Asgard's Princess: Chapter 5 (Fem!Thor x Loki) AU

Loki smiled as he rolled over, his silky sheets caressing his bare body. He hardly ever slept with garments on. Asgard produced fine silk and being a prince, he could afford as much as he wanted. His bed housed golden and green silken blankets and sheets. He had the softest mattress Asgard could provide and dozens of pillows. Loki believed that if one wanted to showcase his wealth, one should have an extravagant bed, which is exactly what Loki did.

He slowly opened his eyes, the early morning light shining through his open terrace. He pushed himself off of the bed and stepped onto the floor. He grabbed a pair of black cotton pants and put them on before walking out onto his terrace. He breathed in the morning air and smiled. The golden rays of the sun warmed his face and made him think of Thora.

Loki wondered how she had faired through the night. He wondered if she had slept at all. He sighed and headed back into his chambers, quickly running his fingers through his jet black hair and throwing on an emerald green tunic. He left his chambers and swung by the banquet hall, grabbing some fruit for him to eat and share with Thora when he reached her.

He shrouded himself in an illusion spell as he heard the Warriors Three ahead of him. Loki walked on by them all without a second glance. Had Fandral gone to visit Thora to make sure she was alright? Had Volstagg or Hogun? What about Sif? Loki had so many questions. He stopped in his tracks. He had nearly forgotten. Loki had questions he needed to ask the AllFather. But maybe Odin didn't have the answers that Loki sought? He shook his head. The AllFather always knew something.

Loki continued to walk to Thora's chambers. His sister needed him more than Loki cared to admit, probably more than she would admit, too. He eventually found himself outside the doors to her chambers, guards stationed outside. They let him pass without a word.

"Loki," he heard before he even had the chance to close the door behind him.

"Good morning, sister," Loki greeted. He walked over to where Thora sat in her bed, her golden hair resting on her bosom. He noticed the bags under her eyes. They were darker than Hel itself. "How was your night?" Loki questioned as he sat down.

"I had troubles sleeping," Thora admitted, looking down.

"You're safe; there are guards stationed outside –" Loki began.

"Yes, outside!" Thora interrupted. "But the Jötuns were already in my chambers, waiting for me! Neither I nor Fandral noticed them. The guards outside my chambers are useless!" Thora said, "I'm afraid, brother," Thora whispered.

"Is there something I can do to help you?" Loki asked, ignoring what she said about her and Fandral. Of course they wouldn't have noticed. They were preoccupied with one another's company.

"Father said he would speak to you –"

"He did," Loki said. He was still annoyed how the old man had interrupted his bath last night. Loki never got to finish off his thoughts or himself for that matter.

"So will you?" Thora asked, breaking his thought-train.

"Will I what?" Loki asked, embarrassed that he had been lost in his thoughts, though he didn't show any sign of it.

"Watch over me throughout the night. Like I said, the guards positioned outside my rooms don't make me feel any safer. Please Loki," Thora begged, her blue eyes pleading with Loki's.

"I suppose I can do that," Loki said after a moment.

"Thank you, Loki!" Thora said, throwing her arms around Loki's neck. He smiled and took in the scent of her hair. She slowly backed out of the hug and looked into Loki's eyes with a small smile on her face. Their faces were still close enough that Loki could feel her breath. Loki controlled himself, though all he wanted to do was close the gap between them and have Thora right here, right now.

"Fruit?" Loki offered, breaking the moment and looking down in his hands.

"So thoughtful," Thora said, though he couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not. She took a couple strawberries from his hand.

"Well, I just came to see how you were, sister. I must be off," Loki excused, placing the rest of the fruit on her bed.

"But you will guard me tonight?" Thora confirmed.

"Yes, I will see you then, if not before," Loki said with a small bow as he backed up from her bed.
________________________________________

Loki marched around the palace, aimlessly walking. Now that he knew his sister was okay, he could concentrate on his own problems.

Why hadn't Loki been killed on Jötunheimr? He wasn't complaining, but it was still curious. The Jötun had full-on grabbed Loki's bare arm, yet he did not freeze. Instead, his arm had felt as though it had been awakened, and turned the same shade of blue as the Jötun grabbing him. And there was the question of the Casket; why could Loki feel its power yet it seemed like no other Asgardian could? Loki was sure it would have been stolen by now if others could feel the power residing within it.

The next thing Loki knew, he was before the Weapon’s Vault. The guards let him walk by. Loki gave them a curt smile and strolled past them and into the Vault. He stayed at the end of the long walkway and stared the relic known as the Casket.

It was such a mystery to Loki. How could he feel the awesome power of the Casket, but no other Asgardian seemed to be able to? Was it because they did not wield magic in the same way he did? Perhaps it was because of his royal bloodline… But Thora didn’t feel its power, Loki knew that. She would have been just entranced by it if she did. So why? Why was Loki drawn to this Jötun relic?

