Child Of Magic, Child Of Ice
by Lacrimula Falsa
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and/or any other Marvel franchise. I write for fun, not for profit.
Summary: Laufey is the ruler of Jotunheim, and it is his duty to see the stolen Casket of Ancient Winters returned to its Realm. So when an Asgardian traitor offers an opportunity to regain the ancient relict, Laufey takes it. But the old magic of the Casket reveals a horrible truth to him: The child he thought dead lives as a son of Odin. Loki, Prince of Asgard. Striking a desperate bargain with Odin, Laufey offers the casket in exchange for his child, knowing that his son has been raised to hate him. Can a family's love and a father's determination really win against the hold of a lifetime of lies? [AU, begins mid-Thor. Eventually Loki/(male!)Angerboda. WIP.]
A/N: Written for a norsekink prompt that you can find here:
norsekink DOT livejournal DOT com SLASH 13479 DOT html?thread=34090151#t34090151
This deviates from the prompt somewhat, mostly where the beginning/story 'setup' is concerned. Also, since Angerboda is male for most of this story, as is Loki, this is slash (most of the time.) Not your thing? Not the story for you. Otherwise, enjoy.
Note on terminology and stuff:
In this verse Jötnar can take male, female and an "in-between" form, called rudnar. Instead of mother and father, they use 'dam' (the person that carried and birth the child) and 'sire' (the other parent). They also have the word darí, which means 'parent'. This is what Helblindi and Byleistr call Laufey and Fárbauti.
Jötnar use whatever pronoun is currently applicable, he while in male form, she while female and they while "in-between". They don't care if other races misuse pronouns. (Mostly.)
Now onward to the story!
Prologue – Leif's Offer
[Laufey]
Laufey was in the process of removing all the tangles from Fárbauti's hair when one of the royal messengers burst through the curtain of their chambers in a whirl of ice-dust.
"Your Majesty!"
Not looking up from his combing, Laufey held up a hand.
"Rugnàr, calm yourself. There have been no urgent news in the last centuries, yet you still deliver every message out of breath. One day your haste will kill you."
"But your majesty, someone came here! An Asgardian. He says he knows a way to the Casket!"
Looking up sharply, Laufey nearly tore out a strand of his mate's hair in his haste to get up. Fárbauti got up marginally slower, removing the comb from her hair.
"Where are they?"
Already halfway out the curtain, Laufey took a moment to be grateful for his mate's calmness. He would have blindly run towards his throne room, which well might be empty.
You did not simply put an Asgardian there.
"He is in the great hall, your Highness. He says his name is Leif, and that he has come to take revenge on Odin."
Revenge on Odin. Interesting. It was something Laufey could well understand wanting, but at the same time it was strange. Asgardians usually worshipped the All-Father.
He turned back towards his messenger.
"Is he wearing a spell?"
Rugnàr nodded.
"To conceal his true appearance, yes."
Ah. Maybe not actually of Asgard, then.
"Lead him into the throne room only after I arrive there."
Leif was a fearsome sight, and Laufey was glad that Fárbauti had stayed with their children. They did not need to see an Asgardian warrior the size of a small Jotun standing in the throne room armed to his teeth.
Laufey himself was not to keen on the sight, but desperate times called for desperate measures, even if he would rather have the blond warrior (who was of Asgard, if not wearing his true face) dragged back to where he'd come from by the neck. Preferably a broken neck.
"Asgardian."
Leif bowed in a show of respect unexpectedly devoid of mocking.
"King Laufey."
"My messenger tells me you have an offer for us."
"I do. I know that your Realm's core, the Casket of Ancient Winters, resides in Odin's vault. I offer you the opportunity to steal it."
The Jotun king regarded the visitor critically.
"Why?"
Leif seemed unfazed by the blunt question.
"Odin has wronged me for years, as has his son Thor. If your people become strong enough to once again pose a threat to the Realm Eternal, it will benefit me greatly."
Laufey frowned.
"You would commit treason."
Leif smiled a dagger-thin smile that look almost like a caricature on his bearded face.
"The House of Odin is full of traitors."
The Jotun king smiled, purposefully showing his teeth.
