Upon landing back in Asgard Lukas, being the adventurous child he was, informed everyone exactly what he thought of their journey.
"That was the coolest thing ever! Can we go again? Please?!" He squirmed in Volstagg's hold doing his best to grasp the portal once more. The hardened warriors all laughed at his enthusiasm.
"Another time love, we have some people who are very eager to meet you." Astrid talked her son out of Volstagg's arms. He turned around and saw a royal Asgardian fleet dressed in gold armor. At the center of the mass were his paternal grandparents. Feeling instant intimidation, he ran behind his mother holding on to her for dear life but still peaked at the sight before him.
"Come Lukas," Astrid coaxed him, picking him up. He hid his face in her neck and held her tighter with each step. Astrid did her best to bow while holding Lukas who still clung to her.
Much to Astrid's surprise it was the All Father who greeted the child first.
"Hello Lukas," he said a tad gentler than he'd shown he was capable of. "Won't you show your grandfather your face? Or is it stuck in your mother's lovely hair?"
His jest made Astrid smile and Lukas turned to face the old man with one eye. "You're Odin." Lukas said quietly.
"Are you certain?" Odin asked, Lukas nodded. "What makes you so sure?"
"You're eye. I've seen drawings of you and you always have only one eye." Said Lukas.
"Lukas," Astrid whispered trying to quell her son's character to be more respectful towards the All Father.
"Hm I see, or do I?" Odin paused a moment. Lukas started laughing causing everyone who heard to laugh with him including Odin. "You are the spitting image of you father. Except for your smile, that is completely your mother. Frigga, come meet our grandson."
There were tears in Frigga's eyes as she reached her hands out to Lukas and caressed his face. "By far the handsomest boy I have ever met." She kissed both of his cheeks and threw her arms around Astrid and Lukas both.
3 Months later…
Lukas thrived in Asgard. He excelled in his physical pursuits; fencing and wrestling, his magic was developing beautifully thanks to his grandmother's guidance and academically he was proving to be a virtual wiz kid. Astrid was beyond proud. He loved going for walks with his grandfather and hearing storied of battles he's fought beside his father Bor, Lukas' great grandfather. More than once Astrid would spy them sward fighting with sticks, Odin always letting Lukas win. His favorite tails however were the ones of his own father Loki and his uncle Thor when they were children. On one such walk, Lukas asked what his father did that put Astrid and himself in danger and forced them to free Midgard. Odin chose his words carefully.
"Let us sit, this is no topic to conquer in motion." They rested on a stone wall in one if the gardens. Odin began, "I'm not sure your mother would approve of what I am about to tell you but I believe you are an exceptional boy and worse things have happened to this family over withholding the truth than expressing it. Your father was not born of your grandmother and I. Do you recall your lessons on the war with the Jotunheim?"
"I do," Lukas answered quickly, eager the hear the story.
"The war had ended, we had won. I was walking the battleground searching for any of our wounded least they be left behind. When I heard a cry. A Jotnar infant had been abandoned to die. I held him in my arms and through some magic his natural outward appearance mimicked an Asguardian babe. That infant was your father. I brought him with me to Asgard and your grandmother and I raised him with your uncle Thor as though he were hours. We never told the boys where Loki truly came from and no one knew the wiser. Then one day, the day your uncle was to ascend to the throne, a band of Frost Giants found a way to enter Asgard. Your father had informed them of a portal that would cloak them long enough to steal into the castle and take back a precious treasure which was once their crown jewel. A relic I had taken when they lost the war. They were discovered of course and killed."
"Why would my father do such a thing?" Lukas asked wounded by the thought of his father committing an act of such cruelty.
"I'm still not entirely sure. My only guess is he wanted to interrupt your uncle's coronation. Thor was a hard-headed brute at the time and Loki felt Thor would make a terrible King. I must admit, your father was right, Thor was not ready to rule then. Your uncle was so furious that his day was cut short he decided to wage war on the Jotunheim once more. Your father along with the warriors and the Lady Sif followed your uncle Thor into battle but not before you father came to me to report what Thor was planning. I followed after them of course and ordered they return home. I was upset with Thor and banished him to Midgard to learn his lesson. I did not know at the time that while they were in Jotunheim, your father encountered a frost giant and saw his skin change. It resembled their cold stone like appearance. Loki knew something was wrong so he entered the treasure volts and sought out the crown jewel the trespassers had been after, when he held it in his grasp his entire body transmuted to its natural state. He saw firsthand the secret Frigga and I kept from him all his life. Loki was never the same after that. He became obsessed with power and the desire to become king. Though I don't believe as I once did, that it was cruelty and callousness. I truly feel Loki imagines that if he can achieve this status, then he will make me proud and that I will see him as the better of my sons."
