Natural Disaster

         The next few years things changed. Thor’s time was filled with weapons training and attending meetings with his father; Loki’s time was spent in either Frigga, Bestla or Agraboda’s company befriending ladies of the court, learning the history of Asgard or learning politics. When the Jotun wasn’t in lessons he and Karhu, his bear, would slip away to his favorite corner of the library. The fact that said alcove overlooked the warrior’s three training yard wasn’t consequential.

         A few years after Thor’s seven hundredth birthday, Frigga and Loki were walking through the garden, when they caught Thor and Frandal doting on Sif’s long blond hair just before Thor leaned in and kissed her cheek. Anger flared within Loki, black bleed from the roots of Sif’s hair down to the tips. The two boys jumped back; Loki flushed realizing what he just caused.

         Sif upon seeing her hair cursed him, without even knowing it was Loki who she spoke of so foully. Continuing without so much more of a knowing glance, Frigga ushered the young prince back into the palace.

        When they were far from the commotion. The queen spoke. “You need to learn control over your magic, Loki. We will begin tomorrow at the usual time. But for now, I am going to take you to Bestla for cultural lessons early so I might attempt to change Sif’s hair back.” She smiled then. “That was quite impressive magic, but please don’t do it again.”

        Bestla blew on her tea staring judgmentally at Loki. He could not meet her eyes and simply stared at the cup cradled in his hands. “Are you upset with me?”

        She hummed. “Yes, but do you know why?”

        Loki blushed. “I shouldn’t have turned Sif’s hair black.”

        “No, I am disappointed you gave yourself away so easily and were caught. You must learn to control your emotions better. Present yourself with decorum and a pleasant simile, and then when they least expect it allow them to corner themselves for you. A queen must be compassionate, but distant with her emotions.

         You basically let everyone know that you are jealous of Sif! Jealously can only occur when one person has something and another does not. You are a prince, she is a warrior, and you are above her station and have no cause to be jealous.”

        “But Thor said-”

       “I don’t care what my grandson said. This is the game of ruling a realm; you must play this game to fulfill your role in life. And you must be good at it very good, if you wish to become Thor’s queen one day. You will learn to be sneaky.”

        “Will Lady Frigga teach me this?”

        Bestla smiled. “Who do you think taught her?”

      Frigga taught Loki magic; Bestla sent him on weekly missions. Some weeks it would be to sneak into a forbidden part of the palace others, it would be to acquire some knowledge he wasn’t supposed to know. It wasn’t long before the guards were calling Loki, little shadow for a reason that had nothing to do with Thor.

      Loki was hidden away in the library, in order to avoid the fire demon diplomats that were visiting Asgard to negotiate for peace. It wasn’t that Loki was prejudice against the Fire demons, but they made him uncomfortable; the amount of heat their bodies produced was enough to raise the temperature of the room by many degrees. Cram a bunch of Aesir and Fire Demons in the same room and it was stifling by Asgardian standards.

      The little Jotun had learned much over the past decades. He was attempting to call the liquid to him in the form of an ice dagger over a bowl of water, when he heard a great commotion in the hall. Loki poked his head out of the library’s great doors to see a mass of guards running down the hall. One of the guards yelled something about the throne room before Loki ducked back into the library. He rushed back to his bowl and whispered a scrying spell. The green mist swirled in the water before showing Odin locked in combat with one of Surtur’s sons, Vili with another and Ve lying motionless in his own blood. “Show me Frigga!”

      The green mist swirled again before showing Frigga in her chambers with her sister/sister-in-law Gullveig, and her aunt/sister-in-law Freya and Bestla. Loki could tell from the angle of the room, he was appearing in Frigga’s giant looking glass in front of them. Frigga looked up startled. “Loki!”

      “There is a fight in the throne room! Odin, Ve, and Vili are locked in battle!” Gullveig ran a hand over her very pregnant stomach, in worry.

