Natural Disaster

Thor was almost what Midgardian’s would equate to being eight years old when the details of Jotunheim’s surrender were finally hammered out. His mother, the beautiful Queen Frigga, pulled him aside and explained it to him, since his brothers Tyr, Balder, and Hermod, were not yet old enough to understand and he was his father’s heir. The Jotun king was sending a very trusted family advisor, Angrboda, to act as ambassador to Asgard and as a tutor to King Laufey’s youngest son. A son who, Frigga explained, would one day take Angrboda’s position, but would also be Thor’s closest confidant and friend.
The young prince really didn’t understand the political and social implications this gesture held for the two kingdoms, but never the less he was excited to make a new friend.
Thor stood beside his mother, who was dressed head to toe in beautiful pale gold robes to reinforce her status as Queen. His brothers stood off to the side with their grandmother. As heir to the throne Thor had to stand next to his mother and father as the Jotun party approached. Judging from the serious faces of his parents and the crowd, Thor could tell he was the only one truly thrilled about the young prince coming to Asgard.
Seven Frostgiants approached the throne of the Allfather, each well over ten feet tall. Suddenly all the stories of Frostgiants he had overheard from the warriors tell resonated in Thor’s head and fear crept through his veins. Thor had thought they were just exaggerations, after all his grandmother was only a foot taller than his father. These Jotuns were at least two feet taller than her. What of this prince, who he had been so excited for? Would he be this large too? Too large for Thor to even go near?
As the party stopped infront of them, Frigga rested a hand on Thor’s shoulder to reassure him that neither she nor his father would let any danger befall him. One of the Jotuns stepped forward kneeling on one knee. “Your Majesty, I am Angraboda representing King Laufey’s wishes and interests. I also bring with me your Wiergild as agreed upon when the treaty was signed.”
One of the other Jotuns brought forth a large box and laid it at the Odin’s feet. “The Casket of Ancient Winters, source of Jotunheim’s glory- and Loki, Laufey’s third and last born, sired by his mate Fárbauti.” Angrboda reached behind his legs and pushed a huddled lump of blue toward the Allfather and retreated back into his party.
Thor leaned forward to get a better look at the quivering mass. It was a toddler no older than three. Surely this couldn’t be Loki the Frostgiant child; this babe was the size of a small Asgardian babe. Even a year ago Balder was bigger than this. No longer, intimidated by the size of the giants, the Asgardian prince walked over and sat down infront of the child. He could see tears in the big red eyes cast downward toward the floor.
“Are you afraid of us?” He asked softly.
The toddler nodded.
“Why?”
“Loki was told Asgardians kill Jotun babies.”
“Well I was told you all were big and scary and you’re tiny and afraid of me.”
“Loki not scare of you. Loki scare of him.” Loki said pointing a tiny finger towards Odin. Thor did the first thing that came natural to him. He stood and picked up the little boy holding him to his chest. “You’re safe- I won’t let anything happen to you.” Loki hugged Thor back and refused to let go of him his first three days in Asgard.
Frigga tried her best to get Loki to not sleep in Thor’s room by putting the tiny jotun in Balder’s chambers, but every morning after she did so she found Loki curled up asleep by Thor’s side. Eventually, she gave up and tucked him into Thor’s bed at night.
As the years went by Loki earned a nickname from the guards- Thor’s little shadow. Everywhere that Thor went Loki wasn’t far behind. Even though he wasn’t old enough to participate he went to every one of Thor’s combat practices and his cultural lesson.
They were completely inspirable until the golden prince’s six hundred and fiftieth birthday.

Loki awoke to the sounds of the palace staff scurrying about. Yawning, he sat up. Thor’s side of the bed was vacated, but the washroom door was closed. Thor had been doing it so much that him hiding away in the bathroom before Loki woke had become a part of Loki’s normal day. Wrapped in the blankets, Loki padded to the door and peeked outside. Down the hall he saw his mentor, Angrboda and made a dash to catch up with him. Loki pulled on his robes. “ What’s going on?”
Angrboda didn’t even look to his ward. “Today, Prince Thor will officially be crowned heir to his father’s throne. So run along and dress in your best robes.”

During most ceremonies, Thor would sit next to him pointing out things and explaining them in hushed whispers or make fun of the council members or ambassador’s from other realms. However, this ceremony was boring. It lacked someone for Loki to share his mischief with. Loki sat impatiently swinging his legs back and forth since there was nothing better to do.
