The next day you walk into the suite to check on the children after breakfast.
Jaxarna has curled up comfortably in a corner on a big pile of furs. She has a stack of books next to her and a look of concentration on her face. She breaks to look up at you and smile, then goes back to her reading. You smile back, you do adore that little pain in the butt. Though she really isn't that little, she has taken a growth spurt and is a head taller than you now.
The boys are practicing writing runes, Baugi is helping his brother with a line, his brother is annoyed and thinks he's doing just fine. They start to argue. Loki looks up from working with the new girl, Hyndla, and looks over at the brothers.
"Suttungr! It's OK to get help! It's good of your brother to try, but let me see." He reaches out his hand for Sutttungr's paper.
"Oh it's almost there, Suttungr, just straighten that line a little bit. The magic won't do what you want it to do if you don't tell it exactly." He said smiling and handing the paper back.
Baugi looked smug. Loki reached out his hand and took Baugi's paper. "Very good, but be careful of too much pride", he says "you must always ask questions, even of yourself".
Baugi's face turned serious and he quietly took back his paper. Loki smiled affectionately at the little half mage.
You feel conflicted as you watch the exchange. It's very appealing how well he works with the little ones and he is very handsome with his tall curved horns and sparkling red eyes. Even his markings, which match Byliester and Helblindi's seem to somehow fit his face and small body more aesthetically than his larger brothers.
He led you to the Casket and did not betray you when you gave him your trust and erased the magic dampening runes that bound him.
This is so complicated.
You sigh and call Jaxarna out to practice shape shifting.
Jaxarna has already made herself small enough to shift into a sparrow's form. You are so proud of her. You were much older when you learned this form, but you didn't fight in a war or have the other more mature experiences she has been though, you got to be a child and take things slow.
Now you need to teach her to fly. You shrink down to sparrow form and hop over to her. She is already spinning in circles and flapping comically.
You cheep at her and turn your head to focus on her with one eye. She stops and looks at you, cheeping back to indicate that you have her attention.
You demonstrate proper take off in slow motion. She watches intently and gives it a try. By the third try she is aloft, not getting very far, but progressing nicely. At least the flying part. Landing was a little awkward, if you consider landing on your face a little awkward. You help her work on that too.
Soon you are ready for a longer flight. You fly over to a tree to watch the Jotuns and Asgardians sparring, they are just finishing up.
Beli's sweaty blue bald head is shining in the late morning sun as he walks next to the Asgadian warrior maid. He reaches down and gives her a gentle push on the shoulder and says "you're not a bad fighter... for an Asgardian".
She looks at him angrily and snaps, somewhat confused. "For an Asgardian?"
"Yeah you, Asgardian. Little and pink. What did you think I was going to say?" The Jotun quipped with a chuckle.
Sif looks up at him for a moment, then looked over to the strong Jotun women walking together deep in conversation. They glared back at her while Fandral follows them.
Beli follows her gaze and shrugs his shoulders. "I hope they give us sea fruit wine again, that's rare and delicious. We usually settle for sloppy ale"
They chose well with Beli. He might just be able to win the angry little warrior maid over. Hopefully there will be more sea fruit wine.
You motion to Jaxarna to take flight again. She hesitates for a second, jumping off a branch rather than up from the ground is a little scary at first, but she gets past her fear and easily follows you. You fly further this time and go out past the market and see stretches of land being readied for planting. The ground has thawed and is soft enough to till. It's really happening. The Casket is changing the planet back. Jotunheim will prosper again.
Loki is responsible for this. Can you overlook what else he has done? No, but perhaps you can forgive him? You push those thoughts down deep, it's too painful still. At least you no longer fantasize about burning him in a fireball. You'd be smiling if you didn't currently have a beak.
You turn around and go back to the palace for lunch. Flying takes a lot out of you energy wise and you know Jaxarna will be hungry and tired.
You drop Jaxarna off at the children's suite and walk into the small dining room the royal family uses for private meals. The warriors tables are crammed in, and they do have sea fruit wine you notice with a smile.
Beli has moved to the end of his table closest to the Asgardians and Sif has moved to sit next to him. They seem to be arguing about something, their voices are raised and fists crash on the table but it doesn't look like it will escalate from there, it almost seems amicable.
