They Come on White Horses: Chapter 21
Requested by: NoVacancyMind and many wonderful others
Sequel to Knights.
In a play, dealing with dangerous chemicals and creepy people who should not be around dangerous chemicals, trying not to get sick and finding time to write fan fiction? How do I do it? The ending is coming up pretty darn fast people! Oh my goodness!
Please enjoy and review!
Disclaimer: Don't own. Never will. So sad.
Tony Is Pretty Good at Figuring Things Out
When the chains melted away, once again Loki's magic rushed back to him. However, because the instruments used to bind it were cruder, it's return was graceless and winding. Loki's knees did buckle then and without his daughter, brother and Tony right beside him, his face would have crunched on the marble floors.
Instead, they all held him up, until Thor just took the advantage of height and strength and scooped Loki completely into his arms, bridal style. Frigga hurried them away and out of the throne room, not sparing her slumped and pale husband a glance. Loki trembled and sweat poured down his face as his body tried to stabilize itself and reach its equilibrium once more. Unconsciously, his hands fisted in his older brother's shirt front, clinging to it for all he was worth.
When they reached the room, Frigga instructed Thor to lay Loki down on the same large pillow they had shared not an hour ago. The Allmother had to push everyone back when they all crowded around.
"This didn't happen last time," Tony muttered worriedly. "He just passed out and slept a lot." He barely acknowledged when Steve laid a hand on his shoulder, though unlike before everything happened, he allowed it. Bruce shuffled as close as he could.
"Ma'am, I am a doctor, er, healer sort of, on my planet. Is there anything I can do to help?" His eyes kept darting between her face and Loki's, deep concern in his gaze. Frigga sighed and ran her hands through her baby boy's hair.
"Unfortunately, for right now, all we can do is wait. Although.." She looked to Thor, who straightened, ready for whatever task his mother would give him. "Bring me as much ice as you can. It could help him at least feel more comfortable." Thor was already heading towards the door. Hel sat on her father's other side and took his hand. She stared at his face and a lone tear trailed down her cheek.
"I wish I could have seen him under better circumstances." Frigga gave her a sad smile and laid a hand over hers.
"I know he wishes the same, though it is good to see you, Hel. It has been too long since I have seen your beautiful face as well." Hel graced her with a watery smile, while the others gathered their pillows around the trio. Once they were all seated, Hel glanced over both Tony and Bruce.
"You are the two men that were turned to children. The one's my father cared for, correct?" Tony nodded, and elbowed Bruce so he would too, when he was distracted by staring at Loki's trembling form.
"Oh, yeah. Loki really took over the babysitting, because no one else has had any real experience. He was…" A wistful smile washed across Dr. Banner's face, before he cleared his throat and it was gone. "He was really good at it." Tony nodded along to everything his friend said.
"Loki gave us a semi-normal childhood, even for only about a week. He…let us feel what it was like to be…cared for." It sounded like someone was pulling Tony's teeth to get him to say all of that, but they could all tell he meant every bit of it. Hel wasn't surprised by their words.
"My father was wonderful for the short time me and my brothers were with him. He loved all of us, no matter what everyone else told him, and I know how it shattered him each and every time his children were taken from him. I'd only been under his direct care a few short decades before I was torn away and left to die." She gestured to her rotten half. The Avengers had all seen it of course, but they were adults and used to seeing strange things, and for the most part mature. If not mature, then secretly decent people, because none of them had stared or commented or even brought it up. Hel could see why so many 'immortals' fell for Midgardians. They lived such short lives that they quickly learn what is important and what not to trifle over.
"My father was able to save me in time, but now I am bound forever to the realm of the dead. Only on the rarest of occasions do the Norns allow me to leave my kingdom, and they must have seen this as such a great injustice that they allowed my passage here." The Midgardians tried to let that stew in their brains for a little while, but before long, Thor was back carrying in a large metal tub with the help of some guards. Servants trailed behind them with buckets full of-presumably- ice.
"Mother, I believed that should Loki bathe in the ice it would help him more." Frigga stood and kissed her oldest on the cheek.
"That is a perfect idea, my son. Now, help me get him in the tub, and then we can pour the ice over him." They shooed the guards and servants away once they released the tub and buckets, and they set about maneuvering Loki into the basin. Thor and Frigga settled Loki comfortably into the tub, and each Avenger grabbed a bucket of ice. Two at a time, they slowly poured the ice in, until Loki was buried up to his neck in the frozen water. Steve ignored his own feelings about being buried in ice, and only saw it as trying to help a fallen teammate.
Almost immediately, Loki's trembling started to slow and he calmed a bit more. After only being in the ice a few moments, his skin began to darken and grooves raised up on his face.
"Um…is that supposed to happen?" Clint's lip curled, not in disgust, but more disguised concern (and only then, very very little concern).
