Disclaimer: The world of Thor and all its characters are property of Marvel.

Treason

Loki and Thor sat at a small dinette in an alcove of Thor's chamber. Set before them was a simple yet filling meal of fowl, bread, cheese, and nuts.

Loki chewed on his bottom lip, contemplating their options regarding Asgardian law. Surely there were procedures for exceptional circumstances. And depending on events already set in motion there might be a way to save Thor's life. Loki had no doubt that any scheme he created would place his own life at risk as well.

Thor reached for the pitcher of mead set between them and wordlessly offered to fill Loki's cup. Loki nodded quietly, tearing apart a biscuit with his fingers. Thor filled his own cup and looked over at him.

" You are scheming." He stated a moment later.

" Hm." Loki replied softly.

Thor studied him over the rim of his cup, feeling the mead burn warm against his tongue and down his throat.

" A monarchy is only as healthy as its monarch." Loki stated quietly.

Thor set his cup down. " Yes. Which is why we must succeed."

Loki swallowed a few gulps of mead before giving Thor a firm nod. " No doubt. I imagine Odin will be displeased with your participation regarding my escape."

" We will have company on our mission." Thor replied, redirecting their conversation. He was in no mood to take part in Loki's bitterness.

Loki cocked an eyebrow at him. " Do you believe the Warriors Three will be happy to advance with a traitor such as I in their midst?"

Thor shook his head. " They will be involved but only to give us time to escape. I speak of another. One not familiar with the ways of war."

Loki frowned, confusion clearly evident upon his face.

" You remember Jane Foster..." Thor clarified.

" Jane?..." Loki whispered, trying to place the name to a face. " Jane Foster... from Midgard?!" He exclaimed incredulously. " What does she have to do with any of this? A mortal! Have you completely lost your-"

" If you know what is wise for your future, Loki, you will say no more." Thor interrupted through clenched teeth, his fury barely checked as he seemed ready to leap out of his chair with malintent. He did not give Loki time to respond.

" Jane discovered a tear in dimensions. But where she found herself... there was another. A power long forgotten and well hidden. It was there that she was infected with the Aether. And Malekith desires its power as he once did before."

Loki blinked, not comprehending for a moment. " ... the aether... the battle of Svarltefheim..." He looked up at Thor with wide eyes. " Does she know how to wield its power?"

Thor shook his head. " It is all she can do to keep it from consuming her entirely. And she grows more weary by the hour. Her body cannot bear its strength for much longer."

" Why has it not been extracted?" Loki asked. " Surely Asgard's great king could do so."

Loki's animosity towards Odin was not lost to Thor." He cannot. We even searched the great annals for guidance. There is no mention of the Aether ever being destroyed or taken out of another. It has never been done before."

" Then the attack upon Asgard..."

" It was Malekith, Loki. Somehow he can sense its presence. And now all of our defenses are torn asunder. If he attacks once more we will be completely vulnerable. And I would never allow him to touch Jane. Certainly not after everything that has happened. Not after the sacrifice mother gave to protect her."

At that Loki looked up sharply, having returned to tearing apart another biscuit. " She died protecting Jane?"

Thor only nodded, taking another gulp of mead and hating how Loki stared at him with his incredulous glare.

" Why was Jane not with you, or better yet, placed in a stronghold? You mean to tell me that she was simply visiting?"

" We did not know it was Malekith at the time. The prisoners had escaped and we thought it was you and your tricks." Thor replied gruffly, rising from his seat to walk over to one of his private balconies. He released a heavy sigh and raised his gaze to the sky.

After a few moments Loki quietly joined him, unsettled by Thor's solemn demeanor. He studied his face, unaccustomed to seeing so much worry and sorrow there.

" Mother believed that the fate of all worlds rests upon keeping the Aether away from Malekith." Thor continued.

" But..." Loki prompted, sensing there was more.

" But I believe that bringing the Aether to him is exactly what we must do."

There was a pause. Loki stared at him, confused once more by his meaning." Alas," He sighed at length, shaking his head. " I cannot read minds. Do you mean to tell me that risking certain death, helping me escape, dragging your friends into the mix, and risking Jane's life, is all so that we can hand over the Aether to the enemy?"

" I am saying it is what Malekith will believe we are doing." And Thor pinned Loki with a pointed stare.

" An elaborate ruse." Loki stated, understanding at last why Thor had sought him out.

" Elaborate in a manner that I myself cannot accomplish by my own devices." And Thor turned fully then to him.

" In order to succeed I need the aid of the most talented trickster. Someone who would also know of a secret way to Svartelfheim. And I only know of one such person."

Loki studied him, quietly weighing Thor's words. " You wish to battle the enemy in his own land." He stated after a moment.

