Author's note: If you have not read my one-shot titled "Rage", I suggest you do. It is my interpretation of Loki's thoughts following Frigga's death. It factors in to the last section of this chapter.
Chapter 7: Assuage
~ß~ Katirya ~ß~
Katirya, carrying Kai, stepped hesitantly into the Healers building. She could sense the supporting presence of her brothers and Ragan behind her, but she still was nervous. She knew she would have to reveal her true identity in order for them to work on her injuries. Ragna had vowed that Eir could be trusted, and she believed her. Nevertheless it was still a huge leap of faith, for she was fully aware of the fact that if Loki discovered her presence, he would hunt her down.
A young healer approached her and bowed low. "My lady, we have been expecting you. I shall summon Eir at once."
"Thank you," Trin replied, her eyes darting around the room anxiously.
Moments later, Eir appeared, a broad smile upon her face as she laid eyes upon the party. "My lady, I shall be attending to you personally. If you will just follow me." She led the way down one corridor after another, finally reaching their destination. Opening the door, she stood back, allowing the group to enter first.
Upon entering, they discovered a small outer room, which had a small table with three chairs set around it and a tiny crib was set up in the corner. A door near the back led to the chamber that contained the Soul Forge.
Eir carefully closed and locked the door once all were inside. "My Queen,"
Trin cut her off. "I am no longer the queen, Eir."
"Still, I consider you the Queen of Asgard. Hopefully, Loki will come to his senses, along with his brother, Thor," Eir said. "However, you are safe in here, as I believe Sean, Greiwaldt and Ragna will be creating the shield to hide you, correct?"
Trin nodded, looking at her brothers and her companion. "I hope it will be sufficient."
"Trust me, Kiri," Ragna spoke. "As I trust Eir."
"Is this your son?" Eir asked, looking at the infant Trin was carrying.
"Aye," Trin looked down adoringly at Kai. "This is Kai." She pulled the blankets away from his face.
Eir held out her arms, and Trin quickly handed the child over to the healer. Eir looked at the baby smiling. "He looks like his father. It is clear he has the blood of a Frost Giant in his veins."
Trin laughed. "I still say that his father will be the last one to admit that."
"Perhaps," Eir admitted. "But he will be hard put to explain why he does not believe it. This is indeed the child of Loki." She walked over to the small crib, gently laying the child down. "I have explained to my other healers that I am not to be disturbed. So, gentlemen," Eir waved towards the chairs, "make yourself comfortable out here and keep an eye on Kai. Ragna, if you will please join us in there."
Ragna, Trin, and Eir entered the room with the Soul Forge. Trin closed her eyes for a few moments. Opening them, she looked at Eir. "You are sure I am safe?"
"Yes, my Lady," Eir replied.
With this final reassurance, Trin disappeared as Katirya's illusion vanished, revealing her true form.
"Now, if you will…" Eir pointed to the Soul Forge.
Katirya climbed up onto the bed and lay down.
Eir began the examination by simply viewing the image generated. She clucked disapprovingly at what she saw. "What happened to you?"
"Thanos happened," Katirya said with a sigh. "I underestimated his physical strength."
"I hope you left him in as bad a shape as he left you," Eir commented.
"Oh, I think so," Katirya replied.
Eir worked quietly for an hour, finally stepping back and turning off the Soul Forge. "I cannot complete everything in one visit. It will require at least two more treatments, and one…" she hesitated for several seconds, "I am not certain I even want to try. Your spine and pelvis were shattered and failed to heal properly, and your right leg was practically crushed. I am amazed you can even walk. Ideally, we would need to break each bone again to allow it to heal correctly, but I fear they might never truly mend. What I have done today is to provide some cushion and structure to those spots to remove most of the pain you feel. You will be able to walk more easily, but do not try to move quickly, at least for now."
Katirya laughed cryptically. "The healers on Earth claimed I would never walk again."
"Well, they were wrong. But then, their medical knowledge is so limited," Eir said disparagingly.
Ragna laughed. "Do not let them know that!"
"Indeed, my lady. I will not," Eir smiled at Ragna. "Now, tomorrow I will focus on the leg. I believe that can be healed fairly easily. It is the pelvis and spine I am concerned about. I will read up on possible treatments tonight."
Katirya sat up slowly, her mind turning inward as she focused on her body. She noticed the pain was less intense. "I do feel a difference. Ragna, you were correct in making me come back to Asgard." Standing up, she walked towards the door, a big smile crossing her face. "It is nice to walk more normally."
"Off with you ladies now." Eir opened the door to the outer chamber.
As Katirya passed through the door, she resumed the illusion of Trin once more. Walking easily over to the crib, she leaned over and picked up Kai. "Is Jane Foster still in your care?"
"Yes, she is. Do you wish to see her?" Eir asked.
Trin nodded. "Yes, please. I take it her condition is unchanged?"
"We can do nothing to help her," Eir admitted as she opened the door to the corridor. "In fact, she is just down this hall."
They followed the healer down to Jane's room. Entering, they noticed a single chair in the room. The mortal lay upon the bed; the only movement was the rise and fall of her chest.
"Thor spends every night in here, watching her," Eir explained. "I wish I could help her, but she is beyond even our skills."
~§~ Lady Sif ~§~
Sif glanced up from the exercise she had just completed. Seeing Thor watching over the process, she thought about the past year. She had changed. It no longer bothered her that he doted on the human, even though Jane was unaware of his constant attention. Thor was different since that day on Niflheim.