Never before had he been so happy to be done with a ceremony and get to a feast. Loki dodged through all of the nobles trying to wish Thor congratulations. Such a perfect place and group of victims, Loki couldn’t resist causing a bit of mayhem. He darted in between many people’s legs. Several noblewomen screeched insults at the little Jotun runt, but he just laughed and kept weaving through the crowd.
When he got to the banquet table, he immediately sat in his seat across from Queen Frigga. She threw him a quick smile before turning back to the noblewoman she was talking to. Besides Thor, Lady Frigga was by far his favorite person. Although she was the Heir to Vanaheim’s throne forced into a marriage for a political alliance, she had become a powerful woman in her own right of Asgard. More importantly, she was happy here and had grown to love her husband. That was obvious to anyone who had been around the royal couple or had noticed that they had seven children; their sixth son had been born just a few months prior. Said sixth son, Bragi, sat on his mother’s lap chewing- well not really chewing since he had no teeth more like gumming- her necklace.
Loki looked around for Thor. Apparently, the golden prince had escaped the crowds of uptight nobles, because Loki spotted him hiding behind a column with his friends. But there was a face with Thor’s friends that Loki had not seen before. Frandal, Volstagg, Hogun, and Thor’s cousin, Njord were all smiling and listening to a beautiful girl with blonde hair.
As the food began to be served, Asgardians began taking their seats. Thor walked to Loki’s seat a moment later with that girl trailing close behind. “Loki, would you mind sitting with Lord Angrboda or my Granddame tonight?”
The little boy looked up at the prince he idolized. “Why? I always sit with you and we didn’t get to talk at all today and I missed you.” The girl awed.
Thor blushed. “Well, I know that, but you do sit with me all the time and I would like to continue talking to Lady Sif here since she is new to the realm.”
“But-”
“Please, I’ll make it up to you. I’ll spend an entire day reading to you in the library.”
The foreign prince nodded and walked towards the table where the Queen-Mother Bestla sat. She too was Jotun like Loki and would infact tell him many stories of his people. He would have preferred to talk to Thor and Frigga but Bestla was better than Angrboda by a long shot. Angrboda would just talk to other ambassadors and officials and try to explain the intricacies of Asgards politics.
Bestla told the exciting tales of Ymir and Surta, but Loki could hardly concentrate on her words no matter how well she told the story. His young mind kept drifting with his eyes to where Thor sat with the pretty blond girl laughing at his side. Loki sipped his watered down mead and watched as Sif laughed at the Thor’s bilgsnipe story. His hands were flared out around to represent antlers. Knots formed in Loki’s stomache as Thor smiled like the sun at the girl. At that moment Loki couldn’t explain why but he didn’t like this Sif girl.
“Beautiful isn’t she?” Bestla whispered to Loki.
The younger Jotun mumbled into his drink. “I suppose.”
A sly smile pulled across her lips. “Ah, but I guess beauty wont really matter, with Thor the question will be will she make a good Queen.”
Loki choked on his drink. Once he finished coughing he looked across the hall to where Thor and Sif sat, then turned his face downward. Bestla smiled as she watched a shadow fall across the boy’s face.
“Not to worry Loki, that is still many years off. Why I imagine that you’ll be old enough to have heats when Thor is allowed to marry.” She brushed Loki’s hair out of his face and turned it towards her. “Tell me Loki, have you ever noticed how many spears my eldest has in his armory?”
Loki was puzzled but nodded. She continued, “Hundreds and yet how many of them can you name?”
“Only Gungnir, because it is his favorite. I don’t know the names of the others.” Loki blushed at his lack of knowledge.
“Cunning boy, it is not just his favorite it is the only one he gave a name. Answer me a few more question’s Loki, does my daughter-in-law spend her time evenly throughout her gardens or does she grace her presence to one place?”
He smiled. “Promise you won’t tell Lady Frigga, but I found where she hides from her sons and husband. There is a path through the thick hydrangea bushes that lead to a fountain under the apple tree.”
The corners of Bestla’s golden eyes wrinkled even more as she smiled. “A place of calm and peace to clear her thoughts. One final question; when Thor fights what does he do every time he loses?”
“Throws a fit?”
She shook her head. “No, what causes him to lose?”
“When he boasts and leaves himself open to a stealth attack, but if someone comes at him head on he will beat them every time.”
“And that is exactly what the Queen for Thor will be. They will be his fiercest and favorite weapon, his cool and calm refuge, his weakness and his strength.” Frigga approached carrying a sleepy Bragi and Aldnif followed by Vidar and Hermond.
