54

The Sea Lord's Vengeance

Jorgy was surprised by his first sight of the kingdom as he looked up at Loki and Loki smiled down at him. The guards rode ahead to inform the others on duty they were bringing a guest and the gatekeepers nodded at them as they rode by the gates. The stablemen assisted Sigyn and Jorgy off the horses then Loki led Sigyn and Jorgy inside the palace. The prince prayed Frey would listen to them, his face slightly pensive.

They found Frey in the garden as he rested on a lounge chair and his smile changed when he saw Jorgy.

"Who is this?" Frey asked.

"I am Jorgmungandr, Highness," Jorgy said with a bow.

"This is Jorgmungandr," Loki translated then he explained how they met at the Mystic Wood. Frey frowned and Jorgy looked at Loki.

"I have heard rumors, but I thought that's all they were. Rumors," Frey said as he stood and walked to Jorgy. Jorgy looked up at him as they locked eyes and Frey sighed. "Walk with me."

They followed Frey into the palace. The king led them to the map room and Frey removed a scroll from one of the shelves. He walked to the table, spreading the map over the top of the table and placing some stone holders at the corners. He eyed the map when he saw the sketch of the lake in the Mystic Wood and he placed his finger on the sketch.

"Show me where your pod was attacked," Frey ordered. Loki translated as Jorgy nodded and he showed Frey where the attack occurred. "Now, show me how you got into the lake."

Jorgy looked at the map then he showed Frey how he got into the lake and Frey nodded. He waved his hand over the map when several small ships appeared on the map and Jorgy stared at the ships.

"Do you remember what the ships looked like? Frey asked and Loki translated. Jorgy thought as the images of the attack appeared in his mind and the image of a banner appeared. The banner was yellow with blood red trim and what looked like a shark's head was at the center of the banner. Jorgy described the banner to Loki as he nodded then he told Frey what the banner looked like. Frey's eyes slightly widened as he thumped his fist on the table and Jorgy moved to hide behind Loki.

"Uncle, are you alright?" Loki asked.

"Yes," Frey said as he looked at Jorgy. "I am sorry, lad. I didn't mean to frighten you."

"Do you know who killed Jorgy's pod?" Sigyn asked. Frey had forgotten she was there and he smiled sweetly at his niece.

"Yes, I do. They are called "The Jaws of Aegir". They believe all creatures of the seas belong to him due to a so-called vision their captain received when he was ill."

"What sort of vision?" Loki frowned.

"It is said he saw Njord himself rising out of the sea and he gave them the right to hunt and slaughter all which live in the seas."

"Isn't Njord your father?" Sigyn asked.

"Yes, he is. Which is why I refuse to believe the rumors. My father would never allow such a thing."

"Do you think he would speak to us?" Loki asked.

"I believe he will," Frey said, nodding. They left the room when he led them to one of the gardens and Loki saw the large summoning pool at the center of the garden. Frey walked over and started chanting softly in the language of magic. He raised his arms, tilting his head back. The clouds darkened as the water of the summoning pool swirled faster and faster like a wave spout, then formed into a large funnel. Out of the funnel stepped Njord, tall with platinum braids, wearing scale mail armor and a crown of sea gems and gold upon his brow, though his feet were bare. The funnel vanished as they looked at Njord and Sigyn slid her hand into Loki's nervously.

"Who summons me?" Njord asked. Then he saw Frey and smiled and Frey lowered his arms. "Ah, Frey, hello."

"Hello, Father," Frey said.

"Who is this?" he asked as he looked at Sigyn and Jorgy, but it was Loki who caught his attention. "No, it can't be."

"You recognize me, Sire?" Loki asked.

"I have heard of you, Trickster."

Loki became defensive as he stood straighter, but something about Njord's tone made him feel comfortable.

"I remember contracting your mother's marriage to Prince Laufey. We had such hopes that with the match would come peace between our two kingdoms. Freya was happy and determined to prove herself to the Jotun as a worthy queen and a wife to Laufey. But no one reckoned that Laufey had fallen in love with a Jotun lady first. My poor daughter! She tried so hard to love your father, but their marriage was doomed. When she sent word that she was with not just one child, but two, I nearly flooded several islands with my joy," he said with a laugh and Loki smiled. "But the joy turned into sorrow when I learned of her death and my grandchildren's also. Laufey's deception fooled us all."

