Loki: Storm of Swords

Chapter 76 - Loki Needs Help

Loki and Rhaegal flew for what felt like hours before the Hand ordered his dragon to land on a mountain top. He dismounted and sagged to the ground, burying his face in his hands. Rhaegal heard his master starting to cry and he nuzzled his snout against him. "Why does it hurt so much, Rhaegal?" Loki queried, speaking to the dragon in the Common Tongue. Rhaegal just kept leaning into Loki, purring almost like a cat. "Why do I still feel something for that blond buffoon?!"

Because he's your brother. And no matter what you say, he will always be your brother, said a familiar voice. Loki's head snapped up and he looked around.

"Mother?" he asked, standing up quickly and dislodging Rhaegal. The dragon looked around as well, its wings fanning out and surrounding Loki. "Mother?" Loki asked again.

Calm your mind. Enter the Spirit Realm and you can see me. There's someone I want you to meet, Frigga told him. Loki sighed and sat back down, sitting in a meditating pose, closing his eyes, and resting his hands on his knees. Loki started to breathe deeply in and out. Rhaegal spread his wings entirely around his master and brought his head to level with Loki's. Rhaegal's eyes never left Loki's face as his master drifted further and further away from him. When Loki opened his eyes again, he was the Spirit Realm. Still as seductive as ever, it tried to draw him into its depths, but Loki resisted. He needed to find Frigga and he was not going to let this world poison his subconscious. Loki kept on walking, brushing the spirits of lost minds aside as he went.

"Frigga!" he called out. No answer was forthcoming. "Mother!" he shouted desperately. That was when he tripped on something and would have fallen if strong and gentle arms had not caught him. He looked up and saw Frigga smiling down at him.

"Hello, my son. Was that so hard?" she queried and Loki cried, embracing her. Frigga ran her fingers through his hair and kissed the top of his head.

"How I've missed you! I love you, Mother," Loki confessed.

"I love you too, my Loki," Frigga responded, letting him go and helping him to his feet. Loki smiled at her, but that was when he caught sight of somebody else standing behind her. She was around Frigga's age, or maybe a year or two younger. She was a beauty with pale skin, green eyes, and pale blonde hair. She was wearing a loose dress of pale violet and a necklace in the likeness of a dragon was coiled around her neck. "Loki, I want you to meet your birth mother. This is Rhaella Targaryen." Loki faltered when he took a step forward and froze, unsure of how to proceed.

"My firstborn son. My little frost baby," Rhaella said fondly as she closed the distance between them. She reached up, brushing several strands of Loki's black hair behind his ears. Her fingertips lightly traced along his cheekbones, his eyebrows and his forehead. Finally, she encased his cheeks with her hands and pulled him down to her level. Their foreheads pressed against each other and she closed her eyes. "I carried you in my womb for nine months. I said I hated you, but when you were placed in my arms, I couldn't help but love you," Rhaella said.

"You are my birth mother," Loki said, as if he was still in awe of actually meeting her. Rhaella pulled away from him and laughed.

"You were not the child I chose, but then, I don't think any of my babies were. I never loved my brother and never wanted to have his children. All I wanted was to get back to you, my child," Rhaella admitted as she parted from him and led him a little ways from Frigga.

"Then... what about Rhaegar? And Viserion? Did you not love them? And Daenerys?" Loki asked as they sat together on a log.

"I loved them after a fashion, but not as I loved you. You see, I actually did care for your father in a manner," Rhaella explained and Loki snorted. She raised her finger and shook it before his face. "Nay! It must come as a shock, especially since I know I left a record that never stated any kind of affection for Laufey. You see... I was still angry with him for taking you from me and I was lashing out, even though I knew he would never find out or even care if he did. When he first... ahem... lay with me, it was forced and I was not consenting."

"You were raped. You can say the word. I won't be scandalized," Loki commented and Rhaella gave him a look. Loki had the humility to look ashamed.

