Chapter Twenty-Eight: Chapter Twenty-Eight

Hey, sorry for taking so long with this story. I'm working through the writer's block so this chapter is a bit longer as my apology! College is hard but I should be graduating this May! So I will write when I can. Thank you all for reading. Reviews warm my heart.

Peace was an elusive beast. I had been chasing after it all my life. Loki watched me quietly most likely attempting to understand what was going through my mind. Emerald eyes framed with dark and long lashes searched my face. His skin was pale and in places discolored or split from the battle. There was a relaxed vulnerable look to his face which I realized he had reserved for me lately. Alone he opened himself to me. Most of the time he lashed out, showed the anger that constantly boiled under the surface, but his attention was not on himself in this moment. He was focused on me, and I could tell from his expression that he had found some sort of peace in that.

His face held back the darkness of the day. I leaned forward, the smallest bit, just enough to let my forehead rest against his chest. His arms circled me, pulling me a bit closer to him and into the warmth that he radiated. He wasn't nearly as hot-blooded as Thor, who felt almost sweltering when he hugged me, but it was a gentle warmth. Something relaxing.

"I'm sorry all of this happened." I whispered softly.

"If only I had known you before," Loki's face pressed against the top of my head, "none of this would have happened."

"What do you mean?"

"I do not crave a crown with you." There was a soft sound from the door, but Loki didn't seem to take notice.

"Why not?"

"It seems so very far away," He murmured. "Less important than what is before me." I simply breathed the moment in letting the afternoon air curl around us lazily. Far away there was the mumble of voices that sounded almost like a faraway babbling brook. Someone cleared their throat only a few feet away.

Loki whirled pushing me up against the railing in an attempt to put his body between me and the voice. It was almost comical the way his posture radiated irritation when Thor stood at the threshold of my room watching the two of us with an amused expression.

"Thor." I couldn't help but let a little affection color my tone. Thor smiled at me but even I could tell that there was pain behind his eyes. He lost his mother too. With that realization I guiltily brushed around Loki to hug Thor. After a moment he caved into the hug, just like Loki did. There were definitely more threats involved with Loki. The differences between the brothers were apparent, but I couldn't find myself minding that Loki dealt with his anger in a violent way. I had already known that. My entire world was changed because of that.

"Thank you," Thor spoke softly squeezing me a bit tighter before he let go entirely. "I came to warn you." Thor said his voice slowly building back into the booming tone that I had come to love.

"About?" I asked sensing Loki move a bit closer behind me.

"They're coming for you soon." Thor said with a sigh.

"Who?" Loki asked forcefully, but from the casualness of Thor's voice to the almost affectionate sigh I knew without having to be asked.

"Oh," I sighed in defeat. "Huginn told me earlier I just didn't really pay attention. What are they going to do?"

"I've been sworn to silence on the matter." Thor chuckled. His eyes flitted to just above my head before amusement crossed his face. "I just thought some warning would help." He said motioning slightly to Loki behind me. "Sif doesn't knock often."

The last bit of the conversation, I felt, was intended for Loki and not myself.

"How's Jane?"

Thor's attention centered back on me. "As well as she can be, given the circumstances." Thor sighed a new worry crossing his face. It was strange to see so many negative emotions coming from him. Thor usually kept up a pretty brave front when I was around, it was only now I realized that it was for my benefit alone.

"Circumstances can be a bitch." I quipped knowing far too well how royally they could ruin a life. Thor chuckled softly at that.

"I shall be off then, I only came to warn you." Thor strode out the door off to his next task, most likely finding Jane again, without another word. I felt slightly off-kilter by his sudden exit.

"Sif?" Loki asked evenly.

"Yeah," I sighed, "It seems like Sif and the warriors two are attempting to whisk me away this evening to do who knows what." I wandered back to my bed, pushing aside the disheveled tray medical supplies aside to let myself crawl into the bed. "I haven't even slept." I groaned dragging the covers over me. My cocoon of warmth was gone, just like my hope for any decent sleep.

"You didn't sleep?" From how distant his voice was I guessed that Loki hadn't really moved.

"No." I sighed pressing even deeper into the blankets. After a moment of scrounging I found a pillow and pulled it into the depths with me. It was nice here. Dark and slowly growing warmer, no interrupting nosey gods in my fortress of solitude. There was one outside, but that didn't matter. He was being quiet anyway.

