Chapter Text
“A tour?”
“Yes, if Thor has not offered already? The weather is a little cooler today, and the clouds are blocking the sun,” Loki said.
Laufey hummed. “He has not. I was not sure if it was because the commoners would not... be civil.”
“I have arranged for guards. The nobility is more of an issue than the commoners normally.” Loki shrugged. “You spend too much time in here and it is not even a very exciting room.”
“Alright, princeling, show us this city of yours.”
Loki grinned and led Laufey and Thiazi out of the palace. There were some looks given to the large blue giants, but everyone knew about the negotiations so it was restrained to looks.
The trip from the palace grounds to the city took a while on foot, but as there were no horses big enough to carry adult Jotuns... it was their only option. The guards were some of the more professional Loki knew of and they all did their duty without complaint. The route was planned ahead, the city warned, and Loki desperately hoped there would be no incidents.
Laufey and Thiazi listened to him talk about city planning, famous buildings, where to find drinkable water, popular hangouts and all the other things Loki took for granted as he had seen them too often to really appreciate them. Fortunately he had shown foreigners around before, otherwise he would never have known what to talk about and what would interest someone from another realm.
They reached the marketplace and Loki led them through, the guards making the few commoners react and step aside.
“You seem popular,” Thiazi remarked after five merchants had called out a cheerful greeting to Loki.
“In some circles,” Loki admitted. Certainly among the lower classes and the merchants. He waved to a group of children gawking a bit away.
“But not the palace,” Laufey remarked.
Loki shrugged. “Not as much, no.”
Laufey stopped by a merchant selling colorful birds from Alfheim. The elf went on his usual sales pitch about breeding and feathers.
“But are they edible?” Laufey asked, with a smirk.
“I can't recommend it,” Loki said before the merchant could go from speechless to indignant. “Come, let us find you some lunch before I have to explain to the Allfather why half the merchants have fled.”
“If it is fresh. I am of a mind that Aesir overcook meat to hide the poor quality.”
“No, that is what the spices are for,” Thiazi pitched in. “I read about it. Especially the stronger ones. I suppose it might be more of a habit these days.”
“Well if you've read about it,” Laufey muttered.
“How about fresh fruit?” Loki suggested. He was happy when he spotted an elderly elven woman who sold fruits. If Loki could eat her goods he reasoned Laufey and Thiazi would be able to as well. If he could have afforded it he would have eaten all his meals by her stand, but his allowance was not all that big.
“That will suffice.”
The woman was not fazed by the giants at all. She spoke to them in their own language, even if it sounded stilted, and Loki paid for what she gave the three of them. At least official functions were not out of his own pocket, so it did not bother him at all.
They ate by a large tree.
Laufey gave him a potion, and Loki drank it without comment.
Once they walked on Loki took them through the public menagerie. The staff was at first horrified when Laufey made a beeline for the large cats, but then became baffled when he petted them.
“I'm thinking we should include kittens in the peace treaty,” Loki noted.
“It may even work,” Thiazi chuckled.
Loki pointed out a few more things while leading them back to the palace, by a different street than they had used before.
All in all it had taken a few hours, and he was surprised no one had missed them. Loki knew foreign dignitaries were usually given more attention.
Days passed and the negotiations were about as drawn out as one could expect when Laufey did everything to draw them out. Loki was mildly amused, but his schedule was full enough that he had little free time. Enough to sneak off to eat with the giants. Enough for Laufey to find him in his rooms and force him to drink more potions. Enough for talking about things Loki disliked talking about.
Embarrassingly he often dozed off after eating if there was nothing to panic about, no work to get done. Laufey would usually smirk and pet his hair when he woke up from his nap.
The first time Loki spent the entire night with them was unplanned. He passed out because he was tired and only woke up at dawn when Laufey called his name.
“You mentioned you have audiences today, best get up before they come looking for you,” Laufey said softly.
Loki nodded, and even though he was still tired he struggled out of whatever furry blanket he was wrapped in. Because Laufey probably considered his good deed for the day over and done with, he dumped a heavier fur on top of Loki.
“That is not helpful.”
“Such demands,” Laufey lamented. Loki felt a big hand press him down. “Helpful? Why would I be helpful?”
