Born to be a King
Chapter 15
For what is fate, but that path chosen on a mindless whim, that sigh of purpose not dared to breathe, that crooked and winded road stumbled upon?
"Leave us" King Beyard ordered the guards as the small group of four entered the Hall of Records.
Loki watched the massive doors close. Upon hearing the loud, deep bang of the locks turn into place, a chilling uneasiness began to creep into his bones. It was a deep, subtle but alarming dread that was slowly curling itself into every muscle. No, it was not fear, nor apprehension, it was... fate. He had felt like this before, once. Only once. Long ago, standing deep within the weapons vault of the realm he had once called home, at a time when everything he held dear and familiar threatened to collapse at his feet. Once again, he felt himself rooted to his spot, unable to move, unable to breathe, only capable of feeling. But what was there to feel when the very essence of being is on the verge of being labeled as nothing more than another lie?
Was it a lie? All of it?
"Loki" King Beyard's voice now called his name.
He turned to look at him, and in doing so, caught sight of the other two in the room. Ireena stood back as nothing more than a spectator. Her eyes were set and determined, as if called to witnesses the execution of one doomed to die, perhaps waiting to see the head roll before announcing that justice had been served. What was it but dying when one finds the truth of the deceit he once called life? He looked at Barbara who stood next to him. Her deep brown eyes burned into his. They glistened in the shimmering lights that floated in the room.
His eyes now locked with the king's. He was old, and white-haired. He reminded him so much of Odin. For a brief moment he felt anger rising in his throat. There was something about this stranger that seemed so... familiar. Something screamed at him that he had seen him once, millennia ago, perhaps in childhood. His gaze pulled at him, the way Odin's had on that day when the veil of falsehood was yanked away. It had been abrupt, and harsh. Cruel. There had been no gentleness, not easing into the revelation. It had simply come and carved its way into his subconscious like the hot tip of a drill. But this was different. Beyard's gaze burned, but it did not scorch. He was set to lift the veil once more, but this time, something in his eyes told him that it would be gently.
"Are you prepared to know the entire truth?" Beyard asked solemnly "are you ready to accept the reality of your existence? From this day forward, there will be no going back"
Loki squared his shoulders.
"I am"
"Then first, you must know where you stand and where you will soon set foot" the king began, sweeping his hand over the wall where a holographic image of the kingdoms appeared "the kingdoms I rule are made of five: Dwyvendale, the capitol realm from whence I exercise my rule. Angharad, realm of mythical crawling beasts and home to all races of fairy and elf alike. Perterus, haven to all refugees from the Nine Realms. Marr, the kingdom of water, sanctuary to the mer folk of the nether regions of Guul. Neffarim, otherwise known as the Shadow Realm. Home to the Shadow Legions that protect my kingdoms and guardians of the Eternity Gem of Power. I rule these realms, I protect these people. One day Loki... so will you"
"What?" Loki asked dumbfounded, perfectly masking the surge of delight that quickly rushed through him.
King Beyard kept his eyes fixed on Loki. As he spoke and delivered the great news, he saw the delight hidden behind the surprise in Loki's eyes. He was nothing like the man he had been intended to be. The one who should have been delivered to him would have been humble, ready to take on the burden of the throne. The prince before him craved power, praise and glory. He was a fool, a young, ambitious fool. He had so much to learn. He didn't even know that he could stare deep into his soul and learn the dark, sinister workings of his twisted nature.
"Did Odin ever tell you that you were born to be a king?"
This time, the shock was genuine. Loki took a step back as the air was knocked out of his lungs. He had said the words, the words that always cut at the very core of his hatred.
"It was the lie he fed me my entire life" he grunted, unable to stop himself.
"The Allfather never lied. It was against his nature to do so. He kept the truth from you to protect you, to keep you safe from those who wanted you dead. Among those was your father, King Laufey"
"Abandoned, suffering, left to die... Laufey's son..." the words rang in Loki's mind as if hearing them again for the first time.
"My own father..." the words escaped his lips, looking down at the floor as he fought to restrain the moisture that threatened to cloud his vision, and remembering the joy he had felt when he killed him.
"Place your right hand on the panel before you. It shows the past, present and intended future of all those who seek to know the truth"
Loki finally took notice of the intricate system built into the chamber. The panel was connected to a stand built into the floor that fed into the walls made of the same shimmering crystal he had seen before. Inside its current of rainbow lights, he saw the glimmering specks that rushed within. The same specks of light floated in the air, reacting to any voice, movement and emotion emitted inside the Hall of Records. He hesitated as his palm hovered over the panel. He looked at Barbara. This was the moment. Then his hand came down upon the panel.
