Chapter 69: Loki's Worst Nightmare
Takes place after Becky meets her real father.
(Loki's POV)
I'm awoken by Thor once again, but this time, my brother has…tears in his eyes.
"Thor? Why are you crying?"
"Loki, I don't know how to tell you this…it's your daughter."
I bolt up, fearing the worst for my daughter.
"Is she…is she here?"
"Being here would be better than what she just went through. According to Heimdall…she was raped."
"By whom?" I ask, seething with rage. Who could've hurt my little girl? Drago is long gone, so who could have –
"Believe it or not, Loki…it was…it was Eret."
"Eret? My son-in-law Eret? Thor, are you – are you sure?"
"Heimdall saw it himself. He projected it and I, too, saw it for myself."
I push back the covers and Thor and I start walking as fast as we can towards Heimdall.
"You must get to Midgard as soon as possible, Loki. What Eret has done to your daughter…it's irreparable."
"Where is he now?" I ask.
"He's being watched by the chief of Berk."
"And my granddaughter?"
"She's with Amalie and Eret, Sr. She's been with them since the attack."
"Did she – did Ruby see her father attack her mother?"
"Unfortunately so, brother. Go, and give your daughter a hug from her Uncle Thor."
"I will."
Heimdall solemnly starts up the rainbow bridge from Asgard to Midgard.
As soon as I make it to Midgard, I head directly to Gothi's hut. I'm sure my daughter is there.
"Loki?" Tuffnut asks. He's in tears, so what Thor told me must be true.
"Tuffnut, is it – is it true? Did Eret really…?" I ask, not willing to believe that Eret – our Eret – could have hurt his own wife, my own daughter.
"I wish he hadn't, but he did. It's taking all my strength not to punch him. For hurting her like he did. Hasn't my adoptive sister been hurt enough?! Why would he stoop so low?!"
"That I don't know. May I see her?"
"Of course. Ruffnut and our mom are with her, along with Astrid and Valka. Gobber's watching Zephyr and Nuffink."
"Good. I don't want those kids anywhere near Eret. And…I won't say his name in front of her. Tuffnut, why are you out here instead of in there with your sister?"
"I just couldn't stand seeing her like that. What Eret did…it's breaking her much, much worse than Drago ever did."
Tears well in my eyes, and I close them, letting the tears fall. After quickly swiping them away, I gently knock on the door. I hear a shriek from inside, and hushed tones. I open the door and everything I've been through since I was a child, every parenting book I read before she was born does not prepare me for what I see before me: my daughter has bruises and cuts everywhere on her, and my heart instantly breaks when I see her look at me.
"D-Daddy?" She sputters, beginning to hyperventilate through her tears.
"I'm here, my princess of Midgard." I kneel before her, not believing what Eret put her through to be true.
"I can't believe it either, Daddy. I can't believe he would do something like this. Daddy?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"Can you – can you hold me?"
"Of course, my princess."
I sit on the bed next to my daughter and I hold her as she begins to sob.
"Shhh. I'm here, my princess. I'm right here. I'll personally make sure that monster sees justice."
"The thing is…I've been thinking back to before he attacked me…thinking back to what I could've done wrong."
"Oh, sweetheart. You have done absolutely nothing wrong. It's all on him. You shouldn't blame yourself for something he did. Something that's not your fault."
I pass Becky over to her adoptive mother and I get up.
"Daddy, where are you going?"
"To teach that son of a – to teach him a lesson." I stop short, not wanting to insult his mother. It's not her fault. It's all on him.
I walk out the door, and Becky's adoptive father and brother both look at me, and I can see we share the same thought: we need to teach Eret that what he's done is inexcusable.
The three of us walk to the chief's home, past the forge where Gobber, Zephyr and Nuffink are. Gobber looks at me solemnly and nods. I can only nod back at him.
I gently knock on the door, and Hiccup answers it, and has tears in his eyes.
"Come on in."
"Please tell me Eret hates himself for what he's done to her."
Hiccup shakes his head.
"I'm afraid not, Loki. He doesn't have an ounce of regret."
"Then it's time we teach him a lesson."
"Loki, I'm all for getting justice for what he did to Becky, but this isn't the only way."
"What, let him go to trial and have her testify for what he did to her? She's already emotionally and physically scarred for life, so why scar her further, Hiccup?"
"Because, despite what she's been through with him, I know she wouldn't want him to be hurt."
"Then it's a classic case of Stockholm syndrome. She still loves him, no matter how much he hurts her. I can't let my daughter be traumatized further."
"LOKI!" I turn and see Ruffnut. She's got a panicked look on her face and has tears in her eyes.
"Ruffnut, what is it?"
"It's Becky…she…she's going into shock…and she may not make it out of it."
Time stops and seems to slow down all at the same time, and, leaving Eret behind, Hiccup, Tuffnut, Frank, Ruffnut and I all run to Becky as fast as we can.
When we get there, my worst fear has come true: Lily is in tears, looking at her – at our – lifeless…lifeless daughter.
I sink to my knees, my chest tightening. She's gone. My little girl is gone. I begin to sob.
Soon, a funeral takes place for my daughter.
I can only hope she's going to Asgard, being half-goddess.
I shoot a flaming arrow with the rest of them, and send my daughter off. Eret is there, but he smiles. Not remorsefully, not regretfully, but like he's enjoying the suffering. Like he's relishing in it.
It's taking all my strength not to go over and punch him.
I hear my four-year-old granddaughter wail for her mother.
I close my eyes and let the endless stream of tears fall.
Loki…
Loki.
LOKI!
I bolt up in a cold sweat.
I look to my left and see my mother looking at me, concerned.
"Loki, you were thrashing about in your sleep. Are you alright?"
"Mother…I just had the worst nightmare. Eret, he – he raped my little girl. And she…she died from the shock."
"Go see Heimdall. He can tell you what he sees in her house on Midgard."
"Thank you, Mother."
I go to Heimdall immediately.
"Heimdall."
"Loki. I knew you were coming. Go see for yourself that your daughter and Eret are both safe and sound."
"Thank you, Heimdall."
I go to Midgard and head inside of my daughter's house. I head upstairs and see my daughter and son-in-law sleeping peacefully.
It was all a bad nightmare.
That's all it was.
I return to Asgard and have a drink of water, and then I go back to bed, thankful that nightmare I had has not come true.
