LokiSon

Part 2: Some Battles of Allies and Apples, Chapter 10:

His heart wanted to soar. Peter’s family was dead! 

Okay, now that sounded kind of fucked up. 

But he really did not care. 

Loki raced through the Bifrost Chamber, not caring about the look that Heimdall was giving him as he stared at the prince at the top of the podium. He knew that he and the man were going to have to have a conversation later regarding everything that was about to happen. It was going to be a lot, but he could save all of that for later. But right now, he wanted nothing more than to head up to his rooms and squeeze Peter tight. 

He hissed as he ran down the rainbow road, taking note of the rising sun that was peaking through the horizon. Some would call the view beautiful, with the way that the sun pierced through the water and out into open space. But right now, the rising sun meant the rising of people, and he needed to get to his rooms before anyone really noticed that he was gone. 

Not that many people were looking for him at the moment. He had let his family know that he would be kept in his rooms all day, and would sometimes be down in the archives. It was a good lie, so that if someone came to his room, they would assume he was either in the archives or vice versa. And most of the time people would not bother him anyway, so he would be fine for the most part. 

But there was just so much going through his mind at the moment. 

He knew it was such a horrible thing to think, but Peter’s family was dead! The boy had no one! That meant that the Midgardian would be able to live here on Asgard, and Loki did not have to feel guilty about it! It was a win-win for both of them! 

Okay, maybe not entirely a win. Peter’s blood family was dead. But… but that did not matter. At least, not any more. Peter had Loki now, which meant that he would have everything. Loki did not lie to the old woman when he said that Peter would want for nothing. Now that the plans could be set in motion, Loki could raise the babe all on his own, and everything would be fine. 

But he knew that was a lie. Almost.

Now, there was so much he needed to do. The first being heading up to his rooms not only to kiss and squish Peter into oblivion - without hurting him, of course - but to also inform Freya of everything he had found out. She had shared the same sentiments as wanting Peter to have no one so the lad could stay here in the land of the gods. So he knew she would be absolutely ecstatic to find out that Peter was going to be staying. 

The only real issue was that he now had to convince Idunn to give him a Golden Apple so that Peter would become immortal. 

He and Idunn have a… rocky past, to say the least. The two of them do not hate one another, but Idunn was more similar to Thor then she was to Freya. She was all about justice and duty, which was one of the main reasons his father charged with the care and safety of the Golden Apple Tree. Now, there was no arguing that she was a skilled warrior, so it was going to be difficult if he just said fuck it and just stole them. 

But he would figure it out once he spoke with Freya. Because either way, whether he has to steal an apple, or take Peter into his arms and run, he would do it. He knew it in his heart to be true. 

Loki had entered the palace just a few minutes ago, and he was trying his best not to be seen. Unfortunately, it was a little later than he usually came back from his travels, with him always returning right before the first ray of the Asgarian sun hit the kingdom’s horizon. But at the moment, there were plenty of people around, with most of them being servants or some of the higher born citizens of the Kingdom. 

And they did what they always did when they noticed Loki: which was curtsy or bow their heads as he walked passed. Most of the time, he would ignore them and keep on walking, but he was feeling nice today and gestured with his hand to raise as he walked past. He noticed how one woman’s face lit up when he actually acknowledged her presence, so he thought he would do it more often. 

Loki was just surprised at the fact that they did not question what he was wearing. He was still in his Midgardian wear, but if he was being honest, Midgardian style came from them. If he really looked at himself, he looked like he had just been in the gardens or something, with some of the dirt on his legs. Well, some of the dirt was mixed with ashes, but he was not going to go too deep into that one. 

He was passing his mother’s gardens. That meant he was just a few halls and steps to his family's part of the palace, and almost towards his rooms. 

That is, until he turned a corner and bumped shoulders right into someone. 

Loki found himself jumping back, looking at the person dead in the eyes. 

Oh Norns. He had the urge to roll his eyes. 

Because the person standing right in front of him was none other than Fandral the Dashing. 

Fandral the Dashing was, well, dashing as some people would put it. The man was definitely not Loki’s cup of tea, but he was nice to look at, if he was being honest with himself. With his fluffy blonde hair and kind of nice facial hair, he was a decent looking man. Especially with all that he wore, with the elegant armor and the way he swings his sword. 

But as of this moment, the man was neither wearing his armor, nor his sword. Right now, the blonde man was wearing a white long sleeve shirt, with the cut of the shirt being so low that it exposed most of chest. The man was also donning a yellow pair of hemmed pants, which seemed to be the man’s favorite color as he was always wearing it. It was a casual look, and it appeared he had just woken up. 

