𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒏𝒆
→˚₊·  ܴೈ i truly hate being the reasonable one. ❞

THE PALACE FUSSED as Asgardians ran through the halls. Everyone preparing for Thor's coronation. It had been the talk of the realm recently and the Asgardian royal family couldn't be any happier. Well, some of them couldn't be.

Thor had been talking about it for weeks. Elain was excited for her Uncle, but also excited that she wouldn't have to hear him boasting about the coronation anymore. His ego sometimes really annoyed her.

"Lady Elain, you must stay still," One of the maids informed the girl who stood rocking on her heels, "We cannot have you looking distressed at the coronation."

The girl stood on a slight platform, her robes holding onto her body loosely as they hadn't been tightened yet. Her brown curls were pinned back while a few waves fell in her face. Jewelry hanging on her wrists, neck, ears, and fingers. 

"I will not look distressed," Elain's voice was as soft as ever, "Why don't you go check on my brother? I can finish up here."

"M'lady.." The maid was clearly hesitant.

Elain gave her a bright smile as she turned, placing a hand on the girl's arm, "It's okay. I've got this here. Thank you."

The maid did not argue back, moving to bow before scurrying her way out the door. Elain took a deep breath before she began to fix her robes. Fixing the purple material around her body. She chewed on her bottom lip as she struggled to tie the back.

"Do you need help, little one?" Loki's voice caught her off-guard, Elain had quickly turned around as if she had done something wrong, "Did I startle you?" Her uncle held a slight smirk.

The god of mischief sported his usual color palette, an array of greens and colds. His golden-horned helmet resided on his head as he walked over to his niece. His raven hair was barely in sight due to the amount of his head that the helmet covered. 

Elain gave the older god a look, "You did not startle me. Just, I didn't expect you. Yes, I do seem to need help. Can you fix the back for me, Uncle Loki?" 

"I don't know, can I?" Loki took a few more strides before he stopped at the girl, Elain turned so that he could fix the back.

"How long do you think this will last? I'd rather not be standing for hours," Elain hummed as her eyes gleamed with curiosity.

Loki let out a laugh as he listened to his niece, "A bit. If you get tired of it, just leave. That's what I tend to do."

"Yes, but then you get lectured and we both know I hate being lectured," Elain states before turning, ignoring the slightly annoyed look she received.

"You're a lot like your mother in that way," Loki mumbled lowly, it was barely audible before he grinned mischievously, "Have you done anything that would upset anyone?"

Elain rolled her eyes before she crossed her arms, "Not really. I've been strolling around Asgard, well, I guess that would be one because it tends to upset my brother."

"Yes, I don't think he rather likes the men fawning over you," Loki looked down at her before the maid came into the room once more.

"Lady Elain, oh, was I interrupting? I'm sorry but your presence has been requested. Thor's coronation is about to begin," The maid stammered out, clearly nervous.

"You weren't interrupting, thank you for telling me. We," Elain looked at her Uncle with a look as she held out her arm for him to take, which he did, "Are now going to be on our way."

The maid was quick to move out of their way. By the way that she was reacting, Elain assumed she was intimidated by Loki. His was laced with hers as they began to walk down the halls and to the throne room. 

There was no doubt that there was a rapidly forming crowd in the throne room where most of the royal family already resided. Upon Elain and Loki's entry, the girl's eyes widened at how many Asgardians had truly come. 

She couldn't help but start to get nervous. Quite a few eyes had fallen on her, though that was usual. Elain stayed close to Loki, ignoring the jitters that ran through her body. She had always hated large crowds such as this one.

The two stood on one of the many golden stairs before the throne. Waiting on her brother, Sirius, to arrive and stand with them as well. Lady Sif was right below them, occasionally looking in their direction through the loudness of the Asgardians. 

The girl stayed close to her Uncle and seemed to focus on her thoughts. When her brother joined their side, she nearly jumped out of her skin. He hadn't made a single noise. 

"Hello, little sister," Sirius gave her a small grin as he nodded at their Uncle in greeting.

"Bloody hell, you come out of nowhere," One of Elain's hands rested over her heart as she calmed her breathing, "Next time, don't be so quiet."

"I wasn't exactly quiet, the crowd is just being so loud that you can barely hear me. Besides, you were staring off into space," Sirius adjusted his posture, Elain knew he didn't want to be lectured yet again on proper etiquette. 

Elain was going to speak but the screaming and uproar of the crowd caused her to go silent. She knew that meant that her Uncle Thor had yet again arrived at the palace. Elain leaned against her Uncle while keeping an eye on her brother.

Thor lifted Mjollnir, also known as his hammer, in the air causing the roar of the crowd to get even louder. He wore his silver winged helmet as well as his red cloak. Descending down the stairs and closer to his family as he occasionally threw the hammer around.

He started yelling out as well. Elain saw no use in all of the noise. It ruined the tranquility and serenity of the palace. The closer he got the louder it got. That's one thing that she had always disliked, everyone had always gotten louder for Thor.

