Eighth chapter now up. I have to admit, considering everything that was going on in this chapter, I thought it was going to be a lot harder to write, but it came out surprisingly well. It was a lot of fun to do, and I hope everyone enjoys reading it just as much.
Hmm, I don't think I own Thor. Nope, still don't. Glad that's taken care of.
Chapter 8: Harsh Truths
Loki stared at the three large frost giants in the throne room, narrowing his eyes at them. His family looked over at him in concern, but he didn't pay them much mind. A large man, along with a child and a woman starting at him strangely were standing there so brazenly. Just what was going on?
Odin cleared his throat, bringing attention back to himself. He was staring coldly at the frost giants.
"I am happy for your talk of peace," he said simply. "King Laufey saw the wisdom of it, and I have no desire for war either. I will grant it to you. Our old treaty will stand once more. We will not approach the others border, nor will I permit my people to take the lives of yours if I have the same promise of you."
"Of course," Helblindi stated. "I more than agree with your words. But I was hoping for further terms in order to-"
"Our old terms will stand," he said firmly, slamming his spear on the ground suddenly, the loud sound echoing in the large hall. A dark expression was on his face and he was regarding the frost siblings with less than a favorable expression. "If you had desired more, perhaps a more diplomatic party would have been advisable, King Helblindi. However, I do not consider the attack on my guards nor unkind words towards my sons to be favorable to your later words."
Helblindi took a step back as if he'd been struck and frowned.
"Yes, I understand," he said softly. "We will of course take your treaty. Do not take this unkindly when I say I hope we do not see each other again."
"I will not," Odin replied. "Now go. This meeting is over."
Loki watched the woman open her mouth to say something, but a quick glare from the man silenced her. Several more guards arrived, surrounding the giants. Turning, the three left slowly, all of them looking incredibly bitter. His eyes locked with them as they passed, each of them looking at him with a different expression on their face as they regarded him. The man and child seemed only curious as they passed, but the woman was watching him for as long as she could before they finally exited and he could no longer see them.
"Who were those people?" he asked immediately as he made his way towards his family. "There were frost giants here and no one informed me?"
"We didn't think it best under the circumstances," Frigga explained. "And we were right. It wouldn't have been the best for anything."
"Why? Who were they?" he asked. "There was speak of peace treaties?"
"Their new king, Helblindi, came here to talk of peace," Odin said. "I gave it to them. Whatever other reason they were here for is irrelevant now. They'll be sent back, and the path they used to get to Asgard will be sealed. Helblindi may have desired peace, but that girl he brought with him was radiating of blood lust. Letting her stay her for a single moment longer would have been foolish. I had no desire to have her blood on any of my soldier's hands."
Loki looked between the three of them, feeling as if he wasn't being told something. Odin seemed to sense the unease and clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"Come," he said. "I'll explain everything to you."
Loki was led away, feeling confusion rise in his chest as they walked. For several moments there was an uncomfortable silence, but he said nothing to break it. He gave his father time to collect his thoughts and was only when they reached a small garden did Odin finally stop walking and looked at the younger god.
"I did not think it wise to let them dally here," he explained. "Whatever they said, I do not think peace talks would have gone over well with them. The treaty of peace they accepted last time was after a lost war. They took what they could get. The attacks from them are still fresh, and I have nothing more than the word of that man he wanted such a thing. Words I had heard before from Laufey, and I did not find very moving with his sister leaking hate out of every word she spoke and movement she made."
"His sister?" Loki asked.
Odin sighed.
"They claimed they were the children of Laufey," he said, not surprised by the widening eyes of his son.
"You mean... they are... those three were my..." Loki couldn't force the word past his lips.
"It would see so," Odin answered. "Of course, Laufey never knew that I had rescued you. I'm sure to the day he died he that thought you, his son, had died of starvation in that temple. I am not surprised he never thought to check, nor cared what had happened to you. Of course, it only seems sensible that he would have desired another heir."
"Did you know?" Loki asked.
The Allfather shook his head.
"I can assure that I did not," he answered the boy honestly. "If I had known you had more family out there-"
"They aren't my family," Loki said coldly. "We may possibly share blood, but that doesn't make them family." Something like that should have been obvious by now. He had no connection with the frost giants that he desired to have, and they had none to him. If Laufey had thought him dead, he doubted he spent time mourning his lost child or speaking to the others about him. He doubted very much they even knew of his existence or relation to them.
"My son, will you be okay?" Odin asked. "This seems to have shaken you."
"No, I'm alright," he said earnestly. "This changes nothing. As you said, the path will be closed, and they'll stay to their own realm. The knowledge of who they are does not matter."
Smiling reassuringly at his father, he excused himself as politely as he could as not to worry him. Perhaps the realization that he did have siblings had shocked him, but honestly, it was not the blow he would have thought it would have been. Learning about Laufey had been enough of a surprise, and he was getting too used to it to get very worked up anymore.
Leaving the garden, he made his way out of the palace and down the roads. Pushing the strange revelation from his mind, he made the decision to head to the healing room, where he had been heading before he had heard the ruckus happening inside of the palace.
