Chapter 5

Loki

He watched as the tears spilled down her face, a look of utter release and thankfulness smoothing out every line and indentation. He hadn't realized quite how tense her face had looked until all of the anxiety was gone.

It was….odd to say the least.

He had never seen someone that excited much less grateful to have something returned to them that they never knew they had.

Granted, his magic was intrinsic to his very life. If he didn't have it, he would not have been Loki of As- he wouldn't have been Loki. And if someone had taken it upon themselves to give it back to him….well his reaction likely wouldn't have been much different from hers.

Strangely he didn't feel uncomfortable watching her weep. There was something akin to release in her tears and in the way that she wept silently, relief plain on her face.

When she opened her violet eyes again, she didn't seem embarrassed that he was watching her. Instead, a curious softness entered her eyes, a new respect that hadn't been there before. She gripped her hands close to her almost in a gesture of supplication and took a few deep breaths before she seemed ready to speak.

"Thank you," she whispered, in a voice that sounded much older than the one he had grown accustomed to hearing and it startled him a bit.

Suddenly he had no desire to speak in that moment, wondering there would be anything appropriate to add to her heartfelt reaction. He decided that there wasn't, so his only response was to nod slowly.

He turned back to the shoreline, allowing her a moment to compose herself and kept his silence for a while longer.

"So…what does this mean exactly?" she asked finally, her lyrical voice slightly hoarse. "Will I….will I be able to learn magic then?"

Loki glanced down at his hand where Drogon was still lightly perched. Even though his yellow eyes remained fixed solely on the woman he called mother, he, for some reason, had decided to remain on Loki's hand. It was somewhat amusing.

"Yes," he supplied. "It will be different to my own to be sure, but you have a magical core of a sort. Those who are born with such things refer to it as having seidr."

He watched her mouth the word to herself, as if testing it. The way her mouth curved into a small smile told she was well pleased with how it sounded.

"There are those who practice magic who do not possess seidr, but that means that they draw their magic from the surrounding world and not from within. Magic at its basest form is energy, and the flow and transfer of that energy. The greater the sorcerer or sorceress, the greater their ability to manipulate that energy flow. But if they are charlatans, like some of the so called sorcerers here in Qarth, their only magical ability is to take from the objects and life surrounding them. For those with seidr however, our magic comes from within, which makes it that much more powerful."

"I doubt I will ever be anywhere close to your level of skill," Daenerys said wryly.

"You won't," Loki said simply. "My ability has been gained through years of study and discipline. Plus given the physical differences between us, it is unlikely that you will reach anything truly impressive. But it will be passable for a mortal I suppose."

Daenerys blinked, but to his surprise, she didn't seem offended. One of her eyebrows rose in amusement and she folded her arms across her chest. "Given that most people never possess a shred of magic within them, I'll take what you deem as "paltry."

He snorted and turned away from her. "As you say. How proficient you become will have as much to do with natural talent as how disciplined you are."

"Well, I have the will," Daenerys said rolling her shoulders back. "And clearly I have the heritage even if it isn't anything truly, impressive. Even having a slim advantage over people who would seek to do me harm would be good enough."

"And just what sort of enemies have you managed to gain in so short a time in Qarth?" he asked, feeling mildly amused.

The good-natured look suddenly disappeared from her face and her expression shuttered. "Not enemies per se, but those who would use me for either my name or my dragons or even the possibility of the power that I could give them once I take back Westeros."

One of his eyebrows rose. "So that is your plan then? To hone your magic, acquire an army, raise the dragons to their full maturity and then take back across the sea to a land that has forgotten the Targaryens….or at least tried to forget them?"

Daenerys folded her arms across her chest, her gaze narrowed at him. "Why should I not? It is my birthright."

That hit a little too closed to home for him, but he didn't show it. "And how long would such a campaign take I wonder? Westeros is full of Lords who have their own private armies who would not be so willing to give up their positions of power to one whose family fell from grace long ago."

He saw her nostrils flare and suppressed a smirk. Good, it wouldn't do for her to not know what she was getting herself into. Despite their many differences, there were some similarities between them and in reaching for his own birthright, Loki had cast himself as far from it as he had ever been.

"They would bow to the might of the dragons," she countered stubbornly.

