Loki: Storm of Swords

Chapter 11 - Proposed Tactics

When Thor entered the small council chamber, he was not surprised to find Loki sitting at the head of the table. Papers were scattered in front of him, and he was leaning back in his chair, with one in his hand. His black hair was falling about his shoulders, and he still wore his gold vambraces. Bronn walked past Thor and took up a position behind Loki's chair. "You going to keep standing there? Or are you waiting for a formal invitation?" Loki queried without looking up.

"I'm sorry," Thor said quickly, taking up a chair next to the redhead who was sitting beside him. Surprisingly, she was wearing trousers and a loose blouse underneath an emerald corset. She tilted her head to look at him, and Thor smiled. "We have not met officially. You must be Lady Sansa Frostborn," Thor said, holding his hand out. Sansa gave him a demure smile and placed her hand lightly in his. He pressed the knuckles to his lips.

"And you are Prince Thor Odinson," she stated. Thor chuckled before he found himself glancing over at Loki. The God of Mischief was eyeing him and Thor knew the silent warning well enough.

'Keep your hands off!'

"How is her majesty the Queen of Westeros?" Thor asked.

"She is in her chambers, taking care of her infant son, husband, and the princess. She will return to the council chamber and throne room in a few days' time," Loki responded while glancing back at his papers. That was when Sif, the Warriors Three, and several other people entered. Thor recognized the Prince of Dorne and the Knight of Flowers. A dark haired youth came in as well, and everyone else Thor knew he would figure out eventually. Loki snapped his fingers and everyone sat down and became quiet. "Now that we have our guests from Asgard, we can proceed with our plans for a counteroffensive. This enemy we face will not wait for us to prepare ourselves," Loki said. Thor knew that to be true. When Odin had fought Surtur the first time, the fire demon had attacked mercilessly and with precision.

"Where has he attacked so far?" Thor queried and Loki shot him a look. Clearly, he was irritated that he had already piped up with a question.

"Only a fishing village so far, but the destruction that was caused was not normal. There was only one survivor and I just received a message from my sister," Loras said and everyone looked at him. "He took his own life two days ago." Loki nodded and leaned forward after a second.

"Did Margaery describe what condition he was in before his death?"

"She said he was ranting about demons and flames and the end of our world," Ser Loras answered, and many people around the table gasped. Loki remained silent, and his own wife was surprisingly unruffled by this statement. Thor gathered that Sansa was made of sterner stuff. She had to be in order to be married to Loki.

"It would seem that once Surtur leaves his mark on them, they are possessed. We're lucky the man had the force of will to kill himself," Loki commented and Sif winced as his apparent callousness. She was a warrior, but speaking so lightly of the death of another human being was a bit much.

"What do you mean by that?" Oberyn asked, tapping the surface of the table with his knuckles.

"I mean that once Surtur sets his sights on them, and they are branded by him, he can control them. They descend until they are no better than mindless minions," Loki responded and Thor cringed at that. "It is a mercy to end their lives while they still have some semblance of humanity left."

"What do you desire us to do?" Thor posed and Loki cocked his head as he thought. His fingers touched his lips and he puckered them. His wife sighed and Thor's eyes darted in her direction.

"I think my husband is trying to come up with a polite way of saying you have to wait for his orders," she answered and Thor blinked a few times.

"She is right," Loki said and he smirked at Thor. "Until Surtur strikes again, we cannot know or discern a pattern from this one attack, so we must wait for the next one." Loki slapped the surface of the table firmly and Thor did not know why he jumped when he did.

"So, what are we?" Sif queried with a hint of irritation in her voice. Loki actually looked at her and his green eyes narrowed. "Trophy guests?"

"If it gives you comfort, please keep thinking that," Loki responded and that was when the door opened. "Ah! Missandei! I assume I have been summoned to the royal chamber?" The queen's handmaiden curtsied when she saw the Asgardians, and nodded her head.

"She requested you and your wife to attend her for a short time. She also expressed a desire to meet the Odinson as well," Missandei told them and Loki smirked, reveling in the idea of having Daenerys finally meet his oafish 'brother'.

"Well, if she's absolutely sure she wants invaders," Loki said and Missandei nodded her head.

"Even if she doesn't, King Tyrion has said that Tyria has almost made him as insane as her grandfather," Missandei commented and Loki chuckled. He stood up and quickly pulled Sansa's chair away from the table. She stood up and gladly accepted his arm. They left the table and everyone else began to leave as well. Thor just stood there, unsure as to whether they had been serious when they said the queen wanted to meet him.

"Keep standing there, by all means!" Loki called over his shoulder and that was when Thor quickly shuffled away from the table and followed them. He smiled at Missandei and the handmaiden smiled back, leading them to the queen's chamber. Behind them, Sif was fuming and the Warriors Three were looking a little confused as to what they were supposed to do now.

"If you would like to follow me, we will give you a tour and history of the Red Keep," Oberyn said grandly, and Fandral was quick to take him up on that offer.

"Come on, you lot," he called back to his friends, "we've got nothing better to do." Hogun came without complaint, Volstagg asked if they might have food, and Sif muttered in Nordic. As they left the room, a movement caught her eye and she found herself glancing down a side passage. The giant from earlier was standing at the other end. He was holding Loki's little daughter so that she might look out a window and out over the city. She was asking something and he responded. That was when his son appeared out of nowhere and hooted. The giant glanced at him and smiled, reaching down to ruffle his black locks. The boy laughed and took hold of the giant's hand. The little girl turned away from the window and wrapped her arms around the giant's neck, but she saw Sif in that moment. She paused and that made both the giant and the boy look up. The giant whispered to the children and led them away. Sif did not know why she found the image so moving: the beast of a man so wonderfully handling the youngsters.

"You coming, Lady Sif?" asked Daahrio Naharis as he appeared beside her.

"Oh, shut up," she hissed. She walked away and Daahrio smirked as he followed her.

"Clegane. Clegane? Clegane!" Ragna said right in his ear and he jumped.

"Sorry, little lady," he said, smiling at her. Ragna frowned and gripped the collar of his leather jerkin.

"You were looking at that Outlander lady. Why?" Sandor had to sigh.

This child is too observant for her own good, he thought. "When you're fully grown, you can ask your mother," he responded.

"We won't wait that long. We'll cheat and ask our father," Rhaenar piped in and the Hound rolled his eyes. It was never ending with those two.