"And what, dare I ask, do you wish in return?"
"If you succeed, all my wishes shall be fulfilled. If not…" Leif made an expansive gesture. "…I lose nothing."
"I see."
And Laufey did see. Leif wanted to send Asgard into a panic, so whatever plans he himself had hatched would be easier to carry out. Maybe he even had ambitions towards taking Asgard's throne by force, which of course was ridiculously foolish.
But then, it was not Laufey's problem if the fool got himself killed after he himself had the Casket.
"And how, Leif of Asgard, would you grant us access to the Vault?"
"I know of a pathway between the worlds. A fine rupture in the very structure of the Real Eternal. But this passage – that leads to Jotunheim – may only be used once. After you return through it it will crumble if not kept open from Asgard's side. No second try, you would need a good distraction." Leif smiled the dagger-smile again. "Like Prince Thor's coronation. All of Asgard distracted by the festivities. An ideal opportunity that will only come once."
"Very clever Asgardian. But you realise that if we regain the Casket, you risk an invasion?"
Leif made a dismissive sound.
"The Allfather's army has beaten you before, and now you are weak, not what you once were. An invasion will take time, and I will have ample opportunity to bring my plans to fruition."
Laufey had to force himself to remain calm. As much as implying that the Jötnar were weak was an insult, it was also bitter truth. His Realm was weak. They were in no state to attack Asgard, and would be foolish to draw Heimdall's gaze towards them after they regained the Casket.
"I will speak with my advisors, and decide after."
Leif bowed again.
"As you wish."
Laufey had only ever needed one advisor.
His mate was both an excellent strategist and a diligent Regent, and he had learned the hard way that not listening to Fárbauti always cost him.
Fárbauti never wanted to go to Midgard with the Casket…
Well. A thought for another time.
"He promised you the Casket asking nothing in return. Do you think it is a trap?"
Laufey shook his head.
"I sensed seidr, but perceived no ill intent past the Asgardian usual. He certainly does not wish us well and sees us as mere pawns in his game, but I do not believe that he will trick us. He has much to lose if his treason is discovered."
Fárbauti snorted.
"Yes. His life."
They shared a look, likely both thinking the same thing. Death was no fit punishment for a traitor.
Fárbauti frowned, looking at the air, or rather, at strands of magic Laufey could not see even though he knew them to be there.
"Interesting, that one of their men would use seidr."
Laufey made a derisive sound.
"Asgardians have always been quick to embrace what they usually shun as 'lesser' the moment it aids them. Odin Allfather is a hypocrite to call seidr women's art, when he himself rules only through the magic of his Realm."
Fárbauti smiled.
"Truth you speak my mate, but the Allfather's hypocrisy is what will return the Casket to us."
Laufey blinked at his mate.
"I do not follow your mind. Not that that is unusual, but I find myself more confused than that one time you turned me into a spider."
Fárbauti's smile turned to laughter, which was what he had been aiming for, even if his confusion was real.
"You see, dearheart, the Allfather deems the Casket safe, watched over by the Destroyer. I am sure that Odin thinks that if you ever made a bid for the Casket, you would send lowly soldiers in an attempt not to loose 'valuable' lives. And indeed, they would be burned by the metal giant's flames before they ever touched it. But you are Jotunheim's king, and the Casket will answer your call. If you go to Asgard yourself, the Destroyer will not stand a chance against the Casket's magic. The Vault will be covered in frost faster than Odin can say 'midwinter'."
It took a short while until all the pieces fell into place in Laufey's mind, but when they did a grin split his face that showed all his sharp teeth.
"I see. Odin will not think that someone he sees as a man would wield magic, or that I would risk my own life."
Still grinning somewhat madly, Laufey acted on an impulse and lifted his small mate to swing her around in a circle, her black hair flying behind her.
"My clever Fárbauti. What would I ever do without you?"
"Be miserable."
Laufey's laughter nearly made the walls of their chambers shake.
His children were nearly grown up, his mate was clever as ever and the Casket was within his reach for the first time in centuries. And if he had to risk his life and trust an Asgardian traitor, he would do it in a heartbeat if it meant that the people of his Realm would be as safe and happy as his family.
