Loki: Winds of Winter

Chapter 6 - To the Wall!

Rhaenar wanted to teleport to the Wall more than anything, but Loki insisted that he stay with his sister and not separate. Rhaenar frowned as he looked at Ragna feeding Fenris a tidbit of meat. A horse was not going to be fast enough, so Rhaenar would have to ride a dragon.

After the war against Surtur, Daenerys and Loki took it in turns to breed Viserion (as the only female) with her brothers to continue the line of dragons. Each time, she produced three eggs. The hatchlings were given to the appropriate children. Crown Prince Draegon had a male dragon by the name of Aeron. Tyria had passed on the dragon in favor of keeping her direwolf, Trytas, who had previously belonged to her brother. Rhaenar had a dragon as well, a female called Imry. A few people had felt it was a little unfair for Ragna to have the King of Wolves as well as a dragon at her beck and call. However, she had faced the challenge of raising and disciplining the beast with enthusiasm and had conquered it like all her other tasks. Hers was a proud male called Erikar. Both their dragons were resting in the courtyard, waiting to be flown to the Wall. Rhaenar stroked the snout of his dragon, admiring the sheen off her iridescent, blue scales. She leaned against him, very affectionate for a dragon. She was from the spawn that came from Rhaegal and Viserion. One of her eyes was blue and the other red, denoting her half flame, half ice abilities.

Erikar growled when his rider appeared. Ragna left Fenris' side and went over to her dragon, whispering Nordic words in his ear. Erikar purred a little, closing his red eyes and nuzzling her. Ragna kissed his nose and offered him a treat also. She petted him before walking around him and climbing up into her saddle. Rhaenar also did the same thing with Imry. Fenris stood to attention, ready to race them all the way to the Wall. Loki approached the both of them, his hands resting behind his back, and his façade calm. "Go to Castle Black and offer your investigative services to Eddison Tollett. I'm sure he'll appreciate it. You'll be able to go further North without concern for the cold. For obvious reasons," Loki said. For a brief instant, he allowed his skin to turn blue. Ragna and Rhaenar did the same. They were very fully aware of their Frost Giant abilities and that side of the family. They visited Uncle Helbindi in Jotunheim when they could. "Have him send a raven; or Rhaenar, communicate with me to inform me what's going on," Loki said. Both Rhaenar and Ragna bowed their heads to him and Loki stepped back. Fenris sprinted out of the gates of the Red Keep as the two dragons began their running take off in the courtyard.

As they flew away, Loki felt arms encircle his waist. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw it was Sansa. "Why did they have to go?" she asked.

"Because they're adults trying to make a name for themselves in the world. I'm just giving them the opportunity," Loki answered. Sansa growled.

"They have the name of Frostborn! That is name enough," Sansa stated but Loki shook his head.

"That is the name I gave them, not the name they gave themselves," Loki retorted, and Sansa pinched him.

"You do realize they're codenames are 'Archmage' and 'Weapons Master' respectfully, right?" she reminded. Loki smiled, thinking of the titles they had been given by the people of Westeros.

"Yes, rather fitting, don't you think?" Loki challenged and Sansa rolled her eyes, smacking his chest, and walking away. Loki followed close at her heels, like a cat stalking his prey.

Rhaenar did decide to be a bit of an ass and teleport himself and Imry to Castle Black ahead of Ragna and Erikar. As he landed in the snowy courtyard, the Brothers of the Night's Watch came out to greet him. Specifically, an older, greyer and grouchier Eddison Tollett. "Welcome, your highness! Is her grace close behind you?" he queried, his eyes looking up at the heavens, scanning for Ragna.

"She'll be a little behind me," Rhaenar answered with a grin. Tollett just raised an eyebrow and nodded his head after considering this for a minute.

"Well, you better come inside and I'll start explaining everything to you," he said and Rhaenar followed him up the steps towards the main hall of the keep.

"Who's that?" a little stable boy queried. An older member of the watch was standing not to far away from him, brushing his horse, and he snorted.

