Well I have outlined the rest of the story. So I know how it is supposed to end. We have less then 10 chapters left.
**Though knowing these characters, there is always the chance that they may take over the upcoming chapters...just like Fredrick has over taken the last couple of chapters. And he did take over this chapter as well! What am I going to do with that kid? He has decided that he is the star of the show and won't let me write any violence or angst!
Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter, and it is longer than the last few chapters have been. And remember, reviews are great motivators!
Fredrick allowed for Loki's hour after sunrise before breaking into their borrowed chambers again. But instead of jumping up onto Loki, Fredrick bounced on Thor's chest. It was Thor's booming laughter that woke Loki and the other Asgardians awake. Loki sat up slowing, he yawned and wiped the sleep from his eyes.
"Good morning, my boy!" Thor greeted Fredrick. "What do you have there?"
Loki looked over to Thor's bed. Thor half sat up with Fredrick sitting on him. Fredrick had the stuffed toy wrapped around his shoulders once more. Loki half smirked and watched the pair discreetly.
"Daddy, this Dweki!" Fredrick told him. "Cool Lok say Dweki lonely. Fwedwick new fwiend!"
"I see," Thor said slowly. He touched the snake toy's head. "I thought I lost him a long time ago," Thor said quietly to himself." Fredrick didn't answer, he just looked confused. But then Thor smiled, "I am glad you have a new friend, he will serve you well as a good companion."
"What comp-onion mean?"
Thor chucked, "Companion is another word for friend. But it also means a friend that will stay with you and travel with you, wherever you may go."
"Daddy, will you be my comp-onion?"
"Of course, my boy!"
"Cool Lok too?" Fredrick asked looking over to Loki who had quickly turned his gaze from them. He looked back now and nodded.
Shortly after waking and Loki instructing the male Asgardians to make their beds back to the way they found it, they headed back to the kitchen where the ladies, Jane, Nancy and Eir were cooking breakfast. They ate together like a happy family and Loki specifically did not think about the daunting tasks ahead. Though that was short lived for as soon as breakfast was done, Thor called a meeting together. Nancy volunteered to take the children to the back yard to play while the rest of adults spoke together.
"We must begin preparations for the battles to come," Thor began. "Brother, what must we do before we can rejoin what is left of the Avengers to defeat Thanos and bring the missing half of the universe back?"
"I will not leave here until I am convinced that Fredrick and our children are safe," Loki told him.
"I have already offered to stay behind, for one to be with my own child and to assist Jane's brother is Asgardian medical needs."
"Which I seriously look forward to," Ricky added.
"I could assist with defeating Thanos," Ran said, "But I would prefer to also stay behind to protect the mortal family as well as our people, there is still the problem of my other daughters missing."
"Aye," Thor agreed. "We still have Asgardians that may be alive and need to be found. But not only do our people depend on us, but the rest of the universe is in mourning for our missing halves."
"The longer we wait to reverse the spells, the more difficult will be. We aren't even for sure where Thanos is, he could be spreading the gems back out and that will make it exceedingly more difficult to undo the spell. And the amount of time passing between the destruction and restoration will cause more problems," Loki told them.
"So stopping Thanos is the priority?" Jane asked.
"Yes," Thor agreed.
"No," Loki disagreed at the same time.
"Why not, brother?" Thor asked.
"Like I said, I will go nowhere without first ensuring the safety of Jane's household. With Eir, Ran and Vidar here certainly assists with soothing my nerves about going off planet. But we should put in place wards and barriers. I want it multilayered and not only my own spells."
"I have a barrier that stops those from entering who have malintent," Eir spoke up.
"Yes, that is the one I want from you. I have one acts as a perception camouflage, excluding those who already know of the household, strangers will not be able to detect the people from within the barrier. And Vidar, I know your craft with the trees, I would like your barrier to protect the property from the air," Loki told him. Loki frowned as he noted Vidar's uncomfortable expression. But there was no time to address it as Thor quickly spoke again.
