My Little Hela

No... Thank You

"You once said... that there would never be a wiser King than me. You were wrong" Thor knelt at the foot of the steps leading to his Father's throne, as Odin stood and looked down upon his son and spoke to him. The rubble in the room was gone, the fallen pillars repaired and returned to their vertical positions all over the Throne Room. Thor was now kneeling, his red cape flowing down his back like scarlet silk river.

"The alignment has brought all the Realms together," Odin spoke again, his old and frail yet strong voice ringing through the halls. "Every one of them saw you offer your life... to save them." The All-Father spoke slowly, often taking silent but strong breaths. "What can Asgard offer its new King... in return?" He asked.

Thor looked up at his Father as he knelt on one knee and rested his hand on the other. He held Mjonir in his other arm. "My life." He spoke loudly and clearly in his deep and strong voice. Thor stood and kept his eyes on Odin. "Father, I cannot be King of Asgard." He confessed. "I will protect Asgard and all the Realms with my last and every breath, but I cannot do so from that chair."

Father and Son stood silent for a moment. "Loki, for all his grave imbalance understood ruling as I know I never will." Thor said, speaking kindly of his lost brother. Odin turned his head in interest as he kept watching his son speak of Loki. "The brutality, the sacrifice... it changes you. I'd rather be a good man than a great King." He said as he gazed at his Father with hope and longing for a different life.

"Is this my son I hear... or the woman he loves?" Odin asked. "When you speak, do I never hear Mother's voice?" Thor countered. The All-Father took a grieving breath and looked down. "This is not for Jane, Father." The God of Thunder spoke again. "She does not know what I came here to say." Odin weakly sat down in the Throne as Thor continued to speak. "Now forbid me to see her or say she can rule at my side, it changes nothing."

"One son that wanted the Throne too much... another who will not take it." Odin spoke with a grieving voice. "Is this my legacy?" he asked desperately. "Loki died with honor." Thor said, trying to stand up for his brother. "I shall try to live the same. Is that not legacy enough?"

Odin nodded slowly. Thor looked down at the hammer he held in his hands, he then slowly held up the Asgardian craft to his father, offering it too him. But Odin refused it.

"It belongs to you, if you are worthy of it." "I shall try to be." both King and Prince knew that he was.

The King shook his head slowly. "I cannot give you my blessing... nor can I wish you good fortune." Thor nodded, a sad and heartbroken look in his eyes shone brightly. "I know." He said, and then he turned to walk away in sorrow but was stopped by Odin speaking.

"If I were proud of the man my son had become..." Thor turned his head to look at him again. "...Even that, I could not say." Thor watched his father attentively, sadness growing stronger. "It would speak... only from my heart... Go." He said, happiness and proudness was filling his one blue eye. "My Son." Thor smiled up at him, the grief was gone. "Thank you, Father." He said as a smile grew across his lips. He again turned and walked away, his foot falls echoing between the golden pillars of the Throne Room.

Odin watched the silhouette of his son grow smaller and smaller, then there was a flash of green. It started at his face and passed through the Kings body, but it was not the King. The face he wore now was Loki. Loki was sitting on the Throne and Loki was watching his brother slowly fade. A smile extended on his face as he said, "No... Thank you." and showed his teeth in the smile that spread. Loki was now the King of Asgard and Odin is gone.