Author's Note: This one-shot is based off characters from my Infinity series. It is a little scene that comes as a bridge between "Redemption" and "Mayhem" and will factor into "Mayhem". If you have not been reading my series, it is set after Thor: The Dark World, Loki is King of Asgard and has married Katirya.
Guilt
"Missing something? I always wanted your child Loki, but you would not comply, so I took one. Besides, it sounds like you'll have another pretty soon, so I am sure you will not miss this one."
"Kai?" Loki asked, almost afraid to hear the answer.
Katirya collapsed as she let out a keening wail before Eir could answer. Loki grabbed her before she hit the floor, pulling her against his body. He looked over her head at Eir, who simply nodded, confirming that their child was missing.
Lifting her up easily, he turned and strode out of the room. He felt his wife's shudder as the realization that their son had been kidnapped hit her. She started weeping uncontrollably.
Reaching their chambers, her walked into the bedroom and set her down on the bed.
"Kiri?" he finally asked when the weeping subsided.
She raised her tear-streaked face, "He's really gone, isn't he?"
Loki nodded.
"It is all my fault! I shouldn't have left him with Hlif he would still be here," Katirya wailed.
"Kiri, really? You are being unreasonable," Loki admonished her.
"No, I took care of him all by myself. Well, almost all by myself on Earth for almost a year. It has only been since I returned to Asgard that I've allowed others to help. I should have not done that…"
"Kiri, really? You are a queen, there are servants here for the express reason to help you…"
"But I can do it myself! I was doing it myself," Katirya cut him off.
"You are being unreasonable. That is their job. Hlif was there to help you. She adores Kai," Loki was getting slightly irritated.
"And where is Hlif?" Katirya sat up abruptly. "Maybe that is who took Kai?"
"Kiri, she has worked for Eir for years. I doubt that she would take our son."
"But you do not know for certain, do you?" Katirya spoke accusingly. "Send Eir up here. We must question her about Hlif!"
"Kiri, you are being ridiculous. I am not about to summon Eir up here to question her about one of her workers. I trust her choices, and you must as well. Now stop this silly…"
"Are you saying I am being silly?" Katirya's eyes flashed in anger. "You do not know what I went through to save our son. The attack at Niflheim, then trying to hide so he would survive! No one was around to help me."
"THAT is your own fault. You chose not to tell anyone what you were up to!" Loki fired back.
"MY fault?" Katirya shot back. "It was not my fault that Thanos wanted the Stones and to kill both you and your brother. I saved you, I saved all of you!"
"Then disappeared for over a year. We thought…"
"That I was going to attack Asgard," Katirya said with a sneer as she stood up to face him. "That shows how much you knew me."
"Kiri, stop this! You know that you set it up to make it look like you betrayed us. We believed you because you made it that way," Loki countered, moving to tower over her. "Now stop being unreasonable."
"I am NOT being unreasonable! Our son was kidnapped," she closed her eyes and started weeping again.
Loki pulled her into his arms. "Hush, we will find him."
"How? We… we… do not even know who… who… took him," Katirya sobbed. "I should never," she sniffed, catching her breath slightly, "with… with… Hlif."
"Kiri, it is not your fault. You cannot be with Kai twenty four hours a day, and that is why we have servants, to make our life easier and allow us to do our duties," Loki hugged her tightly.
"But that was my duty, to take care of him. And I let him down," Katirya cried.
"You did not let him down. You have been an excellent mother to him. We will find him," Loki repeated as he led her to a chair. "Have a seat, I'll get you some wine."
Katirya quietly sat down. "I still feel guilty."
"Stop, it was not your fault. Whoever took him would have found a way even if you kept him with you all the time,"
Katirya considered this for a few moments, then nodded. "You are probably right. Look at all the mischief they caused. I wonder…" her voice trailed off a moment.
"Wonder what?" Loki asked
"Those incidents earlier. Whoever was behind them is most likely the person who took Kai. I could never see them… I wonder if they were planning this all along, and were trying to get me to reveal that I was here?"
Loki thought about it, "It is very possible. But that would mean they knew you were alive and in hiding long before even Sif started thinking about it."
"Maybe not," Katirya replied. "They could have discovered it when I came here, but…" she paused, then went on, "the only ones who knew who I was once I arrived worked in the healers. It all goes back to Hlif."
"I still trust Hlif. Eir allowed her to care for Kai. She would never have entrusted the heir to Asgard to someone she could not trust."
"We are missing something, I just do not know what," Katirya replied, finally seeming to calm down.
"Now, let me go get that wine, we could both use it after tonight," Loki looked at her, making sure she wasn't going to break down again. Assured she was, he left the room.
As he entered the outer chamber, he was surprised to see a servant walking towards him with a tray. Two glasses and bottle of wine rested upon the tray, along with some fruit and cheese. "My King," the servant offered the tray.
Loki looked at him a moment before accepting it. His mind flashed back to earlier in the day, when he had realized he would never live quietly again. His life was no longer private; it could never be as King of Asgard. Servants who would know everything he did the instant it happened would always surround him. He noted the other servants in the room were looking upon him with approval. What had he done to deserve this? A year ago they would have looked upon him with scorn.
As if reading his mind, the man who had been carrying the tray spoke up. "You are correct, my King. Hlif was trusted implicitly by Eir, and she is missing."
"We fear something may have happened to her," a woman added as she gestured to the wine on the tray. "I selected a nice, calming elderberry wine for the Queen. We understand she is not quite herself."
Loki chuckled softly. He realized that they were not blaming Kiri for her accusations about Hlif, and they were now accepting him. Knowing that they were accepting him warmed his soul. He smiled, "Thank you, thank you for everything."
He turned and walked back into the room, a soft smile on his face. Yes, his son was missing, but the strength of the people of Asgard was there, behind him. And they would prevail over the enemy. He finally felt accepted.
Author's note: If you enjoyed this and have not read my other stories, the first in the series is "Alliance".