Servant to the King. 16+

Monster

You slowed your chariot as you entered Joutenheim, the Frost Giant's realm.
A land that truly lived up to being as cold and desolate as the name would imply.
Normally, when you find yourself here you enjoy the winter weather, but that would have to wait for another day.
You have more pressing matters.

You look around and around above the ground to no avail.
The blizzard surrounding you was only growing worse by the second.
Your steeds has overcome greater challenges before, however, so you pressed on.
You could only find them when Thor's hammer rushed passed you, startling the horses.
You waited to see if it would come back or not.
That would indicate where they were located!

You calmed them, gathering them back to their positions.
Waiting no less than a minute before the hammer came barreling towards you one more.
You quickly followed it, trying best to not loose it in the storm.
You could hear the growing sounds of yells and clashing swords below you.
Finally, the storm let up and you could clearly see!
Yet the sight you saw made you want to never see again.

The eldest prince and his friends were fighting frost giants!
A people we had treaties with for decades now wasted!
Your eyes darted around searching for Loki among them.
As predicted, he had been dragged along one of his brother's conquests once more.
He was fighting quite well actually, but that was besides the point.
With the information you had, you returned to Asgard as quickly as you left.
Riding back in before stopping in front of the palace gates.
To your surprise, the guards didn't stop you this time.
Normally they would...whatever!
It was imperative you get to Odin!

"My King!" You exclaim, bursting into the court room.

You didn't even care if it was filled with countless gods and goddesses, you rushed to the throne, nearly out of breath.

"In Joutenheim!
Thor's taken on the Frost Giant Empire!"

He stands, his wife gasping out of fear.
Odin spares no time in fetching his horse and riding out to the Biofrost.
You bend over, gasping for air.
It felt like you hadn't breathed in days..!
Sol quickly comes to your side and helps you stand again.
Although you were fine without her help, it was nice of her to have your back!
The Queen suddenly approaches you both, instructing your sister to return to her post.
Apparently she had been on guard while you were away.
Protecting the royals, you assumed.

Without a second glance, she sends you off to the vault.
The place the giants broke into..

Perhaps your dedication to the crown made you trustworthy enough to guard all the riches.
All the treasures.
All the power.
You thanked her briefly before waving to your sister.
She waves back and your once again on your merry way.
This time, however, with relief on your mind.
The king would surely keep them safe.
Keep him safe...
Once he returned and the proper guarding was in order, you wouldn't let Loki out of your sight again.
You could only hope he wasn't badly injured.
Odin knows how strong and violent Giants are to Asgardians!

You eventually went to change posts with another guard.
It was dark by this point.
You had heard from your sister who had visited earlier that the princes had returned.
You were glad.
It sounded like no one was injured!
Well...except for what you can only assume we're hundreds of frost giants.
Not to mention all of this treaties.
Gone, just like that.

You pause in the corridor when you see the king enter.
He said not a word to you, although..your not sure if he actually saw you.
You dove behind a column in habit.
A wise choice for you.
You could only stand and watch as he stopped in front of the door way.
The door way to the Casket of Ancient Winters.

"What am I?" You heard a familiar voice ask.

Your heart skips a beat as you go to show yourself.

"You are my son." The king replies.

You quickly cower back to your hiding place as Loki reveals himself to his father.
His skin was a dark midnight blue, stretching from his hands to his face.
For a moment, you could swear his eyes shone of blood.
You knew that appearance...all too well indeed.

"What more than that?" He asks, approaching the king steadily.

"The casket wasn't the only thing you took from Jotunheim that day, was it?"

The king simply replies "no".

"In the aftermath of the battle that day, I went into the temple..
I found a baby.
Small...for a giant's offspring.
Abandoned.
Suffering..
Left to die...
Lafyson."

Your eyes widen in disbelief over what you were hearing.
To little surprise, the prince was even more shaken my this recollection.

"Lafyson.
..."

"Yes"

You could see a face you couldn't recognize.
Not the face of a son of Odin.
Not even a giant.
You saw...anger.
Pure unbridled rage.

"Why?!
You were knee deep in Jouten blood!
Why would you take me?-"

"You were an innocent child-"

"No.
You took me for a purpose!
What was it?" He asks, growing in frustration.

Odin does not respond.
He simply gazes into his "son's" desperate eyes.

"TELL ME!!"

"...I thought we could reunite our kingdoms one day.
Bring about an alliance.
Bring about..permanent peace.
Through you."

"...wha..?" You could feel your heart melting by the sight.

It didn't matter to you if he were a son of Odin or a son of Lafey!
He was your master, after all.
And he treated you more kindly than any self proclaimed 'god' of this realm!

"But those plans no longer matter."

"S-so, I am no more than another stolen relic?
Locked up.
Here!
Until you might have use of me!!"

"Why do you twist my words?"

"You could have told me what I was from the beginning!
Why didn't you?!"

"Your my son...
I wanted only to protect you from the truth."

"What, because-!
I-I-I-I'm the monster that parents tell their children about at night?!
You know, it ALL MAKES SENSE NOW!
Why you favored THOR all these years!!" He exclaimed, the king sitting on the vault steps.

"Because NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU CLAIM TO LOVE ME, YOU COULD NEVER HAVE A FROST GIANT SITTING ON THE THRONE OF ASGARD!!" He exclaims, watching as Odin slips away into a state of sleep.

Naturally, despite what Loki said, he called for the guards to aid his 'father'.
They rushed passed you in the dark, opening the doors wide and grabbing the king.
They left in a huff, the young prince falling quickly behind.
All you could do was stand there in silence...