Chapter Text
Laufey watched sadly as Loki picked at his breakfast. Farbauti had told him that Loki had been told the truth. Making up his mind, he plucked Loki, who was entirely too skinny, even considering his age and status as a mage, and placed him on his lap.
If the boy wouldn’t eat on his own, Laufey would do it for him. Loki protested loudly, trying to escape Laufey’s grip.
“Stop wriggling, child. You may not be ready to accept your heritage, but I will get you to a healthy weight. Eat. You will find our food far more palatable than you surely did Aesir food.
Loki protested but finally grabbed some of the food.
Laufey was pleased to see his child seemed to enjoy it greatly. The Aesir were a close enough species, but their food preparation left much to be desired to a Jotun. Their food was painfully overcooked and they used far too much seasoning.
It horrified him in so many ways that his son was raised on Asgard. Even before tensions rose, Jotnar rarely visited Asgard. Between the dry heat and the unpalatable food…
It infuriated him. Loki wouldn’t have understood why he was so different from the Aesir around him but Odin would’ve known. He had not only stolen Loki, but clearly hadn’t ensured his needs were met, had made him feel like an outcast, had forced him to be an adult. Not to mention the trauma of having been forced into an altered form for so long.
Loki was, in fact, a perfectly normal Jotun child for his age, aside from being severely malnourished. And the Aesir had mocked him for it, for his gifts.
“I’m not a baby.” Loki groused indignantly.
Laufey looked at him, amused. “No, you are just a severely malnourished young child. Byleist weighs more than you and he’s 2 centuries younger. A youngling your age should still have their baby fat. You look like a good gust could knock you over.”
Now Loki turned around, looking highly offended. “Excuse you, I am well within a healthy weight.”
“For an Aesir, maybe.” Laufey snarled. “The Aesir have always been a very vain species. However regardless, you are not Aesir. And at a minimum, Odin knew this. Fat is critical to our species growth, unlike the Aesir. And growth aside, our planet requires us to have a bit of fat reserves so we can live comfortably. Now, eat. You wish to be treated more maturely? Start taking care of your basic needs. Aesir ideals have no place here and while I respect that you’re adjusting, that doesn’t mean I will let you allow your health to suffer. If I have to force feed you, I will. Farbauti will back me on that.”
Loki refused to look him in the eyes.
“Loki…” He sighed. “You are Jotun. Whether you like or accept that fact. Our dietary needs are very different. We eat very few plants, most of our diet comes from meat. We are a carnivorous species. Accept your birthplace or don’t but this is what your body requires. I am not asking you to accept our kind or our family until you’re ready. I am merely asking you to take care of your health.”
Fortunately, Loki started eating again.
-0-0-0-0-
Loki brought out the Casket after dinner.
Laufey stood next to him. “You don’t have to do this, you know. It was merely the excuse I used to get you here so we could find out if you were indeed ours.”
Loki looked very much his age suddenly. “I need the distraction.” He admitted.
Laufey squeezed his son’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, Loki. If things had been different…” He choked up at that. “This is your home. Where you belong. We aren’t the evil creatures you’ve been raised to believe. If I’d had any idea that Odin would be so callous as to steal our child to use as a bargaining chip… Odin was always a right bastard, but I didn’t think for a moment that he’d stoop that low.”
“Why?” Loki finally asked. “Why would you intentionally start a war by attacking Midgard with a newborn at home?”
Laufey’s eyebrows shot up at that. “Is that what the Aesir taught you? We did not attack Midgard, nor did we start the war. The All-Father was on a quest to conquer the 9. Midgard reached out to us for help. Our armies were the only one with a hope of stopping Odin’s forces. Also, you were hardly a newborn. A baby, yes, but already a talented Seidrmadr, a prodigy. You were hardly helpless. We left you in our most sacred temple, fully believing it would keep you safe. As well as the Seidrmadrs protecting the temple. Odin slaughtered them all. The Aesir were never even supposed to reach Jotunheim. When we retreated, we never expected Odin to follow.”
“F… Odin told us you used the Casket to freeze Tonsberg and that’s why he took the casket.”
Laufey forced himself not to flinch at the slip. “We did use the Casket. And that’s where the battle took place. The only ones the casket was used against, however, were the Aesir.” They reached the temple entrance. “This is where we will start. Our legends state this is where the Jotnar were first born. It is the original home to the Casket from which our powers originate.”
---Loki---
As they entered the temple, Loki looked around. It was pretty standard for a temple, to include an altar with raised edges, which had a stone tablet in front of it. Loki let out a gasp as he approached the altar, noticing the large pool of blood upon it. “Is that…?”
“Yes.” Laufey came up behind him. “That is where we believed Odin murdered you.” He waved at the stone tablet.
‘The final place of Crown Prince Loki Laufeyjarson. Forever in our hearts and memories. May the Gods bless you. Let hope never be forgotten and love never be lost.’
Loki traced the tablet, pale. They had mourned him. The people of Jotunheim had been here, prayed for him. The stone just in front of the tablet had been worn down from a millenia and a half of the Jotnar coming to mourn for him.