He walked towards it, feeling its pull from across the Vault. What was this thing precisely? Of all Asgardians, why could he feel its pull? Loki slowly neared it, his breathing intensifying. All of the answers that he searched for could be found within this swirling blue relic – Loki was sure of that. He took a deep breath as he stood before the Casket, its contents continuing to dance within.

Loki shook his head and briefly closed his eyes. He reopened them and then grabbed hold of the Casket on either side. He let himself feel the incredible might that was hidden away from the Frost Giants. Their heritage, their life-force, their magic were all reliant on this relic. Loki couldn’t imagine having his magic stripped away from him; it was what made him feel different, more powerful, and what set him apart from other Asgardians…

Loki let out a deep breath and lifted the Casket from its resting place. He felt it surge within him, its power spreading through him like ice over a lake. Loki’s fingertips were suddenly cold – not an unpleasant cold, but a soothing cooling sensation, one that he welcomed. Then he saw it – the same thing he had witnessed on the Jötunheimr – the blue of the Frost Giants crawling up his peach-coloured skin, taking away everything Loki thought he had known.

“Stop!” He heard Odin’s voice call from behind him.

“Am I cursed?” Loki breathed, hardly able to control all the emotions that were befalling him. Who was Loki? Everything he had thought that he knew was a lie! Loki fought the tears as they welled in his eyes.

“No,” Odin replied calmly. Loki’s breathing was ragged, but he continued to gaze upon the blue relic, the blue skin and coolness having overtaken his entire being.

“What am I?” Loki asked as he set the Casket upon its pedestal.

“You’re my son,” Odin replied. Loki looked at the Casket one last time before turning to face his so-called father, Odin. He would let the man see him as the freak he was. Loki looked his father in the eye as he felt the effects of touching the Casket wear off.

“What more than that?” Loki prompted, feeling his normal flesh and colouring return. Loki began to walk towards Odin who remained on the entrance stairs of the Vault. “The Casket wasn’t the only thing you took from Jötunheimr that day, was it?” Loki questioned, continuing to walk closer to the man who he had believed to be his father his whole life. He stopped at the bottom stairs.

“No,” Odin answered, briefly casting his eyes downward. “In the aftermath of the battle, I went into the temple…and I found a baby. Small, for a Giant’s offspring; abandoned, suffering, left to die. Laufey’s son.” Odin said, sounding more fatherly than Loki ever remembered.

“Laufey’s son.” Loki stated, looking away from Odin. Saying the words out loud made him feel all wrong – like a completely different man. Tears sprung in his eyes and he looked at Odin once again.

“Yes,” Odin admitted with a small nod. Loki’s breathing quickened, becoming more ragged, his chest heaving. He looked around desperately before looking back into the eyes of the liar before him.

“Why? You were knee-deep in Jötun blood – why would you take me?” Loki questioned, his entire world falling apart around him.

“You were an innocent child –”

“No, you took me for a purpose,” Loki stated, his breathing uneven, “What was it?” Loki looked at Odin, the old man remaining silent. Loki’s breathing was uncontrollable at this point. “TELL ME!” Loki shouted, his voice echoing off the Vault walls. Loki stared into Odin’s eye.

“I thought we could unite our kingdoms one day,” Odin began, “Bring about an alliance, bring about a permanent peace…through you,” Loki’s forehead creased as Odin finished.

“What?” Loki said breathless, his voice coming out small and weak. He felt so pained, tears falling to his cheeks.

“But those plans no longer matter,” Odin continued.

“So I am no more than another stolen relic?” Loki questioned, hardly able to contain the emotion that raged through him, threatening to rip him apart from the inside, “Locked up here until you might have use for me?” He accused.

“Why do you twist my words?”

“You could have told me what I was from the beginning – why didn’t you?” Loki inquired, getting louder with every word.

“You’re my son,” Odin said again, “I wanted only to protect you from the truth.” Odin said truthfully. Loki was no longer sure what he should be feeling. Time after time he had felt so abandoned by this man – and now Odin states over and over that Loki is his son?

“What – because I – I – I’m the monster that parents tell their children about at night?” Loki accused. Is that why Odin had kept the truth from him?

“No –” Odin tried, shaking his head and closing his eyes.

“You know it all makes sense now; why you favored Thora all these years,” Loki spat, his voicing rising as Odin slowly slumped to the ground, “Because no matter how much you claimed to love me, you could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the throne of Asgard!” Loki shouted, his voice coming out strong and terrifying. Loki realized Odin was laying upon the ground now, his eye closed, completely motionless except for his chest rising and falling. Loki took a breath and looked at the man. What had he done?

Loki kneeled beside his father, his worry showing on his face. He rested his hand upon Odin’s briefly as his heart rammed in his chest.

“Guards!” He shouted, “Guards please help!” Loki shouted again as the Vault doors opened and the guards came rushing inside. Loki stood and watched as the guards called for healers, who took Odin away from the Weapon’s Vault.