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Loki’s only thought about killing the Jotnar during the battle Thor had idiotically started was that he wished this hadn’t happened, because they were going to be in so much trouble. He didn’t see killing the Jotnar as a problem, and was mainly acting in self-defense anyways.
That is, until he heard a child shouting, “Leave Mommy alone!” and mentally winced. He quickly found the source of the voice, and used an illusion to escape the fight he was in as Thor threw his hammer at the child, who was holding up an ice wall. Loki cast a shield spell over the child and her mother just in time, and Mjolnir bounced off the shield.
Apparently several people had seen this, however, as the battle suddenly stopped, and dead silence ensued. Loki noticed everyone was either staring at him or glaring at him, and said defensively, “I don’t approve of killing children, alright?”
He wasn’t expecting Mjolnir to hit him in the head while he wasn’t paying attention to Thor. All he felt was pain, and then everything went black.
~XXXX~
Loki came to some indeterminate amount of time later, and realized the reason for his return to consciousness was a small finger poking his cheek. He had a splitting headache, and couldn’t quite remember where he was or what he had been doing. “Are you awake?” a child’s voice asked him hopefully.
Loki opened his eyes, then blinked when he saw a room that was clearly not Asgard’s Healers’ Rooms, and a small child who was completely blue. He suddenly realized she had asked him if he was awake, and said, “I’m sort of awake.”
“Oh good,” the child said happily. “You’ve been unconscious for nearly a week.”
“A WEEK!?” Loki asked incredulously, now far more awake than he would really like to be.
“Yep,” the little girl said. “The healers said you were in a coma. You got hit pretty hard.”
“Where am I?” Loki asked.
“The Healers’ Hall,” the little girl said. “I heard the others with you were imprisoned.”
Loki’s memory suddenly came back full-force, and he winced. Odin was going to kill him- if Thor or his friends didn’t get there first. “I am surprised I was not imprisoned,” he commented.
“King Laufey said since you saved me and my mommy, you should be taken here until you woke up,” the little girl said. “I think he wants to question you, but the healers say I’m too young to understand politics and stuff like that.”
“Where’s your mother?” Loki asked.
“She’s in a different room; she’s still recovering,” the little girl said. “Thank you for saving us.”
“You’re welcome,” Loki said. He was somewhat surprised, and wondered if what he’d been taught about Jotnar was wrong or outdated. According to his tutors, even the children were monsters, but this little one acted the same as any child from Asgard.
He tensed a bit when an adult Jotun came in, and watched as they said admonishingly, “Liva, you were supposed to come find me when Prince Loki woke up.”
Liva pouted. “We were talking,” she sulked.
“You can talk more later; right now I need to see if Prince Loki is alright,” the healer said, ushering the little girl out. “Bye Loki!” Liva called.
“Goodbye,” Loki said. The healer sighed fondly and said, “I apologize if my niece was annoying you.”
“She wasn’t being annoying,” Loki said.
“Good,” the healer said. “How are you feeling?”
“Aside from the headache, well enough,” Loki said. The healer put a hand on his forehead, and Loki felt the headache fading. Finally the healer took her hand away and asked, “How does that feel?”
“Much better, thank you,” Loki replied, sitting up. Something occurred to him, and he asked, “Do you know why I’m not cold?”
The healer blinked. “You didn’t know?” she asked. “Aren’t you a natural shapeshifter?”
“Yes…” Loki said slowly.
“When you were brought here, I noticed that coming into contact with ice made your skin turn blue,” the healer said. “At first I thought it was because it was hurting you, but I ran a few tests and found a powerful glamour on you. It was meant to make you appear Aesir. I suppose it’s possible it was also suppressing your knowledge of your true form, because I have never heard of a natural shapeshifter who doesn’t know their true form.”
Loki looked at his hands. They were blue with raised lines. He clamped down on the urge to freak out as the healer added, “I took the glamour off, which created a whole new set of problems.”
“How so?” Loki asked warily.
“The lines on your face are the same as the King’s, which likely means that you’re his youngest son, who disappeared during the last battle of the war,” the healer explained.
“Did he look for me?” Loki asked cautiously.
“I’m not sure; from what I’ve heard you were taken to the temple for safekeeping, and Odin slaughtered all the guards there,” the healer said. “With the sheer amount of blood that had been spilled, and the amount of predators in the area, I’m guessing you were presumed dead. I do know that King Laufey and Queen Farbauti were devastated- as was everyone else.”
“Why am I so small?” Loki asked.
“The most powerful mages among us are always born small,” the healer replied. “Small-born children are considered a good omen.”
Before Loki could ask more questions, another Jotun came in and told the healer, “King Laufey is requesting Prince Loki’s presence.”
The healer nodded, and turned back to Loki, who was already getting out of bed. A quick spell fixed his appearance, though it didn’t turn him back to an Aesir form. He thanked the healer, and then followed the messenger to what he assumed was Laufey’s throne room.
