Chapter 21: Torture and Sacrifice
Loki watched over his new sons all night. He thought fatherhood would be terrifying for him, as his father, or the man he called father, was nothing more than a liar to him. However, as he gazed lovingly at his sleeping sons, he felt a new wave of pride sweep over him. In that moment, he felt if anyone came to take away his sons, they would die first before they did. Just as he was watching his babies, they woke with a wail.
Loki rocked his sons as they lay on the pillows. "Ooh, there, there, my little princes. Papa's here. Shh, there, there."
As he rocked his sons, Frigga entered. "I thought I heard a commotion in these cells. How are my grandsons?"
"Strong and beautiful, like their mother," Loki replied tiredly.
Frigga beamed at the baby boys. "They are the loveliest boys in Asgard. Are you and Brigid well, my son?"
Loki snorted. "Aside from having children in a cell, yes."
"Loki, please. Let's not spoil the moment," Frigga pleaded.
"If you insist," Loki said.
Loki continued to try to rock his children to sleep. Despite his best to pacify his babies, it was for naught. Baby Tony and Bruce wailed helplessly. The babies' cries woke a wearied Brigid.
"It sounds as if someone, or somebody, are hungry," she said.
"I am sorry, my love. I was trying not to wake you," Loki said, almost embarrassed.
"There are no apologies needed, my love. Our children need feeding," Brigid said.
"My dear, that won't be necessary. I will fetch a wet nurse," Frigga said.
"A wet nurse?" Brigid asked incredulously. "Do you think I want some strange woman feeding my children? No, I will feed them."
"My dear, are you certain?" Frigga asked.
"I've never been more certain in my life," Brigid replied, "I am their mother, even if Odin tries to deny that."
Brigid picked up a wailing Baby Bruce and brought him to her chest. "Ooh, come here, little prince."
Brigid fed Baby Bruce and he almost immediately fell asleep. Tony on the other hand, was more sly than his brother. Brigid thought he was done feeding, but when she removed him from her chest, he began to wail again. Brigid fed him once more until he was full and he, too, fell asleep.
"It seems Tony has his father's personality," Brigid laughed.
"I can't disagree with you there," Loki said with approval. "He will make an excellent god, just like his father."
"Indeed, in many ways than one," Frigga said.
Loki's face turned grim. He knew immediately what was going on, even before Frigga arrived.
"Mother, I know you did not just come to visit your grandchildren so please, enough pleasantries," Loki demanded.
Frigga sighed in defeat. "Your children are to be taken from you in a matter of hours."
At that moment, Brigid and Loki felt as if they had received a death sentence.
"Why did you waste our time with pleasantries and not tell us?" Loki asked.
"I was trying to spare you pain," Frigga explained. "I do not wish this on you."
"Then stop this!" Brigid cried, holding tight to Baby Tony. "Make that stupid crone Odin change his mind!"
"You know I would if I could, but there is no changing the mind of Odin," Frigga said sadly.
"Are you a traitor or a coward that you would let Odin rip away my children, your own grandchildren?" Brigid demanded, growing more desperate.
"Please, don't make this any harder," Frigga begged.
"I wish I could, but that's difficult when a grandmother refuses to protect her grandchildren," Brigid said, her tone like ice.
At a loss for words, Frigga left the prison.
Loki turned to her. "That was harsh, my darling, even for me. Needless to say, I am proud."
"I don't care," Brigid said fiercely. "My children are threatened. I don't have time for niceties. I love your mother, I do, but no one is getting in the way of our children. I just hope you have a plan."
Loki smiled. "I told you, I am the God of Mischief and a god who will not let anyone threaten his children."
That same evening, Loki and Brigid sat in their cells, each with a child in their arms. Loki held Baby Tony and Brigid held Baby Bruce. They knew these were the first and last moments they would have with their beloved babies, and they wanted to treasure them.
As their babies whimpered, Loki sang them a soft lullaby:
Day is gone, the sun has fallen
The moon and stars are risen
Weep not, child, they are your company
Until the sun returns and you are with me
Again
Loki kissed his sleeping sons, knowing it would be the last time.
Brigid smiled. "That was beautiful. I've never heard you sing before. They loved it, too."
Loki smiled as he gazed at his sleeping sons. "My mother would sing that to me when I was young. I had hoped to sing it to my children one day. I did not think that it would be the only lullaby I would sing to them."
Brigid took his hand. "It won't, my darling."
Loki gazed into her eyes. "Are you prepared for this, my love?"
"I don't think I will ever be, but yes, I am," Brigid sighed.
Suddenly, in a blast of light, Thor appeared outside their cell accompanied by a handful of guards.
"Well, well, Thor. You've come to visit," Loki greeted unctuously. "What brings my brother from the Nine Realms to visit me and his future sister?"
"I have come for the children," Thor said firmly.
"You've come to rip away my own sons from me? That is too cruel, even for me, brother," Loki said.
