Imprisoned

12: Fear

Loki stood before his adoptive father, the usual chains weighing down his wrists and ankles.

The fiery sunrise bathed the throne room in an intense orange glow. Its crescendo added a lustre to the gold features that made them even more captivating than usual. There was a heat in the air, stoked by the rush of soldiers in and out of the space who were delivering their findings after completing their patrols to search for Visna.

Visna. 

Her name, voice and face occupied Loki's every thought.

The look of fear she had shown when the guards had come to retrieve her from her cell was haunting him.

The awful dropping sensation in his stomach when she had faded away into non-existence.

The oncoming anticipation of interrogation as he was delivered to the space he currently occupied.

He wondered where she was now. 

Whether she was safe. 

Whether she was afraid.

He thought back to the conversation that had taken place when she had returned to her cell after sentencing. She had been disturbingly calm and it had scared him.

"What happened?"

"I'm to be executed at dawn the day after tomorrow."

"You foolish girl, why didn't you beg for your life!"

"It's not who I am anymore. I refuse to be the child I once was."

"I can't believe you are letting your pride get yourself killed."

"I haven't just rolled over completely Loki!! I negotiated a final request with him but given the way you're reacting, I'm actually regretting asking for it now."

"What did you ask for?"

"For my final night to be with you. I convinced him that if he put enchantments around a space like the ones on our cells, then there would be no reason for him to refuse. He's preparing a room as we speak."

"Oh, Visna, you may have just inadvertently forged your path out of here."

"What? No I didn't... How?..." 

"I need you to listen to me very carefully."

The sound of the next guard feeding back their findings snapped him out of his reverie and once the person was gone, it was his turn to speak to the All-Father.

Loki kept his eyes fixed on the nearby flames. They danced in such a way that it was almost soothing.

Odin began his questioning.

"Did you know she was going to try and escape?"

"No."

"Did she mention anywhere that she may have chosen to go?"

"No."

"You cannot expect me to believe that; your attachment was plain. Where is she, Loki?"

"I don't know!"

His pain-filled voice echoed off of the walls of the great room.

Loki couldn't bear the agony anymore. He met Odin's eye and spoke three words.

"Where is Mother?"

Odin looked up slightly into the middle distance, a wistful smile on his face.

"I am certain she is nearby, no doubt listening to us conversing."

"You say that as if it's a bad thing." Frigga's playful tone echoed through the space.

Loki felt instantly better for seeing her in person. He noticed slight changes in her face from those in his memories but he had been in the dungeon for a long period; it was to be expected.

She walked with poise and confidence towards her King and husband, the sunset bringing out the depth of tones in her blonde hair.

"My King." She bowed her head in deference.

A pregnant pause hung in the air.

"I will let you have some time alone." Odin spoke.

And with that he got up and left.

Loki nodded his thanks to him, desperately trying to maintain as neutral face as possible.

Frigga turned to him and looked him straight in the eyes.

"Come now my love, you are allowed to show some emotion." Her words were accompanied with an impish grin that let Loki know that she wasn't admonishing but, merely teasing.

He smiled, instinctively reaching for his mother's slender hands.

She grasped his own handcuffed ones tightly. "That's better."

As she looked at her son's face, she could see the pain sitting behind his green eyes.

In an effort to comfort him, she reached up to touch his cheek.

"I don't know where she is, Mother."

"What made you think I was going to ask you that, my love?"

"I haven't exactly been cooperative with him in the past."

"You've already told your Father you don't know and I see no reason to believe otherwise; you wouldn't be so affected right now if you had known what was going to happen."

Tears started to prick in his eyes again. He truly hated lying to his Mother. But Visna needed him to lie right now; he had no other option.

Frigga couldn't bear seeing her son so crushed and forlorn. Her maternal instinct was screaming at her to comfort him. She led him to the steps and got him to sit down next to her.

He put his head on her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his weakened body.

"I can see that you care about her. Perhaps it's not such a bad thing that no one can find her."

Loki looked at her then, surprised by her comment.

His mother said nothing further. He returned his head to her shoulder.

How he hoped that Visna would continue to not be found.

A/N: Hey there! Two in one day! I'm hitting you with all the sad chapters at once. And just one more to go. As always, let me know what you think.

Have a great day,

Saskia