Author's Note: ... means scene change
Loki Laufeyson sat on his throne. Chaos surrounded him, and not the kind that pleased him. His father was dead. The infirmary was crowded, and his subjects' hearts were stirred with hatred. Thor Odinson and the Warriors Three had waltzed in and decimated his people.
He wanted revenge. Laufey was not the kind-but-firm father that Odin had been. Laufey was harsh, cruel, and did not tolerate failure- but he had taught Loki to be strong. Loki had been given one choice all that time ago. Become strong or die. And Loki had been born a surviver.
Loki had not loved his father. He had not even liked his father- such sentiment was for the Aesir, not frost giants. However, his father had promised him a throne, and now he had it. It was something Odin would never have given him.
It came as no surprise to Loki when one of his frost giants delivered a message from Asgard, requesting a peace talk. What should he do with it? After a moment, he smirked. Oh, that would be fun.
...
Thor was not sulking. He wasn't. But he had been punished and reprimanded and threatened with banishment. He had expected his mother, at least, to be firmly at his side, but she had stood against him, silent as stone. That had been unusual. Why had his mother done such a thing? The Jotun were monsters! They had no good in them, and the beasts were barely capable of thought. Couldn't his parents see that he had done it for the good of Asgard?
His mother, the lovely Frigga, entered. "Thor, your father has received word that the Jotun will consent to a peace talk."
"Those creatures do not desire peace!" His mother pursed her lips.
"Perhaps... but then why has there been peace between our people for more than a century, my son?"
"Because they couldn't find any weakness in us, and we couldn't be bothered with them."
"Hush, Thor, you don't know-"
"Milady!" A servant entered, and went down to their knees.
"Speak."
"The Allfather has fallen into the Odinsleep." Frigga and Thor stared at each other.
"So soon?!" she wondered.
"Has Father been so weary?" He had certainly seemed to have enough energy to rage at Thor earlier.
"The Odinsleep was near, but it shouldn't have been this close..." Her eyes widened. "What will we do about the peace talk?!"
"Let me handle it. I put us into this situation, and I will get us out." His mother looked into his eyes for a moment, and she sighed.
"...Very well. Act with patience and wisdom, my son."
...
Loki arrived on Asgard via the bifrost. Three of his most loyal guards accompanied him- Seryf, Ulriff, and Belrisi. Heimdall stood near, carefully examining the frost giants and monitoring the bifrost.
He didn't recognize Loki, of course. Loki stood in his Jotun form, and was now a tall frost giant with the aid of a glamour spell. After being tormented for his inferior size, he had placed the spell upon himself, and hadn't removed it since. The spell took only the smallest amount of energy to keep up, and he didn't even notice it anymore.
A group of servants and honor guards approached, and the servants knelt. "The throne room is ready to receive you now." Loki's eyes narrowed.
"Lead the way."
Thor straightened in the seat as the Jotun entered. Sif stiffened. She was his only true companion in the room- it would be an act of aggression to keep the Warriors Three in here as well. The other Aesir present were his father's guards.
Thor stood up from the throne. "Welcome to Asgard." The Jotun bristled, and their leader stepped forward.
"What is this mockery?" he sneered. "Where is Odin?!" Thor's eyes narrowed, but he sucked in a deep breath. He'd promised his mother that he would act with wisdom, and he would.
"My father lies in the Odinsleep. I serve in his place."
"Queen Frigga could not attend?"
"She refuses to leave Odin's side." A pause.
"I refuse to meet on these terms. Prepare for war." Short, succinct, and intolerable. Thor objected.
"I am the Crown Prince of Asgard, royalty in my own right. Who are you, that you are so far above me?" The frost giant raised himself to his full stature.
"I am King Laufeyson, a ruler in my own right thanks to your actions." Thor paled. It couldn't be. He'd heard no such tale, no such rumor, and one did not live to be more than a century old before one's presence was known. Certainly such a secret about a Jotun prince could not have been kept for so long. Yet, his mother had told him earlier that Thor didn't know everything about Jotunheim.
"Laufey had a son?"
"Indeed. I am he."
"Then you-"
"I am far above your station, lowly prince. I will not be called forth as a servant. If you wish to meet with me, you must come to Jotunheim." Thor choked. Such an outrageous demand! He swallowed his rage for the moment and managed a civil reply.
"I can't. If I leave Asgard, there is no one to rule."
"Find a way or suffer. Goodbye, Prince of Asgard." As angry as Thor was, he acknowledged his opponent.
"Farewell, King Laufeyson."
...
Loki returned to his icy palace. Thor had grown much since he had last seen him- only physically, of course. The restrained temper of his was only a short-term effect of harsh words from Odin's mouth, he knew that well enough.
Thor hadn't known whom he had talked to. That was a good sign. Odin and Frigga had kept it secret. The king and queen of the Aesir would come to regret it. Loki would make sure that Thor would play his true role in the future- the fool.
