Burning Light
loki x oc
warnings: blood, war, almost deaths
Writing this has been super enjoyable for me. It's based off of Safe & Sound by Taylor Swift and The Central Wars. I really like the song and it gave me a jolt of inspiration.
Some angst and fluff, with a happy ending
Word count: 3.5k
I'm looking forward to have some of you read it. I know it may not reach lots of people but I do hope it brightens up someone's day :)
Unmistakeable clashing and clanging of swords echoed through the once-peaceful city - which lay in eerie unrest. Warriors strapped in bloodstained armour, which was once a lustrous luminescent gold, rushed around with panic-stricken faces, bringing their injured colleages with them. Their faces unrecognisable - smeared with tainted, crimson blood. Eyes once filled with joy and life had become dull with exhaustion. Even the children could tell something had gone quite wrong as they were being scrambled to safety. How couldn’t they, when only hours before they had been blithely engaging in play. Now they were being dragged into the promised safety of their homes. Still, on this side of town, the situation was slightly better.
Nevertheless, the fact was painfully clear; Asgard was at war.
A war that had only just begun. A war that would wreak just as much havoc as any other, unless handled conscientiously. Currently, that wasn’t going so well. The opposing kingdom hadn’t spoken of a reason to wage this sanguinary battle. They just barged in guns-a-blazing. One could only hope it would be over soon.
In the opposite side of town, the infamous Asgardian army, known for its expertise and experience, was busy and bustling. Healers were tending to those caught in the crossfire while others were getting ready to join it. The warriors were determined; they were trained meticulously for situations like these.
One such warrior was buckling up her hefty armor on her body, following that by trying to tie back her flowing vermillion-red hair. Unsuccessful, she stood straight. Tall, dignified and regal; she was a sophisticated beauty. And she knew it.
In need of help, the girl surveyed her surroundings. Brilliant blue eyes darted to and fro to gauge someone who could possibly help. Then, gleefully, she spotted a familiar face walk by. A very familiar face indeed.
With a hastily thought out plan-of-attack, Ilaire sauntered towards the aformentioned person. Wrapping her arms around him, she sultrily whispered in his ear, “Hey, Loki. Could you help me with my tiresome hair”.
Though Ilaire couldn’t see it, a slow smirk settled upon the trickster’s face. Loki turned on his heel and susurrated, “Darling, you need not put on that act. I would help you if you simply asked, after all have we not been friends since adolescence?”.
Ilaire flippantly nodded in answer as a chesire cat grin took over her face at having succeeded in her task. She flipped around to give Loki better access to her hair. Without complaint, Loki took charge of her fiery silken hair and began to masterfully twist her hair into an elegant yet practical fashion, as if he had done it all his life. In a sort of way, he had. With a raised hand, Ilaire tried - in vain - to pass a ribbon to Loki to tie her hair back.
“Don’t bother, I have already used my seidr to place a ribbon in your hair”, Loki acknowledged, amused.
“It’s emerald green, isn’t it?”,exasperated, the warrior questioned with her hand on the bridge of her nose.
Loki chuckled in response.
“Well, thank you anyway”, she said as she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.
For a second, Loki’s mask of cold indifference slipped and gave way to something softer, akin to endearment. But it came back up just as Thor’s voice boomed across the army quarters.
“WARRIORS! The next waves must get ready to leave. Wave 32 and 33 get into position in 10 minutes, with Leaders Prince Loki and Lady Ilaire on the frontlines!”.
Centuries ago, Loki and Ilaire had trained together diligently and achieved higher ranks in the army hierarchy together. Both had now been promoted to a Leader position, the second highest position, preceded only by the Chief.
Thor’s information brought a surge of sobriety to the bantering friends as they realised what they were about to go into. They looked to each other, their eyes met and both nodded at the same time with locked jaws and unyielding glares. Synchronised, they turned to their corresponding waves and bellowed, “GET INTO POSITION WARRIORS!”.
A clangour resonated as the warriors began to put the remaining pieces of armour on. Ilaire’s usually welcoming eyes grew dark. Loki’s gaze grew steely. With a grave expression, Thor strode to their area. Without missing a beat, he trapped both Ilaire and Loki in an unwavering hug. It portrayed all of his emotions: distress; fear and concern. As he continued to not let them go, Loki’s choked voice broke out, “Brother, you must let us go”. Reluctantly, Thor pulled back and Ilaire could’ve sworn that his eyes were wetter than before. “Brother. Sister. Be careful. And most of all come back alive,” Thor spoke in a brittle voice.
Somewhere along the line, Ilaire had become an honorary Odinson family member. To Thor she was a sister and to Loki, she hoped she was something more. Still, a new wave of emotion passed over Ilaire as she heard Thor call her his sister. She fought valiantly to not be overcome with tearful sobs.
“Do not worry, Chief,” she called him in unbridled affection “We will try our best”, she replied in a hoarse manner.
