Loki sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes closed and fingers pressed together in front of him. He breathed.
He heard loud footsteps and his eyes shot open. He would recognize the sound of his brother—there he went again, still referring to him as his brother—anywhere. He calculated the humiliation of appearing weak with his need for Odinson to understand his urgency and lunged to his feet and at the bars, craning his neck to see—there!
Thor strode towards him, red cape billowing behind. His eyes simultaneously lit up and darkened at the sight of Loki.
"How are you faring, brother?" he asked.
Loki strained at the bars, eyes frantic. How could he get his point across? He pulled at the muzzle and looked imploringly at Thor.
The god of thunder shook his head. "It is Father's order that you not be released until such time as he sees fit. It pains me, but I must follow his instructions. I have not for so long." Thor slightly deflated. "Though I wish we could speak again. I wish we could put all this behind us forever, but it seems that cannot be."
Loki dashed to his bed and grabbed his blanket, holding it up for Thor to see.
Thor frowned. "What ails you, brother? I know not what you mean by this."
Loki actually made a sound of frustration and the muzzle instantly reminded him of why he was being silent. He stiffened, tightening his hold on the blanket as a small shock of pain rippled through his body.
He shook his head to clear it and looked down at his hands. He blinked and unwound them from the fabric, then his eyes widened and he almost whimpered. He held up the thin blanket and saw that yes, he had tore a small hole in the fabric.
He folded it carefully and set it on the bed and remembered his bro—Odinson.
Thor was watching with a look of pity and compassion.
Loki stepped forward, gripping the bars again. He tried to communicate with his eyes what he meant.
Thor sighed. "I wish I did not have to leave you, but Jane is waiting for me."
Loki froze.
Thor continued, unaware of his expression. "I left her without even saying greeting her last time I was on Earth. I have much to speak with her about."
Loki shook his head, frantically.
Thor squinted at him. "What is it that troubles you?" He looked past him and into the cell. His face cleared. "Do you desire another blanket?"
Loki whirled away from him and scanned the room. He saw the floor, so very dusty, and threw himself at it. He angled himself so his brother-Odinson-could see and wrote in the dust, Frigga.
Thor smiled. "I shall tell her you asked for her." He stepped back and began to turn.
Loki stared at him in horrified frustration. He leapt up and tapped on the bars.
Thor turned back.
Loki gestured to his eye and stood taller, then stood with a questioning glance. What is the Allfather doing—is he going to leave for something—are my dreams coming true?
Thor understood only a little. "You ask after Odin?"
Loki nodded.
"He and our mother talk about you frequently," Thor started.
Loki sighed. That wasn't what he meant. He ignored the voice that repeated our mother our ours.
Thor suddenly broke off and looked behind him. "I must be going," he said finally. "We will leave soon."
Loki raised an eyebrow, hoping against hope that "we" didn't actually mean-
Thor grinned. "Volstagg refused to be left behind when I made this journey to Midgard, and Fandral and Hogun convinced Sif that we all should go together." He turned away. "I will do my best to keep them out of trouble, brother!" he called over his shoulder.
Loki stared at him. It couldn't be.
Thor stopped, then turned back. "I will miss you," he said softly, then he turned around a corner and was gone.
Loki grabbed the bars and jerked at them. They didn't move, only hummed with an angry buzz, reminding him that they would not take kindly to his breaking out. He turned around and closed his eyes. A vision of Frigga, lying with far too much red pooling around her body, flashed in his mind and he winced, opening his eyes.
He had to think. If this was all happening as he thought it would, he had to do something, and quickly. If he was right, Odin would be called away soon, and then the battle would begin.
Battle, he repeated disgustedly.
It looked to be a massacre. Not war, but sport.
Loki's hands clenched into fists again and his head thudded against the cold unmoving bars.
"What is wrong, my son?" a voice asked softly.
He whirled to see Frigga standing there, looking at him with a gentle look. He again pulled at his muzzle, hoping against hope she would—
"I am sorry, Loki, I cannot remove it." She sighed, stepping closer.
"My lady," a previously unseen guard interjected, stepping forward. "I do not advise such a short distance between you and this traitor."
Frigga turned on him, standing tall and imposing. "My son," she said firmly, "is not a traitor and I do not ask for your parenting advice."
Loki grinned beneath his mask. When he and Thor were little, it was Frigga they feared most. His grin slipped. Now it was Frigga he feared for most.
The guard bowed his head. "My apologies, my lady."
"Do not apologize to me when it is my son you have offended," she said, sounding still angry.
