Rise of The Snow Queen Chapter 13
Loki wasn't the type of person to mince words. He got right down to business and after the right amount of prodding on his end Loki got the information from Galatea he came for.
Galatea didn't hold anything back anymore. She told him everything down to where her powers first started to emerge and all the way up to what happened on Jotunheim with the Frost Giants. All the trials and hardships Galatea faced growing up was now put out into the open.
Loki sat there listening quietly to her story, his face unchanging and squeezing her hand at certain inter-points of the conversation. By the end of it Loki's face was so unreadable she couldn't tell what he was thinking in that head of his. Galatea thought he would be resentful towards her, but Loki just swept her up in an embrace holding her close. When they separated Loki assured her that he loved her and always would no matter the circumstances much to her relief. But now a brand new concern was taken precedence.
Loki informed his sister on all that transpired after she fell unconscious on Jotunheim. How her powers had been revealed to him, Thor, the Warriors Three, and Lady Sif, but, most of all Laufey's reaction to it. Laufey had presented Odin with an ultimatum that if he wanted peace then he would have to surrender her to Jotunheim, if not then where would be war. Odin had refused and now all of Asgard was faced with war. Galatea was horrified. If the Frost Giant's could infiltrate Asgards defenses during Thor's coronation ceremony then they could easily do so again to get to her. Loki promised her the Giant's would never touch her. He wouldn't let them.
Also, there is fact of Loki's arm turning into the blue covering of a Frost Giants along with the birthmarks one of them would have when it had touched him. Galatea's analysis was that maybe the Frost Giants touch had affected him differently or that he was cursed somehow too and no one had known it until now.
Loki had a different theory, one he yearned to test in earnest. In order to test this theory Loki would have to sneak into the Vault fully intending to take Galatea down there with him. The second he voiced this to her Galatea immediately voiced her fear and displeasure at the prospect figuring out what he wanted.
Loki was going to the Casket. Galatea was scared that if she went anywhere near that thing her powers would flare out of control again and without Odin there to curb her magic colliding with the Caskets it could spell disaster. Not only that, but Odin had specifically left orders for her not to leave her tower saying it was for her own protection, but realistically she suspected it was really for the protection of Asgard. The guards outside wouldn't let her leave. Loki wasn't deterred. He simply replied that as long as she held onto his hand then everything would be all right and that he'd handle Odin in face of their faces anger should it come to that. Although he was confident they wouldn't get caught in the first place. Still unsure about the whole idea Galatea reluctantly agreed.
So Loki cast the same disillusion spell he used to climb up the tower on both of them. Leaving the tower through the way Loki had come in the twins made their way to the Vault undetected and without incident. There were guards stationed at the doors, but Loki expertly dispatched them enchanting their eyes so all they wouldn't account for anything unusual occurring in the vicinity. So Loki and Galatea slipped inside the Vault with the guards not looking at them even once.
The doors to the Vault closed and Loki took the spell of concealment off of them. He was kind enough to do the same to the guards when it was guaranteed their cover wouldn't be blown.
Walking down the stairs the twins made their way down the length of the Vault to where the Casket stood all the way at the end, glowing blue with its powerful magic swirling inside. As they kept getting nearer to the Casket Galatea's nerves started to rise, her body tensing and hands beginning to tremble. That all stopped when Loki's hand snaked into hers squeezing it in a warm, firm, unyielding grip.
"It'll be all right," he said, softly.
Galatea took in a breath and released it slowly calming her anxious heart.
Finally the siblings reached the pedestal where stood the Casket. Loki outstretched his hands to pick it up. Suddenly he stopped turning to his sister.
"Together," he said.
Swallowing, Galatea repeated "Together."
At the same time brother and sister each took a handle and picked up the Casket. The moment they proceeded to do so a metamorphosis took place on both of them. Just like what happened on Jotunheim, but this time it continued to crawl its invasion all the way up and over their bodies in unison.
"Stop," boomed Odin from atop the stairs.
In their haste to reach the Vault Galatea and Loki had forgotten about Heimdall. Odin probably had Heimdall monitoring Galatea and when she left her tower with Loki he must've informed the King which explained why he was here now. Odin had rushed to intercept them, but was too late.
A bleak silence followed, one that did not bode well.
"Are we cursed," asked Loki, a bit shakily.
"No," answered Odin.
The twins lowered their arms in sync returning the Casket to its place on the pedestal.
"What are we," said Loki.
