Loki: Storm of Swords

Chapter 70 - A Wolf Howls

When Sansa received news of Tyrion's disavowal of her husband, Sansa's flight through the palace towards her husband was swift. Her green dress was billowing in the breeze she created in her wake, and the servants were quick to get out of her path. Sansa was turning a corner of the hallway when she came across the dwarf king as he made his way to his dragon queen. They stopped and stared at each other. "Your grace," she said stiffly as she made her way around him.

"He lied to me, my lady. You see why I must-" Tyrion started to say before Sansa cut him off.

"I do not see why, your grace. I must now fear for my life and the lives of my children; living and just conceived," Sansa said seriously, placing a hand over her belly. Tyrion's eyes widened and his mouth fell open. "Think carefully before you say another word."

"I am sorry... but... my anger is still fresh," Tyrion responded. Sansa nodded and pushed past him, leaving the King of Westeros behind with his guards. Tyrion continued his walk to his own wife, wondering if Loki knew he was going to have another child. Meanwhile, a ghostly figure watched as Sansa made her way to Loki's chambers. He had been driven out of Loki's presence but not out of the city. At that moment, he saw Sansa in her teary wrath approach the corridor where Loki was being kept. His hand went out and where he expected magical resistance, he found none. Although, Sansa could sense he was there, she could do nothing to stop him from pulling her into the Nether Realm.

"Mother Frigga! Protect me!" Sansa prayed as she placed a hand over her womb.

"Nobody can protect you here," Petyr Baelish said as he appeared out of the misty darkness. Sansa took up a defensive stance, her hands raised and ready to defend herself. "What can you do to me? You are powerless while you carry that spawn in your womb," Petyr Baelish commented with a grin.

"That is not spawn! That is my child and another of Loki's blood I carry and I will gladly sacrifice all the magic in the world in order to bear him," Sansa hissed.

"What do you hope to do without your-" Petyr Baelish started to say before Sansa's fist went out and cracked him a sharp and swift one on his nose. Petyr Baelish felt a trickle of blood come from his nostrils and growled, his hands going out and finding Sansa's throat. "Your family has made me bleed enough for one day."

"And don't think for an instant that it will cease," Sansa coughed out. "As long as you draw breath, we will oppose you and make you bleed over and over until you have no more to spare. On my child's life, this I swear," Sansa promised, feeling the cool caress of a familiar love close by.

"Ha! On your child's life? Who gave you the right to swear such an oath when you would have so easily cast aside the lives of your first children," Petyr Baelish reminded and Sansa stiffened. "Oh, yes! My master craved their souls even then. He told me how disappointed he was when you decided to keep them. You stole such a prize from his clutches and he would have this one," Petyr Baelish told her, his cold eyes glinting like embers.

"Nay! You and your master shall not have any of my children! You dare, sir, to assume I would let you harm me or the lives of my children? I would gladly summon Fenris and Garm from the pits of Niffleheim to challenge you! I would call upon all the angels in Heven and the damned souls in Hel to stand in your path!" Sansa promised vehemently. Her fists closed again and she prepared herself. Petyr Baelish grinned.

"Nothing can save you from my master's might," Littlefinger promised. That was when he tried to move and found he could not. He pulled and tugged but would not stir from his place. "What sorcery is this?" he asked.

You ask what sorcery is this, you insect! said a commanding voice and Sansa smiled as she recognized it as the voice of Frigga. As the Goddess of Motherhood, I have taken this, my daughter by law, under my protection and all her issue are sacred to me. I will not let you harm her, you vile villain! Petyr Baelish looked genuinely terrified for his life. This unseen and new opponent was strong. His magic was meant to match Loki's, and this being was stronger than that.

"You can't always be there for them. Otherwise, you would have stopped many things already," Petyr Baelish reminded and got an invisible slap for his impertinence.

I help them when they need me, not before. If I were to help them with everything, they would have a very easy life, Frigga retorted. Get you gone, foul creature! Crawl back to your master, whelp! Keep away from Sansa and my grandchildren! Petyr Baelish hissed angrily as he started to blow away like ashes on the wind. When the last of him vanished, Sansa heard Frigga say, Gone for now, my child, but not destroyed.

"I know, mother. I will end him myself if he ever faces me in combat again. He threatened the lives of my children, and I will not forgive that," Sansa answered.

"Apparently that is something you two have in common," said a voice and Sansa gasped, spinning around as the Nether Realm released her straight into Loki's quarters. He was leaning against the wall, his green eyes narrowed, and his arms crossed over his chest. Sansa glanced around as if she was hoping Frigga would still be there, but she could no longer feel her presence. She faced her husband, looking him as firmly in the eye as she could.

"You almost killed my children. You almost ended the lives of Rhaenar and Ragna," Loki whispered.

"They are my children as well. And it was my body that was going to go through the discomfort of carrying them and the trauma of childbirth. But... I didn't kill them," Sansa said.

"You still contemplated it! The thought that Rhaenar and Ragna almost didn't exist... it's... disgusting! You disgust me! How could you have even thought of that?!" Loki shouted, his hands clenched into fists as he approached his wife. Sansa's own ire was brought to life and she reached up, grasping his collar.

"You impregnated me before we were married! They would have been considered bastards in the eyes of the world! They would not have a safe future, and you would have been scorned by the court! I was thinking of the future when I thought about... killing them." Her voice became quiet when she said that last part and she let go of her husband. Loki felt his anger dissipate as he looked at his wife's sorrowful expression. When his hand went out to touch her, she pulled away. "I did not kill them. They were born and our growing up. But, if we lose this war... they won't have the future we want for them." Sansa continued to back up towards the door and Loki just watched. "You know what you need to do. Please do it and soon," Sansa begged before she opened the door, stepped out, and closed it firmly behind her. Loki just stared after, his soul a turbulent sea of emotions, mostly anguish.