King Loki

Chapter 44
Loki couldn't have had it work out any better. The day of the coronation Thor had managed to convince Heimdall to allow him access to Midgard, promising he'd be back on time.
Thor did not arrive on time and he wasn't just a few minutes late for his own crowing, but hours late. By the time Thor had arrived home all the guests that gathered had gone, the food was cold, and Odin had been waiting for his elder son so they could break words.
Odin had found out quickly where Thor had been and with whom. Loki tried to keep a smug smile off his face that entire day. Thor and Odin had had words and by the look of Thor's mood they were not good words.
Loki hadn't bothered trying to eavesdrop, he knew Thor would put his own foot in his mouth. This is how he should have done things to begin with. He almost wished he'd known about Jane the first time, she made ruining Thor's coronation easier.
After Thor's failed coronation ended, Loki waited to approach his would-be father. Odin was looking tired when at last Loki moved forward with the second half of his plans.
"Father," Loki smoothly said the title, his distaste for it long forgotten in favor of this new future. In this future he would need to continue his relationship with his adoptive parents.
"Loki," Odin looked intensely at him. It was not often either of his sons interpreted him in the middle of his day whilst on the throne. "What is it son?" Odin continued.
"In the last little while I have been conflicted by a truth i have come to know that I have not been able to accept, and yet I know it is undeniable." Loki replied, pretending to appear nervous.
Odin was silent and Loki wondered what things might be running through his mind. "Am I Jotun?" Loki asked not waiting for Odin to voice his thoughts.
Slowly Odin's hand came up to rub his jaw as he sighed deeply. "It is true." Odin replied.
"Why have you never told me?" A littl bit of the old hurt came through his words.
"I was going to, one day, when you were ready, but every time I thought to, I found myself unable to say those words. A part of me worried you would be resentful." Odin stood and came down the stairs. He placed a hand to Loki's shoulder. "You are my son, never doubt that."
Loki felt a tension in his chest. He ignored it as he remembered why he was there. "Tell me how I came to be here." Loki pleaded, pulling at Odin's heart strings like a pro.
"Let me finish my duties here...,"
"I think I've waited long enough," Loki inturrupted.
For a second a stern look crossed Odin's face before his features softened. "You are right." Odin replied. The Alfather made a gesture for Loki to follow him.
"During our war with the Jotuns, at the very end, I entered one of their temples and found a baby, you, cast out to die on the cold stone." Odin began. "I brought you home because it was clear you would not survive otherwise. When I picked you up your Jotun skin turned pink like an Asgardian baby, as if you yourself wished to belong."
"I thought it was you who changed my skin." Loki was genuinely shocked by this revelation.
"I did not. Whatever the reason, I believe you were meant to be found by me."
"What other reasons did you take me for? You were knee deep in Jotun blood, you cannot tell me you simply wanted to save a child." Loki pushed already knowing there was more.
"Before taking you I was able to confirm you were Laufay's son." Odin paused to let that sink in.
"Laufay's son?" He looked down in contemplation. Every reaction Loki had was meticulously planned.
"I had hoped that someday you could help bring a permanent peace between our people. Some sort of alliance. You have ties to the Jotunhiem throne, Loki, one day that throne will be yours as Asgards will be Thor's."
"I am old enough father, I am ready. Instruct me what I must do so that I can make you proud." Loki hoped for this. Needed this powerful position to get everything he wanted. He would still be a King, as was his right. Even if he held no love for Jotunhiem he would make it work as he had attempted to make Midgard work.
With Asgard behind him, Loki would find power in this new Kingdom and only when he was King, would he be prepared to find and claim Cephera. He had five years to work with before Cephera would end her relationship with Krystoff. He had five years to prove himself a powerful King.
Odin gave a sigh of relief. "I'm already proud of you Loki. You have come a long way from your childhood years of mischief and games." Somewhere deep inside Loki he was beaming at the praise, but he refused to acknowledge it. After all, he was still a trickster, he's just learned how to be more deceitfully quiet about it.
Parting ways, Odin promised to oversee a plan that would place Loki on the Jotunheim throne and Loki couldn't have been more pleased with himself.
He'd grown from his tribulations in his past future. He'd learned that some trickery was best served through words rather than actions. That patience worked better in getting what you wanted. Loki was more than happy with his accomplishments this time around and didn't doubt they would bring about a happier, more fruitful future.

Notes