#-#
The scream from Helblindi caused both Sinmara and Byleistr to jump back in shock before he spun towards them, anger burning hotly in his red eyes. Sinmara, weakened by the second trip back to their home realm, didn't even know what was happening before it was too late as he backhanded her across the face, throwing her roughly to the ground as her jaw throbbed in pain.
She looked up at her brother, shocked, but she didn't even get a word out before he screamed again.
"YOU DELUSIONAL, PATHETIC FOOL!" he screamed, his voice carrying clearly over the howling wind. "YOU RUINED EVERYTHING! WE COULD HAVE HAD PEACE, AN ALLIANCE! DO YOU THINK I RISKED EVERYTHING TO HAVE YOU THROW IT AWAY?"
"Brother, what-"
"DON'T!" he yelled, cutting her off as she cowered. "You... you ruined it. Your stupid need for blood. Your desire to cause war! We're lucky the Allfather only forced us to leave and not have your head for your mouth! Insulting Thor and Loki! Were you mad?"
If he actually wanted an answer, she didn't seem to answer him in time, too shocked by being hit before he suddenly grabbed her arm and yanked her up harshly.
"It is over," he hissed in her face. "We have peace. A fragile, weak treaty, but still peace. I will not have my home ruined by war. I will not have you kill our race for your petty need for revenge for something that did not even happen to you. I thought once there even you would see it, the difference between them and us... but all you wanted was to hate. But enough is enough. I will hear no more talk of it, from you or anyone else. Spread the word to your little followers, and if they have a problem with it, I will see to their worries myself by burying them into the ground where the concerns of the living no longer affect them. And you, you will be thoroughly punished for being so stupid, do you understand me?"
Again, she was given no time to answer, shoved back to the ground roughly. She grunted as she landed on the hard ground and looked up from where she was sprawled out to see Helblindi scoop Byleistr up along with their bags and make way back to the city.
She stared at the ground, shaking a little, and it was not for a very long time that she pushed herself up to follow them, her chest tight, and long after they had probably reached home.
#-#
The healing room was crowded when Loki arrived, women bustling around, some of them carrying books, some of them cleaning the area and straightening things. In the middle of it all stood Eir, directing their actions and ordering them. She looked up immediately when Loki walked in, handing a book to another woman and smiled warmly at the god.
"I had a feeling you would be here eventually," she said as she walked over to him. "You will please excuse the mess. I've been up all night reading. Never again will I be able to scold Sigyn for leaving her books around when something catches her fancy."
"No, I knew what you were doing," Loki replied. "Sigyn herself told me last night you were researching. Is it about what I think it was about?"
"Ah, you've caught me red handed," she informed. "As clever and as fast as always. Yes, I was looking into your... condition. Trying to find a similar case really."
"I thought you said it was a lost cause," he stated.
"I'm afraid I might be right too," she said. "I found nothing, and I can't say I expected to. Still, you seemed so frustrated over the news of what had happened to you, it would have been irresponsible of me not to give it some effort to find an answer."
"But it's only been one night," Loki said. "You couldn't have possibly gone through too many books yet."
"No, I haven't," she told him honestly. "And I will tell you the truth, I do intend to keep searching, but it may be some time before anything is found, if I ever find anything at all."
Perhaps she was trying to ease the fact there was little hope to him, but he appreciated her efforts anyway. The fact she was willing to look at all did reassure him. Maybe she was right, and there was no hope, but he didn't believe it. There had to be something that could be done, and he trusted this age old healer to be able to help him. It would have been easy for her to stick by her first diagnosis, that nothing could be done for him, but she was instead searching for an answer, and he was grateful even if it did seem folly.
"Would it be wrong to assume you have been looking for an answer yourself?" she asked him.
"Only a little," he stated. "Things have been busy, and experimenting has taken second place it seems."
"Well, don't push yourself too hard," she informed him. "I don't think I need to waste my breath informing you how dangerous it could be to your health if something unexpected were to happen."
"I'll keep caution in mind," he assured her. "For now though, if you don't have anything for me, I think I'll take my leave."
"Yes, of course, Prince Loki," she said before going back to another pile of books. "Have a nice day."
Turning to leave, he was almost out when the door opened and he saw Sigyn standing there. Her eyes and mouth widened in surprise, and he might have found it comical if the memories of what had happened last night were not still so crisp in his mind.
"Excuse me," he said, moving past her quickly.
"Wait! Loki!" she cried, grabbing his arm to keep him from leaving.
He arched an eyebrow at her, frowning.
"What do you want?" he hissed.
She wilted under the tone, seeing how angry he really was.
"I'm sorry," she said. "I talked to Theoric. He never should have said those awful things. He's just too protective of me."
"Perhaps he's right. Perhaps you should stay away from me," he muttered.
She frowned at him.
"Loki, I know I do not seem it, but I am not a fool. If you had ever intended to hurt me you would have already. After what you've been through you need people by your side, not being pushed away. And I'm not going to let you push me away so you can... can... SULK!"