       “Bestla get my sister to safety; Freya and I will find our children. Loki, Thor will be in his room or the training yard. Find him! He will want to fight instead of retreating but he will flee if it means keeping you safe. He knows were to go. ”Frigga waved her hand as she started for the door. Golden mist filled the water.

       Loki ran out into the hall, he could feel the heat and see the red glow of flames down the hall with the most direct route to the training yard. Bolting in the opposite direction Loki slipped into the shadows of Asgard.

       Right as he ran into the empty training yard, he spotted Surtur himself, and worse Surtur saw him. The little Jotun fled in the direction of Thor’s chambers. He ran as fast as he could, but he still could hear the fire giant behind him. He burst through the door’s only to find Thor’s chambers empty. Loki threw up the only spell he knew that would help retard Surtur’s rampage. Ice crept along the outline of the door locking it in place.

       Surtur slammed into the door causing some of the ice to crack. Loki feed his magic into the ice. Every time Surtur hit the door, more chunks of ice fell off. By the fourth slam Loki wasn’t sure if Surtur would give up before Loki’s magic gave out.

       Then the door started to glow hot. Loki dove under the bed just before the flame burst through the door. The Fire demon knew where the Jotun had hid. Loki was dragged out from hiding by a burning hand. “Odin wouldn’t sign over your cunt for peace. How in love with you Thor must be for him to refuse such a deal.” His hand wrapped around Loki’s throat holding him in place.

      “Foolish Odin, has he ever told you how many realm will be united through your cunt. Asgard, Vanahiem, Midgard, and Jotun. You are the perfect bartering tool. Odin was a fool to leave you so unguarded.”

      Surtur threw Loki over his shoulder and turned towards the door. Loki kicked and screamed and let his magic fly, but to no avail. The Warlord of Muspelhiem was  too strong for him to wiggle free.

      On the opposite end of the hallway Loki could see a mass of long blonde hair and red cloth. Loki screamed. “Thor!”

      The prince looked up at Loki. The surprise on his face turned into wild furry. Lightening cracked outside and thunder shook the palace as Thor, just barely in adolescence charged the seasoned warriors twice his size. Thundering after Loki, he shoved past warriors, knocking them to the ground. From one of the soldiers he grabbed a hammer, which he threw hitting Surtur square in his lower back. Loki heard the Warlord spine snap just before Surtur fell forward and sent Loki tumbling to the stone floor.

      It hurt a lot.

      Loki was only discombobulated for a few seconds before he came to his wits. Thor’s knuckles were red with blood from where he was punching Surtur’s face. Berserker rage had taken over the young prince. With a horrific display of strength, Thor grabbed on of Surtur’s horns and snapped it in half. The fire demon howled in pain just before his own horn was impaled into his own chest.

     Loki screamed.

     It was one thing to acknowledge someone as a warrior, but to witness someone kill as a warrior, for the first time was a different beast all together. As Thor stood up over Surtur’s body, Loki trembled at the sight. He looked so much older than his years. His golden skin was pink with droplets of blood splatter and his eyes were both electric and cold. Apparently, the demon king had managed to land at least one blow because Thor’s lip was split and his eye was bruised.

     Loki looked away before retching onto the floor. He continued until he was dry heaving and shaking. Thor rubbed circles on his back before escorting the boy back to his room. Through the chaos that carried on into the evening and well into the wee hours of the morning Loki refused to leave Thor’s side. The only time he conceded to be out of sight of the other boy was when washing the Fire Demon’s blood off.

    Many people guards, warriors, nobles and royals alike had perished in the battle. A massive visual was held during midday the following day. Bestla looked the very definition of ashen; she had lost so much of her color that she looked grey. No one could blame her though, she had lost her eldest son the war over four hundred years ago, now her twins-Ve and Vili- were slain, and her only surviving child only just. Fire Demons had burned a large gash into his side, forcing the All-Father into bed rest.

