The Memory Casket

Chapter 4: Of Moles and Men

Frigga slowly pulled back the dagger just enough that Loki – or the man pretending to be Loki – could answer without injuring himself. A pinprick of blood was left behind, not enough to drip.

He swallowed once, twice, his throat barely avoiding the blade as it bobbed. Frigga did not even blink. He glanced down at the dagger, then back up at her. "And here I thought you were the nice one."

Frigga didn't react, and didn't relent. If this were her Loki, she knew what the reaction from him meant – it was a stalling tactic, while he decided how to respond. "I asked you a question. And I expect an answer."

"Then I'll-"

Frigga's eyes stayed on the man in the red tunic, while his eyes looked off to the door to her left, where Thor had just entered.

Thor started forward but quickly halted. "What did he do?" he asked.

"Nothing. Stay where you are," she said quietly, intending to resolve the dilemma she knew Thor was facing – his desire to step in to restrain Loki in case he'd become violent, and his fear that if he did step in and Loki lashed out she could be accidentally hurt. "I am still waiting. Do not try my patience."

"I…you're right. I'm not him," he said, his focus slowly shifting back to the more immediate threat. "I was paid," he said, then gave a nervous laugh. "Not nearly enough for this."

"Who paid you?" Frigga asked.

"Loki."

"What madness are you speaking now, Loki? Mother, let me get him back to his cell. This is too much of a risk."

"No," Frigga and the captive said at the same time. "Not yet," she added. "Explain yourself." The dagger was still in place, perhaps two fingers' width from the man's flesh.

"I…he came to me. Found me. On Vanaheim. Said I looked just like him, or almost. He changed my appearance a little to more closely match his. He said these three people were after him, and they might come after me. I was to be a decoy, to help him escape to deeper hiding. All I had to do was go along with the ruse, pretend to be him for a few days. He didn't tell me he might nearly get killed by his overzealous brother who carries a giant hammer around with him. You wrecked my home," he added as an aside, his eyes again finding Thor for a moment with an expression of annoyance that looked all too familiar. "He didn't say anything about 'punished-and-not-lightly.' So…now that you've figured it all out… It was the sister, wasn't it? There is no sister."

"There is no sister," Frigga confirmed. The false Loki looked vaguely disappointed in himself. She lowered the dagger and stepped back. She wouldn't have used it, especially when she hadn't been sure. Not when she still wasn't. How many times had Loki looked her right in the eye and lied? How many times had she turned a blind eye and believed, because it was easier that way. Because she loved him.

"Well, the scam is over, best of luck finding the real Loki. Good to see what a heartwarming welcome he'll find here. I'm sorry to have troubled you. Can I go home now?" the imposter asked, his lips pushing up into a hopeful smile, his eyebrows similarly lifting.

Frigga hesitated. There was no light in his eyes for her, no evidence even of the distant, reserved affection he'd shown her over the two years of his imprisonment. But physically he looked exactly like Loki.

"Mother," Thor said, stepping forward again, and when Frigga looked his way she realized Eir had returned, but had been hidden behind Thor in the doorway. "You cannot trust him. You know what a talented liar he is. He nearly killed his guards, and now he's trying to simply talk his way into another escape. His appearance may be odd, but I know my brother. This is Loki."

And I know my son, and this is not Loki, Frigga thought.

"Killed? I…no. No, I'm not taking the blame for killing anyone," the imposter said, his eyes now flitting between Thor and the door just beyond him.

"You fret over three you nearly killed now? You killed over a thousand on Midgard, Loki. And we'll never know exactly how many you killed in your attempt to destroy Jotunheim," Thor accused, his temper threatening to burst through the dam of his self-control.

Frigga thought at first Loki's – the imposter's – face reflected disbelief. But it quickly transformed to an expression of horror. The skin around his eyes was pulled especially taut, making lines that weren't normally there, and his jaw fell slightly open. Frigga felt tears coming to her eyes, because this, precisely this, was what she'd wanted to see on her son's face all along – some realization, comprehension, of what horrific, cruel things he'd done, to see him show some emotion, any emotion over it, any reaction other than smug self-satisfaction and regret that he hadn't had more success. And here it was. Exactly what she'd longed for. On the face of a complete stranger who could be Loki's identical twin.