Loki heaved a sigh and stopped moving. “Cabin in the woods,” he muttered. “I am going to go live in a cabin in the woods. As soon as I figure out how to properly ward a perimeter.” He closed his eyes and focused on leaving a clone.
“Sounds boring.”
Teleporting to the doorway, Loki banished the clone. The fur he had been trapped under fell flat. “Yes, well,” Loki said and watched Laufey turn quickly to where he was. “We cannot always have fun.”
“It would be more fun, if that were the case.”
“You are hopeless,” Loki said, trying in vain not to smile.
“On the contrary, I am full of hope. Also, before you run off...” Laufey unpacked a bag full of food.
Loki smiled wider and sat down opposite to Laufey. He was handed some sort of roll with a creamy center. Not cream from milk, but something thick and sweet like honey and fruit and something fluffy.
“You are very good at using magic.”
“Thank you,” Loki said as soon as he had swallowed what was in his mouth. It felt... good. Better than good even, to get compliments for his spellwork. It did happen, but it was rare outside of Alfheim. Usually people scorned magic in general.
“Have you had a mentor?”
“Yes, a woman on Alfheim,” Loki said quietly. “I have the basics down, but much of the more advanced spellwork still needs practice, and I cannot cast if I am too emotional.”
“On Jotunheim we start much later, regardless of what we choose to pursue. You will find few at your age who have done much of anything, even if most have tried a profession or two for a month. It is odd to see Aesir push children so hard. We want ours to stay carefree as long as possible.”
“It sounds nice, but boring,” Loki shrugged.
The throne room was packed – as usual – and Loki sighed internally even as he smiled politely. He walked in with his head held high and his back straight.
“Audience is in session,” a young herald called out. “All bow to His Royal Highness Prince Loki.”
The courtroom obeyed and Loki took his place, standing in front of the throne, a few steps down as he and Thor had been instructed centuries ago.
He had always approached his duties as a prince with more enthusiasm than Thor. Among the things expected of him was to solve petty disputes. Squabbles like which farmer had the right to a stretch of land, or which noble was slandering who, took up his entire day at the very least once a week. Odin could overrule him, but he rarely bothered to. Too few people complained when he judged, because for all that Loki was a lying trickster he was fair towards the subjects. Not kind in all things, but fair.
Thor was supposed to cover half of it, but since he rarely ever did his share of the work Loki covered for his brother rather than ignore it and force Odin to do it. Odin had more than enough work as it was and could use the time off. Loki, for one, felt he should help his parents where he could even if Thor did not. Even if they never were his parents. Even if they had lied to him. Family was important.
Was his Jotun family important?
Loki nodded to indicate that the first person to step forward.
The commoner bowed, introduced himself, said all the appropriate polite things and when Loki acknowledged that he could go on he was thanked.
“Your Highness, the recent tax increase -”
Loki held a hand up. “I read your letter. You want an exception.”
There was always this amazement on their faces that someone so high above them took notice and remembered.
“The Allfather refuses. I am afraid exceptions will be denied across the board.” Loki made sure he kept his face impassive. “However, I did take the time to run the numbers and if you join forces with the business next door you will both manage the increase and still make a profit.”
When he was eventually done holding audiences that day he quickly washed up before heading to the baths. A long bath would usually help to calm him down and get the idiotic arguments of the commoners out of his brain. Hopefully he would not think too much about his hidden blue skin, just a spell away from his normal Aesir appearance. Hopefully he would think less about any family he may have on Jotunheim.
The palace had large pools for swimming, some heated while others were kept cool. The cooler pools were popular during summer, but Loki used them year round. He enjoyed bathing and staying clean more than most, and the quiet atmosphere often present in the baths was like a soothing balm on his nerves. When it was too crowded during late summer he would visit the small lakes by the mountains, since they were fed from the glaciers and were always cold. He wondered how many hints to his heritage there was. How many clues had he ignored?
Annoyed at his life in general, he forcefully threw his clothes off and left them in a pile. The servants knew by now to leave him alone. He could do as he pleased.
The water was cool, not cold, but it soothed him anyway.
Floating on his back with his eyes closed he heard the silent approach of another but did not care enough to acknowledge it. He would prefer solitude and most people gave him a wide berth. Whoever it was would either ignore him, or they would make themselves known. He was not moving unless he had to.
Loki shivered in pure delight when the water became colder still, and opened his eyes with a smile.
“Hello, little one,” Laufey purred. Frost Giants purr? Loki had never heard it before, but then he was just scratching the surface when it came to knowledge about them.
“Done annoying my father and brother for the day?” Loki asked cheekily.
“They felt it might go faster if they only talked to my advisor.” Laufey walked out to the deep end where Loki was floating. His head and shoulders were still over the water's surface. “I figured I should check to see how you were.”
Again. Laufey had acted like a mother hen since Loki's heritage had been revealed. On one hand that was nice, but on the other he wished he could have that kind of attention from his family. How often had he not wished one of his parents would give a damn and be honest at it?
“He seems decidedly unwilling to be here, though. Your advisor. Not to mention, you still have to agree. Seems counterproductive to convince an advisor when you have already made the journey.” Loki ignored the prodding towards his well-being. He was not sure how he was feeling, except fantastic because of the colder temperature.
“He lost his whole blood family in the war. Even the littles and the elders. Only has his second son and daughter left. He would sooner eat Odin's heart than agree to anything, but he is polite. Used to be a politician, before.”
Loki frowned. “Am I the only one you lot can stand to be around?”
“No, but you are one of very few most of us like. Then again, there is a natural reason for you understanding us so well...”
They were alone. Loki noticed that the guards were politely staying outside. Well, that or they wanted no part in Loki's untimely death, seeing as he was alone with a monster. He shifted to his other form, he refused to think of it as his real one. Not just yet. Soon maybe, but not now.
He was still skinny, but he had gained enough weight that he did not look like he was about to blow away in a mild wind. More like he had looked in his Aesir shape, but that shape was now more filled out. He was grateful for that, and for the food. He had not had an upset stomach in a long time. He slept better too. Not as well as when Helblindi had cuddled him, but well enough.
“How come you travel without guards?” Loki asked. It had bothered him for a while. Most royalty when they visited would bring large entourages.
“Do I?” Laufey made a motion with his hand, a signal of sorts, and four guards became visible for a few seconds.
“Clever.”
Laufey caressed his limbs. That purring sound was heard again. Laufey was clearly in the mood to play. Perhaps it was not the wisest option, but Loki was intrigued. It would feel different in this form, since he was more sensitive to touch. Did this body respond to different things? Odin could very well kill him as a traitor, but then again, Odin had lied to him his whole life. Why should he not do something to take his mind off all the buzzing thoughts?
“You do realize that this is a horribly bad idea and you will not be getting any favors out of it,” Loki said with no real objection in his voice. He liked the differences, liked that Laufey was stronger and bigger.
“I am bored, you are not unwilling and sex is far less of a big deal to us anyway. Seems like a fine idea.”
“Fine, but only because I am curious.”
“Ooh. That is right, need to test the limits all over again... hm? Are you brave enough to yield?”
“Oh yes,” Loki grinned. He liked it when he found people who were of the same opinion as him when it came to sex. Elves were more to his taste, normally, since they cared little about who they fucked or if that person had been with others before.
“We can breathe water,” Laufey said.
“Oh?”
“Yes. Our element is water. The pigs call us Frost Giants, but ice is water. Relax.” Laufey pushed him below the surface with a gentle hand on his chest. He could have escaped, but he really was curious. Loki felt his body act on reflex, swallowing water and then... breathing it. Obviously his lungs were different than regular Aesir lungs. He was pushed deeper still, Laufey following him down until they were on the bottom of the pool.
His skin was nipped, so he nipped back. He wondered a little how sex worked between two males when they both had sharp teeth and sharper claws, but the way Laufey pawed at him he would find out very, very soon.
Something colder than flesh entered him, though it was small enough to just be a finger wide. Ice, he thought. That worked well enough. It was cool, slippery and smooth. Loki moaned as it grew thicker on every other thrust, but no regular sound came, it sounded more like what one would expect from aquatic animals. Under water his vocal cords did little to produce the noises he was used to hearing.
The slow stretch was nice, even as he steadily became uncomfortable with the situation. He was underwater and at the mercy of a giant. Everything he had ever been taught made this seem like a bad idea. Then again, what was life without a little excitement?
Laufey nipped at his skin again, nuzzled into his neck. Loki felt something pull at him, almost as if it touched his mind. His soul. He gave in and followed the pull, relaxing his body. Laufey bit then, not a little nip but a hard bite, where his neck met his shoulder and he did not let up.
It was scary how good it felt.
It should hurt him, but it just felt good. Exciting. Relaxing, actually. It did nothing to trigger any reflexes, he felt no need to put a hand to the wound the way he did in Aesir skin. The only thing he felt was a need to bite back.
After the ice the cock felt very warm. The stretch was uncomfortable, but he felt it went too easily. Loki writhed against Laufey, but tried to limit his movements with those sharp teeth still buried in his flesh. Stuck between two points there was little he could do. He tried to relax his body, but it kept writhing on autopilot and he realized that Laufey was not thrusting into him as much as his own body was spasming around the cock.
Loki decided that his body probably knew more than he did and followed the flow, so to speak. Laufey stopped biting then, but he still kept his mouth over the wound.
He was unsure of how much time passed before Laufey pulled out and brought them to the surface, by the shallower end of the pool. Loki was still dazed enough that he did not freak out when he could suddenly breathe air again after coughing and spitting some water out. He held on to the edge of the pool when Laufey nudged him to it.
“Best not stay under too long or you will panic,” Laufey said. It was a solid logic.
Loki shifted back to his Aesir form when he heard footsteps approaching. Laufey continued his stroking and nipping, but was much gentler with his Aesir shape. Fandral, of all people, walked in on them. He looked murderous, but only stayed to glare disapprovingly at Loki for one heartbeat before storming out.
“Friend?” Laufey asked curiously, lips brushing against his ear.
“Thor's friend,” Loki said automatically. The Idiots Three were Thor's friends. Loki was just the skinny younger brother who tagged along sometimes. They liked to take advantage of his magic skills even as they mocked him for them.
“He looked possessive.”
“We fucked. Twice. It is no big deal.” Loki sighed. “Well, it was not to me. This is going to be such a huge deal... I should just drown myself.” The things Fandral would spread around in the rumor mill would no doubt be unpleasant.
“This could prove fun,” Laufey chuckled. “Drowning will not work.”
Loki growled.
“Shift.”
With another growl Loki did. Laufey manhandled him until Loki had his back on the smooth, slippery floor and his ass hanging over the edge of the pool. Laufey stood between Loki's thighs, his large hands had a death grip on Loki's hips.
Loki lifted himself up on his elbows so he could watch a bit of what was going on. Laufey's cock started to slide into his ass easily despite Loki's mind screaming that it was way too large to fit. His inner muscles started massaging the intruder as soon as Laufey did a rough thrust and buried himself to the hilt.
The mewling, wanton sounds Loki made surprised him even though he had always been vocal in bed. He wanted to move more, but Laufey held his hips still. Loki was sure that even without Fandral no doubt telling everyone and their unborn child what was going on, the Einherjar guards outside heard enough to piece it together. He should have cared more about that, but at the moment he was a bit preoccupied with something he enjoyed much more than gossip.
“Why does it work like this?” Loki asked, having found some brain cells that still functioned normally. “This does not normally happen.”
“Your body was spelled to act Aesir. I am not sure why males react like females, but it is much easier under water like this,” Laufey rumbled.
“And the biting?”
“We bite a lot.” Laufey bit Loki's leg briefly, then hovered with his mouth just over the bite mark on his lower neck. Loki whined when a soft tongue lapped at the swollen wound, but with how hard he got it was an easy thing to forgive.
Occasionally Laufey would thrust roughly, and Loki decided that his reputation could go hang itself. Sex between Frost Giants was awesome. He came three times before Laufey filled him. He was prepared to call it a day, but something in him responded to being filled, to the warmth of the semen. He felt his muscles cramp sharply and came so hard he barely knew his own name at the end of it.
Laufey cooed at him while he came down from his high.
“That was spectacular,” he mumbled. It might not have been as eloquent as normal.
“Good. Youngsters should not start out with bad experiences.” Laufey stroked up and down his arms with his palms. “If they give you too much grief just kill them.”
Loki huffed, then laughed. He was in a good mood now. “Is that how you solve problems?”
Laufey moved so that they were nose to nose. “It is how I solve problems with Asgard's court.”
He allowed Laufey to cuddle because he felt like it made everything better, even if it was just for a while. They kissed and Loki grunted into it when Laufey's cock slipped out of his hole. He was not sore like he was used to, he merely felt empty.
Eventually he started worrying about being found like that – again – and covered his sudden nervousness by getting up and shifting back. By the time they went their separate ways Loki was tired, but overall still happy. He had marks all over and the only thing keeping him from touching them while grinning like an idiot was his stubborn pride.
Fandral had been busy, Loki noted when servants and nobles alike sneered at him and talked behind his back. It was not the first time he was the topic of palace gossip, but he had never seen it spread this fast. Then again, how often did they get to gossip about a Frost Giant?
But that last orgasm had been good. He kind of wanted another go, never mind the rumor mill. Perhaps someplace more private.
Loki did not stay in his rooms that night, which was just as well since he had been told by one sniggering guard that Thor and Frigga were both looking for him. That was a discussion he did not want to have.
Instead he spent half the night playing some type of board game with Laufey's advisor. From time to time Laufey went back, and this was seemingly one of those times. It did not bother Loki, he had seen more than enough of Laufey recently, and on top of that he was not the host for the Jotun delegation.
“Have you been to Asgard before?” Loki asked Thiazi. “I never asked.”
“No,” Thiazi answered easily, plucking one of Loki's pieces off the board. “I have been to Svartalfheim and Muspelheim, but never here.”
“Is Muspelheim not too hot?”
“It has cool regions and warm ones, but we manage just fine there. This is worse, since the air is so dry.”
Loki nodded and made a noise to show he agreed.
“Laufey wants to take you with us when we leave.”
“Laufey is a mother hen,” Loki said with a smirk. “He keeps fussing over me.”
“He likes you. You remind me of him, and I assume he sees a... kindred spirit.”
Loki shrugged. “I suppose.”
“It would be good for you to spend time on our realm,” Thiazi said. “You look too tired, still too thin, and I have yet to see anyone else fuss over you.”
“Odin and Frigga are busy,” Loki said with forced casualness.
“If Laufey and Farbauti neglected a child they would be removed from power. Back home you have to mind your family first, then you may mind your work. You cannot be a good ruler if you are a bad parent.”
“Is it really neglect when I am old enough to feed myself?” Loki asked quietly.
“Are you old enough to be considered an adult in all matters?”
“No.”
“Then yes, this is neglect. I have two children who still live, a boy and a girl, both are much older than you. I have not stopped making sure they are healthy. They are adults in the eyes of the law, but they are my family and I want them healthy. That neither Odin nor Frigga are trying to help you is obvious, they have all the resources of their little empire at their fingertips, but they somehow cannot find food for you? No, as horrible as it must be for you to label it, what they are up to is abuse.”
Loki grimaced and moved a game piece across the board. He had never wanted to admit that. Knowing and acknowledging were two different things, and he wanted to be able to deny it.
“I am worthless at this,” Loki deducted when he lost the game. He was a decent hand at most games, normally, but either he failed to focus properly or he had misunderstood the rules.
“So is Laufey,” Thiazi shrugged. With a gesture he made most of the the ice pieces melt into a ball. “You both think too much and try to end it quickly. The point of the game is to have it go on while you talk to your partner.”
Loki frowned. “So when I try to win rather than balance your moves, I end up losing?”
Thiazi smiled and nodded.
“If I go to Jotunheim, I will lose everything. I will not be allowed back.”
Thiazi grimaced. “A difficult choice to make for an adult, and you are still very young.”
“I hate being young,” Loki said quietly.
“I would too, if there was no one there to guide me.”
There was a commotion outside, so Loki shifted to his Aesir shape. He could hear Thor yelling something.
“Sounds like that brother of yours.”
Loki nodded. “I had hoped to avoid him.”
“Would he hurt you?”
Loki shrugged. Thor mostly just had a rash temper, it was Odin who worried him. He nervously fingered the game piece he was still holding. “A bit. Not much. At least I hope not.”
“Loki!” Thor yelled, from the sound of it he was close by.
Loki placed the game piece on the board and rose up. The guards uncloaked from their invisibility when Thiazi made a hasty motion of his hand. When Thor rounded a bend in the corridor and became visible to Loki, and Loki became visible to Thor, he pointed an accusing finger.
“You tell me it is not the truth, brother!” Thor bellowed.
“What is not the truth, Thor?” Loki asked as calmly as he was capable of. As much as he like the Jotuns he did not trust them to help. “That I just lost ten matches in a row with Thiazi here? Because this game makes no sense to me.”
Thor had marched forward, but stopped before entering the room. “Fandral claims he walked in on you and Laufey fucking.”
Loki smirked when he saw Thor shiver from the cold and take a step back. “Mm.”
“How could you...?”
“They are not that much bigger, brother,” Loki said cheekily. “You never get upset when I have a bit of fun on Alfheim.”
Thor wisely bit his tongue rather than comment something that most likely contained the word monster. “Where is Laufey now?” he asked instead.
Loki shrugged. “How should I know? Is he not your guest, brother?”
Thor frowned.
Loki rubbed a hand over his face. Thor would never make a competent ruler at this rate.
“Do not make this about me,” Thor said angrily.
“Maybe he took another bath?” Loki suggested with a grin. “I hear they like water.”
Thor went to grab Loki, but Thiazi swiftly stepped between them.”Children,” he chided.
“This is not a concern of yours,” Thor said heatedly, on the verge of screaming. The way he had to look up at Thiazi made him seem like a child throwing a tantrum.
“The welfare of children is everyone's concern,” Thiazi said. “You misunderstand our culture. We do not see intercourse as a big event, it is as meaningful to us as a sparring match is to you. With how often you exclude our King from meetings I am surprised he has not found more pretty things to entertain him.”
Loki rolled his eyes and pointed up. “Or stuck more library books to the ceiling by freezing them.” He was sure the shape spelled out some rune, but he could not read Jotun.
Suddenly Loki felt that pull again, which was odd because he normally only felt it on Jotunheim. He cocked his head and looked around.
Thiazi shrugged. “Boredom breeds chaos.”
As if summoned, they heard Laufey talk in the corridor a fair bit away. He spoke fast, using his native language and seemed to be talking to a female.
“Ah, here he comes,” Thiazi said. Thor spun around. “And he brought the Queen.”
Loki's first impression of Laufey's Queen was that she was very pretty. She was a Jotun, sure, but her almost elfin features made her a good looking one even though he was brought up on the Aesir standards of beauty. Her skin was a few shades paler than Laufey's, a grayish blue shade that looked more like it could be a halfway point between Elven and Jotun.
Laufey grabbed his hair in gentle fist and smirked. “Only mixed children have hair. Also,” he traced a line on Loki's skin, “this means you have an elven heritage.”
Loki furiously shoved the memory away and resumed watching the foreign queen. She looked slender, but strong, like an agile dancer or an elf warrior might. She looked like she could lay ruin to cities with a laugh. It was her eyes that made Loki hesitate, they had a cold fury in them that he did not like. And that was coming from the guy who had recently slept with her husband. He quietly wondered how much trouble he was in. But then again, they supposedly had a much more relaxed view on sex in general.
Farbauti had long, thick hair that shone blue-black in the golden light. Her face was framed by numerous small braids tied off with beads of carved bone and jade on thin leather strips. He was almost certain her hair was the only thing covering her breasts, and he made an effort not to stare at them to find out.
Helblindi followed quietly behind the royal couple.
Einherjar suddenly scrambled into view as well, to Laufey's amusement. “They are a little late to save your virtue, princeling,” he noted with a smirk.
Thor looked like he was about to explode from righteous anger.
“Prince Thor, your father requests your presence in the throne room,” one of the Einherjar called out. “And your brother... if he can walk.”
Thor stepped past Thiazi and made to grab Loki by the arm, but Farbauti was suddenly there before he could, and she grabbed Thor's wrist in a grip that looked painful. “Run along,” she said, voice strained with emotion and Loki doubted it was anything but pure hatred. She stared Thor down until he obeyed her.
She was so close.