"So barriers and wards put into place and then we go to hunt Thanos?" Thor asked.
"After the wards are put up I will need to relive your memories so I can determine the best way to reverse the spell."
"That is an awful lot of seidr expenditure for one day," Eir cautioned.
"I am aware," Loki said, "There will be time between gathering warriors that are left and the final fight with Thanos. I'll rest then and expect to be protected...I do worry of what your friends would do to me in such a vulnerable state, but we have little to no choice about that."
"You will be protected in my care," Thor promised.
Loki nodded.
"Very good, then we must begins with the barriers...shall we go outside?" Thor asked.
The moment they stepped outside Fredrick shouted and ran towards Loki. "Cool Lok! Pwetty magic!"
Loki smiled broadly and picked up the little boy. "Yes, it is time for pretty magic."
"While we're here I can show you lightning and thunder," Thor suggested. He held up his hand to show small lightning sparks but Fredrick shook his head.
Fredrick shook his head. "No Daddy magic!"
"Why not?" Thor asked.
"Daddy magic for night!"
"No, I can do it during the day as well."
"No!" Fredrick insisted. "Daddy make sun go away," Fredrick pouted.
Thor lowered his hand.
"He has a point, we wouldn't want to ruin the the day with rain, now would we?" Loki asked Fredrick while tickling his tummy. Thor seemed to deflate a little as Loki led them out to the edge of the property. The property looked very different from night to day. Loki realized that he had never had a chance to look over it during the day. Around the house it was heavily wooded with trees. There was a long driveway and where it connected with the main road there was high wooden fence and gate. From the gate the house could not be seen do to the winding road through the forest. It was a very good place to hide Fredrick and the other Asgardians.
Loki sat Fredrick down and smiled at the boy, "Stay close to your dad, okay?"
Fredrick nodded and went over to hold Thor's hand. Loki explained as he went out of the gate.
"Seidr is what we call our energy, our strength that allows us to do magic. Sometimes we can interchange the word Seidr and magic...But Seidr is truly used for making magic. Seidr comes from Yggdrasil the great world tree that connects our realms together. Mages and sorcerers like me can draw seidr from Yggdrasil. Lady Ran, Lady Eir, Vidar and even Thor has this ability as well. Though they specialize with a specific element. Lady Ran specializes in salt water, but can manipulate fresh water too, Lady Eir is a master of the healing arts, Vidar is the silent god of the forest and everyone knows that Thor is atmospheric, manipulating lighting, rain and thunder with his bare hands. I, however, have had a long time to experiment and master many different techniques and elements."
"How use say-der?" Fredrick asked.
"When I was little my mother, your grandmother Frigga showed me. First you still your mind." Loki stood still and closed his eyes. "You take a deep breath and reach other with your mind. You know it is working if you feel warmth in your chest. When you are ready to use it you push the warmth to you finger tips. Many spells require complicated words, or songs to orientate the seidr into the correct positions. Some require mental images, some even require writings with ink and parchment or paint or chalk on smooth stone. The most simplest of spells is to create light. Not a flame, but what we call ghost lights. You push the seidr to your fingertips and imagine holding a light in your hand."
Loki opened his eyes as he brought a small green-gold light to his hand to show the others. When he looked he saw the children all gathered around close, Fredrick in the front imitating his gestures. Hulda had managed a pale spring green glow. Eira had managed a dull white light. Kolga's magic matched her mother's and rather than producing a bright light, she had made a proper ghost light that was a pale eerily blue. Andrea and Ulrich were trying but they held nothing. But Loki and everyone stared at Fredrick who held a bright golden light that was almost too bright to look at. It was indeed like looking like the sun.
Fredrick smiled up at Loki and held up the light "Fwedwick make pwetty magic!" Loki's mouth opened in surprise.
"Just like Mother's magic," Thor said quietly, Fredrick didn't hear, but Loki's head snapped up to look at him and his eyes widened at the tears that Thor quickly wiped away.
Loki too found his composure. "Very good, Fredrick," Loki praised.