“You see, Loki, a king can only be as strong as his Queen. I will leave you to ponder that for the night.” She leaned forward and kissed his forehead between his tiny horns. “Goodnight, my sweet prince.”
Loki followed Frigga in silence as they first left the infant, Bragi, in Odin and her chambers with his nursemaid. And then Aldrif and Vidar in their shared chambers. Frigga had a great deal of trouble getting Hermond to go to bed since Balder, who was just 96 years older ( 2 years) was getting to stay up.
Technically, speaking Balder, Loki, and Hermond all shared chambers but Loki had never actually slept in his room. Sitting on the edge of ‘his’ bed, Loki tugged ‘his’ nightshirt. Carefully Frigga pushed his braids out of his face.
“Are you going to attempt to sleep in here or have you forgiven Thor?”
Loki shook his head. “No, I can’t sleep in here.”
Frigga smiled and held out her hand for Loki. As they walked they passed Thor and Sif talking in hushed voices. Loki instantly shrank and stared at his toes; the Queen simply nodded to her son and continued on but not without noticing Loki’s reaction.
After they were down the hall a ways, the little jotun spoke. “Queen Frigga?”
“Yes, Loki.”
“What do you do as Queen? I, mean, besides have children.”
“I do many things. I attend council meetings with Odin and advise him on the issues that keep him awake at night that he can discuss with no one else. I also have the daunting task of organizing all social events in the palace.”
“Oh okay.” There was a pause.
“I sense something troubles you, Loki.”
The jotun nodded. “Do you think Thor will ask Sif to be his Queen?”
“I do not, but I suppose it is possible.”
“Do you think that when Thor has a queen she will allow me to sleep with him?”
Frigga’s radiant smile turned to a forced one. “No, Loki she will not. A marriage bed is different from the one you now share with Thor; it is not a place for an advisor.”
Loki’s red eyes filled with mist. “But I’ll never be able to sleep if I don’t have Thor to protect me.” He sniffled. “What do I have to do to make sure I can always stay with Thor forever? I promise I won’t get in his queen’s way. Why does she get to keep him all to herself?!?
They reached the door to the eldest Odinson’s chambers. The Queen kneeled to be eye to eye with the boy. How could she explain bastards and legitimacy of a crown this child who had no concept of sex yet. “Because that is what marriage is for royals. No one else is allowed into their bed, there are certain things only a king and queen can only share with themselves.”
Tears fell freely from Loki’s lashes. “But I share everything I can with Thor, why does some stupid girl get to share more with him than me. Why can’t I marry him?”
The thought struck the Queen. “You can, when you’re older if Thor courts and asks you to do so, but the final choice of Queen is his.” Frigga kissed his cheek. “Goodnight, Prince Loki.”

As Frigga walk back towards her and Odin’s chambers, she noticed the candlelight gleaming from under Bestla’s door. She knocked before entering.
“Hello, daughter-in-law, is there something I can do for you?” The Queen Mother sat in her favorite chair next to the fireplace brushing out the plaits in her long white hair.
“I came to inform you that Loki has decided he shall be Thor’s Queen.”
“Has he?”
“I presumed you would eventual push to have the jotun prince married to Thor, but I had thought it would be when they were a bit older.” She smiled.
The frostgiant laughed. “I may have lead Loki’s mind earlier tonight-”
Frigga quirked an eyebrow. “A similar conversation to the one we had about favoritism that you gave me when Odin started courting me.”
“Come now, are the tricks of an old Queen really that transparent.” Bestla set her brush down and motioned for the other woman to sit.
“Only to the Princess she taught to be a Queen.”
Bestla chuckled as she poured two cups of tea on the table between the two. “Will you support my effort?” She handed the cup to Frigga.
“Depends, is your plan to have two Queens groom the child into someone worth of ruling four realms or is it to help Loki seduce Thor and establish another jotun Queen of Asgard?”
“I would imagine each will be needed to achieve the other.” Bestla blew on her tea. “Although, I don’t think either will be hard to do. Loki is a bright child and he has expressed jealousy over Thor’s affections towards others. He is also yet to sleep in his own chambers is he not?”
Frigga smiled. “He is. In the two and a half centuries he’s been here, not once has he slept a full night in his own bed.”
“If I have my way he never will.”
“Bestla!” They are just boys now, but things will eventually get tense and nature will take its course. Thor will be curious won’t wait for his first heat at nine hundred.”
