A/N: Howdy, friends! I've split this week's instalment into two parts as I'm going away to London on Tuesday and won't be updating next week. I didn't get the full chapter finished in time to update yesterday, but I'd rather leave y'all with something to read before I head off. That means the next part of this chapter will arrive when I'm home. My thanks as always to the kind folks who are still reading this dramatic-ass trash. It means a lot and I'll see y'all soon 3
Enjoy another chapter!
CHAPTER 10: PLEASE STAY (PART 1)
Playlist: "Chapter 7: New Beginnings" — Austin Wintory, "Odin Confesses" — Patrick Doyle
Ellie couldn't remember the last time she and Loki had sped back to the castle in such genuine distress. Firstly, they were panicking considering Odin knew and he was obviously less than impressed with them. The threats he had made about sending Ellie away had her on the verge of tears. With nowhere else to turn and no idea as to what the Allfather would do, the couple ran to the only support they had.
Once in the palace, they lay in waiting outside the royal chambers, for they knew Odin was already inside informing Frigga of all that happened both on Jotunheim and in the Observatory. They agreed to avoid Odin for the moment, and hid in the shadows when he emerged from their quarters and quickly took his leave. With the coast clear, the pair swiftly slipped into the room, only to find Frigga pacing up and down with silent tears streaming down her cheeks. At the sight of her youngest son and his partner, she let out a sigh of relief and rushed to meet them. Loki didn't hesitate in wrapping his arms around his mother and pulling her into a hug, after which Ellie received her own hug from the Allmother.
"Are you both alright?" she asked, visibly worried.
"We're okay," Ellie reassured her as she pulled away. "We're not hurt. But Thor—"
"Odin told me," she said, a wave of despair passing over her face. "I have already expressed my contempt for the situation. I cannot believe he would chose banishment, and I cannot believe Thor would chose to do something so destructive as invading Jotunheim."
"We did not think he would be banished," Loki agreed, hanging his head. "But what can be done? Can Father bring him back?"
"He says he cannot. He told me that although he grieves, Thor's fate is in his own hands."
"What d'you mean?" Ellie asked in confusion. "Thor is just stuck wherever the hell he was sent?"
Loki's brow furrowed. "Where did Father send him?"
"Midgard," Frigga answered and shook her head. "Lost and alone without his powers… Completely reliant on his own ability to get himself home."
Ellie's heart fluttered at the thought of Thor never finding his way back. "So nothin' can be done?"
With gentle care, the Allmother gently cupped the young woman's face in her hands. "No, little one. Though I wish there was something we could do."
Unable to hold back the stress and worry that had consumed her from the strenuous day, the mortal's eyes welled up until tears were flowing and couldn't be stopped. She felt Loki by her side in an instant, wrapping an arm around her waist and making soothing noises in an attempt to calm her down.
Frigga, ever the observant mother, noticed that something was amiss. "This is not just about Thor… Is it?"
After a few beats of silence, Loki spoke quietly. "Odin knows."
No further explanation was needed apparently, for the Queen's face fell. "How?"
"He figured it out in the Observatory while sending Thor away. Without thinking, Ellie and I moved to protect each other, and he just knew."
"He threatened to send me away," Ellie choked out, finally giving into her emotions. "He… He said he'd deal with me later. My Queen, please, I don't want'a go away. This is my home, I don't have anywhere else—"
"You need not worry, Ellie," Frigga said with determination. "He has already sent Thor away, but I will not let him send you too."
"Mother, please," Loki added earnestly. "You cannot let him."
"And I won't. You have my word that Ellie will not be going anywhere. As she said, this is her home and if she wishes to remain here, then here she shall remain."
Though her words helped to ease the weight upon Ellie's shoulders, they seemed to do little for Loki, who still stood with with a grim expression. He turned to the young woman and said. "I need you to stay here for a moment, love."
"Where're you goin'?" she asked immediately, not entirely eager to be separated from him lest Odin come looking for her.
"I need to attend to something important as soon as I can," he replied vaguely. "Remain with my mother and she will keep you safe."
"But Loki—"
"No arguments," he cut her off, keeping his voice as level as he could. "I will return for you, don't worry. You will take care of her, right, Mother?"
"Of course," she said. "But hurry back."
After kissing each of them on the cheek, Loki rushed out of the room, his strides filled with determination. As the door shut behind him, Ellie did her best to remain strong. It was only when he left did she remember more of the events that happened on Jotunheim. More specifically, an event that left her and Loki reeling and perturbed. With her lover gone, she turned to the next best thing. Perhaps the Queen herself would be able to shed some light on the situation.
"Come sit, little one," she said, ushering the younger woman into her usual seat. "I'm sure you are also exhausted after the events on Jotunheim. I think we could both do with some tea."
