A Court of Mischief and Purpose Chapter Sixteen (Loki x fem! Reader, Hiddlesverse Crossover Series)
Series Summary: Based on Sarah J Mass's A Court of Thorns and Roses series with the Tom Hiddleston characters. You are a woman of 1880's in Aldwinter in Essex, England, dying of tuberculosis. Never to be married to the local Lusty Vicar. When Loki appears to you and offers to heal you...if you spend a week of every month with him
Chapter Summary: Grendel arrives, as does Will.
Chapter warnings: Violence, mentions of death and blood, and implications of sexual violence but no actual scenes. Lots of angst and a cliffhanger at the end with a brief bit of fluff.
Series Masterlist
A03//My Ko-Fi//My Etsy Shop//Masterlist//Wattpad
Taglist: @evelyn-kingsley @jennyggggrrr @five-miles-over @fictive-sl0th @ladycamillewrites @villainousshakespeare @holdmytesseract @eleniblue @twhxhck @lokisgoodgirl @lovelysizzlingbluebird @raqnarokr @holymultiplefandomsbatman @michelleleewise @wolfsmom1 @cheekyscamp @mochie85 @fandxmslxt69 @skittslackoffilter @mischief2sarawr
A/N: This is technically a season one finale. But hoo boy is this continuing because I'm not evil. Also...everything that happens is inspired by Sarah J Maas's work. So blame her, ehehhehe.
A hand flew over your mouth. Your eyes took him in, the shock going like electricity through your body. The edges of your vision spin. It was Will- the long, curly auburn hair and goatee, the scarf, and his long coat with his dark sweater beneath. Handsome like any lady's fantasy. He went up to you. But you could not speak, taking him in. A few tears well up, the past feelings returning to you like a sudden wave from the sea crashing on you. Your heart could have burst from how much love and how much hate you could feel for one person in one moment.
Grendel kept smiling, and then with a flick of his hand, lit torches appeared on the cave wall.
“The better for you to see your handsome vicar, my dear-should I leave you two star-crossed lovers alone?” he asked.
Will reached forward and held one of your hands that dropped to your sides.
“Y/N…are you alright?” he asked.
“Alright? Alright?! I’m before Grendel! I have never been less alright! And answer me, Will…what are you doing here? All the way here?!” you asked, your voice shaky.
You tore away from Will and went before Grendel.
“Why did you bring him here?” you questioned.
Grendel kept his smile. He conjured up a throne made of smooth cave rock and several lit torches to be on the wall. He sat on it and smirked, as if all of it was his castle.
“I heard your story in whispers. The poor girl so desperate to save herself from dying she struck a bargain with a god. Becoming a whore for him to save her life. Healed, but left enchanted by him. Bound to go to him at least once a month. Until she fled for the god, leaving behind the poor rector who loved her …well…I decided to meet this rector and strike a bargain myself with him…”
With casual grace, Grendel walked down to you, grabbing your shoulders. Fingers digging in like claws. Turning you to your ex-fiancee. Will merely frowned with a serene sadness, his large hands in the pocket of his long coat. Grendel continued, his voice loud and theatrical.
“If he allowed me to let my army settle in his town, I in turn promised to give the vicar back his blushing-”
Grendel shoved you forward in Will’s direction.
“-bride!”
The force of the push sent you down to the ground. You landed there, the hard floor knocking the air out of you. Wil hurried forward and helped you up. His hands on your shoulders, forcing you to look right at him.
“Tell me, my dear- Has Loki hurt you?” he asked. “Grendel said he’d help! That he’d save you and bring you back home!”
You felt your jaw clench as you looked right into his eyes.
“Loki never once hurt me! You cried.
Grendel went to the throne and stretched his legs, swinging them both over the arms of the seat.
“Hmph must be the enchantment talking,” he commented.
You heard the grunts of the men and turned your eyes to the scene.
Loki got out his daggers. He swung them, gritting his teeth. The rings on his hand glittered in the dim light of the cave- for he was decorated even when fighting. You felt a small twinge of hope as he stabbed one man in the stomach and pulled it out. The spellbook and dagger were tossed aside, far from his reach. Loki then killed a second man, and then a third…But then immediately came another after another.
