Loki's Redemption

Chapter 33

The throne room

 Odin is a formidable warrior, but even he is beginning to falter under the onslaught of frost giants that have entered the throne room with Malekith.  Odin works his way towards the dark elf leader while slashing and stabbing with his long sword.  He lays waste to several frost giants before he finally reaches his target.   He strikes out with his sword intending to run Malekith through, but his blow is blocked from the side by another one of the frost giants.  Odin turns to engage his new foe.  The Allfather is relentless in pressing his attack.  He swings his sword across his body, but the blow is parried by the giant with his staff.  The giant uses his forward momentum to lunge in under Odin’s sword and manages to land a glancing blow to his right side.  The king steps back from the attack and quickly surveys the rest of the room.  The enemy soldiers are falling, but not fast enough. Odin see’s all of this information in an instant.  His attention is divided only for a moment, but it is enough for the frost giant to land another blow to his right side.  This time the sharp barbs on the end of the frost giant’s staff pierce through his unprotected side.  Odin can feel the blade as it punctures his lung.  Grabbing the length of the staff he pulls it from the blue giant’s grasp and staggers back a few steps. 

Sif charges into the throne room with a dozen Asgardian warriors behind her.  The new arrivals quickly engage with the remaining frost giants within the throne room.  While his opponent is distracted, Odin pulls the staff from his side, snaps it in half and throws it down.  He pulls a dagger from a sheath on his forearm and jumps on the frost giant, thrusting the knife into his neck.  The giant falls dead to the floor and Odin yanks his dagger out of the wound, pausing only to wipe the blade clean on his tunic before turning his attention back to Malekith. 

Odin cannot find the dark elf leader in the throne room.  He is not fighting with the remaining combatants and Odin does not locate his body among the dead.  Knowing that he must have escaped, Odin turns to aid Sif with the battle, but before he can reach her he feels a stabbing pain in his side and suddenly his lungs begin to feel heavy.  He knows his lungs are filling with blood, but there is not time to work on a healing spell.  He staggers to the throne and leans heavily upon it as he watches Sif and her men dispatch the remaining frost giants with brutal efficiency.  As the last frost giant falls at Sif’s feet the King drops his sword, no longer able to hold the weight.  The noise is startling in the suddenly quiet room. 

Seeing that her King is ailing, Sif runs to his aid.  “Where are you wounded?” She asks the Allfather as she quickly looks him over.  She immediately see’s the blood seeping from his right side.   She summons two uninjured warriors and has them aid the ailing King while he is guided to an ante chamber.  They lay him down on the same table where Shelia was lain not so long ago. 

Elsewhere in the castle

Thor and his forces begin to work their way back towards the throne room, stopping to deal with any dark elves or frost giants they encounter.  As they round a corner leading to the throne room, an Asgardian warrior runs head long into them.  “Prince Thor! Come quickly!  The Allfather is injured.”

Thor begins to run and bursts into the throne room fully expecting to see Odin seated upon his throne with only a minor wound.  When he see’s the empty room, he realizes that Sif would not have sent for him, if it was not serious.  He makes his way across the throne room, through the throng of bodies and enters the antechamber.  The room is silent with only Sif and another warrior to look over the Allfather.  Immediately Thor can see that the situation is worse than he had feared. 

Thor approaches his father and takes in the blood on his wounded side, the bruising on his face and the deep gash down one forearm.  He takes Odin’s hand and before he can speak the King addresses him, his voice barely a whisper, “you will be King my son.  Do not seek vengeance for its own sake.  You must look beyond the grief of losing a parent and think of the realms.”

“Father!” Thor pleads as he watches the King grow still. “Why is there no healer?” he shouts.

Sif approaches him and lays a hand on his arm.  “Thor, the healers were summoned as soon as we knew of his injuries.  They will be here.  There are many wounded to tend to,” she tries to sooth.

“None are so important as to allow the King to die for lack of a healer!” the blonde man growls.

“Thor, there is nothing we can do for him now.  The Odinsleep is taking him.  You know we can do nothing except wait to see if he awakens.”

Thor knows she is correct.  He also knows he needs to find Queen Frigga for she is now the ruler of the realms.

Frigga’s chamber

Loki has not moved from where he stood watching Queen Farbaute escape.   He barely notices that one of the frost giants has stayed behind and he make no effort to defend himself when the giant approaches. 

 “Is it true?  Are you Laufey’s son?” The blue skinned man asks timidly.

Loki ignores the question and bends to pick up Frigga’s body and lay it on the bed.  He sits next to her and strokes her hair, oblivious to the blue skinned man.                            

“Please, I must know.  Are you Laufey’s son?” he asks again.

Loki turns to him in anger, his skin turning blue and his eyes red as he takes on his Jotun form.

“This, is this what you want to see?” he shouts as he advances on the frost giant.  Pulling a blade from the sheath on Frigga’s belt he pushes the giant against the wall and holds the blade to his throat.