He gasped as he felt a sudden rush being pulled from him. The entire room lit up as the walls began to surge with energy, and the specks flew toward the back of the room where the wall lit up like a big screen. Live, continuous images of a time long ago began playing as if it were a motion picture.
Odin knelt before the Three Norns as a holographic double. His peace treaty with Nornheim was conditional upon the banishment of all Asgardians from Queen Karnilla's lands. There were hush whispers. The oracles spoke in very low voices, and Odin kept his head lowered as he listened to their augury.
"He will be born in Jotunheim. You will find the infant laying in a blanket of skin. The king will wage a war against the mortals to conceal his impending birth. We cannot protect him for much longer. You must go, and quickly. Find him or Death will claim him before you do. As a reward, your newborn son will grow to be strong and mighty, fit to wield Mjolnir"
There was a massacre. Hundreds of humans were frozen solid before shattered to pieces by the hordes of frost giants before the skies opened and Odin appeared with his armies. As the Allfather's forces fought to drive the intruders back to their own world, another battle was raging inside Laufey's palace. An ice maiden fought and struggled as warriors crawled into the small room beneath the palace where she was hiding. In her arms she carried a small infant that cried in fear. Then, her eyes went wide and she went still as the icy blade pierced her heart. The infant now screamed in horror as he felt the life drain from his mother before he was wrung from her now limp arms. Roughly, he was carried by one foot out of the palace towards the temple.
"What about the other?" a warrior asked.
"Get rid of it too" the order was given.
The doors opened. At the threshold stood Odin, bleeding from one eye. Inside the temple, the infantile crying was loud and desperate. He quickly rushed over to the altar where the baby lay. He picked him up, and slowly, his crying ceased. The Allfather smiled down at the infant as his blue skin became ivory and his red eyes became blue-green. Then another cry reached his ears and he looked up further into the temple.
There was another. The Norns had not spoken of another. Walking further in he saw the second infant. Like the one he held, it was small. A runt, by Jotun standards. A girl.
Twins?
"No" the Norns explained when he came to them again "she is the daughter of another. No royal blood flows in her veins but she is destined to be queen one day. You must keep her hidden, safe in the realm your new son will rule one day. You must deliver her to your brother. Keep the boy safe. You must not tell him the truth until the time comes"
"It shall be done" Odin whispered "it shall be done"
"Remember... he must not know who he is until the day comes when you pass your kingdom on to your son. He must pass the test of endurance... he must be worthy" the oracles whispered as they slunk back into the shadows.
The images stopped. Loki wrung his hand from the panel, clammy, shaking... and angry. He advanced upon Ireena, stopping only two steps from her. He studied her most carefully, as if finally seeing her for the first time. She stood her ground, staring back at him.
No, it couldn't be. He shook his head in disbelief as Odin's words rang in his mind a second time. "I thought we could unite our kingdoms one day. Bring about an alliance, bring about a permanent peace, through you..."
"She is destined to lift the curse from your home world. Ever since Laufey destroyed the Ice Maidens' legacy and stole their power, none had been born in thousands of years. Like you, she was discarded for who she was. You are looking at the only living Ice Maiden. The last of her kind" Beyard explained.
"You're not Loki's sister" Barbara rasped as she felt her entire body go icy cold "You're Loki's promised bride"
"You knew of it?" Loki asked Ireena.
She held his gaze defiantly. "I did. My father kept his end of the bargain. I learned of my origin and my intended purpose when I became of age"
Loki turned on the king. "Who are you, really?"
"I was born in Vanaheim to Heimskringl, half-brother of the king. Then, I had another name. My name was Cul Heimskringlson"
"Odin's lost brother. No, it can't be. You were erased from all known history"
"Of course I was, it was the only way to protect me when I took my throne. I am Odin's adopted brother, and just like me, you are now the adopted brother of the current king of Asgard. But unlike me or the king before me, your name will not be erased from history, nor will you rule Verdandi under the shroud of secrecy. You were raised as an Asgardian prince, molded, taught, and trained to be a king. Odin was to tell you everything after your brother took the throne"
"So I was to simply learn of my parentage, come to your world, marry your daughter and inherit your kingdom? Just like that?"
"Just like that"
Loki paced the floor in thought. "Why have you no progeny?"
