The golden apples had always been the true source of power in Asgard. Not the warriors or their battles. Not even the powerful artefacts that were Gungnir or Mjolnir. If not for the fruits of her beloved tree, the Aesirs would be no different than any other people in the nine realms. The apple gave them strength and a long life. Because of that, they had the upper hand on the battlefield. It was almost like cheating, which Odin never really cared about. The man had just wanted to be king, the only one to rule them all. The way he would get there didn't matter to him.
Long before Odin's rise to power, Idunn had already been the protector of the tree. She would be around long after his reign ended. She was inextricably linked to the tree. An old friend of sorts. Why was she chosen? Idunn would never know and it didn't matter anymore. Over the years, the goddess had learned how to care for the tree's needs. In return, it had given Idunn not only its fruits, but also eternal youth. She was the only true immortal among all the Aesirs. It was a gift and a burden just the same. Still, it was the path she had chosen for herself, and she would see it through until the end of time if she had to.
When he had cast her away in that magical meadow, Odin had believed himself to be so clever. The goddess could conjure anything she would have ever wanted, excluding people obviously, and she could never leave. In a sense, Idunn had already been a prisoner, unable to leave the tree for long. He had just isolated her more than it was necessary. The king was quite cruel with his enemies but also with anybody around him. For a long time, he had been her only visitor. He mostly came to gloat, asking her about her days and the state of the tree, knowing full well that every day looked the same to her. He probably wanted to remind her of her predicament. She had made her peace with that a long time ago.
One day, completely unexpected, a little boy with dark hair found the way to her meadow. Idunn wondered if it was a trick of her mind at first. He had been so lonely. Even if he was, the goddess didn't seem to mind. A breath of fresh air disrupted her routine, which was exactly what she needed. The boy was full of life and mischievous. He astounded her with his wit, and the little pranks he played made her laugh like no one had managed to make her do ever before. Just by being here, he was saving her.
However, Idunn did not save Loki. Little by little, the light within him faded away. Asgard had a habit of doing this to tender souls. Whatever she could do wasn't enough to protect him from the people of the nine realms. Loki, despite being Odin's son, was never loved by his family or any of the Aesirs, she had been told. He was too different, too unique.
Every time young Loki learned a new spell and mastered it, he came around to show her. He was visibly happy during those moments. Frigga was teaching him her craft. She had been raised by witches after all. The woman knew a thing or two about magic. The child excelled at it, making leaps where others had taken centuries to get there. He would become a powerful wizard, possibly the greatest of all time. It was no surprise Odin wasn't all fatherly to a child who had the potential to be more than the old king could ever be.
"What spell did you learn today, child?" Idunn asked Loki during one of his visits.
The boy did not respond. He was subdued in a way she had never seen him before. Idunn was trying to look at him, to understand what had changed but he was avoiding her gaze. The young boy, who had previously been proud and delighted about his seidr, had apparently experienced something big enough to affect him that way. The goddess didn't ask for more. She didn't want to press the issue. Loki needed some time to put his thoughts in order.
"Father punished me because I was practising magic. He had his personal guards giving me a beating. Magic is for women."
His voice was void of emotions, his face blank while saying something so severe. Despite being so young, he had already mastered the art of concealing his true thoughts to the people around him. In some ways, it was terrifying. What was going on in the world to give a child those kinds of skills? Idunn wished she could protect him, spare him but she had no power to do so.
