Chapter 16: The Truth

Brigid found herself not in Asgard, but looking upon a familiar place.

I'm home, Brigid gasped to herself.

Yet she did not feel at home. She felt disconnected from the world. Then she saw her father and Pepper with a new baby in their arms outside Stark manor. Brigid noticed they seemed happy in their life without her. Yet Brigid knew her father would never have abandoned her.

"Father! I'm here!" Brigid shouted happily as she ran for her father.

Yet Tony did not here her. He did not notice she was there.

"Father, it's me, Brigid!" Brigid cried. "Father, I'm back! Pepper, I'm here!"

Tony and Pepper paid no mind to Brigid as she cried out for them and turned inside.

Tears streamed down Brigid's face as she pleaded for her father to notice her. "Father, come back! I'm here! Father, Father, please! Father!"

"Father, please!"

Brigid snapped awake to find Loki at her side. He had a bowl on a table beside her and bandages as he washed and wrapped her wound.

"Easy, my dear Brigid. You'be been asleep for a while, my dear," Loki greeted. "Good to see you're still with us."

Brigid knew instantly that she wasn't dreaming as she felt a sharp pain radiating up her belly. "Well, I know I'm not dead. If I were, there'd be no pain."

"You were dreaming, Brigid. Tell me your dream, Loki said with interest as he continued to bathe Brigid's wounds.

Brigid winced as Loki treated her. "I was home. Yet I could see my father and his lover had moved on without me. I could see them, but they could not see or hear me. They didn't know I was there. Like I never was."

Tears fell from Brigid's eyes as she recalled her painful dream.

Loki smiled sympathetically. "Dreams are just the signs of an overwhelming imagination. They pass in time. I do not know your father, but I do not believe he would abandon you. No true parent would abandon their child."

Brigid nodded. "I suppose that's a comfort. I can see we're not dead. How are we back and not decorating the Jotun gates?"

"My father rescued us," Loki explained. "He tried to reason with Laufey, but I fear, because of my brother's foolishness, we will be at war soon. However, there are glad tidings. For his stupidity, my brother has been banished to Midgard."

Brigid's eyes widened. "Wow, is that all one has to do to get sent to Midgard? Be as stupid as your brother? I mean, your father keeps me here like a prize pet and yet he banished your brother."

"That's not entirely true," Loki countered. "I persuaded my father to let me heal you. As another consequence for his foolishness, your engagement to my brother is over. When you are healed, you will return to Midgard."

Brigid nodded but still frowned. "Well, that's good news."

"You seem displeased," Loki commented, noticing Brigid's discontent. "I thought you would be pleased to go home."

"I am, but these last few days have been quite fun if I may be honest," Brigid said pensively with a slight smile.

Loki chuckled as he finished Brigid's bandages. "I have also enjoyed these past few days. I've been meaning to ask, why did you save me? By all means, you had no reason to after all you've been through. Were I in your position, I would've let the Jotuns kill me."

Brigid sat up painfully, clutching her bandaged belly before she spoke. "Well, it's no secret your father and brother are assholes, but you are one of two people on Asgard who have treated me kindly since I came here."

Loki nodded as he washed his hands in the bowl. "I see. I'm curious, who's the other person who has treated you so kind?"

Brigid smiled. "Oh I think we both know that. Your mother was the first person who didn't treat me like a prize. She treated me like a daughter. I haven't known a mother in years, and she reminded me of my own. She's wise like her."

Loki smiled, understanding Brigid's sentiment. "She's the wisest person in all of Asgard. She was the one who taught me her magic. When I was young, she would do simple tricks for me, like this."

Loki opened his hand, and brilliant, tiny green and gold fireworks shot up from his palm. He waved his hand again and the fireworks disappeared.

Brigid's jaw dropped. "That's amazing! If your brother could do that instead of tossing a hammer like an idiot, he'd be more tolerable company."

Loki couldn't help but laugh. "You're too kind and yet cruel at the same time. You're an enigma. My brother never had the patience for magic."

