Chapter Text
Asgard
Emma inspected her wrist where the ribbon once was. The ribbon that marked her and Elsa as suitable replacements for Ingrid’s sisters. She still couldn’t remember anything about her past with Ingrid, but when she had said that Emma had once loved her, she hadn’t lied. Her “superpower” told her that much.
Elsa and Kristoff never strayed far from Anna's bedside. The color was slowly coming back to her face and her breathing seemed to be less labored.
Thor watched quietly wondering how these strangers came across a hammer similar to his own.
Anna began to stir and let out a surprising giggle.
"Ooh... so strong..." she mumbled.
Kristoff blushed.
"Anna!" Elsa said smiling as she sat next to her on the mattress.
Anna's tired eyes began to open.
“What happened?” She groaned
Thor decided now was a good time to go and Loki reluctantly followed.
In the corridor Thor confronted Loki.
“What have you done?” he said pushing Loki into the wall.
“Really, brother, after all this time you still don’t trust me?” Loki responded.
“It is no coincidence, that cursed hammer bringing them here. What game are you playing?” Thor said pressing.
“No, no games. I had no part in this,” Loki said.
Thor slowly let Loki go and backed away.
“Well, I may have played some small part in this…” he conceded.
David sat down in the corner next to Emma.
“She’s really gone,” she said rubbing her wrist.
“I—I don’t know what happened. I reached for the hammer and the next thing I knew, we ended up here.” David said.
“It was Regina,” said Elsa. “I saw her… crush… Ingrid’s heart,” she said trembling.
Elsa squeezed Anna’s hand and left her with Kristoff.
“She was so desperate for our love. She wanted… control. She just wanted… to make things okay again… Are we really all that different?” she pondered aloud.
“She wanted to turn us into her sisters! She said we were a ‘perfect match’ whatever that means,” Emma said.
David gave her a quizzical look.
“Clearly, she was crazy. Doesn’t matter. We’re stuck here now,” Emma said standing up. “Wherever ‘here’ is.” She said waving her hand around.
“Asgard,” said David.
“Wait a minute. What?! I thought you said that wasn’t real?” Kristoff interjected.
“Asgard? Are you sure?” Emma said.
“Yeah, pretty sure. The real question is how did we get here?” David wondered.
“I may be able to help answer that,” Loki said stepping into the room.
Arendelle, A long time ago
Loki was interested in one thing and one thing only—returning to Asgard. If he had to pretend to care about the well-being of these mortals in the process, then so be it. He would play the role of a benevolent god. He just needed to bide his time.
He spent days pouring over books of magic from this realm. He was constantly frustrated by the lack of resources and magical knowledge of these mortals. As he flipped through another weighty tome, his mind wandered to thoughts of the Princess.
The Princess, Sonja, took far more interest in him than he would have preferred. She was always there, around every corner, hardly ever leaving him alone.
Shortly after his arrival, the Princess and Loki had walked arm in arm through the castle under the pretense of her giving Loki a tour.
"Tell me," he said once no one was around to hear, "are you really a Princess or are you merely play-acting."
The princess's painted smile faltered.
"Excuse me?"
"Oh please, this ‘Proper Princess’ act is as much a façade as the soldier I met back in the woods," he said.
A group of palace maids bowed to Sonja as they walked by. She smiled in kind acknowledgment.
Her face dropped as soon as they passed. She hoped they had not overheard their conversation. She turned her head to glare at Loki who was studying her. He admired her ability to deceive others, to cloak her true self behind this exuberant persona.
"What?" she demanded.
He looked at her pointedly.
"As Princess, I try to live up to the expectations of the people... and my father,” she added in as if it were an afterthought. “Certainly, you would know all about expectations, Your Highness?"
"Yes, well... I tend to fall short of everyone's expectations more often than not,” he spoke rather grimly.
"Well, you've exceeded mine," she said in earnest.
Loki looked bewildered.
"So far," she added with a shrug.
They continued with their stroll.
"Thank you," she said her voice quieter now, "for agreeing to help my people."
This she said with such sincerity that Loki questioned his resolve.
Loki dropped a dusty book on the table and leaned his head back in his seat, running his fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes and wondered what she was up to now.
…
At the moment, Sonja wore a simple cloak and trousers, looking nothing like a royal. Another disguise, Loki thought as he spied on her with his magic through her bedroom mirror. Her maid wore a worried expression.
“Sonja, now is not the time for you to be off on your own,” she pleaded. “Please –
“There’s nothing to worry about. I won’t be alone, after all, and if anyone asks about me, just tell them… I wasn’t feeling quite myself today.” She giggled at her joke as she hid her blond curls beneath her hood.
Though the official flower of Arendelle may be the golden crocus, Sonja's favorites were the red and white roses in the royal gardens. It was in the royal gardens, beneath the rose bushes, that Sonja first met Kai, who was carefully pruning the beautiful yet prickly blossoms. It was where she would meet him today.