“Don’t miss us too much,” Loki too replied, with a rare smile and a suave salute.
The red-haired warrior clashed her sword on her shield to catch the attention of her assigned wave. “Alright, team! We’ve trained together for 150 years. We will continue to train far longer than that! We must! So go out and show those brutely creatures WHO’S BOSS!”, Ilaire’s battlecry washed over her warriors.
As the gates opened and perfectly formed formations walked out, merciless stony gazes could be seen all around. Loki and Ilaire stood at the frontlines, the wind amplifying their battle-hardened gazes. They both walked on the bloodsoaked ground, unfaltering, with a mission. As they got closer to the first of the aliens, Ilaire slashed at one, sending it accross the battleground. Beneath her feet, alien remains squelched and the air zinged with bloodshed.
The aliens were a sickly yellow with a strange slimy goo coating them. They were of a medium stature. Not too big but not too small. Ilaire had never seen such creatures.
Loki snarkily thought ‘They’re about Thor’s size. Doesn’t seem like this will be too hard’.
All around the two leaders, fights were breaking out and more yellow creatures were going down with them. Soldiers were slashing and punching with unmatched gusto. A pile of miserable dead opponents was starting to build up. Then something strange happened.
Something no one would’ve expected.
Something that shocked everyone.
Something that made perfect sense considering the earlier bloodshed.
The creatures that had been piled on top of each other started to melt and then meld together. It was a ghastly view. Bones shifting and rotting skin stretching. The creatures had melded together to become one mega-creature. A mega-creature larger than the small aliens before. Larger than Thor.
This truth dawned on the fighting forces and panic started brimming. Nothing like this had ever been faced before. It was entirely unprecedented. The Asgardian army certainly wasn’t trained for this. And judging by the drained, feeble warriors taken back to the healers, the other waves hadn’t realised this either. Alarm bells started ringing in Loki and Ilaire’s minds.
Loki’s mind started racing while simultaneously fighting off more of the alien soldiers.
Ilaire was frantically trying to think of a solution.
All thoughts seemed to evade them. The realm’s greatest minds had gone suddenly blank.
Panic was bubbling and almost tangible in the air.
One of the warriors, thankfully, came to the rescue, saving the situation like it was a damsel in distress. “SEPARATE THEM ONCE YOU KILL THEM, THAT WAY THEY CAN’T MOLD TOGETHER!”.
Ilaire let out a much-needed sigh of relief, yet she knew the real battle still remained. With a new plan, the waves started fighting with renewed vigour. After each kill, the creature was picked up and thrown on an empty space. Swords pierced and clanged, blood spattered and the beginnings of victory were starting to be seen. It was so close yet so far. Right within a hand’s reach, yet victory had not yet been snatched.
As Ilaire swerved to fight off another mega-creature, one approached from behind. WIth her eyes on the creature she was fighting, Ilaire did not notice the second creature. Loki’s mouth started to open in warning as he watched in fright. Unfortunately, his warning was a few seconds too slow. The creature grabbed a fallen sword and gashed at the sliver of skin between Ilaire’s chest and back armour with a mighty roar. Then a few things happened in succession.
A breathy gasp left Ilaire’s mouth as her hands grasped at her side, trying to gauge the situation. Her sword had unceremoniously dropped to the floor and lay lackadaisical. Her hands came away covered in her own blood, as more started to seep out. Crimson. Her breaths became raspy as she fell to her knees, head bowed. Several screams could be heard. Two of those were Loki and Thor.
Loki elbowed and slashed his way with an unmatched rage to reach his best friend. His mind was racing with denial, 'It could not end like this. It would not end like this.’
“Get out of the WAY!” he barked with barely held back anger.
Near the army quarters, Thor was making his way out to the battlefield. He would not sit by idly as his family was attacked. It was his turn.
As Thor reached his brother, he saw him kneeling beside Ilaire, undoing her armor and ripping a shred of his tunic to wrap it around her bleeding torso. “Take her to the healers, I will take care of this now,” Thor uttered quietly, yet if one looked closely, the simmering anger under his words was visible.
Then he yelled and charged towards his sorry opponents.
This left Loki. He looped his arms under her knees and shoulders and picked up Ilaire, and began to carry her towards the army quarters. “Love, look at me,” he spoke softly with a tender gaze.
It was getting harder for Ilaire to see by the minute as more blood was lost and her vision was spotting. “I can’t… I can’t,” Ilaire answered. A weak whimper escaped her lips.
“Yes, you can! Just focus on me”
Loki was starting to jog now, in desperation.
Commandingly, a shrill sound reverberated throughout the air. “LOKI ODINSON. WE ARE HERE TO COLLECT YOU. COME WITH US OR HAVE YOUR REALM FACE THE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES”.
Everything was going wrong. How could it have gone so wrong? Too much blood spilt and too many lives being lost by the minute.
