Servant of Jotunheim

Surt

Shortly after Valanya had left his chambers, Loki had headed straight to one of his many secret Bifrost portals and arrived safely outside of the Jotun palace.

Cloaked with a simple spell which grants him invisibility, he enters the throne room to find Lord Surt sitting upon his throne of ice without a single guard in sight.

In a flash of green light, he reveals his presence to the current Jotun ruler.

Surt: "You dare to enter this realm after murdering it's heir?"

Loki: "From what I have seen, you seem to have benefited rather nicely from Helbindi's demise".

Surt: "Allfather, that is the only reason you are still alive. Why have you come here?"

He pulls out the book on Alfheim which he had previously given to Valanya and shows Surt the picture of Valanya's mother inside, much to Surt's obvious displeasure.

Loki: "This was Anya's mother, correct?"

Surt: "Yes".

Loki: "Were you aware of her royal title?"

Surt: "Why does the King of Asgard wish to know?" he asks.

Loki: "Curiosity".

Surt: "Yes, I was fully aware".

Loki: "Anya once mentioned that her mother was to be returned to her home world, but was unable to do so after you forced yourself upon her?"

Surt: "I hate to disappoint you, Allfather, but that is far from the truth".

Loki: "Please, enlighten me then?" he asks with a hint of doubt.

Surt: "She was found outside of the palace walls having wandered this realm for many days. King Laufey took the girl in. She was understandably terrified at first, however she soon revealed who she was and informed us of how she had fled her own realm to avoid marriage".

Loki: "Her entire family was murdered" he states.

Surt: "I know. We sent word to Alfheim shortly after she was found. We were not aware of their demise until it was too late, and King Laufey instructed us that she never be told" he confesses.

Loki: "So she never knew the truth?"

Surt: "It was a kindness".

Loki: "Was forcing yourself on upon her a kindness?"

Surt: "That never happened!" his angered voice bellows through the throne room.

Loki: "What?"

Surt: "I may have a cruel reputation, but I never harmed Princess Azalea in any way".

Loki: "You expect me to believe that when she bore your child?"

Surt: "She was already with child when she found us. Anya was not my daughter" he reveals, much to Loki's shock and confusion.

Loki: "So who was Anya's father?"

Surt: "She never told us. However, we suspected that it may have been the boy that came here".

Loki: "A boy?"

Surt: "Shortly after we sent word to Alfheim, a boy arrived here in search of her, but he soon fled. She was distraught and crying after she met with him, screaming that he had done something to harm the baby growing inside of her. Our healers tended to her and confirmed that the baby had been cursed with dark blood magic".

Loki: "So Anya was not truly Jotun?"

Surt: "The magic he used cursed Anya to be so, but she was not conceived that way. We believed his intention was for the princess to die in childbirth, but clearly his magic was not strong enough to fully transform the life growing in her womb".

Loki: "If that was the case then why did you claim Anya as your own?"

Surt: "It was my duty to watch over Princess Azalea at all times while she remained here, but I carelessly left her alone with that boy. King Laufey instructed me to claim the child, give up my Jotun mate and protect them both with my life".

Loki: "And yet you had her beaten and treated her like filth, the only father she ever knew".

Surt: "Everything I did was to keep her safe".

Loki: "You murdered her mother in front of her to keep her safe?"

Lord Surt rises from his throne and approaches Loki, effortlessly towering above him.

Surt: "The last time I saw Princess Azalea, she was very much alive".

Loki: "Anya witnessed you throwing her from a cliff with her own eyes. How is that possible?"

Surt: "A simple enchantment that creates false memories. If she had remembered what truly happened that day, she would have longed to find her mother. She would have gotten herself killed".

Loki: "Where is Princess Azalea now?"

Surt: "The boy returned years later as a King after discovering that she still lived, and demanded that she be handed over to him. He threatening us with war if we did not comply, but without the casket we are weak and King Laufey could not take the risk. He chose to lie and informed him that the child had perished in the womb to hide her existence. Princess Azalea only asked that we keep Anya safe from the truth and do everything in our power to ensure that she never came in search of her".

Loki: "And you truly believed that the best course of action was to enchant her into believing you defiled and murdered her mother?"

Surt: "She needed someone to hate, and it was my mistake that saw her cursed. Once her memory was altered, we put her to work in the palace under King Laufey's protection. Helbindi soon noticed his father's fondness for the girl and made it his sole purpose to see her suffer. After you murdered our King I kept her weak, beaten and afraid so when her maturity finally arrived she would gladly welcome leaving Jotunheim to serve in another realm".

Loki: "You did not truly desire for her to mate with Helbindi?"

Surt: "I know who you are, who you truly are Laufeyson. I believed that you would take pity on Anya and keep her on Asgard. What I failed to anticipate was that Helbindi would insist on finding out if she would be a suitable mate".

Loki: "You were attempting to protect Anya the whole time?"

Surt: "But you could not. I thought she would be safe in your hands, but you allowed your brother to end her life before you took his".

Loki: "Anya was the one who dispatched Helbindi, not me".

Surt: "You lie!"

Loki: "I do not".

Surt: "Even if that were true, it changes nothing. She is still gone and you are the one that allowed her to perish".

Loki: "She still lives".

Seemingly breathing a sigh of relief, he heads back over to the throne and Loki follows hesitantly.

Loki: "She is seeking answers about her mother".

Surt: "If she searches for her then she will be putting herself in grave danger".

Loki: "So help me. Give her the answers that she needs and we can put an put an end to this" he begs.

Surt: "She cannot know! I made a promise to Princess Azalea and I intend to keep it".

Loki: "You cared for her?"

Surt: "She was my duty and nothing more. Now it is your duty to stifle her daughters curiosity if you wish for her to remain alive. You would do well to heed my warning, Allfather".