The two female Jotuns are next to each other and are watching Beli and apparently voicing their disapproval. The rest of the Asgardians and Jotuns are staying with their groups.
You wonder if having them eat with the royal family is such a great idea. Maybe it would be best to just invite Thor and maybe Beli to represent the Jotuns. They probably need babysitters, though. Otherwise they could get into a real fight and cause some damage.
Farbauti has brought in another female Lieutenant to meet Loki Prince. She is certainly focused on her plan to marry him off to one of her loyals. This one has tall, beautifully polished twisting horns with razor sharp tips. Her skin is a glowing cobalt blue with black markings and her inky black hair is tied back with green and gold ribbons. You wonder if the ribbons were Farbauti's idea or hers. She is very beautiful.
You climb up onto your chair next to Byleister and brag to him about how well Jaxarna did with her lesson today. He agrees, she is a very good student and a good choice for an apprentice.
You glance over at Loki. He is smiling politely and nodding as the lovely lieutenant tells him with animated hand gestures and too much detail about the battles her troops won during the recent short war with Asgard. She is definitely Farbauti's woman.
Loki glances quickly at you and then focuses on a wall for an instant before looking back at the dark and sultry lieutenant. She doesn't pause in her stories for a second and her velvety contralto voice carries across the room.
You look at Byleister. "Does that woman ever stop talking about herself?"
He chuckles softly at you. "No one is listening, they just look at her and smile. I wonder how her male troops manage to follow her commands"
You shake your head.
Byliester raises his eyebrows and smirks as he leans in to you and whispers "Jealous, Sister?"
You roll your eyes. "Shut up, Byleister".
He laughs.
Maybe you are. Just a tiny bit.
You love the fish pond and the ice has completely cleared from the surface now. You squat down by the edge and feed the fish who are brave or dumb enough to eat from your hand. You drop the morsels into their gaping mouths as their silly fish faces greedily breach the surface. You stand up again and toss a handful out to the more timid creatures circling in the center of the pond.
You hear a soft cough behind you and turn to look. It's Loki Prince.
"How long have you been there?" you ask.
"Long enough to see the fish get a nice meal" he said smiling as he moved to stand next to you.
You hum in acknowledgement.
"Sorceress, I need to talk to you" he starts.
Your stomach twists. You want to run away but you know he will just find you again.
He looks you in the eyes, his red eyes intense. He licks his lips nervously and takes a deep breath.
"I know there is no way that I can make up for what I have done to Jotunheim, not even the Casket will ever be enough. I know the way my action has affected your life is beyond forgiveness. But I can wish for it."
"Sorceress, I am no longer the man I was in Asgard. I was so bitter, so hateful and angry about the life I had there. I have found a home here, and despite my actions and many imperfections I have found family, I have found belonging when no one should want me. I am beyond horrified and ashamed of what I have done to this planet and its people, what I did to your temple and your fellow students and teachers. I am truly sorry and I foolishly wish for your forgiveness".
You stare at him, frozen in place. You know you need to move on at least, that your world has changed and you need to catch up with it. You need to be able to work with him, you need to for Jotunheim's future. Can you do this?
"I treated you badly when I first came here." He continued "I called you ugly and a little monster. I don't think we are monsters anymore and I certainly don't think you are ugly. I have learned to see us as beings capable of kindness and great beauty".
You feel warmth come to your face and you turn to stare at the fish, who are swimming around in circles and obliviously begging for more treats.
"Sorceress?" he says after you have been staring at the fish for what seems like forever.
You break away from the hypnotic swimming of the brightly colored creatures and look up at him. His face is stressed but hopeful. His eyes are glassy with unshed tears.
You take a deep breath. "I forgive you for treating us like monsters, for calling us ugly". You can honestly say that. You will only give him what is true.
His eyelids drop and frozen tears tumble down his cheeks. "I suppose that's a start" he says as he looks up again with a half smile.
"I know I can not hold the past against you forever, Loki" you say. "I need to move forward with the rest of our world. I do see that you have become a different person. I can't ever forgive the man you were, but perhaps I can learn not to hold it against the man that you are".
He looked up at you with a look of surprise. His smile was beautiful. You looked back at the fish.