Hal advanced on one with his sword, doing well but then a second came behind and he had to swing to fight.
Jonathan's sword was knocked out of his hand, so he resolved to punch a soldier in the face, then grabbed him by the shirt and kicked him. Desperately going to grab the handle of his weapon.
Robert fought well, his daggers keeping up and ducking the attacks of his soldiers. He quickly slit one throat but another went up from behind and grabbed him.
Thomas was disarmed quickly. He laid a good punch but then they all grabbed him and held him back.
Your heart ached and you gasped as one grabbed Jonathan. They began to punch his face with such force. Jonathan let out cries from the pain. Then they tossed him down and held him and kept punching him in the face, blood coming out.
“Listen, Mortal Girl…” Grendel began.
You turned around to face the mastermind behind all of this. An enigmatic smile on his face as his green eyes crinkled.
“I must uphold my end of the deal. So I have one for you. Let me break that bargain. I have the magic to do it. Go back to this lovely town and this lovely man and stay there. You won’t cough blood and drop dead…but no more crashed weddings or monthly little trips you are bound to take…”
“And if not…” you voiced.
“Then I guess all of your little friends are dead,” Grendel answered.
Will dropped his jaw, his face becoming white.
You heard a cry and turning back, to your horror, they had Robert. They grabbed him and held his arms back. One whipped out a dagger and stabbed him in the foot. Robert let out a scream.
Feeling your teeth-baring, you whipped out your dagger. You took a step to the throne, pointing the blade at Grendel’s heart
“I’ll kill you first!” you threatened.
A couple of soldiers by his side stepped forward, but Grendel raised his hand at them to stop them. His arrogant smirk was still on his face.
“Try me, my dear,” he dared.
You threw the dagger forward at him, but it bounced off his chest as if he were made of stone far stronger than the blade with a “ching” sound. The dagger fell uselessly on the ground.
“The Cauldron made me untouchable. Try all you want- I will still live,” he said.
Will approached Grendel, his brow ceased and his voice a little louder.
“You said you wouldn’t harm anyone!” he accused.
Grendel shrugged and let out a little laugh at him.
“I said I would get them back. I never said how I would get them back. But oh well- desperate times call for desperate measures”
You ran forward and picked up the dagger, gripping the handle. Your chest was tight and your hand shook as you sheathed it.
Turning back, Hal was now caught, they took away his sword. He cried as a blade from a soldier laid a cut over his chest, his leather jacket bleeding.
“You can’t! These men…. they are my friends! And I… I love Loki!” you cried.
“Love, pah! Must be that spell still talking,” Grendel replied. Then he sat up, clapped his hands, and rubbed them together in delight.
“Oh…and speaking of your friends…”
He gestured over to the corner. More figures emerged into the light.
Two men of Grendels dragged up, Stella and Sif. Captured, gagged, and bound with their arms back.
Horror rose in your throat. They tried to struggle against their bindings and arms in vain. Stella was sobbing, and Sif’s eyes flashed fire at her captors.
Will stepped forward but the invisible wall prevented him. He stared at Stella with wide eyes.
“Miss Harris?! They took her too?!” he cried.
You gripped the handle of the dagger, half-tempted to stab the priest there and then.
“That was why she was missing in the first place…Grendel took her!” you explained, your tone angry.
Will stepped back, his eyebrows raising. The men were chuckling as they moved the women over to the bubbling cauldron. Stella’s gagged screams echoed in the cave. You saw Jonathan turn up at once to the sound. He kicked his attacker and tried to crawl forward to where she was but he was grabbed again and held back. The despair on his face could have shattered you.
Grendel looked at both, smiling big. He looked over at the soldiers that held the women.
“I was wondering, my dear gentlemen…Which should we dunk into the cauldron first as an experiment- the English Rose or the Valkyrie?”
The men laughed at them. Stella’s blue eyes were wide and she shook. Sif kept struggling, pushing against the soldier who held her.
Grendel walked forward, going through the invisible wall like mist easily. You followed, but it bound you back.
