"Do you think Father will come?" Loki turned his wide eyes up at his mother.
She smoothed the hair back from his forehead. "Daddy's very busy. Thor, three pieces of cake is plenty." Thor slumped, and stuck his empty fork in his mouth. Frigga turned back to Loki. "Why don't you open your present now?" She set a rectangular package on his lap.
He ran his hands over the careful wrapping, then opened it, keeping the paper intact. "A new book." He smiled up at his mother.
"What book?" Odin stood in the doorway.
Loki sprang up. "Father? You came!"
He laughed. "Of course I did." Kneeling, he held out his arms to the boy.
Loki ran to him, flinging his arms around the Allfather's neck.
The apparition fizzled into nothing, and he stood alone, arms outstretched.
Loki woke with a start. He shivered, and shrank down under his covers, blinking back tears. Another nightmare. After a moment, he slipped out of bed, and padded down to his brother's room. He pushed the enormous door open. "Thor?"
The prince rolled over groggily. "What is it, Loki?"
"I had a bad dream."
"Again?" Thor sat up, and swung his legs over the side of the bed.
Loki nodded, trembling.
Thor patted the bed next to him. "Come here and tell me about it."
The little boy sprang onto the bed, and leaned against his brother. Thor faded away, and Loki fell, striking his head on the headboard.
He jerked upright, eyes wide. Suddenly the room felt very dark and very lonely. He pulled the blankets around himself, a tear sliding down his cheek. "No…" he whispered.
The door creaked, and he shrank back, whimpering.
"Loki?" Frigga peered around the door. "Is everything all right?"
He scooted back, away from her. "Are you going to disappear, like Thor and Father?"
She sat down on the edge of his bed. "Nightmares again?"
"How do I know you're real?"
She smiled, and pulled him into a warm embrace. Her arms, firm and reassuring, encircled him. "I'm here."
He snuggled against her. "I was scared."
"Don't be." She lifted his chin, and kissed him on the forehead. "Whenever you're caught in a web of shadows, I'll be there for you to hold on to."
...
"The queen is dead."
Loki nodded acknowledgment, and the guard withdrew. Setting down his book, he rose and paced to the center of the room. He clenched his fists, as everything within the cell shattered.
