Thor fic rec: What Once Was Lost Returned, by demonqueen666 (Teen)
Title:What Once Was Lost Returned
Author: demonqueen666
Fandom: Thor
Continuity: Movie + Norse mythology
Characters/Pairings: Loki, Thor, Sif, Laufey, Helblindi, Býleistr, Angrboða, Frigga, Odin, Warriors Three, Thrym, Heimdall; Loki/Angerboda
Length: 74,057 words
Warnings: None.
Spoilers: None.
Why this must be read/seen: This story explores what if, during the attack in Jotunheim, the Frost Giants had also realised Loki was one of them, and brought him back to Laufey as a rescued Prince, once stolen away by the Aesir. And so, what if Loki had to come to term with his heritage right there, in direct confrontation with the people he considers monsters. The result is a long character driven plotty fic that develops all the Jotun characters and their culture in a marvellous way. What especially makes it work, I think, is that it isn't particularly forgiving with any one, be it the Aesir or the Jotun, Laufey or Odin, or Loki for that matter. Everyone has some pretty blatant flaws that are not glossed over. It deals with the culture clashes and mutual misunderstandings in ways that are very interesting, and allow Loki to grow in way he often cannot in other configurations.
Loki’s mind refused to make sense of it, at first. “I don’t understand,” he said nervously, feeble.
Laufey made a sound that was somewhere between an impatient scoff and a sigh.
“You are not Odin’s son. You are mine, taken when you were an infant, disguised as something you were not, passed off as one of the Aesir. Do you understand now?”
Loki stared up at him. “That. That can’t be. It isn’t true.”
He thought to when that Jotun had seized him and his hand changed. When he had woken from a stupor to find the Frost Giants surrounding him, declaring him one of their own.
It can’t be.
He couldn’t be one of them. He was Loki Odinson, second born to the line of Asgard. He couldn’t be a monster.
“No?” Laufey pointed. “Look at yourself, princeling. How do you explain it?”
Loki folded his arms. Though in truth, he was hugging himself.
“This is a trick. You’ve placed a curse on me of some kind,” he insisted, his voice cracking. “I can’t be a…you’re lying.”
Laufey’s eyes narrowed. “You really think that is so? More likely than that you’ve been lied to all your life already?” he demanded, impatient. “Can you really tell me there has never been anything about yourself that hasn’t fit? That in all your time among the Aesir, you have never wondered, never questioned, never found anything that has made you thought you did not belong?”
“Stop!” Loki pressed his hands over his ears. “Stop, please. Why can’t you leave me alone?” Dropping his hands he looked up again, pleadingly. “I want to leave. Can’t you please let me go home?”
“You are home,” Laufey stated, resolute. “You’re back where you belong.”
He gestured toward the other two Jotun in the room. “Meet your youngers; my other sons, Helblindi and Býleistr.”
Loki shrank in on himself, eyes wide. His “little” brothers were at least twice as tall as he was, and one of them looked like an ogre.
The craggy one waved, grinning with its horrible teeth at him. The other, a clear double for Laufey, merely bowed its head with a heated gaze.
“If you need anything,” Laufey continued, “they will see to you.”
Considering the matter settled he strode out of the room without another word.
There was silence for a moment in the wake of the king’s exit. Loki’s head was reeling. He barely noticed that the other two were still watching him.
The tall thin one muttered something.
“That isn’t kind, Helblindi,” the second said reprovingly. “I’m certain elder brother is just tired.” He turned to look at Loki, beaming cheerily. “Is there anything we can do for you, brother?”
Brother! To these monstrosities. Loki almost choked out a sob.
“Go away. Get away from me, the both of you!”
Grabbing the blankets he wrapped them around himself, covering his face. He curled up on his side in despair.
He whimpered, “Just leave me alone.”
What Once Was Lost Returned
Author: demonqueen666
Fandom: Thor
Continuity: Movie + Norse mythology
Characters/Pairings: Loki, Thor, Sif, Laufey, Helblindi, Býleistr, Angrboða, Frigga, Odin, Warriors Three, Thrym, Heimdall; Loki/Angerboda
Length: 74,057 words
Warnings: None.
Spoilers: None.
Why this must be read/seen: This story explores what if, during the attack in Jotunheim, the Frost Giants had also realised Loki was one of them, and brought him back to Laufey as a rescued Prince, once stolen away by the Aesir. And so, what if Loki had to come to term with his heritage right there, in direct confrontation with the people he considers monsters. The result is a long character driven plotty fic that develops all the Jotun characters and their culture in a marvellous way. What especially makes it work, I think, is that it isn't particularly forgiving with any one, be it the Aesir or the Jotun, Laufey or Odin, or Loki for that matter. Everyone has some pretty blatant flaws that are not glossed over. It deals with the culture clashes and mutual misunderstandings in ways that are very interesting, and allow Loki to grow in way he often cannot in other configurations.
Loki’s mind refused to make sense of it, at first. “I don’t understand,” he said nervously, feeble.
Laufey made a sound that was somewhere between an impatient scoff and a sigh.
“You are not Odin’s son. You are mine, taken when you were an infant, disguised as something you were not, passed off as one of the Aesir. Do you understand now?”
Loki stared up at him. “That. That can’t be. It isn’t true.”
He thought to when that Jotun had seized him and his hand changed. When he had woken from a stupor to find the Frost Giants surrounding him, declaring him one of their own.
It can’t be.
He couldn’t be one of them. He was Loki Odinson, second born to the line of Asgard. He couldn’t be a monster.
“No?” Laufey pointed. “Look at yourself, princeling. How do you explain it?”
Loki folded his arms. Though in truth, he was hugging himself.
“This is a trick. You’ve placed a curse on me of some kind,” he insisted, his voice cracking. “I can’t be a…you’re lying.”
Laufey’s eyes narrowed. “You really think that is so? More likely than that you’ve been lied to all your life already?” he demanded, impatient. “Can you really tell me there has never been anything about yourself that hasn’t fit? That in all your time among the Aesir, you have never wondered, never questioned, never found anything that has made you thought you did not belong?”
“Stop!” Loki pressed his hands over his ears. “Stop, please. Why can’t you leave me alone?” Dropping his hands he looked up again, pleadingly. “I want to leave. Can’t you please let me go home?”
“You are home,” Laufey stated, resolute. “You’re back where you belong.”
He gestured toward the other two Jotun in the room. “Meet your youngers; my other sons, Helblindi and Býleistr.”
Loki shrank in on himself, eyes wide. His “little” brothers were at least twice as tall as he was, and one of them looked like an ogre.
The craggy one waved, grinning with its horrible teeth at him. The other, a clear double for Laufey, merely bowed its head with a heated gaze.
“If you need anything,” Laufey continued, “they will see to you.”
Considering the matter settled he strode out of the room without another word.
There was silence for a moment in the wake of the king’s exit. Loki’s head was reeling. He barely noticed that the other two were still watching him.
The tall thin one muttered something.
“That isn’t kind, Helblindi,” the second said reprovingly. “I’m certain elder brother is just tired.” He turned to look at Loki, beaming cheerily. “Is there anything we can do for you, brother?”
Brother! To these monstrosities. Loki almost choked out a sob.
“Go away. Get away from me, the both of you!”
Grabbing the blankets he wrapped them around himself, covering his face. He curled up on his side in despair.
He whimpered, “Just leave me alone.”
What Once Was Lost Returned