“I'd better go,” Loki said in a rush and hurried after Thor. He needed to be far away, because it was her. It was her he felt. The giants were protecting him before she arrived. He pointedly did not think about why the Queen of Jotunheim would. But if it was her... if...
He stopped, turned and met her eyes, was about to go back to her, but he was far enough away that when Thor grabbed him there was no one there to intervene. Loki hissed in pain.
“Come along, brother,” Thor snapped.
Thor did not let go until they arrived in the throne room. Loki rubbed his arm where he could feel a bruise forming. Perhaps giants were like bees and had a hive mind and that was why he reacted to the Queen? But no, they could not be so far removed from Aesir biologically if they could interbreed.
They went to their appointed places. Odin clearly wanted to show off a united court, something they rarely did because usually Odin alone was enough to scare people into obedience. Loki stood where he was supposed to, but he was yearning to move. He was full of nervous energy. He only twitched his arm a little to get circulation back. It throbbed and felt too warm.
He had not yet confronted his father about his heritage. He could barely stand to think about it for too long. Odin had taken him from Jotunheim and then allowed him to grow up thinking his own kin were monsters and beasts. That alone was cruel. There was also the nagging suspicion that there were motives involved which had nothing to do with mercy. That he had been taken, stolen, not saved. And if... if he was...
Laufey sauntered in then, preventing any painful thoughts, his usual disregard for proper protocols and politeness written clearly in his smirk. Then again, on Jotunheim he answered to no one. It was Farbauti who stepped forward towards Odin, head held high, with all the grace of a predator on the hunt. For all that her blood seemed mixed she was nearly as tall as her husband.
“My, my,” she sneered, “look at this. You have certainly aged since last I saw your ugly pink face. Such a short lifespan you have.”
“Is there a reason for this visit?” Odin asked tersely.
“Do not play coy with me,” Farbauti warned with a hiss. “You took a child from my realm. I am taking him back now that we know he is alive.”
“I am not handing anyone over to you,” Odin objected immediately.
“Is Thor really a Frost Giant, then?” one of the nobles spoke up.
“He is tall enough,” another joined in.
“Not nearly,” Loki snickered mostly because he had the bad habit of laughing when scared, but quickly schooled his face when Thor glared murderously at him. Thor had not been amused when he had finally figured out the soap was the problem behind his color shifts after showing up bright blue for midsummer. Really, the guy needed to spend more time cleaning himself. Biting his lip, Loki kept quiet. It certainly had broken the tension.
Farbauti sized Thor up with a cold glare and seemed to find him lacking, which appeared to make Thor uneasy. “No, he stinks too much. You know who I want, thief.”
Her eyes slid to Loki for a heartbeat, a heartbeat that Loki's heart decided to skip.
“Could we discuss this in private?” Odin sighed, pretending to be bored, but Loki could sense his nervousness. His mother had sometimes claimed he was like a predator smelling prey. Loki figured if he was born to monsters it must be in his nature. Farbauti certainly seemed to be all tooth and claw.
“Yes, please,” Loki mock-pleaded. “I might freak out!”
“Loki,” Thor hissed, still thinking the joke was on him. As if the universe revolved around Thor.
To be fair, it mostly did. Today, though... Loki sighed. If the Jotun Queen was half as fearsome as her reputation then obeying her might be best. She did not seem like she wanted to tear into him for sleeping with her better half.
“Hold on, hold on, do not kill anyone,” Loki muttered as he started to walk towards Helblindi. Safest option, as far as he was concerned. Helblindi seemed much gentler than the others. Laufey was kind, sure, but he would switch moods faster than one could blink.
He effortlessly shifted to his Jotun form as he passed Farbauti. He was much more used to it now, but he felt like the very air around her was charged.
Helblindi placed a hand on Loki's shoulder, then used the grip to pull him into a hug.
Loki took a moment to enjoy the shock and confusion. Never let it be said he did not enjoy a bit of drama. Everyone was staring, except the three Jotuns, or more correctly the other Jotuns. He had to remember that he was Jotun too.
“So nice to see you are still the one in control,” Farbauti sneered at a shocked Odin. She turned around and cast a teleportation spell. Loki saw one of the gems in her hair glow and wanted to howl with laughter. Why put lock gems in stupid things like staffs or swords, anyway?
And then they were gone.