Ilaire didn’t know what to do with this new command. Loki continued walking with an unreadable look on his face.
Ilaire struggled to keep her eyes open, but she got through until they had reached the healers.
A healer began to assess her; poking and prodding at the wound. Loki’s deperate voice rose, “Do something! Help her!”.
“The salve may take too long to brew. It could be too late for her,” the healer replied with an apologetic gaze.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN! HELP HER! I AM THE PRINCE OF ASGARD AND SHE, A LADY OF THE COURT! THERE MUST BE SOMETHING YOU CAN DO!” Loki hissed.
“Prince Loki, we will try our best but there’s no guarantee”.
Loki growled and ran his hand through his hair in frustration. He was mad. He had injured himself too much to be able to use his magic. If only he fought more efficiently, if only he did more - maybe he could have healed her. If only.
After a grueling half hour, the healer gave the confirmation.
A half hour of desperate waiting for the news.
A half hour that seemed miles longer than it was.
Ilaire would make it.
'She's gonna make it'
Loki let out the breath he had been holding and slumped in a chair with relief. He had refused to let her out of his sight. A weary smile took shape on his face and he let out a breathless laugh of joy.
“Prince Loki, take her to the royal chambers and allow her to sleep. Until now she has had to stay awake until her healing was confirmed, in case of her becoming comatose,” the healer instructed Loki.
He walked to the stretcher Ilaire was laid upon and picked her up in the same style again. Ilaire wrapped her arms around Loki’s neck in a hug. “You’re alright,” Loki spoke through deep breaths with a reciprocated hug, rubbing her back to soothe her. Ilaire hugged him tightly. She almost died. She hugged him like it was her last time, because it very well could be. She didn’t want to waste this precious time.
God, Loki was grateful. Grateful she made it. He didn’t know what he would’ve done if something happened to her.
_______
Ilaire was carried to the Royal Palace adjoining to the army quarters. As she was gently dropped on her bed, she spoke for the first time since her attack. She knew Loki would go to the opposing kingdom. He would not wage a war on his own kingdom. “Don’t go Loki,” she pleaded, “I’ll never let you go”.
“Ilaire, I have to go. You know I do,” a tear ran down his face as he spoke the words that would seal his fate. A fate without her.
“Don’t leave me here alone,” Ilaire choked out as hot tears brimed in her eyes.
“You’ll always have my spirit. Just think of me,” Loki smiled through the gut-wrenching pain. He really, really didn’t want to leave. But, for once, he wanted to do the right thing. For once, he wanted to earn her friendship.
“Go to sleep, Ilaire. You need it to heal,” Loki cleared his throat before speaking. A protest fought to release itself from Ilaire’s mouth but Loki raised a hand to cut it off.
“You know I must do this. There is no use in arguing. I just want you to be safe”, his voice grew hoarse at his last words.
Loki spoke again, “Just close your eyes, the sun is going down. You’ll be alright, no one can hurt you now. Come morning light, you’ll be safe and sound”.
As much as she tried to fight it, Ilaire could not hold off sleep any longer. She wished she could stay awake so that she could convince the love of her life to stay. She wished he didn’t have to sacrifice himself. She wished he didn’t have to go at all. She wished to say and hear so many things that had been left unsaid. But sleep was consuming her. And time was running out. The sand in the hypothetical hourglass was falling at an ever-faster rate.
As her eyelides fluttered, she started to speak, “I lo…,” before sleep consumed her and she trailed off.
She had failed to say those three small words. Three small words. The ones that could’ve changed her life. The ones she will never get to say to him again.
Loki stood and wiped the tears off her face and kissed her cheek, before bringing up a blanket to cover her.
“I love you, Ilaire. I wish we had more time. But we do not. Maybe, one day, we’ll find each other in a another life and live peacefully. Who knows, we could have had a beautiful castle with the most magnificent grounds. Overlooking a view almost as beautiful as you. Or maybe we could’ve had a cottage. On the edge of the woods, next to a crystal clear lake", Loki spoke. He knew as he uttered those words that they will never get to do that now.
Neither heard the words of the other.
With that, he left, making his way back on to the battlefield.
__________
"IT IS I, LOKI ODINSON,” he presented himself. The alien leader made his way to the front.
“Goodness, you’re a puny one. Whatever. Chain him, minions”, the yellow leader commanded. Thor watched in shocked silence. But even he knew that this had to be done. The brothers nodded to each other in farewell.
Loki was dragged, in chains, to the ostentatious spaceship of the aliens.
“You have stolen from me, Odinson,” a voice reached him.
Loki struggled to remember what he had stolen. There were so many things he had recently pilfered. Then it hit him. He had stolen Maricusan. The most versatile and strong material in the nine realms. This material was used to make the Odinson family armors. And it came from Maricus. The planet known for being deceitful. This meant that their word was false. Unsurprisingly, they were also known for making false deals.
