His Dove (Loki Laufeyson)

Part 75 (The Allfather)

I didn't need to feel Loki's emotions to know them, his concern over the situation was well plastered to his face. He took a single step towards the door, but kept his eyes on me.

I nodded him towards the door, not wanting him to further intensify the king's feelings by being anything less than obedient.

Stay connected.

He spoke the words seamlessly in my mind, and I turned my attention back to the throne while continuing the telepathic connection between our minds.

"Do you require anything more of me, Allfather?" I asked innocently, tilting my head slightly with a small smile.

"I believe we've been in great need of a private discussion. Why not make value of this time?" He said as his head inclined.

I quirked an eyebrow upwards.

"I'm sure you have questions, daughter. Speak them. I will answer."

I paused for a moment. Was he baiting me? Did he know of Eir's journal? I scanned his face for a moment, and the calm, unbothered look of regal intimidation made me all the more confident he had to have known. Perhaps Frigga had said something, or perhaps his pesky birds had managed to sneak a peak of me through the balcony doors. Either way, he knew. And he was giving me a chance to speak on it.

"You knew my mother was pregnant with Fafnir's child before she left Asgard." I moreso stated then asked.

Odin inclined his head.

"You threatened her, and when Fafnir made way to Asgard you called your guards to get her. I assume you planned to make good on your threats?"

"No." Odin spoke calmly, a tone I wasn't expecting from him. "Let me be clear, child. I would not have harmed your mother. If not because of my own feelings, because my wife adored her as a sister."

"Then why did you send them for her?"

"I had prepared a treaty for peace." Odin's words were a distant huff. "Fafnir would call off his forces. In exchange, he and your dear mother would be welcomed on Asgard. Fafnir would have been offered Tyr's position, leader of the Einherjar."

"And why would you do that, if you saw dragons as the monsters you claimed Fafnir to be?" I now questioned.

Odin actually chuckled at that, shaking his head.

"I was not the one who created the stories about your father, dear girl. The people did that all themselves. You cannot expect them to think him a savior after he burned their homes to the ground to get to your mother."

I cleared my throat. I had to admit, in my haste to judge Odin based off of what I had gotten through in my mother's journal, I had automatically assumed the rumors about my father were his doing.

"When I sent the Einherjar to retrieve your mother from Vanaheim, I sent the treaty alongside them. I still offered each of your parents noble roles within Asgard, even without the war as a barter. As you have proven since your arrival, dragons are marvelous creatures. They offer strength and protection to the realm and would be heavily sought after by anyone who knew of their existence. And to answer your next question, we never found them. I did not hurt them. I would not have hurt them had we found them living the simple life they desired on the isle. They would be safe so long as they did not threaten Asgard." He hummed out each sentence, speaking methodically as he spoke with me.

"Did you have plans to kill me, when I arrived on Asgard?"

Odin inclined his head at that. "If I had wanted you dead, child, I could have easily made it happen. I'm aware Fjolnir made an abrupt, and unsolicited, trip to Asgard to speak a vision to you. Do understand visions are one of many possible futures. At that time, nor since, have I considered you a threat to Asgard." He waved his hand around a bit. "Do you have any further questions?"

I took a deep breath and nodded. Odin inclined his head in acceptance, waiting for me to speak again.

"This is not something that's necessarily any business of mine, but... Aurboda became a good friend of my mother's."

Odin tilted his head in feign confusion, his eye narrowing. I narrowed mine in return.

"You've left Loki to believe he was taken for nothing more than a pawn, Allfather. That's not true, is it? He reminded you of your first born..."

"Enough." He said, stern now. He huffed. "Hela was a stain on the history of Asgard. She was banished for good reason, and she will not be brought up again. I order you to never speak of this again, do you understand?"

Hela? I opened my mouth as if to speak, but nothing came out. Odin had raised the child? Why would Aurboda have told my mother she died if the girl was taken in by Odin?

Nonetheless, I nodded. "Yes, your highness."

"Have you spoken to either of my sons on this matter?"

"I can assure you I've spoken to neither princes nor anyone else on this topic."

"Good."

"I feel I must encourage you to tell Loki, though." I said softly. "He deserves to know. He deserves an explana-"

"That is enough that I'll hear from you on this matter, Danielle." Odin cut me off to say, huffing out the words as if I was a child being scolded. "I owe no one an explanation."

"Loki has felt like a second-class son because of the way you've treated him!" I responded fiercely, unable to stop my tongue. I gulped as I caught Odin's icy stare and sighed, dropping my tone with the king before me. "If he knew there was a reason other than his heritage... If he knew you didn't see him as a monster... He deserves it, Allfather."

"Very perceptive, daughter." He hummed. His hand met his chin as he contemplated my words. His face was stern, but the emotions lingering in the room were almost... Prideful? Respect perhaps? "I appreciate your concern for my son. I will consider your stance."

"Thank you, Allfather."

Odin and I stayed quiet for a long moment, staring at one another as emotions continued to swirl around the room.

Until the throne room doors swung open again, Frigga's graceful stride alongside her son being ever present. Odin's eye didn't leave me, another demand for my silence being held within his features. It was far softer, though. He already knew I would follow his orders.

"Darling?" Loki said as he approached, while Frigga walked up the stairs to Odin's throne. It was only then that his gaze left me, and I turned to Loki.

"Yeah?" I whispered.

"Thor's idiots got injured. You're needed in the healing wing."

He walked with me out of the throne room, his hand tight on my back.

You heard?

Yes.

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Just a quick AN: I've actually finished this story, writing wise (Don't worry, there's A LOT more chapters to come). I post as I edit each chapter, which is why I don't have a set schedule and post more often than most creators. Editing takes me less than half the time that writing does, so it's a far quicker process.

Just an explanation for those of you wondering why my posting schedule is so wonky. I'm known to post several chapters a day, etc. and that is why!

And in other news- I'm over halfway through writing my second story! I'll start posting it soon, I'm sure, and I'm actually more excited about it than I was about posting this one. I hope you all give it a shot when I finally finish! Thanks for reading 💚