Outcast's Love (Loki Fanfiction)

Chapter Eleven:

Loki jerked backwards like a scalded cat. A raw pain ignited his body on fire. It seared through him like lightning bolts lashing against his skin. He doubled over, falling to his knees as the cold ground struck against his skin.

Am I dying?

The thought spiked his mind like dripping venom. His vision clouded and turned black. His mind exploded with fearful images of blood and pain and screams. Images reached into him. A vision of Lola made his heart stop momentarily. He was then plunged into darkness, before slowly regaining consciousness once more. He opened his eyes to the sight of the Asgardians, who surrounded him with worried expressions on their faces.

“My Lord?”

One of the Asgardians, Elias, formally addressed him as he held a hand for him to hold. Loki stood up; clutching his head like it was causing him pain.

“Are you hurt?” Elias asked him with concern.

Loki turned and shook his head.

“Lola,” he whispered, his eyes widening with realisation.“I must go to her.”

Loki summoned for his horse, Koerus, before mounting himself onto it. He watched as the other Asgardians also mounted upon their steeds. Loki’s pale fingers laced through the Koerus’s twisted black mane. Through the forest’s dense coverage he saw the Asgard palace. Dark clouds had started to gather, accumulating in the sky. The air tasted wrong to Loki’s tongue; a deduction of bitterness mixed with fear. Loki pictured Lola inside his mind, encased in a cage of wavering red smoke where she lay. Her body was entangled in tendrils of smoke, coiling around her body like a serpent, securing her as tightly as a stringed parcel. Her face was grey and sickly looking. There was a terrible gash to her head that ran down the left side of her temple. Her eyes were closed, her pale lips slightly parted. Surrounding her were his family and servants; the Queen holding the girl’s wilting hand. The King stood beside the girl’s side, his head bowed, and his face ashen. His lips moved silently and quickly and like he was speaking a prayer. A servant attended to Lola’s side, pressing a damp cloth to her forehead.

How is she? Loki jumped with surprise. Frigga was addressing the servant, who looked up and nodded politely at her.

My lady, she is weak. I fear that if she doesn’t regain consciousness soon, she and her child could die.

Loki flinched at the words like she had personally spoken them to him. He dragged a hand across his lidded eyes before replacing his hand against his side. He watched as the scene unfolded before him, the King and Queen exchanging sympathetic glances as they looked down upon the dying girl. They each had remorse expressions on their faces.

What do we do? The Queen said to no one in particular.

We wait, the King answered, resting a hand on her shoulder. Hope for the gods to grant her with life.

The gods will not listen. Frigga said bitterly, hatred colouring her voice. They will not help her. They do not help anyone, not even our son when he was dying.

He is alive now, Odin reminded her gently. We feared the worst, we thought he was dead. Now he lives like any other.

Because of this child Odin! This child gave back our son his life. We owe her a gratitude that is far greater than any god! The Queen turned away, her head in her hands. The King approached her, standing before her. He touched her face with his hands.

My Queen, look at me.

Frigga looked up, holding onto the King’s gaze.

This will only break Loki’s heart, the Queen said softly before walking silently out of the institute.

Loki opened his eyes, coiling back in shock. He gasped, clutching his chest in pain. Koerus snorted, grazing the ground with his teeth. Thor and Elias flanked him, their horses Phyrois and Rih grounding the earth with their hooves. Loki looked straight ahead, clutching Koerus’s mane tightly.

Loki lurches his horse forwards. Koerus jarred into life, descending into the forest just as the first raindrop fell from the sky.