He stiffened a bit when he noticed Thor and Sif in a cage made of ice. Both of them were shackled, and looked shocked when they saw Loki. Loki ignored them, idly wondering what had happened to the Warriors Three, and knelt in front of the throne. Laufey told him to rise, and studied him as he did so. Finally he said, “You look much like Farbauti.”
Loki wasn’t really sure what to say to that. Finally he said, a bit cautiously, “The healer I spoke with said I am your son.”
Laufey nodded, suddenly looking sad. “I had Halla- the healer assigned to you- run the appropriate tests,” he said. “Had I known you were alive…. We would have likely gone to war again to get you back.”
Loki was startled, and asked, “Is that because I was born small?”
Laufey looked startled, and said, “No. You are our son; it never mattered to Farbauti nor myself what size you were or what amount of potential you possessed. The only thing that mattered to us was that you are our kin, our son. The fact that you were small-born was well-received by our people, but Farbauti and I were merely glad to add to our family. When we thought you had died…. We were devastated.”
“Do I have siblings?” Loki asked, curious.
“Yes; two older brothers,” Laufey said with a hint of pride. “Helblindi is the oldest, and Byleistr is about a century older than you are. I recently made Helblindi my heir… Byleistr had no interest in ruling, and up until a week ago, we believed you were dead. I hope you have no objections.”
“I never wanted a throne,” Loki said. “I’d be happy to be an advisor, but King? No thank you. Do you have a different system for continuing the monarchy here?”
“Not particularly,” Laufey replied. “The monarchy here passes from father to son, though we are a bit more casual about what constitutes ‘son’. If the eldest is unsuited to rule or simply does not wish to, it is passed on to the next eldest. Were I in Odin’s shoes, I would find a new heir, and fast. His current one seems… defective.”
Loki, surprised, chuckled at that. “Have you heard from Odin?” he asked. “It seems strange that he would just leave Thor here.”
“We’ve been in contact; I’m trying to get the Casket back,” Laufey said. “He’s deliberating.”
“Did you mention that he owes you for stealing me?” Loki asked.
“I did, which is why I’m surprised he’s being so reluctant; I made it clear that I could kill Thor and his friend if he doesn’t return the Casket,” Laufey said. “I would have thought he’d WANT his heir back.”
“My King?” a messenger asked, coming in.
“Report,” Laufey said.
“Queen Frigga of Asgard has paid us a visit, she says she has news,” the Jotun said.
“Let her in,” Laufey said. The messenger bowed and left. A few minutes later, Frigga came in, and Laufey said, “Queen Frigga. To what do we owe this pleasure?”
“Odin fell into the Odinsleep, and therefore I took over negotiations,” Frigga said. “I apologize for making you wait for a response- the Council was being stubborn about giving you back the Casket of Ancient Winters.”
“I suppose you got them to see reason?” Laufey asked.
“Yes,” Frigga said. “In exchange for Thor’s release, I will hand over the Casket. Are we agreed?”
“Do you want his friend back as well?” Laufey asked.
“No,” Frigga said. “She will just have to be executed for treason anyways; do what you will with her, as long as you keep her far away from Loki.”
“Very well,” Laufey said. He gestured, and some of the guards went and got Thor, while keeping Sif from following him. “Mother-” Thor started.
“Silence, Thor,” Frigga snapped. “You’ve done more than enough damage to our relationship with Jotunheim; I do not need you doing more.”
Thor started sulking as Frigga pulled a box out of her subspace, and handed it to Laufey. He opened it, and lifted the Casket out. “My thanks, Queen Frigga,” he said.
“You are most welcome, King Laufey,” Frigga said. “May I say goodbye to Loki? I assume he will be staying here.”
“That is up to him, whether or not he wishes to stay,” Laufey said. Looking at Loki, he added, “I will not keep you here if you wish to return to Asgard.”
“I would prefer to stay here,” Loki said.
“What? Why?” Thor asked incredulously.
“Because I want a family who loves me for myself, not a family where the only bits of kindness I get are from my mother,” Loki snapped. “You and Odin have done NOTHING but abuse me to hell and back since the day Odin stole me from my REAL family. And you threw Mjolnir at my head on a battlefield. I don’t know why you’d assume I still trust you after THAT stunt. Go find another punching bag, Thor Odinson.”
He turned his attention to Frigga as Thor looked angry, and said, “Thank you for treating me as your own.”
“You are most welcome, Loki,” Frigga said, and came over, then hugged him. He hugged back, and they stayed like that for a while before Frigga reluctantly pulled away. “I wish you luck,” she said, and kissed his cheek before turning to Laufey. “I will send word should Odin do anything unwise,” she said. “Please take good care of Loki for me.”
“I will, and so will everyone else, you have my word,” Laufey said.
“Thank you,” Frigga said. She smiled at Loki, and then dragged Thor off by the ear, ignoring his protests.
Loki looked back at Laufey, who smiled. “Would you like to meet the rest of our family?” he asked.
Loki smiled back. “I would like that very much,” he said, and followed Laufey off.