"That's the Archmage; High Prince Rhaenar of House Frostborn, son of Loki," he answered. The lad's eyes popped out of his head and his mouth dropped open.

"He's not the one with the giant wolf, is he?" he queried. He got a bip upside the head for his question.

"The gods, no! That would be his sister, High Princess Ragna of House Frostborn. She should be coming shortly, for the raven from Kings Landing said the Hand would be sending the both of 'em. She'll be here soon," the soldier said. Just as he finished, they heard the lonely cry of a wolf. "And that would be the Hell Hound." The little boy trembled at the almost plaintive cry. It was followed by the distant screech of a dragon. The stable hand jumped a mile and climbed into the stall with the horse. The horses also stirred, sensing more than one possible predator closing in. Imry let out a cry of her own when she heard her sibling approach. However, Imry growled when Fenris vaulted the gate and landed in the courtyard. The men of the Night's Watch gave the wolf a wide berth and Fenris' green eyes scanned the area. His lips drew back in a sneer as Ragna landed on Erikar. She easily slid out of the saddle, stroking her dragon's neck before reaching out and doing the same to Fenris.

"Relax, my beauties. I'll be back," she informed them as she started walking for the main hall. All the men of the Night's Watch bowed before her. Ragna smiled. It had been years since she was last here to train, but they all remembered her and respected her. "At ease," Ragna said. She slid by them with grace, walked up the steps, and pushed open the door. Eddison Tollett and Rhaenar looked up from where they were sitting at the high table. Rhaenar already had a hot mead in his hand and raised the mug to his sister.

"So glad you could join us," he said.

"Well, unlike some people, who prefer to cheat, I arrived in the normal amount of time," Ragna retorted as she walked up to the table and swiped the mug from her brother's hand. Rhaenar lifted his eyes and gave her a look as she smirked back and took a swig. She gave it back to him, and licked her lips before focusing her gaze upon Eddison Tollett. The Commander of the Night's Watch bowed to her and Ragna inclined her head.

"Thank you both for coming so quickly," Eddison Tollett said and watched as Ragna sat on the table, crossing her legs at the knee. "Ahem! Well, we told your father and the royals that we haven't heard anything from Crastor's Keep for the last several years. Also, Benjen Stark has not returned from his venture beyond the Wall."

"Great Uncle Benjen missing? We heard about that. I've only met him that one time we visited Winterfell and he came to see us," Ragna explained, recalling the encounter. The youngest son of House Stark, Benjen had been subjected to the Night's Watch. He had asked Loki, Robb, and Jon if their youngest sons were going to be given to the order. The answers had been unanimously, loudly and emphatically 'no'. The three men were not subjecting their youngest sons to a lifetime of unnecessary danger and celibacy.

"Indeed. Right after that, he came back, said he was leaving on a scouting trip, and disappeared. We've sent a few search parties, but none have gone farther than Crastor's Keep. They say it's 'too dangerous'," Eddison Tollett responded.

Rhaenar frowned and said, "Isn't that the epitome of your job? Dangerous?"

"In a manner of speaking, but not every man in our community is as brave, or as reckless as you two," Eddison Tollett commented. Both Ragna and Rhaenar snorted simultaneously.

"That why you wanted us to go North of the Wall?" Ragna posed and Eddison nodded.

"You two, with your interesting parentage, are one of the few that can survive to investigate in detail what could have happened North of the Wall," Tollett answered and Ragna shrugged her shoulders.

"You mean our Jotun genes? Indeed. My sister and I can withstand the frosty weather on the other side of the Wall. It won't be affecting us," Rhaenar said, his skin shifting blue, as did Ragna's. Their skin tone was not as rich blue as Helbindi's or cerulean like Loki's. Their coloring was more robin's egg blue. However,the ancestral markings remained strong, a symbol of their ties to the throne of Jotunheim. Ragna shifted back first and stood up from the table, walking away and winding around the other tables and chairs. Rhaenar changed back and steepled his fingers, looking at Eddison Tollett over them. "We'll leave in the morning."