"It is Father's command," Thor said firmly.
"Of course it is," Brigid spat. "Only Odin would give such a barbaric command as to rip children from their mother's arms, like a wolf in a children's story."
"I do not wish to make this harder on anyone," Thor said. "Please, just give me the children, and I will ensure that they will be given to a good family and their lives will be good."
"No, you are not taking my children away from me, monster!" Brigid spat. "I'll see you in Hell first!"
"My love, please, there is no sense to this," Loki said calmly. "Please, say goodbye."
Weeping, Brigid embraced her children, kissing them one last time. Loki did the same.
"Do us a mercy, brother, and take them while they still sleep," Loki pleaded.
Thor nodded and entered the cell with his guards. Loki laid Baby Tony in Thor's arms and Baby Bruce in the guard's arms.
"I trust you will take care of my children," Loki said.
"Of course," Thor said.
A sly smile spread across Loki's face. Suddenly, he stabbed Thor and Brigid stabbed the guard. Bruce and Tony disappeared, as did Loki and Brigid. Before Thor and the guard could react, Loki and Brigid had picked the lock on the door and fled.
Deep in the wild of Asgard, Loki and Brigid took shelter from Thor and the guards of Asgard. Hiding in a cave, Brigid and Loki kissed fervently, thrilled at the success of their plan.
"You are the most brilliant God of Mischief!" Brigid said happily.
"And you are the strongest, cleverest Goddess of Mischief!" Loki replied. "Did you see the look on my brother's face when I stabbed him?"
"He looked like a confused goose!" Brigid laughed heartily.
"I told you no one would touch our children," Loki said.
"And I am glad of it," Brigid said, relieved.
Brigid groaned, still in discomfort.
"Are you weary, my love?" Loki asked.
Brigid nodded. "The birth has drained me."
"I will try to find us water," Loki said. "Rest until I return."
Loki kissed Brigid and departed the cave for water. Brigid laid down in the cave and slowly fell into sleep, confident that she, Loki, and their children were safe.
By the next morning, Brigid awoke, feeling some of her strength return to her. To her bewilderment and horror, Loki had not returned. Immediately, Brigid feared the worst. Summoning her strength, Brigid rose to her feet in search of her intended. A weary Brigid searched the forest for Loki but he was no where to be found. Suddenly, Brigid took notice of two crows in the sky, their eyes locked on her. Then she heard a voice.
"Brigid Regan, the witch of Midgard."
Brigid turned and to her terror, she found Loki, bloodied, bound, and surrounded by a dozen Asgardian soldiers led by none other than Odin.
"Odin, how?" Brigid asked, stunned.
Odin pointed in the sky. "Hugin and Munin are useful spies. Guards, seize her!"
Loki knew what Brigid was going to do, and he shook his head, pleading her not to act on her will. Brigid defiantly snatched a sword from the guards and slashed one of them. She parried and slashed at each of the guards, however, her efforts were for naught. Odin came from behind her and brought his spear down on her neck, bringing her to her knees.
"Bind her. We're bring them back for punishment," Odin commanded.
Brigid spat at Odin's feet as she was bound and she and Loki were brought back to Asgard's halls.
Loki and Brigid, bound in chains and on their knees, awaited their fate in Odin's throne room. Both of them knew that for their escape attempt, only the worst fate could possibly await them.
Brigid turned to Loki. "My love, I'm so sorry. I know you didn't want me to fight. I couldn't leave you."
Loki shook his head. "No, my darling. I knew you wouldn't run. I couldn't have expected anything less of you, and I am proud of you for that. I admire your strength. Our children have that strength."
Loki held Brigid's tightly hand as Odin entered the throne room.
"Odin," Brigid greeted coldly as he approached her and Loki.
"I see that you are here and yet your children are missing," Odin said sternly.
"You are quite perceptive," Brigid replied.
"No games, harlot," Odin said. "Where are those children?"
"I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you," Brigid said slyly.
"This has gone far enough!" Odin declared. "One last time: where are your children?"
"Piss off, Odin," Brigid spat.
"I've heard enough. Guards!" Odin said.
"What will you do? Torturing me will not get you anywhere," Loki said.
"Not you," Odin said. "Her."
Odin waved his hand and Brigid was grabbed by two guards. Her binds were secured above her head, and she was raised off the ground, so that her feet were not touching the ground. The guard then tore her shirt. Loki was then secured to chains in the ground in front of Brigid. Despite his fear, Loki did not let Odin have the satisfaction.
"Go on. She means nothing to me. A mere conquest," Loki said nonchalantly.
"As you wish," Odin said. "Begin."
Loki watched as a guard brought a whip down on Brigid's back. Brigid let out a cry of pain but remained defiant, refusing to let Odin have satisfaction. Over and over the whip kissed her skin and Brigid cried out in pain.
Odin raised his hand to interrupt the flogging. "Where are the children?"
Brigid laughed through her pain. "You know, I see why your children don't like you."
Odin signaled the guard to continued the flogging. After a few more lashes, he stopped again. "Where did you hide them?"
"Why do you wanna know so bad? Do you love them?" Brigid chortled.
Once more, Brigid was met with a barrage of lashes.
"One last time, where are those children?" Odin demanded.
"I repeat...piss off," Brigid breathed.
Odin signaled the guard to continue the flogging nonstop. Brigid cried out in pain as the flogging continued on. Brigid's cries of pain were maddening to Loki as he was forced to watch her torture. He watched her face twist in pain, and it made his heart sick. After watching Brigid's face twist in pain and listening to her shrieks of pain, Loki could take no more.
"Enough!" he pleaded.
Odin lifted his hand to stop Brigid's torture. Brigid was barely breathing, blood was pooling from her wounds as she hung limp from her binds.
Loki looked up at Brigid in defeat. I love you, he mouthed to her.
"Is there something the prisoner would like to confess?" Odin asked. "Where are your children?"
"Where you would never think to look," Loki sighed. "They're in the cell, hidden under my magic."
Odin nodded. "Take the prisoners away. Send a healer to the cells and send for my son, as well."
Brigid was released from her binds and she and Loki were dragged back to their cell.
Once back in their cell, Loki treated the many lashes on Brigid's back. Loki winced as he saw the tangled mess of scars and blood on Brigid's back.
"I'm so sorry, my love," he whispered. "I shouldn't have broke. I couldn't let him hurt you. I couldn't stand it."
"No, I would have done the same if it were you," Brigid whispered weakly.
"It's because of me that we'll never see our children again," Loki said ruefully. "I should never have left you in that cave. I shouldn't have let him break me."
"You did all you could for our children," Brigid whispered. "You are the best father a child could ever ask for, and I'll make certain our children know it."
"And I'll be certain they know their mother fought to protect them," Loki whispered.
That evening, Brigid and Loki met their doom, or it may as well have been their doom. Brigid, still weak from her torture, held tight to Baby Tony, while Loki held Baby Bruce. They knew their was no escape this time. No tricks or magic would save them or their children, and it terrified them all the more. All Brigid could do was stare at her babies, knowing it would be the last time she would see them.
"What if they don't remember us?" Brigid asked fearfully.
"Someone will tell them of us," Loki reassured her. "They will know us, my love."
Baby Tony and Bruce began to wail, and Loki quieted them with one last soft lullaby:
Day is gone, the sun has fallen
The moon and stars are risen
Weep not, child, they are your company
Until the sun returns and you are with me
Again
"I hope if anything, they remember that," Loki said ruefully.
"They will, my love," Brigid said, trying to hide her own pain.
Suddenly, Thor entered room accompanied by guards.
Not now, Loki and Brigid thought.
"Brother," Loki greeted tonelessly.
"Loki, give me the children. No tricks, or there will be consequences," Thor said sternly.
"Get out!" Brigid screamed. "Leave us alone!"
"Brigid, this won't help," Thor said. "If you don't give them up, you're punishment will be much worse than the flogging."
"So be it! I won't give up my babies!" Brigid spat.
"Is this enjoyable for you, brother? Do you delight in our pain?" Loki asked.
"Brother, please, enough," Thor said firmly. "Give up the children now, or the consequences will be worse, especially for the children."
Reluctantly, Brigid and Loki stopped fighting.
"Swear to me that they will have a good family," Brigid said.
"I swear," Thor said. "I will do everything in my power to ensure that they are looked after."
Loki and Brigid gazed at their sons one last time. Brigid took Baby Bruce in her arms and kissed him, breathing him in, as if memorizing him. She held Baby Tony close, kissing him, as if she was trying to know him by heart. Loki took each of his baby boys one last time. He held Bruce, close to his heart and then Tony.
"I love you, my sons," he whispered. "Never forget that."
Slowly, unwillingly, Loki and Brigid laid their sons in the arms of Thor and his guards.
"Brother," Loki whispered. "Their names are Tony and Bruce Lokison."
Thor nodded as he and the guards left the dungeons with Baby Tony and Baby Bruce in their arms. Watching her babies go, Brigid held on to Loki, as if she were drowning and he was her only lifeline. Loki tried to remain strong for his love, but as his children left him, he was falling apart inside, like a city reduced to ash. As Thor departed, the babies began to cry again, as if they somehow knew they were being parted from their parents. The sound of her babies cries tore Brigid's heart in two and shriveled into nothing. Loki, trying to remain strong, silently wept as held Brigid, who struggled, as if trying to reach her children in vain. Brigid wailed mournfully and sank in Loki's arms as the cries of their children disappeared into the distance.
A/N: Poor Brigid and Loki! Will they ever see their babies again? This is for all my readers, reviewers, followers, etc. This story is for you and is nothing without you. Enjoy!