[gladsheimr]

thalia, she/her, 20 something year old who’s obsessed with norse mythology, thor: tales of asgard, thor & loki: double trouble comics, the gospel of loki, and the thor movies. i love thor, loki and lady sif in every universe. my favourite artists are florence and the machine, hozier, laufey, and aurora.

[gladsheimr]

would I run off the world someday? (take me home where I belong) - written for @sifkiweek day 1 - throne I theft. I thought I would write something small to participate! it looks like a fun event.

Shadows dance upon gilded walls and Sif’s heart is in her throat as she strides down the palace hall, her armour gleaming even in the dim torchlight. The air in Asgard has been thick with tension for days; whispers of discontent echoed through the stone corridors as the people of Asgard mourn their rightful king’s absence. She has come to plead for Thor’s return once more, her chest filled with righteous anger and desperation. When she makes it to the throne room, it is Loki who sits upon the grand throne. He tilts his head and watches her as she proceeds up the rows of curving stairs to stand before him. “Your majesty,” she begins, crossing her arm over her chest in a brisk gesture of respect, her voice steady despite the turmoil within her. “I have come to you again to ask that you reconsider.”Emerald eyes glint with something she can’t name. It could be mischief, perhaps, or eagerness. It could be madness. 

“I am certain I have made my existing reasons clear to you, Lady Sif,” Is his reply, his tone infuriatingly unconcerned. He leans back in the throne, which arches high around him like the sky at dawn, hues of bronze and golden rays, and looks at her as if the conversation is over. 

“He is your brother,” Sif replies fiercely, stepping closer. “How can you hold him in banishment knowing you have the power to end it? Surely you want him to return! Surely you…miss him.” Her voice trembles slightly at the end, and Loki’s eyebrow arches.

“Surely?” Loki echoes, leaning forward with feigned concern. “Sif, as I take on this mantle of leadership, I must consider not only my desires but also the needs of our people. You see, Thor embodies a certain...exuberance that can be both a blessing and a curse. While his bravery is commendable, it often veers into recklessness. The citizens of Asgard require stability and assurance during this transition. They need to feel that their king is someone who embodies wisdom and restraint rather than impulsiveness.” 

Sif shakes her head furiously. “Thor is beloved by the people! They would welcome him back with open arms. At a time like this, his presence would comfort them.”

“If I were to reinstate Thor immediately,” Loki replies. “It would send the message that my reign lacks conviction or direction.”

Sif clenches her jaw at the way he says my reign. She forces her voice to remain calm. “But Asgard is vulnerable, especially with the Frost Giants stewing as they are. Could you not do with Thor’s strength?” 

Loki’s eyes flicker with annoyance. They really are so green. Despite her anger, Sif cannot all erase an aching history of summers spent with the princes as the three of them grew up into their roles in Asgard. His eyes are the verdant green of the forests they traversed or the glimmering surface of a lake under the sun's touch. She is barefoot again in white cotton, and Thor and Loki are laughing at her about something as she chases them in river-drenched skirts. She’d felt a sort of desperation to be near them back then, so that if she found herself ever unsure, ever hesitant, one of them would be certain of what to do. She feels the same distress now in Thor’s overhanging absence, the panic slowly creeping up on her, the need to be by his side. 

“Leadership requires more than mere physical prowess, Lady.” Loki replies. She does not know when this bitterness, this hostility, grew between them, but it had started as a bunch of weeds and grown into an impenetrable thorn wall. “It demands an understanding of diplomacy qualities that you will find often elude Thor in favor of bravado. I must ensure that Asgard is led by someone who can navigate complex political landscapes without resorting to sheer force.” He says this pointedly. 

Sif sees his implication. “And you think you are better suited for this role?”

“Not necessarily better suited,” he answers easily. “But perhaps more attuned to the subtleties required at this delicate moment in time. My approach will be one of calculated decisions rather than spontaneous actions. We face challenges ahead both external and internal and I must prioritize unity over division.”

“And when Thor learns of your decision? He will feel betrayed.”

“That is a risk I must take for the greater good. If he feels slighted now, it may prevent greater discord later on when he realizes that my intentions are rooted in safeguarding Asgard's future. He knows that I love him, but this cannot be a personal decision.”

His eyes observe her lightly, challenging her, and despite Sif’s desperation, she feels her resolve waver momentarily. He loves his brother; perhaps he will bring Thor home once Asgard settles. But then she remembered all the times Loki’s ambition had led to chaos rather than order, all the times she has seen his face twist with envy when he is looking at Thor.

“Thor may have been unfit to be king,” she says firmly, and waits until Loki looks up in surprise to add, “on his own. A rulership is more then one man on a throne. Things would burn up and fall apart if he were to take on all of that responsibility without the assistance he would no doubt have received. What is a king without his brother?” Loki opens his mouth, but he says nothing. Sif says, “Do you truly wish to rule over ashes?” For a heartbeat, silence enveloped them both, before Loki scoffs and looks away. Still, he does not dismiss her entirely. “Bring him back,” Sif urges softly now, her voice almost pleading. “Let us face whatever comes next together.” With a flicker of disappointment crossing his features, Loki’s expression is quickly masked with his usual bravado. “We are done,” he replies, and there is an edge to his tone. With her heartbat pounding like a war drum and fury igniting her bones, Sif’s resolute is decided. She would not let Thor face this darkness alone; she will go and bring him back from Midgard herself should she have to, even if it means tearing apart the very fabric of destiny itself. Maybe then even Loki will see sense. She turns and leaves him to his grievances, her heart heavy with hope for one brother and remorse for the other. 

[gladsheimr]

thor + grief

and I danced with it, emma poet // thor ragnarok 2013 // lightning on davis bayou oil painting by billy solitario // every storm runs out of rain, a.b. // thor 2011 // marvel comics // thor 2011 // time is a mother, ocean vuong // thor ragnarok 2013

[joelpersels]

[nocnitsa]

Franz Stassen- The Norns, 1917.

[bobbole]

Huginn and Muninn - art by Anexquisitecorpse