“If Thor controls himself until Loki is seven hundred, it will be a miracle; the moment he finds out about Loki’s dual sex he will wish to take him.”
Frigga looked utterly distrait. “You intend to cause a scandal.”
“I intend to cause nothing. The more intimate contact the earlier young jotun’s practice heat comes. A jotun in heat-even their practice one- will get their way.”
“You’re saying they are an inevitable taboo.”
“Quiet. My intention- I suppose- is to be damage control. Everything is dependent on what your son does. And when he does we need to be prepared.”

Loki sat with his lap under the covers on Thor’s bed and reading a large leather bound book about Bor’s reign, when Thor walked in. Loki smiled wide at him.
“Did you enjoy the party?” Thor asked as he sat on the edge of the bed and removed his boots.
The story of Bor’s reign thumped closed. “Not as much as I would have if I sat with you.”
“I promised to take you to the library and I promise I’ll read whatever you want me too- Isn’t that better?” Thor tugged at the buckles of his new armor in vain. Eventually, he started growling at them. Loki set his book on the nightstand.
“Let me.” The little prince crawled across the bed and stood on his knees as he worked at the stiff leather. The armor finally fell from Thor’s shoulders and chest.
“Thank you. Would you like me to get your braids?”
Loki nodded and sat with his back towards Thor.
As he worked out the tangles and tresses, Loki stared down at his lap. “Thor?”
“Hmmm?”
“Are you going to ask Sif to be your wife?”
The elder prince’s hands stalled in their task. “No. I mean she’s very pretty and I think it would be nice to kiss her. But she’s not what I always think of when I picture my Queen. She’s a warrior, she’s nothing like the Queens I’ve met.” He continued working.
“You’re mother is a warrior.”
Thor reached over and grabbed Loki’s hairbrush from the nightstand. “That’s different. Mother fights mostly with magic.”
“What do you want your Queen to be like?”
Thor blushed. “I-I-I don’t know.”
“Would you marry someone not from Asgard?”
Loki felt Thor remove his hands from his hair and him replace the brush where it belonged. “What is this really about? You never cared about my future Queen before.” Odin’s heir turned the younger to him.
“I was afraid that you were going to replace me with Sif and that you were going to ask her to be your Queen and your mother said that when you got a queen she wouldn’t let me sleep with you anymore. So I asked her if I could be Queen and she said it was up to you.” Loki stared at Thor’s blue eyes.
His mouth hung open. “You want to be my Queen?”
Smiling, Loki nodded.
Thor stared at Loki’s hopeful ruby eyes and let out a sigh. “Loki, you can’t be my queen.”
Those big eyes filled with tears. “Why not?”
“Because you’re a boy and boys can’t keep babies in their tummies and a Queen has to be able to keep a baby in her tummy.”
“Why can’t I keep a baby?”
Thor blushed. “Because they can’t.”
“But why?”
“Because they have different parts!”
Loki scooted closer to Thor. “What do you mean different and will a girl let me borrow hers so I can make you a baby?”
The crowned prince turned red as Loki’s eyes. “A girl can’t lend you her parts.”
“What parts do I need then?”
Thor looked down at his lap and removed his hands from the Jotun’s person. “You swear you won’t tell anyone what I’m about to show you.”
The younger prince looked confused but nodded.
Thor stood up and walked to the washroom. The last thing Loki expected him to return with was a book. Sitting back down on the bed, he opened it to a previously marked page. Loki moved even closer, which caused Thor to tense up.
The page the prince had turned to depicted a light elf maiden naked with her legs spread wide. Thor pointed to the pink spot between her legs.
He stammered. “That’s her slit. Most men call it a cunt or a quim, but most woman don’t like for it to be talked about much less called that.”
“So they don’t have a pee-pee like we do?” Thor shook his head no.
“How does that make a baby?”
Thor’s hands were shaking so hard as he turned the pages he almost ripped them. The next illustration was of a man on top of the woman from the previous page. Whispering down to the book, the elder prince explained, “He sticks his penis, cock, pee-pee or whatever you want to call it into her slit and deposits the seed and she sows it into a baby?”
“Oh! Can I look at the book more?” Loki smiled.
Thor hesitated before setting the book onto the younger boy’s lap. As Loki flipped through the different pictures, Thor returned to the washroom to place a cold cloth on his face to take away some of the heat. About the time Thor had cooled most of the redness away Loki made it come back.
“This one shows two guys. If they can’t have babies together then why are they trying?”
“Because it’s fun to try.”
“Than can we try?”
