Loki: Storm of Swords

Chapter 15 - The Second Strike

The presentation of Crown Prince Draegon took place a week after the arrival of the Asgardians. The Westerosi were still mostly wary of them, but otherwise, they were treated with respect by the servants and nobles. However, they could sense some level of amusement when they dealt with the Martells or Lord Varys. Loki had not spent a lot of time with them since he had separated Sansa and Sif in the training arena. Thor had taken his friends and explored the library and the outer defenses of the city and asked many questions about the War of Five Kings. Now, however, they were standing in the great throne room of the Red Keep. Daenerys was sitting on her throne, Tyrion at her side with their daughter in his lap. She was holding the crown prince, and Loki was sitting on her other side. All the other members of the small council were close on the dais steps, and the lower nobles were approaching the throne, bowing, blessing the babe, and leaving their gifts. "Your majesties!" Ser Harrold Hardyng said with a bow. Thor thought for a split second thought he was looking at an evil twin. Ser Harrold Hardying was a tall man of muscular build, with golden hair up in a ponytail. "I bring this coat of chainmail from the smithies in the Vale. One day, our crown prince will don it with pride," the knight said as he laid his gift at the feet of his queen. Daenerys had Daahrio Naharis take the gift and she smiled at the knight.

"Who is that man, Harrold Hardying?" Thor asked Lord Varys.

The Master of Whispers said, "He is Loki's chosen representative in the Vale. The House of Arryn forfeited the right to rule their lands during the War of Five Kings. They were passive and non-responsive in giving aid to the North or to Daenerys. Lysa Arryn, the aunt of Sansa Frostborn, was mysteriously murdered in her own great hall. She had married Lord Petyr Baelish, a traitor to the Targaryen cause. He was Lord Protector of the Vale until her son, young Robyn Arryn, was to come of age. However, he accidentally signed over all rights to the land to Lord Loki Frostborn. He is now Protector of the Vale, and Harrold Hardying was the noble he chose to represent him there. He has said that he does not plan on instating Robyn Arryn as the Lord of the Vale because he is too sickly and weak, even now. He is old enough, but the Hand does not believe him to have what is necessary to rule the Vale." Thor had recalled reading about the demise of Lady Lysa Arryn; her mysterious murder and how all the guards had been asleep at their posts during the event. He also read about how Loki had sent the Arryn's to a lesser hall of theirs in the Vale. Harrold Hardying now lived in the Eyrie, but he answered to Loki for every decision he ever made.

"Thank you, Ser Harrold Hardying for such a fitting gift for my son. As the crown prince, it will be his future duty to defend our kingdom against all who would harm us," Daenerys said and the knight backed away from the Iron Throne. Loki tilted his head and said something to Daenerys. Thor studied them as they were so close together. Thor raised his eyebrow slightly as he noticed some things about them that were very similar. The high cheekbones, the pointed chins, and even the same bored/curious eyebrow raise. It was almost like they were related. Thor quelled those thoughts instantly. It was an impossibility. Westeros had been cut off from the rest of the Nine Realms for centuries, eons, lifetimes. There was no way any sort of contact would have happened with the royal family of Jotunheim and the royal family of Westeros. Thor was just being silly. That, or still under the influence of Loki's replicated Asgardian mead. That was when another noble stepped forward and presented a pup to the royals.

"Ah! Robb Stark! We are most happy that you were able to attend this auspicious occasion," Tyrion said with a grin at the Warden of the North. Robb smiled back before he held the pup out.

"This is the alpha pup from the litter my direwolf sired. He is strong and loyal. I offer him as a gift to the crown prince. He has yet to be named," Robb said as he stood up and placed the pup at Daenerys' feet. Even though she herself never had a direwolf, she found the one at her feet adorable and the perfect present for her son. It had dark grey fur and blue eyes. It stumbled a little and whimpered, falling against her dress. Before Daahrio Naharis could retrieve the little tyke, Princess Tyria had jumped down from her father's lap, and scooped the pup into her own arms. She sat down right there on the floor before her mother and snuggled it close. Robb smiled at her as he took a step back.