" We cannot win against the dark elves here in Asgard. There is too much at risk. And I would just as soon avoid any circumstance such as what transpired on Midgard."

Loki understood Thor's reference and swallowed an uncomfortable lump in his throat. Thor walked over to a desk covered in maps and scribbled notes. After a moment Loki followed, curious.

" What is all this?" He asked, picking up a random page of parchment.

" These were the plans but this," And Thor retrieved a paper near the center of the desk. " Is what will be."

Loki smirked. " I never thought you would write down plans, let alone become the instigator of treasonous acts."

Thor shook his head. " Plotting treasonous acts I can do, apparently. Planning elaborate ruses I cannot."

Loki feigned shock. " You mean to say that someone other than myself had the patience to scheme alongside you?"

" Sif will retrieve Jane and meet us half way to the throne room." Thor explained, handing his parchment to Loki who made a quick study of its content. As he did so Thor walked over to the dinette and took another sip of mead.

Loki set the parchment down and looked to Thor. " I see that Volstagg will stand guard whilst we, what? Make a run for it? Your written plans do not specify exactly what we will be doing. How do we escape the palace unnoticed?"

" We will commandeer one of Malekith's air ships." Thor replied, matter-of-factly. Loki made a face.

" Relax, brother." Thor smirked, a bit of his former adolescent arrogance shining through for a moment. " I know what to do."

Loki cocked an eyebrow at that but decided to let it be. " And Hogun?"

" He has remained on Vanaheim for now."

Loki silently counted his fingers, making a show of it so Thor could see. " Hm... there is still one unaccounted for."

" Yes. There will most likely be a pursuit. Fandral will ensure our escape once we reach the waters."

" Well, it seems you have thought of everything."

" I can get us to your secret pathway, Loki, but I turn to you for how to approach Malekith. Tell me your thoughts."

Loki placed a finger to his chin, tapping it lightly as he thought through several possibilities.

Thor, meanwhile, helped himself to more cheese and bread. Already he felt exhausted and eating was the furthest thing on his mind. But it would do no good to go into battle without proper nourishment.

It was several minutes before Loki returned to his seat and nodded to him. " Alright. I think I have it."

Thor nodded. " Let's hear it, then." He replied around a mouthful of bread.

" We will need to present ourselves as brothers in conflict rather than brothers united. You must act as if I catch you off-guard. You must act as if you do not expect me to betray you."

Thor frowned, studying him with a closed expression.

" It will be a ruse, Thor." Loki reassured him before continuing. " I will have to incapacitate you in some way... Malekith must believe that you cannot call forth Miljnor."

Thor nodded, his imagination stirred. " If you knock me to the ground I can begin to call for it and you can use a trick to stop me."

" Something violent."

" Yes, it would have to be."

" Something cruel and shocking."

" ... perhaps..." Thor replied, looking at Loki suspiciously once more.

" I've got it." Loki smiled at him, his eyes twinkling with barely hidden mischief. " I will make it appear as if I have cut off your hand."

Thor blanched slightly. " You can do that?"

" Of course."

" Alright. And then?"

Loki shrugged. " I hand Jane over."

" No. Absolutely not."

" There is no other way, Thor." Loki reasoned. " Look, as far as we know Malekith is the only one who can safely extract the Aether from Jane's body. And once it is out in the open outside of a host, it will be vulnerable."

" And then I call forth Miljnor and destroy it." Thor added.

Loki nodded in agreement. " The only question that remains is will it be enough."

" We only need to prevent him from utilizing its power during the convergence." Thor stated confidently. " And Miljnor has laid waste to many a foe. I have little doubt it would fail to destroy it."

" I hope you're right because if we fail this..."

" We will not because we cannot. We must succeed. No matter the cost to ourselves."

Loki blinked in surprise. " No matter the cost?"

Thor nodded. " Whatever the sacrifice must be I will gladly pay if it means Jane, Asgard, and all the realms are safe from the Aether's power and Malekith's intent."

Thor stood then and walked across the expanse of his rooms to his wardrobe. Loki stared out a window, suddenly feeling tired and forlorn. Events were happening quickly. He hoped their fragile plans produced a favorable outcome. There was simply no more time to prepare anything more.

Thor removed his cloak and an elegant tunic underneath and looked back at Loki over his shoulder.

" You complained earlier about not wishing to go into battle without proper attire." He half shouted, his voice muffled as he slipped into his battle armor. " Best remedy that now. We leave as soon as I am finished dressing."

" No rest for the weary, I see." Loki sighed, finishing his mead with one long gulp and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. " So be it."

And the brothers prepared themselves in silence; Thor preoccupied with their escape and Loki with the confrontation awaiting them. There would be a sacrifice and he steeled himself for the inevitability of its high price.