Chapter 3
Jalan landed with a solid thuwmp, her large golden body low to the ground as she looked about wary for where her son could be, but she need not look far for he was less than a tail span from her. He was looming over something, eyes strangely focused, body taught, yes, but not aggressive. She tilted her head only slightly and blinked as she saw a dark being laid out on its side, hands shackled together and in a dead faint slowly, she took her human form, naked save for the liquid gold that covered the important bits and random patches of her flesh. She walked slowly toward them, keeping herself within his line of sight.
It would not be the first time her son has attacked her, last time he nearly tore her tail off and it was not something she wished to repeat ever again. He startled when she placed a hand on his massive head, snarling at her eyes wild and filled with bloodlust.
"Now, now... enough you've gorged yourself enough this night..." she scolded softly, glancing at the bodies around her, three of them giants and shockingly free of her son's mauling. Surely they were dead, but the marks on them suggested weapons and not claws or fangs. "I've told you time and again not to fest on the flesh of Men. Cattle, lambs, fowl, but never Men."
He growled low at her, blood and bits of bone and brain matter dripping down his jaws, pieces of flesh and organs caught between his fangs.
"You will develop a taste for it and I will not have you slaughtering our Clutch for your hunger." She hissed in reprimand and he stepped forward all rage and aggression, she took a step back, eyes wide. "Thor!"
He did not respond to his name. The night was only a waxing Half Moon, he was not that far into his Rage, or rather he shouldn't be. He made to move once more, but then the body beneath him let out a soft moan, shifting slightly but over all it didn't stir into waking. Thor turned to it and it sniffed along it before whining softly, a worried whine. Jalan was, for the second time this night, stunned. Her son, the monster she created was concerned. Slowly moving forward, she reached out a slightly taloned hand, brushing the thick mane upon his head.
"Shh, shh... hush now, my baby..." she cooed, low and gentle, seductive enough to quiet her distressed Hatchling. A few strokes, a brushing of her claws against the flesh under the fur made him shiver and calm, laying down and wiggling slightly, trying to get close to the figure on the floor, but afraid he would frighten it. Leaning down so he was kneeling over it, she held her hand aloft, the gold liquid rushing to cover her arm and with her internal fire, she made it glow enough to light up the area. And indeed before them was young creature with skin that was blue and a long mane of hair as black as raven wings. "Ooh, a pretty little thing..."
Thor grumbled in agreement, shifting once more to get close, nosing at the being's thigh.
"Well you did save it, we shall take the poor thing home, yes?" She asked and Thor jumped up looking excited and even purred, a very rare occurance. Nodding she allowed the liquid gold to slide completely over her frame, but didn't transform. The glow covered her whole body, making the area shine like it was day and allowed her to see the remains of the poor sods in black and silver armor. Her son was not kind to them and that made pleasure pool low in her belly. Turning her attention to the blue creature, she carefully picked it up into her arms and turned to walk back toward home. Thor on her heels, huffing and purring low as he nosed at the waterfall of black hair that was decorated in precious jewels and gold...
Frigga looked up from her sewing when the doors to their mansion opened and gasped seeing Jalan carrying a young Frostling in her arms behind her was Thor. She paled and almost fainted seeing the creature her son became at night in the house, but the large beast slipped around the Demoness and through a side door where his personal Mud Room was. Jalan shook her head and moved to the living room where her Golden mate sat.
"Jalan..." Frigga gasped out, still pale and short of breath, her fine breasts rising and falling rapidly.
The Demoness looked up from those plump breasts to her mate's face and crooned low, the sound fused with mild magic to sooth frazzled nerves and to slow frantic hearts. When Frigga seemed to be calming, she carefully laid her burden on the sofa and knelt before the Golden Queen in exile.
"Ferrod Rumag... be at ease..."
"He'sinthehouse! HowamItobeatease!?" She squeaked out so fast it sounded like nonsense, but Jalan was use to listening to the nonsensical chatter of Hatchlings all day from her Clutch mates offspring, she was able to discern what Frigga meant and smiled softly, if not a bit wryly.
"Yes, our Kepesk Xurwkar is in the house. He's gorged himself well this night on some poor Men in black and silver armor. Three more like this one were there, dead, but not by the doings of our child." Jalan waved at the Frostling who did not stir more than a weak whine. "Seemed to protect it, whined and purred at it."
Frigga gaped unladylike and awed before snapping her jaws shut and looking to the Frostling, "But he is a Jotun... what is he doing here? The BiFrost has been sealed from Jotunheim's access..."
"Were we found this one there was the pulse of magic... A small clearing and a cave, the magic seemed to flow from it." Jalan told her, eyes going distant as she used her far sight to trace her path back to the cave. "A natural path made of ancient and permanent magic... The bodies still remain, their masks strange, faces with seamless lips and eye sockets completely black. Ears like the Elves. They reeked of death and darkness."