"Aye, they might," he conceded. "But then what happens afterwards? You have few to no allies in Westeros I would wager, none there who remember you as it was not a place you grew up in. They have no reason to be loyal to you and you have little to offer them that would encourage that loyalty. You do not have enough resources to rule out of fear alone. So what would hold your claim up? Because your blood line will not be enough. Not enough to rule a land of feudal lords who have their own loyalties."

Daenerys blinked at him, clearly this was something she had never contemplated and he wanted to snort at her ignorance. "Did you not plan for this? Or did you expect them to welcome you back with open arms?"

Her eyes narrowed at him. "I am not as naïve as you seem to think my lord. I understand I will need to gain allies in Westeros before I can even think of taking back the throne. The political upheaval there makes the time ripe to make a move towards planning my return. The man who once sat the throne who took it from my family, who also killed my eldest brother is now dead and there are others who have staked a claim. The Lannisters currently hold it, but their grip is shaky with rumors that could ruin them. They more than anyone else I wish to see destroyed."

Loki raised an eyebrow. He was well read about Robert's Rebellion that had taken place some years earlier. He was also aware of the rather distasteful nature of the Lannister's methods in gaining the support of the new king. While war was war, and many people died in it, Loki had always been rather fond of children and the process used to sweep away any other claimants to Westeros' throne had been…disquieting to say the least.

But he also couldn't say such things surprised him. The history and conquest of the Nine Realms was a bloody one and he was under no misunderstandings that such things hadn't happened outside of this world.

"Revenge is a worthy goal," he said finally. "But if that is all your goal is, you will not last long on the throne, especially with few people to support you. Correct me if I am wrong, but I assume you do not wish to rule in the same vein as your family. It was what caused them to lose the throne was it not?"

Daenerys bristled but didn't back down from the jab. "Yes it was. My father was a monster who tortured and raped my mother. He was insane in every sense of the word and unfortunately I am a product of that monstrousness. I know people will think that my father's monstrousness is my legacy but I know that that is not true."

Loki kept his face carefully blank, not allowing her to see how much her words were hitting just a bit too close to home. He knew a bit more than most what it meant to be a monster and to be ostracized because of it.

"So what do you wish to do?" he asked, "when you take back your throne?"

He wasn't sure why he was asking all these questions, but it was either amused curiosity or frankly, boredom. He had had so few people to talk to these days that offered him stimulating conversation, he was reluctant to turn away from the one who would.

She was amusing….that was all.

Daenerys sighed and leaned against the stone wall that overlooked the ocean. "Perhaps it is not so much my birthright as it is a desire to never be vulnerable again. I have spent too much time being bandied about the plans and schemes of others that I wish for something to be just mine. To prove to myself I suppose that I am not a victim."

Mocking words were on his tongue but for some reason Loki bit them back before they spilled forth. The concept of being a victim was not one that he liked to discuss. Perhaps it was because it was a title he had been running from his entire life, perhaps it had to do with the more recently discovered and horrifying information about just what he was; the knowledge that had destroyed his life after all, cut him off from-

"So this is about reputation after all?" he asked leaning next to her.

She laughed bitterly and the dragons creaked in response, causing her to look at them in wonder. "I suppose so. My greatest desire is to leave a mark on the world and to be successful at it so that I will not be doubted again."

Norns was this girl sent to torment him?

For the first time, Loki began to wonder if he had made a mistake in offering her shelter. It had gone beyond simple boredom. He had wanted to cause strife amongst the other members of the Pureborn because riling them up was just so much fun. They didn't understand him so they did not like him. They feared his magic but coveted his power and so sought to control him in their own subtle ways.

No doubt many of them, Daxos included were seething that he had been the first one to offer the dragon queen asylum. Their reactions were the only reason he had done it, certainly not out of the goodness of his heart.

Now he almost wished that he had minded his own business. He could see too many similarities. She had his ambition and his previous naivete at wanting to do and be something. If she continued down that path, she would only be disappointed. "You are aware that reputation is not enough to rule by."

She threw him an annoyed look but it faded after only a few seconds. "Indeed, but the fact that it is my birthright is something that is known by many. My family has a three hundred year legacy in Westeros. I am not naïve enough to believe that all of those years are good, but like my dragons, I wish to amend the mistakes of the past as certainly the king that took the throne after my father was no better."

