About a foot away from Loki, a long curved blade appeared in front of the charging warriors causing them to stop. The blade inches from their necks, "I said HOLD." She firmly before looking to this King of Ice. "Midgard is not Loki's to give. You will find it almost impossible take since the last time you stood upon it's shores. Mortals are no longer so weak that they need the warriors of Asgard to defend them nor will Midgardians stand by and let you take Vanaheim either." She warned, her voice rather dark and warning.

The warriors had little choice but to stop at that point.

Byleistr eyed Juno before giving her a dark grin, "the mortals have not yet seen true power. Their world is almost entirely water, they cannot stop the ice from coming" he looked back to Loki, "Unless of course, there is something you chose ti withhold from me?"

"I have been there recently" Loki admitted, "and in truth... little has changed. They are still the bumbling, disorganized mud dwellers they have always been. They do not have one but many rulers, more than you can count for one little realm. Ignore her, she is just a silly girl."

"Looks like you have your hands full." Byleistr chuckled, "I believe that's everything. It's been a pleasure, Loki" he turned to leave with his giants.

Loki stood there a moment, he truly considered allowing them to leave but then he found his voice echo through the hall once more, "There is one more thing." spoke the king, "A question"

Byleistr paused and turned back to him.

"I have betrayed my share of people to get here" Loki commented, "Men and women I once counted as friends or family now hold me in the lowest regard and yet I find myself their King. It is incredible how fast things can turn, isn't it?" he looked back at the warriors as he spoke.

Byleistr was starting to look bored, "yes, they are quite the fools. What is the question?"

"Why makes you think you're any different?" Loki looked back at him and their eyes met for a moment. One thing became perfectly clear, whoever attacked first would live. Loki raised the stone and Byleistr the Bifrost. A blast of ice filled the room and plowed right through Loki-or rather his illusion. The giants startled as suddenly Loki appeared behind Byleistr, his dagger stabbed through the frost giant king's back and into his heart.

The Bifrost clanged to the floor and Byleistr dropped to his knees, blood spouting from his mouth as Loki stood over him. Of course the two frost giant guards immediately moved to take Loki out in that instant.

In a flash, Juno appeared atop one of the Frost Giants and slit it's throat before round-house kicking the other one in the face.

All in all, with Juno's help it was quite the scene to see the three Frost Giants each fall away from Loki as he held the blood dripping dagger in his hand. The four warriors stared for a moment.

"... what in the nine realms...?" Fandral spoke softly.

"I guess that takes care of the frost giant problem" Volstagg commented

"Hardly" Siv exclaimed, her eyes turning to glare at Loki, "You just killed their king. How can they not be expected to retaliate?!"

Loki stepped over Byleistr's dead form, wiping his dagger off on the creature's clothing along the way, "They will not." he replied simply.

"You can't possibly know that" Fandrall argued.

"I can, in fact." Loki picked up the Bifrost and tucked it back into the pocket universe. He then he thrust the stone into Siv's arms, "Take this. Heal your friend. And give him back his rotten throne" he threw Odin's staff to the floor at their feet and then turned on his heel and headed for the door.

They were stunned, to say the least. Only Volstagg seemed to be able to fumble out a few words, "But... The frost giants?! How can you be certain?"

Loki paused at the door, then turned slowly back to face them as his skin began to change and turn that well known, frost giant blue, "Simple my friends. Stay out of Yodenheim and you will find no trouble. For my brother the king is dead. Long live the king." and he walked out.

Juno rested her scythe over her shoulders and held it with both her hands, "That's the Loki I'm talking about!" Juno cheered and ran after him. She would return to MIdgad, might as well walk with Loki till the biforst. She turned before she headed out the door, "Say hi to Thor for me when he wakes." She said teleporting beside Loki.

"You....YOu really think I'm silly?" She asked, big puppy dog eyes.

Loki glanced sideways at her and grinned a little, "That's one of the things I love about you" he replied.

"Loki"

The azgardian froze, he knew that voice all too well and quite frankly, it sent shivers down his spine. He turned slowly to face the eye of Odin and offered him a forced smile, "Have a nice nap?"

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Odin stepped forward.

Odin was the last person Loki wanted to see at the moment, or, well, ever. "Oh well, you know. Frost Giants. Saving the realms, that sort of thing. In fact I'd better go before they start getting rowdy"

"I know what you did" Odin spoke, his words sending another anxious chill down Loki's spine, "You may have a birthright to Yodenheim, but Vanaheim and Midgard are something else entirely."

"Ah... well, it seemed a fair trade at the time" Loki commented. Of course, he had promised the two realms to the ruler of Yodenheim and now, that was him.

"What do you intend to do with them?" Odin inquired.

"Make them better" Loki replied firmly, "Of all the realms these two are the most broken. Midgard doesn't even recognizance the Ruler of Nine realms."

"And Vanaheim?"