They would not only kill Loki but pillage Asgard too. At this moment, Loki realised he was in deep shit.
A minute ago, he had gone willingly. Now he would fight back. He would fight back to see his brother. He would fight back to see his beloved. With one swift motion, he pulled his hands apart, resulting in the chains snapping with an audible snap. As creatures advanced on him, he kicked and punched while using his clones to distract. Then, through the corner of his eye, he saw an opening in the door, which he managed to slip through.
As he re-entered the battlefield once again, he signaled to Thor. Thor’s eyes widened in shock at the sight of his brother. By now, he too had discovered the yellow Maricusians’ melding properties. The two brother came up with the quickest battle strategy they had ever made and got to work.
____________
In the Royal Palace, Ilaire had woken up. Her sleep was restless and a headache plagued her along with her rampant thoughts. Her beloved was going to sacrifice himself. Or maybe he had done so already. Pain stabbed her heart and tears started to collect in her eyes again. She did not want to be a whiny mess, but what else was she supposed to do? She was helpless against fate.
Sobs warcked her body.
Then she saw a glint through her window. She curiously peeked towards it. Then she noticed the ongoing battle. The war was raging on. Now she was confused. Brows furrowed, she looked harder.
Then. Then she saw the trademark emerald green and gold. Her heart soared in hope she dared not have.
'Was that Loki?'
She impatiently waited for the man to turn around, biting her nails in nervousness. Sand fell tantalizingly slow in the hypothetical hourglass. Time trickled by leisurely. Never had a moment seemed so long.
It was Loki.
The man was Loki.
A beaming smile broke out on her face as her tears turned to those of joy. She could hear a joyful tune playing in her head. It was a victory song. She felt victorious. She felt victorious for the first time on that horrendous day.
Their eyes met, and their smiles matched.
Loki's eyes glinted with affection.
Too weak to join her warriors, Ilaire looked out at the battlefield. Nervously, waiting and hoping. And when the last blow happened, she was lost in felicity. They had done it. They had won. They got through unscathed. Sort of.
Hurriedly, Ilaire raced as fast as she could with her striking injury to get out to the battlefield. She saw Loki and he saw her. He held his arms out and she jumped into them, hugging him ferociously.
“Darling, you should be resting. That is a rather large wound,” he spoke in relief. He was glad to see her.
“You were supposed to die!” she replied.
“Good to know you like me alive,” Loki grumbled.
Like that, the two continued to banter, as Loki walked her back to her chambers, a hand around her shoulders too keep her steady.
When Ilaire entered her room, she started to speak, “Loki, there are many things I wish to say to you. One thing in particular. As I was thinking about possibly losing you, I thought of the things I never got to say”. She paused to gather her breath and to collect strength. She oh-so-very desperately hoped her words didn't come out as verbal diarrhoea.
“I love you. I love you, Loki. I have ever since you picked out that flower bouquet for me. Or when you spar with me. Or when we argue.” She chuckled, “I still keep those flowers preserved because its such a lovely memory.”
She stood with bated breath and nervousness running through her veins.
Loki's face had become softer somehow. His eyes were warm. And when Ilaire realised that this warmth was directed towards her, butterflies collected in her stomach.
“Ilaire, I adore you. I love you with the heat of a thousand suns. Yes, I know that’s cliche. But those are my feelings. You are my beacon when everything else fails. So, I wish to ask you something."
A pause.
Be mine?” he asked with a tender smile and soft blue eyes.
“Say that again,” Ilaire commanded hoarsely.
“Be mine” he smirked.
“Yes,” Ilaire whispered breathily.
Loki rushed forward and gathered Ilaire in his arms, glad to have found his love; his best friend.
“Come morning light, you and I’ll be…
safe and sound”
This is what I imagine my OC to look like. Feel free to change as you please :)
Let me know your thoughts and if you'd like me to write something else <3
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It Has to Be You
Loki Laufeyson x Valkyrie!Reader
Words: 1,256
Summary: How could you possibly think you could outrun the end of the universe?
Author’s note: imma need y’all to pop some BIG BOTTLES because this is the first fic out of my writer’s block and if it weren’t for the laws of this land i would’ve busted out CRYING. so, to explain a bit of lore behind this: in the comics, the Valkyrie have a “sixth sense” where they can see a “death glow” on a person in their last moments. in this story, valkyrie is called brunnhilde (like in the comics) and loki and the reader have known each other for awhile (supposing you were thought to be the last remaining valkyrie until the events of thor: ragnarok happened). YA DIG??
When you see the golden glow among your people, your blood runs cold.
It had been both a blessing and a curse to be a Valkyrie; a burden that weighed heavily on your shoulders. Throughout your years of training, you were taught about the sixth sense other Asgardians did not posses; not even the princes of Asgard.
The sense that allows you to see a death glow around people in their last few moments.