"My sister and I have been reunited," Loki said.

"I am glad to hear that. Now, why have you summoned me?"

Loki and Jorgy explained and the water in the summoning pool turned dark and waves surged to and fro in a mini tempest.

"How dare they!" he roared. They watched the water form around him as Njord vanished and the pool returned to normal. Frey looked at Loki as Loki wondered what Njord was going to do and he pressed his lips into a thin line.

On board the Aegir:

Captain Lugar stood at the wheel as he looked out at the sea and he smiled. He and his men had made a large sum of coin from the Norvik sea serpent skin, meat, and oil and he had the head of the leader stuffed and mounted. The head was on the wall in his quarters and he smiled at the memory of how the creature screamed when he killed it. His one regret was not being able to kill that young sea serpent. It had slipped out of the net and vanished into the darkness of the deep.

"Maybe next time," he whispered. Suddenly, the skies darkened as the waves rose and fell like someone cracking a whip and the crew began panicking. He barked orders as the waves slammed against the ship and he growled.

"Cap'ain, we're takin' on water!" his first mate called out.

"Get the men bailing!" he shouted. He moved the wheel to get away from the waves, but it felt like the waves were following the ship and he growled.

"Cap'ain!"

Lugar looked to where his officer was pointing when he saw Njord standing at the top of the water funnel and bile started rising in Lugar's throat.

"Norns," Lugar whispered.

"How dare you!" Njord shouted and his voice boomed like thunder around them.

"I knew it. I knew we would anger the gods," one of the sailors said to his friend and his friend nodded.

"Did you truly believe I would not find out about what you have done to the Norvik?!"

"They are nothing, but beasts!" Lugar shouted. Njord looked at him as his eyes turned black and Lugar was nearly knocked to his feet after a large wave hit the side of the ship.

"They are under my protection!"

The sailors stared at their captain as Lugar walked to the railing of the wheel deck then he laughed.

"So, you lied to me then!?" Lugar demanded.

"What are you talking about?!"

"While I was ill, you came to me in a vision. I asked you why you came to me and you told me I was to hunt down and slaughter the Norvik!"

"I did no such thing!"

"Then what? Was it the Trickster?! Did Loki trick me into slaughtering them?! I wouldn't put it past him! That bastard should have been slaughtered at birth!"

The crew screamed as the waves lifted the ship into the air and the ship slowly rose toward Njord. They watched while Njord walked onboard, approaching the wheel deck and he went up the stairs, leaving wet footprints in his wake. Lugar held tightly onto the wheel as Njord stopped in front of him and they locked eyes.

"The only one who tricked you was your own mind," Njord said through clenched teeth.

"That is untrue."

"Are you calling me a liar?"

"Aye, I am!"

Njord didn't speak. He only waved his hands and a blast of water slammed into Lugar and Lugar sailed backward, went over the railing and he looked down to see the waves rising up toward him. He then saw the sharp teeth of the sharks barely under the surface of the water and he screamed.

Njord turned to look at the crew as he strode back into the sea. They watched him walk back onto the water spout when the ship was slowly lowered to the water then Njord and the water spout vanished. The crew ran to railing when they looked down and they saw TELL THE OTHERS THE HUNTING OF THE NORVIK STOPS NOW OR WHAT HAPPENED HERE WILL HAPPEN TO THEM! written in the seafoam.

"Don't have to tell me twice," the second said and the others nodded their heads.

Vanaheim:

Loki had Sigyn take Jorgy to their quarters as he stood near the large summoning pool and gazed at the water. He watched as the water turned dark and became a swirling vortex. He moved back as the water rose and he saw Njord surfing on top of the water spout.

"Tell the boy his pod has been avenged," Njord informed him.

"What about the rest of the hunters?" Loki asked.

"I believe they will heed my warning."

