“Get the bastard,” one of them said. “Odin’s orders.”
“No!” I protested but I’m pushed over when they snatched Vali.
I hold on to Narfi as tight as I can.
“Leave them,” Loki begs. “They are not a part of this!”
His pleas were met with laughs and Vali screams break my heart as his body contorts in ways it’s not supposed to. He’s not a shifter like Loki but he’s being forced to turn into a wolf. His senses are all over the place and out of whack. They turned a loving boy into an angry beast. Loki tries to shift but one of them hits him in the head while the others hold him down.
I feel myself being ripped away from my boy. Narfi cries out and reaches for me but I’m being held down.
“Give them back. Stop this! Leave my sons.” I yell to no avail.
“If you thought I was a problem before, hurting my children will be all of your doom,” Loki growled.
But they laughed and I fought the best I could, but they were too strong for just me.
“A child for a child. That’s what Odin said,” one of the others mocked. “Too bad for you your children put together do not make up for the loss of Baldr.”
“Please don’t,” I pleaded.
But the one holding Vali released him. Narfi screamed in agony when the wolf ripped into him.
“No. No. Noooo!” Loki yelled but I was mute because my heart exploded.
I couldn't stop it nor can I fix it. Everything in me broke and I passed out before they finished ripping apart my son.
Loki’s yelling and the earth quaking beneath me awakened me. Pushing up. I looked around to find we’re alone. The only sign of my son was a pool of his blood and his intestines wrapped around Loki’s wrist and ankles. A serpent was hanging above him and dripping venom. Another drop hit his face and he yelped in pain as it burned him. Jumping up, I fixed the only thing I could. Finding a bowl, I stood near him to catch the venom.
“Don’t do that,” he cried. “Let it burn me!”
“No. It’s hurting you.”
“They’re leaving me here for eternity. Don’t you get that? Leave me and find a new life.”
“No.” I responded again.
“It’s not the time for this. I caused this.” He sobbed and pulled against his restraints to no avail. Our agony is the same. “You should hate me,” he lamates in between sniffles.
I cried with him but held the bowl to keep him safe. His actions may have led to this, but I know he’d never harm me or our children. The pain and anger radiating in those green eyes are the same as mine as well.
Ignoring him, I continue to hold the bowl and we grieve in our own way for days unknown. Each time I moved to empty the bowl the venom would burn him and send him into another fit of rage. He’d insult me or yell at me to leave but I know what he was doing. Eventually, I responded to him.
“Loki, my heart is broken but you didn’t break it. I understand why you did what you did. Your actions were between you and Baldr. Thor could have avenged his brother and took it up with you, but that’s not what happened. They’ve gone too far and have taken away my boys at Odin’s-my leader’s-request. I’m not a part of them anymore. I’m the goddess of victory and they should have considered that before crossing me. They’ll never win anything else ever again.”
I took the now full bowl of venom and poured it on the restraints. As I hoped, it was now strong enough to erode Loki’s ties.
“I know the prophecy of Ragnarök. Go and show them why fucking with us was a bad idea.”
Yanking his hands from the weakened chains, Loki sat up and stretched. He pulled me into a kiss before attacking the restraints at his ankles. Once he was free, he pulled into a tight hug.
“I’m so sorry I allowed this to happen. If I could, I’d take it all away.” He pulled back and stared at me. “You’re the greatest love I’ll ever have for all eternity. Stay here on Midgard so you’ll be safe. If I don’t return, just know I loved you until my last breath.”
“Thank you. You suffered a loss as well.” I looked up at him in the eyes. “Do me a favor, please.”
“Anything,” he promised.
“Tell Fenrir I said ‘håper det smaker.’”