A rush of dread washes over you again like an overwhelming tidal wave.
You had nowhere to run, to cower, to try and stabilize yourself before you break apart. There was no one to turn to for you feared that being honest would only make things worse. For the first time in a week, you see your people happy for once. Children smiling, mothers holding on to each other, and others enjoying each other’s company and conversing on topics other than the destruction of the place they once called home. There were finally taking it easy, healing, and planning for the future. Where would they inhabit next? Midgard? Oh, how Thor raved of a divine realm that even made you excited for what may come.
You couldn’t take that hope away from them.
Without anyone noticing, you slip away through a empty hall that lead to Odin knows where. You needed time to digest the information as calmly as you can. Your heart begins to beat against your chest with tears threatening to fall if you continued to think of innocent people with that deathly glow. You curse yourself for the ability you never wanted but were ultimately given to you. The way of the Valkyrie chose you for a reason and as much as you want to be strong for your people, you couldn’t help but cave inside yourself. You feel for the wall in order to straighten yourself off as it becomes too difficult to bring.
Why innocent lives? Who would want to kill innocent lives? Dwelling on the visions, you allow yourself to slip down to the ground. The cool metal doesn’t bring you much comfort over your increasingly warm body that shakes from the overwhelming denial of the future.
Did you possess a glow yourself? Were you also in your last moments of living? You knew you had faced battles and waged wars against evil but you felt like you still had more time left to achieve so much more. You stretch your arm out to examine it but you are met with nothing, no glow; a sign that it’s not your time to die yet. You wish you could take away the oncoming pain of the Asgardians, to be the martyr your people need in times of desperation.
Sometimes you despise being a Valkyrie.
Your throat tightens as if someone has a tight grip on your neck, soon becoming desperate for air as you close your eyes. Trails of tears roll down both of your cheeks, choking up when your mind begins to play out lifeless Asgardian bodies that lay across the ship. You tell yourself that dying is for the innocent, that murder is for the heartless, and perhaps their death will not be in vain. What lies ahead for Asgard? What mess have you created alongside Thor, Brunnhilde, and Loki?
Hadn’t you suffered enough?
“My darling, why are you on the floor?”
Loki’s voice sounds just as sweet as the nectar from the berries you both picked from the royal garden on your first date. You’re almost afraid to open your eyes to face the man you love for the last time. He takes a seat right besides you, folding his long legs neatly and placing his hands on his knees. You swallow thickly, your hand reaching to wipe the tears away from your face. Loki places a hand over your own and rubs his thumb against your skin. The mere touch makes you want to break down and curl into yourself.
You must open your eyes and face reality.
Your eyes flutter open.
You stifle a sob at the back of your throat as your lover drowns in a golden hue. By the gods, why can’t they just take you instead? Not him, not him, oh, Odin, not your Loki.
“Is there something the matter, love? You look like you’ve seen a horrific vision of the future.”
Before your eyes could bug out at the near accuracy, Loki softly chuckles under his breath. He reaches for your cheek and you lean into his warm touch, still aware of the glow around him. You can’t tell Loki what you see or else you will set panic through his veins. A protective man underneath all the cold exterior he loves to put up around others. However, you wonder if he, too, knows what will happen to the people of this ship, to him, to you, the universe. Would Loki forgive you from hiding something so incredibly overwhelming or would he understand?
A burden too much to bear.
You slip your hand over his. “I love you.”
Such a simple declaration yet if those were the last words you would say to him, then you would be content.
Loki leans over and places a small kiss on your forehead. He wipes underneath your swollen red eyes with his thumb. “And I love you, too.”
The ship shakes violently, knocking out the lights inside. You gasp and tighten your grip around your boyfriend’s hand. It’s happening right now and you still hadn’t processed the inevitable. You glance over at Loki whose face turns into dread with his eyes closing firmly as if he were praying for a miracle. He’s the first to get up then helps you to your feet with you and him running into the main area hand in hand.
“Get our people into the evacuation ships,” Loki instructs you calmly and you shake your head in disapproval.
“What about you?” you ask him, still tucking at his hand. Many Asgardians run past you as they flee in fear. You watch Brunnhilde ushering your people towards the back of the ship. Another weapon blast rocks the ship which causes many to scream out in terror. You despise the sound of suffering, especially if it’s coming from the people you hold near to your heart.
“I must stay with the ship with my brother and Heimdall in order to protect our people-”
“But-”
“You will be helping our people as well by getting them on that ship.”
The glow begins to grow by each passing second. You want to break down and surrender on your knees. By the stars, why couldn’t you save everyone? Why did it have to be like this?
Loki draws you out of your cloud of misery by saying your name. He cups your face and places his forehead against yours. As Loki withdraws, you can see the answers to all your questions.
Acceptance.
Loki knows.
