Chapter 7
It took Frigga a minute to realize that she was squishing Loki to her very tightly, and that tears were coursing down her face. Someone had tried to kill one of her babies! How dare they?!
Frigga stepped back a bit, then stroked her son's hair. He was looking up at her with big, worried eyes.
"I'm sorry, Mom," he mumbled. "I didn't mean to do it."
Loki rarely called her anything but "mother." He must have been frightened by his experience.
The queen was a bit confused. "Didn't mean to do what, love?"
"I turned those men into butterflies, and I can't turn them back. I'm sorry."
A sad smile on her face, Frigga just kept stroking the boy's hair, trying to reassure herself that he was really all right.
"Don't worry about them right now. What happened to Elda? How did she stop that man from hurting you further?"
She didn't want to say "from killing you," even though without a doubt that was what would have happened. Frigga didn't want to scare Loki any more than he already was.
"She told me later that she jumped off the bed and grabbed a chair and clobbered Ivar with it while he was choking me!" Loki crowed proudly.
Frigga couldn't help laughing a bit at the word "clobbered."
"Did she? How brave of her," said the queen. "We must go thank her."
"I have a healer taking care of her. Those men hurt her pretty badly, Mother."
"That's what it sounds like. Now, drop this glamour I know you've been using and let me see your injuries."
"Mom, I'm okay---"
"Loki Odinson! Do you even know how many different things you're in trouble for right now? Do you wish to make it worse? Then show me what those animals dared to do to one of the members of the royal family! Now!"
Sighing, Loki obeyed her. She was only scared for him; he doubted that he'd be punished for anything. Still, he dreaded her reaction.
Upon seeing the bruises, Frigga gasped. Her fingers ghosted over the blue marks on the boy's neck.
"I myself shall swing the very sword that separates their heads from their foul bodies! It is treachery they have committed! Nay, it is treason! You should have turned them into newts or snakes! Or bilgesnipes! Damn them!" Frigga yelled.
Loki's eyes bugged out. "I didn't choose to turn them into anything. I just...did."
Solemnly, the queen nodded her auburn head. She blinked away more tears.
"Take me to Elda's house, Loki. I am ashamed to say I have never been there."
Elda stared at them in awe from her sick bed. She knew Frigga very well, but had never had the honor of entertaining the queen in her humble cottage.
It took all the grace Frigga possessed not to grimace at the girl's appearance. Elda looked horrid, much worse than Loki. Her eyes were swollen nearly shut. There was a gash on her temple from Magnus' boot. Both her lips were split. Her right cheek was black. Scratches ran from her collarbone down into her dressing gown. Her left arm was swathed in bandages.
"Loki tells me you saved his life, Lady Elda," smiled Frigga. "I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart."
"I love the prince, your majesty," said Elda softly. "I would prevent any harm coming to him if I could."
"And you did. For that, I will be forever grateful, my lady."
"I'm not a lady proper, ma'am," Elda muttered. "I'm only Elda."
Frigga smiled. "You are a lady by my declaration, Lady Elda."
Elda smiled even though it hurt her sore lips. Loki smiled, too.
"Now," said Frigga, rising from her chair, "I have spoken to Healer Saendr. He declares you fit enough to travel to the palace. You shall go directly to the healing room---along with my son---and you will be placed into the Soul Forge until your injuries are healed."
Elda was confused. "Ma'am?"
"I'll not have either of you suffering needlessly. You will supervise Saendr whilst he packs all of your belongings. Take everything you wish, because you shall not return here."
Elda's mouth dropped open. "But...my lady queen, I don't..."
"You saved Loki's life," stated Frigga. "It would honor me if you lived in the palace for the rest of your days, Lady Elda. I don't relish the idea of you staying in this violent place."
The young woman looked stunned.
"Please, Elda?" Loki begged. "It makes me sad that you're all alone here. We love you and we miss you, and Thor and I need a sister. Please come with us."
Tears of gratitude fell from Elda's brown eyes. She teased, "Of course I will come, my prince, if you so command."
Loki grinned, "I do!"
"Then that is settled," smiled the queen. She took Elda's hand. "Saendr will bring you to the palace in his wagon, where you can rest and not jar your war wounds."
The women laughed.
"Thank you, my queen."
"Thank you, my lady. From now on, you will lack for nothing."
Frigga and Loki rode silently side by side. Frigga clutched the small jar. The lone butterfly inside it slowly opened and closed its wings. Spitefully, Frigga shook the jar. Hard.
"Mother!" Loki scolded.
The queen squinted into the jar. She declared, "He lives yet."
She didn't sound happy about it.
"Mother...what will happen to those men now?" Loki asked hesitantly.
"They will be unfrozen," she teased, narrowing her eyes at Loki, "then I will change them back. They will stand trial, which they will lose, then Odin will have them executed."
"Oh," said Loki softly.
They rode quietly for a minute.
"Loki, why did you hide all this from me? Do you not trust me?"
The boy was amazed. "What? Mother, no, I...I trust you. It's just that Elda was so scared when she first woke up. She begged me to keep everything that happened a secret. She was ashamed. She asked me to catch the butterflies and take them away. She was afraid the magic would wear off and they'd change back and come after her again. But I could only catch two yesterday. The other two got out of the window. Then one of Healer Saendr's journeymen brought the third one to the palace in a box yesterday, and..."
Loki broke off with a shrug.
"And you added it to your jar and froze it."
"Yes. I didn't want to kill them, but I didn't want them changing back and hurting Elda."
"Son, you realize Elda did nothing wrong? She did not entice those men to do what they did. Even if she had, they had no right to force her. You do know that, don't you?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"You're a good boy, Loki. I'm proud of you."
Loki gave her a wan smile.
She asked, "What is it?"
"Father won't be proud. He'll be mad."
"What makes you say that?"
"He hates me."
"No."
"He does! Everything I do is wrong! He will say it's all my fault. Everything is always my fault."
"None of this was your fault, Loki, and I will make him see that. He will be furious that anyone would dare lay hands on you."
As much as Loki loved his mother, he did not believe it would be as she said.