Loki heard the anger in Njord's voice and he nodded. He watched Njord vanish into the water as he sighed then Loki turned, walking back toward the palace.

The Prince of Asgard met Frey in his council chamber afterwards, informing him about what Njord had done. The Vanir king seemed pleased with his sire's justice and said so. "My father does not interfere much with my realm but when he does so, he always has cause."

Loki nodded. Though Njord was a sea deity, he was still accorded respect by the land bound Vanir, as he had married a Vanir princess of the Forest Lord to cement an alliance between land and sea. The Vanir traced their ancestry through the matrilineal line, however, so it was through Frey's mother that he was ruler of Vanaheim.

"What will happen to the young serpent now?" Loki asked.

Frey coughed uncomfortably. "Well . . . as he is an orphan now, he will become a royal ward."

"I see. And do you have a family for him to go with?"

"Not at present. There are not too many Vanir households who will accept a young shifter," the king admitted.

Loki frowned. He could well imagine what the young serpent would face as the ward of the crown. Rather like a certain half-Jotun had in Asgard.

"Might I make a suggestion, Uncle?"

"Go ahead."

"I am willing to take Jorgy into my household," Loki offered swiftly.

Frey's eyebrows rose into his golden hair.

"That's certainly unexpected, Nephew. Why would you do so? You are newly wed with children of your own. Why would you want another foundling?"

Loki seated himself in a chair at the round table beside his uncle. "Because I know what it's like to grow up feeling inferior and different. No one knows better. And I can make sure that never happens to Jorgy. As my ward and foster son he will be accorded the same privileges as my other children, including a place to belong and affection and love."

"But will Lady Sigyn agree?"

Loki nodded. "I will discuss it with her, but Sigyn is known for her great compassion and I doubt she will mind if Jorgy joins our rather unconventional family."

"Well then, if she and the youngster are amenable, I shall consider the matter settled," Frey declared, sounding pleased.

Loki smiled. "I shall speak with my wife later about it." Then he cleared his throat. "However, sire, there is another matter I wish to discuss."

"Indeed? Let's have it then."

"Well. . . I have heard some rather disturbing rumors." The prince began. "Is it true that there is a faction here that wishes you to abdicate in favor of a younger Vanir lord?" He prayed Frey would not take offense.

Slowly the king nodded. "Aye. There are some young hotheads who believe that because I refused to marry after Sunnilda died that I am unfit to rule Vanaheim."

Loki scowled. "That is utterly ridiculous!"

Frey snorted. "Not by their lights, Nephew. According to them, I should have remarried and produced an heir long ago. For the good of the monarchy." Frey sighed. "In a way, I can see their viewpoint. However, I could not bear to make an alliance with a lady just for the sake of getting an heir. After what I shared with Sunnilda, my heart could not tolerate a marriage without love. And my heart was buried with her, long ago, so it would not be fair to chain myself to another with no chance of ever loving again. Do you see?"

"Yes. Duty is a frigid thing without love," his nephew replied.

"'Tis so," Frey agreed. "My sister, may the Norns keep her, married for alliance and look at what she endured. Forgive me, Loki, for speaking plainly, but you and I know the best thing to come from that was you and Viva."

"You need not feel guilty, sire, for speaking the truth." Loki acknowledged.

Frey coughed. "Your understanding is appreciated. I wish some of my subjects would be so."

"People often fear the different," Loki remarked. "I learned that long ago." He admitted quietly.

Frey nodded gravely. "That is so."

"What are you going to do about these young upstarts?"

"I have some of my spies keeping an eye on them. Most of them are just talking and are , themselves, cowards."

"Would you mind some help?" Loki asked and Frey gave him a puzzled look.

"What sort of help?" his uncle asked.

"You know that I am a shifter," Loki reminded him. "I can infiltrate them and learn who they are and what they plan. Perhaps I can manage to avert any harm they mean to do. I am not known as Silvertongue for naught."

The monarch slowly smirked. "You are clever, Loki. Like your mother. But how will you persuade these troublemakers?"

