To Withstand the Force of Storms (A Loki Laufeyson Fanfic)

Chapter 12: I See Everything

"If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger." –Emily Bronte

*

Months passed, and things couldn't be better. There's no more sneaking around, there's no more secrets, and best of all, no more lies.

It seems an appropriate time for everything to reform and stabilize. The holidays are approaching, and light snow covers the town and castle of Asgard, the brilliance of gold beneath white creating a wonderful contrast.

This holiday is particularly exciting. This year, on the day of one of Asgard's most important holidays, Thor would be marrying Jane, a human from Midgard.

Annaka has only seen Jane once and has never met her, but she has heard nothing but good things. Jane is supposedly a scientist from Midgard, bright and intelligent.

Luckily, Thor and Jane were holding it on the same day as the annual holiday ball.

"This is great news," Loki says the afternoon before the wedding. "This way, we only have to dress up for one night instead of two."

"I thought you liked dressing up," Annaka replies. "You always seemed to anyways."

"I do enjoy looking dashing if I do say so myself," he admits, "but not excessively. Once a year is enough for me."

Annaka grins, reaching on her toes to kiss him. "Well, husband, I suggest you start picking outfits now. You know how picky Odin is about colors. He'll want you to wear red."

"I will wear green and gold, and no one is going to stop me."

"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Loki does indeed wear green and gold, much to Odin's dismay. Thor, however, seems delighted that Loki and Annaka showed up at all (not that they had a choice) and couldn't care less about colors.

"You're lucky your brother is so fond of you," Annaka says a short time before the ceremony. "Otherwise, you'd be back in that cell for the night."

"And you would be with me," Loki retorts. Annaka isn't wearing red either; instead, she picked a dress of sheer gold. "You look positively radiant tonight, love. Your outfit matches your eyes."

"That was the goal."

Loki grins and leans down to kiss her, ignoring the fact that they aren't exactly in an isolated space.

The ceremony starts after much lingering in the Great Hall, and the guests take their seats arbitrarily. Loki and Annaka, along with Odin, Sif, and even Heimdall, get reserved seats in the front. All of Asgard attends from the villagers to the servants.

Thor stands at the front by Odin's throne in full armor, helmet and all. Asgardian weddings do not require bridesmaids or groomsmen, but the couple can have them if they wish. It's fully dedicated to the (soon to be) husband and wife.

The grand doors opens at the end of the hall and everyone stands and turns. Jane walks through them hesitantly, her one shouldered, beaded white dress fitting perfectly. She walks down the aisle with grace she doesn't possess, and the ceremony begins.

To Loki, it drags on for what feels like ages. He hopes his wedding hadn't been this boring, but before he knows it Thor and Jane ware leaving the Great Hall, getting colorful dust thrown at them. The crowd follows them out into the courtyard for the reception, with Loki and Annaka taking their time and being the last to arrive.

"Can we leave?" Loki asks.

"Don't be rude," Annaka scolds. "At least go congratulate your brother, then you may sit in a corner and brood."

"Fine," Loki huffs. They trail over to Jane and Thor. "Congratulations, brother. Join the party of married men."

"Thank you, brother. I appreciate your appearance," Thor says, shaking his hand firmly.

An all-around gasp sounds from everyone in the ballroom, and Loki turns to see what caused it. A crowd of people are gathering around in a circle, and Loki spots Jane's body lying on the floor in the center of it.

Thor sprints over and inspects her, as does Annaka, who checks for a pulse.

"No pulse," she mutters just audibly enough for everyone to hear.

"Jane!" Thor yells, checking her pulse in her wrist and neck. One of the nurses from the castle rushes inside and confirmes it: Jane is dead.

Everyone is silent, shocked. Three nurses gather to carry her upstairs for an autopsy and attempts to revive her, and Thor runs after, hot on their heels.

"What the hell?" Annaka asks Loki as whispers broke out amongst the crowds.

"I don't know," Loki says, and it scares him because it's the truth.

*

"She's gone." Loki and Annaka sit outside the autopsy/nurse's office with Thor, eagerly awaiting news. "We've done everything, but nothing is going to work. I'm so, so sorry."

Instead of getting angry or sobbing, Thor stands and pushes past the nurse, not unkindly, inside the room. Annaka catches a glimpse of her body on a metal table with a blue cloth over top of it.

"What happened?" Annaka asks.

The nurse looks uneasy. "We're not sure. We're required to study humans in school, so we know all about heart failure and such, but there was no sign of any internal struggle with her. It was as if the life was simply ripped out of her."

Annaka hears Loki take a sharp intake of breath.

"You're sure?" he asks.

The nurse nods. "We might do a few more tests, but right now it looks like the most likely outcome." She leaves then, going down the corridor to tell the others.

"How is the life of someone just ripped out?" Annaka asks out loud.

Loki shakes his head, staring inside at his weeping brother. "I have no clue."

*

They hold the funeral the same night. Thor refuses to let them do anymore tests on her, so they give her a royal farewell, not unlike the one Frigga had been given. Her boat sails down the river flourished with flowers and lights. It soars over the waterfall and into the sky.

Odin sent Heimdall to send a message to Midgard, and to tell Jane's friends and family what had happened. It's the only way they could do it; how else could they explain it?

Annaka is happy to see Loki comforting Thor later that night before he goes to bed. She doesn't interfere; instead, she went to the kitchens for a cup of tea to help her sleep.

Loki joins her just as she finishes drinking, not saying a word, just enveloping her in a warm hug and tracing patterns on her back.

"How did this happen?" She hears him whisper.

Annaka sighs and turns her head to kiss his neck. "I dunno. How's Thor?"

"Devastated is an understatement. I've never seen him so distraught."

"Can we go to sleep? Maybe we'll wake up and it will all be a dream."

Loki takes a deep breath, leaning down to kiss her until he needs to breathe again. "I don't think that's the case, dear."