Loki: Game of Thrones

Chapter 56 - A Secret Communication

Loki returned to Robb Stark's camp the next day, and found the place in uproar. Men were all gathering near the center of the camp, and crying for an execution. "Oh, what happened when I was away?" he asked lazily as he was met by Theon Greyjoy. The young Iron Islander shook his head and frowned.

"The Kingslayer tried to escape last night. Killed another prisoner, and the young guard while doing so. The men are calling for his head," Theon explained. Loki sighed, knowing it was time. Jaime Lannister was proving too much for these people to handle. Either he would escape on his own, or the Starks would foolishly trade him back for their nonexistent (at least in Lannister clutches) sisters. Loki knew it would hurt Tyrion at the death of his brother, but as long as he never found out Loki's hand in it, Loki could easily be the friend the dwarf needed in the upcoming dark times. Loki strode towards the soldiers, pushing them aside as he made his way to the center of the pile.

"Out of my way. Out of my way. Out of my way!" The last command was made in a very loud, and authoritative voice. All the Stark men stepped aside and Loki saw Jaime Lannister, very filthy, and bloody, kneeling on the ground before Catelyn Stark. All the men and knights looked at Loki as he stood before the mother of the Wolf, and the Kingslayer. "Lady Catelyn. I trust you have the situation well in hand?" The question was asked in impudence. Loki knew full well she did not have control of the situation. She knew that as well, and glared at him.

"I most certainly don't need your help, Ser Frostborn." She practically spat his name out, but Loki just shrugged. That was when he noticed a tall, blond woman standing beside her. She was in armor, and her short blond hair seemed to reflect the light of the sun. She looked at him, and raised her eyebrow.

"Hmm, where did you get her? On loan from Brunhilde?" Loki queried, hinting to the Queen of the Valkyries, and their impressive army of female warriors. The woman hissed, and took a step towards him, but Catelyn stopped her.

"Leave him, Brienne. He's not worth your aggravation," Catelyn warned her friend. The tall, female knight, now called Brienne, removed her hand from her sword, and took a step back. Loki nodded, before an older man with a bushy beard suddenly sprang forward. His sword was drawn and for a brief instant, Loki thought he was looking at this realm's version of Santa Claus.

"Let me have him! I want his head!" he snarled, and several of Catelyn's loyal soldiers surrounded them. "Any man, who stands between a father and his vengeance, asks for death!" he bellowed.

"Lord Karstark!" Catelyn said, moving forward and ignoring Loki as per usual. "This man is our prisoner," she reminded him. Brienne moved up to be beside her, and Loki walked around them to be nearer to Jaime.

"This monster killed my son," Lord Rickard Karstark said vehemently.

"And almost crippled mine," Catelyn responded.

And he would have been, if I had not been there, Loki thought satisfactorily to himself.

"He will answer for his crimes, I promise you, but not here," Catelyn insisted.

"I will have his head, and if you try to stop me-" Lord Karstark threatened, before Catelyn cut him off.

"You would strike me down?!" Catelyn finished, the rabble became quieter. "Have you forgotten me, sir?! I am the widow of your liege lord, Eddard Stark; and the mother of your king!"

"And where is our king now?" Lord Karstark asked insolently.

"You know very well! He has gone to the Cragg to accept the surrender," Catelyn explained. Loki admired his fingernails, before giving the bedraggled and beat up Jaime a sideways glance. The Lannister glared back, and Loki waved slightly.

"Aye, gone to the Cragg, but not to negotiate. He brought that foreign bitch with him!" Lord Karstark insulted.

"How dare you?!"

Brienne drew her sword at this and said, "Threatening my lady is an act of treason!"

"Treason?! How can it be treason to kill Lannisters?" Lord Karstark asked rebelliously.

"I understand your grief, my lord. Better than most, I do understand it. But in the name of my son, the King in the North, stand down!" Catelyn pleaded at last. Loki's green eyes shifted between the Widow Stark, and the angry noble.

Finally, Lord Karstark exhaled and said, "When your son returns, I will demand this murderer's head."

"Wise men do not make demands of kings," Catelyn told him.

"Fathers who love their sons do. I will have his head." Lord Karstark shot Jaime a withering glance, before he and his men stomped away. Catelyn's expression was one of relief, and Loki had to admire her for a moment.

"Thank you for fighting on my behalf, Lady Stark," Jaime suddenly piped up. Catelyn turned to look at him, her expression one of exasperation. "I would have come to your defense, but-" and the end of Jaime's sentence was cut off by Loki kicking him sharply in the ribs. Catelyn decided to ignore that as well.

"Take him to the stockade, and bind him with every chain you can find!" Catelyn ordered, and two guards dragged Jaime to his feet.

"You've become a real she-wolf in your later years. There's not much fish left in you!" Jaime called as he was taken away.

"And gag him!" Catelyn snapped, leaving the immediate area, followed by Loki and Brienne. It only took her a moment to realize that the god was on her heels. Spinning around, she spat out, "What do you want?!" Loki raised his arms in surrender, before conjuring up a letter. She glanced at it, a puzzled expression on her face. "What is that supposed to be?"

"This... is a communication between Cersei Lannister, and her father, Tywin Lannister. It contains information that you, and the King in the North should find very useful," Loki said. He held it out but when Catelyn reached for it, he pulled it away. "Only, he reads it first."

"I am commanding you to give it to me!" Catelyn ordered, but Loki snickered.

"Except you don't have the authority or the intimidating physical presence to make me. Robb Stark reads it first, or nobody reads it. I will know when he is back," Loki told her. Turning around, Brienne got in his way, her hand once more on her sword. Loki looked her up and down, before his lips quivered. "Stay in my way, and I will cut you down." Brienne bristled at this, but Catelyn waved her away. The female knight stepped aside, and Loki winked at her. "Good girl." Her angry expression remained as Loki walked by her. He disappeared in a puff of green smoke, and Brienne gasped. Turning to Lady Catelyn, she stammered.

"What is he?" she asked. Lady Catelyn laughed derisively, and shook her head.

"He is an opportunist. A man who seeks to gain, and make everyone else lose. What makes matters worse, is that he is a warlock," Catelyn Stark said. Brienne of Tarth looked at where Loki had been standing a moment ago, and gaped.

"Do they even still exist?" Brienn queried. Catelyn Stark shook her head and continued walking.

"In his case, unfortunately."