Loki found himself standing straighter, with his hands immediately going for the satchel, holding it tight against his body. 

All right, he could do this. Fandral was one of Thor’s friends, and that meant he was an idiot, but he had always taken Fandral to be smarter than he looked. He was kind of like Sif, where she did have a mind of her own, but was blinded by Thor’s shadow. Well, they all were in Thor’s shadow, Loki knew that better than most, but he had never been afraid to stand on his own. Unlike the man standing before him. 

Loki simply sighed, and shook his head. 

“Fandral.” 

It took Fandral only seconds to recover himself. The man had a surprising look in those brown eyes of his, but he immediately smiled when he seemed to realize who it was. The man stood straighter putting both hands on his hips. 

“My prince.” He greeted, slowly nodding his head. “What has gotten you up so early?” 

“You know me to be an early bird, Fandral.” Loki shrugged. “I was just in need to head down to the market to grab some supplies I needed. I like to go early before all the good things get nabbed.” 

“Surely you could have sent a scullery maid for whatever you needed.” The blonde tilted his head at the man. “And I’m sure whoever you buy from the market could hold something aside for you. Thor does it often.” 

“Unfortunately, I am not Thor. And it would be keeping him from a sale if he held it for so long just for me. That would be rude, you know.” Loki pointed out. “But sometimes I want to get out of the palace every now and then.” 

“You say that, but it feels as though no one really sees you any more.” Loki squinted his eyes at the man. Fandral does not seem to notice. “It seems as though you’re locked in your rooms and you never want to come out.” 

Loki waved him off. “Nothing you all can’t live without. It's not like you and the other of the Three are dying for me to accompany you all on another hunt. Now, if you will excuse me.” 

Loki stepped past the man and continued to walk down the hall. It would only take him just a few more minutes until he reached the grand doors for him to get to his family’s side of the palace. He did not look behind him as he kept walking, simply walked on an even pace down the hall, where he knew Fandral was still watching. He did not want to walk too fast, stride for example, as that would set off alarms in that blonde oaf’s head. 

But as he kept walking, he heard the sound of footsteps catching up with him, and he sighed. Fandral was now walking next to him, and he could see the blonde staring at him with those brown eyes of his as they walked. 

“Fandral, don’t you have other things you should be doing?” Loki sighed, beginning to become annoyed. 

The blonde smiled at him. “I just thought it would be nice to walk you. You know, since we haven’t seen each other in a while.” 

“Well, we’re going to see a lot of one another when we fight in a few days.” Loki gave him an unimpressed look. “So there’s that.” 

“That’s actually one of the things I wanted to talk to you about.” 

“Oh?” Loki rolled his eyes, looking at his nails as he walked. 

He was trying to make it clear to the blonde that he literally would find a pot of boiling water more interesting than this conversation. And with the way that Fandral’s brown eyes suddenly looked unsure, he knew it was working. 

“We haven’t uttered a word to one another since I challenged you-” 

“If we use our heads and think back to it, I was the one who challenged you, Fandral.” Loki pointed out. 

“Actually, I was the one leading on to it.” The man rebutted. “I was actually going to do it, but your father got in the way.” 

Loki snorted. “The story of my life.” 

“And I’ve been meaning to talk to you for literal weeks. But everytime I try to head to one of your rooms, I’m stopped by one of your servants saying that your rooms are off limits. Even to Thor.” Fandral shook his head. “Which is strange, considering that you two have gotten into arguments, yes, but you’ve never full on banned him before…” 

“It’s not just Thor. I’ve told my family that my rooms are off limits because my studies have gotten quite…intense, to say the least.” Loki purposely paused so it could give the added effect that he wanted. “And Thor takes everything personal. Which is nothing new. You claim to be one of his good friends. You should already know that.” 

Fandral looked offended. He clicked his teeth and they kept walking through the palace halls. 

“I ‘claim’ nothing. I am his friend. One of his best.” The blonde licked his lips. “The emptiness of your presence is starting to take a toll on him. That is all I will say.” 

“Thor will be fine.” Loki rolled his eyes. “My studies have only taken a swing for almost two months. You all have been on a hunt far longer than that. He can survive a little longer.” 

Fandral looked like he wanted to say more, but he kept his mouth shut. 

And Thor would be fine. Like he had said, Thor, Sif, and the Three have been on hunts far longer than Loki being secluded in his rooms for. There had been one hunt that even Loki had participated in, and that hunt took almost four months to complete. And no one in the palace batted an eye when they were gone. His mother simply kissed him on the cheek, welcoming him back. And his father called them to his rooms on their side of the palace, wanting to speak on war strategies. 

