A/N: Class is boring so this is what I do instead. Gasp, it's only been ~2 weeks since I last uploaded! Might write another chapter in multimedia tomorrow, but no promises after that cause I get my pretty new graphics tablet as well. Anyway, I am really proud of this chapter, for reasons. So please read, and I would love some reviews!
Disgusted, I dropped the last book on the pile near my feet. Actually, by this point, the pile was closer to my waist than my feet, but it started down there. I watched the dust fly up around us, and sighed overdramatically at the futility of the situation. Loki looked up over his pages and scowled at me.
"Must you be so loud?" he grumbled.
I sighed again. "I've found nothing. The barest mentions of Asgard and gods and magical artefacts." I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest. "Tønsberg seems more interested in the fey folklore than alien."
"Alien?" Loki looked affronted.
I stuck my tongue out at him. "You are from outer space."
"Asgardians are not alien." He mutters darkly, preparing to turn back to his tome.
"Asgardians?" a voice cut into our conversation. I looked towards the bookshelf, where the voice had come from. Bright blue eyes surrounded by wrinkled skin peered back from between books.
"Are you researching Asgard?" the old man questioned again, when neither of us replied.
"Uh, yes." I told him, glancing warily at Loki. "We're looking for some of the old stories that said Tønsberg was the first place made contact by the Asgardians."
The old mans' face broke into a wide smile and he shuffled around the bookshelf, grabbing a nearby chair and perching on it near our table.
"I love the old stories." He told us. "Many a day have I done just as you youngsters are; I looked for the tales of Asgard. None are to be found here, a small town library is useless for such a thing – yes, even though it is the small town in question."
I glanced at Loki again and he nodded slowly. This was better than scouring books in the hopes of finding what we wanted. Noticing our communication the man looked between Loki and I, before turning back to address me. Whereas I was clearly not the leader in this expedition, I was the one who had spoken to him.
"What stories is it you wish to know?"
I smiled encouragingly and gave him our meagre information. That we supposed somewhere around this area there might be an artefact left over from the original visits of the Asgardians… all the way back in 965. Not good odds.
The man happily told us of how the Frost Giants – monsters native to Jotunheim – had over populated their world and desired new land. Left unchecked for years, they itched for battle, as monsters do, and beginning with Tønsberg, they were to lead an attack against Midgard – our own planet. They would start an ice age, freezing all human life and claiming our realm as their own. As humans began to fall to the frozen wrath of the Frost Giants, the priests of old called out to Odin to save them from destruction. Odin and an army of Asgardians responded to the humans cry, defeating the Frost Giant legion on Earth. Thus began a war between Asgard and Jotunheim that lasted many years, shed considerable blood of Asgardian and Frost Giant alike, and ended in the defeat of the Frost Giants, and their King.
"We know that tale." Loki said darkly once the man had finished, his eyes as dark as a forest night. "We want to know if there were any artefacts used to defeat the Frost Giants."
"Well Odin had his spear, Gungnir, and the Frost Giants had the Casket of Ancient Winters…"
"What about the others? Additional weapons?" He pressed. The man looked flustered under the interrogation.
"Er, well… there are only rumours of those." He resolved finally. Loki glared, and he began to elaborate.
"Rumour has it that a small unit of Asgardian warriors had a weapon given to them to help win the war against the Frost Giants." The old man began slowly. "However, use of such a weapon was not sanctioned by Odin, and each Asgardian in the unit was killed. By Frost Giants." He amended quickly, as if we'd think less of Odin for killing his own soldiers. "But Odin, to hide the use of the weapon left it here on Midgard. It was said that its use was unethical and unnecessary in tipping the balance of war. Its location has said to be south of here, in a lighthouse upon the point of Norway. However many have explored the tower, and have found nothing. Like I said, a rumour."
I thanked him as Loki stood, turning to leave. He smiled happily and waved us on; probably pleased he got an opportunity to share one of his old stories. Once outside I turned to Loki, who was looking around the bustling street.
"Are we going to the lighthouse, then?" I queried.
"No." he replied abruptly. "We are going back to the cottage tonight, and will travel to the lighthouse on the morrow." Without another word he turned and began the trek back to our lodgings, eyes still dark and gaze lost in space. I hurried to keep up.
After I had made myself dinner – being rejected by Loki when I had offered him some – I settled on the couch next to the brooding god, cradling a cup of coffee. "What's up?" I asked him.
He turned his scowl on me. "What are you meaning?"
I squared my shoulders, meeting his cool glare. "I mean that since we talked to that guy at the library you've barely said two sentences. Something's bothering you. Was it his story? That the weapon is only a rumour?" I paused, staring at him. "Loki, we came here on a rumour. Uncovering another – a more specific one – isn't a setback."
"It's not the rumour." He said shortly, preparing to turn away. I grabbed his shoulder, going to spin him back to face me, but he grabbed my hand and twisted it away from his person. He shoved me back, hard enough that I cried out in pain. My coffee sloshed over the rim of the cup, scalding my skin and still healing wound. My shoulder was aching with the angle he had my arm twisted at, his eyes glowing red with fury.
His beautiful emerald eyes… red.
"Loki?" I whispered. "What's wrong?"
"I am a monster." He tells me. "I – I …" he stumbled to a halt. He released my arm, meeting my eyes beseechingly.
"You aren't a monster." I told him. "Nothing is monstrous, not truly. Even as we are, planning to dominate the world, we are not monstrous. Others might call us that, but we are going to help them. Stop them fighting needless wars over unnecessary separation." I paused. "Animals who kill a human are often called monsters, but they aren't. They might be hungry, threatened, cornered by the human, but they are not monsters. Humans are sometimes called monsters, when they threaten society's balance. But they aren't monsters. Monsters are mindless, and have no reason. Everything has reason."
Loki growled, uncomforted by my spiel. "You heard his story Felicity." He told me. "Frost Giants, the monsters, come to conquer Midgard."
"Because they were overcrowded on their own planet. Reasonable justification." I bantered. "I don't see how that has anything to do with you being a monster though."
Crimson eyes met mine, and Loki stood, backing away from the couch where I sat. His visage shimmered, pale skin turning blue, unmarred skin covered in frosted patterns. My eyes widened as I viewed the Frost Giant standing in the centre of the small cottage.
"When Odin defeated the Frost Giant king – Laufey – the Casket of Winters was not the only prize he brought to Asgard." Loki told me softly. "I grew up believing I was an Asgardian, had as much chance as Thor to get the throne, when really I had none. Because the man I believed to be my father lied to me." He spat viciously. "I was raised to have the mighty throne of Asgard, not to be shadowed by Thor, no hope in Hel of getting power. This is why Midgard will be mine. I can rule them, bring them to greatness." He trailed off, eyes seeing something far away. Slowly, I got up off the couch, moving slowly towards him. I stood before him, feeling the cold radiate from his skin, and shivered despite myself. Loki, as if only just realising how close I was, stepped away, shaking his head.
"Stay there, my dear. I would burn you in this form." He reached to where I held my lukewarm coffee, freezing it solid with a brush of his fingers. I stared at the cup in my hand, watching blue fingers fade to pale, and Loki's hands run from my wrist to shoulder.
"Jotunheim is in ruins. A throne I also would have held, if not for Odin." He took the frozen beverage from my hands, setting it aside before pulling me against him. "Odin, and Thor, will not keep Midgard from me." He murmured against my hair. "Or you, pet. I will have the throne I was born to, and you at my side."