Thor must have sensed her gaze as he focused on her for a moment, then turned his head away. She shook her head, thinking about the next series of exercises that had been set up for the day's training. Realizing she was hungry, she called a halt to the group she was working with.
"Time for our midday meal!" she shouted to the soldiers. Everyone finished what they were working on, setting down their weapons wearily. This routine was wearing on everyone.
She joined Hogun, Fandral and Volstagg as they headed down to the dining hall.
"Well, that was certainly a worthy activity for the morning," Fandral said, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
"Ha!" Volstagg laughed. "Indeed. And more this afternoon, correct?"
"Aye." Sif rolled her eyes. "I simply cannot wait to get back."
Hogun playfully punched her. "Well, at least we have a break. And tonight, isn't there a feast?"
"Indeed," Volstagg confirmed. "I will not be missing it. Shall be a pleasant change from the usual gloom and doom at dinner."
They turned a corner and almost ran into Trin and her small group as they were coming out of the healers.
"Trin!" Sif was quick to notice that she was not limping as badly as she had been when they arrived in Asgard. "I see the visit has been a success."
"Indeed, although Eir feels she will be limited with one of my injuries, but what she has been able to do is almost a miracle!" Trin exclaimed. "I will probably always have some pain, but to be able to walk…" she spun around in the street, "it is wonderful!"
Sif laughed. "That is wonderful to hear. What are you up to now?"
"We were going to head down to the kitchens, see if we could find some food for a picnic in the gardens. I saw young Brandt this morning and he plans to join us with a few of his friends. Would you all care to join us?" Trin asked.
"I fear we shall have little time except to eat and return to the practice field. We were just heading to the dining hall now," Sif explained.
"But thank you for the kind offer," Fandral added. "Perhaps tonight? There is a feast we can together."
Trin nodded. "A feast? I am surprised they are still allowed," she laughed lightly.
"As are we all," Sif spoke dryly.
"Tonight then," Trin confirmed.
•£• Loki •£•
Loki stood upon the balcony overlooking the city. With a start, he realized it was the same balcony he had been standing upon the day Katirya had come back back into his life. His mind wandered to that day, reliving a few of the events. He smiled as he recalled disguising himself as one of the palace guards, only to get trapped in the room as they interrogated the 'intruder' that Volstagg had discovered lurking on the outskirts of Asgard.
Hearing laughter wafting up from the gardens, he glanced down to see the two woman who had accompanied Sif this morning, along with what appeared to be Katirya's two brothers and several children heading into the gardens. The small group stopped in an open spot, spreading out a blanket and the makings of what appeared to be a picnic lunch.
He felt a pang of sadness as he watched the group settle down, noticing that the younger of the two woman had a small infant with her. They looked like plump hens overseeing their brood as the band of children danced around them. Had Katirya not betrayed him that might have been him down there, with her and their child, watching children as they played and enjoying the gorgeous day.
He sat down on a bench, thinking about the events since the day Katirya arrived. He was bitter; he knew that. She had led him along so perfectly. He had fallen in line with her plans, unaware what she was truly planning. He had spent many hours thinking about the short time they had been together, trying to ascertain where or how he had missed the signs that she was preparing to destroy him. He knew she would eventually return, with Thanos, to finish what she had started. He wondered why she was waiting so long. Was she trying to prolong the process, drive him insane? If so, she was succeeding.
He slammed his fist down on the bench, trying to dispel these thoughts. The sound of a dog barking caused him to glance once more down at the picnic below. Frigga's collies had joined the group, racing around after Brandt and the other children. He realized he had not seen those dogs since Katirya left. He knew the last time they had disappeared was after Frigga's death. The cook… what was her name again? Katirya would know it, he thought, then attempted to banish the memory of Katirya.
The name suddenly popped into his mind. Magda! That was her name. Magda had told him that the dogs had taken up residence in the kitchens after Frigga's death. He figured they must have done the same thing when Katirya left.
Seeing Frigga's dogs reminded him of her. He sighed deeply, realizing he had never really mourned for her. She had been the only one of his family who understood him. His last words to her had been harsh. If he had only known it was going to be the last time he ever saw her…
He closed his eyes, feeling a tear slip down his cheek. Frigga had been the only one to visit him in the prisons, the only one who truly cared. His last words had refuted her as his mother. He wished he could take those words back. He recalled the guilt he had felt when he finally learned of her death, thinking he had been the one to cause it. He had told Kurse the quickest way up to the main floors. No one had bothered to tell him what had been happening with Jane and the Aether. Thor had simply offered him a chance at revenge. He had jumped at the chance to get out, and when the opportunity came to escape the inevitable return to prison, he had grabbed it. A prison without Frigga's presence in Asgard would have been unbearable.
He wished he could blame Jane for Frigga's death, but Jane had not asked to find the Aether. He wondered how much Katirya was to blame for that? Thinking perhaps it had been she, not Thanos, who had selected Jane. Katirya had promised to help Jane, but then showed her true feelings when she had all six of the Infinity Stones, siding with Thanos.
He snarled angrily, wiping the tears from his cheeks as he thought about Katirya once again. He knew he would have to eventually face her; that was inevitable. Rising, he glanced once more down at the picnic. Laughter continued to float through the air, irritating him. Turning on his heel, he left the balcony.
