Beauty and the Beast

Chapter 10

Loki wrapped his arm around his mother's shoulders, keeping her close where he knew she'd be safe as his battle armor shimmered into place. Anything that wanted to hurt his beloved mother would have to get through him first.

And that wasn't going to happen. No mater what it took.

"We need to get to somewhere safe," Loki told her. Frigga nodded and summoned the long dagger Morgan had seen in her vision as armor shimmered into place over her dress. Loki couldn't remember the last time he had seen his mother with a blade. His brows furrowed in concern, forgetting for a moment that it was she who had taught him how to fight all those centuries ago. He had fallen into the trap of thinking of her only as the gentle healer. "Where did you get that?" he asked stupidly.

Frigga gave him a look. "A lady of Asgard does not go unarmed when there's danger. Just because I am usually a simple healer does not mean I do not know how to defend myself," she reminded him.

He sighed and gave her a small smile. "Apologies, mother. It is just strange to see you armed. Of course you know how to defend yourself, as any lady of Asgard should," he told her warmly and she couldn't help smiling at him as well. Whatever happened, they were both prepared and would be able to get through it together. "We should get to my chambers. I have it warded just for this kind of situation," Loki told her. Frigga agreed easily, trusting her son's strategic abilities.

Before they could leave the throne room, they were confronted by three frost giants. Loki stepped forward to defend Frigga, taking point in the upcoming battle. Frigga wouldn't deny him that. He growled at the frost giants. "Step away or die," he warned them. He shouldn't have bothered warning them, but Frigga had beaten into him over the centuries that sentient beings had to be given an opportunity to withdraw from the battle before he rushed in on the attack.

The had to thoroughly earn their deaths.

Behind him, Frigga shifted her dagger into position, a bolt of magic appearing in her other hand.

Then one of the frost giants said something that had them both changing their strategies at the same moment. "Good. You have the queen. Let's get off this realm," the giant told Loki, addressing him directly. Loki's hand was still on Frigga's arm.

Loki and Frigga saw what they had thought in an instant. They thought that Loki, who was stuck in Jotun form, had arrived at the throne room before them and captured the queen himself. They thought he just wanted credit for the capture for himself. Frigga vanished her bolt of magic and hid her blade behind her. /It appears these frost giants are confused/ Loki told Frigga.

/So it appears/ Frigga replies as she tries to think of a way out of this without fighting the frost giants outnumbered.

"Come. The interim king will make the little warm queen tell us where the lost prince is," the frost giant said, he towered over Frigga and was much taller than Loki as well. It was clear these were dumb foot-soldiers, sent to die on this suicide mission to steal Frigga.

However, it was their comment about the lost prince that made Loki realize that none of them could return to Jotunheim. They would realize that hewas the lost prince. They couldn't leave Asgard with even the hint of that knowledge.

Loki glared at them. "I am going nowhere with you. Neither is the queen," he snarled at them.

The frost giants finally seemed to realize that Loki wasn't one of them. No one ever prided the frost giants on their intelligence as a race. They rushed in to attack Loki, to steal his beloved mama. That wasn't going to happen. Loki and Frigga fought back and it was clear that Frigga was a skilled fighter. Their blades blurred and magic flew as they fought down the giants.

The frost giants were doomed. They were no match for the whirl of blades and their blood spilled as Loki killed them viciously. Frigga was just as violent, but was kinder in the death she delivered.

Between the pair of them, they had the frost giants dead at their feet before Odin and Thor returned.

Odin and Thor did return as Loki wrapped his arm back around Frigga's shoulders to escort her to safety. They both looked relieved to see the giants dead. Odin rushed to Frigga and pulled her into his arms, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Frigga, you're safe," he said, relieved that she was alright, uninjured, and more importantly, not kidnapped.

Loki vanished his dagger, knowing that Odin and Thor wouldn't have relaxed if there was still danger. "I know what they're after," he told Odin, since he had to. He had to warn them.

Frigga nodded and looked over at Loki. "They are after you, my son," she said softly, horrified that the frost giants would be looking for Loki and wondering why they possibly could be.

Loki inclined his head. "They attacked Asgard and planned to take mother in order to get her to tell them where their lost prince is. They were looking for me," he confirmed.

Odin nodded his understanding and still held Frigga to him. There wasn't much in the nine realms that Odin truly loved. Frigga was highest on his list. And no one in the nine realms dared question that he loved her. Most would never think of the suicidal action that taking her would be. "Heimdall has found the portal they came through and the mages and einherjar are sealing it now. These were the only ones who slipped through. The realm, and you, are safe. You're safe my wife," he kissed the top of Frigga's head again and turned to Loki. "As are you, my son,"

Loki was frozen in shock at Odin's words. At being addressed as a son. At Odin actually caring about him. He literally couldn't comprehend that. Not after everything that had happened. Not while he was stuck in Jotun form. Not after being lied to his entire life.

And yet, Odin actually cared that Loki was safe. Not that his secret was safe. No. That Loki was actually safe.

Frigga leaned up and kissed Odin's cheek. "I'm fine, darling," she reassured him and the boys couldn't help smiling at the fond gesture from their mother. "We owe Lady Morgana a great debt for her warning," Frigga told Odin.

Loki nodded his agreement. "Without her warning, we would not have returned home until it was too late. We would not have been here to stop this attack," he explained. He knew how much they owed Morgan and he would impress upon Odin that they really weren't just exaggerating.

Frigga and Thor both nodded their agreement. They had seen how close the frost giants had gotten even with Morgan's warning. They had made it all the way to the throne room. Arguably the most secure room in the palace. Odin's arms tightened around Frigga, concerned for his wife, afraid at how close he had come to losing her.

Loki hesitated a moment before he said. "Mother is alright now, Father. The danger has passed,"

They all looked shocked at Loki's term of address.

Loki hadn't called Odin 'father' since the day he had fallen from the Bifrost.

Not until this day.

Not until Loki could finally feel, even if only for a moment, that Odin cared about both of his sons and not just Thor.

Something shifted inside him, some broken piece of his soul healed, settled back into place, leaving a feeling of peace in its wake.