An Unexpected Gift

Frigga watched as the grey clouds swirled in the sky as she stood by her window, her mind occupied by thoughts that had been plaguing her mind for many years now. This war with the Jötnar had taken its toll on all, both warriors and civilians alike, and it was likely to leave a scar in both their histories.

The sky had not let the sun shine or the stars and moon's light glow down upon the mighty kingdom of Asgard since her husband's departure some weeks before, leaving its people to live in shadow. Thor, her one and only child of all but seventeen name days, was beginning to grow restless, the sky's constant bombardments causing many a sleepless night.

Luckily, this night was not set to be one of those nights, the clouds not dark enough to carry the weight of lightening. Its calmness was something that had not been seen for some time, and spoke of the King's return.

Suddenly, Frigga's thoughts were interrupted by the distant hum of the one thing she thought she would never hear again; the opening of the Bifrost.

At last, her husband was returning to her, for if it were not he, then the skys would have been mourning his loss.

Walking swiftly into the throne room, the Queen of Asgard awaited her King's arrival in trepidation, her thoughts wondering over what wounds he might have obtained since the last time she had set eyes upon him, the memory of the scars that now cut his body still fresh in her mind.

As the time passed, her nerves and fears grew, and she was beginning to fear that he had suffered some major injury when at long last the doors swung open.

"King Odin Borrson, All-father and defender of the nine realms!" a squire cried as a familiar figure entered.

It took everything Frigga possessed not to run, as she could see the crowd that had gathered in the hall as the doors began to close again, dignity and expectations holding her to remain calm and collected. It was only once they were shut and the two of them were hidden from the world that she was able to speed her way to his side.

"My husband! Are you scathed?" she asked, looking up into his… "What ill has befallen you to cause this loss?"

Odin gave her a small smile, his one remaining eye glistening at her care, the other now replaced by a gaping hole, "It is of no matter. The one who caused it lies dead by my hand, but I fear that there is naught that can be done."

Frigga could feel tears beginning to form in her eyes as she reached up to caress his cheek. "Oh Odin…"

The All-father placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort, but his other remained hidden beneath his cloak. "Do not fret, Frigga, it does not ail me. And I bring gladder tidings!" He pulled his arm from his cloak to reveal…

"A child?"

Taking a step back, she examined the bundle that was being held out to her.

It contained the smallest babe she had ever seen, a tuft of dark hair atop its head and bright green eyes that were filled with innocent curiosity, immediately dissipating the idea that her husband had been unfaithful, as his children only bore his eyes and his once golden hair. When those emerald orbs landed on her, she was rewarded with a toothless smile.

Pulling it into her arms, she let the infant tug at her hair, though it was gently, unlike her son who seemed more intent on taking some rather than examining it, as this one was doing.

"I found him, abandoned in the temple. One of my soldiers killed the Jötunn that had been poised to kill the child. If we had been a moment later…"

Frigga stared at her husband a shiver running through her body. Who would want to kill such an innocent thing? And then realisation struck her, "But that would make him a-"

"A Frost Giant, yes."

They remained in silence for a few moments, but then the babe gurgled as he tried to stuff his fist into his mouth, and she couldn't help but smile. What was it about the child that his own kind cast him out? What was so wrong?

"Why is it that he bears not the colour or the markings of a Jötunn?" she asked, moving her finger over the soft skin of the child's arm.

Odin frowned, "That is, indeed, a mystery. Almost as soon as I held him in my hands, his complexion changed to that of an Æsir. It was not of my own doing."

Taking his head in her hand, Frigga reached out to the branches of Yggdrasil and searched the boy's soul.

Her eyes grew wide.

So it was not disgust, but fear!

"This child is imbued with such powerful natural magics!" she gasped, "He will be a great enchanter. One that could match even the elves. Perhaps more so if his gifts were to be properly nurtured."

Odin looked troubled by this news. No doubt he was worried of the threat he had unknowingly brought into his home. Or maybe it was just the fact that magic was reserved for women, considered to be tricks and delicate.

In other words, too difficult for a man to grasp the concept of.

Frigga's eyes narrowed. "What was the purpose of bringing him here?" she asked, "There must be a reason."

The King of Asgard squirmed like a schoolboy under her gaze. "The child is the offspring of Laufey, the King of the Jötnar. It was clear by the marks he wore. I was hoping-"

"You were hoping to use him to unite our realms," she finished for him, nodding slightly at his logic, flawed though it was, "Had you considered the fact that he had been sat under a knife?"

The All-father looked confused.

"If he was left to die, no matter his parentage, would he not be deemed unworthy by his own people? He will not be the tool used to hold peace between our realms," she continued, "Does your purpose for this child sound of folly now? Is his purposelessness enough reason for you to end his life before it has even begun?"

"Frigga, please-"

"Tell me, Borrson, what did you intend to do with the boy other than use him?" she asked, her voice beginning to rise.

Her husband remained silent, though some of it was due to the shock of her using his last name. She never did that. Not in the entire time that he had known her. And that was why she did now. It held an unspoken power over him, and she was going to use it to make him listen.

"You disappoint me, husband," she said, looking back down at the child who had taken a firm grasp on her forefinger. He seemed oblivious to the whole ordeal, and smiled up at her, chewing on her knuckle. "Due to your thoughtlessness, you have brought another child into this household. As it was you who decided to spare his life, it shall be your, and therefore my, responsibility. Therefore, he will be regarded as your own son."

"But-"

"No! He was a prince on Jötunheimr and so he shall be on Asgard. He will be his brother's equal and you will treat him as such. He will not receive any more or any less attention than Thor, and if I discover that you are not treating him as your own flesh and blood, you will rue the day you named me your wife!"

Odin was dumbstruck. Just as she'd never called him 'Borrson', Frigga had never stood against him. And it frightened him.

Glancing at her husband's wounded eye, the Queen of Asgard, who had truly lived up to her name, gave him a soft smile, ignoring the pang of pain she felt. He did not deserve her pity. At least, not now. A smile that could freeze ever the blood of a Frost Giant.

"Have the healers seen to your injury, my dear husband?" she asked, her voice so sweet it made him cringe.

Bowing, he began his hasty retreat towards the healing room. "I shall see you in our quarters?"

"I do not believe you will tonight," Frigga replied, smiling down at the babe who hadn't ceased sucking on her finger, "My son and I need to be better acquainted. Is that not so, Loki?"

AN - Okay, so I've finally given in to those incessant nibbles of the many, MANY plot bunnies that have been hopping around in my head, preventing me to write ANYTHING else, so hopefully I'll be able to get my mind back from their... admitted cute and fluffy clutches.

A big thanks to Unleashed Mischief for getting me to finally start this! And an AMAZING back story (You know what I'm talking about Kez).

And today, my backing track for my new story is K.I.L.L. by Nick Murray & Mark Moore (the backing music to the Looper trailer)

I hope you guys enjoyed this first chapter! And hopefully the next one won't be too far around the corner. Just keep nudging those bunnies and I'm sure an update will appear within the week!

Hope my first Thor-fic didn't disappoint!

AN2 – And almost 3 years after I first started this story, I finally have a cover! Thank you so much CaptBexx for letting me use your Thor and Loki art! (find her on Deviantart, she's amazing!)