    Truly no one was unaffected by the events of the previous day, but Bestla and Frigga were among the worst. Due to the stressful event of losing her husband, Gullveig had gone into labor and perished baring her and Vili’s only child, Hodar, who was now warded to his aunt.

    To say that Laufey was up by what had transpired was a vast understatement. Laufey stormed from the Bifrost. His power was radiating from him as he moved towards the palace, across the rainbow bridge frost crackled along his wake. The guards could do little to stop him. and Hiemdal did not call for soldiers seeing as the king had come alone. He threw open the doors to the throne room. “Odin Borson!” he screamed. Laufey was only slightly taken aback by the sight of Frigga atop the throne instead of her husband.

    “Good evening, King Laufey, what has brought you here?”

    “Lady Frigga, I demand to speak with Odin at once! He swore to protect Loki, yet I hear Loki was almost stolen away to be Surtur’s child-bride!”

    Frigga ever the essence of grace and dignity stood and spoke calmly. “I apologize Laufey, but I cannot permit you to see my husband’s counsel. He is on bed rest and unable to take courtiers at this time. The Queen Mother is also too emotional distraught at this time to rational lead Asgard. You must understand she lost two sons and a daughter-in-law and her only surviving son is seriously injured. Since I am the least affected, your concerns will have to be brought to my attention.”

   “Jotunheim mourns for your losses, but-”

   “And I lost my baby sister.”

    Laufey nodded. “My apologies my Lady, but Loki is to unify most of the nine realms. His life is to create alliances and those alliances shall ensure peace for five thousand years… and he is my last child.

    Frigga pursed her lips. “Walk with me.” She met Laufey at the bottom of the stairs. “What do you wish to achieve from this visit?”

    “I wish to see Loki and to have him return home with me, where he can be protected.”

     The Vanir Queen waved for the throne room doors to be opened to let them through. “Loki is not supposed to return to Jotunheim for almost another 250 years. That was the agreement you reached with my husband.”

     The Jotun nodded. “It was however, we made a clause in our arrangements in precaution of political and realm instability.”

     “You believe the conditions of this clause have been met?”

     Laufey stood tall, well over double Frigga’s height, as he walked. “I do. A backlash from the fire demons against Asgard is quite likely.”

     Frigga hummed. “I would advise you to leave your son here a bit longer. Loki is rather skilled with magic. His siedr education would be continued here in a combination of Aesir, Vanir, and Jotun methodologies. He also has no recollection of his life before Asgard, the adjustment will be difficult and make him rather uncomfortable.” She stopped in front of her eldest sons doors.

    Laufey smiled slightly. “Lady Frigga, with all respects, I care little for my son’s comfort in comparison with his safety. And as for his magical abilities we are prepared to do whatever it takes to support him. The smaller one is of our species the greater their ability to wield magic; Loki is the smallest born ever to survive in Jotunheim. Much like the people you were born to, sorcerers-not warriors- are valued in our culture. Loki will want for nothing and be a treasure to his people.”

   Frigga nodded. “You are rather fortunate that it was not Odin to hear your plea. One mother trying to convince another they are protecting their child is a hard argument to lose.”

    Laufey smiled. “How did you know I was Loki’s dam?”

     Frigga returned the smile. “A king does not rush headlong into a foe’s home unarmed making demands, but a mother will do so without a thought and her desire to protect her child that is something even the mightiest warrior fears. So I will grant your request with conditions of course.”

     “Of course.”

     “Loki will remain in Asgard until my husband has recovered. Thor and Loki are quite fond of each other. If worst should come Thor will need his closest friend by him as he takes the throne. My second condition- Loki was to leave at the age of six hundred and fifty and not to return until he turns a thousand. Loki will now return to Asgard as an ambassador when he comes of age in Jotunheim.”

      “I will agree to this and return for Loki when I am called but might I see my baby today.”

      Odin was back on the throne less than a month later. Thor was heartbroken when Laufey came for Loki.