Here's my second chapter. Here's where we'll see a bit more on how Loki is adjusting to his role as Brandon Stark and how he is already changing the story. Hope you enjoy! I do not own Loki or the Game of Thrones Universe.
Loki was content.
Despite minor confusion on his part at the beginning, Loki was genuinely beginning to enjoy this new life of his. After the first four years of him being an incompetent toddler, of course. There was simply nothing more dreary than having adults speaking to him in that dull and condescending baby tone, although he didn't mind the constant attention. Yes, at five years old, or five name days as it was referred to here, Loki truly felt content.
He still had his magic, much to his relief. Of course, he wasn't as powerful as he used to be, but Loki knew that given time, he could reach that point once more, quicker than before if his calculations were correct. After all, once a skill has been perfected, it is effortless to gain the ability again. Loki or Bran as he was now called did not know what he would do if he were left in this strange world without his magic.
And what a strange world it was.
Now that he was old enough to walk around and be left to his own devices, Loki found it rather simple to wander into the nearest library and find out just where he had been reborn. In the library, before Maester Luwin had chased him out for reading things that should be well beyond his comprehension, Loki discovered he was in a place known as Winterfell which his father was the lord of in a land called Westeros.
Loki had remembered Odin telling him about Westeros once. He remembered Odin telling him how Westeros was a branch realm of Midgard, forged thousands of years ago for unknown reasons. Odin had told him the story of how during the war against the Frost Giants how a small colony of them had migrated to Westeros and began to populate with creatures referred to as 'the children of the forest.' He had told him how a hybrid Frost Giant known as 'the Night King' had raged across Westeros until Odin, and the Westeronians had intervened. He said that with the help of a Westeronian known as 'Stark' and the forces of Asgard, they had pushed the hybrid Frost Giants or 'Others' back into submission. Odin had gifted the Westeronian's with Asgardian steel weapons, although they referred to it as 'Valyrian' steel here. And in turn, the Westeronians began to worship the Asgardians, referring to them as 'the old Gods.'
Upon further research, Loki found that only the North worshiped them now. The rest of Westeros had found faith in new Gods referred to as the Seven. Not that Loki blamed them. Odin had rarely spoken of Westeros, claiming it to a realm of no importance, but Loki had always been fascinated by it. Perhaps that was why fate saw it fit to send him here. Loki still remembered the power he felt when he was brought before the great weirwood tree in the Godswood by his father.
Ah yes, his new father. Eddard Stark, upon first glance, seemed like a cold and aloof figure. His piercing gaze could bring any soldier to heel. With his children, however, it was like he was a different man. Unlike Odin, who usually remained at arm's length from his children, Eddard was a 'hands-on' kind of father, which was surprising considering his status as a Lord. Despite usually being very busy his father always found time to answer his questions on Westerionian culture or scold him whenever he found himself into mischief. And of course he still found himself into mischief. He was the God of Mischief after all.
Of course since he was technically a child at the moment, despite being thousands of years older mentally, his mischief was mild pranks at most. Mild in his case being dropping water on Theon Greyjoy's head when he brought a whore home, or setting the Septa's dress on fire after she had made his sister Arya cry.
Loki found that out of all his siblings, he bonded the most with Arya, Jon is a close second of course. Like Arya, Loki knew what it was like to have a parent expect you to be one thing when you were another. Loki could count all the times Odin had been displeased with him for not being a warrior like Thor. Arya looked a lot like him, or like Bran in this case, with dark brown hair and the same steel grey eyes of their father. Loki and Arya were attached at the hip since he was physically old enough to play, and the two would often be seen running around causing havoc for whoever was stupid enough to get in their way. Which was usually the Septa. Or Sansa.
Loki never really got on with his sister Sansa. His sister with bright red hair and innocent blue eyes. Her arrogant and bratty nature reminded him too much of his adopted brother Thor. Plus she was always rude to Arya, which immediately made him dislike her. Although that didn't mean that he would ever let anything bad happen to her. Loki feared her naivety of the world would get her into trouble, and when that day came, Loki would be standing there with his twin daggers to defend her. But for now, he would settle with avoiding her.
