Loki: Game of Thrones

Chapter 86 - Strategies

Sansa sat in the chair beside Loki's bed, waiting for him to come back from the spirit world. He had been gone from the previous night and into that morning and Sansa hoped he was getting useful information. If he was not, he could come back cranky and irritable. Not that he would take it out on her by any means, but his company would be dull to say the least. Sansa worked on a handkerchief for a while before she decided to polish Loki's knife set. Bringing the oil from the kitchen along with a clean cloth, Sansa set up Loki's knives on the mattress beside him and began to work. She was extremely careful with the blades, but cleaned them thoroughly. Loki had taught her how to do it a long time ago with her own rapier. Sansa was fine with polishing weapons, and had become quite good at it. Sansa flipped the hourglass and kept on working. Alfie climbed up onto the bed on the other side of Loki and curled up to go to sleep. Sansa sighed and looked out the window to see where the sun was. It was starting to rise. "Who knew the trip would take this long?" she asked the cat, and Alfie simply licked his lips and went back to sleep. Sansa shrugged and went back to one of the smaller knives. This particular one was designed to fit up a sleeve or one of Loki's vambraces. She had a few of them in her own private collection. In fact, Sansa had been working on a light jacket she could wear that had little hidden nooks and crannies for blades.

That was when Loki left the spirit world and came back to the physical. He suddenly inhaled sharply, and sat up in the bed quickly. Sansa was by his side in a moment, her arms wrapped around him. Sweat was coming sliding down Loki's skin, and he licked his slightly dry lips. Sansa broke away from him and quickly got him a cup of water. Presenting it to him, she was not at all surprised to see that he guzzled it in one go. "Another please, my lady. If you can find it in the goodness of your heart," Loki said, quickly handing her the cup.

"Of course! You'll have to tell me what happened when you catch your breath," Sansa said, filling the cup again and passing it back to him. Loki drank that in one gulp again, and put it down on the stand. Sansa went to the wash stand, dipped a cloth in water and returned to the bed. Sitting beside him on the mattress, she began to wipe the sweat away. "You look like you've come back from a harrowing journey," she told him.

"Indeed. The spirit world is full of hooks and they try to latch in your skin. If you succumb to the temptation, your mind is trapped there," Loki said. "It was quite the effort to get out." Sansa nodded and pressed the cloth to the side of his neck. Loki allowed her to open his shirt and continue down his chest. When the rag touched the scar on his chest from his spearing, he hissed angrily and suddenly.

"I'm sorry!" Sansa said immediately, withdrawing her hand. Loki shook his head and lightly fingered the old mark below his sternum. When his fingers made contact, a heated burst of pain sprang up. He winced and gripped the mattress. "What is wrong? Anything I can help you with?" Sansa asked, putting her one arm around his shoulders.

"There is nothing you can do, Sansa. It is that time of year," Loki said, standing up and whispering healing words to ease the pain. After a moment, Loki felt the pain receding and he turned back to face her. Sansa was standing in front of him, her arms wrapped around herself as she looked at him with pity and worry on her face. "Around the time my mother died..." Loki started to explain as he took her hand, "I came face to face with the creature that was responsible for her demise. I stabbed him in the back." Sansa nodded her head, and her hand went out and hovered over the scar.

"What happened?" she queried.

"He turned on me and dragged me onto the blade. It went clean through," Loki said. Sansa walked around Loki and lifted his shirt up so she could see the back. Sure enough, the twin scar was there for her to see. Loki shifted and she glanced back at him. "On the anniversary of her death, the pain flares up; like there's some kind of poison there." Sansa tilted her head as she contemplated this. That was when she remembered what Loki had said when he returned from the Red Wedding. "Would you kiss it and make it better." Sansa suddenly came back to the front and pressed her lips to the angry scar. Loki seemed startled that she did this as he jumped a little. Sansa's lips were so cool against the heat of his old wound, and it was refreshing. Loki relaxed after a second and Sansa withdrew.

"Well now, Loki. Let's discuss what you learned."

Loki sat at the dining room table with Sansa to talk about the Vanir over breakfast. Sansa simply made a sweet porridge with fruit and lightly toasted bread. After she finished pouring their fermented apple juice, Sansa returned to the dining room and placed his breakfast before him. She also leaned in and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Now, eat up and let's hear it," Sansa told him.

Loki indulged for a moment before he said, "The seven are all stuck up, pompous, prejudiced, self-centered-" Loki got no further as Sansa kicked him hard under the table. He tilted his head and saw her retreating foot, before he glanced back up at her. "Ouch."

"The truth. That's a bloody lie," Sansa informed him.

He smirked before he responded, "And you always figure me out when I'm telling a lie."

"And don't you forget it. Now, if you could please continue with the actual facts," Sansa said and Loki leaned back in his chair, munching on some toast.

"They told me that the Lord of Light is indeed from another realm. A realm of eternal fire near the base of Yggdrasil's stem."

"Muspelheim. He's a Fire Giant?" Sansa asked. Loki nodded his head.

"Looks like somebody's been doing her homework," Loki complimented and Sansa nodded her head like, 'naturally'. "Yes, Sansa. He is a Fire Giant, and not a very pleasant one at that. His power with flames is great, but since entering this world, his life force has been drained. That is why the Red Priestess sacrifices people to him. He feeds off theirs." Sansa nodded her head, understanding what Loki was saying.

"So how do you combat that? Cut off the supply of sacrifices?" she queried.

"Not really plausible. Even if people don't want to willingly offer themselves, Melisandre can manipulate Stannis, and he can provide her with an endless supply. No. I can't defeat the Lord of Light. Not on my own. And the person, or people, I would have to call on in order to do so... well, I really don't feel like asking for their help," Loki admitted.

"Thor and Sif and the Warriors Three," Sansa stated with surety. She knew who Loki was talking about. She had read enough of the stories to know that those were the people Loki normally had his adventures with. Loki dropped his head to his chest and let out a loud sigh of exasperation.

Yes! Definitely don't want Thor and his idiot friends ruining my perfectly happy realm, Loki thought to himself. Sansa cleared her throat rather dramatically to get his attention again. "Anyway, I would not desire their aid. It would be problematic to say the least," Loki said and Sansa agreed.

"Indeed. I don't believe they would be beneficial to your cause, since they seem to despise you so much. They are more likely to hinder than help. So, that puts the Lord of Light out of our reach for right now... but," Sansa said, a mischievous grin plastering itself across her face, "the Lady Melisandre doesn't seem to be." Loki's expression changed from one of annoyance to one amusement and realization.

"Where were you when I was in Asgard?" he asked and Sansa shrugged her shoulders.

"I was either not born yet, or very young," she countered. Loki agreed.

"Well, Lady Sansa. You've made some very strong points, and given sound advice. I believe we have the makings of a strategy," Loki informed her.