"He's cute! I like him!" the princess declared and she giggled. Daenerys chuckled lightly at her daughter's impetuosity.

"He's for your brother," Tyrion whispered and Tyria stuck her lip out in a pout. She opened her mouth to retort when suddenly a cloud of black smoke came in through the windows behind them and concealed the dais. The princess' retort was hidden in a screech of fear.

"Asgardians!" Thor bellowed and he advanced up the stairs, Mjolnir held firmly in his hand. Sif extended her own sword and the Warriors Three drew their weapons. The nobles fled before them, moaning and coughing at the acidic smoke. Thor's own eyes were stinging when they entered, but he was still on alert. This must be the second strike Loki had been talking about, he thought to himself. He did not hear anything once in the smoke, and that startled him. That was when he began to feel sleepy.

"What devilry and enchantment is this?" Fandral asked as he waved his hand before him and felt like he was seeing three hands instead of one.

"It is the smoke! We must retreat," Hogun advised and he started to back out.

"The royal family is in that. We cannot leave them," Volstagg reminded. Thor was torn. Clearly the smoke was hindering them, but they had not heard a sound from within other than Princess Tyria's cry of terror.

What are you doing Loki? Thor wondered. Surely his brother would have acted by now. Suddenly, Thor watched as a pathway through the smoke was cleared and Loki was standing there. His eyes were burning emeralds, and his fingers were doing their dance as he cleared the room. Thor and his friends lowered their weapons as the smoke cleared and they saw that the royal family and their guards were passed out. Thor glanced at the throne and saw that Sansa had placed herself over Queen Daenerys and her two children. When she looked back over her shoulder, her own eyes were glowing a little. She has magic too?!

"Sansa, please take the children," Loki said and he snapped his fingers. That was when Sandor Clegane appeared. The little Frostborns were beside him, but did not seem to mind as he went to the throne and picked up the unconscious queen. Meanwhile, Loki's eyes narrowed and he suddenly clapped his hands loudly. "Come out! I can sense you and I order you to show yourself, demon!" It appeared that he was talking to nobody, but Thor knew Loki would not waste his breath for nothing. The fog that Loki had dispersed came back together to form a person or a thing. It was rather smaller than Thor had anticipated, so it felt anti-climatic for him. However, Loki must have sensed some threat, for he conjured up a spear. Sansa made her way down the stairs and snapped her fingers, drawing the attention of Rhaenar and Ragna. Her two children slowly started to back up. But, their movement made the demon's head tilt in their direction. "Move!" Loki shouted and he collided with the shadow before it could reach his son and daughter. Rhaenar waved his hand, muttering something and the shadow stepped into a hole in the floor.

"Rhaenar!" Sansa shouted as she cradled the two Targaryen children. Ragna pushed her brother and they began to flee. That was when a shadowy hand grabbed Ragna's red hair and yanked. The little girl reacted instantaneously, and sliced through her hair with a knife she drew from her vest.

"Run!" Thor ordered as he put himself between the two youngsters he considered his niece and nephew. "Sif! Aid Lady Frostborn in protecting the children!" he said to his friend. Sif would have been insulted by such a command, but she was still surprised by the ingenuity of both children to care at that moment. Instead, she nodded and ran to them. Swinging both into her arms, she followed Lady Sansa. Meanwhile, Thor turned back to where Loki was combatting the shadow. It did not seem solid enough to the arrows from the Unsullied, but solid enough for Loki to block its weapon, or whatever it was wielding. "Reveal yourself, foul villain! Cease hiding in the shadows!" Thor boomed and the shadow paused, looking at him. Loki lashed out and his spear swiped right through the body, causing the figure to disappear.

"Foul villain? I am merely the product of my creator. Blame him for my transgressions," an eerie voice said and Thor watched as the darkness fled the throne room. Loki straightened up and his spear vanished. He glanced down to the floor where Rhaenar had made another hole. He waved his hand and caused it to repair itself. He turned to face the Asgardians, a stern expression on his face.

"The product of my creator? Indeed," Loki muttered as he walked past Thor.