Odin said "You're my children."
The twins turned to face Odin and he saw what had become of them. Their skin was now totally encased in the Frost Giants shade of blue and runes with their eyes now being a deep ruby red. The absence of contact connected to the Casket their appearances reverted back to normal. Loki was glaring at Odin with anger and betrayal while Galatea's eyes were filled to the brim with tears. Both had come to the same conclusion uncovering the mystery.
Coldly, Loki rasped "What more than that?"
Odin didn't say a word meeting their stares with his stoic demeanor.
"The Casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it," deduced Loki, coming to a stop with Galatea at the bottom of the stairs Odin stood on.
"No," sighed Odin, apatheticall. The time had come. He could no longer hide the truth he had kept from them for so long. Too much had happened to go back now. "In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the temple and I found two baby's. Twins, a boy and a girl. Small for a giant's offspring. Abandoned, suffering, left to die. Laufey's son and daughter."
"Laufey's son," breathed Loki, reciting the words to himself in order for him and Galatea to fully receive confirmation. "Laufey's daughter."
Nodding, barely above a whisper, Odin admitted "Yes."
Galatea felt herself get kicked in the gut.
Equally stunned, Loki demanded "You were knee-deep on Jotun blood, why would you take us?"
"You were innocent children," said Odin.
"No. You took us for a purpose. What was it," persisted Loki, overwrought with outrage at Odin's deception. Odin's lack of response only made him even more furious. "Tell us!"
"I thought we could unite our kingdoms one day. Bring about an alliance, bring about permanent peace. Through you," said Odin.
"What," said Loki.
Regretfully, Odin said "But those plans no longer matter."
Now that irked Galatea's ire.
"Doesn't matter," sobbed Galatea, speaking for the first time since Odin revealed himself to them. "Doesn't matter! I've lost so many years I could've spent with Loki! It all makes sense now! For centuries you've kept me locked away in that tower alone and afraid, making me believe I was cursed when all along I've been carrying the blood of Frost Giants in my veins! Why didn't you tell me?! This whole time I've thought myself a freak of nature, an abomination, a disgrace to our family! You told me I was cursed!"
"I did not want to burden you," said Odin, softly. "You were so young when it all began. You wouldn't have been able to handle let alone live with the truth."
"That's a lie," shrieked Galatea, tearfully. "! Loki told me about what happened on Jotunheim after I fell unconscious! Laufey knew who I am the moment he saw my magic. You just didn't want word to get back to Laufey about what I'm capable of, that you had me! Admit it!"
Odin's silence was answer enough.
Galatea's body couldn't handle the stress anymore. Her legs collapsed from underneath her. The only reason why Galatea is still standing is because Loki had an arm wrapped securely around her waste with the other cradling her head as she cried into his neck.
"So we are no more than two more stolen relics, locked up here until you might have use of us," panted Loki, enraged evermore by how upset Galatea was, how Odin manipulated her.
Brokenly, Odin said "Why do you twist my words?"
"Galatea's right. You could have told us what we were from the beginning, why didn't you," choked Loki, grief-stricken.
"You're my children," declared Odin, firmly. "I wanted only to protect you from the truth."
Disdainfully, laced with sarcasm, Loki said "What? Because w-we're the monsters parents tell their children about at night?"
"No. No," murmured Odin, lowering himself until he was sitting on the steps.
In spit of the emotional spiral Galatea was trapped in right now she noticed how worn-out Odin was getting by the minute groaning as his body was tipping over onto its side.
"Loki," she said, eyes wide.
Paying absolutely no mind to Galatea, advancing on Odin, Loki snapped "You know, it all makes sense now! Why you favored Thor all these years! Because no matter how much you claim to love me, you could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the throne of Asgard!"
"Loki, enough," exclaimed Galatea, shoving passed Loki to reach Odin.
Here Loki took in the state Odin was in.
Lying on the steps Odin was breathing, but he wasn't responsive. The Odinsleep. It had hit Odin when he was at his weakest, most vulnerable. He was unable to delay it any farther, especially two of his children, particularly the son, berating him so passionately.
"Guards," shouted Loki, calling for aide, horrified that his reckless ranting at Odin is what brought upon this ailment seeking to rectify it, kneeling beside the fallen ruler as Galatea took his head in her lap. "Guards, please help!"
Authors Note:
And so Loki and Galatea know the truth where it comes to their heritage. I wonder what paths their lives will take now.