"Is that why he killed those people?" Lukas looked his grandfather in the eye.
"What people Lukas?"
"The ones in Germany, I saw him on television before mum brought us here. She told me to leave the room but I looked it up on my iPad when I was in the airport waiting to go stay with my other grandparents. They said he killed 84 people." Lukas looked down.
"What do you think of you father?" Odin asked.
"I think everyone thinks he's a bad man. But if he's bad then I must be bad too and I don't want to be bad."
Odin was disturbed by Lukas' outlook on himself. Over the months Lukas had been in Asgard, Odin had gotten to know him and loved him in a way that was much easier than the love he carried for his sons. Hearing Lukas correlate his father's actions to himself was something Odin would not stand for. He grasped the child's shoulders and spoke softly, "No Lukas, you must understand that the actions of the father do not dictate the actions of the son. We make our own choices in this life. some of them for the wrong reasons some of them for good. But one thing I know for certain, you are not bad. You are Lukas Lokison not Loki himself, and regardless of what the rest of the 9 realms might think I do not believe your father is bad either."
Lukas began to cry and wrapped his arms around his grandfather's neck hugging him tightly. Odin returned the embrace letting out a breath that pulled back tears of his own. Odin sat Lukas on his lap and wiped away his tears. "Now, let us have no more of that."
Lukas nurse Ana called for him. "There you are sweet boy. Oh, your grace." She bent down on one knee. "The young lord's bath is ready."
Odin nodded, "Off you go then, I will see you at dinner." He ruffled Lukas's hair and sent him on his way.
That was when Odin felt the presence of his sons. They had arrived back in Asgard. Hastily he made his way to the throne room to receive them. What he did not expect was an overwhelming desire to shield his grandson from any more confusion or any situation that would make him doubt the goodness in his heart.
Astrid was on her was to the hall of records to complete more of her duties.
Two months ago, the All Mother having sensed Astrid's world-weariness, sought her out and probed Astrid with questions about her life back on Midgard. She asked Astrid about her tutelage, the accolades of higher learning for which she was striving, and what she planned to do with all this edification. The All Mother then took Astrid to the Hall of Records. The hall was a massive room which housed the inner most historical accounts of all the 9 realms. It was somewhere between Harvard's extensive library and the Brittish museum. Astrid was floored. The All Mother informed her that the record keeper who's looked after the place for the last 4,000 some odd years had passed away leaving the position vacant of late. At the epicenter of the colossal wealth of knowledge were a series of tables with books scrolls and other such paraphernalia strewn about. "Being that Lukas has endless activities occupying his time I thought this might interest you. As you can see the organization of the Hall has come to some disarray." Frigga observed Astrid as she took in all her eyes perceived; her head tilted back, mouth agape. "Does the prospect of this vocation please you?" asked Frigga.
"Your grace, in Midgard I would have to work at least another 10 years before I became eligible to trusted for a position such as this."
"Well my dear, as my daughter adjacent. I would consider it a great honor to have you as our royal records keeper for as long as you remain among our realm." Said Fregga taking Astrid's hands.
"The honor would be mine your grace."
"Astrid, if it would not offend the bond with your Midgardian maternal parent, it would please me greatly for you to call me mother. I adore Lukas with all my heart and see you as the daughter I never had. Moreover, I do believe you belong here and hope one day, you will see Asgard as your home.
Astrid couldn't stop a single tear from escaping her right eye. "Very well, mother. Thank you, so very much. When may I start?"
"Whenever you like child. That section to your left holds all we know of the Jotenheim. I thought it might be a subject of interest for you since it is your true born realm. Good luck daughter." Frigga kissed Astrid on the cheek and left her to her newly appointed responsibilities. From that day on Astrid awoke each morn with renewed purpose.