It was not like Thor’s friends missed him. Whenever Loki did participate on a hunt with them, they would usually ignore him and pretend like he wasn’t there. And the black haired prince definitely did not argue when it came to that, he loved it when they just left him alone. Thor would usually give all his attention to him, and whenever the blonde did that, Sif would give him eyes of daggers, and the Three really did not care. 

So he really did not understand why everyone was so concerned with him being in his rooms.

“May I ask what is keeping you so?” The swordsman asked after a few moments. “Thor said you would not even tell him.” 

“If I did not tell Thor, my own blood brother, why the Hel would I tell you?” He gave the man a green side eye. “What makes you think you’re privy of my secrets?” 

“I don’t-” Fandral sighed. He rubbed a hand through his blonde hair, and he shook his head. “You know what, never mind.” 

“Thank the Norns.” Loki rolled his eyes, feeling lighter now that the man was done with all his questions. 

“But there is something I would like to ask of you.” Fandral then pointed out. 

Loki sighed, letting out a deep breath. He knew it was too good to be true. 

He and the blonde entered the hallway of his family’s rooms. The hallway itself was made up of statues of various Asgardian warriors of the past, with gold statues leaning over them. The windows of the hallway were all made of glass. And on one side, he took note of the entire kingdom, knowing that once he got to his rooms the view would be even higher. And on the other side, were more of his mother’s gardens, with some garden keepers heavy at work, making sure that everything was perfect for the queen. 

At the very end of it, there was a grand door with his father’s symbol on it. And through those doors were a series of stairs and hallways that lead to each of their own individual rooms. Which then led to Loki’s rooms, which he would have been to by now if Fandral was smart enough to take the hint that he did not want to be spoken to. 

No one else besides them were allowed past them, except for their private servants and guests. Anyone who went in there without a good reason could be tried for treason and either be executed or simply thrown off the Bifrost. Which was basically the same thing as an execution. 

“And what is it you would like to ask of me, Fandral?” He sighed once more. 

“Well, we’re set to have an honorable battle in the coming days…” The blonde smiled at him. 

“Yes, I am aware. For the millionth time.” 

“And typically, when there is a battle happening, there are usually feasts the night before to celebrate the occasion.” Loki nodded his head, already aware of that. He just wanted to see where the man was going with all this. “But I don’t typically see you at these feasts all too often. Except the nights you choose to come.” 

“I don’t see myself as a prude, but as much as I love feasts and mead, I do not need to drown myself in them every night to have a good time. Not like you, or Thor, or the other of the Three does.” Loki ran his fingers through his black hair, shaking his head. “But I do enjoy a good party every now and then. Just not everyday.” 

“Would you believe me if I thought the same?” The blonde asked, smiling over at him. Loki gave him an unconvinced look, but the man nodded his head. He let out a laugh. “It’s true. I swear on my sword. I like feasts, but my stomach can only hold so much mead.” 

“That is up for debate. I can recall the time you and Thor went head to head wanting to see how many cups you could take from a barrel.” 

Fandral gave a hearty laugh at that, rubbing the hair on his chin. “I can recall the time Volstagg challenged you to the same, and you won.” 

“That is because I know my way around mead.” Loki hummed. “But, Volstagg could not handle the fact that a man as small as I beat him. Which is why he denounced my honor, saying that I used one of my tricks against him.” 

Fandral waved him off. “I was there that night. I was clear that you were not using one of your tricks. Any fool could have seen that.” 

It was Loki’s turn to laugh. “You say that, but I didn’t see you come to my defense. The only other person who defended my honor was Thor, but even then, the blonde oaf did not look too convinced.” 

“I did not know I needed to defend you.” Fandral pointed out, raising his chin. “The great Loki. With his silvertongue. I think you were doing just fine. But that is not what I wish to speak about.” 

Once they completed their walk down the long hallway, Loki stopped in front of the grand doors. He looked up at the doors for a few moments, thinking of how he wanted nothing more than to leave the man standing here and just see Peter, but he knew he could not do that. Because there was just something with the way the man was staring at him with those brown eyes of his, he knew that the blonde would just follow him inside. 

Yes, if one was not of the royal family, then they could not enter here. But Fandral had been one of Thor’s long time friends since they were young, so it would not be odd to see him roaming through this part of the palace. If any servant sees anyone out of place, they would immediately report it to the palace’s guard, or to the king and queen themselves. But since Fandral is Fandral, they would not even bat an eye. 

Loki sighed and turned towards the man. 