“Stella! Sif!!” you cried. You kept beating at it with your fists- and nothing. Slamming and kicking against it uselessly.
Grendel went up to Stella and lifted her chin to him. You could see the tears running down your friend’s face as he did. Her bound hands behind her back trembled violently at the feeling of his hand.
Jonathan noticed and again tried to shove himself closer, but the strong arms held him back. Robert tried to hobble over at the sight of them, but they restrained him as well.
“I do remember, I have taken a shine to that little Rose and my bed has been rather cold lately…I’d still like to keep her as a little prize of mine.”
Will walked forward, then stopped in his steps, his arms falling to his sides as he could only watch. Jonathan broke out for a second. He tried to run over, but Grendel’s men grabbed and restrained him again. landing a punch on the night manager’s jaw.
“Hold my prize still so she may watch her companion drown before you bring her over to me… let us dunk the Valkyrie first. If she drowns, she drowns, but…It will be quite nice if she survives- we all know the only thing better than one woman is two!”
The two men burst out laughing. Stella let out a stifled sob from her gag. Robert let out a cry- “Sif! Stella!” but was silenced as one of the soldiers slapped him.
Grendel began to walk back toward you and Will, hands in pockets, going easily through the invisible wall.
As they led her to the cauldron, they lifted her up to throw her. You found yourself letting out a scream, beating against the wall, Stella’s was still behind her gag.
Sif let out a grunt and finally shoved her shoulders and kicked at the man who held her. He grunted as he fell back. Her strong arms broke her hands out of her bindings. She punched Stella’s captor, then grabbed his sword still sheathed. She put her free arm around Stella pointing her sword at them. Then she lifted it to Grendel in a promise of death.
“If any of you lays a finger on her or me, I will clear your heads from your spines!” she barked.
“Challenge accepted,” Grendel replied.
Sif guarded Stella behind her as she fought them off. She stabbed the first guard through the neck and then sliced open the stomach of the other. Blood spilled over the cave floor, their bodies dropped dead. She placed one arm around Stella and one around the hilt of the sword. Scanning everything and everyone getting near her. Calculating how much she could fight off with one hand.But as she turned, five more men were joining their ranks. Their swords up. And they were backing her and Stella into a wall
You saw Thomas try to go forward, but he was kicked at until his hold on it let go. His sword fell and he was disarmed. They slapped him and then one soldier drew up his blade You saw it stab him in the arm and he screamed. You put a hand over your mouth.
Robert was being kicked tenfold. He managed out of their arms, but the swords of the soldiers were advancing on him. He narrowly avoided killing blows, though they landed cuts onto his face, his arm, his leg- all bleeding fresh, red blood.
. One soldier grabbed Loki and ran a blade into his back. You let out another scream, hurtling forward, until you nearly fell. He grunted, still alive. For he was a god, and that alone couldn’t kill him…but he was still weakened. He fell to his knees, shaking, teeth getting in pain.
You kept hitting the wall- and it kept holding you back. You couldn’t save any of them…only watch.
You were all outnumbered. Loki was stabbed, on the ground. Hal and Thomas had cuts on their body, fresh blood coming out. Robert was being held up before being thrown on the ground, his blood staining where he fell. Jonathan was getting punched and bruised to where you could not recognize his face. Stella was shaking, broken, and crying- her nightmare repeating itself all over again. The poor woman was never taught how to fight properly, as you had. Knowing what was inevitable if one of the men got her. Sif’s eyes were furious, her sword prepared in one hand, the other arm over Stella… but how much could the Asgardian warrior take until the sheer numbers won over her?
You were going to watch as they were killed or taken, one by one. Hal who wanted honor. Jonathan purpose. Robert peace. Thomas freedom. And Loki love. Sif, the great heroine of Asgard and Stella, who comforted and stood by you as your friend for years…
You then looked at Loki where he sat there, bleeding. His eyes lifted to see yours. You stared at each other for a second.
“I’m sorry…” you sent out to him. Even though the cave’s powers had blocked the thought, he didn’t need your bond to hear it. To understand.
