Chapter 22

"I was told you have a nephew. When I first heard the news I thought it was only a silly story. I can't imagine Loki as a father," the brunette chambermaid told Thor, "My apologies. I meant no offense," she added as the redheaded chambermaid slipped away unnoticed towards the doorway of the bedchambers.

"None taken," Thor responded with a reassuring smile, "I admit I was astonished at how well he's taken to it myself, though you would think nothing would surprise me where my brother is concerned. I've been assisting him in keeping watch over Vanar while he attends to other obligations."

"Everything must seem so strange to him. What is he like?" the chambermaid inquired curiously.

"In appearance he very much resembles his father when he was that age. His disposition is more pleasant, less…stabby? Is that a word or did I make that up?" asked Thor.

"All words are made up," the brunette answered.

"That's true. I'd never thought of it that way," Thor responded with a grin as he tossed Mjolnir, the hammer spinning in the air before falling back into his grip.

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"I have to know," the real Boda told Loki.

"What is it you need to know?"

"If I truly cared for him...or if it was only your spell."

Loki's expression became somber as he bowed his head.

"I didn't know what to do. I was afraid for you."

"You were afraid for yourself. You viewed me as a possession another might take from you, like a toy you could place on a shelf until you found yourself in the mood to play with it."

"I was…I did....but I was concerned for you as well," Loki explained, pausing as he attempted to think of a way to coax Boda to end the memory, "We'll leave Asgard, take Vanar and relocate elsewhere until Dario has been apprehended…we can seek refuge in Alfheim. The mountains are lovely. We'll be safe, Vanar will be safe there."

"You believed we'd be safe here. No where's safe. No where has ever been safe, not for me," Boda said, silent for a moment, "There was a snowstorm…it was exactly a month to the day after you left, March 29th. it was unusual for that time of year, even for Boston, like when it rained that time you visited me in California. Everything closed down. He didn't live too far from the tavern. He walked there to check on me. He had lost power like many...a man was electrocuted by a downed line. There was no way to know how long it might be out. He didn't have heat. I was lucky that mine was still working so I insisted he stay the night. We drank more of the wine…we danced as you and I did..." Boda paused, leaving the rest of the evening's events unspoken, "The night he was murdered...my memories hadn't yet been altered. If Will had lived maybe they wouldn't have been...I had just learned the day before...I was anxious...I broke three mugs…spilled drinks…he had to have noticed I wasn't myself. After everyone had left I was going to tell him everything...about Vanar, I didn't have a choice, eventually I wouldn't be able to hide it...about Asgard...who...what I really was. I didn't know what to do. I had heard the stories as a child of the few such children born long ago that had been brought to Asgard. He would be taken from me...from us."

Loki, still holding both of Boda's hands, turned his head to look over his shoulder as the last two patrons paid their tab, Boda's double ringing them up at the register, taking their money and returning their change, thanking them as they turned to walk to the door. She glanced at the clock on the wall near the bar appearing troubled before walking through the swinging door, reappearing moments later with a bin, making her way around the tavern collecting empty mugs and glasses from tables. Just as it had in Boda's car, Freddie Mercury's voice resounded through the much larger speakers.

"It started off so well. They said we made a perfect pair. I clothed myself in your glory and your love. How I loved you. How I cried. The years of care and loyalty were nothing but a sham it seems…" Mercury sadly sang.

"I'm sorry....I'm sorry for everything that's happened to you, what happened to him," said Loki.

"The first time he came in...he was walking by the tavern on his way home when he heard the music…his favorite song...he'd be in New York now, he'd be performing on Broadway, I'm sure of it."

"His murderers paid the price for their crime. You saw to that. He's in Valhalla. No one can harm him there...Boda...let's go," Loki said, making one last attempt to persuade her to leave.

"Save me! Save me! Save me! I can't face this life alone. Save me! Save me! Save me! I'm naked and I'm far from home," Mercury pleaded in his powerful voice.

Returning to the bar, Boda's double sat the bin onto the bar, checking the clock on the wall once again, turning to face the door, a look of uncertainty and fear on her face before walking to the stereo, stopping the tape and turning it off, looking once again at the door. The real Boda looked past Loki at her double.

Boda rose, Loki rising as well from where he kneeled before her as Boda's double vanished, the tavern again empty and silent for a moment before Boda's double reappeared on her knees on the floor a few feet from the tavern's door holding the battered and bloody body of Will, his coat torn and blood stained, a squished candy bar lying on the floor nearby, his blood also staining her blouse, the scene frozen like a paused video.

The true Boda stepped past Loki, approaching her double, standing behind her, looking down at Will before disappearing, the scene continuing as if someone had pushed play.

"Your…chocolate…where is it…I…I just…I just…had it…" Will's weak voice mumbled haltingly and shakily as he shivered, "I…I wouldn't…wouldn't let them…take it…"

"I have it. Thank you. It's all right. They'll be here soon. Hold on just a bit longer, ok?" Boda said to him in a quavering voice, tears rolling down her cheeks as she heard the sound of sirens in the distance, growing louder.

"Why are…are you…crying? I've never…never seen…you cry," Will struggled to ask, disoriented.

"You've never given me a reason to," Boda answered, attempting to smile through her tears.

"I'm so tired...I think...I'll take...take a nap," Will said as his eyelids began to close, the trembling of his body subsiding.

"No...you can't...don't...Will…don't go…don't leave me too…" Boda pleaded, rocking him in her arms, "Will!" Boda cried out.

