The Unthinkable Offering (A Loki FanFic)

The Birthday

"No. No, I don't like it." Loki shook his head as he paced with his hands clasped behind his back.

"I don't see an alternative. Viggo must not know we suspect him. We must let him believe he holds the upper hand."

"No. We keep Eisa out of the public eye. She's too delicate in her condition. She should be moved somewhere safe. A more secure location. Somewhere he won't go looking for her. Your chambers perhaps."

Loki's anxiety was at a ten. He paced in front of the windows in Odin's council room.

"The celebration will proceed as planned."

"It would not look suspicious if we canceled. Her midwives could cite a medical reason. She is not strong enough. Her health is too precarious at the moment."

"Do you want the people to know that? Do you want the people to know that the Princess is not taking to the pregnancy well? To ask questions as to why?"

Loki was silent as he continued pacing.

"Barring premature labor, Eisa will be on that dais for her birthday celebration."

Loki relented then, settling in to join Odin at the table to start planning a strategy.

oOXOo

Eisa's birthday arrived and so had half of the citizens in the capital.

Loki looked out over the rows of tables, continuously scanning for threats. His pregnant wife sat at his side, smiling, and chatting as if she hadn't a care in the world. She was so happy to have all her sisters together at the same table again for the first time in a very long time.

Loki leaned over to whisper to Odin on his other side, "What is the latest?"

"Heimdall sees him coming this way."

"Alone?"

"Appears so."

"Anything else?"

Odin shook his head as he took a slow sip from his goblet.

Loki started tapping his fingers nervously against the side of his leg. "I wish Heimdall could tell us more."

"There are limits to his sight. You should know this better than anyone." Odin inspected Loki's face as he set his goblet back on the table. Loki himself had danced around Heimdall's abilities to sneak the Frost Giants into the palace on the day of Thor's ill-fated coronation.

"Viggo has been extremely careful to stay off the radar. He is no amateur. We can't know how this day will play out, that is why we have prepared for any eventuality."

They had prepared the security team for a vast range of possibilities, but Loki still had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Viggo was clever and cunning and being Odin's most trusted advisor, he knew all of Odin's security standards and protocols.

Without looking at him or breaking off her conversation, Eisa slid her hand over and stilled Loki's nervous tapping. He immediately twined his fingers in hers and took a deep breath. To the average guest in the hall, he looked regal and relaxed, but if they could peek into his thoughts, they would see a worried husband. The anticipation was nearly unbearable.

They just needed Viggo to be the first to show his cards. They couldn't strike first; it would look like unwarranted aggression to the average citizen. Odin's rule had moved closer and closer to the precipice of instability since Thor's death. The Einherjar spent more and more of their time tamping down unrest in the poorer parts of the realm, attempting to quell the simmering discontent that threatened to erupt into open rebellion.