“Ask what you wish to ask, Fandral.” He let out a breath. “I wish to rest for a few hours before I begin my duties. So please, make it quick.” 

“I shall, my prince…” The blonde nodded. The man licked his lips. “But I was just thinking. A thought really. Before the duel, we could have a meal together.” 

Loki scrunched his eyebrows. “Pardon?” 

“It’s not so strange.” Fandral defends, a small smile growing under his mustache. “We’ve had meals together before, as friends. We just have not had one in a long time. Just to show no malice before the match. And it also gives us a chance to catch up with one another.” 

“Fandral…” He started. He closed his eyes, trying to find the right words. “Being the Silvertongue means I can string many lies. But what a lot of people do not know is that I can put things quite bluntly: We are not friends. We have shared meals together, yes, but it has always been in the company of my brother. And with my absence these last few months, I do not see you come running in my direction, not in the way you would to Thor if he was caught with something that took much of his time.” 

Everything he was saying was the truth, and he knew the man was aware of it as well. 

He and Fandral were not really friends. Same goes for the rest of the Three and Lady Sif. They were his brother’s friends. The only reason that Loki only really hung out with them was because they were with Thor, and even if the man was a blonde oaf, he was still his brother. And some might call him a liar for it, but he did enjoy spending time with his brother. No matter who he was in the company of. 

And now the blonde man in front of him was asking to share a meal together. A meal just days before they were set to dual one another in the arena. Was this some sort of mind game? No, this could not be it. Fandral was one of Thor’s friends, and he had observed the man over the years. He could not even trick a child if he wanted. 

And it did not help how the brown eyed swordsman was giving him the eyes of a pup.

“My heart sinks to hear you say that, Loki.” The man said, obviously hurt. “There were times I can recall the two of us sitting by the fire. The rest of them in the forest, continuing the hunt, while I stayed behind and sang my songs, while you kept at your book. A lovely night that was.” 

Loki seemed to recall that night as well. “It was a pleasant night, I can agree. But I think that is the only time the two of us were alone, Fandral.” 

“Then why not make it another, my prince?” The blonde looked hopeful. “There is nothing but truth in my words, Loki. That much I can promise. And it is just a meal.” 

True. 

Loki shook his head. “If I say yes, will you leave me alone?” 

Fandral’s brown eyes suddenly lit up. “Yes.” 

He sighed. “Fine.” The blonde entire body brightened, and he looked like he was going to say something else, but Loki put a hand up. “We shall have it in my mother’s private gardens. The place where my family usually eats.” 

The swordsman nodded his head. “I’ve only eaten there a few times. It was with Thor and the Queen.” 

“It is one of the rare places where we do not have to be so formal with one another. Besides our rooms, of course.” Loki raised a pale hand to his cheek, and rubbed his face. “I’ll send you a bird for a good time for us to meet.” 

“I was the one who asked you, now it feels like you are doing everything. Giving me the time and the place for us to meet.” Fandral let out a laugh. “Not really much of a gentleman, am I?” 

“Mm.” Loki hummed. “It seems like that is a pattern between the two of us. You proposing something and me being the one to take initiative. The dual, for example.” 

“Or maybe you like taking control.” The blonde tilted his head, smiling. 

The black haired prince rolled his eyes. “Whatever. I shall see you then.” 

“Of course, my prince.” 

With that, the blonde oaf took a step back, and slowly bowed his head, giving him faux respect. When Fandral raised his head back up, his smile brightened the entire room, and Loki rolled his eyes. That made the man smile even more and nodded to Loki one last time before he began to strut his way down the hall, and back to where he came from. The black haired prince could have sworn there was a slight kick to his step, but he was sure he was just seeing things. Or perhaps that was just the way the man always walked. 

He really did not care. 

Loki turned to the large doors with his father’s symbol. Typically, there were always servants here guarding the entrance. They would always open the door for whoever was coming, but for some odd reason, they were not here. 

Loki raised his hand up, and the doors began to glow with green magic. With a simple wave of his hand, the two grand doors began to slowly open, and Loki quickly stepped inside. 

-000-

The black haired prince was out of breath when he bursted through the doors of the guest- of Peter’s room. 

Everything was silent inside of the room. It was very different to the halls of the palace, which were beginning to slowly buzz with life. Since it was the morning, people were starting to rise and start their days, and that always came with noise. But right now, Peter’s room was silent as ever, with not even sound coming from the patio on the other side of the room. 