Robert Baratheon.

Loki had kept an eye on that ruler too from his place across the sea. He was a bit appalled that this ruler had much in common with one he once knew as well. Baratheon was a great warrior and there were tales of his exploits but after losing his betrothed to the brother of the dragon queen, he took the throne and then fell into a drunken stupor, ignoring when the realm began to come undone around him.

It was a weakness that families like the Lannisters began to take notice of.

The way they had done it was interesting to Loki. They were of course the richest family in Westeros and their patriarch had cleverly made himself available to fund whatever Robert Baratheon, his son in law needed or wanted, putting the crown in a great deal of debt to their family. The debt just kept accumulating until Baratheon's death. How they were going to recoup their assets Loki wasn't sure but if he had been in Tywin Lannister's position, he would have found a way to drain Baratheon dry before the man was cold in his grave.

Then there was the situation with the Iron Bank in Braavos.

"Do you truly wish to rule?" he asked Daenerys quietly. "And to keep your seat for years to come?"

She gave him an incredulous look. "Wasn't that the point of this conversation?"

He narrowed his eyes at her. "All I heard was nonsense about reputation and birthrights. You can't rule through those things alone or it will be a very short rule indeed. If you are serious about this, then you need to look for any advantages possible because from where I'm standing, you have next to none."

She bristled slightly, but appeared to take a deep breath. "Are you offering yourself as one?"

He scoffed and waved his hand, a goblet of wine appearing in it in an instant. It wasn't nearly as strong as the mead and ale he was used to drinking but the wine of this country had a very pleasing taste.

Daenerys blinked at the blatant display of magic but otherwise held her silence.

"Don't be absurd," he muttered. "I simply hate to see those who can't help their own ignorance wandering headlong into a trap completely unaware."

The blonde's face now resembled something akin to a thundercloud but the trickster kept going before she could attempt to rebuke his words. "You are looking at the concept of rule from an extremely naïve angle. And I suppose that that is not your fault, you don't know any better. You have never ruled over anyone and your heritage is not enough of a reason to qualify you to wear a crown. If you want Westeros' throne, you are going to have to be as conniving as possible, otherwise it will never be yours."

"You keep dancing around a truth you wish for me to know but come no closer to saying it," Daenerys snapped, but despite her temper, he knew he had her attention.

"That's because you're not listening," he said feeling the urge to roll his eyes. "You have told me yourself that the throne is weak, that now would be as good a time as any to strike and stake your claim before stability is once more found."

"Yes."

"But you seem to believe that the way to do this is through strength of arms and not any other way. I can tell you that people will not love you if you bring war to their doorstep. They will curse your name and look for another ruler. While their opinion matters little, any discontent is to be taken seriously or it might cost you. Sometimes war is necessary, but not this time."

He tried not to think about what his ignorance had cost him when it came to a throne.

"What is the most powerful force in the world that will control men and gods alike?" he continued and raised his goblet to his lips as he waited for her answer.

Daenerys narrowed her eyes for a moment, the vibrant purple of them focusing on him intently. "Coin," she said after a second. "Money."

He smirked at her. "Correct. And it is by coin that you can win the throne of Westeros."

"Are you suggesting that I search for a wealthy benefactor?" she asked with some amusement. "Because that was my intent in going to the Pureborn."

He waved a hand dismissively. "All thirteen of those men are fools. They hold onto their seats in this city by luck only. I don't believe in luck. No, what I would suggest is look into Robert Baratheon's debt to the Iron Bank. They are a force to be reckoned with are they not?"

Daenerys blinked and her eyes narrowed on him. He knew he had her full attention now. "They are."

"He has been borrowing heavily from them has he not?" Loki went on.

"Indeed."

"And who is responsible for handling those loans? Surely not the king himself?"

"No, that would be his master of coin, one Petyr Baelish."

"And what do you know of Baelish?"

"Little, save that he is purported to be an intelligent man. He is a minor lord of a small house in the Vale. The littlest of the Fingers they say. Apparently he worked his way up from obscurity to be the King's Master of Coin and now –" she cut off as a sudden realization overcame her. "I see."

"Do you?" he asked sarcastically, sipping from the wine. "Explain it to me then."