"That's just a polite way of saying he's dumb as a post," Brigid snarked. "You are more of a god than your brother is. Your mother is a true queen."

"Once again, cruel and kind," Loki laughed. "You are not wrong. I'm glad you enjoy her. I honestly could not be friends with anyone who did not."

Brigid clutched her belly. "Damn, that hurts like hell!"

"You will be in some pain. The healers say your left kidney is gone, damaged beyond repair," Loki explained.

"Well, how long have I got without a kidney?" Brigid asked grimly.

"You're going to live," Loki replied. "I'm going to make sure of it."

"You got a spare kidney?" Brigid asked with sarcasm, "Or can you conjure me one?"

"You will see. For now, you must rest," Loki told her before proffering her a goblet. "Drink this down. It'll make you sleep and help your pain."

Brigid drank the clear, honey scented liquid and fell back to her pillow. In a moment, Brigid's eyes fluttered before she fell asleep. With Brigid asleep, Loki crept down to the gardens. There he met with a golden haired woman wearing a circlet of gold upon her head and a white gown. She was watering a great tree of golden apples.

"My good Idun, your beauty grows each day," Loki greeted.

"Loki, what is it you want now?" Idun asked suspiciously.

"It is nothing I need. My father would like to speak with you," Loki replied. "He would like to make sure the garden is well tended."

Idun scowled at Loki before she hurried off. With Idun gone, Loki took on her appearance as he slipped some of the golden apples from the tree and hid them. Then under the disguise, he hurried back to the healing room. Satisfied with himself, he resumed his appearance as he sat by Brigid's side.Brigid's eyes opened and she turned to see Loki beside her.

"Well, you have returned," Brigid said wearily.

"I have brought you a reward for your courage," Loki told her as he materialized the golden apple in his hand. "The golden apples from the tree of Idun. A whole apple will grant you our powers and heal your wounds."

Brigid did a double take. "You want to give me godly powers? Why?"

"You nearly died for me, and you had no reason to," Loki said in earnest. "What you did is the truest example of courage worthy of Asgard. Eat, Brigid, and take your reward."

Without hesitation, Brigid bit into the apple, relishing its sweet taste. "Mmm, delicious. Tastes like honey."

As she continued to eat, Brigid felt a warmth in her belly as her pain melted away. She could feel her strength increasing and her heart beating stronger than ever.

"Well, shit!" Brigid gasped as she looked down to see her blood stained bandages a clean white. "That worked like a charm. Thanks."

"My pleasure," Loki said with a charming smile. "It is a fitting reward for one with such bravery as you."

"If I may ask you something, why are you so kind to me? You don't have to be by all means," Brigid asked.

"You had more taken from you than anyone should endure." Loki replied. "If my mother taught me anything, it is compassion. How could I not offer you anything but friendship?"

Brigid was touched at Loki's words. She smiled before she spoke. "Well, you have made these last few days more fun than I ever anticipated."

"I'm glad I could bring you such pleasure. Brigid, my friend, would you accompany me to the common room? The Warriors Three and Lady Sif will be eager to speak with us," Loki told her, offering his arm.

"Gladly," Brigid said with a smile.

Loki and Brigid entered the common room where Lady Sif and the Warriors Three sat gathered around the fireplace. Brigid stood by Loki's side and watched quietly as the Warriors Three and Sif spoke .

"Why would the Allfather do this? Banishing his own son?" Volstagg asked in frustration as he helped himself to an ale.

"It is not for us to question the Allfather," Hogun said grimly. "Thor acted rashly."

"Rash or not, the fault is not entirely Thor's," Fandral reasoned. "We encouraged him."

"Agreed," Volstagg said between chugging his ale. "We should never have let him go."

"There was no stopping him," Lady Sif whispered.

"At least he's only banished, not dead," Fandral said gratefully. "Which is what we'd all be if that guard hadn't told Odin where we'd gone."