You shake your head slightly yet he nods in response. You bite your bottom lip as you catch sight of his eyes for what will be the last time until Valhalla. Loki draws you closer and kisses you softly. Despite the chaos, the kiss brings peace to both of you. Pulling away, you slowly open your eyes and are met with that same glow but this time you don’t feel as guilty. Your people would have valiantly fought until the very end.
“Goodnight, Loki.”
You already miss the warmth of his presence once Loki draws away.
Tagging: @kwaiky, @cura-posterior, @the-darklings, @michverse (he’s my caucasian king i bring with me into the BOC [bunker of color]), @susiephalange, @diansaprince, @black-widow-fangirl, @deviantramblings, @bbyicicle, @moonbeamgogh, @drmsqnc, @attentionseekingprincess
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Certain Point of View Chapter 2
The chime of the door pulled you from the pages of the book you had been reading. With a half huff you placed a pen between the pages as a place marker before looking up, realizing now it was time to work. Your eyes rose, finding the prince of mischief gliding confidently through the rows of books. Your heart raced frantically as you watched his movements, taking delicate care with the leather bound pages. You leaned over the sale counter, enthralled by the chilly movements and slender fingers caressing the spines of each book he passed.
Loki's eyes closed, feeling an intense gaze on him as he attempted to select new reading material. Your unseen stare ate at the remainder of his soul. Will he never be free from the actions of his past? Could he not just move forward? "Relax store girl. I'm just here for a book. And I plan on paying you." His words dripped from his lips, wrapping around your soul. You found an odd respect in the way he refused to look from the books as he carefully made his decision, exactly what you would have expected out of a god like him.
"Oh please, take all the time you need, cunning prince of trickery." You replied through a smirk, very sure it was nothing more than dumb luck that let him cross your path again. But that didn't stop you from hoping it was more, wondering if he had sought out the one human that has shown him respect. Loki's brow arched at the title given to him, his lips contorting into a grin, finding he liked how it sat on him. "But I would expect better of you from your stories than to just pay." You added as Loki's mind recalled your voice, connecting it to the angles of your face, pulling a perfect image of it without taking his eyes off his search. What wonderful luck he had that he had found you again, his own little reminder that hope and innocence remained in the world and still welcomed him.
"Oh no… I wouldn't dream of swindling my one and only fan." He replied lightly, finding his smile feeling just a bit more natural after hearing your voice and kind words. "I should expect you know my ploys better than even I."
Your cheeks blushed a soft shade of pink as you realized his assumption could easily be true. "Then maybe I can help?" You offered brightly as you emerged from behind the desk. "Are you looking for something in particular?"
Loki's eyes pulled from the books to fall on you as you ventured to him showing little fear and an overabundance of curiosity of him. He watched the way you shyly tucked strands of hair behind your ear as your eyes snuck glances at his gorgeous face. The way your fingers lingered at the ends of the strands seemed to light up his being, once again finding everything about you being near him enthralling. His head shook lightly, making the ends of his hair swish over his shoulders. "Not really. I just like to read." He couldn't help staring with an unyielding curiosity of his own as you turned from him to the books. "Any recommendations?"
You blinked, surprised by the request. "Oh! Umm, I'm not sure." He watched you with wonder as you ran a finger frantically hopping from one cover to the next as you quickly scanned the titles, carefully determining what you thought the mischief maker would enjoy. "So is it true?" You asked offhandedly as you searched the books. "Did Ragnarok happen?" You added with a touch of excitement.
He let out a soft chuckle as he helped you search. "It almost sounds like you want it to."
"Well that's because it would be incredible to see!" You let out a dreamy sigh. "I always liked that one the best...you rising up from your prison, the great war of the gods, the midgard serpent fighting Thor…"
"It wasn't all that impressive. You didn't miss much." He assured you as he watched you carefully pull a book from the shelf, freezing at his words. "However...if you are very unlucky, now that it has passed Jormungand may rise from the waves to…oh how did they put it?" he paused, trying to recall exactly how it was told, noticing the way you clenched the book against your chest as you watched him, captivated by every word he spoke. "Oh yes, stir the earth with such force all the nine realms will quake and wage war against the god of thunder, the serpent's poison taking hold after nine steps to kill him." He took a moment to chuckle at the drama of the old stories the nordic people wrote as he watched your eyes widen with just a touch of fear. "I doubt the serpent even still exists though." He offered, finding the fear in your eyes unsettling to him. Your smile grew as you began a small pile of books in your arms, holding each one like a rare treasure.
"So...what kind of things do you like to read?" You asked, reminding yourself that you had a job to do, pulling one more from the shelf to add to your pile.
"Oh, I thought these were for me?" He asked lightly, watching your smile grow.
"Oh," you chuckled, a strand of hair falling into your eyes, "these are for me." His eyes softened as he watched you attempt to juggle the books in a way that you could move the strand, the corner of his lips tugging up. "Sorry, I just realized while I was helping you look that I haven't read these yet."