“NO!” Thor’s face turned red again.
“Why not? I thought we always had fun together?”
“That fun is only for adults we’re not old enough.”
“Okay.”
Thor sighed and started cooling his face once more. The only noise he could hear was the pages turning as he stared at his red face in disgust through the mirror.
“Thor?”
He sighed again. “Yes, Loki?”
“There’s a section called ‘Jotun Heat, Other Lust Her-map-diets and Single Sexed Species.”
Thor appeared at the washroom door with a puzzled look on his face. Loki held up the book in offering to the elder prince. He looked down and read ‘Hermaphrodites’. Curious Thor peaked at the next page. When he saw the illustration on the next page, all the blood drained from Thor’s face and went somewhere else. Jotuns had both a cock and cunt; Loki had both a cock and a c--. Before Loki could see the next page, Thor slammed the volume shut and ripped it from the younger’s grasp.
“Hey! I wasn’t done reading that!” Loki protested jumping from the bed.
Thor rushed to the bookcase and placed it on the highest shelf. “Well it’s my book and I say you are done with it!”
Loki stomped his foot. “That’s not fair. You’re being mean. I’m a jotun, I should know what I’m supposed to look like!”
“No you shouldn’t! I’ve already shown you more than I should have!” Thor defended as he moved around the room to blow out the candles.
“But you let me see all the other ones! What makes Jotuns different?”
“Because they have freaky perverse parts!” Thor blew out the last of the candles. Hearing a sniffle, Thor turned to see tears well up in the younger prince’s eyes.
“Loki-” Thor stepped towards him, but Loki shot for the door.
“I- I’m sorry I’m a freak- I won’t come back.” He slammed the door behind him.
Thor rushed after him, only to open the door to an empty hallway.

Loki ran back towards his rooms but quickly realized he was lost. He wandered around until he found a place of familiarity- Queen Frigga’s garden. When he was just deep enough that he couldn’t turn back, the sky opened up in a thunderstorm. He rushed forwards towards the nearest place of refuge. Darting through the hydrangeas, Loki slid down the trunk of one of the apple trees. He wrapped his arms around his knees and began to sob.
Thor tore through the palace searching for Loki. He searched his rooms, the library, the training yard, and even the great hall. Loki was nowhere to be found. That was when the Prince’s panic began to set in. He was running to his parents’ chambers when he felt his storm swell beyond his control and rip through the skies.
Thor slammed open the golden doors with strength he didn’t know he possessed. Frigga and Odin nearly jumped out of bed. He tried to remain strong but his voice cracked when he spoke. “I can’t find Loki!”
“What happened?” Frigga said as she hurried to put on her shawl.
“I… we… um… had words. I may have said some things without thought.” Thor stammered.
Odin sighed and reached for Gungnir to help himself up. “ I’ll wake my mother and alert the guards.”

Loki jumped when Bestla laid her cloak on his shoulders. “You’re soaked to the bones.”
He looked up at her and sniffled out. “Thank you.”
“We should get back to the palace.”
Loki shook his head. “No, Thor thinks I’m a freak. I’m going back to Jotunhiem.”
The queen hummed. “Is that what he said that caused all this?”
Loki nodded into his knees.
As she sat down beside him, sighed. “Is this about a certain book?”
“I… I promised not to tell.”
She grabbed Loki’s face in both hands forcing him to look at her. “You are not a freak, while you are exceptionally small for a Jotun, you are not a freak. Thor is in a period of life full of strange feelings and he doesn’t yet know how to deal with them.” Her face drew with concern. “You’re burning up; we need to get you inside now.”
Thor raced through the halls towards his grandmother’s chambers. Uncle Ve and Vili had informed him that she found Loki sick and feverish in the gardens. When he tried to enter the guards crossed their spears in front of him.
“How dare you! Let me through!”
“Sorry, your grace but we are on strict orders not to let you in until Loki awakens.” One of the guards spoke.
“What?” Thor roared (attempt to but his voice cracked) at the two men.
“He is very sick. The healers have only allowed a few in.,” the other guards stammered.
At that moment, Bestla stepped through the door. “I had a feeling you’d be coming soon.”
“Is Loki alright? Can I see him?” Thor rushed the words out.
“Loki needs to rest. I promise we will tell you if his condition changes. But you need to pack, your first hunt is tomorrow and you’ll need your strength.”
“But…” The prince started to protest but Bestla held up her hand to let him know the discussion was over. More thunder rumbled in the distance as Thor stomped down the hall.