Daenerys' eyes had grown wide. "You are suggesting that as a minor lord from obscurity, Baelish would have something to prove as being a member of the King's small council. And as a result of his ambition that he might….overreach?"

Loki shrugged. "If I was a man in that position, that might be what I would do."

Daenerys was quiet for a moment but he could see that she was thinking deeply. It was rather nice to have someone listen to him and take him seriously. Despite their naivete, he had met many mortals who were receptive to his advice when he chose to give it.

"If he were overreaching," Daenerys said slowly. "I would imagine that the Iron Bank would have quite a lot to say about their stolen funds. I have heard that he is quite wealthy now and that Robert Baratheon still has a sizeable debt."

Finally, she was getting it. "Aye, that they would."

She turned to him suddenly, a strange light in her eyes. "Do you have an account with the Iron Bank?"

He blinked at the abrupt turn in conversation. "Why would you assume that?"

She smiled. "Sorcerer you are, so you may not have any need to store your money in an account. You are easily as wealthy any of the Pureborn and yet I cannot help but think that you might find it foolish to store all your money nearby. You strike me as the sort of individual who creates many plans in order to maximize his influence. You may despise human convention like that of a bank, but you will never doubt the efficiency of several good plans."

He raised an eyebrow at that. "Perhaps there is hope for you after all."

"And if you do have money and influence with the Iron Bank as I suspect you do," she went on. "It would be no trouble at all to make several inquiries into the accounts of one Petyr Baelish. I couldn't mention the name of the late king without making several eyebrows rise but this might not be too suspicious."

"And just why would I help you with that?" Loki asked though he was finding the line of her thoughts more intriguing than before.

"Oh, you wouldn't be helping me exactly," Daenerys said. "I just need to pen a letter, impersonating one Petyr Baelish and asking to withdraw all the funds he no doubt has in that bank. I won't make the assumption that he has all those funds stored in one place, but I think it is safe to bet that the Iron Bank is the most secure location for some of them."

"And how would I not be helping you then?" he asked, making air quotes around the word.

She smirked at him. "Now that you have freed my magic, I just need to learn to take on a different form, the form of Petyr Baelish."

He couldn't help himself, he burst out laughing. "I can think of now less than two drawbacks with that plan. The first is that changing your shape is one of the most difficult forms of magic to hold and maintain. You must be intimately aware of the being you are trying to impersonate, knowing every facet of their personality and mannerisms. That takes a great deal of time to learn, time I cannot see you having to learn. The second is that you have no way of getting to the Iron Bank as it is across the country. It would take weeks to get there, you have no escort, no one to keep you safe in the desert and no one to stay with once you get to Braavos. Just how were you planning to overcome those odds?"

To his faint surprise, Daenerys didn't look too disappointed by the flaws he had pointed out. "Well then I suppose I could employ a second plan, one that is a bit more achievable."

"And that is?"

"I could simply wait until the dragons have reached a large enough size and then do away with all of the Pureborn altogether, recoup their assets and proceed to build an army. From there, I am certain I would make a tempting marriage option to anyone in Westeros, but I had considered offering myself to the Martells."

"Go on," Loki said, feeling a bit curious despite himself.

"The Martells have more reason than most to hate the Lannisters for the crimes against their family. Their eldest daughter Arianne will inherit Dorne from her father and Prince Doran has two other eligible sons I can choose from. They are the most liberal family in Westeros so one of their sons being King consort would not be disagreeable to them, especially if their main desire is revenge."

"I invite you to consider what you have just said," Loki said with some amusement. "You made a claim to wish to be a better ruler than your forebears and then you suggest flat out murder as a means of beginning your reign. That is the height of hypocrisy."

She didn't seem fazed to his surprise. "I'm aware of that, but I do not feel it will be too great a loss considering that every Pureborn in this city endorses slavery and thrives off of the pain and suffering of others. Slavery is a deplorable practice and seeing as how I have been little better than a slave for most of my life, I have little sympathy for them."

"You are surprisingly more pragmatic than I thought," Loki said. He would have no qualms about destroying the Pureborn because if there was one thing that he hated, it was messes, and they truly had made a mess of the city.

"I can be when it benefits me," Daenerys said quietly, leaning against the wall to look out into the harbor, but its always better when it benefits others also."