On this day, however, something changed. While on her way to organize more of the mountain of abandoned volumes and scrolls, Astrid heard a rather familiar deep velvety voice echo from the throne room.
"I really don't see what all the fuss is about…"
"Loki?" She asked herself and ran to the grand golden doorway. As she approached she saw Frigga briskly walking away from the direction Astrid was coming from. The All Mother's posture screaming distress. Unable to let her good nature win, Astrid hid herself against the open door to listen to what was transpiring within.
It was the All Father she heard next. "All this because Loki desires a throne."
"It is my birthright."
"Your birthright was to die! As a child. Cast out onto a frozen rock. If I had not taken you in, you would not be here now to hate me."
Astrid, hands were shaking. This was the closed she had been to Loki in 6 years. While his tone reflected a plethora of emotions, not one of them was remorse for his actions. "Please Loki, don't do this to yourself." She whispered into nothingness.
"If I am for the axe then for mercy's sake just swing it…" Astrid could not see his face but imagined Loki had rolled his eyes. He sounded bored, unimpressed, did he wish for death? Could Odin sentence his own son to be executed? His son who was also the father of Odin's beloved grandson? No, she refused to believe it.
"…You will spend the rest of your days in the dungeons."
"And what of Thor? You will make that witless oaf kink while I rot in chains?" Astrid heard it then. He felt something. It wasn't remorse but it was hurt. Loki felt hurt that Odin chose Thor over him. She heard chains clanking and could not hold herself back. Mustering all her might her rushed into the throne room and dropped to her knees, head bowed, before the All Father and a very confused Loki.
"All Father I beg your forgiveness for my intrusion but I simply must make myself heard." Astrid lifter her head to face Odin. "You have no right to speak on this matter lady." The All Father's tone was stern but not angry. It was as though he were telling her this was for everyone's own good, for Lukas' own good. That things would be best if she just kept quiet while he hid Loki away from the world but most importantly from his grandson.
"I understand your grace but there is more to be said and I cannot sit idly by." Odin exhaled through his nose and have her a very slight nod. She rose to her feet.
Loki recognized her then. "Astrid?" he asked dumbfounded.
"Lukas," she retorted then focused her eyes back on Odin. "All Father, I have been a citizen of your realm only 3 months. A breath of instance that is inconsequential when compared to the eternal nature of this place. But in that time, I have grown to love it here, to love you as my second father and the All Mother as my second mother. And so, I pray you will consider this." She took in a much needed breath of courage. Not looking at Loki save for her periphery, Astrid continued. "My son, your grandson, has never seen his father. You know as well as I how deeply he desired to know of him. He sits in worship at your feet for just a few words to enlighten him of this mystery being. I beg of you, before you cast Loki into internment, one meeting. One face to face encounter that your grandson may meet his father for himself. Especially if it is to be the only time they ever see one another." There, she'd done it. She'd gotten it all out. Now all she had to do was pray she hadn't angered the All Father to the point that he had her executed since he wasn't going to do it to Loki.
"Hang on a moment. Son? Your son?" he asked Astrid.
"Yours too." She said not making eye contact.
Loki was quite for a moment. "No, no that's impossible."
"I assure you it is possible and factual." Astrid countered.
"No it is not possible you'd have to be a… because I'm…"
"…Not the only castoff of the Jotunheim." Astrid looked at him then. Their eyes locked and suddenly she was right back in that café in Oslo. His icy visage melted away revealing the man she loved one night 6 years ago. Loki's head whipped to Odin who had said nothing yet. Then he revealed his verdict.
"My grandson will meet his father for 1 hour. Loki will be in chains and under guard. If you so wish Lady Astrid, you may be present to ensure you son's wellbeing. When that hour has expired, Loki will be sent to the dungeons, never to be seen again."
Astrid let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you All Father."
Odin stood from his throne and exited. Loki had begun being pulled by his chains out of the grand hall. He began to struggle against them as he called to Astrid, "His name, what is his name?" the pained look on Loki's face tore at Astrid's heart. "Astrid, please, tell me his name."
"Lukas," she choked out. "I named him after you."
Before he was pulled out of sight, an expression of joy mixed with something she did not anticipate, thwarted Loki's beautiful features. For the first time since he began this war, she suspected, Loki felt regret.