Finally, he reached the stairs before the throne where Odin sat. He got on his knees and took off his helmet as a cocky grin rested on his features. Elain sighed as she watched her Uncle wink at his mother, her grandmother. He truly had never changed.

Odin rose from his throne as he gripped his staff. The gold glistened with every move. A few more grins were thrown before the staff hit the ground with a loud thud, sending everyone into a silence. 

"Thor Odinson, my heir," Odin began his speech, Elain squeezed her Uncle Loki's arm knowing that he had always had problems listening to these speeches, "My firstborn. So long entrusted with the mighty hammer Mjollnir, forged in the heart of a dying star. Its power has no equal. As a weapon to destroy or as a tool to build. 'Tis a fit companion for a king."

A silence fell momentarily as Odin reached in his mind for the rest of his mighty speech before speaking once again, "I have defended Asgard and the lives of the innocent across the nine realms from time of the great beginning. Though, the day has come..."

Elain rolled her eyes at the speech. Leaning more and more into her Uncle Loki by the minute while her brother grinned teasingly at her. Elain had never been one for anything formal. She hated the formal speeches and for the most part, formal wear.

"Do you swear to guard the Nine Realms?" Odin questioned the Prince of Asgard.

"I swear," Thor spoke for the first time since he had roared with the crowd.

"And do you swear to preserve the peace?" Odin asked the next question with might.

"I swear," Thor repeated with a determined glint in his eye and a grin on his lips.

"Do you swear... to cast aside all selfish ambition and to pledge yourself only to the good of the Realms?" Odin's tone was a bit harsher with this one. 

Loki turned his head, the side of his helmet coming in contact with the top of Elain's head. It was a known fact that Thor could be very selfish. He had let his pride and ego grow with every lady and every battle.

"I swear!" Thor yelled as he held up his hammer.

"Then, on this day, I, Odin Allfather; proclaim you..."

The confusion started to fill the air as Odin seemed to take a pause. Something in the air changed, and Elain knew that something wasn't right. She saw the expression on her brother's face change completely. She peeled herself off of her Uncle, though, she kept their arms locked.

"The frost giants," Odin's eyes widened as he spoke causing a few gasps.

The frost giants were evil. They had once been on a mission to take over all of the realms. They were cold and vile. They could turn anything into ice and many years before Elain was born, there was a war. One in which the Asgardians won against the enemy and took their power source. Though, it seems they never quite got over that.

The silence of the room was soon regained as Odin's spear once again roughly hit the golden floors. Causing Elain to look between her two closest family members before Odin beckoned all of the males to follow, though Elain didn't let go of her Uncle.

"You can come too," Sirius mumbled in her ear as her grip tightened on Loki before it was switched to Sirius.

"Let's get going then," Elain whispered as the twins began to follow after Thor, Loki, and Odin.

Walking through the halls of the palace before making it down where the power source had been kept. The male's helmets disappeared. Their heads turned to look around. Ice-covered parts of the room including the floor. Everyone held a solemn look on their face as they looked around. 

"The Hotuns must pay for what they've done!" Thor was quick to bellow out, his tone full of anger.

"They have paid, with their lives," Odin states as he looks down at the power source, "The Destroyer did its work. The Casket is safe and all is well." 

Thor looked visibly confused, as did Sirius, "All is well? They broke into the weapons vault!" Thor exclaimed.

"If the Frost Giants had stolen even one of these relics..." Sirius spoke up with the same tone that their Uncle Thor had just held.

"They didn't," Odin shut that down as soon as it came out of Sirius' mouth.

"Well, I want to know why!" Thor exclaimed as his anger boiled hotter.

Elain looked over at Loki with her eyebrows raised, his expression was nearly the same. Neither of them seemed to truly care or want to fight. Yet, their older siblings did. 

"I have a truce with Laufey, King of the Jotuns," Odin states the well-known fact that the two seem to ignore.

"He just broke your truce!" Thor exclaimed with anger.

"They know you are vulnerable!" Sirius' harsh tone matched Thor's as both spoke at the same time.

Elain pulled off of her older brother with a slightly disappointed expression. He wasn't thinking clearly. He was thinking off of his emotions, his anger. She moved closer to Loki but this time crossed her arms over her chest. 

"What action would you take?" Odin questioned calmly as he looked at his eldest, his eye occasionally looking at his grandson.

"March into Jotunheim as you once did. Teach them a lesson," Thor spoke as if it were the only obvious answer to choose, and sadly, Sirius nodded in agreement before Thor added, "Break their spirits so they'll never dare try to cross our borders again."

"You're thinking only as a warrior," Odin spoke quickly.

"This was an act of war!" Thor roared.

"It was the act of but a few, doomed to fail," Odin continued to rival both males' points.

"Look how far they got!" Sirius yelled.

"We will find the breach in our defenses and it will be sealed," Odin spoke his simple solution still calm.

"As King of Asgard," Thor bellowed out before he was cut off.

"But you're not king!" Odin yelled at his son, "Not yet."

Loki's eyes flickered between the three that had just been yelling before it turned into a silence. Elain looked bored and obviously was tired of this mess. 