"Hmm," Loki hummed. "Suppose I were to help you then?"

Daenerys turned to him with both eyebrows raised. "Pardon me, but didn't you just say that you have no interest in this whatsoever?"

"No I did not," Loki replied. "You simply had yet to say something that would make an endeavor like this worth my while. Now you have."

"I assume you want something in return for your assistance," Daenerys said. "Nothing is for free after all."

Loki smirked to himself. She was learning.

"What is it that you want?" she asked, her violet eyes were keen as she turned toward him. "You have an endgame in all of this I'm sure."

Loki took a sip of his wine and took his time in replying just to ensure that she was fully listening. "I want the city."

"Is that all?" she asked narrowing her eyes. "Forgive me, but that seems rather tame for you. You who have more power than any individual I have ever met and a sea dragon to top it all off. Why would you want just Qarth?"

He didn't of course, but he wasn't going to tell her that. He had his own plans for this city and beyond but there was no point in revealing them now. Better to wait and let her show her hand first. She could struggle to be the leader of the land across the sea while he took this city and eventually the continent with ease.

"Oh I don't," he said with a smile at her that was all teeth. "I have far greater plans than just this city. But it will do for a start."

Her eyes remained narrowed at him. "Very well then, keep your secrets. I'll learn them before long."

He chuckled. "It's amusing that you think so."

Loki downed the rest of his wine in one swallow and turned to her. "I believe that we should begin your training soon. If you are truly serious about wielding magic that is."

"There is little that I have been more serious about," Daenerys said with a hard look in her eyes. "If you are to be my teacher, than I will be the best pupil you have ever taught."

He was even more amused. "I suppose we'll have to see now won't we?"

W

Interlude

When he came to again, the sky was moving above him. A hot wind was blowing, scaling his skin and he absently reached to tug at his clothes to pull them tighter around him.

And was met with nothing but skin under his hands.

Loki jerked upright in an instant.

His second view of this new world was behind that of wooden bars and surrounded by a great many other sad individuals who were huddled or grouped together in this enclosure with him. They were attired in rags many had their arms covering them as well in an effort to maintain their dignity.

He stared wide eyed through the bars ahead of him and saw two men on horseback, leading the cart they were sitting on behind them. There were two men behind them on horses and two others riding at the sides of them. All were carrying whips in their hands and swords at their waists. They were greasy and generally unclean looking and the sneers on their faces told him everything that he needed to know.

Slavers were not common in the Nine but there were places throughout the galaxy where human flesh was still trafficked at will to the highest bidder.

Loki had never thought too much about it, thinking that all slavery was a condition of mortality. Human seemed to crave subjugation just as they desired to rule over each other. They were generally terrible at both so Loki left them to their own devided. Better to let them wipe themselves out and the Nine would be a more stable place.

But to take such liberties with his person?

He could feel the rage pouring through his blood like hot poison. His seidr began to respond to the swell of emotion and his fists began to shake with the power coursing through him.

The imbeciles had taken everything down to his clothes.

Just before he prepared to lash out with his seidr and destroy them all, a cool hand pressed against his too warm skin.

He jerked backwards with a startled oath and found himself face to face with an older woman with salt and pepper hair. Her face was a mass of wrinkles and her dark eyes looked haunted and exhausted.

In her hands, she held a dirty rag that she had soaked in the bucket of water in front of her and squeezed out.

It was a credit to how bewildered Loki was than he made no move to speak or deflect when she pressed it against his face in an effort to cool him down.

"Too hot," she whispered. "You are too hot. Feverish."

She was….being kind to him?

"…..Thank you," Loki said slowly, his lips moving without his permission.

She nodded and continued to press the cloth to his face. As disgusting as it was, it did help to cool him a bit.

Once he was sufficiently cool, he turned to her, feeling somewhat calmer, but only just. "You might want to close your eyes."

"What –"

Before she had a chance to ask anymore questions, Loki lashed out with his seidr, obliterating the cage and calling a knife to himself at the same time. Miraculously, his magic hadn't been damaged in the fall and he felt a feral grin on his lips when control was once more returned to him.

These fools dared to bind and imprison a prince, then they would suffer the consequences.