Loki, who stood near the table a few feet away witnessing the proceedings with a dark, grieved expression, turned away to face the far wall as the sound of sirens blared outside before cutting off, the lights of police vehicles and an ambulance reflecting off the walls through the windows,

"I love you," Boda said softly, "I did love you."

The lights of the vehicles outside vanished as Loki remained standing staring at the wall, struggling to contain his emotions, not only due to Boda's grief, but also the feeling that Midgardians would describe as someone having walked over their grave. Sensing a hand gently place itself on his shoulder he turned to face Boda, wordlessly pulling her to him, wrapping one arm around her tightly, placing the other to the back of her head, caressing the silky strands of her honey blond hair as she wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder, their silence saying more than words.

Loki released her, taking her hand, Boda leading Loki towards the door, opening it and stepping through, Loki trailing her.

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Loki unexpectedly found himself surrounded by darkness before realizing that his eyes were closed. Opening them he found himself standing before a large stone double sink, one side filled with soapy water, clear water running out of a bronze arched faucet into the adjoining sink, his hands in the soapy side under the water, gripping a sponge with his right, a gold rimmed plate in his left.

"Boda…?" Loki said aloud, puzzled by the sound of his child-like voice.

"What about Boda? I'm sure she's at home breaking dishes instead of washing them," a voice Loki recognized from his memories of long ago spoke, Loki turning his head to see a towheaded young Thor appearing to be around the age of a mortal ten year old standing beside him, he then noticing the diminished size of his own hands.

"Thor?" Loki said, his child's face expressing his confusion.

"What's wrong with you, brother? Did you sneak some of father's wine again? Hurry up! I don't wish to stand here all night!"

The child Loki, seemingly in shock, raised the plate from the water, holding it out to Thor who held a towel in his hand.

"You have to rinse it first! You missed a spot," the child Thor said, pointing with his free hand at a remnant of food stuck to the plate.

"You haven't finished?" Loki heard Frigga's voice behind him as she entered the washroom of the palace's kitchens.

"Loki's playing the fool, as usual," Thor said in annoyance.

"I'm not a fool! I'm smarter than you!" Loki bristled.

"I didn't call you a fool. I said you're acting like one, but if you act like one most of the time, wouldn't that make you one?" Thor replied.

"You act like a horse's ass often enough that you smell like one," Loki insulted his brother, Thor punching Loki in the bicep, "Ow! You almost made me drop it, you dolt!" Loki whined.

"Boys! Enough squabbling. It's your own time you're wasting," Frigga admonished, Loki scrubbing the plate clean with the sponge then rinsing it under the flowing water before handing it over to Thor who dried it, placing it with other plates, dishes and utensils on a large rack, "Loki," Frigga said in a motherly voice.

"What, mother? There's only a few more," Loki replied in a tone of annoyance.

"Look at me please when I'm speaking to you," Frigga said, Loki turning from the sink to look up at his mother.

Frigga stood with a long knife in her hand, thrusting it into Loki's abdomen, leaving the hilt protruding from his midsection. Loki, in shock, wrapped his hands around the hilt before looking up at Frigga in pain and confusion.

"Mother?" Loki managed to say before sinking to his knees, his hands still wrapped around the handle of the knife, his vision going dark.

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Thor, an eight year old child, traipsed through a field dotted with small yellow flowers as birds twittered and swooped above, coming to a halt as he spotted a serpent sunning itself in the grass. Stepping forward slowly and cautiously he gazed down at it admiringly.

"Hello…what do we have here?" Thor said, reaching down to grasp the snake behind its head as it transformed into a child Loki lying supine, grinning mischievously up at him.

"Hah! It's me!" Loki exclaimed with unabashed glee, thrusting his arm upwards before realizing he held only empty air instead of his small dagger.

A sword appeared in Thor's hand. Gripping its hilt with both, he stabbed the blade through Loki's abdomen leaving Loki impaled, pinned to the ground.

"Brother…" Loki gasped as Thor turned and walked away without a word, all going dark once again.

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Loki opened his eyes as if he had blinked, finding himself a small child around Vanar's age lying prone under a bed appearing frightened, the room pitch dark, clutching a black stuffed toy rabbit.

"They won't find us here, Heri," Loki whispered to the rabbit, pausing as if listening to it speaking to him, "No, I don't think so. Quiet! We don't want them to hear us," he hissed.

Loki cried out as he suddenly felt a large, ice cold hand wrap itself around his ankle as he slid backwards, releasing Heri to claw at the stone floor as he was wrenched from under the bed, finding himself dangling upside down in the grip of a frost giant as he screamed in terror.

The Jotun sneered menacingly as he formed an ice sword with his free arm, thrusting it through the shrieking Loki's small body.

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Loki stood motionless in the common room of the palace, his eyes closed as if asleep on his feet, his eyes moving slightly under his eyelids as if dreaming. Boda gazed at him dolefully, caressing his cheek silently for a moment before kissing him softly.

"Devil and the deep blue sea behind me. Vanish in the air you'll never find me," Boda said softly.

Taking one last look at the God of Mischief as if attempting to sear his image into her memory, she turned from him and made her way to the door, an illusionary image of Loki appearing behind her.

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Boda entered Loki's chambers, the illusion of Loki following her, to see Thor standing on the balcony with the brunette chambermaid, their backs to her as Thor hurled Mjolnir far out over Asgard, stretching his arm out, his hand open, awaiting its return.

Scanning the room and seeing no sign of Vanar, Boda dissolved the illusionary Loki before moving swiftly and silently to the doorway leading to both Loki and Vanar's bedchambers, unnoticed by the distracted Thor and the chambermaid for whom he was vaingloriously showing off.