"They are almost as separated from one another as Midgard is. The only difference being that they know you, as king." Loki explained, "but you pulled back from all the realms long ago and it is due time that they begin to govern themselves, as Yodenheim does, as Azgard itself has you presently here. You charge Thor with bringing the realms together after it was you who abandoned them to fall apart. I see fit that it does not happen again."

Odin grinned slightly, "You think you can accomplish all this?"

"I think with the proper means, I can accomplish anything I want" Loki replied.

"Then do so" Odin nodded to him, "With Midgard, without bringing them to war, and we shall see."

A bit of a smile touched Loki's lips again, "Challenge accepted." he bowed his head briefly and turned to leave again.

"Loki"

He paused once more.

"The Bifrost."

Loki cringed a little. He had rather been hoping to keep that one trinket, "That one truly was a fair trade-for the life of your son I might add." Not to mention the fact that Yodenheim had become a mess since they lost their powerful artifact.

Odin gave him a serious look, "Do not let me regret it"

Juno turned with Loki but said nothing. Her scythe turning back into a small cat which clawed into the fabric on her shoulder, enjoying the piggy back like ride.

When Odin looked to her, she merely nodded a hello, not really sure how to act.

Odin, while seemingly a little uncertain of Juno and why she was there, did not comment on it. Loki merely turned once again and nudged Juno to follow him to the end of the rainbow bridge. Once they were far enough away from the palace and Odin, Loki let out a breath of relief.

Juno waved a small goodbye after she was nudged and quickly followed Loki.

"D'awww... I think you impressed him." She commented. "So, what now? Heading off to your new job as Ice King?" She asked, her hands behind her head, a smile on her face.

Loki sighed, "yes. We shall see how that goes. I am only half Blooded. I'm still working on how they are going to receive me"

"I'd offer to come but I really need to go check on Ceres's condition."

"Let me know when you find out" Loki nodded to her. Soon they reached Heimdall

She put a hand on his shoulder, "She will be rather okay with the truth I tell her." She smiled before giving him a quick hug and then backing up a few steps. "You take care of yourself alright?"

Loki smiled back at her, "It's the one thing I'm good at" he waved and Heimdall sent her back to Midgard.

((Everything in Italics is from the past/ small tinbits of his memories that he doesn't remember.))

~

"Loki, I-I wanted to say..."
"It's alright. I know..."


"You, M'lady, are the last person I want bowing to me"
"D-Duly noted"

He walked in darkness, following the glow of a far off glow and the sound of water dripping. He didn't know why but he felt as he got closer and closer that he needed to hurry. When he arrived, he stood before a giant golden bird cage.

Drip drip drip...

"Is this what you want? You naughty...I'll make you feel like a goddess.."

Curious he approached it and put his hands on the bars. He could just see an outline of the large bird inside. It's wings wide open.

But you know what is your greatest feature?... Your smile. Your real smile.

A faint splash under his foot made him look down. He stood in a puddle of water?... No water was not that colour.

"L-Loki?"A faint voice asked.

His head shot upward to glaze in horror at the scene before him. Inside the cage, was not a bird but a person with angel like wings. This girl stood upon the perch inside the birdcage, not by choice but by the thousands of razer sharp wires wrapped around her body. Blood dripped down the wires as they dug tightly to her body.

Drip..drip..

"C-CERES?" Loki found himself saying. What was this? WHat was going on?

"Loki, do...do you love me?"
"Yes."

"LOKI <3"

"Loki, please...It hurts..." The nude angel begged, her wavy locks draped over several of the wires. [/I] "Save me...Hurry...Lo-" She began but stopped as her gem cracked loudly. All colour drained from the scene as Ceres went limp.


"Ceres? CERES!"

"Loki." Loki felt a lump form in his throat. He knew that voice. She'd raised him, called him son when he was not. He slowly turned to face her.

She had a hand to her mouth, shocked at the scene. "My boy... What have you done?"

Darkness.

~

((Okay, that's freaky XD))

Loki awoke with a bit of a start, his eyes searching the room immediately but he only found walls of ice to surround him. Where was he? What sort of place... Yodenheim... right. Taking a relaxed breath he lay back again and stared up at the ceiling. It was made of such a perfect pure ice that it was like glass, letting the stars twinkle down at him.
He had taken up residence in one of the few remaining sturdy towers. It wasn't as grand as he was used to but it was good enough.
Good enough. How appropriate for this situation.
Upon returning to Yodenheim the Frost Giants were less than welcoming-until that is, they saw their artifact in his hands. He promised them a better life, a prosperous life, you know, politics. Make them love you, and he did so as best he could but there would always be a few who just would not like him. Loki knew he had to prepare for such things but there was still something missing within him, a great horrible pit in his stomach that told him he could not face an oposition right now.

How can you fight, tooth and claw to live if you do not have the will to survive?

It was about three weeks before Juno and Ceres took Loki up offer to visit. They wanted to make sure he was all settled in and Ceres was feeling up to the trip.

Ceres didn't like the cold. In fact if Loki hadn't been in trouble she may have never come to Yodenheim in the first place and now a second time...

