Loki had never seen anyone so tall in all his life.

Seated in the library tower with a pile of books surrounding him, he watched from the window as the jotunn delegation passed by below. There were about twenty of them, all were humongous in size, blue skinned and covered in battle scars of old amidst their family markings. Princes Helblindi and Bylestir, Laufey's sons were at the head of the delegation, their royal markings shining in the sun as they went.

Loki had been taught about frost giants from birth. How the peace they held at intermittent times was tenuous at best. That was why this meeting was so important. His father had been planning it for months and had made sure that Thor was presented beside him when the day arrived. Loki was thankful that he, as the second in line, was not required to attend as he would find himself scared witless at the sight of such an intimidating race.

His brother was far more courageous than he that was for sure.

As the delegation with their fluttering icy banners passed under a causeway and out of his sight Loki couldn't help but feel a measure of foreboding for what lay ahead. Returning to his books, he decided that it was best if he avoided the frost giants all together.

Hours later, when Loki was deeply studying one of the most ancient texts in the library, he was startled by the insistent knocking at the door. Opening it, he found himself face to face with a stony faced guard who pointed in the vague direction of the throne room and stated in a voice that dripped with anger.

"Your father wants to see you immediately, trickster," The guard informed.

Loki was brought up short by the informal summons but brushed it off as stress, as a teenager, he knew all about how angry one could get when under pressure. It couldn't have been an intentional insult, surely not.

He quickly fixed his robes and walked quickly towards the throne room, thoughts spinning as he tried to think of why his father would need him so urgently. The strange glances that his people were sending him did not help his nerves, and for some reason they all seemed to be looking at him with as much anger as the guard had expressed. Why? He did not know.

His quick steps led him to the ornate throne room doors and he pulled the heavy latches open and stepped in to the beautifully crafted throne room.

He definitely had not expected the sight he would be greeted with. Most of the jotunn delegation was missing, and those who were there were looking worse for wear, their skin holding a green tinge.

What in the world had happened here?

" LOKI! Get over here this instant!" The thunderous voice of his father ordered.

Confusion clear in Loki's mind, he trotted up to his father, past the glaring faces of the council and knelt at his father's throne, as was the custom.

As he stood to greet his father properly after performing his bow, he certainly did not expect the stinging slap that propelled him to the floor again. This time with a lot less grace.

Shocked by the swift turn of events, he placed his hand against the site of the hit, his head ringing with the force of it. Looking up with surprise and pain filled eyes and he saw his father's murderous expression fixated on him.

" Father?" He asked shakily, unsure of what was happening and still trying to process the notion that Odin had just hit him.

Odin stood, the butt of his staff cracking against the stone floors.

" How could you have done this?! You know how delicate the treaty is and yet you showed no regard for anything I have taught you!" Odin thundered, stepping menacingly closer to his prone son who had not yet left the floor.

Loki's eyes widened further and he surveyed the room, seeing similar expressions on the faces of its other occupants.

" Father what has happened? What have I done?" Loki asked timidly, tears threatening to cloud his vision.

Odin seemed further enraged by this, which he had not believed possible, and his father yanked him upwards by his green tunic, pulling their faces close together.

" Do not play innocent with me, Loki, you know exactly what you did! How could you pull such a vulgar prank at a time such as this? And on our guests!" Odin snarled, his one eyes blazing in to Loki's startled blue.

" Father, I do not know why you think I have done this but I assure you I am innocent!" Loki attempted to reason, blue eyes brimming with the force of his emotion.

Odin would not stand for his reasoning and another stinging slap caused his head to snap to the side painfully, and he would have fallen if not for his father's iron grip on the front of his tunic.

" I did not raise my son to be a liar! I know of your petty pranks and usually they are in good spirit but this is a dishonor on our family and your people. You will pay for the mistake you have made here, liesmith," Odin growled softly in his ear before shoving Loki away to one of his guards. " Take him to his chambers, maybe soon he will see fit to own up to his crime," Odin ordered, turning away from Loki with contempt in his sneer.

As Loki was roughly hauled away from the throne room he could not help but watch his father's face as he went, hoping he would see something akin to remorse in his gaze. There was none, only fury and rage, and Loki couldn't help but feel as though the world had shattered around him.