Kai’s grandmother had been a gardener at the castle. When she started getting achy and slow in her old age, she brought her grandson to assist her on the grounds. They met there often. Kai, who was older by a few years, saw Sonja as the little sister he never had.
They went everywhere together, getting into trouble, earning scowls from palace staff. Until one day, Kai became a soldier in the royal army. He only recently became a captain after, one by one, the citizens of Arendelle began to disappear.
Sonja waited under the window near the bushes. She waited and waited as Loki’s projection looked on.
She was beginning to think he wouldn’t come when the Captain suddenly rounded the corner. She pounced on him excitedly, kissing his cheek not noticing his anxious expression.
Sonja grabbed his arm to pull him along as she started rattling off her long list of plans for the day.
“We can borrow a toboggan from-
“Sonja,“ he said.
“and if that doesn’t work we can always trade with-
“Sonja-
“- oh and of course we have to build a snowman!”
“Sonja!” he said and she finally looked at him. Really looked at him.
“What-? Why are you wearing your uniform?”
He sighed deeply, “Sonja, this is ridiculous. We can’t just sneak around like we did when we were younger. I have a responsibility, to this kingdom, your kingdom. And to your father, the King.”
“Ugh, don’t talk to me about my father,” she pulled away.
“You have a responsibility too,” he said stepping towards her. "Please, Sonja. If we play our hand correctly, think of what this new position could mean for us." He said tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
Sonja looked away.
"I know you think you can win his favor and respect, but trust me when I say, It's not possible." she shook her head.
"If only you would just, try a little harder with your responsibilities--"
Sonja groaned, "Heavens, you sound just like him.”
“Good.”
“It wasn’t meant as a compliment,” she sneered.
His face began to turn as red as his hair.
“I took an oath to protect the royal family, to protect you! I don't take that responsibility lightly. Your duty is to your people, not running around in your stupid little fantasy world," he said pinning her back against the stone wall of the castle.
Loki stood between them, unseen, unable to do much as he was still intangible. He was beginning to like this soldier less and less.
"And who says I need your protection?" She said drawing his sword on him.
He stepped away from her, hands in front of him.
She held the sword steadily between them before tossing his sword aside.
He went to go pick it up and she ran away so he couldn’t see her tears.
Loki smirked at the crestfallen captain and then vanished back to his quarters.
…
When Loki opened his eyes and he was back in his body in his room, his mind reeling from what he just saw. He braced himself against his desk and took some deep breaths.
Then something caught his eye. Looking at his work he saw the page the dusty old book had fallen open to. In particular, one of its illustrations set his mind racing. He skimmed the runes finding the information he needed. It seems as these books contain more than just useless facts after all he thought.
He got up and made his way to the library leaving the book, open to the page about rock trolls, behind.
Loki quickly skimmed the shelves of the library until he found what he was searching for. A map.
“There you are,” he whispered, thrusting his finger at a spot on the map. He rolled up the map and put it in his satchel with the rest of his supplies.
…
In the stables, Loki saddled himself a horse. As he led the horse around the corner, he stopped at the sound of her voice.
“And where do you think you’re going?” Sonja demanded.
Loki sighed. “Don’t you have something better to do rather than sneaking around your own castle?” he said.
“Sneaking? I’m not sneaking. If anything, you’re the one sneaking, and that horse doesn’t belong to you,” she said taking the reins.
“Planning on going for a ride then?” he said making a show of seeing her trousers and cloak for the pretended first time.
“Actually… yes.” She easily lied. “But I think I’d rather keep you company if you don’t mind.”
“By all means,” he said giving in.
...
In the woods, Sonja and Loki arrived in a large rocky clearing. Steam vents hissed from the ground and blanketing the forest in a thick haze.
“Hello?” Loki called out.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” Sonja whispered.
Slowly a boulder rolled over to them and the princess froze with dread. She trembled as it got nearer and nearer.
The little boulder sprung to life and with a giggle she said, “Papa, this is the tall dark man I was telling you about.”
Another boulder rolled to them. A young boy this time. “Can we keep them, Papa? Can we keep them?”
Sonja chuckled nervously. They were not being serious, were they? These were nothing like the child-snatching trolls she heard stories of when she was a child. Those were nurses’ tales meant to keep children in bed at night, nothing for her, a grown woman, she reminded herself, to worry about.
“We’re here to treat with your elders,” Loki said getting straight to business.
A heftier boulder rolled up to them next. When it came to life it had a far more elaborate necklace and a cloak of moss.
“My name is Lo—”
“I do not wish to hear what I am sure is a very well thought out lie, God of Lies,” the elder troll interrupted. “Come here so that I may get a good look at you,” he gestured.
Loki knelt down so they were at the same level.
Grand Pabbie placed his rocky hand on Loki’s face and began sifting through Loki’s memories.
