Merciful [A Loki Fanfiction]

Mercy

Merciful

Chapter Twelve: Mercy

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Last Chapter:

Kill her. She is of no use to me. Plan B.

Jaida slowly lifted her bow, an arrow aimed at my face. I saw her fingers twitch to release, and I threw my hand up, sending us both somewhere we wouldn't be interrupted by dogs. I had done as Ivan Petrovitch had asked. I had gained her trust. Now, I was to kill her.

3rd Person

Mercy is defined as compassionate treatment. It is forgiveness. It is humane, and kind, and sympathetic. It is leniency, it is charity, and it is a blessing.

Jaida

The arrow missed. In fact, I assumed it had been left behind. Hopefully, it had hit one of those mangy mutts.

I barely paid any attention to the buildings around us, instead trying to figure out which language to curse Loki in. Still too surprised to say anything, I realized Loki had begun speaking.

"- but at least this is just like old times."

What? What had he said before that? Not, of course, that it mattered.

"Just cut to the chase," I growled angrily at Loki. I knew my eyes would be red. "What are you playing at?"

"This man, your father-"

"Strike one."

"Ivan Petrovitch. He approached me, and gave me an offer that I could not refuse."

"Strike two," I hissed.

"So here we are today."

I raised an eyebrow. "And how long have you been toying with me? How long have I been sleeping, unguarded, free to stab in the back?"

"Since the first night at Jane's."

I didn't even say strike three; I just launched myself at the poor excuse of a god. I landed a good punch on his jaw before he grabbed both of my wrists, trying to restrain me. My right leg kicked out, hitting his shin, and he gasped slightly in pain, releasing me. Taking advantage of this, I tossed my bow and quiver aside, pulling out two knives.

"It's been a week," I snarled, stalking towards Loki. "A week! I thought you were changing. I thought that maybe, just maybe, Thor was right about you, that you were still that little kid he used to know. That little kid who loved to cause minor mischief, that little kid who found an abandoned colt and cared for him, and gave him to Odin, that little kid who could trust, and love, and enjoy life. Obviously, that isn't true. I should have known. After all, it's because of you that Baldr was murdered."

"That wasn't the first time I had killed," Loki said softly. "The first time, it wasn't even on purpose."

I slid down into a sitting position across from Loki. "You don't have to tell me."

"It was Baldr, one whom I had believed to have been my brother. He and Frigga were receiving prophetic dreams of his death. Mother was understandably distraught, so she begged every possible thing to swear not to harm Baldr. He was invincible. Or, at least, that is what most people thought. I, however, knew that the mistletoe plants hadn't sworn this."

"Mistletoe?"

"Yes. On Asgard, everything has a voice, as long as you listen hard enough. Frigga and I were the only ones who could hear the tiny voice of the mistletoe, so I knew that Baldr could be harmed by it. Baldr had been out in the villages, providing amusement for the Æsir, who were throwing things at him and watching as they bounced off of him. I thought he was growing arrogant, and as his older brother, felt the need to watch out for him. I thought he would be less arrogant if something could harm him. I fashioned a spear of mistletoe, and gave it to his brother, Hodr. Hodr was blind. I never would have thought - I didn't believe that he would have struck him fatally."

"It's because of you Hodr was killed by his own father!"

"Odin gathered another of his sons."

I had thought the morbid tale was finished, but Loki was continuing. Even though it was such a horribly gruesome anecdote, I was engrossed.

"A half-giant." Loki made a face. "A monster. But who am I to talk? At least Váli was half Æsir as well."

I tilted my head slightly in confusion. "I thought Váli was your son."

"Odin named his half-giant child after my own. It makes much more sense now that I know I am a frost giant. Now that I know what he had planned."

I didn't want to ask. Yes, I wanted to know what happened, but I could see the painful memories in Loki's eyes. However, I could also see that he needed to spit this out, that he wanted me to ask.

So, against my better judgment, I asked what Odin's plan was.

"He sent Váli to kill Hodr," Loki all but snarled. "I knew it wouldn't be long until he realized I was the one who had given Hodr the spear, so I took my wife and my two sons, and I ran."

"It's your fault that your son murdered his brother." Every word was like a physical blow to Loki, each name I threw out making him wince.

"When the Æsir found me, Sigyn had gone out to forage. Nari and Váli were with me. Odin cast a spell, and I was left motionless while Váli was turned into a wolf, forced to kill his own brother."

"One-thousand thirty-six Midgardians dead, Loki," I said, winding down. "Countless injured. How many more will die because of you, Loki? Am I next? Just because I took a chance with you, showed you mercy?" Then I got to the punch line. "You're a monster, Loki."

"A monster. But who am I to talk? At least Váli was half Æsir as well."

Something seemed to snap in Loki.

"Yes," he said in a dangerously low voice. "Yes, you will be added to that list. There was a chance, a slim chance, but no. Now you're the one abusing my trust, like everyone else in the realms. I've learned what my flaw is, Jaida Liao. It isn't the frost giant in me, it isn't the murders, it isn't the weakness to Thanos, it's trust. I have trusted too easily, and every single time, it gets me in trouble."

Then he attacked. Loki had been holding back when we sparred, but now he threw everything he had at me. Within minutes, I was panting on the ground, bleeding from various places. One of Loki's boots pressed on my chest, and his scepter was at my neck.

"I trusted you," I snarled defiantly, waiting for that final, fateful slash.

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A/N: I think we've nearly caught up with what I have on FFN... yep. Looks like I'm leaving both of my stories at cliffhangers today! Please review and vote if you liked it!