Three months had passed since the war in Alfheim had started. At least once a week, one of Odin's guards reported to him. Odin would tell Frigga how things were going and she in turn would tell Ava. The last they had heard was that Loki had developed a strategy that they would be putting in place and it would hopefully be bringing the war to an end soon.

Ava was in the garden, sitting in her and Loki's tree, reading. She had her back against the trunk and her legs stretched out in front of her. However, she found it difficult to concentrate on the book for more than five seconds before her thoughts wandered back to Loki and wondering if he was alright.

"Ava?" A familiar female voice called. "Where are you?"

"I'm here, Eira." Ava called back to her friend.

"Where exactly is here?" Eira asked, coming closer. "I can hear you, but I can't see you. Are you using some kind of magic?"

Ava closed her book and could see Eira standing on the path not far from her. "Look up."

Eira turned her gaze upwards and saw Ava sitting in the tree. "Why are you in a tree?"

"Why are you not in a tree?" Ava countered.

"Because it's not proper for ladies."

"Yes, well the palace is my home now, and home is the one place a lady doesn't have to be proper." Ava replied.

"Well, at least you seem to be doing better." Eira replied. "You should come down here and visit with me."

Ava thought of telling her friend to come up and see her, but she thought better of it. Eira was likely to get hurt climbing the tree for one thing and above all, it didn't feel right. That was the tree she shared with Loki. "Give me a second." She replied. She used the magic Loki had taught her to send the book back to her chambers and then nimbly leaped from the tree, landing gracefully on her bare feet.

"You aren't wearing shoes?" Eira asked.

Ava gestured to a spot at the base of the tree, where she had placed her sandals. "I told you already, I don't have to be proper here."

"What about when Loki returns?" Eira replied.

"Then I shall be even more improper." Ava answered, bending to pick up her shoes.

Eira laughed. "Sometimes I think you need to go back to the academy."

"Bite your tongue."

"You truly hated it at the academy, didn't you?" Eira asked.

Ava nodded. "It's not something I particularly enjoyed." She replied. "Now, let's go for a walk, shall we?"

The two friends then began to walk along the path in the garden. "These gardens are so beautiful." Eira observed.

"Yes." Ava agreed. "Here and the library are my favorite places in the palace."

"I love the grand hall and all of the elegant feasts and parties." Eira replied. "Of course those feasts would be better if I were asked to dance more often."

Ava laughed at her friend. "You were asked to dance."

"Yes, by the friend and only because his friend wanted to dance with you." Eira replied. "Of course, now that you're spoken for, I might be asked to dance at the next feast."

"I am sure you will." Ava replied. "You are a beautiful lady, kind, sweet, and you have a lovely singing voice."

"You are too sweet to me, Ava." Eira replied.

Just then Frigga came rushing out to them. "Is something wrong?" Ava asked, not bothering with the formality of calling Frigga by her title.

"The war in Alfheim is over." Frigga answered.

"Then Loki has returned?' Ava asked.

"Yes, he is in the healing room." Frigga answered.

Before Frigga could finish telling Ava what had happened, Ava had dropped her sandals and was running into the palace. She headed straight for the healing room, her heart pounding in her ears as she feared the worst. She ran straight into the healing room.

She quickly found Loki. He was sitting up on one of the stone tables. His shirt had been removed and he had bandages wrapped around his left shoulder and abdomen. Ava ran over to him. "What happened?" She asked, worried. "Are you going to be alright?"

Loki smiled at her. "I'm fine now that you're here, my darling."

Ava could see that he was happy to see her, but he wasn't one hundred percent himself. "What happened?" She repeated.

"I'll tell you, but you have to give me a kiss first." Loki replied.

Ava stepped closer to him. Since he was sitting down she was eye to eye with him. She gently pressed her lips to his. She started to break the kiss and pull away, but Loki lifted his hand and placed his fingers under her chin. He pulled her lips back to his. Ava tried to fight him for a moment, wanting to know what happened and make sure that he was okay, but Loki wasn't having any of that. Ava gave up the fight and allowed him to hold her lips to his. She also couldn't deny that she was enjoying it. She had missed the feel of kissing him.

Loki broke the kiss when he saw fit. He then moved his hand from under her chin and wrapped his arm around her waist. He pulled Ava close so that her forehead was resting against his. "I've been dreaming about returning to you." He told her.

Ava smiled at him. "I've been dreaming about it, too...now tell me what happened before I add to your wounds."

Loki chuckled and then grabbed his ribs. "It's nothing, really." He told her.

"Then why are you grabbing your ribs after laughing?" Ava countered.

"I was just hurt in battle." Loki answered. "I got a little over confident."

"Brother, how are you?" Thor boomed as he entered the room.

"I was fine until you came in here, Brother." Loki answered. Ava was trying to pull away and feeling embarrassed, but Loki kept a firm grip on her waist.

"Thor, will you tell me what happened, because your brother refuses to?" Ava asked, managing to at least turn her head to see him. Part of her really didn't mind that Loki wasn't letting go of her.

"Loki saved my life." Thor answered. "I got a little careless and he took an attack for me. I am indebted to you, Brother."

"You can start repaying your debt to me by leaving Ava and I alone." Loki answered. "I have been separated from my love for far too long, we need to be left alone."

Thor was opening his mouth to say something, when Frigga entered the room. "Thor, you need to be getting ready for the feast tonight." She told him.

Thor nodded and left. Frigga then turned to Loki and Ava. "You should be getting ready as well Ava." Frigga told her. "Loki you will be staying in your chambers, you must rest."

"I don't think it would be a good idea for me to go to the feast." Ava replied. "Especially since Loki isn't able to escort me."

"You can stay by my side the entire time you are there." Frigga replied. "I will help to make sure the young men leave you alone. You only have to come for a bit. Then you can stay with Loki. Someone should take care of him."