The cage exploded in a flash of light, sending wood flying in all directions. Loki landed on his feet in the hot sand and hissed when it made contact with his skin. With a quick spell, he had clothed himself once more in the garments of Asgard and sent two daggers through the throats of the two slavers ahead of them.

He whirled to find the other four staring at him in horror. Two of them had been blown off their horses from the force of the explosion and the others had just managed to keep their seats but looked severely off balance and terrified by the phenomenon.

Loki didn't give them any time to recover.

With a twitch of his fingers, the knives had flown through the remaining four before they had a chance to raise their whips.

"Right then," he muttered to himself and turned around brushing his hands off. "Now to find out where in the Nine I am."

"You are a god," said an incredulous voice from somewhere behind him.

Loki blinked and turned to find the entire group of slaves staring at him, their eyes wide and jaws slack. The one who had spoken was a youth who looked no older than Midgardian thirteen. He had floppy brown hair and skin as dark as those from Vanaheim. His eyes were huge as he stared up at Loki in awe and when the trickster cast a glance around, he could see similar expressions on the faces of all the other slaves and he felt a small smile cover his face.

"Yes," he said softly. "I am."

There was a moment of silence where all those gathered, men, women children, elders and youths just stared at him.

And then, almost as one they threw themselves forward onto their knees, almost prostrating themselves in front of Loki, faces pressed to the sand.

Bowing….they were bowing to him.

The moment this thought registered, Loki's small smile turned into a shark like grin. Finally….someone who was showing him proper respect. This was how it should have been all along.

"Where is the nearest city?" he asked and the old woman who had offered him water and wiped his face spoke up from her place in the back.

"Qarth….it is Qarth my lord,"

"You will take me there," Loki said. The city's name was not one that he recognized, but then nothing around him looked familiar. He was completely unknown to this branch of Yggdrasil which made things a bit more complicated.

But he would relish the challenge of finding out.

"Remove all of their possessions," he said gesturing to the dead slavers. "Take what you need for yourselves, I have no need for it. And then let us make haste out of this desert."

He looked them all over, taking in the many different appearances but smirking at their eagerness to serve him.

"Take this horse my lord," the youth said, bringing over the white mare that one of the slavers had been riding. "It is the best one."

"Ah," Loki said, taking the reins of the mare, she was indeed beautiful, nothing like Asgard's horses, but she would do. "I believe you are right."

Once he had settled himself on the horse, he turned to find that most of the former slaves had picked the bodies of the masters clean of their clothing, weapons and coins. They were now all attired in some strange collection of everything they had taken.

Loki grimaced. They were a bit rough, but they seemed eager to please. He shook his head. If they were going to serve him, he couldn't very well have them going around half naked. What would that say about him after all?

With a lazy wave of his hand, all the people before him were attired in plain beige tunics and trousers with sturdy sandals on their feet.

There was a collective gasp as they all looked down at their new clothes with cries of surprise and delight. Many looked at him in awe and bowed low once more.

Loki was pleased. The day had started off rather poorly but was now beginning to look up.

"You all serve me now," he said in a clear voice and was gratified to see them all nodding back at him eagerly. "Serve well and you will be treated as such. Serve poorly and….well you won't like to see what happens when I'm angry."

"Of course my lord," one of the youths said with wide eyes. "We would rather a serve a god than a man."

"And that is at it should be," Loki said smirking at him.

He turned the horse around and dug his heels into its sides, preparing himself to head for a city he had never heard of, in a branch of Yggdrasil that he had never seen. "Very well then. Onward…..to glorious purpose."

W

Alrighty! We have struck a bargain between our dragon queen and trickster prince. These two are going to make so much chaos it's unbelievable and I can't wait for it! Also, this story is about to go extremely AU, so brace yourself folks.

As much as I love Dany, I want to highlight just how naive she is when it comes to politics. It makes sense that she would have little knowledge of ruling at this point, simply because she has never been exposed to it and was somewhat sheltered. Don't worry, she'll learn, Loki is going to make an excellent teacher. The next few chapters are going to be fun.

Even though this chapter was largely about politics and how much Dany still doesn't know, there is going to be some action coming up that will affect both her and Loki and the future of Essos as a whole. I can't wait for you guys to read it.

I am truly having so much fun with this story, I hope you guys are too. Don't forget to review and I will see you next time!