Fredrick's smile widened and with it his ball of light shined brighter.
"Eira and Hulda, good job, to both of you, it is impressive for beginners to make it that far," Loki also praised. "Kolga, I'm guessing you've done this a few times?"
Kolga nodded and manipulated the watery light to swirl around her fingers. Kolga did not like the term 'young maiden' but that was exactly what she was. Much older than Hulda, but not quite an adult yet.
Eira smiled, but Hulda wasn't so sure. She lowered her hands and the light disappeared as she glanced at Fredrick's light. Lady Eir patted Hulda's shoulder, "It isn't false praise, we are finding that the young prince has inherited many of his grandmother's abilities. I know you are not from user's descent and that you managed such a light is impressive."
"Now, it is important to be able to dismiss the seidr, or to hold it back….or to send it back inside of you. Using too much seidr can make you tired or even sick." Eira and Kolga sent their lights away just as Loki warned it was good to preserve their magic.
"Say-der like playin wit no nap?" Fredrick asked.
Loki smiled, "Yes, and also you need to make sure you're eating enough food. Just like if you don't eat enough food or get enough sleep what happens?"
"I get cwanky," Fredrick told Loki.
Loki nodded, "Using seidr will make you tired, so it is good to save some for later. A very bright light takes a lot of seidr, a small dim light takes very little. It is good to practice using a little and a lot, it will make using seidr easier and give you more control over it."
Loki showed them this by dimming his light and adding more light to it to make it bright like Fredrick's and then disappearing it altogether. Fredrick concentrated. He made his light a little dimmer, but not by much, then all at once it sizzled out with a spark.
"Oh," Fredrick said, suddenly sitting down.
"I bet you're tired now…?" Loki asked. Fredrick nodded. Thor scooped him up in his arms and Fredrick cuddled. "Do you need a nap?" Loki asked with a smirk.
"No, wanna watch more pwetty magic," Fredrick said sleepily.
Loki smiled. He explained how his barrier discouraged outsiders from noticing the gate, or the entire property. Loki stepped away from them and began to weave the barrier. For a moment it looked like a spider web made out of golden light. Then it stretched thin over the property and then disappeared from view. Fredrick shivered.
"Are you well my boy?" Thor asked Fredrick.
Loki immediately turned to look at the child nestled in Thor's arms, but watching Loki's every move.
Fredrick nodded. "Cool Lok say-der feel funny," he giggled. "Tingol-ly," Fredrick added, he lifted up his little hand to wiggle his fingers.
Loki sighed a breath of relief. "Good, if you ever feel magic that feels bad you must tell Lady Eir immediately," Loki told Fredrick. Fredrick nodded, though he looked a little confused.
"Why?" Jane asked.
"Sometimes wards or barrier spells can cut off one's connection to Yggdrasil. Some spells are malicious or dark magic. Fredrick may be sensitive to such things. Which is a good thing." Loki smiled at Jane to encourage her and to help her not to worry. Loki could hardly imagine how powerful Fredrick would be when he reached adulthood.
Loki stepped away from his invisible barrier and gestured to Lady Eir. "Would you do us the honors of the next layer?"
Lady Eir bowed as she stepped forward. She gave no explanation as she lifted her hands up and white light with a golden glow burst from her hands and shielded the property. It quickly disappeared, but even Loki could feel the hum of the magic. Loki turned back when he heard Fredrick giggle.
"What did that one feel like?" Loki asked.
"Warm," Fredrick answered, "Happy," he smiled.
"What does that one do?" Hulda asked quietly.
"It is a judgement barrier. Any with malintent-"
"What mal-tent mean?" Fredrick interrupted.
Loki smiled, "It means if anyone tries to come near your house who is a bad guy, will be unable to enter. Only good guys can come here. Or those with good intentions," Loki added for Hulda and the other's to better understand. Then Loki turned to Vidar.
"Vidar, it is your turn, I am hoping you'll add additional guardian trees."
"What that?" Fredrick asked.