"M-my lord?" Loki turned his eyes to Ulriff, who was big-boned for a Jotun. Ulriff kept his hair short and straight, but cared little for the upkeep of his clothing.
"Yes, Ulriff?"
"Are we really going to war with Asgard again?" A grin crossed Loki's face.
"Perhaps. Shall we go to the training grounds?" Ulriff smiled and nodded. As they traversed the corridors, Seryf joined them. Seryf had the best taste in Jotun clothing, and kept his hair long. Today, it was braided.
"Is Belrisi supervising the guards by the bifrost?"
"Yes, King Loki." Loki pursed his lips. Hadn't he always dreamed of being given the title of king? But coming from his friend's mouth, it felt flat and stiff. He nodded to Seryf.
"Thank you, but you need not be so formal, and the same goes for you, Ulriff." Ulriff heaved a sigh of relief.
"Thank the stars. I was so stiff I thought I would turn to ice!"
"That can be arranged," Loki grinned wryly.
"Oh yes, Seidr-Master Loki," Ulriff bowed deeply.
"Seidr-Master Loki," Seryf echoed, and bowed mockingly as well.
"The best in all the nine realms." Loki shook his head but did not protest.
"Who dares war with the Aesir-" Seryf inserted.
"And shall emerge victorious!" Ulriff finished. The three reached the palace training grounds. "What weapons shall we use...?" Ulriff mused. "I think I'll take the slingshot and chains."
"I'll take the scepter," Loki replied, and picked up a particularly menacing one.
"The bow and arrow," Seryf nodded. The three spread out around the grounds. Loki had upgraded the grounds back when he had first tried to gain Laufey's favor. The grounds now had targets, arenas, a maze, and an obstacle course. "You might actually be worth something, runt," Laufey had told him, and it was the first praise that Loki received from the king of the Jotun.
After a half hour of turning targets into nothing more than ice shards, Loki and his friends met back up for sparring. First, Ulriff and Seryf went one-on-one into the arena. Ulriff expertly wrapped one of his chains around Seryf, but instead of struggling against it, Seryf darted in and tackled Ulriff to the ground. In an instant, Seryf pinned down Ulriff's neck with his twin daggers. Ulriff and Seryf were both accomplished in many types of weaponry.
"Impressive," Loki smiled as Seryf put his weapons away and pulled Ulriff up. Seryf was almost as fast as lightning itself. His body was lithe, but no one dared to mock him for it anymore, after Seryf had proved his fighting aptitude a few centuries back. It was part of the reason why Loki had taken him for his elite guard.
Ulriff nodded to Seryf and stepped out of the arena. Loki and Seryf stood face to face.
"Shall we begin?" Loki inquired.
"Of course No seidr-magic."
"You ruin all my fun." Loki would have to strike first- Seryf always started off with strictly defensive moves. Loki feinted left with a half-hearted jab of his scepter, and moved back, using his scepter to deflect one of Seryf's daggers. Loki jumped back as Seryf tried to get inside his defense. Loki swept his scepter out in front of him, forcing his friend back. Loki preferred to battle in mid-range, while Seryf was typically close-range fighter when his daggers were unsheathed. Seryf narrowed his eyes at Loki, and the two started to pace around each other. Loki changed his stance and rushed in. Seryf raised his daggers in defense- and Loki disappeared. He reappeared behind Seryf, and held his scepter to his friend's throat.
"We said no seidr-magic."
"Do you believe the Aesir will show such restraint?"
"Only their women use it, and they only use it for defense."
"And if they contract a sorceress, do you intend to play the helpless infant?" Seryf scowled.
"No." He sheathed his daggers and shoved the scepter away from his throat. Loki smirked.
"You can thank me any time." Seryf rolled his eyes and shoved Loki teasingly. Ulriff laughed.
"Hey, who's hungry?"
...
Thor paced back and forth in front of Frigga, back in her private quarters. "What can I do?" he frowned, and ran a hand through his golden hair.
"There may not be much else you can do. You handled yourself very well, Thor," Frigga told him. She walked forward and placed a hand on his cheek. Though the hand was cool and comforting, Thor pulled away.
"But it wasn't good enough! What am I going to do? I cannot travel to Jotunheim!"
"I know, Thor. It could very well be a trap. I can't allow it." A pause.
"Perhaps... another realm?"
"That might work." His mother allowed. Think, Thor, think! What would Loki say if he were here? Loki had been the one with cunning plans- Thor knew from personal experience as a victim of Loki's schemes. What would he say? Crush them like the ants they are, Thor. A plan started to form in his head. He'd just have to be a little bit sneaky.
...
First chapter up! I'm pleased with it. My main goal for this story is to include more description than I normally do, since I tend to rely on action and dialogue. This idea has been bugging me for a while, and I feel like it needs to get out there. I haven't seen another Jotun!Loki type story anywhere close to my idea, so I think it can fill its own niche of a sort. The Avengers crew will be coming in their own due time, just not for these first few chapters. Reviews are always welcome!
