It All Started Before I Knew About The Truth (Loki love story)

Chapter 6

"And do you swear, to protect Asgard as long as you live?" Odin asked Thor.
   "I SWEAR!" Thor yelled, holding his hammer up with pride. Everyone cheered, while Sif scoffed and rolled her eyes. Loki and Athena glanced at each other amused, making Frigga look at them with a warning look, but a faint smile was on her face.
   "Then I, Odin Allfather, declare, Thor Odinson -" Odin suddenly stopped speaking, looking around like he was listening to something. "Frost Giants." he whispered. He banged his staff on the ground, before walking out of the Throne room, making Thor, Loki, and Athena to follow behind him.
***
"Frost Giants." Thor murmured, staring at the dead guards and Frost Giants on the ground. "How did they get in?"
   "They almost got the cold casket." Athena said, gazing at the cube ahead of her. Loki glanced at her from next to her, worried. Athena had told Loki that the cold casket was a very powerful thing, powerful enough to destroy a realm as well as another powerful stone, the Aether, or the teseract. Athena was scared of it; if someone in her family touched it, including her, they can turn evil, since her family was the most powerful sorcerers alive and are immune to almost all spells thrown at them.
   Thor and Odin started to have their conversation, while the other two friends stood behind, watching silently. Although, Loki was more concerned about his best friend. It took guts for Athena to go with them to the weapons vault. The last time she went was when her parents were still alive and wanted to show the dangers. Odin and the two boys were there as well, but the boys never communicated to Athena, just like how Athena didn't communicate with the boys - basically before they became friends. Athena was quite scared when she first saw the casket, and stayed behind her parents for protection.
   "Are you all right?" Loki asked his friend. "You are being brave coming here."
   "I am fine." Athena nodded hesitantly. "I-it is just different being here without my parents. . .protecting me."
   "You have me to protect you, don't worry." Loki told her quietly.
   "You don't have to." Athena said back.
   "But I want to." Loki said, smiling at her gently. Before they can continue their conversation, Odin's voice boomed in the room.
   "YOU ARE NOT KING YET!" Odin had yelled. "YOU WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT THIS, FOR YOU WILL ONLY CAUSE HAVOCK!"
   "Maybe we should wait outside for a bit." Athena whispered, tugging Loki's hand towards the exit. Loki watched the other two warily, before leaving the room with his best friend, their hands still clasped together.
***
"I dressed up fancy, only to take it off two hours later." Athena huffed, taking her dress off while walking to her bathroom to change. Loki didn't look at her (no matter how much he wanted to), and went to her bed.
   "You looked really beautiful than usual, though. It was pretty worth it to see you all dressed up." Loki told her truthfully. Loki sat up from looking at the ceiling, and just saw Athena look away with a small blush and smile. A small glimmer of hope appeared in the pit of his stomach of the probability of her returning his feelings.
   "We uh, we should go and check up on Thor now. Knowing him and his temper." Athena said, grabbing her black cloak she always wore around the palace.
***
As soon as the two friends walked into the room Thor, Sif and the Warriors Three were in, they saw Thor push the giant table full of food to the side, food going everywhere; and sat down on the steps to the balcony with a huff. Loki had stepped in front of Athena to protect her from the mess his brother made. Athena smiled slightly at Loki's behaviour, and moved to the side, walking towards Thor. Loki followed, sitting next to Thor, Athena sitting next to Loki. "You know very well not to come near me when I am angry brother, Athena." Thor grumbled staring ahead of him.
   "But we don't care." Athena smirked, Loki sharing the same smirk with her.
   When are they going to get together? Thor, Warriors Three and Sif thought at the same time. Athena allowed Loki to calm his brother down, while she concentrated on her magic, making an illusion of anyone she thought of to pass time. For example; she thought of Loki. It took some time since she wasn't really into it, but she finally made a Loki hollagram. She was pulled out of her concentration when she heard Volstagg say, "We're going to Jotunheim?"
   "That's ridiculous!" Athena exclaimed, looking at Thor as if he was crazy. "It's too dangerous!"
   "And father would not approve of this." Loki added, helping Athena to her feet.
   "Come on, friends!" Thor exclaimed. "We have been through many battles together! Volstagg. . ." Thor then went onto a speech explaining he had helped them in their lives, bringing them to where they were now. Thor had eventually got everyone persuaded.
   "But what about Sif and I?" Athena asked Thor. "They will immediately notice us as the only women in the group."
   "You will be hiding behind a cloak," Thor explained, thinking his plan through. "And you will stay at the back."
   "Stay behind me at all times." Loki told Athena firmly, staring at her dead in the eyes. Athena nodded nervously, making his eyes soften. "Athena, I promise you," he said, holding her hands to his chest, "I will do everything I can to make sure you are safe."
   Athena smiled at his words and brought her best friend into a hug. "I will kill Thor if anything were to happen to you." Loki joked, making her laugh and for a moment, forget the dangers they were heading in.