the cuckoo's child, by invitation

[purposeful_glory]

It is obvious from the time Loki learns to walk that she is not going to be very good at it. Normal toddlers fall, and often; she does it more, and longer. She has been practicing at walking for years before she can cross a floor smoothly nine times of ten, even if she does not sprawl completely every time she missteps.

She winces when she trips, not so much out of embarrassment or because she's hurt herself, but because the reactions are never good.

Falling is not a princessly thing to do.

Comments

[alicornucopia]

"Was I?"

[pythbox]

"I'm going to look at you with magic, to make sure you haven't been."

[alicornucopia]

"Okay."

Loki waits.

[pythbox]

Frigg hugs her and pets her hair. Nothing obvious happens, but then, with magic sometimes it doesn't.

[alicornucopia]

Hugs. Hugs and waiting.

[pythbox]

"...Well," he says eventually. "It changed you, but I don't think it hurt you. You are a very lucky girl."

[alicornucopia]

"Changed me how?"

[pythbox]

"I'm... not sure," he murmurs.

[alicornucopia]

Loki tilts her head curiously. "But I'm different now, some way?"

[pythbox]

"Yes."

[alicornucopia]

"Maybe it changed my nature," suggests Loki. They were only just talking about natures, which did not seem to be made of anything sensible.

[pythbox]

"That is not," says Frigg, "how natures work."

[alicornucopia]

"Oh."

[pythbox]

"And you should not touch strange magical artifacts you know nothing about," he adds. "The next one may not be so kind."

[alicornucopia]

"I didn't know. The door was unlocked," says Loki unhappily.

[pythbox]

"It should have been locked and warded so that none but Odin could pass it," says Frigg. "But even so, not all doors that you can pass are doors that you should."

[alicornucopia]

"How do I tell?"

[pythbox]

"You could ask me, or Thor, or a servant," he suggests.

[alicornucopia]

"Would Thor have known not to go in that door?"

[pythbox]

"Perhaps. She does know some things about where to go and where not to."

[alicornucopia]

Loki nods. "Okay. ...Father, my scepter's still in the room. Mother wouldn't let me pick it up before I went."

[pythbox]

"I will see what can be done about retrieving your scepter," he says.

[alicornucopia]

"Okay. I like it."

[pythbox]

Frigg smiles.

[alicornucopia]

"Are you done magicking me? Can I go?"

She wants to write.

She may have to come up with yet a fourth encoding.