Loki took a step inside, and he took note of Freya sleeping on the large bed in the corner of the room. They had decided to add the large bed back, since it was perfect for them to take naps in while they were watching Peter. Loki took note of the woman’s appearance, which was a pair of brown hemmed pants along with a white tunic. An outfit that was very informal for a woman of her caliber. But Loki had always thought that Freya was the kind of woman that looked good in everything, so he really did not see a problem. 

The blonde’s eyes were fluttered shut, with her long eyelashes falling over her cheeks. With the way she was not under the covers and with her body spread out like a bird, it was clear she dumped her entire body on the bed and passed out. Loki knew the feeling. Peter was the kind of babe that took a lot of attention, so he too had nights where he would simply sprawl out on his bed and pass out. 

But for Peter, it all would be worth it. Speaking of which. 

Before Loki decided to wake Freya up, he decided to walk over to the boy’s crib. Loki tried not to smile at all the toys that were spread out on the carpet in front of the crib, being a complete mess. The blonde and the brown haired babe must have had quite a time last night. 

 Loki set two hands on the boy’s crib, looking down at the babe. 

Peter was sleeping opposite to how Freya was positioned. Loki noticed how the babe typically slept as if he was cold, with his arms and legs always close to his body. Loki smiled at that and reached into his bag. 

The black haired prince pulled out the red blanket. The piece of fabric was no longer glowing that vibrant green any longer, which meant that the magic had worn off. But just for extra precaution, Loki reached into his seidr and made sure that the magic was truly gone. He did not want to wrap Peter in the blanket and the magic still being. Who knew if the spell had some kind of side effects if one touched it too long. 

Nothing would ever happen to his Peter. He would make sure of it. 

Loki slowly reached down, and gently rubbed the cheek of the babe, trying to lure him awake. 

“Wake up, darling.” The green eyed prince could not help but smile. “It’s morning. Time to wake up. I have wonderful news.” 

Peter did not move for a couple of moments, which caused the man to slightly panic. But when Peter began to squint his tiny eyes shut even more, he let out a sigh of relief. The black haired prince kept running his finger against the boy’s cheek, making it clear that it was time to wake up and claim the day. 

“Come now, darling.” Loki smiled. “I know you are not an early bird, but the day is ours for the taking.” 

But soon, Peter's eyes slowly opened, revealing those perfect brown eyes of his. The babe then began to smack his lips together, perhaps trying to subconsciously moisture them. He then began to stretch his tiny arms and legs away from his body, yawning once more. The action caused Loki’s insides to melt. The brown haired babe then looked at the ceiling for a few moments, before his brown eyes then landed right on Loki’s brown ones. 

Loki took in all of Peter’s appearances. 

The babe was just so… perfect. He really did not know any other word to use with Peter, that is just the only word that would always come to mind when he thought about the mortal. With the way his hair was starting to become a beautiful brown with everyday they spent together. With the way his eyes lit up and smiled whenever Loki walked into the room. When the babe would raise his arms up, wanting to be carried by no one else but Loki. It was the only word that he could describe Peter as: perfect. 

His Perfect Peter. 

The black haired prince laughed as he bent down, beginning to wrap the babe inside of the scarlet blanket. He made sure that the babe did not need to be changed before he did it though, as Peter always wetted himself almost every night, but today must be a special occasion. Perhaps the boy knew deep down in that simple mind that they were now going to spend all eternity together, so he had to look nice. 

Once the blanket was wrapped around, Loki left Peter’s arms free, and there it was. The brown haired babe smiled up at him, raising his arms so Loki would pick him up. The black haired prince leaned back and gave the babe an unimpressed look. 

“See, there are times where I know you’re smarter than you look.” He shook his head. “You know I’ll never say no to you Peter. Especially if you want to be picked up.” 

“Ah!” Peter simply waved his arms around in happiness, not seeming to argue with the prince. 

Loki laughed. “Well, all right then. Let’s go wake up Freya and tell her the good news…” 

He gently carried Peter over to the bed, sitting on the edge of it, just a few inches from where the blonde’s body was currently sleeping. 

Loki now had a better look of the woman’s face, and he took note of all of it. Though Freya had blonde hair, her eyebrows had always been a few tints darker, and he noticed how ruffled and uneven they were. On top of that, her blonde hair was slightly awry, with the many braids in her hair coming slightly undone. There was also a small river of saliva coming down the side of her mouth, falling down her chin. 

Loki shook his head, suddenly feeling remorseful. 

The black haired prince felt bad that he was always asking her to take care of Peter when he needed to be somewhere. He would never say it out loud, but he owed a lot to Freya. Without her, he does not think he would have been able to keep this secret hidden for so long. But here they were, almost two months in, and he was finally going to be able to keep Peter forever. He does not know how, but he was somehow going to find a way to repay the blonde woman. 

