Loki's Redemption

Chapter 34

“Sire, we thought you dead!”

It is enough to make Loki release the man and revert back to his Asgardian appearance.  Immediately the frost giant kneels before him.  “What is your bidding my Lord?”

“Get up, I am not your Sire or Lord.  You are nothing to me, but a murderous monster,” Loki spits at him.

“No! My Lord.  Farbaute killed your Queen Frigga.  She wishes to lay waste to the Kingdom of Asgard as she has done to the Jotunheim.”

As he is saying this, Loki shoves the frost giant out of the room in front of him and walks out himself.  He closes the door and places and enchantment on it so no one will disturb Frigga’s body.

Shouldering past the frost giant he begins to head towards the throne room.

Rounding a corner he see’s Thor rushing up to meet him. 

Thor looks over Loki’s shoulder and see’s the frost giant following close behind.  “Brother?” he asks simply.  Instead of responding, the younger man simply glares at the frost giant.

“Why are you following me?” the dark haired man growls.

“Queen Farbaute has escaped.  We must find her,” the blue skinned man urges.  When Loki doesn’t respond he continues, “Sire,” immediately Loki glares at him again while Thor to turns to him mouth agape. “There is much to discuss.  Now that we know our true King is alive, the Jotunheim will be returned to its former glory.”

Thor looks pointedly at Loki, knowing the implications, but wanting confirmation from the man himself. 

After a moment Loki growls, “there is reason to believe Queen Farbaute of the Jotunheim is my birth mother.”

“Reason to believe?” Thor asks.

“Ok, yes, she is my mother!” Loki nearly shouts.

“My King, the Jotunheim needs you.  Our realm has long suffered under the rule of Farbaute.  She has corrupted the land, impoverished the masses and brought about great suffering.  You must return with us and take your rightful place.  The line of Laufey must be redeemed and reestablished to what is was before Farbaute poisoned Laufey’s mind.”  Upon hearing the word redeemed, Loki lets out a derisive snort.

In his grief Loki can only think of getting back to Shelia.  “I am not your king.”  He huffs and storms away.  “You have a Queen and my place is here on Asgard.

Loki turns to Thor, “We must go to Odin and then we must secure the palace.”

Before he can get very far, Thor stops him with a hand on his shoulder, “wait Loki, I have to speak to mother.”

The dark haired man freezes and pulls Frigga’s personal dagger that she carried at all times, a gift from Odin, tied to her by magic and instantly, Thor knows.  His beloved mother is gone.  The heartache and rage are instant and overwhelming.  He falls to his knees with a heart wrenching cry and instantly Mjolnir is in his hand.  Arms held out at either side, he draws on Mjolnir’s power as several lightning bolts are conjured and strike the palace. 

“Thor!” Loki shouts to his brother.  When the larger man does not respond Loki is forced to grab the frost giant’s staff and swing it at Thor.  Without thinking Thor blocks the blow and immediately moves to strike, but the move works and he regains focus just prior to swinging the hammer. 

“We have to get to the throne room, to inform Odin about mother,” Loki tells his brother helping him to his feet.

Shaking his head, Thor grips his brothers arm, “the Odinsleep has taken him”.  He looks to Loki with dawning comprehension, “but I think he already knew. He said I will be King.”  Knowing that he must protect the Kingdom, Thor straightens up and begins to stride back to the throne room.  The frost giant takes this chance to slip away.    

Just outside the palace grounds the frost giant are regrouping, waiting for orders.  A lone giant makes his way into the throng of bodies.  “Brothers! Our King!” He immediately begins to explain that he has found Laufey’s son.  Quickly the excitement grows among the relatively small group of warriors. The people of the Jotunhiem have suffered greatly under Farbautes rule.  Her influence on the former King Laufey was tragic.  The once proud and strong realm was drained of resources and turned into a barren wasteland all because of Farbautes lust for power.  It was not enough to destroy her own world, but she set her sights on Asgard and set about twisting King Laufey to her will. 

The war she incited with Asgard went on for years until Odin led his troops to the Jotunheim to end it once and for all.  It was this battle where Odin discovered an undersized frost giant child left in the cold to die.