Summer Clouds

Confrontation

A/N: I LOVE YOU! No,  seriously, I love you all so very much. Thanks for your ongoing support, and the comments, and the feedback. I doubt that this will be the final chapter (unless I suffer a tragic and untimely death) but the end is looming. I'm writing another fanfic, also on Loki, and the characters will be quite similar, but hopefully not too cliche, or overused. I've also decided to only use quotes from songs from now on, so that you people can see what wide tastes I have in music. But, before I do any music quotes, here's the sentence I used at least seven times today.

Quote: That's what she said. 

Savannah's POV: 

Eventually, Loki'd healed, which had really pissed Savannah off. She wasn't upset he'd gotten better, mind, but that he was more stubborn than he'd ever been. Or, more specifically, more determined to prove to his father that he could be a 'Thor', too. As soon as he was able to stand without assistance, he'd gone to slay a bilgesnipe.

Despite her (rather sensible) argument, where she'd calmly pointed out that it took Thor and the Warriors Three three days of almost continuous fighting to kill a bilgesnipe, and then (not quite so calmly) screamed at him to stop being such a 'Fucking idiot !'. When that hadn't worked, she stated that he'd been badly hurt fighting one even with his magic, and that it was unwise (she'd said stupid) for him to try to do so, especially with his magic depleted, and his body weakened. And then she'd practically begged him to wait until he was stronger. He, as usual, hadn't listened, and gone off to kill some (mostly) innocent creatures.

That had been two weeks ago.

And now, instead of being severely pissed off, she was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. And Odin, the wanker, had refused to let her ask Heimdall for news on his own (adopted) son. Although, to be fair, she had asked him immediately after Loki had left. So she was striding (she enjoyed striding) purposefully towards the Great Hall. She entered without knocking, and bowed respectfully to Frigga, once again ignoring Odin. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Allfather wave away a messenger. Stepping forward, she gave Odin a brisk nod, and then turned to Frigga.

'Sorry, your highness,' she said, and then launched into a short speech.

'So,' she finished, 'Could you please organise a search party for Loki?'

'No.'

'Why not?'

'He doesn't need one. He will be fine.'

'How do you know? You won't even let me ask Heimdall!'

'Nevertheless, Loki shall be fine.'

'No. He won't. He's just recovered from the torture that his own father sentenced him to, and you expect him to take on a bilgesnipe, without his magic?'

'If Thor can do it, Loki can too.'

'Loki is not Thor. He will never be Thor. Why can't you understand that?'

'What is the relevance of that?'

'Of what? Of telling you to stop comparing Thor and Loki? Because I am.'

'You have no right to tell a king what to do.'

'I am not telling a king, I'm telling a sorry excuse for a father.'

'How dare you-'

'I don't know where Loki is, and I am worried. Please, Odin, at least permit me to ask Heimdall.'

'What has Loki said to you?'

'What?'

'What sweet words has he whispered into your ear?'

'I'm sorry, you've lost me.'

'What enchantment has my son cast upon you?'

'I don't understand.'

'What,' Odin said, 'What has Loki done to you, or promised to you to make you feel as if you care for him?'

'What?' she said, but she had heard Odin perfectly.

'Loki. Loki has done something to your mind. You cannot truly care for him.'

'You,' Savannah said, and her words were laced with subtle venom, 'You disgust me.'

'What spell are you under?' the Allfather persisted.

'How dare you presume that I have to be under a spell to care about Loki! What little faith you have, in your own son!'

'He is not my son.'

'What?'

'He is not my son. He is Laufey's son, a Jotunn by birth.'

'He is your son. You raised him, you are supposed to be his father.'

'How can I be his father if he insists on pushing me away?'

'Can you not see? Or does your eyepatch limit your other eye's sight as well?'

'How dare you-'

'No. How dare you? This entire hunt, all of it, it was for acceptance. Loki craves acceptance, for your approval. And this is what you give him. Doubt, and constant putting down. You genuinely make me feel sick!' 

'But I-'

'Listen to me! Loki loves you. More than I think he should, personally, considering you let him be tortured without even a trial! He wants to make you proud, Odin, so stop undermining his achievements. Loki is the most talented sorcerer in the Nine Realms, and could easily defeat Thor in a fight, and yet you still regard magic as a woman's work in Asgard. And don't even get me started on that internalised racism thing you've got going on!'

'This is-'

'Silence, husband,' Frigga snapped, and everyone took a step back, 'The girl has a point.'

'You are right,' Odin said, and Savannah's sure she can see a tear shimmering in his eye, 'Thank you.'

'There is no need to thank me,' she said, 'But, please, be good to him.'

'I will. And you may organise a search party for him. Heimdall will know the best place to start.'

'Thank you,' she said, bowing to both of them before making her way to the doorway.

'Wait,' Odin says, and she turns back, looking at him expectantly.

'Yes?' she says, but with considerably more patience than before.

'Why do you care?'

'Because I think I love him,' she says, without hesitation.

And, as she turns to leave, she's sure she hears Frigga say-

'I told you.'