Once again, her daring surprised him. It shouldn't have. When had she not been completely frank with him?
"I'm not sulking," he muttered, looking away.
"Prove it then," she said. "I have this afternoon free. Spend some time with me. You said we could be friends. I don't want some poorly thought out comment from my future husband to cause you to change your mind. I meant it when I said I wished to spend time with you."
Loki wished he could stay mad. He wished he could walk away from her and leave her just outside of the healing room. He wished the honest way she spoke so evenly with him didn't affect him like it did, that urged him to believe her so well. There had to be something wrong with him, to be this affected by someone who was not family nor even knew him all that well.
"Very well," he found himself saying. "I will meet you at your home after the second sun rises, okay?"
She nodded happily.
"I'll be looking forward to it," she said before gripping his hands in hers. "And again, I truly am sorry. I promise Theoric won't say such careless things again."
At that moment, he couldn't have given a damn what Theoric thought about him, but he didn't say that to her. He wasn't entirely sure why he even felt that way now, but it seemed best not to state it out loud. Watching her smile and go into the healing house, he looked down at his hands that felt a little unnaturally warm before shaking his head and leaving.
That woman was so damn confusing at times, and it irritated him because she was so simple. She shouldn't have confused him with her forward way of talking or her kind demeanor. She should have been obvious, transparent to him who had manipulated people so often based on how they acted and what course he knew they would take. Someone like her should have been easy to deal with.
So why wasn't she?
Why did her smile always seem so disarming? Why could he feel completely at ease with her one moment and be totally surprised by her the next? Why was such a simple, foolish... and kind girl able to shatter his defenses so easily.
"I'm being a fool," he whispered softly to himself.
It was only because of everything that had been happening lately. The whole mess with finding out his true heritage, Thor getting banished and their fight, being sick, having the damned casket stuck inside of him, and now learning he had younger siblings of all things that probably didn't even know he existed as a frost giant, much less as kin. It had been too much. He was letting himself get caught off guard. His life had been a crazy spiral that had been one surprise after another. That was all.
He firmly told himself she had nothing to do with it, and that it was all in his head.
#-#
"Loki?"
"Be quiet for a moment."
Thor looked on in confusion when his brother held one of Thor's hands tightly in his own. He had just walked up to him and suddenly grabbed it without a word, like a child wanting attention but too stubborn to ask for it. After a moment, Loki let go and stared at his own hand, frowning.
"Nothing," he muttered. "Nothing at all."
"What are you talking about?" Thor asked.
Loki glanced up at him, dropping his hand and shaking his head.
"Nothing," he said. "Don't worry about it."
He gave his younger brother a look before shaking his head. A mystery as always. He should have been used to it by now.
"Is this about the frost giants that were here earlier?" he asked tentatively.
"What?" Loki asked. "No, of course not. I... It was something strange is all. Someone touched me earlier... on accident really. It felt warm... much too warm to be natural. If felt wrong. I thought it might have had something to do with the casket."
"And now you're just randomly grabbing people to see if the same thing happens?" he asked, but his tone was not mocking. He seemed honestly concerned and curious.
"I wanted to see if it happened again," Loki explained. "I guess it didn't. I didn't feel anything. You're not overly hot."
"I have many who would disagree with you," Thor replied with a smirk.
"You need to go back to Foster," Loki said simply. "I think you're going too long without female companionship."
"I definitely agree. Which is why you must come with me to the Observatory. Things are already running late with those frost giants showing up. We both have work to do."
The gate. Loki had nearly forgotten about that.
"I'll help you," Loki said. "But only for a few hours. I have to meet someone."
"Oh? Who is it?"
"Sigyn. She wanted to spend some time with me today. I agreed to meet with her later on."
"The healer again? You seem to be getting very familiar with her."
"She wants to be friends," he explained. "She's also being very insistent upon it. I don't especially mind I guess. She's kind enough, and it's someone new to talk to."
"Are you sure a pretty woman like that is only interested in friendship?" Thor asked.
Loki ground his teeth, remembering the conversation he had had with Fandral just last night.
"Trust me," he said. "I'm sure."
"Well, if you plan on ducking out early, we'll have to make sure you work doubly hard," he informed his brother, not seeming to notice the dark mood Loki had suddenly fell under as he led him along. "We have a lot of work to do, and I'm eager to get started."
"Yes, I understand," Loki said as they walked along.
End of Chapter 8
Hmm, short chapter is short. Honestly, there were a lot of scenes that I wanted to do, but a lot of them really didn't have much happening, so even jumping around, there's not too much to this chapter. A whole page shorter than what I usually do.
I almost feel a little bad for Helblindi. He certainly doesn't have it easy. And with his sister's attitude, it was bound to be ten times harder. And of course, a man of honor or not, he's still a frost giant. It was only a matter of time before he put Sinmara in her place. Considering she pretty much blew it with her actions, him being so pissed off is fairly reasonable. Not nice people all around, no.