His slender fingers reached up, brushing the hair from your eyes, losing himself in them as the chill of his skin lit a fire in you. "So, you've read all of these?" He asked as he realized just how warm and inviting you were. You nodded as the god studied the movement of your face. A charmed grin rolled over his lips as the finger lingered in the silky smoothness of the hair that he watched you tame hours ago. "Well then, I couldn't think of anyone better to take a recommendation from. Which one did you like best?"
You radiated with deep pride and joy at his words, finding him much kinder in person than you had ever imagined. "Oh, well...umm…" you trailed off looking around the store before rushing back to the counter, plopping down the mountain of literature before rushing off excitedly to pick a book from a far off shelf, presenting it to him. "This one." You felt your heart flutter as his eyes panned downward to the cover you held out flat at chest level to him. The title was interesting enough...The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett before looking up to you with a question of what is this all over his face. But though he did wonder, it wasn't about the book, more the stirring of softness and warmth you seemed to bring to his soul. "The first in a satirical comedy series in a fantasy setting. Jovial and great for a laugh but filled with adventure and imagination from one of the greatest authors Earth has had to offer."
"Thank you." He took the book, examining the tacky cover image. "How much?"
"Oh I wouldn't dream of it." You insisted as you watched his eyes wander from you to the pages inside. "Think of it as a thank you."
"And what do I have to be thanked for?" He chuckled lightly.
"Well...you brought The Avengers together. If you hadn't attacked New York the world would have ended times over, years ago." You explained almost offhandedly as if the thought was common and not just how you looked at things.
He watched you, finding your cheer and brightness infectious before forcing himself to pull his eyes away, reminding himself that someone like you wouldn't care for him, just the idea of him written in stories. Few of which were true. "Thank you." He finally offered. "But while I am staying with the Avengers, I doubt they will let me just take things. I'm supposed to be on my best behavior."
Your grin pulled up to one side at the thought of a good Loki, not sure if those two words could ever fully go together. "One could argue that you have been on your best behavior." You leaned back against the sale counter. "From a certain point of view."
"And what point of view would that be?" He asked with a tilt of his head, mesmerized by the almost elvish wonder of a girl who seemed to radiate light and hope.
"Yours." You answered with a shrug. "But if your hosts are still that sore with you, then here," you paused, turning off to the side to grab a pad of paper and a pen writing down a small note, placing it in the front pages of the book to act as a place marker.
'I, (Y/N), of my own sound mind and free will, have gifted this book to Loki. If you need confirmation of the authenticity of this gift, please dial (your number)'
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Baldur: The Conflicting Myths (For Pagans and Witches Amino’s #OWC, #KnowYourGods)
Note: This was originally posted on Pagans & Witches Amino as part of their official weekly challenge, “Know Your Gods,” which is all about shining a light on lesser-known deities and mythological figures, or those that it can be hard to find information about. I have really enjoyed going through the tag and learning about new gods and goddesses. If you are interested in paganism, reconstructed religion, or mythology in general, I highly recommend heading over to the app or website and checking out the #KnowYourGods tag.
Baldur isn’t exactly an obscure deity. Most people who have studied Norse mythology are familiar with this member of the Aesir and son of Odin and Frigg, who is commonly associated with light, beauty, and springtime. The most famous myth about Baldur is the story of his murder. Although he probably wasn’t as widely worshiped as, say, Thor or Odin, he was an important member of the pantheon and his death caused a ripple effect throughout the Norse mythos, including being one of the signs of Ragnarok.
However, there are actually two very different versions of this god preserved in writing, as well as two very different stories of his death. Most people are only familiar with the more popular portrayal of this deity, which I personally believe to be the less historically accurate of the two. When I saw the topic for this week’s #OWC, I decided to make a post discussing both versions, and let you guys decide for yourself which version to believe.
The more popular version of the myth of Baldur’s death was recorded by the 13th century Icelandic scholar Snorri Sturluson, whose writings have been hugely influential in shaping how modern students view Norse mythology and culture. Snorri was an excellent storyteller and was dedicated to preserving Scandinavian culture and history, but there’s one major issue with the reliability of his accounts: Snorri was a Christian, recording these myths long after Iceland had converted to Christianity, and his goal was to depict Norse paganism as a primitive religion that was inferior to Christianity. Obviously, this means that some of his claims about the old religion have to be taken with a grain of salt. On top of that, many of the sources Snorri used for his record of Baldur’s death have been lost, and some of the elements in his version do not appear in any other records of Norse mythology. This may indicate that Snorri invented some aspects of his retelling, or at the very least introduced Christian influences into the existing myth.
