Chapter 1
The Wedding Gift
A Frost and Cat Story
~Part One~
Loki
The chest was ancient; stowed away at the back of the closet like a forgotten relic. Like much of Loki’s past, it had been buried beneath newer, happier, brighter possessions. Memories he cherished instead of those that pained him sat atop the ornate box as if he could cover it enough to wipe it away completely. Somehow, he’d always known he would have to face its contents no matter how hard he tried to forget them.
As he made his way through the carefully packed boxes of keepsakes, Loki tried his best not to stop to savor the more attractive artifacts he had either stolen or inherited. He was on a mission, and he knew that if he stopped to admire the things he actually liked, he would never complete his journey. When he finally reached the ice cold titanium hued chest, his heart almost seized up. It was as if he was standing in the cruel landscape of Jotunheim all over again; facing the demons he’d been running away from since his boyhood.
April had begged him not to go. She feared it was a trap. Knowing that Loki had lured his father- the king of Jotunheim- to Asgard under false pretenses only to kill him, she assumed they'd finally gathered the resources to get their revenge. Loki wasn't concerned about his safety though. He was far more concerned that they were going to ask for his assistance. As it turned out, they were both wrong.
The Jotuns were unaware of Loki's lineage or the fact that he was born to be king of Jotunheim until Odin's death. It seemed that information had been withheld from them. Loki could only speculate the reason behind Odin's secrecy, but he assumed it was due to the old man's own treachery.
When he arrived in the dreaded ice realm, he was shocked to be greeted with nothing but the finest foods and delicacies Jotunheim had to offer. Several of the Frost Giants even approached him as if they were prepared to be his servants, but Loki would not- could not accept.
He rarely found himself in a situation where he felt unprepared, but he had to admit he was at a loss.
“As much as I appreciate this... enthusiastic greeting, I am deeply concerned that I have misinterpreted the reason for your invitation- generous as it was,” Loki added, hoping his comment wouldn't offend the Giants.
He was shocked once more when one of the more highly decorated Jotun warriors stepped forward, kneeling at his feet.
“King Laufeyson, we have invited you here to ask you to take your rightful place on the throne. We ask your forgiveness as we've only learned of your lineage recently,” he stated plainly, leaving Loki to decode his message.
“Your skill in magic as well as your fighting and strategy skills are needed in these dire times,” the warrior continued.
Loki found himself feeling small despite the fact that the Giant was kneeling. The Giant was as tall as he was, even on his knees.
“I... I'm honored. But I have a wife. I have a home. I can't leave her, and I certainly can't bring her here. She's human. She would not survive,” Loki explained, feeling a sudden twinge of pity for the Giants.
The Jotun warrior's expression was almost desolate as he nodded and rose to his full height. It was the first time Loki had noticed the Giant’s armor. The shining blue crest on his chest; the silver colored chains that criss crossed his hips; the thick fur collar he wore around his shoulders.
This was no warrior. This was Jotunheim’s current king.
As Loki considered the Giant standing before him, he wondered why the king would seek him out. Loki was, as Odin always said, cast out of Laufey’s sight and his family. All because he was too small. Surely the king had plenty of warriors to defend the realm without Loki's leadership.
“I'm no king,” Loki admitted, “I've been in hiding for years. All I want is to be left alone to be with my wife; to start a family. I'm not the savior you seek.”
“Nevertheless, I do have something that might be of use,” he said, hoping his gamble wouldn't come back to haunt him.
Loki had been in possession of the Casket of Ancient Winters since Asgard’s destruction. He had taken it at the same time he'd stolen the tesseract from Odin's vault, but he'd never told anyone. He had hidden it in a pocket dimension in case he ever needed it. It seemed now was the time. As he pulled it from his cloak, he heard a collective gasp from the Giants who were watching his exchange with the king.
In exchange for his... generosity - as the they had called it, the Giants had presented Loki with a chest. One he hadn't wanted to open until years later- the day that Frost had emerged from his spell, terrified and shaking.