Loki placed the small babe against his body, with Peter's head going right at his shoulder. The young babe did not argue, as he automatically put both arms against Loki’s body, almost as if he was hugging him. And with his other arm, he went and gently rubbed the blonde’s shoulder. 

“Freya…” He said softly. 

The black haired prince kept rubbing at her shoulder, but the blonde did not seem to take the hint. She simply whined in her sleep, and began to frown. 

In a louder voice, and more assertive, Loki said, “Freya, awaken. I’ve returned.” 

But still the blonde did not budge. Loki leaned back, raising a single eyebrow.

Damn. Who knew Freya was such a heavy sleeper. Well, like some of the women here say: one needed their beauty rest. Maybe that was why the blonde was such a natural beauty. But right now, there was no time for beauty rest. He needed to tell her everything. 

Loki slowly found himself smiling. 

Slowly he bent down, and just inches away from her ear, he yelled: 

“Freya! Come quick! The queen is getting hassled by frost giants!” 

But, it was moments like this, when Loki tended to forget that Freya was a magic user. 

Freya’s brown eyes flew open. “For her honor!” She was able to slur out. 

The blonde shot up from the bed and raised her hand. A blast of blue magic resonated and she threw it in front of her. Loki’s eyes went wide, and though the blast was not in his range, he still leaned down from the bed, ducking from the magic. The said magic hit the wall on the other side of the room, ruining the green painted walls. It was like a wound of fire had hit the wall, with the blue magic pulsating like a gash to flesh. 

Loki immediately looked down to Peter to see if he was all right, and the brown eyed babe was looking over to the wall now, curious. Peter did not seem too afraid of the failed attack. In fact, it seemed to have excited him, as he was giggling towards the black haired prince, smiling, waving his hand towards the wall. Loki shook his head. 

Loki looked back towards his friend.

Freya’s eyes were as wide as a bird’s wings, looking around the room, taking in her surroundings. She actually looked insane with the way that she still had her magic in her hand, as if she was truly trying to find the Frost Giant trying to kill the queen. But when her eyes landed on Loki, with that mad glint in them, all the black haired prince could do was laugh. 

Loki’s giggles echoed through the large room. He closed his eyes and let the light feeling of joy flow through his body, loving the way that the young woman’s confusion was now turning not only into realization, but also anger. But the best part about the whole thing, was the fact that Loki’s laugh was so funny, that Peter began to laugh as well.

The black haired prince looked down towards the babe. Peter’s giggles were intoxicating, and Loki did not hesitate to plant a few kisses on the boy’s head. 

“It is funny, isn’t Peter?” Loki ignored the scaling look that the blonde was giving him. 

“It’s really not.” Freya croaked out, shaking her head. 

The blonde woman sat straighter in the bed, sitting up. She rested her back against the golden head board of the large bed. Freya then put both hands to her face, rubbing it as she sighed. 

“Ugh, what time is it…?” She muttered out. 

“Morning.” Loki let out a laugh. He gave his friend one look over. “It seems you had an eventful night.” 

“The absolute worst.” Freya shook her head. “I think last night was the worst I’ve ever had with Peter. Which was quite surprising, considering that the babe is usually not a lot to handle.” 

“Really?” Loki asked, looking down at Peter. 

The babe was currently reaching for one of his hands, and Loki gave it to him unconsciously. Peter then began to fiddle with his long, pale fingers, as if they were toys. The babe then tried to put one of them in his mouth, but Loki was quick to pull away. It was not the first time that Peter had tried to eat his fingers, and it surely would not be the last. 

But just by looking at him, he looked completely normal. 

Loki looked back towards his tired friend. “Are you certain? He looks familiar to me…” 

“He does, does he not?” Freya looked at the babe with a look of resentment, but she then shook her head. “I do not know how to explain it. It was as though something was wrong with him. I am good with babes. It is one of my callings. But I just could not figure out just what Peter wanted. It was strange…” 

“Really?” Loki asked in disbelief. Of course, he believed Freya. But it was just hard to picture the image in his mind. His Peter being a brute. “Strange.” 

“Very…” Freya nodded her head. A look of realization suddenly hit her brown eyes. “But please! Tell me what you found! Is Peter truly alone?” 

Loki laughed. And he looked down at the babe with amusement. 

“Yes…” He nodded. “He is. Peter is truly mine.” 

He told her everything. 

And when he meant everything, he meant everything. 

From right at the beginning, where Heimdall stated that if he raised Peter, he would be an outcast. Loki thought that the man was insane for even suggesting that Peter would be an outcast. Peter would never be alone if he was with Loki, the black haired prince would be sure of that. 