I took stock of my body, rolling up my sleeve to stare at the stitches there. There was just enough light to let me see but not enough to hurt my eyes like the outside of my fortress. They weren't as red, but they were still very much there. Sore but not overly painful. My collarbone was painted in purples. I couldn't see the stitches but I could feel the rough texture there. I stroked my fingers over the strange feeling skin repeatedly wondering if my face looked as bad as it felt. The haze in my mind was saving me from really noticing too much of the arches and pains from the battle. Even so I knew that I was healing much faster than a human could.

Yesterday I had felt like I was made of agony and suffering. Yet now I was mostly sore. I reached out for my magic and was instantly comforted by the rush of it playing around my body.

"Lilly," Loki's tone was sharp, "you are not well enough to even think to use magic. Mother taught you this."

"I know," I sighed letting the familiar and comforting sensation fall away, "I just wanted to be sure." I mumbled curling into more of a ball in my fortress. The blankets welcomed the movement settling around me with a comforting weight.

"Unless you excelled in the art of healing your magic can only drain you."

I paused for a moment. "There's a way you can heal?"

"It's advanced," Loki relented. The covers were pulled slightly back, just enough to reveal my face to the cooler air. I suppressed the urge to hiss at him. Loki's emerald-toned eyes looked down on me with a measure of amusement. "One of the most difficult forms of magic." He said motioning for me to move over.

Grumbling I obeyed. Loki perched on the edge of the bed looking down at me. "I suppose mother did not teach you the art of healing."

"No," I sighed. "I wish she had…."

"I could help perhaps." Loki said dismissing the oncoming darkness and dread that had followed my statement. "I was far below my mother, mind you. But I know basic healing."

"Teach me." I ordered sitting up. My arm and collarbone not so gently reminded me of my recent fight.

"No."

"Loki-"

"No. Not until you are well and your body can handle sustained magic for a period of time."

"I can handle it." I said resolutely. Loki simply stared at me waiting for me to give up. I didn't. We were locked in a staring contest for a few minutes. I watched as amusement turned to true worry in his eyes, which then transformed into a sort of anger.

"Create a light." He suddenly snapped.

I narrowed my eyes dragging on my magic and focusing. Instantly a light the size of a baseball bloomed into radiance above us.

"Brighter."

I focused even harder, pushing more magic into the little ball making it so bright it was difficult to look at. With the light being directly above us the gauzy canopy around my bed took in the light to become almost ethereal in appearance.

"Tether it to yourself." He commanded.

I imagined the small streams of magic I was using to sustain the light as threads and I weaved them around myself effectively creating a tie between myself and the light. It began to bob and weave through the air slightly as if it were following my breathing. It was then I realized that I was breathing much harder than normal nearly panting with the effort.

"Create a second."

I grit my teeth and focused on the second light. It sputtered for a moment before blooming next to the first. It was already as bright as the first, but it's intensity kept flickering. I dug my nails into the bed focusing more intently and the light stabilized.

"Tether it to me."

That meant I had to create a self-sustaining light. I focused in on the magic looping and re-routing the channels until the magic that was already in it would sustain itself for the next hour. I then took a few of the loops and lengthened them wrapping them around Loki before finally finishing.

I had hardly realized I was making small distressed sounds as I had been bending the magic to my will until I felt Loki's hand gently brush my cheek.

"Release them both." He ordered softer than before.

My light went out immediately as soon as I stopped pouring magic into it. Loki's light, however, still bobbed above his head….taunting me. I reached out and tried to break the lines of magic. It took four tries before the light finally sputtered out.

"How do you feel?" Loki asked knowingly.

What little energy I had gained from my day of laying in bed was severely deplenished. I had a piercing headache that I recognized all too easily as the result of me using too much magic. I simply tugged the blanket back up to my chin and closed my eyes.

Loki let his fingers trail up my face and I felt a swell of magic. As he reached my temple he paused, and a feeling of blissful cool swept through my head effectively killing the headache. So this was what healing magic felt like. The cool warmed slightly and moved down my face pausing where Malekith had struck. The warmth intensified swirling in place for a bit before moving down my throat where it lingered near my collarbone. I glanced down and watched in amazement as the bruising slowly faded from the outer edges inward until I could no longer see any of the discoloration. It stayed for a moment more before swirling down my left arm to rest at the stitches there. I tugged my sleeve up to watch as the red slowly disappeared from the wound until it was a mostly normal skintone for me. After that the warmth swept through most of me running over my torso and down each leg before finally fading entirely.

Loki watched me with hooded eyes for a moment before going to look at the stitches that decorated my body. "I can take out infection and heal bruising and the sort, but sealing cuts takes too much out of me. I must still have magic to disguise myself." He sounded apologetic. "Anything internal like broken bones or mutilations are beyond me really."

"But...in New York…" I found myself protesting.

"I sealed the skin, and attempted to stop the bleeding but you were still badly injured internally. Actually mother was the one who healed your internal damage after Odin stabilized the magic within you. After that it was just perseverance on your part."

"Frigga fixed me?" I could hardly hear myself.

"Lillith!" The female voice boomed through the door seconds before the door was being shoved open. I automatically looked toward Loki in shock, but he was not there. Jaco stood across the room his sword already drawn, when he recognized the lady Sif he promptly sheathed his weapon and went back to vacantly staring toward the door.

A phantom hand lightly brushed my cheek and I nearly jerked from the surprise. Loki must have hidden himself and created an image of Jaco in the other corner. He had even hidden his magical signature.

God he was fast.

There was the brush of lips against my temple before the weight on the bed shifted as he left. Sif, was staring at me her eyes narrowed. "You're still in bed?"

"I never slept!" I laughed. There was a small flicker of concern on Sif's face but it was quickly swept away.

"Up!" She ordered moving to the end of my bed. "We're leaving."

"Where are we going?"

"I said up!" Sif reminded me shaking the bed slightly for emphasis. "And it's a surprise." She added as I slowly began to get up.

"Strange, I swore your bruising was worse." She said studying me as I pulled myself up with a groan. "You shouldn't have been able to heal that quickly."

"Halfbreed." I said with a shrug. Across the room Jaco glared at me his hands going into fists at his side. For his part, he didn't say anything out loud. Sif looked disappointed as well her eyes narrowing at me as I moved to the mirror.

"You're still in the same clothing." Sif deadpanned.

I was too busy staring intently at my reflection. I had seen myself in passing when Sif brought me to my room earlier. It was a bloody and dark mess to behold, but now my skin was fair and smooth as if some boss monster of a man hadn't suckerpunched me.

"You can't go out looking like this." Sif tutted pulling at my rumpled shirt for emphasis.

"So we are going out."

"You remind me of someone," she said with a sigh, "back before everything went to Hel." She sighed and plucked at my clothing once more. "You'll be needing to change before Fandral and Volstagg get here.

"Usually my clothes are brought to me…" I trailed off realizing just how spoiled I had gotten within the time I had lived in Asgard. I realized just how much I missed something as simple as a dresser so that I could choose my own clothing.

"Ah, well…" Sif stalked out of the room without another word.

"She must like you." Loki's voice sounded behind me. I ignored his comment and instead reached up to touch my face. There was no pain. I marveled at Loki's skill wondering why he didn't simply heal his own hands and feet.

"Do they hurt?" I asked turning toward Loki. It was still disconcerting that his form was Jaco. Sometimes it didn't bother me, but after such a heart to heart it was strange to say the least.

"What?"

"Your hands and feet." I said motioning at them. Amusement broke across the facade he wore.

"They are quite improved from before." I glanced down at the floor surprised that the blood was simply gone. I wondered if Loki was disguising the room from Sif.

"Here," there was hardly seconds' time from the sound of Sif's voice to the thwap of cloth slamming against my face. "You, out." She ordered as I wrestled the cloth away. Jaco simply gave a half bow to Sif and moved outside of the room taking up guard directly in front of the door. Sif shut the door effectively cutting him off from the room.

"You're bossy today." I mumbled to Sif stripping off the old crumpled clothing. I padded over to my vanity dabbing a bit of the special oil that Runa and Bera had given me on my wrists and behind my ears before tugging on whatever Sif had given me. At least it had pants.

The fabric was light brown and reminded me of Sif herself. It wasn't until I glanced at myself in the mirror did I realize that the clothing was Sif's. The only thing that was missing was the fitted breastplate.

"It is good that they fit you," Sif said walking up and tugging on the clothing, "partly." She tacked on when a few places didn't sit right. "Do you have any other armor?" She asked tapping my bracer. It looked worse for wear after my fight. The etchings were scratched deeply ruining the complex designs that usually caught the light. It was dented slightly, but less so than I remembered it being when the blow had first caught it. "You seem to wear this night and day." She said glancing at me.

"Not when I sleep." I lied instantly.

"Then why do you wear it now?" Sif asked coyly.

"I didn't sleep." I snipped at her playfully before going to brush out my hair. I normally kept it up and out of the way, but after the third time it slipped out of the ribbon I let it back down curling about my face and shoulders.

"We'll be okay." Sif said softly, and I wasn't sure exactly who she was trying to comfort. A sharp knock at the door broke the moment before it could get any larger.

"You've more visitors." Jaco's voice called through the door. "May they enter?"

"Yes," Sif called but the door didn't move. I nearly bit my tongue trying not to giggle at the irritated look that crossed her face.

"They may." I called. Instantly the door swung open revealing Fandral, Volstagg, and Jaco who followed them into the room.

"You look like you're feeling a bit better!" Volstagg boomed before wrapping me in a gentle hug. It was surprising to see such a large man being so careful. "My daughter wanted me to give this to you." He added tugging a small flower out of his pocket. "They're her favorite."

The flower was small, no bigger than my thumb, and held an air of fragility. The petals were white but so thin that they were almost transparent in places. I took the flower and tucked it behind my ear letting it rest in my hair.

"Thank her for me?"

"Of course," Volstagg said patting my shoulder.

"Are you prepared?" Fandral asked going to my other side and wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

I laughed and tilted my head up toward him catching his eye. "How can I be prepared if I'm not told where I'm going or what I'm doing?"

"She's ready." Sif answered cutting off whatever flirty remark Fandral was sure to make. "Let us go!" The excitement felt forced, but the group merely echoed it back with a small but hearty cheer. I was swept along being pulled along by my hands or herded in the right direction. Slowly but surely we made our way to a section of the castle I had no memory of.

"Where-" My question was cut short as extremely large doors were opened for us to reveal the outside world. Still they pushed me onward and into the open air. There was a small group of horses waiting all of them saddled and ready to go.

"This one is yours," Sif said bringing a cream-colored horse closer. She dropped the reigns in my hands. "Her name is Morningflower. You," Sif barked at a young looking man who was standing nearby, "we have need of another horse." She moved away leaving me staring into the large brown eyes of the horse.

I watched the horse cautiously for a moment and she tugged slightly on the reins making a small nickering sound. My magic rose within me and without real thought I let my mind drift toward the horse. Morningflower didn't know what to think of me. I smelled odd, not quite like her caretakers and the others who had ridden her. Her first instinct was to lean toward fear, and she had pinned back her ears as a result.

"I know I seem different." I spoke soflty and through the connection I knew that she understood me on some level. One ear pricked forward showing me that she was paying attention. "I've never really ridden a horse….or been close to one…."

Curiosity sparked and Morningflower leaned forward taking in more of my scent. I felt her decide that it wasn't a bad smell. Slowly I reached out trying not to let images of her snapping into my hand break across the mental link. Morningflower could smell the slight change and tugged back for a moment not sure if I was going to lash out.

Her nose was soft. I automatically made a soft coo-ing noise as I felt the velvet that was her nose. I stroked down the bridge of her snout feeling the rougher hair there before once again hitting the gentle velvet of her nose. A dull ache told me that my body wasn't happy with the use of magic and with a small sigh I cut the flow.

Morningflower's ears were turned toward me so I took that as a good sign and continued to pet her.

"We're almost ready." Fandral said already on top of his horse. "We simply needed a horse for your guard."

"Is this the point where I admit that I've never ridden a horse?"

"Never?" Fandral sounded aghast. "Surely on Midgard-"

"Nope, I had a car for that." I laughed. Morningflower took it upon herself to begin nibbling at the hem of my shirt. I lightly pushed her head away, but it looked like she was ready for another round. Fandral easily swung down from his seat and strode up to me sizing me up.

"Come this way," Fandral said moving to the side of the horse, "place this foot here." He tapped my left leg and motioned toward the stirrup. I handed him the reins, both literally and figuratively and hiked my foot up until I had a good grip. "Stand up on that foot, as you do swing your other leg over the horse." I blinked up at him. "Grab the saddle to have more leverage."

I sighed and grabbed the saddle pulling myself up and onto the animal's back. There was a terrifying moment were I began to fall off the other side, but I righted myself before I could fall. I was instantly aware that I could feel the entirety of the beast below me, her breathing and how she shifted slightly to accommodate my weight. Her ears had swung back toward me again and I reached forward and scratched between them feeling her mane running through my fingers.

"Here," Fandral said handing me back the reins. He then took me through the motions of guiding the horse. When he felt satisfied he went back over to his own horse leaving me alone on top of Morningflower.

"Be nice to me, okay?" I said using the technique Fandral had taught me to turn her toward the Asgardians. She complied though the swaying of her body made me feel off kilter. The others had donned their horses and Jaco was just swinging onto a brown horse who hardly blinked at the motion.

"Come!" Sif bellowed spurring her horse into action. I took a deep breath and used my body to tell Morningflower to go. She began to trot after the other horses one ear pricked forward with one still monitoring me.