Loki glanced at her in surprise. Surely she knew that he would never—
"I apologize, Loki," the guard said, sounding as though he were speaking the words past a mountain of bread and potatoes.
Loki nodded, accepting the apology. Even though the world fell, Loki, god of mischief, would use his manners. Especially in front of his mother. It was strange to think of her as his mother again, but also slightly comforting.
Frigga nodded. "Thank you. You may leave now."
The guard left.
Frigga sighed. "I am sorry, Loki. They do not understand…you wished to see me?" she asked, changing the subject.
Loki hesitated, mind whirling, trying to think—he mimed writing.
Frigga smiled. "That you can do." She turned back to where the guard had gone. "Bring us paper and writing instruments!" she called.
In only a few minutes it was there. Loki reached through the bars to grab it, instantly beginning to write furiously. He was soon done, and he handed the note to his mother.
I have dreamed that the dark elves will attack Asgard. It is likely that Odin will be called away, possibly on a diplomatic mission. I fear it will happen soon.
Frigga looked up. "Is it only a nightmare?" she asked gently.
He shook his head, grateful she had asked instead of telling him that it was just a nightmare. He wrote again. It matters not. You must prepare.
"In your dream, who was their leader?"
I could not see.
"How great were their numbers?"
Very great. We were overrun. The streets were choked with the bodies of the Aesir and the elves.
"Why do you think Odin will be called away?"
I could not see him. Loki almost handed it to her, then added, Nor Thor and his friends, thus I believe it will happen very soon.
Frigga read his note and looked up at him, concern and worry etched in her features. "I will take this matter to the king, and we will prepare."
Loki shook his head as he wrote, Odin will not believe me.
Frigga smiled. "As you said, it matters not. We must prepare, regardless."
Loki flipped to a new page and wrote furiously. He must stay here, no matter what happens. He must remain with you. He frowned at the last sentence, wondering if she would think it odd but he handed it over anyway.
She read it and frowned. "Why is that?"
You must be protected.
"What did you see of me?" she asked. Her eyes were wary.
Loki did not hesitate anymore than he had before, so as to not give her worry, but wrote, You were in battle armor and you appeared to be alone. The future is unsettled, and this may change. Odin must not leave you.
Of course, that would likely mean that he and Frigga would both be killed in the same place. Loki scowled as his mother read his last note, but erased it before she could see.
Frigga looked up. "I will tell my husband immediately, though my protection is not a greater need than that of Asgard."
Loki shook his head determinedly.
She smiled. "You are still a prince, Loki. You know that what I say is true."
Loki grabbed the paper and wrote before he could change his mind, I am a son first and your protection is a far greater need than that of Asgard.
He watched as she read it. Her eyes softened and she looked up at him. "Loki," she whispered. "It is not always so easy for us. We are royalty. We make decisions that the rest of Asgard cannot."
Loki sighed, knowing he was defeated. Protect yourself, then. Asgard needs its queen. You are doing the realm a favor by protecting yourself.
His mother smiled at him, giving a small laugh. "Loki, even in the printed word you manage to weave your spell about your words. You tell the truth, though it is only a portion."
Loki smiled at her, but it didn't quite reach his eyes so she didn't know. He gestured with his head, softly, for her to go about protecting the realm. Frigga was a queen and a mother, and she was the mother of the realm. There was a reason they called her the Allmother.
She smiled again and weaved her fingers through the bars. Loki hesitantly held them. "My son," she whispered. "You give me hope for yourself. I will speak for you to the Allfather." She rested her head against the bars, and Loki let his own head rest gently against hers. He savored this moment, when he was the son and she the mother and he could forget who he was, what he had done, and simply let himself believe that all was well. "I love you, Loki," she said softly.
Loki held her for a second longer, then relaxed and gestured for her to go again. She stood tall. "It may only be a nightmare," she said.
He shrugged.
She sighed and, clutching the papers he had written to her, strode out of the hallway. "Banish the darkness, and in the light rejoice," she said over her shoulder.
Loki tensed at the words, then relaxed. They were what she had always said when he had had a nightmare, when he was younger. He found, as with all other memories of his childhood, that the memory of her speaking the words was tainted with the cold feeling he had carried with him ever since he learned what he truly was.
But, as always, Frigga banished the dark and the cold and the memory was colored with more gold and warm sunbeams than the others had been.
A/N: So, I think Thursdays sound good for updating, yeah? That way we get both of Frigga's sons in this. :)
And feel free to let me know what you think-I'm still not entirely sure about the characterization here.