In Snorri’s retelling, Baldur has prophetic dreams that reveal that he is going to die. His mother, the goddess Frigg, is so distraught by this that she travels the universe and gets everything within it, from the elements, to plants and animals, to diseases, to swear not to harm her son. This makes Baldur invincible, and the gods make a game of throwing weapons at him and watching them bounce off harmlessly. But Frigg made a grave mistake: she didn’t bother to secure an oath from the mistletoe, believing that it was too small and delicate a plant to harm her son.
When Loki, the great trickster, learned of this, he crafted a spear out of mistletoe. Loki approached the blind god Hod, who had been listening to the activities from the sidelines, and offered to help him participate in the game. Loki placed the mistletoe spear into Hod’s grasp and carefully took aim, guiding the blind god’s hand. Baldur was struck through the heart and was soon lying dead in a pool of blood.
The gods held a funeral for Baldur, during which his wife, Nanna, died of grief — she was placed with her husband on his funeral pyre.
Meanwhile, Hermod, another son of Odin, rode forth for Helheim, the realm of the dead, seeking to rescue Baldur’s soul. Hel, the goddess of death, agreed to release Baldur — but only if Hermod could get every creature in the universe to weep for the dead god. The Aesir set out, asking everything in existence to cry for Baldur, and they were almost successful, for the god had been beloved by all. But they encountered a giantess named Thokk, who may have been Loki in disguise, who refused to shed even a single tear.
And so Baldur was forced to remain in Helheim, and the other gods began to turn against Loki for causing the death of their beloved friend.
In this version, Baldur is the kind and gentle god of light and life, and is an innocent victim. Given Snorri’s Christian background, it’s impossible to ignore the similarity between Baldur and Jesus Christ. Baldur’s death here fits the Christian idea of martyrdom perfectly. It’s possible that by attaching these Christian qualities to a popular pagan god, Snorri was hoping to pass on Christian moral to his audience, or at least to present a more Christian-friendly version of the myth.
The second version of this myth comes from the Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus. In Saxo’s version, Baldur is not gentle or a victim, but is instead a fierce warrior with many bloody victories to his name. This story is almost totally different from Snorri’s account, and actually contradicts it in many places.
In Saxo’s retelling, Hod is not a blind god but rather a proud warrior, who is in love with his foster sister Nanna. Unfortunately for everyone involved, Baldur also fell in love with the young goddess, and his desire for her was so great that he vowed to kill Hod and take her for himself.
A group of Valkyries warned Hod of Baldur’s plot to kill him. When Hod told his foster father of this, the old man refused to give his permission for Hod to marry Nanna, out of fear of Baldur’s wrath. However, as a show of his support, he told Hod of a magical sword that would allow him to kill anyone he struck with it, even Baldur. Hod traveled to the home of the giant Miming, the owner of this enchanted blade. Hod managed to ambush Miming and take him captive, forcing the giant to hand over the sword.
When Hod returned home, he discovered that Baldur had been courting Nanna while he was away. Furious, Hod openly challenged Baldur, and the two gathered their armies to meet in battle. After much brutal fighting, Hod was victorious and Baldur was forced to retreat. Hod returned home a war hero and married Nanna soon after.
Deprived of the woman he longed for, Baldur descended into an obsession that was so damaging to his health that he even lost the ability to walk. He repeatedly waged war on Hod’s forces, and though he won many of these battles, he was never able to steal Nanna away. This continued for many years.
Finally, after one of the bloodiest battles yet, Hod decided to sneak into the enemy camp to spy on them. Here he saw three Valkyries bringing Baldur a special food — this was the source of the god’s strength. Hod was able to trick the Valkyries into giving him some of their food, thus giving him strength to match Baldur’s.
The next time Hod and Baldur met, Hod plunged Miming’s magic sword into Baldur’s flesh, dealing a mortal blow. For days Baldur held on, but eventually he succumbed to his wounds and descended to the halls of Hel.
There are several theories as to why these two versions of the myth are so wildly different. One theory, as I mentioned earlier, is that Snorri introduced Christian elements to his version, which would make Saxo’s version the more “authentic” account. Another theory is that Snorri based his version off of Icelandic sources, while Saxo used mostly Danish sources. We know that Norse/Germanic mythology varied a lot from place to place, so it’s definitely possible that these conflicting myths represent regional variations of the same basic story.
Personally, I tend to think of Saxo’s version as the more reliable source, but I can’t deny the power of Snorri’s version. I think both versions should be taken into consideration when trying to reconstruct Norse paganism and incorporate it into a modern lifestyle. If you base your beliefs on Snorri’s version, you’ll probably honor Baldur as a peaceful god of springtime and family. If you base your beliefs on the Saxo version, you’ll probably see him as more of a warrior deity and may ask him for help when you’re feeling unlucky in love. Like with any deity, the sources you choose to pull from will change the nature of your worship.
P.S. If anyone is interested in learning more about the two versions of this myth, I highly recommend The Viking Spirit: An Introduction to Norse Mythology and Religion by Daniel McCoy, which goes into both versions in depth and was the main source I used when writing this post.
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