His eldest brother Robb was the one he was initially unsure of. Upon realizing he had an older brother, Loki had feared he would be overshadowed by yet another older brother. So whenever Robb had tried to hold him when he was a baby, he would yell and scream and puke all over him. But despite his tantrums, Robb was always there to try and hold him, he was still patient with him. So eventually he stopped when he realized his brother was not like Thor. Robb was a handsome boy, with his mother's smooth auburn hair and Tully blue eyes. Loki knew his brother would make a fine Lord of Winterfell one day, his calm and charismatic demeanor would make him a good ruler of this Loki was sure. He also knew that unlike Thor, he would not start an unnecessary war unless he had not choice to. So yes in this case he did not mind being the first born and future Lord of Winterfell. It certainly helped that unlike with Odin, Eddard made no habit of having favourites.
However, the sibling or half-sibling he related to the most was his brother. Jon Snow. Like him and Arya, Jon had the dark brown hair and grey eyes. However, unlike them he was born a bastard. The term meant little to Loki, A bastard son of Eddard was still a son and therefore his brother. Loki knew that like him, Jon felt envious of Robb like he was to Thor. However, Loki knew that Jon loved Robb too much to every do anything to harm him. Something Loki respected about him considering he never could. Loki knew Jon was self conscious and had a hard time fitting in as a Stark due to his bastard heritage. Loki also knew what or whom was the main cause of this self consciousness.
His mother.
Now Loki loved his new mother. He truly did. Her fierce protectiveness of her children and ladylike demeanor reminded him a lot of his old mother Frigga. Frigga however would never treat Odin's bastards the way Catelyn Stark treated Eddard's. Perhaps Loki was a bit bias, after all Frigga was a goddess of fertility, therefore making her kinder to children but Loki didn't care.
"There has to be a way to make her behave kinder to Jon," he said to Arya, as they chatted in his room. "Unfortunately our mother is stubborn," Arya said crossing her arms "she'd never change her ways unless the Gods themselves told her to." Loki froze.
The Gods….
"Arya," he said sitting up from the lying position he was in "what was the name of the God representing death again?"
"The Stranger," she told him narrowing her eyes "why?"
"Because sister," he said getting up and opening the door to his room "perhaps the Gods will tell her themselves." And Loki knew exactly how.
Loki had waited until it was time for Supper, watching his mother carefully as she conversed with his father. He glanced down the table at Jon's solemn face and nodded. It was time to enact his plan. Loki quickly cast a minor illusion on himself to make himself seem deathly pale. Loki eyed his reflection in his spoon. Perfect.
Loki started to fake cough. Immediately the whole table turned to look at him. "Bran are you alight?" Robb asked tilting his head at him. Loki didn't reply turning to his mother and cast another illusion to make it seem as though he was coughing blood. "Mother," he pretended to whisper hoarsely as he coughed 'falling' off the table.
He closed his eyes and heard the scraping of chairs as everyone stood up at once. "Robb get Maester Luwin!" he listened to his father order and heard Robb shakily reply before running out of the dinner hall. He felt his father pick him up and carry him to his room. He could feel his mother and sibling hovering protectively around him. His plan was working! Loki felt slightly bad for worrying them though. This is for Jon, he reminded himself.
He felt his father place him down and heard Maester Luwin enter the room with Robb trailing after him. He listened to his father order Robb to take his sibling to their rooms. As they left, he heard his sister Sansa's gentle crying. For Jon, he reminded himself. He could hear his arguing with Maester Luwin, who claimed that there was nothing wrong with him, which he knew was true. He could feel his mother's hand shaking in his own. For Jon, he reminded himself.
He heard his father dismiss Maester Luwin and sigh "Maester Luwin says Bran should be fine," he said. "Fine? He's not fine at all, he was coughing up blood!" he heard his mother shout angrily, clutching his hand tighter. "Cat, it's late," his father said, "we should get some rest, maybe he'll be better in the morning." He felt his mother shuffle.
"You can," she said "I'll stay here, make sure his condition doesn't worsen." He heard no reply so he assumed his father had nodded and heard the door creak as he left. Perfect.
He had to wait a couple of hours before he could enact the next stage of his plan. His mother was stubbornly fighting sleep to stay up and watch him. He admired his mother's will but would really wish she wouldn't be so stubborn. Maybe it would mean he wouldn't have to do this. But he did. When Loki finally heard the soft, deep breathes of his mother sleeping, he knew. It was time.
He cast a solid illusion of himself on the bed for her to clutch on as he readied himself for the next phase. Arya had said that the only way to convince their mother to treat Jon better would be if the God's themselves told her to. And Loki was a God. Probably not one of the God's she prayed to but a God nonetheless.