He knew what you were going to do. His lips went tight, the tears welling up in him. There was nothing of fury, frustration, or denial of your choice in his face. It was something of a small, sad smile at you.
You turned around to face the throne and the one who started all of this.
“Break the bargain!” you cried out, your hands up to stop everything.
Taking in a shaky breath, and wiping tears with your hand with the hand that had the ring, you then turned to Grendel.
With a pitiful voice, you began to plead, “Break it then. Break the bargain. Break the spell. Take me back home will Will but…spare them! All of them! Please! I’ll do anything- just spare them!”
“Really- do you mean it?” he asked.
Glancing back, The soldier grabbed your True Love, their blade reached up. Who knew if this was a god’s killing blow was.
You would not find out. Not now. Fear, despair, and desperation flood your being.
“You heard me- break it!” you cried to him.
Grendel looked at you and then held up one hand. You heard the clanging blades and shouts of those out there cease. When you turned, all had paused. You saw the soldier over Loki holding up his blade, hanging over like the sword of Damocles.
“Everyone! Please stop what you are doing! Keep them still- we’re practical. Don’t let them get any weapons-just still. Don’t harm our guests.
The armies relented in their torture of the people you all loved. The soldier with Loki sheathed his blade. They let go of their victims. Everyone stood and lay there, their chests heaving with lost breath. All eyes were terrified as they watched you.
Grendel puffed out his chest, then twirled his finger in the air
“Now…let’s cut the tie binding you to the Trickster God.”
With a flip of his hand, the white magic from his hand washed on you. Pain seared in you like a cut, you let out a cry as it washed over.
Then it vanished. You looked down at your hands- the star marks were only faint now. Like washed-off ink.
You looked down at the variants. Pale and drooping, injured and bleeding. You looked at Sif, never relenting with her arm down. Her grip was tight around the sword. And Stella, who knew how much everyone, including her, meant to you. And the price you were willing to pay. Tears still fell from her. Loki’s mouth opened a little, he panted hard. Then shakily, he went up to stand, watching you with quiet tears.
“Will you let them be safe?” you asked Grendel.
“I am a man of my word. Now let’s send everyone back to their little homes- you think Loki is the only one who can make portals? ”
You looked at Loki. You went to the wall and touched one side. He groaned as he walked over. His hand touching the other. The contact of bare flesh kept by the wall.
Before either of you could voice a goodbye, they all vanished in a mist of white from Grendel.
“Now, Sir- take your runaway bride and send her back home!”
You felt Will’s arm around you for protection and tears welled up in your eyes. You hated his touch, his soft warm touch. You hid your face down, letting them fall. All that training and power and those adventures…for nothing. You felt like a little child again lost in the dark and alone as you cried. Even as the white magic went over. Your vision blurred with the mist and your tears the cave itself vanished into the mist and you were transported.
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
The group plopped down into Asgard and the throne room of the palace They all landed with grunts and groans. Sif, recognizing her place, sheathed her sword. Her arm around the mortal she was ordered to guard dropped
Guards ran and courtiers began to head to the party, and it was Stella who shot forth. A shaking hand clutched the blue beads and charms she wore around her neck. She stopped before them.
“Please! We need healers! Now! Everyone’s hurt! Hurry!” she pleaded.
They were all immediately brought to the Healer’s quarters in the palace. They hurried forth, each taking someone. Women in long, plain dresses with their hair tied up. They bore bandages and treatments. One dabbed ointment over Jonathan’s face as he winced. Another a patch for the black eye on the former Night Manager turned spy. Hal’s jacket was removed as they wrapped bandages over the cuts on his middle body. Thomas groaned as one was wrapped on his injuries. Robert expertly wrapped his own, informing them of what was and wasn’t hurt. Stella stayed, making sure all were safe and stable, as did Sif. Neither had the heart to leave the suffering group, though they were physically unscathed. The bleeding on Loki’s back stopped and it was announced he would be fine.
It was only minutes later, that in hurried the royal family- Odin, Frigga, and Thor. Their mouths gaped open like fish at the sight of the injured circle.
“Oh norns! What has happened!” Cried Frigga.