Caught off guard, Loki tried to steer the troll’s journey through his mind through some of his least embarrassing moments. Once he felt like he had some modicum of control, Loki pushed back, looking for confirmation of what the book already told him. He saw something, falling from the heavens, a younger version of Grand Pabbie rolled closer. It was dark and it was glowing blue… but before he could get any closer, the connection was lost.
Despite the cold, Loki was sweating. Sonja was by his side holding his shoulder. Loki slowed his breath.
“What did you do to him?!” she exclaimed.
Grand Pabbie sighed, “It would wise of you, Princess, to not get between the dealings of so-called gods and kings. You will not like where it leads you,” he stressed. “I see much pain in your future,” as he spoke magic flickered between them showing them glimpses of the future, “constantly torn between duty and love. The decisions you make now will determine the fate of Arendelle. Indeed, your journey has already begun.
“As for you,” he said addressing Loki, “I have what you seek and… I will give it to you.” He said nodding slowly.
Loki’s eyes asked him why he would ever do something like that after seeing what he saw.
“There will be a price to pay,” Grand Pabbie continued.
Sonja looked from Loki to the elder troll. “The royal coffers have plenty. I can pay whatever the price –”
“No. It is not your price to pay.” He said cutting her off, “And it will not be owed to me… a sorcerer knows, magic always comes with a price.
“Loki, the Fallen Prince of Asgard, you will have a choice to make. Your destiny awaits you and I am afraid nothing that happens now will change your future.”
Hidden behind a coat of moss, under his necklace Grand Pabbie removes a crystal that is unlike any other in his collection. It glows the deepest color of blue, an otherworldly sapphire. Loki places it in a small pouch and straps it to his belt.
“When you can no longer see a future, all you can do is the next right thing.”
Asgard
Over dinner Loki told his tale. There was no raucous laughter usually accompanied by tales over the evening meal. Only a stillness, as friends and strangers listened intently.
“When I was younger, I made many reckless and wild decisions. One of which, was the decision to marry a well-regarded warrior’s betrothed. We were in love, or so I thought, and our families would not bless the union. So, I made plans to have her betrothed sent away to the front lines. I did not think she would mind or that he would have ever returned. I used magic to assume his identity and had the All-Father bless the union.”
“What does this have to do with-?” David asked.
“Let him continue,” Thor bade.
Loki took a deep breath then went on, “Immediately following the wedding, my plot was revealed. The marriage was annulled, and I was cast out of Asgard. Banished to a world we call ‘Midgard’ where I was taken in by the kingdom of Arendelle.” He looked at Anna.
“I knew you must be from Arendelle the moment I saw you wielding that hammer,” Loki said.
“Mr. Gold said that it was forged by a dark sorcerer long ago and that only a royal from Arendelle could harness its power,” she whispered not so quietly to Elsa.
“I made the hammer,” Loki conceded "and I used dark magic to do it."
Arendelle
Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer, was forged in the heart of a dying star by the Dwarves of Nidavellir. It was made from the strongest metal in all the universe. Its powers were numerous. He knew of no other weapon in the nine realms that could compete. The hammer Loki would be forging for the King of Arendelle, would be nothing like that.
Loki hoped that if he could imbue the hammer with enough magic, he could navigate the branches of the Yggdrasill back to Asgard and make things right. The magic from the fallen piece of celestial rock could in no way compare to forging a weapon in the heart of a dying star but still, it would not easily be defeated. Loki, however, was not prepared to rely on the power of the crystal alone. Loki weaved a powerful curse into the weapon along with the blood he had acquired from the King. In the final steps, Loki melded the magic crystal into the hammer.
"Storm-Breaker, whatever should I do without you," he smirked.
...
“My lady, you’ve returned!" Sonja's maid said with, what Sonja though was a little too much enthusiasm as she entered her room.
"I was worried when they said the Captain was missing.”
“Kai? What do you mean 'missing'?” Sonja asked.
“Oh, I don’t know. I just thought that meant he was out with you.”
“I haven’t spoken to him since this morning in the gardens. He wasn’t – we didn’t spend the day together as planned. I’ve been with Loki.”
"But if he hasn’t returned with you then, does that mean, he really is missing?"
...
Outside the snow flurried and waves crashed. Kai’s walked toward someone or something eyes glazed over as if in a trance.
The wind whipped around Kai's face with icy needles from the ocean's spray.
"Are you cold?" said the most beautiful voice Kai ever heard, like that of an angel.
He nodded dumbly.
Her plump lips barely touched his but his heart seized up and he thought he might have died and gone to Heaven. Suddenly, he no longer noticed the cold.
"My Lady, you shouldn't be out here it's too dangerous --"
She cut him off with another kiss, this one more passionate. And with that, he forgot the danger, he forgot his duty, and forgot even his love for Sonja.