"Yes, I was raped. You were 'technically' the product of rape. Is that what you wanted to hear?" Rhaella said dourly. Loki shook his head and looked away.

"I knew it was too much to ask for. To think I could have possibly had 'loving' parents," Loki said. Rhaella sighed and took his hands in hers, rubbing his knuckles.

"I'd like to think you were created on the night I seduced Laufey," she told him and Loki's eyebrow went up.

"You seduced him?!" he queried, amazed.

Rhaella nodded and said, "Yes, I decided that I might as well improve on my situation, so, I decided to surprise your father. I jumped him, and got the upper hand, and-"

"Yes! Well! Ahem! That's quite enough of that!" Loki cut in, not interested in hearing about his conception. Rhaella knew why he was suddenly tight lipped and she laughed lightly.

"It wasn't so awful after that. Laufey really tried to gain my love. He told me ancient folk tales, took me to Jotun social events, and even out sledding once," Rhaella said, a far away look in her eyes, and Loki knew she was reliving it briefly. "Then, I found out I was pregnant. With you." She smiled and stroked his cheek. "Laufey was so happy as was I. At first, I was scared, but Laufey assured me that I would have only the best care during the pregnancy and the birth. And as I grew, I came to whisper to you, stories of Westeros and the great dragons that once lived there," Rhaella informed him.

"Did... ahem! Did Laufey ever speak to me?" Loki queried. Rhaella gave Loki a little nod and the prince stiffened.

"I had no idea what his plans were for you until you were born. I thought it was sweet that he would lay with me, rub my belly, and talk to you. Although, his stories of choice were always odd. He spoke of the evil All-Father and the conquering Asgardians. He told you of how he desired to bring Odin's tyrannical rule to an end." Rhaella became quiet and looked away from Loki for a moment.

"Rhaella? Mother?" Loki posed and she heaved a sigh.

"When I was first captured and Laufey explained what we were to do, he told me that the All-Mother, Frigga, had given Odin a son. They had named him Thor, and he was called the Golden Prince. He said he wanted his own son, a Prince of Darkness. He wanted to name you Loptr," Rhaella responded, clutching Loki's hand even tighter. She looked back at him and pulled him into her arms. "I am so happy that you are my Loki!"

"Thank you. I wish... I wish you had been around so that I could have met you," Loki admitted shyly. That was when Frigga approached and knelt in front of them. She took Loki's other hand and ran her fingers lightly over his knuckles.

"When Odin took you from that temple and we had Eir examine you, she gathered that you were a little over a week old. You were so young and helpless, and Odin did wonder how a Frost Giant could be so small. We had no idea that you were in fact a half-breed with a mortal mother," Frigga told him. The two women looked at him and wrapped their arms around him. "Now, you came for help."

"That was whey you sought that solitary mountain top to think," Rhaella continued.

"You know what you have to do," they both said in unison."Yes, I know what I have to do. It's just that... I don't want to leave Westeros for anything. Surtur will sense once I've left and Littlefinger will see it as an opening to lay his claws on my family," Loki said.

"Fear not for your family. Baelish and Surtur cannot sense Ragna, and Sansa and Rhaenar are surrounded by those who will protect them. You have nothing to fear. You have to go and see your brother," Frigga told him. Loki looked between the two women and sighed.

"He won't be very welcoming," Loki commented.

"You don't know that," Rhaella retorted. "When I was there, the Jotuns were surprisingly warm."

"Pun much?" Loki fired back before he glanced at Frigga with a raised eyebrow. "You say Surtur and Baelish cannot sense Ragna. Why is that?" Frigga gave Loki a secretive smile and laugh.

"Your daughter is a wealth of secrets that you will have to uncover as she grows. You will find that in the future, much will rest on her shoulders. Not because it was forced on her, but because she chose it," Frigga said. Loki slumped.

"I hate riddles," he said dejectedly.

"Says the man who loves to speak in riddles," both women commented dryly.