Sirius was quick to storm out of the room after Odin, everyone leaving one by one until the only person left was Elain. The girl stood looking down at the ice that resided. A frown tugged onto her lips. 

She stood by herself staring at the glowing blue box that once belonged to the frost giants. So much trouble over such a simple-looking box. 

"It's stupid, causing a war over such. The people who did this are dead, why can't that be seen?" Elain spoke to herself before she sat down on the concrete placing her head in her hands.

"My, my. What would mother say if she were alive? Sirius is taking after Uncle Thor, both being hard-headed and only acting on their anger and their beliefs as warriors," Elain whispered, "What if they get punished? Punishments usually aren't terrible but if they actually start a war, Grandfather might do something harsh," Her eyes widened.

"I need to find my brother," Elain realized before she quickly was on her feet.

She was quick when leaving the weapons vault. Easily slipping back into the normal halls of the palace. Running down halls, occasionally slipping due to how fast she was moving in such long robes, and turning corners. She grabbed onto one of the columns as she turned to ask one of the maids a question.

"Darling, have you seen my brother, Sirius?" She asked the older woman who looked back at her.

"Your brother was with Thor, last I had seen," She responded, "I believe that Loki and Thor's friends had been with them."

Elain resisted the urge to groan as she gave a polite smile, "Alright. Thank you," She gave a soft nod of her head before running once more.

See, leaving the boys unsupervised was an unwise thing to do. As much as she loved her family, she was the only reasonable one. Thor and Sirius held too much pride and arrogance, both being true warriors at heart. Loki was mischevious and always had some sort of endgame and knew how to play his cards to get what he wanted.

Elain had learned much from being raised by the Princes of Asgard. She didn't have arrogance or pride as Thor did, but she didn't break the rules and have different morals as Loki did. Elain was peaceful until she had hit her snapping point. She was trained for battle in case she ever fought, and she was trained in royal duties if she were to ever ascend to the throne.

Elain continued to look for her family and their friends, worried about what they could do in that time. They could do a lot, Elain damn well knew that and no matter where she looked, they were nowhere to be found.

Elain balled her fists as she took a sharp inhale of air. They're probably going to do something stupid! How daft could they be? She asked herself in her mind. Her hands went to her face as she began to pace back and forth on of the many balconies 

She pulled at her hair, letting her brown locks fall. Her hand pulled the small crown of sorts off as the other hand began to run through her curls. She truly could be the only reasonable one. 

The girl looked at the wall of the palace before deciding, why not take my anger out on it. The girl did not hesitate before she pulled back her fist and thrust it harshly into the palace wall. Barely cringing at the stinging pain that shot through her fist.

"I'd advise you to calm," Frigga made her presence known, causing Elain to look over at her grandmother, "Wouldn't want another incident."

"In my defense, I can keep myself calm for a time but like the stars, it only lasts for a bit before I explode," Elain let the other hand run over her knuckles.

"Yes, well, it isn't fun when you do get upset but it is amusing when you accidentally summon stars and they begin to glow brightly. Your eyes do that as well," Frigga smiled as she stood tall.

"So I've been told," She held a small grin, "It's rather weird. All of us seem so young. In a way we are. Well, I am compared to everyone. Though I've aged oddly compared to other Asgardians. Haven't I?"

"Yes, you have and so has your brother. It's because you aren't just Asgardian and that makes both of you unique in a lot of ways," Frigga tilted her head after a moment, causing Elain's eyebrows to crease together, "Somethings troubling you."

"Troubling me? Many things are troubling me but they will be resolved soon," Elain took a deep breath, "Can I ask you something?"

Elain noticed how Frigga seemed to be confused by the question before she spoke, "I suppose you just did. What is your question?"

"Will my brother always be that dimwitted?" Elain questioned, "I mean - look at Uncle Thor. He's never changed. His pride is still there and he acts off of his emotions instead of logic. Sirius does the same thing. I suppose-"

"You suppose that is where he gets it," Frigga seems to understand was Elain is referring to, "From what your mother used to say about your father, he was similar."

"My father is nothing to me," Elain states, "He doesn't care."

"But he does," Frigga looks at her grandchild with a frown.

Elain shakes her head quickly, "No. He truly doesn't. If he did he'd be here. He would've raised his kids. He would've been there when Mom died!"

"He would've, Elain, but, sometimes beings have certain rules they must follow. No matter how it pains them. Now, it seems you have gotten yourself worked up. Why don't you retire to your chambers and I will alert you when your brother returns?" Frigga clearly wasn't going to let Elain stay here.

The girl chewed harshly on her bottom lip, "Fine. But make sure the maids leave me alone. I'd rather not deal with them barging into my room with their nerves."

She felt bad saying that about the maids, but, her anger was too much to handle at the moment. Well, talking about Sirius for how he reacts but look at me. Riddled by rage, so much so that I can barely say anything nice. She ridiculed herself as she walked with her head held high to her chambers.

She was sure as hell not going to have a good night. 

𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒏𝒆