In a Distant Time [fic] Mantantei Loki

[melrose_stormhaven]

Disclaimer: I don't own Mantantei Loki Ragnarok. It belongs to Sakura Kinoshita and company. Money is something I do not have, so forgive me. Don't sue!

Free talk: My very first MLR fanfiction. Please be gentle. It Loki x Mayura, by the way.

In a Distant Time

Prologue: Once, In a Distant Time

She came to him deep into the night.

She made no sound as she approached, but he sensed her presence. He lifted his head. She was an eerie figure in the coal-black surroundings as she was dressed in pure white flowing robes trimmed with gold thread. Her ankle-length hair streamed behind her in a thick cascade of soft curls. A ball of golden light hovered in the air beside her, illuminating her way through the darkness and giving her beautiful, flawless face a soft glow. She skillfully treaded her way around the sharp rocks that littered the ground.

Finally, she stopped in front of him. They stared at each other silently, taking in each other's appearance. No doubt she noted his torn and soiled clothes and the numerous cuts and bruises on his body. Under the light, her eyes glowed red–giving them a fierce, yet a same time haunted look.

Gentle fingers touched his face, skimming lightly over bruised flesh. He opened his dry, chapped lips to speak, but she put her finger on his lips to silence him. Then, she leaned forward, and gently kissed him.

He kissed her back hungrily, roughly, drinking her taste greedily like a thirsty man would drink water. He wanted to embrace her, to pull her close and feel the warmth of her body, but his hands were bound firmly to a huge rock, like the rest of his body. When their lips parted, they were both panting for breath. He whispered in a hoarse voice, "You're late."

It had been days since he last saw her, but he knew she would come. No matter what happened, she would always be there beside him.

She smiled a small sad smile. "I know."

"How did you get past the guards?"

Her smiled widened into a grin, but he saw that it didn't reach her eyes. "I have my own mysterious ways."

"I see." He grinned at her.

She stroked her damp, golden brown hair. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I have been trampled upon by a herd of giants." His whole body ached from the blows and cuts the other gods had given him as they subdued him. Aside from that, he had a skull-splitting headache. It did not help that he was tied spread-eagled against a sharp rock. Every time he struggled against his bonds (What was those things made up of, anyway? he had wondered. They burned through his flesh and for some strange reason, felt oddly familiar), the sharp edges of the rock gouged his back.

"You'll recover soon enough."

He looked around. "Why am I here? What did I do this time?"

She gave him a sharp look. "Do you not remember?"

He wearily shook his head. "I remember I was in Baldur's funeral feast, drinking mead by the gallons." The thought of the late Baldur made him sad and angry at the same time. He and Baldur were often compared with each other, with Baldur being 'better' than he was. He was no friend of the White god, who was the son of his blood brother, but his sudden, tragic death saddened him. Killed by a mistletoe arrow loosed by his blind brother! A god like Baldur deserved better death than that.

"You were drinking, and then–"

"I got very drunk and decided to insult the whole pantheon of gods," he cut in, suddenly remembering. He couldn't recall what words or insults he hurled, but he remembered their hostile glances, their angry mutterings, and the contempt in their faces. They blamed him for Baldur's death. They believed that while it was Hodur, Baldur's brother, that loosened the arrow, he was the one who guided it. He endured their malice for a while, but it came to a point that he had had enough.

"I was not even there when Baldur was killed," he said bitterly. He had been with her when that happened. "Am I to blame for every misfortune that happens in the Nine Worlds?" He struggled against his bonds. "Hypocrites! Curse them!"

"Well, you certainly did. I remember you called quite a few, including Heimdall and Freyr, a pox-filled son of a whore." An amused smile lit up her face.

A bitter bark of laughter escaped from his lips. "I'm surprised they had not immediately killed me, but then, it is forbidden to kill anyone in Aegir's hall. That is why I am tied here instead." He smiled at her. "Enough about me. How do you fare? Did they hurt you? I could not have borne that. They could hurt me, but not you."

She averted her gaze, avoiding his searching green eyes. "I am quite well. They have not harmed me. It is Angrboda that concerns me."

"Angrboda?" He raised one eyebrow in surprise. He had not thought his wife would be concerned about his mistress. Though her wife never uttered a word of complaint against his numerous affairs, he knew that inwardly, she cordially detested them. "What has happened?"

"I am sorry…but the other Aesir, they have kidnapped your three children by her."

"What?" he choked out, a red haze filling his vision. He cared little for his mistress, but his children were another matter. They were of his flesh and blood, and that was all there is to it. Odin will pay dearly if he hurts any of them. "Why? They have nothing to do with this!"