"Being ruler of the Five Kingdoms of Verdandi comes with a curse, Loki. Successors come not by lineage, but by prophecy. You see, I was given no queen and the Norns forbade me from taking one of my own. It was never my destiny to beget a progeny. But it is yours. The Norns saw the future and declared that my successor would be born in Jotunheim, and that his lineage would one day restore it to its former glory. You carry royal blood in your veins, and as Laufey's son you hold a claim to the throne. You are to bring freedom and peace to the Nine Realms"
"Freedom and peace?" Loki scoffed "those virtues have never held any interest to me"
"No, of course they don't, you allowed ambition to work its way into your heart. I know what happened on Midgard and how you managed to destroy Jotunheim for good. I dread for what becomes of my kingdom if you are to sit on the throne"
"If what the Fates say is true, then Verdandi is my birthright"
"Here. Have your birthright" the king threw his staff at Loki, who caught it. Immediately, Loki collapsed to his knees, screaming in pain as sparks flew off the staff and filled the chamber. He tried to let go of it, but couldn't. Then, the wall lit up again, this time with images of destruction and death. Rich jungles, forests, cities, entire worlds faded away and were replaced by dark skies and barren wastelands. Skeletons littered the ground, and standing on the middle was Loki, staff in hand. He laughed maniacally as he looked up at his other hand which was covered by the Infinity Gauntlet. At his feet were the dead, mangled bodies of Thor, Barbara, Ireena, and Beyard.
"No more" Loki now rasped as he writhed, trying to free his hand from the staff "no more!"
King Beyard yanked the scepter from his hands, and the images stopped. Loki was now on his hands and knees at Beyard's feet, shaking and weeping openly.
"Do you see now what you have become? Your birthright was to protect those incapable of protecting themselves! Your birthright was to look after those who fall prey to evil! Your birthright was to be king to many people, but a king is not one who rules, it is one who protects. You only bring chaos and death to the innocent. You are not fit to be king at all! You have corrupted your purpose, and so have corrupted yourself!"
"I did not ask for this, any of it" Loki sobbed, his voice barely above a whisper "all I ever wanted was to step out of the shadows. I wanted to prove my own greatness. I was worthy, and yet he never saw my worth"
King Beyard closed his eyes and let a tear escape. He never saw my worth. He was referring to Odin. The prince at his feet was beaten, broken, and hardened. He had chosen the path of malice and hatred, and yet, here he was. He had survived, he had endured. Was that not what the Norns had said, that he needed to pass the test of endurance? Who else more capable to fight evil, than one who had once been reborn from darkness?
"What is fate, but that path chosen on a mindless whim, that sigh of purpose not dared to breathe, that crooked and winded road stumbled upon?" he sighed. He knelt, and placed a loving hand on Loki's shoulder. "This is your home, Loki. Now you know the truth. It is up to you to straighten the path that has been winded. Do you not see what lies before you? Greatness. Take it, it's yours"
End of Chapter 15
AUTHOR'S NOTE: For all those who thought Ireena was Loki's sister: Eheheheheheheheh... LOKI'D!
Responses to reviews:
DoctorLokiLove: Thank you, hun! I am trying to update more often since I am going to start classes soon. You're not the only one who thought Ireena was Loki's sister, I actually wrote it so it would mislead people into thinking that before finally revealing her true purpose in this chapter. There are still a couple of revelations yet to come, and they will be very exciting, I promise you! How are you doing, hun? :)
CLTex: Oh yes, I've missed Doom too! He's such a fun character, and he can very sneaky and devious too, a bit like Loki. You have absolutely NO idea what I've planned for him! ;) I even have something in store for the Doom/Barbara shippers. But I'm not going to spoil it ;) Thank you Christi! Luv ya!
Forbidden Moons: Hello, darling! No, I have not studied linguistic but yes, I would say that Greenlandic phonics makeup about 60% of the Inkeri language. You went to Greenland? Wow, I'm so jealous! I bet it was absolutely beautiful! How did you like that little trick I pulled with Ireena? You and a lot of other readers thought she was Loki's sister, and I sat here reading reviews and laughing a bit maniacally to myself ehehehhehehe. Now, what that knowledge of her being Loki's promised bride does to the dynamic of the story is something I can't wait to write. Oh god, I can already see people asking me to write a threesome into the story lol. And hang on darling, this roller coaster is only getting started! ;) Thank you, Seraphina! Luv ya too!
Guest: Nope, not siblings and definitely not twins as you just read in this new chapter. Thank you very much! It means a lot! :)
Hiddles-Skittles: Thank you so, SO much Di! I know how much you liked Doom and I thought of you when I wrote his scene in the last chapter. I'm just as sneaky as Loki? YES! In the words of your man crush Hiddles: "I am the bad guy!" ;)
FIRE ELF MAIDEN: Hello, and welcome! Thank you very much for reading and reviewing, I also received your reviews to the other stories (to which I will reply soon). I really like your username, very creative! Sounds like a creature one would find in Verdandi! ;) Hope to receive more reviews from you in the future!