completely and lying on the bed, conjuring a metal object and tossing it up in the air, watching as it fell and catching it easily
Avalin clearly didn't want to leave him, and she made that clear, her kiss lingering. "I love you too, my King. I'll stay safe, and I give you my word that I'll get you out of here." She hugged him as tight as she could, not letting go until he led her to the opening of the cell and she reluctantly stepped out, the fact that she was responsible for all of this echoing clearly in her mind.
"You know why I had to punish you, your destruction in the five years that Avalin was gone was devastating. That's why I've been on the watch for you. At least now Avalin is back in case you go on another rampage." Thor growled, the fire in his eyes dying slowly as he closed the cell barrier and addressed Magnus and Avalin. "You two have the night off as soon as you leave here. Both of you are to start working again tomorrow morning." He turned with that and left, leaving Avalin at the barrier, looking back at Loki. Magnus had a look of shock and sadness on his face, the guard's emblem cupped in his hands as he processed what had happened.
He sat up once Thor left and sat with his head bowed. “I’m sorry to the both of you. I never meant for this to happen.” He glanced up at the two of them, his heart slowly breaking at the sight of them being hurt, Magnus for losing his job and Avalin for living a lie she didn’t deserve. She stood and knelt by the barrier close to Avalin. “Don’t come back here, love. It’s not that I don’t want to see you, believe me if I had my way you’d never leave my side. But he’s right, I’m not willing to have you .org anyone else hurt because of me. If it’s a true emergency that you think Thor can’t help you with then yes, come but not for visits like these.” It hurt him, it hurt him so bad to tell Avalin this but he knew it had to be done.
"As much as I want to come here every day and talk to you, I..I won't come and see you unless it's an emergency," Avalin replied quietly, looking at Loki through the barrier and pressing her hand to it, "I'll work as hard as I can to get you out of here though, I promise you that. You deserve so much better than this."
Magnus slowly walked over to the two of them, gently tucking the emblem into his pocket. "Let's get going Avalin. Before we make Thor mad." He turned to glance at Loki for a minute, his face neutral as he spoke, "I'll watch over her until you get out, make sure she gets enough sleep and eats enough. When you do get out though, please don't forget about my help."
He smiled softly at her though it was still pained. “Don’t work too hard my love.” He turned to Magnus and nodded “thank you magnus. I won’t forget, I promise.” He swore to the young guard, genuinely hoping that he’d be alright.
Avalin just returned a gentle smile, not agreeing that she wouldn't work too hard. She did remember her promise to take a break if working got too hard though, and silently vowed to stick to that. "I love you and always will my king, even if I can't see you."
Magnus nodded in return, gently tapping Avalin's shoulder and motioning to the door, "C'mon, you need to get to sleep, without making Thor mad by staying here. He still has control of your tracker, remember?" She nodded reluctantly in agreement, taking one last longing look at Loki before stepping away from the barrier and slowly walking away from the cells, back to the servant's quarters with Magnus.
"I love you, my queen." he said before stepping back from the barrier, watching as the love of his life walked away. He waited a few moments until he heard the doors closed before finally breaking. he slowly walked around the cell, setting everything aside that he wanted to save, most of that being Avalin's letters and the small flowers. once he found a safe place to store them, he was set on attacking anything in the room, not caring if the barrier constrained his use of magic, hell, the pain was welcoming as he tore apart the desk and bed, finding satisfaction in the cracking of the wood. He watched as the wood splinters finally gave way and shattered across the room. His eyes were alight with an angry fire, the deep green of anger and hate clear. After a few moments of silently standing the destruction of the room, tring to find his sanity and calm his racing nerves, he clenched the metal sphere and threw it at the wall, letting out an agonizing yell before falling to the ground. he stayed there for a good hour or so, trying to compose himself.
