Part 3

Your heart sank, your tail and ears dropped as your heart clenched in your chest. You wanted to run, run and never stop running. Away from the pain, away from the hopelessness you felt having spent so long anticipating success.

"The spell has been in effect so long and with the power that went into it, it is too potent for me to give a conclusive answer. It is clear Odin was anticipating you attempting to reverse it."

"I see." Loki stated downheartedly.

"I can try and do a particular incantation that should reverse it, but only time will tell really. I will require your help with it of course." He looked to Loki.

"Anything." Loki swore. "I have to do what I can to make this right."

"Your dedication to this is admirable, it will mean that the incantation will be very strong, and that is what we need."

You sat listening in interest as Loki and the stranger spoke at length about what would be required to make the spell work. It sounded complex and difficult, but they were confident they could do it.

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It transpired the stranger was named Æthelnoð, he was a combination of a Light and Dark Elf, and was one of the most powerful beings in all the nine realms, as well as being a very close acquaintance of Queen Frigga, Loki's adoptive mother. Through that connection, he was more than willing to aid Loki, her favoured son, and heir of her skills.

He and Loki spent several days preparing for the spell studying every aspect of your anatomy, both in wolf and what would be your Æsir form. For the most part, you were not included in their discussions, and were forced to pace just outside their chosen place of debate anxiously awaiting any updates they had for you.

Usually, when they would emerge, Æthelnoð would say very little, while Loki would only give a small smile, neither too encouraging.

By the time a second week had come to pass, you were on the verge of being frantic. A maid had made comment that your pacing had left permanent scuffings on the floors outside the library and the throne room, while your anxiety had caused you to shed enough fur to make a fine rug. You ignored such comments and instead simply renewed your pacing.

That evening, when he emerged from the library, Loki stopped and stared at you as you lay pathetically on the floor outside the room. "When did you last eat?" He asked incredulously, staring at your ragged fur. You groaned weakly in response. "I'll have a side of deer brought to your rooms immediately. You will need your strength." You groaned again taking your head off your paws and then began to rise from the cold marble floor. However, having gone so long without much food or water, and even proper sleep meant you were hardly able to stand. No sooner had you risen fully; you collapsed harshly onto the floor once more, yelping in pain.

Loki immediately fell to his knees; his hands hovering just above you, not knowing where to put them in fear he would hurt you further. "What the Norn's have you done to yourself?" He asked as you tried again to get to your feet. This time you had barely straightened your forelimbs before you crumbled to the floor again. "Stop will you before you break a limb." He chastised. You simply looked at him pitifully, a small whimper escaping you.

"Perhaps you should teleport her back to her rooms." Æthelnoð stated.

"Yes, perhaps that would be best." Loki gently slid his arms around your thick neck. "Ready?" He asked. You attempted to nod and as you shut your eyes, the room began to spin slightly. Moments later, you opened them again to find that you had been brought to your father's chambers. You looked up at him in bewilderment. "You need to rest, and you are so weak that you require constant monitoring, I trust no one else which such a task." Too tired to even try to argue, you rested your head on your paws.

Before long, a side of meat was brought to you; however you did not have the energy to pull the meat from the bone. You forced yourself to carefully chew a few chunks Loki cut for you. As soon as you felt you had eaten enough to sate your hunger for the immediate future, you curled into a ball, tucking your snout under your tail. You felt a soft warmth around you and opening one eye, you saw that Loki had used his seidr to put a large cushion under you. With a grunt of gratitude, you allowed sleep to take you.

Your sleep was a fitful one. You dreamt of a dark hair boy with blue eyes, laughing and playing in the warm sun, you sat watching him close by, panting in the heat. The dark clouds began to descended, and the previously joyful boy cowered in fear as a lone shadow of a large figure stood menacingly over the child. Anger surged through you and you lunged forward, teeth bared, ready to press down on his neck when the figure turned and struck you in the chest with a powerful red blast, sending you flying backwards through the air, and causing you to land agonisingly on the ground before turning to the boy once more and doing the same to him.

You jumped awake to see Loki standing over you, his eyes filled with concern as he pinned you down. You tried to fight him, but before you could do anything, he placed his hand to the side of your head as it glowed green with his seidr, causing you to fall back asleep once more.

Visions and dreams marred your slumber, and it seemed like an age before you finally woke again. As you opened your eyes, you found yourself staring at the ceiling, with Loki, and for some reason Eir, the palace healer, looking at you.

The looks on their faces bewildered you somewhat, as though they could hardly believe their eyes. You cocked your head to the side slightly and gave a small whimper trying to ask Loki what was going on.

For some reason, tears threatened to fall from his eyes as he conjured something with his hands. Slightly scared, you looked as a mirror appeared in front of you, bringing you into view.

You yelped and jumped to your feet at the reflection looking back at you, before looking down and crying out again. Your large paws were no longer there; instead you were looking down at two small Æsir hands, looking to the mirror again, you looked at your green eyes, now on the face of a pale girl, with dark long hair. You looked to Loki again in hopes of some sort of explanation.

"It worked; the spell worked." He laughed joyfully.