"No," he was saying – it had started as a mumble and developed into a word, repeated again and again. "No, no, no, no. This is…no. I won't carry this burden. It isn't mine to bear. You must let me leave. I didn't do this," he insisted, his breaths growing louder, heavier, faster, his hand clenched around the strap of his bag.

"There is a way to test it," Eir said, stepping more fully out from behind Thor.

"Yes?" Frigga asked, eyes immediately fixed on Asgard's First Healer. Yes, of course! Of course, there must be.

"The mole, Your Majesty."

Frigga stared blankly for a moment. Mole…?

"It's been so long. Have you forgotten, my queen? May I…?"

"Please," Frigga said with a nod. She had trusted Eir with their family's deepest secret, and with her boys' lives more than once. If Eir had a test in mind, Frigga would allow it without question.

"Turn around, Loki. Or…whatever your true name is," Eir directed.

The dark-haired man regarded Eir for a moment in silence. "I don't think I care to turn my back to the brute with the hammer or the friendly woman with the dagger," he finally said, wiping the back of his left hand over his throat and glancing at the tiny smear of drying blood that came away.

"As long as you make no sudden moves, you have my word as the queen of Asgard that you won't be harmed."

The stranger with Loki's face hesitated a moment longer, then nodded and turned.

Eir came closer until she stood next to Frigga, facing the imposter's back. "Lower your pants."

Frigga's surprise registered on her face, but she'd already schooled it away by the time the false Loki whirled around, his face full of outrage.

"You must be jesting. I will do no such thing."

"Be calm. Loki has a small mole on his left cheek. If you show us that you don't have it, we'll know you aren't him. I can ask the others to leave; I have been Loki's healer all his life and I am the only one who needs to see."

The imposter clenched his jaw so tightly Frigga saw the muscles tremble. He looked angry, and his breaths were again audible.

"My queen, Prince Thor, would you give us some privacy, please?" Eir asked when Loki did not respond.

Frigga turned to go and caught Thor staring in confusion.

"You people are insane!" Loki, or not-Loki, abruptly shouted. "I told you, Loki changed my appearance to match his. He was thorough. I do have a mole, because he gave it to me. It doesn't mean I'm him, I swear it. Can I please just leave here? I don't know anything about these-"

"Hush, Loki," Frigga said softly, her eyes moistening, though the tears from before did not quite return. "Eir, there's a small cut on my son's neck. Would you please take care of it?" Disappointment weighed on her like blocks of stone, and she stared at the marbled floor, unable to lift her eyes to Loki. How many times can I let him do this to me? She took a deep breath to try to help settle her feelings. As many as it takes. She lifted her head.

"It's fully healed, my prince," Eir said, bringing her hand away from Loki's neck.

Loki then sagged back against the wall Frigga had pinned him to earlier. "The mole," he said, then began to laugh, a sound thoroughly lacking in happiness. "You tricked me again. If I had dropped my pants…"

"I knew you wouldn't," Eir said in her usual calm, even, matter-of-fact voice. "I already knew you were Loki. I've treated you from the very beginning. I have healed your ribs before, Prince Loki. More than once. I know every bone and muscle and tendon in your body as well as I know your face. It was your mother who needed to be convinced."

Frigga glanced at Eir in surprise, then away again, back at Loki. She was right. She hadn't wanted to believe that Loki could show such a complete lack of feeling toward her. They were Loki's eyes…they simply looked at her as though she were a stranger.

"Thor," she began, pausing to swallow heavily, "you may take him to his cell now. I'll come see you in a little while, Loki. Heimdall said you were having dinner. It's nearly daybreak now here. I'll bring you some breakfast."

His expression impenetrable, Thor came forward and clasped one hand around Loki's arm, and the other around the chain connecting Loki's wrists.

Loki started forward with Thor compliantly; he seemed to be almost in a state of shock.

Frigga's eyes fell to the dark green bag that still hung from Loki's right hand. "Thor, wait. Have you searched that bag?"

/

Hugs to you all! Thanks for your comments and questions and favorites and follows and simply for reading. Next up, in Chapter 5, "Mine": Like Tony Stark, Loki doesn't much like it when people take his stuff.