"Frost Giant," Thor and Frigga said together. A small grin passed between them, seeing how each other treated it like some insignificant fact. It didn't change how they felt about their brother and son. Steve nodded.
"Right. So, the ice makes a bit more sense now."
"My friends," Thor made sure he had their attention. "My brother…he is greatly distressed by his true form, and perhaps it is best that you do not mention it when he wakes." They all nodded in understanding and settled on their pillows. Tony asked the question they were all thinking.
"So I take it, finding out about the whole…blue skin, making ice thing is what sent him over the edge way back when?" Thor nodded solemnly, and Frigga laid her free hand on his arm. Her other was occupied with keeping a hand on her other son.
"Aye. My coronation was interrupted by Frost Giants breaking into the weapons vault. They tried to steal back a weapon of theirs that could freeze over an entire realm, the Casket of Ancient Winters. They were stopped, but the damage was done. Father banned me from going to Jotunheim and seeking vengeance. We were at a weak piece with King Laufey, and one wrong move would end it." Natasha piped up from the other side of the circle.
"Loki let them in, didn't he." Thor actually smirked at this.
"Yes. He knew I wasn't ready to be king. I was too foolhardy and bent on the glory of battle. The Nine Realms would have fallen in a day."
"Not true, Uncle." They all looked to Hel, claiming the other side of Loki. She smirked at Thor. "It would have taken an hour." Thor chuckled at this, for now he could admit how right his brother was to stop the ceremony.
"So how did the whole, 'You're adopted and a Frost Giant' thing come out." Thor sighed and rubbed a thumb across his knuckles.
"I convinced my brother and my friends to accompany me to Jotunheim to uncover the leader of the plot to steal from our vaults. I would fully believe that Loki expected this, and only came himself to ensure I did not get myself killed. Instead, I almost got us all killed." Frigga did not disagree with him, but she did rub his arm soothingly.
"All is forgiven, My Dear. Do not forget that." Thor pursed his lips and continued.
"Father showed just in time to save our hides, and the moment we were back on Asgard he stripped me of my power and banished me to your realm. Thor looked to his mother, hoping she could clarify what happened next. She obliged.
"I believe something happened on that frozen wasteland that caused Loki to question his Asgardian heritage. I was only able to hear from Heimdall what happened when Odin found him in the weapons vault." She paused and gazed sadly at her boy. His breaths were deep, and his face free of worry. He looked so very young.
"When he laid hands on the Casket, his innate magic that bound his appearance peeled away to show his true form. Loki…was devastated." Tony looked about ready to blow a gasket.
"So let me get this straight. I'm just piecing this together from what you've said and Loki's actions and some ramblings from the whole 'invading Earth' fiasco. Tell me if I'm wrong." The team was wary of his tone. Bruce didn't know whether to inch closer or away, because he had a feeling Tony was going to say some things that maybe made the Asgardians present mad, but himself as well.
"Loki grew up as your little brother, because Odin what…stole him from the ice place?" Frigga gave a slow nod.
"In a sense. Odin found him abandoned in the temple. He was King Laufey's son. Odin thought he could unite their two realms through Loki." Tony's lips pursed and he nodded.
"Alright, so raise the kid with a good view of Asgardians so he's on the 'right' side. I'm guessing Odin said something along the lines of you would both be king?" Thor nodded. "But Odin never explained it, and obviously doted on you, Hammer Time, because you were his actual son, and you were getting the golden throne. No matter what Loki did it didn't matter, because you were the one who would actually be king. Right so far?"
"Unfortunately," Thor muttered.
"So, Loki grows up, almost no fatherly care or love whatsoever, and what, stories of how Asgard prevailed over the monstrous Frost Giants?" Both Thor and Frigga winced at that last jab.
"Yes. Most Asgardian parents told their children tales of Frost Giants to make them behave. I also stated frequently, how when I would be king I would slay them all." Clint scoffed in the back.
"Greaaaat," he drawled.
"So, no love from daddy, brother is an idiot who only wants to kill things, no offense since you've obviously changed quite a bit," Thor inclined his head as a 'none taken'. "Then daddy gets fed up and throws his own beloved son down to meager little Earth with no powers. So, big bro's gone, Loki finds out he's what he grew up learning were monsters that ate little kids, and then…." Tony looked to the Allmother for clarification on how that ended.
"Loki was so distressed, and Odin could not handle the pain of it, and fell into the Odin-sleep. Loki was given the throne in his stead because Thor was banished."
"….That's all kinds of messed up." For once, Natasha didn't elbow Clint for his comment. There was a contemplative silence after that, everyone letting it all sink in. Steve was the one who broke it.
"He still managed to turn out alright though, despite everything." That was something they could all agree on, considering his actions over the past week and a half. It even made a few of them smile.
Then Loki started to stir, and the tension and concern came back ten fold.
I know. It's short. Please bare with me...and Loki.
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