She recognized Loki in his bed in his part of the room and rushed up to him, holding him at once. Thor piled onto the hug too in a half tackle, though his brother groaned from the god of thunder’s massive impact.
“What were you doing?” Odin asked, albeit a little cold though he stepped closer to Loki.
“Mother, Father, Brother…Grendel is back…that’s why we are gathered here…” Loki finally admitted.
Thor looked over at the other beds in those cavelike quarters as the healers fretted over them. He counted each head he saw and noticed one was missing.
“Where’s Y/N?” asked Thor.
Loki sat up, wrapping an arm around himself. He explained it in brief. Frigga rang her hands and even Odin himself seemed a little shaken.
“Oh, our poor Y/N!!” Frigga replied.
After an hour of bandaging and checking, It was then announced by the healers that all were stable. Odin asked the women to leave. He wanted to speak to everyone. The healers bowed their heads and left. Then he turned around.
“All of you should have known better than to take on Grendel with only your group and not an army at least!” he cried.
“We did not know Grendel himself nor his men would be there. His secret to his life is a cauldron, and we were hunting it, not him,” Loki argued. “And don’t blame the other mortals- it was all on me. I gathered them because I thought there was a key to-”
Odin waved Loki off with a hand in the air and his eye went between him and Thor. With his tone, the AllFather indeed sounded like a Father.
“You listen as well, Thor, and learn! To think- my sons starting battles of their own out of frivolity. And unprepared as well! You should only fight when wars are formally declared. Not running around being rash and getting into trouble, not to mention risking your lives! Besides- you should consider the more regal matters of princes…such as marriage!”
Loki looked down. His blue eyes sparkled and his lips tight as if trying not to laugh. Sif’s eyes shined towards Thor, but the god of thunder only kept his hands folded and his gaze at his father.
“We hope to have a banquet in a week with several royal families- you both shouldn’t be fighting enemies you aren’t prepared to take and on potential alliances, we may seal with either of you getting married!” Odin continued to scold.
“That’s illegal now. And impossible,” Loki replied, his hands bare as he looked down on them, fingers cut and bleeding lightly. He swallowed, his lips melting into a tight, twitchy frown.
Odin let out an exasperated sigh. Loki put up his hand in the air and it stayed.
“Oh, you both know it’s not a matter of winning hearts- it’s of diplomacy-”
Loki’s magic revealed one golden band on his finger. Hidden from his gift of illusion. A golden band that one never noticed among the rings he wore as a prince.
“It’s impossible, Father…because I’m already married.”
Everyone froze. Frigga’s hand flew over her mouth and there were quiet gasps. Thor took a step back, as if dizzy. Odin himself stared at his adopted son’s hands with one big eye.
“To…to who?!” he asked.
“Last night…Y/N and I decided to marry before we faced the cauldron and possibly Grendel, should anything happen. So we went to the city. To a temple. We went to a priest, and he married us. Another priest bore witness- you may ask them yourself.”
“She…she’s married?” Stella murmured, her voice soft as she could hardly believe it either.
Frigga held out her hand and Odin couldn’t deny her that to steady her. Thor’s jaw remained open as his blue eyes scanned the room, taking it in.
“So this means, she is…” Thor began.
“The Princess of Asgard, yes,” Loki confirmed.
“Why did you do this?” asked Odin, his voice getting to yelling.
Loki turned red as he leaned forward.
“Because I love her!” he argued back.
Frigga rested a hand on her husband’s chest and that seemed to calm him down. Though he panted and his face was red.
The god of mischief gave steadying looking at each shocked face. Seeing as his parents made no other reply, he continued.
“I married her. Not as my property. Not as a prop to be perfect as I do every wretched thing when she cannot. Not as a martyr confined to keep my house, bear my children, and stand away and watch as I dance with another. And never complain about it. To tear herself apart with a smile for me as I wander far and away from her to warm another’s bed. No-She is my wife. More than a wife- she is my equal. If there is anyone who can make a god fall down to worship her- it is she. My beloved mortal woman. My True Love. My love to stand by me for all eternity. A princess- and should the time ever come, a queen. Where all must bow to her as they do to me. Father, Mother- It is her as my princess or it is no one. Even if every person and every being in every realm was offered up to me…it is still her I would choose. So we may stand by each other through whatever else may happen to us. And she deserves to stand by my side as royalty, worshipped, protected, and loved for eternity.”
