My legs couldn't carry me fast enough, turning the corner into the Queen's chamber it was too late, and I was too late. Plunged deep within her side was an icicle, blood blooming around the shard of ice staining the blue silk of her dressing gown. Pulling out a dagger I threw it at the giant who held Frigga. It found its target, embedded between the two red eyes that were pools of blood and death. Frigga fell to the floor, faint pants leaving her frail body as the frost giant staggered back, pulling out the small blade while looking at me. Its new target.
I couldn't afford to wait for it to attack first, nor could I wait any longer as a life depended on my ability to kill the monster and quickly at that. Lunging forward the brute was caught off guard by my sudden advance which allowed me to plunge the sword into its chest, a small amount of viscous dark blue blood spraying back over my arms and clothing. Withdrawing the weapon another lifeless bloody collapsed to the floor, while I dropped the sword with a clang kneeling besides Frigga.
"You have to stay with me Frigga."
She wasn't fighting death but instead welcomed it, for she would go to Valhalla without a doubt. A tender hand covered mine as I realized these would be her last few breaths.
"Look after my boys, especially Loki.
Shock filled my body as her eyes closed and no more aching gasps came. The Queen had fallen, and all I could think about was how I didn't stop that one frost giant in time. I had to tell Thor and Loki, picking up my blade I ran back down the halls and past the palace doors into the midst of battle. There were already so many casualties and I only added to that toll as I slaughtered every giant that stood in my path, knee deep in Jotun blood, my skin barely showing through the dirt and blood.
At last I caught sight of Thor's red cape, floating majestically behind him as he brought his hammer to the ground, the ground shaking as the enemy around him dropped like flies. Tears pooled in my eyes as I came to stand before him.
"Eira?"
"Thor, the Queen has fallen. Your mother, she's…de…dead."
Raising Mjolnir to the skies he left the ground and took off towards the palace. A particularly large giant, that resembled the hulk sized my tiny frame up, not even bothering his time with me. Throwing the last of my daggers towards his backside I was disconcerted when he caught the knife in his hand with ease, no sign of injury, but he flung it back at me, lodging into my left side, my weaker side. The expertly sharpened edges cut into my chain mail, beneath I could feel the blood pooling as I pulled the dagger out, the adrenaline in my system sedating the pain causing me to fight on, even against better judgment.
Finally I caught a glimpse of Loki, his moves methodically as he struck down the circle of giants forming around him. In the mere seconds I withdrew my attention I heard the footsteps approaching behind me, not even thinking twice I flipped the handle of my sword and thrust it back into the giant. I cringed at the catch in my side, the metal further deepening the wound that came at the edge my own dagger.
Yet another Jotun was coming onto me and already I was growing weary as the moon lowered in the sky. The swift blow knocked the air from my lungs and sent me to the soil, to be drug back up by the neck to look the creature eye to eye. My air supply was being cut off by the massive hand enclosed around my windpipe, my hands struggling to find purchase on its arm. Once I did though my hands began to glow as the fire burned into the giant's skin. Thankfully he dropped my but still I could not see my weapon. His voice was deep and raspy as he spoke, like he suffered a constant cold.
"Now you die Asgardian."
His whole arm became encrusted with ice, the makeshift blade extending past the actual length of his arm. This was it, this was the end, I was defensless and nearly drained of all energy to carry on. Drawing his arm back it began the motion forward, aimed at the rip in my armor. Time slowed down before my eyes, centimeter by centimeter the ice blade was plunged forward. A flash of blond hair jumped before me, preventing my certain death. When the groan of Fandral reached my ears time sped back up and I took his sword, decapitating the giant with a surge of new found vigor.
Kneeling back to the ground I carefully turned him to lie on his back. The sight before me sickening, there was a gaping hole in his chest, blood oozing out uncontrollably.
"Fandral!"
"Eira, please, just leave me."
Unclasping his cape I draped it over his shivering frame. "Why you idiot?"
A strained laugh passed through his lips as the breathy and pained intakes of air continued. "I did it for Loki; he loves you and would unleash hell if he lost you… and because I love you."
I was losing so much in such little time; my tears had evaporated, no longer able to form. Warily I placed my lips on his forehead. "It's okay; you're going to be okay." His hazel eyes closed for the final time, breathing coming to a halt. For two years he and Sif were my closest most reliable friends in a place that I didn't belong, essentially they became my family, and family looks after each other, sticking up for decisions that seem insane and positively absurd, the exact way he supported Loki and I when others condemned us. He was a treasured friend, a closeness that I only ever had with few others, I would mourn, but right now I had to clear my mind and focus on surviving. "I love you too Fandral."
A/N: GASP! Whatever will I do next? Two deaths in one chapter? This is intense you guys.