Loki placed another illusion on him appear taller, with a skeleton like face and black robe. Loki made himself look like the Stranger. The death God. Loki used his magic to blow all the curtains out before getting in position behind 'himself.' Before continuing Loki quickly cast a silencing spell on the room so that way no one else could hear what was happening inside. Loki then grudgingly used his Frost Giant magic to cool the room down. He saw his mother shiver before slowly waking up and looking up at him.
She screamed. Loki winced at the pitch, very glad he had cast the silencing spell on the room. He was sure all of Winterfell would have woken up from the volume alone. She scrambled off her seat, shaking with parental fear as Loki hovered menacingly over 'himself'. For Jon, he repeated, as his heart broke seeing the look of absolute fear on her face, as he conjured a scythe and held it against 'his' throat.
"I-I don't know what you want," she stuttered, her fear and the ever dropping temperature of the room causing her to shake "b-but I beg of you please don't hurt my son!"
Loki tilted his head at her. "Do you know who I am?" he asked menacingly. His mother shook her head staring worriedly at 'him.' "I have many names in the world, but you,-" he leaned over 'his' body "you may call me the Stranger."
At his declaration his mother fell to her knees before him "Oh thee Stranger of the Seven," she whispered tears gathering in her eyes "I am a devout follower of the Seven, so I beg of you please don't take my son from me!" she cried.
"A follower of the Seven you may be, but a mother you are not," Loki said causing her to look up at him once more "For there is a child here who you refuse to be a mother too." Loki saw his mother's eyes darken immediately at the mention of his half-brother. "That boy is not my son!" she stated hotly before cowering under Loki's heated gaze "he is a bastard of my husband and some other woman!"
"That bastard is but a boy," he stated calmly "a boy innocent of his father's crime, yet you still scorn him." Loki placed his hand on 'his' head causing his mother to whimper "Therefore, the God's decree you are unworthy of your children and have sent me to claim them," he leaned over 'his' body "starting with the youngest."
"NO!" his mother shouted, scrambling to her feet. "Please, I beg of you don't take my children from me!" she said. Loki took his hand away from 'his' body causing his mother to sigh with relief. Only to step back shakily as he stepped towards her. "The Seven are not cruel," he stated taking another step towards her "If you do as they ask then they are willing to spare your children."
"Anything," she breathed. He smiled. "Love the bastard as one of your own, send a raven to King's Landing asking the King to legitimize him as a Stark, and your children will be spared, the boy is but twelve name days, that's plenty of time to develop a bond." At his mother's reluctant expression he pointed at her menacingly "If you fail to do this, if you show even a hint of reverted to your own ways then," he pointed his scythe menacingly at 'his' sleeping form, causing her to gulp "then your children shall be forfeited."
Loki took his mother's silence as her acceptance and planned his exit, "heed these words Catelyn Stark," he said menacingly "for it is not wise to try and go against the word of a God." After his declaration he used his magic to create a bright flash. His mother covered her eyes, giving him enough time to remove both his illusions and lie back in bed. Loki drifted off to his mother's soft sniffling.
A week or two had passed since Loki's cruel but necessary trick. Maester Luwin was watching him like a hawk, still yet to determine what had caused his 'mysterious' illness. His mother never mentioned her meeting with 'the Stranger,' but she did start to treat Jon better. It was rocky at first, as to be expected due to her original animosity, but she genuinely seemed to be trying.
Which was enough for Loki.
Of course, Arya had been giving him suspicious looks ever since the incident. However, he doubted she'd figure it out. After all, why would she have any reason to expect him to have magic? Loki loved his new family. Even if he disagreed with Sansa's attitude, even if he thought his father was too honorable, even if he found Jon a bit dull sometimes, even if he found Arya to be a bit too wild, even if he was envious of Robb being the eldest, even if he found his mother too stubborn, he loved them. And he would do anything for them.
And whenever doubt crept upon him, whenever he showed signs of regretting his choice, he remembered Jon's teary eyed smile as he was handed the letter legitimizing him as a Stark. A letter handed to him by none other than Catelyn Stark herself.
So that's the end of chapter two! I was thinking about having Jojen and Meera Reed meet 'Bran' but haven't decided. Let me know what you think in the comments cause I appreciate each and every comment given to me. Chow for now!