The Seed of Doubt

Years later...

"You are closer to the King than any of us, what is he thinking?"

Viggo sat in a large leather armchair in his private study, swirling his scotch in his glass as he stared at the crackling wood in his fireplace. "That is what is troubling. I do not know what brought this about."

After dinner, when the sun had well and truly set, Viggo ushered the other five members of Odin's council through the back entrance of his manor for a private meeting. That morning, the King had announced his retirement, declaring Thor would take his place as King and be crowned before the year's end.

"The golden prince is barely a man. A veritable beast on the battlefield, to be sure, but there is more to ruling than brawn."

"I agree." Viggo furrowed his brow in concentration as he thought. "The boy needs more time to mature and observe."

"I do not understand the timing. Do you think the King is in poor health? Why else would he rush the coronation?"

Viggo shook his head, "Not that I know of. He seems to be as fit as can be for a man his age." He took a sip from his glass.

"Do you still have a spy working in the healing rooms, Viggo? Perhaps they have seen something."

Viggo shot the counselor an irritated look, "Do you believe the King travels to the doctor when he needs healing? No. They go to him, you twit."

"Right. You are right, My Lord," he stammered. "I was not thinking."

Viggo scoffed, "Was that not the point of us gathering here tonight? To think this situation through? Or are you just here to drink my thousand-year-old scotch?" He stood and rested a hand on his mantel as he stared into the fire once again. "Odin's witch of a wife has their chambers warded and her private servants are extremely loyal. It would be nearly impossible to sneak in to search for anything."

"What if we did not have to sneak in?" One of the counselors stood and started pacing. Viggo turned to him and waited for him to work his thoughts out in his mind. "The dark prince... Perhaps we could bring him over to our side? The brothers have barely been speaking lately. His intellect is unparalleled. Perhaps he is as against this coronation as the rest of us. Perhaps he would bring us the information we desire."

Viggo was intrigued, "Perhaps..." he tapped his finger against his glass, deep in thought. "That is one option. Can anyone think of another reason for Odin's sudden abdication?"

The crackling fire was the only sound in the room for a few minutes.

"His Queen." Another man spoke up. "What if it is not Odin whose health is failing, but his Queen?"

Viggo's first instinct was to dismiss the idea, but he let him continue.

"If you had to name one weakness of Odin the Allfather, what would it be? Hmmm?" He stood and looked around at the men, "The love of his Queen! Have any of you ever seen his eye wander? Pat a random bottom? Take a post-battle whore? I know I have not. Not since the day he met Frigga." He paused and looked around at the disbelieving men in the room. "Not all of you remember Odin when he was with Hela's mother. He would fuck anyone who caught his eye. Who knows how many unclaimed bastards he has all over the Nine."

Another counselor waved him off dismissively, "Chalk that up to youth. We all sowed our wild oats."

"Yes, and most of us are still sowing them." The man put his hand over his heart. "I love my wife, yet I still am supporting two mistresses."

"Only two? Amateur." The men laughed.

"My point is, Odin could afford to have a harem, yet he remains faithful to Frigga. Perhaps it is her health that wanes, and Odin is stepping down to spend more time with her before she passes on to Valhalla?"

They all broke out in debate as Viggo stepped away from the group to splash more scotch into his glass. Maybe they were going about this the wrong way. He turned back to the group and motioned with his hand as they all fell silent.

"Even if we do uncover the reason behind his departure, we are still left with the issue of Prince Thor's incompetence to be king. What we need to focus on now is thinking of ways to keep this from happening."

"Would Odin listen to reason? He did not even consult this council before making his announcement. It will be no small feat to get him to reconsider. He seems resolute."

"So, we do not try and change his mind."

"What are you saying?"

"I am saying we get Thor to do it for us." Viggo walked back to the other side of the room. "If we could somehow incite him to publicly expose his ineptitude, Odin would have no choice but to go back on his announcement for the good of the realm."

"Yes." One of the men nodded in agreement. "It could buy us some time at the very least."

"Exactly. Time we could use to ensure that Thor is well and truly ready for such an undertaking."

"But how would we even begin to plan such a thing? Lest we forget about," he waved his hand in the air, "mister golden eyes."

"He is only obligated to report threats or treason. What I am suggesting is not treason, but reason. Simply a way to open the King's eyes to what he cannot see."

A few of the men nodded.

"What you suggest is risky."

"Yes. But so is handing over so much power to a boy. Look," Viggo put his hand over his heart, "Thor is betrothed to my daughter. I am just as eager to see him crowned as anyone, but he is simply not ready. Period. In a century, maybe two, who knows for certain? What I do know is this cannot happen now. Are we all agreed?"

"Aye."

"Yes."

"I agree, My Lord." And other murmurs of affirmation passed through the room.

"We must act quickly; the coronation is only a few months away."

"No," Viggo said as all the men looked at him. "We must stay out of this."

"My Lord?"

"Why would we want to get our hands dirty?" Viggo walked around to look at each man as he spoke. "We were onto something earlier... I believe that the seed of doubt has been planted in Prince Loki's mind. Perhaps all he needs is a little water to get it to sprout. We sprinkle inspiration on him and let him grow the plan."

"And if he does not take the bait?"

"Leave that to me." Viggo stood, arms crossed, silhouetted in front of the roaring fire, casting a large shadow that danced over the room.

oOXOo

A week or so later, after breakfast, Loki stood looking out over the palace grounds from his balcony, deep in thought and worrying his bottom lip between his thumb and forefinger.

"Pardon me, Your Highness?"

Loki, pulled from his contemplation, turned, and acknowledged his chambermaid as she curtsied.

"This has just arrived for you, My Prince." A single parchment envelope sat atop a golden tray in her hands.

"Thank you, Agnes." Loki retrieved the envelope and inspected it. The wax seal bore no insignia. Curious, Loki broke the seal and pulled the letter from inside. His eyes skimmed the page, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Agnes," he stepped into the dining room where she had started clearing the breakfast dishes, "who is this from?"

"I could not say, Your Highness. The usual page boy delivered it. Did the sender forget to sign it?"

Loki stared at the page in his hand.

"Your Highness?"

"Yes," he looked at her and gave her a little smile, "It must have slipped their mind in their haste."

"I pray all is well, My Prince?"

"Oh, yes." He forced a chuckle, "Just a note to say 'Hello'. I will take this to my room and compare the handwriting from some of my other correspondence."

"Should I bring you refreshment?"

"No, thank you, Agnes." Loki gave her a warm smile and turned to make his way to his bed chamber.

He stood behind his door and read the letter over several times, committing it to memory, before he held it in front of him and burned it with his seiðr, the ashes dissipated magically into thin air. For the next couple of hours, he paced his bed chamber like a wild animal caged, his mind racing, anxious.

Emotionally drained, he sat on the side of his bed and dropped his head into his hands, the warring thoughts in his mind finally choosing a victor.

Comingto peace with his decision, Loki stood and made his way back to the balcony,looking out over the grounds, "For Asgard."