His wife did not answer. "Where have they taken them? How did you find out about this?" he demanded.

"I do not know where they have taken the children. Even if I were to ask, I doubt they would tell me. As for how I found out…Angrboda came to my hall and told me."

He blinked. "Angrboda came to your hall?" That was strange…and rather impertinent. He had made it clear to his giantess mistress that under no circumstances would she show herself to his wife. He didn't want her upsetting his wife, whom he loved very much, despite his infidelities. Besides, though Angrboda disliked his wife, his wife disliked Angrboda more and for all her gentleness and patience, his wife had a temper even he would not dare cross. She tolerated his string of mistresses, so long as he did not bring them to her hall.

His wife nodded. "Yes. She thought…I sto–I mean, she thought I knew where they had taken her children." Her eyes narrowed, and he could see she was offended that Angrboda would think she would steal her children.

"I see." A chilling thought occurred to him. "What about our sons, the twins, Vali and Nari? Have they taken them, too?" His twin sons by his wife, a mirror image of each other. They were miniature versions of him, with their maple-brown hair and deep green eyes.

She looked straight into his eyes, running her fingers over his bonds, almost caressing them. "No," she said firmly, "they have not taken our sons." Then she took a deep breath. "Loki, I came here to tell you that you will be free on the morrow."

Loki looked amused at the prospect of freedom. Forgiveness from the gods did not come as easily as that. "I will be? How did you–" he broke off as realization dawned to him. I should have seen it in the beginning. She wouldn't have been able to come near me unless…He stared at her, stunned. "Sigyn. You did not–you didn't–Odin–"

Sigyn took a step back from her husband, retreating into the shadows, a calm, determined look on her face. Loki knew that expression. She has made up her mind; she will not change it, no matter what I say.

Dismissing Loki's stricken gaze, Sigyn went on, "It is Odin's judgment that you are to be exiled from Asgard. You shall be sent to Midgard, where you shall take the form of a young boy. Your powers will be limited as well. The gods that will release you on the morrow will tell you more of the other conditions of your exile."

Exile. For insulting his fellow gods, for telling the truth, he was to be banished from Asgard–from everything he valued and loved. "Are you to join me in my exile?" he wanted to know, his emerald eyes boring into hers.

To her credit, Sigyn did not look away. "No. Odin…has…decided that I will not go with you. He has given me…certain duties to perform...elsewhere."

Elsewhere. "Odin is not one to be trusted. Sigyn, what have you done?" Why do you wish to tear us further apart?

Sigyn ignored his question. "This will probably be the last time we shall see each other. I will not be there to see you off." She turned her back to him. "Farewell, Loki." Leaving behind the ball of light, she walked into the darkness, never looking back.

~T.B.C.~

Free talk, part 2: How did you find it? I'm sorry if it's a bit confusing. I'll try to explain a bit in the next chapters. And yes, you'll see more of your favorite MLR characters quite soon. I just wanted to show why and how Loki ended up in Midgard (or at least, what's Odin's pretext for sending him there). He must have done something serious that caused him to end up in Midgard. Do they seem OOC? Do tell.

This chapter takes part after Loki insults the gods in Baldur's funeral feast. I know there had to be a snake dripping venom all over Loki, but for the plot's sake, I just altered the outcome.

Aesir: That's the term for the gods. As is for the males, Asynjur for the females.

Sigyn: Well, nothing much is known about Sigyn. I kinda imagined her as pretty and feminine, patient, understanding and faithful, not to mention strong-willed. She had to be. I mean, Loki's her husband, after all.

The bonds: In case you didn't know, Loki's bonds are made up from the entrails of one of his sons by Sigyn. Loki had two sons by Sigyn. The gods turned one into a wolf who killed the other brother.

Baldur's death: I'll explain more in other chapters. ^__^

[bookworm]

Ooooooohhhhhhhhhhh...that was wonderful. I can't wait for more!!! And the appearance of Mayura!!!!!!!!!

[nezumi]

Please, please, please continue. The beginning, which was wonderfully written, hints at an amazing plot. I can't wait to read more!

[saeki54]

Nice! You really must know your mythology. (Or probablly not...) :-?
But it's true, I swear! The Norse gods believed that Loki, the god of mischief & chaos (He's not really a god, honest. He was more like a giant-creature thingy-damn, I'm forgetting things...) had killed Balder The Beautiful (That's his title- I kid you not.) & was sentenced to be bound in agony with poison on his face until Hel comes, where he will lead a revolt against the gods of Asgard.
I love my mythology, ne? :razz: