Little Liar Loki

Nevaeh gasped a little, hurriedly wiping her eyes clean off any tear residue. The door opened itself. A tall woman glided inside. Nevaeh stared at her with awe. She was very fair, had long hip-length blonde hair which were braided at the top and were flowing sleek behind her. She had sharp blue eyes and was wearing long silver robes, giving her an aura of a goddess.

She was smiling warmly at them.warmly. Nevaeh gracefully bowed down in front of her.

Frigga laughed. 'That is unnecessary, Nevaeh.'

Loki smiled a little as he saw her rising up, awkwardly nodding.

'How can I help you, mother?' Loki asked politely, reminding Nevaeh of those old, carefree times, roughly five hours ago, when Loki was this soft-spoken with her. She noticed how Loki and Frigga had striking resemblance in the way they gracefully stood, with their fingers gently locked in front of them.

'There has been some progress. How?' Frigga asked, but Nevaeh felt that the question was meant for her rather than Loki. Loki squinted side-ways at an anxious Nevaeh, who said, 'We were talking and it healed a little.'

'How so?' Frigga asked.

Nevaeh glanced nervously at Loki for some help, who quickly answered his mother's question. 'She thinks that honesty on her part – regarding certain things – led to sudden healing.' Loki carefully watched his mother for any hints of uncertainty which might contradict Nevaeh's healing hypothesis, but Frigga merely smiled to herself. She stretched out her hand and beckoned Nevaeh to show her palm. Nevaeh quickly held out her hand.

Frigga took Nevaeh's hand into hers and noticed that one whole longitude was healed, but the rest of her hand remained scarred.

'Did honesty on your part make any difference?' Frigga asked sharply, looking at Loki. Nevaeh secretly wondered how much Frigga actually knew about Loki's lies. Loki shook his head. Frigga sighed, turning to look at Nevaeh.

'What were your precise words before the healing occurred?' she asked.

Nevaeh was feeling ashamed to admit that she had said that she loathed her son, which led to the healing, and she shifted her feet uncomfortably. Frigga watched Nevaeh's face grow anxious. 'I need to know' Frigga said quietly, gently clutching her hand in a reassuring manner.

'We were – we were having an argument and – and I told him that I hate him, after which my palm started healing itself,' Nevaeh hushed quietly as Frigga again smiled to herself.

'Loki, would you leave us alone for a while?' Frigga asked, now analysing Nevaeh's wrist.

Loki was taken aback. 'Why? What do—'he was interrupted by a glaring look by Frigga. 'Loki. Off you go.'

Loki gave her a curt nod and stepped outside his chambers, leaving them alone inside. Frigga let go off Nevaeh's hand as Loki closed the door behind him. Nevaeh was amazed by how effortlessly she had made Loki to follow her command.

'Do you know anything about the curse with which you have been afflicted?' Frigga asked politely, walking towards the terrace. Nevaeh quickly followed her, recalling everything The Grace had told her.

'It is some sort of imbalance between Loki and I,' Nevaeh said.

Frigga halted at the edge, glancing out in the sky. 'Indeed,' she nodded. 'His lies against your honesty. Now, tell me, how can more honesty on your part lead to creating a balance?' Frigga asked, smiling warmly at Nevaeh, who had a blank expression on her face. Nevaeh was blinking rapidly as she did the equation in her mind, thinking hard. Loki had been piling up lies upon her and Nevaeh had already been truthful in the past.

'It cannot. Lying on my part could heal it, I guess' Nevaeh said with uncertainty, still thinking hard.

'Guess? Child, it has indeed healed a part of you,' Frigga said with a knowing smile.

Nevaeh froze. She was sure that she had been honest when she'd said that she hated Loki, and that was the reason her palm was healed, but Frigga's firm response made Nevaeh's stomach curl up in a little ball. Her heart was thumping inside her chest so loudly that she could hear it ringing inside her ears. It was humiliating enough that Nevaeh hadn't been able to figure this out by herself, despite Loki's contradiction, and now she had to stomach this horrifying change of emotions in front of Loki's mother.

'It is quite all right, Nevaeh,' she said as if she were listening to what she was thinking. Especially now because we have come closer in fixing your hand. We know how to heal it now, don't we?' Frigga said kindly.

Meanwhile, Loki was going crazy by thinking about what they might be talking and especially why his mother insisted on his absence while they did so. He needed to know. Loki sighed and made himself invisible, quickly stepping into the room without even needing to open the door. Loki saw them standing on the terrace next to each other, their almost equally long hair, blonde and brunette, flowing behind them as they stared into the sky as they talked.

Frigga suddenly turned around, making Nevaeh jump a little in alarm. She watched cautiously as Frigga walked towards the door. She pinched something in the air by her fingers. Nevaeh couldn't help but chuckle a little as she saw a suddenly visible Loki, bending a little in his knees, while his mother shoved him out of the door by his ear.

'I will call you once we are done!'Frigga said exasperatedly as she threw Loki out of his bedchambers. The door swung close behind her on its own. 'He never learns!' Frigga said, shaking her head.

'He is definitely a handful' Nevaeh laughed.

Frigga smiled. 'One would think that he would know better. After all, I taught him everything he knows, and yet, he tries,' Frigga gently placed her hand on the edge of the terrace once again.

'Did he lie often as a kid?' Nevaeh asked, wondering if she could figure out Loki's compulsion for lying.

Frigga heavily rolled her eyes. 'More than you can imagine.'

'I can imagine quite a bit' mumbled Nevaeh.

Frigga glanced side-ways at her, smiling thinly. 'Let me tell you a story. As kids, Loki and Thor loved long hair and they absolutely refused to cut them. Soon, the time came when both of them had shoulder length hair, but I made them cut it. They were furious, but they had to oblige. Now, after a few months, I find out that Loki never did cut his hair. He was maintaining an illusion of short, neat hair for so long, right in front of my nose! That boy's hair had grown way below his waist by the time I found out! It was a conundrum! I didn't know whether to scold him or to praise him!' finished Frigga with a hearty chuckle.

Nevaeh laughed as she wondered how little Loki with long hair must've looked like. 'I wish I could see how he looked when he was little.'

Frigga turned to look at her, sensing that she was being utterly genuine about her wish. Frigga smiled at her. 'I see no reason why you can't.'

Nevaeh figured she would show her old photos or something. Instead, Frigga turned around, waving her arm. The room changed in a rippling green. Suddenly, they were standing in a room which was as magnificent as Loki's.

Nevaeh's eyes turned soft as she blinked at a younger Frigga and a minuscule Loki, who was pouting in front of his mother with his arms crossed. Nevaeh laughed as she watched Loki's hair which was waist length and he had a little, silver crown studded with emeralds on top of his head.

'Your brother cut his hair months ago! Now, it is your turn, Loki. You have put it off long enough!' Frigga said firmly. Loki looked at her with a pleading expression on his face, his tiny eyes conveniently sparkling which could melt a frozen heart.

'Mother, it is not my fault that I am smarter than Thor and can manage my own style without anyone's assistance!' Loki said in a grumpy voice. Nevaeh had an irresistible urge to pick him up and squeeze his rosy cheeks.

Frigga clicked her tongue. 'What ghastly style is this? Your illusion was perfect, Loki, but your hair needs to be cut!' Frigga ordered, getting up and waving a hand.

Loki sighed in sadness as a pair of scissors appeared out of thin air and began cutting his hair under Frigga's watch.

The room disappeared. Nevaeh was once again standing in Loki's chambers with Frigga smiling by her side. Nevaeh felt like watching all of her memories from Loki's childhood, when he was little and innocent, just like the Loki she had first met in the forest, who was pretending to be little and innocent.

'That was beautiful! I needed to see that. Thank you for showing me,' Nevaeh said, laughing a little as she ran a hand down her forehead.

Frigga nodded. 'I know you did. You are the first friend of Loki's that I have met. Everyone else is either Thor and Loki's common friends or Thor's friends. But, you are the first one who has never met Thor before and has taken a liking for Loki.' Nevaeh wondered internally about why Frigga felt the need to specify this, while feeling a little sad for Loki at the same time.

'Why is that?' Nevaeh asked. Apart from raging fits and nasty lies, Loki was a pretty cool friend to have by one's side.

Frigga shrugged. 'Loki and Thor were so mischievous. They never felt the need of anyone else but each other. They had their fights, sometimes battles even, but at the end of the day, one could find them sniggering somewhere in the palace's nook, sharing a snack.'

Nevaeh smiled at her, trying very hard to hold back tears. 'I hope I get to meet Thor someday,' Nevaeh said genuinely, hiding the fact that she did meet an illusion of Thor.

'You will,' Frigga started walking towards the door. Nevaeh frowned a little at her departing figure, but followed her nonetheless. Whenever Frigga said something about the future, Nevaeh couldn't help but wonder if it was bound to happen sooner or later; Frigga had that tone of voice as if she somehow already has an idea of the future. 'I am glad that you understood how to heal your hand,' Frigga said, halting at the door.

Nevaeh nodded. 'I couldn't have done that without your help, my Highness.'

Frigga smiled warmly at her. 'I will see you at the great hall for breakfast in the morning. I just wish Odin and Thor would've been able to join us,' she said quietly. Nevaeh could feel the pain behind her smile.

'I am sorry, but I can't stay here for long. I need to go home soon,' Nevaeh said.

'Some other time then. Take care of yourself,' Frigga gently touched her cheek with her palm. Nevaeh felt a pang of pain inside her chest as she looked into Frigga's kind eyes.

Nevaeh clutched her eyes with her good palm as soon as Frigga walked out the door, silently bursting into tears. She quickly strode towards the terrace. Her hand shook as she wiped the tears off her face. Loki returned to his bedchambers. Nevaeh could feel herself being torn apart thinking about how Loki's horrid plans could destroy his mother's unbearably pure soul.

Nevaeh sniffled silently and turned around to face Loki who was gently smiling at her.

'So what did mother say?' he asked.

'Your kind mother who knows nothing of her son's devious plan? Nothing much, we just talked,' Nevaeh snapped. Loki slowly walked towards her with a calculative frown on his face.

'What has happened?' Loki asked. 'My mother told you something, didn't she? I can see it in your eyes,' Loki stared at her as she nodded.

'Oh, yes. She told me to take care of myself and all kinds of sweet stuff. She asked me to join you for breakfast, but was sad because, you know, Thor and your father wouldn't be able to accompany her,' Nevaeh unblinkingly watched Loki with deadly eyes.

Loki's jaw clenched. 'Well, they can't accompany her. Too bad,' he said as though things were totally beyond his control.

Nevaeh nodded shrewdly. 'Ever, Loki. They can't accompany her ever if your plan works out!'

'Let's hope for the best,' Loki winked at her.

Nevaeh stared disbelievingly at him. 'God! What – what happened to you?' she whispered. 'You were such a cute kid! What in the world happened to you? You are willing to tear your family apart for some stupid ambition?' Nevaeh asked shrilly.

Loki instantly laughed at her for saying such a stupid thing. 'What do you even know about ambition, girl? You have never had an ambition in your goddamned life! Even if you had one, it wouldn't be worth counting, anyway!' spat Loki, spinning on the spot and starting to pace the room. 'Am I stupid for wanting the throne, which is my birth right?' Loki yelled indignantly, pacing across his chamber.

'No. But if you want it more than your family, then yes. You are stupid,' Nevaeh watched him abruptly halt in mid-pace and face her.

Loki cackled loudly. Nevaeh closed her eyes in anger for a moment. 'What makes you so sure that the two are even worth comparing? You have met my mother, yes, but that doesn't count for anything! You have no idea what my family has put me through! You cannot come here and order me to set my priorities straight! Am I being understood?' hissed Loki.

Nevaeh stared at him through slightly swollen eyes. 'No.'

Loki's nostrils flared up in anger. 'Excuse me?'

'No,' she repeated.

'Oh, I am sorry for framing my words as a question. But you heard me and you will say nothing regarding this any further, yes?' snapped Loki.

Nevaeh glowered at him with a rigid expression on her face. 'No' she said, yet again.

Loki's fist clenched in fury. 'YES!' bellowed Loki, but Nevaeh didn't flinch a bit.

'No,' she said simply.

Loki laughed in anger. 'You are trying to push my buttons! You do realise that I can just make you say yes! Whenever I want!'

'Do that and you will never see my face again,' Nevaeh said quietly, staring unblinkingly at him.

Loki cackled mirthlessly, sending a hollow rumble inside Nevaeh's heart. 'You think I care? I DON'T GIVE A DAMN!' he yelled viciously.