It took some prep work before heading out. Juno was use to the cold, she rather enjoyed it but Ceres was more like a flower, very sensitive to the cold.

Ceres was dressed up in a big pink Northern Face band winter coat complete with fluffy ear muffs, mittens, boots, snow pants and a scarf. She also had those small heat pads for inside your boots and mittens as well as extras in the bag.


Juno wore the same outfit in green tho she had a fuzzy green hat on instead.

Juno was carrying a very camping like bag on her back, filled with warms clothes extra thick socks, winter sleeping bags and tent. They knew they would be be in the castle but they were both warm blooded and would need the gear to stay warm. Brutus, a fancy orange scarf wrapped around his neck, was also pulling a small sledge with a large box, several hockey sticks and many wrapped packages.

"How you holding up?" Juno asked as they snow shoed their way to the castle.
"Please stop asking. I don't know why we can't just teleport-" Ceres mumbled trying not to think of the cold, pulling her hood back up after the wind blew it down.
"You know why. I don't want to freak out the Frost Giants and besides, the open air is good for you. We're almost there. Just over this last ridge."
"Ok..."Ceres said getting her second wind and booking it up the ridge. She turned back to face Juno, "YOU LIED!"

"Ok ok, maybe 2 more."

They were still a little ways off when a rather large sled came bounding over the snow, pulled by even larger and rather terrifying looking beasts. The entire sled itself looked like it was carved straight out of the ice and it was truly a beautiful creation. It slid up next to them, a Frost giant-though small for a giant, was driving and Loki was sitting casually in the back.

"You should have told me when you were coming" the Lord of Yodenheim greeted them with a grin. He wasn't wearing anything more than his usual-in fact it seemed like he was in less layers if anything. His skin seemed to have taken on a permanent shade of frost giant blue as well, "I could have had someone waiting for you." he offered Ceres a hand.

Ceres turned her head in Juno's direction who was merely smiling innocently.

"And miss out on Sister snow shoeing bonding time?" Juno teased sweetly. It was true they hadn't spent a lot of time together growing up together but Ceres was still rather annoyed by the fact they could have been inside away from the WIND AND SNOW.

"Jane said it was rather hard to send messages out here." Ceres said shivering as she took his hand.

"Oh come on. It would have been grand to surprise the new king of Yodenheim with a surprise visit." Juno had walked up to the creatures and patted one on it's side. She had a way with animals. "Lovely creatures..."

One of them looked at her, then licked her whole face in one go.

Loki chuckled and helped Ceres onto the seat, "You'll have to do better than that to surprise me. I got word of something vibrant coming this way and could only assume they meant you." The giant stepped down to load their luggage on the back.

Juno chuckled at the beast, "Hey now." She wiped her face, "You lovable beast you." She patted his side a few more times before hopping into the sled.

Ceres looked down at her coat, "It was the warmest coat I could find and it's still not enough. x.x"

((I don't think Ceres had told Loki how she doesn't do well in cold climates.))

"Is it?" Loki tilted his head, even an Azgardian would get cold after spending too much time on Yodenheim, so it made sense for a mortal to be cold almost instantly, "Hm. I'll see what I can do when we get back." he nodded to the giant driver and once everyone was settled in their seats they took off across the snow at a break-neck pace. Those beast sure could move and the icy seats were rather slippery but Loki didn't seem phased by it in the slightest. And at least the railing was high enough to keep them from falling out.

As they approached the castle it was clear that a lot had changed over the last little while. Much of the palace had been restored to it's former glory and what glory that was. Frost Giant architecture tended to be more natural looking but it was clear that Loki had had a hand in it as well. The palace grew up from the snow like a shimmering mountain-a small mountain but with very clear windows, doors and balconies around it. The way the light reflected through it sent light of every colour shining down upon them. It was almost as though it was made of light as a opposed to ice.

"Ceres is very sensitive to colder climates. Japan only gets to like what? -7 C?"

"Usually 0 around my house." She commented sliding sideways on the seat. Juno grabbed a hold of her and pulled her back to the middle, keeping her arm firmly on Ceres' hip. "It can get much colder in other areas..."

"Ah, don't you worry Loki. We brought quite the load of winter gear as well as some presents."

"You're looking rather blue, Loki." Ceres teased, trying to take her mind off of the cold.

"I find it helps ease the minds of those who disapprove of my lineage" Loki shrugged. They arrived at the palace in no time at all. One moment it was leagues away and the next they were pulling up to the front door. Damn those creatures were fast, "I'm not familiar with how you measure the cold. What would you say the temperature is here?" he asked curiously as he helped them both down from the sleigh again.

Juno pulled her black glove off and licked her finger, "Hmmmm...About minus 30, feels more like 40 with the north winds blowing."

"Bloody cold that's what."Ceres mumbled. "Well, you are part Frost giant, the blue goes nicely with your skin. Had I known you were going to have blue skin, I think Pietro would have made you different attire all together." She said looking toward the lovely wrapped packages.