Choices

Chapter 76
Threatening Thor with the fact their father had promised that if the children got out of control that Loki and Cephera would be exiled was the only thing keeping his mouth shut. Loki had caught up to him on his way to the throne room and after a brief argument Thor conceded.
Thor couldn't understand it. Could Loki find no other woman to warm his bed aside form Cephera? What was so special about her that Loki would put up with having those so-called children around. It was doing Loki nothing but a world of hurt. The kingdom whispering behind his back, the disappointment their father felt.
Thor felt Loki deserved better. Someone who would look after him, not bring him trouble because she was soft. He needed a stronger woman. Seraphina would have been a better choice even. Thor just didn't understand what Loki was thinking. He dreaded the fact that soon enough he would be calling her sister, or at least he should but he wouldn't. He avoided Cephera as much as possible. She knew his discontent for her.
He'd thought she was a nice girl. Strange, but nice. He'd been wrong. She was weak on so many levels. His mother took Cephera's side, saying she was only doing what she felt was right, but who was she to decide what was right for Loki.
And after seeing what that wolf could do, Thor was disgusted by them more than ever. Did Loki not see the joy in that mongrels face when he killed all those animals? Not leaving anything worth taking home. Did he not realize that they were just beasts?
Sighing, Thor sat at the edge of his bed wiping his face between his palms in frustration. What could he do? The answer was nothing, but still Thor wondered. How could he make Loki's life better? To wash him of this tainted past and start him over new. No matter what he said, Loki was determined to stay with her and Thor was helpless to stop that.
Seraphina had accused Thor of being jealous that Loki was happy and he was not. That Thor was meddling in Loki's life because he can't stand to see anyone happier than him, but Thor was outraged she'd even dare say such a thing. He'd almost cast her off his friends list too, but alas he held a respect for the elder twin that he didn't hold for the younger. She was just protecting her sister as Thor was his brother.
A knock sounded on his door. Firm and full of purpose. Thor stood to open his bedroom door and who he found on the other side soured his mood even more. "Thor," Cephera said her face twisted into a stern, but professional look.
"Cephera," he replied in kind, struggling to not kick her out immediately.
"I've come regarding Fenrir," she said.
"I've already spoken to Loki." He waved her off and made to turn away from her.
"It's not about saving him, it's about proving you wrong." Her face didn't change. "Give him a months time, you'll hunt with Fenrir again and at that time you'll see that he can be trained, he can change." She told him.
"What do I care about that?" They could never change that they are monsters.
"That's your problem Thor, since your own life hit bottom you don't care. You stopped caring. You're the same brat you always were and if I felt the way you did perhaps I'd believe YOU'LL never change. Once a brat always a brat, but I do believe you can change. Give them a chance, they are here to stay and if you don't give them that opportunity they will forever be that wedge between yourself and Loki. Your relationship forever changed with him. If there is anyone is this world you love, it's your brother. Do it for him."
Thor was a mess between wanting to strike her for calling him a brat and guilt. Why he felt guilty for anything he didn't know, but he stilled his flexing hand and glared at her.
"In a month, we'll see," Thor said and closed the door in her face. He stalked across the floor, out through the curtains to his balcony and pounded the stone wall with his fist to take the edge off his anger.
(Loki)
"Where did you go?" Loki asked Cephera, standing from his desk chair when she entered.
"To fix our problem." Cephera replied sighing heavily.
"Thor isn't a threat right now." Loki assured her.
"Not Thor, Fenrir." She corrected. "I think we've spent so long trying to treat them like normal Asgardians we forgot that a part of them is still animals, and well Hela isn't a normal girl, she's half undead. We need to change that." Cephera inhaled sharply.
"What do you have in mind?" He asked her putting his hands on her shoulders and giving her his utmost attention.
"I've already set it in motion." She replied. "Who better than to teach Fenrir how to hunt? Who better to teach him control, to prowl and kill swift?"
"Hogun?" Loki realized. "And he agreed?"
"Of course he did. He was on my side when I chose to save them. Now, Volstagg was afraid of making Thor angry, but in the end he sort of volunteered himself. Something about being a good friend to you." She smiled. "Besides, he fond of Fenrir."
Loki had always saw the trio as Thor's friends, not specifically his friends. It was a little warming to hear that they took Fenrir's training to heart for him.
"I prey it works." Loki kissed her.
***
"I feel as though I'm still yet too young to be worrying about these things." Loki told his mother. "It's was strange enough to have children that I hadn't expected to become so attached to, and now I'm worried that they'll be taken from me." He was at a new loss.
"Your father has noticed your efforts to create peace within your family. I know he said he'd exile you, but I do not think that to be the case now. You know how righteous he gets when someone overthrows his authority." She gave Loki that reassuring smile she always did and for a moment his worries went away.
"I try to be a good son." Loki frowned.
"Both you and Thor have had your moments of misdeeds." She noted.
"Yes, though it would seem mine are to haunt me a lifetime and Thor's are but fleeting memories." Loki couldn't help but feel bitter by that. Thor the golden boy, the good son. They didn't know the things Thor had done that Loki knew about. He was no golden child, though he would suck up to Odin and he would seem fooled.
Loki loved Thor, but he missed the man he'd been when he was tame and happy with Sif.
Sif had been around often, but her and Thor still hadn't reached a full friendship, let alone a proper relationship as husband and wife. Sif had taken off to Mechanova to be with Seraphina. The two were close, there was no doubting that. She would return, when, was the question.
"I have some good news," Frigga said after a moment. Her smile beaming. "With the war now over in Muspelhiem, your father has been debating the arrangement of a certain wedding." Her eyes gleamed with excitement.
Loki's thoughts flew far from Thor. "He's making a final decision!" His heart raced.
"He is." She nodded. When the war had ended in Muspelhiem, Odin had arrived home and hadn't even acknowledged the engagement let alone talk about the actual marriage. He been weak and weary, so Loki didn't press the matter. The war had taken a lot of energy from their father, who was only getting older and with age came the need for more frequent 'Odin sleeps' which he hadn't had one since the boys were born and each year it took its toll on his strength.
Loki often wondered if, when Thor took the throne -and hopefully he'd have grown out of his childishness by then- if Thor would need to sleep as their father did. It was told to them that wielding the power Odin did required a sort of recharge, and that's what the sleep did.
Loki shoved the thought from his mind once more and settled on the fact that perhaps, soon he'd be calling Cephera wife. He could only hope that all goes well with Fenrir, and he had yet to think about what problems Jör and Hela might bring and he didn't want to think about it.

Notes