Ellie obliged, and though a smile didn't reach her lips, she appreciated the sentiment behind the beverage. It was always Frigga's way; finding solace in a hot drink. It was in recent years with trips to Midgard that she discovered the Irish people's fondness for tea, and a part of her wondered whether the Queen frequently drank it with her to give her something familiar to enjoy. Either that, or Asgardians were as obsessed as the Irish…
Ellie insisted upon preparing the tea this time, knowing that Frigga was suffering with Thor's dismissal far more than she. She honestly couldn't imagine how she felt being told that her son was banished to a foreign realm without any of his powers. Not only that, but he had to find out how to return home on his own? The odds were certainly not in his favour.
But it's not Thor's fault, she thought to herself as she poured the tea into two mugs, making an effort to keep her hands steady. It's mine and Loki's. Had we not made that stupid plan, none of this would've happened.
She didn't want any of this — all she wanted was to live peacefully with Loki, but apparently even that was too much to ask for. It was the entire reason why they insisted upon this risky plan.
And now here they were; dealing with the repercussions of their decision. If she had any ounce of bravery in her body, perhaps Ellie would have admitted to Frigga — a woman who had done nothing but help her — that it was her fault her son was gone.
"Thank you," Frigga said as they pair sat down across from one another with respective cups of tea in hand. "You managed to avoid injury on Jotunheim?"
"No," Ellie replied, blowing on the hot drink. "Thankfully not."
"All your training came in useful, I see."
"That it did, but I also have'ta give your sons, Lady Sif, and the Warriors credit. They're a great team who look out for each other. I'm sure I wouldn't've made it without them. Frost Giants are…more intimidatin' than I thought they would be."
"They are a formidable race living amongst ruins of their former glory," Frigga agreed thoughtfully. "Our peace with them was a shaky one, but an agreement no less, and Thor's actions will have dire consequences. I don't agree with Odin's method of punishment, but I fear what Laufey may do in retaliation. Odin tires — his Odinforce runs low at the most inconvenient of times."
"His magical force? Is he goin' to go into Odinsleep soon?"
The Queen nodded solemnly. "I think he might. I recognise the signs and the inevitable cannot be prevented."
"But that'd leave Asgard leaderless… With Thor on Midgard and Odin incapacitated?"
"The line of succession would then fall to Loki," Frigga explained further. "Though I know he does not wish for it, I think he would make a good king."
"I think you're right." The small smile brought about by the thought of Loki ruling as king slowly faded as she recalled how he fled from the room. "Frigga, there's somethin' I need to talk to you 'bout. Somethin' that happened on Jotunheim."
Always quick to reassure, the Allmother said. "You can talk to me about anything. Go on."
"There was a moment," Ellie began, voice quiet. "When the battle began and Loki and I were fightin' side by side. We were briefly separated while a Jötunn charged me, but I got out of the way and Loki was quick to defend me. In the scramble, the giant grabbed his arm and, with his cold touch, he destroyed his vambrace. We thought the cold would burn his skin as it had done with Volstagg's, but… it didn't. Loki's skin didn't burn. Instead, it turned blue — the same blue that coloured the Frost Giant. I don't… I don't understand why it happened. It wasn't magic, surely. It wasn't somethin' Loki had done to distract the Frost Giant before killin' him. He looked as confused as me and had no answers for the occurrence either. I don't think he'd keep it from me, and I don't believe he'd lie to me either… But it left a bad feelin' in my gut.
"Obviously we haven't gotten a chance to talk 'bout it, and he's left to find his own answers I suppose, but… I don't think any good will come of this. I wanted to ask if you knew anythin' 'bout it. You're his mother, you know him better than anyone. That, and we trust you completely."
She hadn't expected the silence that followed, or the distant expression that briefly flittered across the Queen's features. So, she did know something.
She has to tell me, right? She wouldn't hide this from us… But if she knew, why didn't Loki know? Why hide it from him?
"I must be honest with you, Ellie," Frigga began after taking a sip of her tea. "I do know why it happened."
"You do?"
"Yes, but I have to admit that it is not my place to tell you."
"Tell me what?" Ellie asked, brow furrowing. She didn't like this at all.
"The truth. That and I don't think you should know before Loki knows it himself."
"So he has no idea?"
"As you stated yourself, he would not dream of lying to you. I think it's only fair that Loki is given an explanation first and then shares it with those he wants to know." She lowered her gaze into her mug and let out a sigh. "I always wondered when this day would come. It was inevitable, but I do not know how my son will react, or how he will be perceived by others."
"I've… Frigga, I've genuinely no idea what's goin' on. What does this mean?"
Frigga's eyes settled on the Midgardian, a sad smile gracing her features. "That is something Loki must tell you himself."