Loki: Game of Thrones

Chapter 41 - Meeting the Red Priestess

Loki found himself on the beach of Dragonstone Island, looking at the charred remains of those who had been burned. His hand went out and he felt the ashes. There was no heat left, so he guessed that it had been a long time since the flames had died out. He let the ashes fall from between his fingers, and he rubbed palms together. Loki raised his eyes and looked at the black rock that formed the castle of Dragonstone. Loki smirked to himself. Finally! He would meet Stannis Baratheon and this Red Priestess!

Loki was once again, unceremonious in his interrupting of the meeting. Most the lords had already departed, leaving Stannis, the Red Priestess, and another older man at the table. It was a fascinating table, carved like the kingdom of Westeros, with wooden pieces that represented all the armies. Stannis and his counselors suddenly looked up, and they saw Loki sitting on the section of the map that was the Narrow Sea. He was looking at Dragonstone, and was holding a piece that was supposed to be Stannis' army. "Love what you've done with the place. Your beach decorations really add to the extra crispy motiff," Loki told them sarcastically. Stannis Baratheon and the other man leapt to their feet, reaching for their swords. Instead of reacting to them, Loki rolled away from the Red Priestess, who had been behind him. Landing on his feet, he had already conjured up a ball of frost in the palm of his hand. Her eyebrow went up slightly at this, as did Stannis' and the other man's.

"Your powers? You've been touched by the God of Light," the Red Priestess said.

Loki snickered before he said, "If a god ever touches me to bless me, that'll be the day pigs fly."

"Who are you?" Stannis asked, stopping his priestess before she continued the conversation. Loki straightened up, placing his elbow on the back of a person's chair.

"I am Ser Loki Frostborn. Formerly Ser Loki Sells-sword. I worked for King Robert when he was still alive," Loki explained. Stannis' eyebrow went up, and he looked around.

"He speaks the truth, your grace. I remember hearing rumors from Kings Landing about a promising sells-sword with that name. You're from far away, are you not?" the man queried. Loki nodded, and looked at his one hand, which was missing several fingers.

"Were you chopping onions, or something?" Loki posed, the amusement in his voice. The knight looked down at his hand, and smiled good naturedly.

"No. I was smuggling, and my lord, King Stannis of House Baratheon, caught me. It was a just punishment," the knight said. Loki let out a low, guttural laugh.  He was thinking of his punishment of being chained to a rock, and having a poisonous serpent hung over his head, and dripping its venom onto his face. Loki walked around the table, passing the Red Priestess. He looked down at her, and she looked boldly back at him.

"A name, madam," he told her smoothly.

"I am Melisandre, the Red Priestess, and voice of the Lord of Light," she introduced. Loki nodded, and finished his walk, till he was standing in front of Stannis Baratheon.

"You lay claim to the Iron Throne, like King Renly, and King Joffrey," Loki said, and Stannis raised his eyebrow.

"The Lord of Light wishes him to be king. He is the only prince with the holy right to the Iron Throne," Melisandre said. Loki caught the Onion Knight making a face, and he gathered that he was not very fond of her. Glancing back at Stannis, he saw he was giving him a judgmental look.

"I am the only, rightful King of Westeros. Renly is not the elder brother, and Joffrey is the product of incest. There is no other," Stannis said.

"Yes there is. Besides, technically, Robert was not the elder brother, and he was still king. So, since you failed to get the throne in the past, what makes you think you can do it this time?" Loki challenged.

"The Lord of Light will guide him," Melisandre interrupted, and Loki rolled his eyes. Turning back to her, he frowned.

"Enough with the Lord of Light! It's bad enough I'm told the Seven arrange everything, at least I know they're real. Or were real. Prove to me your Lord of Light is real," Loki said to Melisandre, approaching her. When he reached her, they were glaring at each other. Melisandre eventually smiled coyly, and her hand went out. Loki allowed her to caress his face. Her fingers, like Sansa's, were drawn to the little scars around his lips. When they brushed over his mouth, Loki opened it, and snapped, almost catching her fingers in his teeth. In that brief instant, with his back turned to Stannis and the knight, Melisandre caught a glimpse of his true form. She gasped and stepped back. The Onion Knight started to draw his sword, but Loki glared at him over his shoulder.

"Ser Daavos," Stannis Baratheon said. The knight, now called Ser Daavos, withdrew his hand from his weapon.

"I will prove it to you, Ser Loki Frostborn. The Lord of Light will reveal himself to you, and you will become his weapon," Melisandre said. Loki snickered and bent down to her level.

"I've been somebody's weapon before. Not interested in doing it again," Loki said to her. Turning back around to face Stannis, he said, "I have a proposition for you. One that I have already offered to others in this realm. There is only one true ruler of Westeros, and I am working to place her on the throne-"

"She? You cannot mean the last Targaryen?" Stannis said. Loki smirked.

"I guess her name proceeds her. Yes. Unless of another cropped up in the last couple of days," Loki told Stannis dryly.

"Her father was mad. He murdered thousands of people-" Daavos said, before Loki cut him off.

"She is not her father. She is a caring woman, with a heart more worthy than any in Westeros. She deserves the Iron Throne. Not just because she is the rightful heir, but also because she has a wholesome soul," Loki said. He walked around the table, and turned back to face them. His hands rested on the wood. "This is my bargain. You have a day and a night to consider and answer," Loki told them. With that, he disappeared in a billow of smoke.