"What if...."Frigga Stayed

The Trial

Loki enters the throne room, his chains clattering as he steps toward Odin. He is surrounded by guards on both sides and behind him. He stops a few yards away from the man he once called father. He hears his mother's voice.

"Loki..."

"Hello, mother. Have I made you proud?" Loki said trying to cover up the nervousness he felt.

"Please, don't make this worse..." She pleaded.

Loki, somewhat jokingly, replied, "Define worse."

"Enough!" Both of their heads turned to see Odin glaring at Loki. "I will speak to the prisoner alone."

"No." Frigga immediately replied. Both heads now turned back to her. "No, I will not leave my son during this hard time. Not again."

Odin looked furious, while Loki looked at his mother with a small smile and gratefulness in his eyes.

"Frigga you mustn't--" Odin cut himself off when Frigga glared at him. Even the Allfather knew that making this woman angry was the last thing anyone needed right now. He sighed. "Very well, you may stay."

"I wasn't asking." She said, deadpan. Loki snorted.

Odin ignored this comment. He turned back to Loki. "Do you not feel the gravity of your crimes? Wherever you go there is war, ruin... and death."

Odin was surprised when Frigga answered "It wasn't his fault. He was controlled by another being. I could not see much, but I know enough to know it wasn't my son's fault! He was tortured Allfather! They made him do the things he did."

Odin immediately replied, "Then he should have held out longer! Thor most definitely would have. You should have been stronger... In any case that still does not make up for the crimes, you committed on Asgard. You usurped the throne and committed treason."

"Mother gave me the throne. It is technically my birthright." Loki said, trying to contain his anger.

"YOUR BIRTHRIGHT...WAS TO DIE!" Odin yelled. Frigga placed a comforting hand on her son's shoulder. He glanced at her thankfully. Odin continued "As a child...cast out on a frozen rock." Loki took a deep breath at this. "Had I not taken you in... you would not be here now to hate me."

"You took me in to use me as a tool! I have always sought your approval... but not anymore. You are not my father. The only person I consider my family is mother. The endless nights where she comforted me when everyone would tease me as a child because I was different...When you would punish me for something others had done...when I found out about my true heritage... she was there for it all. SHE was the one who made my life worth living. SHE was the one who comforted me. Even now, it is SHE who stands beside me, giving me strength." He looked toward her. "Even if I don't deserve her love..."

Frigga gave a little nod, almost imperceptible, letting Loki know that she forgave him. That she still loves him.

"Frigga is the only reason you are alive, and you will never see her again." Both heads whipped towards Odin in surprise at his statement. Loki's mouth parted slightly, his eyes starting to get watery. Frigga looked in anger at her husband. "You will spend the rest of your days... in the dungeons."

Loki stumbled backward as the guards pulled on his chains. Odin smirked a bit. Frigga looked horrified. Then she yelled, "STOP!"

Everyone froze. She looked at Odin. "At least allow me to walk with him to his cell."

Odin looked contemplative. His mouth opened to say "no", but then thought better of it. He gave her a nod. She went to Loki and told him,"I need to quickly grab a few things. I'll meet up with you in a few minutes." He smiled a bit and nodded. The group consisting of Loki and his guards traveled their way through the palace. In a few minutes, as promised, Frigga joined them again. She didn't carry much, just a few books and some clothes draped over her arm.

Then, she did something neither Loki nor the guards expected. "Release my son from his bonds."

"You would aid him in his escape?" one of the guards said.

"No, worse would happen to him if I did. He has my full confidence that he will not make an attempt to escape." Loki nodded at this.

The guards were hesitant at first, but then gave in and unlocked the chains binding him. Loki rubbed his wrists where the metal had rubbed at his skin. Frigga put her hand out to him with a small and sad smile. He took her hand with a sad look of his own. They continued on in silence, hand in hand, to the dungeons. Frigga would periodically squeeze Loki's hand as if to assure him that everything would be alright. Though...it wasn't, was it? They arrived and all of the guards left, save one. This particular guard, unbeknownst to Loki, was his personal guard from his youth that his mother assigned to watch over him. He opened the magic barrier.

Loki gave a small, silent sigh as he broke away from his mother's comforting grasp and stepped into the cell. Frigga asked the guard, "Might I have a moment with him?"

The guard, who knew how much Loki loved his mother and imagined how hard this must be for him, took pity on the fallen prince. He nodded and left them alone. She set the books and clothes she was carrying down on the table that was in the corner of the cell. Both of them, mother and son, sat on the bed that Frigga had gotten to be placed in the cell for her son.

Loki looked at his feet as his mother rubbed soothing circles on his back. "It will be alright...we'll find a way." His mother comforted.

"What if we don't?" Loki asked quietly.

Frigga wrapped her arms around her son, and he did the same. "We will."

The guard came back. "It's time." He said gently.

Frigga held Loki's face in her hands. "No matter what happens, you are, and will always be, my son. I love you. Never forget that."

Loki nodded and Frigga reluctantly left her son. They shared a glance at each other one last time, and then she left.

And the sentence begins...