But then he goes on to tell her what actually happened on Midgard. From him landing back in the same spot that he had found Peter. From following the enchanted blanket out of the village and through that wet forest, up until he reached the beautiful fields of farm land. It honestly felt that all happened a lifetime ago, though it had only been just a few short hours. 

And Freya listened on. Her eyes were focused and unmoving, taking in all his words. Though, he can still sense that fatigue that was there in them. 

One thing that he liked about the blonde was that she did not interrupt him when he was speaking, unlike Thor or some of his other friends. Of course, when it came to having conversation, Loki was not crude, and liked it when people butted in. But when he was telling a story, he preferred people to be quiet and listen, and Freya was good at that. And he would give her the same respect, nonetheless. He liked it when Freya spoke. 

He then got to part where he reached the barn and the small cottage. That seemed to have gotten her attention. He went on to explain how he found nothing but loss and abandonment there, and how there was not a trace left behind by the people who lived there. He then clarified how he pulled the blanket back out, trying to see where it would take him next. And how he followed the blanket up the hill, and to where he found the three graves. 

That was when Freya opened her mouth, and he honestly thought she was going to say something, but she shut it quickly. She was better than Loki, as he would have asked whatever it was she held back from. 

He then told her about the old woman. About how Peter’s true parents abandoned him to go fight in some King’s war, and how his uncle and aunt took care of him for a little while. How the old woman told him that she was friends with them, how much time they spent together. How his uncle and aunt were also called, and put him in the orphanage. But it was too late for the old woman to rescue Peter. 

He left out the part of him showing the old woman the blanket. Of the woman hugging him. And definitely the part of him burning that orphanage to the ground with all the people running it still inside. 

That would just be a tiny little secret for himself to smile about once in a while. 

“But the moral of the story is this,” Loki said with a triumphant smile. “To Midgard, Peter is dead. Not that anyone would ever truly realize who he was.” 

“Except that old woman. But from what you told me, she only has a few years left. And that is barely a blink to the eye for us.” Freya then smiled. It was a wide, and warm smile. “But Loki, this is fantastic news! Peter is finally yours!” 

Loki nodded his head, smiling like an idiot. His black hair shook as he laughed. “Prodigious, is it not?” 

“The Norns smile on us.” Freya looked down at Peter with her soft brown eyes. “And soon, he will eat the Golden Apples, yes?” 

“About that…” Loki then licked his lips. “Just how are we going to steal a Golden Apple? I’ve actually thought about it, but Peter only really needs one, so it should be easy.” Freya tilted her head, her smile slowly fading.. “I’ve been thinking about this. I convinced my father for you to replenish your strength with one of the Golden Apples, so perhaps you can convince the Queen that you need another? Should not be that hard-” 

“Loki,” The woman sat straighter in the bed. “We do not need to lie.” 

“Freya,” Loki said her name right back at her, in the same tone. He tried not to look at her as if she was an idiot. “Yes, we do. Have you forgotten that your sister hates me? My tricks never cease, but she has grown familiar to them. I have tried for decades to steal one of the Golden Apples, but she has thwarted me everytime.” 

“That is because she is my sister.” She explained, her chin raising. “You call me clever. And she is just as clever as I.” 

Loki shook his head, annoyance beginning to forge in his chest. “Then what do you propose, my darling?” He asked, condescendingly. “Just go to her home in the forest and knock on her door, asking her to give us one of the apples?” 

A small smile began to form on the woman’s lips. Loki’s jaw slowly began to drop. 

“That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard!” Peter began to whine at his outburst, but he soon began to rock the babe in his arms to soothe him. He looked back towards the young woman like she was an idiot. “Freya. No.” 

“Come now, Loki.” Freya shook her head. “We do not always have to lie. You wish to know the reason as to why you and Idunn have never gotten along with one another?” 

“Because she thinks me a liar.” Loki gave her an unimpressed look. “And in case you have forgotten, I am the Liesmith. Silvertongue. And all that comes with it. It kind of comes with my name.” 

“Idunn values honesty more than anyone else in the realm, Loki.” Freya tried to reason. “If there is one thing she hates most in this world it is liars. She does not hold any malice towards you personally. She just does not like how you lie.” 

“Tell that to the rest of the realm.” He deadpanned. 

“It is different with her.” Freya sighed. “Okay, look at her lover, for example.” 

Loki raised a single eyebrow. “Bragi?” 

“Yes.” She nodded her head. “Idunn is only a few years older than me, and so is her lover. The reason the two of them get along is because Bragi is never one to hold his tongue.” 

