Chapter Text
Loki sat in his room, sketching the horses that were out at his window, animals that were rarely seen so far into Jotunnheim. They were there as a result of the war between the kingdom of Asgard and his own kingdom, a war that his father had lost miserably and was now meeting with the Aesir king, Odin, to discuss a form of treaty. Loki truly did not care for the warring ways of the people around him. It was none of his concern, being the youngest of King Laufey and a half bred runt meant that he was enclosed in the castle at all times and was vastly smaller than the other Jotuns around him. He really didn’t care.
“Brother!” Helbindi, the eldest of Laufey’s sons called from outside Loki’s door.
“What is it, Helbindi?” he answered, closing is sketchbook and going to open the door.
“Father wishes to see you.” Helbindi replied, leaning on the doorframe and looming over his younger sibling.
Loki made his way to the throne room as quickly as he possibly could, not sure of what Laufey could possibly want him for. He was nervous, he had never been summoned by his father before, it confused him and fascinated him at the same time. As soon as he got to the throne room his mood changed to one of fear, as he saw Odin and his men staring at him.
“Ah, Loki, there you are.” His father said, stretching his arm out to his son.
Loki approached him, confused as Laufey put his arm around him in a true hug.
“What is this father? Why have you summoned me?” Loki asked, timidly as Odin scrutinized him.
“We are working out the terms of the peace treaty, son.” Laufey said.
“Yes, I see that, but why have you called me here? What would you need me for?” Loki asked again, looking around at all the men that came with Odin, thinking how they could easily overpower his father’s men if they tried.
Laufey ignored his son’s question, letting go of the boy and turning towards Odin. The Aesir king looked at the Jotunn with fearlessness, then looked at his son with a scrutinizing look, once again.
“How old are you, boy?” Odin asked, firmly, staring at Loki in n almost inappropriate manner.
“Fifteen. Is it any of your business?” the boy replied in an almost offensive manner.
“It would benefit you to speak to me kindly, as your father has just given you to Asgard as a peace offering.” The old king said, stiffly.
Loki was taken aback, he looked at Laufey in shock and fright. The king didn’t even acknowledge his son any further, he stared straight ahead with an emotionless look on his face. “Father, you cannot do this! This is madness!” he said, almost too broken to speak.
Loki looked at his eldest brother for an answer, but Helbindi merely said:
“It is the only way to ensure peace, brother, surely you understand.”
The carriage ride back to Asgard was not pleasant, the deathly silence of it made it quite unbearable, and awkward. Loki was allowed nothing of Jottunnheim to carry with him to his new home, he was stripped of his Native clothes and given the garments of the kingdom of Asgard to wear. Odin sat quietly opposite the silent prince, without even so much as looking at the boy.
“Now that you have bought me, what shall you do with me?” Loki asked, acid in his voice as he looked at the king.
“You could just kill me, you know… save your citizens from the trouble of trying to, you know what will take place as soon as I step foot in Asgard and they see that I am different.”
But Odin did not respond. He kept his gaze away from the boy and had him bound and gagged, to keep him from trying to run away. The restraints put on his hands were uncomfortable, and Loki tried his hardest to get out of them. He thought of his home, the fortress of ice and snow that he was born in, his father and brothers, how much he would miss them. He then thought what was to become of him as soon as he got to Asgard. Was he to become a slave? That was the only thing he could think of them doing to him. Perhaps they would kill him immediately and continue the war in Jotunnheim, or just inflict pain upon him, either way, the result would not be good on his part.
When they got to the golden city, Loki wanted to die. He feared for his life at this point, sure that Odin wanted to kill him in front of all the citizens as an example, most likely slowly, and painfully. He tugged on the restraints in a vain attempt to escape the judgment that would most likely be to befall him in the walls of Odin’s castle.
“You may unbind him.” Odin said, as soon as they were inside the castle walls.
The men walking with them took off all of Loki’s restraints and left the room, soon it was only the Jotunn and Odin in the room. Loki had a great mind to run.
“If you try to escape I will strike you down, do not doubt that, Jotunn.” The old king said.
“Why have you brought me here? Surely taking a general or admiral of the army would have made a better example of your strength than taking a runt.” Loki responded.
“I did not take you to make an example, boy. I took you to make peace.” Odin replied.
“How? I do not see how taking me would make any sort of peace in either territory.” Loki responded.
“The treaty was that our two kingdoms would remain in peace as long as there was Jotunn blood in my royal court.” Odin said.
“So what am I to be, your royal advisor, a jester? I fail to see what a mere child can do in such a court as yours, King.” Loki said.
“You can be consort to the prince, Loki.” Odin replied.
“I am giving you to my son.”