Loki: Mischief's First Love

Chapter 13 - Aftershock

Loki just stared at Angrboða as he let the physician stitch his chest injury closed. A female healer examined Angrboða for any other injuries, but told her she was only tired from a forced and premature labor. Angrboða thanked her and tentatively glanced up at Loki. His eyes were slightly narrowed, and without reading his mind, Angrboða knew that he blamed her for the condition and appearance of their second child. It was her fault, but Angrboða hated to think that Loki was angry with her. He did not know the whole truth about her past, and if he was to discover that she had been the mistress of the Frost Giant king, it would surely tear him apart. He would hate her, and he would be right in doing so. "There you are your highness. I recommend no swift or sudden movements, or else the stitches will tear," the physician told him. Loki nodded his head and stood up.

"If I can, I will take my wife back," Loki said stiffly. Both the physician and the healer caught his tone and they bowed. Walking away quickly, they left Loki alone with his wife. He approached Angrboða and she stared up at him. "Back to our boudoir, wife," he said.

"Yes, husband," Angrboða responded. Loki helped her to her feet, and they went back to their chamber.

"If we do nothing, it will be viewed as a sign of weakness!" Thor bellowed. Odin rubbed his eyes wearily. It was a week after the Frost Giants' attack on Angrboða and Loki, and the council was meeting to discuss how to deal with it. Odin turned to look at the prince who had been assaulted. Loki had taken up a lounging position on the chair, and he was supporting his head with one hand. His lips were pressed together, and he had a tired expression on his face. Baldur snickered a little bit and Loki looked up. His eyes were narrowed and his visage was now hateful.

"Why should we retaliate? The prince seems absolutely fine in rolling over," Baldur said. Loki hissed and leapt to his feet. Baldur did the same, but suddenly, he slipped up. The council members glanced down and saw that ice had appeared beneath his feet. Odin cleared his throat and Loki glanced in his direction. Odin shook his head and Loki sat back down, a slight smirk appearing on his lips. Baldur stood up, but Odin raised his hand.

"Baldur! That is quite enough taunting my son. Loki has not spoken as I believe he understands the consequences of an attack on Jotunheim. Unlike some in this room," Odin said, not glancing at Thor (but everyone got the hint). "For that, I am grateful. This meeting is disbanded for the present. We will reconvene tomorrow," Odin announced and the counselors stood up, and bowed. Thor remained standing by his chair, and Loki was still seated. Baldur was the last to bow and leave. When he walked away, he gave Loki a malicious look. Loki sneered, but Odin cleared his throat and the two princes faced him. "My sons, this situation is one we must not rush headlong into. It is dangerous waters in which we swim with regards to Jotunheim. One wrong move, and they will drag us into the cold depths," Odin told them.

"But Father! You beat Jotunheim once! Why not do it again? Permanently," Thor suggested. Loki raised his head, a strand or two of his black hair falling across his forehead. He knew very well what Thor was suggesting. Massacring millions of people.

"Thor, as the All-Father, I cannot condone any such action as drastic as that," Odin said.

"What would you do if they had succeeded in killing Angrboða or Loki?! Would you sit idly by while they rejoiced in their blood?!" Thor asked indignantly.

"But they didn't kill either of them!" Odin snapped, finally losing his patience. Loki glanced in between his father and his older brother, an air of indifference in his manner. Thor's face colored and he walked away, but, he paused and looked back at Loki.

"I don't understand how you could be so cold about this. It's like you don't feel," Thor said. The muscles of Loki's face worked furiously for a moment, but he said nothing in response. With that, Thor left the room as well. Odin sighed and glanced over at his son. Loki's hands had moved to the arms of his chair, and they gripped them until his knuckles were taut. He finally looked over at his father.

"Would you be this calm if either Angrboða or I had been killed?" Loki asked. Odin shook his head, not wanting to even entertain the thought in his mind. "Would you?!" Loki pressed, his own anger beginning to rise. Odin sighed and buried his face in his hands.

"Truthfully? If you had been killed, I would have my own dealings with Laufey. But, if Angrboða was killed, I believe I would have a different reaction," Odin admitted.

"Is it because she hasn't produced an heir I can use? Or is it because you sense something is wrong about her?" Loki asked and his father raised his eyebrow at him. Loki had begun to have his own suspicions when Fenris was born, but he had never ever mentioned them to anyone. Odin nodded his head and Loki looked away. "Why is it you can't stand anything or anyone different?" Loki queried as a tear slid down his cheek. Odin noticed and his hand went out to Loki's. The prince jerked it away when Odin touched him and the King of Asgard winced at his son's rejection.

"Different is dangerous," Odin said. Loki turned to look at him, and they both knew what the other was thinking. Odin was thinking about Angrboða's tendency to dislike the heat; while Loki thought about his animal sons. He shook his head and Odin raised an eyebrow.

"No. Different is unique. And the unique are the ones who are going to shape the future of the Realms," Loki said. He stood up, and walked out of the room.

Arzaan smirked when the surviving Frost Giants gave their report. They said how their friends had forced Angrboða into a premature labor that they were sure, killed the child. King Laufey and Prince Giamarr listened as well, watching Arzaan's changing expressions with growing amusement. Finally, the one giant said, "The young prince came to the aid of his wife, but we injured him as well."

"Yes! The death of a future prince and the injury of another? This is masterful!" Arzaan said.

"But," another giant said, "the young prince fought back with a fury I have never seen before. He burned our warriors until there was nothing but ash." This made Laufey and Giamarr tense. Death by fire was an ominous way for a Jotun to perish. If a Jotun was killed by flame, his soul was extinguished with him. Giamarr turned to his father and his red eyes were wide.

"Father, the Vanir said nothing about the second Prince of Asgard possessing the wicked fire magic! This is against the bargain we made!" Arzaan looked over at the Crown Prince of Jotunheim and he growled.

"I deal with your father, prince, not you, and there's a reason for that!" Arzaan hissed. Giamarr made a move to snatch up his ax, but his father stopped him.

"You have your own mission, which has been demanding your attention for several years now. This one is mine, and I will deal with it the way I see fit," Laufey said to his son. Giamarr heard the tone in his father's voice and he nodded his head stiffly before he walked away. Arzaan's eyes followed him before he glanced back at Laufey. "But you did fail to mention that the prince had the ability of fire. You know that that is deadly to our kind," Laufey said to him.

"Loki has minor magic. From his mother I believe," Arzaan said dismissively. Laufey's fist smashed down on the arm of his throne, and the ice cracked.

"Minor magic does not turn my men into ash! This is against the bargain we made! And I withdraw my help from this point on!" Laufey yelled. Arzaan felt all the blood drain from his face.

"But, you promised-" he started to say before Laufey cut him off.

"And because of the small amount of pleasure this has given me, I will let you depart unharmed. But I suggest you leave now, while I still allow it," Laufey said. Arzaan knew better than to push his luck. He swallowed, bowed, and walked away from King Laufey, never to return.