Before he could respond, Sigyn rushed into the room, her face drawn. "Uncle! A large crowd has gathered below in the town! They are saying they wish to storm the palace and convince you to abdicate, Sire!"

"What?!" Frey scowled. "On what grounds?"

"There are group of nobles who claim you are unfit to rule because you have no heir and no care for the succession," Sigyn informed him.

Loki rose. "There's my cue." He said to his angry uncle.

Sigyn frowned. "Loki, what do you mean?"

"I'll tell you when I return, darling," he answered and then strode from the room.

Kamar-Taj:

Viva watched while Stephen tried to summon a shield and he sighed. She knew he was getting frustrated as she walked to him and he looked at his shaking hands.

"Damn," he sighed.

"Are your hands bothering you?" she asked in concern.

"No more than usual," he said and she took his hands. He liked how gentle she was when she touched him and she saw the small sign of a blush moving across his cheeks.

"Were we on Asgard, we could mend your hands with a special nerve regeneration pulse ray." She told him. "However, since that's not possible here, I could try and brew a Nerve Restorative Elixir. It's a bit more time consuming but it might achieve the same results."

Stephen's eyes widened. "This elixir—it's magical in nature?"

"Yes. It's a Jotun healing potion." Viva explained.

"And you think it will work on me? Even though I'm a human and not Jotun or Asgardian?"

"I see no reason why not. If brewed properly it should. Nerves are nerves, whether human or otherwise." Viva replied. "Are you willing to try it?"

"At this point, I will try anything." The doctor replied. "Are there any side effects?"

Viva considered. "Only one that I know of. It may increase clairvoyant powers for a time. If you have any."

Stephen arched an eyebrow. "Not that I know of. I wasn't even aware I had magic before this."

Viva smiled at him. "That's because you were never taught how to recognize it. And before it slept. But no longer, Stephen Strange."

"Viva, how difficult is this potion to make?"

"It's an advanced elixir, but I have brewed it before. I am not quite the master Loki is with potions, but I am quite good with healing brews."

Stephen nodded in relief. "How is it made?"

"Let me summon my potions text and I'll show you." The Mind Healer replied. Then she did so with a wave of her hand.

She opened the text while they looked through the pages, but he couldn't understand the writing.

"Is this written in Jotun?" he asked.

"Some of it."

She found the recipe for the elixir as she read the list of ingredients and she wondered if they could find them.

"Well?" Stephen asked.

"I found the recipe, but I am not sure if we can find what we need here," she said.

"We could ask Wong. He might know."

"What will we tell him we need them for?"

"We'll tell him the truth. The worst he can do is say no."

"All right." Viva agreed. "Let's go and find him." Tucking the potions book under her arm, she walked off the training grounds and over to the library.

Wong was placing some scrolls on the shelf when he heard someone approaching and he turned, seeing Viva and Stephen enter the library.

"How may I help you?" the Librarian asked.

"We need your assistance," Viva said. She explained what they were going to do and she showed him what they needed for the elixir.

"Ah, yes, we do have these."

"That's great!" Stephen said, grinning.

"But wouldn't it be easier if you just allow yourself to learn as much as you can and live with that?"

"I don't want to live like this!" Stephen snapped.

Viva sent some calming thoughts and vibrations into his mind and Stephen lowered his head.

"Sorry."

"I am used to your outbursts," Wong said and Viva swore she saw a small grin.

"Will you please write down where we can find the items we need?" she asked.

"Of course," he said, going to get a piece of paper and a quill. He wrote down where they could find the items then he handed her the piece of paper and she nodded.

"Thank you," she said.

"Yes, thank you," Stephen said and they left the library.

Wong went back to placing the scrolls on the shelves when he felt like he wasn't alone and he turned to see Mordo standing near one of the racks of books.

"What did Strange and that woman want?" Mordo asked.

"They just needed my help with something," Wong explained then he walked away.

Mordo glared as he balled his hands into fists and he stormed out of the library.

There was something going on with Strange and that damn Asgardian witch and he needed to know what it was.

A/N: Finally got a new chapter up! Thanks for your patience and please review!