"Dark Elves..." Frigga growled low. "And Thor gorged himself on them?"
"Yes." Jalan nodded.
"Good." She preened, looking as blood drunk as Thor normally looks after a blood bath. It was a look that mad Jalan want to ravish the golden queen, but she refrained.
A low growl behind her made her turn, crouching defensively between the unconscious Jotun and her mate. But both were stunned to see human Thor standing before them in nothing more than torn breeches, but it was obviously the Beast in control still for the black oozing lines on his body stood out, his eyes were still white on red and his fangs were too large for his mouth. His hands and feet were blacked with long deadly talons tipping his fingers and toes and Thor stood on the balls of his feet like an animal standing on its hind quarters. His hair was messy, wet from washing the blood and gore out of it, even his teeth looked freshly cleaned.
So it seemed to some degree the Beast was also Man enough to adjust its appearance to appeal to those it normally deems meals. All but the Clutch. Snarling again, Thor stepped into the room, claws twitching as his eyes looked form Jalan to the Jotun, growling low in warning for her to back away from what was his. She gave a low growl, reprimanding him, but he bared his teeth in a silent growl, making her flinch.
"Jalan..." Frigga whispered, grabbing her elbow.
Jalan slowly eased out of her defensive stance and moved so she stood protectively over Frigga.
"Thor... who is this?" Frigga asked him, pretend he was not a monster in human flesh.
"Mine..." He grunted, voice rough and guttural, more animal than human. "This one... smells like Mine..."
She nodded and slowly stood, waiting for him to acknowledge she was about to move and when he focused on her, she moved to the Jotun's side and knelt down. Stilling when he two two long strides to be by the sofa as well, looming over her menacingly. She waited him out and when he relaxed she held out a single hand, the shimmer of soft rosy magic covered her hand as she touched the soft blue face. Gasping as the young man's memories rushed through her mind. She held on for as long as she could and then she pulled away falling into Jalan's arms as Thor crouched before them, his face mere inches from hers, eyes locked onto hers.
"He's the Jotun Prince... his people were attacked, possibly dead... The Dark Elves want him for some reason... He's alone and in need of sanctuary." She gasped out. "Those chains... they repress his magic, make him weak, sick..."
Thor growled and turned to look at the chains, turning he grabbed hold of them and began to squeeze. There was a creak and then a sharp snap as the cuffs broke under his hands, easing them off the thin wrists, he tossed them to the floor and examined the wrists. Pleased he did not damage his pretty one, he sat himself down and rested his chin on the sofa, purring contentedly knowing that his pretty one was safe.
Jalan picked up Frigga and carried her out of the room, it seemed Thor was content enough to stay still for the night. She will warn the others to not enter the living room until after sunrise, just in case he deemed them threats...
Loki moaned weakly as bright golden light struck his face. He turned to press his face into his pillow, trying to hide from the light. Sighing as he found a dark spot to hide in, he kept sleeping, maybe for another 10 minutes. Lord knows his mother would be in shortly to pull him out of bed by his ankles again and he would grab the headboard of his bed and hold on until she either slipped on the smooth ice or her back cracked and she had no choice but to put his feet down. It was something of a daily routine for them. After which he would pop his head up and she would huff, call him a brat and threaten to eat all the pudding.
Smiling in his sleep, Loki snuggled into the bedding, slowly counting off the minutes, his hands slowly reaching for the headboard in preparation for his mother's arrival. When ten minutes passed and he was not grabbed, he frowned. Was his mother sick? It rarely happened, but she hasn't been sick since he went on his first hunt. Slowly opening his eyes, he blinked when he was not met with the snowflake lace bed sheet he slept with over his fur blanket. No instead he was met with a crème sheet and a brown quilt draped over him.
Slowly sitting up he realized that this was not his bed, but a sofa and even then this was not his room or even his home. The wooden floors, bright reds, yellows and deep browns that decorated the room were beautiful, but not something that decorated the Halls of Ymir Keep. There were trinkets and random baubles that were not of Jotunheim decent and even then the person sleeping at his side was definitely not his mother!
"Who are you!? Where am I!?" He yelped shoving the person away only to gasp when said man snapped from sleeping to instant alert, catching hold of his wrist and yanking him from the sofa and onto the carpeted floor, pinning him down under him.
Storm blue eyes glared into ruby and crimson reds, perfectly straight, white teeth bared down at him as the stranger panted and then blinked before slowly backing up. It was a moment later that the doors opened up and Loki could see others like the man standing there, gaping before suddenly they had weapons out and were rushing forward, pulling the man off him and standing between them, their weapons aimed at him.
