Loki: Storm of Swords

Chapter 2 - The Small Council

Daenerys leaned back in her chair, her hands rubbing her round stomach. Her back was killing her and her feet were rather swollen. This was definitely a more difficult pregnancy than her first with Tyrion. "You know that I can handle this council? You should rest," Tyrion whispered to her. Daenerys shook her and tried to stretch a little.

"I stayed in the small council chamber until I was ready to give birth to Tyria. I will do the same for this child," Daenerys said firmly.

"If I recall the event correctly, you almost had the child in the small council chamber," Robb Stark said with a small smile. "If it hadn't been for Loki transporting you to your rooms, you would have had her on this table." Oberyn chortled slightly, while Samwell Tarly gave him an admonishing look. That was when the doors burst open and Loki entered. He had but one paper in his hand, and a mischievous smirk on his face.

"Sorry I am late. Family matters distracted me," he said as he sat down between Tyrion and Oberyn and shook hands with the both of them.

"Indeed. I can see how it could be distracting," Oberyn said as he removed a strand of red hair from Loki's shoulder. Loki brushed his hand away and shook his head, the bright glint still in his eyes. Daenerys waved the entire conversation away before she fixed everyone at the table with a stern glance.

"Have you finished with your report about the goings on in the other Ten Realms?" Daenerys queried and Loki produced the page that Sansa had so unceremoniously sat on during their love making. It looked like a normal page, until he waved it and it got longer. "How has everything progressed since your last report?"

"There have been issues in the realms since Odin dropped in for a visit six years ago. I have discovered that Midgard has had its issues: a civil war, an explosion of mystical activity; and the outer galaxies have been disturbed. A being called Ronin the Accuser, tried to destroy an entire planet, but was stopped by a team of misfits," Loki said.

"Would this 'Ronin, the Accuser' be considered a threat to us?" Daenerys queried. Loki shook his head.

"Not possible. The misfits took care of him. As for Asgard... it is still dealing with the aftermath of the Dark Elf attack I told you of. Odin is weakening, and Thor has denounced his right to the throne. That leaves the All-Father with no heirs. Rumor has it that he will hand the crown over to his brother, Commander Vili, when the time comes. The line of Asgard will be greatly weakened," Loki said. Daenerys nodded and held her hand out to take his paper. Loki handed it to her and she began to read it. Her eyebrow went up as she read Loki's notes and observations. Her lips puckered with amusement at one point before she glanced at him.

"Another thing I thoroughly enjoy about your reports, are your little side notes. Look at this, my darling," she said, turning to Tyrion and showing him Loki's footnote. "The mortals methods of solving issues is to walk away and ship a device in a box and say, 'call me if you need me.' That, and instilling rules that will keep their heroes from helping others." Daenerys looked up at Loki and saw him chuckling and wiggling in his seat. "You do not approve of these laws you simply refer to as 'the Accords'?" Loki shook his head and placed his hand down on the table.

"I don't believe that laws should be in place that keep people like me from answering the call-to-arms. What happens if you put that law in place, Daenerys? Let us say that these White Walkers of legend sweep down from the North and I want to stop them. But, you say that I can't until you approve it with everyone else," Loki said, gesturing with a wave of his hand at the rest of the small council.

"Ridiculous! By that time, the White Walkers could cause many serious damages!" Yara Greyjoy pointed out vehemently. Loki snapped his fingers before he looked back at his queen.

"Exactly! The threat would be unstoppable and the destruction too great, and the people would be unhappy that you did nothing," Loki said and Daenerys looked at his report with a hint of distaste.

"And these humans have signed this willingly?" she posed.

"That is the cause of the civil war. Half of the heroes of Midgard have signed it, and the other half have refused to. The heroes who have refused to bend to their governments' laws, are now outlawed. Those who did sign are weak and unorganized," Loki explained.

"I would never make such a law," Daenerys declared as she gave the report back to him. "Everyone, no matter what their powers or abilities are, should be able to defend themselves and others against evil. I have already said that if anyone, a knight or noble, tries to steal from anyone, that individual has the right to defend what is his. How many of those cases have you handled successfully, Master of Justice?"

Robb Stark leaned back in his chair before he said, "Almost ten cases in the six years since the Targaryen Restoration. All of the cases have been nobles attempting to badger and coerce their serfs into giving them some of their rightfully owned property, or even their children." Loki raised his eyebrow at this and Robb Stark had to explain. "There was a Lord Verain of House Ulfrd. He desired two girls, the twin daughters of one of his tenants. He began to set men upon the farm in order to force the man to give them to him as payment. My men put a stop to it and informed me. Lord Verain is being tried in Winterfell as we speak. Bran is seeing to the formalities while I am here," Robb enlightened. Loki smiled at the mention of Bran. The young Stark boy had started developing an interesting ability, and Loki was more than happy to teach him how to harness and use it. He still kept an eye on all the Stark children; in fact Arya would be returning with the Sand Snakes from her training in Dorne. A prospect Loki was looking forward to in his off hours.

"You're brother has progressed well, and his... um... foresight helps in matters of justice," Yara Greyjoy pointed out gently and Robb nodded.

"I agree. My mother is still hesitant about him expanding into such a position, but I believe it would be for the best. I can't be both the Master of Justice and the Warden of the North. Once Brandon reaches his maturity, he can official take my place on your small council, your majesty," Robb said and Daenerys nodded. It was a problem they had been trying to address for the last three years, but Loki had suggested the brotherly switch when Bran began to express an interest and show potential.

"I am rather waiting for Lady Frostborn to become a member of this council," Oberyn said, eyeing Loki with a mischievous glint. "I think we need more of a feminine touch." Loki coughed dramatically and Tyrion chuckled.

"She has her own past times, I am sure," Loki said. He always went to Sansa for advice before he presented anything to the small council, but he was not sure he wanted her actually becoming a member. He also saw Robb make a face.

"Why would my sister want to deal with affairs of state? She probably hates it when Loki comes home every night blathering about it," Robb said with a grin.

"Hey! It's not every night," Loki retorted and several people chuckled. Loki sighed inwardly. He still wanted Sansa to be a mother to their children, and he knew her natural maternal and protective instincts would be very difficult to cloud. She was such a good plotter during the war, but the arrival of peace and their children had put rather a dampener on that. He had to pick up the slack.

"You just tell your wife that if she has any desire to dip her fingers in the political cup again, I will be more than happy to welcome her," Daenerys informed him and Loki nodded his head.

"I have no doubts that if she is in the mood again, she will accept it," Loki answered.