Chapter 8

After Frigga's body was moved to lay in state until the funeral, all Asgard was locked down, and Terra went to her room. At first, she merely stood in the black darkness of the room, but coming to sit on the bed, she placed her hands on her stomach. It was then that she began to cry. Everything seemed to overwhelm her in that moment as she remembered Frigga lay crumpled on the ground as she'd been. Now, her child would never know her. Frigga would have been such a wonderful grandmother, Terra knew it, but now, she'd never get the chance. She had been so kind to her, always, and yet the last thing Terra had done was be cross with her. Terra would regret it forever and sitting there, she cried because she would never be able to apologize.

"Who will tell Loki?" thought Terra when her tears finally waned, a whole day passing before that happened even as the guilt consumed her still.

He didn't know his mother was dead. Everything was on lockdown, but nothing more so then the dungeon. When the castle had been attacked, all the prisoner's cells had opened, but only Loki remained when everything was righted again. All the other prisoners fled the castle and Asgard altogether, but Loki was there. Just sitting against the wall of his cell with a book in his hand. No one had told him about the queen. Odin had given the order not to and Terra suspected even he didn't want him to be told in that way. Because she had been his mother and even Odin knew how he cared for her. When Terra could finally manage the strength, she went to Odin herself.

"He looks so frail" thought Terra when she came to stand in front of him as he sat on his golden throne, he looked older, and without his queen, he looked so sad, so much so that Terra found she felt sorry for him.

"I'm sorry, sir, we have all suffered a great loss. She was a great woman in every way…I had hoped my child would learn from her wisdom" exclaimed Terra as she stood in front of him. She was dressed all in black as was custom when someone died. She wore the silver crown of thorns the queen had given her only days before as a wedding present and silver and green choker that she had gifted her after Loki's fall. They were supposed to make her feel closer to the dead, to the one she'd lost, but it wasn't working. The queen herself was still gone and no mere bobble could replace her.

"Leave us" said Odin in response dismissing his guards from the room with a mere gesture of his hand.

"Come closer" whispered Odin his voice like rusty iron. It took Terra back as she stood there firmly in place. She knew he had never been particularly fond of her and she saw no reason for that to change. After a moment though, she approached him until she stood directly in front of his throne. She was close enough to touch him and looking into his eyes, she didn't know what to expect.

"I've never treated you justly…always with such contempt…and yet you console me now" said Odin surprising Terra not just with his words, but when his hand reached out to take hers.

"The queen loved you dearly and always said I should too. I never listened, but now that she is gone. That child within you was important to her. I should have been kinder to you…I took Loki's action out on you. I apologize" exclaimed Odin his old eyes drooping with sadness as they looked into her own, his hand clutching hers.

"Yes, sir, I'd like that very much. Perhaps we could be as the queen and I were…family or at the very least…friends" exclaimed Terra smiling at him as she clasped his hand with both of hers.

"I do hope the same…and now you can go, go tell Loki of his mother's death" said Odin smiling with a weak twinkle in his eye. Terra was stunned at first, it was like he was reading her mind, but after a moment, she could only nod. If anyone should tell Loki, it had to be her, and yet even as she was thinking that, Odin clutched her hand. It instantly shook her from her thoughts.

"I hope afterwards you will join Thor and his lady and I for dinner before the funeral" whispered Odin surprising her once more despite the events that had just passed. It touched her heart even as she was thinking of the news, she would have to deliver to her husband today. Terra looked at him though and after a moment, they shared a dull smile as she knelt to his level to kiss his cheek. That seemed to take him by surprise as well. Terra didn't comment on it though as she simply turned to leave the room. As she entered the dungeons, Terra felt the weight of what she was about to do.

She would have to tell Loki that the one person who had cared for him all his life would be gone. That he would never see her again. Terra knew he wouldn't take the news well, for though he played tough, Terra knew better. His mother was his closest confidant. She had been his world and Terra knew her loss would shatter him. It made her steps heavy. Finally, though, his cell came into view, and so did he. Loki was there, pacing the length of his cell, and Terra saw things through about. It stopped her until he whirled around suddenly to look right at her. He came barreling towards the barrier then and for a moment, she was sure he would crash right through it to get to her. Loki stopped though, just short of it, and immediately, she saw his eyes were filled with worry. As she stood there, Terra found she didn't want to tell him. That she wanted to be anywhere else, but she knew to have anyone else do it would be cruel. That's why she hid her own emotions as she looked at him taking the barrier down after just a moment to step into his cell. She watched it go up again and turning to face him, everything went as expected. Loki took her into his arms and releasing a sigh of relief, he just held her close. She sensed his worry and wanted to sooth him, but the words wouldn't come. Not with what she had to tell him weighing her down. He held her tightly to his chest and after a moment, her hands touched his back as she did the same.

"I haven't heard anything since the breakout and was worried you may have been hurt. No one would tell me anything…no one's even been down here" exclaimed Loki his eyes suddenly boring into hers as his hands held her face, looking at her as if looking for some sort of harm that had come to her.

"No, I was locked away from harm…your mother made sure of it" whispered Terra feeling small as she looked at him. She could feel the tears in her eyes. Loki saw them and she watched as the concern covered his face.

"What is it?" whispered Loki watching as she broke down in front of him.

Everything seemed to overwhelm her then more so then before. Terra felt the words she had to deliver sliding down her cheeks and yet, she couldn't find the strength to say them. Not just because she knew how he would respond, but because she was affected by them too. Because the queen had been as much of a mother to her as anyone and now, she was gone. There was no one left to guide her now and Terra felt the loss deep within herself. So, she cried, even as she knew she was supposed to be there for him.

"Loki…when Asgard was attacked…your mother was protecting Jane Foster and…she was killed" said Terra, her voice quivering as she told him.

"No" whispered Loki, the single word falling from his lips almost inaudibly as he looked down at her until suddenly, he was leaving her to stand there alone. Terra tried to grab for his hand, but his hand seemed to slip right through her own. She could see him spiraling and as he got farther, she knew it was sinking in. The reality of what she just told him was sinking in and she knew he would explode when it did. And yet, she wasn't afraid as she'd once been. She was prepared to weather his storm of emotions if that was what he needed. Finally, he dared to look at her, and she saw the tears in his eyes, waiting for him to let them leave. He shook his head though refusing them as he tried to deny the truth. He walked back until he hit the wall and swinging at it, Loki put a fist sized hole in the wall that repaired itself almost immediately.

Loki only made the hole again though then again and again until Terra gathered him away from it. Guiding him to his bed, Terra heard him yelling even as she let him bury his head in her chest. She didn't make it to dinner that night. She didn't dare leave him until the time came to go to the funeral.