"Oh, a guardian tree is great, they are semi sentient, like guard dogs, only they are rooted to the ground. Their vines will grow and move to entrap any bad guys that manage to break through...if they are able to break through the other barriers. And I am hoping Vidar will also add a protective layer from large objects falling out of the sky." Loki glanced at Thor. "That means we won't get a straight path to the back yard, We'll have to find a place further into the forest outside of the property, for your Bifrost."
Thor nodded. Loki frowned when Vidar had not moved forward.
"Vidar, what is it? You are the best there is with the plant element I have ever seen. At least since Idun."
The corner of Vidar's mouth twitched, but still he didn't move.
"Vidar, please," Loki nearly begged, his eyes flashing with a hint of anger. Vidar finally stepped forward. He distanced himself from the others before holding his hand out to the ground. A small sprout began to grow. But it wasn't the silver shine of the ash tree, instead it was black and it spoiled the soil around it.
"No!" Loki hissed, he brought up his hand where he summoned a flame, ready to burn the abomination of the vampire sapling that grew under Vidar's touch. Vidar pulled his hand away and the sapling twitched. Loki's fire grew and he turned to set it ablaze.
"Wait!" Fredrick's little voice called out, stopping Loki's movement. Loki looked back, behind him Lady Eir and Lady Ran and Thor had put themselves into position, posed and ready to destroy the sapling. Thor must have pushed Fredrick behind him, but now Fredrick was pushing forward. "Don't hurt it!" Fredrick told Loki.
"It is black magic," Loki warned, at his words Vidar slumped down beside the writhing plant, bowing his head as tears slipped from his one eye.
Fredrick shook his head as he stepped forward. Loki doused his flame to stop Fredrick from stepping closer.
"What happened to him?" Thor asked.
"Hydra must have done something to taint his magic," Loki said as he went to pick up Fredrick and keep him away from Vidar and the black sapling. "What?" Loki asked Fredrick when he squirmed out of Loki's hold.
"Down!" Fredrick insisted.
Loki sat him down, but blocked him from getting closer to Vidar and the cursed baby tree. "What did you feel when he used his magic?"
"Fidar magic sad," Fredrick told him. "An' sick. Not bad." Fredrick tried to push passed Loki.
"I can't let you too close, it is a blood drinking tree. It will steal you seidr until you die."
"No!" Fredrick shouted.
"Yes," Loki told him. "Let me burn it, then you can talk to Vidar."
"No!" Fredrick lifted up his hands and made the bright light again. For a moment it blinded Loki and he stumbled back. Fredrick slipped out of his arms. Everyone moved into action, to grab at the little boy. When Loki's vision cleared, it was too late, everyone had been to slow. Fredrick wrapped his tiny hands around the cursed plant. Its little vines wrapped around Fredrick's hands and was growing. But as it grew it lost its inky color and turned silver. When Fredrick let go of it, the plant let go of him. Fredrick giggled and climbed into Vidar's lap and put his hand against Vidar's cheek.
Vidar stopped crying. His eye opened as a visible shimmer of light went through him and Fredrick collapsed with his eyes closed. Thor snatched the boy up. Eir was at his side immediately.
Loki's mouth was ajar. "Its okay," he said as he knelt next to Vidar. "He is just sleeping." Eir confirmed it to be true. Thor put Fredrick in his mother's arms before demanding what had happened. Loki stood up and helped Vidar up.
"Show them what the young prince did," Loki gave the command to Vidar. Vidar nodded this time. He stepped away from them and created a new sapling, which did not have a drop of black on it. Vidar created the guardian trees and the over head protection shield that glowed a silver green color.
"This is hardly an explanation," Thor growled.
"Fredrick purified the sapling and returned it to how it should be, he did the same with Vidar, whose seidr had been tainted," Loki said slowly, his eyes on the sleeping child."Fredrick purified the sapling and returned it to how it should be, he did the same with Vidar, whose seidr had been tainted," Loki said slowly, his eyes on the sleeping child. "I think, Thor, that your son might be even more powerful than Odin, the Allfather, ever was."