A/N: Hi! Sorry about the wait again, but real life is really getting in my way a lot lately. Oh well. Enjoy! I've drawn a couple Loki pictures which are now posted on my deviantArt account (my username is sigyn-of-asgard) One of them is directly related to this fic, the other is just for the hell of it.
Edit: My dear Sister, vamp of alium sativum pointed out a couple inconsistencies, which are now mended. Thanks sis!
Loki awoke to the tramping feet of two guards coming down the hall towards his cell. Thunder crashed around the palace, and this time, the trickster was fairly certain that Thor was the cause. The guards came to a stop in front of the cell.
"That Lady Frigga requests your presence." Loki grinned.
"She does? Did she say why?" The guards looked uneasy.
"No." The soldier flinched as a particularly large bolt of lightning lit up the corridor. Loki chuckled.
"I shall venture a guess that it is for the prince's sake that she summons me?" The first soldier nodded.
"Indeed. Now, unlock the door, warden." The guard ordered. The warden took the ring of keys down from its hook, and entered the cell. Loki held out his wrists, knowing that they would put restraints on him, to prevent him from using magic. A wise move on their part, but honestly, he didn't really feel like making this any messier than it already was. The warden clamped the cuff bracelets onto his arms and allowed the soldiers to take him away.
They took him up to the chambers. He could hear Thor pitching fit and Frigga trying to comfort him. When he appeared in the doorway, Frigga smiled.
"He wants you, Loki. He refuses to listen to anyone else." She said with a small smile. Loki grinned, taking Thor from her.
"Come here brother." The little boy buried his face in Loki's tunic.
"I missed you." he said plaintively. Loki ruffled his hair affectionately.
"Well, I'm here now. How about we dry those tears?" Thor nodded, tiredly wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Loki bounced him gently. "And perhaps some sleep? We were walking all day."
"NO!" Thor protested. Loki gave him a look.
"I promise I'll be right here when you wake up. Does this satisfy you?" Thor considered it for a moment.
"Promise?"
"You have my word." Thor wriggled free of Loki's arms, and pulled him over to the bed.
"Rest with me?" he said, patting the blankets next to him. Loki laughed, and grudgingly lay down, closing his eyes. Something jumped on his chest, nearly taking his breath away.
"Ouch." He opened his eyes slightly. Thor looked sheepish.
"Sorry…" He curled up in a little ball on Loki's chest. Frigga watched both her sons fall asleep. Really, it was a shame that Angrboda had died. Loki would've made an excellent father.
A guard came to the doorway, interrupting the silence.
"Queen Frigga, the All-father requests your presence." Frigga nodded and followed him down to the throne room. A mysterious figure in a long black cloak stood before the high seat.
"Queen Frigga, it is an honor to finally meet you." The voice was rough, yet had a lilting quality to it at the same time.
"Odin, who is this?" Frigga asked nervously. The figure turned around, pulling the hood down, revealing a beautiful face, with a curtain of long black hair covering one side of it. It looked so familiar, like Loki's, except the angles were softer, more beautiful than severe. Odin looked uncomfortable. It was as though his darkest fears had come back to bite him.
"Hela Lokidottir of Niflheim." Odin said quietly. Frigga glanced at her husband in confusion.
"Loki has no children. What are you saying?" Hela laughed, the sound grating on Frigga's ears like an ill-tuned fiddle.
"Then you were lied to. I am indeed Loki's daughter." Frigga stared at the woman, slackjawed.
"But Loki's children died. His wife died…"
"His wife was murdered. A spell placed over her to ensure she died, and the children disposed of…No one would be any the wiser." Frigga shook her head, remembering the feeling of Loki sobbing against her, leaning on her for comfort when there was none to give. She turned to the king.
"You…you did this?" Frigga gasped. Odin looked grim.
"It was for the best." He replied. Hela laughed.
"For the best? Was it for the best when you threw me into that wasteland of a realm, where the very air ate away at my flesh? Was it for the best when you bound my brother so tightly he bled? Or when you threw Jormagundar into the ocean without a thought?" Her voice became deadly quiet. "Was it for the best when you laid that spell upon my mother, knowing full well what it would do to my father?" She turned to face him. "And now your house will suffer my wrath because of what you've done. You took me and my brothers away from my father, and I shall take your son from you in return." Frigga gasped. Surely she couldn't mean it…
"Can we do nothing to dissuade you?" Hela turned her half dead gaze on the queen.
"No. I will have my recompense. It may not be right away, but when I do come for him, you will not stop me." Frigga fell to her knees at the feet of the Hel-queen, clutching at the tattered black hem of her gown.
"Please, take me instead. Thor did nothing against you. He didn't know..." Hela stared down at her coldly.
"My quarrel is not with you. Get up." Odin stood up and pounded Gungnir on the floor.
"Hela, I demand that you leave my presence this moment." Hela narrowed her good eye at the king.
"Very well. But I demand my revenge within three days. I hope you're ready, All-father." The last syllable was spat with such venom, even Frigga cringed. Odin nodded.
"So be it." Hela vanished in a cloud of foul-smelling smoke. Frigga turned to her husband.
"What have you done?"