There was silence as his words sank in. Frigga broke it.
“She is not eternal herself. She is a mortal. And she will die in less than a century at least, Loki. Has she…eaten one of Idunn’s apples?” she asked.
“No, not yet,” he answered.
Thor went up to his brother and then gave him a brief hug.
“I only wish you congrats on your good fortune, brief as it was…she was good for you…”
Thor let go, and then his brow furrowed. Connecting more of the pieces. He began to chatter on.
“As princess…she is one of us-she is in line for the throne should we die, brother. Though…all of Asgard now serves her. It’s armies, it’s magic, it’s fortune, it’s people…”
“Yes. Exactly.” Loki agreed. “Which was partly why we did it.”
‘Yet…you are now cut from her forever,” said Frigga. “Trapped in Midgard, in her home.”
Loki gave a small smile, tears in his eyes.
“No, not cut…just a brief parting. Mother. A goodbye to my princess, my wife, my True Love, only for now. I’ll see her again before I know it...if I must cross every line and scour every realm to find her again…I will…”
─── ・ 。゚☆: *.☽ .* :☆゚. ───
Grendel’s magic had you appear on the grass. You could smell the sea nearby and the recent rain. You both landed as easily as if you were standing there. Overcast, grey clouds hung over the sky. The wind was strong and bitter cold, making you shiver in your leathers. By now, it was a warmer season here in Aldwinter. Ald which was German for “old”. For the winter here was old because it never truly ended.
“My prayers were answered-You’re safe, and you’re home again, my dear!” Will said.
“Yes…yes, I am. Shaken, but I’ll be fine…” you replied though it was nearly half your voice—the tears drying cold on your face.
Will led you to an embrace and you hesitated to complete it, but did embrace back.
He let go and smiled at you- the wind blew against him, his curls back. The scarf he wore moved to the side in the gust. His black sweater and grey pants were untouched by the bloody madness of Baldur’s cave.
He touched your arm and you began to walk through the field.
“You will be safe now, I promise…let me take you back to your home…your mother and father will weep with relief when they see you. Everyone shall.”
You glanced down at your hand. The star marks were faded…but still there. You stared at the glittering ring on your finger. The little sparkle like a wink in the emerald.
Your wedding ring.
Swallowing your anger and grief, you smiled at him, nodding. Wiping away tears. Playing the part well- the innocent woman abducted and defiled by the Trickster god. Glad to return to her home. To her priest. To be his obedient little wife who only smiled and memorized Bible verses and kept his house tidy as he fucked other women against trees.
Yes, let him believe you were her now.
He draped his coat over you and walked back, a hand around your waist possessively.
You looked over and saw a dandelion in the field. It bent in the wind. Focusing on it briefly.
It stood up. Then it’s stem broke and in a thousand little fuzzy puffs that floated away in the wind.
You smiled.
“Loki…can you hear me? Are you in Asgard? Is everyone there?” you sent out.
“Yes I am…we’re fine. Everyone’s safe- Hal, Robert, Thomas, Jonathan, Sif, Stella- we’re all alive.”
“I’m glad. Now that we’re out of that cave, my powers are working,” you sent out across realms to your husband.
Across the field was a river. And past the river the white houses of the town.
“Oh, thank norns,” he replied realms away. “It is deep, ancient magic. Impossible for someone like Grendel to break completely.”
You could sense it. The people rushing out of their houses to gape. The whispers among them. The awe and relief and judgment and the gossip and eyes. All thinking you were the Prodigal Daughter returned to repent.
None suspecting your secret. Much less, your powers.
“Don’t fret, all will be well now,” Will assured you.
You looked at him, smiling at him. Not revealing a thing. The thoughts and the plans in your head already turning. You were going to leave someday…but not without destroying him. Right where it would hurt.
“Yes…all will be well…” you repeated
And so, the Lusty Vicar led the Princess of Asgard right into the heart of his town.
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