Loki and the Witchling

Chapter 24

    "Brother, if you do not tell the tale, then I will," Thor threatened when Loki took too long to begin. Thor's voice was gentle, but the threat was there.

"I know," Loki grumbled. "It is not an easy story. I do not like it told and I hate telling it more," he added sourly. "So forgive me if it takes longer than your delicate sensibilities would like for me to begin the tale. It is a painful memory for me, brother." Loki's voice was hostile, hurt, defensive. You reached out and took his hand, reassuring, gentle, kind, a reminder that you were here for him and loved him. He gave you a small smile, though it took effort, and raised your hand to his lips, pressing a light kiss on your knuckles. He kept his attention on you, pretending he was speaking only to you, ignoring the rest of the room as he spoke:

"It was nearly twenty years ago, before I was told of my true parentage, well before the events in New York, when Freya announced that she was with child. The All-father wanted a stronger alliance with Freya's family, especially as they were some of the strongest sorcerers in the realm. When the prophets stated that the child would be female, the idea arose among both families for a marriage to be arranged-"

"A grown man was supposed to marry a baby?!" Tony blurted, horrified. He was immediately tackled to the ground by Nat, who proceeded to sit on his chest with her hand clamped firmly over his mouth to keep him from interrupting again. Clint calmly sat on Tony's legs to keep him from struggling too much. Everyone else attempted to ignore the outburst.

"The arrangement was made then, yes. We would not have been married until she was of age, we would not have even met until then. We live for thousands and thousands of years, waiting twenty or so to meet would not have been a hardship," Loki replied grumpily before turning his attention back solely to you, trying to ignore the rest of the room. "It was agreed by both side that between Thor and I, I was the more suitable match, since we would both be sorcerers." He hesitated and you saw the pained look in his eyes, the look of terrible, heart wrenching sorrow.

"I was reluctant to agree to the union. I did not want to be forced into a marriage for thousands of years purely for political reasons. It was Mother who finally convinced me to agree to it. She has the ability to see the future, though she does not advertise it or use it often. It pains her to use that gift, especially on purpose. She used it for me then. She promised me that the union would not be purely political, but full of love and joy and that my bride would love me, not just my station, or my family and connections, nor wanting Thor instead, or any of the other thousand of fears I had then,"

It was strange to hear Loki speak so openly about his emotions or his past especially in front of the others. His attention was on you and he was so focused on keeping his word, telling you the story in it's entirety and truthfully, that he wasn't guarding his words as well as he usually did, especially in front of the group, especially in front of Thor.

"The arrangements were made, the contracts were signed, and shortly before Freya was due to give birth, she and her husband left the court to go live with her family in another city until her daughter came of age and could be presented to the court.

They never made it to her family. The entire realm searched for any trace of them for what felt like ages before Iwaldi, Freya's husband, was found dead. The best we ever determined was Iwaldi was attacked by bandits. Freya was never found. She was presumed dead," Loki's voice was sad and haunted and he held your hand tighter.

"We all mourned their loss, but Loki mourned more than the rest of us," Thor added softly. "I did not know that Mother looked into the future for you," he added gently. Loki nodded brusquely, apparently remembering that Thor was there. You wrapped your arms around Loki, and was surprised that he actually let you, that he rested his head on your shoulder, accepting the comfort. He never would have before, not in front of all of these witnesses.

"I'm sorry, love," you told him softly.

He straightened after a moment, seeming to steel himself to tell the rest. Instead of opening his mouth right away, he summoned a small wooden box, the kind that might have held cuff-links or watches. He opened it and from among the trinkets inside, lifted out a silver pendant on a chain, identical in every way to the one around your neck.

"You still have it? After all this time?" Thor demanded, staring in shock.

"Always," Loki answered softly. "I would have kept it for all of my days," he turned in... some combination of anger and pain to Thor. "I mourned, Thor. I have mourned for years the loss of the love I was promised, the love I thought I would never have, that I would never find again!" You touched Loki's hand, drawing his attention back to you as your fingers went to the pendant he held.

His expression softened when he looked away from Thor and back to you. "The pendant has the... you would call it 'coat of arms' for each family on either side, a physical symbol of the promised bond. Mine was given to me when the contract was signed. Hers would have been given to her on the day she was born, never to be removed by either,"

You just stared at the pendants, finally figuring out what he was saying, where this story was going. "You two think I'm-?"

"Her name was to be Sigyn," Thor supplied softly.

"And you think I'm her?" you asked, shocked and confused. "How would that even be possible?"

"There are other ways between the realms than the Bifrost," Loki said. "Freya may have found one before her attackers could kill her..." he surmised.

"We have to return to Asgard, take Lady Y/N before Father to be sure," Thor said, as if this were a reminder. Loki hesitated before he nodded.

"I hate it when you're right," Loki grumbled.

"Wait? What? We're going to Asgard?" you demanded. This was all going too quickly. You had just found out you were probably Asgardian, entirely Asgardian, and somehow betrothed to Loki. It was way too much all at once. They both nodded.

"We need answers and the only place we can find them is Asgard," Loki explained softly. He vanished the wooden trinket box, but kept his necklace. You didn't see him put it on, but you had a feeling that was exactly what he did.

"Get dressed quickly," Thor ordered. "We leave as soon as possible,"

Tony was making muffled noises under Nat's weight, but none of the group tried to stop you. You and Loki both used magic to change your clothes. Loki was in his Asgardian green and black battle leathers, minus the golden helmet. You hadn't seen him wear them since the shooting at the school. He rarely wore Asgardian clothes here. Thor summoned Mjolnir and after a flash of lightning, he was dressed in his armor as well.

"I feel underdressed," you grumbled, looking at your jeans. Loki laughed and summoned a blue gown of a material you'd never seen on Earth.

"Try this," he replied with a soft smile. You took the bundle of cloth from him and used magic to put it on. The boys were in a hurry. It was a floor length gown of flowing soft material. It was gorgeous, but like nothing on Earth. "Just like an Asgardian lady," Loki said warmly and lifted your hand to kiss your knuckles.

"Come, we cannot open the Bifrost in here," Thor boomed.

You soon found yourself outside of the tower with the two Asgardians. Loki wrapped an arm tightly around you. "Hold on tight, darling. Travelling by Bifrost is an...experience." You obediently wrapped your arms around him, still dazed by everything that was going on.

Thor raised Mjolnir. "Heimdall, open the Bifrost!" he called into the sky as people nearby started taking pictures and videos of the scene.