"What your doing to our brother in arms, Jotun!?" A woman demanded.
"Wh- what?" He gasped and then blinked and then frowned, "Excuse me, but I didn't do anything! He attacked me!"
"What is going on?" Thor wondered, rubbing his temples as he felt a headache coming. "And please stop shouting..."
"Alright all of you put those down and leave the young Civip Kethend alone." Jalan spoke up, walking into the room as the four holding weapons gaped at her. "Now!"
They flinched as they did as told.
"Forgive them, Civip Kethend, they do not mean any harm." Jalan smiled at him. "Kepesk Xurwkar, what do you remember from last night..."
Thor blinked dumbly before he closed his eyes, seeming to center himself as he began talking int the deep rumbles of the Draconian tongue. His brow scrunched up a bit as his face looked pinched and then he snapped his eyes open and looked at Loki as he breathed out the strange name the woman gave him.
"Excuse me..." Loki spoke up, flinching when all eyes turned to him. "But what is happening? Where are my guards?"
"The three Men who look like you? Dead. Killed by the smaller Men, the Dark Elves." Jalan shrugged carelessly.
Loki gasped, feeling his eyes water, "So I'm not dreaming... this is happening... this really happened..."
He fell to his knees then and began to cry. It startled the others, Thor not liking that the young Frostling was in tears, his inner monster was roaring at him to kill whoever hurt their Pretty One! Thor quickly shoved passed Sif and Hogun, dropping to his knees and pulling the sobbing Jotun into his arms. Loki didn't care who was holding only glad to feel another being there with him. He sobbed for his guards, for his destroyed home and possibly dead family. Thor didn't like this and after rooting through his foggy mind he found something he thought would cease the tears. He's learned from his mother that the Jotuns speak a dialect of Elvish and has taught it to him so he carefully pulled Loki from his shoulder, cupping his cheeks as the young prince looked at him with teary eyes.
"Amin ona amin quenat ar' fea a' lle. Ere' leithe iire lle caela n'uma anta ten' amin ri' i' Seldarine sana amin. Sina amin vesta." he told him fervently, his hold steady and firm, but gentle as his eyes conveyed his conviction.
Loki was shocked, to be perfectly honest not many knew his people's language, especially after their exile from the other Realms, but this man spoke it clearly and with a near perfect accent. But at the same time, the shock was due to a virtual stranger offering his body and soul to his service, to be his sword and shield until Loki deemed it fit to release him from his self made servitude or death claimed the man. He had no other choice really but to say:
"Amin lava lle tu- amin." Loki whispered, a flash of golden light appearing between them.
When it faded a golden cuff appeared on Loki's right wrist, connecting to a strong chain that connected to a ring that sat on his middle finger. On Thor's throat a golden collar appeared and when Loki moved his hand he could see shimmer of magic that connected the collar the ring, effectively creating a leash that could be as long or short as he wish it to be and allowed Thor to always know where he was and to quickly find him.
As this happened the Warriors Three and Sif all gasped and tried to stop it, but Jalan's warning growl stilled them. But now seeing the collar, they were ready to strike the Jotun Mage down, however Lady Frigga walking into the room from the kitchens stilled them.
"Oh good, you've entered a binding contract." She smiled, bright and all knowing. "I do not need to convince you nor explain it."
"I... I..." Loki blushed.
"It is fine, young Prince." Frigga nodded. "Thor is very much aware of what he as done and knows the conditions of entering such a contract with you. He is yours until you wish him free or the Norns take him to Valhalla."
"You're fine with this!?" Thor's friends looked panicked.
"Thor started it. His highness had choice but to accept. Well he could have refused, but Thor would have pressed for him to accept." Frigga shrugged. "I only weave the Norns' Will. I have no control over what they wish to do."
The four friends did not like this, but they had no choice but to accept. Seeing that there would be no further arguments, Frigga smiled and helped Loki to his feet as Thor stood and left to get fully dressed for the day. Loki was so confused and the queen could see it so she tugged him along to her tea room, which was really a greenhouse, ordering a servant to bring breakfast to the room for everyone.
"I know you are confused, young one, but there is no need to fear, I shall explain all I can to you and I wish to know why you are here and if possible offer you aid to return home..." She told him.
"Thank you... but... Who are you, my Lady?" Loki wondered.
"I'm Frigga of Vanaheim." She told him.
"Lady Frigga." he bowed his head. "Prince Loki of Jotunheim."
She smiled brightly, she has seen him in her weavings the Runt Prince, a treasure to his people and the main catalyst in the war to come. She had seen meany things, all good and terrible. She would give him a gentle pushes, coaxing prods towards an outcome that does not involve his or her son's death. Preferably an outcome that ends with her having grandchildren to dote on and spoil...
