"This has gone on for far too long." Astrid stated, abruptly standing up, startling Vaulstag out of his slumber.
"wah?" he muttered.
"I do beg your pardon?" Sif asked, standing, her dark mid-night hair hanging onto her shoulders.
"10 months. 10 months Loki has been gone. Am I the only one, who has the slightest bit of worry?" Astrid demanded, storming to the golden gate.
Thor, a wall between her, and her destination, cocked his head to the side.
"where do you wish to go?" he asked.
Astrid slipped by the mighty God of thunder, quite easily.
"to find Loki," she said over her shoulder, breaking into a run.
"I did warn you all this would happen." Thandral said.
Astrid held back all of the words she wished to call the lot of them.
She slipped past the servants, and snuck her favorite cakes, sweet breads, and cheeses into her sack.
Sneaking through a passage way only Astrid and Loki knew of, she snuck into the stables.
Just to irritate Thor, she took Loki's steed.
Mounting her, she promised Mimir, that they would not return without Loki.
They bound out of the stables, the wind whipping Astrid's face.
She heard her name being called, along with the name of her steed.
She ignored them, and continued riding.
The late evening sun nearly blinded her, as the sky turned purple.
The longer she rode, screaming his name, the more exhausted she felt.
Drifting off to sleep, was the worst thing she could have done.
"OWW!" she yelped, waking to blood in her mouth.
The reins on the horse, had slit her lip open.
Blood dripped down her chin, and the pain was very pronounced.
"WOW!" Astrid stopped Mimir, and fell off of the horse's back, landing on the hard ground, in the early hours of the morn.
The fall knocked the air out of Astrid's chest, and she gasped, tears running down her cheeks.
Mimir nudged Astrid, and licked her cheek.
A chuckle escaped Astrid's chest, and she gave the horse a kiss on the mane.
With pain radiating through out her body from the fall, she managed to stand, and mount Mimir once again.
Slowly, the mare began to walk, letting Astrid get her balance.
"LOKI?!" Astrid called into the woods.
"LOKI!" she yelled again, but no answer.
In the distance, she heard a soft groan, and the shuffling of feet against cold hard ground.
Her head whipping around, and fear making her want to vomit, she saw the figure.
A smile spreading, she leaped off of Mimir, and dashed to the figure, getting closer, and seeing that it was Loki.
"LOKI!" she yelled.
His head snapped up, beaten, and battered, and smiled at her.
It was a tired smile.
She got to him, just in time to catch him before he collapsed.
"Astrid..." he breathed, voice rough.
"Loki!" she sobbed, and hugged him.
Feeling his warmth, feeling his arms around her, made Astrid feel at ease.
Something, she had not felt in 10 months.
He inhaled the smell of her skin, and laugh hoarsely.
They were silent for the longest time, as they cried on each other.
He pulled his head around, and looked her in the eye.
"never leave again!" she chuckled.
"I will not." he said, and kissed her.
She sighed inside, her eyes closing.
She missed this.
Loki pulled away, and Astrid noticed the bruises on his face.
"where were you?" she asked, touching the large gash on his cheek.
He flinched.
Inhaling sharply, pulled her hand away from his cheek, and kissed her hand.
She rolled her eyes.
A small neigh came from behind Loki.
Her brow furrowed, and she looked over Loki's right shoulder.
Astrid's jaw dropped, seeing the foal.
Its blue eyes looked at her, and it cocked it's head to the side.
Blue eyes?
She glanced to Loki, seeing that his eyes were the same shade of ice cold blue, that the foal had.
It had eight, wobbly legs.
It was but a month old.
And then, it clicked for her.
"Loki?" she smirked.
"yes?" he asked.
"why is there a foal behind you?" she smiled wide.
Loki looked to the side, not making eye contact.
"it has your eyes." Astrid remarked.
"shut up." he muttered.