Nevaeh's face cracked a thin smirk. She silently put out her hand, showing Loki the dark emerald smoke suddenly erupting on her palm. Loki watched the smoke emitting from her hand with both his fists tightly.

'I yield,' he snapped angrily, whipping his cape and beginning to pace the room again as the smoke disappeared. He was breathing sharply, but before he could talk Nevaeh interjected. 'When you said that you hope your plans work out, my hand was fine. You really meant that, didn't you?' she hushed quietly, tears filling her eyes once again as though she just realized that Loki was being serious about killing his father.

Loki was about to open his mouth to retort when Nevaeh interrupted him again, no longer needing his answer as her palm had already provided her with the same. 'What did they ever do to you? Your mother is so kind! You told me you want the throne but, Loki – you are The King!' screamed Nevaeh.

Loki shook his head with defiance. 'You know nothing about what he put me through!'

Nevaeh approached him slowly. 'Whatever he did, you still can't kill your father! Because if you do, you are killing a part of your mother! Don't you see that, Loki? Or, don't you care?' yelled Nevaeh as tears flowed down her cheeks. Loki was taking sharp breaths as he avoided her gaze, holding himself together with all his might. He closed his eyes, lightly sniffling his nose.

Nevaeh watched his eyes grow misty as he ignored her gaze. She gently ran her good hand through his hair, his eyes closing themselves as soon as she did the same. 'Let go of the anger you have against your father, for whichever reason, for the sake of your mother! She loves you, Loki, more than anyone possibly can. I don't know anything about your father, but somehow I know, and so do you that your mother has a deeper bond with you than she has with anyone else. But if you snatch half her family away from her, she would never forgive you,' whispered Nevaeh.

'It is too late to back away now, I must see it through,' Loki sharply opened his eyes. Nevaeh's stomach curled as she saw the adamant look on his face.

Nevaeh shook her head. 'No it isn't! We – we can go and tell the Frost Giants that the deal is off and—'she was interrupted by a cackling Loki.

'We – aren't doing anything. You – are staying out of this. I – am going to kill my father.'

Loki squinted a little as Nevaeh's gentle grasp on his hair slowly turned into a mildly painful one. Nevaeh's eyes grew wider with every sentence he spoke and his cold, cross-eyed expression was doing nothing to calm the anger rising inside of her. She yanked Loki's hair, pulling them down and making him cry out-loud.

'Ouch! Are – you – crazy?'Loki yelled, trying to catch her wrist but she was wildly tugging his hair, making him bend in his knees. He felt as though his shiny hair might come off in her evil claw any second.

'Am I crazy?' she yelled shrewdly, pushing him aside by his hair and releasing her grip.

Loki was on the verge of snapping. He turned around wildly to stare at an equally angry Nevaeh. 'You are a jerk, Loki! He is your father! Your one and only father who—'

Loki took a lungful of air. 'HE – IS – NOT – MY – FATHER!' he bellowed. He was gasping for breath, his face flushed with anger.

'What – what kind of emo, teenage punk bullshit is that?' Nevaeh said, thoroughly perplexed at his words.

Loki laughed again, but this time, with a hint of neurosis. Nevaeh blinked at him in surprise. She had never seen him like this before. His eyes were tearful. His jaw was tightly clenched, so were his fists, not due to anger, but for the fact that he was desperately trying to contain his oozing emotions.

'Do you want to see?' Loki hissed, his face contorted with pain as Nevaeh gaped at his tearful eyes, wondering what he was talking about. 'Do you want to see – what happened right before I met you for the first time? Do you?' he yelled, but did not wait for an answer.

Loki reached near her in two strides, turning her around roughly by her shoulders. The room dissolved, but quickly shifted and they were standing in a dimly lit dungeon.

Nevaeh looked around; the room was golden just as everything else inside the palace, but it was quite narrow and long. She was facing a faded blue, square shaped casket which was placed over a waist length stone pillar. Ahead of her, at both the sides of the narrow passage were two metal pits with fire burning inside of them, bathing the entire dungeon in flickering yellow light.

'Watch this and then tell me what you think of the mighty all father,' hissed Loki, letting go of Nevaeh's shoulders and moving a few steps behind to stand as still and rigid as a pole. There was nothing more he hated in life than this one memory...