No one spoke for a moment. There was a heavy air of suspicion as Volstagg questioned, "How did the guard even know?"

Loki stood in the corner and studied his hand that had been touched by the Jotun. Ever since his encounter, he had been disturbed. Hearing Volstagg, he decided to confess his deception. "I told the guard to go to Odin after we'd gone. He should be flogged for taking so long. We should never have reached Jotunheim."

Volstagg was furious. "You told the guard?!"

"I saved all our lives and Thor's," Loki said In defense, "I had no idea Father would banish him for what he did."

Sif rose from her seat. "Loki, you must go to the Allfather and convince him to change his mind."

"And if I do then what?" Loki countered. "I love Thor more dearly than any of you but you know what he is. He's arrogant, he's reckless, he's dangerous. You saw how he was today. Is that what Asgard needs from its king?"

Loki quitted the chamber in frustration as Brigid watched quietly as the warriors thought aloud.

"He may speak of the good of Asgard, but he's always been jealous of Thor," Sif grumbled.

"We should be grateful to him he saved our lives," Volstagg reasoned, helping himself to some roast chicken.

"Laufey said there were traitors in the house of Odin," Hogun reasoned. "A master of magic could bring three Jotuns into Asgard."

"Loki's always been one for mischief but you're talking about something else entirely," Fandral said dismissively.

Brigid smiled as the warriors argued. "Interesting."

Deep in the vault, Loki was haunted by his encounter with the Jotun. He had to know if it was all in his mind. He approached the Casker and took it in his shaking hands. Just as he did on Jotunheim, his hands and then entire body took on the appearance of a Jotun.

"Stop!" cried Odin.

Loki dropped the Casket, his back turned so his father did not see his appearance. "Am I cursed?"

"No," Odin replied.

"Then what am I?" Loki demanded.

"You're my son," Odin answered.

Loki turned, letting his father see his ice blue skin and glowing red eyes that melted away as he let go of the Casket. "What more than that? The Casket wasn't the only thing you took from the Jotunheim that day, was it?"

Loki stared down his father, demanding the truth.

Odin stood firm. "No. In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the temple where I found a baby. Small, for a giant's offspring. Abandoned, suffering, left to die. Laufey's son."

Loki's eyes filled with tears as he realized the truth of things. "Laufey's son."

"Yes," Odin replied, confirming it.

"Why?" Loki gasped. "You were knee deep in Jotun blood. Why would you take me?"

"You were an innocent child," Odin answered as if it explained everything.

"No, you took me for a purpose, just like you did with Brigid. What was it?" Loki wanted to know, growing angry.

Odin did not answer for a moment, causing Loki to burst out in frustration. "Tell me!"

Knowing he could not hide the truth any longer, Odin spoke. "I thought we could unite our kingdoms one day. Bring about an alliance, bring about a permanent peace through you."

Loki was crushed as tears welled up in his eyes. His heart nearly crumbled at the weight of the betrayal. "What?"

"But those plans no longer matter," Odin declared.

Loki was outraged and spat out all his anger. "So Brigid and I are no more than stolen relics, locked up here till you might have use of us?"

"Why do you twist my words?" Odin scolded.

"You could have told me what I was from the beginning. Why didn't you?" Loki demanded.

"You're my son," Odin answered quietly. "I only wanted to protect you from the truth."

Loki shook with anger. "Why , because I'm the monster parents tell their children about at night? You know it all makes sense now why you favored Thor all these years because no matter how much you claim to love me, you could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the throne of Asgard!"

Suddenly, Odin slowly collapsed to the ground at Loki's feet. Loki knelt before the man he once called father. He shook as he reached out, afraid he would do more harm if he touched him.

"Guards, guards please help!" Loki cried.

The Asgardian guards burst into the vault and carried Odin away. Loki sat on the steps and shook, considering all he thought he knew. Loki feared telling Brigid the truth of his past. If he did, he would lose her. If he did not, it meant the same. Loki sat on the steps as he questioned everything he knew.