Ah, yes. Bragi the Old. 

The funny part is, when it came to the man, he was not that old. He was just a little older than Thor, and not by much. The main reason people call him Bragi the Old was because of the gray streaks that were at his temples, which was strange for someone his age. And he did not even look that old either, with his vibrant tan skin, heavenly sculpted features. Not to mention that he was tall, taller than most, and always wearing those togas of his. 

Wearing togas was not a strange thing in Asgard. There were plenty of times where Loki wore them instead of hemmed pants. It just depended on the occasion. Thor even wore them every now and then. 

But Bragi had a beautiful body. It had all the lords and ladies in the land all wanting it. Loki can remember all the times he was in court, and all eyes would begin to wander towards the man. 

But if there was one thing about Bragi that was a constant, it was that mouth of his. And no, he was not only talking about sex. The black and white haired man was never one to hold back his tongue, and it was the main reason why he would get into so much trouble with his father. The man had a tendency to put his opinion in when no one asked, and Loki actually kind of respected him for it. It definitely made life more interesting. 

“Bragi is an interesting character, I can agree with that.” Loki slowly nodded. “But just because he is honest, baring his bare chest in front of my father’s court with his golden harp, that does not mean Idunn will react the same way with me.” 

“Not you baring your chest with a harp, you won’t. Though, that would be an interesting sight, indeed. ” Freya snorted. Loki did not look so amused. “And it is not like she is going to tell Bragi anything. I am just using him as an example.” 

Loki shook his head. 

“Freya… you are asking a lot out of me.” He tried to reason. “You are asking me to expose Peter to someone. To tell the truth. It is hard for me.” 

Freya shook her head, and leaned forward. She gently placed a hand to his lap, with nothing but sympathy in those large brown eyes of hers. 

“Loki…” She started in a soft voice. “I know it is hard. I want nothing more for all this to be over with and for you to have Peter fully. But I know in my chest there is a certain way we need to go about this, and I know my sister will understand.” 

In a low voice, he asked, “How?” 

Freya smiled at him. “Because she is my sister, of course. I know everything about her. Just like you to Thor, and vice versa.” 

“Well, I know more about Thor than he does me.” Loki puffed out his chest. 

The blonde let out a laugh. “Trust me, my friend. And heed my words: Thor knows more about you than you may think. But your vision blinds you from seeing the truth.” Her eyes casted down on Peter. “But perhaps you will, one day.” 

Loki shook his head. 

He did not know what the woman meant by that. Thor barely even came into his rooms before he was banned like the rest of his family. And the blonde was completely unaware of the other side of Loki’s life, even before he had come across Peter. Loki would disappear from the realm for days on end, and no one would go looking for him. He would even ask Heimdall if anyone had been searching for him, and the man would always say not a soul in the realm. 

But he decided not to comment on it. He looked down to see that Freya’s hand was still on his lap, and it suddenly felt heavy. 

“Trust you, huh?” His green eyes slowly went back to her, and he took note just how vulnerable his friend looked. He did not like it. 

“That’s all I ask, Loki…” She said softly. 

Loki let out a long sigh. “I know I’m going to regret this, but…” He looked down towards Peter. The young babe was still playing with his fingers, with not a care in the world. “All right. We shall see your sister.” 

Freya’s smile blinded the whole room. “Fantastic-!” 

“But,” He added before she could get another word out. “If I suspect for even an inch that her lips will not be sealed, I will cast so many memory wipes she won’t even remember her first steps.” 

Freya gave him an unimpressed look. “Can you even do a memory wipe yet?” 

“I’ve been studying!” He defended himself. 

The blonde snorted. “Sure you have. But trust me, my friend. All will be well. Just you wait and see.” 

Loki shook his head. “If you say so…” 

“I know so, darling.” The woman said smugly. “Now if you do not mind…” 

The woman shifted a little forward, before she plopped her head on the red silk pillows, turning over so that her back was now turned from Loki. The young woman had her legs spread out and her arms all over the place, obviously in one of the most relaxed positions that Loki had ever seen her. In just a few moments, Loki could hear her breath slowly even out, which signaled she had already fallen asleep. 

Loki sighed, shaking his head. He slowly stood from his spot on the bed, looking down towards Peter as he walked towards the door. 

“Let us leave her to sleep.” He said, looking down at the babe. “Because, apparently, you did not allow her an ounce of it last night.” 

“Ah!” Is all the brown haired babe was able to let out. Giggling. 

Loki simply rolled his eyes and headed for his study, leaving his blonde friend some well deserved rest.