The God's Awakening

Chapter 4

The rulers of Asgard had been in seclusion for over an hour now nd Frigga was beyond frustrated with her husband. The circular argument doing nothing to help her mood.

"So you condemn both our sons to destruction?!" she asked heatedly. Her usually calm and peaceful face was showing her shock, disgust and frustration at the foolishness her husband was showing.

"One did that to himself." came Odins reply. Frigga could hear the underlying sadness and heaviness behind his words. She knew her husband partially blamed himself for Loki's fate but would not admit it and if truth be told, she had to admit that she also blamed him, though not all blame went to him.

Until a year ago Odin and others had believed Loki was guilty of sending the Destroyer to kill his brother on Midgard and allowing the Jotun into Asgard, not just once but twice. When she had tried to convince Odin that her youngest son was innocent of the charges he had brushed her aside claiming she was just trying to protect him, saying all the evidence was against the Trickster.

What had happened that day had disturbed her greatly. Loki's identity had been drastically shattered and he was in so much emotional turmoil. She blamed herself for placing the added pressure of ruling Asgard on his already stressed shoulders instead of ruling herself, which she would normally do when her husband would fall to the Odinsleep. She knew her youngest had secluded himself in his Chambers for a great portion of the day instead of asking for help, which he was always loath to do as he thought it showed weakness. By locking himself away he had inadvertently given others a chance to act and undermine him.

A year ago she herself had been attacked while Odin had been visiting Alfheim. When the culprits had been captured the events of the previous incidents had been uncovered. Vidar son of Baggi and Eindride son of Ovie, two of Odins most trusted council, had intended to take the Throne. The two had been plotting this for many years and Eindride's own son Hemming had been involved. Frigga could recall Hemming. He was a powerful Seidhr user, though not as powerful as herself or Loki. The young man had a knack for illusions mainly, which he had used to disguise himself as Loki and enter the vault. It had taken a while but they had found out that he had managed to control the Destroyer by claiming the Royal family had decreed it. He had also found a way to Jotunheim that did not need the Bifrost and snuck the Jotuns in through it, once during Thor's coronation and again to kill Odin. When Loki had gone to finally seek his mother's council he had seen Laufey leaning over Odin ready to kill him. Frigga could only imagine how killing his birth father had made him feel.

Despite their involvement coming to light Odin would still not lessen Loki's punishment as it had been he who had tried to destroy Jotunheim and he who had attacked Midgard, though Frigga felt that they were missing information. Her youngest had been presumed dead and lost to them for a year before resurfacing. When Thor had brought him back from Midgard it had torn at her heart but there was also something else. He had seemed split, as though he was not fully himself. Odin had forbidden her to see him and against her better judgement she had followed this decision, though she had sent books and comforts to him in hoping to make his isolation more bearable.

Knowing to point any of this out would be folly she calmed her frustration. Her husband was suffering as much as she was though he was unwilling to admit it.

"And yet he is the only one who is able to save Thor. You know this." she said softly, placing a gentle hand on his weary face.

"Who is to say he would even agree?" Odin sighed, knowing that he had lost this battle. "His mind is far from us all. The guards report that he rarely eats and does not respond to them".

"Perhaps he will not, though we must try." The Allmother conceded. She had heard the reports of the guards and was concerned for Loki. He had one of the strongest minds in Asgard and if he had been broken.... She did not want to think of it. "I will go to him, my love. We should have some Warriors prepared to go with him should he choose to help". Stepping back she turned gracefully to go to the dark haired Prince whom she was aching to see again.

Odin only acknowledged her with a slight nod. If there was any hope for either of their sons, it may just be now.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Frigga made her way briskly through the Palace, heading down to the dungeons where her youngest son currently resided. She knew her husband loved both their sons but had a terrible way of expressing it. To forbid her from seeing her own son had not been a wise decision in her eyes. She may have been able to help him though she was unsure with what. Sighing heavily she made her way past the cells containing the general prisoners and deeper into the the prison. After the attack on her Odin had instructed that he be moved to a different cell. The new cell was in a section that was rarely used and the only people who went there were normally regular guards, though now it was the einherjar as she had at least convinced Odin that even though he was a prisoner Loki was still a member of the Royal family. Even though Odin himself had addressed Loki as Laufeyson at his sentencing he had not outright disowned him. Frigga had barely forgiven her husband for that slight and had argued with him later that night in private, stating that he was only pushing their son farther from them.

The Allmother was grateful for the change of cell as shortly after he had been moved there had been a break out and many prisoners had tried to escape. It had been a ploy by some of the last remaining Dark Elves to retrieve the Aether which had somehow possessed a young Midgardian whom Thor had befriended in his exile. It had been obvious to Frigga that the young woman was harbouring feelings towards her eldest son, which concerned her a little. Thor however did not appear to share those feelings but did not exactly dissuade them. Due to their long life span Asgardians tended to be careful of attachments to shorter lived beings. The pain of losing a loved one so quickly could be devastating and in his youth Frigga knew that Thor had suffered thus.

The Dark Elves had been thwarted fairly quickly, their main Warrior having been killed shortly after leaving the cells due to encountering Thor and a full battalion of einherjar, and Malekith, their leader, dying at her own hands after he had come after Jane Foster. It had then taken many of their Seidhr users, herself included, to remove the Aether and seal it away. Frigga was beyond grateful that Loki had not been pulled into those events as, from the reports, his mind seemed to be split. Some moments he was the son that she knew, kind, gentle and intelligent, others he was harsh, hateful and almost crazed.

Stepping up to his cell she felt a light sheen of Seidhr covering him as he sat on the bed holding a book loosely in his hands as though reading it but his eyes were closed. Taking a moment she looked over her son. He appeared healthy and presentable, his dark leathers pristine, shoulder length dark hair tucked behind his ears, though she sensed that all was not as it seemed.

"My son." she said softly so as not to startle him. "Loki?" she queried when she received no reply.

"My Queen, he has been like this for many days now." one of the Einherjar said turning and bowing to her. "It started around three weeks hence. He spends much of his time like this and does not respond to our presence".

As the einherjar spoke Frigga saw Loki blink and open his eyes as though waking from a troubled sleep.

"My son?" She tried again and was met with a pair of confused emerald eyes. " Oh Loki, my son. I should have come sooner." she lamented sadly seeing the confusion grow in his eyes which held only a vague but wary recognition. "We need your help my son. Thor needs your help".